A month went by and quite a lot of things had happened during that month, between Xelqua gently bullying everyone to taking care of themselves and learning more about being a player and blending in easier, he had only just finally asked the void brothers something important. Which is his wardrobe that did not exist, at all, as odd as it sounds, it's the truth. Xelqua really doesn't have anything else to wear besides the robes he wore.
Said robes had never been damaged nor dirtied so there's also that notable fact.
None of them knows how or why that's the case, but Xisuma was a little jealous at that, considering he's always covered in dirt and whatever stuff. Mainly redstone dust, but still, an absolute pain in cleaning up, especially when he had to clean his armor, now that's a nightmare. One that Xelqua can't imagine and never actually wants to deal with.
Aside from that, the three of them had also learned that Xelqua...wasn't exactly used to the overworld air, in fact his veil also acted as some sort of helmet. It hid both his face and acted as some kind of air bubble for him. He was able to breathe End air and Void air, much to their surprise, they haven't tried the Nether quite yet due to how much denser and humid it happens to be in comparison.
Nonetheless, they have a plan to counter it, well, it wasn't really much of a plan per say, it was just them giving Xelqua one of their spare masks to help him breathe the air before he could get used to it. Which may take awhile per say, but it was a temporary plan at the moment, just to help him get used to the overworld a little more.
Now back to the matters of Xelqua wardrobe, Exavian had to be temporarily robbed of his own wardrobe and handed over some old but still wearable pairs of clothes for Xelqua to wear. Primarily, a faded red hoodie and some simple black-gray faded shorts. With Xisuma handing over the spare mask and a pair of boots he doesn't wear anymore. Along with his spare visor since they also learned that apparently, Xelqua needed glasses of sorts to see.
They wondered just how much purpose does his veil actually have and if they could get something similar for themselves, but alas, they can't and for good reasons. Mostly due to their own work as admins anyways, plus it would be pretty odd that they would suddenly choose to wear Veil instead of their usual helmets and such.
They were also too polite to actually ask to see their face, so they really don't know what he looks like without the veil. Which, he still wears, he wasn't quite ready to part from it quite yet and the void siblings understands.
The next best thing they convince Xelqua to do is test the powers that Xelqua potentially has, they learned that he could in fact alter his appearance. Xisuma took full advantage of that and convinced Xelqua to make himself look similar to Xisuma, Exavian wasn't sure if he should be concerned or laugh at whatever pranks they planned on doing.
He'll probably go with the latter, considering they started giggling all of a sudden. Exavian won't be shocked if Xisuma tricked the Hermits into thinking they're related, he himself doesn't count as being related when he's just a clone and a helsian. Sure they see themselves as Xisuma brothers, but still, it was entertaining honestly.
Very entertaining.
Not only that, but Xisuma was nearly done with the codings of the next season, it would be another week or two until it is fully finalized. Plus an extra week before their meeting between seasons for their plans for the next season and whether or not they would plan to invite new hermits or not. None of them know how to bring up Xelqua as a new Hermit or the fact that he's adopted into the Void family.
But seriously, Exavian can't help, but think it's a great thing that Xelqua came along, they had been a bright guiding star that caused Xisuma to at least live a lot more than just being a Hermit and an Administrator. But as a friend who doesn't have to be the rock that keeps the others tethered to reality.
Even if the way they had met was very strange.
Nonetheless, today had been going pretty well, just enough that Wels had come by recently and whisked Xelqua away under the excuse that they're going to do something exciting. Neither he nor Xisuma knows what it was that Wels is planning, his idea of fun is a very strange thing. For all they know, Wels could be teaching him how to fight, or build or whatever it could be. The brothers just hope that it wasn't something too terrible.
"Hey Exavian?" Said person blinked up at Xisuma, confused. "Yes? Is something the matter?I thought you would be out with the other Hermits to clean up some builds before the seasonal end–" Exavian nearly rambled off, only to stop when he saw how terrible he looked. He was even using the air bubble of shame– something they rarely used unless their mask was damaged or they had forgotten it, but in this case.
