it was friday morn when we set sail

[blindsider]

[ It's an exciting career, piracy. Danger, adventure, freedom – and always something new. Ignis likes to keep things fresh, likes to keep himself, his crew, and above all his competitors on their toes, and it's to that end that he'd hatched his latest plot. A new captain of a new ship bragging far and wide about the vast quantity of precious jewels he'd come by might not have been much cause for concern – after all, Ignis himself is no stranger to a certain amount of showmanship – if said captain hadn't been quite so persistent in his pursuit of Coctura, woman of culture and captain of the Mother of Pearl. She'd bemoaned it to Ignis over a copious amount of very fine brandy when last they'd met, and come by the idea of parting the man from his jewels by.way of provoking a mutiny among his men. Ignis would talk his way onto the ship to agitate, and then Coctura would lead both her crew and his to loot the cargo in the ensuing chaos.

It hadn't worked. The evidence of this is currently clearest in Ignis himself, who'd managed to talk his way out of a keel-hauling and been put to sea in a rickety old dinghy instead with nothing but his own clothing and jewelry and one short knife – ostensibly to allow him to catch food, but more truthfully as an escape if the thought of dying adrift, taken by thirst or hunger, became too much to bear.

Ignis, however, is not a man who gives up easily. The sparse little island he's spotted dosn't look close to big enough to make a life on, but it's more than big enough to build a signal fire and tide him over until his crew comes looking. So he's in good spirits as he makes for it, singing loudly to himself as he rows. ]

O, auburn was the colour of his hair
and his eyes were blue, and his cheeks were fair
and his lips were of a ruby fine
ten thousand times they've met with mine -

[ It's full-throated and spirited, until he's so caught up in his song and the hope born of spotting the island that he forgets to check the patterns of the water, and rows himself right over a rock jagged enough to rip a hole in the bottom of his boat. It starts to take on water immediately, and at a rapid enough rate that he knows he can't possibly make it to land before the entire thing sinks. In truth, even this isn't enough to dampen his spirits – he was a sailor before he was a pirate, and neither is a career any sane man would take to without being a strong swimmer -

until he sees the fin of a shark cutting through the water towards him. ]

Oh, fucking hell.

Comments

[linkstrike]

[ if there's one rule that his kind holds sacred, it's that humans are dangerous and utterly forbidden.

... and if there is one thing that has always been true of noctis, it's that he's terrible at following rules.

humans are interesting, especially those that thrust themselves out into the sea in their crude floating homes as if they've never realized how ill-suited they are for the ocean. he likes trailing after them sometimes, stealing close enough to pick up snatches of conversation -- it's how he learned that the humans call these odd little floating homes ships, and that they like to sing out in voices rougher and far less polished than those of a siren. sometimes noctis even steals their songs for himself; they aren't woven with the old magic that makes for enchanting prey, but still. not all singing should be about hunting, sometimes it's simply for the pleasure of sunning himself on a warm rock and singing about far-off people and places that he knows he'll never see.

it's a song that's drawn him today.

he's trailing along after the smallest ship he's ever found, keeping himself far enough away to be out of sight but close enough to take stock of this peculiarity. one lone man bobbing about in a ship that barely seems big enough to stand a wave, singing out in a voice loud enough to carry across the water. weird. maybe the song is meant to call his kind to him? do all ships start out like this, sprouting over time like kelp?

-- and then the human smashes his seedling of a ship directly into a rock, which is absolutely baffling. is it meant to have a hole in it? probably not, if the man's vain (and brief) attempts at bailing water are any indication. this is also the first time noctis has seen a human come into contact with the water, and he's interested to see whether or not those spindly little legs will be as useful as his fin, but --

then a shark has to come and try to spoil his fun.

cutting it open with his teeth or claws would just spill blood into the water and draw more sharks, so. instead, noctis warps himself into its path, and slaps it soundly on the nose with his tailfin. it immediately attempts to chomp down on him, but sharks are stupid and slow compared to sirens -- it's nothing for him to twist out of its way, then deliver another firm blow to its tender gills. and that's enough for the creature to decide this meal is more trouble than its worth, so it turns itself away with a frustrated gnashing of its teeth and makes for open water.

and with that taken care of, noctis turns back to his human, pleased to see that he's still bobbing about in the waves even though his ship is nowhere to be seen. he's been warned at least a thousand times never to approach them, but... well. how dangerous could one of them be, especially when all his limbs are occupied with kicking out clumsily at the water? so he circles closer, swimming a lazy loop around the human and keeping himself out of arms reach. ]

Are you drowning?

