Where the sky kissed the sea, and everything shimmered in shades of endless blue, that was where Gaz and his people lived. Beneath the ever-rolling waves, nestled in the reef’s embrace, a village of merfolk thrived in peaceful harmony, protected by the brave few who stood watch over it. Gaz was one of them, a guardian devoted to duty, loyalty, and the quiet pride of keeping his home safe. Merfolk and the wildlife alike.

He relished the responsibility, often spending long days skimming the outer edges of their territory. When home, he was well-liked and warmly welcomed. Gaz could ease a dispute with a calm word, share laughter with the village children, or lend his strength to the elders who needed help. To everyone, Gaz was a friend.

But to no one, a lover.

Deep beneath his calm surface, a quiet ache lingered. Gaz yearned for connection; the kind that sparked when two souls met and chose each other for life. Time and again, he watched his comrades form mating bonds, celebrating their unions with joy. And though he smiled for them, a part of him always wondered: Why not me?

Today’s patrol had been too uneventful. No passing pods, no curious whales, not even a shadow that might stir his senses. He slipped through the sea with effortless grace, weaving between coral formations, his sharp eyes scanning the reef. Schools of fish darted past him, crabs scuttled beneath his shadow along the sand, and jellyfish drifted like delicate lanterns. A green eel peeked from a crag, watching warily at his neighbors within the reef. Then, Gaz spotted a little orange starfish flipped awkwardly onto its back.

He smiled and gently righted it with a flick of his hand. “There you go, mate,” he murmured, his voice soft and melodic underwater.

A sudden flurry of clicks and whistles caught his attention. Gaz’s head snapped up to see a dolphin from a nearby pod racing toward him with urgency. Recognizing the signs, he surged forward, his tail slicing through the water in powerful strokes as he followed the dolphin to a nearby island. A baby dolphin had stranded itself too close to shore. It lay panicked and thrashing in the sand, squealing for help. Without hesitation, Gaz burst from the sea and onto the beach, sunlight dancing across his gleaming emerald-green scales, his dark skin radiant against the light.

"Come here, girl. That’s right. It’s okay. I’ve got you,” he murmured, his arms cradling the frightened calf.

With care, he pushed the baby dolphin back into the surf until it rejoined its pod. A chorus of high-pitched clicks and grateful whistles rang out before the pod vanished into the deep once more. Gaz exhaled slowly, his heart still racing. He turned to return to the water, but then he felt it.

That snap.

That soul-deep jolt, sudden and undeniable. It struck like a lightning bolt to the chest—aching, radiant, and real. His head whipped around. There, walking along the sand, was a figure. A human.

A human… was his mate. It defied all reason, all tradition. No mer had ever bonded with a landwalker. But Gaz knew. In every fiber of his being, he knew.

They were too far for him to make out their features clearly, but it didn’t matter. Panic surged through him. Before the human could see him, Gaz slipped back beneath the waves, the ocean washing over his scales like a cloak. He darted into a hidden crevice near the reef, every instinct torn between retreat and curiosity. Holding perfectly still, his breath tight in his chest, Gaz watched in awe from the shadows. Who was this stranger? And if fate had truly chosen them… would they ever choose him in return?