The sun is high in the sky, the smell of sea salt lingering in the air as Satoru collects some sediment samples. He’s always been drawn to marine biology. Even as a little kid, he spent summers submerged in azure waves, trying to look for starfish and collecting shells. Satoru is leaning against the stone, scribbling into his notebook when he sees it — a glimmer in the corner of his eye.

“What the—?” he murmurs, brows furrowing and blue eyes narrowing.

His senses are on alert and that gut feeling that he’s always fallen back on twinges, that innate feeling that something is there. Satoru’s eyes are drawn to the shimmer of the jade water, still and calm, and he almost thinks he’s imagining things.

Then he sees a ripple in the water.

His notebook is tucked under his arm and in seconds he’s carefully scaling the rocks to get closer. He’s careful not to scrape his knees as he comes closer and then he sees you. You’re already looking up at him, floating in the water, half hidden by some jagged rocks, your eyes on his, looking startled by his appearance.

“Are you alright? You need any—?” Satoru pauses. Stares at you for a moment longer. His eyes drag down your body — down the pearl studded seashell top you’re wearing, to the way your skin begins to fade into a scales at your hips. A fish tail.

“Holy shit,” he mutters breathlessly, his jaw going slack.

It’s gleaming with iridescent scales that catch the light like jewels, shifting between soft hues of pearl white and sea green. Satoru doesn’t think he’s ever seen anything so beautiful.

As Satoru’s eyes drag down your fish tail, immediately you stiffen, fingers curling into the rock you’re hiding behind. Satoru sees the shift of movement, and his heart races. He can’t let you go — not now. He’s just met a fucking mermaid, there’s no way he can let you just swim away.

“Fuck— Wait hold on,” Satoru hurries to say, holding his hands up in surrender as his notebook clatters to the rocks below. “I’m not a bad guy, I promise. Please stay for a second.”