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Verin sits as still as he can be as a gaggle of small children climb over him, all the while staring with mild panic across the way at his brother. His brother who is trying to hide a bubbled laughter behind the back of his hand pressed to his mouth. His brother who Verin would never in his life ever associate with children, but here they are, clambering about Verin like he's the most daunting adventure they've had all day.
None of these children are Essek's. They're all children of the Mighty Nein and Associates. A seafoam tiefling boy, a firbolg who's more floof than muscle, a beacon-in-his-own-right aasimar. There's also two petite halfling twins, their teenage brother seated behind Essek, laughter a perfect mirror. There's another teenage boy at Essek's back, crouched over, reserved, but smiling with his eyes.
That boy is Essek's, adopted by him and Caleb a few years ago. Verin would move mountains for the boy, though he equally has already come to terms with the fact that he'd do the same with all these others that Essek has allowed into his life.
But they can't know that. They can never know that. Calliope's fuzzball may look innocent, but the moment they knew Verin could be wrapped around their finger would be the end.
“I don't think I'm cut out for this babysitting thing, Essek,” Verin finally says, wincing when he nearly gets an elbow to his eye.
“Please, you handled me. I was twice as unruly as all of them combined.”
The day Essek learned how to float is the day Verin lost years to his life, became a clairvoyant, and watched in slow motion through his mind how much trouble his little brother could wreak in just those moments.
But then after Essek began to pull more and more into himself, built up a mental chitin armor, and Verin missed the days when he had to keep his brother from getting into spell components that he Must Absolutely Not Touch.
To see him so free once more, that devious twitch to his lips, Verin would help babysit hundreds of kids if it meant he could see his brother again.
(Another thing he has to be careful about anyone knowing. There will always be more kids on the way, though after the twins Veth has exhaustively exclaimed about needing a break, but he knows the thought of adopting again has crossed Essek and Caleb's minds, as well as some of the others.)
“I can't believe you volunteered me to help with this.”
Essek leans backwards and shrugs easily. “You wanted to see me more, isn't that right?” he asks. “I thought a bit of multitasking was in order.”
Verin can't tell if his brother is lying to him.
He calculates the risk of his next question. He hasn't seen any worry in Essek's posture, but he doesn't want to risk bringing it to the surface. “I would've thought you'd want to go with the group.”
“Well...” Essek trails off.
“That's my fault,” Luc says, hunching down just a fraction. “I asked for help. They're a lot for me! I don't have the spells yet that can just stop them from accidentally hurting themselves.”
Ah, now it makes sense. Verin isn't the only one then that could be wrapped around the kids' fingers.
“Jester has been keeping me updated on the situation,” Essek says. “If she has the spells to do that, then they're alright.” He tilts his head, and there's not... worry there, exactly, but a spark of determination, “and if something changes, I have the spells to get to them.”
“Always prepared?” Verin asks nervously.
“For them?” Essek replies. “Yes.”
Verin is about to make some comment to try and lighten the mood when Reani's kid, haloed and all, tackles him with an unnatural force and he's blanketed by a weight of children. Essek and Luc's laughter once more fills the room and Verin thinks the kids did a better job than any comment he could have made.