The heart of the ocean (closed 18+ )

[LoneDigger]

"I wasn't in any danger, really..."

 

Adrian tried to reassure Yukie but it seemed to be no use at all now that he had accidentally worked up the merman a second time. This couldn't be healthy... Maybe he should just go home before he did some kind of permanent damage to the poor creature.

 

"Next time I won't swim without my suit. Promise..."

 

The man added as he sat up and edged over to be closer to the water only to be splashed in the face a second time.

 

"........ Okay, fine. I deserved that."

 

He chuckled slightly as he glanced down at the water and then moved to just lay on his back again and contemplate the situation again. Maybe there was something missing here...

The biologist's thoughts were interrupted by a cool and slightly wet touch on the side of his face and he turned to glance at Yukie and gave the merman a smile.

[Yukonwolfspirit]

“...goodbye” yukie mumbled softly before removing his hand from the others face having quietly swam out of his nest to check on the man. He stayed still for afew seconds before moving away, his body hesitant to leave his mate alone. Despite Yukie’s worry toward Adrian’s health he knew he needed to leave him and sleep since he would need energy for hunting around the tank for his food. With a small moment he placed a beautiful green rock looking much like his blue one beside his mate before quickly swimming back to his nest his face slightly red with embarrassment at giving his mate his own mating gift. Once the male reached his nest he hid deeper inside of it to keep out of sight still embarrassed and needing to destress from his meeting with Adrian.

 

He smiled slightly before rolling around in the smooth rocks shining and cleaning his scales before resting his body down on the nest and yawning. He had learned a lot about his mate in such a short time and for once felt slightly safer in his home. Since it was Yukie’s first mate he was quite inexperienced with courting the man finding it hard since his species only sought out mates to help raise children’s to keep them company. Most of the time their mating rituals where complex if they ever decided to settle down. It didn’t help that most only chose to find a mate to help after children where born and to help hunt for the mothers of their species. Although it was quite rare every now and then some would find a mate before having offspring to keep them safe in an uncomfortable envoirment. They also looked for mates to help them move often taking their nests or some plants with them when they relocated so they could always have a piece of their home with them.

[LoneDigger]

"Goodbye...?"

 

Adrian tried to sit up, he didn't like the sound of that. Why was Yukie saying goodbye when they were see each other again so soon?

It was very worrying, even as devil may care attitude the man possessed half the time.

But before he could even ask the Merman had already swam away, leaving only a green smooth pebble behind.

 

The scientist picked up the small rock and stared at it in the palm of his hand for a moment before closing his fingers around it tightly.

He didn't know why yet, but Adrian could tell that this little stone held a powerful meaning to it. And it was simply precious to him because it was the first gift he had received from the sea creature.

 

Adrian tidied up the small mess he had made on the deck, putting everything back where it belonged and pulling his semi dry lab coat back on to hide his genuinely soaked clothing until he could get to the changing rooms.

Once that was all taken care of he transferred his notes onto a laptop and added in some more details and other necessary information and observations made, as well as future plans.

Closing the top and putting the device away there was one more thing to do before leaving.

 

The man walked back into the kitchen area that was reserved for preparing the various diets of all the marine animals and fish that resided here. He was alone on his shift this evening so it took a bit longer than usual.

He made sure to feed Yukie last though since he knew the merman was the most nervous about eating during the daylight and when people were around, but after closing the aquarium would be quiet.

This time when making the meal he pulled out a ball with some holes in it. He carefully stuffed the fish inside.

It may have seemed bizarre thing to do, but actually this was a puzzle feeder. They usually gave it to the sea otters or octopus because those animals were very intelligent and having to work to find their dinner provided the much needed mental stimulation.

 

Adrian chuckled slightly. He couldn't wait to see Yukie trying to figure out the trick to get the food out of the ball. But that wasn't all. They were also going to try to feed the merman some live fish, or rather release the sardines into the tank and let him hunt after them. But it wasn't expected that Yukie would be comfortable enough to hunt in an unfamiliar environment so he'd give him a few frozen ones.

 

The biologist stood at the edge of the platform, already having pushed in the cart filled with food throughout the aquarium to feed the others first but this was going to be the real show.

[Yukonwolfspirit]

Yukie yawned happily when he woke up to the place being much more darker. He was happy they finally turned down the bright lights and smiled at the fact that there weren’t a lot of humans walking around and staring at him. With a nice little streatch Yukie rolled around in the soft stones as if polishing his body. After afew moments of self cleaning he had finally decided to swim around enjoying the darker waters. His tank was eerily quiet as he searched for food he watched around swimming around his eyes being the only creepy reflection one could see as he watched the little fish.

