There was a man that came every week right at six in the morning. He was the only human being Sherlock had really seen up close, the darkness of the water in the mornings protecting him from the human's sight He was compact of muscle and a hefty scar on the left shoulder. An instant fascination to the merman. He quickly got into the habit of swimming underneath him, his tail moving in a long strong strokes through the water to keep up so he could observe and study. He admired the slow steady pace that never broke, the style of swimming the human took up always in order, each muscle working together. He wished it wasn't so dark so he could peer closer at them, especially his legs. He wanted to know what each part of the limb was called. Especially the dangly digits on the ends.
He snuck out to the bay once more that Thursday morning and decided he would try to get closer. He wanted to get a look at the man's face if he could, wondering if it would be stern and hard or soft and kind. The water was smooth, barely any wind to cause waves above the surface. Sherlock caught sight in the far distance, feet stepping in, then a body crashing through. Sherlock grinned and waited for the man to get closer before swimming only a few feet under him, as close as he ever dared, looking up at the formed shoulders, the closed eyes. As long as he was careful he should be able to keep up this distance. John closed his eyes as his body impacted with the water and surged him forward a few feet under the soft lapping of the waves. he pulled himself up and began his daily regimens, feeling the soft cress of sea plats and the occasional swish from a fishes tail. he pushed water behind him as he used powerful pull after pull to bring him forward and propel himself against the current. Sherlock found the human's face curious. There were some lines on his face. Sherlock found this had to mean age. So maybe thirty years? He grinned as he learned more and more, swimming on his back, examining the strange face. Mycroft would be so angry with him right now if he saw him, but Sherlock desperately wished to learn more. He flicked his tail, moving ahead with ease, wanting to create a strong force of water for the human to feel. There weren't many sharks in the area but in the darkness he might appear as one. Would the human collapse under the shadow of the unknown?
John stopped and tired water as he felt the sudden change of current. he looked around before taking a lung full of air and diving under the water to see what had done it. he swivelled his head and reached out as he caught sight of a coloured membrane like tail and grabbed at it gently. he was about to yank it back when he had to resurface for air and looked around for the unidentified thing.
Sherlock had watched with amazement. Not only did the man stop and not panic, he actually tried to touch his tail! Brave thing this human. With a mischievous grin, Sherlock right under the dangly feet things and flicked his tail to snap at the flesh. He giggled to himself, liking this little game.
john felt the brush against his feet and reached down quickly trying to catch the fish. he waited, playing dead until he felt the fins again and lunged under the water before grabbing the tail with a grin " caught you tricky bugger" he said, thinking he'd have a new occupant to his pond at home.
Sherlock's grin grew wicked. Oh? He thought. You think you have me do you? It was quite the opposite. He lunged down, pulling the man with him. He didn't go to deep but kept a good five feet under the surface, his fin pushing them both through the water.
john waited until the fish kept a steady depth and pushed back with his legs. he got footing on the gravel bottom and yanked the fish back hard, locking the fin he had in place to limit its movement. he pulled hard and managed to get the shallow water looked down at his new fish.
Sherlock hadn't expected the man to have such strength. A sudden spike of fear struck his chest. He struggled but his fin was locked from moving in full motion. When they got closer and closer to the surface Sherlock tried to think of a plan. He would show his fangs and maybe that would scare the human. As they reached the surface, his scales shining sapphire in the sun, he yanked up his head and barred his fangs, hissing darkly.
As frightening as Sherlock's razor teeth we're, his eyes caught john first. The murky kaleidoscope colours causing him to pause. He looked at the tail in his hand and the body attached to it. "...fish?" he said dumb struck and tugged the tail "...fish...man...fish ate you?" He said, not able to grasp the situation even as he looked back at the tail in his hands.
Sherlock's fangs disappeared, his eyes blinking blankly. He rose a brow. Maybe humans were not as smart as he thought. He narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Let me go!" He barked at the man, tugging his tail, trying to get out of the grip.
" ...fish speaks?" John said still floundering. It took John a few more moments before he shook his head " i must be sick. You'll make a nice new one" he said, deciding he was just seeing things. He hefted Sherlock half over his shoulder by his long tail and brought him to the back yard of a large building and put him in the pond that sat on the middle of the yard, filled with other fish.
"Hey!" Sherlock screeched in a high pitch that clearly wasn't human. He struggled but got quickly thrown into a small body of water. It wasn't big enough for him at all. He hissed again, pupils shrank in anger and fear. Is this what humans did? They just took anything for their own? He decided he would bite the human if it tried touching him again. He didn't know how to get back to the sea but he had too. Had to get to safety.
