These Diamond Waters

by CayCanWrite

Summary:

Your life couldn't have gone so...Off the deep end...

Despite years of experience and a degree in Marine Biology, you ended up doing janitorial work for one of the biggest, most impressive aquariums in the country. You didn't consider it too unlucky, but boy was it awful. You had hoped to maybe achieve your dream as one of the marine trainers for the animals, but you assumed your resume was...overlooked. Now it's just you and the mop. Well, was you and the mop, 'till you came face to face with one of their notorious new additions to their Siren exhibits.

You knew the dangers; you studied them in college. Yet, your little dream of really being close to a Siren, a skeletal Siren even, was enough to let you look over their murderous track record at New Ebott Aquarium.

You weren't expecting them to like you just as much.

Now it was sink or swim! You were promoted in practically a night to a Siren caretaker and learning how to care of these magical beasts. You had expectations to meet; everyone believed you had some special way with the Sirens. Maybe you did? You could only find out further by getting your feet wet!

Notes:

• Inspired by Tilikum by Llama_Goddess

Hello~!

So recently, I have been reading (or trying to, since I can't find too many myself) Siren Sans fics, and one of my favorites has been the amazing story, Tilikum by Llama_Goddess here on AO3. Their story is muah, chefs kiss!!! I loved it so much and really wanted to hop on the train! So with great inspiration from this amazing author, I brought this mess to life lol. It's not as in depth as my story, Of Skin and Bone, but it's something I have been having fun with and would love to share <3 Please go read Tilikum, too! It's amazing!

I also used the same naming conventions for our Sirens, since they seemed to fit so well. I'm not very familiar with the Siren AU or Marine biology, but I'll do my best to make it work XD. This one will be updated a bit more frequently because of the word count being a bit less each chapter. Without further ado, thank you all and enjoy!

Chapter 1: Breathtaking

Notes:

Hey everyone! Just wanted to address that this story may receive some changes in the first few chapters! I had written this on a WHIM because I was so inspired by Tilikum and I was SIMPING, but I want it to be more…unique! As much as I love putting the spin on it here and having an original end concept in my mind and on paper, it deserves to be its own, as is Tilikum with that story. I respect Llama too much to let this slide for too long in challenged. Though don’t worry, the only major changes being made are introductions and maybe changing one of the Sirens appearances. I won’t say who! I hope you all can forgive the sudden change but I think you’ll love it eventually 😂 thanks again everyone and see you soon!

- May 6, 2023

I'm really starting to hate this job, and I have you to blame you old, crusted stain!

How long had it been now? It felt like hours. If your aching shoulders and lower back weren't enough to remind you of the painstaking work you were putting into cleaning this, then the overly polished floor should. Yet, here you were, still scrubbing away at an all too noticeable stain that stuck out like a sore thumb.

 

God fucking dammit.

 

The stain was still there, mocking you with its color and resistant blemish on the polished granite beneath your work shoes.

 

Your grip tightened on the mop handle, honestly more annoyed than angered by the fact something like this was proving impossible to remove. What the hell even was it? Whatever products they were using in their drinks or food these days must not be healthy and likely ruin stomachs if they ruined a floor so easily. It was an ugly, rusted brown color. You assumed it may have had a smell to it that was now mixing with the chemicals from the constant mopping, though you didn't think once to get close to its smell for yourself.

 

That would be stupid; you would look equally as stupid.

 

The thought made you chuckle a little, to say the least. It was a tiny distraction from your inability to remove the blemish from the hall, despite all your efforts. You relieved a drawn-out groan of disappointment and resentment for the mess, yet the more you stood there contemplating how to handle it, the more you were implored to just ignore the damn thing and keep going. You didn't have a set time to leave, but you sure as hell had zero interest in staying all night to clean one, stupid spot on the floor. Hell, the place would be dirty again tomorrow, anyway.

 

Leaning against the wall to stretch your pained muscles and bones, you glanced back and forth from one entrance to the right end of the hall, then down the left end closest to you. Sniffling from the potent, fish-scented air, you closed your eyes and leaned your head back against the decorated walls of the hallway, listening to the distant sounds of the water in tanks and other exhibits.

 

When it was quiet, it was peaceful and relaxing; it was a far cry from a beach and the steady lapping of waves on the shore, but it was still something to you. It brought a weak smile to your face, reminding you of how beautiful life could be with the thousands of creatures the world had to offer, to explore. It's why you wanted this right?

 

Well, not the janitorial job...

 

....but to learn and explore the world's endless possibilities and beautiful life forms.

 

You had always found fascination in the creatures of the sea; they were otherworldly, built for survival in an environment you couldn't possibly comprehend. Deep waters brought even more beautiful, exotic life to the surface of study. Not only that, but the oceans were huge and ever-expanding. Humans hadn't even scraped the surface of what there was to behold in the world below the water. Though, through research and aquariums like this, studying marine life had only improved our understanding of the ocean. Well, somewhat—when aquariums weren't so focused on bringing attention for funds and profit, it was naturally an education front for marine life. However, not every aquarium devoted their work and care to these creatures; poor living conditions, awful methods of care and feeding, and other stressors led to the untimely deaths of these beauties who deserved so much more.

 

You had hoped this large ass aquarium and its reputation for holding some of the most fabulous, rarest creatures in the country—let alone the world, was not one of those destructive businesses. Your hope could only go so far when the aquarium was home to one of the rarest and most dangerous species of marine life to exist:

 

Sirens.

 

You weren't a stranger to the magical leviathans that had only become known in the past five years, but your studies of them in college were highly influenced by their existence and unknown biology. They were more than fascinating; they were absolutely breathtaking. Though you admitted you wouldn't want to be in the water with one if you had the choice; they were dangerous, especially in earshot. Unlike other creatures in the sea that survived and followed their instincts—as well as offered immense amounts of data for study—Sirens were highly intelligent, powerful, and extremely unpredictable. Their instincts didn't have much to be compared to, but they were capable of similar behaviors of other predatory species.

 

There wasn't much on Sirens other than theories, fake stories online of surviving Siren attacks, and misinformation leaked about their biology. There had been some texts you'd read in college, however, to further your investigation of them, but it wasn't much to truly allow yourself to understand them completely. Most of the information, despite how important it could be to save the lives of coast dwellers and boatmen, was secretly locked away behind the scientific doors of institutions dedicated to marine biology.

 

Though, one piece of information was clear to you and many others in your field: never let a Sirensong reach your ears. You'd read extensively about that single piece of advice in some research back at the university. Sirensongs were an arrangement of sounds to soothe and enhance its listener; the prey of a Siren would fall into a trance, the embrace of a melody too sweet to resist. By the time the victim of its sweet music came to, it was already too late.

 

You shivered, then shook your arms and legs to rid the awkward feeling your thoughts left you with.

 

"Yep, way to go, me. Way to leave ya with some nightmare fuel."

 

You didn't really consider this as nightmare fuel, per se, but you definitely were a little spooked by the unknown when it came to these magical creatures. Their beings alone were something science barely had a leg up on; to understand the magic of monsters like this took killing a siren to understand; you had to look at its Soul.

 

And that was something you were absolutely against in every aspect. Protecting, studying, and working with wildlife was one thing, experimenting was another. Though, what would you know? You were just a trainer-wanna-be working as a janitor because the higher-ups disregarded your resume without a second glance.

 

Your eyes opened to peer at the ceiling, unconsciously counting the several sea horses, manta rays, and fish decorations that hung down as if they were in a moving current themselves. You felt your gaze tiredly drift to the left entrance, the steel doors muffling the sounds of ambient water from the other side. Just past those doors was one of the Siren exhibits still in development, from your understanding and extensive overview of the aquarium's layout. It was closed off to visitors for the time being, but rumor had it that the exhibit would open within the month to introduce the new addition to the aquarium.

 

You felt your skin tingle at the thought of seeing one up close; Sirens were vastly unique and their environments proved to be influential in their physical anatomy. You hadn't gotten to ask any of your colleagues which one was waiting behind those doors in the almost complete exhibit room, but part of you wanted to find out yourself. After all, you had somewhat grown intrigued and wanted to see them ever since you heard of their establishment at New Ebott Aquarium.

 

This is not the best idea, but I don't see how anyone would come walking around here any time soon. I don't know who would willingly come around to check on them...well, I would but that's beside the point.

 

Most of the staff had already vacated and gone home, leaving just you and the other janitors wasting away and cleaning the place to perfect just for it to be dirtied again several hours from now. What could it hurt to take just a small break and look around?

 

Your heart started to race with the idea of sneaking past the closed doors, more so pushing you forward with your trash can, mop bucket, and extensive supply of cleaning products. Your body chose for you, the urge and curiosity of seeing something like this and just for yourself building a fire in your belly. This fire couldn't be satiated until you had a good glimpse yourself!

 

...

 

...

 

Well ,  this was anticlimactic.

 

You stared at the several planes of a thick, soundproof tempered glass tank filled with hundreds of gallons of water, its dark interior, and several black-lit decorations leaving nothing but disappointment in its wake. There were several large pieces of coral and rock built to serve as a poor excuse for an environment, but it suffices to represent the deep sea habitat it so weakly depicted. The sand looked undisturbed, the water still.

 

You took a deep breath, then let out a groan of despair at finding nothing but an empty, dark tank in a barely lit viewing room. "I don't know what I was expecting. I should have anticipated a rumor to be nothing more than a rumor." You huffed and places your hands on your hips, your interest in the tank no longer piqued as you surveyed the viewing room. Much like its subject, the darkness surrounded several areas outside the reach of corner lights. It was selling the deep sea vibe with all the statues—some still being moved around—and the decorated walls.

 

You nodded in approval, "Wonder what this Siren must look like; maybe it's an angler or something. Oh! Maybe a deep sea shark..." You held your hand to your chin as you thought aloud. You found your eyes drifting from the decor and to the rear of the room; it was close to being complete and ready, yet you couldn't help but notice the few bits of trash around the floors.

 

Your janitor sense implored you to do as your duty; to leave this trash here would have some consequences and fall back on you and your team; more precisely you since you were in this area. However, maybe not picking up the trash would also avoid questioning if you'd ever come into the exhibit room in the first place.

 

Decisions, decisions, you thought, chuckling as you turned back to the tank.

 

Yep ,  still nothing.

 

With a grunt, you pushed your cart toward the doors but left it there as you started moving about the room and picking up pieces of trash as you saw fit. You couldn't help but sing a little while you worked. No one could bother you; nobody could hear you as long as you were quiet enough.

 

It didn't take long, but the more you found yourself collecting and disposing of trash, the more you couldn't help try and organize the viewing room to a pleasurable degree. You had moved with several decorations throughout, your voice carrying against the walls and echoing softly as it bounced.

 

You couldn't help that the Lilo & Stitch soundtrack was so addicting, especially the music provided for surfing scenes. It was just so calming, so entertaining and beautiful and—

 

Tap. Tap. Tap.

 

You froze, staring at the newly placed seaweed decoration at the front of the room next to a bench. Your lips parted, but there wasn't a sound to be heard as you stared blankly at the decor.

 

Tap. Tap. Tap.

 

You slowly straightened, stiff but steady as you maintained eye contact with the far wall away from the viewing glass. You took an unsteady breath, deep and full, before letting it shake out of you.

 

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

 

That was the sound of glass, wasn't it?

 

You slowly looked over your shoulder, stock still as the nervous feeling of goosebumps crawled on your skin at high speed.

 

Holy shit...!!

 

You weren't sure what you were expecting to find in a Siren tank meant for future display. Though the creature you so unexpectedly came to behold was far from anything you'd ever studied.

 

Against the glass was a massive Siren unlike any you'd ever seen from illustrations of research. It was hard to make the shape of it in the dark of its enclosure, but you knew well to recognize the massive form beneath its upper half. Not to mention, its upper half was entirely bone; a monstrous skeleton. You'd never seen anything like it. The rest of it was something short of a large cephalopod, and from where you stood in the exhibit, you could carefully, but not so easily, make out the writhing tentacles on the coral beneath it. Yet those small distinctions were nothing compared to the gorging red light in its left socket, pointedly exposing you in the room.

 

"Fuck..." was all you could muster in the glory of this extraordinary creature. You were aware of the glass between you and the Siren, knowing you were safe in avoiding its precious, intoxicating song.

 

Truly breathtaking.

 

"H-Heh...Hey there," you said quietly out of anxious surprise. "You're quite a big one, aren't ya?"

 

One step. Then another.

 

The Siren's skeleton face adorned a grin full of sharp teeth; sharp enough to cut through all forms of flesh and bone. While the image was rather ugly to conjure in thought, you weren't as put off as to be more infatuated with its existence.

 

Another step and two more followed.

 

It cocked its head a little the closer you came to the glass. You weren't being coaxed by song, in all fairness, but your curiosity and desire to see it up close—the whole purpose of you snooping around in the first place.

 

You could feel your heart racing the closer you approached until you were within arm's reach of the glass of the tank. Up close like this, it was far larger than you first saw, and the red light of its singular eye cast you in a red glow beneath him.

 

Ya know, to other people, I'd be crazy. Hell, I'd call myself crazy! Yet this creature is just...

 

You tensed as you watched the Siren slowly descend from where it had perched itself prior on the glass. It wasn't until the sockets of its skull and its enormous red eye were level with you that you exhaled a breath you didn't know you were holding.

 

Wow.

 

You hadn't even realized you were smiling. Despite the dangers and your racing heart, you were eye to eye with one of the most dangerous marine creatures in the world. Its upturned smile was something to shiver at, yet you didn't find yourself as scared as you were upon seeing him moments before. Hell, you were just excited!

 

Like a little girl seeing her favorite animal come up to her.

 

"Heh...you got a pretty eye there." You couldn't help the smile.

 

It simply cocked its head and smiled back. Though, it looked like its eye grew a bit at your compliment.

 

You looked at its large skeletal hands, noting how easily it could encase your entire head in its grasp. You shuddered but quickly dismissed it.

 

What had it been doing before? Tapping the glass?

 

You bit your lip and maintained that girlish smile and gently lifted a finger to the glass. Normally, one wouldn't tape on the tank glass of an enclosure as it disturbed the fish, but it had tapped first.

 

Tap tap.

 

You watched as its grin grew wider at the gesture. It moved its claw gently and tapped back.

 

Tap. Tap.

 

You couldn't help but giggle. "It's nice to meet you," you muttered once your laughs escaped you. "I've never seen a Siren like you, before. You're quite amazing to look at."

 

I'm talking to a giant Siren. Now I've definitely gone off the deep end.

 

"My name is (y/n)," you tell it softly, then look down at your janitorial uniform. It was a rugged dark blue one-piece buttoned at your collar, and on the left breast held your name tag. You gently tapped it and looked at the Siren. "Right here is my name. (y/n). What's yours?"

 

Bitch he ain't gonna respond.

 

You tilted your head, seeing that large eye light slowly looking down at your name tag, then back up at your face.

 

It lowered its claw once more, now leveled with where your name tag was pinned, then tapped once in its direction. It then lifted and tapped once at you.

 

"Yeah. That's right."

 

You were starting to believe this thing could understand you; well, some part of you believed all things had some feelings or form of understanding, but this felt so much deeper than that.

 

You wish you could have had more time to enjoy the experience, but the shocked void and started figure in the now open doorway of the exhibit room captured your attention. Your head whipped to notice him, unable to witness the disappearance of your new "friend" in his tank.

 

"How did you—?!"

 

Chapter 2: Welcome to the Team!

Welp, you're done for.

 

You sat, hands on your face and elbows pressed to your kneecaps as you groaned openly at an empty office. You rested in a chair, your elbows pressed to your knees and contemplating your choices now that you were coming down off your high of Siren fascination.

 

"Fuck me," you grumbled, "this is what I get. This is why we don't go lookin' for trouble in places we aren't welcome," you spoke to yourself, berating your past self for sneaking into the unfinished Siren exhibit. "Shit, and I just started here too."

 

Dragging your fingers down your face in complete disbelief at your current situation, you allowed yourself to take in the room around you. You were in one of the staff offices; specifically, you were in the Head Manager's office. The walls were similarly dressed in that same soft blue and dark blue paint, with wave designs, and patterns across the middle of the wall. There were occasional palm trees spread about in an even, orderly fashion, giving it some personality, but other than that, the room was surprisingly bare of other decorations.

 

Well, there was one potted plant, but you highly doubted it was real. Fake plants were easy to take care of.

 

You leaned back in your chair, looking up and cursing under your breath as you clenched your fingers against your uniform.

 

R.I.P. janitor dream job.

 

Well, "dream job" was not how you would put it, but working somewhat close to marine wildlife to some degree had been your ideal dream job. Sure, you weren't training sea lions, or working with belugas or dolphins, but you were at least able to see them. Plus, the Sirens were still something you had hoped to see eventually. Now you weren't ever going to, despite your one-time being by absolute chance and stupidity on your part. You winced at the thought, realizing how disappointing it was.

 

You fucked up royally, or at least, you thought you did.

 

Recalling the scene before you found yourself in this office, you replayed it in your mind:

 

The man, standing the re  dumbstruck with his mouth agape and eyes wide, simply questioned you. "How did you get him to come out?!" You weren't sure how to respond, your jaw dropping to the floor at the fact you'd been caught. You couldn't even urge yourself to get to your cleaning supplies to even pretend you were doing your job; your feet were glued to the floor under his gaze.

 

"How?! Tell me how you did it!"

 

Was he asking you that? What kind of answer was he expecting?! You couldn't even bring yourself to speak, your words fumbling out of your mouth in stutters. You wish you could  have  explained yourself; you wished you could  have  explained the scene and experience you had to the man who now approached you with such speed you were certain you were fired on the spot and going to be thrown out.

 

You quickly found yourself grounded again when he grabbed your arm and started dragging you back out the doors you had come in. You couldn't even remember if you pleaded or begged to keep your job, or apologized for entering  the  restricted area. All you could remember was him asking all those fucking questions about the Siren you just witnessed as if you knew anything about it in the first place.

 

Why had he been asking like it was some miracle? He looked like he worked here, though his uniform was not the same as yours. You thought all the staff had already left, but from the way he was dressed and by the way he tugged you and dropped you off in this office, it just meant he wasn't just any staff member. You could feel your hands squeeze, your nails digging into your palms.

 

You were nervous.

 

It didn't take long for the sound of a door to open behind you, drawing your attention quickly with a whip of your head. You stared as a couple of other employees came in, dressed in similar uniforms to the man who caught you slacking and snooping in a place you shouldn't have been. Well, one of them looked similar. One was an older man, maybe late forties at your best guess, wearing a white button-up shirt with the Ebott Aquarium logo on the breast pocket.

 

You squinted, but couldn't make out the name right away, though you felt you were going to learn it quite soon.

 

The other was a younger man, maybe a few years older or at least in your age bracket. He had lovely hazel eyes, shaggy blonde hair, and freckles that covered his cheeks. He was dressed in black khakis, a jacket with the logo of the aquarium over a wetsuit, and a shell necklace around his neck. If the wetsuit signified anything, you might reasonably presume he was one of the trainers here at the aquarium; yet, that raised the following query:

 

What's a trainer still doing here so late after closing? Don't they hold training in the mornings anyway?

 

The couple's final exchange of words and their swift entry into the room put an end to your musings. They gave you a brief glance before taking their seats, and you tensed up. The elder man sat at the wooden desk in front of you, while the younger man sat to your left.

 

You felt like you were going to be sick. Was this guy witness to you and the Siren? Had he suspected you tampered with it because you tapped the glass?

 

"Miss, (l/n)," the older man spoke up, pulling your attention to him with ease as he began pulling papers from a manilla folder on his desk. "It's from my understanding that you work with the janitorial crew for late-night cleanup, correct?"

 

Your mouth was dry; your throat was tight. You couldn't quite bring yourself to speak yet, but you acknowledged him with a nod.

 

The man hummed, moving the now noticeable glasses down his nose to look at you from over their rims. "You are fairly new to the team; if I remember correctly our hiring manager had you placed two days ago, yes? At least, that's what your file says here." The wrinkles around his face were so prominent when he looked at you like this, but it was just as serious. His eyes were practically digging into you, prodding you for a vocal response you couldn't provide. There was slight darkness under those strict eyes, exhaustion evident on his features.

 

You nodded again.

 

The man to your left gave you a quick glance as he saw your stern yet dejected demeanor. At the sight, he let out a little, feeble puff. You questioned whether you appeared pitiful to him, but you caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of your eye acting more astonished than disappointed in you.

 

"Right," the older man muttered. He readjusted his glasses as he pressed the files together after carefully examining them, tapping them against the desk to straighten them out evenly.

 

Yep, you're fired.

 

"Tell me, can you describe exactly how you got our newest Siren to come out of his den so easily?"

 

Hearing the same question addressed again made you tense up. You turned to face the man while keeping the younger person in the wetsuit in your peripheral vision. You swallowed deeply, uncertain of how to respond. Say you're sorry? No, it wasn't what he wanted, and you shouldn't have answered in a way that wasn't appropriate. You used the hesitation-induced pause to hastily scan his name tag.

 

Neil. 

Head Manger.

 

So he was the Head Manager of New Ebott Aquarium; in your time here, you had largely been going to your team leader each night and hadn't run into him once. That person was your superior, but this man was regarded as the total deal. You inhaled deeply, aware that you'd kept him waiting for something so basic as an--

 

"I'm not quite sure, honestly," you tell him truthfully as you moved your hands from your knees to hold them in your lap. "I was just cleaning the room of some trash and the next thing I knew, he was up against the glass." You noticed his eyes twitch a little, though that questioning gaze remained. "He...seemed to be getting my attention by tapping the glass, so I decided to entertain him and tap back. Though I don't know why. Does...he not come out often?"

 

He hummed in thought as he leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands on the desk in front of him. "What do you know about Sirens?" That was a completely different question, not to mention he ignored your returning one. Yet he managed to stay relatively on the topic despite the turn this meeting was taking.

 

Weren't you suppose to be getting fired?

 

"I am quite familiar with them." You noticed the young man beside you sit up a little at your response, his eyes glistening with something keen to curiosity and surprise. You licked your lips subtly out of nervous habit, returning your focus to the man at the desk who visibly relaxed at your response, to some degree. "I studied them—"

 

"You have a Master's in Marine Biology and an up-to-date Open Water Diver certification," he clarified without you even needing to explain your background.

 

Well, that was unexpected. Had he read your resume? Though, if that was the case...

 

"I gotta admit, I am surprised you ended up in such a lackluster position," he chuckled suddenly, speaking with his hands before resting the side of his temple against his open palm. "With this caliber of education under your belt, I would have anticipated you being part of the marine training crew."

 

"I hoped I could have been," you tell him outright, "but I don't argue or complain when I need a job. Figured I could eventually move up the ranks."

 

The man nodded, seeming a little pleased that you were more at ease than when you had first entered. "I'm quite impressed. You seem to have a substantial fascination with Sirens, I presume?"

 

You sighed, nodding once more. "Yes, sir. I spent two years studying their biology and behavioral habits based on their species, or at least what was available in the institution's documented archive." The dampness on your brow was just just out of the elder man's and his guest's line of sight, and you could feel your clammy palms getting worse. To stop your heart from beating, you inhaled deeply once more.

 

Neil seemed to approve of your words as he leaned forward and looked at the young man next to you. "This young man here is Jason, one of our Senior caretakers; specifically, our Siren caretakers," he motioned with a hand. Jason offered his hand to you in greeting and you returned it comfortably but fumbled with your words as you introduced yourself. Though, if your grip on his hand was anything to go off of, you were still nervous about what this meeting had in store for you.

 

"Pleasure," Jason returned, though his calm smile and gentle eyes seemed to help relax your grip before letting go. "I've been here for two years now since the Sirens first arrived."

 

"That's amazing," you tell him, "I've always wanted to see a Siren; sorta part of why I went into the field and applied here. There are not many other places that offer such an opportunity."

 

Neil seemed intrigued in the exchange, pulling another file over to examine it momentarily before closing it carefully. "The New Ebott Aquarium is certainly a state-of-the-art facility. The Sirens only intensified it further. I'm thankful you have such an educated background in this field, especially with them."

 

Having raised an eyebrow in doubt, you turned back to look at Head Manager. Is he only appealing to you before releasing you? Similar like dangling bait over a shark tank to tease the animal with what it may have had but will never receive? You huffed, clamping your tongue between your teeth as you resisted the temptation to question. However, something didn't feel right. If he was going to fire you, wouldn't this be more...

 

Confidential?

 

You blinked, hearing him speak to you once more, "Miss (l/n), I have a proposition for you."

 

You waited patiently, but the longer he gazed and tried to interpret your hesitant face, the more uncomfortable you felt beneath his keen gaze. You clutched at your uniform, the cloth causing irritating friction under your hands.

 

"How would you like to be on our Siren care team?"

 

Siren...care team....?

 

W a i t.

 

You took a deep breath, your words tumbling out before you could stop them as you exhaled, "You mean taking care of the Sirens here at the aquarium?"

 

Okay, you must have sounded and looked dumb, because the old man's face brightened up with delight. He couldn't stop himself from sputtering with laughter that followed.

 

Jason smiled a little at your surprise. He chuckled and nudged your arm, "Yeah. We could use someone who knows what they are doing."

 

The Head Manager chuckled, but agreed with a nod of his head, "Jason's right. It would be more than beneficial to us to have your expertise on the matter."

 

Okay, maybe you were just dreaming. Had you passed out in  the  exhibition room?!

 

"We would be grateful to have you," Jason interrupted your inner thoughts with a genuine smile, his eyes capturing yours when you looked at him. "Now, Sirens aren't like seals or dolphins—far from it, really," he muttered and rubbed the back of his neck, "...but with the right equipment and a good head on your shoulders, you'll be a perfect fit for the team."

 

Your mouth was just as dry as it was when you started. Holy shit, were you being offered a job as a caretaker? Sure it wasn't a trainer, but really when it came to Sirens...caretaker was the safer, better option!

 

"Um," you muttered, flabbergasted and confused. "I...I have no idea what to say," you chuckled weakly. "Why...why me, if I may ask?"

 

 

Jason looked to Neil this time, who sighed shakily. The older man took on a more stiff demeanor, shoulders hunched as he leaned back against the desk. "Well, after what we've been told from Allen—the guy who brought you in—we were quite...caught off guard by the information. Skull, the Siren you saw in that exhibit, is our newest addition."

 

You nodded in understanding. "Right. He seemed extremely taken aback by it," you huffed, leaning back a little in your seat. "I didn't think it was that big of a problem."

 

"No, not a problem whatsoever," the Head Manager said looking up, "but rather a new development." He tapped the desk with the hand that rested, rapping the children's theme song of the aquarium, you believed, but couldn't attest. "Skull never comes out of his den in that tank. It's why we are so hesitant as of late to complete the exhibit for him. If he won't come out, then it'll be a complete waste of time and money."

 

With that explanation, then the sock was warranted from all of them. You hummed, "So, where does that leave me?" You weren't going to accept the proposition offered just yet; you wanted more information before throwing yourself further into the depths.

 

"You got him to come out. That's something that deserves a second thought," he nodded, lifting his finger now clasping a pen and pointing it at you. "Before we entrust you to the job completely, we'd like to see how the other two react."

 

Ah, there's the catch.

 

You shuddered, more in anticipation at the prospect of getting first-hand experience in seeing the other two Sirens kept at the aquarium. These two Sirens were shown more often; you even knew one was an Orca, if you remember correctly. You bit the inside of your cheek as you contemplated. "So, you want to see if the other two are 'interested' in me—in a good way—and if they are, then you're going to hire me?"

