Aquatic AU

[simplepuzzle]

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[simplepuzzle]

The sun is warm.

The air is chilled but the sun shines bright and brings a gentle flush to Chuck's skin. He stretches out on the rock, rubbing his cheek against his fur he'd lain flat against the surface, smiling lazily to himself.

He should not have been as close to the shore as he was, not a shore so usually populated by humans, but the rocks are wide and flat and perfect for sunning oneself on. It wasn't as though Chuck was the only one who ever did it, anyway. The other side of the island was in shadow most of the day, anyway.

Besides, this was a part of the beach that was hard to get to unless one was a strong swimmer and was very, very good at holding one's breath. So he's not overly worried about being discovered, which really should have been the tip-off.

He hears a shout, a cry for help from the waves, and sits up to search for the source. Pink arms flail out of the water, grasping desperately at thin air for something to hold on to, head bobbing up and out. A human, a stupid human had tried to make the swim. It looks to be a boy around Chuck's age or a little older (he could never really tell) though, and he can't just leave it out there...

He wraps his fur around him and dives, changing once he's under the waves and making a swift beeline for the stupid stupid human.

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It's summer, his family always takes a vacation in summer and it's Raleigh's favorite part of the year. They travel frequently and it's not always to places that are fun so when they can, they take a piece of summer and carve themselves a nice little niche.

It's nice. It's fun.

Raleigh's old enough to where his parents don't feel the need to watch him every second of every day (though they should, he's a boy) and so Raleigh decides to try and make the trek but...

He's too little. He's a strong swimmer but not nearly good enough and he gets caught in the undertow, sucked down and then pushed back up then back down.

Help.

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck would be rolling his eyes if he weren't focused on swimming.

Stupid stupid human.

He dives after the other boy--the human--following him with the current. He's a little bigger than Chuck but he's clearly not used to swimming, and definitely not against a tow this strong. Chuck's not big enough himself to drag him to safety, but he shoves himself against his front for the human to grab onto him.

Which is going to be so annoying and so uncomfortable, but he can't very well let him die, can he?

If he's got a good enough grip, Chuck'll do his best to tow him to a place of...saf...er beach.

[unbreachable]

He's definitely not strong enough (yet) to be swimming in these waters, and as the waves tug him and drag him down he panics, thrashes and claws for air, but then--

there's a warm presence a body, and Raleigh grabs hold for dear life, still panicking, heart slamming against his chest.

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck shoots straight for the surface, first, giving the human some air, and then heads for the safe part of the beach, swimming as hard as he can to tow the extra weight.

He doesn't stop when they're in the shallows, where the human would have no trouble standing, heading straight to drag him onto dry land.

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The second he can, Raleigh sucks in a gasp of air, nearly crying in relief. He doesn't let go of his rescuer though, and clings to him all the way until they're back on shore.

Even then he's reluctant to let go, because he's so damn shaken.

[simplepuzzle]

Great, the human's hanging onto him. Chuck can't risk shedding his skin right now because the human's got a death grip on him and if he decides to keep it--

Chuck squirms. Come onnn, you're safe now, stop blubbering.

[unbreachable]

No, no he doesn't want to let go, he wants to keep holding and keep clinging because you saved his life and he's still terrified.

Maybe a little in shock. Mostly terrified, though.

[simplepuzzle]

But but wild animal.

Chuck squirms harder and barks sharply; don't think he won't bite you just because he saved your life, human.

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The bark is what makes him let go, and he scrambles back, rubbing at his eyes and sniffling.

Can he please go home now.

[simplepuzzle]

...puh. Crybaby human.

Chuck scoots forward and pushes his about against it's face, barking again but softer. Stop crying human, you're safe. You're okay.

[unbreachable]

Well, he almost died. That's worth crying over.

And when Chuck comes closer again Raleigh stiffens, because even though you just saved him you also barked in his face and scared him. He's just a kid and he almost drowned and now everything is freaking him out.

[simplepuzzle]

Humans are so weird.

Chuck pushes his forehead against the human's and hums like his mum does when he needs to be calmed down. Shh human stop making those noises.

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Raleigh smiles a little, reaches and touches his nose gently, then laughs through his sniffles.

Cute.

[simplepuzzle]

God, humans are just the weirdest.

Chuck wrinkles his nose and sneezes on his hand.

[unbreachable]

He laughs again, and wipes it on his shoulder.

"Cute."

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck flops a little against the young human. He should jump back into the water and swim away now the human's fine, but...he's never been one for 'should'.

No more tears?

[unbreachable]

Raleigh is...grinning and petting and giggling a little, happy when Chuck flops against him, happy to hug him a little, too.

"Play...?"

[simplepuzzle]

Ugh, hugging. If he must.

He sort of perks up at the mention of playing though, and looks hopefully back at the water.

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Raleigh lets go and nods, scrambling back to his feet.

"C'mon!"

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck wriggles after him, wondering if his wouldn't just be easier on two legs; but not if he's just going right back into the water. He's glad too that nearly drowning didn't scare the little humans.

Really, the young ones are always more resilient than they were given credit for.

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Kids are pretty durable. They tend to bounce right back and Raleigh's no exception. He's bounding into the water like he didn't almost just die, splashing happily and calling for Chuck to hurry up and come play.

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck dives in and he's no longer an ungainly brown blob, he's a sleek streak of chestnut and silver.

....still pretty blobby, considering his age, but swimming circles around the human.

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Blobby or not, Raleigh thinks it's the coolest thing ever, and splashes him the minute he reappears, laughing and ducking under -- not that he can get away from something so fast.

[simplepuzzle]

He'll bump into the back of the human and swim away fast before it can grab at him again, a sort of game of tag that's deep in Chuck's favor.

Whenever it looks like the human's forgetting how far it should go, Chuck nudges him closer to shore again. He's not saving your life twice in one day, come on.