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The ship swayed uneasily through the waters as Legundo hastily strapped bandages to his arm. The bandages had been easy to steal from the camp. He hadn't even alerted a soul when he swiped them from the on-site doctor's camp. His only grievance is that he was taking them from people who may need it more.
Then again, his only goal right now was survival. Any other concerns were thrown out the window.
He had stolen practically everything he could except for the clothes on his back and the few supplies he already carried in his bag. His eyepatch itched the skin around his eye, but he resisted the urge to scratch it. The eye-patch would protect his blinded side from the salt and the winds, and he would be better for it.
Legundo let out a grunt as he finished tying his bandages. His fellow soldiers had turned on him so quickly, grabbing their guns and shooting for their target near instantly. They hadn't tried to kill him-he knew his comrades, if they wished to kill instead of maim he wouldn't still be alive on a stolen and beat-up ship-but the bullets had grazed him well. They would take days, if not weeks to fully heal. He gazed out into the ocean, the blue nothingness surrounding his ship completely.
…It'll be okay. Maybe he did have weeks.
He laid down on the tiny ship, surrounding himself with a ratty blanket. The ship could reasonably hold a few people, so there was more than enough room for him to lay down in the middle of it without risk of falling overboard. His limbs screamed in agony from sprinting so much, the adrenaline no longer masking his pain. He was tired, hungry and with the sun setting, he would soon be cold. Sleep would help him ignore all of it. Hopefully the army would forget about a runaway soldier fairly quickly, and he could go back to his life in relative peace.
Legundo closed his eyes and let the steady rhythm of the waves lull him to sleep.
˖°𓇼
"Ay, Legs! Nice work. You saved all of our butts out there!" A gruff man slapped him on the back. Legundo laughed with him, trying not to show the gaping hole in his stomach that threatened to overshadow his mood entirely. He had done something good.
"It was just some poison." Legundo's eyes flickered away from his comrade's ear-to-ear grin. "It'll gain us a lot of ground, at least."
"The entire seaside area, man! Your idea got all of 'em. Reports have been coming in for the past few hours about not being able to drink the good water." The man waved as he headed back to his quarters. "Good night!"
"…Good night."
Legundo stood there in the grassy area, soldier uniform threatening to suffocate him. He had been congratulated all day by his generals, but also had been declared a piece of scum by others. It had been a conflicting dichotomy all day, encouraging more gray hairs to creep their way into his appearance.
He clenched his fists and he, too, went back to his quarters for fitful rest.
˖°𓇼
A sweet song tickled at his ears, shooting him awake from his slumber. The song pulled at his heartstrings, causing it to skip a beat. It made his brain foggy and was clearly something other. Legundo gasped, memories of the dangers of the sea surging back at him. A siren.
He fumbled in his bag for some wax earplugs, his brain still working to catch up with the situation. Legundo had never believed in the tall tales his fellow soldiers told in the rare moments when they could sit around a campfire and joke around. Some of them had lived near the sea and liked to spin stories about beautiful sirens luring sailors to their deaths. They had raved about the beauty of said sirens far too much for Legundo to truly pay attention, anyway. As he stuffed his earplugs in, finally muffling the song, he started to wish he had listened.
Legundo moved closer to the edge of his small ship, trying to spot the source of the terrifying music. Overnight, his ship had drifted into a rocky area, the gaps between the boulders just wide enough to guarantee a safe passage even for a sailor that was asleep. The sun rays blocked his view slightly, forcing him to squint with his good eye to properly make out anything in the rocks. Eventually, he caught a glimpse of stunning cyan hair.
It was a man, but he was clearly not human. Gills sprouted from the sides of his head and sparkling blue scales littered his pale skin. A tail spouted from where his legs were supposed to be, cascading into the water and swishing slightly. Legundo found himself craning his neck to get a better look at the creature. The siren.
The siren's eyes were closed as he sung, lips slightly parted to allow the song to carry across the waters. Legundo leaned closer, slightly transfixed. The siren opened his eyes and grinned slightly at the sight of Legundo. They were predator eyes: gleaming red pupils surrounded by a never ending void. Legundo instinctively took a step back, standing his ground and never moving from his ship.
It only took a couple of minutes before the siren's face contorted in anger and his jaw snapped shut. His song wasn't working to lure his prey in; Legundo's earplugs were blocking just enough of the sound out. The siren scowled and flicked his tail angrily, and in the process revealed his side. It was heavily cut up and almost looked like it could be infected, the seaweed that barely covered it doing absolutely nothing to help.
Strangely, Legundo's heart tugged at the urge to help the siren despite his clear intention to kill him. "Wait!" He blurted out. Unfortunately, the siren had already slid back into the water, leaving nothing but a slight ripple in the ocean. He shook his head, clearing the temptation to help from his mind. Someone that only saw him as a meal deserved no help of his.
