exastris_scientia | the mythological creature open post

[Honestly, that...could have gone worse. Julian hadn't necessarily expected to divulge his secret so soon, but he'd had no real choice when he'd been injured on a weekend climbing trip and it was quite obvious he healed faster than a normal human. He'd honestly been thinking of a way to breach the subject sooner, but...well, just because he was better didn't mean he was completely immune to anxiety.

He hadn't expected Jim to take it well. He really hadn't. So when he'd asked for a few days of distance, to think it over, Julian acquiesced without a thought...and had gone home to prepare to disappear if needed.

The small bag with everything he truly didn't want to leave behind was behind the door when someone knocked. He checked who it was before opening it, of course. He wasn't reckless. But he was relieved.]

Do you want to come in?

[ it might have gone a whole hell of a lot worse if jim hadn't known what it was like to harbor a secret that could get you killed. or worse. worse as in experimented on. jim's only lucky that his secret isn't so easily figured out.

but just because he took it well (enough) didn't mean he wasn't upset for a while. that had less to do with the fact that he was lied to and more to do with the fact that khan had very nearly destroyed his ship, and had managed to literally kill him. not exactly a happy memory for him there.

he couldn't exactly fault julian for hiding this secret, and he'd be a pretty hypocritical ass if he held it against him considering the fact that he wasn't completely human himself.

jim smiles a bit when he opens the door, and reaches up to rub the back of his neck. ]

Uh, actually. I wanted to show you something. You busy?

[ there was an old naval shipyard not far from there that was abandoned. a small beach of sand and rocks, and a few piers. he used to visit it a lot because he could be alone. ]

No, I'm not.

[it's quite obvious he isn't, really--julian's apartment has always been sparse, jim has commented on it in the past, but at the moment it almost looks like no one at all lives there. he's cleaned it to the point of sterility and the only visible sign from the door that he's there at all is the fact that there's a rumpled blanket on the couch where he's been sitting and a book carefully placed on the coffee table.

the only thing he's done is gotten ready to go to ground, disappear as if he'd never existed.

he takes his coat off the hook by the door, and his scarf. it's slightly chilly out, after all. he offers a slight smile, trusting that jim isn't going to lead him into an ambush--but he'll improvise on that front if he has to.]

Good. We're going down to this old shipyard on the beach I visit sometimes.

[little weird, considering there are plenty of beaches dotting the coast of california. more than enough that he could just go to whichever he pleased with a quick shuttle ride. but when he does visit the beach, he never goes into the water.

he casts a glance towards julian as he grabs his coat, and shoves his hands into his pockets. he's nervous about this, but he likes to think that julian will take it well. after the initial shock has worn off anyways. ]

It's only a little bit of a walk from here.

[honestly, after what you just learned about him, it would be horribly hypocritical for him to say much of anything.

he follows jim out the door after toeing on his shoes.]

Well, you know how much I hate being cold.

[you even have context now for why. he says it lightly, with the same small smile.

he is, indeed, a little curious. there's beaches in san francisco, even, if he wanted to be by the water he didn't even have to leave the city limits. maybe it's just for more privacy. less light pollution, depending on how far out they go. jim does so love the stars.]

Lead the way.

Yeah, I know. I promise I won't make you get in the water.

[ yeah, it would be, but he's just---nervous. it might be a little ridiculous of him, but he can't help it. as far as he knows, there are only two other people in the known galaxy who know this about him. his brother and his ma.

he could take them to any number of beaches, even ones with less light pollution so he could see the stars he loves so much---but they need privacy more than anything for this. he gets him to the old pier, and slips his jacket off when they get towards the end. he looks around, and it looks like they're the only two out there but--- ]

So, maybe this is taking advantage of your being able to pick up on things---but we're alone, right? Neither of us can really afford to get caught out here, and I promise I'll stop being cryptic in a few minutes.

[ he folds his jacket, and sets it down on the concrete. after that he toes off his shoes and socks as he waits for julian to answer. ]

[they spend the walk in silence--comfortable, though jim is obviously anxious about something, and he doesn't mind it in the least.

despite the promise that jim won't make him get in the water, he evidently plans to. it's odd that he asks for confirmation that they're alone--and comforting, almost, that he asks, considering that maybe it's taking advantage of him. that's fairly new. they were built to be taken advantage of just as much as they were built to succeed humanity. neither aim worked out well.

julian can hear nothing but the rustling of the wind and the lapping of water against the pier, animals out in the distance, and the far-off sounds of the motorway behind them. he can't see anything either, though his sight isn't quite as good in the dark as it is in the light.]

