Work Text:
Kal blinks at the page in front of him, waiting for Spite to finish reading it so he can be informed as to whatever the First Talon wanted this time. There’s a few moments to spare, so Kal stares dopily at his husband across the room.
“Hm?” Riri inquires with a smile. “What is it?” Kal just grins at him, watching his Lich at work.
“The Dellamorte boy wants to see you about changing your position to something more appropriate.” Hm? So either he’s getting a promotion, or they want to kill him. Surely they won’t try the same trick a third time, right?
Riri’s in front of him before Kal’s even fully gathered his options. “You’re not going alone.”
“Aren’t you banned?” Kal smirks. “’Sides, I’ll be fine.”
“Kal. Mi amor. The last time you went back home to Treviso without me, you got poisoned and nearly died.” Kal pulls his husband down to give him a kiss.
Smiling Kal runs his fingers over Riri’s studs. They’re warm and tingly against his fingers, and Riri has to stop himself from giggling. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. I’ve got Spite with me, besides, no one’s dumb enough to do the same thing three times.”
Riri’s glamor flickers to life, bringing that handsome face into his view. “We both know you have the worst luck. But if you don’t want me there, I suppose I can work on something else for a while.” Kal smirks at him with a certain heat flaring within him. It’s truly unfair that Riri would speak to him in that tone when he’s got things to do.
“Tell you what. I’ll see what Dellamorte wants, and after, we can meet up in the city and spend some time together.” Riri presses a kiss to his cheek, letting his shadow of a beard scratch playfully against Kal’s skin. Spite finds his way into their little affection fest, pulling them closer together.
“Sure. I’ve got a few things to finish up, but I should be there in a few hours. Should we meet at that cafe you like?”
“Yeah.” Kal grins, stealing a few more kisses for the road before getting up and pulling away from his husband. He might have business to deal with, but the thought of seeing his lovely, wonderful, patient Emery is enough to make it all bearable. “Stab you later?”
“Stab you later.” Riri agrees, staring fondly after him even as Kal turns the corner out of the room.
Kal waits outside Cafe Pietra for his husband as he and Spite watch the streets from their post on one of the benches near the cafe. Spite leans against him, half dozing in the warm summer air, even as the sun sets, leaving them in half shade. Kal rests his head against his spirit husband, relaxing as much as he can in the time he has, as he watches the people that walk by.
Merchants with new inventory heading to their stalls, and others with bags of money heading to the bank. A Crow here or there, some watching marks while others rush to collect what they need to complete their contracts, and the rare few greeting him before rushing off. Everyday citizens stroll through the streets, some getting ready for bed while others are just starting theirs. A few children can be seem, mostly with parents, but the occasional orphan can always be found.
A family comes into view that catches Kal’s gaze even through his half-closed lids. A pair of women, a qunari and a dwarf, stroll past with a pair of elven children in tow. It strikes something deep in Kal, hurting some emotion he’d long since forgotten to feed.
“Kal hurts?” Spite inquires, sitting up enough to look at him.
Kal has to rip his gaze away from the family to look at his husband as he considers what hurts. “Yeah…”
Spite blinks at him, tilting his head as those purple eyes drill into Kal’s innermost feelings. As Spite digs through Kal’s emotions, Kal realizes what he’s feeling as tears prick at his eyes. Memories of his kids, bittersweet, play in his head. Bringing them home off the streets. His sister being kind enough to go through everything to give them Teo. His kids growing up, learning their specialties and finding what they wanted to do in life. Each of them bringing their spouses home. Fey, Leon, and Teo with their husbands, and Ren with her twin spouses. Each of them getting married or just heading straight to kids. … Each of their funerals when time finally caught up to them while leaving Kal unscathed by its cruel embrace.
Yes. Kal finds himself yearning. He yearns for the days when he had kids to care for, when he had some to care for. He yearns for fatherhood in a way he’d never thought he would. Does… Does he want kids again? Would Emery be okay with that? He’s not sure. He’s not even sure they should be raising kids in the Necropolis. Though… Esha and Davrin did raise their kids partially in the Lighthouse, and Kal does still have the de Riva estate in all its glory.
“Kal? Is everything alright, love?” Kal blinks, eyes stinging, and a distinct trail of wetness trailing down his face. “Would you prefer we head home?”
“… No.” No, he doesn’t want to ruin their date night when it’s so rare that they both get out of the Necropolis. “Sorry… I just…”
Riri smiles at him softly before pulling him into a warm hug. “It’s alright, love. You have nothing to apologize for. Whatever’s got you like this is valid, and you’re allowed to feel your emotions in whatever way you need to. We can continue our night whenever you’re ready.” The lich slides onto the bench on Kal’s free side, letting Kal lean on him as much as he needs to. “If you want to talk about it?”
