"Untie me."
Jim looked at Sidon now. He paused, "Let me give Timetra the key to the hold."
Sidon stared back at him. He wasn't sure what he was feeling anymore. He just needed to get Tuatoai's scent off of Jim. He could smell it from where he was bound and it was bringing the anger he'd felt from earlier back in a violent wave.
The human hesitated for an instant, and Sidon snarled, "Hurry up already!"
He disappeared below deck for only a few minutes, but it was long enough that Sidon was baring his teeth and snarling by the time he got back. Jim was quiet as he undid the rope around Sidon's middle, ankles, chest, and then he reached for the one around his wrists. The moment one was free, Sidon grabbed him and dragged him close. He scented along Jim's jaw, licked and nibbled the skin, his hands groping down his body.
There was a noise at the top of the stairs that drew Sidon's attention for a moment. Silver was hurriedly trying to turn and go back down below deck, ushering someone in front of him to do the same.
I don't care if anyone sees us- Sidon wasn't even startled by the sudden thought. He was drawn back to Jim and his gasps as his hand stroked down the human's spine. The motion was tender, but the intent behind it was demanding and needy.
"My cabin-"
Jim's voice was breathy with desire, "Yes, sir…"
Sidon was certain Jim would have gone there on his own, but it wasn't fast enough and he found himself picking up the human and walking them both there. The door couldn't close fast enough, he couldn't get Jim's clothes off fast enough, the burning sensation of skin on skin couldn't come fast enough.
Jim moaned at the rough way Sidon shoved his head back and he kissed the dip on the side of his neck below his chin and above his Adam's apple, "Sidon…"
More… He bit gently over Jim's collar bone. The human flinched and whimpered, his hands moving to cup Sidon's face. I need more of you…
And it seemed that Jim desperately needed him too, considering the way he clutched at Sidon and tried to pull him closer.
"Jim…"
The human's hazy eyes turned on him, "Mm?"
Don't let anyone else touch you…only me…only let me touch you like this… "Who was he to you?"
"Old fuck buddy-"
The growl that rose from Sidon's throat startled them both. He gripped Jim's ass in his hands. His fingers splayed over that smooth skin as he ran his hands down and hooked behind the human's knees to pull him up and wrap those slender legs around his waist. His lips brushed along Jim's left shoulder. He was drawn there, his body driving him to touch and kiss and bite-
I want to mark you as mine…
That scared Sidon. His heart gripped quickly and he flinched away from Jim's shoulder. He hadn't wanted to do that since Raeleth…part of him felt he wasn't allowed to want that. He'd had his chance at a soulmate and he'd lost her. He didn't get another. That's not how that worked.
But Jim felt so right. Smelled so right. Tasted so right. Sounded so right. Looked so damn right. His body yearned for that bond again, so deeply intimate and beyond shallow physical needs-
No. It's your lust talking. Just get this over with like usual.
He'd moved them to the bed and laid Jim on his back. His presence over Jim was enough to pin the human in place despite the fact that he wasn't even touching him anymore.
Jim gazed up at him with his stunning eyes and waited for a command with his lips parted slightly and his chest heaving.
He was the most beautiful thing Sidon had ever seen.
It was as if he were looking at him for the first time; Jim's skin was soft with a hint of sun-kissed tan, his chestnut hair glittered with intertwined strands of gold, his body slim but strong. Even his scars were beautiful.
"Sidon?" that rich voice asked in a whisper. He found it far more enchanting than the Siren's singing earlier.
Sidon leaned in, brought their bodies together again, his eyes on Jim's lips. He felt Jim's legs draw up and go around him, his hands moving whisper soft over his chest, the shudder that passed through his narrow frame. He'd nearly caught those lips with his own before he stopped and stared. Jim gazed back at him, confusion on his face, and something along the lines of desperate need in his eyes.
Jim's hand touched Sidon's cheek and he leaned into it. He turned his head and kissed the palm, then down along the wrist, to his elbow, up and over the shoulder. His body wanted him to keep moving up Jim's throat, across his jaw, his lips were so close to claiming Jim's-
He caught a handful of the man's hair and pulled his head back as he rocked forward and thrust inside him.
