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Chapter Text

“So, how does this story start, Monsieur Neuvillette?” Charlotte asked, her pen and notepad in hand. She was finally getting that interview about the Chief Justice’s missing son that she had been trying to get her hands on for ages now, ever since she had heard about the case from a friend of hers. It was unfortunate that the whole story probably wouldn’t be able to be told in one session, but she would make due with the time she had.

“It started with a tragedy.” Neuvillette began calmly. He was so calm and composed. It really surprised Charlotte that he could be like this while talking about his missing child.

“A tragedy?” Charlotte’s eyes widened curiously.

“Yes. Do you remember the case of the Melusine, Delphine? I found her and her son on the same day, and in the same treasure hoarder camp.”

~~~

The case of Delphine, the missing Melusine, had started a year before Neuvillette had ever adopted his son, who was actually Delphine’s son. She had just started working when she was kidnapped by treasure hoarders. They kept her in their camp, beating her, torturing her. They had done things that Neuvillette didn’t want to think about to the poor Melusine they’d kidnapped.

And once she had been found, she was already dead, buried in a shallow grave. It had been a full year since she had disappeared and this was not how he had hoped to find her.

The treasure hoarders, at first, wouldn’t say anything about her when they were questioned. But one of them finally confessed about something that shocked him. And that shock was only furthered when he heard the infant cry from the makeshift bed they’d placed him in. He was tiny, and his little hands reached up, grabbing for something, anything. Neuvillette carefully lifted him and tucked him close to his chest, staring down at the tiny creature.

He had little, pale blue rhinophores with silver spots. A tiny, pale blue tail with the same silver spots. His eyes were barely open. Half human, half Melusine. A creature that should not have existed, and yet, here he was. A creation of tragedy, pain, and suffering. And yet, Neuvillette knew that Delphine would not have blamed the baby.

Neuvillette could not leave him here. Regardless of the tragedy surrounding his origins, he could not leave such a small, defenseless creature behind.

~~~

“So, you adopted him?” Charlotte asked, even though she knew that was the outcome. She wanted to be sure they covered everything.

“What else could I have done? He was defenseless. Just because his arrival had been a tragic one didn’t mean he was to blame for it all.” Neuvillette said. The way he spoke made it clear that he loved the little boy from the very start. “The Melusines would not have known what to do with an infant, and while I had little knowledge on the care of infants myself, it would be easier for me to learn instead of attempting to teach all of the Melusines.”

“I see,” Charlotte said as she wrote down what he said in her little notebook. “So, you took him in, and then what? I want the full story!”

~~~

Neuvillette threw himself into searching for anything and everything about childcare. He wanted to make sure he did everything right. 

There was a crib in his bedroom and a crib in his office. Eventually, it wasn’t strange to see a baby bottle on his desk, or even a couple pacifiers. There were always a few baby bottles and pacifiers scattered on the counters, coffee tables, and nightstands of his home. There were baby clothes in one of the drawers in his desk, along with diapers. Baby clothes and diapers scattered around his house.

Neuvillette only left the baby in the care of some of the Melusines or even Furina whenever he had to oversee trials - on the off chance she didn’t have an interest in a specific trial he was overseeing and didn’t wish to attend. Any other time, he was fine with multitasking on his paperwork and caring for the baby.

The baby wasn’t very needy. He spent most of his time sleeping, and all the childcare books Neuvillette read said this was normal for young infants, so he didn’t worry. The boy only woke up and cried if he needed to be fed or changed. 

Pretty soon, Neuvillette’s life revolved around both his work, and the care of the baby boy he’d taken in.

~~~

“I’m sorry. I’ve just realized that you haven’t told me the baby’s name at all, Monsieur Neuvillette. Did he even have one?” Charlotte interrupted.

“Ah, my apologies.” Neuvillette said. “I had never gotten into the habit of calling him by his name. But his name was…”

~~~

Before long, the boy was learning to crawl and Neuvillette had to move things around in his office to create a play space for the baby. He set up a foldable fence, placed down some padding, and scattered some small toys in the little play space. He even bought a special seat to help the boy learn to sit upright.

The baby kept growing. Eventually, his little tail curled at the end. His eyes were open now, wide and curious and a beautiful ocean-blue color. Neuvillette fully believed that had his mother, Delphine, still been alive, she would have been so very proud of him. Neuvillette certainly was.

The boy began to hold onto the fence after a couple months of crawling around. He would pull himself up on his feet. Once, he did this and threw a toy at Neuvillette’s desk, trying to get his attention.

The boy began to babble more as well. Neuvillette wanted to teach him to speak, but he was unsure where to start. He wasn’t even sure what to teach the boy to call him. Technically, yes, Neuvillette did serve as the boy’s adoptive father, so it wouldn’t be strange if he taught the boy to call him that, but he wasn’t quite sure if he should.

