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Description
The sunset casts beautiful colors across the open sky with a few isolated clouds, and the weather is warming up yet keeps a spring chill at night. Off in the distance is the sea, there was a beautiful painting where the sea meets the sunset full of oranges, reds, and even a few violets. However, Pearl Jefferson finds herself far from serene unable to enjoy the sights.

Pearl parks her car hurriedly at the apartment complex and sits a moment to catch her breath with her long, honey blonde hair against the headrest with frazzles from the battles of the day. She could burn the box of medicinal masks and latex gloves that sat in the seat beside her tired of dealing with them and the people who obsess over them. Despite their suffocating heat and feeling they left on her hands, she still felt so sweaty and dirty. Her “essential” job as a city hall staff manager as the city reopens left her hopping like a rabbit.

Pearl’s professional wear did not help matters during the heat of the day. The professional white blouse felt more constricting, her dress skirt even more so, she took a deep breath. She just needed to climb one last set of stairs in her heels, and she could rest her aching feet after 12 hours on the road walking and driving. She had tears in her pantyhose… a coffee stain from the morning… her purse around her shoulder weighed on her; then she made it to the stairs. Even better, it is Wednesday; she still has two more days of this torture. Each step was a test of will, her thighs burn from the climb until; finally, she makes it to the top. She fishes out her keys and unlocks the apartment door.

First order of business, Pearl kicks these accursed heels off in the main hall. She stumbles into the apartment proper once her feet are liberated, grumbling as she did. She looks out over the living room, and hears Netflix playing history documentaries. Her boyfriend Nathan Taucher stands in the kitchen and looks like he started cooking.

Pearl always likes his deep brown hair and matching eyes, and his beard is fun to play with. However, she is not in any playful mood today. Nathan looks to her and smiles, though Pearl’s stare dulls this. The out of work chef and aspiring sommelier still wears his double-breasted button chef coat, though his khaki shorts are not as professional. He tries to stay sharp as a knife on his cooking for the inevitable time that restaurants reopen.

“Are you alright?” Nathan approaches cautiously. “You look like you walked across the desert.”

Pearl takes a deep breath to try and rein in the storm of frustration in her mind, “I can explain…”

Nathan laughs and goes to her, “I’m sure you can.”

A small, weary smile betrays Pearl’s inner elation at the sanctity of home and Nathan. Since the restaurant Nathan works at laid him off as Pearl all week days, coming home is a small glimmer of hope. The out of work chef rubbed the shoulders of the disgruntled Pearl. "What do you want to have for dinner?"

Pearl pouts, “Not now Nathan, I’m disgruntled and trying to vent here.”

Nathan winks, “Nothing food can’t fix.”

Pearl moans and places her hands on his arms as he continues his massaging. “This day was one gut punch after another. I mean you would think I'd be happy to be working and I am but at the same time you know I have to wear you know gloves I have to I'm suffocating under these masks.”

Nathan listens, and then smirks, “You don’t have to worry about masks here with dinner.”

Pearl rolls her eyes, “You’re such a Pufferfish when you’re stubborn.”

Nathan scoffed, “I’m not being defensive I’m offering to cook dinner, I simply want to know what would you like to eat.”

Pearl raises an eyebrow, “Not being defensive, eh Pufferfish?”

Nathan hesitates a moment in thought; then puffs out his cheeks and kisses her pouty lips.

“Stop it!” Pearl giggles and playfully pushes against his chest, “I don’t want any fishie kissies!”

Nathan lets out his breath. “You’re right, I shouldn’t kiss you, you have a fever, and the only prescription is more-”

Pearl places her hand over his mouth catching a giggle fit, “Stop! Nathan I’m supposed to be as mean as a barracuda and you’re messing it up!”

Nathan gently moves her hand showing a big smile, “I’ll get dinner started.”

Pearl huffs, getting control over her giggles, “… What's that thing you cooked the other night?”

“I did Herring Salad with potatoes." Nathan replies as he rubs her shoulders, “I still got some Herring leftover.”

Pearl closes her eyes and breathes easier as he massages her, “I didn’t like the sound of that at first, then I tried it and it’s not half bad. Let’s do that, maybe with a little side salad. Friday, I’ll get us Lobster tails.”

Pearl gives an exasperated sigh before she kisses Nathan’s lips, “Sorry I came in like a hurricane, and I can’t cook. All I can do is hunt and gather.”

