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kalevalakryze · 7 months

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Dar’Hibir

Pairings: Shin Hati/Sabine Wren, Shin Hati & Baylan Skoll, Shin Hati & Ahsoka Tano

Characters: Shin Hati, Sabine Wren, Baylan Skoll, Ahsoka Tano, Huyang

Warnings: Major Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Loss, The Dark Side Of The Force, Force Ghosts, Force Ghost Baylan Skoll, Jedi Funerals, Minor Injury, Shin Hati Needs a Hug, Shin Hati Gets a Hug, Protective Sabine Wren, Supportive Sabine Wren, Protective Ahsoka Tano, Supportive Ahsoka Tano, Huyang is Just There, Baylan Skoll Is A Good Dad, Shin Hati Centric

Notes: I... cried a lot writing this. anyways the idea was sabine undoing the padawan braid for Shin after Baylan.. . .

Summary: “Chase your moon, Shin. Don’t let her go,”. Their feet moved of their own accord, startling herself and Sabine as she moved forward. Each stride was long, painful, really. “What happens when we find Thrawn?” She had asked so foolishly, as if the answer has not revealed itself in many different ways. “Power.” Where was the power in this, Master? Who am I when I’m not at your side?

Word Count: 1,996

AO3 Links: Fic & Collection

Shin’s lips were pressed into a thin line as she watched the body on the pyre. He looked peaceful, at the very least; calmer than they’d seen him in the last weeks of his life.

Their body leaned forward, Sabine’s hand on their wrist the only thing that stopped her from getting too close to the fire with her Master. Ahsoka stood on her other side, the Togruta staring at the Jedi Knight in front of them as the fires took him.

They should be feeling something, right? Baylan had raised her, had taught her everything she knew- and yet, there was nothing. No guidance from the force, nothing but a vast emptiness they did not have the word to describe.

Shin moved before she could catch up with her mind, reaching into the fires to grab the hot lightsaber from the stone. The fires burned her hands, but the force thrummed for the first time since she’d felt the killing blow go through him.

“Shin!” Sabine shouted, reaching to tug them back from the table, the saber fell into the dirt, despite the heat, it seemed practically untouched by the fires, unlike their hand, where her glove had caught fire. The Mandalorian tugged it off as Ahsoka approached. “Di’kut! You could have hurt yourself!” There was an unnatural worry in her tone, one that Shin brushed off easily as their hand was turned in Sabine’s, skin red and disturbed from the heat.

Shin did not move until the embers had gone cold, fingers chilly where they were wrapped in Sabine’s hands. She had to give props to the other woman, she stayed quiet and only moved enough to stop Shin from moving for the pyre again when their body would start to dip.

Ahsoka’s hand on her shoulder was enough to have Shin jumping and calling her Master’s saber from the ground, back to her hands. She killed him, they should strike her down for everything she took from them. “Don’t lose yourself to this feeling, Padawan. No one is ever truly gone,”

“Shin,” Sabine was calling her, fingers pulling at their white knuckled grip around his saber, the crystal inside thrummed with the calming energy he always had about him.

Ahsoka reached out once more, palm towards the sky, keeping eye contact with the… Padawan? Until they were placing the hilt in her hand. “The other one, too, please,” Her own saber joined her Master’s in the woman’s hand with less hesitance. “Sabine, yours as well.”

With furrowed brows, Sabine nodded and removed Ezra’s saber from her hip, joining with Baylan and Shin’s. “Huyang?” The droid approached with a tilted head, servos clicking as as the hilts were handed off. “Keep these safe for us, it is unwise for any of us to have them right now,” After the three sabers were stored neatly in the droid, the Togruta unclipped her own and passed them off.

Getting Shin to leave the tables side was hard work, their feet were firmly planted and they stubbornly refused to budge as Sabine attempted to coax them away.

“These are your first steps, Hati.”

Sabine was giving up on getting Shin back onto the T-6. “I’ll be out in a few, see if you change your mind-”

“Chase your moon, Shin. Don’t let her go,”

Their feet moved of their own accord, startling herself and Sabine as she moved forward. Each stride was long, painful, really. “What happens when we find Thrawn?” She had asked so foolishly, as if the answer has not revealed itself in many different ways. “Power.”

Where was the power in this, Master? Who am I when I’m not at your side?

Their weight dropped heavily into the bench the moment they were past the door, eyes fixing on a point in the table, a small scratch that caught the light at her angle.

Was there a power strong enough to bring him back? The force… the force said there was, somewhere. Ahsoka knew, didn’t she? The ghost of Mortis, that is what her Master had said. The Padawan that fell to the closest thing to the physical embodiment of the force, and was revived. If she could get her to show them the source of that power-

“What’s done is done. It has already been written, it cannot be changed,”

Their fingers found the braid Baylan had so caringly rebraided for her just days before, the small green gems held in place with hair that he had helped bleach and- Shin wasn’t a padawan anymore. Who was she?

Sabine’s weight settled onto the tough cushion beside her. Her fingers were gentle as they removed Shin’s fingers from the braid she’d been tugging on. Their eyes met, a hesitant understanding passing between them.

Sabine’s eyes didn’t leave theirs as her fingers smoothed over the braid. The bands snapped quietly as they were twisted. There was a gentle clack of the gems being set on the table, and the reassuring feeling of the braid in her hair was slowly unwound.

“What do you need?” Sabine’s voice was gentle as her fingers brushed through the loose strands, longer than the rest of their hair, slightly frayed from the years spent growing it out.

Biting back the anger that threatened to pass their lips, Shin Kept her gaze on the beauty mark near the Mandalorian’s nose. “Tell me…” A pause, a deep breath. “Tell me what to do,” They blinked, lips pressing into a thin line, daring a glance at warm brown eyes full of too much understanding.

“Let’s go get ready for bed, and we can figure out where to go from there.”

She would have preferred to know the plan further than the night, but Sabine was giving her something, and that was more than the nothingness inside.

Going through the motions was familiar enough, survival. They could do that, they could do that no problem. How long has it been since she’d been left with the only option of just trying to Survive? Surely not since Baylan, he taught her how to live… the irony.

