Fate and Misfortune

Oblivious to the less than positive emotions coursing through his brother, Garrison beamed in undisguised delight once hearing that the other was willing to accompany him. He didn't need Navi's presence, didn't wholly require it.

If anything, sneaking him out against their mother's precise orders for her youngest to remain in his room, resting up after every ordeal he had endured, was a risk he really ought to avoid taking.

But he wanted to take it; wanted to head out and experience some fun alongside his brother, especially because of everything the other had recently gone through. In Garrison's mind, what better way for him to move on from every night of fear and uncertainty he went through away from the family than to spend time with them; make new experiences, enjoy new activities, formulate new memories that weren't solely restricted within the four walls that Navi was often forced to exist within for hours upon hours every single day.

Granted, Garrison wasn't aware that his brother had been enjoying all sorts of new things in the cabin, beside Lukas, taking into his hands an entirely new way of life far removed from the one he usually experienced. No, he was under the impression that Navi had been scared to be away from the home he had only ever known, uncertain without his family at his side - so inviting him to head out into the settlement, regardless of the risks involved, was one way he sought to remedy things; to provide his brother with something to take his mind off the trouble he had previously wandered into.

Besides, beyond that, Garrison had come to the realisation that he hadn't been the best brother to him, even if much of that was through ignorance. What better time than now to try and change that?

"Awesome! Yeah, get changed; wrap up warm because it's chilly out there. Meet me down in the library; we'll take the exit out into the gardens. There's a panel in the fence you can slide through. I'll climb over the wall. That'll take us down to the settlement centre, we can head to Deera's home from there-- you have no idea how much I appreciate this, Navi. Supporting me on this; supporting my relationship. Tia wouldn't, Mama doesn't. Glad to have you in my corner, anyway. Brothers gotta stick together, huh?"
 
Silence as a reaction wasn’t uncommon for Navi as he watched his brother’s excitement rise. No, the youngest triplet had learned quite awhile back that his nervous stutter was grating after Tia had pointed it out. Sure, she was scolded by their mother but his sister’s uncharacteristically cruel words had always staged with him.

He has been told his memory was incorrect though. He remembered Tiariana looming over him, her height surpassing his even when they were younger. He remembered her growling after offering his opinion on something mundane, perhaps the way the food tasted? Something so benign yet her patience had still run thin that he remembered, distinctly, the way her sharp teeth cleaned in the light of the room as she barked at him to shut up. It was just those two words really, but the anger behind them were so strong that Navi had promised to keep his talking to a minimum - because while he was a monster, one that undoubtedly would scare a human despite his weaker state, if didn’t mean seeing his sister in such a grizzly state didn’t affect him.

Of course, that’s at least how he remembered it.

This though, this silence wasn’t normal, wasn’t fueled by the sake of his brother. If Garrison were a little smarter he would realize there was a stiffness to his movements; that there was an anger behind Navi’s clenched jaw as he moved carefully to his closet, human clothes found on those who would eventually become slaves or food given to him, given his preferred form being human. He didn’t want to take off the clothes he had taken from Lukas but he knew he had to eventually .

He didn’t want to forget the man after all and already had a plan in mind to at the very least help him, if he could.

Bundled up tightly in plenty of layers, the clothes certainly added bulk to his otherwise thin frame. Going a week without food did quite a bit to his already weak body, he was sure their mother would do her best to change that, but for now he had to rely on the layers of clothes to offer him some weight. Sure, seeing what most would assume was a human casually walking about thr settlement mind alarm some monsters but Navi’s cane was recognizable enough, he figured, as he slipped from his bedroom without being caught.

His anger had certainly eased as he dressed, at least towards Garrison. Navi knew that his brother didn’t know any better, that he was just doing what he was told and that he just wanted him safe. That simply meant his anger shifted onto Tia and their mother, though he said nothing of it as he peered around, making sure no one else was around.

“… so you r-really like Deera?” Navi asked in a whisper once beside Garrison, focusing more on that fact than letting his anger and jealousy get the best of him. “Have… I m-met her before?”
 
"Oh, you've definitely met her, yeah-- I mean, I-- I'm sure you must have, Navi, 'cos she's been part of my life for a while now. Like, every day I make an effort to see her, or just have a message passed to her, or something like that, so-- so you must have met her." Garrison replied, a smile remaining on his lips even when the confidence beginning his answer had started to fade the longer he spoke. Eventually, his efforts to convince himself that someone as important to him as Deera was had met his brother, someone just as central a figure in his life, crashed altogether, the truth dawning on him that in all those months, no meeting had taken place.

Because how could it when Deera wasn't welcome in their home, and likewise, Navi was always sheltered from venturing beyond the building's borders? It hadn't occurred to him to consider that a problem and remedy it, the guilt hitting him like a brick now he had finally taken it into account.

It had never concerned him that Navi had always been prevented from enjoying even the smallest of pleasures that he and Tia had been introduced to at the youngest of ages, because... Navi being wrapped in cotton wool, locked away in his room 'for his own good' was the norm; was the typical thing and, ultimately, Garrison had never considered trying to alter or change that in any way.

