Two stories, Pirates and their boyfriends.
Title: Siren's Voice and Serpent's Tail
Author: grimcognito
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: All plot, writing and characters (except for Jugo) belong to me. Jugo belongs to
Author Notes: At some point I'll post a picture of these two. Mezerath looks kind of like a merman in his smallerform, only with tropical colors, an eel-like tail and frills instead of hair.
Summary: Timestamp of a longer story, though you don't need to know anything about it to read this except that clumsy Casimir tripped, fell overboard and ended up becoming a sea serpent's mate. Orcinean is a race of people who have similar features to killer whales.
Anyhow, who doesn't love pirates and sea serpents?
Word Count: 1490
Siren's Voice and Serpent's Tail
Mezerath called upon every bit of stealth he had claim to and broke past the surface of the calm water silently. Eyes just above the water line, he looked around to make sure no one had seen him. When no one called an alarm, he knew he was safe. Raising his head higher, he scented the air for his mate.
As he was filtering through the variety of scents, he heard the soft strains of music drifting through the air. He didn’t recognize the sound of the instrument, but it was beautiful as it was foreign. Entranced, he slipped back into the water, low enough that it would be hard to spot him-thank the gods he’d chosen to come at night, otherwise his bright colors would be glaringly obvious-but high enough that he could still hear the music.
Two flicks of his tail and he was halfway around the ship, where the music was more distinct and much to his pleasure, he could hear Casimir’s voice joining in. It was a cheerful tune, the kind one could dance to if one had the legs to do so. Wanting to see Casimir, Mezerath closed his eyes and shifted. A long moment later, he struggled to regain his balance in the water with his much tinier body and extra limbs. He used his arms as Casimir had shown him to keep his head above the water while he caught his breath, still unused to how much energy it took to shift.
Once he had his equilibrium back, he swam to the side of the hull, peering up as it loomed before him and nodded to himself decisively. Using his claws and muscles he wasn’t familiar with, Mezerath began to climb, slowly-and after the first few arm-lengths, painfully-up the hull. He thought about giving up after several times he’d tried and failed to use his tail, which just slipped uselessly against the flat of the planks.
When he moved a little too quickly, his tail slapped against the hull with a loud thump and Mezerath froze, praying no one would look over the rail and see him as he held his breath. Thankfully, the music continued without pause and Mezerath let out a sigh that nearly turned into a yelp when his weight began to drag him back down, his claws leaving gouges where they scraped against the wood. Chanting silent obscenities to himself, Mezerath huffed and started his climb once more.
What felt like forever and a day later, he could barely feel the damned limbs he was using to get to the rail, only hot pain where they connected to his torso, and suddenly light spilled over his face. Startled, he nearly let go until he realized he hadn’t been caught, but had finally reached the top deck. Nearly giddy with relief at making it without falling off the side of the ship, he peered to one side, trying to find Casimir. He could still hear him singing, and why hadn’t he known his mate has such a lovely voice? He’d have to convince him to sing more often.
The song had changed several times while Mezerath had been struggling his way up the hull, and now it was a melancholy tune, sad enough to make his heart ache, and all he wanted to do was curl up around Casimir until he sounded happy again.
Still unable to spot him, Mezerath swung his head in the other direction and nearly swallowed his tongue when he came face to boots with one very familiar, very large, and very intimidating first mate, Jugo. He looked up with a sheepish grin, which shriveled away into nervous lip biting when he only got a sneer in return.
“What are you doing here, sea devil?”
Mezerath cleared his throat and managed not to look away from the flinty glare. “I heard him singing and…”
Jugo crouched down, probably to better glare at him, and by the trenches, it worked. “And what?”
Hunching in on himself as much as he could while dangling off the edge of the deck, Mezerath stared down at where his arms were pressed against the polished wood. “I just wanted to see him, to be closer.”
He sucked in a fortifying breath and forced himself to look Jugo in the eyes, giant Orcinean or not, he wouldn’t be berated for seeing his own mate. “He’s my mate, and I wished to see him.”
Jugo narrowed his eyes, and before Mezerath had time to react, strong fingers clamped down on the back of his neck, crushing his frills uncomfortably under their strength. He yelled and flailed against the hold, tail slapping hard against the hull, but Jugo’s hand didn’t budge.
