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 Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 4:22 pm
Siel leaned back against the aged, chilled exterior of his girlfriend's childhood home. For the moment all was quiet and for the first time in weeks the area around him felt empty. With his children blessedly napping together there was no sense of urgency, no need to rush about collecting this or that, and even though he should have been napping the hybrid found himself tapping out a beat on his drum instead. When was the last time he'd had time enough to play it? At first the pan drum felt foreign against his hands, but with time came that same sense of rhythm and soon enough a light tune filled the void.
There were circles under his eyes that hadn't been there before and judging by the fit of his clothes Siel knew he'd lost weight. Still, the sleepless nights and constant movement were well worth it. It was difficult to explain just how much he adored being a father, but even when Siel was so exhausted that all he wanted to do was scream he wouldn't trade them away. Even now, perched as he was on a carved log outside, he found his eyes drifting up toward the sky, half-lidded as if sleep could take him at any moment.
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 4:58 pm
(1/10) Of all the traveling he had done in his life, somehow Callum and Nimueh had never made their way here, to these islands, and certainly not to the Aishan settlement nestled on it. So imagine his surprise when he stepped off the boat to, arguably, a paradise. Perhaps it was the dreariness of Yael, and the overly civilized mildness of Belrea, but this place was bright with its colors, and the mood of its denizens.
Callum was certainly just as excited to see their newest grandchildren, but he had remained in the Kahikinan settlement to look for places to stay, well aware that the Aishans may not afford them room; it was best to have a backup, so as not to stress the new parents by expecting a room with them.
Nimueh wasn't sure which of the homes belonged to Quiana's family, so he had meandered his way around until pointed in the right direction by a surprisingly kind Elidae. He heard Siel before he saw him, following the quiet but definite sounds of his drum until he neared a comfortable looking home. He came to a stop, however, when he spotted the figure sitting in front of it - because the drum was certainly an instrument Siel had played, and yet ... the colors were all wrong. His hair was - different. His son had failed to mention that he was a victim of the strange color changing fiasco that had swept over the world months before. That was ... ... honestly not as surprising as it should have been.
"That looks precarious." He commented, quietly, as he stepped closer, stooping to set down a rucksack he'd had slung over his shoulders. "As is playing a drum with newborns. Bold of you."
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 5:16 pm
At some point the sound of his own tune may have lulled Siel into a sort of daze but the spoken words of another brought him back to reality with a start. When-? Was he so out of it he hadn't heard another approach? He quickly dropped his gaze from the sky to - "Baba?" Siel furrowed his brow, as if the sight before him were something strange all together, and that was precisely because it was. "You came? Here?"
Ah, but it didn't dawn on him immediately why that might be so. Siel's mind was too fogged to the hints and so he was left feeling puzzled. Any other time he would have thrown his drum to the side, given his Baba the biggest hug he could manage and ramble about his adventures. As it was, however, Siel smiled dopily up at the man, then proceeded to scoot over on the bench and pat the spot beside him.
"Bold is just a nice way of saying someone's stupid." Siel sat his drum off to the side, making sure not to hit the hollow instrument up against the side of the structure. "But - they didn't wake up this time so I got lucky. I guess you got my letter?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 5:25 pm
(2/10) None of this was surprising to him; Nimueh had been a father to newborns enough to recognize his exhaustion. He smiled brightly in response, then moved to take the offered seat, pleased that, for once, the furniture was naturally his size. It was one of the few things he missed about Aishan villages. "I did. You might've forgot something in it though." He arched a rounded brow at him, then reached to brush some flyaway hairs out of Siel's face, cupping his cheek fondly for a moment before he dropped his hand again.
It had been a shock to get his letter. Yes, Nimueh and Callum were already grandparents, but somehow the expectation of grandchildren had not passed on to their next oldest children until now. ... On top of that, the letter came with its own heavy bundle of trauma that he hadn't expected to hit him so hard.
But this wasn't about that. This was about his son. "Not stupid. Exhausted. ...I know we should've given you two some more time to get settled, but I was ... excited to see you. To offer support." He paused, then laughed a bit, shrugging a shoulder. "Say the word and your papa and I can go explore, and let you two focus on parenting."
