#dragon-kiddos

So long as Kana walked the earth, this poor man would never get a moment of peace. Little dragon bounds up to him as excited as ever, but now a bit more care slowed his normal sprint. A basket filled to the brim with various gifts and parcels balances precariously in his arms, too big for even a normal-sized person to carry correctly.

"Look, look, I got you stuff! I wasn't sure what to get you and couldn't decide, so I just got everything I could think of. Happy Birthday!!"

Little dragon drops the basket between them and, without waiting for a reply, starts to pull things out and thrust them forward into Andrei's unsuspecting hands. (This seemed to be a recurring thing between the two of them...)

"So, okay, first, flowers, right? 'Cause everyone gets flowers on their birthday, that's just what birthdays are." Indeed, the center of the basket held a bouquet of brightly-colored blooms, all having something or other to do with friendship and well-wishes.

"And, I got you a nice brush for your horsey, 'cause, not gonna lie, a lot of the ones the monastery provides are gross." The brush marks the beginning of the pile.

Next, he lifts up a small box that houses a set of simple green-colored ribbons, more for everyday use than elegance, but still fashionable. "Then, then, I got you this little ribbon set, and I'm not really sure if you're the type to tie your hair back, but if you ever want to, these are really durable!"

"And these little guys are tiny carvings made out of different monsters' teeth! They're like little charms, but they're also cool little decorations, and they're supposed to inspire hard work and tenacity 'n stuff." Kana drops three little figurines into Andrei's palm, each depicting a different deity that may or may not look a little draconic. Perhaps Kana was biased in this gift.

At the bottom of the basket lays a folded green blanket, carefully crocheted by a local merchant, in a deep emerald color. The stitching made the blanket heavy, but it breathed well; there would be no overheating with this piece. "Last thing, I got you a nice blanket, 'cause I think everyone deserves a really nice blanket, and this one felt very... you. You're green!"

Throwing his hands out, little dragon looks very pleased with himself. "You don't seem like the type of person to buy lots of things for yourself, so I'm happy to give you lots of stuff. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope your birthday is super-duper good!"

(Underneath the cable blanket, at the very bottom of the basket, sits a small envelope: a card, handmade and written by Kana, stating in short how very grateful he is to know Andrei and call him a friend. It is, of course, completed with a doodle of the two of them—both wearing very big, very happy smiles.)

     There aren’t many people who can yell Andrei’s name in public without repercussion, and thankfully for all parties involved, Kana happens to be one of them.

     The sight of the huge basket in his arms itself doesn’t particularly surprise Andrei — after all, it seems like there’s no end to the strength and enthusiasm the younger boy could muster for the world around him. It’s only when Kana speaks that Andrei’s eyes widen in surprise. This is meant to be a gift for him?

     ...All of it?

     There’s little time for him to dwell on that thought before things begin piling up in his hands. While Andrei feels each object could have sufficed as a birthday present in and of itself, Kana apparently disagreed, for he finds himself with more things than he really expected to own today.

     Flowers are the most orthodox of the presents in the basket. The brush is a gift that would see use quickly — it’s true that he’d often found the brushes available within Garreg Mach’s stables to be lacking, compared to that of Yngvi’s. Ironic, considering his treatment of his current steed is otherwise better than any he’d ever owned at home.

     Ribbons and small decorations form the next part of his gifts, though in the moment he has little time for more than a quick look at each before more things are added to the stack in his arms. The ribbons will likely join the hair clips that he’d acquired from the monastery, within the depths of some drawer, though the emptiness of his room does lead him to consider putting the figurines in some visible spot. Hard work and tenacity are certainly values he can appreciate, after all.

     The final object, too, catches his eyes as Kana points it out. Andrei instinctively looks down at himself — while he’d taken the effort, even within the depths of the Abyss, to ensure the neatness of his clothing, here he is without the green coat he had been fond of back at home. It would’ve taken thoughtful observance to figure out his preference for color here in Fódlan, and it is touching to see that the younger boy had managed to take note.