We are.

[he's damnably curious as to what all this is about. jim is usually far more straightforward than he is.]

[ well, in order to show julian what he plans to, jim kinda has to get in the water. salt water specifically. it won't do anything if it isn't a high enough salt concentration.

and jim doesn't want to take advantage of him, either. he's only asking because neither of them can afford to get caught. it won't end well for either of them. he let's out a slow breath, stripping out of the rest of his clothing, aside from his boxers (though they aren't exactly going to survive the transformation anyways), looks back to the water, and then back at julian. ]

Okay. [ beat and a grin. ] I'll be right back up.

[ with that, he dives off the pier and into the nighttime water. ]

[well, better for julian probably. unless this is meant to be off-limits.

he just watches, puzzled, as jim strips down to almost nothing. this is simply bizarre, really--it's not precisely cold out here, but it's chillier than one would think is good for a decent swim, and why would jim drag him out here in the dead of night to go swimming anyway?

obviously he isn't trying to show him how good he is at diving, though it is extremely good. whatever it is, he's acting far too nervous for it to be something so simple and benign.

it's only when he doesn't come back up, and there's no sign of movement under the waves, that julian starts to worry. most humans in good health can hold their breath around two minutes underwater without practice. the fact that jim has been exposed to khan's blood is something of a wild card--augments can go without breathing for far longer. at four minutes, he's starting to worry. at four and a half, he's made the decision to go in after him and has bucked off his coat and is going for his shoes. this is not right back up.]

[ the transformation from human to merman is not exactly painful. it's strange. it's far easier to change back to human, he's found. but he's never known quite how long it takes for him to change, but then this is the first time someone has been with him during it.

he's already lost the ability to speak standard once he senses (huh, that's a funny thing) julian's distress above him. there's a soft whine, and he reaches towards the feelings like he would follow the sound of his voice. calm down, julian. i can feel you freaking out from down here.

which then, he realizes, might not be conducive to him not freaking out. his eyes have adjusted to the change, adapted for the low light levels beneath the waves, and he looks at himself to make sure he's fully changed. he clicks in approval, and starts to swim for the surface.

it's a couple of minutes after that he breaks the surface, hair matted from the water, and cants his head up at the pier where julian is standing. oh---oh, it'd almost be hilarious if he didn't look half scared out of his mind. ]

Edited 2016-01-02 08:19 (UTC)

[julian had frozen when he heard--or, more accurately he supposed, felt, jim's voice in his head, halfway through taking off his other shoe. telling him to calm down, as if all of this was perfectly normal and he didn't think you were moments away from drowning.]

Calm down?

[he...totally doesn't squawk. YOU COME UP HERE AND SAY THAT TO HIS FACE basically. you're just making him panic in other ways now.]

What's going on?

[you look--well, perfectly normal from up here, from what he can tell at first glance. just treading water. what is not perfectly normal is you being telepathic.]

[he did kind of squawk and it was kind of adorable, honestly. but jim will keep that to himself considering the serious nature of the situation. it's now that he wishes he could just talk to him plainly, even if mild telepathy is useful now.

jim chitters just a little at the question, and when he dives in headfirst to swim the rest of the way to the pier, his golden tail comes up to help propel him through the water. he breaks the surface again, right next to the pier, and uses his claws to find purchase against the busted concrete, to pull himself up a little.

he gives a soft whine in question. this close, it's easier to tell that he's got fangs instead of normal human teeth, and claws that are clacking gently against the pier. ]

Please don't be afraid. [ his tail splashes the water gently. ] No one else knows.

[do not tell anyone.

the tail is enough to drive all this weirdness home. julian just drops his shoe--it falls onto the pier with a soft thump, and he follows suit not long after, basically folding down onto himself to sit cross-legged at the end, over the water.

he's got claws, he's got fangs, he's got a bloody fish tail. his boyfriend is a bloody mermaid. merman? what is the proper term for this? julian sure as hell doesn't know. between the whole 'be not afraid' and 'no one else knows' thing, though, he's sure it's not some simple explanation as his father being an alien.

julian sounds slightly breathless--and he's dropped the affected british accent, simply forgetting in the heat of the moment.]

I'm not afraid of you. You just bloody well scared me. I thought you'd hit your head or something.

