Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 12)

(Okay sounds good! Who shall we start with?)

(Uhhhhh are we switching to a meal the next day? Or elsewhere? Would Gaius be around?)

(Either one and yeah Gaius will be out and about a little.)

(Cool! I just thought of a Ky scene but it’d be private and before the public announcement so we could put a bookmark in them coming out lol or… if you’ve got character interactions on your own? Idk)

(I've got none in mind at the moment but I'm always delighted by your characters and their interactions with mine, so if you have a pair in mind I'm down for it!)

( :') that's so sweet)
(oki I will do my idea in two mega posts haha if you wanna be setting up a meal scene however you want in your next, then my next one can end with them going into the room? It would be ideal if Sara or Sera is there and readily accessible but 100% no worries if you're not feeling that ^^)

Ky looked between Tadaaki and Aashi, feeling the weight of whatever revelation they were about to lay on her. She didn't have any idea what to expect, other than they both seemed anxious -- though mostly in a good way? if that was possible -- and told her they wanted to talk to her in private.

"So..." Tadaaki started. He was sitting on the couch with Aashi to his left. He was holding her hand with his left, with her other hand on top, and his right on the very top of the stack, shoulders touching as they sat adorably close. He smiled at her. "We have something to tell you."

Ky glanced between them, brow furrowed. "...Oh?"

Tadaaki nodded, glancing at Aashi. She smiled at him and nodded eagerly. "Tell her!"

Tadaaki looked back at Ky. "We're pregnant!"

Ky blinked, then a broad grin broke across her face, excitement dumping into her in an instant. "Oh my gosh! Congratulations! That's so exciting!"

"Thanks!" Tadaaki was grinning, face warm. He pried his hand away from Aashi to wrap his arm around her shoulders.

"How far along?"

"About three months," Aashi said with a smile. "We're very excited!"

"As you should be!" Ky hadn't felt this happy in weeks. Maybe longer. "That's so exciting! I'm so happy for you!"

They were both grinning broadly, Aashi leaning against Tadaaki's chest. He'd moved his right hand to rest it over her belly.

"Ask her," Aashi whispered.

Ky's brow furrowed again. Ask her what? She had nothing in this.

"Right..." Tadaaki took a deep breath and looked at Ky. "So... feel free to say no. We want this to be completely voluntary and wanted! But, um, well -- I--I mean no pressure. For real." He was struggling to find the words.

She waited, even more confused.

"We'd like for you to be involved with our child's life," Aashi volunteered. "If-if you want to?"

What kind of a question was that? "Of course! Yeah. Of course." She grinned. "Your family is my family. I care for all three -- four -- of you very much. I'd love to be as involved as you'd have me."

"That's the thing..." Tadaaki said. He took a deep breath and let it out, deciding to just get it out in the open. "Do you want-- feel free to say no, no pressure... but... do you want... to be its godmother?"

Ky blinked, sobering. "Its... godmother?"

"Yeah." Tadaaki nodded, then realized she didn't know what that meant. "It's--it's a sort of tradition that we have back home. Again, no pressure! But... um... well, it's sort of establishing a backup parent in place?"

Ky's brow furrowed. "I don't understand."

"It means you'd take an active role in the baby's life," Aashi said gently. "Tasia, too, if you're willing. Be a positive role model for them and help them develop mentally, emotionally, socially, whatever. Help them learn to be humans. And... if..."

"If anything were to happen to Aashi and me," Tadaaki said quietly. "Then you'd become their legal guardian."

Ky was quiet for a long moment, trying to process that. "You... would trust me with your children?"

"There's no one we'd trust more," Tadaaki said gently. "I know you'd do anything to protect them. And I -- we -- would be delighted if they grew up to be like you."

Ky furrowed her brow and shook her head, repulsed by the compliment.

"What he's trying to say," Aashi cut in, hoping to move past that before Ky could properly spiral into self-loathing. "Is that we trust you. And also view you as family. And we'd be honored if you'd be willing to take on this role in our children's lives. But you don't have to, of course!"

"Take your time to think it over," Tadaaki said. "You don't have to answer right away."

Ky was silent for a long moment. Wow. How much pressure this was to place upon her. She wasn't ready for a child. Nowhere close. But, then, hopefully nothing would happen to Tadaaki and Aashi. And if something did, hopefully it wouldn't be for a very, very long time.

But... well... it was an honor like none other that she'd ever been given. Or would ever be given. What high praise, to be invited into your child's life in a role like this. Like she was a sister. A sister they trusted explicitly.

"Are... you sure?" Ky asked after a moment. "I'm-- I'm not -- I wouldn't be a very good..."

"You'd be a wonderful guardian," Aashi disagreed. "You are already so good with Tasia. She absolutely adores you as much as she does us. You're already something of an unofficial auntie to her. This would just... it'd give a clear directive of our wishes: for you to raise our children as your own, if we can't anymore. Though obviously we're hoping that doesn't happen for a very long time. But... well... if it does..."

There was a long silence, the weight settling even more firmly over Ky's shoulders. "If... if you're sure... then." She dipped her head. "I would be honored."

Tadaaki and Aashi beamed.

(OH MY GOD THAT WAS SO SWEET!!!!!! I'm so happy for Ky!!
And yeah I can set up a meal! I'm gonna wait til my brain is back to full capacity [I just went on a long walk with my dad in 90-something degree weather] but then I'll write a good, long post.)

Dinner was nearly finished being prepared when Gaius exited the confines of his bedroom and, with Sara's help, got down the stairs to the dining hall. He and Tomhas had not exchanged words since his brother's panic attack, and Gaius intended to keep it that way no matter how awkward last night's dinner had been. He had nothing more to say to Tomhas on the matter of coming here--he'd made his feelings on the matter clear.

