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Brief reprieve

Summary:

The siblings get a day from Dahlia's watchful eyes.
First written for whumptober2023 no. 30 Borrowed Clothing

Notes:

Ages
Freya-16
Finn- 15
Elijah-11

Work Text:

 

Elijah grows up wearing his siblings' clothes, more often it’s Freya’s dresses than anything of Finn’s.  Finn grows too fast and most of the time his clothes are too threadbare to be much use for anything other than scrap fabric when Elijah finally catches up to him.

He knows his lack of concern over whether he’s wearing a dress or not is unnatural to the rest of the world but his life in general is too, the rest of the world is a strange concept in itself to Elijah.

However the world’s sensibilities mean when Dahlia allows them out, rarely for Elijah as he’s always insurance to remind Freya and Finn to return on time. It’s not like she needs to, they all know how they can’t escape her but she enjoys reminding them how much power she has.

She enjoyed their panic and apologies when they came back late.

So on condition of being allowed to join his sibling to see the local fair Elijah has to dress the full part which means Freya spends too long doing his hair, it means he is expected to act like a girl, which would be easier if he knew what that was like as all he knew were Dahlia and Freya. Freya tells him to trust them, Finn tells him to stay with them.

Elijah nods.

They’re barely out of sight from the hut when Finn sweeps Freya up in his arms, despite her squeals and takes off jogging.

“Come on little brother, we’re wasting time.” he calls back, over Freya’s complaints. Elijah sighs but picks up his skirt, Finn's longer legs means he doesn’t stand a chance but he'll play along if it means they get there sooner.

They promised to buy him his own clothes, and let him try new food.

On their way back, as the sun is setting, it’s him in Finn’s arms, he struggles to keep his eyes open but gives up before the hut comes into view, if Dahlia was going to punish them she’d wake him up so he might as well take the rest.

He wakes in the morning and Dahlia compliments his clothes, he smiles and thanks her, ignoring the way Freya freezes and stares hard at the ground and the audible sound of Finn clenching his jaw. 

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