Curtisson: The Mermaid & The Mafia

Chapter 4: A Somewhat Domestic Moment

Over the next few weeks, I taught Sven English when I wasn't at work and he was a very fast learner. I let him use my Crunchyroll account and he couldn't get enough of My Hero Academia, Naruto and Inuyasha.
He would just curl up with his shark plush on the bed and my laptop plugged in, binging anime while I'm gone. What made him even cuter was how he'd greet me with a big smile when I got home.

I was in the board room one day, listening to the higher-ups talk about heists and valuables. Board out of my mind, I started sketching in my notebook without looking at the page. Glancing down, the page is full of nothing but drawings of Sven! I blush and quickly close the book, covering it with both hands.
"Burt!" Reginald addresses me.
"Uh, yes?" I hesitantly reply.
"Do you have any ideas?"
"Um..." I flip through my notes. Avoiding the pics of Sven. "M-Maybe an exotic pet? Like, endangered species. I remember this article about a white tiger that was recently rescued by poachers." I reach for my laptop. Forgetting I left it with Sven.
"Ooh. A tiger pet! That'll be interesting. And in the realm of possibility, Gene. Like seriously, have you ever seen a mermaid in real life?!"
The mermaid part caught me off guard. "M-Mermaid?!"
"Don't mind it, Curtis. The tiger! Gather our best cat lovers and pull off that heist!" The Chief said. Giving me a pleased grin and patting me on the shoulder. "Everyone dismissed. Except you, Curtis."
Everyone leaves except me, Reginald and RightHand.
"As promised, we won't send you into the field for helping us with this discussion. However, I noticed you weren't... All here. Is everything alright?"
"Yes, sir. Just a bit tired. Restless sleep and all." If I did. Sven tends to nibble in his sleep.
"I see. Well, maybe a coffee would help instead of drawing during the meeting." Shit. Did the Chief see my drawings of a cute mershark?
"Sorry, sir. It won't happen again." I bow.
"Dismissed." And with the Chief's permission, I exit the office.
"Phew." I hope he didn't expect anything like, I'm harbouring a mythical creature in my room.
I gaze at the clock. "Shit! I'm late! Did the meeting really go that long?!" I sprint as fast as I can to get home. 7 o'clock. Sven must be hungry. Can he even cook food?
Carol meets me at the doors. "Hey, how's that guest of yours?"
"He's doing fine." I avoid eye contact.
Carol "So how long is his stay?"
"Not sure. Sorry, Carol. But I gotta get home." I attempted to shuffle around her but she blocks my way.
"Burt, your boyfriend is in danger if he stays much longer."
I go beet red. "HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!" Shit that was way too loud.
Carol takes a moment to process my volume. "Uh, hu... Well, whoever he is to you, he needs to either accept life in the mafia or find a hotel. If he doesn't, he may be charged as an accessory to our crimes."
"I get it, Cross. I'll talk to him later." I say, crossing my fingers in the pocket of my hoodie.
Carol nods, steps aside and then I head home for the day.

Join the Toppats? Sven can't do that. If they find out he's a mermaid, all they'll do is display him for 'guests' to see. And then, what if those... Scientists come to try and get him back promising more mermaids. I don't know. No one can find out Sven's secret. I won't let it get out. I have to protect him! But there's no way he can survive out there on his own even with me teaching him stuff. But I have to let him go, don't I? I love his company. But if he gets hurt it's because of me, I'd never forgive myself.

