#Thena is helping take care of Gil

[softquietsteadylove]

Hii love, how are you doing?

I had this little idea for the Mermaid Au:

What if gil and thena have been out all day and when they are heading back home, thena is too tired to keep using her legs and just colapses getting her tail back on so gil has to carry her all the way home. She is a little embarrassed about it but gil being the perfect boyfriend that he is comforts her and takes care of her.

Have a good day!! 🩷🤍

"Angelfish?"

Thena startled, catching her eyes drooping again. They'd had a wonderful day out, meeting Sersi for lunch, going to the mall with her to shop for clothes, then going to the market to get more fun things, like food. It was a fun day but she couldn't say she wasn't exhausted.

"Hey," Gil said more softly, turning to her and stopping despite the many, many bags in his hands. "You okay?"

She smiled at him, flashing her teeth, "of course!"

Gil smiled at her too, although his eyes dashed down just for a second. "Put those away, sweetie. We're almost home."

Thena ran her tongue around the inside of her mouth. Her fangs were poking out. She was losing her careful touch. "It was fun--being out with Sersi."

If Gil thought her behaviour was odd he kept it to himself. He shifted the bags so he could hold her hand. "It was, huh?"

"She found quite a lot of treasures," Thena denoted, glancing down at the many bags Gil was carrying. Sersi had insisted he carry them all.

"Yeah, Sersi's always wanted a sister to go out and do girl stuff with, like shopping and getting her hair done," Gil chuckled. "Even if I offered, she didn't wanna go shopping with her big brother. Not the same, y'know?"

She didn't. But Thena smiled; there did seem to be an interesting mentality to the activity of 'shopping', much like pack hunting. There was a bond, a pack mentality of a shared goal and a group satisfaction when treasure was found.

"Are you okay?" he asked her again, even leaning slightly to look into her eyes despite their difference in height. "She didn't tire you out?"

She had, but she wouldn't trade the fun they'd had for it. "No! Hunting with Sersi was quite enjoyable. It felt like when Kari and I would go looking for pearls."

Gil always enjoyed when she used imagery from her life back home. "I guess it would be like that."

They lapsed into silence again. Thena yawned, getting a taste of the salty air as they got closer to the water. She longed to slither into bed with Gil and have him massage the spot where her gills would be.

"Angelfish?...Thena!"

She blinked, wobbling on her feet and drifting into him.

Gil reacted, dropping any bags not dangling from his wrist and steadying her against him. "Sweetheart, are you okay?"

She tried to reply, but she just blinked, feeling tongue-tied. She tried to get her feet under her again but she kept stumbling. "Gil?"

"Okay, okay, it's okay," he whispered as he brought them down lower. His head swivelled around until he gathered the bags and pulled her tighter. "Just a sec, Angelfish, it's okay."

Thena clung to him as he awkwardly shuffled them away from the sidewalk and onto the grass by a bench. They were lucky that they had parked Titania closer to the less used docks. Her eyes bulged, "Gil!"

"I know, sweetie, I know," he whispered to her, kissing her temple as he got her seated on the bench.

Thena gripped the back of it, watching her legs come together and scales erupt down the length of them again. Her tail reformed in front of her very eyes. It was a newfound, human reflex, but her hands went to tug at the hem of her dress (not that it mattered now).

Gil got her tail situated, as well as their many bags as he sat down next to her. He placed his hand on the shimmering scales of her tail, "you okay?"

Thena stared at her fins, blushing terribly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," he grinned, but that wasn't helping. He ran his palm over her scales, "you've had a long day. Maybe your body felt your feet hurting and your tail decided to take over."

Thena grumbled within her throat. She touched a hand to her neck--her gills were emerging, too. "I understand the word 'humiliating' better, now."

Gil leaned over, kissing her cheek. "Come on, it's not that bad."

She gave him a look, flopping her tail limply as it was laid over his lap. If they were at home cuddling this would be one thing, but they were out in broad daylight.

"Okay, it's not ideal," he amended, still smiling though. He continued to admire her scales, petting her tail the way she'd seen people pet cats or dogs. She flicked the end of it. "I like seeing your tail."

Her blush wasn't getting any better. "You can't flatter the problem away."

"Maybe not," he shrugged. "So I have to carry you home, so what?"

It was embarrassing, that was what--like being a guppy and injuring your fin and having to one-sidedly paddle home.

"What if someone sees?" she mumbled, pulling her cardigan tighter around herself.

"Maybe they'll just think I'm carrying home my lovely girlfriend," Gil suggested so easily. It was a far cry from the man terrified of letting her walk around in public just a year ago. "My mate, I guess. And she's got on such a pretty, sparkly dress."

Thena sighed, letting him adjust his hold on her and scoot her more into his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck instinctively. "Will people believe that?"

"Does it matter?"

Thena let him pile some of the bags in her lap and grasp the rest. Then he picked her up, carrying her tail the way he would her bent legs and behind her back. At least she wasn't slipping out of his grasp.

"Here we go," Gil grunted as he adjusted her weight and the load of their bounty. "Ready?"

Thena declined to answer, choosing to bury her face in the side of his neck. The bounce of his chest against her told her he was still finding this all rather humorous.

"Y'know, the first time I held you to get you out of the water," he began during their short but significantly slower trip back to the beach. "I thought 'wow, she's so light'. And then I realised how tight I had to hold you and, uh, I tried not to think about the rest."

"Hm," she mused, still preferring the refuge of hiding herself away.

"You were warmer than I thought you would be," he continued, regardless of her embarrassment. "Holding your tail is harder than holding onto legs. But it's not like it's totally unstructured either."

"Is that so?" she asked mostly just to say something. She eyed her tail, uselessly flopping over the edge of his arm.

"I can't carry you on my back like this, but we have a name for this method."

"For what?" she lifted her head to look at him. He had that grin on his face that he got when he was about to teach her something about human life.

"Holding someone--carrying them like this," he indicated, bouncing her a little despite the crinkling of the bags. "It's called the bridal carry."

"What's that?"

Gilgamesh looked at her, his eyes soft and warm. "It's for, uh, mates. It's not that only mates do this, but the original name for it means...something pretty significant."

She still didn't understand what he was really talking about. But he had that look on his face that made her insides feel like a school of minnows. She blinked a few times, resisting the urge to clamp down on his neck and declare him hers. Humans didn't do that kind of thing to lay claim to their mates.

"What I'm saying is I'm happy to carry you, Angelfish," he clarified, continuing down the hill. The beach came into view, "we're almost there."

She kept her thoughts to herself. Gil was right, they were mates. She had no reason to find him helping her so terrible. She would do the same for him if he were injured. She opted not to sink her teeth into his shoulder; humans had more gentle ways of affection.

Gil smiled as she pressed her lips to his cheek and the faint rumble of her purring started. "I've got you, Angelfish."

He had her for all her life, if only he knew.

[naoa-ao3]

Sharing Burdens

Thena watches the sun set and remembers.

She's seen an infinite number or sun sets and yet this one. . . this one in it's blinding glory fries her retinas and seeps into her brain just like so many before it.

It's light spreads through her mind and she remembers everything and nothing all at once.

What is this?

When did she have a weapon in her hand?

She blinks and feels something wet across her cheek.

She thinks it's tears but when she wipes it away her hands comes back red.

Not tears.

The world returns and she looks down to see Gil laying at her feet, blood seeping from a wound on his chest and the world grows dark.

This is what she fears.

It's happened a few times but usually he's able to handle it, usually he's able to handle her and her head hurts as she drops to her knees and puts her hands on him.

"Gil. . ." She whispers.

He makes a pained noise. "I'll be okay." He say's but he sounds bad, like he's hurting and it's all her fault.

"I'm so sorry." She say's, hands and voice shaking.

His hand, his free hand finds hers and takes it tightly. "It was an accident, Thena." He whispers. "I'll be okay."

She nods mutely and helps him into the house and onto the bed.

Her hands would shake if she didn't stop them and while she knows he can heal the guilt of it and the blind confusion tears at her just the same. She never has proper memories when she loses control. Her mind becomes a broken jumble of images and recollections, some of which she can't even piece together enough to make sense of.

Gil groans on the bed and she stills the tremors in her chest and makes herself take care of him. She's there for him as he has been for her.

"Thena. . . it's not your fault." He whispers and she closes her eyes, weary from her own mind and the feelings tearing at her soul.

She removes his shirt as gently as she can, minding the stab wound on his side and exhaling when she see's it is not so deep.

He won't die from something like this but she could kill him, it's a very real fear they both live with and one of her most private terrors.

He takes her hand when she cannot make her thoughts stop and squeezes it, squeezes it despite his own pain and the state of chaos they live in. "It's not your fault." He whispers.

"I don't remember." She say's, voice just as soft.

He nods. "You don't need to, it isn't worth it."

She could weep, she very nearly does as she bandages his side and touches the skin she's wounded.

Ajak could have done a better job, she's the healer. Thena is a warrior, one of the greatest but right now it's just that that's caused this harm. Just her and her weapons.

Gil is looking at her sadly. "Will you say something, Thena?" He asks.

She shakes her head, afraid to hear the sound of her own voice as she helps him dress in a fresh shirt and more comfortable trousers.

He stops her and takes her hand again. "It's okay." He whispers again and she wants to cry so very badly. Everything is confusing and strange and she can feel earth quakes that couldn't possibly be happening. Earth quakes that are from another world.

"I'm sorry." She whispers and he pulls her to the bed to lay with him, on his good side now and it's unfair.

He's hurt and she's the one that hurt him and he's still holding her, still telling her it's okay.

"I love you, Thena. This doesn't matter." He say's.

She curls against him, as proud as she is she can be just a little vulnerable with Gil. He deserves to see that side of her after all he's done. He deserves her honest self and even as strong as she is he's seen her at her worst.

Lost and confused.

"What if it happens again?" She asks.

He sighs. "Then we face it when it does. I think you did a pretty good job patching me up anyway so if it does then you already know what to do." He say's.

She tries to smile, his voice is light and his body warm against hers.

He'll heal faster than a human could. She knows this but until he does she'll feel guilt in her guts and she'll worry.

"I love you too." She whispers back, the night dark outside now.

He sighs a little more comfortably. "I know."

He'll be healed in a matter of days, perhaps fewer but just the same she feels guilt and regret at having hurt him. This is always the risk and yet the few times it's happened have nearly broken her heart.

You aren't supposed to hurt the one's you love. You're supposed to take care of them but she can so seldom take care of Gil, it's all him. It's all him caring for her and for someone as strong as she is it bothers her a lot. She doesn't like being weak or dependent, she doesn't like not being able to give back to him what he gives to her but somehow he's never had enough, somehow he's always chosen to stay with her.

She lays next to him and feels the heat from his body.

Feels the love from his body and wonders at how much longer they have. How many more accidents before it's too late and everything is ruined?

They're living on a wire like this.

Waiting for the next time things go wrong, knowing nothing will make it better, nothing will put her mind back together and yet here they are together just the same, laying next to each other in their little corner of the world. . .

She wouldn't ask for anyone else and so even if she can't promise him anything better she promises him herself. Her love and her gratitude and everything in between that comes from so many millennia together.

They've loved and fought along side each other, shaped the world and been part of a family, they've shared countless meals and cups of wine and watched infinite sun sets. . . now cut off from the rest of the world they lay together without a mission and Thena feels confusion and love and knows that there is no other place in the world she'd rather be.

Gil heals over the next few days and for a few days she's almost clear headed. She takes care of him for once, indulging him when he asks for meals in bed and enjoying her little chance to do what she can.

She isn't so far gone that she can't do this and for a few days Gil get's to be spoiled and looked after.

It almost makes her feel like her mind is put together the way it's supposed to be. It isn't but she let's herself pretend for a few days and let's Gil rest until he's back on his feet just the way he promised.

It isn't easy and there will be more roads walked that end badly, Thena lives with that fear and if Gil is afraid he doesn't say it, he just stays by her side and that's the only thing in the world that still matters.

The two of them have their little corner and no matter what happens for now it's theirs.

[healingagoddess]

I really really enjoyed your prompt with “Can I have this dance?“. It was so beautiful and you captured them perfectly. I have a request if you are still taking?^^

I can imagine how Gil takes care of Thena after every fight against the Deviants. How about this time after a exhausting fight Thena takes care of Gil? Soft comfort moments between them. :)

Take your time. I’m looking forward what magical little story you will write. And a big thank you! ❤️

Thank you so so much for your request! <3 When I first read it I imagined them relaxing in the bath with Thena heating the water for him and all that. BUT, @softquietsteadylove 🦜wrote a oneshot like that and it was so so beautiful. If you haven't yet go and read it.

Thank you so much for your kind words. I truly love writing them, I have this idea that Thena is very laid back and normal with Gil, but he has a big influence on her that she goes along with him. It is so natural for them to be careless and free. Like, while everybody is a little terrified of Thena, Gil is just so full of lover for her just like she is for him. I think he is the only one to know another side of her person, and that's love. T-T

_ ✽ _ 

A loud thud is heard as soon as the training is over. On the ground lays a very exhausted Gilgamesh, a little dramatic if you ask Ikaris, but Thena goes along with him and tumbles on top of him on his back. Both covered in sweat and a messy pile of limbs. Gilgamesh never complained allowing her to lay there with him under the bright burning sun. It is Sersi who approaches them with beverages to help them cool down.

