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Memory sat cross-legged on the carpet, her collection of dolls and miniature furniture arranged meticulously in front of her. She was humming a tune to herself with Orpheus beside her, kneeling beside her with a dramatic flair.
"Ah, the grand court of Princess Memory," Orpheus declared, picking up a regal doll in a sparkling blue gown. "Your majesty, the people of the kingdom have gathered to witness your brilliance."
Memory giggled, clutching another doll with bright pink hair. "Princess Memory says...uh, thank you, everyone!" she replied, her high-pitched voice mimicking a royal tone.
Orpheus nodded solemnly, moving another doll- a knight with a shiny plastic sword- into position. "But alas! Trouble is brewing in the faraway lands. The neighbouring kingdom demands a treaty, or else they will-"
"Dad," Memory interrupted, her small face scrunching up in frustration. "Why are they always talking? The dolls are supposed to have fun, not have boring meetings!"
"Meetings aren’t boring," Orpheus defended, raising an eyebrow. "They’re essential for establishing peace and order in the kingdom. Besides, it’s all part of the story."
Memory flopped onto her back with a loud "ugh," her blond curls fanning out as she stared at the ceiling. "Dad, this is soooo boring!"
Orpheus paused mid-sentence, his knight doll poised to deliver a grand speech. "Boring? You think knights discussing peace treaties is boring?" He looked at her, feigning surprise.
Memory rolled onto her stomach, propping her chin on her hands. "Yeah! I don’t want them to talk about... um... whatever treaties are! I want them to fight dragons or find treasure!" She sat up suddenly, waving her princess doll in the air. "And you talk waaaaay too much when you play!"
Orpheus blinked, caught off guard. "I’m not just talking. I’m giving the story depth. Stories need depth to be exciting."
"Noooo," Memory said with a little shake of her head. "They need fun stuff! Like swords and bad guys and- oh!- big explosions!" She clapped her hands loudly, making Orpheus flinch slightly.
"Explosions?" Orpheus repeated, raising an eyebrow. "In a royal court?"
"Yup!" Memory said matter-of-factly, nodding so hard her hair bounced. "Like maybe the bad guy crashes in and breaks the wall, and the princess has to save everyone!" She swung her doll through the air as if it were fighting invisible enemies.
Orpheus chuckled softly. "I see you prefer action over strategy."
"Yup!" she chirped again, jumping to her feet. Then her face lit up with a new idea. "I know! I’ll go find Frederick! He makes the dolls do awesome stuff, like riding horses and fighting the bad guys!"
Orpheus’s smile faltered slightly. "Frederick? You think HE'S fun?"
"Uh-huh!" Memory was already gathering her dolls in her arms. "He’s the best! He makes the princess ride a unicorn and the knight fights like this- HI-YA!" She made a karate chopping motion, nearly dropping her dolls in the process.
"Really?" Orpheus asked, his voice tinged with mock offense. "What about me?"
Memory shrugged, unbothered. "Sorry, Daddy. You’re okay, but Frederick’s way cooler."
Orpheus pressed a hand to his chest, pretending to be heartbroken. "Cooler than me?"
Memory giggled, her laughter echoing as she darted toward the door. "Bye, Daddy! I’m gonna go find Frederick!"
Orpheus watched her disappear into the hallway, still clutching his knight doll. He sighed, shaking his head. "Well," he muttered to himself, setting the doll down gently. "Looks like I’ve got some competition."
---
He could hear the faint sound of Memory’s footsteps as she ran toward the piano room, where Frederick often spent his afternoons.
He followed her down the hallway, stopping just outside the open door to the music room. Inside, Frederick was seated on the piano bench, absentmindedly flipping through a sheet of music. His light hair caught the sunlight streaming through the window, and his usual composed expression softened as Memory bounded into the room.
Orpheus leaned against the doorway, arms crossed as he watched Memory excitedly plop her dolls onto the floor. His lips quirked up in a wry smile, though a faint pang of jealousy lingered in his chest.
"Frederick!" Memory chirped again, holding up her knight doll as if it were presenting itself to royalty. "We’re going on a big adventure! You get to be the bad guy this time!"
Frederick raised an eyebrow, his expression calm but faintly amused. "The bad guy? Is that because your father wasn’t exciting enough to play the role?"
"It’s like... so many speeches! And no dragons! You’re way better at playing." Memory exclaimed, rolling her eyes dramatically.
Frederick’s smirk deepened as he looked past her toward Orpheus. "I suppose I should feel flattered, though I’m sure your father’s speeches were.. .enlightening."
"Enlightening, huh?" Orpheus interjected, stepping into the room with a dry tone. "I’ll have you know my treaties and negotiations were very compelling."
"Daddy, treaties are boring," Memory insisted, holding up her princess doll and making it shake its head in disapproval. "Frederick makes the bad guys go 'ROAR' and then the good guys go 'POW!' It’s way more fun."
"Roar and pow," Orpheus repeated flatly, giving Frederick a look. "Is that what it takes to win her favour?"
Frederick shrugged, gesturing for Memory to hand him one of her dolls. "Apparently so. I aim to please." He took the princess doll and examined it thoughtfully. "So, what’s the plan, Memory? A dragon attack, perhaps?"
