#audwine

Alvara chuckled softly to himself and smiled fondly as he watched his younger brother Audwine talk with one of the lovely baker twins, Shamsel. His brother was bashfully excited and it was amusing to the older Richter. Alva was also proud of his younger brother. Audwine had made such great progress with his baking skill, and let himself feel so proud and confident about sharing his latest treats with Shams and her family. 

Alva, willing to do just about anything for his sibling, agreed to come with. In part to help bring the baked goodies, but also to be there for some moral support. Also the older Richter was invested in seeing how things go between his brother and the baker. He was rooting for the both of them and there was just something about seeing Audwine slowly be more social and grow that made him feel warm and happy. 

“Und I just vanted to bring zese for you und your family because I zink zey came out really well!“ Audwine said to Shamsel while blushing slightly. “I also vanted to give you some of zese mango flavored ones to zank you for vhat you taught me und being such an inspiration to me und believing in me,“ he continued as he rubbed the back of his neck slightly.  

What Audwine said next, however, nearly made Alvara fall out of his chair in surprise. 

“Und...und every time I see you or hear your voice m-my heart swells vith joy! I feel warm und fuzzy und I can’t stop zinking about you for a few hours afterward! I...Shamsel...I zink zis is vhat love feels like! I’ll...I’ll understand if you don’t feel ze same vay, me und my family are...odd, und some of zem can be overwhelming. However, I still vant to ask you to be my girlfriend!” Audwine proclaimed before going completely red in the face from feeling so bashful about it afterwards. 

Joshka floated in the air in a sitting position as he waited. He was in the kitchens waiting on what he had asked for, and was now slightly lost in thought. Even though it had been a few days, he could not get the dish the Klein sisters had made out of his mind. It seemed simple enough, and was quite tasty. 

And yet...

Joshka knew it was still something that was beyond his meager cooking skills. Plus he would be too embarrassed to ask them to teach him the recipe. He still feels like he is pestering his older sisters whenever he asks them to help. As well as his cousin Lily for that matter. 

Although, thanks to her, he can make some basic cookies without burning them now. Her and his sisters never seemed to mind helping him, but he did often feel like he was wasting their time. He wishes he didn’t feel like that most occasions, but it was like a part of him could not help it. 

Joshka sighed softly when he noticed a startled cook staring at him. He hooked his thumbs under the silver chain around his neck and lifted it up to reveal the silver, rounded medallion to them. It had an imprint of a snowflake on the center of it. He then watched as a look of relief crossed their face and they went on their way. 

He let the medallion slip back to it’s hidden place beneath his shirt once they were gone. While Joshka could understand the cook’ s concern and surprise, he was still exasperated slightly. “I vould zink zat zey all know I vear it all ze time...” he mused quietly to himself. “isana too...” he added. 

However, he supposed the memories of their youth before this solution was found was still in everyone’s minds even now. Granted he still found it a little unfair, his and Isana’s miasmic aura wasn’t under their control. Besides he wasn’t sure why, of all his siblings, him and his twin were the only ones with that. 

He tsk’d quietly. He and Isana weren’t bad children, just...confused and did not know how to control a part of themselves they didn’t understand. As much as he may have seemed to be indifferent or looked like he did not care back then, he did not want to live away from his siblings and be forced to stay in the Dark Kingdom. It had hurt him when he overheard that some of the delegates as well as some others suggest that as a ‘solution’ for him and his twin. 

It had been a good thing that his aunt Crystalia had found a way to suppress that part of their aura. Though he wishes he wasn’t so awkward at trying to express his gratitude back then. However, to be fair, he’s still socially awkward now and doesn’t appear to people outside his immediate family much. And although he doesn’t need to worry about ruining ingredients or causing flowers to wilt, he still tends to be cautious. 

Joshka sighed once more and began to tap his cheek. He did not want to dwell on the past too much right now. It would not lead to good things, and he’s still trying to learn to let go of the bit of resentment he has for those who wanted to send him and Isana away.

