“I think we should just be friends”, a line familiar to many of us.
But for two residents of a north-east aquarium, even that is pushing it.
Conger eels Dr Evil and Rocket have shared a home at the Macduff Marine Aquarium’s central kelp reef for the past five years, but that is where their relationship ends.
Now both eels are more than six-foot long and reaching breeding age and, weather permitting, will be released into the wild today.
Conger eels are known to migrate to the deep waters of the Azores Islands in the western Atlantic to breed.
Staff at the aquarium say both eels have stopped eating and started to swim around the spacious tank, a sign they are both ready to make this journey.
Since this migration is a one-way trip for the creatures, staff are keen to release them to give them the chance to make it to the breeding waters and each find a mate.
Although, if Dr Evil wants to find a partner, he will need to work on his eel skills.
Just like a hormonal teenager locked in their bedroom, he has spent the last year hiding in a hole in the rocks, refusing to come out.
At one stage, divers had to send underwater cameras into his lair to check he was still there.
Evidently the lure of breeding was too much even for Dr Evil to resist as he has finally emerged from his hiding place.
The eels will be transferred to a lifting bag, hoisted out, carried over the aquarium roof and lowered into the sea. Divers will then be on hand to open the bag to set the eels off.
Their release is due to take place at the aquarium from 1.30pm this afternoon, although it may have to be postponed in the event of high winds.