sranks | two dumbasses get voluntold into adopting a child

[It's good to hear that Hubert's been having the same sort of thoughts...well, not good, but comforting, perhaps. Even if it's certainly something that's not going to get easier as time goes on, as they get more attached to this girl, and--

Hubert takes his hand, and it's a grounding weight. Even so, as Hubert speaks about taking this on his own and protecting him, Linhardt shakes his head.]

It isn't too much, Hubert, and...I doubt this will hurt me. [That first part is certain, but the second...well, he's not sure about that, but he's not sure if distance will help at all.] Even if this has been something we've been thrust into, it doesn't feel fair keep my distance because it makes me uncomfortable. I certainly won't expect you to take all of this upon yourself.

And...it isn't fair to her, either. [Linhardt looks away at that, his grip tightening on his husband's hand.] ...I can hardly believe I'm considering such a thing, really. But we're some of the first few people she's come to know in this world, and I don't want to distance myself from her.

[...]

I suppose I...don't know how much I would mind it. And that scares me.

[There's a whole lot about this situation that scares him, just as falling in love did all of those years ago did to him. Opening his heart again seems like it's a recipe for disaster, when there's so much in the air. It's enough to make a lesser man sick.]

[He exhales slowly, letting his eyes fall closed for a moment.]

...You're right. It isn't fair to her. She relies on us because she must - she's just a child, and she doesn't know anyone else. She's very fond of your mother, but it's our task to look after and raise her, and it is never something I would burden your mother with.

[He considers that for a moment. That's the right sentiment, but wording it like that is kind of... weird...]

Not to say she is a burden, because I haven't found her to be. I... fear I may be growing more fond of her than I would have thought, especially so early on.

I understand, Linhardt. I could easily see myself becoming all too attached to her. Thinking of her as...

[Family. His daughter. Their daughter.]

It isn't fair to refuse to allow ourselves to grow close to her, but it's difficult to know how to proceed. I had a hard time learning to open up to you, and I'm still learning to accept your family's support. I'm not sure I'm ready for Cassandra's as well, and she'll be looking to us for guidance on top of that.

I'm afraid. But we don't have much of a choice, and I... don't want to hurt her.

[His gaze darts. It isn't often he dwells on how much pain he caused Linhardt, but it's hard not to when staring at something like this.]

[Linhardt nods his head as he listens to Hubert, in agreement. As much as Mother would probably prosper under such circumstances, it isn't exactly fair to her to expect her to raise this child from the goddess. It falls onto them because she does need to be trained for the day that Those That Slither rise again, and he doubts his mother would do that much, but...also because they are what she knows. They're people she wants to be painted with, to spend her time with, and...

Well, it's cruel to deny her that, isn't it? Just as it's cruel to have had the goddess force them into this position to begin with.]

...I understand. I feel much the same about her, really. I can hardly believe that I do, and yet as the days go by...the less I feel so terribly about her being forced upon us. It's only been days, and yet...

[Linhardt trails off there, and Hubert is honestly right. It is difficult to know how to proceed, and Linhardt knows better than anyone that Hubert's had a hard time of it too. They've spent years trying to tear down those walls between Hubert and everyone else, and he's come such a long way in making progress too.]

We don't, certainly. But I'm not going to let you do this alone. I know better than most that you've had a hard time opening up to anyone, and that you still do. It's much to get used to, but...

[Linhardt adjusts their hands so that he can rub his thumb against Hubert's as a comforting gesture.]

...It is simply something we may both need to take our time with, so that neither of us hurt her. She deserves that much.

[His gaze drops to their hands and he finds himself smiling. This isn't going to be easy, and he's certain they will make mistakes. But they have Octavia and Cadmus to help them, and he's certain their friends will pitch in as well, even though none of them know how to handle a child either, probably.

Hubert's grip tightens on Linhardt's hand and he moves to rest his free hand against the side of Linhardt's face.]

I agree. I don't know where we'll be in eight years, but we'll be careful with her. We'll do all we can for her.

Thank you, my love. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you.

[As always, Linhardt manages to calm him and bolster him, and it feels like he really will be able to handle this just fine.]

We will. We'll ensure that she's all that she needs to be, but...also that she can be happy. I'm sure we can do that much, if nothing else.

