#Lito's name literally is stone. It's silly

[littlepatchofhell]

Tonight's snippet

That feeling when someone pronounces your name, not just right, but ~sexy~.

“Lito,” El’s voice cut through the chatter of botanical sciences passing through his head on its journey from his reading hand to the one that held his awl. For a moment he was caught speechless, thoughtless, suspended in the sound of it. The feeling of his own name rolling off the tongue of another person. He had always thought of his name as a thing of stone. Obvious and unchanging. Perhaps it was a hold over from the stranger’s native language or just some quality of his voice, but Lito found his name sounded completely different coming from the stranger’s mouth. The syllables were there and arranged in the right order, but they had been constructed differently. The ‘Li’ like a candle flickering to life. Fleeting, delicate. The “To” stretching on endlessly, as deep as the dark. “Lito?” El said again, voice raised slightly with concern.

[hellas-himself]

Ch. 5 Together on Christmas

Ch.4 

After the death of his father, Azriel is forced to go back to the one place he swore he’d never return to. But he finds himself quite literally face to face with his past, one that he had not let himself think of since he’d left. 

Ch. 6

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Elain was standing in front of the dresser, looking at a picture taken right before I left. Our parents were sitting together, holding hands, with me and my brothers standing behind them. Rhys was in the middle, an arm around me and Cassian, grinning like the prick he was. Cassian was in the middle of a laugh and I looked about ready to disappear. 

“Bed is ready,” I said and she turned around to where I stood. The throw pillows were on the chest in front of the bed, the comforter folded over to the end. She smiled.

“Are you sure your mom is okay with me staying here?”

“Feyre spent the night way before she married Rhys. It’s fine.”

She laughed. “In his room?”

“God, you don’t want me to answer that.”

“Point taken.”

“So, left or right?” I asked and Elain just laughed and walked right towards me.

“Doesn’t matter.”

She took my hand as she climbed into bed and I went in after her, pulling the blanket over us. We were lying on our backs, looking up at the ceiling.

“Dinner was nice,” she said.

“I hope they didn’t tease you too much.”

“It didn’t bother me.”

“You might have to come help my dad with holiday dinners more often though. We hardly have any leftovers for tomorrow.”

Elain turned so that she was looking at me.

“You’re silly.”

“It’s the truth.”

“Only if you’ll play music again.”

I turned on my side, putting an arm around her and pulling her against me.

“I think we have a deal.”

She smiled. “I think we do.”

*

Elain was asleep, clutching the blanket to her chest. I got out of bed, finding my briefs and pajama pants. Sunrise wasn’t too far off so I didn’t need a light to look through my bag and take out the box my mother had left for me. I took the key out of the envelope, checking on Elain every now and then. But she was still sleeping.

The hinges of the box creaked slightly and I kept my gaze on Elain until it was opened. Inside, I found an envelope addressed to me, a small black box, and a little satchel that had the gold bracelet with the mano de azabache on it. I don’t know why that brought tears to my eyes, I would have worn that as a baby. A toddler. Maybe once my childhood hadn’t been so bad.

There was more money, tied with rubber bands and some pictures of us- one from the day I was born, another on my first birthday. I don’t know who took the picture, but she was holding me up, cake frosting on my face and hers. I saw kids at the table and other adults I’d never met. Were they her family? I’d never gotten to know them. She’d been my father’s maid, at first. Then the nanny. She’d run away from home, I knew that much, and though he had been married, she saw my father as her way out. And somehow, she loved him. But his wife, my half-brothers- they made our lives a living hell. I hated my father for allowing it. It was confusing, to see him with her, holding me, smiling. I never saw him smile, never at me, anyway. I was tempted to rip it in half, but I looked at the next one.

I was in a hospital bed, bandages around my hands. She was in the middle of a story, it seemed, Rhys was half asleep in his mother’s lap and Cassian was listening to her. And according to the note on the back, Rhysand’s dad had taken the picture. There were more… But I didn’t feel like I could look at them. Not yet. So I opened the envelope with my name on it and decided that maybe the pictures were easier than this.

Mi querido hijo, she wrote. Perdoname. Over and over she apologized. For not keeping me safe. For giving me up. For staying with my father. But she had never believed she was capable of giving me the life that Rhysand and Cassian had. She’d known Cassian’s mother, and knew that I would be in good hands. But the apologies continued and then, they stopped. She was proud of me. She missed me every day, she hated that I’d been deployed. Hated that I lived so far away, but knew that I was better off. It hurt. Hurt that she believed I was better off without her. How many times had I begged her to leave with me?

She wrote about Elain, about the things they did together… and about how much Elain talked about me. I see it in her eyes, Lito, she loves you. And I know that you love her. I looked up at where Elain was, still asleep. I couldn’t give you much before, she wrote, but maybe I can give you and Elain a head start.

