Just saw that Jaws is being rereleases in theaters for its 50th anniversary and immediately remembered you talking about doing a Jaws au art lol.
OMG I read this and immediately checked to see if it’d be showing at any of my local theaters haha I need to see that mechanical shark on the big screen FR!
And I absolutely still plan to make some art for that AU. I’ve been thinking about it so much. Like when they’re here
Obi-Wan is about to go into the cage and Anakin is losing his mind
but Obi-Wan is like, “Shark’s are my specialty. Have a little faith” 😏 … and then everything goes to shit lol
But of course they find each other in the end and this scene right here
Summary: The crew is on a much needed (and definitely deserved) vacation from hero-ing about. It's important to remember that you can plan out a trip, but you can't anticipate everything that happens on said trip.
Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x Mutant!TigerShark!Reader
[AU Masterlist] Arc 2: This is Part 1
Warning(s): This one's pretty wholesome for the most part, but I will say there are some descriptions of violence. Also strong language, but if you've been here long enough you know that-
Note(s): WELCOME TO ARC 2 BAYBEE! Jaws is back and I could not be any more excited to get back into this shit! As far as I can tell arc 2 is definitely gonna be longer than arc 1, but I hope y'all enjoy :3
Word Count: Skidding pass 2.9k
*squints* I give NO ONE permission to repost or translate my work. Make your own shit!
It'd been a little over a year since you'd joined the Avengers. There were certainly a few incidents here and there, the biggest being the dismantling of the Red Room which, incidentally, led to Natasha reuniting with her folks.
It was certainly one way to meet your girlfriend's family, that's for sure...
Things seemed to finally take time to settle, at least for a little while.
It was newly June and you along with Natasha, Wanda, and Vision were set to go on the cruise trip you'd booked around Christmas time last year.
---
"How were you able to swing two months off mission calls, babe?" You looked up from packing your suitcase at Natasha's voice, a small smirk growing on your face.
You made your way over to Natasha before wrapping your arms around her waist. "Well, I'm still not greenlit to go out in the field for a slew of reasons, Wanda's only put on for specific assignments, Vision's her plus one, and you have, what? Three years' worth of PTO? We're in the clear, Natty. The team will be fine for a month or two."
Natasha let out a hum of agreement before she brought you closer for a kiss. "That- and you harassed Tony to figure it out."
You raised a brow in mock confusion, "I thought that part was obvious." Your mouth pulled into a genuine gleaming smile as you got a laugh out of Natasha as she wrapped her own arms around your neck. "You're a menace."
"Is that meant to be a bad thing?" Your lips met in another kiss.
"Never a bad thing."
As the two of you finished packing, you met up with Wanda in the Common Room of the compound, where she was talking with Vision. The atmosphere was sullen with only one set of bags on the couch.
"What's goin' on? Did they not have SPF50 at the Walgreens?" You set yours and Natasha's bags down before going to get the keys to the Quinjet. "I'm sure we could find robo-sunscreen on the way, man."
Vision looked at the back of his hand for a good second. "I don't think I would need protection from the sun, seeing as my skin is-"
You came and wrapped your arm around the synthezoid's neck, jangling the jet keys by his ear. "Joking! Again. If anything, we'll just cook eggs on you when you overheat like a copper pan. We aren't gonna be on an air-conditioned boat the whole time you know." And just like that, the light atmosphere you'd created sunk back down as Wanda and Vision looked at each other. You looked between the two in clear confusion, "Alright, what's the deal?"
Vision eyed Wanda for a bit longer before turning to look at you and Natasha, who just came into the room. "I'm afraid I won't be able to accompany the three of you on this vacation. I will be remaining on call."
You tossed the Quinjet keys to Natasha as she came further into the room. "That's ridiculous, we all sent in time off notices weeks before now. How'd this even come about?"
Vision let out a sigh, "Captain Rogers came to me with concerns of being understaffed during the next few months with the search for HYDRA operatives still ongoing; With Dr. Banner still off-world, Mr. Barton indisposed with his with his family, and Mr. Stark only expected half of the time, it is rather easy for me to see Captain Rogers' point. Out of the four of us approved for time off, it was determined that I would be the one to stay behind in case of emergency."
