Ocean Kisses

Tank

Tango pov

As Skizz and I went over the plans, it was clear we’d need to make sure Zed felt comfortable when he woke up. It was going to be a bit of a balancing act, and one of us had to stay home to keep him calm and ensure he wasn’t left feeling more isolated. Skizz volunteered, as he was good at making people feel comfortable, so that left Impulse and me to go on the mission to find something that would work for Zed’s aquatic needs.

We decided to head to the local pet store first, hoping we could find a tank that was big enough to accommodate Zed's size. Once we arrived, it didn’t take long to realize we were looking at the usual tanks—nice, but way too small.

“None of these are even close,” I muttered, scanning the rows of aquariums. “We need something bigger, like way bigger.”

Impulse nodded, clearly just as frustrated. “Yeah, I don’t think Zed would fit in any of these unless we wanted to fold him into a pretzel.”

We wandered the aisles a bit longer, but it was clear the store wasn’t going to give us the solution we needed. I turned to Impulse. “You think the home improvement store might have something? Like, I don’t know—something weird we could repurpose?”

Impulse raised an eyebrow. “A bathtub?”

My eyes lit up. “That’s not a bad idea, actually. It’s like an oversized tank, right? And we could make it work for now.”

We headed over to the nearby store, and as we walked through the aisles, I spotted them: bathtubs. Big, deep, and oddly fitting the bill for Zed. The only problem was, they weren’t designed for water creatures, but at this point, we were looking for something that could hold water and provide a space where he’d feel secure.

“Look at this one!” I said, pointing at a massive soaking tub. “This is big enough for a person—maybe even Zed.”

Impulse bent down to check the dimensions. “Yeah, this could work, but it’s gonna be a bit awkward, especially with the space in the apartment.”

“True,” I admitted, rubbing my chin. “But it's temporary. We can figure out a more permanent solution later. We just need to get Zed comfortable for now.”

We ended up picking out a bathtub that was large enough to fit him, and with a few modifications, we figured it would work. It was a bit unconventional, but Zed wasn’t exactly a conventional guy.

After securing the tub, we loaded it up and headed back to the apartment. “So,” Impulse said, glancing at the tub in the back of the car. “Think Zed’s gonna be mad about the whole bathtub thing?”

I smiled wryly. “Honestly, if it helps him relax, I think he’ll be fine with it. And hey, it’s better than the floor.”

Once we got back, we carried the bathtub into Zed’s room, and I felt a little sense of relief. Now we just needed to get everything set up and get Skizz to check on him. It wasn’t ideal, but it was a start.

Impulse clapped his hands together. “Well, that was an adventure. Let’s hope Zed doesn’t freak out about it when he sees it.”

“We’ve got this,” I said, feeling more confident than I had all day.

After securing the bathtub and waterproofing the flooring, it was clear that we were doing everything we could to make Zed as comfortable as possible in the temporary space. The last thing I wanted was for him to get even more agitated from noise or the hassle of living in a place that wasn’t suited to him. While Impulse helped move things around, I couldn’t help but start thinking ahead to a permanent solution. We needed something that would work long-term, something where Zed could thrive.

I pulled out my phone, starting to search for houses. The idea of a new home had been nagging at me for a while, but I had to make sure it was perfect for Zed. I didn’t want to rush into anything, but after spending hours searching, I found the ideal place.

It wasn’t the fanciest or the most extravagant house, but it was on the edge of town, far from the noise of the city. The house had a pool, which was perfect for Zed, but I’d need to ensure it was clean, natural water—no chlorine or chemicals that would upset him.

The best part was that it was within our budget, just barely. We could buy it outright without needing a down payment or mortgage. This was a huge weight off my shoulders.

Impulse walked in as I was still looking at the listing. “Everything okay?” he asked, glancing at my phone.

“I think I found the perfect place for us,” I replied, showing him the listing. “It’s got everything we need, and the best part is—no noise from the city. Zed could actually get some peace and quiet.”

Impulse looked over the details, nodding. “It’s nice. Definitely quiet, and the pool seems perfect for Zed. But do you really think he’ll like the idea of leaving the apartment?”

“I don’t think he’ll mind,” I said, though there was a bit of hesitation in my voice. “It’s a bigger space, more room to move around. And the pool could help him relax. The only thing I’m worried about is making sure the water is pure—no chlorine or anything that might irritate him.”

Skizz came in at that moment, hearing the conversation. “Yeah, that’s a good point. If we get this place, we’d have to make sure Zed can adjust to it. It’s a lot to take in all at once.”

“I know,” I admitted, tapping my fingers on the phone. “But we need something long-term. The apartment isn’t cutting it, and it’s only a matter of time before we get complaints about the noise or the flooding.”

Skizz nodded, glancing between Impulse and me. “We can make it work. If you think Zed will be okay, we’ll make sure everything’s ready for him. We can even start looking into converting the pool.”

I smiled, though I was still anxious. “I’ll be calling the sellers tomorrow. We can move in once everything’s set up. Just... I really hope this works out.”

The idea of a bigger, quieter home was a huge step forward. It felt like a dream, but I still had that nagging worry in the back of my mind. What if it didn’t work out? What if it was too much change too fast for Zed?

But I had to take that chance. For Zed’s sake, and for all of us. The apartment had been fine for a while, but it was time to move on.