betta

[baited]

WHO: Shark & Yuma.
WHERE: (on the way to & at) The pet store.
WHEN: The 28th, Friday.
WARNINGS: Fish
WHAT: Shark & Yuma talk. Shark tests his powers on unsuspecting goldfish.
FORMAT: whatev



(from here)

Okay, so this wasn't how he'd planned the afternoon, but it sure was better than the original plan of "sit at home and contemplate how much everything sucks", so the impromptu trip to the pet store was sort of a welcome distraction. Sure, it felt ridiculous, but it might actually prove useful.

The whole powers thing was new territory but probably the kind of new territory that was important to know, considering that was meant to be their purpose or whatever. If there was any chance the fish deal was related to his powers, then it wasn't something he was going to put off.

Shark locked the door behind them, making his way to the stairwell without waiting up.

Comments

[soulbondee]

"What?"

From what Yuma had seen, there were neither house fish nor ocean fish at the MAC, and definitely not in Shark's barren apartment.

"Why?"

[baited]

"Because I should do this myself."

If anyone was going to deal with standing at the docks calling out to fish, it would be him alone. There was no point dragging Yuma through anything else today - and, really, he still isn't used to real actual company. The fact that Yuma was the one who suggested the trip was completely disregarded.

[soulbondee]

Yuma shook his head immediately, crossing his arms with a huff; the orca stuck out from the crook of his elbow. "No way. I am definitely going with you."

[baited]

Shark scowled, moving to properly exit the store.

"I don't need you to babysit me," he deflected Yuma's insistence, despite some part of his brain recognising the fact that Yuma would probably get his way anyway.

[soulbondee]

And Yuma, persistent and stubborn as ever, followed behind.

"It's not like that," he insisted--even though there was some measure of truth to the accusation. Hey, sometimes people liked shoving other people over railings overlooking water in the hopes of drowning them, and maybe it would've been nice to have had some help getting pulled back to shore. "I want to see what you can do, too."

[baited]

"I don't even know if it's going to work. I'll do it later, I'm going back."

Actually, he wasn't going back at all, although he contemplated going and getting his motorcycle gear to try and shake Yuma off. The docks weren't far enough, he figured, to justify driving though.

[soulbondee]

But Yuma didn't seem to be buying that excuse -- or any of them, really. "We've already done this much, we should finish now. Or, are you embarrassed or something?"

[baited]

"I'm not-!"

Well, actually, he was a little bit. Even if it worked, his power would be revealed as rather anticlimactic and kind of lame really.

"What if you do come and it doesn't work?"

[soulbondee]

"Then it doesn't work." Yuma shrugged a little, his crossed arms coming free to gesture as he spoke. The poor orca continued to be flung around for emphasis. "Figuring it out's the fun part."

[baited]

"Yeah, fun."

After that flat bit of sarcasm, Shark was silent for a few moments before turning on his heel and walking in the direction that he thought the docks were in. That one annoying part of his mind was happily screching 'I told you so'.

"Don't blame me if you regret this."

[soulbondee]

"Regret? What would I regret?" Yuma scoffed, hurrying to keep up with Shark's determined pace. "You're not gonna try drowning me or anything, right?"

[baited]

"Of course not!" Shark called back, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Would I waste my breath telling you not to come if that was the plan?"

[soulbondee]

The vehemence probably shouldn't have taken Yuma by surprise, but he flinched at the volume, baring his teeth and shrinking back a little into his shoulders.

But, of course, turned right around and tried stretching himself taller and less cowed, hands in the air for a brief moment. "A lot of people say one thing and mean another, you know!" Shrinking once more, he continued walking with his arms crossed again, almost huffy, continuing with a quiet mutter under his breath. "Wouldn't be the first time someone's tried."

[baited]

Shark had been about to snap back something at Yuma after the first comment, but held his tongue just barely long enough to catch the next one. Hearing enough to make him pause his walking, turn just slightly, and glare - if there was things to mention beforehand, this was definitely one of them.

"Someone's tried to-- where, at the docks?" Shark spoke much quieter, less accusatory, still angry but with worry slipping into his tone.

[soulbondee]

Oh.

Had he said that aloud?

Immediately, as if it would somehow lessen just what he'd said, Yuma looked off to the side, avoiding Shark's glare. Deflection and self-preservation at its most transparent. "Sorta, maybe. It was a long time ago."

[baited]

"Go home," Shark growled through his teeth, turning back away and beginning to walk again. "'Cause I'm not pulling you back out if someone tries that again."

It wasn't a very convincing threat, but Shark was past trying to reason with Yuma. If a prior experience like that hadn't deterred him from the docks, nothing would, especially not anything Shark could say.

[soulbondee]

"I didn't have anyone dragging me out last time."

His hands buried themselves deep into his pockets, though the accompanying orca made one pocket a little too tight for comfort. As expected, he kept walking behind Shark.

"And if you think I'm gonna promise you the same thing back, you're dead wrong."

[baited]

His shoulders hunched slightly, and after that, Shark couldn't say anything. Keeping himself a few paces ahead of Yuma, silence was maintained until reaching the docks. The water wasn't exactly pleasant, but the air did have a slightly salty tang and that was enough. Or, at least he hoped.

"If you're going to be here, at least stay back."

[soulbondee]

That one was easy enough to oblige; Yuma lingered a couple yards behind Shark, one hand settling on his hip and the other tucking the orca plush into the hood of his vest. To be honest, he wasn't sure how this ability of Shark's was going to work, or what it would look like -- maybe he'd start making whale noises? That'd be weird. But still, why fish, of all things?

... Were sharks fish?

[baited]

Shark stepped out as close to the water as he could get, satisfied that Yuma was keeping his distance. He just wanted this to work, for something to happen - but already he was starting to have the same kind of feeling as he'd had at the aquarium, a weird push-and-pull sensation.

Kneeling, he rolled up a sleeve and bent to place the tips of his fingers into the water, as if it would help somehow. Shark could tell there weren't many fish in the dark bay, but the few that were gathered at the surface around him.

"It's working," he said, surprise in his voice.

[soulbondee]

"It is?"

Taking that for a cue, Yuma crossed the short distance in only a moment, straining to peer into the water.

"What're they doing?"

[baited]

Too stunned to really register Yuma's closer presence, Shark took his hand out of the water and watched as the fish remained. They were close enough to be clearly visible, small brown & shiny, picking up even the dull light.

"It's the same thing that happened at the aquarium," Shark responded, concentrating. "It's like they're waiting for me to tell them what to do."

[soulbondee]

Even their pod of plush whales weren't as friendly and docile as this little school of fish seemed to be; that, if nothing else, seemed to confirm that Shark really did have some supernatural partnership with the fish. Glancing between them, Yuma's attention eventually settled on Shark. "Why not ask 'em to do something?"

[baited]

"Because they're fish. It's not like they can do much aside from swim around."

And that was the frustrating part. Okay, so he could do... something... with fish. Probably not just fish, Shark realised, remembering Opal the octopus - but honestly, where was that going to get him? A job making fish jump onto boats to help the seafood industry?

"...jump."

The school of fish splashed out of the water, not very high, but definitely a jump.

[soulbondee]

"Woah!"

Between the loud splash and the sudden emergence of fish, Yuma lost his crouched balance and tumbled backwards, legs kicking in the air in an astonishing display of grace.

But then he was right back on his knees, watching the water with keen interest.