Making A Naga - 2
Story by Cambions on SoFurry
The fisherman feared the sea. It threatened to take everything from him, in exchange for something the man knew he couldn't refuse. Gripped by the fear of letting go his old life, this fisherman finds himself at odds with the choices set upon him. Frozen with indecision, the man spends his days staring at the shore with newfound admiration. Why? Why stay? This is Den's journey to that discovery.
The Parley
The sailor stumbled out of the warmly lit bar, his shoulders hunching as a breeze of cold air rushed to greet him. The sound of raised voices and hearty chanting was sharply cut off as the wooden door slammed shut behind him, leaving the man alone with his thoughts.
The weathered dock creaked beneath Rumo's boots as he trudged out towards the sea, meeting the gentle breeze head on as he tried to clear his mind. He'd just dodged a bullet with the boss, and had luckily snuck his way out of the bar before the altercation got any worse.
"Thank the seas the haul was good." Rumo muttered, trudging along the dock. He silently prayed that the boss would drown himself in enough liquor to forget the situation entirely, lest the sailor came back to...
"No. Best not to think about that."
To his side, a naga gently coasted beside him, sending water rippling in his wake. Arms behind his head and back to the sea, the naga carelessly followed alongside the sailor. Mischievous, slitted eyes kept locked on the human, the naga patiently waiting for his perfect moment to speak up. The beast gently began to kick up more water in his wake, as if trying to subtly get the sailor to glance his direction. Yet the man kept walking, making his way up to the edge of the dock, eyes fixated on some unseen place far beyond the horizon. The naga gently took a darting glance towards the same far off point, his own curiosity begetting him. There was nothing of course. Just a vast, untamed ocean, as far as the eye could see.
"Why are you here." The tired man spoke at last, slowly getting down onto one knee by the edge of the dock.
The naga practically jumped as he turned his head back to the sailor, quickly spinning around as he flashed a coy smile.
"Is that all I get? No hello? No 'it's nice to see you again'?" The naga asked, feigning injury as he clasped at his scaled side. "You wound me, Rumo."
The sailor just rolled his eyes as he plopped down, legs swinging over the edge of the dock. The man spread his legs apart in time to watch the naga play out his own death below, the serpent sinking into the murky depths.
The sailor remained unphased, tired eyes staring blankly at the waters below him. Eventually the naga resurfaced, sporting an equally-as-unimpressed look on his mug.
"You could've at least pretended to care." The naga muttered, water still rolling off his face as he spoke. His body glittered against the setting sun as he gently spun around, exposing his soft scales to the man above him.
"Sorry. I guess I'm not in the mood right now, Mael." The sailor sighed, slouching over as he stared down at his boots. "You've caught me at an awkward time, and I-"
"Listen. Rumo?" The naga interrupted, tongue flitting out as he stared intensely into the human's eyes. "I'm sure whatever you've got going on is horrid. The worst you've ever dealt with. But I am neck deep in my own worries right now."
The naga raised a clawed hand out of the water and placed it flat below his chin, posing there for a second as he swam in place. The sailor just stared, blinking slowly as he waited for the naga to finish his thought.
"...Your point being?" Rumo finally asked, exhaling loudly as he idly admired the naga's scales.
"My point, my dear Rumo. Is that I need a human's help. I'll admit, I'm completely at a loss with my own set of problems. Very rare, I know. And I thought to myself, why not pull my favorite human into this to help?" The naga proposed, hips swaying side to side as he propelled himself around the dock's pillars. "You see, a friend of mine is having a bit of an identity crisis. I must admit, I do feel a bit at fault for the entire predicament. But-"
"What did you do, serpent." The sailor sighed, interrupting the naga in an attempt to cut to the point.
"Me? Nothing major." Mael shrugged from below, playing it cool as we swam about. "I was merely helping out a friend who'd washed ashore. No more, no less."
"And as a result you've ruined his life. Is that it?" Rumo muttered, scratching at his unkempt beard as he spoke.
"Yes! Something of the like. How'd you guess?" The naga chuckled, doing his best to weave his way around the sailor's bluntness.
"Because it's always the same with you, Mael." Rumo said with a sigh. "You're trouble, and if the others see me with you, that'll only make-"
"Then let's get out of here!" The serpent interrupted, hissing with delight before diving back into the depths.
"W-What?!" Rumo blinked in surprise, the sailor completely caught guard by the request. The man stood up as he watched a rowboat gently push out from under the dock, the naga nudging it forward with powerful arms.
"You're on shore leave, right? You've got time. And you're obviously upset about something." Mael spoke matter-of-factly, gripping at the boat with one hand as he gave the sailor a toothy smile.
"Whose boat is that. Where'd you take that from." Rumo huffed, squinting at the naga with distrust. "You can't just go around-"
"Relax, Rumo. Relax." Mael cooed, tapping the rowboat with pride. "No more questions from you, pirate. If you're curious, just get in the boat and-"
Splash!
The sailor jumped into the water without hesitation. The naga didn't have long to react until the man was atop of him, kneeing the naga in the shoulder as he used him for support. The sailor rolled into the rocking rowboat with practiced ease, grabbing at the oars expectantly.
"Just point me in the right direction, Mael." Rumo said with a sigh.
"See? I knew you'd see reason in it. This is mutually beneficial to both of-" Mael began, only to be cut off as an oar nudged at his side.
"Less talking. More swimming, serpent. The sooner we're out of here, the better my chances of not being seen with you." The sailor muttered, water dribbling down his chin as he spoke.
The naga simply smiled before dipping down below the waters. His long coils twisted about as he disappeared, only to resurface a yard away from the man. Rumo quickly dug deep into the waters as he picked up pace, trailing after the naga in silence.
