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Chapter Text

Finn walked down the city street with his wife, as they always did. They chose walking over taking the bus, as it was too expensive and they liked the exercise. Thankfully, they didn’t have to worry about their kids either, as they lived close enough to the school where Diarmuid, their eldest son who was 12 years old could escort their daughter Nanna, who was 10.

“Lachesis, I have a meeting at around lunch time, so I don’t think I’ll be able to make it to our lunch date today. However, on the way home I’ll buy you your favorite sweets on the way home.” Finn explained to his wife.

“Really?! You’re the best Finn!” Lachesis said excitedly. “But don't stress over the lunch date too much, I know you have a job to do.”

“Thank you for understanding, darling.”

As the two neared the entrance of their job, Finn looked up once again at the grandiose sign. “Jugdral Sweets Co.”. The sign was plastered on the front of the building, for all of the city to see. The two entered the office building and entered the elevator. Finn hit the 4th floor, while Lachesis pressed the button for the 5th floor.

Before the doors could close however, two more men came into the elevator. The one who entered first wore a green suit with a white tie, perfectly complimenting his green hair. The other wore a blue suit with a gold tie, giving a bit of contrast to his green hair.

“Running late again, Alec?” Finn asked the man in the green suit.

“Oh, hey Finn! Yeah, a pretty girl caught my eye and before I knew it, I was runnin’ late. I ran into this big guy on my way here,” Alec said, taking a jab at the other man’s shoulder. “You should really walk at a faster pace if you don’t want to be late, Arden.”

“I was just goin’ at my usual pace! No need for me to change it. I already said we won’t be late, so don’t worry,” Arden reassured.

“All I’m saying is that if Sigurd gets mad at us for being late, I’m gonna say I told you so.”

The two got off on the 3rd floor, where the planning department was. He could see them nervously look around for their boss, before the doors shut and the elevator started to move again.

“Hearing Sigurd’s guys bicker with each other is always fun. They always make the room lively,” Finn thought aloud.

“Yeah, they’re quite the bunch! The other day, I heard Naoise get into an argument with Alec over bread of all things,” Lachesis added.

The elevator chimed and the door opened to the accounting department, where Finn worked. He smiled at his wife and said his goodbyes as he got off the elevator. The elevator doors shut, and was off to the advertising department on the 5th floor, where Lachesis worked. Finn was greeted by his boss, Quan, as soon as he sat down at his desk.

“Finn, you know that meeting we have right before lunch?” Quan asked.

“Yes, it’s a meeting to go over this term’s finances,” Finn answered.

“Well I need you to do some last minute number crunching for the past week's sales, since Cain had to leave early yesterday,” Quan explained, revealing a small stack of paperwork. “You’re the only one I can rely on to have it done in an efficient and fast manner.”

“Of course, Quan. I’ll have it done before the meeting.”

And so began Finn’s last minute number crunching, periodically interrupted by his desk phone ringing. However it didn’t take long for Finn to calculate everything, organize it, and put it on Quan’s desk.

“Wow, that only took you about 3 hours. We still have an hour until the meeting,” Quan said as he started to look over the papers. “I’ll let you know if I find anything to fix, so for the meantime you can head back to your desk and get started with some of your other work.”

Finn did as he was told and sat back down at his desk. On his left, a blonde man in a black suit and purple tie leaned over from the neighboring desk.

“Sometimes you amaze me at how fast you can do all that work, Finn.”

“Thanks Glade, but I just want to make sure Quan has nothing to worry about in the meeting today. He has to present the finances to his father, afterall,” Finn said, turning toward Glade. “Speaking of work, how’s your stuff coming along? I heard you were looking at the sales of the latest chocolate the planning department came up with.”

“Yeah, I was looking over the sales compared to our other sweets, and it’s been a resounding success. I gotta give Oifey a call after the meeting to tell him about it,” Glade said as he shuffled through a couple of papers. “The new chocolate was a lot more popular than the peppermint candy, and the caramel squares.”

Glade started to talk about the sales of the new chocolate more and more in depth before he was interrupted by a coffee being placed on his desk. The giver of the coffee was a woman with Blue hair, wearing a blue dress with a white cardigan.

“Ah, Selphina. Thank you for getting that for me. I forgot to get a cup this morning,” Glade chuckled, taking a sip from the coffee. “You truly are an amazing wife. What would I do without you?”

Selphina blushed a little and sat back down next to Glade at her own desk. The three of them started to work diligently on today’s pile of work. The three of them all joined the company at the same time, and subsequently joined the same department.

“Alright Finn, it’s almost time for the meeting. You’d better get ready and make sure you’ve got everything you need,” Glade reminded Finn, looking at his watch.

“Yes, I think I’ll go talk to Quan and ask if he needs me to bring any extra paperwork to the meeting.”

“Good luck, you got this!” Selphina gave him a pat on the back.

“Hit ‘em twice and knock ‘em dead!” Glade said encouragingly.

Quan looked up as Finn approached his desk. He smiled at him and slid forward the paperwork that Finn had completed this morning.

“You did a great job on this Finn. And in such a short time as well, I’m quite proud,” Quan praised.

“Thank you, Quan. You’re too kind.”

“Also, about the meeting. Don’t be too nervous. I know this is your first meeting like this, and the Board of Directors will be there. So just watch me and only speak if they address you. This should be a good learning experience for you,” Quan explained.

“I understand.”

The two then made their way to the 6th floor, where the meeting rooms and Board of Director offices were. They were a little bit early so they set up their things and waited for everyone to enter the meeting room.

The first to enter was Sigurd, the head of the planning department, followed by Oifey. Oifey also joined the company around the same time as Glade, Finn, and Selphina, however it was on Sigurd’s recommendation, so he ended up joining the planning department.

“Quan, would you like to go out for a drink tonight? I have some free time tonight since Seliph is going over Edain’s to play with Lana and Lester,” Sigurd asked as he sat down next to Quan. “You can even bring Ethlyn if you want. I know Deirdre would be happy to come along as well.”

“That sounds like a fun time. I’ll text Ethlyn and get back to you before we leave, how does that sound?” Quan asked with a smile on his face.

“Making plans without me?” A voice from the doorway asked. It was Eldigan, the head of the advertisement department. He was also the brother of Lachesis, making him his brother-in-law.