*

“We’re together on Christmas,” Elain said as she wrapped the towel around herself. The bathroom floor was freezing so I picked her up which made her laugh.

“That we are,” I replied.

“Is everyone really still sleeping?” she asked as I set her down on the bed.

“Yeah… But don’t worry, once Cassian wakes up, so will everyone else.”

I brought her my shirt, and handed off her bag. Her bag had more skin care and make up than actual clothes but I guess I really didn’t mind it. Getting dressed proved to be difficult, but we managed it just in time to hear Cassian banging on Rhysand’s door. Elain answered the door when he started knocking on ours, wearing my shirt, leggings and a pair of fuzzy Christmas socks she’d brought from her apartment.

“How did we sleep?” Cassian asked with a grin, leaning against the doorframe.

“I don’t think I woke up once,” she said and gave him a hug. “Merry Christmas, Cas.”

“Merry Christmas, Elain.” He looked at me. “Put a shirt on or else mom and Nesta will know what you two were doing last night.”

Elain pinched his side for that.

Everyone gathered in the living room, the tree surrounded by presents.

“Who wants to go first?” mom asked, leaning against our dad as he drank his coffee.

“I will,” Cassian said and started tossing presents at everyone from him and Nesta. A new phone for mom, imported cigars for dad as well as a watch, the cheesiest matching pajamas for Rhys and Feyre who would have run off to change in them if I didn’t know that it was taking Feyre a lot of effort not to throw up her breakfast. I wasn’t going to open my gift in front of them but Elain wanted to see. I raised a brow at the gloves and scarf, as nice as they were. Cassian only grinned.

“I had a feeling you’d need them… Considering Illyria is freezing most of the year.”

“What?”

“Emerie told him where you were the moment she saw you driving into town,” Nesta said, giving Cassian a playful shove. I sighed, thanking them even if I wanted to wipe that grin off Cassian’s face.

I’d had my gifts to everyone mailed in as I had not intended on being here until New Year’s… But it was nice to actually see their reactions in person. A gold bracelet for mom with our birthstones on it, a ring made of gold with an obsidian stone for dad. Books for Nesta, a set of watercolor paints for Feyre and a big enough palette to store them in, a Switch for Cassian which made Nesta sigh. He was already taking it out of the box to get it running. “Now he won’t bother you when you’re reading,” Feyre teased which made Nesta smile.

Rhys and Feyre went last, with Rhys handing our parents a box while Feyre had Cassian toss the rest since he was sitting closest to the tree. I purposely took my time opening mine because I knew what was inside. But in typical Rhys fashion, inside the box was another box, and another and another- until our mom was threatening Rhys with her scissors. The rest of us were content to watch them go at it as they did every year. His gifts to her were almost always worth the hassle, and he promised her that this year’s was even better. But he said that every year.

“Coño, be careful!” Rhys shouted as dad went to just rip the whole thing apart- also, a yearly occurrence.

“What is this?” mom asked as she set the other boxes aside and held the semi torn black box in her hands. She lifted the lid and set it aside. Her eyes widened, and it was almost like everything kind of stopped as she looked at Rhys and then at Feyre and back at the box on her lap. She pulled out the little black onesie, the tiny socks… the picture frame with the ultrasound picture Feyre had sent me just days before. I hadn’t seen our dad cry in a long time, but there he was, holding that onesie and crying.

“Vente pa’ca, puñeta,” he said to Rhys, pulling him in for a hug. “Is this real?”

“Yeah, viejo,” he replied. “You’re going to be grandparents.”

Our mother’s words were incoherent as she pulled Rhys out of our dad’s hold and squeezed him tight. Rhys was laughing as tears fell from his eyes.

They got up to go cover Feyre with kisses, my mother already fussing over her. Her sisters hadn’t known and wasted no time in going to congratulate her. Cassian lifted Rhys up and hugged him so hard I was surprised Rhys hadn’t cracked his spine.

“How are you so calm?” Cas asked me. “We’re going to be uncles.”

I was going to say I already knew but Rhys chimed in first.

“You know Az isn’t going to cry in front of us. Especially with Elain here. He has a reputation to uphold.”

I flipped him off and of course mom saw it. Rhys laughed at me but then was quickly silenced by her glare.

*

I watched as Feyre lay back on the sofa, her shirt up as my mom took Nesta’s gold chain and Elain’s ring and held it over Feyre’s belly.

“It’s too early,” dad said but she shushed him.

“It’s never too early.”

“Is it supposed to move?” Feyre asked.

“It’s not moving?” dad practically shouted and went to stand beside Rhys. He looked just as excited as Rhys did. It wasn’t moving at all.

“What does that mean?” Elain inquired.

“That means it’s a boy,” mom replied. “I did it for Rhys. And I was right about Mor.”

“Can I get the knife and the screw driver?” dad asked her and my mom laughed, giving Nesta and Elain their jewelry back.