Rumo hadn't the faintest idea why he was following after Mael. It hadn't been the first time the naga had gotten him into trouble, and he doubted it would be the last. The naga seemed to patrol these shores, and had taken a rather strange liking to Rumo. The sailor had to assume it was because he was the only one willing to give Mael the time of day. Most naga's that the sailor had met were not quick to socialize. There was quite a bit more... Ripping and tearing, involved with the territorial beasts. While Mael had never outright shown signs of violence, staying close to the naga was always a bit unnerving. Old habits were hard to stifle.
The sailor kept his eyes on the naga as he moved along the side of the cape, brow furrowed as he contemplated the beast before him. Was it weird that he knew Mael by name? That the naga often followed their ship until it left 'his shores'? Rumo wondered if the serpent kept track of every boat that entered his territory. Was he lonely? Most of the other naga's were quite the vicious pack hunter, sometimes even going so far as to beach and harvest an entire whale.
The sailor could have accepted that it was his own curiosity that had pulled him out to sea with the naga several times over, but instead, Rumo settled on a much easier answer: Mael was just as lonely as he.
"Why're you taking me to some seaside shack, Mael?" Rumo asked, squinting out at the small home built into the cliffside. The small dockyard looked well-kept, the sea calm as it washed against the sandy shore.
"That's where my friend is." Mael explained from behind, helping to push the sailor's rowboat along.
"Your friend, huh?" Rumo frowned, squinting as he kept on rowing. "For a moment I thought you'd be taking me to another naga."
"Well... Technically, I am." Mael shrugged, powerful coils guiding the rowboat along like a rutter. "It's just. He hadn't known. And now that he does, he thinks there's no going back for him. It's-"
"Wait. Wait wait wait. Mael." Rumo began, shaking his head in dismay. "What do you mean he didn't 'know'?"
"Well. Our kind are rather... Predatory. When it comes to reproduction. You know my kind better than I do, pirate. You've heard the tales. Plundering and rape. Luring the unfortunate out to sea." Mael dragged on, sounding a bit ashamed. "We breed your kind, and they give us more naga. The water washes away all that skin. Covers it in scales."
Rumo didn't say much at all, his nose wrinkled in disgust at the naga's words.
"The good ones let go of the humans they breed; Let them live normal lives after that. There's always the rare case of humans that have escaped, or even rarer, took a naga as a lover on purpose." Mael explained, taking a moment to let out a sigh. "And I believe something like that happened here. I found one of my kind fishing. In a boat. With a rod. Can you believe that? A naga, using a rod?"
"You could have left him that way, Mael." Rumo muttered, now staring at the shoreline with a frown. "He's conflicted now."
"Oh, make no mistake. He's always been conflicted, pirate. I'm sure you know a similar pain. The stability of a life on shore: a lover and a small home to call your own. Yet still, the sea calls on, beckoning you back for more." Mael began, gripping the sailboat tightly as he angled himself towards the dock. "It's bred into naga's to return to the water. But his life as a human has left him with some sort of... trauma. I'm afraid to admit it, but I need a human's help, to help my human-naga."
"Your naga?" Rumo asked, reaching out towards the dock as they approached.
"Why yes. He is my mate. My naga. I aim to add him to my tribe." Mael stated simply. "He was awfully lonely on that shore. So much so that he gave a naga like me the time of day."
Tribe? The sailor had never seen Mael with another naga before. Rumo remained silent as he clambered onto the dock, grabbing at the rope here to tie up the vessel. His hands moved quickly as he knotted and pulled, stepping aside as the naga gently yanked himself up onto the dock beside the sailor. Water dripped off the naga's heavy form, scales glinting in the sunlight as it stood beside the sailor.
"He's just inside that home there. There's no lock on the door, so you can just step right on in." Mael explained.
"I'll knock. Thanks." Rumo huffed, standing tall beside the naga. It was rare for him to feel small beside another being, the large serpent looming above his head.
Usually, Mael simply needed help lockpicking some ill-forgotten chest he'd dragged from the bottom of the ocean floor, or help buying some things from the general store in town. Most places had a 'shoot on site' policy with nagas, though these shores were much more lax with such a rule. At worst, it seemed Mael liked to rake his claws along ocean vessels. If the rest of the crew learned that he'd been taking his shore leave to spend time with a serpent like this, he'd never hear the end of it.
"Alright. I'll go see your little 'friend', and hear his side of the story." Rumo said at last, dropping the rest of the rope down onto the dock. "I've got two days. If I'm late, there'll be hell to pay back on the boat."
"Two days. Understood. Yes." Mael repeated, slowly trailing behind the pirate. He wrung his hands nervously as he stared out at the house. Mael was used to shame, but asking a human for help with something so personal felt like a new low.
The serpent smiled at himself, shaking his head slightly. He truly was a terrible naga.
The Negotiation
The sailor frowned as he stared blankly at the door in front of him. Vicious gashes ran through the wood, the claw marks raked deep against the grain. Hesitantly, Rumo reached out, knuckles rapping politely against the marked door. The sailor stepped back as he waited, the cool sea air pressing against his back. Seconds turned to minutes, and Rumo quickly began to worry that he hadn't knocked loud enough.
The sailor slowly turned to look back at the naga, who now lay splayed out in the tide. Mael shrugged at Rumo, making it clear that the serpent was equally as clueless about what to do.
The door to the small beach house suddenly creaked open, a clawed hand clutching at the door. A human's face, patched with pale scales, peeked through the small opening. The man sported reptilian eyes, slitted pupils widening at the sight of Rumo.
