Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It took meticulous planning, but in the end you were successful.

In the cover of night, you dashed between corals, hid your scent in the sands, and inched your way carefully over the cliff side. Your patterns were bright, but meshed well with the landscape, the low light only helping with your escape.

You didn't sense a single mer nearby, and if there were any, they surely didn't notice you. You're now free to explore to your heart's content.

All according to plan!

The depths called to you, being the only space for miles that you know of where you would be safe to roam around, unable to be caught due to the darker waters. No mer you know likes to get even near it.

Throwing yourself over, sinking deeper and deeper into the chilling waters, you try to explore, wiggling to any landmarks you pass and inspecting the odd fish that go by.

You skidded along ridges of the cliff, happy to explore the tiny holes dug into them, getting pinched or bitten by angry creatures when you get unlucky, and occasionally chewing on the random plants you find, just to give it a curious taste.

The increased pressure is noticeable, if slightly disorienting, but not enough to bother you.

If anything you just feel a little heavier the more you go down.

Soon enough you felt brave enough to swim away from the cliff side, hoping to find something new to see. Your fins wiggle in excitement, having seen and tried so many new things already.

Finally, you feel like a real Mer, not like some sort of caged guppy.

You mostly ignored the tiny fish as you went, not feeling up to a snack at the moment, but as your travels went on they became more scarce; you end up regretting passing the meal.

It's not as if there weren't big fish as you swam into the empty expanse, nor was it your overall inexperience in hunting that kept you from feasting, but rather the fact that each decent sized fish you'd find would have medium sized circular bite cutouts littered around their body, not even dead.

It disgusted your pallet to eat from an already chewed on fish, but more importantly, you worried if this was some sort of claim. You'd rather not get in a dispute with another mer over sloppy seconds. If there even were mer down here...

Even now, as your hunger gnaws on you from the inside out, you're still not desperate enough to even take a bite out of such tainted fish.

You swim further outwards and deeper, but wait, when should you return?

When would they notice you're gone?

Should you start going back towards the cliff?

Are you already?

What way are you facing?

The water pressure is pounding against your head and your sense of direction is faltering, everywhere feels like nowhere.

You could barely see a meter beyond your location, the world looking foggy, a dark, navy blue. You half crashed into a long spire of rocks, reacting to it late due to the dense darkness.

At least you were able to follow its structure downwards, hoping you'll find some sort of land to rest yourself on thanks to the pillar.

Your tail is unused to being constantly on the move…

You just need a moment of rest, maybe even a tiny nap. Your muscles weigh heavy on you, the pull downwards so intense that laying on even the sharpest of rocks sounds like such a reprieve.

So you clamber and sink…

Inching down slowly…

The pillar seemed to keep going on forever and the world started to become alarmingly black.

Perhaps exploring at night was a bad idea. An innate fear started to cling to you, so unused to perfect darkness.

Back home, you'd at least have the Moon's light, if not the glowing berries growing from your ceiling, keeping your space comfortably dim and safe from shadows.

You shook your head, determined to keep going. You're not a guppy. The dark should not scare you. This is what you wanted. You need this.

Your wandering eyes betray you, glancing up just for a shred of light.

The action doesn't bring you comfort however, as the moon's light barely filters down here. If you hadn't been grabbing at the structure the entire time, you'd have no clue as to which way was up or down.

As you continued downwards, your fingers ached, sharp nails were dulling, and your tail tried to coil around the pillar in some attempt of relief from its own weight.

But then you see something bright, near white, glowing in the expanse below you.

It was a round, almost soft looking platform, with colorful seaweed drifting out to the sides of it, glowing almost equally as bright.

You couldn't help but let out a soft trill of glee, pushing yourself off the pillar to gently drift down land on the angelic cushion. It's almost as if it was made for you, calling out to your poor, weary self in need of a good, comfortable rest.

The give to the platform was odd as you landed. It rippled beneath you, but somehow stayed sturdy, feeling most solid at its dark center.

You were so pleasantly surprised at its smooth texture that you failed to notice the glowing seaweed rise and quickly ensnare you.

You shrieked at the sudden sting, eyes bulging out of your head. Your limbs that made contact with the ribbons burned with an ache you never experienced.

Anemones’ shocks were only a warm, comfortable, and soothing tickle.

A sting ray’s wrath was a harsh slap of the wrist.

This shock?

This is what it meant to be electrified.

The thin layer of mucus on your body only saves you for a mere moment, becoming warm, to hot, uncomfortably dry, before frying alongside your blistering skin.

Just as fast as the ribbons captured you, they released you, not without pulling you off your haven first.

As you sank, you saw the rest of the platform– mer, that you landed on.

The appendages that stung you flared out to its original position, giving you a clear view of the creature beneath the cap. Red eyes gaze down at you sharply, an uneven frown creasing their features. Your hazy vision flutters as you take in the rest of them, barely catching the quiet sound of their voice.

“...Crazy thing, you likely scared away all the prey...”

Their hands crossed across their chest. Their main body didn't illuminate, but without the glow of its cap and horizontal frills that line their tail and neck, their main body would barely be visible. It blends well with the dark surroundings, almost transparent in nature, if a little cloudy.

“Next time, don't play around with mers you don't know... You could be mistaken for a meal… Or made into one…”

The enchantingly soft and slow masculine voice that came from the mer was not enough to veil over their implications.

 They could have killed you. There are mers here that would kill you.

The jellyfish mer slowly drifted away, or, was it you? They made no movement to get closer, but you're not moving a muscle either.

“...Go home now…” They seemed to utter.

Why were they so quiet?

Sparks danced in your vision, making the dark seem to seep in more than ever, overlapping even the bright mer.

You felt as if the world was fading away, lulling your weary bones to succumb to its pull.

Perhaps its gravity would have taken you, if only your primal instincts weren't able to key in on the rapidly shifting water heading your way.

“Oh! OHoHOhOH!!! FRESH BITE!!!”

-Was the first thing you heard from the new voice, before suddenly snapping yourself straight with a loud yelp. The holes in your vision were replaced with adrenaline and another searing pain to go with your burns, this time located at the hip of your tail.

You yanked yourself away from the bite, grunting when you felt some scales rip off. You could feel a tear in your skin, the smell of blood now oozing out into the water.

Whipping your head towards the assailant, you were face to face with another mer, its form barely visible from the distant glow of the Jellyfish mer.

It seemed a muted yellow with a large patch of brown trailing up its entire tail and back, many dots littering the transition points. It's face is very sharply defined, as was its mouth full of rows of teeth – that's currently chewing on your lost scales – and it had many sharp but flimsy fins haloing it's head, save for one on the top of its head, mimicking a-

…

Mimicking a shark fin.

You glance at its tail with a gradual increase to your gill venting.

Those are definitely shark fins.

You finally made eye contact, stiffening at the sight of its wide expression. It's mouth crunches on your poor scales, splintering them as if it were nothing; the milky white eyes stare into your soul.

“Delicious..!!!” The beast unabashedly murmured, an unnerving open mouth grin forming in its wake.

Your heart plummeted into your chest as your instincts kicked in immediately.

You ignored your soreness and pains, whipping your body in the opposite direction and swimming as fast as you possibly could away from it.

“YUMMY?! WHEre do you thi.nk yo.u’re goi.n..g..?!?” It's suddenly high pitched voice angrily whined, fading away as you darted off.

Such a comfort didn't last long though, as that rapid rush of moving water was now chasing you. A ravenous sound following it.

“Th..a.t’s n.ot ho..w. thi.s works! Yummy, you’re supposed to come backkkKKKK!!!!”

The shark was gaining on you fast, and to your dismay you cannot see a thing, as both the Jellyfish mer and the spire have been lost thanks to your reckless fleeing.

You try to circle back to your landmark, your only guide, but you cannot tell what orientation you're even in anymore. For all you know you could be swimming further down into the darkness.