“Such a nice girl.” Says Thena as she takes the cup into her hands.

Gil mumbles from underneath unable to speak coherently. Thena brings the cup of water to his lips, but he just directs it to hers first. She takes a sip before taking it back to Gilgamesh who drinks the rest of it in a matter of seconds.

“You are dead, old man.” Thena chuckles.

“We are the same age.”

“Ah, he lives.” She smiles down at him before getting up. “Come on, Gil.” She tugs at his arms trying to get him to get up.

Gil simply rolls not putting any effort into getting up as Thena manages to drag him underneath the shade of a tree. She kneels down with a marvelous smile; mischief and wonderment in her eyes. She pours another cup of water on his head, making him throw his head back in relief as he begins to relax his muscles.

“Tell me where it hurts.” She says as she finds a place behind him kneeling before she starts to knead his knots away.

“Everywhere.” He mumbles.

Thena raises her eyebrows in disbelief. “I’m not going to kiss it better everywhere.”

“Oh, come on, Thena..” He complains “I do it for you.”

“Fine. But first let me get rid of the knots on your shoulder.”

Thena works on his back for a few minutes before planting a kiss on each shoulder, then on top his head.

“I hope this makes it bett-“

“You need help. You need psychological help.” Kingo interrupts attempting to get closer, but Thena soon shoos him away by throwing one of the empty cups at him. “I hope you get the help you desperately need!” He says as he escapes.

Finally, Gilgamesh gets up looking slightly amused at the interaction. He offers a hand to Thena and she accepts, but instead of following him she tugs in the opposite direction. Blindly and gladly he follows her; a smile never leaving his face. These were the good times, but before he could process it he is pushed into river water. He splashes everywhere as he falls deep in there, not even loosing his cool once. He throws a hearty laugh before starting to dispose of the extra clothing, Thena does the same before joining him in the water.

“I’ll give you a scalp massage, if you promise to return it later.” She sits by the shallow side of the river and he hurries towards her.

“Yes, please do!” He turns his back to her and positions himself in front of her.

Soon she starts to massage his head with soft fingers threading around and playing with his hair. She is so lost in thought and very concentrated that she misses the moment Gil falls asleep. His snoring so loud she almost thought they were being prayed upon. She lets out a sight as her arms come to embrace him from her place, and she rests her chin on his shoulder hoping nobody comes looking for them since her Gil is the only one to see her in their true nature; free, caring and loving.

[taran-chan]

on a Wednesday, in a cafe (chapter 26)

Read on AO3

saturday lunchbox: kimbap & tteokbokki

Thena pulls her small table and chair further into the shade of the cherry blossom tree in the yard. It’s a sunny day today, a little too sunny for her liking. She’s been camping here for an hour, the only customer of Eternal who’s allowed to use the garden behind the shop to have breakfast and do whatever she wants, and also the only customer who ever helped the owner plant his vegetables. Gil has placed a table and a chair there the first time he saw her paint under the cherry blossom tree in the spring. His shop is packed this morning so Gil’s still busy in the kitchen, and after last night, she prefers a quieter space to nurse her hangover, so she settled for the garden, planning on painting something else to hang in the shop as promised, and reading her newly purchased book.

She glances at the only wooden bench in the garden, and the fire pit in the middle of it, where they sat and roasted sweet potatoes last November. The garden at the time looked nothing like this. It’s in the middle of summer, her surroundings are filled with shades of green. Vegetable beds rustling in the wind. Tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers hang heavily on their stems. Gil said if he had more space, he would also like to grow eggplants. Her mind gets lost inside the hydrangea rows, now has reached her waist, the flowers bloom all over the fences. She wonders if it’s time he makes his summer kimchi batch, because she notices the kimchi jars are almost empty.

She pops the last piece of croissant into her mouth, takes a sip of her latte and continues to blend the paints. It doesn’t take her long to sketch Eternal’s backyard. She wants to capture the left corner of the yard, adding a small Gilgamesh watering his blue hydrangeas. The flowers below give a darker shade of blue than the ones on top. In her mind's eye, she remembers vividly how the water droplets on the petals looked like sapphire gems. She dabs yellow sun spots on the ivory walls of the shop and uses black to paint the shadows of Makkari and Ajak on the door. The painting is small but holds many colours. It’s astounding that her life has become so colourful and bright in less than a year.

When finished, she leaves the painting under the sun to dry it. She cleans her painting palette and washes the brushes, then dry them on the table as well. She sets up another folded chair, pops her feet on it and flips open her book with one hand, the other holding the L-sized latte cup. She reads about 100 pages before tossing it aside.

“This is garbage,” she mumbles.

“How about I take you to the bookstore on my lunch break?”

She looks up and finds Gil standing there, beaming. She scoffs, but a smile tugs at her lips, “I want my money back.”

“Come on, I’ll make lunch for us, even buy you another book. A real good one.”

“Three.”

“Only if you let me borrow them after you finish.”

“Deal.”

He spots the painting and his jaw drops, “Woah! That looks amazing, Thena! Look at the details!”

“You can pick it up if you like but be careful, the paint is still drying.”

Gil cradles the painting with both hands, praising it non-stop, “How can you create this many different shades of one colour?”

“One would think you’ve got so used to seeing my art,” she comments.

“I know how to appreciate fine art.”

“Oh, do you?”

“Of course, that helped me get to date the finest woman in town,” he laughs at his own joke.

“You have no shame,” she rolls her eyes, fondly.

“You know that better than anyone.”

“How’s the morning rush?”

“Under control,” he gives her a victory sign, “Earlier this morning, an old lady came by and gave us all of the dishes and cups that she made in my pottery class. They’re all in good shape so we decided to use them in the shop. Do you want to see them? You can take some of them if you want, there are many.”

“If it’s no trouble for you.”

He grins, taking her already extended hand, “Never.”

★

Gil only takes another 30 minutes after the lunchtime rush hour to make a lunchbox for two. Thena pokes her head inside, hoping to get a glimpse of whatever he’s cooking, but he already closed the two-layered lunchbox and put it into a tote bag.

“It’s a surprise!” He says.

“Like the one on Tuesday?” She pouts.

He barks out a laugh, “I promise you’ll like this better.”

He takes a large thermos bottle from the fridge and that also goes into the bag under Thena’s suspicious gaze. He won't tell her what’s inside the bottle either. She’ll have to wait.

By 1:30, when the shop is almost deserted except for a few people having a late lunch, they head to the park. The cherry blossom trees there are wearing their green cloak, looming over the warm grass carpet. A few families also choose today for a picnic trip and sometimes a biker whooshes past them, but overall the park is pretty tranquil. They walk to the same table that they sat on that spring day, in a small grove of trees, where she kissed him for the first time. They haven’t come back since. They choose one side of the table that is provided with shade.

“Are you thirsty?” Gil asks, getting the thermos bottle out before she nods. He pours into the lid a milky white liquid, plus a few more ice cubes. He hands it to her and when she looks closer, she sees that it has a very light shade of pink, like the yogurt drink she always has in her fridge. But it has a completely different scent, sweet and flowery.

“What is it?”

“A drink made from rice and barley, it’s called sikhye. Basically, I cook rice with some barley flour, and some ginger,” Gil explains, “It’s another thing on our summer menu. Eternal’s rising star! Try it,” he encourages.

Thena takes a sip. The pleasant fragrance of rice fills up her mouth in an instant. Something, maybe barley flour, gives it a smooth texture, denser than milk and leaves a nice aftertaste, cooling her like a cone of ice cream. She empties the lid in one large gulp. Gil happily refills it.

“I’ve been meaning to let you try it for a few days now, but I keep the bottle in the shop’s kitchen and somehow they’re always empty by the end of the day,” he confesses, “I swear if they didn’t so eager cover up so we can have lunch together, I would reduce their pay.”

“We both know you don’t really mean that,” Thena squints.

He shrugs, “Every summer they ask me to make sikhye. Ajak especially loves it and after last summer, she told me to add it to this year’s menu. I used to leave rice grains in the drink but Makkari doesn’t like it, she said it looked like maggots floating so I got all of them out the next time.”

“Don’t talk about maggots while I’m drinking!” She smacks his bicep with the back of her hand. It bears no force but he clutches at his elbow in mock pain.

“Sorry, sorry,” he says, but his toothy grin shows no remorse.

He opens their lunchbox. The top layer has grilled pork belly kimbap on one side, and fries that are shaped like smiley faces on the other.

“This is what has delayed me,” he holds up a piece, “The mold is useless, I had to carve all those eyes and mouth myself.”

But with the way she examines the fries with amusement, taking a photo of them before dipping one in ketchup, he thought his effort was worth it. He lifts the top layer, revealing what’s in the bottom layer, and Thena almost squeals in delight.

“Is that…”

“That’s right, my Tteokbokki.”

The box is filled with hot, soft pieces of tteok, soaked in sweet and spicy red sauce. Among them are odeng fish cake, quail eggs, squid and even ramen. On top is a layer of melted mozzarella cheese. The smell is so good it could turn anyone’s head. Thena quickly puts her hair into a ponytail with the hair tie on her wrist, then she pulls the whole box towards her.

"I love you so much," she murmurs lovingly.

“Are you talking to me or the food?”

“Hmm?” She questions, her mouth stuffed with tteok and ramen.

“Never mind,” he shakes his head, picking up a quail egg with his chopsticks and putting it on her spoon.

“I almost forgot,” he exclaims just as he’s about to eat a piece of fries, “The high school’s Sport Event is tomorrow, I have to make a new sunny doll.”

Thena chuckles, “I thought you were worried about the food. Turns out you want to make a doll?”

“We’ve planned everything for tomorrow’s lunch. We also counted Druig’s portion,” Gil says, dipping a kimbap slice into the tteokbokki sauce.

“He’s coming too?”

“Of course. He’s only here for Makkari, and since she’ll be with us so he has no choice but to tag along,” he pauses to think for a moment, then continues, “Now that they’re dating, surely they won’t want to keep the distance, right? Would one of them move?”

“Certainly, if they want to be close to each other,” Thena replies, “Do you think Druig would move here or Makkari would move to the city with him?”

“I don’t know,” Gil scratches his chin, “I hope Druig would move here, obviously, but if Makkari wanted to move away, then I’d support her wholeheartedly. You know, Makkari is a great pastry chef. If she moves to the city, I’m sure there’ll be more chances for her to be successful.”

“However, it’s a big If,” Thena says, eating the tteok that Gil brings to her lips, it’s slightly thicker than the others but she still has it in one bite. Her eyes widened, “This one has cheese inside?”

“Very good,” Gil grins, “It’s to reduce the spiciness.”

“Anyways,” she shakes her head, “It seems Makkari loves this place and you guys a lot, it won’t be easy for her to leave.”

“Did you know she moved here not so long ago, like me?”

“I know, she said she had moved here when you had only opened your shop for a year.”

“Yeah, I was Eternal’s pastry chef at the time, the only chef actually. We didn’t serve meal sets back then. She asked for a temporary job, I think she wasn't going to stay long. But then, she stays, year after year.”

“What about you? What made you decide to settle here?”

The answer comes quicker than she thought.

“It just feels right,” Gil smiles gently, “I was on one of my camping trips, I went off the mountains and arrived in town. I passed the abandoned building that is now Eternal. The moment I saw it, I thought, “This place is perfect. I can make a home and my own coffee shop out of it.” Before that, I’d never done something so impulsive.”

“But you did then.”

“But I did then.”

“Lucky me,” she hums.

“Lucky me,” Gil repeats and she smiles. All of a sudden, Gil raises his hands to cover his eyes.

“Holy shit,” he cries out, “You’re so bright! Are you headlights or something? How can you be so bright?”

Thena turns crimson, her heart thumping so fast that she thinks it’s about to jump out of her chest. She wants to shake him and ask him how he could be so adorable, but instead she only laughs harder and pulls him into a tight hug.

★

They finish lunch and walk to his favourite bookstore. It’s a small one but there are shelves that reach the ceiling, they even have a small section for old, second-hand books. They spend a long time choosing what to buy, because for every book they pick up, they read a few pages to test it and between those moments, they share about the books they’ve read. Gil is very surprised when he finds out Thena can quote Shakespeare, Jane Austen and Victor Hugo as if she’s learned them by heart.

“Do you have a literature degree hiding somewhere?” He asks after the shock is gone.

“I just have a good memory,” she says, “And a huge library.”

