Work Text:
Caleb let out an exhausted sigh as he trudged back to his room, small patches of ice forming underneath his feet with every step he took. After the long day he had, he thanked Taheli that he wasn't stuck as the Dragon Lord like his younger brother Artemis was. He had forgotten how loud and aggressive the other Dragons were after managing the entirety of Arcadia for so long: it was honestly a blessing that he didn't crack a rib from breaking up so many fights. Combined with all the meetings he had to do with the heads of the other neighbouring regions only a few hours after that, he was completely spent as he plopped on his bed made of brown vines, the hinges of it creaking as it protested the weight of his enormous form.
With a single finger snap, he was enveloped in a puff of blue smoke. When it settled, he had transformed into a tall human wearing a white robe, with only his curled horns remaining. It certainly wasn't his favorite form, but it gave him more space to stretch out in this bed until his actual one got fixed. He mentally reminded himself to ask Jarius about it when he had a chance. But for now, he just wanted to get some rest.
He turned on his back to marvel at everything in the room to help him relax. He took in everything his red eyes could take in: the slight chip in the foundation of the ceiling, all the treasures he had kept when he used to forage in the Human World, and even a few pictures of himself with his friends. But his favorite decorations by far were the scribblings on the wall his daughters made with their crayons when they were younger. No matter how old he or the building would get, he would never let anyone try to clean up those markings. They always made him happy whenever he looked at them after a long day.
And this time was no different. He let out a fond chuckle as he reminisced over the excitement Rainy had in her beautiful blue eyes when she presented her, "drawing," and the huge smile she got on her face when he told her he loved it. He definitely wasn't lying: ironically, he was starting to think that his room was looking too bland at the time, so that saved him the trouble of redecorating. He wasn't even angry when she led Tina in doing the same thing not that long after taking her in: he just took it as a sign that she was learning how to guide others, which was something she needed experience with for when she eventually took his place. A few awkwardly drawn unicorns and flowers were worth her getting some ruling experience.
He smiled as he slowly felt himself relax, his earlier frustration almost a distant memory as he reflected on his more cherished ones. That's a good memory to fall asleep on, he thought to himself as he began to close his eyes. Right as he closed them completely, though, he snapped them open as something got caught in the corner of his vision. A small piece of paper was neatly folded on his nightstand. Briefly pondering why he didn't notice it sooner, he cautiously picked it up and opened it. His eyes widened in surprise as he read its contents:
"Dear Mr. Caleb,
I just want to say thank you for letting me stay here.
I don't know why my real birth mom and dad didn't want me, but you did.
I don't know if I can be as good of a creature as everyone else here since I'm just a human, but I'm gonna try really hard.
I know I don't have any magic, but I'll practice every day until I learn.
I promise I'll try to be a good daughter.
-Tina
P.S --Would it be okay if I called you Dad? I know I should probably ask you this in person, but I got too nervous. I know I haven't been here that long though, so sorry if it's rude to ask."
After reading the letter over a few more times, Caleb put the letter in his dresser without a word. He calmly stood up and made his way out of the room. He realized that he was missing something very important before he could get some proper rest....
***
"Are you two comfortable?" Caleb asked as he laid back down in his bed.
Rainy snuggled up under his arm as she let out a small yawn.
"Yeah. The hammock's nice, but this is way better."
Caleb affectionately patted Tina on the head as she plopped it on his chest.
"How about you, Tina?"
She initially stared at the floor nervously before finally looking him in the eyes.
"....I'm okay, Mr. Caleb."
Caleb slowly shook his head as he smiled softly at her. His voice was calm and gentle as he responded to her:
"...You can call me, 'Dad,' if you want. We're all family here. And that means you're a part of it."
Tina let out a shaky breath as she processed his words. Rather than answer, she buried her face in his chest to hide the fact she was starting to cry. With a light chuckle, he snapped his fingers, causing a light mist to fill in the room that extinguished almost all the candle lights. With the room much dimmer, Caleb held his daughters to him as he shifted slightly to get in a more comfortable position.
"Good night, my girls." He whispered as he felt himself begin to drift off.
"Good night, Daddy." Rainy replied with a content sigh as she fell asleep.
Caleb closed his eyes as he allowed his body the reprieve it longed for all day. Just before he fell asleep completely, he heard something in a hushed voice that left him with a smile on his face:
"Good night...Dad."
Despite suffering through a rough day, that was one of the best nights of Caleb's life.