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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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 Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2023 7:50 pm
(1/7)
Sometimes, Nimueh considered how nice it would be if his and Callum's children and grandchildren were nearby, where they could always easily visit. ... But then, of course, he need only remember how... prolific they had been as fathers, and realize that at this point they would need quite the compound if they were ever to have a full family reunion.
So, traveling to visit was a better option. It was easier now that Casimir and Calliana were older. The home back in Yael was gone, and once again Callum and Nimueh could just... travel. Sometimes, one or more kids came with them, only to branch off in various cities to go on their own adventures. It was bittersweet, but being constantly on the road again, while challenging, meant they could sweep by and visit extended family often. ... At least the ones who also didn't travel, and had homes that were more settled and solid.
They'd arrived the night before, late enough the youngest kids were in bed, which gave them a bit of time catching up with Ygraine, Asa, and the older kids. Ygraine had been apologetic, but said she was accompanying Asa to see one of his patients across the city - which left her newly arrived fathers to babysit.
Nimueh easily agreed, and Callum was still in bed when he woke to help with breakfast and see the kids before Ygraine and Asa left.
Which left him with two bored children, now that the parents were gone. "Are you done?" He asked patiently, watching the two kids finish up their breakfast.
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Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2023 7:58 pm
(1/7)
Yona loved when family came to visit; despite having so many, it felt like those special days still didn't happen nearly often enough. They had a lot of aunts and uncles, and she really liked meeting them all - especially because when they visited, she got to go out and see new places, under the guise of showing THEM.
She hated being sick. She wasn't as bad as papa, or Zev, but sometimes going out made her chest feel funny and she'd have to go back home and breath in steam from a kettle, swaddled up in blankets that made her feel like a baby.
She already knew that was the kind of day it was; she felt tired and grumpy, but the warm oatmeal with little pieces of fruit made her body feel warm, so she ate it steadily, taking a moment to politely swallow her food the way her papa taught her before she spoke back. "Two more bites!" She announced proudly, looking at her twin to see if he was managing as much. Both of them sometimes struggled to eat, but he was - as mentioned before - usually worse.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2023 3:30 pm
[Zev 1]
Zev adored having his family come to visit! On those nights when they were waiting for them to show he could hardly sleep and would end up sneaking into Yona's bed just to talk with her about what they would do. Of course when he talked about they it rarely included him, but Zev was happy listing potential sights all the same. He wanted his sister to go out and enjoy herself, even if his body wouldn't let him go, because Yona was sure to tell him all about it when she got back.
He hated it, but...there wasn't much he could do and he didn't want to hold Yona back. On those days when she felt better than he did Zev wanted her out because it wouldn't do for her to waste it.
Of course, this wasn't one of those days. Zev had woken early, earlier than his parents even, because of a fitful night. When it came time to eat he was more than happy to chat with his grandfather and sister, but...Well, he didn't have much of an appetite. Zev managed a few bites, leaving the majority of his meal untouched and when he thought Nimueh wasn't looking the boy would 'sneak' a forkful into his water cup instead.
Did that mean his water was now horribly contaminated with breakfast? Yes. But at least it was out of sight; at least, for now.
"I'm done!"
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Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2023 3:40 pm
[Callum 1]
Not once during his years of fatherhood had Callum ever considered the possibility of his nomadic lifestyle coming back to bite him. As charming as it was to see the world with his growing family it seemed that they too had taken after their fathers and now if he wanted to see them he had to follow the horizon. His inability to plant roots meant that he and his husband spent a great deal of time on the road which, while challenging at times, was a great boon to ensuring that the pair remained in their grandchildren's lives.
It should have brought him happiness, knowing that he could spend just as much time with Sol's daughters as he could Ygraine's brood, but...there was a hesitancy around them. He'd played it off for years as worry for the twins' health, which was as viable a story as any, but now that they were getting older...
When Callum woke he could hear voices from the kitchen. It took the swordsman a bit to get started - years of bodily abuse were murder on his joints - but once Callum was up getting dressed came easy. He expected to see his daughter, her family and his husband. Instead, when Callum rounded the corner, he saw the two youngest children and their grandbaba.
"Morning," Callum yawned into his hand. "Is everyone else still sleeping?"
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2023 4:26 pm
(2/7)
Nimueh knew so little about tending to sick children; but it also wasn't the first time he'd visited his grandchildren, and Asa and Ygraine had given him tidbits of advice over the years. Harassing the younglings to eat their food was one such piece of advice, as it was necessary to keeping their strength up; and yet, by some cruel twist of fate, that very same illness loved to make the little ones dislike eating at times. It was frustrating, in the same way it had been when Casimir was little and turned his nose up at certain meals because the texture was off, and Nim had wanted to scoop his child up and shake him, screaming 'it's my job it keep you alive!!! PLEASE--
Not that he'd ever given in to the temptation, but he could sympathize at least a little. For now, Zev's water glass was undiscovered, and Nim could only feel relief at seeing the plates more empty than the last time he'd looked.
"That's a good job, kiddos." Nim enthused, only to look up when his husband came down. He still looked soft-faced from sleep, hair a bit of a mess, and just as beautiful as always - so he didn't bother to keep himself from getting up to greet him, pressing kisses to his cheeks, before turning back to go fetch some breakfast for him.
