Drenched in Vanilla Twilight

Hoshiko knew as soon as she truly became the Warrior of Light that motherhood was no longer in the cards for her. How could it be when the world was always a hair’s breadth close away from the next Calamity and she was called on each time to help prevent it, as well as each milder one? She was the one on whom so many people’s hopes and dreams fell upon and she harbored no intention of letting them down.

With all of that pressure and responsibility, how could she knowingly bring a child into the world when she would spend most of her time attempting to save that world? Hoshiko needed to travel to dangerous places that were no place for a child at all. What would happen should she die?  Who would take care of the child? Would they be raised by the Dutiful Sisters of the Edelweiss as she was? Would Vivire or  Aisithota take them in? Or would it fall to the Scions to take care of the child? Perhaps that was the option that worried her most, as the Scions were no different from her, tossing themselves into the frontlines of battle to save the world. At the same time, the Scions would certainly be the most devoted caretakers for the child. Between F’lhaminn, Y’shtola, Thancred, Urianger, and the twins, it would be the most learned child, of that Hoshiko was sure.

Hoshiko couldn’t risk bringing a new life into the world, so children were out of the question. She was unsure who the father of her children would be in the first place, as she had no romantic paramours in the first place. As the Warrior of Light, she was too busy for affairs of the heart (even though there were pieces of her heart scattered across Eorzea, with some of it tucked in the chest of Aymeric, where he kept it warm from the Isgardian cold, and some of it in buried in the snow with Haruchefant with his eternal watch over the land he loved, with Hien in Doma, with her home there, and with the Scions, tucked in Thancred’s pocket, though Hoshiko doubted that he knew that he had it). Too many were intimidated by her standing as the Warrior of Light. It was just as well. If she was with someone, she wanted them to view her as an equal, not as someone to be placed on a pedestal.

Even with her decision for forgo children, Hoshiko herself was not immune to maternal urges. They presented in the way she brewed tea for Y’shtola when she stayed up far too late on research and needed something to help keep her mind sharp (Hoshiko knew better than to argue with the Miqo'te when it came to research), or the way she insisted Thancred get rest when he returned from missions, or when he refused to, how she would sit up with him so that if he had to remain awake, he would not be alone. She made sure that Tataru had breaks or time to just relax without being worried about the functioning of the Scions for a time.

The biggest target of her urges were the Leveilleur twins. In Ishgard, during that first visit with Alphinaud and Cid, Hoshiko had fought and bartered and traded for a warm thick cloak, blue with white fur, for Alphinaud, to make sure that he was bundled up and warm as much as possible while they were there together. When the Scions fell to the Crystal Braves, she had fought the urge to pull Alphinaud to her and stroke his hair, to let him know that the following events were not his fault. That was the one time she found herself furious with the other Scions. Alphinaud for all his wisdom, was still a child, and here they were, placing him in power and looking at him to save things when as adults, they should have been the ones to step up.

In Ishgard proper, she felt protective of him because all of the Scions were gone except for Tataru and he was all she had left. That was why she would fling herself into the first sign of danger if it meant that Alphinaud would be okay. If it meant that he would live, then it would be alright if she was injured.

As Hoshiko reunited with Alisaie and learned more about her, she found herself feeling that same protectiveness for the other twin. She appreciated how clever Alisaie was, in a way different from Alphinaud. While she trusted Alphinaud to be clever when it came to politics and governments, Hoshiko found that she trusted Alisaie on the battlefield, for the girl to make her own quick decisions. Even though she trusted the Elezen, Hoshiko still threw herself into battle in order to protect her. These two teens were the future and she would protect them.

She wanted to be there to help. To watch them grow into the amazing adults that would take Eorzea by storm as she knew they would. The Twelve knew that their parents weren’t there to witness it. 

After that, it became easier to view them as family, as something akin to younger siblings. It was different than how she felt about Ryuuji, who she remembered viewing as an annoyance more than anything else. Perhaps it was because of their age, but Hoshiko felt closer to them than she did her own brothers. Then again, at this point, she didn’t know if her brothers still lived.