     He looks up at Kana after the boy’s declaration, and there is a rare softening of his gaze, an upward turn of his lips. “Thank you... for the consideration you’ve taken in preparing these,” he says, “I am honored to receive your gifts.”

     And it is true. More than the overflowing basket, the thought that Kana had gone through the effort of choosing these particular things to give to him... He is aware he’d hardly done anything to deserve this, but he is grateful, nonetheless.

 @dragon-kiddos ; Bow +1

Sigh.

Training is training, Leonardo knows it, and with that in mind, he signs up. He needs it, needs whatever practice he can get, desperately so, to better his still mediocre and average skill with the bow. But this whole competition for cutlery? He does not comprehend the sense and logic behind it. What is the point?

   (Hey Leonardo, have you ever heard of having fun?)

   (When Edward isn’t around? No, not really probably.)

At any rate, he receives his three arrows; at least he can treat this as a good exercise in properly utilizing scarce resources. One never knows when that will be a necessary skill to have in a pinch. He has been there more than once, after all; the Dawn Brigade could hardly afford to purchase new quivers for him on a regular basis, especially while on the run, and so Leonardo is well versed in the art of scavenging for arrows good enough to reuse.

But there will be no such thing here. He gets those three arrows and that is it.

Silencing his thoughts about the whole game idea in favor of quiet focus, the blond loads up the arrow, aims, sh—

“GAH!”

The arrow flies way off-course, thankfully not hitting anything alive (from the sound of things, at least? No one screamed), and Leonardo feels the ground beneath him and someone’s weight upon him. Sitting up, he groans.

@dragon-kiddos

Is that a child Hubert sees? He... supposes so—his height surely is an outlier amongst the other students, but definitely not unheard of. What sells the idea, however, is the boy’s bright, youthful face and underdeveloped figure. Hubert’s awe at the boy’s sheer compactness can’t exactly be stifled, as he watches with intrigue at the student’s attempt to carry a large pile of javelins all on his own. A fluffy cloud of silver hair pokes out from behind spearheads as he waddles forth, the weight of the weapons clearly burdensome and hefty between his spindly little arms.

Hubert’s attempt to remain seated as he watches this fierce battle is fruitless. Warm plucks of sympathy strike his heart as the student fumbles a javelin or two—his face twists into a frustrated glower at the sight. It’s so sad, and so precious. Hubert shakes his head as phantom anecdotes of domestic life pass through his mind. Here, at the monastery, he’s intended to put that life behind him, at least for the time being—but no matter how far away he runs from the Vestra household, the memories attached to it will always be one step ahead of him. The smile on Hubert’s face manifests as a bittersweet acknowledgement of such nostalgia. 

What is this weakness he feels? It overtakes him as the blue-scarfed adolescence now drops all of the javelins, huffing out a groan of aggravation. That isn’t enough to topple his own conviction, however, as he bends down to scoop up the weapons once more. His honest grey eyes flash with an even more intense determination; it’s substantial, and a little larger than himself. 

No more of this, Hubert decides. He stands up, abandoning his cup of coffee, and approaches the boy. He absolutely towers over him, with the top of his snowy head hardly even reaching the middle of Hubert’s chest. Chewing back his own adoring grin is a mighty feat indeed, Hubert thinks as he looks at the unnamed student in his glimmering, ocean-deep eyes.

Your group manages to find one of the other missing students in town, but the rest won’t be so simple. The well-mannered ones took on jobs as housekeepers for the wealthiest families in town, relying on their salary and room and board to survive in this strange place. The rest who weren’t able to join them found themselves employed by the local factories, enduring backbreaking work and terrible fumes in order to feed themselves. Getting to them means infiltrating their line of work. Fortunately for you, a young baroness has made quite a name for herself in the city. Not only is she beautiful and wealthy, because her late husband owned many of the factories in the city, she is also exceedingly charitable. Perhaps to the point of foolhardiness, according to the gossips. Rumor has it that she will hire just about anyone, and a glimpse of her (and the striking birthmark on her left cheek) tells you that the rumors are at least two-thirds true. But that also means a job interview may be in your future…

“Oh, you are looking so very dapper, kiddo!”