While you're not incapable, you know you can't fight a shark. You never trained for this!

You panic, trying to do all you can to escape it, but it swims faster, turns faster, and has even grabbed you once more.

Its claws dug painfully between your scales, restricting you from pulling away without tearing.

You flailed and struggled, and as it opened its terrifyingly large maw once again, your tail accidentally ended up smacking it stupid in your fear induced state; the surprise attack seemingly startling its claw grip, releasing you.

You took the opportunity and dashed away once more. As glad you are to have escaped once, you know that won't work twice.

Desperate, starving, and losing stamina fast, you finally resort to swallowing your pride, reveling in your regrets as you call for help.

“PLEASE! ANYONE?! HELP ME, PLEASE!!!”

You sobbed at the crippling fear and embarrassment, tears of inevitability shedding past your face.

“I DON'T WANT TO BE EATEN! I'M SORRY, I'LL BE GOOD! I'LL NEVER RETURN, PLEASE!!!”

Your words diminished to babbles of pleas, speaking out of how wrong you were, how selfish. You'll happily be locked away just to know you won't die a painful death.

Your pursuer stopped calling out, still following you from an alarming distance.

He could definitely catch you, but he likely notices how you're going to pewter out, not wasting stamina on such an easy catch. Those haunting white eyes peer through the darkness, burning its gaze into your skin.

With your sight constantly shifting to your assailant, you dumbly bumped into something rough, but it was thin enough that your arms instinctually wrapped around it.

You were too tired, too out of breath, too terrified to move a second longer, starting to accept your fate. You craved comfort, something to keep you steady, as if you were just a small guppy again clinging to your parents.

Your dread only deepened when your grounding started to move and talk.

It sighed heavily, faux irritation laced in its voice.

“Sun… What did we talk about chasing other mers?”

You felt the reverberations against your cheek as you were planted completely against the mer, barely taking in the actual words being said around you. You went to release your tight grip, but the mer’s arms quickly held you in place.

You followed the trail of their body and looked, or what you assume is, up. It seems like you grabbed onto the base of their tail. You could barely make out their all black silhouette, save for their sharp, glowing, orange eyes.

“B-but, Yummy was–!”

You lost focus on the Shark’s whining when you noticed a shake from the mer holding you.

Their dark scales suddenly seemed to change color, sifting through a variety until it landed on a steady azure-green. It's not as if the mer glows, but the shimmering across their extremely reflective scales makes them shine at the tiniest dash of light.

You felt shock and fascination ebb through your emotionally wrecked self. You've never seen a single tailed mer do something like that before. You can't even begin to identify what kind of mer this is.

“No buts! And ‘Yummy’? What, did you bite them too?” he jerked you to his eye level, but stuttered at the sound of your yelp.

You could only stare back at his gaze, it finally looking back at you instead of the shark, his eyes roaming across the marks that linger on your skin. His expression slowly rises to one of wide realization, then pity, and then anger.

You can't help but shrink into yourself, unsure if you should trust this mer or try to run while they’re both distracted.

You jolt at the mer pulling you against their chest, coddling you into a ball as he swims past the shark. The pains that stretch across your body did not like the sudden manhandling, but once the initial contact passed, irritated stings slightly dulling, your tired body leaned into his, almost completely slumping.

Finally, relief.

As you rested on the determined mer, you could faintly see the shark mer trailing behind.

How well do they know each other? The one holding you said a name, but you struggle to recall it.

You feel anxiety prickle at your mind seeing the monster, but the mer seems to listen to the green one, so you try not to worry about it. Though, it still looks way too jolly of the state you're in, even if those eyes are tweaked down some. That lingering gaze is far too intense.

You watch him from over the other mer’s shoulder, a calm washing over you noticing how small the shark actually is. It must be at least a head shorter than you.

You don’t get to hold that fact above many; a cathartic balm soothes your ego.

The rocking you experience from being held almost made you nap against the azure mer. The tendrils that expand from his face and hip tickle you gently, as the large one behind their head keeps you distracted with its rhythmic swaying.

It reminds you so much of your comfy room, your cozy anemone, and–

“MOON!”

You jump at the loud yell that was right next to your ear, knocking you out of your comfortable haze. You glared at your savior.

Wait… Moon? What-

“Mind explaining why you left this poor mer all covered in stings?”

You see the Jellyfish mer once again, their back facing the two of you as the azure mer swims closer.

“...They startled my hunt and I confused them for prey…” – the mer turned it's head towards you, face and eyes following as your ride moved around them. – “My stings aren't too difficult to handle… After their initial shock, they could have taken care of themselves…”

You're positioned in front of him, suddenly very uncomfortable with all the eyes on you. The shark peeks around the Jellyfish, who is also inspecting your beaten up form. The iridescent mer holding you glances down at you at every shift you make, holding you tightly to him as if you'd flee.

There's no sense to such thinking really, in this state you don't think you could last even a second on your own.

“They’re not from the depths, Moon. I believe they're a clownfish.”

You stiffen at the statement as Moon hums noncommittally.

“...You don't say..?”

He rubs the 4..? fingers of his left hand together absentmindedly before looking away.

“...Too bad…”

You can feel an irritated growl rumble against you.

“Does it really kill you that much to try to care?”

“...I just got comfortable too, then the thing had to go and land on me…"

The mer that saved you scoffed in-between his sentences.

"...2 cycles of hunting and now the prey have all likely gone away from their commotion…”

You glare at the glowing mer. He stares back at you, seemingly unaffected by how upset and wounded you are.

“...Besides…” He tacked on, “It's best if you take care of them anyway… You know more about... mmmehhd- medieee- mmmmedicine, than me anyway….”

You blinked at the word. How does he..?

You were quickly distracted by the wiggling tube-like appendages around your savior’s face and hips. His creased brow suddenly went into an ever pleasant expression. 

“Welllll, if you're just going to say it…~” He mumbled and crinkled his eyes down at you. “Did you hear that? He's not wrong you know!”

Smug. That's the only way you could describe the tone of his voice at the moment.

“I'm objectively the best of the best around here actually! Lucky you!~ NotthatIcanwillinglygetmanytestimonials butttt, I bet I can get you feeling brighter than the stars sooner rather than later.~”

There it is again… something about their words prick at the back of your mind, unsettling you. Though, it's a bit difficult to sort out your thoughts when he scratches your scalp and dips his voice into a lower octave.

“Don't worry your pretty little head Stardust, I'll gladly take care of you.~”

“Stehhhr…dust?” The shark, Sun you think you minutely recall, which that realization alone made you freeze, piped up. It poked its head around Moon.

You earned a little bit of your personal space back at the strange mer's huff.

“C'mon, because I said they'll be like the stars! In the night sky? Right now, they're a broken pile of dust, needing to be built up and nurtured into a beautiful spark. And I'llllll be the one to get them there for sure!~”

The other two tilted their head at your still unnamed, eccentric mer. Sun seemed to repeat the words, trying to get a feel for them on his tongue, while Moon seemed to bristle his frills.

“...Whatever you say…”  A tone of annoyance was layered between the murmur.

“Well, In that case!” your head is yanked away from watching the other two mers. “Stardust, I'll be your personal nurse! Call me Eclipse, well actually, call me whatever you'd like! Anything to help my little patient get comfortable!~”

Something about Eclipse unnerves you, and it's not just because of his overly warm welcome. Despite your scowl, he only giggled at you.

“Moon, since you hurt Stardust the most, you'll be on hunting duty for them. Make sure you get a good handful!~”

“...I did not agree to this-”

“PFT! Why send him when I can hunt for Yummy?! I'll even make sure to bring back the rarest, tastiest of fish!”

Eclipse pushed Sun by the snout away from the two of you, the shark having burst over Moon, face hovering over you with a toothy grin.

You think you might start crying if those teeth ever get that close to you again.