Mezerath was dragged over the side and onto the deck, hitting the wood with a painful thump and a final swat of his tail, which he felt smack into an unfortunate passer-by. The music and singing dropped away into startled stares and low mutters as Mezerath squirmed into a vaguely upright position, distinctly uncomfortable under all of the scrutiny.
Jugo looked unimpressed as usual and grunted as he brushed off his hands. “Jinx! Get your sorry arse down here and deal with this sad sack of sea scum dragging water all over the deck.”
The others added in their own snickers and friendly jeers. “Oi, Jinx, yer lovefish is here for ya!”
Off to the side he heard a drunken, “Ye think if I fell off th’ railin’ I’d find meself a nice buxom mermaid?” and the amused, and far more sober answer made him snicker. “More like ye’d find yerself sleepin’ with a sea slug.”
He was distracted from the chattering crew by a crash as Casimir tripped on the stairs leading down from the top deck and landed in an ungraceful heap. Mezerath was at his side a moment later, slithering across the deck and shoving past a few of the drunker crew in his way. He curled around Casimir and helped him up, charmed as ever by the shy smile he received for his help.
It wasn’t until he heard the laughter that he noticed the slow, romantic music wasn’t in his imagination, but from the instrument held delicately in the hands of the Wave Song’s captain. Jacques’ mischievous grin stretched wide across his face and Mezerath practically felt his frills turning a vivid, glowing purple as he flushed.
Casimir stuttered out something that Mezerath guessed was supposed to be some sort of explanation, but Jacques just grinned even wider and changed to tune to a song so infamously dirty even Mezerath recognized it.
“Oh, no need to explain, Jinx. No need at all.”
Casimir turned a fascinating shade of red and hid his face against Mezerath’s shoulder. Jacques chuckled and turned his attention to Mezerath with a dramatic strum of his… whatever it was, it had strings. “And what brings you to me fine ship on this fine evening? Apart from th’ obvious, that is.”
Strange as he was, Jacques always seemed happy to see him, so Mezerath smiled back. Maybe Jacques could get Casimir to sing for him. “I heard Casimir singing and wanted to see him.”
With the back of one hand pressed to his forehead and the other clutching his instrument to his chest, Jacques leaned against the stair railing as if he were swooning. “Oh, you heard the sweet siren’s call of your love, aye? Your lad may have all the luck of a sailor in th’ desert, but he’s got a voice like sin.”
Mezerath had no idea what to say to that, but was saved from having to try as Jacques motioned at Casimir. “Come now, lad. I’m sure you can manage to pry yerself away from his arms long enough for one more ditty. He came all this way to hear you, may as well give a show before you’re wisked off for th’ night.”
Still red-faced, Casimir pushed away from Mezerath’s chest to sit on a nearby barrel. A cheer went up from the crew and they called out demands for their favorite songs. Jacques quieted them with a wave of his hand. “You lot had your turn! This one’s fer the lovefish, who braved th’ terror of th’ great and cranky Jugo to hear his love sing!”
The crew erupted into cheers and laughter, though they settled down surprisingly quickly when Jacques began to play a wistful tune.
Sitting straight, eyes distant as he sang, Casimir didn’t look clumsy at all. Here, in this, he was a quiet sort of confident and it drew Mezerath in as surely as the clear notes of his voice. The rest of the world seemed to fall away as he listened, and Mezerath made himself a promise to learn more about humans and their music, because this was a gift that would not be disregarded.
Title: Glorious Gift of the Gods
Author: grimcognito
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All plot, writing and characters (except for Jugo) belong to me. Jugo belongs to ambulancerobots
Author Notes: Clearing up some confusion people had about whether or not Jugo and Jacques were a couple.
Summary: Jugo is thanking the gods for their boon and the crew is pretty sure they've been doomed.
Word Count: 578
Glorious Gift of the Gods
“I don’t know which one of you did this, but thank you. By everything I hold dear and cherish, thank you.” Jugo spoke to the sky, head tipped back to stare into the starry night with tears in his eyes. A passing crewman eyed at him as he passed, making sure not to get too close in case the first mate had finally lost it.
Jugo just grinned and tossed a handful of coins into the water. “A token of my gratitude, to the sea gods that brought such a fated boon to this ship.”
Now there was a good five-foot radius around him that none of the crew dared enter, going out of their way to stay away when they passed him standing at the rail, smiling widely out toward the horizon. He was in such a good mood that he couldn’t even work up enough irritation to bark at the gathered crew to get back to their rounds.
