Aquatic AU

[simplepuzzle]

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[unbreachable]

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.

[unbreachable]

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.

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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.

[unbreachable]

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.

[unbreachable]

He appreciates that. But it's hard to catch Chuck and tag him back, because he's so much faster and Raleigh ends up sitting on his ass in the shallows, panting.

"This isn't a fair game!"

[simplepuzzle]

Chuck rolls onto the sand and lets his pelt loose around him.

He's been told again and again and again not to reveal himself to humans, but he needs to talk back to this one.

"It's not my fault you swim so slow!" he retorts, sitting up without a trace of modesty.

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Holy shit--

"Holy shit!"

He yelps, shouting the bad word and not giving one flying fuck about it.

[simplepuzzle]

--And it may have not hit until after the human shrieks like that that showing him might have been a bad idea.

Chuck hunches, holding his pelt close (that at least is an easy thing to remember and obey, to never let anyone else touch it).

"Well you do," he mutters.

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He's totally gaping.

Then grinning brilliantly.

"That's so cool! How'd you do that?!"