They move to the travel section and it’s her turn to be amazed at Gil’s knowledge and small facts about the places he’s been to. Turns out he hasn’t told her half of the things he knows. They start talking about the places they wish to go to, the different cultures and people around the world. Thena notes everything down in her mind, even his excitement, then looks at the stack of books in his hands, not three but five books, because she can’t decide which one to leave so he said she could buy them all (“It’s not my birthday yet”, she said, “You shouldn’t have.” to which he replied, “I don’t need a special occasion to buy you something nice.”) And because of it, she’s determined to save up and gift him a trip to somewhere nice once in a while. If he told her that she shouldn’t have? She’d just throw his words back at him.

When they pass the old books section, she considers donating or selling some of her old and unnecessary books and Gil offers to help. And if Phastos arrived at the bookstore 15 minutes sooner, he could have a rather interesting conversation about books with them. But instead, he has to witness a sight that makes him glad because Jack isn’t with him.

Thena is leaning against a shelf, one of her hands holding a leather-bound book between herself and Gil, her other hand is on the back of his neck, playing with his hair. Gil has one arm pressed at the shelf, just one or two inches above her head, his other arm wraps around her, and they’re so absorbed in their make-out session that the engineer doubts they would notice if the apocalypse was happening out there. Thena pouts and tries to recapture Gil’s lips when he parts from hers but then he starts trailing kisses along her jawline, smiling into her soft, intoxicating skin as he listens to her sighs.

Phastos’ eyes almost roll to the back of his skull. He turns around and walks away from that corner as far as he can. Moments later, he spots them approaching the counter. Thena is clutching at Gil’s elbows with both of her hands and he hears her rare giggles as Gil says something to her and the older cashier. Once or twice he lowers his head and kisses her hair. They finally leave and through the big window, Phastos spots a large shopping bag in Thena’s hand and she practically glows with happiness. He lifts an impressed eyebrow before returning to his book. Gil sure knows how to please his lady.

[clintashaspawn]

Thena headcanons

(Because I just love her so so much and

she’s already a comfort character for me

now even though I’ve only seen Eternals

twice. I have a lot of Thena headcanons,

so buckle up folks and I hope you enjoy.)

—

she’s very protective of the ones she cares about, but in a non-hovering way

despite her babysitting privileges being revoked by Phastos, she still enjoys spending time with Jack, and would do absolutely anything to protect him because she’s a total softie for the kid

Gilgamesh’s cooking and baking was her favorite and she misses both a lot

the first couple of weeks after Gilgamesh’s death, she has vivid nightmares that keep her awake the entire night, and against her best efforts to hide the evidence of her lack of sleep, Makkari notices, but never brings it up

Thena becomes quite touch deprived after she loses Gilgamesh, but is hesitant to allow anyone to get too close to her physically

she lasts less than 48 hours without Gil before the Mahd W’yry takes over her mind and sends her into a bad episode

somehow, Makkari and Druig are able to bring her back, and she comes to lying on the floor of the Domo with her head in the other woman’s lap

Thena always finds herself surprised at how close Makkari continues to stay to her even though she’d almost died at her hands during her first Mahd W’yry attack

it pains her to see the way Druig, ever so slightly, becomes more protective of Makkari whenever she’s around because it’s just the three of them, and they all know that a Mahd W’yry Thena is an extremely dangerous Thena

I’m so sorry, Makkari, she signs after a horrid attack, hands shaking so much that to anyone else, her words wouldn’t have made sense, but without hesitation, I don’t blame you and I never will is signed back as Druig tends to the cut above her right eye, and I love you no matter what

she hasn’t had an attack in nearly four months when Thena tells them they should take her to Arishem and let him reset her mind to which Makkari (very nicely) tells her off for even mentioning such a thing and shockingly enough, Druig firmly disagrees with the idea as well

Phastos invites everyone to dinner and feeling bad for having declined his previous multiple offers over the months, she finally says yes

Makkari’s Thena-inflicted wounds have healed at this point (except for the scar on her cheek from one of Thena’s knives a few weeks ago), but Thena is sure that everyone knows what she’s done anyway, and it puts her on edge

Jack updates her about his classes in school and tells her about a “kid who says and does mean things” and she can feel the burn creep up behind her eyes (that she’s learned is a warning of an attack) at the thought of someone hurting this kid she’s grown to love very much

she has to excuse herself and because Jack still doesn’t understand, he tries to follow, and she ends up slamming a door in his face right as she loses the thread of sanity she’d been clinging to the entire visit

Thena can’t bring herself to even talk to Phastos, Jack, or Ben after that because she came entirely too close to hurting someone else she loves

Jack is eighteen the next time Thena does see him and his adoration for her hasn’t diminished one bit

Thena apologizes for staying away for so long and explains to him why, his response being to simply hug her, and tell her that she is “loved and cherished”

the longer Thena goes without an attack, the more she notices Druig starts to loosen up in her presence (again)

when Makkari impulsively decides to learn piano one day, Thena discovers just how soothing, her piano playing specifically, is, and eventually divulges to Makkari that it helps to keep her mind at bay

every now and then, something will remind Thena of Gilgamesh, and send her mind reeling, but Makkari had learned a few telltale signs prior to an attack, and in most cases, they’re now able to stop them

Thena likes to braid Makkari’s hair and depending on her mood, she’ll incorporate flowers

as much as Thena enjoys learning new things, she has to limit herself to avoid overwhelming her already fractured mind

the winter months are always the worst for Thena, but over the years, her and Makkari have come up with ways to help her get through them without an incident

Thena’s favorite time of year is right between spring and fall as everything around her changes and she’ll spend a lot of time outside

most of her wardrobe consists of off-white and tan, but never white, because white is clean and pure something she’ll never be

she’s multilingual (for obvious reasons), but finds herself mixing her languages up, or forgetting words and phrases

one of Thena’s deeply hidden concerns is that she’ll forget sign language, losing her primary form of communication with Makkari

You won’t forget. You’ll always remember, Makkari assures her confidently and all Thena can bring herself to do is thank her. You and Gil always believed in me even when I’d doubt myself. Thank you, Kari.

Thena’s nickname for Makkari is “Kari”

she does miss fighting, but tries her best not to dwell on it too much (because she sent herself spiraling into an attack by accident doing that in the past)

although she’s suffered with Mahd W’yry for years, Thena still isn’t exactly sure what all of her triggers are, and the thought of not knowing every single thing that could trigger her is one of the very few fears she has

Thena’s favorite color is orange because it reminds her of Gilgamesh

she misses Gilgamesh’s touch and the way it never failed to ground her

for the longest time, Thena didn’t think she would ever admit that aloud, and for the longest time, she didn’t

when she told Gilgamesh, his eyes crinkled at the corners from the beaming smile that spread across his face, and she couldn’t hold back her genuine smile in return

the only other person who she’d ever admitted that to was Makkari

it was as Thena was coming down from a Mhad W’yry attack which promptly sent her into a full blown panic attack, but Makkari was there, her Kari

Makkari held a hand up and Thena’s fingertips met hers, close your eyes, she signed, and Thena obeyed, red rimmed eyes fluttering closing, and her friend signed against her fingers, You’re okay, Thena. I’m here. Take a deep breath. And her other hand pulled Thena’s up to her chest.

it took nearly ten minutes of signed reassurances and mimicking Makkari’s controlled breaths for Thena to only have to force her sobs into submission rather than succumb to hyperventilation

I miss him, she signed and cried out, I just want to feel his hand in mine one more time, and Makkari wrapped her in a hug

neither of them spoke about it afterward

Makkari is the only other person Thena allows to get and remain physically close to her

Thena uses art, primarily oil painting, as a way of expression, especially after a Mahd W’yry attack, she’ll draw what flashed by her eyes

[crguang]

the eternals’ guide to babysitting || ajak.

A/N: another oneshot from the found family series, just something i had in mind. i have so many hcs about the eternals babysitting maybe i’ll make a proper post for it

You had 5 rules.

Rule number 1: Always babysit in pairs or more (Phastos is the exception to this).

It didn’t matter if the Eternals were immortal warriors who had lived for centuries, if you were leaving your baby in the care of one, another should at least be present as backup. Ajak had found it funny at first, but then the thought of leaving Mateo alone with Druig or Ikaris made her lose her smile. Pairs were obligatory. They might be Eternals but some of them had no idea how to take care of a child, and it was quickly proven after the disaster of May 10th (new rules were added that day). Phastos being a parent himself, he was the only one allowed to be alone with your baby, though you and Ajak usually brought Mateo to him so he could play with Jack.

“Phastos and Ben can’t,” you bit your bottom lip as you entered the living room and made eye contact with Ajak.

Toys were sprawled in the floor with Mateo in the middle, babbling some things about whatever was going on in his head. Ajak looked up as you came into the room. She lowered the book she was reading, setting in on the small table in front of her as she shifted on the couch.

“Did you try Sersi?” She asked, and you sighed while walking over to her.

When Phastos was busy and couldn’t take care of Mateo, the second choice was usually Sersi. She was always happy to help out, either accompanied by Dane or Ikaris. You liked Dane, he was funny and responsible even if he was a bit awkward around children. You knew the schedule you made sure to leave behind was respected whenever the woman was there. You would never tell, but she was your favourite. She had a way with kids and Mateo had grown attached to her abilities. Ikaris was as clueless as the baby, but Mateo liked him too. Though he almost lost his babysitting rights when your son asked Ajak if she could “toast his sandwich with her lasers” the next day.

“I did,” you plopped on the couch next to your girlfriend. You rested your head on her thigh to look up at her. “She can’t either, something about Sprite needing her.”

“Ikaris is out of the question, then.” Ajak’s thumb brushed your cheek as a small smile made its way onto her face.

“Oh absolutely, he’s with Sersi or nobody.”

That left Gilgamesh and Thena. When the man managed to keep a phone long enough to answer your calls, he was a total sweetheart. He was a little confused at first but he had the spirit, and his energy easily matched Mateo’s.

Rule number 2: Do not give Mateo sweets after 7PM.

That rule was added after Gil had the brilliant idea to bake a cake with Mateo and while the boy had the time of his life (and the cake was delicious too, you tasted it), the sugar rush that followed was not pleasant for anyone. It took an entire hour for him to calm down after you and Ajak came back from your date. Apparently, him and Gil had play-wrestled earlier while Thena had the role of mediator so Mateo’s first thought upon seeing you was to try and wrestle. Thena had complimented him on her way out and that only filled him with more excitement. Other than that, the duo didn’t pose any problems. It was a bit hard to keep in contact in contact them, as they both never used phones. Gilgamesh often broke his accidentally, a few times because of his own strength. So it wasn’t really a surprise when neither of them answered after a few calls.

You sighed again, glancing at the happy boy on the floor. Mateo was playing with his colorful blocks and his plastic cars, building little tunnels for the cars to go through. You loved him more than life itself but when he screamed after one of his tunnels fell to the ground, the thought of a child-free evening with Ajak became even more appealing.

You refused to send Kingo a text. He was out of the question, that man was almost as childish as your son at times. That left only Druig and Makkari.

Rule number 3: No teaching Mateo how to steal (please, Druig.)

The mind reader would argue that he was only helping the boy sharpen his skills by teaching him to be observant, but the purse of Ajak’s lips would make him shrug and give up. Mateo had stolen your chapsticks, keys, shoe (not shoes, a single shoe) and some of Ajak’s candles after one evening in the care of Druig and Makkari. The speedster was usually the voice of reason, but Druig had a way of enabling her at times. She would never refuse a challenge.

Your phone chimed with Makkari’s response, a simple thumbs up with an exclamation mark. You sat up abruptly with a gasp.

“They’re free!” You almost squealed in joy as you stood up and looked back at Ajak.

Mateo turned to you curiously. You and Ajak hadn’t truly had time to yourselves in a while and she was the one who impulsively decided that you should go out tonight. Finding a last minute babysitter had its issues and you didn’t actually think anyone would be free. You kneeled next to your boy, unable to contain your excitement.

“Uncle Druig and auntie Makkari are coming to stay with you tonight,” you told him, fixing his shirt’s collar. “You’re gonna have a lot of fun together.”

“Yes!” Mateo let the toy in his hand fall to the ground when he stood up, jumping up and down a few times. “Candy for dinner! CAKE FOR DINNER!”

Right. Makkari had no culinary skills.

You paused before turning to Ajak. “Maybe this isn’t the best idea.”

Your girlfriend lifted her eyes to the ceiling in fond amusement, “I’ll prepare something before we leave. I don’t want Makkari destroying the kitchen.”

Rule number 4: No powers in the house.

That one seemed obvious enough to you that it didn’t need to be said, but after Ikaris’ laser beam incident, you felt the need to add it. Thena was also forbidden from using any weapon in the house (*please just use the kitchen knives to cook, Thena). If Makkari broke that rule every time she babysat, you had no idea. She always made sure to clean minutes before your arrival and with her speed it only took seconds. The only time you had let Kingo and Sprite help you out, you came home to a broken kitchen window and a hole in Mateo’s bedroom door. Kingo later admitted that he had barely skimmed the rules before starting to play with Mateo and you had known then that he would never babysit again. Though it was cute to see the boy mimic his finger guns for a few days after.

Rule number 5: Bedtime is at 8:30. No, Mateo cannot stay up late to watch his cartoons, please resist the begging he’ll give up eventually.

