This story is super old by now, but I completely forgot to crosspost it from tumblr and ao3 - that's my bad! Written for kuiji on tumblr for the 2017 SGG secret santa; the title is from the song "From Finner" by Of Monsters and Men, as it's the most "Mae" song I've ever heard in my life.
"The Stowaway is tricky to write" I say as I write an entire story focused on her bc I love pain (her speech patterns are so difficult, I hope I've done her alright here). Listen though, when I started replaying on True Nightwing mode and she told me how she loves Jodi, Rukey and Hedwyn and asks if she should tell Hedwyn that it was so cute and I'm gonna die, I really am, I need all things about it right now immediately pLEA SE
(I'm a little pissed sg wrote it so the reader assumes her love is romantic when it's obvious it isn't but I'll try to be chill abt it, I promise)
My giftee asked for found family feels, fluff, and said that they liked all the girls, which is why I went with a focus on Mae! It stands alone as is, but I might later do another part focusing on the Nightwings I didn't manage to slip into this story.
Hope y'all enjoy!
It's while they're in the Black Basin the first time, when Mae asks to help (not in so few words) with preparing their meal for the night. Hedwyn shows her how to peel the odd fruit they'd been told was safe to eat and she nearly pricks her fingers half a dozen times in the first minute alone, but she picks up the best way to hold it quickly and soon he stops worrying in favor of getting the rest of dinner ready.
"Thank you for the help today, Mae," Hedwyn says. "I appreciate it. While I can do it myself, it's nice to have a hand."
"You're welcome, you are very very welcome, mister Hedwyn!" Mae beams, and bobs her head. "I have been thinking, I've been thinking that you are always working so hard to look after all of us, and give us food to eat every single day and night. And I am always so thankful, to you and to the Nightwings, for giving me food and little brother and so much more, so I thought, I would like to help! I want to help, so as to ease your burdens even just a little, because, work is always much easier, much better to do together than alone."
He smiles. "That's true. Everyone here, we're all in this together. I'm glad to be able to cook food like this that's good enough for everyone. Ah..." Sheepishly, he holds one of the unpeeled fruits up, looking suspiciously squished and oozing a particularly unappetizing goo. "Even though the plants and animals down here really are something else."
They watch as a glob splats down onto one of the empty plates lying and share a laugh. Hedwyn sets the fruit down, trying to figure out what to do with it as Mae finishes slicing off the last of the thick yellow skins.
"I think that should be good, I can handle the rest from here," he says. "Thanks again for your help. Would you mind letting everyone know dinner should be ready soon?"
"Of course not, I will go tell everyone, and make sure Ti'zo has not put anything in his mouth that may spoil his appetite!" In a beat she is already throwing the door wide, bounding away. In another, she is back in the room, eyes shining. "Oh! mister Hedwyn, before I go there is something, something I wish to say to you!"
Hedwyn blinks. "Sure. What is it?"
Mae leaps, and Hedwyn barely has time to step back before she propels herself directly into him, thin arms wrapping around his waist.
"You all have done so much for me, so so so much, and I need to say thank you, for taking me into your family, for letting me stay, even though I could never thank any of you enough." She beams up at him. "You are very much my family, all of you, just like the Scribes were so long ago, and it makes me very happy! And I think it is important, it's important to always tell family how you feel, because it feels good to know people care about you, so I want to tell you before I go that I love you and you are important to me and I am very very happy you are here."
"I, oh." Hedwyn pauses (thinking of blue hair and siblings and a time when he was happy that someone so big and strong and amazing could still find the time to care and worry about little old him) and hugs her back, touched. "...Thank you, Mae. It does make me happy to hear how you feel. I love you too."
If her smile before could rival the stars, her entire countenance now could probably outshine the sun, and she gives one last squeeze before bounding out the door proper and calling to the others about dinner.
Mae scales the side of the blackwagon with ease, clambering up to where Pamitha is perched, thinking. Her hat sits in her lap, and she runs a wing absently over the smooth fabric and bright red feather.
"Miss Pamitha?" Mae calls. "Are you alright? After the rite, the rite against your sister last night, you seemed like you were not sad, not exactly, but you seemed like there was much on your mind, so I wanted to check and see that you were okay." She tilts her head. "Are you okay?"
Pamitha blinks slowly, then again. "Oh, hello, Mae darling. I am... I suppose I am doing just fine, all things considered. Just thinking." She laughs, small and short and perhaps a touch bitter. "Thinking about you-know-who, actually. I'm not sure why I thought anything would change, honestly. Tamitha has... she's always been so stubborn about things like this. I suppose I must be satisfied that I at least tried, not that it did either of us much good in the end." A slow shake of the head, and she fiddles with her hat's feather. "I can't help but wonder what I could have done or could still do to earn her favor back, even if I understand why she will never truly forgive me. I've never been strong enough for her."
