Disclaimer: not mine

No mpreg yet but it will be talked about a little

Chapter 5

Kairi frowned, it had been a few days since she'd spoken to Sora and he'd been very good at calling regularly. Maybe he'd gotten caught up in his work? Please let that be it. If it was Riku…then it was over and there was nothing anyone could do to save Sora.

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Riku felt Sora's mind beginning to stir towards consciousness. He swam to the surface and pulled himself up onto the edge of the rocks where Sora was lying, covered in his bedding which Axel had pulled closer with his longer arms. Sora could withstand the cold of the water and could be in it longer now but being warm and dry was probably best for his recovery.

The stone was hard and rough under his scales and surely it couldn't be comfortable for Sora to sleep on either and yet he'd slept there so often since they'd arrived, so that Riku wouldn't be alone. He reached out and gently stroked Sora's hair, feeling his head move, shifting into his touch, and then slowly blue eyes fluttered open, focusing on him far quicker than last time.

"Riku," he murmured sleepily.

"Sora," he smiled at his human. He reached for his hand, taking it in his and squeezing gently. Sora seemed to know what he wanted and Riku was relieved to feel his fingers move, though the return grip was far weaker than any time Sora had held his hand before. "Can you move?" he asked gently, making sure not to push Sora into doing something he didn't want to.

Sora frowned slightly but then concentrated and ever so slowly he pushed himself up to sit, swaying dangerously, and Riku caught him, supporting him, as Sora breathed faster. "Guess...it's going to take some work."

"I'm sorry Sora, I'm so sorry," he pressed their foreheads together, smiling when Sora lifted trembling arms to wrap around his shoulders. "Whatever it takes to help you heal," he promised.

"What if I don't?" Sora asked, voice trembling, and Riku could feel his lingering fear.

Riku stroked his face gently, and Sora leant into his touch. There was no fear of him anymore like there had been when he'd realised what had happened, because of the magic or was Sora really not scared of him? "I'll look after you," he promised. He would, he would look after Sora for the rest of his life if needed.

He felt something and then realised, reaching for the bag Sora had left there a few days ago, pulling out one of the funny wrapped bar things, using his teeth to rip it open, holding the contents to Sora's lips. Sora smiled slightly but opened his mouth to accept the food, chewing slowly. Riku then gathered water in his hand and held it for him to drink.

"Don't understand," Sora mumbled, and Riku titled his head in question. "Salt water's not good for humans," he answered, head dropping to Riku's shoulder, and Riku moved an arm to gently stroke his back.

Oh, he hadn't known that. He looked at Sora for any sign he was sick but he looked okay to him, just tired still. What did he know about looking after anyone, especially a human? What if he hurt him?

"M'okay," Sora told him. His arms were trembling where they rested over Riku's shoulders, and Riku gently lowered them for Sora, not wanting him to push his body too much. "Should be in the water," Sora lifted his head.

"I'm fine," Riku assured him. "I've been on the beach with you lots of times."

"But that was sand, doesn't the rock hurt?"

"Alright, I'll get in if it'll make you feel better," he smiled at Sora. "Do you want to come in to?"

"You won't let go?" Sora pressed closer.

"Never," he swore.

He moved back to drop into the water, sitting on the ledge, watching as Sora slowly moved closer, practically dragging his legs. They were moving a little but it was obvious he wasn't able to use them enough to get up. Riku reached out to help him into the water, feeling Sora relax against him. He nuzzled him gently, getting a small laugh as his hair tickled him. He moved off the ledge, keeping his arms around Sora.

"Can you move your legs?" he asked gently.

He held Sora far enough from his own body that he'd have room to move and Sora looked down at his own limbs, concentrating. Riku grinned when Sora's leg kicked weakly in the water, just the one, but it was better than how he'd been moving on land. Gently, he touched Sora's mind, seeing how he controlled his limbs, curious. It was so different to how he used his tail.

