I had to write something, I just had to xD
A lil’ silly thingy xD
***
She was staring.
It was an undeniable fact that Lilith Clawthorne was burning holes in the back of Collector's head. Said star boy was gleefully chatting with Amity and describing something by widely gesturing with hands. Amity was holding a pleasant and patient smile she usually wore with kids in the library. The genuine one that made every kid want to open up to her. It was working wonders with Collector as well. And Titan knows they needed it.
After his attempt to leave and very loud protests from basically all present adults and teary looking Luz and King they carefully snuggled on a couch tightly hugging Francois.
They weren't comfortable. They wanted to be. But now that the adrenalin and fright had died down they were slowly but surely falling back into nervous suspicion. Poor kid.
But back to the nerdy older sister.
Someone naive would have assumed she was strictly against the little god's presence around her family. Eda had heard her story about the short encounter she had with the Collector before she was quickly taken out of commission. Without any fighting chance. Lily was holding a brave face but Eda knew the worry wrinkles when she saw them.
She wasn't that loud when everyone protested against the star child’s attempt to fly away, but she wasn't protesting against him staying here either.
Maybe because she knew they had nowhere else to go. Or maybe she was too preoccupied with her crazy discussion with Hooty. It didn't matter in Eda's book.
No. She would recognise that intense look, that spark, that hunger. For knowledge.
Collector was a bottomless mine full of everything Lilth dreamt about and never dreamt to dream about.
After learning that the Collector was alive and running well before the Boiling Isles Titan became the Boiling Isles Lilith couldn't help but keep throwing little glances Collector's way. She thought she was being sneaky. She was not, not for Eda.
Thankfully Lily kept her distance. Eda would have liked to pretend she was doing it for kid's sake rather than her own nervousness about approaching the little god. Whose eyes looked more and more droopy with every second.
They were half hanged over Amity's shoulder now. She didn't look bothered at all, as if she wasn't in a room full of loud people with someone who played dolls with living beings for months snuggled on her shoulder.
She made an eye contact with Eda.
Welp, that was her cue.
Carefully settling King on the floor with short 'weh' from a little titan, she made her way towards the pair and crouched down. She caught Lilith's glance on her way.
"Someone here looks tired", Eda softly teased, carefully reattaching the kid from Amity and into her own embrace. It was awkward with having just one arm.
Amity shot her an apologetic look, realizing the same, and Eda booped her nose. Mumbled 'm not tired' was the last sign of awareness before the Collector slumped completely.
At least they weren't afraid to be relaxed around Eda.
As Amity sneaked away towards Luz who was happily chatting with her mom, Eda rearranged Collector in her hold and was about to head upstairs before a dark shadow appeared in the corner of her eye.
"Is your tea party already over, Lily?" singsonged Eda fully turning towards her sister who had a bit of a startled look, that was quickly schooled.
"Why yes, Hootsifer was too insistent on adding Hunter to the party and soon all his attention was on the boy. Not that I mind, he is a miracle worker and that kid clearly needs some calming tea."
And yes, in the corner of a room Hooty was pouring yet another cup of hot liquid to heavily flustered Hunter. Eda was sure Willow's tight hold on his elbow had nothing to do with it. Hooty's wiggling eyebrows were also not the case.
Snorting at the picture Eda once again shifted Collector in her arm. He wasn't heavy, yet it was still a struggle to keep him from falling over.
"May I?"
"Sure, go ahead."
In one sweep motion Lilith relocated the star child into her arms. She was much more successful in not letting them hit the floor.
"Comfortable?" teased Eda seeing the droplets of sweat being formed.
"Most certainly."
"Scaaaared?"
"Wha-?!"
Ah it was always a joy getting those silly little reactions.
"No need to get all scarlet embarrassed on me!"
Eda waved at her and led the way towards her room. It still had the nest after Raine had their well-needed rest. Dang they really needed to get all their stuff back. That coach in the living room was barely breathing in the first place.
It was still odd seeing her home so empty and gray. Devoid of life and presence. The happy chittering from the first floor uplifted her clouded mood. Things are just that: things. As long as she had her loved ones by her side, nothing could bring her down.
Eda quickly made her way to her room, opening the door and letting Lily in, and gracefully helped her struggling sister to carefully put the child down into a crispy nest where they snuggled comfortably before stilling yet again.
Heavy sleeper, huh?
Lily was still here. Welp.
"I am sure I don't need to tell you not to bother the kid with your questions, right? At least not right away?" she said, trying to sound light hearted.
Sure they had some nice time with the kid, but everything was a new territory right now and Eda would have liked to settle a new norm first and she wasn't sure how her sister's nagging would affect them.
Lily predictably shot her a scandalized look.
"I would never!- Although I wouldn't mind sooner than-"
"Lily..."
"Thousands years, Edalyn! Thousands! Do you have ANY idea what value this kind of information has?! The history of-"
"Yes-yes, bla-bla-bla, nerd stuff. All I care about right now is to get this kid comfortable enough to trust us and rely on us. You just..."
Deep breath.
"You didn't see them, Lily. They didn't look like some terrifying mastermind who was terrorizing the Isles for funsies! Actually I am sure they did have their fun, but my point is: they looked scared and lost. They were sad and confused. And all I want is to give them some stability and I have no idea what I am working with!"
The room fell into silence. Not even the happy chatter from below reached them.
Lilith looked stunned watching Eda's tense shoulders. She knew her sister had changed, but she didn't expect her to fall into the guardian role so quickly.
