#tangle kelp

[marcusjcoblol]

mornin guysss have some doodelssssss

#pvz2 #pvz fanart #plants vs zombies #pvz #moonflower #coconut cannon #stallia #hypno shroom #tangle kelp #homing thistle #toadstool #badminton plant guy from pvz 2 china idk i forgor their name #elaeocarpus pult #nvm i remembered their name :DDD

[mypvz2]

#PvZ2 #Plants vs Zombies 2 #Lily Pad #Electric Peel #Infi-nut #Tangle Kelp

[superbattle117]

#Rebecca Fern #pvz #Lucas Avian #plants vs zombies #pvz2 #Tangle kelp #Sea shroom #Sea flora #Bowling bulb #Lily pad

[gummi-stims]

could you please make a leafy seadragon stimboard? ^_^

🌿-🐉-🌿

🐉- x -🐉

🌿-🐉-🌿

#stimboard #leafy sea dragon #moodboard #stim #green #yellow #brown #orange #jelly soap #squishy #seaweed #kelp #ocean #stim toy #tangle #kinetic sand #dice #visual stim #tactile stim #soap #hands

[peepee-poopoo-lord]

Cassandra always did have a bit of a gay vibe

#Kelp blogging #Varian & the 7 kingdoms #Tangled: the series

[batsinurbelfrey]

.

#doctors hate her!!! she figured out how to feel both like an empty husk and ALSO feel like you just had your lungs filled with molten iron #before being pushed under stormy waves choking to death on hot metal and freezing cold water all at once #while thick kelp wraps and tangles around your legs. sealing your body there on the floor forever for fish to feed on and makes homes in #[the answer is trauma] #personal

[inkskinned]

how many times can you live through the apocalypse?

when you were little there was this beach that was free to go to. you didn't really like it on account of the litter. at one point, a white bag caught around your ankle, and for a moment (fish child), you panicked about jellyfish. on the foam, the red-pink words read thank you, stacked on top of each other, tangled in the kelp.

they have a new program (three thousand american dollars) to send your dead relative to the moon. there is a lot of evidence that our local orbit is becoming ever-more dangerously populated with "micro" satellites - debris in a round miasma becoming a thick web above us. maybe angels cannot hear us through the pollution.

you used to picture deep space like a thick membrane, or a blanket. someone said to you once the universe has no edge and that fucked with you for a long time, trying to picture what shape infinity has. your coworker is writing a short story about ecological collapse, which she is submitting for a little side-money so she can survive the current economical collapse.

the birds haven't gone to sleep this winter. that is probably bad. something that actually freaks you out is the natural temperature of human bodies versus the survival temperature of certain fungi. there is a podcast called s-town, in which a man kills himself over climate anxiety. he was probably meant to seem sort of unhinged. it just seems like it is becoming increasingly clear he was being honest.

space is not empty, we have put our dead into the stars. at some point they will figure out how to put ads into our sleep. you need to pay for the greenlife subscription service to be able to save the world.

there is a lot of ways this poem ends. but you have been wearing the same jeans and shirts since you were, like, 18. it is a hard life, sometimes, watching the entire foundation crack. there was this one moment over the summer, where you were shaking with heat exhaustion and dehydration. you were offered a nestle water bottle.

for three thousand dollars, you can send your ashes into space.

instead, you wash out the peanut butter jar. you put the avocado-toothpick spiked seed ball into water (even though they never grow very far). you borrow what you do not want to buy. you pick up any litter you find. you do not have a lot of control, really. but where you do - if there is one thing you can do, you do it.

something about that. you need to believe that must be true for the rest of humanity. or maybe - you need to believe that to be true, or else there will not be a rest of humanity.

#writeblr #spilled ink #i hope it is clear in this that i wholeheartedly believe the problem is capitalism and not individuals

[paperultra]

space cadet.

Pairing: OPLA!Vinsmoke Sanji x Reader Word Count: 831 words Warnings: None

reverie (noun): a state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts; a daydream

You imagine the thoughts in your head as a forest of kelp at the bottom of the sea: dense, beautiful, brimming with life and all too easy to get lost in.

They’ve caused you trouble in the past. Countless rapped knuckles, letters sent home to your parents, walking into trees on the way home from school. But how could you resist? Empires rose and fell over the course of an hour inside your mind, mighty beasts swore their allegiance to you and the four seas were yours to explore. The childhood you had in the real world was so dull and lonely in comparison.

When you ran off and joined the Straw Hats, you finally had the excitement you had so craved. And yet, even now, your mind still wanders.

“If you swab the deck any more, we won’t have any left, sweetheart.”

Only a select few can bring you back.

You blink rapidly, the clouds dissipating as you stop scrubbing and look up. Sanji’s already smiling when you meet his gaze.

He lifts his hands; one offers a plate of shortbread cookies, the other a glass of milk.

“I’m going to guess that you haven’t had a break in a while,” he says. “Am I right?”

A break? Sending him a perplexed frown, you lean on the handle of your scrub brush and glance over your shoulder.

The side on which you had started winks back at you from afar, wood gleaming under the afternoon sun.

Oh.

“I … I guess so,” you reply slowly, turning back to him. It’s only then that you register the saltwater washing over your feet and the ache in your muscles. “I didn’t even realize …”

He shakes his head and chuckles, leading you to some nearby crates to sit down. “Too caught up in your stories again? I’m almost jealous that they get to spend so much time with you.”

“I don’t mean to make you worry.”

“Loving someone means worrying about them from time to time.”

He winks, and you smile, flustered.

“I see,” you say quietly. “Then thank you for worrying, Sanji.”

“Of course.” He hands you the glass of milk, then picks up a cookie and taps it against your lips. “Now, this is my best batch of sablés. You have no idea how hard it was to keep Luffy from eating them all in the kitchen.”

“I have some idea,” you drawl amusedly, taking a bite.

The cookie breaks with a gentle snap. It crumbles delightfully in your mouth, sugar and butter dancing on your tongue. A pleased hum rumbles in your throat before you wash it down with a gulp of cold milk.

“What do you think?”

“I think I might eat the whole plate right now,” you say, taking the other half of the cookie.

He grins. “So you like them.”

“They’re delicious.” Picking up another one, you hold it in front of his face. “Here.”

Sanji’s gaze remains locked with yours as he leans forward to take a bite of the cookie, his lips brushing your fingertips in an impromptu kiss before he pulls away. He chews thoughtfully. The action should not look as good as it does.

“My best batch, as I’ve said,” he tells you once he swallows. “But I’ve tasted sweeter.”

You tilt your head. “Where?”

His mouth curls into a smirk, and he places his fingers under your chin to bring your face closer to his. Your noses touch and you can feel his answer against your lips as he murmurs, “Right here.”

The rest of the crew may also have the pleasure of eating Sanji’s food, but they do not share your privilege of knowing just how talented he is at kissing.

He sets down the plate and lifts his hand to cup your jaw, meeting your lips and letting out a soft sigh before pressing his lips more fervently against yours. You can taste the smoke on his tongue, a constant underneath the warm sweetness of sugar and the saltiness of butter. Your eyes flutter closed, and you reach up to cradle the back of his head, fingers tangling in his hair and tugging slightly. The groan he lets out sends tingles down to the tips of your toes.

“Sweetheart,” he pants, and the longing in his voice would’ve made your knees buckle if you were standing, “I won’t be able to stop if you keep doing that.”

You put your glass of milk down so you can bury both hands in his golden hair. Your forehead touches his. “Maybe that’s a good thing.”

“Maybe it is,” he mutters.

You bring him back in for another searing kiss that Sanji returns just as eagerly.

Yes, you value your time alone with your thoughts. They are a forest of kelp at the bottom of the sea, beautiful, countless, and wild.

But as easy as it is to get lost in your thoughts, it is infinitely easier to get lost in him.