The children scurried about underfoot as Gaius and Sara walked, so that Gaius had to be careful of where he directed his crutches. Sara shooed the twins a couple times--Regulus was held safely in her arms--but they kept coming back.

"Why'd your leg go away again, Papa?" Marcella asked, tugging on his cloak.

"I'm getting a new one," Gaius said patiently. He'd been over this a hundred times with them already, both before and after the amputation. Mattathias had listened and seemed not to think much else of it, but Marcella had stubbornly continued to ask the same questions over and over. She seemed fascinated, and she'd prodded his stump almost immediately when she visited him in his room.

"Where's it coming from?"

"From a very skilled carver from the East," he said.

"Is it going to be like your old leg?"

"It will be made of wood and metal." He glanced down at her. "I've told you all this before, Marcella.

"I know!" She grinned and bounced on her toes. "I just think it'll be really really cool to have a wood leg. I want a wood leg someday!"

"You most certainly do not," Sara retorted, shaking her head. "Your papa only did this because it hurt so much to walk before. You, my dear, have two perfectly good legs right there, see?"

"I know! But maybe one day I can make some wooden legs myself. How do you do it?"

"You can ask the carver all about it when she arrives," Gaius replied.

"When will she arrive?"

"A few weeks from now." He glanced at Sara, who gave him a weary smile. "Why don't you two run ahead and see if Tasia and Ua have arrived yet?"

"Ooh!" Marcella's eyes lit up. "Good idea! Come on, Mattathias!" She dashed off with Mattathias.

(D'aww I'm glad you liked it :') I thought it would be heartwarming)(how are you feeling? That walk sounds brutal lol)

Tadaaki had collected Tasia, however, and now had her sitting on the couch in between himself and Aashi with Ky sitting on a second couch across from them.

"You know how you keep asking Mama when you have a little brother or sister?" Aashi started gently, brushing Tasia's hair back out of her eyes.

"Yeah!" She bounced excitedly. "I really want a little sister! I thought maybe I want a brother because I like Reg-u-glus but Marcella says he cries a lot and that she wants a little sister and Ky has a little sister--" She looked at Ky. "Do you like your little brothers or little sisters better?"

"I like them equally," Ky said with a little smile.

"But you love Raina?"

"I do," Ky confirmed, inclining her head.

"Yeah." Tasia shook the hair out of her eyes. "Can I have a little sister, Mama? Papa?"

"Maybe," Aashi said, smiling gently. "You're getting a little sibling either way, though! I can't say whether it's a brother or a sister, but Mama has a baby in her belly that will call you big sissy."

Tasia furrowed her brow. "What?"

"You're getting a little brother or sister," Tadaaki said. "In a few months!"

"YAYAYA!" Tasia jumped up and down, cheering. "I'm getting a little sister!!!"

"Or a little brother," Aashi corrected. "We don't know yet. Don't get your hopes up."

"No, it's gonna be a sister. I know that. I'm gonna be just like you, Ky, and have a baby sister like Raina." She looked at Aashi. "Can we name my baby Raina too?"

"No," she chuckled. "We have to give her a name of her own. 'Raina' is already taken."

Tasia pouted.

"But you know what else you're getting, Tasi?" Tadaaki asked, pausing until he had her attention. "A godmother! Ky agreed to become part of our family."

That made Ky feel warm inside and she smiled.

"A grandmother?" Tasia repeated, brow furrowed. "Ky's too not-old to be my grandmother."

"Godmother," Aashi chuckled. "It means she's gonna be like a second mama for you. And if anything happens that Papa or I can't take care of you, then Ky's gonna take you in and make you her own kid."

"You're gonna adopt me?!" Tasia said, jumping up and down in excitement.

"Uh, that's--"

"I GOTTA GO TELL MARCELLA!" Tasia went sprinting from the room before anyone could stop her. All three of the rest of them hurried behind as fast as they could to try to stop her.

(Feeling much better, thanks!!)

(If that child crashes so help me)

"Will you talk at dinner tonight, please?" Sara asked quietly when the children were out of sight.

"I talked last night," Gaius replied.

"You know what I mean."

"He shouldn't be here." He paused in the hall, resting his arms. The crutches were digging into his armpits. "He's upset his daughter immensely, not to mention the journey cost him the lives of five good men."

"And I'm sure he's feeling that," she said. "You two are brothers; you're meant to support each other. That doesn't mean you have to agree with him, but he's probably hurting inside. You ought to reach out and be there for him."

"Tasia! Get back here!" Tadaaki managed to pull ahead of Ky and Aashi, but he'd been slowest to realize what was happening and start running, so Tasia still had a solid lead. "Slow down!"

Tasia tore down the stairs.

"Tasia!" Ky called. "Stop!"

"Gotta! Tell my! Friendsssssss!!!" She didn't stop.

"I'm not ready yet."

Sara sighed. "Well, don't lose too much time. You two only just got close again; it'd be a shame to throw it away over something like this."

Tasia tore into that hallway and ran straight for them. "MISSUSUSARA!" She shouted, running up to her and tugging on her sleeve in an attempt to convince her to pick her up. "Guess what! Ky's GOD now and she's gonna adopt me!"

Sara looked down at her with a wide smile. "What's that, Tasia?"
"Adopt you?" Gaius asked in surprise. "How so? Why?"

Tadaaki came bounding around the corner, sliding to a stop as he heard his daughter pronounce Ky god. His face burned with embarrassment, but he couldn't even begin to think of how to un-do what she'd just said.

Aashi and Ky appeared half a moment later, all three looking ruffled.

"Cause she's my second mama now and is gonna adopt me and my little sister!" Tasia said eagerly.

Tadaaki sighed and bridged the bridge of his nose, explaining, "Ky's agreed to be their godmother."