you hide your face with your disguise // 'cause someone filled your head with lies

[monoceroscaeli]

[It had been a few days since the hunt for the Great Mujina Youkai had come to an end, having to say goodbye to the kids and to Yoimiya too. The ship that was to take him back to Snezhnaya would be arriving a bit later in the day, and Childe sighs as he sits back in his chair in the tent he's occupying in one such hidden Fatui camp. He had a great time in Inazuma. The country was beautiful, rich with a new culture to learn and all sorts of places to explore and fight new and more exciting enemies. All his things were in order- the gifts that he'd bought to bring back to his family, Teucer's Onikabuto in a little bug box with some food to keep it alive during the trip back- all he'd have to do is wait for the ship and he'd be on his way.

He tells himself that he'd return to the country one day, once tensions between the Fatui and the Shogunate calm down. It was a miracle that he was able to stay as long as he has, evading the Tenryou Commission. He has some people to thank for that, and he won't forget what they did for him while he's been here. Some gifts would be in order for them upon his return.

The Harbinger idly plays with a writing utensil between his fingers. He'd like to bring something from Snezhnaya for Yoimiya, too.

There's a sharp rap at his door, and Childe sighs. He doesn't really want to deal with work right now, perfectly happy reminiscing on the time he's spent in Inazuma before he leaves, but answers with a bored tone to his voice:]

Come in.

[An agent enters, bowing and standing at attention.]

Sir, we've captured a Tenryou Commission spy that was found sneaking around. We've taken her into custody and are awaiting your orders on how to deal with her.

[Childe's eyebrow raises. It should have been hard to find this camp, even by the Shuumatsuban. Somehow, doubt creeps into his mind, but stands from his chair.]

Alright, I'll deal with it myself. At least I can have one last bit of fun before I depart.

[The agent only bows once more, to lead Childe towards the prisoner. He knows better than to argue with the Harbinger, but feels sorry for the spy. The two cross the camp to another tent, the agent stopping him right before lifting the flap for his senior commander.]

She claims to be from the fireworks shop, but we've seen Tenryou soldiers stop frequently at it.

[Before he can answer, the flap is lifted to reveal a certain girl that he'd met not but a few days ago...]

Comments

[monoceroscaeli]

[The whole world around them seems to have a sort of ardent feel to it, as if it took on a warm hue that follows wherever Yoimiya is. Even the soft boop leaves the tip of his nose tingling, his whole body more sensitive to her and her touch, open and receptive to anything she'd want for. All she'd have to do is ask. The feeling of longing he'd had for her is finally satiated temporarily, breathing out a sigh of content at the kiss she gives him. They finally get to be with each other longer than a day, and he's determined to make every second of it count.]

I've missed you too. I'm beyond overjoyed that we were able to set this little trip up for you. I've been restless waiting for your arrival.

[Tartaglia moves forward to press his forehead to hers, closing his eyes. All he wants now is to soak in her presence here, next to him. Like it's not imaginary that she's finally here after all these longs months apart. The letters were nice, and he always was excited to get a letter from her, but it was never enough.]

How have you been? Are your parents well?

[niwabi]

[ Yoimiya hums softly as he leans in to press their foreheads together. Her eyes close shut to bask in his comforting presence. It's been far too long since they got to be together. Sense of longing, feeling as though she's missing a vital piece, yearning for his touch, never before has a separation been so painful. It's still hard to believe this isn't a fantasy but so long as she has Ajax at her side, Yoimiya would never wish to wake up from this lovely dream. ]

My parents and I have been well. They were just as excited as I was about the trip. [ She giggles, reminiscing about her papa's joy and her mama triple-checking her luggage to make sure her daughter has everything packed. ] Before I left, the two of them had already begun making plans for when you back to Inazuma. They're ecstatic to meet you.

[ They have all the time in the world and she's determined to make the most of it. Her hands seek his, sliding her fingers in between his to remind herself that this isn't a dream. Ajax is truly right in front of her, they finally get to be together once more. ]

Your family are all wonderful people. I feel so blessed to have the chance to meet them. How have they been?

