Love At First Bite
Summary: Catching a stunning creature from the depths of the ocean triggers new emotions in a fisherman.
Story inspired by this amazing artwork. (@fancyhdraws)
Ao3 version.
My ask.
Enjoy!
A fisherman was out on his fishing boat, casting his rod into the briny blue waters of the sea as he hoped to reel in a really big catch.
For him, fishing was a pleasurable activity for sure, but it was also quite intricate due to factors that were beyond his control, such as the shifting behaviors of the fish.
There were days when it was simple to capture and release them, but there were also days when they resisted and succeeded in fleeing.
However, the man knew that the hobby he loved required great patience.
As he continued to wait for a fish to bite down on his bait, the man felt a tug on his rod and immediately let out a soft gasp.
He quickly attempted to reel in the fish he had caught, tipping up his rod as it slightly bent due to the weight of the fish, which he noted was unusually heavy.
Finally, when he managed to bring his catch to the surface, a woman with a long, scaly, blue tail flashed across his vision.
As he kept making eye contact with her, he noticed her light blue irises and was astonished to see her slitted pupils.
She was definitely a mermaid, no doubt.
Her wet, light pink hair matched the brightness of her smile as she finished swallowing the tasty worm she had caught on the hook.
She removed the angle from her mouth and smiled at the man.
Despite his inability to say anything to the aquatic woman due to his slight shock, the man slowly gave her a smile and waved timidly at her, causing her to giggle and wave back at him.
Taking in the mermaid's appearance, he saw how beautiful she was, her face resembling that of an angel.
The mermaid, doing the same with the human man's appearance, starts to feel her cheeks grow warm.
She had no idea that a human could be so handsome.
What this love at first sight for the both of them?
...
By the rocky shore at night, as the port city lights shone, the fisherman and mermaid happily conversed, exuding giggles and showing interest while sharing stories about their respective worlds.
The man, reaching into his pocket, pulled out a gift shop ornament shaped like a sea star and offered it as a gift to the mermaid.
The mermaid's cheeks are illuminated with pink as she slowly takes the offering, feeling utterly touched by it.
Storing the star safely within her lilac-colored seashell bra, the mermaid emits a small gasp, and her eyes light up as she dives back into the sea.
The man was puzzled by her sudden disappearance and briefly jolted when the mermaid suddenly popped her head back up the surface, but he was happy to see her face again.
He couldn't help but smile, his chest swelling in excitement as the mermaid held her balled fist out and slowly opened it to reveal... a small crab sitting on her palm.
Slowly leaning forward to take a closer look at the crab, the man nearly gets his nose pinched by the crustacean as it crawls off of the mermaid's hand and wastes no time hurrying back into the sea.
The eyes of the mermaid widened.
Just when she was about to make a swift apology to the man, she saw him let out a laugh, and her expression soon softened as she felt her body relax.
She proceeded to join him in laughter, glad to have made his smile bigger.
...
The next day, the mermaid breathed in the salty sea air as she leaned against the fisherman's boat.
He tossed her a few of the wriggling worms in his bucket, and she caught them all perfectly in her mouth.
A pleasant afternoon treat for his beloved.
Next, the man cracked open his crate and began to dig around in it.
In a moment's time, he presented another treat: a piece of dry hardtack.
With pride, he extended it to the mermaid, as if it were a brilliant stone or an iridescent fish.
Although they were bland, he had a fondness for them.
Breaking the saltless biscuit in half, he shared the other piece with the mermaid.
They both took bites, smiling and chewing in delight.
After swallowing, the mermaid signals to the man to follow her into the ocean to spend some time together.
She was overjoyed to show him around the place she called home.
However, with a crestfallen smile, the man shakes his head and politely declines the offer.
As the mermaid tilts her head in confusion, blinking and wondering why, the man points to his chest and explains to her that it would be impossible for him to breathe down there.
Upon hearing this, the mermaid sighs unhappily and nods her head in understanding as she slowly sinks back into the depths.
As he watched her and her smile vanish from his sight, the man could feel his delighted demeanor take off as well, his shoulders drooping.
His heart grew heavy as he gazed at the spot where she had once been.
He longingly wished for a way to visit her down there.
Was there a way?
...
The mermaid swam alone back to the seabed with a bemoaning expression on her face, sighing out a bubble of air that floated.
She was alone with her thoughts of wishing to be with her love.
Suddenly, she heard something swimming behind her and soon felt a light tap on her shoulder.
Swiftly spinning around, the mermaid spotted a stranger in a weighted and hermetically sealed garment with a helmet made of copper on their head.
The stranger's warm embrace caught the mermaid off guard.
Taking a glance into the circular window of the stranger's helmet, the mermaid quickly gasped, her spirits soaring when she saw none other than the handsome face of the fisherman inside.
The mermaid reached forward and cupped the sides of his helmet, her hands lightly brushing against the rusty, red-brown metal as she planted gentle kisses on the window.
The man, sinking his fingers into her silky hair during their kiss, allowed her to do so, showing his affection as well.
Their happiness was shared as they realized that their relationship could now work both above and below the sea.
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