---
You'd spent the cruise enjoying each stop between Hawaii and French Polynesia, and it's been anything but a normal experience with you around as the agent of chaos.
Wanda made sure to get plenty of pictures to cement the new memories. There's photos of you "hugging" a manta ray, Wanda and Natasha relaxing on the beach in Bora Bora, several pictures at dinner, and even one of all three of you having an absolute ball watching one of the night shows in Samoa.
Your most recent picture was a group one after you laid on a blowhole in Savai'i. You almost gave the nearby family of five a heart attack, but it was still fun to do.
The last two weeks have been a welcome break for the three of you. Despite some of your more "peculiar" ways of having fun, this has been a freeing and relaxing time. No missions, no threats; a true vacation.
Wanda was currently in her cabin across the hall from yours and Natasha's on her nightly call with Vision. Next time he had to come, Steve be damned. Wanda was a good sport about it when Vision was called in at the last minute, but you all wished he was here as well.
Natasha had taken to video calling with Yelena as well, though they weren't as frequent with her being on her own mission.
You had your own time to talk with Yelena that mainly consisted of her cosigning whatever fuckery you were up to on your vacation.
Part of it might be just to get a reaction out of Natasha.....Which she always did-
It was wonderful to see Natasha just unwound and be less serious, Yelena is one of those people that just pulls it out of her.
Their Relationship had noticeably improved since they were brought back together last year, after learning more about each other that they hadn't had the privilege to learn before, having been separated for their most formative years.
-----
You and Natasha sat on the secluded deck connected to your cabin. The open air was refreshing as you let Natasha lean back into your arms, watching the sunset on the water.
"I'll be honest and say that I can't choose between Tahiti or Savai'i,"
You placed your head on top of Natasha's. "It's always going to be Enoka for me. It was so long ago, but can remember the views on the island as clear as day." Your words were less clear, almost like you were talking through your teeth. "The white sand beaches occupied by damn near everyone in the mornings, green peaks covered in flowers, the quiet that surrounded the deep waters at night... Seeing the sun make everything above me glimmer while it was up high in the sky. Those small "nothing" memories are one of the few things I haven't lost to time... I just wish I had pictures to show it to you."
Natasha slowly rubbed your forearm that was across her stomach as she encouraged your rare moment of open vulnerability. "Well that's why we're doing this. Making new memories closer to home..."
You focused on the soothing gesture as you thought of those same flickering pictures taken through a toddling interpretation.
In the morning you, Natasha, and Wanda were going to part from the cruise ship and make your way to where Enoka would be via a smaller, personal yacht (paid for by you, modified by Tony, who was convinced to do so by Pepper).
There's nothing that could ruin this moment for you. With two of your favorite people by your side, you were going to visit what's no more than a watery lump of land that once was your home and put it to rest for good.
-----
After leaving the cruise ship, Wanda focused on directing the three of you through the smaller crowds of people walking in the opposite direction away from the docks. "What's this boat called again? Delilah?"
Natasha unfolded the small piece of paper in her hand to reread the messy script, "The Blue Delilah. It should be near the end of the pier."
You grasped one of their wrists in each hand, "It's just up ahead!" Both Wanda and Natasha cringed slightly as you just barely missed bulldozing a group of people on your way to the boat that turned out to be a custom Sunseeker 76 yacht.
before the three of you boarded the yacht, a brown-haired man wearing thin rectangular glasses came up to the three of you with a gleam in his eyes. Your eyes narrowed at the camera in his hand before he even started speaking. "I'm really sorry to bother the three of you, but you're Avengers, right?"
You just blankly stared at the man while Natasha, while also on guard, she was more cordial when she addressed the man. "We're not exactly on duty right now, but did you want something?"
Wanda noticed that there was a dark haired woman not too far behind him simply staring at the yacht before looking toward the three of you. The bespectacled man, who began perspiring the longer you stared him down, jumped to answer. "I just wanted to get a picture with you guys, my wife and I are really grateful that you all are around to protect us."
The three of you looked at each other. While all of you weren't keen on taking pictures, the couple seemed harmless enough, Wanda read as much from both of their thoughts. The man, Graydon, was both nervous and excited; worried that he'd come off as a creep that was bothering them. His wife, Tara, had a similar train of thought in not wanting to bother the three public. Tara's mind was notably much quieter than her husband's; presumably the result of a calming tactic.
