Yoochun's island was quiet; always peaceful and serene. And sometimes so boring. Not that he wanted conflict on his island. There were other sirens who inhabited islands that were visited so frequently by humans it almost became the humans' island.

 

He just wanted someone different to play with. All the animals on his island were great, but he wanted someone to talk to.

 

It was nearing spring, the flowers were blooming and the new animals were being born. Yoochun spent his days readying his home for the strong storms that hit the island in late spring.

 

Yoochun hated the spring storms. New sailors always tried to fish around his island and ended up getting caught in a bad storm. They rarely survived.

 

 

It was late when the first storm blew in from the north. Yoochun swam around the island, making sure his fish friends where safe before retiring to his hut to wait out the storm. He paced his hut. The winds blew hard and Yoochun could hear tree limbs cracking all around him. He peeked out side; the water had risen to cover the beach. If luck was on his side, there wouldn't be too much damage to his home.

 

Early the next morning Yoochun walking around his island, making a list of the damage and cleaning up debris. The damage wasn't too bad, mostly downed trees. He swept the beach looking for beached animals.

 

He was half way up the beach when he stopped. About 10 feet in front of him was a person. He thought for sure the person was dead. He approached the person with caution. He didn't want to scare the person nor did he want to get hurt.

 

The person groaned and moved slowly, cradling his head in his hands.

 

“Are you okay?” Yoochun asked.

 

“You are you?” the asked and stumbled backwards.

 

“Yoochun. This is my island. Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah. I think. My name's Yunho. This is your island? You don't look like one of the merfolk.”

 

“I'm not one of the fish-people,” Yoochun said with a laugh. “I'm a siren. A bird-person, not a fish.”

 

“I've never met a siren before. There's a pod of merpeople that live on the other side of my home island.”

 

“Well, I might as well get you cleaned up and fed. Come on.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Yoochun half carried Yunho up to his house. He wrapped a warm blanket around Yunho's shoulder and made a thin soup.

 

“I don't eat meat, so I hope this is okay.” Yoochun set the bowl in front of Yunho.

 

Yunho ate slowly. “It's great. Thank you so much.”

 

When Yunho was done eating, Yoochun cleaned up.

 

“Are you hurt at all?”

 

“I don't think so. I got banged around a little bit, but it's not serious.”

 

“Okay. I'll draw you a bath. Come with me.” Yoochun stoked a small fire under a giant tub. “I don't have plumbing or anything like that. I don't like modern stuff. But the bath will be nice and warm.”

 

“That's okay. I don't have a lot of modern conveniences back home, so I'm not really missing anything.”

 

“What were you doing on the sea during that storm anyway? Haven't you people learned yet?” Yoochun added oils and salts to the water.

 

“We got caught in it. We were headed back from an island not far from here.” Yunho groaned as he pulled his shirt off. His muscles were sore and tight.

 

“Fisherman never learn.”

 

“Not a fisherman,” Yunho murmured.

 

“What?”

 

“I'm not a fisherman. I run supplies to the outlying islands; mostly medications and nonperishable foods.”

 

“Noble. You're stupid, but noble. It should be warm enough now.”

 

“Help me?”

 

Yoochun rolled his eyes, but took hold of Yunho's arm and help him ease into the tub. “This is your first time on a boat, huh?”

 

“Third. Ouch!”

 

“What's wrong?” Yoochun asked.

 

“Just my back,” Yunho sighed. “It's just tight. I really didn't get hurt. I was knocked out of the boat, but I'm a strong swimmer.”

 

“Yeah. Okay, I'm sure you're just the best swimmer in the world.”

 

“Not the best, but I could keep up with most of the merfolk on my island.”

 

Yoochun snorted. “Merpeople. It's very obvious that you've never met sirens before. Merpeople are nothing compared to us.”

 

“How come you don't look like a bird?” Yunho asked shyly.

 

“I can shape shift. All us sirens can. I prefer a more human form. It's easier to move about my island. I'll show you my bird form tomorrow, if the weather holds.” Yoochun ran a soft cloth over Yunho's shoulders. The man's skin was smooth and the muscles were tight.

 

“Are you expecting another storm?”

 

“I'm always expecting storms. But especially tomorrow. Yesterday's storm wasn't too bad, so hopefully it just rains tomorrow.”