 

"On the spot. There will be several benefits added on, as well: increased pay, closer residence in case of emergencies—"

 

Jason cleared his throat, however, drawing both of your attention to him with the question. It was here that Neil had a dawning realization that he'd missed something.

 

"Right, right," he huffed. "Since you're aware of Sirens and all that," he began, "you are aware of the dangers involved?"

 

You swallowed and nodded, "Yes, sir. Not only the dangers, but I also know the safety measures to ensure the increased rate of survival if caught in the range of a Sirensong."

 

He beamed at that. You couldn't help the proud feeling in your chest as your lifted your head.

 

Fuck, yeah, I'm smart.

 

He sighed and gave a sidelong glance, "You are also aware of...the accident that happened recently with one of our Sirens?"

 

You nodded again. Yeah, you definitely knew about that. Though, it hadn't stopped you so far. It's...an occupational hazard, to be honest.

 

"Good," he huffed weakly, relaxing his shoulders a little in response, "I was worried you'd back out if you learned."

 

"Occupational hazard," you noted, though didn't speak more of it when he looked at you. Your gut was turning at the idea, but you wanted to be there for these creatures and learn more about them. If you could help them feel more at home here, then you'd apply everything you knew to protect yourself and them.

 

He sighed, "Understood. If all goes well, then we can hope for safer interactions with them." He collected some different files now, putting them away, before reaching behind him to a tall locker and opening it. From inside, he pulled out a uniform similar to the one the man who brought you was wearing. "Then we start tomorrow morning. Arrive at the front and take the employee tunnels. Jason shall meet you in front of the Aquarium to show you the way." The uniform was placed on the desk in front of you, leaving Neil smiling contently.

 

"Wh-what? Really?!" No way. You were going to be taking care of the Sirens...?!

 

"Yes ma'am," he chuckled a little at your enthusiasm, but it seemed uneven. Jason wore a smile too, though it looked forced...like he was hiding a completely different emotion underneath.

 

"Welcome to the team."

 

Chapter 3: Silence is Golden

If you could describe yourself in one word...

 

It would be absolutely ecstatic!

 

Fucking FINALLY! You were having one of the most over dramatic reactions to the news, though honestly—for someone like you—this was exactly what should be happening! How could you not be excited?! You were finally given the chance of a life time to work and apply everything you studied for six fucking years—to finally work as at least some form of marine caregiver to the amazing underwater life here at New Ebott Aquarium.

 

Though, you couldn't even place how amazing the feeling was to know you were working with the sirens of all things! Dangerous as all Hell, but exciting nonetheless!

 

You entered the aquarium front doors, adjusting your new uniform with overflowing confidence. You wore a black buttoned shirt, logo on the breast pocket as expected for all aquarium uniforms, and a pair of black khakis pants with several pockets. Often, black on black wasn't the go to, but you made it look good. Not to mention the lovely accented gold and blue colors helped separate it. You smiled proudly, waiting at the front and giving yourself a quick turn here and there to admire yourself.

 

You felt like the real deal.

 

"Hey!"

 

You looked up quickly to see Jason, bright and early. You wondered if he even slept; you two had been kept out with the Head Manager since 2:00 AM last night. You gave him a bright smile and wave, "Hey! Here as asked!"

 

"You look way too excited for something like this," he chuckled a little nervously, but continued to smile despite his own discomfort. He was dressed much like yourself, though you could still see the remnants of his wetsuit underneath the first layer. "Follow me. We'll get you set up with the Sound Gear before we even get close to those tanks."

 

"Sound gear, gotcha." You couldn't keep that stupid grin off your face as you joined Jason's side and made your way down the employ tunnels to what you assumed was the equipment room. You figured a place this high tech and hosting sirens would have technology equally as complicated as they were. You stayed close, determined not to get yourself lost if you were to fall behind; you knew you had a tendency to get distracted, especially by the marine animals. Though, to fortunate circumstances, there wouldn't be anything as fascinating in this part of the building.

 

"First order of business will be teaching you how to operate and wear the headgear," Jason spoke, his voice—even at a relaxed volume—carrying through the hall with ease.

 

"I'm assuming this headgear is to keep them from 'singing' to us," you hummed with curiosity. You figured you'd be right, seeing a smile grace him for a moment and a nod following.

 

"Yep. Don't let the appearance fool you. These are some really high tech headphones, though we have a a set of earbuds we wear on the inside of them anyway, just to be safe."

 

You nodded in acknowledgment. "How will we talk to one another?"

 

"We have mics on said earbuds. It will block the sound effectively and help us maintain clear communication throughout the process." He stopped you at a door and beckoned for you to enter once he'd opened it. "This room has everything we need; from wetsuits, diving gear, tank cleaning and some first aid as well."

 

You entered the room, practically beaming around at all the amazing equipment; some of it you could recognize from your hands-on training back at college. Though, some of this you expected to be new, especially the headgear Jason spoke so highly of.

 

He closed the door and approached a double setup of racks holding up twenty-five individual headsets each. He was right about one thing; they didn't seem as fancy as you expected them to be. These things looked like normal gaming headsets, but upon closer inspection, you could make out the several buttons and dials that made up the "complicated" part of their design.

 

"Those it?" That was kinda stupid to ask, you already knew. Might as well sound enthused.

 

"Yep." Jason smiled and took off two headsets and placed them on the counter underneath, unfazed by your dumb question. He chuckled and waved you over, "Let me run it through you real quick. I won't take too long, but better safe than sorry." You approached the counter and rested your hands against the surface, looking at the headsets then up to him. He smiled and gave you a smirk, "Looks like nothing special, but trust me, these thing seriously cancel out any form of sound! Perfect when working with these guys."

 

Standing there, watching him set up your headphones and his, you were thrilled with excitement. Without a doubt, you were not what he had envisioned. He presumably anticipated that you would be wary and reluctant to use the equipment in the first place. He probably anticipated that you would first say no. But there you were, waiting like a kid at Wal-Mart obtaining a new toy. Despite your too enthusiastic joy for the change of employment, you were displaying emotions unrelated to dealing with sirens and were probably going to make the other caregivers uncomfortable.

 

Oh well. Dangerous or not, you trained for this line of work and knew exactly what to expect with this highly aggressive marine species.

 

Jason hummed happily as he finally adjusted the headset to his liking. "Alright, I'm going to show you how to turn it on and get it fit to your liking. Nothin' too complex until we get to the fancy buttons." He handed you off your own headset gently, "Go ahead and put it on."

 

As you hold the headset in your hands, a brief moment of time passes during which you run your thumbs over the ear muffs in an effort to feel accomplished. You bit your lip and carefully placed the headset atop your head, making any necessary adjustments. It was perhaps a bit on the large side, but Jason was quick to correct it.

 

"Sorry for bein' in your bubble," he chuckled, but you simply disregarded it and allowed his hands to fidget with the device. You gave him a thumbs up once it was properly situated, then watched as he pulled away and started speaking.

 

"These headsets rely on battery power for everything to work, hence why they are the wall and charging." He lifted a finger and pointed to the left ear of his headset, "There are a couple fancy switches over here that you need to be aware of. One turns the device on, the other is the control for the suppression amount and the last one is what locks the suppression dial in place--just in case you bump into something and potentially turns the dial down. We don't want the siren's having a single chance of getting to you."

 

You take the information in like sponge; you looked to your left and noted the buttons on the side, even taking the headset off to look at them clearly with a firm nod. "Got it. I'll remember." You place the headset back on after receiving an appraising smile from your senior.

 

"Alright, I'm going to tell you this now since once you start it up, it'll basically cut me out completely." He pointed to the on switch and continued, "You flip it on here, then adjust the cancellation amount until you can't hear a single thing. It has to be completely silent."

 

You inhale and nod, raising your hand to the instrument as you patiently wait for him to provide you guidance. He gave you the go-ahead with an enthusiastic wave so you shifted the switch.

 

His talking was considerably softer, or, to use a more evocative term, practically muffled by a pillow. You could already tell the difference in the surroundings and noises around you. As you slowly started to crank the suppression dial, you bit the inside of your lip.

 

Then, it fell completely and eerily silent.

 

Although the complete silence made you feel strange, it made you chuckle when you saw Jason straining to speak but producing no sound. You eventually lowered the gadget again to where you could hear him after testing it for a minute.

 

"Heard nothing, right?"

 

"Not a thing," you told him and chuckled a little, grinning in approval.

 

"Great. You always want to check your headset before you enter any of the siren enclosures, just in case there is any damage. You can never trust technology to always work as intended when you need it to."

 

Ain't that the fuckin' truth!

 

Now that the introduction to the Sound Gear was out of the way, Jason was pulling two walkie-talkies out of a similar rack, though it was on the counter and not on the wall. "Here are our radios. They are already tuned to the channel for the siren caretaker team, so no need to worry about that. Though, if at any point it changes, it's channel 5. It looks like an S, yeah? S for siren. Should be easy to remember." He waved his hand and laughed as he slipped you a radio onto the counter.

 

You smiled, nodding once and picking up your radio and giving it a once over, "Neat." You slowly pulled a set of earbuds from the front of it, "These the earbuds you mentioned?"

 

Jason was already putting his in, "Yeah, those are it. They aren't fancy like the wireless ones they came out with and all, but we keep them that way; don't want them falling out around the enclosures in case the siren's get ahold of them. That won't be good."

 

As you laughed, you thought about the siren you had met. What was his name? Skull? You shrugged and decided you'd relearn it as soon as possible. You couldn't help but picture him attempting to figure out how to insert headphones into his skull. After lifting one, you inserted it first into your left ear, then your right. When you tried to switch it on, Jason's hand obstructed your view.

 

"Let me step out into the hall, just so the radio's don't make any crazy sounds and blow our eardrums out. As much as I want to not get serenaded by a siren, I'd much rather have my hearing when I need it." Once you waited, he grinned and retreated. The door was shut behind him as he left the room. After giving him some time, you looked down and cranked the radio.

 

It took a moment, but you could hear him through the tiny bit of crackling static.

 

"And that is how you work the radios. You'll have to get used to people's voices eventually, but since you know mine well enough, you shouldn't have a problem keeping up with instructions from me."

 

"Sounds good. Should I put the headset on now or--?"

 

After a short glance up to see the door open once again, you immediately looked down to switch off the radio as Jason came back. You removed the earbuds and tucked them carefully back into the radio's little pocket.

 

"Not yet," he replied to your question in person, smiling as he adjusted the Sound Gear around his neck, now looking similar to an actual gamer rather than a marine trainer. "I'll let you know when. The others should be coming in relatively soonish, now. We'll meet them in Siren Dock 1."

 

"Dock? You have docks in this place?" You noticed his smile curl up; he must of not actually meant a wooden dock. That would be silly, wouldn't it?

 

"It's what we call the enclosures here, or at least, the areas where we care for them," he explained, patting your shoulder and motioned to the door. "Follow me, and I'll give you a quick look at the tanks from this side of the building."

 

"I thought you said we couldn't get close without our devices?"

 

"In the Docking areas, yeah," he chuckled, "sorry, I didn't mention that at the time. Guess I should of." He opened the door and let you go first, then followed along in stride. "Outside the Docking area, we're able to have them off. Their songs can't get through the soundproof glass."

 

"Right, right," you chuckled. "So does this mean I might be able to see them before hand?" You grin at the notion of getting to see them swim gracefully through the water while displaying their strength and might. After Skull spoilt you with his presence, you had to confess that you were genuinely eager to meet the other two.

 

"If they aren't too busy getting hungry, sure," he smiled, shaking his head good-naturedly at her enthusiasm. "We'll be starting off in Dock 1 today with the orca siren, Blue."

 

"Blue?" As the two of you walked through a set of big double doors and approached a much darker space, you tilted your head, but you were only somewhat preoccupied. You paused to admire the scene. There were a few lights in the room that were on, but there was a significant space between them. The big, open windows were the major source of light, and their blue tinge essentially gave the space the same oceanic color that could be found throughout the Aquarium as a whole.

 

"Yeah, that's what we call 'im." As he saw the joy on your face, and he sighed and cast a wistful gaze toward the window. "He occasionally illuminates around his upper torso with this gentle blue light. Figured it fit him," he said, pausing to let you get close to the big glass window.

 

You could feel your chest aching for something. You couldn't quite place it; were you just excited to be here and see them? Were you thrilled to finally achieve your dream?

 

Or were you somewhat...slightly terrified of these magical beats?

 

"Wow..."

 

"Don't get too close, might--"

 

The startling swirl of darkness that swam through the viewing glass sent you reeling back before you could hear the end of his warning. Your air was briefly knocked out of you as you abruptly fell on your ass and observed a sweeping tail bash against it with just enough strength to astonish you. "Holy shit!"

 

"--get spooked." He couldn't help the laugh that erupted out of him, though he was quick to help you onto your feet. "Yeah, that's him."

 

You focused your attention on the monster swimming so effortlessly in the tank while gazing through the viewing window. You were completely enthralled. The most attractive whales had traditionally been the orca sirens, but because they were killer whales and had a high level of intelligence, they were also among the most deadly. "Fuck! He scared the shit out of me!"

 

"He does that to everyone," Jason assured with a roll of his eyes, chuckling as you finally found your footing. He motioned you forward, "we have a little bit of time left, I can show you Red then we can make our way back here."

 

You grinned, but before you could return to his side, you gave the observation window one last glance. You moved a little bit closer in an effort to get a better look at Blue as he passed by. You stood on tiptoes and looked on with expectation, biting your lip in anticipation.

 

Then, just as before, he swam by with speed and grace, leaving a current and bubbles in his wake.

 

This time, you got a really good look at him; without a question, he was one of the largest. Similar to Skull, his upper torso was skeletal, but appeared just as powerful. His phalanges were slightly tipped at their ends, colored in black. He was in good health since his lower body's muscular structure was clearly pronounced. His tail was massive and packed with unfathomable strength, and his dorsal fin was huge and identifiable for a male siren of his subspecies. The appropriate conditions may allow an adult siren to continue to develop, but because this one and the other two were kept in captivity, you assumed they had attained their maximum size for the time being. It was fortunate since you couldn't even begin to grasp the enormity of the tank.

 

"You comin'?"

 

When your eyes landed on Jason's, his smile seemed to falter a bit as he stood stiffly in front of you. Your grin was short-lived since he appeared to be a little...stunned by something. You arched an eyebrow and returned to the glass, following his gaze to discover another pair of eyes looking back.

 

...

 

Oooh...

 

Blue was against the glass, sockets preying you with a lazy grin plastered on his skull. You felt your mouth open, then close again. What in the world is with these sirens coming to meet you?

 

"Fuck, that's...a first."

 

"Assuming this isn't normal?"

 

Jason huffed, scoffing at the idea, "Not a chance. Blue can be mischievous, but he's never come up to the tank like that. Much like Skull, he really doesn't care for the attention unless he's hungry."

 

You snorted, your eyes locked with the sockets of the magnificent creature. You hummed a little, tilting your head in hopes to break this awkward tension building between the three of you. "Well, it is almost feeding time right?"

 

"Yeah, it is. It could potentially explain his behavior a little, but still..."

 

Blue's grin widened as so did his sockets, the little pinpricks of light inside them burning brighter with the gesture. He slowly did the same thing.

 

"No way..." Jason muttered under his breath, watching you practically "play" with the siren as if it were a puppy waiting for adoption.

 

You laughed a little, then gave a small wink to the leviathan in the tank. "I'll see you soon, yeah? Let's hope you don't get too feisty with me," you joke softly, hoping that your lighthearted demeanor calms you as well as your own anxiety despite his intent gaze. Though, even as you walked, you could hear the water of the tank rush around. You looked over your shoulder, seeing he was trying to move along with you. "...Uh..."

 

"Don't pay attention to him, if you can help it. He's--think of him like an attention seeker. Likes to be all cute and shit to let your guard down." Jason huffed as he looked back at the Blue, then urged you to keep walking.

 

You couldn't help the smile on your face. A brief check on Jason and finding him no longer watching you and Blue, you returned your eyes to the large siren in the tank and gave him a wave.

 

The siren only grinned, then swam off once more as if he hadn't even seen you.

 

Welp, that lasted all of 2 minutes.

 

You sighed, happy that he was content with you rather than any other emotion and found yourself following in tow of Jason once more. "So who did you say we were seeing next?"

 

"Well, I was hoping we could go see Red," he chuckled a little, "but from what my watch says, we may not have time."

 

Well, fuck you Blue, for making you late to see the other siren.

 

"Damn."

 

"Don't worry. With you on the team, there is no doubt you'll be seeing them all plenty, that is, if they fancy you." Jason smiled and patted your back. "Come on, the feeding prep station is up ahead."

 

You thought you were on Blue's "okay" side—not terrific, nor bad, just okay. He seemed thrilled to see you, coming up to the window in that manner. Jason even admitted that it was out of character for him, but added that it was something he'd do to get attention. You couldn't be too cautious with him, you reasoned as you and Jason approached a room with the door open and the stink of either dead or living fish drifting out.

 

Thank Stars you were used to it...somewhat.

 

Chapter 4: Gear Up! It's Feeding Time!

Jason entered the room, though you two weren't the only ones it seemed; why would you be if this was the prep station? Across a long table of fish guts and shed scales was a Latino woman dressed much like you in the all black uniform.

 

Her muscles were toned with years of training, her features beautiful yet far from delicate; she was likely an inch taller than you, but still shorter than your mentor. Her hair was pinned back in messy bun, but out of the way of the mess she was creating with the fish. Her scarred hands were busily cutting away with precision, picking out the fish guts and tossing them in a white bucket on the floor to her right.

 

At the sound Jason's whistle of attention, she quickly looked up, "...oh, hey, Jason. What have a told you about whistling at me like I'm a dog?"

 

Jason shrugged, chuckling a little as he made his way over to a different counter for a box of gloves. "I wasn't meaning it like that and you know it." He heard her respond in snickers, turning his head to the box and pulling a pair of rubber gloves out.

 

The woman, her smile tight on her face, returned her attention to you. You must of made her laugh a little since you were just standing in the doorway with your nose twitching but your own smile still remained. "Heya. You new?" She must of not known about the whole interaction you had with the Siren.

 

You chuckled, lifting a hand behind your neck and giving it a comforting rub. "Yep! Just started—well, I just started this job; I was a janitor before."

 

The knife came to a stop on the large cutting board, a fish head coming off in one clean cut.

 

You stared at it with now growing concern, swallowing thickly. Did I...say something wrong? You stared worriedly as the expression on her face contorted into something of disgust, though if you could tell, you weren't positive it was directed at you.

 

Jason, now tightening the rubber gloves around his hand and turning to face the two of you, he came to stop and look between you and the woman. "What's wron—oh."

 

"So...they did it again, didn't they?"

 

"Did...what?"

 

Jason huffed and waved his gloved hand in your direction to let him handle it. "Um, step out for just a second, won't ya, (y/n)?"

 

Okay, sure, you thought, biting the inside of your cheek and furrowing your eyebrows. You turned away and walked back out of the prep room. You stuffed your hands into your pockets, though that stare she was giving you felt like it was burning into the back of your head the entire time.

 

Once you were safely out of the room, the woman shot Jason a look of confusion mixed with scolding, "What the hell, Jason?! How could you let them higher another one?!"

 

"Listen, Lisa, it's not like that."

 

"She just told us she was a fucking janitor," she scowled, narrowing her scrutiny at him as she lifted the knife and pointed its tip in his direction. "She's gonna get killed working with these monsters!"

 

Jason's hazel eyes flicked down at the knife, then slowly lifted a gloved finger and gently pressed the end of the sharp blade away from him. "If you let me speak," he retorted, rendering her silent as she returned to cutting the fish with efficient but stressed hands. "She's educated."

 

"Telling her before the job isn't educated, for your information. She has no idea what she's getting herself into." She mumbled, rolling her eyes. Lisa scoffed, "How many more staff are going to come into this blind? Can't believe you let management hire—"

 

"She's got a Masters' in Marine Biology and even has an Open Water Diver certificate, Lis. I mean it, she's one of the most qualified people we've had come through here."

 

Lisa's head jerked up in surprise, more so in disbelief. "Seriously?" She looked to the door then back to him, her voice a bit quieter, "Really?"

 

Jason nodded.

 

She leaned back, her eyes lowering to the decapitated, gutted fish in front of her. She closed her eyes, almost reconsidering what he'd just told her. "Shit," she mumbled hesitantly, when no other justification came, "...why the hell was she a janitor? Who in the hiring department fucked that up?"

 

Jason sighed, only managing a shrug as he placed his hands against the table. "Not sure. Boss didn't tell me. Though, she got spotted yesterday by Allen in Skull's exhibit—"

 

She raised her eyebrows, Lisa no longer holding the knife as she began cleaning her gloves with a rag hanging from her belt. "Don't tell me—"

 

Jason looked back at the door to be sure they were still alone, but returned with a dipped nod. "Yeah. Skull came out of his lair last night. (y/n) had said he'd tapped the glass to get her attention, but that's what she told us. Allen's take on the situation was that the Siren was just looking at her and didn't seem to be aggressive in the slightest."

 

"Holy shit, that's fucking big news," Lisa said in exasperation, smiling a little as she turned away, though as quickly as the hopeful expression came, it allowed a scolding scrutiny to replace it. "You're not gonna throw her into this so soon are you? Maybe she should—"

 

"Not my orders, as much as I dislike the idea myself," he grumbled, indirectly agreeing with her on the matter. "Neil wants to see how they act with her. She may be some siren whisperer for all we know!" His amusement fell short, if the look on his co-worker's face was anything to consider.

 

"This is serious. We can't just trust one in-between-glass-experience to set the stage for other ones. Skull is...a weird case, mind you. We all know that." She turned away from him and started for a pair of large plastic buckets on the counter behind her. "We both know how unpredictable these things are. We've lost a couple good staff because of the company's poor taste in hiring qualified keepers." She looked over her shoulder, her expression reminiscent of silent guilt.

 

"Those sirens out there...they're smart. They know when their prey has zero clue on what's in store for them."

 

Jason couldn't disagree with her. The two of them knew better than anyone that the sirens were very keen on who fed them and who didn't. They were aware of each individual, separating them between smart and inexperienced.

 

That's how they determined their next victim if there was ever an opportunity.

 

He snorted, recalling the sight he'd seen when the two of you were on your way. Jason gave a side long glance before clearing his throat, "Blue came up to the glass wall outside. I'm not sure what to make of it, but it's not like him to show any interests outside feeding."

 

She stiffened, Lisa's busy handiwork with the buckets on the counter stopping suddenly. With a heavy breath, she groaned, "You've got to be kidding me." Lisa turned to him, putting her hands on her hips, "Big Blue?"

 

He nodded.

 

"The most mischievous, conniving little shit that's got three drowned victims to his name?"

 

...

 

The shrug she received from him only irritated her surprise further. "I really, really don't want to believe this; he's always been a slick bastard. How are we certain he isn't just...putting up a front of fake interest? Wouldn't put it past that beast."

 

Jason hissed between his teeth. He'd thought something similar, like the orca siren was just begging for her attention so she'd become vulnerable. "Yeah...he came to the viewing glass and everything. He even wanted to follow her like some big water puppy, too. His behavior was unlike any I'd ever seen before, even if he was just trying to butter her up." He hated to say it, but a part of him believed there was something special about their new employee and her unspoken way with their leviathans.

 

Lisa cursed under her breath in her native tongue, looking back over her shoulder. She didn't speak, but rather allowed her eyes to read his expression. Biting her upper lip, she shook her head. "Well, let's see for ourselves. It's about time we start gettin' the fish out there; we'll discuss this later if nothing goes to shit."

 

Jason sighed and gave her a firm nod. "I'll be sure to keep her from the tank as much as I can without interrupting the process," he affirmed, hoping his reassurance of your safety would ease his colleague's apprehension.

 

"You better. Cant afford to lose an educated employee, now can we?" She grabbed one of the two buckets with navy blue coloring and sat it down on the floor. With one heavy shove of her boot, she pushed it to him without a drop of water or flopping fish out of place. "There's Blue's. All mackerel, no crabs 'till next week, unless he acts up, of course."

 

Jason nodded, then turned to the door behind him. "Hey, come on in! Let's make this introduction quick."

 

You turned and looked through the doorway. You hadn't been eavesdropping.

 

Nope. Not at all. You definitely hadn't heard everything they said, from how they talked about you being naïve and unqualified; to being qualified; to attracting a siren who barely showed any interesting in the keepers who cared for him and had drowned three staff prior to your employment; then--

 

...

 

...

 

Blue seriously drowned three people? Well, now you were definitely starting to reconsider your approach to this first feeding session...

 

...and he looked so darn adorable, too.

 

You strode in, hiding the fact you'd heard them so easily from around the corner, hands in your khakis pockets. You hoped your smile would aid you in your endeavor, your eyes darting between them as they prepped the siren food. Would they have known you'd been listening? If they did, they weren't showing it.

 

You hummed as Jason introduced you, following with a toss of rubber gloves that left you scrambling to catch. You chuckled a little, putting them on quickly and offering your now gloved hand to the woman in front of you. "Nice to meet you. Remind me not to get on your bad side with knife skills like that!"

 

"Flattery?" she chuckled, grinning as she returned the gesture and gave you a firm shake. "Lisa Moore. Happy to have you on the team, and thanks. I do most of the food prep for the sirens, but I sometimes help out with the others. I've gotten pretty good at it." She had a warm smile, her soft brown eyes sizing you up as she pulled away. "You nervous?"

 

You...kinda were, to be truthful. Was it that obvious?

 

You chuckled and waved it off, "Only a smidge. Mostly because I haven't gotten to see a living siren up to this point. I studied them for two years as part of a project in college, but there's not really much information out there past institutional documents." Your words seemed to please the woman as she nodded and returned to the other two buckets. You eyed the blue bucket that was now in Jason's hands, hanging by a thick steel handle.

 

"Yeah that's what good ol' Jason here was telling me. It's great to know we can count on your education on them." Lis turned to look over her shoulder, but she was quickly distracted by several more employees entering the room. She straightened, her expression shifting into something of directness. "Red's bucket is here." She patted the side of it, then walked toward the cutting board once more. "Sea lions and the like over there," she motioned with her knife in hand at the other counter on the other side of the room. "Skull gets his next week."

 

You were nothing short of impressed; she had an amazing memory of everything regarding all the creatures and their feeding schedule. You weren't really sure what those schedules were, but perhaps that's why you had a food prep professional? You watched as Jason patted your shoulder, your eyes meeting his. Knowing him, he'd likely tell you at some point, you assured yourself.

 

"Gear up, (y/n). It's feeding time."

 

You smiled, your heart starting to beat faster now that you were moving your way out of the prep room. You did a brief overlook of your gear, making sure your headset was still working and radio tuned properly. You looked up, seeing the hall now quickly bustling with moving groups of people, some in the same uniform as you, others dressed much like the Head Manager but with blue button-ups rather than white. Must be higher staff that wear white, you concluded.

 

You couldn't help notice the eyes that were falling on you as you passed your fellow employees, some of them with faces of disbelief and others with...disappointment? Why? Sure, working with Sirens was pretty nerve racking—well, nerve-racking was an understatement, but why were they looking at you with those expressions? You huffed, turning your attention to your mentor, but his face was still bright as ever. You figured he was pretty good at hiding these emotions to his newer recruits.

 

You eventually came to a halt at a pair of even larger steel double doors. You looked up and read the large, bold letters above them:

 

SIREN DOCK 1: ORCA SIREN

"BLUE"

 

You felt goosebumps brushing over your skin, biting your lip as you stared at the doors for a second loner, then up to the senior caretaker who was already putting his headphones and earbuds on. You quickly followed up with your own, taking a moment to comfortably put your earbuds in your ears then the headphones over the top. Thankfully, there was enough room to avoid any pinching between them. You glanced at Jason, seeing him ready and watching you patiently mess with your Sound Gear.