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2023 1:43 pm
Although they may not have been in Kiros, they were near enough that it's influence carried over into Quiana's home. Her mother had her reasons for living on the fringes of Aishan society and while Siel knew some of them he hadn't pried beyond what Quiana was comfortable speaking on. The hut was near enough walking distance to the nearest Kaha'iko village that Siel could have someone to speak with beyond the odd visitor looking for his Elidae partner, but also close enough that she could have contact with her Sisters should the need arise. It may have been far removed from the Matori trading hubs he'd grown used to, but there was a peace here that Siel hadn't expected. They were isolated, left on their own in the wilds, and while that in itself had taken some adjustment he didn't hate the silence.
"Wah-?" Siel furrowed his brow, lifting his dual gaze up to his Baba's hand and - "Oh. Well, that - It seemed kind of....small compared to everything else." Meaning the pregnancy scare with his Matorian orgy partner, the resulting discussions with Quiana about what would happen with them if he was a father, the baby not being his, his trip to Belrea and well - all of this. Honestly his letter to his fathers had been extensive, probably to their dismay, but that paled in comparison to the ones he'd written to Lutana and Morain.
"NO-" Exhaustion caused Siel to get a little louder than he'd meant, but the man was with it enough to catch the tonal shift, "-No. Stay, please, I'm so happy you're here. I'd love for you to meet them and I know Quiana wants to see you too."
And just as easily as he breathed, Siel was beaming, "You're going to love them. They have the tiniest little toes and Quetzal - that's my son's name - has your eyes. My daughter - Tsisia - oh, her little antennae, they haven't straightened out enough to get tall so they just curl around your finger-"
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Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2023 4:10 pm
(3/10) Hmm. Nimueh let it slide, but still nudged his son's shoulder a bit in silent, mild reprimand. The poor boy was exhausted, and Nimueh wished he could sweep him into his arms, just like when he was little, and rock him to sleep. It never failed to startle him how those little beings grew so big and strong, seemingly so fast.
When Siel exclaimed, Nim set his hand on top of his head to signal him to settle down, smiling somewhat lopsidedly at him. "Of course I'll love them. And Quiana. I want to meet the girl who finally captured your heart, after all these years." It was a tease, because Nimueh couldn't count the number of angry parents who'd come to his door, furious that Siel or Morain had been breaking their teens' hearts. They really took after their papa that way, didn't they?
Siel looked alive as he spoke about his little family, and Nim turned to properly face him, the hand on his head slipping to lightly brace against his shoulder. His eyes were soft, listening patiently.
The letters he'd received had been back when the little ones were blooming, and so the reveal of their names... and genders... was news to him. He wasn't prepared for the flash of emotion that went through him, hearing that he had a bloomed grandson. Would he wear his hair in dreads? Would it be better here, so many years later, or would living as a hybrid male still be just as painful? Would having loving parents, who weren't ashamed of you, make all the difference?
This wasn't about him. No, it was about Siel, and yet he felt as if his conflict may have shown on his face, so he hurriedly prodded at Siel to continue to talk. "Of course I'll love them - since they're napping I'll have to wait though, so tell me everything. Quetzal and Tsisia - who bloomed first? Do either of them have your new hair? Ah- they're part Elidae, so she has the--" He made a vague motion towards his throat, miming where the tertiary antennae were located on Elaria and Elidae.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2023 4:04 pm
"How do you do that?" Siel murmured, his body moving back down onto the bench under his father's guiding hand. "Make me feel like a kid when I have two of my own?" It wasn't said without love and certainly not with irritation; more with a curiosity that Siel had never been able to push past. Certain phrases and tones from his fathers could make him straighten up without so much as a thought even after all this time.
"She's pretty special, Baba. I'm so lucky to have her as my long-term low-commitment casual girlfriend." Despite his exhaustion there was just a warmth in his chest whenever he spoke about Quiana. "Just don't tell her I said that. She prefers the term partner. We're like a hookup that's a little more permanent who still does some weird things sometimes and I'm just...it's just really nice when you find that other half, y'know?" Some couples talked about marriage and a solid home as the ultimate goal for their relationship. Siel's was to find a beautiful Kaha'iko and share them with Quiana. The fact that she would be by his side during the entire thing meant the world.
