TRP: Goro, Jasmilia, and Larkin (Mama)

**Lina:**

[Setting: Early morning day 217, Jasmilia's manor.]

First, Goro checked on Theodin, who was being minded by
Raef, Jasper, and Azriel--all of them clearly eager to keep her safe and
entertained, which Goro was real fucking grateful for, even though it wasn't a
favor to him, just them being decent fucking people. Nonetheless, he'd felt
some kind of instant fucking connection to this girl, from the moment Jasmilia
had claimed to be his mother--even if it wasn't real, it was real enough, that
the same thing that had happened to him might happen to Theodin, and fuck, if
she was his fucking sister, ah, fucking--

She looked... okay, but not thrilled with her babysitters,
and Goro couldn't blame her for not being thrilled with anything at the moment.
When she spotted Goro, though, she ran for him and threw her arms around his
waist.

Ah, fuck. Fuck.

He dropped down on his knee so he could be more on her level
and hug her properly. "Hey, uh. Just wanted to see how you were doing. I
gotta go talk to your mom, okay? These people--they're good people. Safe."
Fucking bunch of deadly bastards, but Goro had no doubt they wouldn't hurt this
kid.

She didn't answer him. Not much of a talker. Maybe that was
a good thing.

He pulled away, but patted her upper arm, hoping it was
reassuring. "I'll, uh. Be back. Promise." He stood up, glanced at the
three adults, and hastily signed thank you in cant before turning away and
scurrying off up the stairs. Fuck.

Outside the door where Larkin was watching Jasmilia, he
paced. Dragging his fingers through his hair, rubbing his face, cursing under
his breath.

**Abby:**

Everything was (finally) under control. Jasmilia wouldn't be
going anywhere, the kid was fine, everybody else was fine, it was alright.
Moment to breath. For Roddy anyway.

Goro... not so much. Big day there. Roddy watched him pacing,
muttering curses to himself. Yeah. Didn't look like he was doing too well.
Well. Guess he'd better go see if he could- help. Somehow.

He sidled over, giving a little wave when he was within
conversational range. "Heya. So uh. What's up?" He cringed. Stupid
question, Roddy. "How you doing?" he added quickly. Less stupid.

**Lina:**

Goro shook his head rapidly. "Pretty--pretty
fuckin'--bad." No other way to put it, really. He hadn't been ready for
any of this, and he wasn't ready for the next part either. "You hear what
that lady said to me out there? Can you believe this shit?"

**Abby:**

"Uh yup. Yup I heard it. As for believing it..."
Roddy spread his hands and shrugged. "Well either way she's whacked
right?"

**Lina:**

Goro laughed loudly and mirthlessly. "Yeah. Yup. Fuck.
Yeah. Well." He crossed his arms and faced the bedroom door. "Guess
I'm gonna go fucking talk to her. Yup."

**Abby:**

Roddy studied Goro a moment and then stepped forwards to
pull Goro into a hug. Felt an elbow thud into his shell but ignored it, Goro
needed a hug. "Hey y'know. Won't change anything with us. With the
Runners. We still got your back. Amari too. We're still here."

**Lina:**

"Mhm. Ah. Hm. Mm. Yeah." Goro patted one hand
awkwardly against Roddy's shell. "Yup."

**Abby:**

Good enough. Roddy squeezed a little tighter then let go and
stepped back. "You want some company?" he asked.

**Lina:**

Goro shook his head, then regretted it. Roddy was being...
really fucking nice to him, for some reason. Like, trying to help. "I mean,
not right this second. Lark's in there, it'll be fine. But uh, you know, later,
yeah. You and me can spend some time together. Yeah?" He said all this
while staring at the bedroom door, like it was Roddy's face.

**Abby:**

"Sure," Roddy agreed. It was a big thing, lotta-
strong emotions. He'd snuck off to talk to Amren alone, sometimes family like
this... better to limit the people involved. Roddy got it. "Later then.
Good luck." And for good measure, patted Goro's shoulder.

**Lina:**

"Thanks. Roddy," Goro said, slightly delayed, when
Roddy was already walking away. Really--good kid, actually. Growing a lot
lately. Getting a loving parent did that to people.

Eventually.