[Linhardt smiles a bit, and gestures for Hubert to follow him--he does want to keep his promise of getting books for Cassandra, after all, and he at least has a few in their room that they could read.

...Sure, it's mostly research and stuff, but she's interested in flowers and knowledge about them, right?? She might appreciate knowledge more than she appreciates fiction, which is. Probably not true, she's just a kid Linhardt oh my god.]

I don't know what I'd do without you either, you know. I certainly wouldn't have you by my side like this, and that in and of itself is a crime.

[Alright, we're here. Come on, lets pick some books out!!]

[He follows, of course, and laughs at Linhardt's words as they reach their room.]

I'm pleased I can be here for you, then. Now let's see what we can find...

[His entire collection of books is nonfiction - history books, tactics, dark magic... all sorts of things that a child wouldn't want to read. He considers for a moment before picking up a few of the history books. At the very least he can probably tell her a few stories without reading directly from the text. That might work?? He really doesn't have many options here, huh...]

This may be more difficult than I thought. I don't have much that will work. What about you?

[A book on faith magic, a history book, an old book about crests...Linhardt's own little library isn't anything to write home about either, and he's not exactly thinking about what a child would want to read. Surely a little bit of knowledge before bed would be swell, wouldn't it???

Of course, Linhardt looks at Hubert when he speaks up, promptly showing off all three books with a too easy smile that may be a hint that he's missing the point entirely.]

Really? Your vast library should have something in there that she might wish to learn about...I've found a few things in here that may interest her, or at least put her to sleep.

[...honey help, he's bad at this]

[Oh no...]

While I'm sure you aren't wrong about that, I think she'll want something that will entertain her, but not make her think too hard. Children tend to like stories - adventures and excitement, something fun to think about as they drift off.

Lady Edelgard was very fond of such things when we were children. It wasn't often I was permitted to stay with her that late at night, but sometimes we did spend hours in the library finding books she would want to be read. I used to be fond of it too.

[Which is saying a lot, considering he doesn't really care for fiction anymore.]

Ah...

[...Well shit, there goes his entire collection. Linhardt winds up sheepishly looking away, not actually sure if he could do something like that. Adventures and the like...the closest he can think of is old stories from the academy, but he doubts that would be of interest to her.]

...I really don't know if I have anything that could be truly entertaining for her, then. Unless we were to...I don't know, adapt a history lesson into a story or tell one of our own adventures...

[Linhardt is not exactly the most creative man, this is. Daunting, honestly.]

...Next time we go into town, let us pick up some stories. But for now, ah... [.........] What should we do?

That's what I was thinking. It would be easy enough to adapt a tale from history into something that will suit her.

[He pauses, considering.]

Though perhaps it would be best to stick to what we know best - with a few alterations, it would be fairly easy to tell her of Her Majesty's victory.

[There are things Cassandra never needs to hear about it. But turning it into a tale she'll like would be easy enough.]

I do agree that we should pick up some books for her while we're in Enbarr, but for tonight... I think I can manage this much.

[Linhardt nods his head in agreement as he goes to put some of the books back. If she needs more than one story he can use the history book, but otherwise...well.]

...I think that I agree with you, yes. I'm sure that she'll find such a story riveting, and enough to entertain her to sleep.

But we do need to wash her hair first. It'll give us plenty of time to think about how we want to spin this.

[...And that's going to be interesting but you know what, two heads are better than one and they both know about haircare if in entirely different directions.]

Shall we be off, then?

Precisely. Let's take care of that first.

[He nods and takes the one history book he picked out with him. It doesn't tell of Her Majesty's rise to power and their conquest, but there aren't many books on that just yet, anyway.

Cassandra's flopped on her bed when they come back in, staring up at the ceiling and looking supremely bored. She doesn't seem very tired, though, and perks up when she hears the door.]

I'll get the bath started. Can the two of you start picking out clothes to pack?

[She nods cheerfully and skips over to the closet to get to work on that as Hubert slips into the bathroom to start running the water.]

[Linhardt nods his head, walking along with Hubert to Cassandra's room and smiling a bit when she perks up. Even with all of his doubts and worries, there's something about seeing her so pleased to see them that makes the doubts melt away even a bit.]