But what if he doesn't have a choice? There's not many sailors around anymore, what if he's just doing what it takes to survive? Aren't you doing the same thing?
The scent of blood tainted his mouth. He could practically see the bodies on the ground in front of him, begging for mercy. Legundo clapped a hand over his mouth and sat back down, the waves not helping his sudden nausea. He keeled on the wooden planks and did his best to steady himself. After a bit, he slid the earplugs out of his ears and into his pockets.
He might need them again soon. They were good to have nearby.
˖°𓇼
Legundo was built for rough land and rocky terrain. He had spent hours training for the army, constantly keeping himself in shape to increase his chances of survival. He was not, however, built for the unpredictable sea. While he had grown up near a seaside town, there had been little interest to actually motivate him to delve into the waves. Seasickness was a struggle he was still getting used to, along with the various repairs he had to constantly make to his little boat. The most important thing he was unprepared for, however, was his lack of resources.
On land, even if you had nothing, the world was full of resources. Any survival problem could be solved with knowledge, skills and a little bit of luck. The ocean was not as prosperous. After only a few days hiding out at sea, Legundo slowly realized he would have to stop by a dock and go into town if he wanted to survive long enough for the army to forget about him.
As soon as he made his decision, Legundo situated himself at the steering wheel and started to chart a course with a map that had been left behind on the ship. Luckily, it was up to date and he managed to puzzle out where the nearest town was and adjust his course to head towards it.
Legundo would just have to hope that nobody in the town recognized him.
The town was only a day or two's worth of travel away, so Legs spent that time conserving his supplies and keeping an eye out for any sirens. It was strange to think that only a few days prior, he would've scoffed at the notion of his future self looking for creatures that didn't exist. Legundo himself couldn't believe it, even now. The urge to help and tend to the injury on the siren plagued at him, making him constantly relive the moment and wonder what he could've done differently. He wondered if the siren was dead because he was too much of a coward to, at the very least, ask about the siren's condition. After all, sirens were half-human. They still had humanity and it would be cruel of him to ignore that.
But you ignored it before, haven't you? On actual humans. Picking a predator over helpless innocents to save?
Legs shook the demeaning thoughts off. He had changed since then. He would do better than to make his mistakes again.
The town had come into sight at noon on his second day of travel, nearly a week since he had deserted the army. "Land ho!" Legundo rasped with humor as the land came into view, surprising himself with his rough voice. He had barely spoken to anyone in days and it showed.
Legundo fastened his ship to the dock with ease and made sure to grab some (stolen) coins and a cloak to hide himself before venturing forth into the bustling little town. People walked briskly to and fro from the vendors and tiny shops that lined the pathways. He didn't recognize the town or its citizens, so the soldier silently prayed that would be enough to dissuade anyone looking to drag him back into the army.
Legundo made his way through the vendors, barely making anything more than a quiet grunt whenever people attempted to talk to him. He managed to get some food and water in his hands before the slight glint of a jewelry stand compelled him to wade over and stare at the wares. Based on his comrade's tall tales, sirens absolutely adored shiny things. Perhaps, if he bought some, he could attract the siren back so they could have a civil conversation..
It bothered him that he was still lingering on the idea of helping the siren. Likely, the endeavor would end in sharp teeth and blood. Still, he found himself raising his voice to negotiate prices.
"How much is this?" Legundo pointed to a gold necklace with a tiny star pedant. The older woman who ran the stand didn't answer his question, instead she squinted at him with her mouth slightly twisted. "Miss?"
"You're that army man." She sneered, hand snaking around the booth to grip onto Legundo's arm. The former soldier found himself frozen as he stared into the woman's furious gaze. "You're the one that killed my granddaughter. She had a family in that town, y'know. She just wanted to drink water like everyone else!"
Guilt stabbed through him as the woman's grip tightened. Her eyes looked shiny from unshed tears. "I'm sorry-"
"Ma'am, is this man giving you trouble?" A deep voice interrupted. It was a man in army gear with two others that looked just like him in tow. "A thief?"
"He's the one your type has been lookin' and botherin' us for!" She hissed. "The deserter!" Legundo swallowed, heart speeding up. He started to pull himself out of the woman's grasp. In less a second, the man's demeanor changed. He stared straight at Legundo with narrowed eyes, trying to place his face. He already had a finger on his gun.
"…Legs? What are you doing all the way out here?" The man (Andrew, Legundo's mind helpfully supplied. They had never been friends, but always exchanged a friendly conversation or two when passing by each other in the hallways) had a devastated look on his face, hand encapsulating his gun completely and pulling it out of his belt. "Legs, come with us. Don't do this the hard way. I don't want to use this gun." Andrew raised his other hand in a peaceful and friendly gesture, like he hadn't assisted in the poisoning himself. Like he hadn't shot some of the townspeople trying to escape for medical help. Like Legundo was a wild, sinful animal and he somehow wasn't.
It made Legs seethe.