That rule had only been broken once after the sugar high incident. Other than that, you and Ajak always came home to a quiet house. You were grateful to be apart of such a big family, especially when yours weren’t in the picture anymore. To have others to rely on was something you were still getting used to, but most importantly it was so heartwarming to see Mateo connect with all these people as if they were always a part of his life, and it was the same the other way around. You didn’t know if Makkari was joking or not when she told you that she would kill for him, but for your own sake you’d say she was. Your son was surrounded by reliable people, it was all you had wanted for him. Maybe the Eternals weren’t the best when it came to children, but they were family and Mateo was never bored when they were around.

“Thank you,” you had murmured against Ajak’s lips that night, nose brushing hers while your fingers tangled themselves in her hair.

You were laying almost completely on top of her, her hands on your waist. Her skin was warm when it met yours and the words had escaped your lips before you could think about them.

“Mmh? For what?”

“For entering my life the way you did.”

Her teasing smile was contagious when she replied, “I’m also very thankful I didn’t hit you with my car.”

“Are you finally admitting it was your fault?”

“I didn’t say that.”

You pulled away enough to look into her eyes. The tenderness you saw in them made your stomach churn with admiration. Ajak was the strongest, most reliable person you had ever met. She cared for Mateo in a way you didn’t expect her to and never asked for anything in return. If anyone deserved to be called his mother, it was her. You couldn’t believe she had fallen in love with you as you had with her.

“I love you,” you admitted quietly, and seeing her smile widen squeezed your heart in the best way possible.

Her lips mets yours in a gentle kiss. Ajak didn’t need to say it for you to know that she loved you too, she never failed to remind you of it every day by staying by your and Mateo’s side. Your mouths moved as one and you couldn’t help but deepen the innocent kiss after a moment, needing to taste her tongue with yours. Your free hand roamed her body, brushing the side of her chest under her clothes. Your lips left hers to kiss her jaw and you were sure her slow exhale, so close to your ear, made your heart skip several beats still. Ajak had a way of making things feel like the first time. You wanted more, and she easily gave you everything she had. The world was asleep, it was only you, her and the love you held for the other.

[omegas-spaghettios]

Gil and Thena are very clearly in love to me, at least Gil is, but because it is not traditional movie love I don't think people see it

(Besides the fact that their first appearance is a traditional courting display)

Now I'm not saying that I am the Arbiter of romance, you can see whatever you want in them. My point is less about starting arguments and more a discussion on how love is portrayed.

Ikaris and Sersi have sex to show their love, Druig and Makkari are very flattering in their words and they rub their foreheads together, Phastos and Ben have a family and share a kiss.

Now that isn't bad! ESPECIALLY in Phastos' case. But what I'm getting at is that physical displays or flattering, flirty words are not the only way love is. That CAN be love, but it isn't exclusively love.

We tend to think that romantic love is sealed by physical attraction. Our society, at least in the states, has built up this idea that physical intimacy = romance. But that isn't the case at all.

You can romantically love someone with all your heart and not be physical, you can love somebody without big, fluffy displays of words. Love is just as much about devotion and being there for each other as any of that.

I adore kisses, words of love, physical affection, all of it from my partner. It does make me feel loved! But other displays of love honestly are longer lasting. My partner makes me feel safe, they help me when they can and I need it, they provide support and i try to reciprocate. When I was having a hard night and I contacted them in their free time and they immediately came over to stay the night to help? That is probably one of the biggest gestures of love that I remember.

Gilgamesh chooses to use his opportunity to do what he wants ~1500 in order to allow Thena to remain who she is, which is a very dangerous job, really. Gilgamesh exchanged 5 CENTURIES of time to explore the world, to party, to explore, anything really, for Thena. A job that really is thankless. Thena is actively dangerous for him, she attacks him fairly consistently due to her disability. And when a deviant attacks, he is solely responsible to defend both himself and Thena.

But he never complains. He does this willingly, infact he says he would do it again. This man cooks food, probably built that structure and at least keeps it up, he probably cannot consistently rely on Thena to do much work. That isn't Thena's fault though, and he sees that. That is a deep, deep love to me. The tender ways that he holds her hand to bring her back, all the care and risk he puts in, it shows an incredibly deep love.

I love Gil's introduction in the present. He has multiple visible wounds. But, other than teasing the others for showing up late and boasting that he got his, he doesn't complain. He doesn't complain that Thena has been off, that he was frustrated about having to keep both of them safe and getting wounded. It's just an expectation for him, he deals with that stress happily. He once tried to get Druig to put her to sleep so he could take a vacation. But like, he wanted one week out of five centuries, he deserves his own time and life sometimes!

And, in the end, it catches up to him, he dies. But his last word to Thena is "remember". Even as he dies, he expresses to Thena a wish for her to remember who she is, to keep her identity, to hold on to what he has dedicated his life to. Again, not explicitly physical or romantic, but it shows a very deep, trusting, comfortable, companionship kind of love. And the fact that Thena is devastated after, more than the others, the fact that Kro mentioning Gilgamesh allowed her to snap out of her confusion, it says love to me.

My point is that had they kissed, this would be BLATANTLY romantic to damn near anybody, these displays would all be seen as deep deep love. But they don't kiss, so now it's up to debate. Again, had they kissed, this would be celebrated as a real, loving romance. It frustrates me that romance and love is measured by physical displays primarily, because their love is honestly pretty clear, but because there is no kiss or sex scene, it's "up in the air".

Hell, our culture is so tied to kisses that gay kisses can be edited out for foreign markets and Disney makes a pass in those areas (a whole other ordeal). Just by editing a scene or two, an entire romance can be turned platonic. Romance is not just the kiss!! But our society puts SO MUCH emphasis there that without it, it isn't romance.

(Again, if you don't agree, cool. Just don't be inflammatory.)

[siempre-bucky]

Awww Makkari as the godmother is the most precious thing in the world 🥺 I love her and I totally imagine her making fun of Druig for being a dad and treating us like a little sister who she's proudest of

Now I'm asking who would be the godfather, I think in Gilgamesh for being a big teddy bear that can bake and maybe when he ask for Druig's help to put sleep Thena, you would go with Druig and bring the question to Gil

I totally made Gil the godfather a few fics back! He's a wonderful protector and 10/10 would make a good father.

In my lil timeline you and Druig pull Makkari and Gilgamesh aside before the beach fight and ask them if anything were to happen that they'd take care of Orla and Rory (who's still unborn)

"I'd protect them like they're my own."

[softquietsteadylove]

omg I love possessive Gil in your 10 things AU so much🥵 can you please write more smut like that? (with any AU you want)💌❤️‍🔥

Thena laughed at the man's joke, who was happy to receive her payment with a sleek smile. His hand even floated down to her shoulder. Their exchange continued, but that hand felt the need to linger.

Gil watched it the entire time.

Thena was on her doctor mandated break, from both performing and even teaching for at least two weeks. He was happy to take care of her at home, but almost at the end of her time off, she was getting restless. So, seeing a show seemed like a great idea.

Thena had a great time--at least he thought she did. He had asked if she knew anyone in it but she hadn't recognised any names from the show program. That made this even worse.

The male lead had just happened to recognise Thena, purely from running in similar professional circles. Gil was proud of it! She was an amazing ballerina, of course she should be recognised for it. That wasn't the problem. This guy was the problem.

"I'm honoured I could finally meet the Swan herself," he schmoozed right in her face.

Gil tugged at his tie. He called her that, thank you.

"I've seen so many of your shows, I should be the one dying to meet you," he continued. His hand left Thena's shoulder, but only to trail down her arm to clasp her hand in his. He was really pushing it.

"Nonsense, you're the crown jewel of your company," she countered his flattery, although she hadn't yanked her hand out of his yet, much to Gil's distaste.

"If only I were the crown jewel of yours." Okay, this guy definitely knew what he was doing. Gil stood straighter as the man even raised Thena's hand to his lips.

"Oh," she blinked, blushing faintly as he did so.

Gil cleared his throat loudly. He had stood by for enough of this. He moved in without a thought to the jostling of everyone. He elbowed the man out of his way and captured Thena's waist in his arm. "Sorry, we're late for something."

"Gil!"

"Of course," the man sighed dramatically. He waved as Thena was dragged away from him. "It was a pleasure, ma cherie!"

"I'll show you pleasure.

"Gilgamesh," Thena huffed as he ushered her into an empty dressing room and slammed the door behind them. "What is-!"

He pulled her close, taking her lips in his. He cushioned the back of her head with his hand, although her back hit the door as he pressed as close as he could get.

Thena moaned against his lips, their tongues moving fluidly and her hands on his cheeks. Her shoulders bunched up, surprised by his urgency.

He moved his shoulders, eager to get her elbows out of his way. He moved his hands from her waist to grasp her behind through the light layers of her pretty dress.

"Gil!" she all but yelped. He hoisted her, hands grasping her behind so he could move them from the door to the mirror. He plunked her down onto the table of it, her shoulders pressed against the cold glass. She gasped. "What are you doing?!"

But he wasn't in the mood. He was in a very different mood. He grasped the insides of her knees to help them wind around him. These things were the perfect height. "You want pleasure?"

"Gil," Thena attempted to scold him, but he could watch the tiny twitches in her face as he trailed his hand up the inside of her thigh.

"You can have it," he breathed into her ear. He dragged his teeth over it, enjoying the flush of red that followed. She shivered. He used the other hand to trail over where he had watched that asshole do exactly the same. He would replace that man's touch on Thena's body with his own. "Because you're mine."

"Gil," she bit her lip as he latched onto her neck. His one hand continued to trail lightly from her hand up to her shoulder, back and forth, up and down, so lightly it was almost ticklish. But he reached her shoulder and planted it more firmly. "We can't."

"What did I just say?" he whispered roughly, his other hand reaching its goal and easily pushing aside the white lace she was wearing. He remembered it well; he had watched her select that exact set and then joke about not going.

Thena whimpered as he skipped any sort of warm up and instead pushed in just the tips of his fingers first.

"Miss Thena," he teased, pushing in to the second knuckle. "What did I tell you?"

"You're mine," she panted, her hands finally moving up his chest and around his neck to his back to pull him closer.

He chuckled. It was close enough. He liked rendering his Swan all ruffled and speechless. He dove, dragging his teeth from her neck down her clavicle to her cleavage. "I said you're mine."

Thena let out a deeper moan as he pushed his fingers in completely, simultaneously using his teeth to drag down the front of her dress. It had been sitting just off her shoulders, teasing him all night.

He reached for the back zipper, freeing her breasts completely. Its tightness had offered her some lift. He admired the way they bounced, now at gravity's mercy again.

"Gil, please," she whimpered, moving her hips with his fingers.

He could multitask. He continued to watch the rhythm of her breasts, eventually bending his head to take a nipple between his teeth. He bit a little more firmly than necessary. Her back arched but he pushed his thumb into the dip of her collar bone, not needing any pressure to keep her shoulders against the mirror. It was fogging up.

Thena whined as he pulled his fingers away. She was panting for breath and a light sheen was fighting the setting layer of her makeup. "Jealous and a tease?"

If he could give her behind a little smack, he would. But he kept her firmly planted on it, deliberately pulling both hands away from her to undo his belt. She watched with hunger in her eyes. "This what you want?"

She nodded.

He undid his suit trousers, pulling himself out and grasping himself at the base. Fuck, he was hard. "Say it."

"I want you," she managed, her voice full of breath.

He bent her knees more, forcing the skirt of her dress up and out of his way. He gripped the flesh of her inner thigh, a fine mix of natural fat and firm muscle. It clenched as he massaged little circles with his thumb closer and closer to her hip. "Ask for it."

A flash of stubbornness passed over her. He raised his eyebrows, just touching his tip to her warmth.

Her eyes lowered as she looped her arms around his neck, "please, Gil?"

"Please," he moved closer to her ear again, letting her fold her swanly form around him. He nipped at her earring, "what?"

"Please," she whimpered again, the red from her ears shooting down her neck. "Fuck me."

"Good girl," he congratulated her as he pushed in. She moaned, her knees tightening around him before stretching out and then closing in again. "You're mine, aren't you?"

"Yes," she gasped, her whole body adjusting to him in this position as he kissed along her throat.

"And this," he grinned, rolling his hips and hitting up and forward within her. Oh, this was a good spot. She tightened around him and he nipped at her cleavage again in thanks. "This is mine."

"Yes," she moaned, trying to urge him into moving more.

He leaned forward, pushing them both more firmly against the mirror behind them. It was completely fogged up from their heat now. Thena's bare shoulders squeaked against the glass. "All mine?"

"Yes," she whined, digging her heel into the back of his thigh.

"Say it," he teased again, moving lightly, as if they had all the time in the world for him to fuck her in a strange theatre full of other patrons.

"I'm all yours."

"Good."

Gil slammed their hips together, picking up a completely frantic pace. He gripped his arm around Thena, keeping her at the perfect precipice, close enough to the edge for him to push all the way in but also safely planted on the counterspace. These things were not meant to be fucked on; he could hear the braces of it in the wall as they moved.