"Yes!" Memory’s eyes sparkled as she grabbed her knight doll and stood it up on the floor. "The dragon’s gonna come out of nowhere, and the knight has to save the princess! But the dragon has fire breath, and it’s super scary!"
Frederick nodded solemnly, clearly taking the task seriously. "A formidable challenge, no doubt. And who’s playing the dragon?"
"You!" Memory pointed at him with a giggle.
Orpheus scoffed, walking over to sit on the piano bench. "Wait, so I don’t even get to be part of this tale? I’ve been completely cast aside?"
Memory paused, tilting her head as she thought. "Hmm... you can be the horse," she said innocently, as if it were the most logical solution.
"The horse?" Orpheus repeated, incredulous.
Frederick couldn’t hide the slight chuckle that escaped him, gently leaning his head on Orpheus' shoulder. "A noble role, wouldn’t you agree?"
Orpheus shot him a mock glare. "Don’t encourage her."
Memory, oblivious to the playful banter, began positioning her dolls. "Okay, Frederick, you have to do the dragon voice. Make it really scary!"
Frederick held up the princess doll and tilted his head, clearly humouring her. "Very well. But I hope you’re prepared, Memory. This dragon is not easily defeated." He leaned closer to her and let out a growling noise, something Orpheus had never expected to escape Frederick's mouth as he shook the princess doll in mock peril.
Memory squealed in delight, clutching her knight doll tightly. "Ahhh! The princess is in trouble! Don’t worry, I’ll save you!" She moved her knight doll forward, making dramatic "clink clank" sounds to mimic armour.
Orpheus watched the scene unfold, arms crossed and a begrudging smile on his face. "You know, I could’ve done a great dragon voice. My range is impeccable."
"You can be the horse, Daddy!" Memory reminded him, pointing toward him with her knight doll.
Frederick smirked, clearly enjoying how Orpheus was salty as he waved the princess doll dramatically. "Help me, noble steed! The dragon has me cornered!"
Orpheus groaned but slid off the bench to sit on the floor. "Fine. But I’m not neighing. That’s where I draw the line."
Memory laughed so hard she fell onto her back, clutching her dolls. "You’re a funny horse, Daddy!"
Frederick shot Orpheus a brief look, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Seems you’ve won her over after all."
"Funny how being a horse is more entertaining than crafting a compelling narrative," Orpheus muttered, but there was no malice in his tone.
She was utterly engrossed, waving her knight in the air and dramatically declaring its bravery. Orpheus sat on the floor, dutifully holding the "reins" of an imaginary horse as Memory occasionally tugged at his arm to mimic riding into battle.
"You’re setting quite the high bar, Frederick," Orpheus finally said, breaking into the action. His tone was light, but there was a faint edge of competitiveness behind his words.
Frederick glanced at him, raising an eyebrow as if he hadn't noticed Orpheus sitting there the whole time. "Perhaps you should take notes," he replied calmly, his expression unreadable but for the faintest twitch of amusement at the corner of his lips.
Orpheus scoffed, though the smile tugging at his own mouth betrayed him. "Perhaps I will."
Memory looked between them, clutching her knight doll. "Frederick’s the best at this!" she chirped, entirely unaware of the subtle rivalry brewing between the two men.
"Is that so?" Orpheus asked, tilting his head at her. He let go of his imaginary reins and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Well then, I suppose I’ll just have to show you how adventurous I can be, won’t I?"
Memory's eyes lit up. "Really? You’re gonna fight the dragon too?"
"Not exactly," Orpheus said, sitting up straight. He reached for a spare doll lying on the floor, this one a roguish figure with a painted-on sword. "I’m going to be the daring rogue who sneaks past the dragon and saves the treasure while the knight is busy."
Memory gasped, her excitement spilling over. "Ooooh, that’s so cool! Frederick, did you hear that?"
Frederick looked unimpressed- or at least pretended to. "Bold strategy, but I’d like to see how you plan to pull it off," he said, leaning back slightly on his hands.
"Watch and learn," Orpheus quipped, holding the rogue doll aloft. He deepened his voice dramatically, giving the doll a cocky swagger as he moved it. "'The dragon will never see me coming,' said the rogue as he tiptoed into the cavern of doom."
Memory immediately got into the act, making her knight doll turn to the rogue. "No, don’t go alone! It’s too dangerous!"
Orpheus winked at her. "I smile in the face of danger!"
Frederick rolled his eyes from how corny and cliché he sounded, but would smile from how ridiculous he sounded. He brought the dragon doll forward, letting out another guttural growl. "Foolish rogue! You dare to steal my treasure?"
"Of course I do!" Orpheus shot back, making his doll leap forward in a dramatic arc. "But I’ll outsmart you with my cunning wit and unparalleled charm!"
Memory was beside herself with glee, her knight doll bouncing in place. "Get him, dragon! But don’t hurt the knight’s friend too much!"
Frederick leaned into his role. "You’ll regret underestimating me, thief!"
