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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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 Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2025 5:38 pm
[moose via discord]
Sneaking into Morain’s room was out of the question now that he’d brought Kani. While Siel had little qualms with disturbing his brother’s rest, messing with his – lover? friend? - seemed unnecessarily cruel. Especially since she’d come so far to meet people she’d never known before. So, he waited, doing his best to pass the time now that the babies had already woken him and there was little he could do while the rest of the house slept. It was torture.
So naturally when the sun was starting to rise and it was warm enough to bundle the babies, he went out. Quetzal was strapped and snug on his chest with Tsisia bundled up tight to his back. The wraps had been hard to figure out at first, but now were second nature to the hybrid. And now that they were outside he started walking about the cabin, pointing out various leaves he had no clue about and creatures that were...more weird than beautiful. The kids were too young to know he was lying anyway.
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:50 am
[Scar via Discord]
Honestly, after such a long time traveling Morain was lulled into an early sleep by a proper bed, aided by the comforting warmth of Kani in his arms. He was grateful that his brother and his partner let them stay - but he assumed with two babies they were happy for the extra hands.
He woke when a gentle light dawned into the room, pressing a kiss to Kani's temple as he carefully wriggled free.
Outside, the air was cool but far from cold, and he didn't second guess the thin clothes he'd slept in. It was the quiet murmuring from outside that guided him, sleepily stumbling, out the door and to his brother - who still struck him as strange, with babies hanging off him.
His brother having babies was terrifying, and wonderful all at once. "Mrrgh." Morain greeted, past a yawn.
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:52 am
[2]
When he heard the noise at his side Siel expected to find Quiana, but instead was greeted to a nostalgic sight; a half-awake Morain. “Did you sleep okay? I hope they weren’t too loud.” The twins were just edging out of the newborn stage where they slept most of the time and were entering a phase where waking up in the middle of the night was just the same to them as midday. And naturally, with their parents asleep, they would cry and it...Spirits it could be loud. It’s why Siel had advocated for staying awake in shifts, at least while they had company; too minimize the tantrums and make feedings easier.
At least with his skin tone and the Aishan fade Siel could hide the bags under his eyes. Quiana wasn’t so lucky.
“I’m still shite with cooking so unless you’re willing it’s bread and water until someone else wakes up.”
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:54 am
[Scar via Discord]
"Babies're meant to cry." Morain said with a playfully wise tone, tipping up his nose snootily. In his scoundrel days he'd turn his obliviousness into a lewd joke, but he'd never joke about Kani like that.
"Besides I thought that's what I was here for? To let you get some shut eye." Morain leaned in to peer at one of the babies (oh man, who was who again?? maybe Kani remembered).
"And Unca Morain doesn't remember how to cook something not over a fire, no he doesnt!!" This was said in a whispered baby voice, with a crafty grin that made it clear he was doing it to try and get under his brother's skin.
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:55 am
[3]
“That’s what Lutana came here for; I didn’t even where you were.” Not that he was too proud to admit he’d used his sister’s good graces to catch a nap every now and then. Pushing all the responsibility onto Quiana seemed rude, but Lutana? Well she asked soooo....
And now Unca Morain was here too.
“Oh spirits stooooop.” He reached out and gave Morain a playful shove. “That voice just sounds weird coming out of you.”
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:55 am
[Scar via Discord]
"Well, it's why I came then." Morain shuffled a little, still feeling guilty about the lost letters, the lost time. The shove was a good way to knock him out of those thoughts, as he snorted out a laugh and reached to ruffle Siel's strangely colored hair.
He still wasn't used to it!!
"Yeah well, you being a dad is weird to me! Well." He paused, pursing his lips. "No, you having kids isn't a surprise, but you raising kids... from a bud no less! That's still a shock."
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:57 am
[4]
Siel ducked underneath Morain’s hand, which also caused the babies to dip. One cooed, one got upset and he had no idea which one had made either sound.
“Right?! Not something I ever thought would happen to me.” A half laugh slipped out. “The surprise before all of this kind of shocked me, I guess? Always knew it could happen but I just didn’t think it would be like that.” He wasn’t too proud to admit it had scared him. Siel wanted to be a good dad, even if he’d never planned for it, and if it had been his he would have tried.
“Quiana said she would stay by me, even if it was my baby and when it wasn’t I got sad about it. So then we started traveling together, spending more time with each other and eventually it led with me being led to the heart of Kiros and - “ He waved to the twins. “Yeah, this.”
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:58 am
[Scar via Discord]
"Mm." Morain hummed and watched his brother, thoughtful. He'd never been quite the rogue that Siel and their father was, but he had been almost as lustful. It was very possible that he could get caught the same way Siel almost had - or spot a familiar face in a familiar village he'd once passed through.
How would he have felt, to realize the babe wasn't his? Absolute relief, he thought. He couldn't imagine a child with someone he didn't love, had an equal horror to the truth of their father's surrogacy.
He had struggled enough with questions and worries about whether Callum felt any less for them because of it. Would he have been crushed like Siel was to lose that child?
