#arvad

WotC: We made you and your GF’s blorbos alchemy only cards. Me:

And now the question is will @preciousanalogheart​ see this or their discord messages first lol (love u baby <3).

Month of the Ship, Day 16 - Pretend Relationship

When the rest of the Weatherlight Crew gets kidnapped, it’s up to Tiana and Arvad to chase down the Cabal agents responsible. But what happens when the pair is more suited to smiting evil than rooting out spies?

(30 days and 31 fics! It’s been an amazing month with all you beautiful, amazing mtg fanatics!)

“Barrin! Ash! Get back here!”

The twins ducked under Arvad’s outstretched hand and sprinted off across the deck of the Weatherlight, giggling like little devils. Raff tried to intercept them, casting a net of blue mana down from the rigging, but they split in different directions, wings carrying them up into the sky.

Suddenly a shadow fell on both of them, blotting out the late afternoon sun. They spun around to find Tiana standing behind them, a hand on either hip.

“Now you two, are you being nice to your Uncle Arvad and Uncle Raff?”

“Yes!” They both shouted in unison.

Tiana raised an eyebrow and smiled at them, expectantly. “Are you fibbing?”

Their faces fell a little.

“Yes…” they admitted in unison.

Tiana reached out and pulled each of them into a mid-air half-hug. “Well? What do we say?”

“Sorry uncles!” The little angels called down at the exhausted mage and vampire. Raff gave a winded thumbs-up, and Arvad just laughed.

“They’re too quick for us, Tiana! They’ll be outracing the ship before we know it!”

“Is that true?” Tiana ruffled the twins’ hair. They wore it Ghitu-style, with short braids of orange hair streaked with black. “Are you flying that fast?”

“I am faster than the ship!” Ash declared. She wiggled out of her mother’s grasp and swooped above the ship in rapid loops.

“Slower, please,” Jhoira called up from the deck. “You’ll make yourself sick again; do you want that?”

“Sorry, Mommy Joy!” Ash slowed to a glide. “Did you see how fast I was?”

“No,” Jhoira deadpanned. “You were moving too quick for me to see.”

The little angel-child giggled and flapped off higher toward the Weatherlight’s folded wings. Her brother joined her a second later, and they started playing a game of aerial tag while Tiana hovered over them.

“They are marvelous flyers.” Lyra Dawnbringer lit on the deck beside Jhoira. “I told them they could go ahead after their lessons and they outpaced me in seconds.” She extended a hand to Jhoira. “As always, thank you for having me.”

“Thank you for your time, Dawnbringer.” Jhoira accepted the hand and shook it. “Ash and Barrin seem to be getting a lot out of your visits. They keep asking if we can take you with us.”

“The time is my pleasure to give,” Lyra replied with a laugh and a serene smile. “Every child deserves loving mentorship, as does every angel. I consider it a privilege to add to what you and Tiana have given them already.”

“It’s been…it’s been wonderful, really, if unexpected. I can’t thank you enough for your understanding. I know this is an unusual situation…”

“Yes, well. As a rule, creatures of pure mana don’t get pregnant,” Lyra glanced up at Tiana, who had joined in on the game of tag, then back to Jhoira. “So…we’re still trying to figure out how you two managed that.”

Jhoira flushed.

“Please don’t misunderstand!” Lyra looked about as flustered as a non-Tiana angel could. “We consider them both a blessing, it’s just…well, it’s a very new situation for the faith, and we want to make sure we handle it with all the grace and acceptance that they deserve.” She lay a hand of reassurance on Jhoira’s shoulder. “We have nothing but appreciation for the love you’ve shown Tiana, and everything that’s come of it.”

“It’s been quite an adventure so far,” Jhoira whispered. Her three angels whirled in loops above her, laughing and chasing one another. It was beautiful. The setting sun was igniting the mountain range of clouds above them with brilliant shades of rose and gold, and still those three were the most beautiful sights in the sky.

Ash and Barrin swooped down and grabbed onto Jhoira, nearly bowling her over.

“Mom! Mom!” Barrin folded his wings and started dangling from Jhoira’s back. “Can we show Aunt Lyra a grendelkin next time she visits? She says she’s never seen one!”

“Or a gurzigost?!” Ash added.

“They’re the same thing!”

