Nova: [quickly forces an awkward smile, looking up at them again as her ears perk back]

Nova: (voice timidly eager) "but, um… if you guys are looking for an air plane, I can lead you to one!"

Siblings:

Spéir: [face hardens, but looks to Scamall as—]

Scamall: [gives a sad smile, stepping forward and putting her hands out, palms up]

Nova: [hesitates, but… cautiously drifts forward to put her hands in Scamall's]

Scamall: (all the while, voice warm but sad) "fae, I don't know how you think you will, but—"

Nova: [huffs, pouting as he looks away to stare into space]

Nova: (moodily) "I can see planes very far away. It's part of my domain."

Scamall:

Spéir: (interrupts suspiciously) "oh, really? And what's your domain."

Nova: [looks back at him, heart skipping a beat, eyes widening, and ears drooping]

Nova: (awkwardly) "uhm…" [and warps his hands out of Scamall's, drifting backwards and dropping his eyes again—]

Nova: he knows. He knows—no. He can't. If he knew, he'd either be afraid, or be trying to take my essence. That's his type. He's—… he's like…

Nova: [heart skips a beat at the realization—]

All the while he thought:

Scamall: [turned to Spéir with a scowl, snapping) "Spéir! Seriously?"

Spéir: [put on a faux-pleasant smile, though it looked much more like a smirk]

Spéir: (voice sarcastically sweet) "what? If we're going to be working together—"

Nova: [looks up at Spéir, their ears drooping and eyebrows furrowed. Lets themself drift down until their feet touch the ground, hugging themself crossing their arms as they frown at him]

Nova: (interrupts, their voice calm yet distant) "sorry, but I don't feel comfortable divulging that to a faerie I just met."

Spéir: [quickly turned to meet their eyes when they interrupted, face subtly tense and suspicious]

Nova: he probably suspects, but doesn't know…

Nova: this might be more dangerous than I thought.

Nova: [narrowing her eyes on him, voice slightly sharp) "especially since you haven't even—"

Spéir: [eyebrows quirking, unimpressed, immediately puts a hand over his heart and interrupts) "alright, well, my domain is—"

Nova: [sighs heavily—half having seen this coming—and rolls her eyes, then narrows them on him again as she interrupts in return) "yes, yes, I know—" [sassily looks away, putting one hand out and its elbow on the other] "—You're a celestial faerie, a faerie of the heavens and passage of time—"

Nova: [and returns her slight glare to him, vaguely gesturing to Scamall, as she finishes) "—and she's an air faerie, a faerie of the clouds. If your names didn't give it away, I'd have already figured it out, anyway. Your essences make it clear enough."

Spéir: [face twisted, visibly stunned, as Nova interrupted him and metaphorically took the wind out of his sails—]

Nova: [gives her own passive-aggressive, saccharine smile]

Nova: (starts with faint sarcasm in her voice, but it grows serious as she continues) "so, as kind as it is that you'd be 'willing' to share your domains, I am still not comfortable with it."

Nova: [with that said, turns to Scamall with an awkward, timid smile]

Scamall: [watching her thoughtfully, though it's hard for her to tell what Scamall's thinking]

Nova: (without a beat, apologetically) "sorry. I just—"

Scamall: [offers a sad smile in return, stepping forward to place her hand on Nova's shoulder. Gently) "it's okay. Take your time, fae. We've just met. I know you'll need time before you can trust us."

Nova: [eyes widen slightly, her face flushing]

Spéir: [before she can react, huffs and stomps forward, closing the distance between himself and Nova]

Nova: [tenses, swallowing, and wraps their essence around themself protectively. Turns a sharp, suspicious look onto him as they cross their arms, but prepare for the worst—]

Spéir: [instead, leans down to put his forehead inches away from Nova's, then jabs a finger into their chest]

Spéir: (voice venomous and accusing) "just know this, fae. Even if Scamall's accepting of you, I'm keeping an eye on you."

Nova: [blinks, surprised—]

Nova: [heart pounding at the general conflict, but… more than anything, just surprised that he'd be so openly aggressive with them. Especially since Spéir was clearly trying to stay on Scamall's good side]

Scamall: [huffs and marches forward, moving to grab Spéir's shoulder]

Nova: [jaw clenched and face scrunched up in indignation, glares right back into Spéir's eyes. Squares their shoulders, stands up straight—]

Nova: [and sticks out their tongue]

Spéir:

Scamall:

Scamall: [can't help it. Snorts, quickly turning away to cover her mouth with her hand]

Spéir: [at the same time, stands up straight as well, visibly stunned]

Nova: [hesitates]

Nova: [brow furrowing and fae-ears lowering in confusion, hesitantly looks between them]

Nova: (uncertainly) "… why are you laughing?"

Scamall: [oops, starts snickering—]

Spéir: [struggles to repress a smile, turning away to cover his own mouth—]

Nova: [face slowly flushing, desperately) "what's so funny!?"

Scamall: [finally bursts out laughing]

Spéir: [snorts—]

Nova: [stomping their foot repeatedly, childishly) "STOP FUCKING LAUGHING AT ME!!!"

[Instead, the siblings busted out laughing harder. Even Spéir turned away, doubling over to press a hand over his mouth]

Nova: [hesitates, face flushing all the hotter as they look between the siblings]

Nova: [and can't help a soft smile, tears welling up in her eyes]

Nova: [reminded of softer moments, of her time with the Róisíns. Of the laughter, the playfulness, and the not-quite twins. Of Sruth and Lochan]

Nova: … maybe they're not so bad, after all.

Nova: [but quickly hides her emotions behind a pout, crossing her arms and turning away]

Nova: (to herself) still… I need to keep an eye on Spéir. If he tries to pull anything… well, I'll have to take care of him.

Nova: [ears drooping slightly, focuses her hidden essence on him]

Spéir: [still laughing, though he's calming it down]

Nova: [and switches her attention to Scamall, though she continues using her hidden essence to do so]

Nova: … sorry, Scamall. But I think you'll understand. I am not going through all that again.

Nova: [heart twists and face falls as another thought occurs to her]

Nova: … especially if he turns on you. I'll protect you. I'll protect us.

Nova: I won't let the Róisíns happen again.