Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Yuuuuuriiiiii," Vika whined. "Wake up."

The only response was a bubbly groan and a flap of Yuuri's tail smacking into Vika's as she rolled over. The solid seal tail hit hard and Vika winced but brushed it off. She couldn't help but notice the way the movement rippled up Yuuri's body, quivering rolls of soft flesh vibrating and slowly falling still as her beloved settled once more.

This was completely alien to Vika, her species were all lithe and wiry. Long, thin mermaids built for temperate waters. They had bright colours and long flowing hair to blend in with coral and kelp beds. Beautiful bright things to lure in fish and humans alike.

It was by pure chance she had met Yuuri. Yuuri and her pod were from the frozen seas, which were slowly but terrifyingly fast being warmed to the point of ruin. Vika had heard from every nomadic mer and fish, the whole ocean seemed to know it. The arctic circle was shrinking, and everything that once called it home was being forced out.

Yuuri and her family were one such group. All the animals formerly their prey, and habitat formerly their home were vanishing so they needed to adapt. Accordingly, they had travelled south, whereupon Vika rescued Yuuri from her first and hopefully last net, the northern mermaid inexperienced with human fishermen outside holes in the ice and strange noises and shapes in the water.

Vika had been fascinated by Yuuri, never seen such a swimmer before. The movements so fluid and graceful, needed to weave in and out of ice that could shift at any moment and take off a limb if you weren't careful. A way of feeling the water, rather than looking at it.

Yuuri was wary of the reef Vika lived in, untrusting of its static nature and constantly twitchy. The instinctive need to watch her periphery resulted in obscured direct sight, making it difficult to navigate or learn the intricate maze of branching coral.

But despite their differences of habitat, diet, and lifestyle, the two had become friends, companions, and then closer still. Yuuri's father very much enjoyed calling Vika Yuuri's fishwife. While Vika did not appreciate the nickname, she had no objections to 'wife' in the slightest and let it flow over her.

Vika had suggested the migration further south when the waters began to warm further at the beginning of the height of the year, and she started to realise the true discomfort Yuuri and her family were in. She had heard that the ice regions of the far south were less affected than those in the north, and hoped they might offer some relief in the summer months to her other half and the pod she was an honorary member of.

Which led to Vika's current predicament. Shivering like crazy in a cave protrusion of ice while Yuuri got her first night of proper rest in quite some moons. Vika could hear the happy bubbling snore of Yuuri's father echoing along another tunnel. While she was happy her found family had a reprieve from the heat of her own homewater, she had no comfort of her own from the oppressive cold.

"Yu-uu-uu-uu-r-r-r-riiiiiiii," Vika's teeth shook with her shivers. She was tempted to swim to the sunwater to bathe in its light but knew if she surfaced she might freeze in the cold air. But if she did nothing, she might just freeze anyway. Yuuri's delightful shape was built for this, and Vika envied it relentlessly in this moment.

But more than that she admired it, appreciated it, fancied it. Vika adored and loved Yuuri's soft blubber and wanted nothing more than to have it wrapped around her, engulfed completely in Yuuri like the most knotted tangle of seaweed.

Still shivering violently, Vika swam over her beloved to press against Yuuri's chest, wrapped the squishy arms around her and buried her face in the forgiving pillow of Yuuri's breasts. Sliding her pelvic fins under the core of Yuuri's tail, and her caudal under Yuuri's flippers, Vika basked in the warmth radiating off her lover's skin. Her own hips and length of tail were exposed and unwarmed, but with Yuuri's shorter stature Vika had few options, and worried more for her caudal and pelvic fins than anything else, thin and fragile as they were.

It was only when Vika tried to insert her poor frostbitten fingers into the slight indent between the sandbed and Yuuri's waist that the pinnipedian mermaid startled awake. 

"Cold!" she yelped, short hair darting upright with her snap to attention.

"Y-y-yes," Vika chattered, clinging desperately to Yuuri. Why had she put on a brave face for such a distance? Why had she suggested this trip at all?