And then...Siel's expression faltered. Was there something wrong with what he'd said? He reached a hand for the one on his shoulder and gave a squeeze. "You don't have to wait. They'll sleep through a storm so we can see them now...if you want." He knew his Baba had complex feelings when it came to his Aishan roots, but Papa made it clear that Siel was never to pry. If Nimueh wanted to talk about it he would, and some questions were fine, but anything too deep was off limits.
And yet...now that his children were here, after having bloomed in the same way his Baba had...Siel wanted to know.
He snorted at the hand gesture, "Yes, Quiana has them and so does Tsisia. Quetzal doesn't have antennae so he was spared from the-" And Siel copied the motion.
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Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:11 pm
(4/10) Hm? Nimueh lifted his chin a bit, waiting for Siel to elaborate before a soft laugh broke from his throat. It still was such a shock, and he doubted it would truly sink in until he saw them. Siel had babies. But then his son continued, and Nimueh groaned and tilted his head to stare up at the sky, shaking his head. "'Like a friend, but one you sleep with.' Why does that sound so familiar." He spoke, dryly. Of course, he and Callum were committed to one another for the long haul, but other partners had always been there for Callum. Nimueh, personally, had only ever been intimate with Callum and their surrogates, but he had long accepted that Callum wasn't the same. He didn't know if he could fathom a third in their relationship who stayed longer; Eema was the only one he could think of which, ironically, was the only one he personally hadn't been with.
"You truly are your father's son."
It was... the best time to see them, and yet Nimueh felt frozen to his seat the moment the offer was made. He wanted to see them. He did. But - he didn't trust himself, how he'd react, and the last thing he wanted to do was risk waking them up with some misplaced emotional reaction. He worried he'd want to hold them, and never be able to let them go out of fear and protectiveness for his grandchildren.
They were no different to any of the grandchildren he'd had in the past, and yet they felt more fragile somehow, more - at risk. A boy - and one without Elidae traits like antennae, the poor thing- his thoughts had gone distant, and so at the touch of Siel's hand he snapped back to himself, along with a rush of guilt.
"And Quiana doesn't mind?" He asked, before he could stop himself. The moment it left his mouth, he sighed and closed his eyes, annoyed with himself.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2023 1:27 pm
Siel just dopily grinned at his baba. What else could he say? He'd been raised with certain freedoms and now that he was an adult he led a hedonistic lifestyle. If he so happened to have found a partner who was also such a heathen then who was he to fight fate?
"We don't have to, if you aren't ready," Siel murmured softly. It felt...odd, having to withhold them like this compared to his siblings and their children. Of course there was nothing he wanted more than to proudly showcase the gifts that had given them, but he also didn't want to rush it. Still that unease was plainly visible on Siel's exhausted features. He hadn't done anything wrong, and yet, it felt like by doing this he'd been the one to tear into some buried corner of his Baba's heart.
"No," He shook his head. "She wants them to know you, just like I do."
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Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2023 10:21 pm
(5/10) Rather suddenly, Nimueh realized why it was Callum didn't want Ygraine to know about his conflicted feelings towards Yona. It was painful, the very thought that his reaction might pain his son, and yet when he looked to him again he could see that heaviness there that told him Siel had noticed. But of course he'd noticed - Siel could read people. It was part of why he got along with people, so much better than Nimueh ever had.
Nimueh grasped his hand against his knee, nodding briefly at the concession. "Not right this second, but in a few minutes." He clarified. Because there was no way he had come all this way, just to NOT meet his grandbabies.
They lapsed into an awkward silence, one where Nimueh half expected Siel to doze off as he collected his thoughts. But... at length he opened his mouth, and began to speak.
"When I was a boy, my mother didn't like bringing me places where other alkidike were. The market. The isle. When she did, it was as if I could never get away from the stares, the judgement. You know how that is already, as a hybrid, but born from a bloom-" He hesitated, distractedly wiping his hands against his knees. "She and my grandmother often said it was Aisha's punishment for having a boy, my birth parents being killed by beasts. My aunt, who I grew up with, became one of the first extremists - people who wanted those like me dead. And this community was born from people like her. I know you wouldn't pick someone who was like that, love, but you're not even allowed onto the isle to see how people will treat your little ones. I don't - want to say this to bring your spirits down, I just - want to explain- I don't know what I want to explain. It may be nothing like when I grew up. This is a whole new generation, it could be as normal as breathing to Quiana's people. I hope it is. But it wasn't until I was far, far away from Chibale that I was told it was OK just to be alive. I - forgive me, I shouldn't ruin your happiness with bad memories."