I got up from where I was sitting and stood beside Elain. I put an arm around her shoulder and smiled when she reached up to lace her fingers with mine.

“Show me your hands,” I said to Feyre who looked at me like I’d just grown a second head. But she sat up and did just that. Palms up, almost in fists. “Boy.”

The room was now filled with shouting, Cassian lifting Rhys off the floor and shaking him.

“Does that really work?” Elain asked me.

I shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out in a few months.”

“I think it’s sweet.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes… It’s something to look forward to.”

We looked at one another and I wondered if she was still talking about Feyre and Rhysand’s baby.

“Yeah, it is,” I replied.

Elain smiled and I decided she was right.

*

Elain and I sat outside on the porch swing. Everyone was inside, already dancing and drinking. Feyre went up to take a nap and I was pretty sure Nesta had gone with her. Elain was leaning into me, her feet barely touching the floor.

“I wish I didn’t have to go back,” she said quietly.

“Do you really have to open back up tomorrow?”

“I’ve never really done this before… Nuala is gone until New Year’s.”

“There’s no one else who could help out while you’re away?”

She shrugged.

“If I find someone to help out, would you stay?”

“But I don’t know anyone who would do that.”

I kissed her forehead. “I do… I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?”

“To extend your vacation, what else?”

Rhys didn’t mind being pulled out of the living room. He didn’t even seem surprised at what I was asking. But of course, the prick wouldn’t do it.

“I’m too drunk, Azrielito… Besides, it would mean more coming from you.”

“Give me your phone.”

“Don’t look through my photo album,” he said after he unlocked it and laughed. I sighed, finding who I wanted to call and walked to the sitting room where no one ever spent any time. It was quiet, too quiet.

“Rhys, what do you want? It’s Christmas,” Lucien said, but I knew he was smiling.

“It’s not Rhys.”

A pause and then, “Azriel. What a surprise.”

“I need to ask you for a favor.”

“Really?” I heard him chuckle. I sighed.

“I want Elain to be able to spend the holidays with her sisters without worrying about the diner.”

I heard him tell Vassa he would be right back, heard as it became a little quieter.

“Where is Elain?”

“Sitting outside on the porch at my parents’ house.”

“You convinced Elain to take a break?”

“It would seem that way.”

Lucien let out a long sigh.

“How long?”

“Just until the third. And I will pay them double.”

“That isn’t really necessary.”

“All the same. I can’t have her worrying about anything.”

“It will take a few phone calls, but please tell Elain to enjoy her vacation.”

I sighed with relief. “Thank you, Lucien.”

“And Az?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t let her get away.”

*

Elain was taking shots with our dad when I walked back to the living room. I handed Rhys his phone and made my way to Elain. She giggled, her cheeks rosy pink.

“You kept me waiting.”

“You’re on vacation, Elain Archeron.”

“What?”

“We’ll go back on the third-”

She pulled me by the collar and kissed me, much to everyone else’s amusement. Our dad patted me on the back when Elain let me go and went over to tell her sisters the news.

“I haven’t seen you smile this much… ever,” he said.

“Yeah, I’m not used to it. My face kinda hurts.”

He laughed and threw an arm around my shoulder. Elain was sitting next to our mom who was talking to her and whatever she was saying had Elain blushing.

“You being home is the greatest gift you could’ve given us… Well, you brought your girlfriend and Feyre…” He sighed, already tearing up again. “I can’t even believe it.”

“Christmas only started, viejo,” I said, my eyes on Elain, feeling my heart race. “There’s still time for more surprises.”

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La Mano de Azabache is a black hand on a gold bracelet given to babies to protect them from the evil eye. I had one, my brothers, and every other baby in the family. 

Mi querido hijo means my beloved son and perdoname means forgive me. 

Coño  means dammit lol or sometimes like WHAT THE HELL!! but yeah, lol it’s the same vibe 

Vente pa’ca is the shortened way of say vente para aca which is come here. 

puñeta  is like... asshole, son of a bitch, etc but in Puerto rico we use it as endearment and also like encouragement lol even as a verb. 

I don’t know if anyone else does this but we take any chain, preferably gold, with a ring or other charm on it and if it spins over the belly it’s a girl. if it doesn’t, it’s a boy. it’s ridiculous and I know gender is a social construct but when I was pregnant it was fun to do it with my grandma and aunties. the knife and scew driver is the same idea. you hide them under the sofa and wherever the mom sits, determines the gender. knife girl, screw driver, boy. with the “show me your hands” if you hold them out the way you would at a nail salon (idk how else to describe it) its a girl. if you basically make kind of a fist, palms up with your nails pointing to you, it’s a boy. my grandma did that to me without explaining and she was like GIRL! and the house was in uproar. lol

Happy super late three king’s day! lol 

@dreamerforever-5 @faelightsstarfall