A Guide to Caring for Mermaid Tails

When Fu Shijin went out to look for his mischievous orange cat, he found a trash can covered in cats.

He shooed them away and discovered a little mermaid curled up inside, filthy from head to toe, its tail bloody and mangled, with bones exposed.

The little mermaid shivered, revealing eyes that glimmered like the deep sea. A soft, indistinct, ethereal murmur came from its throat.

The orange cat in his arms meowed: It smells so good. I want a bite.

Fu Shijin's heart stirred: I kind of want to keep it.

*

Mermaids were classified as top secret on the Star Net. Searching for anything related to them just brought up a 404.

Fu Shijin, inexplicably confident: No problem. The Star Net has guides on raising fish.

Then he hit a snag on the very first step.

He lifted the little mermaid over the bathtub. Its tail thrashed desperately, but it refused to get in the water, just like the orange cat when it didn't want a bath.

#Urgent question: What do I do if the fish I'm raising refuses to get in the water?

Reply: Thanks for the invite. OP is clearly abusing their pet. I've already reported you.

Being a caretaker is hard.

Fu Shijin mixed up a plate of fresh shrimp and aquatic plants for mermaid food and set it in front of the little mermaid. It glanced at the orange cat, which was eating noisily with its butt in the air, and looked utterly disgusted.

He built the orange cat a climbing frame and made the mermaid a clam-shell nest. The little mermaid watched the orange cat roll around and beg for attention, then raised its tail and buried itself in the sofa, sulking.

With one hand, he teased the cat with a feather wand. With the other, he clicked a clam shell to tease the fish. The little mermaid was so embarrassed and angry that tears pattered down its face.

*

After Fu Shijin's string of blunders, the little mermaid finally rose up in rebellion.

It slapped Fu Shijin's hand away with its tail, ate his dinner, took over his bed, cuddled his cat, used his bathroom, and used up all his body wash...

Then it straddled Fu Shijin's waist, its tail burning hot. Its cheeks were flushed and the corners of its eyes damp as it stammered, "B-Be with me, um...!"

Reading Guide:

1. The worldbuilding is entirely made up. The little mermaid may not necessarily grow legs. The author loves the scales, reproductive cavity, and fish-tail kinks.

2. Mutual pampering and devotion; both fall for each other.

3. A lighthearted, sugary sweet story with no grand backdrop.

[Blurb screenshotted on December 17, 2022]

Theme: Sincerity and love can overcome anything