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Xigbar wasn't mad at the pup who'd nearly killed him, more upset at himself for underestimating him…and at Saïx for getting them into that mess in the first place. He'd be talking to Xemnas once they returned, Saïx held too much hatred towards humans to be put into such a position of authority. He agreed with Axel and Roxas staying to help the pup and his human. The sooner they found new territory the better, then he could subtly send Xion on her way to join them, get all three of them safely away from the pod, they'd be better off in a different one or even starting their own.

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Roxas came out of the tunnel but paused, watching as Riku gave gentle encouragement to Sora. He frowned when he saw how weakly Sora was moving, one leg moving and the other twitching a little. Sora's eyes met his and the human gasped, jerking in Riku's arms, eyes going wide in fear.

Riku immediately spun around, ready to defend him, and Roxas ducked his head, not wanting him to think he was a threat. "Roxas," Riku said after a moment, and Roxas relaxed.

"Sorry," he murmured, seeing Sora clinging to Riku who turned his head and nuzzled his human, obviously communicating with him. Sora slowly relaxed and this time the look seemed more curious than fearful when Sora looked at him. Roxas offered him a smile, careful not to show off his teeth. He felt utterly horrible over what had happened to Sora, especially his own part in it, and he didn't want to make Sora scared or uncomfortable. But how could he communicate that to him?

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Sora pressed himself against Riku, terrified at the sight of another Siren. Was he one of the ones…he felt Riku nuzzle at him.

"Shh Sora, it's okay. I won't let him hurt you. This is Roxas, Sora. He and Axel stayed to help," Riku explained gently.

"He…he was…" Sora knew it, Roxas had been one of the ones singing.

He felt Riku stroking his hair and it felt good. He just…he just hated being so weak, so useless.

"Not weak, never weak," Riku's mental voice whispered in his mind, and he wondered if it sounded like he did to other Siren's. "You're wounded and recovering. You had no way to resist what they did to you," he explained.

Sora looked over at Roxas who floated calmly and when their eyes met, the Siren smiled softly at him, keeping his lips shut. He glanced at Riku who just smiled gently, leaving it up to him. Even in his mind, Riku was quiet, his presence there but undemanding, ever so gentle at the edges of his mind. He looked back to Roxas, he could have just left, left Riku to try and look after him alone, but he'd stayed. Did he…feel bad about what they'd done to him? Roxas opened his mouth, not to sing, but letting out whistles, trills, chirps…talking.

"He said he's sorry for his part in it all," Riku translated for him. "If he'd known the truth he never would have done it."

Sora shifted slightly and Riku carefully moved around to be holding him from behind, hands on his hips, Sora leaning back against his chest, not wasting his energy on holding himself upright. He felt completely safe, despite being naked still…it…it didn't bother him that he was wearing nothing…because they were technically naked too? He felt sharp claws ever so gently stroke the skin of his hip in a soothing manner, shivering slightly. He felt Riku's concern he'd hurt him, but it hadn't hurt, it had felt nice, and that calmed Riku.

"Hello," he whispered to Roxas, and Riku whistled behind him.

Roxas smiled again, wider this time, flashing sharp teeth, but it didn't scare him. He was used to the dangerous features of a Siren because of Riku.

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Axel blinked when he returned to find Sora leaning against Roxas while Riku gently moved his leg back and forth. There was no fear or discomfort, even with Roxas having an arm around his waist. Sora looked over at him, his eyes bright and clear so it wasn't due to Riku calming him or anything. He seemed…curious, a bit nervous maybe…well, he'd probably never seen a fully mature Siren before. Axel smiled at him, and was surprised to get a small, shy, smile in return before Sora winced.

Riku immediately lowered his leg carefully, stroking his cheek, and Sora lifted a shaky arm to take his hand. He was moving a lot better but obviously wasn't back to full strength even after the healing Riku had managed.

Axel swam closer and held up his spoils, various fish and the like for them to eat. Riku had been living on a very limited diet since he never left the cove, so Axel and Roxas had decided to help him expand that, he needed the variety to be healthy after all. He held one out to Sora too who blinked and looked at Riku who nodded.

"Humans can't eat raw fish," Riku explained. "Though apparently they can't drink sea water but Sora has since waking."

"It makes sense," Axel shrugged, he'd seen humans under Siren spell drink and eat anything given to them without any bad effects.

