Chapter Text
Aziraphale had come down to the cove and stripped down just to his britches. He waded in and started swimming as Crawly appeared. Aziraphale watched as Crawly swam around, his mind flickering back to possibly continuing his research.
“It’d feel wrong, Crawly,” Aziraphale spoke as Crawly’s shimmering fins brushed against him. “Even if it was for scientific research. But I must admit I am curious.”
Aziraphale led them to the rocks for some lunch then. Crawly settled beside him in the water, their belly on the sand below. Aziraphale took a breath, gathering his courage. If he didn’t do it now, he feared he’d lose his courage to ever do it. He dared to wade towards Crawly, who was finishing off their food. Aziraphale knelt in the water on the sand, the waves lapping at his stomach.
“Alright, Crawly. Here we go.” Aziraphale sucked in a breath, cautiously reaching for their tail ends.
Crawly clicked happily, turning over to look at Aziraphale. Crawly then flipped over onto their back, lifting their tail to flap almost invitingly at Aziraphale. Aziraphale’s breath hitched, but he smiled softly.
“Now, Crawly. You must understand this is completely scientific research.” Aziraphale said, more trying to convince himself. Aziraphale crept closer, sliding his hand up Crawly’s tail.
“I promise I won’t hurt you, Crawly,” Aziraphale spoke softly.
Crawly breathed in a sharp breath before they fell back under the water.
Aziraphale moved his hand to Crawly’s soft underside, his heart picking up. He kept reminding himself this was scientific research and nothing more. Aziraphale then felt his way up the scales, noting the change in size. Crawly’s tail twitched, and the tail end wrapped around Aziraphale’s ankle.
“It’s okay,” Aziraphale assured and brought his other hand to Crawly’s side. Crawly gave a low hiss from under the water, making bubbles of air form in the water.
“Okay, let’s see what we’re working with.” Aziraphale situated himself closer, feeling over the tail. He felt the scales shift and the texture change under his finger. He felt the firm, scaly flesh pulsate, shifting. Aziraphale slid his finger away to witness the pink fleshy opening. He sucked in a breath.
“Okay. So, there seems to be one orifice. Now, my research said most fish have two openings.” He felt his finger down and around, trying to find any other opening. Crawly’s tail pushed into Aziraphale’s hand, gurgling under the water, clawing at the sand below them.
Aziraphale hummed in contemplation to find no other hole nor opening nor slit. “Only one then, perhaps.” He muttered to himself. He then slowly drew his finger back to the fluttering opening. It was a rather small opening, pulsating open, welcomingly almost.
Aziraphale drew in a breath to brush over it with his finger. “Sometimes male phalluses extend from openings,” Aziraphale muttered as he felt around.
Crawly was rumbling now, squirming beneath Aziraphale.
Aziraphale dared to press his finger into the opening. He gave a gasp for how warm it felt and how tight it was.
“Oh heavens.” He slid his finger back out, blushing.
Aziraphale felt around the rim, finding no male-like genitalia.
“Okay, so fair to say no male genitalia. Think that answers my question. Rather unseemly to me, however, to have one hole for everything.”
Crawly’s hips jumped off the sand towards Aziraphale.
“I think that should be all, Crawly. I really shouldn’t.”
Crawly’s eyes opened, pleading almost. They made a sad little mewl, claws still sunk into the sand. Their tail end curled loosely about Aziraphale’s ankle. Crawly then slowly raised their hand to gently touch Aziraphale’s wrist, as if scared of hurting Aziraphale again. Aziraphale’s breath left him as Crawly gently pulled his hand back to their tail. Crawly’s tail pushed up, and their eyes fluttered close. They loosened the paw over Aziraphale. Aziraphale’s breath left him again as his fingers pressed over the opening.
“Oh. It does seem mean to leave you like this. Wrong to work you up for nothing.” Aziraphale felt a blush rising as he gingerly slid his finger into the opening.
“Poseidon, forgive me.”
Aziraphale was pushing in then, feeling around. The opening didn’t give at all. He just barely could get his finger in. Crawly was gurgling, making bubbles like anything in the water. Their tail was turning and lashing about. Their hand dropped away to grasp at the sand below.
“Maybe we’ll be quick.” Aziraphale rationed. “Besides, it’s not like anyone will know. Just God, if he exists.” Aziraphale spoke to himself. He pulled his finger slowly out to feel about the rim again.
Aziraphale felt enraptured then as he continued his actions, watching Crawly’s reactions. A slick fluid began to secrete from Crawly’s opening. Aziraphale pulled his finger away to roll it between his fingers, feeling it, wondering if it was semen. But Crawly still seemed on edge, not having yet reached climax.
“Lubrication.” Aziraphale realized. “So the males of your species must possess some sort of thin appendage to slip inside. And you must… well…prepare each other… play, as it were. As humans might.”
