Forging New Paths

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Luca only relaxed a little at the reassurance, but when he was asked to keep a secret his interest was drawn back again, eyes lifting from the carpet to look at Anthony's face with a hesitant nod. Was there something he wasn't supposed to tell Garrett, or Evelyn? He didn't feel good about that, but he liked Anthony and he wanted his friend to be happy with him. He didn't talk a lot, anyway, so it would be okay if he just didn't answer if someone asked, wouldn't it?

Evelyn was distracted watching the seahorses swim, but not so much that she didn't notice when he touched her. She put a hand gently on his arm to stop him for a moment, just enough so that she could link her arm through his instead since she was the shorter of the two of them and they fit better together that way. It was all right, wasn't it, to hold on to each other like friends without letting herself think more of it? She tried not to think about it at all. It wasn't something she could accept, just then.

"Do they?" She wondered aloud instead, watching the creatures curiously as they bobbed about. "I can't say I've ever watched them long enough to see that happen."
 
Anthony bit his lip and rubbed his arm. "Please don't laugh. But it's . . . I . . ." He dropped his gaze to the floor. ". . . I'm scared of dogs. Garrett has no idea. I - I don't even have a good reason to be scared of them, they're just . . ." He gestured blankly. "I don't know. I mean, cats are fine. I like Watson. But dogs . . ."

Garrett smiled warmly and let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. So linking arms was all right, at least. He tried his best to focus on the seahorses and not on Evelyn. "Oh, sure. Every once in a while. Just gotta keep your eyes peeled," he explained, pointing at a few that were clustering together.
 
Worried about how Anthony seemed upset, Luca tugged anxiously on the end of his sleeves, shoulders hunching a bit as if closing his body language in would keep the secret from getting away. He nodded a little at the idea of dogs, unsure why being afraid of something could be something to laugh at, and at the same time worrying a bit that the things he was afraid of were also things to laugh at. Was it wrong, to be afraid?

"Dogs are . . . okay," he managed quietly, uncertain what to say but wanting somehow to make Anthony feel better, "from far way. . ." When they were close, when he could hear them too near his body, it made him start to shake, made his stomach turn at the idea of hurting them with his Shadow. He liked to see them when they were far away, or in pictures, but when they were nearby he always felt sick to his stomach. He wanted it to go away, but . . . it was nice, somehow, knowing functional, brave Anthony didn't like to be near them either.

Evelyn made a thoughtful sound, a moment away from accusing him of pulling her leg, when one of the little seahorses in the bundle moved upwards and bopped lightly into another, sending them both floating very slowly away from each other until they change course. "Oh!" She said with a little startle, something like laughter in her voice even as she gave his arm an unconscious squeeze with her own. "You weren't kidding - I almost thought you were trying to fool me. They're very cute."
 
"Y - yeah. From far away, they're manageable. And small ones . . . I guess small ones are okay. But big dogs . . ." Anthony stammered. He frowned and put a hand against the glass, pretending to pet the axolotl inside. "The kids at school used to laugh at me, for being scared of dogs. And maybe Garrett might be able to help me not be scared of them, but - but I don't want him to laugh at me. Do you think he would?"

"Nonsense, I wouldn't kid about something so adorable," Garrett said with a grin. "I almost think they do it on purpose when that happens. Like, they know how to avoid each other. But the bumps seem like a good way to just say hello." He watched the seahorses float around, enjoying their peaceful movements. "Which one's your favorite?"
 
Luca nodded along with Anthony as he talked, at a loss for what words to use but wanting to agree and help him feel better anyway. Anthony looked sad, and it made Luca's stomach feel bad thinking he couldn't do anything to stop it. "No. . ." He said with a shake of his head, at a loss for how to reassure someone, or just how to predict someone else's actions. "He never laughs when I feel bad. . ." Not when Luca thought Garrett finally understood that he was feeling bad. Evelyn always tried to reassure him that no one was laughing at him, it was just difficult to tell the difference. He never felt like anyone was mocking him, at least.


Evelyn gave a thoughtful hum, loosening her hold on him enough to bend down just a little and get a better look. "Mmm, that one." She decided finally, pointing to one swimming near the group with just the slightest abnormality to his face, with a small smile on her face. "He's got little angry eyes."

