sranks | two dumbasses get voluntold into adopting a child

[they're just gonna be playing responsibility ping-pong this entire thread, aren't they...

Linhardt is honestly starting to get a little bit concerned, especially when she replies that she doesn't know where her parents are. That's. Concerning, honestly? That's really damn concerning, um.

Oh goddess above, why is Hubert looking to him, uh, hang on, he can salvage this--]

Do you have a caretaker around here somewhere, then?

["Nope."

...He should have expected that answer, and now the girl is just looking between them both and Linhardt has no idea what to do with just how calm she is about this.]

How did you get in here, then?

["I don't remember." She says, and that devil-may-care sort of attitude fades for a moment as she tries to think. She winds up shaking her head, though, and Linhardt's even more concerned now.

Uh, Hubert? Your turn.]

[Well, all of this is going great, isn't it.]

What is your name?

[He asks it because it's the first thing to come to mind, but he has a sneaking suspicion that—

"I don't know." She looks a bit confused by that, but still not remotely bothered.

Looks like he was right, then. Hubert leans over to Linhardt.]

It might be amnesia. Perhaps she hit her head.

[Not that she's really showing any signs of it, but who knows. Concussions are weird. He returns his attention to her.]

Will you accompany us to see our friend, Byleth?

["Okay." She seems perfectly fine with that, and rubs the last bit of sleep from her eyes before standing and looking at them expectantly. She's already dressed at least, but...]

I... We'll need a moment. Can you wait by the door?

[She nods and heads on over and Hubert gestures for Linhardt to take the bathroom first so he can change in there. This is awkward?? This is so awkward.]

[...She doesn't even remember her own name. It's as if this girl has just woken up fully formed, literally thrown into their world with nothing but the clothes on her back.

Linhardt is really starting to hope that dream wasn't actually reality, at this point, but Hubert brings up that it could be amnesia and that's...concerning. Should he check her head for injuries? He's not experienced enough with faith magic to jog them, but--]

That does seem likely...

[Linhardt's words are quiet as Hubert talks to the girl, getting her to agree to see Byleth and at least nodding his head to regard the girl before following Hubert into the bathroom with haste, closing the door behind them and--]

You know, in all of my years of training in faith magic, the books have never brought up such a total case of amnesia...even from hitting one's head so hard, she should have some memories. But this...

[Well, it's concerning. Linhardt's expression goes contemplative.]

What do you make of it?

Edited 2019-10-24 03:51 (UTC)

I haven't heard of such a thing before either, but I'm not sure what else it could be.

[She could be lying, but children usually aren't very good at that. She's not young enough to misunderstand the questions either. No, amnesia is the only thing that makes sense, right?

Anyway, he'll get changed while they talk; he doesn't like the idea of leaving her out there alone, even though he doubts she'll manage to injure herself or destroy anything of theirs in such a short amount of time.]

Admittedly, I don't recall anyone who works here with green hair. It's certainly possible that there's a new hire I'm unaware of, but usually Her Majesty informs me of such things...

[Because as always, Hubert is exceptionally cautious, even when he's staying at the Hevring estate.]

But she must be someone's child. What other option is there?

[The dream is still in the forefront of his mind, but he is certainly not going to consider that.]

[Linhardt changes as well while he mulls all of that over; such a strange situation is not something that Linhardt wanted to deal with when he first woke up this morning. But really, who is he to complain? This may as well happen to them. Weirder things have, after all, and even if she's not anyone from the castle's child, he is at least a little worried for her sake. She could be a homeless child, but really, she looks too properly dressed for such a thing--

But...well, that isn't their only option. Linhardt buttons up his shirt as he looks back to Hubert.]

I do not either, but I do not know the staff as well as you do. Unless she came from an entirely new hire and hit her head along the way...but such a thing seems like an utter impossibility.

[...]

Hubert, I need to ask you to humor me for a moment. [Linhardt doubts that this is the case, really, he does, but--] What did you dream about last night? It's...well, very possibly not relevant, but I must ask none the less.

[He knows. He knows, but what other option is there—

And then Linhardt asks him to humor him, and oh no, he really hopes this isn't going where he thinks it is—]

I was afraid you were going to ask me that.

[Such a thing shouldn't be possible. They can't possibly have had the same dream, right? But that...

He shakes his head as if to dismiss the thought, but continues anyway.]

I dreamed about a green-haired girl - you were there with me. She asked us to train a child in preparation for something Those Who Slither will do in eight years' time. Only the child can stop it, or some nonsense like that.

[...]

