if you replace a ship piece by piece, once youâve replaced every piece, is it the same ship?
when the viper looks at the otter, he wishes to pick him apart.
the otter is far too soft for the viper. too squishy, too happy, too noisy and naive. the otter is childish and stupid to the viper.
the viper thinksâ maybeâ if the otter was someone less soft. maybe if the otterâs mouth couldnât clamp around the viperâs neck like a mean, mean collar as it drags the viper around to have fun.
maybe if the otter didnât live in the ocean, a place not meant for the viper, they could be friends. the water is too loud and unpredictable and far too annoying for the viper to deal with the rest of his life.
if the otter was smarter, if it didnât chitter about and socialize all willy nilly knowing damn well there are people out there trying to kill it, maybe itâd be better.
if the otter was quieter so the viper could think, and less gullible and less over ambitious, itâd ease that burden on the viperâs back.
he knows he wishes for a miracle. he knows that if the otter was not the bane of his existence like this, it would not be his otter.
a viper could dream, though.
the otter likes his viper. theyâre both very good friendsâ the viper brings the otter food and company all the time (and every day!) and then the otter will carry and hold him close when theyâre in the sea.
itâs not a very convenient friendship, the otter knows. his viper makes that clear sometimes.
when the otter lays at night, he wishes maybe that his viper was also an otter. (though thatâs not possible.) they could have more fun that wayâ his viper wouldnât have to be working all the time for the otter. he feels a bit sad thinking about it.
his viper has sharp fangs and an agile body, his viper would do well on land but he is at sea with the otter most of the time. the otter wishes sometimes.
if his viper was a little more round, with a bit less scale and maybe more furâ cuter and more open to affection (the type the otter gives as both payment for the work and to express his love!) then itâd be better. if he wasâ maybe like the otter?
but it wouldnât be his viper. the otter knows that his viper would never be soft or furry or willing to be hugged so much. so he doesnât wish too hard.
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