 

Yunho sighed and relaxed farther into the tub. “I'm exhausted.”

 

“I can imagine. You can take the bed tonight. I'll sleep on the floor.”

 

“I can't take your bed from you.” Yunho smiled shyly. “I can sleep on the floor. I'm used to it.”

 

“You're injured. We'll just share.” Yoochun blushed. “If that's okay with you, I mean.”

 

Yoochun washed Yunho's hair and helped him out of the tub. He wrapped a towel around Yunho's broad shoulders and led him back to the kitchen table. “I'll wash your clothes tomorrow. For now, I hope these will work.” He handed Yunho a pair of loose pants and a t-shirt. “I sometimes trade with fisherman. They give me modern clothes and things and I help them with fishing.”

 

“Thank you. You don't have to do this.” Yunho dressed quickly. He seemed very comfortable with and wasn't shy around Yoochun.

 

“Yes I do,” Yoochun sighed sadly. “Let's just go to sleep.”

 

Yoochun laid very still next to Yunho, careful not to touch the man.

 

It rained all the next day, trapping Yunho and Yoochun in doors. Yoochun repaired a few of his tools. Yunho read one of Yoochun's few books by the fire.

 

“I'm sorry it's boring,” Yoochun said as he served lunch.

 

“You didn't make it rain. I'm too sore to do much anyway.”

 

“Do you need anything for the pain. I don't have any modern medicine, but I can make some tea that will relax the muscles.”

 

“Tea would be nice. Thank you.” Yunho smiled as he watched Yoochun putter about the small kitchen. “How am I going to get home?”

 

Yoochun winced. “Are you in a rush to get home?” Yoochun tried not to sound saddened. He liked Yunho's quiet company.

 

“A little. I need to check on my family.”

 

“Once the weather clears I can fly to another island and arrange a boat to come pick you up.” Yoochun poured the tea into the cups.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Tell me about your family.” Yoochun took a sip of tea.

 

“It's just me, my mother and little sister. Father died a few years ago.”

 

“So you're the soul provider in the family.”

 

“For now,” Yunho said. “My sister is getting married soon. Hopefully, her husband will let Mother live with them. Then I will just have to worry about myself. And I can take care of myself just fine.”

 

“Once the rain lets up I'll find a way to get you home.”

 

 

The rain didn't clear up the next day. Or the day after that. The weather didn't clear for the better part of three days. Yoochun and Yunho spent their time huddled together, fighting off the damp, chill wind. They talked about everything; family, friends, and what kinds of books they liked to read. Yoochun felt embarrassed by his sad little library. Yunho was a voracious reader.

 

“You've read my entire library,” Yoochun said on the third day of rain.

 

“Well, I guess we'll just have to talk to each other than,” Yunho said with a smile.

 

“I guess. If you haven't noticed I'm not much of a talker.”

 

Yunho smiled wider. “I've noticed. I like it. It's not an awkward unwelcome silence.”

 

Yoochun blushed and looked away. He shut his eyes. He had been away from humans for so long and the self exile was working so well. But the more time he spent with the Yunho the more he wanted Yunho to be his. All it would take was a song. Just one song and Yunho would be his forever.

 

“I need to go check... Something,” Yoochun stammered. He jumped up from the table and ran out the door. He jogged to the other side of his island and hide in one of the small caves.

 

One song. One song and he would have Yunho forever. Yoochun struggled with himself. He wanted Yunho. But he couldn't take him away from his family.

 

Yoochun stayed in his cave until well into the night. He made his way back to his home an entered quietly. Yunho was already asleep on the narrow bed. He couldn't keep Yunho here anyway; he didn't have a big enough bed.

 

“You're back,” Yunho whispered.

 

“Yeah. Go to back to sleep. I'm going to sit up for a little while.”

 

“No, come to bed with me Yoochunnie.” Yunho grabbed Yoochun's hand and pulled him into the bed.

 

Yoochun tensed as Yunho wrapped his arms around the siren.

 

“Relax Yoochunnie. Let's sleep.” He nuzzled Yoochun's neck and sighed. Yoochun smelled like the rain and cinnamon and cedar.

