"Adne." The mother crooned while stroking her young daughter's hair. "You need to go to sleep."
"But Mommy! Daddy's coming home! I can't sleep now or I'll miss him!" The young girl said while fighting to climb onto her knees.
Shakky shook her head fondly and gently laid her back down. She tugged the blanket up to her chin and said, "He might now even get here today. It could be weeks before we see him, my little selkie. Are you just planning on not sleeping at all until he comes home?"
"If that's what it takes." Ariadne said with a severe expression and a nod, attempting to dig up all the dignity in her four year old body.
"Oh well in that case why don't you just rest for a little while. You'll need at least a little rest if you are going to not sleep for weeks."
"Yeah! See now you understand Mommy."
"Of course I do little selkie. Now just lay down, close your eyes, but don't go to sleep alright?"
Ariadne quickly closed her eyes and snuggled deeper under her blanket. Shakky smirked and gently rubbed her small back as Ariadne's eyelids grew heavy and her breaths evened out. She smiled gently as she watched the soft rise and fall of her daughter's chest before leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.
"Sweet dreams baby girl."
"'M not sleepin Mama… I hav'ta wait for Daddy…" Ariadne mumbled in her sleep.
"Ok you do that sweetheart." Shakky smoothed her hand over her daughter's blonde hair one more time before standing and walking to the door. She left the door open just a crack as she made her way back down to the bar.
As soon as Ariadne heard her mother's footsteps fade down the stairs of their shared home she peeked one of her eyes open. Seeing that she was alone she threw the blankets off of herself and climbed into the window sill over her bed. She pressed her hands and face to the chilled glass and stared out at the dark sea, waiting.
"I know you're on your way Daddy. I know it." She whispered quietly with her breath fogging up the glass for a second with every breath.
She sat on that sill for a long while simply staring out over the black sea. Bubbles gently floated past the glass, bursting as they rose, but she paid them no mind. After a while she leaned against the side of the window sill and while she fought to keep her eyes open eventually lost the fight and fell asleep.
Ariadne was awoken in the early hours of the morning by a subtle feeling at the back of her mind. Slowly, she opened her eyes and blinked in the soft light of dawn breaking. She pushed herself up from where she had slumped against the side of the window sill and yawned softly before looking back out the window. Staring out at the sea she could see a ship approaching the grove, not close enough yet to dock but clearly on it's way to do so. She blinked at the sight as if expecting it to disappear before gasping and throwing herself off the window sill. She flopped on the ground with a loud smack but didn't bother to cry as she picked herself up as quickly as she could and sprinted out of her room. Just barely avoiding falling down the stairs she skidded into the bar where her mother was still cleaning up after the customers who had been there the night before.
"Well someone's up early." Shakky said as she smiled at her daughter.
"He's here Mommy!" Ariadne all but screeched.
She didn't wait for a response as she took off running once again. She ignored her mother's call to put on shoes as she jumped down the stairs just outside the door to their home and to the edge of the massive root the ship was slowly drifting towards. As the men on deck hurried about the ship raising the sails, moving cargo, and generally preparing the ship to dock Ariadne could just make out a tall blonde man standing near the bow of the ship. Her eyes widened in awe the moment she realized just who she had laid eyes on. The man turned to shout something over his shoulder before leaping the impressive distance between the deck of the ship and the root Ariadne was standing on.
She jumped back in shock and still couldn't find any words as Rayleigh closed the small gap between them and kneeled down to be closer to her eye level. When their eyes met she shrank back ever so slightly and tugged at the hem of her shirt, suddenly nervous. Rayleigh smiled and simply said, "Hi there."
"Hi." Ariadne squeaked out. "Are you my dad?"
"Well, considering the fact I feel like I'm looking in a mirror right now." He smiled and gently tugged at one of her blonde curls. "I'd say yes."
Ariadne's face lit up in a smile and she squealed before jumping to hug her father tightly. He hugged her back just a tight before scooping her up in his arms and carrying her towards the bar. Shakky stood in the doorway getting more than a little misty eyed as she watched her two greatest loves walk towards her. Her entire family, together at last.
Sooooo yeah. Shameless fluff but why not right? Might continue this in later entries if you guys are interested.