Requested by Donut-bunny 💕
image by @bl00dalchemist_ on instagram
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<<Hey, hey, look! There's snails here>>.
<<Oooh! They're so slimy>> Idate chuckled: <<I wanna touch 'em!>>.
Gris frowned a bit: <<I don't know, they're a bit gross. Pick up a stick at least>>.
<<Okay!>> the little orca springed up and ran towards the nearest hydrangeas bush.
His costly tiny shoes dipped into the huge, muddy puddles - his mother surely would've gone crazy mad if she saw him ruining his nice clothes that way. On the other hand, avoiding puddles was almost impossible on that island, Hydrangea Island; in fact, its main characteristic was to be a place where it rained costantly, even though nobody knew exactly why. There were legends about it though: was it witches? was it demons? - it didn't really matter to the two kids. They just wanted to have fun.
More precisely, they wanted to have fun in a place far away from anyone else.
That was the reason why Idate was so excited about having found that cute island - that he also found a friend was simply secondary.
It was the first time he went there, actually - and it was also the first time he stepped outside his birth city, Orcinopolis.
He didn't expect to meet anyone there, he thought it'd be a lonely stroll. And yet, as soon as he stepped further into the island he heard someone weeping.
Curious as orcas are, he walked closer to the whimpering voice, and to his surprise he found another child, who had to be around the same age as him. The kid was sitting on the ground, near a cave, and was rubbing his glossy eyes.
<<Hey! Why are you crying?>> he greeted him this way.
Gris - that was the child's name - looked up. He, too, didn't expect to see someone on that, well, isolated island.
<<I... lost my parents. I can't find them anymore>>.
Idate showed an irritating and yet innocent grin - as most kids' grins are: <<Well, good for you! I wish I lost them! That's why I'm here>>.
The little sperm whale didn't really understand what he meant, but whatever it was, it surely didn't feel reassuring.
<<Well, why the long face?>> Idate said, frowning: <<You're free now! You can finally be at peace. You're like a grown-up!>>.
The little orca leaned on him, patting him on the head with both hands: <<Congrats>>.
Gris tried to rub away his tears. He looked Idate in the eyes: <<Will you... will you at least stay with me? Just for a bit?>>.
Idate stood straight again: <<Sure! I don't have anything else to do>>.
A small smile finally spread across Gris' face. Even though that child acted a bit weird, the sperm whale ended up having a whole lot of fun with him. He probably has never been that happy in his life - though he himself didn't really realize this.
They started playing and inspecting snails together.
It was at this point that Gris suggested Idate picking up a little branch from the bushes. He stared at him from afar, butterflies in his stomach. He soon started giggling when the orca screamed and ran away from a little bee.
<<Hey! It's not funny!>> blurted Idate as soon as he was next to him again.
Gris was still laughing, and suddenly hugged the little orca.
<<What are you doing?>>.
<<I don't know, I just wanted to have you closer>>.
<<Oh. Okay>>.
They stood still for a few seconds.
Idate's clothes smelled just like rain, because of the island's typical drizzle. That smell was now carved in Gris' mind.
Then, the orca parted, as if nothing happened - and went back to torment snails with the stick.
Gris wasn't really offended by this - since, again, he barely realized what an hug meant.
<<Hahaha, look! They're squashed on the ground!>>.
<<Gross...>>.
<<No, it's fun! Look, their head is all squishy squishy now>>.
Gris sticked out his tongue.
Idate glanced at him, and huffed: <<Tell me then, what do you like?>>.
<<Oh>> he had to think about it for a second. Then, he got near a bush.
<<Not bees!>> Idate shouted, as he stroke a fight pose, holding the little branch in front of him.
<<No, silly! Flowers. I like flowers>> Gris said, as he gently wrapped his hands around a hydrangea: <<They're so colorful... and petalicious>>.
The tiny orca walked next to him: <<Well, yeah, they're nice>>.
<<I'd like to give you one>>.
<<Oh. Then why don't you pick it?>>.
<<Because killing cute flowers is not very nice...>>.