~~~

“What was his first word?” Charlotte asked.

“Ah, Miss Furina actually beat me to it when it came to teaching him to talk. She had decided that he should call me some variation of the term ‘father’ after all. It was quite a surprise when I first heard it.” Neuvillette answered.

~~~

“Papa!” The boy yelled one day, pointing at Neuvillette. For a moment, all he could do was stare. He had just been called ‘Papa’. The boy had called him ‘Papa’. But Neuvillette had never taught him that word. Where had he learned it?

The only other people who had any interactions with the baby that would have been significant enough for him to pick up on any words were the Melusines and… Furina. Had Furina taught him this?

Neuvillette wasn’t upset about it. In fact, he was quite happy. He found it adorable that anytime the boy wanted something now, instead of just crying, he would either yell “Papa!” until Neuvillette finally looked up or cried and yelled “Papa!” until Neuvillette finally came over and picked him up.

And from there, it was like a snowball effect. One word after another, the boy picked up on them all and started talking almost nonstop.

“Papa! Ball!” He motioned a little hand at the ball he’d thrown out of his play area, a little pout on his freckled face. Neuvillette chuckled and stood up, picking up the ball and tossing it back into the play area for the boy to chase down, giggling.

It was rather adorable, and Neuvillette felt like he was bursting with pride every time he heard a new word come out of the boy’s mouth.

~~~

“Awe, this all sounds super sweet. It’s a shame we can’t drag this interview out longer.” Charlotte said. “You’re sure you can’t spare another hour or two?”

“I am sorry, Miss Charlotte, but I should be returning to my work.” Neuvillette said. “I will send you a letter detailing you the next time I am available to continue.”

“Alright. I understand. Until next time, Monsieur Neuvillette.” Charlotte dipped her head to him before she walked out of his office.

She took note of a little penguin plush on the corner of his desk. She hoped he could be reunited with his son soon.

Chapter Text

The next time Charlotte had the chance to continue her interview with Neuvillette was three weeks after the first interview. She rushed to his office that day, eager to continue the story. 

She was sitting on one of the couches in his office, and he was sitting across from her, looking as calm and collected as ever. “Okay, do you remember where we left off?” Charlotte asked as she opened the page where she left off writing.

“Yes. I remember.” Neuvillette nodded. “Let’s continue.”

~~~

The boy started to walk right after he turned a year old. As both a birthday gift and a celebration gift, Neuvillette had gotten a custom-made mechanical penguin toy for him. The boy had taken to the toy instantly, and never went anywhere without it.

The two of them started to take walks together just outside the city. The boy took to chasing crabs on the beach and Neuvillette would watch him fondly, always smiling.

Sometimes, the boy would fall and go running back to Neuvillette, crying. Other times, he would catch the crabs he would chase and then cry when they pinched him. But overall, their walks were peaceful. Just little moments where Neuvillette could get a breath of fresh air and the boy could get out and explore and run off some energy.

And for a long time, this was how it went. The boy didn’t talk a lot, but he used the words he did know well. Neuvillette tried, in his small amount of free time, to teach the boy more words, but sometimes, he just wouldn’t pick it up.

It was fine, though. Neuvillette didn’t mind. The boy had learned to communicate. He was doing well.

~~~

“It seems like the two of you led lives of peace for a while. You said he was taken when he was five years old?” Charlotte asked.

“Yes. It happened while we were on a walk.” Neuvillette said. “I admit, I still feel guilty for not paying close enough attention to stop it.”

~~~

It all happened too quickly. Neuvillette had been stopped by a couple Melusines who wanted to chat. He was talking to them as the boy ran around on the beach, chasing crabs and giggling. He had a hold of his mechanical penguin, hugging it close as he ran through the sand.

One minute, he was there. The next second, Neuvillette bid the Melusines goodbye, looked up,and the boy was gone. He was nowhere to be seen.

Neuvillette tried not to panic at first. He looked around, calling for the boy. But as time went on and his son didn’t come running back, the panic set in. Something was wrong. His boy never ignored him. He always came running the moment Neuvillette called.

From there, Neuvillette rushed after the Melusines he had been talking to. He told them to keep looking around the area, to see if they could find any clues as to where the boy had disappeared to. Then, he rushed to the city. He sent out every person he could in search of the boy. He even searched the surrounding area of where he had been.

Nowhere. The boy was nowhere to be found and Neuvillette didn’t find any shred of evidence as to where the boy could have gone.

He didn’t know how it had happened. He didn’t even hear the boy cry. The Chief Justice was so frustrated. How could this have happened?

