Captain Daichi awoke in a coughing fit- what a great way to start the morning, spreading germs to all the crew.

He brushed the sand off his face and hands- wait- sand?

He stood suddenly, whirling round to try to get his bearings, failing miserably on his jelly legs and falling back to his knees. In his disorientation, he fancied he'd heard someone giggle.

"Neptune's beard- I've been washed up! Alone on an estranged island- it looks uninhabited, most likely uncharted- Blast! I won't be getting help anytime soon, then."

He sat quietly for some time, trying trying to remember what in the blazes had happened and to think up a plan for his survival as well as possibilities of rescue. A true captain would help himself.

... I feel like I'm being watched. It's the seawater- that's right, it's making you crazy, you almost drowned- what the hell happened?

At the memory of the nearly drowning, his throat felt very dry indeed. "I'm parched." He announced to no one in particular. "I could drown myself in a barrel of rum."

"Really? And after all the trouble I went to, saving you? How ungrateful."

Daichi spun rapidly, and so did his head- "Who's there? Show yourself!"

A head of wet, silvery hair was all that was visible on the surface of the water. What were they doing under?

"Don't fool with me, I demand to know who you are. At the very least to offer my thanks- you said you saved me?"

The hair disappeared completely under the water, and this time the voice came from his right.

"Well, you certainly are demanding. Are you humans not taught any manners at all? Do you even properly know how to "offer thanks"?"

Humans? Daichi turned again to face the right- surely his head would fall off from the dizziness- the head ducked under quickly once again, and Daichi caught a glimpse of- a fish tail?

"Who are you? Or rather, what are you? "Humans"- you speak as though you aren't one."

No response.

"You're not afraid, are you?" He heard the water ripple somewhere to his left- sit still why don't you?

Before the voice could speak again, he anticipated the stranger's position and faced that direction in attempt to find out what they really looked like- he only managed to catch sight of a pair of alluring brown eyes that held a strange kindness and a spark of mischief- as well as trepidation.

They dove quite late this time- were they a he, or were they a she? They were probably very beautiful either way.

"I won't hurt you- you have my word. I am unarmed." He tried to reassure them.

"What is the word of a pirate in a world of dishonest men? What is the word of man to what it deems Unknown? Of what value does a promise between two strangers present, unless the both of them are at equal disadvantage? Your word, kind sir, is of no value to me, presently." Their heartfelt words lost any dignity they may have possessed as the person spoke face-upwards with only their mouth above the surface.

"How did you know I was a pirate? What's more- you speak of trust, yet you won't even show your face. Hypocrite."

The voice waited a moment before responding- "I have every reason to fear you. I know what humans are capable of. What their weapons can do. What their greed and selfishness does to their reason. I know. I've been on the receiving end before, pirate. But you on the other hand- do you know what I am?"

Daichi steeled his resolve before answering, "You, fair stranger- are a mermaid. That's what you are, isn't it."

"How quaint- a mermaid. An orthodox answer, sir. The fantasies of the human race are ever so slightly.. narrow-minded. What's to say we all are maidens? People of the sea- certainly- but I can assure you, I am one of several "mermen"."

The voice mocked him now.

"Your very first conclusion was to jump straight to "mermaid". What's to say I'm not some daemon come to torment you? A faerie come to twist your thoughts and entangle your memories? Do you believe in magic, dear sir? Surely you do, to fancy me a mermaid? No, no, no, dear pirate- I should think, that -according to your folklore- you'd be better suited... To call me... A Siren. You do know what that is, don't you- pirate?" He dragged out the last two syllables.

He continued, "Seductive temptresses that steer men- I'm sorry, sailors- to their deaths with their song and their beauty and sinful promises of pleasure. A mermaid? Why, that's child's play, surely."

Were they threatening him?

"But tell me. Do you honestly think I'm a "mermaid"?"

"I believe that you are not human, at the very least."

"Well, I clearly am not about to kill you- that is, if you trust me- and I have no interest in feasting on men. If you care for your freewill and sanity, you shan't look upon my face. You see- sirens have a right to their prey. As soon as eye-contact is made, that man is theirs and theirs alone. An undoable sort of magic. That magic has now connected the two of us- you looked at me, did you not?"

Daichi nodded. Then, realising that the nod probably was not seen, confirmed simply with a "Yes."

"I thought as much. Luckily for you, it was only a fleeting glance, and as I have no desire to eat you, you haven't been subjected to a cloud of lust and madness - not unless I will it. I only wish to help you."

"Thank you.. But- magic?"

"Mermaid?" He reiterated. "There isn't any room for skepticism here, pira-"

"Captain."

"Excuse me?"

"Captain Sawamura Daichi- I have a name. You have one, presumably?"

"Yes."

"Well, could you possibly tell me what it is, if you will?"

He seemed to hesitate- Daichi couldn't tell very much from just a floating mouth. "Call me Sugawara."

