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Cerulean blue water glittered under the glow of the soft lights. Scales of all colors shimmered as small schools of fish drifted through the artificial currents. Little crabs snapped their claws as they shuffled sideways across the sandy floor. Bright rainbows of coral dotted the oceanic landscape and camouflaged all manner of creatures: the shy octopus, the lonely eel, and the languid seahorses. A sharp pair of eyes—even more blue than the color of the forgetful blue tang—scanned the seabed from the other side.
Blowing out a short puff of air, Andrew walked around the large tank to find Neil with his face practically pressed against the glass. He was in the same ratty jeans and oversized hoodie he always wore. The shirt read 'Palmetto Aquarium' in dark, blocky letters on the front with the kraken's tentacles ripping out of the back. It was one of the aquarium's more interesting pieces of merchandise. Before that, Neil had always shown up in a gray sweatshirt with dirt-stained hems from overuse. Both outfits had been gifts from Andrew.
"You should really be more careful about where you leave your fingerprints," Andrew said. The words prompted Neil to remove his hands from the glass. He glanced sideways at Andrew, a small smile turning at the edge of his lips, before looking back to the tank and using the end of his sleeve to wipe away his prints.
"Now no one will ever know I existed," Neil said, short and unbothered as if stating a simple fact.
"You've caused enough havoc here that I doubt any of us will ever forget," Andrew assured him. "Need I remind you how we met? It was only six months ago."
Neil pursed his lips and glared off to the side. A slight tinge of pink brushed across his cheeks. Even with his arms crossed, only the tips of his fingers poked out of his sleeves. "How was I supposed to know?"
"What time we closed or that we closed at all?" Andrew prodded. "Had you been living under a rock?"
The blush in Neil's cheeks drained from his skin as his complexion turned pale. His eyes widened, and his entire body tensed. His breath faltered.
"What?" Neil asked weakly. He no longer looked like the man Andrew had gotten to know over the past few months. Eyes full of fear slowly turned to make contact with Andrew like a wild animal preparing to flee. The stillness in Neil's body made Andrew's muscles tense reflexively.
"What, you've never heard that expression before?" Andrew asked, forcing his tone to remain casual.
"What expression?" Neil asked. His breathing was shallow. His foot was pivoted to the side. One wrong move from Andrew, and Neil was gone.
"When someone asks if you live under a rock, it means you aren't up to date with current events or cultural ideas," Andrew explained.
Slowly, the tension melted from Neil's muscles, and in turn, Andrew's. Neil leaned his hip against the edge of the tank, disguising a shuddered intake of breath as a yawn. "Must still be missing that memory," he said quietly.
"Right," Andrew responded.
There was something off about Neil. He'd known it from the day they met. When Andrew had been making his final rounds through the aquarium as the only member of their security team, movement in the kiddie play area had caught his eye. Upon closer inspection, a small silhouette had been sitting in the tunnel at the bottom of the playscape. A sharp clattering noise was audible from inside. However, moving aside the curtain of fake seaweed revealed not a missing child, but Neil.
That hadn't even been the strangest part. When Andrew had found him, Neil had been naked and drenched despite not a drop of rain having fallen that day. Neil continued to claim he had no memory from before he was found, but what he did remember didn't add up. His mollusk knowledge could put even Aaron—currently the leading marine biologist at the Palmetto Aquarium—to shame. Yet he had never seen classic movies or heard of the most simple idioms?
Ever since then, Neil had been visiting the aquarium daily. His first excuse was that he'd needed to thank Andrew for his help and the spare clothes, but he'd barely looked at Andrew through his gratitudes, eyes scouring the tanks instead. On the second day, he'd begged Wymack for entry despite not having any money. His story about feeling connected to the aquarium must have pulled at Wymack's heartstrings considering Neil still claimed to have no memories from before he was found. It had worked well enough for Andrew when Wymack had made a security position just for him to allow him to work with Aaron. No other businesses had wanted someone with a juvie record on their payroll.