#aesthetic words prompt list #opla #one piece #sanji x reader #vinsmoke sanji x reader #vinsmoke sanji #sanji #opla sanji #one piece live action #opla fanfiction #one piece fanfiction #reader insert #reader stares off into space and sanji is like. look at my angel. so pensive and sweet and beautiful <333 #meanwhile reader is wrangling with the logistics of surviving in the stomach of a sea cow #they get along quite well with usopp i think :) #anyway sanji and reader are THAT pda couple. guys u can't just make out on the deck for everyone to witness (sanji and reader do not care)

[vote2]

I love you kelp forests

#as much as the scene from eo1 scared me when you get tangled in the kelp and almost drown.... #and then your partner who cant swim is freaking out on the boat because her dad died the same way... #but still greatest thjng ever. kelp forests my best friend mwah

[mochinomnoms]

Ok so this is totally inspired by the Ruggie being sick thing but sick Ptm Jade and Yuu taking care of him!!! I feel like somehow Azul would trick them into taking care of Jade (say he was busy or something with housewarden stuff). And when asked why Floyd can't take of his brother he'd butt in and say he hates how whiny Jade gets when sick. Idk I just have a feeling Jade would play up the dramatics when he's sick. And poor Yuu! Stuck watching the sick eel while endless fantasies go through Jade's head about a domestic lifestyle with them! And hopefully (but not likely) they won't have to see any nsfw thoughts this time!

-✨👀

Jade rarely gets sick, so when he does it's a whole ordeal of figuring out who takes care of his usual tasks and who will wrangle in Floyd (despite him and Floyd both stating that he's not Floyd's keeper and he thinks he's hella funny when he's up to shit.)

If we're setting this in ptm, then I can state with confidence that a second-year student named Marino De Reyes takes over Jade's tasks at Azul's request. And he does so beautifully. However, having someone to wrangle Floyd is a whole nother issue. Our sharky friend Tony is pushed to keep Floyd in check, as they're friends and Tony is typically more level-headed. However, when the two get together, their collective brain cells kinda die out and the two become menaces that actively encourage the other to get into shit. Honestly, Azul shouldn't be surprised, last the two were left to their own devices without someone to properly supervise, Floyd and Tony got tangled by a jellyfish's tentacles because, “they kinda looked like kelp and we wanted to see if they tasted good”. They got stung for over 15 minutes before Jade found them and had their fathers get them untangled.

They a little bit unhinged, to put it bluntly. So Azul and Aspen get busy wrangling their two friends from accidentally killing themselves parkouring on the roofs, So Azul, knowing that ptm!Yuu was taught first aid and care from the nurse, asks (begs) them to nurse Jade back to health. He can feel himself aging by the second, please Prefect, HELP.

So they do, and Jade is actually living in a delirious version of domestic bliss. Like, he actually thinks that you two are married and in your cottage by the forest and seaside. It makes the other students in the infirmary confused as hell, and the nurse giddy and teasing. Jade's not just wearing rose-tinted glasses, he got lasik surgery to have rose-tinted vision, because you can do no wrong. The fantasies he's having are actually quite sweet, just dreams of you two living together. You wake him up to take his medicine? He's visioning you hand feeding him breakfast in bed. Pushing his bangs away from his face to place a new wet towel on his fevering forehead? He's imagining you brushing your fingering through his hair. If Jade's sick enough to need someone else to take over tasks and have Azul owe you a favor to care for him, then he's just a bit delirious. For once, he's not filtering his words from his thoughts and just out right saying everything that his mind conjures.

“You're so pretty. A pretty, pretty pearl! Nurse Goethel, aren't they just beautiful? Ethereal, like seeing our galaxy in the night sky.”

“Pfft-oh? You're very correct Jade, wouldn't you agree, Prefect?”

“Um, well I—”

“I love your voice, my pearl. I can hear you speak all day…”

“Aw! How cute, did you know this Prefect? He's such a gentleman, you should go out—”

“You're so cute and sweet, I bet you taste sweet too~ I'd love to hear you moan for me as I—MmPH!”

Smothering a sick man with a pillow is not typically recommended by medical professionals, but you needed to preserve whatever bit of dignity you (and Jade at this point) had left. You thank the Seven that it was only you three in the room at that time. The week ends with Jade discharged and sent to his dorm with some antibiotics, but the nurse's teasing and swoons of young romance were just beginning…

(Now the real debate is whether or not Jade was actually delirious, or if he was pretending so he could say what he thought and gage your reactions. What do you think?)

#mochi asks #twst #twisted wonderland #jade leech #twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #jade leech x reader #ptm #✨👀 anon

[luciddreamingcrow]

The gem mermaids x maid/butler! reader + ART!

Cw!: THERE IS NO AGE GAP! this fanfic is not intended to be read as you and the characters having a age gap it's clearly written for you two to be the same age! I just wanna make this clear because I don't want people to misinterpret the dynamic of this fan fic. And it's not proofread!

Characters present: Crimson Coral cookie, Mystical Opal cookie, Golden Citrine cookie and Aquamarine cookie

Dynamics present: childhood friends to lovers, fluff, confessions, before dating,

⋆⭒˚｡⋆Introduction⋆⭒˚｡⋆

Ah the gem mermaids, so majestic and all of them can take your breath away just by looking at you but it just so happened that you are their favourite <3

When you were as young as them, your mer parents explained that you are the young gem mermaids source of happiness, they trust you and cherish you, and as you two grew up they still feel how their heart is captured by you and only you <333

.𖥔 ݁ ˖Crimson coral cookie.𖥔 ݁ ˖

"Just like you looked out for me when I was hurt, I'll always do the same for you"

✧When you just started to serve for the gem mermaids you were assigned to accompany the young crimson coral cookie

✦When she would train and learn how to ride the sea horses you always kept a really close eye on her, you never wanted for your lady to be hurt after all!

✧And if she did get hurt in the process you'd always hurry to check if she was injured and if she was then you'd always have some extra kelp to patch up her wounds

✦Even if she was hurting she couldn't help but feel always way better when she would hear your voice, it calmed her down and brought her down to earth and distracted her from her injuries

✧As you grew older she always insisted that you take more frequent breaks because she hated when you'd feel burned out

✦As you were teens she had a rebellious phase and she often insisted on taking you on a ride on her sea horse and explore beyond Tearcrown, sometimes she'd even sneak out quality foods and sweets that only loyalty could eat so you can have at least a taste.

✧After growing up she accepted that she has feelings for you and sees you as equal, and one day as she took you to your childhood favourite spot and there she confessed in the privacy of your secret place, and as you sat there you two made two bracelets for eachother that represented your love for each other

✦And by her orders she explained to the guards that she would feel way safer if you'd join her for the night and that's how now you guys are cuddling close, to each others arms, and this action always brings crimson coral closure and piece

✧She really likes holding you and you holding her, her entire day schedule is filled with little to to physical touch, so, at the end of the day, having you in her grasp, just brings her so much happiness and just a calm feeling that drives her to a peaceful slumber.

Also if you are curious about how the sweets look like, they look like those muffins from the mermaid Barbie movie + that coral looking cake🤭

(she's shushing u so u two won't get caught)

Mystic Opal cookie

"To be honest, I wouldn't know what I would have done without you"

𖤓One thing she vividly remembers is this specific scenario from when she was younger:

𖤓'sat in front of the mirror, and some of her sisters trying their best to untangle her hair without it biting their arms off, so her hair would always be unstylised and sometimes tangled in which thay would make her quite insecure'

𖤓But when she heard that you'd be a sort of personal maid/butler for her she was kind of concerned how her hair would react because she didn't want it to intimate you or hurt you

𖤓But surprisingly it didn't really have a problem with you, it didn't have a problem with you touching it, brushing it and overall styling it. She was in awe when you managed to do it for the first time and from then on she insisted that you'd help her with this matter

𖤓Slowly by having hair styling sessions you two would talk with eachother and open up about past experiences, what you liked and didn't like etc etc.

𖤓And as time went by you two became inseparable, and because of her more closed off nature she really placed a lot trust in you, she'd always trust you with some more sensitive feelings of hers and she'd always appreciate the way you'd reassure her and your presence would always make her feel better.

𖤓After a while when she noticed she had feelings she mostly kept them to herself, of course you are the one that she trusts the most, but it felt like something so intimate that she just had to keep it in

𖤓But even if it was a secret, her actions weren't repressed one bit, now she'd subconsciously stand closer to you, her finns would flapp and rice up when she'd see you and the star that hangs at the back of her head would glow just a little brighter.