 

With a suddenly flash of bright light from his spikes he moved he snatched the fish temporarily stunning and blinging before the tank went back to being pitch black the male having caught afew of the small sardines. His species where quite the terrifying hunters and where equipped to kill. The small spikes poking out on their bodies showing small needle like bones that of attacked could release poison if the sudden bright flash of light didn’t blind the poor creatures first. With the other fish easier to grab due to the light stun Yukie took his time eating not noticing the eyes that watched him outside of the tank. After afew more large circles around the tank the male had discovered the frozen food and finding the cold fish to be unappealing ignored the dead sardines.

 

He continued to swim around before finding the small toy with food in it. With a frown he poked at it and continued to mess with the device trying to open it by testing out which button would correctly unlock it. After about ten to fifteen minutes Yukie had successfully opened the toy to find more fish inside. And after eating it he continued to mess with the device until he had figured out how to lock it again and took it off towards the small platform. He poked his head out of the water and threw it back on the platform seeing the container as trash now.

[LoneDigger]

The electronic light from the laptop screen was all Adrian needed, he had his observation notes opened in one tab, while the other tab was connected to the surveillance cameras so he could watch Yukie under the water from all angle of the tank.

They even had night vision so though it was dim the resolution was just fine.

The man watched in pure delight as the merman suddenly lit up with a flash of color that stunned his prey. He had never seen this kind hunt, let alone seen them at all aside from some sketchy pictures in an outdated book on mermaids.

But getting to witness this for the first time was just so interesting and he could take his eyes off of the screen. Even his face was alight in the electronic glow, but maybe that was just his sheer exhilaration.

His finger glided swiftly over the keys without even having to look down as he wrote down everything he saw, from the bright flash down to Yukie refusing the already butchered sardines.

 

Now for the really fun part... Could Yukie figure it out or was he just a dumb fish? He highly doubted that, fish weren't really that simple, and he was half human... then again while humans were the most intelligent animals they could also do the stupidest things so maybe it really was a fifty fifty chance outcome.

But it didn't seem to take long at it for the merman to figure it and Adrian gave a little cheer, grinning as he pumped his fist in the air softly to himself.

 

"Yes! Way to show 'em Yu-- FUCK!!!"

 

Just as he was about to praise the other the ball suddenly hit him square in the chest and made him loose balance, crashing right out of his seat and onto the deck.

He wasn't really hurt, more startled than anything as he lay flat on his back, eyes widened and his arms clutching onto the ball as if for dear life.

Soon his grip loosened and he let go of the toy and let out a slow laugh...

 

"So that's what you think of puzzle games, huh..."

[Yukonwolfspirit]

Yukie finished hunting and sensing there was no more food in his tank grumbled his eyes creepily glowing from the surface of the water as he came up and looked around the top of the tank as if searching for a weak spot. Slowly swimming around the parameter of his enclosure he touched the glass every now and then. Despite the darkness yukie was able to see quite well and every few feet would tap the glass before stopping at a small corner of the enclosure. He studied the work and edges of the tank before suddenly slamming his hand against the wall making the glass shatter slightly but not break. He moved around the broken area looking it over before swimming down to the bottom of his tank.

 

With a sudden quick movement the tank once again was hit with a loud thud the small crack much larger and now leaking water. With this small effort in destroying and finding a weak spot, Yukie backed off the water turning a darker red from the cut he had substained from his shoulder making him swim back to his nest thinking he had been attacked.

[LoneDigger]

"What the hell are you up to, Yukie... You better not be...!"

 

Adrian growled underneath his breath, the humor suddenly leaving him as his own training kicked it and he swiftly grabbed the oxygen tank and nothing more for himself, the other he'd have to carry down for restraining Yukie. A bit of thick cord should do it, and if that didn't work he didn't even want to resort to the next option, though Adrian was risking a lot by taking the more humane approach made things more comfortable for the merman but ten times more dangerous for the scientist.

 

Adrian dived quickly down to the cave, the emergency lights having already been activated by the broken glass and an alarm was going off.

Ignoring all the commotion and cursing it as he already knew it would only spook Yukie worse. But he didn't have time for waiting, he pressed himself right into the cave and quickly backed the other into the wall so he could bind his fin, preventing him from swimming properly.

