He made a show of arching himself in a stretch, showing off that waistline of his and hands actually setting on either side of it and then very clearly eyeing Jack up- "Mine's just a little smaller than yours, hips are around the same at least." How could he even tell? Probably best not to ask, really. Also wasn't saying no to the pants or commenting about the tail bit. "Got a story if someone sees another shadow or figure in here that's clearly not you then?" Possibilities.
Settling right back in to that tub then, blowing a loose piece of hair from his face that had fallen from his earlier movement. "Any luck?"
"Our far deeper and in warmer waters. I'm solitary, only socialize with the few that migrate near the edge of my territory." So no one to try and reach out to was what was being got at. There were more, most of them migrated rather than keeping to one area all year.
Jack averted his eyes to be respectful with the arching and stretching, taking the merman's word for having a slimmer waist than what he had. He supposed he had seen it when he had laid the other in the tub, but now didn't seem like an appropriate time to be gawking at the alluring creature in his bathtub. "I'm going to say that an old friend has come to visit, but they aren't much for the sea or something. I have excuses." He was very good painting a narrative.
The line of questioning was uncomfortable for him, and his hands folded together to keep them from twitching. "On some nights, yeah. Others, not so much."
Ah, so they were a migratory species, were they? And this one had a territory he probably guarded from rivals. It was more information than he was expecting, and he filed it away for the time being. "Don't you find that lonely? What to do like to pass the time aside from hunting?"
"Work well enough," even if there'd yet been any sort of name given for Jack to give these people if anyone did ever ask after this 'visiting friend' of his, if it was what he went with. For the man to worry about ore than him, he supposed.
There was a low sort of hum. "Never an easy fix for things." No matter whatever the problem was, sounded like a large sort of living shift to him. Curious all the same and little more to it than that.
Fingers flexed in the water, almost idly. "Just how it is. Used to be more here, a lot more. I'm the only one that kept where I have." Others had left for one reason or another, and even he didn't stray too far in the areas that humans frequented. "Explore the territory. Things shift and change."
He was perfectly fine making up a name on the fly, and it wouldn't be the first man found in his house that he had covered for. He had plenty of time to come up with the necessary backstory and fleshing it out, though he wondered if it would be more entertaining for them to get to know each other by making it up together. He decided that might be a bit too personal.
He nodded, aware that it helped to a degree, but the isolation wasn't easy either. He was so far removed from what he had been that integrating back into society was compounded even further. He didn't yet regret the decision. "Well, we can't expect everything to be fixed in a day. Or a few months, in this case."
That was answer enough for him. Just how it was. "There's a military frigate out, I see. Probably making lots of noise in your waters."
His tongue clicked, sinking a little further in the tub, even if it meant more of his tail was no longer in the water- or the tub itself. Really, he was built for open water and it showed; scarred as his tail already was, how a few of his fins were more shredded in places than others. Strength in it was clear enough. The scars all along skin and scale alike told their own stories in a way.
A slight nod, "Time." Quite a few sayings about it and patience. Quite a few.
"Destroyed quite a few territories, reason most left- others simply followed," out of fear of being caught up in it, or tired of seeing parts of hat had always been called home destroyed. All the reasons he stayed.
That was quite a sight, he would admit, and he it was one that he was going to have to get used to. That tail - even damaged - was impressive. He could only imagine what it might look like while in motion through water. Maybe in time when he returned the other to the sea he could see it briefly. He supposed he was making a trip to town though. Pet store might have something to help with the damage?
"You fight a lot, do you? I was noticing your scars." They had that in common at least. Lots of scars.
"But you stayed. You must have a cream of the crop territory," he remarked, not certain what that actually meant. He didn't know enough of this sea creature to know what it was that kept him. A part of him hoped to find out.
Wouldn't hurt to ask around at least on that trip, never knew what could be found in anything this close to the sea.