Nathan grins wide as he rubs her sides, easing her woes, “Hey, I like to cook even if it’s just for us.”

Pearl blushes from the affection, “I have a friend who is looking for cooks for his take-out business.”

“Tell them to email me.” Nathan nods as they embrace and let her relax in her arms, "You look exhausted. Did you have a tiring day?”

Pearl buries her face in his chest, “The universe is after me. You'd better clear out before a shark attacks.”

"Yeah... I doubt that," Nathan laughs holding her close.

Pearl holds his middle and rolls her eyes, “And I feel even dirtier at the end of the day, makes me want to take a bath....”

Nathan winks, “It’ll take some time to cook the potatoes.”

Pearl’s eyes begin to sparkle like the sunlit sea, and she lets out an infectious musical laugh. She winks playfully, “Are you sure babe you won't miss me? I need a looong bath.”

Nathan gives Pearl a deep kiss. "I missed you all day, Pearl. I think I can wait a little bit longer, but it will be very hard."

Pearl returns the kiss; then leans back to look into Nathan’s eyes, “You're a catch you know that?”
Nathan finally releases her, and crosses his arms feigning offense, “I thought I was a pufferish?”
Pearl rolls her eyes, “Grrrr, yes you are! I’m taking this you prickly boy!”

She storms off into the bedroom and grabs the big Morton Salt container on the counter mischievously. “I’ll be taking this!”

Nathan stares incredulously for a moment at her swaying hips as she struts into the bedroom, and then shrugs, “Okay, have fun with that.”

Pearl thought she could vent for an hour about her day when she comes home, but since talking to Nathan her load seems to be just a little bit lighter. Now in the sanctity of the bedroom, and she tries to decompress. She always has to take a shower since she never had the time to take a long bath. Pearl tries to contain her enthusiasm as she takes off her office clothes. She starts the water just savoring the thought of getting into it. She watches the bath rise. She gets bubble bath mix out as well for fun.

Pearl puts on a turquoise bikini on as well, as well as a towel around her waist she’d be in there for awhile just soaking so it’d be like swimming. The tub is full, so she pours half of the Morton Salt into the tub. She stirs it around in the water, enjoying the warm, salty water on her skin. She has to keep the ocean at arms length constantly, so this is as close as she’d get. She lays a bed of towels beside the tub. She hesitates a moment, taking a deep breath. It’s been so long since she’s done something like this, it’s not as private as she would have liked… but she has just enough of a window.

Pearl gets into the tub and she lays in it. After a few moments, the water glows a brilliant blue emanating from her legs. A smell of sea fills the bathroom. She closes her eyes, and elation fills her as she could now take her true form. Her legs come together as blue scales knit them snugly into a long, scaly tail with a powerful caudal fin at the end.

The mermaid sighs contently, no trace of her human feet. Pearl thinks it's cute when she sees humans wear mermaid’s tail, but you always see the outlines of their feet. Pearl’s tail is one long limb, with a few extra fins at her waist. All traces of human joints were missing in her tail, no knees or ankles, just a mighty mermaid tail over the edge of the tub.

Pearl’s body changes further, her fingers gain webbing between them with a tint of blue. Gills flap around her neck with surrounding blue scales, and her ears become fin-like with the blue tint, all the better to protect her hearing under the crushing waves. Her eyes seem the same, but offer better protection underwater at the exchange of vulnerability to harsh light.

The mermaid’s true form fully complete, Pearl takes a moment to savor stretching her tail. It’s been so long since salty water graces her scales necessary to bring forth her true self that she pushes down so deep it’s easy to forget… Pearl shampoos her hair and hopes that this appeases her mermaid’s soul, lavishing her hair and the old songs about sailors, love and the sea resurface.

“Come all you pretty fair maids
Whoever you may be
Who love a jolly sailor bold
That plows the raging sea~

My heart is pierced by Cupid
I disdain all glittering gold
There is nothing that can console me
But my jolly sailor bold~”

---

Meanwhile, Nathan turns down Netflix so that he could listen to Pearl’s honey sweet singing as he boiling the potatoes. He cut the herring filet, cucumbers and apple slices and mixes it all with sour cream, lemon juice, pepper and salt. The herring could stay cold, but he leaves the potatoes in the oven to stay hot, Nathan prepares the table, adding scented candles for a romantic touch.

