#Esha is that parent/auntie what will teach kid curse words only for a joke

[i-creatied-au]

Harmless joke

Summary: Rook is teaching Manfred how to show middle finger. And then she is facing consequences.

"Okay, Manfred... Now, raise this finger... Yes, good!"

Rook smiled softly and patted skeleton on the sculp, when he repeated movement of the hand after her. She tried not to laugh out loud, but mischievous sparkles was playing in her eyes, when quinari thought how many chaos her little joke will creat in the Lighthouse. Oh, maybe even in Grand Necropolis?

Esha looked at Manfred, who was observing his raised middle finger, with a smirk.

"Alright, Manfred, and remember - we show this finger only to people we love or like, okay?"

Skeleton stood there for a few moments before looked at her and hissed in approval. Esha's smirk grew.

"Great! Go now, say hi to someone."

He hissed enthusiastically and hurried out of the dining hall, showing middle finger to Davrin and Lucanis on his way out. Rook watched him with a smirk, pretty pleased with herself, until she heard a sigh from the couch.

"So, what flowers do you want on your grave?" Lucanis asked, raising his eyebrow.

"You think there'll be something to bury?" Davrin, sitting near him, chuckled and shook his head. "Nah, Emmrich won't leave even a pinch of dust from Rook after he'll find out"

"You're both too pessimistic," Rook rolled her eyes and folded her arms, "It's a silly joke, Emmrich maybe will be shocked but won't kill me..."

"Is that was jokes from the Fade or Fred just showed me a middle finger while running past me?" Neve asked with puzzled look, walking into dining hall. Davrin laughed loudly and even Lucanis couldn't help but chuckled quietly, hiding it behind the cup.

"Yeah, I taught him that," Rook said with a smirk, and got a surprised look from Neve.

"Taught him? Oh, Maker, you're dead"

"We told her"

"Why is everyone thinking I'll die?" Esha huffed. "It's Emmrich we're talking about. Not some monster-"

"ESHA ORANA MERCAR!" a loud shouting outside could be heard clearly in the dining hall. Quinari twitched from surprise and from anger she heard in Emmrich's voice. She went pale, feeling how sudden panic started to raise in her.

"Orana?" Neve asked with raised eyebrow and growing smirk. "How does he knows your full name?"

"No time to answer!" Rook shouted, running up on the stairs to the small balcony and getting out from there. As soon as she run out, dining hall's doors opened and Emmrich walked in, looking angry and like he was one step from throwing someone into the Fade. He looked at other companions.

"Where?" he only asked with a tense voice. All three pointed at the open door to the balcony. They loved Rook, but not enough to stood between her and angry parent. Emmrich nodded in appreciation and walked out from the doors, what he entered, to catch quinari on her way. Trio listened in silence to the sounds outside the dining hall. There were fast steps, then sound of a spell, sounds of someone falling and cursing in qunlat. Then there was short "Emmrich, I can explain-", sounds of spell and scream "NO, NO, PUT ME DOWN!"

Trio exchanged looks with each other.

"Well... I liked spending time with Rook", Davrin sighed, leaning back on the couch.

"She was so young..." Neve sighed dramatically, sitting down.

"I think I'll buy some forget-me-not on their grave", Lucanis hummed, sipping his coffee.

----

"EEEMMRICH! PLEEEASE! EEEMM-"

Emmrich didn't react on screams under the roof, continuing his spell, what hold Rook above the ground and spin her in circle motion. Necromancer looked up with stern expression, full of determination to teach young quinari a lesson. Esha wasn't so calm, being spinned around like a children's toy. She screamed and begged to let her down, her voice trembled from fast movement.

"EMM, I'M SORRYYY! PLEEEASE! I THINK III THROW UP!"

Older man sighed heavily and lowered her down after last sentence. Firstly, because he wanted to teach her a lesson, not to torture her. Secondly, he didn't want some of her lunch ended up on his books.

Esha sat down on the floor, panting and trying to calm down her heartbeat. She raised a finger to say something, but put it down, after she couldn't find a breath to say a word.

"Just... Give me a second," she sighed out, and Emmrich huffed.

"Oh, please, take all time you need," he said with a sarcasm. "Maybe after your little break you will tell me why Manfred is very enthusiastically showing me middle fingers"

Rook chuckled quietly, but put smile away after meeting man's angry look.

"Actually, I told him, what we're showing it to the people we like. So it's actually a good to know he likes you, right?" she gave him an awkward smile, but Emmrich kept a stern look.

"You think you're so funny, aren't you?"

"I thought so... But now I can see my mistake and I promise it won't happen again" she looked at him with puppy eyes. "I'm sorry, Emmrich. It was a harmless joke, really!"

Emmrich let out a long tired sigh. He nodded, accepting the apology.

"Very well... I'll forgive you on two conditions," he helped her got up. Esha lighten up from his words and nodded actively.

"Yes, of course, what is it?"

"First - you'll explain Manfred what it's inappropriate gesture and what he should never use it "

"Okay, fair enough... And second?"

"You'll take my turns on washing dishes for the next two weeks"

"What?! Two weeks?"

"I can always make it three"

"... okay, okay," she grumbled quietly, but didn't argue further. "Though, this joke wasn't so bad. No harm done!"

"Oh hey, Manfred!" they heard Bellara's voice from the corridor and looked there. "I was... Wow! That's a little mean, don't you think?"

"Okay, I get it," Rook started walking under Emmrich's stern gaze. "I'll go talk to Manfred before he gets sad, thinking he did something wrong"