and then we taste the quiet beginnings again

DEIMOS

After cleaning their region, after slaying behemoths, after letters and notices and notches, the eternity of subsequent lines might’ve yielded another pursuit of diligence and turmoil. Deimos and Evie could’ve equally stayed within the thresholds of Halo for decades and eons without the slightest opportunity to take a moment – but they’d also learned that it was impossible to run on endlessly, with nothing but apprehension awaiting them.

So, when the timing was cast, they arrived back in King’s End, within the cabin that had held exiled and disgruntled beings looking for a way to defy the world, to newlyweds hastening their love in an assortment of places. Now, it seemed to be a stronghold and a safety net for naught but their family – and the arrival along their doorstep set an ease to his shoulders that could’ve been long lost.

Hitching Erebos higher into his arms as he turned the doorknob and walked in; just as they’d left it, he turned back to Evie, a grin brightening over his features as the infant squealed in delight. “Lunch or swimming first?”

who we were before bones, before dirt, before even light
we have always been deep, restless souls

EVIE

the light of dawn is coming

During tenuous times of the past, the Wardens had historically lingered in Halo's reach, reluctant to be away during a pivotal moment. Over time they've both encouraged each other to live while the living is good, and now is as good a time as any. The Family are inexorable, seemingly without flaw or weakness, and their march on Caido has been steady but slow. To trust in the habits of the enemy is usually a fatal error, but this is the only reprieve they may be granted in the coming seasons.

Once they've arrived, any lingering concerns fade away, and the opening of the door feels like the closing of another that will hold against the tide of worries now firmly shut out of sight. The memories in these walls and along this shoreline bring a smile to her face long before Deimos turns his own over his shoulder to shine upon her.

"Swimming first, doesn't matter if we can heal away cramps if we get in too soon after eating, and we'll just work up an appetite by swimming anyway." Water safety means little with magic, but Evie can't help the doctor that lives in her brain sometimes, and she wants to enjoy this immediately. Might as well make themselves ravenous with their fun so they can emerge pleasantly worn and on the hunt for nourishment.

ready to return everything the darkness stole

DEIMOS

Deimos historically had difficulty closing those doors; in drawing the lines away from the hovering trepidation and the inevitable dread, yearning to instead make plans and manifest decisions, contort into machinations and spill calculations across paper until exhaustion took hold. But it would serve him no good to invest so wholly into the malice around them, and not cherish everything they’d built.

So at Evie’s decision, he smiled, nodding in accord and agreement. They could all change relatively swiftly, and he ensured Erebos had his own swim trunks for the occasion, before snagging at towels, and draping them over his shoulder. “Burgers sound good. With fries?” To already start the stir in their stomachs as they made their way to the lake, but he'd happily take other suggestions, Deimos listening to Erebos gurgle in response, and settling their things down by the shoreline.

Then he sat both of them down in the grass, tending to the infant’s arms and shoulders, intending to create and supply floaties on them (resembling ducks, to be appropriate with the current situation). Even if he’d never be out of either of their arms, the Sword valued safety above all else.

who we were before bones, before dirt, before even light
we have always been deep, restless souls

EVIE

the light of dawn is coming

There’s no need for concern over changing on the beach, so Evie doesn’t think twice before shucking her outer layers and slipping into her swimsuit there on the sand. Adjusting a twisted strap, she makes a groaned noise of delight at the prospect of burgers. “Yes please. I love vegetables but I miss meat a little since we make it less for Amhran.” Evie admittedly still hopes Erebos will be half as excited to eat his leafy greens as his demigod brother, but she can still miss the frequency of burgers and steaks in their nightly rotations too.

As Deimos begins crafting floaties, Evie sets up the umbrella and towels for any future languishing between swimming and eating. As duck imagery appears she chortles and coos somehow at the same time and decrees her work good enough in favor of crossing over to poke at an inflated beak. “What do you think of your chariot darling? Not as cool as Zuriel, right?” Perhaps he’ll end up with a companion of his own one day. Maybe even his own unicorn. Leaving the toddler for Deimos to transport in all his squeaking, vibrant yellow glory, Evie walks backward toward the water with a bright encouraging grin for their son to ease any uncertainty over this new experience. “Let’s go swimming!”

ready to return everything the darkness stole

DEIMOS

With agreements on food arranged, Deimos paid close attention to life jackets arranged carefully on the youth, before placing him in the shallowest portions of the shoal; where the lake water simply meandered in a lull and languid haze. The infant immediately screeched with delight, limbs kicking and flailing but not producing much of a splash, and the Sword snorted as he settled him amongst portions of sand to sit upon. Arms went flying too, tiny and modest means between the floaties and the preserver, but enough to quantify the experience with amusement and easy sauntering.

Not surprised Erebos had taken to the water – given how baths frequented – he snagged at the floating rubber duck, and then opted to secure the baby in there as well, toting him about until they were in range of Evie, where she could also be within full view of the wild and chaotic energy flowing from their son. With his legs dangling, Erebos could fully divest into all his infantile glory – reaching out towards the Evergreen with wet hands and rampant enthusiasm. “I can pass him to you,” the Sword reassured, gently pushing at the duck as it slowly turned, twisted, and twirled and the baby giggled with outright glee.

who we were before bones, before dirt, before even light
we have always been deep, restless souls

EVIE

the light of dawn is coming

Evie doesn't even remotely try to minimize the sound of her own laughter as it comes pealing out in chaotic accord with Erebos' squealing excitement. The water is refreshingly lukewarm as she steps deeper, a temperature they can never approximate in Halo's reaches outside of a warm house.

Reaching out in return as Erebos' hands flail toward her, Evie's entire face is a screwed-up freckly expression of euphoria as she turns her smile on Deimos. "Ready to dock," she affirms as Deimos pushes their son her way, and then snickers and says in undertone, "ready to duck." As she reaches out and guides Erebos - and inflatable - into her grasp, she honks the brightly colored bill with one hand and makes a cheerful, "quack!"

ready to return everything the darkness stole

DEIMOS

While Deimos snorted at the pun, Erebos was in his element. The child squirmed and twisted and squealed with every slow turn of the floating duck, his limbs sending up showers of spray and droplets to cascade over anyone and everyone nearby. They weren’t large, but plentiful instead, and as the Sword followed dutifully behind, he was treated to the modest implementation, shaking like a dog to affront more of the elemental substances.

Evie’s quacking was also enough to send the infant into amplified hysterics – peals of laughter rippling across the surface. There was an attempt to duplicate the quack utterance, but it came out as juvenile babble, and another shock of his fists into the water, sending a volley in the Evergreen’s wake.

Thoroughly amused by the combined antics, Deimos snuck up and permitted one of his muscled arms to pass through the water in a slow moving rivulet, permitting the tiniest and modest of waves to soar along floaties and people.

[FIN]

who we were before bones, before dirt, before even light
we have always been deep, restless souls