Astreya

Astreya stood beside The Nentir, making small lights with her magic and considering the ways she could expand upon the magic. She was interrupted by a loud crash. Astreya glanced at The Nentir, who had not moved. Astreya moved towards the source of the noise slowly. As she rounded the corner her back straightened.

“Dad. What are you doing?”

The inventor stopped trying to pick up the box of tools that had fallen and spilled its contents to the floor. “Astreya. My little biscuit.” He looked to be going for a hug, but that only resulted in more of the tools and materials stacked along his back spilling over the ground. Cygnus huffed and spun in a slow circle, looking down at the nuts and bolts that now littered the ground. “Well, this was supposed to be a surprise,” he muttered.

“It is surprising. I can’t imagine what you’re doing here.” Astreya crossed her arms and glared at him.

Cygnus paled. “Yes well, you see, your mother-” when Astreya’s face hardened he went for a different approach. “I don’t agree with her. You did nothing wrong. We had a fight and I’m moving out. To move in with you, if that’s okay?” For the first time she could remember, her father was seeking her approval. He wrung his hands and looked pale, slightly shaking as if he’d never done something like this before. “I know I haven’t always been the most present of fathers. But I’d like to try to fix that. I’m not used to fixing things, I’m sure you know. I just make something new and improved instead. But I want to try.”

Father and daughter stood together for a time in silence.

“Come on.” Astreya finally broke the silence. “We should move your workbench over before anything else. You’ll lose everything this way.”