#amydiddle

SO CUTE

I decided halfway through writing this that Angie never has had the nickname “Banjey” in this AU.  No real reason for it.  Oh, and a bit of background.  @agent-jaselin and I decided that, since merfolk turn into human forms for the purposes of reproduction, they can’t achieve a full human form until after they hit puberty.  They can do some stuff with legs, but it’s not very stable and doesn’t last for long, not to mention that they’re still covered in scales.  So anyways, here’s Fiddleford with his (webbed) hands full, trying to keep his younger siblings from sending out “we aren’t human” vibes at the market.

               “Angie, sweetling, get over hereso’s I can fix yer shirt,” Ma MerGucket said. Angie pouted.  Ma, Pa, and theiryoungest three guppies were in a cave that was dry at low tide, getting theguppies ready for their first solo trip to the closest human town.

               “Why do I need to wear it?”Angie whined.

               “‘Cause humans are weird ‘boutseein’ unclothed bodies,” her ma replied. With a sigh, Angie walked hesitantly over to Ma MerGucket, her rarelyused legs wobbly.   Ma MerGucket carefully took Angie’s shirt off,turned it inside out, and put it back on. She looked over her youngest guppy carefully.  “Well, ya look human to me, honey-bun,” MaMerGucket said.  Angie beamed.

               “What ‘bout me?” Luteasked.  Ma MerGucket looked over at heryoungest son.  She smiled.  

               “Perfect,” she said.  Pa MerGucket ruffled thirteen-year-old Lute’shair proudly.  

               “Now, Fidds, yer goin’ to keep aclose eye on yer lil siblin’s, right?” Pa MerGucket asked.  Fresh-faced, eager, and a full sixteen yearsold, Fiddleford nodded.

               “‘Course, Pa.”

               “And ya won’t leave MainStreet.”

               “No, sir,” Fiddleford, Lute, andAngie said together.  

               “You’ll be back ‘fore the tidecomes in.”

               “Yes, sir.”

               “And no, I mean no splittin’ off, understand?” PaMerGucket said firmly.  “There’s folks inthe world what hunt merfolk.  They cansniff us out easy and fast.”  Hischildren nodded.  “All right then,guppies.  Seems like it’s time fer yerfirst trip on yer own.”  He kissed eachone on the top of their head.  “Go on,have a grand old time.”

----- 

               “Fidds!  Fidds! What is this?” Lute asked, dragging Fiddleford over to a stall at themarket.  Lute stumbled a bit, stillgetting used to using feet.  Fiddlefordsmiled apologetically at the person manning the stall.

               “It’s bread, Lute.  You’ve seen it ‘fore,” Fiddleford said, lyingthrough his teeth.  Lute frowned.  

               “No I ain’t.”

               “Yes, ya have,” Fiddleford saidfirmly.  Lute’s eyes widened as he caughtonto what his older brother was saying.

               “Oh, uh, right.  Guess I just didn’t recognize it orsomethin’,” Lute said.  He smiledweakly.  The person manning the stall, akindly looking old woman, smiled back.

               “That’s an interesting accentyou’ve got there, kiddos.  Where youfrom?”

               “The oc-” Lute started.

               “Small town, you’ve prob’lynever heard of it,” Fiddleford interrupted. “Our parents gave us permission to spend the afternoon on Main Streetwhile they do business elsewhere.”

               “Ah.  Well, if you’re not from around here, I’drecommend taking your younger brother to the pawn shop.  There’s a lot of interesting things in therefor a strapping young lad,” the shopkeeper said.  Lute beamed at the compliment.

               “Thank you, ma’am,” Lute said.  He looked around.  “Where’s Angie?”

               “Miss?  Miss! If you want that, you need to pay for it,” someone shouted.  Fiddleford sighed.

               “She’s prob’ly the one bein’yelled at.”  The brothers turnedaround.  Sure enough, Angie wasstock-still, staring wide-eyed at the person scolding her.  In her hands, she had a shiny piece ofjewelry.

               “But I did,” Angieprotested.  The young man (whom she hadpresumably stolen from) frowned.

