TRP: Goro, Hansel, and Theo (Surname)

**Lina:**

[Setting: Day 217 in the evening, Basha-Baker manor.]

Goro had put Theo to bed, and now Raef was keeping an eye on
her, so Goro got to... fucking... do something with himself.

He hadn't slept in two days, so sitting and staring blankly
felt like the most doable.

He stayed upstairs, sitting at the edge of the balcony,
dangling his legs through the bannister. It was the position that afforded him
a view of as much of the manor as possible. Downside was that it wasn't next to
any windows, so when he heard voices outside, he just tensed up and wondered,
at first.

But then he listened closer, and he recognized the voices.
That was Hansel and Mishka. Fuckin' finally. He flailed and banged up his knees
and elbows trying to extricate himself from the bannister, then crawled on all
fours for a second before managing to lurch up to his feet.

He hurtled down the stairs and reached the ground floor as
the front door was opening. Then he made himself stop, crossing his arms and
picking at his sleeve. Hansel came through the door not with Mishka but with
Jonn and Luci. Yeah, good thing Goro hadn't just fucking launched himself at
whoever was coming inside. He was a good, normal, non-crying person.

Or, well, apparently not. The relief he felt seeing Hansel
opened some kind of gate, inviting every other fucking emotion he'd had in the
past few days to flow through with it. He crumpled a little, bringing his hands
up to hide his face.

**Izzy:**

 It'd been a long and fucking concerning trip to Moorland.
Hansel had never made it over to the swamplands in his wandering, and being out
of his element was an extra layer of disconcertment -- on top of the fact that
they were all on their way to fight a fuckin' hydra, or whatever, and the fact
that apparently Larkin's aunt was an evil bitch who was also Goro's birth
mother.

That was a fucking lot to unpack.

He shared a look with Mishka and Mishka joined Jasper and
Wyn outside, doing the sort of thorough perimeter sweep that only someone who
could teleport and turn invisible was capable of, and Hansel led the kids
inside knowing that it'd be safe; that Mishka had his back.

It was a nice place, big -- not a castle but not a room at
an inn, either. And it looked pretty empty except for Goro skidding to a stop
in the entryway, looking awkward for a second, then folding in on himself a bit
and hiding his face.

On either side of Hansel, Luci raised a hand as if to help,
and Jonn went rigid and alert, but Hansel stepped forward before either of them
did anything more -- stepping forward and scooping Goro up by the waist
immediately, and heading up the stairs without pausing.

"Jonn, watch the front door," he called, getting a
yup in return. "Luci, c'mere."

Luci started behind him -- he shifted to be sure Goro's face
stayed hidden against his shoulder -- and stopped when he quietly asked her to
watch an interior door. She nodded as he stepped in and closed the door for
him. It was dim, but empty; he took Goro over to the bed, kissing the top of
his head, and sat down without bothering to shuck off his gear or anything --
just squeezed Goro tight, holding him in his lap, and now that they were alone
and safe whispered, "Hey, I love you, I missed you, you're okay."

**Lina:**

"Mmm," Goro said into Hansel's shoulder. Leaking
tears all over him. Every attempt to make himself get a grip just make him cry
harder, and every time he tried to make himself pull away from Hansel so he
could speak, he wound up clinging tighter.

"Sorry," he managed finally, turning his face to the
side to get air. "I know you got shit to do. Got your kids here and
all."

**Izzy:**

 "I ain't got shit to do but be with you," Hansel
said gently. "Mishka's got the perimeter, Jonn and Luci got the doors, I
got you." He rubbed Goro's back for a moment before crushing him again.
"I got the best part, too. Real lucky." He kissed his hair, then just
settled his head against Goro's comfortably.

He wanted to say something about how ... that bitch was
wrong, abandoning him when he was a kid, not being over the fucking moon to see
him again, just fucking off. Leaving another kid behind too, apparently.
Fucking reprobate.

What came out was, "I love you so goddamn much, Goro.
That piece of shit calling herself your mom doesn't mean a fucking thing. You
know we're your family."

**Lina:**

Goro nodded. "I love you too," he said, after a
beat--it was all he fucking felt, but it took him a second to remember to say
it. "God, though, Hansel, she said--you wouldn't believe the shit she said
to me. Just--" He hesitated, afraid explaining would make it feel more
real. "She was trying to bait me, and cut me down. She fucking looked me
over, and looked for shit she could use against me. She went for this."

He wiggled free far enough to hold up his wrist and tug at
the Vitality Bracelet. "She said, oh, I know what that is, that's a
lover's token. You think someone loves you, ain't that cute. Listen, I didn't
fucking believe her, I could see what she was doing, but why? Why would she
wanna do that to me? What'd the fuck I do to make her hate me that much?"

**Izzy:**

 Hansel bit his lip. Good fucking thing this woman was long
gone. Good for her, anyway. Would've been real fucking satisfying to make her
eat those words, along with her teeth.

"Nothing," he said. "Fucking nothing, because
she doesn't even fuckin' know you. Easier on her to justify fucking abandoning
you if you're weak or not worth it or something." He kissed Goro's head.
"You didn't do a fucking thing, 'cause she didn't let you. She didn't give
you a chance, which is her own goddamn loss."

**Lina:**

That... helped, to think of it that way. She had to cut him
down, to justify the fact that she'd left him. It made sense.

He's just saying whatever he has to say to calm you down, so
you'll shut up. It was a fucking possibility. Didn't make a lot of sense, though.
Hansel didn't have to be sitting in here with him at all. He could leave, say
he had other shit to do.

Goro felt like he had to probe every angle, sometimes,
search for every possible hole in the evidence that Hansel loved him. There
just... fucking... weren't any, though. Hansel loved him so fucking good. So
sturdy and unshakeable. Goro still didn't think he deserved it, didn't know if
it would last necessarily, but it was real for now. So real it covered him,
enveloped him, kept him safe from...

From her.

Yup. Somehow, he was scared of that little middle-aged human
woman.

Didn't make any goddamn sense, but he felt like Hansel would
understand, anyway. Make him feel better. Goro cuddled closer against him,
hiding his face. "She scared me. I don't fucking know what she could even
do to me, but, eh. Felt like I was fuckin' six years old again, I guess."