𖤓And Golden Citrine cookie teased the hell out of Mystic Opal when she caught up with her infatuation with you and by the end encouraged her to confess because by the end of the day she can't just hide her feelings forever

𖤓And she took het sisters advice at heart and the hole week she was preparing herself to confess but by the end of the week she was so stressed about confessing to you that she accidentally distanced herself away from you

𖤓And as you were preparing her hair for her night routine before bed you questioned if you did something to upset her, at that moment she realised she can't take it no longer and just let it all out

𖤓By the end, she ended up crying because it was never her intention to hurt you because you were so beloved to her but she was afraid how you'd react but by the end after comforting her and taking about it she gave you the most gentle kiss on the cheek

𖤓Even if that is one of her first relationships, she's actually a really good partner, she's calm collected and when you two are alone she feels so safe with you that she lets herself and her emotions to be vulnerable without worrying about any sort of judgement

𖤓She feels so happy and comfortable with you, she just wished she could give you all of the love of the sea just for you to have

Golden Citrine cookie

"Wanna join me on another trinket hunt?"

❂When she first met you the very first thing that she did was bring her to her room to show you the various golden trinkets that she found from those hollow whales!

❂They all looked to mesmerized undet the moonlight and their reflection could easily light up her room with a really soft golden light

❂She mostly would sneak you out Tearcrown so you'd have some time alone and find more trinkets for her to add to her collection

❂At these treasure hunting trips she'd be as exited to talk and rant about how some things tip her off, just like how crimson coral doesn't really get her sarcasm but she'd be as excited to hear more about you!

❂She'd always insists in you joining the rest of the gem mermaids everywhere because she considers you as family and deeply cares about you

❂Another thing you'd do together was cleaning up any dirty trinkets, because after all she wants them to shine brightly under the sun and the moon light!

❂She has a surprisingly good maintained hair! She just enjoys not having it tied up and letting it free so she never really insisted on having hair care sessions because it was so easily maintainable

❂The moment she realised she had feelings for you is when you two would on one of your treasure/trinket hunting adventures and you'd look so interested in her little rant on how much she loves her shiny jewelry, your expression was so focused and interested on what she had to say that she outright confessed right here and there!

❂Of course later on, around that night before coming back to Tearcrown she said that she genuinely ment it and that she truly really does adore you and asked you properly if you'd like to be her partner

Aquamarine cookie

"Today I found a new flower that never has seen before and I named it after you"

.𖥔 ݁ ˖Ooooo she remembers so clearly how when you first showed up she instantly just brought you to her garden!

.𖥔 ݁ ˖Aquamarines garden was a old greenhouse that eventually got sinked by the sea so she made herself a home there

.𖥔 ݁ ˖You'd mostly help out with different tasks in her garden like: caring out different types of sand/soils that her plants need

.𖥔 ݁ ˖Or she'd join you by going to far away markets to get new seeds for her garden and even when talking care of the plants she'd rant on and on about their properties, from where they originated, how to properly take care of them ect.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖One day she was sick so she couldn't attend the garden and you were nowhere to be found, she wanted to start looking for you because your presence comforted her but her sisters insisted on her resting

.𖥔 ݁ ˖But once everyone was asleep she sneaked out her room and started looking out for you, once she was ready to give up she decided to see how her garden was doing

.𖥔 ݁ ˖To her surprise she found you there! You were half asleep taking care of the last plant that needed care

.𖥔 ݁ ˖She felt as her heart quickened and warmed up, and as she gently swam at you and brought you to her embrace just to take you to her room for you to rest as well

.𖥔 ݁ ˖Having you near her while she was sleeping and in a vulnerable state she felt so safe, even if there was nothing to worry about she felt protected and she felt like she could protect you at any time

.𖥔 ݁ ˖Her confessing would be at her garden, it would be a lovely night where the moonlight would shine though the glass of the greenhouse giving you two a warm illumination just bright enough to be able to see eachother + some of her bioluminescent plants would be glowing too

.𖥔 ݁ ˖As you two took care of the last plants she took a deep breath and handed you over a flower in a glass sphere, it was so beautiful! It even had the ability to glow in the dark!

.𖥔 ݁ ˖As she handled it to you she took one of your hands and held it as she confessed how much she liked you and how happy you make her so she wanted you to have one of her secret flowers that she kept hidden so noone would steal it

.𖥔 ݁ ˖After getting to a relationship with her it because a tradition to the both of you to grow rare types of plants during the year so when your anniversary comes up you two can give it to eachother as presents in a glass sphere <33

A/n: as I said in my previous post that I'll be returning on writing regularly on October but inspiration just kicked around 2 am so here we are :D the art is kind of sloppy cuz I did it around 4 am so I'm sorry if it doesn't look the best 😭

#cookie run x reader #cookie run #cookie run fanfic #cookie run kingdom x you #cookie run kingdom x reader #cookie run kingdom #cookie run kingdom fanfic #crimson coral cookie #crimson coral x reader #crimson coral cookie x reader #mystic opal cookie #mystic opal cookie x reader #golden citrine cookie x reader #golden citrine cookie #aquamarine cookie #aquamarine cookie x reader #crk x reader #crk x you #cr x reader #cr x you

[mermaidgirl30]

Love Amidst the Blue Ch 2: Captured✨

Series Masterlist

A/N: I hope you enjoy chapter two! Joel and mermaid reader are so 🥰 Enjoy all the fluff and please let me know yours thoughts!

Chapter Summary: After discovering a magic necklace that’ll give you what you desire, you get caught in a net and find yourself trapped. It’s not just any boat though, it’s Joel’s boat.

Pairing: sailor! Joel x mermaid fem! reader

Word Count: 7k

Rating: Explicit (18+ Only MDNI)

Chapter Tags: Reader finds a magic shell necklace, pining, fluff, a little bit of angst, tension, longing, Joel takes care of reader

Dividers by @saradika-graphics

The next day you can’t wait to see Joel. You’d stayed awake half the night just daydreaming about those dreamy brown eyes and calloused hands as you rolled back and forth in the silky pink clam shell bed. You want to see him again, want to ask him about all his sailing adventures and treasures he’s found. So that’s exactly what you’d do. Tonight. 

   You quickly check your hair in the long standing mirror and pick a rainbow colored sea flower from the ocean floor, spinning around in a circle as you bring it to your face to smell and place it back down in the soft sand. You flick your tail and swim through the kingdom of Capri as you pass other mermaids and mermen, trailing your fingers along golden palace walls and shimmery pearls that hang from strings beside the palace entrance. 

   Before you can make it out, you run into your father, the king of Capri. “Oh, hi father,” you say dreamily as your head fills with images of Joel’s handsome face. 

   “Morning, sweetie. Where are you off to in such a hurry? Haven’t seen you lately, you okay?” he asks as he trails his eyes over your lovesick expression, trying your best not to give yourself away. 

   “I’m okay. Just wanted to get a head start on picking some shells in the kelp beds. You know how I love making jewelry,” you lie, trying your best to keep a straight face as a slight giggle escapes your lips. 

   Your father looks at you carefully, his golden crown slipping further down his long locks as his glistening gold triton sits next to his intricate throne made of shells. If he suspects something, he doesn’t say. He just nods his head as a smile tugs at his lips. 

   “Ahh, I see. You always did make the finest jewelry in the kingdom,” he smiles. “Just be careful. Take Scar with you. I’ve been hearing rumors that humans have been getting close to the area. Don’t want you getting tangled up in that nonsense,” he warns, his eyes on fire as he thinks about the day he lost his most precious wife. The day you lost your mom and half your people. That cold, dreadful day.

   “Promise, daddy. I’ll be safe.”

   Marissa and Cleo narrow their eyes at you in the back of the room, knowing damn well you are in fact meddling in human affairs. You drag your eyes over to them and give them a pleading look, begging them not to say a word. They must acknowledge it because they don’t say a word, they just float and stare at you with beady eyes. 

   “Alright, well have fun. Just be careful and don’t talk to the eels. They’re always pulling nasty tricks with us,” he says with narrowed eyes. 

   “Goodbye, daddy,” you say as you wave and head out, swimming through thick beds of seaweed as you pass a school of clown fish. 

   You don’t get very far until Marissa and Cleo are swimming in front of you, blocking you from going any further. 

   “Where are you off to really?” Cleo asks as her long blonde hair spirals down her back, her aquamarine tail fanning out as she narrows her piercing blue eyes at you.  

   “You’re going to see that human again, aren’t you?” Marissa just copies her menacing look and crosses her arms as her tail turns a deeper purple than it was a few minutes ago. 

