#kid!emile

    Virgil’s jaw unclenched as the minutes passed by in blissful peace. His aching muscles sank into the mattress with a heaviness that made the rest of the world seem to disappear around him.  Hours could have passed, or perhaps it was just a few short minutes, when a warm body slipped into the bed beside him. He felt the familiar tingling of Logan’s touch as his partner wrapped an arm around his waist, spooning him from behind as Virgil’s eyes started to flutter open.

    “I wish I did not have to disturb your peace, but your breakfast is going to grow cold if I allow you to rest for much longer.”

    Virgil felt his thoughts start to churn in his head as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. His muscles automatically tensed as he started to sort through his recent memories and images of Remy and the twins flashed through his mind.

    “Before you let your mind run loose on you, know that your two boys are in the other room.” Logan’s voice was calm as he absently ran his thumb across Virgil’s stomach. “They are safe and enjoying a warm meal and they assured me they would call for us if the need arises.”

    “Logan.”

    “Be gentle with yourself, dear.” Logan’s hand rested on Virgil’s hip as he pressed a gentle kiss on Virgil’s shoulder. “There is no need to panic. Your family is safe, and you can take whatever time you need to rise.”

    His confusion turned to guilt as he opened his eyes and turned over his shoulder toward his soulmate. It wasn’t until he stared into the soft look in Logan’s eyes that he noticed the sound of Thomas and Emile’s voices carry down the hall and all the memories of the previous night came rushing back. His shoulders tensed as he leaned back into Logan, his voice small as the icy feeling of shock settled across his chest. “I can't believe they’re here.”

    “My shock may rival your own.” Logan’s hand squeezed gently around Virgil’s waist as his soulmate pulled him closer. His skin tingled as their connection blurred between them as Virgil leaned his back into Logan’s chest, staring at the flickering light as guilt twisted in his stomach. “You never said anything about a family.”

    “I know, Lo.” Virgil bit down on his lip to stop his voice from trembling. “I'm so sorry. I would’ve told you eventually, but—”

    “Save your breath, love.” Logan’s eyes were a soft, silvery grey as he slid back a few inches, gently easing Virgil’s shoulder back until Virgil rolled over to face him. The patient expression on Logan’s face never faltered as he rested his head on the pillow, his usually pristine sandy-brown hair mussed the most beautiful show of imperfection. “There is no reason for you to apologize.”

    Virgil closed his eyes as Logan took his hand. His soulmate placed tender kisses on Virgil’s knuckles in a warm display of reassurance as Virgil stumbled through his words. “I swear I wanted to tell you and Remus.”

    “What information you choose to share with Remus and myself is entirely up to you, Virgil. Being our soulmate does not entitle us to any part of your life that you are not enthusiastically willingly to share.” Logan whispered as he squeezed Virgil’s hand. They shared a moment of silence as Virgil nodded stiffly, still weary from sleep. “Though I admit, I am grateful that you no longer have to bear this burden on your own.”

    Virgil let his shoulders drop as Logan’s feather-light touches moved across his body as the selkie traced invisible patterns on his arms and chest. The hypnotic movements drew Virgil into a trance-like state of relaxation as Logan realigned the energy in his body. He felt centered and present, almost willing to let his anxiety drop away until the sound of a small cough drew his attention toward the hallway.

    The sleep weighing down on his body vanished as he started to rise from the bed. He felt guilty as he turned away from Logan, curling up off the bed to cross the room. His mind raced as he dashed into the other room, hissing as the bright light burned his eyes. He adjusted quickly to the light as Emile’s eyes flashed in his direction, full of worry as he hovered protectively over Thomas.

    “Vee—”

    “Lean back, Em. We don’t want to crowd him.” Virgil crossed the room in two strides, raising a hand to Thomas’ back as he knelt next to him. “Thomas, kiddo. Are you okay?”

    “M’hmm.” Thomas face was red with strain as the kid sucked in a breath, a few weak coughs sputtering out as he caught his breath. “M’fine.”

    Virgil blinked. “Did you choke?”

    Thomas managed a stiff nod as he crossed his arms over his chest. Exhaustion clouded his eyes, but Virgil was able to let out a breath of relief as the kid settled back. He was tired and his breathing was still shallow, but Virgil had been around them for long enough to know the kid would be fine.

    “You scared me, kid. How many times have I told you to chew your food?”

    “I was, but Emile made me laugh!”

    “Did not!”

    “Did too!” Thomas' voice was gravelly as he squirmed up onto his knees to point at his brother. “He made a face—”

    “Thomas, don’t—”

    Virgil lifted his hand to stop Thomas as he started to lean across the table. He could barely suppress a smirk as the kid planted his hand flat on his plate with a squish. The kid’s face was priceless as he lifted his hand out of the unrecognizable mash of orange vegetables. His shock mixed with an expression of the purest disgust a seven-year old could possibly muster.

    “Ew.”

    “This is why you always have sticky fingers.” Virgil shook his head as he reached for a piece of cloth to help clean Thomas' hand. “Here, let me help.”

    “Nuh-uh,” Thomas stared at his hand, his mouth contorting with disgust as Virgil cleaned between his fingers.  “You always said Remy had sticky fingers, not me.”

    “Remy has a different kind of sticky fingers, Thomas.” Virgil muttered, half under his breath as he released the kid’s hand. “The kind that inevitably mean I need to bail him out of trouble.”

    “What does that mean?”

    Virgil tipped his head up to see both boys staring at him. A burning curiosity shined bright in their eyes as they eagerly waited for him to explain. The exhaustion of trying to answer all the twin’s questions weighed heavy on his shoulders as he slumped back in his chair, looking up over his shoulder as a familiar shadow approached.

    “Yes, dear.” Logan crossed his arms over his chest as he dropped into the chair next to Virgil. The soft look in his soulmate’s eyes carried a certain knowledge that made Virgil’s stomach turn. “Tell us what that means.”

    Virgil’s face flushed as Logan’s silver eyes focused on him. “Remy tends to make a mess of things sometimes.”

     Logan raised a curious eyebrow at him. “And he does this by acquiring certain items in a less than savory manner?”

