backdated//right after the previous bas/hazel/spider thread

The day had been... long. Longer and more emotional than Hazel would let on. Finding a pup, a slip of a thing, out in Redbud Nook, really wasn't on her to-do list today. Finding the pup right next to where she herself had been abandoned nearly three years ago. Her chest ached at the thought. Though her birth father was dead, her mother was still out there. Her mother was still out there. Hazel didn't know what had become of the woman, and if she really was alive. Though she told herself that the only reason she was abandoned was her father, now? Well, now she couldn't be so sure.

It didn't matter if Spider was blood or not. They may as well have been. This was a different kind of understanding. You didn't know unless you'd been through it. Both of them had been through a lot. Moving forward, she would try and make sure the pup went through less. Only normal childhood things from now on. If Hazel could pray, she would have. Was this what Sirius felt? What Halo felt? When she'd turned up out of damn near nowhere, clinging to Bas's side.

Bas. Right, they should... discuss this. With Spider settled in the other room and hopefully asleep by now, Hazel collapsed into bed. "I'm sorry I didn't talk about this with you beforehand." Her voice was quiet, not wanting to wake the sleeping pup in the next room. Hazel's head rest heavily on her paws, picking at a stray burr that clung to her dense winter coat. It was coming in thicker and warmer this year, at least. When she finally looks to Basilisk, her expression remains apologetic.

"Speech"

Basilisk had fed the two gremlins, and ushered them to bed. Helping Hazel set up a sleeping place in the space room. The room that had been his when they had just been flatmates. It was a little embarrassing actually. Basilisk had had a lot of food insecurity growing up. It hadn't entirely faded, and he still found himself hoarding food like a chipmunk before winter. He had quietly scooped out an old and forgotten stash before Spider had moved in.

Now, he and Hazel were in their room. He knew his girlfriend was exhausted, so he was surprised when she started the conversation. He glanced over at her, and then his eyes lingered. Eyeing her up and down. Wondering if she was awake enough for this conversation. "A child, Hazel?" He asked her softly, worry in his tone. "What are we going to do with a child? Give them our nightmares and insecurities?" He said softly. They had enough issues between them to cripple a normal person. They both had daddy issues, admittedly far different as those issues were. What did they know about parenting?

"Speech"

Though she knew about the squirrel stashes, Hazel left them be for the most part. Only when the ones she stumbled upon were gross, long forgotten, did she toss them out, always without acknowledging that she'd found them in the first place. The things that Basilisk was working through, the lingering feelings from childhood, they were things that she wasn't going to make him feel poorly about. They were things that she didn't know how to brooch. Her support was still unwavering, undying. The little things could come when he wanted.

They had their issues. Hell, Hazel was full of issues on her own. Add Bas's issues to that? They held each other together, as much a mess as they both were. "They need someone who understands what they've been through." They need her. Hazel spoke softly, looking up at Bas from where she lay. They were simultaneously the best and least-best option.

"We won't be worse at this than their parents or my parents." The words come with a sigh, her shoulders sagging some. "The Armada gave me the second chance I never would have, and now look at me. I want to create that life for them." There was a faraway look in Hazel's eye. Maybe it was wishful thinking. Still, Hazel had a habit of doing exactly what she set her mind to. Her gaze rested on Basilisk's face now, trying to sort out exactly what he was feeling, what he was thinking. The fear of rejection still lingered in the pit of her stomach.

"Speech"

Basilisk couldn’t argue there. He knew that hazel could relate. He thought of her father, of the man who had attacked her on the border. Of her injuries, her pain, her nightmares. No, Basilisk wouldn’t take Spider from her. If this is what she wanted, he would support her. He just needed to know how they were going to move forward.

“Or my dad” He said softly. He loved his dad. He missed and worried about his dad, but Azure had taken his favourite sister from the pack one day. His almost-twin. He had come home without her, and he had never seen her again. They didn’t talk about it. He was afraid to talk about it. For someone so brave, he knew he was a coward.