 

You clicked it on, adjusted the suppression dial to max, then flicked the switch to lock it in place. You pulled the radio from your belt and turned it on carefully. You were expecting the frequency and radio static to be awful since the two of you were so close, but thankfully, it didn't cause any problems.

 

"Checking, one, two..." came Jason's voice over the channel, clear as day in your ears just as practiced.

 

"Loud and clear," came another voice, one you weren't familiar with yet but assumed was and older woman. Then another...

 

"Yep, good here, too." It was another woman, but her tone was a bit higher despite how tired she sounded.

 

"Yessir!" This guy sounded a little more enthused than the other two, a hint of Jason's voice but yet it wasn't the senior caretaker speaking.

 

"Hey, heard down the grape vine you got a newbie?" Came the voice of the older woman, their tone playful like an aunt.

 

"Yeah, we'll discuss that as we go. You can introduce yourself if you want," Jason chuckled, eyeing you and smiling casually.

 

You figured that was your queue to speak. "Hey, and yeah, I'm new. The names (y/n)."

 

"Nice to meet ya," the first voice returned, "Ruth."

 

So this voice was Ruth. Good to know.

 

"Alright ladies and gents, lets get Blue his breakfast before he throws a fit." Jason smiled, pushing open the big steel doors and with you following behind.

 

The strong smell of saltwater hit you harder than you anticipated. You scrunched up your nose, though the smell wasn't enough to stop you from gaping around the entire room. It was bright with fluorescent lights, the walls and pipes white throughout the room, a complete contrast to the dark hall you came from. The ceiling was likely 40 feet high, making plenty of room for the large enclosure beneath it.

 

"Holy shit," you laughed, really taking in how large the room really was. You felt like an ant!

 

"Welcome to Siren Dock 1," came the tired voice of the second woman. "I'm Sam, by the way. Hope you wore your wetsuits, you two. Blue's lookin' pretty rambunctious today."

 

You couldn't help the smile that graced your face as you finally allowed yourself to take in the sight of large tank hosting the Orca Siren. You couldn't even guess how many gallons was in that tank. Though it looked somewhat bare, despite the arctic designs on the inside walls under the water. There were a few "iceberg" replicas on the floor of the tank, but really, that was it.

 

Damn...where are the recreational toys? Don't aquariums require it? You figured you'd learn about it the more you focused on the radio talk in your ears. You approached the side of the tank for a quick look.

 

"Careful, newbie, Blue will give you a scare if he sees you that close," the third voice chuckled. It was a younger male speaking, almost sounding like Jason at first. "I'm Carter, Jason's brother."

 

Ah, that's why.

 

"No worries, there, bro. He already gave her a spook earlier," Jason laughed, then motioned you to follow him up a metal stair case.

 

"Siren team, report to  Dock 1 Platform ."

 

As you followed him up the stairs and heard the announcement via your headgear, you bit your lip in anticipation. You couldn't help but look over to the tank next to you as you climbed the stairs attached to it. Your grin spread as you saw Blue effortlessly swim across the pool of water. He was gorgeous and graceful in form as he forced his way through the space. In anticipation of the meal that was slowly ascending the steps, he was slowly circling the tank.

 

The bucket, you noted. Definitely wanting the bucket of fish.

 

You had to admit that it was a little troubling to just hear the voices in your brain and not what was happening around you. Although Jason's words arrived so much later than his lips moved, you couldn't help but chuckle a little bit as he spoke. You diverted your attention away from him and towards the glass wall.

 

"Hey, look at that—" Sam said over the radio, her voice shaking in amazement as her words drifted off.

 

The sight of Blue pressing up against the glass, like he had done during your first meeting, caused you to pause. He was gazing at you with wide eyed eagerness, that same full grin on his face. As the siren cocked his head slightly to the side and began to follow you alongside the glass up the steps, you giggled a little and waved at him.

 

Despite everything you'd learned, from college up to this point--hell, even hearing about how many people this siren had drowned.

 

"Ain't no fuckin' way man!" Carter crackled through the radio. "You seein' this, Ruth?"

 

"Yeah I can see it clearly from up here, Carter. Jason, you sure her headset's on right?" Ruth grumbled in reply, sounding a little rougher and more worried.

 

"Yeah, it's on right. Can't hear a thing outside these headphones," you spoke up instead. "I uh...guess he's just excited?"

 

"Be sure to keep her a bit further from the tank, Jason. Blue's got his eyes on her," Sam spoke again, though it sounded a bit forced for comfort.

 

"I got it, guys. Senior caretaker here, remember? Blue's just being himself," he puffed, but he didn't seem very convinced despite his confidence.

 

You climbed up onto the platform attached to the tank's edge and observed as Blue moved to the other end of the tank. When you turned to look, you saw a handful of the other caregivers standing next to each other with their arms crossed. You made an effort to identify them by playing a guessing game.

 

Since he was the only other male present, the taller man must have been Jason's brother. The older of the two ladies next to him, Ruth, had goggles fastened to her face, perhaps in place of glasses so they wouldn't come off near the tank. Her cheekbones and under-eye area revealed her age. She had gray hair that was scattered throughout and was pulled back in a bun similar to Lisa's but without the tangles. Sam was the last person, with her dark curls pulled back into a ponytail. Her hair at the sides of her head had been intentionally plucked out. She was wearing some extremely excellent smoky eye makeup, black lipstick, and had gorgeous amber eyes. Once you got close to the three, she was only an inch shorter than you.

 

Ruth offered her hand first. "Nice to finally put a face to the voice in my head," she chuckled, her smile warm despite how tense she looked. You returned the handshake. "Jason's gonna take good care of ya," she noted, "but be sure to pay attention and stay furthest back from the tank if you can help it."

 

Jason nodded, patting your back, "Blue likes to be dramatic. If we're lucky, he'll just take his food like normal and go about his day." He sat the bucket down with a thud, then turned to direct the other three.

 

You couldn't help but be a little taken aback at once. Was...this the whole team? You reasoned that since it is a siren being taken care of there would be more keepers available.

 

"Hey, uh...Sam," you asked, approaching the black-haired woman who's arms were still crossed as the two of you watched the other three start getting things together.

 

She hummed and motioned for you to go on without even looking.

 

"Is...this everyone?"

 

"Yup."

 

You blinked. Really?

 

Sam said, her voice slightly breaking on the radio, "This team is the smallest." She observed your face twitch and reached up to adjust her radio. She giggled, "Sorry, does that occasionally. Still, Big Blue's care team is exactly the contrary. It is smaller, but because we have been working together for a while, we are familiar with each other's limitations just as well as Blue is." You followed her over to the other three when she touched your shoulder.

 

"She's right," Jason agreed. "Blue is...well, he knows us well enough but that doesn't mean he won't try to pull a fast one on us when we misstep." He nodded to Ruth after looking over a prodding stick. "Looks good to go. Remember, don't do anything unless he makes a move for any of us. You know the drill."

 

"Roger that," Ruth huffed, hands tight on the prod as she stepped out of the way to get into position.

 

"What's that?" You looked to Ruth, who had a smile plastered on her face.

 

"Electric Prod."

 

You felt your stomach tighten a little. You knew it was likely for the safety of your colleagues, but...you never liked the idea of hurting them. You bit the inside of your cheek. Your expression must of told her how you felt, and her expression softened in understanding.

 

"Just in case if Blue gets too personal. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt him, just gives him a good jolt so he rethinks his actions." Ruth nodded to Jason, who motioned the other two to approach the edge near Ruth.

 

After a brief pause to check back at your senior caregiver, you continued to follow them. You saw a little remote control with numerous buttons and a bigger square button in the center lying in his hands. It was suspended on a strong cable. You turned your attention to the tank and noticed that it wasn't an open-air tank; rather, the top of the tank was protected by a sturdy metal cover. You believed it was only another measure taken to protect against sirensong and prevent the siren from ever escaping.

 

You took your place between Sam and Carter, seeing their expressions tight as they stared at the tank. You accepted their previous advice—a little forced in tone, but understood, had you stepping a bit further away from the tank unlike the rest of them. They looked...unsure, but you highly doubted they were feeling any more nervous than you were. Though, were you really as nervous as you looked? Deep down you were actually excited to see Blue during this feeding session; he looked so stunning in the tank, but...

 

He did kill several staff before you. You really questioned your sanity for being so collected about this rather than trembling in your boots. Though, what was that about back in the prep room? Lisa mentioned something about management hiring--

 

"Alright everyone, ready?" Jason's voice ignited through your inner thoughts from the radio.

 

"Ready as I'll ever be," you chuckled weakly following the other's responses of "ready" and "go for it."

 

You waited patiently beside them, looking at the metal tank cover and it's numerous thick cables attached from above. That was probably how it lifted the cover, looking over your shoulder at Jason as he held the remote in front of him.

 

"Siren Dock 1, we're lifting the cover now."

 

You instantly turned your focus back to the metal cover, oblivious to the different mechanical noises produced by strain tugging at the cover over the sizable pool as it steadily rose upward.

...

 

...

 

Deep breaths, (y/n). You're ready for this...! You're a siren keeper now!

 

Chapter 5: Should of Worn a Wetsuit!

Notes:

Holy shit!!!! I was not expecting this to blow up so much XD especially since it's only my second work and it's more of a fun project of mine...

Boy, do I got to work a lil' harder for all you amazing people! I'm so glad you all are enjoying it, thank you so much for all the kudos and support! I really appreciate the motivation that burns inside after seeing your sweet complements! I hope you all are enjoying and will continue enjoying it too <3

Now for the chapter we have all be waiting for! Enter, stage left, Blue...!

You stepped back as the top of the tank rose, allowing you to barely see the waters below it shimmering. Your heart was definitely racing now, and while everything else around you was silent, your beating organ was thunderous in your ears. You couldn't quite tell if it was from the anticipation of seeing Blue in all his glory or the fact that there was more than a slight chance he'd try to act on his siren instincts and attack.

 

You spared a glance at the others around you, positioned safely away from the tank and out of reach. They were relaxed, to a certain degree, some leaning their weight on one leg as they postured themselves. You, on the other hand, were standing straight and with your arms at your sides, hands clenched against your pants as if you'd let go, they'd blow away. You only grew more excited and anxious the higher the top raised.

 

Sam looked to you for a moment, then to Carter. She was wondering if he noticed how weird it was to find you so energetic, happily anticipating the calm before the storm. She huffed a little, struck with inter confusion as to why you'd be so happy to see a killing machine like a siren. We're you not aware of what these things could really do? You couldn't be that naïve...

 

"Tank cover is up," came Jason's voice over the radio. He carefully left the remote dangling by the table and slowly approached his crew. He held your shoulder gently, grabbing your attention, "I'm going to be observing today. Carter is going to dump the Mackerel."

 

You nodded, though when you looked back to the tank, you could already see the large dorsal fin of Blue descending beneath the surface. You hummed, lifting your head to hopefully catch a. Glimpse of him beneath the water from where you stood, but to your surprise, he simply re-emerged with half his skull peeking out.

 

"Carter, bucket please."

 

Carter gave a nod and stepped away to grab said bucket of mackerel, though the siren's sockets solely remained on you the entire time.

 

You shuddered, seeing his eye lights spark with what you could only assume was curiosity. You wondered if he was trying to sing to you at that very moment, but the headphones were disrupting his attempt. You smiled at the creature, doing your best not to show any fear or stress in his presence.

 

Big Blue stayed in the center of his pool and continued to look intensely back into your eyes, not swimming any closer than he already was. You may have thought you saw the lights trembling in his sockets for a split second, as though he was becoming completely enthralled. Your focus was interrupted when your colleague came back with the bucket of fish for the siren, who had been waiting patiently. Blue shifted the lights in his eyes as he kept a close check on Carter as he raised the bucket into his arms. 

 

To drop it in, he would have to get near enough. He inhaled and moved cautiously forward as he overheard Jason calling out to him on the radio.

 

...

 

"Carter, hold."

 

"What's up?" He called back, stopping for a moment.

 

You questioned whether this signal was significant given how stiff everyone became because they all immediately looked to the tank after. When you turned to gaze at the water, you saw Blue go beneath it and leave a ripple in his wake. You sighed and arched an eyebrow, wondering whether the siren had become affected by something. "What's going on?"

 

"Blue's actin' up," Sam told her over the radio, squinting and resting a supportive hand on your arm.

 

You gave her a short glance before returning to the water. What exactly did "acting up" mean? Your gaze was drawn to the tank's rims, where water bounced softly against it. Under the surface, there was force, pressure rising up and causing little waves to hit against it.

 

...

 

...

 

 

"Shit, I should of known—" Jason crackled back into the radio, voice rising with sudden panic, "Everyone back up! Prepare for a breach!"

 

Prepare for--what did he—

 

...

 

...

 

It was difficult to believe you were shouting in shock and amazement when the big siren emerged from the depths with such force and intensity. His body's black and white shape rocketed him over the surface in one of the most stunning breaches you'd ever seen. Your gaze followed him up, his massive physique reaching heights you hadn't imagined from an orca siren, but should have given his subspecies. The water got into your uniform, partially wetting you as you stood staring.

 

It felt like the entire universe was silently waiting for you to witness his grandeur for the first time. However, for a little moment, your eyes could see his sockets, and...

 

...did...did Blue just wink at you?

 

...

 

WOOOOSH.

 

...

 

You hadn't expected to be driven backward by the power of Blue's impact with the water, let alone wind up on your ass, spitting liquid and dry heaving from the salty flavor. You were surprised to find yourself thinking coherently without the sounds to fill the gaps. Your head was probably hurting from how hard you hit the ugly metal platform.

 

"Everyone alright?" The gadget, stuttering at first, picked up Jason's voice after a few, long seconds. That's great; you still got your Sound Gear on. You took in shaking breaths, searching your mind for words. You gradually forced yourself up onto your elbows, clutching the floor to keep yourself grounded. You couldn't help but think about how frequently this probably occurred here. You would have donned a wetsuit if you had known you were going to be in the splash zone!

 

With a shake of your head, you opened your eyes and stared at the grate floor beneath you. Yes, you were a little sore, but you were alright. You cautiously raised your head, observing the others putting their feet beneath them. When you tried to do the same, though, you felt something tighten around your ankle.

 

You tensed, your body stilling at the unfamiliar grip.

 

"I-I...G-Guys?!"

 

Jason's eyes met yours as he struggled to help everyone, then widened in what your could only describe as absolute horror. "Shit, Ruth! Get the prod!"

 

You didn't know what to do since dread had muffled the strained voices in your ears. You spun around in one rapid motion to find your leg trapped in the clawed grip of Blue, his sockets wide and his grin far wider. You choked on a scream, unable to hear your own voice due to the suppression in your Sound Gear. His eye lights were bright, almost blinding as they roamed your face and body.

 

The siren didn't hesitate, beginning to slip back into his enclosure with you as his prize. His grip on your leg intensified. His tail effortlessly pushed the water with power, propelling him back into the waiting depths.

 

"F-Fuck! He's going to drag me in!"  You shouted out on the radio, unable to disguise your terror; what was once exhilaration had now transformed into terrifying dread.

 

"Try to hang on to something! Shit, Ruth!!" Jason yelled once more for his teammate to act, before attempting to throw himself at you. He threw his head from you to Ruth, who was struggling to get the prod online again after the sudden breach. 

 

Yet, before he could even get close enough to grab your arm, you watched your entire world flip around you. You felt your last attempt at a cry for help be drowned out by the sudden rush of water engulfing your body and lastly your vision. You closed your eyes tightly to try and lessen the stinging sensation brought on by the salt water. 

 

...

 

...am I...Is this how I die? Drowning in a siren tank and eaten? Well, would definitely be an interesting death...occupational hazard, amiright?

 

...

 

Your body sunk gently, the threat of anything holding you back long gone. You hadn't noticed it since your eyes were still securely closed when you heard muted voices above the surface. You let the ice cold water engulf you, like death's lovely embrace--

 

...

 

Wait, voices? 

 

Despite the searing sensation in your eyes, you opened them frantically. You listened, and you could hear the sounds of the burbling of bubbles and swishing of the water. You pushed your arms through the liquid, clutching your ears and discovering that your headset and radio had been swept way when you were pulled under. Given that you were already in the water with the most dangerous creature to exist, this wasn't the most awful scenario that could have occurred. 

 

What was more shocking was that there wasn't a sirensong beckoning you. Yet, how would you know if you were being sung to? What exactly would it sound like? You couldn't hear anything similar to singing, but...

 

There was, however, an echoing sound of whistles and chirps across the water. The sound itself felt like it was vibrating around you. You didn't have to try hard to know that it was Blue making those cacophony of alien-like noises, the high pitch shrills expressing his excitement. They were beautiful, and if you weren't trying to fight for your life in this tank, you would of enjoyed listening to them.

 

Your chest began to burn, your lungs squeaking and threatening to burst. The burning feeling couldn't even be soothed by the cold sensation of the water you were submerged in. 

 

Swim!

 

You glanced to the water's surface, encouraging your arms and legs to help you fight the water's grip. You pushed your way up, one kick after another, until you clawed your way through. The pain had not subsided easily, leaving you gasping for oxygen and struggling to open your lungs again. 

 

...

 

You were alive. 

 

You coughed, treading the water beneath you as you tried to regain yourself against the current of the enclosure. "Sh-Shit," you sputtered, spitting out water the more you tried to replace it with air. You shook your head, the droplets flying around as you looked for the platform once your eyes seemed to clear. You could see Jason and the others frantically trying to get something to help, yelling to each other with voices loud due to their own headphones on their head.

 

You choked, taking deep breaths to find your center, ease your nerves and recover from the sudden situation you found yourself in. 

 

Breathe...breathe, (y/n). You may not have had this kind of training in college, but it's all the same; like sharks, don't panic.

 

You kept your breathing steady, alleviating the ache in your chest and enabling the cold water to calm your aching muscles. You swallowed, your throat somewhat dry from the salt. The liquid shifted around you, tempting you to peek underneath it. The shape of the orca siren was circling you, the blurs of black and white swiftly cutting through the water. You could even see the faint sparkles of his eye lights peering at you from below, his grin broad and welcoming your frantic body in his territory.

 

It was difficult to know if Blue was genuinely overjoyed to have something—someone—to play with, or if his sockets were just staring at you with the urge to entertain himself with your struggles and misery. Given all that had been said about him not casually approaching the other keepers, it was a strange sensation and an idea you wouldn't have entertained.

 

When your team called out to you and a rope was tossed in your direction, you didn't have much time to think about it. You took another glance below before moving to the rope. You made a cautious, tentative approach to the floating safety, but before your fingers could seize it, you were jerked back under the water. Out of astonishment, you let out a cry before firmly closing your lips to prevent additional water invading your lungs.

 

You closed your eyes tightly, attempting to push against the current started below you before your ankle came loose. You could tell he was playing with you now. You opened your eyes despite the burn to find him circling you once more but in a slower, more appraising fashion. There were a few dashing bits of blurred silver in the water, likely the bucket of Mackerel that was released to distract the siren from you. He probably didn't notice—or even care—given how fixated those eye sockets of his were on your swimming form in the water.

 

You expected him to be naughty for an orca siren, but this was...interestingly different. You watched as he slowly came to stop in front of you, eyeing you with interest and wonder; like he hadn't ever seen something like you before. You watched as he lifted a boney hand, its ebony black tips spreading evenly apart. 

 

...

 

Then, he carefully wiggled them in a wave, a gesture you had done with him just an hour or so ago. 

 

...

 

H-He...He waved at me. He's not...actually trying to drown me? He's just trying to get my attention--I think?

 

You reasoned that if he was hostile, he'd be roughhousing his victim. Though you didn't have time to think about it before rushing back to the top, gasping for breath. "Fuck!" you gasped, attempting to take a deep breath.

 

What do I do? He's not letting me get out, but he's not killing me, either.

 

You heaved, becoming exhausted by how much swimming you had to do and how cold it was. You could hear your team calling and attempting to get you out of danger. You breathed shakily, sucking air as you took in your surroundings.

 

"Hold on!" Jason called once more, though at this point you weren't paying attention to his efforts. Not like he could hear you himself. They all still had their Sound Gear on for their own safety.

 

When the water began to rush against you, you were compelled to look over your shoulder and stare into those evil-looking but amused sockets. Blue tilted his head inquisitively while maintaining a concentrated stare on you. His eye lights flickered between you and the humans panicking, almost daring you to move their way, yet remained where he swam some odd feet from you.

 

If he wanted to kill me, I think he would of done it already. I think...I think he's just wanting company.

 

"H-Hey, Blue..." you cooed weakly through staggered breaths. If getting out of the water wasn't an option, maybe giving him that attention he tried so hard for was a safer one. "If I knew I was...going for a swim today, I would of worn a wetsuit!" You knew sirens were clever; whether they could comprehend you was another matter, but with him keeping you captive in the midst of his watery domain, you didn't have any viable options.

 

As he drew nearer and nearer, the siren whistled and chattered until he was within arms' length. With each careful breath, your chest lifted and your heart raced. You anxiously swallowed before giving him a charming grin. Blue joyously chirped as he made his way up to his collarbone from the water. In addition to making him seem significantly larger up close, doing so also made his top half's features more obvious. He had a few scuffs and little cuts in his bones, but he appeared to have been properly cared for and healthy even before the aquarium discovered him. His white eye lights took you in slowly, focusing on your face for a minute before moving on to the rest of you. As he emitted his excited shrills, they appeared larger than before, hazy around the edges.

 

You were alright treading water evenly for now, knowing the training you endured years prior was sufficient for this moment. Yet, the cold was agonizing. Your body was starting to ache; you'd likely catch more than a cold if you were in the water much longer. You gasped softly, feeling beneath you something rough against your legs. You jumped in your skin, moving aside to look down, finding Blue's clawed phalanges gently resting underneath. 

 

He was surprisingly gentle in comparison to his earlier dunking, now carefully holding you up in the water. A soft rumble came from his rib cage left the water rippling as he brought you closer for further inspection. 

 

You were bewildered, confused and somewhat dazed to be more precise. He was acting completely different from what you had learned of siren behavior. Curiosity for his subspecies was common, but this was something entirely different. You lifted your hands, free from having to tread the thick water, placing them against his sternum for balance. Now that you were closer, you could see what Jason had mentioned about why they called him "Blue;" his rib cage was illuminating a soft, sky blue glow. It was captivating.

 

"W-Wow..." you uttered in complete disbelief. You felt the siren gently hold you to him, his other clawed hand grazing your exposed skin with utmost care, curiously studying you himself as you were of him. He pulled at your uniform, though let go when it resisted. "You weren't tryin' to hurt me, were you bud?"

 

The siren looked up again, eye lights the size of saucers and fuzzier than before. His Cheshire  grin was no longer maniacal and unhinged, but rather lazy and dopey. He...he was kinda cute, looking like that. 

 

"You were just curious, huh? In need of a tankmate?" you chuckled weakly, your adrenaline high finally coming to a close as you shared this wild moment with the monster. "Gotta say, you've made one hell of an impression."

 

Blue gave a series of whistles once more, seeming pleased with himself as he caressed you closer to his ribs. You could feel your legs against his muscular lower half, his tail keeping him afloat like it was nothing. He moved the hand that had so carefully explored your being up to your cheek, pressing it gently to feel the squishiness of flesh against his bone.

 

"We're getting the tranquilizer guns! Whatever you do, do not move!" Ruth called out this time. 

 

Tranquilizer guns...no, no, no those were definitely not going to help this situation!

 

You startled, turning and throwing your hands out toward the group at the platform, "N-No! No do not get those guns out!!" you commanded, your breath shaking as you watched them stare at you in disbelief. 

 

"What?! Are you crazy?!" Sam yelled out. You hadn't even realized she'd yanked her own Sound Gear off, content with ignoring the cursing from her colleagues. "You're going to freeze out there if he doesn't drown you first!"

 

Blue stiffened and hummed a mysterious, deep sound. His once-dopey, content smile vanished as his eye lights shrank, and he turned his focus to the platform where they were standing agape. You could hear those similar rumbles come out deeper, the water shifting and rippling more from the vibration he was putting off. Blue's boney appendages held to you a bit tighter than you would of liked, but you weren't concerned about that right now. There was something here--a "trust" you hadn't expected from this creature that you wouldn't dare lose now. 

 

You had to be quick, before the siren had any other ideas. "B-Blue, here!" You lifted a hand and snapped your fingers, struggling for a moment from how pruned they had become. You tried to grab his attention and redirect those large sockets back at you. It worked momentarily, seeing him glance your way for a moment. You took a deep breath, "They are just...worried about me. I'm sure you are also worried."

 

Oh my fucking Stars, I'm talking to a siren again...this time without glass!

 

"I promise, it's going to be okay." You lifted your hand and pressed it against his cheek bone with how close he was; it was likely a terribly idea to make this contact yourself, but seeing as he was holding you in the water, it wasn't the worst. 

 

The beast embraced it by softly rubbing the bone into your hand, and you couldn't prevent the unexpected wave of astonishment and excitement that swept through you. You inhaled deeply. "Hey, if they won't play with you, then you know I will! You just gotta let me go, just for a little."

 

Blue's sockets narrowed, his eye lights focusing back onto the people at the platform. He held you closer, so close that you could hear his breathing and feel it against your face. It made you shiver.

 

You strained to follow his eyes, then took another long breath and said, "I know. You probably haven't had this much fun in a while. Don't worry though, I think I'd do this again--when I'm more prepared, haha..." As the siren finally returned your gaze, you bit your lower lip. You hoped he could understand you, or otherwise all of this would be pointless. You swallowed, silently begging him to listen for his and your sakes.

 

"Plus, it's fucking freezing," you laugh shakily, raising your hands to your arms and rubbing them. "Next time, I'll consider wearing a thermal wetsuit; I forgot you live in such a cold habitat."

 

Blue seemed to visibly relax, his grin slacking at your laugh. 

 

"Please, Blue." You looked back at the siren team anxiously waiting, radios in hand. "I don't want them to hurt you for this. I know you aren't trying to hurt me, but they don't know that. Let me handle it before shit hits the fan."

 

Blue appeared to be thinking as he looked at the humans and their terrified expressions. A grunt and an intense rush of air blew the loose pieces of your hair out of your face. You waded there watching as the orca siren slowly sank into the water. His hands retreated from your body, giving you barely a moment to tread water. You huffed, "Gonna make me swim--"

 

You squeaked as you found yourself raised again, this time on the bottom half of his back, the rubber of his mammalian body against your palms. He was carrying you...he actually was carrying you!

 

Fuck do I feel like the kid out of Free Willy!

 

Once you reached the edge of the tank, you carefully stepped around him and against his vertebrae, "Sorry," you huffed. "I'll be careful." He remained reasonably stationary while you clambered your way to the edge, only to be tugged into the arms of the siren team as soon as you were near enough.

 

"Holy shit, kid!" Ruth exhaled hard, her breath taken away by the sight of what had just transpired. "Are you alright? What...what even--?"

 

You knew they wouldn't be able to hear you, so you didn't respond. As the gang began tugging you along and wrapping heavy towels around your freezing body, you peeked over your shoulder. Blue's eye lights were almost worriedly monitoring you before gracefully plunging back into the pool.

 

Chapter 6: Even Sirens Get Sad

Notes:

Jesus! This blew up so freakin' fast!!!

