Hook, Line, and Sinker

by Finnian4ever

"Didn't you see that?" Lukas asked urgently, staring wide-eyed in the rear-view mirror. "See what?" Mathias asked. "Are you completely insane, trying to give us all whiplash?" Lukas shook his head emphatically, his breathing erratic now. "There's something on the side of the road right back there. It…it looked like a person." (FinlandxSweden, Norwayxdenmark, finlandmerman ;)

10. Chapter 10

Discharging Tino from the hospital was a quick and easy affair, though many nurses seemed to be hanging around purposefully to get one last look at him before he left. The merman was dressed in the sweatpants and hoodie that they'd bought him at The Bend, with his cheap snow boots, so most of his spots were covered up, except the ones on his face and hands, but people still stared. Tino was in a much better mood now that he knew he was leaving, so he didn't get upset about it, but he didn't respond either. He was very quiet, caution written in his body language; the way he held himself and looked around, as though worried that someone would come running up to him any moment to tell him that they made a mistake and he'd have to spend yet another night in that place.

All the way out to the car the others were watching him, slightly worried about how solemn he seemed, asking him if he was alright. Tino just nodded, but didn't even smile. It caused a tension to spread through them all as they buckled up and started the car. Tino's eyes stayed fixed on the big white building as they drove away from it, turning in his seat to keep it in his vision. When they turned a corner and it disappeared from sight, his demeanor changed like the crack of a whip.

Tino's face lit up, all his front teeth showing, his eyes near sparkling with happiness. He turned in his seat, and threw his arms up in the air with a loud cheer of pure delight.

"Woohoo!"

The others all startled at the sudden sound from the previously silent merman. The SUV even rocked a little as Lukas' body jerked in reaction. Mathias swore, and nearly dropped his camera.

"Don't do that!" Emil scolded, but Tino didn't pay attention. He was too happy.

Tino bounced all over his seat, chirping in a louder, longer trill than any of them had heard him make before. Beside him, Berwald's big body was jostled by Tino's enthusiasm.

"I'm free! I'm free!"

Tino was giggling with joy, and grabbed Berwald's arm to shake it, as though trying to spread his cheer around. He was doing that regardless, as his infectious smile caused every single one of them to grin, smile, or laugh with him.

"You sound like you were just released from prison!" Mathias laughed, the camera shaking in his hand as he tried to steady it against the mirth rattling out of him. He was turned in his front seat spot like usual, and had watched closely when Tino from the time they signed out at the front desk. He hadn't been sure at the time where Tino's standoffish mood would lead, but he'd been discreet about filming it. As a result, he now had captured Tino's rapturous mood swing for all to see.

Tino was trying to settle down now, ceasing his bouncing but swaying back and forth where he sat. He did this when he was extremely happy; a holdover from the days when he would undulate through the water in a happy underwater dance.

"He might as well have been released from prison." Piped Emil, leaning up from his seat in the very back to lean against the middle seats. "Once you start feeling better in a hospital and they make you stay, it feels like being locked up."

Tino gave out another cheerful sound and sang in a rough approximation of human song,

"Well, I'm freeeeee nooow!"

The sound was not grating, but sounded like what it was; someone singing who had never learned how. Tino liked how Mathias would randomly sing-song phrases or words, but had never quite understood the practice until now. He was so thrilled at the moment that it came naturally to him.

"Where are we going?" He asked eagerly. "Berwald's house? Or your apartment?"

"Not quite," Lukas told him, "we thought before we took you back anywhere we should stop and buy you a few things that we couldn't get at The Bend. What we bought for you there was serviceable, but you deserve more than that now that we're home."

The merman quieted down as Lukas spoke, and it didn't go unnoticed. Especially after being so boisterous just a second ago, the sudden silence and the happiness melting into concern on Tino's face told them all what he was worrying about.

"Don't worry about the cost," Berwald told Tino softly, voicing what all the rest of them were thinking, "We'll take care of you."

Tino's violet-blue eyes flicked up at Berwald guiltily, and he didn't say anything.

"Seriously, Tino!" Mathias sighed. "How many times do we have to tell you that we're flush with money for the first time in our professional careers? We can afford to provide you what you need for the human world, man."

The merman worked his jaw, then licked his lips as his brow furrowed. He let their words sink in for a time, and he fiddled with his newly-shortened bangs, before his face eased a little into curiosity.

"So…I helped…earn some of it, right?" Tino asked, shyly. "At this point…I'm not taking too much of what is strictly yours, but what I helped to gain…d-does that sound fair?"

"Absolutely." Lukas stated.

"Duh!" Mathias said at the same time. "Without you we wouldn't be getting any extra pay at all! You're the whole reason, so you're definitely entitled to a share of it. You've got more smarts than you let on sometimes, you know that, fish boy?"

Tino straightened his back and lifted his little button nose into the air a bit.

"I do have a trade in my home waters," he reminded them, "I know about bargaining and due payment."

As was the pattern with Tino at times, a second after stating something he'd been confident about in the sea, he became unsure of whether his human companions thought it impressive or noteworthy. So, he shrunk back a little, the confidence fading from his face as he added,

"Though…it is different here. You don't bargain anymore, since you have a curren—currency. So…maybe I don't really understand."

"Business is business no matter where you are." Lukas assured him. "Bartering or paying with currency, it's all wrapped up in roughly the same set of skills."

Emil hummed next to Tino's ear, where the teen was leaning his chin on his folded arms across the headrest of the seat.

"Tino's got a point, though, Lukas." He said, and plopped one hand on Tino's head as he spoke. "He's earning us all this income, and he deserves a direct piece of the profit."

The merman turned his head to look at Emil, alarmed.

"Oh, I didn't mean—I-I wasn't-."

"Emil's right." Berwald agreed. "Tino earns his own share."

"Ber!" Tino protested, looking up incredulously at the much taller man.

"I've been meaning to bring that up anyway." Lukas said. "I wanted to wait until Tino was settled in a little more, though. I'll get down to the numbers and determine how much we owe Tino since we first posted the video of his rescue. We can add another account to our banking and get him an extra check card."

Tino waved his hands frantically.

"You don't have to do that! Really! I don't even know how to use human currency!"

"Sounds like you don't have a choice, then." Said Berwald, a slight tease to his voice. Tino looked, wide-eyed, from one of them to the next, but found no backers. He slumped back into his seat, defeated.

"I've never seen someone look so miserable about making money before!" Mathias said. "Come on, man, just think of all the things you could get!"

"I'm not used to getting 'things' without working for them." Muttered Tino. "Hours of painstaking work chiseling and carving."

"Ug, you sound like dad." Emil said with a massive sigh. "You millennials expect everything handed to you."

"And as we've told him countless times," Reminded Lukas, "we are working. Just differently than his generation. We're entrepreneurs of internet fame."

"Yea, and we work really hard! My baby goes through some tough emotional strain having to talk to all those ghosts and stuff, Emil puts in so many hours writing up the blogs, and I haul around this camera all the time and edit all the footage. Not to mention our muscle-man Berwald tagging along most of the time for absolutely no reason, just in case we need a shield! We all work hard! And Tino, you're not working any less hard; you're working the camera! That's just as important as anything else. Without the camera we would be nothing."

"Hey!" said Lukas, sounding hurt. "Emil and I were doing just fine before you and your camera showed up."

"Yea, you were doing 'fine', but you didn't have the celebrity status you do now, which is what ultimately brings in the money. You can't deny that, Luk."

Mathias took a moment to preen as Lukas heaved a heavy sigh that admitted his defeat. Then he turned back to Tino, who was looking more amused than upset now.

"Now, come on, Tino, there's got to be something that you've seen in all your research that you'd like to buy and keep as your own? At least for the time you're here?"

Tino thought it over a while, his face shifting into complacency. For a few minutes he stared down at one hand, and kept rubbing his head with the other, still adjusting to short hair. Then his eyes snapped back into focus, and he sat up, declaring,

"I'd like an iPod!"

They all broke out laughing, even Berwald giving a short sound of amusement. Tino had borrowed all of their iPods at some point since last week, and listened to their music, audiobooks, and even the ambience tracks that Lukas used to relax. He had taken a great liking to having all of that available instantly.

"That's a place to start." Emil chuckled. "We should be able to fix you up with that, no problem."

"We'll see about getting you an iPod if we have time, and if you're not too tired." Lukas told Tino. "For now, we'll be shopping for jeans, a few sweaters and shirts, and most importantly, proper shoes. Those boots just won't cut it. They were a short-term solution to begin with."

Tino looked down at the boots he wore. They were certainly good at keeping his feet dry, but not warm. They'd overcompensated for this by layering his feet in wool socks, but his feet tended to still get cold whenever he was outside or in the car. The rest of the time he was barefoot.

