The water was a soothing calm compared to the chaos's second before. Benj closed his eyes at the cool feel. The strange but familiar sensation fo his feet elongating into webbed flippers and his neck opening into gills passing. For a second he hung there in the current. Taking a moment to listen to all the vibrations of the water around him. Something was shifting near the hull of the interceptor. The water flowing into a space. Will!

Benj swam to the hull, easily finding the hole in the ship. It was small. A blow from a cannonball. The force around it had made the wood weak. Benj forced his hands inside and pulled at the wood. He was far stronger underwater than he was on land. His muscles genetically structured to combat the differences in physics and mass. Here he was safe and undefeated. The wood cracked and splinted, parts breaking off under his hands. More water rushed in as Benj continued to widen the hole. Soon it was big enough for him to slip inside.

Will was floating inside. Hands clutching at the broken stairs as he tried to shift the fallen debris. His movements were clumsy in the water. Form loosing strength as he breath ran out. Benj hurriedly kicked out and grabbed the man as he started to sink. Will's eyes widening as he came close. Benj's hands coming up to cup Will's cheeks.

Will gaped. Here, underwater, Benj looked wondrous. Human and inhuman. His inky hair flowed around him like a cloud. Slight iridescence shimmered on his skin. The sunlight cutting through the surface to tinge him a pale blue. Will could only stare as Benj grinned. Sharp teeth white against his lips and black eyes crinkled. On his skin, a pale patterns of scales shimmered in patches across his face and down his collar bones to blend with the ink. The gills in his neck flared as he breathed and Will wanted to press his hands to them, feel as the man inhaled and exhaled. Maybe it was the fact that he was becoming lightheaded from the lack of air, but he wanted to press closer.

Benj felt Will begin to relax under his hands. He pulled Will closer to him, hands still cupping his face. Claws gentle on his skin despite Benj's rising panic. There wasn't enough time to squeeze Will through the hole he had made and back to the surface. The human couldn't hold his breath much longer. Already bubbles were beginning to escape his nose as Will sunk deeper. Benj inhaled deeply. The water rushing soothingly through his gills as he brought Will even closer. The other man's hands grabbing at Benj's waist tightly as their lips collided.

Benj pressed his lips to Will's with a forceful intensity. Will's eyes widened in surprise, body freezing in shock. Benj's lips were softer than he had expected while Will's lips were chapped. A sudden sting as fangs nipped at his bottom lip made him open his mouth. Benj pressed their lips together so hard that it was bruising. No water getting between them. Will watched as black eyes fluttered closed. Benj's mouth parting and air flowing through his lips. He breathed deeply into Will's lungs. Warm oxygen filling him up. After a second more, Benj pulled away. He examined Will's face with a half lidded gaze then drifted back. Will was left floating dazedly, eyes still wide in surprise.

A sharp tug in his wrist made him blink. Benj opened his mouth and his lips moved. Whatever he said sounding more like a humming than actual words. A melodic noise that soothed him and calmed him down. Benj grinned as Will floated in the water. He gently steered the other back towards the hole in the hull. Will was broader than him (it was probably all those years blacksmithing) so Benj had to tear at the wood a bit more. 

By the time he had finished, Will was beginning to lose air again. Benj turned to him and pressed their lips together again. Will closing his eyes this time as sweet oxygen passed between their open mouths. When they parted Benj smiled and hummed again. The tune making his eyes droop. Working together, Will squeezed through the hole. Benj swimming smoothly through behind him. The merman grabbing his wrist and pulling him towards the surface.

Will gasped, blinking the water out of his eyes as he paddled in the waves. Benj grinned at him as he pushed his wet hair back. "Come on", he huffed, pulling Will further away from the ship. "It's probably going to blow soon. Barbosa likes blowing ships up". They began paddling towards where the dark shape of the black Pearl floated. It was further away than expected. Benj led the way and Will was reminded of the event years before. Only then they were swimming together away from the dark ship.

"What did you do?" Will asked before he could stop himself. "The humming underwater. The singing".

"Oh", Benj nodded. He raised his head out of the water so that he could talk. "To stop you panicking and loosing more oxygen. It would have been a waste".

"What happened to the others?"

"They're on the Pearl. Ah! That reminds me". Benj stopped and disappeared underwater for a moment. When he resurfaced he held up his hand and something glittered. Will gaped as a familiar medallion glittered wetly in the sun. "Look what I found!"

"So you had it", Will grumbled. "I thought it had gotten left in the hood with Elizabeth's jacket".

"Well it's so pretty and shiny I just had to pick it up", Benj drawled. He glanced at it and sighed. "But I guess it does belong to you". He handed it over and Will wrapped the chain round his fist. Having it back felt instantly reassuring.

"Now", Benj said as he stared up at the looming shape of the black Pearl. "I'm going to swim around and see what's happening. Don't do anything stupid". Will rolled his eyes as Benj dived underwater. But he remained where he was, floating hidden under the prow of the ship as Benj disappeared.

His dark form hadn't swum far when a snap echoed from above. There was a clamour of noise and something was tossed out into the water. The metal links of the net hitting the water with a splash. Then it was tugged back up. Benj snarling and struggling within it's confines. The metal wrapped around his form as he was steadily pulled from the water and over onto the deck. For a moment Will caught his gaze. Benj's eyes widening a second of fear before the net was pulled on deck.

"Look at this boys!" Barbosa's voice boomed. "We've caught ourselves a fishy!"

Unedited