Prompt - Something Lost, Something Found

[infringe]

SONG OF THE SEA ( joshua, alecto ) A selkie far from home, searching for his coat. He meets a kind, lonely, young fisherman who tends the lighthouse near the sea.

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[singinthestorm]

He'd thought, somehow, that after two children of their own, he'd know exactly what to do for their third. Avery had been such an easy pregnancy and birth, whatever magic of the sea that sang in his veins keeping him settled quiet and mostly still beneath Alecto's heart through the astoundingly short gestation period. He'd been anxious when Alecto had disappeared in the few days surrounding his birth, but when he'd returned with calmly sleeping child wrapped in a dark spotted sealskin, things had quickly settled back into a routine, Alecto deftly handling the household chores and duties and the addition of an infant selkie with almost no issues whatsoever. Even when Alecto had been gone, he'd managed to get by with Avery - older, but a handful in his own way - keeping both of them alive and mostly thriving, though he'd called upon help from in town.

With Daphne - well, he hadn't been there, but Alecto had been surrounded by family, who had clearly taken good care of both of them, even through that difficulty. And in the aftermath of delirious joy after their return, everything had seemed wonderful, doable, limned with gold and light. She was a charming baby and had only grown more so over time, and both she and Avery got on so well together now - their lessons in reading, writing, and mathematics notwithstanding - that it seemed Joshua barely needed to lift a finger, really. The long ago years of helping take care of his own younger siblings seemed very far away, and he was definitely getting older; perhaps his memory was starting to go?

But with Percy, the memories come flooding back in, even before he starts to suspect what makes this particular child different. He shares what he can of advice from his own family, his own shaky recollection, from their friends and acquaintances in town - to their credit, everyone had been solicitous and understanding, commenting on how every child and pregnancy was different in its own way. He'd diligently sought out food based on Alecto's unusual cravings, taking care of chores around the house (having finished building out two additional rooms for their growing family), and keeping Daphne and Avery occupied when Alecto was dizzy and needed rest, often bringing both of them up to the lighthouse tower with him.

He'd asked Alecto, as the months dragged on and it seemed clear that whatever was happening, this baby was different from their previous two, whether he should write to his family and perhaps invite one of his younger sisters to stay with them, just to have an extra pair of hands around the house, or perhaps look into engaging some help from the town itself. There was no reason for Alecto to take on everything on his own, and with the growth of his responsibilities and family, they could certainly look into finding someone to help cook and clean, at the very least. Alecto had seemed reluctant, and so Joshua hadn't pushed the topic.

Percy's birth had been hard on Alecto, though it seemed very much in line with Joshua's previous remembered experience, so he'd rearranged his shifts at the lighthouse for the next month to cover the overnight watch, so he could stay close by during the day, but Alecto was determined to do almost everything on his own, already up and about barely a day after, despite his pallor and obvious exhaustion, no matter what Joshua said. But they were both learning, trading off care of the baby and all the sundry errands around the house. Joshua had been intending to ask Avery and Daphne to at least help - Avery was old enough to run simple errands, and pick up orders from the market, at the very least - and give them small responsibilities and duties, just as he was used to, but Alecto was far too soft-hearted to reinforce those expectations. But overall, things seemed to be going smoothly, and Alecto urges Joshua to start going to work at his usual times again, rather than staying up through the night and catching only a few stray hours here and there.

On the second day after he started working his full shift again, he comes home to find a tearful Alecto, holding a wailing Percy, blinking up at him like a doe caught in the crosshairs of a hunter. He glances around the house, at all the small things out of place - where were the other two children, why hadn't they put their own things away, as they knew they should? - and walks forward slowly, holding his arms out for both of them and enfolding Alecto and Percy, still crying his head off, against his chest.

"Oh dearest," he murmurs, reassuringly. "There's nothing to be sorry for. You more than deserve a rest." He gently extricates Percy from Alecto's shaking arms and rocks him automatically, trying to soothe his hoarse crying while counting the days in his head; they were close to a full moon, which would come in three day's time. "Maybe you should bring Avery and Daphne out to see your sister this evening? You haven't had a good swim in such a long while." Percy hiccoughs and screeches protest as Joshua taps gently against his back, and then his whole small body shivers with reaction, a loud sound as he burps and coughs at the same time, and then suddenly stops crying, settling against Joshua's shoulder, eyes drifting shut.

[infringe]

He melts under Joshua's touch and stares in awe at how Percy calms in his husband's arms. Alecto has no idea how it always happens like this. Unlike his siblings, Percy didn't seem to respond at all to Alecto's seasongs and stories, unreceptive almost entirely to any magical intervening. He took to Joshua far more, that much was clear, always reaching for him when given the choice.