Andrew hadn't trusted Neil, but he'd respected Wymack's decision, so he'd just kept a distant eye on Neil. It had had nothing to do with Neil's smooth, tanned skin or bright blue eyes. Andrew had watched as Neil wandered through the aquarium day by day. Like any other tourist, Neil had spent his time gazing at the different tanks. Unlike the other tourists, his eyes hadn't lit up with wonder or awe. They'd remained calm and searching, but his shoulders had drooped with each tank he'd passed, at least for the first week or so.
To determine Neil's threat level, Andrew had approached him after his first week of visits. He'd asked more about Neil's memory but received no answers, so he'd turned their conversation to the weekly information board Neil had been reading. That week's featured creature had been the deep sea isopod. Andrew had thrown out a fact about their swimming limbs, and Neil had opened up like a sassy scallop ready to spout facts.
"Well, actually," Neil had started before going on a tirade about the different types of giant isopods and how some used their swimming limbs for respiration.
"Right," Andrew had said every so often as Neil continued. Ever since then, Neil had sought out Andrew for conversations about marine life. Slowly, it turned more casual and less evaluative as the two got to know each other. Despite Neil indulging Andrew about his favorite critters (sea cucumbers) and which Palmetto crew member he thought he could win in a cage fight against (any because of his speed and cunning), Andrew still didn't know anything about Neil's past.
The crew had a bet going on whether Neil was a weird tourist or gathering information for a rival aquarium. Aaron's money was on an exotic animal dealer due to the incident of the eel that went missing around the time Neil was found despite there being even less evidence to support that theory.
The only reason Andrew refrained from that particular bet was that none of the theories fit quite right. Neil knew too much about marine life to be a random tourist, but his eyes didn't glow with corporate greed like the few rival moles they had sniffed out in the past. Besides, Neil and Andrew were… friends, he supposed. They'd certainly spent enough time together. Andrew had offered Neil some truths, and Neil had accepted them in stride without judgment or fear.
Trust was not something Andrew gave away freely, but Neil had earned it.
"Well, I guess I should be heading out," Neil said, nodding toward the exit sign.
"You should," Andrew agreed. "Everyone else has." The aquarium had been closed for thirty minutes while the crew finished closing up, but Wymack didn't mind that Neil stayed until the crew left. Nicky had even roped Neil into helping him close up on one occasion until a long glare from Andrew put that to a stop.
"Right," Neil said. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but closed it without a word. He turned on his heel and started toward the exit. Andrew turned the opposite direction, but walked slowly in case Neil decided to say something. The sound of the exit doors closing behind Neil echoed in the silence of the empty aquarium.
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞
A familiar yet unfamiliar sight greeted Andrew when he arrived to work the next afternoon. Aaron and Neil fighting was familiar. Neil in the employee area was unfamiliar. Wymack had set a hard boundary when Neil had declined their job offer. Neil was to be treated like a guest—despite his continued free entry. Guests were not allowed in the employee area.
"I know you can't read, but these letters next to my name," Aaron glared at Neil as he jabbed at the 'PhD' lettering on his coat, "mean I know more than you."
"Guys—" Matt started, but Neil was already fired up. It would take more than a placating hand gesture to settle him down.
Neil's lip curled with contempt. "You wouldn't know a sea cucumber from an actual cucumber if one was sitting on that wilted salad you're eating," he shot back.
"Neil." Andrew's voice cut through Aaron's sharp inhale as he readied his own insult. All eyes focused on Andrew. Matt breathed a sigh of relief. The creaking of Aaron's chair as he relaxed from his heightened state cut through the tension in the air. All it took was one nod, and Neil was following Andrew to the parking lot.
"What was it this time?" Andrew asked. His fingers itched for a cigarette, but he tapped a finger against the nicotine patch on his arm instead. He didn't miss the way Neil's nose had crinkled at the smoke when they'd first come outside for privacy months ago. It wasn't good to smell so heavily of it around the sea life either, so he'd started wearing patches to curb the cravings. Watching Neil puff up his cheeks before blowing out a sigh and leaning back against the wall, Andrew didn't miss the smell of smoke as much now.
