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Jolena was loney.
And it wasn’t because her parents were never around, it was not that. Her father was always at home and her mother was always home at 5pm almost to the dot.Yet, it was the rare occasion where they were too busy for her, but that only happened when Jolena fell ill with another bad cold or flu. Other than that, Mama and Papa always made time for her when she demanded or craved it, so it wasn’t that.
It was the fact that she was the youngest and only child in their small family. “Mama, Papa! I want a sibling!”
This announcement from Ajax’s and Lumine’s only child was a surprise. She didn’t express any want for another sibling, at least not until today.
“Jolena, amica mea, why do you say this all of a sudden?” Lumine was the first to speak. She put down her jade parcel to look over at her daughter.
“Jolena, we love you more than anything, tell us what's on your mind?” Ajax reached out for his daughter, worry filling his ocean eyes.
Jolena was barely even five, she got along with other children such as Klee and Diona, but they were ten years older than her! Beidou and Ningguang had an adopted child themselves, but little Lei was caught up in his own studies. Often, he finds himself so wrapped up in his own world that he completely ignores the world around him.
Hu Tao and Zhongli also got along with Jolena, but they barely had their own child they named Hua. She was a little over two years old though, so maybe little Hua didn’t count to her. At the same time, aside from Lei, Miu was the closest in age to Jolena.
Miu, Thoma and Ayaka’s daughter, was all the way in Inazuma, but Jolena didn’t fare too well during the boat trips over. As a result, they didn’t stay in their Inazuman house that often. Miu was two years older then Jolena, but Jolena was weirded out by the fact Miu is seven while she’s five. Yet, she seems perfectly happy doing out to play with Diona and Klee who are ten years older than her.
“Little Sun, you do know that your sibling wouldn’t be able to do much once they come into this world.” Lumine spoke to Jolena in a soft voice.
“I know that, Mama!” Jolena pounded her little fists into the table, jostling all plates and cutlery, “I still want a little sibling!” Each word was punctuated with a little fist banging on the table.
A Jolena tantrum was something that was truly terrifying. Much like her mother Lumine, she wasn’t always taken seriously when upset. It often took a thrown toy and loud stomping for them to realize ‘Oh shit, this is a full blown tantrum.’ Hell, they once had to replace a window because Jolena threw her Mr. Cyclops at Ajax, but he dodged and it went flying into their yard.
“Jolena Diana Ivanov! We do not hit the table!” Her father scolded her.
That didn’t stop Jolena however. She ignored her father and continued hitting the table until she got what she wanted.
She continued screaming and kicking their table. Ajax and Lumine both shared a tired and worn look at each other. This was their fault, they happily spoiled her rotten and this was their punishment.
“Jolena, I will ask Auntie Hu Tao and Uncle Zhongli to see if we can watch Little Hua. If you can show that you can handle being a big sister, we will consider it.” Lumine was the first to speak up against their daughter’s screaming.
Almost at once, Jolena stopped screaming and looked up at her mother. “Pinkie promise?”
Lumine sighed and nodded, “Papa and I will talk about giving you a little sibling if, and only if, you are able to handle it.”
*~❆~*
A week later, little baby Hua was at their little home. Hu Tao and Zhongli gave them instructions on how to properly care for their new daughter.
“Little Hua is at that stage where she will sleep a lot, so make sure she gets at least an hour long nap or else she will get cranky.” Hu Tao explained to Lumine as Hu Tao handed her daughter over to them.
“Tell Jolena to be a good girl to Hua! If not, a little hole in the ground will have her name on it~!” Hu Tao gave a cat-like smile before joining Zhongli for their day off.
Hua was standing with her hand in Lumine’s as she watched her parents walk off before Ajax closed the door. “Little Hua, you’ll be staying with Auntie Lumine and Uncle Ajax today! Isn’t that a nice surprise?” Ajax bent down and petted the young girl's dark brown hair, being careful to avoid the little horns growing atop her head.
“Where did Mami and Baba go?” Scarlet eyes with diamond pupils stared at Ajax.
“I’m not sure, but you will be in our care for today,” Ajax explained to the little girl.
Hua pouted, “I want my Mami and Baba, but I’ll be good for Ayi and ShuShu.” She kicked her feet along the floor.
Lumine picked her up and made her way over to their main room where Jolena was waiting. Jolena was so excited, this was her chance! She just had to prove to her Mama and Papa that she could be a good big sister and she would have a sibling in no time!
“Little Hua!” Jolena hopped down from where she sat on the couch and hopped over to her Mama and Hua. “It’s been so long since I last saw you, how are Auntie Hu Tao and Uncle Zhongli doing?”
Hua rubbed her eyes a bit, “Mami and Baba? They are…” Hua was a bit slow in her words, “Mami and Baba are good.” Hua eventually spoke.
Lumine slowly let Hua down on their carpet, “Stay here Hua, Ayi Lumi is going to make some breakfast.” Lumine turned in her heel and walked to the kitchen.
Ajax soon came in chasing Lumine, slipping on their polished wood floor and almost falling down, “Lumine!! Stop cooking, I’ll cook for you moya padayushchaya zvezda!”
“Ajax, I said I would cook today stultus dilectus meus!” Lumine exclaimed from their kitchen.
“I don’t remember you saying that, moya dorogaya zhena,” Ajax regained his footing and continued sprinting towards the kitchen.
Jolena and Little Hua just watched the scene unfurl in front of them in less then a few seconds. When Ajax disappeared behind the wall leading to their kitchen, Jolean sighed a bit. “Mama and Papa are always like this Hua, don’t worry.”