    “It’s not what you think, Lo.” Virgil’s eyes dropped to the spotted pelt tucked tightly around Logan’s shoulders. “Even on his worst days, he wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

    “Remus and I trust you, Virgil.” Logan’s deep voice kept its usual patient tone as his hand came to rest on Virgil’s knee. “We will continue to err on the side of caution, but there in no ulterior motive behind my questions. Any questions I ask are solely for the purpose of getting to know our guests.”

    “I don’t get it, Vee. Why is Remy sticky?”

    Virgil turned to Emile as the kid prodded at his elbow. The kid had stopped picking at his food to stare up at him, his unblinking gaze enraptured by the small bits of information Virgil was managing to mumble before yawning again. “You’ve met your brother, Em. Everything about him is sticky.”

    “But what—”

    “Just eat your food, kid.” Virgil felt a pang of guilt as he pressed a finger to his temple. He could see disappointment fill Emile’s eyes as the dull ache in his skull started to throb. “Hold your questions until later.”

    “Okay."

    The disappointment was palpable in Emile’s voice as he slipped back in his chair and resumed dejectedly poking at the bits of food on his plate. The sight was enough to make Virgil’s stomach sink. The kid had gotten too used to adults dismissing his needs and spending their energy taking care of Thomas.

    It wasn’t fair.

    “Later, I promise. Once I wake up a little, I've got all kinds of new things to show you.” Virgil leaned forward to rest his elbows on the edge of the table and look into Emile’s eyes. “Hey, do you remember the jeweler down the street from your brother’s house?”

    Emile’s eyes filled with a cautious amount of curiosity as he lifted his head and nodded.

    “They've got gems here as big as your hand.” Virgil felt a wave of warmth as Emile leaned forward in his chair. “And they right out of the ground!”

    “Really?”

    “Yeah,” Virgil smirked as Emile’s hesitation melted into curiosity. “The biggest and shiniest collections of gems you ever did see.”

    “Can we go see them after breakfast?”

    Virgil’s certainty faltered as Logan moved in his periphery. He turned his head to watch the selkie shift his weight in his seat, staring thoughtfully at the kid for a moment before he noticed Virgil watching him. Logan’s eyes softened as he settled in place, reassuring Virgil with a cautious smile as he slowly turned back to Emile.

    “It’ll have to wait, kiddo. I have to talk with Logan before I know if that’ll be okay.”

    Emile blinked slowly. His eyes drifted from Virgil to the selkie next to him. “Are you Logan?”

    “That is correct, young one.”

    Logan's lip curled into a smile he rested his elbows on the table next to Virgil. He waited patiently, a quiet amusement growing in his eyes as he watched the gears begin to turn in the kid’s head. Emile’s eyes flitted to Virgil and back to Logan before dropping his gaze to the pile of vegetables and eggs on his plate.

    “Okay.”

    The kid sank abruptly back into his chair and picked up his fork, metal clinking against metal as he began to shove food his mouth, clearing even the mushy, orange root vegetables Logan hadn’t expected the children to touch. At this point, he added them to Patton’s plate merely as a symbolic attempt to diversify the child’s palette. Seeing Emile clear his plate without a single word was so unexpected, Logan couldn’t help but stare in disbelief.

    “Love, what is happening?”

    “He thinks you'll say yes if he eats it all.”

    Logan blinked as Thomas’ mumbling drew his attention from Emile. He watched the kid shrug as he used his own fork to quarantine his vegetables to the corner of his plate.

    “No, I don’t!”

    “Do too!”

    Virgil sighed as he gestured for Emile to ease back in his seat and stop bickering with his brother. “It doesn’t matter what Logan decides, because Thomas still has to eat his carrots too.”

    Thomas groaned as he crossed his arms across his chest, staring down at the orange mash with disdain. “Just because they're orange doesn’t make them carrots.”

    “I see.” Logan whispered as watched Emile settled back into his chair. He seemed to be considering his words carefully as he leaned closer to speak to the boy. “Emile, may I ask you something?”

    Emile stopped fidgeting with the spoon in his hand before nodding at Logan.

    “What is that you would like to see the most?”

    “The crystal gems.”

    Logan pursed his lips. He had to stifle a chuckle as he addressed the child with a seriousness in his tone. “Come again?”

    “The crystal gems! Like in the pearl store!”

    Blinking slowly, Logan leaned closer his soulmate. “Virgil, explain please.”

    “Pearls of Wisdom was the crystal shop in the lower town, near where they lived.”  Virgil whispered absently as he watched the intense look of focus in Logan’s eyes. He was fascinated by the attention he was giving Emile, speaking with the seriousness of an adult and giving the kid his full attention. “They sold uncut stones and jewelry to the town’s citizens, mostly to working class people but even the nobility had an obsession with their collection.”

    Logan furrowed his brow as he tipped his eyes to Virgil. “Were pearls one of their primary wares?”

    “No. They never had a single pearl in that shop as far as I can tell.”

    “Then, why was their name—”

    “Logan, focus."

    “Right. Thank you, dear.” Logan held up a finger. He still visibly preoccupied with the paradox Virgil had presented to him, but he seemed to force himself to focus. Clearing his throat to hide his smile, Logan’s disarming charisma melted away Emile’s shyness, capturing his attention as he intertwined his fingers in a show of deliberation. “So, Emile. I've considered your request to see the ‘crystal gems’, and given my experience with one particularly willful child, I can recognize you have offered considerable sacrifice in finishing your vegetables."

    Virgil couldn’t help but smirk as Emile waited Logan with bated breath. He was total enraptured with the selkie’s words. Even Thomas had raised his eyes from his plate, watching Logan with a cautious curiosity.

    “I have decided that this is an offering worthy of the reward of being allowed to see the gems.”

    “Yes!”

    “What?!” Thomas’ mouth dropped open. “No way!”

    “Relax, Tommy boy.” Virgil teased at the look of disbelief in Thomas' eyes. “I'm sure you can go too if you finish your food.”

    Thomas' expression fell slightly as he eyed the pile of orange mash in the corner of his plate. “But—”

    “If the texture bothers you, I’ll let it slide.” Virgil offered, feeling a pang of guilt at the sudden wave of relief that washed over the kid’s expression. “but you have to double up on something else. Okay?”

    “Okay!”

    “That’s not fair!” Emile grumbled as Thomas happily served himself another egg and a bit of another dish Virgil didn’t recognize. “I had to finish mine.”

