"Y/n/n, let's go see the sea lions!" Charlie exclaims, pulling me along. You know, for a seven-year-old he's pretty strong.

"Alright, alright." I chuckle and catch up with him so I'm not being dragged and almost falling with every step.

We turn the corner and see a huge tank with at least ten sea lions in it, and a set of concrete stairs on one side.

"It looks like they're getting ready for a show," I say, pointing to the people in wetsuits bringing buckets and inflatable balls and a variety of things from a little cave-shaped room opposite the staircase and across the enclosure.

"Lemme see!" Charlie grins and runs up to the glass wall where you can see into the water, still pulling me along. He presses his face against the glass as a sea lion swims right by, making him gasp in excitement. My attention was elsewhere, though. Specifically, on the girl in her wetsuit who'd just emerged from the cave-room, tossing a microphone between her hands and letting out a seemingly nervous breath.

"Y/n/n?" Charlie tugged on my sleeve and tilted his head. I looked down to see him squinting his eyes cutely to avoid the sun, "Can we watch the sea lion show?"

I chuckled before kneeling down in front of him, "Yep, come on." I smiled and pulled him up to sit on my shoulders, hearing him giggle as he went up making me smile even more.

With my hands reached up to hold his, I move is arms to be outstretched and make plane noises as I quickly headed into the arena and towards the stairs. Once we sat on one of them, I pulled him down to sit on my lap despite his protests.

"But I like being on your shoulders." He stated, trying to climb back up as more people filed in.

"I know, but then the people behind won't be able to see."

He pouted and looked around before gasping and pointing towards the water.

"Let's sit in the front row, Y/n/n!" He grinned as he started running further down there but I grabbed his hand so he wouldn't fall and hurt himself and scooped him up to hold him by my side as I carefully walked down the steps, his giggles returned.

"Woah!" Charlie exclaimed as the keepers started practising with one of the sea lions, making it wave to him. I heard a laugh and a splash and looked over to see that one of the other sea lions had taken one of the balls from the side and started playing with it on the water, splashing the girl from before in the process.

"My new favourite animal is a sea lion!" Charlie jumped up and down, and I just nodded because he'd said the same thing for almost all of the animals we'd seen so far. But hey, if it meant I'd be able to watch this girl a little longer, they might become mine too... what? She's hella cute.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" A boy with red hair in a wetsuit called into his own microphone, one of those ones which hook on your ear and stay near your mouth. The chatter surrounding us died down as did Charlie's jumping.

"Welcome to the Sea Lion exhibition! Before we begin, I'd like to introduce the newest members of our team, Delilah!" He started, pointing to the sea lion beside him who waved to everyone on command, "And Lauren!" This time he pointed to the girl I'd been watching and she smiled before waving in a similar way to the animal. Everyone cheered or laughed.

"Without further ado..." A drum roll sound was played through speakers and the crowd started stomping their feet and slapping their thighs to make noise so Charlie and I joined in, "Let's begin!"

...

"Y/n/n, I want an ice creeaaamm!" Charlie whined when he caught sight of the small stand near the water-animal section or whatever it was called.

"You've already had one today, mister man," I replied with a slight sigh as I lifted him back onto my shoulders. This time he didn't laugh, though.

"Daddy doesn't have to know..." he tried to bargain with a whisper, using his hands to try and push my face towards the ice cream shack.

I laughed and steered myself that way, "Just like me." I commented when we got in line. Thankfully there was only one person in front of us and they wanted a popsicle so they were really fast.

"What can I get ya?" The lady inside the tiny shop asked and so looked up at Charlie.

"Vaniya with sprinkles and strawberry sauce, please." He said, rubbing his eye as he always did when he was feeling shy, and I pointed up at him as I looked back down. The lady nodded and then I ordered a rocky road magnum-type lolly.

Once we had our ice creams, we found a bench to sit and eat on.

"Y/n/n...?" Charlie asked and licked his ice cream once with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Yeah?" I asked, taking my attention from a couple pulling two twins behind them in a wagon.

"Who's that?" He asked and pointed across the wide path between us and a monkey enclosure.

It took me a moment before I saw someone coming towards us. Was that- no, surely not... but why not?

"Hey." She waved and smiled again, but this time not whilst doing an impression of a sea lion and not dressed in a wetsuit but in skinny jeans and a baggy white hoodie, "Mind if I sit?"

"I- no, no, go ahead. Yep. Sit." I stuttered and she chuckled, sitting beside me on the other side than Charlie while I blushed.

Then I noticed she had an ice cream too, and the way she ate it should be illegal. If I were in a movie it'd definitely be in slow motion but, sadly, it wasn't.

"It's Lauren, right?" I asked and Charlie just turned his attention back to his ice cream and the monkeys across the path which were now having a fight over something or other.

She grimaced, "You watched the show?"

"Yeah, it was good."

"Even the part where I almost drowned?"

I laughed softly, remembering how she'd been singing (really well, might I add) and then one of the bigger sea lions 'crept' up behind her and pushed her into the pool, earning applause and laughter from the audience, and didn't notice her deep crimson blush until I'd stopped.

"Yeah, even that part," I reassured, feeling bad that I'd made her embarrassed.

She just grinned but tried to hide it in another lick of her ice cream that had me clearing my throat awkwardly.

"I'm Y/n, by the way." I stated, "And this is Charlie."

"Is he your kid?" She asked and I shook my head with a chuckle.

"No! No, he's my nephew. Aren't you, kid?" I asked, ruffling his hair. He nodded and pointed at the monkeys who were running around and playing with each other.

"I wish I was a monkey." He said and Lauren and I laughed.

"He's cute." She commented and I turned to face her again, opening my mouth to say thanks but she cut me off with "So are you."

—

"And that's how I knew she was a keeper." I joke but the table is quiet, so I decide to add, "Get it? Keeper... like zookeeper?"

That's when Lauren's eyes widen and she starts chuckling, prompting some of our other family members to join in awkwardly.

"Never mind." I groan and focus back on the meal in front of me.

"It's okay, baby," Lauren grins, putting a hand on my shoulder and rubbing reassuringly, "I loved it."

"And I love you," I smirk and she kisses my cheek before we carry on eating the dinner we prepared together for our families finally meeting the other's families, and for mine to meet her.