Setting You Free

One Last Memory

JENNIE POV

As soon as we entered the building, Y/N went straight up to an older man dressed in the zoo uniform. Looking around there weren't a lot of people here.

"Hey Junior!" the man cried out as soon as he saw Y/N. It seems like everyone has a nickname for him.

"Mr. Thomas! Looking good as always!" Y/N spoke in his British accent, taking off his mask and gave the employee a hug.

"Almost didn't believe it when Anna called over the radio that you'd be my first customer today. Didn't have enough of the animals?" Mr. Thomas asked.

"I actually have a friend visiting today." he gestures to me. "Jennie, this is Mr. Thomas, zoo keeper and animal extraordinaire."

I pull down my mask and stick my hand out. He gently shakes my hand with both of his.

"My, what a beautiful friend you have here, Junior. It's nice to meet you, Jennie."

I blush and giggle at him.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Thomas."

We had to wait for another couple before we started. They instantly recognized Y/N and I since we had our masks down while we spoke to Mr. Thomas. We offered to take pictures with them if they would keep it quiet that we were here today. They gladly accepted.

Mr. Thomas then led us into a room that had different small glass pens in different parts of the room.

"Welcome everyone to the Meet the Animals experience! Here, we will be giving you the chance to interact, play and hold different animals safely. The first of which," Mr. Thomas gestures to one of the glass pens where two employees have come in with an animal in their hands, "you will be interacting with meerkats!"

My eyes open wide and I smile when I see the meerkats looking around then at us. I feel a hand on my back and I look to see Y/N smiling at me.

Mr. Thomas ushers us in and asks us to sit down on the ground. Each staff sits down in front of each of us and gives us detailed handling instructions so that we don't hurt them.

After acknowledging that we understood how to handle them, the employee in front of me gently places the meerkat in my arms.

"Hi there! Aww you're so cute." I told the meerkat then looked up at the lady. "What's it's name?"

"His name is Squeaks." The lady smiled as she told me.

"Hi Squeaks." I say to him gently.

The meerkat looks at me and makes a sound like chittering.

"I think he's saying 'Hi Jennie, I like your music'" I hear Y/N say and I giggle at him.

Y/N and I were petting him when Squeaks started climbing my chest and up onto my shoulder, tickling me and making me laugh as he does.

"Oh! It looks like it's looking for danger to protect you." Y/N tells me.

"Maybe he should be looking at you then!" I say to him, making Y/N laugh.

"Wait, let me take a picture."

Y/N slowly takes his phone out and takes a picture of Squeaks on my shoulder. He shows me and I let an involuntary 'Aww' out.