“Are not!”

Jhoira patted them both on the arm. “Now that depends on where we are next time she visits. Aunt Lyra can't just come wherever. It's a long way from Benalia to Otaria, my little pilots."

"But...but..." Ash tugged on Jhoira's trousers "Mommy Tea said she could!"

"I said you should ask Lady Lyra first," Tiana corrected as she touched down next to them. "And be ready to take ‘no’ for an answer."

"Honesty, little angels." Lyra touched each of them on the head. "And patience. Do you promise to give both to your parents?"

Barrin and Ash nodded, hugging Jhoira even tighter.

"Very good. Jhoira, Tiana, always a pleasure." Lyra spread her wings and took to the skies.

“Bye Aunt Lyraaa!” the twins waved and shouted, and then fell quiet for almost a full minute as the four of them watched Lyra wing away toward the setting sun, her armor glowing with a rainbow halo.

Jhoira picked Barrin off of her back and cradled him in her arms. “How were your lessons, pilots?” She patted Ash’s head with her other hand.

“Fun! Lyra told us about the history of Benalia!”

“And all about Serra’s realm! She said that you’re a hero, Mommy Joy! You saved all the angels and all the others too!”

“Oh no, did she really say that?” Jhoira sighed and fixed a glare on the speck that was Lyra winging away. “Mommy just did what everyone should do. Helped others in need. And I had a lot of help.”

It was no good; the twins were already looking up at her with shimmering eyes. Ash was practically jumping back into the air.

“Can you teach me how to fly the ship and save people, Mommy Joy? I promise I’m big enough now to do it really good!”

“Let’s start you off with a smaller ship, brave girl.”

Barrin tapped her arm. “Mommy Joy, can I help you fix your toolbox tomorrow? I’ve been practicing with the wind-up bugs you made and I’m getting real good with the wire stripper.”

“If you’re very good tonight and eat all your supper you may. How does that sound?”

Barrin hopped down from Jhoira’s arms and made a small salute. "Aye-aye cap'n!"

Jhoira tsk-ed. "So fresh." She ran a hand through Barrin’s hair. "You're not too old to call me your mother yet, little pilot."

"Mommy Tea calls you that!" Ash interjected.

"That's because I'm captain of the ship."

Barrin crossed his arms. "Uncle Arvad and Uncle Raff call you Jhoira."

"Aunt Shanna calls her captain!"

"Aunt Shanna calls mommy 'Captain Jhoira'" Barrin tugged at Tiana's apron. "And only in front of the rest of the crew. Why do you call Mommy Joy 'captain?’”

“Um, well-”

"First mate returning with cargo!" Raff's voice carried across the ship. "Crew, ready to load bays!"

"Aunt Shanna!" Ash let go of Jhoira and scurried down the steps to the main deck. Barrin followed after her, jumping the steps altogether and gliding down to where Shanna was mounting the gangplank back up to the ship.

Jhoira put an arm around Tiana’s waist. “Close call there, Mommy Tea.”

Tiana’s face was about as red as the sun was just then. “I didn’t think they’d heard me.”

“You slip up sometimes.” She kissed Tiana’s cheek, then leaned up into her ear. “It’s very endearing, even when you don’t realize you’re doing it.”

Tiana buried her face in her hands. “Uuugh…I’ll be more careful…” She looked up from her hands again suddenly, like she’d had a thought. She glanced around them, then smirked at Jhoira. “…cap~tain angel hero.”

Jhoira snorted and ran a hand up Tiana’s back and curled a lock of the angel’s hair around her finger. She tugged the angel’s head back and kissed her ear. “So brazen. Hero or not, I’m still your captain and – oh no, she brought them candy.”

The twins were tearing across the ship again, faces smeared with whatever sweets Shanna had brought back with her to maintain her reign as ‘coolest aunt.’ They stomped across the deck, while Slimefoot’s saprolings scurried along behind them, cleaning up the tracks they left behind.

“Looks like we’ll be up all night with them, Mommy Joy.” Tiana slipped behind Jhoira and wrapped her arms around her, resting her cheek on top of Jhoira’s head.

“Mmmm…honestly…?” Jhoira leaned back against Tiana, letting herself sink into her lover’s strong arms. “…I can’t think of a nicer way to spend the night.”