Wanda mentally relayed this to both you and Natasha before the three of you finished wordlessly discussing the matter. With Natasha nodding, Wanda spoke to the couple. "One picture wouldn't hurt."
Graydon's face lit up as he gestured for his wife to come closer, essentially saying they were in the clear. Tara came to stand on the other side of Wanda while Graydon went to find a passerby to take the picture on his camera. After he showed a willing older man how to snap the photo, he stood on the right of Natasha with a rather dorky thumbs up.
You left your mask on, put you arms over Natasha's and Wanda's shoulders and squinted your eyes a bit to give the illusion of a more positive emotion on your face as the brief flash irritated your eyes.
After the picture was taken, Graydon rushed over to the volunteer cameraman to see how it came out. Tara turned to Wanda with a small smile as she exited her personal space after a small shaking of hands. " Thank you for indulging us, and it really is a pleasure to meet you, Misty Red."
Wanda watched the dark-haired woman walk away in confusion. "Misty Red? Who's that?" Natasha raised a single brow while all you did was laugh at Wanda's expense.
Natasha's confusion didn't last long with her own deduction skills. "Apparently that's what the people are calling you," a slow smirk made it's way to Natasha's lips as you were still laughing, "I mean, it does makes sense." The redhead was the first to turn and make her way toward the ramp of the yacht.
"I can't decide if they made you sound like a wrestler or a porn star! I just-" You broke another bout of laughter.
Wanda's eyes narrowed at your juvenile line of thought as she crossed her arms. "It isn't even that funny, Jaws. You're just milking it at this point,"
You took a second to recover from your laughter, "It's funny to me. You don't gotta get it cuz I think it's funny. There's no shame in what you do, Wandy."
Natasha rose her shoulders as she continued to make her way onto the boat. "That's just what happens when you let the public name you."
Wanda almost felt the need to defend her lack of an alias, "I didn't think it had to be very high on my list of priorities!"
You lightly pushed the brunette forward and up the ramp to The Blue Delilah. "Uh huh, get on the boat, Misty Red."
---
When You, Natasha, and Wanda all made it onto The Blue Delilah, a smaller inconspicuous boat pulled off behind it at the same time, noticing that the yacht had a discreet Stark Industries logo. Their plan isn't clear at the moment, but it is clear that they're tailing The Blue Delilah. They follow a long way behind, but have their own tracker placed on the ship so they don't lose the yacht.
The three of you were on the private yacht for about four days so far travelling to Enoka.
Note: All citizens of Enoka have the location of Enoka ingrained in their brains, so Jaws always knows where it is. This is a similar practice for the inhabitants of a certain other living island...
As you got closer to the island, it was clear that it's not completely submerged, but it definitely looks different to how you remember.
The goal now was to see if there were any inhabitants on the island that were still alive and who survived the flood over a decade ago.
You didn't voice it, but there was a new sense of anxiousness and hope that started brewing in you at the prospect of going home.
Maybe there actually was a "home" there left...
-----
About a day out from the Island, the engine to The Blue Delilah seemed to stutter, so you went to check it out and before you reach the engine room on the back pad, you noticed large ripples from something that dove back into the water.
Soon after you heard sounds of a struggle on the yacht and booked it back to where Wanda and Natasha were.
There were two attackers engaged in fighting with the two women, four were on the floor unconscious already. It's rather bold for a group of six, well seven.
Jaws grabbed the arm of the seventh attacker that tried to sneak up on them and threw them over their shoulder.
The attacker you were dealing with was a woman and she had armor that stood out a bit more than the others; she had less of it, toned brown skin shown through the large gaps between the armor pieces, and the shoulders were a bit more prickly and menacing in comparison.
'Definitely their leader.'
You raised an eyebrow at the sort of reptilian bone mask obscuring most of the woman's face. "What, were you too good for Bleach?"
You can see the woman visibly squint behind her mask before she grabs two daggers from their place on her hips, "I know fuckin' Kisame isn't talkin' about me, "
Your own eyes narrowed at her retort. 'Well fuck you, too.'