Thena made a buffet of sounds for him to enjoy. Her head rotated between leaning down, searching for him, and pressing the bun in her hair against the mirror, smearing the steam. "Gil!"

He ran his hand down her arm again, bringing her hand to his lips, then her wrist, then up her arm. "Mine, mine, mine."

"Yours," she repeated back to him. He wasn't sure she was really in the depths of territorial need like he was. But so long as she was enjoying herself, that was what mattered. "Fuck, Gil, I'm-"

"Coming?" he snarled, trailing his tongue from between her breasts and up her neck. He nipped at the sharp angle of her jawbone. "On whose cock?"

"Yours," she answered again, although her voice was so breathy and high in pitch it was getting hard to hear her.

"Say it," he grunted, changing angle, pushing the top of his head down and burying his face in her breasts. Her fingers ran through his hair.

"Your cock, yours," she obeyed, pulsing around him frantically. He gripped her hips and pulled her, slamming and grinding them together where they were joined. Her shoulders slipped down and she gripped the corners of the counter edge as she came.

Gil held her by the waist, lifting her bottom half completely to keep them firmly joined. He came with her, both of them erupting with nowhere to go. He opened his eyes slowly, coming down from the high as they both gasped for breath.

The skirt of her dress pooled around their hips and drooped down from where he was holding her. But he heard a faint dripping sound that made him feel positively feral.

Thena attempted to call out his name, but she was shaking all over, especially her arms. He moved closer again, helping support her again. She leaned over him, her back to the mirror and her front to his chest. She whimpered as he slipped out of her.

Gil examined the damage, slipping her panties back into place, not that she didn't squirm at that. He glanced briefly at the floor as he stuffed himself back into his trousers and did up his belt.

Thena cleared her throat. He looked at her and she looked positively scandalised. Although, her glaring and pouting would do a lot more if she weren't so flushed, and such a cute shade of pink. "Gil."

He chuckled, knowing exactly what she was asking. "Yes, Miss Thena."

She looked away as he wiped the evidence of them off the floor. Her legs were crossed and she was gripping the skirt of her dress over her lap. "I like this dress, you know."

"I'll have it dry cleaned, Gorgeous," he promised, kissing her cheek as he gently helped her slide off the counter. Her heels hit the floor but they clattered and skidded as she struggled to stand upright. "You got it?"

She grumbled into his chest, trying to find the strength in her knees.

"Hm?" he hummed, observing the top of her head and how even her bun was a little messed up now. He picked at it, trying to make it seem more deliberate. She swatted his hand away.

"I said you were insufferable," she huffed as she finally managed to take two straight steps without wobbling.

No, watching some stranger paw at his girlfriend was insufferable. This was quite pleasurable, if he did say so himself. He tilted his head as Thena paused at the door. "Sweetheart?"

She turned, positioning herself behind him. "Tell me if it's all clear."

His poor Thena. She could be so adventurous at times, but when it came to the consequences of their lovemaking, she would prefer not to deal with them. He gripped the handle, ready to strut his stuff.

[naoa-ao3]

Calling From The Heart

Gilgamesh had thought a cell phone would be a good thing. Thena wanders off some times and though he knows she can take care of herself he can't help but worry when she does. It's part of the reason they're so far from anywhere inhabited.

Just the same he fears that one day she might wander off in a fit of madness and never return. It's irrational but he can't help but feel it and so he buy's her a cell phone. It's more for his peace of mind than anything else.

She opens it at the table, a look of amusement spreading across her face. Phastos could have made something infinitely better but they're all living their separate lives now and this will work just as well.

She looks at it curiously and tears into the packaging, the little plastic thing small in her hand as she smiles.

"We have a phone." She say's.

He rubs at his neck. "Well, this one can leave the house and it came as a pair so I have one too."

She presses buttons and seems relaxed enough.

He cherishes moments like these. Moments when everything is calm and he has his Thena, the woman he knows and loves. The woman's he's fought along side of and called friend for all his waking life.

"Show me yours." She say's, leaning across the table.

It's a warm night but not so warm they can't go for a walk later.

He fishes his out and hands it to her and see's something bright in her eyes. "Mine is already set up. You'll have to activate yours." He say's.

They're simple gadgets.

Phastos would have been bored.

"I can call you on it from anywhere?" She asks.

He shrugs. "So long as it can get a signal."

There's a tower put up not too far away. He's found it isn't great but they should be able to get ahold of each other.

"You can even make it play music." He say's and she laughs like she hasn't been on the Domo, like she hasn't seen wonders lightyears ahead of this.

"You think I should?" She asks and she throws her head back and laughs loudly.

He's glad she likes it, it isn't much and it won't stop Mahd Wy'ry from taking it's toll but now at least he has a way to reach her if she ever wanders too far.

She breaks the phone of course.

A month later and she isn't thinking about it. She forgets and knocks it from a shelf and the damn thing breaks.

Gil cleans it up and see's her half apologetic expression. "I'll get a new one." He say's.

She smiles. "I'm sorry."

He knows she doesn't really care about the phone. She hasn't used it.

Thena was made for battle and a cell phone means very little to her but he buys her a new one anyway and set's it up for her, seeing her smile again when he puts it in her hand. She hasn't asked why he's bought it or why he bought the last one.

Maybe a part of her knows but he holds her hand for a moment just the same.

It's because he cares.

The next one breaks during a bad fit, when Mahd Wy'ry takes over her mind and the little thing falls from her pocket and slaps to earth, breaking just like the first one.

Gil buy's another and she say's she hadn't realized the second had broken.

"Well, this one is a newer model." He say's, putting it in her hand like the last one. "Maybe it will last longer."

Thena smiles and kisses his cheek, she isn't as affectionate as she once was. Mahd Wy'ry has taken that from her but every once in a while she's still the same old Thena, every once in a while she wants to spar but even that has gotten more difficult over the last few centuries.

She forgets when she spars, the madness comes to her and she suffers and for Gil it's one of the worst sights to behold.

He wishes he could take her suffering away, make it all right and good. He wishes he could build something like Phastos that could shield her form this pain and damage, that could slow her mind's descent but even Phastos doesn't have an invention like that and so instead sometimes he tells her some of Sprite's stories and things they've done in the past. Most times she say's she remembers but sometimes she admits she doesn't.

During those times he holds her hand and even if she never really cares about the phone he still buys her another when she breaks the third one.

His own is dated by then and yet he holds on to it, sentimental perhaps. . . they've never actually had to use them to call one another and so one day when he goes into town he uses his to call hers just for the heck of it.

It takes her a minute to answer and even then she sounds amused.

"Did you forget something?" She asks.

He's only gone for a few groceries.

"Ah, did we need any flour?" He asks.

He hears her hum and check. "Yes."

He can't say why but it amuses him to use the phone like this, to be able to just reach out and call her. Maybe he should get some of the others to give them their numbers. That would have been interesting, maybe even fun.

"I'll make sure to get it."

He hears her laugh softly. "Don't forget."

He doesn't and he never really did.

"I won't." He promises and he doesn't.

Thena never really cares about the phones. At one point he buys her one that can take pictures, descent pictures even and she's amused by it for a while, she sends him pictures when she goes for walks. Little things that she see's out, lizards and clouds and rocks.

He saves them to his own phone.

Snap shots of Thena's view.

He treasures them as he treasures her and when that phone breaks also he buys her another then as well.

He does get Sersi's number and they send her a selfie one day, the two of them in their home smiling at the camera, Thena has her chin jutted out proudly and Gil saves that picture as well.

No, even if Thena doesn't really care about the bit of plastic and metal he plans to keep buying her phones because it's worth it for the peace of mind and he likes being able to reach out to her. Maybe if she has one she'll be able to reach out when she needs to one day and he'll be able to pick up.

Maybe it'll help and if not, what's the worst it could cause?

He loves her and he wants to be there for her in any way he can.

[himoutolifestyle]

Hello, so one person said that they were interested in hearing the backstories of everyone for my Olive Tree Florist AU (an AU in which Thena owns a flower shop, Gilgamesh owns a restaurant, and cute shenanigans and things occur), so I’m just gonna take that and run. 

I’m going to have different posts to explain the different backstories (mostly because I don’t want to have like a super long post), but also because I’m writing them all up now and I would like to have breaks in between each backstory. I’ll do my best to link all the posts together but if I forget, sorry, 

That being said, let’s talk about Thena. 

Thena’s life was chaotic to say the least. Thena’s parents were killed in front of her when she was young (hence PTSD later in life) in an armed robbery, so she was very committed to be able to defend herself. 

After she was adopted by Arishem, she met Gilgamesh in school and they hit it off. Gilgamesh had never looked down on Thena for being a girl and respects her. Thena in return respects him and appreciates how he doesn’t conform to anyone, but rather walks his own path. 

When Thena gets to middle school, that’s when Druig gets adopted. Druig and Thena are closer to each other than their other siblings just because they’ve known each other longer but also because they’re on a similar wavelength with each other (I’ve always found their dynamic to be interesting). 

Ikaris and Sprite are adopted afterwards when Thena is in high school. That’s when Gilgamesh started having ‘family dinners’ with them. That was also around the time where both Thena and Gilgamesh were acknowledging that  they might have romantic feelings for each other.  

Thena and Gilgamesh got together the summer before they went to college (yes, they went to the same college). That’s when they met Phastos (who was an engineering major) and Ajak (biology/pre-health major). 

Thena’s PTSD affected her more after college when she was working for Arishem’s company. She wanted help, but Arishem thought the best thing was to keep everything hushed up, so he gave her pills and pills but the medicine just made Thena’s condition worse.

Gil stood by her side throughout this entire time. He was supportive and caring. But he knew that she needed more help than just him. So he contacted Druig and they were able to have her in rehab and in therapy. Gilgamesh would often visit her with pies and other foods (normally after he was done at the restaurant). He also would bring her flowers because he wanted to give her something that would brighten up her room even after he left. 

When Thena was discharged, she officially left Arishem’s company and his ‘family’. She opened her flower shop and named it “Olive Tree Florist”.  

Other Backstories: Arishem  I Thena I Druig I Ikaris I Sprite I Makkari I Gilgamesh

[taran-chan]

on a Wednesday, in a cafe (chapter 24)

Read on AO3

thursday lunchbox: shrimp pan-toasted sandwich

There's a knock on the door. Gil hurriedly puts the leftover sandwiches inside the microwave then rushes out of the kitchen. On the other side of the door is Sprite, who just returned after finishing her last day of the final exam.

“I heard Thena’s back early,” she beams, “Is she in there?”

Gil glances back at the living room, lowering his voice sadly, “Yeah, but she’s tired. She had a bad day. Do you still want to come in?”

Sprite’s smile wavers a bit, “It's alright, I’ll let her rest. I just came up to thank her for helping me with the exam. I did pretty good.”

“Good job!” Gil rubs her hair and she struggles to dodge his hand, “Thena was worried about you, you know. She’ll be very proud of you, and so is everybody.”

Sprite returns his smile, her cheeks pink, “Then please tell her the results for me. Also, this is the flyers for my school’s annual Sport Event,” she hands him the colourful papers that she’s been holding onto.

“Oh, it’s happening already? Are you competing this year?”

“Of course. I’ll play for my badminton club and participate in a relay race.”

“Two competitions?” Gil raises his eyebrows, looking impressed, “How about your theatre club?”

“As usual, we’ll perform in the afternoon. This year we’re doing the Hadestown musical,” She says proudly, “I’m the director.”

“As expected.”

“Ajak invited Makkari and I invited Sersi and Kingo. It’s not anything big but if you have time this year, I’d be glad if you can go, any time of the day is fine.”

“What are you talking about? Of course we’ll be there! Last year was a real blast, I’m sure Thena would want to come too.”

“But why do I remember that someone fell asleep half the time of our play last year?”

Gil scratches his head, “In my defense, I was tired at the time because I had to participate in that three-legged race for parents with Makkari. Remember? When Ajak had a sprained ankle?”

“Gotta admit, you played the role of my foster dad pretty well.”

“I can’t do that again this year though, I have Thena. But unless she wants me to,” he shrugs.

“Yeah, sure pal,” Sprite waves her hand dismissively, “We don’t have that this year anyway, instead we hold a 100 meters race for the parents.”

“So Ajak will run then?”

“Absolutely. She’s been waiting for her revenge because last year we only got third place. Not great.”

“That’s because Makkari and I weren’t familiar with each other's rhythm,” Gil pouts, “Ajak’s steps and mine are two very different things! Give us one week and we’ll snatch that first place without sweating.”

“Just messing with you,” Sprite giggles, “But don’t forget to come. If you don’t want to see me kick some seniors' and freshmen’s asses then just come to see Ajak run, it’d be worth it.”

“Won’t miss it for the world. I’ll cook something for lunch that day, we can have a picnic.”

“Alright, send my regards to Thena, will you? I hope she'll feel better soon.”

“I’ll take good care of her.”

