December prompt from the @little-stars-writing-club!
'yn finds mer DCA stuck in a net on the beach'
Eclipse/Reader (gender neutral)
1.2k words + [ao3 link if preferred]
-contains; threatening behaviour, and eerie elements.
The dulled, indentations of your freshly bitten flesh, glistens under the setting sun with inhuman saliva. You’re going to need a better plan.
The vast shape of the twisted net spun a web of intriguing tale. The mass of it had to have come from some loitering commercial boat. Righteous justice, you think. Heed the warning signs, these waters were off limits for good reason.
By the sheer size of this creature, they're lucky to have just gotten a net stolen.
Mers, they could to be docile, friendly even, in the right circumstances. Sitting back against the sand, swallowing the shock of being bitten without so much as a wound.
Despite that, despite it all. What a shame this one certainly won't return here after the stunt you'd just pulled. Excitable impatience for helping it get free.
Watching it now, cower up against a lowly built sandcastle, the delicate details crumbling against the weight of its frame. Shrinking in on itself, yet snarling in some attempt to frighten you off. It probably should have, given the chunk of your arm it had attempted to take.
It's massive tail struggles against the fabric of the net. Clumsily disturbing more sand, thrashing erratically in it's holding cell once more. Just as you'd found it moments ago now.
Finding yourself actually rooting for it actually, stick it to the humans! It doesn't need you to save it, to put your grimy fleshy hands all up in it's space. Endearing in a way, and struggling to read the glances it's sneaking over at you.
Anxious. Pitiful. Afraid.
Thus instigating a plan somehow worse than prying the net apart with your bare hands as quickly as humanly possible. Instead, an act of unfounded trust. A gruesome way to go at the slimy scales of a mermaid should this go very wrong, but you refuse to just leave it here.
"Dont look at me," You say. Laying back against the sand, entirely stilling your movements.
"You made yourself abundantly clear." Not particularly thrilled having your guts on full maiming display, but. The net had spared you some full force of that bite. Convinced you could get out of harm's way, and run for the hills if need it be.
And so. The olive branch is extended, all there's left to do is wait. Squeezing your eyes shut, paying it's stubborn thrashing no mind at all.
Forced to focus on the gentle rippling of waves, crashing further up the shoreline. There long enough the tide began to brush against your side.
In all honesty. You didn't care much for the ocean. The water a long forgotten, unreliable friend. Always there, unpredictable, and just out of reach. If the tide threatened to go up much further, you're unsure how much longer you could keep laying still.
Doubting it would understand dragging it further up the beach to merely avoid the choppy tides. Plus, you’ve already proven to be a terrible fighter. Why give this thing more ammo to harm you should it flip it’s lid again.
Could wait long enough for it to doze off, cut it out of the net under the stealth of the starlight. Unsure the sleeping patterns of aquatic creatures with fighting arms. Wouldn’t wanna disrupt any lingering local mers protecting their nests.
That shouldn't have been your only concern.
Because, in the negligence to keep an eye on it, something, hits you. Well.
More. Twacks into you. Scoops you up and flipping you eggs over in a pan style. Sputtering and suddenly choking on the wet sand you, for some reason, inhale in a panic. Scrambling to turn back over against the sand.
The harlequin eclipse coloured creature, lit now by the slowly, darkening sundown skies. Stares down pitifully. Maybe spent long enough trying to thrash itself free had given ample time to reflect on its, unhinging it’s jaw like a snake and chomping you, crimes.
It waits. Wide eyed, and patient. Very polite, and horribly piercing.
Alright. Alright. You've got it this time.
"... You're not gonna bite me again, are you?" You half joke.
The mer shakes it's head. Orange, red-ish fins surrounding it's circular flat face wobbling as it does.
It still growls a lowly nervous tune, gaze plummeting daggers while you rise to sit up on your knees. Shooting it a stern glare in turn. Momentarily wondering if this is how vets feel within the examination room. Though, a domesticated animal couldn’t tell you to stay away from it’s treasures you suppose.
Carefully, lowering your hands to the tangled up maw of the net. Pulling the edges taunt with far slower movements than needed. Extending the time it takes to begin freeing the mer, but well worth it to hear it's frightful grumbling cease almost entirely. Frame slowly getting less tense while you carefully work away.
But. Feeling uncertain it would allow you to lift it’s tail around to untangle the rest of it. It understands words well enough, no point in startling it even more.
"Hey," You assert firmly. Successful in grabbing it’s attention. "The end of your tail, that thing," Pointing at the twitchy restless thumping, "Lift the net off there, and twist it to the left. That should get you free."
It stares back at you, blinking slowly. Fine fine, fair fair. Instead, trying to demonstrate the motion a few times with your hands.
It. Mimics your half hearted hand gestures well enough. Though, the aquatic webbing between it's fingers do cause some quirky struggles with dexterity. Hearing it huff under it’s breath.Hiding your own amused smile, shuffling away to give it more room to work. Getting angry with inanimate objects is a universal language.
Finally, the mer finishes tugging the weighted netting off with a renowned providence. Dropping the mangled mess of knots with a hearty thunk against the beach.
Left to stare upon each other, careful to the thought of making any sudden movements. Disrupt the swirling semblance of reluctant trust.
“Good uh-... Good luck out there. Get stuck in another net, you know who to call.” You blurt, holding your hand out slowly, and sharing your name. The creature also holds out it’s hand, flat. In the wrong direction. Unable to help an amused chuckle. Endearing.
It’s eyes, under the dark of the moonlight glimmer the softest shades of gold and blue you’ve ever gazed upon. Mers were difficult to see up so very close like this, especially at night. Perhaps catching on to the interest, it’s gaze falls half lidded, finally cracking a toothy smile. Far more genuine than the nervous one that’d been plastered all over your face.
Compelled to babble on nervously, in the empty space where your new friend clearly isn’t much of a talker.
“Anyway, sleep well…? And uh, safe travels. Thank you for not biting me twice”
It shakes it’s shoulders as if it’s now laughing too, but it is completely soundless. It rests a hand over yours, the one still outstretched. Laughing, too, had you really not noticed that? You must’ve looked just silly. A meek sense of dread rumbles through your senses. Getting social anxiety in front of a creature. Wow. Yeesh.
A creature that didn’t even understand a handshake.
The creature.
Lowers it’s head. Peering with such care, like the pray eyes of a bunny rabbit.
Carefully, so thoughtfully. Beginning, starting. Pulling back toward the water.
Pulling away to the water, with it’s hand still grappling yours.
Mers travel in pairs.
In packs.
And. This one is alone. There’s nothing else around, you are alone.
Your throat, suddenly parched and dry. One measly attempt to plead with it, falls dead inside your mouth.
maybe i am starting to love my art style a little bit
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He
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