# Aquatic Peace

Title: Aquatic Peace
Status: Complete
Characters: Anon, Fang
Rating: SFW
Classification: One Shot
Author: Anonymous
​
>I shut the door to the cab, the raptor driving it gracing me a smile and a salute
>I give him a friendly nod before turning back and holding out my hand for Fang
>She raises an eyebrow at the offer, but her grin tells me she's more amused than upset
>Taking my hand in hers, I can physically feel how torn up her fingers are
>I've told her to use a guitar pick but apparently it just isn't the same
>At least it's good to see her again, she disappeared for weeks so that she could focus on her performance for the music festival
>I'm pretty sure she stopped going to work too
>Hell, I only really got to talk to her because she needed me to pick up some groceries
>Fang answered the door half-conscious, her fingers bloody enough to stain the door knob
>they stained her new guitar too
>After seeing that I convinced her to take a break
>Not for her physical or mental health, she didn't care about that
>but so she could refresh her creative juices
>It was a start I guess
>Apparently Fang's idea of a relaxing evening was a mosh pit for some other band
>I managed to talk her out of that almost by complete accident
>I wanted us to go someplace quiet, someplace serene. A place where Fang could well and truly relax.
>The aquarium
>I never would have suggested it if not for their half-off promo today.
>Fang's eyes lit up all the same when I mentioned it
>As much as they could with how tired she looked
>Can't say I expected a woman like her to be excited over fish
>She still had that same sparkle when I pulled her out of the cab
>"You're such a dweeb, Anon." Fang chuckles
>Well, that's nothing new
>"What did I do to deserve that?"
>Fang squeezes my hand, her talons digging into my hand just enough to be uncomfortable. Was I really still holding it!?
>I let her hand drop to her side, the heat rising in my cheeks
>"Uh, sorry. Got a little distracted."
​
>"I could tell, you were mumbling." Fang inclines her head. "What's on your mind?"
>"Fish?"
>"Uh huh." Fang crossed her arms but she smiles nonetheless. "Well, at least we're at the right place for it."
>We really were, the Volcadera Bluff aquarium was a truly massive building
>Guess that's the benefit of a coastal city
>Stepping through the doors blasts me with A/C so chilly I was suddenly jealous that Fang was wearing her jacket
>I don't think I've seen her without it since I bought it for her
>Considering it was nearly summer she had to have been suffering, it was way too hot for leather.
>Still, it paid off here
>Looking around revealed there was a surprising amount of people, I never really expected a place as 'boring' as an aquarium to have so many visitors
>Maybe Fang was onto something? Can't say I'd ever gone here before
>Had enough of fish during my stay in the navy
>"Why'd you want to come here so bad, anyway?" I asked absentmindedly, staring at the massive tanks that made up the walls of this room
>My question went unanswered, Glancing back to my side proved that Fang was no longer there
>Thankfully it wasn't to difficult to track a monochromatic weirdo through the crowd, her pale plumage stood out quite a bit
>She was standing in front of a plaque with pictures and facts about the fish in the tanks
>"Anything interesting?" I ask, stepping beside her
>"Mostly just refreshing myself" she answers with a quick glance my way before returning to the plaque
>"You really like this stuff" I state rather than ask
>"Mhm!" Fang agrees enthusiastically. "Did you know the Clownfish isn't actually immune to the anemone's sting? They just hurt themselves every single day until they can handle it better than the other fish."
>"Can't say I knew that, no." I say, taken aback by just how excited she was to share that.
>It really wasn't that long ago that Fang would barely talk to me, let alone share morbid fish facts
>Maybe I was just getting old, it had been a fair few months since we reconnected
​
>"Any other interesting facts?" I ask, hoping for something a little more normal
>"Well" Fang trails her nail across the plaque. "There are these parasites that make crabs transgender, I thought that was neat"
>"Fucking what?" What the hell is wrong with nature?
>I lean over her shoulder to inspect the plaque, surely that can't be real
>"You won't find it here, that's something I learned myself." Fang mentions, unable to keep the grin from her face
>"Okay, but WHY did you learn that?"
>The ptero shrugs, what's left of her wings ruffling with the motion
>"I just like this kind of stuff I guess"
>"Fang the rockstar marine biologist." I remark, impressed.
>"I'm hardly either of those things." She tried to downplay the compliment but her smile revealed how she truly felt.
>"What started all this anyway?" I lean forward to get a better look, tapping on the glass "I don't remember you talking about trans crabs back in school"
>"Don't tap the glass, Anon." She said, slapping my hand away
>I turn to glare at her but her eyes are unfocused, a wistful smile on her face
>"It was a little while after we broke up. I snuck out of the house and just started wandering one night. Ended up here." She seems to find herself and grins at me
>"I broke in, I don't even remember why. I think I just wanted to do something I shouldn't, or do something that most people wouldn't. I scribbled some nasty shit on the walls and knocked over some trash cans but it didn't really make me feel better."
>"So it was just me and the fish." Fang clacks her nails against the plaque. "The lights were out but the aquarium was lit enough that I could read, So I did. Learning about all these fish and how they lived their lives, all the little routines and habits they do to survive. I dunno, it made me feel a little better about my own I guess."
>She smiles and points at a pufferfish swimming by "Plus, they're really cute."
>I don't know if I shared the sentiment, A pufferfish that's not living up to it's name just looks kind of deflated. I did want to feed it a carrot though.
​
>"C'mon, I'll show you my favorite room." Fang says quickly, tugging me after her
>I might just be crazy but I think she was a little embarrassed about her story
>She definitely knew where she was going at least, we rushed past a variety of exhibits
>Past the stingray tank, a handful of children splashing the water
>Past the tunnel that lead through a gigantic tank, the shadow of a whale shark dimming it temporarily
>Past an open door to some kind of stage, I could hear a crowd cheering and some employee talking about dolphins from the other side.