"What did he tell you." The man whispered, voice airy and quiet.
"Mael? Uh." Rumo paused, turning to look back at where the serpent had just been. "That you're half naga. And that you've lived your life as a human. Something like that, at least."
"How do you know Mael?" The shy voice asked, door opening another inch.
"He comes by every now and again. Or rather, I guess I'm the one who's in and out a lot. He keeps track of everyone that comes into his territory. Naga are territorial like that." Rumo shrugged, trying not to look directly at the gashes in this man's door.
"You work on a ship?" The changed man asked, reptilian eyes widening. "You must get around a lot, then."
"Uh. Yeah. I guess. We're a... merchant vessel. So it's a lot of carrying cargo to and fro. Real boring, most of the time. Not as fun as it's cracked up to be." Rumo lied, one hand wringing at his shirt awkwardly. "But I guess I'm just biased. Only life I've ever really known, and all."
"Yeah?" The man began, opening the door wider.
The naga before him was mostly human from the waist up, scales crawling up his stomach before tapering off into smooth skin. Flecks of smooth naga hide lined his shoulders and arms, the fit male blushing beneath Rumo's eyes.
"Sorry. I should've... Put on a shirt." The naga began, looking down at the floor as he let his coils tighten.
"No, no." Rumo huffed, waving his hand in protest. "You're fine as you are. I was just... Taken aback. I guess I was expecting something else, is all."
"Something else?" The turned human asked, cocking his head to the side as he spoke.
"You know... Less skin. More like Mael. With scales all over, and not just below." Rumo began, one hand wringing at his shirt once more. "He wasn't kidding then, about all this. For a second I thought he'd brought me here in an attempt to distract you."
"Distract me? From what?" The scaled man frowned, leaning forward as he peeked out the door.
"N-Nothing! Forget I mentioned it." Rumo fumbled, leaning away from the man as he watched a forked tongue flick past his lips. "It's just... Mael, you know? Always causing trouble. Never straightforward."
"He's like that with you too?" The serpent suddenly turned his attention back on Rumo, slitted eyes wide open. A wave of relief washed over his form as he leaned against the doorway. "Thank goodness. And here I thought I was the only person who had to put up with his nonsense."
Rumo smiled at that, the charismatic sailor slowly relaxing as he stood at the door to the half-naga's 'den'. The man in front of him slowly returned the smile, coils unfurling as he slid to the side.
"If Mael made you come all the way out here from town, the least I can do is invite you in." The male said, straightening his back as he nodded towards the sailor. "My name's Den, by the way."
"Nice to meet you Den." The sailor spoke politely, bowing slightly as he stepped into the cozy home. "My name's Rumo."
"Rumo." Den muttered, letting the name sit on his forked tongue. "What is that? The Northern isles?"
"Have you been?" Rumo asked, rather surprised that Den could tell.
Mael slowly slid out from the waters as he watched the door shut behind the sailor, a smug grin plastered to his face. His poor naga had been worried sick about society rejecting him, so much so that he'd locked himself away from the world beyond for a week now. The naga let out a hiss of relief as he felt a tremendous burden lift off his back. Den would be just fine, and all would be well.
Den was clearly far from fine.
"I haven't even gone back yet. Someone came by the other day; a nice lady from the village who I sell my fish to. She just knocked and asked if I was home. I don't think she's ever left her porch in years." Den continued his rambling, arms wrapping around his sleek stomach. "No one knows what's happened to me yet, and I really don't know how to break the news."
Rumo had never seen a naga pace nervously before, though today had already been a day for many firsts. The naga's thick coils wound over one another as he slowly slithered across the wooden floorboards.
"The village doesn't like Mael. I mean, I definitely didn't like Mael until he started bothering me, and I don't even know to begin processing those feelings. Naga's are supposed to be these vile and vicious creatures, but Mael is different. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about any of this and it's driving me mad." Den huffed, reaching up to grip at the hair he no longer had. The male blinked in frustration, and instead ran his claws across his bumpy scalp.
"At first it was so amazing. When it was just Mael and I in the sea, everything made sense. But then I realized, o-or maybe had this pain of sort, that told me that I had to go back to shore. I'm not a naga. I'm a human!" The conflicted man exclaimed, hands still rubbing at his scalp. "I can't just give my life up. But there's no way they'll even begin to accept me! I like this place!"
"So you're afraid that everyone up there is going to freak out when they see you?" Rumo asked, sitting at the far end of Den's small table. There were claw marks raked across its surface, one of Rumo's hands idly running across the bumps and grooves. "And you don't think running away into the sea is something you want to do?"
Den paused in his pacing and turned towards a window. Slithering over, the naga peeked out a curtain. Light filtered onto his reptilian eye as the male stared longingly out at the ocean. Rumo watched as Den's scales flushed with color, a shudder rolling down the naga's back.
"I want to go out there so badly, Rumo. But I'm scared. What if I never come back? What if someone comes here, sees all these claw marks, and thinks I was eaten?" Den asked, jerking himself away from the curtain. "I... miss talking with people besides Mael. I like talking with you."
The naga let out a wistful hiss as the beast slumped over the table. The man's scaled hand reached out and gently squeezed at Rumo's, clawed fingers inspecting the human's calloused palm.
"I'm torn." Den sighed. "And I don't know what to do."
"Well the first thing I'd do is stop assuming you're trapped." Rumo stated bluntly, surprising even himself at the suggestion. "You haven't even seen the village's reaction yet. Maybe the news shouldn't come from you, either, but by letter or from someone else."
"Mael?" Den frowned. "No. He doesn't have the sense to talk to humans without aggravating them."
