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Kill the human that has spellbound you, and you will be able to return to the sea.
Those words rang through the mermaid's head. Loud, reverberating bells. Ask not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
His life was just the blue depths of the ocean. The blithe of the beautiful blue was all he knew. That was until he saw them. The human.
He gave up both his tail and voice for human legs to see them. To see what made them so joyful on land, and to witness their smile once more. But it now he was losing on his end of his contract. He was unable to win their heart. Still, he could never be angry at them.
But here he was now, dagger in hand. Veiled by the night, he was at the entrance of the human's bedroom.
The mermaid held the dagger with such an iron grip that his knuckles were white. Yet his breath wavered so.
Yes, all he needed was to kill his human. It would be like slicing fish.
He shivered at the thought, and especially at how easily it came to his mind. Still, the mermaid took a step forward. Slowly so he would not give way to the wooden planks' creaks. Like a killer. A cold-hearted killer. Would it be better that he just sliced them in the heat of the moment? His slow prowl to their bed surrendered his mind to... thoughts.
Oh, how the human was sleeping so soundly. He wanted to curse at the moon for being in position to illuminate their face with its gentle light. It was this face that tempted him to follow them to land. He still found himself distracted by the flush that remained on their cheeks. His eyes followed down to their lips. And how their fingers were still wrapped around the flowers he gave them the morning of.
Just why did things have to end this way.
Now he was at the foot of their bed. His shadow now obscuring the moonlight on their body.
His free hand found its way to cup his human's face. A bad habit of his, that always made their ears tinge pink. He took in their smooth skin that beamed so brightly during the daylight.
He wondered just what they were dreaming about. What useless nothings to be pondered. A mercy to them, but like knives to his heart. If they could not give him their heart to soon, then please at least give him the peace of mind that they won't awake from their happy dreams.
The mermaid gritted his teeth. His breaths heavy and labored. His muscles were tensed, the fingers on his human's face pressed into their skin. Please, please forgive him for his selfishness. With a heavy arm, he raised the dagger into the air. Its steel giving a harsh white glare.
And the human's eyes opened.
Why now.
"A-Adria?!" their voice was more of a harsh breath. They immediately sat up, scrambling as they backed into the railing of their bed. Like an animal. A small, scared animal. And he was their predator, "What's, what's going on?!"
And just like that, the dagger fell onto the floor with a loud clank.
He was still spellbound.