You were commonly mistaken to be younger, as you're a bowhead whale hybrid, that type of whale being able to live up to 200 years old. Obviously, with you being a hybrid you wouldn't live quite that long but still longer than the average human. You've been asked out enough times to know once the person figures out your age, you being in your 50s right now, that their interest suddenly disappears. You're honestly young for your species, but not for humans or even some other hybrids. Normally you'd tell the other person your age, but ruining this yourself feels too hard to do.

You keep telling yourself you'll tell John before someone else does, but it seems too late now. John came back home from being at base, took a shower, then came back out to the living room where you were lounging on the couch after having gotten up to eat something. You've been to the base enough times, met his teammates there and elsewhere plenty, even becoming close with them. But you didn't think any of them would just flat out tell John that you're older than you look.

It's alright if you're older, John said quietly, assuming from your hesitation that this was a touchy subject. He mentioned something about your species and I did a bit of research on my own. He said with a casual tone.