"I'm offering myself." The sailor stated, glancing down at the hand atop his. "I mean, I'm human. I could explain what happened. Though, I'm sure there will be skeptics."
"Maybe I'm just being foolish." The serpent muttered, staring blankly at the wall beyond Rumo. "Maybe Den the Fisherman is gone, and Den the Naga is all that's left now."
"Oh, don't be silly. You're talkin' like you're a completely different person. The way I see it, you showin' worry is good enough proof of the opposite." The sailor began, leaning forward in his chair as he spoke. "So dry those eyes of yours and, uh... Can naga's even cry?"
"I... I don't know." Den blinked, head turning down to look at his exposed chest.
"You're at least sad, right? I mean, you sure do sound sad." Rumo offered.
"I wouldn't say it's sadness either. Just nerves. I'm far too... strung up, to feel sad." The naga explained, shifting his weight from side to side as he pulled away from the table.
"What does that mean? Are you-" The sailor began, words trailing off as he glanced down at the naga's hips.
A trickle of thick fluid was slowly drooling down the naga's coils, Den's slit flush a pale white. The off-colored skin slowly tensed rhythmically as the naga slid away from Rumo, clawed hands nervously clasped together.
"I don't think you're keen to understand that. I just... I'm pining awfully bad right now. For the sea. For Mael." Den huffed, one hand reaching down to wipe at his leaking entrance. "S-Sorry."
"No, no. Don't apologize. I'm sure that's, uh. Perfectly natural. For naga's." Rumo spoke as politely as he could, doing his best to turn his attention away from the clenching slit. Once he'd seen it, the aroused groin was hard to look away from. "I'll, uh... I'll see what I can do to help you out."
"T-Thank you. You really don't have to go through all this trouble." Den gave the sailor a meek smile. "I-If Mael is forcing you into this, I-"
"What?" Rumo asked, cocking his head as he slowly stood. "Oh, no. He just saved me from an awful night of... Well. I'll spare you the details."
The two exchanged farewells and went about their ways. Rumo caught sight of Den staring at him through the curtain as he set out towards the dock. The sailor frowned as he thought about the mess Mael had made for this man. Surely, he'd be able to help Den out. How hard could it be, to convince a town that a fisherman who lived nearby was actually a naga? Or, wait. No, there had to be a better way to phrase that.
Rumo muttered as he clambered into the rowboat. The journey back to his ship would be an arduous one, but at least he had something to mull over for the time being. The sailor stared out at the setting sun and took a deep breath of the fresh sea air. Maybe everything would work out. Maybe the boss had simmered down. The sailor clutched at his oars as he hunkered down, slowly beginning his trek towards town.
Mael waited patiently, torso washed ashore on a large rock beside the dockyard. Eyes closed, the naga took a deep breath as he let the midday sun wash across his back. Today had proven to be an exceptionally lazy day, what with Rumo doing all of the hard work. The naga's broad back tensed and flexed as he let out a yawn.
He'd been doing his best to keep an eye on Rumo as the man went about the village this morning, spreading the rumor that a fisherman by the edge of town had actually been a serpent in disguise. All things said, the man had a wonderfully smart delivery, saying things like 'all these years, and I never knew a naga could be so kind'. While Mael wasn't particularly fond of Rumo's career choice, he was more than delighted to spend time with the man.... Even if that 'time spent' together was really just Mael slinking about in the shadows in Rumo's wake.
It'd been a few hours now, and Rumo had yet to return from the tavern on the other side of the dock. The naga soaked in as much sun as he could, grateful for the cloudless sky above him.
The sound of the seaside bar's doors bursting open broke the peaceful silence that Mael had been enjoying. The sharp crash of a bottle smashing erupted as two pairs of footsteps came fumbling out of the tavern. Mael opened one eye as he peered out at the docks to his side, catching sight of a shadow slamming down atop the wooden dock above.
"Three chances, Rumo. That's what I gave ya, and you wasted em all." A haggard voice spoke up, words slurred together in a long chain of drunkenness.
The shadow of a man curled up as he recoiled once more, Mael immediately sitting upright atop the rocks as he listened to Rumo let out a sharp cry of pain.
"Y'really didn't think I'd notice? Hm? Thought ya could hide that shit from me? Yer lucky I'm leaving your sorry hide on dry land, instead of tossin' yew off right then and there." The grizzled voice continued, pausing only to elicit more awful noises from Rumo.
Mael couldn't take it any more. The naga began to pull himself towards the dock, forearms tensing as he quickened his pace.
"Yer soft. And I ain't got time to keep'a dull knife like yew on my ship. Now get outta my sight."
Mael reached out and clasped the side of the dock as the door to the bar slammed shut. The naga's reptilian eyes scanned the scene, squinting as he locked his sights on the reeling pirate before him.
Rumo sat curled into a ball on the ground, clutching at the back of his head. Bits of glass clung to his hair, a steady trickle of blood running down his hand.
The naga rolled his eyes and let out a sigh, hoisting himself up onto the dock as quietly as he could. Reaching out, the serpent grabbed at Rumo's shirt and dragged him further down the pier. The pirate flailed in protest, clutching and whimpering as he recoiled against the strong grip.
"Oh, quit your whining." The naga hissed, keeping his voice low. "I'll have you patched up in no time."
Rumo's words were a blubbering mess of indecipherable nonsense. The naga ignored his whining, quickly ripping off the male's shirt as he rolled the man onto his back. Coils sliding atop the sailor, Mael began wrapping the fabric around his head before tying it off.
"Rumo. Hey. Rumo. Look here. Look up." Mael insisted, clapping his hands together in front of the man's face. "Eyes open. Look at me."
