Work Text:
Breakdown didn’t go up ice fishing as much as he used to anymore. Certainly not as much as he used to when he was a little one. With his parents passed early, the old men in the village having plenty of sons of their own, and him with his own hang-ups it was just better that he went alone. Just him, his small radio and the small portable heater that he kept safely on his truck bed.
His dad and Grandad had known all the best spots anyway and there was no reason to share. He’d quickly found a really good spot. Right by a warm flow he’d set up his wind protection, drilled himself a nice big hole and set up shop. Ice fishing wasn’t the most relaxing thing when you didn’t have any family but Breakdown used the time to appreciate the nature of things. Even in the winter, the forests were rife with animals, birds bothered him often, curious and hungry, there was always something to watch.
As the day grew later Breakdown’s cooler steadily filled. Mostly small fish for better baiting but certainly a few good meals to take home. Breakdown had to admit though his eyes weren’t exactly on the hole. Every now and then in the distance, he’d spot him, a stranger in a fancy red coat walking up and down the ice then running off when something startled them. They never got close so Breakdown didn’t get the best look at them but it sure was strange enough to keep his attention.
He’d just caught a whopper of a fish and was making room in his cooler for the thing when he spotted the stranger again. They were looking much more frantic now as they followed the edge of the lake and Breakdown could hear their mutterings even over the wind. So they must have been yelling pretty loud about it. Feeling bad for the poor lass who probably lost a bracelet or necklace on a romantic outing Breakdown stood up and waved. If she was that determined to find anything on the frozen lake she at least deserved a bit of help.
“Ey! You! Do you need some help?” The stranger stilled for a long moment and it was clear Breakdown had frightened them. “It’s alright! I’m willing to help you if you need it you’ve been running around for hours.” The stranger stayed still for another long moment but slowly they drew closer. Breakdown took a seat to not look as frightening as he could with his size and fluffy beard. As he made himself comfortable he got a better look at the stranger he’d agreed to help. They were in a long red fur coat…...and not much else save for some rustic shorts and a bit of jewelry. Breakdown didn’t understand it at all. The poor girl's feet and fingers were even going gray and black because of the cold! What was she thinking! Breakdown hoped she wasn’t some poor old loon.
Staying a few feet away the strange lass looked at Breakdown with wide glossy black eyes, clutching at their fluffy coat nervously with one hand and flexing the fingers of their other. “I lost my hole.” Breakdown tried not to laugh. So not a lass at all.
“Ha ha well I’m sure I can help you find it if you’d like to come home with me!” The stranger didn’t seem to appreciate his lewd humor. Responding with just a quirk of their head. Clearing his throat sheepishly he motioned to his own setup. “If-uh...if you got pushed out of your normal place you’re more ’an welcome to share my setup. No one ever bothers me. Name’s Breakdown.” Interested now the stranger inched closer. Seeing the hole Breakdown had bored he promptly stuck his foot in and swished it around. His face turned to a look of disappointment. Breakdown had no time to react as the stranger was suddenly by his side, fondling him through his jacket.
“You’re fat!” If Breakdown wasn’t starting to think he was dreaming he might have decked the stranger for the comment. What was he talking no he wouldn’t, the strange wildling was way too cute.
“Well it’s mostly muscle but it is January. Everyone puts on a few pounds over the holidays.”
“Exactly!” The stranger flailed his hands wildly at the fishing hole. “You’re hole's too small. I can’t get in there so you surely can’t.”
“I-” This had to be a dream. He must have nodded off. “Are you one of those folks that likes to take a dip in the lake for your health? Is that why you’re running around practically naked?” Something about those claws on his thin servos and leathery almost beastly feet told Breakdown it was something more than that but even in his dreams, it seemed Breakdown was the reasoning sort. Or perhaps simply too dim to admit the truth sort. Who knew? “My holes meant for fishing so it doesn’t need to be that big.”
The stranger tugged his coat closed abashedly. “Fishing? Outside the water? Why?”