“Fu-fineee, Sun! I suppose you also need to make it up to Stardust anyways. Just help me escort them to the den before you head out.”

“Escort?” You piped up, still a little uncomfortable with the notion of being around a mer that quite literally wanted to eat you.

But Eclipse already started swimming away from Moon with you, who only huffed in response, and Sun followed Eclipse by his flank with a worrying amount of hummed enthusiasm.

...

Even now, your say has no meaning.

Chapter Text

“As much as this is home, not many mers or creatures are so welcoming to others down here. I can take care of myself, but uh, I quite literally have my arms full, Stardust.”

Sun started to loudly say something too, but he abruptly stopped at your flinch towards his voice. He grumbled before casting his eyes away. 

Instead, Eclipse continued the conversation.

“Yeah… That’s why I need Sun to make sure no unwanted guests come our way.”

“...Aren't I an unwanted guest?” You questioned with shifty eyes.

“Nooo-” “NO!”

The two mers reacted rather fast, both leaning in close towards you.

“You're our guest, and while the other two need to work on their manners, it's still my duty to make sure you're all better, Stardust.”

“AND! I am MORE than capable to provide, Yummy! Even more than them, you'll see!!!”

You shrunk in on yourself for the rest of the ride, avoiding conversation when you can, responding with single words. They don't seem to notice you withdrawal as they continue to spew about how they can help.

All this talk of someone else taking care of you, bringing you home, and feeding you is bringing up some very mixed feelings.

Gratitude.

Uncertainty.

Dread.

Longing.

Their nicknames bring no comfort either, one nagging at you with its strangeness, while the other paints you as a meal being saved for later. You can't help but feel endangered despite their insistence on being the opposite.

But what can you do? You'll never survive on your own out here.

Luckily, you weren't trapped in Eclipse’s arms for very long as the trip to their den was short.

With a quick, reaffirming shout from Sun, he all but dashed away into the dark in the search of a meal for you, promising all the spoils you could ever want with a puff of his chest. Eclipse tried to get him to wait so you could state your preferences, but he already dashed off.

For a moment, you felt calmer. You expected Eclipse to sigh in annoyance, but he only started to huff out a laugh.

“Hahaaa, oh well. Alone at last then, hm, Stardust?~”

You felt his claws tighten on you before suddenly dropping you out of his hold. The sharp hands crossed behind his back as he leaned over and just simply watched you.

Once again your mind was back to racing as you backed further into the den, leaving a tail’s length of space between the two of you. Your wounds started to burn again at your movements, aching for you to sit still, but you just can't.

Eclipse's glowing orange eyes hold darker, sharp pupils that are trained on you, reacting to every twitch you make.

It feels like his gaze can see beneath your scales, shining with glee as if he wants to.

“Don't be so shy, go on, explore as much as you wish. Make yourself comfortable, familiar even!”

You didn't know whether to take that growing grin as a comfort or a warning.

Still, you won't survive if you don't take the offering of safety before you. Maybe Eclipse is just very odd, even if your mind begs that it's worse than that. So, you inspected your temporary safe haven, for better or for worse.

It wasn't all that bad, a small cave structure that protrudes from a small cliff ridge. Definitely smaller than what you’re used to, but it’ll have to do.

There was a single cavern inside, the tiny bioluminescent creatures clinging to the walls allowing you to see, and the rocky layout follows a stair of ridges that lead to the flat floor. There are piles of woven seaweed on top of a thick layer of sand at the bottom of the pit. Random items seem to be organized along the different steps heading down, having no clear order to you. Many are unfamiliar.

You inspected the walls in hopes of finding a second exit point, but there ultimately wasn't one. Just jagged protrusions, piles of stone, and alarming cracks. Great.

It makes sense for a crude, natural den, but it leaves you feeling trapped.

“Cozy right?” With a gentle glide, Eclipse is by your side near the bottom of the pit instantly. “You won't find anything else like it around here! So lucky I found ya.~”

You glance at him warily. He’s so insistent to keep beside you.

“I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but you should really lay down. As much as I would love to show you around and ask you so many questions, you must be exhausted!”

“I… I just need to stretch my limbs a little, that's all.”

He hummed.

“Fair enough. I think regularly working that into your healing process is a good idea anyway.”

“What-”

“First! Let's tend to those burns, ‘kay, Stardust?”

You couldn't help a slight yelp as he quickly scooped you in his arms to place you on top of one of the, admittedly soft, clumps of seaweed. The sand beneath has a deep give that molds the bedding around you perfectly; your heavy bones want to sprawl out on it.

As if he couldn't bear a moment to stop staring at you, Eclipse searched a step behind him with a blind hand, grasping around certain objects before softly gasping with delight, bringing a handful of strange plants close to you.

“Do you want this the fast way or the slow way? Oh, and it’ll sting for sureee , but you'll quickly feel the cooling effects. I'll distract you from the discomfort as best I can, Stardust.~”

You blink at how quickly he's moving, his speech sounding impatient.

“F-fast? I suppose? What are you planning on doing?”

“Nothing to worry about! Just relaxxx.”

He casually bites into a weird round object. A large berry maybe? It's bulbous and ribbed, a bloody red, and once his sharp teeth pierces through, a cascade of thick, clumpy, orange liquid spews out.

You stare at him, tilting your head confused as he chews, the mer rolling his eyes in a big arc and lifting a single finger up in response.

He then takes some long but thin plant leaves and adds them into his mouth. You stopped looking by the third thing he pulled up, a little too uncomfortable just watching him randomly stuff his face.

Soon enough he hands you the rest of the odd berry to hold, you only get to inspect it for a second before he's suddenly pouncing onto your arm.

You jump at the movement, but you are held in place by his strong grip, one hand latched to your forearm, below a burn, while the other pins your unmarred hip.

You think you can literally hear your mind crack when his tongue makes contact with your burn.

You writhe at the harsh stinging sensation, pushing against Eclipse to escape his far too forward approach.

A cracking scream erupts from your throat as you bash the back of his head with your free arm, Eclipse breaking away with a yelped hiss. The rest of the gunk in his mouth spills out from your attack.

“PFt- bleh- HEY! What’d ya do that for?!” He had the gall to glare at you, “I'm tryinggg to help you!”

You immediately feel better hearing that pathetic whine, even if he still words things a bit strangely.

The substance on your arm feels strange, but as Eclipse said, the sting has simmered down as a cooling sensation took over. If you weren't so alarmed and grossed out by the interaction, you'd be more grateful.

“Wwwait… Geez Stardust, did I scare you? I figured you’d appreciate it; I thought grooming was a gesture that calms and bonds mers!”

A small huff broke his sentences.

“But… I guess I should have been more considerate with how skittish you’ve been. Ohhh, poor thing...”

You aren't some poor thing and who is he to think he could get away with grooming a stranger??? With such an out-of-touch comment, he has ruined any appreciation you have left for him.

And then he destroys it as he casually smears the goop on your forearm around your entire arm.

Searing pain causes you to straighten like an arrow while the unholy, bumpy texture of the slime makes you gag repeatedly.

You are no longer grateful, not even a little bit. You wish you never bumped into Eclipse. Being eaten by a shark is at least a noteworthy death, more positives there than whatever this is.

“There, there, take a breather.”

His exaggerated doting voice accompanied the condescending pat to the clear spot on your back, but it only bothered you further with some lingering goop on his hand,

“I trieddd to distract ya, but apparently, that got me knocked on the head! Then I just tried to talk, but that didn't seem to help all that much either, seeing as you gagged instead of responding… Heh.”

You glared at him as he mumbled about how much like a “cat” you acted like. Some sort of Depth Dweller insult? This mer really is grating on your nerves. You seized the offending hand still caressing your back, yanking it off with a harsh grip. You swallowed the soreness and pain of irritating your burn marks with the sudden movement.

“You. Do not. Lick me. Or touch me. Like THAT. Ever again.”

