Romancing the shadows Volume One

A girl and her fish pt 1(SFW)

Why thank ya m'dear! I'm glad you enjoy it! I hope you like the shark man, rough and tumble guy, been through a lot.
A/n: yikes sorry for the long hiatus! Art block had hit me hard and I've been stressing myself out a lot ;;

You groaned waking up from a nap to your phone going off. It was your auntie, well not really but that's what you've always called her.
"Hello..?" You tried but the sleepiness was evident in your voice.
"Hey sweetie you awake? I got a customer here who could use a ride." You sat up from the couch you had crashed on an hour earlier rubbing your eyes and yawning.
"Uh, yeah I'll be there in fifteen auntie."
You hung up and fell back onto the couch before pushing yourself to throw on some decent cloths and got in your car to drive out to the bar your auntie owned. It was a beat up worn down bar that usually had motorcycles of all kinds lined down the length of it, but at this time of night it was empty. The bar almost never closed but Monday nights were hers. Street, stop, and other signs had been nailed to the outside along with vintage lights, one of a pinup mermaid girl, her tail flickering up and down. You pulled in parking where you assume you should, not being able to tell due to the warn down gravel covering everything. Getting out you pulled your hoodie closer to yourself as a cold gust of wind blew over you. The familiar sound of shoes against old wood stomping beneath you greeted you like an old friend as you pushed open the heavy door. The bar was quiet unlike usual. The band at the front of the stage were a mix of packing up or sitting at the bar. A woman covered in teal scales and heavy dark makeup and plaited candy red hair gave you a kind smile from the bar.
"Hey sweetie, auntie call you in to pick up that shark in the corner? Not sure why... mans had nothin but water the whole time." She calls lightly before pointing to someone huddled into a patchy brown and black leather jacket in one of the furthest corner booths of the bar. "She'll be out in a minute." The Redhead winks shrugging on a heavy looking jacket that looked more suited to fit her guitarist that was quietly cleaning up in the back. You sat down next to her until the women everyone seemed to know as Auntie came out. She was in her mid fifties, and she nearly looked human. Her splotchy red  skin clashed with the paleness from tank top straps and light brown freckles powdered her body and face. Her eyes were large and seemed to glow a bright blue and her pupils were slits, searching the bar until she saw you.
"Ah, Hey sweetie! Thanks for stopping by. That man back there... I don't think he has anywhere to go so if I give you money can you just get him a room at a hotel? Unless he has somewhere else  to go... He's a little rough around the edges but he's kept to himself so I don't think he'll cause you any trouble." She smiles and you nod. She leans over the bar calling,
"Hey handsome the bars closing down. I got you a ride to wherever you need. Hotel rooms on the house if you need it."
The lump of leather moves before he's sitting up fully, you can't full see him but you can tell where ever he's from he's aquatic. His skin is a smooth grey and his head seems to come down to a point where his nose ended. A fin was adorning the top of his head and seemed thin out and fall to the back of his neck. As he got closer you could see long droopy elf like ears that looked pierced and chewed up and barely hanging onto his head, he was covered in scared and you couldn't help taking in his appearance and he slowly made his way up to the bar.
"I ain't ask for no ride ma'am." He growls out the words but it doesn't sound threatening. Your eyes travel to the teeth that poke over his lips as he speaks. He's carrying a duffle bag "I ain't done nothin to deserve that kindness, but I will be on my way." He tries but when he turns to walk out he's met with you. You glance up at him holding up your keys.
"I drove all the way out here." You shrugged and you could feel him looking at you even though the entirety of his eyes were black. He seems to hesitate before letting out a sigh.
"Fine." You feel a smile tug at your lips as you turn and open the door only for it to swing open out of your hands. You jump looking up to see him opening the door the rest of the way for you, face still tired and angry. Gods he was tall.
Once in the car he's quiet the entire time and you for some reason keep trying to start a conversation with him.
"Ya know... i would a thought a shark would need to be somewhere... aquatic?" As soon as you say shark his head rolls to you and the only emotion that registers is: irritation.
"Mate, do I look like a shark to you?"
"I mean..." you feel a smile fighting and it slips onto your lips against better judgment, "you really do." He talks shaking his head lightly before looking out he window.
"So uhhhh..." you can feel him take in a deep breath when you start talking again but you finish anyways. "You got a name?"
"Gale." He grunts lowly and you nod before giving yours.
You pull up to the hotel on the outskirts of the city.
"Well Gale. You are at your destination. Unless you'd rather be somewhere else?"
