Chapter Text
"I'll be right there, Mayra," Horus mumbled as a baby's cry pierced the night.
"It's not Mayra," Elwin responded and Horus groaned. That was right. Mid.
"I'll see if they need help," Horus said and felt one of his bedmates lift their arm and the other shifted a leg so he could crawl out of the bed. He almost tumbled from the mattress but caught himself before he went head first over the edge and sat up. He yawned as he ruffled his hair and stood up, grabbing a robe from nearby. Cid was practically family. Or his Cid had been practically family. They didn't stand on ceremony.
Horus exited the room to find Clive in his own doorway yawning.
"Go back to bed, Clive. I've got it," Horus told him.
"That doesn't sound like Mayra," Clive said.
"It's not. But it's too early to explain. Get more sleep. Or go run through drills with the guards," Horus offered.
Clive scrunched his face in distaste and turned around to go back into his room.
Horus smirked wryly and proceeded to Cid's room. He didn't bother knocking with how loud Mid was being.
Cid was pacing, frazzled, and looked near tears when Horus entered.
"I can't get her to just shut up," Cid said helplessly as he bounced her gently.
Horus didn't answer except to take Mid from him and turned her towards him. She wailed as her hands clawed into the soft fabric of his robe and he shushed her gently.
"Ramuh being brought low by a colicky baby?" Horus teased. "She's just lonely. Probably misses her parents. They recognize people, you know. Even this young. She knows her people are gone and new people are here."
Cid sat heavily on the edge of the bed. "So what do I do?"
"Be there for her," Horus said. "She's yours now."
"She could be yours. Mayra needs a sister, don't you think?" Cid asked earnestly.
"And steal your chance at fatherhood?" Horus joked. "Never."
Mid hiccupped as her cries slowly died down as Horus rocked her and patted her back. Her little fist found its way into her mouth and Horus said a silent apology to Rodney that there was baby drool on his robe now.
"She'd probably be happier with you," Cid admitted dejectedly.
"No she wouldn't," Horus insisted. "You've got this, Cid. No father gets it perfect. Ever. Kids are hard. They are little people and there's no telling what they are going to end up thinking and feeling as they grow. But they are so worth it."
"I don't doubt you. Just my ability to live up to the responsibility," Cid grumbled.
"You can. I know you can. Mid is going to be a strong smart beautiful little girl and you are going to have your hands full and love every minute of it. I promise," Horus said.
"You think?" Cid asked.
"I know," Horus insisted.
"How?" Cid wondered.
"Because you love her already. Or you wouldn't be so upset that she cries," Horus told him and handed a sleeping Mid back to Cid.
"Maybe I'm just upset my sleep is being disrupted," Cid suggested.
"I doubt that," Horus corrected watching how carefully Cid held her.
Cid huffed at Horus' knowing look and glanced back down at the sleeping babe. "She reminds me of my sister," he admitted softly.
Horus wasn't entirely sure he has heard him but the knowledge of a sister was new enough that he was certain he hadn't made it up.
"I didn't know you had a sister," Horus answered just as softly.
"I don't anymore," Cid said blankly, stating down at a sleeping Mid's drooling face. "I had seen ten summers when she was born and fourteen when she died. It was a harsh year. Food was scarce. She got sick. The usual. I set sail as soon as I could. A bilge rat headed for wherever I could go. Took three years to make it to a ship heading to the Twins. And then Ramuh and Barnabas." He trailed off.
"I'm sorry," Horus said genuinely.
"Hardly a unique tale," Cid protested.
"Doesn't mean I'm not still sorry," Horus told him.
"I wasn't always heartless, you know," Cid said.
"I didn't think you were," Horus admitted truthfully.
"I did protest the Bearers at first. But no one listened," Cid said.
"We'll listen here," Horus told him.
"Yeah?" Cid asked.
"Yeah," Horus assured.
"I might hold you to that," Cid warned him.
"I hope you do," Horus said with a small smile. "Get some more rest," he told Cid and headed back to the door. He felt Cid's eyes on him as he left and tried not to let it show how shaken it made him. Cid's unrelenting attention always made him shaky.
"Uncle Horus?" Gav's voice asked from the hall once Horus closed Cid's door.
"Gav. It's too early. Why are you up?" Horus asked.
"I heard Mayra. But she's sleeping," Gav explained.
"You checked on her?" Horus asked.
"Uh huh," Gav agreed.
"Well let's get you back to bed," Horus said and ushered Gav back to his room.
"But who was crying?" Gav asked.
"We have some guests. And you can see them in the morning. The sun hasn't woken up so neither should you," Horus said and tucked Gav back into bed.
"And they have a baby?" Gav asked.
"Yes," Horus admitted. "They have a baby."
"Mayra will like having another playmate," Gav said.
"Yes. They aren't quite old enough to play yet but they will be staying with us so there will be plenty of time for her to grow up and play with Mayra," Horus told him.
"Good. She needs friends too," Gav said with a yawn.
"Yes. They both do," Horus smiled. "Go back to sleep."
Gav didn't answer. He was already mostly in dreamland again.
Horus smiled and shook his head before heading back to the hall. He checked on Mayra himself. And yes. She was sleeping still. Thankfully. Horus considered his options but he was too awake to sleep and it was too early for most anything else. So he headed to his room and got dressed. He could run through some drills in the Bailey for now. Clive may not have been up for early morning drills but Horus knew better than to ignore an opportunity to let out some energy.
A sister. He wondered how much more he had never known about his Cid. And how much more he could learn about this one.