There must have been a point in the shower when she’d zoned a little too far, when the overwhelming grief slipped past crumbling barriers- Sabine was in the ‘fresher with them, didn’t they lock the door? Still, Shin appreciated the arms that wrapped around her more than they knew how to articulate. Standing on her own felt… impossible, without him.

“Ner dal Kurs’kaded,” Sabine muttered into soaked blonde hair, helping her clean up before the water was shut off. There were more words spoken softly, in languages she’d only had a base knowledge on, though she could assume they were repetitive of the too kind, too sympathetic words in Mando’a.

The shirt pulled over their head was warm, it smelled… not like home, never like home; home died with a white saber through his chest, home was set aflame on the pyre. But something close, close enough that they sank into the smell of leather, warm bark, and something like a berry, though she could never place the origin.

The Mandalorian’s hand on their back was comforting as they were guided to the bunk room. It was dark, though Shin could immediately pick up on the unnatural blue glow of the Togruta’s eyes as they slipped in. No one spoke as Shin slipped into their spot, letting Sabine curl around them in the familiarity they needed more than anything.

Morning came with more confusion, a lingering weight of not real, didn’t happen sitting over them like a cloud, the fog deep in her bones in the silence of the sleeping shuttle.

The grass outside was cold and wet with morning dew, though they didn’t have much energy to change or to care about the damp socks and pants of Sabine’s pants. They knelt beside the pyre that had long gone cold, eyes sliding closed as they tried to find the peace to meditate.

“Lady Hati-” The droid startled her, the force was playing tricks on her, nothing was going right! Staring blankly at the droid, she watched as Baylan and their own saber were removed from the compartments and extended towards her. “These may help,”

She snatched them from his metal grip, offering her best glare at Huyang’s retreat until she was sure she was alone.

Their own crystal was quiet when she reached out for it, as if the kyber inside was mourning the loss of its mentor as well, Kyber of the same vein, loyal to the people who wielded it…

Baylan’s crystal still felt like him, though that was wrong, because the kyber was alive. Calm, serene, love, and acceptance rolled out in waves into her shaking hands. The sabers were pressed into the stone as she resumed her wannabe meditative position. Forehead against the stone, fingers curling around the hilts, and eyes sliding shut, she could almost feel his arms around her. “Who am I without you, Master?” Her voice was soft, a whisper to the void; she never expected the void to answer back, of course.

A weight settled against Shin’s shoulder, “Don’t look, Shin,” He called, and she listened, always listened. “Who do you want to be?”

“We never got that far,”

“We did, Shin. Remember,”

“Stormtroopers, Inquisitors, Rebels. How many of them choose their own path, Padawan?”

“None of them.”

“They are destined to these paths, to what the galaxy has in store for them. But you, Shin… You can see these paths, see how they shaped each of them, how they shaped our galaxy. Look at these pirates-” The memory of Baylan moved to the pirate Shin had just ended. “They prey on those they believe are lesser, weaker, less deserving, than themselves, because they have not seen the paths. There is no glory in causing harm, but if we must…” There had been children on the ship. Shin couldn’t remember what Baylan had done with them, but this wasn’t her memory. Coordinates had been given away, someone he could trust, a hidden path. They were safe, from the pirates, from the empire, from it all-

“Who do you want to be, Shin?”

“I want to do what’s right, Master.” I want to do what you raised me to do. I want to make you proud-

“You already have, Shin,”

The force bristled through the remains of her braid, she caught the blue tinged tint of a comforting hand. “Follow your moon, follow your feelings, but be mindful, look to the paths often, so long as you are alive, you have a choice.”

Silence was thick in their dry throat, her fingernails dug into the soft grip around his saber. “The Mandalorian’s blade?”

Of course, he knew about the vibroblade they had swiped from Sabine’s armor before coming outside, even without being part of the cosmic force, he would have known.

There was a warm, comforting presence on her hands, her eyes stayed shut as the blade was guided to her hair. The remains of the braid sliced easily when the blade pressed against them. White-blonde strands fell onto the pyre, and the blade was set between the sabers.

“I never knew myself, how this would go. We are no Jedi.”

Ahsoka’s footsteps grew louder, drawing the attention of the wolves. “You don’t rise as a Jedi Knight,” Her voice was calm, eyes stuck on the ghostly form of her master as she stepped into the bubble. Her attention left Baylan, to the wide eyed blonde against the stone. Her hand rested on their shoulder, the other reaching for their hand. “You rise as yourself. Are you ready?”

Shin did not notice the warm smile or the fading form of her Master as she took Ahsoka’s hand, accepting her help in standing. It was still hard, the weight still pressed down on her, but it was easier, manageable. Maybe… maybe she could do with just being ‘Shin, chaser of the moon.’

Translations

Dar’Hibir - no longer a student

Di’kut- Idiot

Ner dal Kurs’kaded - my strong wolf

#shin hati #Sabine wren #Baylan Skoll #Ahsoka Tano #Huyang #Ahsoka series #wolfwren #goth dad #star wars #character death tw #grief tw #fellas it’s sad and gay #I cried #a good deal #and i wrote it #sw fic

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rpsquad · 4 months

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In Melius

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

7.5k words, 17 pages; Mild TW/CW for a panic attack/flashback, but it's honestly super mild. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a very festive Diebus Deam to everyone. This is the last true 'story' to come from my RGB series, and I think I'm alright with that. Far from the last story I'll be writing about these characters, but it does feel odd to be ending this set. Did you guys know I posted part one, Praeterita, over two years ago? It's honestly a bit crazy to me to see how much better my writing has become in just that time. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the festive family fluff and fun. I had a lot of fun writing it.

As requested, Thim's character sheet

—————————————— * * * ——————————————

The snow continued to fall, and Aeno shivered. He’d never suffered the cold well. Shula was even worse than him about it, though she had the excuse of growing up in a desert. Aeno was just simply weak to it, his nature oppositional to snow and ice.

“Cold?” A voice asked from behind him, and Aeno didn’t have to look to know it was Thim. His husband draped a heavy traveling cloak over Aeno’s shoulders and smiled at him.