His head tipped, "Not as much as I once did," but yes. "Not all of these are from fighting, but enough are." Waters were deep and much was hidden there, but he wasn't going to say that not all of them had come from those depths or shallows.
He did stay, "It's mine to keep." Whatever that could entail wasn't exactly given for free, but it was his all the same. "It will remain that way," as long as he could fight to keep it that way.
"Are some from hunting?" He wasn't certain what he was expecting really. He thought fighting, but then again, prey was probably equipped to be nasty in their own way. Scars told a story after all, even if he had no idea how to read those particular ones. His own were covered in his clothing... except the two across his face.
"Do you have... well, kids?" How maternal and paternal were they? It was awkward and he probably shouldn't have asked, but this was honestly the weirdest and best conversation he had had in a long time. No pitying looks. No silent questions.
"That's fair enough. How long have you had that territory?"
"A few," not enough to account for the expanse of scars on him, but a few of them were from while he was out hunting; accidents, something bigger and desperately hungry out there, the usual. None of it pretty, but he was the one who came out of it whole and alive. That was what mattered in the end.
That was a question alright- "I don't see them a lot since my partner and I separated quite the many years ago, but I know I have grand-kids. They've brought them when their migration had them this way." No hard feelings by the sounds of it, simply how life went at times even under the water. "Do you?"
Eyes lifted towards the ceiling, trying to re-call a number as his brow furrowed- "It always belonged to my family, through my mother, from her father. I can't give an exact time, but it has always been since it was passed on to me."
There were plenty of stories there, and they didn't need to get into them here and now. They had just met after all, and asking after the reasons of someone's scars was sometimes deeply personal. He knew that he didn't like to talk much about the ones that marred his face, especially because they were so obvious and thus drew more attention.
It was probably supposed to be awkward, but he didn't find it so. "Grand-kids? That's great. Everyone needs to have family," he said with a nod of his head, the pleasure of family lighting him up. His family was a long line of farmers and soldiers, and they had a lot of pride. He didn't see them much, not with the sleepless nights and nightmares. He needed space, but he called regularly. "Um... no. I don't have kids or... grandkids." Never found the right partner for that, too focused on his career. "I have lots of cousins, nephews and nieces though."
No wonder the merman wasn't about to leave his territory. Like Jack's farm, that territory had been in the merman's family for generations. It wasn't something to just abandon unless absolutely necessary. "Sounds like a place to stay, yeah."
"I see them maybe once a year, if that." Just the way it was. The were safer, all of the, off where they'd gone to so far away from humans and in to much deeper waters. Where their mother was from, while he stayed where he needed to be no matter. Better off for them, and he was more of a solitary creature after so many years anyway. "As do I, but they too have moved to other waters."
He was the only one stubborn enough to remain, and was very good at keeping himself hidden for the most part. Sure, others did roam the area, but not over the territory he claimed; neighbors of his own in a way, really.
"At least I do not live where the waters turned on me," and washed him up on shore, but still not close enough to make it back out there in his condition.
"Would you want to see them more?" He folded his hands together, and it seemed that this creature very much was solitary, and he couldn't tell if that was what they wanted or if it was little more than a fact of life. Maybe everyone battled loneliness at some point. "Well... you're welcome to be around here if you need company after you heal up." He assumed they could arrange something.
He finally rose from his seat to retrieve the plate that had once had the fish on it. He left to set it down in the sink to wash then returned, leaning on the doorframe again.
"I'll ask around the village about the waters. They have been muttering about things changing the last week or so," he remarked.
There was a slight shrug, "They've got their own lives. Wasn't a part of that when their mother left with them, it's enough that they've got good memories that they want to stop by with their own kids at all." Place had gotten too dangerous for them to come by more often than that, but that wasn't something he was going to bring up so easily. Head tilted to the side a bit- "We'll see." Not a yes, but definitely not turning down the offer, just perhaps thought it strange.
Had sunk back down further in to the water when Jack returned, hair still tied back and kept out of the water.
Hummed softly, "Be nice to know what it could be."