Of course, Hubert. We'll try to be done by the time you get the bath ready, hm?

[Linhardt winds up following her into the closet to help her pick out some clothes. Linhardt and her chatter for a bit while picking out some clothes, and it's...

"I like this one. Can we pack it?"]

Yes, I'm not opposed. But you should pick out some clothes that aren't black, too...

["But I like black." Cassandra replies with a bit of a pout at that, and Linhardt considers it for a moment.]

It's not bad that you like it. It simply shouldn't encompass everything you pack. Black does go well with just about any color, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to pick ten of the same flower. Would you?

["I guess so..." Cassandra starts looking a little more into the colorful clothes.]

Besides, you can mix and match them to make something pretty. May I show you?

["Okay." Cassandra does look at Linhardt with some interest as he demonstrates some good outfits with different colors and black, mixing them up and matching while they pack...they'll probably be only halfway done by the time Hubert comes out...whoops.]

[It isn't difficult to get the water in the tub to the perfect temperature, and once he's got that going, he sets about going through her soaps for the perfect ones... and reorganizing the towels... okay, listen, Hubert's kind of aggressively like this, but he has to keep an eye on the water level anyway, so it's fine.

Once the tub is full (but not too full), he turns off the faucets and heads out to check on his husband and Cassandra. Linhardt's clearly trying to convince her to wear other colors, which makes him smile. He won't argue in favor of her wearing all black, but it's kind of cute...]

Your bath is ready whenever you are, Cassandra. Are you two finding some outfits you like?

["Yes!" She's quick to draw his attention to a few that Linhardt's laid out, smiling brightly.]

[...Bless Hubert and his organizational habits, okay.

Linhardt looks up when Hubert comes out and tells them the bath is ready, and Linhardt smiles even more when Cassandra draws his attention to some of the outfits that he's picked out. He's actually kind of prideful about them??]

I'm quite happy that you like these outfits, Cassandra. Let's pick a few more out, and then you can hop into the bath.

["Okay!" Cassandra responds easily with a smile, and with newfound vigor, they both manage to pick out some wonderful outfits to at least sustain their stay in Enbarr for a good amount of time. Hopefully Her Majesty doesn't keep them long...

"I'm ready to hop in!" Cassandra pipes up happily, and she...literally hops up and Linhardt is shooting Hubert a bit of a worried look. He might have messed up by telling her to hop in, dear gods--]

Yes, yes, let's get you into the tub. But please don't actually hop--

[...Please tell him Cassandra can actually hear him before she goes skipping in, oh goddess above he fucked up, HE FUCKED UP.]

[He watches the two of them pick out outfits - Linhardt's certainly got an eye for what will look good on her, and what will look good with her unique hair color - and then she's off skipping to the bath and—

And in almost no time at all, there's a loud splash and Hubert bursts out laughing.]

Oh dear. It seems as though she did take it literally.

[He sweeps into the bathroom and picks up several of those towels he was organizing, moving to start mopping up the water left behind on the floor from where she jumped in. Her clothes were dropped on the floor as well, so he hangs those up to dry as he chides Cassandra.]

He didn't mean that literally you know. You've left quite a mess.

[She pouts and leans over the edge of the tub to look down at the towels and water. "Sorry..."]

It's alright, just make sure you learn from this. Splashing about will only cause trouble.

[Linhardt's honestly mentally preparing for the worst and he's almost ready to dart in after Cassandra, ready to at least ensure that she won't hit her head when she hops in, and when he hears that splash...

...It takes a few seconds, but Linhardt first sighs and then chuckles, a bit relieved that the bathroom floor seems to have been the only thing damaged in the process. It takes a moment or two for Linhardt to compose himself, and he winds up following Hubert in and shaking his head a little bit.]

I really should have told you to not take that so literally... [Linhardt winds up shaking his head a bit, chuckling easily.] Thank you for being as quick to act as ever, Hubert...

[And he's gonna look at Cassandra--]

And please don't take me so literally next time.

[Cassandra winds up nodding her head, clearly having understood now. Linhardt breathes another sigh of relief.]

Do let us know when you're ready for your hair to be washed, okay?