Aeno looked down into the courtyard below.

“I could feel you shivering out here.” Thim continued, fond amusement over laying concern. “Why didn’t you grab your cloak?”

Shrugging, Aeno cupped his palms over his mouth to hide his smile. The cloak was Thim’s best, pale silvery-blue and warm around his shoulders. Truthfully, Aeno had forgotten to grab his own cloak, too focused on his destination to remember the weather, but it was a nice treat to be given Thim’s to wear instead. He couldn’t say he was missing his own.

Sword clanged against shield in the courtyard below them, drawing both their attention. “They’ve grown so much.” Aeno commented as they watched Ashlee and Alburn spar. Lee jabbed at her brother with her spear, but Alburn raised his shield in time to deflect the blow. “It seems like only yesterday that the twins were poking at them in their cribs.”

Thim hummed, and their pride intermingled, “Anchieta and Adonis would nearly be knights by now if they’d followed our path. I’m already considering letting Adonis take on some of the responsibilities for the keep. He’s got the head for it.”

“I know.” Aeno sighed. “I’m considering the same for Anchieta. Soon we’ll only be Lords in name, and only see our eldest children for holidays.”

Below, Auburn fell on his back and Lee tapped the tip of her training spear against his chest before helping him up. Thim snorted and bumped his shoulder against Aeno’s. “The birds will have to leave the nest at some point.” He said, as if Aeno couldn’t feel the vein of shared dread that ran between them at the thought. “We still have a few more years though. No need to start worrying yet.”

Aeno looked up to see Thim already looking at him. His husband’s brow was pinched, too many colors and emotions melding together to see any clearly. Aeno pressed their shoulders together. “True.” He said, wistfulness for the days when their eldests had still been young coloring his tone. “And Abbie and Ari are still young. It’ll be a while yet before they’re ready to be on their own.”

“Those two are going to start bouncing off the walls soon.” Thim said with a snort. “Diebus Deam cannot come quickly enough for them.”

The sound of laughter rose up from the courtyard, and they looked down to see Alburn helping Lee up off the ground this time. Lee was almost a year older than Alburn, but they seemed to trade off who won their matches easily. Aeno was just glad they had yet to turn too competitive against each other, as happy to help each other grow as they were to fight against each other.

“They aren’t the only ones.” Aeno commented. “I caught Alburn poking around my office the other day. I’m not sure if he was looking for presents, or for something else, but the timing makes me nearly certain it was connected to the upcoming holiday.”

Thim laughed, his shoulder shaking against Aeno’s. “I hope he wasn’t snooping for presents. We must have taught him better strategic thinking than that. Or the twins must have by now.” Aeno hummed, not voicing his thoughts on the latest chess game he’d witnessed between Alburn and Lee. His son was far from dumb, but he lacked an interest in strategy to match his swordplay skills.

“Oh, huh.” Thim’s gaze became far off, his eyes turning a pretty light blue-purple color Aeno associated with deep thought. “You know, I came back to my office the other day to find some of my things in the wrong places. Nothing too concerning, and not so badly as to make it look ransacked, but… someone had definitely been there while I was away. I wonder if it was Alburn. Or Lee, they very well could be working together.”

Aeno smiled, the beginnings of an idea forming in his mind. “I suppose we’ll have to wait and see.”

—————————————— * * * ——————————————

The forests surrounding the family home were perfect for gathering bonfire wood; dense, old, and very familiar to Aeno, who had started wandering them about the same time he learned to walk. Technically, as Adonis had reminded Aeno many times in the last hour, they could leave the gathering to the servants and stay inside until the fire. There wasn’t much snow on the ground yet (The younger children had been voicing complaints; Aeno had yet to tell them that there was a snowstorm expected in the next few days), but it was bitingly cold. Aeno had been sure to bundle the children warmly before going out, and Thim had done the same for him. Regardless of the weather though, Diebus Ignis wouldn’t feel right without a frosty trek in the woods to search for somewhat dry wood.

Ignis had been a favorite among him and his siblings as children, for rather self-explanatory reasons. Even after the novelty of the nearness to their last name had worn off, fires were a favorite in their household. Thim still liked to tease Aeno for his habit of staring into fireplaces. The same seemed to have held true for Aeno’s own children, only Anchieta and Adonis offering any complaints about the activities of the day.

“Hey, Dad.” Adonis’ voice drew Aeno out of his thoughts, his son’s gaze forward with a small frown. “I think someone’s arguing up ahead. At least three people are frustrated.”

Aeno sighed. “It’s probably Adalynn, Alburn, and Ari. I told them they should discuss who is going to light the bonfire tonight. Your Papa must not be back yet, or else he’d have sorted them.”

Resigned, Aeno glanced behind him and the sleigh carrying the firewood. It should be brought to their little collection spot so Anchieta and Lee could build the fire as they liked before Aeno dealt with the argument. But, he didn’t want to just leave his kids to it either. If they were still at it then they weren’t going to find a solution by themselves.

“Here.” Aeno handed the sleigh’s handle to Adonis. “You take this the rest of the way to your sisters, I’ll deal with these three.”

Adonis snorted, eyes the same murky yellow they’d been all afternoon. “You aren’t really going to let Ari light the fire are you? I know she’s improved a lot, but she’s still only nine. Alburn nearly burned the house down at that age.”

Aeno just shrugged. Ari had shown much more control so far than Alburn had at the same age. Alburn had been, and still was, a rather emotional child. His laughter and tears both came frighteningly easy, a trait Aeno was sure came from Thim, and it made it difficult for him to control his flames. Meanwhile, Ari was rather calm and serene for a child of her age. Aeno wasn’t sure who she got it from, but Aeno thanked the goddesses everyday for blessing his youngest with a level-headedness missing from many of his children.

“ – to light the fire last year, so it’s my turn this time.” Alburn’s voice reached Aeno’s ears and he caught sight of the three of them. Adalynn, Alburn, and Ariana, just as he predicted. Alburn and Adalynn stood facing each other, arms folded. Ari was sitting on a stump beside them, chin in her hands and pouting.

