Tanked

I wasn’t happy. I’m sure you figured that out though. Why? Let me explain.

It was odd, the strange open and clearly waterless space between our cage and the cage with Zephic and Salo in it was lit for once. Synris was naturally intrigued and took to swimming near the clear wall all the time, trying to see more of this passage and its light sources.

I simply watched him until the divers came. I was more comfortable with them now but still just a little fearful, and angry that I had to be dying to see the sky, but also scared to be away without Synris. Synris knew I didn’t really like them still and came over as soon as he noticed, to sit near me and guard me as the divers fed the other fish first.

When they fed us, they really only interacted with Synris. They usually handed him food, but they seemed to like it when he would go up and take it from the containers on their belts too, so occasionally Synris would play and push their hands away to take it himself. Once or twice they gave him fake corals they had stuffed with food. They stopped doing that though after only a few tries because Synris would recognize when they did it and would just break the food out. It stopped amusing them.

They usually gave him the food meant for me too since he would bring it to me when I wouldn’t accept it from the divers. However today they came over to us, so I simply sat up and leaned on Synris, making him reach around me to get his food. It was about as playful as I got.

Synris still knew I was playing and played back. He played in a quite different way though and took to rubbing my tail and over places he shouldn’t be near. I squeaked in response, hissed at him, and scrambled away.

Not only was I embarrassed but the divers had seen. The last thing I wanted was to be the test subject they used to find out how mers reproduced and just no. No, no thank you, this slug violated me enough I did not need humans to do it too.

I got my food myself from the divers, mad at Synris. He had other ideas and decided on another courting session as the divers left us.

In all honesty I was tired of his clinginess. He was always on me, coming by sometimes just to rub me and touch me. He was doing that now but also deciding to push all the boundaries.

Rather than just the usual rubs and massage, he got more sensual. He used his tail and hands to massage my back. As nice as it may sound, he was moving dangerously low on my body and towards the front of my tail. This was going too far for comfort.

As I’m sure you’ve figured out, I was not happy about this. I tried to turn and push him off me but all I did was give him access to my front. He pinned me down and purred as he nuzzled me.

“S-synris stop!” I whimpered, trying to get up and away from him. I didn’t want this.

“Hush~ You’ll like this I promise,” He practically purred to me.

“What if I don’t? Synris please!!” I wanted to scream. I did not like where this was going.

“Hush and just trust me.” He suddenly smacked the rock with his tail, and I quieted.

It didn’t matter. Synris was stronger than me so if he wanted me, he would have me regardless of what I said. This honestly wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. It was the first time Synris had done this, but not the first time I had been forced to socialize like this. Mers were just social people and this was how they liked to get closer to each other. It was selfish of me for refusing so long.

I still didn’t like it much. Synris was much better than the other experiences I had but it was a foreign feeling, the way he made my body tingle.

When he finished, he grew upset with me. Synris could tell I had not liked it much at all and acted like a prince about it. He got the rock to lay on and sulk as I went to hide in the sand in the back of this watery cage.

I still wanted to scream. He knew I didn’t like it, but it felt again like he only thought of himself, even when he thought of me. I felt violated but the familiar conflicted feeling rose in my chest too. I knew Synris must be so lonely. On one fin, he violated me, on the other I was his only company and he had to be so, so lonely.

When the divers came again, I didn’t move, my appetite long gone. I didn’t want to see Synris then either. I wanted to think and sleep, not eat. Synris wasn’t having it though.

He brought my food down to me and when I refused, he thrashed his tail around, slapping the sand and sending clouds of it up around us, threatening me with hisses and growls. I didn’t get a say in this either.

The divers saw all of this but did nothing as Synris acted more aggressive until I finally ate.

I don’t think it counts as abuse. He never hurt me, just scared me. He was only trying to take care of me though. To make me eat he grabbed me and shook me until I screamed at him. He dragged me into the hole his tail-thrashing had made and hissed until I ate my food.

I ate everything, not having the choice. Only then did Synris leave me again.

He left me alone, but I stayed in the sand hole all night, shook and alone with my thoughts. I didn’t sleep at all and was still awake when the lights came back on, signifying about an hour until we were fed again.

I wanted to move but now I was too scared of Synris. He had made it explicitly clear he was the one in charge here, I really should have known then, and I was afraid to upset him anymore. I didn’t have to wait long though as he soon came and nestled himself into the sand hole with me.

“Ayrice?” He murmured softly, gently toying with the edge of my fin.

“What do you want…” I only mumbled back, wishing he would just leave me alone.

“You won’t believe me, not now and you have every reason not to but please… I love you, please,” He shifted closer, nuzzling my ear and speaking softly to me.

I stayed quiet and let him whisper all the reassurances and promises he wanted to me. He was right, I didn’t believe him. Not after he forced me to entertain him and then threatened me so much. He kept apologizing and promising he cared about me though. Slowly he kept moving closer until he was against me, then over me and massaging me like he normally did.

Slowly he moved back to the morning routine, letting me relax as he moved his magic hands over my back. Nothing he did hinted at anything else and he seemed genuinely sorry for what he did… but I kept quiet.

When food came around again, he merely left it within easy reach and then left me alone to decide for myself if I was eating. He gave me the usual massages throughout the day but otherwise left me to myself. He played by himself and I stayed in the sand hole, slowly letting myself go back to being blissfully blind.