Chapter Text
Dogday loves the sea. He grew up near it, learned everything he could know about it to make a living. His grandfather was his mentor after both of his parents died in an accident. But he was too young to really say he knew them.
All his life it was just him, his grandparents, and the sea. And thanks to this, he makes a decent living just from selling fish, and other produce from their animals, and growing the vending business his grandparents started. Poisson du Sol was the little shop’s official name now after coming a far way from just being a small stand among the many.
So when his grandfather couldn't get up without grunting in pain from his knees and joints, he was shaken. They were financially stable and his grandfather’s treatment wasn’t expensive but to routinely get it the money spent on it added up.
“Stop thinkin’ bout my medication, son.” His grandfather huffed out, resting on a chair in their home as his grandmother made lunch for them. Some delicious chicken soup and tortillas.
The young canine sighed lightly as he shook his head at his grandfather. He was a stubborn man, but so was Dogday, which is why his grandfather was resting rather than helping the family. “Paw, I wasn’t even thinking about that…” He lied.
His grandfather looked at him skeptically. “uh-huh… so, boy, what were you thinkin’ about then? Perhaps someone?” he grinned as his grandson groaned, not missing the way his grandmother laughed as she checked on the soup.
Shaking his head he sits down on the floor, “Not that either, no one has really gained my interest. And unless there’s someone new in this small town I don’t think I will be thinking about anyone else in that way any time soon…”
His grandmother laughed, shaking her head. Her fluffy and floppy ears swinging with the motion. “Shame. I thought Crafty and you had eyes for each other.” she smiled cheekily at her grandson.
“Nope. we’re good friends but she and Hoppy are meant for each other.” Maybe he didn't have those kinds of eyes for anyone in the town but he did have a couple good friends.
His grandfather made a small face and Dogday looked at him waiting for him to speak his mind. “Sorry. But fifty years ago you would’ve gotten stoned and exiled for even kissin’ your same gender on the cheek, even as a joke.”
“Oh, deary, are you still thinking about those two sweet boys who were chased out?” his grandmother reminisced sadly. Upon seeing Dogday’s confused face and perked ears she elaborated. “He was friends with one of them, and when they were chased out they blamed your grandfather initially. They eventually found out it was someone else, but they broke contact with us.”
Dogday ‘oh’d at the explanation. Their small town had come more than a bit far since then…
His grandfather nodded. “Actually I’ve been meanin’ to ask you this, son.” he paused and Dogday had a small feeling he knew what would be asked, he’s been asked before by his friends. “Are you… uh, just not interested in gals right now, or…?” he trailed off looking at him in a furrow as he tried to see how to word his sentence.
His grandmother puts the pot onto the counter and looks at Dogday, clearing her throat. “What he wants to ask is if you’re into girls or not, darling. Nothing wrong with whatever your answer will be, so don’t feel like you need to hide it.” she said as she grabbed some bowls from the cupboards.
“Uhm. Well, I'm not really sure myself. I haven’t felt attraction for either.” he explains shyly.
His grandparents hum in understanding, reassuring him that he was still young and would most likely figure it out eventually.
Lunch was great. But soon Dogday found himself walking back towards his fishing boat. Helping his grandmother with scaling a couple fish before he felt the food settle.
He hurriedly pushed his boat onto the water before hopping on it and turning on the engine and riding it towards more open and deep water. His favorite spot for fishing. It was near the middle of the gulf. But from his experience, it's the best place for him to fish.
Hours pass. And Dogday can feel the sun beaming down on him. But his skin is already used to it and the cool breeze of the ocean helps him cool down in the face of it.
He’s gotten lucky today. He’s caught a lot of the popular fish, and some big catches, with his latest being a dorado. It wasn’t a fish in high demand in the shop so he’ll most likely eat it himself.
He frowns as the line of his fishing pole moves to the side and then under. He pulls and almost reels the fish in when it frees itself and swims away.
Disgruntled he reels the line back and watches without surprise as the meat is gone from the hook. This was the third time a fish outsmarted him. His grandfather always said that if the same fish outsmarts him a third time in a row it was time to either move spots or go home.
And based on how the sun was getting a little too near to sunset, going home was his best bet.
Dogday gathered everything together and safely settled his fishing pole on its dedicated holding alongside the inner wall of the helm. He was securing his catch when he felt the boat sway. Immediately he finished fasting down the container of fish and heading towards where he felt the wave come from. Sometimes big commercial ships passed by but there was none in sight.
The other side of the boat was definitely hit this time. And Dogday steadied himself as he stared at the water around him. Was there a big fish messing with him right now? Did the fish that outsmarted him get offended that he stopped feeding it?
