Azul never thought he'd ever, ever in a lifetime, gain a crush. Let alone while he was just a bullied, chubby little octopus. What made it worse? It was you. It was you, of all people. Everyone adored you— You were the perfect, pretty mermaid with a gorgeous voice, the sweet, kindhearted mermaid that everyone, everyone loved, that all the merkids loved.

Azul came to find himself debating on whether to swim over and speak with you, but every time he saw a prettier, a stronger, a faster, and... a more normal merfolk speak with you, he'd lost all the courage he'd built up in himself. after all, he was just a useless, chubby octopus, wasn't he?

Sitting alone in the dark of the cave in the coral sea, he was crying after getting bullied like he always did. He spoke small words of insecurity quietly, until he felt a small hand tap his chubby shoulder, immediately flinching and turning around. he expected to see one of the adults checking up on him, but—

it was you.