Chapter Text
Blue reflected everywhere.
The sea was calm. A soft current flowing. Seaweed moved in a hypnotizing dance below, a vast abyss of blue around it.
Between it all…
A fast glint of a lighter blue flashed, a figure dashing across the small sun rays reflecting into the water. Any human diving would think the figure had been a dolphin, it had moved fast.
But on closer range…
They would have seen the outlines of a human’s body.
The mermaid smiled, letting her long blue tail flow behind her. Her fast moves slowing slightly. She chuckled, letting her arms lay behind her head as she floated. Blue eyes filling with content as her bright blue scales shined with the light.
Vivi rested there for some minutes. Taking in the cool feel of the water.
Cool enough for her.
She was trying to avoid warm waters after all.
Here… Maybe it was far enough.
She would not want to be there, not now. Not like everybody. She had no interest in it. All her kind was traveling to warm seas and coasts. This year was for merfolk one of love.
All headed to warmer waters to find a mate. Or to tie bounds between families.
As if she would.
Vivi huffed, pouting as she looked at the sun above, looming over the calm surface.
She did not want that. Not yet at least.
Staying a whole year in those shores? With all the things she could do instead, how much she could see if she traveled?
No thanks.
Her dolphin tail finally moved again, her body leaning downwards once more, more stable. Her blue eyes fixing up.
She took a deep joyful breath as she broke the surface. Her strong fins and tail pushing her upwards.
She beamed, holding a hand over her eyes. Seeing already the coast. A cay ahead. A better place to wait for the chaos of the season to pass.
She floated there, not wanting to approach the beach in plain daylight, seeing a village in the deeper area of the coast. Humans.
As she pondered if she could maybe nest near some coral…
Something moved near her.
She was unaware of two green eyes watching her insistently… Having spotted her in deeper waters as she headed here…
The merman smiled. His sharp shark teeth showing as his fin broke the surface. Circling her from behind.
Merfolk… An ancient kind of life.
Living in the depths long before humans were even born.
So many races… So many bloodlines.
The shark laughed. Loving the sight of a mermaid with a dolphin’s tail.
His favorite prey. After humans.
He gave the animals they resembled such a bad reputation. But he could just not care. Better let sharks pay for his people’s doing. Humans love to hate them.
More for them if they were gone someday.
Vivi frowned. Feeling a sudden current.
That should have not been there.
Her blue eyes widened, a big shadow heading straight for her neck from below. Fast.
She gasped, moving sideways just in time to dodge the merman jumping out of water. His jaws slamming shut where her throat would have been, had she not seen.
They both sunk down deeper, her tail swaying fast to take distance.
Both their eyes locking… His gleeful and sick… Hers narrowed with anger.
He was surprised to find out she was a fighter. Her fins waved, a taunt for him to dare to get closer, her fists raising. Her figure leaning menacingly.
Some ran. Some fought.
She will not flee…
He would have fun.
Vivi expected him to move and attack. And he did.
His spiked fins twitched, his dark tail glinting with a slight green in the dark, whipping it sideways as a shark would, moving fast.
Forward. For her.
His hands tried to get a hold of her arms, his nails sharp as his teeth. But he snarled in exasperation, Vivi huffing. Her tail moving out the way, and slamming back onto his guts.
She snorted as the shark cursed, losing his smug smile. Holding his stomach with a hand.
He still could growl.
“…Aren’t you a though one…”
She mocked him, head moving to taunt him again.
“Oh, don’t think you’ll be able to bite these though bones. I’ll break yours first.”
Their races where equal in strength.
But sharks were more feral. Their actions wild.
He grinned again. An idea crossing his mind.
Vivi blinked as he took height over her. To then dash down onto her.
She dodged every time, both sinking deeper, nearing the ocean floor with every dash he made. Repeating his moves over and over again.
Vivi grew tired of it as she floated near the sand.
“Can’t you see it won’t work?! I even hit you twice! Drop it already you idiot!”
She blinked as he laughed.
His tail brushing the sand…
“…Very well…”
His tail pushed.
