Tanked

Before the Babe

My dorsal fin would never grow back but at least it was healing. Fortunately, the fish didn't pick on me for it either. It had been a few weeks since Synris ripped it off and he was being somewhat more patient with me. He didn't growl at me so much anymore, but he still didn't like me it seemed.

Unfortunately, merfolk pregnancies are long and taxing. We show early on, about four months in, and then look like pufferfish until the babe is born...a year later. And the best part is: My pregnancy would be longer since as a male, I'm not properly equipped to nurse a babe. So, the pregnancy takes longer as the babe develops farther and is finally born with the ability to eat regular food. But that's why Synris was only able to tolerate me at best. I'm notably clumsier and rather ungraceful with things now and I'm on his nerves because of it.

I still am unable to get comfortable on my back or sides and so I haven't slept at all. I've kept up on eating though. Finally, exhaustion won out and I felt like I would sink like a stone as soon as I closed my eyes, but I was so scared to lay down. The fish hadn't picked on me yet but considering my luck... I didn't want to take the chance.

"S-synris..." It was the first time I had spoken since he tore my dorsal fin off. He only spoke to me to give commands, so I hadn't had a reason to until now.

I know he heard me; he wasn't too far from me.

"What?" He sounded annoyed just from having to hear me. Looking at me caused his face to contort with disgust.

I think I heard my heart break. "I'm tired...p-please..." I mumbled.

"Then take a nap," He hissed and turned away from me.

I nodded to myself, feeling the pieces of my heart crumble and fall away. I had no other options, so I went to the small and sad excuse of a cave the tank had and crawled in, curling in on myself in a last desperate attempt to feel somewhat safe again.

It didn't work well. I was scared one of the larger fish would realize Synris wouldn't protect me so long as I was pregnant and that they would take a chunk out of my still exposed tail. I started whimpering at the thought. All I wanted now was for Synris to at least act like he cared.

Hadn't he been the one to first say we weren't royal and servant anymore? It didn't matter. I should've known he was only saying things. Just like I should've known just to stay with Zephic and Salo. He didn't love me at all, he was just bored, and I was his only option. He liked playing but only when the game went his way. Well this was his fault. He should have known too what his games would lead to, so this was as much his fault, if not entirely his, as it was mine. It wasn't fair that I was being punished for the things he made me do.

My whimpers had turned to screams and hisses. I was shaking and trembling so much I'm surprised I didn't create waves in the cage. It seemed all the emotions I had bottled up throughout my life had broken free and now that I had started, I couldn't find the cork to cap the bottle again. At least I was able to fall asleep, screaming myself out.

I have no idea how long I slept but when I woke, I felt so much better and I had come to a decision. I was nervous but... I had to do it and I wasn't waiting this time. I stretched out some and yawned, watching the air bubble I made rise and disappear over the kelp stalks.

Kelp stalks? I had fallen asleep in the shallow cave.

I wasn't in the cave though and I realized finally the wall I had just pushed myself against was actually Synris. The small smile I had fell the same instant as I went stiff. He didn't hit me though and instead scooted back so he had room to start rubbing my lower back with those magic hands.

It was so, so very tempting to relax and go back to my tropic paradise. I wanted to believe him, believe that he cared for me and loved me but every time I started to trust him, he snapped. If it had been just me, I would have closed my eyes again and gone back to being blissfully blind.