It felt weird. Was it raining, or was there a school of fish passing by?
Aqua cracked open an eyelid sleepily and noticed that colourful sparkles were dancing before her eyes. She had no idea what they were, but they looked pretty. On instinct, she reached out to touch them, but they slipped past her fingers and went behind her.Bleary-eyed, the mermaid woke up and noticed that something was different. She couldn’t move when she tried to flick her tail. Instead, pain shot through her foot when it hit something solid.“Hng!” Aqua bit her bottom lip and reached for her tail when she noticed something horribly wrong.There was a long fabric covering it, but Aqua could feel it at once. She didn’t have scales beneath the fabric, and even her webbed fingers were un-webbed now.“Huh?”Beside her, Dawn watched the mermaid wake up in confusion. Instead of saying anything, he let the bewildered creature recall last night’The sun had gone down by the time Dawn found a suitable place to rest for the night. It was rather far from the highway in the middle of nowhere. The dirt road and off-beaten trail told the mafia boss that not many people came by. He parked the sedan a little more to the side so that any trucks passing through in the middle of the night could do so without problems.The drive was less boring ever since Aqua woke up. Ever since he started teething, Dawn did not remember being fed by anyone. However, at twenty-seven, the mafia boss experienced what it was like to eat out of someone else’s hand. Aqua insisted on feeding him while he drove because it was too dangerous to drive with only one hand on the wheel. Besides, she had a very convincing reason for doing so.“I want to see a lot of human land before I return to the ocean,” the mermaid sighed as he killed the engine and wound down the window.The night breeze was cool, but Aqua’s legs had alre
The sun rose as it did the previous day, but Dawn woke up to the sound of someone humming a tune he’d never heard before. It took the mafia boss control not to reach for the gun he’d hidden in the front of his hoodie on instinct.Unaware of the death flag she had just avoided, Aqua continued humming a familiar tune. Watching her tail transform into legs at the crack of dawn for the first time, the mermaid wondered if she would ever get used to it. She took the chance while Dawn was asleep to study her new body parts.Legs were very different from tails. Their bone structures felt more rigid and were not covered in protective scales. Instead, she had a layer of very fine hair on them. More importantly, her anatomy in the lower half was slightly different.Dawn did tell her that if she needed to relieve herself in the middle of the night, she should do it outside. However, Aqua had no idea how to walk. She watched humans do it all the time, but i
“I’ll teach you,” Dawn told Aqua as he searched for something in the back of the car.Hearing those words, Aqua couldn’t contain her excitement. Everything would be fine if they avoided where she tossed the bottle last night. She wanted to know what it would be like to walk and run. Many humans seemed to like running by the sea in the mornings and evenings. Aqua always wondered what was so fun about it. Now that she had legs, the curious mermaid wanted to try.Dawn excused himself for a while to freshen up. He didn’t have much, so he only bought a mouthwash. There were no toothbrushes or shavers. He was spotting a rather nice bristle on his chin that Aqua found interesting.When Dawn was ready, Aqua was already bouncing in her seat. The door was still open on Aqua’s side, so Dawn bent down on a knee to help the mermaid wear slippers. They were slightly too big but not enough to prove a tripping hazard, so he left them the way they w
The sky grew darker, and Dawn cussed when the radio reported a risk of a tornado arising in the area. He could already see the highway police putting up barricades at some exits. There was no way he could pull off a heist in this state now, a bummer.Although it was a shame to miss such a good location for easy cash, Dawn played it smart and left the state. He drove for much longer than he intended and was running low on fuel when he finally was forced to stop at a different town in the late afternoon.Not everything in life went smoothly according to his plans. His father taught him that early in life, and it was a harsh lesson to learn. However, Dawn was great at improvising. He might not be in the best place to pull off a heist, but he might be able to pick a few pockets in the area.If he were alone, the mafia boss would go straight to a small shop with his gun to demand cash from a register. However, he was with Aqua. The mermaid couldn’t be put at risk bec
In just five seconds, nobody knew how to breathe. Dawn couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His eyes were wide behind his sunglasses as Aqua let her larynx steal everyone’s soul with her.He had heard Aqua humming. He had heard Aqua gurgling in her sleep. However, Dawn did not know the mermaid’s definition of singing was literally transforming into an entire choir by herself. Most musicians needed accompaniment for performances. It was very difficult to sing acapella. Most pop stars even required auto-tune to sound decent. How was Aqua doing this?The four men he pulled over over lecherous intentions had their jaws slack in disbelief at the raw gem before them. Aqua continued to sing, and Dawn turned behind. The crowd started to grow quickly, but the mermaid was still clueless as to what was happening.Seizing the chance to slip out of the crowd while he still could, Dawn walked towards Aqua from the side and waited behind her beside a tree in
