Tangled (Abe Sapien x Reader)

Tense

When Abe imagined his first time making a meal with his girlfriend, he imagined it would be romantic, fun and a heartwarming experience. Like those romantic comedies, he and Liz watched, memories he would cherish forever. Instead he was stuck with his girlfriend's father glaring at him from across the kitchen island as he filleted some kind of fish. He felt like Valo's father wanted him on the cutting board, the way he kept stabbing into the fish as he glared at Abe was all the assurance he needed to know he was right. He was starting to feel bad for the fish, suffering from all that abuse on his account.

He could understand that Nivaan was a bit upset that he was the last to find out about their relationship, but the man wouldn't even give Abe the chance to introduce himself. Now he understood what Valo meant when she had said once he father was very protective, did all father's act this way when it came to their daughters? What made it worse was how nervous he could see his mate was. His usual strong and confident partner was reduced to an uncomfortable silence and the entire time he'd known her, he'd never seen her like this. She wouldn't even look at him and kept her eyes on her work.

It put him on edge, knowing that the reason was most likely her parents unannounced visit and her father's reaction. He had to hand it to her mother though, trying her best to make light of the situation, assigning them jobs in the kitchen and trying to make polite conversation. He could see where Valo got her sweet nature.

"So Abraham, what kind of work do you do," Ishani suddenly asked. "If you don't mind, I never got to ask Valo".

Abe looked between carefully cutting the grey pumpkin like vegetable and Ishani, trying not to cut his fingers. "I used to be a field agent....for a company, but now I've been offered a position in a medical lab".

"W-o-o-o-o-w," she awed, nudging Valo in her side. Abe was glad to see her try to hold back her smile, as her mother physically got her attention. "You didn't tell me he was in the science field as well and the medical field at that"!

"Nivaan was actually in the same field as Valo, when we first met".

Nivaan suddenly stopped filleting the fish and caught everyone's attention. He stared blankly at Abe, placing the sharp knife on the cutting board.

"Yes, I may have not reached the ranks Valo has, but at least I had the decency to go to my wife's parents before tweaking her tentacles".

Valo's eyes sharpened at her father's words and Abe was too shocked to even respond. He'd never heard of the term, but he could guess what it meant. He'd become used to the harsh treatment of humans, but fighting with future father-in-laws was nothing his training had ever prepared him for. He was trying to remain respectful and not stir the already boiling pot.

"Well times have changed my love" Ishani said in a sickly sweet voice. The smile on her face obviously forced and she took no notice to Abe and Valo flinching as she slammed a bowl of live grubs. "We've been together almost two thousand years, that's why we adapt".

"Sure, we adapt, but we also have a thing called tradition," Nivaan responded, coolly. Valo growled and stabbed her knife into her cutting board.

"Valo," Abe gasped.

"You know, you didn't act like this when Durga came home with her mate," she growled. Nivaan cocked a brow at his youngest hatchling, egging her on. "And she made a whole show out of introducing her's"!

"I know what to expect from your sister," he said. "I know to the point that I'm not surprised by anything she does anymore. So, when she came home, already mated to that two head mermaid, I was just happy she stuck with a mermaid"!

He pointed an accusing finger in Valo's direction, the color on his tentacles flashing from dark, to light. "But I expect better of you Valo, hiding a whole relationship"!