Eclipse seemed to freeze momentarily at your growl, though moved to slip his hand out of your grip with a placating, uneasy smile.

“At least, the um, application was over fast, right? That's the fast route youuu wanted!”

“If that's the fast then do the slow route. Now. ”

“ Hmph ... I'm still gonna have to practically apply that medicine all over you, ya know. I can tell you hate it, but too bad! You need it.”

You huff , not excited about it, but you also aren't stupid.

“I'm well aware. Now we go at my pace though, got it?”

You snip your jaw at him to make extra sure he understands. You know you probably look as brittle as a fishbone right now, but he seems receptive to your aggression.

He stares at you with a dumb look on his face before nodding slowly, something curious in his eyes. He clears his throat and shakes his head as if exiting a daze.

“A-ahem! You got it captain, slow mode it is then.”

You feel another prickle at your head, discomfort ebbing in the corner of your mind. It's not just the words, but the way he speaks…

Questions dig at you, urging you to just ask, to do it now while you're alone.

But you can't. Not while you're in such a weak state. If you were to cast real offense to him, you wouldn't be able to properly fight him.

Your ego is battered and bruised enough to recognize that he is only humoring your demands.

You watch silently as Eclipse takes out a round carved rock and a long, flat ended stone, using them to grind out the ingredients to that sickening paste again – even taking the bulbous berry from you and squashing it very carefully. You do notice however that the chunks are much smaller this way, and when you finally allow him to gently smear the awful thing on you, it doesn't feel nearly as bad.

…If you ignore how he recklessly brushes the underside of your scales, you think you felt one fall out with his curious, mindless handling!

“See? Look at what happens if you just trust me, Stardust!”

You scoff, pitch deepening once again into a growl.

“You mean, look at what happens when you don't use your mucky mouth and practice your manners?”

Eclipse only snickers at you.

“I have more manners than anyone else down here, doll face. I hope you know that most mer folk actually respond positively to my endeavors.”

Your stare is unimpressed. What mer would like that from an outsider? Certainly none of the ones you know.

…

…

Then again that might not be a long list of mers, but still, you're as sure as a clam that you would have been disgraced if you ever recreated what Eclipse just did.

Speaking of, you had to stop him from touching you without permission again, this time his hands reaching around your waist to apply a seaweed wrap from behind you. You make sure to grip his hands with your nails as you turn your head back to glare at him, once again ignoring the shooting nerve pains.

“Ughhhhh!” he groaned, “Pretty please with sprinkles on top of an ice cold fudge sundae, can I tend to your wounds???”

You snort , amused by his annoyance and long winded, absurd choice of words. What even is that?

You purposely make a loud hum, as if to contemplate your answer, but really it's to buy more time to see if you can do anything else for your need of petty vengeance.

You sigh at the thoughts that rush to you, but all spell out unnecessary irritation to your entire body. With resignation, you lift up your hands in defeat.

“ Fineee , but only because you said pretty please.”

You look off to the side, trying to anticipate the embarrassment at being manhandled, yet, you don't feel his touch.

Instead, you feel an intense stare burn into the side of your face.

You're morbidly curious to ask what caused such a reaction, but something inside you is inherently afraid.

Eventually he silently comes back to life, unfreezing himself and continuing his ministrations as if the pause never happened, fully wrapping the seaweed tightly around your waist up to your pits.

You couldn't even process your embarrassment, and now the uncomfortable substance is trapped against you until further notice. Great.

Eclipse broke the first silence you had since coming down here when he started to wrap your arms.

“You're definitely not from around here…”

A shiver traced through your entire body. You tried to play it off.

“I wonder what gave you that idea. Was it the patterns all over me? Or was it the gruesome screeches of me spilling my biggest regret of ever coming down here?”

“I think it's the way you know how to sass back without pissing me off.”

You initially didn't know what pissing him off meant, but with the way he said it you quickly picked up on the context.

“Aww, I thought I was doing a good job at upsetting you.”

He was done with wrapping the last of your burns, yet still sat beside you. The awed grin that appeared on his face at your retort made bubbles suddenly writhe in your chest.

“FOOOOODDD!”

You looked up slightly alarmed at the shark’s loud and speedy descent, flinching when he kicked up the sand with the pile of fat fish he dropped between you and Eclipse. With his mouth wide open, Eclipse erupted into a small coughing fit before inspecting the fish.

“Yes, you heard right, right, right! Good reliable Sun has brought in a feast for Ste-Stahh- Strree- Yummy, just as promised!” Sun's tail and fins wiggled at the announcement.

“ BAH-peh-, ugh , well… nice haul I guess, Sun. This is definitely more than enough to fill fishbones over here.”

You growl, but it's overshadowed by your stomach's own wail. You quickly curl up to hide your bleeding pride.

“From what I can tell, we're the same length, bright eyes.”   You shoot back.

“Mmm, and that's what makes you all the more interesting. I definitely eat better though, but don't worry doll face, we'll fix that.”

You would have kept the banter going, but Sun moved to settle right next to you. You scooched away, pulling your tail even closer for extra measure.

Despite how still the shark is as he looks at you, you can see his claws tear through the seaweed below him, dancing impatiently in the new holes.

You both blink at each other before he suddenly shakes himself and points an arm out at the pile of fish he caught. His tail swishes beneath him.

“Come on, go, go, go! Take the first pick, Yummy! This is all for you if you want it all!”

It's way more fish than you could ever eat. All of them are about the size of your torso; you doubt you could finish eating one even if you really tried. Most of these fish look strange to you in the low bioluminescent light.

“I- uh- gratitudes for the meal. I'll just-”

As you picked one and started to lug it over to your lap, you noticed on its other side there were two round chunks taken out of the side of the fish. One of them seemed like an old wound, the texture looking rough, clotted, and green.

You let go of it immediately and gagged. Your eyes raved over the others and started to notice similar signs.

“WHY DID YOU GET FISH WITH CHUNKS MISSING?!”

Ew ew ew ew NO! The fish HAVE to be tainted! They all have mushy holes in them, plus, you ignored fish like this for a reason! You remember seeing them on different ones earlier!

“What if this was someone's claim?! Or they're contaminated inside! Or-”

“Yummy!!! Those are my bites, so stop worrying! Again, only the best of the best tasting fish are here! From me, for you!!!”

He opened his maw wide and pointed at the round shape his sharp, razor, layered teeth made, as if to say ‘see!!!’. Each row nightmarishly chomped individually.

You snapped your head away and tried to calm your gills from over venting, already stuttering in its movements. You're ashamed from shaking so much at just the sight of his teeth, but you can't stop, instinct begging you to swim away.

You don't know if you want to throw up from being so scared or from being forced to eat chewed fish.

“Hey…” 

Eclipse's quiet voice reached out as he landed a soft hand on your shoulder. You tried to yank it back, but his hand only followed with a light touch.

“It's okay, it took me a little bit to warm up to Sun’s catches too, but they are safe to eat. Well, for us anyway. Try it, you might actually like it.”

You glance at the fish Eclipse is pushing back into your arms. You hesitantly grab it, trying to will your stomach to settle down.

But then everything within you jumps at Sun’s placement of his sharp, clawed hand on your shoulder, pressing into you heavily.

You dart instinctively, squeezing into a corner. You pulled the fish with you, hugging it tightly as you watched with terrified eyes. Your entire body is screaming at you, aches that had faded to numbness all roaring again.

Eclipse and Sun both had gaping reactions, though the shark’s eyes suddenly down turned angrily and-

Are those tears?

“GrrrRRRHH!!! I- I- I don't get what's wrong?! Why doesn't Yummy let me do anything?!”

He pressed his hands over his eyes and flopped onto his back, tail slamming the ground.

“Why can he touch, talk, and hold them?! I'm doing everything right, but they keep running!!!”

As Eclipse tries to calm him down, you feel some guilt stab through your heart. It feels like Sun is genuinely upset over you, and not in the ‘I wanted to fatten you up before I eat you’ way.

