A/N: Ah, what's better than good old fashioned angst? I wrote this little gem while I was in a bit of a funk, you could say. Nothing but negativity swirling around. Also I just had a lot of pent up feelings regarding my video game husband and child. Enjoy my word vomit.
Morgan slowly made his way up and down the crowded streets of a town's market, his father's hood pulled up to hide his face from the unfamiliar crowd. The young boy's heart pounded violently in his chest, his eyes scanning the stalls and displays covering the stone-paved street, searching for something he could pocket for a decent cash value.
'It's all food', the young boy thought, 'I need something valuable. Something pricey... What would father do...?'
"Beautiful jewels make great gifts! Gold and gems for sale!"
Morgan perked up at the sound of an elderly woman's voice. He turned to his right to see a frail old woman standing behind a poorly put together market stall. She had a selection of jewels on display, resting on top of a handmade lavender table cloth. He nearly approached her, before thinking to mind his distance and instead making his way to stand close to a burly, armored man taking interest in her wares.
"I require an engagement ring for my future wife," the man said gruffly, inspecting the jewelry on display, "what do you have for rings?"
"Rings, you say? Oh, wait right there! I keep the rings stashed," the old woman said with a grin, turning around and crouching to reach for a closed basket on the ground. Her descent put too much pressure on her hip, and soon she was struggling to stand up.
"Are you alright, ma'am? Oh, let me help," the man said, stepping behind the stall to bend over and slowly help the old woman onto her feet.
Morgan took the distraction as his chance, quickly walking past the stall and snatching a bracelet in one quick, smooth motion. He pocketed the jewelry and briskly made his way into the crowd, aiming to make himself invisible. He felt a rush of adrenaline surging through him, his breathing heavy and feet light as he made his escape. He ducked into an alley when the chance was given, and leaned up against a wall to catch his breath.
"I can't believe I just did that," he panted, "I can't believe I just did that, I can't believe I just did that..." as his breathing slowed, it evolved into quiet chuckles, and soon into full-out laughter. "... I can't believe I just did that!" he laughed, reaching into his pocket to grab the bracelet but instead pulling out a wrapped lollipop. "Huh? Candy?" the boy said, confused, before remembering that he was wearing his father's cloak. He tucked the lollipop back into the pocket and fished around until he found the bracelet.
It was a thin, beautiful gold bracelet adorned with small diamonds all around it. It seemed simple, but the boy knew that it would fetch him a decent amount of gold down at the next town they stopped by. He pocketed it again, adjusted his hood, and ducked back into the crowd, intent on leaving the town and making his way back to the campsite he shared with his father.
Gaius was making dinner for the both of them over the campfire when Morgan came back from his trek downtown. The father snickered when he saw his son wearing his cloak, shaking his head.
"So that's where my cloak went," he said, turning back to the fish he was trying to grill, "why are you stealing my stuff, kiddo?"
"I-I'm sorry, father, but my cloak has a tear in it, and yours is warmer anyway," Morgan stuttered, the delicate bracelet suddenly an unwelcome weight in his father's cloak pocket. He didn't want Gaius to know he was stealing; he was supposed to be the honest one out of the two of them. He was supposed to take odd jobs and get paid fair and square. Gaius was the thief. And even then, he only ever took what they needed. Food, primarily.
"Really? Bring me your cloak then, I can sew it up for ya." Gaius offered. Money was tight since they left Ylisse and thus left the financial care of the royal family, so buying new clothes was basically out of the question. Therefore, Gaius had taken up sewing. Just for patch jobs and the like. He wasn't very good at it, but he did what he could so he and Morgan could get by comfortably.
"Oh, it's fine. Really. I can take care of it myself." Morgan said, walking over to his tent and ducking inside. "I will be right out!"
Gaius raised an eyebrow at his son's strange behavior, before shaking it off and going back to his attempt not to burn supper.
Once Morgan was inside the tent, he pulled the bracelet from his pocket and put it inside a small cloth bag with a drawstring, where he normally kept his little keepsakes. He closed it up and tucked it into the bag he kept his clothes in, the adrenaline rush from earlier gone and now replaced with doubt and guilt. He couldn't get the thought that he had possibly jeopardized that old woman's way of life by stealing the bracelet. Or maybe she was selling her own jewelry, and was just as poor as he was.
Morgan steeled himself, chasing the thoughts from his head with a firm shake. 'It was necessary', he thought, 'it will all come to fruition when we reach the next town. The money will be worth it. All will be well.'
"Hey Morgan, come eat! I didn't burn the fish this time!" Gaius shouted proudly, admiring his handiwork with the fish.
'Oh gods, what would mother say?' Morgan fretted, feeling panic bubble up inside his chest. 'She would be so disappointed! She would blame father! Oh no, I can't jeopardize my parents' marriage! I have to return the bracelet. I have to return it-'
"Morgan, come on! Come see what your old man cooked up just for you." Gaius said, pushing aside the tent flaps. His usual grinning expression was replaced by one of concern, seeing Morgan's face.
"... Uh, you okay, buddy?"