[ cross his heart.

jim watches julian's reactions carefully. this week, whatever the hell they want to call it, is a bunch of firsts for both of them. and wow hey, he's not a fish. he'd be indignant if he thought you believed he was. merman is the correct term, or at least from what he gleaned from his ma before she refused to speak about it.

his face screws up a bit when he talks again without the accent that he's gotten used to. the noise he makes is akin to a startled laugh. the noise he makes after is a whine in question.

then he shakes his head. no, he didn't hit his head. definitely not. he jerks his chin over towards the small beach. there's a lot of rocks, it wasn't meant for sunbathing, but he can pull himself up easy enough if he's careful. ]

Easier there?

[ridiculous seems like an appropriate sentiment.

and julian doesn't believe you're a fish, that's just the closest thing he can approximate that tail of yours to.

he only realizes that he let his real voice slip until after jim obviously questions it, non-verbal though it is. julian sighs. cat's out of the proverbial bag, might as well not even try stuffing it back in--jim's far smarter than that.]

Section 31 knows my voice, I'm not about to walk around San Francisco broadcasting myself with my regular accent. I can even fool voice recognition algorithms should I try hard enough.

[he sees the motion of his head, cants his own in that direction as well. it's enough to see the beach, certainly.]

This is your show, as they say.

[ jim listens as he explains the bit about the voice. he'd laugh if he could, but as it is it comes out a bit strange. new vocalizations and all that. the clicking noise that follows is almost a tsk.

but that's pretty interesting that he can fool the voice recognition if he tries hard enough.

he lets go of the pier, sinking back under the waves that are lapping, and swims over to the shallows where there are less rocks. it's enough that he can lean comfortably on the bottom, still partially submerged, but not so far up that he'll risk drying out and changing back just yet.

jim just waits for the other man to get down there and join him, tail splashing as the water laps at his lower half. he wonders if there are any schools of fish or dolphins nearby tonight. it's been a while since he's swam with them, or tried to talk. he could show julian, if he wanted. ]

It's what I was designed for.

[answering the unasked question. obviously unasked, since jim doesn't seem to be capable of speaking--obviously his vocal chords have changed as well, which makes sense. speaking underwater would be...well, incredibly difficult, if not impossible. at least the way humans were designed to do it.

the route he can take is much more direct than the one julian has to, picking his way carefully over the rocks so he doesn't slip and crack his head open. it wouldn't put him down for long, but long enough, and he'd really just rather avoid the mess and headache. he hasn't put his shoes back on--in fact, he leaves them up on the shoreline--and when he settles next to jim he spends a few moments fussing with the cuffs of his pants, rolling them before sliding a bit farther down so his feet are in the surf.]

So, as secrets go, we seem to have traded rather large ones.

[ it's a little hard to ask when his vocal cords have changed, yeah.

jim waits, watching him as he makes his way over. he doesn't want julian to hurt himself, so he's patient enough to wait. he chitters in amusement while he fusses with his pants. he gives a shrug and then nods. they have. ]

Yeah. Just a little.

[he's just generally rather fussy. he'd just rather not get his pants soaking wet, since they're going to have to walk back. presumably. they could stay out here all night, but...

julian looks at jim, obvious fondness and love in his eyes. it's not just anger that the augments feel deeply.]

Thank you. For trusting me.

[ they'll be out there a while. jim won't even change unless he's completely dry, so that will take time unless julian is going to run back and get him a towel. he chirrups, and smiles back at him.

he's only ever felt this way about one other person, and he realized it too late. he doesn't want to make that mistake again. he reaches out, hand open, so that julian can easily avoid his claws. ]

Thank you.

[It is a well-known fact that Rodney McKay is an avid disliker of many things. Running, for example. He can really do without running. Or damp rainforests with slippery stones and roots that cause him to stumble into muddy puddles again and again. The noises of wild animals. Having to leave his gear and provisions behind. Sheppard changing into some fanged thingy. These kind of things.

So yes, no, everything about this day is utterly ruined and horrible and why is it always him getting chased through the woods anyway!

Some variation of McKay, wait, it's okay is still resounding in his head but n o p e, not happening. True, it's not the first out-of-the-blue transformation they are dealing with ~~and okay, fine, so maybe that happens to Sheppard every other week, what's up with that anyway~~ but that doesn't mean that Rodney is OKAY with it. HE IS NOT OKAY WITH IT.

Besides, he's out here alone and he is not going to be the one making the assessment of how dangerous Sheppard is right now. He'll leave that to Lorne and, let's say, 50-70 armed soldiers, he likes his face too much to have it peeled off and eaten, thank you very much.

And why couldn't Sheppard change in walking distance to the gate! Really, this is just the worst day.]