~~~

“And now we’re here.” Neuvillette said. “Ten years later. And I still have not found him.”

“Didn’t the Knave spin a story that he was found dead?” Charlotte asked.

“She did, but I cannot believe that. I know he is not dead. He’s still out there somewhere. I just have to find him.” Neuvillette explained.

Charlotte smiled at him. “I’m sure you’ll find him. That’s why I wanted this story. I wanted to put it out there. Maybe we’ll attract someone that knows something.”

“Thank you, Miss Charlotte. I appreciate your efforts to help me.” Neuvillette said.

“Of course, Monsieur Neuvillette!” Charlotte dipped her head to him. “I’ll go and turn this into a proper story and get it turned in so it can be published as soon as possible.”

And with that, she left, heading back to The Steambird headquarters. The sooner she got this story out there, the sooner she could possibly draw in people who might have some answers as to what had happened to the boy Neuvillette had lost so long ago.

~~~

Neuvillette couldn’t wait for the story to gain attention, though. No, he had to find the boy as soon as possible. He could not wait.

And so, he sent Clorinde out with one mission in mind. Find the half-Melusine boy. He gave her as much information as he could. And Clorinde did not hesitate to accept the mission.

And that was where Clorinde was now. She was searching for any information regarding the missing boy. The first place she could think to look? Lyney and Lynette. If it was true that the Knave had found the boy, then it was likely that she had taken him into the House of the Hearth. What better place to start than by talking to people who had grown up there in the first place?

But finding Lyney and Lynette proved difficult. The two would not be found if they didn’t want to be. That was a trait that all House of the Hearth children shared. They would not be found if they did not want to be. Or at least, not easily.

Clorinde decided her best bet was to wait at Lynette’s favorite cafe. Eventually, surely, Lynette would visit the cafe and Clorinde would be able to intercept her. It took nearly a whole week of staking out the cafe from open to close before Lynette finally showed up, though.

Clorinde approached her table and sat down across from her. “Good afternoon, Miss Lynette.” She said.

“Miss Clorinde. I wasn’t expecting to see you here today.” Lynette said, looking at her curiously. She had already ordered a dessert

“I was asked by Neuvillette to investigate something and I believe you might have some of the answers I need.” Clorinde said. She saw no point in small talk. She knew Lynette wasn’t a huge fan of it, and she herself was not a huge fan of it. It would be easier to simply cut to the chase.

“Oh. I see.” Lynette said. “Very well. Ask your questions.”

“Have you ever met a half-Melusine boy in the House of the Hearth? He probably would have arrived there around ten years ago.” Clorinde started.

Lynette stared at her. Her expression was hard to read. Her expression was always hard to read. “Why are you searching for a half-Melusine boy?” She asked carefully.

“I’m afraid the full answer to that question is confidential. I will say that he’s not in any trouble by any means. The Chief Justice just wishes to find him and talk to him.” Clorinde explained.

“I see.” Lynette said. “Well, I do know a half-Melusine boy. And he was brought to the House of the Hearth around ten years ago. In fact, he lives with Lyney and I now, but he doesn’t spend a lot of time at home. It’s rare for even Lyney and myself to find him there.”

“Where would you go to find him if you were trying to find him for some reason?” Clorinde asked.

“His camp, most likely, but it isn’t easy to find, either. Lyney’s really the only one of the two of us who’s privy to the location of Freminet’s camp. You would get better answers if you asked him.” Lynette explained. “I think Freminet doesn’t like the idea of me visiting his camp. I’m not very good around electronics, and our little brother works hard on his projects. He wouldn’t want me to break them.”

“I see. And where can I find Mister Lyney?” Clorinde asked.

“I am not currently aware of my twin brother’s location.” Lynette said. “He was given a solo mission from ‘Father’. I haven’t heard from him since he left for his new mission.”

“I see.” Clorinde sighed.

“I can let you know when Lyney gets back, or if Freminet returns from his camp soon.” Lynette said. “Though, I do wish you would tell me more about the reason why the Chief Justice is looking for my little brother.”

“I would if I could, but Neuvillette requested that I give away as little information as possible.” Clorinde explained. “Though, he did say it wouldn’t be hard for you to find more information on your own if you really want to know. He did an interview with someone from The Steambird.”

