The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (boyxboy)

CHAPTER 15

The Merry | Present Day

Kaeltki's very sudden and pronounced switch from the cold and angry siren into this benevolent and approachable almost-person has something niggling away in the back of Az's head. It's too quick. He knows it's too quick, as good as fake, but what can he do? Every time he thinks to tell someone, though he doesn't know who he could tell without getting the siren hurt, the desire dissipates. He reminds himself more than once that it's himself or Paver.

In the mornings, Az goes down with at least five fish plus a sizeable helping of whatever leftovers they have from breakfast, or even the night before. Kaeltki seems to prefer the evening meal, though. He will eat the morning porridge without verbal complaint, but Az sees the way his nose scrunches up when he dips his clawed fingers into the food to scoop it up to his mouth. Az provides a spoon, but Kaeltki likely doesn't know what it is or how to use it, and he can't muster the fortitude to explain it.

Slade doesn't come to check up on his "prize", although if he did, he'd quickly see that even doubling the siren's portions isn't quite enough. Kaeltki stops losing weight but he's definitely thinner now than when he'd first been captured. Az finds himself wondering one night how long it'll take for the siren's muscles to waste away completely while he isn't using them. He's seen it happen before, usually to the sick or the elderly who become immobile due to being sick or elderly, then they remain immobile because they lose their strength altogether.

Az thinks again about the silver bear cooking in the Albahri sun, suffering in pain while no one seemed to care, or if they did, they didn't do anything.

So armed with a small bundle of less perishable snacks that Noah sneaks him, Az deliberately doesn't sleep one night. He waits 'til the sounds of the crew muddy down into nothing except for someone's sonorous snoring. Paver is among the sleeping. He's checked.

Going to see Kaeltki outside of his usual feeding times, particularly in the middle of the night, feels forbidden. He creeps along the corridor, a lantern held close to his body to try to prevent the light from spilling anywhere someone might see it. He's not sure he would be in trouble if caught, but he'd rather not risk it. He doesn't knock before he enters Kaeltki's prison this time.

All the same, the siren stirs. Az sees his glowing eyes, golden and warm, blinking sleepily at him from across the room.

"Az?" he murmurs, quiet and croaky.

"Sorry I woke you," he whispers back.

The siren yawns wide and stretches out as much as he can in the circular tub, trying to roll his shoulders even while his wrists are hitched up above his head. "What is it?"

Az looks into Kaeltki's guarded eyes, senses the apprehension coiling in his body. It's understandable. This is outside their routine. He itches to reassure the siren but has taken to not pointing out any of his vulnerabilities or otherwise making reference to his captivity. He hopes it keeps things sweeter between them.

"I have something for you," Az explains.

"A gift?" Kaeltki perks up slightly.

He allows Az closer to unwrap the chain from around the hook in the wall, where he doesn't fail to notice the siren's claws again, now seemingly fully grown back and sharp as knives. He's debated with himself whether or not to tell Slade. If he does, Slade will have the siren's claws cut back down until they're no longer a set of dangerous weapons. Az doesn't know if that would hurt Kaeltki physically, but erring on the side of caution and trying to maintain the trust between them, he keeps these thoughts to himself too.

There are a lot of things he keeps from Slade these days.

Kaeltki massages his hands and fingers, flexing his wrists. Az doesn't look at the metal pressing into his skin. Instead, he slides a bag over to the siren's side and waits for him to finish forcing feeling back into his numb extremities. Kaeltki stretches again, twisting and turning until he has flipped over completely, crossing his arms on the rim of the tub with his tail flowing up behind him and around onto the floor. Az thinks the position looks uncomfortable, maybe even sore, but apparently Kaeltki is flexible enough that it doesn't bother him.