The vessel was small compared to the cargo ships and fishing vessels which surrounded it in the cold northern waters. Barely more than a glorified observation vessel, though it was equipped for emergency rescues during the summer weather. The vessel spelled of sea and salt brine, a common smell for a craft as old as this one, and the paint had chipped away long ago.
Berwald Oxenstierna was used to the smell of the sea and the lack of shelter his vessel provided him. He had been on these waters all his life, patrolling and observing, studying an elusive creature that was actually amazingly common in these waters. And now was the best time of year for them, as the summer light kept them up all night long.
He watched and suddenly the sea around him was churning with activity. An entire pod emerged from the waves, with a bait ball caught among them. The birds overhead were diving to catch their share as the individuals of the pod dove through the fish, emerging with a snack. Berwald kept his distance as he watched them, smiling to himself.
This was his passion, his life.
These were merfolk.
This pod was quite famous. For one, they were huge, with over a dozen individuals forming the group. And some of them were not afraid of humans at all, coming close to ships and the shore. They called them Sofia's pod after the first matriarch. Now it was lead by her oldest daughter, Katyusha. A sighting was akin to seeing a celebrity.
Berwald watched them for a while. Sofia had left behind three children. Katyusha was swimming around with another female nicknamed Elizaveta. They seemed to be grooming each other in the aftermath of the hunt, giggling when they saw Berwald. Ivan, the big male, bumped against Berwald's vessel, watching with curiosity, and his mate Matthew emerged next to him, chirping and smiling at Berwald. In the distance, he saw Natalia and her mate Gilbert. Their two year old pups Julia and Nicolai swum close by with Sofia's adopted son, Raivis, who was about ten years old. Katyusha cared for him now.
There were others, but they seemed to be hiding today. Berwald smiled as he kept the camera on the pod, taking notes. Katyusha finally came over and splashed her tail against the surface. He noted the display. They were getting tired of his presence, and it was their feeding ground. She was chasing him off.
He started the engine and gave them a few minutes to scatter before moving away.
As he was moving, the radio cackled to life. "Officer Oxenstierna? Come in."
He lifted the mouthpiece. "Yes?"
"We have an incident occurring just south of your location. An injured male trapped in a net. The fishermen request aide."
"Alright, what are the coordinates?"
He wrote them down and plugged them into his GPS. He was the old man of search and rescue. It was dangerous, but he was used to it. He'd been born on a boat. He spent as much of his life at sea as the mermaids did. At least in summer the weather tended to not work against you.

As Berwald reached the coordinates, he instantly saw the other individuals of the pod. In fact, he heard them well before his arrival. He put on his earmuffs as he approached. The cries could drive a man crazy, with their shrill squeaks and whistles of distress.
There were three individuals crowded along the side of the boat, yanking at the net with hands and teeth. Inside lay a fourth individual who was struggling to breath, trying to reach his hands through to his pod members. Berwald examined them and quickly deduced that the pod was a bachelor pod. He groaned. That meant he would have to approach this situation with the utmost care. The only thing more dangerous than a bachelor pod was a mother who was nursing pups, and both had been known to kill humans if they felt threatened by them.
He swung the craft around and approached the ship from the other side, and was thankful to see the fishermen lowering a tie rope. He quickly hitched the vessel to his and then climbed up the rope ladder offered to him.
His first mission was to quickly jot down identifying marks on the pod members. Later he would have to file a report, and he needed to be able to make notes on whether or not this was a new pod with unidentified members or a known pod.
The biggest make, likely the leader, had pale hair and dark blue scales. A male of almost identical size was next to him, with bright yellow hair, hissing and snarling as he yanked and bite at the net, trying to free his companion. The smallest pod member had white hair and white scales on his tail, an albino.
Trapped in the net was a small merman, with bright yellow hair and violet eyes. His tail was a medium purple with a pale iridescent sheen over the scales. But his appearance was marred by the scratches covering his back and body, inflicted by the materials the net was made out of. He was crying out to his pod, fingers tangled in the material as he reached for them. But Berwald could tell he was growing weak from the stress, only bringing his head above the water to make gasping breaths followed by soft cries of distress.
He was slipping into shock. "Lift the net up. We're going to have to cut him free and examine him."
As the net pulled up, the others screamed and protested, but their efforts to cling to the net and their companion were cut short by a fisherman using a pole to push them back. Berwald ignored the dangerous method in favor of preparing a syringe with a mild sedative so he could examine the animal without causing him more harm. Usually when merfolk got near nets, they made their presence known early enough to avoid being caught, or caught this badly, but clearly something had happened to cause this male to panic and tangle himself up.
The merman screamed as he was lifted from the water, and as the last of his pod mates fell off the net, the big red male threw himself at the boat as if intending to flip it, but the vessel was too big for that. He snarled and hissed loud enough that Berwald could hear him clearly through the earmuffs. The young men who had helped him aboard brought buckets of water to pour on the merman. Berwald was glad they knew enough rescue procedure that he didn't have to order them around like children.
He quickly began to pry apart the netting, hearing the merman's cries growing louder and louder as he got closer. He finally spotted a good place to insert the needle and took a deep breath before sinking it into the merman's side.
Violet eyes met his, and then shut in pain, breathing slowing as the sedative took effect.
As the cries of their unseen companion disappeared, the cries from the others grew in intensity as they circled the vessel, but Berwald paid them no mind as he untangled the merman.
He quickly began to examine the creature. The cuts were small and seemed non-life threatening, but the way the merman had been acting made Berwald worry if there was an unseen injury that was causing the shock state of the creature.
His worry was confirmed when suddenly the creature coughed and a small amount of blood began to trickle out of his mouth, followed by rattling gasps for air followed by more blood.
Berwald snatched up his scalpel from his bag, and began to perform an emergency tracheotomy. He shouted to the captain to take them to dock in Stockholm. He had to keep the creature alive on the way back to the base.

