As First Dates Go

Chapter Four

"Mum!" Shellington cast a slightly exasperated look at Dashi, who was giggling sympathetically as his mother continued to try and brush through the fur that characteristically flopped over his face.

"We were just talking to your new girlfriend," his dad announced frankly.

Dashi nodded helpfully at a faintly worried-looking Shellington. "They were, you know."

"And... we're so glad you finally met someone," continued his father obliviously, smiling kindly at the blushing dachshund. "Dashi seems like such a nice girl. We love her outfit, as well. Very sea otter style. Your influence, I presume."

Shellington couldn't help but let out a slightly relieved sigh. He hadn't exactly been nervous for Dashi to finally meet his parents - after all, he had never met anyone who the peppy dachshund hadn't made instant friends with - but it was a relief to see them getting along so well, even so.

Just then, a tune began to play out over the chattering congregation, as Sachairi began to strum a few chords on his guitar up on the set-up stage. Shellington's younger brother met his eyes briefly from across the clearing  and winked, before calling out into the crowd cheerily: "Well? What are you guys waiting for? Time to get this party started!"

Shellington's parents shrugged happily, his mother pressing a quick kiss to his temple before heading off, hand in hand with her husband to join the growing crowd of Shellington's relatives gathering on the dance floor. If there was something his family enjoyed more than a good party, he hadn't quite discovered it yet. Sachairi began to play an upbeat tune, starting to sing along as he played effortlessly.

Dashi appeared at his shoulder, her smile evident even in his peripheral vision. "Your parents are really nice," she commented.

"I forgot how much I missed them," agreed Shellington. "I haven't actually seen them in person for over a year. Plus, they seem to really like you."

Dashi tilted her head cutely. "Of course they like me," she assured him jokingly. "How could they not?"

"Well, that's certainly true," agreed Shellington fervently. "I -"

"Shelly!" Elaeya, one of his youngest cousins, at thirteen years old, had suddenly appeared next to him, apparently realising that he had arrived and cutting him off in mid sentence. Now she was grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the already dancing crowd of sea otters. "Come and dance with us, Shelly! Please?"

The scientist shot yet another helpless glance back at Dashi, who just giggled, taking his flailing free hand and following him into the large party.

Shellington lost count of how many people he danced with in that one afternoon, or of how many kelp cakes he consumed, when Pearl, after nearly an hour of dancing, announced it was time for lunch. The sea otter family tucked in enthusiastically to a feast of Tunip's kelp cakes and clam sandwiches, as well as some food that Pearl had already prepared, and finished with a slice of birthday kelp cake each. At one point after the main meal, one of his more eclectic uncles decided that it would be a good idea to start a large, communal Scottish dance, and Sachairi easily settled into a fast-moving sea shanty for the occasion, his sweet high voice ringing out over the strumming of his guitar. Dashi, who had never seen Scottish dancing, was unsure at first, and tried to make her excuses to go and sit down at the side, claiming she was perfectly happy just to watch. But Shellington's two left feet still oddly remembered the built-in moves from his childhood, and with an expression of concentration and his guiding hand on her shoulder, Dashi soon picked up the simple steps and was soon laughing and spinning along with the rest of them, as carefree as the morning breeze over the ocean.

Much later, when the party's infectious energy had eventually subsided somewhat, Shellington was sitting cross-legged on a mat of woven kelp leaves, resting his tired paws. Dashi was sitting next to him, exchanging warm conversation every so often, and Sach was sitting on his other side, who had taken a break from playing for a while. One of their uncles had produced a set of bagpipes, and was now playing a cheerful jig into the bellows, though only a few otters were still up dancing on the now-trampled surface of kelp that was serving very well as a dance floor. Inexplicably, Periwinkle was still full of energy, despite his afternoon of doing nothing but capering excitedly around, tripping people up and somehow managing to dance with everyone at some point. He had also appeared to take an instant liking to Dashi and had stuck by her side almost constantly most of that afternoon, chattering to her. Now he was sitting on the floor beside them, playing with one of Dashi's shoes, with Pearl watching him fondly a little way away.

After a few minutes of quiet conversation, Sachairi jumped to his feet restlessly from an previous apparently relaxed position, grabbing a clam sandwich from the table and swinging his guitar back onto his shoulder. "Last few tunes coming up," he announced decisively. "Let's finish the party in style. C'mon, you two, you have to come dance."

"I really -" started Shellington, but Sachairi simply gave him a pointed look and headed off back to the front, immediately joining in effortlessly with a jamming bagpipe player up on the stage.

"One last dance, Shel?" Dashi inquired hopefully. Sachairi was nodding empathetically at them from the stage and beckoning them back up onto the dance floor, ending the bagpiping tune with a final chord and starting to play a slower dance tune, his voice soon appearing up over the congregation. "So this is what you meant..." he sung quietly.

Shellington took Dashi's hand and pulled her up from the ground. "One last dance," he agreed. "For us."

Despite his now tired, aching paws, Dashi's head seemed to fit perfectly under his chin as they swayed gently together, and when Sach picked up the pace with a fast syncopated rhythm that opened the chorus, it seemed natural as Dashi twirled gracefully under his arm, smiling widely all the while as Shellington concentrated desperately on not stepping on her feet. Even Periwinkle was back up dancing, his small hands held in Pearl's larger ones as he bounced around energetically. Sachairi sung loudly and freely as the sea otters danced around the spacious glade, his eyes bright with laughter and enjoyment of the large party.

'It's time to begin, isn't it?

I get a little bit bigger but then I'll admit

I'm just the same as I was

Now don't you understand

I'm never changing who I am!'

And when their lips met as the final chord was played, it felt like it was always meant to be.

"Is Uncle Shellington kissing that pretty dog?" Periwinkle asked his mother loudly from a little way away, standing on her feet as they danced.

Pearl chuckled in slight exasperation and amusement, hoisting her young son up onto her hip and watching her younger brother stare lovingly into his girlfriend's eyes as they danced together, oblivious to anyone else around them. "Shush, Peri," she warned fondly. "It's their date. But yes - he is."

AN) One more chapter to go! Sachairi, Shellington's brother that I used in this chapter, is an OC by AdrianImpalaMata. Thank you for letting me use him, AdrianImpalaMata, and I hope you liked how I portrayed him!

Also, the song referenced in Shellington and Dashi's last dance is a really good short song called 'It's Time' by Imagine Dragons. I think the lyrics - especially in the chorus - really link to Shellington, and I highly recommend you listen to it, maybe even while reading this chapter ;D