[He smirks at his husband and moves to stand nearby for when Cassandra requires their help. She's quick to wash herself off - it's likely Octavia or the servants taught her how to clean herself thoroughly and she's very efficient at it. She does blow some bubbles up in the air, but otherwise she's ready fairly quickly. "Ready!"]

First, you'll need to dunk your head to get your hair wet. Did Octavia teach you how?

[She nods and is quick to demonstrate, slipping down into the water while holding her nose and squeezing her eyes shut. She surfaces soon after, shaking her head and blinking water out of her eyes. Thankfully, she doesn't get water everywhere, but Hubert sighs in exasperation.]

Do be careful not to get us too wet. ["Sorry..."] It's okay. Next, hold still and let us work on your hair.

[The soap's over on Linhardt's side, and Hubert's already removing his jacket and rolling up his sleeves to get started. He holds out a hand expectantly for Linhardt to pass the soap over.]

[Thank goodness for the servants or Octavia, honestly. Even if Cassandra blows bubbles in there, Linhardt honestly can't be too mad at her for having fun. Of course, then she's got her head under the water and she shakes herself out and Linhardt almost jumps back in surprise to attempt to avoid getting his outfit soaked, and...

...Okay, he still got hit, and he sighs. Say what one will about the way this man keeps his room, but he prefers keeping clean. Linhardt doesn't wind up speaking up, but he shakes his head when Hubert chides her.]

Ah, yes. Let me grab the shampoo...

[It's easy enough to find, and he'll grab the shampoo and pass it over to Hubert easily.]

This may tickle just a bit, Cassandra, but we're going to need you to stay as still as you can for us. Can you do that?

["I can do that." Cassandra says that much confidently, bobbing her head from behind them as Linhardt's expression settles into a smile.]

Thank you. Let's get started, Hubert.

[Let's soap that hair up!!]

Thank you.

[He'll get started, then! Cassandra's hair is thick and it gets wavy the further down it goes, which is at least somewhat similar to his own hair. As he works the lather into her scalp he explains what he's doing.]

You'll want to be careful with your hair - it can be a bit unruly, and you'll need to wash it frequently. Naturally wavy hair can be a bit of a pain to handle, so every day you should take care in brushing it, and you need to wash it frequently. Tangles are common, and not particularly easy to get out, especially with hair as long as yours.

[He continues, working it down through the rest of her hair, taking care with the wavy ends. Once that's done, he pulls back a bit.]

Go ahead and submerge yourself. Will you get the conditioner, Linhardt?

[Cassandra does as asked and rinses her hair out before rising, careful not to shake herself off this time.]

[Linhardt will gladly help as needed; he has washed Hubert's hair a few times, after all, and while he's not the best at dealing with it, he's doing well enough that they both can team up and take care of Cassandra's hair. It'll save them both time very easily, and Linhardt can't help but smile at Hubert when he explains how to care for her hair. It's...nice, to be able to care for her; better and less awkward than he was expecting, and it's comforting.

Maybe he was letting his own anxiety get the better of him.]

Of course. One moment, please.

[Linhardt happily goes and grabs the conditioner while he puts the shampoo back, passing that right over to Hubert easily.]

It will be very worth it to care for your hair, Cassandra. It may take a bit of extra time out of your day to do so...but every bit of care and effort you put into yourself will grant you an incredible sense of pride in yourself, and your own efforts. I promise you that.

[He smiles at Linhardt as he takes the conditioner, and quickly gets to work with that as well.]

You already have such long and beautiful hair, it would be good to take care of it, don't you agree?

["Yeah." She glances up at Linhardt at that. "It's the same color as yours!" Given that Octavia also has green hair, she probably thinks is a fairly normal hair color...]

Doesn't it look beautiful on him? He takes excellent care of his hair.

["It's so shiny!" "Sleek" is probably the word she was going for, but close enough. Hubert laughs, anyway.]

[Linhardt winds up chuckling a bit as he helps Hubert out, setting to work as well as they both chatter. He nods in agreement with Hubert, but that doesn't prepare Linhardt for Cassandra's words.

...

It doesn't actually have that bad of an effect on him, despite the surprise that comes from it. Hell, Linhardt winds up chuckling. He feels like he should be a little more awkward with such a thing, and yet it's not...bad, not at all.]