"I'll get shoes like the rest of you have?" Tino asked. "With laces and everything?"

"You betcha!" Mathias told him. "We'll get you some sweet neon ones, too!"

"No." Lukas followed up, with irritated finality. Mathias turned toward him and pleaded.

"Come on, Lukas! You never let me have neon green laces, so at least let me live my dream through Tino!"

Lukas pursed his lips on a grunt. When he spoke, he sounded less than thrilled.

"If one of your dreams is about your shoelaces then I pity you, but I won't let you walk around looking like a middle-schooler!"

A slightly uncomfortable silence followed, in which Mathias pouted down at the space between their two seats. Lukas looked over at his lover, saw his face, and sighed.

"I just want you to look like someone cares about you enough to dress you up nice. Not like some kid who doesn't know any better. I love you too much for that."

Lukas' last words were soft, but Tino caught them, and all of them saw Mathias' face brighten. The taller man reached out and gently pulled Lukas' hand from the steering wheel, holding it hostage between his own fingers. Tino also didn't miss how sneaky Lukas had been in diverting his attention. Then again, he didn't miss the softening around Lukas' stormy blue eyes at his lover's touch, either.

Tino suddenly realized that Berwald was watching him as he watched the couple in the front. For some reason the scrutiny in Berwald's expression made Tino instantly flustered.

"Um, so," he babbled, "shoes! Where do you even get shoes?"

))((

Shoe shopping with Tino was an interesting experience to say the least. They went to a very nice place, where the employees actually measured people's feet and recommended the right shoes for each individual customer. Tino had been wary of the measuring device, and the young lady who was showing him how to use it politely ignored all of the strange behaviors they gave off as a group. Like when Tino leaned over so far to watch what she was doing that he got too close and blocked out all the light. Or when Mathias hovered over her with a camera to get a good shot at Tino's foot measurement. To say nothing of how Tino kept crooning and chirruping while looking around the store with wide eyes like he'd never been outside before. She was a trooper. She got them a few pairs of shoes and then settled to the side as the rest of the group started in on Tino, giving him advice.

"Now, the key is to tie the laces this way…"

"Make sure you have enough room for your big toe at the end."

"You really should walk around in them."

"But wear both feet at once, if you just try on one you won't get a good feel for them."

"Are your ankles slipping out of those?"

"Need to tie them looser?"

"You can always try another size."

After trying on a few pairs and probably creeping the poor woman out with a group of grown men treating another grown man like a child, they bought the shoes and went on to their next destination.

They took Tino to a resale shop, and as soon as he could, Tino climbed out of the car. As the rest of the team piled out, Tino began to sway where he stood, eagerness alight in his eyes. The shoe store had whet his pallet for more of the human world and its shops.

Berwald took up post beside Tino, and led him toward the door, temporarily leaving the other three behind. He could tell Tino was impatient and didn't want to make him wait. You would've thought the resale shop was heaven the way Tino's eyes widened upon walking in.

"Woah, slow your roll there!" Mathias called, catching up. "I want to get his first reactions on camera."

"You still are." Lukas said, trotting on Mathias' heels with Emil trailing behind. "You already got his reaction to the shoe store."

"Yea, but not to a thrift store! Every new thing is a treat for this guy!"

Tino glanced at the few shoppers dotted about and their carts. He then looked beside him at the collection of shopping carts lined up in a row. He grabbed the handlebars and tugged one out. As he rolled it across the floor, Tino chirped in pure excitement. A number of heads turned at the sound, but Tino was too distracted learning how to navigate his cart without hitting anything, and the rest didn't care about the stares of strangers. While Tino's long hair was gone, his markings were still visible to anyone who gave a second glance. His haircut actually helped draw attention to the larger spots on his neck.

Thankfully, there weren't a great many people in the thrift store, just like there hadn't been many in the shoe store.

Emil helped Tino direct the cart over to the men's section of clothing.

"This is amazing!" Tino said, watching as Emil showed him how to flip through the clothes on the hangers. "I knew that you humans wore clothes, but somehow I didn't think that there would be so many in one place. Ridiculous, I know, but it's just something I never really thought about before."

Emil nodded.

"Same for us the other way around. That's why so many people ask about whether merfolk wear clothes."

Tino laughed and began digging through the rack of shirts.

"I don't know how many more times I can say that we don't!"

As he flipped through the shirts, making it halfway down the row when he suddenly stumbled across a tie-dyed long-sleeve t-shirt with a small yellow peace sign over one breast. The merman gasped and pulled it, hanger and all, from the rack to hold it up.

"Amazing! Look at this! Look at all the colors!"

Mathias stifled a guffaw and gave Tino a thumbs up.

"Groovy!" He said, in a slow, smoky tone. Tino looked puzzled at his word, and took another look at the shirt, running his hand over it.

"There's no grooves in it…it's quite soft…"

Emil patted Tino on the shoulder and took the shirt from him.

"Remind us to tell you about the 60's some other time, Tino."

The merman didn't say anything, but when Emil put the shirt back on the rack, his face fell sadly.

"It's so pretty…" He finally said, indicating how much he really wanted it. Emil gave him a nudge and got him moving again.

"Trust me, you don't want that one. Pick literally anything else. You're not even in your size, anyway; it's going to be too big on you."

As they moved down, Mathias questioned,

"What do you have against tie dye, Emil?"

The teen shot a look over his shoulder at Lukas, who gave him a completely innocent look.

"Ask my brother."

Mathias' eyebrows went up and he turned the camera on his lover. Lukas waved a hand dismissively.

"When we were little mom and dad dressed up as matching hippies for a costume party. I may or may not have carried Emil around like my own little twin doll instead of acknowledging him as my brother."

Mathias' mouth dropped open and he burst out laughing.

"Oh my god! How have I never heard this story?!"

Emil sent Mathias a death glare next.

"Because mom has pictures." Lukas said simply, but with a little wicked smile. "And Emil had never wanted anyone to remember his humiliation. But we're both adults now, right, little brother?"

The teen could not possibly look any meaner, so he turned on his heel and went after Tino, who had made his way into the women's section without catching on.

It did not take long for Tino to fill the shopping cart with things to try on, or for the other shoppers to catch on that there was something different about the little blonde who kept making odd sounds and smiling at everything. When Tino was in the dressing room to try on the first round of clothes, a startled sound emerged, sharp and loud.

"Everything alright in there, Tino?" Lukas called, concerned.

"Yes." Tino answered. "There was a…plastic tag I think…it scraped me on my neck when I pulled this shirt on."

"Let's see it!" Mathias called, holding up the camera in eager anticipation. Tino opened the door and stepped out, wearing his boxers and the t-shirt he'd just pulled on.

"Oh god, no, Tino!" Laughed Emil, pushing Tino back into the room and closing the door behind them. "Put some pants on too while you're at it!"

The rest of them sat on a musty couch that sat in a section of furniture directly before the dressing rooms, waiting to see the results of their browsing. Emil got Tino modest, and opened the door for them to see his first outfit.

"That looks good." Lukas said, nodding at the dark blue jeans and graphic tee.

"You think so?" Tino asked, turning around to look at himself in the mirror. He craned his neck to see the back of himself in the mirror, twisting his body awkwardly.

"No, no, no." Mathias chided, handing his camera over to Emil and stepping up beside Tino. "You're doing it all wrong."

"I am?" The merman asked, innocently.

"Yea, when you show off your clothes it's like you're on a catwalk! So, you gotta strut, man! Like this, watch me and do what I do!"

Lukas groaned loudly and shook his head.

"Mat, please not ag-."

"Can't stop me, baby, just doing what I always do!" Mathias cried, drowning out his lover's plea as he struck a dramatic pose and paused for a beat.

"That's what I mean, Mat, you do this every time-."

"Can't hear you, too busy being sexy!"

Then with a quick jerk of his head, Mathias began to strut along the empty space between the dressing rooms and the furniture, being sure to accentuate every move and swing his hips plenty. A woman nearby covered the eyes of her little daughter, while all the other customers tried to look like they were ignoring the display, while secretly trying to get a better look. Mathias was an embarrassment most of the time, and this was definitely the case now, but no one would deny that he knew how to strut.

He was six feet, broad-shouldered, with a tapered waist and long legs. That combined with his handsome face, blue eyes, and thick blond hair that he styled like a model…he could draw attention when he wanted to. Mathias ran a few fingers through his hair and licked his lips purposefully as he walked up to Lukas, who was facepalming, but still watching him through parted fingers. Mathias lifted two fingers to his lips, kissed them, then pulled Lukas' hand away from his face and placed those same digits over the thin line of Lukas' own lips.

