Keeper & The Shark
Yayy its MerMay! This AceAzu fic is sort of a continuation of my AceAzu fic you can read here! But this can standalone too<3
tags: Ukiyo Ace/Azuma Michinaga, fluff mostly, mer au!
It had been about a month since Michinaga washed up on the shore of the lighthouse. Ace had been careful in tending to the mershark's wounds, cleaning them, wrapping them, keeping him plenty fed and hydrated to heal.
He didn't need it, necessarily, Ace did know that. Sharks healed remarkably quick. The hole through his tail was almost completely healed, the smaller cuts over him were plenty healed. Every day Michinaga got stronger, being able to crawl throughout the small keeper's cabin whenever he wanted.
Michinaga did use this newfound strength to try and scare Ace, or steal fish from the fridge.
Tonight seemed to be one such night.
Ace's eyes snapped open, staring up at the ceiling above him. He exhaled a soft breath, turning his head to look beside him. There, almost eye height, was Michinaga, having crawled from the bathroom all the way to the bedroom.
The shark blinked.
"I'm hungry." He snapped at him, baring his sharp teeth in his show of dominance. It never really worked, Ace wasn't afraid of him at all. And the long lived lighthouse keeper knew that pissed the shark off, but it amused him!
"Go eat then."
Michinaga rolled his eyes, letting himself flop onto his back, mostly healed tail stretching out and hitting the dresser. Ace sighed when something fell, at least it wasn't his cologne bottle.
"Still can't figure out the stove, hm?"
"Shut up!"
Ace sat up in his bed, checking the clock across from him. Ah. That was what fell. It felt early, but he usually got up early anyway. It didn't matter very much. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, sliding his feet into his slippers.
He stepped over Michinaga's limp body, grabbing the fallen clock and looking it over. It looked alright, at least. Ace set it back down on the dresser.
"The usual?"
Michinaga nodded.
The keeper bent down, hooking his arms under Michinaga's. "One, two.." Ace then began to drag the shark through the hallway, back to the nearby bathroom; where his now modified wheelchair sat. Michinaga let himself get handled, doing his best to assist Ace with putting himself into the chair.
Ace put his tail in the modified tail rest, making sure it sit comfortably.
"Alright, come on, sharky."
Michinaga huffed through his nose, the bull shark mer wheeling himself out into the hall after Ace. They went to the kitchen, the shark wheeling himself over to the window to look out at the water while the keeper cooked their breakfast.
"My supply person will be coming today."
Michinaga looked at him, tilting his head to the side, visibly confused.
Ace chuckled as he got the supplies from the fridge. "He brings my groceries from the main land. Other things I ask for too." The lighthouse was nice, a generator to run a television, a small garden, he could make it bigger too if he wanted. But proper groceries still required a monthly delivery.
"You'll have to hide in the bedroom, is all."
"Fine by me." Michinaga responded gruffly, turning his attention back to the window.
Ace started gutting the fish he caught the day before, skilled nimble fingers working the knife. "I'm not trying to hide you," he promised after a moment. "I just don't know how he'll act around a creature like you."
"I get it!" He snapped, huffing and puffing, annoyed.
The keeper chuckled, then turned, tossing a bloodied fishbone towards him. Michinaga leaned forward, catching it in his mouth and biting down on it. The bone splintered and crunched, his sharp teeth and strong jaw making quick work of it.
"It was a bit late to place an order for you," Ace sliced up the fish, setting it aside to fry once he was ready. "But if there's anything you want, I'll have them deliver it next month."
"You act like I'll be here."
Ace paused for a moment, then continued cutting up the vegetables. "Leaving me so soon, Micchan?"
The shark scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm almost healed."
"But you can stay as long as you want."
It's nice, having company. But the thought died on Ace's tongue. He wasn't lonely, or at least, he hadn't been. Not for the years before taking this job nor the years since. But Michinaga seemed different, he was fighty, sharp, and witty in his own way.
He had a different perspective on the world that Ace enjoyed.
It was selfish, to keep a mershark on land. But he looked safe, comfortable. He'd even gained some weight, looked healthier. He got around the cabin house just fine. Ace washed his hands and the vegetables he'd just cut up.
"I'll be gone as soon as the hole heals."
Ace nodded, drying the vegetables with a dish towel. He set them aside and grabbed a pan, placing it on the stove.
"What? You want me to stay or somethin'? Getting mushy on me?"
"Is that so bad, Michinaga?"
He threw the fish and vegetables onto the pan with some oil, opening the cupboard above the stove to get seasonings.
"What kinda human are you? Weirdo."
Ace chuckled, looking away from his food prep to Michinaga's conflicted expression.
"I don't know, Micchan. You look pretty weird yourself."
Michinaga growled at him, narrowing his eyes in his direction. "Never mind, you can put me back into the sea now."
"You won't be saying that once you start eating."
The shark couldn't argue, opting to instead wheel himself out of the kitchen and into the living room. Ace chuckled behind him, focusing instead on cooking.
It wasn't long before he was bringing two plates into the living room, he placed them on the coffee table. Then he went and grabbed the foldable table, unfolding it beside where Michinaga had wheeled himself.
"Thanks," Michinaga huffed quietly when the plate was placed on the open folding table. He ignored the fork and knife, opting to use his hands even now. Michinaga brought the fish up, tearing into it with his sharp teeth.
Ace put a television show on, then sat on the couch. It was some old silly crime show, Aibou. But Michinaga seemed to enjoy it, not enough to distract him from eating, but enough he paid attention.
"You should stay." Ace decided to speak once they were both finished eating and on the next episode. He looked over at the clock hanging on the wall, the helicopter would be there in an hour or so.
Michinaga blinked in surprised, looking up at him.
"It's logical, isn't it? You have no friends, I have no friends." The keeper shrugged with a smug smile, leaning back in the couch as Michinaga glared at him.
"I belong in the sea."
Ace nodded and stood up, grabbing their dishes. "You do, but you can go to the sea whenever." He nodded out the large bay window towards the sea in question. "Come back whenever you want too."
Maybe the long lived keeper didn't want to admit to his loneliness, maybe he just wanted Michinaga to stay. He felt incapable of admitting to his sudden needs. A lot had changed in the last month.
"I'll think about it." Michinaga answered, turning his attention back to the show.
That was fine by Ace.