**Izzy:**

 "Yeah, I know," Hansel said softly, wincing a bit.

(Flinching at the sound of the porch door slamming, even
knowing Elijah was in the dirt.)

"What kinda fuckin' person does that to a kid?"
Did it to more than one kid, apparently, planned to do it to Goro's sister,
too. "It's the only way she ever coulda got to you, when you were little.
Fuckin' evil bitch," he muttered, and kissed Goro's hair. "D'you ...
wanna go to the Sanctuary, tomorrow, see Amari for a bit?" He thought that
was the kind of thing that'd help him, now that he had his mom again.

**Lina:**

He nodded eagerly. "Uh-huh. Yeah. Yup." Assuming
he could manage to peel himself away from Hansel long enough to walk to the
teleportation circle and shit. Maybe Hansel would just carry him.

Goddamn, there was so fucking much going on, so much to
process, Goro kept remembering shit he felt like he shouldn't be forgetting at
all. "Ah, fuck. Hansel--Hansel, I got a fucking brother, and that bitch
sold him to pirates. Fucking pirates. You gotta help me. Will you help me?
You're a pirate, you know all their tricks, and shit. God."

**Izzy:**

 "Yeah, fucking of course." He rubbed his beard
against Goro's head thoughtfully. Like Goro even had to ask. He wasn't sure how
much help he'd be, still scared half out of his mind of the ocean, but ... of
course he'd fucking try. "That's your fuckin' brother. Of course. How
old's he?"

If the kid was still alive, and all. Lot of kids ran off to
become pirates, or got kidnapped by them, and ... didn't make it. Hansel'd been
grown by the time he joined his first crew -- and idiot, but technically grown
-- and he just about hadn't made it. He wasn't gonna fucking say that shit,
though. Besides, if this kid was anything like Goro, he'd be too stubborn to
die.

**Lina:**

"Fourteen. Or I guess fifteen, now. God." Thinking
of himself at fourteen, being kidnapped by pirates... eh, he probably would've
been alright, actually. He'd been a tough kid. A survivor.

Just like Jasmilia had wanted.

Great.

"That woman tried to tell me the best thing for a kid
is to grow up alone. Makes 'em strong. Fucking nuts, right?"

**Izzy:**

 He scoffed. "Strong, sure -- doesn't mean it's the
fucking best thing. Just 'cause some of us turn out all right and not goddamn
serial killers --" some -- "doesn't mean it's fuckin' best. Valkur."

**Lina:**

"Okay. Yeah." Goro let out a breath. "I
was... I was worried she was kinda fuckin' right. I think--you know, I'm really
good at getting out of tight spots, and shit. I think good on my feet. I can
read people really fucking well. All that, seems like I learned on the street.
Maybe I wouldn't have, if..." He shook his head. "But, god. Maybe I'd
be fucking... happier."

**Izzy:**

 Hansel was quiet for a moment. He reached up to run his
hands through Goro's hair, massaging his scalp, and shifted to kiss his
forehead. "Listen, I don't know a goddamn thing about how you make sure a
kid grows up all well-adjusted and self-sufficient and shit, but I know if you
love'em and want what's best for'em, you don't just fucking sell them to
pirates or dump'em in the fucking street. You can't -- you can't protect a kid
from everything bad in the world, but that doesn't mean you just throw them to
the goddamn wolves."

It made his chest ache. He hadn't fucking asked to be Jonn
and Luci's dad -- kind of done it accidentally -- but he knew he hadn't done a
good job of it. It was fuckin' sanctimonious to talk like this, but -- shit, if
he could do it over and know better, he would. This bitch'd had three shots and
she'd fucked up all of them.

"All I want is for my kids to be fucking happy,"
he said quietly. "She fucking took that away from you. Fuck her."

**Lina:**

Goro nodded. "I've been trying to tell myself--I mean,
I've only known Theo for a fucking day now, but she's just a kid, you know?
There'd be no fucking excuse for dumping her on the streets, fucking none. And
I was even younger than that when my mom left me, so... y'know. She was the one
who was... fucked up, or whatever. I used to think, well, maybe I was too much
trouble to take care of, or something. But if I think about someone saying that
about Theo, or any other kid, I'm like, nah, the fuck's wrong with you? That's
not how it fucking works, you know?"

Before Hansel could answer, Goro linked his arms behind
Hansel's neck and kissed him. "Hey. I got an idea. We resurrect your
stepdad--no Leech, alright, we'll figure out another way, and we put him in a
pit with my mom, and... huh. I was gonna say make 'em fight, but that doesn't
sound bad enough. Let me think."

**Izzy:**

 "No, we gotta put a bear in the pit. Mishka hasn't told
you this?" He pulled Goro's head down to kiss his forehead again. "I
can be the bear."

**Lina:**

"A bear. Fantastic. Hey though, why not--... ohh, shit,
we should feed them to the hydra. Oh, fuck yes. Alright, I gotta find a way to
bring Elijah back, quick."

**Izzy:**

 "He's fine getting eaten by worms, Goro. He fuckin' got
his."

**Lina:**

"Nah, nah. Not good enough. I'm gonna make him pay. And
give him a piece of my mind, first. Listen, the Leech--"

**Izzy:**

 "Goro," Hansel interrupted sharply. "Fucking
stop that. You just goddamn talked about -- told me you were fuckin' scared of
that bitch. How in the fuck d'you think I feel about Elijah? He didn't abandon
me, Goro, I had to live with him for sixteen goddamn years. He's dead. I'm glad
he's fucking dead, I want him to fucking stay dead where he can't fuckin' touch
me and I never have to hear his voice again, and why the fuck would I be okay
with a fuckin' fifty-fifty chance of losing you to fucking get him back?"
He crushed Goro against his chest, jaw clenching. "Fucking stop."

**Lina:**

Goro was quiet for a moment, kind of stunned.

"Okay." He put his arms around Hansel's waist and
squeezed tight. "Okay. I'm sorry. I'll stop." He squeezed tighter.
"Sometimes I... don't really know how to help people except for... killing
shit, I guess. I'm so fucking mad, for the way he treated you, and I don't... I
don't know what to do with it all. Listen, I'll fucking stop, though. I love
you."

