[Closed] @eidxiety🧜‍♀️🔬

[winterbolt]

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[dyn4m0]

[..........................

Add stares at Ain like he's grown a second head, barely registering the rest of what he says because as soon as he says "mated", the rest of it just kindof blurs into a single, run-on sentence.]

Mated.

[eidxiety]

Mmhm! We're mates~. Did that do anything weird to you by the way? Does my natural scent smell bad...?

[He is chewing on this steak bone now. Mmmmm marrow taste...]

[dyn4m0]

[And just like that, Add is closing his laptop because there's no fucking way he's doing any work right this second. He's taking his break early because he needs to talk to his fish.]

I- hang on a second! When we....last night...

[Add looks back at the door, just briefly, before leaning closer to the tank and whispering, as if anybody would even be able to understand them if they did overhear.]

You didn't mention anything about mating! I mean- fuck, I know we technically mated, but it was just to help you with your heat!

[eidxiety]

[Technically, talking to his fish IS part of work. It's not a break! Legally! As far as anyone knows—

Ain looks a little dejected for a moment, headfins drooping.]

Yeah I did... I said I wanted to mate with you and you said yes...

[:( :( :( :( :( ]

I guess we don't have to... but you're gonna have to find me a different mate if you want it gone.

["It was just to help you with your heat"... okay. Ain sadly swims off back to his den to go lay down. Goodbye he's going to start building up the mud in front of his den now, he doesn't want to talk to you.]

[dyn4m0]

[Ain turns away, swimming off to his den so he can wall himself off inside of it. That prompts Add to put his laptop aside, walking up to the tank so he can put his hands against the glass.]

Wait! We need to talk about this! Ain!

[He was already feeling overwhelmed and more than a little manic about the concept that he's fucking falling for a fish, so it's understandable that he'd freak out a little learning that he's actually mated, like...on a more permanent, serious level with Ain. He didn't know that's what it meant, and Ain clearly didn't realize that Add didn't know.

Even still...he grits his teeth, his hands tensing against the glass.]

You're putting words in my mouth! I never said I-

[Didn't want to-]

I didn't say anything, but I need you to explain to me exactly what we did last night. We don't have as clear of an understanding of your mating behaviors as you do!

[eidxiety]

[Ain is flat behind a one-sixths-built sand wall. Add getting up to follow him to the back of the tank gets him to at least pop his head out, but he definitely looks depressed now. Maybe he took it a bit too hard (he did) but in his mind it's hard not to when things were agreed upon... well, misunderstandings are misunderstandings, so he supposes he can explain.]

You at least understand something since you tried to get me to mate with a female!!

[Ain that's just. Obligate heterosexuality. Every creature on this planet has that.]

And you understood that I wanted to have eggs even though I never voiced that! [yeah okay gottem.] ...it's mating, I don't know how else to explain it. That's why we bite. We don't bite people we're not mated with, or don't intend to mate with. It's not exactly a forever thing if someone wants to end it, but we'd need to find a new mate. I can trace your scent since it's changed to match mine slightly... I don't know! I don't know how you want me to talk about it. You gave me a mating bite too, you know. I thought you knew.

[dyn4m0]

[Add listens...and after a moment, his shoulders drop a little, his hands still pressed against the glass.]

I did?

[If it helps Ain at all, the tone of his voice is genuine. It sounds like he really didn't know. Or at least, didn't understand the full extent of what he was getting himself into.]

I. ...look. I'm.

["A human. We can't be mates. It's my job to study you, not to fuck you."

It'd be easy to cut this off here and now and go back to doing his job. Maybe find Ain an actual Siren he can be with. But just as the words dance on the tip of his tongue, he can't bring himself to say them.

Why?]

...I don't get it. I'm not a Siren...I can't give you what another Siren can. I can't live in your tank or give you eggs, so why...

[eidxiety]

[When Ain blows a raspberry out of exasperation, a stream of bubbles comes flying out. Great. Cool. Bet that made him look awesome—]

You really don't listen, huh? How many times do I have to tell you I like humans? I think you're interesting. The rest of my pod went back to the sea, and I followed you guys. I like this place. Yes, the tank is too small, but I don't mind, because I get lots of food, there's no trash in the water, there's no boats with their scary loud sounds and choppy parts, [the motor,] there's no sharks to hunt us... I don't like the checkups, but I still like humans. I like you. And humans have all this interesting stuff, so I like it here.

[Huffs.]

I don't care if you're a human or a siren. I like you. I wouldn't want to be mated to you if I didn't. I wouldn't have let you near me at all during the first part of my heat if I didn't like you. I told you I wanted you to mount me then, too, and you said you wanted to do the same... It wasn't about anything other than me liking you and wanting to mate with you, which I said I did when I asked you to.

