“He won’t come back.”

He said.

“He might hate us.”

He was sure of it. Yet he could only watch baffled now… because he did come back. For what reason, he did not know.

Alon could only swim there, circling the coast, following Iara while she sneaked near the human. And the human kept on walking along the beach, never stopping glaring. A scowl was always on his face.

The human came back the day after he screamed at them and denied they were real. And Iara did not have second thoughts about letting her presence be known, again. It was something dreadful for Alon.

There was nothing he could do to stop her; her tail surfaced and gave a splash in the distance. It was something that those hazel eyes saw, very clearly.

Nothing was said then; she did not let him see more than her tail. After a few seconds, he just walked away, with an eerie look on his face.

The nervousness they saw in him that day was gone in the second. He returned, again. And again he looked at the sea, dog close behind. His eyes were fixed on the horizon and sea, looking for her presence.

Third day, any appeals and worried calls were ignored by Iara. Her eyes broke the surface to glare back at the brunet. Both were soon lost in what could only be called an angry staring duel.

The days flew by. The human kept coming back; she continuously ignored his apprehensive arguments and neared the sand, more every day. It was like if they were two magnets; or two fast things named… cars, about to collide into disaster.

He knew it was dangerous. Yet he couldn’t avoid noticing that he himself swam closer every day, right behind her. Sometimes he would catch himself staring curiously like she did.

The human showed well his hate, yet there was longing in his gaze. Both could see it.

They had heard tales about humanity nearing their kind. A few told of friendship and good intentions. However, most spoke of brutal hunts, uncivilized massacres, revulsion. However, there were indeed some that narrated of good-willed men. There was no denying it.

So, there he was today, hiding his tail behind some rocks near the shore. The eastern side of the southern coast ended in ridges, tall ones, but flat and safe. They were not like the ones in the west.

He leaned there, glaring in worry, careful of not being seen… even if he was huge and the rocks were smaller than him.

Iara was swimming ahead, below the cliffs. And above, there he was, sitting with what he assumed boredom, tiredness, and exasperation. His gaze was fixed on one of those things Iara called phones, which was making strange noises in his hand.

He would call her crazy, seeing her swim in plain sight. Her figure and tail were obvious below the water, her gray back fin brushing the air. She was out of her mind, he knew. But this was far too much; it was suicidal to near now. He knew now what that phone could take.

Alon looked up, trying to remember the word in his head, a thoughtful cute expression crossing him. Something which Iara did not see, sadly. While he pondered, her azure eyes were staring up at the rocks; at the brunet.

Matthew had seen them… He had. Every single day. And he was honestly beginning to not care; the headaches at night were getting bothersome, too much thinking. So… if he couldn’t do anything about the visions, he would just as well roll along with them.

He lowered his phone a little, sighing tiredly as a faint splash echoed below.

Human and mermaid locked gazes; there was grumpiness in their expressions, but not anger. They were silent for a while. Matthew kept himself seated, not moving an inch in surprise, while Iara let herself plop on some small flat rocks below him.

He cursed himself for finding her stance cute. Her head was leaning onto her hands, while her tail waved behind her playfully. There was a taunting smile on her face, and for it, he gave her a scowl.

Alon finally remembered the word, just as he glanced ahead again; just in time. His heart skipped a beat, because he saw she was in plain view, and that the human was staring at her, phone in hand. It was the perfect moment to take… a photo.

The merman trembled while those hazel eyes looked at the strange instrument subtly, thinking for a moment. In the end, he only shook his head and put the thing in a pocket. At last, he said something, even if gruffly: a greeting.

“…Delusion.”

Iara huffed and nodded back, amused by his mocking salutation.

“Human.”

They both fell silent again; it was an awkward silence, which only the waves broke.

“…”

“…”

He slowly frowned, his frustrated pout intensifying.

“Ok, don’t say human like that.” He hugged his legs, seeming to fidget a little away. “I’m not a weird animal.”

Her tail whipped down, splashing water everywhere, muffling slightly her snort.

“Fine! Then don’t call me something abstract!”

Matthew looked away, his tone twisting into a doubtful one. It was also very bitter.

“I don’t know if giving a name to my delusions would help my sanity.”

“Oh, you are not going to give me a name!” He sent her a wary and puzzled glance, her laugh echoing loud again. “My name is mine! I’m Iara!”

She let out a chuckle, because he just stared at her. But there was no hate in his eyes, only a strange sense of curiosity, his head leaning sideways. Eventually, he spoke again, even if the fact seemed to bother him a lot.

“What about the big guy trying to hide over there?” Alon yelped, trying to get smaller behind the rocks; he obviously failed, easily seen below the water. “He… His name was-“

“That’s Alon!” Matthew looked away from the nervous merman, raising an eyebrow at her. “Don’t mind him, he’s shy.”

Alon seemed to stutter something underwater. Of course, the brunet did not understand it, because only bubbles came out.

Matthew sat there, silent for some minutes, pondering the whole situation. Iara rolled her eyes, seeing him look away from them and relax a bit, knowing they could not reach him.

“I really should think about suing the companies that make my meds.”

Iara was the one to give Matthew a puzzled look this time. His hazel eyes narrowed when hers fixed on the right side of his jacket, which had no limb inside. Luckily, she did not say a word about it, noting how he tensed under her staring.

All was silent. Until a loud splash and a muffled gasp echoed. Iara and Matthew could only blink and stare. Shamira had been roaming nearby, climbing down rocks; but now she had gotten onto shallow water, right where Alon was hiding. The merman was now stumbling nervously while the dog sniffed at him. Her eyes were fixed on his tail, trying to find any cuts or wounds.