[monoceroscaeli]

[He's glad to hear that everything has been fine back in Inazuma for Yoimiya and her folks. He'd use all his power to make sure they were safe- whether that's an abuse of his power or not is irrelevant to him- and he's glad that it seems like after their little excursion around Inazuma City that it hadn't come back on the Naganohara family. If it had, he's not so sure if they'd be so ecstatic to meet him...]

Thank you for asking. Mother has been doing well, but Father is still fighting with his cough. I have medicine sent from Liyue to help with it, and Dr. Baizhu has done the best he can to help create a medication that soothes Father's throat and cuts down on the coughing. But it's still there, so we deal with it as well as we can from day to day.

[He tries to make it not sound all that serious, because it isn't, not yet. For now, it just makes him more grumpy and mildly annoying to deal with. His dad will be fine, he doesn't want to make her worry.]

Do your parents know who I am yet...?

[He wants to make that trip back to Inazuma sometime in the near future. If he's not being deployed somewhere, he's going to take every single day of vacation he's allowed.]

I can't imagine how surprised they'll be to hear who their beloved daughter has involved herself with...

[niwabi]

[ She's happy that not only his family is doing well, but he's been around to spend time with them. It is saddening that their father's symptoms don't seem to be letting up. But if Ajax is sure his dad will be fine, she'll try not to fret too much. Still, she wants to help. ]

I brought ingredients to brew homemade tea, ginger, and lemon tea are most Inazuman's go-to's for alleviating throat problems. It's not like Dr. Baizhu's medicines but I hope it helps your father even a little bit.

[ Before leaving on her trip, Yoimiya made sure to ask Ayaka for tea brewing advice. She's not nearly as skilled as the Shirasagi Himegimi but her friend taught her well. If there's anything she can do to help Ajax's sweet family, Yoimiya is willing to do anything and everything for all of them. ]

They don't. I wanted to wait and share that fact with them whenever you're ready to tell them the truth.

[ At his question, she gives his hands a gentle, reassuring squeeze. She understands that meeting her parents must be nerve-wracking for him, especially when you take his status as a Fatui into consideration. It's a scary step to take, one that will eventually have to happen. However, there is a reason why Yoimiya grew up to be so open-minded. ]

Don't worry Ajax, I have faith they will love you. They've always been such kindhearted, accepting people and I have no doubts they'll see you for the wonderful man you truly are.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He seems to breathe out a sigh of relief at her words. It's actually important to him to make a good impression on Yoimiya's parents, and he knows that's going to be a lot easier said than done given his background. But if she thinks everything will be okay, then he'll believe her and have faith it'll work out somehow. All he can do is hope and pray that they don't have disdain towards the Fatui somehow...but a good sign of that is that Yoimiya doesn't. If they do, they didn't pass it down to her.

Nodding, he leans back a little bit so he can take a moment to study her face, admiring every little detail of it, memorizing every curve and inch of her as best he can to try to etch this into his memory. It's terribly sweet of her to bring things along that might even remotely help with his father's cough.]

Thank you. It's my hope that I can prove to them that I'm worthy of being with their daughter. The last thing I want is there to be turbulence in our relationship because they disapproved of the two of us being together.

[Tartaglia runs his thumb over the knuckles of her hand, enjoying the comfort of the warmth of it.]

Thankfully that won't be an issue here. My mother already approves and I'm sure you'll easily win my father over with your conscientiousness. You didn't have to go out of your way to bring tea for him like that. I know he'll appreciate it.

[niwabi]

[ If she's able to provide him with even the slightest sense of relief then it feels like she's done her job. Meeting her parents might be one of the most nail-biting tasks the Harbinger has had to face but Yoimiya is confident he'll win their trust in no time. Once they see how sweet and caring he is, she's sure they will see past his allegiances and happily accept him as part of their family. In turn, she'll do her part to ease any concerns they might have.

Relief floods her heart from the brush of his thumbs and his reassuring words. She's overjoyed to earn a seal of approval from his siblings and mother. And now, all that's left is to win his father's favor. Ajax has given her a confidence boost, all she has to do is be herself but there's still that hint of nervousness lingering about since this is his father and she wants nothing more than to be accepted. ]

Hehe, I wanted to! I wish to do anything I can to help him feel better.