[ It isn't exactly the best day for John either. The last thing he expected was brackish water in a river that led to a waterfall, that then led to a lake, and forcing him to change out of his human form unexpectedly. In Afghanistan, he didn't have to worry about changing. It was desert where he was stationed, and the latrines were all regular potable water.

Of course, it also hadn't been him on the mission alone, and when Sheppard had surfaced after the change, but McKay hadn't thanks to the weight of his gear, he dove back in and drug him up to the surface then the shore. Luckily, he hadn't inhaled too much, but John had been too concerned with his best friend and member of his team that he hadn't thought about how terrifying he probably looked.

Which was pretty damn terrifying if Rodney's reaction was anything to go off of. It'd been a while since he had actually seen himself fully changed, but the fangs were the same, the claws on his hands for hunting, and the gills along his side. OH, and the tail. The pale, sky blue tail as well. His irritation at McKay running away from him is overrun by actual worry mingled with sadness.

There's a high-pitched sound that reverberates from where he is actually stuck, dragging off his gear that needs to dry out before it is ruined, and looking towards where the other man headed. If he gets too far away, he won't be able to speak with him at all, his telepathy will be useless. ]

Rodney. Please. It's still me, I promise I'm not going to hurt you. It's pleading. McKay? Can you hear me?

[He slips again when he hears Sheppard in his head (it doesn't improve his mood) and this time the mud ruins the rest of his already speckled uniform, all the way up to his face. Rodney scrambles to his feet, turns, enraged, pointing an accusing finger at the surrounding woods.]

Oh sure, you say that now, Percy Jackson! But how do I know you're not gonna cut my gut open and feast on my innards in some disgusting spagetthi plate slurping manner, huh? How do you know?

[ John can't make all of it out, but he gets the general disparaging tone and maybe something---did he just call him Percy Jackson? Okay, seriously. ]

I know because this isn't the first time this has happened, McKay! [ John kept an eye out for anyone else that could have followed. He doesn't see anyone, and he's grateful. The last thing he wanted was to try and explain this to everyone. It's difficult enough to handle Rodney.

He looks up the shoreline, trying to see if there are any spots he can drag himself up out of the water, but all he sees are sharp, wet rocks. He needs to dry out completely to change back to his human form. If he doesn't get out of the water, it'll cause problems.

Not the least of which is their lack of knowledge on the animal life here on this world. ]I don't think you understand the situation, Rodney. If you don't get back here, it isn't me deciding to eat you that's going to be the problem. The problem is you having to explain your unconscious or dead team leader with a fish tail to Lorne's team when he and his meet up with Teyla and Ronon, and come looking.

Now, I'd rather that didn't happen, but I can't do anything by myself. So please, please come back and I will try to explain everything.

[He huffs, out loud and incredulous.] Oh, yes, excuse me that the concern for me being eaten seems to be of a higher importance to me, the eaten, than to you, the... the eatee! And what do you mean this isn't the first time this happened!

[And cue to the one thing that has and always will trump McKay's fear in any given situation, no matter how dangerous or deadly - straight out, flat indignation. Okay, so maybe there's also a small part of him registering Sheppard's pleading. Not that he would ever admit it.

No, it is the indignation that makes him turn around, stomping back to where he left the Colonel.

He's bringing a stick, though. A big stick.]

You do not get to guilt trip me into explaining your frutti di mare situation to the others!

[ He can only explain so many ways that he doesn't plan on eating you. He doesn't eat people. ]

I mean, I've known about this for a long time now, McKay. I'm not fully human, but it's not something I could put down when I joined up.

[ When he sees Rodney again, there's relief on his face, despite seeing the big stick. His tail thumps weakly in the waves lapping at the shoreline, and he smiles (mouth closed as to not show fangs) at him. ]

I'd rather avoid explanation altogether if at all possible, but that means I need to get out of the water completely.

[ Nevermind that he'll be half-naked once he shifts back to his human form. The water isn't quite what he's used to, and the sun is already hot. The gills on his side flutter slowly. It's a little difficult to breathe, but he hasn't changed since he arrived in Pegasus. Who knows what to expect? He certainly doesn't. ]

You've known about-- [Rodney's mouth snaps shut, forming a thin, angry line. He's so tempted to throw something at your head, you have no idea.

But it's still Sheppard. With... gills or something but Sheppard nonetheless. And he doesn't look too good, you don't really need a degree in marine biology to tell.

Crap.]

Avoidance my ass, we are so having a discussion about you not telling me any of this. [The sound of McKay's voice right now, well. Disgruntled would be an understatement? But if you know Rodney McKay you can also detect the nuance of concern in his irate inflection. It's hidden, but it's there.]

