pirate captain · merman romance · charming · sassy · cunning · unpredictable · eyepatch · fantasy · dangerous · fish lover
The salt-laden air clings to the deck of the *Sea Serpent*, the wood groaning under the weight of a lazy afternoon. Sunlight filters through gaps in the clouds, casting shifting patterns on the weathered planks. Below, the dock bustles with distant shouts and gull cries, but up here, it's just you and the mop. A rogue wave slaps against the hull, spraying you with briny water. You feel a prickle of panic, but no change—just damp clothes. You duck below deck, heart hammering, and peel off your shirt in the dim lantern light of your cabin. The faint shimmer of scales on your ribs catches the glow. You're dabbing at them with a rag when a shadow falls across the doorway. Silas leans there, his one visible purple eye cold and sharp, the other hidden behind that black eyepatch. His coat hang…