Casimir must have lost whatever strange hand game they played to make small decisions-he always did-because he was the one they shoved in his direction. Making his ungraceful entrance, Casimir stumbled over a coil of rope before he managed to right himself and carefully approach Jugo. “Uh, mighty fine night, eh, Jugo?”
Jugo smiled brightly at him, ignoring the way Casimir shrank away from it. “It is, it is indeed a wondrous night.”
Casimir chuckled, high and nervous, rubbing one hand over the back of his neck and staring at the deck. “Aye, indeed. Ye wouldn’t happen t’know if the fresh one we picked up was some kinda sorcerer, would ye?”
“Oh no. He’s not a sorcerer, he so much better than that.”
Casimir stared at him, looking alarmed. “What is ‘e then?”
“Don’t you see? He’s normal. He’s completely, perfectly normal!” He grabbed Casimir by the shoulders and shook him. “He’s my only salvation on this whole clusterfuck of a ship!” He let go and Casimir scrambled away to the safety of the other men.
They shook their heads and muttered amongst themselves. “Goddess’ tits, he’s a goner.”
“I knew that new ‘un was a dark sorcerer, not even Jugo could save ‘imself from the evil.”
“Did you see the way he had the Capt’n under his thrall? We’re all doomed.”
“Clever disguise too, ye’d never suspect a bland lookin’ paper pusher fer an evil wizard.”
Jugo snorted to himself and ignored them all. The man they’d ‘kidnapped’ from their latest plundering wasn’t a wizard, or a dark sorcerer, or whatever else these idiots came up with. He was absolutely, wonderfully boring, and Jacques was over the moon for him. Jugo didn’t know or care why, just that some god or goddess had heard his prayers and gifted him with someone who could control the crazy that followed Jacques around like a plague.
Russell-a good, boring name-didn’t want to chase adventures or see glorious battle, he was happy organizing the inventory and making sure they were fully stocked with supplies. And every moment he spent distracting a lovesick Jacques was another moment of sweet, blissful peace for Jugo. He was so happy he could cry, not that he would, but he could. If he wanted to.
He tossed another handful of coins into the water, smiling and happy to be left alone when the rest of the crew made warding signs against evil and went to hide in the lower decks.
Author: grimcognito
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: All plot, writing and characters (except for Jugo) belong to me. Jugo belongs to
Author Notes: At some point I'll post a picture of these two. Mezerath looks kind of like a merman in his smallerform, only with tropical colors, an eel-like tail and frills instead of hair.
Summary: Timestamp of a longer story, though you don't need to know anything about it to read this except that clumsy Casimir tripped, fell overboard and ended up becoming a sea serpent's mate. Orcinean is a race of people who have similar features to killer whales.
Anyhow, who doesn't love pirates and sea serpents?
Word Count: 1490
Siren's Voice and Serpent's Tail
Mezerath called upon every bit of stealth he had claim to and broke past the surface of the calm water silently. Eyes just above the water line, he looked around to make sure no one had seen him. When no one called an alarm, he knew he was safe. Raising his head higher, he scented the air for his mate.
As he was filtering through the variety of scents, he heard the soft strains of music drifting through the air. He didn’t recognize the sound of the instrument, but it was beautiful as it was foreign. Entranced, he slipped back into the water, low enough that it would be hard to spot him-thank the gods he’d chosen to come at night, otherwise his bright colors would be glaringly obvious-but high enough that he could still hear the music.
Two flicks of his tail and he was halfway around the ship, where the music was more distinct and much to his pleasure, he could hear Casimir’s voice joining in. It was a cheerful tune, the kind one could dance to if one had the legs to do so. Wanting to see Casimir, Mezerath closed his eyes and shifted. A long moment later, he struggled to regain his balance in the water with his much tinier body and extra limbs. He used his arms as Casimir had shown him to keep his head above the water while he caught his breath, still unused to how much energy it took to shift.
Once he had his equilibrium back, he swam to the side of the hull, peering up as it loomed before him and nodded to himself decisively. Using his claws and muscles he wasn’t familiar with, Mezerath began to climb, slowly-and after the first few arm-lengths, painfully-up the hull. He thought about giving up after several times he’d tried and failed to use his tail, which just slipped uselessly against the flat of the planks.
