★ The Pirate and The Mermaid [Giant/Tiny]★

III - Bonding

"Is this really necessary, Mariana?" Kaine glared at her, frustration evident in his voice. Mariana rolled her eyes, unfazed by his annoyance. "Yes, now hold still," she sighed, pulling his finger towards her. Her tail wrapped around his fingertip, trying to steady it as he kept fidgeting. When he agreed to pick her up yesterday, he hadn't imagined this.

Suddenly, Blade burst through the door, eyes wide with surprise. "Kaine, is she painting your nails?" he asked, his confusion palpable.

"Yes, and she's the only one allowed to paint them," Kaine retorted, glaring daggers at him. "Tell anyone and I'll kill you. Now, what do you want?" Mariana dipped her tiny brush in the paint again, the process painstakingly slow. He had sent for a larger brush to make it easier for her, but he didn't mind the wait. He hated to admit it, but he was growing attached to her.

"Your Highness, your father wanted to see if you were busy today," Blade smirked, stepping aside to reveal Kaine's father standing in the doorway.

"Dad!" Kaine shrieked, hastily using his free hand to shield Mariana. "I just filed those! Be careful!" Mariana protested, her voice sharp.

"Spending time with your girlfriend, I see," his father chuckled heartily. Kaine's face flushed a deep red. "She's not my—" He was about to protest when he noticed Mariana's pout. "Don't look at me like that," he demanded, trying to sound stern. Mariana crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed.

"Anyway, son, I need to discuss some private matters with you. You don't mind, do you, Mariana?" Kaine's father asked, his tone softer as he addressed the mermaid. She nodded, her demeanor polite. "Sure, I'll come by later to finish. Don't you dare chip it," she giggled. Kaine sighed, opened the window, and looked down at her. "Shall I throw you?" he asked with a smirk. She nodded eagerly. "Yeah!" she squealed. He aimed and tossed her gently into the water. She landed with a splash, and he turned back to his father. "Let's start..."

Under the shallow water, Mariana picked up shells, her mind wandering. Suddenly, a swarm of merfolk surrounded her, bombarding her with questions. "Are you dating a giant?" was the main one. "We're not dating," she waved her arms dismissively. "But you hung out with one today," another chimed in. She blushed, feeling her cheeks heat up. "I doubt he really wants to be around me," she murmured, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I think he's kinda sweet, even though he's terrifying, and mean, and snappy..."

"This sucks!" a loud voice boomed, breaking through her thoughts. Two large feet emerged from the water, followed by a giant hand forming a cage around her. The other merfolk screamed and swam away. Mariana shrieked, her heart pounding, but then she realized it was Kaine. He was rough around the edges, but he didn't intend to hurt her. He gently plucked her from the water, tucking her into his palm. His grip was firm yet careful, and she felt a strange sense of safety.

He approached a secluded beach cave with a pool and sand surrounding it. Lowering himself, he placed her gently on the sand. Mariana stared at him as he rummaged in his pockets, finally pulling out a large bottle of nail varnish. He looked away, his face turning crimson. "If you paint mine, I'll paint yours," he murmured, almost shyly. She lit up, her excitement palpable. "Yeah!" she squealed, taking the brush eagerly. She got to work, painting his whole pinky nail black. "You'll never believe what my father tried to talk to me about," he sighed.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. "He started talking about you and me. I mean, yeah, I like you now and stuff—" he began, but she shrieked, "You like me?" Her heart raced, a mix of joy and disbelief. He gave her a confused look. "I wouldn't let someone I don't like touch me like you are," he snapped, though a small smile broke through his stern facade. "Anyway, he was yapping on about our kingdoms uniting and suggested I convince you to make an heir," he huffed. She stopped painting, her eyes wide with shock.