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She doesn't know what it's like to be an older sister, but she adapts. Sometimes she feels as though it's Czeslaw guiding her, showing her how it is that they're supposed to pretend to be, but she's learning quickly.
Really, he doesn't need her to act as an older sister, at least in terms of practicality. He knows, by now, what it means to look after himself, and it is only when they're out in public that he thinks of it as a benefit to rest his hand in hers and talk to her like he's known her all his life, and like neither of their lives have been very long at all. She plays along when she's supposed to, but even beyond that, she starts to think of him as the brother that he was “given” to her as.
Ennis isn't as lonely as she once was, with so many great people around her, but her heart is warmed when she thinks about bringing someone else into that. Her heart is warmed knowing that she has someone to look after, even if he thinks he doesn't need to be. And, the thing about loneliness, is that she's so accustomed to it that she is starting to get better at seeing it in others.
Whether he admits it or not, and whether he's willing to truly let her in or not, Ennis knows that he's lonely too. Perhaps more so than she knows and perhaps more so than she's known for herself, but she doesn't know what he needs from her. He doesn't seem like he wants an older sister, and he doesn't seem like he wants a mother, but what does he need?
If only, she thinks, she could do something for him to show him that he's really not alone this time. Of course, she doesn't think she can ask Czes himself about this, since he'll probably brush it off, but there are others she can go to about it. Already, she decides to talk to the ones responsible for bringing the boy into her life, and see what it is that they have to say on the subject.
~X~
From the beginning, Firo isn't quite sure what to make of Czes, but he welcomes him, because of Maiza, and because of Ennis, and because of Isaac and Miria, and because he can already tell that there is something off about him. That “something”, he comes to realize, is simply a result of all that the child who is not truly a child must have seen, and all that he has been through, and experiences that he will never understand.
But there are some feelings that come from a multitude of experiences, and those feelings can be understood on a basic level. Firo knows well enough by now to know that reaching out to Czes and accepting him into their life is the best thing he can do, and they form an odd sort of bond, and he isn't sure if it's brotherly or simply that of friends, or something he can't put a word to.
There are times when Czes talks to him like they're the same age, or like he's the older one- and, of course, he is- and trying to give Firo much-needed guidance. He picks up on Firo's feelings much too quickly, and it never stops feeling strange, getting romantic advice that he never asked for from an innocent face like that.
“What do you think is going to happen if you just keep waiting around?” he'll ask, his smile so pure that Firo has to do a double take before he realizes the meaning of the question.
“What kind of question is that?” he replies quickly, rather than actually answering.
“I know you know what I mean,” replies Czes. “Everybody knows about how you feel, so when are you going to find out about her?” All the while, he just keeps grinning like the blameless child who shouldn't know what he's talking about.
“Things are complicated with her, you know that. Y'know she's been through hell, and she's got...things on her mind. Besides, she doesn't think of me like...” He trails off, shaking his head. “Anyway, I'm happy with how things are, as long as she is too.”
Czes sighs, in an almost exasperated way before he speaks again. “If that's how it is. But, you know, I bet if you're just a little patient...” He says it all so clearly and so innocently, but Firo knows him better, and wonders what he actually has to gain by giving this advice, and what he would really know of a relationship like this. But the conversation cuts off there, and later, Firo realizes that somewhere along the line, it actually reassured him.
Just gotta be a little patient , he thinks.
~X~
“Y'know, Christmas is coming up,” he says one day.
Ennis nods and smiles. “It's going to be exciting, having everyone around for the holidays.”
“Yeah, we tend to go all out for that sorta thing,” he replies with a grin. “By the way, I was wondering...has Czes talked to you about Christmas at all?”
“Hm...not that I can think of,” she says. “I guess we don't really talk about stuff like that, why?”
“Well, I was just...I mean, he don't talk about it or anything, but it's kinda obvious he ain't had it easy. I just wonder what he usually does for Christmas, and when the last time he had a big celebration for it was.”
“Yeah, but I really get the impression...I mean, he was probably alone for most Christmases, don't you think?” she asks, a sad look in her eye.
“But he won't be this year, so cheer up,” Firo says quickly, having not meant to make her sad.
She smiles at that and says, “You're right. He's got all of us.”
“Yeah, and see, the reason I asked you is because he's warming up to you more and more every day. I was hoping you could help me figure out something special we could do for him.”
Her eyes light up, and Ennis says, “That's a great idea! I don't know if it'll be easy for me to find things out without being too obvious, but I promise, I'll do what I can.”
“That's great, thank you! At least this way, maybe we can start making up for the good Christmases he didn't have before.” Really, Firo has no idea what they can do, but he hopes Ennis will be able to find some clues. It's hard to know with someone like him, what with his age and experience and behavior, but, at the very least, he wants to be able to say that he tried.
And, he thinks, he might owe Czes one, considering the occasional unwarranted bits of advice. He's going to be patient, after all, and in the mean time, he's able to do things like this, to spend more time with Ennis, and make her happy as well. In a way, seeing her smile is worth as much as anything to him.
~X~
Secretly, Ennis is happy about Firo's plans for more selfish reasons than she lets on, because Czes is not the only one lacking in happy Christmas memories, and she looks forward to whatever the three of them will end up doing.