Third person pov

Atlantis had never met a human before. Though he was alone now, his school had always warned him to stay away from them at all costs. His little pod of merfolk had been made up of around fifteen when he was younger, all of them staying tightly knit and close together at all times. They'd been traveling around and about, never stopping for too long for fear of being found. Those times were happier, full of sea-shell collecting and days spent peeking out of the water at night and watching dolphins leap from the water, doing flips and other tricks that made laughter bubble up in his chest.

Now, he found himself alone, separated from the family he knew and loved. It had been like that a few years, him being unable to find them, but always searching nonetheless. Besides! It's not like he was... completely by himself. The whales let him sleep on their backs, lulling him to sleep with old bedtime stories shared in quiet whispers. The sharks were gruff but polite nonetheless, griping about the dolphins, and how they never took anything seriously. Sea Turtles were laid back but almost always up for a conversation, and salmon would sing jaunty tunes as a group as they swam along. They always cheered when Atlantis joined in, swarming around him and making him laugh as bubbles flew about in the excited vortex.

He wasn't terribly old, but he was old enough to know. To know that humans were dangerous, and that they killed. He'd witnessed it first hand plenty of times before. There was absolutely no reason for him to be approaching one now, knowing what they were capable of. The humans he'd seen had possessed terrifying powers. Ones his parents spoke and warned him of. The ability to stretch their limbs beyond what most were capable, or the capacity to shoot fire from their hands. He was sure their skills stretched beyond that, but those were what he'd witnessed himself. 

Still, he couldn't help but yearn. Merfolk too had the capacity to harm. They were powerful creatures, most of them possessing abilities of their own that would make probably even humans quiver with fear in some instances. They were masters of the sea, defensive and ready to take down anything that threatened them and their existence. Humans, possibly, were the same way. The knowledge they had on mer-people was clearly limited. Maybe their intentions weren't necessarily malicious, but instead scared. Merfolk feared the unknown. Did humans as well?

Seldom did Atlantis ever come near land. The ocean was dirtier there, with more trash and sicker animals. He did his best to help heal them with what he knew. His parents had taught him well. While his father had been a warrior, his mother had always been a healer. He'd gotten that from her. His abilities weren't offensive or defensive. They helped, meant to protect and aid. His mother and father had always been proud of him for that. His school, too. 

There was something here near this plot of earth that called to him. He didn't know why or what it was, but it was drawing him in. Something in his chest stirred ever so slightly. It was enough for him to wander that direction, having nowhere else to go. He was tired of wandering, lost and without his fellow mer to convene with. Currently, the group of amberjack fish he'd been with had swam here alongside him. This was what humans called a cove. An indent in the earth, creating a sheltered portion of the coast that was closed off from the rest of the shoreline. It was secluded, and they claimed they'd been there plenty of times with no issues. Never had they had fishermen come to this part, they assured. Atlantis had taken them at their word. And honestly, they hadn't lied. The man before him had no pole or hook of any kind. No nets, or other gear to secure the capture of any of the local sea life.

Atlantis had seen humans before. Mostly aboard the hulking vessels they called boats, but at times he'd seen them in their underwater gear, climbing across the ocean floor with their large boxes that would produce flashes of light that momentarily eliminated the darkness. He was never sure what their purpose was, but he knew they didn't seem to hurt the creatures the light was aimed at. He'd always watch from a distance anyway, he and his family tucked beneath rocks and buried down in the sands, hiding in plain sight, yet never being seen. Those times were simultaneously the most terrifying and the most interesting.

But Atlantis couldn't eliminate the absolute awe he felt when he saw the legs that dangled in the sea before him. They weren't covered in tight material, free from any confines. They were covered in skin, like the rest of their body was. They swayed along with the ocean's current, awing him entirely as he absentmindedly drifted closer. It wasn't until he was right in front of them, reaching out to touch them that he realized what he was doing. His eyes grew wide as his fingers ghosted across the skin, and he was soon rocketing beneath the wooden structure the human was on as they jolted into a sitting position. Atlantis felt his heart drop.

Approaching humans was number one on any mer's 'what not to do' list. That, and don't haggle with crabs, because they'll steal everything you own in about two seconds flat. That part was besides the point. He'd just... swam up to a human! What had made him think this was a good idea, again? He couldn't help it. These were legs. Legs! Looking down at his aqua tail that caught light even beneath the wooden structure, he couldn't stop himself from marveling at the vast difference. 

Beneath the structure of wood, he rose his head above the water silently to listen for any sounds the human might make. Above the water, it was harder to keep his breathing quiet, his lungs working overtime in his state of mild panic. His was heart thundering, skipping beats left and right. And even still, Atlantis couldn't quite pry his eyes from the human's legs. They were something he'd never seen before, and it was awing. A true anomaly to him, who'd only ever known his bright tail and many shimmering scales. What was it like, to have such mobility? To be able to not only swim, but to... walk.