"Oh god…" Emil groaned, while Mathias turned sharply and headed back to Tino, all the while keeping up the same walking cadence of a pompous model.

"Like this, Tino, you see?" He asked, swaggering. Tino was trying and failing to hold in a hugely amused grin, and when Mathias reached him again, he let out a single blast of a laugh.

"I don't think I can even move like that!" Tino protested, continuing to grin as Mathias grabbed him around the waist and began pushing him forward.

"No, it's easy, come on, do it with me."

Mathias placed them side by side, and Tino tried to mimic what he did, but every single time he broke down into fits of giggles at how silly he felt trying.

"This is ridiculous!" He laughed. "You look ridiculous, what are you even doing?"

"That's what we'd all like to know." Emil said, trying to look like he didn't know Mathias while still holding the camera on the scene unfolding before them.

"Along with the 60's, remind us to show you some catwalk footage." Said Lukas wearily. "It does seem silly, but that's how a lot of models walk when they show off new clothes."

Tino chuckled, and in an overly-exaggerated fashion, began galumphing down the makeshift 'catwalk' they'd claimed, teasingly trying out a few of Mathias' 'moves', like blowing a kiss to them with one hip jutting out, sticking out his rear while saluting, and rocking his shoulders back and forth with the force of 'gracefully' swinging arms. He was committed to the mockery, and had them all laughing by the time he waggled his way back to the dressing room doors.

"Awesome, dude!" Mathias said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "You got a ways to go before you can strut like me, but keep it up and you'll get there."

"I'll leave the nonsense to you, thanks." Tino said with a raise of one eyebrow, and Emil and Lukas gave a unison 'ohhhh'.

"Sick burn, bro, sick burn!" Mathias said, too impressed to be hurt. "Now go change into something else so you can practice your catwalk!"

"I'm just going to pop out and see what you think of each outfit." Tino clarified. "I'm not going to do that 'catswalk' again."

"Yes, please," Lukas said, rubbing his temples, "and Tino, you don't need to show us every single article of clothing. Just anything you're unsure about. Everything else you can just slip on and look at in the mirror inside the dressing room, and determine for yourself whether you like it or not. Ok?"

Tino nodded, and darted back into the room.

"To be fair," the merman called through the door as he changed, "we do have ways to try and show off in the sea, too. We curl our tails and bodies a certain way while we swim, adding an extra amount of effort to it, just to show that we can be more graceful or stronger depending on what we're trying to convey."

"Dude, I hope we get to see you do that in your real form sometime!" Mathias said, making a passing shopper eye him suspiciously before moving on.

"I don't know how my return to the sea is going to work." Tino admitted, sounding muffled behind another shirt he was trying on. "But if there was someway for you all to see me swimming under the water, that would be amazing! I'd love to show off for you all."

"Kiku would be happy to see that, I'll bet." Emil said. "He can't wait to start studying you, Tino. He's got a whole plan he's writing up, with which tests he's going to run first and everything. It's all he's been talking about, according to Leon."

"As long as he doesn't hurt me." Said the merman, sounding hesitant. "He didn't seem like he would, but...I'm still unsure of what he'll actually be doing to me."

"I think you'll find most of it more boring than scary or painful." Assured Lukas. "Some tests will probably just be you answering questions or letting him collect swabs from your mouth or something. Nothing too harmful. He wants to study you, not dissect you."

They heard a small shiver from the other side of the door.

"You're going to get so much attention, Tino!" Said Emil, obviously trying to shift the mood a bit. "Kiku will be fascinated if you so much as sneeze, and Leon is going to be measuring you and designing clothes for you as well."

"But, I'm getting clothes here," Tino said, peeking out of the door, a comfy looking sweater half-covering him, "won't that make Leon mad that I didn't wait for his clothes?"

"Not at all, Tino," Lukas told him, "the clothes Leon wants to make for you will be once-in-a-while type of clothing. I'm sure he'll make you a few practical things, but on the whole, it'll be fashion clothing. You'll only wear it on special occasions or when we chose to showcase it in order to promote him."

Reassured, Tino went back to trying on the clothing he'd picked out.

By the time they left, Tino had tried on half the store and bought three packed bags of clothes. He was smiling contentedly while settling the bags into the back of the van.

"You'll have to wash those clothes at Berwald's before you wear any of them." Lukas reminded him as they once more got on the road. "For now, we're going to head back."

"To Berwald's?" Tino asked, having been anxious to return to the pleasant house since he'd been forced to leave it.

"No, actually," Emil clarified. "Mom and dad are making us a late lunch at their place. It's a little 'glad you're out of the hospital' party…sort of…"

"The folks have been wanting to meet you for a while!" Said Mathias. "They usually watch our show when they can, but lately, like everyone else, they've been paying very close attention."

Tino's eyes lit up and he lifted his head, having been looking at a few of his purchases.

"What are they like?"

"They're the best sort of people." Berwald answered him at once, surprising everyone with the warmness of his tone. "They are kind, accepting, and firmly grounded in their beliefs."

Tino studied Berwald's face. Emil spoke before Tino had a chance to ask the question that had come to his mind.

"They weren't quite sure about our career choices at first, but they both have a glimmer of supernatural talent, so they understand why we do what we do, and that it's important."

"It is important to have the approval of your elders." Said Tino seriously. "With their blessing comes many more."

"Is that a saying you have in the sea?" Asked Lukas, seeming interested.

"Yes." Tino answered. "We take the word of our elders very seriously. Not that we always get along, but there is a respect that is owed them. So to have their support is invaluable."

"Exactly." Berwald agreed, once more surprising everyone with how enthusiastic he seemed. "They are the most supportive and caring people I've ever met."

Once more, a question rose up in Tino's mind, seeing the glint of sadness behind Berwald's approximation of Lukas and Emil's parents. But once again, he didn't have time to ask it.

"They still give me crap to this day, though." Mathias said cheerfully. "All in playful fun, but sometimes I wonder. They weren't happy with me playing the exploitive cameraman and then stealing their son's heart away. But they changed their tune right quick when they saw the kind of money-making potential filming brought to the business."

Lukas made a grunt and shook his head, explaining,

"If my parents had any reservations about you, Mathias, I think it had less to do with what exactly you were doing, and was more like 'this total stranger harassed our sons, then showed up out of the blue and inserted himself-."

"Woah, baby, that wasn't until months later-"

"-into our lives!'" Lukas said loudly, cutting Mathias off sternly. "And then they just had to make peace with how much money his addition to the business was bringing us…and how…happy you made me."

"Awww, Lukas!" Mathias drawled, tilting his head. "You couldn't hide it even from your folks. Of course, I endeared myself to their mother through my love of film, and to their father through my wit and banter."

"Dad still asks when I'll snap on you and punch you in the mouth." Lukas muttered.

"What?!" Tino exclaimed, looking shocked.

"Dad doesn't quite know how to handle hyper people." Explained Emil quickly. "So, he jokes a lot about how much alike he and Lukas are, and how he wonders how Lukas can stand Mathias' hyperactivity. That includes jokes about Lukas inflicting bodily harm on Mathias."

"You think he'd have had enough time to figure it out." Mathias said, speculatively. "I've been around for a few years now."

"We're a pretty mellow family." Lukas said, in a tone that suggested he'd said it many times before. "And then you come in and disrupt our tranquil circle with noise and spontaneity."

"Your circle needed to be shaken up!" Mathias declared, proudly. "Example: who would've guessed that you not only liked to swing dance, but were also so damn good at it? You never would've given it a try if I hadn't pushed you into it."

"He's right about that." Emil teased, directing a smirk at his brother in the rear-view mirror. Lukas gave a grudging nod of his head.

"I can't argue…"

Tino had been smiling through this exchange, soaking in the ease with which they all discussed each other. The love between them all and the parents he had yet to meet was palpable, and it made the merman feel secure.

As what they said about the Bondevik family being mellow hit home for Tino, though, his brain lined up a few details that caused his face to fall with concern. The others were busy talking, so they didn't notice how he'd fallen silent. This was a sure sign that something was bothering him, and they all knew it by now, but only Berwald was focused enough to notice this time. He leaned in and whispered,

"What's wrong, Tino?"

Big, violet-blue eyes turned toward Berwald, and white teeth worried at a full bottom lip. Berwald thought he could see those canines lengthening and shortening in rhythm, like some ethereal nervous habit. It took another second of careful glancing at the others and their conversation before Tino answered. He also spoke in a low voice.

