Loving Inside and Out

“WHAT’S LOVE?”

Three pairs of eyes looked down at the small fish with a disproportionately loud voice. Two of them were friendlier, belonging to a duo: Destiny, a whale shark, and Bailey, a beluga whale. However, the last pair were not as friendly. They belonged to Hank, a very tired-seeming red octopus. He answered simply, if tersely: “Love is what happens when your heart or brains blow a gasket.”

“WHAT’S A GASKET?”

Before he could offer another, likely ruder remark, Destiny stepped in. “Love is-- gosh, where do I begin? Um, well, there’s lots of different types of love, like the love your parents have for you, or the love they have for each other, or--”

Another fish swam up slightly and blurted out, “Like you and Mr. Baaailey?”

The comment earned a round of giggles from the other fish in the class, but Bailey did actually blush. But Destiny didn’t see his reaction from above her, so she simply responded, “Uh, no, nooo! We’re friends, but... Er, that’s called... oh, platonic love!” Still, despite her explanation, it was hard to get the attention of the class again. Eventually, Hank crawled back into the center of attention, getting theirs again through his disdain of nonsense. Then, he just dismissed Destiny and Bailey to go about their day.

The rest of their day went pretty normally-- swimming about the reef, discussing the rambunctious class without actually discussing the reason they became so rambunctious. But Bailey’s mind was racing. As good and helpful as his echolocation was, he couldn’t see her thoughts. He could see inside her body, sorta, but not her actual mind. So he wasn’t sure if she felt the same way, but after today he had to find out. So in the evening, he rather abruptly asked if she wanted to go see the open ocean that night. He had more excuses ready, but she just nonchalantly accepted the invitation.

In the cover of darkness, they swam out on their own to that void of water away from the reef. At least the moon provided pretty lighting for the two of them. After admiring it for a few moments, Destiny finally asked, “So... Why’d you wanna go out here tonight?”

The question flustered Bailey again, though it was fortunately hard to see in the dim light. His immediate answer was, “Well, uhm, you see, I...” He trailed off, trying to work up the nerve to say what he actually wanted to say. He put his fins up to his head and started massaging it as he tried to work through the headache he was giving himself, though the gesture just made Destiny confused.

“Oh... did you hurt your head again? I don’t think we can go back to the Marine Life Institute, but maybe--”

“No, no, it’s not that! Destiny, I...” He groaned again but opened his eyes to actually look at her. Her spots seemed to almost sparkle in the moonlight. Her eyes, her look of concern... Bailey just squeezed his eyes shut again, grunting as he tried to force the words out. Finally he swam up very quick to Destiny’s face and blurted out, “DESTINYILOVEYOU!”

There was a pause as she wrapped her mind around the words. And yet, her first response was, “Like... a friend?”

Bailey swam away and then back before he said, “Urrgh, no! I love love you. I have for... a while now? I know I’ve acted rude back when we were at the institute, but... I’m sorry. Escaping with you was the best decision of my life and-- I just wanted to let you know!” After spilling his heart out, he positioned himself upright, nervously tapping his fins together. “So uh... yeah. That’s what I... wanted to say.”

Another pause followed as Destiny looked up and down at her smaller companion. Well, not just a companion now. Maybe her... boyfriend? A smile started to widen on her face as she thought about that. Bailey was her best friend after Dory left... even if they argued sometimes. For a moment, Bailey was starting to shrink away, feeling like maybe he went in too fast, crossed a boundary he shouldn’t have. But then Destiny wrapped him up in her large fins, pulling him into a hug.

“Oh, Bailey, I love you too! And I accept your apology, and I’m sorry too... even if I was right about the echolocation thing.” Bailey rolled his eyes and let out a dry laugh, but he returned the hug too. Right there in her fins, he felt warm and safe as ever. Although then, clearly through her underside, he heard her stomach growl loudly. They separated and Destiny chuckled with embarrassment before saying, “Oh fish, I forgot to eat today! My stomach’s probably starving...”

Bailey’s face flustered, once again silently thanking his lucky stars it was so dark. “W-Well... we should do something about that! But first, a kiss before we head back?”

Destiny seemed amused, but the gesture was sweet in Bailey’s own weird way. So they once again got close to each other, each of them closing their eyes tight and going for the kiss. The result is more of a collision, but they still enjoy the intimate moment. But then, Bailey opens his eyes first. Without moving away, he looks directly ahead, into Destiny’s slightly-open maw. And then a second later, much to Destiny’s surprise, he’s shoving himself right inside.

“Baaaailphhhh, what aw yuu doffffiiiiinng?!” is all she could get out as the beluga forced his way towards the back of her mouth. Her fins reached for his tail, but it was in vain. Besides, he was really trying to wriggle his way in there. And she had to admit, he did taste good... though she felt awkward admitting that even within her own mind.