Vivi yelped, sand shooting up to her eyes, blinding her painfully.
Their were equal. But different.
He did not play fairly. He never did.
A backstabbing bastard.
She cowered slightly as she tried to clear her now pained eyes, unable to see. Her hands brushing quickly.
Her tail moved in fast sways, her mind trying to work out what to do.
She could not see him. And she knew he was nearing.
She screamed as she felt claws slam around her wrists.
Vivi trembled as she was pushed, and then slammed against a rock formation nearby. Her blue eyes widening, her arms and torso pinned against it. His hands strong, keeping her there even if she struggled.
He leaned his head to a side, laughing mockingly.
“And humans think you the most clever creatures…”
She growled, seeing him take his time to mock her.
He would have kept on laughing.
To bite her in a minute… Were not for the huge shadow suddenly looming over them.
Vivi shivered, for the lack of light came from behind her. She could only see green eyes widening in fear, her figure still pinned. But she felt his hands tremble… Realization slowly sink in into his surprised expression.
It only lasted for a second.
She gasped, a flash of black dashed at light speed. Her flinch only allowing her to see a huge figure going past over her and onto the bastard.
She heard a pained huff and a big flow of water.
Vivi let herself regain her stability, her fins moving to help her float.
Her eyes filling with shock, seeing another merman.
Bigger than any she had seen. Pushing and exchanging swipes of tail with the now angry shark. His big long tail was stronger. Causing the other to wince with every hit, not helping any that he was receiving as well fierce punches. His clawing not seeming to face the tall young merman. His magenta eyes narrowed in determination.
Vivi could only stare as the big killer whale grew tired of the shark’s attacks, and bolted to grab him.
The smaller male yelped and trashed as the other managed to grab his neck and lower tail. Keeping him still. His arms swung and moved wildly as he was forced to lay upside down. Magenta eyes fixed on him… Huffing as he kept him down in his hold.
Vivi was surprised as green eyes slowly unfocused, his wild trashing slowing.
The taller male sighed. Waiting only one more minute. And then slowly let go.
He smiled, the shark floating dumb faced, not moving an inch, only small twitches.
Paralyzed.
Vivi knew that sharks could not handle being turned upside down, but she never guessed or thought it would affect those merfolk…
Her thoughts were cut off, the tall merman speaking up, turning to face her with a shy call.
“A-are you alright?”
He began to fumble with his hands. Seeing her giving him a stare.
It made him nervous. Everyone always weary of him…
But she seemed to push away any apprehension. Which surprised him. His kind feared for being a little brutal. What he just did something orcas did often to kill sharks. Sometimes for fun. And not only that, and not only sharks.
He had expected her to flee. He would have not blamed her.
But he was the one that cowered instead, her tail suddenly moving. Forward.
To him. Closer.
Vivi rose an eyebrow as he shied again, stuttering as she looked him over.
Never having seen one like him. For they lived in icy waters. Far from any other.
He was as big as she was told they were. Maybe even more. His tail big and long, black. White stripes at the sides.
He blushed as he saw her staring at his upper half.
He could look intimidating, having muscles well defined, strong looking. But his face… His face looked so gentle, even shy, a nervous pout as he tried to avert his eyes nervously. His magenta eyes were bright. Only care in them.
Vivi finally smiled, warmly.
“I’m fine.” He blinked as she laughed, as if nothing. “Thanks to you!”
There was an awkward silence.
For he was slowly swaying away, obviously not used to being approached so directly.
Not that he wanted to stay away. He just had no clue what to say.
She knew, it seemed.
He blinked as she suddenly outstretched a hand, giving him a kind smile.
“Vivi.”
“Huhh…?”
Oh gosh he’s cute…
She rolled her eyes, chuckling.
“My name, silly! Yours?”
He looked down at her hand.
His voice coming out quietly after a minute.
“Lewis…”
His heartbeat fastened, her head leaning while her eyes closed with a laugh, her hand shaking his.
He could only blush more, her voice echoing through the water.
“Well, thanks Lewis! I owe you one!”
He shook his head, frowning.
Retorting worriedly.