He heard a splash to his right. He whipped his head around fast enough to catch a tail going back under. It was a deep lavender color with splotches of purple and dark purple the closer it got to the end. The fins were nearly black with how dark of a purple they were but they were speckled with golden flecks.
Dogday stared at the tail in awe.
Never has he seen a fish of that coloration around. Ever.
He felt his tag wag from excitement as he followed the direction it swam wanting to catch another glimpse of it. And he did. But what he saw was the front of it.
It stared back at him in surprise, flinching back into itself after being interrupted from surging back up to rock his boat again.
The creature looked like any other critter. A purple feline with darker spots in seemingly random patterns. His eyes were pretty. Big yet elegant as the cat… fish? Stared back at him. It seemed to snap out of its shock as he hissed at Dogday, baring his sharp teeth at him.
Dogday continued staring as he watched small spikes on his fins rattle in a warning no doubt poisonous or sedating. The feline’s tail swished behind him, whipping the end of his tail around. It was similar to a shark but much longer and flexible.
Dogday had heard tales of sirens, mermaids, and sea creatures. But he never thought he’d see one. Much less, one this beautiful.
“Wow… you’re very beautiful…” came his voice. Full of awe and respect. He watched as the… feline fish creature stared at him in shock again before looking unsure and reaching up towards his boat before giving a big push and rocking it again.
Dogday didn’t startle instead snorting out in amusement as the feline mer looked incredulous at him. It hissed before swimming around the boat a couple times and forcing it to turn with the movement.
Dogday waited until the feline was back below the water in front of him. Hissing and and using it’ tail to smack the underside of his boat. “What?” Dogday asked confused. “Are you trying to scare me?”
The feline glared at him with sharp eyes before sharply nodding and swimming back down and shooting up. Practically flying above the boat and diving back on the other side of. Water sparkling down on Dogday as he followed the feline’s form jumping over him.
He felt his tail wag harder. The feline’s tail was long. He knew it was long already since it followed behind the feline quite a bit from what he could see underwater but watching the length of it above him he could truly observe the sheer length of it.
He spun towards where he heard water splash and looked at the feline with wide eyes and a big smile. “That was so cool! Oh my god, I can’t believe someone like you actually lives out here… I don’t think anyone else has seen you or else you would’ve been talk of the town…” At this comment the feline mer breaks the water surface and forces itself up towards the boat as he hisses at the canine and unsheaths his claws.
Dogday straightens up, “Woah! What's wrong? Do you not want people knowing about you?” He asked. The feline hissed harder as he bared his teeth at Dogday, poisonous spikes shaking in a warning. “OKay… sorry. I wont say anything though. So you don't have to worry.” Dogday reassured.
It seemed to work as the feline lowered itself back onto the water and warily stared at Dogday.
The sun had begun to dim as sunset began. The canine looked at the horizon in surprise. He had been so preoccupied with this new acquaintance that he had forgotten it was time to leave. The feline seemed to notice his sudden alertness and tilted its head as his eyes dilated.
“Sorry. I need to get back home so I guess this is goodbye…” he began before smiling. “Actually. Are you hungry?” he asked the feline, who looked at him suspiciously before nodding. Dogday smiled and went towards the container with all of his catch of the day. He dug around before finding the big dorado he caught last.
He walked over to the feline and found him peeking over the edge of the boat with wary eyes. He looked almost devilish with the intensity he was putting behind the stare down.
Dogday chose to ignore this as he walked over with the fish in his hands, held firmly as it still flapped its tail trying to get away from him. He wants to at least leave a good impression of himself on the feline mer.
Smiling brightly to get the mer from glaring at him too much he showed off the fish to the mer. “Here. I caught a lot of good fish already, I was planning on just eating this one myself but you can have it. Sorry for keeping you long.” he offered as he watched the feline mer fix his eyes firmly on the fish in his hands.
Slowly the canine approaches the awaiting feline who he thinks might be drooling at this point with how blown his pupils have gotten. When he gets close enough the feline mer uses its claws to snatch the fish and throws himself off the side of the boat, rocking it. Dogday steadies himself as he watches the feline cling to the fish as it desperately tries to swim away.
He almost feels bad for the fish with how much the feline mer plays around with it before finally using one of its poisonous needles to seemingly sedate it and finally eat it.
Satisfied, Dogday yells out his goodbye and starts the engine before heading back towards his home, at last. Looking back towards the spot he saw the feline mer eating. He catches a hand breaching the water and waving at him once before quickly sinking back down.
He sighs out with a light chest as he wishes to see the feline again sometime.
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