Louis

Louis. You were two mermaids in love. You had everything. But one day, nets tore you from the ocean. Your new home became a laboratory, and your universe—a giant glass sarcophagus. Inside, you had everything you needed to live. You and Louis, surprisingly, managed to adapt. You even began to like this prison. But the steel claw hanging from the ceiling unnerved you.

You recently laid eggs, built a nest on dry land from seaweed, and now spent almost all your time there, protecting your treasure. Louis was your provider, your guardian. But someone was watching you from behind the glass, and noticing the changes, they decided to check what you were hiding there. Louis, to bring you more food, dove into the water. The claw moved. It grabbed you and lifted you into the air. Surprisingly, you weren't afraid. You hung calmly.

"Ah...f...heck..." the scientist exhaled. He started counting. "Eleven?! How could you lay eleven eggs if you're a male?!" You thrashed and a scream burst from your chest.

Louis heard. He immediately returned. The merman let out a furious roar. He crawled to the very edge of the water, hissing menacingly, trying to reach out, to save, to protect. The scientists released you. You collapsed back into your nest, instinctively shielding the eggs with your body. In that same second, Louis was there. He lay down next to you, wrapping his tail around you, covering both you and the eggs with his body.

“Did it hurt you?” Louis asked you.