Will I do more of these in the future? Hopefully yes, I have a storyboard in my notes for another scarian fic and the notes for my dnd campaign comic, so look forward to that (it’ll probably take a while tho, cuz uni)
This is inspired by an idea from @charta-vipio that they presented here, which also comes with a lovely comic by @tillydouspart that you should definitely check out.
Basically: siren Scar fumbling so hard with songbird avian Grian.
Start
Scar slowly drifted closer to the surface of the water, drawn by the vibrant colors dancing in the ripples of the waves. Head quietly breaking the surface, he spotted the source of the colors with mild surprise.
An avian. It was rare that Scar saw them considering the whole 'he lives in water and birds drown in that usually’ thing, but he wasn't one to pass up an opportunity. Adding feathers to his collection of trophies would be such a bragging point to the other sirens.
He rose a little higher, mouth opening to hypnotize the bird into the water, but before he could get more than one note out, the avian turned to him and he choked. The man was so stupidly beautiful that Scar's brain paralyzed.
That was unfair, was his first thought apon being able to think again. People shouldn't be allowed to be that pretty. Especially people Scar was planning to lure to their deaths. He was supposed to be the hot one! Not songbirds with wings formed straight out of a sunset.
“Are you okay?” The songbird asked, face scrunching in confusion and concern.
That was when Scar realized his song, usually perfectly performed to enchant, was coming out more like claws against a rock. He coughed following the butchered notes, like he could clear his airways of the inability to function in the face of-, of that.
“Yeah.” Scar eventually responded with a croak. “So good. Great, even! There's never been a more okay guy than me.” He said with a shakey smile and a thumbs up breaking through the water, words spilling out of his mouth without his consent.
The songbird's lips pressed together and Scar got the distinct sinking feeling he was being laughed at. “Okay. You just sounded kind of, uh-” the songbird trailed off, evidently not cruel enough to finish the sentence.
“Horrible? Yeah.” Scar grumbled, abandoning the attempt at grinning to sink down until his mouth was covered by the water as though that could take back the horrid sounds that just came out of it.
The songbird laughed again and Scar grumbled a few bubbles at the frankly evil injustice of how charming that laugh was. “Yeah.” He agreed, and Scar couldn't fault him. “Are you sick?”
Scar petulantly rose back up only just enough to talk. “No, that's just my lovely voice you heard there.” He bluffed, the usual false confidence ruined a bit by the dissapointment in his voice.
The songbird's amusement drifted to concern. He tilted his head in thought and Scar wanted to find a way to drown. “Aren't you a siren?”
“Yeah.” Scar deadpanned, deciding to stare at the sky instead of the bird, unable to handle the rising embarrassment clashing with the giddy feeling in his chest anytime the bird did literally anything.
“Has-,” he hesitated, “your voice always sounded like that?”
“No.”
“What happened?”
“It would seem the great Scar has forgotten how to sing.” Scar looked back at the songbird and hoped he didn't ask why he'd forgotten to sing.
“Well that's no good.” The songbird fluttered down from his perch to the edge of the waterbed. If Scar were a stronger man, it would've been the perfect opportunity to grab him and pull him under.
Unfortunately, he was not a stronger man. He crossed his arms under the water at his own inability to do the thing he was quite literally made to do. "I know." He whined.
“Here. I might not be a siren, but I know a thing or two about singing.” There was a confidence in the songbird's voice that Scar desperately wished he had. “I could help you relearn.”
Scar did not need help relearning to sing, he just needed to be anywhere but there in front of one of the universe's meanest tricks. He should politely turn down the songbird's offer. The situation was awful enough as was. “Would you?” He said instead, and followed it up with a dramatically relieved sigh. “Oh, my livelihood is saved.”
The bird laughed again and Scar wondered if underwater combustion was possible. “Don't worry buddy, we'll get you back to singing in no time.”
Looking into black eyes that reflected the sparking of the water, Scar highly, highly, doubted that.
