A Pair of Jacks “Silver Lining”
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Day 1 of Edgar and Luka Celebration! ^_^
This was originally meant to be for Edgar Appreciation Week but now it’s the first post of my 5 Days of Jack Celebration! This story preludes the next fic that will be a flashback!
The crowd had nearly dissipated away. The weather having driven the performance to be cancelled. Rain splattered against the soaked grass, thoroughly drenching the carefully placed seats and hand-built stage. An official announcement had been made, but the three were still lagging about. Having seen the dark clouds rolling in before leaving the house, Luka was relieved that he insisted that they bring umbrellas.
“Why can’t they just wait until the rain stops?” Evie asked, tapping her finger into a puddle pooling in the middle of the nearest chair to watch the water ripple. This had been on their calendar since the beginning of the month. Not a day passed without her questioning when they would be attending.
Luka cast a glance up at the dark sky. “It could rain for the rest of day. I’m sure they’ll reschedule.”
The girl gave an exasperated sigh, scuffing her rain-boot over the grass blades to knock the raindrops around. “More waiting?”
The Jacks exchanged a sympathetic look. Edgar giving the other man’s hand a gentle squeeze. “We’ll come back next time.”
“Promise? All three of us?” Violet eyes searched both of her dads for a truthful answer. Her perceptiveness of the situation hitting them both hard. They were incredibly busy with their respective positions within their armies, and Evie understood that caused problems for their time spent together.
Lying to her would only cause more pain later. “If we can,” Edgar answered with a soft smile. It had taken a lot of extra hours and long nights of working over to get their schedules to align and both Jacks to get this one day off.
Evie grew quiet, a telltale sign that she was processing all the emotions that were swirling inside her. She could not hide the way her features were pulled down in disappointment. Just when they were sure she was going to cry; the girl lifted her head with a bright smile. “Okay.”
“Okay? That’s it?” Luka tilted his head. Her eyes were trembling with unshed tears, saddened by the idea of next time being without their entire family, yet Evie still found a way to make herself smile.
Violet eyes darted around, never settling on one place as the child thought carefully again. There many things that made her sad. Her umbrella fell soundless against the wet grass, Evie shielded from the rain by dads shared umbrella. “I’m sad that next time might not be what I want.” She wiggled one hand to fit in between their clasped hands. “But.” A smile spread across her lips, nose crinkling. “We still have today.”
Luka stared at her with a baffled expression, and Edgar snickered to himself, earning a pouty glare from their daughter. “You’re absolutely right, jellybean. Leave it to you to find the silver lining,” Edgar said.
“Are you being mean again?” Evie asked with her brows pulled down as she made a face at him.
“Not this time.” Edgar thoroughly enjoyed teasing his daughter. Her reactions were just as amusing and adorable as his husband’s. Both easily swayed and embarrassed.
Suspicion still on her features, she poked her finger against his leg. “Then what does silver lining mean?” Despite her annoyance, Evie loved to learn new words.
The rain began to taper off, slowing to a soft sprinkle around them.
“It means that you find the good in a bad situation,” Luka interjected before the opportunity to tease her rose again. He brushed his hand through her curly locks, slightly damp from the wind carrying a misty spray around in the air. “Are you ready to go home?”
Evie cast a longing glance at the large stage. Hand built, specially made for this one production with a rotating platform powered by magic crystals. Both armies had assisted in overseeing its production. “Can we go up there? Please!” The water-soaked ground squished as she bounced on the balls of her feet.
Luka and Edgar exchanged a quizzical glance. “I don’t see why not.” “Just for a few minutes.” Their answers mingled, but both granting her permission. It couldn’t hurt so long as nothing got broken. Instead of letting her hand go, they kept her captive.
“You have to keep your umbrella over you. It’s still raining, and I don’t want you getting sick,” Luka said to the girl that was trying to pry her hand out from theirs.
“I promise! I promise! Promise promise promise!” She chanted, gaining her freedom at her words. Swiping her umbrella and dumping the pooled water out, Evie took off, a delightful giggle a stark difference to the dismal weather.
The Jacks followed after her at leisurely pace.
“Is the rain getting you down as well, Luka?” Edgar asked, noting the distance in those amber eyes that were trained on the girl bounding up the staircase to the large stage, boots splashing in the pooling water.
Luka’s gaze flickered to his, only to return to Evie once more. He worried about her hurting herself running across the slick wood, but that barely scraped the surface of the anxiety that plagued him. “What are we going to do if war breaks out?” Luka kept his voice low, as not be overheard. This shouldn’t be something their daughter needed to know.
The Jack of Hearts hummed in response, that very question on his mind, too. The more time that went on, the more preparations were made, meetings held, the balance of their perfect lives began to shift. If it tipped the wrong direction, it could shatter what they had built. “I wonder.”