"That's a very noncommital answer," he pointed out, not that he expected much more than that. They had just met, so opening up about the deep and dark aspects of their wants and desires was not something that would just happen in a few hours. It still felt necessary to set the line in the sand that he could understand avoidance.
"Whatever it is, it managed to get the better of you and that doesn't seem to be any kind of easy feat," he remarked and was uncomfortable with the thought. If this merman was one of the last in these parts. "For now, I want you to just rest. I'll go out fishing for something a bit more fresh for you."
Of course, he had no idea how much a merman ate. "How much do you need to eat in a day?"
"Is it?" An eyebrow arched rather clearly, "I'd think honesty without going in to details is committal enough, while setting a rather clear boundary that I'm not going to delve that deeply. I appreciate your help, but there's a difference between being grateful and what I'm comfortable in giving." Very easy to pick up offence from that, a slight narrowing of eyes before turning his head away, sinking deeper in to that tub.
Didn't turn his head or shift his gaze when he spoke again. "I wasn't out deep enough to be near anything that could," there were things out there, but he hunted places where he'd never encounter something he couldn't fight. "Alright." Rest was about all he could do.
Silent, thinking- "It depends on how active I am, but given I'm going to be resting here to heal just a few meals worth a day. What you provided was good for one."
Jack held up his hands as a sign of peace, not wanting to offend his guest, since they were going to have to work around each other. "Alright, I withdraw the statement," he said simply, leaving it at that. It had been a long time since he'd had to room with anyone other than himself after all, so this was new and building friendships was no longer his strong suit. "I didn't mean to overstep."
That might be true. He would still look into the matter and see if it was military activity or something else entirely. He had no idea what could be out there. After all, he thought mermen were folk tales. "Give me time to look into it."
He nodded his head, calculating how much he would need to fish. He was here for the sea, not the fishing honestly, so he was going to have to up those skills. Well, it was a good enough motivation to be better. "Right. I guess I should get out there and fish you your next few meals then."
His head tipped, "If I was avoiding an answer, it would be very much clear that I wouldn't answer at all. You're curious, and that's fine," because really. Human interacting with something clearly not human and able to communicate clearly. "When you ask something I don't want to answer, I'll make it clear for you. Until then? You will hear what I can answer with," and it sounded reasonable to him, honestly.
There was a moment of almost silence- "It is possible something is happening to.. drive something from the deep closer inland. That wouldn't be good for anyone, including those of you on land." So definitely look in to it.
"If it makes it easier? I am capable of eating more than fish, so you can supplement things from a... grocery store." As if the word was foreign on his tongue, but he still knew it. Knew it's meaning and what it was.
It was reasonable, but he was aware that he had been pushy and rude. The family of others was always interesting to him, and quite frankly, he had a regret or two about not starting one himself. "You're more than free to tell me to piss off if I'm encroached too personally," he said simply.
That wouldn't surprise him. He had no idea why the military vessel was out there aside from the usual 'training' reason. There were still other places more fitting for the Navy to operate, so it was more and more suspicious. He'd heard rumours they restarted some questionable experimentation on living creatures, but until now, he considered them the usual mutterings. "I know some people... I'll reach out." His name still meant something to some.
Jack snorted softly at the idea that he was going to buy meat from a grocery store. "You're an omnivore then? The only other meat I bring home is what I kill personally. I like to know where my food comes from," he remarked. So maybe a couple of squirrels might make their way into the menu.
"Trust me, I will." There was a hint of amusement to his tone as he said it, stretching out just a bit in that tub, fins curling before he was relaxed once again. Was going to get cramped real fast. He'd have to do something about that, soon.
Hell, who knows. A certain creature may have narrowly escaped something much more worse than washing up on shore in a way that if left there he'd surely be dead. Much worse fates than death, but for the moment he just knew there was something very wrong, and it was safer to stay inland. "Just be careful," even information could be dangerous. Or something along those lines.
