An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
'familiarity' by redsray (reigned)
Author: @redsray
“Hey, who was it that sent the threat?” He asked, doing his best to subdue his grin. Hal raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment on it, so he must be doing decently.
“The Red Hood,” Hal confirmed with a sigh and Roy was two breaths away from rolling on the floor. No way. “He’s been running us in circles and we cannot get any hold of Bats.”
Roy choked on a laugh, disguising it with a cough. “That’s tough,” he said, with as much sympathy as he could muster. “Hope ya catch him, soon.”
“Me too, kid,” Hal said, getting up and ruffling Roy’s hair as he left to seemingly rejoin the conversation. “Me too.”
Roy watched him leave and let himself snicker as soon as he was sure Hal was out of earshot. He turned his head down, pulling out his phone and typing as quickly as possible.
Roy (5:59pm): DID YOU SEND A THREAT TO THE WATCHTOWER
Batboys drawings I did with my posca pen. Sorry about the name situation. I wrote nightwing for the first drawing then wrote Jason Todd and Tim drake. Then I was like fuck it why not make it look even
A/N: Anything that includes Nyx is a prompt I adore. This is how I imagine nights with uncle Az and uncle Cass to go. Thank you for your prompt! x
Warnings: Language, overwhelming cuteness
"What's it about?"
"Bats."
"Bats like us? We're bats."
Cassian and Azriel shot each other a look over Nyx's head, who sat in between them on his bed.
"Who told you that?" Azriel asked, at last.
Nyx, at four, shrugged. "Auntie Nesta."
Cassian snorted but didn't dare correct him as he opened the book and began reading. "Alright. Bart the bat-"
"Who's Bart?"
"The bat," Cassian answered, before continuing. "Bart the bat liked to wear hats. His-"
"I'm hungry," Nyx said, sighing. "And thirsty. And I don't wanna go to bed."
Cassian and Azriel looked at one another again.
Rhysand and Feyre had winnowed to Adriata to take care of a few minor details of a newly founded treaty between the courts, leaving Azriel and Cassian at the manor with Nyx. Nesta and Elain had gone with them, along with Amren and Mor. At first, both Cassian and Azriel had protested, but it would be a peaceful meeting that held no threats. Beside, everyone who had gone could look after themselves, and someone had to watch Nyx.
So here they were.
"It's almost bedtime," Azriel began, slowly. "If you don't get to sleep, you'll be cranky tomorrow."
Nyx crossed his arms and frowned. "I will not. I'll be cranky if I don't eat."
"We just ate an hour ago," Cassian said, then tried to start the story again. "Bart-"
"Can I have cheese? I like cheese."
Azriel's sigh was one of the most dramatic sounds that Cassian had ever heard come out of his brother's mouth. He snapped the book shut and said, "Cheese, then bed."
"Cheese, then Bart the Bat."
Once again, Azriel and Cassian shared a look that said, This kid is a manipulative little shit.
"Fine, but you better be a fucking delight tomorrow, you hear me?" Cassian said, poking Nyx in the ribs, making him giggle.
"Yay!" Nyx jumped up on the bed and clapped his hands. "You have a yucky mouth, Uncle Cass. Mama says you should wash your mouth out with soap."
Azriel snorted as he pushed himself off the bed and threw Nyx over his shoulder. "He should, shouldn't he?"
"Auntie Nesta shouldn't kiss you with a yucky mouth," Nyx went on, his voice fading as Azriel carried him out of the room.
Cassian tossed the book aside and followed them through the halls, toward the kitchen. "Auntie Nesta likes my yucky mouth. Hers is yuckier."
He swore he heard Azriel mutter he's not wrong before turning into the kitchens. After setting Nyx on the counter, Azriel pulled out a block of cheese and began cutting off slices and handing them to Nyx.
"Can I have bread?" he asked, mouth full of cheese. "I like bread."
"Is there anything you don't like?" Cassian asked, sarcastically, taking a fresh loaf of bread off the counter.
Nyx thought about it for a moment as his uncles worked. "Turnips."
Azriel's lips quirked as Cassian let out a laugh. "Your parents make you eat turnips? That's just mean."
"I know!" Nyx threw his hands in the air. "They won't let me leave the table until they're all gone. Sometimes I hide them in my pockets so I don't have to eat them all."
Cassian stopped cutting the loaf of bread to narrow his eyes at Nyx. "You lie to your mama and papa?"
Nyx shrugged. "No. I just don't eat my turnips."
Azriel chuckled, sliding across a plate of cheese and setting the knife aside. "Turnips help you grow big and strong."
"I'm going to grow big and strong because I'm an Illyrian," Nyx said, mispronouncing the word Illyrian as he always did. "And I'm high fae. And a bat."
"And because you eat your turnips," Cassian said, snatching a piece of cheese and popping it into his mouth.
Behind him, Nyx's wings drooped. "But turnips are gross. They're only yummy at Auntie Elain's."
At the mention of Elain's name, Azriel's eyes softened. "Auntie Elain makes good turnips?"