    “You did good, but you know certain textures don’t sit well with Thomas.” Virgil’s tough expression softened as the kid clamped his mouth shut, clearly upset. “But tell you what, Em. Next time you don’t want to eat something, I’ll give you the same deal. Okay?”

    Virgil paused as he extended his hand over to Emile, pinkie extended as he offered the promise. The kid still looked a bit put out as he stared at Virgil’s hand, but his eyes lingered, entirely lured by the thrill of a pinkie promise.

    “Okay.” Emile's reluctance waned quickly as he made his decision. He smiled as he leaned forward to hook his tiny pinkie finger around Virgil and his voice grew bubbly again as he smiled up at Virgil. “Can we go now?”

    “Patience, kiddo.” Virgil smirked at the kid as he spared a glance back at Logan. His soulmate’s eyes had filled with warmth as he watched Virgil’s interaction with Emile. “At least give Thomas a chance to finish his food without choking.”

    “In all fairness, love. We may need to wait a little longer.” Logan's reassuring smile widened as Emile’s face scrunched into a pout. He leaned forward, gently resting a hand on Virgil’s leg as he whispered in his ear. “I do believe your friend will probably require your attention before we bring the boys anywhere.”

    “Remy?”

    Virgil’s heart skipped a beat. His skin tingled as Logan’s thumb stroked his knee in an attempt to soothe his sudden growing anxiety.

    “He's okay, Virgil.”

    A familiar chill crept across Virgil’s hands as he stared at the ground. “Where is he?”

    “Remus is watching over him in the next room.”

    “He’s alone with Remus?”

    “Take a breath, dear.” Logan's eye flitted to the anxiety in Virgil’s eyes. “In our interactions with your friend last night, his instinct was to get defensive with my attempts to reason with him so we decided Remus would be more equipped to handle him should he wake before you.”

    “Logan, he can’t wake up with a stranger.” Virgil tensed to rise out of his seat. “If the boys are gone, he’s going to panic.”

    “I’m sorry, love. I did not intend to give you reason to worry.” Logan’s hand reached to the back of his neck, but Virgil’s eyes were out of focus. His mind raced as he eyed the doorway, but Logan’s voice guided his attention back. “Boys, do you mind if we take a moment in the hall?”

    Virgil was vaguely aware of Thomas and Emile’s nodding in his periphery as Logan’s hand closed around his wrist and his soulmate eased him up out of his seat. “I can’t just leave them.”

    “We are only going into the hallway, dear.” Logan hand curled around Virgil’s waist as he looked back at the twins. “Thomas and Emile will call for us if they need anything. Right?”

    “Yeah.”

    The twins mumbled their affirmations as Virgil looked up at them. He couldn’t deny that they looked like they felt safe, aside from the worried looks they were shooting his way. Not to mention, he doubted Thomas would shy away from asking him to stay if he was truly uncomfortable. Virgil smirked. At some point, maybe Logan’s easy attempts to make people feel at ease would stop surprising him.

    “They are safe.”

    “Fine, I’m coming.” Virgil smirked as he mussed Thomas’ hair. “Seriously though, I’m not going far so yell if you need anything.”

    “We will, Vee.”

    “Thanks, Em.”

    Virgil felt the panic in the chest lull to a distant roar as Logan’s fingers curled around his own and his soulmate pulled him toward the hall. His body felt heavy as they slipped into the tunnel, out of sight of the boys. Everything had happened last night had happened so fast. He’d hardly had a moment to process any of it.

    In the last few weeks, the fog of guilt in his mind had started to lift but finding Remy and the boys on the beach had brought on a whole new wave of conflicting feelings to brew in his mind like a storm. Even the family of selkie’s hadn’t been spared from his rotten luck. They were being forced to be cautious in their own home because of him

    “Whatever self-destructive thoughts your mind is conjuring at the present do not represent the truth of the situation.”

    “How do you know?”

    “You will never be a burden to us, Virgil. Your family is safe with us here and we are happy to make the space to accommodate them.”

    Virgil let out a sigh as they rounded the corner, and they stepped out of sight of the twins. The crushing weight of guilt suddenly felt heavier as he let his façade of strength drop. “How can you be so sure of that?”

    “Forgive me, love. But first, I would like to make an adjustment to the physical positioning of our conversation.”

    “Wha—Hey!”

    A hand gently muffled his surprised yelp as Virgil was lifted off the ground and suddenly found himself perched on Logan’s hips. His legs wrapped automatically around Logan’s thighs as he caught his balance. Heat rushed to his cheeks as Logan turned his body, so Virgil’s back pressed into the wall, supported by his soulmate’s strength as the familiar tingling spread across his body. He had to stop himself from letting out an undignified sound as Logan moved his hands from his lips.

    “Logan, what—”

    “I have noted several details about your mannerisms that have proved useful.” Logan raised a hand to Virgil’s jaw with a gentle smirk. “The first of which is that flustering you is often the quickest way for me to disrupt your mental spiral.”

    “That’s a dirty trick.”

    “In more ways than one.” Logan’s voice chuckled softly as he leaned closer to Virgil’s face. “Focus on my touch and I will lighten the burden of shame you carry, love.”

    “I abandoned them.”

    “You were forced to flee a dangerous situation to survive.” Logan reached a hand to wipe the tears falling from Virgil’s cheek. “You snuck aboard that boat because your employer was ready to sacrifice your life for their illicit businesses. If you had remained where you were, you would have been imprisoned or worse.”

    “Yeah, well. I didn’t try to go back for them either.”

    “You needed time to heal, Virgil. You could not reasonably expect to help them until you had recovered from your injuries.” Logan’s eyes glistened with sympathy as he tucked a loose lock of hair over Virgil’s ear. “And I am not referring solely to your physical ailments. Your mental and emotional well-being needed time to recover as well.”

    “That ship they were on was moving humans, Lo.” Virgil whispered breathlessly as Logan’s forehead rested on his own. “They’re kids, but they would have been separated and sold like animals.”

    “What is important is that they are here now. You can’t worry about what might have happened.”

    “They deserved to be protected.”

    “They will be.”

    Virgil’s hands felt clammy as he lifted his head to look into Logan’s eyes. “But what it they hadn’t landed here? What if—"

    “We can only make the best of what knowledge we have in the moment.” Logan reassured him. “The future is not knowable to us in any certainty.”

    “You don’t understand.”

    “On the contrary, I understand all too well.”

