Eric walked home quietly and with a great deal of joy in his heart. True, he wasn't to the point where he'd say he wanted to be a were, but he had a wonderful time with Julie and he longed to have more experiences like the date they had just had. It had been wonderful, and there was just something about her that stirred thoughts and desires he never knew he had. He was a young straight male, and he'd had plenty of fantasy and daydreams at times, but due to his social status in Minnesota, they had only been passing due to how isolated he'd been or because of the stress between his parents. But now, in Moon Lake, he actually had a girlfriend who could more than hold her own with him in conversation, as well as being pretty with the most brilliantly colored eyes he'd ever seen, and some of his classmates had been encouraging to the idea of being with Julie. And the encouragement hadn't been teasing in any way.
Of course there was still the fact that Julie was a were and that staying with her would mean becoming a were, himself. He might not want that yet, but a good part of him never wanted to be away from her. She had so many good qualities that had nothing to do with being a mermaid. He might not know what love was, but a good part of him felt certain he was feeling it, and it felt good, despite all the potential questions and potential decisions he'd have to make in the future. He walked home, softly whistling as he went. As he arrived he found a great many of the lights were off. That puzzled him a bit, as he didn't know about his mother's date with the Twists or his brother's meeting Alex's parents. It wasn't too late, so no one could have gone to bed, yet.
He entered to find that there was a light on, in the living room, where he could see his father in full werefox form laying out across the couch and reading from a book. His attention to it dropped when he heard the door open and close. Eric in fact watched him turn a black furred triangular ear toward him as he shut the door.
"Hey, son," William spoke from the couch and setting the book, one of the texts he'd assigned for one of his classes, on the floor in front of the couch. "Back from your date?"
"Yeah," Eric said with a smile and came in.
William sat up on the couch and positioned himself to keep his tail behind him. He then patted the seat next to him with one paw as if to beckon Eric to come and sit beside him. Eric gave a nervous smile and complied. William's evening hadn't been to eventful. He put his and Martha's day clothes away, or in the laundry chute, depending on how dirty they were, finished off the leftovers from the party for Nate the past weekend and then settled onto the couch to read. It wasn't much and did leave him a little lonely. After a little while he changed into his werefox form, partially to keep warm and partially to feel the fur on his tail, which he then pretended was Martha cuddled up to him, as her fur in her werecat form didn't feel that different from his own fur. Having Eric return gave him the opportunity to talk with someone and see how Eric's date went.
"So, how did it go?" William asked him and playfully elbowed him, "did you sweep her of her feet?"
"It went great," Eric answered, "she showed me around town and there were actually quite a few interesting things to see a museum on the town's history with a censored story..."
"Probably just to make sure weres don't get exposed to someone who won't like them," William said to his son, and Eric only nodded in reply.
"We then went to dinner..." Eric continued.
"And collected gravy, I see," William chuckled as he noted the gravy stain on the front of Eric's shirt.
"That happened when we kissed at the diner," Eric actually blushed.
Eric watched a smile come over his father's muzzle. He soon felt his father patting him on the back, though remaining careful not to claw his son.
"Well... it certainly sounds like you had a very good night," William smiled.
"Yeah... we were thinking of doing something this coming Friday," Eric said to him.
"Well... that's great!" William told him, "You had to have made a good impression."
"Well... I think she also made quite an impression on me," Eric commented, "I... I think I love her, dad."
William wanted to smile from ear to ear at his son's comment. It would mean he would have someone and that Eric would be well, which was something any father would want for his son. But, something in Eric's tone of voice gave him the idea that Eric had more questions than answers regarding that statement. They likely related to Julie's status as a weremermaid.
"Wouldn't that be a good thing?" William asked him.
"It's good... but... it's raising new questions... new thoughts... new feelings," Eric answered.
"That's all part of falling in love, son," William told him, "when you're single and just "playing the field" as it were... there never is any commitment and true love never really forms. But, once you meet that person that you begin to connect with on more than just the physical level and true love begins to blossom... that does lead to new thoughts and changes. You begin to think on your future with that person... where you'll live... what you'll do... things like that. It's all part of being in love."
"I know... but when you were dating mom, you weren't dating a were," Eric answered, "and you only became one because that rogue forced herself on you."
"True," William nodded, "you have a different issue from your mother and I when we were dating... but you do know on your mother's choice to become a werecat?"
Eric nodded.
"Well, we do love each other and love each other still," William answered, "and I was hardly in a position to forbid your mother to become a werecat. Which means that I'd need to become a were myself to be with your mother. And I would have made that choice... and even if Yvette hadn't forced herself on me, I would have faced that decision eventually. Martha would become a werecat and I'd need to be a were to be with her."
"I see," Eric said slowly.