“So all I have to do is look in the paper?” Lynette asked. Clorinde nodded in response. “Okay. I’ll look in the next copy of the paper, then. And I’ll do my best to keep you in the loop about when Lyney or Freminet get back to our apartment.”

“Okay. Thank you, Miss Lynette.” Clorinde stood up. “I’ll talk to you later then.” With that, she turned and walked away.

Hopefully, more information would come forth soon.

Chapter Text

The next piece of information came much later than Clorinde wanted it to, and it wasn’t what she was hoping for.

Lyney returned three weeks later from his solo mission, which had apparently taken place outside of Fontaine. That was the reason he was gone for so long. He met up with her with Lynette at his sister’s favorite cafe.

“I heard from Lynette that you - well, Neuvillette was looking for Freminet?” Lyney asked.

“Yes. I assume at least one of you read the story published in the paper?” Clorinde asked.

“We both read it.” Lynette said. “I find it kind of shocking, if I’m honest. I know ‘Father’ isn’t exactly the most honest of people. But… to know that she had spun up a story that she had found Freminet dead just to try to throw off his actual parent is so cruel.”

“The Harbingers each have their means of dealing with things. I may not agree with ‘Father’s’ way of dealing with things all the time, but she saw opportunity in Freminet, I suppose, and she knew that Neuvillette probably wouldn’t have just handed the boy over to her back then.” Lyney explained. “So she did the next best thing she could think of. Still, I’d like to see Freminet reunited with his actual parent. Well, adoptive parent, but I’m sure you get what I mean.”

Clorinde nodded. “This would be a great favor for Neuvillette. He would be forever in your debt for this.”

“I’m sure he’d like to think that, but I don’t want to think that way.” Lyney said. “This is just as much for our little brother as it is for him. As much as Freminet tries to act like he doesn’t remember who he used to call ‘Papa’ when he was little, I know he still has some memories of him. And I know he misses him. But he’s really anxious, and without the right nudge, he won’t ever go looking for Neuvillette on his own.”

“When is the earliest we can head to his camp?” Clorinde asked. “The sooner we get this over with, the better for everyone.”

“It really isn’t that simple.” Lyney said, frowning. “Freminet is the worst of all three of us when it comes to the rule of ‘if he does not want to be found, he will not be found’.” He explained. “I’ll make the trip to check his camp tomorrow. If he’s there, I’ll see if I can get him to come back with me to this cafe. But he might not be there, and if he isn’t, I won’t know where exactly he is.”

“I understand. Please keep in touch with me on the situation. The sooner we can get this done, the better.” Clorinde said.

“Of course. I’ll send Lynette to you the second I get Freminet to come back with me to this cafe.” Lyney said.

“Thank you, Mister Lyney.” Clorinde said as she stood up. “I’ll talk to you again once you have more information.”

~~~

The twins didn’t come talk to her again for a while, but they didn’t need to. Clorinde spotted the boy on a beach one day and then ducked back, before quietly following him.

Freminet was quiet, walking along the beach and picking up shells. His rhinophores twitched, as did his tail as he walked near the water. Clorinde followed him, doing her best to stay in areas where he likely wouldn’t see her if he turned around suddenly.

It took a while, but Freminet did eventually turn around and start back toward the city. Clorinde was quick enough to duck behind a large rock before the boy could see her. She quietly followed him back to the city and watched as he slipped into the apartment he shared with his older siblings.

Clorinde could walk up to the door and knock, but judging from the boy’s attitude about being found and preferring his alone time, he likely wouldn’t answer the door and she had no way of knowing if Lyney or Lynette were currently home to answer the door instead. That left her being unsure of how exactly to handle the situation.

She decided that maybe going to the cafe she’d been meeting the twins at would be a good idea. If Lyney or Lynette were home, they would probably try to convince Freminet to come with them to the cafe to talk to Clorinde. And if they were successful, then he’d probably be there next.

She went to the cafe, ordered a dessert and a tea and sat down at one of the tables. She was in the middle of eating when Lynette sat down across from her.