Thank you all so much for your support here for this fic. I'm blown away day by day be the many sweet comments and kudos that roll through my inbox! You guys are the literal best <3 I am super excited to be getting into this fic alongside you guys, but I wanted to quickly address that updates for my fics will be slow due to graduation on the rise and many many many classes I have to prepare for. It's a lot on my plate, and I get stressed pretty quickly (no thanks to the procrastination and distractions.) However, if you'd love to stay up to date and h ear about progress, check out my discord and my tumblr. Both are really barebones and pretty new (haven't even used tumblr in forever) but it'll be an easy way for me to connect to you all and for you to connect with me! I also draw and sketch a lot of the skeles if you ever want to see them!

 

https://www.tumblr.com/caycanteven <-- Tumblr!

Okay I think I kept you guys long enough. I'll let ya go on to read this very relaxed, sweet chapter! I hope you enjoy <3

You found yourself on a small, navy couch, bundled together in warm blankets and a mug of coffee in hand. The steam rose gracefully, the scent of the beans still fresh in the air despite how much time had passed between making the brew. You shuddered every now and then from the sheer difference in temperature, though you didn't think much of it.

 

How could you when all you could muster in thought was the very recent memory of swimming with a siren whose only experience with humans had been with drowning them in the very tank you fell in.

 

Okay, fell into wasn't the word; dragged into against your will after a miraculous display of a breach was a much better one.

 

Yet, you weren't even phased by what happened. Sure, you were scared shitless at first, but once you had really just...calmed, allowed the water to envelope you then the siren himself, there wasn't anything to be scared of. Size, power, and the two times he'd abruptly dunked you beneath the water aside, Blue wasn't displaying any aggressive behaviors you could recall from study.

 

He even waved at you.

 

A siren his size didn't need to play with it's food; Blue could of used the sheer power behind his large tail to crush your insides to mush if he wanted; he could of flung you into the air like killer whale's often did to seals; he should of been drowning you, his eye lights watching the life leave your eyes and that unhinged grin sharp on his skull--

 

Stars, a little dark there, (y/n). Real it in.

 

You closed your eyes and pressed the mug to your lips, carefully sipping the cream-mixed drink with caution, the liquid still more than warm. You replayed the scene in your head, the siren's face and expression laxed and seemingly listening to you talk as if you two had been friends for some time. You had expected him to turn on you, leading you on to think you were "safe." Yet, the aggression never came. He simply held you close, curiously fumbling his large clawed phalanges against you with obvious interest. Then, when you had asked him to return you--fearful of catching a cold and of course, his and your safety--he gently carried you to the edge without a fuss.

 

No doubt he was aware and far more capable of understanding than some animals. These creatures, magic infused and full of personality, had something more to offer than just their unique existence. That alone made your heart flutter with hope that maybe, just maybe, you could care for these creatures on a deeper level the other keepers wouldn't understand.

 

That's some princess shit right there!

 

Skull seemed intrigued yet was still a mystery; Blue was obviously more than thrilled to have your company that he had you in the water; and of course, the third one...Red, right? You hadn't really seen or considered him, yet. That was still a test for you.

 

"Hey."

 

You looked up, pulled from your bustling mind to train your eyes on the figure in the doorway. You glanced at the mug quickly, seeing it was almost empty. You must of been unconsciously drinking it while you entertained yourself with thoughts of being some fancy-shmancy siren whisperer.

 

"Hey," you replied quietly.

 

Jason gave you a warm smile, appraising you and your condition before closing the staff break room door behind him. He didn't speak as he carefully walked around the small coffee table in front of the couch. He sat down on the opposite end from you, elbows against his knees as he slouched. He took a deep breath, and you could tell he was trying to loosen up.

 

You couldn't really blame him; he witnessed someone under his super vision get pulled into a presumable death trap. You could only imagine the countless memories he was re-living, afraid he would have to add another one to it.

 

"Gave us quite a scare," he chuckled weakly, voice in a near whisper. His eyes remained on the floor, his shoulders pushed forward with tension.

 

"Yeah, wasn't expecting it myself," you muttered, hoping your playful tone would put him at ease. "I wouldn't be surprised if Sam could see the future! I knew I should of worn one of those fancy wetsuits."

 

He gave a weak, shaken chuckle, but it was drowned out--oof, too soon--by the deep sigh he released. "It should of never happened to begin with, had I known better. I'm so sorry."

 

You gave him a inquisitive look. You sighed, shaking your head. "Don't be. I don't think you could of done anything different in that situation," you told him weakly, leaning forward and allowing your blankets to fall to the side as you placed your mug on the coffee table. "You didn't know he'd do that."

 

Jake shook his head defiantly at your remark. He took a deep breath, moving one hand to run through his shaggy hair. "Blue has always been...difficult to understand sometimes. Though, with how he's been acting so wound up lately and after today, I should of expected him to pull something like that."

 

"Breaching?"

 

Jason took a deep breath again, but nodded.

 

"Has he done that before, then?" you asked, tilting your head. You had to admit, you were curious if this was a regular occurrence with the orca siren.

 

"No. That was the first time we'd ever seen him do that."

 

"Then, how'd you know--"

 

"I studied several orcinas orca before I came to work here," he chuckled weakly, seeing your confusion before you could voice it. "I don't have a lot of understanding when it comes to siren behavior, but whale behaviors seem to fall in line." He took a breath, seemingly finding ease in the conversation and slowly leaned back, "I'm sure you noticed it, too, the way the water moved around the enclosure."

 

You bit the inside of your lip and gave a side long glance to your not-so-empty mug of coffee. He wasn't wrong; you had witnessed how the water was moving forcefully, foreshadowing Blue's epic jump from the tank. "Yeah. I...I kinda feel dumb for not reacting accordingly. Though, it was just so--"

 

"Amazing, right?" He smiled genuinely, chuckling a little as he agreed, "Yeah, I thought so too, at least, when I wasn't trying to take care of everybody all at once. And, trying to save my new recruit from an overly excited, handsy siren."

 

You laughed a little, shaking your head at his comment while you sunk back into the couch and returned the blankets to their place on your shoulders. You wanted to talk to him about it, no doubt, but you were a little concerned for your mentor. He was, after all, recovering, too; recovering from seeing someone almost die right in front of him. You understood if he needed time, but you were taken aback with his sudden question.

 

"How...how did you do it?"

 

You lifted your head and looked at him with confusion. "Do...what?" Perhaps you were wrong; maybe he wanted to talk about it just as much.

 

"Get Blue to listen."

 

You mouthed an "oh" and nodded slowly, though your answer was probably lackluster to what he was expecting, "I just...told him to take me back."

 

He stared at you, his expression blank and unimpressed. "Really?"

 

"Sorta," you shrugged, thinking back, "He was so...careful, like he knew how strong he was and didn't want to hurt me. He kept me afloat with one hand, holding me like I was made of glass." You couldn't help the smile that was forming on your lips, "He wasn't even the slightest bit mean. He had this weird dopey expression, like he was just happy to have my company, someone to listen to."

 

Jason seemed perturbed about you sentimental take on the event. He snorted, laughing a little as he shook his head, "You're acting like those princesses from kids movies."

 

"I mean, that's kinda what it felt like," you quipped with a chuckle. You sighed and closed your eyes. "Though, I can't ignore the fact he's a dangerous siren. I admit, I'm lucky to be alive." You looked back at your coworker, though found his expression to be guilty and full of distress. You should of chosen better words, but nothing was more real than the truth.

 

...

 

He spoke once the silent moment drew out long enough. "I'm surprised too. Yet, I'm even more surprised you're taking this so well. The manager--Neil, he'll want to hear all about it. I won't lie to you, he's been anxiously waiting to question you on everything." He finally lifted his elbows off his knees as he leaned back into the couch just as you had. "I don't want to overwhelm you with all this business shit after your near-death experience--"

 

"Not really a 'near-death' experience. Honestly, I'm fine. I'm not bothered by it."

 

Jason lifted his eyebrows as the two of you exchanged looks. "...seriously?"

 

You nodded. "I'm not upset, scared, bothered or anything close. I...I was at first, but seeing how Blue looked at me, was gentle and happy--hell, did all that fancy shit just so he could get me to swim with him in that fucking freezing water--I don't think I'd call it that." You gave him a real, comforting smile, "I appreciate you thinking of me, but I assure you I'm right as rain."

 

Jason turned away to think on your words as faced the coffee table, seemingly lost on what he'd say next now that you shut him down so casually. He sighed, nodding finally as he ran his hand down his face. "I'm glad, honestly. I was actually worried you'd quit after that!"

 

You sat up, startling him with your unexpected surprise, "Why would I? I just got to have the experience of a life time! If I could do that again in the future, I would!"

Jason stared, his eyes wide as he leaned back against the arm of the couch.

 

You watched him, then realized how you must of looked. You reigned yourself in and sat down once more. "I-I don't want to quit. I don't want to get fired either," you chuckled, "I want to do just the opposite. I want to work with them a bit more. Obviously, I haven't really gotten to know the other two sirens here, but..." You gave a shrug as you leaned into the cushion. "If they like me too, then maybe my dream of being a trainer would be closer than I ever imagined."

 

Jason huffed, lifting his hands quickly, "Whoa, whoa, now."

 

You looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

 

"We can't just throw you in and call you a trainer. I understand you have major experience with behaviors and the like, but sirens aren't your average dolphins and sea lions!"

 

"Obviously," you chuckled, shaking your head, "that's why I'll work with them! I'll do some exercises and personal studying, like getting to know them. Eventually I'll work up to swimming with them and maybe even--"

 

"You're getting ahead of yourself," Jason noted, though he too had a small smile growing on his face, despite how hard he was trying to sound stern.

 

"A girl can dream, can't she?"

 

He rolled his eyes good naturedly, before nodding, "Yeah, I guess I can't argue with that." He sighed as he looked down. "We haven't had this much luck with them ever since they got here. Whatever you've got goin' for yourself, they seem to like. We can't let an opportunity like you pass up."

 

You didn't disagree, but you knew it felt a little weird with how he said it. You still had to meet the other two sirens, but if Blue--the siren who easily worried the other keepers with past murders--was fond of you, you had a high chance the other two would possibly feel the same.

 

Maybe.

 

...

 

"Is...he okay?"

 

"Blue?"

 

You nodded.

 

Jason took a deep breath, "Yeah, I guess. I'm not sure what is 'okay' for that siren, but he seemed alright."

 

You hummed thoughtfully, catching yourself before you accusingly assumed he knew what you did about siren behavior. You cleared your throat, "Depression in sirens is likely noticeable from their position in the water," you told him softly, clutching the blankets and thinking back on what you were taught. "Sirens who show signs of being upset will often lay stationary at the lowest part of their territory." You looked to Jason, hoping to gauge a reaction of out of him, yet found none. "In this instance, the bottom of the tank."

 

He soaked in your free information, curiously humming as he thought back to the few moments he had after you were safely evacuated from Dock 1. "I don't think he's upset," he began, "but he was definitely following everyone next to the glass while you were leaving. If I didn't know better, I would think he was slightly worried about you."

 

"He probably was."

 

Jason lifted an eyebrow, "Yeah?"

You nodded, but decided not to explain further with that thought. You wanted to keep it to yourself, in a way, so your hopes weren't crushed by Jason's attempt to ground you to reality. "Keep that little tidbit of information for later, whenever I'm not around. If any of the sirens--except Skull, are sitting at the bottom of the enclosure, something is wrong."

 

"I'll keep it in mind, siren lady."

 

You laughed a little, raising an eyebrow at him and his nickname for you. You clicked your tongue and rolled your eyes. "Whatever." You sighed, after a moment, "I guess I can safely say I'm fine with going in the water-"

 

"Not until you get a handle on the other two, first," he told you with a bit of sternness, holding up a finger, "Blue may be one thing, but a shark siren and a cephalopod siren are a whole different world."

 

Of course he would derail you from that thought. You sighed, but didn't fight him on the matter. "Alright, alright. I wont get in the water of my own free will. Though, from now on I'm going to wear a wetsuit anyway."

 

Jason huffed, yet didn't seem to fight you on that, either.

 

We love to see compromise.

 

He patted his knees and slowly stood up. "You're probably going to get a couple weird looks from here on out. I hope that doesn't bother you," he chuckled, giving you an apologetic look and offering his hand to you.

 

"Nah. It'll be a nice boost to my self esteem, just watch." You gave him a wink, then slowly stood up as well with his help. "I'm assuming we are going to go meet with the manager?"

 

He nodded, grabbing your mug for you and taking it to the small kitchen area of the staff room. He gently turned the faucet on and rinsed it as he spoke, "Yeah, gotta get that handled today; more or less as soon as possible. Neil has some stuff you might need going forward."

 

"Like?" you questioned, popping your spine and hips as you stretched.

 

"You'll see. Nothing crazy."

 

"We are dealing with sirens here, Jason, I'm pretty sure crazy is part of the package."

 

He gave you a smirk, leaving the mug in the sink as he approached you. "You got me there. Come on, let's get to the office before your 'fans' come runnin' in to check on you." He looked to the side, then muttered under his breath, "Or before Lisa comes to kill me for letting you get pulled into Blue's tank." He opened the door, allowing you to go out first. "After you."

 

"Fans?" you laughed, raising an eyebrow curiously at him and his gentlemanly gesture, "since when?" You weren't dumb. You knew people were going to be extremely curious about you after this stunt, but fans? You hardly believed anyone outside of Blue's siren team would even want to talk to you after this.

 

"Since you came out of Blue's enclosure unscathed."

 

"Great," you drew out, groaning but laughing despite it. "I'm sure I'll have a lot of retellings to go through for everyone." You two joked about how several people would discombobulate the story to their preference, leaving you in a snickering mess as you walked side by side down the large hall. After a few minutes, you could hear the sound of aquarium guests rumbling elsewhere in the building. "Already so busy," you muttered.

 

Jason nodded, "Yeah. Most of the reason for the big crowds is cause of Red, really."

 

"How so?"

 

Jason shrugged, "He's every little kids favorite cause of how cool he looks. Plus, he's a shark siren; every little boy loves sharks, especially if they are half skeleton half shark." He hummed, looking to the glass walls on the opposite side of the hall. "He brings in most of the funding for the sirens here. We don't often play favorites," he continued, "but he's definitely taken care of a bit better, I hate to admit. Though, I'm not really in charge of his exhibit in order to complain."

 

You narrowed your eyes, a hint of disgust on your face as the knot in your stomach twisted. You hoped that this fancy ass aquarium was a bit different, yet, you were finding out quickly that they weren't an exception to corporate greed. "Really? I'm...sad to hear that, honestly. Blue is beautiful to look at." With that said, you began to wonder who was over Red if Jason was over Blue. You had thought he was over all the sirens, but perhaps you assumed wrong. You wanted to ask, but you were cut short with his reply.

 

"Well, nobody wants to see a siren who's practically lazing about his enclosure all the time."

 

"Lazy?" you crossed your arms, forgetting your awaiting question, "I wouldn't have taken him for lazy after today."

 

"That's what were were discussing before all that shit happened," Jason remarked, looking to you then forward again. "He normally is lazy, outside of feeding time--hell, even when we are feeding him, he just sits back. At first we thought he was sick; that was the first time he tried to get one of us. After that, we just thought it was a rouse to make us drop our guard." He sighed as he shrugged, "Outside of feeding him, he just doesn't really do much. Doesn't come up to the tank glass to see people, just swims about at times and ignores them."

 

"Does he lay at the bottom, like I mentioned before?"

 

Jason stopped, suddenly realizing what you were coming to resolve. He had a dumbfounded expression, "Oh."

 

You facepalmed with a groan of disappointment. He had just told her he wasn't depressed--though he may not be at this moment--yet still showed significant signs of it every other time. You felt like you were going to have your hands full now with that new information. "Man, if I knew you guys needed help that bad, I would of fought harder for the position."

 

Jason scoffed, but didn't disagree. "Alright, fine. Yeah, he somewhat sits at the bottom of the tank but not all the time. Sometimes he moves...a little." He lifted a hand and held the back of his neck. "He sometimes comes up to the glass to scare the new guys but that's really it. Do you...really think he's depressed?"

 

"Considering he's been acting out of character in your standards, yeah. Though, he is a siren. This doesn't explain why he would go...hurting people, if he wanted." You hesitated on mentioning how he'd drowned the three people before now. You didn't want to give away the fact you'd heard Jason and Lisa talking about it. "Sirens still survive on eating the prey that fall victim to their song, and maybe, just maybe, their feelings can influence that."

 

"Shit."

 

"Shit is right my friend."

 

Jason gave a disgruntled sigh and nodded, "Then we'll see what we can do to counteract that." He crossed his arms. "The aquarium didn't consider anything like that in the beginning, more so because they are not the same as the other marine animals we have here." He looked to you, "I'll see if I can voice that next time the staff meet."

 

"I think me being here is going to help," you chuckled, a bit of arrogance seeping through the cracks of your unofficially established place in the hierarchy of caretakers. "He would of fooled me with everything he did today. Not once would I have expected him to be 'lazy.'"

 

Jason gave your arm a playful shove, "Whatever, newbie. You still got some stuff to learn before you get on that high horse of yours--or should I say siren?" He chuckled when you returned the playful punch.

 

You couldn't keep yourself from smiling, knowing well that your presence definitely helped put him at ease. He could count on you. Your new coworkers could count on you.

 

Now, could you count on yourself not to fuck this up? That had yet to be seen, but you were confident you'd win the other two over after the brief, unexpected swim you took with Blue.

 

Chapter 7: One Down, Two to Go

Notes:

Wow! I'm so thrilled to see everyone enjoying and LOVING this fic so far! It really warms my heart and makes me sad to know I kept you all waiting so long for an update. I apologize greatly, as it hurts me too to make something and having to halt the progress so I can focus on uni studies. I will be graduating two weeks from now, so I am very hopeful that soon I will be able to continue as easily as before updating my fics for you all! Thank you all for your support, patience, and love! Now I promise I wont keep you, so please have this much longer chapter as a sacrifice ;3;

"Ah yes, please do come in."

 

You followed Jason into the Manager's office, Neil busily working at the desk while gesturing for you to sit. You welcomed your previous spot in the chair you were in the night before, making yourself comfortable. You gave the room a once over, an unconscious effort to see if anything had changed in your short time away. Though, you were quick to direct your attention to your superior once you were seated.

 

Jason closed the door to the office before seating himself as well. From the corner of your eye, you could tell he wasn't as tense as he was back in the staff room, though he still had the level of concern hidden beneath that calm expression. You weren't sure if he was worried for you, himself, or the future of your employment. One thing was for certain, you definitely weren't getting fired; but even you were a little curious on the unexpected lecture that would soon grace your ears.

 

You weren't going to hold back anything if you were asked, but that also applied to the questions you had for him, too. Neil seemed like a genuine guy, so perhaps he wouldn't mind answering in kind.

 

"I'm very grateful you came out unharmed," Neil remarked, getting to the point without even addressing you with his full attention. He was busily sorting papers left and right, looking up in between reading to offer a smile then looking back down again. "Are you mentally prepared for anything I may ask you? I'm aware being in such a stressful situation can be rather traumatizing."

 

You nodded firmly, though you quickly realized he wasn't going to even notice it; you smiled, "Yes, sir. I'm alright, despite the initial shock. I was actually quite surprised and relieved."

 

"As was your entire team," he noted, a soft chuckle strained but amused by your response. "Though I'm more than happy to know my thoughts on you had little room for doubt." The tone of his voice was lifted, eager with enthusiasm; surviving a sudden dip into a siren enclosure was nothing to scoff at, but it only proved his point that you were "special."

 

You couldn't help the proud feeling that was growing in your stomach at his words, moving up into your chest as warm and fluttering. "I'm glad too. I'm happy my training for my certificate wasn't a waste, either."

 

He lifted his head and nodded in agreement. He adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, then put his pen to the side as he comfortably focused on the two of you. "There's much I'd love to talk about, but I understand if you need some time to rest before hand. You're free to tell me so," he restated, his tone more of a question rather than statement. He was likely double checking whether you were truly ready to address the morning's event.

 

You took a soft but deep breath. You had accepted it easily, the whole situation; sitting in the staff room with coffee in your system, you were able to accept what happened. You were more than willing to keep going and, maybe, have that experience again if you could. Finally, you nodded, "I understand, but I think I can talk on the matter if it means helping a great ton more going forward."

 

He gave you a warm smile, his genuine expression soft like he was a grandfather admiring his grandchild. "You've colored me impressed with your handling of the matter. I half anticipated a blubbering mess, a traumatized soul to come waltzing in here and begging to go home." He shook his head with a hearty chuckle, "I'm surprised to find none of that from you. I would of died from shock before I even touched the water."

 

You gave a quick glance to Jason, who held his own smile yet looked so uncomfortable. Carefully assuming he didn't want to think about how you could of ended up like many of his late colleagues, you bit the inside of your cheek. You needed to contemplate a proper response that would derail the conversation from its current path.

 

"It was scary at first," you told him, relaxing against the back cushion of your seat, "but after realizing Blue wasn't going to hurt me, it was actually...really cool. My understanding is that he was lonely." More so he was lonely and was looking for someone who'd understand. You sighed, recalling the experience with fond appreciation. Yet, you didn't allow yourself to enjoy it long; you had to be professional and offer your input on the situation. "While I'm sure you're curious about why it all happened the way it did," you muttered, lifting your head to your boss, "I don't think I have an answer at this time to describe his behavior. Though, I'd be happy to answer anything else you have in mind."

 

That should work...maybe. It's not a lie, really. I don't have any clue as to why the siren didn't act on his instincts--but I'll be damned if I won't find out.

 

Neil held his chin, massaging his growing stubble as he considered your words. After a minute, he nodded once, "I assumed that would be the case. As fascinated as I am, I understand one cannot simply just have an answer in this situation." He moved his free hand to rest on a black binder on his desk with a blank cover. "But perhaps with time, we can record our findings with the hopes to understand our sirens better."

 

Your eyes followed his hand. Lifting your head, you attempted to see what was kept in it, though if context was anything to go by, it must have had all the documentation for the leviathans in the aquarium's care. You watched as he sat up and gently held the binder out to you. You positioned yourself upright and carefully accepted it and sat it in your lap.

 

"That holds all our current information on our three sirens. Everything you need to know, everything you may be curious about, it's all there." He leaned his elbows against the desk as he clasped his hands together, his expression apologetic. "I'm sorry for withholding this information initially, but it's company policy, and as far as I knew, I wasn't quite ready to entrust it to someone who may or may not--" he gave a side long glance, clearing his throat.

 

You understood the implication. He wanted to be sure you were more than capable--and willing--to work with the creatures. You bit your inner lip, running your hand along the cover. It wasn't creatively appealing, but it wasn't meant to be; it was strictly informative. "Thank you, sir. This will be helpful." You lifted the cover once you finished giving it a once over.

 

"Of course. What kind of manager would I be if I didn't prepare our newest prospect for her work with our sirens?"

 

Jason looked over to view it for himself, though wasn't unfamiliar with the text and information organized inside. Most of the more important documents were in protective slip covers, some sticky notes taped on the inside cover containing notes: dates, feeding habits, dates and times of behavior changes. You were impressed with how much had been recorded.

 

There wasn't a bit of information you weren't unfamiliar with—except their vaccination appointment times. Oh won't that be a joy when the day comes...

 

"I'm sure Jason will also be able to assist you, if there is anything he can help with, that is," he motioned to the care taker beside you. "He has the most practice and experience with Blue, but I'm sure it won't be difficult to work together outside of him."

 

Jason sat up again and relinquished your space, nodding in agreement. "Of course. With my experience here and your background on general siren behaviors and the like, it'll be easy to piece things together." He gave you pat on the shoulder, appearing a little more relaxed now that they weren't talking about how you could of been drowned. "They'll be taken good care of."

 

You smiled at him, giving thanks as you sat back and began turning the pages of the aquarium's collected data. "Of course. I'm learning new things everyday; even today, I found that I should always wear a wetsuit!" You earned a chuckle out of the two and allowing conversation between the men to continue without interruption. You did your best to contain your excitement, allowing a smile and eager eyes to scan the pages briefly.

 

The first page was...something disturbing.

 

It was an organized spreadsheet; names of each siren were written on the top half--with Skull's being the most recent--and below were several different times and dates, though the greater majority of them were written underneath a bold line. You raised an eyebrow, reading them carefully as confusion seeped into your expression.

 

I know I can be a little...confused with reading material sometimes but—is this...are these past times they purposely don't feed the sirens?

 

You felt a knot forming in your stomach, though you were careful not to let your growing disgust show as you flipped the page. You glanced to your left to see if Jason had noticed your sudden shift in demeanor, but found him distracted with his smart phone as he continued on a topic shared with your boss.

 

You'd ask him later about this, you thought as you held a mental note of that page. Perhaps you could even ask Lisa, since she was the food prep professional. Jason would be the kind of guy to tell you gently and sugar coat things, and when it came to the sirens' wellbeing, you weren't going to tiptoe around. Suppressing your thoughts, you continued looking through the rest of the documents, now paying closer attention to the details of certain notes left in the margins or on sticky-notes. You stopped when you came to a page of what appeared to be a collection of data for Blue.

 

"If there is anything missing, do let me know," Neil spoke up, the conversation between him and Jason no longer his focus. He gave you a careful smile, looking down and motioning with a hand to the binder. "If there is anything you'd like to add, it's encouraged you document it as cleanly as possible. With the information being so unique to our sirens alone, we can't afford to have anything tearing or smearing."

 

You looked up quickly when he directed himself to you. You nodded in agreement; you'd take care of it and anything you learned would be replicated cleanly into the binder. "Right, I'll be considerate of that going forward."

 

Jason eyed you for a moment and by the way he was looking, you weren't sure if he had seen you and your disappointed scowl from earlier. Though, if he did, he didn't acknowledge it and he simply turned away to look at Neil. "Are you still interested in her workin' with the other sirens, sir?"

 

"Absolutely," he said hopefully, looking between you and Jason with building anticipation. "Considering the outcome today with Blue, I think I can put my faith in her ability to handle the sirens effectively." He scooted his rolling office chair against the tile, leaning down to open a drawer of his desk. He mumbled to himself as he rummaged around, cursing a few times when he hadn't found what he was searching for so quickly.

 

"I'm honored," you told him, unable to help a small giggle. "I admit I wasn't quite sure whether I'd be getting a scolding lecture or--"

 

"Nonsense," he told you abruptly with a wave of his hand. "You've had enough pressure for one day. Honestly, I'm thankful you're still willing to work with us, despite Blue's awful first impression." He gave a sound reminiscent of an "ah hah", before chuckling a little. He sat straight again, scooting up and motioning you to sit forward. "Here, I think I can safely say you've earned this alongside my trust."

 

You titled your head but didn't hesitate to do as asked. You closed the binder in your lap and set it aside for a moment. You'd look through the rest of it later when you had time. You leaned forward, "What is it?"

 

"You may think silly of me, but these are quite resilient and are water proof." He motioned for your wrist, then thanked you as you rested it in his rough palm. He lifted with his other hand a circular accessory. You eyed it, raising an eyebrow. "Um, a bracelet?" It was a gradient of dark and light blue rope, tightly knit together into a circle with metal clasps on each end.

 

He couldn't hold back his laughter at your confused expression. He smiled warmly, wiggling the accessory from side to side. "These bracelets are made of industrial rope, perfect for emergencies--but we just use them to determine who's capable of handling and feeding the sirens." He gave you a thoughtful look for permission. After a moment, you nodded and he carefully began wrapping the bracelet around your wrist. "For now, you'll just have this one to worry about. This is part of your uniform, so never leave home without it." He watched you nod in understanding, then continued, "Each has a color representing one of the sirens. This one is for Blue, obviously." He adjusted it carefully to your liking, then released your wrist for you to look for yourself.

 

You turned your hand around, humming in approval. "Sounds good. I assume these are for safety reasons?"

