The man behind the ticket counter looked familiar. But, no matter how hard Ryan racked his brain, he couldn’t pin where he knew him from.
Did we go to high school together? What if he recognizes me? What if he recognizes Dani??
Ryan and Dani were in line at the aquarium when he noticed the guy. He was definitely around their age, and if Ryan wasn’t seeing things, had looked over at them a few times.
No, this is what happened last time. He shook away the feeling as best he could. He isn’t staring at me. He’s probably just looking at how long this line is and hating his job. And if he WAS staring at me, I wouldn’t even care.
Standing incredibly close to Ryan was Dani. She was wearing a green sweater and jeans, along with her now-usual makeup. One look at her and Ryan’s worries were dispelled… For a moment.
He wondered how long she had been practicing with it to make it look good. Throughout high school there had been rumors that “Danny” was gay. Did someone see “him” buying makeup way back then? Though if she had been practicing that long, why did it always take her an hour to get ready? And that wasn’t including time to shower. He did have to give her some credit. That morning she had gotten ready noticeably faster than usual.
Ryan also wondered if Dani would ever wear women’s clothes. She looked fine in the androgynous outfits she currently favored, but it was hard for him to deny that she could look even cuter if she dressed more femininely. As soon as he had the thought, he shuddered.
I sound like my dad, again.
Memories of his father telling one of his girl cousins to stop ‘dressing like a boy’ played in Ryan’s head. He was growing sick of the constant invasion of his mind.
The line moved forward.
***
Everything was blue, and Dani couldn’t keep a smile off her face. Tanks of water everywhere, kids and families dressed in clothes from the gift shop walking from place to place, and they hadn’t even left the lobby. It was better than she imagined.
A date with Ryan at the aquarium! When he first suggested it, she agreed without any hesitation. Spending the whole day with Ryan, in a calming and educational place, with tons of cute sea critters everywhere? Was it heaven?
She did make a mental note that it was another place he wouldn’t be expected to see anyone he knows. Still, it was hard for her to care.
They had finally made it inside and gotten their tickets. Dani prepared herself to go through the big doors to the good stuff. The lobby had some tanks with a couple of small fish but it wasn’t worth checking them out compared to what they would see inside.
“What do you want to see first?” Ryan finally said. He had spent the entire wait in line dead silent.
The question he asked was impossible for Dani to answer. Choosing between watching the otters swim belly-up, the seahorses cling to little pieces of kelp to stop from floating away, or getting to pet the stingrays? He was insane for thinking she could make that decision.
Normally she didn’t care even close to that much about ocean animals. The whole day was a struggle to not let on how nervous she was about her first “real” date with Ryan. Sure they had gone to coffee shops and restaurants together, but that was just hanging out! This was the first time either of them had labeled an outing as a date. It all made her too excited to sleep the night before, which she remedied by spending the entire night by looking up marine biology facts. Or more accurately, cute otter videos.
“What do you want to see first?” She asked back at him.
As Ryan scanned the map on the wall, Dani crept closer to him. All day she had wanted to hold his hand, or have his arm around her. She knew her being clingy was what caused so much trouble at the party but she couldn’t help it. After that night where they cuddled and watched a movie, she found herself craving that feeling again, more and more. As if getting a taste of what it felt like to not be alone had intensified her loneliness in hard times.
I need a sign from him that it’s okay. Literally anything. That way nobody can say I’m clingy!
A single glance at Ryan had her nerves flare up.
He looks so dumb and cute when he’s thinking.
His arms were big and strong and safe, all thanks to the years he put in at the gym. Not to mention his hands, rough and–
“...Does that work?” Ryan asked. He was no longer looking at the map.
Dani would have noticed if she wasn’t once again checking out her roommate. “Oh! Right, yeah that’s fine,” she said.
Why do I keep doing this? I know what he looks like, we’ve lived together for months! And now I have no idea what we’re even seeing first, great.
As embarrassed as she was, she was still smiling.
“Everything okay?” Ryan asked. He started to walk toward the mystery location he decided on.
