NPC pet store, mainland, Saturday evening

[can_be_more]

After visiting Luke, Aeryn had gone back to 238 where in conversation with John she'd somehow made mention of the fish-shaped fishbowl Isabel had gotten her for Christmas. This led to the trip to the mainland, to the store that Bruno had come from because they really need another NPC, and when Aeryn steps inside the store, she pauses for a second.

"This is what Fandom will look like the day everyone turns into an animal at once," she says.


[For John, and NFB due to distance.]

Comments

[can_be_more]

"I've accepted this," she says, and blinks at a couple of the bigger, uglier fish. "He won't even eat the crackers shaped like fish."

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"He's a lover, not a fighter.

[can_be_more]

And now she's blinking more. "That's the most disturbing thing I've ever heard you say."

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"Even more disturbing than what I said yesterday?"

[can_be_more]

"Whatever it was, I may have repressed it," she says.

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"When I gave you permission to take off my pants," he says, not really aware of where they are.

[can_be_more]

She looks around quickly, and lowers her voice. "I think I forgot that part of it," she says. "And shh."

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"I didn't forget anything about yesterday," he says smugly.

[can_be_more]

Aeryn smiles, turning back to the tanks. "Do you know what this Siamese thing looks like?"

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"Nope," he says. "Thought you did."

[can_be_more]

"I know what it's called, but I've never seen one," she says. And trying to read the words on the tanks doesn't make much sense to her.

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"Can we just go back and get a bunny then?"

[can_be_more]

"No bunny. We came for a fish and we're getting the fish," she says, still looking. She sees the bowls on a shelf with the Siamese fighting fish in their own separate containers and asks, "Is this it?"

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

He pouts and wanders over, looking at them. "Yep. Get the biggest one they have."

[can_be_more]

She peers at them and says, "The biggest one isn't moving. i think it's dead." It's not, they just go creepily quiet like that.

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"No, it wouldn't be out if it was dead," he says and taps on the glass.

[can_be_more]

The fish immediately starts moving, almost startling Aeryn. "It is supposed to that?"

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

John smiles. "I think so. He's sneaky like you."

[can_be_more]

"I think that's the first time I've ever been called sneaky," she says. "How do you know that it's male?"

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"Uh, I don't." He taps the glass again. "She's sneaky like you then."

[can_be_more]

"There must be some way to check for gender. How did you know Bruno was male?"

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"Uh..." He shrugs. "We never really checked. We just decided he was."

[can_be_more]

"So all this time he could have been female?" she asks. And has no idea why that makes her go buh.

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"I guess," he says. "But he's a dude. A guy. That's that."

[can_be_more]

"A... dude," she repeats. "It's a fish."