Until now, at least. Granted, the choice to counter their mother's wishes and integrate Navi into his life beyond their home had come far too late, but he chose not to dwell on the negative. Rather, he prioritised the positive - at least Navi had the chance to experience something now, however late it might be taking place.

"...I suppose you haven't met her yet, actually. Mama doesn't like her, she doesn't ever let her visit here, and obviously you've never been given the chance to go explore the settlement, so... yeah, you've not met her," he clarified with a laugh, one unsubtle in its awkwardness and lingering guilt, the former only evidenced further by Garrison's hand reaching to self-consciously rub the back of his neck.

"You'll like her, though! She's-- you know, she's brilliant. Mama doesn't like her, Tia doesn't either, but-- you'll get it, Navi; you'll see that she's good for me, I know you will. You're good like that. But even if you don't, just... don't be too harsh. I-- I can't hear more people I love talk down on the person I want to spend my life with, it.. it hurts," he shrugged casually, as though the emotional impact of constant criticism against Deera was a weight he could manage to bear - however untrue that was.

Peering around the corner down the hallway to ensure they had no servants or advisors to contend with, he reached for his brother's hand and proceeded forward quietly - or as quietly as his heavy, thudded steps allowed him to be. Only when they reached the safety of the empty library -a part of the home he seldom frequented- did he visibly relax, seeing the most difficult part of their escape out of the home as complete.

"Hey, we can make a day of this! We can all grab some local food; there's this great stall Deera introduced me to, they do the best kebabs," beamed Garrison as his characteristic cheeriness picked back up, mostly aided by the step out of the side exit into the brisk Winter's morning beyond it. He peered up at the sky, a blanket of white clouds, and exhaled deeply, his breath visible in the chill of the air.

"Her family actually owns their own stall but they do sweet stuff, you know? Cakes, desserts, that stuff. Very... human things. Mama doesn't approve of that either, obviously; anything Deera does, she turns her nose up at-- don't tell Mama I said that. I-- I know she just wants the best for me, I don't mean to be... nasty about her."
 
Navi listened of course, watching the older of the triplets with an undeniable look of curiosity. This Deera girl, she made his brother happy simply put. Much like everything, the youngest could only observe life from his little ‘shelter’ of his room or from the very, very rare moments he was offered to leave their home for publicity. Hell, leaving the settlement was actually quite difficult given the fact he barely knew it so he ought to have been given a Pat on the back for at least managing to slip out, unseen (having used his true form and it’s light-absorbing color to move through the night).

More evidence of how he escaped unseen being just how quietly he moved alongside Garrison, even with the occasional ‘click’ of his cane. He was otherwise silent bar the faintest shuffle of his feet against old, stained carpet. He could only imagine what the various colors were from, though he figured quite a bit of it was from the blood of humans.

Thankfully the museum hadn’t been carpeted much.

Once in the library, Navi took comfort in it that he knew his siblings wouldn’t understand. While often bedbound, there had been days in which Navi would get up from bed and wander the museum and more often than not he found the library to have a quiet moment to himself. He couldn’t quite read the human language bar a few simple words so staring at the pages of text often led to a headache but the books with pictures, of creatures he had never seen and people who were long gone, both saddened him as well as offered that same comfort; like, for a moment, he was finally socializing with his surroundings. It was all in his imagination but it was a moment of escape.

That seemed to be the word of the month. At Garrison’s pleading, Navi offered to mimic him zippering his lips closed because why would he have any reason to hurt this woman? She made his brother happy. He wasn’t blind to the fact that all three had their responsibilities to marry or how they had to present themselves but it felt… strange nonetheless, so he often didn’t dwell on it. As for the concept of different class, it wasn’t as if Naveen was introduced to the ways of the more humble monster so there was no reason to hate her any more than any other monster, right?

“T-That sounds good,” Navi admitted in a whisper as he peered around the library. “M-M-‘Mama would never let me try a cake, s-so…”
 
"Yeah, well... Mama doesn't always know what's good for us. For you. A cake isn't going to harm you, it doesn't make you a traitor to our kind. It's just a cake, right? That's how I see it anyway," shrugged Garrison in response, either oblivious to how disregarding his words were to the entire philosophy their mother had raised them to believe or playing it off with a surprising air of coolness that, realistically, he didn't naturally possess. No, Garrison remained naive to how damning his criticisms of their mother were, which, in a way, was probably for the best.

The moment he fully registered just how negative he was being, just how far he had ventured outside their mother's beliefs, he was likely to panic, become overwhelmed and immediately u-turn, abandoning things that made him genuinely happy in favour of whatever it was that Mariana preferred for him. The longer he remained caught up in his own ignorance, the better it was for him - and his shot at future happiness.

"Deera actually likes humans, you know. She doesn't tell many monsters that, obviously; they'd hate her for those kind of views, but... I reckon telling you is fine. You can be trusted," reasoned the older of the brothers without needing to convince himself of that belief. Innately, instinctively, he knew he could express himself honestly, reveal Deera's controversial opinions, without fearing backlash and rejection.