Berwald ran alongside the surgeons as they took the creature in to perform their tasks. A small tube emerged from his throat as they rushed him into surgery.
"He's still partially sedated, I believe one of his lungs is punctured or filled with fluids. He was in shock when I sedated him..."
"Thank you, Berwald. Leave the rest to us!" A doctor shouted as they went through the doors into surgery.
Berwald stopped, panting in relief and stress. He had never had a scare quite like this. He'd lost a few merfolk before, but those wounds had been major wounds, ones that he had known would be fatal the instant he saw them. They hadn't been hidden, like these.
He finally calmed himself down and went to his room. Once he had washed the sweat and blood off himself, along with the smell of the fishing boat and salt, he headed down to the lab.
As he entered, he saw Toris, a young and recent addition to the program at the computer, typing some results into a file. "Sorry to interrupt, but are you almost done?"
Toris nodded, and standing up, he exited some browser windows he had opened. "Writing a report on the incident?"
"Yes, and I have to identify the pod. Oh, Sofia's pod is in good health."
The young Lithuanian smiled. He had seen Sofia's pod as a child. It had been the reason he had joined this field of study.
Berwald first updated the profiles on Julia and Nicolai, who were about a foot longer than the last time they had been seen by researchers. Born only two springs ago, they were growing fast. Despite best efforts, very little was known about the growth rate of young merfolk as international laws kept them from being placed in captivity. The update would be well received by many. With that finished, he began to search for his mystery pod.
Bachelor, 4 members, tails: red, white, violet, blue
After a few seconds of searching files and cross references, the computer gave him a result.
The pod was called the Ice Bears. Apparently the oldest three males had first been seen off the coasts of Svalbard, and the youngest had been born near Iceland. They had been a pod for four years, and often wintered in the Baltic Sea. No one was sure why they had such a strange migration pattern, but as they were a shy pod, there wasn't much searching and observing.
Each one had a number and a nickname. The pod leader, N-43, was called Lukas. The red tailed one, D-78, Mathias, was known to have a temper. The young I-37, Emil, was quiet.
The fourth member was F-22, nicknamed Tino.
He sighed and began his report.
Leaving my observation post to respond to an emergency call at 16:32, I arrived to find the Ice Bear pod. F-22 (Tino) was caught in a tangled fishing net. His pod mates were attempting to free him. Tino appeared to be going into shock, and so I had the net lifted aboard to examine him. Due to his panic and the possibility of harm to myself or the men aboard the ship, as well as unintentional harm to himself, I sedated him. He had several superficial scratches on his torso and upper body, but began to have trouble breathing, cough up blood and choking. An emergency tracheotomy was performed in order to save his life, and the ship was taken to harbor right outside the research center in Stockholm. The vessel arrived at 17:25, and F-22 was rushed into surgery.
Berwald sighed as he finished typing, and submitted the report. It was all he could write. Now he had to wait and see what would happen when the surgery was done.

