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James cursed as another wave rocked the vessel, slamming him dangerously against the railing. He needed to get the equipment on deck tied down so it wasn’t washed away or the trip out to the research outpost would be for nothing. They were a small vessel, which meant that the hold wasn’t as big as they would have liked and too much of what they were ferrying out had to be left exposed. What made it worse was that according to the raidar, they weren’t even in the worst of the storm yet. James needed to get the rest of it tied down and get inside before the weather got worse. One of the others on the boat was doing his best to steer while the others were either helping him anchor things on deck or below to tie down the cargo inside. If something broke loose and shifted they had the very real danger of being capsized.
James wasn’t sure how it happened. Wasn’t sure if it was a wave or something else that knocked him off his feet. What he was sure of was that he wasn’t on the boat anymore. He was caught in the water, waves rising and falling around him, throwing him around until he couldn’t tell up from down. Until the current wrapped around him and dragged him off. He could feel his lungs burning for air as his vision blurred.
James woke on the floor of the diving room in the center.
He didn’t understand how.
By all rights he should be dead. He should have drowned. He should not have been able to get down to this depth without a wetsuit to maintain his body temperature. There’s a lot of things that should be, a lot of things that should not have been possible. James sat up, looking around to see if there was anyone around, which ruled out the very small possibility that someone had somehow found him and brought him in. Considering how far away they were it was nearly impossible but… He was trying to find some way to rationalize how he was still alive. Movement in the pressurized pool caught his eyes and he turned towards it.
At first he saw nothing, then he realized the water itself was what was moving. A hand formed, reaching up to grab the side of the pool, followed by an arm. As more and more emerged, he could make out a watery body, slender with long legs, tall enough to reach his shoulder when he stood. James watched as the water shifted, became skin and hair, until he was looking at a very lovely male with pale red eyes and raven hair. He swallowed hard as the pale face tipped, looking him over as if checking for injuries.
This must be how he survived but he wasn’t sure how. He didn’t know how to explain this. Not with science. Not even as he reached out to touch the soft skin, the water being seeming just as fascinated with him. One long fingered hand lifted to touch over his beard, to tug at the collar of his clothing. The only thing he could think to explain what was in front of him was a water nymph or some other mythological being. He wanted to ask, to talk to the other but there was a clatter from one of the doors as the lock was turned and the male turned to dive into the water, vanishing back into the depths.
~*~
It took three days for the storm to lessen and another for the boat to arrive. And James had no answers whenever he was asked what happened. All he could say was that he was washed overboard and woke up in the diving room. The video footage of the room was glitched, showing an empty room one moment and then him inside it the next. James wished it showed the male that had saved him but he wasn’t surprised that he wasn’t caught on the feed. The being that had saved him, whatever he was, was obviously not human. If he were caught on feed then there would be studies of him.
James didn’t like the idea of it.
The post was there to observe marine creatures in their natural environment. Not to catch and drag them into a lab.
He had the sickening feeling that his savior would become a prisoner if he told the truth. The research was underfunded as many were. A find like him would draw a lot of attention. A lot of funding.
Part of James hoped they didn’t see each other again.
Part of James knew they already had.
There were times when he’d look out an observation window and notice a shift in the water. An outline that hadn’t been there before. There were times he thought he could see the faintest shade of red looking back at him. It was after the storm had fully passed, after the equipment was settled in, that he finally managed to get the pier alone. And as he thought, it didn’t take long for a hand to form out of the water. For a body to rise up next to him.
“Hello. My name is James. Thank you for saving me.”
“I’m Qrow. I couldn’t let you die, you’re the most fun to watch.”
Somehow James wasn’t surprised to learn that Qrow (what a strange name for a sea creature) had been watching them. It made sense that if he lived in the ocean, he’d want to watch those that were studying it. Still… “I…”
He watched those lips form a smirk as Qrow leaned back, looking up at him coyly. “You want to study me.”
James blushed, trying to keep his eyes from trailing down, but he nodded. “I wouldn’t do anything you are not comfortable with but I would like to learn more about you and what you are if you’ll let me.”
“Hm…” Qrow stepped closer, hand tugging on the front of his clothes again. James figured that he might be as intrigued by them as James was of the marine life he studied. “Very well. I will allow it but I wish to know more of your world as well. Not here though.”
“No. Not here.” James didn’t yet trust the other researchers not to do anything to Qrow. “But I don’t have a place near water where we can meet…”
Qrow grinned and James felt something press onto his hand as the slender male turned and dove back into the water. It was after he was out of sight that James the package of shells and kelp to find a cache of pearls. Obviously Qrow had plans and James was more than curious to find out what they were.