Start of Time (with you)

Beneath the waves, a courting has unfolded in silent gestures and black pearls. Now Neil must complete the ancient merman mating ritual - but his traumatic past has left him unprepared. Can he create a proper nest to seal his bond with Andrew, or will his insecurities destroy their chance at forever? Dive into a world of forbidden love, underwater passion, and the ultimate test of devotion as two souls navigate the depths of desire and commitment.

Start of Time (with you)

Beneath the waves, a courting has unfolded in silent gestures and black pearls. Now Neil must complete the ancient merman mating ritual - but his traumatic past has left him unprepared. Can he create a proper nest to seal his bond with Andrew, or will his insecurities destroy their chance at forever? Dive into a world of forbidden love, underwater passion, and the ultimate test of devotion as two souls navigate the depths of desire and commitment.

Andrew's tail disappears around the edge of the drop-off, leaving me alone with this disaster of a nest. The blue seaweed he helped me gather lies in tangled clumps instead of the neat, inviting bed I envisioned. Sharp rocks protrude in all the wrong places, and the moss I collected has mostly floated away.

I sink lower to the sea floor, pressing my fans against the back of my head. This is the final step—the nest where we'll seal our bond forever. If I can't even get this right, how can I expect to be a proper mate for Andrew?

The black pearl bracelet around my wrist glimmers in the filtered sunlight. Months of courting, of Andrew pressing these treasures into my palm and telling me to leave if I want... and I still can't manage something so basic.

What was I thinking? Andrew deserves someone who understands our traditions, someone unbroken by humans, someone... better.

The water shifts behind me, and my heart leaps. He's back early. Before I can react, Andrew's voice cuts through the water.

"Neil?" He sounds concerned. "What are you doing?"

I can't face him. Not like this. Not with the worst nest in merfolk history behind me as proof of my inadequacy.