“Yeah, but you’ve done it for years before that. You should let someone else have a turn.” Adalynn rebutted, not noticing Aeno’s approach. Aeno bypassed them and knelt down next to Ari, gently putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Hey there, Sweetie.” Aeno smiled at his youngest. “What happened? You look upset.” Ari shrugged glumly, her round orange eyes turning to Aeno. “Did the other two shout at you?”

Ari slowly shook her head. “No, they didn’t shout. But they said I couldn’t light the fire because I’m too young and I’ll burn the forest down. I tried to say that my control is really good, because you and Mom and Papa have all said so, but they wouldn’t listen and just started arguing with each other instead.”

Aeno hummed, taking that in. Altogether, he was honestly impressed it hadn’t devolved into a shouting match yet. Perhaps they could have been nicer, but neither of them would have been allowed to light the fire at nine, so they had most likely assumed the same would be true of Ari. But this would keep happening every year, now that Ari was a part of the discussion too. Alburn and Adalynn had been left to decide for themselves last year, which had worked out well enough, but they would most likely continue to ignore Ari in years to come, perpetually viewing her as the baby.

“So.” Aeno stood, projecting his voice just enough to get the attention of his still arguing children. “I was planning on allowing you three to decide who is going to light the fire tonight among yourselves, but it seems you're having some trouble with it. And I’d meant for you to include Ari in this, she’s shown impressive ability with her magic and is perfectly capable of safely lighting the fire.”

“Wha – but I wasn’t allowed to light it until I was twelve!” Alburn exclaimed, his expression crossing from annoyed into upset. “And then Ada did it last year, even though she was only eleven. It should be my turn this year!”

“And Ari’s control of her fire has been much more impressive than either of yours at the same age.” Aeno said, trying to keep his voice as even and diplomatic as possible. It figured that Alburn would only become defensive the moment Aeno joined the conversation. “But I’m not saying you can’t light the fire tonight. I thought of a different way of doing it that I think you should all consider.”

Alburn stayed quiet, just frowning at Aeno, but Adalynn tilted her head slightly and said, “Something different? Like what?”

Ariana had finally perked up and decided to join the conversation, walking over and standing beside Alburn. The two knocked elbows, and Aeno noticed Alburn’s frown shift as he glanced down at his youngest sister. Aeno didn’t have the empathy abilities of his husband, but he thought there was some guilt in Alburn’s expression. He’d have to talk to Alburn about apologizing later.

“You could all light it together, instead of having to trade off who does it every year. You can each pick out a stick from the firewood that will burn well, and light that before putting it back it the fire.” Aeno scanned his children’s faces to see what they thought. Ari had significantly brightened, clearly enamored with the idea of helping and not fighting with her siblings. Adalynn also seemed pleased. Aeno was pretty sure she hadn’t really thought she would win an argument against her brother. “What do you think?”

Ari and Adalynn both nodded, with varying levels of enthusiasm, but Alburn stayed quiet for a moment. His eyebrows were furrowed and his gaze was directed at the carpet of dead leaves at their feet. When he looked back up at Aeno, he nodded as well. “That sounds alright.”

—————————————— * * * ——————————————

“Is it fair, you think,” Shula began with a smile on her lips, “that it’s just Thim out there with the kids?”

Aeno looked out the window they were both sitting at, cups in hand, and shrugged. Outside, he could see Thim and the children building snow forts in preparation for the oncoming battle. It had snowed heavily last night, leaving a couple feet of freshly fallen snow to play with, on Diebus Aquam no less.

Needless to say, the children had been ecstatic.

Abbie and Ari’s excitement this morning had woken up most of the house. Whoever had not been awake surely didn’t stay sleeping after Alburn awoke and began insisting, at the top of his lungs, that a snowball fight was immediately necessary. Shula and Thim had talked him down to waiting for breakfast first, but after that he practically flew outside with the youngest girls on his heels. Thim had wondered aloud if Alburn gained a new ability without any of them noticing.

Now, it was Alburn, Abbie, Ari, Adalynn, Lee, and Thim outside. Anchieta and Adonis had both insisted that it was too cold and they were too old to be participating in a snowball fight. Aeno imagined they had found a quieter activity to enjoy in the library. Alburn seemed to have teamed up with Ari and Abbie immediately when they all went outside together, leaving Adalynn, Lee, and Thim together on a team.

“To who?” Aeno asked his wife. “Thim or the kids?”

Shula snorted, and then hummed like she was actually considering the question. The act did not, of course, fool Aeno, who could feel the way her amusement sparkled like laughter. “Well, on one hand, we have left our husband to fend for himself against five of our children, which is what this snow fight has become every year without fail. On the other hand, Thim is the Lord Commander and leader of the King’s armies, so surely he can outsmart the kids.”

Aeno smiled into his cup. The snow forts had been slowly growing as they spoke. “That almost works, until they – Oh, they’re starting.” Aeno watched with rapt attention as the first volleys of snowballs were thrown, infected by Thim’s excitement. From what Aeno could see, each team had built a three-wall snowfort in the yard. Alburn and the younger girls had given theirs’ windows which they were trying to throw snowballs through, but they couldn’t throw them far enough to reach the other team. Thim’s team were peeking out of their snow fort with each throw (it reminded Aeno of gophers), though most of their snowballs were just thudding against the walls of Alburn’s fort.

“I wonder how long Alburn and the girls’ fort will hold up against that assault.” Aeno commented, and Shula hummed in agreement. The pieces of wall around the windows they had built seemed poorly supported, and Aeno swore he’d been seeing plenty of snowballs hitting the upper parts of the wall.

“I wouldn’t put it past Thim to be aiming to topple it. It’s too bad Alburn’s creativity is backfiring though. Where do you think he got that idea?”

Aeno glanced over his son’s snow fort. It did remind him of something, in a vague sense. Maybe, if he squinted, it looked like – “The castle battlements, probably. We have windows like that in the outer walls for archers during a siege. Seems like he’s starting to take those strategy lessons seriously, which is encouraging.”

“Always thinking about work.” Shula said with a sigh. “It is a holiday, you know. You could stand to relax for a little bit. How about we all have some fun as – Oh~ what’s going on over there.”

