After All These Years
It feels as though the winding voyage of a lifetime has reached its pinnacle. Morgan could literally not ask any more from life.
In his arms, the fragile bundle slumbers calmly. With his eyes still cast down, rapt in his adoration, Morgan beams.
"Her name is Li'fen."
Lon'qu, from his place at the table, looks up in surprise.
"That's your mother's name, right father? Since the day you told me about her and what her name was, I couldn't stop thinking how beautiful it sounded. When I told Lucina, she loved it too."
Robin brushes a stray strand of hair behind her ear, opening her arms to hold her granddaughter for the first time, with memories of a humid, rainy night long ago when she held the now adult Morgan close to her chest, where love overflowed bright and fierce, kissing his brow and stroking his tender cheek. She can see some of her old emotions reflected in Morgan's face when he hands his little bundle over to her, and smiles gently and proud.
"Come love." Robin turns to her husband, though she is already making her slow way over there, also absorbed in gazing at the new member of the family. "She wants to say hi."
Lon'qu is careful to not let his hardened skin grace the soft face, lest he causes her some form of discomfort or displeasure, but gladly he lets the infant grab onto his index finger as he makes the likeness between father and daughter, from the silky mop of darkly hair wildly spurting to the round, rosy cheeks that Morgan no longer has, but made him as endearing as this in his earliest years.
"She has her mother's colors, but her hair is identical to yours."
Morgan chuckles, his voice deepened over the years, closer to sounding gruff like his father's. "Funny. I was going to say the same thing to you. I do get it from you after all."
Robin dips her head only the slightest to plant a kiss brief and gentle. "She's gorgeous Morgan. You and Lucina did very well."
"Thank you mother," he replies, wanting to burst into a joyful fit, because deep down he's still that young child who admires his mother like she's a goddess. He then turns to the quiet man who taught him how to stand tall, proud in his own skin. "Are you pleased father? I hope you're not upset I borrowed the name without asking first if it would be okay."
Lon'qu snorts. "You needn't my permission any longer. You're a grown man and you make your own decisions."
His wife's half-playful, half-serious face tells him to add something else.
"...And yes. I am... pleased. It suits her, somehow."
He scrunches his nose scrutinizing the tiny features, trying to find his mother's lips, or perhaps the beauty mark under her jaw, because there is something oddly familiar that makes him want to smile.
"That's... um..."
"Yes?" Morgan looks over Robin's shoulder to peer at whatever his father keeps starring at.
"She has her lashes. My mother's, I mean... very long lashes. My father used to say she could dust the entire house with but a few blinks."
Morgan laughs. "You never mentioned that in any of your stories before! I don't think you ever told me much about your own parents at all."
"Forgive me. I have very few recollections of my parents, but I can tell you what I can recall when you like."
"I would like that."
Robin, seeing the glint of excitement in Morgan's eyes, and aware of how long it's been since their last visit to their son's house, hums to herself as she heads for the stairs at Morgan's back. She walks slowly, lightly bouncing the gurgling child in her arms.
"Dear, is Lucina awake? I'd like to congratulate her."
"Oh, well, she was still sleeping when I left the room... She's still pretty tired."
Robin smiles slowly. "Not a problem. I'll just put little Li'fen in her crib and sing to her. I won't wake Lucina."
Lon'qu knows what his wife is up then, as he ought to be able to read the conspiratorial glance she sends his way.
'Schemer,' he finds himself thinking fondly. 'All these years gone by and she's still a con artist, rather than a tactician, at heart.'
"Well then father! Looks like we got us some alone time. Would you like some tea? I've been practicing some terrific recipes Brady let me in the other day. You see, since he started traveling to play all over the land, he ends up in the strangest of restaurants and tea houses; and just the other day when I crossed paths with him, he told me he'd been in a southern province of Chon'sin, can you believe it? He says he had the best cup of tea in his entire life- "
'Morgan hasn't changed either. As always, he does most of the talking...'
Note: Ah, another short one-shot. What a joy. I had this just sitting around collecting dust because I thought it was just no good, but I just read it and had a change of heart. Don't say you haven't tried to imagine Morgan's family? I have. Think of his beyond-broken children XD And think of all the adorableness that would ensue! The possibilities are lovable. Anyways. I hope this was an enjoyable read, there wasn't much said about Moran's offspring, but whatever. I hope the family stuff made up for that.
Also, I took some liberties with Lon'qu's past, because you know, I don't actually remember him saying anything about his family in the game, but then again I haven't gone through all the supports just yet.