Forcing herself to relax after such a sudden outburst Eda shot her sister a crooked smile. It was a lot. A LOT lot.
After everything they went through, the future had never felt as unstable as now. They won, yet they were walking in the dark.
They got a brand new child with a brand new trauma. And it's not like she could just ask them to list everything bad that had happened to them. She had some vague ideas about their shitty siblings and titan's knows what 'quality' time they had had with Jerklos. Not to mention that they were most likely alone before that pompous jerk had found them. If anything their desperate desire to have friends, even if fake ones, spoke loud and clear.
Lilith's hand woke Eda up from her spiraling thoughts, reminding her where she was. She made a gesture towards her chest and took a deep breath. Eda mirrored after her.
In and out.
In and out.
Giving her a soft sympathetic look Lilith said, "Apologize, sister, I once again... overdid it with my drive and passion and well-" she clasped her hands- "No one is rushing us."
In a second Lily gave her a tight and warm hug, waiting for Eda to curl her own arm around her shoulders. They stood like that for a while, just enjoying being here in this moment, before splitting, coiling smiles on their faces mirroring each other.
"One step at a time."
"Couldn't have said it better myself, sis."
A soft snore caught Eda's attention. Her brand new child was drooling on her nest, mumbling something about bagels in their sleep with the most delightful look on their face.
Soft smile touched Eda's lips.
"One step at a time."
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“Where is she?”
The injured man stirs faintly and coughs, but does not respond.
Sunday bares his teeth in a vicious snarl, seizing the bastard’s collar in his hands –oh, how he wishes to wring this animal’s neck instead, and he would in a heartbeat if he didn’t still need him to talk. To speak, and reveal his youngest little sister’s location to him.
Halovians are widely adored throughout the universe. Their kind are blessed with beautiful appearances and lovely voices, and many are those who find themselves charmed by such attributes. This knowledge is nothing new.
Slave trafficking is, unfortunately, also nothing new.
… This isn’t Penacony, where the Oak Family’s power stands unshakable. Where protection is extended even to the undesirables of their lineage. But away from the watchful eyes of the other families, this was–!
Sunday shouldn’t have let his guard down.
…
He knows that people talk. He knows about the rumors circulating about his youngest little sister –how she’s nothing like him, or like Robin; how she doesn’t even act Halovian at all. The halos of Halovians allow them to communicate emotions with each other through telepathic means, but no one has ever discerned any emotions emanating from the youngest child at all.
Broken, defective, a shame to her lineage and to her siblings–
Sunday should have ripped out their tongues for daring to say such things, and damn the consequences for such an act. Maybe then, no one would’ve dared to even consider the sacrilegious act of selling one of the family’s children–
“Talk,” Sunday demands, with all the authority that’s been drilled into him from his training. “My patience runs thin. Where is my little sister?”
The slaver has the audacity to laugh. “Ha! You think you can threaten me, little boy? Aside from you, no one will miss a Halovian like that, so you might as well let us make some value out of–”
Sunday punches the man in the face.
It’s uncontrolled, messy rage that guides his actions. Something stings on the back of his knuckles, and Sunday is vaguely aware of blood trickling down his fingertips, but there is something that’s almost euphorically satisfying about the startled cry of pain and flicker of fear that flashes across the slaver’s face.
Sunday raises a fist again.
…
Please let her be alright. Please don’t let it be too late–
By the time that Sunday is finally able to force the slaver’s compliance and rushes to the warehouse on the docks where his youngest little sister was taken, it has already taken far too long for his liking. The smaller strides of a young child are no match for those of grown adults, but it does not stop Sunday from running all the same, praying to Xipe that it’s not too late–
Blood.
Of the multiple warehouses, only one of them has blood seeping out beneath its cracks. Enough to form a veritable lake, and–
Sunday’s mind goes blank, and he immediately throws the door open.
A large hand suddenly reaches out, seizing Sunday by the arms with a death grip. It belongs to a rugged-looking man, who stares at Sunday with wide, bloodshot eyes.
“R… run…”
The man falls, heavy like a mountain. There is a knife embedded in his back –all the way up to the hilt.
Sunday ignores the blood staining his sleeves, and looks into the room.
It… looks less like a warehouse for storage, and more like a slaughterhouse. Blood splatters the walls, covers the ground, and everything is red. Dismembered body parts are littered all over in a mess, like some macabre work of art.
And at the very epicenter of it all, stands his little sister.
… There is another bloody knife in her hands.
Her hair… her blue-white hair is no longer pristine, and neither is the matching dress with Robin that she’d been dressed in this morning. Her clothes are tattered, and she’s drenched in blood just like the rest of her surroundings. There’s no question of what happened here, of what she’d done to keep herself safe.
Yet there’s nothing about her that seems disturbed, or tormented. His little sister looks at him calmly, and… even now, Sunday cannot sense any change in his little sister’s emotions.
But even so, all Sunday can feel is relief.
He instantly crosses the room, uncaring of the blood that he steps through to reach her, and engulfs the girl in a tight hug. The feathery wings behind her ears flutter lightly; the only outward indication of any surprise.
“Thank goodness you’re safe,” Sunday tells her, glad. “I’m sorry that I’m here so late.”
His youngest little sister does not say anything. But after a beat, she slowly raises a hand, mimicking his motions in a clumsy hug of her own, and Sunday feels a corner of his heart melt.
“… You’re not late,” she finally says.
Sunday tightens his hold on his unknowing little sister.
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