" 'm fine." Is all he says as he seems to just pour out from the car.
"It was nice to meet you Gale!" You call out and he freezes before he continues walking. You pause realizing you never gave him the money for his room.
"Wait Gale!" You call jumping out of the car, "your money your- room?" Looking around He seems to have just, disappeared.
With nothing else to do you head home.
You don't get much sleep or work done through the night and the next day. Gale had somehow stuck himself into every corner of your mind and instead of heading home after work you found yourself driving to your aunties bar.
Like it's supposed to be, the bar is packed with travelers, bikers, city dwellers and everyone in between. Old pool tables being put to use by strangers and the same band plays as always.
You take a seat at the bar, scanning the area. No Gale.
"Hey babe what can I do for ya?" A voice other than aunties chimes in from behind the bar and you turn to see one of the men who works for her. You smile politely and just ask for your favorite sodas and watch the band play.
Not long after however the door beside you opens up and a large roughed up- familiar figure trudges through. He seems to notice you immediately, his ears dropping even more than normal as you wave to him
"Gale! Hey I thought you might be back here." You smiled and for a moment it looks like he wants to ignore you but when you spin lightly left and right in your bar stool and tap the other seat gently he sighs and grabs the seat next to you.
"Ya know... I don't think you're as tough as you seem." You smile and his eyes widen as he glances down at you before turning back to the bar table and grumbling.
"So why do you come here?" You ask and you get some half hearted mumble of a reply along the lines of 'Do I need a reason?' But despite his standoffish nature you keep pushing and you continue trying to talk to him through the night.
He's a little rude sometimes, definitely a smart ass but more than that he just seems hesitant to talk to you. He could have walked away anytime he'd like but he didn't, he sat there and humored you as you tried to keep up a conversation with him. Eventually you began yawning mid sentence, your eyes dropping a little more but determined as ever you stayed to talk to Gale. You pried your eyes open and he seemed to have loosen up seeing how hard you were working to stay awake.
"You need to go home, get some rest." He spoke softly with the gruffness still in his voice but you shook your head, the sleepiness causing you to lean to the side almost falling off of your stool. He stands up moving swiftly to steady you and you swat his hands away smacking your cheeks to wake yourself up
"Nah I'm fine I'm fine." Alertness slowly returned itself as he took his seat again and you stood on your own.
"Alright I'm.. yeah I'm gonna go home. Do you need a ride again?" He shook his head rejecting your offer until you asked him
"Where are you staying? You just got to earth what... this week? Everybody needs somebody to help them around this place. Let me help you."
He sucks in a breath looking like he's going to blow you off but his shoulders slump and he stands, towering over you.
"Fine."
Despite your new found excitement it doesn't erase your sleepiness and when you finally get to the house and let you and your new friend in your rubbing your eyes as you plop on the couch.
"Right so... bathroom, kitchen, couch, room" you vaguely point to each spot.
You don't remember falling asleep but waking up left you grossed out at the feeling of your jeans bunching together around your legs and your work shirt crinkled. You didn't want to open you eyes but eventually you did as you stared at the ceiling. Then it hit you. You fell asleep on the couch after inviting the alien equivalent of a drifter into your house. You shot up finding that you were in bed and that the blankets were laid over you. Your shoes were off and laid along side a few other pairs next to your closet. Then you smelt something, it smelt like food.
Hungrily, tiredly, and cautiously you made your way out of your room and to the kitchen finding Gale leaning over the stove. When he looks up and sees you a respectful and kind smile and a nod.
"I um," he glances down, his smile turning sheepish. "I wasn't sure what you would be int he mood for."
"Hm?" You looked at the counter seeing a little bit of everything on one large plate. Your heart swells at the gesture.
"Oh Gale... you didn't have to, this is too sweet." You smiled but you weren't about to turn down delicious food, you grabbed two plates and pushed one into Gales hands
"Oh no I'll be fine-" He tries but you quickly cut him off
"Nonsense! I don't want to eat alone anyways." The two of you plate your food In a comfortable silence and go sit on the couch. A few bites into the food and you were groaning at how good it was. Gale kept his smirk to himself but you still saw it and sobered up.
"This is so good... I didn't even know I had this much food in my house, why did you do this?" You asked and it was his turn to sober up.
"To repay you for your kindness. You shouldn't have driven me around, talked to me, and let me into your home but you did. And for that, I thank you."