**Izzy:**

 "I know," he muttered. "I know you're trying
to help. Sorry."

**Lina:**

"Hey. Hey, don't--fuckin' apologize." Goro
squirmed loose enough to straighten up and cup Hansel's face. He frowned.
"You don't gotta fucking be sorry for... fuckin'..." He kissed Hansel's
cheeks and forehead. "God damn it, I got distracted. You're too damn
beautiful, and I missed you. The fuck were we talking about? Oh yeah, I mean,
if I fucking upset you, you can tell me I upset you, and you don't gotta
apologize for that. Yeesh."

**Izzy:**

 "It's fine." Hansel pulled Goro's hands away from
his face, directing them back around his waist and curling his arms around
Goro's shoulders to pull him back in.

He was too used to Mishka just understanding him, seeing
him, and -- Mishka couldn't even do that so much anymore, since everything
that'd happened when they'd been apart. And Goro had this way of needling into
him without even trying, and then not understanding when Hansel tried to get him
to stop. Always making him fucking say it out loud and choke on razors getting
his point out. Wasn't enough to say he got his, it's fine; Goro made him say
I'm a fucking grown man scared of his dead stepfather, or he'd never drop it.
Still might not. Goro almost never gave up on anything.

It just made him feel fucking pathetic and miserable, and
fucking useless, too damaged to even properly comfort his boyfriend --
something he was supposedly good at -- without needing Goro to coddle him
through it.

He held Goro against his shoulder. It was better if Goro
didn't see his face right now, or he wouldn't drop that, either, and he'd just
-- apologize and cry, and Hansel wouldn't know what to do. He was supposed to
fucking be helping Goro. He pushed the other thing aside and just held him,
because that'd help both of them.

"Fucking Jasmilia Basha," he grumbled. "D'you
how fucking scared I am of losing you? Fucking idiot, giving you up by
choice."

**Lina:**

Goro knew Hansel was upset, but he could also tell Hansel
wanted to drop it. It was... frustrating, but above all Goro didn't want to
make him even more upset, so yeah, he was gonna have to fucking drop it.
Something he'd been learning how to do, ever since the night they first played
the Three Questions game, and it still didn't come naturally to him. He wanted
to know. He wanted to understand fucking everything. Figure out what made
Hansel tick, figure out what made him sad so Goro would never do it again.

Because it was more than just the Leech thing, and mentioning
Elijah. He had a feeling. There was something deeper. Hansel could keep his
mouth shut like a fucking champ, but his moods were always written in the
stillness and movements of his body, and Goro was getting real good at reading
those, given how much time he spent pressed up against him. The way Hansel
quaked and shifted, strategically placing Goro's head where Goro couldn't see
his face, the flush in his skin. A simmering pot of frustration and shame, and
Goro wanted to fucking know why so he could fix it. Tell me, tell me, love, so
I can take it away. But Hansel wouldn't. He was going to keep carrying it.

.

When Goro had first started living at the abbey, he'd stolen
and hid food a lot. He had secret places where he stashed it, and some of it
went bad, but it wasn't like he gave a shit; he was used to eating food like
that anyway. When some cleric found one of his stashes and tried to clean it
out, Goro had gone fucking ballistic.

Sometimes people needed to hold onto their rotting food, he
guessed.

Now Hansel was trying to change the subject and all, back to
Jasmilia. Throwing Goro off his tracks. That was okay. Goro could give him that,
if it was what helped.

D'you how fucking scared I am of losing you?

Fucking... no. Goro had never really thought about it. He
kind of wanted to ask how scared, but that probably wouldn't do a lot to make
Hansel feel better.

"Psh," he said. "Good luck getting rid of
me."

Lacked conviction, though, compared to the last time he'd
said something like that.

Jasmilia had just told him to wait here. So he'd waited.

And waited.

**Izzy:**

 "Like I'd fucking try." Again. Hansel tightened
his grip around Goro and didn't let himself go down that fucking rabbit hole --
focus on the here and now.

The doorknob rattled, making Hansel sit up straighter in
alarm, and then he heard Luci's soft voice. A beat later, there was a tap at
the door, and Luci hesitantly said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but um.
Goro's sister is here? She seems quite insistent."

**Lina:**

"Oh." Goro almost fell off Hansel's lap in his
rush to get up--would have, if Hansel hadn't steadied him.

**Coyote:**

 Theo stood in the doorway. She looked up impatiently, her
long tangled from sleep. Once she saw it was Goro, she flung her arms around
his waist— that was about as high as she could reach.

Then she saw Hansel. Her eyes widened and became enormous.
She stared at Hansel, then looked up at Goro, then stared at Hansel.

She pointed questioningly to Hansel and looked at Goro.

**Izzy:**

 Hansel raised a hand uncertainly.

**Lina:**

"Uh, that's--" Goro gave Theo a squeeze, then
dropped down to his knee so she wouldn't have to look up at him.
"Hansel." He showed her Hansel's Nighthand name. He'd started signing
everything he said to her, hoping she'd pick it up and get comfortable talking
to him that way. "He's my... good friend. Boyfriend. He's nice, and
safe." Signing each word as he went.

**Coyote:**

 Theo watched his hands, fascinated. She nodded slowly, and
then eagerly.

Then she bolted for Hansel. She climbed onto the bed
immediately, then stood next to him to examine him imperiously. Standing on the
bed, she was about the same height as him sitting down. She got very close to
his face and examined his teeth, particularly the tusk.

After a moment, she seemed to make up her mind. She nodded
approvingly, then made a thumbs-up gesture at Goro and climbed into Hansel’s
lap.

**Izzy:**

 Hansel stayed very still while the kid studied him. She was
fucking tiny -- like Jonn had been when Hansel first met him -- and here he was
with his fuckin' tridents on his back and a scar across his face. For someone
who liked kids he didn't do a great fucking job of making himself presentable
to them.

He seemed to pass inspection, though.

"Oh." He automatically put an arm around her to
stabilize her, careful to not squeeze or anything -- just give her a little
support. "Uh, all right then."

**Lina:**

Goro was beaming. That was fucking great.

Although... huh. She'd taken his seat. He didn't think about
that. Ah, well.

