Work Text:
Seox had been wandering for a while at the front door of Gran´s room.
He rarely came to the Grandcypher to visit, mostly on Seofon´s requests when he did go, but he had to admit that the members of Gran and Djeeta´s bunch of ragtag crew members and travelers was in a way comforting, even if a bit unnerving due to the crowd of people that continued to grow.
A few crew members had stopped by to ask if he was fine, and including…. if he could remember right from Gran´s letters, Sandalphon, who quietly looked at him. He had asked If Gran was in his room, but the primal frowned at the erune and confirmed that he was in there before walking away.
He was uncertain. True, he wanted to know about the skyfarer he always was looking for, but was he even sure that Gran would even know? The man was admittedly had a bit of wanderlust, and who knows if he ever talked about him… Not that bringing up on the whole Karm incident was for a good story anyway. perhaps it was better to back off while he had the chance. Yes, it was a good idea.
Unfortunately, before he could bolt out from the area, Gran had noticed his presence and had opened the door of his room.
¨Seox?¨ Gran smiled at the masked erune. ¨Did Seofon send you here for a request?¨
Seox shook his head. ¨No. I happened to be around the area, and saw the Airship docked, so i thought i could pay my respects, and ask if it was not a problem for you to take me to Port Breeze.¨ He missed his chance...
Gran stepped inside and held the door open. ¨Sure! We were going to go there anyway to stock up on a couple of stuff and get a quick check on the Grandcyper, so it´s fine! Come inside!¨
Seox hesitantly entered the room and looked around as he heard the door close.
It wasn´t too surprising Gran´s room was filled to the roof with items, weapons, maps and more. Looking around, it seemed that there was a double bed, clearly the lower bunk was owned by Gran; a small table with three chairs lay in the center. Around the room there was also a few photo frames scattered around the room, all of various crew members from different times and locations.
It was a huge contrast with his own room, which was pretty bare with the only the things he needed, only a couple of gardening items and his own small garden he kept well hidden. The last thing he needed was Seofon finding such hobby and making a huge ruckus about it.
He also spotted the bottle of poison he gave him on last Valentine's day. He couldn't help but feel embarrassed each time he remembered that he had completely lost the point of the whole festivity. Gran had laughed it off, claiming he could find it a use for it, for hunting or something.
¨… Anyway, you don´t come here often unless something’s bothering you or Seofon´s running you around for an errand. Did something happen?¨ Gran said, as he sat down on a chair, and took a mug of coffee that was on the table. He seemed a bit concerned. ¨You can tell me anything that you need..¨
How kind. “No, I've been fine, no need for worry. It´s just of couple things that need to be done in Feendrache.” Seox said, quietly. ¨But..I… I just wanted to talk for a bit, that's all.¨ he leaned at the wall, and looked at his feet.
Gran perked up. ¨Talk? About what?¨
¨Well..¨ He stopped for a bit, and then continued, ¨I wanted to…uh..to speak about your father.¨
Gran placed down the mug, and gestured to the chair. ¨C´mon, sit down. So… about dad, huh.¨
Seox sat down across Gran. ¨Yes. after all, he did save me from that time when I was… vulnerable… I don't remember too much about the man, but i will never forget his kindness he showed to someone like me, after all. I just… wanted to know a little about him, how he was...¨
Gran nodded. ¨Yeah… Dad really was nice to a fault, usually going out of his way to save people-¨
¨just like the children themselves,¨ Seox interruped him.
¨Quiet you!¨ Gran laughed, and then sighed. ¨ To be honest, me, Djeeta and especially Vyrn miss him. We used to hear a lot about his travels, or of anything interesting that happened. He taught us how to read maps, taught us a bit of sword practice. Vyrn sometimes doesn´t remember some things, but what he can remember he tells us, and that.. really keeps us going, you know?¨ Gran looked at him, then looked out the window.. ¨I´m pretty sure you know the whole story about our ragtag group against an empire, Lyria´s situation, and….¨ Gran glanced away for a second, but Seox caught it. It was a moment, but his eyes there was a bit of grief, like if something major had happened, but he wasn´t too sure himself.
¨Well.. a whole ton of things happened, so yeah, looking for dad hasn´t been a walk in the park! I sort of wish that he would have gone to a really far island instead, so that didn´t involve us fighting primals for the sky map pieces!¨
¨He...was a bit confident…?¨ Seox sighed, and Gran nodded with a tired grin. ¨too confident!
¨Anyway...¨Gran placed a finger on the edge of the mug. ¨Dad was a hell of a skyfarer, and i wonder if he´s even at Estalucia.¨ He couldn´t help but laugh. ¨Knowing him, he might left¨off to somewhere else, or he got so bored of waiting for us, that he decided to come for us!¨
Seox was quiet. That man was confident in his children, knowing as soon as that letter was sent, they would follow behind.
He couldn´t help but to feel a knot in his stomach. His mind flashed at the image of his own father.
