Daily Life as a Tenant at the Kurusu House
Ch. 16; Aquarium Date...Plus Two?!
Miia fidgeted around nervously as she sat in front of the fountain in the city.
"It's been a while since Darling and I went on a date like this! It seems like something always gets in the way. Where shall we go today? Shopping? A movie? Maybe a romantic lunch!"
The lovesick Lamia was quick to lose her smile as one particular detail became apparent.
"And more importantly, why are Mero and Smokey Chef here?"
"Well, she said she wanted to come along," Kimihito answered sheepishly.
"And I do need someone to push my chair, so I asked Dear Sir to accompany me," Mero put in.
"I've heard of third wheels, but training wheels? That's just unnecessary," Max sighed, exhaling a cloud of smoke from the cigarette in his mouth.
"But this is supposed to be OUR date! Our first date in ages!" Miia wailed, almost on the verge of tears.
"Fear not! Have you forgotten my true heart's desire?!" Mero beamed, wheeling herself over to the distressed Lamia and began to whisper to her, "I want to be Beloved's lovelorn mistress, not his bride! So I'm here today to help you two fall in love!"
"For-for real?" Miia asked, unsure and a little perturbed by how excited the Mermaid was about the whole idea.
"Never fear! I shall remain faithfully by your side until the bitter end!" Mero proclaimed with a fiery passion that honestly weirded out her friends.
"I guess help is help," Miia muttered.
"You can take the girl out of Atlantis, but you can't take Atlantis out of the girl," Max sighed, letting out another puff of smoke.
"Cool it, guys," Kimihito said in a deadpan born of exasperation, "Remember, this date is just to lure out whoever sent that threatening letter."
Before the date had started, Smith had told the residents of the Kurusu house that the most likely scenario was that the letter was sent by someone who didn't want Kimihito to get married.
Max and Rachnee has wasted no time in snidely commenting about stating the obvious.
After shooting the Arachne and American human a glare, Smith had stated that she would assign a member of MON as their bodyguard.
Unfortunately, Smith had elected to send Tio as their bodyguard for the day. While this normally wouldn't be a problem, the whole idea was for said bodyguard to blend in, and with Tio being a seven-foot-tall, red-skinned ogre with a large horn on her head, this didn't exactly work.
"In what world is using Tio as a shadow in any way subtle or blending in with the crowd?" Max asked, blowing out a puff of smoke as he pushed Mero's wheelchair.
"I hope the perp doesn't catch on," Miia and Kimihito sighed in unison.
Upon arriving at the aquarium, Max was met with the unfortunate sight of a "No Smoking" sign by the entrance.
"I hate this place already," he growled, tossing his cigarette aside.
"Please don't say that, Dear Sir," Mero encouraged, placing a webbed hand atop his, "you might enjoy yourself yet."
"Hopefully, Darling and I can, too," Miia muttered.
"The aquarium?" Kimihito asked.
"Wouldn't a movie be better?" Miia added.
"Are you joking?! Aquarium dates are a time-honored tradition!" Mero exclaimed.
"I DID have a great time taking my ex to one back when we were together," Max put in.
"Really, Smokey Chef?" Miia asked as Kimihito looked at the admission prices.
"Yep. I took her to one because I'd heard stories about dates at places like these."
"Wow," Miia whispered slightly to herself.
"We couldn't possibly expect you and your entourage to pay! Please! Go on in!" an aquarium staff member proclaimed, bowing in Mero's direction.
'WE GOT IN FOR FREE?!' was the stunned thought that Miia, Kimihito and Max all shared as they entered the aquarium.
"Do mermaids always get the VIP treatment at aquariums?" Miia asked as they walked on, "Darling, who is this girl, really?"
"Ah, splendid. There's a wheelchair ramp. Dear Sir, I wish to visit the freshwater fish section. Would you please take me there?"
"...Ah! Yes! Absolutely!" Max said after a moment. Briefly turning around to flash a quick thumbs-up at Miia and Kimihito as he and Mero left.
"Are they trying to give me some alone time with darling?" Miia asked herself quietly.
"Hey, Miia! Look over there!" Kimihito smiled, pointing at a crab resting on a pipe inside its tank, "Don't you think that crab looks like Rachnee-San?"
"Pft! Aw, they've got the same cranky face!" Miia couldn't help but laugh at the comparison.
"That's totally her, isn't it?" Kimihito laughed.
The two continued their date much in a similar fashion for some time, visiting the seahorses, sea slugs, and even goofed off in the gift shop with fish hats.