He came over and sat beside them on the bed. "Couldn't
sleep?" he asked. "Oh, uh, by the way. Hansel, this is Theodin. Theo.
She's my... sister."

**Coyote:**

 Theo continued climbing on Hansel. Not content to sit on his
lap, she clambered onto his back instead. She wrapped her arms his neck and
hung there, piggyback, in case he got up.

She seemed pleased with this. She stayed there.

She nodded to Goro. She glanced down at herself. No one had
helped her change into night clothes.

**Izzy:**

 "Uh, doesn't seem ..." Hansel trailed off, looking
back at the kid hanging there against his shield, between his tridents. He was
going to say doesn't seem safe, but she'd worked it out well enough.

He looked to Goro questioningly. Did Goro know her routines?
Maybe she needed a story, or a snack, or something. He'd start suggesting
things if he had to, but figured he'd wait and see.

**Coyote:**

 Theo stared expectantly at Goro between the tridents.

**Lina:**

"Guess insomnia must run in the family," he said.

**Izzy:**

 "Uh-huh." Hansel gave him an amused look, then
looked back to the kid again. "Theo, d'you need help with something so you
can get to sleep?"

**Coyote:**

 Theo shook her head and continued clinging to Hansel’s back.
She dug her heels in.

**Lina:**

"I think you're gonna have to give her a piggyback
ride, or something."

**Izzy:**

 "Yeah? All right." Hansel made sure she was
secure, then stood slowly. "Where to?" he asked her. "My vote's
bed, 'cause it's the middle of the fuckin' night. I mean, shit. I mean, fuck --
never mind."

**Coyote:**

 Theo scoffed and made an angry, disapproving noise. She
pulled on Hansel’s hair, trying to steer him left, away from her bedroom.

**Lina:**

"Hey, hey now." Goro reached up and gently pulled
Theo's fingers out of Hansel's hair. "Be nice. He's not a goddamn
packhorse."

**Izzy:**

 Hansel started to automatically say, nah, s'all right, then
wondered if he maybe shouldn't fucking undermine Goro's authority with the kid.
He'd done that shit a lot with the Eldathyn clerics and Jonn. Wasn't great.

Luci had retreated down the stairs, to the front door with
Jonn, who was tossing up and catching a knife idly and watching them with
bright-eyed interest and a tilted head. He'd guess that Goro didn't want Jonn
anywhere around Theo, so he turned away.

He did go left, to appease the kid. "You wanna give me
a tour of the place? I just got here, y'know."

**Coyote:**

 Theo guiltily let go of Hansel’s hair, then patted his head
apologetically. She made a thumb’s up in front of Hansel’s face to signify:
Yep, she’d give a tour.

Once they reached the downstairs, she slid down his back,
careful not to catch herself on his weaponry. She padded over to the nearest
room: the library. She didn’t speak, just pointed to various objects as if
presenting them. The table, the chairs, some of the bookcases, a globe of the
world.

**Lina:**

Goro waved to get her attention. Every now and then he'd
sort of forget she wasn't deaf; she just didn't talk. Eh, anyway. He pointed to
the things she'd been pointing at and showed her the Nighthand signs for them.
"Copy me," he said. He glanced at Hansel and smiled. "You
too."

**Izzy:**

 Hansel scoffed a bit, but went along with it. Fuckin' thief
shit.

**Coyote:**

 Theo scoffed. He was doing it wrong. She grabbed Hansel’s
arm to get his attention, then repeated the signs properly: table, chair, book,
globe. She watched sternly to make sure he did them again— correctly, this
time.

**Lina:**

"Yeah, Hansel, quit half-assing it." Goro grinned
and grabbed him by the collar, dragging him down to kiss his cheek.

Then he turned on Theo, trying to make himself look serious.
"You gotta go to bed, kid. It's late. Thanks for the tour, though."

**Izzy:**

 Hansel grumbled good-naturedly at the kid correcting him,
grinning through the complaints. Fucking precious. This kid was great.

He backed Goro up. "Yep. Good tour." He glanced
around the library. "You like books? How about me and Goro tell you a
story to help you get to sleep, eh?"

**Coyote:**

 Theo waved dismissively. None of the books here were
interesting. She thought for a moment.

In a very quiet, clear voice, she said, “D-do you have
s-stories?”

**Lina:**

Goro's eyes widened, but he didn't want to make a big deal
out of it. He looked to Hansel for an answer. What, was Goro gonna tell her
about Diva, or about his riveting stint in accounting for the Church? Yeah, no
thank you.

**Izzy:**

 Hansel nodded solemnly. "Kid, I got so many fuckin'
stories. What kind d'you like?"

He held his hands down, offering to pick her back up and
carry her to bed, and gave Goro a look that said, I got this.

**Coyote:**

 Theo shrugged. She clambered into his arms and imperiously
allowed him to carry her.

**Izzy:**

 "M'kay." He settled her comfortably in his arms
and started towards her bedroom, angling his head at Goro. "What d'you
reckon, chatichi -- that time me and Mishka saved you from spider monsters?
Maybe when I fought a bear. Or a shark. Maybe that time you and Luci --"
he nodded to her and Jonn as they passed by -- "and the others saved Roddy
from those guards who were trying to say he'd done something wrong. Or when you
all saved Joan from the Church of Helm. Or maybe when we got our castle, and
then some dipshit tried to steal it and we had to fight him for it."

He said it like he was asking Goro -- and he was, gauging
what Goro thought'd be appropriate -- but he was checking Theo's apparent
interest in each one he listed, too. Most of his stories were ... adventures.
Maybe she'd prefer something a little gentler. Some shit would have to be cut
out of any story he told, though; that was just how it was.

"Lots of fuckin' stories," he repeated.

**Lina:**

Theo made a face at the mention of the spider monsters, and
Goro did it right along with her--the only part of that story he liked was what
happened after, from about the time Hansel dragged him underwater in the cove,
and she sure as hell didn't need to be hearing that part.

"The shark, I think," Goro said, noting how Theo
perked up when Hansel said it. He added in Orcish, "Maybe you leave off
the bit about how you were drunk out of your mind, yeah?"

**Coyote:**

 Theo drummed her heels excitedly.

