To Be Honest (MxM) (18+)

Chapter 11: Show

Chapter 11: Show

Sally and Sunlia are, expectedly, not at breakfast. Nor do they show up on deck for hours. When they finally do, Sunny's wearing a loose dress, her hair braided carefully so it's no longer at risk of dragging along the deck.

She's clutching a bag in her long fingers, and she practically runs up to the rest of us while we're hovering around the table, some still eating. "Presents!"

"Presents!" Ciden echoes with just as much enthusiasm as the Siren, shoving the rest of his bread into his mouth. "What did you bring me, Sunlia?"

"For Ciden, I got...This red and orange sea glass! Like your top!"

"He doesn't have one," Sally says, barely hesitating.

Ciden's cheeks go slightly pink while he lightly punches her in the shoulder. "You don't have to announce that to everyone, jackass."

In response, Sunlia gasps. "NO! Don't hit my girlfriend!" She half-lunges at him, teeth bared while Ciden takes several terrified steps backward, eyes darting to his twin for help. Aiden simply salutes him with no expression on his face. "That's bad!"

Sally rolls her eyes fondly, grabbing her girlfriend by the waist before Sunlia can actually bite. "Ah ah, we don't bite unless it's asked for. I know, you don't like when people hurt me, but Ciden's a friend. It isn't malicious. Remember? Play fighting."

Sunlia hisses at Ciden once more for good measure, but stops actively threatening him. "Can't believe you hit my girlfriend after I gave you a present! So mean!"

"I'm sorry." Ciden's voice cracks on the word, making Sally snort. "You're almost scarier than Sally," he mutters, keeping a short distance between himself and the Siren.

Sunlia chirps at him, then turns her attention to the rest of us. I don't pay too much attention to the gifts everyone else gets, but then she's impatiently standing in front of me with her bag of 'treasures', staring at me. Her eyes seem so large when she's on the surface, without her pupils dilating to see in the darkness of the water.

"Alright, I'll bite. What's my present, Sunlia?"

"Shackles!" she exclaims, holding up a pair of very rusty wrist cuffs. The rust flakes off as they rub against one another. ""Cause Sally said you like to lock guys down in bed so when I saw them in a broken boat...I got them for you!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Xian's eyes widen.

"They'll look lovely on display. Thank you." I could never use them on someone, not in this state. But I have to admit, they would add to the feeling of my cabin when I bring someone in. Sunlia doesn't have to know I won't actually use them.

Ciden taps Xian's shoulder and pulls him aside before Xian says anything about what he had just heard, and the two begin having a whispered conversation that I can't even begin to make out. After a few moments, Ciden looks at the rest of us with a smile, an arm around Xian's shoulders.

"If the two of us aren't needed, I'm going to show off to Xian. He wants to see how my magic works."

Aiden sighs. "I'm not treating any injuries you sustain because you decided to act like a toddler showing his mother that you can do a 'cool trick.'"

"Well, that isn't very kind of you, brother."

"I don't treat stupidity."

"I know where the healing salves are stored," Ciden retorts, pulling Xian away with him. "And you can't stop me from raiding your supplies! Love you, Ai!"

Aiden just sighs and shakes his head. "I suppose that means Murphy and I are managing the sails for the time-being?"

I nod. "Sally and Sunlia can help too."