`Whaddaya you know? The aquarium actually turned out to be pretty fun. I guess I can give Mero this one,' Miia thought to herself, a warm smile growing on her face.
Miia then noticed some fish in a nearby tank.
"Hey, check it out, Darling. Those fish are kissing," she pointed out.
"Whoa. You're right," Kimihito nodded, "What's up with that? Is it a mating ritual?"
"Maybe...they're in love?" Miia asked, before slowly, cautiously, turning to gaze at Kimihito.
Kimihito, for his part, simply gazed at Miia, transfixed by her golden, reptilian eyes. Before either he or Miia knew it, the human and the lamia had begun to lean in toward each other, slowly closing their eyes as they prepared for their lips to meet.
While this was happening, Max was hiding behind a support column, clenching his fist in exhilarated anticipation.
"Come on, come on!" He thought to himself, before a sudden, horrifying realization struck him; He had lost track of Mero!
Joy was quickly replaced by mounting dread as his eyes frantically darted about the aquarium in search of the pinkette mermaid.
When he found her silently approaching Miia and Kimihito, his blood ran cold.
"MERO, NO!" He mentally screamed as he ran after her as quickly and quietly as he could.
Alas...
"No, those fish are both male," Mero cheerfully informed the would-be couple, startling them out of their romantic haze.
"I WAS TOO LATE!" Max wailed in despair as he face-faulted and skidded across the floor.
"During their territory disputes, the males posture, and it looks like kissing to us," Mero continued, blissfully unaware of the mood she had just killed, "That's why they are called Kissing Gourami...is something wrong?"
"What's the big idea?!" Miia shrieked, threateningly wrapping Mero and Max in her coils, "You totally ruined the moment! And I was so close to finally kissing my Darling!"
"I'm so sorry! I wanted your kiss to happen, but I lost track of Mero!" Max frantically apologized, prostrating himself before the angered and embarrassed lamia.
"Oh, dear!" Mero gasped, realization finally kicking in, "I blurted our fish trivia before you had your chance...! Please! Be my guest and tell us something about this sea snake!"
"Why would I know anything about that creature?! Just because I'm a snake?!"
"Did you know eels are actually fish, not serpents?" Mero continued, not realizing she wasn't making the situation better.
"You have no clue at all, do you?!" Miia shouted in frustration.
"If it's any consolation, Miia, I'm rooting for you," Max spoke up.
"Thanks, Smokey Chef," Miia sighed, but still smiled knowing that one of her darling's closest friends wished for her success.
"Huh? Where'd Mero go?" Miia asked, suddenly noticing that the mermaid in question was nowhere to be found.
"Hey, Miia, the dolphin show's about to start," Kimihito called, "Max, you coming?"
"No, thanks," the American replied, "I'm gonna stick around here, maybe go see if I can find a smoking spot later."
"Alright. Suit yourself," Kimihito shrugged.
Miia, however, caught the brief thumbs up and wink Max sent her way. Realizing what he was trying to do, she grinned and flashed him a thumbs up in return.
"Smokey Chef just gave me another chance for some alone time with Darling! I can't let it go to waste! Don't worry, Smokey Chef, I'll make sure not to waste it!" Miia though to herself.
Unfortunately, Miia wouldn't get that chance, as it turned out, Mero had volunteered to be a part of the dolphin show, and ended up distracting Kimihito, which caused Miia no end of jealousy.
Eventually, her jealousy and frustration got the better of her, and she left the dolphin tank in a huff.
"Dammit! Darling can't take his eyes off Mero! This is all her fault! She keeps saying that "she wants to help set the mood" for me and my Darling, but then she goes and makes a play for him!"
While she slithered along the hallway, she was so busy stewing in her own thoughts, she didn't notice Max trying to sneak a smoke using an e-cig he had brought with him right in her path, and ended up tripping over him.
"Ow! Hey! Watch where-! Miia?!"
"I'm so sorry! I didn't-! Smokey Chef?!"
"What the devil is the meaning of this?!" Came a third voice, causing the two to look up at a rather well dressed and well groomed lizardman. By the time Miia and Max were standing back up, the lizardman seemed to be smiling at Miia.
"My, my! Look what we have here. You don't tend to see young monster girls alone in these parts. My apologies, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."
"Nah, it's more our fault, we should have been more alert," Max waved off nonchalantly.
But to his and Miia's surprise, the lizardman completely ignored him.
"They have the air conditioner set a bit too low, so the cold made me feel a little light headed," he continued.
"Oh, I know what you mean," Miia agreed, feeling a little taken aback by how the lizardman had blown off her friend like that but still wanting to be polite, "Don't you just feel like hibernating when you're right under the AC?"