    Virgil lifted his head as he felt a shift in Logan’s voice. His hands fell to Logan’s waist as he tightened the grip of his legs around Logan’s hips. A silence fell over them, but Virgil held his tongue and waited for Logan to explain.

    “I have never said any of this out loud.” Logan’s voice dropped. “So, forgive me if I take my time bring my thoughts together.”

    “Of course, Lo.”

    “You know already that I made the choice to help the woman who stole my pelt. Entirely by chance, we met on the beach during one of the few times of the celestial calendar that selkies are allowed to walk on land inhabited by humans.” Logan took a deep breath as he curled a hand under Virgil’s tailbone and held him close. “She was injured and seemed to need assistance, but my negligence of the rules ultimately changed not only my life but the lives of my family as well.”

    “That’s not your fault, Logan.”

    “I know that now, love.” Logan smiled sadly as he raised a hand to Virgil’s cheek. Their bodies remained deeply intertwined as the line separating their emotions began to blur. “Rest assured, even then, my guilt did not come from that one moment of misjudgment.”

    “Then why—"

    “Ultimately, my guilt was born in the knowledge that I was not the only one who had to live with the consequences of my decision.” Logan swallowed as his thumb absently massaged circles on Virgil’s thigh. “I returned to my pod with a tiny, crying Patton in my arms and neither the energy nor the willpower to care for him properly. Remus and Roman gave up the only home they’d ever known to come and care for us when our pod refused to accept me back.”

    Virgil blinked as he watched the storm of emotions brewing in Logan’s eyes. He couldn’t bring himself to interrupt, but slowly, he raised his hands to wrap around Logan’s neck. His thumb brushed across his partner’s cheek in a gentle show of support as Logan’s tension melted into an appreciative smile.  

    “For our kind, raising a child is a community effort but Roman and Janus took on far more of a role in Patton’s life than I ever would have asked of them.” Logan leaned his face into Virgil’s hand as he took a breath. “The years of abuse I suffered at the hands of that woman may have been a blur in my mind, but my body remembered. For too long, all of my willpower would often be consumed by the effort it took to simply get out of bed, so Janus and Roman raised Patton when I could barely bring myself to look at him.”

    “I’m so sorry, Lo.”

    “I know my reaction sounds awful and unkind, but I was not in a position where I could simply change my thoughts.” Logan whispered with a timid smile, his voice wavering as Virgil stared at him. “Thankfully, through my family’s unconditional love and support, I was never in a position where I would have taken my feelings out on a child. Patton had all the support he could have asked for, and I had a chance to heal and interact with him in small, positive ways until I was feeling more like myself again.”

    Virgil pursed his lips as he glanced back at the door, listening to Thomas and Emile’s voices as they chatted in the other room.

    “I understand the guilt you feel in seeing those two sweet boys.” Logan whispered as he leaned in to press a gentle kiss on Virgil’s forehead. His body lingered close to the warm heat of Virgil’s chest as his smile curled in a look of absolute adoration for his human soulmate. “You overextended yourself and endured mistreatment at the hands of your master to give them a life free from insecurity, but that drive has come at the cost of sacrificing your own needs and desires.”

    “And here I was thinking Janus was supposed to be the mind-reader in your family.”

    An amused chuckle escaped Logan’s throat as he leaned closer to press a sweet, deep kiss to Virgil’s lips. The gentle touch sent pleasant chills down Virgil’s body as his tension melted away. His thighs squeezed around Logan’s hips as Logan leaned into him, pressing him against the wall in a moment of tenderness. The pleasurable sensations tingled across Virgil’s body were dizzying, washing away his anxiety and leaving behind only the warm feeling of their love for each other radiating across their mental connection.

    “You deserve to have the time and space you need to heal, Virgil.” Logan’s breath lingered on Virgil’s lips as he held him tightly. “I understand that you have some matters to resolve with your friend but know that Remus and I want to support you in a way that allows you to have a relationship with them without disregarding yourself in the process.”

    “Thank you, Lo.”

    “Of course, dear.” Logan smiled as he lowered Virgil’s legs to the ground. He took Virgil’s hand from his neck with a soft smile, placing a soft kiss on his forehead before nodding toward the end of the hall. “Your friend in the room at the end of the hall. If you want to go see him, he should be waking up soon.”

    “You’ll keep an eye on them?”

    “Of course. They’re good boys.” Logan whispered with a soft smile. “I can watch them for as long as you need, and Remus will be there to assist with your friend if the need arises.”

    “That sounds good.” Virgil chewed on his lip. “I’m glad one of you will be around anyway.”

    “Virgil, wait.” Logan reached out to catch his arm as he started to turn away. He hesitated a moment as he looked at the tired look in Virgil’s eyes. “You are not afraid this man will hurt you. Are you?”

    “No. Remy’s a hothead, but he’s not the kind of guy to get violent.” Virgil waved away Logan’s concern with a tired smirk. “Even it wasn’t my fault, I left him with two kids and no help, so I’m sure I’m going to get an earful about bailing on him.”

    Logan’s expression softened. “Our hospitality extends to him as well, Virgil. Hopefully with that knowledge, your friend will be able to leave his hurt in the past.”

    “I appreciate it, Lo. More than I can say.”

    Virgil’s face flushed as he shoved his hands in his pockets and turned down the hall. Thomas and Emile’s laughter echoed on the stonewalls as Logan’s footsteps disappeared into the room to settle them. It was strange now. He’d spent so hours worrying about them since landing on this island that knowing they were safe and happy still felt foreign, especially since he still had concerns about the ship they’d been on.

    Remy would know.

    The torchlight flickered as the corridor opened in front of him, and he stopped in front of the next door. A sigh dropped from his lips as he continued into the room. He’d have to ask if Remy, if he would even let him get a word in edgewise.

---

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He hated this restlessness. It made it hard to settle down. To not want to uproot everything and move to a different state whenever the weather changed. Deceit closed his eyes, one hand reaching up out of habit to the left side of his face, brushing smooth unmarked skin where scales used to reside.

“Coffee for your thoughts?” A young voice asked as the soft scrape of the kitchen chair sounded behind him.

Despite himself, the corner of his mouth twitched up in a smile. He should have known. “Not until you’re in high school, Remy.” 

He turned in time to see the young Sleep, now seven years old, drop his head to the table with a thunk and a groan. “That’s ages away, Dad. Please. I’m dying here.” 

