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Grass stained Kagetsu's shoes as he walked the barely beaten path to the Somniel's camping spot beside the fishing pond. He carefully watched the water swish with the movement of the fish, unaware of their fast-approaching fate within his growling stomach.
He almost found himself drifting away along the currents. The slish-slosh of the water against the edges of the pond reminded him of the much louder beaches of Pale Sands he used to walk along, pondering the unseen wonders of the world. When he got a chance to, anyway.
An especially loud splash jostled him awake and he quickly cast his line. He would be eating good tonight.
The fish yanked the line, and Kagetsu almost tumbled into the pond. The strength of this catch was almost human, Kagetsu thought. He braced himself for a hard pull, preparing for a legendary duel against the scaly fiend. The fish wrestled with him, tugging harder than any fish should have the ability to tug. Kagetsu’s arms burned and his legs ached after mere seconds of battling his catch, and he was starting to feel dizzy.
He thought he heard a muffled, bubbly voice calling from within the pond, "let go of me! Stop!" But that would be impossible, so he only tugged harder. Any fish that could make him hallucinate was a worthy opponent.
Suddenly, the duel was over with one final tug and a bloodcurdling scream. The fish landed in his arms, and Kagetsu almost collapsed under its weight.
In his arms was not a fish, but a man with a fish tail.
He froze in shock, and the lake man froze in fear. Blood trickled down from his shoulder, where he was caught by Kagetsu's hook. How could he have been so careless? He should’ve realized he wasn’t hallucinating. No fish fights back like a person, that doesn't make any sense! But then again, fish people don't normally live in fishing ponds. Also, fish people?
Suddenly, the fish man regained his composure. "Let GO of me!" he demanded, his scaly tail fins slapping against Kagetsu's cheek. Kagetsu flinched, letting the fish man fall back into the pond with a huge splash that soaked Kagetsu completely.
"Hey, wait!" Kagetsu called. He was still reeling from the shock. "I am truly, deeply sorry for reeling you in. I was just fishing for my lunch."
“Those are my friends,” the fish man cautioned.
Kagetsu continued, “of course. I’m sorry. I… didn’t realize. How can I make it up to you? Would you like to share a meal? Or I could bandage that wound? I could get you something at the market, maybe? Do you like chocolate?"
The fish man erupted from the pond with a powerful splash, propping himself up with his arms. His entire torso was visible, allowing Kagetsu to realize how large he really was. He could see every muscle in his well-toned body. His shoulders looked like they could support an entire ocean, and his arms could hold all the fish that lived there. Kagetsu was impressed, not only with the fish man, but also with himself. He'd managed quite the catch!
"What I want," the fish man shouted, "is to heal in peace !" His voice cracked on 'peace', and that's when Kagetsu realized his eyes were red and puffy. Barely noticeable tears rolled down his cheeks. His angry demeanor cracked as he sniffled. His face dropped when he let loose a series of sobs and hiccups. His head fell into his arms as they crossed to cradle his face. He cried into the ground, soaking it further with his salty tears.
"Ow…" he mumbled, "ow ow ow…"
Kagetsu ran over and dropped to his knees. Cautiously, he rubbed the fish man’s back in a manner that he hoped was comforting. The fish man's skin was soft, a pleasant contrast to the firm muscles underneath. It was like rocks on a beach that had been weathered by the violent currents, emerging smooth to the touch at the end of their journey.
The fish man sobbed, "thank you."
Kagetsu sucked in a breath when two bright, glorious green eyes met his own. He saw seagrass, swaying in the currents of the ocean floor. Schools of fish scuttled and weaved through the blades, chased by hungry predators. In a desperate attempt to escape the jaws of a shark, a squid released its jet black ink and rocketed away, creating the fish man's enchanting pupils.
This wasn't the kind of catch he was going for when he first cast his line, but he wasn't about to complain when such a gorgeous man was now crying into his shoulder.
It felt like he was holding the whole ocean in his arms. Kagetsu's hands were lost across the vast expanse of his back, like the ocean's waves solidified. He could feel the outlines of an archipelago across his spine. He could imagine the civilization that thrived there. He was jealous of them.
Reluctantly, he let go. "I'll go get you a bandage," Kagetsu said, slipping away.