You look down at the fish you’re cradling with a grimace. Flipping it to the side where there are no bite marks, you can almost convince your stomach to settle down as you nervously pick off the tough scales – something you'd have to do anyway to get a proper bite. Would he be even more upset if you don't finish the whole fish?

“Um… Sun?” you call meekly, feeling intense regret when the wailing shark all but froze to stare at you between his fingertips.

“You- I… I'm sorry. It just feels like you want to eat me…”

Your fears are out in the open, laying down the obvious to the apparently oblivious crowd. Your voice threatened to crack, but you willed it to be even, not wanting to set off the shark more.

You expect fuming anger, a mocking chagrin, or depressed sobs from Sun after such a confession, but never would you have expected a wide eyed rosy hue to explode upon his face.

You blink with whiplash as the once distraught shark is now covering his obscenely large grin and rolling around across the floor giggling.

Eclipse is of no help to your confusion as he takes to the role of an observer, staring at the interaction with stars in his eyes, backing away while murmuring excitedly to himself.

“Oh! Hoohoho! Y-yummYYy, its- well, too soon! BUT! But but but! I’m- sosoSO glad you noticed! Yes, I- I would love to! O-ONE DAY! Can't rush you! BUT- GAAAHHHH!!! Just the taste of your skin!!!~”

WHAT???

“GASP! IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE NOW!”

HUH?????

Eclipse launches at you after shouting his epiphany. He looks like he wants to shake you around like a eel disorienting its catch, but keeps to himself after a glance at your wrappings, body twitching as he can't settle his roaming arms that flail in the air and grasp at his own skin.

“That's why he called you Yummy!!!”

His grin practically reaches to each end of his face as he sounds astounded and out of breath.

“Stardust, Cookie Cutter Mers identify others through taste and pheromones! But, I only ever saw mers nip for introductions or, OR OR OR- for marking a favorite fish! I didn't know it was also used for finding mates!?!?! AAAH! Isn't that amazing?!?!”

YOU??? NO. WHAT???

Eclipse turned back to watch Sun like a proud podling, but all you could see when you looked back was how Sun was tracing a finger in the sand with a closed-eyed dopey smile- no wait he's gnashing his teeth, somehow looking lovesick at the same time.

You spaced out from the situation, feeling so stuck that you retreat within yourself.

Not only does the shark definitely WANT to eat you, but it wants you as a mate? A mate that they EAT? A SPECIES THAT EATS THEIR MATE?

What cruel world did you just sink into?????

It felt like the word ‘mate’ and ‘eat’ echoed through your mind for an eternity, suddenly unsure of your own safety. You only snapped back to reality when a small fish rolled off your head and into your vision, tumbling off your snout.

“...It wasn't supposed to fall… But, you wouldn't take it…”

You caught the fish with one hand, fitting nicely in your palm, reminiscent of your usual sized meals. You peered up to see the Jellyfish mer hovering above you.

“...Good…”

There was an inkling of a smile in his red eyes as he blew bubbles at you.

“...Now I did my part… Goodnight…”

You were frozen for many reasons, but your mind felt empty. You did nothing as he gently swiped the large fish in your lap, slow enough that anyone could have stopped it, yet no one did. Although…

“HEY! That was FOR YUMMY!!!”

“Yeah Moon… I mean, there's a whole pile of fish right there. Kind of a di-inky move.”

Despite the retorts, Moon calmly turned from his own perch on a rock and watched the three of you as he took a bite of the fish, right on the scale-less patch you made. You felt the urge to match him, taking bites out of the meal he caught for you. It was good, a little warm, and most importantly whole.

“...Tellsh mme Eclishpesh…” he swallowed, “...Would the clownfish fit that… Prey animal ‘rrrole’ you spew about..?”

Eclipse tilted his head.

“Well, mostly yes. They also are carnivorous, but they typically eat small worms, fish, and crustaceans, not being too high up in their ecosystem’s food chain… They themselves are… likely to be hunted by many things.”

Something seemed to have clicked for Eclipse, shifting his eyes between you and Sun.

The emotional shark once again morphed his expressions, changing from his grouchy aggressive face to one of annoyed cluelessness.

“Doesn't matter much, you still stole Yummy's food.”

“...The point is…”

Moon pointed at Sun, purposely eating his meal between his words.

“...They don't want food from you… Your food is not like theirs… They are the food to you…”

A loud whine filled the air as Sun shot up, holding his face and spewing denials. Yet, when he looked at you in your corner, he stopped, whining under each vent of his gills. You're not going to lie to him no matter how much his gaze pleads you to.

“...Why wouldn't they run..?”

Chapter Text

The den was tense after Moon’s initial statement and your silence.

Sun eventually gave up on his pleading, slumping and dragging himself to a far corner, huddling against the wall. He looks so small… Something heavier than fear wells in the pit of your stomach, but you don't know what to do about it.

You never had to reject someone before…

Eclipse definitely took note of the mood this time with his awkward expression, but he seemed to ignore it to instead focus on a ridge lined with tied bundles of kelp. With whatever is in the one he opened, he started applying to his face until it was caked in odd blue slime.

…You're not even surprised anymore.

Moon just stayed still, finishing his meal with a blank expression on his face. If he was like any of your siblings, a victorious expression would follow, loud and annoying gloating to rile Sun up even more. Yet, it feels as if to him a simple fact has been stated.

Is he even affected by the tension in the water?

It wasn't long before your observation was interrupted, unwillingly collapsing on your back from exhaustion. The sand cushions your fall well enough.

Your arms have felt so heavy the entire time, jittery and weak, as now are your thoughts.

It's just so good to lay down… Eyelids drooping…

“Y-yummy?! Are you okay?!?!”

Your eyes shot open in alarm momentarily. You can't sleep! Not after all that!

…Even if Eclipse zoomed over and ushered you to rest with hushed whispers, wrapping you in plush seaweed that only made it harder to not succumb.

…Even if that goop on his face is disturbing.

You blearily see Moon usher Sun back to his spot, the shark seemingly ready to pounce at you.

“...Calm… Exhaustion is natural after such stress… Sleep will do them good…”

…

Despite the troubles these Mers put you through, you think that none of them wants to hurt you… in bad ways at least. You hazily watch them all flit about the cave as they start to settle; your collapse tearing down the tension.

“...Thank you for the meal Sun… Do not worry, your hard work won't go to waste…”

The Jellyfish immediately moves to hover high in a corner, curling his tail up to his chest before flaring out his cap. It engulfs his form whole, leaving a sense of finality to the conversation, much to the annoyed meep from Sun. 

Oddly enough Moon’s stinging ribbons fan out.

Couldn't that accidentally hurt someone?

…

It's very easy to focus on him when he glows like his namesake…

Moon is a shut clam, yet also… understandable.

You were drastically hurt by him and not so much as even received an apology; but at least you think it was an accident and he hasn't tried it again. You can respect someone who just wants to survive, his cool bluntness seeming to have no exceptions. And yet… The fish he gave to you felt warm.

He didn't have to, didn't even seem to want to at first, but he still got it for you.

Murmured whimpers across the cave distracts your thoughts. That rock in your stomach churning again from recognizing the sound.

The shark wants you in a way you don't understand at all, but it hopefully clicked for him why you wouldn't even try to meet him halfway. You can feel the longing in Sun’s wandering eyes, yet he made sure to settle across the cave from you, ensuring Eclipse is in the middle.

As your half lidded gaze trails over him, you notice him gnawing on something in his hand.

…A pebble?

He holds that rosy expression whenever his eyes momentarily land on you, but his brow is full of silent frustration when he shakes his head, seemingly snapping out of it before falling back into his trance once more.

You really don't know how to feel about Sun.

You're terrified, completely unable to sit near him without instinct screaming to swim the other way, the bite upon your tail a stinging memory flashing before your tired eyes.