Does he want to talk about it? He’s… Not sure. Biting his lip, he considers the offer. “I…” He can feel the lump in his throat. “I was reminded of my kids.” Riri and Spite shift beside him, wrapping him in a comforting embrace.
“Do you want more?” Kal starts, surprising him out of his melancholy.
“Wh-what?”
Riri blinks at him. “I like to think I know you well enough to know you lean heavily towards family and a caretaking role. I know you’ll always mourn your kids, mi amor, but I also know you crave that sort of relationship again. So, if you want to adopt some kids, we can talk about it.” He’s not against it?
Spite grins at him from the corner of Kal’s eye. “Emsie wants kids?”
Riri smiles at them. “It’s not something I’ve thought about before, but if it’s with the two of you, I think I can see it. It’s something we can talk about.” Their husband gets up, pulling Kal along with him. “Now, why don’t we head in and you can tell me how your meeting went.” Spite follows along as Kal wipes his tears.
“What would you like?” Kal asks. “They have tea?”
“Please.” Nodding, he goes up to the dwarven man who now runs the place, orders a couple of teas and a coffee for Spite. Kal does a bit of magic to let Spite interact with his coffee. Spite grabs his own cup, sipping his bean juice happily as they make their way back to their husband.
Setting the cups down, Kal takes a seat. “So?” Riri starts. “I’m dying to know about this mysterious meeting of yours.”
Kal sips his tea, then reaches into his pocket to pull out a vial and properly spices his tea. Riri smiles at him. “Dellamorte brought up a new option. He said my talents are better suited away from a desk and offered to make a new position for me where they’d bring me the contracts the rest of the Crows struggle with.” Kal scratches at his cheek, unsure how he feels about it all.
“Is that what you want?”
“Dad would forgive me, right?” He doesn’t want to lose his connection to them when it’s one of the only things he has left. “He’d understand?”
Riri takes his hands. “Kal, love. I think you’re asking yourself the wrong questions. I know you don’t want to think about it, but wouldn’t it make your parents happier to see you thrive than it would to see you carrying on in a depression because you’ve trapped yourself in the position you think you should be in for whatever reason.”
“Emsie’s right! Kal should do what Kal wants!” He’s an idiot, and his husbands are right.
“Kal wants to take the offer and spend more time back home in the Necropolis.” He decides. Riri blushes that adorable shade of pink he sometimes does. Maybe it won’t be so bad. “There’s a few things that need to be taken care of first, but after that, there shouldn’t be an issue.”
Riri looks so goddamn proud of him in that moment that it throws Kal off kilter. “I know that was a hard decision to make. I’m proud of you, love.” Oh, it may be summer, but he’s unseasonably warm, regardless. Spite doesn’t help with the way he sets his cup down to throw himself over Kal’s shoulders and plastering him with kisses.
“Our Kal’s such a brave boy. He deserves a reward.” Why does Spite have to say it like that?
“I agree, just not here.” Riri teases. “Now, about the matter of you wanting kids.” Oh… Right, that was something that came up.
“I… Don’t want to force you into anything.” Spite huffs, clearly remembering how their family began.
Riri smiles at him. “There’s very little you can force me into, mi amor. I wouldn’t have brought it up if I wasn’t at least willing to consider it.” Riri stops, considering the options for long enough that Kal starts wondering if he’s actually going to agree with collecting a bunch of kids. Luca didn’t, not at first. There’s no reason to think Riri will. “As it stands, I think welcoming a child or two into our family is more than reasonable.”
Kal wasn’t sure why he thought Riri would be against it. This is the man who chased him for nearly two decades. He’s not going to prevent Kal from fulfilling one of his needs, even if it’s a major commitment.
“And you’re sure?” Riri takes his hand, pressing a kiss to Kal’s knuckles.
“Yes.” Kal melts under his husbands’ touch.
“What’s got you in such a good mood? You guys finally get around to fucking?” Aloe greats, floating over to poke and prod him as he and Spite work on their lesson plans for the week.
“Riri said we could start a family.” He knows he’s not focusing on his plans, only daydreaming the possibilities. Will they have a big family? A small one? Will their kids be mages? Join the Watch? The Crows? Something else entirely? Will they all be adopted or… “I wonder if Emery wants bio-kids…” He muses. True, no one’s used Dad’s fertility potion since Esha had Violet, but he’s got the recipe in Dad’s library somewhere. He’d just have to find it.
