No Prey, No Pay

Chapter 8

The first thing Aoi managed to do was opening one eyelid.

Slowly, slowly, his eye distinguished the form of a window, dark wood around a dark sky outside.

The ship was rolling sweetly and the merman smiled softly, he felt like he was a child again, between his mother's arms because he couldn't sleep well with all the whales singing out of his window.

Aoi closed his eye again, thinking about home, the little song his mom sang to him, a doggerel she said it was popular back at her village.

Tenjin-san...Onemu
Jinokami-san...Onemu
Onemu no sato no Orochi mo nen ne

Slowly he hummed that melody, feeling his throat burn a little and shifting his body he felt a hot presence against his chest, a blond hair under his chin.

Reita was still there, sound asleep and with a hand draped around his waist, just under his gills.

Why was he there with him?

Aoi had to admit it, it wasn't that bad to have someone so close to him, waking up.

Even if it was a damned pirate that just... j-just...

The merman's memories came back in an instant and his body froze: he just had sex with him, a OH-GODS type of sex, the captain just fucked his brains out and then he remained there... cuddling?

Aoi opened his eyes again and looked down, managing to only see part of his body "what a mess..." the merman whispered to himself, relaxing against the mattress.

He started to hum again that little song, moving one of his hands -still tied at the wrists, mind you- to slowly sink his fingers between the golden, short locks on Reita's nape, brushing them lazily.

Aoi wanted to forget everything for just a little longer, just for the time being: pretend to be at home with one of his night-stands, another merman fallen to his fin because he was the Prince.

Prince... his social status that gained him many companions, lovers... but never once Aoi thought he could have found his soulmate.

Reita, on the other hand, seemed to care about him, even if it was because he needs to sell him in the near future.

Aoi sighed softly, starting to dip into sleep again "you have a wonderful voice" a voice murmured against his own collarbone and the merman could almost hear his own heart stop on its tracks.

Reita shifted what sufficed to look Aoi in the eyes, his face still tired, his longer bangs sticked to his skin, his dark irises colored with a warm light.

Aoi diverted his gaze, feeling his own cheeks starting to burn "shut up, you...dumbass" he croaked, his throat was really wrecked "and my name on your tongue is even more wonderful" Reita added, now smirking.

The merman rolled his eyes, trying to escape the captain's arm, but his tied wrists got stuck behind Reita's neck "say it again" the captain whispered, tightening his grip around Aoi's waist, dragging him again against his chest.

Aoi looked down at his face, expecting a smirk, a mischievous grin, something like that... but he only saw the serious, a little sweet, expression that washed his features "n-no" mumbled Aoi, puckering out his lips.

Reita chuckled and got nearer and nearer, squeezing the merman in his embrace "say it again..." he repeated firmly and Aoi couldn't escape his fixed stare.