"No fair! I was sitting there!"

"Which means I get to sit here now! The seat's all dented because you're heavy, anyway. I'm saving it."

What was supposed to be a quiet carriage ride back home has turned into a familiar, chaotic, childish, and squealing squabble. Over a window seat no less.

"Wha-!? I'm not heavy! It's because your coats are so big!" Maral, usually so sweet and polite to her seniors, squeaks in reply, lip quivering and tears already prickling at her eyes from being provoked.

While others would feel sympathy for a crying child, Oyuun, still a stubborn boy himself, laughs in the face of such a concept. And in Maral's face too. "Or you're still a baby. You can't even get on your horse by yourself. Though you'd probably dent it too if you could!"

Tongues stuck out, a pair of offended gasps later and right on cue the two bickering rams turn towards their respective support, harmonising with the same need for parental justice. "Mom!" "Dad!"

Really, this was nothing new. A conflict Erdem knew would happen before he even had the chance to consider who it would be with. Kids never took to a change in family well. For one, Oyuun has gone from one home to two. Double the presents, double the emotional turmoil. And with no time to come to terms with the meaning of separation, he gained both a third parent and a sister. A bother, a brat, if you were to ask him about the latter.

Erdem could've predicted it. He did predict it. With or without delving into writing for help. Yet the headaches persist even a year later. With every rude remark, every fight, and every rejected look he catches on his son's face for correcting his rude behaviour.

Truly, who is the rude one here? Oyuun feels threatened, out of place, neglected. All and worse, because Erdem couldn't keep his mother happy enough to stay. Because he replaced her just a year or so later.

"... I apologise for Oyuun's words earlier." He was terrible at talking when he couldn't prepare for it beforehand; couldn't study for it. Outside of the walls of the Academy, conversations were based on feelings, not facts. It's why he and Hui could never hold a proper one. Affection can't only be a fact.

And he feels that sentiment now, with Oyuun resting his head atop his fur draped lap, exhausted from both the long ride home and keeping his defenses up against the smaller enemy currently doing the same across the carriage with {{user}}. "I'm sure the two will learn to get along eventually."

The carriage rumbles, passing the unsteady horsetrecked grounds of home, and Erdem holds his son closer to steady both him and his sleep.