Orpheus, determined to impress his daughter and maybe one-up his husband, brought every ounce of theatrical flair he had to his performance. Memory cheered, laughed, and gasped at every twist in the tale, completely captivated.
Memory declared it the "bestest story ever." She flopped onto the floor, exhausted but beaming.
"See, Daddy? You can be fun!" she said, reaching out to pat his arm.
Orpheus raised an eyebrow, pretending to be offended. "Can be fun? I believe I just saved the day."
Frederick, still seated nearby, chuckled. "And yet it was my dragon who stole the show."
Orpheus gave him a side glance, a playful challenge sparking in his eyes. "You only think that because you’re not the one who had to sneak past the imaginary fire breath."
Frederick shrugged, clearly enjoying himself. "Perhaps. Or perhaps I’m just naturally more entertaining."
"Naturally?" Orpheus scoffed, leaning back with a hand over his heart. "Memory, did you hear that? He thinks he’s naturally more entertaining than me."
Memory, oblivious to the competitive undercurrent, simply giggled. "You’re both fun! But Frederick’s dragon was really scary."
Orpheus groaned dramatically, lying flat on the floor as if defeated. "First I’m the horse, and now this. Truly, I’m the unsung hero of this family."
Frederick chuckled softly, reaching out to give Orpheus a light peck on the cheek. "It’s not so bad being second place."
Orpheus flushed and his eyebrows furrowed but couldn’t hold it, the laughter bubbling up despite himself. He sat up, ruffling Memory’s hair as she started gathering up her dolls.
"Alright, kiddo," he said, standing and stretching. "What do you say we grab some snacks to celebrate our victory?"
"Yay, snacks!" Memory cheered, jumping up with her dolls in tow.
He had been bested in front of Memory by none other than Frederick, and while it had been playful, there was no denying that the sting of it still hung in the air. His expression soured, a slight pout tugging at his lips as he followed after Memory’s excited footsteps.
But before he could make his exit, he glanced over his shoulder at Frederick, who was still seated on the piano bench, his gaze soft but amused. "You’re setting the bar high, you know," Orpheus grumbled, his voice carrying an almost mockingly serious tone, though the jealousy was thinly veiled beneath his words.
Frederick’s lips curled into a small, almost knowing smile. "And you’re keeping up better than you think," he replied casually, pushing himself up from the bench and straightening his shirt.
He crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at Frederick. "Oh, really? I’m just keeping up, am I? Perhaps I should’ve expected such a remark from the ‘fun parent’," he said, his words dripping with playful sarcasm.
Frederick’s laughter bubbled up at Orpheus' theatrics, and he took a few steps toward his husband. "Oh, come on, don’t be like that. I was just doing my thing," Frederick teased, a grin spreading across his face as he reached for Orpheus' hand.
Orpheus narrowed his eyes, his pout deepening. "I’m the one who introduced her to dragons and knights, and she calls me boring." The novelist said, letting out a huff of indignation. "Boring!’ It’s like my years of education in storytelling didn’t even matter."
Frederick chuckled at the exaggerated bitterness in Orpheus’ voice, stepping closer until he could gently wrap his arms around him, pulling him into an embrace. "Oh, you don't need to cry about it," he murmured, his voice soft and soothing. "You know she didn’t mean it like that. She just loves your stories, even if she prefers a little action now and then."
Orpheus stiffened at first, his arms crossed over his chest, but as Frederick’s warmth enveloped him, he couldn’t resist the soft sigh that slipped from his lips. "It’s just... she looks at you and thinks you’re more fun than me," he muttered, letting out a little groan of frustration.
Frederick pulled away just slightly, his hands still resting gently on Orpheus' arms, his gaze soft yet teasing. "You know," he said with a playful glint in his eye, "I think you’re fun too, even if you’re technically the boring one right now."
Orpheus' lips parted slightly, but there was a certain vulnerability in his eyes, a slight sting that couldn’t be hidden. "I’m boring? Really?" He tilted his head, crossing his arms as if to defend his honour. "I’m the intellectual one. I’ve got depth- you know, the kind of thing that sticks with you. I give substance."
Frederick smirked, his hands lightly sliding up to Orpheus’ neck, pulling him closer as he leaned in, voice lowered to a teasing whisper. "Oh, I know you’ve got depth. But sometimes, don’t you think a little excitement is needed too?" His lips brushed against Orpheus’ ear, sending a shiver through the other man’s body. "It’s not all about intellectualism. Some of us like a little chaos every now and then."
Orpheus’s breath hitched at the closeness, his hands resting against Frederick’s waist as if grounding himself. He tried to muster a teasing smile, though it was a little shaky. "You make me sound so... dull."
Frederick’s smile only deepened as he held Orpheus’ gaze, his thumb gently brushing over his jawline. "You’re just... too good at playing it safe."
He wanted to argue but found himself caught under Frederick’s gaze, his heart fluttering with both affection and a tinge of jealousy from earlier. Orpheus murmured with a little tilt of his head, trying to keep the upper hand but clearly enjoying the flirtation. "I’ll show you how it’s done next time. I’ll be the one with the exciting dragon, not you."
Frederick chuckled softly, his lips curling into an affectionate smile. "I’m sure you will." he said.