Berwald found himself sitting near the small tank a few hours later which Tino was sleeping in. One of his lungs had been damaged and taken fluid, though whether or not that was the fault of the net or not was unclear. But the fluid had been removed, and the merman had seemed fine afterwards. Now they were waiting for the drugs to wear off.
He sighed as he watched the merman sleep, tail moving slowly through the water as though he were a dreaming dog. He had to smile faintly at that thought. Some lucky tourist had taken a photo of little Julia chewing on her own tail last summer, just like a puppy chasing their tail and actually catching it.
He chuckled for a moment, and sudden saw eyelids peeling back to reveal a set of purple eyes.
They stared at each other in surprise, watching carefully. Then the merman began to move, pressing his hands all over his body in self examination. When he reached the throat, he seemed to recoil at the bump and the pain that no doubt shot through him when he touched the raw skin and new stitches.
"He had a fish bone caught in his throat. We think that caused the bleeding and blocked the airways." The surgeon had told him when they asked him to watch over the creature.
Tino began to reach around himself, and soon began to look agitated as he realized how small his surroundings were. Berwald knew what to do, and opened the small gate that separated the merman from the larger containment pool.
Tino turned in surprise, and then swam out of the small pool. As Berwald watched, the merman lifted his head above the water and began to emit a series of clicks and squeaks, softer than his distress cries from earlier, but still loud and shrill to Berwald. But the behavior made sense. Berwald had seen it a few times before.
He was calling for his pod.
Orphans made the same calls if they lost their parents. It was a cry to arouse sympathy.
It was a cry for help.
Tino swam slowly around the edge of the pool, continuing his calls and clicks with sounds that made Berwald wish he could comfort him. He understood the isolation, the sudden fear. His sister had left when he was still a teenager and never come home, and when his parents had discovered he was gay, they made it clear he wasn't welcome to return home. He had no childhood friends left, or family. Just a job and a passion that kept him going.
He understood the merman perfectly.
He didn't have a pod to go back to either.
He waited until the cries had died down to step into the water with Tino, staying in the shallow end of the pool. Tino glanced at him and then crept away, avoiding him.
He took a squid from the bucket in his hand and released it.
After a few minutes, Tino suddenly moved and reemerged with the soft creature already halfway in his mouth. Berwald smiled and released another.
The merman caught that one quickly, and then came closer to Berwald, watching him from about fifteen feet away with his entire body submerged.
Berwald set down the third squid, and the merman popped up making a soft squeak as he made the connection between Berwald and the food. He hurried off after the squid and then returned, watching Berwald. Soon he was almost right next to him, waiting for the next squid to be lowered for him.
When the bucket was empty, Berwald began to crawl out of the tank, but Tino was in front of him. Before Berwald could object, he had grabbed the bucket and yanked it out of his hand. When he looked in, he made some confused clicking noises and sniffed the water. Then he gave Berwald an indignant look and threw the bucket back at him.
"Sorry, that's all I can give you."
The merman snorted and slapped the water with his tail fin, making Berwald wonder for a few seconds if the merman had understood his sentiment. But at the same time he had to smile. Tino was clearly feeling better if he was hiding his injuries and eating. It would still be a while before he could be returned to his pod, but this was a good sign.
But after a while, Berwald began to feel sleep calling to him. He'd been up for an unusually long time today. He began to leave.
He had barely opened the door when Tino suddenly began to scream. He whirled, trying to figure out what had set him off.
Tino was watching him, and slapping his pelvic fins against the water while he cried. Berwald shut the door and came back.
The merman dived back beneath the water and swam a a few feet away, watching him. He knew that slapping the pelvic fins tended to show anxiety, but he was unsure why.
He waited a while, and then tried to leave again. The same results.
At that point, Berwald pulled out his phone.
Poor Toris came down, yawning. "Why am I here?"
"I think he wants company. I've been out and about all day and I need some shut eye."
Toris sat down in the chair and waved to the merman, who clearly saw him. But when Berwald tried to leave for the third time, he grew even louder, forcing Berwald to rush back and try and calm Tino.
Toris looked at Berwald for a moment, and Berwald sighed. "Okay. It appears only I am acceptable."
"We could go anyways..."
"Yeah, and leave him screaming all night long? We can't do that."
Toris looked at him for a few seconds and sighed. "Then you're camping down here, and you're doing it on your own. Anything you need from your room? I'll bring you a cot and a blanket."
"My laptop would be nice. And a pair of shorts to sleep in."
Toris nodded and left, returning a few minutes later with the requested items.
Tino seemed fine as Toris walked in and out of the building, and Berwald sighed. "So you've decided I'm your pod mate. Can't say I'm thrilled with your decision, but I'll survive."
The merman tilted his head, and a quizzical squeak echoed across the room as he swam over. Berwald set his cot up in the back of the room, and then changed behind a set of curtains.
As he crawled under the blankets Toris had brought him, he watched the merman. He seemed happy with Berwald being there. After a few minutes, he began to spin in circles.
The behavior was known as sleeping circles. Individuals would turn around a few times, and then grab the tail of the nearest pod member, forming a small circle composed of three to four members. Berwald smiled when he saw Tino grab his own tail, bringing it close to his chest.
He closed his own eyes and allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

The next morning, Berwald was woken by loud chirping. He opened his eyes to see Toris and a supervisor.
"Toris said he threw a fit every time you tried to leave last night."
"Yes sir."
Tino seemed pleased with himself when he saw Berwald sit up, splashing his arms in the water with a big smile on his face. Berwald realized a bucket had been brought in with squid.
"Are you excited for me or your food?" He said to the empty air as he reached for his glasses. Stepping into the pool, the merman watched him. The second the squid was released, he went after it, coming up and whistling in delight.
Berwald ignored the gaze of his boss and Toris, focusing on feeding the merman. Soon enough, Tino was right up next to him, looking for more food.
Berwald set the last squid down, and Tino snatched it up, but instead of eating it, he tried to hand Berwald back a piece.
Toris laughed. "Oh my god, Berwald! He's flirting with you!"
Berwald tried to keep his face from turning scarlet as he realized that was exactly what this behavior meant. Tino pressed the squid back into Berwald's hand and tried to wrap his hand around it. Berwald looked back at Toris and his boss, unsure what to do.
Tino was watching him, but Berwald shook his head, and let the remains of the squid fall from his hand. "Sorry, F-22. I can't except that."
Tino seemed crestfallen as Berwald crawled out of the water, and Berwald nodded to his supervisor. "My apologies for any problems this might have created. I'll get right back to my regular duties..."
The man shook his head. "No, you'll stay here. Eduard will handle observation and rescue. If F-22 is willing to socialize with you, then the stress it takes off him will let him heal faster. I'll have you temporarily reassigned."
"But sir..."
Berwald went silent when the man glanced at him sharply. "Sorry for the objection, sir. I'll be happy to stay if someone could run and get me clean clothes and breakfast."
Toris nodded and rushed off. Then the supervisor left as well. Berwald turned to see Tino watching him.
"Well, I guess it's you and me then."