Well, Exavian could tell that there was something wrong, so very wrong. Pursing his lips in concern, he moved just enough to leave space for him to sit on the couch, to which he then did. Cradling a freshly made cup of tea, oddly enough, they seem calm despite how nervous they actually were.
Exavian wondered what it was that they could be so nervous about–
"We need to give Xelqua a player name."
Exavian blinked, slowly processing what it was that he had just said, then he deactivated the administration panel he held out during his turn to work on the server codings. "Any particular reason why you think that? I thought the name you gave him was enough?" He questioned, Xisuma just shrugged in response as he carefully drank his cup of tea. It was unusual, Xisuma isn't one for being silent, even for something like this. "Alright Xisuma, what's actually on your mind, you're usually rambling about your hermits or sitting here in a comfortable silence, all I can feel is tension." Exavian commented bluntly, pausing for a second.
"You're also wearing the bubble of shame, oddly enough."
Xisuma just stayed silent, much to Exavian concerns, continuing to drink his tea, until at last, he finally said something.
"You remember how I said that the book I got is what I used to accidentally summon Xelqua?" Exavian blinked, slowly nodding in confusion, prompting Xisuma to continue speaking. "Well, I was looking through it again to see if anything had changed– I..." He stopped, hesitating as he put down his cup of tea and hugged Exavian around the waist. Prompting Exavian to gently rub his head in response.
"I found a journal entry. It was clearly written by Xelqua– I have seen his handwriting after all." Exavian blinks in surprise, yes they both had opted to have Wels teach Xelqua how to write and read in common while they both have chosen to teach him how to write in galactic. Considering, well, he's able to write in Archaic Galactic, much to all of their surprises. "I was reading the entry and well...Apparently, Xelqua had written about their grief of losing their family. Making their final choice to just...seal themselves away in hopes that the pain of losing a family would fade away."
Exavian winces, despite being Xisuma's older brother, he hadn't actually witnessed the cause of his trauma. Due to the fact that he had been with their mother when the whole event had occurred. He still doesn't know what had happened to their father, nor does he even want to ask Xisuma what he had witnessed in regards to the loss of their father anyways.
Didn't help that their mother passed away due to a plague a century afterwards.
"Did reading that entry make you remember...you know?" Exavian hesitantly asked, Xisuma hums quietly in response, it was definitely the case it seems like. With a gentle sigh, Exavian put down his now empty cup of tea and pulled Xisuma into a hug. Comforting him as much as he could, which wasn't much, but he has a feeling that just his presence alone is enough as it is.
"...It kinda did, yeah." Xisuma eventually admitted as he fully removed the bubble and rubbed away the tears that began to build up. As much as Exavian enjoys playing the role of a villain, it didn't always start as a joke, it had really been something he had been forced to do. Forced to do a certain someone bidding to the point he had caused Xisuma to cry.
His crying was enough to force him to regain control from them– sure it had hurt and he was trapped under bed rest for awhile and he couldn't even look at the Hermits– or any Helsians he may have hurt unwillingly, but he was slowly healing. He was slowly getting better.
Having Cub as a therapist somehow works, Joe blunt honesty in the form of poetic crypticness also somehow helps. Zedaph's unusual nature definitely helped as well. And yet, the one thing that helped most of all, but made him feel as though he was stabbed, was the sight of Xisuma crying.
Quite frankly, he hopes he never sees Xisuma cry again, but alas, sometimes, that wistful thinking wouldn't hold still for long. Being the big brother that he is, he gently held onto Xisuma hand and whispered soft words of comfort, knowing it would eventually fall on deaf ears as Xisuma silently cried. It wasn't ideal, but it was at least one way of releasing their emotion in a healthy manner.
At least, he hopes it is, he doesn't know what Xisuma had done during his unwilling villainy. None of the Hermits did and that is what concerns him so much.