"Yes!" Morgan said immediately, before clearing his throat and taking a second to calm himself down. "I-I mean, yeah, I'm fine. I'll be out in a second."
"... You sure you're okay? I mean, you look like you just saw a ghost or somethin'..."
"I'm fine, dad. Really. You just surprised me, coming in like that." Morgan improvised.
Gaius nodded. "... Ah. Right, sorry. Shoulda known better. Your momma's super jumpy, too... Okay. So, I'll see you in a minute or so?"
"Yeah."
Gaius ducked out of the tent, making his way back to the fireplace to dish up their meal on two thin, iron plates. Morgan joined him not long after, his mother's dark purple robes wrapped around him and his father's cloak draped over his arm. He handed Gaius his cloak and sat down with him. Gaius handed Morgan his portion of dinner in return.
Gaius went on about his day, how he'd spend hours trying to catch fish and finally managed to catch two. He seemed rather proud of himself, and Morgan couldn't help but smile. He knew his father wasn't very adept in the art of securing dinner (unless it meant stealing meat and bread from the markets in town), so the fish he had caught made him feel like a big deal.
Morgan took a bite from his dinner and held back a grimace. The fish tasted terrible, and judging by Gaius' expression while he ate his own, the sentiment was shared. Still, the young boy pushed past the sour, over-seasoned taste of the fish and swallowed it down.
"... I also have these," Gaius said, digging into a cloth bag beside him and pulling out two buns, "if the fish isn't good enough."
Morgan could tell by the look on his father's face that he had taken the bread. Gaius didn't know that Morgan knew he went back to stealing, but the boy knew what signs to look for. The sudden increase in supplies and provisions were one of them.
"I think I'll be okay with the fish, dad. But thank you."
Gaius shrugged, put one of the buns back in the bag, and tore into the second one.
"... Father, why don't we return to Ylisse?" Morgan asked. "Chrom and the royal family promised us a lifetime supply of financial support. We could rejoin the Shepherds, be with our friends again."
"We've been through this, kiddo. Until your mother comes back, I don't want to be in Ylisse." Gaius said. "I don't want to have to lean on Chrom and the others. I am more than capable of taking care of my family."
Morgan sighed. "But father, this is no way to live. We're bouncing from town to town, we're always cold, we're always hungry, and if we go back to Ylisse, you won't have to go-... fishing."
"Fishing." Gaius repeated, before shaking his head and looking away. "What are you trying to say, Morgan?"
"I'm just trying to say that I think it would be better for us if we just-"
"No, before that. You stopped yourself. What are you trying to say?" Gaius asked, his body visibly tense as he avoided eye contact.
Morgan bit his lip, chewing at dead skin. He reached up to run a hand through his orange hair, a habit gained from his father. He took a deep breath. "... Where did you get the fresh bread, father?" Morgan asked quietly. "And where did you get those cuts of beef last week? Or the new leather boots you got me for my birthday? Or the medicine, last month, when I was sick? We can't afford these things, father, so where did you get them?"
"Morgan, I am more than capable of taking care of my family," Gaius repeated, "and if taking care of my family means I have to make a few bad choices, then I'm going to make a few bad choices."
"You're stealing." Morgan stated. "If we went back to Ylisse, we wouldn't have to steal to stay alive."
"What do you mean, we?" Gaius asked, glancing at his son. "And I'm careful, kiddo. I don't take anything that'll be missed, and I only steal from the people that can afford to lose something. I inconvenience people. That's it."
"Father listen to me!" Morgan begged. "If we went back to Ylisse, we-... you wouldn't have to risk incarceration just so we can have the basic necessities of living. We could have a permanent home."
"I have heard enough, Morgan!" Gaius snapped, standing up. He turned to face away from Morgan, his hand pushing through his hair. "I can't go back to Ylisse, Morgan. I can't deal with the pity."
"What pity?" the boy asked quietly.
Gaius turned back around, his eyes glazed over with unshed tears. "The pity everyone in that damn army drowns me in. Ever since your mom died, all I get from the Shepherds is their condolences. 'I'm sorry for your loss', 'She was an incredible woman', 'What are you going to do now'...?" he brought a hand up to wipe his eyes, averting his son's gaze. "It drives me insane... That's why until she comes back to us, I can't be around there. I'll go crazy..."
Morgan lowered his gaze. He supposed he could understand. His father was never the type to need help from anyone, and with his mother's death, everyone in the realm wanted to help them as their way of thanking her. It seemed like a blessing, but to Gaius, it was a curse. "Father, I... the people back home just want to help us. Mother saved the world... and we're all that's left of her. Helping us is the only way they can think of to show their gratitude."
"It doesn't feel like gratitude to me." Gaius murmured. "I've always taken care of myself. I've always been fine. Not great, but... fine..." He sighed, and threw the remainder of his dinner into the fire. "... I'm going to sleep. G'night, kiddo."
Morgan watched as his father left, walking to his tent and crawling inside. He went to his own tent not long after that.
The next day, Morgan slipped the bracelet back onto the old woman's stall while no one was looking. Just down the street, Gaius was pocketing bread.