For a creature that didn't eat other people-creatures, Grian was surprisingly okay with Scar's eating of people-creatures. At first, Scar was sure Grian would go back on his offer once he realized what, exactly, Scar used his voice to hunt.
But no, Grian already knew and was a-okay with the murder. Suspiciously okay with it, if Scar's honest. If you asked him a month ago, he would have been 100% certain that songbird avians were pesketarians. He is now only about 95% sure.
Not only was Grian okay with, 1. the fact that Scar ate things that talked (something very few things that talked and didn't also eat things that talked were okay with), but he was also okay with 2. theoretically seeing the killing of said talking thing (if Scar could actually sing but alas, Grian), and finally, he was okay with actively helping in the potential killing of said talking creatures (Scar would be lying if he said it wasn't hot though).
Oh, but not doing the killing himself. No. Not that. When Scar brought that up, Grian looked at him like he was crazy. “Songbirds don't kill people, Scar. I can't kill people for you, I can just help.”
Because sure, that made sense. Whatever strange rules Grian decided the universe had, those rules did not prevent him from going out to find things that talked that he deemed “stupid enough to walk into a trap” and lure them near the water so Scar could lure them into the water.
Theoretically lure them into the water. Because even if Grian hid, just knowing the songbird was around was enough to kickstart Scar's heart and break his voice. Grian was fantastic at his part. Again, suspiciously so. But despite Grian's best attempts, Scar had yet to lure a single talker into the water. At least when Grian was around.
Which led him to yet another day of repeating a now familiar routine. Yet another attempt that he knew he was going to fail. He lay on the bottom of his lake near the shore, all three limbs limply splayed out like a corpse as he mentally braced himself for another failure. He remained there until he finally heard the tell-tale muffled voices of Grian and whatever poor sucker he'd caught.
With a watery sigh, Scar pushed himself off the waterbed and began swimming closer to the surface. He could just barely make out the figures, one uninteresting and the other a painted masterpiece. Once he was close enough, he could also faintly make out most of what they were saying.
“-told you. Isn't it- -gem of the island.”
“Wow, I should have- -sooner- -haunted, or something.”
“-rediculous. They're just- -keep you- -have it all to themselves.”
Grian and his strangely green companion got very close to the edge before stopping, both forms lowering as they seemingly sat down. Or sank into the earth but that only happened that one time. Scar swam over to some aerial roots, not wanting to expose himself and have a stranger associate his beautiful face with the godawful things it could apparently produce. When he broke through the surface though, he froze.
He knew the man Grian had brought. Grian had managed to bring one of Scar's most regular friends. On one hand that was very bad, because he'd have to try to lie to Bdubs so Bdubs didn't give away his secret. On the other hand, it was so funny Scar dropped fast enough to splash so he didn't start laughing and give himself away.
Despite Bdub's words earlier, he was well aware of the lake and what it held. Which meant while Grian was trying to play Bdubs, Bdubs was also trying to play Grian. They were both lying to each other and probably internally congratulating themselves for a good successful scheme.
As Scar expected, Bdubs ended up reaching over to start tapping the water, pretending like he was just fascinated by how good it looked. The tapping rippled through, sending a secret message to Scar under the water.
“Dinnertime” they spelled out and Scar was actually going to die. Either of mortification at whatever was bound to happen, or laughter. Knowing he couldn't put it off forever without Grian getting worried and Bdubs getting suspicious. Scar decided if he couldn't get a meal (or at least an attempt at one) he could at least get a good scare in.
He swam away from the rocky shore the two sat by until he felt he had enough run up space. Then, turning around, he shot through the water quick enough to throw his body up once he reached the edge, showering both of his companions in water and getting very grattifying yells from both of them.
While Bdubs placed a hand over his heart with dramatic breathing, already making comments about heart attacks, Grian barked out some angry statement that Scar couldn't focus on past his own laughter.
“Scar, this isn't going to win you a meal!” Grian started chiding once Scar stopped laughing.
“Yeah!” Bdubs agreed. “Wait.” He turned to Grian, “You're okay with being eaten?”
Grian looked at Bdubs like he was crazy. “What? No. That's not- he's not eating me.”