“You were going to be the next person I would ask, Eldigan. You know I would never leave you out of plans with Quan,” Sigurd said as Eldigan sat down next to him. “We’re even thinking of bringing Deirdre and Ethlyn along, so ask if Grahnye wants to come.”

“I’m sure she’d love that. Ares is getting to that age where sometimes we both need a few moments out of the house.”

Eldigan organized the papers in front of him and momentarily made eye contact with Finn. They both smiled at each other and went back to their papers. There was a momentary silence, however it was interrupted by the door opening once again.

In came the Board of Directors, consisting of Calf, Byron, Chagall, Lahna, Lombard, Reptor, Arvis, and the CEO of the Company, Azmur. They all sat down on the opposite end of the table from the department heads, and Azmur started the meeting.

The meeting lasted about an hour and a half, just cutting into the hour lunch that each employee got. For the duration of the meeting, Finn was intently watching Quan, taking in anything he thought might help him during meetings in the future.

When the meeting was done, everyone started to rush for the lunch room, ready for whatever they could eat. Finn however, was on a different mission. He scanned the lunch room, looking for his dear wife. He spotted her, and went to go sit down next to her, and enjoy a nice meal together.

Chapter Text

“How was your meeting, darling?” Lachesis greeted Finn as he sat down.

“It was a good learning experience for sure. Before I had only attended meetings with the other department heads, but seeing all the Board of Directors in one room, and watching Quan talk so confidently, really inspired me,” Finn explained.

“Well I’m glad you had a good meeting, and that you could join me for lunch,” Lachesis said, placing Finn’s lunch on the table. “Glade gave this to me. He said you’d most likely head straight to the lunch room to see me, so I grabbed it.”

“Glade knows me too well,” Finn chuckled.

“Your home made lunches are the best, dear. I’d hate for you not to be able to eat them yourself.”

The two happily ate their lunches together, enjoying each bite. Finn took a look around to see if he could spot anyone he knew. To no one’s surprise, it seemed Glade was eating lunch at his desk again. He took a little too much pride in his work and would often work and eat at the same time.

“Um, excuse me,” A voice said from behind them. The two turned around to find Eve from the advertising department, the same department Lachesis worked in.

“Oh, Eve. How are you doing today?” Finn asked.

“I’m doing good, but I need a little help with something,” Eve said. “I know tomorrow is both of your days off, but could you possibly watch Jeanne and Tristan? School has some weird holiday and Eva, Alva, and I are all working.”

“I’m sure that’d be fine, what do you think Finn?” Lachesis asked her husband.

“Of course. Leif and Altena are already coming over for the same reason. He said both him and Ethlyn were working that day. Jeanne and Tristan are good friends with Nanna and Diarmuid as well, so I’m sure they’ll all have a good time.”

“Thank you so much! After you watched them last time, they really seem to like you. I’ll pay you back, I promise. If you ever need anything, just ask,” Eve said, bowing his head.

“Looks like we’ll have a full house tomorrow,” Finn chuckled, looking at his wife.

“We’ll have to stop by the grocery store and pick up a couple of things for lunch tomorrow.”

“You’re right. I’ll get started on a list when I get back to my desk.”

Finn checked his watch and started to pack up his lunch. Lachesis followed suit and the two made their way back to the elevator. They got on and Finn said his farewell to his wife as he left the elevator. As he sat down at his desk, he was greeted by Alva, one of the 4 new interns their department hired.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Finn. I was hoping you might be able to check these calculations for me,” Alva requested, handing over a sheet of papers to him.

“You know, I was just talking to Eve, and it reminded me that whenever Quan calls you over to his desk, I for some reason think that Alva from the advertising department is here,” Finn chuckled as he looked through the papers. “It’s something I’ve started to get used to though.”

“Yes, I’ve had some similar things happen to me, especially when I’m delivering papers to the advertising department.”

“These calculations look great though, keep up the good work.”

Alva thanked Finn and returned to his desk. Finn then pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down a grocery list. Cooking for kids is always difficult, as each kid’s tastes are different. Taking this into account, Finn thought of one dish that could please all 6 of the kids.

“You’re making chicken tenders?” Glade said, looking over his shoulder.

“Well, it’s the only thing I can think of that all 6 of the kids will like.”

“Hold on, you have 6 kids?! I thought you only had 2?! You and Lachesis need to slow it down with the bedroom stuff if that’s the case…” Glade exclaimed. Finn blushed as he turned away from Glade.

“I still have 2 kids, Glade. I’m babysitting Quan’s kids and Eve’s kids tomorrow.”

“Oh,” Glade looked a little bit embarrassed, however he quickly came to his senses. “Well at least I know who to have babysit if me and Selphina end up having kids.”
Glade sat down at his desk once again and started to go through more papers. Finn followed suit, and soon, Selphina joined them. Since it was around lunch time, the rest of the new hires were coming into the department, and sitting at their desks near Alva’s.

“Good morning Mr. Claus, I finished those calculations you wanted at home,” Robert said as he approached Quan’s desk.

“Oh good, I’m glad you were able to get that done.”

“Also, Alva, Cain, Carrion, and myself were thinking of going out for drinks. We were wondering if you’d like to come with us.”

“Well, I’m going out with Sigurd and Eldigan for dinner, so I’ll have to give you a raincheck on that,” Quan said apologetically. “However, I’m sure some of your seniors would love to go.”

“Oh, you’re right!”

Finn watched as Robert made his way over to the group of desks where Finn and his friends were located.

“Hello Mr. Finn, Mr. Glade, Ms. Selphina! I was wondering if after work, you’d like to get drinks with Alva, Cain, Carrion and I!” Robert said excitedly.

“That sounds like it could be some fun, what do you think, Selphina?” Glade turned to his wife.

“Yeah I think that’ll be lots of fun.”

Robert turned his attention toward Finn.

“What about you, Mr. Finn?”

“I’d love to, however I have to go to the grocery store and make sure I have everything prepared for tomorrow. I have to babysit 4 kids on top of taking care of my own 2.”

“That’s ok! I hope you’re able to survive with 6 kids to take care of,” Robert chuckled a bit, then went back to his seat. After that, the day went by quicker than usual, with Finn, Glade, and Selphina finishing up their work right around 5 PM. The new hires however, seemed to still be enveloped in their work. Selphina walked over to their desks and looked over their shoulders.