[ She knows what it's like to have a parent with ailments and... she knows Ajax will go out of his way to do the same for her father. ]

Speaking of gifts... [ Her eyes shift to the Inazuman-clad chest in the corner of his room. ] Would you like to see what I brought for your mother? I'll be happy to grant you early access.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He can tell she's a little nervous about meeting his dad, but he's not too worried. The girl is the sweetest person he's ever met, and his family has always been warm and welcoming, so he's got no doubt that she'll be perfectly fine when the time comes.

He smiles and looks at her with intrigue, wondering what she might of gotten for his mom. He hums thoughtfully, deciding that maybe it's best that he gets a look at it first just to make sure it's something that's alright (it probably is.)]

Sure. Go ahead and let me take a look. I know whatever you bought will be something wonderful indeed.

[He sits tight right on the bed to let Yoimiya get up and go over to take the gifts out of her travel chest, his own imagination filled with wonder at what she could of gotten. He idly wonders too, what other gifts might reside in that chest. Presents for the kids are no-brainers for Yoimiya, he bets- if it weren't for her, he wouldn't of had any idea what to bring for his own siblings.]

[niwabi]

[ Like a kid excited to show off their work, Yoimiya's bright eyes sparkle in childlike glee, she's been looking forward to showering his family with gifts from her homeland. She gets up to practically skip her way over to the chest. With both hands pulling on the handle, she lets out over the top oofs as she shimmies her butt back to the bed. Now with the chest in full display, she opens the lid and presents its contents with silly jazz hands. Kimonos of all colors and sizes are neatly folded alongside a myriad of gifts, such as a fan, a display katana, several toys... a trove of Inazuman treasures fills the box to the brim. ]

Ta-da~! For your parents and older siblings, I got them silk kimono robes that are super cozy to sleep in. [ A peach-colored one for his mom and sister and a blue for his dad and brother! ] Bottles of sake in all sorts of flavors, sakura and sea ganoderma scented bath salts, decorative fans, and katanas for display.

[ And of course, she doesn't forget about the kids! Picking out presents for children is her specialty. ]

I also got kimono robes for the youngsters. [ Blue for the boys and pink for Tonia! ] Inazuman spinning tops and kendama for Anton and Teucer to play with each other. Oh, oh, oh! I just had to get these hair pins and comb for Tonia. [ She's very excited to show them both off! ] And last but certainly not least, I also made each one of them personal fireworks and a candy box just like the one in my hair.

[ She happily points to the round hair ornament dangling at the side of her head. Teucer gets a Mr. Cyclops-shaped box, Anton a Shiba inu box, and finally, a sakura-patterned box for Tonia! Naturally, each boxes are stuffed full of Inazuman candy. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[She sure seems happy with the fact that she has all these gifts from Inazuma, he can see her eyes shining at the idea of being able to give them to everyone. He watches on in amusement as she pulls the chest over towards him, wondering if she's sticking her butt up at him on purpose or not for this little exercise, but his eyes widen in wonder once she opens it.

All sorts of different toys and trinkets, silk that he recognizes from the store he'd bought his own bolts of silk from the last he was there, and katanas! Those were really cool, he has no doubt that his family will be enamored with all of these gifts. He looks back to her after she's done explaining everything, nodding his head in satisfaction.]

You went above and beyond for them. I don't even think I managed to bring so much back for them on any trip I've ever taken.

[Not mentioning the toys in the backyard so big they won't fit into the house, but that's a different, dumb story for later...]

This is wonderful. They're going to love all of this so much, Yoimiya. It's going to make their whole day seeing all of this. Do you want to head down now to give it to them all? Or perhaps we should wait until after dinner to give them all their gifts. If you give them to them now, they probably won't eat their dinner and Father might yell at them.

[Even so, his own eyes are sparkling with joy. He wants Yoimiya to give the gifts to his family just as much as she probably is.]

[niwabi]

[ Somehow, she doubts that he's never brought this much back for his family especially when she sees the gigantic toys in the backyard LOL but for someone as considerate as Ajax is to shower her with such a lovely compliment, it's incredibly flattering. While picking out each one of their presents, all she could think about was seeing their smiling faces as she presents them with a small taste of what her home country is like.