But somehow, you have some control over him. Easy sway in his actions. He tries to bend to your whims, even going as far as to deny his own wants when he has more than enough strength to overpower you. 

You're both helpless to your own terrified feelings, yet also are empowered by them.

How would a relationship like that even work?

A shiver of discomfort trails through your spine even thinking about it. You force your eyes somewhere else.

The strange one.

You're not quite sure what mer Eclipse is, but he looks more like you than any of the others. Plump tail, frills for blending in and distracting prey, more made to hide than fight…

Then again, you've never seen a creature who looks exactly like him or color shifts without multiple tail limbs. An oddity.

He fusses with the other two mers, reminding them to say goodnight to him.

“Goodniteee... I didn't mean to forget.”

“I know Sun, it's alright. Goodnight.” Eclipse said with a sigh, but patted his shoulder all the same.

“Well? I know you can hear me! Goodnight Moon!”

Eclipse raised his voice, and yet no response from the jellyfish.

“I know you know how to!!! You even said it to Stardust! What, no goodnight for me?”

…

Eclipse tightened his fists and grumbled beneath his breath before sitting on his bed in the middle. His body color pulsed lines of red as he crossed his arms.

His eyes rolled over at you expectantly, but didn't linger at your silence. Maybe he thought you were asleep; you certainly feel close to it.

Eclipse's colors calmed to that azure green after a moment of silence.

The more you think you understand him the odder he is. He's kind enough to take home a wounded stranger to heal, but insists on watching their every action for personal glee... Such giddy observation, even seen with Sun.

Whom of which must have worried Eclipse with his sulking – the strange mer offering his tail to be bitten on instead.

Odd indeed, but you can't deny how less tense Sun is upon latching onto Eclipse’s scales. There's no yelling, no tearing of scale and meat, just calm.

Little snores quickly start to leave the shark, his tail constantly swishing at a slow rate. You can feel your eyes widen a slight fraction at how cute it is, if only a little demented.

Eclipse was about to lay down after soothing Sun, but he froze mid action as he met your lidded gaze. You suddenly felt the urge to turn away, playing it off as if you were rolling in your sleep.

The stare didn't go away, burning into your back. The sleep you've been fighting off suddenly is not coming to you when you finally want it.

Intense behavior like this reminds you that the strangest things of all are the warning signs.

The ones that rang so much they faded into prickling at the back of your mind.

Aware of the things that they should not know.

The most glaring?

“Goodnight, Stardust.”

Why do they know the language of the humans..?

…

..

.

“I know, I know, but someone needs to stay and watch them!”

You blink groggily, hearing fading in slowly. Whatever dream you had is far away now, recollection crashing into you – you suddenly wish reality was the dream.

“...But Sun would adore watching over them… I won't…”

Your eyes shift around the cave, confused about where the echoing voices are coming from. The immediate area is empty.

“YES! I– DUH! OF COURSE I would, but..! I think Yummy would feel better if I was, well, gone – JUST a little while! I just need to–!”

“Regardless,” Eclipse loudly interrupted with a huff, “Moon, all you do when you're not hunting is drift around, collecting random trash. You have the time, plussss, Stardust needs to exercise! It could be a niceee, low bar, and freeing experience! A win-win for the both of you!”

Trash is a rather harsh human word to use, but then again you don't know its accuracy yet. Besides, exploring doesn't sound too unappealing… Unless you recall how you got here.

How long have you been here?

Is anyone looking for you?

You think you hear a muted grumble echoing along the walls.

“...Then why don't you do it? I don't entertain like you do… We don't need to hunt for another cycle either because of Sun…”

“True, buuuuuuut I need to stock up on supplies! I was already low from Sun’s incident with nipping at the Vampire squid mers the other week, but with having to treat Stardust now too?” –He does a click of his tongue as he snaps his fingers– “Remind me to change their dressings later.”

A sudden yip rang out, then rambled speech too quiet and fast to make sense of. It sounds like Sun you think.

You assume from how soft the next voice is, the following prolonged, heavy sigh is from Moon.

“...Alright…”

“Grrrrreat! I'll head off now then! I should be a little early at this rate!”

“Oh, I er- should go too! I have plans - or a plan. Ah? Maybe -”

A sharp, whiny exhale echoed from the shark.

“BYE.”

You could only hear the rush of water as you stared up at the bioluminescent roof of the cave.

The glow of the jellyfish came first before you actually saw him come into view over the highest ridge, confirming your suspicions that the conversation was happening at the mouth of the den.

“...You're up… How much did you hear?..”

Moon slowly sank and hovered near you, far enough away that you wouldn't be able to touch him even with an outstretched arm. The space is appreciated.

Despite the situation, you’re thankful that he's the one you're stuck with for now.

“Only enough to know the others left and that you're watching me. Also something about collecting ‘trash’ .”

His face seemed to glow at your response, a spout of bubbles escaping his mouth.

“...It is just whenever something piques my interest, it's not particularly important… We shouldn't go, it's better you stay here and rest…”

You used your arms to push yourself into sitting up. The ache in your bones and skin agrees with his statement, but you don't want to be a urchin on his side. You're interrupting his life being here.

“Eclipse is probably right that moving will help me. I'll get restless.”

“...Not sure if you can tell, but I'm not very fast…”

“A slow swim sounds nice too.”

“...Not what I was referring to…”

A small scowl appeared on Moon’s face as he slowly reached out to you, taking a shaky vent before his hand could hover near your face. His retreat was only a little quicker.

“...If something happens, I can't catch you… Unless I try to ensnare you again…”

You suppress a shiver at the thought of feeling that burning sensation once more. He makes it sound like that's the only thing he can do, as if it's something he has to do.

“I won't go far. I know very well I won’t survive alone out here – It's one of the first things you said to me, remember?”

“...Right…”

He looks stone faced, making the conversation feel awkward. His response makes you scowl at him. Is he really not going to say anything else?

…

Any reaction? Any change in thought? Anything???

…

Moon made no move to exit like you vouched for, instead he slowly drifted further back into the cave to sit on a ridge, picking up a random object from a hoard of thingies and fiddling with it.

So he's just ignoring you? After all your insisting, he's shrugging off both of your wants?

Upsetting indeed. Irrationally even.

So what if it’ll be easier to stay? Safer to stay? That's what you've been told your whole life to think like.

You feel your fins flare up and snap against you. Getting all antsy and stuck with a stone wall of a mer in an equally cold cave would drive you stir crazy. 

You set out to find some semblance of freedom, you're going to have it!

Full of impatience, you slammed your tail on the sand below to pounce at Moon in one swift movement, reached for his elbow, and yanked him from his spot.

…You didn't expect it to be so easy. No weight or resistance at all from the Jellyfish.

The item in his hand dropped in reaction, the electrified ribbons on his cap dragging behind him before stuttering back into place.

They almost seemed to reach for you again for a moment, but as you flinched they seemed to be back to normal.

Did you imagine it? It was far too fast for the slow mer to pull off.

You ignored the thought, more focused on your impulsive desires. Persistence seems to get the others what they want, so you just have to be headstrong!

“No sitting! We- we should go while we still can!”

It felt weird ordering someone around.

You practically drag him up to the mouth of the cave, finding you have to put in more effort than usual just to swim upwards – and not just because of Moon’s surprisingly light extra weight.

Your sore joints aren't screaming, but they complain nonetheless at your pushing. Gravity just wants to take hold of your tail and pin you in place, but you won’t allow that.

You only notice the mouth of the cave by the bioluminescent algae hugging its lip before ending at a relatively blank void. You must be higher up than when you met the three mers, as the world outside looks less black and more like a deep, foggy, dark blue.

You didn’t notice Moon’s odd expression –eyes wide and mouth planted in a tight, flat line– until you exited the cave and loosened your grip enough for him to gently yank himself out of your grip. His once trapped hand gripped on one of his ribbons, pulling it to his side.