“If you guys want to go out drinking, you better finish up quickly.”

“Yes Ms. Selphina,” They all said in unison. Selphina smiled and carefully watched over her junior’s work while Quan was packing up his belongings.

“I trust you all can finish things up by yourselves? If you can’t finish any work, either take it home or finish it as soon as you get in,” Quan instructed the new hires.

“I think they’ll be able to finish it up in the next 10 or so minutes, no worries, Quan,” Selphina said, looking at one of Carrion’s calculations.

“That’s good. I’ll be off then.” Quan went toward the elevator, and Finn gathered his things and followed suit.

“I’ll also be heading out. Have a good night everyone.”

“Good night Finn, have a good day off tomorrow,” Glade said as he waved. Quan and Finn got on the elevator together and Quan pressed the button for the ground floor.

“How are you and Lachesis doing? I know sometimes your schedules can be hectic,” Quan asked.

“We’re doing pretty good. You know we always try our best to walk to and from work together.”

“Just make sure you spend enough time with her. It’s always important to do that.”

“Thank you for your advice Quan. I hope you know I take all of it to heart.”

“Well here’s another piece of advice: If Travant from the IT department asks you to transfer to his department, decline him.”

“I would never even think of it, Quan. My skills belong to you.”

“That’s good to hear, and I know you’ll never disappoint me.”

The elevator doors opened, and the two stepped out into the lobby. Finn quickly scanned the lobby and spotted his wife, who was talking to Edain at the lobby’s secretary desk. Lachesis caught his eye and said goodbye to Edain, as she made her way to the door with Finn.

“How was work, darling?” Lachesis asked.

“It was good, I was able to get a lot of work done today, and I even got a shopping list. I know exactly what the kids will all eat!” Finn said proudly.

“It’s chicken tenders, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…” Finn looked a little defeated, but he held up his head. “I’ll have to ask Jeanne and Tristan what they like to eat, so it’ll be easier to make them something if they come over for the day again.”

The two turned down the street leading to Verdane’s Groceries and went through the front entrance. Finn went up and down the aisles at a pace Lachesis was still dumbfounded with to this day. Finn grabbed bread crumbs, organic chicken, and some cooking oil. He also grabbed salt, and some cookies for after lunch.

“Lachesis, do we need anything else besides this? I don’t think we’re running out of anything at home,” Finn asked his wife.

“I think this is fine for now. If we need to get anything else we can always do it tomorrow.”

They went to the register and said their hellos to Dew, who was running the front end of the store. Dew rang out the items, and Finn paid for them.

“How’s everything going at the old job, Finn?” Dew asked

“Oh it’s going good. I got the day off tomorrow.”

“Oh that’s nice! Me and Jamke are working tomorrow since his brothers are off. I heard he and Edain are going on a vacation soon though.”

“Oh that sounds like lots of fun. I think I might be eligible for another one soon, but I’d have to check with Quan,” Finn looked at his phone’s clock, and then put it back in his pocket. “We should be heading home, the kids are waiting.”

“It was nice catching up, have a good day and thank you for visiting Verdane’s Groceries!” Dew said with a smile.

Finn and Lachesis said goodbye and headed back to their home. The way to their house was a beautiful walk, especially in the later hours of the afternoon, where everything was quiet. The two enjoyed the rustling of the trees as they walked under them.

The two had reached their house, a nice building near one of the city’s parks. Finn got out his key and unlocked the front door. As they took off their shoes at the door, they could hear the footsteps of their children running down the stairs.

“Mother, Father, what’s for dinner?” Nanna said with excitement.

“Dad, did you get any snacks?” Diarmuid asked.

“We have snacks in the kitchen, Diarmuid,” Lachesis answered, going into the kitchen and pulling out crackers.

“As for dinner, I think I might make a simple pasta dish. How does that sound, Nanna?” Finn said, crouching down to his daughter and patting her head.

“Can I have pasta with sauce, Father?”

“Of course.”

Finn hurried to the kitchen to fulfill his daughter’s wish, while Lachesis put away the groceries. The kids went into the living room and Finn could hear them talking from the kitchen.

“Oh by the way, Jeanne and Tristan are coming over along with Leif and Altena,” Finn called out from the kitchen.

“Tristan’s coming over? Nice!” Diarmuid exclaimed.

“I can’t wait to see Leif.” Nanna said quietly.

The two kids continued to talk in the living room, while Finn turned on the stove and put the pasta to boil. Lachesis watched Finn as watched the pot, slowly stirring it when needed. She came up behind him and hugged him, resting her head on his back.

“Don’t move. Just stay like this for a bit.”

“I would never even think of moving, Lachesis.”

Lachesis stood there for a minute or so, before letting go, and letting Finn get back to his cooking.

“Lachesis, can you come back for a moment?”

“What is it, darling?”

Finn leaned down and gave Lachesis a kiss on the cheek, before turning back around and continuing his cooking. Lachesis blushed and she smiled.

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” Finn responded, a slight smile on his face.

Chapter Text

Finn was in the kitchen making his morning tea when he heard a knock on the door. He headed to the door and opened it to find Quan’s wife, Ethlyn, standing in the doorway with her son Leif and daughter Altena. Leif was a year older than Nanna, and they got along quite well. On the other hand, Altena was just about 14 years old.

“Good morning Finn!” Ethlyn said with a beaming smile.

“Good morning Ethlyn,” Finn returned the smile.

“Good morning Finn! I’m here to play with Nanna!” Leif exclaimed, jumping up and down.

“That you are, Leif,” Finn knelt down patted his head.

“Good morning, Finn,” Altena had grown a lot quieter from when she was a child, however she always seemed happy to see Finn.

“I’ll be off then, I have to head to work. If you need anything, just text Quan!” Ethlyn said.

“Have a nice day, Ethlyn.”

“Bye mother!” The two kids said.

The door shut and Leif looked up at Finn, as if Finn would be able to give him an answer to a question which Leif had not asked.

“She’s up stairs in her room still asleep, I’ll go get her.”

This answer put a huge smile on Leif’s face. Altena followed Finn as he went upstairs to Diarmuid and Nanna’s room. He knocked on Nanna’s door, and he heard a yawn as he opened it and peeked his head in. Inside he saw a sleepy girl, rubbing her tired eyes and then stretching her arms.