Rumo shuddered as he strained to open his eyes. Eyelids fluttering, the pirate squinted up at Mael's silhouette. All he could make out were a pair of shimmering, bright jewels, boring down atop him. It took the man a moment to realize what he was staring into, the mesmerizing gaze twinkling down upon Rumo with an intensity the pirate had never felt before.
"I..." Rumo strained, blinking blearily as he gazed into those beautiful eyes. The pain was ebbing away, slowly, and with it came a well of emotions. "I wish I was... A sailor. Just. A sailor."
"I know. I know." Mael smiled, taking a moment to lick at the blood that had smeared across his hand. "We can worry about that later. For now, rest. You remember how to rest, yes?"
Rumo huffed as he squinted. It was so hard to keep his eyes open. The awfulness in his head felt like it was leaking out, a new numbing sensation vacating his brain of all cohesive thought. He strained to nod, each bob of his head causing his world to darken a little more.
"Why can't... I... be happy, Mael?" Rumo mumbled, his body quickly slumping after uttering the naga's name.
"Oh, a number of reasons." The naga smiled to himself as he stared at the slumbering male. "Though you probably went wrong after sticking around with this crew."
Mael's chest rumbled as he rolled the slumbering man over to the edge of the water. Peeking over the edge, the serpent squinted at the rowboat drifting below. Shrugging, Mael went back to shoving the pirate.
"I've seen... Your handiwork, you know. A merchant ship... doesn't need... a crew... like yours. There are words for pirates like you. Words often shared with ways to describe... my kind." Mael began, pausing as he watched the unconscious body drop off the side of the dock. The serpent winced as he watched the limp body crash into the wooden rowboat, suddenly regretting his rash decision.
"I thought humans were squishier than that." Mael muttered to himself. "He won't notice if an extra rib is broken, right?"
The naga slipped over the edge after Rumo, splashing into the water before quickly emerging.
"Don't you worry, my pirate friend. I'll get you all the care you need." Mael huffed, long coils propelling the serpent forward as he grasped at the rowboat. "I'm an expert at this sort of thing."
....
"Or at least I hope I am."
The Deal
Rumo sat upright in bed, wincing as the world spun around him. The pain slowly caught up with him as the dizziness faded, one hand quickly clutching at his battered chest.
The pirate cursed loudly as he began to swing his legs off the bed. Easing forward, the world around him began to go black. Rumo frowned as he gave up on the strenuous task, leaning back down onto the comfy bedding. The man was used to such batterings, but that didn't make the pain magically go away. Frowning, the sailor looked back on the previous day. Mael had been there. Probably heard everything. Had the naga known his 'trade' all along?
"He shouldn't have done that to you." A voice spoke up from the corner of the room.
Rumo lifted his head in surprise to find the half-serpent sitting on the ground in the far corner of the room. His coils were wrapped tightly around his frame, propping up the man's scaled torso against the wall. Claw marks littered the small corner of this room, Den's form barely lit by the window beside him. It was morning outside, Rumo's confusion returning to him as he glanced at the bandages around his chest.
"What. What do you mean?" Rumo asked, fingers tentatively pressing at his bruised skin.
"Mael. He shouldn't have hypnotized you. It's not fair to you." Den answered, hugging his arms tighter against his chest.
"Oh." The pirate began, blinking in surprise. "He did? I- Look. It's fine. The problem isn't with Mael. He was just trying to help. I'm more worried about-"
"It's been a few days. That's how long Mael put you under for. Your ship already left." Den interrupted, slitted eyes meeting the pirate's as he spoke. "Just this morning."
"Oh." The pirate began, grogginess leaving his mind as a few more urgent needs came to his attention. Hunger. Thirst. And more importantly...
"I-I've got to go." Rumo fumbled, quickly pulling himself off of the bed. The world around the pirate swung as he tried to steady himself, one hand grasping at the wall as he fumbled towards the doorway.
"Wait, what?" Den blinked, pulling himself out of his coils to follow after the injured man. "Where are you going? You need bed rest, and-"
"I've been asleep for two days!" Rumo hissed, hobbling into the man's living room. The curtains of this cozy little cabin were drawn shut, the pirate's frenzied eyes turning back towards Den. "There. Are more important things. Than rest."
"Look at yourself." The pirate muttered, eyes locked on his own somber expression. The dark circles under his eyes cast a gaunt look across his face, scraggly beard unkempt from his week ashore. The strange naga had offered its bed to Rumo while he healed, yet now the pirate's recovery was nearing its end. Bruised chest on full display, the pirate idly touched at the sensitive skin. He was a mess. Without a ship. Without a home.
Floorboards creaked under Rumo's feet as he turned away from his reflection, glancing across the living room to the windowsill. Den had left the house again, the naga's desire to meet the shore always winning out before the day was done. The pirate always offered the two privacy during their visits, lest he accidentally spoil what time they had together. He'd come here to help, yet now, Rumo was the one who felt like the burden. Sighing, the pirate dragged his feet across the floorboards, peeking outside to try and catch a glimpse of the serpents beyond.
Scales glinting in the afternoon sun, the two lay basking along the shore. Their coils were wrapped together, foamy waves lapping up to their hips. Rumo paused as he realized just how close they were, their hips grinding together as they casually talked. Claws gripping each other tenderly, the two bucked as they pulled one another close. Their kiss sent them rolling, Den now plastered below the larger naga. Humping. Mating.
... What was Rumo doing here?
The pirate pulled away from the window, letting go of the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. The two were... Mates? He thought Mael had just meant mates as in-
"I'm an idiot." Rumo muttered, tugging awkwardly at his pants as he walked away from the scene before him. He was in the middle of a lover's dilemma and he hadn't realized it until now?