Mae looks up at her. "I think you are strong, miss Pamitha," she says. "You are very strong, just as strong or maybe even stronger than your sister. You have tried so hard to make things right, you tried so very hard for your family and to make things up to them even though you knew it might not work, and that's incredible!"
Pamitha stares, and lets a small smile slide across her face. "You think so, darling?"
"I do!" Mae is full of passion and she is almost surprised no one is looking up to the top of the wagon where the girl is shouting and waving her heart for all to see. But like the slow dim of a cloud over the sun Mae slows, gently leans against Pamitha's side, and smiles up at her. "Miss Pamitha, I hope that one day you can start to forgive yourself for all the things you did for your sister that she might not be able to forgive you about, whether you regret them or not. Because I know, I know the Scribes have forgiven you, and I have forgiven you, and everyone here has forgiven you too! So I hope you can forgive yourself too, even if your sister won't."
"You really are far too open, aren't you, dear? Thank you." Pamitha unfurls one wing, stretches it around her companion's back and gently tugs her closer. Mae, ever enthusiastic, immediately hugs back. Liars Abound echoes in her head, and she tosses it from her thoughts. "And don't worry, I promise I don't regret everything that's happened because of what I've done - after all, where else would I have met a group so delightful they allow someone like me among their ranks? I've grown too fond of you, darling, you and all the fools in this motley little crew we've somehow found ourselves in."
"Even miss Jodariel?"
"...I guess so," Pamitha says with an exaggerated sigh. But her smile is still there, genuine and growing bigger, only outmatched by the one already settled on Mae's face.
Ti'zo growls, sniffing the air. He might have the advantage of a lifetime in the Downside but his quarry is good, knows already how to keep track of the wind and stay carefully out of sight. He flaps as soundlessly as he can, swiveling in an attempt to catch a glimpse of his target between the myriad of browns and greens and oranges that make up the trees surrounding him.
The wind shifts to bring a scent to him, and Ti'zo barely rockets off in time to avoid a blur of gray that all but sticks to the thick branch it collides with instead. Frantically he twists, faking up and down and flying away with all the skill and force his little imp body can muster, but it's too late - something warm crashes into him, followed by bright laughter.
"Gotcha!" Mae cheers, landing on the hard ground with the drive-imp in her arms. Ti'zo croons sadly, then screeches with laughter as she lets go. "Our score, I think that makes your score five and my score five, doesn't it?" She tosses her arms into the air with a whoop. "We've tied! Oh, Ti'zo, that was a good game, a very very good game! I haven't played such a fun game in some time, I can't believe we tied with each other - that means we both win!"
Ti'zo nods enthusiastically and they both cheer, her arms reaching up to pull him down into another hug. "You were amazing, you are always amazing! Flying always looks so much fun when you do it, when you or Pamitha fly, really, I wish I knew what it was like! Also have you been working on your feints, because when you started dipping up and down and left and right like that, when you started it was so confusing and for a moment I couldn't figure out where you were going, and since I couldn't see where you were going it was so lucky I caught you, but it was incredible! You're incredible!"
He preens, squawking his thanks, before hopping up and down and chirping frantically. The inability to use the same words as his friends frustrates him, but as always they know exactly what he's trying to say.
Mae beams. "Thank you, Ti'zo! I have jumped around and hid before like this, I have, and I like to think I have gotten quite good at it! It is wonderful to do these things without worry, without worrying about being hurt, you or me, even with the Scribes watching." There's a chirrup of agreement. "Thank you for playing with me, Ti'zo, it is so much fun! I love little brother very very much, with all of my heart, I do, but sometimes there are things, things he can't do even though he is my little brother. And back home the kids did not like to play with me very much. They would only call me many many names, and I was often all alone." The imp in her lap grumbles, and she laughs. "Ti'zo, you are so violent sometimes, aren't you? But it's okay. The Scribes, they watch over me and have always watched over me, even when I was sent down the River. And now, I don't have to think about the ones back home because instead I have you and miss Jodariel and miss Reader and mister Hedwyn and everyone else, and that's thanks to the Scribes too, isn't it? The people back home, they don't matter now that I have little brother, and you, my best friend, and all of the Nightwings because you are all my family, not them, and none of us are alone anymore and that is what is important."
