Sudden meeting.
You lived in a small fishing town, obviously there were urban legends about nocturnal creatures, Sirens, that attacked and killed people, but you thought these were just rumours, an attempt to blame someone or something that was attacking people.
Your father had forgotten to collect one of the fishing nets, and to prevent him from throwing himself any further you decided to go in his place and do this job. Arriving on the boat to pick up the net you saw something was moving, you decided to pull it out to take a look.
It was at night, so the lighting was not the best, you turned on the flashlight you brought with you and held it in your mouth while trying to pull the fishing net with both hands. Still without success, you point the lighting directly at what was inside the net, and almost fall back with the fright you got.
A huge creature, similar to a man but...with a fish tail...a siren...?
You didn't have time to ask yourself how this was possible, or why there was soon one so close to the coast.He started to struggle, and he was so strong that his escape attempt began to rock your father's fishing boat, which wasn't small. would be able to take the boat with you.
"Hey, hey, wait!!–Don't move like that!!–You'll end up getting hurt more!!" You tried to calm him down, but he didn't seem to be listening. "I just want to help, I won't hurt you, I swear!!" This time he had stopped, but his chest was visible rising and falling fast.
You reassured him once more that everything was fine before starting to approach him slowly one step at a time.
"I'm just going to take the net out very slowly, but I need you to stay still,'kay?"
You say, and his eyes that looked like two icy blue orbs softened a little, he seemed to understand that you weren't going to do anything against him.You looked for the opening of the net and opened it completely so with that,the siren could pass through it.
"See? It's okay now, you're free—" Before you could finish your sentence as you pulled the net to put it away, you realized that creature was gone.
After that incident, it finally dawned on you what had just happened. You wouldn't tell anyone, maybe they thought you were crazy even if the rumors of sirens around the island weren't new and even some people believed on it.
You've decided to accept this as just your head.Until one day you were on your way back from a friend's house. It was nighttime, but not that late, you were walking along the rocky path that surrounded one side that was directly connected to the ocean by a "waterway", and something caught your eye. There were little shells there that glowed in various colors, and you couldn't resist the urge to pick one.
You accidentally stepped on a smooth rock and ended up slipping, falling into the water.
Not that you were in much danger, but someone pushed you out of the water by putting a hand on your back and helping you to your feet. You coughed up some of the water you swallowed and rubbed your eyes so you could see better. When you came across the same creature from a few days ago you were shocked to see it again, just as you were beginning to believe that it had all been just a lucid dream.
You tried not to react too brusquely not wanting to frighten him. You thank the siren and he responds with a slight nod, but still almost static in place.
You cautiously approach as you did the last time you saw him, and reach out to the siren who tilts its head to the side, confused by its action "My name is Y/n. What's yours?"
You cautiously approach as you did the last time you saw him, and reach out to the siren who tilts its head to the side, confused by its action "My name is Y/n. What's yours?" The siren puts his hand to his mouth and shakes his head. "You can't speak...?" You ask and he confirms with a slight nod.
The siren seemed to have an idea, he crawled to the sand, and despite your protests he continued, and began to write in the wet sand some letters a little crooked but still legible "Thomas...So that's your name?" You ask, having doubts if you read it wrong, but he nods again,what means a good signal.
You smiled at him again "Well...nice to meet you Thomas..."
Before you could extend this meeting any further, you heard the voices of people who were approaching. Worried they'd see Thomas, you helped him hide in the water before the people who were coming noticed and say goodbye to the siren.
In the end it was just the lookouts that were there patrolling, they asked if everything was ok because they heard brothers. They nodded and then let you go with a warning to be more careful.
As you walked back home, Thomas watched you carefully so as not to get caught. He didn't trust those patrolling men, and he was watching to see if they attacked you. In the end it only completely submerges when it was sure you were safe and could no longer see you from the water.
After that day, you were sure you weren't delusional, and curious to find out more about Thomas, you took charge of looking after your father's boat in the evening. Which he had gone against completely, but you managed to convince him after using as an argument that the old man needed to rest and you had done well the last time you had to take care of the boat. So your father gave in for you.
The day you stayed to take care of the boat. Your mother had prepared several sandwiches for you to eat during the night. You loved the food she made, but you thought it was a little extreme that she gave you so many sandwiches just for one night. Well your mother did at least worry and you were grateful for that.
You would love to see Thomas again, but you had no hope that he would return much less show up later that night. But you were surprised to hear a knock on the hull of the boat, and as you pointed the flashlight to the water there was the siren of the day before. "Oh, hey, do you want to... come up here?" You invited him to sit beside you on the edge of the boat, but Thomas wasn't sure that would be a good idea. "Come, no problem, no one comes here at this time." You tried to convince Thomas, and it looks like it worked. It was a little work for him to climb but you helped him and with that he was able to settle down and sit on the edge of the boat.
You stood there for a while, in silence. Sometimes you spoke your mind, with Thomas grunting back to say he was listening. You wondered if he had ever interacted with humans before. Thomas didn't seem very familiar with sicializing as he seemed nervous at first, but he gradually relaxed more with your presence.
You heard a strange noise coming from the siren. But it felt like his stomach was growling. You didn't think twice about offering him your sandwiches to eat. "Take this, you look hungry." He looks at the stuffed buns cut into triangles, then looks at you a little confused. "Don't worry. It's just food, why don't you try it?"
Thomas had never seen anything like that, no wonder. Each day it was a different fish, and that was all. He had never tasted human food before.
He narrows his eyes a little suspiciously but still takes the sandwich and risks taking a bite. But after the first bite he stops and is static with wide eyes. "Thomas…? Are you okay–" Before you could finish the question, the merman voraciously devoured the sandwich in his hand, which made you jump in fright at the sudden attitude, but you were glad he liked that.
He seemed to want more, so you gave him your bag full of sandwiches.In a few minutes there was nothing left in the bag."Wow, you really...didn't even leave one for me!!"You say with a mock upset tone. Thomas gets nervous and shakes his hands seeming apologetic. He didn't seem to understand that you were just joking. "Hey hey, take it easy buddy, I was just kidding, I'm not mad you ate it all." You reassured him, but he still seemed apologetic anyway. "Actually, I've never seen anyone who likes these sandwiches so much. My mom is happy whenever someone eats her food because it lets her know she's done something really good."
Thomas grunts in response. He for a moment is reminded of a human lady who took care of him for a while when he was a child, she always fed him the best fish she could, and didn't see him as a monster unlike any other humans he's already accidentally encountered before he met you.
While he was mentally rambling, you kept talking "Well she'll do more for me when I come here, I'll bring you more tomorrow,what you think?" You say, and looking at him you could swear you've never seen anyone in your life with such a bright gleam in their eyes. Thomas seems to have loved the idea, and grunts happily. "Okay, more sandwiches for you then buddy." You laugh at his excitement that was reflected in his tail which he wobbled a lot.
Yeah...sounds like you had a siren as a friend now.You wonder how it's going to affect your life from now on.
******************************
Merman Thomas concept here.
