Page 103 of Moody as a Minotaur

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FISHY FORGIVENESS AND THE FUTURE

PARKER

“I know, I know,” I said as I scattered flakes of fish food across the surface of the water. “But I feel like I’m abandoning you.”

Sushi, Filet, and the others refused to look in my direction as they swallowed down their food.

Honestly, I couldn’t blame them. Since Fin had moved into my apartment over the café, their tank was in the best shape it’d ever been. The water had never looked or smelled better. I guess that’s what happened when a water mage took over tank maintenance.

Still, I hadn’t planned on leaving them. Other than my clothes and a few personal mementos, the fish and their tank were the only things I’d planned on taking with me to Levi’s place. I didn’t like any of my furniture enough to take it. Besides, Levi’s furniture was so much nicer than mine, and I didn’t have any strong attachments to any of mine.

“Are you sure you don’t want to move?” I asked for the zillionth time. “I had planned to take you with me. You know that, right?”

They ignored me. Not that I’d expected anything else.

“Maybe it’s better this way,” I said. “Fin needs you more than I do right now. I have Levi, but Fin’s whole world has been turned upside down. And I know you guys are good listeners.”

I swore Sushi bobbed up and down like he was agreeing with me. I doubted any of them would give me a more definitive answer than that. I pursed my lips. Except…

“But if you change your mind, Levi has the perfect spot at his place for you. You know that, right? And that was absolutely the plan before… Well, you know. Before Fin.”

Could a goldfish roll his eyes? Because I swore that’s what Filet was doing right now.

“Fine. I get it. You have it all under control and the only one who is second guessing this is me.” I was fighting the urge to throw in a little more food to ensure there were no ill feelings, when someone knocked at my door.

It was a loud, sure knock. The kind of knock that a big guy like Levi might do. Of course, I’d been fooled by knocks like that in the past.

“I’ll get it,” Fin called out.

He raced down the stairs with more energy than I had, even though he’d worked the same hours I had at the café today. I suppose it helped that he was still in his early twenties too.

I doubted he’d work for me at the café for long. It wasn’t his passion like it was mine, but it gave him something to do while he acclimated to a world filled with magical beings like himself.

“Where is he?” Levi’s voice floated up the stairs.

“He’s trying to reassure the fish. Again.” Fin sighed.

“Of course he is,” Levi muttered.

The sound of heavy footsteps announced someone was coming up the steps. When they got to the top, I still didn’t turn around. A moment later, big arms wrapped around me from behind.

“I’ll just, uh, let you talk. Okay, Pow?” Fin mumbled. His hurried steps disappeared down the hall to the bedroom he’d been using.

“Hey,” Levi whispered in my ear.

“Hey. Sorry, I took so long. I know I was supposed to meet you at the motel so we could head over to the pub.”

“No problem.”

We both stared at the fish swimming happily in their tank.

“Why do cows have hooves instead of feet?” Levi said after a few minutes.

“Why?”

“Because they lactose.”