It was quite a struggle and Adrian wasn't without some thrashing from the merman as he struggled to bring them both up to the surface.

 

He dragged them both up onto the dock and had to carry Yukie down the hallway into the emergency veterinary ward. Quickly putting into a shallow tank that already had water inside. Deep enough to cover Yukie, but it was such a tight space he couldn't move with either side being squeezed in.

 

The scientist moved quickly to inspect the cut and it was pretty bad. A large piece of glass was impaled in his shoulder and it was bleeding profusely.

The only good news was the medical tank Adrian had just thrown him inside the water inside was treated with medication that would not only numb the pain but the rest of him to keep him calm for the procedure.

He waited for a minute longer for the medication to fully absorb into the merman's system before he took a pair of needle nosed pliers to remove the shard of glass delicately, but just as accurately.

He placed the bloody piece of glass into a tray before picking up a needle to stitch the wound back together.

"Idiot... Even if you had fucking broke the glass entirely then what? Oh, you were just going to lay there bleeding out to death? Or were you instead going to wait until you asphyxiated slow and painful... What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you were clever, but I guess I was wrong..."

 

Adrian knew he shouldn't be so harsh on Yukie. Animals in captivity can panic and do things that seriously hurt themselves out of that distress, but it was still hard to see. Especially since he worked so hard to make life comfortable here for all the marine life.

 

"Fucking great... Now your home is broken. So you just get to stay here in this cramped little tank. Are you happy now?"

[Yukonwolfspirit]

Yukie hissed as he saw the intruder suddenly force his way into his den. At the sudden touch and restraint he fought back with quite a violent side that would only ever be present when hurt or when under intense stress. He continued thrashing and trying to attack the man, until he felt his fins being bound making him squirm all the more but stopped him to trying to hurt him with his needle spikes. He continued hitting and trying to get away from Adrian the lights terrifying to him and the noise causing his anxiety to rise even higher. He continued to squirm even more the second he was brought out of the water only stopping the second he saw Adrian’s face before him under the emergency lights.

 

With a horrified look he quit fussing long enough to be suddenly shoved into a medical tank that smelled quite weird to the merman. Yukie while Adrian began working on him seemed to be in a state of shock and not registering what was happening the poor creature not even flinching as the piece of glass was carefully removed. After a few moments Yukie was completely relaxed and laying down very still in the tank while he watched Adrian work on his wound. He was unusually quite for a creature who had just impaled himself with a sharp piece of glass and despite the medication was surprisingly still somewhat awake. He listened to the scolding he was receiving from his mate but somewhat tuned him out.

 

“...You left......” Yukie mumbled sleepily the mermaid suddenly being fully hit by the medication as he laid his head down on the small little table his body exhausted. “...it wasn’t safe for me” Yukie added softly his body moving to lay more comfortably as he tried to drunkenly remove the bandaging pressing down on his maternity pouch where his species carefully raised and carried their young for the first few months of their growth stage. With another small movement his hand fell away before he finally collapsed due to stress and exhaustion his body clearly needing to keep its strength for more important things.

 

The mermaid was unknowing to the scientist with young the male having found his old home to be a perfect place to raise his young since the fisherman attracted many fish. And since he had learned the pattern of work ships he had decided to try and raise a child hoping to find a mate before then. But because he was accidentally captured while out hunting he had been removed from his safety of his already prepared nest. After a week of traveling and finally making it to the new home he had been quick to find a safe spot so he could hide from predators. Having found no predators he had become somewhat, calm until he was visited by the male and having courted and accepted his mating offer he had gone into a full out panic mode once Adrian had left his tank for the night. After he had been gone for so long Yukie had gone into a full out panic looking for his mate and in the end had tried to break the wall to go search the other areas of water.

[LoneDigger]

Adrian scoffed softly at the other's words, yet he couldn't stay angry with Yukie... noticing it seemed to be bothering him, the male carefully removed it, only to pause as he took a closer look.

He wasn't sure exactly what that was, but he thought he had an idea... But now really wasn't the time to go prodding around, the merman had already been stressed enough.

Instead he removed the rest of the binds and made sure that his fins hadn't been damaged. They were designed to be strong enough to hold, but flexible enough not to hurt the delicate frills of the fins.

 

Adrian suddenly winced, and not because of Yukie. But after his adrenaline rush died down he was starting to feel a burning sensation in several spots... Looks like Yukie had accidentally got him in a few places with that barb of his.

