The Stars | Aaron Hotchner

Chapter 11: The Aquatic Planetarium

You spent another ten minutes at the touch tank before asking about the second building. You found out it was the old aquarium before the owners expanded the property. Not many people knew about it, especially as they assumed it was a maintenance closet, but that made you want to check it out even more. You waved bye to the worker after thanking her, again dragging Aaron to the last exhibit.

The door looked heavy, much like an emergency exit, but swung open easily enough as you pressed on the bar. Within three steps, you entered a glass tunnel that seemed to go through an entire ocean. You looked around to see fishes of all kinds swimming above and around the endless tank. Aaron guided you forward with his hand on your lower back as you continued staring in wonder at a school of silvery fish making a pattern with their bodies to your right.

The tunnel opened up to a large dome after about twenty feet and soon, you were inside an actual aquarium. The worker was right, nobody else was there as it eluded the public's perception.

In the center of the dome was a circular carpet, decorated with the same cartoons on your pamphlet and lined with a tile walkway. A posting indicated the carpet was a seating-- it said for children, but you counted your inner child as an adequate alternative-- and observation area, a sign you took advantage of as you went to plop yourself in the center. After sitting, you pulled off your heels and leaned back until you could spread like a sea star.

The dome was naturally lit with sunlight and the water casted a blue filter across everything inside. You soaked in the experience as you watched the fish sway side to side, swimming above you. If you really focused, you could see the surface of the water making gentle waves as the wind blew across it. You continued looking around you, spotting coral and rocks lining the floor as fish darted between the structures. You knew you weren't missing much on that front and returned your gaze straight ahead to look through the top of the dome.

Aaron had, admittedly, spent his time at the aquarium watching you instead of the animals you eagerly pointed out. It was the only reason you had won your little game of spotting creatures, as his profiler eyes would have surely noticed the animals first.

There was something about your smile, the way it beamed when you first entered. Not only in how it beautifully stretched your lips, but encompassed all of your features, causing a brightness in your eyes. It was the sparkle of child-like wonder in your entire being as you bounced from tank to tank that reminded him fun didn't disappear with age, as it was the same sparkle he saw in his son's eyes.

His attention was drawn to the passion you exerted, for marine life and everything you did, your energy enrapturing him. He marveled at your fascination as he pondered how you could be in such awe at seeing simple fish. They were pretty, yes, but you still had adoration for the ones you poked fun at. It took him longer than he'd like to admit to realize he was admiring your ability to just, find the beauty in life. In everything you saw.

Aaron found he liked seeing you look at the things you admired because it was the same look you had whenever you turned to him. There was an undeniable gleam in your eyes and it appeared without fail.

You loved him.

It scared him that he felt the same.

Not because he questioned his feelings, but because it was drastically different than the "love" he had-- has-- for Haley. Aaron's idea of love was crumbling in front of him with every moment he spent with you, and as much as he thought he loved Haley, the new concept you represented was too enticing to ignore.

You could feel Aaron thinking as he stood by the glass, and it was messing with your vibe session amongst the fish. An idea struck you as blue rippled across his face and you called out to him, hoping he was off guard enough to fall into your trap.