<<You think so?>> Idate looked up in the air, pensive.
<<Yeah! After you pick them they get sick and they're not cute anymore>>.
<<Uh, okay. You know a lot about flowers>>.
The sperm whale turned to face him, smiling because of the compliment.
He wished their time together would last forever.
In the next few days, they met at least a couple more times: when Gris waited for him on that island he'd then be awarded by the other's presence. He was glad to spend those afternoons in his company - in his best friend's company.
Nonetheless, one day Idate did not show up.
Neither did he in the following days, nor in the following weeks.
He didn't do it on purpose: his childish mind got engrossed by new interests, and thus he ended up forgetting how to come back to the island. Instead, he'd stroll his way to a certain iceberg more and more often (arguably easier to reach since you just need to go north).
Little Gris sweared to himself that he would meet that interesting orca again, one day.
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<<What do you mean? Don't you recognize me? I'm Gris>>.
<<Never heard such a name>> the orca blurted. And he was right - he never heard such a name, since they never actually told each other's names back in the days. And that face... if he had the impression to have seen it somewhere before, he completely disregarded it.
For the sperm whale, it was quite the opposite: he recognized him immediately, no matter how many years had passed.
They were adolescents now: Gris had found Orcinopolis, and decided to wait for Idate outside the city's main doors - getting lost in the city itself wouldn't have been a wise choice. After all, he knew for sure that Idate would come up eventually: he regularly escaped from home, even though he'd always need to come back. Especially when he was a kid, it's not like he had any another choice. Now that he's growing older and more independent, he's planning how to go away and never be found by his family permanently.
As soon as the orca did walk past the city's main doors, Gris ran up to him, an enthusiastic look on his face.
Understandably, Idate was a little taken aback.
It did not wavered Gris at all, and neither did the fact that Idate had forgotten about him: obviously, the sperm whale wouldn't give up that easily after all he had to do to meet him again.
Thus, he raised his head and showed one of his best smiles: <<It doesn't matter if you don't remember. Shall we go out and have a meal together? I know some interesting places>>.
Idate stared at him, dubious, an unlit cigarette between his lips.
He lit it up and then, as a puff of smoke surrounded him, he coldy stated: <<No>>.
<<No? How? Why?>>.
<<I'm not interested. Leave me alone now>>.
He was already walking away, until Gris grabbed him by his arm. A smile was fixed on his face. An excessively sweet smile, dare I say.
Idate dismissed the chill that ran through his spine when he saw that grin. Instead, he hurled back: <<What do you want? Again, just leave me alone>>.
<<Don't be so stubborn, my dear orca... won't you at least give it a try? You were more adventurous when you were a kid, then>>.
<<Stop pretending we already know each other>> he blurted out.
In an ordinary context, maybe Gris' heart would be broken by now. But that wasn't an ordinary context, since... that was the only person he'd ever had in his life - clearly, a life marked by loneliness and abandonment. He'd been waiting for him for too long: the only thing he knew was that he wouldn't let him slip away. Not again. Doesn't matter how many times he'd be rejected, he'd still insist. With time, those words wouldn't be even read as rejections - anything else but rejections. Such a reality simply wasn't acceptable, not anymore.
Besides, Gris hadn't forgotten about Idate in all those years. Such love, such devotion... what else could that mean, what else if not that they were really tied by the red thread of fate, just like two soulmates? (In Gris' mind at least.)
Thus, he knew for sure that Idate would be his. It didn't matter when.
<<Are you listening? Let my arm go now>> Idate said.
The orca could've been way firmer, maybe he'd even threat to tear him into pieces, but, as soon as he noticed he couldn't break free from his grip, Idate realized he had to do with something unusual, something different. He couldn't be dealt with like he was just another random idiot - his grip was almost as tight as a tourniquet, so he surely couldn't act too cocky with him since he didn't know what could've happened next.
You could also say he was less prone to boredom than he is today: the adult version of Idate we all know would surely be excited by such a challenge - even though, let's be real, he'd clearly lose.
<<Oh, no, sweetie. I don't think I'll let you go away, not yet>>.