It had taken a while longer, in Goro's case.

He stared at the door for another minute. Meant to force
himself to take a deep breath, but he kinda just forgot. He opened it.

**Jen:**

Larkin glanced up when the door opened. The room was dark
except for the purple glow of the crystal in Renar's anti-magic thingy. It was
giving off a soft humm that mixed with Jasmilia's slow breathing. She'd woken
up from the spell put on her but fallen asleep not long after they'd taken the
bounds off her. She seemed exhausted.

On the couch, Larkin shuffled aside to allow Goro to sit
next to her so they could both watch Jasmilia sleep.

**Lina:**

Goro glanced at the spot Larkin had made for him, but didn't
take it. His eyes went to Jasmilia, asleep on the bed, and he walked over to
her.

He watched her for a moment, then reached over to touch one
of the bedposts, murmuring a cantrip for light under his breath. He wanted a
good fucking look at this woman's face. When the room was bright, he leaned
over her, his eyes combing over every feature and detail, just as he combed
through his mind searching for a memory.

Nothing. He didn't recognize her. It wasn't that she looked
wrong, or anything; there was just fucking nothing in his mind to compare her
to.

He leaned in slightly closer, and it was enough to get a
whiff of her hair. He drew back immediately, like it had burned him. There was
the scent of soap she'd used to wash herself, and that wasn't familiar, but
maybe... underneath that...

"Mama," he said, and nudged her arm. That was what
he'd called her, if this was really her.

**Coyote:**

 Jasmilia awoke instantly, like she’d been trained to do.

It couldn’t be Din. She had taught Din not to make any
annoying noise, and certainly had taught Din not to wake her up in the middle
of the night. Bakir, then? It sounded like him.

But Bakir was gone. She’d last seen him sobbing on the
docks, pulled away by the pirates she sold him to. Counting her money as she
walked away.

Goro. It was her Goro. Her sharpest and smartest boy.

Jasmilia narrowed her eyes. “Goro,” she said.

**Lina:**

"Yeah. Hey. Where's that name come from, anyway?"
Seeing if she'd have the same story, about it being Luka's grandfather.

It occurred to him he was putting an awful lot of faith in
the story Morgan had told him, about those letters, but hell, she didn't have
any reason to lie. Versus some con artist lady who might have something to gain
from pretending to be his mother--he'd walked that fucking road before, as it
happened.

**Coyote:**

 Jasmilia didn’t answer. Just kept silent.

Her eyes shifted to Larkin. Larkin was a potential ally.
Maybe she could turn this around somehow.

She knew what Goro would probably want— he’d want
confirmation, or he’d want to talk to her, get answers out of her, get closure.
He might be angry.

She came up with a vague plan in that moment. She’d be
vague, and avoid answers, and that’d piss him off. She’d remain calm, cool, and
collected, and make herself look like the sane reasonable person. Then Larkin—
and the rest of the party— would take Jasmilia’s side.

Jasmilia remained silent.

**Jen:**

"Just answer him," Larkin said when she caught
Jasmilia's look. "Makes it a whole lot easier."

**Coyote:**

 “It was his father’s idea, I think,” Jasmilia said
patiently— as though she’d just been thinking and they’d interrupted her.

**Lina:**

"Oh yeah?" Goro said, staying calm, like he was
idly curious. "Grigori's an Elvish name, for sure. Was he from Alabaster,
or?"

**Coyote:**

 “He never said,” Jasmilia said, which was technically true.
She chuckled as if this was funny. “Ah, I’m sorry. I’m just so glad to see you,
Goro.”

**Lina:**

"Oh, me too." He smiled, then let it fade. "I
don't know, though. Uh, the thing is, 'bout a month or so ago some lady showed
up at my home claiming to be my mother, but really she was just trying to scam
me. So I'm a little wary. Sorry to say, I don't really remember what my mom
looked like, so anyone could be her. Guess I was hoping you might have some
kinda proof for me, or something."

**Coyote:**

 Jasmilia pulled a sad face. “I’m sorry, hun. I can’t think
of anything. Except, uh— you have a scar on your foot in the shape of a moon.
You were playing with knives and dropped it and cut yourself when you were
little.”

