( @aquaticsoul , for baby marshmallow ) ->
He already knows he's about to lose whatever battle he's facing when Pilvi comes into his classroom, already staring up at him with huge jade eyes that always make him cave sooner rather than later. Worse, he seems exhausted or close to tears - unsurprising given how difficult everyone makes this poor boy's life.
But it seems the prince isn't asking for much, as tiny arms just wrap around his legs and stay there.
With a fond sigh, he scoops up the child and holds him against his chest, both arms wrapped around the boy like this hug can fix whatever problems exist right now. He doesn't care that Pilvi is seven and getting a bit heavy to cart around. It doesn't matter how old his puffball gets. If his boy needs a hug, then Sielu's not ever going to deny it, especially not after what he assumes has been a hard day.
Even if he's seven years old now. Even if Sielu had definitely been getting ready to head home. Even if whatever Pilvi may or may not be upset over is a tiny child problem or (he hopes) just boredom or worry over asking for things (which he hates is present at all in this child).
Somehow he knows that even if he hadn't taken an oath to make Pilvi his number one priority, that wouldn't have changed things. He's sure that Pilvi would have been everything to him anyway. He won't say the boy is his son, but... well, he's close enough.
"Are you okay?" he asks, gently rubbing his leftmost horn on one of Pilvi's. "I know today has been long. What do you want right now?"
"I- Opettaja, can- I want- can we color?"
"Sure we can. That sounds fun."
He makes his way back in his classroom, pulling the desk chair out far enough so he can sit with Pilvi in his lap. It takes almost no time for him to retrieve a few crayons and some paper from one of the drawers, laying them out atop the surface of the desk.
"Alright. What are we going to color, maamuna? Does Revon know you're in here?"
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ He does not like that man or the way he speaks to him. He gets meaner every year. He seemed alright when they first met but as time goes on and on, he's come to find that Piipsa Sumu is a mean man and he does not ever listen to the words coming out of his mouth.
Everyone is always making a big deal out of being 'The Celestial Mother's Sacrifice' but he doesn't even understand what that means. Well he didn't that was until Piipsa Sumu got in his face about it today and now he does not want to see that man ever again.
What does he mean by 'you will present yourself to her as a holy gift?' He does not want to present himself to anyone. He is no one's holy gift and being one sounds scary. Every day he gets a little more afraid and Father will not talk about it and Mother only dodges the issues.
Just because he's seven does not mean he isn't smart enough to understand. Even if Isoveli is constantly telling him how heavy headed he is. All he knows is Piipsa Sumu was very mad when he saw him pause to splash in the puddles left by the rain of the pass two days and there was a long conversation about what entailed his "proper conduct" and how above all else he needs to remember that he must remain pure.
He doesn't want to talk about it. He doesn't want to discuss the issue because if he does then it won't go away and he really just wants all of this to disappear like it's just a bad dream. Why doesn't he get to decide anything about all this sacrifice business? It involves him so shouldn't he get a say?
He's shaking his head at Opettaja Sielu's question while he lets himself settle into the man's lap and he picks up a crayon to start coloring whatever comes into his little mind on the page.
"Ei." He sounds. "I ran away." Comes his explanation. "I had to see that mean man again but he was being extra mean today so I ran away. I don't ever want to see him again."