He only breaks his stride when he comes to a sudden halt behind her, unheard from the clanging of swords from his training squadron, and he curls his fingers around her waist as he ducks quickly, lifting her up over his head, to be seated upon his shoulders. She yelps at the sudden change in elevation, as he stands back to his full height, fingers curling just under her knees.
"Nis!" She giggles out despite her attempts to stay them. "What are you doing?"
"I thought you'd be able to see better up there."
"I'm not that short, you giant!"
He chuckles as he turns them back around to face his students. "You're only kidding yourself, baby sister, you're teeny tiny."
"Well, fine, then, you're huge."
"You better mean huge, as in tall, huge."
She giggles, her fingers curling around the sloppy bun on the top of his head, shrugging despite him not being able to see it. "Well, I mean, I'm sorry no one told you this, but you have put on a bit of weight."
"We call it a dad bod." They looked up at the young voice, a mischievous boy stood there, smiling at them the smile of a trickster, and she laughs softly as her ride reaches forward with his left hand to smack him over the head. "Oh, would you get back to your class."
She giggles softly, tugging the hair tie off of his bun, brushing his long hair out with her fingers, as the boy snickers and ducks under his hand. He winks at them and darts off, ducking under his opponent, and swings around to kick his feet out from under him. "I like him. What's his name?"
"That's Paul. He's one of my charges."
"You have charges?" She stills her fingers mid brush. "As in, more than one?"
"Yes, I have two, I have Paul," he points out a tall lithe boy sparring with the only female trainee among them. "And Sasha."
"You must be proud."
He nods, and she tugs at his hair for the movement, he peers up at her from over his shoulder for the action. "More then anything." She smiles down at him. "What are you doing, Aba?"
"Braiding your hair."
"Alright, I'll try to be as still as possible."
"Thank you."
…
"Here, have some chocolate."
Abraxas looks up at the treat held out to her in offering, then up to her brother munching on his own piece, he thrusts it back out at her encouragingly.
"Is it from your secret stash?"
He nods as he takes another bite of his beloved chocolate. She smiles and reaches out for it, savoring the taste as she takes a small nibble of a bite off the corner, she sighs in delight and closes her eyes at the warm velvety texture.
She takes another nibble. "Why'd you give me a piece of chocolate?"
"You looked like you could use a piece of chocolate."
"Did I look sad again?"
Puriel nods, finishing off his piece of the favored treat, rubbing his hands over the side of his trousers. "Nothing a good piece of chocolate can't fix, eat up, it'll make you feel better."
"Chocolate fixes everything?"
"Of course, it does." He crosses his arms lightly. "And I'm a medic, if anyone would know, it would be me."
"You're the best medic."
The Power smiles, tugging her closer by the front of her baggy tunic, curling his arms around her shoulders. "You're the best baby sister."
…
"So, you've been getting rather close to that pagan."
She looks up from her book at their approach. "So?"
They sit on either side of her, leaning back on their hands, looking down at her inquisitively. "When are we going to get to meet him?"
"Um." She sets the book aside and leans back with them. "Never."
"Unacceptable." Titus shakes his head firmly. "We need to meet this suitor if he thinks he can chase after our baby sister."
"He's nice! I promise!"
"If he's treating you right," Haniel shrugs. "Then, there's nothing to hide."
"We're just talking, guys!"
"Right, and that's all we'd do."
Aba shakes her head, a smile slowly crossing over her features, curling her arms around herself as she leans forward between them. "You guys would try and scare him."
"We would never do such a thing."
"Come oooonnnnn, Aba!" Haniel leans forward with her, elbowing her arm lightly, smiling in older brotherly amusement. "Give us something."
"Okay, okay, something small."
Titus leans forward too, expectantly, leaning on his knees as he watches her attentively for this little piece of divulged information. "Okay, that's a start."
"His name's Pan."
"Where's he live?"
She laughs softly, shoving the tall, muscular in the side. Titus chuckles, though he attempts to remain serious enough, the effect is lost. "I'm not telling you that!"
He pokes her in the side lightly. "Oh, you'll tell me."
…
"No! Abe!" Her laughter echoes off the walls of the silent Pavilion, his squadron being the only one with a free day that particular day, as she ran through the hall, just out of his reach. "I'm sorry! Abe! No!"
"We're a sassy angel, aren't we!" He chases after her, laughing in time with her, and ducks as he closes the distance between them with a few quick strides. "Oh, ho, ho, how I missed this!"
She shrieks as he snags her around the waist, crashing back against his chest as he yanks her up off her feet, the sudden stop jolting them both. Her laughter rises in quantity, fingers tugging at his hands as he lifts her from her feet, leaning back lightly to pull her upwards.
"Remember what I used to do to you when you got sassy with me?"
Abraxas laughs brightly, scrunching her shoulders up, hiding her neck from him. He laughs at the action, digging his fingers into her lower sides, she shrieks and thrusts her arms back down again. It leaves the area wide open for attack, so he leans forward, burying his face in the side of her neck. She shrieks again, her shoulder scrunching up the best that it can given his position, bright, high pitched giggles escaping her when he kisses the smooth sensitive skin playfully.
"Ahahahhabe! Nohoho!"
He chuckles against her neck, rubbing his nose against the smooth skin lightly, and she tries to lean away from him. "I think you need to be retaught this lesson."
"I dohohohon't!"
"I think you do."
The Power pulls away from her neck, chuckling deeply, as he turns them around for to return to his room. When he drops her this time, in another heap, she bounces against the mattress of his bed. Giggling in anticipation, she crab crawls backwards, away from him.
Kneeling at the side of his bed, he snags her by the ankles, tugging her close again. "Come're you little duckling."
She laughs brightly, he's not even doing anything, and it makes him chuckle in amusement, as she tries to curl up on herself.
"I'm nohohot a duhuhuckling!"
"You're not?" He leans forward, on his elbows, between her legs. "Because you sure seem like one, to me."
"Ahahahabe!"
"And what's this I hear about a boy?"
She arches her back when he curls his fingers into her sides. "HAhahahani is suhuhuhuch a blahahahabber mouth!"
"Yes, yes he can be." He leans forward even more, eyeing her neck playfully. "But I appreciate it most of the time. Keeps life interesting."
"Abe!"
"I want to know more about this boy."
"I'll never tell!"
"Oh, you'll tell me everything." She squeals when he digs into her sides at the same moment he burrows into her neck, her fingers curling over his shoulders, clutching at the shoulders of his tunic. "Ahahahabe!"
Abraxas shoves against Abraxos shoulders, trying to shove him away, out from her neck. When he doesn't budge, she curls her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, and hugs herself as close to him as she can.
He chuckles. "Are you trying to hug me into stopping?"
"Ihihist it wohohorking?"
His arms curl under her, around her waist, and he leans back into the standing position with her on his arms. "It will if you give me a kiss." She giggles airily, looking down at him with the brightest eyes he's ever seen, and leans in quickly to peck his puckered lips. "You'll always be my little duckling, baby girl."
"Always?"
Abraxos leans forward, pecking the tip of her nose, brushing his against hers playfully. "Always and forever."
