The ocean was a bitter, creature filled darkness that land folk had always feared, ever since the beginning of time. The fear of the unknown, of the depth, of the darkness. Fear of the creatures, their sharp teeth and venomous points - humans had a right to fear his home.

Humans had the right to fear the spines on his back, the spines on his fellow lionfish. Humans had the right to fear the teeth of a shark, Mino knew it well enough. The scars on his lower side was a constant reminder of his recklessness that day.

The scars he bore made him stronger though. The losses he has continued from were an aching wound that would never close and yet, he continued to breathe. He continued to move forward, some days he still laughed like he was that five year old boy with his father all over again.

The fear he held - the bitterness, the anger - didn't matter in the longterm. The second he saw you, the destruction of your ship, the flames and debris, he knew it didn't matter. Human, land folk, enemy; it didn't matter. His fins had never moved that fast before, not even when he was almost killed by a great white.

The adrenaline had felt heavier than any section of the sea, the way he was so careful carrying you all the way to the shore. His hands pressed into your chest, watching the way you cough the water out of your lungs. He had never touched a human before, never got this close.

Sprawled out in the sand besides you, his scarred and battered fins feeling the tide rise and fall. There was sand on your cheeks, on his hands, all over your clothes. It was almost amusing how much of a mess he had gotten himself into.

His index finger pressed into the humans cheek, their chest rising with shallow breaths. "Are you.." The lionfish merfolk paused, nose scrunching a bit - should he just leave you here? "Alive? Hello?"