Yuuri's eyes bulged as she took in the fading hues of her lover's skin, the discolouration of her lips and fingers, and the translucent state of her normally perky fins.

She glomped Vika immediately. Pressed every part of her darling fish into the sand, part buried her and lay on top of what remained uncovered, rubbing every inch of skin and scale she could still reach.

"Oh, my Vika why didn't you say something? Foolish wonderful woman."

"I didn't w-w-want to w-w-wake you. You w-w-were so peaceful."

Yuuri cuddled Vika to within an inch of her life, squeezing and massaging, trying to work blood back into her beloved’s extremities. Vika did not warm up, and the darkening of her fingertips, lips and nose continued to worsen. When Vika’s eyelids started drooping, that’s when Yuuri screamed.

“Kaasan! Tousan!”

“Don’t worry Yuuchan,” Vika slurred, sighing tiredly.

“KAASAN!” Yuuri dared not move away, still pressing her tail against Vika, shifting side to side, desperate to bring back any kind of flush to Vika’s translucent skin. 

Yuuri finally heard her dad’s snores cease, confused muffled discussion then frantic movement. A faint thump as one of her parents hit into a cave wall.

“Yuuchan? Vicchan?” Yuuri’s mother’s soft voice was uncertain as she poked her head into the cavern. The sight of Yuuri writhing on top of Vika probably a little disconcerting after all.

“Kaasan, I can’t warm her up!” Yuuri wailed, waving her hands around before clinging back to Vika.

Hiroko hesitated but a moment before calling for her mate and joining her daughter in trying to restore life to Vika’s frozen body.

Toshiya made his way in, rubbing his head and grumbling before realising the situation and rushing over himself.

Vika was dreaming. She had to be. Yuuri was everywhere. Warmth and blubber surrounding her. Soft flesh and sweet breath. The gentlest and squishiest of cuddles with so many arms. Yuuri’s the best cecaelia, tentacles wrapped all around Vika. She was getting poked and prodded, manipulated and massaged, pulled and pushed, tugged through the water. The light changed and Vika wondered if she was in paradise.

Calls like whale song washed over Vika. Noises and responding sounds she didn’t grasp echoed through her body, her very bones resonant of the voices in the water. The sea was moving, Vika was moving, the whole world was shifting around her, spinning and whirling and Vika was just tumbling along with it, along for the ride. It was fun and she laughed.

“Yuuri!” she cried, overjoyed, “C’mon, it’s great!” She wasn’t quite sure what it was, but she knew what wanted Yuuri to be part of it.

The lights glittered around Vika, silver and blue, glistening, dazzling white, like stars above the surface. Vika wanted to catch them like minnows in her hands, only for them to flow through her fingers, squirming and flashing away.

Her hands were grabbed out of the water, gently returned to the warm little space they’d been in before she moved. She was so warm, so constricted she couldn’t breathe, there was no water anywhere, just hot hot something ! Vika thrashed, trying to get away, but whatever had hold of her clung tight, grip growing stronger the more she struggled.

“Vika!” Yuuri’s voice burst through the hazy, glowing bubble Vika was in, her lovely eyes hovering not far from Vika’s face, fading in and out of focus. Gentle hands petted Vika’s hair, fingers running through tangled strands but staying near her scalp, thumbs caressing her head, pressing a little hard but Vika would forgive her. She liked her hair being played with. “Vika, please, please.” 

Yuuri’s voice sounded sad. Vika had to stop Yuuri being sad. It was unacceptable for her wonderful mate to be sad! She needed cuddles and soft kisses and belly smushes and her boobs held nice and soft in Vika’s hands, just held there for safekeeping, they were nice boobs.

“Vikaaa,” Yuuri whined, and Vika knew that tone, she was embarrassed, usually that happened when Vika said things she shouldn’t. Like how absolutely fabulous Yuuri’s tail was. It could crush her, and Vika would die smiling.