John walked in and promptly fell face first on the couch where he slept for two hours after which he woke and went to get the food for the fish. He walked out holding the can and looked at the man fish ..thing still in it. He blinked and sat on the soft grass staring at him...
He blinked and sat on the soft grass staring at him " ...don't you fucking dare eat my fish. I see those fangs, put them away" john said and pointed a stick at Sherlock
Sherlock didn't understand and he was scared. The man just left and didn't come straight back. He looked around, wondering if he was doomed to be eaten. Maybe he could crawl out and make it back to the bay but the man could catch him again. Hearing footsteps he brought out his fangs again and snarled at the stick, lunging and snapping it in half with his teeth. "Take me back. Take me back now!" He slapped his tail hard in the water, some fishing flying out of the pound.
John yelped and rushed over to retrieve his flopping friends. He went over to another pool and set the fish in gently, rubbing their smooth scales and cooing at them before grabbing a net and poking it at Sherlock " leave the fish alone or ill put you in the tub. " he said as he shook the net at him. " now...what are you"
Sherlock shrunk back at the net. He's seen those before and things never ended well with those. "A merman." He murmured, watching John carefully. "I want to go home."
"Alright. But its bright out so you'll get caught and killed. Not the best idea" he said and kept the net up "now...i can move you to a bigger space but if you squirm ill drop you got it?"
Sherlock's lip curled up again, a hiss again at the net. He brought out his claws now too. "Don't you touch me with that net, human." he hissed.
"You won't fit in the net flippers so calm down. There is an aquarium inside and a wading pool. Got it? Behave and i can move you inside"
Sherlock was longer than this human and he was supposed to fit in something inside a house? He glared, eyeing the man suspiciously. Was it a trick? "...Fine." He growled, pulling in his claws
John nodded and cautious approached him and picked him up bridal style in his arms and brought him in. He walked in the small upper house before going down a large set of stairs to an elaborate aquarium. One large and curving tank was labelled local wildlife while a four foot deep by three hundred meter round pool filled with clams and starfish with a few rays was off to the side "which one?"
"That," he pointed to the pool, wanting room to move around. As he was put into the water he quickly moved away from the man, his tail shining under the lights. Once he was on the opposite side of where the human stood, he popped his head up, glaring uncertainly
"Don't eat the fish" john repeated as he went about feeding the other ones in the tank their respective food. He went to the pool last and smiled as the larger rays came up and fed them by hand. He pet there backs and went down the large hall to then other tanks to feed the fish.
Sherlock watched, nose only slightly above water. He didn't move at all as he watched the man feed the other species of animals he kept in big glass containers. The fish and other creatures have off happy vibes however, making this even more confusing. Then again, they weren't that clever. "Why do you keep them?" He asked, though it came out more as a demand for an answer.
"Well...its an aquarium and an animal shelter. Some of them are here for show, some I'm taking care of till they can be released, others are here to breed because they're going extinct, and some are here because its safer than out in open water" he said and smiled at a puffer fish as he gently pet the friendly creature
Sherlock didn't really understand half of what John said, but he observed how the fish were friendly to the human. "...You do not eat them?" He asked somewhat cautiously. "Or cut off their tails to sell?"
John snorted "no. I don't eat fish, it tastes gross. Besides, i don't know anyone who sells fish tails. They're usually tossed in scrap piles." He said and wiped off his wet hands. "Careful, frank doesn't like others in his tank" he said as a wide sting ray flopped onto Sherlock's back
Sherlock looked at the sting ray momentarily and without concern even though he felt the creatures agitation. "You've named them all?" He continues, ignoring the ray, he swims just a tad closer to the man.
Well yeah. It's not like i can just say fish one and fish two. Besides, they're all a little different. Like Frank doesn't like sharing so when i feed him, Oscar, and Mathew i have to make sure its in different corners. For rover over there, the puffer fish, he likes getting his back lightly scratched while Jessica will sting you any chance she gets" he said as he began to ramble on.
Sherlock frowned now, slightly puzzled. This human was so strange. There were scary ones sure, but this one just seemed odd. He swam a little closer, Frank still on his back trying to sting him at this point. He was immune to the ray's harm and would only have small puncture holes from the attack. "They are...your friends?"
"I would hope so. I mean, it'd be kind of awkward if we all hated one another" he chuckled as he held a clip board " i have to go check on the exotics and mammals. Are you okay for a bit?" He asked
Sherlock looked about and nodded slowly, watching the man walk back upstairs. Apparently there are other creatures in the house. Ones that walked on land. Their folk would sing to them to lure them so they could eat as a family. He looked behind him at frank and hissed. The creature swam off in fear and more agitation. Sherlock slowly swam about, observing what was before him. He kept himself mostly above the water so he wouldn't be caught off guard.