Why is a child coming to a job interview with him?

It beggars belief, truly. Whatever. It’s not as though the monk can’t make do. With a grin, he gives Kana a definitely-not-super-condescending pat on the head and whirls on his heels. Coattails swish, and my oh my, he does feel like quite the gentleman - perhaps he can pull off some manner of miracle here yet.

Pausing in his steps, he turns around, nudges the little dragonling with his cane. Tips his hat. “Come along now, little Kanahara. We’ve business to attend to.”

Azama stoops a moment to straighten Kana’s bowtie. “There. Perfect.”

Except for the. The ears. The sharp teeth. The…

Well, the everything.

Azama straightens. Offers Kana his sunniest smile. “Do try not to make a royal mess of things, yes? Can you do that for me?” And then gives him a little pinch of the cheek, for good measure.

Quite shortly, their names are called. It’s go time.

Someone was here. A scent that far overpowered his own, and even mama’s.

He’s running before his mind can even catch up. Only one thought remained in his mind: she’s here.

Vivid blue with rose tips, a braid he’s unraveled in the past only to do it up all over again. A smile that warmed his heart more than any flame could. (Vision blurs with tears before she has even settled her gaze on his quickly-approaching form.)

Lilith.

Little dragon doesn’t remember how his arms get around her. He doesn’t remember how his face ends up buried in her chest, or how his crying wets her shirt. All he knows is the familiar comfort of her fingers in his hair, a soft shushing on her lips as she smiles for him, her little dragon.

AT FIRST, LILITH IS UNAWARE of why the pricking in her eyes begins to burn, or why the weight of water hangs delicately on her eyelashes.  she stops moving, feet pointed down towards the ground but never touching, never grazing the earth.  gravity does not touch her but it manages to drag her tears into a gentle roll down her cheeks.   (   it is the scent, you realize.  it is the memory of having that settles in the air.   )

realization sinks into her expression, pulling a gasp from her throat as the sound of footsteps hit the ground behind her.  raised hands lower from where they had been pressed against her face, wet from tears yet still flexed.  there is nothing able to blur her vision if not for emotions and she immediately catches onto the scent that reaches her nose.  it is light but never faint.  it is pleasant but never this close.  little dragon.  lilith turns around, curious eyes wide and tearful.

(   you had forgotten that it was your corpse that he last saw.  that it was  your last words that he had heard.   )

“   kana!  oh, nephew!   ”   lilith cries out, thankful that the title only falls on their ears and no others’.  gravity drags her down, just enough to take kana into her arms and lift him up into an embrace.  his face pressed against her chest,  fingers intertwined behind her back.  her hand moves to his hair, allowing her body to tilt backward slightly to keep them both floating without struggle.  the gentleness of her voice is instant, attempting to soothe both dragons’ hearts.  dry both of their faces of tears.

her fingers comb through his hair as she shushes him with small humming, her other hand pressed against his back.   “   it’s alright, i’m here.  i’m here now,   ”   lilith whispers.  there is nothing else that she says which take a louder volume.  her whispers and shushes melt together into hums, a melody unfinished but not broken.

slowly, the two lower to the ground.  lilith bends her knees so that she’s kneeling, kana resting still in her embrace but also in a similar position.  she doesn’t mind the wetness of her shirt, nor the discomfort of being pressed against so tightly.  it’s fine.  it’s a discomfort she can take for him.  always for him, never for her; she is familiar with this sacrifice too well.

@dragon-kiddos

The snow comes to Fódlan earlier than expected this year, or at least that is what Roy has been told. Not that whether or not it’s early matters to him, or anyone else probably. It needs to get cleaned up from the main pathways quick, or else that’s going to be a lot of broken arms and legs, and neither the students, nor the Knights can afford this kind of risk.