However, fate was on his side and his older brother Audwine came into the kitchen carrying a basket full of fresh produce. “Ah! Zose look very good. Danke Audwine,” Joshka said as he floated over to him. “Vould...you vant to...help me make ze salad?” he then asked a bit hesitantly, wondering if it would be taking too much of his time. But after the way Joshka’s thoughts had just been...it would probably be better not to make the salad alone today. Audwine, however, chuckled softly.

“I vould be happy to help you further Joshka,“ he said gently as he set the basket down on the counter. “Und you mentioned zat you vanted to give some of the salad to ze Kleins, ja?“ Audwine asked. 

“Ja,“ Joshka answered while nodding. “In part to zank zem for ze dishes zey have made us, und I...just felt like making something because of zem,“ he admitted while rubbing the back of his neck. “Und...one last zing? Vhen ve’re done...could you take it to zem for me?” he asked. Joshka wasn’t sure if he was just being too shy, nervous, embarrassed, or all three to do it himself. His older brother gave him a warm smile in return. 

Was it odd to say that Audwine was a little nervous and caught off guard when he learned his mother invited over the sweet baker, Shamsel?

Probably. 

It wasn’t a bad thing to him of course. It also made sense to him. However, he just...was nervous. He wasn’t sure why he was being nervous. Perhaps if he had known his mother was inviting her over to tutor in baking matters, before the letter was sent, it would have been different. 

Still he was right by his dear mother’s side as they escorted the lovely baker towards the kitchen. There were many different things going through his mind. Many different and more interesting questions than what he could manage to ask so far. 

Granted he was genuinely interested in how Shamsel was doing, and curious about what she was going to teach. Still they seemed like such...bland questions to ask on their own. He was also a bit embarrassed, and still nervous of course, as he knew he could be a bit more eloquent as well. 

Maybe he was just afraid of seeming silly to her?

Oh...his mama was being her usual sweet self. Audwine blushed a little himself, it would make since she would tell her since he didn’t think to mention it himself. His blush grew a little more when Shams took his hands and squeezed them. She was so sweet and thoughtful too, but to hear that her parents also wanted to send him pastries and her twin...gosh. It was such...he almost couldn’t describe it. 

But he was overwhelmingly happy. 

It was much more than he expecting, and it was truly special to him. Although he did wish she held onto his hands longer. “I look forward to trying it Shams, I am certain it vill be extra delicious,” he said softly. “It is a little overwhelming since I’m not used to zis from zose outside my family but...it really makes me happy. So danke so, so much!” he said and then...after a brief pause of thinking about it, pulled her into a hug.

Alvara and Audwine had started to converse about other things when they first heard the doorbell. They paused and it took everything the older Richter had not to start grinning. “Zat may be your delivery,” Alva said nonchalantly. “But as I vas saying, once you start feeling a little more confident in your skill, und are possibly feeling bold one day...maybe you can try making something pumpkin flavored for your dear older brother?”

Audwine raised a brow at his older brother. Maybe he had not been paying attention, but he did not know Alva actually liked pumpkin flavored things. It was good to know for future reference, though. “Unfortunately Alva, zat may not be for quite sometime. I-”

“Oh I can vait patiently for that day Audi,“ Alva interrupted with a chuckle. “I know it vould be vorth it. But I zink I’ve kept you long enough. Perhaps you should make your vay to ze entryway?” he finished and turned to head in a different direction. Alva let himself freely grin now. He did not rush Audwine to answer the door because he could already feel another of their siblings had gotten there first, and it was probably better that way. 

Audwine started to make his way to the entryway, but as he would have almost made it, he heard the message from his older sister Prima. And of course it made him blush. “Prima...bitte, why must you say zings like zat?“ he responded back to her, his flustered tone showing even for a mental message. 