And yet, sometimes when Xisuma did cry under the comforting reassurances that yes, Exavian is in fact there and isn't going to disappear, he would cry himself to sleep. This time, he did not, not when he had Xelqua to worry about. To which leaves Xisuma wondering just how much pain and grief he was in when he had lost his family. How utterly alone and heartbroken at their loss.
Did he even have anyone to comfort him?
Exavian sigh, he doesn't even know what to do anymore, he isn't one for dealing with this kind of stuff at all, in fact, he doesn't know what to expect anymore. Maybe a visit to the library to try and find some kind of clue to Xelqua would interest him– even if he wasn't the type to sit down and read for too long.
He just likes the occasional book or two on a lazy day after all.
"Exavian, do you still remember that lullaby that mom and dad would sing to us?" Exavian looks down at Xisuma in surprise, he had not expected that. In fact, he's pretty sure that he usually screeched at him for treating him like a baby. Not that Exavian can stop it, he is the older brother, therefore his job is to embarrass the little brother as much as possible anyways.
He has no regrets in embarrassing Xisuma in front of his friends anyways.
But this? Maybe, just this once, it wouldn't be out of embarrassment or teasing.
"Are you sure?" He asked, to which Xisuma gave him a look confirming that yes, he is very much serious. "Admittedly, I haven't been able to sleep for awhile now due to the stress of making sure that the new server code is working properly and worrying about Xelqua meeting the others officially." He brings out, pausing for a moment to look away. "There's also the fact that I have been stressing over the new guidelines and such that the Admin councils have issued." Exavian stared down at a sheepish Xisuma who slowly started to wilt under the gaze. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything, until Exavian pushed him off the couch– causing the younger voidling to yelp in surprised.
Xisuma immediately sat up and glared at Exavian who smiled smugly.
"I hate you so much."
"You love me, besides, you're not sad anymore so that's a win in my opinion." Exavian admitted with a chuckle, to which Xisuma just rolled his eyes as he got back to sitting on the couch, leaning against Exavian again. "So, gonna take that nap or go do something else." He then questioned– getting a jabbed to the guts. Causing Exavian to yelp in pain as he held onto his guts, he glared at Xisuma who smiled smugly.
"Pay back–"
Xisuma immediately yelped when Exavian decided to attack him...attacked him as in tackled him into a tickle fight really. Causing the void siblings to fall off the couch and into a fit of laughter and teasings. Gone was their sadness, but instead replaced by flustered joy and teasing.
Eventually, after a while, the fun calmed down and had left the two tired and exhausted, but happy nonetheless. Xisuma was drifting off to sleep, but could not fully grasp the comforts of slumber whereas Exavian was awaiting the gentle guidance of sleep to claim them as well. Both were tired and ready to sleep on the ground, really, they didn't feel like getting up just to lay down on the couch or sleep on their respective beds. Being utterly content just laying on the ground.
Hm, should probably take off the armor first.
Sitting up, he pestered Xisuma into taking off his armor if he's going to actually sleep on the ground instead of the comforts of their own beds or the couch for that matter. Of course, a sleepy Xisuma is a fussy Xisuma, causing Exavian to just chuckle in response. He did succeed in getting him to take off his armor. They're both lucky that they had coded their bases to have end air enabled.
Wearing their helmets or masks constantly can be exhausting, all sorts of things can happen after all. Like the chances of the device malfunctioning, hence why they always have a back up plan set up.
Plus they set it to End air cause they all know that every hermit visits the End often enough to grow some use to it. Now the void, while preferable, isn't something the others are able to breathe in, at all–
Exavian jolted at the sudden sound of something flopping to the ground, he turned around– having just put away their armor in the closet that happens to be in the living room. Yes they have a closet in the living room, just in case they have to grab their gear quickly for an emergency sorta thing. He's...not surprised to see Xisuma is back to laying on the ground.
After making space in the living room to use the floor to make a makeshift nest of blankets and pillows.
