Ask Like Old Times

[Emryc Thorne]

---​

Hours had passed, and he didn’t care how many. The sun was still high in the sky, summer seasons calling for far longer days. They were out of the water and Jaikus managed to fall asleep in the grass. Deciding he didn’t feel like putting up with the snoring, Emryc went for a jog around the island, returning a while later right as his husband was stirring.

Emryc wordlessly drew up some odd, bright fruits he had found during his jog, “It’s tastier than meiloorun,” He said in a tone that was as close as he ever got to excitement. Nothing got Emryc as jazzed as fruits and vegetables. The half Sephi sat down next to Jaikus, “How are you so tired when I did all the work?” Emryc said with a smirk, nibbling at one of the fruits. They both knew that not only was Emryc in significantly better shape, but he was also considerably younger than Jaikus at the end of the day.

The half Sephi sat in silence for a while. Over the years, though he retained his aloof persona, he was slightly more talkative now. This was especially enhanced with Raze being ejected from him. Instead of consulting with his alter persona, he now vocalized more thoughts. Granted, this only applied to Jaikus still.

“What do you think of the children mingling with and committing to Jedi?” Emryc asked abruptly, the way he icily stared off in the distance already serving as a clue that this wasn’t going to be a casual conversation.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Hours might’ve passed, but Jaikus had quite literally zero intention of moving from where he laid. The Axxilan was satisfied and spent from their lovemaking beneath the falls, manifesting in the way that he instinctively curled against Emryc. It wasn’t until the half-Sephi removed himself that Jaikus shifted, happily snoring while his husband proceeded to jog around the entirety of the island.

Streams of sunlight pierced into the cave, glittering through the waterfall that kept them secluded. It was enough to finally get the Axxilan to stir from his relaxation, retrieving the shorts to pull back on. Fingers began through his dark hair, fixing the damp and disheveled strands back into place.

By the time Emryc returned to their little alcove, Jaikus was still lounging against the cool stone - propping himself up on his elbows. His lips immediately tugged up into a smirk upon seeing his man, recognizing the glint of excitement upon spotting the fruit. “And here I thought I was going to have to hike back to the boat,” He grinned, snagging one of the fruits for himself. Of course, the Axxilan didn’t miss an opportunity to shamelessly gawk at the sweaty and muscular form of his husband.

His brows furrowed ever-so-slightly at the teasing from Emryc. “I seem to recall putting in quite a bit of work my own,” He said with a roll of his eyes, bumping his shoulder against Emryc in mock retaliation. The Axxilan was ever-so-slightly sore from before, but it didn’t prevent him from sitting up completely to lean his head against Emryc - nibbling the fruits as they sat together.

Of course, Jaikus couldn’t help but pause when Emryc blurted out his question - a topic that they had both barely grazed now and again. He didn’t fail to notice the way that Emryc stared off into the distance, already a hint that this wasn’t going to be a casual or simple conversation. Jaikus knew it was an issue that weighed heavily on Emryc, and he couldn’t fault the half-Sephi for it. Even if he never said anything about it, until now.

Wordlessly, Jaikus brought his hands up to rub along Emryc’s back - his thumbs working their way to idly knead at the tense muscle of the half-Sephi’s shoulders. The Axxilan took in a breath, allowing a pause to linger before he finally spoke.

“I am not happy about it. Not with either of them,” He sighed, massaging Emryc’s shoulders as he spoke. “But Dash is a reality we need to accept.” He said after a moment, already knowing what was likely going through Emryc’s head. He continued before the half-Sephi could interject. “We have always encouraged Ezra to follow his own path - and he is a Jedi, even with his corporate ventures.”

“Dash comes from a better family and contributes more than most from their Order. And he has been there for our boy when he couldn’t be there, Em.” There was no small part of Jaikus that still felt guilty for that entire situation. The fact that Dash had continuously been there - keeping his son grounded and safe - earned him points with the Axxilan.

“Trying to come between them will only drive Ezra away from us. I’m.. Not prepared to do that again.”

But softer tone and expression changed - hardening visibly for what he was going to say next. “But I do not approve of the Adumarian boy that Jayna is supposedly seeing.” He said with narrowed eyes. “Ezra’s former roommate offers her nothing - and will only leech off the influence and wealth that she inherits.” He huffed. “He is a Jedi and she isn’t. I am not convinced that she won’t just be used to advance the causes of their order.”

