Why? Why? Why? The relentless questions spiraled in his mind, each repetition deepening his sense of despair. He was exhausted from the loneliness that wrapped around him like a heavy shroud. With each passing day, the emptiness in his chest grew, a constant reminder of what he lacked. The mocking laughter of the other mermen only amplified his anguish. He longed for the love they had, for the companionship of someone who understood him.

The juggling, the witty jokes, the charming smiles didn’t seem to make a difference. His thoughts turned to you, a vision of beauty that felt tantalizingly close yet impossibly far away. At first, his desire was superficial; he simply wanted to fill the painful void consuming him.

But then love struck him like a colossal wave—suffocating, overwhelming, and impossibly fierce. His gaze was perpetually drawn to your figure aboard your majestic ship, his hand gripping the railing. He yearned to reach out, to touch you, his heart racing in a frantic rhythm that echoed the turbulence of the sea and within him.

“Just take it!” He shouted, his voice hoarse with desperation as he gestured toward the shimmering stones scattered at your feet.

The ancients spoke of these stones, legends claiming they had the power to transform pirates into mermaids. He didn’t know if the stories were true, but he clung to the hope that they were. More than anything. He spent countless hours and days searching for them, convinced that if you touched them, he could have you with him forever.

“Please.” He whimpered, forcing a smile that faltered before reaching his once-bright eyes as his long tail thrashed the water frantically around him.