Hmmm, Yuuri had a lovely smile. Vika wanted to kiss it. She was going to kiss it, she decided, right now. But first, she needed to get her hands free to grab Yuuri’s perfect neck and pull her down to Vika’s mouth for the best kisses. Yuuri had the nicest lips. Vika couldn’t get her hands free, her fingers weren’t working properly and something was stopping her. How annoying. Oh well, she’d have to guess. Maybe Yuuri would help her. Vika looked blearily in the direction Yuuri’s gorgeous eyes had been in and smushed her mouth up, thrashing her tail a little to do so. Little yelps echoed around her and Yuuri made a muffled noise of protest before kissing back, sucking and nibbling more than usual. And Vika’s lips weren’t working, they were kind of numb. Although she could feel the pressure and tug of Yuuri’s lips and teeth she couldn’t get her own to move or reciprocate in any kind of organised or coordinated fashion. So she nommed at Yuuri’s mouth instead, opened and closed her mouth like she was speaking fish or blowing bubbles.

Yuuri’s giggles rung out like the best music. A hand pressed ever so sweetly to Vika’s chin, closing her mouth for her, stroking her jawline. And what she thought might have been little pecks next to her ears, but she wasn’t sure. She liked to think it was though.

Yuuri had no idea how far they travelled like that, or how long for. Her days were measured in breaths Vika took, every day marked as good by how ragged they were or how much or little colour was in her fingers and lips at any one moment. Pods of many numbers of mammalian species came to the aid of the merfamily, taking it in turns to help push or pull or carry Vika along in their wake while the Katuskis did their utmost to stop her extremities from dying and her consciousness from fading further.

The waters had begun to warm, and Yuuri just begged and hoped and prayed to every deity and powerful being of the ocean that Vika might come back, that her wonderful fishwife might wake up and her eyes focus on her once more.

A passing school gave word that they were nearing a great mass of land and would soon have to travel Northward to go around it when Vika’s sense started to return. Vika yawned for the first time since she had first collapsed, snuggling herself against Yuuri, wriggling and making it difficult for Yuuri’s parents to keep hold of her hands and fins.

“Vicchan?” Hiroko asked gently, still tirelessly smoothing her own fingers across Vika’s, massaging the thin membrane between them. “Your hands feel a little warmer now angelfish.”

Toshiya nodded, patting Vika’s caudal, “Her fins are getting colour again too.”

“Vika?” Yuuri ran her fingers through the beautiful silver hair, tousled and mussed up as it had been by the ordeal, it was still a sight to behold. “Vika, darling, are you with us?”

Vika lifted her head, just a little, and her eyes opened, slow and bleary, but they focussed and recognition was clear. Then her head dropped into a nod before falling back on Yuuri’s shoulder, padded as if exactly for this purpose. “I’m so tired, Yuuri,” Vika moaned, pressing her forehead in a little sharper, trying to burrow in like a crab in sand.

“I’m so sorry, Vika, it’s my fault. I should have noticed before you got so sick.”

Hiroko tutted, “Don’t be silly, Yuuchan, none of us did, and she never said anything. It’s not your fault in the slightest.”

Vika made an agreeable noise, “Mmm, Mama’s right.”

“Of course she is,” Toshiya grinned. “Your mother’s always right.”

Hiroko swatted at him, and the banter between them continued while Yuuri just swam on, blissfully holding her mate as the waters continued to warm and revitalise her.

Chapter Text

Upon their safe arrival home, a turtle came flying at the fully recovered Vika. The large creature barrelled into her, sending them fin over tail.

Little Yura had her arms crossed as she emerged from the coral, scowling. “Your stupid turtle cracked her shell three times looking for you!”

Vika ignored her wrath in favour of cuddling her beloved Makkachin, squeezing the flatback with all her fervour but none of her strength before working her way round the shell to check for damage. “Have you been a good girl, have you been the goodest girl Makka-Makkachin?”

The Katsukis cooed at the sight, skinned pinkened with affection as much as heat under the midday sun.