Shula pointed out the window, and Aeno followed her gaze. After a moment, he spotted what she meant. At the outskirts of the yard, it seemed Abbie had approached Adalynn. They were too far for Aeno or Shula to see them in any detail, but they seemed to be looking at each other and no snowballs had been thrown as far as Aeno could tell. Aeno could practically see the pouty, begging face Abbie was sure to be using against Adalynn. After about a minute of them talking, Adalynn followed Abbie to Alburn’s snow fort.

“Seems we have our first turncoat. How long do you think it’ll take Thim to notice?” Aeno asked, and then chuckled as a feeling like a sigh of exasperation burst in their shared mind-space. “That didn’t take long.”

“Poor Thim.” Shula said, trying to sound solemn through the grin pulling at her mouth. “This happens to him every year, and yet he continues to hope. It’s admirable of him, and yet it sets him up for disappointment every time.”

Aeno smiled. “Indeed.”

The snowball fight continued, with Thim and Lee still pelting Alburn’s fort with snowballs. Their fire rate had slowed significantly though, with enough time between volleys that Aeno suspected they’d run out of prepared snowballs and were now having to make more. Aeno reckoned that Adalynn, their weakest thrower, had been sent to gather more snow and use it to make more snowballs. Alburn’s team was throwing a bit faster than Thim’s, but not by much. It was probably because someone had told the team about their front wall’s weakness, and the windows were being filled with snow. Aeno wasn’t sure if it wouldn’t be too late, but it was probably worth trying either way.

“Anyway, as I was saying.” Shula said, and when Aeno glanced at his wife she was already looking at him. “We should do something as a family later. Maybe you could teach us that new card game you mentioned the other day.”

Aeno shrugged. Technically, his original thought had been to play the game with just Thim and Shula, whenever they found a quiet evening to be together. He could probably adjust the rules to include the kids though. “Alright. I believe Thim already knows how to play, so we can teach you and the kids later.”

Shula nodded. “After they come in and warm up.” Aeno saw Shula turn back to the window with the edge of his vision, and they fell into silence again. The volleys really had slowed now, probably as the children lost their energy and motivation. Neither side had made any advances in the time they were talking.

“Do you think Lee will switch sides?” Aeno asked.

“Hmm..” Shula hummed, and Aeno heard her nails click against her cup. “She’s done it before, but maybe squiring has taught her some loyalty. And the fight does seem to be winding down… We could be looking at the first year with a tie.”

“She’s not Thim’s squire though.” Aeno pointed out. “And she knows a losing fight when she sees one. Thim has lost the last two years, so if she thinks she can win by joining Alburn she probably will.”

“Thim’s not only fighting the other team then. He’s fighting to keep Lee on his team.” Shula noted, and Aeno heard her set down her cup on the small table between their chairs. “You know, Thim should try to get Alburn on his team next year. That boy would never leave his side.”

Aeno smiled, remembering the way Alburn had followed Thim around as a toddler. It had been adorable, if slightly disheartening to so clearly be the young boy’s third favorite parent. “You may have a point. I think Alburn’s still disappointed he can’t be Thim’s squire.”

If Shula had been about to say something, it was cut off by the head of light blue hair darting out from behind a snow fort. Too short in both hair length and stature to be Thim, Aeno assumed Lee had been sent on some kind of mission. On the other side of the field, Alburn’s distinctive brown and red hair ran out to try and meet Lee.

“Smart.” Aeno muttered, and Shula hummed in agreement. “They’ve become quite close.”

Thim clearly agreed as snowballs began flying towards Alburn instead of the snow fort, but the boy persisted. He managed to reach Lee without being hit, and his sister refrained from hitting him at close range. Worry and determination flooded from Thim, and his snowballs switched their target back to the snow fort. It was hard to tell, but Aeno thought the snowballs looked bigger now, and Thim’s satisfaction seemed to be growing with each throw and subsequent splat against the weak wall.

Alburn and Lee turned and began walking towards the kids’ snow fort, leaving Thim once again on his own. And, at the same time, the biggest snowball yet flew through the air and landed perfectly against that weak wall, toppling it onto the three kids inside and making it useless to Alburn and Lee.

Even from inside, Aeno could hear the three youngest girls shrieking from the snow suddenly dumped on them. Their flailing could be seen over the remaining walls of their fort, and after they’d all gotten up they began trudging through the snow towards the house. With them out of the fight, it was just Alburn and Lee against Thim.

“Thim may actually win this.” Surprise laced Shula’s tone, which Aeno shared. It had seemed a foregone conclusion that the kids would win, especially once they began switching sides again.

With renewed vigor, Thim began pelting the kids with snow. They were clearly smaller than before, and some so messily made that they fell apart midair, but he was throwing them faster than the kids could together, especially because they had to take more time to dodge attacks.

Distantly, Aeno heard the door open and three sets of small boots stomp inside. Shula stood and said something to the girls, but whatever it was didn’t reach Aeno’s ears.

Outside, the kids had split up. Alburn stayed in the middle of the yard and continued to try to throw snowballs at Thim when he popped up to toss his own at Alburn. He was a clear target. Lee, however, had stopped attacking and was instead making her way towards the back of Thim’s fort along the edge of the yard. Their plan was likely to draw Thim’s attention away to Alburn while Lee prepared a sneak attack from behind, which was a perfectly good strategy for anyone except Thim. Thim, who had taught himself how to ‘see’ where everyone in his range was with his eyes closed when they were still squires. As Aeno understood it, Thim didn’t really think about that particular ability of his often, but it did make the man extremely difficult to sneak up on.

Finally, one of Thim’s snowballs hit its mark and thumped against Alburn’s shoulder. The boy swayed but stayed standing. He didn’t move at all, in fact, except to drop the snow he’d been forming into a ball. Thim once again peeked out from behind his wall, this time ready to throw at Lee, and began visibly scanning the yard when she wasn’t within sight. Aeno couldn’t see her either, likely meaning she was somewhere behind Thim, and Aeno expected the man to turn at any moment and catch her, but he didn’t.

