The first catch

The salty breeze danced around the quiet dock, the moon casting its silver glow over the rippling waves. A small wooden boat bobbed gently in the water, where a lone fisherman sat, his fishing rod gripped in calloused hands.

His name was Noah.

Soft-hearted, a little naive, and hopelessly in love.

The night had been still, uneventful—until his line suddenly jerked.

His heart leaped. Whatever was on the other end was powerful, pulling with a strength unlike any fish he had ever caught before. His fingers tightened around the reel as he yanked it back, his muscles burning from the effort.

Then, out of the dark waves, something broke the surface.

His breath caught in his throat.

A man.

No—not a man.

Moonlight glistened off sleek, dark hair that clung to a sharp, otherworldly face. His eyes were a piercing, glowing blue, staring at Noah with an intensity that made his blood run cold. Water dripped from his pale skin, sliding down his defined jaw and sculpted collarbones.

But it wasn’t the man's beauty that stole Noah’s breath.

It was the tail.

Long. Powerful. Covered in shimmering blue-green scales that glowed faintly under the night sky.

Noah couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. His mind screamed this isn’t real—but the weight of the creature in his net said otherwise.

Then, without warning, the merman bared his sharp teeth and bit through the net’s strings.

With one last burning stare, the creature slipped back into the water, disappearing beneath the waves.

Silence swallowed the night once more.

Noah sat frozen, his hands trembling over the frayed remains of his net.

Had he imagined it?

His heart pounded in his chest as he frantically rowed back to shore, desperate to get home—to normalcy.

But fate had other plans.

The soft glow of lantern light flickered against the wooden walls of Noah’s home as he stepped inside. His head swam with confusion. The ocean, the merman—it wasn’t real.

It couldn’t be.

He just needed to see him.

Caspian.

The love of his life. The man who had promised they would build a future together. The man whose laughter made Noah’s chest feel warm, whose touch made him feel safe.

He stepped toward the bedroom, pushing the door open gently—

And froze.

There, sitting on the bed, was Caspian.

But he wasn’t alone.

A Woman was beside him, their voices hushed, their fingers brushing together in the dim light. Caspian turned, his expression darkening when he saw Noah standing there, wide-eyed, breathless.

Noah's chest tightened. His stomach twisted painfully.

No. No, this isn’t happening.

His lips parted, but no words came out. The world around him blurred, but then—colors.

They bloomed in the air, swirling around them like ghostly flames.

Red. White. Pink.

The shades surrounded Noah, pulsing with pain, heartbreak, and betrayal.

Orange.

It clung to Caspian like fire. And the man beside him—it was there too. The same shade. The same soul match.

Noah's heart shattered.

His voice was barely a whisper.

“Get out.”

Caspian didn’t beg. Didn’t plead.

He simply stood, gave Noah one last unreadable look, and walked out the door—hand in hand with his true match.

The door clicked shut.

Noah was left standing in the silence, staring at the colors lingering around him.

He looked at his own reflection in the mirror. The shades of red, white, and pink still wrapped around his form, glowing softly.

A broken laugh escaped his lips.

“Is this… my new soulmate?”

The morning sun peeked over the horizon, but the warmth never reached Noah’s heart.

His eyes were heavy, rimmed red from a sleepless night spent staring at the ceiling. The weight in his chest hadn't lifted.

So, he did what he always did when he needed to think.

He went to the ocean.

This time, he chose a secluded cove, away from the village, where no one would disturb him. The dock creaked under his weight as he sat down, his fishing rod resting idly beside him.

He didn’t really want to fish. He just wanted to be alone.

But the ocean had other plans.

A soft splash.

Noah’s pulse jumped.

Slowly, he turned his head.

The water rippled gently, and then—he appeared.

The same creature from the night before.

The merman.

Only this time, he wasn’t struggling in a net.

He was watching Noah.

Their eyes locked. The merman’s gaze was unreadable, but there was something almost… curious about it. In his mouth, he held something—a fish.

With slow, deliberate movements, he placed it onto the dock and nudged it toward Noah.

A gift.

Noah’s throat tightened.

Why?

Why was this creature looking at him like that?

Before he could even think, his instincts took over. He scrambled to his feet, backing away. His heart pounded as he tried to escape, tried to put distance between himself and this thing.

But the merman was faster.

A firm grip wrapped around Noah’s ankle. Cold. Unyielding.

Then—he yanked.

Noah didn’t even have time to scream before the world tilted.

The sky vanished. The air was ripped from his lungs. Water engulfed him.

He thrashed, his body twisting as he fought to reach the surface, but strong arms locked around his waist.

Holding him. Keeping him in place.

Blue eyes met his beneath the water, glowing, intense.

The merman moved closer, pressing their bodies together. Noah’s heart slammed against his ribs, panic mixing with something else—something foreign.

Then—teeth.

A sharp bite against his neck.

Not enough to break the skin, but firm enough to send a shudder through him.

Noah gasped, his body tensing, but the merman only tightened his grip.

Then—movement.

The strong, powerful tail brushed against his legs, the cool, smooth scales sliding against his skin. A strange sensation sparked in his stomach, something dangerous, intoxicating.

Noah’s breath hitched in his throat as his body involuntarily responded to the merman’s touch. His lips parted, and the softest, breathless "ah" escaped him.

The merman’s gaze darkened.

The ocean rocked around them, as if the water itself had chosen Noah.

And as Noah’s body betrayed him, he realized something.

He was no longer the fisherman.

He was the catch.

No answer came.

To be continued

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