“You followed Freminet back to our apartment.” She said.

“I did.” Clorinde admitted calmly.

“Freminet was pretty nervous and confused when he got home. I tried to talk him into coming with me to the cafe, but you following him shook him pretty badly. He didn’t want to come back out for a bit.” Lynette explained.

“Oh. I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intention.” Clorinde said, frowning.

“Don’t worry. Freminet gets shaken easily. He’s always pretty nervous.” Lynette said. “I gave him the paper and told him to read the article Charlotte published. That might convince him to come out.”

“I hope it does.” Clorinde said.

“If we manage to convince Freminet to reunite with Neuvillette, what do you think will happen?” Lynette asked.

“I can’t say for sure.” Clorinde said. “I don’t think Neuvillette will push him to do anything, though. Neuvillette doesn’t seem the type to force people into decisions they don’t want. If Freminet wishes to remain a part of the House of the Hearth, I doubt Neuvillette will have any arguments against it. I think all he really wants is to see that his son is safe and happy.”

Lynette nodded. “I can’t say for sure what Freminet will choose, but I will say I wouldn’t be surprised if he stayed with the House of the Hearth. It’s all he’s known in all these years.”

“Neuvillette would understand.” Clorinde said. “As long as Freminet is happy. That’s all I believe that Neuvillette will care about at the end of it all.”

“I hope so.” Lynette said. “I wouldn’t want Freminet to become overwhelmed with the idea of picking between his siblings and his parent.”

“Well, I suppose I should give you a few days to talk to him, then?” Clorinde asked.

“That would probably be good. He seemed pretty shaken when he got home.” Lynette said. “I’ll talk to him and help him calm down. He might go back to his camp for a bit to cool off, but now that he’s read the article, I think he’ll probably decide to go visit Neuvillette himself. You may not even need to bring him to the Palais Mermonia yourself.”

“Keep me updated on his situation.” Clorinde said as she stood up. 

“Of course. I’ll see you later.” Lynette said. Clorinde nodded at her before walking away.

Chapter Text

Freminet didn’t know what to do. Ever since he’d read the article, he basically fled back to his camp in a panicked state. He was sitting on the water’s edge now, staring out at the waves.

He had never admitted it, but he did remember at least the day he went missing and from then on. He remembered seeing Neuvillette standing there, talking with the two Melusines with a small smile on his face. He remembered chasing crabs with Pers in his little arms.

He remembered suddenly being snatched up. He remembered that he tried to cry out, try to call out for Papa, but the person that grabbed him covered his mouth and he couldn’t cry loud enough. Damn him for always being so quiet.

It had been a horrible two months after his kidnapping. He didn’t believe that his kidnapper was as cruel as he, and his friends back then, had been to his biological mother. But he still hit Freminet. He still yelled at him for crying. He had pulled on his rhinophores, shoved him around. He still deeply mistreated Freminet while he was in the kidnapper’s hold.

And then Arlecchino found him. Arlecchino had made quick work of Freminet’s kidnapper. As much as he was thankful the man couldn’t hurt him anymore, he was terrified of Arlecchino at first. In fact, he still feared her. He knew she wouldn’t hurt him as long as he behaved and did as he was told. He knew that Arlecchino, or ‘Father’ would not hurt him for no reason. But that didn’t completely erase his fears.

‘Father’ had shown great disdain whenever Freminet talked about Papa. Anytime he mentioned Papa, ‘Father’ would give him a disapproving look. And so, eventually, Freminet stopped talking about Papa altogether. He stopped trying to tell Lyney and Lynette about him. He stopped trying to remember him.

Until he saw Neuvillette again. And all the memories just rushed back. He couldn’t stop himself from standing there, staring at Neuvillette and wishing so badly that he could run to him and hug him. That he could be held by him again, just like when he was little. He wanted to show Neuvillette that he’d never given up Pers, that he’d never stopped seeing the Chief Justice as ‘Papa’, his father.

And now, Freminet was sitting with his feet in the water. His thoughts were spinning. He’d heard the whispers in the street, about the Chief Justice having an interview with a journalist for The Steambird. He’d heard about the fact that the interview mainly talked about him, the Chief Justice’s missing son, and the story of how he’d been adopted up until he’d disappeared.

He’d thought it was just rumors spreading around. But then Lynette had handed him the paper that had the article in it. The paper that was sitting beside him now. It had sent him into a moment of panic. He was having a hard time processing the information that had just been passed into his hands. 

