Bular nodded with satisfaction as he finished setting up the display. Then, he turned and kissed his wife.

"I'm heading to my meeting now, Dwelly," he rubbed her belly gently, "I'll be back in an hour or so."

"Only if you don't try to avoid talking today," she teased, pulling him back down for another kiss, "I'll see you when you get back, Sweetbun."

He grinned and set off. The walk threw Heartstone Trollmarket was no longer as hostile as it had once been. A few trolls still sent glares his way but nobody ran from him in terror anymore.

'Perhaps, someday, I will be known as 'Bular, the shop keeper's husband' more than 'Bular the Black',' He thought hopefully.

"There you are, Bular," Blinky looked up from his books, birthstone in his lap, "Arrrgh is in the keep but Walter and the others are running a bit late today."(1)

"Alright. Thank you, Blinkus."

Blinky nodded and went back to his research, throwing one book over his shoulder and grabbing another tto replace it. Bular chuckled and ambled back into the keep where his half brother was waiting.

"Good evening, Arrrgh."

"Evening," Arrrgh grinned, "Have good day? How Dwella?"

"Good and good. Dwelly's-"

"We could just do what normal adult children do and get her flowers," Walt's voice drifted in.

"Ha! Since vvhen have vve ever been normal?" Otto quipped.

"Good point. But we don't really know a whole lot about her," And Nomura made three, "I mean, you two raised me in any case.

"Don't you have a son to celebrate vviz zis year?"

"Yeah...no. Erik doessn't really see me that way. I...I only adopted him to get him off the streets, really."

"...Nope. Not going zrew zat again."

"Yeah. That's bull, Nono."

"What are you three arguing about now?" Bular rolled his eyes.

"Mother's Day," Arrrggh chuckled, "Surface holiday."

"Yes," Walt confirmed, "It's tomorrow and, well, it's really our first time getting to celebrate as the 'children'."

"What is 'Mother's Day'?" Bular sat, eager to put off talking about himself.

"A day to celebrate and honor our mothers," Walt explained.

"And to thank them for puting up with all the bullshit," Nomura added.

"Ozer family members often help younger children und infants," Otto chimed in, "Und school age children usually make gifts at school."

Bular nodded, encouraging them to continue.(2)

"And many families have traditions of thier own," Wally pressed on, "Jim and I make Barbara breakfast in bed, then the two of them go on a walk together. It's what we've done since that first Mother's Day, back before Jim was born."

"Und I take Toby to Nana's und Mary to see her first parents in ze morning. Zen Lenora picks zem up und ze zree of zem go do somezing togezer," Otto got starry eyed as he spoke.

"Hm...Perhaps I could give this holiday a try. Would that be alright?" Bular queried.

"That would be fine, Bular," Walt assured him.

"Our mother bad," Arrrgh lifted an eyebrow.

"Yes," Bular agreed, "But I ment with Dwelly. She's been more tired and stressed lately. I want to do something nice for her. This seams like the perfect opportunity."

"And the perfect topic for this week's discussion," Walt steepled his fingers, "At the risk of sounding cleche: Bular, tell us about your childhood."

"Blitsnack..."

LLB

Angor was more surprised then he should have been to find Claire and her brother in his keep. The girl sat cross legged on the floor, sourounded by gems and wire and a small jar of a clear liquid. Enrique crawled around the keep, pulling itself up to stand at the sopha.

"Youngling? What are you and the whelp doing?" He picked up Enrique, delighting the toddler.

"Making a bracelet for Mom," Claire didn't look up, "Tomorrows Mother's Day."

"But...your mother is not good at...well, mothering."

"I know. But she's still my mom. She does encourage me to get good grades and she comes to my plays," Claire put down her crimpers and wire, "And she works hard so we can live the life we do."(3)

Angor sat in front of her, Enrique settled neatly in his lap, "Where did you get the stones?"

"Traded about three months worth of recycling from both my house and Darcy's for them. Oh! Give me Enrique for a second."

She dipped one stone in the clear potion before taking her brother, "Besides, it's his first Mother's Day. Mom was still pregnant with him last year."

With a small struggle, she pressed the toddler's thumb to the stone. A clear imprint was left behind. Claire released Enrique and repeated the process with her own thumbprint. She strung the last two stones into place and crimped the clasps.

"Tada!" She held up the bracelet of two alternating gemstones, "What do you think? The stones are Enrique and mine birthstones. For humans, that means the stones that represent the months we were born."

Angor pulled Enrique back into his lap, "It's lovely, Youngling. I'm sure your mother will love it. In fact, would you like me to put a charm on it so it wont break?"

"Really?!" Claire lit up, "Can I learn it and do it myself?"

Angor chuckled, "Alright. If we start now, you should be able to do it in time to give it to your mother."