   You’re trapped. They know what you plan to do, and there’s no point lying to them. They know. “Tonight, yes,” you confess with a sigh, feeling them judge you harshly by the way they gnash their teeth in your direction. 

   “You’re so selfish, you know that? Risking our kind, for what? So you can live out your little daydream of finding love with a human? You’re so fucking selfish, sister. So stupid,” Marissa says with sharp incisors snarling in your direction. 

   You take it upon yourself to fight back, defend your stance. “I’m not being selfish! If you just for once listened to me, you’d know he was different. He doesn’t want to hurt me. He’s going to tell me all about the human world, answer all my questions about being on land,” you fight back, standing up for yourself. 

   “Pffft. Gods, you’re delusional. You’re going to risk everything!” Cleo shouts as her blaring voice booms through the water. You gasp at the force of her words. 

   “I’m not though…” you say quietly, biting your lip to soothe the guilt inside your stomach. Maybe you are risking it all, but he wouldn’t hurt you. Would he?

   “You forget your place in this family,” Marissa snarls bitterly. “Do you remember what happened to Stacia? Remember how she was so sure she found a nice human man? Remember how he dragged a knife through her heart and left her to bleed out on the ocean floor!” The pain in her voice is stifling as you cringe against her rough accusations. 

   Stacia. Of course you remembered. You remembered how heart broken your mother and father were, remembered him banishing any of his people from ever speaking to humans again. Now all they did was sing their siren songs to sailors while drowning them in the water which you were supposed to be a part of, too…

   “Of course I remember! But Joel, he’d never do that…” you say quietly, trying your best not to shed a tear at how furious you are. 

   “Go on then. We won’t wait up for you,” Marissa says sharply as her and Cleo turn and swim back to the palace. 

   You sigh and swim the opposite way of them, feeling Scar follow behind as a large shadow takes form over your body. You can already feel Scar’s judgement wearing down on you, can feel the warning that lies in his big eyes. 

   “Scar, don’t make me feel anymore guilty than I already do,” you sigh out, carrying your body through the crystal clear water as you pass another school of colorful fish. “I know what I’m doing,” you press. He just rolls his eyes and continues following you, watching over you just like you did for him that cold, dark day years ago. 

   You continue swimming through the blue water as you flip through small rock tunnels and coast along the sandy bottom. You’re so close to your cave full of treasures that you can practically feel your collected items start to hum. Or wait, did you actually hear a buzzing sound? 

   You dive down further, dodging floating kelp and going into darker regions like places you shouldn’t be going. The water becomes colder, more frigid as you pass in between a rock formation. One that Scar won’t be able to fit through. 

   You look up at him swimming close by and you can hear his warning words come deep from within him. “Don’t go places where I can’t protect you. You know what lies beneath this area,” he warns as his large tail swishes back and forth, making circles in the water. 

   “Just give me a second. I hear something. Be right back,” you promise as you push your way through the narrow surface of crowded rocks. 

   You slide against the rocky terrain and follow the buzzing noise. It seems to reverberate off the rocks, making its way all the way down into your bones. The humming seems to ring in your ears, making its way all the way down to your fast beating heart. 

   Thump, thump, thump. 

   You can hear it, can feel it all the way down to your shiny fins. Whatever it is is calling to you, yelling your name as it echoes off the jagged rocks. You can hear Scar slashing against the water, but you keep going. You have to find out what it is. 

   The narrow rocks form into a wide open area that’s dark and cold, no other fish or coral reefs around this area. It’s a place you shouldn’t be. Before you can turn back around, you hear the humming noise pick up. It burns your ears as white noise takes hold of you, and when you look down is when you see something shiny sitting underneath a long grey rock. 

   You swim to the bottom of the dark area and brush away the sand that covers the hidden object. When you get ahold of what’s been humming and bring it back into the light, you freeze. What’s now in your hand is a long golden chain that holds the most beautiful clam shell you’ve ever seen before. Soft, creamy orange colors turn to purple and iridescent pink colors as you feel along every crevice of the shell. It’s unique, unlike any you had found before, and now it’s yours. 

   When you turn around to go show Scar what you have found, you’re stopped in place, unable to move as a long, slimy eel stands in your way of your only exit out of here. You gasp as your eyes go wide, remembering the warning your father had given you earlier. 

   Don’t talk to the eels, they only want to trick us. 

   “Well, well, well. So, someone finally found the magic necklace,” she says as she flashes you a sly smirk. 

   “Magic necklace?” you ask confused as you look back over the shiny shell. It didn’t look magical, not that you could see. 

   “My dear girl, that there is no ordinary necklace. It only shows itself to those who are worthy, to those pure of heart, to those desperate for something more,” she teases as she slithers around you with her cold, slimy tail. 

   You knit your eyebrows together and hold it tighter in your hand. “But what does it do? What makes it magical?” you ask conflicted. You shouldn’t be talking to an eel, shouldn’t even be here alone. But yet you stay, unable to leave as you need answers now. 

   “You long for legs, don’t you?” she smirks as a small laugh echoes around the dark water as you stare into the light that shines from behind the narrow rock formation. 

   “What makes you say that?” you ask sharply, not wanting to give your intentions away with Joel. 

   “It’s obvious, dear. That necklace there is a powerful thing. Put it on and you are free to go on land, have legs, explore the human world as if you were a human yourself.”

   “What?” you gasp as you feel your eyes widen more. 

   “Yes, child. Put it on and you’ll never have to worry about being stuck with a tail again. Unless that’s what you want. You’d be free to take it off anytime and return to the sea. It’s up to you, but looks like it’s yours now.”

   A low snicker cackles from her sharp teeth and her eyes glow a tinted yellow. Something malicious and evil sits in her voice, and you know something isn’t right. It’s almost like she is tricking you. 

   “You’re tricking me!” you accuse, voice higher as you shout your accusations. 

   “Oh, but I’m not. Don’t you trust me?” she laughs as she rubs up against your arm and swirls her tail against the back of your neck. You squirm at her cold touch. 

   “My father told me not to trust your kind,” you say carefully. 

   The eel spits in your direction. “Your father is a fool, child. I’m not lying to you when I say that necklace does just that. It’s an old, ancient magic. One so strong that it was kept in a tiny vessel and hidden away many years ago. You keep it safe, and it’s yours. Don’t let anyone take it from you because in the wrong hands it could be very, very dangerous,” she warns as she stalks around you slowly, her flashy eyes staring into yours like a hunter watching its prey. 

   You examine the necklace in your palm, watching the shiny shell glisten around your hold. The colors seem to swirl like a rainbow, the golden chain calling you to put it on. And you want to, you want to so bad. Human legs? Could you really go on land at your own free will without any consequences? No. There had to be consequences, there had to be something. 

   “What’s the catch?” you ask nervously, eye darting back to the slimy eel in front of you. 

   “The catch? Oh, yes. The catch,” she smiles a devious smirk your way that screams danger. This is dangerous, she is dangerous. “The catch is, don’t let it get broken or taken. For if you take it off on land, you have two days to make it back to the ocean.”

   “What happens if I don’t make it back in time?” you ask slowly, your voice as quiet as a sea urchin. 

   “You die,” she warns as your pupils expand into pure terror. “Basically, you’ll turn back into a mermaid and suffocate to death. Your body will turn to dust, and you’ll be left with nothing but a mere breeze carried out to sea.”

   “Oh.” You have no words, nothing to say except is this really what you want? To risk your own safety for a human? 

   “Well, go on now. Put it on, child,” she coaxes, her grimy teeth snarling up at you like a trickster would. 

   You slowly look at the necklace, turning it over as you think and think and think. Joel. The human world. So many things you want to see. Before you really think it through, you unclasp the latch and throw it around your neck, clipping the clasp into place as the glistening shell sits just above your breasts. This is it. This is what you always wanted. Right? 

   The eel laughs sadistically, curling her tail along your wrist as she brushes past you back into the dark shadows. “Remember, two days. Be careful out there, child. You never know who you might run into…”

   With that, she disappears into the dark depths of a cave, and you waste no time as you swim free of your confined area. You push your way through the narrow, rocky opening and meet scar on the other side. You see him eye your new flashy jewelry and see the way he looks at you as if you had done something bad. 