"Does Mr. Bondevik really not like hyper people? Um, because, I know I'm shy and quiet when I first meet people, but I usually relax pretty soon after, and then I do get a bit excited. Will he not like me for that if he's really quiet?"

Berwald shook his head firmly.

"Don't worry about that at all. Lukas takes after his father, in his temperament and his compassion. They joke around about Mathias, but really the Bondeviks all love him. They don't care how you act, they only care about what kind of person you are. And you are a very good person, Tino."

The nervous chewing at his lip stopped, and Tino gave a close-mouthed grin that was so sweet and understanding that Berwald felt the mad urge to kiss one of his cheekbones, pulled high with his smile and glittering with tiny points of glowing light.

"Thank you, Berwald."

Pausing a moment, Tino scoped out how invested the other three men were in their own back-and-forth, and decided he could speak to Berwald without too much interference for a while. He looked the man in the eye and looped an arm through Berwald's. The lithe body sidled closer to the burlier one, and Tino asked quietly,

"I meant to ask you earlier; Emil and Lukas' parents, they're very dear to you because they've done something for you, haven't they? They've touched something inside of you that changed who you are. Can you tell me what it was?"

Berwald's blue eyes widened a fraction. He should've been used to Tino's keen insight into human emotions by now, but it didn't seem like something that could be easily accepted considering how secretive most humans were with their inner feelings. Having someone point them out at a glance was somewhat unsettling for Berwald, whereas Tino had lived in a society where everyone felt everything collectively. No wonder he could quite literally sense emotions differently and more accurately.

Clearing his throat a little, Berwald nodded slowly, and patted Tino's arm with his free hand to let him know he was alright with it being there against his own.

"I found in them…what I'd lacked. From everyone else in my life."

Tino's expression became neutrally interested, a clear sign that he wasn't pushing for more information, but would accept it if Berwald chose to continue. As was the pattern in a group this size, however, their single interaction was interrupted by the others.

"C'mon, Tino, tell him!" Mathias said loudly, waving at Emil. "You didn't even have legs for a week before you tried swing dancing and you got the hang of it alright! There's no reason Emil can't become just as good as us!"

Tino scrunched up his face as both Emil and Mathias looked at him, and he ended up saying apologetically,

"I don't really know enough about it to say. But it is fun! Emil, you could always give it another try if you want to learn more."

"But I don't!" Emil protested, crossing his arms. "I don't know why Mathias is so determined to drag me back to that class. I went under protest the last time, and I don't really want to go back."

"I thought that you said it was still fun once you got the hang of it." Tino questioned. "You told me that when you helped me to dance the first time."

"Tried to help you." Emil muttered unhappily. "I'm just not good at it. I couldn't teach you very well because I didn't learn very well. Because it's just not my thing…"

"It could be!" Mathias insisted, though his voice was teasing rather than persistent. "If you didn't have two left feet!"

The merman cocked his head, his brows going down harshly in misunderstanding, and he turned instantly in his seat to star back and down at Emil's feet. When he looked up, his mouth wide with surprise and his face glowing with confusion, both Emil and Lukas at the same time said,

"It's just an expression, Tino."

Emil picked up that thought and explained.

"It means I suck at dancing, as if I had a third foot that keeps getting in the way."

"No, you're really good once you get a foot sequence down." Lukas said, agreeing with his lover. "And I think you have more fun than you admit. You really could be pretty amazing if you stuck with it."

"I've tried." Muttered Emil, leaning his head on the heel of his hand and staring out the window. "How many more times do I have to tell you guys it's just not my thing?"

Glancing back and forth between Emil and the two in the front seat, Tino's frown started dissolving. A saccharine slowly expression spread over Tino's face, and he titled his head as he looked at the teen once the car had fallen briefly silent.

"You thee remind me of a story we tell in the sea."

"Oh?!" Mathias said, leaning back to focus the camera on Tino. "A mer story? Do tell, please!"

"Oh, um, well…we tell this story to our little ones, when they're just coming up. It lets them know they have many different paths than the ones that seem the most obvious."

"Sounds like a good lesson." Lukas said, sounding interested. "How does the story go?"

Giggling a little, Tino said,

"Well, imagine we're all wrapped in giant seaweed and bobbing along with the current, ok? That's how we tell our stories, to keep the little ones still and focused. Mathias, I think you should try it sometime."

That earned him a few chuckles, and then he took a deep breath and began. His voice took on an even, familiar pattern, showing just how well he knew the tale.

"This story is about a large merman youth, whom everyone thought would be an alpha. He was broad and strong, with a powerful tail even as a child. When he grew into his training years, he tried very hard to be the best hunter he could, and put his strong body to good use. But as his training progressed, it became clear that he was not skilled at the hunt. Regardless of how many lessons he received, and how attentive he was, he could never spear his targets, or stalk without his scent being noticed, or end the day with a large catch. The longer he trained, the more and more sad he became. His fellows and elders kept advising him on how to hunt, because they all wanted to see him bloom into the alpha hunter they had all imagined he would be. But it never made a difference; he seemed fated to be a failure at the hunt. In his spare time, the merman would drift and think to himself, trying to determine what he was doing wrong. While he drifted along the sea floor, he'd pick up stems and roots from the sand and twist them together anxiously. He liked how it felt to tie and twist the pieces together, as though this was a problem he could solve. He'd twist so tightly and for so long that he'd end up with long strands of connected stems behind him. After so long worrying, he had a collection of twisted lines, and began to crisscross them to shorten them and give them a more pleasing pattern. The longer he did this, the more he came to enjoy it, and the less he worried. He left his project anchored by a rock next to a cave where he liked to go, so it would not drift away. When he came to the cave one day, he found a handful of fish caught in a wide loop of the crisscrossed lines. He realized that the tight weave of the stems and roots had made his creation a trap for the fish. Triumphant, he held the lines together and hauled them with the caught fish back to his people, showing them that he'd discovered a new way to hunt. And that is how mer folk created the first nets. The merman began teaching others how to make the nets, and loved doing so his entire life. He never grew into the mighty hunter everyone had expected, but he gave his people a new skill and a different way to hunt, while being gentle and happy."

There was a beat of quiet in the car after Tino finished his tale, before Berwald clapped politely. Then Emil picked it up and clapped as well. Mathias was holding the camera, so he couldn't clap his hands, but he slapped his leg.

"Woah that was so freakin' cool, dude!" He cheered.

"Very good moral lesson." Lukas commented.

Tino ducked his head, cheeks growing pink.

"Well, thank you. I've loved that story from the time I was a little tadpole."

"I can see why." Said Berwald, nodding. "The merman was made to feel like he had to fulfill a specific role, but found a different path that still benefitted everyone and himself."

"Exactly!" Tino affirmed. "We want our children to know that not every big, strong mer person grows into a hunter, and not every tiny, mild mer person has to be a gatherer. Look at me! I'm small by the standards of my people, and they always thought I'd be a gatherer or net maker, but I became a weapon crafter instead! And that's why you three just now, talking about dancing, reminded me of that story."

The merman turned in his seat to look at the teen in the back. He reached over the seat back and ruffled his straight, silver-blond hair.

"If you don't want to dance, or you don't take to it, it's nothing to worry over. You have a completely different set of skills! You're a writer, and you're amazing at it! That's what you do well! You wrote about the other night when we all danced together, and put it on the blog, and people loved it! You see? You can describe dancing with your words, and make people feel like they can see it in their heads, or are doing it themselves. That's just as amazing as being able to dance better than anyone else in the world!"

Emil looked shy, with a little smile. The expression showed that he didn't know how to take such blunt encouragement, but was soaking it up all the same.

"Nice parallel." Lukas said, an appreciative grin on his face.

"Yea, um…thanks, Tino." Emil said softly, scratching at the side of his head. The merman chirped happily. Then he leaned forward to jab Mathias' arm.

"Ow!" Mathias wailed, like he'd been cut with a blade, but that didn't deter Tino.

"You be nice to Emil about this!" He demanded, looking playful but still an underlying seriousness. "Teasing is ok, but he's a young one, and he needs people to encourage what he's good at, not point out things he's not. Don't you ever make him feel bad about something he doesn't want to pursue, understand?"

Mathias saluted stiffly.

"Aye-aye, captain!"

Tino narrowed his eyes at the other blond man, and pursed his lips suspiciously. Emil caught the look in the rear-view mirror, and suddenly began laughing.

"Oh my god, Tino, you remind me of mom when she'd ask Lukas if he'd finished his vegetables, and he said yes, but really he'd slipped them to the dog!"

Lukas frowned while Mathias laughed along.

"We both did that, Emil." He stated, as if that changed who the guilty party really was.

