historically inaccurate but well-meaning t-rex (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
scriveyner) wrote2015-08-13 01:23 pm
scriveyner) wrote2015-08-13 01:23 pm
Samurai Flamenco (Mermaid AU) - Siren's Song [3] [Gotoyoshi]
Title: siren's song [3]
Fandom: Samurai Flamenco
AU: Mermaid
Characters/Pairing: Gotou/Masayoshi
Rating: M
Length: 1613
Summary: The water was murky despite the sunlight reflecting off its surface, blue-green and unfathomable. Gotou’s limbs felt like lead weights, his breath burning in his lungs fire-bright as he sank.
I’m going to die.
The water was murky despite the sunlight reflecting off its surface, blue-green and unfathomable. Gotou’s limbs felt like lead weights, his breath burning in his lungs fire-bright as he sank.
I’m going to die.
The thought galvanized him suddenly, he thrashed, kicking his legs in the water, trying to reach that brightness above his head, so far above him - but the grip on his arm was steel, he couldn’t twist free, couldn’t summon the strength - and when he tried again the mermaid grabbed him by both shoulders and slammed him down into the sand and rocks that was the ocean floor. His breath exploded out of him, his last breath, bubbles escaping to the surface far above.
Tawny hair was darker when wet, it floated around his head like a halo - but the eyes, his eyes were different, inhuman, pupils narrowed to slits and open in his neck - gills? Gotou’s brain felt like it was wrapped in a cotton cloud, he couldn’t quite focus any more, he was drowning-
Masayoshi put both his hands on Gotou’s face and kissed him.
Struggle.Basic human need for survival attempted to override, but the mermaid was stronger than he was and kept him down, mouth over Gotou’s until Gotou gave in, surrendered, his jaw going slack and world starting to black around the edges.
What was the point in saving me, if you were just going to drown me…?
Masayoshi lifted his head, brushed his hand back through Gotou’s hair, and then pushed off, swimming back away just a bit. Gotou inhaled, expecting the rush of water into his lungs, curled up in anticipation - but he exhaled, and opened his eyes, watching the bubbles escape him again, headed above. He inhaled experimentally, and - he wasn’t drowning, what the fuck-
The blue-green murkiness had lightened, somewhat - Gotou could see some fish swimming in a school, in the distance, in deeper waters - he covered his mouth and noise with a hand, inhaled again, shakily - was he breathing water?
Masayoshi shot by smoothly, huge tail propelling him through the water with the smallest of motions. He wrapped around Gotou, grinning widely - his hair looked lighter now, that Gotou could see - and before Gotou could fend him off he pressed his forehead to Gotou’s. It worked!
Gotou jerked backwards in the water, flailing in the sand, trying to get away - but Masayoshi caught up with him almost instantly. Gotou tried speaking, felt the vibrations in his throat but no words escaped, or could be heard. Masayoshi caught his hand with both of his, and suddenly Gotou’s words had form and substance -fucking hell what the goddamn fuck oh my god-
We have to be touching, Gotou-san, I can’t understand you otherwise! Masayoshi tugged at his hand, pulling him up from the seabed into the water again. This is only temporary, but I thought we could go swimming together!
Gotou went limp, let Masayoshi pull him through the water. The panic was surging in his throat again, he was able to breathe but it was unnatural and his body was rebelling against him, he felt like his throat was going to close up, like he was going to vomit. Masayoshi, what the fuck! You could have asked first! He exhaled again, watched the bubbles escape, and felt light-headed. This wasn’t possible, maybe this was all a dream he was having while drowning - and Masayoshi dove, hand still holding Gotou’s tight, dragging him deeper. No, no-
Masayoshi finally stopped, or slowed down - they were still moving in the water, suspended - and Masayoshi drifted back to Gotou, still holding his hand tightly. You’re fine, Gotou-san! The spell lasts about an hour, I asked a sea-witch!
Sea-witch, Gotou repeated, failing to be surprised by this revelation. Masayoshi, I don’t like the ocean, please….
