CustardSlice

of mer and men [Sheith Merman!AU]

Shiro watched Keith go all the way to his dwelling, then turned and looked out to sea. He hadn't expected Keith to be so happy to heal him and wondered whether it was an honour or a kind of custom, but he doubted it. Instead he began to think that it was just Keith's way. He had a gentle nature about him. He was so nervous in the world, like he expected the world to throw him out if he wasn't useful enough. Shiro couldn't imagine feeling that way, but he hoped that in some way Shiro could give Keith a reason to smile the way he did just now. For once, the smile wasn't shrouded in darkness - it was a genuine kind of happiness that made Shiro's heart beat just a little faster in his chest.

He sighed, looking out at the waves crashing on the shore. He was feeling particularly dry and warm sitting in the setting sun and a sense of peace washed over him. He could sit here with Keith all night and forget about the things that waited in the depths and the dark for them both. The moon was beginning to rise over the ocean and he couldn't help but loathe it. He dreaded the new moon. It meant pain, it meant fear and it meant torment. Most of all, it now meant that Shiro risked losing this new sense of peace. It meant leaving Keith to live in his dark little world all alone and he was almost certain that he didn't want Keith to be completely lost in it again. He had never had something to fight for besides his own life and a chance of escaping before.

Keith returned with things that smelled sterile and like plastic. Shiro wrinkled up his nose but sat patiently as Keith gently cared for his shoulder. He felt Keith's reassurance and squeezed hard on Keith's hand as the liquids and ointments he applied stung the wounds but he made no noises. Keith couldn't hurt him, only try to help him. He closed his eyes and allowed Keith to finish before opening them again when Keith moved away to tidy up. He brushed a hand over his new bandaged arm and smiled gently. It was so neat and careful, Keith had done this just for him. His chest swelled with grateful emotion and he reached out to put a hand on Keith's shoulder. He gave him a warm, grateful smile, one that started from deep inside him and travelled up to his eyes. He hoped Keith understood how much it meant that Keith would help him so.

He squeezed Keith's shoulder gently, before lying on the sand on his chest. He flicked the sand from his tail and settled just to watch his man. He tilted his head and his eyes settled on the necklace he wore. The one he had taken the shell from. He stopped Keith, placing a hand on his chest and then pointed to it, curiously. It had the signs of merfolk craftsmanship. The woven string around it resembled the strings that held the bag at his waist together. He wondered where Keith had found it. Perhaps it was the ocean, or a reason why he feared the ocean so much.

of mer and men [Sheith Merman!AU]

Keith looked lost. Shiro felt lost. He wanted to know what was happening inside the man's face and to understand what had scared him so much. He let go of Keith's leg and leaned back on his elbow, his abundance of fins making it difficult to position himself but he stayed close to Keith. Once again the man murmured. He did so with such sadness and remorse that Shiro reached out and touched Keith's chin, lifting it slightly as Keith had done to him. He shook his head, 'It's not your fault,' he wanted to say knowing now what Keith had told him earlier. The gesture was gentle and reassuring, or at least it had been when Keith had done it. He made a note to store the gesture. Perhaps between them they could invent their own way of communicating, one step at a time.

Keith reached out to him again and brushed some of Shiro's wounds. The saltwater had healed most of the light cuts quickly and kept them clean. The deeper wounds, especially the one on his shoulder was not healing nicely, however. It was awkwardly positioned and he used his arm too much to let it sit and heal. Parts of it were jagged and one small section was being pestered by fish when he was in the water, so the skin was rough and bruised. Shiro winced at the touch, then looked to Keith. Was he asking what had happened? No, Shiro narrowed his eyes, watching Keith's gestures. Heal him? Shiro wasn't sure, but slowly he nodded. He needed it to close up and heal soon, or he wouldn't stand a chance against Zarkon's men in the next new moon arena fight.

of mer and men [Sheith Merman!AU]

Shiro drifted alongside Keith, smiling and enjoying his presence in the water beside him. It felt strangely intimate, like inviting someone into his dwelling for the first time and he felt almost nervous about it. He could also sense Keith's nerves coursing through him and leaking out into the water around him, so Shiro stayed close, hoping that this would help to reassure Keith.

"Heh.. fuck, I'm actually-" Shiro stopped and looked at Keith, confused. Was he dreaming? Or had he just understood what Keith said? He looked around for any other presence around them and saw nothing, before Keith began to bolt. Shiro bristled again and dove beneath the surface, searching out whatever could have gone after Keith, terrified that it was something or someone belonging to Zarkon. It couldn't have been - Shiro hadn't broken any rules - but he couldn't risk letting Zarkon anywhere near his Keith. He swam out a ways, looking for anything that could be hunting or taunting Keith, before turning back and meeting Keith back at the beach. He slid into the tiny waves where the beach met the ocean and pushed himself onto the sand, dragging himself out of the water completely.

