Work Text:
Xander returned home from work and immediately started into his study. “Work” was something that happened all the time, not just at the firm. There were financials to go over, to manage, to make sure his family had enough to continue living as they did. Leo might’ve found it annoying that he was even more distant than he ever was when they lived with Garon, but it was necessary if he wanted to support his family. Work didn’t stop, couldn’t stop, for any reason.
Camilla knew this better than anyone, took as many jobs as she could while in college to help add to their funds, yet still she knocked on his door, then invited herself in. “Xander, do you think you could find in yourself to take a break for the night?”
Xander did not look up, still rapidly typing on his computer. “You are more than welcome to help.”
“You should take a break.”
“I will when a break is warranted, thank you.”
“For the night.”
“That will never be warranted.”
“Corrin’s coming back.”
Xander stopped. He looked up at Camilla, at her small smile. “I’ll finish up quickly.”
In a way, it wasn’t a surprise to not see Corrin that often. She was in college, after all. But after Xander was able to gain custody of his siblings, they reconnected with her birth family, she had been spending more time with them. Making up for lost time. But she was still his little princess, and he still couldn’t help but feel sad when she wasn’t around. She called regularly, but it had been almost a school semester since they had seen each other.
And now she was coming back. So Elise canceled her plans, Leo promised to come back from Odin and Niles’ dorm room that he’d been sleeping in for the past couple weeks, Camilla ordered pizza and rearranged the living room so all their furniture was in a tight circle for maximum closeness, and Xander found his sweatpants. He owned two pairs, one that he used when he actually did work out, and one that was a gift from Laslow that was too large for him and the drawstring fell out of it. The Laslow gift were the ones he was wearing, and he immediately felt uncomfortable in it.
But it made him feel like he was stepping away from work, made him feel casual, made him feel like the big brother sitting on the bed with his siblings, fighting away the monsters under the bed again.
Xander walked into the living room and found that Elise was already in her nightgown, bouncing on the couch. “I can’t wait to see Corrin! I wonder what’s been going on with the Hoshidians? I hope Sakura’s been well. Xander you’re in sweats?” Elise had stopped her excited rambling and was now peering over the couch at Xander.
“Yes.”
“It’s so weird.”
“I assure you, it feels weird too.”
She started giggling. “I just imagined you in sweats but like, still with that buttonup and vest you like.”
“Don’t forget the cravat.”
Elise pushed her face into the cushions and she shook with silent laughter. Xander smiled and pushed some of her hair behind her shoulders, kissing the top of her head. She looked up at him and grinned. “Have I mentioned that I love your hair?” Xander asked. “The purple really does wonders.”
“Mmm…” Elise popped her head up and rested her chin on the couch, “You probably did. Still like hearing it though.”
“The purple accent is quite lovely,” Xander repeated. “Does Camilla still help you?” Xander hated the fact that he honestly didn’t know the answer. He liked knowing a lot about his siblings.
“Nuh-uh. She just supervises.”
“Really? That explains why the sink is getting more and more purple.” Xander made sure to end it with a grin and a head rub, so she knew that it was gentle, teasing, that the sink was spotless every morning.
Elise stuck out her tongue, then laughed at him.
“Pizza’s ordered,” Camilla said as she entered the room. She was wearing her pajamas, a ratty pair of shorts and one of Xander’s old shirts. She was taller than him though, so it did not fit as loosely as an older brother’s shirt was supposed to, just barely ending at her waist. She looked at Xander and put her hand over her mouth in exaggerated shock. “Oh my, Xander.”
Xander raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”
She pointed down at his waist. “That certainly is a lovely color, if a little flamboyant. Do you consider that purple, or pink?”
The lack of drawstrings was already becoming a problem, he realized. Xander pulled up his sweats back onto his hips. “What kind of pizza did you order?”
“Aw, it’s no fun if you deflect. Just who are you trying to impress with those?”
“Camilla,” Xander scolded, flushing a bit.
Camilla, thankfully, let the topic go. “Meats, of course. We are a family of carnivores, after all.”
The doorbell rang. Elise ran out of the room, screaming that she got it. Camilla chuckled and walked over to Xander’s side, putting a hand on his shoulder. “It is nice to see you relax, though.”
“I can’t say I’m relaxed, just casual.”
“Oh, it’s amazing what an outfit will do. Though I do think we should restring those pants.”
“I’m not planning on wearing them that often.” Or walking in them, as he discovered. He went over to the large chair and settled down into it, holding up his waistband as he did so (and ignoring Camilla’s snort of laughter).
Elise walked back into the room, clinging to Leo’s arm. “Look who I found!”
Leo rolled his eyes. “Elise, I knocked, you didn’t find me.”
