Tag walked along the village streets, excited. Excited enough that it was hard to keep his hooves on the ground and not just float a little. Sure, he felt a little lost in the shuffle at the moment, but it didn't bother him. So many new people, so many getting together, so much new perhe. With his isoveli hurt everyone was too preoccupied with craziness. So Tag did what Tag did best. He helped out in the background without letting others know he was helping. Today, that meant hitting up the grocer's after practice to buy food, the cloth bags at his side were bulging. So many more mouths to feed other than just him and his father.
A pair of young human women up from the resort on tour were walking in the other direction. He flexed one arm at them, waggling his brows with a cheeky grin. The pair of them let out little giggles and kept walking along. His isä always told him to be more serious, but he just didn't see the point. Life was meant to be lived.
He knew he worried about Tag running off to live in the human world like some younger members of the tribes did. And while Tag didn't dissuade him of the idea, the truth was Tag wouldn't. Couldn't, even. Sure the human world fascinated him, their gadgets, and games, and the beaches! That nearly had him floating again thinking of Eric's promise they'd take a trip down to California that summer. But no, Tag would visit, never stay. Abandon his perhe? His heimo? Never. He wouldn't mind finding a nice human to bring back with him though. It could happen.
Tag turned and headed into the jewelers. This is what had him so buoyant. "Vasily! You here?" He called out when he saw no one behind the counter. Of course the owner wasn't worried about theft, that sort of thing just didn't happen in this village. And spirits, it felt great to just speak in Finnish again, Eric was trying, but he was just bad at it. Couldn't get some of the vowels right. Didn't help that everyone just happily spoke English around him. Maybe Tag should insist on a Finnish only month after tourist season, then he'd have to learn.
The polar bear finally popped his white-furred head out of the back room, give Tag a 'one moment' gesture, and vanished again. They must be ready. Finally he reappeared holding a box. "I didn't know anyone was having twins." The bear said in his own Russian accented Finnish, setting the box on the counter and flipping up the lid.
Tag picked up one of the pairs of silver bands, turning it over in his hand. Just big enough to fit around the base of an antler, but no obvious way to get it on. That was the fun part. He looked at the designs, pine branches and pinecones, twisting them about until they matched up. "I have a twin." Tag explained as he nodded and shut the box. "They're perfect."
Vasily tilted his head. "Tag. I'm pretty sure we'd all know if you had a twin." Still, the bear let him take the box without complaint. Tag had paid when he commissioned the pieces. You put it on as your antlers were growing in, then as your antlers grew out the rings were stuck on until you shed them. One for each of them. It was a thing twins did, since twins grew together, they shared a little of the other's soul. This was just a way to show that. These ones were even magicked up to go where ever the antlers went when they took a human form.
"Eric." Tag explained. Everyone in the village had heard about the human on Santa's team by now. "He is my blood brother now, and we were born less than a day apart. How can we be brothers and be born that close without being twins? We just didn't know it till now." Tag said, as if it were all very clear. He didn't want to remind Eric of the broken antler though, so he'd just keep these till their own Christmas swap, he should be over that by then and excited for shedding season.
Vasily snorted. "I'm not sure it works that way, Tag. But it's your custom and not mine. I'm just glad you reindeer do everything with jewelry. Keeps me in business." It was true. Reindeer did love to decorate themselves with all sorts of bits and baubles. Everyone always thought the bells and fancy harnesses were Santa's idea, it wasn't. They just compulsively added those things. Tag was fairly certain Christmas trees were their fault too. Saw the trees, saw how much the branches looked like antlers and just felt the irresistible urge to hang shiny shit all over it.
The lights in the shop flickered for a moment and Vasily frowned. "Must be the fox lights messing with the electric again." He shrugged and shooed Tag out of his store. "Now go, you need a shower, you're going to make my shop smell like sweaty reindeer."
"Better than bear farts." Tag retorted as he stepped out into the street, giving his vest a small tug. He did not stink. Surreptitiously he lifted an arm and gave his pit a whiff. Okay, maybe he stunk a little. He heard a giggle and turned to see the two human ladies from before looking at him and whispering to each other. He turned the pit sniff into a casual stretch. Nothing weird here, ladies.
He flashed them his cheekiest grin and wink before he turned to head home. A home that for once in many years was full, the way homes should be.