I promised it, now I deliver.
Spoilers for Episode 41 of Grotethe, however the events proceeding this fic are slightly made up because of the cliffhanger given
@demis-alted, as requested
Trigger warning for mentions of infertility and unhealthy family relationships!
The ringing in Ellga's ears didn't seem to stop, dispute them all practically beating their way through the threat. The danger that her own sister called on them. She was currently being held in the library with the Countess and Qwuifly as they kept talking behind her back. She looked around the room, the mess she had caused. The mess Evenna had caused. She silently tore away from the group, locking herself in her room.
"Just separate yourself." The count always said, even if Evenna was to blame. After all these years, it was the only advice she was ever given. It was always her fault, she always felt so alone. If only she hadn't met them. They saved her, they showed her how she deserved to be treated. How could she ever go back?!
Meanwhile, Chip was still shaking out of the charm. It made him sick to his stomach to see how Ellga was treated in this house. Her mother didn't care, her sister was seemingly crazy, and her father was completely gone. Seemingly on trial. He sighed, sitting down on the couch.
Barney sat next to him. "I tried to snap you out faster...this whole place is evil." He pulled out a small ball of yarn and unravelled it as his brow furrowed. "But Ellga isn't. This entire place is cursed and full of danger, but I still care deeply for her. I would protect her with my life." The cleric sighed, his eyes glowing blue. "Maybe she just reminds me of my own family. Maybe it's because her own isn't supportive. I don't know. I just want to get her, and Marnie, and the boys...I want to get them all out of here."
Chip rubbed his temple, eyes on Ellga's locked door. "She seemed so uncomfortable with them. Trying to prove herself to...I don't know." He moved to gently rubbing the base of his horns. Something Carol used to do. Even if it was still raw, still painful, he was coming to terms with it. He needed to focus on Ellga right now. Be the parent in her life she didn't have. "Someone should check on her."
"You should check on her." A voice called from the door. As both men looked up to them, Mathide was standing in the doorway, arms folded and wings puffed out. Not much shook the bird to the point their wings needed preening, but the alarm terrified all of them. "Barney is too emotional with his family, and...I'm not great with this mushy feely stuff. She trusts you, Chip." As they moved closer to the couch, their hands mindlessly ran through the puffed up feathers. JJ (Gee Gee) rested on their shoulder, nuzzled against their neck. They shook as they sat on the couch, squishing Chip slightly. Almost as if saying he should go in another way.
He sighed. "Fine. Fine. I'll go, just expect us to be out of commission for a while." Pressing on his knees, he pushed himself off the couch. His tail swayed a bit as he regained his balance, still dizzy from the spell. Barney put a hand on his back to keep him from fumbling.
"Up you go, up you go." A few small pats sent Chip forward to the locked door. Healing word gave him a few more health points and the shaky confidence to try and be a father.
No matter how hard they tried, they never managed to conceive. Of course, it makes sense because Carol was a hag. She couldn't have a child in the normal sense, no matter how badly they wanted to. No matter how many times they tried. His heart broke every time she told him she wasn't pregnant. It only hurt more knowing they never could have a baby anymore. He gulped back the pain and softly knocked on the door. Even if Ellga wasn't his real daughter, he didn't care. Family was family, even without blood.
Sadly, Ellga wasn't in the space to talk. The knock just got a loud, painful sounding hiss from her. It was between sobs as she held Boris. Evenna wasn't the same, it was clear she wasn't ever really welcome here. The Count loved her, but he was on trial for some reason. Mother had left so long ago she didn't even feel love towards her, and she just wanted to run away from this stupid tower.
Another knock.
She hissed louder, but it strained her throat and caused her to cough pretty loudly. "G-go away! I don't wanna talk!" She curled around herself on the bed, hiccuping weakly. "I-i know you didn't come back for me or Evenna! And i-i-i know you don't really care about me!" She couldn't fight the rage forming in her chest, nor the tears streaming down her face. Oh, how she hated crying.
"Kiddo, I do care about you." A familiar Midwestern accent called out from the hall. "This family may not, but we sure do." His voice cracked a bit as he choked back tears. "Mathide loves you like a little sister, Barney sees you as his own granddaughter and-" he could hold back the tears for much longer as he tried to say the most important part. "You're my kid, Ellga. Even if your blood is horrible to you, I will always give you love and safety and-" Chip weakly sobbed out, leaning against the door. "You deserve to be happy..."
Small footsteps ran over and unlocked the door. Chip took a step back before the door swung open. The two of them stood for a moment, both crying. Hurt in different ways, but almost the only people who could heal each other. Chip dropped to his knees and opened his arms for her, and Ellga quickly ran into them. She still just hugged Boris, as Chip's strong arms gently hugged her and scooped her up.
"i-i-i just wanted everything to be normal, b-b-b-b-but I love you guys more than them, I don't wanna stay, I don't wanna stay!" She hiccuped painfully, shoving her face into his neck.
Chip hushed her, rubbing her back. "I know Kiddo. I know." He headed back to the couch with the rest of their party. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to." He forced himself back into the center of them all. He carefully loosened his grip, eyes soft. "I promise."
She weakly nodded, shifting to give Mathide a tight hug. After getting the squeeze she wanted and a soft hair ruffle, she shifted to hug Barney. He also squeezed her tight, kissing her forehead. Finally, the vampire settled back against Chip's chest. Still crying a bit, but calmer.
"...Chip?"
"Yeah, Ellga?"
"I love you."
Tears pricked at his eyes again, but he just hugged her tighter. "I love you too, Kiddo."
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Jason being the easiest kid is super funny. Bruce looking at Jason and remembering Dick at 18: “we can work through this. He’ll come around if I don’t give up on.”
Bruce, watching over a freshly street-snatched Jason: Why is he so calm
Having Dick as the rambunctious, feral, and unhinged first child must've given him SO much whiplash once Jason entered the picture. Lil guy just vibed in his own world. Just reading books and doing schoolwork. Baby Jason hurt nobody.
Bruce will just be going over the ground rules of the manor, remembering all the chaos Dick brought upon the household.
Bruce: No swinging from the chandelier.
Jason: ?? I wasn't planning to?
Bruce: No murder.
Jason: What? That never even crossed my mind-
Bruce: And please, for the love of God, don't sneak out and try to beat up the nearest criminal on our block
Jason:
Jason: WHO is responsible for these rules being created??
Bruce will just come home from a long day of work. He's tired and just wants a nice, quiet evening, but he's subconsciously psyching himself up to prepare himself for the chaos he'll witness once he enters the manor
but then Jason's just quietly doing his own thing, maybe even helping Alfred with some chores, reading, or just lounging about in the manor. In general, just causing no trouble and Bruce just turns to Alfred, all worried like, "Is he sick? I don't think children are supposed to behave this way."
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