Nyx nodded enthusiastically, snatching up a piece of bread. "Auntie Elain makes good everything. Every time I go to Auntie Lainy's, she lets me eat alllllllll the muffins I want!"
"She has pretty good muffins, doesn't she?" Azriel asked, smiling to himself.
Cassian lifted his brow. "Like Auntie Elain's muffins, uncle Azzie?"
Azriel shot Cassian a look. "Don't pervert Elain's muffins."
Nyx's brows scrunched together. "What does pervert mean?"
Both Cassian and Azriel's eyes shot to the kid. Azriel said, "It means...lazy."
Nyx frowned. "I don't understand."
"Lazy?" Cassian snorted. "Nice one."
Azriel nudged Cassian.
Cassian nudged Azriel back.
"Mama says it's not good to fight," Nyx said, kicking his feet from where he sat on the counter, stuffing his face with bread and cheese. "She says it's naughty."
"It's only naughty if you're four," Cassian said, stealing another piece of cheese, earning a glare from his nephew.
Nyx's eyes widened. "I can fight when I'm five?!"
"He's too smart," Azriel whispered. "Feyre's gonna kick your ass."
"Ass," Nyx repeated, with a giggle.
"No," Cassian corrected, "she's gonna kick your ass for teaching him words like ass."
"You've sworn so many times-"
"I want water," Nyx interrupted, jumping up on the counter.
"Alright, no standing on countertops," Cassian said, sweeping Nyx off the counter, into his arms. "And don't say naughty words."
Azriel filled a small glass with water and handed it to Nyx, who took two sips before deciding he was done. With a yawn, he handed his glass back to Azriel before laying his cheek on Cassian's shoulder. "Can we finish the bat story?"
"Sure, buddy," Cassian said, quietly. "Uncle Azzie, bring the cheese."
Azriel took the plate of cheese and bread, and followed Cassian and Nyx back down the hall to his bedroom. Once they got him tucked back beneath the covers, Cassian helped himself to the cheese and bread as Azriel opened the book.
"Okay," he began, clearing his throat. "Bart the bat liked to wear hats. His favorite hat was red-"
"I have to go potty."
Azriel slowly laid the book against his lap. "Alright. Go on."
Nyx slipped out of the blankets, hopped off the bed, and disappeared into the washroom.
"He's a handful," Azriel muttered, shaking his head. "He's perfect."
Cassian chuckled. "I love that Rhys is getting exactly what he gave to his poor mother. The menace."
Azriel grinned and they both took a beat of silence, thinking about Rhysand's mother, who helped them both become the men that they were now.
Nyx came back in, his pajama pants crooked. Azriel straightened them before Nyx climbed back under the blankets and settled himself.
"Okay," he said, yawning once more. "Bat."
Azriel opened the book, yet again, and started reading. "Bart the bat liked to wear hats. His favorite one was red and flat. He wore-“
"Uncle Azzie?"
Azriel looked down at Nyx, lying between he and Cassian. "Hmm?"
"Will you do the funny voices?"
Cassian grinned as Azriel took a deep breath. "Of course." He started again, coming up with his own voice for Bart the bat. "Bart the bat liked to wear hats. His favorite one was red and flat. He wore his hat with his best friend, Pat, who was a cat-"
"I want a cat," Nyx said, his eyes drifting shut. "A black cat. Named Pat."
"That sounds nice, buddy," Cassian said, with a yawn of his own.
Azriel continued. "He wore his hat with his best friend, Pat, who was a cat that sold hats. Bart got all of his hats from Pat. He-"
"Do you have any hats?" Nyx asked, with his eyes closed.
"Everyone has hats," Cassian assured him.
"I don't have a hat." Nyx frowned. "But I have cheese."
"Cheese is much better than hats," Azriel promised, returning to the book. "He-"
"Uncle Azzie," Nyx began, snuggling up between the two of them, "why are there always shadows around you?"
Cassian's eyes darted to Azriel, who slowly shut the book. "Well," Azriel began, unsure of how to answer. He had never had anyone ask him about his shadows, much less a child. "The shadows are my friends. They stay close to me...to protect me."
Nyx, eyes still closed, sighed contentedly. "I like your shadows."
Azriel smiled warmly as he brushed the hair out of Nyx's eyes. "They don't scare you?"
Nyx shook his head, burying himself deeper into his blankets. "No. They make me happy."
Cassian watched but didn't say a word as Azriel smiled. "I'm glad to hear that, buddy. Thank you."
Nyx reached up to take Azriel's hand but said no more as his breathing shallowed, then turned even. Cassian watched the child as he sank into the mattress, only speaking when he was certain that Nyx had fallen asleep.
"So," he said, quietly, "what the fuck happens to Bart the bat?"
Azriel laughed and shrugged. "Apparently he likes hats, and his best friend is a cat."
Azriel shook his head, setting the book on Nyx's bedside table. They said no more as they drifted off into dreamland, two Illyrian warriors on each side of the heir of the Night Court.
It was exactly how Rhysand found them once he returned, just after midnight, snuggled up together with a plate of cheese and bread. His son, his heir, well protected and happy, blissfully asleep and well loved.
