"And I thought I could be a vicious bitch." Came a voice, deep for a woman's voice. She didn't even flinch as Humphrey turned to look at her, just gave an amused smile as she bit into an apple. Her skin was brown shade flecked with a coppery sheen, her long hair flowed down her back, nearly but not quite black, but her eyes were the brightest shade of green. Most probably would have expected this woman to appear in a dress made of flowers and vines with birds and butterflies floating around her. Instead she wore a pair or loose flowy pants in a shade of undyed tan and a blue 'Save the Unicorns' crop top. She had a sense of humor at least.
Humphrey coughed politely and snapped back into his elven form. "Is it time for the conclave already?" The seasonal meeting of the immortals, held shortly before the solstice or the equinox when they could find time, and usually to keep Santa from having to travel during his busy season they held December's in the Workshop.
"No." She said simply. Tossing her apple core aside where it sprouted roots and dug into a crack in the concrete, a few leaves sprouting from it. He'd need to get an elf down here to take care of that before it cracked the foundation. They could move it to the garden. Mrs Claus had been wanting a new apple tree, and that one would grow almost anywhere now. "I can feel that damn power blink all the way down in my jungle. Where is he? We need to talk." She went striding off and Humphrey ran to follow. You simply did not ask this woman to wait.
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Tag came home to a surprisingly empty house. He had gone out for drinks with Eino and the other stag had been telling him about this new human game he had found that involved making maps and rolling dice and bed sheets? He wasn't sure how the sheets were involved. It sounded like something Eric would like. Tag had just nodded and drank his cider, happy to hear Eino being excited. He had a rule of not dampening anyone's enthusiasm, even if he didn't share it.
There was one person in the house. Tess. She was in the kitchen, fully human as usual, cooking up something from a book of recipes Clara had given her. "Tag! Just in time. Can you run down to the grocer and pick up a few things for tonight's dinner?" She said, holding out a list towards him as if he already agreed.
Sore from practice, pleasantly buzzed from drinks, and in a generally good mood he just nodded. "Where is everyone?"
"Eric and Clyde haven't come over yet, not sure why, Eric doesn't share his plans with me like he used to." There was a note of hurt in her voice, but she kept on going. "Your father had to run back to the workshop for a quick sleigh run down to Helsinki. He should be back soon."
Eric and Clyde had technically moved back in to Clyde's house, which was right. That's where they lived. But now that one of the bedrooms had been given to Eric to use when he wanted they had been coming over a couple times every week to have dinner and spend the night. Catching up on missed years as a family, Eric called it. Tag looked forward to those nights. It reminded him more of when his mother was alive. The house full of noise and visitors. Tess made sure to show up for those family nights, too. Having got more time off, she was trying to stretch her holiday through Christmas, but he had overheard her telling his isä her job was not happy about it.
Michael and Otso showed up when given an invitation, but he tried to stay out of his son's antlers unless Eric made it clear he wanted him around. Which was happening more and more often. Tag thought that was good, he liked Michael. He was about to head back out to the store when Tess' voice stopped him.
"He's still pulling away from me. I thought being up here might make things like they were, but it's not." She was staring into one of the pots, the smell of carrots and potatoes wafting from it. A good small that made Tag's nose twitch.
He looked as Tess, one ear flicking as he thought how to answer. "Shouldn't he be? He has a job, a soon to be mate, his own home. Is it different with humans? Adults go to start their own life? Didn't Tom?" His English wasn't good enough to explain his thoughts, at least that's how it felt, but Tess seemed to get it.
"I guess so. But you stayed here with your father." She pointed out.
"Yes, but even we are different now. My isä, I didn't want to leave him alone in this big house. But I don't rely on him anymore like when I was young, yes? I am here to keep him company, not to be his.. ah.. baby?" Tag shook his head. English was so much harder with alcohol in him, stupid language.
"I know I'm being silly." She said. "He should be focusing on Clyde, they're going to be starting a family together. Even talking about how long to wait before kids. Adoption, I guess? Not like what Eric did I mean. Never mind." Tag sighed a bit in relief, he was not prepared to explain that particular ritual. Nope. He wondered which one would do the carrying though, then shook his head.
Tag held up the list. "I need to go before they close." He turned to head back out into the snow before her voice stopped him again.
"You don't think it's strange, your father and I spending time together?" She asked, quite simply.
Tag blinked a few times. Most people did not ask his opinion on things. Eric did though. He always seemed to want Tag's opinion on everything, especially when he couldn't ask Clyde because it would ruin some surprise or other. He loved having an isoveli, especially one that made sure he felt included in everything, and one he knew would give up almost anything for him. He rubbed at his sore shoulder as he thought over the question then shrugged. "You are two adults, you want company. You can choose who with."
"Then why does Eric seem so.." Tess shook her head, and Tag understood. Stupid language had too many words and not enough of them the right one.
"You need to talk to him. I think he is jealous. This was his. His new life. Something he made for himself. Then his old life comes in." Tag narrowed his eyes, he really needed to get better at this. "Not you, but what comes with, old memories and feelings he doesn't want anymore. Bad ones."
"Maybe." Tess seemed to shake herself and get back to her work. "Go on, and thanks Tag."
"I like shopping." He said with a shrug, he knew she didn't mean the shopping list, but it was easier to smile.