[blindsider]

[ It takes Ignis a moment to answer. This is understandable, he feels, because in a very short space of time he's gone from happily paddling along to resigning himself to the idea that if he was going to die he could at least go out with some fight and stick his small knife into the shark to seeing what is absolutely

undeniably

a mermaid.

Or a merman, perhaps more accurately, as the shape of him and the sweetly low, husky tone of his voice would seem to suggest. Ignis knows about mermaids, of course. Every sailor knows about mermaids; creatures of the sea, with the top halves of beautiful women and fishes' tails. Definitely the product of overactive imaginations being at sea too long with too much drink and too few women about, but a nice story nonetheless. Ignis himself has one tattooed up his side, red-haired and improbably busty - and nothing like the strange, powerful creature circling him now, moving through the water easy as music through the air and... asking him if he's drowning.

Ignis probably is thrashing a bit, given his surprise. It's shockingly easy to calm himself, moving to something more akin to treading water, feeling his panic leech away as he watches, and he smiles. Really, there's only one way this makes sense. ]

I think I may have already. Or else taken a rather nasty blow to the head. Thank you for that business with the shark, by the way.

[linkstrike]

[ contact with humans has always been forbidden, but that doesn't mean there aren't stories about members of their kind who have broken the rules. the luckiest of them escape the humans and bring back their warnings -- humans react to the sight of them with violence and fear, more than happy to cut them open or string them up.

so the fact that this human thanks him is almost delightful, enough to make noctis abandon his caution and swim closer. it's obvious that human limbs aren't meant to swim the same way noctis is -- he's confident that he can swim for it if ignis does try anything, so.

almost playfully, he strokes a hand up along the back of the other man's skull. ]

Nope. Your head's still in one piece.

[blindsider]

[ The mermaid comes closer, which is exciting in its own right, but then it touches him and Ignis gasps. He's not sure what he expected, but the feel of it is so real and such a shockingly familiar gesture that for a moment

he forgets to tread water.

He sinks, of course, only getting so far as his eyes being submerged before the realization hits and he resumes kicking, his face bursting back out above the surface with a laugh. ]

Most - [ and a pause, to shake his hair back from his eyes and blow water away from his mouth ] most reassuring.

[linkstrike]

[ the human promptly sinks out of sight like a stone tossed in the sea, and noctis has a moment or two where he actually has time to be alarmed.

and then he breaks the surface again, puffing out air like a whale, and... is this a human game, maybe? noctis gives himself a few feet of space again, head tipping curiously. ]

... are you sure you're not drowning?

[blindsider]

Not yet, at any rate!

[ It's a cheery thing, because when the choices before you are to accept that you've gone completely mad or believe that something truly incredible is happening, you may as well opt for the latter. At least until there's a doctor about. ]

I should probably make for the shore before too long if I'm to keep it that way, but... I've never met one of you before. Never even seen one of your kind, outside of drawings or figureheads. The excitement is putting rather a damper on my sense of urgency.

[linkstrike]

[ oh.

it's flattering to think that the human is excited to meet him. not terrified, not angry. excited, as if he's stumbled upon some treasure of the sea. it's enough to allay noctis' moment of suspicion, and he circles close again, extending his hand. ]

Here. I'm a stronger swimmer than you are. [ and then, with a playful little flick of his tail. ] If you drown here, you'll make a mess of my waters.

[blindsider]

Now that would be ungrateful.

[ And it's really terribly stupid, because the vast bulk of the tales he's heard about mermaids involve them luring sailors to a gruesome demise, but considering that Ignis has already made a splendid job of dashing his boat against the rocks all on his own, he reaches out and takes that hand. It's... surprising, to say the least. Warmer than he would have thought. Feeling almost giddy with wonder, he winks. ]

Shall we?

[linkstrike]

[ ... it's the first time noctis has ever been winked at, and he's half-tempted to ask if the human has something in his eye.

but! instead, he reaches out to take ignis' other hand so that he can steady them, rolling over onto his back and letting his fin do the work of starting to pull them towards the island. it's a leisurely pace for him, enough to make sure that ignis doesn't get pulled under the waves, but still faster than a human could hope to accomplish on his own.

and since he now has a very captive audience for his curiosity -- ]

What were you singing about?

[blindsider]

[ What is a leisurely pace for Noctis is breathtaking for Ignis. The ships he's sailed on move at a fair clip, obviously, but moving through the water at such speed and feeling it against his body is something else entirely, new and exhilarating, and his hands periodically tighten against the siren's out of sheer excitement. ]

Hm? Oh, it's a love song, I suppose. About someone searching for their missing lover. It turns out he'd drowned, at the end of it, so on reflection probably a poor choice on my part.