As he babbled, Nimueh carded his fingers through his hair, almost imagining the thick sensation of dreads that he'd long cut away, and as he finished he bent forward, arms propped against his knees, a hand settled against his forehead. He felt exhausted, just remembering such things, but he felt it was important - to make it clear how toxic growing up by a tree had been for him. What to look out for.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2023 8:34 am
Siel was on the cusp of falling asleep when his father started to speak. In all honesty he expected Nimueh's request for space from the children for now to be the end of it and had quietly resigned himself to that fact. He was burning with questions, but none of them were strong enough to pull him out of the semi-conscious state he'd found himself in.
Until now, anyway.
He adjusted himself on the bench so he could give Nimueh his full attention. It felt as if he'd fallen into another dimension and information that had always eluded him was now being freely given. Siel stayed closed while his Baba spoke, making sure to keep his leg close to Nimueh's at all times to offer that silent comfort and tried his best to process it all.
It was...a lot to take in. "....You're not ruining anything by voicing your concerns. Just to clarify, right off." That was the last thing he wanted his father to take away from this. For a long, tense moment Siel just let it all sink in before taking a deep breath.
"When we first came to Esena I wasn't worried about what kind of life they would lead. I knew I would love them and that Quiana would love them, and that was that. It didn't...sink in that things would be...different I had to stay away." The nights of sitting outside, on this very bench, wondering what they looked like, how close Quiana's descriptions were of them, feeling resentment that only she could see them...
"I worry about them every day, but I've never once thought about hiding them away and the fact that your mother tried...It makes me sick." Siel couldn't contain the bite in his tone. "I'm sorry; I know it doesn't mean anything and it can't fix the pain, but I'm sorry that they couldn't see what a wonderful person you were meant to be." Seeing Nimueh in that moment, so vulnerable and being drug down by the past that tried to bury him, made Siel's heart break. He reached out to put a hand on Nimueh's back, and gave his baba a little tug to bring him closer.
"It wasn't your fault that your birth parents died anymore than it was your fault that you were bloomed a boy. If Aisha never wanted you then she wouldn't have made you. That's something I've learned over this whole process; earthling children can happen by accident, but Aishan blooms...they were meant to be here. Someone went to a goddess and prayed for you and if the world was too stuck up their own asses to see how absolutely perfect you are then that's their problem." Maybe he was getting too heated, maybe he was getting too loud, but dammit this wasn't fair. His Baba was the pinnacle of strength in their family; not just physically, but mentally. He'd gone through so much and he...he didn't deserve to still be carrying this weight.
"I know this is coming from the place of someone who was raised differently, but you raised me to be this way. And because of you that little boy-" He nodded toward the hut, "-is going to have the best life. You're right, I can't be with him every day, but I can do the best with what I have."
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Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2023 3:46 pm
(6/10) Nimueh didn't enjoy talking about his childhood. There were bittersweet memories there, among his aunts and with his mother, but... it had been painful. Those memories were further sullied by being turned aside from Aisha so many years later. In the history of his life, after all the strife and pain of Ygraine and Sol's childhoods, Nim and Callum had been fiercely opposed to stirring up the past with their younger children. Oba was a closely, if badly guarded secret, and anything further than that didn't matter. ... Until it did. Which... for Nimueh, was now, in this moment.
He didn't think Siel was naive of the pains of mixed blood, but he felt it was important to impart what warnings he could. It... still didn't feel good though, to bare his soul after so long. It was like ripping open a badly healed wound in hopes it might heal right, this time.
And throughout it all, Siel didn't interject or argue. He just listened, and Nimueh couldn't have been more thankful. When he finally did speak, Nim let out a breathy laugh, tilting his face towards his son so he could offer him a tired, if thankful, smile. Then, it was Siel's turn to speak, and Nim forced himself to sit a bit straighter, head turned towards him so that Siel knew he was paying attention. And... it hurt, of course, to hear that conflict in his son's voice, the pain of having to stay behind. It was something he'd never experienced, with Callum, and yet was suddenly, viciously thankful for it.