"I don't really get it, I've tried telling her that humans are there to be eaten and all of that, but she won't listen. She feels bad for them, do you know that? Don't tell Mama, or anyone for that matter, but she sneaks them food sometimes. She's kind like that. I don't care about humans really, they're just food to us, but I like that she cares; that she has a big heart. Mama wouldn't see it that way, obviously. It'd just be another reason to dislike her. Or a reason to have her imprisoned for being a traitor," he snorted, the humour in the noise entirely forced to distract himself from the sharp jolt of paint hat ran through his chest at the thought of Deera actually punished for her traitorous views. As naive as he could often be, Garrison wasn't blind to the fact his mother would rule with an iron fist when it came to enforcing her beliefs - and punishing those that countered her expectation for such beliefs to be upheld and shared by the masses.

A few hours prior, he would have believed that his love for Deera would spare her from that sort of vicious ruthlessness. Now, however, he knew better than to be that naive to the extent of their mother's toughness.

Deciding to leave behind the negative conversation, the journey down to the heart of the town was filled with Garrison's cheery observations on the buildings they passed, or the people they crossed, or the gentle colours of the morning sky above them. Nothing was exempt from comment, all of it underlined with positivity and optimism - though that energy took an immediate upturn at the eventual sight of Deera, stood -unconventionally -in human form at her family's market stall, tending to the baked goods neatly on display.

Seamlessly adopting his own human form to match hers -and because he realised that his intentions to do so for Navi's comfort had been forgotten until now-, he cast his brother a smile, one that did little to disguise his eagerness. If he was honest, he wanted nothing more than to run over to Deera and lift her enthusiastically into his arms, pepper her with kisses and every longing compliment he had thought up in their short time apart - but when doing so would leave Navi standing awkwardly to the side, Garrison held back and forced his instincts aside.

"I'll introduce you, yeah? No need to be shy or anything, you'll be fine. She's really easy to talk to and she's so smart and interesting a-and kind. You'll warm to her in, like, seconds, I guarantee it!"
 
"Humans are m-m-more than food," argued Navi, however quietly and meekly as he avoided matching gaze with his brother. Was he afraid of Garrison? No, absolutely not. That being said, he did fear their mother and the idea of facing her wrath when he was as exhausted as he was wasn't ideal, knowing he would either snap back at the woman or buckle under the pressure of her words… the latter being more likely than anything, even with the hint of new confidence he had gained.

He would argue more but, as it was established amongst their family, he was a better listener than talker so he kept quiet as they moved into the rest of their settlement, to the closest district. Bundled up in his clothes, he was almost thankful for the fact that he couldn't perfect the human form exactly because he was certain the sight was recognizable to the passing monsters. If it were anyone else they would assume he was a human and either tear him to shreds then and there or lock him up but that eyepatch and cane combination, however simple it was, was enough to indicate that he wasn't just some lost human - not to mention Garrison by his side, of course.

Because it was what he was good at apparently, Navi listened to his brother ramble. There was some comfort in walking the well worn path, no snow in sight. He was certain that there was food and shelter, a fear he had gone a week suffering from. He missed Lukas dreadfully but he didn't miss the lack of food to them and, while he wasn't sure how he would do it, hearing that Deera often fed the captured and enslaved humans really encouraged his need to return to Lukas and offer him… something.

The sky's mixed hues as the sun began to rise was comforting, given it meant a day without heavy snowfall. He wanted to comment just that, explain how it was so perfect for them all to run away from home - but he remained quiet, his face mostly blocked by his scarf as he ignored the sharp eyes of other monsters. When his eyes landed on Deera, all of that anxiety had vanished because, for a moment, Navi didn't feel so different.

After all, what Garrison said was true: to the average eye, she looked human - a concept that was beyond rare within the settlement. Bundled up in a large fur jacket, and warm clothes to combat the chill of winter, Deera was quickly moving to set up fresh pies for display, their warmth on display as steam contrasted the cold. When she spotted Garrison, there was no need for him to rush over given Deera had instead hurried to pull him into a tight hug as eager giggles escaped her lips.

"Oh, gosh, Garrison! I wasn't expecting you to visit me so early, and - is that your brother?" She questioned after her own eager kiss broke, her brows raised in shock. She had seen Navi perhaps five times in her entire life, when he was told to join his family for big announcements. To see him now, in human form, clearly tired…it was a shock, to say the least.

Deera quickly unlatched herself from Garrison as a blush formed on her cheeks, clearing her throat. "It's nice to meet you, Naveen! "
 
As deeply as he cared for his brother, particularly now after he had convinced him to step outside in spite of the risk of provoking their mother's wrath, Garrison inadvertently pushed Navi to the back of his mind as his immediate priority, his sole focus, became Deera, and making the most of their embrace. Subtlety, as important as it was when he shouldn't be seeing Deera at all, went out the window as he reciprocated the eagerness on display, his arms wrapping into place around her waist, his head bending down so his lips could meet hers.

For those few seconds, everything taking place around him faded into the background, that of which included Navi - which was why he reacted with surprise -and guilt- when his attention was brought back to his brother, his eyes darting back over to him in recognition of the fact that he had probably succeeded in achieving the one thing he was desperate not to cause: making him feel awkward and overlooked.

