badliifechoiice2 | I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue

I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue

Mermaid AU Meme

Rules:
- Put down your character name and series in the subject header. Put down any preferences (romantic or if you're a mermaid/human) in the comment.
- Reply to other people! RNG a choice from the prompts below, or just come up with whatever on your own.
- This is not a strictly romance meme. Feel free to have whatever shenanigans you like.

Merfolk and Merfolk

1.
Little Mermaid it
♢ One of you is a merperson with something you want. (Power? Help figuring out what this weird human doodad is? Becoming human?) The other is a powerful sea mage of some sort... And for the first of you, you better hope they're the good sort as you venture forth to their lair...

2.
Exploration
♢ C'mon. What's the worst that could happen when checking out this enormous sunken ship at the bottom of the ocean? You're merpeople! What's the worst that could happen? (Besides sharks. Or giant squid. Or maybe worse.)

3.
New tides
♢ Hey... That person isn't from around these parts, are they...? Maybe one of you is from deep seas, or a swamp-mer way out of your territory, or just from simply a different ocean. Hopefully neither of you are particularly territorial...

4.
Hey there, Ariel
♢ So. Looks like one of you actually took up on some sea witch's deal and is living in some human settlement. The other? Is trying to help you deal with that. Whether it means puzzling out human culture and items with you, pleading with you to come back home, or even offering you a dagger just in case you need to stab your crush (what? it's a legitimate strategy), you two need to cope.

5.
Wildcard.

Merfolk and Humans

1.
For Science!
♢ You're a scientist, here to study a fascinating new creature. Although the 'creature' in question might take offense to you saying that... So are you searching them out for the first time in the open ocean? Keeping them in some sort of containment? It's up to you.

2.
Stranded
♢ There was a shipwreck, and you're the sole survivor... Although you very nearly weren't. Whether you've just woken up or have been trying to puzzle things out on this deserted island, well... It seems you're not alone, although they're not exactly on the island with you.

3.
Siren Song
♢ Merpeople aren't always good signs... Sometimes they lure sailors out onto rocks, or extinguish their stamina and drown them in the ocean's tumultuous waters. Is this another encounter that will end in tragedy?

4.
Chance Encounter
♢ You're nothing extraordinary, just a regular person in a beach town, and one way or another... You find something that's very much not regular. Maybe you just walked into the cove at the right time, or found something- someone- trapped or injured that needed your help. So now what?

5.
Wildcard

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Not bothered at all about Rin's annoyance, Haruka's expression doesn't waver. He's just captivated by the sight of Rin and how he doesn't look like anyone else he's seen before. The moment he catches himself staring, Haru quickly looks aside.]

Got held up by friends.

[His tone is casual, even as he's... slightly troubled about hiding so much from them. If Haru told them about he got caught in a net, they wouldn't let him out of their sight. He's already had to make up an embarrassing excuse for why he needs to leave the territory unaccompanied more often lately. As bad as he feels for making others worry, he knows nothing bad is going to happen. And they worry too much, anyway.]

[Rin's brow furrows in confusion when he notices how hard Haruka is watching him. Although he only manages to catch it for less than a second before Haruka looks away. His face flushes, as the excitement within him increases. What was all that about? And why's he so happy about it? Not that he's unused to people staring at him (he does train hard), but there's something different about the way Haruka just did it. Something that makes him feel both proud and... anxious?

Which, of course, means he has to play it off.]

Hmm, like something you see~?

[He flips his tail a bit in the cove so he can slowly swim just past Haruka and swiftly turn to face him again.]

[Haruka looks Rin in the eye, an even glance, refusing to turn away again as it would further acknowledge what he was just doing. In fact, he'd probably end up looking more flustered if he did turn away. So he decides on sizing up Rin instead under the guise of mere curiosity. Not like Haruka had enough time to really look at Rin before...]

Just... I've never seen anyone like you before.

[It's the most honest answer, if not the most tactful one. Haruka himself has scales, and he has friends who take on many shapes and features -- but never has he encountered shark people.]

Are there a lot of others in your group?

[At least, Haruka knows to not get involved with more of them right now. Given how they both easily agreed that they could only meet in secret.]