The child... does look remarkably like the one I saw in my dream.

[He hates admitting that. He hates considering it. But there's no backing out now.]

[...No way. There's no possible way--Linhardt's eyes widen as he listens to Hubert speak about the dream, about that green haired girl who was with him (them) in that dream, asking them to train that child in the dream for something Those Who Slither would do in so many years--]

...I had the same exact dream last night.

[Linhardt wasn't even sure whether such a thing could be possible, but this is--]

I remember all of that--the green-haired girl explaining everything to the both of us, as if we were supposed to know what to properly do with such a task. Even that child looks to be the very same one I saw as well.

[...So either they both had some pretty coincidentally similar dreams or they've got eight years to ensure that the future of this land isn't put into danger again by Those Who Slither. Which is lovely.]

Such a thing is simply absurd, but...the facts all line up in such a direction. It seems far more likely than any other possibility we could think of, doesn't it?

[He's not surprised that Linhardt had the same dream. If he had to ask about it in the first place, then that can only mean that this is apparently what's happening today. Hubert pinches the bridge of his nose as if he's warding off a headache.]

I don't want to admit it, but yes. As bizarre and unbelievable as it sounds, it's more likely than anything else I can think of. I haven't heard of anything like this before, however.

[He sighs and finally moves to pull his gloves on; he's fully dressed now and ready to head out.]

I still believe we should find Byleth. At the very least we may be able to put all other options aside.

[And then they'll have to deal with the fact that they were given a random child by a dream, cool!!]

Are you ready?

[He knows, Hubert, he knows...Linhardt's not exactly looking forward to this either, really, and he almost wishes he had forgotten the dream entirely when he woke. Linhardt runs his hands through his hair, wanting to avoid this situation like the plague, but...]

Nor have I, truly. This goes beyond any logical possibility...but I simply do hope it is mere coincidence, despite the growing possibility.

[Just let Linhardt get his little Cethleann emblem on, and he'll be ready to go out and confront this. His hand wanders briefly to Hubert's shoulder, squeezing it in some form of solidarity.]

Yes. Well, about as ready as I shall ever be...

[Linhardt will open the door, then, finding the child just...sitting on the floor near the door. Like a heathen. You know what, sure.]

Come along, now. We're going to go and see Byleth, alright?

["Okay." The girl responds easily, picking herself up off the ground as Linhardt will gladly go and open the door; the girl winds up going out first, darting out surprisingly fast, and Linhardt follows behind easily, as he imagines Hubert will want to lock the door.]

Where do you think Byleth might be, Hubert?

[He manages a smile as his husband's hand grips his shoulder, but it isn't long before the expression's replaced by his usual. The girl is sitting on the floor, but she moves to rush out the moment Linhardt lets her.

Hubert locks the door behind them and follows, keeping an eye out for anything that could give him an indication of where this girl could have gotten in from. He doesn't want to admit he won't find anything, but it's a very real possibility...]

At this time of day... [It only takes him a moment to consider.] They'll be out in the gardens with Dorothea; this is when they break for tea.

[He moves ahead to take the lead, though the girl doesn't shy away from him when he passes her. Instead, she keeps up a steady pace at his heels - is she skipping? - as he leads them to the garden.]

[...Linhardt has to admit, that girl's carefree nature is actually somewhat endearing. Linhardt keeps a steady pace behind them, watching the girl skip behind his husband without any seeming care in the world. For an amnesiac, she is certainly cheery.

They'll find Byleth and Dorothea in the gardens, and while the girl seems to take in all of the sights around her, they get plenty of information about what on earth just happened to them; apparently that green haired girl from the dream was actually the goddess--the goddess literally sent them a mandate to raise this child to save them all from whatever Those Who Slither has up their sleeves next. It's all a lot of overwhelming information at once, and Dorothea herself spends plenty of time cooing over the little girl and bringing her over to chat. Sure, the girl isn't the best at conversation, but...well, Dorothea likes her, and that's certainly something, isn't it?

Even if it's becoming really clear that they are going to suddenly be responsible for the needs of this small child for the next eight years. This small child who knows nothing of the world but what she's seeing as they guide her around.

It hasn't even been a day and Linhardt already feels in over his head.

Byleth leaves when they're finished, off to help Her Majesty with something, which leaves them alone with Dorothea for a little while. She does wind up giving them some advice, and is definitely insisting that they take good care of this little girl. It's at least good of her to give the advice, but that insistence feels like it's coming from somewhere personal...but the one that sticks out to Linhardt the most is the insistence on giving her a name--something to call the girl by, so that she has something.