There was a long moment of silence, and Masayoshi released his hand, turning on his back and stared at Gotou, eyes wide and betrayed. Gotou flailed his arms, barely able to swim and after a moment Masayoshi remembered himself and caught Gotou’s hand again. You don’t-?
I want to go back to land. Or at least shallow water, but he didn’t want to encourage this, and now he couldn’t even tell which way they came from.
Masayoshi held his hand carefully, and looked at Gotou with those inhuman eyes, no longer the captivating blue that caught the reflection of light off the water, but something more sinister. Okay, he said, and started in a particular direction, pulling Gotou along, not going too quickly through the water. Gotou exhaled in relief.
Then, suddenly, Masayoshi let go of his hand. Gotou flailed in the water, unsure of what he needed to do - but Masayoshi shot off in one direction, a blur of red. Gotou yelped, bubbles escaping, as other figures whipped past him, yellow and blue, and Gotou stared at the pair of mermaids as they slowed back to circle him.
These were maids, definitely women - bare-chested in the water, the iridescent scales patterning up their belly. They both had long hair, although one wore it free and the other, whose hair was darker, kept it wrapped up tightly around her head. This was the one in blue, she wore some kind of jewelry too - Gotou tried to swim backwards, but wasn’t capable of getting away from them.
They circled him, blinking scrutinizing eyes, large and inhuman, slitted the same way Masayoshi’s were - they had gills on their necks as well, and when they opened their mouths to talk to him all Gotou heard was a clicking noise, almost like dolphin-speak.
Masayoshi suddenly came streaking back and they slipped away - the one with the golden tail looped back around, swimming over Gotou’s head, and down under, before catching Gotou’s foot and inspecting it. The clicking noise she was making suddenly became distinguishable speech. -the one the prince is smitten with, I don’t understand love- she released his foot when he kicked at her, and suddenly someone caught his arm and yanked, and when Gotou looked up it was Masayoshi, swimming determinedly away and dragging Gotou with him.
What, what-
Sorry, Masayoshi said. Everyone’s so nosy, they want to see the land-dweller.
Everyone-? For some reason, Gotou hadn’t ever passed a thought on there being more. Just Masayoshi alone under the sea.
His head broke the surface a moment behind Masayoshi’s, and Gotou took a deep breath of actual air, staring at the distant coast. “We’re way the fuck out,” he croaked, as Masayoshi bobbed in the water beside him.
“I’ll take you back,” Masayoshi promised, Gotou’s hand still in his. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d hate it-”
“Damn right I hate it,” Gotou’s voice was raspy, the adrenaline still surging in his veins. “You have to warn someone that you’re not gonna drown them-”
Another head broke the surface not far from Gotou and he jumped - it was the mermaid with the bound hair, which shimmered blue in the sunlight. “Did the spell not last?” she asked Masayoshi, her tone - almost mesmerizing. Gotou stared at her, instantly smitten. She glanced at him coyly, and if he’d bothered to look at Masayoshi he would have seen the flush of indignation on his face.
“There’s nothing wrong with the spell,” Masayoshi said. “And it’s not a spell really, is it?”
She splashed her hands in the water lightly. “Not really, but I know how poor a magic user you are, your highness.” She smiled and Masayoshi flushed again, and Gotou said, “your what?”
The blue-haired mermaid looked at Gotou with wide, innocent eyes - it was an expression he’d seen on Masayoshi’s face at least once. “Oh,” she said, covering her mouth with one hand. “You didn’t know he’s our crown prince?”
“What,” Gotou said again, as she winked at him.
“Moe-san!” Masayoshi yelped, and the blue-haired mermaid slipped under the water. “I, ah-” he said, and looked at Gotou.
“Can we just,” Gotou said, suddenly exhausted to his bones, “go back to shore now?”
“Yeah,” Masayoshi said, and dragged Gotou back under the waves before he could protest.
#
Later, Gotou sat on the floor in the bathroom of his small apartment, the toilet running water as it flushed, the taste of the salt water he’d been throwing up still burning his throat. He tilted his head back against the wall, legs splayed on either side of the toilet bowl and exhaled. The worst of the nausea had passed, but he was still dizzy as hell.
