“The Aegean has some of the clearest water in the world,” I told him, unable to keep the pride from my voice. “And this particular spot... it’s special.”
“Why?” Teddy asked, turning to look at me.
I hesitated, then decided to tell him the truth. “This is where I first transformed. Where my parents first taught me to use my tail.”
Understanding dawned on his face. “It’s your home.”
“My parents had a house in Athens, but yeah,” I admitted. “It’s the closest to a home I’ve ever had.”
The heat was building quickly under the Mediterranean sun. Teddy was already starting to sweat in his jeans and t-shirt.
“We’re overdressed,” he said with a laugh, pulling his shirt over his head. “Good thing we have the place to ourselves.”
I followed his lead, stripping down until we both stood naked on the shore. The feeling of the sun on my bare skin was intoxicating, a forgotten pleasure that made me feel alive in a way I hadn’t in years.
Teddy’s eyes roamed over my body appreciatively. “Race you to the water,” he challenged, already running toward the sea.
I laughed and chased after him, feeling the tension melt away with each step. We crashed into the waves together, the water cool and refreshing against our sun-warmed skin.
“It’s perfect!” Teddy shouted, diving beneath the surface and emerging with his hair slicked back. “I’ve never been anywhere as beautiful as this!”
I couldn’t help but smile at Teddy’s enthusiasm. The sight of him frolicking in these sacred waters, my home, made something in my chest expand. His golden hair turned darker when wet, clinging to his head as he rose above the surface again.
“Come on!” he called, beckoning me further out. “Show me! I want to see your tail again.”
My heart raced with anticipation. I hadn’t transformed in the Aegean since I was a teenager. There was something almost religious about doing it here, where I’d first discovered that part of myself.
“Stand back,” I warned, wading deeper until the water reached my chest.
I closed my eyes, feeling the familiar tingle start at my core and spread outward. The transformation was always easier insalt water, especially here. It felt like coming home, like my body remembered exactly what to do. The sensation of my legs melding together, of scales pushing through skin, was both strange and wonderfully familiar.
When I opened my eyes, Teddy was staring at me in awe, his mouth slightly open. My cerulean tail glittered beneath the Mediterranean sun, more vibrant here than it had ever looked in the chlorinated pool back at Widdershins.
“You’re even more beautiful here,” he whispered, swimming closer. “Like you belong.”
“I do,” I admitted, using my powerful tail to propel myself in a circle around him. “This is where I’m supposed to be.”
The water felt like silk against my scales, every sensation heightened. I dove beneath the surface, reveling in the clarity that allowed me to see for what seemed like miles. Schools of small silver fish darted away as I approached, and I could make out the colorful reef formations in the distance.
When I surfaced, Teddy was treading water nearby, watching me with an expression that made my heart skip.
“Want to explore?” I asked, extending my hand to him.
He nodded eagerly, taking my offered hand. I pulled him close and wrapped an arm around his waist.
“Hold your breath,” I instructed. “I’ll take you down.”
Teddy nodded and inhaled deeply, and I pulled us both beneath the surface. Using my tail, I propelled us through the water at a speed no human swimmer could match. I felt his arm tighten around my shoulders, his body pressed against mine as we glided through the underwater landscape.
I showed him everything. There were the hidden caves carved into the cliff base, the colorful fish that hadn’t yet abandoned these waters, and the strange formations of rock and coral that had been my childhood playground. When I felt hischest begin to tighten against mine, signaling his need for air, I brought us back to the surface.
Teddy gasped, filling his lungs with fresh air. “That was amazing!” he exclaimed, droplets flying from his hair as he shook his head. “I’ve never moved through water like that before!”
“Want to try something even better?” I asked, unable to keep the mischief from my voice.
“What?”
“I can share my breath with you,” I explained. “Like I did in the pool. We could stay under much longer.”