When Kagetsu returned, the fish man was waiting in the water by the edge of the pond. His chin rested on his palm. He smiled when Kagetsu approached. It filled him with pride.
Kagetsu knelt beside the fish man. “May I see your wound?” he requested.
The fish man obliged, grimacing as he lifted his injured shoulder out of the pond. Kagetsu assisted him, taking the fish man’s arm gingerly in his calloused hand.
“I apologize if I hurt you while I’m doing this,” Kagetsu said. “I’ve never been one for tending to wounds.”
“I’m sure you’ll do fine,” the fish man consoled. Kagetsu was doubtful, though. He’d never once picked up a staff on the battlefield, and he never paid any close attention to how the nurses bandaged his wounds. He cursed himself for not asking Jean for guidance before coming back.
Kagetsu set down the medical supplies he borrowed from Zelkov, taking a piece of cloth. Slowly and carefully, he began to clean the wound. He took extra care not to press too hard, ensuring he didn’t accidentally tear more skin.
“Uh,” the fish man interrupted, “are you going to clean it or not?”
Kagetsu observed his handiwork, realizing he’d been cleaning the air a few centimeters above the wound.
“Oh, my apologies,” he sputtered.
Finally, he allowed the cloth to make contact with the wound, lightly stroking the broken skin. The fish man sighed, leaning closer to Kagetsu and melting into his touch. His eyes fluttered shut, and Kagetsu smiled fondly.
Kagetsu finished up with his cleaning, placing the cloth in the “used” section of the bag and grabbing a bottle from the “ointment” pocket. He made a mental note to thank Zelkov for his consistent organization and labeling of everything.
He carefully began to apply the ointment, and the fish man flinched. Kagetsu shot him a concerned look.
“Stings,” the fish man sniffled.
“I’m sorry,” Kagetsu comforted. “Thankfully, I believe that was the shortest step.”
He quickly put the ointment away and retrieved a bandage, gracefully wrapping the fish man’s shoulder. The fish man leaned again into Kagetsu’s touch as he secured the bandage in place carefully, and Kagetsu found himself leaning back. The fish man’s warmth was comforting, like a warm bath after a long, tiring day. Or like lakewater he’d grown used to basking in.
Kagetsu found himself struck by the harm he’d done. "Again," he began, "I am so, so sorry for this. I had no idea there were fish people living in this pond. I didn't even know there were fish people in the world at ALL."
"It's all right, don't worry about it," the fish man said. "You had no way of knowing."
Kagetsu was shocked by how fast the fish man forgave him. He beamed, "thank you for your oh-so-generous forgiveness, fish man!"
"Oh, uh…" the fish man's smile wavered, "please call me Boucheron."
"Boucheron!" Kagetsu's voice boomed, "a fitting name indeed! Tell me, Boucheron. What brings you to the Somniel? Oh, no, wait, let me guess. A warrior such as yourself can only be here to duel! Am I right?"
"Uh… no?" Boucheron chuckled nervously.
Kagetsu chortled. He'd reeled in quite the joker.
He looked at Boucheron, who'd barely cracked a smile. Kagetsu stopped laughing. "Wait, you're serious?"
"Yes."
"Huh," Kagetsu huffed, "then what ARE you doing here?"
"I just… live here," Boucheron said.
Traveling the world, Kagetsu had seen a lot, but he'd never been so fascinated by any one person before. The thought that a whole man with a fish tail could just live in a fishing pond. And on an island in the sky , too? It made him glad to have left Pale Sands.
Boucheron winced beside him. Kagetsu gasped, rushing to comfort him, rubbing circles on his back. Boucheron relaxed into the touch.
"Please forgive me for hurting you," Kagetsu apologized once more.
"I already have," Boucheron said, leaning his head against his thigh. "It's in the past now."
Boucheron sighed happily, letting his eyes close. Kagetsu squirmed, stifling a delighted squeal. He cautiously eyed Boucheron's tired form. Boucheron’s hair dampened Kagetsu's pant leg, and his breath rustled the thin fabric. Through the water, he could barely make out Boucheron's tail, swishing peacefully and occasionally surfacing, creating rhythmic little waves and splashes. Each little droplet submerged Kagetsu's heart completely.
Kagetsu sighed and relaxed, finding himself lulled to sleep by the sounds.
Yeah, he was very glad to have left Pale Sands.