“You’ve survived the past five years without it, you can last ten more. Orange Juice?” Deceit asked without a hint of sympathy as he moved to the fridge.

There was a reason why he always grabbed his coffee from the cafe down the street. He’d learned early on that even though he’d been brought into the real world with Deceit as a two year old, the popular Shorts Character could and would find and down any coffee hidden at home within the hour. 

If they had still been in Thomas’s mind he wouldn’t have cared.

But out here? In the real world? With real consequences? Yah no. Sleep would have to satisfy himself with coffee flavored candy instead. And even then, this early in the morning, he wasn’t about to hype the boy up. Especially when their resident night owl should be sleeping. 

“Wha’ ‘bout Hot Chocolate?” A different voice asked sleepily. 

Deceit raised an eyebrow, hand hovering over the orange juice as he looked over to eight year old Emile standing in the doorway, one hand clutching his favorite Steven Universe blanket while the other rubbed at his eye. “Shouldn’t you still be asleep, Em?” 

He knew full well that despite his namesake, Remy was the lightest sleeper. It was easy for him to wake up to the smallest of sounds. But Emile? Most of the time he couldn’t get the kid out of bed before ten unless one of his favorite cartoons was on.

Emile yawned, wandering over to the kitchen table and pulling himself onto a chair. “It’s snowing.” He said like that explained everything, resting his head in his arms.

It didn’t. Normally Deceit was the only one to be sensitive to changes in the weather. 

Remy let out a long suffering sigh before twisting in his seat, going onto his knees in order to see over the back of the chair. “Can we have marshmallows in it?” He asked hopefully, amber colored eyes going wide and watery as Deceit glanced to him. “Tis the season.” He gestured to the snow falling outside. 

Deceit snorted, shaking his head as he grabbed the milk from the fridge and three mugs from the drying rack. “Tis the season indeed.” Considering it was Christmas Eve. Definitely the season. 

“Is that why you’re awake?” Emile asked, pulling the blanket tighter around him. “The storm?” 

What else would it be? The kids were well aware of his quirks after the five years they’d spent together. He made a noncommittal sound as he placed the three mugs of milk into the microwave before turning to the cabinet to grab the cocoa mix. 

“They say it’s only gonna get worse.” Remy added, pulling out Deceit’s phone, small fingers darting across the screen. 

Great. Just what he needed to hear. “Oh?” He asked, frowning at his phone.

So that’s where it had ended up. He should have known. If it wasn’t Emile stealing it to watch cartoons, it was Remy taking it to scroll through the various social media sites he’d made Deceit get so the kid could stay up to date on the latest trends. 

At least that particular issue should end tomorrow morning when he finally gave both boys their own phones to use now that he’d finally landed a gig here in New York where he could afford two more lines on his plan.

Remy smirked, amber eyes glittering in the screenlight. “The airports are already talking about canceling flights. Stranding hundreds of people.” 

Emile gasped, bottom lip trembling. “Nooo. All those families not together for Christmas?!” 

Tender hearts. Unfortunately not everyone could get their happy ending. Deceit shook his head, grabbing the marshmallows as the microwave beeped. “You want me to go play rescuer again?” Sure, he’d gone on similar forays when his restlessness became too much to bear staying indoors a second longer, helping stranded motorists or picking up passengers through MyRide, but this was Christmas Eve. He should be with his kids. With his family. Not wandering around the city like a restless knight on a quest to save the princess from the Dragonwitch. 

Sleep didn’t even bother to hide his smile this time as he rested his chin on one small hand. “You are Self Preservation aren’t you? You protect people.”

He protected Thomas. There was a difference. And considering Thomas had wanted nothing to do with him even before he’d shown up in the real world far far away from his host’s home--

“And--” Remy gestured to the thickening snow. “You’re obviously not gonna go back to bed anytime soon.” 

Sleep would know. He may not be a part of Thomas anymore, but now that he was getting older some of his...talents still came through on occasion. 

Deceit placed the three mugs on the table before taking his own seat. “I highly doubt the two of you want to spend all day in the car on Christmas Eve.” He said, unable to stop his leg from bouncing in place as he watched the snow falling from the corner of his eye. Gah. It was bad this time. The idea of driving around the city sounded far too appealing to be normal. And technically he didn’t have to take the boys with him. They could spend the day here while he--No. He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. It was Christmas Eve. He couldn’t just leave them.

“All day?” Emile frowned, standing up in his chair, the blanket falling off his shoulders “It’s that bad?”

Deceit tsked as Emile clambered over the table, easily avoiding the mugs, and into his lap. “It’s...I’ll be fine.” He said, wrapping his arms around him, resting his chin on the boy’s head as he gently rocked him. He didn’t want it to be that bad. But if the snow kept up---it probably would be an all day restlessness. “We were going to have a lazy day, remember?” He said, smirking as Remy rolled his eyes. “Watch movies? Build pillow forts. Bake cookies.” And finish wrapping all the presents he’d bought for them. All the homey stuff he was sure Patton would have loved to do instead if he’d been present. 

Regardless, if he could keep busy maybe he could distract himself from this restlessness from the storm. 

It hadn’t ever worked before. But there was always a first time.

“That was before it snowed though.” Remy said patiently, setting Deceit’s phone face up on the table, his MyRide app open and showing a dozen requests for Rides even at this early hour. “It’s not like we haven’t spent hours on end in the car before, Dad.” 

That was true. Though Deceit had been trying to decrease their car time as the boys got older and could be trusted to be left home alone.

He exhaled, pressing his nose into Emile’s sleep tousled hair, briefly closing his eyes. “We’ll give it a couple of hours, alright? Until the sun comes up at least.” He looked up in time to see Remy making a face at him over his mug. 

“Will you even live that long?”

Deceit rolled his eyes, resolutely ignoring the falling snow outside. “I’ll survive.” He said, adjusting his grip on Emile as the boy wiggled around to rest his head against Deceit’s chest, snuggling in close to him with a contented sigh. 

“I am very proud that you finished your studies for the day. We can of course, advance on your homework if you want, or make some research on a topic you’re curious about but-” Emile scrunched his neck, quickly regretting his decision as the tip of the wings started to tease the sensitive skin behind his ear, soft snorts cutting his high-pitched giggles, “- I believe a break is in order. Besides, Patton also asked to be called on this occasion, if I am not mistaken.”