But the most lovely gift of them all is the joy sparkling behind Ajax's eyes. It's a breathtaking, mesmerizing view that has her utterly enchanted. A soft smile encapsulates her features as she lovingly stares at him... until he bestows one of the hardest choices she's ever had to make.

When to give out the presents!!! ]

Oh... what a tough decision! As much as I'd love to just go ahead and give everyone their gifts right now, it's probably best to wait until after dinner. The last thing I want is for them to get scolded by their dad, hehe. And that way! We can have fun after eating.

[ She knows children well enough that they will more than likely spoil their dinner by eating dessert first. Kids gonna be kids. ]

Is that okay with you?

[monoceroscaeli]

[He taps his chin a few times, agreeing with Yoimiya on this one. He doesn't want to see anyone scolded by his father either, and knowing his rambunctious siblings, they definitely will want to play with their new toys rather than sit still and eat something. That and he'd hate to Yoimiya to feel bad about it if that happened.

So Ajax nods his head.]

After dinner it is. We may have to sneak the chest downstairs too. If the kids know it's there, there's no way that they're not going to beg and plead to see what's inside. We can tell them to wait, but dinner will be abuzz with their excitement at the table.

[He laughs in slight embarrassment...they're kids, but still, acting at the dinner table like that isn't very polite.]

That's...the last thing we want. So why don't we sneak it down the back way?

[He winks at her, like he's got a secret he's excited to show her.]

[niwabi]

[ Happy day! Although she has to wait a little longer to see their precious reactions, waiting until after dinner will be all the more worth it since they'll get to play with their new toys until bedtime. They won't get scolded by their papa and they still get to have fun, it's the best possible scenario for everyone involved.

She catches that adorable wink and lights up at him. Leave it to Tartaglia to make sneaking a chest downstairs fun and exciting. ]

Let's do it! It will be our first joint mission in Snezhnaya, hehe. So... the first order of business. We gotta make sure we sneak this chest down without the kids noticing and then we can give them a big surprise after dinner.

[ Not Yoimiya treating this like some top secret mission... ]

I trust you're able to tackle this task, Mr. Harbinger. Since you know this place well [ it's only his HOME after all nbd ] I will follow your lead every step of the way.

[monoceroscaeli]

[He can't help but laugh softly at the way Yoimiya is treating this. It's like it were a top secret mission for a Fatui soldier, except the mission is to make his kid brothers and sister happy. But, if she's going to play along, so will he.]

Good! I expect the utmost discipline and obedience to my orders, [he says as he sets his arms akimbo.] Any dereliction of duty will result in a severe punishment.

[Another wink to go along with that- as if the punishment would be anything less than Tartaglia spoiling Yoimiya rotten in any number of ways.]

Now, follow me. I have something to show you.

[He stands to pick the chest up, hefting it in front of him as he walks to one side of the room. It's just a wall, nothing all that suspicious about it, until Tartaglia sets the chest down and presses against the wood of the wall in a particular spot. The action reveals it was a section of the wall that served as the 'button' to activate what happens next- the wall itself swings open just slightly to reveal there's actually a hidden passage from Tartaglia's room to who knows where.]

We'll use this to get downstairs. Surprised, huh?

[niwabi]

[ Bless him for playing along, Tartaglia always has her back. Yoimiya giggles as the takes to the role of commander perfectly. She excitedly nods her head and gives him her best salute. Sir, yes, sir! There's no way she'd ever possibly think about deserting her beloved's orders but...

The wink he sends her way does make her want to do a little disobeying, hehe. Just a little. Any thoughts she might have had of being naughty instantly vanish when Ajax's action causes the wall to suddenly pop open, revealing a secret passageway that leads to a most mysterious place. She gasps at the unexpected turn of events, quickly making her way over to inspect the wall in amazement. Like an excited child herself, Yoimiya's honey-colored eyes glimmer and sparkle at how awesome this setup is. This is so gosh darned cool...!!! ]

Ooooh...!!!!