__________________________________________________________

I arrive home and there he was, at the door with his shark-toothed twinkle.
"Burt!" He beams.
"Hey, Sven. What anime did you watch today?" I remove my hoodie and put it on the coat rack to my left.
"Naruto. Oh, look! I make ramen!" He held up a messy bowl of noodles with sliced eggs still with the shell on it and... Is that a chicken nugget? "I try to make ichiraku ramen but I think I mess up."
I peer at the kitchen, now a complete Hurricane disaster area. I focus my view back on Sven. "Well, you left the shell on the egg. You're supposed to peel it before cutting it and that's the chicken nugget." Wait, he used a knife?! I glance down at his bandaged hands. "You used a knife!? Are you hurt?" Did I teach him first aid? No. Maybe the scientists did.
"I am ok." Sven looked down.
I sigh. "Ok. So you're about to eat now?"
Sven shook his head "this one is for you. I ate mine."
"Oh! ... Alright then. I'll just heat it up first. Thank you." I take the noodles and Sven overflows with joy, his cheeks turning pink. I put the noodles in the microwave for 30 seconds and look at the rest of the kitchen. "This is gonna take a while to clean up."
Sven looked down "Sorry."
I raise his head "Hey, it's ok! We can clean it together after I eat, alright?"
Sven blushed "Alright."
I lean in a little closer. Ding! Food's done warming up, snapping me out from pre-maturely kissing a mermaid.
I take out the ramen and grab a pair of chopsticks. "Itadakimas," I say with a few noodles in the air. He used a pack of Mr.Noodles. But what flavour? I put it in my mouth and cringe. He used way too much water, I can't even taste the flavour pack. Plus he soaked them for a lot longer than I do. "Mmm! Great job on your first try."
His glow justified my white lie.
I finished the bowl with a huff. "I'll make you ramen next time."
Sven beamed "ok!" He grabbed a wet cloth to wipe down the counter, forgetting what happens when he touches the water and tumbles to the floor.
"Sven!" I help him out of the kitchen to dry up.
"Whoops." He looks embarrassed. His tail moved gracefully from side to side.
I couldn't stop myself from touching it. It felt smooth, cold and somehow wet. Sven twitched at my warm hand caressing the exposed underbelly of his tail. I quickly take my hand away. "S-Sorry! Uh... Let's get you dried up."
I go to find a towel in the hallway closet when I hear footsteps. Shit. It's Leprechaun! I sprint back to dry Sven's tail.
Click! "Burt! Ya home yet?"
I grab the blanket from the couch and cover Sven's tail.
"What happened in the kitchen!?" My roommate exclaims.
"Sorry, Leo! I was just about to start cleaning up." I rush over to stop him from going into the living room.
"K. Well, I'm gonna use the bathroom real quick. You're guest still here?" Leprechaun asked.
"Yeah." Why do they feel like they have to keep asking that?
"K. BRB." Leo heads to the bathroom and Burt checks to see Sven fully dried and huddled in Leprechaun's blanket.
"Can you put that back on the couch please?" I ask Sven.
He nods and gets up, laying the blanket where it used to be, while I start wiping down counters and putting used utensils and bowls in the dishwasher.

Sven and Leo were watching Demon Slayer when I finished the kitchen. They seem to be getting along.
"You really like anime, eh?" I approach the couch, sitting beside Sven. A weaboo mershark-man. Adorable.
He nods "Ja! Leo is introducing me to demon slayer. Kind of scary. But still pretty."
I can't help but chuckle.
"So Burt. You guys got any plans?" Leo joins in.
"Oh... Uh... I was thinking of taking a walk through the park with Sven. If you want to that is." I look at the blonde.
He nods, "Sounds nice!"
"Alright then. After your walk, might stop by the store for some of that cereal you got last time? I finished it off this morning." My roommate loves that cinnamon and marshmallow cereal.
"Sure. I'll grab two this time." I assure him, getting up from my seat and Sven follows me to my bedroom.
He picks out a gray long sleeve and dark blue t-shirt from the few let him wear, as I change out of my dress shirt and into my favourite orange turtleneck sweater.
I see him fiddling with the collar of his shirt as if there's something on his mind.
"Is there something wrong?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "No. Nothing's wrong. Just feeling nervous."
"It's ok. Nothing will happen to you on a simple walk, alright? I got you." I hold his hands, assuring him that I will keep him safe. He tackles me with a hug and causes me to blush uncontrollably, but I hug back.

The walk was lovely and silent except for the distant sound of traffic.
Sven loved to see the trees, squirrels and birds going about their lives in this little well-kept forest. "Burt?" He pauses in an empty clearing on the trail. No other humans around.
"Yes? What is it?"
"I want to thank you, for everything you have done for me. You have me a place to stay, you taught me English, and you teach me about the surface world!" He fiddles with the shirt collar again.
"It's the least I can do for saving my life." I flash him a kind smile.
His checks turn pink and he smiles in return. "I... Was scared of humans before meeting you. I came onto shore because I wanted to learn about you. Burt, I..." He took a deep breath. "I want to be with you! I-I love you!"
I was speechless. He... Love's me? "You... Love... You're saying you want to... Be my boyfriend?"
He nods like a shy schoolgirl.
Carol's words echo in my head, "he needs to either accept life in the mafia or find a hotel." I have to tell him. I can't hide it forever.
"I... I love you too." He beams for joy. "But there's something you need to know about me first." I can't stop myself from averting my gaze. "Sven. I'm a criminal. I work for a group of dangerous thieves by helping them commit tax fraud. I don't want you to be an accomplice to this mafia I work for, but..."
"Then I'll join!"
"...what? But if they find out you're a..."
"I'll be ok with you looking out for me. Ja?"
"Well, y-yes but... Are you sure? This means stealing for the bosses, killing if necessary for the Toppats."
Sven holds me tight. "I would do anything to be with you."
I wrap my arms around him. "Ok. If this is what you want then I'll talk with the chief. But stay away from water ok?"
"Ok." He accepts these terms. "So... Will you be my boyfriend?"
I look him in the eyes and smile ear to ear. "Yes. Yes, I'll be your boyfriend." I lift his chin to meet his lips and we shared a tender kiss.

To be continued...