Instead, seemingly out of nowhere from Aeno’s perspective, Lee leaped up and tackled Thim. She must have been holding snowballs in her hands as she did, because Thim’s hair was covered in white before they hit the ground.

Alburn burst out cheering, loud enough that Aeno could hear them from inside the house. The boy ran over to the other two and helped Lee up only to nearly bring them both back down to the ground with the force of his hug. Aeno didn’t need an emotional link with his husband to know he was watching them both with fond amusement as he got up and brushed himself off, but it was nice to feel all the same.

They all stood out there, talking for a moment longer, before finally coming in. As soon as Aeno saw them walking back towards the house he made his own way to the door. Shula and the girls seemed to have already left, probably to warm up in front of the fireplace in the sitting room.

“– been, once again, tackled into the snow by mine own children whom I’ve raised with love, care, and respect.” Thim lamented dramatically as the three tramped into the house. “Betrayed by those I hold dearest in my heart for the sake of victory in a single battle. Aeno, my love,” Thim reached out a hand as an actor on a stage would, “Won’t you comfort me in this time of sorrow?”

Aeno raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress the laughter bubbling up in his chest. “You sound like Master Faux.”

The children began laughing as Thim staggered back, hand to his chest, as if struck. “Alas, forsaken by my husband, the love of my life. Children, you must fetch your mother for me, for only she may comfort me now.”

“She’s in the sitting room with your sisters.” Aeno added. “You two should warm up with them.”

Alburn, bowed deeply to Thim. “As you wish, Papa.”

Lee rolled her eyes but nodded. “See you later Papa, Dad.”

Aeno turned to Thim as they both left, reaching out a hand to feel his cheek. “Shula and I thought you were going to win for a moment there.” He flinched at the cold of Thim’s cheeks and reached out again with both hands, warming them with his magic. Thim hummed and leaned into the touch. “I’m surprised you didn’t notice Lee sneaking up on you.”

Thim shrugged and let his eyes slide shut for a moment. “They were trying very hard. Besides, there’s always next year.”

“You’re so soft on them.” Aeno chuckled and let his hands slide down to rest on Thim’s chest. “You said the same thing last year, and the year before that.”

Thim’s eyes opened again, and they were that warm, bright yellow and pink sunset that still felt like such a reward. “And it’ll still hold true.”

—————————————— * * * ——————————————

”How’s my favorite brother?”

Aeno startled at the unexpected voice, and turned from where he was setting up the tree with Thim to see Cyra in the doorway of the sitting room, infant son on her hip and husband lurking behind her.

“Oh, Cy –”

Cyra cut Aeno off with a hand and looked directly at Thim. “No, no, not you. I said my favorite brother.” Aeno rolled his eyes, but stepped aside so Cyra could give Thim a hug. Aeno didn’t fully understand it, but Cyra and Thim seemed to have their own particular connection. Easily the shortest of any of them, Cyra was on the tips of her toes and Thim still needed to stoop low to give her a hug.

“I’ve been well. The King certainly keeps us busy, but not even his Majesty can keep us from our family during the holiday.” Thim said with a smile. “And how have you been? I see Enzo is still growing like a weed.”

Enzo, the infant in question, hid his face at the mention of his name. “He certainly is. We think he’s going to start walking soon, and his father has been frantic in trying to make sure he won’t be able to reach anything dangerous once he can.” Cyra reached out an arm to Aeno as she spoke, and Aeno wrapped his little sister in a side hug. “Other than that, nothing terribly exciting has happened lately.”

Aeno let go and turned back to the tree, circling around it to make sure it was standing up straight before the kids came down and started putting the ornaments up. Aeno and Thim had gone for a walk to pick it out this morning while Shula and some of the kids brought the ornament boxes down. It looked alright to Aeno, perhaps a little bare in a spot, but that was nothing he couldn’t fix.

“I remember that with the twins. Aeno was the same way.” Thim faux-whispered, and Cyra giggled. Aeno carefully grabbed onto the tree and began to turn it in place. “It seemed rather excessive at the time, but honestly, with how many blades we keep in the house it was probably for the best. I’d have rather been a bit over-cautious than let one of the kids cut themselves when they’re too young to know any better.”

Cyra hummed. “Those were the first thing to be put away.”

Aeno huffed, stepped back to look at the tree over again. He remembered that time with the twins too. Perhaps what he remembered most about it was the overwhelming fear he had still been carrying even after the curse had been cleansed for good. Aeno could hardly imagine how they could have managed without Thim, who had known there was something wrong within a month of the twins’ birth. The time it took to find a way to get rid of the foul magic right had still been unacceptable in Aeno’s mind, the cost of that time too high (Alima, Aralynn, and Arthur were far, far too high a price), but without Thim they may not have saved Cyra. Without Thim, they may not have saved their children. But after that the fear burrowed into Aeno’s bones, complete terror that it would come back, or that something else would come for his family, or that Adonis and Anchieta would still be –

“Aeno?” A warm hand gently covered Aeno’s shoulder, and when he looked around he saw Thim and Cyra watching him with concern clear on their faces. It was Thim’s hand on his shoulder, Cyra sitting on the sofa with little Enzo on her lap. “Can you take a deep breath for me?”

Thim’s voice was so soft, and his presence and reassuring warmth did more to ground Aeno than more air in his lungs ever could, but still Aeno obliged. In, hold, out, just as Thim had shown him. Thim had never said where he learned it, but Aeno could remember the few, worrying mentions Thim had made of his childhood well enough.

After a moment, Aeno sighed and leaned into Thim at his side. Thim wrapped an arm around Aeno in return, strong enough to hold them both up for the moment.

“It wasn’t that bad,” Aeno mumbled, suddenly feeling small, “But thank you.” Aeno used to say sorry when this happened, apologize for making his lovers go out of their way to calm him down, but Thim would get the worst sort of sad look on his face, so Aeno stopped.

“Well, I… am going to go help Shula and Theon carry drinks.” Cyra said, standing up. “Keep an eye on Enzo for me, alright?”

