Work Text:
Cress loved soap shops.
4 years travelling the world, she had dragged Thorne into practically all of them.
Okay, dragged is an exaggeration. He loved those shops as much as she did.
Some friends of theirs’, who they had been getting homemade suds from for a while, had finally opened up a snug corner shop a few weeks ago just for their crafts. Thorne and Cress had been held back awhile, since Ze’ev and Scarlet having another baby and someone had to do the chores while cute little Avril got doted over.
The lavender and lemongrass that wafted towards him the minute he entered the Solar Soaps had a lot better smell than cow manure.
Cress beside him closed her eyes and scrunched nose, taking in the scent, as well as standing on her tippy-toes as if that would get her better airways. She finally opened her eyes when she heard Opal squeal their names and Lupita’s level greeting following right after.
“Welcome! Welcome!” Opal said, voice cracking and engulfing them both in a hug. “I have news for you two!”
“Um, yeah you do. What snooty aristocrat did you steal from to buy this place? It’s so nice!” Thorne pulled back a bit.
The store, though somewhat narrow, was packed with rows of soaps, lushes, bath bombs, and candles, all placed on decadent and parisian style shelves and racks. The wall on the back had a mock Starry Night by Van Gogh made out of stacked soaps, all of which were tied together with warm colored paper lanterns on the ceiling.
Lupita gave them both side hugs. “Bought it myself-”
“-We both bought it, Lu-pie-”
“We both bought it. No stealing.” She crossed her arms with a smug grin. “I’m not a rogue space captain, Thorne.”
He put both his hands up in feigned offense. “No clue what you're going on about.”
“Whatever, go buy something.”
“Ahem,” Opal coughed, “What she means is, please look around and let us know if you have any questions.”
“What about your big news?” Cress asked, though she was already making her way to the first shelf.
“Oh,” Lupita smiled and winked, “We’ll tell ya later.”
Opal blushed hard and covered her left hand, but not before Thorne could spot the diamond on her ring finger.
He gave the couple a knowing glance, but dared not say it allowed. He didn’t want to ruin the surprise to Cress who had clearly not caught on yet. Internally, however, Thorne was doing all sorts of whooping and celebrating. Lupita, that ol’ girl had finally put a ring on it!
His gleeful thoughts were barged in on when Cress shoved a pastel green soap (practically) up his nose. It was minty, but sharp, with a little bit of lemon…
They were halfway through the store when two more customers came in, signified by the ringing of the door and Opal’s hyper welcome speech, but Cress paid no mind.
That was until, a lanky and tall blonde girl gasped and pointed a long finger at here. “Aubs! Come here!” She yelled.
Thorne went into his usual spiel to fans, though honestly they hadn’t had any screaming fangirls in awhile. “Ah! Hello. I would give you an autograph, but I don’t have a pen unfortunately, but if you do have a portscreen we could take a picture-”
“-No!” She took a step closer to Cress, and made a motion like she was going to reach out but thought better of it. “You- I’m your- Your-”
“Biggest fan? Well look at that Cress, you’re an inspiration! She doesn’t know how to write with a pen, so no autograph again.”
“You’re my sister!” She said before slapping her hand over her mouth.
Cress’ first thought was that this girl was crazy. But the smattering of freckles, strawberry gold hair, big blue eyes, was looking all too familiar that he almost believed it. Even their voices were airy and awkward . But even then- the tall height, the sharper features all pointed to otherwise.
A boy’s face popped into view a moment later, assumingly ‘Aubs’. Smooth and redheaded hair, red freckles, and surprised features. And tall . Yep. Definitely not related.
“What?”
“Your mom is my mom! Get it?”
Cress knew who her mom was- she had researched it as soon she got the doctor’s real name after his death. Ingrid Moller, another doctor who had remarried soon after Sage Darnel’s apparent disappearance, had two children who go to Andromeda Academy.
(And owned the cutest kitty Cress had ever seen!)
At first she had craved to find them, being in the arms of her mother again, and being able to be a real big sister to two rowdy twins instead of a satellite AI. People were so often ungrateful for their families, she had thought at the time. Being born into a family meant automatically having loving parents, easygoing friendships with siblings.
Going into the real world she found out that that wasn’t true in all cases. All children deserve parents, but some parents don’t deserve children, and Ingrid was so willing to drop her in Sybil’s arm that day, maybe she wasn’t one of them.
Cress figured that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree when it comes to shell hatred, either.
“Oh stars,” Surprise turned into embarrassment as the boy strode over to them. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
Thorne, who Cress had forgotten was behind her for a moment, crossed across her shoulders a bit protectively. He was skeptical too, she knew.
“I’m Auburn, this is Katherine,” he stepped in front of his twin as if he was trying to hide her.
She popped up from behind him though, and over his shoulder, said, “Kat.”
“-Yeah. I know she sounds crazy but please believe us.”
“You want us to believe that you think a famous war hero happens to your sister?” Thorne said, arching brow, and looking ready to tattle to Lupita and Opal.
Cress didn’t let him though, elbowing her boyfriend in the ribs. “They’re for real. I, uh-”
It was suddenly hitting her right now. The older sister daydreams she had harbored for so long, all coming back to her. Surely they knew Cress was a shell, and they weren’t reacting negatively as far as she could tell. Maybe Ingrid- no, maybe her mother’s feelings on shells had changed too, and ever since she had given her up, it had gnawed on her for years and she taught her children otherwise.
Her and Cress could have a relationship.
Excitement was making its way to her brain. “Wow. Wow!” She latched herself to Thorne’s bicep. “My brother and sister! Can you believe it?”
“Hardly.” Thorne said.
Kat took Cress’ hand with a huge smile, laughing. Auburn was scratching the back of his neck, but was obviously sharing the same feeling.
“You two are so tall ! I mean, compared to me at least.”
“180 centimeters, both of us. Our dad is huge.” Kat said.
“How tall is our mother?” Cress winced with hesitation.
The sentiment was the same with the twins. They both tensed before Auburn cut in. “Yeah, 162? She’s, uh…” he trailed off with a sorrowful look.
“I don’t think she’d want to see you.”
Cress sighed, the happiness fading away. Disappointed but not surprised. “Ah. Is she weird about it?”
“Very much. We didn’t even know about Sage Darnel, but after the revolution, we’d have known soon enough.”
“She sat us down and talked about it for a few hours.”
“Is she, like, anti-shell?” Thorne asked.
“I have no idea. Ashamed, maybe. Sad about the doctor.” Kat fiddled with the cuff of her denim jacket. “We haven’t asked her too much about it, it’s still a shock that she had some sort of past life no one knew about.”
Cress’ heart sank. But there was still a glimmer of hope, though, for a reconnection that her mother may or may not deserve.
“Well,” Auburn coughed after a silent moment. “We accidentally named our cat after you.”
Thorne snorted. “How'd you get that past your mom ?”
He laughed and pointed backwards. “You should ask her.”
“If I knew I had a long lost war hero sister named after my favorite lullaby I wouldn’t have named her that!”
Thorne gave that a half-shout, half-laugh. “When does Cress get to meet Cress?”
“Whenever you want. She’s leash trained!”
“Damn, is it an android?”
“No, just the sweetest baby ever. Basically.”
Cress smiled, her heart filling with warmth.
She was excited to get to know her brother and sister.