Even after Dorothea leaves, Linhardt is at a loss as he watches the girl skip about, seeming to be utterly taken by the garden at large. It's peaceful, but the unease Linhardt feels is certainly palpable as he looks to Hubert.]

...A divine mandate isn't exactly how I was expecting to spend the next eight years, if I may be honest. [lin, oh my god] I'm genuinely surprised that we, of all people, would be entrusted with the care of anyone but ourselves.

[The Goddess. They were visited in their dreams by the Goddess and told to look after a child for eight years in order to raise her to take out the remnants of Those Who Slither whenever they rise up again to do... whatever it is they're going to do.

Hubert had been quite content in his belief that the Goddess wasn't real - or at the very least, hadn't existed in a very long time. So being confronted with the fact that he's blatantly wrong and being trusted by the Goddess that he was convinced wasn't real feels like a slap in the face. Not to mention the divine duty they've been given is to look after a child.

Every single part of this seems tailor-made to irritate him and by the time both Byleth and Dorothea have taken their leave, it's taking all of his self-restraint not to bury his face in his hands.]

I'm not entirely sure that this isn't some elaborate joke at my expense. [A deep sigh.] I hope the Goddess knows that I am still never going to set foot in church if I can help it. I am not going to change my ways over something like this.

[oh my god hubert.]

This isn't at all what I was expecting either. But I suppose there's little choice in the matter. Somehow, I doubt Byleth will let us attempt to give the child away to someone else.

[Byleth spoke with such fondness for the Goddess... They haven't said very much about their time after they returned from whatever darkness Solon had thrown them into, but Hubert suspects that they know the Goddess fairly well from how they talked of her.]

...I don't know the first thing about caring for a child.

[The admission is quieter, but no less angry. This isn't the sort of thing that should have been shoved on either of them. Neither of them have time to devote to raising a child. Neither of them know how to do this. So why did it fall to them?]

She had better. If this is some elaborate attempt to change your mind, you aren't the only one who will have words about this.

[sothis, somewhere in the distance: THE FEELING'S MUTUAL ASSHOLES]

They won't. Especially since they seem so fond of the Goddess...I suppose that this is simply going to be a very, very long eight years.

[Linhardt keeps watching the girl while she plays, and she seems to be going to pick some flowers...he's not sure if he should stop her, but Hubert's next set of words cause Linhardt to look at him with a slightly sympathetic look. He knows, man.]

...I don't either, you know. Quite frankly, I'm not looking forward to this; this is bound to cut into our work and our leisure, and the fact that we've had this shoved upon is troubling.

[...]

You don't suppose that the Goddess simply contacted the wrong people, do you?

[LIN]

Agreed.

[Eight years of their life together... Thanks, Goddess. Just what he wanted!!

It's Linhardt's question that gets him to pause and think about it, glancing over at the girl as she... okay, well, she's absolutely picking the flowers from the imperial gardens and Hubert sighs again. Technically it's allowed, so he doesn't bother to try to stop her. That will definitely end with a headache, he's certain.

Of course, while he's watching her, he can't help but notice her appearance again. Her hair color, her eye color, every little thing about her appearance...]

I would assume so, but given her appearance... [His gaze returns to his husband.] She does look quite a bit like you.

[Quite a bit like us.]

[Linhardt's look goes back to the girl again, and he watches her a little more closely this time. It looks like she's looking through specific flowers...he sees her pass over certain ones, only picking ones that seem to fit what she wants. Are these her preferences? Hm...

Of course, Hubert's statement does get Linhardt to blink a little in surprise, looking at Hubert and then back at the girl, and then looking at his husband again. That's...]

...I can see what you mean. It's mostly in the face. And her hair color is certainly like mine as well. [...] She has your eyes, however. And those lovely waves that you have in your hair...and she certainly has your sense of style, as well.

[Linhardt looks back over to the girl, a small smile starting to just...kind of tug at the corner of his lips.]

I'd wager she takes more after you than I, love.

[His gaze remains on Linhardt as his husband speaks, and that small smile mirrors itself on his face as well. The words are... a bit worrying, if he's honest, but it's the last statement from his husband that gets him to freeze.

He'd made the comparison, so this is his fault, but somehow being confronted with the fact that the little girl over there has anything in common with him frightens him. It isn't because of her bizarre origin, it's entirely because this is too much. Far too much. It's like she's their—

No. He exhales slowly.]

It's certainly strange. She's...