“You keep avoiding the subject, Ed. We have to make a decision about this. Where is Evie going to go? Red or Black Territory? Sure, she would be with me more than you, since you would take the front lines, but Red Headquarters is more secure than Black from magic att-”
Luka’s words stopped, swallowed down by Edgar’s deep kiss. He’d been taken by surprise, the umbrella abandoned on the ground, pulled flush against Edgar’s chest. One hand rested against his cheek, the tenderness of his husband’s lips, filling him with assurance. The young Clemence swayed, slightly faint when they parted.
“We’ll make the right decision,” Edgar answered, brushing his thumb across Luka’s cheek. The smile spreading across his lips revealing how proud of himself for the state that Luka had sunk into.
A loud whine erupted from beside them, Evie poking the tip of her closed umbrella against their legs. “That’s not fair!” She could have meant many things, having abandoned her own umbrella simply because they had.
The cool rain soothing his heated skin, Luka struggled to steady his breathing. His worries still present but the reassurance from his love gave him enough to hold onto. His voice cracked as he spoke to Evie. “You’re… getting wet, Evie.” Amber irises still completely locked onto the bold Jade ones shimmering with the same mirrored affection.
“So are you!” Evie responded with a feigned sigh. Her violet eyes casting a glance across the stage that she’d quickly grown tired of. Imagine her surprise when she turned to find them kissing in the rain, like out of one of her story books! A shiver sneaked down her small frame. “I do love playing in the rain, but maybe there’s something else I want us to do.”
Edgar dipped down to retrieve their umbrella and scooped the girl up in his free arm. “How about a warm bath and some comfortable pajamas for you?” He offered, giving her a wink.
“Some hot chocolate to warm you up,” Luka added, regaining most of his senses. At this rate, all three of them were going to catch a cold. He’d get a real answer out of Edgar another day. This one was promised to Evie.
Her eyes grew wide, hands clasped together. “With lots of marshmallows?” She whispered in reverence. Marshmallows were one of her favorite treats, and one that Luka had to hide in order to keep her from eating an entire bag in one sitting.
“As many as you like,” Luka promised. He hooked his arm around Edgar’s, who held the umbrella high enough to cover them all. Evie chatted happily about marshmallows, describing how they tasted and that they were squishy and soft, as if neither of them had ever heard of them.
The Jack of Spades couldn’t keep the smile from his lips. The future may be uncertain for them, but they still had today. If Evie could stay this way forever, happy and full of life, then he would do everything in his power to protect that.
Evie slid the fire poker off its perch, struggling to stay upright with its heavy weight. “Let’s make a fire, too!”
“Ed, don’t just laugh. Do something before she hurts herself,” Luka called from the kitchen. He didn’t have to see Evie to know what she had. The marks across their wood floor became more scared with each fire they made. The telling sound of brass digging down into their floorboards gave her away.
Still chuckling from the six-year old’s determination, Edgar rose from the couch. “Evie, let me have that. You’re being extra needy today, huh?” He teased at the girl, ruffling her damp hair.
Giving a dramatic sigh, Evie turned her head away, feigning sadness. “Oh well. A fire would have been the perfect ending to the best day in the rain.” Violet eyes flickered to him, gauging his reaction, and then sighing a little louder.
Luka emerged from the kitchen with mugs of hot chocolate and a bag full of marshmallows. “I wonder where she gets that from,” the Clemence said, his amber eyes accusing his husband fully.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Edgar replied with a shrug.
With the fire lit, and the hot chocolate the perfect temperature for sipping, Evie climbed up into Luka’s lap, stretching her legs across Edgar’s thighs to be close to both of them. Both hands clutched the mug and pleading eyes looked up at her dad from under her lashes. “Can I ask for one more teeny tiny little thing?”
“Of course, jellybean. This is your day, remember?” Edgar hooked his index finger under her chin and brought her gaze up to fully meet his.
“Then, I want a story,” She answered.
“What kind of story would you like?”
“Hmm…” Evie hummed quietly, as if pondering over a serious question. Her eyes flickered around the room before settling back on the Jade ones in front of her. “How about…” The girl pretended not to know what she wanted, dragging out the moment. “When you and daddy fell in love!”
Neither of the Jacks were surprised. Edgar laughed, setting his mug aside. “Alright, if that’s what you want.” He waited for Evie to settle, her head leaned against Luka’s chest, attention fully set on him.
“It’s my favorite story,” she whispered with delight. Evie alternated asking them to tell it, never failing to love every second of it.
A wry smile spread across Edgar’s lips. “It’s my favorite as well.” A moment of time that he would never forget to cherish. He found Luka’s amber eyes full of anticipation and adoration.
To them, each retelling of the story amounted to confessing their love for the other all over again, rekindling the fire that burned for the other so fiercely. Neither Edgar nor Luka could tire of hearing it and passed along their own love down to their daughter as well.
The start of their story took place many years ago, when the Jacks met upon a rooftop, both skipping out on their classes. Two odd boys, plagued by their family name, but destined to overcome and find their true selves in each other’s arms.
I was originally going to have Edgar tell the story here, but after getting to this point in the story, I decided to make it an entire fic on its own. Tune in tomorrow to see the Jacks in high school, confessing their love for the first time! ^_^