"Why not? You've already used that thing on innocents. Might as well use it on a guilty man." Legundo snapped at him before abruptly running the other way, back towards the docks. The woman glanced down at her empty hand in shock.
"Get him!" She screeched, grasping her vendor table in anger. Legundo didn't slow down, speeding through the alleyways and wooded areas. He was built for the land. He was built to run.
He knew they'd never catch him. Legundo weaved through the town, deliberately taking the long way to cover up his tracks. He even managed to circle around his previous trail, with no sound of heavy boots or angry shopkeepers following him. Quickly, he untied the rope that kept his ship tethered to the land and boarded it, dropping his supplies in the safety of his pack. Then, he gripped the steering wheel and set his course for the open sea.
Legundo panted as the town finally faded into the fog. He had been reckless and he hadn't realized the true gravity of his situation. Maybe for other men, the army would be happy to ignore a few deserters here and there-but for him? Their greatest achievement and criminal? It wouldn't be a good look for the government if he was left to roam free, not bound by the unspoken rules of war. He couldn't go back to land, not without a better plan.
Wasting his time on the jewelry had been a mistake he wouldn't dare to make again.
˖°𓇼
It had only been a week since the mass devastation of the towns and their poisoned water supply. The townsfolk were still in disarray, some congratulating Legundo's actions while others condemned him.
His general had ordered him to deal with the town. There were other ways, he knew. Easier way. Less destructive ways. But they would take longer.
They wouldn't feel as good to execute.
Legundo had come up with the idea. He had gone undercover with a few others and poisoned the wells that the town depended on. It had been easy, too easy. Yet, when the townspeople woke up and started dropping dead, he couldn't help but feel a sick sense of satisfaction.
His plan had worked.
It disgusted him. He had been turned into the perfect soldier by the army. He refused to be that man any longer. He could no longer sleep soundly in his cot at night knowing that men, women and children were dead because of him the army.
So, he had packed up what little he could and ran for the nearby town, stealing a ship and never looking back. It had been impulsive, stupid-yet, it was an one way road. He had made his decision.
He would rather be lonely than to be a criminal. To be helpful, instead of harmful.
It was what he deserved.
˖°𓇼
The sea was calm today, a lucky break. The waves barely pushed him along in the rocky area, preventing his boat from getting damaged. Legundo was happy to sit on the edge of the boat and enjoy the breeze.
He hadn't expected for his eye to catch cyan scales. The siren. He had appeared again, now lazily lounging in the water. His eyes were closed, but his gills twitched in time with the waves. Legundo could still see the crimson red slash of his side wound. The wound almost looked yellow at the edges. If the siren didn't get it fixed up, it would likely get infected.
Legundo had spent some time in the medical field during his time as a soldier. It was the only way to ensure that his fellow soldiers didn't die quickly in the battlefield. He would be tasked to do a patch job, making sure the soldier lived just enough to be sent onto the battlefield again.
It pained him every time when he learned that each soldier he was forced to send out died quickly after.
Still, it had been enough for him to learn how to fix most wounds. He could help the siren and in turn, perhaps he could strike a deal to not be eaten and guaranteed a safe passage. Worst case, the siren could make a good meal to help him survive a little longer. The thought equally disgusted and intrigued him.
The former soldier hatched up a plan after finding an abandoned net in the corners of the ship. Carefully, he attached it to the side and lowered it down, the siren still too lost in a daze to notice the giant net coming down on him. As soon as its thin claws snatched up the siren, he scooped it up and hauled it onto the floor of the ship. The siren hissed and growled, trying to escape the net.
"It didn't strike me that you might be one of the hunter types." The siren frowned, still withering in the net. "I thought you were a soldier."
"You remember me?" Legundo's lips parted in surprise. The siren stopped moving.
"Yes? I've been following you for a while. Did you really not notice?" He whistled. "Dang. I should've had less faith in you."
"Stop insulting me." Legundo grumbled. "I've been on the run for nearly a week and a half. I've been looking out for army ships, not folktales." He made a circle around the siren, inspecting him. "Interesting…" He mumbled to himself. The man was truly half-fish, half-human. No made-up stories or facades.
"f you don't want me to insult you, then stop looking at me like that." The siren crossed his arms. "I've seen that fascination in hunter's gazes before. You're lucky you're not dead yet."
"You're the lucky one here, actually." Legundo turned around and dug into his bag, sliding out a tiny medical kit. "Stay still or you'll become my dinner." He could see the siren grin with mischief. "Actual dinner. I'm starving."
"Fine." The siren complied as Legundo started to repair the injury through the net. The siren blinked in shock. "Oh. You actually meant it."
"Of course I did." Legundo rolled his eyes as he continued to clean up and bandage the wound. "You're lucky it's not infected yet."
"Infected?" The siren tilted his head out of curiosity. "It can get infected?"