After the second day, he was able to slip out for about fifteen minutes to take a shower, but it was a fast affair as he heard Tino's screams the whole time he was washing. He objected to being left alone, even if Berwald made Toris sit there with fish.
The doctors were anxious to reexamine Tino, and Berwald crawled into the water to try and bribe him over.
At first Tino ignored him. He was still flirting, and was getting annoyed with Berwald refusing to accept his gifts, so now he was being ignored.
But eventually he followed Berwald into the smaller tank. Berwald crawled out and they closed the gate and Tino suddenly panicked.
He lifted his head up and cried and cried, his squeaks driving them all mad. He tried to turn only to get stuck and begin to thrash.
Berwald finally calmed him down by talking softly and slipping back into the tank. Tino still seemed uneasy as the doctors looked at him through the glass in the observation area, but with Berwald right there, he allowed them to do so.
They opened the gate back up and he rushed to the other side of the pool, making chirping noises and slapping his pelvic fins and his tail.
Berwald talked with the doctors for a few minutes, and then they left. He slipped back into the pool and waited.
After about fifteen minutes, Tino began to creep back over, and Berwald felt a hand pull at his.
He took it, and Tino stayed right next to him for a while before letting go and coming up to the surface.
They watched each other for a few moments. Then Tino opened his mouth, but instead of making the usual noises, he began to sing.
Berwald stood there listening, and as he did, he understood why men of old could be lead to their deaths by a mer song. Tino's voice was beautiful, the combination of a soft tenor with the soft warbles and moans of a whale song.
After a while, Tino took Berwald's hand and tried to take him into the deeper part of the pool, but Berwald shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Tino."
Tino pressed his face against Berwald's hands and let loose a single chirp.
"They're already upset that you've grown so close to me. It's dangerous for your kind to act like humans are the same. They're afraid you'll get hurt again."
Tino didn't understand, and Berwald pulled himself up onto the edge of the pool. Tino set his head in Berwald's lap, and Berwald paused for a moment before doing something he might regret forever.
He ran his hand through the merman's hair. It was a gesture of close affection. Tino relaxed, letting out a series of soft clicks and whistles as he closed his eyes.
Berwald didn't understand it. Most of the people he worked with considered him terrifying. He had a habit of responding with limited words when he was busy, and not talking much. He was the best search and rescue operator in the last ten years, and had survived though storms and winter. He was tall, and had scars covering his whole body. Most people were too intimidated to even try and talk to him.
But he guessed Tino considered him differently. To Tino, he was the source of food, friendship, and company.
And Tino, with his tail, was nine feet long, placing him at having a serious height disadvantage. Berwald wondered if that played into it as well.
Soon enough, Tino pulled himself away and began to turn in sleeping circles. Berwald sighed and dried off before crawling into his own cot. The merman had been here five days. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take this.

After another five days, the doctors decided that Tino was healed. After being released back into the main pool, much to Tino's relief, they told Berwald.
"All his vitals seem good, he doesn't move like he's in pain. He's eating bony fish again, you say?"
Berwald nodded. "Yes, though we've mostly been feeding his squid for the calories. We want to make sure he has enough fat to last him through the winter."
"Excellent. Then it's time to take him home. We'll transfer him to the boat tomorrow."
Berwald nodded, and Tino came back over, and began to chirp. He ignored the request for attention, keeping his eyes on the doctor, who was watching him with some interest.
Once the man had left, he sat down. He was fine, better than fine, actually. Soon enough he wouldn't be stuck here babysitting F-22. He could take a nice long shower, and work on his doctoral thesis.
Or at least, that's what he told himself.
Tino came over to the edge of the pool and reached out. Berwald gave him his hand, and he held it.
When he sang again, Berwald smiled, but it was a bittersweet smile, and they both knew it.
After a while, Tino turned and pulled himself into a sleep circle, but he kept his eyes open. Berwald gazed at him from the cot.
In the end, Berwald fell asleep first. Tino finally closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off as well.