As for Siel's next words, it was gratifying to hear him speak so viciously about Elsheba, even if Nim also felt a flash of guilt. He'd been honest, and yet in the face of his and Elsheba's recent reunion he felt... dishonest? Or... unfair for pulling up old stories, when she was slowly tiptoeing her way back into his life in whatever small ways he allowed.
So, he rushed to reassure Siel, to say his platitudes were more than enough, even just to hurry them off the topic - but Siel reached to touch his back, pulling him in for a hug, and Nimueh took the cue to shut up and listen.
Words couldn't describe what it meant to hear these things. It ... was painful to hear from his son, of course, because no parent ever wanted to wipe away the veneer of confidence or strength from the eyes of their children, but... he felt Seen. Callum had probably said similar words too, throughout their lives together, but from Siel who shared that blood... from someone who had decided to pray for a child, it hit differently.
Sucking in a breath, Nimueh turned his head to follow Siel's gesture towards the hut, brows furrowed and jaw set in a clear attempt to keep his expression straight, even if his eyes were shiny with unshed tears. At a certain point, as he fought his tears, Nim opened his mouth to speak, but eventually just shook his head and silently adjusted their positions so he could tug Siel in to a one-armed hug, resting his hand on top of his son's head, in the mess of his hair.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2024 12:41 pm
Siel wasn't expecting anything from Nimueh, but for a moment he didn't know if he'd overstepped his bounds and wished for some kind of sign. He'd never seen his Baba's eyes look that way and over his lifetime he'd become an expert at interpreting not only Aishan eyes but body language in general. It helped with his trade, naturally, but it also helped him to understand the members of his family who didn't have the same tells as others. In that moment, though, with his Baba reliving so much so quickly Siel couldn't begin to pinpoint how to help.
Or if there even was a way for him to do it.
So, after sitting and dumbly staring at Nimueh, hoping that some of his words didn't sound like a ramble and actually made sense he was brought closer. At first Siel didn't know what to think until the older hybrid's head was on top of his and he relaxed into the hold.
"...If Aisha hated you she wouldn't have made you so big," He murmured. "Perfect for hugs."
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2024 1:37 pm
(7/10) To that, Nimueh laughed against his head, pressing a soft kiss to it, and gave a silent agreement in the form of a squeeze. Then he moved back, scrubbing his hand against his face. "You're going to be an amazing father, Siel." Nimueh said, briefly cupping his massive hand against his son's cheek. Then he smiled and gestured with his chin towards the house. "Okay. I want to meet my grandbabies, if you're still okay with risking me waking them up."
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2024 6:23 pm
"Mmm'yeah," Siel mumbled. Could he remember exactly what Nimueh said? No. Did he miss the warmth he'd almost fallen asleep against? Mm'yep. When he felt that contact on his cheek Siel's impulse was to yawn and he slow blinked, first the silver and then the gold eye, at his Baba. It took a moment, but he nodded his head, wiped his face and shuffled to his feet.
"We're good, we're good, it's fine," He scrubbed a hand over his face before pinching his cheek and taking a deep, steadying breath. The new father walked past Nimueh and into the hut. While all of the furniture was clearly made to Aishan standards and had existed long before Siel ever came along there were touches of his design around the place. A lute on the table, waiting to be restrung, sheer clothes on a rack drying in the evening breeze and a little alol licking it's eyeball on the back of a chair.
The albino creature had been Siel's pet for longer than he could remember and Shrimp's little brain hadn't panicked once at being relocated. He paused for a moment to pet the little creature who just unlatched it's tongue from it's eye with a 'pop' and sat there. One eye followed Siel and the other traveled to Nimueh.
Siel led the way to the bedroom he shared with Quiana which was a chaotic space at best. Clothing, blankets, and wraps were tossed every which way except near the two bassinets. "This is Quetzal," He motioned to his son, "And this is Tsisia." And then to his daughter. Both were bundled tight against the evening chill and were sleeping sort of peacefully. Even when he reached a hand in to tuck Tsisia's arms back into her blanket the babe murmured in her sleep and pushed them back out.
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