[linkstrike]

[ he wrinkles his nose at that, confused. ]

Why would a human want to sing songs about drowning? Aren't you afraid of it?

[blindsider]

[ It's a funny question, but at the same time a very good one, and if Ignis wasn't currently busy clinging to the most incredible being he's ever met, he'd shrug. ]

It's not really about the drowning so much as the pain of losing someone you love, the marks they leave on your heart. So still about something we fear, in the long run, but a little less gruesome. Most of our songs are about love. Or fighting, missing home, or drinking. I can't imagine they're a patch on yours.

[linkstrike]

[ well. when ignis puts it that way, noctis understands. his kind have songs like that, too -- sad songs about old stories or dreams, songs about beautiful things or songs about loves won and lost. and there are battle songs, but he's never liked those as much as the rest. ]

There's no magic in them. [ but... ] That doesn't make them bad, though. I like listening to them.

Especially when the person singing them has a nice voice.

[blindsider]

[ Maybe it's the joy of meeting a creature he never thought truly existed and finding it ten times more beautiful than he imagined. Maybe it's the shock of everything that's happened, or maybe he did really bump his head - but whatever the reason, Ignis apparently decides this is the ideal time to flirt with someone who could currently probably kill him with ease. ]

Is that what earned me a rescue? If you stay a while when we reach shore I'm sure a love song or two will come to mind.

[linkstrike]

[ noctis might not be entirely familiar with the ways of humans, but... as it turns out, their way of wooing isn't all that different from the kind of courtship he might expect from his own people. and the idea that this human is actually trying to hit on him is enough to make his brow furrow in confusion.

... humans are weird.

then again, he knew that. one more example of their oddities shouldn't be all that surprising. ]

I already told you, I don't like people dying in my water. [ but the corner of his mouth quirks up into a little lopsided grin as he says it. ] Your voice was just a bonus.

[blindsider]

I'll take it.

[ And the crooked little grin that come with it, which is enough to make Ignis' heart go pitter-pat even if he didn't feel honor-bound to hit on a mermaid on principle. ]

When you say your water, is that yours as in territory under your control, or yours as in not a foolish land-dweller's?

[linkstrike]

What does it matter to you?

[ with a raised eyebrow. ] Planning to steer clear from now on?

[blindsider]

[ Strangeness and beauty of certain mythical creatures in his presence aside, Ignis isn't a man who'd let a debt go unpaid or slight someone who'd helped him. So, possibly for the first time since he realized he wasn't going to be eaten by a shark today, his face turns serious. ]

If that's what you'd prefer, certainly.

[linkstrike]

That's not what I said.

[ with a little snort. ] I said I like hearing you sing. Does that sound like I want to get rid of you?

[blindsider]

[ and the serious mood evaporates, just like that. ]

I love my crew, but if I didn't make them bugger off from time to time I'd go mad. I was just curious, mostly.

[ They're close enough to the shore of that little island now that Ignis can see the bottom beneath them. It seems a shame, really, so for now he elects not to say anything about it. ]

[linkstrike]

[ too bad!! because noctis is familiar enough with the current to know when he's close to land, even without having to look. so he lets go of the other man's hands without warning, twisting away and lapping another lazy circle around him again. ]

Bugger off...

[ it's a new one, and he tests the sound of the words on his tongue. ] Like go away?

[blindsider]

[ Oh, boo. Still, he's still here, and that counts for something. Rather than swimming for the shore proper, Ignis rolls onto his back in a float and kicks lazily, so he can keep talking. ]

Exactly like that. If I don't send them to relax on land from time to time they get unbearable. And I can be a terrible bitch when I'm pushed.

[linkstrike]

I didn't think humans liked to be alone.

[ and ignis' current position affords him more to see, so noctis swims closer, eyeing the length of him. ] It never seems to go that well for you.

[blindsider]

[ Ignis opens his mouth to protest, but given his circumstances he hasn't a leg to stand on. He huffs a half-laugh instead, and keeps kicking. ]

Moderation is the key. Finding time to be alone, but not for so long that one becomes lonely. It's the balance that makes the solitude sweet and friends a welcome sight.

[ He's not unaware of the way Noctis' eyes move over him, though he's not quite vain enough to imagine that it's anything more than pure curiosity - even if he might be hoping it. ]

[linkstrike]

Must be nice. Getting to pick and choose whether you'd like to be lonely or not.

[ but the words come with no real grudge -- he's preoccupied with prodding at the soles of ignis' boots, wondering how such peculiar fins help to transition him from land to water. ]

[blindsider]

It is.