They watched Cyra rush out of the room, awkwardness probably making her feel the need to flee. They stood in silence for a moment, content to be in each other’s presence. Thim hummed low in his chest, and Aeno could feel it. “I think the tree’s ready for decorating, just need to call the kids down.”

The door opened, and Shula slipped into the room alone. “Cyra said you seemed unwell.” She said, concern lacing her voice. “Are you sure you want to call the kids down to decorate in a few minutes? It can wait.”

Aeno tried to smile reassuringly. “I’m alright. Just a bad memory is all. Thim brought me back before I even really noticed.”

Shula sat down on the sofa next to Enzo, whose wide eyes followed the glint of her jewelry with a mesmerized stare. “If you’re sure.” Shula agreed. Aeno stepped away from Thim to do one last inspection of the tree. The one bare patch that had stood out to Aeno now faced the wall, where no one would be able to see it. “You two did well,” Shula echoed, “The tree looks lovely.”

Thim smiled and bent down to place a kiss on the crown of Shula’s hair. “Darling, you say that every year. And I definitely remember a tree or two that was far from lovely.”

Shula looked up at Thim, who had begun to lean on the arm of the sofa, and Aeno couldn’t help but think of what a beautiful picture they made. They made Aeno wish he knew how to draw with any talent, as he knew Thim could. They made Aeno wish he was a writer of real skill, like the ones in his books. All he had was himself though, and the hope he could carve their forms and beings into his mind forever.

“And yet they’ve all been lovely to me.” Shula replied.

—————————————— * * * ——————————————

For once in their very busy lives, it was quiet. No children, no noise, just Aeno, Thim, and Shula gathered around a pot of morning coffee. Aeno loved his family and he loved his children, of course he did, but the unrelenting noise of the last couple days had been overwhelming for them all. It was nice to have a quiet morning with just his husband and his wife.

“Pass the sugar?” Thim asked, his voice still rough and low from sleep. Aeno smiled inwardly as he slid the sugar bowl across the table, watching the way his husband’s half-lidded white eyes slowly followed the movement.

Aeno felt a tinge of disgust come from Shula as Thim poured multiple spoonfuls of sugar into his coffee, and Thim gave an annoyed huff. “Just because you like your coffee black and bitter as dirt doesn’t mean I have to.”

“I just think it’s a waste of perfectly good coffee.” Shula responded, retreading an argument they’d had many times over. Aeno was, of course, familiar with both sides, though he couldn’t say he had any strong opinions on the subject. He didn’t particularly care for black coffee, but he didn’t gag on it like Thim still did. Honestly, Thim hardly drank coffee at all. It was a testament to how tired he was that he’d poured himself a cup.

“What do you think the kids got us this year?” Aeno interrupted, just to make sure they wouldn’t continue.

Shula hummed. “I keep seeing Anchieta sewing something, but every time I get close she tucks it away.”

Aeno raised an eyebrow. “That’s odd, I thought she hated sewing.” Anchieta really did. Aeno could still remember the constant whining and complaining from his eldest when she first learned. “Why would she pick something she needs to sew?”

“Alburn has been acting strange as well, you said.” Thim mentioned as he drummed his fingers against the table. “You caught him snooping in your office?”

Aeno tried to keep an empty mind as he nodded. He had an idea of what Alburn, and potentially Lee, had gotten both himself and Thim, but it’d be no fun if he gave it away now. “I did, just about a week ago. I’d thought he was looking for any presents I might have stashed away.”

Shula giggled, shaking her head at the idea. “As if you’d leave them in your desk drawer while you know you have two children living in the castle.”

Thim raised his cup to his lips, but Aeno could feel his smile. “Have you seen the staff he’s been carving for Anchieta? Lee has been making one too, for Adonis I believe. They seem to be well made, though I have no idea where they got the wood.”

“Who knows?” Aeno shrugged. Alburn and Lee had a habit of getting in trouble frequently whenever no one was looking. As long as nothing seemed to be overtly wrong, it usually wasn’t worth figuring out. “I’m sure the twins will love the matching presents though.”

They all took a moment to internally grimace, before Shula said what they were all thinking of. “Do you remember the year we got them –”

“The blankets.” Aeno and Thim said together, and Aeno sighed at the memory.

“I worked very hard on those blankets.” Shula grumbled before taking a sip of her own coffee. Aeno remembered her staying up late stitching the twin’s names into their gifts, alongside personal messages for each of them. Aeno had thought the end result was a very cute set of blankets, but the then nine-year-old twins had been less than impressed.

Thim put a comforting hand on Shula’s shoulder. “We both thought they were wonderful. It’s not our fault Anchieta and Adonis had become tired of being compared.”

“People used to give us matching presents.” Aeno recalled. Shula made a noise of confusion, so Aeno elaborated. “Thim and I. People who knew us both would get us the same thing for Diebus Deam, as if we were brothers.”

Thim winced. “Don’t remind me. Do you know how often people told me we ‘seemed like brothers’? Meanwhile, of course, we were madly in love with each other.” Thim’s eyes danced in a mischievous green, and Aeno rolled his eyes. He might have, secretly, enjoyed Thim’s teasing, but saying such a thing was the fastest way to get the other man to stop. “Secretly pining away for each other, enjoying the sweaty exhilaration of a good spar, laying awake at night thinking about what might happen if the other was –”

“Is it too late to get a divorce?” Aeno asked, directing his question to Shula, playing up his annoyance for Thim. “I mean, the children would be disappointed, but surely they’d get over it.”

Shula bowed her head into her arms and sighed long-sufferingly. “You’re both so dramatic. If anything, I should be divorcing the two of you. I have no idea how I fell in love with the both of you.”

Thim nodded in agreement, the perfect picture of understanding. “A terrible taste in men, I’d imagine. You really married down, if we’re being honest here. We’re just your trophy husbands you parade around to your friends.”

“We aren’t pretty enough for that.” Aeno said, shattering the illusion but making both Thim and Shula burst out laughing in the process. It seemed as if Thim wanted to say something, but each time he tried he started laughing again. Aeno wondered what it was, even though he was worried it would be something rather… crude.