**Lina:**

He crossed his arms and cocked his head at her. "You
afraid I'm gonna be mad at you, or something? Is that why you're acting this
way? You know, you were right. What you were saying before. I am strong."
The corner of his mouth inched up. "I have my mother to thank for
that."

**Coyote:**

 Jasmilia narrowed her eyes. Stared at him a minute.

She shifted upright in bed and leaned forward. “Yeah. You
do.” Her tone said, You’re welcome.

**Lina:**

Goro snorted and threw his head back, grinning. "Oh,
sorry." He leaned in close, a worried look on his face. "Did you
think I meant you?"

**Coyote:**

 Jasmilia blinked, looking hurt and confused. “Pardon? Were
you— adopted?”

**Jen:**

Larkin couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, by a whole
bunch of people."

**Lina:**

Goro shot half a smile over his shoulder at Larkin. Then he
sighed and leaned back, watching Jasmilia. "You know, I'll give you one
thing. Growing up by myself did make me real good at picking pockets, and it
made me real good at reading people. Eh, that second one though--who knows,
maybe it's in the blood. Maybe I'm a manipulative little shit by nature, and it
would've come out no matter how I'd been raised."

He shrugged. "But let's be charitable. Say you gave me
those two good things by making my life a living hell. You wanna hear some
other good things about me? I have friends, that I'd die for." He waved a
hand in Larkin's direction. "I'm loved, and I know how to love people. I
can heal people who are suffering. I can call down a divine fuckin' flame to
smite my enemies. I speak six languages. I can fucking read and write,
Mama." He spat the word out, a little sarcastically. "You think I
learned any of that on the streets? Do you? Take a guess."

**Coyote:**

 Jasmilia nodded slowly. "Is that so?"

She thought for a while. And then she got up, and moved
forward, just a little, and leaned closer. "Let me tell you something, Goro,"
she said. "And I want you to remember this for the rest of your fucking
life, so listen close."

She leaned closer to him. “You’re not like other people,
Goro,” she said. “You were born with a rot at your core. I know, because I was
born with it too. And the older you get, it's just going to keep growing and
growing, no matter what you do. I spent five minutes with you and I can already
tell you're a fucking asshole. You really think those people like you? It's
probably fucking Stockholm Syndrome. They've been trapped with you so long--
they probably hate you and pity you. They're just telling you they love you to
make you shut up."

**Lina:**

Goro scoffed and rolled his eyes.

**Jen:**

"Hey, cut that crap. The fuck's your problem?"
Larkin had kicked up her feet on the couch but now she sat up straight and
crossed her arms, snarling. "You think you can shit talk my bro in front
of me just 'cause you're a Basha or what?"

**Coyote:**

 “He needs to hear it,” Jasmilia said. “Talking shit? He
should be able to handle reality.”

She kept going. “You think those people love you? God, that’s
so fucking sad. Goro, those people don’t fucking love you. You’re a fucking jackass.
They tolerate you because you’re useful. And one day, you won’t be anymore.
You’ll be crippled, or you’ll lose your magic, or they won’t need you anymore.
And then they’re gonna leave you. All of them.”

She watched Goro’s face carefully while she talked. She
couldn’t tell if she was hitting anything or not.

“Fuck, it might happen even sooner than that,” Jasmilia
said. “I mean, again, you’re an asshole. You can only abuse people for so long
before they realize you’re not fucking worth it. Even if you were the most
useful person in the world, they’re still gonna leave you eventually.” She
laughed. “There’s other fucking clerics, Goro. Nicer clerics.

“I bet you like one of them in particular,” Jasmilia said,
still watching Goro’s face. “I saw that little bracelet of yours, the one with
the beads… I know what that is, a vitality bracelet. A lover’s token. Fucking
adorable. Fucking sad. Nobody else in the party is wearing one, so it must be
someone else, somebody not here. A man? A woman? Y’know, it’s pretty fucking
telling that they let you come alone instead of coming with to protect you.
Must not care about you that much. No wedding ring, I see. Interesting. Why is
that?”

**Lina:**

He crossed his arms tighter, trying to obscure the bracelet,
the wristband Joan had given him, too. "What fucking right do you have to
talk to me like this?" he snapped. "You don't know shit about me. You
don't know who I am. Because you fucking left."

