Joining Bands -Siren Marriage-

This is a remake for the shell bands 101! Some new info has been updated from the original post, so check it out. x3

Sirens differ than humans a bit when it comes to getting together/marrying and such.
Humans are more formal than sirens, as sirens don't really have weddings or ceremonies anything like that.
They do "marry", but it's more like... a joining or something similar. So when two sirens are sure they wanna be together, they both get a band (of any kind of material for the band, but Coral/Lonan picked gold to match the rest of Coral's accessories) and they both pick a small matching shell or any small object that both choose to use for their "symbol" (they both chose a small scalloped yellow shell). It fits around the tail in siren form, and becomes an anklet of the right foot in their human forms. It's like what humans do with rings, these show that a siren is taken and belongs to someone. Wearing this is the way they get "married".

Like humans, cheating is very frowned on, but sirens frown even heavier upon it. Humans might just get disgusted, but for sirens, doing such makes you a full-on undesirable. It's pretty serious. In fact, how they deal with them is way harsher. The one who was cheated on is allowed to tie down/restrain the cheater and engrave a word on their back like "cheater" and "unfaithful" or anything like it with their nail-claws, very deeply into the skin, scar-branding their shame for life. This "engraving" act is fully "legal" to do and does not count as a crime as long as it doesn't kill them. Also if the person they were cheating with KNOWS what they were doing and with whom, they could also be in a lot of trouble and/or branded. Both could also be kicked out of their clan as well, if enough people are offended/angry. A heavy topic along this vein, but rape is also a very serious crime as well. They could be in way bigger trouble for that, and guards could take the offender and do some rather vicious things to them (usually they get taken somewhere and get the tar beat out of them to near-death, but not fully since that's still not allowed), along with being exiled from the clan they were in. Honestly this doesn't happen AS much as it could with humans though, since that temptation and/or the nerve to do it just isn't very common.

"Divorcing" is when both sirens agree to remove their shall bands and get rid of them and split up. If even one won't do it, they are still considered together, no matter how much one wants to end it. It has to be mutual to be considered a split. The only thing that can be overidden is if one siren is keeping theirs on just to be problematic, such as an abuser keeping theirs on to control their spouse even tho they want to leave, or something along those lines. Or if a siren puts on a band, claiming they've "married" a siren and the other party clearly didn't consent to that. If a clan/community agrees these are the cases, they can force the stubborn siren to remove theirs in any way they see fit as long as it doesn't involve murder. It really is just case-by-case basis for that. 

If one siren dies and the other gets widowed, or they disappear for long enough to be considered gone or dead (usually around year and more is when they can be considered as such), they may do what they want. If they want to stay loyal to their dead/missing spouse, they can still wear the band they chose together even if the other is dead/missing, or if they want to be open to a new relationship, they may remove their band.

For dating, it's similar to humans. They get together and do cute little date-y things in their own siren ways, like hunting together or exploring. Land sirens however, their dates would be pretty much on par with what humans do, like walking on the beach or finding some good food somewhere, or seeing some land attractions like festivals and whatnot. They don't really have "promise bands" or anything like humans have for pre-marriage rings. They just have to say they're taken, haha! Some might wear something on their wrists that match to signify this, but that's not too common, especially among the older gens. or those brought up underwater.

...I think that's all I got on this for now! :'D feel free to ask any questions if you have any, though!

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ALSO, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
I thought this would be a perfect 101 to release on this day of romance! enjoy! ;v;

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