It must be difficult being stupid. [Ain this is NOT how you confess to someone.]

[dyn4m0]

[For what it's worth, Add listens. He's quiet, because he needs to hear it again. Even the parts he's already heard more than once. Because it's not that he never listened, it's just that he couldn't believe it. He's never had...anyone claim to like him as much as Ain does, human, Siren, or no. It's not Ain's fault he has problems, hangups that are honestly completely divorced from the fact he's a Siren. Yes, that's part of it, but...there's more wrong with him than just having issues with dating a fish.

Exhaling deeply, Add lets his forehead rest against the tank glass. Thank god the cameras don't have any tapes in them currently, so they physically can't record any of this happening now.]

...I did. I meant that.

[His eyes drift half closed, looking at Ain through the water even if Ain isn't looking back.]

I'm not supposed to feel the way I do about you. I could lose my job. They could take me away. [He says this since he doesn't think Ain would understand "get arrested".] But I still...want to be with you. I just don't know how to make it work.

[eidxiety]

...I guess we just lie a lot? I dunno... I don't want you to get taken somewhere. Where would they take you? I could probably sniff you out...

[To the board of ethics to get his license revoked definitely. Unless they can reinforce the idea in society that Sirens are very much sentient... even then, it's a race battle waiting to happen. People already are racist to their own kind, who's to say they wouldn't flip the fuck out over a human and a siren, even if the sentience was proven? Even if Ain could singlehandedly teach all of them how to talk to humans, they wouldn't like it either.

Mmm...

He rolls onto his back and huffs.]

Lying is probably easiest, though, I guess. I don't know the logistics of these things.

[dyn4m0]

...but you understand now, right? Why I was surprised.

[He doesn't mean to be a dick, nor does he mean to shoot Ain down or hurt his feelings. It's not so easy as being like "yeah I'd love to be mates with you", even if just that thought alone makes his heart want to burst out of his chest. Not in a bad way, either. It's a matter of being able to stay with Ain as he is, but also continue working as a Marine Biologist. That's still his dream as much as anything else, after all.]

I've studied to be a Marine Biologist for most of my twenties. And my goal has always been to learn more about Sirens and try to understand your culture and society. A lot of people still don't want to see you as actual free-thinking creatures, which makes things suck even more.

[If he were honest, he kindof wishes he could just take the day off, pretend to go home sick, and then get in Ain's tank and curl up in his den and pass out for 12 hours under the water. That sounds nice.]

They wouldn't understand it if they knew. They'd take me...someplace far from here. We'd definitely never see each other again.

[...]

Lying...is the only option.

[eidxiety]

...but I'm very fast. [No,] I can lie, though. I'm good at lying! And the other humans don't understand me, so that makes it easier to lie. I just have to act cute and dumb and they'll bring me whatever I want.

[Is it obvious that Ain is manipulating the hell out of these people right now solely so he can attain material wealth (toyes) (snacke) (bluetooth speaker)??]

Besides, I'll just eat them if they try to take you anywhere~.

[dyn4m0]

[That...gets Add to scoff, in spite of himself.]

Yeah. Just act cute and dumb...

[He knocks his forehead against the glass again before opening his eyes once more, peering at Ain where he's still half hidden behind his dirt mound.]

And don't eat my coworkers unless they do something to deserve it. Got it?

[eidxiety]

I don't have to act cute if I am cute~.

[Girl!]

Give your coworkers a list of my demands. [Oh now you're just laying it on thick.] I want more toys, I want uni, I want the "phone" that plays music, and I want to be patted lots. And I want a bigger tank and pet eels. Little ones. Otherwise I'll take bites out of them~.

[He says all of this dramatically with his fingertips splayed over his chest, like. Girl you are ??? fucking stupid.]

[dyn4m0]

Yeah not happening. If I just tell them you want all that they'll be like "how do you know?" and I'll have to say "Oh because I can just understand him now, don't ask why".

[Add...sighs, but he's inwardly relieved to see Ain in a better mood. Good enough for bantering, which is better than him sulking in his hide away from him.]

I'll talk to my supervisor about your tank, though. That's something we've wanted to work on anyway after mating season.

[Speaking of mating season...Add's expression falls a little, and after a moment he sinks into a sit on the floor, his hands still resting on the tank glass.]

Are you still mad at me?

[eidxiety]

[Shimmies closer to the glass on his back like a freak—]

Not if you tell me you still wanna mate with me and that you like me again~. And say that I'm pretty.

[He is looking at Add upside-down. This is why people think he's stupid.]

[dyn4m0]

When did I ever say I didn’t like you, dumbass?

[Add knocks on the glass in that way they tell you not to do because it disorients the fish. Get knocked on idiot.]

…and shouldn’t the fact I still… want to mate with you… be obvious?

