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

IX - The ball

"No. Absolutely not, Mariana," Kaine snapped, his deep voice echoing through the cove. He crossed his massive arms and looked down at the tiny mermaid below, his stern expression softening only slightly as he gazed at her. Despite his tone, Mariana couldn't help but stare up at him in awe. Kaine was a giant, a chiseled work of art with a soft heart, someone who truly loved her. His sheer size dwarfed her, but she wouldn't have it any other way. She adored how his huge hands could cradle her so gently, how his touch, despite its strength, was always tender.

"Using this," Mariana grinned innocently, holding up a delicate necklace. Kaine leaned down to get a better look, his curiosity piqued. The necklace was made of pearls, with a small blue shell at its center—a creation so intricately beautiful that Kaine immediately knew she had crafted it herself. Only Mariana could make something so perfect.

"It's beautiful, Mari, but how—" Kaine began, moving closer, but his words were cut off as he noticed the blush spreading across her cheeks. "Mari~" he whispered teasingly, and she let out a squeal, splashing around in the water. His voice always did that to her, making her tail tingle whenever he called her by that affectionate nickname.

Kaine, flustered by the effect he had on her, tried to cover up his embarrassment with a gruff facade. "H-Hey!" he barked, reaching into the water to pluck her out with his hands. Mariana squealed again, her wide eyes meeting his as he lifted her. The way he was looking at her—so serious, so intense—made her heart race. He reminded her of the super cool male leads from the romance novels she loved, especially Silver Finbuster from MermaidTail, her absolute favorite.

As Kaine held her, he noticed she was getting redder, holding her cheeks and squirming in his palm. His brow furrowed, a pang of jealousy shooting through him. Could she be thinking of someone else? His possessiveness flared, and before he could stop himself, he leaned in and licked her flushed cheek. Mariana squeaked in surprise, pushing his tongue away playfully.

"Kaine!" she whined, giggling at his sudden display of affection. But before she could say more, a booming voice interrupted them.

"KAINE!" Cove, Mariana's father, emerged from the water, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowing at the pair. Kaine flinched, quickly setting Mariana down. Normally, Kaine wasn't one to back down, but in front of Cove, he wanted to appear as the perfect future son-in-law. "My daughter offered you a valuable trinket. Either come with us or don't, but remember, the only reason you're invited is because she begged me."

Kaine swallowed hard, nodding with an embarrassed tone. "Yes, sir." He glanced at Mariana, who was holding up the necklace again, a soft smile on her face as if nothing else mattered. She lifted her pinky, and with a smile, he wrapped his pinky around hers, allowing her to slip the necklace onto it.

"Mariana, this is the only time you have permission to—" Cove started, but Mariana immediately kissed Kaine's pinky without hesitation. Kaine felt his heart skip a beat, and before he knew it, darkness clouded his vision.

When he came to, Kaine was lying on the sand, Mariana hovering above him, frantically pressing on his chest. They were the same height now, and he could barely move his legs.

"Mariana, what are you doing, princess?" Cove asked gently, watching his daughter perform some sort of rhythmic pushing on Kaine's chest.

"I've read about this! It's called CCR," she explained, continuing her efforts. "Don't tell me you've been reading MermaidTail again," Cove snapped, and Mariana blushed furiously.

"NO, DADDY!" she protested, her cheeks reddening further. She leaned down, ready to breathe air into Kaine, who braced himself for a sweet kiss. But before their lips could meet, Cove interrupted again. "If you're trying to push air into him, my lungs are stronger—"