“...Most know not to touch me at all…”

You blinked, thoughts slowly entering your head.

“What? …Wait! Is it not just your ribbons that are sharp and stingy!?”

DID YOU ALMOST GET SHOCKED AGAIN???

“...No, only those parts… Regardless, best not to do so again…”

He murmured into his hands as he started swimming away from the cave without you, a slow inch by inch.

Did his mind change already…?

You matched his pace easily with a single flick of your tail, an interval of floating between each couple of inches. You aren’t straining yourself at all to keep up, just the occasional flinch when your wounds decide to feel spiky instead of pinched.

“I don’t understand? Why would I fear touching the rest of you?”

Moon did a deep inhale before sighing just as heavily. He glanced at you with a furrowed brow and a lopsided frown.

You paused for an explanation, but the mer just simply looked away and started swimming to a nearby ledge; the glow Moon casts makes actually spotting it much easier.

If you could glow, maybe you wouldn't have been in this situation to begin with…

Regardless, he did it again! Just ignoring what you say!

You still follow him though… Even if you feel the claws of irritation scratching at you, it's much better than the shivers of fear up your spine at the thought of being alone out here.

…Inevitably waiting for someone to decide that they want to eat you whole.

You look around, trying to spot any unwanted visitors. A wave of fresh paranoia kicks in, reminding you of Moon’s warning and the fact that you are prey. 

What if there's someone waiting below the ridge?

Are there creatures that can change colors like Eclipse? Watching you up close?

Can they smell your scent from miles away? Your newness? Your fear?

You were spinning in place, searching for something that's hopefully not there. You only stopped when you went to look at Moon, hoping for some kind of comfort.

Yet all you saw was the Jellyfish… dragging his ribbons in the sand?

He's made a considerable amount of progress in your spiral, already making a single row of lines across the ground. You watch from where you are, not wanting to disturb the design appearing in the sand.

Before you know it, an entire section of the ridge is covered in pretty lines.

It reminds you of something you'd see back home…

You only snapped out of your fixed gaze when you noticed Moon started drifting away from you again, making it considerably far enough for you to feel worried about your safety.

You panic instantly and swoosh over to him; feeling as if somehow, just by being alone, arms were already inches away from snatching you up.

The stings under your wrappings yell at your sudden movements.

“Why were you leaving?!” You quipped, trying to keep an even voice.

“...I realized I don't have to worry about what you do… You'll cling to me like a starfish anyway or die otherwise. Not entirely my problem…”

“W-well that doesn't mean you should just leave without a word!”

“...You were staring the entire time… How would you miss that..?”

“I didn't! I just– I thought the lines were pretty…”

It sounds guppyish when you say it out loud like that. You looked back at the design in the distance, letting out an involuntary wail when you see that your panic has ruined it.

“...You should focus on your surroundings more, not aimless lines…”

“I have been! That's why-”

“-you haven't… Not like I do…”

You shut yourself up when he pointed downwards at a wide set of ridges covered in spiny sea urchins. There's a flicker of movement on the lower ones, but the water is too dense to make it out.

“...The Grouper mers like to hunt for spinies on the lower edges… They probably won't want to eat you, but they do get territorial…”

You gulp as you shift your eyes between the movement and Moon.

“...Best to stay close… They thrash as they swim. Harsh movements ripple through the current in all directions… Easy to get disoriented…”

You instantly made sure to keep as close as his ribbons would allow. Whenever Moon met your gaze as he swam, his brow seemed to furrow before his eyes would shoot back towards wherever he's going.

He seems to be uncomfortable with your proximity…

Well..! If he's going to freak you out like that, then he's going to have to deal with the consequences!

It took a few more creations of his pretty sand designs before he spoke up.

“...Starfish, how about you do some searching instead of clinging onto me…”

“Starfish?”

“...All of you strange mers tend to want to call someone something. It felt wrong to be the only one not to…”

Hey, you're not the strange one! Also, Starfish is a weirdly sweet name to give– wait…

“Are you calling me clingy!?”

“...Extra space would be nice…”

“ YOU told me to stay close!!!”

He just went about making his sand lines with no further comments, much to your whined dismay.

“Ugh! Fine!”

You crossed your arms and settled in place, watching him again. You didn't want to humor his name calling, but you were feeling prickles of worry biting at the edges of your stubbornness at every extra speck of sand apart.

Maybe… You're just a little clingy when circumstances call for it.

“...You're fidgeting…” He calls from across the ridge.

“Search with me, it'll distract you…”

“I thought you said I need to be more observant! Not less!”

“...Fear differentiates observant mers from stupid mers…”

Ouch…

…

You recall when Sun chased you, how you lost your way back home and screamed for any predator to overhear. You may as well have been saying, ‘Eat me, eat me! I'm small and weak and tasty!’

…

Yeah. Moon’s not entirely wrong…

“Okay… Search for what?”

“...Anything pretty, see-through, smooth, or… Hmmm, new… Whatever catches your eye… ”

You were a little confused by what he defines as new, but decided to search anyway.

You scanned around the sand relatively quickly with your eyes, not seeing anything, still focused on the fears in your head.

Then you look back at Moon, seeing him pull up a really stunning red rock deep from the sand he displaced.

You quickly changed your unsure tune. You want shiny rocks like that.

Maybe you can save up the prettiest ones to take home? Any possible mate would love such unique treasures and it would've actually been YOU who found them!

…You'd just have to be able to find something first.

Your first time doing this you didn't find anything you were too fond of: just random pointy things and smooth but otherwise normal rocks. You couldn't compare to Moon’s haul – you decide to copy his tactic next time.

At least Moon gave you that rock he found in exchange for a weird spikey reflective thing you picked up. It had multiple spines and a long body, something that had you curious enough to hold onto it, but you lost interest when you realized you see no use for it.

You definitely prefer the rock, jumping at his offer; the rock is wayyyy better than that thing. Moon seems happy with it though, you think that’s the first time you saw him smile at you.

After all, this little treasure is probably just as red and shiny as Moon's eyes! You'd be honored, swooned even, to be gifted such a gem! 

And so, for the next couple of days things almost became routine.

Your comfort increased slowly, but with it, so did your homesickness. You feel worse everyday, emotionally and physically.

Overtime it seems less likely you'll return sooner rather than later. You've mentally questioned more than once if you should risk finding your way back on your own…

Your average days became: wake up, search with Moon, change your wrappings (ew) , eat with everyone, chat, sleep, repeat.

All of this, mixed with the hiccups that come with living with mers you don't know and hesitantly trust.

It's not horrible… But you don't even feel like you can attempt to go home in your sorry state, so you doubt you can find anything better than this.

As the next few days passed, you expected the others to want a turn with their new, helpless plaything, especially with how antsy Sun was to even be near you.

Yet, it was a little disheartening to see that it was the opposite.

Sun always fidgeted about having to do something, never really explaining when asked by anyone, insisting about going alone.

Eclipse on the other hand was constantly talking about replenishing his goods, always leaving early to come back late with a large assortment of whichever item he set out for the day.

Even Moon seemed to itch to do something on his own, but as always, he doesn't make much of a fuss over the role being pushed onto him.

You don't know what to do with yourself. You seem to cause more issues than fixing them.

A single meal per cycle was apparently common for these mers, something your stomach complained about loudly.

Moon would rarely be able to catch you something while out searching together. You're too clingy apparently, scaring away the prey.

So after enough complaining, Eclipse would eventually agree to be the one to fetch you appropriate sized meals – Sun still struggled to grasp that one small fish was enough for you at the time.

Eclipse got very huffy about having to go out of his way just to snatch you a single fish for your cravings. He'd pop in the middle of the day to drop you off something before dashing back out to whatever he was doing; he'd always be a different color too…

Eclipse claimed to understand your plight, insisting it'll also be good for your health to eat more, but he didn't seem very happy about helping with it.