"Matt brought me to the back to show me the sea cucumbers," Neil said. His lips pouted. "Turns out, they were sea urchins. Aaron threw a fit about me being back there."
"Wymack could have Matt's job for letting a guest in the back," Andrew said. He knew Aaron's tantrum was less about a guest in the back and more about Neil in the back, but it was a valid complaint all the same.
"No he wouldn't," Neil argued, nose wrinkling.
"No, he wouldn't," Andrew agreed. "But he could."
"Fine," Neil sighed. He tilted his head back to rest it on the wall and ran his thin fingers through his hair. The auburn waves rolled like the tide, fighting against the gentle wind. Long, dark eyelashes crested over his cheeks as he closed his eyes momentarily. His throat bobbed as he swallowed before turning his bright eyes on Andrew. It was hard to resist falling into those pools of blue.
A hand waved in front of Andrew's eyes. He blinked back to himself.
"Andrew?" Neil questioned.
"What?" Andrew asked back, clearing his suddenly-dry throat.
"I asked if you knew when the sea cucumbers were being placed," Neil said. "Matt said they arrived about a month ago, but hadn't been cleared to go into an exhibit yet."
"Right," Andrew said with a nod. "I'll go check. Wait for me in the cafeteria." As Neil started back toward the employee doors, Andrew called over, "And go through the front door this time."
Neil turned his head and stuck his tongue out at Andrew—he'd learned that one from Nicky, Andrew was sure—before sidestepping away from the employee doors and turning the corner toward the front entrance.
After checking the arrival schedule, Andrew made his way to the aquarium's cafeteria. The food was better than he'd expected when he'd first started working for Wymack. It was as overpriced as any other aquarium or zoo, but the place was just as packed. Luckily, Neil had snagged their favorite corner table away from the hustle and bustle of hungry people. He'd already started in on his calamari but left an overly frosted octopus cupcake in front of the empty seat.
Andrew slid into the opposite chair and swiped a finger through the bright purple frosting. It was disgustingly sweet. His favorite. He looked up to find Neil's eyes already on him, trailing Andrew's finger as it popped out from between his lips.
Neil stuffed a cluster of calamari into his mouth and hummed appreciatively like it wasn't the same meal he ordered every time they ate together.
"So, half day today?" Neil asked casually despite the slightly heightened pitch of his voice. He knocked a fist into his chest as if to dislodge the discomfort before clearing his throat. The awkward sequence was punctuated by taking a sip of his water.
It was times like these that Andrew was reminded that Neil's oddness didn't end with his lack of pop culture knowledge. Sometimes, the way he stared at Andrew reminded Andrew of the way he stared at Neil. But despite his possibly homoerotic gaze, Neil had never made a move on Andrew. As much as Andrew had probed Neil's interest in the opposite sex, he'd only ever gotten lukewarm responses. "I don't remember" was a popular one. The man didn't even have a celebrity crush, male or female. The unknown quality of it all had stayed Andrew's hand from reaching out further than friendship.
"Don't act like you didn't know," Andrew answered. He kept his tone neutral and his eyes watchful.
There it was again. A bright flush bloomed on Neil's cheeks. His brows furrowed, and his lips dipped downward despite the visible canine tooth that was nibbling on his bottom lip.
"Did Aaron tell you I was looking for you this morning?" Neil muttered, eyes focused on his food. "I was just wondering about those sea cucumbers."
"No other reason?" Andrew asked. Curiosity slipped into his tone unintentionally.
"Do I need a special reason to want to see you?" Neil's voice took on a slightly defensive tone, but the softness of his gaze as he looked up at Andrew through those dark lashes alluded to a different emotion. As was typical with Neil, Andrew was left without a clear idea of what to say.
Instead, Andrew shrugged. Neil searched his face for a moment. His shoulders dropped at whatever he did or didn't find, and he nodded his acceptance. The rest of the meal was quiet—other than the cacophony of tourist conversations and screaming children.
As Neil waved his goodbye and started back toward the deep sea area, Andrew called out, "Tomorrow." Neil paused, waiting for Andrew to clarify. "The sea cucumbers get placed tomorrow."