“Who are you, and what did you do with my brother?” Lonely teases. “The twin I know wouldn’t have asked before finding himself a child to adopt.”
“Riri caught me before I could…” Kal tries. “’Sides, that particular emotion only just decided to reaffirm itself. Not like I knew it was going to come back with such a vengeance.” He earns a slap to the back of his head. “Hey!”
“You’re an idiot.” Lona chides, sassily pulling herself fully into his view. “You may have started adopting on a whim, but you have stronger paternal instincts than anyone I’ve ever met. It was only natural that you start feeling them again once you broke out of your depression and started to heal.” She’s not wrong…
“Oh? What are you guys talking about in here?” Riri inquires, strolling in in all his Lich glory.
Kal visibly brightens, giving his husband a quick kiss. “I was wondering if you’d be interested in having bio-kids…” Riri stops in his tracks, looking he and Spite over with a curious, somewhat dumbfounded gaze. “Dad created a potion a long time ago that makes it possible; we’d just need someone to surrogate.”
Riri takes a moment to think that over while Kal continues to stare his way. He takes a long time to think it over, even longer than he did about the original question of whether of not they should even have kids. He can see his thought process even though Riri’s face is currently only a skull.
“Why don’t we start with adoption and see how that goes, first.”
“Kay.” That’s fair enough. After all, its what they did with Luca all those years ago. “Lemme know when you feel comfortable talking about it.”
“Certainly.” Riri smiles.
Kal strolls up to his villa with mixed emotions. It’s been decades since he’s stepped foot inside, but it should still be up to the proper standard.
“You’ll have to leave, Ser.” Kal levels a glare at the man.
“Someone needs taught his place.” Spite decides. “Kal wants the wings?”
Kal blinks, a plan forming. “I don’t think I will. What are you going to do about it?” He challenges.
“You’ll leave.” The guard, a scrawny elven man that barely comes up to his shoulders states. “Or you‘ll leave this life. The master of the house demands that no unauthorized persons may enter.” Sure, he could just give the poor boy the proper code, but he’s much more interested to see how someone barely out of their teens is going to try to stop him.
“I’d like to see you try.” Spite picks up on what he’s planning, smirking behind him. He lets the boy stick him with clearly poisoned knife. Smells like Nightshade mixed with Adder’s Kiss. “Not bad,” Kal decides. “But not good enough.” There’s fear in the boys eyes. Understandable. Anyone else would be dead by now. Well, almost anyone.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kal spies the now elderly man he left in charge years ago. “Would you care to try again?” He pulls the knife out, licking off the rest of the poison for that extra bit of spice. “Hmm. Seems like you made a mistake in mixing your poison, it’s a bit stronger than normal.” The boy in front of him freezes, white as a sheet.
“Lord de Riva. It’s been a while.” The elderly head butler states. “Testing the new staff?”
“He needs more training. Didn’t even mix his poison correctly.” He can see the boy’s thoughts swimming.
Not even three seconds later, he’s kneeling in front of Kal with his head to the ground. “Forgive me, my lord. I didn’t know it was you.”
“We’ll still need to you to provide your key, Ser. You’re rules.” Kal smiles, letting Spite show off for a moment. “You see this, Arrien? Those ethereal wings are the only thing you should allow through these gates. Our master is the only one in this world capable of creating those.” Spite complains, so Kal grabs his hand and sneaks a quick kiss. It’s enough to calm his husband for the moment.
Kal strolls on inside, letting his butler fall in behind him while the younger one calms down and retakes his place by the gate. “What brings you, Ser? We haven’t had the pleasure of your presence in years.”
“My husbands and I are considering adopting again, and since there’s not really space back there, I figured that I’d stop by and see how the villa’s looking.” Something catches his attention out of the side of his vision.
He can hear the smile in Calian’s voice. “I can have the maids clear up the family rooms within the day.” There’s a moment of pause, “I’m pleased you and Ser Spite have found yourselves someone new after Lord Dellamorte passed. Are you planning on bringing him home sometime?”
Kal smiles softly, falling in line with the shorter man. “Perhaps. I’ll be moving the Eluvian from my office here shortly, so there’s every chance I’ll be able to get him to visit soon, despite his responsibilities.”
“May I ask what his Lordship does?”
“He’s one of the Lich lords of the Grand Necropolis.” That shadow’s back. Kal follows it, tracking it through his home for the better part of five minutes before finally trapping it in the larder.