I wish I could tell him how much I want to jump on him right here in front of all the fish. Fuck, why do I have to be so needy? No wonder he got upset with me.
“Yeah!” she said. “Just… Like, umm–”
Ryan held out his hand and smiled. “We can hold hands, if that’s what you want.”
Before she could find a way to mess it up, Dani’s hand accepted.
This really is heaven.
“Now come on,” Ryan said. “We have some fish to stare at.”
He led her to the large doors that held all the real fish. Just as she remembered from the night they watched that movie, the skin on his hands was tough and scratchy. She loved it. It was proof of how hard he worked, both in the warehouse and at the gym. How determined he was to accomplish what he wanted that he would let his body pay the toll. The power he held despite choosing to be gentle with her and lead her through a bunch of fish tanks, all to make her happy. Of course, he could still use a skincare routine. Dani thought about how she could bring it up with him later.
An older man ahead of them opened one of the big doors, giving them time to enter behind him. As they approached, he turned and noticed them.
“Here,” the man said. He held open the door allowing Ryan and Dani into the main aquarium.
“Thank you!” Dani said. His help meant Ryan could keep holding her hand. And she really didn’t want to let go of his hand.
“No problem,” the old man said. His voice was deep and shaky, as one would expect from someone as elderly as him. It reminded her of the only thing she liked about church growing up: strangers being nice to her. She tried not to think of how those same people would view her nowadays, though.
“You two have a nice date now, okay?” He said wish a small, shaky wave. “It’s nice to see your generation out having fun like this.” With that, he walked toward a larger group of people who seemed to be waiting for him. His family, Dani assumed.
“You have a nice day too,” Ryan said.
Dani definitely liked the old man after that.
He thinks we’re on a date!
...
Wait, we are. We’re literally holding hands, what else would he think?
It was still hard for her to believe the situation she was in.
“Alright, the sharks are to the left,” Ryan said, tugging on her arm.
Of course he wants to see the sharks first. He’s so cute.
Dani happily followed him.
Announcement Get instant access to the next four chapters on my Patreon! It also lets you vote in polls that will affect future chapters and stories~
The man behind the ticket counter looked familiar. But, no matter how hard Ryan racked his brain, he couldn’t pin where he knew him from.
Did we go to high school together? What if he recognizes me? What if he recognizes Dani??
Ryan and Dani were in line at the aquarium when he noticed the guy. He was definitely around their age, and if Ryan wasn’t seeing things, had looked over at them a few times.
No, this is what happened last time. He shook away the feeling as best he could. He isn’t staring at me. He’s probably just looking at how long this line is and hating his job. And if he WAS staring at me, I wouldn’t even care.
Standing incredibly close to Ryan was Dani. She was wearing a green sweater and jeans, along with her now-usual makeup. One look at her and Ryan’s worries were dispelled… For a moment.
He wondered how long she had been practicing with it to make it look good. Throughout high school there had been rumors that “Danny” was gay. Did someone see “him” buying makeup way back then? Though if she had been practicing that long, why did it always take her an hour to get ready? And that wasn’t including time to shower. He did have to give her some credit. That morning she had gotten ready noticeably faster than usual.
Ryan also wondered if Dani would ever wear women’s clothes. She looked fine in the androgynous outfits she currently favored, but it was hard for him to deny that she could look even cuter if she dressed more femininely. As soon as he had the thought, he shuddered.
I sound like my dad, again.
Memories of his father telling one of his girl cousins to stop ‘dressing like a boy’ played in Ryan’s head. He was growing sick of the constant invasion of his mind.
The line moved forward.
***
Everything was blue, and Dani couldn’t keep a smile off her face. Tanks of water everywhere, kids and families dressed in clothes from the gift shop walking from place to place, and they hadn’t even left the lobby. It was better than she imagined.
A date with Ryan at the aquarium! When he first suggested it, she agreed without any hesitation. Spending the whole day with Ryan, in a calming and educational place, with tons of cute sea critters everywhere? Was it heaven?
She did make a mental note that it was another place he wouldn’t be expected to see anyone he knows. Still, it was hard for her to care.