[ Oops, in the midst of her excitement, she might have gotten a little loud there. In a flash, Yoimiya is quick to bring her hands to her mouth to quickly hush up. Maybe a punishment is in order and she'll be down bad for it awashg;awhjiago. ]

Hehe, sorry. Couldn't help myself. [ What's an indoor voice??? ] Yeah, you really caught me by surprise. Never would have guessed there's a secret passage in your room. So cool..!

[monoceroscaeli]

[Her reaction gets him to grin- it is pretty cool, though he hadn't had it installed for that purpose. But seeing her oooooh at it was definitely worth it for the reveal, looking inside of it for a moment before looking back to her to appreciate that look of wonder. Though, he can't help but actually laugh at how loud she was. It's very alright, and the look on his face suggests it- he's pretty sure no one heard her.]

I'm glad you think so, haha. I originally had it installed for the purpose of being able to sneak out of the house when official matters came up without alerting my siblings...but I've had plenty of other uses for it.

[Picking up the chest, he steps inside. Unlike the rest of the house, there is no stairway here- it's been put in as a slope instead, surrounded by the wood of the cabin. At the bottom there seems to be a fork in the road, one that goes into the house itself, presumably the living room, and the other leading to the outside. It's dimly lit, as to not reveal any light from underneath the slight crack on the floor. A perfect secret hallway.]

Come, they'll never guess where we came from. We can tell them all it was our little magic trick. Don't forget to close the door behind us, Yoimiya.

[(^.~)☆!]

[niwabi]

[ Oof, he's got a good point! Before she gets swept up in her excitement, Yoimiya makes sure to quickly shut the door behind them. Now with that out of the way, she's practically bouncing on her heels while following him into the depths of this secret passageway, oohing and ahhing at the splitting paths at the bottom. She's so amazed... it's the perfect way to sneak out without his siblings noticing. Tartaglia never fails to amaze her with how far ahead he plans. ]

Woooow... this whole setup is so neat! The kids are going to be so amazed when we surprise them with this chest. I can already picture their adorable eyes shining like bright stars!

[ Someone is getting thrilled on behalf of the kids... calling this their little magic trick will add to the excitement and fuel their precious imaginations. ]

Do your parents know about this hidden passage?

[ Yoimiya is already thinking about the ways they can amaze the children with this secret. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[If he didn't know any better, Yoimiya's got the amazement of his own siblings...and somehow he's not surprised by this. That's a child-like wonder very few people have nowadays, and it's endearing if anyone's asking him. He giggles quietly at her reaction as they walk further down to turn right, leading them to the door that leads back into the house.]

They do. They don't use it, there's no reason to, but they know that their son sneaks out of it from time to time. They see it as an emergency exit as well- just in case something happens.

[A fire, an intruder, doesn't matter. It's another exit out to keep his family safe and he's not regretting putting it in even more now. It's not long before they reach the door, and he presses his ear to it to listen in. He can hear the kids finishing up their little board game that they were playing earlier, and the stomping of feet towards the stairs.]

Do you hear that? They must be looking for us...

[No doubt those little kids wouldn't want to be away from their big brother and his girlfriend for too long. He presses a button on the side of the wall, quiet noises grinding from the inside as it unlatches the door and it opens, disappearing into a cavity into the wall itself as if it were never there at all. What sits in front of them is the living room from the opposite side of the front door, the giant window on their left and the couches and tables in front of them to their right.]

C'mon, now's our chance.

[niwabi]

[ Just in case something happens... she understands the sentiment, Snezhnaya's weather seems just as unpredictable as the roaring thunders of Inazuma. But what worries her more than anything is the possibility of his family being in danger because of his allegiance to the Fatui. For now, she'll try not to worry too much, there's not many who can go toe-to-toe with the Harbinger, he's got plenty of means to protect them. And it wouldn't surprise her if his family had their strengths too. Just from a glance, all of them have the presence of strong-willed individuals, even the kids.

... Especially the kids.

Speaking of those kids, she can hear the tromps of their feet marching up the stairs, no doubt looking for the two of them. She's trying not to laugh too hard but she can't stop the giggles from slipping out as she imagines their confused faces when they realize their brother and girlfriend have up and vanished. ]

Yes! I can hear the sounds of their precious feet pitter-pattering across the floor.