That concerned her. While she would not have children, she did not want to leave her family without heirs of sorts. Thus an idea came to her. What if, she asked the twins to be her next of kin should something happen to her? It would mean that her family resources would be passed down, she knew Hien would make sure of that.

It took a bit of time to figure out the workings before she called for the twins to meet her in her room at the Rising Stones.

Alphinaud was the first of the two to arrive, ever punctual. “Is anything amiss? Rarely do you call for me specifically,” he asked as he strode into the room.

Hoshiko smiled slightly and gestured to the table in the middle, where she had a spread of sandwiches and snacks. Thanks to Urianger and her own travels with them, she was able to pick up on their preferred snack preferences.

“Nothing is wrong,” she replied. “I just have something I need to discuss with you and your sister is all.” She busied herself by pouring cocoa into a mug, the same drink that Haruchefant had introduced both her and Alphinaud to while at Camp Dragonhead. The action served to distract her from the nervous fluttering in her stomach. There was no telling how this conversation would even go. Would the twins agree to this?

It was well enough that Alphinaud was the first to arrive. Between the two twins, he was more agreeable following social customs and niceties, meaning that he made no remark about her trembling hands, instead taking a seat at the table and taking the mug from her.

“Hm… This must be important if you are making hot cocoa.” He held the mug to his nose and closed his eyes, looking as though he was trying to savor the scent before he took a sip. She hoped that it met his expectations. She would never be able to make it like Haruchefant did, but she hoped it would be close enough.

“Does it meet with your approval?” Hoshiko asked after a moment passed, internally wringing her hands. This made her more nervous than she had originally anticipated.

Alphinaud opened his eyes and she saw the smile that formed behind the steam. “Do not worry friend, it is very well done. Did you get the chocolate from Ishgard?”

Hoshiko nodded. A trip to Ishgard resulted in the chocolate, especially after she told Count Eamont the reason behind the trip. He had smiled and procured the chocolate for her, stating that he hoped it would help. “It is. I was there recently and happened to get some drinking chocolate.”

“It definitely has a different taste than the chocolate around here.”

Hoshiko took a seat at one of the other chairs, sipping her own mug and letting the chocolate attempt to relax her. “It does. I will admit that chocolate is something the Ishgardians definitely got right. Now, pray tell, what have you been up to since we last spoke?”

Alphinaud came to life, speaking of how he had been bouncing between Ala Mhigo and Doma, as well as Kugane, and the city states in order to strengthen the alliances and ensure resources for all, as well as serve as the representative for the Scions. Hoshiko wondered if Alphinaud knew how expressive he became when talking about the details of politics, how he would use his hands to communicate and emphasize important topics. It was in moments like this that Alphinaud really came across as an excitable teen and not the miniature adult that he attempted to show to the rest of the world.

She wondered about his parents. Had they ever shown such interest in listening to Alphinaud talk about where his passions lay? She knew they objected to both of their children leaving Sharlyan in order to come to Eorzea, but she rarely heard much else about them. If they had never shown a fascination, than that was a shame, because it was nice listening to Alphinaud talk.

“I suppose I must be boring you.” He set the mug down, smiling ruefully. “Dare I ask what thrilling adventures you’ve gotten up to at this time?”

“It’s not boring at all. It’s nice to listen to you talk about things you enjoy.” Both hands wrapped around the mug, she looked down at the surface of her drink. “I promise, nothing of particular note has happened. I have been going to slay more Primals that the beast tribes keep bringing back.”

“And you say this like it is a common thing. Rarely do people fight a Primal once and come back alive, but here you are, fighting them multiple times.” He smiled at her. “You can never claim that your life is boring.” 

“Perish the thought.”

The two fell into soft conversation as they waited for the third part of their group to arrive, keeping the conversation flowing light and easy.

“I do hope I’m not terribly late.” Alisaie said after pushing open the door to the room and dusting herself off. “I was looking into something with Urianger, which always takes longer than anyone expects.”

Nerves returned, but Hoshiko smiled as the other twin came into the chamber. “There’s not really such a thing as too late in this case. Unless you meant returning during the next sun. Then I would hope you’d have the decency to use our linkshells to tell me.”

