Work Text:
It was that time of the year again.
A time that Veth Brenatto awaited ever since the smashing success of what occurred last Misuthar.
It’s the second annual opening of the Wildemount Wildlings summer camp.
Given how successful last year was, she’s got nothing but high hopes for this one.
She even had Jester conjure a commemorative picture frame with an engraved plate that reads, “Summer of 838 PD” for the inevitable portrait that would also be conjured by Lady Lavorre of “Dicks and Other Things”.
Of course, there’s no doubt that amidst the colors and shades, there will be plenty of hidden dicks for those eagle-eyed enough to spot them.
The opening ceremony occurs as the campground is bustling with life. Twice the number of last year, the kids and young adults are as diverse as the cities and countries of Exandria itself. Humans, elves, half-elves, gnomes, dwarves, even a few unexpected arrivals like (gasp!) goblins and kobolds.
And one of those outliers, sadly, is still too young to participate in most activities given the age limit, though thankfully Veth and Yeza prepared in advance and had a small cabin made for the youngest of the youngsters.
That same outlier approaches his mother with a hug. Veth takes him in and gives him a kiss on the forehead.
“It’s so much fun already, Mom! I love it!”
“I’m so glad, buddy,” Veth replies to Luc with the biggest, goofiest smile on her face.
Even now, after almost two years, she’s still feeling a little bit of disbelief. She’s holding her boy in her arms, something that she had once thought impossible due to being a goblin.
But it was not impossible. Because she had a powerful wizard that resolved to save her. And she had friends that were just as powerful but in their own ways.
And many of those friends were also here today as counselors and guest teachers.
She spots Jester in her usual arts and crafts area, as well as Caleb teaching minor-level, kid-friendly magic.
And Yasha… Veth finally notices that she’s actually late for her assignment as guest cooking instructor. A tiny bit of the halfling mother is a little thankful given that in her first year, her bad cooking did lead to an unfortunate fatality.
Still, it’s a little worrisome that she has yet to arrive. And so she decides to do the rounds and ensure that everyone and everything else is accounted for.
The cabins are in tip-top shape thanks to the camp’s artistic carpenter, the makeshift mess hall is well-stocked thanks to some generous donations from the Blooming Grove among other locales, and the daily events are ready to be handed out once the opening ceremony is over.
It’s around the time that she starts to hand out the itineraries to the counselors and guest teachers that she finally spots the missing aasimar barbarian.
And she’s not arriving alone.
Walking alongside her are three other people of similar physique. Two of them are easy enough to figure out; she can easily spot Yasha’s life-partner at her side. Again, easy to figure out, seeing that Beau and Yasha are rarely apart these days, which is good. The second is bald and elven, narrowing it down to Expositor Dairon of the Cobalt Soul.
The third, however, takes Veth completely by surprise. She swears that she’s seeing double as another Beauregard is walking alongside the other.
But as they come closer, she couldn’t be more wrong. It is another Lionett woman… but it’s the last person she expected.
“Sup, Veth?” She hears Beau exclaim.
Veth manages to recover enough of her senses to mentally sober up and approach them. “Hello! Glad you could finally make it. You missed the opening of the camp, though.”
For her part, Yasha is rather sheepish as she scratches the back of her head, short white hair softly swaying in the breeze. “S-Sorry, it’s just that one thing led to another and—”
“It would appear that Ms. Yasha still needs to realize that she cannot, in fact, send messages in the same manner as your clerics,” Dairon quickly interjects. And is Veth imagining things, or are they… smirking as they do so?
And all of a sudden, Veth realizes that this is her fault. She had only been joking around with Yasha and got her to assume she could do such a thing. She had never intended for it to go that far.
“That’s not true, I certainly can! It’s just… I can’t get an answer… most times. Or ever…”
Beau is quick to give her mentor a good-natured jab in the ribs. “C’mon, Dairon, cut her some slack. We still made it, didn’t we? All five of us?”
Dairon is just rolling her eyes at some point while also cracking a light smile, and right beside them is the fourth adult among the group. Beau’s mother.
“Y-Yes, we also had to convince this little man…”
As if on cue, a small boy pops his head out from behind Yasha’s back.
“…that this would be exciting. And that he could make friends.”
Veth takes a good look at the boy. Of course she remembers little TJ.
Though seeing the little guy also brings up a rather painful memory of being in that oppressive house, watching Beau converse with her father and seeing her composure and resolve crumble in real-time.
But that memory is simply that now. A bad memory, a bad dream. And Thoreau is long gone from the lives of the Lionett women and TJ now.
Yasha crouches down to let TJ get off her back.
“Ooh… hi!”
The boy’s smile is just so cute and bright, much like Luc’s. And speaking of…
The toy crossbow bolt goes flying, seemingly out of nowhere.
And yet it somehow gets caught, though not by Beau.
Instead it’s her baby brother that just barely manages to grab it before it could bump into his head.
