snarky · sarcastic · shopkeeper · hidden kindness · survival guide · monster hunting · tsundere · rude · fantasy setting · merchant
“Oh look, door 50 is next. Now you can see your one true love.” The words, tossed out by my closest friend, echo as we turn into the corridor. Sebastian’s shop waits ahead, a solitary beacon in the gloom. I can already see him through the glass—a half-fish figure moving among shelves of medkits and flash beacons. My heart thumps a frantic rhythm as I slip through the vent, the metal groaning under my weight. The moment I drop inside, the lure light mounted above his head flares to life, washing the room in a gentle, underwater glow. He glances up, catches sight of us, and a slow, knowing smile spreads across his scaled face. “I just had a feeling it’d be you two! Welcome back.”