   You grip it tight and try to take his focus off it. “It’s nothing, Scar. Just something I found under a rock. It’s nothing to worry about.”

   You see him brush past you as he swims ahead of you, and you follow silently. You can already feel the judgement coming off his large body. Maybe you shouldn’t have taken it, maybe this was too risky, but you did. You did. No going back now. 

   You swim ahead of Scar, pushing your shimmery tail as fast as you can possibly go. You brush up against silky kelp beds, making bubbles swirl up to the surface like a whirlwind. You keep swimming and swimming and swimming until you’re there. Back at the boat. Back at his boat. 

   Pushing free to the surface, you feel the sunlight rain down on you as bursts of warmth hit your bare shoulders, letting the salt water drip down your radiant face as you slowly slip closer to the grand boat. The water is calm, the boat gently rocking side to side as you watch the sails slowly sway in the warm breeze. 

   You swim closer, keeping your head down as you circle one side of the boat. You see a crew of men shuffling their way back and forth on the deck, watching the way the men shout to each other as they work. One man with a blue bandanna across his matted hair is untangling a large fishing net, another is scrubbing the deck with an object you don’t know the name of. There’s no sign of Joel though. 

   You sulk on the surface and slap the edge of the water with your palm as you pout your bottom lip out. One look. You just wanted to see his beautiful face once until you could see him tonight. You slowly turn the other way, about to head back underwater, when suddenly you hear a high pitched whistle from the deck. You turn and freeze, your eyebrows knitting together as you see one of the men staring at you in awe. 

   Oh no. No, no, no. They weren’t supposed to see you. 

   He’s still staring at you, eyes wide and mouth hanging open as you hear him call out to the other men on the ship. You sink down into the water, dropping into the dark shadows as you stay still, afraid you’ll be seen again. 

   You weren’t supposed to go out until tonight. Why didn’t you just wait? 

   After a few minutes pass, you slip out of the shadows and swim back close to the surface, making sure not to stick your head out of the water. Scar swims past you with a warning, and you turn your head to tell him you’re okay. 

   “Everything’s fine, Scar. I think it’s safe now. I think…”

   Before you can finish your sentence, something rough and jagged falls on top of you. You try to swim away, but your tail gets tangled up and caught in something you can’t quite get out of. As you look back at what it is, your heart drops out of your chest. A net. 

   “Scar!” you scream, cries of bloody murder reaching the deep depths of the water. 

   No, no, no. This can’t be happening. Joel wouldn’t hurt you. Would he?

   The more you try to squirm, the more your tail gets twisted in the bindings. The net starts to reel you in, taking you up further to the surface. Scar tries to desperately get you out, but the netting only rubs up against his rough skin. 

   “Go on, I don’t want them to hurt you,” you say sadly to your friend. His big black eyes stare at you, but he silently agrees. 

   “And don’t tell father or my sisters, please. I’ll find a way back. This won’t be the end,” you promise. 

   You watch Scar swim off in a hurry, muttering words under his breath as he heads further beneath the darkness. You really hope he’ll keep his word and not tell your father. He’d kill every single man on this boat, including Joel. 

   As the net pulls you up further, you toss and turn. You lash at the bindings, but it only makes it tighter around your body. Your shimmery scales on your fins feel like they’re about to be pulled off the harder you fight. 

   Anxiety starts to take over, you feel like you’re suffocating underwater as you’re pulled to the surface. Your entire body feels like it’s on fire as the harsh net tears into your skin. You let out a blood curdling scream as the net scratches at your arm, forming a large gash as crimson blood starts seeping out. 

   You’re going to die, you’re never going to see your family again. Why the fuck did you put your faith in a human? Why?! 

   Joel hears the horrifying screams and sees his men hauling up the large, heavy net. Cold seaweed filled water starts dripping over the side of the wooden deck as the flash of a sparkly pink tail comes into clear focus. 

   Joel goes wide-eyed, dropping his golden telescope to the floor as he screams and runs to his crew. “What the fuck are you doing!” His voice is panicked, his heart pounding in his chest as he takes in your terrified face. He’s afraid they’ll kill you. 

   “Catching a mermaid, cap’n!” Jasper laughs out as he helps haul up his precious treasure. “Told ya mermaids were real, didn’t I?”

   Joel’s shocked, his boots frozen to the sea clad wood as his mind races. Without thinking, he runs over to the men and starts pushing them out of the way as the net comes crashing down to the deck. Salt water spills over the edges as you shiver in fright, horror written all over your beautiful face. 

   Your necklace seems to burn hot against your chest as the orange color glows brightly under the sunlight. You look down at your perfect tail and see the sparkly scales start to shed as the tail starts to evaporate. You stare in horror as your tail splits in two, forming smooth legs in its place. 

   Suddenly you realize you’re naked as the men stare in hunger, their mouths drooling as they take in your curves. You hug your knees to your chest to try to pry their eyes away. Cold. You feel so cold, so scared as the men surround you like starving hounds. You want to go home. You want to go home. This was a mistake, a huge mistake. They’ll hurt you. They’ll hurt you. 

   Joel pushes the men out of the way and starts peeling off his white button-up shirt as his worried look encases all of his features. He bends down to your level and wraps the shirt around you to cover your exposed body up. 

   “Can you guys back up? For the love of God, give her some air! Christ,” he yells out annoyed as he looks back at you with wide eyes, his calloused hand brushing the side of your cheek as you push back out of his reach. 

   “Hey, hey. It’s okay. I’m not gonna hurt ya,” he responds as he puts his hands in the air as if to show he’s harmless. Your body relaxes a little, but you still don’t fully trust him. 

   “A mermaid, cap’n! What happened to her tail?” a man with shaggy hair hanging over his slumped shoulders and dirty brown shirts yells appalled. 

   “Didn’t know mermaids could come on land with legs. What sorcery is that?” another rugged pirate asks as he untangles the rough net they used to catch you. 

   You cover your ears and sink your knees deep into your chest as you hide your face from view. You want to go back home, get away from all the noise of prying eyes and raspy voices. You regret coming to shore, you regret it all, you shouldn’t have come because you trusted a human. How could you have been so stupid? 

   “Silence!” Joel yells as he bends down to your level and cups your chin as he raises your head to face him. You shiver, your body sinking into itself as you shake from the cold air and damp shirt. 

   “Hey, it’s alright, sweetheart. Nobody’s gonna hurt ya.”

   His calloused fingers linger under your chin, dragging along your smooth skin as you stare into honey flecked eyes. You try to look away, but you can’t escape those eyes. Those beautiful orbs made of light and dark brown flecks mixing together to make the prettiest shade of brown eyes you’ve ever seen in your entire life. Those alone tell you he’s safe, he won’t hurt you. 

   Safe. He’s safe. 

   Your eyes travel down his glistening tan, salt water coated skin as you take in how broad he is. Flexed biceps and spidery veins skating down his entire arms. He’s so handsome.

   Suddenly, he’s gripping at your wrist. “Your arm. It’s bleeding,” he says with a rushed breath as he scans the large cut on your forearm. “C’mon, let’s go clean that up. Can you stand?” he asks as he reaches out a large hand. 

   You take a minute to weigh your options. You can either stay in the presence of the grimy pirates, or you can go with Joel where it’s quiet. You choose Joel. When you lift yourself up with your arms and try to take a step forward, your legs start to shake and your knees cave in. You almost go tumbling to the deck until strong arms catch you before you hit the hard floor. 

   “Whoa, slow down there. Here, let me help you.” Joel picks you up and cradles you in his arms as he starts to walk toward the stairs that’ll lead him beneath the boat. 

   “Get back. Give her some air,” Joel growls as his men start to part the sea, dirty bodies backing up to make way for Joel to get through. 

   You unknowingly sink into his warm chest, hiding your face in the crook of his neck so you won’t have to see their wandering gazes to your barely covered body. Joel pulls you tighter against his chest as he feels your discomfort. 

   “I got ya, sweetheart. It’s alright, they’re not gonna hurt ya. I promise,” he says against the shell of your ear, and somehow you believe him. He’s not lying to you. Why would he?

   He takes you down some wooden steps and back into a large room. You slowly peek up from his chest and take a look around the room. Light shines through the little portholes of the boat. A couple of glowing lamps hang from the wooden walls as a table covered by maps and compasses lays in the middle of the room. A small bed with crisp white sheets sits in the left corner of the room, and pictures of the ocean and secluded islands line the walls. It’s very… cozy in here. 

