Awakener's Guide to Climbing the Tower

"Sit down if you get dizzy," Astrid said as she pulled the chair for her, her tone leaving very little room for argument despite how casually she delivered it.

"Yes, mom."

Misha paused, the word had slipped out automatically. Astrid froze too as something awkward passed between them.

It was not because the word itself mattered, Misha had called people Mom sarcastically before, usually coworkers who nagged her about eating, or anyone unfortunate enough to tell her what to do twice in the same hour.

This time was different, although it was not because Astrid had somehow become maternal overnight. If anything, Misha should have been the one telling her to sit down and stop trying to manage everyone around her. But family had become a dangerous word between them now, even a throwaway 'Yes, mom' could stumble straight into emotional territory Misha had no intention of visiting in front of witnesses.

Astrid recovered first as the tension around her mouth eased, and although she kept her face composed, warmth softened her gaze before she turned slightly toward the chair again.

"Sit anyway," she said.

Before Misha could decide, she heard something.

Hiiro had leaned toward Alaric while attempting subtlety. Unfortunately, he was not built for subtlety.

"So," he whispered, loudly enough that everyone within several meters could hear him, "what kind of adult stuff are we talking about?" Then he lowered his voice even more and added, "Does it involve, you know… adult adult stuff?"

He punctuated the question with an unmistakably suggestive gesture, sliding one finger through a circle formed by his other hand. He had only shown it to Alaric while waggling his brows.

Alaric, naturally, looked delighted. A sly smile spread across his face as he turned toward the boy with the gravity of a scholar being consulted on a serious academic matter. "Well–"

"Finish the sentence," Misha said as she closed her eyes, "and I'll test whether your mandolin qualifies as a blunt weapon."

Alaric hummed, then looked thoughtfully toward the ceiling. "Technically, Duet has excellent structural integrity."

Hiiro nodded seriously. "Could probably survive one hit."

"Two, if handled correctly."

"Can I test it?"

"No," Alaric replied.

Misha opened her eyes. "They found each other."

Astrid gave her a tired look. "Unfortunately."

Carl shook his head slowly, staring at the pair with the grave disappointment of someone watching adults fail an exam designed for children.

Then Misha remembered why she was there, Caius. He had remained quiet through most of the chaos, too quiet, and his gaze was still fixed on Alaric.

She noticed it immediately because it was not the same look Astrid and Hiiro had given him. Astrid's had been exasperation and exhaustion just like hers, Hiiro's had been delighted curiosity, and Carl's had been moral condemnation from a twelve-year-old who had somehow developed higher standards than Hiiro and Alaric combined.

Caius' was different, he was watching Alaric.

The man seemed to notice too. For a second, their gazes met. He smiled faintly but Caius did not return it.

Alaric looked away first, though he disguised the movement by turning toward Hiiro. "So, young warrior, since our patient is awake and our resident caretaker has returned from her scandalous night–"

A pillow struck him directly in the face, and Hiiro immediately burst out laughing.

Misha crossed her arms. "Everyone out."

Hiiro stopped laughing. "What? Why?"

"I want to talk to Caius alone."

His brows rose. "About what?"

"Private things."

His shoulders sagged immediately. "Why does he get to have the details?"

Misha raised a brow. "What details?"

"The adult stuff."

Her eye twitched. "There are no details because nothing happened between me and that man."

Hiiro looked toward Alaric for confirmation, that was mistake number one.

Alaric rested one hand against his chest. "I respect Shana's preferred version of events."

Misha sighed heavily. Dealing with them both was exhausting.

"I'm pretty sure Caius here wants his room to be quiet before his brain gives up trying to recover around you people," Astrid inserted.

Hiiro looked toward Caius and the blond boy finally shifted his attention away from Alaric.

"I would appreciate the silence."

"Okay." Hiiro accepted that easily. For all the noise he generated, he usually knew when someone was genuinely hurt and needed rest.

"Now leave, all of you," Misha said, rubbing her temple.

