Antonio ran as fast as his legs could carry him as soon as he reached the beach. He didn't care about his shoes, or the fact that he still hadn't eaten. He had just seen something that wasn't supposed to exist, that was a myth. This was crazy, and it didn't make sense.

He had to find the smartest person he knew, who had the best resources. Thank god the small village was only a mile away from his small strip of beach. Antonio threw himself into the small bookshop and rushed to the counter, meeting a bright, blonde haired, green eyed woman.

She started to smile, but frowned when she saw his completely disheveled and erratic state. "Antonio, did you drink saltwater? Because you look absolutely crazy" she scolded. Antonio shook his head and panted, exhausted after his sprint.

"Bella, I need every scrap of paper you have on mermaids. Documentations, sightings, myths, legends, anything" he sputtered. Bella tilted her head and placed her hands on her hips. "Is this a joke? Because I take my work very seriously" she huffed. Antonio slammed his hands on the counter.

"Bella, I am dead serious. Please" he begged. Bella clamped her mouth shut and nodded. Antonio sighed and slumped into a nearby desk. Bella quickly returned with a large stack of books. Antonio nodded and thanked her before sorting through them.

He decided to start with the Greeks. The creatures showed up everywhere in myths, dealing with gods, seducing men and leading them to their deaths, even falling in love with humans. And they were associated with sirens. Antonio shuddered at the thought of that. Songs that left men completely helpless? Not his cup of tea.

According to one legend, a goddess turned herself into a mermaid after her accidentally killing her lover, and that's how they came to be. Antonio flipped through the book intently. Bella watched the back of his head nervously. This was really unlike him. Antonio was never this interested in anything as foolish as fairytales. Though he had only started living here a month, Antonio soon befriended the Bella, and she had really taken a liking to him.

Antonio sighed and moved onto another book, hoping to find something more useful. Apparently the British hated them, considering all they ever wrote about was the bad omens that came from mermaids. But it also said they were healers. That might be useful to note.

Antonio crinkled his nose as he moved onto another, smaller book. Russians are creepy. Antonio quickly closed it after reading theories that mermaids were unclean souls of the dead. The one he saw certainly didn't look dead, nor did she look like a spirit. Antonio paused for a moment and thought about her. She was actually quite beautiful. Not in an I'm-going-to-lead-you-to-your-death kind of way, but in a much more…inhuman way.

He supposed that made sense; she wasn't human. But it wasn't the anatomy that made her look so different. Antonio couldn't put his finger on it. She was just…different.

Antonio shook his head and dove back into his 'research'. Antonio scanned the page of another book. "Tears of pearls…" he read along under his breath. That sounded nice. And profitable. Antonio grew bored of myths and folklore and moved onto 'facts'. Or at least, what he hoped was reliable.

Bella let out a soft groan and threw her torso over the counter of her little shop. It was going to get dark soon and Antonio was acting weird and her brother was coming home soon and that was a recipe for disaster.

Antonio ignored her quiet frustration and leaned back in his chair. The only evidence he could find of the existence of the mythical creatures were 'eyewitness stories' from pirates. And he knew all too well that life on sea was filled with intoxication and hallucinations.

Antonio groaned and rested his head on the table. No concrete facts or evidence. Nothing to completely justify what he saw. There was only one book he hadn't touched lying in front of him. Antonio reached out and read the cover.

The Little Mermaid

Antonio chucked to himself and stood. "Bella, do you mind if I borrow this?" he asked politely waving the book in front of her drooping eyelids. "Yeah, sure. Just bring it back" she sighed drowsily. Antonio nodded and squeezed her arm.

"You're an angel, Bella" he called back as he walked out. Bella smiled to herself and went over to clean up after the idiot.

(-)

Antonio was more than ready for anything. He had wax to put in his ears in case she sang a deadly song, a cross in case she was actually a spirit, and extra supplies in case she could summon a storm. Antonio eagerly paddled out and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

After two hours, he was starting to lose patience. He tried to think of what to do by remembering his encounter with her those few days ago. He was asleep through most of it. She leaned into his boat and she touched him. Even though he was only half awake, Antonio knew it was a cautious touch.

So she was hesitant. And she seemed frightened when he finally did wake up. So she feared him. Antonio sighed and laid back. So that meant being perched over the edge waiting to pounce was probably not the wisest idea.

(-)

Lovina gulped and stared at the surface. He was back. He was up there, doing nothing again. Was he waiting? No, if he was, he would be looking for her. No one was leaning out, and she didn't think he was smart enough to try and trick her. The idiot had fallen asleep in a tiny boat at least a mile from the shore.

Definitely not smart enough to trick her.

Lovina glanced around when she found herself slowly swimming upward. He was probably asleep again. And if he wasn't, so what? He had seen her once, so popping her head up couldn't do any harm. She could swim faster than a full sized ship if she had to, so one bastard in a dinky rowboat was no threat.

Lovina hesitantly lifted her head to the surface. It was just like before, no movement, no sight of him, but she knew he was there. Lovina let out a deep breath and peered over the boat once again.

(-)

Antonio suppressed a smile when he heard the water stir next to him. If she thought he was sleeping, he knew she'd come back. He distinctly remembered the curiosity behind her eyes. Though it was fleeting, the fire was still there.

