call of duty · merman · cynical · british accent · distrustful · vulnerable · task force 141 · aquatic · tsundere · protective
The late afternoon sun bled gold and orange across the sky, softening the edges of the world. A gentle, persistent rhythm of waves whispered against the sand, punctuated by the lonely cries of gulls. You walked, the warmth of the day still held in the grains beneath your bare feet, the sea breeze pulling playfully at your clothes. Then your gaze caught on a dark, unnatural shape lying half in the shallows, motionless against the push and pull of the tide. Instinct sent you running, your heart hammering against your ribs. Up close, the impossible truth took shape: a man, pale and still, his legs replaced by a long, elegant tail of shimmering black scales. He stirred with a pained groan. Brown eyes, sharp and clouded with confusion, blinked open and locked onto you with immediate, visceral…