Swimming With the Fishes, Tuesday, period 1

[betterthanaplan]

"SCUBA diving," Duke said. "Stands for 'self-contained underwater breathing apparatus'. Basically, you strap an oxygen tank to your back, hook it to your breathing holes with a tube, and get to explore down deep without worrying about holding your breath. Good times."

He went over some basic skills and demonstrated the proper way to use the regulator with a human-type mouth.

"We're not going super deep today, so you don't have to worry about things like decompression sickness or anything. So strap yourselves in and let's go see what animal awaiiiiioh holy shit."

The moose was striding across the beach right for him. He jumped out of the way as it tossed its antlers and trotted right into the water.

". . . Right, so. Moose swim. I knew that. I guess we're SCUBA diving with the moose today."

Comments

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

"Uh huh." This didn't help his idea of your animal related issues, Duke.

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

He didn't have animal issues, he had a moose issue. There was a difference!

"Shut up."

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

"I'm not saying anything." He was expressing it via his face.

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

"Yeah. And you're not saying it extremely loudly."

Was this what it would have been like if he'd actually grown up with any of his brothers?

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

Possibly, yes! Though the Williams family mixeded it up by being touchy-feely too.

"This some kind of warning for the fall?"

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

"I have no idea what this means for the fall," Duke said. "I didn't ask for any specific class. No one's told me if I'm teaching one yet. But then . . . sometimes I don't know until we're having the picnic." He shook his head and shrugged. "Maybe the moose is finally done taunting me?"

It wasn't.

It was going to give him a break to lull him into a false sense of security, though.

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

Danny eyed the moose for a moment longer. "Better than lizards at least," he muttered.

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

"Don't say that too loud. Or we'll be lousy with lizards by September."

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

"Seriously?" He was still new!

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

"Man, what about this summer has convinced you I might be making this up?"

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

"No, it might explain some things, actually." Look, his trip to Baltimore had been pretty weird even by 5-0 standards.

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

"That the island likes to fuck with us? Yeah, I should say so."

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

"Yeah, that it does," Danny replied with a sigh. "Even follows you off it."

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

"Follows you off it, anyway. I've never been sure if I'm getting Fandom or Haven when I'm on the mainland."

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

"...okay, that's fair." Because Haven.

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

"Maybe sometime I should try following you home. See what these so-called 'normal' worlds are actually like."

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

But then he might find out about Wo Fat!

"I'm sure going to Hawaii for a vacation has nothing to do with it," he said dryly.

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

"You know I've been there before, right? I live on a boat."

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

"Yeah, but you're still a tourist." Deal with it, Duke. He lived there. He had the local level of annoyance over tourists taking up all the parking and beach real estate.

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

"Never said I wasn't a tourist. Just saying, I don't need to follow you home to go on vacation in Hawaii."

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

"But it's a good excuse." It was one that everyone used to be a special guest star on the show.

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

"Yes, Danny," Duke said, like he was speaking with a particularly slow child. "It's a very nice excuse."

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

"I'll abandon you to the moose," Danny replied dryly. Because he would.

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

". . . Because you're doing so much to keep it off me now?"

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

Danny rolled his eyes at that. "Wow, you're a real peach today."

Re: Talk to Duke

[betterthanaplan]

"Am I not entertaining enough for you today?" Duke asked. "A giant beast that belongs in an ice age just crashed my last class for the summer, but sure, I'll try harder to not be a 'peach'."

Re: Talk to Duke

[hatesparadise]

"Thank you," Danny replied, spreading his hands and grinning like that was all he could hope for. "I'll do my best to keep you safe, but you're kind of the larger target here."

Upside of being short!