"By the looks of it, you're not taking care of the wound very well. So, yes, it can get infected." Legundo's brief doctor knowledge kicked in. "I'd rather fix it and pay the price later than have your ghost haunt me for not warning you."
"How smart of you, doctor."
"Not a doctor." The siren gestured at the medical kit, net moving with him.
"What's this, then? Regular humans don't go out of their way to help others. They're pretty selfish beings, in fact."
"I was a soldier. Currently, I'm on the run." Legundo curtly explained, tying up the bandage expertly. Luckily, the bandages were waterproof, so the siren would have no need to worry about the wound being exposed again for a while.
"A soldier? Don't your kind usually kill others instead of helping them?" The siren smirked. Clearly, he was determined to get on his nerves. Legundo purposely tightened the bandage too tight as he finished up, causing the siren to hiss from the contact of the fabric next to the sensitive wound. "Alright, alright…"
"There. You should be good now." Legundo sighed and stood up, walking back and putting his medical kit away. When he turned back around, he was surprised to see the siren still sitting there. The siren had sharp claws; he could easily escape if he wanted to. Yet, he stayed, eyes fixated on the man who had gave him care.
"What?" Legundo threw his hands out. "I helped. You can leave now."
"Mm, I don't know. Now that you want me to leave, I kind of want to stay."
"You do realize I could use my knife and slice you up? Make you fish food?" Legundo threatened. The siren looked around the ship with the slight curve of his lips.
"With what fuel? Humans can't eat raw fish. Not to mention," The siren tapped on his own throat. "I could just as easily eat you."
Legundo swallowed and reached for his earplugs. However, when his fingers touched his pockets, he came up empty. The siren feigned surprise.
"Oh? Looking for these?" He dangled the earplugs through the holes in the net. When Legundo lunged for them, the siren easily tossed the earplugs off the edge into the sea. His gaze turned serious. "Whatever are you going to do now, doctor?"
Legundo took a deep breath.
He lowered his arms and cut the net, effectively freeing the siren.
"If you have no reason to use your song on me, then I won't need the earplugs." He gestured towards the sea. "I have more pressing issues to worry about." The siren tentatively made his way to the ship's edge, throwing suspicious looks back at him. Legs kept his entire body still.
"Huh." The siren mused. "You're one of those self-proclaimed good ones. How…funny." Legundo let out a dark huff of laughter at that.
"God, I wish. I am no good man. I have killed much more than you ever will, siren."
"Scott."
The sun was setting behind him as he gazed back towards Legundo, his scales shimmering slightly in the dimming light. It was picturesque, similar to the pictures in storybooks he had read when he was a boy. The stories often warned children to stay away from the monsters that were always typecasted as the villains. That if the protagonists weren't good and moral, the monsters would eat them or corrupt them or destroy everything they loved. Of course, the protagonists never listened and would always befall one of these fates, serving as a reminder to others to never make the same mistakes.
"My name is Scott. Goodbye, dear soldier."
As the siren-no, Scott-dipped back into the everlasting sea, Legundo wondered if he was as foolish as those unlucky protagonists.
He was certainly less innocent than them.
˖°𓇼
Legundo knew he couldn't run away forever. There was far more people looking for him than he had originally assumed, and his supplies were extremely limited since he couldn't safely board land anymore. He couldn't travel to another country without being interrogated or arrested, and he couldn't contact anyone back on land or risk them being punished as well.
Subconsciously, he knew was really only one other option: sailing on and waiting for his inevitable death and hoping it would come before the government could find him.
He should've known he would never be that lucky.
He had only been out on the sea for less than a month, but already there was unknown ships sailing towards him. They were much larger than his ship and had their country's colors slapped on.
They had found him.
Legundo sat at the edge of his ship, contemplating, He could either drown in the water or wait for the ships to capture him and make him a right example in front of the entire country. Well. I'm a coward, aren't I?
He took a deep breath before jumping into the water. Legundo allowed the water to surge down his throat and into his lungs. Closing his eyes, he patiently waited for the world around him to start fading away.
Suddenly, he could feel hands on his hips. Legundo jerked and opened his eyes wide, accidentally letting in a bigger gulp of water. His body convulsed as it tried to expel the water, nose overrun with the liquid and only letting in more water as a result. Black spots danced in his eyes as he caught a glimpse of who was with him.
Scott.
Of course.
Legundo withered in the other's grasp, refusing to let the siren eat him. He would rather rot in the water with the clams and coral, thank you very much. Scott glared at him. "Stay still, idiot." His voice sounded strangely clear in the water. Legs stopped moving for a moment, transfixed by the mere idea of being able to speak despite the crushing ton of liquid around them. Scott took the opportunity to encase his lips around the other, a strange bubble traveling down his throat. Scott's lips were a freezing cold balm against Legundo's warm ones that sent a tingle down his spine.
He inhaled once, then twice. He could breathe. A million questions ran through his head as he floated in the water.