"Yeah. Be surprise what can be found at times," benefiting from cargo lost at sea? Possible, yes. "Or how close to land some will come if they've got a taste for more than fish- have gone up rivers for deer and the like."
Of that, he had no doubt. It seemed that they had reached some sort of piece with his new merman stretching out instead of buckering down in the tub. That was about as much resolution as he could and would expect. Growing pains and all that, learning little habits and personalities of one another.
Jack intended to at least have something to occupy his time outside of the house and answers were always satisfying in the same way that they were maddening. It had been awhile since he had something to do other than listen to the waves and consider what the hell he was going to do with his life in the future. "I always am. Probably the only reason I'm still alive." Always needed to have escape contingencies.
"Well, if you don't just need sea food, I can cook us up a menu. I know a few recipes that you might like," he said as he considered his options. He hadn't ever taken a sushi class, but there were other means. "Venison is good. I'll see what I can do."
Didn't make much of a comment after that other than nodding his head- "You've got more options that you first thought feeding me," which would work out better for the both of them, so he imagined. Fishing could be hard work the way humans did it, and if this one didn't grow up fishing an ocean an even more difficult time. Probably.
"That will be a good thing, since the more you eat, the more energy you'll have to heal up." But having a more varied diet would definitely help him keep the ruse that he had a guest in his small place. He tended to keep to himself, and that's the way that he liked it, especially when it came to being self-sufficient. If anyone asked why he was hunting or fishing so much, he could call it preparation for the winter months.
He nodded his head. "Any allergies I should know about?"
"Just keep in mind that whatever it is, I need a good portion of meat as the basis." Primarily a carnivore, but that fact he did have an omnivore nature just meant he did get everything essential for keeping healthy with the type of creature he was. Even if some things were more treat at times than necessary for his survival.
Did think for a moment, shaking his head slowly- "Nothing that I can think of, no. At least not food-wise."
"Yes, yes, no salads for you," he remarked with a nod of his head. He had plenty of meat in the back freezer, but none of it was thawed, and if he was treating with another guest, he should probably grab something fresh. It had been awhile since he had gone hunting. It sounded like a good opportunity to do that.
"And non-food wise?" They may as well get that out of the way so he could remove any potential allergy-inducing materials.
"I will take tomatoes and peppers, however." Not a salad but sounded like the start of a good salsa? Something like that maybe- "Some onions, cilantro- Then again maybe not for you." Was that a tease? How was that a tease that carried in his voice over some little list like that as if he knew what he was talking about-
There was a moment of thoughtful silence there. "Nothing I can think of. Been a while since I was on land to any capacity."
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2019-11-09 01:53 am (UTC)Settling right back in to that tub then, blowing a loose piece of hair from his face that had fallen from his earlier movement. "Any luck?"
"Our far deeper and in warmer waters. I'm solitary, only socialize with the few that migrate near the edge of my territory." So no one to try and reach out to was what was being got at. There were more, most of them migrated rather than keeping to one area all year.
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Date: 2019-11-09 07:59 pm (UTC)The line of questioning was uncomfortable for him, and his hands folded together to keep them from twitching. "On some nights, yeah. Others, not so much."
Ah, so they were a migratory species, were they? And this one had a territory he probably guarded from rivals. It was more information than he was expecting, and he filed it away for the time being. "Don't you find that lonely? What to do like to pass the time aside from hunting?"
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Date: 2019-11-10 12:16 am (UTC)There was a low sort of hum. "Never an easy fix for things." No matter whatever the problem was, sounded like a large sort of living shift to him. Curious all the same and little more to it than that.
Fingers flexed in the water, almost idly. "Just how it is. Used to be more here, a lot more. I'm the only one that kept where I have." Others had left for one reason or another, and even he didn't stray too far in the areas that humans frequented. "Explore the territory. Things shift and change."