[ Now that they've secured their escape, Yoimiya awes at the door unlatching itself, and opens for them. Once they're out, she's amazed that they're back in the living room, and the door that they used to sneak out vanishes, completely well hidden. Goodness, who would have thought that such an intricate mechanism lurks inside the house of Ajax's family, it's so cool. Whenever they're alone, she makes a note to ask him who designed his house. ]

Looks like the first part of our stealth mission was a success. It's all thanks to you, Lord Tartaglia. [ A cheeky wink is thrown his way. ] Should we hide the spoils in a nearby closet?

[monoceroscaeli]

[Still playing along, Tartaglia sends back a smug smirk to her, as if there was any chance of failure with a mission as simple as this. But her suggestion gets the gears in his head turning. Hiding in a closet isn't a bad idea, but he knows his siblings. Tonia might be well behaved, but the other two...there's no doubt they might be suspicious of what Yoimiya had in that chest.

It's absolutely his own fault. He's gotten them used to being spoiled.]

Good thinking, but you've given me an even better idea. Why don't we hide it in plain sight? Those boys might think to check a closet or two just in case they suspect we're brewing something.

[The other part he's not saying is that he didn't have a plan on where to put the chest to begin with. He starts walking over towards the fireplace, but off to the side where a stack of wood sits, ready to be thrown in at a moment's notice to keep the house nice and cozy.]

Over here, by the fireplace. If we set it next to this stack of wood, I guarantee they'll-

[The loud footfalls of two kids running back towards the stairs from upstairs rings out in the house, and Childe's head snaps in that direction. Oh, they found out they weren't up there and immediately decided to seek them out...]

Yoimiya! Distract them, would you?

[He's gotta hurry and get this thing set down and close the secret door!]

[niwabi]

[ His suggestion is even better than hers, especially since he knows his rascal brothers well. Those two must be quite the handful on holidays, she can picture them sneaking around the house looking for the slightest clue about their presents.

Suddenly, the loud noises of their feet dashing down the stairs can be heard throughout the house. Those three are proving themselves to be Tartaglia's siblings, all right. Goodness, they are moving just as fast as he is. But never fear, Agent Yoimiya is on the case! She nods her head, shoots her boyfriend a quick wink, and makes her way on out. Sliding across the hardwood floor, she makes it just in time to greet them at the bottom of the stairs. ]

Heeeeey~! I was looking for y'all. How did the match go?

[ Crossing fingers they don't ask where their brother mysteriously vanished off to. She hopes that getting them to talk about their epic Dreadnaught game will keep them happily distracted while Ajax does his magic. ]

[monoceroscaeli]

[Even as he issues the order, Tartaglia wastes no time moving to the side of the fireplace to set the wooden chest down, nearly blending completely in with the spare wood for it. They shouldn't be able to find it there so easily, but now he's got to get that door closed before the kids discover it. He doesn't want to have to come up with a story on the fly for that...not yet.

The children are greeted by the cheerful Yoimiya, and Teucer first and foremost comes up to her there at the bottom of the stairs, just out of sight of their big brother and the secret entrance...]

Yoimiya!!! We waited so long for you and brother! We wanted to tell you that I won!!!!!

[The little boy seems so happy, his face bright and victorious. Anthon doesn't look all that pleased, but Tonia just gives a small smile up to their brother's girlfriend.]

Teucer's been getting better at these kinds of things. Brother Ajax teaches him well.

[Meanwhile, the door slides shut and Tartaglia makes his way back to the three siblings, arms akimbo, like nothing had happened at all.]

Heeeey, was that you three I heard thundering across the floor upstairs? I thought a snowstorm was hitting the house.

[They all look up to him proudly, as if they were some kind of powerful force that makes even their older brother be on guard. The boys temporarily forget Teucer's win, staring upward with pride.]

I lead the charge!

That's right, Anthon made sure we all made sure to find you two! We were worried!

[niwabi]

[ Out of the three kids, Yoimiya wasn't sure who was going to come out as the Dreadnaught champion, not only do each one of them have their own strengths, she can tell all three of them have been taught well by their beloved older brother. But somehow, Teucer winning the game doesn't surprise her, that sweet, precious child seems to idolize and acts like Tartaglia the most. That kid has got some wit to him, she had a feeling he was going to fight tooth and nail for that victory.