"Oh, yeah, this is Navi! I found him yesterday up in some cabin, so Mama's been real... protective since he came home. Doesn't want him stepping out the house, but... I thought, seeing as I was sneaking out to see you, now was a good time to introduce you," beamed Garrison as he caved in on his attempts to detach himself from his girlfriend's side, finding himself instead inching closer to her until his arm had, once again, settled in its familiar place around her waist. Were it not for him fiercely reminding himself to make things as comfortable for Navi as possible (sentiments he had to physically whisper to himself in order to keep it at the forefront of his mind) then he would have likely pulled Deera back into his embrace, regardless of how unsubtle the displays of open affection would be.

Yet, with his determination to prioritise Navi's comfort, he restrained himself from heading down the usual avenue of openly expressing his love for Deera, however difficult it might have been to do so.

"He's also here as support because Mama upset me," he confessed with a shrug, as though the admission came without emotional consequence. The contrary was true - and unsubtly so, the redness of his eyes having failed to disappear by the time he arrived to Deera's tall and his body language visibly withdrawing at the mention, and reminder, of his mother and the rigidity of her marital beliefs for her children. He knew nothing was going to budge them, her opinion having been made abundantly clear even to Garrison, so how could he not be emotionally broken by it when he was left with the impossible choice - either leave Deera go or turn his back on his own family?

Granted, the fact he had slipped out the home and immediately chosen to see his girlfriend made his choice pretty clear.

"We don't have to talk about now, I don't want to bring things down. It was just-- the marriage stuff, you know? It didn't go the way we, uh... we wanted, Deera-- but it's okay! I'm not marrying anyone that isn't you, I don't care what Mama says," he continued firmly, even if it was somewhat undercut by him choosing to nervously whisper - he wasn't so naive that he would overlook the fact that badmouthing his popular mother in public wouldn't lead to conflict and repercussions, potentially ones of a violent nature.

"A-Anyway! Navi's dying to try one of your famous cakes. He'd like it because he's pretty easy on humans too, doesn't think they're all that bad. So you two have that in common, yeah?" He grinned, eager to point out similarities in order for two people he cared deeply about to begin to foster a bond and a potential friendship. The opposite -them disliking one another- didn't occur to him as an option, not when he thought they were too similar and too sweet not to get along. "And-- I'll have two of those-- pie things you sell. I didn't really get to have breakfast this morning, I-- didn't want to see or speak to my Mama."
 
As much as Navi wanted to be happy for his brother - well, that came off weird, he was happy for his brother - it still left him to awkwardly rock on his heels and avoid the gazes of both Deera and Garrison as he felt that anger rise within him again.

Sure, his brother’s love life wasn’t perfect - dealing with their mother and her… Navi paused his thought, finding himself in his brother’s shoes with fear of really criticizing their mother even after everything. Her demands were with good intentions, he knew that, but good intentions doesn’t mean they’re good. The youngest triplet found himself zoning off as his mind ran him in circles, his eye locked on his feet. It was a pattern he found himself in often, a spiral of dread as he fought with himself and how he felt towards their mother. It was exhausting - or maybe he was just exhausted in general. Either way, it was hard to keep focus until his name was mentioned. He dared to look up, still having that underlying sense of anger and jealousy at seeing Garrison and Deera so close when he was ripped away from -

He didn’t want to sound silly or dramatic in using the term soulmate as he looked back on everything, but the word came to mind. His stomach grumbled, whether out of hunger or upset was yet to be seen.

“Well, you’re lucky ‘cuz they’re fresh!” Deera beamed, her lips pursed hesitantly as he chose to move on from the negatives of the situation. She wasn’t as smart as Garrison claimed but she certainly wasn’t an idiot, she understood what had happened even without the details. Then to see Naveen, clearly not in the best shape and awkward, she knew she needed to at least cheer everyone up a little. Latching onto the fact that a Prince was a human sympathizer would hopefully make this all go a lot smoother. “I’ve got plenty of cakes to choose from but I only have a few sweet pies and some meat pies left. As much as the other monsters here make a fuss on the surface, the pies are actually quite a hit!”

Deera abandoned her close proximity with Garrison, however briefly, to move closer to Navi. She offered him a gentle pat on the back and lowered her tone. Just because the other monsters begrudgingly liked her family’s food didn’t mean they wouldn’t scoff at her open support for humans after all.

“When my family emerged onto the surface, they found these books with pictures of how to cook everything. We haven’t exactly deciphered all of the human’s language yet but we’re getting close. Unfortunately there aren’t many people who are willing to learn about them,” she explained, ending her hushed tone with a huff in exasperation. She moved away from Navi, naturally gravitating towards the older brother’s side with a smile.

“You both can have what you want, on the house. Just don’t go eating everything. I know how you get when you’re hungry, Gari.” She teased and offered her unspoken lover a gentle pinch on the cheek before her eyes returned to Navi, clearly hesitant to approach the cake.

“T… Thanks, Deera.” The youngest replied, his own words hushed as he observed the cakes. They weren’t elegant, the little frosting used only to bring height to the cakes. Nonetheless his stomach growled once again as the scent of ginger spice lured him in.
 
