CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
It was clear the aquarium was supported by the marine biologists at the institute.
On each blank wall, if there wasn't a fish tank, there was a wall of flyers for good marine biology universities.
Not only that, but the whole place was beautiful and sleek.
Each tank had flourishing plant life, as well as a silver border around the glass that separated it from the surrounding walls.
Between that and the next exhibit, there was a small gift shop.
It was beach-themed, complete with seashells on each shelf.
They sold ocean trinkets like sand dollars, as well as little Aquapet kits.
Xeno had had one of those when he was younger; he didn't see the point of them.
Maybe he'd understand what was so interesting if he were a marine biologist, but after half an hour of watching the swim around aimlessly around their tank, young Xeno had gotten bored.
He felt a strange sense of pride at seeing it, given that it was a little smaller and not as well-decorated as the one in the astronomy department at the museum. They had Dr. Aruda to thank for that; she was always finding new, interesting things to sell there.
He was about to walk through when he noticed Haiden looking at some yarn. Apparently, it was made of recycled ocean plastic. They were beautiful shades of green, and only a couple of pounds per ball. He bought five, putting them in the complimentary "Marine Biology Institute of Kent" bag.
"You've got a problem, you know." Xeno joked. "How are you gonna use all that, anyway?"
"You'd be surprised how much I go through, honestly.
" Haiden told him as they went into the next exhibit.
This one was about deep-sea life, and the lights were low.
The bioluminescence of the creatures and plants was the dominant light source in the room.
Algae and jellyfish alike danced in the darkness, each one radiant and glowing with beautiful green, blue and even golden hues.
When Xeno turned to Haiden, he realised he could barely see him.
His wide-eyed, handsome face was only lit up slightly from one side by an ocean-hued green.
He noticed him staring and smiled at him.
He quickly looked away, embarrassed, but he carried it off as though it had only been a quick glance. He thought so, at least.
"I think.." Haiden began, catching him off guard.
Despite Haiden's whispering, the room was almost silent other than them, as if everyone else was enchanted.
"If I couldn't go into palaeontology, I'd want to do marine biology.
I love the sea. My family took me to Cornwall a couple of times when I was younger.
That's why I did the marine dinosaur section of the museum. Have you seen it?"
"No, I'm sorry." Xeno answered truthfully. He had toured around the museum twice when he was being prepared to work there, and a few times before that as a student at Willowheath Primary, but that was before Haiden had worked there.
"I'll have to show you next week. After we've stopped the sabotages, everything can go back to normal." Haiden whispered, careful not to disturb anyone else.
"I'd like that a lot." Xeno whispered back, though the threat of a department getting cut still loomed. Surely Astronomy and Palaeontology would be safe after the pair of them uncovered the mystery?
Eventually, the pair of them went through the doors at the end, and were met with the harsh lights of the lobby. They had finished looking at the exhibits. Xeno found himself disappointed, but he didn't know why. He was fully satisfied with the amount of fish he'd seen.
"I loved today; I'll have to come again." Haiden said as they walked through the doors.
"Yeah, I think I would too. What's the time?" He asked Haiden, realising that it was already getting dark. The mid-October air was chilly, and he wanted to get inside.
Haiden checked his phone, and his jaw dropped.
"What?" asked Xeno, confused.
"We were in there for four hours!" He exclaimed, surprised at how quickly the time had gone by.
"No way, show me." Xeno said, equally surprised.
Haiden flipped his phone to show him. His lock screen was a picture of him and someone else on a tennis court.
Sure enough, the clock at the top read five-seventeen, and they'd gotten there at twenty past one.
Near enough four hours. Xeno was more curious about the screen itself.
. "I didn't know you played tennis." The stickers on his laptop were starting to make sense.
"I don't anymore; that was in secondary school. That picture's from four or five years ago. I haven't picked up the racquet since I started Uni."
"Who was that? That you were playing doubles with?" Xeno asked, realising how odd he was seeming. He didn't even know why he had asked.
"Oh, that's my brother. We're twins, but we don't really look alike."
"How many siblings do you have? That's two I've heard about now." Xeno asked as the pair of them started walking back to his car.
"I've got five. Four sisters and one brother.
" He paused for a second before laughing at Xeno's shocked expression.
"I know what you're gonna say. I've heard it all before; Yes going out to restaurants is hell; no, my parents don't have a favourite.
My parents had to get two extra washing lines for all the clothes that we had. "
"I thought I had a big family." Xeno began, opening Haiden's car door. "I've got two younger brothers. One's seventeen and the other's.. I think fourteen now? It's been a while since I last saw them." He was grateful that Haiden didn't press him for details.
When they got back in the car, he started playing their joint playlist again.
He got a brief look at what he'd named it; "Xeno + Haiden playlist." He considered making a joke about it but held his tongue.
Haiden had probably seen all of his embarrassing playlist names from when he was seventeen when he'd had his phone.
"Do you just want me to drop you straight home? " Xeno asked.
"Yes, please." Haiden responded. He still hadn't looked back up from the car screen.
The Bluetooth was a nightmare, apparently.
Not that Xeno would know, he only played CDs when it was just him.
Xeno didn't know if it was just in his head, but the songs on the playlist that played after seemed to synergize better than they did on the way there.
They were all decently subdued, sing-along able songs; save for an EDM song that randomly got shuffled into the playlist by Spotify.
"Look.." Haiden said. "I know it's far from me to comment on your relationship with your family, but I really think you should reach out to them. Who knows? Maybe they've changed?"
He scoffed. "I doubt that. He's not the kind of man who changes his mind easily.
Besides, he said that I wouldn't be able to make it in astronomy, so how would I look if I came crawling back to him?
That's why I have to get this promotion to prove him wrong.
" He glanced briefly at Haiden, whose sympathetic look only spurred him further.
"I mean, he completely freaked out and got angry at me when I said I was going to leave- even though I could have come back to visit him at any time! "
Realisation dawned upon him. "A bit like how I've been with Jess." He tensed up. "God, I've been so stupid." He stopped the car outside Haiden's house, but the other man didn't get out.
"I don't think you've been stupid. You felt like she was abandoning you. I get that." He looked at him empathetically. "It's really hard when people move on, but you have to remember that.. that she isn't leaving you."
He relaxed. "Really? You understand?"
Haiden took his hands into his. "I promise."
It took Him a moment before he realised that he was leaning towards him. Another before he realised that he was kissing him.
And another before he realised that Haiden was kissing him back.
When he pulled away, they were breathless. "I should.. I should get inside." Haiden flushed. Even his ears were turning pink. "Thank you for taking me and.." He smiled. "Yeah."
"Bye. Take care, yeah?" He found it hard to find the right words. In that moment, his arguments with Jess, Aruda, and the almost certain upcoming one with Carmazan melted away.