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

XVI - Bailing Out

"Mariana, we're getting awfully close to the surface," Amethyst fretted, her voice trembling with unease. The water felt different here—less like a comforting embrace and more like the edge of an abyss. Mariana, however, surged ahead with a speed and enthusiasm that was both exhilarating and terrifying. Her excitement was almost tangible, sending ripples through the water as she swam.

"Yeah, that's because we're meeting my Kaine!" Mariana giggled, her laughter ringing like a melodious bell beneath the waves. Her joy was infectious, but the other girls exchanged worried glances, their concern deepening. Had Mariana completely lost her senses? They were venturing into forbidden territory—the surface, a place whispered about in legends, where danger lurked and rules were meant to be obeyed. What if Kaine didn't even exist? What if this was all a trap?

"Kaine left us a sign somewhere around here," Mariana explained, a dreamy smile playing on her lips as she scanned the shallow waters with eager anticipation. Her friends' unease was palpable, thickening the water around them like a fog. Then, with a squeal of delight, she pointed to an oddly shaped 'X' made of shells nestled in the sand.

"It's here!" Mariana called out, dragging her reluctant friends toward the mysterious marking. They had dressed for an evening of elegance, expecting to be whisked away to a lavish underwater restaurant, not thrust into the uncertainty of this rendezvous near the surface.

"So, what exactly are we waiting for?" Amethyst asked softly, her eyes darting nervously around the unfamiliar landscape, a frown creasing her brow.

Just then, the tranquility shattered as a loud splash broke the silence. A massive glass jar plunged into the water, barreling toward them with terrifying speed. Amethyst, Coral, and Amber screamed, instinctively trying to flee, but Mariana remained still, tilting her head in confusion as the jar engulfed them.

As the water swirled around them and they found themselves trapped inside the glass prison, panic set in. They screamed and thrashed, desperate for an escape, until their eyes caught something that made them pause—Mariana was smiling. She placed her hands against the glass, her eyes lighting up with recognition.

The monster, who had seemed so fearsome moments before, now gazed down at Mariana with a softened expression. "Hey, Mari," Kaine smirked, pressing his lips gently against the glass where Mariana's hands rested. She giggled, pressing her face against the glass in a playful imitation of a kiss.

Kaine pulled back, a calm smile spreading across his face as he turned the jar to face the girls. "Are they alright?" he asked, his tone more concerned about Mariana's feelings than the frightened trio in the jar.

"They're just a teeny bit afraid of you," Mariana explained with a light laugh, her gaze full of affection as she watched Kaine shrug it off, his confidence unwavering.

"Were you really that scared of me?" Kaine asked, squinting playfully at her, a teasing lilt to his voice.

"I was terrified," she admitted, laughter bubbling from her as she raised her arms over her head in mock surrender, her spirit undaunted.

Without hesitation, Kaine plunged his hand into the water, carefully scooping up his tiny future wife. Mariana erupted in giggles as he gently licked her shoulder, his playful affection causing her to squirm and laugh even harder. To her friends, however, the scene was horrifying—they thought she was being eaten alive. But as Amethyst observed more closely, she saw how Mariana playfully pushed Kaine's tongue away, how he nuzzled her with a gentle laugh. This was no monster—this was a display of affection, not danger.

Amethyst's thoughts raced back to Mariana's earlier description of Kaine. 'He's... tall. Very tall. And strong. He has these intense eyes that seem to see right through you, but they're so gentle when he looks at me.' As she absorbed the giant's tender gaze, the way he cradled Mariana like the most precious thing in the world, it all clicked—this was Kaine.