"One wants the sea and the other wants the shore. This is classic bullshit." The pirate hissed under his breath, fetching what little belongings he still had to his name to pile them up on the corner of Den's bed. The pirate had nothing to do with their lives, despondency wracking over the man as he clutched at the ache in his side.
He'd leave. Tomorrow. He'd try to find work in the village, and if that didn't work? Well...
Rumo sighed as he played out the possibilities in his mind. The roof under his head had been so nice, the two naga's having gathered food and water for him over the course of this past week. He couldn't just leave, could he?
Frozen with indecision, Rumo glanced at the claw marks surrounding him. Den's worries seemed carved into the very floorboards beneath him, the pirate's heart sinking as he sat down atop the bedding.
"Think, Rumo." The pirate muttered to himself, idly running his fingers through his hair as he sat in silence. "There's got to be a way to repay them."
"Is it our fault?" Den mused aloud, clawed fingers running across the back of his mate. The grooves of Mael's scales thrummed against his fingers as the naga arched back against his lover.
The two serpents sat in bliss across the beach, their members stuffed into one another's warm and aching slits. Cum drooled onto the sand between them, their members slowly receding back home. Still, the two kept their hips pinned together, gently grinding back and forth as they basked in the wake of their orgasms.
"Is what our fault?" Mael asked, gazing blankly back into his mate's eyes. Sand clung to the half-naga's scales before him, the larger serpent gently reaching down to place a hand against his smooth skin. "Plenty of things are my fault, Den, but I hardly know anything that is our fault."
"I'm talking about the pirate. Rumo." The half-serpent explained, nuzzling his head closer against Mael as he sighed. "Did whisking the man away cause him to get hurt like that?"
"No." The naga replied, shaking his head against Den's. "He was not made for violence. His Captain caught wind of his softness one too many times."
"I can't imagine that." Den sighed. "Choosing to live that life, it... It doesn't make sense. He's not some bloodthirsty pirate."
"Sometimes it doesn't seem like a choice, Den." Mael began, his voice rumbling softly as he spoke. "It may be the only life he has ever known. I know that feeling, well enough."
It was quiet for a moment, the memories of darker days causing Mael to coil tightly around his lover.
"But you left. Right?" Den asked, staring into his naga's eyes. "You didn't fit in, and-"
"Cast me out." Mael whispered, his voice barely audible above the sound of the gentle shore below. "With blades and teeth alike. I was weak, and they sought to remove that weakness."
"You're not weak to me." Den replied, pulling the naga as close to him as he could. The serpent did his best to squeeze his coils around Mael's, leaning in to kiss at the serpent's neck.
"Oh, I am plenty weak." Mael chuckled, waves crashing up to their hips once more as he let his mate kiss at the nape of his neck. "Weak for you, my love. Weak for this village. Even weak for that pirate, there."
"So then stay." Den spoke, surprising even himself at the urgency in his tone. "Let the village see you as I see you. This can be our home."
Mael smiled at that, the naga's eyes glittering with delight at the serpent's words.
"We are not human, my love." The naga sighed wistfully, drinking in the sight of his mate beside him.
"We don't have to be. But we're not exactly your average naga, now are we?" Den asked, squeezing tight around his mate for emphasis.
"No, Den." The naga huffed. "I suppose you're right."
"I have an offer." The pirate began, clearing his throat as he pulled up a chair in front of the resting serpent. The two sat inside of the cabin's common area, Den nestled on the ground as he stared wistfully out at the ocean beyond.
"I-" Blinking, Den's serpentine eyes turned towards Rumo. "Sorry. What was that?"
"I said I have an offer. For the two of you. Something for you to each consider." Rumo repeated, rapping his knuckles nervously against the wood of the chair.
"Okay. Let's hear it." Den nodded, staring in earnest as his fins tensed.
Rumo rocked atop his chair, bare foot tapping against wooden floorboards as he mustered up the courage to speak his mind. The pirate took a deep breath, bruised chest tingling as he strained forward.
"I think we should work together." Rumo huffed. "The three of us. Mael, you, and I. You're a fisherman, right? And Mael is a naga. Between the two of you, there's no way you lack the experience to haul in good supply."
Den sat stunned, forked tongue flicking out past his lips to taste at the air. Fishing? Still? Out in the sea? Blinking, the naga cleared his throat.
"This would be our base of operations, but it would be my job to prepare the fish, and sell it up the road. A-At the village. I wouldn't lie about where the fish comes from. Everyone would know, but they'd still be dealing with me. Most of the time. U-Unless you wanted to tag along with." Rumo rambled, palms squeezed together as he ran over his words. "It'd be a business. The money we earn split between the three. We could even p-put some money into this place. Get ourselves some storage. A-Another bed. So you could have yours and I could-"
"Stop." Den spoke at last, eyes still blankly staring forward. "Hold for just a moment. I'm trying to process this."
Rumo paused, heart racing in his chest as he waited for the naga to speak once more. The serpent's soft blue scales glinted in the light, coils tensing as he ran through the plan.
"Okay." Den spoke at last. "Yes. Yes, I'd like that. Forget about the bed. That can be yours."
The naga rose, rather suddenly. Coils unfurling, the serpent slowly slid towards the doorway, clawed hand grasping at the handle.
"Really?" Rumo asked, surprised at how easy the coercion had been. "B-But what about-"
"Mael?" Den finished the pirate's thought, turning back to look at the human. The serpent smiled softly, and gave the man a gentle nod. "You needn't worry about him. I'll convince him."