One. Two. Dawn sighed in relief.Aqua’s tail was intact, and her tail fins twitched under his attention. It was weird to see a fishtail wearing a slipper, but this was probably better than Aqua screaming in agony at the pain of having her fused tail mutilated or worse, becoming a slipper abomination. The same could not be said about trousers, and Dawn refused to put the theory to the test.Unsure about Dawn’s unusual behaviour, Aqua remained silent and tried not to squirm when the human touched her tail fin. She had no idea what Dawn was trying to do, but nobody usually touched her tail fin. Even when her mother was still alive, she never touched Aqua’s tail fin. Aqua didn’t touch her own tail fins either. It tickled and sent strange sensations over her entire body.When Dawn saw the missing slipper, he was finally relieved. The mermaid paused. They must be really important to this human. She made a mental note to take good care of these shoes
When morning came, Aqua was sluggish. It was a huge contrast to Dawn’s alertness from a night of well rest.“What happened?” the mafia boss asked when he noticed how lacklustre Aqua was compared to normal. The mermaid was usually high in energy and bubbly. Seeing her look so sluggish made him feel uncomfortable.“I don’t know,” Aqua answered and immediately started groaning, clutching at her throat. “I feel weird.”Looking at the bag of snacks, Dawn felt remorseful. He should have known the curious mermaid was going to finish everything in one night. She must be suffering the effects of eating too much chocolate now.“I’ll get you something to make you feel better. No chocolates for a while until you feel better. Although they are delicious, too much of it can make you sick.”Sick? What was that?Despite the initial communication confusion, Dawn quickly learned that mermaids don&rsq
“Finally…” Dawn stretched and groaned. They arrived at last.Although there were many changes in this city, this one district remained almost unchanged since the last time he was here.Aqua was finally awake, and she looked better than she did in the morning. Dawn did not know how the mermaid recovered so quickly, but nothing was surprising anymore. It must be mermaid magic.“Let’s stop to get some dinner first,” he told her. “You can eat in the car while I visit an old friend. It shouldn’t take long. What do you want to eat?”Without hesitation, Aqua reminded Dawn about her hot sauce taco request.Blinking uncomfortably, the mafia boss rejected her demands. He also rejected her request for more sweets and sandwiches. Confused, the mermaid rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, thumping her tail impatiently with a pout.“Why are you asking me if you’re just going to say no? I’m not
“So you’re telling me that she isn’t human and you knew about it?!”Nobody spoke. There were two patients in the room and a storm outside that rivalled Jericho’s rage.After discovering the crazy scene, Jericho dragged and tossed Ricardo’s body over the cliff while his dhampir boyfriend prevented Dawn from hurting anyone else. The gills grew on the side of Dawn’s neck and the bullet wound started closing up, so Melvin dug his nails in to remove the bullet.According to the legends, mermaid flesh was able to grant semi-immortality due to its rapid regeneration abilities. Many merfolks were hunted in the past for their flesh by humans who kept them as pets. As a result, merfolks chose to live in deeper waters, concealing their presence from everyone until they were merely a myth. Only those who lived long enough to remember those times knew about merfolks. Melvin was saved by one of Aqua’s kind long ago and knew a few secrets. Imagine his surprise when he learned how a
The crimson liquid oozed out of his hand, and colour left his face with his brows knitted in agony. Dawn could faintly hear Aqua running over. He made sure to shoot Ricardo somewhere vital when he saw the man look to the side. He knew he was losing blood too fast, even if the bullet missed a vital organ. The closest hospital was about an hour away from this resort. He wouldn't make it even if Jericho arrived within the next minute.“Dawn!” Aqua collapsed beside Dawn, scrapping her knees on the stony ground, but she couldn’t feel the pain.Supporting the man and bringing him away from the dangerous cliff edge, Aqua cried under the waxing moon. Why wasn’t it a new moon? She could be saving him with these tears that fell endlessly.Lying on Aqua’s lap, Dawn studied his beautiful saviour. Now that Ricardo was dead, he was finally a free man. They had to remove the evidence and body before the authorities arrived. It sucked to leave everything
Looking down into the whirlpools beneath, Dawn stopped. He ran to a place without witnesses in the area deliberately. It was only a matter of time before Ricardo caught up with him, and thankfully, Aqua wasn’t around. She would have jumped off the cliff and taken their chances with the deep blue sea instead of giving him a chance with the devil.Now that his heart was out of the picture, Dawn pulled out that pistol he always hid with him. It was a customised pistol made from printed plastic that could only hold one bullet. However, that was enough. After all, there was only one man he wanted to kill. Judgement day came at the wrong time, but it might be for the best. Dawn could only truly live his life like a civilian with Aqua once Ricardo was dead.For the longest time, Dawn waited for this day. He never skipped a day at the gym and continued to polish his martial arts skills because he knew that while Jim was satisfied with the raid, Ricardo was never confirmed de