Observing his brother as subtly as he could, the pride that Garrison felt at the interaction going as smoothly as it was was immense. He didn't have any real doubt that Naveen would be polite and accepting, but there had still been that sliver of trepidation; a palpable fear that, like their mother and their sister, he would turn his nose up in disgust at Deera and cast her aside as someone... unworthy of Garrison's affection.

He knew that those fears were perhaps unwise when Deera had far more in common with Navi than their family did, their shared views and similar philosophies almost guaranteeing an easier time would be had, but after all the criticism and fury he had to endure from his mother, it wasn't too surprising that Garrison had been as nervous as he was. This was his last shot at having someone in his family be genuinely accepting of the person he loved, after all; the last chance he had at finding someone he could talk to without judgement or disregard.

He didn't understand, of course, that his protestations of love would be met with jealousy and the bitter sense of unfairness on Navi's behalf - because how could he when he knew nothing of how his brother felt towards Lukas and the life they had, until Garrison inadvertently disrupted it, been quietly content to build together, as friends but with the potential for more on the horizon.

As such, he didn't hold back too much in expressing just how happy he was, both with Navi's apparent acceptance of the relationship and with the freedom he had to express himself within it. It might not have been the smartest thing to do in expressing his feelings in public, when word could easily find its way back to his mother, but smart thoughts weren't... necessarily Garrison's forte.

Besides, he had no intention of actually returning home that night so all the consequences that might arise from his proximity to Deera, or the kisses he placed affectionately to her cheek and forehead, were ones he decided, however naively, he would face another, more distance time.

"I'm not going to eat everything - but I'm a big guy, you know? I need it for energy," he huffed with playful, feigned annoyance, concluding with a reassuring wink as restrained the temptation and reserved himself to a single pie. After encouragingly nodding to his brother to tuck into the cupcake held in his hands, he wasted little time in taking a bite from his own treat, humming approvingly in satisfaction.

"These humans have some great food, to be fair to them. This rivals what Mama has made for us-- though don't go telling her that," he snorted, using the back of his hand to brush away the pastry crumbs from his lips. "I'll take you back home when you want to go, Navi, so just let me know. I, uh-- I'm not going to come in with you, though. I... figured I'd stay with Deera tonight. Mama can be angry about it but-- but I've made my choice, so... she'll have to deal with it."
 
Navi approached the cupcake carefully, his fingers inspecting the sponge with curiosity as his thoughts raced around something so simple as human food. Would Lukas know about pie? Cupcakes? The monsters had ripped his kind from their way of life only for those same monsters to take their culture and gentrify it? Bastardize it?

If he were to see Lukas again, freshly baked pies and cakes in hand, would he be happy? Of course not, Lukas would probably yell at him and threaten to kill him if he returned - but pushing the anger towards Navi as a person aside, would he at least be happy to see a bit of the old human way return? Would he be furious, seeing the same people who had killed his family profiting off of a normalcy that he wasn't able to acquire himself, or would he be happy? Would Lukas find comfort in knowing that some human culture was celebrated, however limited? Would he be happy to know there were monsters, like him, who wanted to make peace? The youngest of the triplets was lost in thought as he picked apart the cupcake, taking small bites. Having gone a week without food only to be met with a banquet earlier was hard on his stomach. His attention was only brought away from the cupcake once noticing Deera's eyes locked on him, causing Navi to immediately blush.

"It's... I-It's great, Deera," he explained and offered a thumbs up, to the unsubtle sigh of relief from Deera herself. "I-I'm not... v-very hungry, though. N-Not like G-Garrison."

"That's true, he's quite the big boy!" Gushed Deera in response as a new air of happiness washed over her at the approval. She teasingly rubbed her lover's stomach for emphasis, before grabbing his head and offering him a gentle kiss. Deera knew that Navi's influence wasn't nearly as much as the other two siblings but any approval from royalty was enough to gush about. "I'll let you take another if you'd like, you need to bulk up! Eating is good for your immune system too, y'know."

Another thumbs up was offered to the baker before he motioned Garrison over, his body a bit slumped against his cane but his expression unreadable. Hearing that his brother could simply not return home was painful, unfair. He wasn't going to snitch on his brother, not when he knew that Garrison only meant for the best, but perhaps he could incentivize the fact that he was given so much trust to his advantage. Once a bit of distance was made between he and Deera, he murmured in surprising clarity.

"I won't tell mama where you are if you do me a favor," began Naveen, his single eye locked on his brother, "I would like to b-buy a pie and place it by the cabin where I was staying, as... a-as a memorial. We d-don't have to do this tonight, just... this week?"
 
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Confident that his brother would like the cake -because really, why wouldn't he when Deera's talent was undeniable?-, Garrison hadn't been holding in a breath, anxious for the verdict. No, his beaming smile only grew in response, when the words he believed to be inevitable were eventually spoken into existence, his pride in Deera only shining brighter as a result of it. He didn't need much of an excuse to be proud of her, with anything she did usually boosted by the enthusiastic cheerleader that Garrison was for her, but when it came to her skills as a baker; her entrepreneurial talent at the helm of her family's business?

