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Percy Jackson can hear the whining of the sails from his little cabin and it soothes the jagged edges of him that continue to grip the life he once had. A life of peace; a farmer’s son, plowing at the earth underneath scorching sun and buzzing insects. It is honest work, but it is mind-numbing and his hands work too quickly for the plow, and his thoughts race too fast for the field, and he just needed more. Now, almost a year later, he has plagued the seas, knotting ropes and digging his nails into the rich wood of his ship. Andromeda. He loves her with every fibre of his being he should have loved his farm life with. She is sleek, a deep walnut colour, and has bright blue sails that can be seen from miles away. It is to tell his mother he is safe, should she ever look out to sea and wonder if he lives. His heart squeezes as he remembers their last conversation, so full of tears and words left unsaid. He hopes she understands, he hopes time has healed her wounds even if it hasn’t healed his.
The white buttoned shirt hanging open exposes his chest and the flat planes of his stomach to the elements. The cold draft that always seems to sweep through the hull, pebbles his earth brown skin. He breathes in the familiar scent of the ocean, letting it fill up his tired body, as he makes quick work of the ties holding what’s left of his shirt together, before shrugging on his emerald coat, the exact colour of his eyes, and his most prided raid possession. As he’s slipping his compass into his pocket his door is flung open, slamming against the cabin wall with a loud crack.
“Captain!” His quartermaster, and best friend, gasps, black eyes as wide as saucers. “You should come see this.”
He frowns, unused to seeing Frank so excited. “Are we under attack do we need to-”
“No Captain,” He shakes his head vigorously, “It’s a wreck.”
Percy is out the door and racing up the staircase before anyone can say Andromeda. The scene he is greeted with above is enough to raise the hairs at the back of his neck. His crew members all hang over the side, peering down at the floating pieces of wood, and cloth, and disaster littering the grey seas. The air is quiet, too quiet. As if nobody dares to break the silence because it is stringing the moment together in fragile balance.
“What happenings?” He asks roughly. His crew jumps, all turning to stand to attention.
“Captain,” His sailing master, nods, “She’s wrecked, bilged on her anchor.”
“That does not cause this.” He frowns, moving towards the edge to see the wreckage up close. “This looks like she was blown through.”
“We didn’t hear any fire,” Frank says, getting nods of confirmation from the crew.
“Survivors?”
“But one Captain,” Reyna, holds out her telescope and offers it to him. It is usually attached to her, used to navigate them to his needs. His sailing master is nothing but talent and sass, but right now she looks stricken. “Northwest of the mast.”
He focuses his eyes, adjusting to the size of the telescopes frame, and sees only a flash of bright, gold-spun hair, and white hands clinging to wood. “A Jack Tar?”
“A beast.” The quarter-master mutters softly.
Percy whips around, green eyes ablaze. “Manner?”
“Siren, we believe.” Reyna’s voice is soft with disbelief.
“Bring them up,” He growls, handing her telescope back, “And do no harm.”
He can see the crew exchange looks at his request but with a thump of his sword against the deck, they all race into motion. Grabbing rope and sails in order to slow the movement of the ship. Reyna climbs up the mast and directs the crew from the crows nest, trying to get the ship as close as possible to the bobbing body, floating further away from them with every second.
Percy stands on the bowsprit looking through his own miniature telescope as he watches the figure get bigger. He hears a splash and knows someone has thrown a life-line over. He hears Frank shout to the creature, telling them to grab the float and hold on. They don’t move, don’t even look up, and for a heart-wrenching moment he thinks they’re too late.
But someone shouts again and ever so slowly the creature looks up, directly at him, and that blue gaze shatters every part of his soul. He stumbles back onto the deck and helps the crew in hauling the stranded up. Their skin, almost translucent, like moonlight, glitters as they lift an arm to wrap around the buoy. With two counts they heave, and heave, and heave. Until the creature is on the deck, ocean eyes hollow, and body shivering like they aren’t used to being exposed.
Faint scales, the colour of coral, line the undersides of their arms, and wrap around their neck, but their torso is bare, and smooth as glass. The tail, gorgeous and gleaming in the rapidly rising sun, is the same soft pink, with flecks of green and sapphire running through it.
Percy crouches down, near their head of gold, and leans over them. “Aren’t fish meant to stay in water?” He smirks.
The creature doesn’t even bat an eyelash, continuing to stare up at the sky in devoid trance.
“What is your name?” He asks, and this time his voice is carefully constructed; the captain issuing a command.
They turn their head, finally looking at him. “Your human tongue cannot pronounce the name of the sea.”
“What should we call you?” He is not deterred.
They blink their eyes, surprise there and gone in an instant. “Jason.”
“Why were you hanging around a ship wreck?”
Their face curls in disgust, “Stupid humans were having a battle and blew up their ship. I was-” They choke, as if it pains them to admit it. “I was too slow, and got injured in the crossfire.”
“Where are you injured?”
“I cannot say until i have gotten my legs.” They shrug, and he hears the scrape of their scales against his deck.
“You can acquire human legs?”
“Yes,” They purse their lips, “It is a painful process, but a protective measure should we ever be captured by humans.”
“Should it take this long?”
“It takes longer when I’m injured.” They sigh, “I will have to give it time.”
“What are we to do with you until then?”
Jason whips their head towards him, emotions flying across their face faster than he can comprehend. “You are giving me a choice? You are not going to slaughter me, or sell me?”
Percy frowns, the deep lines between his brows shadowing his beautiful face. “Why would we do that? What belongs to the sea should stay there.”
“I-” They blink, “You are not like other humans.” Before Percy can ask them what that means they are grabbing his hand, cold skin pressing against the pulsing heat of his own. “Please take me somewhere safe. The pain is starting”
And with that they close those hypnotic blue eyes and the hand in his goes limp. He doesn’t say anything to his crew as he tucks an arm behind Jason’s back, and another underneath the curve in their tail. Standing up with the grace of a dancer, he turns towards his cabin, stopping at the stairs, and looking out at his crew.
“Haul wind for Narcissus island, and do not stop unless attacked.” And then he is disappearing into his quarters, deliberately ignoring the questions he can see in his quartermaster’s eyes.
“Weigh Anchor!” He hears Frank shout, “Smartly!” before he shuts the door to the outside world.
He sets the creature down on his bed, holding their hand tightly in his as he watches their face bead with sweat. The pain is excruciating and it is a wonder the siren does not scream out. But slowly their legs appear, as translucent as the rest of their body, and the beautiful scales across their body fade into nothing.
They open their eyes, which glow in the darkness of the space, and look down to see their legs. They look up again, and a smile blooms across their face, as wide and glowing as the stars.
“Hello my love,” He grins, brushing a hand across their cheek. “I have missed you.”
“Please come home.” Jason whispers, leaning into his touch. “Your kingdom needs you. I need you.”
Percy smiles unrestrained, and captures their lips in his own. “You are here. I am already home.”