“Stay close to me,” Dawn commanded, grabbing Aqua’s hand tightly. “We’ll make it out of here alive.”The commotion below died in a few minutes, and Dawn peeked at the lobby. Apart from the establishment staff lying on the ground with their hands behind their head, most customers fled the restaurant. It was unlikely that this was a robbery. A resort with such luxuries must also have a great security system. It would only be a matter of time before the security arrived. All Dawn had to do was buy time. The shooter came alone. He could take that person down with force if needed.“Where is he?!” the crazed gunner yelled at the head waiter. “I know he’s in here somewhere!”When they heard the voice, Dawn turned to Aqua immediately. For some reason, he knew that voice. Although it sounded much more unhinged than the refined, sleazy confidence in his memories, there was no mistaking who the shooter was.R
The sun and beach were not for everyone. Dawn and Melvin learnt that the hard way when they accompanied their overly enthusiastic lovers for a day out in the sand. While Aqua enjoyed the sun through her golden locks and seawater on her skin, Dawn suffered from heatstroke and a terrible sunburn that caused his skin to turn red, peeling in a few days. Likewise, Melvin spent most of his time under a shelter, wearing a copious amount of sunblock. The pale man was often sluggish, even when he hid under his umbrella. According to Jericho, the big man had some sort of allergy to the sun and heat.While the two men spent most of the day indoors, Aqua and Jericho had a blast at the beach. Thanks to the hectic and physically demanding nature of their work in the service line, they had no problems picking up physically challenging sports like jet skiing or scuba diving. Aqua was a natural, and Jericho picked up the skills quickly. They spent a lot of time surfing and eating street food to
Although it wasn’t Aqua’s first time travelling to an ocean, it was her first time travelling to a beach that had sand. She was thrilled when Dawn told her about the holiday idea to travel with Jericho and Melvin. After finding out where it would be, the mermaid started marking her calendar and counting the days. It would be their one-year anniversary as a couple, making this trip more meaningful than all their other vacations.The weeks rolled by as Dawn and Jericho finalised their preparations for the holiday and proposal. Aqua remained blissfully oblivious to her boyfriend’s shifting mood as work occupied her. They had less physical contact during the period, which bothered the mermaid a little. However, Dawn prepared sweet surprises for her regularly, whether showing up during her work, sending her flowers or buying her little gifts. The colleagues around Aqua swooned with envy at the romantic gestures. Even after nearly a year together, the mermaid still
It was nearing a year since Aqua and Dawn officially became lovers. More surprisingly, Jericho snagged himself a cute boyfriend a few months ago. Nobody knew where the bar owner picked his lover from. However, that man was rather odd. Jericho was surprisingly secretive about him as well. All they knew from the gay bartender was his name.“Melvin said this restaurant by the cliffside is famous for its seafood. Aqua likes escargots, so you should book a reservation in advance if you plan to propose. Do you need help with the rings?”Shaking his head, Dawn looked at Jericho’s tall but pale-looking boyfriend. Melvin’s hazel eyes darted to the side as he slouched a little under the ex-criminal’s gaze. It was still difficult to believe Jericho was dating such a wimpy man. Apart from his good looks, Melvin resembled a scared puppy whenever they met up. The two men had been dating for a few months now. However, Melvin had never spoken with anyone else
Dawn had finished about half the bottle of aged whisky that Jericho had brought in. However, the nerves did not disappear, and he was still very sober. Time passed very slowly when he was alone, and the tempo of the music playing did not match his heartbeat.Two almost inaudible knocks were at the door, but Dawn heard it in his hyper-vigilant state. The CEO glanced at his watch and noticed it was about time. Straightening himself, he stood up and opened the door.“Hey,” he greeted, turning into putty when he saw Aqua holding the bouquet he bought. “Did you like the flowers?”Blushing hotly, Aqua nodded. She rushed to get dressed and braided her hair for the date after the accident in the kitchen. Jericho had so many fragrances to borrow from, and Aqua picked something that smelled like flowers. It wasn’t the most original choice, but it was the safest. After all, it was probably better to choose ‘Floral Fantasy’ over ‘Bl
Staring at the two words in Dawn’s chicken scrawl, Jericho inhaled deeply. He didn’t know if he should dropkick his dumb friend or strangle the life out of him. Either way, it was good that Dawn came to him before he could present this bouquet of unique flowers to Aqua.“Have you completely lost all your brain cells?” the gay man hissed. “Be mine? You couldn’t come up with better words? Are you a Neanderthal?! You’re so lucky you showed me this before giving it to Aqua. This is no way to confess to a lady!”As expected, Dawn received an earful from Jericho, who looked like he was an inch away from jumping over that counter and stabbing him with an ice pick. However, the millionaire refused to believe reciting Shakespeare’s poetry would impress the mermaid, who had just finished learning long division.“Then what else would you have me write? She can barely do elementary Math. Her reading skills are slightly a