**Izzy:**

 Hansel snorted, but he could hardly defend himself, given
the types of stories he'd told Jonn when that little shit had been -- well,
little. He'd been too fuckin' dumb to realize that kids didn't need to hear
about shit like gutting enemy pirates, and that you weren't supposed to go drinking
with them.

He knew better now. He'd do better.

Theo's other brother was sold off to pirates, so maybe he
shouldn't say he was a pirate. "A'right. I used to be a sailor." She
was too old to ask d'you know what a sailor is? -- quiet, not dull. "All
over the Calish Sea." He made the sign for 'sea' -- he'd picked that one
up.

"This one time, me and some of my friends were playin'
a game up on the deck -- the top floor of the ship, y'know?" It'd been a
drinking game, but that wasn't important. "And I got real close to the
side of the ship without noticing, 'cause I was focused on the game -- I was
fuckin' losing, see," he admitted in an conspiratorial undertone.

They'd made it to Theo's room by now, and he pushed the door
open and went to sit on the side of her bed. He was never real good at setting
kids down, so he kept holding her unless she willingly scooted away.

.

"Anyway, ship's moving along at a good clip, and we hit
a li'l bit of chop -- ship bucks up under me, then falls away, and off I fuckin'
tumble into the blue. Warm waters, 'least, but I go under 'cause I'm all
disoriented from the drop. Lose my breath and everything.

"Then I open my eyes, and the saltwater's stingin'em,
and I don't half know where I am 'cause of the fall, but I'm trying to get my
way to the surface again -- and the water's really pretty and clear, like blue
stained glass, but I don't see the shark. I don't see her 'cause she's above me
-- I fuckin' plummeted right past her on the way down, like a cannonball that
just missed its mark.

"So I don't see her. I'm just fuckin' clawing up
towards air and one of my hands slams into her. And she might woulda left me
alone, 'cause me and her, we're about the same size, and sharks ain't idiots --
but then I go and hit her by accident, right? And she don't take too kindly to
that."

He tugged his coat and shirt aside so Theo could see the
edge of the bite mark nearest to his neck. "Chomps down on me something
fierce. Now I'm out of breath and I got a shark attached to my fuckin' shoulder,
so I swing out with the other fist and whack her in the gills -- sharks don't
like that. Sorta like being punched in the throat, I guess. And she gets the
idea and lets go of me."

He paused. Maybe a bit more trimming would be best at this
part of the story, too.

"Anyway, my friends came back for me in one of our
ship's little tinder boats, and once that shark got the idea that she shouldn't
fuck with me, I haul myself up into it, all coughing up seawater and bleeding.
One of'em tells me I look about dead, and like I was gonna lose my arm, and I
told her nah, nah, nah, it's all good, 'cause I might've lost the game we were
playing, but I sure fuckin' beat that shark."

**Lina:**

Goro sat next to them on the bed and listened to Hansel tell
the story. He'd never heard it in detail before, and he had the feeling he
shouldn't find it as fucking dreamy as he did, but... ah, well. He was too in
love with Hansel not to.

He was curious, though, how much Hansel was editing it or
embellishing it to make it more kid-friendly. Maybe he'd ask for the unabridged
version later. For now, he watched Theo, studying her reaction.

It hadn't escaped his notice the way Hansel had called
himself a sailor instead of a pirate. Good idea for now, probably. But Goro
figured that when they went to find Bakir, Theo would find it reassuring to
know the truth. Yeah, sure, pirates took your brother. But Hansel here is a
pirate, too, and he's a bigger and better pirate. We got this.

That was pretty fucking dreamy, too.

**Coyote:**

 Theo watched Hansel intently throughout the whole story.
Finally when he stopped talking, she seemed satisfied. She crawled under her
covers and tucked herself into the center of the enormous bed.

**Izzy:**

 Hansel gave a pleased nod. Yeah, he was fuckin' great at
this kinda thing. "All right. You sleep good, kid. We'll be down the hall
if you need anything."

He pushed himself up. If -- if she were Jonn or Luci, or
Roddy, either, he'd lean over and kiss her forehead without even thinking about
it, but he'd just fuckin' met this kid, so he didn't. Looked to Goro instead,
to follow his lead.

**Lina:**

Goro redid Theo's own job of tucking herself in, pulling the
blankets up to her chin and patting them down around her. He gave her a kiss on
the forehead. "Sleep tight. I'll be here in the morning."

**Izzy:**

 God, fuckin' adorable. Goro was really taking to this big
brother thing. Hansel gave him a moment, then gently pulled him away to let
Theo sleep, directing him back to the room he'd claimed for them before.

He figured Goro wouldn't be sleeping. He didn't sleep well
on the best nights, and this sure as hell wasn't one of them. Still, he
shrugged his bandolier off and propped it by the door, and tugged Goro to bed
-- sitting against the headboard and making Goro rest in his lap.

"Good kid," he commented, kissing Goro's hair.
"Seems sharp."

**Lina:**

"Runs in the family," Goro said, not sure if he
was joking or not. Who fucking knew? Maybe Luka had been sharp. Maybe not.
"Y'know, I uh..." He was trying to restrain himself a little and not
cling to Hansel like a fucking barnacle, but it was hard. He settled for a
fistful of Hansel's shirt so he wouldn't be digging his nails in, at least.
"I found out about my dad, too. Morgan found him for me."

**Izzy:**

 Hansel frowned. "Yeah, you mentioned something about
that when you Sent. Is he, uh, also a piece of shit?"

God, hopefully not. Goro would always have Amari, but -- if
at least one of his birth parents wasn't fuckin' awful ...

**Lina:**

Goro took a bit to answer. Finally he shook his head.
"Well, I mean, I guess I don't know. But, uh. He was excited to have me,
Morgan said. She found some letters he wrote. And uh... Jasmilia said..."
He shook his head again. Not sure why. Maybe at himself, trying to keep it together.
"She said he loved to hold me, when I was a baby. I guess. He died, after
a long illness. Buried right in Skyport."

**Izzy:**

 "Oh." Maybe that was ... all right, all things
considered. Parents couldn't hurt you or disappoint you if they were dead, and
all that was left was the words of people who'd loved them and not seen their
faults. It was easier for him to just assume Yehuda had been fucking wonderful,
and would've been excited to have him, too. Couldn't have it twisted into
something to hurt him.

