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

XII - Uncle Kaine

"Babysitting?" Mariana echoed, her voice laced with disbelief. She blinked at her older sister, Pearl, who had just arrived for a long-awaited visit. But instead of the peaceful reunion Mariana had imagined, Pearl had brought along all twelve of her children—each one more energetic than the last. It was common knowledge that mermaids were exceptionally fertile, but twelve was still quite the brood, even for their kind. Nine was the usual number, after all.

Pearl, a regal 26-year-old, simply smiled at Mariana's stunned expression, her arm looped casually through her husband's. "I know it's a lot," Pearl admitted with a soft giggle, clearly amused by her younger sister's plight. "But it's just for a few hours. Their father and I have to attend a meeting, and Dad's coming with us—kingdom business, you know. You'll manage, right?" She gave Mariana a playful wink before turning to leave, her words lingering like a heavy weight.

"But I was supposed to meet up with Kaine today—" Mariana started to protest, but her words were cut off as her nieces and nephews, all twelve of them, swarmed her with gleeful shrieks. They tackled her to the ground, their small hands and tails pinning her down as they giggled and played. Pearl laughed at the sight, clearly entertained by the scene unfolding before her.

"You can meet up with her later," Pearl called out, oblivious to Kaine's true masculine form, assuming it was a friend, she was already swimming away with her husband. "We'll have dinner here tonight, so just hang in there!"

Mariana tried to protest again, but it was too late. Pearl was already gone, leaving Mariana to contend with twelve unsupervised, hyperactive mer-children. The kids were quick to turn her room into a disaster zone, knocking over shells, tangling seaweed decorations, and generally causing chaos. Mariana bit her lip, a mix of panic and determination washing over her. She loved her nieces and nephews, but keeping them all entertained and out of trouble seemed like an impossible task.

"Hey!" she called out, her voice rising above the din. The children paused, turning their bright, curious eyes towards her. "Who wants to meet my super cool and handsome boyfriend?" she cooed, hoping the promise of something new and exciting would grab their attention.

The effect was instantaneous. Their eyes lit up with curiosity and excitement. "Me! Me!" they chorused, eagerly reaching for her hands. Mariana chuckled, taking the hands of the two closest children while the others formed chains, linking arms in pairs. Despite the initial chaos, they were now surprisingly orderly as they followed her lead.

"Are we all ready?" she asked, her smile bright and encouraging. The children nodded eagerly, their previous wild energy now channeled into anticipation. Mariana led them out of the castle, her voice rising in a playful song as they swam toward the surface. The kids joined in, their voices mingling with hers in a sweet, joyful harmony.

As they neared the shore, Mariana's mind drifted to Kaine. How was she going to explain this impromptu babysitting adventure to him? She knew he wasn't the most comfortable around children, and the sheer number she had in tow might be overwhelming, even for him. But she also knew he would do anything for her, even if it meant facing down a dozen small, energetic mer-children.

Mariana surfaced with the children playing in the shallow waters behind her, their laughter filling the air. She spotted Kaine's tall figure in the distance, steadily making his way toward their usual meeting spot. The sight of her brought a wave of relief, but also a hint of anxiety as she thought about how to explain her sudden babysitting duties.

As he drew closer, Mariana swam out to meet him, her tiny voice calling out his name. "Kaine!"

He turned at the sound, his usual stern expression softening as his eyes landed on her. But as he came closer, his brow furrowed slightly, noticing the small cluster of children behind her, splashing around and playing. Kaine's expression turned quizzical as he looked from the children to Mariana, clearly puzzled by the unexpected scene.