He offered the fish again, and Sora looked from him to Riku before taking it. Riku helpfully ran his claw along its side to break the scales since of course Sora lacked claws or sharp teeth of his own. The human hesitantly raised it to his mouth and took a bite of the flesh within, chewing before swallowing, eyes going wide before he took another mouthful, and Axel grinned, seemed he liked it.

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Sora sat leaning against Riku, eating raw fish and enjoying it. It was nice to be able to feed himself again at least, though Riku would still cut the fish open for him since he didn't exactly have any cutlery with him. His arms didn't shake anywhere near as much after a week, his legs were another matter entirely. He couldn't eat the whole fish like they could, his teeth couldn't cut through scales and bones like theirs could. He didn't understand how it could taste so good, why he could eat it and drink sea water now. it was good he could though because the supplies he'd been keeping in the cave were basically out and it wasn't like he could walk back to the house and cook a meal.

It felt like those first weeks with Riku all over again, away from the rest of the world, but better because he could understand Riku now. A hand tipped his head up and Riku leant in, licking him and he realised there'd been blood on his face from the fish. It felt completely natural to let Riku clean the blood off of him, to let him help him exercise his legs to try and get them working properly, but it wouldn't have before, would it? Now he couldn't imagine things any other way, couldn't imagine being alone in his head. He remembered that day when he'd been watching Riku swim, when he'd wondered if Sirens loved, when he'd realised…he saw Riku's eyes widen as he caught the thought, maybe even the memory.

"Sora…"

He felt his cheeks warming, looking away, but Riku caught his chin in his hand and Sora couldn't turn away. He stared into cyan eyes, feeling Riku gently examining the memory further, deeper. Part of him wanted to stop him, to pull away, keep it private and his, but another part wanted desperately for Riku to know…to want him.

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Riku was shocked when he caught the edge of the memory and then Sora's face darkened a bit, even as his human went to turn away, but Riku couldn't let him. He stared into wide blue eyes, searching for the truth, needing to know…Sora…had wanted him. He could hear Sora's thoughts at the time, how he'd tried to insist even to himself that it was just a physical attraction. Riku knew that despite their claws and teeth, humans found them highly attractive, without any magic needing to be used.

He had knowledge of the mechanics of such things, passed down from his family, but he didn't know what it was like to feel such an attraction, to feel desire, none of it. He wouldn't until he entered his first season and he knew it was coming soon. He was drawn to Sora, knew his dormant instincts had marked him as a partner for that time, but he didn't feel it…yet. He wanted Sora with him forever, wanted him to be happy and safe…did that count as anything approaching any kind of love? Was it just gratitude for everything Sora had done for him? He didn't know.

He leant in and nuzzled him gently, hugging him close. He was scared to do it but Sora's mind was open to him all the time, he could return that at least once. He gently guided Sora to see what he knew, that until full maturity a Siren was unable to feel anything like that, let him feel what Riku did currently feel for him. Sora trembled in his arms, Riku struggling to keep a division between their minds even as he let Sora see and feel. If he ever let that wall go…he'd lose his Sora, he'd be back to how he'd been with the others, and Riku didn't know if he'd be able to bring Sora out of it. Riku gently distanced their minds again, feeling Sora slump against him.

"Sora?" he called softly.

Sora raised his head to look at him, seeming a little dazed, but still aware and himself. He gently stroked his cheek and Sora leant into his touch. "What'll happen when you do?" he asked, and it took a second for Riku to realise what he was asking.

For a second he hesitated, sharing that with a human…but Sora was his human, he would never tell, even if he wasn't bound to him. So he told him everything he knew about what a first season was, Sora listening closely, seeming…sad?

"What's wrong?"

"You'll have to leave," he whispered, and Riku frowned in confusion. "You'll have to find a girl if you want to have baby Sirens."

"What does a girl have to do with it?" he asked, realising that he was missing something.

"Well…babies need a male and female to make them," Sora's face was a little red again.

"You mean that matters with humans?" huh, he supposed that explained some of the odd things he'd heard over the years locked in his tank. "Sora, I picked you. As long as you want me to, if you don't then I'll have to find someone, there's no choice." If he didn't, he'd die a rather painful and drawn-out death.

