𝙰𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝙾𝚍𝚍𝚜 | 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚎𝚒𝚍

In One Afternoon...

"With our jobs, we know that the good guy doesn't always win. Why would I want a continuation of that in the fictional world?"

————-««»»————

Aitana stood beside Spencer in the fish store, absolutely giddy while the latter seemed more indecisive than ever. "You should totally do it," she urged him, giggling.

"You think so?" Spencer glanced at her for a moment then returned his gaze to the fish tank in front of them.

Aitana nodded fervently. "Totally. We could be fish buddies — oh!" She clapped her hands together. "We could have fish playdates!"

As amusing as the idea was — it was because Spencer couldn't stop smiling — he had to point out that the idea was virtually impossible.

"Well we could put their fish bowls side by side," Aitana offered the idea up and even gestured with her hands side by side. "You should definitely get a fish! Or two! I could help!"

Spencer had no doubt about that. If there was one thing Aitana loved, it was her fish. That and space. "It feels a bit sudden..." He said. He had come into the shop with Aitana to continue their joint search for a fish that would meet Aitana's space ideology but somehow they landed on the idea to get his own fish.

"It's fine!" Aitana exclaimed. "I think you should go for it. Fishes are one of the pets we can keep without it dying on us because we're not home. It would be fun! C'mon!" She grabbed Spencer's arm and dragged him to another fish tank. "I think you need a fish as smart as you, huh? We could do a crowntail betta!? Oh! We could do a classic like the goldfish."

"A goldfish?" Spencer mused on the idea as Aitana once again dragged him to another fish tank.

Aitana nodded as she brought him up to a tank full of goldfish. "Hey, goldfish are actually very smart, I promise."

"I know," Spencer nodded, "Most people think they have a memory span of 30 seconds but it's not true. They can see the same spectrum of colors as humans in addition to ultraviolet and infrared light."

"And—" Aitana raised a finger, "—they can also perceive sound through vibrations in the water!" She grinned so wide that Spencer had to laugh. "I know stuff too!"

"You do," Spencer agreed, nodding, "Why didn't you go into marine biology again?"

Aitana shrugged. "Dunno. More of a hobby, I guess. Same with space."

"I mean you could have been something else..."

"It's fine, Spencer. So, that goldfish!?"

"I mean I guess..." Spencer couldn't finish his words when Aitana beamed with joy. He spent the next half hour or so going through the process of buying a couple goldfish and the tank and the necessary equipment. In the end, Spencer came out with quite the heavy boxes in his arms.

Aitana carried the few goldfish that Spencer had bought and encouraged him to follow her to her car. "I can drive you to your place. You literally have to carry these things up 3 flights of stairs."

"Yeah but my place, it's not — it's not right for visitors right now." Spencer knew that was a lie. None of his friends ever visited him because it wasn't his style.

Aitana had already opened her car for them, including the trunk. "Spencer, I have brothers, I know what it can look like. You are the opposite. Your place is probably squeaky clean."

"More like cluttered," Spencer said, putting the tank box inside the trunk. "I'm not a slob but I don't usually have people over."

Aitana nodded silently. He was trying to be nice about it and she was missing the point. "Got it. How about I drive you over and I just help you bring your stuff to your door then? You really can't be making multiple trips up 3 flights of stairs."