Iara shook her head with a smile, because Alon was keeping Shamira away with his hands, anxiously but gently.

“Bad wolf! D-don’t nudge me!”

“Alon, she is only worried about the cuts she saw! Don’t push her away.”

Shamira was not stopping; she would not pay mind to Alon’s nervous mumbles. However, she did pay mind to something else. He blinked when a whistle echoed.

Alon was surprised to see Shamira’s ears rise, halting her insistent nuzzling to look up and away. The dog ran, climbing the rocks quickly yet carefully. In a minute, she was above them again, answering Matthew’s call.

Matthew petted Shamira’s head, looking away from Alon, who was giving him a baffled look. Iara laughed, eyeing the brunet with amusement, seeing the dog relax and plop onto his lap at his command.

“Your dog really likes you, huh?”

Matthew looked blankly at her, sideways, hiding his eyes slightly under his hair.

“She seems to like you too…”

Something which he did not know what to think of. Shamira was never wrong about people; she did not like some of his rude neighbors, and she always growled at fakers who laughed behind his back.

The mermaid’s tail swayed, her sharp teeth showing as she asked cheerfully.

“What’s her name?”

Alon was now swimming behind the rocks, still peeking warily. He was confused to no end by the fact that Iara managed to make the human answer, albeit with doubt.

“Shamira.”

Iara grinned, her reply playful.

“That’s a cute name. But maybe there’s one that’s even cuter! One I haven’t heard yet!” Matthew blinked, not understanding her eagerness. “I still don’t know yours, human!”

Isn’t she talkative…

Matthew leaned his head, giving her a glance that was almost scolding.

“And I thought the products of my mind would know my name…”

She pouted up at him, her arms outstretching grumpily under her.

“I told you I’m real! Do I need to splash some water on you to make you realize it?!”

Matthew snorted, unfazed.

“Try. I doubt you can kick water so high that-“

There was a loud splash. Silver and hazel eyes widened. Matthew sat there poker-faced while Shamira barked and stood up from his lap, soaking him even more when she ruffled the water off her fur.

Iara swayed by the rocks below with a smug smile, the tip of her tail still brushing the water. She had managed indeed.

Alon watched as Matthew glanced down at her, a surprised look on his face. It was like if his brain was trying to register the cold feel of the droplets, having an inner debate.

In the end, Alon’s own surprise only grew, because the brunet did not yell. He only admitted something, tiredly.

“Alright, you can.”

She chuckled, seeing him grumble and push some flicks of hair out his face, pressuring the water off.

Matthew sat there, looking warily at them both, finding himself listening when she asked once more.

“Now, can I know your name already?”

Why am I listening?

“M-Matthew.”

Why am I answering?

As his name escaped him, she grinned, nodding with a warm gaze.

“That’s a pretty name.”

The voice was real, the two were really there. And he was not backing away. He felt he should be running for his life.

Why am I still here?

He did not know. He did not know why he stayed still for a little while longer either, pondering how talkative she could be, catching himself staring at their tails, their eyes.

By the time the merman called nervously for them to leave, the sun was setting. He did not know why… but he did not like to hear her say goodbye. As well, he hated to see her look back at him with worry.

What felt worse, somehow, was seeing them swim away and sink out of sight. He was not glad about it, when he should be.

He just didn’t know why.

————

The moonlight reflected over the surface. The waters were not calm tonight; a gentle current flowed in the depths. A figure twitched at last, having drifted for days.

He floated there, paralyzed… until a strong current hit him. His red eyes shot open, his body pushed, finally regaining its balance. A pained wheeze escaped him; his frame and tail jolted while his arms latched around his torso. His sharp fins moved in instinct.

He floated there, panting, finally upright. Soon, his eyes narrowed, a feral growl echoing.

Hurts… Fuck, it does.

His lungs were burning. He could breathe underwater, but he shared some weaknesses with sharks. His lungs worked better with movement. He had been upside down for… many days. He lost count.

That killer whale was strong; his sides and ribs hurt. That tail had slammed fiercely against him, and it weighed a lot. The hits were calculated.

He wheezed again, his stomach rumbling noisily, painfully. His insides were twisting.

I am weak…

His red eyes opened again, dazed, exhausted. But his mind still worked. Always sharp. He began to try to swim again while he cursed those two merfolk, with all his cold heart. His tail moved in jolts, still pained, his whole body aching.

I need… food.

His swimming was slow. He headed away from the coast, even if it was already far. He was deep, between dark cavities in the depths.

His eyes twitched, suddenly. A vicious grin grew on his face, smelling something: a small trace of blood. His black tail blended in the dark as he slowly crept closer, knowing.

There was something ahead, a faint glimmer. A small white light shined in the shadows, reflecting on a slender figure. It was another merfolk, an angler fish.

Her mouth was gripping a small trout. Her arms were helping her keep herself afloat, adorned with black hanging fins, which almost looked like a cape. The small white light over her head moved away, her prey caught.

She sighed, grasping tightly the fish she lured, eyeing it curiously. She was going to take a bite, her mouth open, fangs showing. Until she saw her own light reflect onto something else.

The shark snarled when she turned sharply, spotting him there. Sneaking behind her failed.

Diya dropped the fish, yelping and swimming away just as those sharp teeth slammed near her neck.

He growled, seeing the possible snack hide. The white light faded, for her figure blended fast into the dark deep waters. He could only float there, unable to chase.

“Curse my luck.”

He glared sideways. His teeth bit down, blood teasing his senses as he crushed the trout.

It was not enough, it made him growl in anger… But he could not chase that mermaid. He had to move.

He held his side carefully, limping. Once more, he headed for the place he needed to reach, going deeper.