Alisaie’s lips quirked up into a tiny smile before she looked over the table and the spread there. “What is this?” She asked, walking closer. “I’d almost say you were planning something.”

Hoshiko pushed herself out of her chair and got up, motioning for Alisaie to take a seat while she worked on getting the cocoa for her. Thanks to aether and her journeys, she was able to use fire crystals to help keep the cocoa warm without scorching it. “Perhaps I am. Since you are both here, I can explain things.”

Fiddling with the drink gave Hoshiko the excuse of not having to look at them while she started speaking. “I want to start off by saying that you two have become some of my dearest companions. I’ve watched you become wonderful people over the time and while I never had the pleasure of meeting Louisoix, I can’t help but feel that he would be proud of the two of you and how you’ve grown.”

She felt the confusion in the air as she brought the mug over to Alisaie and set in front of her without looking up at her before taking her own seat. “At this point, I view the two of you as my own family.” She folded her hands into her lap, looking at them before looking back up.

“What is all this about?” Alisaie asked.

Hoshiko held up a hand to stop her so that she could finish. “I just need to tell you this. I promise, I will get to the point.”

She took a deep breath. She could do this. She’d stood in front of Ascians and Primals without faltering, so it would only make sense that she would be able to do this, right?

“I am not likely to ever have children. With how my life is, I don’t think I safely can. I have too much of a target on my back and there is a high chance that I will perish in battle as opposed to natural causes at this point.” She reached over for one the sandwiches she’d made, tearing it into smaller pieces on her plate as a further distraction for her anxiety. 

“I also do not know if my family still lives. My brothers were both taken by the Empire as far as I know, but I don’t know anything else. I don’t even know where or how to look. As such, I am assuming that I am the last of my line… I know you two have family already, but I would like to, if I may, if you would be alright with it…” She trailed off.

“Be alright with what?” Alisaie asked, motioning for Hoshiko to continue and earning a slight glare from her brother.

“Would it be alright if I made you two my heirs or my next of kin? Should anything happen to me, I want to make sure that people are told and that my properties and my family’s legacy, whatever may be left of it, are not left to wither away and die.” She did not add that she wanted to make sure that the twins were taken care of as well. She had no doubt in her mind that they would survive with or without her. Still, she wanted to care for them in her own way.

Two pairs of shocked eyes stared at her. It was Alphinaud who first spoke up. “You would claim us as kin?”

“I would. I cannot adopt you, as you two still have family and I am not sure you would even want to be adopted by me, but…” She felt tears gather at the corners of her eyes. “You two are so dear to me and I would like it so that Eorzea and the realm know this. Would that be alright?”

She noticed the way that both of them looked away from her, but there was a glossy sheen to them.

“Speaking for myself, I would be honored…” Alphinaud spoke softly. “That you would consider me to be family, my dearest friend. No one has served as a greater source of inspiration to me and the realm. But I cannot agree to this alone.” He blinked and looked over at his sister. “Alisaie, we are in this together, or not at all.”

Alisaie reached up and rubbed at her eyes, before looking at Alphinaud. “As if you have to ask. I would gladly claim you as my sister, Hoshiko, as long as you will have me.”

Relief flooded her system as the tears streamed down Hoshiko’s face. She reached up to rub at her eyes. Rarely did she cry in front of others, let alone tears of joy, but there they were, running down her face. “Thank you.”

She heard a sniffle as Alisaie looked away again. “I don’t see the need to cry about this. It really is the most logical answer.”

“I suppose so, but I worried nonetheless.” She finally took a small bite of her sandwich, one of the many shreds on her plate. “There will be a few things to do. I should talk to Urianger for the paperwork, just so that it will be recognized in Eorzea. And then there’s Ishgard and I will need to let Hien know as well. Perhaps him most of all. With his assistance, or maybe Yugiri’s, I’ll be able to find more information on my family resources. And then you will need to meet Vivi-”

Alphinaud reached out, placing a hand on top of hers. “One thing at a time.”

Hoshiko beamed at him, at the two of them really. “Right. One thing at a time.” Her first step would be the paperwork, followed by taking them to visit her aunts. It would only make sense to have both parts of her family that she knew about meet.