Morning came, and Berwald guided Tino into a small tank, and the left Toris behind to watch him. Tino made some anxious clicks, but waited.
Berwald brought the ship around to the smaller docks, and heard the sound of the crane lifting the tank. Toris was there, trying to calm him, but the merman was turning fast, clearly disliking every moment of his airborne experience.
Finally they lowered the small tank and Tino was released into the small pool. As the glass tank was lifted away, Tino seemed to calm down.
When he saw Berwald adjusting the temperature at the edge of the pool, he became very excited, squeaking in delight. The bay doors were closed, and Toris came down.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"
"It's fine, Toris. It's the height of summer, and I'm an experienced ship operator."
Toris sighed. "Alright. Well, the last time they spotted his pod was two days ago off the coast of Gothenburg. They've joined up with over a dozen pods to feed, so they shouldn't be too hard to track. The coordinates are here."
"Thank you, Toris."
Once he'd gotten everyone off the ship, he went up into the cabin and began to pull the ship out of the harbor.
After a few minutes, having escaped the sounds of the city, Berwald could hear a series of anxious clicks and calls coming from downstairs.
He opened the door just a little bit and began to sing. Random songs from the radio, things he learned as a child in choir class. Soon enough the sounds of the merman faded away as Berwald allowed his voice to fill the ship.
As the time to sleep came, despite the fact is was still light out, he anchored the ship and went below.
Tino smiled at the sight, and Berwald fed him quickly. Tino gulped down the fish and squid quickly, pulling out the bones when he found them.
After that was done, Berwald washed his hands and pulled out ration biscuits. They had enough calories to keep him going for a while, so they were his preferred food at sea. Simple, fast, and filling.
Tino watched him for a moment, and Berwald paused. He took a deep breath, and broke off a piece of the biscuit, offering it to the merman.
Tino seemed surprised, but he took it and began to chew. He seemed thoughtful for a few moments, and then dunked his part of the biscuit into the water before swallowing the rest of it. Berwald laughed.
Once Berwald had finished his dinner, Tino motioned for him to join him in the water. Berwald barely had to give it second thought. If he was going to live life dangerous this much, he might as well go all the way.
He laid down and floated, the tank too small for them to both swim in. But Tino seemed happy with that, and swam underneath him, popping up occasionally to rub his face against Berwald.
Berwald was just about to get out when Tino laid his head on his chest and made a soft purring noise, or as close as a merman could get.
Berwald waited, and then Tino moved. It was slow, but their lips were pressed together. Berwald stood up slowly, and Tino wrapped his arms around him.
They stayed there for a few moments before Berwald pulled his head back. Tino gazed at him for a while.
Finally Tino pulled back and pressed his head to Berwald's chest once more.
Berwald was conflicted. He should never have let himself get this close to Tino. It was stupid and dumb, but he couldn't force himself to regret it. If anyone found out that he had done this, he would lose his job. His only passion would be stolen from him.
But in this moment, he was so tempted to sweep Tino back into his arms and kiss him once more.
He finally climbed out of the water and dried off. Then he headed into the bedroom. He pulled out his sleeping mats and a few blankets and returned to the pool.
Tino watched him set up his sleeping area, right at the edge of the pool. Eventually Tino came over, curious.
Berwald reached for his tail, and Tino got the message, circling a few times before allowing Berwald to grab the fin. He took ahold of Berwald's feet, chirping happily as he sank partially into the water.
They fell asleep in their own little sleeping circle, happy as could be.

As the days passed, they finally stumbled across the feeding ground. Berwald stared at the super pod. At least a hundred individuals visible, fighting for access to the food. Not that is was necessary, as there was plenty to go around.
Tino grew restless as Berwald set anchor. They could hear the calls throughout the boat, and soon enough Tino began to make some of his own.
Berwald finally came down and reached a hand out to Tino, who accepted it. He lifted the merman up bridal style. He carried him to the top deck and set him in a small, tub sized tank to keep him moist.
Sitting on the top deck, Tino began to cry and chirp until several individuals came over, chattering back at their companion, and then rushing off in various directions. Tino kept his eyes peeled as others approached the boat. Berwald could tell he was looking for something in particular.
As Berwald began to prepare a sling to lower Tino down into the water, he suddenly heard a commotion.
He turned to see a small male with a bright white tail leap out of the water, whistling as he dove back in. Another two males followed, with a red tail and a dark blue tale. Tino began to whistle and squeak back, slapping his tail in the water in the tub.
Once the sling was ready, he picked up Tino, who seemed surprised by the action, but fell silent as Berwald placed him into the sling.
He paused for a moment, and then pressed his lips to Tino's one last time. The merman smiled and wrapped his arms around Berwald, returning it for what felt like a wonderful eternity.
But eventually it came to an end, and Berwald began to lower the sling. As it reached the water, the violet tailed merman slipped out with ease. He was quickly surrounded by the members of his pod, who ran their hands over him and began to squeak and click as they investigated him.
As Berwald watched, the other merfolk began to distance themselves, and he pulled up the anchor. He gazed at Tino, who was nuzzling his face with Emil while Lukas groomed his hair and Mathias swam in fast circles, happily chirping.
He had never felt the way he did with Tino before. But he had a job to do.
He turned the ship.
Tino saw the ship moving away, and yanked himself away from his pod mates to wave goodbye. But no Berwald appeared to wave back.
He began to call, chasing after the boat, but no response came. And soon enough, the boat was long gone.
His pod mates surrounded him, but he kept crying out after the swiftly disappearing ship. Eventually they calmed him down and guided him back to the feeding grounds.
But they could tell that while he was glad to be back with them, he had also fallen into a sudden depression.