“Err...well that’s how you fish. Can’t bring a boat out on a frozen lake so this is what we do. You want to join?” The young man moved close again, his sharp gray fingers running up and down the fabric of Breakdown’s thick gray jacket sadly.
“You can’t go in the water?”
“Not in this weather. It’s freezing.” The stranger humphed softly.
“Not that cold, there’s no wind today.” The stranger was back at the hole, foot splashing around the water. The pout on the man was far too cute than it should of been but Breakdown still felt bad.
“I can make the hole bigger if you’d like. It’ll take me a moment so if you want to sit and relax. If you want to be a bigger help you could hook up my propane stove. It’s about time for a meal I’d say. It’s all in the green bag on my truck bed. Behind the heater.” Another quirk of his head disturbed thin strands of frozen hair.
“Y-es. Yes, alright.” Breakdown watched the stranger elegantly stalk over to his truck. He couldn’t help but pick the end of their long coat as they passed. It looked like seal and even had bits of fin on the end but the bright red color of it threw Breakdown. It was either a very expensive coat or a very unique fake piece. Breakdown had never felt a seal in his life so he couldn’t guess but it felt strange and heavy and very, very warm. Too warm even as if it was emitting heat. He quickly got to work when the stranger caught him. He didn’t tug his coat away or even yell but his sly look made Breakdown’s heart race.
Picking up his auger he placed the bit just a few inches away from his original hole. Breakdown figured he'd have to at least make four others then crack some ice off to make the hole big enough for the stranger. Not that big a deal but to be honest he was in no hurry to get him gone. If this was a dream it was quite a pleasant one and it wasn’t often Breakdown had dreams of fine looking men needing his rescue.
“Is this stove?” Breakdown looked up from his spot to his truck where his lost little beauty was holding a small propane tank, the camp stove already laid out on the truck bed cast aside for the moment. Breakdown cut off his quick laugh.
“Err...no. You need that bit though but the stove is the big bit. There should be a silver off bit to attach it too and then you’re done.”
“Bit, bit, bit.” the man quietly mocked Breakdown as he attached the tank to the stove. “What’s this bit?” Breakdown huffed a laugh, his breath fogging up a huge cloud.
“The heater?” The man looked so cute with his strange feet curling and flexing in front of the heater, it was obvious he was quite content with himself. It was certainly nothing like the elegant mystical stranger he’d thought they were but still it was a fine sight. “Be careful not to get too close, you might burn yourself.”
The man hummed happily as he laid down in the truck bed. “I quite like heater.”
“I can see that.” Breakdown watched as the stranger rolled on to his back, coat picking up snow and falling open to reveal a toned frame with an almost fantastical pallor. Again it was quite a nice sight. Gods it had been a lonely year. “If I may ask what brought you up here?”
“Fun. And what of you? Is this fishing a game or….ritual?”
“Em..” Breakdown took a moment to really think that over. “Bit of both. It’s practical too I eat everything I catch.”
“Eat?” His guest seemed to be slowly working something out. “So this fishing is out of water hunting?”
Breakdown nodded as he moved to another spot to continue drilling. “That pretty much sums it up but I’d say for myself at least it’s on the water hunting. Do you do that diving thing where you hunt? In the water?”
“Diving. Y-es~” The young man nodded though he was still not too sure what he was agreeing to. “Are you good hunter?”
“Good enough. Fishing like this ain’t easy but I do well.” Laying down his auger Breakdown headed over to his cooler and flipped open the lid revealing his catch. A few big fish were lazily flailing with some smaller ones oblivious to their doom. Breakdown knew he should have brought the bigger cooler. “It is kind of like just a relaxing thing I come out to do so I don’t take more than I think I’ll eat. Saves me some money though.” Breakdown saw a flash in the pretty stranger’s glossy black eyes. His tongue peeked out from behind his sharp teeth hungrily as he looked the cooler over. “You wanna cook one up? You’ve been wandering for a while now so you must be hungry. Fish and cream of potato are the best lunch a poor bachelor like me can offer haha!”