 

Neil nodded, "Yes. Anyone without either of the bracelets is not permitted to enter the restricted areas for the sirens. Only caretakers with the respective bracelet may do so." Seeing you smile at your accessory in appraisal, he continued. "After tomorrow, I'm hoping you'll be able to obtain the bracelet for our tiger shark siren. Though, I won't put any pressure on you," he teased good naturedly.

 

You paused, confusion settling in once more as you lowered your hand, "How will I be able to that without his required bracelet?"

 

That's a stupid question, (y/n)...

 

"You'll have a supervisor with you," he started—

 

See? Stupid question.

 

"—though it may not be your current mentor here." He glanced at Jason, who seemed a little unsettled but didn't complain. "You'll be working with Erica tomorrow, our other senior caretaker."

 

You huffed weakly at the thought of getting to know someone completely new. You were already on good terms with Jason, and he was pretty relaxed and easy going, making it a smooth learning process with him. Your shoulders slacked disappointedly as you looked to your boss, "If I may, sir, how come Jason won't be mentoring me? I just think it's a little weird to switch me around with someone after he's put so much work into teach me."

 

The head manager was busily stacking papers and cleaning his work space, though stopped a moment to respond, "Ah, that is because he is required on site for feeding Blue each day. He is in charge of that team, while Erica is in charge of Red's team. It won't be anything different, I assure you." He gave you a smile before continuing to clean up once more.

 

"Oh," you huffed weakly under your breath. Well, you couldn't argue with that.

 

Not if I want to be fired.

 

"Right, right. I understand."

 

You sighed and looked to Jason as he stood up. "Let's grab some lunch before you head home," he smiled and offered his hand to you.

 

"Shouldn't I stay to help take care of Blue?"

 

Jason should his head, helping you up while you tucked the binder under your free arm. "Nah, take the rest of today off to relax—head manager over there already approved it. I don't want you to stress yourself out. You've had your fair share of swimming today," he patted your back and looked to his boss. "Is there anything else you need from us before we go, sir?"

 

He lifted a hand from behind the desk, waving nonchalantly to the two of you without looking up. "Nothing of the sort, son. I appreciate you both. Make sure you get her settled with everything she needs for tomorrow. Find her a proper wetsuit if that's what she wants."

 

You felt your lips curl into a wicked smile as you flashed a look to your team member, who simply rolled his eyes in response. You nudged him gently with our elbow, "See? Even he knows of my great potential."

 

He pushed your shoulder lightly, "Shut up. The only potential you have is to talk to fish." You knew he didn't mean it, seeing him smile with a goofy grin like some older brother you never had.

 

It was comforting.

 

"I'll see you later Jason, and you, miss, tomorrow morning. Don't be late. They like to start Red bright and early." Neil smiled as he walked past the two of you with his own lunch in his hands.

 

You were surprised to see him leaving his office, curious where he spent his lunch break if it wasn't in there. You didn't have to think a bout it, since Jason was already walking the opposite way and was motioning you to follow. You caught up in stride, coming up beside him and holding your new, informative binder to your hip.

 

"Got a stomach for anything?" he asked, looking down at you for a moment, then ahead of him as to not bump into any other employees passing through the hall.

 

You shrugged a little. "Not really sure, to be honest. I haven't had the food here; spent most of my time cleaning it up off the floor late at night."

 

He chuckled, "Right, right, janitor stuff." He hummed to himself, thinking as he tilted his head to the left and closed his eyes momentarily. He then opened them and looked to you again. "Follow me, I got just the thing."

 

Welp, you had to admit that his fish and chicken basket was some of the best food you'd had in a very long time. You were surprised at the flakey, fresh taste; the fish was fried perfectly and the chicken was crunchy and especially delicious with your personal preference of sauce. It hadn't even been a full day since you complained about how the food had some disgusting shit involved to cause a stain—oh, that ever haunting stain—to stick to a floor and resist your persistent scrubbing. Now, you were happily munching away with crumbs on the edges of your lips and likely all over your uniform without a care in the world.

 

"Jeez, should of brought you here sooner," Jason laughed, watching you chow down hungrily at your basket. "That good, huh?" He had a burger for himself, slathered in all kinds of condiments and flourished with other ingredients. He shook his head as he redirected his attention to a viewing glass in front of him.

 

You wiped your mouth with your thumb, pushing the crumbs away with a single swipe, "Yeah, sorry." You swallowed before continuing, "Like I said, I haven't had the food here before, plus I only had coffee this morning." You watched as he unfolded his burger more and gave it large bite, pulling away with a content hum. You turned away to look at the viewing glass.

 

He had told you that you'd be visiting Red's exhibit area, mostly for exposure to the tiger shark siren before tomorrow. He mentioned something about him often entertaining children before, so you had hoped you'd get to catch him in the act. Though, he hadn't seemed to show himself yet.

 

The senior caretaker must of noticed your disappointment, since he cleared his throat. "He's probably sleeping," he chuckled. Jason wiped his mouth with a napkin, "He sometimes likes to sleep after he eats. Seems to be something they all share in common. Though, I figured he'd be up by now."

 

You nodded, though continued to watch the viewing glass expectantly. Red was an interesting case, much like Blue; sirens often didn't show sings of playfulness unless it was with their mates or their pups. Though, this was merely speculated theories based off the little data available back at the institution. It would make sense to a degree; sirens were natural predators like anything else. Therefore, humans fell right into the food chain as a possible source of sustenance. Yet, a siren entertaining—even if there is glass in between—human children? Yeah, that was something that deserved your attention.

 

It only made you wonder how much they could understand outside their own natural instincts.

 

"Oop, there he is."

 

You snapped back to attention, sitting up as you put the assaulted chicken tender back in it's paper basket. You looked frantically, though didn't see him. "Did I miss him?"

 

"Yeah, but don't worry, he'll come back around."

 

You gave a disappointed snort as you watched the glass. You waited what felt like five minutes to see the bastard; there were children jumping excitedly by the viewing glass, hands pressed against it and bodies bunching together to get a good look at him from above. You assumed he was underneath, swimming somewhere below. You grunted, feeling as if you were missing out now that the children were screaming gleefully to one another with "Look at Red" and "Wow he's so cool!" You moved your almost completely eaten chicken-fish basket to the left of you on the bench, leaving it next to your co-keeper.

 

"Whatcha doin'?" Jason huffed, mouth full of his sandwich as he raised an eyebrow. He watched you blatantly ignore him and start toward the viewing window. He swallowed, laughing a little to himself as he witness your childish behavior. "Can't blame her, kids make it hard to ignore that bastard with how much they talk about 'im."

 

You carefully maneuvered your way in between the excited children, trying your best not to interrupt their experience despite your eagerness. You stopped short of the glass, deciding to look from where you stood behind them instead of trying to squeeze between them all. It wasn't long until you could see a dorsal fin slowly cross the bottom of the glass. Your eyes widened at the noticeably large markings now scarred in the flesh. You leaned into to the glass as the large dorsal fin came closer, taking a deeper look at the several different scars that ran along his body. At the base of his dorsal was a bite mark likely from a shark in his past, with him being the victor. At the top of his dorsal, there was a small chunk of it missing at the curve, giving it a rather distinctive appearance for something as fierce as him. It didn't seem to be disturbing his movements.

 

Concerns aside, you watched as the dorsal fin disappeared once more, the children below you calling out for him as if he could hear their pleas.

 

"Come out, Red!"

 

"Daddy brought me here just to see you!"

 

"Come on, you're scarier than that!"

 

They all seamed playfully displeased with Red's lack of attention and appearance. You were taken aback by how adorable they all sounded, sitting there all giddy like and bouncing around trying to follow the tiger-shark siren. You smiled, unable to take your no eyes off them and their happy faces. At least, until the light illuminating off the tank viewing glass seemed to fade with an opposing shadow.

 

You watched the kids gasp in awe, their "ooo's" of fascination and happy cries of joy ringing in the small gallery. You quickly looked up, your eyes meeting a pair of crimson eye lights boring into you. They were surrounded by the same, deep black sockets, though didn't even appear as friendly and playful as Blue's had when you first met him. He was lurking above you and the gaping children, slowly swimming as he narrowed his sockets in your direction. Your breath hitched as you witnessed his natural, skeletal grin widen maliciously. That's when you noticed it; a gleaming shine of something metal—a golden fang in his maw.

 

Wow...I wonder what happened for him to need that.

 

You had to admit, you understood why he was as popular as Blue, unnatural depressive behavior aside. Much like all sirens, his body was longer than the expected length a normal adult tiger shark's, his ashen grey skin with stripes down his backside. He looked relatively close to 17 feet at best; his upper body was wide and bones thick as well, though it was equally as scarred like his lower half. No doubt, this siren had been in plenty of fights and likely won every single time. It was impressive for a siren like him to bear so many victories on his skin and proudly display it. Truly, the kids were right; he definitely could appear scarier if he tried.

 

Yet it was somewhat...sad. He was more than likely a fighter who did everything to survive, but found himself stuck in a place like this. That thought made you slightly sick to your stomach with disgust; but you ignored them for now.

 

Despite the several negative feelings attempting to rise inside, you didn't see yourself having the time to explain them. You returned the smile to the sharp toothed siren, then glanced down at the children quickly before your eyes fell on him again. You jerked your head lightly in their direction with quiet, unspoken words encouraging him to "entertain" those who came to see him rather than stare at you like you were the main event.

 

Red tilted his head slightly in question, his eye lights looking down at the small humans bearing their smiles of excitement for him. After a moment, those crimson lights fell on you again. He seemed to understand your intentions, giving a mischievous Cheshire grin with that golden fang on clear display for you.

 

You looked at that tooth again, fascinated with it's well kept sheen and it's practically glowing effect under the water. You had a moment of surprise when Red's eye lights caught your shifting gaze, noticing your fascination with his appearance. He raised an eyebrow, giving what you could only describe as a smirk as he peered down at you. 

 

You quietly scolded yourself for staring, turning to return to your seat to finish your lunch. Though, you gave a slight wave to the siren who watched you so intently, somewhat disappointed you were already leaving. "Don't worry, we'll meet proper come tomorrow, Red." You knew he wouldn't hear you, but seeing him look back to his little audience that pleaded for him gave you the satisfaction as if he did. You sighed and returned to sit next to Jason, who seemed reasonably pleased with the interaction.

 

"I'm guessing the two of you got along?"

 

You chuckled a little with a shake of your head, rolling your eyes good naturedly at him while you returned the fish-tender basket to your lap. "I guess you could say that. Won't really know 'till tomorrow."

 

Jason hummed, cleaning up his own mess of plastic burger wrap and crumbs. He pressed a napkin to the corner of his lips before speaking, "Looked to me like he fancied you--especially with that smile of his."

 

You nudged him with your elbow, pointedly ignoring his insistent belief that you and Red were already so chummy without actually getting to experience one another properly. You sighed, "I'm hoping things will go smoothly. He's quite expressional; Blue is too, though Red has this weird...hell, I don't even know what to call it."

 

Jason chuckled, "He very well may like you a lot more already. If Blue is anything to go off, they are enamored with you after one look. Though, I won't count on it just yet. He can be just as dangerous if you give him the opening." 

 

You gave him a quickly dissolving look, a stern glare replacing your once jovial features. You decided not to fight on the subject at this time. You could still feel the quiet disgust lurking in your mind from the short-lived discovery you found in the information binder. You'd have to handle it in due time, but for now, you'd learn everything you could and let the sirens themselves get used to your presence the best, most comfortable way possible. 

 

You watched the viewing glass, seeing the children play with Red, dashing back and forth from one end of the viewing glass to the other in chase. You smiled, allowing the feeling to rush you and outlast your negative thoughts. Red himself seemed just as entertained, enjoying the reactions he was getting from the opposite side of the glass. 

 

Though, you occasionally caught him looking at you with that familiar smirk, sockets hooded with those crimson lights brighter with each exchange. 

 

If I didn't know better, I'd say he's trying to impress me with how good he's being with those kids. The thought was amusing, leaving you with content, quiet giggles as you watched the scene take place. 

 

After today, you welcomed tomorrow with open arms.

 

 

Chapter 8: Underwater Thoughts

Red wasn't really up for it today. Sure, on most days, he enjoyed showing off his immense strength and performance to his gathering audience, yet today just felt different.

 

Different in a good or bad way, he couldn't quite tell. So he decided he wouldn't care, lazily swimming about his tank and deciding what to do with himself for the rest of the remaining day. The tank, as spacious as it was despite the amount of reef décor to "spice" up his enclosure and make it more like "home", was just so boring. It's why he mostly spent his time either sleeping or giving the kids something to gawk at, mostly cheering his name. He liked that, though. He felt...wanted, loved even. He hadn't felt like that in quite a long time.

 

Ever since he was brought to the damned aquarium, he's been craving something...anything to make this extensive--if not permanent--stay bearable. He utterly hated it, to be quite blunt. He had made several attempts to make himself happy with the fear he inflicted on his keepers, especially the newer ones. He couldn't help the grin that formed on his skull, recalling memories of when he'd jump out at them, bearing his fangs in his gaping maw, threatening to tear into the flesh of his captors.

 

He had only gotten close a couple of times. Unlike Blue, he didn't pride himself on drowning--he preferred to watch them suffer from wounds, littering his waters with the scent of their blood and the iron taste that would eventually seep past his toothy grin and satisfy his urges to kill. They'd always get away...or at least, the ones he did allow to get away a few times after the first two deaths resulting from his behavior. He liked the idea of them only fearing him more, remembering what he'd done, what he could do. Scars with memories of their near-death were enough torture to suffice his need.

 

Though, there was always a consequence to this method of entertainment. He grew very familiar with it, and nowadays, especially with that senior keeper appointed to his care and the several scars he left her with, he found himself deciding against any further "fun" in the attacks. She was the worst yet. She kept coming back, and she wasn't afraid of him like he so desperately wanted. He had acted on his instincts several times; the first, he had pulled her from the edge when she got close, tearing at her uniform and gashing her sides. Those scars were healed by now, he assured himself. Yet, she came back every time, and every time an opportunity presented itself, he would take the chance without hesitation and leave a whole new wound for her to heal and scar. This process was repetitive. This process was annoying.

 

This process...wasn't fuckin' worth it anymore.

 

So here he found himself, swimming ever so slowly near the bottom of his makeshift reef, grumbling internally at how bored he'd become. He knew the aquarium had opened a little over two hours ago. He could hear the rapping and tapping of the glass above him, unfairly beckoning him to come to the glass and flash that toothy grin at the children who cheered for him.

 

Unlike adult humans, their children didn't seem to bother him. More so, they reminded him of lil' pups, their giddy and excited expression gawking up at him as if he were the best thing in their world. Well, of course, he was, there was no denying that! Outside of him normally thinking he was the best thing ever, he enjoyed how happy they seemed when they looked at him. It reminded him of his desire to have a family to provide for, to protect. He always wanted pups of his own, ones who would look up at him with those same expressions these human children did.

 

As if he was the greatest thing in the world...

 

Though, that dream would never be filled here in this god-forsaken tank. That reason alone fueled his hatred for humans and their selfish desires. He may have been a siren, but he wasn't stupid. As long as he was stuck here, he wouldn't have what he so desperately wanted in life.

 

He sighed weakly, knowing he'd have to show himself at some point. As much as he wanted to hide away, he found himself out of trouble if he were to entertain the onlookers of his exhibit. He received extra food at feeding time, as well. He had already eaten this morning, but he couldn't help the licking of his skeletal chops at the idea of a much heartier meal. Human? Maybe, but fish will do just fine. He'd leave that part to their new buddy next door, considering his established "meal preference" since he got here.

 

Thankfully, the way the tanks were set up in the building, the sirens enclosed there had a way of somewhat communicating with one another. Their speech was impaired by the walls and the amount of water, but there were a few things they could make out amongst each other's clicks, whistles, and growls that echoed off the walls. It was difficult at times, but they managed. As much as Red disliked socializing with them, they were all in a similar state of unhappiness. Therefore, they were alike in a way. He admitted, yet reluctantly, that the company soothed the pain of being trapped in the place. The last thing he wanted was to be completely and utterly alone here.

 

Come to think of the other two sirens, he hadn't heard from Blue or Skull for a day or so now. He couldn't help the curious feeling building in his soul, wondering what caused them to be so quiet lately. Well, quiet in terms of the orca; he never seemed to shut up sometimes, punning whenever the chance presented itself. The other one, the octopus-looking fucker based on what he'd heard from the keepers, was normally quiet in their interactions. He would say a word or two, ever so often giving a sentence of all things, though remained silent most of the time. It was the orca and himself that carried most conversations when the days were good.

 

Yet he hadn't heard a single whistle out of that dumb orca siren. He wondered if he was preparing for another attempt to get at the caretakers today or something, though it was already past feeding time. Plus, he normally would run his plans through Red for an opinion or to hype himself up. However, he hadn't heard a single sound from the orca siren. He either got away with it and was punished, or he didn't act yet. He did hear a new siren keeper roaming about from the hushed whispers of his caretakers. Perhaps that could be part of it?

 

That seemed to make him wonder too; who was this new keeper? Would they be as keen as the others or would they be as naïve and weak as a pup without a careful bone in their body? He wasn't sure and despite the idea being enticing to think on, he was once more distracted by the thumping on the glass of his viewing window. He growled softly, though allowed himself to relax.

 

These were his kids. Not his flesh and blood, but the ones who loved him regardless of what he was or where he lived. He couldn't bear to see them upset if he didn't come to see them like he always did. So, he decided to tease their little hearts with slow movements around the viewing glass, hearing their muffled pleas of hope and encouragement. He chuckled deeply to himself, reminded of how easily they got under his bones. It comforted him, and here in his enclosure where no one else could see, he was allowed to be vulnerable for a moment longer.

 

It was then he decided to appear before them, allowing his form to hover in the water and expose his battle-scarred bones and lower half; he was a true predator to behold.

 

Yet, he found himself frozen in space, his sockets wide as he trained them on a face he hadn't met in his crowd before. He felt his soul thump in his rib cage, the feeling foreign as his crimson lights flicked across your form before landing on your gentle but surprised face. He recognized the uniform you wore, black with blue and yellow accents, and the emblem of the aquarium stitched perfectly on your breast pocket. Hell, he could even see the blue bracelet on your wrist. You had already met Blue, no doubt, and you were still this happy and fearless? He had half the mind to think you were the new keeper everyone was hush-hush about. He tilted his head, taking in your posture and your appearance as much as humanly--or sirenly--as possible.

 

His soul thumped again. It made him feel all sorts of things, but disgusted and hateful weren't one of those feelings. He watched you smile, looking at him with something he deemed as interest, curiosity...

 

He couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face from ear to non-existent ear. You were beautiful, almost--if not as beautiful as the rainbow reefs back home. You were so small, almost frail-looking; but by the way your body curved and shaped in all the right places, he knew you were much stronger under that disgusting uniform that bound you. Stars, it took everything him not to stare at your hips and your chest. You were an image of perfect health, perfect for--

 

You were smiling back at him out of pure fascination. He could see your eyes following along his body, and the feeling of being "checked out" by your eyes was invigorating to him. It made him shudder against the water.

 

Were you sizing him? He didn't want to believe it, but he couldn't help how hard his Soul was thumping in his chest at the idea that you were considering him as a potential suitor. It was one of the many signs of courtship or fair interest, and he had all the perfect scars to prove his worth as a successful, strong mate. He chuckled, angling his gaze with narrowed sockets, bearing his fangs to show their quality and power. You were looking at him. Well, he didn't mind that.

 

He liked what he saw too.

 

He couldn't believe himself either, honestly. He was showing himself off to this human female without a second thought. Wasn't he just monologuing about how much he hated humans? Especially the adults? Especially the keepers?!

 

He couldn't help it. His soul, the very culmination of his magical being, was aching for your approval of him. He couldn't ignore it, not even if he tried. You didn't turn away from him as he presented himself proudly. Though seeing your gaze shift to the children at your side who hadn't taken their eyes off him, he was surprised to see your motions of encouragement to entertain them.

 

To say his soul fluttered was an understatement.

 

Obviously, these children weren't yours, and thank god they weren't or he'd have to take the precautions to establish himself and his own--wait, what was he thinking? He was getting ahead of himself. He hadn't even figured you out yet. Yet, seeing your smile grow with the gesture to the children made him smile happily at the notion. You were wanting him to entertain them like you already knew how much he adored them; how you knew everything about him while he knew nothing about you.

 

He smiled once more as he considered your quiet request, but all too soon did he watch you leave to the rest of his viewing gallery. He felt his chest swell with disappointment at your already leaving body, barely having a chance to study you more. Though when you stopped, your mouth moving without sound, he knew you were speaking to him.

 

Just to him.