So he is not surprised to be tasked with the labor, nor does he complain about it. It is not an usual task for him to handle - to see the heir of Pherae shoveling snow between the monastery’s buildings might just give a few Lycian nobles a heart attack, were they to witness it - but what did he come here for, if not for new experiences that he could not acquire at home or elsewhere.

He shows up to the designated place early. The monastery is luckily equipped with shovels and all the equipment necessary for those less gifted in magic arts, not necessarily capable of melting the snow in one quick incantation. It would also seem that the Academy has been gracious enough to provide him with support in the form of a classmate.

“Oh, good morning,” Roy says with a smile and a light wave of his hand. Past experiences have given him more than ample training in the art of initiating conversations with people he’s never spoken to before; but he recalls the young-looking boy sitting in the same classroom during lectures, which indicates that they’re Housemates. So the greeting flows off his tongue even more fluidly.

another kiss prompt (no longer accepting!)

     Common sense dictated that archers were meant to remain in the back lines, where their range would provide covering fire for the other members of the army more suited for close combat. That hadn’t been the rule for the Beige Ritter, but horseback archery, and in such a large group, had been another matter entirely.

     On the other hand, as Andrei had come to discover during missions in Fódlan, fighting alongside just one or two allies was also a much different situation to an archer’s usual lot. Sometimes it was impossible to merely sit back and allow his melee allies to take every hit, thus requiring a more careful balance of his offensive and defensive capabilities to ensure everyone’s survival. And even if that wasn’t a problem, the smaller amount of targets also meant the enemy could simply attack him with little provocation at all, even if he wasn’t entirely prepared to take the hit.

     This had been a miscalculation. Two on two hadn’t seemed like the worst situation to face, especially when they were merely up against bandits, but the sight of Kana’s small frame surrounded by the two axe-wielding enemies had caused a worried twinge in his chest, enough that he’d stepped in close, bow raised in an attempt to draw at least one of the enemies’ attention. Too close...! At this range, the enemy Fighter easily dodged the weakened arrow he loosed, before barreling bodily into him, knocking his bow from his hands and sending him to the ground. Andrei looked up in alarm as the Fighter gave a triumphant laugh, axe raised high as though in execution. I won’t survive this. He closed his eyes, preparing for the fatal impact.

     It never came. Instead, there was a gurgled gasp, and his eyes opened to a sword sticking from the Fighter’s chest, the axe that was to be his death falling limply from the enemy’s hand as the final breaths left his body. Then with a thud, he fell to the ground, and Andrei could see that Kana had been behind the blade.

     “You...” For a moment, he merely looked at the boy, feeling dazed with the aftereffects of adrenaline that had pounded through him seconds before. He’d thought that would be his end. Was there a part of him that was still disappointed to be denied a quick death? Andrei shook his head to clear those thoughts, pulling himself to his feet. “I’m alright. Apologies for causing you concern,” he said, noting the emotion in the other’s eyes. Having someone worry for his life, on such a personal level... he still wasn’t quite used to such a feeling, uncertain what to make of it.

[SLEEP] the sender falls asleep on the receiver.

Spending time with Kana always warmed Sakura’s heart. She felt lucky to be able to see him so much after he had been taken out of his Deeprealms, to be able to spend time with yet another member of her expanding family, even if she understood that the circumstances weren’t the best. She had her worries, about Kana’s health and about what he may have experienced during the war, but she knew well enough not to dote on him too obviously, or to comment on such things. It was something they had in common, the frustration of being treated like a fragile child.

Her understanding of this was why it meant so much to her when he let himself cuddle up to her and lay his head on her shoulder, depending on her in a way that most people often did not. She ran a hand through his hair, careful of his adorably pointy ears, and shifted so that he could rest a bit more of his weight on her.