Still, though -- fuck. He kissed Goro's head and squeezed
him tight. "I'm sorry, ahuv." He didn't know if it'd help, but he
hesitantly said, "We'll visit him, when we get back, all right? If you
want. I'll go with you."

**Lina:**

Ah, that was good. Goro had been planning to ask Hansel to
come with him, but he'd felt weird about it. Afraid Hansel wouldn't see the
point, or know why Goro wanted him there. Goro hugged him back tight and
nodded. "Thank you. That'd be good." He was also one hundred fucking percent
planning to cast Speak With Dead and ask him a couple things, but Hansel could
wait to find out about that part until it was happening. "He's in a
mausoleum. Morgan actually thought--maybe I'd want to move his remains. 'Cause
he was a wood elf. He should be in the woods, I guess." Goro shrugged as
best he could with Hansel squeezing him. "His name was Luka Voronin."

**Izzy:**

 Huh. Hansel didn't know much about wood elves, but yeah, it
did seem to make sense that he should be in the woods.

Hansel wondered briefly if it'd be fucking weird to suggest
they bury him with Yehuda, and decided to not say anything.

"Luka Voronin," he repeated thoughtfully. God, how
many fucking last names did Goro have, now. "Any other family? We could
... look."

**Lina:**

"Yeah, I don't know. Sounds like his clan was wiped out
in an orc raid, or something. There's gotta be some connection out there,
though, right? I mean, I don't really know if I need more family or not, but...
I'd like to find someone who knew him, at least. Who can tell me about him, and
the Voronins. Eh."

**Izzy:**

 "Mm," Hansel agreed, thinking. He wasn't good at
this kinda shit -- he couldn't offer Goro any solutions. But he could kiss his
hair and shift him into a more comfortable position, to wrap him up more
completely, and promise, "We'll find somethin'."

**Lina:**

"Yeah." Goro went back to gripping Hansel's shirt.
"You don't gotta... eh. I know what you'll say. Of course I will, blah
blah blah. You don't actually have to, though."

**Izzy:**

 "Uh huh." He kissed Goro's head again.
"Gonna, though."

**Lina:**

Goro bit back a whimper. He was getting that thing that
sometimes happened to him--not often anymore, he was getting better, but--that
thing where he got panicky about someone being nice to him. Never could
understand it, not even when Amari tried to explain it to him.

He felt like squirming away and hiding, but he also felt
like hiding against Hansel, so he guessed he'd just fucking stay where he was
and try and deal with it.

Change the subject, maybe, sort of. "Hey, uh, what'd
you find out about your dad, anyway?" Oh--fuck--fuckin', great job, Goro.
Smooth. Happy subject change, yeah.

**Izzy:**

 Hansel could feel Goro shift, a tiny bit, and even though it
was considerably less fucking dramatic, it somehow reminded him of that first
time he'd dragged Goro into bed and aggressively fuckin' cuddled him, and at
one point Goro had thrashed away and then come right back with some flat excuse
about getting comfortable. He figured Goro was just ... uncomfortable about all
the touching, even though he'd clearly really fucking liked and wanted it, too.

He didn't get why it'd be happening now. For a beat the
nervousness crept up his back, telling him he'd done something wrong, and Goro
didn't want to be here; he'd fucked up somehow. He pushed it away. He could
only reassure himself so many times that this was all right, and subtly ask
Goro to tell him it was all right with every if you want to and as long as you
want me.

So he just fucking doubled down, because actually that was
usually what Goro seemed to want -- he held onto him more tightly and slid
down, rolling them onto their sides and half-pinning Goro with a leg over him,
tucking Goro under his chin and cuddling him against his chest, arms curled
firmly around his back.

"Not much," he said, because he'd drop it if Goro
wanted to drop it -- if that was why he was upset.

**Lina:**

Goro let out a sigh and tried to make himself settle. That
feeling like he should squirm and fight was still there, like fucking bugs in
his skin. And it had nothing to do with wanting to get away from Hansel, or
anything. Kind of the opposite, actually. Felt like he was on the edge of a
cliff, sliding, and he had to scramble to hold on.

He didn't, though. Hansel was fucking holding him as tight
as possible. He wasn't going to let Goro fall, whatever that meant.

Still, Goro clung tight, not really worrying anymore about
looking too desperate or digging his nails in. He turned his face against
Hansel's chest and breathed slow until the squirming feeling subsided a little.

Hansel had him. It was alright.

"So, uh," Goro said after a while, voice muffled.
"You going back to Shepherd Hills? After we kill the hydra?"

**Izzy:**

 Goro went quiet for a while, but Hansel thought it was an
all right kind of quiet -- settling slowly -- and he'd done the right thing. He
kissed Goro's hair and told himself Goro wanted to be there, and Hansel wasn't
trapping him.

They both settled, a bit.

He made a non-committal sound in the back of his throat.
"Little while, maybe. Help Leigh reroof the barn before spring, if he
needs it." He paused. He was still getting his father's fucking revenge,
too, but it wasn't as pressing a need as it had been, before. There'd be time.
"I'm coming home, though. After that, for sure. Miss you all too
much."

**Lina:**

"Mm." Fuckin' farms, and shit. Always work that
needed doing. He needed to get back into trying to convince Leigh and Marion to
move their whole operation to Glimmerton. It'd be a lot of trouble at first,
yeah, but worth it in the long run. "Maybe, um. Maybe I could come along
and... well, you know, there was that sick goat last time. I could check on the
animals, and shit, while you're doing the roof."

**Izzy:**

 "Or you could come along 'cause I fuckin' want you
there," Hansel pointed out.

**Lina:**

"Ahh. Nn. Psh." He pressed his face harder against
Hansel, practically smothering himself. He mumbled an argument that was too
muffled for Hansel to understand, and therefore to respond to.

**Izzy:**

 "Mmhm." Hansel thought about asking if he wanted
to repeat that a little louder, but his response was going to be about the same
no matter what it was. "You tryin' to argue with me?" He kissed
Goro's head. "Maybe I'll just toss you over my shoulder and take you along
whether you like it or not, shemeshi."

