Tomhas hugged her tightly. "I promise I'll spoil you rotten."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Tasia giggled, resting her head against his chest. “I like you. You’re almost as good as Papa.” She clearly meant it as a compliment, despite it coming across almost backhanded. “And you’re nicer than he is.”
Tadaaki gave her a sideward glance and mused, “you just don’t like that I make you behave.”
“You just don’t like that you’re not as nice as Mr. Tomhas,” she shot back, still snuggling against Tomhas’s chest as she looked across the table at Tadaaki.
Ky tried to put Aashi between her and Sara — both because she was actually a mother, and because it’d put her an additional seat away from Gaius and his hypocritical gaze silently critiquing her plate (and Sara too, for that matter).
But Aashi intentionally positioned herself so that Ky would have to sit between herself and Sara. Force her into the middle of the conversation whether she wanted to be there or not, rather than giving her the option to sink into silence on the edge of the conversation.
Ky sighed silently, fully aware of what she was doing. And also aware there wasn’t anything she could do about it without looking like a petty bitch and drawing attention to the fact that she wanted away from Gaius and Sara and the dinner conversation. So she reluctantly sat down. Aashi sat as well.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Well I happen to know for a fact that your dad is the coolest ever," Tomhas told Tasia. "And super brave besides."
Dinner was brought out for people to serve themselves. "So what part of parenting are you most excited about?" Sara asked them both.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Tadaaki furrowed his brow at him. He knew by now that arguing only invited more compliments as people tried to prove him wrong about his self hatred. So he didn’t argue. But he also didn’t agree. He was a coward who not only ran from his family at the slightest hint of danger but also ran from Ky. His family at least he could pretend he was protecting them by getting away from them since the threat was coming after him, but Ky? No. He was just a coward who had left a little girl to fend for herself.
Ky forced herself to grab a little bit to eat, mostly focusing on getting soft foods that would be easy to swallow.
“I just love getting to watch her — them — grow and develop. It feels like she learns something new every day. It’s great seeing her develop into her own little human.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Sara nodded in agreement. "That's a great part of having kids. Kind of bittersweet."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
He knew what he was doing. Knew Tadaaki couldn’t argue. He glanced away and started serving himself food.
“No doubt,” Aashi agreed. “I miss baby snuggles. But. Well, gonna have them again soon.” She smiled.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Why don't you go sit with him so you cam eat now, hm?" He set her down.
"Yes you are! And you'll get to do another first smile, first word, first step!"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Aashi smiled at the thought. “Can’t wait!” She looked across and down the table at Tadaaki, who didn’t notice. “Can’t wait to experience it together.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Sara nodded in agreement. "That will be a wonderful gift for Tadaaki."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“You get to watch this baby grow up from the start,” Aashi said gently.
“Mm.” He furrowed his brow slightly and looked away. A curse to this child from its first breath. And a reminder he’d abandoned Tasia through the first four years of her life.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"He'll come around," Sara said to Aashi quietly. "Gaius did, and he was completely horrified when he found out I was pregnant. Horrified. Tadaaki seems a little happy, at least! Nervous, but happy."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“I know,” Aashi said quietly, nodding. “It just crushes me how much he doubts himself now. He wasn’t like this with Tasia. I’ve never seen a happier man than when he found out…”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"It'll come back with time, then. He just needs to remember."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“…he needs to forget first,” Aashi said quietly. “At least enough for him to remember.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I'm sure you can manage that; you've been doing great so far. He just needs some time."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