[…

……]

You’re lucky you’re pretty.

[eidxiety]

[It works, the fish is disoriented and has to flip over while holding his head as though he just saw fireworks up close. Ouehghg... horts...]

Nooo, you have to say it properly. That you think I'm pretty or cute or hot. Or that you love how soft my hair is or how my glow organs look or that you like kissing me. Something like that. And then I won't be mad at you~.

[dyn4m0]

[You're really gonna make him say it, huh...

Add purses his lips, looking a little put-out...but after a moment, he'll mutter in a voice that's just barely audible.]

I think you're cute.

[eidxiety]

YAAAAAY!!

[Ain swims up to the glass and kisses right where Add's lips would theoretically be if he leaned down, makes a dramatic MWAH! as he parts, and then flits off to go do??? something.

Dig a hole and bury more breakfast bones in it, clearly.

They might have to clean his cage soon, the bone and dead kelp leaf storage is getting out of hand. It's not like these things are gonna biodegrade in here...]

[dyn4m0]

[Add makes a sort of disgruntled, embarrassed sound as Ain MWAHS the glass, shaking his head as he swims off, satisfied by something so simple as that...

Whatever. This is going to be his life now, and over the coming days, he's going to have to figure out some way to come to terms with the fact that he fully went off the deep end and mated with a Siren. He'll just have to make sure he takes this to his grave. Surely that won't be hard, even though he literally works in a facility that works on conservation and rehabilitation for the species.

Totally easy. Totally doable.

Add tries to lay low as the week wears on. In his next meeting, he floats the idea of giving Ain a bigger tank when it's mentioned his needs a deep clean, both for more space for him to swim around, and also so he can be more easily studied. Somehow, this causes a coworker to suggest that the extra space would make room for another Siren to be introduced to Ain's tank, for companionship and mating purposes, but Add manages to steer them away from that idea for now given how stressed out Ain was the last time they introduced a Siren (female) to his tank. They'll revisit this idea when his next heat rolls around, he says.

It's going to buy some time, at least for now.

Fortunately, getting Ain a new tank falls neatly during the same time he's been allotted for exploring the facility. Add is already prepared for it mid next-week as he comes into his office, and instead of giving Ain his breakfast immediately, he goes straight to the top of the tank to open the grate.]

Alright, it's time to let you out. I need you to listen to everything I tell you while you're in the open facility, got it?

[eidxiety]

[Ain has been a good boy all week (read: he has been himself and that means he fluctuates from being a good boy to being an evil boy who rings when he wants attention and asks the scientists to bring him more toys). But the tank gets to a state where it's a little yucky, and this starts to limit his bath spots since he keeps burying trash expecting it to just. Degrade. Like how it does in nature. Mmmm. He isn't understanding why this isn't working...

Anyway, the week passes and his heat ends with Add thank God, and so when it's time to be let out, Ain tries wiggling out of the tank like he did last time Add sat there and "let" Ain lay on him. He is letting Himself out thank you very much.]

I'm a good listener~.

[This may be true, but he is also Creature and he is also too fucking curious for his own good.]

[dyn4m0]

Good. So you're going to stay by me, right? You're not going to wander off?

[Add asks this as Ain lets himself out of the tank, waiting until he's properly flopped up onto the platform before he pulls the grate back over the top. Since they'll be removing this tank completely, it'll be pumped empty of water soon, and then they'll be able to clean and replace it with the new one. If it ends up taking longer than a day like Add thinks it might, they can just put Ain in a temporary tank in another room. They might be able to even put him back with the Pod temporarily if he wants...]

[eidxiety]

[That pod is gonna be like "you're mated to the human???" And Ain's gonna have a lot to explain. They should put him in with the seals—]

I won't wander off!

[This is a fucking lie and neither of them know it yet.]

But do I get to lead? I want to see the things I haven't seen, and only I know what things are.

[He legs up, then scrambles down the platform as usual. He knows he has to be somewhat dressed for this, so he stands there politely waiting for Add to Pants him. Maybe even labcoat him. It's gonna be difficult with his fat tail in the way but surely Add's thought of something?]

[dyn4m0]

[Although a lab coat isn't a bad idea, Add's boss had a better one. As Ain stands there waiting to be pantsed, he will be scrub'd instead. They managed to buy a pair of scrubs that fit Ain well enough (they're just slightly big), meaning the back is open so his tail can fit through. Of course, that also means if he bends aaall the way over you will in fact see hole but it's fine he just has to make sure Ain doesn't do that-

He fits the scrubs onto him, tying it off backwards as it tends to go, then looks Ain over once before humming in approval.]

As long as you stay in front of me where I can see you. But you can't go outside, and don't open doors unless I say you can. There are some rooms you can't go into.