He needed time. A few days at least. He couldn’t handle the idea of being around people right now. A few days alone at his camp should probably be enough for him to fully process, understand, and decide.

Freminet stood up, picking up the paper and carrying it back to his tent. He didn’t want it to be damaged. The article especially needed to be kept in pristine condition.

~~~

The news that Freminet had read the article and had essentially instantly fled back to his camp found its way back to Neuvillette. At first, Neuvillette worried that this probably meant that Freminet did not want to see him. But Lyney and Lynette intervened rather quickly before he could let those thoughts settle.

“Ah. Mister Lyney. Miss Lynette. I wasn’t expecting to see you in my office today. Is everything alright?” Neuvillette asked, looking between the twin siblings.

“We came to talk to you about Freminet.” Lyney answered. “We were worried that you might have heard about what happened after we let him read that article. And we didn’t want to leave you worrying.”

“I see. Well, I would assume that you would know more about him than I would at this point.” Neuvillette said, nodding at them.

Lyney glanced at Lynette, who nodded back at him. “Right. Freminet probably didn’t run to his camp because he doesn’t want to see you again.” Lyney started. “He’s probably overwhelmed.”

“I can understand that.” Neuvillette said. “I suppose I should have expected him to get overwhelmed with the information being presented to him.”

“He should be back within at least a week, but he will need time to fully process the information we’ve given him. I don’t think he doesn’t want to see you. I think he does want to reunite with you.” Lynette told him. “If he’s not back by the end of the week, Lyney and I will go check on him and talk to him.”

“If he does not want to see me, please do not try to force him.” Neuvillette said. “I understand that it has been ten years since he has seen me. I would not want to make him uncomfortable.”

“Of course. If we think Freminet will be too uncomfortable with coming back and talking to you face to face, we will let you know. And we won’t force him into anything.” Lyney said.

“Thank you.” Neuvillette said. “I will admit that you have put my mind at ease.”

“Of course. We wouldn’t want you worrying too much. You already have a lot on your plate. Let us take care of Freminet for the time being.” Lynette said.

“With that, we’ll leave you to your work, Monsieur Neuvillette. Once again, we’ll go check on Freminet if he’s not back within a week.” Lyney said. “Goodbye, sir.”

Neuvillette watched as the twins left his office. He was still worried about Freminet, but he always worried about Freminet. The twins had put his mind at ease, though. He hoped that his son would come and talk to him eventually, even if it was years from now.

~~~

For the first few days at his camp, everything was quiet. Freminet would go out fishing for food and then he would spend time watching the clouds, sitting on the ground in his camp. He would go swimming, viewing the sights. He would sometimes collect pretty shells and use them to decorate more around his camp.

Anything he could find to pass the time. Anything he could find to help him work through his crowded thoughts. Sometimes, he tried to find things to temporarily distract him from his thoughts. But he found that the more he tried to ignore it, the more of a headache it gave him. So it was best to just find things to help him try to sort everything he was thinking about, as working on machinery or collecting things and thinking about all of it at the same time made it easier than just sitting there and trying to sort it all.

He took to writing. He talked to himself a lot over those few days. He made a list of pros and cons on the idea of going back and talking to Neuvillette. He made a separate list of pros and cons of not going back to talk to Neuvillette at all. He did everything he could think of to try to clear his mind and while some of it seemed to work, he still felt way too overwhelmed to set foot back in the city right now.

He wasn’t sure when he’d be back. He knew that Lyney would likely come check on him at the end of the week, as he did quite often when he wasn’t busy with his own missions. Maybe he should just focus on trying to make a decision by that time.