**Lina:**

Goro grumbled a considerable amount more, and wiggled a bit.
Not trying to get away, just wanting to feel more of Hansel, test out how
securely Hansel was holding him. Then he turned his face to the side and
mumbled, "Good."

God, he felt so fucking grateful, having Hansel around when
he got like this. He wondered if he should try to tell him, or if Hansel would
brush it off. "Can I tell you something I... something I love about
you?"

**Izzy:**

 When Goro moved around and complained, Hansel just squeezed
him tighter for a moment. "S'pose."

**Lina:**

Man. Where to fucking start? Even just this one little thing
felt like a knot he had to untangle before he could explain it.

"Somebody... might've been Amari, might've been another
cleric, I don't remember. Somebody called me 'thorny' once. Man, that cracked
me up. I was pretty young, don't think I'd really heard a person described that
way before. I kept thinking about like, a thorny bush, you know? Got that image
in my head, and held onto it. I hated people touching me, so anytime someone
tried and I snapped at them or smacked them or whatever, I'd think, serves you
right, why are you sticking your hand in a thorn bush?"

He was quiet for a second. Realized it wasn't much of a
story, and sure as hell didn't explain what he was grateful for, not from
Hansel's perspective. He made himself keep talking.

"Kinda made me sad, though, sometimes... you know?
Because I sure as hell don't know how to not be a fucking thorn bush. I didn't
think... eh. Just figured... just figured that'd be how it was for me, for
better or worse."

He closed his eyes. Still hadn't fucking got to the Hansel
part. But he was afraid he'd get choked up again if he tried to say it. He
still felt a little weepy. Son of a bitch.

**Izzy:**

 "Hmm." Hansel considered what to say for a moment.
He got the point, even if Goro hadn't quite actually gotten around to making
it. God knew Hansel wasn't that great at making his points, all the time. Most
the time. Eh.

"Y'know," he said after a beat, "when I was a
kid, I wandered around in the woods a lot. There were a lotta deer paths and
trails left by hunters and shit, but I always ended up wandering off the paths
and half getting my ass lost, but -- anyway.

"I found this one old path that'd gotten all grown up
with wild blackberry bushes. And all I could think was, fuck, what's on the
other side, y'know? No one's been past the blackberries in a long fuckin' time,
'cause of the thorns. Too much work to cut'em down. I didn't have shit to do,
though, so I thought maybe I'd cut my way through.

"Thing was, though, the blackberries were so fucking
good. I picked a ton of'em and brought'em home, and my mom made jam out of'em,
and we just had fucking blackberry pies all the time, and it was fuckin' great.
Didn't wanna cut the bushes down just 'cause they were sharp. They were still
great fucking bushes.

"Still fucking curious, though, so one time I just
decided, y'know, fuck it, and I put on some thick clothes and fought my way
through. Got all scratched to hell, but that was fuckin' worth it, too, 'cause
I found this little pond -- water lilies and reeds, just the most goddamn
pretty little spot I'd ever seen."

He paused. He wasn't sure if he'd made a point, either.
"Anyway. It was worth it, is all I'm saying." He kissed Goro's head.
"Blackberries are fucking good. Thorns don't make a difference to
that."

**Lina:**

"Jeez. Hansel." So much for not getting choked up.
He couldn't really move his arms--which was great, he didn't fucking mind--so
he dabbed his eyes against Hansel's shirt. He sniffed. "You're always
saying shit like this. All the goddamn time. One thing after another. I guess
at some point I'm gonna have to fucking believe you, I don't know. Anyway, I
just wanted to say, I'm real grateful you don't... let the thorns stop you. I
love that about you. I love that you were that boy who just decided to brave it
and push his way through. God. You're fucking dreamy, you know that?"

**Izzy:**

 Since Goro was held too tight against him to see his face,
Hansel let himself look puzzled and amused by that. That was a new one --
dreamy. Sure, all right. He didn't get it, but he'd take it.

"Yeah, well. You don't gotta be grateful." Should
probably hold Hansel accountable for it a bit more. Plants with thorns had them
for a fucking reason, and all. Goro had too, and Hansel had pushed his way in,
anyway. He was trying to fucking be all right with it, because he knew Goro
was, but -- it was easier to just not fucking dwell on it.

He'd been so fucking careful with Mishka. He kept thinking
about that. So goddamn careful, and then just grabbed Goro and done what he
wanted. Yeah, trying to think about it in some kind of positive light was
fucking impossible.

He rubbed his beard against Goro's hair, trying to put it
out of his head. "People get to fuckin' ... be defensive when they're
hurt, and shit. Doesn't meant you don't deserve someone being nice to
you."

**Lina:**

"Nah, it's not about being nice. It's just... the way
you won't let go of me, and shit. How am I not supposed to be grateful for
that? You're not doing me a fucking favor, you love me. It's not something just
anyone could do, 'cause they were a decent person or whatever. It's you,
Hansel, it's fucking you, and how much you love me."

**Izzy:**

 "That's what I fuckin' mean, dumbass," Hansel said
fondly. "You don't have to fuckin' be grateful for me loving you. God. You
fuckin' deserve for someone to love you and not let go of you."

Ideally someone fucking better at it than Hansel was, who
wouldn't fucking get freaked out and run away and doubt shit, but until that
person showed up and Goro realized he could do better, yeah --

Hansel would try to not let go until Goro told him to.

**Lina:**

"Hm." Goro pulled his head back far enough to
smirk at him. "Are you saying you're not grateful that I love you?"

**Izzy:**

 "Nope." Hansel kissed his forehead. "Not
grateful. Happy. Different fucking thing."

**Lina:**

"Huh. Is it different? What the hell kinds of stuff are
you grateful for, then?"

**Izzy:**

 "Dunno. Simpler shit." He thought about it for a
moment; he guessed he never really had, before, just taken it for granted.
"Mishka making me breakfast. Leigh whittling me a shark. You sending Jonn
and Luci out to visit me at my mom's. Someone loving you is bigger than fuckin'
... gratitude."

**Lina:**

"Alright, fine." Goro pushed back in to cuddle
against Hansel's chest again. "I feel 'feeling that's bigger than gratitude.'
Happy, sure. Real fucking happy." He paused. "Sure am grateful you
give me something that makes me so damn happy, though."