 

~~~

 

Blue just couldn't help himself.

 

He knew the consequences of his actions, but he didn't have a single bit of regret in his bones for what he'd done. He just had to have you close enough to hold, to touch...even if it wasn't for very long. Plus, with that uniform and your presence with the fairly tolerable male who oversaw his feeding sessions, he just knew you were the human the newest siren mentioned. Well, caretaker as of now. When he first heard about you, it was about how you were singing to the cephalopod siren. Blue was jealous he didn't get to experience it, but he knew the newest siren had a thing for pretty voices, especially ones that were soft and full of passion. Even sirens like themselves weren't invulnerable to a voice's resonance, especially if the intent was right.

 

He had mentioned that you were quite small and expected to run at the near sight of him. Skull, however, explained with little words that you hadn't run away, but instead came up to greet him. While Blue and Red weren't strangers to the attention of their aquarium visitors, Skull didn't like anyone--respectively, the other sirens understood well as to why. They didn't like them either, but the food was food. Plus, Skull had a nasty habit of eating keepers when they were as dumb as to come too close to the tank edge, where waiting tentacles would creep up and prepare to strike.

 

Yet, the large, eight-legged siren simply regarded you with fascination and adoration. Not once did he talk about how delicious you looked, how soft you would be--unless it was how he wished to hold you with careful arms--and that you were as gentle and kind as any other human he's met. He also mentioned how sweetly you sang and coaxed him from his den, something keen to their sirensongs. It was hard to believe a siren as powerful, sinister, and deadly as Skull was so head over heels for this human.

 

For Skull, that was something that deserved second thought. After all, after he'd feasted on several humans himself here in the very aquarium in such a short time, it was more than weird to hear the siren talk so highly of a human without the desire to swallow them up. Blue had pressed for more information, though Skull was quietly allowing himself to simmer and fall to his imagination. He did mention to the orca siren that the human was swept away by one of the disgusting humans to somewhere else in the aquarium. It seemed, with those final words, the three sirens were intrigued by what was to come of the human that fascinated the new arrival.

 

It's what left Blue more than excited the entire morning up until he saw her himself. He lazily relaxed at the bottom of his tank, his smile just as lax as he thought about your appearance, your kind smile, and the soft look of admiration and astonishment for him. He had been making his rounds around his tank, trying to work himself up to at least feel somewhat awake for the approaching feeding session. Plus, he was hoping to catch a glance in the main hall to see when you'd pass by. It was common practice for all the siren teams to venture past the viewing glasses of their enclosures in this part of the building. So he highly anticipated you would do just the same.

 

Though, you did more than that; you had come up to the glass, just as you stopped to look for him. You were looking for him. He couldn't help wanting to get up close and study you, your form was something different from the many humans he'd already encountered--some drowned. He hadn't meant to knock you to your ass so soon, however, with his bursting bit of energy as he swam by the glass. Sure, he liked giving small scares to humans, but for you, he was just too damn excited to express how thrilled he was to see you at last.

 

Finally, when you reapproached to watch him, he found himself coming to a stop in front of the glass and giving you a genuine look of curiosity and fascination. You were female, small but full of strength in that small body. His eyes darted quickly over your uniform, recognizing your now-established place as a siren caretaker. He felt his soul thump rapidly in his ribcage, the realization that you would be working with the other humans to "care" for them.

 

Yet, the realization didn't bring disappointment, but excitement. Most of the keepers were stern, treating them like the other animals in the aquarium; you, however, looked at him. You really looked at him, like he was anything but an animal. He shuddered, leaning close as he watched your growing, sweet smile and soft eyes acknowledge him thoughtfully. He watched as you tilted your head to him, and he returned the gesture with a lazy grin. You even winked at him, speaking to him from the other side of the glass as if you two had known each other for longer than this small moment. It was then he knew...

 

He adored you. He needed to meet you, hold you, and really get to understand why you were so different from the other keepers. He wanted to protect you and give you the entire ocean and all its glory.

 

He felt his soul lurch in his chest as you walked away from him, and he knew with that small feeling that you were meant to be more to him. He wouldn't be surprised if this was a feeling Skull had that made you so captivating to him. Blue wanted you to notice him, to look at him with those kind, sweet eyes again, their color was breathtaking, capturing him in bliss. He wanted you to sing to him as you had done for the cephalopod siren. He had to do something, anything to get your attention and look at him with that same thoughtful admiration you had just before you departed.

 

Stars, was it worth a couple of days he wouldn't get to eat.

 

He hadn't done something like this after coming to the aquarium, though this was the perfect chance to try. If he were to fail, well, he'd figure it out. He was the kind of siren to go with the flow anyway--heh. He wanted your attention, therefore, he would get it in the best way possible. He would show off his massive amount of strength and power through a move he hadn't done since he was in the familiar blue of the ocean. Even then, he had done it out of sheer desire to feel the air against him momentarily before crashing back into the waves. This time, he'd be doing it to attract you. He wanted your gaze upon him, knowing just how powerful he was; how well he could protect you from the wrath of the world and its dangerous waters. Instincts would guide him in his first attempt at courtship, but if all went well, he'd have you in time.

 

He didn't doubt himself one second. You and the other keepers hadn't caught on soon enough; he found himself out of the water in seconds, breaching higher than he had ever. He was careful to acknowledge the height of the room, but he was effortlessly presenting himself in his finest motion yet. You were staring. You were watching him with those beautiful eyes. It was then he had gotten carried away, instead of retreating into the water, he directed his body to crash into the platform and successfully throw you and the team off. It was the perfect disruption--though it did hurt just a little.

 

He had gotten over the sting of pain as soon as he had his phalanges on you, beckoning you to join him. He pulled you to his waters, quickly avoiding the grabbing hands of that other male. He wouldn't dare let this moment slip past him! He shuddered, remembering how dainty you felt in his called grasp, clinging to the water as if it were your safety net. He was quick to let you go once you were in his territory, though had been keen to caring for you and avoiding pulling you under too long. While he had drowned many a caretaker, he wasn't stupid; humans couldn't survive within a minute of being under the water unless they had been trained. They were inferior, weak to the water hold if underneath it long enough.

 

So he was careful, close at all times, watching you dutifully yet excitedly in hopes you would accept his presence. He had so many questions, so many things to tell you, but he knew you wouldn't understand him like this. Instead, he had only chirped and whistled his gleeful sounds of pleasure, hoping you'd reciprocate in some way. Though, he was quickly drawn to noises and calling voices above the water.

 

Damn, these fucking humans.

 

He growled softly under his breath at the memory. He hadn't wanted to hurt, frustrate, or cause any more issues than he already had to see you so close. Yet, they gave him no other choice; you weren't leaving him yet, because he was certain you wouldn't come back to him if you did. He had kept you in that tank, pulling you back and under the water to focus on him and just him.

 

He needed you to see him.

 

So he took cautious steps to come close enough for you to see him, giving his best smile and doing what he could not to appear too threatening. He gave you a wave, pleading silently that you understood. Stars was he thrilled to see your eyes light up like the tidal waves on a moonlit night.

 

Sure, he still had to deal with the annoying people that worked with you, but you had freely chatted with him, allowing him to approach and hold you ever so delicately. You were so little in comparison to him, despite your strength. Other people, whom he had led to their watery ends, had not survived as long or as peacefully. You weren't even afraid of dying. You looked at him as something other than a monster or an animal. You even addressed him. Your voice was very pleasant, smooth, appealing, and upbeat. It was stunning. He couldn't help but wonder what your Soul looked like with that manner encapsulating you. He wishes he could have kept you with him for a longer period.

 

You were, nevertheless, human. You, unlike him, couldn't stand the oppressive temperature of the water. He had refused to let you return, even though he knew better than to endanger you further than he could. He hated having to let you go, but you'd promised to come back and see him, even swim with him! He could manage if you weren't afraid of him and were tolerant of him by saying anything like that. For the time being.

 

He had returned you, safe and sound, but he had watched you with concern as they dragged you away. Of course, a part of him was apprehensive. You were all his. He couldn't stop his Soul from racing when he saw how you gazed back at him that morning.

 

Blue grinned contemptuously, leaning against the iceberg model on the bottom of his tank. He exhaled and closed his eyes as bubbles from his breath floated to the surface. He wouldn't mind going a few days without eating. He was content to live off those thoughts till you came to see him again.

 

Chapter 9: Don’t Be Late

Notes:

So I wanted to apologize this took so long to get posted! I have been settling back home and I started working as soon as I got back into town. Finding time has been hard but I promise I’ll be sure to keep it up when I can! I have big plans coming forward too! I am even still at work as we speak when I’m posting this lmfao. Though I’m super happy to at least be getting back into the rhythm again. <3

I won’t be keeping you all long! I’ll probably do an edit of these notes when I get home teehee. Anywho, please enjoy this chapter <3

You hadn't been excited about it, but you weren't going to ignore the information in that binder any more than you had to. Now, walking into your apartment after a long and eventful day at work, you find yourself somewhat rushing to clean up and get out of your uniform. Even if it had dried, you weren't interested in staying much longer in them; the smell of seawater and gutted fish was potent now that it stood out from the normal scents of your living space. 

 

 

You took your time enjoying the peace and privacy you had now, stripping down out of your uniform and throwing it aside to wash once you were through. Your showers were neither long nor short on most days, but today felt like a day you could take a little longer to contemplate and process the day in full. 

 

 

You rested against the wall, your shoulder pressed to the tile as you closed your eyes, breathing in deeply and holding for a few seconds before exhaling. The water was warm and relaxing, like a soft embrace. It was refreshing compared to the ice water of Blue's tank. Thinking back to the siren himself, you couldn't help your mind wandering and thinking back on the experience. 

 

 

You had gone swimming with an orca siren that had an awful record of drowning people, and you didn't drown from the interaction. You went swimming with a siren...and that was something you would never have anticipated! Even now, your heart was fluttering and beating faster. 

 

 

You had even communicated with him, to a degree, though you weren't sure if that was natural or instinctual curiosity from the creature or if you really were some kind of siren whisperer living this sudden Disney princess life. You highly doubted the latter, but it wasn't an impossibility when working with the existence of magical beasts that still held mysteries of their own. 

 

 

The orca siren was gentle, cautious, and protective all in one setting of you meeting him for the first time. While you knew what to expect of sirens after your understanding, this was completely off the spectrum of a "deadly monster." Everything and everyone you knew had made him out to be a natural killer in or outside of captivity; far more dangerous than the rest of their aquatic creatures in the New Ebott Aquarium, and you had agreed only because you studied sirens and their behavior.

 

 

You knew most of his biological and behavioral aspects, but this was still going to be new for you; to truly see a siren in person and what it was capable of wasn't always something the witness escaped from alive and unscathed. You called yourself lucky, but a part of you wanted it to be more than just plain, stupid luck. You wanted to believe there was more to the creatures than just animalistic behavior and that perhaps they understood far more than studies would be able to document. 

 

 

Blue wasn't just another marine animal or a monstrous creature--well, he was a monstrous creature in size and murderous reputation, but his demeanor with you was quite the opposite. You had expected to be drowned like many of your predecessors, and you would be lying if you said you weren't scared when it happened all so fast. Yet, none of which you feared had happened.

 

 

He had pulled you under the water and given you a good heart attack, but what he'd done next was far from violent but rather playful. He waved at you, too; waving like a person, as if they were a friend you hadn't seen in quite some time. There was no evil intent in it, and if you could recall it right, Blue looked rather...sheepish in a way, as if he was a little embarrassed? Deep down, you couldn't find anything in your mind from years at the university to justify actions like those you'd seen from him today. 

 

 

With that little thought and memory in mind, you found yourself smiling with that familiar hope you had fluttering in your chest that morning. Was it possible that the sirens weren't all monsters? If that was also the case...

 

 

...why did Blue harm all those people?

 

 

The cold rush of water sent goosebumps down your arms, shocking you out of your thoughts with a following gasp. You muttered a few curses as you quickly began to finish up your shower routine, now disappointed you had wasted your hot water on thoughts rather than washing your hair. With quickness and a few more curses following under your breath, you finished washing your hair and turned off the shower. You stumbled out of the shower, pushing aside the curtain and grabbing the closest towel you could. You'd finish up here, then put your uniform through the wash and dryer for the coming day. 

 

 

 

 

While the dryer was running, you settled down in your bed with the binder of information you were half excited and half dreading to read more of. You had been staring at the cover for five minutes now, your legs crossed beneath you and your hand steady on the cover as you continued to stare at the aquarium Logo and siren care team logo on the front. It was beckoning you to open, yet you felt so...uncertain whether you wanted to see what was inside after you saw the first few pages. How angry would you become? Would any of this information be fact or fiction compared to what you already knew? 

 

 

The questions ate at you so quickly and fogged your mind so easily that you hadn't even realized you'd opened it. When you looked down at the first page, you were met with a set of established rules and regulations. 

 

 

Most of the first page consisted of what you already had learned so far when it came to the sirens, including the use of the aquarium's Sound Gear technology and protocols to follow in case it malfunctions. Following it were other protocols and procedures for siren care and how to handle the sirens in the case the worst happened. 

 

 

You felt a little sick to your stomach again when you read the part about tranquilizer guns being used on the poor creatures. You wondered how often this must have happened to require them, and that thought only made you more frustrated. Tranquilizers used on them likely were high in dosage, meaning they were just as dangerous if used too often and could likely kill the sirens. You would have to ask Jason a bit more about how strong they were...and to stop using them in the future. If you could somehow a different solution over the use of the tranquilizers—maybe even if your luck kept going for you and the sirens were fond of you—maybe you could...

 

 

You scoffed at yourself, the corners of your mouth turning into a frown as you considered the options. You weren't wanting to control the sirens, you just wanted to care for them the right way and make sure that both humans and sirens were safe and healthy. You wouldn't be available for all three at one time and that was the issue, alongside the days you weren't going to be there. You wouldn't be able to work every day, as much as you would like. There would be times and there would be things in place for when problems happened, but those problems didn't require a tranquilizer gun.

 

 

You were going to be certain of that, no matter what.  

 

 

You were laughing a little at yourself for thinking so highly of your place among the caretakers. You were still technically a rookie in the others' eyes. However, Jason seemed more than happy to have you around if it meant you had a better understanding and you could work with them, though you had yet to meet the other head senior keepers overseeing the care for the other two sirens.  That thought had you interested in if the keepers' information was also in the binder in your lap.

 

 

Deciding to come back to the one page you so despised looking at, you quickly flipped around the spreadsheet and searched for anything that looked close to human information. To your luck, it didn't take long, as the second and third pages were exactly what you were looking for in terms of "info." The first person of course was Jason, a resume-formatted document with his photo on the right of the page. He was as cheery as you had first met him, a bright smile and calm eyes stared back from the photo. You were happy to see he was as genuine as expected of the senior you called your mentor. 

 

 

Your eyes continued down the page, reading his age and his full name, his occupation before New Ebott Aquarium as well as his degree. He had a Bachelors's in Marine Biology and worked mostly in environmental studies before his current station at New Ebott. You were quite familiar with some of the work he'd done and respectfully nodded in consideration of it. You had already known he was the head keeper over the orca siren, Blue, so you were more inclined to continue to the other pages with information. 

 

 

Though as soon as you did, you stopped at the sound of the dryer finally finishing its round, the sound of it beeping throughout your apartment. You huffed in surprise and quickly glanced at your bedside clock. It had already been an hour and a half. You were surprised. You hadn't thought you were indulged in the binder that long, but you weren't going to argue with time itself; it was a concept you rather not get too involved in any way. 

 

 

You sighed softly and decided you'd likely meet one of the other senior keepers tomorrow anyway as Neil had said. What was her name? Erica, you thought, was likely who you'd meet, but you weren't going to hold to it yet. If your current reputation kept up, you'd have some other situations occur right as you were going to meet someone new and then you'd have to handle that or, in Blue's case, be handled. 

 

 

You laughed quietly at yourself as you turned the pages back to the front. You looked down at the first page again, the scheduled feeding times and the dates of when they were last fed quickly scanned over by your eyes, soaking it in like a sponge. Based on the times listed so far and the dates, Skull was fed once every week on the same day and at the same time. Part of you wondered if maybe this was due to diet or strict feeding times based on when he showed up outside his hidey-hole. It was also expected that he'd be fed tomorrow as well, so you were going to end up missing out on it and it made you somewhat disappointed. If this was the best time you'd see him, then you were going to have to wait a whole week just to get a chance to be part of the feeding team. You'd manage with Red for tomorrow, then.

 

 

You could manage a week with Blue and Red--as long as either didn't jump out at you as Blue did. You had yet to see what Red would do, but he seemed rather relaxed in comparison when it came to people since he was so playful with the children today when you visited his viewing gallery. At the thought of the tiger shark, you looked down again at the spreadsheet to see when he was going to be fed next. 

 

 

If what you had was anything to go off of, Blue and Red were equally fed each day, Blue with the most versus Red who likely was fed something larger considering he was a shark siren. Shark sirens often ate larger prey as it was good for their teeth and kept them healthy and sharp, less they didn't often expend their energy on schools of fish as orca sirens did. This is what made shark sirens completely different from normal sharks; while normal sharks were opportunistic feeders and would likely go for smaller fish or scavenge, shark sirens were capable of ensnaring much larger prey due to having strong arms and the upper body strength to subdue them. Though they still had that similar expectancy to feed on whatever was available.

 

 

Orca sirens were also playful with their prey and enjoyed the chase, based on behavioral data recorded, hence the meal provided to Blue this morning--the same meal that was ignored since you were in the tank. You'd forgive him if he didn't opt to do it again, and maybe you could get him something special in return! You continued reading the times and going down the page.

 

 

If you were right, then Red would be getting a hefty meal tomorrow, and that did make you happy to think of. You just hoped that the keepers were as aware and knowledgeable as you were. 

 

 

You yawned softly as you looked back down at the book. You were getting quite tired already, and from looking at the clock, it was late enough already. You had an early start tomorrow and wouldn't even miss it for the world. You chuckled a little, but it died as soon as it came when your eyes fell on the lower half of the spreadsheet. You lifted it closer and you read it closely. 

 

These times are all issued for a couple of days at a time, you thought to yourself as you continued to read each time and date, as well as each name of the siren issued. You could feel your stomach tightening into a knot, the disgust filling your chest as you took a deep breath. 

 

 

"So their answer to 'bad behavior' is not feeding them for a couple of days," you muttered and closed your eyes. You hated that almost as much as you hated the idea of using tranquilizers on the creatures. Starving an animal into submission wasn't the answer in any situation, even for monstrous sirens. These creatures weren't going to learn from these punishments, they were only going to be more aggressive and angry in due time. It was likely why Blue was aggressive many other times and the starvation was likely making it worse. 

 

 

You closed the book quickly and you took another breath to try and relax your nerves. You couldn't let it get to you now, after all. You needed to gather some information and understand a bit first before you jumped the gun on this one. You laid your head back against your pillows as you looked at the ceiling. 

 

 

If starving them was a form of punishment, what else were they doing to these poor creatures? Was the head manager aware of it? Was he behind it? That made you sick to think of since Neil had seemed so headstrong in being kind and appreciative of you and your desire to care for the sirens. Though, he was the one who gave you the binder. It was likely he knew, but did he agree with it? 

 

 

You felt your eyes closing as you continued to think, but even your thoughts started to slur into blurred ramblings as your mind began to descend into sleep for the night. 

 

 

~~~

 

 

The next morning felt just as the previous had: exciting and fresh...with a hint of fish and saltwater. Sure, the scents would get old eventually, though that just meant you would be officially used to working in the place and that you were right where you wanted to be. That was a refreshing thought in itself. 

 

 

You walked into the "wet room"—as you came to know it by name thanks to Jason— and started setting your things down on the counter before walking over to the hanging wet suits. While it wasn't customary for rookies like yourself to wear them, you weren't looking for another unexpected dip in a siren enclosure again. You rather much enjoyed the comforts of a thermal suit to keep you feeling at ease in the cold water if it were to happen again. You weren't going to go jumping in any time soon, either, as fun as it sounded! You were more than lucky to be alive and on the good side of Blue at this point, but you weren't going to "test the waters" any further with the other two. After all, for all you knew, Blue could just be a special case. 

 

 

You hummed softly to yourself as you continued to shove on your wetsuit, quick to be sure it was tight and secure as well as comfortable on your body and in the right places. They were all dry and thankfully they had one in your size, too. You stood up straight and stretched, making sure nothing bunched up in awkward places, though you found it to fit quite well. It would stretch out just a little once it hit the water anyway, but you weren't expecting that to happen today. 

 

 

You decided against wearing the rest of your uniform which resulted in just wearing your uniform button-up over the torso of the wetsuit. You put on your shoes again once you were all set, then made your way over to grab your sound gear and prepare it as well. Following the usual procedural setup Jason showed you, you hooked your device up and tested it, with great success. You heard a voice call out to you from the doorway as you lowered your headset piece around your neck. You glanced over at the door and smiled when you saw Lisa peeking through the doorway. 

 

 

You could make out the tired expression hiding in her features. She had light circles beneath her eyes as she gave you a warm grin and a gentle wave, leaning against the door frame. "Good to see you again. I was honestly afraid you'd high tail it out of here after yesterday." Lisa even had that tired tone still laced in her voice, though she didn't let it stop her from sharing her enthusiastic greeting. 

 

 

You chuckled a little when she mentioned the small hiccup with Blue. You shook your head and waved your hand in dismissal. "Nah, I could never," you joked but you were sure to follow up with a serious comment, "I was only scared for a moment. The situation was handled as well as it could be. No one could have expected it." You smiled, though it seemed to fall a little when you noticed the grim expression on your co-worker's face. "Blue was impressionable. I think he was just overly excited," you commented with a smile. 

 

 

The food prep was quiet for a moment as she listened. Lisa sighed softly and shrugged a shoulder once she seemed to get her thoughts in order again. "I'm just glad you're alright. It's worse when you're in the middle of it, but I assure you we were all scared for your safety. Sirens are dangerous." She entered the room and headed over to grab a few things from a drawer, but from where you stood, you couldn't quite see what it was she was getting. You decided to ignore her actions and return to situating your equipment on your person.

 

 

You sighed softly and hummed in thought. "I suppose you are right about that," you muttered softly, a little in denial even if you knew how true Lisa was with her statement and worries. "Though, I admit a part of me wonders why Blue was acting so different than the expected behaviors I've studied. He didn't do anything to hurt me; he scared me but didn't actually try to hurt me whatsoever. Hell, I thought he wanted to play, to be honest." You sighed softly, smiling just a little bit at the memory from yesterday. Though, your coworker was quick to distract you.

 

 

"I'd try not to delve too deep into it, kid," Lisa spoke and put her hand on your shoulder, giving you a reassuring smile that had an edge of sternness. "They are still animals with tendencies to be wild even in captivity. We must never forget that, and you know that best don't you?" She chuckled a little as she gave your shoulder another pat and started for the door. 

 

 

You huffed under your breath a little, a bit taken aback by the statement. Factual, yes, but the thing with the sirens...they weren't just normal animals. These beautiful creatures of the deep were far more intelligent and full of mystery, so much so that there was limited information and studies done on them from a safe distance. You were here to become a marine trainer with your skills, and while you would have never considered it before now, you were more than willing to get close to the sirens to learn more about them. You wouldn't think of getting in the water with them willingly right away, but what if you could with time? 

 

 

Maybe even prove they were more than just creatures...more than just beasts.

 

 

"Hey kid, I'm heading to the food prep room, 'kay?" Lisa called out, pulling you from your thoughts. You looked up quickly as you looked over your shoulder. "Yeah, yeah! I'll be there in a sec! Um...who am I working with today?" You weren't quite sure if you were still on schedule to be part of Red's feeding team today, therefore wanted to be sure and mentally prepared to face the tiger shark siren everyone loved so much. 

 

 

Lisa hummed, "I think Jason mentioned something about Erica pulling you aside today for Red, though we'll have to see. I haven't seen Erica today, so she's probably still on the way in." Lisa had a different look about her when she spoke about the senior caretaker over Red's care. 

 

 

Part of you wondered if this Erica person was a little rougher around the edges in comparison to Jason and Lisa. You didn't want to press her for any information on the character you spoke of, however. You wanted to let the woman in question leave the impression herself rather than hear from someone else. "Sounds good, then. I'll be happy to help where I can." 

 

 

Lisa smiled a little and hid her original grim expression. She nodded and she patted the doorway as she took off the other way, her hand waving as she did. "See ya in a bit, kid. Don't be late!" She was teasing as she left, but part of you wanted to take it seriously too. 

 

 

"Wouldn't dream of it!" You chuckled weakly and checked to be sure your Sound Gear was in place around your neck and your radio in a pocket on your shirt. Once you were sure you had everything, you grabbed your stuff once more from the counter where you left it and headed out of the wet room as more people started to filter in.

 

 

As you walked to the food prep room, you were aware of the stares you were receiving as you passed other marine keepers; some were trainers for the dolphins and seals, though others were just normal staff members. They eyed you like you were a spectacle, something odd and unusual, though you couldn't blame them. You were aware of the growing rumors of being a "siren whisperer" who survived one of Blue's attacks, but the rumors were causing a great fuss you didn't need. You were still needing the training for the other two and having such high expectations from rumors was a stress you weren't ready for. 

 

 

You sighed as you entered the prep room, giving a smile and wave to Jason as he was getting Blue's mackerel ready, and then looked to Lisa as she started filling Red's bucket. Much like Blue, he was getting mackerel for breakfast, but you were more than certain that Red's diet didn't have mackerel in it...if at all. Perhaps this was a good time to question your food prep and what exactly they all knew about the siren's diets.

 

 

"Um, Lisa, mind if I ask you something?" You asked softly and leaned against the counter nearby. You could see Jason out of the corner of your eye getting Blue's bucket ready, but he was purposely taking his time. You guessed he was interested in this discussion that was arising. 

 

 

Lisa gave a confirming grunt and looked up for a second as she stopped gutting a few fish and dumping them in the white bucket beside her. You figured that bucket of food was for Skull, and if you were correct, he likely wasn't getting the right diet either, but you weren't sure what it was in that bucket in the first place. You decided to approach them one step at a time. You didn't need to anger the one with the knife after all. 

 

 

"I was just wondering if you knew anything about what our sirens ate?" 

 

"I suppose you do?" Lisa retorted with her eyebrow raised. She put her knife down on the large cutting board as she sat up. Jason seemed to be interested more so as he turned to look over his shoulder at the two of you. 

 

 

You took a deep breath. "I'm not looking to cause a fuss, of course, I was just curious if maybe any irritations the sirens could be experiencing could fall back on what they are being fed," you noted carefully and crossed your arms. 

 

 

Lisa hummed as if considering her thoughts. She shrugged as she whipped her hands off on her towel at her side. "I just cut the fish here, kid. I do whatever management tells me. Though, considering you have experience and knowledge on the subject, care to enlighten me?" She gave you a warm smile in return, meaning she probably wasn't mad and was genuinely curious. 

 

 

You were thankful for that. With a nod and a smile of your own, you continued, "Yeah. Orca sirens like Blue often enjoy chasing prey around like mackerel or other schooling fish. Though Red is a tiger shark siren and much different from normal sharks, he requires something larger and a more single target. If that makes sense." You gave a light shrug. "Shark sirens alike need to keep their teeth sharp and strong, and having large prey to tear into allows them to keep their teeth healthy as well as allow them to fall out when they are growing too big. So we should feed him larger prey like smaller sharks or something similar if not bigger."

 

 

"Ah, guess we should have just let his tooth grow back after that one incident," Lisa chuckled and pointed her gaze at Jason as she put Red's bucket out in front of her.

 

 

You tilted your head and looked at your senior keeper.

 

 

Jason shook his head with a soft laugh. "Well, we weren't aware then, but we are now. She's talking about Red's golden fang," he mentioned and you gave him a look of understanding. 

 

 

"I was wondering how that happened," you muttered and chuckled. 

 

 

"Funny story, see—"

 

 

Lisa was suddenly cut off and the three of you jumped as a caretaker you hadn't met before came barreling through the door. He was heaving, his breath coming out in pants as if he'd just run a mile. His eyes were filled with panic, his body tense and shoulders stiff as he held the doorway and gazed around at the three of you before his eyes fell on you with quickness and determination. "You! Come with me, quickly!"

 

 

"What?" You were taken aback, and Jason stepped forward and held your shoulder almost protectively as an older brother would. 

 

 

"What's the matter, Riley?" Jason asked, his voice now serious and full of concern. 

 

 

"It's Skull, he's out of his enclosure!" The caretaker, Riley, was heaving now as he looked from Jason to you again. He was a younger fella with long skinny legs, shaking in his boots and his shaggy blonde hair was a bit of a mess from him running more than likely. "We need the damn siren whisperer right now. He won't lay off and the risk of someone—"

 

 

"No, he's far too dangerous and she hasn't even got her hands together with Red!" Jason yelled in disagreement with Lisa nodding as well. "She barely got out without any scares yesterday!"

 

 

"If he's out of his enclosure you guys need to evacuate the area and get the tranquilizer—" Lisa began, but you cut her off quicker than she could finish.

 

 

"No!" You shouted and you shot a glare at all three. "No, no tranquilizers! I'll go. If I can somehow be of help I will, but please don't use that stuff on him," you begged though your voice came out with a cold edge. "If something is wrong I'll know what." You then looked at the clock, staring up at it. 

 

 

Why was the time so important...why did it feel—

 

 

It was 5 minutes past normal feeding time for Skull. 

 

 

Shit. 

 

 

"Lisa, finish up with Skulls food quickly and have someone bring it as fast as possible!" You shouted to her and you pushed Riley aside as you asked him to lead the way. 

 

 

Lisa was dumbfounded for a moment, then it seemed to dawn on her why you were being direct about it. "Oh fuck I lost track of time! Alright, alright," she yelled back and she started getting the rest of the fish prepared for Skull's feeding. "Just...be careful kid! He's nothing to fuck around with!" 

 

 

You scowled softly but you knew she was right. Skull was unpredictable and the most unknown siren to you. Though, you knew one thing for sure: Skull had very specific feeding times that had to stay on schedule and you were going to make sure it did. You turned back and ran into the food prep room, a sudden idea and a small solution to the problem in mind. You walked over and pulled a fresh mackerel from Blue's bucket, with Jason yelping and calling out to you in protest as you turned on your heel and headed back out. 

 

 

"Blue will forgive me," you called over your shoulder, "besides, this is payback for yesterday." 

 

 

You held the mackerel under your uniform top and looked at Riley, his panicked eyes filled with fear and confusion, but they were somewhat relieved by your determined gaze as you looked up at the poor, disheveled keeper. 

 

 

"Alright, take me to Skull."

Chapter 10: A Fish for Your Thoughts

Notes:

Holy wow! I never expected so many people to take hold so quickly to this fic! I really feel bad for having to take time off for a bit until I got this chapter out!

I'm so glad you all are enjoying it so far, and I hope that this chapter is worth the wait. I have been struggling to balance a bit of everything but I promise you I will keep trying to get these out as soon as I can. <3 Writers block exists and it sucks the most...

Any who, thank you to everyone who has been supporting this fic, as it absolutely thrills me to know you guys enjoy it so much! Enjoy chapter 10~

You had to admit, you had never run with a live mackerel in your arms before in a rush to feed a ginormous, rampaging, hangry cephalopod siren. Your shift had barely even started and you were already in a rush to calm down one of the most dangerous creatures to exist in that entire aquarium--let alone the world. Your lungs weren't burning thankfully, but you hadn't even had your morning coffee yet to be going through this sort of treatment!

Part of you was shocked, another part excited, and lastly a part terrified of what was to come when it came to the newest addition to New Ebott Aquarium's sirens. Skull was specifically a siren that you weren't supposed to be handling anyway, according to Jason and your boss. You had barely a foot in the door with them, so you weren't exactly sure what you were getting into by throwing yourself into the ring and agreeing to come along with this disheveled keeper named Riley.

Speaking of the keeper you were accompanying in a panicked rush to reach Siren Dock 3, Riley was eyeing you every so often as you ran toward the docking area as if you were just as surprised as the sirens themselves. You wanted to ask him if he was okay since this emergency had him distressed just as much. Perhaps he was just worried you wouldn't be able to help? You couldn't blame him; you were worried you wouldn't be able to help either.

All you knew about the cephalopod siren was his name, his subspecies, and that he had a very time-based schedule when it came to feeding. There was more than just a possibility that he would be violent, a reason for needing tranquilizers to put him down and out, yet you were against that. You would let yourself be fired and tossed on the street before you would allow the staff to use that shit on the sirens ever again--if you could truly help it.

You were hopeful that you could tempt the monstrous creature into his enclosure again with the mackerel you brought. Hey, maybe he would recognize you, too. He was the first siren you met, to be fair, therefore, you had a much greater chance than you gave yourself credit for.

Though, Riley likely didn't know and was more scared for his, yours, and the rest of the staff on Skull's feeding team's safety. You couldn't blame him. This was serious. You took a second to look up at Riley now, seeing his panicked expression and his frantic eyes looking around as crowds started filing away quickly from Siren Dock 3.

"Hey...Riley right?"

The young man looked down at you as you two slowed down, catching your breath while maintaining a fast-paced walk toward the doors up ahead. "Y-Yeah...yeah. You're....you're that siren--"

"(y/n) is fine," you cut him off quickly since you didn't want to be thought of with that nickname, as cool as it was. You were just another caretaker right now; the funny nicknames can wait. "Please, I'm not special, but I will admit I have studied sirens and am very knowledgeable about them."

"Then can you tell me why this one is acting up?" he asked, his voice laced with fear as he stared worriedly down at you.

You knew he was scared, but you needed to try and assure him to not act scared in front of the siren. You grabbed his arm, without even realizing it, the mackerel grasped in your other hand as you held it by the gills. "Riley, I'll be honest, I'm not going to know everything, and Skull seems to be a special case. Though something I can say is don't let them see you be afraid okay?" You gave him a gentle smile as his eyes widened at your words.

"Trust me, it's going to be alright. To answer your question, Skull is more than likely a time-sensitive eater. It's probably due to trauma--"

"They can have trauma?" Riley asked in questionable disbelief as he stared at you. "I...but they're--"

"Not just animals. Not even animals at all, to be frank," you mumbled and gave him a more serious glare. "They are magical beasts that are far smarter than we give them credit for. This may be my second day, but understanding siren behaviors is something I take pride in. Trust me when I say they can experience a lot of things we humans experience." You pulled the mackerel by your side up to show him. "I brought this in hopes to distract Skull and maybe get him back in his enclosure, but I highly doubt it'll be that easy." You sighed softly with a deep breath to follow, "But I'm still confident I can persuade him. He's probably just scared he's not going to get fed and he's lashing out because of that fear. I'll show him he has nothing to worry about and see if he calms down."