"I only learned it from you." Rebuffed Emil. "And mom would look just like that; with her eyes going tiny and her mouth all scrunched up like that. So you'd better watch out, Mathias; that look means Tino's on to your lies!"

"I'm not lying!" Mathias protested. "I won't bug you about the dancing, really, if it bothers you! I just…didn't know that it did."

"It does." Tino said firmly. "He just didn't want to say it."

"It's ok, Tino." Emil said, leaning forward and touching Tino's shoulder. "You've gone to bat for me enough, calm down. I'm fine."

Letting out a rough sigh, Tino leaned back on Berwald's shoulder, still holding his arm.

"You've got wicked maternal instincts, you know that, fish boy?" Mathias asked, smiling. "You act like Emil is your own little brother or your own kid or something."

A soft smile came to Tino's lips, and he closed his eyes briefly as he adjusted his head on Berwald's shoulder.

"I've been told that before. You know how much I adore children. My mother says they're the most needy little things; like seeds that need pure affection and love to grow and blossom. Likewise, she says, folk like me exist, brimming with that love, constantly pouring it out on anyone who needs it."

"Wow." Mathias said in an entranced voice. "That's…sweet…"

"Sounds accurate, too." Said Lukas. "You're a very giving person."

Tino turned his head as though to hide in Berwald's shirt, that blush still showing on his cheeks.

"I'm not really a child anymore." Emil pointed out. "Sorry to be a downer, but Tino, I'm pretty much an adult in human terms, you know? I mean, not that I mind you being all nice to me, not at all, but I'm not a kid anymore."

Tino didn't lift his head, didn't have to in order to picture the blustering bravado on Emil's face and body language. He didn't even open his eyes. He just smiled very knowingly and replied,

"Oh yes you are, Emil. And that's ok."

Mathias didn't respond to that one, surprisingly reading the mood and staying quiet, though he was smiling. Lukas, Berwald, and Tino all shared the same knowing, slightly smirking grin of the older and somewhat wiser men. A few seconds later the odd stasis was broken.

"We're just around the corner now. Mathias, it's time to wrap it up; you know how mom hates being filmed."

"Fine." Mathias conceded, switching the camera off and lowering it with a grunt of effort. "I got a lot of good stuff for today anyway."

Tino lifted his head and took a look around. They were pulling into the driveway of a house in a very nice, residential area. There were other houses close together with lawns and driveways out in front of each of them, on either side of the street.

"Look at all the mailboxes!" Tino said excitedly, pointing at the numerous mailboxes lined up neatly before each house. Tino had been fascinated by the concept of mail, and thought that mailboxes were cute.

They all climbed out of the SUV and Lukas waited until all the doors were closed to lock it up. As they headed toward the door, Tino felt shyness in face of the unknown come over him, and he purposefully hung back on the guise of admiring the houses. But something on his face or how he held himself must have given him away, because Berwald noticed. The taller man took a few steps backward to place himself at Tino's side, and slightly in front of him. As he did so, he opened his hand invitingly. Tino clasped it at once, and began following him closely.

Emil still lived there with his parents, so they weren't left to knock and wait at the door. Instead, Emil pulled out a key, unlocked the front door, and led them inside.

"Knock knock!" Emil called. "Mom, dad, we're here!"

A cheery female voice called back from inside,

"Welcome home! I'm in the kitchen!"

They all bottlenecked in the entrance as they removed their shoes and coats and placed them in the designated coatracks and shelves by the door. Tino, still holding Berwald's hand, followed the rest of them down a hallway that opened into a living room. It was decorated in whites and blues, and was very neat and orderly. But there were signs of life here and there that were not so orderly; a blanket tossed over the back of a chair, a used drinking glass sitting on a side table, and other tiny things that proved this place to be a home.

They found Mrs. Bondevik in the kitchen, with about three different pots and pans on the stovetop, and a dish of something baking in the oven beneath it. She was a tall woman, standing at least half a head above both of her sons, and was slightly plump with years. Her hair was a dirty blond underneath the frosting of grey and white her age had adorned it with, and was pulled back into an intricate bun at the base of her neck. Her face resembled Emil's more than Lukas'; round cheeks with a soft jawline and big blue eyes. Hers were crinkled with laugh lines around the corners, but it only made her look happy rather than old.

She was stirring something in a skillet when they came in and crowed around the outside of the bar countertop that divided the kitchen from the living room.

"Hello everyone!" She called, smiling at them and waving.

"Hi mom." Lukas responded, going in to give her a small hug and kiss her cheek. "It's been a while since I've visited, I'm sorry. Thanks for having us all over."

Mrs. Bondevik patted her oldest son's cheek, wiping away his guilty expression with a grin and a smacking kiss on his own cheek in response.

"Not a problem, you know how much I love cooking for you all."

As she spoke, she cast her eyes over the little group standing on the outskirts of the kitchen, and her gaze lingered deliberately on Tino.

"Oh my, care to introduce me?" She asked, sounding eager and excited. She even bounced on her heels a tiny bit. That, if nothing else, made Tino like her instantly.

Emil put a hand on Tino's shoulder.

"Mom, this is Tino, our resident merman. Tino, this is our mother."

The merman startled them all by what he did in response. He stepped into the kitchen just enough for his entire body to be seen, then he made a peculiar but somehow beautiful gesture. Tino bowed his head to the older woman, and brushed the fingers of one hand down the center of his forehead to his brows, where he held them for a second. When he straightened up again he lowered his hand and said, quietly,

"Elder."

They were all staring, and Tino seemed very aware of it, as he began fiddling with his fingers.

"Sorry…" He mumbled. "Um…ingrained rituals…"

That made them all realize that though Tino had been hospitalized for a few days and nights, and even been out on a shopping trip, they somehow hadn't come across anyone of significant age face-to-face before. They'd had no idea there was some form of respect to be shown in Tino's culture.

The woman recovered first, smiling sweetly at Tino, showing teeth that were too white to believe given her age.

"I've never been called 'elder' before! Let alone had anyone bow to me; it gave me chills. You can call me Mama Viki like everyone else does. Nice to meet you, dear. I must say, you're much cuter in person!"

A furious blush broke out over Tino's face, and made his spots glow all the brighter in contrast.

"Thank you, Eld-uh…Mama Viki." Tino tried the name out on his tongue, a small grin creeping its way onto his face.

"I'm sorry I can't shake your hand right now, by the way, but I'm a little tied up here."

"That's alright." Tino said. "You look very busy! I'm surprised that you can do all that at once!"

Mama Viki beamed at him.

"Well, I've had a lot of practice, what with two boys and a husband to feed. Then this one comes along," she hooked her thumb at Mathias, "and I have no choice but to up my cooking regiment. He eats like an ox, though where he puts it, I've no idea."

Mathias pretended to look affronted.

"Mama Viki, I swear if it would ease your suffering I would gladly starve rather than make you slave away over a hot stove for one more meal!"

The woman just rolled her eyes at Mathias in a way that was laughably similar to how Lukas did it.

"You wouldn't last one day without eating, let alone something that I make for you."

Mathias popped into the kitchen, brushing past Tino, and threw his arms around Mama Viki's plump waist from behind, dropping his head onto her shoulder. He adopted a sobbing child's tone as he begged,

"You're right, I'd never last! Please don't stop feeding me!"

A pure laugh rang out from the woman, and she elbowed Mathias away with dexterity before slapping him on the chest.

"You're such a rascal, Mathias! Now, the rest of you, go find your father and let him entertain you; I won't be done in here for a while yet."

"Will do!" Mathias said, turning and leading the exodus from the kitchen. But Tino lingered behind, looking torn and anxious.

"What's the matter, Tino?" Berwald asked, hanging back with the merman.

"Um…I just…" Tino looked at Mama Viki's vigorous stirring as she switched from pot to pan back to pot, then checked the oven through the glass window. "Can I stay and…watch her cook?"

Mama Viki overheard and gave him another beautiful smile.

"Oh, of course, Tino dear. If it's just one of you, I can handle that just fine. It's being crowded with a lot of people in my own kitchen that I can't stand. Although, why don't you make quick introductions to my husband first, and then come back, alright? I'll find something for you to do to help in the meantime."

Tino's face brightened with a happy smile, and he giggled.

"Thank you, Mama Viki!"

"Go on, now, say hi to the old man." She waved them away, and Tino followed Berwald back into the living room. There was another hallway that led to the bedrooms of the house, and they found the other three in a room that was obviously an office/hobby/storage room. An older man sat in a comfy office chair next to a computer desk, and was speaking quietly with Lukas. When Tino and Berwald entered, however, he stood up respectfully.