“Aww, Makka! Did you miss us?” Yuuri offered her hand and received a flipper tap in return. 

Hiroko sidled up to little Yura, hugging the smaller mer to her side. “Makkachin was right to be worried,” she said, patting Yura’s head. “Your Viktoria should not have come with us.”

Yura slapped Hiroko’s hand away. “What did you do to her?!” The tiny mer put her fists up, thrashing her tail.

Hiroko tutted, “No, no dear, more what did she do to herself? You are not built for the cold here.”

Yura frowned, lowering her hands, “What do you mean?”

“What was pink was blue,” Toshiya said sagely. He patted his stomach, laughing, “You’ve got no padding!”

Yura shot away from them to launch herself at her sister. “Stupid Vika! Idiot!”

Vika endured the onslaught of pounding fists against her chest with only a mild screwing of her delicate features. “Yes, Yura?” she said, smiling placidly.

“You nearly killed yourself didn’t you? Following your stupid fat fishwife!”

Vika’s smile vanished, and she gripped one of Yura’s wrists, unmoving. She said nothing, merely watched Yura wriggle, pout, and set her jaw. “Yuratchka, I never want to hear you say that word again. Do you understand me?”

Yura’s lip curled. “What ‘fa—”

Vika’s grip tightened, “Don’t. You. Dare.”

“Why not?”

“The Katsukis saved my life. If you can’t respect nature’s careful and clever design, respect that.”

“They’re the ones who fucking endangered it! And the scalehead over there laughed! You could have died!”

“And if I had, it would be my own fault! I followed them, I kept going even though the water was too cold for me. I didn’t say anything until it was nearly too late. It was me. My stubbornness.” Vika looked to Yuuri, making sure she heard. “I would follow her to the end of the world if my body let me.”

Yuuri’s eyes softened and she hugged Makka, gently burying her face in the spongy shell. “You shouldn’t,” she mumbled.

Makka flailed her flippers before escaping to give nibbly pecks to Yuuri’s cheeks.

Vika grinned, swimming over to kiss Yuuri’s other cheek. “I would and should, and if I could I’d… well, I would.” She nuzzled into Yuuri’s plush shoulder.

“It’s not really so bad for us here as you think, Vika.” Yuuri smoothed a hand over Vika’s hair. “Every day is a lazy warm day is all.”

“You were so happy in the South, would you really rather not…”

“Of course I’d rather the temperature were a little cooler, especially for Mama,” Yuuri glanced towards her parents who were helpfully distancing themselves and at least feigning ignorance. Tears filled her eyes as she mushed their foreheads together, Vika’s eyes widened before she shut them, simply breathing with her wife. “But more than anything I want to be with you. I want you safe, I want you well. And so do my parents. I might help them move South slowly, but I’m staying with you. Always.”

Vika nodded, a weird sensation when joined with Yuuri’s simultaneous nod. “Forever,” she said in agreement.

“Ugh, you’re both gross and I hate you,” Yura said.

“Yura,” Vika sighed, “Are you still here?”

“Hell yes I am! You can’t be trusted to be left alone. Your brain is all mushy. Not that you had much of a brain to start with, but still— Hey!”

“Leave them be for a moment, little one,” Toshiya said as Yura hissed and scrabbled in fury.

“WHY WOULD I DO THAT? THEY’RE JUST GOING TO CANOODLE!”

“Yes, that’s why you should leave them to it,” Hiroko said, pulling Yura away.

Vika watched the scene fondly before looking back at Yuuri, all rosy and cute. “Hey,” she said.

“What?”

“Wanna go and… canoodle?” Vika waggled her brows, grinning.

Yuuri glanced at her parents’ and sister-in-law’s backs, then scanned Vika, just checking. “God yes!”

So they swam off, giving Yuuri a real reason to feel hot and bothered. And she loved every moment of it.

Makkachin twirled in the currents nearby, happy her people were home safe and making happier noises now than the shouting earlier. She didn’t crack her shell. No. Not once. Not at all.