They march again to the Feroxi ports the next morning and Ceci has yet to speak a word. No one bothers her, no one tries to satisfy their curiosity and she's quite thankful. She has been avoiding Chrom for the majority of the day, but she knows she can't completely escape him. She is his right hand and sooner or later she'd have to face him for another war council, but the tactician tries her best either way.
Morgan has been hanging around Owain and Lucina around the rear, a familiar cloak slightly billowing behind him with every step ( or skip? Hop? Jump? She is very unsure of what exactly this so called son of hers is doing ). She hears soft laughter and Owain's familiar outbursts, and she can't help but crack a small smile when she looks over her shoulder to check on the children ( except they aren't children, can't be when they're almost as old as their parents ). She lowers her head in an attempt not to let the others see.
"Ain't that more like it?" she raises her head and looks up at Gaius beside her. She isn't sure when he had managed to catch up to her ( or possibly slowed down to follow her pace; she honestly isn't sure ). The thief adjusts the bag slung across his shoulder but keeps his eyes forward. She raises a brow, trying to keep her expression neutral before facing forward again.
They don't stand too close, but their arms almost touch when the silence settles in.
"Is there anything you need, Gaius?" she asks, breaking their silence. Inigo's whines can be heard from their spot. The thief still doesn't look at her, does not even spare her a glance.
"Nothing really," he shrugs, but the tactician can tell by his slightly hushed speaking that there is something. Cynthia guffaws and slaps someone's back; judging from the yell, it's Yarne.
"Is this about Morgan?" she asks suspiciously. They hear someone yell bloody murder and half of the children cower and whimper in fear of Noire's hidden side. Gaius takes a side glance of her, looking almost offended.
"Nope, I told you, it's nothing."
"You're curious, aren't you? About his father, I mean." She glances around, eyeing the other soldiers. Lucina berates the other children. "If… if what his claim about being my son and his… his story…"
"No, Bubbles." Gaius grunts, cutting her off before she can say anything else. He looks irritated, but he keeps his voice somehow calm and cool. "Are you?" Ceci stops in her tracks, openly staring at the back of Gaius' head.
She hears Morgan laugh.
Her chest tightens and her fist clenches. She jogs quickly to catch up before they can leave her behind. She follows Gaius' pace and they fall into familiar silence until they reach the port. Gaius eyes her pendant and recalls Morgan having the exact same one.
a/n: another drabble ;; haha. ( there's one chapter that's ridiculously long though - m'sorry [ notreally ] )