2. Prey to the Current

He stared into the depth of the ocean. It had no answers. Certainly not by just looking. Checking if he was alone, Riku climbed over the railing and jumped. The water closed above his head and he enjoyed the feeling of being submerged – alone in a world of his own and absolutely free. He focussed on that and tried to shift his body from its normal form to … he had no idea what. It hadn't been a fish. He'd need to ask, but he didn't want to.

His head broke the surface and he scowled at his still-human limbs. 'Come on, it worked before. Why not now?'

'Riku? What are you doing down there?'

Rather than being irritated that he'd been caught, Riku looked up at his ship with a smile he couldn't have suppressed if his life had depended on it. 'You've found me,' he said. 'I was trying to … wait, don…' With a splash Towa landed next to him. 'Have you got a plan how we get out again?' he asked when she came up.

'I … ah.' She glanced behind herself at the hull of the ship. 'Can't you … you know.' She flicked her finger against her ear.

'Maybe? The thing is, I have no idea what I can and can't do. Up until recently, I thought that I can't do anything anymore. Not that I ever was overly useful.'

'That's harsh, Riku! And not true.'

'Perhaps. But the sad truth is that some power has decided I can transform into a pointless fish. Thing.'

'Ichthyostega.'

'Bless you.'

Laughing, Towa splashed water into Riku's face. 'I saw a picture of what you turned into in a book. Or at least, it was similar. Certainly a lot smaller. It didn't have a fin on its back.'

'And I did?'

'Yep.' She eyed him. 'It makes sense, you know. You've always had an affinity for water.'

'But Kirinmaru wasn't a water youkai in any way.'

'You're not him, though. You're your own being, Riku. I'll say you were that before now, no matter how you were created. But now … you're still you, but you're more than before, it seems. This form is something all your own.'

'Most battles aren't in the water.'

'But you can be, regardless of that. I'm sure of it.'

He pondered this, then nodded slowly. 'I can enclose myself in water, you mean. I can certainly try. But I really need to learn how to do all of this. And how not to, when something happens. Are you … are you all right, Towa-sama?'

She nodded. 'Perfectly fine. I was just winded for a moment.' She frowned. 'Maybe because you're starting out looking human, it takes a trigger to learn how to transform at first. What did you feel when you changed? Worry?'

'Not exactly.' He thought for a moment. 'I knew this couldn't have done much to you other than make you angry. And I saw that you were fine before it happened.'

'Not a drive for protection then.'

'I don't … think so? I mean, I planned to get your sword back to you. I felt you should have it in case this took longer than we thought and I didn't want you to feel defenceless. It's … not a good feeling.'

Towa looked at him with an intent that took his breath away. He wanted to swim closer and hold her, but he forced himself not to. He had embarrassed himself enough by pouring his heart out when he thought he was dying. 'Close your eyes, Riku,' she said so quietly the ocean almost swallowed the sound.

Without any idea what she wanted, he obeyed, feeling rather foolish as he was treading water. He felt her swimming around him in a full circle before coming to a halt. She had to be much closer now, all he'd need to do was reach out. If only he thought for a moment she wanted him to …

And then he didn't need to decide because her hands were on his shoulders and moved up to his neck. Half a breath later, he felt her lips on his. He reacted on pure instinct, taking her by the waist and returning the soft kiss. She pulled away far too soon, and he took a moment before opening his eyes again. 'Try now,' Towa said softly.

For a moment, he didn't even know what he was supposed to try, the brief kiss having wiped all thought from him. Then he laughed softly. 'Well, I don't think I've ever been less likely to succeed than right now.'

'Oh. I thought … maybe that could help.'

His racing heart skipped a beat. Was that all it had been? Trying to help him transform? He scolded himself inwardly. Of course. What had made him think that she could want anything else from a wretch like him, a worthless, discarded thing?

'Riku?' There was concern in the way she looked at him, and he wanted to see something deeper, softer that couldn't possibly be there. Not directed at him.

He swallowed and schooled his expression to a serene one, hiding the bitterness of his inadequacy. 'Well, I think this isn't going anywhere right now.' His voice sounded foreign and all he wanted was to remove himself from this situation that would only serve to break his heart.

'I'm sorry I crossed a line. I thought …'

'You thought this would help me change. It didn't. I apologise, it seems that even as a demon I'm a bit of a failure.'

'Riku!' His eyes widened at her sudden outburst, her fingers – still on him, he noticed – digging into his shoulders and shaking him lightly. 'You are not a failure and I'd thank you for not demeaning yourself like that! If anyone else talked about you that way, I'd knock some sense into them. And helping you … was hardly all I was thinking!'

Riku forced himself not to speak immediately. He needed to use his head rather than his doubt-frayed soul if he didn't want to make a huge mistake. Maybe this was the moment for a little faith and optimism. Maybe she did see something in him that he failed to see himself. Or maybe he needed to be direct and honest and knock his head open against a rock right now so he could finally move on. Figuratively. 'Then you do not need to apologise, Towa-sama. If causing me to turn into a sea-creature wasn't your plan, I'll … Well. Dare I suggest that what you wanted did work?' Maybe that wasn't as bold a statement as he should have offered, but it was all he could do. As if anything like that could ever be enough. As if he could ever be enough.