Oh, well. Just some more scars to add to his already vast collection~

Being a marine biologist meant he had his far share of run ins with angry sea life. Even the coral took a chunk out of his leg.

 

"Well, you're safe now so you can relax..."

 

Adrian murmured tiredly, the poison was no doubt coursing through his body and he would feel like hell really soon, but for now it was just slightly nauseating.

He couldn't drive home like this, so looks like he was taking the night shift.

Yukie was a lot of hard work, but he smiled because it had all been so worth it just to see him happy for those brief moments, building his nest or hunting the sardines with his beautiful, brilliant light...

 

He vision blurred and he found himself slightly slumping over the tank Yukie was resting in and just hovering over it. To some it may have looked like he was going to be sick, but actually it was more so the scientist was leaning over to protect the precious specimen inside.

Adrian may have made a few mistakes today, but from now on he would protect him...

[Yukonwolfspirit]

Yukie slept painlessly for his first night his body finally regaining some strength and of course a lot of peace of mind. He continued to sleep in his tank until he was awoken to other humans coming into work. With a small movement of clear discomfort he wiggles himself around only to find Adrian laying beside him. With a soft blush he inspected the man slightly finding his face somewhat peaceful. He stayed very quiet listening to the sounds outside the medical room and the slight pissed off voices arriving in the holding area that where now just viewing the water mess and the broken tank.

[LoneDigger]

Adrian was unable to wake up normally thanks to the poison still working it's way through his system. It was a really good thing he had skipped dinner last night after running out of time thanks to preparing food for the animals came over feeding himself.

Because he knew know the way he felt that if there was anything in his stomach it would have just come back up by now.

Now the male was starting to act like Yukie, groaning in discomfort in the bright lights and sudden crowd of his concerned coworkers flocking around him and the tank he had fallen asleep over.

 

"Guysss... guys...! I... I'm f-fine... just... f... fuck off... okay...? Yukie isssn't... sssafe..."

 

He slurred, his mind completely hazed over which did nothing in the way of reassuring everyone that it was 'f-fine' as he had put it. Instead they tried to take him away from Yukie which had him putting up his own little struggle.

[Yukonwolfspirit]

“It’s best to send him to a hospital for treatment” Beu replied gently looking at his co worker who was putting up a fight as the man sighed and forced him away from the oversized fish. “Yukie will be here when you get back” he added before mentioning to some men to put the creature in a spare tank. After afew moments of struggle with yukie and the use of metal gloves to keep from ending up like Adrian they eventually got him in an isolation tank the smaller tank keeping afew small decorations in it with a smaller rock hide. Although Beu was slightly colder towards his creatures he had all the reason to having grown to not trust the animals and he had became more fond of the more simple aquatic sea creatures.

 

With a sigh he looked at yukie and turned off the lights hoping the creature would sleep and leave him to finish his paperwork. Yukie who had found himself somewhere different had squished himself deep under the small rock hideaway glad he was unable to be grabbed or seen by human eyes. Unknowing to the male there where afew cameras in the tank watching him from his side to monitor his health. Despite this tank being quite inhumane ...it was all they had at the moment to hold such a violent creature.

[LoneDigger]

Yukie wasn't the only one being sent off to a hospital. Adrian was being dragged away as well, but what good would it do? Yukie's kind was so rare there was probably no antidote for the poison know to humans, probably the source of it would come from the same one who delivered the poison... He think he had read that once in his book, or was that only with plants?

God, he was so out of it right now.

 

As soon as he was discharged from his own 'prison' which had been the recovery room the first thing he did was rush back to work to check on Yukie.

 

"You don't understand, Beu. He needs me!"

 

He tried to explain to his coworker as he pushed aside to get closer to the tank the merman was currently being kept locked inside.

[Yukonwolfspirit]

“He needs quarantine! He’s aggressive toward his handlers. What’s best now is to keep him in a calm environment until we can permanently transfer him to his final tank” Beu explained glaring down at his co worker. “Despite that I sent you home! The toxin may have worn off but your obviously to tiered to work today and you need to go home!” The man demanded not letting Adrian pass the doorway where yukie was locked up the room dark as night.

[LoneDigger]

"Yukie isn't aggressive, he was just scared and acted out..."

 

Adrian defended for the merman, trying to look around Beu's shoulders so he could see through the window in the door.

 

"I'm not tired. They had me rest in the hospital plenty so I'm all good now."

