His gorgeous eyes fix on me. Guilt and dismay fill the car. “I’m so sorry. It is such a lovely thing for you to do, truly it is. It’s just…I don’t know. An unfamiliar building, I think. It was busy here earlier today, it still smells of hundreds of humans.”
Instinctively, I reach for his hand, but I stop myself just in time. “It’s okay.”
Blue gives me a sad smile. “No, it’s not.”
We sit in silence. The car pings as the engine cools. There are no other sounds. No passing cars. No people. This part of the city is bustling during the day, but it’s all tourist stuff and the docks. All the restaurants and nightclubs are about a mile up the road.
“I want to go in,” says Blue suddenly.
The determined look on his face is melting my heart.
“Great!” I beam, and I quickly fumble my way out of the car before he has a chance to overthink and doubt himself.
He climbs out of the car with unnatural grace, locks it and turns to me with wide, fear-filled eyes. I hold out my hand.
“Would holding my hand help?” I ask.
He licks his lips and nods. My heart skips several beats. I take his hand. It fits nicely in my own. Soft and warm. I can feel how hard he is shaking.
I lead him around to the back door of the aquarium. I worked here for one glorious summer before HR eventually figured out that my tax number wasn’t working because my documents were fake.
Blue stops walking a few steps from the staff entrance. I turn to look back at him. He is as white as a ghost. His fear is coiling around me. Far stronger than he is letting on. My poor Blue. I wonder if he was caught for the harem by being lured into a strange building?
“Do you trust me?” I say.
His blue eyes glow as he meets my gaze. His grip on my hand tightens.
“Yes,” he whispers.
I grin as his fear drifts away and is replaced with unease.
I fish the piece of paper out of my pocket and read the code. Then I shove it back into my jeans. Blue is not ready to let go of my hand, and that’s just fine. I can do everything one handed. I tap in the code, and the door beeps softly. I shoulder it open and lead Blue inside.
The smell of warm, salty water hits me. I look over my shoulder to see Blue’s reaction. His eyes are sparkling and he is grinning. I grin back.
I practically run to the top of the main display tank, pulling Blue along with me. It’s a replica of the Great Barrier Reef. Complete with coral and hundreds of different species of fish and plants. I wish I had learned more when I was here but I mostly mopped the floors or worked the ice cream machine in the cafe.
I do know the tank is huge. From the customer side it towers floor to ceiling and makes everyone gasp when they first see it. The display is bigger than a cinema screen.
“Go on. Hop in!”
Blue gives me the most enormous grin I have ever seen and shimmies out of his clothes so fast that I nearly forget to look away.
There is a barely discernible splash, and then he is gone. I blink in surprise. Then I peer down into the tank, but it’s too choppy to see anything. So I turn and run down the stairs to the customer area, flipping the switch for the tank lights as I go.
I burst out of the staff door, into the main area. The tank looks even more stunning when all the other lights are off. I run up to the glass. I can’t see Blue.
Then he emerges from behind some pink coral, chasing a shoal of bright yellow fish. He is so beautiful in the water. He flows through it with grace and ease. He looks truly at home.
He twists and turns and starts playing with a shoal of blue fish. These ones spiral and dance around him. Blue is smiling. His face beaming. His pale hair floats around him like a halo. It’s wonderful to see him like this.
I drift closer. His gaze meets mine through the glass and he swims down to me. We are nose to nose. Only the glass separating us. I place my palm against the tank. He places his hand over mine. We smile together.
Then he swims away in an exuberant loop. And then a series of twists. I laugh. Seeing him have fun is the best thing ever.
He finishes his impressive display and then explores every nook, cranny and inch of the tank. I swear he is introducing himself to all the fish. And it looks like he makes friends with Herbie, the resident octopus.
I need to take him here again. As often as possible. I’m out of favors, but if we fix the mate bond, Steve the security guard would do anything for a blow job. I could bring Blue here at least once a week. That would be amazing.
