Work Text:
Auristela Aurelio
Can I call you?
texting Xochi rn
call you in a min
Ok
A minute passes and Aurelio gets an incoming call from his sister. Her face pops up on his phone when he answers, illuminated by her screen. She’s laying on her bed at the Academy, like he was in his bed in his dorm. The lights in her room are off, but she looks comfortable.
"How are you doing?" Aurelio asks. Starting phone calls with Auristela is still a bit awkward, no matter how much time passes. They used to spend all of their time together, and now, they don’t anymore. Not that Aurelio regrets leaving the Academy, or that he resented Auristela for staying, not in the slightest. He just needs to get used to not being with her all the time.
"The usual. A bit tired but happy," she replies with a small smile. She looks pleased with herself. Another thing he would have to get used to—seeing her face on screen instead of in person, for most part. They still see each other on weekends and holidays, but most of their conversations are still video calls. "You?"
Aurelio smiles. "Happy."
"You look it," she said.
Aurelio raises his eyebrow quizzically. He’s not sure what she means, exactly.
"I mean it," Auristela says. "The baking school, no pressure from mum, Teo... it's doing you good," she explains. "You can't tell me you don't feel better than at the Academy."
"I do. I just—I didn’t think it was so noticeable."
"Of course it is. Especially for me." That makes sense. If anyone knows him, if anyone noticed, it was Auristela.
After a few beats of silence, Aurelio says, "We made croissants again. In school. I'm getting better. They didn’t start crumbling at touch this time."
Auristela chuckles. "You're going to have to save one for the weekend. I want to try one of your baking masterpieces."
"A masterpiece might be an overstatement, but soon..." he trails off. He lets the silence stretch for a second before he adds, "I think you will like them, though."
"Relio, I've liked every pastry you've made me so far."
"But these croissants will be even better. When I perfect them, anyway. I filled them with pistachio cream."
Aurelia smiles. She loves anything with pistachio, especially croissants.
"What’s happening at the Academy?" Aurelio asks.
Auristela takes a deep breath in, but she doesn’t seem sad or frustrated. "You know, the usual. You’ve been here. We train every day. I managed to control fire today for a few seconds." A big smile stretches on her face. "It wasn't much, but I did it!"
Aurelio smiles, pride swelling in his chest. "Bravo! Gods, Stela! I’m so proud!"
"I still miss having you as a pair, but I'll get used to it."
"I don't doubt it. How's everyone else?"
"Ocelo plays with their jaguars when their siblings bring them in. The board allowed it, so they don’t have to sneak the jaguars in anymore,” Auristela says, and both twins smile at the memory of Ocelo trying to get their jaguar cub in the Academy despite the prohibition. “Otherwise they do their usual, train and get people’s nails done. Niya is hot—"
Aurelio rolls his eyes, but chuckles. "Naturally."
"—and a really good kisser," Auristela is smiling. "When she's not calling Teo and Xio, anyway. Atzi is getting more confident with her position, thank gods. It was painful watching her pick her nails every time she was called into a meeting with the instructors."
"You'll have to tell me more about you and Niya."
Autistela blushes, which is rare. "I told you everything yesterday already!"
"Who says I don't want to hear it again?"
"Who says I want to tell the story again?"
They fall silent and Auristela's face changes. Aurelio immediately knows she is thinking about their dad. Her nose always scrunches slightly when she does.
"I miss him, too," he admits in a quiet voice. Not that it’s a secret.
"I just wish I could tell him about Niya, ask for advice, maybe. I really like her. I wish he knew. And I wish he could see you now. He’d be proud," she whispers.
”He’d be proud of you, too,” Aurelio says.
Auristela shuts her eyes tightly for a few seconds. Her twin knows she’s trying not to cry, so he doesn’t mention it. "Let's not talk about that. Tell me more about your friends at your school. Or about Teo," she asks of him.
"Well, Teo's birthady is coming up and—"
"Yeah, I know, you said it like a thousand times, but continue."
Aurelio gives his sister a side glare. "I was just wondering what I should get him for his birthday. I'm not sure what he'd like."
"Oh, Relio is worried about his Jade boyfriend's birthday. So sweet." Auristela laughs. "I'll help you. C'mon, what does he like?"
They chat for a while longer. It isn’t as it used to be, but it’s good. Aurelio is getting used to this arrangement, and he is truly happier. Maybe he doesn’t spend as much time with his sister as he did before, or as much as he would like, but these calls, these little talks are almost as good. It’s still the two of them, it always will be. And now, he has other people that care about him. There is no pressure on Auristela to protect him from their mother, or for either of them to perform. They could have these moments in peace. They could live their lives and be themselves in peace. They would still have each other in the end, because if they don’t have each other, who else do they have?