"And remember son... whether or not you become a were, that is entirely YOUR choice," William said firmly, "Don't feel you need to be a were because Nate, your mother, and I are weres."
"But... what if I want to stay with her?" Eric asked, "what if I want to be with Julie forever and on every level?"
William lowered one ear and tilted his head as he looked to his son.
"If you love her that much... you will have to be a were to be with her, you know that much, right?" William asked, "Do you feel you love her that much? That Julie is the girl you want to marry?"
"It feels like it at times when I'm with her," Eric answered, "there's just something special about her... and it has nothing to do with her being a were... I... I just can't describe it. I've nearly called her Julie Anderson or Mrs. Anderson as though we were married TWICE on our date... and when I kissed her good night... a good part of me wanted more than just a kiss... and I've never had feelings like this before."
"That sounds rather serious, son," William commented, not fully sure on what to really say or do.
On one hand he was happy to see that Eric had someone that he loved, and from what he had observed during dinner at the Stovalls had also loved him. However, another part of him had some concern because Eric and Julie were both only fourteen. It was okay that they loved each other, but William didn't really want either teen to rush into a decision that might not work out later. If they decided to have sex after Eric turned eighteen and was a legal adult and things didn't work out, that would be one thing. But at present, it would be quite another. He had figured Martin Stovall's description of how he fell in love with Melissa was simply a turn of phrase, and not a specific way weremers found who they truly loved. It was an ability similar to the bond William shared with Martha as a werefox, and since neither William nor Eric knew that, it left William without the room to advise and left Eric with more questions.
"It certainly feels serious," Eric answered, "but it's all happening so fast... I don't really know what to do... do I just go along for the ride? I mean... do I ask her if she wants to...? Should I? I'm really coming to love her... and I want to be with her... forever."
"Well... with the sex issue... your mother and I would probably prefer that you wait until you're at least sixteen, so at the moment, no, you shouldn't ask Julie if she wants to have sex," William answered, "it'd be even more preferred that you wait until you're eighteen... but Nate became a werewolf and has become sexually active as one... so we won't hold you to celibacy until eighteen. We'd prefer it, but we won't force it..."
"Julie's already promised her parents she won't be doing any of that until after graduating high school," Eric answered, letting out what Julie had said to him about "if the right man came along."
"That'll make things easier," William answered, "I'm sure you both can wait that long to go that far. The rest will remain with your decision. If you truly wish to be with her forever you will need to accept that being with her will mean becoming a were at some point."
"What if I decide not to be a were?" Eric asked.
"Then you and Julie can never take your love to a physical level," William answered, "and if it turns out that Julie isn't the one for you... you need to be tactful. You don't want to break her heart or ruin any chance for friendship if things don't work out."
The image of Julie crying then flashed through Eric's mind, and he trembled with fear to a degree. He didn't want to see her cry. He didn't want to see her sad. He wanted to see her blue eyes twinkle with joy and love as they had on their date.
"She is the one for me," Eric stated with some firmness, "I... I... I love her as much as you love, mom."
William watched on quietly as Eric's eyes widened for a moment.
"I'm going to end up a were," Eric said slowly, "I'll be one for her..."
"Best to let that wait until you've graduated high school," William told him, "Your mother and I wouldn't want her to force herself on you anymore than we wanted Yvette to... but neither should you force yourself on her. If Julie has promised to wait until after high school... then it would be best not make her break her promise. It'd also give you time to be truly sure in your decision. Remember... Nate, your mother, and I can't be normal humans again... neither could we change our were-species even if we wanted to. Your brother will be a werewolf, your mother a werecat, and me a werefox. This isn't a decision to rush into."
Eric nodded, "but what if I don't want to be a weremerman?"
"Any particular reason why you don't want to be a merman?" William asked.
"Well... no... and I really haven't made any decision on what kind of were to be," Eric spoke, "I just know that I want to be with Julie, and I'll be a were FOR her."
"So there could be reasons to be weremerman other than just being with Julie," William commented, "the species specific perks that come with it."
Eric supposed that made sense.
"And I'm sure you could either talk with Julie on it... or that might be a risky venture... I'm sure you could talk with her father," William commented, "as I'm sure he knows all the perks of being a weremerman."
Eric nodded.
"And that could help you with regards to whatever choice you make," William then finished, "and always remember that this isn't a decision to rush. And for the moment with Julie... just let things continue to develop and enjoy having such a good friend. You have the time to make the decision, and I don't Julie would force you into anything you wouldn't want to do."
Eric actually smiled and then hugged his father. He felt some relief just from talking with his father and having the realization that he was very much in love with Julie and that he was more than willing to be a were for her. And the urge to wait on going through with the decision would give him time to figure out what he would become and feel comfortable in his choice.
"Will it matter to you or mom what kind of were I become?" Eric asked.
"You're our son," William told him, "we'd love you no matter what.