Xander raised an eyebrow. “Did you forget your key?”
“It’s nice to see you too.” Leo shifted. “Odin may have gotten his hands on the key.”
“We have spares,” Camilla said, walking over to hug Leo and kiss his cheek.
“Is that why you’ve been spending most of your time in Niles’ and Odin’s dorm?” Xander asked.
Leo flushed. “Perhaps. Though I am allowed to stay with them.”
This was a great way to greet Leo, Xander berated himself.
“Are we having a pajama party?” Leo asked, turning to his sisters.
“I guess so,” Camilla said. She shrugged. “We just got comfortable.”
“I noticed,” Leo said with a glance at Xander’s sweats. “Should I do the same?”
“Oh, you do whatever you want, dear.”
Leo tugged at the collar of his polo shirt. “Well, I feel painfully overdressed.” He headed down the hall to his room. Xander held his pants as he followed Leo. Leo looked over his shoulder at him. “Yes?”
“I’d like to apologize,” Xander said, leaning against the wall. “It was your first time back home in a while I did not give you the welcome you deserve.”
“It’s fine,” Leo replied, absently twisting his doorknob.
“I don’t mind if you spend time with your friends. I do mind if you spend time with them as a way to get out of the house.”
“I’m not,” Leo said quickly. “Not this time.” Leo sighed and leaned against the wall next to Xander. Their elbows brushed when Leo crossed his arms. “I just…I enjoy their company. I don’t have to think around them.”
“That’s good. It’s good to relax once in a while.”
“Have you ever thought of taking your own advice?”
Xander sighed and tilted his head back. “I’m doing it now, aren’t I?”
“Ah yes. If you do it once, it counts.”
“Point taken.”
Leo rubbed his elbow, staring down at the point where the carpet met the wall. “You know, for all the worrying you do for us, you should realize that we do the same for you.”
“I do,” Xander said. Then he shrugged and stared at the wall.
Leo sighed. “It’s good to see you out of the study.”
“It’s good to be out.” Xander clasped Leo’s shoulder and smiled. “I’ll let you get changed.” Xander started down the hall, grabbed his sweats, and hiked them back up. Leo coughed behind him. Xander vowed to stay seated for the rest of the night (and knew and in the same breath that he wouldn’t if there was something to do).
Not long after Leo came back into the living room, they heard Corrin yelling “Please Jakob I’ll be fine just go!” from outside and Elise ran to the door, Camilla right behind her. Leo looked at them and stood up and followed. Xander waited, hearing snippets of their conversation, everyone asking questions at once, Corrin desperately trying to keep up with the topics that were being thrown at her.
Xander stood up and walked out into the hallway. “Now, let’s give her some space now,” Xander said, before witnessing the scene. Corrin was being sandwiched in a hug by Camilla and Elise, Leo close by. “Why don’t the three of you find a nice movie for us to watch so Corrin can breathe?”
“Thank you!” Corrin choked out, as Camilla and Elise reluctantly let her go and walked off. Xander smiled at them as they left and turned to Corrin. She immediately hugged him and Xander squeezed her tight. “Xander…” she muttered into his shoulder.
Xander kissed her head. “I missed you too, little princess.” He pulled her away by her shoulders, getting a good look at her, to see how she’d changed. “You cut your hair.”
She touched the ends, smiling. “Yeah, I did. You know, being surrounded by sisters with short hair…it made me want to try it. How do I look?”
“Very nice. It suits you.”
Corrin smiled even wider. “Thanks. You look odd, you know?”
“Is it the sweats?”
“Yeah, it’s the sweats.”
Xander sighed.
“I mean, it’s good to see you out of the study. I’m just guessing you’ve been working a lot lately.” She ran her fingers under her eyes.
“Ah, is it that obvious?”
She winced. “You always kinda looked exhausted.”
“Well tonight is my night off.” He waved Corrin over and held up his sweats as he walked back into the living room. “Camilla ordered pizza, and they’re hopefully picking out a movie for us. Aren’t you?” By the time he finished the sentence, they were back in the living room, and he called out to them.
“Romantic comedy!” Elise yelled, triumphantly holding up the remote. She was sitting on top of Leo, preventing him from changing it. Leo looked very disgruntled. “Approve it Xander!”
“Don’t,” Leo said from his place on the floor.
“We did want something light,” Xander said.
Leo sighed. “And thus, my recommendations list gets thrown off again by your poor tastes.”
“I’m sure Odin can recommend you some good anime,” Corrin said, kneeling down to pat Leo’s head.
Leo winced. “Good is subjective.”