“Nanna, Leif is here.”

This woke Nanna up right away, who quickly got out of her bed and got on some clothes.

“Don’t run down the stairs!” Finn warned as Nanna came out of her room.

Next was Diarmuid’s room. Finn knocked on the door and he heard a voice from inside.

“Come in!”

Finn opened the door and found Diarmuid already sitting at his desk doing math problems. He closed his math workbook and got up from his desk.

“Morning Dad.”

“Good morning Diarmuid, I hope you slept well. What were you working on there?”

“I was working on some math problems. When I grow up, I want to be an accountant just like you!” Diarmuid exclaimed, putting a fist over his chest.

“Well if you need any help with it, let me know. Also, Leif and Altena are here, so come down stairs. Tristan will probably be here shortly,” Finn smiled. It made him happy knowing his own son wanted to be just like him. Altena waved to Diarmuid, and the 3 of them went downstairs.

Leif and Nanna were already chatting and playing in the living room, and Diarmuid joined them. Altena stuck close to Finn however, which was most likely due to the number of times Finn took care of her while Quan and Ethlyn were busy with work.

“I’m surprised you came over with Leif. You’re 14 now, I don’t think you still need me to babysit you,” Finn chuckled.

“Well, I enjoy coming over with Leif, and Arion wasn’t able to hang out today.”

“Well I’m glad you enjoy coming over. You and Leif are always welcome at our house.”

Finn went into the kitchen and prepared breakfast for everyone. Simple pancakes should do it. He got out the batter mix and began to make it, Altena watching intently from the kitchen table.

“Leif, Nanna, Diarmuid! How many pancakes do you want?” Finn asked from the kitchen.

“I’ll take two!” Nanna said.

“I’ll have 3!” Diarmuid added.

“Can I have 3 as well?” Leif asked.

Finn wrote down the orders on a list. He also wrote down an order for himself and for Lachesis. He was letting her sleep in, but with all this noise, she might wake up soon. He turned around to Altena.

“Altena, how many do you want?”

“4 is fine. Your pancakes are always pretty big.”

Finn wrote down Altena’s order on his notepad, and was about to start the stove when he heard the doorbell ring.

“Coming!”

Finn opened the door to find Eve with his two children, Jeanne and Tristan.

“Good morning Finn! Thanks again for taking care of them for the day,” Eve thanked.

“No problem, it’s a pleasure to have them over. Whenever they come over for short little playdates, they’re always well behaved.”

“Good morning Uncle Finn!” Jeanne said as she hugged him.

“Good morning to you too, Jeanne,” Finn replied, patting her on the head. “Good morning Tristan, Diarmuid is in the living room. He’s very eager to play video games with you.”

“Nice!” Tristan went inside the house and left Jeanne, Finn, and Even in the doorway.

“Again, thank you so much. I’ll be back at around 6:00 to pick them up. I’ll text you if I might be running late.”

Eve took off and Finn shut the door. He then peaked into the living room, where Diarmuid and Tristant were playing video games, with Nanna and Leif watching intently.

“Tristan, how many pancakes do you want?” Finn asked.

“Just 3 is fine.”

Finn looked down to Jeanne, who in turn, looked back up at him.

“I think I’ll have 2, Uncle Finn.”

“Coming right up.”

Finn made his way back to the kitchen and turned the stove on, pouring the pancake batter into a pan. Jeanne sat at the table and watched intently at what Finn was doing. The smell of the pancakes floated through the air, and into the nose of a sleepy blonde haired woman making her way down the stairs.

“Good morning Finn,” Lachesis said sleepily as she stood in the kitchen doorway. “You should have woken me up, I wanted to be awake when everyone got here.”

“I wanted you to get the chance to sleep in. I know how busy your work schedule can be darling,” Finn replied.

“Thanks, darling,” Lachesis said as she smiled. She looked over at what Finn was making, and she went to give him a hug from behind. “How many pancakes am I getting?”

“5, just like I am. There’s only so much pancake batter in the house,” Finn chuckled.

Lachesis sat down at the table and said hello to Altena and Nanna. The three chatted while Finn diligently watched the pancakes, occasionally flipping them. After Finn put all of the pancakes on to a plate, he called out to the living room.

“Kids, breakfast is ready!”

All of the kids came into the kitchen and sat at the table, with Lachesis getting up to make room. Finn brought out the plates and divided the pancakes between the children just like they had ordered. He then put two plates on the counter, with 5 pancakes each, for himself and Lachesis.

“Alright everyone, dig in!”

Finn watched as they all happily ate their pancakes. He then turned to his own, and began to eat.

“Finn, are there any more pancakes?” Leif asked as he came up to Finn with an empty plate.

“You’re still hungry, Leif?”

“Yeah.”

“I am too, Father!” Nanna said, joining Leif’s side.

“Alright, you can have the rest of my pancakes,” Finn took 4 pancakes off of his plate, and gave 2 to Leif and 2 to Nanna.

“Thank you, Father!” Nanna said, giving Finn a hug.

“Thanks Finn!” Leif followed suit.

Finn smiled as the kids went back to the table and continued to eat. He turned to his now empty plate and put it in the dishwasher. He went back to the stove to make sure that it was off and that the pan could be put away, when Lachesis held a pancake in front of his face.

“Say ah!” She teased.

“Lachesis, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Finn said, blushing a little.

“Well I know you’re starving. So just take a couple of my pancakes. Plus if you’re super hungry, there is always lunch and snacks.”

Finn took the pancake and ate it, while Lachesis smiled at her husband. While the two were gazing at each other, FInn felt a tug on his shirt. He looked down to see Jeanne with an empty plate.

“I’m all done, Uncle Finn,” She held up her plate to show Finn that it was empty.

“Alright, thank you Jeanne,” Finn took the plate and put it in the dishwasher. The other kids followed Jeanne’s example after they were done with their pancakes, and went back to the living room to play and hangout.

“Alright, I don’t have to get lunch ready for a few more hours, so it might be time to check my work email,” Finn said to himself. However this got him a glare from Lachesis.

“Right, it’s my day off, don’t do anything work related.”

“That’s better,” Lachesis said cheerfully.