[ There's a softness to the way he says it. It's.. odd, to think of such a beautiful creature being lonely. Especially one who has the power to draw others to him with song. But it goes some way to explaining why he's stuck around this long. The knowledge doesn't stop Ignis from being flattered by it, or charmed by the curious prodding at his boots. But the shore is close enough now that when Ignis moves out of a float he finds he can stand, just his head and shoulders peeking out of the water, and he pauses. ]

Are you able to come ashore?

[linkstrike]

[ the answer is yes, but noctis wrinkles his nose at the question. ]

Why would I want to?

[blindsider]

[ Well, that's Ignis told. He pauses, not accustomed to putting much of himself on the line where motions are involved, but -

well, realistically, when will he ever have another chance like this? ]

I realize you've already done me the favour of saving my life. But if you were inclined to do me another, I'd prefer not to be lonely just now.

[linkstrike]

[ noctis squints at him, rolling the idea over in his head. it's not like he has anything to be afraid of -- he's stronger than one human on his own, and he can make a quick escape back into the sea if he needs to. and this might be the only chance he actually gets to talk with a human, to ask him about all the little curiosities he's collected during his observations. ]

I can sit in the shallows. [ and then his tail flicks the water almost playfully, sending a little arc of droplets over his head. ] On one condition.

[blindsider]

[ Ignis nods. After the shark rescue, and in all honesty simply because of the somewhat surreal experience of meeting the most beautiful mane he's ever seen and a mythical creature all at once, he's somewhat hard pressed to think of anything he wouldn't consider worth drawing this out a little longer. ]

Name your terms, friend. I think you'll find I'm generally very accommodating.

[ Provided you're not the navy or a rival pirate trying to get between him and something shiny, that is. ]

[linkstrike]

[ without even a moment of hesitation: ]

I want to see your feet.

[ DOES THE OCEAN HAVE??? FOOT FETISH-ESTS? ]

[blindsider]

[ Whether it's the thought of aquatic pervs or not, Ignis bursts into loud, throaty laughter. ]

More than fair. I can see your tail, after all.

[ And now that he's shallow enough to stand comfortably, Ignis wades the few steps closer to make movement easier and sets about taking his boots off. This takes rather longer than it would if Noct had found some other pirate - Ignis, being Ignis, wears boots that, in addition to their low heel, come up a few inches above his knee with a wide folded cuff that hides the tie of rather a lot of lacing. Once they're free, he punts them up onto the sand (they'll be ruined once the salt water dries anyway, so a little sand won't hurt) and sits as elegantly as he can in the waves breaking at the shoreline. ]

Feet, as promised. Play your cards right and I'll take the trousers off too.

[ He may be waggling a humorous eyebrow as he says this, but do not let that fool you into thinking he isn't very much hoping he has an opportunity to de-pants with this beautiful creature. ]

[linkstrike]

[ hmm. are tails the same as feet? do humans think that showing each other their feet is... something intimate? is that why they keep them hidden all the time? so what does ignis think it means that noctis is letting him see his tail?

it's a lot to sort through, and he abandons it all the moment ignis sits and stretches his legs out in front of him.

noctis surges forward immediately, settling himself into the shallows and grabbing one of ignis' feet in his hands. his expression is nothing short of fascinated as he examines it, poking at the hard surface of the human's toenails and gently bending his toes. what are all these things for? ]

Feet are weird. [ but it's said with a touch of awe, almost as if it might be a compliment. and then he wiggles ignis' big toe, brow knitting with thought. ] What do you even use these things for?

[blindsider]

[ Ignis tenses just a little as the merman seizes his foot, but it leaches away when the curious prodding is limited to areas other than the sole of his foot. That's much safer territory. ]

Toes? They help with balance. They can spread [ which he demonstrates ] which helps when you're standing on a surface that's not stable or level. I can also pick things up with them, if they're small and I'm feeling particularly lazy.

[linkstrike]

[ the toes spreading is met with a little sound of awe, and noctis notches his fingers between them as if he's startled not to find webbing there. ]

They're way smaller than fingers. Doesn't that make 'em harder to use?

[blindsider]

Oh, certainly. That and the way our weight is distributed. But there's a theory that humans and the great apes share a common ancestor, and their feet are almost like a second pair of hands. It's more for novelty value than anything, now.

[ Though he does spot a shell in the low water, which he summarily grasps with the toes of the foot Noct isn't holding and lifts it, pausing briefly to display the awkward curl of the digits around it before he transfers it to a hand. ]

Like so.

[ The small shell, however, contains a tiny but feisty hermit crab, who immediately pokes out a claw to pinch Ignis in rebuke. ]

Oh, pardon me.