#everytime Zo'ogai tries to be a better person it makes me happy

[ffxivtribehydrae]

#15 Thunderous

For FFxIvWrite2021 Characters: Zo’ogai, Zo’tall Warnings: None

Zo’tall still wasn’t used to having his own room, all to himself, where he was supposed to sleep alone.

To add to his struggles of falling asleep, a storm had rolled in over the otherwise calm little village. So the child laid rolled up underneath his blanket while Zo’ogai sat beside the futon, waiting for the boy to fall asleep so he could go back to his work. A hand on the boy’s head was the extent of his ability of comforting the scared child when lightning struck.

“Zo’ogai… can you sing lullabies?” Zo’tall asked with just a mumble, worried the adult would be upset.

As expected, Zo’ogai sighed with a slight bothered frown. He considered the question for a moment before shaking his head apologetically, “No.”

Disappointed, the child pulled the blanket higher over his face, “Adelle sang on stormy nights…” he muttered with a sad expression, missing the sweet times they shared.

The change in Zo’ogai was instantaneous, as sudden as the bolts of lightning he shot a glare, not at the kid but rather his words though his hand left the boy’s head as a strange pang of jealousy filled him. Even if he was thankful for what the Elezen done for the two of them, he couldn’t help but carry this unjustified distaste to her. Whenever the boy mentioned a fond memory of her he’d feel… inferior? Another thing he failed at as a parent.

Zo’tall didn’t notice the change; perhaps it was even a conscious choice to not look the other’s way. He only dared ask in the first place because Zo’ogai had been much calmer since their return to Hashidoi. He very much still had a temperament, but it wouldn’t flare up as it usually did and rarely target or be caused by Zo’tall.

With another strike of lightning much louder than before, the boy yelped and hid fully underneath the blanket, praying Zo’ogai would still be there once he decided to peek out again. Just the thought of the other leaving had him trembling in fear of being alone.

That’s when he heard it, a soft humming, with a slow, soothing melody. He kept listening, wondering if he was just imagining the sound until he carefully pulled down the blanket to look at Zo’ogai, wide eyed in disbelief slowly growing into delight.

Indeed the humming came from the man, eyes closed and lips ever so slightly moving. He had partly turned away from the boy, just a tinge of embarrassment from what he was doing. But he wanted to try to be the father he should have been long ago.

And just like that, the storm was forgotten.