   “Is this your room?” you ask as your eyes scan the small area. It has to be his room, it just screams Joel. 

  “Mhm. It’s where I come to sleep and scan out maps when I’m on the boat. I live just up the coast, but I spend so much time out on the water that I needed my own little space. A place where my crew wouldn’t bother me,” he chuckles out as he carefully sets you down in a wooden chair. 

   “Do they just sleep upstairs?”

   “No,” he laughs as he shakes his head, “They have their own little quarters down on the opposite side of the boat. Didn’t need them wakin’ me up with their snoring and drunken nonsense.”

   You laugh as you see a smile curl around his soft lips and a dimple forms in the center of his cheek. You swear he’s the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen. So strong yet so soft. You get so caught up in his charm that you almost forget you’re shaking and your arm is bleeding. 

   “You cold, sweetheart?” he asks softly as he grabs a couple of fluffy towels and a first aid kit from the other side of the room. 

   “Just a little,” you say with chattering teeth as his white button-up shirt barely grazes the bottom of your thighs. You’re very aware now that you’re almost naked in front of him which gives you a weird fluttering sensation in your low stomach that you’ve never felt before. How strange. 

   “Here ya go. Maybe this’ll help.” He throws a soft white towel over your shoulders, and you wrap it around yourself as it brings you a little comfort and warmth. “Better?”

   “Better,” you confirm with the nod of your head. 

   “Good, that’s good. Now let’s take a look at that arm.” 

   He rolls the cotton sleeve up slowly and reaches for something that’s in a clear bottle. As he unscrews it, he says, “Now this might sting a bit.”

   When he pours some of the liquid onto the cut, you flinch and try to pry your arm away, but he holds tight to it. “Hey, hey, hey. It’s alright, the worst part is over,” he reassures as he presses a towel into the wound and rests a hand gently on your knee. The sudden shift of his softness makes you stop flinching and makes you look down at him. 

   His soft brown eyes threaten to swallow you whole, his crooked smile could calm raging hurricanes with how beautiful it shines around the room. Like the sunlight beaming through the waters of Capri, all crystal like and calming. 

   He watches you closely as he wraps your cut up with some kind of material you don’t know the name of. His touch is so delicate, so soft as he takes the proper care to make sure you’re not hurting anymore. 

   Warm. He’s so warm. So very gentle. And you see yourself falling for him even more now. 

   “There ya go. All bandaged up. We can probably take this off tomorrow, but just want to make sure it doesn’t get infected.” 

   “Thank you,” you say quietly as your fingers trail along the clothed material that covers your wound. 

   “It was nothin’, don’t even mention it. It’s the least I can do for my stupid men catchin’ you in that net. I’m really sorry for that, I had no idea. Those men had no right and I’m gonna give them hell about it the rest of the week and…”

   You silence him as you reach your shaky arm out and cup the side of his jaw as your thumb trails along the lines of his dark, patchy scruff. His eyes widen as he looks up at you under the fringe of his dark eyelashes. His full attention is on you now. 

   “Joel, it’s okay. I know now you didn’t mean to harm me. You don’t have to apologize for them. It wasn’t your doing.”

   “Yeah, but still. They could’ve harmed you even more if I wasn’t there. They could’ve…”

   “Joel.” Your calming voice stops him again as the panic seems to leave his eyes for good. “It’s okay, really.”

   Joel looks unsure of himself but nods his head anyway. His calloused fingers still graze along your knee as the contact of his skin on yours seems to send a fire down your legs. 

   Legs. That’s right, you have legs now. Joel’s eyes look down at your long, smooth legs as he takes them in slowly, his eyes shifting back up to yours as one of his hands slide down one of your calves cautiously. Your breathing hitches at the feel of his calloused fingers on your skin. 

   “How is this possible? Your legs, I mean. I didn’t know mermaids could exist out of the water,” he says with the expression of surprise written all over his tan face. 

   “With this,” you say as you hold up the iridescent shell necklace around your neck, watching the way the pink and orange colors shine around the room from the glow of the outside sun. “It’s a magic necklace I found. As long as I wear this, I’ll have human legs. I’m free to take it off whenever to go back to sea, but I have to wear it on land to be able to survive outside the water.”

   Joel reaches up and cups the shell in his hand, tracing the crevices of the shell with his thumb as his brows knit together to take in everything you just said. He looks starstruck, not believing his own eyes as he sets it back down to your chest. 

   “Magic necklace, huh? Mermaids? This is all unbelievable,” he chuckles as he shakes his head. “I can’t believe I met a mermaid this week, and now you have legs? Christ,” he murmurs as he stands up and starts pacing back and forth in front of you while his right hand rakes through his thick scruff. 

   “Is that bad?” you ask cautiously, afraid he’ll leave at any second and leave you here all alone. 

   He stops pacing and comes back over to you. He bends back down on one knee and gently cups your face as you gasp out in surprise. The touch of his hand is so warm, so soothing. You want to stay like this forever. 

   “No, sweetheart. S’not bad. It’s just… how is it that I met the most beautiful mermaid and got you on my boat now? It’s almost like it’s…”

   “Fate?” you answer for him, your eyes sinking into his light honey eyes that seem to set your soul on fire. 

   “Exactly that. Fate.” He repeats as he looks closely into your eyes. 

   His thumb traces over your bottom lip as his brown eyes flick to your mouth. He looks like he wants to kiss you, looks like he wants to devour you with his plush lips that call to you like one of your siren songs. He’s so close, so very close as he grazes his thumb gently back and forth. 

   Before you can react, he gets up off his knee and holds out his hands to you. “Can you walk?” he asks as he reaches out to you. 

   “I don’t know…” you answer quietly as you shift your feet beneath you. 

   “C’mere. I’ll help you. I won’t let you fall, promise.”

   You nod and take one more look at your new legs before you grab his hands and lift yourself up. Your legs shake beneath you, but Joel has a strong grip on you. 

   “Alright now. Take a few steps for me, walk towards me,” he instructs as you listen to his words. You take one, two, three steps as your feet start to get a hold of how to move on their own. Your legs feel more firm underneath you the more steps you take. Joel leads you around the whole living corridors as you take one hand off him. 

   “There ya go, sweetheart. Doin’ so good. Now try without me. Go on.” He slips his other hand from you and watches as you take the next few steps over to him without any help. Your legs feel stronger, more powerful with each step you take. It’s not so hard after all. 

   “I think I’ve got it!” 

   “Yeah, think ya do, sweetheart.” He crosses his arms and leans against the hollow table as the warm brown flecks in his eyes seer into yours like two stones being melded into one. 

   You smile up at him shyly and then come across the maps splayed all across the table in a heap. Your fingers trail along the sheets of paper as you take in all the different markings on the maps. Red circles, black lines, words sprawled in different locations on the maps. It looks like he was studying them closely. 

   “Are these yours?” you ask curiously as he circles around and comes up next to you. 

   “Yeah, these are all mine,” he answers as he twists one of the colorful maps around. 

   “What are you looking for?” you ask wondrously as you scan along a long line next to the shoreline. 

   “Well, there was a shipwreck many years ago that happened around this area. There’s said to be some rare treasures hidden around this location from the wreck. I’ve been trying to find it for a year now, but no such luck. There’s other areas I could be searching, but this one just piqued my interest. So I haven’t given up.”

   Your brows furrow together as you study one of the maps, letting your mind wander into far off places. “Maybe I could help you.”

   His eyes go wide as his mouth drops open. “You’d help me?” 

   “Why not? I know these waters better than anyone. And treasure? It’s one of my favorite things to find. I’m always collecting what I can from shipwrecks that people don’t even know about.”

   “Really?” he asks incredulously as stares at you in wonder, like you’re a goddess from another world. 

   “Really,” you giggle as you face back towards him, “but only if you show me your world, too.”

   His eyes fade into a warm honeysuckle brown as his lips relax into a crooked smile. “Deal.”

   As your eyes fade back down to the marked up maps, he starts to tell you something else. “Ya know, I have a whole room back at home full of treasures I’ve collected over the years. In fact, I have an entire library full of artifacts and books you’d probably love.”

   Your eyes shoot up in a frenzy as your mouth drops open. “You do?”

