#mageothewindything

Cosmina is six, and Gabriel is baby sitting as their parents are away doing boring grown up things. They don't exactly mind watching their baby cousin, Cossie is pretty cute for a kid, and Gabriel doesn't have anything better to do.

They're not just going to pay attention to Cossie though, kid doesn't need to get a swelled head after all. So instead Gabriel sets their pack of tarot cards out, and pretends to study. They're not very good yet, but Parin says they're learning pretty fast for a twelve year old. Especially since they only got them two years ago, and half of one year was spent in places it was dangerous to show anything even a little magical.

They hadn't spent there very long. Especially once Cossie started talking to her dolls like they were real. Like they could hold actual conversations, in ways that couldn't be put down to just kids being kids.

Talking about Cossie, she's gone missing from Gabriel's sight. Not good, but when they start to look for the brat, Gabriel can hear a muffled giggle from behind them. Something light lands on their head. When they reach up a hand, Gabriel can feel the soft petals and fuzzy stems of the thick daisies that grow in the field where the two of them decided to escape for the day.

They tilt their head to look up at their younger cousin, “What's the crown for?”

Cossie giggles, “It's your wedding crown!”

“Oh? And who am I marrying?”

“Me,” Cossie says, in a tone that hides 'well duh' below the single word.

Gabriel plays with a card, flicking it between their fingers. “You're too young to get married,” they say with absolute authority.

Cossie pouts. “When will I be old enough to marry then?” she asks.

“Never.” Gabriel answers, with a grin, “You'll grow older and older until you're all shrivelled up and never get married!”

They look down at the card they grabbed, the lovers, amusingly enough, and below it the Ace of wands.

“No! You're lying!” Cossie stomps around to Gabriel's front, almost stepping on the precious tarot cards, before Gabriel is able to gather them all back together. “Tia said it was bad to lie.”

“Auntie isn't here.” Gabriel says, “And anyway, she'll agree with me.”

“She won't.”

“Will.”

“Won't!”

“Will,”

“Won't! Won't won't Won't!”

Gabriel laughs, bored of the game now. “Okay, she won't. I was lying.”

“Knew you were.” Cossie sits down into the space next to Gabriel. “So when will I be old enough?”

Gabriel shrugs their shoulders. “I don't know. It's different for everyone.”

The pout returns. “Then how will I know?” she says, with genuine, childish anguish. It's adorable, Gabriel thinks.

“You just will.”

For a moment Cossie is silent, deep in thought. Then, “When I am old enough can I marry you?”

“You're asking permission now?”

“Promise?” Cossie continues, obviously ignoring Gabriel's taunt. “Promise to marry me when I'm old enough?”

It can't hurt. It's not like Cossie will remember this conversation when she is old enough to marry someone. For that matter, it's unlikely Gabriel will remember it. At twelve years old, marriage is a distant event, something that might occur but doesn't seem that likely. Gabriel has more important things to do than fantasize about futures that may or may not occur.

They smile though, “Sure. I promise.”

Cossie grins back, and taps the flower crown still resting in Gabriel's brown hair. “That's your engagement crown,” She says solemnly, “So you don't forget.”