A cuddle pile is going to appear by the time they wake up. Not that they would be complaining about it, sometimes, that does in fact happen when they all need some comfort or a break from just about everything. Nonetheless, he gently tapped Xisuma to move, to which he did, then lay down himself. The floor isn't great, but it was enough considering what they're gonna do.
"So, I got room for another."
Both Exavian and Xisuma looked up to see Wels standing at the door, they didn't expect to see him. "Weren't you out with Xelqua?" Xisuma questioned tiredly, Wels sighs. "He was, but then he got curious about Doc machines and decided to mess with that. I'm not sticking around to babysit that so I decided to just come here instead." Wels admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck as he looked away sheepishly. Xisuma just groaned in response, he was not looking forward to whatever mess to clean up.
Exavian shares that sentiment. He's not looking forward to cleaning up the mess either.
"You know what, let's not worry about that and just sleep, sounds good to you?" Xisuma instead questioned, Wels nodded as he took off his armor and put it in the nearby empty chest that happens to be by the door. Much like the void siblings having a closet in the living room, there's an empty chest by the door whenever the hermits decide to do a surprise visit for a day or so for a break.
It happens often enough that neither of the brothers had to say anything.
Once that was done, Wels walked over and flopped onto a pile of pillows, much to the others' exasperation. Wels just looks confused. "What? Chasing around Xelqua, who can very much fly, with an elytra is a tiring thing, you know." Wels admitted with a huff as he cuddles into the pillows he had, Exavian just shrugs as he lays back down while Xisuma chuckles.
Despite how comfortable they all are, they can't seem to fully fall into the embrace of sleep.
Xisuma and his urges to do something, despite needing to rest.
Exavian and his paranoia of a certain someone haunting his dreams again.
Wels and his worries that he may not ever wake up again.
Well, Exavian supposed, just this once, he could listen to Xisuma requests from before and sing the lullaby that they have known all their life. One that had been passed down for generations in their family.
"From stories of old, there was once a land we called home. A home with the family we loved. May we live on in your memory, as we leave our mark in history. We are a family of choices."
All of their worries melted away eventually when they heard a soft melody, it felt familiar to each and every one of them. Slowly but surely, each one fell asleep to the words of the melody.
Xisuma smiles as he drifts off to sleep, remembering fond memories he has of his hermits, his family he chose to make despite all of their differences. It matters not, they are a family of choices and that is what matters to them all, the love and care they all have for each other. Through pain and misery, nothing will stop them from waging war for each other.
"With nothing but our creativity and wits , we create our legacy. Leaving behind a land of memories."
Wels hums as he slowly falls asleep, remembering his home, one he had not thought of in such a long time. He had long since left it all behind, but even then, he can still recall the fond memories he had of his home.
"We sing this song of love and care for our guiding Sun."
Despite how tired Exavian grows as he continues to sing, he had always wondered who was the Sun they sang their love and care to. His father had remarked that he was once a deity that was loved in ancient times, only to fall from the unloving will of the universe.
"Never forget, we are with you until the end, till death tear us apart."
Exavian ended up trailing off as he drifted off to sleep just like Xisuma and Wels, he almost didn't fully fall asleep, until the gentle sound of singing lulled him to a restful slumber.
"Never forget, we are with you till the end, will death tear us apart. By the Will of the universe, the wistful moon, the caring void, the guiding stars and the loving earth. We will always be with you, O beloved Sun of the lonesome family of choices."
Sound asleep, were the three occupant in the living room, blissfully unaware of a certain deity hiding behind the open window, silently crying as they hugged themselves after finishing the rest of a lullaby he had thought he had forgotten forever.
Oh how wrong he was, to think that even his amnesiac mind would erase such fond and loving lullaby.
How can he when he recalls faintly of a family he loved oh so dearly making it for him in their final moments?
*
Just so you readers know, writing lullabies are NOT my strong suit, if you understand the meaning behind it, congrats, you get MORE angst out of it.