Sora was frowning but he didn't feel upset. "You mean…I could…babies?" he almost squeaked the last word.

Riku nodded, why was that so hard to understand? His hand absently moved to run over Sora's stomach and the human shivered as he caressed flat skin and muscle.

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He could…he shivered as Riku caressed his stomach, for a moment seeing it in his mind, rounded rather than flat. How were Siren babies even carried? Live like mammals? Eggs like fish? How could his body do something so far beyond what it was meant to? He was a guy! He didn't have a womb or the other necessary organs! The thought didn't disgust him at all, it scared him a little…okay more than a little, but mainly because he lacked the right equipment.

Riku froze, obviously sensing his fear, hand moving away as if only just realising what he'd been doing, but Sora caught his hand, keeping it in place. "Sora, I won't come to you against your will. You've lost so much because of me. I don't want you to be scared of me."

"I'm not scared of you," he promised. "Having babies does scare me a little, because human guys aren't meant to do that, we don't have the right internal organs or anything," Sora explained. They really were two very, very different species. The fact Riku would only be able to father children once every couple of years, that he could somehow get Sora pregnant…definitely magic involved in the last. Wait, did that mean Riku could get pregnant too? And Riku nodded, okay then. How did no one know that about Sirens? Did that mean not everyone who vanished died, maybe some did because they had a Sirens kids?

Did he want that? To be with Riku during his season, to spend three days doing nothing but having sex…to see Riku as a human…he glanced down at Riku's damaged tail. "Riku your tail...if that wound transfers over to legs…you might be worse off than I am at walking. You could be missing part of your left leg…or even have no lower leg." He'd never make it to the house where Sora had a nice comfortable bed for them to spend those three days.

Riku's eyes widened, obviously not having considered that before, and why would he? He was used to a tail where the wound did affect him but he had the rest of the tail to compensate. If Sora was at full strength then it would be fine, he'd be able to support or even maybe carry Riku. As it was, they may be stuck in the cave.

And apparently he'd made his choice. He would stay with Riku, and Riku grinned, hearing his decision.

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Riku watched Roxas, he was sleeping and eating a lot. He glanced at Axel who nodded, Roxas would soon be going through it. He could see where his Roxas' fins were beginning to change slightly, subtly checking his own to see if they had started the process yet. It was hard to tell though. It would probably be best if they didn't go through the changes at the same time though, it would leave them all very vulnerable if they were all caught up in that.

"Did you know male humans don't normally carry pups?" he asked Axel.

"Really?" he asked, and Riku nodded.

"Sora thought I'd have to go find a female."

"Huh, weird," Axel shook his head. "So…he knows what's coming?"

Riku nodded. "He wanted me, before this, not just the way humans want us because of how we look. He just didn't think it was possible since we're so unalike. Sora thinks we're about the same age but…it's so different. He's been able to feel that kind of thing since he was young, his body his fully mature. He…he's scared of pups because among humans his body isn't meant to carry them, but he still wants to be with me during that."

"You don't just want him for your season though, do you Riku. You want him as your mate."

Riku stared at him. He hadn't even thought about mating anyone ever. He'd thought for a long time his season would mean his death. There had been no point even dreaming of one day having a mate. Would…would Sora want that with him? Was… "Is that even possible?" he asked.

"I don't know," Axel admitted. He told Riku about another pod he'd met once and how they knew more, but the odds of finding them?

"Are you and Roxas?" he asked curiously and Axel shook his head.

"Roxas and Xion are close, everyone figures they'll mate once both mature. Which could now happen at different times since they're apart. She's not going to be happy he's stayed away but she'll understand once we tell her what happened. And they can still have pups so long as her season hits once they're back together."

Riku nodded. He found their biology confusing enough, no wonder Sora found it so hard to work out. "But if Roxas has his season here…"

"I'll end up carrying his pups, yeah. Not the first time I've done that, probably won't be the last. I don't care either way."

Riku nodded. If he did stay with Sora, that was something he'd never experience. Did that bother him? He…he didn't think it did. Then again the whole thought of seasons and mating and pups…didn't sound entirely appealing at all, yet. It was all just stuff he knew had to happen at some point.