**Jen:**

"Yeah, that's enough." Larkin hopped up and took
Goro by the arm, pulling him towards the door but looking at her aunt.

**Coyote:**

 “Prove it to me,” Jasmilia said. “Talk it out. Who loves you?
C'mon, Goro. Give me their names and tell me how you know."

**Jen:**

"Fuck, auntie," Larkin sneered, still holding onto
Goro, "no wonder your brothers left you behind. You're a fucking
bitch."

**Lina:**

"See?" Goro jabbed his finger at Larkin. "She
loves me. That's how I know. Fuck you. Fuck you!" He pulled away from
Larkin and stormed back over to Jasmilia. "Fuck you! You don't know shit
about me!"

**Coyote:**

 "She's sick of you getting emotional, jackass. She's
sick of listening to this. Whining and shouting like a ten-year-old child. Calm
down. C'mon, tell me. Who else loves you? Who does the bracelet belong to? List
them off. Tell me how you know. Or are you scared?"

**Lina:**

"None of your fucking business!"

**Coyote:**

 Jasmilia started to laugh.

**Jen:**

"Shut the fuck up!" Larkin snapped at her, then to
Goro said, "C'mon, you know she's fucking baiting you. Let's get outta
here."

**Lina:**

"No. No! I've been waiting twenty-five fucking years
for..." He swallowed and stared at Jasmilia, trying to grasp it. Waiting
for what? To see her again? To ask her why she'd left him? For her to come find
him and tell him it was all a mistake? To find out she was really dead, not
that she'd left him? Depended on the fucking day.

"Why are you... doing this?" he said, trying to
keep yelling, but suddenly not having the energy for it. "Why do you hate
me so much?"

**Coyote:**

 Jasmilia spread her arms. "I don't hate you,
Goro," she said. "I love you."

**Lina:**

"No, you fucking don't! People who love their children
don't leave them on the streets and sell them to pirates, lady!"

**Coyote:**

 "I've already explained why I did that," Jasmilia
said. "If you can't understand, that's on you."

**Lina:**

"You're... you're delusional." Right? Fucking
right? This was... not fucking normal, people weren't like this--

And he was fucking related to her. Oh, Mask protect him.

He... remembered, though. How she'd held him and sang to
him. He thought she'd loved him, he'd felt it. And people didn't fucking fake
that shit, right? Why the hell would you fake loving your little boy when there
wasn't even anyone around to see?

She'd made him feel warm and safe, and looking at the woman
in front of him now, he couldn't fucking fathom how it could be the same
person. She'd fucked with him then or she was fucking with him now, or... or
both, he guessed.

He shuffled back a step.

**Coyote:**

 "Think it over," Jasmilia said. And she went back
to bed.

**Lina:**

"Wait." He lunged forward and grabbed her arm,
shaking it. "Wait, I... wanna ask you some shit."

**Coyote:**

 Jasmilia scoffed, but patiently sat up again.

**Lina:**

"My... my dad." Morgan had said he was excited to
be a father. Maybe Goro had one fucking parent who hadn't been a psycho. God,
why would he have married someone like Jasmilia, though? "When... did he
die? Did he know me at all?"

**Coyote:**

 Jasmila eyed him. Then she admitted, "Yeah. He,
uh..."

She looked away.

"He called me Mia," she said, in a different tone
of voice. "And... he loved to hold you."

**Lina:**

Goro stared, keeping his face totally blank, even though his
eyes were stinging. He was a goddamn statue, yeah. No feelings, no nothing.

The tears kept collecting in his eyes, though, and then they
spilled out, and he drew his hands up, one to his face and one to his chest.
"Oh," he said.

**Coyote:**

 "He asked me to take care of you," Jasmilia said.
"So I did."

She was certain Luka would've understood her abandoning
Goro. He would've protested, but she could've explained it, and he would've
understood.

She was... she was certain of it

**Jen:**

"Come on, buddy," Larkin said quietly next to
Goro. She took him by the shoulders again, gently tugging him towards the door.
He could come back in later if he wanted but for now, he should get the fuck
away from this bitch. Before she cracked him open even wider, and no one would
be able to fit the seams back together.

