chapter 7 - family day

(pic source: @BeginningEgg on Twitter)

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We headed home to clean the apartment, Klee was very enthusiastic about helping me. Not like our parents really cared about the state of the place we live in, but I wanted to greet them in a clean space.

Klee washed the dishes and changed the bedsheets while I dusted the shelves and did the laundry. Then we swiped and mopped the floor and we went to bed. I read some of my books for my research before sleeping, but I payed attention to sleep in time.

We woke up early and started preparing food. We made Sweet Madame, Radish Veggie Soup and Valberry Pie.

By the time we finished, we heard our mom's laugh from the outside.

"Mommy" Klee started running to the door to greet mom.

And here they were, our parents. Mom was first to enter, but got stopped by my little sister. The well-known Alice the adventurer. She was taller than me, but still not too tall. She was slim but strong, her hair was long and straight, straw colored like mine and Klee's. She had ember-colored eyes, just like Klee. She wore her usual, pointy hat and a very pretty and comfortable-looking red and white dress. Her glasses sat on her nose, but the lenses were dirty, she never payed too much attention to them. She kept breaking her glasses.

And behind her, my dad. A tall, strong man with curly, dark hair and leaf green eyes that I inherited. He had a short beard and wore his adventuring clothes: brown shirt, black leather vest and convenient dark pants. His hands were full of both of their stuffs.

"Oh my sweet, sweet girls" Mom wore a wide smile on her mischievous face. Klee tightly hugged her waist and mom looked at me. She reached her arm towards me. "Come here, Tessa"

I smiled and ran into her embrace. I haven't seen her for months.

"And what about me, girls?" asked dad with a fake sad expression on his face. I grinned widely and hugged my old man, Klee followed me.

He embraced us tightly and gave us kisses on the top of our heads.

"You two grow up so fast" he sighed.

"Dad, I am literally the same height as the last time you saw me" I smiled.

"Yeah, yeah, but you still matured, Tessa" he sniffed in the air. "Mmm something smells so delicious in this house"

"Big sis and Klee cooked together for you!" shouted Klee excitedly.

"Oh, I am soo hungry, girls" said dad as he touched his stomach. "Let's eat then, shall we?"

We sat down at the table and started eating. We all talked about what happened since we last met. Although, our parents didn't tell us much about their adventures, I don't really know why. Maybe they don't want us to worry about them, or simply it is such a big secret they can't even tell about it to their daughters.

"Man, it was delicious" sighed mom, as she sat back petting her stomach. "I need a break before we taste the pie"

"Yeah, me too. You girls are truly gifted" agreed dad.

"Girls, how about we rest a little then going on a family picnic to Windrise?" offered mom.

"Yaaay, let's goooo" Klee clapped her hands.

So yeah, we went out in the afternoon. We brought the pie with us and the delicious snacks my parents brought from around Tevyat. We also prepared sunsettia juice and apple cider.

I sat on the blanket with mom, we were looking at dad playing with Klee. It was nice just chilling there under the big tree of Windrise.

"And how's your research going, Tessa?" mom asked, sipping on her apple cider.

I sighed.

"I found the worst topic to interest me in the world" I shrugged. "Very few literature available and I can only rely on my own experiences. Hopefully they will accept my paper to get my certification, then I will continue my work as a real researcher"

"Unknown fields are always more exciting than working on something many did before" she smiled. "I would be so bored if I simply just had to go through hundreds of dusty old books."

"I enjoy those books"

"Yeah, yeah I know. But maybe one day they will bore you, and be an adventurer like us" she winked.

"Nah, I am not that type"

"You will probably live a very long life, Tessa" she said. "Your interests can change"

"I will know when I get there" I smiled at her.

"Yeah and I won't be the one who will tell you what to do" she giggled. "That would be a hypocracy from my side"

I just nodded and continued watching Klee and dad. My old man had trouble catching my little sister, but at least he tried to keep up with my ever-energetic sister.

"Here, try this" Mom gave me a box. "It's some yummy delicacy from Fontaine. I don't even remember its name"

I tasted the strange looking sweet treat and it really was delicious. Hard outside, like an eggshell but it had some delicious paste inside.

Something suddenly came to my mind.

"Mom.." I started.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Uncle Crepus was your friend, right?"

She nodded. "Yes, you could say that. Else I wouldn't left you in his care"

I sighed. "Do you... know the reason why he died? And where Diluc left for three years?"

"Why are these things troubling you suddenly?" she asked.

"Because I didn't know that Diluc left and it turned out I had false information about Crepus' death all this time."

My mom looked deeply in my eyes.

"I don't have the right to tell you about any of this"

"Argh, not you too!" I said annoyed.

"Who else told you this answer?" she asked with honest curiosity.

"A drunk bard" I almost whispered.

She was quiet for a while, biting her lips. She was struggling how much she can tell me.

"Ah, I am not telling you much, Tessa. If Diluc wants to share the details with you, he will."

"We are not as close as we used to be" I stated.

"That's only natural. But, all I can tell you is that Crepus knew his life was at risk, and he didn't do anything against it. And Diluc left to investigate the whole thing. He spent quite some time hunting down Fatui members. And that's all I am willing to share."

"Thank you" I didn't complain. I started to put the picture together thanks to mom. And I understood why is it better to hear the truth from Diluc - if he would ever share it with me. It was more than a sensitive topic, a dangerous secret even.

When the sun started disappearing behind the hills, we packed our leftovers and headed back to the city.

"How long will you stay?" I asked.

"We will leave tomorrow" answered dad.

"Already?! Nooo, mommy, daddy, Klee wants to play more time with you" cried Klee.

Mom picked her up.

"Oh, sweetheart, don't cry. Mommy and daddy still have a big road ahead of them, but once you grow a little, you can come with is and we can spend aaall of our time together. Until then, your big sister is here to protect you" she looked up at me with a warm smile. I smiled back and stepped closer to pet Klee's straw-blonde head.

"That's right, Klee, I am here for you"

She sniffed a little but nodded her head. Once we arrived back to the city, Klee was happy and energetic again.

I looked at mom.

"You are going to put her down to sleep, not me"

She laughed.

"Don't worry, I know a good potion that helps with good sleep"

"That's cheating" I stated.

When we arrived home, we found a fancy envelope thrown into the postbox.

"Favonius Yearly Ball." I read the title out loud. "Seems like I received an invitation"

"That's only natural" said dad. "Your sister is a knight after all"

"Will you go?" asked mom with a smile on her face.

I shrugged.

"I guess Klee needs a guardian" I said.

"Oh, don't worry big sis" said Klee. "Miss Lisa said she needs just as much sleep as little girls, so she said she will take care of Klee"

Thank you Lisa, I owe you one. I thought.

I went to the ball once, when Diluc was a knight. And the whole evening is just sooo troublesome. You have to wear an inconvenient dress, you have to dance with people you don't want to, and at some point everyone is just drunk and noisy. One occasion of this "fun" was perfectly enough for me.

"Guess I am saved then" I grinned.

My mom started scolding me about having to be more social, but I knew she just completed her motherly duty, even she didn't take herself too seriously.

We played a board game together at night, eating the leftovers, then we all went to sleep together.

I could get use to these family days.