He was the same height as Lukas, though like his wife, he was carrying a scant bit of weight around his middle. His face remained thin, however, drawn with the lines of a serious disposition. His hair was silver-white, receding from his forehead but still relatively thick for an older man. His eyes were a steely grey under his unruly white eyebrows.

"Ah, Tino, I presume?" He said, in almost a completely deadpan voice. It reminded Tino of Lukas', but even more flat. Not that the man seemed cold or distant, just more calculating.

"I'm happy to see you well again and out of the hospital. Congratulations, and welcome to our home."

The merman made the same gesture that he'd used with Mama Viki, brushing his fingers over his forehead and holding them at his brows while bowing.

"Elder. Thank you, very much."

When he looked up again the man was watching him with an expressionless face, but his grey eyes had widened a bit behind his wire-rimmed glasses.

"Didn't think I looked that old." He said, again in an emotionless tone, and held out his hand to Tino.

There was nothing in his voice that indicated that the man was seriously offended, or not. As the merman took his wiry hand and shook it, he was about to spout off apologies and explanations, but Emil stopped him.

"Don't worry, Tino. We explained to him that you would probably do that. He's just teasing you."

"Oh, really?" Tino asked nervously. "Good, I um…that's just how we respect our elders where I'm from."

"I understand." Their father said, outwardly staring at Tino's markings and running his eyes over the merman curiously.

"S-so…" Asked Tino haltingly. "What would you have me call you?"

"Nikita is my name, but Nik is fine, lad. I don't need people throwing around 'Mr. Bondevik', or 'Mr. Nikita'. Just Nik."

"Or Niki," Mathias butted in, "that way I could call both of them 'Niki and Viki', but Nikita here doesn't like his name sounding like a girl's."

"Nik is perfectly manly and sufficient." Nik said, sounding confident and long-suffering. Obviously they'd had this discussion before.

"Forgive me," Tino said, "you say to call you by your first name alone, but…it's customary to add 'Elder' when addressing a male of such age and wisdom…would you…permit me to address you as 'Elder Nik'? Or would that be offensive in your culture?"

White eyebrows rose half an inch in contemplation.

"Not offensive, just not necessary. If it makes you feel more at home, though, I don't mind."

Tino visibly relaxed, letting out a slight breath. He cocked his head, studying the man for a second. The way that Nik pronounced his words was distinctly different from the rest of those Tino had met on land so far, and Tino only hesitated a moment, flicking a questioning gaze toward Lukas before saying.

"Um, Elder Nik…may I ask…why you sound different than everyone else?"

Mathias slapped himself on the forehead and let out a frustrated sound. All eyes went to him as he explained,

"We forgot to tell you, Tino! Sorry! Nik here is Russian, so his accent stuck around when he did."

Tino tilted his head to look at the older man, who's mouth seemed to twitch a tiny bit when Mathias spoke, though he didn't say anything in response.

"Russia is far away, right?" Tino asked, eyes gravitating toward the ceiling as he tried to pull up the world maps he'd poured over so many times.

"Quite far." Nik answered. "Eydis, 'Mama Viki', is from Norway, but we met on a university trip to Sweden when we were young, fresh things. Thankfully our English enabled us to communicate just fine. It was a long, five-year courtship, but we both loved each other and this place so much we finally left our homes and moved here."

"How wonderful!" Chirped Tino, clapping his hands over his smiling cheeks. "What a love story!"

Nik looked only mildly startled from the happy little outburst. No doubt having Mathias around so much contributed to his tolerance for sudden loud sounds.

"It really was." He answered calmly, something of a twinkle showing in his grey eyes.

"So, if I remember this right…" Said Tino, concentrating. "You're from Russia, Mama Viki is from Nor-Norway…so Emil and Lukas are half-Russian, half-Norway…um…Norway…"

"Norwegian." Supplied Lukas gently.

"Norwegian! And…then, Mathias, you're from Denmark, so-."

"I'm a Dane!" Mathias said proudly.

"Yes, I've heard you say that enough. So, you're a Dane, but you moved here to live with Lukas. Then, Berwald, you're Swede…Swedish. But you're from a different place in Sweden. And you moved here as well."

The merman made an exhausted sort of sigh and shook his head.

"You're a collection of different cultures. It's fascinating, but keeping track of it is tiring."

They all chuckled a little, nodding an agreement.

"And now we have you with us, Tino." Emil said, patting him on the shoulder. "You make a completely different culture to add to our diverse little group."

"Mer folk culture sounds incredible." Said Nik, a little light coming into his grey eyes. "I've watched and re-watched your first live stream, where you answered all those questions. Your answers were enthralling, but I confess, for me, it only spawned a whole new host of questions."

Tino fairly beamed.

"I can answer any question you have, Elder Nik!"

"If that's the case, why don't we go into the living room; it beats standing around in here." Emil suggested.

They once more herded down the narrow hallway, and into the living room. They were just finding their seats when Mama Viki called from the kitchen.

"If you're ready, Tino dear, I could use your help now."

The merman looked aghast at having forgotten about his promise, and popped up from the chair he'd just settled in. He cast an apologetic look at Nik, blustering,

"I'm sorry, I wanted to watch her cook, and she said I could help her out once I met you. I completely forgot!"

"No worries, go ahead." Nik said calmly. "My questions can wait. You're going to be around for a while, I'm sure."

"Thank you."

Tino made a beeline to the kitchen, almost skipping in his eagerness. They all watched him go, different levels of transparent fondness on their faces. Nik sighed and rocked his body slightly in his armchair, getting more comfortable.

"So," he said, nodding in the direction of the kitchen, "he's getting along well, then?"

"As well as could reasonably be expected." Lukas answered his father. "There have been a few bumps in the road, but I think it's going to smooth out now."

"That's an understatement." Nik said lightly. "It's a wonder that the boy survived. I've been going over the geography of where you all met up, and the odds of Tino finding anyone, let alone in a car during a rainstorm, are almost astronomical. I'm surprised that none of you bring that fact up more often. I'm convinced it was a miracle that led you to find him. Lukas, you said you heard someone calling out for help, or had the overwhelming sense that someone needed you. What else would you call that?"

Lukas raised his eyebrows and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before shaking his head.

"We haven't really nailed that one down yet, dad. I'd love to believe that it was Tino's telepathic abilities somehow bridging species because of my sensitivity to the paranormal…but if that were the case it would've continued to happen that entire night; Tino said during the whole rescue and the rest of the night he was trying to speak to us the way he did with his people, with no result. So, as to what happened to make me sense him in the first place? I'm still unsure."

"A miracle, either way." Nik declared. "That boy is a miracle, and I'm thrilled you all have the task of hosting him. He's a very perceptive creature, isn't he? I've watched all your uploads, it's all your mother and I have been doing in the evenings, and Tino seems able to pick up on the smallest of nuances."

"That's true!" Mathias agreed. "He might not know what is going on around him, but when it comes to reading people, Tino's wicked good! Even Berwald can't hide anything from Tino's big eyes."

Berwald shifted uncomfortably beneath the scrutiny of Nik's sudden gaze, before nodding.

"Sees right through me." Berwald admitted softly.

"That must be at least a little refreshing." Offered Nik. "Even amongst us sensitive ones, we can't always tell what's going on in your head."

"It can be a bit startling, but if it's Tino, then it's ok." The big man said.

"Oh?" Emil said, a high note of interest in his voice. "Why is that, Berwald?"

It took Berwald a moment to think about that carefully before putting it into words. When he did, they came out slow, soft.

"He's too sweet to ever try and hurt me, even when he can see right inside of me and so easily could."

Nik and Berwald met eyes for a brief moment, and an understanding passed between them. Then Mathias hummed.

"Hm…I think you're right. That's why he's so great!"

"He can read situations and people really well, but he doesn't take advantage of it for any malicious reasons." Lukas followed up. "He just wants everyone to be happy and content. You don't find many people truly living like that, but Tino does."

"No wonder he's a social media darling." Nik chuckled. "I've seen some of the situations where he's pinned all of you down with his emotional keenness. You especially, Emil."

The teen rolled his eyes, but nodded sheepishly at his father.

"He really wants his own baby doesn't he?" Nik asked, cracking a smile. "A young, pretty male with the instincts of a mother and the ability to conceive and give birth…"

"Like you said," Mathias said with a wink, "media darling."

Nik shook his head.

"Incredible. I've seen that your audience is just as fascinated with the idea as I am. Speaking of which, I know it's very early to be talking about this, but how do you think your followers will react when Tino has to leave? Hell, how are you even going to manage that?"

An almost collective sigh left the group, as they all pondered the question. They hadn't given a great deal of thought to that yet, but it had been a valid point looming over all their heads from the moment they decided to take Tino in.

