#man I haven't been to an aquarium in years and i'm trying to convince my family to visit one for a day when we go to the beach later

[spectral-apparitions]

Imagine: Aquarium Date with Your F/O

I started talking about aquarium dates in a discord chat and ended up really going off, so here’s those ideas rewritten to be more coherent!

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Your f/o will point out fish or other creatures and say "that's you." Could be because it's a fish you said you like before, a fish that they think looks like you/your personality, that fish is acting like you, or it's a joke and they're pointing out the weirdest thing in the tank

Taking pictures of the fish and taking selfies in front of the tanks! Are you both into it or does one of you think it’s a bit silly to keep moving trying to get a good selfie with the fish in the background? If you’re wanting to take pictures, your f/o is patient and lets you take your time, and they’d love to look back through the photos later. Or maybe they’re the photographer, picking out fish they want to photograph and trying to get good shots.

Do either of you read the little signs with info about the fish? If you've got a nerdy f/o them just getting SO interested in reading about the fish and watching them and you can see their excitement. If they're already a nerd about fish, infodumping to you about the different species, their behavior, how to keep them in a tank, etc

Maybe the two of you try to find every species on the list in the tank, or try to count how many fish are in there.

If you are excited about fish, they love to see it! They think you're very cute when you're excited and they're so happy to see you like that. Even if they don't much care for aquariums, they’re able to enjoy and appreciate it all because of how happy you are!

And if you know some fish and sea facts, they'd love to listen to you. They’re so impressed by how much you know and they love that you can explain these things to them and make it interesting to learn!

Maybe you're both nerds and you rattle off facts to each other, forgetting to keep your voices down as you get excited talking with each other

Or maybe neither of you know anything about fish but you're reading the info boards to each other and discussing. You're learning about the exhibits together. Do you take time to read everything and learn? Or do you just want to find species names and identify them in the tank? Or maybe you don't care and just want to watch the lovely creatures next to each other

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The lighting:

Freshwater exhibits are usually well lit, but sea exhibits tend to be dimmer. Especially when you get into deep sea and sea floor exhibits. Usually the area you walk in is dimly lit so the fish aren't disturbed and so the tanks can look brighter/easier to see, and like the light is usually blue, sometimes either the light fixtures or where light comes through the tanks make water patterns in the room

So just. Imagine how your f/o looks in that. With soft lights and shadows rolling over them. Maybe you look over at them as they're looking at the fish and you can take in their expression. Are they excited, mouth opening in gasps and smiles, eyes wide and shining? Or maybe they're a quiet interested, soft face and eyes intently following the movements of fish.

If they've got any part of them that glows, seeing that soft light of their own in the dim light. How it looks against all the blue, how no matter what fish and people are around you, they stand out. Do they glow enough that some fish come over to check them out?

Or if they're got any metal parts the way the light reflects on them. It's different from how bright lights bounce off of them.

And also, your f/o looking at you in that light. And thinking you're so beautiful. Maybe you catch them staring. Maybe they tell you how nice you look- all these vibrant fish and you're still the most eye-catching thing to them. Maybe they give you a kiss because they can't help themself

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If there are any playful animals like dolphins or octupi (or even some fish you wouldn't think of!) that come up to the glass and try to interact, do you or your f/o interact with them? Wouldn't they be cute waving at an animal that came up to them and talking to it

Aquariums are usually chilly (in my experience anyways) so having extra reason to hold hands or lean into each other

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Petting pools!

Stingrays, small sharks, horseshoe crabs...Do you want to pet them? Does your f/o want to pet them? Maybe someone touching them for the first time and getting excited that they get to pet the animal. Or having touched them before and being excited to get to do it again. Or! Someone having not pet them before and is nervous, the other calmer one gently guiding their hand out to and on the animal

Does your f/o love petting the animals and wants to stay just a little longer or are they ready to move on to the next exhibit? Would they try to flick water at you when they get their hand out of the tank?

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Do either of you make fish puns relentlessly

If you have an f/o who hasn't been exposed to much sea life (being reclusive, from another planet/dimension, etc) how do they react to everything? Do they think it's cool? Weird? Are they in awe or maybe scared?

What if we...kissed in [exhibit]? Haha jk...unless? Do either of you want to kiss or take pictures at any specific exhibit? Are there any creatures you’re hoping to take a selfie with? Any exhibits you don't have plans for but just really want to go see?

Does your f/o pull you around excitedly to their favorite (or all) exhibits? Or maybe you're leading them around. Do they want to take their time at each one, or spend more time just at their favorites? Or maybe there's no plan and you just roam around to different exhibits as you find them

If you sit on a bench, watching the fish and being with your love might get one of you so calm they doze off, even more likely in a chilly or dark exhibit. If that’s you, your f/o lets you doze for a few minutes, pleased that you’re so content and happy to be there with you.

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On topics of gifts, are they more the type to give you something to remind you of something specific? Like getting you a plush of your favorite animal, or getting you a plush or model of the one that you both poked fun at. Or something more like a trinket, like a pressed penny or a magnet with the aquarium on it? Do they buy anything for themselves or do they just care about getting something for you?

And would you buy anything for them? Whatever you get they'd surely be happy with, because it's from you and anytime they look at it they can think about spending the day with you

You may be tired when the visit is over, but your f/o is just so glad that they got to spend time with you, and hope you enjoyed your time too. They’ll remember it fondly. <3