fish lips

We sit on the hood of your parent's old car. You lounge like a king, and I perch awkwardly, my elbows attempting to anchor my wayward butt from sliding down the bonnet. Your breath rises in the night. Hot air. Ice cold. I, the jester, place two fingers on my lips, pulling them away, and exhale. You grab my arm, laughing as my body squeaks down the car's sloping body.

"Second hand smoke and a wax job?"

"I know. I'm a catch."

"I better not let you get away then!"

You hoist me back up, my arm your sceptre with which you command me to lie back. We gaze up at your vast kingdom, your loyal subjects winking back at us.

"Hey."

You turn to me and I freeze. I'm staring, I know (the tips of your ears, your cheeks, your nose are pink from the cold) and I hope you don't know, don't notice. You don't.

"Watch this."

I'm watching. Wisps of black pepper and vanilla rise from your mouth, and then you turn away. Your mouth moves like a fish, lips forming an o, as a stream of flavoured vapour rushes out.

"What's that supposed to be? A fish?"

A slight dig in my ribs, a playful "accident" as you manoeuvre yourself up, elbows flailing against the bonnet.

"Excuse me, miss?"

Your face replaces the sky.

"Did you just call me a fish?"

I smile.

"That's it. You want fish? You'll get fish, princess."

You start again, lips moving absurdly. Fish lips. I squirm as you get closer and closer.

"No! Please! Anything you want. I'll do anything you want!"

I raise my arms in mock surrender, and begin to slide down the bonnet again. You grab my outstretched arms.

"You can't escape that easily!"

You playfully pin my wrists down. I raise my head in challenge.

"Oh no?"

You move closer, your face inches away from mine.

"Oh yes!"

There are clouds momentarily floating deliciously close to my face.

"Oh no! Damn it. You tricked me!"

You move away, your lips a wide crescent.

"That's more like it. Muuuhahahahaha!"

"Really? That's your evil laugh?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing."

I smirk.

"That's really all you got? You sound like a laughing cow."

You prop yourself up on your elbows, inhaling deeply.

"MUUUUUUUHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Your hands wave manically, fingers outstretched, and you slowly slide down the front of the car.
I follow laughing hard.

"What? Too much?"

I gasp for air, sprawled across the asphalt, but I can't stop laughing.

"You. Laughing cow. Megaphone. Raptor arms."

"And you can do better, Miss I-have-a-fetish-for-animals Evil?"

You look ridiculous. A haughty grin appears, your crown askew.

"Actually, I guess you can. Didn't know real evil laughter actually goes 'kekekeke'!"

"I don't sound like that!"

"Do too!"

"And I don't have an animal fetish!"

"Not even for mister fish?"

Your o shaped lips are attacking me again. Pressed against the asphalt I have nowhere to go. There's a pin prick of saliva on my nose. You exhale. Your breath is moist, but there are no clouds, body heat interfering. Your scent clouds my brain. You lean in and—

"Your breath smells like a spicy coconut."

"Well yours smells like pepper and vanilla."

"Be glad I didn't get garlic bread!"

"You still smell fishy!"

"Hey! I meant that in a nice way."

"And I didn't?"

"See! You do have an animal fetish! Or at least a fish fetish..."

"Prove it."

You lean in. I breathe out.

"Now you'll pay."

Mock anger suits you. Determination filling your eyes. For the second time tonight your lips meet mine, but this time there's nothing fishy about it except—

"You look like a stunned mullet, Miss Fish."

You breathe into my ear. My lips form a perfect o. I exhale. Clouds stream away. You move closer, your arm against mine.

"How come you can do that and I can't?"

"Do what?"

I'm floating upwards into your kingdom amongst the stars, feeling lighter and lighter with every breath.

"Blow smoke rings.”

You're facing me again.

"Is that what you were trying to do?"

Your eyes are smiling and I can't help but smile too.

"Yeah."

You grin.

"Well, Mister Fish, let me teach you."

We spend the rest of the night trying to blow Os into the sky, and occasionally at each other.

"Hey, fish lips?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I like you."

"Knew it!"