𝐅𝐀𝐖𝐍•ᵉ ʲᵃᵉᵍᵉʳ

45

𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝚏𝚎𝚋𝚛𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝟷𝟺𝚝𝚑

𝐖𝐄'𝐕𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒. Time stretches in the dim light of the aquarium, the glow of the exhibits casting strange shadows on the walls. My feet ache a little from all the walking, but I don't really mind. Eren seems content to take his time, stopping at every other tank to point out something interesting or crack a joke.

"You've got a serious case of fish obsession, Eren," I tease, watching as he squints at a sign explaining the mating habits of clownfish.

He glances over his shoulder, smirking. "I'm just trying to educate myself. You know, in case I ever need to blend in with the underwater world."

I snort, rolling my eyes. "Oh yeah, because being a fish is a totally reasonable backup plan."

"Hey," he says, straightening up and crossing his arms. "You don't know my life. Maybe I've always wanted to be a fish. Simple life. No taxes. No drama."

I laugh at that, shaking my head. "You? No drama? That's a stretch."

He mock-gasps, clutching his chest like I've just wounded him. "I'll have you know, I am the picture of calm and collected. It's everyone else bringing the chaos to my doorstep."

"Sure, Eren. Keep telling yourself that."

He nudges my shoulder with his, grinning. "Alright, fine. Maybe I thrive on a little chaos. Keeps things interesting."

I smile, letting the conversation drift as we approach the next exhibit. The jellyfish glow behind us as we step into a darker section of the aquarium. The lighting is faint, just enough to make out the outlines of the tanks and the flickering movement of fish inside.

"Do you remember those fish facts books they used to sell at book fairs?" I ask, breaking the quiet.

Eren glances at me, his eyebrows raised. "Of course. You're not about to tell me you had a fish phase, are you?"

I shrug, smirking. "Maybe I did. What's it to you?"

He laughs, the sound echoing faintly in the cavernous space. "Nothing, just picturing you as the kind of kid who'd make a PowerPoint presentation about sharks and demand everyone take it seriously."

"Not sharks," I correct him. "Orcas. They're cooler."

"Orcas," he repeats, a small grin tugging at his lips. "Should've guessed. Big, flashy predators. You'd definitely vibe with that."

"Damn right," I say, flipping my hair for effect.

As we approach the next tank, I realize it's the one housing the stingrays. A few glide lazily across the sandy bottom while others press themselves against the glass, their strange, flat mouths creating suction. I step closer, pressing my hands against the cool glass.

"They're so weird," I murmur, more to myself than to him. "But kind of beautiful, in a way."

Eren stands behind me, his arms crossed as he watches the rays with a thoughtful expression. "Yeah. It's like they've got their own little rhythm. Not in a hurry, not worried about anything. Just... doing their thing."