**Lina:**

Goro leaned into Larkin's touch, letting himself be led
toward the door, feet stumbling a little. He kept watching Jasmilia. "Hey,
um." He swiped the tears away from his eyes. Yeah, super fucking strong,
that was him. Nice work, Mia.

God, there was so much he could ask her.

What was I like, when I was little? What was he like? Did he
have brothers and sisters? Do I have aunts and uncles besides Renar fuckin'
Basha?

And Kheman.

Holy hell.

"Um," he tried again. "When was I born?
When's my birthday?"

**Coyote:**

 "July third. You weren't due for another four weeks,
though. You were early." She laughed weakly. "Eager to claw your way
out into the big, dangerous world."

**Lina:**

"Uh," Goro said, like a response. Like the
beginning of an uh-huh.

Four weeks early--the medic in him, the objective side,
wanted to scoff at that. That was cutting it real close. Lots of babies who
came that early died. He was born living life on the edge, he guessed.

He let Larkin take him all the way into the hall and shut
the door, and he watched Jasmilia right up until the last second, thinking, I
never want to fucking see her again. Even though he probably would.

"What'd she say?" he asked Larkin. "July...
third?"

**Jen:**

"Yeah, that's what she said." Larkin shifted her
hands to Goro's upper arms, squeezing lightly. He must need a hug. Many hugs.
Fuck, and Hansel wasn't here.

**Lina:**

Alright. July third. He'd try to remember. Birthdays were
stupid and shit, but... maybe he wouldn't think so anymore, now that he knew
his. He wasn't sure.

He felt detached, like he was having a dream.

"Um," he said. "We're cousins."

**Jen:**

"Yup." Larkin tried a smile. That was something to
be... pretty fucking amazed about. She put her arms around him and pulled him
in for a hug, one hand patting the back of his head. "Can you fucking
believe it? " She said into his hair, "We're... damn. You'll still be
my brother, though. Always, no matter what that stupid bitch says. Fuck her,
man."

**Lina:**

Goro hugged her back, and tried to say something. Instead,
he started fucking sobbing. He held on tighter, dimly aware that it might be
too tight, that she was a lot smaller than him, but fuck.

"I thought I didn't have any family," he said,
gasping. Thought he should probably try and explain what he meant, but instead
he just said it again. "I thought I didn't have any family."

He fucking knew it didn't matter--fuck blood family and all
that, he meant it, Amari was his mother ten thousands times over that lady behind
the door, and--he had his whole gang, they were his fucking family, or least he
was trying to make them that way, and Larkin was definitely that, but--

She was his cousin, too.

She was his family twice over.

And he hadn't even known. They'd found each other,
somehow--had to be Mask, who did it that way.

He tried to explain himself again, but all that came out of
his mouth was some incoherent blubbering.

**Jen:**

"I know. It's okay, I know." She nodded on his
shoulder and kept cradling his head against hers- if he lifted it he'd see the
tears stinging in her own eyes.

He held on on tight, though, and Larkin felt her knees give
out under his weight. She went with it and went down, pulling Goro with her. It
was fine. They could cry on the ground together.

"And you got a sister, man. A little sis." She
laughted, a hitched sound. "You got so much family now, it's fucking
insane isn't it."

**Lina:**

"I know." He wiped the back of his sleeve across
his eyes, sniffling. "I gotta fucking take her home, and raise her good,
makes sure she never goes through the fucking shit that bitch put me through,
and--fuck, I got a brother who got sold to pirates or some shit, ah, fuck,
Larkin, you gotta help me get him back, I guess."

**Jen:**

"Yeah, we'll get him. Jassie in there is gonna tell us
all about him. We'll do it."

**Lina:**

Hah. Jassie. That was great.

He was finally starting to calm down some, so he made
himself not think about how Luka had called her Mia.

He dried his face on his sleeve the rest of the way.
"Hey. Since we're family and all now. Do I get to talk more shit about
Renar?"

**Jen:**

"The fuck you do." Larkin elbowed him in the side.
but did so laughing. "Suppose there's a family resemblance, though. Oh,
god." She started. "Don't tell me I'take after my aunt."