“I know,” she nods, “My shift is starting. Are you staying with her for the rest of the day?”

“Yeah, it’s a slow evening but call me if you need. And I bought ice cream for you in the fridge.”

“Cool! Thanks, boss,” Sprite gives him a thumb up, then skips down the stairs.

“Oh shit, my sandwiches!” Gil mumbles to himself and dashes back into the kitchen. He takes the food out of the microwave, hissing because of the hot plate. He puts it on the table, covers it with a bigger plate before moving into the living room.

Thena barely touched her lunch today, even though she kept mentioning that shrimp pan-toasted sandwich ever since Sersi found the recipe on the internet and brought them some of those. Shrimp is covered with flour and deep fried, then mixed with a mixture of mayo-ketchup sauce. Then they are sandwiched between two pieces of bread that are buttered with mustard, along with a slice of cheddar cheese and some shredded cabbage. Finally, the sandwiches are fried on both sides to make the bread crispy. He made her three small ones, she left two and hasn’t eaten any of the tomato salad.

According to what she told him, there was a fight between the court attendees this morning when she was in the middle of her part. She wasn’t injured but the screams and loud noises triggered her. She didn’t have a panic attack either but it was a very damn close call. After the court adjourned, she locked herself in her office for the rest of the afternoon, avoiding everyone and eventually, she had to call Gil to come and pick her up early with a small and trembling voice, saying that she was having a massive headache. In the safe space of her car, she sobbed in his arms for a sole 10 minutes. Then he drove them back to his place. He absolutely doesn’t intend to leave her alone now and she doesn’t protest either.

She's lying in a fetal position on his couch. Her hair hides away her face so it’s hard to see if she’s sleeping or awake. But her breaths are not even and her shoulders are shaking slightly. Gil crouches down and touches her arm.

“How’s your headache?”

She just shakes her head but doesn’t flinch when he touches her forehead, which is a good sign. He parts her hair and feels like someone just pierced his heart with a knife. The woman he loves more than life itself opens her eyes to look at him, another wave of tears leaks out, rolling down her beautiful, already wet cheeks. Her lips tremble, she holds out her arms and he immediately scoops her up and into his arms like she was a little kitten. She draws her knees to her chest as she clings to him, burying her face into his neck.

“It’s okay, I’m here,” he holds her with one hand, the other stroking her hair, feeling her tears soak his shirt, “I’m right here. I’ve got you, it’s alright, baby.”

“I’m sorry,” she whimpers.

“What are you sorry for?”

“You put a lot of effort into my lunch but I couldn’t eat.”

“Thena…” Now it’s him who feels like crying, “All I care about is your well-being. I can make as many sandwiches as you want.”

“Still,” she sniffles, “I hate wasting your food.”

“You’re not wasting them,” he rubs her back, “They’re still edible so I put them into the microwave. But leave them to me, I’ll make you something else.”

“What are you going to make?”

“What else? Your comfort food, of course.”

“Who eats blueberry pies for dinner?” She says, but the thought of a scalding hot pie makes her stomach rumble. Surely Gil feels that because his palm is pressed to her belly. He just laughs, lifting that same hand to stroke along the bridge of her nose, wiping away the remaining tears on her cheeks.

“We do.”

“What about your shop?” She has asked this many, many times, not just today but nearly every time he puts his work aside to stay with her when she needs him. She knows what he’ll say, she just wants to hear it again. And Gil always indulges her. He’ll repeat it as many times as it takes for her to truly believe it.

“You’re my biggest priority,” he starts rocking her back and forth gently, his voice tender and soothing as a lullaby, “And Eternal doesn’t serve dinner so there isn’t much to do, really. I’ll just come down if there are so many customers that our friends can’t handle it. But I doubt that could happen.”

For the first time in the day, Thena manages a smile. She pulls herself up a bit to kiss both of his cheeks. He scoots them to the edge of the couch to reach for the glass of water on the coffee table and brings it to her lips. She takes a few sips, then asks.

“Did Sprite come up earlier?”

“Yeah, she passed by to tell us that she did great on her exam and to thank you for tutoring her.”

“I’m glad,” her smile grows wider and she’s playing with his fingers, “I’ll text her in a minute.”

“There’s a Sport Event at her school this Sunday, she’ll be competing in badminton and a relay race.”

“Two competitions? It’s great to be young,” she rubs her cheek on his shirt. She doesn’t have many memories from her high school years, all she can recall is that it was quite dull even though she went to the same school as Sprite. And she skipped the final year to attend Oxford.

“Hey, we’re still relatively young,” he snorts, pulling her out of her thoughts, “But she’s truly having the time of her life, even directing a musical play the same day.”

“Ajak must be very proud.”

“No shit. And the girl invited us there,” Gil hands her the flyers, “Wanna go together? Could be a nice trip back to school.”

“Certainly, it’s a must. I want to see a Hadestown high school version,” then she sighs, sagging against Gil, “But I still have to survive that stupid banquet tomorrow night.”

“So you decided to go?”

She shakes her head, “After what happened today, I want to stay home even more.”

“It’s just a party anyway. If you don’t want to go, you can stay home and we’ll have a big dinner then watch TV until we fall asleep,” he runs his fingers through her hair, giving her head a light massage as he drops a kiss on her temple, “And if you wanted to go, would I still be your plus one?”

She huffs a laugh, “My one and only.”

Gil tugs at their clasped hands, “C’mon, let’s get to work. I bought some cute cookie molds, you can use them to cut decorating crusts.”

“Which shapes do you have?”

“A rabbit, a cat, a moon, a star. I think you should use the star mold, because you’re my superstar.”

“I don’t feel like one right now,” she trails off. However, she lets him lead them into the kitchen.

“Don’t sell yourself short, you’re incredible!” He turns around to face her, “It’s just that you had a hard day, it can’t deny all of your improvement. You’ve come this far,” he squeezes her hand, “I can’t say how proud I am of you, but I’ll say that if you need some rest, please know that you deserve to rest.”

“Will you be there? When I’m not feeling like a superstar,” The vulnerable, silly question that she only asks when they are alone. She absolutely doesn’t allow anyone else to see this side of her.

Gil picks her up and puts her on the table, then steps in between her legs.

“Forevermore, and after,” he promises. Even though they’ve known each other less than a year, he's sure about that more than anything.

“For as long as you’ll have me.”

He did say that to her, not so long ago, on a very different day than today. But he’s always there, seeming to be the most solid thing that’s ever been hers, the one person that she trusts enough to hold on to, lean on, or hide in. She hopes that she would never take him for granted and forget to give back, to cherish him, to let him know that she loves him with every breath she takes. But all worries evade her when he palms her face in his large hands, brushing her hair out of her face so he can kiss her forehead, the tip of her nose, and her lips, then he says, “Let’s make our pie.”

Our pie - the word makes her smile. She likes the sound of it. She likes it a lot, a lot, a lot.

[maybcnks]

‘you know i love you, right?’ u kno wat i want.

meme. → @jordanabrcwster

The Australian Outback - Mid 1970s

Generations of families came and went from his small village in the Amazon since the day he put a stop to the fighting and walked away from his own family. For the first few centuries, Druig didn’t expect anything. He created the small circle of peace in the rainforest, and if thoughts of his family passed through his mind Druig turned to something to distract him. He was the one to walk away, so he didn’t really have a leg to stand on when it came to the loneliness that bogged him down on nights where the crickets were loud in the trees. But it was hard to ignore the fact that he missed his family, and when it started to be a little bit unbearable, Makkari came out of the trees to take him to them. Thena, Gilgamesh and Makkari were the ones that cared the most about him, without question. And Druig would burn the world down for them all. Which meant when Gil set a message through Makkari about Thena’s condition, Druig was there in a heartbeat. Literally, since Makkari was a pretty fast mode of transportation.

The ask hadn’t been an easy one. Gil wanted him to make Thena sleep. The Mahd Wyr’y episode was bad and she hadn’t been able to rest. Druig was more than happy to assist, but he knew how little Thena liked when he got into her mind. It would be hard, but he wanted to help, so he showed up. Sat with Thena while Gil was out chasing a wild hog, and as Thena talked through what’s been going on, he tried his best to create a calm environment for her. It wasn’t an instantaneous solution, but it was the least invasive. Plus it was nice to sit with Thena and catch up with the woman who was more like a mother to him than a friend. It felt like the centuries that stretched between him leaving and that moment didn’t exist anymore. As they sat there, watching the sun set behind the trees, recounting stories of their time apart, Thena’s blue eyes turned to Druig and out of nowhere said it. You know I love you, right?

He had spent so many years alone, wondering if his family resented him for leaving, that Druig couldn’t believe that they were out there still thinking about him. Still caring about him. In the years since he was brought back into their lives, the word love had been thrown around like rain drops in a storm. There was never a visit that didn’t end with a goodbye that was just I love you. It never hurt to hear. Reaching out, Druig squeezed Thena’s hand, nodding quietly, the faint smile growing on his face. “I know. I love you too, Thena.”

[softquietsteadylove]

I have an idea for the family law au, what if Thena has a medical emergency (up to you what kind) and Gil comforts and helps to take care of her?

"Gil!"

"Oh, uh," he looked away from the nurse going through her charts, "that's her, actually."

"You know we can't let just anyone in here, sir."

But Sersi trotted over to them, swinging her arms tightly beside her. She turned her big, sad eyes on the nurse, "I called him. Please, we need help."

The woman sighed and rolled her eyes, but it was three in the morning and she waved them along.

"Thank you," Gil murmured, joining Sersi in her trip back down the hall. "Hey, are you okay?"

She nodded, continuing her anxious little tip-toeing that made it seem like she was looking for the washroom. "Thena isn't happy that we called you. But we didn't know what else to do. Just be warned."

He didn't have any trouble imagining the Thena he knew - the Ice Queen of the office - being too proud to call for help in a situation like this. "Sprite kind of told me what happened over the phone but I don't know if I have all the details."

Sersi sighed, coming to a halt and her shoulders sagging (deeply). She toyed with the ends of her oversized green flannel. "It's our fault."

"Hey," Gil corrected immediately and without hesitation, "that's not true."

"It is," she squeaked, sniffling through the tears she was trying to keep at bay. "We were too scared. We heard a noise and asked her to look downstairs."

"And she slipped?" he guessed, which made Sersi squeeze around herself tighter again. He gave her shoulder a squeeze, leaning down slightly. "Sersi, it's an accident. It's no one's fault, okay?"

She hiccuped quietly.

"I'm gonna say the same thing to Sprite too," he continued as he moved closer to the room again. Sersi positioned herself at the door.

"Thena?" Sersi knocked gently and cracked the door just slightly at first. "Gil's here."

"Come in, Sersi." The words weren't harsh, but the tone certainly was that of the Ice Queen of the office.

Gil didn't envy the girls as he closed the door behind him. Thena was obviously having a terrible time, propped up in her hospital bed, a large, uneven bow at the neck of her hospital gown, Sprite miserably leaning against the railing of the bed like a wounded puppy.

She looked up at him, pale and with a little purple at the corners of her eyes. "I'm sorry, Gil."

"Don't be," he excused just as easily as he had with Sersi. He seated himself next to the bed, while Sersi moved to the opposite side to join her other sister. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I broke my arm."

The girls winced, and he watched Thena physically reel in her sharp tone and cutting words. She visibly softened herself, looking at her younger sisters on her other side (her injured side).

"It's okay, the doctor said it's a minor fracture at worst, I'll be fine in a month."

Gil was willing to bet they had been told six weeks, if not longer, and she was doing her best to sugar coat things for the tearful girls. He leaned forward, making an effort to catch Sprite's eye. "You did the right thing, calling me, kid. It was the right call."

Sprite manged to lift her head enough to look at him. Despite the bluer colour than Thena's, they certainly had similar eyes. "Thanks, Gil."

Thena looked back at him, able to do little more than swivel her head and leave her arm cushioned in the temporary sling they had offered. "I'm sorry to bother you, I know it's an unholy time of night."

"Oh, that's okay," he shook his head, "I was up anyway."

"You were-" Thena shook her head faintly. "Why would-!"

Gil blinked, watching as Thena's face shifted through a couple different emotions. Usually he had to try pretty hard to read what she was thinking. But he watched as she outwardly went from confused, to horrified, to maybe even embarrassed. Without any makeup, he could see how pale she really was, and the natural blush in her cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry, we shouldn't have--I'll apologise to, uhm, whomever..." Thena trailed off, shifting herself in the bed needlessly, even risking moving her arm to do it.

Sprite and Sersi adjusted her pillows for her, trying to keep her from the need to move at all.

"You don't have to apologise," Gil frowned, just as confused. "Really, I don't mind. I mean, even if I was asleep, I would have come in a heartbeat."

Thena seemed to know even less how to respond to that. And the kids were just as confused about all of it. She cleared her throat, tilting her head in such a way that seemed like maybe she was just stretching her neck. He leaned closer so she could whisper, "I meant if I should apologise to your...date--I-I will."