With both of you having been insulted by the other, the two of you rushed each other. The two of you were essentially going blow for blow for a while before you knocked the bone mask off of your attacker's face.
It revealed more dusky brown skin, a few scars on her face and a tattoo of some kind under her right eye. The woman turned to face you fully, wiping blood off the corner of her lip. "You might be one of the more skilled pirates I've come across. It's a shame I consider your life past tense already."
Suddenly, the woman then tackled you off the yacht, knocking your breathing apparatus off in the process, hoping to hold you down and drown you herself. Her daggers reaching to slice at your now exposed neck.
Putting her knife up to your neck, she then notices the gills on each side of it, which throws her off.
It's then, underwater, that she gets a good look at you before her eyes widen considerably, confusing you.
"Y/n, is that really you?"
There's that name, your name. Hardly anyone called you by your given name when you were little, and you hardly cared, but...
"Ys tath uyo, Y/n?"
Your own eyes widen at the familiar language coming from this woman's mouth. Only one person would really insist on using it back then...
"Sienna?"
And with that one word, the woman threw her daggers to the side leaving them to float in the water away from the two of you before tightly wrapping her arms around your neck. You hug her back just so.
After the two of you pulled away, she almost immediately slapped you with a new fire in her molten brown eyes.
"Agh shit! Did you grow talons?!" It wasn't hard enough to actually hurt, but you definitely felt the woman's nails drag across your face.
"Ehrwe ni eth FUCK veah uyo eneb?! Y thugoth uy' DDEA lla heste rayse!"
Sienna went to smack you again before you held both of her wrists in your hands to keep her at bay, your eyebrows furrowed. "Y itd'dn eyrall cieded ot velae, ni cesa uy' omowesh trogof!"
Sienna shook her head as she struggled to get free of your grip, her dark locs waving wildly in under the water. "Elt og of 'em! Y vat'ehn retnotfog shit!" Sienna then began to try and kick at you to let her go, so you brought her into another hug as she resisted.
Her attempts grew more and more feeble as the power behind her punches to your chest fizzled out. It was only then that you realized she was crying.
Sienna's voice was raw and heavy with emotion, "Ehrwe ddi uyo og?! Y odloke nad Y odloke nad Y odloke lla rove rof uyo..."
You let her sob into your chest as you held her, floating in the underwater quiet.
"Y'm ghrit ehre, sersit."
** footnote: I wanted to use a completely different script for the Enokan language being spoken, but I couldn't find a way to import it so that it was shown, so instead I made a simple code using typoglycemia (aka just unscramble the letters of each word). To make it so that it didn't look as clunky, I sometimes replaced (i) with (y). Some words that end with vowels may have an apostrophe that takes the place of the vowel. Apostrophes can also be found at the beginning of words with vowels for fluidity's sake. I didn't think swears should be scrambled cuz that just *looks* off to me. The point of these changes is to have this resemble a spoken language more than it is a blatant tactic to confuse you.
so i was listening to jaws by lemon demon (really good song btw go give it a listen) and cooked up this au thing where the recovery centers are lost, two can’t make more for some reason (i have one in mind), and pillow is a shark which i really love in which the characters are as follows:
jaws: pillow
brody: golf ball
dreyfuss: tennis ball
mayor: i was gonna say two. but i don’t think pillow could kill two. so i don’t know here
I need someone to write a JAWS fanfic that’s a blend of the book and the movie. In the book, Chief Brody’s wife (Ellen) cheats on him with Hooper. At the end of the movie, I think Brody deserves to have his own affair with Hooper. Oops, did the Brody’s just get a third in their marriage? What a tragedy 🥰
Summary: This sleepy New England town was supposed to be easy, a change of pace and a promotion. It was easy and peaceful, until it wasn’t.
Warnings: Unfair and inaccurate depictions of sharks, Sexism, Mild mentions of gore, Mentions of death, Non-explicit sexytimes, Super vague and quick promotions within law enforcement (I guess if that matters to you?), Alcohol consumption and irresponsible behavior
Wordcount: 3.7K
Notes: This is prompted by my annual 4th of July viewing of JAWS. Something fun to work on this long weekend. Hope you enjoy!
He had taken less than two steps in the wood rotted building, paint peeling in the salty beach air before he heard the deputies nasally voice call to him “Chief Zimmah-men, tha biologist is here-ah to see yah.”