Hell, nobody could stop him from shouting from the rooftops about how brilliant she was if he needed to, because, to him, she was all that and more.

"Course he'll take another one-- and if doesn't end up eating it, I'll have it. You know how much I love your baking, right? I don't need much encouragement to devour everything you make," he laughed cheerfully in response to the light teasing, the culmination of which resulted in an inevitable kiss. Did nervousness swirl at the open display of affection and its potential for consequences? Of course it did, particularly when such affection was occurring in human forms, that choice alone garnering the three strange looks from passersby - but the risk was worth it.

When he was with Deera, Garrison... felt like he could do anything; take the risks that made him happiest, even if it meant abandoning the long established rules that had dominated his life until he met her. It might be dangerous, it might hurt the ones he genuinely loved back home, but didn't he have to live life for himself? Make the choice that he knew, in his heart, was the only one that would make him happy?

Dwelling in and amongst that joy was something he was keen on doing, which was why, at his brother's quiet insistence, his mild irritation at having to be pulled away from Deera's side wasn't too unsubtle. Granted, it did disappear in mere seconds, replaced instead with confusion. Such confusion often resided on Garrison's features, given how clueless he could often be, but this was at least a confusion that he imagined most monsters in his position would feel, rather than just him alone, failing to grasp something particularly easy to understand.

"...You want to leave something at the cabin? At the door of someone who-- who whacked me over the head? I'm still bleeding from that, by the way. It fucking hurts," he whined, a hand reaching to the hat that had done an admittedly remarkable job at hiding the wound from everyone - though, unfortunately, it had no ability to help heal the pain nor the trickle of blood whenever the wound was irritated.

"I don't know, Navi, that-- doesn't make sense to me, I'll be honest with you," he continued warily, though when there was no flat-out rejection, and when he was forced to look down at his brother's expression, Garrison found himself thinking it over more than he perhaps ought to have done. Eventually, his shoulders sagged and a sigh escaped him, realising that saying no just wasn't something he was able to do.

"Mama will freak if she realises I've taken you out of the settlement but-- sure, we can go and lay out a pie for the human if that's-- what's going to make you happy?"
 
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"What mama doesn't know, mama doesn't mind." Navi replied firmly, his lips curling slightly into a frown. He knew his hopes were fleeting but all of this talk of love and caring for someone made the pain he felt leaving Lukas behind unbearable. He wanted to scream, stomp his feet in the mud. He wanted to punch his brother and cry and fight his mother - but he couldn't. All Navi could do was grip his cane tight to equal his balance and pray that his brother would listen, no questions asked.

To hear that his request was given a go, the joy that the youngest triplet felt was almost overwhelming. His chest hurt from how hard it pounded and while he didn't offer a full on smile, at least the edges curled upwards and a spark reached his eye. It was a spark that was rarely seen whilst amongst his kind, behind the safety of walls. For a brief moment Navi could relax and knowing his brother was at least offering to be understanding hurt- or at the very least made him feel a way he wasn't exactly sure how to describe. Pride, maybe? Nonetheless, he offered a thumbs up as his smile grew more confident.

"I-It'll just be a little thing, a... a-a tribute. He h-hurt you but h... he also s-s-saved me, Garrison," Navi reminded quickly, his lips pursed. "W... W-What better w-way to honor h-him then w... w-with human food, right? S-Something he'd like. K-Killing that... human, was... w-was a lot. You're more important to m-me but he still meant a lot," he tried to explained, his confidence waning the longer he spoke and explained himself. Was it dumb? Of course it was, everything he did was stupid. Nonetheless it was something Navi wanted and he needed to focus on that, right? Focus on what he wanted? Very little of Navi's life was dedicated to himself after all, if the monster he was meant to wed was anything.

"Thank you. A-Again, we can go whenever - I know you're b-busy..." he murmured, a blush growing on his cheeks when he glanced at Deera, who patiently waited for the two to finish their conversation.
 
"I mean-- I can't say I understand it 'cos he was just a human, one who really hurt me by the way, but... if it'll make you happy, I'm all for it. It's good seeing you smile properly, Navi. I've missed it," admitted Garrison as he set a hand on his brother's shoulder in a display of affection, offering it as light a squeeze as he was capable of before allowing his hand to fall back to his side.

If he was honest, the last thing he wanted was to wander out of the settlement and risk the consequences that came with being caught. Ordinarily, Garrison didn't have to fear those consequences - he could justify his reasons for moving beyond the boundary with ease, his capability as a fighter affording him trust that Naveen would never be blessed with. Yet, in this instance, he wouldn't be alone; he would have Navi at his side.

And their mother wouldn't care how capable Garrison was at protecting both himself and his brother. No, she would fixate upon the fact that her son, a child that had been continuously sick and physically weak since birth, had been taken from the warmth of his bed on some ridiculous errand outside the settlement, where rogue monsters wouldn't hesitate to tear him apart if they came across him.

Garrison felt a shudder run down his spine at the thought of what his mother would do if she ever found out. He could visualise the ferocity on her expression, mingled with disgust and disappointment--

But he wasn't going to back out. No, his mother had acted cruelly to him in her disregard of his happiness. She had pressed forward with what she felt was right, even if it meant tearing the one person Garrison could ever truly love with all his heart from him.