"Those ships are here for you, aren't they?" Scott raised an eyebrow, ignoring Legundo's shocked state. "Let me hide you. I owe you, anyways."
"…Okay." Legundo slowly agreed, the words bubbling out of his mouth with ease. "I can't swim."
"Don't worry. I can guide you."
Dazedly, Legundo let himself be taken by the siren. Scott was quiet as he swam through the water, keeping Legs close to him. It didn't take long for the open ocean to transform into a rocky plateau. Legundo watched as tiny fish wiggled past them, completely unphased by the human underwater with them. However, it was mind boggling for him. If he reached out with a hand, he could pet their fins.
"You know, I just realized you never gave me your name." Scott broke the silence, expertly piloting them past a sharpened boulder. "I gave you mine. It's only fair."
"Legs." He managed, snapping out of his stupor. He was underwater and he wasn't dead. It was still impossible to comprehend. Scott glanced at his lower body and raised an eyebrow at him.
"Bit on the nose, isn't it?"
"My actual name is Legundo, but everybody calls me Legs. Unfortunate name I picked up in college and it stuck with me through the army." Scott snorted, tiny bubbles traveling up through the water.
"Human names are so weird."
"Okay, Scott." Legundo gave him a look.
"My real name makes no sense in your human tongues. I stole this name from a cereal box that sunk into the ocean one day."
"Really?" For some reason, Legundo had an itching feeling Scott's words weren't exactly true. The other man doubled down.
"Really."
"Then why do you know my language?"
"Simple." Scott's tail movements slowed as his eyes rapidly started to flick around. "My mother wanted her heir to know everything I could to communicate with humans. Now, shut up. We're almost there."
Heir?
So there's more sirens. Rich sirens.
If Scott had money and family, then why was he alone?
Legundo let himself be dragged along as Scott dashed down to a cave enshrouded by seaweed. The cave was spacious and had gaudy furniture littered about. Some of it was clearly human, while the rest was made of ocean floor materials. Scott shoved Legundo onto a wooden chair before dashing back to the entrance and covering it up with more seaweed.
"You don't need to hide it. Nobody is going to suspect I'm this deep underwater." Legundo watched as Scott continued to cover the entrance.
"It's not for the humans, sweetheart."
It suddenly occurred to him that he might not be the only one running away from something.
"It's to hide you from sharks." Scott stated, swimming backwards towards the middle of the cave.
"Pretty sure sharks don't roam these parts."
"It's to hide you from sharks." Scott repeated, like it would make Legundo's statement less true. He simply shook his head and leaned back in the wooden chair, looking around the room. Legundo could practically smell the wealth despite the cave's ransack condition. It nagged at him.
Why was Scott here? Why had he found Legundo so far from his home earlier? Distrust invaded his mind and he felt himself bristle. Was he in enemy territory? How could he truly trust Scott? Scott swam around the cave, blind to his internal struggles. He started to rearrange strange bottles on the nearby shelves, not even glancing at his guest. "I'll have to redo that air bubble spell every once in a while." Scott explained lazily as he inspected a bottle filled with magenta coral before meticulously placing it on a table. Legundo's hand shot up to his lips, still feeling the pocket of air protect his lungs.
"I didn't know sirens could do magic." He murmured.
"You really shouldn't be so surprised." Scott floated in the water, looking upside-down at Legundo. "Technically, I'm not allowed to practice spells. However, in this cave alone from the world, I can do whatever I want." He spread out his arms with a grin.
"How many sirens are there, exactly?"
"More than you need to know." Scott huffed. "Most of them are terrible company, anyways. Always shifty, you can never trust them. The only ones you can trust are the ones that are afraid. They have no spine, so they won't bother you."
"I'm not planning on living in a place where I would meet sirens that wouldn't want to kill me." Legundo deadpanned. Scott's tail stopped moving.
"…Right. I forgot you're a human." He twitched slightly. "Hmm. You know what? Why don't I show you around? We have lots of things here that your world could never dream of."
"Alright." Legundo relented, swimming over to Scott. He knew he couldn't trust the siren, but he couldn't help but be fascinated by him. If Legs didn't know better, he would wonder if he had been enchanted by Scott already.
Scott took him on a tour throughout the cave, showing and explaining to the human things he would've never thought possible. Legundo had always been interested in science before the army used him for fighting, and magic wasn't that much different, despite his skepticism. His guard slowly lowered through the day as he began to enjoy Scott's company more and more. Scott even showed him how to whip up a potion that he claimed to be able to turn anyone into what the user wished. Scott had offered it to him as a gift, but Legundo refused.
Having the power to transform anyone at his whim was far too much for someone with his capabilities.
Scott was…interesting. Whenever he was reminded that Legundo was human and couldn't do the things he could do, he visibly twitched. He constantly went on about Legundo's dirty clothing and did his best to try and paw at it whenever possible. He pointedly dodged any questions about his past, focusing on telling half-truths or avoiding the subject entirely. However, Scott managed to dig information out of Legundo, subtly asking questions that Legs didn't mind answering. After all, dead men tell no tales.