The distress slipped from her features and she smiled at him, chasing some of the anxiety from him in turn. 'I wouldn't go as far as calling it a plan, but … I wanted to … I needed to let you know … You know?'

Riku watched Towa flush crimson and decided to rescue her. 'To let me know that what I said … you know, inside the butterfly. That my words weren't entirely unwelcome?' He couldn't look away from her eyes, from the gentle smile in them that didn't falter for a moment, didn't turn to derision or worse, to disgust.

Towa swallowed. She cupped Riku's cheek and he leaned into her touch like an idiot. Her hand was as warm as her expression and the last vestiges of his fear that he was deluding himself bled out of him. He felt how his eyes began to sting and hoped she wouldn't notice. They were in the water and his hair was dripping. 'Not at all. I just wish you'd said it in a better situation. Like, not a second before slipping away under my fingers.'

'I'm very sorry about that, Towa-sama.' He only managed a broken whisper. Maybe she was tugging him closer, maybe he imagined it, but Riku put his arms around her in the water and pulled her against his chest before kissing her again, his lips brushing over hers in a gentle caress. Her hand tangled in his hair and a sigh escaped him. If the world had ended right at that moment, he'd have been content to have lived to have this.

'Oi!' Moroha's sharp call from above forced them apart. 'Where the hell did you go, Towa? Did you find him?'

Riku's rested his forehead against Towa's. 'You were looking for me?'

Towa made a face. 'Moroha and I talked and she … ah … felt I should let you know how I feel about you, because you wouldn't.'

'She's right. I'm too much of a coward.'

Towa was about to protest, but Moroha's voice cut over her. 'Ey, Towa, you're not getting out of this. I'll tell him if you don't, because frankly, this is getting really painful to watch.'

Riku's smile was rueful. His lips ghosted over Towa's before he moved half an arm's length away. 'Down here, Moroha-sama!'

Her dark head appeared over the railing. 'Did Towa throw you?'

'No, no-one was thrown. Yet. Could you do us a favour and let down the rope ladder?'

Moroha's face lit up in a smirk. 'What do I get in return?'

Riku tilted his head as if in thought. 'Well … how about …' And suddenly, it was easy, the shift from his human form to the Youkai almost natural. He watched Moroha's eyes widen, heard Towa cheer … and leaped. He was close enough for what he wanted, reached out with his short arm and grabbed a fistful of Moroha's robe, pulling her over the railing. She flailed as she fell next to him, but he didn't wait to have her yell at him and dived deep. From below, he saw both cousins turn, clearly looking for him. Towa dipped her face into the water, forcing her eyes to stay open. The moment she found him, he sped up and surfaced under her. She was astride him and gripped his back fin, shrieking with delight while Moroha laughed. He made a sharp turn – not sharp enough to dislodge his passenger, however – braked a moment before reaching Moroha, and changed back. 'I'll get us up all right,' he said conversationally, as if he hadn't just pulled a mad stunt with Towa still sitting on the small of his back, holding on to his shoulders.

'If you just holler for Setsuna I'm going to be seriously disappointed,' Moroha answered, poking an accusing finger in his direction.

'No need for anything so crude.' He smiled and turned fluidly to hold Towa by her arms. He leaned close. 'Dou you trust me, my love?' he breathed into her ear.

'Absolutely.'

Riku wrapped his arms around her. 'Then take a deep breath and hold on to me.' He felt her do so. Behind him, he heard Moroha make a gagging sound. Smiling into Towa's neck, he found that he didn't mind. If she had given Towa the courage to say and do what he couldn't, she was more than entitled to a bit of mockery.

Encasing them both in a bubble of water, he drifted up and onto the deck. Once there, he broke the spell, put Towa safely down on both feet, and looked down at Moroha. 'Want to come back up?'

'Toss the ladder, Riku, c'mon.'

'Certainly. But whatever will I get in return?'

When she started shouting bloody murder at him, he laughed. 'Well, who could resist such kindness? There you go, Moroha-sama. Come aboard.'

((I thought – and this was really a rather random idea – that if Riku is a Daiyoukai, he should have a demon form. Normally, to my understanding, they start looking like some creature and then choose to appear human. I think it would make sense for him, appearing human all the time, to be unaware of any such ability – if indeed he has one. As Yashahime is sadly unlikely to have another season I can do what I want with him, although I'd infinitely prefer to wait for another season and keep it to myself.

As for the What, I immediately thought it would be water related and stuck with pretty much my first thought after ruling out a koi as totally trite.

Lastly, I have no idea how Riku addresses Moroha – or Setsuna for that matter. Since my attempt to find out quickly failed badly, I decided he probably shows the other two the same deference. If anyone knows better – please do tell.))