Sif gradually awoke to a bit of daylight streaming into her eyes from the curtains.
Something that she was getting used to experiencing as a frost giant was waking up and being the little spoon.
So when she didn't wake up with someone's arms wrapped around her, she formed a noticeable frown.
"What am I, chopped liver..?" Sif pouted as she brushed her hair out of her face.
It wasn't fun waking up to an empty bed!
Sif shuffled around in a huff before out of nowhere, she screamed as loud as humanly possible.
The bathroom door came swinging open and Abaddon ran out with Audrina; the two of them still slick from the shower.
"Sif, What's wrong?!" Audrina panicked.
Sif held out both her hands.
"R-R-R-R-R-R..!!!!"
"You sound like a damn Rottweiler." Abaddon snickered.
"Fuck you!"
"Quite insatiable this morning, aren't we?" Abaddon chuckled.
Sif's face went back to beet red and she held up her hands. "N-Nevermind that... What is the meaning of this?"
The objects of her hysteria were the ten black rings adorning her fingers.
As well as the bright silver one that hung around her neck.
"Something we should have done a long time ago."
Abaddon draped a towel over his shoulders and came to sit beside Sif, with Audrina following in his footsteps.
He pulled Sif in between them and reached for her old wedding ring that she placed on her neck while she slept.
"...I wanted to destroy this when you left. But as much as I was upset with you for leaving, I guess I was hoping that you would come back to me and wear it again. Though it took me a while to realize it.."
Audrina then took Sif's hand and ran her thumb over the brand new rings.
"We should have given you these a long time ago as well. You are a part of us now, and we should have made that more clear before. We're sorry." She said sincerely.
Sif wasn't raised on fluffiness and emotion; and thus she wasn't very good with them.
Faced with these two confessions and heartfelt gestures, she couldn't react as maturely as she wanted.
*Sniff, sniff* "I-It took you bastards long enough!"
"...Are you crying, darling?"
"N-No, shut up!" Sif buried herself in their husband's chest and hid from Audrina's teasing.
As Abaddon held her, Audrina began to feel a little reflective.
A thought formed in her mind and she began running her hands along their muscular bodies.
"I was thinking... Why don't we ren-"
Audrina suddenly paused and stared at the door.
"Hold that thought, my darlings. We're about to get a visitor."
Audri snapped her fingers and soon she and her lovers were covered by shadows and dressed.
"...Is that my hoodie?" Abaddon's eyes narrowed.
"Why do you look so glum? Disappointed I pulled you away from the arms of your beautiful women?"
Abaddon realized that he'd inadvertently spaced out without meaning to.
"Not at all, mother. I was simply far away for a moment."
Yara knew that her son had become the very cosmos, so she wasn't all that sure if he meant that literally or figuratively.
"Your sister told me how hard you fought to protect her. I'm very proud of you for that." She smiled.
"It is how you raised me. Family is everything, and if we don't defend each other then who will?"
Yara felt immensely proud to know that the values she instilled in her oldest son was not wasted with his rise to power.
Dragons don't always have the biggest sense of community values, so it was quite the achievement to know that she could get her children to see the value in standing up for each other.
"Speaking of family values... How is he?" Abaddon asked.
Yara knew what her son meant immediately.
"He still hasn't gone to see his mother. I honestly don't know if he wants to kill her or just be rid of her." Yara sighed.
"And how do you feel?"
"Well, I'm not the one she betrayed, son, but... If it were me I don't know if I would be capable of showing my mother sympathy.
And if even I can come to such a decision... then perhaps your grandfather is more sentimental than we all thought."
Abaddon pictured Helios, the man whom he had only ever seen crack an unprompted smile a handful of times.
The only people he spoke to in a warm and fuzzy manner were his granddaughters, daughter, great grandchildren, and wives.
Though he did occasionally offer a word of praise to Abaddon.
"Ah... Since we're on the topic of fathers, I wondered if you might speak to your own once you get the chance." Yara finally brought up the reason for her seeking out her son this morning.
Abaddon raised a brow at this and immediately feared the worst.
He cracked both of his knuckles as he showed his mother a smile that was not a smile.
"Don't tell me... Is he being thoughtless again? Shall I break both of his legs for my mothers?"
Yara elbowed her son in the ribs. "Hey, don't assume the worst about your father. We like him a bit thoughtless and airheaded."
Yara and Imani both shared the same sentiment.
Rather than be with someone who said the right thing all the time, they liked being with a man who openly admitted to being imperfect. This way they could all grow together.
"Besides, you should stop being so hard on your father. Evidently your girls seem to like you a little bit thoughtless too."
Abaddon felt as if a mother had just held a mirror up to his face and pointed out a new side of him.
The expression he wore in the aftermath made her giggle.
"You really are so much like him... but the reason why I bring him up is because he's been a little... distant since you returned from the underworld. I think the looming confrontation is rather present on his mind."
Abaddon didn't need to ask his mother for grander specifics. That event was still on his mind too.
"...Don't worry, mother. I'll be sure to go and talk to him when he hatc-"
*Buzz, Buzz!*
The sound of Abaddon's phone buzzing in his pocket halted the flow of conversation.
He checked the six new messages on his phone and let out a sigh.
"Looks like that will have to wait for now... I have to stop Persephone from killing her husband first."