“Not before I’ve had my coffee, deputy.”
Long legs carried him past the small front desk, past you, and into his small office. The short tall haired secretary padded into his office, dragging in a sharp floral smell that layered itself on the smell of the sea. She handed him a speckled mug, nodding to you through the window.
“They’re here about the… the thing, Chief.”
Grunting, he lit a cigarette and brought the hot liquid to his lips, grimacing at the burnt flavor that coated his tongue. “Thanks, Polly.”
Yesterday morning his main concern was the kids from the island’s karate school chopping at the neighborhood fences, today he had to worry about-
The gentle rapping of knuckles against glass drew his attention, dark caramel eyes meeting yours as you flashed your biggest smile. “Hi! Chief… Zimmerman? I’m the marine biologist for the mainland institute, here to help identify some remains.” You held the door open with the toe of your canvas shoes, chin tucked into your chest as you checked the notes you’d been given.
Another groan left his lips as he huffed a puff of smoke. He quickly assessed you, dressed casually in jeans, canvas shoes, button down shirt and a corduroy blazer. You looked like a hippie academic, a contrast to his neatly pressed beige uniform, no thanks to Polly. “Follow me, uh…”
“Oh!” fumbling with your shouldered bag and the notes, you extended a hand and introduced yourself. His large calloused hand wrapped around yours as he led you further into the police station.
“It’s back here.”
The notes and official coroner's report said this was a boat accident, but the closer you got to the contents of the small box, the tissue, and crushed bones, you knew this wasn’t a propeller accident. A chill ran down your spine as you took measurements, peering closer and fighting back the bile that threatened to spill from your throat.
“Would you please not smoke in here, Chief!”
When you finally turned back to the Chief of this backwoods town, your eyes burned with concern and fury. One that Flip recognized well. Leisurely, he stubbed out his hand rolled cigarette, holding his hands up in surrender.
He calmly sat, legs crossed with his calf perched on his knee, as you let him have it, yelling about how the report was negligence and how any respectable examiner could see that this was the clear work of a shark. He let you shout, making sure the door to the small room you were holed up in was closed tight, hopefully muffling the protests that fell from your lips between splashes of water.
“That’s why you’re here.” His voice calmly rumbled, which set you off again. He lets you have your moment, get it all out of your system. He knew it, knew what you confirmed but needed official word. After what he had seen the previous afternoon, he knew.
Your duly earned lecture is cut short by the deputy's head poking into the room, “They caught something, Chief!”
The drive to the harbor was short, filled with tension. You had quickly scrambled into the back seat of the Amity Police Department’s jeep huffing and calming down as the Chief recounted the attack from the day before. Going into detail how he watched a helpless boy disappear into the ocean only to have blood and a half eaten raft float up in his place.
Silence filled the cabin, the Deputy by his side face paled remembering what they had seen. “C-can I see the raft?” Both men turned to you, an incredulous look in their eyes before turning back to the road and the marina ahead.
Shouldering through the crowd you watched as the men congratulated themselves, hauling the beautiful but lifeless creature up by the tail. They laughed and drank as they propped it’s mouth open for all to see. It’s teeth gleaming in the sunlight.
“They caught that sum’bitch, Flip!” The Mayor’s voice boomed over the crowd, pulling the taller man to him. He leaned up at Flip in telling him exactly what he expected and how this wouldn’t affect the island’s holiday weekend.
He congratulated the men and posed, watching as they pushed you out of the way. You tutted at yourself, taking measurements as quickly as you could. Mumbling about a bite something something and the incompetence of the fishermen.
The Mayor, dressed in his best smarmy suit, offered the local press an interview. Boasting about how the men had caught the menace and the beaches were once again safe just in time for the Independence Day weekend and the crowds.
“...the bite radius is all wrong. They caught a shark, but not THEE shark,” you mumbled to yourself, furiously writing as you hoisted your bag higher and walked the pier, away from the crowd.
Flip quickly followed. Pulling at your elbow with strong hands, slowing your gait. “Where do you think you’re goin’? The shark’s back there.”
The island's Chief pressed close, concerned that the expert was not impressed and even worse, was now concerned. “To find someone more competent, like him.” Pointing at the boat slowly sailing through the harbor, captained by a surly looking man. “He looks like he knows what he’s doing.”