Alvara heard Prima’s message about not disturbing Audi and Shams or trying anything fishy. He laughed softly. The last thing he would want to do is disturb them, but he couldn’t deny he was curious about how things would go. If anything he would go into his bat form and rest on the top ledge of the doorway to the kitchen to eavesdrop slightly. 

When Audi made it to the kitchen he was a little surprised by the boxes on the table and the bags in one of the chairs. That...that seemed like a bit more than what he had ordered. However, those thoughts only lasted for a moment as he got a look at Shamsel. She was looking as beautiful as always, and the sunflower in her hair was a lovely touch. It suited her so much in his opinion. 

“Alvara?“ Audwine called to his older brother who was hanging from the ceiling of the gallery as per usual. 

“Hmm?“ Alvara responded opening an eye to look at his younger brother. He then chuckled softly at seeing the fact that Audi had his arms crossed lightly and was sporting a slight look of suspicion.

“Are you up to something?“ Audwine asked next. 

“Vhat makes you say zat?“

“I know you vent und got mama’s order from the bakery. Und yet you left my zings behind? Seems very unusual und suspicious. Danke, by ze vay for my gift but...I have ze feeling you are up to something more. Am I right Alva?” Audwine said. Alvara flipped down from the ceiling and after landing in front of his little brother he placed his hands on his shoulders. 

“Me? Up to something zough?” he mused. “Zat seems more like Pepi’s zing doesn’t it? Did you stop to consider zat maybe I forgot you ordered something too?” he countered. Audwine uncrossed his arms with a slight roll of his eyes. Pepi was an interesting one to be sure and ,to be fair she did seem like she was planning some silly thing or another most of the time.

But still...Audwine could not shake the feeling that one of his eldest brothers was up to something. “Zat is a point, but I don’t know Alvara…”

“Relax dear little brother. Either way only good could come from it right?“

Alvara hung from the ceiling of the kitchen, in his bat form, as he watched his younger brother with interest. Audwine was practicing baking once more, likely inspired and encouraged by his crush, the cute baker Shamsel. Alva’s younger brother had seemed at least a little less nervous the other day when she came by with the delivery of goods for their mother. So the older Richter was happy that the younger was making a little more progress in his interactions.

It could also be said that part of the reason Alvara was hanging around was out of big brotherly caution. Just in case something goes wrong in Audwine’s endeavors and needs quick assistance to get things under control. And perhaps to give some reassurance so he won’t become downtrodden if something does go wrong.

For the moment, however, Alva was simply watching as his little brother Audi try to make some cookies. It looked like he was keeping it simple and doing chocolate chip ones and seemed to be following a recipe. It was likely out of one of their mother’s books. 

The older Richter also found it adorable when his brother would pause and rub his chin in slight confusion, or mumble to himself about his hopes they would be good enough to give to Shamsel. Of course Alva was rooting for it to be a success, and would even volunteer to go with him to deliver said cookies. In spite of his usual...apprehensions of leaving their home, Alvara would do so if it would be a comfort to his little brother and to see how things played out. 

“Stupid tricks?“ Ryszard echoed in confusion. He was a bit lost on what Armisael meant by that. The first two were simple and easy enough to understand, but that one...maybe he was still a little too drunk to get it. However, he listened to the rest of what she said and nodded slowly as he took her hand. 

He could not put into words at the moment how happy and relieved he was that she was not telling him to go and leave her alone. That she was going to give him a chance. What Rys could do though, was bring her hand to his mouth so he could kiss the back of it. 

Slowly he embraced her once more. “I can only...hope I can be even a fraction o-of my father when it comes to how much he loves und-und cares for my mother,” he said softy. “For...for even a fraction would move mountains if it would make our beloveds happy.”

Audwine watched his brother and Armisael with some relief, as the tension seemed to be easing. However, he was still a little alert just in case Rys suddenly crashed and needed to be taken home, or something else happened. He could not help but chuckle a little at his brother’s remarks when it comes to their father. “Move mountains und redirect rivers,” he lightly corrected before looking over at Shamsel and giving her a loving smile.