She didn't deserve his loyalty if she wasn't going to offer him hers in return.

"Deera can come with us, can't she? Because if she's allowed, we could go right now while the sun's still up. Mama will come looking for you back home if it gets any later, right? To check in on you; get you food for dinner or something?" Garrison continued with a quick smile over at Deera. He wasn't comfortable shutting her out of the conversation and watching her awkwardly linger on the periphery of it. He understood that what he and Navi were discussing was a private matter-- but Deera was his soulmate; the woman he wanted to marry.

Surely that gave her a justification to be involved?

"
Besides, you know she likes human stuff. It'll fascinate her seeing that cabin up close. It'll make her day, actually, and-- and I'd be real grateful to you, Navi. Really grateful."
 
"Y-You should already be g-grateful," Navi reminded before tapping his own head for emphasis. His eyes moved to Deera who, while trying to offer the two some privacy, wasn't very subtle as she lingered a bit closer to the two boys while working. It wouldn't have been noticed by someone less perceptive but, while most monsters seemed to treat Navi like a child, he saw more than people gave him credit for. He may have only one eye, but that eye worked just fine.

A quiet sigh escaped the youngest triplet and vapor escaped as Navi's hot breath contradicted the icy weather. The way Garrison seemed to want to keep her at his side at all times, it was sweet - and while he was jealous, ridiculously so - he couldn't ruin his brother's fun any more than his mother had. He offered a thumbs up of approval, earning a curious tilt of Deera's head as she finally took charge and moved to speak with the two and quench her thirst of curiosity.

"So, what is it that you two are discussing then? Is it some top secret big-boy royal family sort of stuff?" She teased, her arm wrapping around Garrison almost immediately upon their close proximity. "I mean, I ask as if you'd tell me. Navi seems like he's good at keeping secrets, huh?"

Her words resulted in Navi mimicking his lips being zipped before nodding and offering a small smile. It meant less talking to her - not that she wasn't someone she didn't enjoy talking to, just... he knew his stutter could be grating and while Deera seemed like a kind person, you could only push someone so far. Garrison had to put up with it so he was an exception but even then. Sure, Garrison wasn't their sister in any means but she had been less subtle in how it grated on her, openly admitting that he ought to 'just shut up' one day when they were younger.

It had been years ago, most likely just a throwaway comment made by Tia that she doesn't remember, but her life wasn't like Naveen's. She had responsibilities, had duties to fulfill that filled her mind that were important to their colony. What else was supposed to fill Navi's mind but the scathing words from his sister, however many years ago they were?

"There... w-was a h...human I met, h-had to kill him. A p-pie would b-be nice to.... to h-honor his death," Navi explained as quickly as he could as he glanced over at the walls that blocked the view of the outside wilderness with an odd sense of longing. "Wanna come?"

"Oh - wait, really? Like, head out there? I mean... I've never been, but I would love to!" Reassured Deera, her cheeks pink in excitement. She peered up at Garrison, scanning his face for any concern. "It'll be fun! I mean - not really, but... we can try and make the best of it, right? Besides, it'll be just a quick thing."
 
"Nah, it will be fun. I know we're surrounded by what humans have built but you've never seen a cabin, right? It's actually kinda cute and the forest is beautiful, with all the snow around and the trees and-- you'll love it," guaranteed Garrison as his own excitement began to rise. It didn't fully eliminate the anxiety he felt at doing so outrageously against his mother's wishes and demands, with such a nervousness almost inevitably tied to him throughout the duration of their journey and only destined to ease when they returned home without anyone aware of what they had done and where they had been, but he was excited nonetheless.

Perhaps, if all went well and he built up a little confidence, he and Deera could head out of the settlement together for future dates. The idea of wandering hand-in-hand with her amongst the trees, the crunch of snow beneath their feet and, if they were really lucky, a fluttering of it from the skies above... it made his heart skip a beat at how romantic it would all be. He didn't need to be anywhere special to appreciate what he had with Deera, finding happiness just being in her company regardless of their location, but it didn't hurt to mix things up now and then; make an effort to be romantic.

Finding the time to be when he had to often sneak from home and steal slivers of moments with her wasn't an easy task but now his loyalty to his mother had waned? Now he was far more focused on prioritising Deera; on working on their relationship and dedicated every spare moment he had to both it and her.

His mother wasn't naive, she would inevitably discover that his loyalties had shifted - but that was a bridge he would cross when he came to it. For now, he wanted to focus entirely on the present: on helping his brother and spending time with Deera.

"It's kinda important to Navi, honouring the human or whatever, because it was a big deal. The human he took out came at me with an axe, you know? He actually dealt me a pretty big blow to the head, would have gone in for some more if Navi didn't jump to my defence," continued Garrison, his eyes shining in that overwhelming pride for his brother's apparent bravery. In complimenting him, he had overlooked the fact he had outrightly admitted to the injury he had been desperate to conceal not only the serious nature of but the general existence of. He hid it from his family for the obvious reasons - admitting that a human had gotten the upper-hand and put him in such a vulnerable position would leave trust in him and his capability dented.