“Well he's not eating me either.” Bdubs argued back, sounding genuinely offended.
“Well not now he's not.” Grian threw his hands up in exasperation before flopping back in defeat. Scar almost felt bad. Almost.
“Scar would never eat me! I'm uneatable! Too good looking.”
Scar nodded in support while Grian pushed himself up onto one arm to look between the two others. “Wait, you two know each other?"
Bdubs scoffed. “Of course we know each other! I'm his best friend!” He was not. “We are the closest of friends and friends don't eat each other.” He squinted at Grian. “You though-” the word trailed off vaguely threatening.
Grian scowled. “I'll have you know, I have been here almost every day trying to help Scar. Where have you been? If you're so close. Do you even know what Scar is going through? What kind of person leaves their friend struggling in a time of need?”
“I'll have you know-” Bdubs started, full of righteous anger before it completely deflated in favor of confusion directed at Scar. “Wait, Scar are you going through something?” He gasped. “Is it him?” He pointed at Grian. “Is the bird making your life harder?”
Scar knew Bdubs was only saying it to dig at Grian, (which based on the scrunch of Grian's nose was working) but still he froze in panic, eyes going just a bit too wide and voice waiting just a bit too long to answer, “No.”
Bdubs narrowed his eyes at Scar, before he started looking between him and Grian. “Hmm. Suspicious.”
Grian, not noticing Scar's internal panic, took the word to be another dig at him. “I'm the one trying to make his life easier, actually. Scar here forgot how to sing, and I've generously been trying to help him learn again.”
“He-” Bdubs’ suspicion melted back into confusion and disbelief, “forgot how to sing?”
Grian nodded with surety.
“But-, but he's a siren!”
“I know!” Grian sounded strangely vindicated. “It's crazy, which is why I've been trying to help.”
“How did you forget how to sing Scar?”
Ah yes, the dreaded question. “Oh, you know,” Scar obfuscated, “just forgot. You know me.” He knocked a fist against his temple. “The ol’ noggin isn't the most reliable."
Neither Bdubs or Grian looked like they believed him, which Scar was kind of offended by. “Right.” Bdubs said, voice dripping in doubt. “And when did this start?”
“Uh.” Scar responded eloquently, eyes darting over to Grian for a second as he tried to figure out how to answer it. “Recently.”
Bdubs, noticing the look, seemed to be thinking very hard. Scar could practically see the cogs turning in his head. He almost wanted to tell Bdubs not to hurt himself, but that joke would clue Grian into something going on.
“Actually,” Grian spoke up, “now that I think about it, maybe we should be trying to figure out how you forgot. My lessons don't seem to be working and I know the problem isn't my teaching.” Scar loved his stupid ego so much. “So maybe there's a different way to solve this problem. Where were you when you first started struggling to sing?”
Scar stared at him for a long moment. “The water.”
For a second Grian looked like he wanted to be annoyed at the answer before his humor kicked in and a small laugh burst out of him, body jerking to the side, then looked annoyed at his own laughter. Better his laughter than Scar. Scar had to take his wins where he could get them.
“Birdman.” Bdubs cut in. “Give me and Scar a moment please, would you?”
“What?” Grian scoffed. “No way. I'm involved in this.”
“We need close friend time.”
Grian's frown deepened. “I feel like anything that's said, I should be able to-”
Grian cut off as Bdubs reached over and pulled a feather.
“Excuse me?” Grian squawked, standing up to get out of Bdubs reach.
“Shoo shoo. Or I'll take another one.”
“What is wrong with you?” Grian huffed, bushing down his wing.
“Oh many things. Be going now, will you?”
Grian frowned at Bdubs before looking over at Scar. He seemed to be searching for something and whatever he found made him sigh in defeat. “Alright, I'll give you guys some privacy but I'm not leaving.”
“Fine, fine.” Bdubs waved him off. “Whatever suits you.”
Looking like he was considering drowning Bdubs himself, Grian eventually stormed off to stand in the treeline. He turned back around to glare at the two of them across the distance, those black eyes becoming deliciously unnerving from afar.