Elise hit play and tossed the remote to Xander, who stowed it in the cushion of his chair. Corrin sat down on the couch, was again sandwiched by her sisters, and Leo crossed his legs on his own chair. The interrogation began again, lighter this time, just about college, since the food was coming. About five minutes into the movie, the pizza came, and Elise dragged Silas in so he could say hi to Corrin. Three minutes of stuttering conversation later, Silas left for his next delivery, and Elise berated Xander for glaring at Silas the entire time (not his fault; the boy had a crush on two of his sisters). Elise let it go once Xander passed her a slice of pizza with the cheese practically dripping off of it. Their conversation continued, going deeper and in more detail as they ate.
Xander watched his siblings chat silently. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t participate, as if he didn’t have things to add, he just was happy watching. It almost made him feel like a shy child again, just taking in all the conversations of everyone around him and considering that interaction. Even now, he found himself doing that. He had many conversations with Peri and Laslow that were just the two of them while he sat by and smiled.
When Camilla went to throw out the empty box—save for the crusts that Leo and Elise didn’t eat—and Corrin went to her room to change into pajamas, and Leo left to grab an ice cream sandwich, Elise marched over to Xander and jumped into his lap. While Xander groaned, Elise curled up and puffed up her cheeks. “Stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“Being distant.”
“I’m not being distant. I am listening. Shall I recite your conversation?”
“That doesn’t count as being here.” She grabbed his hand and pushed her cheek into it, nuzzling it, then met his gaze again. “You’ve gotta talk. You’ve gotta be here. Otherwise, you’ll just be back in the study.”
Xander sighed, and stroked her hair. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize. I just…” She pushed her nose into his hand. “I just want you to be happy with us. With us. Not alongside us.”
“I understand.” Xander heard Camilla enter the room and ignored her, just for the moment. Elise was more important. “Where did you learn such stunning rhetoric?”
“Huh?”
“Your word choice was wonderful.”
Elise looked confused and Camilla laughed at them. “Xander, you really must work on your compliments,” Camilla said, reaching over the couch to rub Xander’s head.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. That was a good compliment.”
Camilla just giggled and circled back around to sit on the couch. “The movie’s almost over, so what are we going to watch next?”
“It’s almost over?” Leo asked, coming back into the room. He snapped his fingers at Xander. “Remote. Please.”
“You can’t have it!” Elise declared while Xander fished the remote out and handed it to Leo. Elise tried to jump out and grab it, but Xander wrapped his arm around her waist and kept her there. “Xander…” she groaned, watching Leo walk away while browsing through the movies.
“Yes? What is it, Elise?”
Leo started into the documentaries. Elise struggled harder. “Xander, you have to let me go! Xander, he’s ruining everything!”
Xander checked to make sure she was still smiling before he wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her against him. “I don't think I understand the problem here. I'm not doing a thing.”
“Xaaaaaaannnnnnddddeeerrrrr.”
“Oh, I've heard good things about that one,” Camilla said.
“I find the director pretentious.”
“Well I trust your taste, Leo.”
“She's not stopping him, Xander!”
“I'm not stopping you either.”
“Don't make me fight dirty, Xander.”
“Go right ahead. I'll match you blow for blow. I still give the best raspberries.”
Elise froze. “You wouldn't.”
“Oh? Why wouldn't I?”
“Because you're twenty-six.”
“Ah yes. Far too old, according to you. Age is relative though, and men are childish. Are you willing to take that chance?”
Elise thought, and that thought stretched long enough for Leo and Camilla to decide on a movie. The documentary started and Elise slumped, her arms and legs hanging loosely at her sides, only supported by Xander’s arms around her waist.
“Very good choice, Leo,” Xander said.
“I remember you saying you liked it.” Leo avoided eye contact, tossing the remote onto the couch before falling back onto it. “Corrin, are you done laughing behind the wall?”
Corrin walked out from around the corner. “Have I been gone that long or was that hilarious?”
“It has been a while,” Leo said, with a small smile.
“Whose shirt is that?” Xander asked while Elise stopped being dramatic and curled back on his lap.
“Ryoma’s,” Corrin replied, pulling on the edge of an old shirt that almost stretched down to her knees.
“Really? I wouldn't expect it to be so large on you.” Xander was sure that he had more than a few inches on Ryoma.
Corrin nodded sagely, obviously having thought the same thing at some point. “He's buff.” She walked over to Xander's chair. “Is there room for me?”
“Technically, no. But if you don't mind the squeeze,” Xander lifted his right arm, and Corrin eagerly pressed herself into the gap. Xander’s arm fell around her shoulders, and he played with the end of her sleeve, all he could really reach at that angle.
“That looks nice,” Camilla mused.
“Does it?” Xander could already tell that his arm was going to fall asleep, and Elise was not as light as she once was.
“Mmhmm,” she hummed, then stood.