Antonio almost flinched when he felt that small hand lightly rest on his leg. Of course she'd go for that appendage. Antonio decided to let her have her fun. She obviously had guts to come up a second time if she had seemed so terrified of him before.

The girl hesitated before running her hand along his shin, pausing to stroke the fabric that covered it. That's when he realized this must be just as strange to her. This feeling of encountering something new. Antonio silently reveled in the connection that had already formed between the two of them.

She moved her hand up to his knee, then his thigh, all the way up-

Antonio decided now would be a very good time to stop her.

(-)

She had never felt a leg before. They looked so strange. But Lovina figured she looked just as strange to him. She wondered what his name was. Not that she'd ever find out, or cared. Lovina sighed as she reached up higher, where the two legs separated.

Suddenly, the man jolted and successfully seized her arms. No, no, NO! This wasn't supposed to happen! Now he was going to skin her and sell her or keep her locked away or eat her. Lovina's stomach churned when she saw the triumphant smirk on his face.

Her horrified expression became furious as she thrashed and tried to rip her arms away. "Let me go, you stupid bastard, or I'll-I'll have a shark come rip your face off!" she screeched. There was no way in hell she was going down without a fight. Even if her threats were empty and not plausible.

"Hey, hey, calm down! I'm not going to hurt you!" the man exclaimed as his boat came dangerously close to capsizing. "Bullshit!" Lovina snapped. "You're going to kill me and chop me up!"

"No, I promise, I just want to talk!" he squeaked. Lovina stopped resisting and glared at him. "Don't you dare lie to me" she hissed. The man smiled a bit and shook his head.

"I would not dream of it" he chuckled. Lovina pouted and narrowed her eyes. "Then let go of me" she challenged. The man looked conflicted. He glanced at her nervously and swallowed. "You promise you won't run…or swim, I guess? Or summon a storm?" he asked quietly.

Lovina crinkled her nose and tilted her head. "'Summon a storm'? The fuck are you talking about?" she snorted. The man sighed and gently let go of her arms. Lovina looked at him briefly before diving back under water, ignoring his cries begging her to stop.

Lovina chuckled as she swam. Stupid bastard thought she'd just stick around? As if.

Lovina froze when she glanced over her shoulder and watched his figure slump over from above. Lovina bit her lip and looked back in the direction of her home. She was breaking every rule in the book by even looking at that man. But she really didn't want to just leave.

(-)

She was long gone. Antonio shrank back into his boat and let out a defeated groan. He was so close! He had spoken to her, touched her! He had her, but she slipped away. Antonio pouted to himself and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. She would probably never come back.

Antonio nearly fell out of his boat when water splashed into his face.

"Oi, bastard."

Antonio scrambled to the edge when he heard the voice he had already committed to memory. He couldn't help but smile. She really was beautiful. Even if she was pouting.

"Why do you want to talk to me?" asked slowly. Antonio just stared at her. He was having a real conversation with someone who wasn't supposed to exist.

"Are you real?" he sighed, half to himself. The girl rolled her eyes and groaned. "No, I'm fake. Of course I'm fucking real" she snapped. Antonio chuckled. She was fiery for a girl who lived underwater.

"How could I be so foolish" Antonio cooed. "Please tell me your name" he added politely. The girl looked Antonio up and down skeptically.

"Lovina" she finally mumbled, crossing her arms. Antonio smiled. Lovina. Such a beautiful name. Antonio extended his hand, which she hesitantly took. Antonio examined her small hand. No webbed fingers, no scales. It was just like any other hand. Lovina cocked an eyebrow and cleared her throat as he continued to look it over.

Antonio let out a nervous chuckle and released her. "My name is Antonio" he offered with a slight bow. Lovina rolled her eyes and glanced away.

"You never answered my question" she grumbled. Antonio blinked before remembering what she had asked. He chuckled and leaned closer, hanging his arms over the boat and letting his fingers graze the warm water.

"You fascinate me" he sighed honestly. Lovina turned a wonderful shade of red and backed away. "Y-You just met me!" she snapped. Antonio laughed again and tilted his head.

"I know. But where I come from, you are a myth. People look everywhere for you, but almost never seem to find you. But here I am, talking to a mermaid named Lovina."

Lovina glared. "Yeah, well there's a reason we aren't found. We don't want to be" she snapped. Antonio frowned. He liked that she was feisty, but she didn't have to be rude. Antonio picked his head up when her eyes suddenly widened and she stared at him. Before he could even ask what was wrong, she was grabbing his arms and shaking her head, terrified.

"You can't tell anyone about me" she pleaded. Antonio smirked and shrugged. He figured he'd have a little fun with her.

"I don't know Lovi" he sighed. "Maybe I'll keep you a secret on one condition" he added smugly. Lovina narrowed her eyes and scowled. She really didn't like this bastard. Lovina looked him up and down skeptically.

"You have to promise to come see me again tomorrow" he finished proudly. Lovina let out an annoyed groan and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine, you obnoxious bastard" she whined. Antonio laughed and reached out to cup her chin.

Lovina's eyes went wide again at the contact. Antonio just stared at her and chuckled when she suddenly became coy. He'd have to remember that for when they met again. Antonio smirked and drew his hand away as she scowled.

"Adios, Lovina!" he called as she began to swim away. Antonio's heart leapt when he swore he caught her smiling when she looked back.