[Rin can't help but chuckle more at Haruka's stubbornness. It helps distract him from his own self-consciousness anyway, as Haruka intensifies his gaze.

What the hell? A mermaid should not be able to make him feel like this. His kind are far superior to them.

He grins wider and starts to swim a wide, lazy circle around Haruka.]

Obviously. Your kind don't usually wander into our waters. Most of the are too scared.

[He flashes his sharp teeth for emphasis.]

But not you, huh? You're curious. I like that.

[At the question, Rin puffs himself up, raising his chest a bit more in the water, his gills flaring with excitement. He's not afraid to share.]

You bet! Samezuka is one of the biggest shivers in the ocean. Sharks come from hundreds of miles to join us.

[He eyes Haruka, a curious glint in his look.]

What about your fellow mermaids? How big is your school?

[Huh. When running into this guy for the first time, after that whole debacle...

Haruka had no idea that Rin would be this full of himself. If Rin went on like this, Haruka would probably be able to see the ego radiating off of him. Naturally, he rolls his eyes. But he doesn't bother to turn around and face the circling shark man, not even worried about showing his back, just watching as he comes back into his peripherals.

At least there's no denying that Rin sure is a... specimen.]

It's pretty big, I guess.

[Haruka shrugs. He probably should pay more attention, but...]

They try keeping me there all the time.

[When can he get the mackerel he wants?]

[Rin smirks at that answer. How coy.]

You guess... You're not proud of your size?

[It's strange to see a mer that's not eager to boast about his group. Size determines everything in the ocean. Without a big group, you were more likely to get picked off by another predator. Usually a bigger one.

But Haruka's next statement further piques his initial curiosity.]

Why's that? Do you usually swim out this far? What are you looking for anyway?

[Haruka shrugs. He never bothered to think of the size of the group, as much as he probably should. Seemed pretty big the last he saw, though.

The answer to Rin's question, however, he has no problem being completely open about.]

I was after this school of mackerel...

[Well, he's not all too ready to admit that he doesn't swim out this far, but--]

... didn't know that that's how humans caught their prey.

You left the security of your school... for mackerel?

[Rin blinks, hardly able to believe what he's hearing. Weren't mermaids supposed to hunt in teams anyway? Who is this guy?]

You must have really been craving it to risk unknown water? Or did you just get too caught up in the chase?

[Now, that's something Rin can relate to. Once you get going fast enough, it's sometimes hard to take that moment to slow down and figure out where you are. You just want to keep going forever, chasing the current as far as it will take you.

At Haruka's next comment, he scoffs again, showing more teeth.]

You don't know much about the two-legs at all, do you? They don't have useful teeth like us so they have to use those annoying nets. They also take way more fish than they actually need.

[Haruka looks indifferent to all of the questions. It's probably a combination of the two-- he did get caught up in the chase, but he also shook off any faint realization that he was moving into dangerous waters.

But the comment about the two-legs-- well, that does sounds important if he's to avoid them next time they both have their eyes set on the same meal.]

Did you ever have any problems with them?

[Caught in the same net, perhaps. At least that'd be less embarrassing for Haruka if he wasn't the only one to have that problem.]

Oi, answer one of my questions first.

[Rin crosses his arms and tries to bring himself more upright, quite a feat in water this shallow. His tail beats the water again.]

[Sigh, roll eyes. Haruka doesn't suppose that he can get away with a no comment.]

A little bit of both. And...

[Perhaps what he's about to say will make him sound like the most foolish merman in the ocean, but he doesn't care too much about how he sounds. It's not like Rin will take advantage of the fact.]

... being with the others all the time gets annoying.

[Rin blinks again, slowing the lashing of his tail and moving back to Haruka's side.]

You don't like swimming in a group?

[He's never heard such a thing from a mer. Moving in groups is practically built into the genetic makeup of all mers. Mers without groups are good as shark food.]

[All these questions... well, if the shark's that curious, Haruka will indulge him. To at least a certain point, anyway.]

They're okay, but--

[Haruka tilts his head backwards and lets himself float down onto the sand, basking in the warmth of the shallow pool.]

I prefer to swim free.

[Rin glances down at him, what a strange way for a mer to swim.]

