#I am also drafting a fic in my brain where Shellington meets his mother again in A&B and things go 😬

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HERE IT IS MY SHELLINGTON BACKSTORY >:D

TW!! Death, murderous intentions, parental abuse, bullying, drinking, trauma

DISCLAIMER: I personally do not ship ShellingtonxDashi. I am cool with all ships that don’t involve the vegimals, inklingxanyone besides min, or anything with the childrensxadults cause 🤨 ShellingtonxDashi is pretty good, it makes sense, but for me they are just best friends :D Also, I based the schooling system of American schools cause that’s what I know, sorry. Also in this headcannon there is school and scouts, I think there is both tho in the cannon universe cause Peso went to medical school. Alright to begin:

Lived with his dad Samwise, mum Magdalene, and Pearl on a little shore cottage by their kelp forest off the coast of Scotland. His life was greatly impacted by his allergy to red urchins, rendering him worthless as a sea otter. His mum forced him to keep eating urchins though, every day, “you just need to build up a tolerance, you’ll get used to it eventually.” They spent a fortune on Epi-pens, eventually the cost made his father stop Magdalene. Pearl got pretty much all of the attention from his mother, he was usually by himself, neglected. Sea otter mothers usually only have one pup, he came second by mistake. His father was more caring towards him. While his mom gave pearl diving lessons, his father taught him to dive for clams, cool stones, teaching him about the kelp forest ecosystem. Shellington was fascinated by all the different plants and animals, thus sparking his love for marine biology.

He never really had any friends until early high school and college. His only friend before then was a small green pebble, with a seaweed smile and two tiny shell eyes, stuck on with sticky limpet glue. (Yes he had a pet rock, their name was Sheldon Sedimentary.) Pearl was his only companion in grade school. He was bullied, but didn’t understand they were picking on him with malicious intent. He was kind of oblivious, but as he got older and looking back he realized he had been bullied almost all his young life, from forces at school, home, and Otter Scouts. In scouts, he enjoyed being outside in different environments. The lectures never applied to him, so he usually was harshly scolded for zoning out or getting distracted. He could never participate in picnics, cook outs, he had nothing to dive for, obviously causing complications, he was nothing but a burden. The only reason he was there was his mother needing a break, and to make the defect “as close to being a real sea otter as it can”. Pearl stood up for him, but she couldn’t always protect him. It was the same situation at home with his mother, as he got older hearing about other families, wait, my family isn’t normal? Wait, not everyone’s families are dysfunctional like mine? (Definitely not me self projecting no way)

For example, his mum threw an almost empty bottle of alcohol at him in his room. When she locked him in, he reassembled the bottle like a gifted puzzle, using tweezers and sticky limpet glue. Other times, when she was helping Pearl dive, she wrapped him up so tightly in kelp it hurt to breathe. She sarcastically said it was to keep him safe, he believed it as a kid, but looking back he was surprised she didn’t load him up with rocks as well. Sometimes when he’d be playing or reading in the parlor room as a kid, his mum would have her friends over for tea. Every time, they would make comments how she should abandon him, or even leave him under water a little too long. As time went on she hesitated longer and longer before saying “nooo, I would never…” One day when he was about 11 or 12, she just stayed silent.

He knew from a young age he wanted to be a scientist studying all sorts of creatures. He was considered a gifted kid, though always treated as lesser in the otter community. In freshmen year of high school, he read a book about cave diving, and creatures that typically live in caves. “Dark, Dangerous Caves Full of Dark Dangerous Things.” He was always that person who read the authors notes and publications, and he decided to contact the photographer, a young woman named Dashi Dog. He sent her an email praising her work, asking her personally about the cave experience. They stayed in very close touch online, but the distance between Scotland and Australia kept them from meeting in person until later.

The summer after sophomore year, Shellington was showing his father the newest National Seaographic magazine that came in the Snail Mail, one article was about the reef just beyond their own kelp forest. Shellington was ecstatic, they did a piece right by home! His father decided to go explore it first, tell him all about the creatures beyond. Once he got back and it was safe, Shellington could come along another day to explore. His mum was hesitant, but Samwise insisted. He did indeed see new creatures, they were the last creatures he ever saw. When he didn’t come home after a week, it was safe to say he was gone. Shellington found his fathers magnifying glass on the outskirts of their kelp forest, washed up by some rocks. Samwise never went anywhere without it, and Shellington wouldn’t either from that point on. The engraving was already his initials, S.S.O, Shellington and Samwise Sea Otter.