When he moved a little too quickly, his tail slapped against the hull with a loud thump and Mezerath froze, praying no one would look over the rail and see him as he held his breath. Thankfully, the music continued without pause and Mezerath let out a sigh that nearly turned into a yelp when his weight began to drag him back down, his claws leaving gouges where they scraped against the wood. Chanting silent obscenities to himself, Mezerath huffed and started his climb once more.
What felt like forever and a day later, he could barely feel the damned limbs he was using to get to the rail, only hot pain where they connected to his torso, and suddenly light spilled over his face. Startled, he nearly let go until he realized he hadn’t been caught, but had finally reached the top deck. Nearly giddy with relief at making it without falling off the side of the ship, he peered to one side, trying to find Casimir. He could still hear him singing, and why hadn’t he known his mate has such a lovely voice? He’d have to convince him to sing more often.
The song had changed several times while Mezerath had been struggling his way up the hull, and now it was a melancholy tune, sad enough to make his heart ache, and all he wanted to do was curl up around Casimir until he sounded happy again.
Still unable to spot him, Mezerath swung his head in the other direction and nearly swallowed his tongue when he came face to boots with one very familiar, very large, and very intimidating first mate, Jugo. He looked up with a sheepish grin, which shriveled away into nervous lip biting when he only got a sneer in return.
“What are you doing here, sea devil?”
Mezerath cleared his throat and managed not to look away from the flinty glare. “I heard him singing and…”
Jugo crouched down, probably to better glare at him, and by the trenches, it worked. “And what?”
Hunching in on himself as much as he could while dangling off the edge of the deck, Mezerath stared down at where his arms were pressed against the polished wood. “I just wanted to see him, to be closer.”
He sucked in a fortifying breath and forced himself to look Jugo in the eyes, giant Orcinean or not, he wouldn’t be berated for seeing his own mate. “He’s my mate, and I wished to see him.”
Jugo narrowed his eyes, and before Mezerath had time to react, strong fingers clamped down on the back of his neck, crushing his frills uncomfortably under their strength. He yelled and flailed against the hold, tail slapping hard against the hull, but Jugo’s hand didn’t budge.
Mezerath was dragged over the side and onto the deck, hitting the wood with a painful thump and a final swat of his tail, which he felt smack into an unfortunate passer-by. The music and singing dropped away into startled stares and low mutters as Mezerath squirmed into a vaguely upright position, distinctly uncomfortable under all of the scrutiny.
Jugo looked unimpressed as usual and grunted as he brushed off his hands. “Jinx! Get your sorry arse down here and deal with this sad sack of sea scum dragging water all over the deck.”
The others added in their own snickers and friendly jeers. “Oi, Jinx, yer lovefish is here for ya!”
Off to the side he heard a drunken, “Ye think if I fell off th’ railin’ I’d find meself a nice buxom mermaid?” and the amused, and far more sober answer made him snicker. “More like ye’d find yerself sleepin’ with a sea slug.”
He was distracted from the chattering crew by a crash as Casimir tripped on the stairs leading down from the top deck and landed in an ungraceful heap. Mezerath was at his side a moment later, slithering across the deck and shoving past a few of the drunker crew in his way. He curled around Casimir and helped him up, charmed as ever by the shy smile he received for his help.
It wasn’t until he heard the laughter that he noticed the slow, romantic music wasn’t in his imagination, but from the instrument held delicately in the hands of the Wave Song’s captain. Jacques’ mischievous grin stretched wide across his face and Mezerath practically felt his frills turning a vivid, glowing purple as he flushed.
Casimir stuttered out something that Mezerath guessed was supposed to be some sort of explanation, but Jacques just grinned even wider and changed to tune to a song so infamously dirty even Mezerath recognized it.
“Oh, no need to explain, Jinx. No need at all.”
Casimir turned a fascinating shade of red and hid his face against Mezerath’s shoulder. Jacques chuckled and turned his attention to Mezerath with a dramatic strum of his… whatever it was, it had strings. “And what brings you to me fine ship on this fine evening? Apart from th’ obvious, that is.”
Strange as he was, Jacques always seemed happy to see him, so Mezerath smiled back. Maybe Jacques could get Casimir to sing for him. “I heard Casimir singing and wanted to see him.”
With the back of one hand pressed to his forehead and the other clutching his instrument to his chest, Jacques leaned against the stair railing as if he were swooning. “Oh, you heard the sweet siren’s call of your love, aye? Your lad may have all the luck of a sailor in th’ desert, but he’s got a voice like sin.”