 

Yunho took a chance and pushed himself up slightly. He his lips and moved closer to Yoochun. Yunho tangled his hand into Yoochun's hair and pulled him close. He kissed Yoochun's lips softly.

 

Yoochun pulled away quickly. He jumped out of the bed and stood in front of the fire. “Why did you do that?”

 

“Because I wanted to.” Yunho stood behind Yoochun and hugged him. “If you don't want me to, I'm sorry.”

 

“That's the problem. I want you to. I want to kiss you and make love to you. And keep you forever.”

 

“Come to bed. We can talk about all this in the morning. It's really late.”

 

They laid down together, not touching. Yunho reached out and caressed Yoochun's cheek. “I don't understand what you're afraid of.”

 

“You don't know anything about sirens, do you?”

 

“What's there to know? You're a magical creature.”

 

Yoochun sighed. “I can make you mine. Forever. I can make you so in love with me. So addicted to me that you would die to be near me. I can make you throw yourself into the sea if I wanted to.”

 

“You aren't dangerous.”

 

“Yes I am. And I'm even more dangerous because I want you. I want you so much.”

 

“I'm not afraid of you,” Yunho whispered.

 

“You should be.” Yoochun turned away and tried to sleep.

 

It stopped raining on the fourth day and Yoochun secretly wished it hadn't stopped. He flew to a neighboring island early in the morning, almost eager to get Yunho off his island.

 

Yunho sat out on the cliffs all day waiting for Yoochun's return. He made soup as evening fell.

 

“A ship will be here in the morning for you. You can go home.” Yoochun stepped into the hut, still in his bird form.

 

“You're beautiful,” Yunho stuttered. Yoochun's feathers were warm and coppery in color. And looked soft to touch.

 

“Thank you. I'm going to change now. Step back.” Yoochun closed his eyes and shook his body quickly. Feathers flew off his body in all directions.

 

“That's an interesting change.”

 

Yoochun slid to the floor. “Yeah. It takes a lot out of me, though.”

 

“Here. Sit and eat some soup.” Yunho helped Yoochun into a chair and served him dinner.

 

“Thank you. The captain owes me a favor, so he won't charge you.”

 

Yunho laid down on the bed and pulled Yoochun on top of him. “I'm coming back. I'm going check on my family, make sure Mother is taken care of and then I'm coming back.”

 

“I can't ask you to do that.”

 

“I know. That's why I'm just going to.” Yunho carded his hand into Yoochun's hair and kissed him slowly.

 

“We can't...”

 

“Hush.” Yunho pressed his finger to Yoochun's lips. “I'm in love with you with out magic. Accept me. Let me be with you.”

 

Yoochun swallowed he lump in his throat and nodded. He relaxed his body against Yunho's. “Let's just sleep for tonight. Please?”

 

“Okay.” Yunho scratched Yoochun's back lightly and hummed lightly. “Promise me when I come back you'll sing to me. I never want to be without you.”

 

“I promise,” Yoochun whispered.

 

***

 

Yoochun stood on the cliff everyday for months watching the horizon for Yunho's return. He was about to give up when he saw a ship next to the small dock he had. He ran to the dock. People were unloading about half a dozen trunks.

 

“I told you I'd be back.” Yunho laughed as Yoochun crashed into him.

 

“What took you so long? I've missed you.”

 

“My sister's wedding. And making sure Mother was well taken care of. She is. My sister's husband loves her and treats her like she's his own.”

 

Yoochun stole a quick kiss and smiled. “I'm glad everything is good with your family.” Yoochun looked over the trunks that were sitting on the edge of the dock. “Bring enough stuff?”

 

“Only the essentials. More books, mostly. Some clothes.”

 

“I'm happy you're here. Let's get this stuff up to the house.” Yoochun and Yunho carried the trunks up to the hut one by one.

 

Yunho curled up in Yoochun's lap. “I'll unpack tomorrow. I have everything I need right now.” He kissed and nipped Yoochun's neck. “Sing to me.”

 

Yoochun lift Yunho and laid him out on the bed. “Tomorrow.”

 

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So, a lot of times mermaids and sirens are seen as interchangeable, but they aren't. Mermaids are fish and sirens are birds. I like sirens better.

Remember, you can always request couples and words!!