Sea cucumbers must really have been Neil's favorite considering the way his face lit up. His mouth opened excitedly, and his eyes were practically shining. "Tomorrow," Neil repeated. At Andrew's nod, Neil's mouth settled into a grin. It gave Andrew a better view of the dimple in Neil's right cheek. It was a shame when Neil wandered off into the depths of the aquarium. Andrew kept his eyes on Neil until he had been swallowed up by the dense current of foot traffic.
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞
"You're here early," Aaron commented as Andrew tossed his bag on the table.
"I work here," Andrew answered dryly. He earned an eye roll for that, but Aaron dug into his own bag and slid a chocolate croissant across the table toward Andrew. Accepting the pastry as payment for more information, Andrew offered, "Sea cucumbers."
"Oh, come on," Aaron scoffed. "You aren't here…" He checked the watch Andrew had gifted him on their last birthday. "Twenty minutes early because you like sea cucumbers."
"Neil does," Andrew said simply. Without wavering, he met the unimpressed stare he knew his comment would evoke.
"Whatever," Aaron sighed, crunching unhappily into his almond croissant. "I cleared them from quarantine last night and placed them all in the exhibits with Matt this morning. And don't let Neil into the break room. I'm still not convinced he isn't trying to steal the animals."
"Right," Andrew said. He elected to allow the conversation to die in favor of the sweet treat he'd been given while anticipating Neil's arrival. Surely, the man would show up bright and early for a look at his favorite creatures. It didn't hurt that Andrew would be the first one to catch Neil's excited smile.
𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞𓆝 𓆟 𓆞
Just as predicted, Neil was one of the first people to walk through the doors when Matt threw them open the next day. Like the fish he watched day by day, Neil's eyes darted back and forth across the lobby area. They settled on Andrew, and the tension in his posture relaxed. Watching the corner of Neil’s lips curve upward made Andrew’s fingers twitch with a longing to trace them as his heart rate picked up speed.
“You’re here early,” Neil commented as he beelined for Andrew. His stomach twisted into a knot at Neil’s approach, but it wasn’t an unwelcome feeling. Was it hotter in the aquarium than normal? He’d have to get someone to check the A/C later.
“You sound like Aaron,” Andrew replied.
Neil’s grin slipped into a disgusted grimace. “You look like him, so which of us is the real loser?” he snapped back. A smirk quickly replaced his displeased frown, reigniting the warmth in Andrew’s chest.
“At least I’m better looking,” Andrew said dryly.
Neil’s gaze flicked down Andrew’s form before returning to his face. “At least,” Neil said, nodding in agreement.
Clearing his throat to dislodge the feelings threatening to choke him, Andrew tilted his head toward the back and began walking briskly away, trusting Neil to follow. The slight breeze generated from his pace did nothing to cool the heat blazing in his cheeks.
If Neil noticed that Andrew took the long way to the invertebrates area, he didn’t mention it. Fast walking through the larger exhibits gave Andrew time to settle his racing heart—or at least have a better excuse as to why it was beating so hard in the first place.
The invertebrates area was filled with large stand-alone tanks in the middle of the walkway so guests could search for the hidden critters from different angles. They also had a handling area which consisted of a wide, open tank that allowed the aquarium staff to help guests safely handle some of the creatures while learning more about them. Once all the guests were gone at the end of the day, all creatures in the handling area were returned to their exhibits.
Andrew led Neil straight to the handling area which had already been filled with creatures. A few of their new sea cucumbers were lying on the soft, wet sand. Neil stepped up beside him, giving Andrew a front row seat to his expression. What Andrew had expected was to see Neil’s eyes shining bright with excitement. Maybe a smile to match. What he actually saw was a hard concentration as Neil’s gaze swept over the tank. A slight crease formed between Neil’s brows. It reminded Andrew of Neil's first week at the aquarium.
As Neil’s eyes reached the end of the tank, the crease in his brows smoothed. The sparkle that Andrew had been waiting for finally arrived as Neil practically fell over his own feet sidestepping to that end. Andrew caught a breathy sigh as a small smile emerged on Neil’s lips.
