The sound of waves crashing and a few sea gulls calling awoke you. You opened your eyes to be met with the harsh sun as you instantly coughed up the water that was in your lungs. You moved your hand next to you and felt soft sand a few rocks. Your mind was filled with confusion as you looked around and sat up. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw what looked like a man. You turned your attention towards him and watched him nervously slip into the water.

"Wait!" You called out with no answer. Sighing, you decided to get up and look around the place you were at. After investigating, you realized it was a small island that was nowhere near the shore you originated from. Again, you saw the man out of the corner of your eye and slowly turned. He again seemed nervous and was about to submerge himself before you called out to him.

"Wait! Please, wait! I don't know where I am or what happened. Could you help me?"

The man seemed to be in a daze as he admired your face as you spoke. His eyes trailed all over your body, but specifically, your legs. You were confused and a bit frustrated with him.

"Hey! My eyes are up here," you called out, instantly gaining his attention.

"S-Sorry," he quietly responded. "I, uh, I-"

"It's fine. Can you just help me?"

"Yes. Well, um, you were caught in the riptide and I -uh- saved you."

Your memory came flooding back and you shivered. "Oh my god, thank you."

"It's no problem."

"So, where am I?"

"You're on my private little island. It's away from the people."

You nervously swallowed as you began to feel anxious about getting home. "How did we get here? Surely you can't swim that far."

"Of course I can. I'm just, um, very strong."

Your eyebrows pulled together in confusion as you weren't believing him. "Well, can you swim me back? I kinda want to get home?"

He seemed to be very nervous. "Um, well, no."

"Why not?"

He paused a moment and seemed to be debating something inside him. Finally, he reached a conclusion. "Don't freak out or anything when this happens."

"When what happe-" you were cut off when he slung a magnificent tail onto the beach. Your eyes scanned every detail of it and traced it from his torso to the end. Beautiful green and grey scales were perfectly placed to accent each other and make the sight breath-taking. It was enough to make you pass out, but you didn't.

"You're a mermaid?" You breathed out as your head spun.

"Well, technically I'm a merman, but yeah."

"That's impossible. It's only in fairytales."

"Well I guess this must be yours because I'm real," he said with a chuckle.

Your eyes soaked in every detail of the man before you. His bright blue eyes that sparkled in the sunlight, his dark hair that was glistened with water, his sculpted chest and abs, his intricate and beautiful tail. Everything about him seemed beautiful to you.

"So, how am I going to get back?" You blurted before you could stop yourself. He looked at you with a sad expression.

"Oh, yeah, right. Well, I can't be seen by the humans so I can't just swim you back."

"What about a raft? We could make one and you could just push it. It would keep you concealed but also get me back."

"Yeah, I guess that could work," he said with a solemn expression.

"Hey, what's wrong?" You asked gently.

"It's just that this is the first human interaction I've had in a very long time and I'm sad that it has to end."

Your heart hurt with his words as you sympathized with him. You didn't want to leave him, but you knew you couldn't stay. Finally, an idea clicked.

"What if I come visit you?"

"Visit me?"

"Yes, like I could come back to the ocean every week or so and we could meet up again."

"Week?"

Your jaw dropped. "You don't know what a week is?"

He slowly shook his head. "Like I said, I haven't had any human interaction in a long time."

"Well that's about to change," you said with a smile.