Toris noticed Berwald seemed quieter than usual as the weeks went by. He said nothing at first, afraid to pick at an unseen wound. He acted as though everything was normal.
There was a new hire at the base, a young Pole named Feliks Lukasweitz. Toris was stuck next to him all day, listening to his constant chattering and incessant babbling. At the end of the day, he was glad to read with Berwald in silence.
One day, Berwald paused for a moment before speaking. "So, how's the new scientist?"
"He never shuts up, he argues with me constantly. I find myself wanting to smack him upside the head on a regular basis." Toris began, but when he looked back up, Berwald was chuckling. "What's so funny?"
"Oh, he happens to think you're the sweetest thing to ever walk on the earth. He loves the way you approach your work and how much you care about the merfolk. And he thinks you're brilliant."
Toris blinked, and felt the heat rise to his cheeks. He lifted up his book. "That's... That's nice of him."
Berwald chuckled again. "It's no use hiding it, Toris. Be honest with yourself. Just give him a chance, talk to him. Try to be his friend rather than brushing him off."
Toris pretended not to hear, but he nodded behind his book. Berwald stood up.
"Berwald?"
"Yes?"
Toris looked up at him. "How are you doing?"
Berwald said nothing, but Toris could tell he suddenly seemed somber.
"I'm fine. I'm a little under the weather, but everything else is fine."
As he left, Toris sighed. Berwald wanted him to be honest to himself, but Berwald wouldn't even do it for his own health.
"I pray you find something to make you smile again, Berwald. I really hope so."

Winter came, and while most mermaids had left the Baltic Sea, a few clung onto dear life in the frigid northern waters.
Berwald was teamed up with Eduard, a young man he had trained two years ago, and Toris, who was new to the rescue division. But winter had set in early this year, and because of that, there was an unusually high number of merfolk still in the northern waters, so all hands were needed in rescue vessels.
One night, as they had just docked and we're hoping for a night of sleep when the call came in.
"We've received word that there's a young merman that's been thrown onto the cliffs by a wave, but he appears to be alive."
Berwald seized the radio. "Give me the coordinates!"
He plugged them into the GPS, and realized exactly which cliffs they were referring to. Berwald had to take a deep breath to calm himself, remembering how his first rescue mission had been in this exact same spot. On that night, the waters had just been choppy, and he had still nearly died.
Tonight, they would be roaring.

As they approached in the vessel, Toris used the ropes to fasten safety lines, which Berwald checked quickly. Toris was getting rather good at these knots, but at first his work had to be redone, and Berwald was a touch paranoid when it came to safety lines. With that done, and Eduard at the helm of the ship, they rushed up to the searchlights.
Berwald could see the jagged rocks below the cliff, and remembered the feeling of fear he'd had when trying to navigate through them the first time. The sound of the small vessel crashing up against the rocks, threatening to break apart and let the waves dash them against whatever it might find.
Soon enough they spotted the merman, half perched on a small shelf of rock, half clinging to it to avoid being smashed. The waves were hitting him, and Berwald could see cuts and bruises forming. Even if the water had been calm, the merman was stranded. His white tail flicked with distress, and had he been closer, Berwald was sure he would have heard loud cries of panic.
He was trying to think of a plan of action when he heard a familiar set of squeaks and cries. He turned the searchlight and spotted a familiar face.
Tino had tucked himself into a a small shelter in one of the outermost rocks, and was safe from the waves, but he was whistling and crying every few seconds between the water rushing back from the cliff. As the rain picked up, Berwald realized exactly who this white tailed merman was.
"Emil..."
A huge wave came up through the rocks, and Berwald heard both Tino and Emil crying out. Berwald felt his heart go out to them. But he couldn't approach the way he had before. With the waters like this, it would be impossible. He'd been dead long before he got anywhere near the cliffs.
He was allowed to call off the mission, he knew. Say it was too dangerous, that any person who went into the water would be dead. But he couldn't. He saw Tino looking at him with those purple eyes.
Tino knew who he was. Tino needed him to help.
He turned the light back towards the cliff, and began to scan up. He'd done some rock climbing before. If he could just reach the shore, he could climb down from the top of the rock face and pull Emil back up with him. It would be hell, and he'd have to get right back to the boat to avoid hypothermia, but he could do it.
"Toris, scan the shore to find a good place for the motorboat to land!"
Toris whirled. "It's too dangerous, Berwald. Let's turn around while we still can!"
Eduard looked at Berwald with eyes that seemed in agreement. He was struggling to keep the boat where it was.
But Berwald could feel those violet eyes watching him, begging him to help.
"I'm going! You can either help me or leave me!"
They seemed surprised, but finally Toris began scanning the shore with the searchlight.
That was when Berwald saw a flash of a red tail.
The entire pod was here.
And they all knew who he was.
He took a deep breath as he threw his gear into the boat, tying it down. He'd either save the merman or die trying.
"If I don't come back, Eduard, you are to leave." Berwald shouted as he climbed into the boat. "Toris, try to keep a spotlight on me!"
Toris nodded, and Berwald began to lower the small vessel into the water.
The rush of water tried to pull back memories, but he ignored them in favor of untying himself and turning on the motor of the boat. But after several attempts, he realized it would do little to help. He turned off the motor and began to reach for the ropes.
Suddenly a red tail appeared in front of him, and the a dark blue tail behind. He realized he could hear Tino over the waves.
They were here to help.
Tino was coordinating with them!
He threw the rope forward, and saw a head of bright blond hair rise up and grab the rope in his teeth. He then took an oar and pushed himself away from the side of the boat.
The spotlight fell on him, and he saw an illuminated spot on the shore. He felt the mermen struggling towards it.
They brought him close enough that the waves carried him to shore. He yanked the rope up and waited for the next wave to lift it up to drag it onto the shore. Once the boat was secure, he turned.
Toris understood what he needed once he had grabbed the bag of gear. He turned the spotlight along the beach, and Berwald ran for the cliffs.
He climbed up and set anchors and hooked up his harness, and whispered a silent prayer.
"Please let me save him."
He remembered an unofficial Coast Guard saying his father had once told him.
They have to come back. We don't.
He took another deep breath, and began to descend.
As he got close, about fifteen feet above Emil, he could feel the spray of the ocean hitting him, drenching what few areas were still dry. He continued down. Loud whistles and clicks filled the air, but Berwald realized it was Tino making all the noise.
When he finally reached Emil, he quickly began to fasten a rope to him. It wouldn't be a pleasant experience for the merman, but it beat dying. Emil hissed and snarled, objecting to the touch, but he allowed him to do as he needed, and didn't bite.
Berwald began the tedious process of pulling them back up the cliff, everything illuminated by the spotlight. Soon the waves were far below, no more than a fearsome nightmare.
He reached the top of the cliff and rested quickly, aware of the cold feeling creeping through his body. Finally, he picked up Emil and began to carry him down to the shore.
He could imagine the cheers Toris and Eduard would give him, though they would say he was dumb to try to do it.
He got Emil into the boat, and back into the water they went. Emil was trying to crawl back in, but Berwald kept him down to prevent him from accidentally being beached.
They reached deep enough water when he saw the bright red tail once more. He allowed Emil to scramble off the boat and into the water, where the two big males hugged him. He turned to try and head back towards the ship.
Suddenly he heard shouting, and a series of shrill clicks. The mermen dove underneath the water, but Berwald was stuck.
He turned to see a wave that resembled a solid wall of water rather than a wave rushing right at him. He barely had time to take a breath before it hit him, swamping the boat and shoving him into the freezing waters of the Baltic Sea.
He tried to rise back up to the surface, but the water was carrying him away.
He never saw the rock hidden in the darkness, but when he felt himself strike it, he knew it was the end.

