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“That sounds very idyllic,” I say.
“You’ll get used to it,” he promises with a squeeze to my fingers. “How about we start with bathing suits since you seem very keen on swimming?”
We’ve stopped in front of a giant shop front that appears dedicated to off-planet swim gear. Like every other building, we need to climb stairs to enter and it’s all built out of something that kind of reminds me of decking. It’s not wood or brick, but some kind of plastic. As we enter, there are a few others milling about, but it’s generally quiet. Ma’xon points to a sign above us.
“Second floor for humans,” he reads. “Oh, and for dry gear. We’re on the same level then.”
I try to keep my expectations low. I love shopping, I have since I was a preteen, but the accessories and the shoes can only be so interesting after watching your friends walk into the change rooms with enough clothes to fill a closet. What do Axilarians expect of human clothes? Let alone bathing suits?
Ma’xon guides us through narrow racks that hold lit glass frames of clothes. Each frame holds a new wetsuit, a small screen above them displaying the variety of colour they come in. Oh, this isbougie. But I don’t know if I would call scubaequipment a bathing suit. I narrow my eyes at the giant shark man holding my hands. He’s wearing a fitted tank top deal with equally fitted leggings that have a cord around his tail. Around the sides of his shirt is mesh so his gills can breathe. It’s not exactly a wetsuit, but it’s definitely not what I’m used to wearing.
Even my outfit today isn’t the same as his. I’m dressed for gym class circa the sixties. This morning, Ma’xon presented me with this romper that is made of thin, faded cotton and buttoned up the front. The last human to come to this colony wanted me to have this, apparently. It fits like a glove and my mate couldn’t take his eyes off my legs the whole tram ride here.
Thank god the body lotion here is anti-chafing.
“I’m not sure how much of selection they’ll have,” Ma’xon murmurs, leaning down a bit to be closer to me. “But I know another colony that is much more human centric we can visit sometime.”
I take a deep breath, still finding the piercing in my nose a bit tickly. How many humans have been mated to aliens? Obviously, I’m not the first, but my curiosity skyrockets at the idea that there’s a colony that has constructed itself around humans more than Axilarians. Maybe that colony had one of the first abductees.
Is that the right word? I mean I was taken from earth without my knowledge. But if I’m fine with it does that make it okay? Or was agreeing to being mated to an alien buried in the terms of service I didn’t read? Either way, I don’t feel like a victim of a crime. I feel like I won the fucking lottery.
“Odette?”
“Sorry,” I say quickly as heat rises up my cheeks. “I’m sure we’ll find something, and I’m used to stores not having my size.”
“Everything is made to fit, pup, that’s not the problem. I want you to find things you love.”
My heart flutters a little as the thought of shopping till my arms ache and the bags that line them leave permanent marks on my skin. “You’re really gonna regret saying that.”
Ma’xon smiles at me and stops us in the far back corner of this level. In front of me is a rack of two dozen different bathing suits and wetsuits. From speedos to full coverage wetsuits with head coverings, there has to be a style of swimwear for just about everyone. My eyes snag on a slinky string bikini style, and a big hand lands on the display screen to swipe through the colourways for it.
“Red?” He nods.
“I’m gonna look like a fire truck,” I pout.
“The sexiest and most adorable fire truck,” Ma’xon agrees. “What other styles do you want? I won’t barge in again.”
I don’t think he knows what a fire truck really is, but I select three more suits, two of which are a classic one piece fit and then a knee length wetsuit just because that seems to be the norm. Then a small bell dings overhead.
An Axilarian waves us over, smiling extra wide when Ma’xon turn around with me.
“You can head right through those doors, machine’s all ready for ya,” he says.
I step through the frosted sliding doors, trying to figure out if by machine he means that I’ll have to get my measurements scanned or something. I don’t know how space clothes are made, but I assume there’s something like that. Except I’m alone when I twist around to ask.
I poke my head through the door again and I see the two men are in deep conversation about something. Ma’xon scratches the bottom of his fin while the other guy’s tail starts to sway more aggressively the longer they are talking. I give them a few more minutes, but when they are still not done, I turn back to the dressing room.
Nested in each pale blue cubicle is a shower head and bank atm. Is this so I can test the suits and pay for them automatically? There haven’t been any exchange unions here even if I did have cash on me. Then, a soft, feminine voice nearly scares the shit out of me.
“Please step under the holo-array to be fitted.”
The shower overhead turns on and blue light rains down from it. I have no reason not to trust it, but I only put in the tip of my busted ballet flat. Nothing happens. Not to me or the machine. It doesn’t even make a sci-fi-y noise when I dip my foot out and in again. Once I step under the light, a ring of green light flows down from before it completely dims.
That is all it takes to do my full measurement?
I turn around to the ATM and see a full 3D model of my body on screen. Fuck me. I’m not horrified at all with what’s on screen. In fact the first thing that comes to mind when I see it is that my ass looks amazing. Generally, I feel pretty neutral about my body. But seeing this digital version of me with that fire truck red bikini on makes me think I’m fine as all get out. Just like a smartphone, I can pinch the screen here and zoom on the design.
Before I can move on to the next one, I have to approve each colour first. After seeing how great the red looks, I change the next suit from a plain navy to a black and white pin stripe pattern that makes the model look curvier and taller. On the third suit, I go bold and make it a royal purple colour. I leave the more practical suit black just so I have a basic piece.