"I'm thinking," Lukas began, "that we can plan on returning to Finland a few weeks early next year, and try to find the area on the coast closest to where Tino emerged. From there, I'd assume, we just…well, we might need a boat, or we might not. It depends on how deep or far out Tino needs to be in the water and…we can't really make plans without discussing it, but it seems too early to pester Tino about those kinds of details. I don't want to make him think we're already planning to send him home, you know?"

At that moment a high trilling sound rang out from the kitchen, along with sudden consoling words from Mama Viki. They were all instantly on alert.

"Everything ok in there, Eydis?!" Nik called, raising his voice for the first time since they'd been there.

"Fine," Mama Viki called back, "the timer dinged pretty loudly and scared him, but he's alright!"

A short chirp followed Mama Viki's reply. Smiles broke out over all their faces, and a few chuckles were huffed out as well.

"I'm surprised Tino's nerves haven't shattered him into a million pieces by now." Nik commented. "You'd think he'd be so on edge about every little thing."

"That's how he was at first," said Emil, "you saw it in the footage from the cabin, but he calmed down a lot after a while. You should have seen him out in the shops today! He was so much more confident and excited about taking it all in. There are still unexpected surprises that can frighten him, though. He's not used to the sound frequency here, from what he's said. All the sounds are much more muted in the sea, so I can only imagine how noisy he must think it is up here."

"One of many hurdles he'll have to jump." Said Nik. "I feel for Tino, but at the same time I'm excited. To think that Tino's the first merman to ever be so extensively filmed and acknowledged by the public. All thanks to your willingness to believe him about what he is."

"I don't know how much of our story has been accepted by the public as truth, though," Lukas pointed out, "there's a lot of people who believe us, but the majority are still unconvinced. All we have to do is get Tino in a room with someone to make them doubt their own conclusions. It happened every day at the hospital, and before that Kiku became convinced after less than a half-hour with Tino that he wasn't entirely human. Of course, he's a marine biologist so he had more expertise than the average person, but my point is, even though Tino's become a sensation, it doesn't mean we're proving anything to anyone."

"Kiku should study Tino and publish his findings." Nik suggested. "If he could get more than one of his fellows to confirm his study, that would add weight to the argument."

"Like I said," said Lukas, "we just need to get Tino in the same room with people who know what they're doing, to scientifically prove that Tino is what he says he is."

Berwald made a disapproving sound in his throat, and when they looked at him, he was frowning deeply.

"You don't like that idea, Berwald?" Asked Nik, tilting his head toward the man curiously.

"I'm suspicious, that's all." Berwald stated evenly. "I don't want scientists to become enamored by Tino, and then decide that it's their right to lock him up in a lab somewhere to be their test subject."

"You're worried they'll take away Tino's rights in order to study him?" Mathias asked, lifting an eyebrow. "That's crazy, though, right?"

Berwald straightened his shoulders.

"It wouldn't surprise me. Tino's not a citizen, and they might even argue he's not even human. That might give them enough cause to try and keep him."

"Who is this 'them', Berwald?" Emil asked, sounding surprised. "And where is this coming from? Kiku's not the kind of person to do something like that!"

"He might not be," Berwald said, "he helped Tino out when we needed him, but I didn't know that we were planning on taking Tino back there. If Kiku does start studying Tino, and draws the attention of others in his field, they might try and take over his work. Take over Tino."

"Dude, I think you're paranoid." Mathias laughed. "Even animals have rights now, man! The fact that Tino might be an 'endangered' or 'new' species should count for something too, right? There's no way any biologist, or whatever, could go all evil-experiments-on-the-new-creature nowadays, especially with a subject who can walk, talk, think, and speak, like Tino!"

"I have to agree." Lukas said, spreading his hands in surrender. "Berwald, I know you have been worried about that kind of scenario from the beginning, but I just don't think it's feasible anymore. We're not in the dark ages, and even though in some shady labs somewhere, something like that might happen, the likelihood in this case is…negligible. Tino's in our custody, whether or not that's stated by some legal document. At worst people will just label it all a fake and brush us off. No one is going to take Tino away."

The big man let out an impatient breath and argued,

"Why do we even need anyone to 'prove' what Tino is in the first place? We've never tried to prove anything about what we do. People either believe us or not. Why should this case be any different?"

It had been a while since any of them had seen Berwald this visibly upset. His frown was genuine rather than his usual one, his hands were clenched where they rested on his knees, and his nostrils flared when he breathed.

"Berwald…" Nik said quietly. "I think you are being a touch unreasonable here."

Blue eyes darted to the man, behind square glasses, and Berwald sighed harshly.

"Can you give me one good reason why we should set out to prove what Tino is?"

"The world needs to know that they're sharing their water with freaking mermaids for one thing!" Mathias answered before anyone else. "Just think of what that'll do to the environmental causes all over the world! Tino says there are more mer folk all over, and the idea that we are dumping our garbage on humanoid beings will, sadly or not, be greater incentive than fish or coral to make anyone to think twice about it."

"That's an ideal long-term benefit," Lukas conceded, "unlike the spiritual or mythical beings we encounter, Tino is flesh and blood that we can show to people. Why wouldn't we take the opportunity to settle whether we're frauds, once and for all? I don't think any of us need that satisfaction when it comes down to it, but admittedly, I think the world should know about the existence of something we can conclusively prove."

"Sounds like you're talking of getting the government involved." Berwald said, terse and hard. "If they knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that there are human-like beings in the water within their territory, how do you think they'll respond? How does government always respond? Regulation, regulation, regulation. How many times has that helped native cultures?"

There was a pause as the weight of Berwald's words settled over them. None of them had considered that before, or at least not very deeply. The man went on.

"Think about it; the world might be excited for a while, mystified even, but then governments might try and use 'protection laws', for the sake of the mer people. Then, what do you think would happen? Slowly, the government might wonder why, since the mer folk are in their waters, they shouldn't be citizens, like humans. That leads to a tangle of regulation; taxes, identification, legal procedures…the list of possible complications is never-ending. Not to mention the military, and how they might try and capitalize on underwater soldiers."

"I have to agree with Mathias on this," Emil said cautiously, "you do sound pretty paranoid. Almost like…crazy…"

"There is something to be said for the issue of government." Nik rebuffed. "I'm not sure there would be any possible way to regulate a species in the sea as though they were on land, but it's cause for some concern. That being said, I think Mathias hit the nail on the head to start with; mer folk are a new discovery and a unique species. I doubt that environmental laws could allow the government to touch them."

"Laws can be changed." Berwald muttered. "When it benefits the right people."

"I don't think that's what's bothering you."

Tino's voice came from the other side of the room, and they all looked up to see him standing there, a basket of rolls in his hands. How long he'd been listening, they had no idea. The debate they'd struck up had taken all their attention.

"Tino!" Berwald said, his eyes going wide. "How much did you-."

"It's alright," Tino cut him off, a sad smile on his face, "I'm not an idiot. I understand what you were saying. Every word."

The merman crossed over to the dining area, which was set to one side of the living room, and placed the basket on the table. Mama Viki must have instructed him to do so. He fiddled with the placement of the basket, turning it this way and that. Everyone waited in silence for his response, no one knowing what they could say to smooth over what Tino might have heard.

"You're not really worried about some hostile government takeover of my people." Tino stated evenly, his voice shaking a little as he finished stalling for time with the basket and turned to face the man.

"You're not even that worried about people believing that I'm a merman. There's something else that's frightening you, isn't there?"

Berwald lowered his eyes and swallowed, rubbing his hands together nervously. The rest of them had their eyes fixed on the pair, tense as they waited for the interaction to play out. Tino left the table, and walked right over to Berwald, sitting down next to him on the sofa. He reached out and took Berwald's big paw in his own slender hand, and cradled it. He forced Berwald to turn his head and look at him simply by staring at him. When their eyes met, Tino studied them carefully. The scholarly, appraising look on his face lowered into a gentle, knowing smile.

"You're frightened that I'll get hurt, or taken away."

Berwald sighed again, closing his eyes. When he gave a nod, Tino tightened his grip on Berwald's hand.

"I'd hate to think of anything horrible happening to you because we exposed you to it." He said. "When we could have protected you."

"You are protecting me." Tino insisted. "And do you think that I'd do anything that I wasn't comfortable with? I may seem fragile, but my hands are very strong. If I really want to defend myself, I know how to break bones."

That surprised everyone, and more than one set of eyebrows rose around the room.

"Even so," Berwald worried, "I don't want anyone taking advantage of you."

"Then you'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen, because I think Kiku should study me." Seeing the half-hearted protest in his face, Tino held up a hand to stop Berwald from talking.