Coming in early was definitely worth it.
Neil reached his hands toward the water. His gaze was still focused on the sea cucumber he’d locked in on when he asked, “Can I?”
“Sure,” Andrew said. For anyone else, he would have had to get someone to recite the aquarium's rules and guidelines for handling the creatures, but he had a feeling Neil knew what he was doing.
Neil proved him right as he slowly submerged his hands in the water. He let them sit beside the sea cucumber for a moment before gently scooping it up into his hands and bringing it out of the water. He leaned forward to get a better look without holding the creature too high above the tank.
“Finally,” Neil breathed. The sea cucumber was bright red in color with small brown spots dotting its body. It lay steady in his hands. One end was moving slowly against Neil’s palm, but it showed no signs of distress.
As if remembering he wasn’t alone, Neil turned to Andrew. His eyes were practically shining.
“Thank you,” Neil said. “For everything.”
It was much too heartfelt of a thank you for simply being allowed to see a sea cucumber up close. There was something hidden behind his words, but Andrew had no idea what it could be.
“Neil,” Andrew started. He took a step forward, closing the short distance between them.
Suddenly, a translucent string shot out from the end of the sea cucumber. Its body contracted and relaxed repeatedly as more of the substance was released. Because it was no longer in the water, the gel-like substance oozed over Neil’s hands and onto the floor instead of flying out toward its source of stress. Andrew instinctively took a step back.
“Great, you made her eject her organs.” Aaron’s voice grew louder as he approached. His white lab coat flapped behind him in his hurry. His glare was set on Neil. “Now she has to go back to solitary.”
“Wait—" Neil protested, but Aaron was already scooping the creature out of his hands.
“She needs time away from the other animals to de-stress,” Aaron explained as he turned away. His glare lingered on Andrew before he scurried back into the employee’s area.
Silence settled between them as Neil stood frozen. His hands were still cupped together as if the sea cucumber were still there. He looked like a kicked puppy with a slight frown to his lips and narrowed eyes.
Andrew cleared his throat. “Bathroom,” he instructed.
As if in a daze, Neil’s nod was slow to start. He followed Andrew to the employee’s bathroom, eyes on the ground while they walked. He seemed to shake out of it a bit as he washed the sea cucumber's… defense mechanism off his hands. Andrew leaned against the sink next to him and watched as he returned to himself.
Neil had never been a chatterbox, but he was strangely quiet as they left the bathroom and walked back to the invertebrates area.
It wasn't uncommon for Neil to accompany Andrew on his rounds through the aquarium or for Andrew to take an extended break and follow Neil through their favorite exhibits. But today, the ghost of a smile lingered on Neil's lips as he offered Andrew a small wave before disappearing around the corner.
Something was definitely up. Was Neil upset that Andrew had scared the sea cucumber? Was he that interested in them? Did he feel responsible for the creature's stress response? Questions bounced around Andrew's mind like a hockey puck. They would surely prevent him from getting a decent night's sleep if he didn't get some answers. He made a mental note to find Neil before the end of the day and figure out what had happened.
Neil wasn't in the cafeteria when Andrew stopped by for lunch a few hours later. Their usual table sat neglected. Allison did a double take from Andrew to the empty table when he swiped a parfait from the display. Luckily for her, she knew better than to talk to Andrew without Neil to mediate.
For once in what seemed like months, Andrew actually did his job diligently. Without Neil's pretty face around to distract him, he carried on throughout the day doing his rounds and picking up around the aquarium. Wymack would be so proud.
Finally, the doors closed. Allison groaned as she put up the "closed" sign and stretched out her back. Arm-in-arm, she and Renee headed back to the employee area to get ready to leave. Andrew sat on one of the benches by the tropical fish exhibit and closed his eyes. A dull ache settled in the bottoms of his feet now that he was off them. The low humming of the air conditioning and the circulating water of the tanks filled his ears like white noise. As much as he used to wish he could, he couldn't stay here all night.