**Lina:**

"Ick." Goro made a face and shook his head
vehemently. "No resemblance at all, mental or physical. Don't worry. I
don't look much like her either, do I? I don't know, you see my face more than
I do, you tell me."

**Jen:**

"Nah," she said with a smirk. "You look way
too elf-y. And she's a much bigger asshole, too. Fucking miracle that ego
hasn't given her a melon head."

**Lina:**

"Hah." He rubbed his face and shook his head
again. Stared into space a while, blinking, then glanced at the door.
"Fuckin'... fuckin' weird. Hard to swallow. I kinda feel like if I just
lay down and to go sleep--" Not like he was ever gonna fucking sleep
again, but that was beside the point-- "I'll wake up and it turns out it
was just some weird dream, or whatever. I hope not, though. Because." He
gestured between the two of them. "This. Pretty fucking great."

**Jen:**

"I know, right, Cuz?" She threw her arms around
Goro again because else he'd really, see her tear up. Ah, fuck.

Cousins. God dammit. Larkin had always wished for siblings
to grow up with, or at least a cousin or two. There were some, sure, but up
until now they'd been half a world away, only names she'd long forgotten.

And now Goro was her blood family, too. She'd have to give a
thousand thanks to Mask for that.

"Goro Basha," she muttered, snorting laughter.
"Or- I suppose you'd rather take your dad's name. What was it again?"

**Lina:**

He hesitated a minute. Felt like giving away a secret--one
he was glad to share with her, but there was still some weight behind it, nonetheless.
"Voronin," he said. "So. Goro Voronin. I, uh. I kinda like it, I
guess. Sounds like something. Better than Goro Flatflower. I mean--I fucking
love Amari, right, I got nothing against her name, but come on. Doesn't suit
me, really."

**Jen:**

"God, no. You're not very flowery, pal."

**Lina:**

"Yeah, see? Voronin--it means crow, in Elvish. Hey. Hey
that means you and me are both birds." He nudged her with his elbow,
grinning. The smile fell away and he glanced at the bedroom door. "Also,
what the fuck, is Goro short for Grigori? The fuck is that? Do I have shit in
my ears?"

**Jen:**

Jasmilia had called Goro that, no question there. That
meant...

"Not today you don't." Larkin plastered a grin on
her face. "Greg."

**Lina:**

"Hang on. Hang on. The fuck did you just call me?"

**Jen:**

"Greg. That's your name. Or would you like Groggy
better?" Larkin pushed away from him, smelling retribution coming up.

**Lina:**

He triggered the springblade and waved it around in the air.
"Call me either of those things again, you fuck. Do it. I dare you."

**Jen:**

Larkin sputtered and hopped a few steps backwards. "You
wouldn't hurt your own dear cousin, now would you, Greg?"

**Lina:**

He hissed at her. "Fuckin' might, she keeps calling me
Greg. Greg. For fuck's sake. No! That's not even--oh my god." He retracted
the blade and put his face in his hand.

**Jen:**

"Okay, okay," she said, laughing and holding up
her hands. "I'll stop. Gonna remember this one, though, it's rad."

**Lina:**

"It's not rad. God." He ground his teeth together.
"Anyway. You think we should really leave her in there unsupervised? I
mean, I never wanna see her fucking face again, but someone should probably
keep an eye on her."

**Jen:**

"Yeah, true. Uh." Larkin glanced at the door, not
particularly eager to spend time with Jasmilia herself. Family or no, the woman
had lost all credit with her.

"Can you go get someone up here? I'll be inside."

**Lina:**

"Sure. How about your boyfriend?" Goro waggled his
eyebrows a little.

**Jen:**

Larkin scowled.

**Lina:**

"I mean, I was ready to kill him for you and all, but
then he shows up in Moorland in the middle of the night in the pouring rain
'cause he's worried about you. Sounds like something's up, Lark. Something you
two need to talk out. Eh? I'll go get him for you."

**Jen:**

"Larkin hissed through her teeth and grabbed for Goro's
arm. "Don't you fucking dare!"

**Lina:**

Goro tried not to wince at her dagger-like fingers digging into
his arm. "Totally over between you two, then? You giving him the cold
shoulder?"

