Chapter Four

Tavros hummed cheerfully as he ran his hands over the string ray, "See? I told you it would be okay. Just one shot, you big baby." He grinned as the string ray's flaps wavered in the water, looking like flowing curtains attached to this ancient animal, "And now you can rejoin your friends, isn't that nice?" He walked with him as some stronger volunteers took the sting ray's stretcher back to the main pool, letting him slide in. Tavros watched with a smile as the ray immediately sought out its friends, no doubt telling them about the ordeal it had just been through at the hands of the lunatic doctor.

Well, time to feed the Tiger shark. Tavros left and went to get the bucket of bloody fish, not minding the smell as he walked to the feed trap above the Tiger's tank. Opening it up, he dumped the contents into the water and then shut the door. Easy enough.

Feeding the lemons was next—something Tavros enjoyed. He spent a few extra minutes with one of the pregnant females, doing some quick, easy checks to make sure she was alright. She'd have to be moved to an isolated tank later on, but for now she seemed content enough. Tavros snuck her an extra fish and then left to go peel off his wet suit and go visit his other fish friend.

Once his dry clothes were on, Tavros stepped back into the room where he spent countless hours playing with his new friend. "Gamzee!"

"About time! Ugh, what's that smell?"

"I had to feed the Tiger shark, sorry." Tavros grinned, sitting at his customary spot at the edge of the pool.

"You feed him," Gamzee sniffed, "guts? Fish guts?"

"He'll eat anything really." Tavros shrugged, "And they were leftovers from the Great White."

"Bruce."

"His name is not Bruce!"

"Karkat calls him Bruce."

"I have no idea why."

Gamzee grinned and swam up to Tavros holding onto the side of the wall, "So wanna swim with me again today?"

"Actually I have a better idea, but it's for later and I need to be dry." Tavros said mysteriously, kicking his legs under water.

"What is it?" Gamzee asked, his eyes brightening.

"It's a surprise." Tavros replied, sticking his tongue out playfully when Gamzee pouted.

"Hey, I got something to ask you. If it's all cool with you, could I touch your legs?"

Tavros blinked, "Oh, yeah sure. Hang on, I'll go over to the platform." He got up and walked around, watching his friend as he swam eagerly over to the ramp. Tavros rolled up his shorts to about mid thigh and then walked into the water, standing before Gamzee.

Gamzee wasted no time in exploring. His hands were cool and wet over Tavros' legs, and he fought back a shiver as the merman's sharp nails brushed the sensitive skin behind his knee. Gamzee was fascinated, especially with Tavros' knees. He ran his hands over them repeatedly, and grinned like a goof when Tavros stood on one leg and folded the other one up, like a flamingo. "Man that's motherfucking awesome."

"Glad you think so." Tavros chuckled, setting his foot back down.

But what really fascinated Gamzee were Tavros' toes. He asked Tavros to sit, so his friend wouldn't get tired, and then sat there for a good hour with Tavros' feet in his lap, gawking at the strangeness of human feet.

"Man this shit is off the hook. Can you move them?"

Tavros wiggled his toes and Gamzee's eye almost popped, "Holy shit! That's way cool. Can you pick things up with them?"

"Yeah, but not very well."

Gamzee brushed his fingers along the underside of each toe, spreading them apart, bending them, moving Tavros' ankle gently, and all in all just being astounded by the concept of feet.

"Hey, want your surprise now?" Tavros asked, once Gamzee had sated his curiosity for the time being.

"Yeah!"

"Okay, lemme go get it. Oh, and close your eyes." Tavros watched as Gamzee covered his eyes with his hands, grinning hugely, "No peaking!" Tavros called on his way back to the room.

Gamzee sat there quietly, his tail flicking with excitement. Nobody had ever gotten him a surprise before, except for Karkat and that wicked awesome balloon. But Gamzee hadn't been expecting that. It was a whole different thing to be expecting that. Suddenly, he heard the door open, and a soft squeaking noise made him cock his head to the side curiously. What the motherfuck was that? The sound stopped by the edge of the platform, "Tav?"

"Yeah, okay open your eyes."

Gamzee pulled his hands away and stared in confusion, "Is that a…seat with wheels? That thing you had when you couldn't walk?"

"Yeah, a wheelchair." Tavros was grinning ear to ear.

"I don't understand…?"

"I figured you might want to get out of there and go for a little walk. Well," Tavros amended, "I'll be walking. You sort of have to come with me."

"I could…go out?" Gamzee said slowly, his eyes growing huge, "But won't people see?"

"The Aquarium is closed and I'm the only one who works here at the west wing at this hour." Tavros said.

Gamzee felt like a massive bubble was expanding in his chest, "I…fuck…Tavros this is…"

"I know," Tavros walked back into the water and reached down to him, "Now come on, you've been cooped up here for long enough."

The next four hours were the best four hours of Gamzee's life. He fit comfortably in the wheelchair and his tail didn't even drag on the floor, something Tavros had been concerned about. Gamzee had been surprised when Tavros had easily lifted him up out of the water, but Tavros had told him that all those years of wheeling himself around had given him some great upper body strength. Then they'd gone out, and Gamzee felt like his head was on a swivel from trying to see everything at once.

Tavros talked about all the different creatures as they walked by, letting Gamzee sit and stare for as long as he wanted, pushing him along the eerily lit corridors wherever he wanted to go. The merman was like a child, pointing and gasping at everything. Tavros took him to the Tiger shark tank, the Lemon shark tank, and the sting ray pool. He put his hand in the water and coaxed a ray over, letting Gamzee run his hand along the slippery back.

Next, Tavros took him to see the jellyfish, then the seals, penguins, tropical fish, orcas, and finally just took him on a tour of the entire Aquarium. He was extremely careful then, telling Gamzee to keep his voice down in case someone came. He even found a blanket and covered Gamzee's tail, just in case. But luck seemed to be on their side, and Tavros gave Gamzee a full tour without once running into someone. A miracle, as far as Tavros was concerned, but his heart only began to beat normally when they were back in the west wing.

On the way back to Gamzee's room, the merman was strangely quiet. His fingers played with the blanket on his lap and he seemed to be lost in thought. It was only when he'd gotten back into the pool did he finally turn and look at his friend, "Tavros?"

"Yeah?" Tavros knelt down on the side of the pool. He felt tired and a little thirsty from all the talking he did about sea animals.

"Thank you." Gamzee said simply, and then reached up and cupped the back of Tavros' neck, pushing himself out of the water and kissing him briefly on the lips.

Tavros' eyes widened his surprise as Gamzee's hand slipped away and his friend disappeared underwater, "Gamzee?" but he was gone. Standing up, Tavros folded the wheelchair up and carried it out with him, shutting the door quietly behind him. His lips tasted like salt, like the ocean, and suddenly Tavros was exhausted. He set down the wheel chair and stumbled over to the couch, falling into the worn cushions with a sigh of relief.

A lot had happened today, and his mind wasn't about to begin to process any of it. Tavros sunk into the couch and let his eyes slide shut.