He'd always wondered if humans were like him. His pod of merfolk had insisted they were heartless monsters, but Atlantis didn't see how that could possibly be the case. Lower body aside, they looked the same. With a pair of eyes and a nose, and a mouth, ears, and hair. A neck and shoulders, that led out to arms and a chest, along with a torso. As a merman, he was essentially just a human man with a tail slapped on. Or maybe it was the other way around, and the humans were simply the ones without the tails. Either way, their similarities were uncanny. That being said... so were the differences.

"Who's there?" The voice that spoke was deep and gruff, and threatening enough to startle Atlantis out of his reverie and cause him to duck back under the water. The legs in the water no longer let themselves be carried by the light currents, instead staying stock still with tension. Atlantis felt his heart pound like it never had before, and he found himself drifting a bit further forward despite himself. Being in the water, he had an advantage. There was a chance he could get out of here without getting hurt. Besides, he wasn't sure this human would hurt him. It's not as though they-- he-- was simply out here, waiting for an unassuming merman to swim along for the sole purpose of harming them. That wouldn't make any sense. Atlantis knew this, and knew of the warnings. He just... couldn't help but poke his head out anyway.

He peered up at the man, who was leaning forward and squinting further out at the waves. He didn't look scared or all that mad. More steely and unsure than anything else, eyes narrowed in suspicion and gaze flitting about. Atlantis observed him, taking in his hands, curled around the edge of the wooden structure, and the sharpness of his jawline. His features were fierce-- not at all soft and rounded like Atlantis's were. His hair was longer as well, pulled back into a sort of bun to keep it from his face. His jaw was lined with scruff. Atlantis resisted the urge to raise a hand to his own face. He could recall his father having a beard, but had never grown one himself.

And then, the man looked down. Atlantis swore he almost stopped breathing right then and there. The mans eyes were inky black pools, wide in shock just like his own lighter ones. Atlantis felt both frozen and amazed, unable to stop his heart from speeding up and his curiosity from taking the reigns. If he died, then he died, he supposed. It's not that he wanted to, but these humans... it was all so intriguing. There was so, so much more out there. So much Atlantis wished he could see! He wanted a friend. Without his school, he felt alone, even with the booming abundance of sea life completely ready to follow him to the very ends of the earth.

They stared at each other, Atlantis's gaze flickering to the man's legs momentarily. How did they work? What were the muscles in them like? What did feet do? He assumed they were for balance, sort of like the fins at the end of his tail. They helped to orient him and steer his body in the direction he wanted to go. What of feet? They bent in a way his tail did not, with joints he didn't realize could even exist creating curves beneath the skin. The human did nothing but stare, looking just as astonished as Atlantis felt. If merfolk never interacted with humans, that had to mean the opposite was true as well. If they weren't seeing humans, humans most certainly weren't seeing them either. So maybe this man was feeling the same was Atlantis was. Not violent, not angry-- just curious and completely wonderstruck.

It was a horrible idea. He knew this, and yet he still poked his head out further from beneath the wooden structure the man sat upon nonetheless. His eyes flickered to the legs, waiting to see if they'd move at all. They both simply watched each other as Atlantis slowly inched further and further out, pausing each time to see what the man would do. Never had Atlantis seen legs so close up before. They were covered in hair, just like the type that seemed to grow on the man's arms. Atlantis felt a bit self conscious. His arms were bare, completely free of any hairs. They were so different, yet so alike at the same time. This man had no gills on his neck. Atlantis's fluttered.

The expression that came onto the man's face when he saw Atlantis's blueish-green tail nearly made him laugh. He looked so incredibly dumbfounded. It was a look so genuine, Atlantis had to ask himself how he and his family could ever think that all humans were bad. Something about the way he gawked made Atlantis relax. This man was just as curious about his tail as Atlantis was about his legs. There was a mutual intrigue between them as Atlantis delicately curved around the man's legs, careful not to touch them, yet still getting close enough to really take them in.

The man's leg shifted a bit without warning. It was sudden enough that Atlantis jolted back, spiraling once, out and away from the wooden structure and the man. His heart took off, and every instinct in him told him to rocket from the cove and out to sea, not stopping until he could no longer see the land he'd fled from. But he didn't. He turned back again to look at the human with wide eyes, terrified but waiting. He rose up slightly, the top of his head breaching the surface. Everything above the water was so much warmer. He reveled in the feeling of the sun beating down on him, just his eyes exposed amongst the waves, which were a bit choppier. His nerves were getting to the ocean, causing its water some light turmoil. His influence on the sea always had been interesting.

Atlantis was overjoyed when the man didn't attack. If he had wanted Atlantis dead, he surely would've made some move to end him by now! He rose up just a little more, a hesitant smile forming on his face. Did humans smile, too? He wasn't sure, but he did so anyway. He also rose a hand to wave, hoping and praying it wasn't an offensive gesture to humans. He held his breath and waited. The fish nearby sensed his unease, already beginning to make their way over to check on him. It wasn't needed. Blinking away his shock, the human too broke out into a tentative smile, looking almost tearful with awe as he rose his own hand to wave back.