**Jen:**

"Look, it's just- I'm not fucking- ugh!" It was
now Larkin's turn to put her face in her hands. "What would I even fucking
say. Shows up here in the middle of the fucking night, how crazy is that?"

**Lina:**

"That. That's what you say. 'Hey, you showed up here in
the middle of the fucking night. How crazy is that?'"

**Jen:**

Larkin grumbled and went to take a look down the balcony.
God, if Azriel was there she'd fucking die. No one around, though. Good.

"Look, he's... gotta have his reasons. But he's dumped
me so why should I fucking care? Probably thought I was gonna set Green on his
tracks or some bullshit. Yeah."

**Lina:**

Goro laughed. "Are you playing dumb on purpose, or did
you really not see the fucking relief on his face when he saw you were okay?
God."

**Jen:**

Larkin turned back to scowling and crossed her arms.
"So what? If he were here because of me, why's he glued to that kid
instead of talking to me, huh? Maybe he cares, doesn't fucking have to mean
anything."

**Lina:**

"'Cause that kid needs someone watching her and keeping
her safe, and he's a decent enough fucking person apparently to step up and
take the job. Did you see him with her, Lark? He was doing little magic tricks
and shit to distract her and try and make her smile. Guy's a fucking keeper, if
you ask me."

**Jen:**

"Why don't you keep him then," Larkin muttered.

She'd seen it. Fucking adorable. It would be nice to think
Azriel was here because of her - more than that. It would mean she could think
he was here because he'd changed his mind about him and her and the little,
amazing thing they'd had. Well, fuck her if Larkin allowed herself to be hurt
by believing thaf. The moment she talked to him, this fantasy would be
shattered. Better to just not.

Larkin's turned away from Goro to go back inside the
bedroom- then stopped inside the doorway.

"Ah, fuck. She's gone."

**Lina:**

Goro snorted. "Hah. Good." And then a second
later, "Fuck."

He scrambled to his feet and bolted for the stairs, almost
tripping a couple times as he ran down. He went straight for the sitting room
where he'd left Theodin with the others, figuring--it was fine, there would
have been some sort of alarm raised if anything--

Yeah. It was, in fact, fucking fine. Jasper was sprawled on
the couch with Theo napping on top of her, and Azriel was playing a lullaby on
his viol, with Raef humming along. God. Not just fine, fucking... fucking
precious. Goro swallowed, and turned away, afraid he might tear up again or
something if he kept looking at them.

"Her mom left," he said before he walked away,
rejoining Larkin, who was just entering the room behind him. Her mom. My mom.
Our mom. "Keep an extra close eye out."

**Jen:**

Larkin stopped when she saw everything was fine. No
Jasmilia. She really had left her daughter with them. Larkin glanced at Azriel
who stood with his viol in hand, not meeting his eyes, then turned away.

Fucking Jasmilia. Thought Larkin would understand that
bullshit she spouted about having her kids grow up strong and then take the
credit for it. That wasn't the Basha mentality at all. Renar had dumped Larkin
on the streets to learn, yes, but he'd never abandoned her. Not like Jasmilia
had abandoned her children; cut them out of her life like some minor
inconvenience.

**Izzy:**

 Azriel let the lullaby trail off on one last note, watching
Larkin turn away. That could be it, he supposed. He could have come back to
Moorland despite everything in his mind and body screaming at him not to for
nothing. Larkin would prefer it that way, perhaps, and he could slip back into
who he had been before, who he had been at home.

Unfortunately, he cared about her too much; a fact he had
realized when he'd been hiding under his bed and waiting for her to come stab
him and put him out of his misery.

The little girl was safe with Jasper and -- this elf,
whoever he was. Azriel lowered his viol and then thought again and set it down
entirely before pursuing Larkin out into the hallway. He considered catching
her arm, but decided against it.

"Larkin," he said lowly. "Larkin, we need to
talk."

[end]

**Lina:**

Title: Mama. Summary: Goro talks to Jasmilia, realizes she
is in fact his mother, that she abandoned him by choice, and is all-around an
abusive bitch. He and Larkin cry together about being cousins. Jasmilia flees
the house while they are distracted.