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Sora slowly pushed himself up on his arms, so far so good. he concentrated on moving his legs and they slowly obeyed. He crawled to his sleeping bag and let himself collapse on it, feeling Riku's pride that he'd made it. He just wished his legs would hurry up and finish healing, crawling wasn't exactly comfortable, though it beat dragging his legs. It gave him hope that he'd be able to walk again at least.

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Roxas woke up and found the water around him dark, everything quiet. Why was he awake? He turned, curling his tail up more and then shifted again, he felt…uncomfortable. He twisted and turned for a while before giving, stretching as he swam from the sandy bottom of the pool Riku was fast asleep on the ledge, as close as he could be to Sora, and Axel wasn't very far from where Roxas had been sleeping.

He found himself staring at Axel, taking in the deep crimson of his scales which lightened on the way down to his fluke which were a much softer red colour. His eyes moved upward, following lines of smooth muscles, marred by the occasional scar from fights with other pods or sharks, liking the signs of prowess. He blinked as he realised what he was thinking, realising he'd swum closer without noticing he was doing so. Staring at Axel was making him feel strange, an odd sensation below his belly as well. He felt kind of warm too, despite the coolness of the water in the cave, though it felt nice moving against his fins.

He reached out to touch Axel's shoulder, shaking him, and wonderful green eyes opened. "Roxas?" he asked sleepily, but he didn't know what to say, just staring, and Axel straightened up. "Oh," he murmured, and then he reached out, wrapping his arms around Roxas who gasped. "Yeah, thought so. It's okay Roxas, I've got you," he promised, leaning in to nuzzle him and Roxas whistled high in his throat, hands moving to clutch at Axel.

"Wha?" a sleepy voice mumbled nearby, but Roxas barely noticed, focus fully on Axel and how wonderful it felt for him to touch him.

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Axel pulled Roxas' pliant body closer, hearing Riku's drowsy question. "Go back to sleep Riku. It's Roxas' time," he called out to the younger Siren.

Riku's face appeared over the edge of the ledge, and he blinked at them, still half asleep, but then his eyes widened slightly. "Oh…uh, Sora said you can use his house if you want a bed? He seems to think it'd be a lot nicer than the sand anyway. It's the back room of the place."

"Tell him thanks," Axel grinned, and then pulled Roxas out to the tunnel and into the cove, heading for the beach. The sounds Roxas was making were having an effect on him already.

Technically, away from humans and with only another Siren around, Roxas' body wouldn't necessarily change form, but Axel figured he deserved the full experience, so he dragged them both onto the sand. It was a lot more fun with legs, he'd experienced it both ways and he definitely preferred legs for coupling. He held Roxas as the younger Siren writhed, blue eyes wide, as his body triggered the change for the first time and soon the body he was holding appeared human. Having experience, his own was far less dramatic. He got to his feet, swaying unsteadily for a few moments, before he caught his balance and pulled Roxas up, the blond clinging to him, rubbing his body against Axel's.

It was obvious Roxas was passed being able to think, body driven by biological need only, so he picked him up and carried him to the human dwelling, taking a few seconds to work out how to get inside. He moved through it to the back and found something raised off the ground but covered with what he was told were called blankets so it must be the 'bed'. Roxas was struggling in his arms as he lowered him onto it, the blond yanking him down too, rolling them across the soft surface. Axel let him, knowing better than to struggle, not wanting Roxas to accidentally hurt one of them in his desperation. The first season was always the worst, the body suddenly flooded by things it didn't understand, leaving most Sirens completely overtaken by the sheer need to follow biological urges.

"It's okay Roxas, I'm here," he told him, stroking blunt fingers through soft blond hair, scratching his scalp, and Roxas trilled eagerly, pressing into the sensation. He gently pulled Roxas down to nuzzle him, hands moving to stroke over his back, wanting to try and calm him down a little. It wouldn't help if he exhausted himself too quickly after all, not when they had several days ahead of them.

TBC….

Want to see more of that or should this be a fade to black for them?