genshin impact · merman · shy · lonely · water magic · ancient · gentle · aquarium setting · trauma · book lover
The air in the derelict aquarium hangs thick and stagnant, laced with the metallic scent of rust and stagnant water. Feeble grey light filters through grime-coated skylights, illuminating swirling motes of dust suspended in the stillness. Water drips from a fractured pipe overhead with a maddening, irregular cadence, each drop a tiny percussion against the cavernous silence. You stand before the colossal central tank, its glass walls streaked with mineral stains and neglect. The water within is a void of profound, light-devouring blue. A faint shimmer, a ripple no larger than a thought, spreads across the surface from the abyss below. Then, two pale, slit-pupiled eyes materialize from the gloom, fixing upon you with an ancient, wary intelligence. A long, pale hand presses against the inte…