She paused then, straightening up and giving him a light smack on the arm. "You let me forget the bags!" She reminded with a shake of her head, and loosened her hold on him to let go and move away. "You hold Watson, I'll go pick them up." There was no use letting more than one of their party wander off. She would be quick. It would, at least, give her a chance to forget about any thoughts of 'feelings' and be sure she was composed.
 
Anthony swallowed hard. "Then - then I think maybe I'll try talking to him. Maybe it'll help." He held Luca's hand just the slightest bit tighter. "Would you come with me? Please?" he asked softly.

Only once Luca had said yes did he quietly make his way towards the detective. "Garrett . . .?" he asked.

Garrett was chuckling at Evelyn as she swatted his arm and hurried off. But when he heard the tone in Anthony's voice, he turned around at once, concern lacing his eyebrows. "Everything okay?" he asked gently.

Anthony winced and dropped his eyes. "I, um . . ." His voice grew quieter. "I'm scared of dogs."

"Oh. Did you see one in here?" Garrett asked, a little confused.

"No, I just - I wanted to tell you. I know it's silly, but - "

The detective set a hand on his shoulder. "It's not silly," he said gently. "Everyone's scared of something. If you're scared of dogs, we'll make sure to keep our distance from them. Okay?"

Anthony sniffed and glanced up, his eyes shimmering. "O - okay. Thanks, Garrett."

"Sure thing, bud."
 
Oh, right now? Luca hadn't known they were going to tell Garrett immediately, but when Anthony squeezed his hand he only nodded and squeezed back, attempting to be reassuring somehow. If Anthony wanted him to be next to him and hold his hand, Luca could say goodbye to the axolotls for a little while.

His eyes followed Evelyn as she left the room with a little frown, worried she wasn't coming back, but his attention came back when Anthony started talking. Hearing Garrett say it was okay to be afraid was comforting, even if it hadn't been said to him. But Anthony was upset still, for some reason, and his face looked like he might cry, so after a hesitant pause, Luca squeezed his hand again and held his free arm out a little, silently asking if Anthony wanted a hug. That was okay, wasn't it? People wanted hugs when they were upset? He liked when Evelyn or Garrett held him, so maybe it was okay.
 
The teen turned towards him, sniffing and giving Luca a hug, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. "Thanks, Luca," he murmured. "I - I'm okay. They're good tears. I'm - I'm so relieved. I thought Garrett was just going to laugh like the kids at school, but he didn't."

Garrett's eyebrows furrowed. "I'm sorry if I ever made you feel that way," he said quietly.

"Oh. N - no, you haven't, I just . . . I guess I was kind of expecting it, is all," Anthony murmured. He wiped his eyes and smiled. "Thank you both. I feel a lot better. Um - where's Evelyn?"

The detective chuckled and blushed in embarrassment. ". . . I may have forgotten our bags in the other room. She went to go get them. Why don't we all look at the axolotls while we wait?"
 
Luca was a bit awkward for being so careful, wrapping his arms around Anthony and holding on until he wanted to let go. When Anthony pulled away he held the younger boy's hand again, a bit hesitantly, unsure if it was okay still. He didn't want Anthony to keep feeling bad.

"Someone has to be the responsible one," Evelyn said with a teasing little smile as she came back with not only Luca's book and the candy they'd bought, but Anthony's bag as well. Her expression shifted into concern when she saw the tears in Anthony's eyes, though, and she stopped to glance between them all. "What did I miss?" Was everything okay?
 
Anthony squeezed his hand gratefully and smiled at him. "You're the best, Luca." He quickly wiped his eyes again when Evelyn came back, though, and he nodded. "It's all right. I'm okay," he promised. He pulled in a deep breath. "Luca and I got to talking, and I told him I was afraid of dogs. But I didn't want to tell Garrett because I thought he'd laugh like the kids at school. But Luca said Garrett wouldn't laugh, and I should tell him. And I'm really glad I did because he was right. I feel so much better now."

Garrett smiled gently and ruffled Anthony and Luca's hair in turn. "I love how you two look after each other. Luca, would you like to look at the axolotls some more, or start looking at the other fish in here?"

Anthony giggled and leaned into the touch. Then he turned to glance at Luca, ready to follow him whichever decision he made.
 