The man looked up sheepish guilt in his eyes. “But it’s your catch. You need it.”
“Well, days not over. I can catch a few more before nightfall but...” The man lightly pawed at Breakdown’s arm as he reached over for the stove and the bag that held is pot and pan.
“But?”
“I’d like a name if we’re gonna share a meal. Seems fair to me.” Again the man was lost in thought as Breakdown went to the front of his car to get his soup and seasonings.
“Fair. Knockout. I’ll help you catch a few fish after meal as thanks.” Breakdown paused by his car, his infatuation turning his face a brilliant red. He waited for it to pass before heading back over.
“Knockout eh? Good name.” Knock Out seemed to be entranced by Breakdown as he cleaned and gutted their meal. Sending most of it to the bottom of the sea in hopes to attract more fish. He also found it funny for some reason as he raked off the scales, calling Breakdown picky for it. Most of all he liked the stove as Breakdown clicked it on and set up their meal but not enough to leave the comfort of the heater. “I’m gonna finish the hole. Tell me if it starts to smell burnt.” Knock Out nodded as he turned and rolled around in the truck bed trying his best to stay warm with the heater but watch the food and the strange fire.
“Is it better after stove? Fish?” Again Breakdown tried not to laugh. To each their own he supposed and certainly he’d never turned a plate of lox but to never eat fish cooked was strange without a doubt.
“Not... necessarily but it’s cold and I personally like my fish hot.” Gods he wasn’t even trying to make a joke there. Knock Out just nodded understandingly as he continued to rest and watch. With a brief interlude to flip his fish Breakdown was soon chopping away extra bits of ice with his auger and idly swishing it around in his now massive hole. Job done he stirred his soup a bit then went to his bag to dig out two cups. Deciding to give it a little more time Breakdown headed back over to his truck to dig through his other cooler. Inside were some water jugs and a few beers he pulled two out and handed one off to Knock Out who looked at it like he pretty much looked at everything else. It didn’t stop him from mimicking Breakdown, cracking into it and taking a sip.
“Ah! It’s gross.” Despite his feelings, this didn’t stop Knock Out from taking another drink. “I’ve always wondered though.”
That was quite a strange thing to say. Breakdown took a seat to tend to his food, but his attention was far from the stove.“You’ve always wondered what?”
“What came in the cans. I used to find lots of cans in the water. Not any longer.”
“Well-...” That threw Breakdown for a loop. This truly was a strange dream. “There are other things that come in cans. I only brought beer and some instant coffee though. You want to try that?”
“Coffee?”
“Yeah! I’ll heat you up some water.” Once the fish was done Breakdown didn’t make Knock Out wait. Chopping off bits of fish he laid them carefully on top of the soup and handed the man his cup and spoon. Knockout seemed grateful as he dug in despite how hot everything still was.
Sighing happily Knock Out leaned back against the side of the truck. “So good. I love stove food.” Breakdown fought off another blush. Canned soup and fried fish wasn’t the most opulent meal after all but he was glad Knockout liked it.
“Glad to help you out. It’s nice to share a meal.” As soon as the water was remotely hot Breakdown went off to his truck to find the stack of paper cups he had hidden behind his seat and the few creams and sugars he’d stolen from the last restaurant he’d visited and tossed in his cup holder. Not knowing what Knock Out might like he tossed in just enough to make it sweet and milky so a child might like it and handed it off. Picking up his own cup of food he shoveled a fish chunk into his mouth.
“Mm! Also gross! Better gross though.” Breakdown was starting to get the feeling that Knockout didn’t have a perfect grasp on english.
“Glad it’s at least better.” Knockout nodded happily but went back to his soup.
“Sweet is still new to me but I like it.”
Breakdown inched his chair closer to the heater and plunked a few more bits of fish into Knockout’s cup. “If you like it then it’s not gross. Gross means you don’t like it at all. Unless you’re lyin’ to save face. You don’t need to lie to me.”
