Returning to the fic idea of Mareth and Ripred being forced to coparent Hazard/coexist and in the chapters where we really start to get heavy/into their psyche's we get flashbacks of their relationships with Hamnet and we get to see just how different he was, practically a different man for each, and Ripred has a habit of suppressing those memories until he's talking to Hazard about his family he lost and realizes he struggles to remember one or two of his pup's names because he's been disassociating/burying it so forcefully.
They're talking after living together for awhile, Hazard and Luxa are in bed, Ripred's reading and Mareth's going over paperwork, Hamnet comes up, Mareth says he just doesn't want to remember. He means 'not think about it' or 'not remember right now' and Ripred grabs his arm with such a desperation Mareth grabs his sword. "Do not forget him." He begs. "Please- do not force him away..." And it turns into a begrudging Ripred opening up to get his point across please don't forget Hamnet... Don't forget your love as I have mine...
It scares Mareth into softening a little towards the rat. Over time, Ripred learns to draw on painfully bittersweet memories for strength and not be so hurt by them. He remembers Hamnet to help him be strong in his new role of being kind and keeping peace. Mareth does the same. And after a LOT of character development, when they're struggling in perilous or terrible situations, they realize that they have not thought of Hamnet once for encouragement, but the other.