That sounded like a good idea. And so, Freminet went back to pacing and thinking again.

~~~

As expected, both Lyney and Lynette showed up at Freminet’s camp at the end of the week, each with looks of concern on their nearly identical faces.

“Freminet. How are you feeling?” Lyney started. He was clearly worried.

“I’m alright,” Freminet said. “Still processing everything right now.”

“We understand,” Lyney said. “Do you need more time? Or are you ready to come back?”

Freminet took a deep breath. “I’m worried that I’ll never be fully ready to come back.” He admitted.”I think it would be best if I just ripped the bandage off.”

“So, do you want to talk to Neuvillette?” Lynette asked.

“I might as well. If I don’t, I feel like I’ll regret it.” Freminet answered.

“Okay,” Lyney nodded. “Then we’ll bring you back to the Palais Mermonia sometime.”

“No. I think I’d rather go on my own.” Freminet said.

“If that’s what you want.” Lynette said. Lyney smiled at him.

“I’ll go tomorrow. I’d like to take one more night to fully prepare myself for this.” Freminet said. “But I’ll come home for tonight.”

“Alright. We’ll make your favorite food for dinner tonight.” Lyney said. “Are you coming now or would you rather come back on your own?”

“I’ll come back now. I think it’ll be easier for me to go back to the city with you guys near me.” Freminet said.

“Okay. Let’s go, then.” Lynette said, waving for Freminet to follow them.

The three of them walked back to the city. Lyney spoke through most of the walk, chattering on and on about his next show that was coming up soon. Another show that was taking place in the Opera House. He sounded excited about it. Lynette sounded like she always did, which was uninterested, but Freminet could tell that she was also happy for the chance to do another show in the Opera House. 

Freminet quietly listened to their conversation all the way back to their apartment. He quietly walked to his room and checked up on all his stuff before carefully setting Pers down on his nightstand and heading to the kitchen to help his siblings make dinner.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Freminet felt himself start to panic again. In the evening, he intended to go back to his old home. Not the Palais Mermonia. Neuvillette’s house.

He knew there was no chance that Neuvillette would turn him away. He knew that Neuvillette would recognize him. But some part of him still held doubts, still worried that his papa would look at him and turn away, closing the door in his face.

Freminet took a deep breath, holding Pers in his hands. Neuvillette would not do that to him. He had to remind himself of that. He was Neuvillette’s son. The Chief Justice would not turn him away. If anything, he would probably get wrapped up in the biggest hug of his life. While most of the time, Freminet was not a huge fan of physical contact with other people, he didn’t mind the idea of his papa hugging him again. He missed it greatly. 

Freminet would have to wait until later at night. Neuvillette often worked until late before he went home. Freminet faintly remembered falling asleep on the makeshift bed in his play area when he was little, waiting for his papa to finish his work so they could go home. He wondered how many times Neuvillette had had to carry Freminet back home. Probably every time he worked late.

He smiled to himself. It had been a long time since he’d felt this strange, childlike excitement. It was a bit overwhelming, but he found that he liked it. Missed it, even. He couldn’t wait for the chance to finally talk to his papa again.

~~~

Neuvillette found himself worrying more. While he knew that it was unlikely the twins would go back on their word of checking on Freminet at the end of the week and talking to him, he couldn’t help but worry over the absence of any new information regarding the half-Melusine boy.

But he told himself to wait. If he was patient, surely some news would arrive soon. He forced himself to focus more on his work and less on his personal worries. After all, he had a job to do and it wouldn’t do him any good if he were to start slacking on it now.

And so, he focused on reading through paper after paper, as there weren’t any trials to worry about today. He kept his head down and avoided looking at the clock. Even so, it felt like time crawled by at the slowest pace it possibly could. It frustrated Neuvillette so much that he ended up leaving his office after a while for a walk to clear his mind.

While he was on this walk, he ran into Clorinde. “Oh. Hello, Miss Clorinde.” Neuvillette said.

Clorinde looked at him and nodded. “Hello, Monsieur Neuvillette. I don’t usually see you out of your office during the day. Is everything alright?”

“Yes. I’m just having some trouble focusing on my work. I figured some fresh air might help.” Neuvillette admitted.

“I see. Well, I hope it does you some good.” Clorinde said. “Have you heard anything new about Freminet?”

“Not yet. I hope to hear something new today, but I am doing my best to simply be patient.” Neuvillette answered.

“I hope you get good news.” Clorinde said. “Actually, I’m sure you’ll get good news.”

“Thank you, Clorinde. I appreciate your support.” Neuvillette smiled at her. “I suppose I should get back to my office now. I still have plenty of paperwork to get through.”