Ti'zo grumbles a bit more before smiling, knocking into her with an imp hug to end all imp hugs and sending them to the ground in laughter. He squeaks at her and the girl grins, nodding frantically before standing up again.
"I know you won't, silly, of course I do. It's obvious. Come on, I want to race back to little brother!"
As an ex-captain of the Bloodborder, Jodariel has long since learned the art of diligence. Though she knows few of the Downside's more hostile residence would dare approach them (if the bright colors and large features of the blackwagon didn't scare them off, hers would) old habits die hard, and she scans the horizon and skies for any sign of danger.
Mae appears at her side, beaming, flower coils of varying lengths looped around her shoulder and cradled in one hand. There's even more flowers woven into her hair in lieu of the usual leaves and twigs, a veritable rainbow of color to contrast with the gray. An elaborate chain of blue flowers sits atop her head and two chains of orange and yellow hang from her neck - when Jodariel glances up she can see the Reader and Ti'zo sporting similar accessories, and doesn't try to stop the tiny quirk of her lips that count as a smile.
"Hello, miss Jodariel!" Mae says, bouncing in place. "Miss Reader and Ti'zo and I, we put flowers in my hair so that nothing would be able to jump in and stay there until I have to take them out! Ti'zo tells me they smell good and miss Reader says they look quite nice but I thought, I thought 'we should all have flowers so we match', so we've been using flowers to make crowns and necklaces all afternoon! " She nods, colorful petals swaying with each movement, and holds out the flowery loops. "We made everyone some, see, because I don't want anyone to be left out without flowers to wear but I know you are busy, you're busy watching to make sure we are all safe and sound from the things that even the Scribes might not see, so may I come up and put them on you?"
"Very well. Be careful."
She turns her eyes back up to the sky as Mae cheers and climbs her back, settling on her shoulders. "I hope you like them," Mae says. Soft weight lands on Jodariel's head moments later, light and careful hands fussing with the placement. "Back home, I loved flowers, I loved to see them and lie down in them and watch the sky. They didn't like it when I brought them home though, I don't think, because I can never remember seeing flowers anywhere except when I could hear the Scribes and I always hear the Scribes best when I am outside." Jodi can feel the tug in her heartstrings, and she gently pats Mae's knee.
"But it's okay now," Mae continues. The soft weight settling on her horns is almost startling, but Jodariel does not move. "Because all of that is in the past, and the past is the past and doesn't matter anymore. Here I have found my family, and friends, and a place to listen to the wisdom of the Scribes as freely as I please. Their voices are much louder here than they are in back home."
"I see." She's glad.
Piece said, Mae starts to hum, singing nonsense under her breath.
"Has Tariq been teaching you more songs?" Jodariel asks.
"Yes! They are pretty songs, all beautiful and happy and fun, and miss Reader and mister Volfred both told me what the words mean, at least when I don't know what the words are because some of them are made of words I don't know, and I like them a lot! Sometimes I forget how some of them go but that's okay, because I can always ask later." Mae sets one more crown on Jodariel's head, leans over slightly, and nods to herself. "Also, miss Jodariel, I am done with the flowers!"
"Thank you, Mae."
The girl slides down off the older woman's shoulders at that, and scrambles in front to look at her handiwork proper. She beams.
"They look pretty on you. You always look very pretty and kind, and the flowers look good on you too!" Mae says, clapping.
"I'll take your word on it." Jodariel smiles. "I'm sure they look wonderful."
"Now we match, you and I and Ti'zo and miss Reader!" She perks up. "I need to deliver the flower crowns, the flowers for everyone else!"
"Wait."
Mae stops obligingly and Jodariel lays a massive hand on her shoulder. "Anyone who does not cherish your presence is a fool, and should be treated as such," she says. "Thank you for the flowers, Mae. I quite like them, and I'm sure the others will feel the same."
"Really?" Mae glows, and flings herself at Jodariel in a hug. "Thank you, miss Jodariel, thank you so much!" And with that she's off, scuttling back to where the Reader and Ti'zo are sitting by some rocks and gently scooping up more of the chains. Jodariel chuckles, and continues her watch.
The flowers truly are lovely, she notes later as she stares into the single mirror hanging inside the wagon proper. There are two crowns on her head, a white one inside the larger dark blue, and several small rings of flowers hang from both horns. Beautiful flowers for the massive demon.
She lays them carefully among her belongings before she sleeps and holds them close until the day the weak stems snap and the petals begin to fade away.
[for the curious, ti'zo was simply saying how he'd never leave Mae and that she is his best friend too.]