 

The man smiled, trying to convince the other man that everything was okay by staying calm, even if he felt really impatient to go see the merman he knew freaking out wouldn't help anything.

Adrian knew that Beu meant well, and actually what they were doing right now in keeping Yukie in a pitch black room with not visitors was the perfect thing for the creature right now, but he still needed him.... He just knew somehow.

 

"Come on, Boss~"

[Yukonwolfspirit]

“...fine...but only because you asked nicely” Beu replied with a sigh before moving to the side letting the man in. “He’s been hiding in the small cave. He squeezed into it when he first got there and has stayed there being quiet. He’s been leaving his wound alone but he’s still seeming stressed. Most likely trama from the whole incident.” Beu added after a moment before unlocking the computer showing the creature who was in a weird state of half awake sleep.

 

“He might still be heavily drugged...he did stay in a tank of medicine all night so there’s no telling how he will react. He’s mostly just floated in place. I put a monitor bracelet on him to check his vitals but even their off, they get a weird muffled reading.” Beu explained with a raised brow. “He’s displaying...concerning signs...ones that, well females display when under extreame stress.”

[LoneDigger]

"I don't even know if it's a 'him'... I was pretty fucking out of it myself that night. But I could have sworn..."

 

Adrian was about to say it, but then slowly shook head. Better to keep his ideas to himself until he had the proof to back it up or else he'd look like the biggest idiot yet.

But it was highly worrying how stressed out the sea creature had become. All he had been doing was sitting there on the observation platform on his laptop then suddenly Yukie went crazy attacking the glass trying to escape.

 

Honestly even if it was his fault or not, Adrian was surprised he hadn't been fired for just being the only one there when the incident occurred.

Poor Yukie though... To have reacted in such a way had to have meant he really messed up. To send him into such a state of pure terror...

 

"I'll be careful..."

 

He added in before pushing past the doors slowly and carefully to get inside the quarantine room where animals were who either new, sick, or aggressive were kept.

 

"Yukie..." He called out softly, standing at the edge of the tank and gazing down into the water. He probably wasn't allowed to actually go inside so he moved down to the glass were he could be at eye level with the bottom part of the tank. It was hard to see though with how dark it was.

[Yukonwolfspirit]

“I’ll turn up the lights” Beu mumbled turning the lights to a nice dim setting that mimicked the color of yukies natural home. After afew minutes two reflective eyes looked out from the cave seeming to have woken up as he peeked out slowly. Yukie was still quite tiered and as the drugs where starting to wear off in his system he was becoming slightly more active. With a small wiggle he squeezed out of the hide and went around the tank circling the small enclosure as if looking for Adrain. “...you haven’t been assigned a permanent species yet have you?” Adrian asked the man watching the creature swim.

[LoneDigger]

"No, sir..."

 

Adrian answered quietly, never taking his hazel eyes off Yukie for a second.

Since he was still new he was learning to work with all the marine animals and would only be assigned a specifically one he assumed after more experience so they could match him up where was most needed, but also the creatures he worked best with. His favorites had always been the Moray Eels. They were just so badass...

 

The man had fight the urge to put his hands on the glass since he knew that the boss didn't like it when it got smeared, besides all the hundreds of kids that visited already did that enough... He knew better to behave. He was a scientist and they didn't get emotional like children.

 

With his hands held limply at his side, in complete control and much different in behavior now that his boss was watching he called out softly to the merman.

 

"Over here, Yukie..."

[Yukonwolfspirit]

“I’ve been looking over your notes and the videos watching closely how he reacts around you. I have to say, he’s quite fond of you and more...you could say careless about having you around him in his tank. Since you haven’t been assigned any permanent area of the aquarium I’ve decided to assign you to this species.” Adrian added after a moment watching yukie swim around looking much more comfortable with the light setting then before. “This will include designing his new tank for his room in the display.”

 

“He will be housed in a new existing designed for him, we will be moving the sharks out temporarily to redesign the enclosure. Since the glass is unbreakable where he will be put it will help any panicking or escape.there will also be more area space to put more caves along with a tunnel inside so the guests can see him living inside his nest.” Beu explained having already started moving his beloved sharks to a temporary home while the construction crew added on the new shark wing to house his beloved pets. “With all of this being said I’d like to give you full reign over this species, from just one day of interaction we already know that this species can figure out high level problems and alert us if they need help.”