But he didn't hide it from Deera for those reasons. No, he just... didn't want her to worry about him.

"Anyway! Honouring his death is... I don't get it but I don't need to. If it's important to my brother, it's important to me," he concluded, still caught up in his obliviousness to his verbal fumble. "If you want to pack a few pies for the trip, in case I get hungry on the way, that'd be great too. Only two or three extra, that should be enough."
 
"Wait - you're hurt? Garrison, why didn't you tell me that first?!" Deera blurted in response as she immediately unlatched her grip from his arm to remove the hat, only for horror to mark her expression at the sight. Sure, Garrison was built different; he had been trained most of his life to be tough and handle combat, but that didn't mean his injury meant any less to Deera as she took in the crusted blood that could almost blend in with the man's redish hair, though not enough to fool his soulmate. The sight made her shake, her human form struggling to stay together in her upset.

Garrison didn't have a malicious bone in his body and she knew that, she knew he would never lie to her to hurt her, but the fact that he at the very least refused to reveal the truth did sting - though her fear for the man she loved's wellbeing was first and foremost in her mind. She carefully let him to a bench nearby (not before dusting off the snow first) and sniffled as she tried to force back the tears that threatened in her stress.

Monsters were fearsome creatures, their power and ferocity evident by their ability to take over humankind and nearly squash them under their claws... but there were a few exceptions, Deera being one given her tendency to grow emotional when stressed. The sight made Navi uncomfortable as he carefully followed, sitting neatly beside his brother with pursed lips of concern. Was it hypocritical of him, to find Deera's upset a bit unsettling? Of course. He had spent so many hours of soldiers being trained outside his bedroom window that a part of that cruelty and disregard that those soldiers were taught ought to be on everyone. Everyone but his family, at least.

"It doesn't look like it's actively bleeding, so that's good. Do you want me to bandage you up? I know I have some bandages upstairs. You can come in, I'll... have my father watch the stall. If you want to make some grand adventure out into the wilderness, I'm not going to allow you to do it while you're hurt." Deera declared firmly as her lips pursed as well. "Or - no, maybe you shouldn't move. You can stay here, I'll go get the bandages. Just - don't walk too much! You could have gotten d-dizzy or something!"

Deera didn't allow for any word of disagreement from Garrison as she hurried into the building close by to the stall, where her and her family resided. It left Navi to sit beside his brother, the bits of snow - however small - beginning to flutter down from the sky.

"S... S-She really c-cares about you, huh?" Navi asked after a moment, his fingers tracing circles in the patch of snow not dusted off by the woman's hand. "She's... right."
 
His mistake dawned on him the instant Deera's horrified response arrived, his eyes widening in the realisation of what he had let slip. He attempted to diffuse the seriousness of the injury and reassure her before her panic could inevitably set in though he never got the chance to do so, his meek effort at reaching for his beanie before she could snatch it off his head coming far too late.

Seeing the person he loved on the verge of tears wasn't a comfortable scenario to be in, with witnessing it in person, in such close proximity, making it all the more worse - if only because he knew he could have avoided much pf the hurt that came with the information being withheld from her if he had just told her about it beforehand. Honesty was an important feature in a relationship and he had always tried to honour that belief by telling Deera everything that went on behind the closed doors to his family home. She knew far more about the ins and outs of the family's politics than even his mother's top generals did - because Garrison so no reason to harbour the information to himself when he could share it, and its burdens, with the person he was going to spend the rest of his life beside.

His main duty in life was to make her happy, he had come upon that realisation shortly after they met - and yet he knew, deep in his bones, that he was the cause behind some of the hurt she now felt. His reasoning had been to spare her from that by concealing the injury, dealing with it in private to the best of his ability - but his hands were clumsy, his attempts messy.

He could have spared himself a lot of pain -and Deera a lot of hurt- if he had come to her for help shortly after returning from the cabin.

"I'm sorry," was all he could really mumble, almost pathetically, in response, his eyes guiltily taking in her panic. There was no point in attempting to justify the conclusions he had drawn after the injury, and his reasons for coming to them in the first place. No, he knew he was in the wrong and trying to defend that position would only hurt her more.

His shoulders sagged forward a little once she disappeared to retrieve the bandages for him, his hand absently reaching to cover the injury and protect it from the falling snow. His breath visible in the cold, he sighed heavily and only dared take a glance across at Navi when he felt he could do so without the guilt stinging to such an extent that even talking felt like a chore.

"I know she's right, I-- I know. I'm an idiot. I just thought I was doing the best thing, saving her the worry, but that-- was dumb. I'm dumb. I-- I just thought I'd made a smart decision," he answered beneath his breath, snorting shortly after in thinly veiled amusement. "Which itself is kinda dumb. I don't make smart decisions, do I? Charging up into the cabin on my own without backup-- that was dumb, too. That got me my injury. That made you kill your human-- friend? Whatever he was to you. My fault that he's gone, isn't it? 'Cos I thought I was being smart, running in there like that. I-- I'm sorry, Navi. Real sorry."