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It was the time of year when the kids were getting older.
They were always getting older, all the time. It seemed that Sophie had learned how to jump Avel without getting bucked out of the saddle one week, Shiro had proudly nicked himself shaving his newfound peach-fuzz for the first time the next, and they both had snuck their first tastes of alcohol away from the dinner table the week after that.
But it was the time of year when the number of years they'd each been alive ticked up by one and Shiro laughed about his hair being silver-gray at merely seventeen (met with profuse apologies from Silas for passing it on) only a month after Sophie celebrated sixteen with a gaggle of her own friends in town.
Ryoma felt old this time of year, just shortly after the peak of Hoshido's summertime heat waves.
His children were growing, and he was aging, and one day he wouldn't be there anymore and Shiro would be in charge, and Ryoma could only hope that someone would be there to guide him, that Sophie would stay and advise him when he needed it most.
"Hey, quit philosophizing over there," Silas said, snapping Ryoma out of his thoughts.
"I beg your pardon?"
Silas sat down next to Ryoma, just on the edge of the sparring arena, offering him a cup of cool water, which he accepted. "I know that look, Ryoma. I know you're thinking about the future again."
"It's hard not to. Our children are nearing adulthood."
"Our children will be ready when the time comes. Fretting over it now isn't going to make it come any sooner or later." Silas laced their fingers together and squeezed lightly. "They're nearing adulthood, and that's beautiful because they're becoming their own people, and they're strong, and they've just about made it through childhood without suffering half the pains we knew at their age."
Sophie yelped, dodging Shiro's practice naginata, and swept her lance in front of her. Shiro dodged, but stumbled over his own feet, cursing. Sophie burst out laughing, and Avel pawed the ground, anxious at the sudden noise.
Silas laughed. "You can tell they've never seen battle."
"I hope they never do." Silas waved a hand and shouted, "Widen your stance, Shiro!"
"Whatever!" Shiro called back, dusting his clothes off but pushing his feet apart slightly.
Ryoma downed the water in his cup and then stood up, pulling Silas up to stand beside him. "You're broadcasting your actions, Sophie. Go for a jab, and don't wind up so much."
Sophie nearly dropped her lance but lunged forward, tapping Shiro square on the chest. Shiro put two hands up and said, "Yield," and Sophie pumped a fist in the air.
"Hells, yeah! Take that!" Sophie crowed, and Shiro bowed his head, defeated.
"You have a horse. Totally unfair."
Sophie stuck her tongue out. "Avel's never been helpful a day in his life and you know it."
Ryoma sighed and shook his head.
"What?" Silas prompted, the corners of his lips starting to turn up.
"You were right."
"As always."
"...I shouldn't worry so much about things changing. The important things never do."
Silas smiled and kissed the corner of Ryoma's mouth, just for a moment. "The moon still rises, the kids still bicker, and I still love you."
"And I you."
Not far away, Sophie had cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Gross!"
Beside her, Shiro laughed.