“Take it easy, Monsieur Neuvillette. Don’t overwork yourself.” Clorinde said, dipping her head to him. He nodded to her before turning and heading back to the Palais Mermonia.

~~~

It was getting late. Usually, unless he had a job to take care of, Freminet wouldn’t be out so late. But he did have something to take care of this time. And it needed to be now, when he knew that Neuvillette would likely be home.

He was surprised that he hadn’t forgotten where his old home was. He walked up to the door. Despite the fact that Neuvillette was the Chief Justice and earned a good sum of mora, he did not live in a luxurious house. Most people wouldn’t think this was the Iudex of Fontaine’s house.

But Freminet knew this house. He knew that door. He knew everything about this place. Or at least, everything about it that had existed when he was little. He wondered how much it had changed over the years.

He knocked, his heart racing in his chest. He felt like he could barely breathe. He was terrified. What if Neuvillette wasn’t home? What if he didn’t want to see him? What if he was angry at Freminet for staying away for so long? What if-

“You’re here.” Freminet hadn’t registered that Neuvillette had opened the door. He only realized when he reached out and pulled Freminet into a tight hug. “You’re home.” He whispered.

Freminet didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what to do. He had thought he was prepared for this, but his brain had completely blanked in the moment. He hugged Neuvillette and then broke down. It had been so long. So, so long since he had been held by anyone like this, but especially since he had been held like this by his papa. “Papa…” He sniffled, burying his face in Neuvillette’s chest.

The two stood in that doorway until it suddenly started to rain. Neuvillette carefully led Freminet into the house, leading him over to the couch. Freminet sat down, wiping his eyes. “Sorry.” He mumbled. “I didn’t mean to just cry like that.”

“It’s fine. I understand.” Neuvillette sat next to him. He had a small smile on his face. “I was worried I wouldn’t see you again.”

Freminet looked at him. “I would have come to see you sooner, but I was scared.” He admitted quietly. “I was worried you’d be mad at me or that… that you wouldn’t love me anymore.”

“I have always and will always love you, my boy.” Neuvillette said. “You’re my son. I have never not loved you.”

“I imagine you’re angry with ‘Fa- er, the Knave?” Freminet said, looking down at his lap.

“I have no reason to truly be angry with her. If she has ensured your safety and your happiness, then there is no reason for me to be angry.” Neuvillette said. “I do regret not getting to be a part of your life these past ten years, though. I do hope you’ll forgive me.”

“Of course. You didn’t know where I was. It wasn’t your fault that you weren’t there.” Freminet said quickly, looking up at Neuvillette. “I did miss you, though. I always held onto Pers.”

“Pers?” Neuvillette tilted his head curiously.

“The penguin you gifted me when I was little.” Freminet grabbed the mechanical penguin from where he was hooked on his belt and held him up.

“Oh.” Neuvillette’s eyes widened. “He’s in surprisingly good condition for having been in your hands for so long.”

“I had to repair him a few times.” Freminet admitted. “There was one time where I thought he was almost beyond repair, but I managed to fix him in the end.”

“I’m glad you kept him in good condition.” Neuvillette said.

For a moment, the two fell silent. It was hard to think of what to say now. Freminet took a moment to look around the house. It had changed. It wasn’t exactly like he remembered and part of that made him sad. But he also understood that it was unlikely it would have ever remained exactly the same.

Freminet looked up at his father. “Are you going to expect me to leave the House of the Hearth?”

“Are you happy there?” Neuvillette asked.

“Yes.” Freminet said. “I wouldn’t want to be separated from my siblings.”

“Then you don’t have to leave.” Neuvillette answered easily. “I would not expect you to leave what makes you happy. Your happiness is one of the most important things to me.”

“Oh. Thank you.” Freminet said. “Um… could I stay here tonight? It’s late and it sounds like it’s still raining.”

“That’s fine, but I’m afraid your room isn’t exactly ready for you.” Neuvillette said.

“I can just sleep on the couch.” Freminet said, shrugging. “I should only be here for one night.”

“I’ll have to set up your room soon.” Neuvillette said, more to himself than to Freminet.

“Huh? Why?” Freminet frowning, confused.

“In case you would like to come and stay again.” Neuvillette said. “I wouldn’t want you to always sleep on the couch if you came to visit me for a night. It won’t be very comfortable.”

“Oh. Uh, thank you.” Freminet said, looking down at his lap.

“You don’t have to thank me. It’s the least I can do for you.” Neuvillette said, shaking his head. “Of course, that is only if that’s what you want.”

“Yes.” Freminet said instantly. He didn’t need to think about it. The chance to stay here, in this little house with his papa again was one he could never turn away from. He smiled at Neuvillette. “Thank you, Papa.”

Neuvillette smiled wider at him. “Of course. Anything for you, my boy.”

Freminet smiled and hugged him again. For once, everything in his life finally felt right. He couldn’t have been happier than he was right now.