Jim moaned deeply. His arms went around Sidon's neck and pulled him in so his mouth pressed to the human's throat.
Sidon rocked slowly, each motion deliberate and measured, tracking how it felt moving in and out of Jim, listening to the gorgeous whimpers and moans rising from the throat under his mouth. He didn't want to fuck Jim, he wanted to make love to him.
There was an undeniable possessiveness growing in his chest and spreading throughout his body as they moved together.
Jim seemed to feel that something was different too with the way he gently mouthed along Sidon's jaw and stroked his fingers carefully along the ridges of each scale on Sidon's shoulders. Sidon could feel the tenderness in each touch, the aching desire they shared was more passionate and affectionate compared to how it was normally desperate and raw.
Sidon was drawn again to Jim's shoulder and he kissed along the gentle slope. He could feel his instincts starting to kick in. They were overpowering and screamed for him to bite and claim Jim. The rage from being forced to watch that Etherium Folk touching his Jim, fucking HIS Jim came back in a rushing wave-
He snarled and his hips moved faster, thrusting himself into Jim harder, possessively. Jim's voice rose in a cry of pleasure with each jolt into him. Sidon was barely present enough to feel the human's hand clutching at him desperately. He was so swept up in how his own body was howling to make Jim his . No one else was allowed to touch Jim…
The human rocked with each violent motion into him. His scent was so strong…
Mine…make you mine…
Sidon pulled out and caught Jim's leg, flipping him effortlessly onto his stomach and drawing his hips up and he pressed back down and realigned himself. His body needed them to be in this position…needed them to be in the mating pose…it was the best way to reach to bite…to claim…
He'd lost his rhythm, too caught up in how it felt and how he needed Jim like he'd never needed anything else, too close to tipping over the edge and reaching his release before they were properly positioned. Sidon clasped Jim's wrists in his hands before his body moved again on its own and had him instead tangling the fingers of one hand in the human's hair while his other hand kept his hips rocked up and into him.
Jim gasped and whined and practically sobbed, begging Sidon to 'let me cum'. He only thrust harder in response and Jim finally keened and bucked against him, his body going tense and tightening around Sidon's cock as he came. Sidon growled at the sensation of being squeezed right as he was getting to that edge and he let his head fall forward onto Jim's shoulder. His mouth moved to close his jaw around that delicate shoulder and he grunted as he came hard and bit down.
Mine…mine…mine…
Blood filled Sidon's mouth and he froze. All he could taste was Raeleth.
He jerked back to look at the wound quickly. He'd managed to stop himself from biting hard. The instant he'd tasted her his jaw had loosened instinctively. His teeth had barely nicked the skin, and even the deepest of the cuts would easily heal in a few days and there wouldn't be even a mark to indicate anything had ever happened.
Sidon hated himself for being both relieved and devastated.
Jim winced and brought a hand to touch the shallow, bloody cuts, and he gasped between heavy breaths, "Got a bit rough there…"
"Get out."
Those blue eyes focused on his face and Jim stared at him, "Can I get a second to breathe-"
"NOW!"
Jim flinched, eyes going wide at the ferocity in Sidon's voice. He staggered off the bed and struggled to pull his clothing on.
Sidon couldn't decide what he was feeling strongest. Anger, disappointment, guilt…it was all so much stronger now than he'd felt it before. He felt a snarl rising in his throat. Jim's voice snapped, cutting through his warring emotions, "I get it, I'm going! Just let me get dressed!"
It hadn't been directed at Jim; he'd been mad at himself. Sidon fought with the conflicting feelings of wanting to drag Jim back into his arms while simultaneously wanting to shove him out of the room and never look at him again. By the time he decided he did want Jim in the room still, the human was dressed and going through the door and he was still kneeling on the bed with his hands clasped into fists in his lap. The door slammed and he snapped out of his thoughts with a jerk.
FUCK!