               “Shells are not money, miss,” he said, throwing a handful of the aforementionedshells on the ground.  Angie gaped.

               “What?  But-”

               “Sir?  Sir!” Fiddleford said, intervening before hissister could dig herself a deeper hole. The man turned to look at him.

               “Yes?”

               “Sorry, she’s young, andunfamiliar with the area.  She and myother younger sibling – he’s right here with me – can get a bit out of handsometimes. Especially when they’re in new sit’ations.  Here.” Fiddleford dug a few pieces of the local human currency out of his bagand handed it over.  The man looked overthe money and nodded.

               “All right.”  He looked at Lute, who was clearly the sameage as Angie.  “Your younger siblings aretwins, huh?”

               “Yessir.”

               “No we-” Lute started.  Fiddleford clapped a hand over Lute’s mouth.

               “Twins are a handful.  My sister had a pair of twins a whileback.  I understand it’s easy to losetrack of them,” the man said.  “But tryto keep a better eye on your younger siblings.”

               “Yessir.  My apologies, sir.”  Fiddleford gestured for Angie to joinhim.  Once she had walked over (trippingonce) he grabbed her hand.  The three ofthem began to walk down the street quickly.

               “What’d ya get?” Lute askedcuriously.  Angie grinned.

               “It’s a pretty necklace.  Thought ‘Lynn might like it.  A present, to celebrate her gettin’ a mate ‘nall.”

               “Aw, that’s nice of ya,” Lutesaid.  He looked at Fiddleford.  “Can we go to the pawn shop?”

               “No.”

               “I want to go to the pawn shop!”Angie said.  

               “Some lady who sells bread saidI should go there,” Lute informed her. Angie’s eyes widened.

               “Now I really want to go there! What’s bread?”  

               “Don’t know,” Lute said with ashrug.

               “It’s a sort of human food.  But we’re not buyin’ bread, and we’re notgoin’ to the pawn shop,” Fiddleford said.

               “What?  Why?” Lute and Angie whined together.  Fiddleford pinched the bridge of his nose.

               “You two almost blew ourcover!  Stealin’ and- and askin’ ‘bout afood that all humans have seen.  We’regoin’ home.”

               “No,” Lute and Angie complained.

               “Yes,” Fiddleford saidfirmly.  He took a breath.  “It ain’t yer fault.  Yer just not ready to be ‘round so manyhumans yet.  Ya don’t know how theculture works.  We’ll have Ma give yasome more lessons, and we can go back in a few months.”

               “To the pawn shop?” Luteasked.  Fiddleford smiled at his youngerbrother.

Aw, thank you!  I love those MerGucks too.  Haven’t been able to think about much else all week lol.  Hope this is at least close to what you were looking for.

               “Geez, Fidds, could ya think ‘boutthat sailor any more often than ya do?” a teasing voice asked, breakingFiddleford from his reverie.  Startled,he looked over at the speaker.  Hisyounger siblings were treading water next to the pier, grinning at himmischievously.  Fiddleford sighed.

               “I ain’t thinkin’ ‘bout thatsailor,” Fiddleford said.  “And get backunder the pier ‘fore someone sees ya.”

               “Oh, relax,” Angie said, liftingherself up and taking a seat next to Fiddleford.  “Ain’t no one ‘round to see us.”  She looked him up and down.  “So’s I’m pretty sure ya can go back to yerproper form now.  It’s weird seein’ yawith legs.”  

               “I agree,” Lute said, taking aseat on the other side of Fiddleford.  “Yernot human, why do ya pretend to be one so much?”

               “It’s ‘cause he’s in love,” Angie said goofily, splashing hertail.  Fiddleford rolled his eyes.

               “Yer way off base.”

               “Ooh, Angie, yer right,” Lutesaid.  “That sounds like somethin’someone in love would say.”

               “It’s also somethin’ someone whoisn’t in love would say,” Fiddleford said. “Which I ain’t.”  Angie and Luterolled their eyes.  “Go back home.  Ain’t Violynn visitin’ with her guppies?”

