They’re here again.

Remaining hidden on the far side of the tank, Havrin watched as you took your usual spot next to the glass. Even though he wanted to greet you immediately, he wasn’t keen on being seen by other airfaces that weren’t you.

As he waited, Havrin thought back to your first visit here.

The gaggle you were with was…unpleasant to say the least. Loud and obnoxious, they banged on the aquarium glass and whined amongst themselves with voices like seashells being scrapped against obsidian. Alone, you stood out amongst the group, conversing quietly with an older male airface he’s grown to tolerate.

Havrin learned to like—even enjoy your presence once you were left alone by his tank. Your voice was pleasing on the ears and the scar you had reminded him of the many littering his own body. As for the others that originally came with you, he liked them even less after an incident in which an uglier airface tried to pull rank on you. He scared them off of course, but since then, he didn’t want to meet you anywhere so easily accessible by other airfaces.

Confirming the area was empty save for your presence, Havrin swam forward to greet you.

Pressing up against the glass, he blew out a couple bubbles to catch your attention. When you noticed him and grinned, his fins twitched happily and he grinned back in response, showing off a mouthful of sharp teeth.

He followed you as you walked towards the back of the tank, now familiar with the path he taught you after the many visits to the aquarium.

Swimming further ahead, Havrin reached the locked staff door before you did. In the dim blue light of the aquarium, the red light signaling a locked door casted a sinister glow upon the nearby objects. Havrin focused on the control panel next to the door, watching as the buttons buzzed to life before dying out with a pathetic shock of electricity.

You reached the door just in time for the light to turn green, inviting you into the restricted staff area.

Excited, the photophores scattered across Havrin’s body grew brighter as he swam forward to catch up with you in the staff area.

Taking care of a few security cameras on the way, they were all left to sputter and flicker out once he broke past the water’s surface. Then, he splashed you with the tank’s cold water, leaning against the edge to watch as you attempted to dry yourself off.

Laughing when you spoke in that unintelligible language, tone too sharp to be anything but a curse, Havrin splashed you again.