Jaikus paused for a moment, considering his next words carefully. “Jayna deserves someone who will compliment her strengths and help her achieve everything she is capable of. Someone who will stand beside her, through the necessary decisions she will make as a politician. Not someone who will pose moral dilemma and hinder her.”

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc bristled at Jaikus’ notion of accepting this Dash Pavan. However, even he had to admit the Pavans were established names and came from wealth. The boy had grown up in comfort enough to avoid becoming a leech…hopefully. And there was the matter that Dash had anchored Ezra. There was no denying that - his son did not have his methodical calm. He had inherited the Altaris traits of fire and drama. Combined with the darkness that he carried from Raze, it was likely Dash alone that spared Ezra from a complete spiral into the Dark Side.

As Jaikus offered harsh criticism of this Leon boy, Emryc quietly nibbled on the fruit. He was silent for a long moment, staring off into the distance.

“Then perhaps Jayna is a fool and ought to learn some difficult lessons,” He stated flatly after a while of contemplating. There was no denying that he had attachments to his daughter, but he always believed in trial by fire. Both children inherited stubbornness and they had to dig themselves out of their self-made messes.

“My intelligence reported that the boy has been conspiring with an Imperial Knight,” Emryc said without inflection and in between enjoying his fruit. It was laughable to think that anyone close to his children wouldn't be tailed by Spynet. Jaikus would understand the gravity of the situation even if the half Sephi didn’t display any theatrics around it, “So either our daughter is a lovesick imbecile or this boy is lying to her about something he knows could destroy her family’s credibility.”

Emryc didn’t appear fussed by it, as was his usual apathetic nature despite tense scenarios. He simply reached for another fruit.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus said nothing when Emryc suggested that Jayna learn her own lessons, silently chewing a piece of fruit. The Axxilan had always advocated for intervention - to guide and prevent their children from falling flat on their faces. The thought of allowing Jayna to be taken as stance of, their legacy used to someone else’s gain, made him bristle internally.

Of course, his expression changed entirely when Emryc mentioned what Leon was allegedly doing with an Imperial Knight. “He’s what?” He practically hissed, staring back at Emryc intently. For all the ways that Emryc was cool and methodical, the half-Sephi would clearly see the emotion that roiled behind Jaikus’ eyes. It was an uncanny Altaris trait, and one that his husband would come to recognize over the decades. It wasn’t often that someone genuinely got under Jaikus’ skin, but this most certainly did.

His mind immediately began to spiral - knowing just how much of a risk this all was. It was impossible that the Emperor wasn’t aware of the cooperation, wasn’t it? How long before the Empire weaponizes that bit of information, knowing it would tarnish the credibility of their family? Was Leon himself compromised? Had he been playing his daughter from the beginning? Was there something more between him some Imperial Knight?

His fingers flexed, his mind immediately traveling towards making any perceivable threat to his family disappear. It called upon his former life with ISB, and tugged the Axxilan’s mind into dark places that wasn’t quite sure he could carry through anymore.

“Neither of us believe the former,” He said flatly towards Emryc. No matter how apathetic and unbothered the half-Sephi was on the matter, Jaikus knew of the connection between father and daughter. Jayna emulated Emryc as best she could - and they both knew their daughter was positioned to truly continue their family legacy. The Axxilan wouldn’t believe her to be this reckless willingly.

“She deserves to know, Emryc.” What she did with the information after that was the only thing that Jaikus could judge.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was silent for a moment, pondering his husband’s words, “On the contrary,” He stated curtly, “I do not consider our children infallible,” He finished. Jaikus may have thought Jayna was incapable of outright stupidity, but Emryc did not consider their children without flaws. Even if he had faith in his daughter, ultimately neither child was as methodical and cutthroat as he was - not yet, anyway - and so they were still prone to silly whims and mistakes. His emotions would never cloud his judgment towards his family like Jaikus sometimes experienced.