It is, yes. It's a lovely color, isn't it?

[--Of course then Hubert speaks up and Linhardt's cheeks go a little pink as he laughs again.]

Well, it's something that I've always enjoyed doing. One must simply pamper themselves and learn just how to make themselves shine well--it's one of the few things I put effort towards.

["Can my hair be that shiny?" Cassandra looks back at Linhardt curiously, and he winds up nodding his head.]

If you would like, I could certainly teach you a few things...I may need to enlist Hubert's help, however, since your hair is a little different from mine. [He looks at Hubert when he says that, smiling.] Would you mind that at all?

[He finishes with Cassandra's hair and wipes his hands off, smiling up at his husband at those words.]

Of course I wouldn't mind. Her hair will look beautiful by the time we're done.

[He indicates that she should dunk her head again, and Cassandra complies. She rinses the conditioner out and resurfaces, looking at both of them expectantly.]

That's all for now. When you're ready, you can get out of the tub and dry yourself off. You should comb your hair out before you go to bed as well.

["Okay." She wastes no time in climbing out and holding her hands out for a towel, which Hubert passes to her easily. He dumps a second one on her head while she's drying off and she giggles before moving to dry her hair with it. She's quick to change into her night clothes and grab a hairbrush before moving to sit on her bed.]

Do you want us to tell you a story before bed?

[Cassandra nods, patting the bed on either side of her before resuming work on her hair. Hubert takes one side and settles in easily.]

Once upon a time there existed a beautiful princess, with long, white hair. She wanted to change the world, to make it a better place for everyone. You see, the world she lived in was stagnant - unable to change. This world held tightly to many ideas that were outdated and causing people harm.

["What kind of ideas?"]

Nobility - the idea that certain people are better than others just because of their blood. This princess sought to change that, to create a world where everyone could be equal. She attended school and made many friends, all while learning more about the many enemies that would oppose her in the world.

One of her friends was a bright, cheerful young man who always thought the best of everyone. He was a bit silly, but he wanted to help her change the world because it was the right thing to do. He was a noble, but he knew his father was a terrible person. So he worked with the princess and fought by her side.

Another friend of hers was a singer, a beautiful woman who charmed everyone who watched her. But no one ever got to know who she truly was off-stage, and she was worried about her future. As a commoner, she didn't have a lot of money. She became very good friends with the princess.

There was another princess who attended the school as well, but she was from a land very far away. That land and the princess' had once fought, but both of them grew to understand and care for one another.

And finally, there was a very intelligent young man who often liked to nap the day away. He became a trusted adviser of the princess as she prepared for war. With his guidance, many of the unruly nobles came to help the princess.

[He's... kind of missing someone from this story, isn't he...]

[Linhardt smiles; it's hard not to be amused by all of this, but it's also nice too. He'll laugh when Cassandra's finally out and Hubert plops a towel on her head, and it's honestly just...silly to watch, really. It's nice? It makes them feel closer as people, and it's certainly not a bad feeling, at any rate.

Linhardt gladly settles in on the other side once Cassandra signals them to, and he listens to Hubert tell that story with rapt attention as well. It's certainly a basic telling, but...he would want history to tell this story, he thinks. The story of a beautiful princess and her friends, who sought to make the world equal and free from the ideas that had been held in place for millenia. Liberators, in a sense; heroes, in another.

...

But of course, Hubert is forgetting someone, and Linhardt tuts him just a bit.]

Ah-ah-ah. There is someone else you forgot in that story, isn't there?

[Cassandra looks over at Linhardt when he says that, tilting her head while she brushes out her hair. "Who did he forget?"]

The princess also had another friend. A very, very dear friend; an intimidating, yet intelligent man who served as her most stalwart companion and guardian for years. He was certainly someone who would defend the princess no matter what, and stayed by her side through thick and thin...but he was a man with an incredibly kind heart underneath it all. He too, wanted to bring about the change that the princess so desired, and did everything in his power to ensure that she could.

[Cassandra looks between them both for a moment while she brushes her hair, mulling that over before a smile comes onto her face. "Did the princess change the world?"]

She did. She worked incredibly hard and with the help of her friends, she was able to change the world for the benefit of all who lived in it.

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