𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕(𝙰𝙲𝙾𝚃𝙰𝚁)

𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔰𝔦𝔵

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

age: 12

"Wake up! We're opening presents!" Cassian yelled, ruining my blissful sleep as he rushed to my bed and shook me.

    I groaned, shaking my head and rolling over in my sheets.

"All I want for Solstice is to sleep in," I grumbled.

    Cassian climbed onto my bed and tore the blanket off of me. I shrieked as he started tickling my sides, making me shoot up. I shoved him off of the bed, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

"Ow!" he complained, getting to his feet. Rhys snorted.

"I told you tickling her was a bad idea," Rhys said to him, having been injured many a time for the same offense.

"Well, she's awake now, isn't she?" Cassian pointed out.

"And now I'm going back to sleep," I glared, cuddling back up in my sheets.

"Wait, we need you to wake Azriel," Cassian insisted.

"Why?" I demanded. The boys' faces went pink as they glanced at each other.

"We're scared of his shadows," Rhys mumbled. I almost laughed.

"His shadows are harmless," I promised.

"But what if they lash out because we woke them?" Cassian demanded.

"His shadows don't sleep," I explained. "They keep watch while he does. And why can't Astraea do it?"

"She's already downstairs with Luna and Mother," Rhys told me.

"Come on," Cassian insisted, shaking me by my shoulder. "He's never gotten presents before. Astraea hasn't either."

     I knew he was intentionally guilting me, but it worked. The year before was Cassian's first Solstice, and he had never gotten a gift before either. Both he and my mother had been blinking back tears when he opened his presents.

     I rolled my eyes, but got out of bed. I grumbled some insults under my breath as I walked into the boy's room.

     He looked like an angel when he was asleep. His dark hair was slightly messy, his eyes were closed, and his chest was rising and falling slowly. His shadows wrapped around him.

     When I approached, the shadows began to greet me. Some wrapped around my wrist, others played with my hair. I smiled at them.

     I tapped Azriel's shoulder, nudging him slightly. His hazel eyes slowly blinked open, staring up at me.

"Wake up, Azzy. It's Solstice," I said gently. "We're opening presents."

    He rubbed his eyes as he sat up, glancing around. The other two boys were watching from the doorway, keeping a safe distance.

     I took his hand in mine when he got out of the bed. A blush stained his cheeks, which only made me grin.

"Come on," Cassian groaned impatiently. I rolled my eyes, running after the two boys, dragging Azriel behind me.

"About time," Mother joked as we came down the stairs.

     She was sitting on the couch, her arm around Astraea. Astraea was resting her head on my mother's shoulder, Luna on her lap.

     Astraea had grown attached to my mother. She only left her side when she had no choice. I wasn't sure anyone had ever taken care of her the way a mother should.