"Did... you ask her for kids then? Or did she-" Morain cut himself off, embarrassed. "How did you know you were ready for that?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 10:58 am
[5]
“Timing, I think? The thing with my hair and a lot of other earthlings happened around the same time that Esena matured. So on one side you have that happening and on the other we’d already had these talks about family and it just - “ Siel shrugged. “We didn’t know if it would work or not and honestly the idea seemed crazy, but really...If it was going to happen to me I wanted it to be with Quiana. I knew her, knew my kids would be cared for if we didn’t work out and it just felt good.”
Looking down at the little one on his chest and feeling the one on his back gave Siel feelings of pride he’d never known before. Like it was something he’d never missed out on, but now that they were here he couldn’t imagine a world without them.
“And honestly? When we did find out I was terrified. Still am. I’m not...I’m not like Baba, okay? I’m like Papa and while I love him I just...worry sometimes.”
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 11:00 am
[Scar via Discord]
Morain squinted his eyes but listened silently. He'd think that with so much going on, having kids would be LAST on that list. Not that he didn't want to be an uncle - but it was still so strange to realize they were his brother's kids, and not just some infants he was babysitting.
It was weird enough when Cas and Cal were born, but Siel was his triplet!
As Siel continued though Morain tilted his head, lips pressed into a grim line as he gazes at the little ones, who seemed quite content strapped onto their dad for the moment.
"I don't think I ever realized how crazy our childhood was, until I went off on my own." He conceded, rubbing his neck. "But you've... matured a lot since we split up. Imagining you with a kid back then is terrifying-" He laughed then gazed tenderly at one of the kiddos again. "But like this? It looks natural on you. I think being worried about it just proves you've grown up... at least a little!"
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 11:01 am
[6]
“It was crazy, but in a good way.” He grinned. From the perspective of a child the chaos had been a non-stop adventure, and he loved it. As a father he was able to see a few things he wanted to tweak, but honestly, if he could capture some of that magic Siel would hold onto it forever.
“Oh! Later when Quiana wakes up we’ll have to show you and Kani around the island. There’s a Kahi village not far from here if you need supplies - do not stare at them - they’ve got a tavern, and then there’s the grotto that’s maybe half a days walk. Just down that hill there. If....you know...you want to show this really nice woman a really nice place considering she has been really nice to you by coming all this way to see us.”
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 11:02 am
[Scar via Discord]
Yeah - as a kid, romping around Matori and growing up on the road was like an endless game, made even better by the ever present company of Lutana and Siel. He laughed and nodded, then raised his eyebrows in interest, crossing his arms and jutting out a hip. "She HAS been really nice. I mentioned your letter and she was gung ho for it immediately."
At the time, Morain had been terrified that they'd need to split apart - that she'd want to continue her trek across northern Tendaji, while he ran to see his brother. That she'd never even suggested it was a balm to his nerves. "I think she's too good for me, honestly - somehow she thinks I'm mostly respectable."
And wasn't that the crux of all his insecurities? She was just - so good, sweet and loving and selfless, and he was a rake.
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 11:03 am
[7]
“I don’t know whether I should feel sorry for her for thinking that way or commend her.” Siel reached out and put a hand on Morain’s shoulder. He gave the other man a squeeze, resisting the urge to sling his arm around his shoulder as he would have done sans babies. “Seriously though? Don’t worry about it. You’re plenty respectable; just look at how far you came for family. Just because you’re not a priest or some boring t**t who sits in his house all day doesn’t make you a damn fine catch.”
His grin shifted into a warm, affectionate smile as his hand fell away. “Do you love her?”
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 11:05 am
[Scar via Discord]
The blunt truth of Siel's response shocked a laugh out of Morain, reaching up to clasp his hand over the one on his shoulder as he met Siel's gaze. "I'll always come running for family. ... When I actually remember to check your letters." A playfully self deprecating joke didn't feel out of place here.
Then his expression melted into a soppy, goofy smile as he bobbed his head in a nod. "Sometimes so much it scares me." Morain released a slow breath, then looked intently at his brother again. "And you? You're happy here." It was a statement, because he SAW that joy and contentment in his brother, but he wanted to hear it all the same.
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Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 11:06 am
[8]
Spirits wasn’t this the weirdest conversation they’d had. It wasn’t as if the brothers had never had a heart to heart before, but often it had been goofier midnight ramblings and jabs along the coastline. Seeing the way Morain’s body both relaxed and grew warmer at the mere mention of Kani made his own heart melt.
“More than I thought possible. We’ve talked about traveling again when the kids are old enough for it, but as long as I’m with her I’m content.” He remembered the ways his fathers had talked about love; not the stupid kind they’d had as teenagers, spatting and spitting over girls who barely spared them a glance, but the real stuff. The kind that made your world flip.
A noise at his back caught his attention and Siel tried his best to crane around. Tsisia had been sleeping – or so he’d thought – but she was apparently awake now...and actively spitting up onto his back. The feeling of spittle through the thin fabric of his top caused a disgusted shudder to run through him.
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