Chapter Text
“Wow, what a day,” Squak announces. Rue, Hob, and Binx are all long gone, and although they are in Andhera’s quarters, he is nowhere to be seen.
Chirp is perched on a chair with a book in her hands- not The Green Hunter, since there’s nobody to see her except Squak anyway. “Hmm, yes, quite the day indeed,” she says.
She isn’t reading that damn book. She hasn’t turned a page in the past five minutes.
“I could use a nap. Or a drink," Squak goes on, conversational.
“Ooh, a drink,” Chirp says. Squak goes to call for something then immediately remembers he can’t, so he huffs and stands up to pour two glasses as Chirp continues to stare at her page.
“Cousin,” Squak says plainly, handing her the drink.
“Oh, thank you,” Chirp smiles warmly, looking up from her book.
“Quite the day,” Squak repeats. “Was not expecting Hob to try to kill Apollo. Although I truly think we should have anticipated that.”
“Yes, probably,” Chirp says. “Honestly, was also not expecting Hob to lose if he tried,” Chirp grimaces.
“Technically, we prevented the winner from being declared. With us tearing them apart, as it were.”
“Your hysterics over Apollo’s injuries were quite believable, well done.”
“Thank you,” Squak says, then settles further into the seat he’s taken, drumming his fingers on the edge of the arm. “So. Pretty big shit going own, even beyond Hob and Apollo.”
Chirp sticks her tongue between her teeth. “Yes. Yes there is.” She finally lifts her book and flips the page.
“Cousin, I know you aren’t reading the damn book.”
Chirp drops it into her lap instantly and sighs loudly, “What do you wish for me to say, Squak? Tell you I’m scared? That I’m upset at what Grandfather is done? That I want nothing more but to see my wife and child but I cannot because I am stuck here?! Is that what you want?”
Squak hums, pulling his mouth to the side, “No. Actually, what I want is for you to listen up.”
Chirp glares coolly, “Always, cousin.”
“Look, we got this! Do not worry,” Squak shakes his head and leans forward. “We are the Lords of the Wing, we are great, we are grand. We will be fine.”
Chirp takes a deep breath and nods, “You are right, cousin. You are right. We’ll be fine. We got this.”
“We got this,” Squak repeats. “And, besides, we have a ton of badass fey working together, with our inclusion, their success is guaranteed.”
“Of course,” Chirp nods firmly. And with that, Chirp she lifts her book back up.
Squak takes a couple sips of his drink.
Five minutes later, he puts it down.
“Cousin,” he states.
“What?”
“You are not fucking reading.”
“Ugh!”
Squak scoots his chair closer to her despite the fact it is quite solid and scrapes loudly across the floor. He takes Chirp’s hand firmly and inelegantly.
“I am serious. I will not allow the roads to the material plane to close. I simply will not. You will see you wife and daughter again soon enough, and I will meet my niece! I promise you this, nothing will stand in our way. Do you hear me?”
Chirp smiles despite the tears pricked in her eyes, “Yes, cousin. I hear you.”
“Loud and clear?”
“Loud and clear.”
“Good,” Squak says, then he takes the drink Chirp has not yet sipped and tosses it back. “How am I supposed to get drunk and high with my niece if the portals to the material plane close, huh? I would not allow that opportunity to be missed.”
Chirp laughs and nudges the one tear that threatened to fall. “I know. You’ll have to keep them guarded many years, because she isn’t old enough yet!” Chirp reminds. Squak waves his hand.
“I know, I know. Not to worry, cousin.”
“Not to worry,” Chirp agrees, sounding, this time, like she might believe it.