“Nonono!” The kid yelped, kicking. “Not Patton! Nohohot-”

“Hello, kiddo! Did you call?” Patton’s smile only increased when the new guardian, a tad taller than the first, saw the predicament his ‘kiddo’ was. “Aww, is Logan tickling you pink?”

Emile hid his face behind his hands and Logan may or may not have moved closer so he could tickle that spot right under his jawline, gathering a couple of squeaks. “Oh, yes, Patton, we would like to inform you Emile finished studying for the Biology test.”

“That one he has been stressed about those days?”

“I believe so.”

“Gasp! Congratulations, kiddo!” Patton flew around him, his wings fluttering at highest speed as he maneuvered to stay still in front of the cartoon lover, even if the aforementioned continued to hide, his kicks getting faster. “I am so proud of you. You already did so well!” He hugged his left cheek, resting a small, fond kiss there.

“Pat-Pat!” His smile was so big he could see a piece of it even behind his fingers, the tip of his ears getting painted red as well. “Thahahanks.”

“You’re welcome!” The guardian angel beamed, only leading Emile to giggle harder, completely aware of what comes next. “Now, can I see your hand?

“No!” It was the squealed answer, the boy sliding some inches out of his chair. “Lo, no, n-not there!”

“Not there? Where? Here?” Logan fluttered his feathers under his chin, keeping his voice neutral even when a chuckle fled from Emile’s mouth, “Or perhaps here? Or right here? Maybe you’re talking about this specific, very, very ticklish and unprotected tickle spot here?” He went from one spot to another, keeping his fast pace so the younger wouldn’t guess where his precise, soft strokes would attack next, scribbling on his ears and entire neck as Emile wiggled in protest, laughter increasing with the playfulness of the activity. “I believe you’re asking me to stop tickling you silly, as I believe you humans say, but since the instructions you gave me were unclear, I have no option except continue with my task.”

Emile just squealed - in an extremely cute manner, if you ask them, - shaking his head.

“Come on, Emile, please give me your hand?”

“I-Ihihi can’t!”

“And why not, kiddo?”

“You’re gonna to ti-tickle it!”

“Well, of course I will! But don’t you think you deserve some rewarding tickles after so much work?”

The boy tried to pout, an impossible task with all the snickers bubbling from him as he lowered his right hand in direction of his guardian angel, who shook his wings until a lovely feather fell of them and was quickly caught, its owner passing his fingers across the stem and making it longer, fluffier, ticklier. After a few seconds he finally looked satisfied with his creation.

“I am going to tickle-tickle-tickle yooou.~” Patton sing-songed, approaching his feather inch by inch, trying to not get overloaded by cuteness when Emile yelped and squirmed, yet keeping his hand still. “I am going to tickle-tickle-tickle-tickle you itsy bitsy silly! Aren’t you excited for some tingly tickly tickles, sweetpea?”

Logan slowed his attack, the laughter becoming an aired giggling.

“Pat-Pat!” He kicked harder.

“Okay, okay, kiddo.” Patton fondly smiled, starting to follow the lines of his protected’s hand with the tip of the feather, fluttering and dancing the bristles across every single inch of skin amidst the peals of high pitched laughter from the boy. “Aww, kitty kitty coo! Kitty kitty coo, kiddo!”

Logan and Patton continued their playful reward, filling the room with a music of laughter, yelps, squeals, snorts and giggles for a few more minutes before stopping, patting Emile’s hair as he slid from the chair on the floor, pretending he was dead, an eventual titter bouncing here and there.  

A poke on his cheek made him open his eyes, a smile still plastered on his expression as he huffed Patton’s and Logan’s hair – ignoring the latter’s scoff with his usual roll of eyes at the motion, even if the winged tiny made no move to escape from it - with his index finger, protesting.

“You’re two are like thohose cats from Thehe Lady and the Tramp. Working together to be mehean.”

Patton hugged his cheek and Logan pretended he wasn’t looking fondly at them.

[...]

“I will not tell this twice: grab. The. Coffee. gurl.”

“No. Pat-pat said you can’t have any more coffee for the day!”

“Yes, however…” Emile narrowed his eyes at Janus, who seemed to smirk more under his gaze, “your so loved snacks are under the coffee pack and it seems that you won’t be able to retrieve them without moving the coffee, oh, such a pity.” 

Emile crossed his arms, a hand holding his chin as he seemed in deep thought. “If I move, you won’t try to get it?”

Remy combed the boy’s hair with his fingers, still laid on his favorite spot on the top of his head basically since the human had arrived home from his playdate, a spot, by the way, which granted the perfect opportunity to the two winged beings to exchange looks without being caught. “Uhh, yaas! Duh!”

Emile turned to look at Janus, who stopped his gesturing mid-air, hiding his arms behind him, turning his attention from Remy back at him with a couple of naïve blinks, a toothless smile resting on his expression. “What?” Was his soft question.

He pouted, crossing his arms tighter.

“I already say I won’t try to get it, gurl, relax!”

Emile knew a trap when he saw one, especially living with his guardians since he was born. He recognized the exact gleam, now clearly resting on Janus’ golden eyes, they all got when they were planning something, the way Remy’s hands couldn’t stay still, the way the bat of wings would get too much slow and their forms would swing slightly in the air… Buuut they didn’t know that Emile knew, the kid thought, loosening his position, so he would use this to make a plan to vanish their evil plan!

“Okay. I’m getting it then!” Cute smiles. Hidden meanings. A plan, ok, he needed a plan. A very good plan. The best one.

“Please,” Janus gestured to the cupboard with his hand, “the floor is yours.”

“I’m getting it right now.” Ok. He was getting out of time. Come on! A plan. He needed a plan! “Very, very right now.”

“Wo-hooooo,” Remy lazily cheered, rolling onto his hair, “you go, gurl.”

He would run. And call Roman if anything happened. The exuberant guardian always loved to save him and he was his hero in a shiny armor, after all! Emile nodded confiantly to himself. He extended his right arm, his eyes nervously flicking from Janus to the cupboard. As his fingers grabbed the bag, his attention turned to watch every movement from the one with golden eyes and a big smirk, who waved at him to continue. His other hand followed to catch his snack, legs tensing to run with both items at the slightest hint of a move from his guardian.