The two lay in their usual spot, basking in what little light still remained on the horizon. Den's eyes were closed as he let the naga pressed against him ponder on what he'd just relayed. The waves crashed gently against their coils, the half-naga's heart racing at the gentle lapping. His lover was milking the anticipation, humming loudly in an effort to bide more time. Den knew the serpent's strategy: stall long enough, and Mael would eventually win over and coax the half-naga back into the waves.
"You don't have to play." Den whispered, easing even closer. Grabbing at one of the naga's hands, he gently coaxed the sea-slick fingers to his mouth. Kissing gently, Den opened his eyes to gaze upon the serpent before him. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Alright, alright. It sounds reasonable." Mael began, the broad shouldered serpent flashing a grin through razor sharp teeth. The intimidating serpent eased forward, the knuckles of his free hand grazing against Den's groin as he adjusted in the sand.
"Yeah?" Den asked, sounding surprised. "We can do a test period, if you want. A trial."
"Humans do trials. Naga's commit." Mael muttered, palm down pressed against the warm slit against him. Smiling back at Den, the naga's thick finger gently grazed against the opening. "And you? What are your thoughts on the matter?"
"I think- T-That it sounds..." Den began, shuddering as the tip of Mael's claws pushed against his groin. The half-naga's words must have excited the naga before him, the eager hand already teasing at his arousal. "Gosh, Mael. So soon?"
"I must admit, that does sound nice. We needn't leave these coasts to fish, either." Mael continued, ignoring Den as he slowly pushed his fingers against the tight folds of Den's slit. The half-naga arched against him, leaning in close as Mael's fingers curled. "The house will still be here. You can come back any time. We fish. We sell them. Yes.... It does sound rather nice."
"Y-Yeahhh." Den huffed, squirming against Mael's hand as the naga pushed deeper into him. He could feel his squeezing folds spread wider, scaled slit submerged once more in the waves that crashed against his hips.
"Maybe we can even... Sleep out here?" Mael pondered. "In the waves? On the shore? I'll... Help you grow comfortable, slowly. You can talk to that pirate whenever you like. He's in your home, after all."
"M-Mhm." Den nodded, reaching down and wrapping his arms around Mael's neck. The half-naga shuddered as the waves pulled above his waist, bare skin tingling as the sea slid over him. He could feel his hips widening to the former glory they one embodied. A naga. Bold, and powerful. Sleek, and dangerous. The male rocked his hips faster against Mael's hand, breathing heavily as he buried his face in the naga's sandy neck. "I-I like him. H-He needs us."
"Of course he does." Mael began, pushing his hand tight against the warm slit sliding against his palm. "He's part of my tribe now, after all."
"Y-You can't be serious!" Den laughed, his mirth cut off by gentle gasps as the fingers within him pushed deeper. Squeezing his arms around the naga, Den shuddered as he pulled Mael closer. Humping steadily, hips splashing into the rising tide, the half-naga let out a moan of delight.
"What's there to joke about? He needs us, just as I need you." Mael hissed, his own coils locking Den in place above him. Their lower halves sat tangled the waters, each squeezing against the other as if their lives depended on it. "He might not be a naga, but he loves the sea. Just as we do."
"S-So... You're in?" Den asked, forked tongue flicking against Mael's neck as he rose to look the naga in the eyes.
"Of course. Maybe now, you'll let me teach you how to fish like a naga. Hm?" Mael chuckled, suddenly curling his fingers deep inside his mate. Fluids trickled down the beast's wrist, collecting in his palm as he gently ground into the wanton beast above.
The tide was drawing closer, Den's body adapting to the waters with each pull of the waves. Shoulders widening, back muscles tensing, the half-naga's eyes gazed down at Mael with complete devotion.
"Mael." Den whispered, bringing in a hand down to press against his budding scales. "I'm ready. Take me, plea-"
Mael leaned in as he guided the naga above him down, a massive wave washing over the two as he craned his neck forward. Their mouths pressed together, open and wanton, kissing as the tide crashed against them.
"You sleep with me. Out here. Tonight." Mael whispered, staring deep into Den's eyes.
"Mael. Of. C-Course." Den began, squirming as he humped against the naga's hand. Hips pumping, the changing male slowly shoved himself down on the steady palm.
His quivering slit, stuffed to the knuckles with Mael's fingers, clenched tightly around the greedy naga's manhandling. His coils intertwined with the serpent's before him as he relaxed against the male, letting himself sink deeper onto the naga's hand.
"I want to be with you forever." Den hissed, gasping as he felt the naga's knuckles push inside him. The serpent's fingers slid against Den's arousals as he bucked forward, slit stretching even wider around the man's hand. "I-I want you to pin me. Every day. I want to sing your name, a-and... Oh gosh..."
Den gasped as his slit wrapped around the naga's wrist. Stuffed to the brim, juices rolling down his coils, Den stared longingly at the naga before him. Pulling Mael close with his entire body, Den slowly rocked against the serpent. The slick noises of his warm, flush with heat, were a delight to hear. The gaping groin squeezed around the invasive hand with each plunge of his hips, cocks twitching inside as the pressure within began to mount.
"Does it please you, so? My love?" Mael whispered back, tongue lapping at the naga's neck. Scales were slowly reforming along the half-serpent's torso, the sea rising closer with each lap of the waves. "The water is calling to you. Just as I am."
"I-I can hear it, Mael." Den blinked, slitted eyes staring back into the naga's before him. The man shuddered as the waves crashed with sudden intensity, foamy waters rushing up to his neck. The naga swallowed, neck bulging inhumanly as he felt his throat widen. Tongue thickening in his maw, Den let the forked appendage hang from his mouth.