Mezerath had no idea what to say to that, but was saved from having to try as Jacques motioned at Casimir. “Come now, lad. I’m sure you can manage to pry yerself away from his arms long enough for one more ditty. He came all this way to hear you, may as well give a show before you’re wisked off for th’ night.”
Still red-faced, Casimir pushed away from Mezerath’s chest to sit on a nearby barrel. A cheer went up from the crew and they called out demands for their favorite songs. Jacques quieted them with a wave of his hand. “You lot had your turn! This one’s fer the lovefish, who braved th’ terror of th’ great and cranky Jugo to hear his love sing!”
The crew erupted into cheers and laughter, though they settled down surprisingly quickly when Jacques began to play a wistful tune.
Sitting straight, eyes distant as he sang, Casimir didn’t look clumsy at all. Here, in this, he was a quiet sort of confident and it drew Mezerath in as surely as the clear notes of his voice. The rest of the world seemed to fall away as he listened, and Mezerath made himself a promise to learn more about humans and their music, because this was a gift that would not be disregarded.
Title: Glorious Gift of the Gods
Author: grimcognito
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All plot, writing and characters (except for Jugo) belong to me. Jugo belongs to ambulancerobots
Author Notes: Clearing up some confusion people had about whether or not Jugo and Jacques were a couple.
Summary: Jugo is thanking the gods for their boon and the crew is pretty sure they've been doomed.
Word Count: 578
Glorious Gift of the Gods
“I don’t know which one of you did this, but thank you. By everything I hold dear and cherish, thank you.” Jugo spoke to the sky, head tipped back to stare into the starry night with tears in his eyes. A passing crewman eyed at him as he passed, making sure not to get too close in case the first mate had finally lost it.
Jugo just grinned and tossed a handful of coins into the water. “A token of my gratitude, to the sea gods that brought such a fated boon to this ship.”
Now there was a good five-foot radius around him that none of the crew dared enter, going out of their way to stay away when they passed him standing at the rail, smiling widely out toward the horizon. He was in such a good mood that he couldn’t even work up enough irritation to bark at the gathered crew to get back to their rounds.
Casimir must have lost whatever strange hand game they played to make small decisions-he always did-because he was the one they shoved in his direction. Making his ungraceful entrance, Casimir stumbled over a coil of rope before he managed to right himself and carefully approach Jugo. “Uh, mighty fine night, eh, Jugo?”
Jugo smiled brightly at him, ignoring the way Casimir shrank away from it. “It is, it is indeed a wondrous night.”
Casimir chuckled, high and nervous, rubbing one hand over the back of his neck and staring at the deck. “Aye, indeed. Ye wouldn’t happen t’know if the fresh one we picked up was some kinda sorcerer, would ye?”
“Oh no. He’s not a sorcerer, he so much better than that.”
Casimir stared at him, looking alarmed. “What is ‘e then?”
“Don’t you see? He’s normal. He’s completely, perfectly normal!” He grabbed Casimir by the shoulders and shook him. “He’s my only salvation on this whole clusterfuck of a ship!” He let go and Casimir scrambled away to the safety of the other men.
They shook their heads and muttered amongst themselves. “Goddess’ tits, he’s a goner.”
“I knew that new ‘un was a dark sorcerer, not even Jugo could save ‘imself from the evil.”
“Did you see the way he had the Capt’n under his thrall? We’re all doomed.”
“Clever disguise too, ye’d never suspect a bland lookin’ paper pusher fer an evil wizard.”
Jugo snorted to himself and ignored them all. The man they’d ‘kidnapped’ from their latest plundering wasn’t a wizard, or a dark sorcerer, or whatever else these idiots came up with. He was absolutely, wonderfully boring, and Jacques was over the moon for him. Jugo didn’t know or care why, just that some god or goddess had heard his prayers and gifted him with someone who could control the crazy that followed Jacques around like a plague.
Russell-a good, boring name-didn’t want to chase adventures or see glorious battle, he was happy organizing the inventory and making sure they were fully stocked with supplies. And every moment he spent distracting a lovesick Jacques was another moment of sweet, blissful peace for Jugo. He was so happy he could cry, not that he would, but he could. If he wanted to.
He tossed another handful of coins into the water, smiling and happy to be left alone when the rest of the crew made warding signs against evil and went to hide in the lower decks.