With Lungs Like Gills (Merman!Brothers x Reader)

Chapter 24 - Todomatsu's Ending

A name made itself known in my head, reminding me of the one I chose.

"With that in mind, I choose--"

I paused, my throat suddenly dry as I remembered my deal to him last night. I turned my head to look at the pink merman, a toothy smirk on his face as his narrowed eyes swept over my body, a taloned finger slowly tapping against a sharp canine tooth. I couldn't utter my murderer's name, only having enough strength to walk towards him.

"(Y/n)...Where do you think you're going?" Choromatsu called out, trying to catch my hand as I walked by him.

"My choice was made last night...when I made a deal with Todomatsu," I couldn't look at anyone, keeping my head down to not see their reactions.

"(Y/n), why?!" Karamatsu cried out in shock.

"What are you doing...?" I could hear the hurt in Ichimatsu's voice. I gritted my teeth and held back tears as I stopped in front of the pink merman, looking down at the hand he extended towards me. I slowly reached down, brushing my fingertips against his before I was pulled back, dragged away from the water.

"Please...reconsider this, (y/n)--" Karamatsu's voice rumbled against my back, his head lowered to rest on my shoulder, "You know what you're walking into...right...?"

"I don't have a long lifespan like you and your brothers...You guys would blink and I'd be gone..." I tried to convince myself, fighting back the tears by biting my bottom lip, "Wouldn't it be better to just get it over with sooner?"

His arms tightened around me, speaking louder than any words he could say.

"So...just let me ease you all of the surprise when it happens," I put a shaking hand on his forearm.

"When did you start lying to yourself?" The whisper didn't hide the anguish in Karamatsu's voice.

"...please don't make this harder for me..." I whimpered back to him, "You know that he'll keep pursuing me until he gets what he wants..."

Karamatsu released me without saying anything further, allowing me to walk back to Todomatsu freely. The pink merman waited patiently until I put my hand in his, the clammy skin cold under my touch.

In the blink of an eye, I was underwater.

A fierce pull tugged on my arm as the water rushed past my ears, my body limp as struggling now wouldn't be of any use. I had chosen the brother that had clearly wanted to kill me, and left it up to him how he wanted to do it. I wasn't strong enough to say a name, to save myself from what seemed to be my fate, and I wasn't strong enough to go out swinging. Time and time again, the aquatic family had proven that I was just a wimp when compared to their strength, and taking out Osomatsu's coral had removed the final barrier that was keeping Todomatsu at bay.

The water became colder as the light from the surface faded, both of us heading towards the depths of the ocean. I slowly let out the breath that I had kept in, my body numbing from the extreme temperatures. I'd rather be passed out or dead before he did anything else to me, his talons and teeth showing their ferocity in my bathroom just last night as Osomatsu carried him off.

Todomatsu pulled me lower still, my body no longer registering the cold and my vision began to fade.

----

A finger prodded at my left cheek, rousing my consciousness and slightly opening my eyes.

"So, you're the one that's been driving the brothers up the wall recently..." A soft feminine voice pouted, the finger poking my cheek again, harder and harder with each push, "Come on...wake up!"