Bailey answered, “You said you were hungry, Destiny!” as if it were a completely normal thing to do. He found being inside her mouth a better feeling than he was expecting. It was spacious, but still slightly warmer than outside. He could feel Destiny trying to resist swallowing him, but seemingly enjoying his taste if her tongue was anything to go by. “It’s fine, now come on, swallow already!”

“Buph Bailffff, I don’ph wanph pho!“ Unfortunately, she couldn’t resist any longer. With a firm, involuntary GULP, she quickly pulled Bailey almost all the way down her throat. As if a vacuum opened up, he found himself sucked into her gullet, a much tighter space than before. Warmer and more comforting too. His tail wiggled outside of her mouth, trying to slide that last part in. It only took one more gulp before all of him was inside, sliding down to what would surely be an even cozier space.

As he squeezed down her throat, he realized he could hear her heart, very close to him. It beat slowly, comfortably, right under his body. If he closed his eyes he could practically see it with his echolocation... and coming up, her stomach. He found himself soon spilling out into an emptier space. Still cramped, and he could feel himself stretching out her stomach, but still cozy too. With her heart beating nearby, he was starting to find himself right at home in her warm, gently shifting belly.

Destiny panted for a moment as her throat cleared, then she rubbed her fins across her belly. In the water she quickly repositioned her body to look down at her own stomach. Even with her near-sightedness, she could see how distended it was, bulging hugely from her middle with the faint outline of the beluga’s shape inside it. “Bailey! I know I said I was hungry, but you didn’t have to... do that!”

Bailey just smiled from inside, wriggling up against the walls of her stomach. He answered, “I don’t know, it seemed like the best way to me! Now we’re closer than ever, and you feel full, right?”

She couldn’t exactly deny that. She felt fuller than she ever had before, in fact. “Yes, but... Huh... You know, this just kinda reminded me of how Dory used to hide in my mouth, back in the day. Although I never had anyone hide in my belly...” She held it in her fins, gently rubbing Bailey’s squirmy form. “You feel funny in there.”

“It feels funny in here! But nice. Like a full-body massage... I could just stay in here forever.”

Destiny couldn’t help but chuckle incredulously, sloshing her belly around as she did. “Forever, really? In my stomach? It can’t be that comfortable. Isn’t it tight in there?”

Bailey shifted around comfortably, producing visible squirms from outside as he did. “Well, yeah, but it’s not bad! It’s like I’m being hugged by you more than ever. I can even hear your big heart beating from here, it...” He yawned before finishing, “It’s really a nice sound.”

Destiny blushed, invisible to her friend-- her boyfriend?-- but she gently rubbed her belly as she considered that. She did like the way he felt in there. She felt full, but more than that, she felt... cozy. Like she was snuggling him back, in a way. Smiling, she said, “Well, I guess you can stay in there, you dork. But only for the night! In the morning, I want some real food, not your big beluga butt.”

That remark earned a playful jab. Bailey responded, “Hey! Whose big mouth managed to swallow a whole ‘big beluga’?”

Destiny pushed back on her belly as she started to swim back to the reef. “You were the one that forced yourself in there, silly. Just go to sleep, I’ll let you out in the morning...” She yawned too. “I could use some sleep myself!”

Bailey’s surroundings became ever so slightly tighter as she yawned, and the feeling was starting to lull him to sleep. It was all so cozily warm, with the beat of her heart and gurgling of her stomach providing a comfortable ambience. There was no safer place to be, nowhere more comfortable in the entire ocean than inside the belly of the one he loved most. Before he fell into sweet slumber, he made sure to say, “I love you, Destiny.”

She rubbed her belly as she got back to solid ground, laying down on her side to not squish her passenger. “I love you too, Bailey.” Then her own eyes grew heavy, and she drifted off into a comfortably full sleep.

*/^\*

Destiny woke up slowly, nicely. She could feel the sunlight through the water and just how perfectly well rested she felt. She slowly opened her eyes to nothing but red and huge eyes staring into her soul. “Who did you eat last night?!” Hank whisper-shouted.

The sight of him so close to her face was enough for her to yelp and try to shoot herself away, but ultimately she just flopped over onto her back from the weight in her gut. “Ugh... Hank, what the heck?!”

Four of his tentacles reached out to shut her mouth as he looked around shiftily. Then he turned back and sternly whispered “Keep it down, Destiny! Do you want the whole reef to figure out you ate someone?” He looked down at her still-bulging gut, wondering what he was dealing with. “Now, who?”

Destiny shook off his tentacles so she could answer, “Hank, it’s just Bailey!”

He retracted and relaxed, hearing that. “Oh, Bailey? Well... Look, honestly, I don’t blame you. He was always kind of annoying. And we can always make up a story... Maybe he had to go find colder waters.”