"Oh!" Gil squawked, and way too loudly for a hospital at night. He shot back into his chair, ducking his head down as if someone would come into the room and shush him. "N-No, no, really, it's nothing like that!"

"Like what?" Sprite voiced first, although by now Sersi had caught on to at least something along the lines of it.

"Uh," Gil searched for the words, trying not to seem so embarrassed over what was, in actuality, nothing. He cleared his throat, "I-I just mean, you didn't wake me up. I've been working on this special recipe I've been wanting to try. It needs to be basted every three hours for a whole day, and I can't do it while I'm at work, so I try stuff like this overnight and set an alarm for myself."

"Dude, that's psycho," Sprite informed him, and was able to escape the consequences because her oldest sister couldn't reach her to pinch her arm. She corrected her statement, "I mean, uh, cool."

"How often do you cook through the night?" Thena frowned at him.

"Well, not often, and usually I would try it on the weekend, but it was on sale, and I wanted to get it at its freshest , so," he shrugged. Despite the nature of the misunderstanding, he had to chuckle a little. "I'll bring some over for you to try."

"Gil, you really don't-" Thena was in the middle of shaking her head to tell him he didn't have to do anything else.

But he did; he grinned. "I do, though. I mean, you at least need a ride home. That's why I was called, I believe."

Thena practically growled at being reminded of why they were all here together at such a terrible hour in the first place.

"And there's no way you can cook with one arm," he continued, gesturing as he did. "Even if you can type with your non-dominant hand, I wouldn't recommend trying to get in to work while it's still too fresh."

Thena huffed, throwing her head back against her pillow. "Fine, fine, yes, knight in shining armour, do assist us helpless maidens."

The girls snickered at their sister's attitude. But Gil stood and leaned into Thena's upward point of view. "Thena, I know you're more than capable. But maybe, if there's any time for me to help, it would be now?"

Maybe it was the exhaustion, or maybe it was the weird hospital lights, but he could swear her eyes looked a little glassy. "You've done more than enough already."

He did not agree. But he kept that to himself, resisting the urge to sort out her mussed locks of blonde for her. "I don't think of it as enough, or less than or more than. There's just what you can do, y'know? And I can, so I want to."

Maybe that was too reductive. Sprite didn't even look like she had followed what he had said. But Sersi seemed to, and had that excited look on her face as she was gazing at Thena, awaiting her response.

Thena furrowed her brows at him, creating that little knot between her eyebrows he thought was kind of cute. "Okay, counsellor, stop grandstanding."

He chuckled. She thought he made such corny jokes, but she was the one who told lawyer jokes like an old dad at a barbecue. "The defense rests?"

She didn't really laugh, but she kind of puffed out of her nose in a way that seemed amused. And she was smiling. "Fine, but at least sleep a little before you tell the office that they'll be free of me for at least two weeks."

Two weeks off for a six week injury--some would think it unreasonable, but only Thena would look at that ratio and think it was being indulgent.

"Uh, you mean I'll get us some coffee while you're waiting for that cast. Then I'll take us all home and get started on some food for you to keep microwave ready."

"Gil," she scolded him.

"That sound good, girls?" he prompted his two best allies in this argument. He could feel Thena glaring at him extra coldly.

"Yeah Thena, let Gil help," Sprite pleaded first, pinching the blanket thrown over her legs. "He has to drive us home anyway. And you're always telling us delivery fees are too expensive."

"They are," she managed to growl out even amidst her personal conflict. "Fine, but you two are going right to bed when we get home, because tomorrow is school again."

"Bro!" Sprite voiced (loudly).

"Shush," Thena silenced her with one pointed finger. "You're not the one with the broken arm, you don't need any more missed days this semester."

"Why do you get two weeks off?" Sprite grumbled lastly before slumping against the bed railing again. Although, Gil observed, she was still holding onto the blanket as a gesture of comfort. Sprite's huffing and puffing was, in its own funny way, her attempt to seem unfazed by all this.

"Because I can work from home," Thena proclaimed whether that was entirely true or not. "You can't. School tomorrow."

"But," Sersi broached as the true mediator of the three. She leaned on Sprite's shoulders, batting her eyelashes at Thena. "Breakfast sandwiches? Gil can drive us."

Thena gave Sersi a much dryer look. "Don't volunteer people to do things for you, Sersi."

"I don't know what's open right now, but maybe by the time we get all signed out," he offered, glancing at his watch. "But hey, if you guys wanna see what's in the vending machine, I won't stop you."

Thena sighed as the girls accepted his kind cash offering, waving at her on their way in promise to bring her something. She tilted her head on the pillow at him again, "what have you done?"

He leaned closer again, "I sent them away so you can tell me how you're really doing."

"My arm fucking hurts."

He chuckled again, although this time he did pull her blanket up again and at least get some hair out of his way of seeing her properly. "Did they give you enough meds?"

She made a face, and he recognised some true discomfort there. "I didn't want to ask for more while the girls were here."

"Well, that's why I'm here, isn't it?" he smiled, pressing the handy little button hanging right there for a nurse's assistance. "Don't worry about them, Thena. I'll take care of them and I'll get you all home, okay?"

She sighed, really closing her eyes since his arrival, despite her own exhaustion. "I still wish they hadn't have called you like this. But...thank you, Gil."

He would carry her if he really had to. But instead he said, "any time."

"If they get a bunch of sugar from the vending machine, don't tell me I didn't warn you," she mumbled.

"I'll take responsibility for it," he promised as he pulled his jacket off, settling in to be with them until release. "Do you want another blanket or anything too?"

"Ask if the girls can have some? We ran out of the house with whatever we could throw on in a few seconds."

"I will," he promised her, slipping her hand under the blanket and patting her arm.

[softquietsteadylove]

Me again! I am once again humbly requesting more of the family law au. Anything you wanna do with the story, I know anything you write will be amazing

Thena looked up as a small body plunked down onto the bench next to her. She looked back at the courtroom door, but the child had appeared from elsewhere. "Hello."

The child sniffled.

She looked around them, but court was in recess, currently. "Where is your guardian?"

The kid shrugged.

She could simply ignore the child. She wasn't a bailiff or authority, she was only in court to close a case of her own, it was signatures in front of the judge. But she recognised the deep hunch in her shoulders and the way her feet kicked idly hanging off the edge of the bench. "I know you have one. Kids aren't allowed to just walk into courtrooms alone."

The kid looked around; she couldn't have been older than twelve. "My parents are talking to a lawyer, but I left."

How did a kid walk out and no one noticed? Thena frowned, "who was watching you?"

"My dad's new wife."

Ah, an unwanted stepmother; Thena angled herself toward the young girl. "Hm, the lawyer speaking with your parents, is he...big?"

She looked up at Thena, her face betraying the vulnerability her body language was trying to hide. "Really big."

Thena couldn't help but smile. There was no more way effective way to describe Gil. "Trust me, he looks scary, but he's actually quite nice."

The girl looked back down at her lap again. "I dunno."

If her parents were speaking with Gil, it was some sort of family issue. Divorce - and to some extent, custody - was her specialty, but Gil handled plenty to do with family settlements and custody issues. He didn't always get to see families on their best day.

Thena rethought her approach. She undid her suit jacket and put her arm up on the back of the bench. "My youngest sister is around your age. She also hates talking."

The girl giggled, just a little. "I don't hate talking."

"Well," Thena paused and shrugged strategically. "Tell me why you're here today."

The kid sighed, seeming even more like Sprite. "My dad's new wife wants us to stay at their new house for his weekends with us. But it's really far away, and they only have one bedroom for me and my sister to share."

As much as she was listening to the child, her mind couldn't help but think that - professionally speaking - it didn't sound suitable for at least one preteen, if not two. "Are you parents discussing this now?--where you and your sister should go, that is?"

She nodded, sniffling again. "They got a little nicer with each other after the divorce. But now all they're doing is yelling again."

Thena bobbed her head slowly to show her understanding. The poor child had been through this already and was now reliving the struggle of an ugly custody hearing. "And do you remember what they were saying?"

The girl made a face, scrunching her small features. "I had to go with my dad's new wife when they started yelling. My sister is still in there, though. They were talking about 'confidence' or something."

So, the sister was older. Even more of a reason that the girls sharing a room would be unfavourable. "Competence--it means they want to know who's the better parent."

She looked up at Thena again, even sadder than before. "I like both my parents. I just don't wanna live an hour away every weekend!"

"Okay, okay, all right, sh," Thena attempted to comfort the girl (which had never been her specialty). She patted her back as the poor thing loudly hiccuped and sniffled up her excess snot. "Can I tell you something?"

Children enjoyed knowing secrets.

The girl nodded.

Thena sighed. It went against all her personal rules against disclosing her personal life, family situation, getting close with people in a professional setting. But she sucked it up, as Sprite would say. "I've had to prove my competence before, when I signed up to take care of my sisters."

"You take care of your sisters?" she asked, although she didn't seem so incredibly astounded.

"One is 16, although it feels like she's turning 20," Thena laughed faintly, and at least the girl smiled. It was the kind of thing a parent would say, much to her dread. But she continued. "I told you the other is around your age, she just turned 13 in the spring."

"How old are you?"

She ignored that question. "I had to prove I could take care of them, like a parent would, although I didn't really know how. But do you know what helped?"

She shook her head.

"Hearing from them," Thena said more gently. It seemed a revelation to the girl that someone might listen to her. "They said they wanted to stay with me. That I would take good care of them, and I swore I would. And I've tried my best, even if I'm not perfect. I get things wrong sometimes, like getting them to school late or forgetting about projects they have."

"What do you do?"

"I try again," she shrugged, and if anything the girl seemed to appreciate her honesty. "Because someone who's going to look after you only wants what's best for you. What's important is if you're safe, and taken care of and comfortable. If you're happy, and doing well in school, or with your friends. The person who's going to take care of you will care about that even if it means you're far away."

Something seemed to dawn on the girl. Although Thena didn't want to sway her opinion any, it would seem her assumption that the husband was not doing his due diligence was correct. Or perhaps the wife was pushing too hard for her new role in his children's lives. Either way, if the girls were best off with their mother, it was more than clear to the client, now.

"Thanks," she smiled at Thena, her shoulders un-hunching faintly. "I'll tell my sister that."

Perhaps the older one could communicate that to the parents. It sounded like the parents were a few precarious steps away from hiring individual lawyers for each of their sides as opposed to using one. But Thena regarded the girl, labelling her 'her client' in her mind. And it was her job to keep her client's best interest at heart.

"There you are!"

Thena looked up, catching Gil jogging over to them. She stood out of habit, holding her coat over her arm. "Mister Gilgamesh."

"Hey," he smiled at her before looking down at the girl. "What's the deal, we turned around and you were gone."

The mother and father immediately began berating the daughter for running off. Thena caught Gil's eye aside from the family. She leaned closer, "my client has some concerns about the pending custody battle."

"Oh," Gil blinked, looking from the girl and back to her. He smiled, showing off the charming and warm temperament that made him so popular, especially with families. "She does, does she?"

They drifted further from the family having their own discussion. Thena eyed Gil, who looked both exhausted and also a whole pot of coffee deep. "How is it?"

He angled himself closer to her and away from the family. "It's getting ugly, and I don't know what I can do to stop it. They're ready to hire their own custody lawyers."

Thena also peeked over at them cautiously. The girl was accepting her berating, although when the father's wife appeared over his shoulder she looked away, taking on a more defensive stance again. She really did remind her of Sprite. "Let the girls talk."

"What?"

She shifted on her feet. It was Gil's case, and she had no real right to get involved, even if it did cross into her expertise. She whispered, "let the girls speak. If nothing else, it should sway the parents enough for them to come to a decision."

Gil made a face, crossing his arms. It pulled his suit jacket to the point of strain; ridiculously thick arms, he had. "Or it could be the drop that makes the dam burst."

Thena shook her head though. "It won't. Those girls know the best place for themselves, and I believe the parents do too. Let the girls state what they want. The parents will respond to their needs and settle."

He gave her a peculiar look, and she couldn't fault him for it. She usually didn't offer personal perspectives on cases. She worked solely and completely on evidence, maybe sometimes on how a judge might regard something. But she didn't give personal opinions. "How do you know?"

Thena looked at the family again. The father patted both his daughters on the shoulder as the bailiff ushered them back to where they had been discussing things during the recess. She looked at Gil. "I just do."

Gil didn't look at the family again. He focused entirely on her, unfolding his arms, slipping his hands into his pockets and raising an eyebrow slightly. But he nodded, "okay."

"That's it?"

He shrugged, furthering the rumpling of his suit, entirely by his own doing. "I trust you. If you say the family will settle, I believe you. I'll ask for the kids to talk."

She smiled, genuinely relieved at the idea of the young girl's feelings being heard. Maybe there was something to how Gil made all of his cases personal. "I think it will be best for everyone."

"So, uh," Gil finally did just barely glance over his shoulder as they started walking back as well. "What'd you say to her?"

Thena pursed her lips. "Not much of anything, truly. The girl is quite competent for her age. All she needs is to be heard."