¨...Even if the letter said he was going to wait...¨
Gran shrugged. ¨That how he is, i guess.¨
¨¨Do you think...¨ Seox couldn´t help but blurt it out. ¨...That he might… never come back?¨
Gran´s gaze hardened. ¨Nah. I never gave a thought about that.¨
¨ Even after all those years, you, Djeeta and Vyrn, living the three alone in that house, and yet, clinging on the hopes of a faded letter of him asking for you all to come to a place that might be a fabrication of a foolish dreamer-¨
¨Seox!¨ Gran sat up, and raised his voice a bit. Seox was startled, and clasped his hands. ¨I-i´m sorry. I got carried away.¨
¨Seox. Can you do me a favor?¨ Gran walked towards him. Seox didn´t dare to look at him.
¨Y-yes?¨
¨Do you mind taking off the mask?¨
¨You already know the answer...¨ Seox stiffened.
¨Please?¨Gran placed a hand on Seox´s shoulder. ¨If you don´t, i´ll pull one of Siero´s famous moves and remove it myself.¨
Seox shivered. The Harvin was unexpectedly swift and always able to remove it with such ease it appalled him. He was a Eternal, under the leadership of such an eccentric man who was too carefree , and yet somehow he managed to keep nine other people of different background together-
¨H-hey!¨ Seox flinched when Gran swiped it off. ¨I told you.¨ He seemed pleased that he had his mask in his hands and looked it over for a bit.¨Okay, that´s done,¨ Gran said. ¨Seox, please look at me in the eyes.¨
Seox faced him slowly. ¨uh..¨
¨We´re traveling around because i believe dad´s right there. Sure, it´s been a ridiculously long time, yep, he totally left a 7 year old girl, a 5 year old boy and a small wyrn at home with not telling anyone until we started asking for dad, whiich was then our neighbors had a completely finished and horrified faces on dad´s actions, and of course...¨He glanced away, ¨I have no bigger desire than to punch him so hard that he´ll regret leaving like that.¨
Seox couldn´t feel more puzzled at hearing how carefree...his savior was.
¨Even so, i just know we´ll find him.¨Gran reassured. ¨And when we do, you can talk to him properly, and if you´d want, you can enter the brawl me and Djeeta are gonna do!¨ He threw a fist up the air. ¨You have to hold back, though. You pack a punch!¨
Seox couldn´t but laugh a bit. He couldn´t help it. This whole family was so ridiculously free-spirited, yet so loving, understanding and always helping others.. He felt honoured, to have been able to meet such kind people.
To be able to stand to their side despite of the heavy sins of his past.
¨Seox took his mask back from Gran as soon as he saw an opening and hastily placed it in place.¨Well… after our encounter with your father, what are you going to be doing next, captain?¨ Seox asked in a relaxed manner. ¨Are you going back to your home?¨
Gran sighed. ¨There´s a lot of things to be done! You´d be surprised how ridiculously busy me, djeeta and everyone in the crew is! There´s a couple of loose ends i need to tie up, things to finish… and people to visit and party with too, of course!¨ He grinned. ¨And you´ll be there, too, won´t you, Seox?¨
¨Hahahaha.... If… i can remove the uneasiness that comes from being in a crowd, then..maybe..¨ he muttered. He flinched as soon he felt Gran´s hands on his ears, then could feel his face warm up as soon as Gran placed his hands onto his ears, as he ranted off about the things they´d do together.
-----
¨You´re leaving that soon?¨
Djeeta saw him off the Grancypher as soon they dropped by Port breeze.
¨Yes. There´s a couple more things i need to do, on Seofon´s requests i have to have done...¨Seox huffed, then started to walk away. ¨It was a good change of pace.. being able to take a bit of time to talk, though. thank you.¨
Djeeta grinned.. ¨Gran told me what you two were talking about! If you want more stories, make sure to come back! We´ll hang around together in Gran´s room and tell embarrassing stories! It´s going to be fun family moment!¨
Seox blinked.
Then he flushed red as soon as he was sure of what she had said. Luckily, she would never see his expression under his mask. A blessing.
¨W-wait, what?!¨ Seox stuttered as soon as Djeeta said those words. Family? Who? Him and them?
Djeeta tilted her head, as she though she said something strange. ¨What? Is it weird?¨
¨O-of course it is!¨He stammered. ¨After all, who could possibly-¨
Djeeta cut him off. ¨ Why not? I´m sure dad would have taken you in. I mean, I want be there for you like a sister!¨she puffed her chest proudly. ¨I´m the eldest sister!¨ She patted her his head. ¨Gran doesn´t mind it either, too.¨
He couldn´t express the burst of joy, the happiness he felt to hear those words.
¨I… wouldn´t mind it either….¨ he said, barely a whisper. Djeeta push him off to the dock he was headed to with a laugh as he sprinted off in embarrassment.
-------
As the Grandcypher took off from Port breeze, the erune couldn't help but to watch it fly away. He sighed. He still had a long way to go, and more to be done. Such was being a Eternal, but he couldn't complain as he made himself useful, at least.
He took off to board the airship to his next destination to Feendrache, as Seofon himself would meet him there to discuss the next step.
As the airship took off, he thought fondly of the words of Gran and Djeeta. A smile crept on his face as he allowed himself to muse himself on the things they both could allow him to do with them.
No matter what, his resolve to join them again in their travels and the desire for them to reach their goals was stronger than ever.