The other mermaid had touched him, he’d heard what she said. His stomach twisted as he tried not to think about it, it twisted and roiled and he knew that this had to stop, now, before it got any worse.
Fandom: Samurai Flamenco
AU: Mermaid
Characters/Pairing: Gotou/Masayoshi
Rating: M
Length: 1613
Summary: The water was murky despite the sunlight reflecting off its surface, blue-green and unfathomable. Gotou’s limbs felt like lead weights, his breath burning in his lungs fire-bright as he sank.
I’m going to die.
The water was murky despite the sunlight reflecting off its surface, blue-green and unfathomable. Gotou’s limbs felt like lead weights, his breath burning in his lungs fire-bright as he sank.
I’m going to die.
The thought galvanized him suddenly, he thrashed, kicking his legs in the water, trying to reach that brightness above his head, so far above him - but the grip on his arm was steel, he couldn’t twist free, couldn’t summon the strength - and when he tried again the mermaid grabbed him by both shoulders and slammed him down into the sand and rocks that was the ocean floor. His breath exploded out of him, his last breath, bubbles escaping to the surface far above.
Tawny hair was darker when wet, it floated around his head like a halo - but the eyes, his eyes were different, inhuman, pupils narrowed to slits and open in his neck - gills? Gotou’s brain felt like it was wrapped in a cotton cloud, he couldn’t quite focus any more, he was drowning-
Masayoshi put both his hands on Gotou’s face and kissed him.
Struggle.Basic human need for survival attempted to override, but the mermaid was stronger than he was and kept him down, mouth over Gotou’s until Gotou gave in, surrendered, his jaw going slack and world starting to black around the edges.
What was the point in saving me, if you were just going to drown me…?
Masayoshi lifted his head, brushed his hand back through Gotou’s hair, and then pushed off, swimming back away just a bit. Gotou inhaled, expecting the rush of water into his lungs, curled up in anticipation - but he exhaled, and opened his eyes, watching the bubbles escape him again, headed above. He inhaled experimentally, and - he wasn’t drowning, what the fuck-
The blue-green murkiness had lightened, somewhat - Gotou could see some fish swimming in a school, in the distance, in deeper waters - he covered his mouth and noise with a hand, inhaled again, shakily - was he breathing water?
Masayoshi shot by smoothly, huge tail propelling him through the water with the smallest of motions. He wrapped around Gotou, grinning widely - his hair looked lighter now, that Gotou could see - and before Gotou could fend him off he pressed his forehead to Gotou’s. It worked!
Gotou jerked backwards in the water, flailing in the sand, trying to get away - but Masayoshi caught up with him almost instantly. Gotou tried speaking, felt the vibrations in his throat but no words escaped, or could be heard. Masayoshi caught his hand with both of his, and suddenly Gotou’s words had form and substance -fucking hell what the goddamn fuck oh my god-
We have to be touching, Gotou-san, I can’t understand you otherwise! Masayoshi tugged at his hand, pulling him up from the seabed into the water again. This is only temporary, but I thought we could go swimming together!
Gotou went limp, let Masayoshi pull him through the water. The panic was surging in his throat again, he was able to breathe but it was unnatural and his body was rebelling against him, he felt like his throat was going to close up, like he was going to vomit. Masayoshi, what the fuck! You could have asked first! He exhaled again, watched the bubbles escape, and felt light-headed. This wasn’t possible, maybe this was all a dream he was having while drowning - and Masayoshi dove, hand still holding Gotou’s tight, dragging him deeper. No, no-
Masayoshi finally stopped, or slowed down - they were still moving in the water, suspended - and Masayoshi drifted back to Gotou, still holding his hand tightly. You’re fine, Gotou-san! The spell lasts about an hour, I asked a sea-witch!
Sea-witch, Gotou repeated, failing to be surprised by this revelation. Masayoshi, I don’t like the ocean, please….
There was a long moment of silence, and Masayoshi released his hand, turning on his back and stared at Gotou, eyes wide and betrayed. Gotou flailed his arms, barely able to swim and after a moment Masayoshi remembered himself and caught Gotou’s hand again. You don’t-?
