It did not take Dawn long to learn what motivated Aqua. The mermaid was making good progress with walking when he was around. However, she wasn’t diligent enough to prioritise walking over watching documentaries. It took the casual reminder of a commercial on the television to remind Aqua about the Taco Bell promise to motivate her completely.
“Don!” Aqua exclaimed when she saw him emerging from his home office to get the food delivered at the door. “Taco Bell’s spicy tacos will be finished in three days!”It took the former mafia boss some time to recall why that was important. Aqua’s panic was evident, and the teacher in him decided to use this as an opportunity to see how far Aqua would go for something she wanted.“I guess we’ll just have to miss on this promotion then,” he told her, keeping his expression neutral. “We can’t go until you can walk without help every two steps. Normal humans donDawn couldn’t remember the last time he had so much fun. Had he ever played to his heart’s content and acted in such a silly manner before? He couldn’t remember. Sure, he had his reckless moments, but this was different. With Aqua, he felt as if he had regressed into a boy. She was an expert in bringing out the missing part of his childhood whenever they were together.By the time Dawn finished his shower, Aqua was already asleep at the bottom of the jacuzzi, gurgling away. No matter how often she transformed into a mermaid, the sight was still bizarre. Aqua was curled up in a fetal position hugging her tail on her side as she slept underwater. Without thinking, the former mafia boss whipped out his phone and snapped a photo of the sleeping mermaid. He looked at the picture guiltily, feeling slightly crept out by his behaviour. Yet, who would ever find out? Shoving the guilt aside for acting in such a creepy manner, Dawn saved it as his phone’s wallpaper
Bleary-eyed, Aqua woke up and realised how much her legs were aching from all that walking yesterday. Little dark patches could be seen on her skin where she had fallen yesterday, and they were painful to touch. Aqua wondered what that was. Maybe Dawn could explain it to her.Draining the jacuzzi tub as she had seen Dawn doing, Aqua scrub it well so that she could use it again tonight. Then, she hugged the edges of the wall and made baby steps all the way to the showering stall, where she leaned against the cold wall tiles in an attempt to balance on two feet while doing other things.Living as a human was a lot easier than living as a mermaid, even if there were many things to do apart from hunting, swimming, eating and sleeping. Compared to her life in the ocean, Aqua slept worry-free and did not need to worry about not having anything to hunt for her next meal. The water was always warm, and the only thing Dawn asked of her was to master the use of her legs. Aqua
There were only a few things that Aqua would prioritise over her grumbling stomach. Saving Dawn was one of them, and comforting Dawn was another. Dawn seemed to be the only exception to the rules of survival her mother taught her.As they lay on Dawn’s bed, huddled with rumbling stomachs, Aqua listened carefully to the hushed troubles Dawn shared in little pieces. She couldn’t fully grasp Dawn’s situation, but she knew how much he was hurting from the people he had lost.“They must be dear to you,” she concluded. “You must have been family to them as well.”Dawn didn’t reply. He cried too much to have any tears left, even if his heart was still hurting. Aqua’s warmth by his side was the only reason why he wasn’t drinking and chain smoking to numb it. Every single name and memory he shared with her about those who laid down their lives for him became more vivid in the darkness. Once he started talking, he coul
The drive to Taco Bell took about fifteen minutes at best because there wasn’t much traffic at this hour. Dawn parked his car in the closest lot to the restaurant because he didn’t want Aqua to walk too much and risk falling over. After all, she was wearing sneakers for the very first time.Walking over to open Aqua’s side of the door like a gentleman, Dawn carefully escorted Aqua to the fast food restaurant like he was taught to treat all ladies. From an outsider’s point of view, they looked like an odd couple, with Aqua toddling unsteadily and Dawn behaving like a prince in street fashion. Neither of their demeanour matched their appearance.“Hi, welcome to Taco Bell. How can I help you?” the teenage girl at the cashier greeted lazily.It was late in the afternoon before the dinner crowd and there was nothing to do. She took orders on autopilot and only looked up from her order kiosk when there wasn’t an instant reply.
Dawn informed Aqua about where they were heading after the meal as they ate. After making their late breakfast, he texted Jericho that he would introduce his saviour briefly at the shop. First impressions were important, and Jericho didn’t know how to turn down gossip.“We will visit my friend at his shop,” he told Aqua. “His name is Jericho, but you can call him Jerry for short. Be careful not to bring up your secret, he’s very good at digging for secrets so don’t answer any questions that sound strange.”Blinking as she slurped on soda, Aqua nodded. Then, she burped softly and asked, “What is a friend?”…How to explain it? Dawn, he had more acquaintances, business partners and subordinates than friends. Jericho was possibly the only friend he had but even so, the man was more of his close aide or informant than a friend he hung out with for fun. His definition of a friend was too different. Aqua&rsqu
The bar wasn’t quite what Aqua was expecting. It was small on the inside, although it looked big on the outside, was rather quiet and was overall a little scary without Dawn around. The two men in front of the shop wearing black glasses that covered their eyes were big, much bigger than Dawn. They also looked very fierce, reminding Aqua of whales.Thankfully, nothing happened, and the ‘bouncers’ let them pass after they saw Dawn. After entering a new door, Aqua and Dawn were shown inside the bar to a different room. That explained why the bar looked small after they entered. It wasn’t the main room!However, even after following the part-timer to the room they were going to wait in, Aqua still could not understand why this place had so many walls and rooms. It was like a maze. Without the guide, Aqua would have a difficult time finding anything.“Is there anything you’d like to drink while waiting for the master?” the part-tim
Aqua was a strange one. Even after talking to her and dropping fact bombs everywhere, the lady wasn’t fazed. She continued to treat him no differently than when she first met him. Her sincerity made Jericho feel a little bad for testing her so harshly.“So gay means that you love men and will kiss them?” Aqua clarified after a very confusing explanation about the new term.Jericho nodded with a smile, wondering how she would react to it. There were many people who were accepting, but not everyone was nice about it. Many were still prejudiced in the underworld, even if Jericho was the best in what he did. The informant had been on the receiving end of many mocking statements warped into praise for his work. Not everyone treated gay people with respect after they found out, not that Jericho was hiding it in the first place. However, it was still annoying.Thinking about it, Aqua looked at the strange colourful human. Was there anything wrong with a mal
Living a life full of tension, Dawn never had the luxury to do nothing and unwind. He was taught that there was no safe place with the life he led. However, ever since meeting Aqua, the number of peaceful days increased. Each day that passed uneventfully became a new treasure that Dawn would always remember.They showered separately and decided to pull the bed near Dawn’s large balcony so they could comfortably lie in it while watching the stars. The night air was slightly chilly, so Dawn brought extra blankets. Aqua did not seem bothered by the temperature. If anything, she was slightly disappointed by the lack of stars in the sky.“When will the stars appear?” Aqua wondered aloud as it closed in on midnight.The city was still as bustling as always, and the frustrated mermaid decided to count the number of traffic lights instead of stars.Dawn checked his watch. Although it wasn’t wise, he contemplated leaving the safety of his pen
“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