Summary: A bored and powerful merman disrupts your life from the shadows, until saving you forces him into the open, and what starts as curiosity slowly turns into something much deeper.
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Mihawk was bored. Everything under the surface avoided him. He finally came across a ship that was hunting sea people, and they didn't really care who they caught. As long as they have money for it.
There were a lot of ships, a whole fleet, but they didn't stand a chance against him. He drew his sword and began to sink one ship after another. A single attack was enough for one ship.
The first ship tried to escape, and while he was dealing with the rest of the fleet, this ship was gaining a lead. But he didn't mind. He had plenty of time and knew where they were headed.
As soon as he sank the last ship, he went after the first, main ship. He tracked it for what he felt was a long time, but he caught up with it near the end of the day. As parts of the ship sank to the bottom, he was satisfied. He could finally stretch his fin a bit. But it didn't do anything for his boredom. He was still bored.
As he watched the sinking ship, he noticed a small island in the distance, where he could see a port town. Maybe he would find a cure for his boredom there? As he approached the island, his eyes fell on a small house that stood apart from the others.
It was next to a small lagoon bordered by stones. He was heading towards the town when he noticed a small figure standing on the stones. He didn't know what drew his attention, but suddenly he wanted or needed to know more. He dove below the surface and decided to investigate from a safe distance.
You were standing on the stones, checking your net to see if you had caught anything. It was a small catch, but it was better than nothing. You pulled the entire net out and checked it for damage.
You folded it and took it home. You would cast it again in the morning. All the while, you didn't notice a pair of golden eyes that had been watching you the whole time.
Mihawk watched you from the other side and found you a pleasant sight. The certainty and grace with which you moved on the stones. How much strength must you have had to pull such a long net out with ease? You completely captivated him.
That was also why he decided to stay and find out more. The surrounding area was also teeming with fish, so he didn't have to worry about being hungry. And if he didn't feel like hunting, he could take something from your net.
In the first few days, he only saw you rarely. In the morning and in the evening, when you were preparing the fishing nets. After that, you would work outside now and then, preparing fish for sale or repairing the nets. But he wanted to see you more often.
It had been a little over a week since you had seen a pirate ship sinking in the distance. Since then, your nets had started to tear. You didn't know why, but it drastically affected your income. You had a few fish, and because of that, you had little money.
Normally, you wouldn't have minded. You were modest. The problem was the fees that the local Marines were collecting for "protection" from enemies. The fees were huge, and you were starting to have the feeling that you wouldn't be able to pay.
You spent more time repairing nets than fishing itself. You decided to change your strategy and started fishing with a harpoon. You took a small boat and sailed out of the lagoon to a place where larger fish gathered.
You tied a rope to the harpoon, stood firmly, and looked for fish. The first attempts were unsuccessful, but then you finally got the hang of it, and your boat slowly began to fill with fish.
You were looking for your next catch when you noticed something big flash beneath you. You thought it had swum away somewhere, when there was a splash. You turned around just in time to see a disappearing black-and-purple tail. By the fin and colour, you guessed it was either a marlin or a swordfish. That would be a catch.
If you managed to catch such a fish, you'd be set. You positioned yourself better and waited. You were turning to find your target when something bumped the boat. You swayed, but you kept your balance.
You saw him again, heading towards your boat. Another hit. This time it was stronger, and you fell. You tried to get up when the boat swayed again and started moving. That something was pulling you back to the lagoon.
You leaned over to see what was pulling you away, but you only saw a fin. Something similar happened every time you tried to go out to sea to hunt. You had the impression that the fish was playing with you, or whatever it was. You had heard of fishermen and sea people, but no one had ever seen them in this area. They were more like legends.
The day for paying fees arrived, but you only had enough for half. You couldn't sleep that night. You were afraid of what awaited you. Early in the morning, while the sun was still sleeping, you sat on the pier and watched the sea.
It had always been able to calm you down. But now, you had the feeling that nothing was helping you at all. You noticed the familiar fin flash on the surface of the lagoon. You wondered if this person was doing it on purpose or if it was just fate.
Mihawk didn't miss how you were out here unexpectedly early today. He especially noticed your gloomy expression. He didn't like it at all. He preferred it when you were laughing or when you were focused on something.
A few hours later, a group of Marines came to you, led by a commander who was the worst of them. He was a terribly slimy and arrogant jerk who cared about only one thing. Belly.
You tried to convince them that you would pay them back, but they weren't interested. The only thing they heard was that you didn't have enough Belly to pay.
"You'll pay us anyway. If you don't have money, we'll take something else. With interest," the arrogant commander said, a smug smirk on his lips. And at his command, they went to plunder your house.
You tried to stop them, but you were no obstacle to them. However, you didn't give up, and you just got on their nerves. They pushed you aside, but you always came back. You were so annoying that the commander lost his patience.
"Tie her up and throw her in the sea. She won't bother anyone there," he snapped at his men, who immediately began to carry out his order.