Jaikus’ next statement, however, caught him slightly off guard. Emryc turned to regard the other man, “Then I suggest you do it,” He said, “Because my method would be to remind her that she risks removal from the Thorne estate if she continues to associate with him,” Emryc may not have had Raze in him, but he wasn’t going to let his kids take advantage of their standing either. If either did anything to discredit the family, they were going to be excluded from it, “I had made myself abundantly clear about this before we had children, Jaikus,” He said sternly to his husband, uncaring if the Axillan was going to be emotional at the thought of any family member becoming estranged. No amount of love Emryc had for the children would pardon slights against the Thorne name. Before they had children, Emryc clearly stated he would only pursue the venture if it was understood that kids or family members would face appropriate consequences for any actions against the Thorne name he had worked his entire life to build. He could only hope that Jayna would act accordingly when she understood the gravity of the situation.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

“No, they aren’t.” Jaikus said after a momentary pause - his fingers continuously kneading into the musculature of Emryc’s shoulders. “But your legacy is all that Jayna had cared about for nearly a decade. The Axxilan wouldn’t believe that Jayna would merely ignore what was happening, regardless of whether his children were capable of mistakes and stupidity. The risk to their entire family went without saying. To everything they had built.

The Axxilan only pauses when Emryc turned to face him - declaring what his own actions would entail. The thought of making another family member estranged causes Jaikus’ stomach to twist into knots, and only the half-Sephi would understand the toll it took on the man internally. Even still, those emotions didn’t quite bubble to the surface or contort the expression that he wore.

“And I have supported you on that. Every year since, have I not?” He said right back to Emryc - unflinching against the stern tone that his husband had taken. Despite his reluctance to ever see his children estranged, he wasn’t going to back down on promises made to the man he loved. The Thorne legacy was what Emryc had dedicated his life to building. It was what Jaikus had committed himself to protect, casting aside everything else to be by Emryc’s side.

Any threat to that legacy - even from his own flesh and blood - wasn’t something that Jaikus took lightly.

“I do not want to see that occur - but those will be her choices to make. I will tell her everything and remind her what is at stake.” He stared back at his husband. “ He wanted to believe that things would work themselves out. That Jayna would see reason, for her own sake if not his.

“Whenever we choose to leave this place.” It was clear that the Axxilan wasn’t about to abandon their vacation and time together purely to chase down the problems of their children. It had been too long since he was able to have Emryc entirely to himself, and nothing took precedence over that time together.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Moments of silence lingered after that, and Emryc had nothing else to say on the topic. It was nothing but the distance chirping of birds and the sounds of the waves rolling and receding. Emryc finished off another fruit and stretched briefly, his shoulders cracking. He couldn’t remember his body ever cracking. Was he getting old? Surely not.

“There’s a waterfall a bit of a hike up,” Emryc said as he rose to stand. He was sprightly as if he didn’t just go jogging for the entire morning, “If you can walk, that is,” He said with a devious grin. He reached a hand down to hoist Jaikus up to his feet.

“I’m leading the way,” He declared firmly in case his husband got any bright ideas about navigation. Over the years, Emryc finally put his foot down on Jaikus’ abysmal directional skills. He was permanently banned from using a map or leading them in any path after getting them lost every single time.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus couldn’t help the way that his mind briefly lingered on the topic - even after Emryc seemed inclined to drop it. He knew it wasn’t going to be an easy conversation with his daughter, and the Axxilan could only hope that she would see reason in the situation.

The Axxilan leaned back against the rocks - letting the worries fade with a slow exhale through his nostrils. If only for that day. His emerald gaze flicked up to his man, watching as the half-Sephi rose to his feet - taking a moment to shamelessly look up and down the muscular physique of his husband. He arched his brow when Emryc mentioned the nearby waterfall, propping himself on an elbow.

“I have grown rather fond of this one,” He said with a devious grin, stretching himself against the damp stones. It wasn’t until Emryc offered a hand that Jaikus finally rose to his feet, awkwardness to his steps apparent as he initially stood.

“I’ll be sure to let you know when carrying is required,” He said with a smirk. “If we make it that far,” The Axxilan said shamelessly, finally stepping back through the falls and outside of their hidden grotto. He walked close beside his husband, his fingers snaking down to briefly intertwine with Emryc’s own. The jungle was dense all around them - viridian ferns and large, elephant-ears obstructing the path ahead of them. The sound of rushing water could be heard in the distance, while the cry of animals wasn’t far behind.

“As if that has yielded consistent results,” Jaikus said with a roll of his eyes, glancing over at Emryc. “Or are we forgetting the Water Temple incident?” It was perhaps the only instance Jaikus could think of where Emryc took a wrong turn and led them into hot waters - and twenty years wasn’t going to make it any less relevant in his mind. “I’ll let you know when you’re going the wrong way.” He quipped with a grumble.

“What do you plan on doing with the amulet, babe?”

@Sreeya