LLB

Morgana sighed as she played with the flowers her oldest son had given her for Mother's Day. The holiday was one of the ones she had missed learning about while in the Heartstone. Light music wafted threw the keep. A gift from her second child. The boys had come in early in the morning after celebrating with their children and wives.

"M-Mom?"

Morgana turned at the sound of her daughter's voice. The pink Changling had her whelp on her shoulder, her hands behind her back, and a nervous look on her face.

"Nono? What can I do for you?"

Nomura grumbled something, not meaning her eyes. Erik rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Ma. Go on."

Nomura shot her son a dark look. Morgana struggled not to laugh at the duo.

"If you don't hurry up I'll be up past my bedtime," Erik sang, "And then I'll be grumpy and hard to wake up tomorrow."

Morgana chuckled, "Are you trying to ask me to watch Erik for the night or just advice for how to keep little whelps under control?"

"No..."

"Yer gettin close, Gram," Erik rolled over and watched her upside down.

Morgana covered her eyes and sighed, "Oh! I don't know if I'm ready for that one yet...I know it's been about a thousand years but I don't feel old enough to be a gr-mpf!"

Nomura had thrust a small package in her face, "Happy Mother's Day!"

Morgana took a step back before taking the package. It was crudely wrapped but inside was a matching set or ring and bracelet. There were three stones to each; Serpentine, Dumortierite, and Ruby Quartz.

"A piece from each of us. Walt, Otto, and...me...And-and there's a charm on them to keep anyone from stealing your hand,"Nomura lowered Erik to her hip, "It's not much but...yeah..."

Morgana smiled and pulled her daughter into a light hug, "Thank you, Nomura. And Happy Mother's Day to you, too."

Nomura leaned into the warm embrace for a moment before stepping back, "Thank you...Mom. Have a good night."

"You too."

Nomura smiled and lay Erik against her shoulder, "Come on, Imp. Bedtime."

"M not tired," Erik yawned, laying his head down.

"I know."

Erik looked up slightly and waved before laying his head Baker on his mother's shoulder. Morgana waved back before sitting back in the keep. She flopped onto the sopha and snatched up a book. Angor moved her gently and sat with her.

"Have a good Mother's Day?"

"I di- wait. How do you know what Mother's Day is?" Morgana looked up at him.

"My apprentice explained it to me," Angor shrugged.

"Well, I did. Thank you for asking."

As if waiting for her que, Stardust strutted into the room. Having graduated from fluffy kitten stage of development, her lanky adolescent legs made her look truly ridiculous. Something dangled from her jaws.

"Stardust? What have you got there, Princess?" Morgana sat up.

The baby bobcat held her chin high, displaying her 'catch'. It was a little black bag. Morgana picked her up and wiggled the bag from her jaws.

"Angor? Have any idea where she got this?"

"Hm?" He looked away at his book.

Morgana pursed her lips and opened the bag. Inside was a chain with a single charm of Citrine.(4)

"Angor?"

"What? Oh. That's very nice."

Morgana fixed him with a look.

"Why are you looking at me like that? It was Stardust who gave it to you."

She couldn't hold a strait face. She burst into laughter and turned.

"Oh! Alright then!" She laughed and turned, "Will you help me put it on?"

Angor silently complied and watched and Morgana played with Stardust for a moment. She kissed the kit's soft little forehead and snuggled her close.

"Thank you, Stardust."

LLB

Bagdwella stretched as she woke up and forced herself to sit up.

"Nope. You stay in bed today," Bular put one hand on her shoulder, "I can handle the shop today."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, Dwelly," he kissed her cheek, "And, tonight, I'm going to take you out to our theater for dinner and a show. I know we haven't been able to get out as often lately."

"Ok," Bagdwella crossed her arms, "What's the occasion?"

Bular grinned, "Mostly I wanted to spoil you a bit. But, I chose today because it is Mother's Day. So, I figured you could take today off and, after the Little Trollhunter and his cousins leave, we can go on a little date."

Bagdwella chuckled, "That does sound nice, Sweet Bun. But do you know what I really want for Mother's Day?"

She grabbed his horns and pulled him back into thier nest, "Extra snuggle time!"

Bular laughed as she nuzzled into his chest, curling into him as best she could, "Hey! I thought I was suposed to watch the shop today."

"You said you wanted to spoil me today," Bagdwella insisted, "I decided that means extra snuggles!"

Bular smiled down at her for a moment before curling around her and wrapping his tail securely around her back, "I love you, Dwelly."

"I love you too, Sweetbun."

LLB

1) It's my intention that this is just something Blinky does while he reads. He'll take the birthstone, and later Cordi, sit and hold them in his lap.

2) TBH, me when I was in therapy. Much easer to keep my parents talking than to talk about myself.

3) Ophelia may be a good person and a good politician, but she's not the greatest mom...

4) I looked up Cambodian gemstones and Citrine was the very first thing that came up. It also happens to be my birthstone so there was no way I was passing up making it Angor's stoneskin.