Evelyn's expression was soft and understanding, and while she nodded along she didn't reach out to Anthony, thinking he wouldn't truly find comfort in her touch anyway. Luca was doing a good enough job of physical reassurance, and it filled her heart with hope that he could learn to interact with the world again in ways that didn't make him afraid.

"It was brave of you to speak up," she said gently to Anthony instead. "I'm glad you feel better after getting that off your chest. Thank you for staying with him, Luca."

He looked at her when she gave him a little smile, then away at the tank of seahorses as he tried to process how the praise made him feel, and just closed his eyes when Garrett mussed up his hair, a faint smile on his face as he remembered what Garrett had said it meant. It felt nice to have them both in physical contact with him, though it always made him feel a little worried when he could feel his Shadow go away for even that brief amount of time.

It took him a moment to shake off the distraction from the sensation and he looked slowly around before focusing on the tank next to them again. "Seahorses," he said simply, pointing to them and moving a little closer to look inside. There were so many of them.

"Have your fun," Evelyn said with a little nod, moving away a bit so they could see better and so she could explore the room a bit for herself. "I'll hold on to your book until we go, Anthony, unless you'd like it back."
 
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The young man beamed at Evelyn. He certainly wouldn't have minded a comforting touch from her, but he was already feeling loads better with Luca's help. He nodded at Luca and hurried over to see the seahorses. "They're so cute! I like when their little tails curl around things."

As the pair went off to the tank, Garrett smiled at Evelyn. It occurred to him that he had never tried ruffling her hair before - probably because he was worried messing it up might make her upset. ". . . Am I right in assuming you're not one for hair ruffles?" he asked at last.

There were plenty of other ways he could show Evelyn he cared, and he wasn't worried about her saying no. But he couldn't resist asking just in case she said yes.

Watson hopped out of Garrett's arms and took his own tour of the room, looking into tanks that were at his level and watching the different fish. He couldn't eat any, but they were fun to watch, at least.
 
Luca watched the seahorses with a soft, awed hum under his breath, seemingly forgetting entirely that Anthony had his hand and making no attempts to get it back. He didn't need hands to look at things. ". . . Do they grab things?" He asked, more wondering aloud than truly seeking an answer. Maybe they used their tails for balance like monkeys, or cats, but he didn't know how that worked underwater.

Evelyn glanced back over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow and an unimpressed expression when Garrett asked, holding a finger up as if to forestall any further attempts. "If you ruin my hair in public," she warned dryly, "you won't get your hand back in one piece."

She shook her head at him after, wondering if she should be wary or amused, and stopped at the tank with goldfish and other, more mundane creatures to watch them swim. "We should go to the Botanical Gardens some day. Lots of pretty flowers, and a very large koi pond." She thought Luca and Anthony would like it, if they enjoyed the aquarium so much, but koi were also her favorite fish.
 
"Mhm! Look at this sign here," Anthony said, pointing. "Says they sometimes grab seaweed to hold onto while they take a nap, or sometimes they hold onto each other's tails like they're holding hands. Aww, there's one sleeping there! Look at him all curled up in the seaweed," he murmured happily.

Garrett burst out laughing at Evelyn's response. "Yeah, I - I kinda figured," he replied. He leaned against a wall, adjusting his detective hat. "The Botanical Gardens sound beautiful! I can't say as I've been there before, myself. Although tomorrow we should probably let everybody rest. Luca and Anthony are going to be exhausted. Me too, probably."

He stretched a bit, yawning widely. "I'm glad there's only one more room after this. I'm starting to get a bit sleepy already."

After a few minutes, Anthony caught sight of the guppies, and his eyes sparkled. "Oooh! Look at those, Luca! They're so shiny!"
 
"Ooh," Luca murmured softly, enamored by the idea of seahorses holding tails while they slept. "Like otters. . ." They held hands when they slept, didn't they, so they wouldn't get separated? It was very cute.

He was content to watch for a while even though they weren't doing much, but followed easily when Anthony pulled on his hand, willing enough to go where he would no doubt be seeing more new, amazing things. "Shiny?" He wondered, eyes finding the guppies soon enough and blinking at the seemingly moving patterns that shone across their scales. He'd never seen them in person before, only in videos, and it was so different it had him going quiet for a long moment. There were so many things in the world he'd never seen before.