Mustering up his last bit of energy, Andrew stood and began his final check around the aquarium. He picked up the remaining pieces of litter from disrespectful guests and tossed them in the trash cans as he passed. Even after going through the place once more, there was still no sign of Neil. A junkie like him wouldn't normally leave before closing.
The only place Andrew hadn't checked was the employee area. Neil had never gone in there without permission, but Matt could never say no to him. They were probably lounging on the couch talking about the most recent additions to the tanks without a care in the world.
Andrew huffed out a sigh and made his way into the employee lounge. It was empty. The table that was normally covered with books, bags, and jackets was bare except for his and Aaron's things. The door to the veterinary area in the back had been left cracked open. Light spilled through to alert Andrew to Aaron's presence. Well, if Neil wasn't there, there was no reason for Andrew to stay later than he already had.
"Aaron," Andrew called out as he pushed through the door to the back rooms. "Let's g—"
Instead of finding Aaron, Andrew stumbled upon Neil—
Neil in the middle of stuffing the red sea cucumber into the large pocket of his hoodie.
"Andrew?" Aaron responded as he entered the room behind Andrew. "What the fuck—"
"Don't yell," Neil interrupted as Aaron's volume grew. He hugged the sea cucumber to his chest instead of continuing to put it in his pocket now that he'd been caught. "She's sensitive to noise."
"Let me," Andrew murmured to Aaron before turning his attention back to Neil. Using his most detached tone, Andrew said, "What the fuck."
"It's… hard to explain," Neil said. "But she doesn't belong here."
"It's an aquarium," Aaron said slowly and pointedly. "Of course she does."
"No, it's not— You don't understand—"
"Neil," Andrew interrupted. His tone remained neutral, but he caught Neil's gaze and held it. In the months they'd spent together, whenever one of them had a more serious topic to discuss, Andrew had made it a point to keep his eyes on Neil to let him know that he was listening. That he was there for him. He did the same now.
After a moment, Neil nodded. "It'll be easier to show you." Neil gently set the sea cucumber down in the large tank he was standing in front of.
Whatever Andrew had or had not been expecting Neil to reveal, Neil still somehow managed to surprise him.
"Oh, for fuck's sake—" Aaron cursed, shielding his eyes and turning his head as Neil slipped out of his jeans and tossed his hoodie on top of the pile. "I'm gonna call the cops."
"I don't want to ruin my clothes," Neil defended himself. He avoided their eyes as he stepped over the edge of the tank and into the water beside the sea cucumber. Submerging his body until only his head remained dry, Neil looked back to Andrew. "They were the first gift anyone's ever gotten me."
Thudding echoed in Andrew's chest. He cleared his throat as if to reset his heartbeat to a normal rhythm. Even watching something as strange as Neil sitting naked in a veterinary tank, Andrew couldn't help his eyes from trailing down Neil's form. Forcing his eyes back to Neil's, he cleared his heart out of his throat.
With one final breath, Neil let himself slip under the water.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, Neil's legs began to expand. They swelled like balloons and morphed together into a long, dark tail. Scars littered the leathery skin. Gills erupted around Neil's ribs and webbing grew between his fingers. In just a moment, Neil had transformed into a half-human, half-eel creature.
"You're—" Andrew paused, feeling stupid for even thinking it. Then again, the current situation left little room for impossibilities. "You're the wolf eel that disappeared."
To confirm Andrew's theory, Neil's body shifted one more time. This time, he changed into what appeared to be a regular wolf eel. No one else would have thought anything strange about his appearance.
"But— How—" Aaron stumbled over his words. His eyes had widened to twice their size as they raked over Neil's new form.
Shifting back to his half-human, half-eel form, Neil explained, "Where we come from, everyone can change forms at will."
"We?" Andrew asked.
The tip of Neil's tail nudged the sea cucumber hiding behind him. "It's okay, Katelyn," Neil said softly. "You can change if you want to. They won't hurt us."
Wriggling out from behind Neil's tail, the sea cucumber traveled to the middle of the tank. It only took a moment before the sea cucumber began shifting as well. Andrew imagined that reversing a video of a caterpillar becoming a chrysalis would be similar to what he had to witness. Out of one of the ends of the sea cucumber popped the upper half of a woman. Her lower half grew in size and extended outward, resembling her sea cucumber form more than a tail like Neil's.