"I know, right? Store fridges are the worst! And I can never leave my coat behind."
"It's the same when you eat too much ice cream. I even have to have waiters hold the ice in my drinks!" Miia smiled.
"Oh, that reminds me," the lizardman grinned, reaching into his coat and pulling out a canned coffee, "you should take this. It'll keep you warm even if you don't drink it."
"Oh, thanks," Miia smiled, flattered by the generous offer.
"So, tell me what's wrong. You seemed rather upset not to long ago."
"Oh, uh. Well-"
"You know, it's a little chilly here. Why don't we take this to someplace where we can get some sun?" The lizardman offered, but Max was quick to intervene, suspecting the newcomer of an ulterior motive.
"Actually, we're waiting for the rest of our group out here," the American stated politely but firmly.
"Who are you?" The lizardman asked bluntly.
"Max McCreedy. Auto-mechanic by profession, chef by hobby, loud-and-proud nerd, and Miia's co-host."
"...Draco," the lizardman returned in a cold way, noticing the emphasis the human male put on the word "co-host."
"Anyway, it was great meeting you, Draco, but we do have to get going. I'm pretty sure my buddy's worried about his favorite lamia," Max smiled, patting Miia on the shoulder.
The lamia in question beamed at the mention of her beloved human.
"You're right, Smokey Chef! Darling must be worried sick! Come on, let's go!"
Miia had just cooled her tail around Max's waist and was ready to dash off when Draco intervened.
"Hold on! There's no need to be in such a hurry to return to a human! Much less that man! He can't appreciate your reptilian charms and beauty like I can! Wouldn't a Dragonewt like me be better company?!"
Draco exclaimed, large, bat-like wings unfurling from his back.
Miia, acting on reflex, moved Max behind her at the dragonewt's sudden aggressive change in demeanor.
"Look, Draco, I appreciate the gesture and your earlier kindness, but I've already got my heart set on someone else, and I don't appreciate how you've been rude to my friend!"
Draco was flabbergasted by Miia's outburst, while Max was flattered. One could sometimes forget that Miia was rather protective of those she cared about, in or out of her romantic interests.
"But...but I..."
"I get that you find me attractive, you've kinda made that obvious. But girls don't like it when guys just come on to them because of looks, or won't back off when they say that they're already into someone else," Miia continued, almost paralyzing the dragonewt with her steely gaze.
"I...wait, guy? Guy?! I'm a woman!" Draco shouted.
"...WHAAA?!" Miia exclaimed, rather surprised at the revelation.
"Coulda fooled me," Max stated plainly.
"Grr! Why, you...! This is why I hate men!" Draco shrieked, storming away.
"Huh, well that was certainly something," Max deadpanned.
"...it sure was. Still, thanks for looking out for me, Smokey Chef," Miia smiled, "You're a good friend."
"Hey, don't sweat it," Max grinned, "but we probably-"
"Miia! Max! There you guys are!" Kimihito called, pushing Mero in her wheelchair and waving at them.
"Darling!" Miia beamed.
"Hey, bro!" Max called back.
"I was wondering where you guys went! What happened?"
"Indeed!" Mero concurred, "I am most anxious to know, myself!"
"I'll give Mero a sitrep, Miia, can you fill in Kimihito?" Max asked.
"Oh! Of course!" Miia replied as Max took Mero off to the side.
By the time they were done, and once Kimihito had finished apologizing, to which Miia assured him that she was perfectly fine and wasn't upset with him, Kimihito began to blush as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.
Inside the box was a necklace with a shiny snake pendant in the shape of a heart.
"Darling," Miia breathed out, at a loss for words.
"Well, I wish the circumstances were better, but, uh, I saw this at the gift shop and it...it made me...think of you...so..." the young man was unable to finish his sentence as Miia practically leapt into his arms in a heartfelt embrace.
"Oh, Darling! Thank you so much! I love it!"
"You're...you're welcome, Miia," Kimihito smiled, his cheeks turning a deep crimson.
"Heh. Nice job, pal," Max grinned while pushing Mero's wheelchair.
"Hey, Max? You feel like making a nice dinner when we get back home?" Kimihito asked as the quartet left the aquarium.
"You don't even have to ask!" Max grinned in response.
"Yay! A gift from my Darling and a meal from Smokey Chef! A perfect way to end the day!"
While Max, Miia and Kimihito chatted animatedly, Mero had fallen silent.
"It seems that Miia and Beloved are closer than ever," she thought to herself, "but, why do I have this pain in my chest? My gills are not dehydrated. What's happening?"