[He's not sure what to say, or how to redirect the conversation. He doesn't want to consider her to be anything like himself. Seeing the parts of her that are Linhardt's are easy; it's sort of cute, really. But anything else...

That's not something he's going to consider right now. He shakes his head.]

What do you think we should call her?

[She's still searching through the flowers for... something, from the look of it.]

[It is strange. It's entirely too strange, really, and Linhardt could analyze this all day long. She certainly looks enough like the goddess, perhaps, that maybe she's just that; a child of the gods. But those little details, every tiny thing that reminds them of each other...

It's as if she's a combination of them both, or at least made with them both in mind. And it's mildly terrifying.

Hubert's question gets Linhardt out of his own head, and his look shifts to something wide-eyed and called entirely too out--]

Don't look at me! I haven't the faintest idea of what sort of name we should give her. Naming a child isn't like naming...well, a stuffed animal or anything like that...

[...Linhardt's certainly given some interesting names to his stuffed animals over the years, shut up.]

I could certainly think of something, but...perhaps we should--

["Hey."

Linhardt jolts a bit, having not realized that the girl had come back over to them. How did she get here so fast? Without him even noticing? Maybe Hubert noticed, but Linhardt certainly didn't, but that...decidedly rude, yet cheerful greeting gets his attention easily.]

Y...yes? Is there something you need help with?

[Linhardt has absolutely no idea how to handle this girl, and better yet, he doesn't know how to handle just...how she is, so unfettered and rude. It's almost reminiscent of someone he knew years ago, really, but--

"Hold out your hands!"

Linhardt notices that the girl has something behind her, and there's...a smile on her face, all too easy, and Linhardt complies--what he's given is a smattering of blue flowers in his hands, and Linhardt merely blinks for a few moments, not even close to sure what to say. Her other hand is still behind her, waiting for Hubert to hold out his, but--]

Did you...pick these for us?

["Yep!" The girl responds easily, nodding her head like it makes sense to her and Linhardt...needs a second or two to just. Process this, okay, he wasn't expecting to get punched in the chest with that???]

[He did see her move, so Hubert isn't surprised when she rejoins them. Her hands are behind her back, though it's not particularly difficult to see some of the flowers poking out from behind her back. Without thinking too much about it, Hubert holds out his hands and once she's done depositing the blue flowers in Linhardt's hands, she sets the remainder in his own.

They're shades of yellow, some of them almost leaning green; well, as green as any flowers get, anyway. Coupled with the blue ones she passed over to Linhardt, he already has a guess for why she picked these, but she confirms it before he can find a way to ask.

"They remind me of you. Your eyes." She points at his own, then at Linhardt's. Her expression's an open smile and she's still entirely too relaxed about this whole thing, but this is...]

Oh.

[It leaves him before he can think to stop it, an exhale that's about the equivalent of getting punched directly in the lungs. He doesn't understand why this is serving to do something to his feelings in a way he's never experienced before, but that sure is a thing that's happening right now.]

...Thank you. That's... very kind of you. You didn't have to do that.

[She giggles in response before skipping off again, back to marveling at the flowers, from the looks of it.

Of course, that just leaves him and Linhardt, and for the first time in a long while, Hubert finds he has no idea what to say to his husband. This entire thing is so unexpected, so bizarre and even terrifying, but...

But he's still holding those flowers carefully, as though he's afraid one wrong move might crush them.]

[Oh. Oh, Linhardt didn't think to even ask about that end of it, still trying to process just the fact that she had given these to them, that this girl who knows nothing went out of her way to pick flowers, and...

Linhardt doesn't even get the chance to say thanks before she's off again, and he feels slightly worse for it. He winds up looking down at the flowers for a little while, looking at the beautiful blue flowers in his hands and holding them very carefully. Linhardt's certainly a little bit tongue-tied too from the kindness she's shown them.

Maybe...maybe, these eight years won't be so bad. He looks to the flowers that are in his husbands hands as well after a bit, words still failing him as he tries to process just what he's feeling. Linhardt is definitely failing, but...]

...Lily.

[The name comes as Linhardt looks over at the flowers in his husband's hand, and back to his own, before settling on his husband's and...well, the smile on Linhardt's face is softer than even he realizes.]

Do you think that would be a suitable name for her? I admit it is perhaps a little...on the nose, but...

[Look, some girls are named after flowers, right? It'd totally make sense and be cute, right??? But maybe she should have an actual real person name instead of just...a flower...please Lin don't be lazy...]

Lily.

[He repeats it, looking first to his husband, and then out to the girl in question.]

...I like it.