Arms crossed, Katelyn bobbed the top of her head over the water. Long locks of red hair floated around her. "I know Aaron won't hurt me, but I don't know about that one," she murmured half into the water as she regarded Andrew warily and scooted closer to Neil's side.
"The sea cucumber I've been taking care of for the last month is—" Aaron started.
"Katelyn," she finished. A tinge of rouge painted her cheeks as she glanced up at him. "Thank you for caring for me."
Now, it was Aaron's turn to morph into a blushing fool. Andrew did not want to stand here and watch where this was going.
"How did you end up here?" Andrew asked Neil.
"We traveled too far from home and got caught in a trap. Next thing I knew, I was here, but we'd been separated."
"So you just hopped out of the tank and thought you could take refuge in the aquarium as a human?" Andrew asked. He raised a brow at Neil's stupidity.
Neil pursed his lips. "Thinking isn't my strong suit."
"Clearly," Andrew agreed.
Neil continued, "I just figured if I waited around long enough, I might find Katelyn."
"Then, are you two, like, a thing?" Aaron asked, glancing at the lack of distance between Neil and Katelyn.
"What thing?" Neil asked.
"Oh, gosh, no," Katelyn said quickly, wiggling her 'tail' as if to dismiss the idea. "We grew up together."
The tension Andrew hadn't realized had built in his shoulders released at the answer. He understood better than anyone what it meant to be able to find a family that would accept and take care of each other. The droop in Neil's shoulder every time he looked in a tank that first week now made sense. Everything Andrew knew about Neil fit into place now that the connecting piece had been added.
A door slamming closed made Aaron and Katelyn jump out of their skin. Andrew and Neil froze.
"Cleaning crew's here!" a voice called from the employee area. "I see someone's stuff is still here. Do you want us to wait?"
"Oh, now Seth wants to show up on time," Aaron muttered under his breath. "Uh, no!" he yelled back. "Just start in the big fish exhibit today."
"Sure," the voice called back. "That won't mess up my whole schedule." The scraping of wheels and footsteps faded into the distance as the door to the employee area swung closed.
"And that's our cue to leave," Aaron concluded. "I'll get clothes." Turning without a second glance, Aaron hurried out of the veterinary area. Lockers opened and closed as he searched for extra clothes.
"Towels," Andrew said, offering clean ones from the supply rack to Neil and Katelyn. The pair shifted to their human forms and stepped out of the tank. Water pooled on the floor around them as they quickly dried off. Neil forced his way back into his clothes despite his still-damp skin. A captivating droplet dripped down the side of Neil's neck before disappearing into his hoodie.
"Clothes," Aaron announced as he stuck the delivery through the door.
Rolling his eyes, Andrew nodded to Neil before slipping past Aaron into the employee area. He guided Neil in front of him by a gentle hand at the small of his back.
"Wait," Aaron protested. "She needs—"
"Yeah, so give it to her," Andrew said. "We'll meet you at the car."
"But—"
Aaron's voice was cut off by the closing door as Andrew followed Neil into the parking lot.
"You know that half-assed explanation won't be enough," Andrew said as he pulled a lollipop from his pocket. "You've been telling us all you had amnesia for months."
"I know," Neil answered. "I'm sorry, but you can see why I had to lie. But… if it's you, I don't think I'll mind telling my story."
There was that damn throbbing in his chest again. Andrew hummed his acknowledgement around the sweet.
"Save it for our next date." The words slipped out before he'd thought them through.
"A date, huh?" Neil asked. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "You know, wolf eels mate for life. Think you can handle that?"
Andrew huffed out a laugh. "I'm probably the only one who can."
"You might regret it."
"I don't believe in regret."
"We'll see about that," Neil challenged. His grin rose into a smirk as he snatched the lollipop from Andrew's mouth and slipped it between his own lips.
"We'll see," Andrew accepted. Even if it took his whole life, he'd show Neil he could never regret him.