She shook her head, looking rather annoyed that Hank thought she’d eat one of her friends just like that. “Hank, no. I didn’t eat him to get rid of him. Actually, he shoved himself in there... I was just going to let him out once I woke up.”

“Destiny, I don’t think he could have--” Just then, her gut started to squirm again, showing signs that her passenger was starting to wake up. Hank’s eyes widened and he commented, “Well I’ll be darned.”

Bailey came to slowly, feeling groggy from just how well-rested he was. Her body was still tight all around him, and oh-so-warm. He wriggled slightly to get more comfortable and mumbled, “Mmm, Destiny? Is it time to come out yet?”

She extended a fin to her belly-- a little lower than she remembered-- and reassuringly said, “In just a minute, Bailey.” Then she took a ‘breath’ and whispered to herself reassuringly, “Okay, I can do this. I just have to swallow him in reverse.”

At this point, Hank folded two tentacles over each other as he leaned back, amused to watch her attempt to hork up the beluga. For some reason, she found herself really struggling to do so-- almost feeling like her stomach was empty despite the clearly wriggling bulge in her underbelly. And just to make matters worse, she was drawing more of an audience. Marlin and Dory suddenly popped up, with Marlin saying, “Is everything okay?! I heard Destiny scream and--”

He had to pause for a second as he really took in the sight. Destiny looking embarrassed, gagging, and absolutely stuffed with a massive, bloated belly. Hank just watching in amusement. And was that... Bailey’s voice from inside of Destiny? “What... What on earth is happening here??”

Dory’s face turned into a smile as she said, “Oooooh, I get it! Destiny ate Bailey and now she’s trying to get him out.”

“What???”

Destiny just replied, “Um, that’s... well, kinda! But I’m having trouble for some reason...”

Bailey, inside, was feeling some of the strain, trying to push him along, but it felt odd. It reminded him of being in her throat, but her heart was completely inaudible from wherever he was. Not to mention, it seemed endless. He’d been moving along practically since he woke up, but where was he going? His groggy mind suddenly caught up and his eyes widened as he realized what was going on. “Uh, Destiny, I think I’m in your--”

Destiny’s eyes widened too and her face turned red as she felt a distinct pressure near her tail. “H-How did you get down there?!”

“I-I don’t know, your stomach must’ve pushed me along while we were sleeping!” He suddenly came to a stop, grunting against the fleshy walls holding him in place. “Uh, Destiny, I think I’m...”

She looked over at her three friends watching and whined. “Look away!! I... can’t do it with everyone watching.”

Hank groaned and closed his eyes, even camouflaging right into the surroundings. Dory started to question what Destiny was doing, but fortunately Marlin was aware enough to cover her eyes with his fin while covering his own with his other fin. The only thing they could hear was Destiny grunting with effort as she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to squeeze the beluga out.

Bailey felt everything become tighter around him, practically wrapped to his skin. For a moment he felt like he was going to be crushed, but then he saw light start to pour in. He could even see Destiny’s tail above his exit. Then, slowly considering just how relatively large he was, he felt a tight ring of flesh squeeze around him. He felt fortunate everything was so squeaky clean, but he was surprised too to find that being pushed out this way felt... nice. Like a final rolling massage, making sure he was completely relaxed.

And finally, after half a minute of effort on Destiny’s part, she let out a sigh of relief as Bailey exited completely. He immediately swam right up to Destiny, snuggling against her side, and she was just a little too tired to complain more. She smiled weakly and put her fin around him, pulling him in close. Soon afterwards, their friends realized the event was over and allowed their sight to return to them.

Marlin couldn’t help but feel his heartstrings tugged at a little seeing them, but then he also couldn’t help but add, “What in the world made you guys try that?! You could’ve been digested! Or worse! Well, I don’t know what’s worse, but... still!”

They both shyly rubbed the back of their heads with their fins. Bailey was first to speak up first, just saying, “I... thought it would be cozy?”

Destiny giggled a little and said, “You did feel pretty nice in there... Even when you came out, I--”

Marlin shook his head and shouted, “NO, no, I don’t want to hear any more than I already had to!”

Hank just chuckled. “So, does this mean you two are finally together?”

They looked at each other, smiled, and went in for a quick kiss. Though this time, Bailey didn’t try to force himself into her mouth. The moment earned a loud ‘awww’ from Dory, who followed it up with, “Destiny, I’m so happy for you!”

She responded, “Thanks Dory. And yeah... We are! He told me last night, and I love him too... even if he used our first kiss to shove himself down my throat.”

Marlin just shuddered, unable to imagine wanting to do something like that. “Well, congrats you two... But can you maybe just not do something like that where we have to see it next time?”

Everyone but him started to laugh. He became frustrated, but he had to admit that he was glad they found love, even if it was utterly bizarre. And once they stopped, Destiny and Bailey did agree to try and be a little more private with... similar situations, should they come up.