Chapter Text
Joshua just wants to sleep past sunrise for once. He can feel the breath of the tiny intruder on his face, waiting for him.
"Go back to bed Feya." Joshua hears no response, so he opens his eyes to see a blonde-haired four-year girl staring at him. Feya stares at her father with a blank expression on her face. "I want a puppy."
A groan emits from beside Joshua. A woman sits up on the bed and looks to her husband and daughter. "Told you she wouldn't leave it alone. She is as stubborn as you." Joshua groans, he looks between his wife and daughter with fondness.
"I. Want. A. Puppy." The four-year-olds expression turns to determination. Her lips turn to a pout, and she crosses her arms in an attempt to imitate her mother. Both parents laugh, finding the gesture to be more adorable than serious. Feya does not share her parents' amusement, she decides to jump onto the bed, crashing right onto her father's stomach. Joshua lets out a painful grunt, his arms going to his daughter to drag her between her parents. Meanwhile his wife laughs, looking at them with love and exhaustion. Joshua sits up while his daughter laughs, the sound is joyful, innocent, on more than one occasion it has chased away the memories of darker times.
"Papa?" The blonde-haired man looks at his daughter. "Yes sweetheart?" Feya looks at up at him with a smile on her face. "I want a puppy. Pleeeeease." He hangs his head while his wife simply looks at him with a 'I told you so' expression.
A thud from another room catches the couple's attention. Joshua's wife looks to their daughter. "Honey, what is your brother doing right now?" The girl looks at her mother with an innocent and relaxed expression. "Burning his pants." "WHAT?!"
Both adults race out of bed into the kitchen and sure enough their daughters twin is in front of the fireplace with fire going, and casually looks up at his parents entering the room. He is the spitting image of his father, with the exception of having his mother's hair color. "Morning mama, papa." Both parents look at the boy holding a pair of pants in his hand, ready to throw into the fire with more pants on the floor next to him. Joshua looks at son.
"Clive what in name of the Founder are you doing!?" Clive looks at the pants he is holding and then to his parents. "I don't like wearing pants." The then proceeds to throw the pair in his hand into the fire. Joshua runs to his son and lifts him into his arms and away from the fireplace, the boy giggling all the while. His mother and sister laugh at the scene. Clive giggles in his father's arms, Joshua hangs his head and eventually joins in as well.
"Alright that's enough. Feya, Clive go get dressed while your father and I make breakfast. Then we will discuss this pants situation after we eat." "I still want a puppy." Joshua laughs, setting his son on his feet he looks to his little girl. "And talk about a puppy. Now go ready yourselves for the day."
Two young voice echo "Yes papa" then proceed to their room. Joshua and his wife look to each other, shaking their heads they hold each and look into the others eyes.
"I never knew having children could be so..." His wife smiles at him "Chaotic, troublesome, unpredictable." Joshua laughs "All of those things. Were you like this growing up?"
The woman shakes her head. "No, growing up in Waloed didn't allow such a luxury. I'm glad our children have that chance." He nods his head, his expression changes. "It is ironic. Growing up in Rosalith, I was surrounded by rich and servants that attended to my every need. Yet our children are more free and loved in a small cabin than I was growing up there."
Joshua's wife kisses his cheek, a look of understanding on her face. A crash from the children's room draws their attention. "Clive fell off his bed again!" The married couple shake their heads. "Our son is much more trouble than his name sake." Joshuas gaze falls to the floor. "I guess it was selfish of me to think he would be like my brother by sharing his name." "Maybe, but you never compare the two of them. You're just reminded of a loved one you have lost. There is no shame in that. Besides, if you do start to compare them or try to make our son something he is not, I'll just kick your butt again." His wife leaves him to start breakfast.
"That's not fair I was sick." "Which wouldn't have happened if you took your medicine like you were supposed to." Joshua shakes his head and watches his wife as she begins to make breakfast for their children. Their laughs drift from the other room and a sense of peace washes over him.
I wish you could be here brother. But I promise my children will have the life we should have had.