Evelyn had to laugh a bit at his assuming she meant now. "Not tomorrow," she reassured with a little shake of her head. "Perhaps in a couple of months. There's no going there in the night, with no people around." They needed to rest, besides. It had been too many days of activity at once.

"Tired already?" She teased, an almost haughty look on her face. "I thought better of the great Detective Shiver. Can't stay awake all night like when you were young?" She was doing all right, which she felt gave her the right to poke at him, but to be fair she was getting rather used to not sleeping for long hours at a time.
 
Anthony grinned at the look of awe on Luca's face. He sat on the floor near the fish tank, quietly watching the guppies with Luca and enjoying the silence with him. He couldn't help thinking, not for the first time, how much more peaceful his new family was compared to the one he came from.

Detective Shiver chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "To be fair, it helps if I've gotten more than three hours of sleep the night before," he admitted. "But I can stay up for quite a long time if a job or adrenaline demands it. It's just . . . been so peaceful, as of late, that I haven't needed to keep myself awake. I think I'll finally be able to rest a bit more now."

He smiled and met Evelyn's eyes. "And before you start worrying, I stayed up a bit late because I was distracted by cat videos. There's a channel that had so many good enrichment ideas. I couldn't help myself."
 
Luca crouched down when Anthony sat, too conscious of there being more to see to fully settle in, but was comfortable enough staying that way with his arms folded atop his knees, staring in at the fish as they darted back and forth. "Blue . . . pink . . . and purple," he murmured quietly to himself, watching the way the light moved against their scales. There were sea shells that looked like that, weren't there? And things like bubble soap, and some things in stores, too. It was such a pretty, ever-shifting color, and he couldn't remember what it was called.


Evelyn was beginning to feel a bit of concern, as Garrett went on, but it was as she turned her head to look at him that he revealed the reason he hadn't slept, and she gave a little laugh despite trying to act serious. "Cat videos?" She repeated, almost reprimanding if not for the humor in her voice. "Garrett. You're impossible. I'm sure whatever Watson needs can wait a few hours so you can sleep. You're giving him plenty of enrichment."
 
"Mhm," Anthony murmured, watching the fish's scales flicker and shift before him. "They're pretty, huh?" He thought for a moment and nodded. "They remind me of those sequin pillows. The ones where you push them one way and they're one color. They're not comfy to sleep on, but they're fun to play with."

Eventually he stretched and stood up, pulling in a breath and offering Luca a hand up. "You ready for the Deep Sea Room?" he asked with a grin.

Garrett gave her a lopsided grin. "I know, I know. But I've always had a sporadic sleep scedhule up until now. It's . . . going to take some time adjusting to having a normal one." He smiled and yawned again. "But I've been starting to get tired around the same time. That's a good sign."
 
Sequin pillows? Luca wasn't quite sure what Anthony was talking about, but it certainly did sound uncomfortable. When a hand was held out to him he looked at it for a moment, processing, and after a pause took hold of it to let Anthony pull him to his feet and towards the next room. It was such a dimly lit place he kept hold of Anthony's hand for fear of losing everyone, and simply followed along to the first windows into the deep sea world.

When he spotted a window of glass that led to jellyfish with lights dancing along their bodies, he actually dared to pull Anthony forward at a quicker pace, eagerly hurrying to where they were and staring with wide eyes. "They make light. . ." It was so pretty. He'd never seen it for more than a couple of seconds of video before.

Evelyn only sighed softly, rolling her eyes but with something fond in her expression as she stepped away from the tank to follow after their boys. "Little baby steps at a time, I suppose. Let's go, sleepyhead. I want to see the jellyfish before we leave."
 
Anthony smiled and hurried after him, laughing. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" He slowed to a stop beside the jellyfish and nodded. "They do. It's like watching living rainbows." His eyes widened, and he glanced over at Luca. "Have you ever gotten to see a rainbow before?"

"Oh, not to worry," Garrett told her, following after her and scooping up Watson again along the way. "I won't leave until Luca and Anthony are ready to go. I wouldn't pull them away from this if I didn't need to." He came up to the jellyfish window behind the pair and beamed at the way Luca and Anthony sat before it. They reminded him of kids watching cartoons on the TV, but this scene was much more peaceful and serene.
 
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