Somehow, somehow he made it back to his home without raising any alarm that he was kidnapping a mer... he was seen at the last second by his elderly neighbour though, but she just -oooh'ed- at him, winked and wished him a great day... What a good thing she's always cheering for him to find a partner and doesn't wear her glasses that often or she would have seen Ace didn't have any legs and was practically naked.

First things first he entered the door to his practice and put Ace on the examination bed. "Let me grab some things to treat your wounds-yoi."

And made for his cabinet and searched through it, pulling out different items and bringing it back.

Before he used anything on Ace, he showed everything to merman. Said merman sniffing most things and making a face at the disinfectant and he had to laugh at it.

"I'm sorry-yoi. It smells bad doesn't it?"

"Bad."

"Haha yea. But I promise this will help. Afterwards I'll put this one." and he showed an ointment, "Doesn't smell bad right?"

"... No smell."

"Yeap. You can lay down, it will be easier."

Ace who had been holding himself up nodded and laid down flat but he did keep looking around the practice.

"Home Marco?" the mer asked while Marco worked on treating the different gashes. Most he just disinfected and put a tiny layer of ointment on. Only on the bigger cut on his arm did he put some surgical tape and a fresh well-fitting bandage.

"No or yes... This is my practice." at the confusion he explained differently, "I help people in here. In here I am a doctor. But my home is connected to it, I'll show it to you in a bit."

It seemed the mer kind of got it so Marco left it at that, soon finishing up and just in time for Ace's stomach to rumble again. "Let's get you some food-yoi."

The beaming smile in return made him smile too and Ace was back in his arms while he made his way out his practice into the door opposite it.

"This is my home." Marco announced entering the space, walking slowly to give a chance for Ace to look around before he entered the kitchen. "Here we are, the kitchen, I'll make some food for you here... ehm..." well here he was but... what does he do with Ace?

... Can Ace sit in a chair? Do you need legs to sit in a chair?

Not really seeing a choice he nudged one of the chairs back with his foot before putting Ace down, letting his hands hover around the other as he let go. "Are you good? You're not going to fall?"

"Where food?" Ace just asked as he looked at him.

Okay, if that was his priority that meant he atleast wasn't scared to slid off the chair... he thinks... and he hadn't slipped by the time he had let go. So good.

"I'm going to make it for you." he said as he took off his jacket, putting it away a second and moving to his cupboard to grab bread but... Do mermen even eat bread? Fish usually don't eat bread... Do they? It's unsafe to give ducks bread, they live on the water... but a duck is a bird and not a fish... Aaah he really didn't think things through!

New plan, check the fridge. He knew he had eggs and bacon, that may already work, meat and protein, nothing wrong with that right?

Crouching down he opened it and heard a noise of surprise behind him and looked back to see Ace looking over. Eyes widening as he saw him having his tail bend and pressed to the table, making the chair lean on its back legs. He honestly looked like one of those classic teens leaning back in their chair far too much, would get a warning from their teacher to sit straight, doesn't listen and then fall back not long later...

"Ace ehm- that's... I don't think that's safe to do-yoi."

The mer just blinked confused at him, and pushed off his tail a bit, making the chair lent back even further and almost giving Marco a heart attack, but soon the chair was moving back... Ace was rocking in the chair with practiced ease. Even if Marco had no idea how he would do that as he was sure Ace hadn't sat in a chair before?

"Food?" Ace pointed to the fridge, still rocking like nothing was wrong.

"Ehm, yea yea" he nodded turning back to the fridge, Ace did seem to have it all under control and he wasn't in any authority to tell Ace not to rock the chair. "This is called a fridge, it keeps food fresh longer." he spoke and pulled out the eggs and bacon, already putting it on the counter.

Does he have nothing more to give? He has some chicken he had bought for his own dinner, maybe he could give that- ah! Freezer!

Hurrying over to the appliance he opened it and searched through the drawers, "yes! Haha fish fingers!" he smiled pulling them out. Ace could definitely eat fish!

Happy with this he got to the counter and started to work, deciding to make an omelette with bacon pieces and the fish fingers on the side. He'll toast some bread too for himself and they could eat together.

First he made the bacon, chuckling as he heard a humm of delight when the smell of baked bacon started to fill the room. "Yea, smells good doesn't it-"

"Ah!"

"Ac-?" His eyes widened as everything went in slow-motion for a second. At the cry he looked back just in time to see panic on Ace's face while he lost his balance on the chair. His tail swayed into the air while the merman fell backwards and hit the ground.

CRASH

"Shit- Ace!" Marco quickly put off the stove and ran for the mer, kneeling down as he pushed the chair away so the tail wouldn't be bended over it weird and the wood wouldn't stab into Ace's back.

"Are you okay, Ace? Did you lean back too much?"

Ace was obviously disoriented but held onto the blond when hands moved to help him sit up slowly. When he sat up, the mer blinked a few times before glaring at the chair not far away.

"Ace, are you hurt-yoi?" Marco tried again as he had no answer again, and Ace squinting worried him. Did he not see well? Were things blurry?

"Bad chair!"

"H-huh?"

"Bad chair!" Ace repeated and pointed to the chair, "Make me fall!"

Marco blinked and blinked again before laughing. Did Ace think it was the chair's fault? Oh that was good. "Sorry, Ace." he apologized at the confused look of the mer, "I'll give you another chair to eat breakfast in, okay? A nice chair. Is that good?"

"Good."

"Haha okay. But before that, are you hurt, Ace. Did you hit your head?" The doctor moved to stroke over the raven locks and was happy to see, or not see, a bad reaction from the mer. Alright, that was good. "Or your arm, does it hurt more than before?" He asked and took the bandaged arm, checking it over.

"Not hurt more."

A breath of relieve left the blond at the answer and not finding any blood seeping through the bandages, "I'm glad. Let me put you in a nice chair, this time. But maybe don't lean back."

And stood with Ace in his arms and made for the other side of the table and put him in another chair, usually his own spot to sit in, but Ace could take it today. "Please keep you tail down. Like this." He gently patted the tail like it was, just resting over the edge of the chair to the floor. "Okay? Then I can get your food."

At the promise of food the mer nodded eagerly and Marco couldn't help but ruffle the raven hairs, being intrigued for a moment by the ear wiggle before he pulled his eyes away and hurried to finish dinner before Ace grew bored and would rock again.

"Aaaaand here you go, Ace." he placed the food before him, having plated it and waited a minute for it to not be too hot, not knowing if Ace knew hot food could burn.

It's a good thing he waited because Ace simply leaned in to smell it for a single second before he was grabbing the omelette and tearing pieces off the eat. A big smile gracing his lips and Marco heard a weird clicking sound from inside Ace's throat. He doesn't know what it means but it doesn't sounds bad so...

"I'm glad it's good-yoi." he smiled and took his own plate and the fishfingers and sat down. He sat the bowl of fish fingers closer to Ace and chuckled as the mer's eyes focused on it and took one. A look of surprise there when he bit into it.

"Favourite!"

"Oh you like that?"

"I catch this! Gooood!"

"If you're still hungry after this, I'll make you some more." Interesting to know it was Cod-fish that mermen found delicious to eat, just like it a favourite with many humans. Though, Ace most likely ate it fresh unlike them who had it prepared in all shapes or form. Still, very interesting.

With a mouthful Ace said words of thanks before focusing back on the meal before him.

"You're welcome-yoi." A smile graced Marco's lips as he saw the mer eat so happily. This wasn't something he had every expected to happen when he took his usual after-storm-walk, but he sure wasn't complaining. This will surely be an experience to remember forever.