Ironic for the mer always wanting to play as your doting “nurse”, whatever that is.

Luckily, once Sun stopped insisting you try his stockpile of prey – which dwindled in a few days by everyone else's feasting – he instead tried figuring out what fish you'd like.

He still ended up bringing meals a little too big for you, still marked with a round chunk missing, but one time he brought in a crab that you actually could eat; unbitten and DELICIOUS.

You can recall how his expression lit up in more ways than one after you pounced for the meal, digging in without any grace. Crabs were something you always loved eating and it's been so long by that point…

You would've been more embarrassed if you weren't so desperate. 

Ever since then, no matter how long it's been since you've last eaten, the moment he hears your stomach growl he's taken it upon himself to snatch you a crab with an excited trill.

You could really do without the sing-song praises and staring as you eat though.

“Yummy, yummy good~~~ yummyyy, mmmheheHEEEeeee! Yummyyyyy, my yummyyyyy, finally so happyyy-”

It's as anxiously terrifying as it is horrifically flattering.

Eclipse is rather satisfied with the revelation and so is your stomach. He claimed it as a “win-win” all around. You however feel conflicted by Sun’s courting nature, denying his attempts for connection yet still accepting his gifts for selfish reasons…

But you need to rely on him and the others, you're not reciprocating! He kind of seems to understand that.

…You hope.

If only you could hunt for yourself… You can't though, not here and not like this .

The guilt and disappointment is enough to keep you quiet for short bursts, caught in spiraling thoughts, despite being verbal otherwise. You feel like a barnacle they decided to keep for some reason. And why is this shark so insistent to court a weak mer like you?

…It's probably only because you're tasty. Such a bizarre custom.

You really hope it's not as bad as it sounds.

At least nights are much like the first one with increasingly less tension. Sun still sleeps furthest away from you, Moon ignores everything, and Eclipse does a lengthy routine while getting everyone to say goodnight.

Eclipse’s habits in particular became so annoying that you say goodnight first without prompting, lulling yourself to sleep to the sound of Eclipse's preening response. You feel so heavy sometimes that paranoid instinct can't stop you from not caring.

Maybe you've been spending too much time with Moon…

Which leads you to the current moment.

You insisted on continuously going outside, and even though you developed a never ending headache to add to your list of pains, you refuse to be a sitting sponge.

You figure if you learn how to survive in the depths, maybe you can sneak your way home on one of your better days.

Moon, as always, tried to insist you rest for once, but you already knew that with enough stubbornness you'll get your way. He compromised, insisting he'll hunt this cycle, whereas you must hover around below him, not practically on him.

“...Just don't do anything stupid to scare the prey away…”

You were embarrassingly offended when he said that, but you genuinely tried not to be a nuisance.

Tried.

You were just sitting on a rock below him, far enough away where you weren't entirely lit up by his glow, but close enough that with just a quick flick of your tail you could zoom over to him.

You knew it'll hurt to move so suddenly, but your general pain has lessened over the days. You could handle it if you needed to.

You were lovingly calling this experience the “Test of self-preservation”. 

Of which you failed miserably.

In all fairness, you thought you'd be better after several days of being exposed to the open depths and given insightful tips from Moon. You kept a good eye on him and looked out for any signs of mers or predators, not seeing a thing.

During your quiet observing, you even saw Moon catch a fish! The small creature looked enchanted by his glow before his ribbons practically snapped onto it like ravenous eels.

…

It very much resembled the way he caught you on your first encounter…

It irks you a bit to view yourself similarly to prey.

You think more than a simple fish, right?

As Moon dug into his first catch – quality assurance he told you before, but you think he's just hungry – you went back to watching the clear expanse, feeling less nervous about being outside the cave than the first time.

You thought things were going great, that maybe it won't be so hard when it's time for you to head back home alone, but the sudden pluck of one of your back scales immediately proved you wrong.

With a yelp , you faced the perpetrator, only to catch a glimpse of a mischievous red mer. Their chubby cheeks smiled with a clicking chortle, before spinning around, presenting a spikey underside with multiple long and webbed limbs.

You were petrified…

A spiral of sharp spines, uncurling and forming around your head like some sort of nightmare starfish, dead set on encasing you with pure pain–

–is what you thought, until a murky, glowing cloud spurts from the beak in the middle, directly into your face.

You suddenly unfroze, your body apparently treating this as if it was worse than death, shooting up at where you thought Moon was in alarm.

Eyes shut tightly, limbs flailing, and a mouth full of a disgusting bitter flavor, you collided into him.

The mer let out a heavy grunt at the impact, right before something tight snapped over you and pinned you to him. His arms move to lock behind your head as you both lose momentum from your tackle.

You thrashed in alarm, confused and dazed as the jellyfish tried to calm you.

“...Stop! Stop! I'm going to end up stinging you again if you keep moving like that!..”

Your sore burns remind you of how you would NOT like that to happen again, so you try to settle, your squirms dialing down to small twitches while your gills try to vent a little slower. 

“...Let me just…”

He sighed as you felt his arms awkwardly bend between you. Then, with a slow cupping of your face, he started to wipe away the sticky mucus off your eyes.

The tender motion made you mewl with embarrassment, but you'd rather deal with that then whatever is on your face.

As soon as he moved on to wipe off the rest, your eyes fluttered open. You willed yourself to not flinch away from the overwhelming view, only betraying a telling shiver instead.

Moon's cap seems to have snapped over the both of you, bubbling the both of you and pinning you chest to chest. You can't imagine what expression you're wearing, but it's probably similar to the wobbly frown Moon is holding.

His red eyes stand out in the deep blue of the top of his cap, little specks of yellow dusting the entire membrane. It looks like stars in the night sky, or sand dispersed in rough water.

It's unfortunately mesmerizing. His name feels suddenly very fitting…

With heat rushing to your face, you understand that you definitely have been spending a little too much time with Moon.

The moment seems to pass in a blink of an eye, as he finished wiping your face and released you from his cap, backing away from you with hesitant arms. Slightly outstretched; close but not touching.

“...There, Starfish. No need to be alarmed… A squid must have been startled by you…”

Being broken from your spell, you feel that mucky bitter taste in your mouth again and immediately move to spit and wipe your tongue off with your hands, gagging and hacking all the while.

Not the most dignified thing to do you realize, but the damage is done and you can't seem to care enough to stop. You've seen these depth dwellers do worse anyway.

“More like it startled me! That mer it- it plucked a scale off of me, laughed , and this spikey scary maw sprayed me!!!”

You saw Moon obviously hold back a smile, a twitch of his shoulders follow his amused hum.

“...Mmmmust have been a Vampire squid mer. They're a… Reckless bunch… Explains the clear mucus...”

With a cross of your arms, you sent him a petty, half-hearted glare.

“Well, I don't like them very much then. Don't think I don't see you finding this funny! You didn't spot them either!”

You turned around with a “Hmph!” , facing away from Moon and towards a kelp forest with familiar orange bulbs growing from them.

“...I would apologize, but it seems unnecessary… Especiallyyy after you didn't thank me for helping you… An even trade…”

You didn't come up with a response, your mind blank after seeing a familiar silhouette cozying up with a mer you don't know in the Kelp.

Oddly enough his skin seems to be staying as orange as the bulbs glowing around him. You almost thought it was someone else.

“Who's that Eclipse is with? I didn't know he had a mate? Or wait, is he only courting right now?”

…

“...Oh…”

You can feel how the sourness grows in Moon’s voice. Even without seeing him, it's easy to imagine his face returning to its stony look.

“... Don't worry yourself with his… Tricks… Let's leave before they notice us…”

Despite the questions in your mind, the finality in his voice and the swish of him swimming away made you follow without qualms.

You don't recall a time he sounded so uncomfortable.

It didn't take you long to understand why such distaste spewed from his tongue.