Keith was terrified. Shiro could smell it and he wanted to reassure him that he was safe. Keith was staring between his legs and Shiro, so something must have grabbed at them or brushed past them. It could have just been weed or old trash floating by. Keith was incredibly nervous if not brave throughout the entire experience, so small things like that had every right to spook him. Shiro settled beside Keith and curled his tail around Keith like a barrier between him and the sea. He then placed a hand gently on Keith's leg and stroked it softly, checking for any marks or wounds but when he found none, he looked to Keith's eyes and squeezed just below his knee reassuringly. He wanted the man words to say that Keith was okay so badly, but instead he relied on only his presence and expression to tell Keith that it was okay, he was okay, he didn't need to be scared anymore.

of mer and men [Sheith Merman!AU]

Shiro felt tingles run through his spine when Keith put his hands on him, he almost couldn’t breathe. He looked deep into those purple eyes and the reassurance it gave him that Keith wasn’t upset, that he wasn’t going to leave was such a relief. He smiled gently and leaned his head gently into Keith’s hand, enjoying the warmth he had radiating from them.

He watched Keith with a sense of excitement as his face changed from fear to a sense of determination. Shiro followed him, using the ebbing waves to help push his long heavy tail back into the water and he pushed himself along after Keith in the water. He could hear Keith’s heart pounding in his chest but he grinned with pride. This was clearly extremely difficult for Keith, but he was facing his fears bravely. Shiro followed him until he stopped, watching the waters to make sure the thing that had scared him before didn’t come back.

When Keith stopped, frozen, Shiro reached out a hand and slid it into Keith’s then squeezed it reassuringly, hoping that it told Keith he was here, he was going to protect Keith and make sure that nothing harmed him.

of mer and men [Sheith Merman!AU]

Shiro swam across to the shore, following Keith closely and only looked away from the man when his chest bumped against the sand on the sea bed. He wriggled slightly, his back and dorsal fin exposed above the water before he pushed himself closer to the beach, pushing more and more of himself out of the water. It wasn't particularly difficult, seeing as Shiro had worked hard to build up his strength over the past year, it was mostly awkward. He wasn't used to pulling himself forward with his arms. He stopped when Keith did, still within the confines of the sea and he leaned on his elbows to watch Keith.

As Shiro expected, the sour taste of fear quickly filled the air and Keith went rigid. The anxiety washed over his face and he clenched his soft hands into hard fists. Shiro wanted to tell him it was okay, that he was safe and Shiro was there with him. He lasted less than a minute before shooting back as though something had bitten him. Immediately, the fins on Shiro's elbows stood on end and the fin-like protrusions he had instead of ears stood on end protectively. He searched the water for whatever had frightened Keith and pushed himself up onto his hands to search. When he couldn't find anything, he hit the surface of the water and clicked with frustration, muttering to himself about being on higher alert to protect Keith when he was so scared.

He looked back to Keith and his heart skipped a beat seeing the expression that was there, clear as day on Keith's face. "Keys..." he murmured, wanting to rush to him and protect him, apologize for making him go out of his comfort zone for just a stupid test. He clenched his own fists and looked down, hanging his head shamefully. This was his fault - what if Keith never wanted to come back? He sent Keith his telepathic waves again, focusing on the two words he truly meant, "I'm sorry, Keith... I'm so sorry."

of mer and men [Sheith Merman!AU]

Shiro sensed that Keith was trying to win him over or convince him and he pulled a face, scrunching up his nose and looking unsure. He knew that Keith was afraid of the water and Keith couldn’t convince him otherwise. He wondered whether there was something he could do to help him realise just how afraid he was and to perhaps help him lose some of that fear. He pondered, looking at their hands.

Keith’s hands were so soft and gently, it felt as though his own skin could rip through it. It felt nice to hold onto something soft, to brush against something delicate, not like the walls of meat and muscle that he was used to taking on. He frowned, instinctively and unconsciously gripping onto Keith’s hand tighter. Perhaps there was good reason for him to stay out of the water after all. It was the only way Zarkon could keep his hands off him.

He looked back to Keith’s eyes and felt himself melting inside a little. Imagine Keith here in the water with him, imagine him exploring the coves with him. He debated the idea in his head before sighing and clicking softly. Fine. he decided. On the one condition that Keith started to lose his fear of the ocean. He pulled his hand away somewhat reluctantly and gestured for Keith to follow him into the water. He swam back just a stroke and pointed to the shore. He pointed to Keith’s toes and then again to the tiny waves that broke on the shore. He then pointed to himself and pointed further up onto the beach. ’You step into the water. I’ll come onto the beach. He offered, wondering whether it was a good enough swap for Keith.

of mer and men [Sheith Merman!AU]

Shiro felt Keith squeezing his hand and again with the stomach flips and fizzing. He wondered whether he would get any sleep that night knowing what he had felt there. He watched intently, his eyes flicking between Keith's hands and his face to judge what he was trying to say. He tilted his head to one side, replaying the signs and gestures before recognising that Keith was indeed building a vessel and wanted to use it on the sea. He pulled a concerned face and used his next communication as another excuse to touch him. In truth he enjoyed the rush it was giving him and the cheeky squeezes that Keith gave in return. Even if it meant something different on land.