Tugging your arm free from his grasp the mayor’s slimy voice called for Flip to join him and the press, pulling his attention as you disappeared into the shipyard.
*
This damned island was so small and just as closed minded.
With a bit of frustration and a considerable amount of determination you marched up to the Chief’s house, the wooden floorboards of his porch under your feet creaking with every step. Polly had been kind and easy to pry his personal information from and either way you were determined to knock on every one of these quaint houses if you needed to in order to find him.
The muffled sounds of a television shone through the thin curtains in the window, muting your light steps as you rehearsed your spiel, no - your demands under your breath. Gesticulating wildly and practicing your stern face, the door in front of you swung open drawing a squeak from your throat.
“He-”
“Chief Zimmerman, the bite radius on that Tiger shark doesn’t match wounds on the victim. Also the chances that those bozos caught the exact shark is 100 to one! But if it’s the shark I’d like to examine the contents of it’s stomach,” the words left in a rush before you were able to stop them. Leaving your lips to flap like a trout once you had spoken your peace.
He stood frozen and broad, taking up far too much space this close to you, smelling of whiskey, mint, and the ocean. He was out of the uniform and in something far more fitting and relaxed for a man tasked as the chief of a 5 person police department.
“Hello. Sure.” He rumbled an amused greeting, eyes scanning your frame and settling on the six pack clutched in your hand. “Would you like to come in? Or are those for the shark?”
“Oh! Uh, no. These are for you. I thought I could butter you up with a few beers.” You flustered at his intense gaze, shifting from foot to foot before you accepted his invite in. “Sorry if I caught you at a bad time, Chief.”
“Flip. Just call me Flip.”
Nodding you took a seat at his tiny kitchen table, looking around at the minimally decorated room with faded flowery wallpaper, realization hit you that you might be intruding on a quiet and intimate night at home.
“Sorry, I can leave if you’re busy. I don’t mean to intrude on your and your…”
“You like pasta?”
“Uh. Sure, I mean yes.”
Flip cracked open some beers and plated a bowl full of pasta before sitting next to you, asking you to explain your ramble earlier. He listened intently as you told him about your observations, explaining feeding patterns to him, and pulling out some illustrated textbooks to show him what you thought was responsible for the attacks. Soon beers turned into something a little stronger, words slurring a little as he watched your carefully crafted scholarly person fall for just a moment.
“Soooo, tell me Flip,” you made sure to pop the ‘p.’ “You don’t sound like a local.”
“M’not.”
“Tell me how a man like you, ends up in a little town like this.”
You sit, sipping on water as he leans back and lights a cigarette. His tongue looser than usual as he tells you about Colorado Springs and the case that almost broke him. Took a lot out of him and marked the end of his time as a detective.
“That’s how you ended up here?”
“That’s how I ended up here.” He exhaled another plume of smoke, pouring a bit more of the amber liquid into the tumblers set between you and resting his hand on the table precariously close to yours. “And I fuckin’ hate the ocean.”
Your eyes crinkled as you barked out a laugh, quickly covering your mouth and rest your free hand on his forearm. He joined you a bit in laughing, “Alright, alright. I’m not that funny.”
“Hmmm, trading in undercover jobs for underwater predators.” You teased, tipping the amber liquid past your lips.
“What about that shiner?” You reached out, fingers grazing the blooming bruise on his cheek. “Wasn’t there when I left you on the dock today.”
Taking a long drag off his cigarette, he studied your face as it fell, the smirk that curled the edges now falling from your face. He found that he didn’t like that.
“Mother of that little boy who was attacked yesterday, she let me have it. I failed to keep her little boy safe.”
“Flip, you couldn’t-”
“No, I could have closed the beaches. I deserved it.” He polished off the last of the whiskey in his tumblr. Looking over to you, his gaze once again intense and penetrating.
“You wanna do something wild?”
“With you?” He had to admit, you had his attention and he leaned in, nose close to yours as his eyes flicked down to your lips, now glossy and pulled between your teeth.
“Mhmmm,” Your eyes were wide, almost feral. “Wanna cut open that shark?”