“No. I saw him attacking you. And I couldn’t just… Swim away…?”
Fish were so easy to hunt, food was not scarce.
If this shark was hunting her, It was for sport.
Vivi just nodded, a thankful look.
Lewis relaxed slightly, the tension leaving, both deeming each other trust worthy.
He listened as she asked, her eyes full of wonder.
“Though I wonder…” He met her eyes, both curious. “What are you doing here? These waters are cool, but warm in comparison to the ones you roam…”
She began to swim around him playfully, a small smile growing on his lips.
Her playful nature showing once more.
“…Well… In the first place, I could say I don’t live where I should.”
She rose an eyebrow, halting behind him, her fins swaying.
Confused.
“Should? Hey, I’m not judging if you prefer warmer seas.”
“No. I mean…” He shrugged, nervous. “I- I live with some of yours. Not my own kind.”
She blinked, slowly understanding.
He remembers little of his young days. But he knows he got lost. And… Some other merfolk found him after he roamed… Rather far, hungry and clueless.
Lewis rubbed his arm, laughing slightly.
“Right now, I’m wandering. They are going to even warmer seas. You know, this season… I… Well, they are the only ones to near me, and I did not want to scare anyone, so I just… Came here to stay for a while? I told them it would be too warm for me there.”
He would see them soon enough. They could use the time together in those waters, seeing friends and far relatives. They of course tried to convince him to go with them.
He preferred not to.
Vivi was the one to blush this time, Lewis wondering as well.
“Why are you here, Vivi? Not that I… Mind. It’s just that I would expect you all to head there, you know.”
She laughed nervously, waving a hand up and down to dismiss it.
“Ahhh, just… Thought that all that is not made for me. Crowded beaches, nosy people all around, noise. All the same. Too boring for me.”
Lewis was puzzled by her, her tail waving jokingly, her laugh echoing loud.
“I’m taking a different vacation!”
Her laugh ended.
Leaving them to float silently. Neither knowing what to say…
He spoke first. Thinking he should just take his leave.
The bastard had drifted away while they spoke. Now out of sight. And he was sure he would not dare anything again. Not in a while. It would take him time to wake.
Vivi’s smile slightly dropped as he sighed, voice dragging.
“I’m glad you are ok, Vivi. I… Wish you have fun. I won’t steal more of your time.”
His tail moved to allow him to take speed… And leave. Even if he loved the sight of playful blue eyes.
But he blinked and halted after he turned away. Feeling fingers brush his arm.
He slowly turned around again… His eyes seeing hers. She was right there, holding him, a firm expression.
Her voice daring.
“You are not stealing my time.”
She knew he did not mind her presence, but he dreaded his own around hers.
Lewis seemed to doubt as she voiced his own deep thoughts.
“Maybe… We could hang out?” She motioned around the clear beautiful waters, the coast a good place to swim in. “This place is pretty. There are a lot of fish. And I think it would be more fun to have someone to talk to? After all, we both are looking for a place to stay in for a while, don’t we?”
“I…”
“What do you say, Lew?”
He was glad the water hid the red on his face. He gave him a nickname.
Vivi feared he would swim away. Too shy.
So she just hoped internally, not pressuring him.
Say yes… Don’t say no.
Little did they know that both were saying the same words mentally.
Lewis met her eyes once more. Only seeing care. True trust, no judgment.
He… He maybe…
She beamed. As he showed a little shy smile, chuckling.
“I’m sure it will be fun.”
“Yes!”
He yelped as she suddenly pulled, forcing him to swim forward as she did.
Her voice echoing loud, her tail moving fast.
“Come on! We must find the best place to make our nests! And then find where the most tasty fish hide! And then… Then grab some coral and shells and make some necklaces! Maybe some earrings! What do you think, Lewis?!”
He thinks that this will be exhausting for him. He can barely keep her pace of swim and thought.
She continued to drag him along. Her smile growing, seeing him nod back with one as well. Both heading towards the coast, floating near the seaweed and colorful rocks.
He could only wonder. Maybe be nervous.
But…
He won’t complain.