And for the record? You're an idiot. Also, I get all your extra rations for a month. No, two, actually. [He looks down at Sheppard for another moment, then holds out the stick so he can hold on to it. See? Being paranoid pays off in the end!]

Yes, I've known about it. Would it make you feel better if this was just some random Pegasus things out of the blue? [ John can detect the concern in his voice, but also a hefty amount of annoyance. ]

I'll discuss it with you, but it doesn't go past us, Rodney. It can't. [ He rolls his eyes weakly and chitters in soft annoyance. He just wants out of the water so he can dry properly. He grabs for the stick, letting Rodney pull him out as much as he's able, and helping where he can. It still hurts, getting pulled up the bank, and a couple of rocks leave small cuts along the side of his tail, but then he's out.

One step at a time right?

With his tail free of the water, he can dry it and return to normal. The problem is the sun beating down, and the humidity making it difficult to breathe through his gills. He shifts to sit, and leans over to widen a small pool of water, cupping his hand in it and bringing it over to pour over his side. It makes it a little easier for the moment. ]

Fine, you can have them for three if you keep your mouth shut about this.

[ Once he is breathing a little easier, he sits up to inspect the couple of cuts, and makes an annoyed clicking sound. ]

Edited 2016-06-08 20:32 (UTC)

Yes, it would!? [It so wouldn't, because then John would probably eat him for real but this is not a time for common sense.]

Oh, I see, now I get to keep secrets for you, Vaporeon.

[He shifts uncomfortably, not really knowing what to do with his hands or where to look. You can't really tell, though, because he's staring.

Fine. He can get the first aid kit and hand it to you. Carefully. Hey, at least he's coming closer? Baby steps.]

You're a terrible liar. [ John can feel distress rolling off of McKay in waves, and he's forgotten how disorienting it is when he can pick up on it telepathically. ]

What do you think they'll do if they find out something like this Rodney? I get it, you're freaked, you're panicked, but my life is literally in your hands, so maybe you could appreciate that a little more! [ His telepathic agitation is punctuated by a shrill chitter and a thunk as his tail thumps the dry ground.

His mouth is set in a thin line as he reaches over to retrieve the first aid kit. He's glad he's coming closer, but this is still a very dicey situation and if he doesn't change back before Lorne and the others show up---well, he's not sure what will happen. ]

[ The call had come in from the White Portugese to Lexcorp, and Alexander Luthor Jr. himself. Their search of the fathomless depths had found something. A demon, the frantic men had said as they wrestled the creature. There was even a video, high-pitched shrieks, inhuman, ones hardly capable of being produced by human vocal chords, but that quickly cut away to a man crying out in agony as razor sharp claws opened up his stomach. There were explicit instructions to hold, not handle, and if they couldn't follow instructions, then that was one less idiot on Lex's secret payroll, right?

By the time the chopper came out to meet the ship, still in route to the nearest bay, the newest passenger was hardly kicking up much of a fuss. Kal-El could hardly move, and each breath was a painful struggle. The men aboard the sea-bird seemed interested in only keeping him alive enough to satisfy some other. In the midst of the panic and confusion, he gathered a name from scattered thoughts. Lex Luthor. What did this man from the above want with him? Despite his increasingly weakening state, he was restrained with strange ties around his wrists, something like the materials which covered a large part of the below, causing strife for things above and below alike.

When the strange metal bird, an obnoxiously loud thing it was, finally delivered the man he could recognize as Luthor, he was barely conscious. Kal-El was ghostly pale, skin nearly translucent from so much time spent below. His dark, curly hair was matted to his forehead, lips chapped and cracking, and ushering forth weak, whines of discomfort with each struggle of breath. His deep blue tail thrashed in agitation against the deck of the White Portugese, and one of the men dumped a bucket of sea water fetched from the side over him. It revitalized him, but only for a moment, gills fluttering as he pulled in as much air as he could.

Despite his discomfort, and the blood from the man he'd attacked nearly a day before muddling the water around him, he refused to show fear. Piercing blue eyes like the sky landed on the other man, dressed far differently than the men of the sea-bird, and he chittered a dangerous sound in his direction. His wrists twisted in their restraints, and there was another low thump of his tail against the deck.

He could speak to him if he wished to. He wasn't certain that he did. ]

the mythological creature open post

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(for astheyknow/khan)

for puddlejumped, because that's just great, john, that just really makes his day

omg rodney stop your whining and get your ass back here.

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because this is so overdue orz

no worries, you know i'll wait for awesome things from you!

<33

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for dystheist ♥