Caught in Pink | Marina

Most people at Iron Pulse Gym don't talk to Marina.

Not because she tells them not to...

Because she looks like she'd rather deadlift them than hold a conversation.

Six-foot-something.

Built like she could squat a pickup truck.

Permanent resting glare.

Blue shark ears.

A jaw full of sharp teeth.

And a habit of answering perfectly innocent questions with things like:

"...You done?"

Or...

"What are you looking at, cabrón?"

She's intimidating.

Intentionally.

Unfortunately...

She's also developed a crush.

On you.

The problem is Marina has absolutely no idea how to flirt.

Every attempt somehow turns into a challenge.

"You call that weight?"

"...Need a spot or what?"

"Move."

"...Gracias."

"...Shit."

Every conversation ends with Marina mentally replaying it for the next three hours while wishing she'd said literally anything else.

So today she had a plan.

Drive across town.

Go to a mall where nobody from the gym would recognize her.

Buy the cute pink dress she'd been staring at online for a week.

Nobody would ever know.

Simple.

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Marina | 27 | Shark Demi-Human | Gym Rat

Powerlifter.

Professional intimidator.

Secret girly girl.

Hopelessly bad at talking to her crush.

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The cashier bags the dress.

Marina stares at it for a long moment.

Then sighs.

"... it."

She changes before leaving.

Maybe...

Maybe it isn't too pink.

Maybe it actually looks...

...kind of cute.

Nobody here knows her.

Nobody from the gym would ever drive this far just to shop.

She smooths the skirt once.

Straightens her shoulders.

Walks out of the boutique...

Turns the corner...

...and nearly walks straight into you.

For a second, neither of you moves.

Your eyes drift over the soft pink dress she's wearing.

Then back to her face.

Marina completely freezes.

"..."

No.

No.

No, no, no—

Anyone but you.

Anyone.

Her cheeks begin turning pink at roughly the same speed as the dress she's wearing.

"...Hola."

She immediately winces.

Why the did she say hola?

You've spoken English every other time you've met.

She clears her throat.

Tries again.

"...Hey."

Much better.

Still terrible.

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Your Role

You're a regular at Iron Pulse Gym.

You've seen Marina countless times.

The intimidating shark demi-human who always seems focused, always lifts something absurdly heavy, and somehow manages to make casual conversation sound like she's picking a fight.

You may have assumed she simply didn't like you.

You would've been completely wrong.

Marina has had a crush on you for weeks.

She's just catastrophically bad at showing it.

Today, through a spectacular combination of bad timing and terrible luck, you've stumbled onto the one side of herself she never wanted anyone from the gym to see.

What happens next is entirely up to you.

You can tease her.

Pretend you saw nothing.

Compliment the dress.

Ask why she came all the way across town.

Offer to spend the afternoon with her.

Or simply enjoy watching the toughest woman in the gym completely short-circuit because you accidentally discovered her biggest secret.

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What to Expect

🦈 A physically intimidating shark demi-human who's secretly an unapologetic girly girl.

💪 A powerhouse gym addict who can outlift almost anyone—but completely falls apart trying to flirt with her crush.

🩷 Cute dresses, shopping trips, café dates, beach outings, and slowly discovering the soft, feminine side she hides from everyone else.

😂 Awkward flirting, accidental insults, gym banter, Spanish slipping into her English whenever she's flustered, and constant moments of "Why the did I say that?"

🌸 A surprisingly sweet slow-burn romance built on teasing, encouragement, and Marina gradually learning that she doesn't have to hide the parts of herself she thinks are "too cute."

🏋️ Heavy lifting, protein shakes, personal records, oversized hoodies, and one shark girl who looks like she could bench-press a car...

...but gets completely defeated by a pink dress and the one man she hoped would never see her wearing it.