“If this is what you want Hazel, I’ve got your back” I’ve got your back that was the foundation of their relationship. When no one else would guard it, they had each other. “But… how? What do we feed them? Do we train them? How old do we start? What do we do if they wake up crying? Or when they win their first match? Do we set curfews? Ask them to call us mum and dad? Is there a line, and if so… where is it?” he asked, voice helpless and confused.

"Speech"

Or my dad, while Hazel didn't want to say it... he was right. Someday the rose colored glasses would come off. She wouldn't speak ill of Azure out loud, but Hazel is certain about a few things. He's certain it was shitty of him to run off, leaving Hanako unprotected, leaving Bas without his father. Something had happened before, too-- Bas had more siblings. Hazel could remember their faces, she could see them in her memory, but they'd disappeared and no one had spoken their names since. She knows that Azure looked at her-- looked at her like being abandoned was some flaw of hers. She does not speak the feelings, only offers a small, supportive hum.

A small, hesitant smile cracked her expression. They had each other's backs, they always had. They would cover each other, no matter what. Hazel could take on the world, as long as Bas was here, by her side. They could take on the world... they could take on parenthood. "I have yours. Always." Her voice took on a softer quality than usual, watching Bas. Gaze lingering, as she curled up tightly in bed.

"They like rabbit," Hazel ventured. "S'pose we feed them the same way they always fed us, we're well supplied for the winter. As for training... Halo's pups will probably be ready around the time they're strong enough. Everything else, we can probably ask Sirius or Halo. Even for all of our mess, we made it out okay." She sighed softly, thinking about the title. Mom and dad? She'd never called Halo mom, but then, her upbringing had been overshadowed by the incident with her father. "I think they decide what they want to call us," she speaks after a moment. Though overwhelmed, she's also grateful. Anything was doable as long as they're together.

"Speech"

Basilisk felt her shift, and moved a paw to scoop it around her, yawning as he shifted himself. He’d clocked a lot of hours outside of the Armada lately. Between their duties, and his mission, where were they going to have time to watch a kid? But they would find it. He knew they would.

“That all sounds very reasonable. When did you get so reasonable, Hazel?” He asked, swatting at her lightly with his paw. But he knew the answer. When she had become General. When she had killed her dad. There were a lot of things that had forced her to grow quickly. He just hoped he wasn’t left behind. “I like that, letting them decide” He agreed. He paused then, and leaned his nuzzle on her shoulder. “I love you, Hazel” He wanted no one else at his side but her. He wondered if he might get jealous, sharing Her with Spider.

"Speech"

She settled against his side, head resting heavily on Basilisk's shoulder. She's comfortable here. Between her duties as the General and Bas's search for his dad, they were busy. More than that, Hazel had been working her ass off to pick up the slack left in Azure's wake. Busy. Always busy, always something. How did Sirius do it all? Still, the resolve is clear. She'd do it, and she would have Bas by her side to help. As long as they were together, she was pretty sure they could take on the world and everyone in it. Such was the way they had always been.

Hazel smiled lightly, giggling as Bas swatted at her. "I have to put all these brains to good use," that smile rang through in her tone. She'd grown up fast, but then, what choice did she have? The choices she had power over were the most important ones though. Choosing Bas was something she'd do over and over, and she always would. "I love you too." The words were soft, and she looked up softly into Basilisk's face. Leaning up for a soft kiss, it really was starting to feel like things were falling into place.
"Speech"

“Oh, is that what all that weight is, brains?” He teased, jostling her head lightly. His tone fill of affection. Somewhere along the way, he had accepted her request. They would keep Spider. They would figure out what to feed them, how to train them. They would applaud their successes, and (probably Hazel) would wipe away their tears. He had no idea how this was going to work, but so long as they did it together, he didn’t care.

He leaned into her kiss, savouring the feel of her lips on his. There was nowhere else in the world he would rather be. He regretted how much he spent away from her. The days he spent outside the pack, looking for his father. But they were here now, together.


"Speech"