"You are talking like you're some Disney princess," Riley scoffed but he didn't seem to disagree with your plan in the slightest. He seemed almost hopeful that you were right.

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," you chuckled light-heartedly to help ease the tension, though it came back in a wave as you approached Siren Dock 3's metal doors. You could hear people on the other side yelling and screaming, as well as roars that made you shutter and your spine tingle down your back and to your toes. You took a shaky deep breath, glancing over at Riley, who had taken a step back from the doors upon hearing the sounds.

You pitied him. He was probably new, just like you, but he wasn't aware of the power behind the creature until now. "Hey," you spoke up, grabbing the boy's attention as you gave a weak and hopeful smile.

Riley huffed softly, exchanging glances between you and the large doors. He heard a slam and he jumped, but seeing you stand there so calmly despite it all seemed to give him back some of his courage. After a moment and a few calming breaths, he nodded.

"It's going to be fine. Let me handle him, and you help the other caretakers get out of the way and out of reach of him, okay?" you spoke softly and watched him closely for his understanding.

Riley took a breath and nodded affirmatively at last. "Gotcha, siren lady."

Seriously.

"But...please be careful too, won't you?"

You seemed a little shocked at first to hear those words from the boy you had hardly met, but perhaps you were wrong to assume they were unexpected. He was worried about his coworker and that was understandable. You smiled warmly and nodded, before reaching up to push on your Sound Gear. "Don't worry about me, okay? I sound crazy and probably am for agreeing to this, but you can trust me to take care of this the best I can." You smiled as you watched him nod and give you a smile in return. Riley put on his own Sound Gear and began setting it up.

You took a second to think to yourself as you put everything in place and turned on your radio to the station for Siren Dock 3. You weren't surprised to hear the cacophony of yelling and orders coming through. You took a deep breath, knowing well what you were about to do...what you were getting into.

There was a chance you would succeed in getting the siren to listen.

There was also a chance you would die in the process.

Let 's  hope for the former.

You quickly turned on your radio, shouting into it as soon as you did to get the attention of the person in charge.

"Hey, this is (y/n) (l/n)--I need a clear and quick answer on the situation of Dock 3!"

"....This is Norman, head keeper. I'm gonna have to ask you to leave this to us ,  kid--"

"Sir, I could give two shits, with all due respect. I studied sirens and I don't have time to go into depth with what I know. This is an emergency. I can help but you have to let me," you growled back into the radio with a stern voice. You weren't one to back talk or raise your tone to a superior unless you had to, but at this moment in time, nothing was more than necessary. This guy could humble himself a moment and let you do the only thing you knew would help...maybe.

There was silence on the radio, and you could still faintly hear muffled, roaring bellows of the siren behind the metal doors of Dock 3 as you impatiently stood there waiting for clearance. "We don't have time to ponder this, Norman," you spoke urgently once more into the radio. "Please. He's late to feeding, that's why he's upset. I got something with me if you just--"

"I got it," Riley spoke through the radio, catching you off guard. He sounded a lot more confident than he did a few minutes ago, but seeing as he took charge and grabbed the doors, you weren't going to wait for answers.

"You are not clear for entry! Riley do not--!" Norman tried to retort, yet you just cut him off once more as if you had never even heard him in the first place.

"Tranquilizers are not permitted in this engagement. Do not, I repeat, do not anger him any further by pulling them out," you sternly commanded, as if you were really in any place to make those demands.

"For fucks sake--shit, get out of the way--!" Norman's voice was cut off as a roar muffled through the sounds of the door and the radio, crackling as the static interrupted the signal.

You took that as your chance to get in. You nodded to Riley as he pushed open the doors, and you rushed past him into the enclosed docking area while he shut them quickly.

You took in the sight around you and it left you stunned for a moment.

...

There was water practically everywhere on the floor from likely vigorous splashing from the tank, and several people were staggering around for cover and safety. Fortunately, from the looks of it, there weren't any fatalities...yet. Though being unable to hear the chaos around you made it all the more concerning and terrifying.

Several staff members were helping each other, arms over shoulders and underneath them as they hoisted one another out of the docking area through emergency doors, their faces scarred with cuts and bruises. Though, some of them looked like they were struggling to stay awake, fighting unconsciousness as they were dragged further away from the rampaging beast at the top of the tank and on the platform.

You wondered if those people had been slammed or thrown around, and that thought left you squeamish as you shook your head. You could worry about them later though. For now, you had to get to Skull.

Looking up at the platform above you could see the massive cephalopod siren at the edge of the tank, his massive frame and skeletal body looming against the platform as he held himself up. The tentacles of his cephalopod half were running along the edge of the tank, flicking and swatting at anything that came into reach. They were grey with dark reds and purples were hidden within the tones of his body, reminiscent of the Pacific giant octopus you had come to expect. All eight of those massive appendages were imposing, intimidating...deadly, and ready to strike.

Now that you could see him without the enclosure to hide him, you had to admit he was likely as large as Blue, if not close to him. You were unsure if you really could convince a creature as big as him to listen or feel persuaded by your offering, but if he remembered you...

You glanced from the corner of your eye to see another man in a wetsuit. You looked at him with what little time you had and determined he was Norman since he was directing people away from the platform stairs and quickly out of reach of Skull's tentacles that swung for the humans running rampant.

You quickly glanced back up at Skull, that big, bulbous red eye you had expected to see, just a mere pinprick in his socket. It was a sight that should have given you nightmares, but you quickly shook off the fear that was climbing your spine and you yelled over your radio now that you were in the mix.

"Norman, make sure everyone is evacuated while I reach the siren. Do not give him a different menu item to eat, okay?"

You could make out the man off to the side of you jerking his head up in your direction, seeing you standing there like some hero from a far-off land, though his gaze was stern and full of conviction. "You can't just come in here and give orders, kid! You're going to get yourself killed if you get anywhere close to that monster!"

You huffed weakly, not needing a reminder of the possibility of death happening, though you took a breath to ignore the feeling. "Look, give me a chance. Whatever happens just leave me to the siren, okay? I got this." You didn't give the man a second to respond, seeing as he was looking at you now with more concern and fearful worry as you quickly made your way to the platform stairs.

Just as you went to take a step, you ducked your head with swiftness and cat-like reflexes you wish you had yesterday. One of Skull's many tentacles swooped aimlessly right over your head to crash against the platform stairs around you, effectively blocking you from leaving again if you tried. Not that you wanted to; you had a job to do after all. You climbed the stairs quickly, huffing as you tried not to look back and you dodged the numerous other tentacles that moved around you. It was a frightening sight without sound, though the horrendous yelling from the superior of this dock was something you'd rather not be listening to in your last moments.

You stopped suddenly as you heard cries for help over your radio, and your eyes quickly darted to the owner of said cries. You gasped at the sight of one of the staff, one you obviously had never met yet still felt fear for, in Skull's grasp. Skull had a firm grip on his leg, pulling him and almost hoisting him up just by the limb alone. He had been unlucky enough to stray too close and get caught, but you didn't have time to sit there and just watch.

"Shit! Help me!" the screams erupted from the radio in your earpiece, throwing you into a feeling of dread for what would happen to him if you didn't act. You could just barely make out the fear in his expression as he continued to yell and beg for someone to do something.

You'd be that someone, Stars be damned if you were going to let him be eaten alive by the hangry siren who was likely more upset than anything that he never got food in the first place. He was just following his instincts...more or less.

You looked around frantically for something, anything to distract Skull from the man he was holding by a leg as he dragged him closer, and his tentacles threateningly swarmed him. You cursed yourself and decided you'd use the oldest trick in the book for getting the attention you deserved from the siren.

You lifted your index and thumb to your lips, hoping to the angel that it'd work, considering you wouldn't be able to hear it yourself. With a determined gaze and your other hand gripping tightly to the now dead mackerel, you exhaled swiftly with a firm breath into your fingers.

Though you couldn't hear it and the deafening silence was enough to concern you whether it truly made any sound at all, the whistle you released was piercing, ripping through the air as if it were a shrilling bullet.

You watched anxiously as Skull immediately halted, caught off by the high-pitched noise as his tentacles ceased their movements, and his head snapped upward. His sockets turned in your direction, that pinprick of an eye light burning into your orbs as you fell into his sight.

You shuddered, unable to move now that you were in view and your form frozen in place there on the stairwell leading up to the metal platform. You admitted now just how terrifying he appeared; that eye light you had only known to be large from your first interaction was now nothing but a small point of light in the abyss of his socket. Yet, now that he was looking at you and seemingly only you, you could make out the other parts of him you hadn't been able to see.

One thing that stuck out like a sore thumb made your chest tighten, your stomach ache and your body tense, yet not out of fear. It was more out of pity; you stared at the large gaping hole on the left side of the monstrous siren's skull, jagged and abused from whatever could have caused it. It was clear now why they called him "Skull" in the first place...

You were almost struck out of your stiff daze at the mere thought the creature received the head injury from being here at the aquarium.

Yet, you didn't have time to question how or when he received the injury as Skull was eyeing you ever so carefully, his body stiff and grasp still on the man's leg as he cried for someone to help him, his mantra of "I don't want to die" ringing through the radio between crackling static. Skull ignored the man completely despite his iron grip on him, the siren's eyes trained on your form standing on the stairs, frozen stiff in his near presence. His single eye light contracted and grew sporadically, similar to the aperture of a camera lens, taking you in with an expression keen to observant and curious.

You were unsure whether to move or to stay put. You wanted to respect the beast's space, yet you needed to get closer; there was still danger in letting him be so comfortable as to withhold a keeper in his hands as he did now. You wondered if maybe showing off the mackerel you brought would be enough to ensure you weren't there to cause trouble for him...more so just soothe his hunger pains he must have been having. After all, you seriously didn't need him feasting on human flesh right now.

You needed him to trust you, to know you weren't going to take his food away and that he was going to be cared for. You knew from the little information that you read about from the night prior that he was food aggressive and relied on his schedule intently, but you wanted him to know you weren't like the other keepers that seemed to have failed him this time. You took a deep breath, looking around at the human eyes that watched you below the platform and away from the stairs in the safety of the untouchable zones. They were panicked, fearful, and still so hopeful you would save them from this nightmare.

You slowly lifted your empty hand, seeing Skull's eye follow your hand up to your Sound Gear. You swallowed thickly but smiled as you gently pushed the headphones off your head and around your neck, hearing cries from the senior keeper of Skull's team demanding you do the opposite. You ignored him and turned the damn thing off, almost as an act of spite to the keeper or true trust toward the creature half out of the water against the platform.

"Hey there, big guy. Been a sec, hasn't it? I brought you something."

Skull lifted his head, tilting it slightly as his eye focused on you and slowly drifted down your body as if he were sizing you up for breakfast. The thought and the sheer gaze he was giving made you shudder, only a little before you lifted your arm. You watched the siren shift a bit, leaning forward and lifting his large head for his eye light to focus on what you had in your opposing hand. Fortunately, seeing as you brought him something he was familiar with, his sockets widened as did his blood-red eye light.

"I heard you were hungry," you chuckled, careful with your words as you lifted the mackerel a bit higher for him to see. "I'm sorry I am late to feeding you. I hope this will tide you over until we get the rest of your food?" You were doing it again, talking to the sirens as if they understood you. Though, at this point, you were more than willing to just say "Yes, they do understand me" considering your current situation and Blue's impression. Fuck, if you were secretly a siren-whisperer, so be it now!

Skull eyed the fish--unprepared like his normal routine feedings--then looked back at you, then the fish once more. You noticed a thick, red tongue slither out of his maw, grazing against his large fangs as he licked his lipless chops. You noted its color and its "glowing" appearance. It was odd, yet, interesting; for a skeleton siren, it was odd seeing an appendage like that--though they were "magical" in a sense and had souls, after all. Could it be due to that same magic, you wondered?

The large cephalopod siren seemed eager in your offering, as he slowly let go of the man in his grasp, his eyes never leaving yours for a second. He didn't even look twice when the man cried out and scrambled away off the platform, almost bumping into you and pushing you over in his sloppy escape. Though, he did seem a little irate as a low rumbling growl caused the metal platform and stairs to shake just barely beneath you. You weren't sure if it was because the man he let escape almost cost the mackerel you nearly dropped or if it was because you were shoved aside, but you believed the former more easily.

You regained your stance and looked over your shoulder as the other keepers were evacuated at Norman's orders. It was slightly off-putting now that you could hear their loud voices in the air rather than through your radio. The earmuffs on their heads from the Sound Gear were not helping.

Skull glanced at the emptying station, seeing humans scrambling for purchase on the slippery floor as they crowded and squirmed through the large doors outside his enclosure room. He cared less for them, but seeing as you weren't focused on him with the gift you brought, he made it apparent to remind you.

You felt the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end at the deep guttural growl that broke through the excitement around you. Your eyes flicked back with a jerk of your head to the siren again, your eyes wide. The look on Skull's face was dangerous, his singular glowing eye light on your figure, before narrowing his sockets at your peace offering. The growl seemed to reverb to a softer sound, as that fierce sharp grin he wore seemed to curl at the corners. You followed his gaze with a thick swallow, lifting the mackerel and smiling carefully but gingerly with the tone of your voice to match.

"Yeah, I got distracted. Let me feed ya," you spoke with moderate confidence. "You've waited plenty enough."

Skull seemed to agree with your words in his way, his tongue lathering his teeth in saliva as he gave a rumbling sound from deep in his chest. The sight made you squirm momentarily. To your surprise, he didn't make any moves toward you but rather relaxed minutely against the platform as he retracted his exploring, powerful tentacles. The appendages slowly slunk back to his enclosure, yet a few remained outside the tank as he rested his forearms on the metal grating of the feeding platform.

You were surprised he wasn't just going after you for the mackerel in sheer hunger. He...was hungry wasn't he? You opened your mouth as if you were about to ask that, then closed it with the reminder of the creature and the impossibility of a response. You took a deep breath, deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth—or siren for this matter—and climbed the platform stairs until you reached the top. While you wanted to know why his behavior was so different than the previous, you refrained from documenting this finding rather than delaying this window further while Skull was suddenly cooperative.

Skull watched your approach with a keen and unwavering stare, that eye light bright with unknown intention outside of a pure desire to feed. His clawed phalanges, dusted ashen gray and a mix of copper red at the tips, slowly scraped the platform beneath him as you approached. You were slow...too slow.

Though he was patient. You'd brought him something—no, not just something. Food. Food for him. From you.

You smiled gently as you stopped just arm's length from the siren, before kneeling and tossing the now-dead fish onto the floor in front of him. "Here ya go, eat up. There's more to come, but—"

Your voice trailed off as you just watched the siren gaze thoughtfully at the fish you tossed to him with care. You could see the eye light flick over it with curiosity. Was he wary because you brought it in unprepared, unlike like the rest of his meals? Was he questioning you now? Fuck, you hope not.

You were so close to such a siren that likely never even came out of hiding...a siren who was just as dangerous as the other two. He was supposed the hardest to care for with his behaviors and his tight eating schedule. He was intelligent too if his subspecies had anything to do with it. He was unpredictable—as documented on paper—yet the way he looked at the mackerel you presented him...it seemed he was more surprised and relaxed.

But he didn't eat it. Didn't even move to pick it up in those massive jaws or claws of his.

You huffed in quiet disbelief. "It's yours. You can have it," you spoke up reassuringly to the creature.

Skull tilted his head as his eye light glanced up at you. His original strict grin was laxer than when he was rampaging before you arrived.

You weren't sure what he was trying to say, what he was wanting to tell you yet couldn't. Was he even interested in it? You eyed the dead fish and then the siren again before taking a deep breath. You slowly approached the fish again and picked it up in your hands. You lifted it to your chest level and slowly walked closer.

Skull's sockets widened for a moment, then lidded as you got closer. His grin wasn't as tight and his boney shoulders relaxed as he allowed you to come closer...

...and closer.

Until you finally were practically standing in his shadow. You were sweating, understandably so. You were trying not to get this close. Even if he wasn't giving aggressive signals, he was still dangerous this close without your sound gear. You felt your muscles stiffen as he looked at you with that red eye light as if he were staring into your entire being. He could easily bite your arm off in one chomp. He'd be fast enough. He could lure you into the water, drown you.

He very well could strangle you with all those tentacles.

But he didn't. He just watched you with that same curious expression, his head tilting slowly as familiar rumblings and deep-chested trills held your attention.

You took a deep breath, not missing a beat with how he watched your chest rise and fall with said breath. You bit your lip as your eyes darted to the fish in your hands and then up at that hungry eye light. "I don't believe it's the protocol to hand feed you, but seeing as you wouldn't take it earlier—"

Your breath caught in your throat with a choke.

Skull slowly leaned down, his eye light watching you intently as he pressed his skull closer to your face. You could feel and shudder at the heated breath that exhaled from his nasal cavity and against the exposed skin in your cheeks.

Yep, nope, I'm dead. I walked right into it too. Siren food, that's all I am. Why did I think this was a good idea again?!

You felt your heart hammering in your chest. This wasn't anything like Blue's encounter, where he was playful and expressive with his exploration. Skull, on the other hand, was slow but deliberate, his movements were careful as he pressed the side of his head against yours. You remained perfectly still, your heart in your throat. You were scared, admittedly, though this behavior was just so different than what you had been expecting from him.

Why the fuck was he taking so damn long to take this fish?!

You gasped as you felt him brush his skull against your neck. It wasn't gentle, but it wasn't rough, the movement almost knocking you over if you hadn't caught yourself with shifting feet. You could feel the bone of his nasal ridge pressing carefully against the skin beneath your ear, against the underside of your jaw. Your face blushed lightly at the awkward exchange, and what you assumed was him nuzzling you. Was he thanking you? That's kinda cute.

You didn't get to finish your thoughts as your shuddered at the sudden intake of breath, hearing him rumble a soft growl as he loomed over you. It made your skin crawl and your spine tingle.

He was smelling you.

That made you tense and feel...a lot different than you anticipated. Why was he smelling you? You wanted to dive into the knowledge bank of your studies from college to understand the action, but we're pulled from your thoughts once more. You bit your inner cheek as he breathed heavily against your hair, grinning before pulling away slowly to lower his head to your hands. You watched him carefully, still and lips stretched in a line as he nuzzled his large sharp teeth against the dead fish extended in your hands.

You took a shaky breath as he ever so delicately and gently moved his teeth around the fish, careful to avoid your small hands and fingers. You didn't pull away in fear of him recognizing your fear and lashing out from it out of shock. You took a deep breath, watching the siren lift his head, taking the fish with it. You felt your heart still in your throat, thumping hard in your ribcage as you stood bewildered and stunned.

Skull's eye light never left your gaze, even as he gingerly pulled the mackerel past his teeth and into the void of his jaws. You could just barely make out the dark abyss behind those fangs and how his tongue practically circled the fish he was provided before closing them again.

You were expecting him to just...eat the thing, but he looked like he was savoring it and taking his time. You were wide-eyed as you watched him relax just a bit more into the pool of water beneath his lower, octopus half. He had a content grin on his skull as he lowered his head again to acknowledge you.

You felt your eyes meet him, sighing softly in quiet relief that you were still alive, though you weren't out of the deep end yet. "Well, that should tide you over until your actual food gets here," you chuckled softly and shrugged with a rub on the back of your neck.

Skull rumbled softly, tilting his head as he watched your movements with a now slightly hazy eye light as if thinking.

You hummed and dropped your hands to your sides fists gently balled before you patted your sides in uncertainty. Could you simply walk away now? Would he even let you?

"Welp! Um, I gotta get back to my station," you chuckled weakly but tried not to let your uneasiness slip past your façade. "Sorry, you had to wait--" You were cut off as you heard the beast rumble deeply, his face nearly against yours once more as you stiffened at the proximity.

Skull grunted softly, that default grin of his, unlike Blue's rather comfortable and gentle one, was sharp and curling a the edges, yet the look he spared you was softer in comparison. You watched him gently lift a phalange, his claw angled pointedly at you for a moment.

You felt your chest tighten, your heart stilling as you held your breath.

Skull waited a moment, watching you curiously, cautiously, before pressing his boney claw against your name tag.

You watched the motion, feeling a sense of familiarity in it.

Of course.

This was what you had shown him the first time you "met."

"(Y/N)," you spoke softly, your eyes wide with newfound surprise and excitement as you spoke your name on the tag to him, his claw remaining there for a moment.

He then lifted that claw up and against the valley between your breasts, his eyes locked with yours as you spoke your name again for him. He gently tapped that sharp-tipped phalange against your chest.

"Yeah...yeah that's me..."

You could only stare as he pulled away gracefully, his tentacles pulling themselves back into the dark abyss of his pool before he submerged himself almost completely. All you saw, before he disappeared beneath the surface, was that gorging red eye light in his socket.

...

...

You couldn't find your words as you slowly descended the staircase of the platform, now that the siren had returned himself to his den beneath the waters. You carefully crossed the threshold to the double metal doors, pushing them open as you stepped out to the several staring faces and hollering voices that were talking about so many different things you could barely understand them.

Not that you were trying.

You were too busy thinking about what you just experienced at the end there.

...

Could....could Skull read?

 

Chapter 11: Facing the Facts

Notes:

Hello everyone! I'm super sorry this took months to update, but I promise I thought often of it and did not forget or abandon this. I needed some time to recapture my motivation for a short time and write as it was there, but I am also doing a lot of art as well and it's hard to balance both those creative processes at the same time! To everyone who has been waiting so patiently for an update, thank you so much and I hope this chapter is at least filling until the next one. I will try not to keep you waiting as much as have before, but please stick with me as I trudge these difficulties!

In the mean time, please please please go read the fic that inspired this one, Tilikum by @llamagoddess! I also recommend this fic to anyone who prefers sfw over nsfw, as I write adult content (a lot for personal enjoyment lol. What can I say, I'm a simp for monsters)

Currently i am working on art commissions at this time, but I am active on my socials via Tumblr and Twitter. If you'd like to keep up with me and the story or if you have questions you'd like to ask there than leave in the comments, you're more than welcome to check me out here! https://www.tumblr.com/blog/caycanteven or @caycanteven

Without further interruption, we shall return you to your along awaited chapter~

It felt like hours until you were able to have time and space to breathe. You desperately needed something, anything to ease the stress out of your tense shoulders. Seeing as you had a growing headache from the constant noise of your co-keepers—who were just begging for answers, you would have cared less if they got any by the end of the day.

You didn't want to share anything of what you experienced. You didn't need any more people treating you any differently, yet that likely would happen even with your discouragement. It was cool, being special ...but you could only handle so much and the expectations were coming down hard, you just knew it.

Yesterday it was funny, dare you say thrilling.

Today, after that fiasco, you were certain everyone was going to start calling you the siren whisperer constantly , or better yet, siren lady . You didn't mind when Jason called you that, and you could forgive Riley for the slip-ups, but to hear that from everyone? It would get annoying too quickly.

Weren't you just saying yesterday how it would "boost your ego"? Lift your self-esteem ? Where that confidence went, you weren't quite sure.

Perhaps, you just got reality checked by your new job.

You were starting to go back on your confident demeanor before now, considering how people acted when you came out of Skull's enclosure.

You were able to separate yourself from the crowd thanks to Jason and Lisa. They had gone into the enclosure area with Norman to continue Skull's normal feeding routine and to their luck, he acted just as he would on a normal day: hiding in his hole away from the surface of his tank. When they returned, they immediately noticed you. The look on your face must have been enough to tell them you were being smothered to the point of discomfort since they immediately directed people to move along and get back to work. Jason was able to guide you by the shoulder and away from the rest of the suffocating staff, who just wouldn't stop throwing questions, and asking you why you weren't dead. You could hear the bewilderment and the undertone of hostility in their words, making you feel guilty for simply succeeding.

You'd be lying if you said you didn't feel guilty.

You had a decent understanding of why; these were some of Norman's team after all...they were there when the accident happened a month ago. They were some of the colder, more stone-faced crew members and justifiably so. They'd seen their colleagues die one by one...

And you came out with not even a damn scratch on you.

You would always admit you were grateful to be alive and in the good graces of not one, but two sirens so far. Blue had given you a short scare by dragging you into the water yesterday, but he proved to be rather curious and just...looking for company, perhaps? Skull was equally observant, but he was carefully aware of his strength and didn't harm you whatsoever when he touched you; even ate the mackerel you brought and took his time. Not to mention he associated your name tag with your appearance. It left you wondering if he could read... understand. You need to know more, see more.

But you couldn't, not now anyways.

Those around you likely commented under their breaths on how you were simply lucky this time. There was a possibility they would consider you to be showing off; that alone made your stomach twist with uneasiness. Even if that wasn't your intention in the first place, even if you were just trying to help, people were cruel like that—no matter how hard you'd try to prove them wrong. You knew for certain everyone wasn't going to let it down that you handled not one, but two of the most dangerous sirens exhibited in the aquarium.

Siren whisperer.

It was cool at first and gave you a good laugh. You played along with it happily, but you didn't quite know how to feel about that title being tossed around with a negative aftertaste. You weren't helping as much as you were unintentionally shoving into the other keeper's faces that you were an exception compared to them. You weren't killed by the sirens like many of their late colleagues.

And now that the situation was handled...you started to question if your approach was... respectable . You practically disobeyed—with good intentions in mind—another senior keeper and acted like you were better and more qualified. A know-it-all all as some people may call it. A smartass for the more rougher individuals.

At least that's what it started to feel like the more you recalled the memory.

Your headache was worsening slightly at your overthinking. You didn't often let your thoughts get away from you like this. Yet hearing all those other staff and the looks they were giving you left you unsure of yourself. You wanted to be a part of the team, not rejected because of the unknown connection you had with the beasts.

You closed your eyes, grounding yourself. You took a deep breath, gathering and reminding yourself why you were here again. You studied sirens, you're qualified to be here. You needed to use the knowledge you had to help your teammates, not make them turn on you. It certainly was better than being a janitor; you could deal with the negativity for a little while until things calmed down. You had a job to do that was dedicated to both the safety of the people you worked with and the sirens, too.

They would be mistreated due to ignorance, and you couldn't let that continue. So what if you had to bear a few extra responsibilities? You were a siren caretaker. You needed— no , wanted to do this.

The memory of the two sirens, despite the initial shock, made you smile. There was so much more to them and you were going to do everything you could to learn. There was still that same question you had as soon as you left Skull's area.

The cephalopod siren had definitely recognized you, though to what extent? He had tapped your name tag ever so carefully; the same gesture he had when you met him two nights ago, tapping against the glass. You were eager to believe he had read your name the first time and remembered it. The assumption was so out of the water—no pun intended—that you weren't quite sure you could consider it the reason. You had so many questions without answers--

"Hey kid, you doin' aight? You haven't said anything for a bit."

You snapped your head up, your eyes finding Lisa there with a gentle, yet tense smile. You sighed as you offered a smile in return, before sitting back against the wall and putting your hands in your lap. You didn't think twice about telling her what happened, but only the parts you knew were necessary. "Yeah, I'm alright. Wasn't expecting a crowd when I got done."

"You should have."

You couldn't help the light-hearted jab your co-worker made, making you huff with laughter for a moment as you considered the crowd that was now dispersing at Jason's encouragement. You sighed, then returned your gaze to the food prep.

"You were crazy to go in there like that, you know? You could have been killed," she scolded quietly, kneeling next to you as she reached out and held your shoulder. Lisa sighed, looking at the crowd of people who were casually glancing back at you and her, yet she just gave them a glower to turn them away.