Toris was furiously scanning the water with the spotlights, trying to see any sign of Berwald. His life jacket, legs, blood in the water. Anything. Toris refused to believe what his eyes were telling him.
Eduard finally shouted. "Toris, we have to get out of here! The storm is getting worse!"
"We can't leave without Berwald!"
"Berwald's dead, Toris!"
Toris stared at Eduard in shock, and Eduard looked at him with sympathy. "Berwald's gone. And we'll be as well if we wait out here much longer."
Toris took a deep breath, feeling the tears spill down his face. Finally he nodded, and came back into the cabin, shutting the door behind him. "Let's go then."

Tino leapt into the water, struggling against the current to reach Emil in the boat. He had almost been stranded himself by the same wave that had taken Emil, and only swift movement had saved him.
He finally escaped the dangerous current and pushed himself towards the others.
He heard the cries from below, and saw the others dive. He followed suit, trying to avoid the wave.
He saw something hit the water and sink as the current tugged. With a start, Tino realized exactly what it was.
He swam towards the human as fast as he could. He couldn't let him die!
The human hit a rock, and Tino snatched him up, calling for Lukas to help him.
Lukas appeared quickly, followed by the others. Tino held the human out to him.
Lukas was the son of a sea witch. He reached out and set his hands on the man's skull. He mended bones, healed bruises, stopped bleeding. When that was done, they looked at him, trying to figure out what he would do.
Tino knew the man still had a chance at human life. The water was so cold, they could return him to the ship. But Tino pulled the man close him. The others backed off. Tino had explained to the others what he had done for him, to try and help him. Even though Lukas could have healed him, Tino was grateful that the human had went through such great lengths to help him.
And Tino had fallen in love.
Finally, Tino spoke. It was nearly impossible for merfolk to do such, and so they only did it a few times in their lives. They did it to name their children, to declare their love, and to bid goodbye to those they had lost.
Calypso, the mother of the merfolk, had given all her children the ability to perform magic, but most could only do it once in their life. Tino used the words he had heard as a child, whispered to him in a dream.
"To you I give my heart. To you I give my life. To you I give my everything, until Calypso bid us part."
If Berwald returned his feelings, if Berwald's mind consented, those words could change flesh and blood. Those words could bring them together.
When the soft white glow came from Berwald's skin, Tino smiled. The others came close to watch, and Tino kept his love tightly in his arms.
As the light grew brighter, the clothes on his body disappeared, and his legs began to fuse, forming a tail. Gills appeared, as did fins.
Tino began to sing.
That was how all merpeople, whether born or made, should be brought in and out of their lives. With the songs of their people.
As Tino hit the final notes, those aqua eyes opened and gazed at him for a long moment. Slowly, webbed hands rose up and brushed against his face. Tino felt invisible tears prick his eyes.
Neither was sure who initiated the kiss, but as they pressed together, they both knew the truth.
This was what had been promised to them. To keep each other and love each other for the rest of their lives.
And it was the only thing either of them had ever wished to happen.