Amidst the laughter, Alburn and Lee came rushing into the kitchen. They seemed to stop short for a brief moment before barreling on. “Is it time for presents yet?” Lee asked, Alburn nearly vibrating behind her.

Thim turned towards their children, and Aeno could feel his mirth even if he couldn’t see it anymore. “Well, it could be, but I swear we have more than two children. Where’s the rest of the rabble?”

Alburn scratched the back of his neck, ruffling his hair. He seemed to be growing it out, perhaps in yet another attempt to look more like Thim. “They’re, um, upstairs?”

Aeno snorted as Thim said. “Well, go get them then.” Lee and Alburn ran out of the room again, likely to rouse the still sleeping members of the family. Thim turned back to Shula and Aeno while shaking his head. “I swear, those two need to learn some patience. I never had so much energy.”

“They get it from me.” Aeno said with resignation. It was near painful to remember how cheerful and energetic he’d been as a child. As he spoke, Anchieta walked into the kitchen, followed closely by Adonis. Neither of them said a word, just worked together to get themselves coffee as efficiently as possible.

They all watched the two with fascination as they easily provided the best case for mind-reading twins Aeno had ever seen. “That’s my influence.” Shula said with a grin, which Aeno had to agree with. Getting between Shula and her first cup of coffee was a dangerous game. “Did Alburn wake you two up, or have you managed to avoid that particular joy?”

Anchieta made a sound like a waking cat, which was still more of a reaction than Adonis, who didn’t appear to have heard a thing. After a moment of silence, Anchieta said, “We passed them on the stairs. You’d have known if he’d woken me up.”

“Ah, yes, no screaming.” Shula said knowingly, a small smile on her face.

Aeno snorted. No screaming yet, at least.

—————————————— * * * ——————————————

After everyone had been given their gifts, the kids had scattered across the house. Aeno knew that he’d seen Alburn, Lee, and Thim outside, testing out the sword and spear Alburn and Lee got respectively. Aeno was pretty sure Ari and Abbie had had the same idea, though their toys were more suitable for the indoors. Adalynn would have had a harder time using the rather magical yarn Anchieta had gotten her immediately, though Aeno wouldn’t put it past his most creatively-inclined child.

Aeno opened the door to the library, and could see the edge of a purple skirt from the doorway.

Shula, Thim, and himself had been worried about the twins’ presents being too similar, but Aeno wasn’t even sure they’d noticed, too wrapped up in excitement. Anchieta had been given a chess set, much nicer than the old and roughly treated wooden set Aeno had owned since childhood. For Adonis, they got a game mat with glass marbles and stone tiles, the kind that was used for Alquerque or Tablut.

As Aeno walked in the room, the twins sat across from each other at a small table with the new chess set between them. Adonis had likely noticed him enter, given the twitch of the boy’s head, but Anchieta was studying the board with such intensity Aeno didn’t think she’d noticed a thing.

Carefully, Aeno stepped closer and settled himself against a different table, content to watch his eldest children play. They’d both taken a shine to strategy games as soon as they were old enough to learn, helped by the fact that they were both frighteningly good. Anchieta had probably won a chess game against Aeno for the first time before she had turned fourteen, and Adonis had shortly followed. Now, they played against each other more often than not, seeing as no one else in the house really stood a chance.

Anchieta finally moved a piece, taking her knight out of the line of fire from Adonis’ rook. Aeno hummed, and both of the teens looked up at him.

“What?” Anchieta asked, looking back down at the board. “Did I miss something?”

Aeno chuckled and pulled a chair over to sit more comfortably at their table. “You’d have been more likely to see it than I would be. No, I was just thinking that you play like your Papa.”

“You are a defensive leaning player.” Adonis acknowledged, though his eyes were back on the board as he thought through his next move (or ten).

“I just don’t make unnecessary sacrifices.” Anchieta grumbled, leaning back in her chair as she crossed her arms and glared at her brother. “Unlike someone I could mention.”

“Well you’re both better than any of your parents.” Aeno cut in, before it devolved into an argument. Adonis and Anchieta could be frighteningly similar at times, but they could also be incredibly different at others. Most of the time they were best friends, but Aeno had seen them have some pretty awful fights as well, even as they got older. “Even if you have different playstyles.”

Anchieta looked at Aeno just to roll her eyes. “Dad, Mom hardly even knows how to play chess.”

Aeno held back a sigh. “Fine, either of your fathers then. And your mom might not play chess, but she’ll rob us all blind at cards.”

Adonis snorted and moved a piece. “That’s true. Aunt Cyra said she was glad we weren’t playing for real money yesterday, or else she’d have left with nothing. I don’t know how Mom does it. She only learned that game yesterday, and not even Papa or I could tell when she had a bad hand.”

“Well that’s not that hard.” Anchieta argued. “You never know when I feel cornered either. I just remind myself to stay calm and focused, and then you barely even notice.”

Adonis muttered something, but whatever it was, Aeno couldn’t hear it. Anchieta must have, judging by the way her mouth twitched into a smile, but she didn’t bother replying. Silence fell over the library, save for the sound of the pieces clacking against the board when moved.

Both of the twins had a turn or two before Aeno spoke up again. “Did Alburn sneak into both of our offices to get our glove sizes, or just mine?”

Adonis laughed. “He was so nervous when you found him snooping, I could feel it on him days later. He was the one who went looking for Papa’s as well, but he couldn’t find them. Lee ended up sneaking into your room to find Papa’s while you both were working. It seemed like quite the experience.”

“At least they had fun.” Anchieta said with fond annoyance. “I was the one who had to stitch the runes into the gloves. Alburn was going to write them on or something, but Adalynn thought stitching would stay for longer, and the thread would hold the magic better.” The bridge of Anchieta’s noise crinkled. “I mean, she was right, and she helped, but still. It was just us. Abbie and Ari couldn’t get the needle through the leather, and Lee and Alburn never even learned the basics of sewing.”

Aeno smiled. Despite her complaints, the stitching added to the gloves by the kids looked very neatly done. She had clearly taken the project seriously. “Well, thank you for your hard work then.”

Anchieta looked away, but Aeno thought he’d seen a smile. “You’re welcome.”

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