Shady

“She’s six,” Tadaaki said, blushing a bit. “So I don’t know what she’s like. But I’m sure she’s perfect. And I’m sure she’d love both of you and consider it ...

“… a daughter,” Tadaaki said, inclining his head. He hoped she was bringing Aashi unfettered joy, too. Tasia was the most perfectly little girl in the history of the world; ...

Ky considered it for a moment. This felt like a trap. If she admitted it, with how annoying he was being, she felt like she risked getting tossed outside and ...

“…I don’t know,” Tadaaki admitted quietly, sobering. “I haven’t been there in six years… I hope so, though. They made my wife very, very happy. And she deserves that.”

“They’re very, very messy,” Tadaaki warned. “…but very cute. I enjoyed them quite a bit.”

“…Mm.” She considered it for a moment. It was a reasonable question. But. Well. She didn’t want to. What was the use in pretending she was happy? None at all.

“…yes it is. I’m going home.”

Tadaaki smiled. “They do flutter around a lot and are hard to catch when they get out of their cage.”

“Sera was already handling Rickard’s reading lessons.” She wrapped her arms around herself, considering. “… I suppose I abandoned the others, though.”

“Zaki and Zumi.”

Ky furrowed her brow at him. Well, that was no one’s fault but his own. Maybe if Ivar wasn’t so pissy then he wouldn’t make Rickard anxious. Rickard was the ...

Tadaaki nodded. “They mostly just chirp, but I heard them sing a time or two.”

“Small, colorful birds.”

“Oh.” Well, that just sounded exhausting. Ivar was an emotional energy drain, and she had none to give. “… Rickard can help him, then.”

Ky tensed. She didn’t like the sound of that at all. “About what?”