Would it look too desperate if he ran after Jim? Sidon almost didn't care. He…he wanted Jim to know that he wasn't mad at him…that he did really want him…but…
His eyes went to the desk and his feet drew him to it soon after. Sidon pulled a drawer open and gazed down at the gold locket sitting alone at the bottom. His hand closed around it, pressed the clasp to open it, and tears instantly sprang to his eyes as he watched the hologram clips of himself and another Zora.
Raeleth had always been beautiful to Sidon. He couldn't think of a time she hadn't been the most stunning thing he'd ever seen.
She gleamed like a sapphire in the sun, perfect from every angle as if formed by the Goddess Hylia herself. And when she turned those cerulean eyes in Sidon's direction-
"What are you staring at, you weirdo?" Raeleth jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. "You know it's not very princely to stare."
Sidon swallowed hard, "S-sorry, I was…uh…j-just…"
"Overwhelmed by my beauty? Trust me, honey, I know," her laugh was just as stunning as she was.
"I love you."
The words came out before he even had a chance to think about it. Her bright eyes sparkled as she smiled at him and darted up to him. Raeleth reached for him and he bent to meet her and they kissed.
Sidon would never forget that feeling. He never wanted to forget it. Never wanted to taint it with anyone else's lips.
But Sidon had also never wanted to taint the memory of them lying together either and here he was repeatedly taking Jim to bed…he could clearly remember what it was like being with Raeleth and it was different from being with Jim, so maybe kissing would be different too…
He snapped the locket shut and set it back in the drawer.
Jim was a mystery to him. He'd probed the crew before for more information and it seemed he was a mystery to them as well. All anyone knew of him was what Silver had proudly boasted about from when they had sailed together or what he had picked up from articles when he was in the Navy.
At some point Jim had fallen off the radar and Starboy had gone to the forefront and even with his notoriety and fame the history of Jim becoming Starboy was obscur at best.
Sidon wanted to know more. He felt he almost needed to know more. He knew every intimate inch of Jim's body, knew what turned him on and made him melt, but his mind and heart were so guarded it was as if he were trying to portray himself as a shell with nothing inside it.
He was a challenge Sidon wasn't willing to back down from. He'd been chasing a different challenge for more than fifty years, he could chase another.
It wasn't hard to find Jim. There weren't many places he could hide, not with the scent of his blood leading Sidon directly to him.
"Wha's tha' there, Jimbo? Ye get cut?"
Sidon snarled before he even made it all the way down the stairs into the galley. Both Jim and Silver looked up at him with wide eyes, the cook's hand frozen at Jim's collar where he was pulling it aside to look at the shallow bite Sidon had left.
"Cap'n?"
Get your hands off him.
The snarl rose in volume and he knew he must look absolutely feral by the way both men stepped back. Silver pulled his hand away and raised both in a placating manner, "Wha's got ye worked up, sir?"
He put himself between Silver and Jim and glared down at the cyborg cook, and turned his head just enough that it was clear he was talking to Jim when he ordered, "Back to your post."
"What the…" Jim whispered, confusion clear in his voice.
Silver balked and a frown went over his face. His eyes darted to Jim, who hesitated but ultimately did as Sidon had told him to.
A scowl had set in a heavy line on Silver's face and his hands at his hips, but he waited until Jim was gone from the stairs before he spoke in a low growl, "I don' know wha' yer problem is, but ye don' need te get snappy wid Jimbo like tha'. I though' the two o' ye were…I dunno wha' ye are, but I though' ye were…intimate."
"My problem isn't with Jim."
The Ursid's eyebrows rose, and he leaned back a little as if Sidon had threatened to physically assault him, "Wha' did I do te ye?!"
"You touched him-"
"Yer gonna jump down me throat fer tha'?! I ain't allowed te touch 'im?!" Silver's voice rose and he leaned forward again. It was easy to forget who Silver used to be, but Sidon was quickly reminded by the flash of red in his eye. "Yer gonna tell me ye don' like me 'round me own boy?!"
Sidon felt heat rising on his face and he stepped back, "I…sorry…I don't know what…"
Why AM I being so possessive?
There was something deep in his chest, throbbing, aching, longing.