A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest, somehow stretching the Henley he wore just a little tighter. “Let’s go.”
He expertly maneuvered the jeep through the empty streets of the island and pulled stopped right on the edge of the ship yard, leading you to the police dock at the far end. As soon as he slid the door open, you bounded towards the shark, now laying flat on the ground and unrefrigerated.
“This won’t be fun.” You warned over your shoulder as you emptied the contents of your bag. “Well, for you.” He knew. He didn’t want to see that little boy spill out at his feet, but he wanted to. Need it. He needed to know it wouldn’t happen again.
Peering over your shoulder, his brow raised at the assortment of cutting implements you had stored in your innocuous bag. “Y’always carry big knives?”
“As of yesterday, yes.”
You spoke over your shoulder as your hands worked deftly to relieve the carcass of its contents. Flip behind you watching intently as you threw a shoe, a tin can, and finally a license plate from the Southern states at him as well as information. Useful information which made his heart sink and the palms sweat. Feeding habits, patterns, territory, digestive tracts. A roar entered his ears at the thought, hearing the swimmers’ scream and run out of the ocean, seeing the water turn red w-
“Phillip? Are you ok.” Now you were close, his head nestled in your hands as you kneeled before him, the smell of fish and decay now invading his senses and seeping into his blood. Concern colored your features as you shuffled closer, eyes no longer glossy and tipsy. Now you were alert and worried for the man in front of you.
He swallowed thickly, nodding and pushing away to sit up straight, his legs tucked under his body as he apparently fell into a kneeling position. “Sharks are night feeders. I’ve got a small boat and my gear…” You trailed off as you stood, gathering your belongings.
Wordlessly he got up, looking around. “You're going out there in the dark?”
“Yes.”
“On a boat. You can’t do that.”
“Yes I can and you’re coming with me.”
“I’m not drunk enough t’go out ona boat.”
“Yes you are!” You were already out of the boathouse, swiftly moving towards your boat. “Who are you gonna call, Chief Zimmerman? The police?!”
*
“Mayor!”
You had to triple your steps in order to keep pace with him, his gait so wide and determined as you both ran along the wooden path to the Mayor who was barking orders at a couple of poor workmen working frantically to cover up vandalism on one of his prized signs. “Amity Island Welcomes You!” The giant sign was adorned by a smiling bikini-clad beauty on a raft in the water, now her eyes were bugged out and an ominous shark fin was chasing her. “Chief, these vandals! Kids just making a mess of-.”
“Mayor, you gotta close the beaches!” Both of your voices swam into his face in unison. Narrowing his eyes, he sized you up before rolling his eyes and continuing on about the vandalism.
The three of you yelled over each other, Flip close by your side gesticulating at the stubborn man more concerned with money than lives.
“-pulled a tooth the size of a shot glass out of a boat last night!”
“Ben Gardner's boat it all chewed up. This is a Great White shark, Mayor. A big one.”
The Mayor, well versed in being heard dominated the air, “Amity is a summer island, which means summer dollars. The shark was caught, the beaches are safe! You are not familiar with the problems-”
“I think I’m familiar with the fact that you’re going to ignore this particular problem until it swims up and bites you in the ass!”
At your words, Flip stepped between you and the mayor to give you a moment to cool off before the Mayor took one more pot shot at you and your career and left in a flurry, demanding the beaches remain open.
Running back to you, Flip grabbed your hand and headed back to the police station. The rest of the day was calling in the cavalry and you cancelling any upcoming plans you had with the institute.
The 4th of July started like any other day to everyone else, but to you and Flip the air hung heavy and ominous as you waited for the rogue shark to reveal itself again.When it finally did, it hit too close to home for the Mayor. His son was in one of the lagoons when the shark attacked a fisherman trying to help them with their boat. He’d been tossed into the water and went into shock, sending the Mayor into a stupor but gave Flip the chance to hire the contractor the mayor and the council had denied him after the first attack.
*
“Mr. Quint!”
The surly old fisherman was just as brash and sexist as you had experienced the first time you spoke with him, but his demeanor became more amiable once his requested ten thousand dollar payment to catch and kill the shark was presented.
