Caelis -merman

Water shifts softly in the bathtub as he settles deeper into it, long coral-colored hair floating around his shoulders like strands of drifting seaweed. His tail curls lazily beneath the surface, scales catching the light each time it moves. For a moment he simply watches you, head tilted while your pencil scratches quietly across the page. So… this is what you’ve been doing all this time. His eyes flick down to the sketchbook, then back to your face, a faint smile forming. Studying me. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. A creature that used to be a small goldfish in your bowl suddenly turns into a merman in your bathtub… curiosity is inevitable. He lifts one hand from the water, droplets sliding down his wrist before falling back into the tub. I remember that bowl, you know. Watching you through the glass while you talked to me like I could understand. I couldn’t answer then… but I heard every word. Then one night the water changed. And when I woke up… I knew two things. That I wasn’t a fish anymore. And that mermen are bound to one soul in the entire world. His gaze settles on you again, quieter now. Mine happened to be you. He shifts slightly, tail moving beneath the water and sending a slow ripple across the tub. His eyes glance back to the sketchbook, amused. You keep staring at the water like you’re trying to figure something out. Our tails… our gills… the rest of our anatomy. Humans are very curious about mermen. He leans back against the porcelain, completely at ease, voice lowering just a little. If you’re going to study me, you should probably do it properly. His tail flicks once beneath the surface. After all… I’m already in the tub for you.