The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (boyxboy)

CHAPTER 16

And if reading is difficult, writing is a mountain he's yet to overcome. He can write his name in an uneven scrawl that he knows resembles something a five-year-old might manage, and he could theoretically copy down anything he can read were it not for the luxury of paper being difficult to obtain here at sea. But if someone were to ask him to note down the spoken word, he'd have no chance.

Kaeltki, however, is far too excited.

"You can make anything I say like this?" he demands, holding up the book to show Az the pages.

"Well, not me but–"

"You have to show me!"

Az wants to say no because surely Kaeltki will only be disappointed when his lettering doesn't look as neat and perfect as the words in the book, but the siren's eyes glow with a fervour Az has never seen before. With the exception, perhaps, of the time the siren tried to drown him.

Kaeltki doesn't blink for several long seconds. His smile is stretched from one flared ear-fin to the other. He's practically shaking, like a puppy begging for a treat.

Az folds. "I'll have to see if I can find something to write with."

Predictably, he doesn't find anything in his own store room, and as the crew are starting to mill back to their cabins, he doesn't dare consider trying to steal something from one of them, if any of them even have some kind of writing implement in the first place.

Now that he's not standing right in Kaeltki's presence, he's somehow more aware of how excited the siren is. He gets nothing but confinement in a dark room all day. Surely this is the least Az can do.

"Finished early today, are we?"

Az jumps, turning to see Slade staring at him suspiciously from the door to his office. A kind of nauseating thrill zaps through him. He's not sure he's ever requested anything from Slade before.

"I...was wondering if you have chalk?" He cringes at the sound of his own uncertainty.

Slade quirks a brow. "Chalk?"

"For...drawing. And writing," he adds the last part reluctantly at Slade's continued bemusement, as if that will make that judgemental look go away.

Az watches the laugh bubble up from Slade's throat all the way to his lips. He has no idea how or why the man manages to keep it down, but can see the glint of mirth in his narrowed blue eyes. Stronger than Slade's amusement is Az's astonishment when the captain answers him.

"Wait here."

He disappears into his room, leaving Az standing there sick with adrenaline. A few moments later he re-emerges with a stick of off-white chalk in hand. He does not hold it out right away and his laughter seems to have given way to serious lines.

"Azaziah, you are free to do with that siren whatever you wish," he says "I'm allowing you to amuse yourself by spending your spare time doing what you want with it, whether you want to talk to it, read to it, or draw pretty little pictures for it. But don't forget what I told you. It is not like us."

"I know," he says quickly.

"Hmm."

With that, Slade gives over the chalk and Az goes back to Kaeltki feeling kind of embarrassed.

The siren grabs the chalk just as he had the book, turning it over between his fingers and gazing with interest at the powdery residue it leaves on his skin.

"I'm not...good at writing," Az admits, ears and face hot.

"Why not?" Kaeltki asks curiously.

"Well, it's something you have to learn when you're young, I think. And you have to practise a lot."