Aziraphale pressed back in. Crawly’s opening was widening a touch now, though Aziraphale could still only get a finger in. Aziraphale brushed his other finger over the rim as his finger slipped in. Crawly’s tail fins tightened and constricted over his ankle while Crawly’s tail was shuttering. Aziraphale brought his hand to stroke over their side, making calming, soothing noises before Crawly made a loud gasp, their head snapping out of the water.
The next thing Aziraphale knew, Crawly’s whole tail turned them over, and he was falling back into the water, Crawly wrapping over him. Aziraphale got a nose full of water and barely got his head up past the water to cough it up.
“Crawly. Water up my nose. Can’t breathe.” Aziraphale coughed with his eyes closed as he felt Crawly’s body pressing into his own.
Aziraphale’s head was forced back under the water, and suddenly, he felt Crawly’s mouth over his. Aziraphale’s eyes flashed open to see Crawly at his head, the milky-white eyelids covering their eyes, their mouth still on his.
Aziraphale felt as alarmed as anything. Crawly wasn’t kissing him in the sense that humans do, but breathing air into his lungs. Crawly pulled away in the water with a hiss, and their head moved to Aziraphale’s neck, nuzzling. Aziraphale could feel them purring over him. Their tail was right over his member, firm and present. Aziraphale tried to get his hands under Crawly to push them off, but Crawly was back to his mouth, breathing air into his lungs again. Their body rolled up over Aziraphale’s member, causing him to shiver.
“Oh no. This isn’t a good thing.” Aziraphale thought.
Aziraphale was left completely at the whims of Crawly, who was firm and sturdy over him, keeping him alive under the water. Crawly’s head moved away, and their tongue licked at the shell of Aziraphale’s ear. Aziraphale shivered and then felt the light press of Crawly’s teeth before Crawly slithered off his body.
Aziraphale jumped to sit up and gasp at real fresh air, his heart beating like anything. Crawly had slithered about his waist, nuzzling under his chin.
“Crawly.” Aziraphale stuttered out.
“Azzz.” Crawly purred.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have touched you like that. It was inappropriate.” Aziraphale’s breath came out heavy.
Crawly pulled off fully, slithering back into the water. They made a sad little mewl sound, their tail ends wrapping around Aziraphale’s ankles.
“Yes, I think it’s time we depart. Not only are we two different species, but we’re from two different worlds, you and I. It could never work.” Aziraphale tried to explain. “Sorry, Crawly.” He stroked Crawly’s tail, and Crawly let go.
Crawly then slithered off into the water, making one last sorry-full clicking noise, looking back at Aziraphale before diving deep into the water. Aziraphale was left there, sitting in the shallows, gathering his breath.
April 4, 1832: Day thirty-four
My exploration of Crawly’s body has led me to conclude that they are a female. They possess a cloaca, similar to a bird’s, strangely. But then I think of the myth of the siren originally being half-bird. Crawly is a unique creature indeed.
Crawly return the favour by mounting me and… well… kissing me. It is hard to explain, for it was more like they were keeping me alive in the water by breathing air into my lungs. Their tail over my member stirred on sensations I have never felt, and I dare say I was excited. I try not to think of it too much.
April 4, 1832: 11 pm
I have been kept awake by dreams of Crawly. It seems I, like the sailors from the stories, have become enraptured with this mermaid.
April 5, 1832: Day thirty-five
No sight of Crawly today. I find myself saddened. Perhaps they left. I shall miss their company if they have.
Full moon tonight. Perhaps I will stay up to see if I can spot it in the sky. Hopefully, the skies are clear.
Aziraphale woke up early the next morning to lovely weather. He found the waves splashing wildly from the full moon the previous night. He had meant to stay up, but unfortunately, he’d fallen asleep when reading a book and so had missed spotting the full moon.
Aziraphale wandered down to the cove, seeing no Crawly again. He began feeling an awful fear that Crawly might had left him. Aziraphale wandered over some rocks before a red cascade of what looked to be Crawly’s hair greeted him.
“Crawly!” Aziraphale called happily as he carefully navigated rocks to where he figured Crawly might be gathering some food.
Only, Aziraphale’s breath was taken from him to find a body lying there, passed out.
“By Gods!” Aziraphale proclaimed and rushed to the naked form, falling to his knees on the rocks.
Aziraphale gave no note to the being’s nude form, more worried about them. The figure’s eyes were closed and as Aziraphale touched them, he found the body cold.
“Oh dear. They’re dead.” Aziraphale fretted.
Aziraphale gave some good time thrusts to the chest, then brought his mouth to breathe air into the body. The being gasped sharply, and Aziraphale recoiled as they coughed up water violently.
“It’s okay. You’re all right.” Aziraphale spoke gently to them. “We’ll get you some clothes and…”
The being had stopped coughing and turned their head to Aziraphale. Aziraphale was met with unnaturally stunning amber eyes.
Then, from the being came a familiar hiss of, “Azzz.”
“Crawly!?”