A Pirate's Song

Chapter 3

Orion sighed through his parted lips, his pink tail swishing back and forth in the tub from boredom. It had been merely a day since he told Sparrow of his situation, a situation he was not proud of making so publicly, especially with a human pirate. A species of humans his people were not fond of, save for Andrea and her husband. 

Look for a man named Sparrow, Andrea had told him before leaving the only place he could truly call home. A home where he had grown up an outcast from society but loved by a family who had raised him since birth.

Ghost, was the name he was known for in his brother's kingdom, his odd appearance causing the young merman to stand out among the crowd. He glanced at his tail, the bright pink scales visible beneath the surface of the water, his white hand resting against it. A curse he bore since he was born, many thinking he was the child of a demon but his mother only knew that he was his father's child.

"Orion," a deep voice said, bringing the pale merman out of his thoughts. His eyes slid over the handsome male with silvery blue eyes and golden locks that was held together in a simple pony tail that rested on his shoulder. A simple white shirt clung to his skin, the scent of sea water wafting from the man.

He's no ordinary man, he thought, his eyes drifting over the hard stomach the was exposed from beneath the white cloth, the faint trace of blonde hair dipping into the hem of his trousers. He merely swallowed and kept his forbidden feelings hidden beneath a mask he had so artfully mastered, "What is it? Can't you leave me in peace?" he said in a rather uninterested tone.

Sparrow frowned, his full lips framed by a light stubble of blonde across his strong jaw, "Trust me," he said with a cold tone, "I would but I don't want my prisoner dying without telling me where to go."

Orion's eyes widened, "You were able to convince your men?"

Sparrow stepped towards the mahogany desk, pulling a set of maps from a drawer, "I did," he said, his jaw clenched, "But at the promise that treasure would be waiting for us."

Orion tilted his head, "Is that what has you so stiff?"

The blonde haired man sat on his chair, pulling out an odd contraption from another drawer, a single feather sliding across the paper. Orion knew not of what Sparrow was doing but he couldn't help but watch the way the young man furrowed his brow, a frown touching his rugged features, "I will need to pick up supplies from the port before he head out," the human glanced up, "Is it safe to assume that the destination that lies ahead will be dangerous?"

Orion glanced at his webbed fingers that gripped the porcelain edge of the bath, resting his chin on the cold rim before letting his pink eyes drift over the blonde human, "There is danger and I am sure many of your men will perish."

The blonde man frowned and glanced at the windows that allowed the golden rays to illuminate the wooden furnishings and the precious objects Sparrow held in his cabin. The more Orion stared at him, the more he noticed the features the young man had. A faint scar ran over his eyebrow, another across his lower jaw. Two rings rested on his fingers, on the the symbol of a black skull with red rubies in it's sockets. A gaudy one compared to the simple silver band on the third finger of his right hand. 

"Orion," Sparrow said, his deep voice sending shivers down the merman's spine, "We will go," the man conformed, "After all," his blue eyes slid towards his, "I own Andrea debt."

Orion blinked in surprise, "A debt?"

The man stood, the weapons on his belt jingling with each step he took towards Orion, his hands clasped behind his back, causing for Orion to tilt his head back the more closer Sparrow got. 

The young man pulled up a chair near the tub, "I was only eight winters when Andrea rescued me," he said, while grabbing an apple from a nearby bowl, "It was on my birthday when she came. A female pirate that commanded an entire crew. It was unheard of." Sparrow took a bite, speaking between each chew, "I knew nothing of piracy. I knew nothing really, just the life of a slave."

Orion's brows furrowed as he tried to imagine the towering man as tiny child trembling with fear and merely skin and bones. It's how the majority of the slaves tended to look. Malnourished with sunken eyes, ribs that poked beneath their filthy skin. A pity sight that he had unfortunately seen before. Bodies the merchants dumped over the ship, leaving them decomposing on the ocean's surface.

"How did you become a slave?" Orion questioned, his body somehow nearing closer to Sparrow. 

A dark shadow passed over his features, causing the human to stand up, "I think that's enough story telling," he said.

Without warning, Orion's stomach growled, making the young merman blush with embarrassment.

He expected Sparrow to laugh or glare at him for the sound his body made but the man merely huffed, "I'll bring you dinner."

Orion let out a soft sound when Sparrow left, bumping his head against the edge of the tub. It had to be his big mouth and greedy gut that had chased Sparrow away. He had to admit however, he had learned far more about the human that what he had expected. It wasn't much but for some reason, it helped the merman understand the strange quirks Sparrow had. The way the young man tried to keep himself clean, going as far to wash the sweat from his body with a cloth before going to bed, or the way he treated the young cabin boys who came in to drain and refill the water. Young boys that were sworn not to say a word of his existence. It wasn't difficult, they seemed to worship the ground Sparrow walked on, proof that they were here not by force but of their own free will.

"It seems the cook decided to kill a few chickens today," Sparrow said, closing the door just as the smell of meat wafted into Orion's nostrils. The urge to jump towards the human and steal the plate of food barely suppressed by sheer will. However he couldn't contain it when Sparrow set the plate of cooked meat into the chair. His teeth elongated, sinking the sharp edges into the flesh, the bone breaking underneath the force of his hunger.

It was merely minutes when Orion finished his feeding frenzy, his eyes fully dilated, his stomach begging for more. Everything was a blur, his vision turning red, his hearing senses heightened, sensing the warm body in the room. The smell of sweat and blood pumping beneath it, the low hum of a beating heart appealing to his senses. His body lurched from the water, latching onto the creature that dared to be in the same room as him. 

Snarls and growls rose from his throat, the animalistic side of him surging forth and begging him to sink his teeth into the warm flesh. He could feel his hands reach towards the creature's neck, his vision pulsing with each beat of the creatures's heart.

"Orion."

That voice, Orion thought, pausing in confusion. It was a familiar. The deep baritone, smooth and sweet, the vibrations throwing Orion off guard.

Yet, it wasn't that that brought Orion out of his daze, but the feel of smooth lips pressing up against his own. The gentle movement against his closed lips forced them open, the gentle tongue tracing over his jagged teeth.

The beast with in him subsided, clearing Orion's red vision. 

He could feel his stop, the realization of Sparrow kissing him finally becoming clear.

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