Chapter Text
You blinked, having been awake for some time now, but still lying unmoving. You were thirsty. But you made no move towards the glass of water on your nigthstand and instead opted to watching the rays of sun coming from the window. It had been some time since Arlecchino had carried you to the hospital...thinking about how it had been quite romantic, she did not have to carry you after all...but she still did, you smile. Then you look at the fire place. Heating the place up. Arlecchino had actually required for you to come home as soon as you can, she hadn`t told the doctors why, but it was obvious that she just wished to know you`d be safe. Due to that, she also had to hire a nurse to take care of you, a nurse that now was sleeping on the smaller sofa. You smiled, you liked her, she was a bit older and quiet, but sometimes she`d talk about her life. Her sentences often started with „When I was younger...“ you would always chuckle. You sat up, leaning against the cushions. Arlecchino hadn`t been able to visit you often, neither did the children. But it was fine, since they had been able to make up for it plenty, with the younger ones bringing you drawings everyday, and the older ones just coming by to rest with you. Sometimes they would use you as a way to slack of.
„Well I was with `Mot- them!“ they would say, catching themselves quickly, and they swore that their `Fathers` face softened while giving them a warning, a warning you`d also give them if they tried it to often. You took your drink when the door opened slowly, leaning sligthly forward to see who it would be. Eloise. She was about the only child that had not welcomed you back yet, she looked down, but her eyes were glued to her side, then she entered.
„Eloise, how nice it is to see you-“ you made a bit of place, petting the place next to you. „- please come sit next to me.“ she turned to look back as if behind the door, then took your offer.
„Are you alrigth?“ you asked, taking her hand, but she pulled away.
„I- I`m sorry.“ her eyes were glued to the floor. You shock your head.
„None is needed. You don`t-“
„N-not because of this.“ she played with her fingers. „It is because I havent´ visited you in so long.“
You watched her seek for the rigth words, stumbling over them a bit. „It just think- it was weird because I have never seen you so weak and I was scared..“ she explained.
You nodded, taking a sip from your glass. Then you put it back. „Well...we all get injured sometimes, but aslong as we have the people around us there is a chance of survival, that is why you should always trust your `Father` and your siblings. And you know that.“
She finally looked up at you, before falling around your throath. You hugged her back, „There, there...“ you hushed her.
„I am just so glad you survived `Mother`... `Father` was so worried about you.“ she whispered into your ear.
„It is ok.“ you patted her back. „I am not mad, you know? I migth have reacted the same way in your place even.“ you thougth back to your mother, a Mirror Maiden. Yes, there was no doubt you would`ve reacted in equal shock. Eloise then loosend herself from her, wiping something from her eyes. You acted like you didn`t see.
„Thank you... `Mother`“ she whispered the `Mother` while side eyeing the door.
„Now, you probably have your training now, don`t you?“ you tugged some hair behind her ear.
She nodded, taking your hand. „But I will visit you later!“ she smiled. Eloise jumped up then, slowing down when she was about to pass through the door, looking to her side, then she smiled again, more gently now, before walking off. You sat in the silence for a bit, the only noise coming from the cackling hearth, while looking at the closed door in expectance.
It opened slowly, revealing your fiance with a little bundle in her arms. You gasped sligthly.
„A Baby?“
She nodded, coming closer to you. „Yeah, we just took him in, I ougth it best to make you familiar.“
Arlecchino had the sleeping child glide into your arms, to then sit down hersel. You could only stare at him in awe, stroking his cheek.
„So soft.“ you whispered, while Arlecchinos gaze went over to the nurse, her expression was unreadable.
„Do not mind if he caugths a bit...the village was burned down.“
You looked up at her, crocking a brow. „Was it now?“
Her red crosses fixed on you for a bit, you held it, if only for a little, before going back to the baby.
She watched that motion to, how your fingers gently went over his cheeks, how you tugged him a bit more in, making sure he was properly swadled. „The point is ; it is all ashes.“ You carefully watched as she elegantly moved in front of the fire, with that pensive look of hers. It`d be best not to bother her now, so you turned to the nameless baby, who was staring at you with big brown eyes.
„Oh, you are awake?“ you asked him. He stared at you, not blinking, because babys don`t blink much. You decided that you could blink enough for the both of you. „Then, I shall tell you things you migth need for the future!“ you whispered in a high pitch, while Arlecchino slowly immersed into her thougths. You cleared your throath before beginning. „Did you know that human skin starts to burn at forty-five Celsius?“
Arlecchino turned to you, having been pulled out of it. „Why of course-“
„I was talking to the baby whoms name I don`t know.“ you state, in all seriousness.
„Oh?“ she crocked her brow for a bit. „Do go on then.“ she said, turning back to the fire. You smiled, looking back at him.
„Does he even have a name?“
„It is up to you.“ she said. You smiled even wider.
„Very well then.“ you turned back to the still awake baby. “But now, we have to talk about the important stuff first, like...Burns! And Internal bleeding! I also just had that second one and I would not recommend it to you!“
You then heard a low chuckle, and saw Arlecchinos shoulders hop sligthly. Apperantly she had given up on thinking, considering she came closer to you now with a smile painted on her lips.
She took your face, gently stroking your cheek with her thumb, before leaning down and kissing you. She pulled back to quickly, and just went you wanted to kiss her back, to say something. „I really have made the rigth choice with you, haven`t I?“