I want to go back to land. Or at least shallow water, but he didn’t want to encourage this, and now he couldn’t even tell which way they came from.
Masayoshi held his hand carefully, and looked at Gotou with those inhuman eyes, no longer the captivating blue that caught the reflection of light off the water, but something more sinister. Okay, he said, and started in a particular direction, pulling Gotou along, not going too quickly through the water. Gotou exhaled in relief.
Then, suddenly, Masayoshi let go of his hand. Gotou flailed in the water, unsure of what he needed to do - but Masayoshi shot off in one direction, a blur of red. Gotou yelped, bubbles escaping, as other figures whipped past him, yellow and blue, and Gotou stared at the pair of mermaids as they slowed back to circle him.
These were maids, definitely women - bare-chested in the water, the iridescent scales patterning up their belly. They both had long hair, although one wore it free and the other, whose hair was darker, kept it wrapped up tightly around her head. This was the one in blue, she wore some kind of jewelry too - Gotou tried to swim backwards, but wasn’t capable of getting away from them.
They circled him, blinking scrutinizing eyes, large and inhuman, slitted the same way Masayoshi’s were - they had gills on their necks as well, and when they opened their mouths to talk to him all Gotou heard was a clicking noise, almost like dolphin-speak.
Masayoshi suddenly came streaking back and they slipped away - the one with the golden tail looped back around, swimming over Gotou’s head, and down under, before catching Gotou’s foot and inspecting it. The clicking noise she was making suddenly became distinguishable speech. -the one the prince is smitten with, I don’t understand love- she released his foot when he kicked at her, and suddenly someone caught his arm and yanked, and when Gotou looked up it was Masayoshi, swimming determinedly away and dragging Gotou with him.
What, what-
Sorry, Masayoshi said. Everyone’s so nosy, they want to see the land-dweller.
Everyone-? For some reason, Gotou hadn’t ever passed a thought on there being more. Just Masayoshi alone under the sea.
His head broke the surface a moment behind Masayoshi’s, and Gotou took a deep breath of actual air, staring at the distant coast. “We’re way the fuck out,” he croaked, as Masayoshi bobbed in the water beside him.
“I’ll take you back,” Masayoshi promised, Gotou’s hand still in his. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d hate it-”
“Damn right I hate it,” Gotou’s voice was raspy, the adrenaline still surging in his veins. “You have to warn someone that you’re not gonna drown them-”
Another head broke the surface not far from Gotou and he jumped - it was the mermaid with the bound hair, which shimmered blue in the sunlight. “Did the spell not last?” she asked Masayoshi, her tone - almost mesmerizing. Gotou stared at her, instantly smitten. She glanced at him coyly, and if he’d bothered to look at Masayoshi he would have seen the flush of indignation on his face.
“There’s nothing wrong with the spell,” Masayoshi said. “And it’s not a spell really, is it?”
She splashed her hands in the water lightly. “Not really, but I know how poor a magic user you are, your highness.” She smiled and Masayoshi flushed again, and Gotou said, “your what?”
The blue-haired mermaid looked at Gotou with wide, innocent eyes - it was an expression he’d seen on Masayoshi’s face at least once. “Oh,” she said, covering her mouth with one hand. “You didn’t know he’s our crown prince?”
“What,” Gotou said again, as she winked at him.
“Moe-san!” Masayoshi yelped, and the blue-haired mermaid slipped under the water. “I, ah-” he said, and looked at Gotou.
“Can we just,” Gotou said, suddenly exhausted to his bones, “go back to shore now?”
“Yeah,” Masayoshi said, and dragged Gotou back under the waves before he could protest.
Later, Gotou sat on the floor in the bathroom of his small apartment, the toilet running water as it flushed, the taste of the salt water he’d been throwing up still burning his throat. He tilted his head back against the wall, legs splayed on either side of the toilet bowl and exhaled. The worst of the nausea had passed, but he was still dizzy as hell.
The other mermaid had touched him, he’d heard what she said. His stomach twisted as he tried not to think about it, it twisted and roiled and he knew that this had to stop, now, before it got any worse.