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“You better have a good reason for showing back up here, Bryce Quinlan.” was the first thing she heard when she opened a portal to Prythian once again.
“We missed your wonderful, sparkling, beaming personality and couldn’t wait to be surrounded by it once again,” she sang to the powerful winged Fae.
Rhysand rolled his eyes, but she could see the smile he was fighting, “and who is we ?”
“Well,” she smirked, waving a hand through the portal still opened behind her, “mom and dad missed everyone, mainly Nesta, and Cooper goes where they go, and Hunt goes where I go, so you got a good chunk of the gang.”
He smiled brightly as Cooper emerged with his parents. He’d taken quite a liking to the boy the few times he’d met him, as had everyone else.
“Hi there Cooper,” he grinned as he strode forward to pat him on the shoulder, “Cassian is just through in the kitchen, probably stealing the cakes Elain just made if you want to go see if you can stop him.”
Cooper grinned back, “Hi Rhys, I’ll do my best,” he laughed before running to the kitchen.
“You know if you keep feeding him treats every time you see him, you’ll be coming back with us when he inevitably needs to visit the dentist,” Ember mock scolded the High Lord.
Rhys blinked in confusion at the last word, “dentist?”
Ember rolled her eyes, “another modern thing you obviously don’t have. A dentist is like a healer for your mouth and teeth.”
“Mom,” Bryce cut in, “before we delve into what is sure to be a wonderful discussion on the differences between the worlds, I did actually have a reason to come here besides to visit.”
“Oh,” Ember said, raising her brow, “and you were going to tell us when?”
Bryce rolled her eyes, looking exactly how her mother did not a moment ago, “it’s nothing bad, you’ll find out with the rest of them. Speaking of,” she said, turning away from her mother to look to Rhysand, “any chance you could gather everyone,” she then grinned slyly, “I’ve got an announcement.”
Rhysand looked from Bryce to Hunt, knowing he’d clue him in, “nope, not this time Rhysie” Hunt grinned, “’this one is a surprise you’ll find out about with everyone else like she said,” he tilted his head towards Bryce, “go grab your rabble and bring them in.”
Rhys rolled his eyes and flexed his shoulders like he’d do if his wings were out, “fine,” but he didn’t move, he simply cocked his head to the side and stared blankly for a few seconds, “they’re on their way.”
He gestured to the sofas around them, “have a seat. Bryce you can sit on the floor over there in the corner.”
Bryce laughed brightly then stuck her tongue out towards Rhys, “sure thing baby girl,” she quipped before teleporting her and Hunt to the love seat Rhys was heading for. Rhys just rolled his eyes, and sat in the one next to them.
Ember, Randall and Cooper – who had returned with a suspicious amount of flour on his t-shirt - shared a sofa, and as she settled down, Ember turned to the trio across from her, “you know, seeing you two together really makes me glad Bryce never had any more siblings. The havoc she wrecked with Ruh n was bad enough, more might have sent me to my grave early.”
Bryce and Rhys shot her identical looks of outrage, before they looked at each other and burst into laughter.
That was how the rest of the inner circle found them. Feyre, who was holding Nyx, just rolled her eyes before passing the toddler off to Hunt who took to the child the moment they first met.
“Hi big guy,” he coo’d, “how’s my favourite Illyrian, hmm?” he asked as he bounced him on his lap.
Nyx reached for his wings as he always did, making grabby hands as he said, “Hun, wan wings.”
Bryce laughed gently as she reached over to run her hands through his hair, “you gonna pull the feathers out Little Night?”
“No, you wouldn’t do that to your favourite person ever, would you?” Hunt fake gasped causing Nyx to giggle and shake his head.
“Dada has wings too,” he whispered like it was a secret.
Bryce and Hunt both gasped, “oh wow, does he?” Bryce whispered, “Rhysie, how could you not tell us such vital information! I thought we were friends?” she pouted as she played along with Nyx, who was giggling.
Rhysand smiled gently towards his son, “are you sharing all of our secrets with the bad guys?”
Nyx gasped as he grabbed Hunt’s shirt, “Uncie Hun no a bad guy Dada, he a good guy like you and Uncie Cassie and Uncie Az.” His lip quivered slightly as he took his father’s words to heart.
