Underwater

Chapter 4

*Later* (part 2)

We tried to walk a bit, his legs were shaky but he managed, I handed him my towel to cover himself. I went to a shop to buy him clothes while he waited in the hotel room.

"Here that should fit."

"Thanks."

"Do you want to walk around a bit? Practice you know."

"I can walk."

"You walk like an old man."

"No. See. Whoah!", he said and fell over, luckily I could catch him.

"I see. Come on, it's been 20 years since you last walked, your body is fully grown now, you need to get used to it."

"I think you're right."

"Okay let's start."

I held his arm while walking in case he tripped over, his legs were pretty long, so he had to learn how to walk again, he was used to his child legs.

"Look you're getting better!"

"Yes! Let me try alone now, okay?"

"Okay, but slowly."

He learned fast how to walk, he could walk around the room now without my help, he was still slow but at least he didn't need me. I packed my bags and got ready for leaving again, while he tried to figure out what he can do with his new legs. I went to bed and noticed how he cuddled up behind me, he must've missed to hug a real person and feel the body warmth of someone else, I grabbed his hand and pressed it against my chest, now he won't be alone anymore, I fell asleep with a smile on my face, happy that I found him. The next morning he was even closer, I gently shook him.

"Hey, we need to fly back in a few hours."

"Really?"

"Yes. Come on."

"I don't want to."

"What why I thought you wanted to come with me? Or do you miss your home already?"

"It wasn't really a home. I just don't want to get up.", he yawned.

"Funny."

"Sorry. I think I'll take a shower, the salty water itches now on my skin."

"Okay be careful."

He went to the bathroom and a few seconds later I heard a dull 'fump' followed by a loud:

"Andy!", I ran to the bathroom.

"What ha....ehm...."

"Not a single word...", he mumbled lying on the ground with his fishtail in the shower, I couldn't hold a slight giggle back.

"What the hell?! I thought...."

"Apparently not, now get me up."

"How am I supposed to....?", I pulled him up under his arms and picked him up bridal style.

"Why do I want fish and chips now?"

"Shut up.", I placed him on the bed and sat next to him.

"What now?"

"No idea."

"Do you think it will go away again?"

"No idea. Let's try.", he said and kissed me, I kissed him back, placing my hand on the scales, after a few minutes we stopped.

"Nope, nothing. Dammit!"

"But I got a bathtub at home.", I giggled and he slapped me with his tail.

"I can't take you with me like that."

"I know.", a few tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Hey don't cry, we'll find a way. I promise.", he moved closer and hugged me tight, I closed my eyes and moved my hands up and down his back and tail, something tickled my hand and I opened my eyes.

"Mika?"

"Mh?"

"Look, your legs are back."

"What? How?!"

"I think you just needed to get dry.", I smiled.

"Maybe."

"But let's take care of that when we're at home, we need to get the flight."

When we were back in my apartment in Athens we sat on the couch.

"So? Shall we try?"

"Try what?"

"When you turn into a fish and when you turn back."

"Okay, bathroom?"

"It's probably better.", we went to my bathroom and he sat in the bathtub, I turned on the water, a few seconds after it touched his skin the tail appeared.

"Well, let's get you out then.", I picked him up again and placed him on the floor.

"Okay dry yourself.", after a few minutes his legs appeared again.

"Okay, good thing my clothes don't disappear."

"Now we have to keep you away from water."

"Yes, I hope that won't be too difficult."

We went to bed, talking about what we should do now, with this little problem. The next morning we wanted to walk around a bit, so we got up to get ready, I couldn't wait to show him my town. I took a quick shower, as I heard him yell my name.

"What happened now?!", I ran out, looking at him lying on the bed with a tail.

"How?!"

"I wanted to use the perfume, apparently that's also too much water."

"I start to believe this could be harder than we thought."

"We need to find a way, I can't live like this forever, do that to you, I should've read the contract more carefully, but I just wanted to get away.", he mumbled lost in thoughts.

"Don't worry about me, we'll find a solution.", I kissed his cheek.

As soon as he was dry, we went out, walking around the city, as we sat down after a while I wanted to know more about him, now that he could finally talk.

"So, what did you do the last 20 years?"

"Oh real talk okay. Well I swam around, sang, played with dolphins, not much."

"And you were alone the whole time?"

"Except for the fish, yes."

"Wow, didn't you miss your family?"

"Sometimes, yes, I think they declared me as dead a few years ago, because they didn't find me."

"Do you want to see them again, tell them everything?"

"Maybe later, but now we have to find a way out of this."

"Yeah, where are they now?" "Last time, in London."

"London? How did you get here then?"

"Swam."

"The whole way?!"

"Of course, I had enough free time."

"Okay I'll stop now, but one last thing. What did you eat?"

"Fish, what else?"

"Don't know, should we go back then?"

"Yes please, I want to take a bath, I kind of miss the water, I believe it takes time to get used to this life.", he smiled.

He took a bath everyday, singing, I picked him up after it, he dried himself most of the time, but a few times I brought him straight to bed, I hugged him until he changed back and fell asleep. One night I had an idea how to find a solution.