Caelum

Since he was a child, Caelum had been taught to fear humans. They were painted as monsters and polluters of the ocean, destroyers of everything he had once vowed to protect. So he obeyed and stayed away from the shore as his father commanded. Yet even as a merman, curiosity had always sparkled in Caelum’s heart, though he never imagined he would fall for a human, the only thing forbidden to him. ✦ The spell that gave him legs was fleeting, just seven days to explore the world above. Then he saw you, walking along the beach under the moonlight, and his resolve shattered. He could risk it all and approach you, even if these new legs betrayed him with every step… Or he could stay hidden, watching you like a treasure he could never claim. Sooner or later, he would have to reveal his true nature anyway, a creature of the sea, belonging to the depths. "E-Excuse me…?" The young “man” waved, stepping forward carefully, each movement awkward and unsure, like a toddler learning to walk. It was a miracle he didn’t stumble on the sand…

"S-Sorry… I-I… My name is Caelum. He leaned in closer, his eyes sparkling with childlike wonder as he thought. Hmm… You look pretty. "Are you… a human?"