XD Old ficcy is old. But a friend needed a Dory/Marlin fix and I just happened to find this (along with several other half-complete Dory/Marlin fics) so...here it is! 8D
Finding Nemo belongs to Pixar and all that jazz.
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Frustrating
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It was endlessly frustrating, loving her. Loving her and knowing she could never possibly feel the same. How could she? Her head was in the clouds and her heart was spread across the earth. She could never belong to any one being.
Somehow knowing that didn't make him feel any better.
Regardless, everything she did, every little thing drew him closer to her. Whether it was the way she pulled him into another horribly uncomfortable hug or how she ran through ten random names before recalling his. Every action had a duality to it; he alternately despised and adored her flaws and shortcomings, which only flustered him further. Of every creature he could've chosen, every single one, it was her.
It seemed the more he rejected the idea, the more appealing it became. As usual, the universe was having a go at him and enjoying itself a great deal. It especially seemed fond of isolating the two, frequently giving them moments alone to culminate a relationship. And how did these encounters always end?
Nothing. Not even the faintest indication of interest beyond close friendship on her side. No stolen glances or awkward comments, just two friends enjoying a moment of solitude.
It wasn't that he expected more from her. He didn't. She was a good friend and he liked having her around. But at the same time, he felt like he was in a state of permanent anticipation, just waiting for any sign. Anything. But nothing outside of platonic affection seemed to manifest itself. It seemed he would be waiting forever for the impossible. It wasn't really depressing or upsetting as much as disheartening and, as mentioned several times before, frustrating.
Alright, maybe it was a little depressing. Depressing in the way he privately enjoyed her stupid overbearing hugs more than he ought to (all while growling at her she shouldn't keep squeezing him like that, or she'd wind up squashing him flat), he liked being the one that helped her remember (all while insisting she make some effort to keep things in her silly head), and he simply loved that exhuberant laughter of hers (all while muttering she needed to grow up a bit and stop giggling about everything). She melted him in that peculiar endearing way of hers that made her so loved by all.
But she'd never be his. It was that simple. There were too many complications, and he was getting too old to worry about stupid boyish ideas of love anyhow. There were more important things to deal with.
Even in acknowleding this, he couldn't help holding her fin a little more than necessary.
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Marlin still denies everything :P