The rush of the waves gushed into his gaping slit as Mael gently pulled his hand out. Clenching with need, the naga could feel both of his shafts shove out of his groin with surprising speed. The engorged members throbbed as they slid against Mael's scales, the pulling of waves gently... Tugging at his arousal.
The water was calling him. Deeper.
"Let's-" Den began, gasping sharply as he ground once more against his mate. "I'm ready. Help me there, Mael."
Water splashed about as the two sunk into the depths of the water. Their maws were pressed together, Den's eyes still closed tight as he held the kiss. Bubbles of air drifted upwards, the dark sea looming around them as Den held onto his lover for dear life. The sounds around him were stilling, the half-naga straining against Mael as the vibrations from his body grew in intensity. A heartbeat. Coils shifting and squeezing. They were sinking, claws dug into Mael's side as he clung in fear. It was different, without hypnosis. The calmness that his naga had once distilled within him was nowhere to be found, heart beating with intensity as he held his breath. Salt water filled his mouth as Mael kissed deeper, razor sharp teeth sliding against his toughened maw. The kiss grew in fervor as Den kissed back, coils squeezing tighter than he'd ever allowed himself to before. With each squeeze of his claws, Mael responded in kind, as if coaxing Den on. Fingers digging into Mael's side, the serpent pressed against him. Over and over again, they pulled one another tighter. Den could hear his back popping, shoulder blades snapping into position as he ground against his mate. The once-freezing water was forgotten as Den focused on the warmth emanating from his hips. Back and forth, the changing man clutched tightly at his lover.
He was breathing, chest shuddering as water coursed through him. He could feel his body clenching rhythmically as he writhed in the darkness, his eyes gently flitting open. It was dark, the sandy depths below them drawing close as Mael guided him down. The weight of the water around him seemed to press back, Den's own powerful body brushing through it with ease. Popping sounds erupted from within him as Mael drifted down to the ocean floor, the serpent's eyes gently glowing as he gazed back at Den. The fear that budded within him slowly began to disperse as he felt himself smile. There was no pain here. Only Mael.
Pulling away from the kiss, Den shuddered. The world around him was alien. Strange. Sand drifted in the wake of their thrashing tails as the changed man pressed down harder atop his naga. The force of his thrusts built in intensity, twin shafts sliding against the serpent below him. Suddenly, the pressure mounting against his arousal gave out, his members slipping forward into Mael's slit. The tightness that greeted him sent Den into a frenzy, stretched slit easing around his shafts as he ground forward. Teeth baring, Den bit blindly at the water in front of him. His jaws snapped shut, lips curled into a snarl as he pushed forward. Mael's claws dug into Den once more, spurring the naga on as his coils squeezed. The tensing serpents rocked back and forth as they bred, shafts nestled deep within one another.
The fervor of their writhing increased, voracity rising within the nagas as their shafts ground together. Den could feel himself slipping into a frenzy, slitted eyes constricting as he gazed upon the naga beneath him. He wanted to breed. To stuff the serpent before him, to pin him down and claim him as his own. Den slowly began to hulk in size as he ground into his mate, relishing in the sensation of his hips hilting against Mael's. The naga ground back with equal intensity, slit squeezing around Den's arousal.
Instincts coursing, the looming naga curled tightly around his mate. Coils entwining into a tight knot of passion, the two shuddered as one. Den could feel him slip past some unseen threshold, cocks pulsing as warmth flooded through his groin. Mael was cumming as well, clawed hands running down his scaled back as he rocked through the throes of his pleasure. The two leaned in, bestial maws sliding against one another as they gently bit at one another's maws. The tender gesture felt alien to Den, surprised at how little Mael's teething hurt. The kiss was met with equal curiosity, Den tentatively nibbling against his mate. Affection as a naga felt rougher than that of a human, their bodies pushing and squeezing against one another in ways that would surely harm someone smaller than them. Den pushed these thoughts aside as he gazed down at Mael's eyes.
The sea wasn't too bad. Not with Mael by his side.
Den gently rocked back and forth, twin shafts still nestled deep within him. The warmth that clung to his insides seemed to tingle in delight, their post orgasm leaving both serpent's dazed and elated. Soon the two would gently pull themselves together. Den's own fear of the great sea around him would slowly began to grip him once more. He'd return ashore, body covered in glittering scales, with the newfound knowledge that he could return to the sea.
That he would.
The pirate that had unceremoniously entered their lives had given Den something he hadn't been able to give himself: resolution.
The naga's chest rumbled with pleasure as he thought this over, nuzzling up close against his mate as he idly ground his hips against Mael. His mate had been so patient with him, so caring. The newfound fervor within their mating felt so different to the Mael he knew on shore. A part of Den feared the voracity of their mating, the thought of their snapping jaws and coiling scales sending another shudder down the man's spine. And yet... it had also felt so liberating. So right. For the first time, Den felt like he could understand just how little he knew about this new life of his. A part of him hungered to return to that vicious, wild passion. Throat tensing, Den stared down with a worried expression at the naga below. The warm smile Mael gave him was all Den needed to wash away such fears. Hugging the naga close, Den closed his eyes.
Den could feel his desire to return to his cabin mounting. But for now? The steady thrum of Mael's heartbeat would suffice.
:Cambionsicon: To be continued. :Cambionsicon:
Well met, mortal. These nagas are slowly beginning to figure their lives out. This new pirate, though, must learn how to live amongst serpents, old and new alike. The final part of Making A Naga will detail their lives, and how they learn to work together. As friends, family, and cohorts. I hope you enjoyed the story, and hope you stick around to read on.
See you next time.
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