Rewatching eod bc it’s perfect background while studying for midterms and I have so many thoughts on Ajax’s childhood. So enjoy this lil snippet that I wrote that I definitely did not intend to get so invested in:
Lillian screams again, the storm building and building, until suddenly, lightning strikes the tree right outside the cottage. A second scream enters the air.
The storm stills. Everyone goes quiet. The baby screams, a sharp piercing sound, as they enter the world. The midwife swaddles the baby, presenting them to Lillian. She accepts with shaking hands, eyes filled with tears.
The baby, still covered in blood and fluid, has swirls of dark hair. Their fists are clenched as they wave them about wildly, soft blue eyes opening every once in a while in between screams. Fabian reaches out to Rayko, beckoning him over.
The three take a moment to watch the baby, Lillian rocking them gently against her chest. The storm fully peters out. The midwives begin tidying up, cleaning the sheets they can without disturbing the family of (now) four.
“See, I told you they’d be fine.” Fabian whispers, kissing Lillian on the cheek. “No godly claims here, my love.” She rolls her eyes, shaky hands reaching up to smooth the baby’s hair.
“What’s that?” Rayko speaks up for the first time. His parents look down at him, and he reaches out to pull the baby’s blanket down a little. The baby wiggles in protest, still screaming and sobbing. Across the baby’s chest, over their heart, is a small lichtenberg figure. As if they’d been struck by lightning.
Lillian sobs. Fabian goes pale. Out of the clear sky, lightning strikes the tree again. The baby startles, then goes quiet. Their eyes begin to change color, the blue bleeding into pink. A chunk of their hair turns white. They settle, closing their eyes and falling asleep— comforted not by their mother, but by the Lightning and Storm that has Claimed them.
“I’m so sorry, baby.” Lillian sobs. “I’m so sorry, Ajax.” Thunder rumbles in the distance. The baby, Ajax, coos in their sleep. Fabian pulls Rayko close, pressing his head to Lillian’s. Damn those cursed gods and their games.
