Work Text:
Sihtric had all but run from the house when the message from Stiorra had come through the family chat. He loved all the children that he, Uhtred and Finan had assembled into one big family. But being the only parent not out of town with work for the last week at left him frazzled. He just needed half an hour without a small child hanging off him, just this once.
Thankfully Finan seemed to understand and had just kissed Sihtric’s cheek as he flew out the door to pick the girl up from work. Now he sat in one of the comfy couches in the walkway of the shopping center, watching everyone else go about their business. He sipped on the coffee he had treated himself to while he waited. His found his eyes kept wandering back to the nail salon down the way a little.
He had never been in nail salon or even paid attention to them before. It was fascinating that everyone that went in innately seemed to know what to do, what process to follow. To everyone inside, being handed a fistful of plastic cards with what seemed like 100’s of colour choices seemed perfectly normal.
Sihtric looked at his own hands. He liked his hands. They were strong, powerful but gentle. His hands had been used to wield weapons and inflict violence at work. They had also been used to cradle his children, pleasure his partners and ride his motorbike. Sihtric wasn’t someone who dressed fancy or sought out attention. He didn’t think there was anything special about his body aesthetically, Uhtred and Finan didn’t seem to mind his scars and were always full of praise. His priority was always more functional, to make sure he was healthy, fit enough to rise to any challenge, ready to spring into action when needed.
He found himself drawn the desk at the salon. Looking at the different shapes, colours and designs of the nails on display. He hadn’t realised that there were so many different little art designs that could be made on such a small surface. He was so engrossed in the displays he didn’t notice the teenage girl slide up beside him until she spoke.
“The glittery silver would match your rings” Stiorra smirk as she watched Sihtric startled beside her.
Sihtric turned to roll his eyes at the girl. He smiled at her, it still amazed him they had kids old enough to work. Thanks to the 8 year age difference between he and Uhtred, at 33 Sihtric was a parent to 17 year old Oswald and 15 year old Stiorra. Thanks to his own misadventures they also had Sihtric’s own 15 year old son Cylnaef. Plus the other 6 children. Suddenly Sihtric was very interested in spending a little more time out of the house.
“How long does that take?” he pointed to the display.
The girl looked around the salon taking note of how busy it was. “About an hour” she shrugged, stealing Sihtric’s coffee and taking a sip.
Sihtric gave her a hum of acknowledgment, taking his drink back.
“I wouldn’t mind getting a pedi if we have time Far?” A sly grin was spreading on the teenager’s face. It was as if she had read his hesitancy to head home. Maybe she needed a break from the chaos of their house as much as he did. “And you could try getting some tips?”
He grinned then to, nodded and let Stiorra tell the young women who had come up to serve them what they wanted.
Sihtric wasn’t bothered by societies expectations. He did as he pleased with his body and appearance. His childhood hadn’t afforded him the time, space or safety to explore his identity or self-expression. He was thankful he had the chance to do so now, and the various reactions from Uhtred and Finan were an added bonus. Each piercing and tattoo he had come home with over the years had been dotted on reverently. Rings, bangles and necklaces in beautiful boxes appeared in their bedroom often. His lovers always doing anything they could to show each other how appreciated and adored they were. He was curious what Finan’s response to the fairly long, pointy nails he had chosen would be.
Sihtric went through the process with a very patient technician. Using the displays to choose the length, shape and colour of acrylic nails she applied to his fingers. He let her guide his hands through each stage of gluing, shaping, painting and drying. Sihtric noticed the woman beside him looking at him. He wondered if she was looking at the nails being applied, the multiple rings that adorned his fingers, the tattoos that peeked out under his shirt sleeves and flowed down to his fingers or scars that marked his hands. While he did everything he could to take care of his skin now, nothing could undo the years of abuse his hands had taken doing hard labour, the hours and hours of practice at the firing range or gravel rash he had gotten coming of his bike when he wasn’t wearing gloves. He just smiled at the woman and looked over at Stiorra to check on her where she was having what looked like a cheese grater rubbed over the bottom of her feet.
When they were both finished they met again at the register and Sihtric paid for them, fumbling slightly with his card due to the new unnatural length of his nails. As they walked out Stiorra pulled on Sihtric’s hand to get a better at what he had chosen. The girl complimented him on the black base and silver strips patterned on them. Stiorra stopped suddenly, dropping his left hand and starring in disbelief at his right.
“F…Far, you didn’t!” she stuttered as she looked from the very short nails on his pointer and middle fingers to his face and back several times. “There are things I didn’t need to actually KNOW!” she moaned as she dropped his hand and covered her face.
“You already know!” Sihtric answered with a grin, gently pushing her to get her walking again. All their children knew Sihtric, Uhtred and Finan shared the same bed. That was a conversation they had had to have with all their children before each started school. One of many about how every family is different.
Stiorra complained the entire way to the car how embarring Sihtric was, then insisted they had to take a photo of his nails to send to Uhtred. Sihtric had a sneaking suspicion they would end up on Stiorra’s social media later to, he didn’t care. He liked them, he had plans to try with them and Finan later and the laughter coming from the teenager beside him was worth any cost.