Then something poked and vibrated on his ribcage, making his body jump with the ticklish sensation, the snack forgotten as his hands crashed down to protect his sides, only to be stopped mid-air when Janus attempted to pry the bag of the called ‘life bean juice’ from his fingers. 

“No!! That is not fair! You said you won’t do that!” They were basically in a tug war. The kid planting his heels on the ground and Janus summoning his six arms to pull at the coffee with all his strength.

“I said no such thing, dear. I think you’re mistaking me with Remy.” His tune would have seemed as a velvet soft if the words hadn't floated from his grittered teeth with the effort he was currently doing.

“Noicee. Just keep his arms up like that and we will have the victory in a few secs.”

“No! Remy! Rehemy!! Go ahahaway!”

“He is just too much ticklish for this, isn't he?” Janus remarked.

“Noho! I am nohohot! Nahaha! Don’t!”

“Yup! Like a baby! See? I just need to poke here, here and hereee and he goes all cute-cute wiggly-wiggley everywhere.”

“Aw. Poor him.” Janus said, not a single drop of guilt in his tune. “Attack the center of his armpits, he will totally lose it.”

“NO!” 

A sound cut the comments, making all the three stop on their tracks.

“Wait,wait. W a i t, did you just snort? Oh. my. god. Adorable. Gurl, I need to see it again.”

“Oh, yes, just my favorite sound in the entire world. Don’t you agree, Giggle Bug?”

Emile just shook his head, struggling to low his arms to protect the sensitive spot but refusing to let go from the bag stubbornly still trapped by his grip, which got weaker and weaker at each pinch, prodding and kneading the tiny guardian delivered at every centimeter of his armpits, flying from one to another while Janus waved with one of his hands, as if they were conducting an orchestra constituted primarily by their playful teases and his wheezed laughter and bubbly snorts.

“The itsy bitsy spider climbed the waterspout…~” The one with sunglasses began to sing, changing his tickles to a spidering motion which followed the patch to the boy’s upper ribs in the rhythm of the song, grinning as the younger kicked in a frenzy, his smile widening.

“Uncle! Uncle!!” He shouted before letting go of the coffee, his body falling to hit the ground. Remy immediately shapeshifted to a taller, adult-human like form in order to catch the child on his arms, giving him a brief hug and safely returning him to the floor as reminiscent giggles still escaped from him.

“Tickling is cheheheating.” Emile proclaimed with a pout, turning his back at them and pretending to ignore both guardians. Janus let the coffee rest on the countertop and flew to the younger’s eye field.

“What if we make a deal? We can help you to make a hot cocoa as a proper apology for our attack. How does that sound?”

Emile’s pout started to disappear. “With magic marshmallows?” He hoped.

“And magic whipped cream.” Remy changed back to his tiniest form, sparkles falling from his sunglasses as he adjusted them. “Just the best to our favorite little monster.”

“I am not a monster, I am the avatar!” Emile’s smile shined bright, gleaming just the perfect amount to melt the coldest heart, the kid bouncing to get his favorite mug from the cupboard, the joy of the delicious treat erasing any pout that one day habited his expression.

“Be careful!” Janus hissed, alarmed. He frowned when a snort came out from his friend’s lips. 

“You’re getting soft.”

“Sorry, sorry, mister ‘anything to our favorite little monster’. You lost your touch.”

“Yeah, but I never tried to deny it.”

Currently, Logan was watching over the boys while they played at the park. There were other children there, as well, most of them were playing in the snow, much like Patton and Emile were, seeing as it was such a rarity. Logan had on their warm coat and gloves, hands tucked into their pockets as they listened to Patton and Emile laugh as they threw snowballs at one another. The sight reminded them of when they used to get into snowball fights with their older siblings growing up.

For a moment, Logan let their attention turn to the scenery around them. The snow would most likely melt in just a few days, but for now, the world around them was covered in white. It looked as if they were inside a snowglobe. It was quiet and beautiful.

It was quiet.

Something was off.

When two seven year old boys went quiet, it was a sign that either something had happened, or something was about to happen.

“Boys?” Logan called out. They got no response, and they couldn’t spot the two seven year olds. They took a breath, doing their best to not panic. The boys were probably just playing and would jump out to startle them any moment. It wouldn’t be the first time such a thing had happened.

Logan began to approach where they had last seen Patton and his friend. The small footprints left behind by the pair overlapped countless times, giving no indication as to where they could be now. If Celeste had been there, Logan could imagine her turning this all into a game.

Suddenly, Logan felt something hit their back, and heard a quiet giggle come from behind them. They turned just in time to catch a glimpse of Patton’s hood disappearing behind a tree. As they began to make their way towards the tree Patton was likely hiding behind, they felt something cold hit the back of their leg. When they turned, they caught sight of the sleeve of Emile’s pink jacket peeking out from behind the tree he was using to take shelter. Logan chuckled softly, crouching down and scooping up some snow in their hands, forming a snowball. They kept still, seemingly unsuspecting, until Patton attempted to strike again. Logan threw their snowball at their son, hitting the boy in the chest. Suddenly, they were struck by two snowballs, one coming from Patton as he laughed, and the other coming from behind them from Emile.

Sure. Devlyn did his best to avoid reading, hearing, or seeing any news in relation to this sort of situation. The cases were the children just...vanished. 

But if the visions struck, and they often did with a vengeance despite his due diligence in avoiding anything like the hard to miss Missing Child poster on the freaking Grocery Store doors….it wasn’t like he could just say ‘too bad so sad good luck with your next kid’ and move on with his life. 

Perhaps someone with a harder heart could have done it.

But not him. 

           “Someone.”

                     It was dark. Cramped. Like being shoved in a box. A long hard box.

            “Help.”

                    A pair of bright blue eyes.

           “P-please.”

                   His feet dangled, kicking freely. His shoulders were caught fast, the shirt pulled up to expose his stomach as he struggled. 

           “HE-HELP ME!”

                   Snow fell on his head, piling up despite his attempts to shake it free. 

           “Help me.” 

               Bright blue eyes flared, looking directly at him, searing him to Devlyn’s shredded soul, purpling lips quivering as Emile’s already faint voice whispered,

              “Dee Dee.”

                                 “S-sa-sa-save me.”

            “Save…..me…...” 

                                  “..........save. Me…….” 