He placed a concerned hand on Keith's and left it there this time, using his other hand to point to Keith and then at the sea, vigourously shaking his head. He knew that Keith didn't like the sea. He was worried that Keith would be putting himself in danger by trying to sail on it. He didn't want that to be because of him. He squeezed Keith's hand gently, showing his concern for his new friend. He wasn't even sure whether Keith knew how to sail, though he was impressed that he was building a vessel himself. Merfolk were very handy and enjoyed tinkering and building things from the treasures they found beneath the sea. It was a very appealing skill to have and Shiro liked that a lot about Keith.

He also supposed that explained why Keith's hand felt so rough under Shiro's touch. He had faint traces of sawdust and oil on his hands and they were dry from working so hard. He stroked a thumb gently over Keith's coarse skin and studied his face. He was ridiculously handsome now that Shiro knew his skills and an oil stain had made its way onto his chin. Shiro felt an urge to wipe it away and feel the skin of his face, but he stopped himself, knowing that just holding this man's hand was stepping over one boundary too many already.

of mer and men [Sheith Merman!AU]

Seeing Keith sent a wave of relaxation washing through Shiro. Overnight, this dishevelled young land-man had become synonymous with his relaxed state of happiness and Shiro didn't want to think about it too deeply at this moment. He flashed a toothy grin Keith's way and ducked under the surface to swim up closer to him. He broke the surface beneath Keith's feet and grinned again as he exclaimed in happiness, "Keys!"

He felt a rush in his chest as he laid eyes on this man. He looked different in the natural daylight and the reds within the sunset were highlighted all over his pale skin. Shiro noticed that he didn't have the smell lingering about him this time, instead he smelled what he could only describe as 'Keith'. It was fascinating that the land creatures all had such pungent smells and wore them so openly. Under the sea, smells were different. Smells were emotions and the biggest emotion was fear. It had an acrid tang like the smell of blood and it was almost always accompanied by the throbbing of someone's heart.

Shiro looked up to Keith and he desperately wanted to speak with him, to have a conversation with him. He wanted to talk to him about where Keith had been that day and what he was doing on the beach with all of the wood and the tools. He thought for a moment, staring out to the beach, then looked back and touched Keith's hand softly, then pointed out to the wooden structure he was making. His skin felt tingly up his arm where he had touched Keith's hand and again his stomach rushed with excitement. He just hoped that Keith wasn't repulsed by his touch.

He pointed again and looked quizzically at Keith, then patted the water, wondering perhaps if it was a vessel for him to use on the water. There were many in the harbour a few miles along the coast and were used very regularly. He wondered whether Keith knew how to sail. He had seemed quite averse to the water the night before.

Guild of Dishonor

Should I post? Or are we waiting on @King Tai?

of mer and men [Sheith Merman!AU]

The sun was bright and glaring down at Shiro when he woke up. His eyes were dropping and tired but his mind was slight with excitement. He instantly recalled the night before, meeting the land man and his stomach flipped happily. He swam back to the cove to look for signs of movement on the shore, then swam closer to the dock, where they had spoken and exchanged gifts.

On his dorsal fin, around his body, where his waist would have been if he was human He wore a purse of sorts. It was fashioned from kelp and a shark egg shell. They were fashionable in mer-culture and a way for merfolk to carry their wares safely and securely. Shiro had weighed up the pros and cons of attaching the shell that Keith had given him to the outside of the bag, before deciding that it was too precious to leave for hard currents to bash and snatch so he had tucked it inside. He took it out now and smiled fondly at it. In the sunlight he could appreciate the soft pink colour and he noted the subtle brown hues. It was small and delicate and so beautiful.

He tucked it away again carefully and swam as close to shore as he could without beaching himself, still looking out for Keith. He saw no signs of movement from within the shack aside from a raven that squawked as it fluttered away from the window. Shiro puffed out air in a sigh and slipped back into the deeper end of the cove. He could feel warm currents rushing around him and cold ones by his tail fin. Then he felt the bitter cold.

It was like a wave washing over him, like ice had suddenly bitten his very insides. Shiro shuddered and looked out into the ocean. Zarkon was calling for a tournament. Shiro shivered at the thought and subconsciously put a hand over his shoulder. It took him several hours to swim out to sea to find the official invitation.

It read the time and date but nothing else. Useless to anyone who did not recohnise the signiture of the dark magic behind the invitation itself. A week today. Shiro sighed heavily and headed back to his cove, to his Keith. The sun was already beginning to set by the time Shiro slipped up out of the water bu the dock.