**Izzy:**

 Hansel snorted. "All right, all right. Twist it around
on me, then. Goro fuckin' Flatflower."

**Lina:**

"Mhm. That's what I'm good for." Goro kissed
Hansel's shoulder. "I'm the only one who puts you in your place. Ain't
that right? You'd get a big head if it weren't for me."

**Izzy:**

 He snorted again.

**Lina:**

"I'm gonna take that as you admitting defeat. Goro
Flatflower's got you under his thumb." He paused for a moment. "What
do you think of Goro Voronin?"

**Izzy:**

 "Dunno. What d'you think Amari'd think of it?"

**Lina:**

"Hadn't really thought about it. Psh, she doesn't own
me." He frowned. "Guess I'll have to ask her about it."

**Izzy:**

 Hansel was quiet for a moment. "I, uh. I mean, I don't
fuckin' know Amari that well, but I get the feeling she'd want you to do
whatever you -- y'know, fuckin' feel best about." He lifted a hand to
scratch his beard thoughtfully, then let it rest knotted in Goro's hair, gently
massaging his scalp. "My thinking is that, I'm gonna start going by my
mom's last name, the one she had before, 'cause fuck Elijah Granger. And I know
that ain't how you feel about Amari. But ... Dunno. Maybe you could use
both."

**Lina:**

"Flatflower-Voronin? Fuckin' mouthful. Maybe, though.
Or maybe I should find out more about the Voronins first. If they're the same
caliber as the fucking Bashas--minus the one Basha--then fuck that. But, you
know, I ain't much of a Flatflower, either. Amari's never actually called me
Goro Flatflower, or anything, but I guess you don't usually refer to your
own... your own kid..."

God, that was weird. He'd gotten used to calling Amari his
mother, but he'd never referred to himself as her kid before. He turned his
face against Hansel's chest and shook his head a little, like he was resetting
it.

"Uh, what's your mom's last name?"

**Izzy:**

 "Bell. S'my middle name already." He kissed the
top of Goro's head, between his fingers, and commented, "Y'know, you're
fifty fuckin' percent of the Flatflowers, far as I'm aware. Think that means
you get some say in what they're like."

**Lina:**

"Psh." That was all the response a sentiment like
that deserved. Fuckin' everybody, acting like he made sense as a son for Amari.
He was fucking borrowing the name, and never felt quite right about it.

Hansel could've had a point, though--he'd been the one to
ask Goro, You think Amari wants a son other than you? and kinda flipped Goro's
whole view upside-down on the matter. Eh. Still.

"I liked Granger," he said, "but maybe I just
liked it 'cause it was you. I fucking agree with you on the 'fuck Elijah
Granger' thing. Hm. Hansel Bell... Hansel Bell." He smiled. "Sounds
dreamy. Dreamy name for a dreamy guy."

**Izzy:**

 Hansel scoffed and didn't respond to that part. "Well,
whatever you wanna go with'll sound good to me, 'cause it'll be yours."

**Lina:**

"Pfff. Pfff. God." Goro wiggled loose enough to
shove Hansel on the shoulder. "God! Cheesy. It's like you're fuckin' in
love with me or something."

**Izzy:** at 1:37 AM

"Aw, fuck," Hansel deadpanned. "You got
me."

**Lina:** at 10:23 AM

"Hah." Goro grinned and tickled him a little,
pleased. "Fuckin' embarrassing for you. You got a boyfriend and you love
him. Bet you wanna marry him, you big sap."

Last time Goro teased Hansel like this, they'd been drunk,
and he hadn't really meant to bring up marriage, and hadn't known Hansel wanted
to marry him, and it had kind of exploded, but... seemed safer to joke about it
now. Hansel was still wearing that Mask charm, at least.

**Izzy:** at 10:36 AM

"Mmhm." Hansel kept his face solemn. "Good
thing is, though, he's a fucking sap too and he wants to marry me right
back." He caught Goro's hand and spun the twine around his finger with a
thumb.

Twine was so fucking impermanent. He was going to have to do
a little better than that.

**Lina:** at 11:01 AM

"Psh. Pfff. Shhh. Yeah, I got nothing." Goro hid
his face against Hansel's chest again, flushed and giggling. He pushed his
fingers in between Hansel's and squeezed his hand.

He'd be lying if he said the name Goro Granger never crossed
his mind--but he'd dropped it like a hot fucking potato, like he always did
with shit like that. Kind of had the same problem as Flatflower, though, which
was he just wasn't sure it suited him. Definitely not, when you took into
account the 'fuck Elijah Granger' bit.

Goro Bell, though. Huh.

Goro Flatflower-Bell? Goro Voronin-Bell. Goro
Flatflower-Voronin-Bell. Hah.

God, fuckin' sap, yeah.

"Hey, how come you and Mishka don't have the same last
name? Ain't that a thing married people usually do?"

**Izzy:** at 11:33 AM

"He was already the feared pirate captain of the Red
Blade, Mishka Haeth, Terror of the Calish Seas. Y'don't get to change your
reputation like that." Hansel shrugged. It wasn't a big deal. "And I
was, uh, too stubborn to be the one to change," he admitted -- as fucking
little as his family's name had meant to him. "He uses my name, y'know, in
private sometimes, when being Mishka Haeth isn't important."

**Lina:** at 11:46 AM

"You? Hansel? Being stubborn? Well, I fuckin'
never." Goro scooted higher so he could give Hansel a bunch of kisses on
his face. "It's good, though. Too stubborn to take his husband's name means
too stubborn to let a bunch of blackberry bushes stop him from exploring. Too
stubborn to give up on a sad fuck like me who doesn't know how to make nice.
I'll take me a stubborn Hansel any day. He's fucking great."

**Izzy:** at 1:58 PM

Hansel grumbled wordlessly over the compliment but didn't argue,
pleased Goro seemed to be feeling better, at least.

**Lina:** at 3:20 PM

[end]

**Izzy:** at 10:00 PM

Title: Surname. Summary: Hansel comforts Goro about his
family and meets Theo. Much cuddling occurs, and talk of family names.