They took a net you had been repairing, wrapped you in it, and threw you off the pier into the water. You tried to free yourself, but in vain. The net was so tight around you that you could barely move.
Even from the water, you could clearly see the flames rising from your house. It infuriated you. You tried to fight, but it was like trying to move a mountain. You didn't want to give up, but you could feel your breath running out.
You were slowly coming to terms with the end when you felt someone take you by the waist and pull you to the surface. You gasped for air when you surfaced under the pier, where you couldn't be seen.
"Stay quiet. I'll get you out of that net," a man's voice said behind you. He held you better, before you felt the net around your body loosen, then fall off you and sink to the bottom.
Although you were now swimming on your own, he continued to hold you with one hand. You turned to look at your saviour. He was a man with short black hair and a well-groomed beard.
You were immediately drawn to his golden eyes. Only then did you notice the dark purple fins he had instead of ears and the gills he had on his neck. Except for those few fish-like features, he was handsome.
You thanked him before you decided to swim to the shallows. You were still hiding under the pier and through the cracks, you watched the Marines continue to destroy your home.
"Why are they doing that?" he asked you, swimming closer to you.
"I didn't have enough to pay their ridiculous fees," you replied resignedly, as you knew you had lost your home. Even though you were taking it as it was, you felt hot tears streaming down your cheeks.
Mihawk watched you and realised that it was his fault. Because of him, you didn't have enough fish to sell, and then money for this. This human system seemed completely foolish to him. In the sea, whoever had strength could have everything.
As soon as the Marines left, you got out of the water and wondered if anything could be saved. But the only thing left of your house was rubble. Everything had burned to the ground. The only things you had left were a small boat with a rope, a harpoon, and a chest in which you had basic survival items.
You sat down in the sand and put your head on your knees. You didn't really want to go back to the town. You didn't get along with the other people very well. You liked your peace.
Mihawk hated seeing you like this and didn't want you to go somewhere deeper into the heart of the island away from the water. He would have preferred to keep you to himself. He swam closer to the shore so you could hear him and offered for you to stay with him. You looked at him, confused. Did he want you to live somewhere underwater?
"Don't misunderstand me, I own a castle built by humans. You can stay at least until you find something new," he explained. You weren't sure, but what other options did you have now?
And so you accepted his offer. You sat in the boat, and Mihawk took you to his island. The castle was located on the edge of the island, and its walls reached below the surface. But you didn't expect anything like this.
Inside the walls, you had access to an entire complex located above the surface. However, you preferred the areas located at or below the water level. On the ground floor, there were rooms with hatches that led to the sea. In addition, there was a glass room, completely underwater, where you could see the fish around you.
After a few days, you settled in and slowly lost interest in moving away. Mihawk got you new clothes and brought you fresh fish every day. There were still some supplies in the castle, so you could cook.
But it felt wrong to you to live with him just like that, so you cooked for him too. At first, you would leave the plate by the hatch where he left the fish for you, but after a while, you started eating together. With such small steps, you grew closer, and eventually, you enjoyed spending time with him.
You started spending more and more time together. Besides meals, you would sit in the room with the hatch, drinking wine he had salvaged from sunken ships, or you would just sit there. Sometimes he liked to show you the underwater world, but only as far as you could hold your breath.
When you needed anything, he would take you to the nearest island to shop and give you the necessary money. You could buy anything you wanted. You wanted to thank him for it in some way.
You were walking around the town, looking for the perfect gift. But what do you buy for a merman? When you were about to give up, you came across a strange stand that sold both jewellery and weapons. In addition, they boasted that their weapons were so good that they wouldn't rust in the water.
That immediately caught your attention, as Mihawk almost always had his sword with him. You went to the stand and started looking. You were immediately drawn to a cross necklace that concealed a short blade. It was an excellent weapon in case of an emergency. And so, the decision was made. The merchant was also kind enough to give you a discount and wrap the whole piece in a small gift box.
That evening, you were determined to give him your gift. You were sitting by the water hatch, where a warm spring flowed, and you were drinking wine. You were waiting for the right moment the whole time, but the longer you waited, the more you felt that the moment would never come. Finally, you got out of the water with a small excuse to get the small package.
"Here. A small gift. It's nothing," you mumbled and felt your cheeks burning as you handed him the box. Mihawk looked at you before accepting the gift.
"It's beautiful. Thank you," he said after examining the cross and putting it on his neck. The cross hung right over his heart.
"It's actually not just a pendant," you said and leaned closer to him to show him that it was a small dagger. "In case of emergency," you smiled.
"I'll treasure it," he finally said, before taking your hand and kissing your fingers. A kiss on each knuckle. "Now let me thank you in return," he said, and as he still held your hand, he pulled you closer to him.
He cupped your cheeks before he planted a soft kiss on your lips. You didn't expect this, but it was a pleasant surprise. You wrapped your arms around his neck and returned the kiss.
Now that he knew you reciprocated his affection, he could begin to court you properly. Now there was no turning back for you. Not that you were even considering it.