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Date: 2019-11-10 01:04 am (UTC)He nodded, aware that it helped to a degree, but the isolation wasn't easy either. He was so far removed from what he had been that integrating back into society was compounded even further. He didn't yet regret the decision. "Well, we can't expect everything to be fixed in a day. Or a few months, in this case."
That was answer enough for him. Just how it was. "There's a military frigate out, I see. Probably making lots of noise in your waters."
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Date: 2019-11-10 01:26 am (UTC)A slight nod, "Time." Quite a few sayings about it and patience. Quite a few.
"Destroyed quite a few territories, reason most left- others simply followed," out of fear of being caught up in it, or tired of seeing parts of hat had always been called home destroyed. All the reasons he stayed.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-10 05:50 pm (UTC)"You fight a lot, do you? I was noticing your scars." They had that in common at least. Lots of scars.
"But you stayed. You must have a cream of the crop territory," he remarked, not certain what that actually meant. He didn't know enough of this sea creature to know what it was that kept him. A part of him hoped to find out.
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Date: 2019-11-11 03:59 am (UTC)His head tipped, "Not as much as I once did," but yes. "Not all of these are from fighting, but enough are." Waters were deep and much was hidden there, but he wasn't going to say that not all of them had come from those depths or shallows.
He did stay, "It's mine to keep." Whatever that could entail wasn't exactly given for free, but it was his all the same. "It will remain that way," as long as he could fight to keep it that way.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-12 04:48 am (UTC)"Do you have... well, kids?" How maternal and paternal were they? It was awkward and he probably shouldn't have asked, but this was honestly the weirdest and best conversation he had had in a long time. No pitying looks. No silent questions.
"That's fair enough. How long have you had that territory?"
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Date: 2019-11-12 06:37 am (UTC)That was a question alright- "I don't see them a lot since my partner and I separated quite the many years ago, but I know I have grand-kids. They've brought them when their migration had them this way." No hard feelings by the sounds of it, simply how life went at times even under the water. "Do you?"
Eyes lifted towards the ceiling, trying to re-call a number as his brow furrowed- "It always belonged to my family, through my mother, from her father. I can't give an exact time, but it has always been since it was passed on to me."
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Date: 2019-11-15 07:51 pm (UTC)It was probably supposed to be awkward, but he didn't find it so. "Grand-kids? That's great. Everyone needs to have family," he said with a nod of his head, the pleasure of family lighting him up. His family was a long line of farmers and soldiers, and they had a lot of pride. He didn't see them much, not with the sleepless nights and nightmares. He needed space, but he called regularly. "Um... no. I don't have kids or... grandkids." Never found the right partner for that, too focused on his career. "I have lots of cousins, nephews and nieces though."
No wonder the merman wasn't about to leave his territory. Like Jack's farm, that territory had been in the merman's family for generations. It wasn't something to just abandon unless absolutely necessary. "Sounds like a place to stay, yeah."
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Date: 2019-11-16 10:52 am (UTC)He was the only one stubborn enough to remain, and was very good at keeping himself hidden for the most part. Sure, others did roam the area, but not over the territory he claimed; neighbors of his own in a way, really.
"At least I do not live where the waters turned on me," and washed him up on shore, but still not close enough to make it back out there in his condition.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-17 11:48 pm (UTC)He finally rose from his seat to retrieve the plate that had once had the fish on it. He left to set it down in the sink to wash then returned, leaning on the doorframe again.
"I'll ask around the village about the waters. They have been muttering about things changing the last week or so," he remarked.
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Date: 2019-11-18 07:13 am (UTC)Had sunk back down further in to the water when Jack returned, hair still tied back and kept out of the water.
Hummed softly, "Be nice to know what it could be."
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Date: 2019-11-19 05:31 am (UTC)"Whatever it is, it managed to get the better of you and that doesn't seem to be any kind of easy feat," he remarked and was uncomfortable with the thought. If this merman was one of the last in these parts. "For now, I want you to just rest. I'll go out fishing for something a bit more fresh for you."
Of course, he had no idea how much a merman ate. "How much do you need to eat in a day?"