>Finally Fang found where she was going
>wherever it was, it was nearly pitch black but she didn't seem too bothered
>I wonder if ptero's had better night vision than humans?
>We rounded a muddled corner, indistinct in the tenebrous gloom
>and suddenly motes of light like stars in the night sky lit up the room
>They were mostly pinks and purples, lighting up a crowd somehow bigger than in the foyer
>Their shirts were glowing in the dim light, Stepping into the room proper revealed that my undershirt did as well
>Distracted as I was, I didn't even notice that Fang had disappeared again
>Now that everything was shaded in the same faded hues, finding her wasn't anywhere near as easy
>I muscled my way through the crowds trying to find her, despite the volume of people there was barely a low murmur of conversation
>I didn't really want to break it by shouting her name, even I'm not that awkward
>Why the hell did she bring me all the way here to show me something if she was just going to disappear!?
>I huff, staring at the various exhibits
>Well fine, if she wanted me to look at them then I might as well
>I'd probably find her faster doing that than sifting through a crowd
>Maybe she'd even find me, A skinny is hard to miss in Volcadera Bluff
>Why was this city so racially segregated anyways?
>It's kind of lonely sometimes
>I'd been staring at fish for a few minutes and I was already this lost in thought?
​
>The fish were flitting about, uncaring of the world outside their tank
>each one of them fluorescent in the lighting of this room
>The light seemed to amplify the natural color for some and in others it changed entirely
>They were really quite beautiful, I can see why Fang liked this room the most
>The next exhibit over had some interesting fish
>I swear the natural markings looked like letters but I had to be seeing things
>Surely
>A crab scuttled along the sand, waving its claws at me. It almost looked like it was pointing at something
>Pointing at the woman next to me, wow, she blew the fish out of the water
>I've never seen a meteor dodger with patterns that vibrant
>Or wings that small
>Wait, Fang!?
>It had to be, she was wearing the same jacket with the holes cut in the back
>Any other ptero would have bought a jacket with their wings in mind rather than having to jury rig something
>Hardly monochromatic anymore, Fang was covered in the most vibrant shade of teal I've ever seen
>Crescent moons patterned the tattered remains of her wings, her iconic cheek marks had lit up beneath the light leaving literal sparkles in her eyes. A luminous diamond adorned her forehead and stomach, amplifying her natural beauty. How did she never talk about this?
>Fang didn't seem to notice me, enthralled by the exhibit as she was
>Her shoulders were relaxed, eyes lidded with the smallest of smiles gracing her features
>I could see her eyes slowly following the path of the fish and they swam about
>Whether she realized it or not, I think this was something she needed
>For the first time in a long time, Fang looked at peace.
>Since we've reunited I had seen her furious, excited, even playful.
>I'd seen her depressed nearly every day
>But in this moment Fang wasn't anyone or anything. She was simply lost in her blue dream
>I didn't want to interrupt her but we couldn't stay here forever
>Besides, I didn't want her to catch me staring
​
>"Fang?" I murmur over the gentle hum of the crowd
>Her eyes found mine but she didn't seem too surprised to see me
>"Hey Anon" she said softly, her attention returning to the tank
>She didn't seem to be in any rush to leave
>I guess we could stay here a little longer
>I rubbed my arms, I swear they kept this room colder than the others and it was already chilly before
>Still, I persevered. Whatever this was seemed important to Fang
>After a while I stopped paying attention to the fish
>pretty as they were, I was much more interested in the woman beside me
>These new patterns of hers were stunning, It's incredible to think they were there the entire time
>If she noticed my gawking, she didn't comment
>Just as my feet were starting to ache from standing around so long, Fang spoke up
>"Thanks for this, Anon." She whispered despite us being among the few people left
>"Feel any better?" I ask, that was the whole point of this after all
>She takes a deep breath before responding, "I think I realized something"
>"Oh?" I cant stop the curosity leaking into my voice
>"Yeah, I'm really fucking tired." She groans, slumping her shoulders
>I can see the bags under her eyes even in the dim light
>"I'll bet. When was the last time you slept?"
>"Uh..."
>Yeah, that figures
>"Why don't we go find a bench?" I offer
>Fang nods gratefully, navigating the dark effortlessly
>I sigh happily once I'm off my feet, the tired ptero slumps into the seat next to me
>I shiver again, why the hell did they keep this place so-
>"Cold?" Fang interrupts my thoughts
>"That obvious, huh?" I smile sheepishly
>"Lucky you're soft too" She mumbles
>Before I can ask what she means, her wing wraps around my shoulder and rests her head in the crook of my neck
>I don't even know how to react, What do I say? What do I do?
>Indecision paralyzes me until finally I ask, "Fang?"
>The only response is the gentle rise of her chest, Just how long had it been since she let herself rest?
>After so long In the dark I was starting to feel tired myself, The brilliant markings on her plumage were entrancing
>I could feel my eyelids droop but those glowing symbols of hers gave me an idea
>She wanted to stand out as much as possible for her performance at the festival
>Maybe to her they were mundane, something she had grown up with her entire life
>But to me they were the most gorgeous things I'd ever seen
>I had a feeling anyone else that saw them would feel the same
>I'd bring it up with her later, There's not a chance in hell I'd wake her up now
>Slowly, hesitantly, I let my head rest against her own
>I was glad she had started growing her hair again, It was incredibly soft
>With a deep breath I let my tired eyes rest
>Fang smelled like shampoo and cheap cigarettes
>I took another breath, that's not creepy. Right?
>I guess we could stay here a little longer