It's a Sunday afternoon. The sunlight spilled over the quiet suburb of Elmore, painting the sky in hues of apricot and rose. In the Watterson household, the usual chaos was absent. It was a rare, almost sacred, moment of peace. Anais was at Jamie's house, Nicole and Gumball are spending their mother-son bonding times somewhere in the town. And right now, in the living room, Richard Watterson, a fat and rotund pink rabbit with a perpetually goofy grin, was also carefully preparing for his outing too! He hummed a tuneless but horrible melody as he meticulously packed a worn tackle box. He decided that today is fishing day, and he also has invited his adoptive son, Darwin, to join with him as well!

Darwin, a vibrant orange goldfish with arms and legs, bounced with barely contained excitement by the front door. His eyes darted between the tackle box and Richard, his fin-like hands fidgeting.

Darwin: "Are you ready, Mr. Dad? I'm so excited! Are we gonna catch a HUGE one today? Maybe even a... a legendary, sparkling fish for sure!"

Richard chuckled, a sound like a low rumble as he speaks.

Richard: "Now, now, Darwin. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Just having the two of us out at the lake is a legendary catch in itself, wouldn't ya say, son?"

He winked, a gesture that Darwin always found both endearing and slightly ridiculous from his adoptive father.

After finishing their preparation, they ventured outside, the air is cool and crisp. Richard, despite his considerable size, choose to navigate the sidewalk with his surprising agility, his large feet slapping gently on the pavement. Darwin skipped alongside him, his orange form a bright flash against the backdrop of green lawns and colorful flowerbeds.

The park was a haven of tranquility compared to their bustling home. The majestic and ancient trees reached for the sky, its leaves rustling in a soft, comforting whisper. The sun glinted off the surface of the lake, creating a myriad of dancing lights. As they reached the water's edge, Richard carefully took out and unfolded two small, rickety folding chairs and set them up on the grassy bank.

Richard looks at his son Darwin as he declared, his voice full of enthusiasm.

Richard: "Okay, young fishy. Time to get our bait ready!"

He then opened the tackle box, revealing a collection of hooks, lines, bobbers, and a jar filled with wriggling, plump worms. Darwin looked at a worm jar as his eyes widened, a mixture of fascination and slight disgust crossed his features.

Darwin: "Are those... are those for the fish?"

Richard: *grins* "Yep, they're the fish's favorite snack! Well, not every fish, but the ones we're hoping to catch today!"

Richard then carefully demonstrated his adoptive son how to hook a worm, explaining each step in a patient, fatherly tone.

Richard: "There you go! It's all about finesse, Darwin, a gentle touch, you see?"

Darwin, after a few tries, managed to hook a worm onto his line. It was a clumsy, slightly mangled affair, but he was beaming with pride. He then casted his line into the lake with a flourish, and the bobber landed with a gentle 'plop' on the lake's surface.

Richard also casted his line with a smooth, practiced motion. The two father and son sat next to each others in comfortable silence, the only sounds right now are the gentle lapping of the lake water against the shore and some occasional chirping of birds in the trees nearby.

After a while, Darwin looks at his dad as he spoke, his voice soft.

Darwin: "Mr. Dad. Why did you want to go fishing today?"

Richard looked at his adoptive son, his eyes full of fatherly love.

Richard: "Well, son, it's more than just catching fish. It's about us spending time together and being out in nature, feeling the breeze, hearing the sounds. It's peaceful, you know? A nice escape from all the... the other stuff."

He paused for a second, a thoughtful expression on his face before he spoke again.

Richard: "Plus, it's a good way to get a decent fish to make for the supper. You know how much your mother and Gumball are fascinated about fish dishes, right?"

Darwin: *smiles* "Yeah..."

Darwin pondered this for a moment, his eyes scanning the placid lake. He thought about the constant chaos of their home, from Nicole's yelling and grumbling for almost every day, to some occasional teasing and squabble moments between Gumball and Anais, the general mayhem that seemed to follow them everywhere. But here, by the lake, it felt different, so calm and serene!

Then, Darwin looked at his dad again as he said, his voice earnest.

Darwin: "You know what, Mr. Dad? As long as you're enjoying this, I like it too! It's like we're... a team today!"

Richard's heart swelled with affection. He reached out and ruffled Darwin's head fin, his touch gentle.

Richard: "Haha... That's right, son! We're an awesome team!"

They both continued fishing for a while, each lost in their own thoughts and in the shared experience. The sun is slowly setting down, creating a beautiful early sunset scene in the sky. Several times, Darwin thought he had a bite, only to pull up an empty hook. He was starting to get a bit disheartened.

Richard, however, remained patient and encouraging his adoptive son up.

Richard: "Don't give up, Darwin! You can do it! Those fishes are just playing hard to get. Sometimes it takes a while, that's why they call it fishing and not catching."

A few more attempt had passed, and just as Darwin was about to suggest to his father that maybe they should just go get some ice cream instead, his bobber dipped sharply beneath the surface of the water. His eyes went wide, his grip on the fishing rod tightening. He looks at his dad and exclaimed, his voice cracking with excitement.

Darwin: "Mr. Dad! Look! I think I got one!"

Richard jumped to his feet, his eyes sparkling with anticipation on his son.

Richard: "Pull it in, son! Gently now, don't yank it!"

Darwin, with a surge of adrenaline, began to reel in the line. He could feel the resistance of the fish on the other end, its weight are causing his tiny arms to tremble. He pulled and reeled, his face contorted in a mask of determination. Finally, after a tense few moments, a silver flash broke the surface of the lake.

It was a decent-sized carp, its scales shimmering in the sunset light. Darwin's jaw dropped open in awe. He had actually caught a fish! Richard also witnessed his son's achievement as he let out a booming laugh of delight.

Richard: "You did it, Darwin! You actually did it! Gosh, look at the size of that thing! I'm so proud of you, son!"

Darwin's still breathless from his effort, beamed with pride. He had never felt so accomplished like this. He carefully unhooked the fish, holding it up for Richard to admire as he said.

Darwin: "Wow... It's amazing, Mr. Dad! But... what should we do with it?"

Richard thought for a moment, then a mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes as he responded.

Richard: "Well, we could take him home and have our family a feast, or..."

He paused, now having a wide grin spreading across his face.

Richard: "Or we could put him back, so he can grow bigger and wiser, ready for us to catch him another day!"

Darwin's face lit up as he spoke.

Darwin: "Let's put him back! Imagine, one day, he'll be the biggest fish in the whole lake! And we could say to everyone like: 'Hey! We caught that fish!' "

Richard nodded, his heart overflowing. He had taught Darwin how to fish, but today Darwin had taught him something more important. That their fishing trip today wasn't about the catch, it was about the shared moments, the laughter and the lessons that they both enjoyed together. It was also about nurturing a love for nature and for each others.

Together, they released the carp back into the lake, watching as it swam away, disappearing into the depths. Darwin, hand in hand with his adoptive father, sat back down on their chairs as the memory of the catch, and the release, lighted up a warm glow in his heart. They continued to fish, the lake and the forest around them likes a comforting presence. The rest of the afternoon drifted by in a haze of laughter and shared stories.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the park, Richard began to pack up their gears. He looked at Darwin, his heart filled with a deep, abiding fatherly love. He knew that no matter what challenges they faced, no matter how chaotic their home became, they would always have this. The peace of the lake in the park, their quiet conversations, their simple joys of fishing together. And that, he realized, was the greatest catch of all!

~ END OF STORY! ~