Finn decided to head into the living room with the kids and sit on the couch. Lachesis joined him, leaning her head against his shoulder. They watched the kids as they played, and Finn closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the peaceful atmosphere.

“You know, we should request a day off more frequently, this is quite nice,” Finn said, putting his arm around his wife.

“I keep telling you, days off are quite nice,” Lachesis agreed.

“Yes, you’re completely right, my love.” Finn kissed her forehead.

Chapter Text

Nanna approached her parents with her scarf in hand, Leif following closely behind her.

“Mother, Father. Can we go play at the park?” She asked.

“I don’t see why not, as long as everyone else wants to go,” Lachesis replied. She got up and gathered the kids around her.

“Would you all like to go to the park?” Lachesis asked the kids.

“That sounds like lots of fun!” Jeanne exclaimed.

“Sure, I don’t mind,” Altena said.

“I’d love to go,” Diarmuid and Tristan agreed together.

“Then it’s settled, everyone get your coats on and meet at the door,” Finn directed.

The kids got on all their coats and Nanna put her scarf around her neck. She tried a couple times to tie it, but even though she was almost 10 years old, she still couldn’t get the hang of tying a scarf. Finn noticed and went over to her.

“I’ll help you with that, Nanna.”

“Father, could you please tie it in a bow like mother does?”

“Of course I can.”

Finn tied it into a loose bow, just like Lachesis had always worn her scarf. He then went to the door with Nanna and opened it for all of the kids. They walked down the path and onto the sidewalk.

“Now, I want everyone to walk in a single file line, make sure you stay on the sidewalk and watch out for cars,” Finn warned.

“Okay!” The kids said in unison. They formed a line behind Finn, with Leif in front, followed by Nanna, Jeanne, Diarmuid, Tristan, Altena, and Lachesis in the back. They walked down the sidewalk, looking at the trees that were slowly starting to change color, as the cold breeze brushed against their faces.

They arrived at the park and immediately started to play on the playground. Lachesis, Finn, and Altena found a nice bench to sit at, and watched the kids.

“How’s school going for you, Altena?” Finn asked.

“It’s going good! I’m currently taking an accounting class and an IT class as my electives,” Altena said proudly.

“An IT class? That must be very interesting. I’m sure your father is glad you’re taking an accounting class,” Lachesis chimed in.

“Yes, he helps me with my homework whenever he can. I really like spending that time with him,” Altena said, a warm smile coming across her face.

The three were interrupted by Leif, who had approached Finn and was tugging on his hand.

“Finn, we want to play Hide and Seek tag. Can you please be ‘it’ for the first round?” Leif asked.

“Of course, Leif,” Finn agreed. “Why don’t you join in on the fun, Altena?”

Altena looked at Leif, and then back at Finn.

“Yeah, you should join in, big sister!” Leif exclaimed.

“Well, I guess I have to. I can’t say no to that.” Altena got up and the three headed over to the group of kids who were waiting.

“Alright kids, I’ll be ‘it’ for the first round. Whoever I tag first will be ‘it’ next. You can only hide inside the park, ok?” Finn explained.

“Ok!” The kids said in unison.

“Alright, I’m gonna count from 20.”

Finn began counting and the kids all scrambled around. Leif grabbed Nanna’s hand and led her to a hiding spot in a couple of bushes.

“Lets hide here together Nanna!” Leif said excitedly.

“O-ok!” Nanna agreed, blushing slightly as Leif held her hand.

Altena caught a glimpse of this and smirked. She could tell her brother had a crush on Nanna, so in order to keep them alone, she went over to Jeanne and took her hand.

“I know you probably wanted to hide with Nanna, but would you like to find a hiding spot with me instead?”

“Sure! Why do you think Leif rushed to go with Nanna?” Jeanne asked.

It seems that Altena wasn’t the only one that noticed. She chuckled.

“Well, I think that Leif likes to be with Nanna a lot simply put,” Altena said.

The two rushed off to a small shed that was used to maintain the park on the weekends. This left Diarmuid and Tristan, who had immediately nodded to each other and bolted for the playground. The two made a race out of it, with Diarmuid getting there first, and Tristan following him into the slide.

Finn reached 20 seconds, and uncovered his eyes. He took a look around, and found only his wife on the bench, smiling at him. He looked around again deciding what would be the best place to check first. There were the trees and bushes, the maintenance shed, the playground, and the gazebo in the middle of the park.

Finn couldn’t see anyone in the gazebo from where he was standing, so he decided to go check around the shed. He approached the door to the shed and unsurprisingly, it was locked.

What he found was Altena and Jeanne, crouching down in the bushes behind the shed. They both let out a yelp and ran out of the bushes, Finn giving chase. Since Finn was an adult, he was easily catching up.

Realizing this, Altena stopped and picked up Jeanne off the ground, bridal carrying her as she ran.

“Woah! I’m so high up!” Jeanne exclaimed.

“Sorry for such a short notice Jeanne, but with those tiny little legs of yours, you won’t be able to outrun Finn,” Altena said. “I’ll carry you until we can get out of his sight.”

“You’re the best Altena!” Jeanne said.

Altena smiled and continued running around the park. Finn was not giving up his chase, however when he passed the slide, he caught a glimpse of Diarmuid and Tristan squeezed inside. Finn let Altena and Jeanne go, and turned toward the exit of the slide.

The slide was one of those tube slides, so hiding in there was actually a good idea. However, both of the boys were looking at the entrance to the slide, not the exit. Finn walked up to the entrance of the slide.

“Boo.”

Both of the boys turned around and started scrambling up the slide. Finn tapped on both of their ankles, and they gave up, sliding back down.

“That was a good hiding spot kids, but make sure you’re facing the way the person who is ‘it’ is more likely to come. Now, go sit with Lachesis until I find the others.”

“You’re way too good at this, Dad,” Diarmuid commented.

“Yeah you’re super good at this!” Tristan added.

Finn smiled and continued searching for the others. He had lost sight of Altena and Jeanne, however he went in the direction of the majority of bushes and trees. This was the most likely place that they had gone, and with them, he would probably find Leif and Nanna, who were most certainly hiding together.

He searched through the bushes, until he heard a rustling, and saw the top of Leif and Nanna’s heads poking out behind some bushes. He rushed over and they ran out, hand in hand.