Hunt’s face softened so completely that you’d never imagine he was once called The Shadow of Death. He scooped the little boy up and hugged him close, “me and your Dada were just playing Little Night. Like when we pretend fight with you, it was just pretend. Sshhh, you’re okay,” he consoled the little boy for a few moments before standing and carrying him over to Rhys, “here you go,” he whispered, kissing the now calmer child on the head, “here’s your Dada for you.”
He handed the child off to Rhys who immediately held him close and whispered his own comforts to the child as Feyre rubbed his back from her place beside them.
“Well,” Cassian spoke up quietly, “that was something.”
Feyre smiled sadly, “yeah, he’s at that age where he can comprehend the words but not the tone for the most part. He takes everything so seriously, Elain told Lucien the other day that she’d b-” she cut herself off, shooting a look at her now calm son. Not wishing to upset him further, she just said, “she made a dramatic threat in jest and Nyx overheard and was distraught for hours. He ended up sleeping in their room that night because he would not let either of them out of his sight.”
Elain huffed lightly, “he still hasn’t fully forgiven me either. Watch this,” she said shifting from sitting next to Lucien, to sitting on his lap.
“Nyx sweetie, what would you like for dinner tonight?” she asked him softly, something to prompt him to look at her.
He looked up with a thoughtful look on his face that soon turned wide eyes. He patted his father’s face “down?” he asked quietly.
With a smile, Rhys set him down on the floor and he immediately made his way to the sofa Elain and Lucien shared. He clambered up onto the seat Elain had just vacated and sat close to them and clutched Lucien’s sleeve. He then looked between the two before gently asking, “Lu coming for dinner too?”
Elain bowed her head and laughed softly. She scooped the little boy up and held him close, “Lu will always come for dinner unless he’s working. I was pretending when I said he’d go in the garden. I promise.”
Nyx looked to Lucien for confirmation, but before he could articulate a response to the toddler, Bryce stood up and walked over to crouch in front of them.
“Little Night, do you remember my special power?”
“Like me,” Nyx nodded.
“That’s right Little Night, I’ve got a star in my chest just like you have stars in your eyes. Did you know my star can show things?”
Nyx shook his head as he reached a hand out to touch the eight-pointed star on her chest, “night?”
“Yeah, that’s my night.” she smiled gently at the inquisitive little boy, “you wanna see what it can show me?” When he nodded, she ran her hand over his hair, “you know your Mama and Dada are special to each other?” she whispered to him like it was just for them.
“Mates,” he whispered, looking over to his parents who were holding each other like always.
“Do you know what mates are?”
Nyx nodded, “special people, Mama and Dada were made from the same star.”
“That’s right, and my star can show you that. Look at your Mama and Dada.”
He looked over to them and his eyes widened in unbridled joy.
Bryce had wrapped her power around them, her starlight dancing between them and connected them heart-to-heart. But it also reached for him, joining his with is parents.
“Now look at Cassie and Nes,” she whispered as he whipped his head around to his other aunt and uncle. They appeared the same.
“Now look at Hunt, who does he share a star with?”
Nyx whipped around to Hunt and gasped in delight, “BB!” he whisper-yelled, and reached for her face, “mate?” he asked.
“Yeah, sweet boy, Hunt is my mate. Now, look at Elain and Lu,” she whispered, smiling so sweetly at the inquisitive little boy.
He gasped as her starlight danced between them, “mates,” he whispered reaching a hand for the starlight before pulling back as if he wasn’t sure if he could touch it. Lucien took his hand and guided it to the light so it ran through his fingers causing him to giggle, “Auntie Lain loves Uncle Lu?” he asked her softly.
“Very much so,” she smiled at her nephew, “I’m sorry for scaring you. I promise Uncle Lu will always be safe with me.”
Nyx smiled brightly at his aunt before turning back to Bryce. He flung himself on her for a hug, causing her starlight to disappear as she held him tightly.
A sniffle caught her attention and she looked up to see everyone looking at her so softly. Hunt was grinning with tears in his eyes, but it was her mother who was crying.
“Oh sweetie,” she cried, “you’re going to be a great mother someday.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, but Bryce and Hunt shared a look of joy.
Smiling brightly, she stood, taking Nyx with her and making her way to Hunt who stood and reached a hand for her.
“As good a time as any, eh sweetheart.”
“Yeah, I don’t think it could get more perfect if we tried,” she winked at Hunt before squeezing Nyx closer to her. “That day may come quicker than you thought Mom. Everyone, we actually came here today to announce to you all that I’m pregnant!”