"The boys went to classes, and the love birds went to see a client. Asa said they expected to be back by lunch." He responded easily as he set a bowl of the same oatmeal and fruit on the table, next to Yona. Ygraine had said it was good to make everyone eat the same, healthy things so the kids didn't feel left out, or discouraged.
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2023 4:36 pm
(2/7) Yona saw what Zev was doing, but she wasn't gonna say a word. They were partners in crime, the two of them, and she'd pulled the same maneuver loads of times before. Enough so that papa knew to look for it, because he knew ALL the tricks - but grandpapa and grandbaba didn't, so they were safe - for now. Now, when she had a chance, she needed to switch their glasses so that she would get fussed at instead of Zev, so he could have a break --
Sure enough, the moment came when grandpapa came in, because while they were giving smooches (which wasn't new to her, mama and papa gave loads of smooches), she sat up and moved their glasses around, sticking her tongue out at Zev as she sat again.
"Papa said they were going to bring back something fun." Yona piped up brightly. Of course, whatever they brought was probably going to be a bribe for them to finish lunch; like a new book, or paints, or a new magic trick papa would show them.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2023 10:07 am
Callum - 2
It always surprised Callum how small the twins were compared to the other children in his family. His own children, both those born of his blood and Nimueh's, tended to be on the larger side and even Ygraine's older boys were at least on the taller side. He'd never stopped to think about what illness could do to a child's growth until they were born, and now...Well, even on their healthiest days Callum was hesitant to touch them. He was such a scarred, cursed man anyway so what if he passed it to them?
More so than you already have.
Because, after all, Ygraine was his daughter by blood and when he looked to Yona-
He gave a contented 'hmm' when his husband kissed his cheeks, only really coming out of his sleep adled brain to give him a kiss in return before the man moved away. Of course Callum was quick to sharpen when he noticed just where Nim placed him, but instead of making a fuss over it he stiffened his spine and sat down.
"Is that so? What do you think it is?" His voice may have been kind and there may have been a smile on Callum's face, but he very pointedly didn't look at his granddaughter's face for more than a few seconds at a time.
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2023 10:27 am
Zev - 2
Oh, that sneaky-! Zev stuck his tongue back out at Yona and quickly sucked it back in the moment his grandbaba turned to get a plate for grandpapa. He was still half leaned over the table after a failed attempt to get at his sister and in a bid to 'cover his actions' the boy scooped up some oatmeal.
Of course between the whole 'getting a plate' with one grandfather and the 'sitting down' of another he was able to dump the spoon under the table before sitting up. He'd have to clean it later so they wouldn't know, but that would be better than having his tummy upset again.
"I want - " Catching himself, brow furrowing, Zev huffed, " I would like a whip! We got to see one before you came - there was a man, down in the square, and we could see him from Mama and Papa's room - and he whipped everything." Of course the show was so much more impressive than Zev's half-assed attempts at replicating it with his spoon. In his mind, though, he was just as cool.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2023 4:10 pm
(3/7 Nimueh)
"A whip?" Nimueh echoed with exaggerated interest. His eyes creased a bit in amusement, because there was absolutely no way their thin and drawn son-in-law would go for a whip. Ygraine might have, once upon a time, but with how protective she was of her youngest kids he very much doubted it. It was cute to think how excited Zev was though. He sat at the table (which was built earthling sized for Ygraine's family, despite the fact she was just as big as Nimueh was), and awkwardly tried to use a tiny spoon to eat his own breakfast.
"What do you think, Yona?" He didn't notice Callum's behavior, at least not for the moment.
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Posted: Thu Oct 05, 2023 9:14 pm
(3/7 Yona) [omfg i forgot i never tagged yona XDD] Wha-- Zev was so sneaky! Yona widened her eyes at him, appalled but delighted by his boldness, then sat up straight and innocent when grandpapa took a seat next to her. He didn't really look at them much, but that was okay since it made it easier for Zev to pull what he just did. As long as baba didn't stick his foot in the mess under the table, Zev might even get away with it.
"A whip would be very cool." She said primly, with all the politeness her papa had taught her. Which, clearly, meant she disagreed. "It would be delightful if papa brought home... a duruf." She meant that to be all she said, but her eyes lit up and she bounced a little in her chair, moving so she was sitting on her knees, hands on the table, instead of properly in her seat. It meant she was leaning a bit into grandpapa's space, so she turned her head expectantly to look up at him, smiling. "They have fluffy little heads, and the ugliest little faces, but they are so cute-- Colm said mama would neeeever allow us to have a duruf, but Lenna at class has one and her mama carries it around in her bag!"
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2023 11:38 am
Callum 3
Averse as he was to looking at Yona, Callum couldn't help the snerk that slipped out. It was still so offbeat to hear their father speak after all these years, but hearing it come from the mouths of children...It was just too amusing. A smirk grew on his face, and the man seemed to lighten up a little bit.
