Love, Come In, The Water Is Fine

Are you sure?

Muichiro sighed, and straightened his posture.

"Uzui? Are you home?

Uzui was out the door in a second.

"Muichiro! What do you need kiddo?"

"For you to not call me kiddo, for starters."

"Sure, sure." Uzui brushed him off. "What do you really need?"

"Uh.." Muichiro fought to keep a stoic face. "You make all your own jewelry,right? I was curious.. on how you do it."

Uzui raised a suspicious eyebrow."you want to make jewelry?"

It was an understandable suspicion, considering Muichiro's normal appearance. He simple wore some woven kelp across his chest, and the closest thing he had to an accessory was a scrap of net draped across his waist.

Uzui gasped.

"Are you making a courting gift for someone?! Oh this is wonderful! Tell me, who's the lucky Siren? You never go out much, is it Nezuko? It couldn't be-"

"It's not!"

Muichiro cut him off.

"There's no one. I just wanted to learn, but if you're going to be weird about it I can go ask someone else."

"No, no it's fine."

Tengen calmed himself.

"You've got any materials in mind?"

"Yeah. Let me grab it."

He quickly darted back to where he'd stashed his supplies, carrying the bundle over to Tengen.

"Quite a selection you've got here."

Tengen inspected the assortment of sea glass, shells and other things.

"You sure you're not making this as a-"

"I'm not."

Tengen shrugged it off. If Muichiro didn't want to tell him about it,he couldn't force him.

"First off, the fishing wire's no good. It digs into your skin and is way too easy to cut. Rope's what you want."

He tossed the fishing line away.

"You can borrow some of mine. Now for all this, you'll want to pick one or two things to go onto it probably. What were you thinking of making again?"

Muichiro thought for a moment. He had originally thought to make a Necklace or Bracelet, but he'd seen the pirate wearing a belt, and maybe something for that was more his style. Not that it was for him of course.

"A belt charm." He concluded.

"Not many sirens would wear belts to clip it on. Are you sure?"

"Sure."

Tengen shrugged. "Whatever you say. Pick three things."

Muichiro sorted through his pile of supplies. He removed two pieces of sea glass, blue and purple. The broken off coral joined them, and everything else was swept to the side.

Tengen took him inside, showing him the different techniques before sending him off on his way with some rope.

Muichiro sat in his coral for hours, tying and untying the rope in an attempt to make it perfect. Eventually, he held it up to the light, jingling the charm.

It was beautiful.

...................

Obanai swam through the waters silently.

He'd stopped to check on Muichiro, but had decided against interrupting him, as the young siren was preoccupied with his crafty project. No matter what he told Tengen, or how much he tried to tell himself it wasn't, Obanai knew that he was making courting gift. Muichiro would have to admit to himself sooner or later.

Nezuko wasn't with him either, he was going out alone.

Last meeting they had had with the pirate crew, the first mate had slipped a note to him before the left.

It was an invitation to meet with her, in private to discuss important matters.

Obanai knew that going alone to meet a woman who may or may not having been planning your demise on your first formal introduction was a horrible idea.

When he'd first met the two of them on the rocks, Shinobu had viciously swiped her dagger at him, almost slashing him with the blade. Not unlike any other pirate, but the part that was different was she wasn't doing it for herself. She fought in a way that didn't care if she lived or died, only wanting to protect the girl behind her.

That was who Shinobu was, a protector of others.

That was why Obanai had taken an interest. A selfless pirate like that was rare, and she wouldn't cause him harm, unless he did something to those under his care.

"Miss Kocho."

He appeared over the side of the little row boat.

"Iguro, wasn't it?"

Obanai nodded.

"I wanted to speak with you about Mitsuri."

"As did I."

Obanai agreed.

"But please, you go first."

Shinobu took a deep breath.

"She's been considering meeting with you alone to talk about... everything. I figured I would meet with you before that happened."

She pursed her lips.

"While I am admittedly less than impressed at the prospect of my best friend being in love with a siren, I know I can't stop her from this. So listen, if you hurt her in any way whatsoever, Physically, Mentally, Spiritually, I don't give a fuck, I will pry that tail of your body and serve it as sushi at your funeral, understand?"

....

There was a beat of silence.

"So you aren't going to tell her about your crush?

Shinobu froze. For a moment it seemed like she was going to deny everything, but in the end she just sighed.

"No."

"Why not? It would be proper for her to know her options, at least in Siren culture."

".... Mitsuri wouldn't date a girl. It would make things weird."

Obanai stared solemnly at her.

"Why wouldn't she?"

Sirens had a different concept of Gender to humans. It didn't mean anything at all to them really. Gender pretty much didn't exist in their world.

"She isn't gay. Besides, she wants a big family and a marriage and all these things.... I can't give her those things."

"Neither can I."

"At least you're a man."

Shinobu wasn't smiling.

"I'm a horrible person." Obanai felt the need to tell her. "Your friend deserves better than me."

"Well, you better start being a good person, for her."

Obanai turned to swim away, but before he did he had to ask.

"Are you sure?"

...

"Definitely."