They had finally made it inside and gotten their tickets. Dani prepared herself to go through the big doors to the good stuff. The lobby had some tanks with a couple of small fish but it wasn’t worth checking them out compared to what they would see inside.
“What do you want to see first?” Ryan finally said. He had spent the entire wait in line dead silent.
The question he asked was impossible for Dani to answer. Choosing between watching the otters swim belly-up, the seahorses cling to little pieces of kelp to stop from floating away, or getting to pet the stingrays? He was insane for thinking she could make that decision.
Normally she didn’t care even close to that much about ocean animals. The whole day was a struggle to not let on how nervous she was about her first “real” date with Ryan. Sure they had gone to coffee shops and restaurants together, but that was just hanging out! This was the first time either of them had labeled an outing as a date. It all made her too excited to sleep the night before, which she remedied by spending the entire night by looking up marine biology facts. Or more accurately, cute otter videos.
“What do you want to see first?” She asked back at him.
As Ryan scanned the map on the wall, Dani crept closer to him. All day she had wanted to hold his hand, or have his arm around her. She knew her being clingy was what caused so much trouble at the party but she couldn’t help it. After that night where they cuddled and watched a movie, she found herself craving that feeling again, more and more. As if getting a taste of what it felt like to not be alone had intensified her loneliness in hard times.
I need a sign from him that it’s okay. Literally anything. That way nobody can say I’m clingy!
A single glance at Ryan had her nerves flare up.
He looks so dumb and cute when he’s thinking.
His arms were big and strong and safe, all thanks to the years he put in at the gym. Not to mention his hands, rough and–
“...Does that work?” Ryan asked. He was no longer looking at the map.
Dani would have noticed if she wasn’t once again checking out her roommate. “Oh! Right, yeah that’s fine,” she said.
Why do I keep doing this? I know what he looks like, we’ve lived together for months! And now I have no idea what we’re even seeing first, great.
As embarrassed as she was, she was still smiling.
“Everything okay?” Ryan asked. He started to walk toward the mystery location he decided on.
I wish I could tell him how much I want to jump on him right here in front of all the fish. Fuck, why do I have to be so needy? No wonder he got upset with me.
“Yeah!” she said. “Just… Like, umm–”
Ryan held out his hand and smiled. “We can hold hands, if that’s what you want.”
Before she could find a way to mess it up, Dani’s hand accepted.
This really is heaven.
“Now come on,” Ryan said. “We have some fish to stare at.”
He led her to the large doors that held all the real fish. Just as she remembered from the night they watched that movie, the skin on his hands was tough and scratchy. She loved it. It was proof of how hard he worked, both in the warehouse and at the gym. How determined he was to accomplish what he wanted that he would let his body pay the toll. The power he held despite choosing to be gentle with her and lead her through a bunch of fish tanks, all to make her happy. Of course, he could still use a skincare routine. Dani thought about how she could bring it up with him later.
An older man ahead of them opened one of the big doors, giving them time to enter behind him. As they approached, he turned and noticed them.
“Here,” the man said. He held open the door allowing Ryan and Dani into the main aquarium.
“Thank you!” Dani said. His help meant Ryan could keep holding her hand. And she really didn’t want to let go of his hand.
“No problem,” the old man said. His voice was deep and shaky, as one would expect from someone as elderly as him. It reminded her of the only thing she liked about church growing up: strangers being nice to her. She tried not to think of how those same people would view her nowadays, though.
“You two have a nice date now, okay?” He said wish a small, shaky wave. “It’s nice to see your generation out having fun like this.” With that, he walked toward a larger group of people who seemed to be waiting for him. His family, Dani assumed.
“You have a nice day too,” Ryan said.
Dani definitely liked the old man after that.
He thinks we’re on a date!
...
Wait, we are. We’re literally holding hands, what else would he think?
It was still hard for her to believe the situation she was in.
“Alright, the sharks are to the left,” Ryan said, tugging on her arm.
Of course he wants to see the sharks first. He’s so cute.
Dani happily followed him.
Announcement Get instant access to the next four chapters on my Patreon! It also lets you vote in polls that will affect future chapters and stories~