Finn gave chase, and because they were holding hands, he was able to catch them easily. The two kids laughed as he led them over to Lachesis, who was keeping watch over Diarmuid and Tristan.

“So that just leaves Altena and Jeanne, huh?” Finn said out loud. He thought about the remaining places they could hide, and brought his gaze to the gazebo, the one place he hadn’t gone yet. Finn approached the gazebo and peaked over the railing. Inside were Altena and Jeanne, who spotted him immediately and ran out of the gazebo.

Altena once again picked up Jeanne, and the two ran around the park, with the other kids cheering them on. Altena ran to the playground, then to the bushes, and then all the way back to the shed. Finn chased after them, and finally caught up to them when Altena started to slow down.

“I didn’t know you were able to run so fast while carrying someone else,” Finn said while he caught his breath.

“It wasn’t the hardest thing in the world.”

The two joined everyone else at the bench, and Tristan started to count. They all played for another hour or so, laughing and enjoying themselves, before Finn looked at his phone’s clock. He called everyone to the bench.

“Alright everyone, it’s just about time to head home for lunch,” Finn announced.

The group went back to the house and Finn immediately went into the kitchen to prepare the lunch he had planned. The kids went into the living room, while Lachesis joined her husband in the kitchen.

“Is there anything I can help with, dear?” Lachesis asked.
“I think I’ll be able to manage.”

“You sure? Remember, I’m your wife so it’s my duty to help you,” Lachesis said, somewhat imitating Finn.

“Those words sound too familiar,” Finn chuckled. “Could you get the breadcrumbs out of the cabinet? I’m going to start preparing the tenders.”

“Of course!”

Chapter Text

The smell of a delicious lunch floated out of the kitchen and into the living room, grabbing the kid’s attention. They all peaked into the kitchen, where Finn was putting the chicken tenders on plates, with Jeanne helping set the table.

“Alright kids, sit down and let me know how many tenders you want, ok?” Lachesis said, pulling out the chairs at the table. All the kids sat down, and Lachesis took out a notepad.

“Can I have 2 tenders, Mother?” Nanna asked.

“I’d like 3 please!” Leif said.

“I’ll take 3 as well!” Tristan and Diarmuid said together.

“3 is fine for me as well,” Altena added.

Jeanne looked up at Finn after setting the table, and looked at the plates of tenders.

“Can I have 2 as well, Uncle Finn?”

“Of course.”

Finn handed her a plate with two tenders, and Finn brought the rest of the plates over to the table. The kids started to dig in, and Finn ate his chicken at the counter. One by one, the kids piled their plates next to Finn, with Lachesis finally stacking her plate on top of Finn’s.

“I’ll take care of the dishes, go and spend some time with the kids.,” Lachesis said as she motioned him into the living room.

“Alright, dear.”

Finn entered the living room and put a movie on for the kids to watch. They all sat down on the couch and Finn joined them. The movie was one that Diarmuid had wanted him to buy, and when he read the back, he took a bit of an interest in it.

It was about a Knight who was on the run from an enemy nation with his two kids, and about the hardship that he endures. Finn still wondered what made Diarmuid choose this movie, but before he could think about it any more, the doorbell rang.

“I wonder who that could be?” Finn got up and opened the door, looking down to find 5 more kids at his doorstep. It was the neighborhood kids: Tanya, Osian, Halvan, Mareeta, Patty, and Febail.

“What are you kids doing here?” Finn asked.

“Well, Dad was having Marty over, so he told me to go play outside. I went to Osian’s house, and he and Halvan were playing,” Tanya explained. “We thought that it’d be nice to have some more people to play with, so we went to Mareeta’s house to pick up her and her siblings.”

“I see, that’s quite the party you’ve got going on. Well, come on in, there’s a movie on in the living room.”

Finn popped his head into the kitchen, where Lachesis was just finishing up with the dishes.

“We’ve got some more company, dear.”

“Oh, who is it?”

“Tanya, Osian, Halvan, Mareeta, Patty, and Febail.”

“Six more kids?”

“Yeah, could you watch them while I get some snacks out?” Finn asked as he opened up the pantry.

“Of course.”

Lachesis walked into the living room, where all 12 kids were sitting in front of the TV. They seemed to be enjoying each other’s company, with Diarmuid, Tristan, Patty, and Febail intently watching the movie. Halvan, Osian, and Leif on the other hand, were talking amongst themselves, while Mareeta, Nanna, Jeanne, and Tanya were all trying to listen in to their conversation.

Lachesis sat down on the couch next to Altena, who was watching over the others, and began eyeing her laptop on the desk across the room.

Finn entered the living room with a tray of snacks that he had set down on the coffee table. He saw his wife eyeing her laptop. He sat down next to her and put his arm around her.

“If I can’t work today, then you can’t either.”

“I know, it’s just I was hoping to hear how Eldie’s project was going, and if he needed any help.”

“If he desperately needs help, I’m sure you’d get a text from him. However I’d have a little faith. Him, Beowulf, and Holyn can get it done,” Finn reminded her. “Besides, they have Alva, Eve, and Eva to back them up.”

“You’re right. It’s just with so many kids around, I feel like I should be doing something, but they all seem to be handling themselves.”

“Yeah, we’ve gathered quite the party in our house.”

Finn chuckled as he turned his attention back toward the movie. Hopefully this would keep the kids entertained until their parents came to pick them up.

***

The movie had finished and Finn looked at his watch. Just about 6 o’clock, which means Ethlyn and Eve would be here to pick up their kids soon. Finn looked over to his wife, who was slowly nodding off, and then looked over to the kids, who were all starting to talk again.

Finn got up from the couch and went back into the kitchen, grabbing the snack tray on the way. He placed it in the sink and then opened up the cabinet.

“What are you doing, Finn?” A voice from behind asked. He turned around to find Patty, Jeanne, and Nanna curiously looking into the kitchen. He smiled and showed them the spices he had gotten out of the cabinet.

“I’m just deciding what to make for dinner. I think I’m gonna make some steak.”

Nanna’s eyes lit up at the mention of steak, and she immediately went to her father’s side.

“Can we help prepare the steak, father?” She asked excitedly.

“I wouldn’t mind some help. Nanna, can you show them where the pans are?”

