(A/N: This is back to the littles, so Marth and Malin will be referred to as such. I hope you enjoy the chapter!)

The Mini Shepherds had been back for a few days; turns out their mission took a lot less time than expected. The bandits were only a town away, and they more-or-less turned themselves in when they heard Brady threatening to squish a fly if it touched his food. The situation was absurd at best—definitely the shortest mission they've ever gone on—but they got home before May even started, so it worked out nicely. Well, except for the fact that Morgan now had all the time in the world to worry about the people who weren't home.

He wasn't often alone, and he definitely wasn't used to being without one or both of his parents; his family tried their best to help, but for better or worse Morgan's imagination helped with creative tactic scenarios and anxiety-inducing possibilities. Lissa didn't leave the castle, and Lucina and Noire (who had come alongside the bored Tharja by Robin's earlier request for this specific reason) were never far away. This made it one of the rare instances where his sister and closest friend were in the same room together, since the latter often found Lucina's presence terrifying. But even though all three of them were there, only Morgan was talking.

"I don't like this," he declared. He said it pretty much every time he thought of a possible scenario, each one typically worse than the last. "They didn't even say when they'd be back…and the day after tomorrow's my birthday. If Mother and Father aren't home by then…"

"They're fine," Lucina insisted as kindly as she could, successfully hiding most of her frustration. He knew it couldn't be easy handling his fears like this, but he couldn't stop himself from voicing them.

"I don't think you've ever worried this much when it was Lucina and your father were gone," Noire added. "I mean, you were still worried, but you weren't freaking out as much."

"I trust Father and Lucina," Morgan argued. "Father also tells me 'hey, Morgan, we're going to probably Regna Ferox, be back in a few weeks.' Unlike now when Mother just said, 'we'll be gone for a little while, try not to worry, your aunt will undoubtedly ask the staff bake a lot of cakes so I trust you to make her share, we'll return in a little while.' Withdrawing information doesn't help, Mother! It just makes me think that whatever your doing is something that will make me worry more!"

"Father said that you should only truly be concerned if they aren't here by the fifth," Lucina reminded him. "Listen to his advice, please; or else I will find some way to silence your worries."

Noire laughed quietly. "I know where my mother hides her poisons…"

"Don't try to kill me!" Morgan protested. With a sigh, he continued, "I'm really trying not to worry, but I can't help it. Cynthia and Owain can agree; imaginations and stressful situations don't mix well."

Lucina only sighed as her reply. "…Noire, can you handle him for a little while?" She asked.
"Yeah," Noire replied with a nod.

"I'll be in my room—hopefully asleep," Lucina told Morgan simply. He nodded, and she left; Noire quickly started up another conversation.

At first they talked about the garden, then if they wanted to make camp out in the largest empty room or outside (since Noire wasn't fond of sleeping in one of the bedrooms on account of Morgan's habit of keeping his window open and the resulting 'bug invasions,' as she put it). It was decided on the latter, so they went on to discuss the location and the size of the tent. Once that was agreed on, the next matter was whether or not they would invite someone else. Before they could make a choice, one of the staff went to get them so they could make their way to the dining hall for dinner. Lissa, Owain, and Lucina were already there, and conversation settled in before long.

"Who knows," Lissa said to Morgan at some point, "Maybe your parents are taking longer because they have a nice present for you!"

"Thank you for trying," Morgan replied, sighing, "But I know exactly where my presents are, and they're probably not taking more than a few days to get something for me."

"Where are the presents?" Lissa challenged him playfully.

"Downstairs in the basement, second closet to the right and behind the weapon stack," Morgan said simply. Lucina nodded while Lissa just sank into her chair a bit. "Just don't tell Mother that I know or she might change it."

"Wait…so I could go there and figure out what I'll be getting?" Owain asked.

"…I think it would be empty," Noire said quietly.

Her comment got a small chuckle out of Lucina, at least. Lissa quickly said, "Don't worry; your presents will get there…eventually."

"Wait. You haven't even bought my presents yet?" Owain replied incredulously.

"I still have two months!" Lissa protested.

"That excuse didn't work when you were trying to figure out what Mother, Father, and Owain were getting you," Lucina pointed out.

Lissa was at a loss for words, only able to retort with, "Stop being a teenager!" (Which was, in all honesty, her go-to response when her son, niece, or nephew said something she couldn't find any words to protest with ever since they passed the age of thirteen.)

Lucina only smiled and continued eating; much like Chrom, she liked the opportunity to tease family members every now and then when the situation called for it. Another conversation proceeded, and dinner ended with the traditional pre-birthday dessert that mostly consisted of sugar and chocolate. Morgan and Noire went on a mission to find the best tents to set outside, deciding to place them in the center of the garden.

The tents were set up, and the duo stayed up a little later than usual to tell stories around a small fire—make-believe tales that Morgan had concocted when he was younger, which he gradually added on to as time passed. Noire added colorful characters and unexpected twists, making the stories different from one another. When it was time for them to sleep, they bid goodnight and went into their respective tents. Sleep didn't come readily, but just before Morgan fell asleep he could faintly hear Tharja saying something, either close by and quietly or farther away and loudly, to another voice he could recognize as Robin's. After that, he slept soundly.