"Thank you very much for saving me, Sugawara."

"You seem very polite, for a pirate."

"A captain sets a good example." He explained simply.

"I'll assume you run a tight ship- you don't lead a sprawling band of aggressive ruffians?"

"Ha! No, but it does seem like that at times. They're a loyal crew and I lead them as well as I can. I want to see them become the most well-known ship of pirates in all the land. Spoken of in every household, with tales of their own, true and false spread on the tongues of men and women alike- to inspire young lads and entertain old folk and lazy drunkards-"

"You're going to talk at me for quite a while now, aren't you? You care for them a great deal- you sound like quite the father-figure."

"They're all I have, and they're important to me."

"No family? What do you suppose would happen to your crew if you weren't to return?"

"I rather hope that it doesn't come to that. They'd probably fall into a state of chaotic disrepair without Ennoshita to succeed me as captain. Hinata and Kageyama would grow increasingly irritated with each other and would then somehow manage to simultaneously shove each other overboard and into the ravenous mouth of an extinct and lethal type of shark that hasn't been seen for hundreds of thousands of years and has only resurfaced simply to complete the task of swallowing them whole alone, leaving the crew without a scout and their best navigator. Tanaka will jeer at them, and Asahi will most likely cower in a corner before promptly bursting into crocodile tears."

"Ah, is he a young one, perhaps?"

"No. He is in fact a grown man. The tallest and strongest on the ship- and that includes me."

"Oh."

"Yes. His cowardice is truly an unfortunate enigma." he stated fondly. "But I believe in Ennoshita's ability to keep them intact."

"I see. He sounds like the dependable sort."

Sugawara's slightly sinister tone of voice from earlier had softened into a polite curiosity that probably better suited his true personality. He asked Daichi to turn around so he could position himself more comfortably- his neck was aching by now.

The pair of them fell into amicable chatter, Suga asking Daichi innumerable questions about the life of a pirate. Then Daichi's stomach rumbled.

"Damn. It looks like I'll starve before even thinking of getting off this island. I wonder what fish live in these waters.."

"It'll take you awhile before you find any wood at all, let alone wood dry enough to light a fire with."

"Will it?"

"Mm. How about seaweed? I know humans eat some different seaweeds."

"Well, there's plenty along the strand line." Daichi sighed.

"That's good, but you sound reluctant- don't be a baby, it's good for you!"

He snorted. "I wonder if I could find any good quality coral to take back to the crew- Hinata likes to seek out the best jewellers he can find in the towns we stop off at to turn it into something nice for his younger sister."

"Well don't just sit wondering, captain, it isn't going to just jump into your lap- come find some."

"What do you mean, "come find some"?"

"Exactly what it sounds like- you can swim can't you?"

"Yes, but I couldn't possibly hold my breath for long enough to find something really precious."

"I could help you with that."

"Could you really?"

"Mhm." Suga hummed a vague response.

"How?"

"You have to trust me first." He taunted.

"As long as you have no tricks up your sleeves."

"What sleeves?" He teased.

"Just tell me how you're going to "help"."

"Show, not tell. Come here."

Daichi was ever so slightly apprehensive.

"What's the matter? I won't bite- we've been over this."

"Fine." He checked Suga's position in his peripheral vision before turning to face him and shuffling towards the edge of the sand. Suga's hair was once again the only thing peeking out of the water.

He resurfaced- "You'll have to come closer than that. Do you need a little incentive, captain?" He held up the necklace that he had held onto to use as something to negotiate at some point if things had gone wrong.

"My chain! Give it back, it's important to me!"

"I thought as much. If it's so important, why didn't you look for it before?" This was a genuine question.

"I'd forgotten- I'd grown used to it hanging around my neck so often that I neglected to check for it. The crew gave it to me as a token of their gratitude and loyalty to me as captain. Now give it to me."

"I don't think so- you'll have to come and get it." Suga's hair began to once again disappear beneath the water.

"Hey- wait! Come back here!"

Suga began to sing to a playful melody:

Captain, oh Captain

Why don't you see

I won't comply until you come, follow me

Dive into these waters

As a true pirate would

Hasten to adventure and wonder, you should

You're alone on this island

Somewhere your crew waits

For their captain's return, oh dear me, don't be late

To fulfil the destiny lain down by your fate

Suga hummed to himself underwater- the vibrations of the sound carried out to Daichi on the sand, disturbing the water and obscuring the image of his face under the water. Daichi leaned in, somewhat captivated by the majesty of Suga's voice- it was strong, clear and confident- he made the nonsensical lyrics and the melody sound absolutely amazing. His voice echoed the ghost of a harmony- that was impossible alone, wasn't it? Unless his vocal chords worked differently, or he was using magic of some sort...

As he continued to lean further in , Suga's hands rose elegantly from the water as one hand clasped his shoulder, and the other held his cheek. He pulled him closer and closer till Daichi's face was just a hair's breadth away from the water...

And...