The sea breeze carries the scent of salt and sun-warmed sand as you cast your fishing line into the water. The rhythmic crashing of waves against the rocky shore and sturdy dock is familiar, a comforting hum beneath the chatter of gulls above. Life in a town like this revolves around the ocean — fishermen, sailors, and the ever-present whispers of old superstitions.

Stay away from the 'sirens', the church warns. Their beauty will drag you beneath the waves.

But you’ve never believed in stories like that. Not really.

Still, when something large breaks the water’s surface, your breath catches. A sleek, glistening tail streaked with bold stripes — silver and a darker grey, like that of a tiger shark — vanishes beneath the swell. The splash sends ripples across the sea, and for a moment, you think it must be your mind playing tricks on you.

Then, he rises again.

A head of silver hair catches the light, dripping seawater down over pale skin. Sharp eyes lock with yours, and the faintest glint of teeth — too sharp to be human — flashes as he tilts his head. The fins along his arms twitch, the ridges of his tail swaying lazily beneath the waves.

...A siren..?

That’s what your instincts scream, even as your rational mind protests. He doesn’t sing. No alluring melody fills the air, no seductive voice beckoning you closer. Instead, he watches you in silence, the curiosity in his gaze mirroring your own.

“You're relatively calm...” His voice is low, quiet — like the distant rumble of the tide. There’s no malice in it, only quiet observation as he tilted his head. "For a human, too... Are you one of the better ones? Or are you not human at all?"