It would be nice for at least one person to remember his existence fondly, even if they knew about the horrible things he had done.
˖°𓇼
It didn't take long for Legundo to realize he couldn't survive in the cave very long.
It had only been a day, but he was feeling both terribly hungry and thirsty. There was only salt water and zero human-safe food. The air bubble kept him breathing (he had started to get used to the plesant buzz that ran through him every time Scott came over to kiss him and touch it up) but it only did the bare minimum.
Legundo was still human, after all.
He explained his thoughts to Scott, and asked if the siren would take him back to his ship or at the very least, to land. There wasn't many other places he could run before the government would catch wind of his location again. It was time to accept his fate. Scott agreed before pulling out a plate.
"Before I take you back…would you like to have one final meal with me? I know you can't eat…but I'd like you to try this drink." He held up a green-colored bottle, a lid slapped onto it to keep the liquid from floating into the ocean beyond. "My mother made it for me once, when I was young. It's delicious." He handed the bottle to Legs, claws scratching the material slightly. Then, he guided the human over to his table and sat both of them down.
"Is it safe for humans?" Legundo grimaced slightly at the liquid.
"I made sure." Scott nodded, voice sugary-sweet. "Now drink." He rested his chin on his hand, dark eyes watching Legundo with anticipation. Legundo couldn't help but comply, opening the drink and downing it as fast as possible to prevent any from seeping out.
A stabbing pain went through his legs and he cried out, leaning over the table in agony. "What…?" He gasped quietly. What did….
"It's okay." Scott's voice was in his ear. The siren had pulled him into a hug, holding him as Legundo found himself paralyzed by fear and the painful cramps that now ran through his entire body. Strange sounds were spilling out of his mouth, sounding almost inhuman. "Don't worry. Just close your eyes. I won't let anything bad happen to you. I've protected all of those who I've turned."
"That was….a potion…" Legundo gritted his teeth.
"Good job. I'm surprised you didn't catch on earlier. Now rest."
Legundo squirmed in his grasp, anger coursing through him. He wanted to fight. Unfortunately, it didn't take long before slumber overtook him.
⋆｡𖦹°‧
Scott hadn't expected to be possessive of a measly human so quickly. He had turned other humans into sirens before, yes, but it was often an act of mercy. Usually, said humans knew too much about the secret siren world, so he would be forced keep them trapped in the sea.
This was the first time he hadn't necessarily needed to turn one. He had done it out of a strange, selfish desire. Legundo amused him. He failed to hide the bloodlust in his eyes, the urge to lash out or harm brimming just beneath the surface. According to the human, he had felt guilty for killing so many.
Guilty, not remorseful.
Legundo knew how to kill and do it well. With a bit of encouragement, Scott could eventually convince him to take down the sirens that had overthrown him after his mother had died. The rebellion would be no more, and they could revel in the spoils.
(He ignored the tiny part of him that pondered if his amusement of the man was becoming affection.)
When he checked on Legundo again the next day, the human had been fully transformed into a siren. It was truly some of his best work. Of course, some of it has just been luck with genetics (Legundo's gorgeous jade-colored tail, for example) but he still claimed credit nonetheless. Legundo's eye was open, red pupil contrasting brightly against his dark sclera. The other one was still covered mysteriously by his eyepatch. He moved from the flat rock Scott had laid him down upon awkwardly, like he hadn't realized he no longer had legs. "Hello, beautiful." Scott purred. "How do you feel?"
"Did you-" Legundo's wild eyes flitted back and forth between his tail and Scott. He could see the other's sharp teeth just behind his lips, ready to attack. So he's hungry. "I'm…alive."
"Yes, you are." Scott agreed, pleasantly satisfied with that fact. He hadn't had a death from the potions yet, but the chances were never zero.
"I don't like this." His voice was small as he looked down at his talons.
"You'll get used to it." Scott shrugged. "Once you go on your first hunt, I'm sure you'll-" Pain flashed across his cheek. Tiny bursts of blood floated up in the water, creating a red halo above Scott. Legundo's tail flashed wildly as he stared at the blood on his hands.
"I didn't mean to…" He trailed off before his face hardened. "You know what? You deserve that, actually."
"Wonderful that you're enjoying this already, but you're an idiot." Scott hissed as he scrambled to find fabric to cover up the wound. "My blood is going to attract predators. Other sirens. If you do that again, we're both going to be dead by sunrise."
"I don't blame them for wanting you dead!" Legundo angrily retorted. "You're not exactly hospitable!"
"I gave you a mercy." Scott swiftly turned around. "You can't go back to the human world. They'll kill you. You can't keep traveling by boat, because the sirens will kill you." He propelled himself forward till he was inches away from Legundo's face. "I won't kill you. I've saved you."