[At least part of why he likes it is because lilies can be poisonous, who the hell let this happen.]

But perhaps... [Hmm.] It was a common tradition in Faerghus and some parts of the Alliance to give children two names. Perhaps we should pick two, and allow her to choose her favorite.

[It hardly seems fair that she doesn't get a say, considering that she is old enough to have preferences for such things.]

I'll admit that I don't have another name in mind, however. Perhaps something a bit more traditional...?

[...he cannot get away with suggesting "Edelgard", can he.]

[hubert the goddess may actually, literally smite you for that

...and linhardt would judge a fair amount]

Is it? That would not actually be a bad idea...she does deserve a say in what her new name should be, yes. It would probably make her happy, too.

[Hmm...]

I'm afraid I do not either, but I have already picked out one...I think you should pick out the other. Just for fairness sake.

[...It's only partially out of laziness, but something about this idea is...actually making Linhardt smile. This feels special in a way he wasn't expecting it to feel, and what would be more special than both of them having names?

Who knows? Maybe the girl will pick both and she'll truly be a combination of them.]

[why do you think he didn't say it?? because linhardt would judge him.]

I suppose that makes sense.

[He considers, his gaze going back to her again as he runs through several ideas. Most he can discard immediately, but some he lingers on as he attempts to determine what would fit her, and what would be an acceptable name for him to give. It takes him longer than it probably should, if only because Hubert is always so thorough about everything, including this.]

...I have two options, and I'm not sure which one you'll like better. [He does look back at his husband at that.] The first is Adeline and the second is Cassandra.

[The first obviously has ties to Edelgard's name - Edeline is another spelling of the same name, after all. So that might be a bit... much.

The second... well, the first part obviously comes from Caspar's name. He's not entirely sure Linhardt would like a reminder of that, or if he'd prefer that his former friend be honored in some way.]

[good man, hubert!!

Linhardt looks back at her too while Hubert thinks, just kind of watching over her. A girl this young needs to stay out of trouble, after all, and...Linhardt certainly doesn't want to go out of his way, but he will if he has to if she needs help.

(He kind of wants to, actually, and he's not sure where the hell that feeling came from.)

Hubert speaks up and Linhardt's gaze is back to him, eyes widening at both options. They actually sound incredibly cute...Adeline is somewhat close to Edelgard, which is at least fair, but Cassandra...did he pick that for Caspar? Linhardt actually looks away a bit at that, but he is still smiling. He still thinks about Caspar sometimes; how things could have been if the boy were still around. Linhardt does miss him, and if he were around to see them both with this child...

He's sure Caspar would at least be amused. If not trying to get the child into all sorts of trouble. Linhardt's gaze goes back to Hubert.]

...All be told, I rather like them both. They're rather wonderful names, and truly, either of them would be wonderful for her to have.

[...]

I like Cassandra quite a bit, if I simply have to pick one of the two. I like them both in equal measure, however; Adeline is quite lovely as well. But...let's give her a choice between them all. I'm sure she'll appreciate the options.

[Adeline von Hevring, Cassandra von Hevring, Lily von Hevring, any combination of the three...all of those sound so lovely, really. It is her choice, after all.]

Edited 2019-10-24 21:22 (UTC)

[He knows Linhardt's picked up on why he chose the two names, and he's relieved to see that Linhardt isn't entirely opposed to either. He nods at his husband's words and turns his attention back to the girl to call her over and... then he pauses.

...How do you call over a child who has no name, um.]

Will you come here for a moment... [uhhh] young lady?

[Okay, so he sort of wants to die after calling her that, but she giggles and approaches, looking between them both (and their flowers) curiously.]

You do not have a name, correct?

["I don't think so."]

We would like to offer you some options. Do you like Lily, Adeline, or Cassandra?

Edited 2019-10-24 21:25 (UTC)

[Linhardt more than happily watches as the girl comes up to them, though...young lady...that sounds so foreign on Hubert's tongue, and Linhardt's hand goes to take one of his husband's while he talks to her, gently lacing their fingers together. Linhardt's certain that he's prepared for anything as he watches the girl think, really.

Of course, however, he's wrong.

"Hmm..." The girl mulls it over for a moment, before tilting her head and looking at them. "I like all three of them."

...

Linhardt expects her to elaborate on which one she likes the most but she. Doesn't, um.]

...We're glad to hear that, but...which one do you like the most?

["All of them." She says that like it's the most obvious thing in the world and dear gods Hubert help, he's looking at Hubert again like he's not sure? How to deal with this??]

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