Sea Salt and Sickness

Disclaimer: I do not own Animal Crossing, the "New Horizons" game, or any of its characters. Needing all the fluff I can get these days...

Sea Salt and Sickness

Sea salt touched his tongue and swept through his fur, letting him know that the open sea was wide open and ready for exploration. The trawler's engine kicked up a notch as the ship skipped over open waters, clear blue water stretching on for miles beneath them. Behind them, the faint outline of the Resident Representative's island stood out from the blue of the sky and the ocean, a green line that radiated safety and steadiness.

A smirk curled one side of his mouth as his paws gently turned the ship's wheel. "Hangin' in there okay, Nook?"

Retches came from Tom's form as the tanuki laid over the side of the ship, his body bobbing with the sway of the trawler.

Redd chuckled as he eyed the upcoming horizon. With a careful glance over his shoulder and a quick measurement on how much time it would take to get back to the island, the kitsune nabbed a thin rope from around the ship's on-board compass and lashed the wheel in its direct course.

As the trawler stayed steady on its course into more open waters, Redd darted out of the ship's bridge, hopped over the edge to the bow, and stepped over to where his boyfriend laid over the side of the boat. Orange paws pushed into the pockets of the new cargo shorts he had started wearing after his relationship with Tom deepened.

"You sure you're doin' okay, honey?" he asked, cocking his head to the side and offering the limp tanuki a comforting smile.

Harsh breaths echoed with the splash of the waves as Tom lifted his head up. Weariness radiated from him, so much so that the tanuki could barely keep his eyes open.

"'M... fine... Redd..."

It sounded like Tom had gargled several buckets of nails.

With a quick step over, Redd sided up next to Tom and gently laid a hand over his boyfriend's back. His paw thumped, soft and steady, against the white and green-leafed button-up as Redd leaned against Tom.

"I know it's your first real time on my ship. Heck, first time on a boat in general!" He leaned his head to where Tom could see him, the comforting smile still on his face. "If you aren't feeling well, there's no shame in asking for medicine, Nookie." A chuckle left him as he nodded towards the sea. "Better than painting the side of my boat and part of the sea with upchuck."

For a few seconds, Tom was still. Once a few minutes had passed, the tanuki pushed back against the side of the trawler and dropped his feet back onto the deck.

Redd ducked under Tom's arm as the tanuki's legs wobbled and trembled, catching his boyfriend just before he plummeted to the deck.

"I... 'm... fine..." Brown eyes rolled upward as Tom lifted his head to the sky, mouth shut tight. Another moment passed, and a rough swallow echoed between them. "Just... gotta stay strong... til the twins... finish... their surprise thing..."

A scoff left Redd's muzzle as he moved Tom to lean more of his weight against the railing of the ship. "Yep, knew they couldn't get it past you." He ducked under the tanuki's fluffy arm and eased Tom into a position that used the side of the ship as a support. "Though... knowing you..." Redd winked at Tom as the tanuki looked to the kitsune with glassy eyes. "I'm still probably going to have to pay up a hundred Bells to the kiddos."

Soft laughs left Tom as he waved a weak paw. "Yes, yes," he murmured, a touch of strength returning to his voice, "the twins' allowances will have quite the little boost when we get back. As far as the boys are concerned, I knew nothing about the party and you've taken me on this trip for no particular reason, hm?"

"Weeeeellll, you haven't really had a ride on sweet Titanic here, have you? That's reason enough," Redd retorted. The grin on his face grew as he lifted a stray blanket over his boyfriend. "Seems fit that you should have a ride with me sometime."

The kitsune forced down his laugh as Tom blanched.

"You... you didn't actually name your boat that, hm?"

Redd shrugged. "Eh, maybe, maybe not," he cooed, keeping his eyes on the tanuki. "Maybe I named my boat something else? Like 'Darla?' Or 'Venus?' Or maybe she has no name and she's just owned by the sea she sails on?"

The eye roll Tom gave him was well worth it.

As Redd finally let out the laugh he had been holding back, he turned back to the bridge. "Alright, while you try and figure out what my trawler's real name is, I'll get you the medicine you don't want to ask for. We've got about another hour and a half before we can go back, and even then, I gotta call the twins to ask how the preparations for the surprise party you don't know about are going. Dunno when we'll actually get back to the island."

Redd's paw stretched out, and claws curled inward as the kitsune counted down from five.

Noises of protest came from behind the kitsune. "I said before, Redd, I'm-"

And as Redd's final claw curled into his palm, the trawler pitched along a rough wave. Not a second later, more splashes and retches echoed through the air.

The kitsune steadied himself against the deck, long years of practice under his belt, before continuing his trip back to the bridge. "One bit of sea-sick medicine comin' right up!"

Tom's voice carried over the open space. "Thank... you... Redd..."

"Love you too, Nook!" Redd called back, swinging onto the elevated platform where the ship's bridge sat. As he headed for the box of supplies he had just to the side of the ship's wheel, he shouted just a little louder. "Don't worry, I'll have you ship-shape in no time! You'll be so well, you'll be sure as the shore that she sells seashells by the seashore!"

Groans mixed with laughter as the ship continued to ride out open waters.

Song Inspo: "Dancin'" by Aaron Smith (KRONO Remix)

A part of me wondered if Tom had ever been on a boat ride before and then this came about. Just some fluff on Tom and Redd before July ends.

I hope you all enjoyed, and thank you so much for reading! :D

XD