“Alright Scar, what's going on?” Bdubs turned on Scar the moment Grian was settled.
“I don't know what you mean.” Scar responded, refusing to look his friend in the eye.
“Uh-uh, nope. You can't pull that with me mister. You tell me what's going on with your singing, and what Mr. Feathers over there has to do with it or so help me, I will algae this lake so fast.”
Scar let out a defeated whine. “Fine. It's Grian. I admit it. He's the problem.”
“I knew it.” Bdubs hissed, looking to the side like he was already planning a murder. “Don't you worry Scar, I'll-”
“No no!” Scar waved his hands to cut Bdubs off. “It's not his fault. See the uh, the problem is. Um.” Scar once again started sinking down into the water in embarrassment.
“Come on. Out with it.”
“Well, you see. I may have-, it's uh. Hmm. There's just a little bit of um, a problem. That problem is, uh-”
“Scar.” Bdubs stated his name with the sternness of a dad holding an empty cookie jar.
“Fine it's because he's pretty!” The words burst out of Scar as he splashed his hands in the water. “It's because he's pretty and I am a weak man who has no control over his vocal cords in the face of very pretty men, okay!”
“Ohhhhhh,” Bdub's voice rose in pitch like a school kid learning a secret. “Oh you have a crush.” His grin was far too evil for comfort.
Scar fake sobbed. “It's so dumb. I keep making an absolute fool of myself in front of him.”
Bdubs reached forward to pat Scar on the head. “There there. Everyone's an idiot when they have a crush. You'll live.”
“In shame and parlor.” Scar grumbled.
“Shame and-” Bdubs started, sounding confused before he shook his head, “well, luckily for you, Scar, your old friend Bdubs is a master of romance! Don't you worry, you'll be charming the feathers off that chicken in no time!”
“I can't even sing around him.” Scar whined.
“Oh yeah, so how is he supposed to be helping with that exactly?”
“He's a songbird avian, and his voice is so good.” Scar brought his hands up to his cheeks, feeling the heat rise to them even just talking about Grian. “And he's so patient with me even though I keep messing everything up and he's weirdly okay with murder for a bird and he keeps trying to teach me to sing and I think I'm just getting worse.”
“Hmm.” Bdubs stated, hand on his chin. “Quite a situation. Well,” he pounded one fist in his other hand, “they don't call me Bdubs the cupid for nothing!”
“Who calls you that?”
“Them. Let me go talk to singerboy over there.” Bdubs stood to walk over to where Grian was sulking over being left out.
“Wait no-,” Scar hissed, trying to grab Bdubs’ ankles, but unfortunately the man was too experienced and was out of range before Scar could get a chance.
“Hey chicken man!” Bdubs shouted with a wave as he jogged over to Grian who looked both confused at the name and relieved to not be ignored anymore.
Scar couldn't tell what they were saying, but luckily Bdubs started walking Grian over to the water near Scar, an arm looped around Grian's shoulders.
“-it's really quite confusing. Quite the conundrum. Despite what I thought, I am a humble enough man to know I cannot solve this issue. I have failed as his best friend, yes. But, I have faith in you.” Bdubs turned to Scar with a conspiratory grin. “I believe you are exactly what Scar needs in these trying times with your songiness. So lucky to have found you really.” Bdubs nodded as they stopped before the water's edge.
“Yes yes.” Suddenly Bdubs got behind Grian and shoved him down by his shoulders. “And I think you and I shall be great friends, yes. But for now I have many things to do. I'm a very busy man these days. All the luckier that you came, hmm?”
Grian, crashing to the ground in a sit by Bdubs, looked to Scar with a vaguely panicked look for help in his utter confusion. “Alright, but I-”
“I must go now!” Bdubs interrupted, already rushing away. “You two kids play nice now! I believe in you Scar!” By the time his proclamations ended, he was out of earshot.
Grian, having been watching Bdubs’ retreating form, turned back to Scar. “What in the world was that?”
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