“Ah.” Whether he was appreciative or not for the info it was clear his food was more important than conversation.
Breakdown watched the man carefully blow on his steaming food, surprisingly he was much more interested in the soup than the fish. That wasn’t saying much as he cleaned his cup far before Breakdown. For that moment as they ate they sat in silence and just stared out across the white snowy lake. Breakdown would always ruin it with a sudden thought or story to tell but Knockout clearly didn’t mind, just sipping at his coffee and laughing at whatever dumb jokes Breakdown managed to come up with.
When Breakdown finished with his own meal, cleaned everything up, poured himself a cup of coffee and returned to his fishing things grew ever more quiet. Knock Out laid back down by the heater and hummed as he watched Breakdown fish. As an hour drifted by with nothing he decided it was his turn to return Breakdown’s hospitality. So abandoning the warmth he hopped into the icy water and was gone in a flash.
Breakdown watched Knockout sink with barely even a splash. He saw the shadow of the man as he swam away and was in awe of how nonchalant it had all been. One second he had a beautiful man sitting in his truck bed and the next they were gone to the water. It was a bit sad really. That was until a massive form came swimming right back at him.
Jumping a solid foot away before the fish launched itself from the water and flopped onto the ice, Breakdown stared at the odd catch. It was massive, bigger than any fish he’d ever seen and it was a slick slimy black with glowing dots. Bioluminescence should not be appearing in lake fish. Maybe it just happened in the winter though? Breakdown didn’t really understand fish save for which ones tasted and sold best.
It snarled and snapped his jaws lazily but Breakdown dared pick it up anyway. It was as expected heavy and at least four foot long. He didn’t know if he could put it in his cooler without it eating all of his other fish….or if it would even fit in his cooler…..so he took it to the shoreline to get some snow to pack it in.
When he got back there were more creatures covering his sight, A weird crustacean the size of his chair, some strange dark red orbs that looked like rocks but had weird tendrils coming out the front that were trying to crawl back to the water, and an almost perfectly round translucent flatfish. Breakdown quickly ran and emptied out his other cooler and stuffed the creatures in. He had no plans on eating them but he wanted to save the evidence if this turned out somehow to not be a dream. Because it was feeling less and less like one every second. He was packing the hard spiny crab thing with more snow when Knock Out broke through the surface. Carefully he pulled himself out of the water and holding the end of his long coat like a pouch headed over to Breakdown’s cooler and dumped his catch in. At least twenty fish and not small ones either. Mosty trout and a few catfish. He was going to have to give at least half of them to the local market guys. Breakdown put the crab thing on what he was sure was its back then went to help Knockout back into his truck bed. Knockout didn’t look cold in the slightest and his fluffy coat wasn’t dripping any water but the siren call of the heater was too strong.
“Ah, I missed you heater.” Breakdown could feel the smile on his face. As he looked over his strange catch and his even stranger beauty, then something clicked. This wasn’t a dream. This was real, so if he didn’t want it to slip between his fingertips he had to do something.
Striding over with as much confidence as he could muster Breakdown leaned on the edge of his truck. “You know, if you like the heater so much I know what you’ll just love.” Knockout quirked his head intrigued.
“I’ve got a fireplace, and a bed, with an electric blanket. Not to mention I give great massages. So….if you’d like how about you let me take you home for the night and I can bring you back here in the morning.” Knockout fidgeted with his fingers nervously but Breakdown had seen that glint in his eye.
Knock Out’s gaze lingered as it moved up and down Breakdown’s frame.“All night, with you? No tricks?”
“‘Course not. Why would I lie to a pretty thing like you?”
“Diner too?”
“Well, it goes without saying.”
“Early or late sleeper?~” Gods Breakdown didn’t know what that meant but if it meant what Knockout was implying it meant Breakdown didn’t know what to think anymore!
“Are you coming on to me?”
Knockout has absolutely no shame as he inched closer to Breakdown.“Yes.”
“Well...alright then. I’ll load up the truck.”