"I understand, Lisa, but what other choices did we have—that weren't tranquilizers? I told you I wasn't going to allow it to happen. It's dangerous and unhealthy for them," you defended, a lift of your hands to gesture openly with your words. "You're right; I could have died. Though, if I didn't try...a lot more people could have died as well." You sucked in a breath, catching Lisa's solemn gaze that hung on the edge of understanding and disapproval of your "heroic" action.

Lisa sighed in near defeat. She slowly lowered down and sat beside you, her forearms on her knees as she looked up at the ceiling. She hummed quietly for a moment in thought, before leaning back against the wall, nodding slowly. "You're smart and very selfless, (y/n), and the aquarium could use more of...you."

You hoped she would stop there, but you were disappointed as she continued.

"That's why I'm worried about you, and your already growing record of getting close to these creatures. It's only your second day and you somehow managed to relatively tame our two toughest sirens in the entire facility." Lisa sighed as she ran a hand over her head, unsure what to say or how to say what she wanted. "You can believe they trust you all you want, but this could easily be a new tactic for them to attack. They are no doubt smart, but you should never underestimate wild animals...you know better."

You bit the inside of your cheek to keep from retorting disapprovingly at her remark. They aren't just ordinary animals. You hated hearing that, you really did. Animals didn't show expressions so clearly, or have this level of understanding like Skull had with you, or how Blue waved like humans did in greeting.

No, there was so much more than animals there. They were magical monsters with something humans just couldn't understand, even if they ever tried to dissect a siren to see its soul , they would never in a thousand years find the answers they sought.

The image that conjured in your head made you sick. You refocused on Lisa as a distraction, simply nodding in false understanding. You didn't appreciate being scolded like this, but you would push through just so you could get that coffee eventually.

Besides...you were still quietly appreciating your up-close experience with Skull in the meantime, now that the tension had eased.

"We can't bear to lose you," Lisa muttered at last, after what seemed like forever of waiting to hear her speak again. "I don't want to lose ya. Two days around you, and I like ya, truly. You're special, no doubt, but I too want better for those creatures," she told you softly. "We can't meet that goal if you get gobbled up before the end of the week."

You smiled weakly, trying to appreciate the joking mannerism of her comment. You sighed as you gave a nod and looked back to the doors. As much as you wanted to tell yourself how wrong she was...there was truth to her words. Not to mention you were getting a bit ahead of yourself in just two days of working at the aquarium. You wanted to tell her how he acted, how the cephalopod siren was so gentle, so appreciative, and how careful he was; how he acted so out of character for a hungry, food-aggressive siren.

But you didn't. You'd keep that to yourself.

You sighed and gave her an apologetic smile. "You're right. I need to be a bit more careful," you told her sufficiently. You were rewarded with a nod from Lisa as she smiled back.

"Yes, you should." She sighed and patted your shoulder reassuringly, "Come on, let's get going. I'm sure boss will wanna talk about this and give you your bracelet."

You paused mid-stretch when you heard it. "Bracelet?" Your heart fluttered.

Lisa huffed and chuckled, "What? You think you're not gonna be allowed to help with Skull's feeding? After that whole ordeal?"

You shrugged and tilted your head from side to side. "Kinda? I did disobey orders from Norman, and he is the senior keeper over Skull." You still felt a bit guilty for being so harsh, though you blamed it on nerves and fear for everyone and the siren. Still, you should probably apologize—no, you needed to. It was disrespectful of you to act so bold toward the guy; he'd been through enough and was just doing what he could...

Lisa scoffed and waved her hand. "Don't worry 'bout him. If I told ya he was impressed and thankful you were there, would ya believe me?" Lisa smirked with a raised brow.

You huffed and smiled a little. "Not a chance."

But that comment did make you feel a bit better about the impending conversation.

She laughed at your words and gave a nod, "Me neither. That guy's strict but he means well..."
You could see Lisa's face seem to lose its amusement, a sorrowful and distant look replacing it. You didn't have to think hard about just what she was thinking about, but you weren't going to mention it. Lisa then smiled again as she gave a playful tap to your upper arm. "But I promise you, he was thankful you were able to save his team. Now let's go, we have a staff meeting in a few to discuss this...shebang and whatnot and where you'll be going next."

You stood up quickly and kept close to the food prep's side, awkwardly striding beside her with your eyes on the floor. You couldn't handle looking at the gawking faces as you passed other caretakers, their whispers haunting.

You sighed and decided to keep your eyes down and ears on your teammate's voice.

Lisa looked down at you and hummed softly, "You sure you're okay?"

You nodded without a second thought. "Yep, just tense still, I think." You looked toward a room with an open door, and several voices coming from within. You recognized Jason's and your boss's. You could just barely make out Norman's gruff attitude, but he was relatively quiet.

Then there was a harsher voice, more feminine yet stern and intimidating with its sound alone.

You couldn't help the growing worry in your chest.

"Guess everyone's here for it. Good, that will make meeting the other faces of our care team easier," Lisa piped up. She gave you a nudge. "Remember, take criticism with a grain of salt but pay attention and continue to listen. We are all here to do our part and care for the sirens. Okay?"

You gave your coworker a nod and you looked back to the door. You took a deep breath before following Lisa in. "Right."

As you followed behind Lisa, it didn't seem like the others took notice of your presence right away. You were able to sneak in and find a place to sit for the time being, watching quietly as Jason and Norman discussed something you weren't able to completely hear. Your boss was in earshot of them, but he wasn't partaking in the discussion as often, likely listening to their conversation and taking mental notes at best. However, a  pair of dark, dark eyes were watching you intently as you made yourself at home in your seat.

The woman, hardy and rough in appearance with scars lining her arms and browbone especially, was staring at you with a heated, narrow gaze. You felt yourself shivering as you started to sink into your seat. She had her hair tied back into a ponytail, the sides shaven down. There was a single braid in her strands, arms crossed against her chest.

She was wearing a red roped bracelet, and you started to piece it together on who this person was.

"Erica."

You snapped your head to the head manager as he approached her, and at last, her gaze was pulled off you and focused on him. They began talking, and you felt your shoulders relax.

So, that was Erica, the senior keeper for Red? Well, you started to feel your chances of getting on her good side were dwindling. Fast. She was more intimidating than anyone you'd met, even the sirens...

She hadn't even spoken to you directly, and you felt like you were being scolded like a child beneath her glare.

You noticed Jason and Norman looking your way now and gave them a sheepish smile, wondering if you should approach Norman now to apologize. You decided to act on that though and you got up, taking your chance.

"...uh, hey guys," you spoke, trying to be relaxed with your words but you felt you were being too relaxed with your approach. You weren't given a chance to correct yourself as Norman snorted and turned to face you.

"What you did was fucking stupid, kid." His tone was stern, as expected.

You felt your heart sink with guilt. You hoped Lisa was right about what she said earlier.

"...yeah. Yeah I know," you admitted and you sighed deeply, an arm at your side as your other hand rubbed against it nervously. You looked to the side to think carefully over your next words. "I was coming over to apologize for how I acted."

Norman raised his eyebrow, yet his wrinkles were tight on his features.

"I shouldn't have acted out in the manner I portrayed this morning. I performed out of my station and voiced it as much in comparison to your own, something you take pride in and worked just as long for. It was disrespectful, but it was just as insensitive of me."

You could see him tense, but, as you continued, his eyes and his appearance softened.

"We were both scared and worried for everyone. I should have listened to you instead of--"

"Stop."

You hesitated in surprise as Norman spoke up. You could see Jason smiling gently. It made you unsure yet...you felt it was a good sign.

"Look," he sighed tiredly and ran his hand through his hair, "while I was a bit disgruntled over the situation, I won't say that I could have done better. You were stupid jumping in there like that but...I also am thankful."

You looked up with your eyes widening ever so slightly.

"You handled the situation in a way you thought was necessary and in the heat of the moment, you did what you could in the little time you had. You knew what to do,  yes, and while I am a Senior head keeper," he sighed and gave you a warm, forgiving smile, " that never means I don't have room to learn or let someone help me either. Take it from me kid, I'm really glad you came in time. I don't know what I would have done if someone were to..."

You smiled at him and nodded, hoping to keep him from reliving those memories at this moment. "Don't worry," you whispered. "I will try to be better about uh... not overstepping, but I will always put the safety of us and the sirens first."

Norman appreciated your redirection and smiled. He nodded and he held out his hand. "I think we can start our introductions over, yes?"

You chuckled softly and nodded, before giving him your hand and taking the calloused handshake. "I'm (y/n), the rookie siren caretaker."

"I'm Norman, Senior keeper for Skull. It's great to have you on the team, and I'll be looking forward to working with you. Though, this doesn't mean I won't be keeping you in line, either."

You felt your heart swim with joy and excitement.

However, that feeling was quelled when the boss cleared his throat to grab each keeper's attention.

"Shall we quickly go over everything before we start our day, or will we continue to take up each other's time with side talk?"

You bit your lip and quickly found your seat between Jason and Norman for the moment. You held your hands in your lap, fingers squeezing together as they intertwined. You took a soft yet deep breath, reminding yourself to relax. You weren't being fired, that much was certain.

Neil cleared his throat once more as he adjusted his tie. He stood front and center of the medium-sized, rectangular table, attention on him as he gave a tense smile to his team leaders...and yourself. "Now, I'm more than aware of what has occurred this morning. I would like to first thank you for handling that as soon as possible, Norman and (y/n). While it was unexpected of you and highly dangerous, your attention to the feeding schedule as provided in our spreadsheets was what allowed for quickly calming and returning Skull to his enclosure without fatality."

You swallowed thickly, knowing the last portion was directed at you. You nodded and smiled appropriately, keeping your mouth shut.

"Still doesn't explain how she managed to handle the beast without injury. The footage we've been able to see up to this point doesn't explain a damn thing."

Erica. She did not remain quiet on this, and that made your heart race with fear.

...wait, she said footage. Of course, there would be cameras, but is that footage for everyone? You didn't want people to know what happened, especially not--

"Erica, please," Neil said sternly, expression flat as he huffed in disapproval. "While I am aware you have your personal experiences while working with our sirens, I don't appreciate your direct approach to this discussion. Though, since you have brought it to light," he grunted and gave everyone a serious glare around the table, "The footage remains within this circle of our team and will not be shared. Doing so will result in termination. Therefore, we will discuss this privately the best we can. Best we do not lose a potential, special employee."

You were thankful, yet you felt your brow slightly sweat. You did not need that kind of attention, you just didn't want others to see it for themselves and have their words proved right all the more.

Erica scowled as she leaned back in her chair, arms across her chest like the first time you'd seen her. "I'm just pointing out the facts. She received zero injuries where many of us, past and future, would have been scratched, bitten, or even eaten. "

Norman stiffened.

Lisa nearly spoke up, but it was Jason who decided to speak next. "We all know sirens aren't your ordinary creature. We all have seen and interacted with them plenty enough to know they have some comprehension. We should remind ourselves of that before we start assuming what they would have done."

"It's not assuming if it's happened," Erica spat, brow furrowed as she barely moved an inch from her posture.

"Enough!" Your boss raised, his hands on his hips. "I will say this: we learn from this situation and we move on and never speak of it again until we are so far along, that we laugh about it. Capiche?"

Several murmurs circled between team members while your lips remained shut and your eyes were on the table.

Neil sighed, relaxing his shoulders as he looked toward you. "Again, thank you for your quick intervention and knowledge on our schedules for feedings. I'm sure this will not happen again, and I think it will do us all some good to have a refresher on said schedules." He watched his team leaders gripe under their breath but he disregarded them. "You were not harmed in the interaction, correct?"

You nodded, "no, I was not. Skull acted out of character, I admit," you told, knowing you couldn't hide it now seeing as he had footage of you and Skull. "However, I think it was a good thing. He seemed far more docile, though observant and still cautious, as expected of him." You could feel eyes all around perceiving your explanation, and no one's eyes were burning into you more than Erica's at that very moment. "I believe he associates the lack of food or missed feeding as a form of punishment. I noticed that on some occasions the sirens are not fed if they act out."

Neil raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowed as his brows furrowed. "Yes. We find that this method has been beneficial with us handling them."

You wanted to tell him how wrong he was, how awful this treatment for them could be, and that this was likely the reason for their outbursts, among many other reasons.

Yet, you were quiet and only gave a curt nod and a fake smile of understanding. "I understand. I'd like to research more into their behaviors in captivity to help us find ways to contain their 'tantrums,’ you can say, if that is alright?" Your approach was still risky, but you wanted him to see that you were willing to explore them without interrupting their current methods for the sake of continuing to work with them.

You could see the three other caretakers smile while Erica, out of the corner of your eye, sneered.

"What makes you viable for such a thing? We are not a research group, we leave that to our scientists and other professionals. If you wanted to research you should have signed up with them instead. Here, we feed them, show them off, take care of them and that is that. Don't get ahead of yourself, kid ."

The way she said that little nickname made your stomach turn and your temper simmer ever so slightly, but you reminded yourself you needed to persist past her disapproval. Instead, you smiled gently and redirected your attention to Neil.

"Forgive me, I meant it more as in to help us learn how to care for them. Caring is part of our job, so why should we disregard the fundamentals and necessities they deserve? I'm here for the sirens and for you all. We can learn together what it takes to give them a bit of happiness here in our care."

You noticed Neil's lips curl upward slightly at your words. Keep going, (y/n), keep him hooked.

"We are a team and these creatures depend on us. Let's learn from them so we can help them more and present them better to our public. Besides, a happy, more active siren brings more guests, more guests means more revenue and potential for success." Boom, drop the money card for line and sinker. While you could care less for what the aquarium's profit looked like, you knew this would get Neil on your side. Then, you could make a difference, at least, you hoped.

You couldn't do this alone. "I know I'm new and two days into the job, but I want to be here and working with you all and the sirens. I came with the knowledge, so let me share it so we can do it together."

Neil chuckled, "I believe we can learn a lot from our recruit," he smirked. He nudged Erica's tense shoulders, making her stiffen more and fume internally. She stood up as she excused herself without another word heard or spoken.

Jason and Lisa exchanged glances, while Norman simply retained his serious composure.

"I'm for the kid's employment here. I may have a tough job, but that job has plenty for me to learn," Norman commented.

Jason agreed, "I think we shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. She's got some weird talent, sure, but that's a talent we could use around here for the care and safety of everyone."

Lisa simply smiled at you, a thumbs up on the table as she nodded her head.

You felt your heart rise with hope. With determination.

Neil nodded in agreement. "I'm sure Erica will come around once you have the floor with her," he told you as he reached into his pocket and pulled from within a black bracelet similar to the blue one you received. "But as of now, we have a majority who believe in you. So, (y/n)," he said and he held out the bracelet to you, smiling.

"Don't let us down."

Chapter 12: Gift Shops and Grate Talk

Notes:

I promised I wasn't dead, just very very...creatively challenged and creatively spent on a lot at once!

I won't keep you too long but please know, all of you, how grateful I am to know you stuck around and were so patient with me. I have heard a lot about how you guys love this and it makes me happy, cause I admit how hard it is to stay motivated or keep up with a story...but I do love this one and I want to keep it going!

Please enjoy this chapter (sorry it's shorter than usual) and hopefully more will follow soon! I'm also working on another side project that you'll see soon! More Monster Loving inbound <3

You decided to remain a little longer after the meeting concluded. Anxiety persisted on the surface, but overall, you felt more confidence in yourself after what you'd gone through. The remainder of the senior keepers went about their business, whether it was taking care of the sirens or anything else they deemed necessary. You knew, however, that heading to the gift store would help you get your mind off of this morning's fiasco--and the glare Erica had instilled in you. 

You strolled along the huge, mostly empty hallway, the fluorescent lights shining brightly above you as you inhaled the salty aroma of the tank water flowing over and around you. It grew stronger the closer you got to the siren tanks. Your hands fidgeted with your new bracelet, which was your passport to care for Skull. You couldn't help but remember the small "nuzzle" he gave you, and as a result, your cheeks turned a lovely pink. Though it was not intended as an amorous gesture, but rather as an inquisitive one that any animal would make, such as a dog smelling an unfamiliar hand, it nonetheless caused a funny flutter in your stomach.

You decided to blame it on your flight responses trying to resurface.

You cleared your throat as you glanced to your left at the large glass tank beside you. You recalled that one belonging to Blue, not to mention the dock doors were just down the hall leading into his tank room. Part of you wanted to visit, but even with your access, you likely weren’t going to get anything from it, especially if Jason was still there. He probably would say “take the day off and go relax.” That seemed like a Jason thing to do.  

You proceeded towards the tank glass, laughing at your inner thoughts, hoping to catch a glimpse inside the waters and see the orca siren as you passed. It wouldn't hurt to check on Blue. When you eventually came to a halt and the vivid blue around you, you peered into the glistening coolness, a poor copy of the true ocean and the beauty of the ecosystem that the sirens had overlooked. 

Your eyes roamed the tank, searching and finding nothing that gave way the orca siren’s presence. Odd. Where he was, you weren’t sure, but part of you considered him laying at the bottom of the tank. That wouldn’t be good, if your thoughts had been right. You couldn’t recall reading if Blue had been solo or perhaps lost his pod before being plucked from Ebott’s bay and acquired by the notorious aquarium. Though if normal orca’s provided any information, he was a social creature. Possibly. 

Subspecies of sirens always differed when it came to socialization; Red, for example, was of the Galeocerdo cuvier subspecies–or tiger shark. Modern tiger sharks were solitary hunters, but tiger shark sirens could choose to gather in a shiver of their own, but it didn’t happen often unless a mate was involved, based on research gathered by the Institute. Comparatively, Skull was likely very similar since he derived from the Enteroctopus dofleini, and preferred solitude as well. 

But for Blue…

Your stomach began to twist a little, lips a hard line as your expression tensed. Looking into that still water, thinking of the siren who’d seemed so enthralled to have your presence so close to him, so eager to hold, so eager to touch and communicate the best way possible to the creature…

You swallowed back a disapproving scowl. He was definitely lacking in the category the other two didn’t particularly require to live enriched lives here. Not that them living here was a good thing either, but that's another matter you couldn’t quite approach. Not yet.   

A heavy sigh left your lips, brushing the glass as did your fingertips with your departure. You’d left the tank viewing glass, your mind buzzing with thoughts on what you could do for Blue. Last you checked, he barely had anything in that tank for him to keep himself busy. No puzzles, no toys–of course, that seemed silly, giving what you knew was a sentient creature a toy, as if it were a child–but thinking of the idea gave you pause. It would help immensely, you believed. Anything different in his day to day life would be incredibly helpful, perhaps it would lessen his need to be so forward with the keepers–with you. 

You shivered at the memory of the cold water around you, like phantom touches that lingered. It bit at your flesh, even in memory, as goosebumps ran along your skin. Then there was Blue, holding you close, not letting you go but not letting you drown like those previous. His touch careful, his eyes curious, hopeful. Everything about him screamed uncertainty beneath desperation. You weren't sure, to this moment, why he’d done what he did, but you were certain now of the cause. 

You’d fix that. 

 

~

 

Walking under the archway and into the gift shop, you were greeted with familiar colors and flowing, painted waves across the carpet and symmetrically above on the edge of the walls. Tinkling shells turned windchimes, pretty little knick knacks and singing toy conches sat on sand-colored shelves. Your eyes took in the scene, something you’d encountered several times but still captured the charm of “excitement” a gift shop could bring. 

Everyone loved a mother-fucking gift shop. 

Passing by a woven basket full of stuffed sharks and another with leopard seals, you gazed at a box that had several different toys packed into one single net bag, among other net bags. Picking it up, you turned it in your hands, curious and encouraged to figure out the contents: a miniature yet-to-be-blown up beach ball; a bucket and shovel; a couple of darts to throw into a pool; a floating shark toy. 

You were…

Disappointed. 

You dropped the bag unceremoniously into the bin again, groaning under your breath. There had to be something in here that would be interesting enough to give to Blue, while also being relatively durable for a siren his size. He needs something that will keep his attention for longer than five seconds, something that won’t encourage him to drag another–

“Need some help?”

The feminine voice captured your attention over your shoulder to a small woman, dressed in Ebott’s blue, yellow and black uniform, brunette hair pulled back in a ponytail and freckled face smiling that customer service smile. In her arms were two boxes–bigger than her–as she stood there waiting for an answer. 

“Yeah, uh, sorry, I was just looking for something durable, I guess? Something that can be played with and not break so easily?”

The boxes dropped, and the young woman brushed her hands over each other before holding her  rounded hips. “That’s pretty vague.” Her manicured nails clicked against her pants, a raised, trimmed eyebrow at your inquiry.

Stars above, obviously. 

You cleared your throat and you motioned to the toys you dropped before. “Sorry, something for the pool, maybe?”

Her flitting eyes looked up and down your uniform, recognition crossing her features before her hazel eyes found yours again. “You’re that siren whisper I heard a lot about.”

You couldn’t stop the wince as you heard the nickname. “Sure, yeah, that’s me.”

She noticed you tense, and she gave an apologetic look. “Sorry. You’re…(Y/N), right? I’m Gigi.” 

You nodded, then looked around the shop again, deciding not to dwindle on pleasantries at the moment. “Well, Gigi, do you happen to know if you guys got anything that I’m looking for? Don’t want to spend too long. Figured this place was as good as any to find a pool toy.” 

She didn’t say it, but the look in her eyes said everything as Gigi turned away to glance around the giftshop. She knew what had happened that morning, and if she did, then everyone likely knew simply from whispers. 

Great. At least she spared me the questions. 

“We’ve got a couple things, I think. Is there something super specific you’re looking for?” Gigi gave you another once over. Something about her question seemed different than just “what can I help you find.” Her gaze looked understanding, yet cautious. 

You sighed, deciding to relent a little. “I need a toy or something similar, something a siren won’t be tempted to break so easily. Something to enrich them,” you muttered carefully.

Gigi’s eyes glittered, widening as a smirk played on plush, pink lips. “Heh, figured. Jason tried this once, though it didn’t work out.”

You blinked. “Pardon?”

She bounced behind the front desk, her form disappearing as she knelt down where you couldn’t see. “Jason tried it,” she said again, “...said something about…Blue needing enrichment and it kinda backfired on him. He hasn’t tried again since.”

You approached the desk, elbows leaning against the plastic marble surface as you tried to peer over and see what the small woman was up to. “He tried before? What happened?”

“He didn’t really tell me,” Gigi returned with a shrug, before sitting up again with a bit of eagerness. “But I have this.”

She placed down in front of you a cube–a Rubix cube. The fuck, why did they have a Rubix cube of all things, especially one so large? Where was this chick keeping it?!

You stared, dumbfoundedly, before reaching out and picking up the larger than normal puzzle cube. It took two hands to hold it comfortably, but you turned it over to regard it. “A…Rubix cube.”

“Yep. It’s the largest we have.”

“Did Jason say he used this before?”

“Not that one specifically, but something different or close to it, It’s been a little bit.” Gigi gave another shrug, before she propped her elbows and rested her chin on her hands. “Though if you’re looking for something to give them, try it. You might have better luck than he did.”

You questioned the casualness of the conversation. “...you’re not gonna tell anyone right?” you whispered carefully. “I’m not sure why they didn't give him anything to keep him occupied but I’m sure if they had reasons, none of them are good. Though I don’t want to get in trouble if I can keep it under wraps…”

“You’re fine, hon.” She smiled and she waved her manicured nails, pink and sparkling, at you to shoo you on. “Me and Jason are good friends, so if I tell anyone it’s him, but maybe you should tell him, too. He may be able to help, or…”

“He may not let me try. Please, don’t tell him.”

Gigi gave a look of indifference, before shrugging again. “Doesn’t hurt to try. He fancies orcas just as much, so he ain’t stupid. Plus, how do you plan to lug that thing in there without a bag of some kind anyway? Just saying…”

Gigi had a point, even if she was rambling now. You sighed as you gave a smile of thanks. “I appreciate it. I’ll see how it works out.”

“If you survive again, tell me about it. I will never get out of this dumb shitty spot anyway,” she huffed with a cross of her arms, but her disgruntled behavior wasn’t directed at you. There was amusement there. Even if her own jab to be funny was a bit too soon.

You agreed silently with a nod, before turning to head out. You heard the girl getting back to work as she lifted the boxes into her arms, grunting but unbothered as she hulked them off. Stepping out of the gift shop and holding the Rubix cube under your arm, you headed for the front doors of the aquarium to head home for the day. 

You had a lot of studying to do and a mentality to prepare for. After all, tomorrow would be your first time with Red–and with Erica. 

You were more scared of Erica. 

 

~

 

An hour after lights out. The systems surrounding the tanks were muffled by the walls concealing them, pumping and pushing water in and out as it filtered continuously. There wasn’t a sound outside those purring inner workings behind concrete.

Thankfully, it was never loud enough to interrupt their discussions.

“Can’t ya at least say what they smelled like!?” Red’s voice cut through the silence, a mix of curiosity and frustration.

“Nope,” Skull replied, his tone flat and unyielding.

“Ya son of a—”

“Eh, give him a break, Red. He’s had a tough day.” Blue’s voice was calm, a lazy grin spreading across his features as he relaxed against the grate that served as their communication hub.

Blue grunted softly, his exhaustion evident. He had been given less food today, but he was thankful for the small taste he received. The images of the day's events lingered in his mind, particularly the moments spent with you. His sockets fluttered, reliving those fleeting memories.

Red snarled back, a sharp clang echoing through the grate as he smacked it with his tail in frustration. Heh, spoiled pup .

The tiger shark siren’s irritation was a source of amusement for Blue. Seeing Red fired up and riled because he missed out on seeing the little caretaker they all seemed so intrigued by, especially Skull, was entertaining.

Blue was relieved to know you were alright. He was happy that Skull, the larger cephalopod siren, hadn’t lost himself to hunger and accidentally harmed you. Skull had once said you were like a star in the dark—a beacon, a calming presence that kept him from thinking about eating. That was something special.

Blue was envious. Red was even more so, and he made it very clear.

Silence stretched between them, heavy and contemplative. “...were they scared of ya?” Red’s voice was a low growl, carefully controlled.

“Ya,” Skull replied, his tone carrying a deep, resonant growl.

“Who wouldn’t be?” Blue added with a hummed whistle, chuffing as he rolled his eye lights. “Though, suppose I don’t have room to talk.”

Skull’s growl deepened, a slow, rumbling agreement.

Red snorted and snarled lowly. “You two don’t know anythin’ bout courtin’, do ya?”

The question hung in the air, silencing them for a moment.

Red groaned, another clang against the metal grated filter. “Seriously?!”

Blue shrugged, addressing no one in particular. “We all ain’t glorified goldfish who came from the Reefs, Red,” he grunted, his grin slipping. “You’re lucky you get any attention.”

Skull didn’t mind the lack of attention, but Blue, on the other hand, craved something, anything.

“I do it to survive, Vanilla ,” Red snapped, growling. “If you put in any effort, you’d get the same treatment.”

Blue snarled lowly, not rising to the insult. He didn’t care for the nickname Red had given him, but it was a reminder of how bland and blank his world was.

“It’s in our nature, our Souls,” Red grunted heavily. The statement made them all perk up, even if unspoken. Red sighed, disheveled and frustrated. “...ain’t ya feelin’ that weird pull?”

Skull spoke this time, his voice a deep, resonant rumble. “Yes…”

“I guess so,” Blue admitted curtly. Stars, yes, he felt it.

“What’re ya tryin’ to say, tough meat?” Skull mumbled slowly, his voice a returning rumble through the grate.

Red snorted. “I’m sayin’, I think that one’s a Soulmate. Our Soulmate .”