The sperm whale's tone was way too gooey. It made Idate's hair stand on end.
So many more times would that happen in the future... oh how many.
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<<Geez, it really rains too much on this island...>> Gris mumbled, as he attempted to walk and get his wet strands of hair off his face at the same time.
Idate, annoying as he is, sticked out his tiny foot to make him trip over.
The little sperm whale fell straight into the mud.
<<Hey! That was so rude>>.
<<Aw, come on, it's just a joke! You're so boring>>.
Idate leaned down on him, removing Gris' soaked hair from his eyes. He then bursted out laughing: <<You're covered in mud!>>.
<<It's all your fault! I don't like mud>>.
And that was the moment in Gris' mind flashed a brilliant idea.
He grabbed one of the orca's feet and pulled it in until he lost his balance.
Idate fell on the ground, screaming and completely mudding up his sweater.
<<Hey! How dare you!>>.
<<Now we're even>> replied the other kid, as he got up.
The little orca simply huffed: <<Now I'm the one with hair on my face>>.
Gris crouched on his knees so that he could adjust his locks in a better way. Truth is, he covered them up with more mud, but hey, at least the orca could see something again.
Idate wasn't capable to say thank you, not even when he was a child - so he just sticked his tongue out at him.
Still, the sperm whale did not really care: he was focused on the nice sensation caressing Idate's hair caused him to feel. Although he ended up smearing slush all over his face.
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<<Hey, look! I brought the flowers you wanted>>.
<<Oh, they're so beautiful! You didn't rip them off, right?>>.
<<Of course not! I bought them>> the little orca put a hyndrangeas bouquet in his hands:
<<Alright, now you can give them to me. As you wanted!>>.
Gris chuckled, not at all confused by such an offer. He kept the bouquet behind his back, and, though blushing a bit, he said: <<Hey... did you know I have a gift for you?>>.
<<Oh, really?? What is it? What is it?>> Idate said, almost jumping in place - as if he actually didn't know what the gift was. Kids are weird.
<<Surprise! Here, it's for you>> Gris handed him the hydrangeas.
<<Oh! Cute>> Idate grabbed them, but before smelling them he asked, worried: <<No bees, right?>>.
<<No bees!>>.
<<Good>> and he launched himself in the flowers, inhaling deeply: <<Nice smell!>>.
Gris laughed, his little heart filling up with sweetness as he watched Idate being all excited for "his" gift.
Oh, how much he misses those times...
That's why he knows for sure that they will eventually come back.
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A/N
I know, I know, this one was quite bittersweet ç_ç but I freaking loved writing them as little kids oh my god they're so cute
Anyway I wanted to share some fun facts with you about this story
- The title is "Hydrangeas" in italian. You read it like "Orten-si-eh"(?). Idk thought it'd be cool and exotic to y'all, hope it doesn't come across as pretentious o.o I just really like how it sounds lmao
- "Petalicious" (yknow, when Gris says he likes flowers) is very cute and all but truth is I was trying to traslate a reference that only makes sense in italian. I'm sharing it with you because I think it's cute. Basically in italian you don't have such a thing as "petalous" or "petaled", you simply say "with petals". This changed some years ago when this little kid was asked to describe a flower for homework and he went with "petaloso" which wasn't actually a word in italian. The teacher decided to make this word valid by contacting the guys who take care of the italian equivalent of the Oxford Dictionary. And for some reason they accepted this new word. People were a bit annoyed by this and a lot of memes were made but whatever you think about it the word "petaloso" is cute. So I wanted Gris to say it in that scene but of course you guys couldn't get the reference, so I simply made Gris make up yet another cute word. I don't know if you liked or cared about this fun fact but here it is.
- Let's be real adult!Gris would be that stereotypical dandy who somehow knows 5 languages at 25, like french, italian, latin, some other french dialect, english, japanese (any reference to Oscar Wilde is absolutely intentional) so I mean the italian title makes sense???? I guess??????,
And as usual, I hope you liked this! <3 any feedback is deeply appreciated 💓