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Inspired by: "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen

Many thanks: to sarahjane for beta-kindness.

PG-13

Simon/River (Yes, Crazy Space Incest)

Spoilers for the whole series.

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No Child Of The Air

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He lives the life of a prince, before.

Osiris, a sea of polished surfaces, where hardship is rumor, a muffled noise drifting in from faraway shores. Bountiful Osiris, moist with its riches.

His mouth speaks the language, his hands work miracles and he navigates the eternal sliver-blue of Capital City with familiar competence, one sparkling swimmer among many.

People mistake his ease for grace but he knows better. He has seen grace and she is not of this world, a gift of unknown Gods, who carries weightless suspension with her wherever she goes.

Inhabitant of all elements, she dances on the water surface, spheres that she alone can reach, and her toes send ripples downward, gentle bodyless caress.

River.

There are horizons in her eyes, longing to expand.

"It's so far away, meimei."

"But I want to go. It's a challenge, Simon. It'll be such a challenge."

The siren song draws her away to the land and listlessly he floats, waiting for an echo of her touch.

It takes so long for him to hear her cries.

When they come, they are distorted and crumbled by liquid distance.

"They’re hurting us."

The entire world tastes of her tears and no one will believe it. It's the nature of the sea to be bitter, to be salty, but he never knew before.

People own smiles like an armour of scales, shimmer without value.

"I will not come for you."

In the end, it is in the murky depths that he finds help.

"Money. And luck."

He sells his life for the chance to be her hero. He sells his world and his voice for a sea witch's potion that sears and cuts and leaves him walking in a foreign world.

Walking on knives, with unfamiliar feet.

He bites back the p