Welcome to Gaia! ::

[1/10]

That morning, Uquin received a letter suggesting that Maritza had landed in Matori, and would be home in a matter of days. Which… was always a bittersweet. In the years since the move to Tale, they had made up and even become romantic again, as the years passed. The children always came first, of course, so that meant that the majority of the time seeing his partner was shared with three little ones.

It was… difficult… this life as a single parent part of the year, but considering he’d raised his first two children on his own completely it was still an upgrade.

His other two children had been ushered off to spend some much needed time with Padma - she had come to visit and show them how to make treats for the harvest. Which left him and his youngest son alone. … “Isaia? Come here, I would like to speak with you.”

[2/10]

Uquin raised an eyebrow at his son, not buying that innocent look for a second. He humemd thoughtfully, then shook himself and gestured for his son. “Come here.” Once the boy came closer, he carefully tied his hair back for him, from where it had gotten ruffled… likely while hanging out a window, again. “You know I’m still upset with you for what you did to your siblings.”

[3/10]

… Silly boy. Uquin stepped back, giving him his space, setting a hand on his hip at the two gazed at one another. “I don’t know why you keep terrorizing them like this. You never know what could happen, and you might regret not being closer when you’re older.”

He dragged in a sigh, wondering if he should even… bring it up, again. But… “You know… when she was your age, your sister Ujana --”

[4/10]

...Right. Uquin leaned back, watching his son shrink in on himself for a long moment, temper flaring. This would be the moment where, with Ujana, he would give up and send her to her room to stew. … But. Instead… he slowly moved to one knee… then opened his arms, hopefully. “Is it alright if I hug you, Isaia?”

[5/10]

Thank the spirits. Uquin sighed, but happily this time, squeezing his son tightly, and hoping he felt how much he cared for him in this embrace. After a long moment of petting back his bright colored hair, Uquin finally broke the somewhat awkward silence.

“I worry about you, Isaia. I know it’s… difficult… when I discipline you, and your siblings still get to play-”

[6/10]


Ah. He’d crossed a line. Uquin let his son pull back, but kept his arm loosely around him, just watching him as he argued. The urge to argue back was there, but he stubbornly tamped it down.

He instead took a deep breath, then gazed at Isaia with what he hoped was an earnest look. “They won’t trust you if you keep playing these pranks on them. You have to be nicer than that.”

[7/10]

Seeing his son so confused broke his heart, but Uquin… similarly wasn’t the best at… people. He sighed, watching him for a moment, then reached up to cup his little cheek, stroking his thumb under his pink eye - the one he’d gotten from his mother.

“Isaia, I love you. I hope you know that. Do I wish you wouldn’t play so many pranks…? Yes, of course… but I love you no matter what. I just… drifted away from my sister when I was young. I never made up with her again. I don’t… want that to happen, to you three. … Please, promise that you will try and work harder on staying close… please?”

[8/10]

Uquin didn’t try and argue about whatever it was Isaia had almost said. Instead, he smiled and murmured a soft thank you to the promise, pressing a kiss to his son’s hair and holding him as he sniffled.

Eventually, when the boy had calmed, Uquin leaned back and gently booped his fingertip against his nose, his gaze soft.

“Your mother is coming home soon to stay for a while - now, if you’re good and don’t harass your siblings between now and then, I’ll lift your punishment. Do we have a deal?”