Since his fathers death, Magdalene started heavy drinking. She had drunk regularly before, but now was much worse. Shellington and his mom got into fights more often, his mum both starting them and doing most of the yelling. He wasn’t confrontational, most of the time just taking the abuse. Sometimes though, he broke. He was scared opening up about his plans for the future, his dreams. It got to the point where Pearl was uncomfortable constantly stuck in the middle, dealing with her own grief and the constant yelling. Seeing how distraught his sister was, he decided to leave home. It was one of those situations though, “you can’t leave. You’re kicked out.” Pearl was sad, but knew it was for the best. He promised to stay in contact with her, he couldn’t say the same for Magdalene though. His leaving was the worst fight yet, but it ended with his cheek bleeding, multiple bruises, he said “Well now you’ll have what you always wanted, I’ll be gone, forever. Bye mum.” His packed suitcase in hand and he was out the door. He bought a ticket with what little money he had, he knew only one place to go.

He was hesitant, pitiful really. When she opened the door, there he was, a sorry sight. Dried blood and bruises, ratty clothes from the journey there, a small suitcase crammed with belongings. He hadn’t eaten in days either, Dashi’s family of course took him in. He was a little skittish, but Dashi’s parents and her sister were very welcoming. Sometimes they reminded him too much of his dad. The first few weeks he was a bit of an emotional wreck, he was lonely, but not in the same way he’s been all his life. Before, it was an absence of love and company. Now, it was an absence of home. He missed the kelp forest, sleeping under the stars when he was sad or felt unwanted at the house. He really missed his dad, he was something that Shellington could never find again. Dashi was his only escape, she helped him out whenever he needed it, sometimes just by listening.

She noticed how much he fiddled and picked at his clothes, struggling to find what to do with his hands. She hand sewed a satchel for him, the blue one, his comfort item throughout his life. He decorated it with pins, sexuality, gender, and autism (from manilovewomen) Flash forward to the future as an Octonaut, inside he keeps his various medications, a supply of fish biscuits, his fathers magnifying glass, the book he is currently reading or needs for the mission, a notebook, one of those pens that is erasable and has the multiple colors you press down, and small fidget objects.

Back to the past, he slept on the fold out couch-bed, they offered to get a real one but this was better than what he had at his old home. There weren’t very many otters at this new high school, but as always he still dealt with a little bullying. Dashi stood up for him, she was popular so when people knew he was under her protection they left him alone for the most part. When he graduated, flying colors of course, Pearl called. Just Pearl. They talked sometimes, but he could always hear the scoffs and comments in the background.

When college came around, Dashi and Shellington moved out, and moved into a small apartment together. He still didn’t have much, so it made the most sense financially. His college years he shared an apartment with Dashi, their diet consisting mostly of ramen and toast. He had visit the fish market for clams to stay healthy, so that cost overrides the other food he could get. The other necessity was coffee, he had a caffeine addiction and needed the energy for late night studying. They went to the same college, Shellington graduated with a doctorate in marine biology and Dashi with a bachelors in photography. While he finished his education, she went on more cave explorations with Ryla, sometimes taking Shellington along for projects and studying. Pearl came to his graduation, she told their mom she was going for a school trip. It was two years of programs after college, some archeology creature identifications *see Almost Enough*

Finally, he got the offer. Someone of the name of Professor Inkling contacted him after seeing his work in articles and papers. The offer: to be an official marine biologist on a private organization, the Octonauts. He would travel the world, making new discoveries with an extremely talented group of individuals. It’s was his dream! But, he needed closure. Dashi came with him, but stayed outside. This was something he needed to do alone. The cottage was practically shaking, all his mum could hear was her late husbands voice. “It should have been you, he should still be here. If you want to get yourself killed, be my guest. You’ll do us all a favor.” This time though, Shellington stood up for himself. He left defeated, but not distraught. He knew they would not speak for a long time, but this decision is what his father would have wanted. Pearl was very supportive though, but they didn’t know when they would see each other next.

Shellington and Dashi weren’t ready to say goodbye, but he thought of a solution. Dashis photography and technological knowledge could come in handy. The engineer Tweak was supposed to be in charge of driving and managing computers, but with an IT officer she could work more on inventions. This leads up to the present: Shellington tries to call his mum on holidays or special events, she never answers. He is happier now as an octonaut, the memories are getting fuzzier, both a pro and a con.