Atlantis beamed, tail waving happily beneath the waves. The man opened his mouth to speak. Atlantis had understood him before. He would've thought there'd be a language barrier, but he supposed not. His father had originated from these parts, unlike his mother. Like his mom, he too spoke English, and like his father, Japanese as well. He also knew bits of what half his school called "German". They'd spoken it often to one another, offering lessons and bright smiles. He missed those days.

"Please don't leave." The man's voice came out almost desperate, yet still tinged with an admiration that made Atlantis's heart soar hopefully. He hoped desperately he could make friends. Was it possible? Could he truly, really and actually, finally have a conversation with someone who spoke his tongue? The life of the sea had their own ways of communication, whether it be the cries of a whale, the grumbles of a shark, or the chitters of a dolphin. This was so much different. It sparked something in him back to life. The man continued. "I promise I'm not going to hurt you. I'm- ah, I'm Shota Aizawa."

Atlantis sunk a bit further into the water, his shoulders dunking back under as he observed the man. He looked earnest and determined. His smile had faded into something a bit... well, not quite gruff. He wasn't sure how to describe it, but he somehow managed to look like a kid in a candy store, even without a grin adorning his face. He looked so ready to chase after him if he tried to get away, though not for malicious intentions, Atlantis didn't think. The man was leaning forward slightly, never tearing his eyes from Atlantis as though the merman would disappear if he did. Atlantis could recall his mother saying that, to humans, they were more myths. This had to be like a fairy tale coming to life.

"U-Um, hi." Atlantis sputtered out, he and the man both flinching. The man drew back with wide eyes. Like he hadn't expected him to speak. "I'm uh... I'm Atlantis. It's nice to meet you and pleasedon'tkillme-"

"Kill you? Of course not." Aizawa managed to choke out as the merman spiraled into a nervous panic, his hands coming up to cover his face and his tail swishing a bit faster beneath the waves. Atlantis's hands lowered slightly, a pair of sea foam green eyes looking at him for any trace of a lie. Aizawa loosened his grip on the edge of the dock, not realizing how hard he'd been holding it. He probably had at least fifteen splinters now, but he didn't let that deter him. "I'd... like to be your friend, if you'd like."

Atlantis lit up like a Christmas tree, bobbing in the water happily as his hands dropped from his face completely. Aizawa's heart swelled, still beating a mile a minute. This was really happening. By some chance, he'd met a merman. After going to this beach almost everyday for years upon years, but some coincidence, he'd managed to lay eyes upon a mythical sea creature he hadn't realized truly existed. Aizawa would be paying his father a visit soon. He had a lot of questions for the man. Right now, that didn't matter. Atlantis. What a fitting name for a merman.

Atlantis felt as though his chest was going to burst. He couldn't recall a time he'd ever felt so... lord, he didn't know! So excited and exuberant, he supposed! Now that he was finally talking to another person again-- human or not-- it was crashing down on him just how long he'd spent alone. The years, all aimless and without direction, had completely drifted by without him being all that aware. Only now did it occur to him how secluded and lonely he'd been living like that. Secluded in a sea so vast, the idea of finding his school was... well, nearly impossible.

"Y...You do?" Atlantis drifted a bit closer, peering up at Aizawa. Aizawa took him in, his tail, his eyes, his gills-- he was floored. He could die now and he'd have no regrets, save for the fact that he'd probably be upset he didn't get to know Atlantis first. He had so many questions. There was so much he wanted to know. Were any of the stories he was told true? Were their other merfolk out there? Would Atlantis be sticking around? He hoped to high heaven he would. He'd always daydreamed of this moment. Meeting a mermaid and befriending them. Yes, the fantasy was a bit childish, but Aizawa didn't care one bit. Especially not right now.

"I do." Aizawa said firmly. Atlantis drifted a bit closer, a hesitant smile on his face.

"Y...You're not going to harpoon me... r-right?" Atlantis attempted to peer closer to the top of the deck, trying to spot any sort of weapon he maybe couldn't see. Shota's eyes got wide, and Atlantis wondered if that had been a bad question to ask. Was Shota sensitive about harpoons? Or maybe the idea of killing someone made him feel horrified. Atlantis himself surely couldn't imagine hurting anyone. The mere thought made him shiver.

"No, of course not. Harpooning someone isn't legal, anyway." Aizawa noted, trying to calm down. Too eager, and he'd scare Atlantis off. 

"Legal?" Atlantis questioned with large, curious, excited eyes. Aizawa blinked, and then felt a small smile grow on his face. He supposed, if the merman wished to know, telling him how the human world worked would be a good start. And in turn, maybe Atlantis would do the same. Scientists had always said there were parts of the ocean they had yet to discover. Aizawa was sure they didn't know just how right they were.