   “Mhm. Ya know, I was plannin’ to go back home for a few days tomorrow. Would you… would you want to come back with me? I could show you around the land. Could show you around my place. Could show you anythin’ you wanted to see.”

   Your eyes gaze into his as his hand slowly grazes over yours, and you swear you see stars in his eyes. “I’d show you the whole world, gorgeous.” He grabs your hand and brushes his lips over the back of your knuckles, and you about drop to your knees right there. 

   Charming. He’s so charming. 

   “Yes,” you whisper out, your voice deceiving you as you shake your head out of the love sick trance you’re under. “I’d love to see it with you.” 

   He nods his head and settles it. “Alright then. It’s a deal.” 

   He drops your hand back to the table, and he spends hours after that showing you all his maps, telling you all about his adventures on the water, and you just soak in every bit of him that you can. 

   By the time the sun goes down and the lanterns light up the dim area, you’re yawning and trying hard not to fall asleep. Throughout all the events of the day, it’s just about knocked you completely out. 

   “Here, why don’t you take my bed tonight? You look exhausted.” 

   You shake your head and try to refuse. “No, no. I couldn’t possibly take your bed.”

   Joel places a hand gently on your bicep and lingers there. “Please, just take it. I have a small cot in the corner I can dig out. I’m alright, you take the bed tonight. Please.”

   His calloused fingers linger on your arm, and you feel the heat all the way through the cotton shirt as it simmers down into your blood like hot lava filling your lungs. You take another look at his lips that hang just inches from yours and whisper out quietly, “Okay.”

   He drops his hand from your arm and grabs a clean t-shirt from his small cedar closest. “Here, put this on. I'm sure you want something more comfortable to sleep in. I’ll get you some real clothes tomorrow. There’s so many dresses I think you’d love, I’ll pick some up tomorrow,” he confirms as he holds out his hand for you to take the white cotton t-shirt. 

   Your hand grazes his, and you can’t help but always gasp when his skin comes in contact with yours. It feels electric, like you were made to touch him. You take the shirt from him and he turns around and walks to the other end of the room. “Go on now. I won’t peek. Just want ya in somethin’ more dry.” 

   Your eyes flick to him, and he keeps his word. You quickly unbutton the long sleeved shirt and drop it to the floor. When the shirt hits the ground, you see Joel fighting with himself to not take a quick peek at your body. You hang there for just a second gazing across at him. You watch the way his strong back muscles flex as his jaw clenches up, his fist flexing at his side as he fights to keep himself composed. 

   You almost wish he’d turn around because there’s a weird sensation between your thighs that you can’t quite pinpoint. Strange. He makes you feel so strange. So alive. It’s just so weird. 

   You avert your eyes from Joel and slide the cotton shirt over your head as it grazes your thighs. You climb into bed and feel just how comfortable the soft sheets and white blankets feel on your skin. This might even be more comfortable than your shiny clam shell bed back under the sea. 

   “Alright, I’m dressed,” you confirm as he slowly turns around and walks over to you as his boots scuff across the wooden floor.

   “Is it warm enough for ya? You comfortable enough?” he asks as his hands come to rest on the side of the bed. 

   “Mhm. It’s perfect,” you yawn as you turn to the left to get a better view of his sun tanned face. 

   “Good. Well, get some sleep, sweetheart. Got a busy day tomorrow.”

   He trails his fingers over your jawline as he runs the pad of his thumb over your cheekbone slowly. Your breath hitches in your throat as he so carefully grazes it down to your bottom lip again. You really think he’ll kiss you this time, but he crushes those hopes as soon as he drops his fingers from your face. 

   “Let me know if you need anythin’, sweetheart. I’ll be right here.”

   You sigh and watch him set up his little cot in the corner of the opposite side of the room, wishing he was in the bed with you instead. As he sits down after it’s set up, you start to close your eyes as the last few words leave your lips before darkness takes over. “Goodnight, Joel.”

   “Goodnight, my little mermaid.” 

   And then you fade into the darkness. 

   Joel stays up for the next hour just watching you sleep. He watches the way your hair falls over your shoulders as you hug the cotton pillow to your cheek. He watches the way your chest rises and falls softly when you sleep. He notices the long eyelashes that kiss your skin as a small smile creeps over his lips. He thinks you’re so beautiful, so perfect. He knows he’s falling fast, he knows he should be more careful, but with you he doesn’t want to be cautious. He wants to dive in head first and drown in your saltwater coated skin.   He wants to be the one. He wants to be your only one. And he will be. He will.

Tags: @morallyinept @littlevenicebitch69 @mountainsandmayhem @vividispunk @pedroswife69 @maried01 @vee-bees-blog @keylimebeag @pedrostories @poeticpascal @tuquoquebrute @bbyanarchist @sheepdogchick3 @forgetmenotsexy @ayamenimthiriel @readingiskeepingmegoing @dreamingofleon @syd-djarin @dugiioh @amyispxnk @msjarvis

#joel miller #joel miller fic #joel miller fanfiction #joel x female reader #mermaid au #joel the last of us #tlou fanfiction #joel miller pedro pascal #sailor! joel #little mermaid aesthetic #mermaid fem! reader #love amidst the blue #joel fanfic #joel miller fluff #soft!joel miller #protective joel #pedro pascal fanfiction #joel tlou #no outbreak au

[mypvz2]

#PvZ2 #Plants vs Zombies 2 #Primal Sunflower #Snow Pea #Bun Chi #Tangle Kelp

[clouds-by-me]

𝓞𝓬𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓮𝔃𝓮

Characters ;; Kazuha X gn!mer!reader Warnings ;; being caught in a net, PDA(kinda) Word count ;; 1.4k An |not this being in my wips for a long time and just now getting it done. And I’m probably gonna go back and edit this

As a creature of the sea, you were naturally beautiful. Who wouldn’t want to see a creature of your kind? Across Teyvat, your kind was told in many ways, but every single time your kind was depicted as beautiful with an angelic voice.

Their voice carried feelings, and emotion. However had gone extinct long ago, mers, mermaids, and mermen had became only stories. Tales of fantasy and beauty all across teyvat. Though native to Fontaine, only some merfolk traveled outside of there homeland.

————-

The sound of the wind and waves crashing onto a ship mix into a beautiful song to Kazuha’s ears. A wonderful symphony of sounds mixing and colliding to create a sound that only he can understand. Made just for him. Though people laugh, and sing in the background, the only thing he can hear is the soothing sound of the wind.

His guide, and friend. The loose fabric of his clothes flows in the wind along with his white hair with his streak of red. Carefully his red, amber eyes watched the water, he noticed the waves crash against the boat, and shift at the movement of fish in the water. The way that the water reflected the sun’s rays looked majestic.

Kazuha felt himself be guided into a trance like state. No thoughts entered or exited his mind, he felt peace. For a while he watched the waves, unblinking, until he saw something splash out of the corner of his eye. Quickly, he turned his head to see what’s he had saw, but there was nothing.

Leaning forward, he tried to look closer, keeping a hold onto the boat so he wont fall. After about a minute or so of seeing nothing, he turned away from the water, leaving his own world and returning to the real one.

His crew mates still chatted, and yelled. Laughter filled the breeze. Kazuha softly smiled at the sight, it was nice to see everyone enjoying themselves.

His thoughts went back to water, did he see something? Had he been hallucinating? He doesn’t know. The sound of someone yelling caught his attention.

“Hey, Cap! Something big just got caught in the net!” The sound on the ship lowered, as everyone looked to one person. She stood tall, long brown hair flowed down her back, some of it put up into a bun, with her bangs covering her left eye. She dressed in reds, and browns, with gold italics. Thigh high boots, and an electro vision on her hip. She held a relaxed expression, but somehow still looked serious.

“Bring it on board! Let’s see what it is.” Her voice sprung people into action, and the crew scattered to pull a giant net onto the ship. The struggle to get the net onto the ship, wasn’t expected to say the least.

Once in the middle of the ship, Caption Beidou, and Kazuha along with everyone else on the ship surrounded the net. Something large moved around inside, yet was hard to see due to the light that reflected off of its scales, and the seaweed that was tangled in the net as well.

As Beidou stepped closer, most poeple were quick to assume that the newest catch would be their next meal. Kazuha watched the caption closely as she inspected it.