“Sure!” Nanna showed the other two where the pans were, and grabbed the one that was the right size. They handed it to Finn, and he thanked them.

“Could you see if we have any steak in the fridge?” Finn asked them.

They three opened the fridge and looked into it, however they couldn’t find any.

“Father, there’s no Steak in the fridge,” Nanna informed.

“Looks like I was so focused on getting chicken for you guys, I forgot to get something for dinner. I’ll just run to Verdane’s once your parents come to pick you up.”

As if life could read Finn’s mind, the doorbell rang as Nanna closed the fridge. Finn opened the door and found Brigid on the other side, giving him a nice smile.

“Sorry for the trouble my kids might have caused, thanks for lookin’ after them while they played,” She said.

“It’s no trouble at all, they were very well behaved, and the other kids enjoyed their company,” Finn replied. He turned back to the hall and called out. “Patty, Febail, Mareeta! Your mom is here!”

“Coming!” Three voices rang out from the living room, followed by the three children all coming to their mother’s side.

“Thanks again Finn, I’ll make sure to pay you back with a drink or two.”

“Thank you, Brigid. And tell Dew I said hello as well.”

The door closed, but immediately after, a knock sounded from the door. Finn opened it once more to find Dagdar standing outside.

“Hey Finn! Thanks for lookin’ after Tanya. When I told her to go play outside, I didn’t expect her to go house hoppin’. I can also take home Halvan and Osian.”

Finn called into the house once again, and the three kids came running to Dagdar. Dagdar patted Tanya on the head and gave fistbumps to the boys.

“Thanks again Finn. Lemme buy you a drink some time!”

Dagdar left and before Finn could close the door, he heard more footsteps coming up the walkway, so he peeked his head outside the door to find Eve and Ethlyn talking to each other. They spotted him, and gave him a smile.

“Hello Finn! Thanks so much for taking care of the kids,” Ethlyn said.

“Yeah, you’re a real lifesaver Finn,” Eve added.

“No problem at all. Let me go get them for you.”

Finn went into the living room and found Jeanne, Tristan, Leif, and Altena. He handed them their coats and led them to the door.

“Bye Uncle Finn!” Jeanne said as she walked down the path with her brother and father.

“Bye Finn!” The rest of the kids followed Jeanne’s example, waving goodbye to Finn as they left.

Finn smiled and closed the door, getting his own coat on and grabbing his wallet from his room upstairs. He came back downstairs to the rest of his family getting ready as well.

“Where are you three going?” Finn asked.

“Well, I thought it’d be nice to all go to the store together. It’ll be a nice family outing,” Lachesis said.

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Finn turned to his kids. “ However, you can only pick out one snack, ok?”

“Ok!” The two said in unison. Finn opened the door, and they all happily walked together down the street.

Chapter Text

Quan stepped off the elevator on to the 3rd floor, into an office that was quiet. The only other person who was in the office was Xavier, who had just gotten back from vacation.

“Good morning Xavier.”

“Good morning, Mr. Claus.”

Quan sat down at his desk, and began his work for the day. The early mornings were always a tad boring for Quan, since there was so much paperwork to do and no one in the office to talk to. Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long, as Glade and his wife Selphina stepped off the elevator.

“Good morning Quan,” The two said in unison.

“Good morning Glade, good morning Selphina.”

Selphina sat down at her desk while Glade approached Quan.

“Hey Quan, you wanna go out for something to eat tonight? You, me, Selphina and Ethlyn?” Glade asked.

“Well, we just went out for dinner last night, but, let me text Ethlyn to see if she’s available,” Quan said, pulling out his phone.

Quan: Hey honey, are you available for dinner with Glade and Selphina?

Ethlyn: Yeah I don’t think Sigurd has me doing anything important , so I’ll be able to head out for dinner. Just let me know where we’re meeting.

Quan put his phone away and looked back at Glade.

“She says she’s available, so just let me know where you want to go. But for now we should probably start getting work done for the day. Finn’s on his day off today, remember?”

“Oh yeah you’re right. I wonder how he’s doing right now,” Glade thought.

“Well, knowing him he’s probably fine. He’s fantastic with kids,” Quan said, looking at his watch. “Now, time to get to work. Here are some of the calculations that need to be done before lunch. Eldigan was requesting to see them.”

***

“Finally done for the day,” Quan said as he stretched out his arms. He looked over to where Glade and Selphina were seated. “You two almost done?”

“Almost. We just gotta finish up helping Robert,” Glade replied.

“Sorry about this Mr. Glade,” Robert said apologetically.

“Don’t worry Robert, I’m always happy to help.”

Quan nodded to Glade, and then called the elevator to the 3rd floor. The elevator door opened, and was surprised to find Eldigan in the elevator.

“Quan, what a pleasure to see you. Thank you so much for those calculations you sent me this morning.”

“No problem. You should be thanking Glade, he’s the one who got them done for me.”

“Oh yeah, Finn took the day off with Lachesis. I hope she’s not too worried about the big project,” Eldigan laughed nervously.

“Well, she’s probably worried about you if anything. But Finn’s with her, so I’m sure they’re enjoying their day off,” Quan reassured.

“Yes you’re right. And with this project out of the way, I can finally approve Chulainn and Beowolf’s vacation time.”

“Oh yeah, they’ve been trying to get time off for their honeymoon, right?”

“Yeah, but this big project has been in the way of all that. But we’re almost done. Just have to keep moving forward.”

The elevator stopped on the ground floor, and the door opened. Quan could see his wife waiting for him, so he bid his best friend farewell.

“If you’re ever free, you know who to call. Don’t leave Sigurd and I without a third man,” Quan gave him a slight wave as they both exited the elevator. Ethlyn spotted him and approached him.

“There you are! Where’s Glade and Selphina?” Ethlyn asked.

“Oh, they’re finishing up. Glade said they’d meet us at the restaurant.”

The two walked out of the building and onto the sidewalk. They walked side by side down the somewhat narrow sidewalk, looking at the tall buildings that surrounded them. Ethlyn grabbed Quan’s hand, interlocking their fingers.

“This city never gets old, does it?”

“Nope, never gets old. Always something new to look at.”

The sun was slowly starting to sink behind the towering buildings, and the sidewalk gradually became busier. The two walked along it, until they stopped at a restaurant on the corner of the block. The sign read “Od’s Bar and Grill”. They opened the door and stepped inside.