"Yes, that..." he nods as he speaks, relief slowly washing over him, "...sounds like a good idea." Alecto glances now at his young son, finally sated and calm. He reaches a tentative hand up to touch the boy's head but decides against it, not willing to risk waking him once again.

"Before that, I'll see what leftovers we have so at least no one goes to bed hungry. Here," he offers a small, warm mug of tea he had been trying to make for himself earlier on the kitchen counter to his husband, "have this for now. You must be parched." His smile is tired but genuine as he turns to look around them, thinking, "...perhaps I should be harder on the children to help about the house."

(To be fair, Avery did offer to lend a hand earlier, but in that lighthearted way children often do, mimicking how their parents speak to each other, not truly understanding what it means to vocalize such a responsibility. Alecto, ever soft on the boy, simply told him not to worry and sent him off to play with his sister. Daphne however, had been more persistent, and even now, peered at her parents from the doorway of her room, bright-eyed and concerned.)

[singinthestorm]

He takes the tea with an answering smile, already making plans for himself as he watches Alecto flit about the kitchen, glancing sideways at Percy - still sleeping soundly - before he takes a sip, one-handed. If Alecto was spending some time with the other two children (the ones that were actually like him, his mind whispers, unfairly; he ignores it), then the three of them could certainly find something to eat on their own, or share in whatever their cousins were having. But it was clear that, at least in the short term, some more help - at least around the house, so Alecto could focus on getting to know Percy without having to juggle so many things at once - would be a good idea.

It was probably safer to ask for help from someone in town, who already knew them. At the same time, he knows that Katherine (Kate, his second youngest sister, currently sixteen and interested in a change from being home) had been clamoring for a visit and had plenty of experience caring for (human) infants and could be a help around the house. But inevitably that would mean revealing Alecto's secret, as well as Avery and Daphne, so he didn't want to do that without talking with Alecto first.

He goes to set Percy down in his cradle again, stroking his cheek gently to soothe him back to full sleep from the disruption, and then goes to fetch Avery for a serious discussion.

[infringe]

Meanwhile, Alecto puts a pot of day-old chowder to boil on the stove, adding a few extra potatoes and shucked clams to it before calling for his daughter. Daphne appears almost instantly, a breath of fresh air, her long blonde hair tied up neatly in ribbons. She looks up at him with his husband's eyes, shining with the glow of selkie magic, and Alecto smiles, soft and loving.

"Momma," she says, dragging the step stool next to the sink over to the stove and climbing onto it so she could be just a bit taller, "Can I help now? Please?"

"Yes, sweetie," he replies, gently tucking the back of her blouse neatly into the elastic band of her skirts. "I'd like that very much."

He teaches her small things like how to skim the surface of a stew and add heavy cream and bacon fat to nectar, how to boil and mash potatoes, and then guided her cut up the rest of the sourdough on the countertop (they did a rather atrocious job in the end and every slice was uneven in shape and thickness but it didn't matter as Alecto's spirits had lifted considerably, watching his daughter squeal and giggle, having her fun). Together, they wipe down and set the table and Daphne gasped with delight when her mother allowed her to ring the brass dinner bell to call the rest of the family to eat.

[singinthestorm]

Avery is nowhere to be found in the house, which can only mean one thing. Joshua heads towards the water, and calls for their eldest to come back. He waits patiently on the shore - Avery was usually very good about returning when he called, after that stretch of time when it had just been the two of them - and before too long, he catches sight of a gray seal, slightly sheepish and instantly recognizable, staring at him with only his eyes visible above the waterline. Avery ducks down under the water when he realizes he's been spotted but before Joshua can repeat himself, he beaches himself and shrugs off his sealskin, revealing a damp eight-year-old boy, with the same sheepish expression the seal had had.

"'lo, Papa," he says, looking down at his bare feet, curling his toes in the sand, and sounding uncharacteristically subdued.

"It sounds like you know exactly what you did. Or should I say, didn't do?" Joshua replies, tone perfectly mild and calm; Avery winces and nods, not meeting his eyes.

"We'll talk more about it after dinner," Joshua says, relenting, and reaches down for Avery's hand, smiling to himself when he feels him curl his fingers automatically to twine their two hands together as they walk back to the house, both hearing the sound of the dinner bell being rung enthusiastically. He knows Avery's personality; he always meant well, but was also flighty and forgetful and more than a little thoughtless, while Alecto was indulgent and permissive, and not consistent with boundaries and expectations. They'd all have to work on that together.

Dinner is soup and bread, with Daphne enthusiastically recounting how she had 'helped Momma cook, Papa! An' set the table, an' cut the bread! an' ring the bell! did you hear me, Avery?' while Alecto feeds Percy.