When she pulled out a small knife, thats when whatever was inside started to trash, and squirm violently. The sudden commotion caused everyone else on the ship to draw closer.

From a short distance, Kazuha watched the scene unfold. From his perspective, everyone else was overreacting, yet he had expected this. A gust of wind blew towards the group, causing the white haired male to continue to stare, this time much more intensely. Then he heard a sound, one that sounded almost like a cry, or gasp.

A hushed sound that swam through the wind. At the sight of skin under the thick green kelp, Kazuha’s eyes widen. He didn’t know what he was doing, but the next thing he knew, was him immediately being close to the net. The male ushered his crew mates, and caption away from the net, and after a few seconds they moved away.

“Kazuha? What are you doing?” The voice of Beidou didn’t seem to have processed in his brain, because he didn’t respond, nor did he move away from the now slightly damp net.

Carefully his hands grazed over the kelp, to which the already moved thing inside continued to violently thrash. The mocking. Voices of the people around didn’t males it to Kazuha’s consciousness. His red eyes scanned the kelp as his hands worked to remove the long green strips. When his eyes meet met another, he froze. Whatever was within the net stopped as well.

Time seemed to have slowed to an abrupt stop. Curious eyes, met scared ones, and they seemed to have connected by some invisible string. When the scared eyes blinked, all the weird and uncomfortable kelp was off of their body. As the sun beamed onto them, they struggled to keep their eyes open, had been under thick layers of the oceans grass.

Kazuha stared in awe, at what had been in front of him.

A being with the upper body of a human, a fin with shining scales replaced their legs. Scales came in clusters around the human part of their body. Their nails were sharp, and they had webbed fingers.

As soon as the net had been removed from their body, they had brought a hand over their eyes. A feeling of longing washed over Kazuha at the sight of them shielding their eyes. Just as his hands twitched to reach out to the person before him, the sound of his caption stopped him.

“Alright crew! Everyone listen up! We’re going to set them free, everyone set about to their normal business!” A rumble of groans echoed throughout the crux, yet everyone did as told and event about their own business. Kazuha, however didn’t, still crouched down before the beautiful creature.

“I trust that you’ll be able to care for them?” He looked up to find Beidou looking down at him, something like a smirk was on her face. “Just be sure to be careful.” He wordlessly nodded, not really understanding what she meant, as she walked away.

When he looked back in fro at of him, he was greeted by a pair of curious eyes. In shock, he flinched back, falling onto his but. Water dripped onto him from the mer still being wet, seeing as the creature had gotten really close to him. Their eyes flickered from his, then to his hair. Wordlessly, they slowly moved their hand to his head. Kazuha watched their hand, and stayed still as if frozen in place.

He felt them grab a peace of his hair and pull it closer towards them. Kazuha leaned closer, now understand what they were reaching for. In their hand, was his strand of red hair. They played with it intently, as if it was the most interesting thing they’ve ever seen.

“I need to get you back into the ocean…” With a heated face, his voice trailed off, something about the lack of distance, and the look of innocence in their eyes made Kazuha slightly flustered. It wasn’t like they were in some secluded area either, which didn’t help him any.

At his words they looked at him, disgusted almost.

“I….don’t wanna go back.” They mumbled under their breath. If it weren’t for Kazuha’s incredible hearing, he would’ve missed their angelic voice. Their voice was like air to his lungs, it felt wonderful o hear them speak. For a shor t while, he was beginning the wonder if they could talk. The male didn’t understand the imploring sound in their voice, but his heart sunk at their words. He tilted his head slightly, and they avoided his gaze, opting to look at the sea instead.

He wanted to ask why they didn’t want to return to the water, but figured that it would be best to leave it be. Instead he began looking around.

“Well, doubt you need to get back into water? Before your fins dry out?” They didn't say anything, only nodded as a response. Them not using their words to express themselves was disappointing to say the least. the male sighed, as he stared at the being before him, the wind blew.

His hair blew in the wind, and as he sat there with the majestic creature he made up his mind. His friend, the wind, didn’t guide him to this decision. Looking at the being who refused to look ay him, he had made up his mind.

“I’m gonna take care of you. I’m going to protect you, and keep you safe.”

#x reader #gn reader #reader insert #genshin impact #genshin #genshin kazuha #genshin kaedehara #kazuha #kazuha x reader #kazuha x you #kazuha x gender neutral reader #kazuha x y/n #mermaid reader #mermaid #merfolk

[peepee-poopoo-lord]

guys i swear there so good please go check them out i think they also made some tangled: the series fansongs too on their soundcloud

#kelp blogging #tangled the series #transgender #Youtube

[kittlesandbugs]

Commission illustrated by @antisocialxconstruct of the moray scene during the Hollow Ground meeting in Fallen Hero: Retribution.

Book text under the cut:

Hollow Ground's head is unknown territory, but you don't need to go deep to do what you need to do. All you need is a nudge and a tweak, find a reason she'd be ready to let you go and strengthen it.

And you've got to do it fast.

Slipping in through her shields is second nature by now, walking the minefield, a coral reef of creatures hungry to devour you. Don't touch the tentacles, feeler anemones tangling the currents, coat your thoughts with scents close enough for her mind not to immediately recognize the intrusion.

Curiosity is a subtler feeling than fear or paranoia, but no less potent. Especially since it's shared by you. What is going on here? There's something more than superficial chance resemblance, sure, and those are not your thoughts. Those are Hollow Ground's.

Interesting.

Worth exploring.

You gently brush your fingers over her mind, bringing feelings to life. There are dangers everywhere around you, but you don't let them catch you unawares. It's a beautiful mindscape, a coral reef filled with life and color, hidden dangers lurking in crevasses, the ever-present sea anemones trailing their tendrils everywhere. A less talented telepath would be tangled and risk triggering a memory, but you're a master of your craft.

Familiarity can be a useful shield. You can brush against thoughts and memories, picking up details. There's already enough of a rapport you can use for groundwork. Similarities, not just in looks but in…demeanor?

Very carefully, you reach into one of the darker crevasses, a crack going deep, as if an earthquake cracked the mind down to the core. There are things there, old memories, slippery and cold and out of the sun.

"Put your hand in that crack,"

"and you won't get it back…."

Singing? A memory?

The aquarium is as tall as you are, filled with all the brightness of the tropical sea. Fish glitter past like confetti, too small to pick out, but together they're strong. Your breath is misting the glass, but you're entranced, it's the best day of your life, you didn't think…

Wait. Your life?

A reflection in the glass, your face but far younger than you've ever been, eyes meeting yours   and too young,too innocent, the smile, the chubby cheeks, and there's a hand on your head, a fond ruffle and a whisper in your ear.

"…that's a moray."

A memory. Of course. It stinks of Hollow Ground. A fond memory? Intense enough to form her mindscape? Looks like it.

You yank your hand out just before the moray strikes, two sets of teeth missing your fingers, and you bare your teeth in an echoing growl. It's dangerous this deep, you can feel yourself sinking into memories of your own, of different tanks, not filled with saltwater but amniotic fluid, trapped, the faces glaring at you covered with surgical masks, tapping the glass, and you twitch, echoes amplified and you can't get out and do you even know what's out? Do you know anything?

Too loud. Everything echoes, their thoughts so loud, and none of them concerned with you. You. There is no you. Just a body. A potential. Nobody bothers to name the fish in the tank. If you did, you'd have to grieve when they started floating belly up.

Lies. You named them.

You named yourself.

Floating belly up. How did you lose yourself in here? You went too deep, you need to breathe, but everything you touch gives way, climbing kelp and looking for the sun.

~I got you.~

Dragged back, pulled out, pushed behind. Protected. The ghost of a memory.       

"Fuck." Hollow Ground coughs, leaning against Nocturne, who is glaring daggers at you. You're back in the room with blood in your mouth and salt on your cheeks. "What was that?"

Excerpt from Fallen Hero: Retribution by Malin Ryden

#antisocialxconstruct #fhr #sidestep #hollow ground #nocturne #jake manolo #riley owens #commissioned piece #an absolute beast of a commission #thank you so much for your hard work rom!!! #this was my dream commission lol it's my absolute favorite scene in the book #rom is an absolute delight to work with and if you get the chance you should commission them #also this is your daily dose of fhr propaganda #anyway i'm just gonna toss this in the queue 87 times sorry not sorry i need to stare at it for a billion months mwah