[Closed] @eidxiety🧜‍♀️🔬

[winterbolt]

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[eidxiety]

[Add is being wet and given a checkup and Ain is being treated like a king. Hilarious. There are like, six people in here while Add's gone because news spreads like crazy when you're a scientist with a phone and Add "never lies, he's too studious". Now, Ain isn't sure what the "filter" is, but he has a feeling that it's the thing he broke with the kelp that one time, and the fact that he's over by it playing with it to try getting it to suck up more kelp leaves honestly likely sells the story more. Ain is not trying to do this, he just doesn't understand the filter.

Anyway, uni makes him drool and start spinning in rapid circles despite his relatively low energy, and he gobbles it up as quick as it comes. They joke that he's not tasting it, Ain doesn't understand their words because he can only understand Add's, Ain eats his weight in uni and is a happy creature.

Of course, he wants to know if Add is okay since it's taking him a while to find new fabrics, so:]

Add??

["Aww, he's worried. What a good boy!" "Good boy!!" "He'll be back soon, he's getting a checkup."

He's. Getting a checkup?? Right now?? Is it because they're worried he would melt without the diving suit? But Ain was told humans don't melt. Hmmmm. Or did they think Ain bit him? But Ain's being given treats, so surely that's not it. Oh, maybe it's because Add's cold now that he's out of the water?]

Out?

["No, baby, only when Add says you can come out." "Maybe it's fine if he's—" "No, Add will be upset when he comes back."

Ain swims in an aimless circle and pops his head back to the surface again.]

Toy?

[Hmm. They might be able to do toy. One of the scientists disappears and comes back with a basketball, and expectedly Ain goes fucking feral because it's round and it FLOATS and no matter how hard he tries, he can't get it to not float.

This is what Add's going to come back to, is Ain swimming a basketball down to the bottom of his tank, latching on, and then letting it carry him to the top. Rinse repeat.

His coworkers are losing it. This is not a deadly creature at all, this is a Domesticated Creature and he is discovering the joy of sport.]

[dyn4m0]

[Yeah while Ain is getting uni and a basketball, Add is getting antibiotics and a tetanus shot. Other than the shock of nearly drowning, he seems to be in good health, but given that he was caught in the filter and down there with God knows what other nasty things, they can't be too careful. Add, of course, can't really argue any of this without giving up the act...so he gets vaccinated for the sake of keeping Ain safe. The things he does for this dumbass fish...

He's stuck in the doctor's office for a while because he is still coughing up water a little bit (which sells it even more) until he's given the clear to leave, though he's not going to live this down for a while. First the incident with "cutting himself" and the grate lock, and now this...and just as he's suspecting, before he heads back to his office, his boss stops him to ask that they have a meeting first thing in the morning, so THAT can't be anything good...

Whatever. He sighs and is given some spare dry clothing to change into for now before he goes back to his office, coming in to the tune of Ain floating with a basketball while his coworkers look on with delight. Yeah that sounds about right.

Ain's fine. That's all that matters, he finds himself thinking before he realizes it as he shoos everyone else out.]

Having fun?

[eidxiety]

[Ain unhinges his jaws like a snake and Tastes the basketball— oh hi Add.

He tries to set it down, but it bounces back to the top again as soon as he sets it in the sand.]

Your shaman friends [he forgot the word coworkers already, help] kept saying I'm a good boy, and they gave me yummy food today~. It was sort of yellowish and in little chunks, and very smooth texture-wise. I want more of that.

[haha ain that's expensive]

And now I have a toy! I can't bite into it~. [please do not biting the basketball]

[dyn4m0]

[PLEASE don't bite the basketball, if it pops and you cry Add doesn't know what he'll do-]

Yeah, it's because I had to make up a story that you rescued me from your tank. You saw one of my coworkers burst in my door without asking, didn't you?

[He seems pretty annoyed by that still, but if it's taught him anything, it's to start locking his damn door...though, he doubts his boss would allow that. Sighs.]

They must have given you Uni as a special treat. Don't expect to get that too often unless you've been really good, it's extremely pricey to get your hands on.

[eidxiety]

Will you drown someone in my tank so I can save them and get more uni then?

[AIN.]

They said you had to get a checkup. Is it because they were scared of you getting water damage? ["Water damage"] Or is it because they thought you'd be cold? Or is it about the "filter"? Is that the thing I put the kelp in that one time?

[Don't look now but he put more into it—]

Can I come out?

[girl the floors were just mopped]

[dyn4m0]

Oh my gooood you ask more questions than a 3 year old.

[Add groans, dragging a hand down the side of his face as he grabs his clipboard from his desk while he passes it. He'll hold up his fingers as he answers Ain's questions in rapid-fire succession.]

1) That's homicide, no, 2) They thought I nearly fucking drowned, 3) Stop jamming your filter with shit it keeps me from having to drain and clean your tank every week, and 4)-

[He presses a finger to Ain's glass. His finger squeaks as it moves a little against it.]