As summer arrived, Toris made it known that he was never to participate in winter search and rescues. His decision was met with dismay as most people were willing to do both, since the hazard pay was good. But after Berwald's death, Toris knew he could never feel safe on the water again.
He moved entirely to observation and research. He was given a small ship and a partner.
Feliks smiled as they spotted the most famous pod in the sea. "Sofia's pod is ahead!"
Toris smiled as he prepared the small raft to observe the pod up close and personal. "Well, lower the anchor and get over here, or I'll leave without you!"
Feliks hurried over. Toris had tried to take Berwald's advice, and soon enough he realized Feliks was nothing more than an overgrown kid with big dreams. Only a few years separated them, and Toris had grown rather close to the Pole.
As they began to head towards the pod, another pod suddenly burst from the waves.
Elizaveta went straight over to Katyusha, hissing and snarling. Feliks made the observation of the new pods.
"It appears to be a bachelor pod."
"No wonder Elizaveta's acting all pissy. She and Katyusha just finally paired up."
Feliks nodded. Bachelors were not always on their best behavior, and Elizaveta was determined to protect her mate from any unwanted advances.
But the atmosphere relaxed when a young merman popped up out of the water, chirping and calling.
"Oh, we've got at least one mated pair in this pod." Toris said, while Feliks scribbled down notes."
An adult male came up next to the boy, and Toris blinked and then gasped when he realized he recognized the male.
"That's F-22, Ice Bear pod. We had him in to treat some injuries after he got caught in a net last year!"
Feliks looked at the little male and made some marks. Light blue tale, bright blue eyes, blond hair.
Soon enough, the two pods were blending together, and then they began to hunt.
Natalia and Tino followed the three pups through the water while Raivis followed close behind with Katyusha and Elizaveta. As the pods blended, Feliks and Toris started making notes for the young male. They would have to create a profile when they got back if he was an unknown pup.
But then Toris noted another difference.
Last year, the Ice Bears had been four adults.
Now they were five adults and a pup.
After the feeding was over, Toris pulled the boat closer to try and get a good look at the pod.
As he moved over, he saw Gilbert suddenly grab the pups and rush them away. Toris realized he had come far too close.
Feliks and he both froze, realizing their mistake as Sofia's pod began to put on threat displays. Despite having relatively little fear of humans, they had to draw the line somewhere.
The biggest males from each pod approached. Ivan and the new member of the Ice Bears, followed by the red tailed merman Mathias.
But when the big male lifted his head above the water, both the scientists stared in shock.
"Berwald?!"
Those aqua eyes and stern look were unmistakeable, with that shade of blond hair. Both Feliks and Toris were too surprised to think of anything else.
Slowly, Toris reached for his camera, taking a few photos before setting it back down.
Suddenly, the merman let lose a series of clicks and whistles, and suddenly Ivan backed off. Toris realized that they had decided they meant no harm.
Berwald was big, as large as Sofia or Ivan. He was probably about fourteen feet long, and a big male was usually twelve.
Berwald went underwater and called out, and the others came close. Toris blinked in shock when the members of the pods appeared right at the edge of the boat.
He and Feliks snatched up their cameras, unable to stop clicking as they took hundreds of photos. Natalia and Gilbert came close, though they kept their pups at a distance. Eleven year old Raivis reached in and tried to steal a notebook, and Matthew patted the side of the boat as though trying to make music.
They were having the best time of their lives, and Feliks and Toris were amazed they were getting to see it all.
Finally, the male pup came over to the boat, followed by Tino. Berwald swam over to join him, and then rubbed his face against Tino's, who responded by tucking his head under Berwald's chin. The tiny pup clung close to them, chirping and cooing.
Toris smiled as he saw that. And he began to realize why Tino had objected to Berwald leaving so desperately now.
He was unsure how he felt about it until he saw a smile on Berwald's face.
Toris had never seen him so happy,
After a few more minutes, the pod disappeared beneath the waves. Toris and Feliks headed back to the main ship.
Neither could keep the grins off their faces as they climbed aboard.

Berwald felt tiny hands grab his tail fin, and turned to see Peter hiding under it. But Tino grabbed the boy and began to tickle him. Night was short, but it was coming, and they needed the rest.
Lukas, Emil, and Mathias had already formed their sleeping circle, and Berwald had to laugh when Peter escaped from Tino and darted up towards them, trying to wake Lukas up. Lukas responded by whacking Peter lightly on the nose before returning his hand to Mathias's tail fin.
Tino caught the boy again, and began to spin him in slow sleep circles. Berwald swam up and joined them. Peter was so young, he clung to Tino's arm rather than holding on to the tails on his own.
Berwald and Tino settled into their little sleep circle, and Berwald had to smile to himself.
He had lived through everything life had thrown at him for this, to grow old with his lover. To raise a child.
To smile again, like he had as a child.
Berwald drifted off to sleep, knowing he had never been so happy.