Where the Music Meets the Ocean - a SaiOuma Siren AU Fic

Chapter I

A/N: Hi! I don't do author notes a lot, tho i know a lot of other people do. just wanted to say that as far as this fic goes, ill be updating around once a week until it's done. there will be five parts plus an epilogue (abt 40,000-45,000 words for those of u counting lol) these chapters will be a lot longer than ur average wattpad chapter so strap in and enjoy!

Ever since Ouma was little, he has never been one to believe the lies people like to tell him. When he was just a tiny toddler, waddling around his house spouting nonsensical jibber-jabber and earning coos from his parents, most kids had still believed there was a monster lurking beneath their bed, waiting for the chance to strike. Ouma was the kind of kid who left his table scraps on the floor next to his bed to lure his supposed "monster" out, just so he could prove it was all lies (or, at the very least, relieve his impending boredom). Having a knack for telling the truth from those lies, he has never had the problem of being gullible, even as an adult.

That is exactly why he chalks the supposed "Sea Monster of Hope Bay" up to be just that: a lie.

Ouma sighs into a cup of coffee he doesn't even like, rolling his eyes at the local news program. They must be desperate, he muses. Hope Bay has always been such a quiet, sleepy place and, likewise, boring. Not much to report about, he supposes, so he can't very well blame the news reporters as they show footage of a completely wrecked sailboat. There's another clip of rippling water farther out in the bay, close to where it's closed off as to not let anything such as a "sea monster" in in the first place. It's probably just an overgrown fish, no need to get excited.

Deciding he's had enough of the news's bullshit, Ouma switches off his television, more than well aware that he's moments away from being late to work. But a small, boring town such as Hope Bay can't afford to fire people when there's hardly enough to employ in the first place, so Ouma knows he can take all the time he needs.

(Of course, taking "all the time he needs" entails him finally arriving at his work building exactly forty-five minutes late. But he just had to take the shaded route, the hot summer sun is especially wicked this time of day.)

When he walks into work fashionably late and holding a cup of gross, now-cold coffee, Ouma is first greeted by the extremely unimpressed glare sent to him by none other than Iruma Miu herself. She really shouldn't be one to judge him, though, seeing how many times she's bailed to do god knows what with Akamatsu--but that's not something Ouma wants to think about. No thank you.

Iruma continues sending him a death glare as he cheerily puts his things down next to hers. Such a shame that today's shift is with her of all people. (Though, he supposes it's better Iruma than someone else.) She huffs out the usual insult, something along the lines of, "Can't you get your shota ass here sooner?!" but Ouma doesn't take much care to listen.

"Not my fault if someone drowns," he says with a hum, tugging his shirt over his head.

Iruma scoffs with a hand on her hip. "That's literally what you're fuckin' here for," she says, making a face at him. "And do you have to change right here?"

Ouma promptly throws his shirt at her face, sticking out his tongue. "Yeah, but it's not my fault if someone drowns on your watch." He grabs his bright red shirt from out of his bag, pulling it over his head. "And don't lie, I bet you enjoy it," he says with a grin.

"L-like hell, I do," Iruma mutters, crossing her arms over her own matching lifeguard shirt. "But it would be your fault for not being here to save them. And besides, it isn't even my shift right now. I just got off-- Hey you little brat, stop it, not like that!" she yells, swatting at him across the counter. Ouma continues to giggle, easily avoiding Iruma.