Devlyn grimaced, blinking the memory of the vision from last night out of sight, pausing in his precarious climb up a rickety lattice to rub his gloved hand over his aching heart.  

Not him.

As much as he wanted to pretend to not care like any other troubled seventeen year old teenager struggling with the weight of the world on their shoulders--Devlyn couldn’t just do nothing and let the kids he saw just...die. He couldn’t ignore the giant WHAT IF that seemed to hang over his head like an itch that needed to be scratched that he could never quite reach. 

WHAT IF this time he found the child before they perished?

WHAT IF he actually reunited a family and they had this so called happily ever after everyone seemed to be looking for?

It haunted him. Those WHAT IF’s. 

Sure the last three hundred times had ended in failure. But maybe...just maybe...this time would be different.

It had to be different this time.

Of course, Devlyn had told himself that like a hundred times already, but hey, if the lie was good enough to hold up over time, he might as well keep telling himself it. 

But this time. This time the child had called out to him. Emile had called him Dee Dee. No other child had ever done that before in these cursed visions. It had to mean something this time. IT HAD TO.

He grunted, pulling himself onto the snow covered roof of an old abandoned house following the faint glowing imprint of a child’s figure that flitted across his bad eye like the shadows left after staring into a blinding light bulb.  

What he wouldn’t give to be wrapped up in a blanket in front of a space heater right now instead of following things other people couldn’t see. 

Gritting his teeth, shivering as the purely evil white bits of snow somehow made it through six layers of warm wool to melt against his skin, Devlyn pushed onto his hands and knees. “Okay kid.” He muttered, eyes darting around the silent, snow covered roof and then to the neighborhood beyond where he could barely, if he concentrated, hear people calling out Emile’s name two streets over. “Where did you go?” 

If the vision held any useful clues it had to be somewhere tight.

Somewhere where the legs dangled.

Somewhere where the snow could fa--His eyes fell on the crumbling chimney. A narrow space barely two feet across if that...and the faintly glowing footprints on undisturbed snow leading straight to it. 

Okay, Devlyn knew a thing or two about picking small tiny spaces to hide away from the world in...but this seemed a bit extreme. 

            Cold.

            Still.

           Silent.

          Vacant.

“Please.” The word left his lips like a prayer as he inched forward on his knees across the roof, his heart climbing into his throat with each precarious movement that threatened to send him sliding down the slope and to the ground three stories below. 

Please. Let Emile be alive.

Just once.

Let him succeed. 

That still didn’t stop Devlyn from hesitating as his fingers closed on the edge of the chimney. 

So many had been dead.

With the heavy snow storm of the past day and a half only now fading away--

What would make the outcome of looking for this child any different than the others? 

            “Dee Dee…….save…..me.” 

How could he save him when the temperatures had been so cold for so long? When he’d only had the vision last night? 

Devlyn gritted his teeth, shivering as he moved to his feet, carefully balancing on the sloped roof. 

Come on coward. Look and face your failure.

But it had to be different this time. This kid called to him. This kid would LIVE!

He pulled a small flashlight from his pocket and with a quick icy inhale of the winter air, shined it down into the dark empty void within. 

Or…

Not so empty.

         Bright blue eyes. 

With the chimney uncovered like this, any snow would have to be at the very bottom. Yet there, only three feet down, where the chimney merged into the roof, the snow rested in a cone shaped pile.

A pile marred with thin dark lines sticking through it. 

Hair.

A body.

Emile.

“KID!” Devlyn yelled, surging into the chimney, hissing as his shoulders caught on the edges. 

Please. 

Dontbedeaddontbedeaddontbedead. 

His fingers brushed the very tip of the snow. “Come on! KID. Emile. EMILE! Wake up. WAKE UP! KID. ANSWER ME!” 

Nothing.

No movement.

No signs of life.

Devlyn pushed himself out of the chimney, heart feeling like it would burst from his chest at any moment. 

He had to get closer.

Come on come on. He had to---Devlyn threw himself against the crumbling brick, heedless of how his feet slipped on the snow covered roof. He had to break it. Had to get closer! 

Again and again he hit the side of the chimney, using all the strength in his thin frame that he could to get the top half to shift. To deteriorate further. To--

He nearly fell off the roof as the chimney suddenly gave way sending him sprawling over the remaining portion. 

Emile.

Come on come on come on! 

Heedless of his precarious position, Devlyn used both hands to reach into the shorter space, brushing the snow from the child’s head first before he grabbed the bony shoulders to yank him up into freedom.

So still.

“Come on Kid!” He begged, trying to keep his vision clear in his good eye as it fogged over.

Dontbedeaddontbedead. 

He pulled the small body from the narrow space into his lap. 

“Say something! Come on! Anything.” 

He--He was so cold. Like an icicle. Swallowing over the lump in his throat, Devlyn tore open his six layers of wool, pulling the boy in close to his chest, hugging his still form tightly. “Emile. Please.” His voice cracked as he tugged off a glove to rub the boy’s cheek. “Please. WAKE UP.” 

WakeupwakeupwakeupwakeupicantdothisagainWAKEUP!

He couldn’t do this. Devlyn closed his eyes, rocking the body, breath hitching. He couldn’t deal with another dead child. He couldn’t--

“....Dee?”

He froze as the small form shifted against him, icy fingers pressing against his chest. His eyes flashed open as Devlyn looked down to see a pair of bright blue eyes staring up at him.

ALIVE.

He swallowed, nodding uncontrollably like a stupid bobble head statue. Alive. “Yes. Yes. I got you, Em, I got you. You’re safe now.” He hoped, he didn’t know--he’d never had to deal with finding someone alive before. Did the kid need a hospital? Probably. He was cold. Frostbite. The kid probably had it--should he call out to the other searchers? To the police? To the boy’s parents? They had to be somewhere nearby right?

Emile sighed, giving him a bright smile before he ducked his head, snuggling against him and pressing his button nose into the base of Devlyn’s neck. “DeeDee.” He whispered as a tremor shook his body. “Knew….you….come.” 

“Of--” Devlyn cleared his throat, hugging the boy tight.  “Of course. I--I’m here. You’re safe, Emile.” He whispered.

Alive. 

Safe. 

For once. FOR ONCE it had worked. For once the visions were a blessing not a curse. For once---

Devlyn let out a shaky breath, resting his chin on Emile’s head. 

For once he could say, “Let’s get you home.”