Gil chuckled.

"What?"

"Nothing," he laughed now, furthering her scrutiny. He shrugged, "you're great with kids, which I guess I should have expected."

"I would not say that."

"You just demonstrated it."

"You didn't see it happen."

"You literally have kids."

"I am not a mother," she argued, and it was true, even as a defense of herself. "She's around Sprite's age, and I recall when Sprite first got into her phase of wanting to shout at the world but not wanting anyone to look at her, either."

"See?" Gil gesticulated with his hand before rolling his shoulders to correct his suit jacket (it did not). "You're a natural."

That was not what the courts thought when she was going through her own proceedings a matter of years ago. But she smiled, giving his poor suit jacket a tug here and there to get it to sit right on him again. Why was he so ridiculously well built for a family lawyer? "Your clients await."

He gave her a more grateful smile as she brushed her hand over his lapel. "Thanks--hey, I'll make sure your client gets her fair say."

She waved him off as he went back to his meeting, and then the proceeding hearing. Technically she didn't have any reason to linger--it wasn't her case. But she sat herself down on the bench outside of the main courtroom doors again, pulling out her phone.

Can I go see that new gangster movie with sersi and her friends?

She would never understand Sprite's obsession with foreign, violent gangster action comedies. But she sighed. She had been poised to say no, that she would pick them up from their free roaming at the mall (which she only allowed them when she had court dates anyway). But she resigned herself to her decision.

That's fine, I'm still at court anyway. But don't stuff yourself on movie snacks, you still have to eat at home

With that, she slipped her phone away again, staring ahead at the elevators opposite her bench of solitude. It was silly to wait. She could ask Gil about it later if she was so concerned. It was inappropriate. It wasn't her case.

Then she would think of how Sprite had tearily asked if she and Sersi would be put in some stranger's house. She would think of that little girl who had sat right down next to her, and she thought of Gil, nervously pacing outside before even she had arrived for her earlier hearing time. He had been poring over this case all week.

Maybe she should do something for him if the case went well--and if it didn't go well, in all honesty.

Thanks thee btw can gil come and cook again it was soooo good

Thena swiped the notification away, decidedly ignoring the leading question. It was nothing but entrapment; as sweet as it was that her sisters had grown a fondness for Gilgamesh, she didn't need them reading too much into her relationship with her colleague.

No matter how amazing his lasagne was, and how often she had thought about it in the past week.

[softquietsteadylove]

I am once again requesting the Family Law au, anything you wanna do with it, I'm absolutely living for this slow burn

"So, when's your boyfriend getting here?"

"Shut up," Thena murmured, trying to practice her frosting writing while Kingo was doing even less than helping--he was only hindering her concentration.

"He works with you right?"

"Gil is not my boyfriend," she grumbled, reattempting on the cereal box serving as her practice. "He started at the firm around when I did."

"And you invited him."

"Sprite invited him," she corrected her yappity cousin. She set down the 'piping bag' - a sandwich bag with the tip cut off - of icing and turned to glare at him. He pouted at her as she snatched the cherry out of his grabby fingers. "Stop eating all the cake stuff."

Kingo sighed loudly as she took the various toppings away from him, but remained where he was, taking up two kitchen counter stools just for himself. "But you invited him for her. I gotta say I'm surprised, T."

"Why," she huffed as she picked up the accursed vanilla frosting to try again. Why was it so hard to write using food? "Because you can't imagine me having a work associate?"

"You have associates, what you don't have is friends," Kingo said plain as day. "Except for this one guy."

She glared at him over her shoulder briefly again. "I am capable of having friends. I had friends when we were children."

"You had friends of mine you tolerated," he corrected, still completely without any possible tact (they really were related). "But this guy is different?"

"You'll meet him, and I do hope you're over this private investigator phase by the time you do." She did her best to write out a decent 'happy birthday' again. Sprite's name wasn't the hard part.

"Sprite said he's really nice." He was still going. "And that he's your type."

She flinched reflexively, her fist clenching. Of course that made the side of the bag split from the pressure. She growled through her teeth, whipping around to him again. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"Why didn't you just get the cake person to do this?" KIngo ignored her, waving his handful of pretzels at her hard work. "Y'know they'll do that for you, right?"

She wiped her hands off with paper towel before throwing it at her mouthy cousin, who dodged with lightening reflexes. "I couldn't go yesterday after work and they wouldn't have a custom one done for today, so I bought the blank one. I just have to practice first."

Kingo sighed dramatically again, "I had an audition for a period piece, but I assumed that if I had to write in fancy calligraphy that they'd hire someone to teach me--or double my hands."

"I don't need your help for it anyway," she insisted, whether it was true or not. And now she needed to put the frosting into a whole new sandwich bag.

And the kitchen was already a disaster from Sersi making pancakes for breakfast, and from having so many bowls for various snacks, and plates from the girls constantly getting new ones after forgetting where they put one down absently.

"Will you relax?" Kingo finally stood from his luxurious lounging to join her by the sink. "You know the kid doesn't care if it's pretty."

She sighed. She didn't need any veils or masks with Kingo. Halfway through filling her new piping bag, she threw her hands down and leaned against the counter. "Fuck."

"Easy," Kingo comforted in the best way he knew for her, offering little words but patting her shoulder gently. "Just take a breath, T."

"It's been rough," she admitted, staring into the sink, full of splatters of frosting and coffee and diet coke. "The year has been tough, and I finally got her to even accept doing anything for her birthday. If this goes badly, she'll never want anything to do with it again."

"That's not true."

"I don't know, Kingo, you know Sprite," she groaned, standing to her full height again.

"Yeah, I do," he shrugged. "And Sersi, and you--so I know you're doing your best. And I'm sure they can tell how stressed you are about stuff. So, maybe if you chill, it'll be better for all of you."

He had a point, and she knew that he was making light of it purposefully. No one knew better than Kingo the struggles they had gone through, her specifically with the legalities of all her new responsibilities. He had offered his help, even offering to move closer, if not in with them, to help. She had declined, knowing the demands of his career.

Besides, Sprite took great joy in bragging about how everyone's favourite action star was actually her cousin. And that no, she would not pass on their admiration or let them meet him because he was 'clinically uninterested' in them.

"Do you want a hug?"

"Absolutely not."

Kingo, still holding his arms out, burst out laughing. And so did she. It was a classic interaction for them, even from when they were kids. Kingo was versatile with his affections, and Thena was limited in them. Even as children, they had devised that when their parents would demand they hug out of social obligation, Kingo would wrap his arms around the air surrounding her and pat her hair obligingly.

His head turned as the doorbell rang. "Your boyfriend's here."

"Stop it," she slapped his shoulder on her way past him. "I mean it, don't give Gil a hard time. He's sweet, and the girls love him."

"I'm sure they're not the only ones," he felt the need to add. She was ready to snap at him again but he held up his hands before shoving them into his purple hoodie pockets. With a final huff, she opened the door.

Gil smiled at her as soon as he saw her, "hey!"

She smiled by pure reflex, just as happy to see him, if not more. Maybe it was the way relief flooded her body, but she sighed as she said, "hey."

Gil stepped in carefully, leaning close to lower his voice, "you okay?"

He was so very sweet. She closed the door behind him, "I'm fine, Gil. I've been trying to--actually, do you know how to write in icing? Like, on cakes?"

"Oh, like decorating?" he blinked, shuffling the box in his hands as he took off his shoes. "I mean, I don't want to oversell myself, but I've done it a few times."

"Then you're just in time," she grinned, guiding him straight to the kitchen by the arm. "And I do recall I told you not to worry about presents."

"Oh," he blushed, just barely setting it on a shred of clear counter space as she dragged him inside. "Well, sure, but I saw this, and-"

"Hey, nice wrapping job!"

Gil looked between Thena, dragging him to the cake sitting on the stove, and Kingo loudly admiring the package. His hands were poised to pick it up and shake it. Gil helplessly reached out to gesture that it wasn't a good idea. "Well, the store offers wrapping services. It's kinda fragile, so-"

"Don't you worry, big man, I'll set it down real gentle," Kingo said in the least assuring tone possible. He held it under his arm like a basketball, giving him a singular fingergun before taking his leave.

"That's my cousin I told you about," Thena felt the need to explain, given Kingo's loud introduction - in not so many words - and even rowdier exit. "Don't mind how overly comfortable he is here."

Gil smiled and excused it easily, as he did everything else. "I'm sure it's like a second home to him, here. I'm the new one."

She gave his arm one more pat after finally stationing him before the plain funfetti cake with regular turquoise frosting piped along the edges. "You're hardly new here, either. You are a guest of honour, remember?"

He chuckled, letting her hand him the messily filled sandwich bag, "I do, and I am--honoured, that is. So, what are we writing?"

"Happy Birthday Sprite will suffice," she eyed the cake with disdain, having felt its mocking presence all morning long. "I've been practising my attempts, but I simply cannot move this thing with grace."

"This is a good trick, actually, with the bag," he praised before positioning himself above the cake ideally. "Printed or cursive?"

"I will be impressed with either, I assure you," she sufficed to say as she moved to finally throw out her previous attempts and free some space on the counter. "Sersi is keeping Sprite occupied outside with the projector and screen Kingo brought her as a present."

"How are you, though?"

The question surprised her. She stood from loading the dishwasher and caught him peeking at her in the middle of his slow but steady frosting. She closed the dishwasher, tugging at the sleeves of her cardigan. "I just want today to go well for her."

"Well," Gil murmured in the middle of moving his body instead of the piping bag within his hands. "You're obviously putting a lot of effort into making that happen for her. I'm sure she appreciates that."

He always said something that she needed to hear at exactly the time she needed it most. Thena smiled to herself, continuing to tidy the kitchen rather than face his open praise of her parenting. "I think you're being kind. But if Sprite comes out of this without hating her birthday completely, I'll be glad."

"We better give her a good one, then."

Something about him saying 'we' made tears spring to her eyes. It was different from when Sersi asked her if she wanted her to make breakfast, or when Kingo arrived the night before with all the assurance in the world that Sprite wouldn't think twice about their mother's absence today.

"There!" Gil declared, standing back with a bright smile. "Not bad, I'd say."

Thena leaned over the cake as well, admiring the beautiful lettering and even how perfectly he had spaced things. None of the message was crammed or bunched up from underestimating the space on the cake. It looked perfect. "Gil, it's amazing."

"Well, I'm glad I could help," he offered modestly of course. He set aside the frosting, licking off a stray bit on his finger. "Vanilla?"

"Sprite says she doesn't like chocolate," Thena laughed faintly, still admiring the lovely calligraphy of it. "I think she just enjoys disliking something so overwhelmingly popular."

Gil joined in her laughter, shedding his light bomberjacket now that he wasn't being dragged anywhere. "I was kinda like that as a teen. I liked angry music and gangster movies and I wanted to be a boxer."

"You?" she couldn't help but ask as she picked up the cake to finally let it see the light of day outside.

"I know, I never would have made it, I'm really not a fighter," he chuckled at himself as he joined her.

It did explain his build, though, for someone who had only ever studied and worked in offices. It wasn't untoward to notice something so apparent about him. She dragged her eyes away from his arms to the patio glass door.

He opened it for her, like a gentleman, unsurprisingly. "They look like they're having fun."

As soon as the door was open, they could hear Kingo loudly recounting something to the girls, who were utterly howling with laughter. Thena smiled, "Kingo has always been like a brother to them, despite being closest to my age. He's even taken them to see his sets and rehearsals on the odd occasion when he's in town for work."

"That would be be pretty cool," Gil agreed.

"There you are!" Kingo waved to them from his stage in front of the patio furniture. He pointed, "gift from the man of the hour, handled nice and gently, as promised."

"That's so sweet," Sersi complimented eagerly.

"It's just a little something, really," Gil attempted to downplay his contribution.

"Take a look at his frosting job, too," Thena encouraged freely. As soon as she set the cake down she stepped back. Kingo took pictures of it, and the girls, Sersi gasped and openly admired how pretty the lettering was. Sprite leaned the closest, practically digging into it with her hands before Kingo handed her a fork.

Gil stood back with her, waiting for the initial mauling to subside a little. He leaned closer to whisper, "no candles?"

She shook her head faintly, happy to watch as Kingo and Sersi also started eating the cake one forkful at a time. "Too many memories. Best to let the cake speak for itself. We all know what day it is."

He nodded, accepting the form of their own tradition with quiet respect. "Well, thanks for having me."

"Thanks for being here for m-" she blinked, catching herself. He was here as Sprite's personal guest. She didn't know what would prompt her to bring herself up. "It's sweet of you to be here for Sprite."

"Well," he looked at her, both of them hovering close in their separation from the others. "I am here for Sprite. But it's not like I'm not here for you, either."

"Uh, are you two gonna stand there and play kissy-face or are you gonna have some cake?"

Surprisingly enough, it wasn't Sprite to speak so inappropriately, it was Kingo. But because it wasn't her baby sister and was instead her cousin, Thena was free to grab a handful of cake and shove it right in his face.