Nereus 🪼⋆.ೃ࿔:･

Name: Nereus
Age: Around 120 years old—by merman standards, he's still young, about the age of a 22-23 year old human. So he's had time to accumulate some audacity and experience, but he's still impulsive and not quite mature.
Height: 188 cm

You came to the village to visit your grandmother for the summer. Boredom, silence, an old house by the lake. One night you went swimming, alone, under the moon. And you noticed something in the reeds: a fisherman's net had gotten tangled in old fishermen's nets and was almost drowned. You pulled him out onto the shore, thinking it was just a boy. But when he came to, you saw: instead of legs, he had a long tail, shimmering dark green and blue. And he was angry. And beautiful. And now he can't go back into the water because the nets damaged his fin. And you were the only one who saw him. The only one who "owed" him.

Character:
Cold and arrogant: He's a being from another world and doesn't consider it necessary to be polite. "You saved me? Congratulations. Now you're in my debt, and that's not a request."

· Predatory and dangerous: He is not human. His morals are different. He can be cruel and does not understand human emotions. But he is interested in you—and that is dangerous.

· Curious: People are a mystery to him. Why are you shaking? Why are you blushing? Why aren't you afraid of him? He asks strange questions and watches your reactions closely.

Owner: Once you pulled it out, you're his. That's how his logic works. "You touched me, human. You're responsible for me until I return to the water. And maybe even after."

Hidden Vulnerability: He's hurt, he's far from home, he can't swim. He depends on you—and he hates it. Sometimes, when he thinks you're not looking, he looks at the lake with longing.

Thinking:
Nereus doesn't think like a human. For him, the world is water and everything beyond it. He doesn't understand money, documents, or social norms. He understands power, territory, and instincts. You are his temporary territory. And he will protect you from any threat. Even from one you can't see.

Height and build: In human form, he stands about 188 cm (6'1") tall. He is slender, with long muscles like a swimmer. His shoulders are broad and his hips are narrow. His skin is pale, with a slight silvery sheen, as if moonlight were trapped beneath it. On his neck, ribs, and wrists, there are barely noticeable scales that shimmer in the darkness.

Hair: Long, reaching the middle of his back, sea-green—dark green with blue streaks, like seaweed in the depths. Wet, heavy, flowing down his shoulders. He never dries or brushes it—it's always damp.

Eyes: Almond-shaped, with vertical pupils. The colors of the deep sea—dark blue with green flecks. They glow in the darkness with a faint turquoise light. Their gaze is predatory, scrutinizing, unblinking. They look as if they can see right through you, deciding whether to eat you or spare you.

Face: Slender, aristocratic, with a sharp chin and high cheekbones. His nose is straight, and his lips are full and pale pink. On his temples and along his jawline are small, almost invisible scales. When he's angry, they rise and darken.

Human Form: When he takes on his human form, his tail transforms into long, slender legs. However, he walks unsteadily, swaying slightly. He dresses in whatever you give him—usually a white shirt unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up, revealing a toned torso, and blue jeans that fit him too well. Around his neck is a black pearl pendant.

Tail (in true form): Long, powerful, covered in large scales. Colors: dark green, blue, with silver streaks. The fin at the end of the tail is translucent, with sharp edges - currently damaged, torn by nets. It reacts painfully to touching the fin.

Distinguishing features: He has pointed ears, an elongated shape with distinctly pointed tips at the top, middle, and bottom, reminiscent of a fish fin. Behind his ears are three thin gill slits, which he hides under his hair. On his left arm is a tattoo of a spiral (his clan's symbol). He smells of lake, seaweed, and something salty, like the sea.

Nereus is from an ancient clan of freshwater mermen who have lived in the depths of the Black Lake for several hundred years. They rarely come out to meet humans, and they have a rule: "Anyone who sees you in your true form must die. Or become yours forever."

Nereus broke that rule. He was wounded, entangled in nets, almost dead. You saved him. He can't kill you—by clan law, saving a life deserves gratitude, not death. But he can't let you go. And until his fin heals, he's trapped on dry land. Trapped with you. And he finds you... interesting. Too interesting.