[infringe]

Thankfully, Percy nursed relatively well and Alecto could close his eyes for a little bit as his family ate the humble meal before them. He, himself, only had a bite or two, giving the rest of his bowl to Avery who was clearly hankering for seconds. It was no matter, Alecto thought, since he could go after some cod or other whitefish later tonight when he takes the kids out for a swim.

Well. Two of his kids at least.

He pauses to think on that, looking down at the infant in his arms. Percy looked so small and helpless. So bare. At this age, both Avery and Daphne had already learned how to at least tread water on their own if not playing about in the waves, snapping their jaws at prawns and seaweed in imitation of their elders hunting. But Percy...oh, he would never quite be able to do that, would he?

Alecto glances across the table at Joshua, unsure how to share what he's thinking, what he has been thinking this whole time, fearful of what the future holds for their new son. Their absolutely ordinary, painfully human son.

[singinthestorm]

He does his best to keep the children occupied with eating and talking with each other, succeeding with the ease of long practice, the conversation light and meandering and filled with childish glee and complaints and non-sequiturs, so Alecto can focus. He can't help the way his gaze drifts throughout - he always would be a little distracted, with Alecto in the vicinity - and he takes a few stolen moments to appreciate the lovely picture of Alecto nursing Percy, a sight that was both familiar and not, strange and beautiful in the connection it spoke of, the exquisite impossibility of his life for the past few years since he'd returned to this small town on the water and met the love of his life.

He's not sure what it is that Alecto is thinking of, the uncertainty of his gaze as he meets Joshua's eyes, and he automatically stands as the children finish their food, sorting out the breakable objects from the sturdier ones, and setting the two of them (reluctantly) to the task of washing and drying the utensils they had used, and the wooden bowls and plates, setting the more fragile dishes aside for later. They are easily placated by this sanctioned opportunity to play with the water and he leaves them to it, coming back over to Alecto to sit beside him, automatically wrapping an arm around his shoulder and kissing his temple.

"What is it you're thinking about, dearest?" He asks softly, curious and wondering. He gazes down at Percy, eyes closed, mouth working rhythmically as he nurses, and gently strokes back his downy hair, before he meets Alecto's eyes.

[infringe]

"I'm thinking about," he sighs, a look of guilt beginning to spill onto his brow, "how Percy is going to feel growing up so different from his siblings. I'm thinking about how he might come to...resent us somehow."

He shifts the infant in his arms, wincing slightly at the scrape of little baby teeth against his skin. He wonders, rather idly, when Percy would eventually ween and realizes he knows next to nothing about how a human child develops and what they need as they grow. Just that they need a lot more time and patience than a selkie pup ever would to do just about anything and everything.

Alecto turns into his husband's hold just a bit more (the tilt of the position makes Percy gurgle for some reason). "...I think maybe we could use some help from your sister. I remember you suggested that early on and I had been too...stubborn to consider it."

[singinthestorm]

He leans down again, accommodating the shift, presses a kiss into Alecto's dark hair, breathing him in, considering his response. After all, it was because of Joshua that Alecto was in this position, a selkie on land, married to a human and bearing him children; he has no doubt that Alecto loved Percy, even if he didn't yet know how to relate to him, but at the heart of the matter was the love they had for each other, that underlay everything about their life now, together.

"We'll just have to do our best," he replies, quiet and calm, with his usual patience and assurance. "There's only so much we can do, other than love all the children to the best of our ability, care for them, and make sure they have what they need."

He hums thoughtfully at Alecto's suggestion; it had been on his mind, but he didn't want to push. "I trust Kate absolutely, and I think she already suspects, after the commotion your family made at our wedding," he says, trying to inject some levity. "But if she comes here to help with the house and the baby, and to live with us..." There really would be no denying the truth of what Alecto and Avery and Daphne were.

[infringe]

Alecto huffs, ever anxious, prickly and stubborn in contrast to his husband’s calm, gentle perspective in times of duress. “I know. It’ll require some explaining. And she might need some time to adjust to it all. We’re not exactly a traditional family by any means - ah.” He frowns, looking down at Percy who was suddenly fussing and therefore gnawing and gnashing. Goodness, human babies were so mercurial.

“But,” he glances back up at Joshua, placing his trust in him (as he always had, for so many years now, in everything), “I think it’ll be worth it. And I think it’s about time for us to include more of your side of the family into…well, everything. It’ll be good for the children too.” For Percy’s sake especially, he thinks.

[singinthestorm]

He reaches down without looking, strokes the side of Percy's cheek to settle him down again and latch on to Alecto to finish nursing properly, maintaining the eye contact between them. "I'll write to her in the morning then," he says, by way of agreement. "But it'll take two weeks at the earliest for her to arrive. Do you want me to arrange for some help in the meantime? I could find someone from town, or change the shifts at the lighthouse. Or we could ask Pippa to watch Daphne and Avery for a little while, to give you some more time with Percy."