Hua didn’t seem to pay much mind and was slowly walking around the Ivanov Liyue Home. “Buhk!” Hua pointed up at the Snezhnaya Edition of the Tyevat Travel Guide, something Lumine picked up on her journey to find the truth of this world.
Jolena carefully picked up Hua and helped her reach for the guide, “Is this what you wanted, Hua?”
Hua nodded, “Snezhnaya is where ShuShu Ajax grew up?” Hua looked up at Jolena and pointed to a photo of Zapolyarny Palace. “Tsa..Tsaritsa!” Hua read the caption underneath the photo, expreamly proud of herself although she pronounced it like Theresa while being able to pronounce Snezhnaya almost perfectly.
“No, Hua. It’s pronounced Suh-re-tsa!” Ajax came from behind the kitchen wall.
“Suh...suh-re-tsa?” Hua looked up at Ajax, her wide scarlet eyes with yellow star pupils were filled with the want to learn more. She grew up with Zhongli pouring over encyclopedias and reading them to his daughter, making sure that she was knowledgeable about topics that would be important in the future. Although, according to Hu Tao, “Hua doesn’t need to learn the history of Green Tea! Aiya, teach her about the funeral business!”
Ajax smiled and sat down on the couch next to the two young girls. “That’s right, that right there is where the Cyro Archon lives, also known as the Tsarista.” Ajax pointed at the photo of Zapolyarny Palace. Ajax flipped through a few pages until he landed on a page about Morespoke.
“And this is where Papa grew up, right by the sea!” Jolena had long since memorized this page of the guide, wanting to impress her father with how much she knew about Morespoke although they only travel theri for special occasions.
“That is correct Jolena!” Ajax ruffled his daughter's ginger hair while Jolena giggled and wrapped her arms around her father’s waist.
Hua looked at the scene unfolding before her and pointed to a fisherman, “Who?”
“Oh, that’s one of my uncles!” Ajax explained, yet before he could go into a story Lumine called them from the kitchen.
“Ajax, Hua, Jolena! Lunchtime, it’s Liyuean food today!”
Hua’s eyes lit up, “Mountain Noodles!” She crawled down from the couch and walked over t3o the dining room, trying to reach up for the counter. “Want!”
“Nu-uh Hua, what do you say when you want something politely.” Lumine gently scolded Hua while Jolena and Ajax walked into the kitchen.
Hua pouted a bit, “Want mountain noodles please!”
“Good girl!” Lumine picked up a plate and held onto Hua’s hand while making her way over to their dining room.
With the table set and Jolena’s old high chair being put to use again, they all began eating.
Eating with Hua was….an experience to say the least. With part of Zhonli’s dragon blood in her, she devoured everything that was in her plate, going through three servings of Mountain Noodles. Abyss, even the nearby dishes of the small family of three.
*~❆~*
And just like that, a full day of babysitting and being terrified of Hua’s apatite has come and gone, and Hua was reunited with her parents the next day.
“Now, what do we say Little Flower?” Zhongli crouched down and petted his daughter's dark hair, masterfully avoiding her little dragon horns.
Hua turned to Lumine and Ajax, “Thank you Ayi and ShuShu! Had lots of fun!” Hua jumped up a bit and hugged both of their legs. “Bye bye!” Hua waved bye to them while Zhongli picked her up.
“Thank you so much for watching Hua, I hope she wasn’t a handful.” Zhongli had Hua on his waist while Hua buried her face into his collar.
“Oh no, she was absolutely delightful! So well behaved and sweet,” Ajax explained to Zhongli. “Don’t worry about us dealing with a second child, it was absolutely our pleasure to watch her so you two can get a day off.”
“Don’t say that Ajax, aiya! It makes it sound like we need a break from our precious little daughter!” Hu Tao pouted and scolded him. “What about Jolena? How was she during this practice run?”
“Jolena was unusually well behaved.” Ajax explained.
“Yes, but perhaps that falls a bit on us as we did tell her that if she behaves then she will possibly give her a little sibling.”
“Jolena possibly saw it as the better behaved she was, the better the chance of getting what she wants.” Zhonglu explained to the couple.
Hu Tao spoke up, “Oh yes! It was a bad move to lay out all the terms like that, but you must stay true to the contract!”
Lumine laughed, “Yes Hu Tao and Zhongli, we know that. ‘Or else we will suffer the wrath of the rock,’” Lumine mimicked Zhongli. “But casualties aside, I think it would be best if you two get going now. Hua seems to want to go home with the way she’s chewing on Zhongli’s collar.”
Zhongli looked down to see Hua happily nibbling away at his dress shirt. “Oh no, she does that as her dragon teeth are coming in.” Zhongli explained as he squished her cheek. “Let go Hua, no biting of Baba’s shirt.”
Hua whined but begrudgingly let go, showing her small little fangs to Ajax and Lumine in the process. “Good girl, bye Ajax and Lumine! We’ll see you on your next trip into Liyue!” Hu Tao waved and started on the path back to the harbor.
“Thank you again, I hope you drop by sometime in the near future, let’s go Little Hua.” Zhongli bowed his head and turned back to join Hu Tao.
Ajax and Lumine waved bye to them before shutting the door and letting out a long sigh. Jolena behaved and acted exceptionally, but having a practice run and dealing with a newborn are two entirely different things.
But true to their promise, they would take Jolena’s request into consideration.