               “Yeah.  That’s why we followed ya,” Lute said.  He scoffed. “Fifteen lil ones in the house all at once?  No thank you.”

               “There’s always at least twocryin’, at any given time of day,” Angie said. She shook her head.  “Too manymonth-old guppies.  We needed a break.”

               “Okay, but you’ll need to takeyer break somewhere else,” Fiddleford hissed. “I’m meetin’ with that sailor in a few minutes.”

               “What?  Really?” Lute asked.  “Why?”

               “He wants to offer me a job onhis boat,” Fiddleford said with a shrug. Angie and Lute frowned.

               “You don’t know squat ‘boutboats,” Angie said.  

               “I know.  But he’s seen me watchin’ and he asked me andI told him I had an itch fer sailin’ that I ain’t gotten to scratch yet.”

               “Ugh.  Sailing,” Lute said with a disgusted expression.  “That’s a darn good way to disrespect theocean.”  Fiddleford rolled his eyes.

               “I know full well yer feelin’son sailin’.  But this is my choice, andthe two of ya really need to get goin’!” Fiddleford said firmly.  Angie and Lute groaned and slid off the pier.

               “We’ll stay underwater,” Angiesaid.  “But we won’t leave until youleave.”

               “Fine, fine!  Now hide!” Fiddleford said.  Footsteps echoed down the pier as Angie andLute finally dove out of sight.  Fordtook a seat in the spot Lute had just vacated. He smiled at Fiddleford.

               “I must say, this is a veryclandestine meeting, Mr. McGucket.” Bubbles rose up from under the pier. Fiddleford kicked a post, reminding his siblings to keep quiet and stayout of sight.

               Sowhat if I gave him a more “human” name? It’s not that funny.

               “Please, call me Fiddleford.”

               “Okay.  So, Fiddleford, you wanted to join my crew?”Ford asked.  Fiddleford nodded.

               “Yessir.  I’ve got a fondness fer the ocean.”

               “Do you know the ocean, though?”Ford asked.

               “Yes, of course!  I know her. And I know the creatures what live in her, too,” Fiddleford said.  Ford cocked his head, clearly interested.

               “Oh, really?  That’s quite fascinating.  The reason my brother and I are setting outon this voyage is partially to collect data upon the mysteries the sea holds.”

               “What’s the rest of yer reason?”Fiddleford asked.  

               “To find treasure,” Fordsaid.  Fiddleford nodded, but decided tokeep his knowledge of sunken treasure locations to himself.

               Don’t want to come off toostrong.

               “Now, if you agree to come, wecan’t pay you until we find our first ‘score’, as my brother says,” Ford said.

               “And that’s perfectly fine withme,” Fiddleford replied.  Ford noddedslowly.  

               “Let me be frank.”

               “Oh, uh, sure.”

               “I don’t think I can turn youdown, even if you are lying to meabout your knowledge of sea creatures.  Imean, I’d prefer to, but apparently two men alone would have difficulty crewinga ship of our size.”  Ford took a deep breath.  “So, yes, I suppose I can- what was that?”Ford said, distracted.  Fiddlefordwatched, trying to keep a straight face, as his baby sister did a dramatic leapout of the ocean.  Ford looked atFiddleford eagerly.  “Was that-”

               “A mermaid, yes,” Fiddleford said,seizing his chance to prove himself to the sailor.  “You can tell it’s a female by the scaleshape.  And the fin indicates that it’san oviparous variety.”

               “Really,” Ford said, leaningcloser to him.  Fiddleford nodded.  There was a splash.  Fiddleford and Ford looked over.  Lute’s tail was just disappearing under thewater.

               “Also an oviparous variety, butmale,” Fiddleford said.  Ford beamed athim.

               “Mr. McGucket, we’d be glad tohave you as part of our crew.”

               “I accept,” Fiddleford said,trying to tamp down his enthusiasm.  

OMG XD Drugged Ford please just sleep

drugged Ford is VERY fun to write, whether he’s asking inappropriate questions about his sister-in-law’s medical history, renting a goat with the intention of freeing animals from a petting zoo, or accusing Harper and Lute of being Fiddleford’s clones.