At least until Yona's childlike exuberance caused her to get a little spirited at the table and now she was in his face. Callum couldn't help the knee jerk reaction of physically leaning away from her with a momentary flash of fear in his own eyes. The man was quick to cover it up though with a little awkward laugh. He brought one of his legs up into his seat, passively crossing it under himself but the angle to which is lay meant she wouldn't be able to get much closer.
"Pets are a lot of work so maybe when you're older and can help to take care of it she might reconsider? For now your friend might let you play with hers."
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Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2023 11:45 am
Zev 3
"A big one with a chain thing at the end that can set things on fire!" Any whip worth it's salt in materials would be as thick as the boy's arm, but that didn't stop Zev from his dreams. In his mind's eye he could take on the monsters of their fairytales or have performances just as magical as those they saw in the city square.
"I bet Arden would sneak one in for us, if we promised not to tell." Colm was right; mama would never let it happen, but she couldn't stop what she didn't know, right? He was happy just talking things through, but then Yona was hopping up and Granpapa was scooting back. The whole thing was utterly comical for a boy who had no idea of the real problem so, Zev being Zev, just laughed, "You spooked him, Yona!"
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2023 4:30 pm
(4/7)
Nimueh chuckled softly as he took a bite of his breakfast, turning his head to watch the children in their excitement. Mostly, it was because he wanted to keep his eyes peeled for any signs of a cough, or perhaps getting too excited.
Callum and Nimueh were no strangers to energetic children; they'd received plenty of elbows to the face from squirming toddlers, or flailing limbs from their sons when they dragged their sorry butts home after getting caught drinking. And, suddenly - it wasn't fun and games anymore.
Callum jerked backwards, and for a split second there was fear in his eyes, an expression Nimueh was far too familiar with. They'd both woken one another from nightmares enough, in their years together, for it to be a familiar emotion, and immediately Nim sat straight up, shocked.
His husband was a fantastic actor though, and his laugh was fast enough that the children didn't seem to take too much notice of how serious, and unusual, it was.
Zev, bless his little heart, prattled on and seemed to think it was quite funny, but he wasn't sure if little Yona agreed. She was laughing, but seemed a little unnerved by her grandpapa's reaction all the same.
Nimueh stood up, smiling at the children. "Oh blast- I forgot I brought you some souvenirs - Callum can you help me get them together?" It wasn't a lie, they had little bundles of goodies for the children, but had intended to give them out a bit later into the trip.
He waited until Callum got up to follow him to their shared room, waiting until the door was closed, before turning to his husband, gently setting a hand on his shoulder. "What happened?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2023 4:43 pm
(4/7) ... Okay, maybe a whip that made fire would be neat. But there was nooo way papa would ever! A duruf was, at least, slightly possible. Still, she filed the thought away, because it would be very cool to draw her brother with a cool, flaming whip the next time they got to play with their paints.
"Arden would--" Yona started, excitedly, only to side eye the adults suspiciously. "Not do that. Never." She paused, and THEN launched into her duruf talk.
Normally, if she stood up in her seat, her mom would pick her up and set her back down with a laugh, or their papa would urge her back to sit with little fanfare. So... the last thing Yona expected was for her grandpapa to jolt and look at her like he was upset with her. Yona stopped, blinking, little brows furrowed for a moment - but Zev's laughter brought a small bubble of uncertain laughter out of her, even if she didn't pull her eyes off her grandpapa.
Yona felt that familiar surge childish annoyance, followed by the urge to bossily argue that she didn't WANT to wait, and Lenna was from her class but made fun of Zev sometimes so she wasn't really a friend anyway-- even if her mom's duruf was ugly and cute. But instead she watched as the adults hurried off with promises of gifts, waiting for a moment before looking at her brother, pouting. "Quick, we should hide the oatmeal." She said in a loud whisper, carefully picking up her cloudy class with her tiny hands, tongue sticking out the side of her mouth as she tried to scoot it to the edge of the table.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 12:30 pm
Callum 4
He was a fool for thinking Nimueh wouldn't notice. He'd hoped - of course he had - but the man would have to be blind, deaf and dumb not to notice. Even the children reacted and that was the last thing Callum wanted. Zev's laughter, as well meaning as it was, felt biting in the moment and Callum couldn't help wincing under it's warmth.
And Yona...bless her sweet soul, but he couldn't look at her. Even knowing full well that her eyes had yet to leave him. "Of course - you two stay put, alright? Finish your breakfast before it gets cold." Honestly in that moment they could have pressed the oatmeal into the cracks of the floorboards and Callum wouldn't have cared so long as it got him away for a moment.
He held his composure long enough to be sequestered into their shared room, where in as soon as the door shut behind him a long, deep breath fell from his chest. "It's those eyes." What point was there in hiding anything from Nimueh? How many times had they held each other, been witness to their most vulnerable moments and come back stronger for it? "I don't know...when Sol was born it was a shock, but I could distance myself. Maybe it's because I was younger, we had so much to worry about then, but now..." Callum raised a hand to the scar on his neck and pensively ran his fingers over the mark. The mark his mother had given him.
"I'm trying. I'll get better." His breathing was shaky and there was a tremor to Callum's fingers. "Out of everything that child inherited...why did it have to be those damn eyes?"
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