"I-" love him. The shock hit him harder than anything he'd felt in a long time. His legs gave out and Sidon sat heavily on a bench, "Dear Hylia, what have I done…"
Concern flashed over Silver's face now and his tone became demanding, "Wha' did ye do?"
I fell in…
"I swear te whate'er God out there, if ye've hurt Jim-"
"No! No, I'd never hurt him-" Sidon looked up quickly and answered with equal indignation to Silver's accusation. "Why would you suggest that?!"
"Don' ye g't smart wid me, boy. Wha' did ye do?"
What could he possibly say to diffuse the situation? Silver had advanced until he was right in front of him and he had his right arm - the dangerous one - hanging ready at his side to switch into something other than his hand. Sidon stared at him for a moment before relenting and hanging his head, "I fell in love with him."
"I fell in love with him."
"Wh-" Silver started to retort and then froze solid. Oh! OH!
That hadn't been the response he was expecting. Especially not from the look of horror and the defeated posture Sidon displayed. He'd been certain Sidon was going to admit to something terrible he'd done to Jim and he'd have to go on the run for killing the Zora Prince and he'd end up never seeing his family again. But this…this was wonderful! Sidon was a good man - a great man even - and while he firmly believed Jim was too good for anyone, he would be hard pressed to find another option even half as good a choice as Sidon.
So why did Sidon look so-
"Tha'- wha's wrong with tha'?! Why do ye look so…like this?" He gestured at Sidon, who'd deflated even more.
"I still love Raeleth."
Silver gazed at the Zora. He was bent over double, curled into himself and squished down to nearly half his normal size. It was unsettling to see the normally proud man in such a vulnerable and unguarded posture. In the last few months alone he'd seen more emotion from Sidon than he had in the close to sixteen years he'd known the man. Sidon had never blushed - at least not that Silver had seen - before Jim had joined the crew.
"Who said ye got te stop lovin' her?"
Golden eyes darted up to his face, peeking from between Sidon's wide crimson fingers, "It…no one did…but…"
"But?" Silver asked after Sidon's voice had trailed off.
"It wouldn't be fair to Jim…"
Silver balked a little, "Tha' ye still love yer mate? Don' ye fret over tha' lad, Jimbo's got a piece o' his heart reserved fer someone else too."
There was a flash of intense emotion across Sidon's face that he couldn't quite tell what it was. The Zora sat up straight again, stiff as a board, and locked Silver in his gaze, "Who."
"I don' know the answer te tha'."
Sidon growled softly. Silver snapped his fingers, which did as he'd hoped and broke Sidon out of his more animalistic instincts, "'Nough o' tha'. If yer gonna be jealous o' someone I'm pretty sure is dead, then ye c'n leave Jimbo alone and keep yer feelin's te yerself."
"I…wasn't planning on telling him."
"Why not?!"
"I wasn't exactly planning on telling you ," Sidon grimaced the smallest amount, and turned his face away in embarrassment, "But I didn't want you to think I'd hurt Jim and couldn't think of any other excuse."
Silver shook his head, "I can' tell ye wha' te do, cap'n, but I think yer an idjit."
"Wha- what?!" Sidon stared at him, jaw dropped almost to his knees.
"Refusin' te face yer emotions an' potentially missin' out on somethin' good fer the both o' ye," He waved a hand in annoyance. He wished Jim were down here still so he could say the same thing to him , but he'd get a chance eventually…probably. "Dunno why ye'd do tha' te yerself. Heavens know I tried te run from Timetra when we first met, an' look at where we are now. Shoulda followed my gut all along, but I at least didn't deny or feel guilty fer lovin' her!"
The captain stared at his hands as Silver berated him a bit longer, and he looked up finally, "Do…do you think he feels the same about me?"
He was a little taken aback. Jim liked Sidon, that much was obvious, but he hadn't divulged that he loved Sidon.
"I wouldn' know, cap'n. He ain't told me. Would ye like me te ask?"
"No! No, that's…you don't have to do that…I'll…I will…"
Somehow Silver didn't quite believe him. Sidon stood, bowed - which startled the both of them - and tread back up the stairs to the deck. Silver gazed after him for a while before he shook his head and sighed, "Heaven help 'em both."