It’s a little elvhen child with a shock of curly white hair and multicolored eyes with black scelara. It’s… been a long time since he’s seen someone else like him and Oak.
Kal kneels. “Hey, there.” The boy freezes, staring at him cautiously, his purple and grey eyes betraying his fear. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He reaches into his magical pocket. “Cookie? I made it myself.” He waits for the boy to make his decision even as his butler comes up behind them.
“I see you’ve found our little visitor.” Calian states as the boy takes his offering. “He’s been haunting the villa for a few weeks now, but no one’s been able to catch him.” He turns back to the child, taking a closer look to see if the boy has as much magic potential as he thinks.
Eyes wide, he finds some type of magic that he’s never felt before. It’s almost as strong as Oak’s was a child, and it’s buzzing around him in a way that makes it hard for Kal to keep his focus on the boy.
“Hey. Could you tell me your name?” The boy shakes his head. Kal smiles. “Okay. That’s fine. Do you have someone looking after you?” Another denial. “Would you like to come with me?”
The boy frowns, nibbles on his cookie, and considers his options. “You can still see me?” The child asks. Kal nods with a grin. Those pretty eyes of his widen with unbelieving surprise.
“Ser?” Calian can wait, Kal’s got more important things to do right now. Holding out his hand, he waits to see what the boy’s going to do.
It’s uncertain and hesitant, but a few moments later he has the child safely within his arms. “I need to leave for the night to speak with Riri, but I’ll be back soon with news either way.” Kal states. “In the meantime?”
“We’ll get everything prepared, my lord.” He’ll have to think up a name for his new son, but he’s got plenty of time given everything.
Kal strolls back into the small quarters he and Riri share with his new son still perched on his hip to find his beloved Riri with a child. Or, more specifically, a spirit child. Kal softens as warmth fills his chest.
“Emsie found a new son, too!” Spite cheers.
“Who’s this?” Kal smiles, kneeling down to meet the kid while setting down the elf he found earlier. The kids form shifts a little bit more each moment until they look completely different than they did when Kal walked in.
Riri may not have his face on right now, but Kal knows he’s smiling anyway. “It’s a young spirit I stumbled across in the lower levels. It seemed quite eager to stay by my side.” Riri spies the boy Kal brought home that’s now hiding being him staring at Riri. “Who’s this?” Riri kneels to get a closer look. “It’s alright, little one, I’m not going to hurt you.”
Finally, Riri pulls at his magic, and his face. Kal smirks seeing those handsome features come to life. “See? Nothing to be afraid of. I’m not that scary.” Kal lets out an amused huff.
The boy refuses to come out from his hiding spot. Kal can’t really blame him. A lich would be terrifying to any small child who hasn’t seen one before.
“This little one have a name?”
The boy shakes his head as Kal speaks up. “Not yet. Found him in my villa when I went to check on things.”
“And how are things in Treviso?”
“Oh, you know. Stabby, quiet, the usual.”
Riri gives him an amused huff before standing back up. “Alright. Why don’t I start dinner and we can think up some names for the two of them.”
Kal swaggers up to his villa with Riri, Manfred and the kids in tow, winking at the boy still guarding the front gate. Manfred carries their eluvian, though he’s more than happy to spend the extra time with Kal after all this time.
“It’s good to see you’ve returned safely, my lord.” Calian greets, taking a moment to look over Riri and their kids. “I take it this gentleman is your husband?”
“Yeah.” Kal smiles, hearing the front door close behind them.
“Emery Vakarian.” Riri greets. Spite wraps around their husband happily.
“You would be the Lich Lord?” The butler states, looking him over fondly. “You do look remarkably like the late lord Dellamorte.”
“I’ve been told as much.”
“Emsie the prettiest boy.” Spite teases. “Our husband is the best.” There’s a hint of pink on those magically created cheeks of his.
“Who are the children?” Calian inquires as they’re lead through the villa to their room.
Kal shares a look with his wonderful skeletal husband. “They’re Solaria. He’s Lenidas.” They’re boy frowns, then looks up at Kal with big determined eyes.
“I like Len.”
Kal smiles. “Sure, Len. Whatever you want.”
Kal snuggles deeper into Riri’s side, content and warm in a warm pile of the five of them. Riri’s bony fingers run through his hair while Spite sighs contentedly on Riri’s other side. It heals something long since damaged in his heart.
It’s been a long time since Kal’s felt like this, and he doesn’t want to lose it any time soon. He may be losing his battle with sleep, but Kal’d determined to ask Riri about adopting more children in the future.