You got spoiled with a bunch of treats while I had to get a tetanus shot, and it's time for me to go home now anyway. I'll let you out in the morning.

["If I still have a job" goes unsaid, but he will he's just being a drama queen.]

[eidxiety]

I don't see a problem with homicide if it gets me more snacks~.

[The way everyone thought he was domesticated...

Ain does, however, look sad when it's time for Add to go home. Aww...]

Why don't you live here? I thought this was the human den? [Sloooowly sinking to the bottom of his tank now.] Okay... I'm sorry you got tethnuts. [no,] I'll miss you!! I'll see you tomorrow!! Please don't get in trouble where I can't rescue you and receive rewards for it, okay?

[You have taught this fish a bad thing—]

[dyn4m0]

Homicide is when somebody dies, Ain.

[Just casually tells him this as he packs up his things.]

This isn't where I live, this is where I work. I live in an apartment, which is a couple blocks from here. An apartment is a type of human den. And the only reason I stayed that one night was because the rain caused it to flood and we couldn't safely leave. Also I didn't "get" tetanus, I got a shot to prevent me from getting it. I'll be fine.

[...he sighs, and then turns back to Ain's tank. For as much as he's being a pissbaby about that turn of events, Ain didn't do anything wrong. To that end, he'll walk over to the tank and put his hand on the glass, looking at him for a moment before it gets embarrassing and he has to look away again.]

I'm not the one who gets into trouble. [That's a fucking lie.] And you get rewards for when you behave.

[He lingers, just for a moment.]

I'll miss you too. I guess.

[And THEN he leaves byeeee-]

[eidxiety]

I'm a good boy!!

[No, you're a food-motivated boy and that means you'll sacrifice thousands for uni, as we have just learnt. Still, Ain puts his hand on the glass against Add's and chirps out a sad string of notes.]

Okayyy...

[And then Add goes, which leaves Ain to figure out how to bury this basketball for an hour until he figures out that it will Not stay down, and he puts it in the top of his cave with the rest of his toys. Time for him to go back to being sleepy, because in case everyone forgot... he's still in heat over here. He's still lethargic because he wants to be mounted.

Luckily for everyone, his ass is going to be snoring — and I do mean snoring — when Add comes in the next morning, whenever that is.]

[dyn4m0]

[Well, Add has a meeting with his boss first thing, so that's going to have to wait a bit...he's not anticipating it to be a good meeting, since he's already got two mental strikes on his record, he's certain. Is he about to get fired, he wonders?

As he expected, he is chided for being a lot more careless as of late, though it's more out of concern for his wellbeing than anything. Like, cutting himself and also nearly drowning are pretty bad!! But fortunately, since they're not connected to any incidents with the Sirens, it's entirely on Add to fix. He'll "do better", but this also means he has to take breaks more often, which he can't stand. More breaks, more frivolous time off wasting what could be actual research time...ugh.

But then, the topic circles back around to his research speaking of, and he starts getting a little nervous when Ain is brought up in conversation. He isn't sure what she's about to tell him at first...until she mentions how much progress Ain's had with his communication and learning skills, leading her to suggest that they consider allowing Ain the opportunity to roam the facility with strict supervision. Not now while he's in heat, obviously, but afterwards. The treatment sounds like it was successful, so that will be what they do going forward for now. At least until the inevitable suggestion to put an alpha in there...

Oh boy.

Add leaves not quite sure if that meeting went well or not, if he's honest.

He goes into his office finally about an hour late to the tune of Ain snoring, which is at least better than him with his dicks out. That's the absolute last thing Add needs right now, famous last words.]

Ain...?

[eidxiety]

[Add has what we all aspire to have: a normal boss that cares about our wellbeing. Truly a normal thing to want that should be possible to achieve.

Ain's head is popped out of his cave like he might have woken up in the middle of the night and quickly fell back asleep, and he's flopped over onto his back honk mimimi-ing, so when Add enters and calls his name, he'll get to watch Ain's eyes blink open and see him excitedly flip over, try to zoom toward Add, forget where he is, and

clonk his head into the glass.

Good morning!

He rubs his noggin with both hands where he bonked himself and then settles back into the sand with his fin-wings covering himself up. This is the point where Ain coils up like a ball python in the sand.]

Hi...!!!

[His head hurts—]

[dyn4m0]

[Well that would have been cute if it weren't for Ain concussing himself!]

Ain-!!

[Add rushes forward when Ain WHOLE-ASS slams his head straight into the glass, putting both hands up against it like he might be able to phase through and check on him, or something.]

Shit, idiot-! Are you okay?

[eidxiety]

[Pat pat him head...]

Yeah, I'm okay. I have a thick skull. [i'll say] I was just excited to see you!! I'm glad you don't have diseases! And I didn't put anything in the filter.

[He promises he played with his ball and then went to bed.]

I was a good boy!! And I didn't commit homicide either. [AIN]

[dyn4m0]

Ugh.

