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

XIV - Cove's Dilemma

Cove stood outside Mariana's door, his voice soft but laced with worry. "Mariana, I'm sorry, sweetie." He called out, hoping for a response, any sign that she was still willing to hear him. Inside, silence enveloped the room like a heavy fog, with Mariana resolutely refusing to speak to him. For hours, he had tried to get through to her, but she had shut him out completely, an impenetrable barrier between them.

The memory of yesterday's events clawed at his conscience. He had thrown Kaine out so forcefully that the very thought of him being dead sent shivers down Mariana's spine. Yet, somehow, Kaine had survived, buoyed by the power of the mermaid kiss, able to breathe underwater despite the perilous toss. That knowledge did little to calm the storm brewing within her.

As the day dragged on, Mariana busied herself with dinner preparations, her hands moving mechanically. But beneath the surface, a potent mixture of anger and confusion roiled inside her. Kaine had been shaken, yes, but he wore his pain differently. He seemed unaffected, even nonchalant, while she simmered in her resentment. After the disastrous date, she had retreated to her room, leaving her father in the dark about the turmoil within her heart.

Mariana couldn't help but feel the weight of her father's disappointment, mixed with her own betrayal. "Kaine, I can't believe you're even here," she muttered, eyeing him with a mix of frustration and fondness as he lounged casually on her bed, his fingers deftly maneuvering her plushies into an imaginary battle. Her eyes fell to the bruises and scuff marks marring his skin—tangible evidence of his unexpected flight.

"Look at you," she demanded, a sense of urgency threading through her words. "You're a mess!" Her anger flared again as she gestured to his battered body. "That's not okay!"

Kaine paused his playful antics, his gaze shifting from her plushies to her. He sensed the change in her mood, the underlying tension bubbling just beneath the surface. Without a second thought, he swam over to her, enveloping her in his warm embrace, his limbs wrapping around her as if to shield her from the world.

"Kaine," she mumbled, leaning into him, feeling the warmth radiate from his body as he pressed a teasing kiss against her neck. "Come on, Mari, just hear him out," he whispered into her ear, the husky tone sending delightful shivers cascading down her spine.

"What's this really about?" he asked, his large hands grasping her waist gently, tracing the soft scales that adorned her body. For a moment, she savored the intimacy of the moment, the connection they shared. But just as quickly as it had begun, the door swung open, shattering their serene bubble.

"DAD!" she yelled, her hands flying up to cover her eyes, her fingers brushing against her forehead in exasperation. She felt a familiar frustration rising within her, sick of him trying to control her life, of using her as a pawn for his own ambitions, while refusing to let her experience love like her sisters had.

"Ah, you're both in here, good!" Cove declared, stepping into the room with a shadow looming behind him. Her heart sank as she recognized the figure: a man clad in a lab coat, thick-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, wheeling in an enormous diagram. Confusion washed over Mariana and Kaine as they exchanged worried glances, both unprepared for what was coming next.

Kaine felt a possessive urge rise within him as he noticed Cove's glare fixated on his hand resting on Mariana's hip, the protective gesture a clear signal that he wouldn't let her slip away. Reflexively, he withdrew his hand, but Cove's voice cut through the air like a blade.

"Keep your hand there," he demanded, his gaze sharp and unwavering, directed at the couple. Kaine raised an eyebrow, perplexed. "Huh?" he murmured, bewildered by Cove's abrupt shift in tone.

"Mariana, I've realized your boyfriend is despicable for wanting to take away my little girl," Cove began, his words dripping with disdain as he shot a glare at Kaine.