More importantly, she can tell they all had fun playing. Her heart is filled to burst with warmth seeing their bright faces, kids truly are precious treasures. She beams at them, reaching out to give each one of them a well-deserved pat on the head.

There's the sound of a door sliding shut, causing Yoimiya to glance over and see none other than the man of the hour himself! As expected, he took care of hiding that chest in no time at all. She's trying so hard not to laugh at his akimbo arms that don't look suspicious whatsoever. ]

It's true! Anthon was the first one I saw rushing down the stairs, he looked like a commander in charge. [ Hopefully that will cheer him up a bit from his loss. ] That's so kind of y'all to worry about us! Your brother was helping me get settled in.

[ They are all so sweet, Yoimiya is struggling so hard to not even give the slightest hint about their gifts. She has to stay strong! Seeing their surprised faces will be worth it. ]

Would it be all right if we checked up on your mother? We can talk some more over the dinner table! Ajax has also been dying to know what happened in the game.

[ Giggling, Yoimiya slyly looks over in the direction of Ajax, shooting him a quick wink. ]

I think Teucer has a lot to tell you.

[monoceroscaeli]

[Seeing the bright shining smiles of his siblings never fails to give him joy, happy that they had fun with the game and it'll be a fun pastime for them going forward. Ajax catches that wink from Yoimiya, sounds like Teucer won the game and is probably very proud of himself. Enough where he's sure he won't stop talking about it and will probably get overbearing at some point...but he knows his brother, he'll want Mother and Father to know all about his win.

He gives Anthon his own pat on the head for being such a good leader, stealing a glance at Tonia that says I hope they behaved, before facing Teucer.]

Does he now? Sounds like good news.

[Teucer's eyes brighten like two suns, clenching his fists in front of him, excited. He's about to open his mouth when Childe holds a finger up, smiling down at his brother.]

Ah, ah, let's wait like Yoimiya suggested to talk about it at the dinner table. You know that Mother and Father will want to hear too.

[The younger sibling's mouth snaps shut, nodding but doing as he's told. He can wait...good boys know how to wait. Brother taught him patience is important.]

Good. You three run along and get washed up, and we'll meet you at the dinner table. Yoimiya and I are going to help Mother.

Okay!!!!

[They all say in unison, before running off to head to the washroom. Tartaglia lets out a sigh of relief, thankful that their plan worked out.]

Whew, that was a close one. Thanks for the save there. We really only pulled that off by the skin of our teeth.

[niwabi]

[ Off those darling kids go, bouncing on their little heels to the washroom as per their brother's instructions. The giggles just keep slipping out as she watches them take off. Just from what Ajax told her, Yoimiya knew these little rays of sunshine were going to brighten up her trip and now, she feels especially blessed to have met them. They are such good kids, his family has raised them well.

She turns to Ajax with a big, bright grin. At this rate, her cheeks and stomach are going to hurt from all the smiling and laughing she's done over the course of these few hours. ]

No problem! It was a team effort on our part, I was impressed with how quickly you took care of that chest. One second I was chatting with them and the next, there you were! I didn't even hear you make a peep.

[ Tartaglia is so quick on his feet, it's amazing how fast he moves. If she were the one attempting to hide the chest, Yoimiya could see herself stumbling all over the place complete with crashing noises. She'd get caught right on the spot. ]

Where did you end up hiding it?

let's skip ahead to being sat at the dinner table imo

[monoceroscaeli]

[He's proud of the praise Yoimiya gives him, glad that he could pull it off (with her help of course!) All in a day's work for the middle child of the family trying to take care of three rambunctious siblings.]

It's right behind the wood pile next to the fireplace as planned. You can barely see it due to the shadows the fireplace casts on the side there, even if the wood is completely different than the wood we use to burn. It ended up being a pretty good hiding spot.

[He inclines his head towards the kitchen where his mom is definitely still working on things for dinner.]

C'mon. I doubt she'll let us do much cooking, but we can help set the table and bring the food out for her so she doesn't have to. Knowing Mother, there's a good chance everything's almost done anyway.