Gem of the Sea (Mertalia SpaMano AU)

13

Lovi tapped his feet gently under the table, watching Antonio buzz around the kitchen, humming to himself, Lovi couldn't understand how humans expended so much energy so easily, even just walking from the beach up to Tonio's home had exhausted him. He must have been lost in his thoughts because suddenly there was a glass of water and a sandwich in his hand and the pirate was grinning "so, you took a potion to be human, i get that, but it thought you were a prince, won't you need to go home to rule or something?" He tested his chin on his hands

Lovi shrugged, downing the water quickly, it tasted different than he was used to, less salty "no, I'm The oldest son, but i was never going to be king, my brother will take the throne, i was going to be married off for an alliance" he stuck his tongue out at the thought and Antonio laughed "humans do that to, don't they, political marriages?" The pirate nodded.

Conversation dissolved after that, Lovi becoming keenly aware of how tired he was when he found himself staring at the human with half closed eyes, he was so odd looking, and yet he didn't look strange or half as alien as when they met, his hair was the colour of rich mud, the kind that the pale river mermaids threw if Seafolly got too close, and his skin was only a little lighter, smooth and warm, and without scale, Lovi noted to ask why later, for now he kept staring, blunt teeth, too white when the man smiled at him, the smile made his nose wrinkle a little and made his eyes shone, Lovi was fascinated by human eyes, where his were dusky purple, every human he'd met, meaning Tonio and his siblings, had the most vivid green that seemed to glow when they were excited "humans are so strange" he found himself mumbling, leaning forward a little, only to topple out of his seat.

He braced to hit the floor, but it didn't happen, familiar, strong arms were around him, holding him up, a wry smile on Tonio's face "like you're not strange, fish boy" he laughed, instructing his sister, who hovered nearby, to get some blankets. Lovi was almost unsettled by how calm he felt falling asleep in the arms of a human, if humans were at all like the stories, which he was beginning to doubt, letting his guard down like this was an invitation for him to become dinner.

(Hello my sweets, i have returned, sorry i took so long, i kinda fell out of the fandom for a while)