[What is he going to fucking do with you, seriously.

Add sighs, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose for a moment as he leans back and away from the outside of the tank.]

Well, thanks for not breaking the filter while I was gone, I guess.

[He throws up one hand as he turns to the supply cabinet to grab Ain's food bucket. He's going to give him chicken today, so he can have more bones to chew on and keep himself busy with. Something leaner after all that fatty uni yesterday.]

This is important, so listen up. My boss has floated the idea that we might be able to let you explore the facility in a couple weeks, provided you're with me the whole time and you behave. Do you think you're capable of that?

[eidxiety]

[But he wants more fatty foods... Like uni and the red meat... He craves grease... Lipids... Lard—]

I get to explore? Outside?

[??? He has been such a good boy they're gonna let him walk in the HALLWAY]

Okay! I can be good! I'll stay with you the whole time and I won't wander off or get lost or steal anyone's food!! Do I have to wear fabrics so I look like a human?

[you have to wear fabrics because you have a visible genital slit and you can't rub your bare asshole on the furniture.]

[dyn4m0]

Not outside outside, but outside in the hall of the facility, yeah.

[Babe Ain hardly knows "outside outside" by now, he's been in this facility for so long. He SHOULD be in the ocean right now, and that is the plan, but Ain may have long since crossed the threshold of being unreleasable, considering his attachment to Add.

There's a few dull thuds as he upends a container of semi-thawed chicken thighs onto the table to be quartered and slid into the bucket waiting nearby as he continues.]

I don't know yet, but they'll probably put something around you just so you're not walking around completely naked for hygienic purposes. It's not going to be happening for a while.

[Meaning, not until your heat's over.]

[eidxiety]

Okay. I'm excited! I want to see stuff. Will you show me your human den? Is that too far?

["A couple blocks" means nothing to him. Sirens measure distance in tailfin lengths. If Add had said "500 tailfins" Ain would know exactly where his house is.]

Will you show me where humans keep the food too? No reason~

[do Not buy this]

[dyn4m0]

Where I live is outside of the facility entirely, so no. You've only been given permission to go out of your tank into the hallway, as far as I've been told.

[Maybe a little further, if Ain behaves? Everyone seems to love him so honestly who knows at this point.]

And I wasn't born yesterday. I'm not showing our food stores to a Siren who has learned how to open cabinets and break locks, but nice try.

[Time for chicken though!]

[eidxiety]

But I'm a good boy~.

[Why are you soooo sassy lately, what's in the water??

Chicken time means Ain at least conjures the energy to lay flat under where the food is dropped and eat as things come down. He's not chasing today because got the sleepies, but he's definitely catching the chicken as it falls down and shoving entire chunks in his mouth at once.

Nom, nom.]

[dyn4m0]

You're spoiled is what you are.

[Add says as he crouches by the water's edge, watching as Ain lazily grabs the meat as it floats down to him. If Ain didn't love food so much, he thinks he'd be snubbing this chicken and demanding Uni instead.]

Being in your own tank like this ain't so bad when you're getting pampered all day.

[eidxiety]

Hehe, and I get you to myself~.

[This fish is brazenly flirting with you Add, what will you do?

Nom nom. yeah, if Ain wasn't so food driven he would've complained about the lack of uni. You've spoiled him. He's become the lab baby and will soon have a social media account where he does tricks for views if people aren't careful. Like a seal.

Nom.]

I guess I don't need to socialize all the time if you come back all the time.

[Add's boss voice: please god take a break]

[dyn4m0]

[He will turn red about it, that's what he'll do. Fuck's sake...

Add huffs as he finishes dumping the meat into the water, putting the bucket aside while he watches Ain grab things with his noodles to shove into his mouth. Honestly he's already well on his way to being that...the moment he starts doing tricks for treats its all over.]

I guess...but the point isn't to keep you away from the Pod or anything. I have you here so I can study you.

[eidxiety]

Am I a fun study? Right now I'm a sleepy study. Do you like watching me sleep?

[This is a wholly innocent question, but laced with the flirting, likely sounds a bit worse than intended.

Nom.]

I'll be better when the heat wears off. I always get tired this time of year.

[dyn4m0]

Well, yeah.

[..............wait he didn't mean it like that]

You're...you've been a good specimen to study, is what I mean. You aren't aggressive to the point of being difficult to work with, but not so docile that I can't document your behaviors properly. Documenting your behaviors during the heat is part of it, so it's whatever.

[eidxiety]

I don't like being mean. The humans who picked me up and were playing with us on the beach were so nice. One of them gave me some kind of dry, chewy meat. They put rectangular shaped objects under the fins of my old pod and sent them on their way, but I kept following the humans because they were interesting. I like humans because you guys have lots of food and you walk funny~.

[Ain you have the gait of a toddler, what the fuck.]

You have boring colours though. Do you wear fabrics because you aren't very colourful? You don't have scales, so you must be jealous~.