Nathan has to admit, he never thought that someone like Pearl would be the one he would have move in with him. He could not imagine getting a catch like her. She was a strange one sometimes, very mysterious at times. She could hate him for being a “stubborn puffer fish”, but he could tell she likes the doting. It’s like she has never had a guy spoil her before. It seems to take her off guard. It does not hurt she has the body of an Olympic swimmer, and shows it off well with a string bikini…

This reminded Nathan of when they first met. He cooked out for a friend of him on a residential part of the beach. Pearl’s songs drew his attention, and he invited her to the barbecue. The smell of grilled fish lured Pearl in despite her protests. The only repayment he required is her beautiful smile, that and that she rocked the mike at Karaoke.

However, as long as Nathan had known Pearl, she never set foot in the ocean. It’s strange that she love the sea as much as she does, spending time so close even sunbathing on the beach, but avoiding the water entirely. It reminds Nathan of Chief Brody from Jaws, and unfortunately his inquiry into this led to an unpleasant fact. Pearl confines in him that she lost someone close to her to a shark attack. From then on, she avoids the ocean.

Nathan gives a sympathetic sigh. Really, Pearl’s songs remind him not just of when they met but also home. His family takes great pride in their Rhineland heritage, and despite her songs of sailors and the sea, Pearl’s voice fills him with nostalgia. He tries to clear his head of distracting thoughts, he needs to finish cooking. With the potatoes nearly ready and the fish done, he goes to the bathroom door to give it a knock and let Pearl know. He would puff up when she takes her time like women do, but he could only keep the food warm so long.

---

Pearl exhales feeling divine. She lay in the tub just soaking and enjoying the water’s warm embrace. While this salty tub was a poor substitute, it scratches this itch that she buries as deep as treasure. The Sea, every Mermaid’s father and master, calls to her. The Call of the Sea begs her to return to its embrace as do her friends of the old days. Those Sea Shanty Sirens desire her to rejoin their symphony.

Pearl has to admit, in these times of stress, this call... has gotten stronger as of late. She misses her powerful tail, cutting through water with the dolphins. Pearl remembers those carefree days with the other mermaids harmonizing with the sea’s symphony and combing each other’s hair. She giggles as she remembers another song from those days as she washes out the shampoo.

“The Cape Cod girls they got no combs
The silly girls brush their hair with urchins~”

Suddenly, Pearl’s song is cut off by a knock at the door. Pearl had been in such a rush for this relief; to be her true self for a half hour… she forgot to lock the door. There’s not much she can do about it now that she has her tail. Worse, now that she recovers her wits, she now notices that water was over the side of the tub making the floor wet, going under the bathroom door.

"Pearl, are you alright? There’s water under the door." Nathan asks his voice full of concern.
Pearl’s heart sinks, “I'm... I'm okay love, nothing wrong! I’ll dry that up.”

"Alright…” Nathan replies skeptically, “Dinner is nearly ready."

Pearl splashes some as she sits up and tries to reach around her massive tail to drain the water, “Oh is it! Sorry I lost track of time... Let me get dry…"

Nathan dams up his concerns since she says she had it, “OK, I got everything ready in the dining room when you’re. I got everything hot, should I break out wine? I got some from St. Goar, Loreley Chardonnay."

She watches the water drain slower than she’d like, “Yes please dear!”

Pearl hears Nathan’s footsteps leave, and she exhales deeply. She keeps her eyes on the water that exposed more of her tail to the air, and once it was low enough that she could flip out into her towels and dry off. Pearl knew that Nathan would wait a bit more, but his pufferfish self would more than likely come in. “C'mon...”

“Damn it... I messed up...” She mutters as she realizes the water wasn’t draining fast enough, and with her bed of towels wet from the tub overflowing, they would not dry her tail now. She needs to speed this up. She took a deep breath and flopped over the edge onto her bed of towels. She winced, and despite the wet towels, she knew a wet thud resonates through the apartment. To her horror, she heard footsteps coming closer and before she could even shout not to come in, Nathan throws open the door, "Pearl! did something h....”

With the sight of the mermaid with Pearl’s face “Oh my god…."

Pearl looks up a mix of guilt and embarrassment on her belly with her mermaid tail flopping behind her like a fish out of water. “I can explain...”

Nathan stared in disbelief, “I’m sure you can… I hope....”