Alaric looked around the room, then clapped his hands once. "Come along, children. Your mother has requested privacy with her favorite child."

Her head snapped toward him with a glare. "Alaric."

The man smiled innocently. "Did I say something wrong?"

Hiiro, naturally, decided the fire needed fuel. "Does that make you the dad?"

Silence filled the room once more, a full, terrible silence.

"..."

Hiiro interpreted every reaction from them incorrectly and immediately grinned wider. "Oh, wow. Is that a yes?"

"Please, for the love of the Tower, stop talking," Astrid replied after sighing.

"No, I think I'm reading the room perfectly."

She heaved out a deep sigh. "Can we leave before the combined intelligence of this room drops any further?"

"Hey," Hiiro looked offended.

Misha watched them begin drifting toward the door. Hiiro first, still arguing with Astrid. Alaric after them, then pausing long enough to ruffle Carl's hair into a mess.

The boy immediately slapped his hand away. Then he gave the older man a look of pure disgust and walked faster.

Then, Astrid stayed by the door after everyone stepped out. Misha knew why as their eyes met.

Neither of them needed to say anything. Misha appreciated that more than she could explain.

Astrid's face had changed subtly. The tiredness remained, but beneath it was the same uncertainty Misha had been carrying since the night before. They were family now. Technically, they always had been, but neither of them knew what to do with that yet.

The girl's lips curved into a small, reluctant smile as she reached for the doorknob.

"About last night…" Misha started.

Astrid paused and waited.

Misha had rehearsed nothing, naturally. The words she wanted were all too large for a doorway conversation.

'I'm sorry I ran.'

Too pathetic.

'Tell me everything about my brother.'

Too desperate.

'Did he mention me?'

Much too desperate.

'Can I call you my niece without making this weird?'

Already horribly weird.

None of those felt right, so she settled for the truth she could manage.

"You don't have to worry about telling me everything at once just because we found out we're family," she continued before she could lose the nerve. "I want to know about him too, everything you're comfortable telling me. But…" she sighed softly. "You don't have to suddenly treat me differently because I turned out to be related to you."

Astrid was quiet for a moment. Then her eyes softened, and she smiled shyly. "I'm glad it's you."

Misha stared at her. Her chest tightened again, but unlike last night, the feeling was warm enough to hurt in a different way.

She suddenly felt absurdly awkward so she cleared her throat. "Go before I become sentimental."

Astrid's smile widened slightly. "Too late, Aunt Misha."

Misha froze and she ended up watching Astrid close the door before she could respond.

Silence settled over the room once more while she remained staring at the door.

"Aunt Misha."

Her brain rejected the title, then accepted it, then panicked about accepting it. Her hand slowly rose toward her face as realization settled in. "I have a niece…"

Behind her, Caius spoke. "Should we talk later?"

Misha turned and saw him watching her from the bed. There was a faint trace of restrained amusement around his mouth, but he had enough survival instinct not to comment on what he had just witnessed.

"No." She went and sat down on the chair beside his bed. "That can wait."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." She leaned forward and rested her elbows against her knees. "As a Regressor who is apparently deeply involved with me, or some future version of me, what exactly did you see?"

Caius stared at her for a while, then a quiet breath escaped through his nose. "See?"

"Yes."

He glanced at the wall as though genuinely considering her wording.

Misha's eyes narrowed. "What?"

He returned his gaze to her. "I'm wondering whether I should ask for a tablecloth."

She blinked a few times in confusion. "A what?"

"And perhaps a crystal sphere too."

Her brow twitched. "Caius."

Caius smiled faintly, the humor restrained rather than smug. "You make it sound as though I sat somewhere reading your future from cards so I can't help it."

Misha continued staring. "Fine. Then correct me, Fortune Teller."

Caius' smile stayed for another while, then his gaze lowered toward his hands resting over the blanket, and when he spoke again, there was no teasing left in his voice.

"I didn't see your future, Misha." He raised his eyes to hers. "I lived it."