"I want people to believe."

"But, Tino…" Berwald said, being very careful not to sound upset. "If they don't…"

"I can handle it." Tino said, quirking an eyebrow up, trying out the phrase he'd heard Mathias and Emil use a number of times. "Trust me. I wouldn't have made it this far if I couldn't."

"Sounds like you don't have much of a choice, Berwald." Nik said, a little teasingly.

The tension seemed to ease out of Berwald. He relaxed back into the sofa and nodded his head.

"Alright."

Tino gave him a glowing smile, and put his arms around the man to pull him into a hug.

"It'll be ok, Berwald, don't worry! I'll be just fine!"

"Not if you don't eat something decent." Came Mama Viki's voice from the kitchen doorway. She was carrying out a big ceramic dish between two potholders.

"All you've had today is that horrid hospital food. Boys! Get over here and help me set the table, please. I can hear your stomachs growling from here."

In unison, Lukas and Emil rose and went to the help their mother. Tino helped too, though with three people already carrying food out there was little for a fourth person to do. He was given the task of setting out the glasses. The hustle and bustle of readying to sit down and eat helped diffuse the tension that had gathered in the room, and by the time they were all seated the atmosphere felt calm and friendly again. The meal was delicious, and Tino had two helpings of everything before the end.

Tino was constantly thinking of how Lukas and Emil mirrored their parents in so many ways the more time he spent with them. Lukas was more of the domestic, like his mother, the way they cooked and served food, making sure everyone was fed, clean, and cared for. Yet Lukas had always carried out these tasks with more of his father's demeanor; calm, efficient, and organized. Emil was definitely more like Mama Viki, more easily prone to laughing or joking, and speaking his mind. Tino also noticed how Berwald interacted with the Bondevik family as a whole, and immediately noticed how much he valued Nik's approval, and Mama Viki's attention. He didn't speak much, which was typical, but he didn't need to in this setting; Mama Viki and Nik seemed to know him so well that they didn't need him to answer their questions with words. They knew when he wanted more potatoes, or when he didn't like something in the conversation, or when something made him happy. Overall, this was a very tightknit group, and Tino felt blessed to be a part of it.

By the time they were finished eating, and more than enough people made quick work of the dishes, Tino had decided that he desperately liked Mama Viki and Nik. They were a good balance for each other, in a similar way that Mathias and Lukas were, though Mama Viki was not as high strung at all for her part as the louder spouse. Nik was not a very outwardly expressive man, but his voice and his words conveyed the wealth of opinion and emotion beneath his nearly-expressionless face. Compared to his father, Lukas was nearly as expressive as Tino was. That gave Tino some idea of why Berwald and Nik seemed to get along so well. They shared many glances and short sounds that constituted entire conversations and ideas in stone-faced-man-talk. It only made that question come back to the forefront of Tino's brain, the one that had been patiently awaiting it's answer in the back of his head since Berwald had first stated what he thought of the Bondeviks in the SUV. For now, Tino sensed the moment wasn't right to ask it. Later. When they were alone at Berwald's house.

Berwald and Lukas were the first to break away from the chaos of cleaning up, their tasks finished and all others currently claimed. They found themselves sitting in the living room, alone.

"I haven't had a chance to say this to you since what happened earlier," Lukas said to Berwald, "but I'm noticing a pattern with you, Ber. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

Berwald frowned a bit deeper and shook his head slightly. Lukas went on.

"I think I first noticed it at the cabin, but it's been jumping out at me a lot since we got back. I know that we're all protective of Tino, we have to be. But you're becoming…reactively protective. It was fine when you didn't want him to walk too soon, or tried to keep Mathias from lobbing a ball at his face, but now you're freaking out about him dying from new germs, and being captured and turned into a lab project for 'evil scientists', or even his entire race becoming another cog in the machine of world governments…do you see what I mean?"

Big shoulders shifted as Berwald sighed, looking a little sheepish but still defensive.

"None of us want Tino to get hurt, Ber." Lukas said gently. "But to react with panic or anger because of what might happen, that could inadvertently hurt Tino in and of itself. He's shown us that he's stronger than we gave him credit for, but if you show so much uncertainty, how does that help him to feel safe?"

Berwald rubbed his hands together, and shook his head again.

"I know. I lose my composure sometimes when I think too hard about what might happen to him. He's just…so sweet, and…"

"I know, Berwald." Lukas said, nodding his agreement. "And I think he's more than shown us, today, if at no other time, that he can set our own fears aside rather than letting them fuel his own. Still, I think that for once you need to internalize your feelings."

A small grin bloomed across Berwald's mouth.

"You're right. I was already thinking that I didn't want him to look so scared because of something I said again. You'd think that keeping quiet would be easy for me by now."

Luks cocked his head at Berwald and mirrored his smile.

"I haven't seen you feel so strongly about something that you can't hold it inside since I've known you. Remember to protect yourself, too. Also, remember what Tino quoted from his mother? That he was 'brimming with love and pouring it out on anyone who needs it'? I think in order to be that way, people like that need a steady stream of love and support themselves. What do you think? Are you up for that challenge?"

Berwald squared his shoulders and his eyes narrowed with determination.

"For Tino…yes, I am."

))(((

All seven of them managed to squeeze into the small living room after cleaning up, Emil and Tino sitting on the floor so that Mama Viki and Nik could have comfortable places to sit. Mathias had joined them for the sake of playing cards rather than freeing up for space for their elders, and that left Nik, Lukas, and Berwald on the sofa, and Mama Viki in the comfy chair. They could have used dining chairs, but Tino had made sitting on the floor look so much more appealing when he crossed his legs and smiled up at them.

While the three on the floor played a card game that they'd been teaching Tino over the previous week, Lukas was on his phone, checking his work email. He had vowed not to touch it until Tino was out of the hospital, and now there was a backlog of emails to slog through. His stormy blue eyes ran dismissively over one email after the next, discarding them left and right as his parents and Berwald talked quietly, and Tino, Emil, and Mathias chatted playfully through their game.

Suddenly, Lukas' eyes stopped roaming, and began to study. Then he put a hand up to his mouth, rubbing at it and letting out a deep, thoughtful hum. Emil looked up from the game, having heard the sound.

"What is it, Lukas?" Emil asked his brother, seeing the light that came into his eyes.

"Potential case."

Excitement sprouted instantly, and grew through all of them as they stilled, waited for the details. Lukas gave them concisely.

"There's a construction site, apparently in an area where building has been highly protested. The crew has all but quit, every one of them having sustained injury or frights while working there. Looks like they have nowhere else to turn."

Mathias gave a triumphant sound, leaping to his feet and scattering cards from the deck on the floor.

"Sounds like they've got malevolent spirits on their hands."

Lukas shook his head.

"No deaths."

"Yeah, malevolent spirits would cause far more physical harm." Emil pointed out. "And poltergeists are pranksters, so they don't hurt people."

Lukas chewed his lip, scrolling through the details.

"What are you thinking, babe?" Pressed Mathias.

"The grounds they're building on were once a Viking village. They're hoping to capitalize on that fact and build a tourist center. Just a single building to showcase information about the site and educate visitors. But some believe that the ghosts of the villagers want to be left alone and don't want any new buildings on their land. I'm inclined to agree on a first glance, but we'll just have to find out for ourselves."

"It's about time we get back out in the field!" Said Emil happily. Tino looked excited as well, but apprehensive.

"So these spirits, or ghosts…" He asked, nervously, "they've hurt people?"

"Only incidentally." Lukas said, eyes still fixed on his phone screen. "All those injuries were caused by pieces of the construction falling apart, so no entity directly harmed any of the workers. To me, and to anyone else who even considers the supernatural a possibility, it appears that the building process is being unmade as soon as it's being put up. The only times they have managed to put down any foundation or raise a wall, they come back the next day to find it destroyed."

"That would be frustrating!" Mama Viki tutted. "Those poor men working so hard every day for nothing!"

"But think also of the villagers, if that's whose spirits are behind this." Nik pointed out with a shrug of his shoulders. "In their mind, they probably just want to rest in peace and not have their land disturbed."

"We'll find out for ourselves." Lukas announced, his tone turning concise and firm. "Checking out the site is a good starting point."

Mathias' eyes got wide, like a puppy's. The tall man went still, anticipation screaming in his every muscle as he asked, eagerly,

"Does that mean..?"

Tino glanced back and forth between the two, comprehension dawning on him. Lukas slowly lifted his head to look from one to the other of them in a moment of silent communication. The he locked gazed with Mathias, smiled at how he'd wound him up with his silence, and declared,

"We're taking the case."

))(((

TBC