“Welcome to Od’s Ba- Oh, hey Quan, hey Ethlyn,” The hostess greeted them.

“Evening Ayra, is the bar open for 4?” Quan asked with a smile.

“Of course, how’s work for you two?” Ayra asked.

“Pretty good, the new interns are doing well, although of course they’re having some trouble,” Quan chuckled. “Kinda reminds me of when Finn, Glade, and Selphina started at the company.”

“Speaking of, where is Finn? He’s usually with you guys.”

“On his day off.”

“Ah, well tell him I said hello, alright? And, a personal favor for me. Make sure that Lex stays out of trouble. I know he’s not in your department but I worry about him sometimes.”

“Of course, I heard the internal affairs department is actually doing some great work, so you should be proud of your husband,” Quan gave her another smile, and went over to the bar with Ethlyn.

The two sat down at the bar and waved over the bartender. A man who looked about the same age as Finn who had long black hair came by.

“Evening Quan, evening Ethlyn.”

“How’s the night so far Shannan?” Quan asked.

“Well, somewhat slow. But since everyone’s getting out of work around this time, I’m sure things will begin to pick up,” Shannan put down the glass he was polishing, and opened up the cooler. “Let me guess… a bottle of Forseti’s and a Aed Martini for the lady?”

“You know us so well Shannan,” Ethlyn said.

“Well I have to know some of my most frequent customers well. Plus, you’re friends with Uncle Lex and Aunty Ayra, so that makes you my friends. At least in my book.”

“You’re such a cute kid sometimes Shannan. Although I guess it’s been a while since you’ve been a kid,” Ethlyn chuckled.

“So, what’s the occasion? I noticed you two don’t have the kids with you.”

“Well, Finn’s watching them right now, we gotta go pick them up later, but I thought it’d be nice to have dinner and a drink with Glade and Selphina.”

“Well, when you’re ready to order, I’ll be here,” Shannan gave a slight smile and went to tend to the other patrons.

Quan looked around the restaurant. It was starting to get a little crowded, however the wait staff seemed to be ever hard at work. He could see Mariccle darting around, taking care of every patron’s need.

While Quan was looking around, he spotted Glade and Selphina who were just entering through the door. He caught their attention and they came and sat down.

“Sorry we’re late Quan, we helped Robert but then Cain and Alva needed some help too,” Glade explained.

“That’s alright, just make sure not to jack up the overtime. Mr. Azmur doesn’t like it when that happens.”

“No worries, it didn't take us that long to help them out,” Glade turned to Shannan, who had circled back around. “Hey Shannan! Can I get a Miletos Cocktail?”

“Of course. Anything for you, Selphina?”

“I’ll just have a Root Beer, in case Glade goes overboard with Quan.”

“Coming right up for the both of you.”

“Oh, can I get a burger as well? With a side of fries. Tell Galzus to do it medium rare,” Quan added.

“Of course. It’ll be out in a bit.”

Shannan handed the drinks to Glade and Selphina, and went into the kitchen to inform the chef of the incoming order. Quan took a sip from his bottle, and then took a look at Glade.

“Looking at you two reminds me of how far you three have grown, you know that? You two and Finn have come a long way from the interns that’d come in after lunch and cause chaos for me, Dryas, and Xavier,” Quan let out a laugh.

“Yeah, I remember that one time when we all stayed so late that the security guard thought we were breaking in!” Glade chuckled.

Ethlyn and Selphina smiled at their husbands, who were having a great time drinking and chatting. However, Ethlyn had her own questions. She gave Selphina that classic smug smirk and she knew she was in for trouble.

“So, when are you two gonna have some kids of your own?” Ethlyn asked. Selphina blushed a little, but answered.

“Well, we want to wait until we’re both ready, we want to enjoy our life as a married couple before we start having kids,” Selphina answered.

“Hehe… Well trust me when I say there is no rush. Kids are a blessing, but without Finn watching them constantly I don’t think we could get through some of our work.”

Shannan walked out of the kitchen with a burger and a plate of fries in his hands. He set them down in front of Quan and Ethlyn, and went back to his other patrons. Quan took a bite out of his burger and smiled with delight.

“Gods, Galzus makes the best burgers. He never disappoints.”

Ethlyn was enjoying the plate of fries and then looked at her watch. It was nearing 6 o’ clock, so she got up.

“Quan, it’s almost 6 o’clock. I’ll get going and pick up the kids.”

“Alright, I’ll come with you, just lemme pay Shannan,” Quan said, rummaging around for his wallet.

“No that’s alright, sit and talk with Glade and Selphina, it’s important to spend time with your friends. Just make sure to pick up my favorite cookies at Verdane’s on the way home.”

“Of course, dear,” Quan said as he sat back down, continuing to eat his burger. Ethlyn put down some cash on the counter for the martini and said goodbye to Shannan and Ayra as she left the restaurant.

Quan took another sip of his beer, and continued to eat his burger, while Glade and Selphina kept taking fries off of his plate.

“So, do we have any big projects coming up?” Glade asked.

“Not that I’m aware of, although Advertising and Planning might have something up their sleeve. Sigurd and Eldigan just have to let me know.”

“Looks like we can rest easy for a bit then, normal procedures for the foreseeable future,” Selphina leaned back in her chair.

“For now at least. I’m sure my father or some other department is gonna need a pile of calculations done by lunch, so we just have to pray.”

The trio chuckled, and Quan gave Glade a pat on the shoulder.

“Speaking of my father. When I’m finally on that Board of Directors, please do everything you can for the department. I know you’re not gonna be in charge of it, but please support Finn with everything you have. You too, Selphina.”

“How could we not? Finn’s the hardest worker out of us all. And he’s our best friend for crying out loud! You do remember who was one of his Groomsmen, right Mr. Best Man?”

“I’m just making sure. It’s important that I leave the department in the hands of someone I know can do it justice. I can’t be certain that Leif or Altena will want to follow in my footsteps,” Quan let out a laugh, and finished his burger.

“I should probably be heading out now. I have to run to the store and everything,” Quan got up and laid down money for the bill. Shannan swooped it up, saying goodnight to Quan, then disappearing into the kitchen.

Glade and Selphina sat at the bar, finishing the fries that Quan had left on the plate.