Siren's Call

XXVIII. PEACE IN PAIN

arius pov

when my son and i returned to our penthouse. rin was nowhere to be seen. maybe they went back to their home across us. i went there and sure enough they were there watching some duck on the television with an occassional giggles and laughs. i smiled at the adorable sight but im in a bind right now. i cleared my throat to get rins attention and sure enough he looked behind him and saw us on the threshold. we are confident with the security in this place thats why both our doors are unlocked when were here. our elevators are inaccessible to our floor other than the four of us, me, ayberk, rin and nhu. even the fire exit stairwell are monitored 24/7 and was booby trapped all the way.

"youre here! hello baby d-d. uncles here. want some crinkles?" rin cooed at destan. d-d? where did that came from?

"rin. nicknames? really?" i raised an eyebrow at him. i know that he wont be intimidated by that easily.

"why not? his names a mouthfull. got a problem with that?" see what i mean? clever fox.

"yey! kinkols? yummy!" destan loudly agreed and reached for the small bowl with some freshly baked chocolate crinkles. nhu will behead me if destan overdoses on sugar.

"just two, okay? mommy wants to you to brush your teeth after as well." i said to him while making disheartened noises.

"aaaaah... how about three?"

"nope."

"four?"

"no negotiations, young man." i said sternly. where did he picked up this?

"aaaah... sowi daddy." he said looking down at his feet.

"its okay, son. want to spend sometime here while daddy do some grown up business with mommy?" i said pinching his nose lightly.

"otay!" he yelled running towards his cousins on the sofa watching those damn ducks again.

"you found him?" rin asked.

"yeah but hes not in the form we expected him to be." i pulled up the bottle toward his eye level.

"pearl?"

"ironic isnt it? him being a merfolk and his consciousness turned into a pearl." i said smirking.

"how did destan find him?" rin said curiously.

"he pointed the hut where this was at." i said a matter of fact.

"are you sure?"

"100% i heard nhu myself when i came near it but now it grew silent. i need you to take care of destan for a while if its not too much of a bother."

"bother? my dear brother in law, when was the time that caring for my nephew is a bother? go finish what you and ayberk have to do. well just lounge here and wait for this to pass. just promise me one thing."

"what?"

"both of you come back safe and sound for the sake of your son." he said seriously.

"trust me that well be back intact, rin. thanks so much."

"sure, no problem."

i crossed the room towards destan to tell him to behave and uncle rin will take care of him for a while. my son barely manages to reply to me  being so distracted by that duck.

"otay. tay kew daddy." he finally replied after a while. i ruffled his hair and stood up.

with that i bid rin good-bye and left him with a small precaution to lock all entrances and never open it to anyone other than me and ayberk. this is a trying time, might as well be prepared for anything.