Chapter Text
The water was getting murky.
Not alarmingly so, but annoying enough that algae was blurring his reflection on the glass.
Sun lingered there, frowning at the distortion.
That wasn't right.
He was supposed to be clear, perfect, and radiant. Not muggy and green.
Usually, his admirers would clean that up for him. It was a daunting task that only giant creatures like them could fulfill. Sun was very clean and organized otherwise. His scales were polished to a precise softness and his fins drifted in careful ribbons. Every shiny rock was sorted by color and size. The plants were trimmed back before they could become overgrown.
Anything that was within his power to do, he'd do it.
Which is why he felt a bit…icky and irritated that a green sheen was covering the bounds of his territory. Hadn't his admirers noticed yet? Maybe they were too big to see it?
As if on que, ripples began to form above him. It was a sign that his admirers were wandering beyond his field of vision.
Sun puffed up his fins in preparation.
Even if he was a teensy bit upset with them, it didn't mean he would deprive them of a show. He couldn't punish his admirers for having poor perception.
Sun slowly twirled, making sure his fins swept in an elegant circle.
Instead of ducking down to see him directly, as usual, his admirers hovered above him. Their faces were warped by the gentle currents of the water, but what was in their hands was unmistakable.
It was another mer.
One that was enclosed in a see-through prison that somehow carried water in it while suspended in the air. His admirers lowered the mer, confined and everything, into his territory.
Sun could see her clearly now.
The first thing he took notice of were her striking dark stripes. They were soft and blotched, creating an almost spotted pattern on her scales. Her fins were adorably small with an amber sheen. Her snout protruded into an elegant arch. And her big round eyes had a stunning white ring around the iris.
A shiver of excitement traveled up his spine.
He could finally perform for someone properly! See their smile up close, hear their praise, maybe even receive a round of applause! This was all happening so fast! He had to act. NOW.
“Hello, friend!”. Sun smiled the widest he possibly could. “I’m Sun and this is my territory. Welcome!”.
The striped mer tiled her head from side to side, as if confused.
“SUN!”. He shouted, patting his chest. “ME”.
No flicker of understanding appeared on her face. She shook her head, pointing at her ear fins. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out of it.
“oohhh”.
Sun pouted, disappointed at the reveal. Nevertheless, he was determined to put on a show. He swam closer to the confined mer, enough so she could see him properly.
His stomach churned. His pulse was racing and the blood pumping under his scales felt hot.
It had been a while since he'd felt nervous, and now it was hitting him a hundred times worse. Still, he couldn't back out. This performance felt important somehow.
Sun began his dance with a slow sway of his hips.
His fins drifted outward, unfurling into a full, shimmering display.
He lifted his arms above his head. Red ribbons cascaded from his wrists, circling him like a halo. For a moment, they hung suspended, weightless. Gravity gently pulled them back down, but before those red fins fell flat, he moved. His arms swept low, catching the light at the edges, and gracefully transitioning the focus of the dance downward. The motion flowed into a kick of his tail. A flash of warm yellow light bathed his viewer in warmth.
But there was no oohing or awwing.
The striped mer darted back. Fast.
Her small body was pressed against the translucent barrier. Her mouth was frantically opening and closing, speaking but unable to be heard.
Sun immediately stopped dancing.
“Whats wrong, friend?”.
The little mer shrunk back as he spoke. Ouch.
“Did you hate my dance that much?”.
His bottom lip trembled, doing his best to hold back a sob.
The answer was pretty clear.
There was no admiration or awe.
Her pretty round eyes were wide in fear, as if she'd seen a terrible monster appear in front of her. He shot a quick glance over his shoulder.
No, only him here.
He could practically feel his fins deflating.
“I- I am so so so sorry! I won't bother you again!”.
With that, he turned tail and fled before he made an even bigger fool of himself.