Xander did not like where this was going. “Camilla, there isn't enough room for you.”
“I'll squish.”
“Camilla, please.”
“It has been a while since we cuddled. And don't say either of us are too old to cuddle.”
Xander wasn't, considering his two other sisters draped over him, considering Camilla. “Camilla,” he repeated, as Camilla sat down on Xander’s other side, draping her legs over the arm of the chair, her head tucked against his shoulder. “At least let me get my arm up.”
Xander could feel Camilla’s smug grin as she leaned forward just for Xander to pull his arm up and drape it over the back of the chair. She pushed her head back into his shoulder and sighed. “Now this is nice.”
“Uh-huh…” Xander realized that he had lost use of both of his arms now. Xander stared up at the ceiling, then felt another person fall against his legs. Elise started giggling as Leo squeezed his way between Xander's legs, resting his head on his knee. “Leo…”
“Everyone else was doing it,” Leo said. “This is a bit odd now that I'm older. At least I can actually reach your knee.”
Xander was surprised Leo remembered that when he was five that he used to do this. Xander would be working on schoolwork and Leo would march into the room and just sit between his legs as he worked. He did that a lot as a kid, stopped shortly after becoming ten. It was such a big deal for Xander, but he was a teenager then, so he assumed that Leo would’ve forgotten that. Xander wondered how many other little things he remembered, things that shaped Xander's life, things he might not have remembered. Xander tentatively started on another memory: “I used to read my textbooks to you.”
Leo paused, then laughed. “Those were the best bedtime stories.”
“Ew,” Elise commented. “Why would you do that?”
“Leo always seemed eager to learn. He never asked many questions, preferred to puzzle things out quietly. It felt familiar, honestly.”
“Really?” Leo asked, his voice quiet.
Xander nodded. “So I would read my homework, mostly because I was still working on it. Leo was just so fascinated.”
“You kept him up,” Camilla said gently.
“That's why I ended it with math.”
“I thought you liked math,” Corrin whispered.
Leo took the remote next to him and turned the documentary down to a murmur. “I did, and still do, but that doesn't mean multiplication is compelling.”
From there, they kept reminiscing, their voice a whisper, as if they were sharing secrets and not just simple memories. They talked about what they remembered from their childhood, what things the older siblings remembered doing with the younger. Xander had the advantage over all of them, and teased embarrassing moments under his breath. The movie continued in the background, ended, and the recommended movie played as they continued talking.
Elise fell asleep first, nodding off against Xander’s chest. He tried to reach for her, to play with her hair so she'd fall asleep easier, but his arms were trapped along the back of the chair. Camilla noticed Xander's hand and asked if Corrin would be a dear and play with Elise’s hair. Instead of, you know, moving.
Camilla fell asleep next and Leo started giggling almost uncontrollably. “I forgot she snored,” he whispered.
She did, cute little snorts, but it wasn't that funny. “When did you go to bed last night?”
“It was in the AM, I think.”
That explained it. Also explained when he broke off in the middle of a story about Odin, his head against Xander’s knee, breathing softly. Though Xander didn't know if that explained the disjointed nature of the story or not.
“This is great,” Corrin muttered, curling tighter against Xander.
“We’ll have to get them to bed,” Xander muttered, sleep slurring his speech. “I don't know who to get first…Elise is on my lap, Camilla’ll fall over if I move, and Leo's a tripping hazard.”
“Leave ‘em.”
“But it's uncomfortable for everyone. And Elise would kill me if I drooled on her hair.”
“We're happy here.”
Xander shut his mouth.
“I'm glad…” Corrin yawned. “I'm glad we could do this.”
Xander twisted his arm and rubbed her hair, so short now he could only get the ends between his fingers. “So am I.”
“You've been kinda distant lately, from what I've heard,” Corrin muttered and Xander felt himself wake up like her words were ice down his spine. “And I get it. You've always been a hard worker. But since we left Dad, you've had to do a lot. And like, you remind me of Ryoma. He had to grow up really quickly, and Takumi tells me how intimidating he could be because he was adult with responsibilities before he was a brother sometimes. But he still is a brother. And you just gotta find that balance too, how to be this more, not just because I came back or whatever.”
Xander was silent for a long while. “I resent that comparison.”
“Well don't resemble that comparison as much.”
Xander sighed and kissed Corrin's head. “Thank you.”
“For?”
“Being here, caring, anything and everything. I will get better, still be the big brother I promised I'd be, one I was.”
“Still are.”
“More often then.”
“Good…” Corrin yawned, nuzzled Xander’s shoulder. “Good night.”
“Good night, little princess.”
Xander had fallen asleep in his chair more than once the past few months. That night with all of them gave him more sore muscles and cricks, but was far more comfortable at the same time.