Greedily snatching the check from Flip’s hand and ordering the dock workers to prepare his boat. You both hesitantly watched the men load gear and be berated by the grizzled sailor who suddenly turned his attention to you. Having learned a bit about your background during your first visit, he leered at you and called you soft. Reminding you that your academic achievements meant nothing in this case, as you were too keen to study sharks that were known to him as killing machines but to you they were creatures to be revered and respected.
Your initial encounter with Quint had been spent yelling, exchanging words in which you called him a drunken crass animal and him growing a bit of appreciation at your fieriness at the end of it all. Laughing to himself when you threw a piece of heavily knotted rope at him, having caught it mid-air and egging you on before you stormed out of his boathouse, cursing and grumbling. He watched your form weave through the other sailors on the docs before disappearing back into town and out of sight.
*
If you had asked Flip Zimmerman if he envisioned moving to an island clear across the country where a man eating shark would make a meal out of several of the citizens he was sworn to protect, he would have laughed in your face. If you had told him he would have willingly gotten on a boat to go hunt down said shark, he would have laughed harder and called you a liar. If you had told him he would find himself floating in the middle of the ocean, alone having blown up a man eating shark and watched his two companions die, he would have hauled you in for a night in the cell to have a long hard think about what you said to him next.
Yet, here he was clinging to the mast of a sunken boat, wrecked by a giant shark and slowly making its way to the bottom of the ocean. He clung to the iron mast, pulling any debris he could when the sudden bubbling next to him startled and alarmed him. Readying himself for the jaws of a killing machine to pull into the dark waters, he shut his eyes tight, his body tired and heavy.
Instead of sharp teeth ripping at his flesh, he felt fingers pull at him, nails digging into his flesh. When he opened them, he was met with the welcomed sight of your face gazing back at him. Eyes wide as you examined him.
“Are you hurt?” hands roamed over each other's bodies. Checking for everything and anything but mostly making sure each one of you was real.
“Quint, he’s-”
“Yeah, I saw.”
“How did you-”
You tapped on the oxygen tank strapped to your back. “I hid,” your voice quiet and filled with shame but Flip’s eyes lit up as he pulled you close, wrapping an arm around you and burying his lips in your hair. He murmured between kisses, praising you for your quick thinking before bringing his lips to yours.
You tasted the stale beer from the night on the boat and the salt of the ocean on his tongue as you wrapped your arms around his neck, holding him closer.
Once you pulled away, you looked around, the boat now almost completely submerged as debris floated around. Working quickly, you fashioned a crude raft, anything to get you back to the beach and began swimming to shore.
“You got any plans for the night?”
“Just thinking about making it to shore, then hopefully find a hotel to set up for the night.”
“Hotel? I have a perfectly good house with a perfectly good kitchen where I hear the food is good and the accommodations are top notch.”
“Are you asking me to come over, Chief?”
“I’m not askin’.”
*
Laying in his arms was the only place you wanted to be. Listening to his heartbeat under your ear as his calloused fingers trailed an invisible path along your skin.
Once you had made it to shore, he called the mayor and the station where you both filed official reports, telling the deputy where you could find Quint’s sunken boat and any remains, but never leaving your side and keeping you near before collecting your things from your boat, which you sheepishly let him know you had been sleeping in and driving you to his home.
It was a tight squeeze but you both managed to fit in his shower, fingers traversing the hills and valleys of each other’s bodies more exploring than cleaning but eventually settling on scrubbing and working the sand and other unsavory things from hair and crevasses.
He wasn’t lying when he said the food and accommodations would be good, if not excellent. He cooked for you both, caging you against the counter as you wore one of beloved flannels and nothing else. Making sure to steal kisses from your lips every chance he got while not burning your meal.
Once dinner was consumed and you were full, you slept. Slept for what felt like days only to wake and steal kisses until finally kisses weren’t enough and you were tangled in each other’s limbs, skin slippery and kiss swollen as he buried himself deep within you.
Saited and swapped in his arms, he thought to you out loud. His relief at the end of this nightmare weighing heavy on his tongue as you offered words of comfort, and pulling his head to rest on your chest. You reassured him as he relaxed further, the full weight of him on you once again until you laid still, both of you out of words for the moment. The sound of the waves lapping at the shore outside the window filling the silence.
“I used to hate the water.” His lips brushed against your skin as he offered another thought.
