the siren's song part 18

[krystalkatz.livejournal.com]

"I have to go into town in the morning...I was thinking that it was time to place an advert for staff..." Jun said softly two nights later as they ate dinner. Nino was almost glad that his mate had broken the silence that had been pressing down on him and almost crushing him. They were eating in the main dining room which was already a strange thing as, until Satoshi had arrived, they had been having their meals on their knees in the cellar. The dining room was amazingly beautiful with rose wood panelled walls and deep red and black wall paper. The table could easily fit 14 people and all three of them were sitting at the far side next to the large bay window. A fire was crackling and popping in the grate on the wall were large paintings of the ocean one with a stylised image of a siren. Nino was sure that Jun found it amusing but he found it weird to be looking at breasts while eating.
"Human?" Satoshi mumbled from where he was scraping his fork around the plate disturbing the food rather than eating it and Nino flicked his eyes up feeling the stab of his thinly veiled insult clearly. Jun was trying so hard to fight his natural instincts but his brother really wasn't helping even though Nino knew that he was trying just as hard
"...Satoshi..." He said his tone pleading and Satoshi gave him a look before huffing under his breath.
"I was thinking two sirens and two humans..." Jun answered softly, choosing to ignore the attitude from the older man and Nino reached over and gripped his hand giving him a smile and Jun stroked his fingers lightly with his thumb "there are out casts that would be willing to join your shoal..."
"Why are they outcast?" Nino asked softly cutting over what his brother was about to say. He was completely entranced by this new piece of information that he was being given about the life that he found himself in.
"They would have come ashore to find their mate and were away from the pull of the matriarch for too long or young ones that were lured by life amongst humans but found that the reality doesn’t match the dream…It is hard…A siren amongst human…” Jun sighed setting down his cutlery and wiping his mouth with a napkin before sipping some wine.
“So why do you do it?” Satoshi asked and Nino was relieved to find that his voice was less sneering and sounded just as curious as he was feeling. From Jun’s earlier explanation it sounded like sirens were very family orientated he had never imagined that they would want to leave the family unit or shoal.
“Why do you take to the seas…?” Jun countered sighing softly “We do it for the same reasons that you do, because otherwise we would be bored with nowhere to go…Our lives are on an island in the middle of the ocean that is only as big as your London would you not want to change that if you could?”
“I have never left London…But I think that I can understand…” Satoshi admitted softly and Nino felt a pang of happiness a smile forming on his lips, glad that his brother really was trying and hadn’t snorted at what Jun had said. “So why would these outcasts be loyal to Kazu?”
“Because he is a matriarch…Even if he’s human…Together we have also managed to have four healthy kits…There are man they that would be honoured to have him as their matriarch…” Jun answered flashing Nino such a look of pride that Nino found himself squirming with embarrassment. Satoshi gave another cough and Nino shifted his attention back to the food in front of him while Jun inclined his head waiting for the next question.
“Why not just have sirens?” Satoshi asked and Nino looked up again wanting to know the answer to that question himself.
“…It is hard to have anybody in the house while the kits are just eggs, even having you here is enough to make me want to stay in the nesting area, but if it was just me and Kazunari then we would only draw attention to ourselves…” Jun sighed with the tone of voice that suggested that he had been thinking about it for a very long time and Nino knew that he had. Satoshi seemed to be impressed about his line of thinking “As much as I would like only sirens they too would attract too much attention and as I am not used to my new position as the mate of a matriarch…Excuse me…I think that I should leave now…”
“Are you okay?” Nino asked as Jun got up quickly his heavy wood chair scrapping over the wooden floor. A hand came to rest on his shoulder a finger brushing against his neck
“Yes…I just…I need to swim…There are a lot of complicated feelings going through my mind…” Jun said tensely and Nino suspected that talking about other people being in their house was sending his instincts haywire. Taking the hand he kissed it lightly wishing that he could do something to make it easier for him. He hummed softly and Jun gave a weak smile his song reaching out to caress him briefly “I’ll see you later…” He murmured over his song before turning and nodding his head at Satoshi “Satoshi…”
“Jun…” Satoshi replied his own head bobbing with a nod and Jun left the room leaving the two brothers alone the deep silence once again surrounding them. “So…How did you two meet again?” Satoshi asked breaking it before it settled and Nino coughed wondering how he was going to answer that in a way that would paint Jun in a much better light.
“I fell over board and he saved me…” He said and Satoshi's eyes narrowed his mouth becoming a thin line as he gave a hum. “He got me on another boat…”
“And during this you somehow produced eggs…” Satoshi whistled loudly and Nino pushed away his plate. He hated the way that he felt like a little boy again under his brothers disapproving gaze. His time in the America’s had made him stronger and he had thought a lot more confident but know it felt like that had all been a dream. Through the floorboards he heard the songs of his kits and Jun and he coughed and trying to rope in his confidence
“Jun produced the eggs I just helped to fertilise them…Satoshi, I know that you promised Jun that you would try but if you can’t handle this then it’s fine just leave I won’t stop you” he muttered keeping his voice calm, not wanting to show that he was about to start crying, as he stood up and started to collect the plates together “Have you finished?”
“Yes…” Satoshi answered handing him the plate with food that had been only half eaten. He piled it on top of the others before picking them up and walking to the door. “Kazunari…I’m sorry…And I am trying…”
“I know…And thank-you for that…” he sighed walking out of the room and the distance to the kitchen. He piled them into the bowl and then started washing them glad that soon they would have help, even if it would disturb Jun even more. The door opened and Nino turned to see his brother standing there his head resting on the wooden door his eyes boring into his soul.
“Can…I help…?” He asked and Nino nodded with a smile motioning to a drying cloth that was resting on the side. “So a big house and servants…You’ve really moved up in the world, little brother…”
“It’s all because of Jun…I know you can’t understand because we’re both men and because that is the ‘way things are done’…”
“Kazu…There’s a lot more to worry about than the fact that you’re in love with a man…” Satoshi sighed taking a large black pan that Nino had scrubbed with the cleaner Jun had given him, it smelt amazing and cleaned like nothing he had ever seen before and Nino knew that it was another gift from the oceans, just like the tea that he was so fond of.
“He will never hurt me...He couldn’t…” Nino told him confidently knowing that it was the truth.
“I think I’m beginning to see that…” Satoshi sighed heavily and Nino felt his hopes rise just a little and he flashed his brother a hopeful smile which Satoshi almost returned.
TBC
A/N: Progress but soon more people will be arriving…>.<