Green sees so much more of his eldest in his grandson than he ever expected. Not so much in appearance but in mannerisms.
Tori doesn't speak anymore, she can't... she can't laugh either. That is heart shattering to Green because he adores his children and he loves to listen to them speak and laugh...
Tori has — had always been so easy to make laugh and giggle. She's more talkative than even Sheerow — she takes after Ravio that way... but that's gone now.
Gan giggles. He's a child, and they do that, but he giggles like Tori, complete with the nose scrunch and cadance.
Gan has curls like Tori, but he has the same stubborn curl that sticks up no matter what at the back of his head that she does when her hair is shorter.
Green nearly cried when Gan told him not to hurt Tori. The child isn't scary — he's too young to pull that off but he was so serious. The eyes that know too much match Tori's for different reasons but are haunting anyway. Gan was so — defiant staring up at him... for a moment, he didn't see Gan. He saw a little girl with blonde curls and crossed arms telling a noble to shut up.
He saw his baby — his first baby who has his eyes and Ravio's freckles — telling a noble to shut up because they can't be nice. She was so small, no more than seven herself, and she was so sure of herself. Alfie at her side, nodding along as she gives a dirty look to the noble in question and tells them that they should wash their brain with soap since they can't understand that people can hear them being mean under their breath. Like. A. Coward... He had been so proud, and laughed more than he should have. Tori wasn't scary that night, looking more like an upset chick than anything else.
Goddesses above, below, and even sideways... Tori has always been defiant, upbeat, creative, and loving. She's always been vibrant, like Ravio in many ways. Seeing her subdued — silent and still even in her magic has been a chilling experience...
Gan watches everything, and he always seems to be forming questions even if he doesn't ask them... his eyes are golden — but sometimes Green swears he could see purple over them.
The little boy tracks movement and colors.
He sees Tori, watching the way the orchard is and tracking every swaying leaf and blade of grass.
Tori has always been a bird at heart, free and bound to fly. And Gan — is basically her fledgling, watching the world and looking ready to explore.
Green watches as Gan sits, swinging his legs and talking with Sky and eagerly asking around Loftwings and feathers.
For a moment he sees a giggling tween with a one eyes raven on her shoulder as she asks about loftwings and migration.
Gan sleeps curled up to his mother's side, seeking her even is his sleep for assurance of safety and warmth. He sleeps in a loose fetal position most of the time.
For a heartbeat he sees Tori curling up to Ravio on a winter night as his husband reads to her while laying on the rug. She was so young, all of three, and full of thoughts to share.
He watches Gan meet Ben, the two boys smiling and laughing. It only takes a few moments before they're holding hands and running to the orchard.
He sees Tori and Alfie do the same thing in his memory, laughing as they pull eachother along.
When was the last time his daughter did any of that?
When was the last time Tori laughed? Or sang? Or ran of pulling someone alone? When was the last time she curled up by one of her parents — or hell even one of her aunts and uncles?
He missed years of her life due to time travel, yes, but he somehow missed her growing up in front of him too.
He missed that it was the last time she would wake him and Ravio up because of a nightmare.
He missed that it was the last time she would need to hold his hand when in the market.
How could he have missed that? He's missed it with his other children too.
Scarlett hasn't asked to be pushed on a swing since she was six.
Alfie hasn't asked to be carried since he was eight.
Ben is the baby, the youngest, but he's already lost two baby teeth...
Green hears Gan laugh from the other room again, and it pulls his mind back to the child, and his similarities to Tori...
How could Green have ever wanted to cast this boy out?
Probably always has been...