 

Beu smirked as he looked at his co worker. “Mermen don’t destroy walls unless they where extreamly upset...Yukie’s enclosure was unbalanced...the filteration system we use malfunctioned causing the water to get high levels of chemicals in it that we use to keep the water and the fish healthy so we can easily move them into different tanks.” Beu explained with a chuckle watching yukie swim around with the small blue rock in his hands. “It also didn’t help that his mate disappeared for hours leaving him alone and scared”

 

“...go in the tank...I want to see if he’s going to act the same way he did in his old tank” Beu added

[LoneDigger]

"T... Thank you, sir. I promise I won't disappoint you again."

 

Adrian bowed his head slightly in gratitude, trying to remain calm and professional but the child in him was jumping around and cheering that was not only he wasn't fired, but he was being assigned full responsibly over a rare marine creature!

This was the best possible outcome he could have ever hoped for.

He could have seriously squeezed Beu into the biggest of hugs right then from his sheer joy but instead he just shook the man's hand.

 

"... Oh, I hadn't realized that. Nor will I let Yukie down a second time. He's my responsibly now and that's.... it's just such an amazing privilege, I can't tell how grateful I am."

 

Adrian grinned, but before he got too emotional he gave a nod at his next orders.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

The marine biologist went into the small room to get changed into his wet suit and strap on the oxygen tank. Once he was all dressed up he sat at the edge of the tank and let himself fall back into the dark water.

 

It was only after all that it suddenly hit him, what his boss had said...

"It also didn’t help that his mate disappeared for hours leaving him alone and scared”

 

What was he talking about? Meaning that Yukie's mate in the wild having been taken away from her had caused him such stress?

He still didn't get that he was the mate now. How could he have been? He was a male for a one thing, and well... human.

The scientist loved animals no doubt, but not THAT much...

 

Adrian swam gently down to the bottom of the tank to search for the merman, but then decided it would be best to let Yukie come to him first.

[Yukonwolfspirit]

Yukie watched the diver from his hide before slowly coming out his fins puffing up more then usual as he looked Adrian over unsure if he wanted to go towards him. After what seemed like ten minutes he finally de puffed and slowly went over to his mate snuggling into him having been exteamly stressed and scared from everything that had happened. With a small frown the fish curled his body around his mate in a slight protective way as he blocked him from Beu who was sitting in a chair taking notes. With a small smile Beu tapped the tank before turning the lights just a little brighter yukie glaring at the man as he puffed up and glared clearly aggressive towards any of the other workers who had even tried to feed him.

[LoneDigger]

Adrian was slightly scared by the sight of those spiked out fins. He had already been stung a bunch the last time he messed with those barbs and he didn't want another incident to get himself or more importantly Yukie into any trouble.

He just hovering there in the water, as if he were dancing in place just above the rocky bottom as he watched the merman destress slowly, but surely enough.

 

The man chuckled softly as he felt the merman wrapped himself around his body was actually kind of scary at first. His favorite sea creatures the Moray Eels only wrapped around something if they were A: mating or B: killing prey.

Though neither seemed to be the case here, if anything Yukie was more like a dolphin bumping against him in an affectionate way. If not slightly possessive which he had to be careful of.

Wrapping his arms lightly around the fish's body he let Yukie guide them through the water.

Luckily his limbs were only around the non fined part of the merman's body so when he puffed back up in response to the bright lights Adrian just chuckled nervously.

 

"Easy now... It's going to be okay..."

[Yukonwolfspirit]

Yukie glared back at Adrian clearly still upset with him for leaving as he went back to his den keeping an eye on Beu outside the tank. With another de puffing yukie went back to the dark den going into the opening to go back to hiding with his brood the poor creature not feeling safe enough to leave his child alone for more then afew minutes to look for food. Once inside the den Yukie went over to the rock nest that had been crafted overnight and laid down setting his rock in a safe place before nesting down. The merman felt safe once back in his den and clearly wasn’t threatened by letting Adrian into his nesting area where he was holding his young the eggsac quite hard on the outside but inside contained a small child of his species clearly only four months old since his fins wrapped more around its body to protect itself.

[LoneDigger]

Adrian wasn't so sure what to even do with himself anymore now that it seemed he had upset the poor creature so much anything he did seemed to be wrong. And he was still learning the signals and how to communicate.

The marine biologist didn't even dare to go inside the cave or den, instead he just waited outside.

Though he was awfully curious as to why Yukie kept returning to the nest, was he just really shy or was there something perhaps inside he was protecting?

 

"Yukie...?"

 

The man murmured, confused when he was let inside as his eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness inside the cave.