minific prompt #12: things you said when you thought i was asleep

Velvet has been awake for a while when Phi rouses beside her.

At first, she pays it no mind when she hears the rustle of clothes and the light, boyish gasp that indicates his awakening. Velvet doesn't even twitch from her own position: sitting on the floor, her head resting against her knee, her eyes shut. Sleep hasn't exactly been kind to her tonight either—though she's been maintaining this position in the hopes that she might doze away eventually—and technically, malakhim don't even need sleep. It wouldn't be the first time the curious boy opted out of rest to engage in some reading instead, and so long as it doesn't bother her, Velvet won't stop him from doing whatever he wants.

Yet, where she would expect to hear him pattering off in search of a book, instead she's greeted with the swish-thwick of his robe, as if he's crawling on his knees on the floor. He's inching closer to her, Velvet abruptly realizes, and when he stops, she doesn't even have to open her eyes to just feel his gaze fixed on her form.

"Velvet?" Phi whispers softly, and she doesn't answer at first. If he's checking to see if he woke her, she doesn't want to give him a reason to worry, and if he actually needs something from her, he'll call for her again. Another minute passes in silence, and just when Velvet's thinking he's not going to speak up again, he does, this time even quieter than before.

"Auntie?"

Unseen by Phi, Velvet quirks a brow in surprise. For a moment, she wonders if she heard wrong but…no, no, she really did just hear that word come from his lips. Hell, maybe he didn't even mean for her to hear it, but it makes something go oddly fluttery in her chest—and suddenly, Velvet just can't resist teasing him.

"Do I look like an old lady to you?"

Velvet doesn't manage to hide the laughter in her voice when she lifts her head. She opens her eyes just in time to see Phi startle backwards, both his hands flying in front of his chest, the little curl of hair atop his head actually jolting upright as if in conjunction with his surprise.

"Velvet!" Phi gasps, his cheeks already flushing bright red in the moonlight shining through the window. "You…you were awake?!"

As answer, Velvet lets her grin bloom, unrestrained. "So. I'm an 'Auntie' then, am I?"

"O-oh, urghhh." Phi nervously taps his fingers together and glances down to avoid her gaze, so clearly embarrassed that Velvet almost feels bad for poking fun. "Y-you weren't really meant to hear that."

Velvet allows herself another few seconds to relish how adorable Phi is when flustered, then lets her levity die down as realization sinks in. "You were thinking about what we saw in the Earthen Historia, weren't you?" It's only been a few days since they escaped Innominat, and the discovery that Phi is actually the reincarnation of the unborn baby who would have been her nephew…admittedly, Velvet's not sure if she's entirely taken that in, herself.

"Yeah," Phi admits. "I know you told me that I'm not the same as I was in my past life, and I get that. I just…I dunno. I couldn't stop thinking about it." He glances back up at her sheepishly. "I'm sorry."

Velvet shakes her head. "It's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it some myself." The idea of a little baby Phi, growing up with Velvet and her family, all of them together…the dreamlike scenario had admittedly crossed her mind a few times, even if she never let it stay for long. "You would definitely have been my favorite nephew."

Phi frowns, putting his chin in his hand. "But there's no point in lingering on the what-ifs, is there?"

"No. There isn't." Velvet understands that all too well now. She can't afford to be swayed again by dreams of false happiness. She won't lose sight of reality, and she won't let go of this hatred that burns within her. Not until Artorius is dead by her hand. "But…that doesn't mean that we have to forget the past, either. Even if we're not the same now, I think knowing where we came from, who we used to be, is still worth something."

Phi blinks at her once, twice, before his lips quirk up. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

Velvet chuckles, gently nudging him with her shoulder. "So you know, I wouldn't stop you if you really wanted to call me that. 'Auntie', I mean."

Phi furrows his brow. "But you just said you think it makes you sound like an old lady."

"Oh, it definitely does." Velvet waves her hand flippantly. "But remember, I don't much care what anyone calls me. Be it Lord of Calamity, Unholy Monster, or even Auntie."

Phi giggles at that, but shakes his head. "No. I only wanted to test it out once, see how it felt on my tongue. But saying it just felt weird after all." He reaches out for her other hand that's resting on the floor, and Velvet accommodates as he slides his small palm into hers. "Velvet is Velvet. That's really just how it is for me."

Phi beams so wide his teeth shine back at her, and Velvet returns the smile with a softer one of her own.

"Sure," she agrees, and then gently, gratefully, squeezes her hand around his. "Nothing wrong with that, either."