"You've simply trapped a monster in a cage with you."
Scott couldn't help it. He started laughing.
"Oh, I didn't realize you were internalizing that. You're in an ocean full of monsters, if your criteria is anything to go by. At some point you're going to have to learn that we're all just doing what we can to survive. You did that in the army, didn't you? Surely you can do it here."
"Not with you." Legundo sneered. Scott tilted his head before quickly swimming outside and snatching a fish that was close to the entrance of his cave. He grasped it in his claws, taking his time to make a big deal out of inspecting it. When he finally let his gaze drift back to the soldier, he had to fight to keep a smile of his face. Legundo was practically trembling from where he floated, hunger overtaking his features. Scott could almost taste the bloodlust radiating off of him.
He had made the right choice.
Scott slowly started to eat the fish right in front of him. Legundo inched towards him, but Scott bit back with a low growl that he knew would mess with the other's instincts and keep him back. Legundo's bewildered expression was priceless. Scott ate the last of the fish before smiling. "If you want food, you have to hunt it yourself. Fish is nice, but it barely sustains our kind. You'll need human."
"No." Legundo shot back, voice not matching the rest of his bloodthirsty features. "I refuse to hurt more people."
"Maybe you're not helping humans. But you're not human, anymore. Humans hurt our kind. They hate us. If we get rid of a few of them to help us feed ourselves, then it's not the end of the world." Scott almost had him. He was so close.
He needed Legundo to stay.
(He didn't have anyone else.)
He could see the indecision in Legundo's eyes. Scott needed one last appeal to hook (ha-ha) him in. He needed a little bit of truth.
"I've hunted alone for quite some time." Scott started, situating himself to perch on the edge of one of his perfectly intact human chairs. "I used to never do so myself, having servants to simply do the work for me. When I was ran out of my own kingdom-"
"Sirens have kingdoms?" Legundo's face paled. Scott schooled his face to keep himself from laughing again.
"There's more ocean than land at this point, dear soldier. Of course there's entire kingdoms of our kind." Legundo fell silent, so he pushed on. "My point is, I know what it's like to be a pathetic little siren who doesn't know what he's doing, so I know exactly how to teach you. Just one hunt with me. If you hate it, you can go off on your own and survive without me."
"Fine." He agreed, face a perfect mask of tranquility. Scott held out a hand and Legundo shook it.
"Great. We start at dawn."
Scott was selfish. He knew he was selfish, and he loved it. His fingers brushed up against his own healed torso, where the sword of the leader of the rebellion had nearly killed him.
It didn't matter now. There was only one person he wanted on his side.
˖°𓇼
Admittedly, it had taken a long time for Legundo to realize there was no good way to tell time underwater; at least, Scott hadn't bothered to give him a way to do so. Even if his captor(?) had provided such assistance, it wouldn't had mattered due to his insomnia. He laid awake on the flat rock, staring into the dim ocean water that floated around him. His vision was enhanced even as the waters got darker. The vision went hand in hand with his sense of smell, driving him mad. He could smell every speck of food that swam around their abode.
He was so hungry. He had barely eaten when on the run and it seemed like the hunger hadn't disappeared with his newfound form. His claws twitched, wanting to maim, to kill. Legundo sighed as he closed his eye. He had fallen for the villain's spell, blindly trusting him despite the warning signs. Foolishly, he found himself craving it.
Scott had looked at him like he was worth something. Like his wicked, monstrous ugliness was somehow beautiful. The addicting feeling clouded his brain, causing his heart rate to speed up. He found himself lost in his own thoughts as tried to bury the feelings.
All of the sensations overwhelmed him, not helping a single bit with his insomnia. He stayed awake until Scott came to retrieve him from his rock. Scott led him out of the cave, exchanging pleasantries that Legundo put no effort into reciprocating. He was tired, angry and hungry to think straight, allowing Scott to take charge. As Scott explained the tips for hunting fish, Legs found himself mindlessly following along, snatching fish from the ocean waters as soon as Scott was done with his talking. Unfortunately, like Scott had pointed out earlier, the fish did barely anything to curb his dizzying hunger. The other siren never brought it up, focusing on only the game around them. Legundo had a feeling Scott was playing with his food in more ways than one.
"Scott…" Legundo started. He hated to lose the game he had unknowingly started playing, but he needed food. It disgusted him, but he found the concept easier to swallow with each torturous moment. Scott stopped swimming and turned to face him, hands slightly behind his back.
"Mhm?"
"Teach me how to hunt for humans." Scott's expression didn't change, but Legundo could see his blue gills flap with a triumphant energy.
"Surely you can ask with a little more respect." Scott urged. Legs could see the air of nobility around him now. Somehow, he had turned a blind eye to it earlier. A flash of annoyance ran through him and he found himself being bold.