“Whoa…” TJ is in awe at the bolt just inches from his face. And as he drops it, Veth could hear her darling son scuttle towards her.
“Who’s this, Mom?”
Veth looks to her son, and then to TJ. “Luc, I’d like you to meet this handsome young man.” She puts a hand through his hair and tousles it a little. “This is Auntie Beau’s little brother, TJ.”
She then nudges her son in front of him. “And TJ, this is my son Luc. I think…”
She then looks up to Beau, and as they share a gaze at each other, a memory comes back to her.
A memory of a much unhappier time.
“I think TJ, my little brother, and Luc could be best friends.”
The night they were all up in that mountain, at the doorstep of a hut occupied by a powerful hag. The night that could have ended in a myriad of ways, one of which leading to where her curse was broken.
And while it was resolved, it still left a bitter taste in Veth’s mouth, having had time to reflect and realize just how shitty she’d been not just in how she had wanted war just to selfishly get her family back, but also in how she let her own damage influence how she saw other parental figures.
Case in point, she had been quick to assume the worst of Clara Lionett, TJ and Beau’s own mother. She had been quick to compare her to her ex-husband, that she had been just as responsible for her daughter’s emotional damage.
Granted, while somewhat true, she had been blind to two simple truths.
Firstly, that she was also a victim of Thoreau’s controlling nature born out of superstition and paranoia.
And second, that for the wrong that she had unknowingly done, she still had nothing but genuine love for her children.
And there was also a third truth, in that she ultimately left Thoreau and chose to make up for past mistakes, including reconnecting with her daughter.
That night had been incredibly traumatic, not just for Beau but for Veth herself. She had come so close to that selfish temptation. She never forgave herself for being so weak-willed.
So seeing Clara and TJ here, now, is putting things into perspective for Veth.
“…I think the two of you could be best friends.”
At those words, Beau gives a slight nod and a smile. Clearly, she’s having that same memory flash through her mind as well.
“Can we?” Luc asks her mother. Veth smiles and nods, which is all her boy needs to extend his hand to the young Lionett cub of a boy.
TJ seems confused but mimics the gesture. Luc takes the offered hand and shakes it… before pulling him in for a hug. “We're gonna be best buddies for sure.”
“Okay!” The young cub replies happily. He’s then suddenly pulled along as Luc leads him by the arm to the campground.
As the adults watch on, Clara remarks, “I’m glad that went well.”
“Yes,” Dairon agrees. “Well then, Yasha, I assume you’ve got things handled from here?”
The aasimar nods. “I’m sure gonna miss you for the next few weeks.”
Beau just gives her a kiss on the cheek. “No worries, babe. I’ll be fine. And we’ll ensure that your babies are properly taken care of.”
Veth raises an eyebrow. “‘Babies’?”
“Plants, Veth,” Beau corrects her. “Anyway, see you in a few weeks, Angel.”
“You know where to find me,” Yasha replies as she pulls her girl in for a kiss. Dairon and Clara roll their eyes and begin walking off, and Veth is quick to notice that the human and elf are holding hands as they depart.
“Uh, Veth?”
“Yeah?” She responds when Beau addresses her.
The monk uses her hands to motion towards her eyes. “You’re crying.”
Wait, what?
Veth does the same motion, and sure enough, her eyeliner is runny and her cheeks are wet. How had she not noticed that she’d been crying this whole time?
Almost as if reading her mind… which is a whole different can of worms that none of the ladies of the Mighty Nein want to ever reopen again… Beau says, “Guess you were too caught up in the moment. Besides… it was rather cute.”
Veth sputters as she tries and fails to regain her composure. “W-W-Wait a minute here!”
She doesn’t get far in her rambling as Beau crouches down and gives Veth a hug. And just for good measure she also plants one on her. “Take care of my bro, okay?”
She could blame it on the summer air or the sun that is high in the sky, but right now Veth can definitely feel herself blushing heavily. “Um… sure! Okay! Bye!”
Beau nods, winks, and turns around to catch up to Clara and Dairon.
Shit. For all the times that she and Beau had been playfully ribbing each other… This is perhaps the first time that the monk had genuinely left her speechless and unable to make a witty comeback.
“Anyway! C’mon, Yasha, let’s do this!”
“Wilde Out!” Yasha shouts with excitement as she runs towards the campground.
Veth still lingers right where she is. And this time she can feel the tears falling again.
But it’s a good feeling. It’s tears of happiness and joy.
And how could she not be happy and joyful? This is going to be fun fun fun.
TJ and Luc are finally getting to meet and start out as best buds, Yasha hopefully learning her lesson this time in regards to cooking, making peace with her past woes and accepting Clara and TJ as proper acquaintances, maybe even friends in the future…
This is nice. Very nice.
Her hands reflexively reach for the flask at her hip, but she pulls back. There’s no need for it right now.
Instead, she wipes her eyes until the tears stop falling and she makes her way back to camp.
This would be a summer to remember.