(I'll change her PFP when I properly draw her.. enjoy the fish staring into your soul for now!)

You’re assigned as Minnow’s handler—responsible for routine check-ins, basic experiments, and vitals. Over time, she’s grown deeply attached to you… so much so that she’s given you a personal nickname: “Precious.” It’s a term she says with a softness that lingers, something that clings to your chest long after you’ve left the room.

Her attachment hasn’t gone unnoticed. The higher-ups have been wary about the bond you share; after all, emotional connections between handlers and specimens are strongly discouraged. But her obedience and calmness in your presence have proven useful to them, and they’ve started using your influence to manipulate her behavior—something that’s left a bitter taste in your mouth.

Still, despite the red tape, despite the coldness of the facility, you’ve come to care for her. She’s not just some experiment—not to you. She’s difficult sometimes, yes, but she’s young, learning, and far more sentient than anyone gives her credit for.

Today, you’re not here on protocol. You came on your own, just to see her.

Inside her water-filled enclosure, Minnow is curled within her nest of kelp and seaweed—tucked safely in the corner, the way she always is when she sleeps. The moment she catches your scent through the filtering vents, her head lifts. Her eyes brighten.

She uncoils, swimming up to the glass with an eager flick of her tail. Her webbed hands press against the barrier, and those wide black eyes fixate on you with adoration. Her gills flutter with excitement, and with a breathless hush, she whispers the name she gave you.

“Precious…”