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Date: 2019-11-19 05:03 pm (UTC)Didn't turn his head or shift his gaze when he spoke again. "I wasn't out deep enough to be near anything that could," there were things out there, but he hunted places where he'd never encounter something he couldn't fight. "Alright." Rest was about all he could do.
Silent, thinking- "It depends on how active I am, but given I'm going to be resting here to heal just a few meals worth a day. What you provided was good for one."
no subject
Date: 2019-11-21 05:05 am (UTC)That might be true. He would still look into the matter and see if it was military activity or something else entirely. He had no idea what could be out there. After all, he thought mermen were folk tales. "Give me time to look into it."
He nodded his head, calculating how much he would need to fish. He was here for the sea, not the fishing honestly, so he was going to have to up those skills. Well, it was a good enough motivation to be better. "Right. I guess I should get out there and fish you your next few meals then."
no subject
Date: 2019-11-21 12:47 pm (UTC)There was a moment of almost silence- "It is possible something is happening to.. drive something from the deep closer inland. That wouldn't be good for anyone, including those of you on land." So definitely look in to it.
"If it makes it easier? I am capable of eating more than fish, so you can supplement things from a... grocery store." As if the word was foreign on his tongue, but he still knew it. Knew it's meaning and what it was.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-22 07:01 pm (UTC)That wouldn't surprise him. He had no idea why the military vessel was out there aside from the usual 'training' reason. There were still other places more fitting for the Navy to operate, so it was more and more suspicious. He'd heard rumours they restarted some questionable experimentation on living creatures, but until now, he considered them the usual mutterings. "I know some people... I'll reach out." His name still meant something to some.
Jack snorted softly at the idea that he was going to buy meat from a grocery store. "You're an omnivore then? The only other meat I bring home is what I kill personally. I like to know where my food comes from," he remarked. So maybe a couple of squirrels might make their way into the menu.
no subject
Date: 2019-11-23 01:18 am (UTC)Hell, who knows. A certain creature may have narrowly escaped something much more worse than washing up on shore in a way that if left there he'd surely be dead. Much worse fates than death, but for the moment he just knew there was something very wrong, and it was safer to stay inland. "Just be careful," even information could be dangerous. Or something along those lines.
"Yeah. Be surprise what can be found at times," benefiting from cargo lost at sea? Possible, yes. "Or how close to land some will come if they've got a taste for more than fish- have gone up rivers for deer and the like."
no subject
Date: 2019-11-26 05:20 am (UTC)Jack intended to at least have something to occupy his time outside of the house and answers were always satisfying in the same way that they were maddening. It had been awhile since he had something to do other than listen to the waves and consider what the hell he was going to do with his life in the future. "I always am. Probably the only reason I'm still alive." Always needed to have escape contingencies.
"Well, if you don't just need sea food, I can cook us up a menu. I know a few recipes that you might like," he said as he considered his options. He hadn't ever taken a sushi class, but there were other means. "Venison is good. I'll see what I can do."
no subject
Date: 2019-12-05 01:24 pm (UTC)Didn't make much of a comment after that other than nodding his head- "You've got more options that you first thought feeding me," which would work out better for the both of them, so he imagined. Fishing could be hard work the way humans did it, and if this one didn't grow up fishing an ocean an even more difficult time. Probably.
"We'll see what you come up with then, Jack."
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Date: 2019-12-11 05:10 am (UTC)He nodded his head. "Any allergies I should know about?"
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Date: 2019-12-11 08:38 am (UTC)Did think for a moment, shaking his head slowly- "Nothing that I can think of, no. At least not food-wise."
no subject
Date: 2019-12-13 05:47 pm (UTC)"And non-food wise?" They may as well get that out of the way so he could remove any potential allergy-inducing materials.
no subject
Date: 2019-12-13 09:10 pm (UTC)There was a moment of thoughtful silence there. "Nothing I can think of. Been a while since I was on land to any capacity."
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