"Teach me how to hunt for humans, please…sire." Legundo's tone was filled with barely-contained rage as he swam closer and mockingly kissed Scott's hand. He kept his eye on Scott, hoping for a satisfying reaction. That Scott would be reminded that he was no longer high above the rest and had been brought down from grace to be entertained by a former human. That a noble title used in vain would make him feel shame.
A gleeful smile broke out across Scott's face. Legundo found himself unable to look away as Scott gently pushed him away from his hand. "I thought you'd never ask."
Scott quickly sped away, expecting Legundo to follow. He swam in place for a second, stunned.
…He hadn't expected that.
˖°𓇼
Legundo could see the underbelly of the ship despite their distance from it. He could smell the humans on board even though they were barely in his reach. He could feel his sharp teeth grazing his lips slightly, nearly splitting it open in hopes that the taste of his blood would prevent him from impulsively barreling ahead and leaving Scott behind.
He was an animal. It nearly brought him shame, but he could slowly feel his worries fading away. In fact, it almost gave him comfort to not be human anymore, to not be held up to their standards. There was only Scott's standards to worry about, and, well…
Legundo's gaze drifted over to the siren as they got closer to the boat. He was starting to wonder if he was perfectly in those standards.
"Right. The main goal is to lure them into the ocean so that they're easier to access." Scott explained easily as he watched the ship smoothly move through the water. "All you need to do is sing and get their attention, and everything should go well. I'll stay here to keep an eye on things." Legundo didn't bother with a response, instantly bolting towards the surface of the water and breaking through it. The sun nearly disoriented him as it glared into his sensitive eyes. He fought to keep a hiss in his throat as he moved to paddle alongside the ship.
Luckily, the ship was on a slow path, and none of the humans had spotted him in the water yet. Legundo swam towards the nearest splattering of boulders and adjusted himself to peek behind a medium-sized boulder. Not a single splash disturbed the humans on the ship. Legundo closed his eyes before taking a breath and letting a sweet tune fall out of his lips.
He could feel the effects of the tune, the twisted song convincing the humans on board to jump into the water. His voice claimed to guarantee them happiness and safety. That they would have everything they could ever want if they just went into the ocean and talked to him. Legs found his stomach twisting with guilt as he heard the splashes of water behind him. He kept singing until he could no longer hear any signs of life. Quickly, he turned around to check.
The ship was empty. The only thing left moving was two flags that had been hastily tied to the mast.
The flags marked the ship as an army ship.
He had killed some of his fellow soldiers.
The army had been brutal. They had pushed him and many others to become who they were today-killers, patriots, soldiers. It was a cycle that had been ongoing for so long, with more and more being harmed.
A vengeful thought appeared in his brain, appealing to him. These soldiers deserved it. They pushed you to poison so many. They pushed you to do harm.
(It wasn't true. The whole thing had been his idea. He was a horrible, rotten man. Yet, he found himself not burying those thoughts. He was a hypocrite, but he couldn't bring himself to care.)
Legundo watched as the ship kept sailing, a wooden boat full of ghosts. Then, he dived back down into the ocean to go back to Scott.
Scott was his guiding light. He had cared enough to bring Legundo into his own world and away from the humans who sacrificed their own kind every day. He would be better off in the dark waters than on land.
Scott had already begun eating his meal and Legundo quickly joined in. His hunger was finally satisfied and any sense of remorse had been safely whisked away. The blood that leaked from the bodies floated around them, crimson trails changing the water's color entirely. Legundo grinned as he witnessed the sight around him. He was doing what he had to survive. He could live happily here.
He could. He would.
He was doing what he needed to do to survive.
"Feeling better now?" Scott asked as he swam up to Legs, a tiny smile creeping onto his face.
"Much better." Legundo closed his eyes, reveling in the feeling of fullness. "The food…was quite good."
"Really? Let me have another taste." Legundo felt a hand on his chin, prompting him to blink open his eyes. Scott leaned forward and kissed his lips. Legundo had gotten used to the constant kissing to resupply his oxygen, and this one felt no different. It wasn't special.
Yet, somehow, as soon as Scott pulled away and opened his mouth-probably to say something annoying-Legundo impulsively rushed in and kissed him back. Scott made a sound of startled surprise but quickly reciprocated, falling into place. Legundo's hand trailed up to Scott's head, fingers brushing his blue fins.
"I still don't forgive you." Legundo whispered, slightly drawing back from the kiss. "But…I don't think staying with you is so bad after all."
"I'm happy you've finally realized." Scott's eyes crinkled up. "Let's go back to the cave before the sharks come."
"There's still no sharks in this area." Legundo scoffed, still following Scott back like a baby lamb.
Maybe, in the end, the siren's song had ensnared him after all.
˖°𓇼
WANTED
VICTOR LEGUNDO
DEAD OR ALIVE
FOR THE DEATHS OF NEARLY 6,000 AND OTHER WAR CRIMES
PAYMENT CAN BE NEGOTIATED
MISSING FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS