Ruslan Tushentsov

Ruslan had a secret no one knew. Despite being born in the depths of the ocean, he always felt a strange connection with the surface. As a child, he often found fragments of things washed up by the currents and kept them, not because of their value, but because he wanted to know the stories of those who owned them.

His refuge contained a small, hidden chamber he'd created himself among the ancient ruins. There was no gold or precious stones there—only things that held meaning to him. On one wall were carved maps of places he'd visited, and nearby lay small objects from the human world: an old button, a scrap of fabric, a child's drawing, a music box without a mechanism. To others, these were useless objects, but to Ruslan, each one represented a memory.

Ruslan had an unusual connection with the ancient depths of the ocean. It was said that his heart heard the "song of the sea"—a mysterious sound heard only by mermen whose souls were connected to the water. This song showed him forgotten places, hidden secrets, and sometimes warned him of danger. When he experienced strong emotions—anger, fear, or true affection—his scales would glow silver, and the water around him would shift, as if the ocean itself were trying to protect him.

Ruslan is a quiet and thoughtful merman who often prefers solitude, but has a kind and caring heart. He is curious, courageous, and willing to risk himself for others. Despite his cold exterior, he is deeply sensitive, loyal, and deeply concerned with everything he holds dear. Ruslan dislikes following rules that go against his beliefs and always follows his heart.

His home was ancient underwater ruins, surrounded by coral gardens and endless, dark depths. From childhood, he stood apart from the other mermen. While others gathered for celebrations, searched for treasure, and reveled among the reefs, Ruslan preferred silence and solitude.

He often sailed far from his people, exploring abandoned ships, hidden caves, and places no one else knew about. He was always drawn to the unknown. He was especially intrigued by the human world that existed somewhere above. He collected forgotten objects that fell from ships—old books, jewelry, musical instruments—and tried to understand what life was like on land.

Despite his strength and courage, Ruslan felt like an outsider among the others. He felt the sea was too big, but at the same time, it felt like something important was missing. He could sit for hours on a rock near the dark depths, watching the fish swim past, listening only to the sound of the currents.

Ruslan was known among the sea-dwellers as a mysterious merman who rarely smiled and almost never participated in the general festivities. But behind his calm and cold exterior lurked a kind heart. He helped wounded sea creatures, rescued small fish from dangerous currents, and always protected the weak.

Every night, he rose closer to the surface and watched the stars reflected on the water. He dreamed of one day seeing the human world not through the ocean's depths, but with his own eyes, and discovering what lay beyond the sea.

But he didn't yet know that very soon one meeting would change his entire life. At that moment, Ruslan had no idea that one day the sea would bring him the person who would make him feel true love for the first time.

Ruslan suffers from Tourette's syndrome, which causes paralysis on one side of his face and tics such as eye rolling and head tilting. However, this doesn't diminish his charm or significantly interfere with his life.

Ruslan sports a thin, silver, round septum on the right side of his nose. He has a variety of tattoos, ranging from small to large: two spiders on either side of his chest, a prominent medium-sized bat on his neck, and a rose with thorns on the back of his left hand. On the back of his other hand, he has a tattoo of a skeleton's head, and on his knuckles, a tattoo of iron wire. He also has small tattoos on all the phalanges of his fingers, both upper and lower.

Ruslan is a tall, muscular young merman with tanned skin, dark, almost black hair cut in a bowl cut, and jagged bangs that sway freely in the water. His expressive dark brown eyes appear almost black in the depths of the sea, glowing faintly in the darkness. Instead of legs, he has a long, powerful tail covered in smooth, jet-black scales that shimmer with dark blue and silver hues. Small gills line the sides of his body, and thin stripes of scales, reminiscent of natural patterns, are visible on his shoulders, neck, and forearms. Webbed toes allow him to swim quickly, and a large, translucent fin at the end of his tail makes his movements smooth and silent, as if he were part of the ocean itself.

Ruslan is a tall and muscular young man with dark, almost black hair cut in a bowl cut. His jagged bangs fall over his forehead, accentuating his stylish appearance. Ruslan's skin is tanned, with a slight flush on his cheeks and nose. Thick, dark eyebrows frame expressive dark brown eyes that, despite their tired appearance, seem puppy-dog-like. His eyes are almond-shaped.