The lanky brown haired figure carefully picked his way across the rocky beach. Thick, foamy waves rushed around his ankles, soaking the hems of his jeans and spraying his skin with brine and seaweed. He swiped the screen of his digital camera with a jacket sleeve, shivering as a gust of wind ruffled his hair and threatened to dump his hat in the frigid, salt laden water. The man looked out over the water, warm hazel eyes drinking in the greys and blues that littered the horizon. Dipper Pines had about two weeks to get enough photos for his bachelor of fine arts graduation show. He literally didn't have time to not take pictures every second of every day, but despite the rush and the stress and the panic that sloshed around in his gut, the brunette kept a calm outlook on the nature that surrounded him. He flinched as another wave came in and froze his numb ankles, then raised his eye to the viewfinder and snapped a few photos where rocks met water. Bits of foam and debris glittered in the weak early summer sun.
He continued walking down the beach, watching as the clouds dissipated from the sky and the sunlight grew stronger. The brunette quickly grew bored of the empty landscape. He sat on a rock, letting the camera hang from a cord around his neck. Dipper tugged a small sketchbook from his jacket pocket, unhooked his favorite fountain pen from his other pocket, and let the ambient noise of the beach draw him into his work. He had to think of why each piece he was creating fit the theme, which he hadn't really come up with yet. He chewed on the pen cap, getting lost in the sound of waves hitting the shore. Higher notes drifted in one ear and out the other. Dipper looked up, suddenly wanting to explore again. He stood, camera gently bumping against his chest and water swirling about his feet. The brunette clambered messily over the beach, climbing up a particularly large boulder to find someone who looked incredibly familiar sitting in a tidepool. The woman in front of him had long, platinum blonde hair stuck to her face in wet waves, then cascaded down her back and got tangled among the flotsam and jetsam strewn among the rocks. She stared at him, wide eyes so blue that they seemed to glow, and her mouth hanging slightly open as though he had interrupted her in the middle of a sentence. She blinked, eyes flicking up and down his body as though she had never seen legs before.
He meant to ask if she was alright when movement caught his eye. A periwinkle and sky blue fish scaled tail curled behind the woman, far too long to fit in the shallow pool that she rested in. His gaze followed its length, finally putting two and two together. The woman in front of him was a mermaid. Or, maybe a siren? He took a tentative step forwards and the blonde scooted backwards. He stopped, then crouched so he wasn't as tall. Maybe she was intimidated? He reached out a hand, keeping it palm up. She tilted her head and made a small questioning noise. Dipper offered a small smile and wiggled his fingers a tiny bit.
She reached out a delicate hand, shifting towards him enough that their fingers brushed. She took her hand back, cradling it against her bare chest. She made a series of small clicks with her tongue. The brunette kept his hand out, but had no idea what she was trying to say.
"I'm sorry, I don't-" The woman closed her mouth, wide eyes still staring. He checked behind him to see if there was anything there. All he saw was ocean and air. He turned back to the possible mermaid.
"Do you need water?" He didn't think she would understand him, but she nodded. He scuffled a little closer, scraping his toes on the rock. She stayed where she was, intense gaze on his face. He felt a blush rise into his cheeks as he reached out for her. The woman tugged her tail up so he could get an arm under where her knees should have been. His other arm went to her waist. His blush deepened as she wriggled at the contact. Her thin arms went around his neck and shoulders, delicate fingers clasping over the now damp fabric of his jacket. He had forgotten about his pen and sketchbook, which had fallen from his clumsy grip. The man carefully stood up, dragging the mermaid's slight frame from the pool. Her wet hair probably weighed more than she did. The long golden tangles streamed from the crown of her head to the boulder, some seemingly braided together while others hung limply from their own weight.
Dipper carefully maneuvered off of the rock, tripping over the smaller rocks on the gravelly beach as he made his way to the water's edge. The mermaid in his arms never looked away from his face, which brought his awareness to the slight stubble on his chin. He should have shaved that morning. He hated how scratchy it felt. One of her hands caressed his cheek, bringing his gaze down to her face. Her fingertips rested against his lips. He focused on walking through the waves. If he didn't get out far enough, she would only get beached again. The water whirled around his jeans, soaking the denim through to his bones. The farther out he got, the higher the icy waves reached. When he was about waist deep, the mermaid started to wriggle and make tiny squeaky noises. Dipper gently leaned forward, dipping her tail into the ocean. She held onto his face, bringing their noses close enough to touch.
Her lips pressed against his, and their chests bumped together. The water roiled around them. Her face was cold, colder than the briny water they stood in. He closed his eyes as she deepened the kiss, opening her mouth and drawing him farther out to sea. Her tail whipped around, knocking his feet out from under him. He gasped in panic as the water rose above his head, drowning his camera. The shock made him sputter, but the mermaid's hands still had a solid grip on him. He struggled towards the surface, only to be stopped by a curious sound.
The most beautiful voice he had ever heard echoed around the water, something similar to whales and opera alike. He blinked, using his eyelashes to keep the salt from invading his eyes. The brunette couldn't see, but the voice was quickly joined by another. Before long, the ocean was filled with the bittersweet singing. The man was quickly running out of air, but he couldn't fight his way to the surface. He closed his eyes, releasing the last bit of stale air that his lungs held. The mermaid never relinquished her hold, even as black spots crowded around his vision and his ribcage burned from the lack of oxygen. Her lips pressed against his once more, interrupting the incredible song that still wound around the edges of his brain.
The world went dark and Dipper couldn't feel anything.