Free? What's that supposed to mean? We have a whole ocean to swim in. What could be more free?

Not when you're stuck with others all the time.

[he answers, simply. Being bound to anyone else's movements, clinging to each other out of fear-- that doesn't sound like his idea of what "free" is at all. Even the consequences of that catching up to him sounds more appealing than having to constantly huddle around and go where others want to.

Closing his eyes, Haruka lets himself lie here, cracking one eye open to peer up at Rin.]

I can make my own choices like this.

[Rin scoffs at that, making a loud clicking sound with his tongue.]

Tch, most people don't see hanging out with your companions as "stuck." You're all working together to get a job done or fend off a potential threat. Striking out on your own is dangerous to the group. You could lead a predator right back to them, without even knowing it.

[At this, he gives another sly, toothy grin.]

Or you end up in a net.

I'm more careful than that--

[Uh.]

Usually.

[Still, despite how much Rin may make sense, Haruka isn't swayed. It's just all so dull to be so focused on the group-- and he doesn't mean to be selfish. Aside from all that, he considers what Rin says. He cares about them and doesn't want to put them in danger, so...]

But maybe I should just strike out on my own. I'll just remember to avoid any nets.

[Rin's intrigue for the merman grows. He's toyed with the idea of going on his own adventure, far beyond the shiver sometimes. But he's always been held back by a sense of responsibility. He has authority, he can't just swim off whenever he wants to. Who else could train the young pups like he can? Still, it is really tempting to imagine what could be out there, the sights he could be missing.

He settles down next to Haruka, on his belly.]

On your own, huh? Any idea where you'd go? The mackerel run all over the ocean. Even into the whale waters. No telling what might be out there. Maybe even something more threatening than a few nets.

I'll survive, somehow.

[None of that truly scares him-- sure, Haruka will find himself in dangerous situations like that net again. But that's no deterrent. Maybe people would call his logic flawed and dangerous; all of that's probably true. Yet it hasn't led him astray yet.

He turns his head to face Rin.]

'Cause I find guys like you.

[Rin is surprised to find his face growing strangely hot at that stare. He quickly jerks it to the side, slapping his tail in attempt to settle himself again. This is annoying. Why's he reacting like this? The mermaid just admitted to needing others to take care of him (needing Rin). He should be taunting him right now, not feeling like he's just swam over an underwater volcano. His neck gills flare in frustration.]

Yeah, well, unfortunately for you, I'm the only guy like me out there. And you can't expect me to save your tail all the time.

[As soon as the words leave his mouth, he pauses. Wait. Is Haruka actually asking him to go with him? A mermaid wanting to travel with a shark? That's crazy!

About as crazy as a shark wanting to spend time with a mermaid...]

I won't need that much saving.

[Yeah, Haruka already knows that Rin isn't about to take off and leave everything behind just for some wayward mermaid. But from the shark's reactions so far, it's just fun to press the idea.

Haruka can't help but roll in the sand and turn over again, as if trying to find a comfortable position to sleep. Just... as strange as it is to admit, it feels like something's missing from the life he leads.]

Says you. The way you talk makes you sound kind of reckless, you know. And what sort of mermaid likes to meet in the shallows?

[He splashes Haruka with his hand for emphasis.]

No, I'd definitely have my hands full with you.

[Of course, Haruka can only splash back, with a slight hint of a grin. He doesn't revel in trouble-making or going out of his way too much, but... it all sounds like a way to pass some time.]

Bet I could make it on my own, though. I can figure stuff out fast enough.

[Whether he actually learns from mistakes is another matter entirely.]

[It's too much of a challenge for Rin to resist. He splashes back with more vigor and shifts in the water so he's looming over Haruka, his tail fin flicking with excitement and his neck gills flaring wildly.]

Oh yeah? Prove it.

[Such a tough display, Haruka can't help but feel inwardly amused. With that hint of a grin still on his face, he kicks his tail against the sand and pushes himself off into the deeper water, taking off at a speed faster than most of merkind.

Even if this wasn't all just a game to play with his new friend, Haruka feels pretty sure that Rin will come speeding after him. Almost certain, in fact.

If just because Haruka would do the same if it was the other way around.]

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