2.29 Making Amends

The days have been harmonious, and they fly by. Winter in Roaring Heights is quiet and peaceful.

Jyo is one of the few sims that can keep up with her parent's energy levels, no matter the activity. 

Jiraya approves of his dad's grilled cheese. He wonders why he's never had something like this before. “Because it's not real food.” Jyo comments over her bowl of veggie stew.

Nobody can hear her over the happy food noises that the kid is making.

You're not going to make him endure one of your parties when he ages up, though, right dad? He can settle in for a while, first. I mean, don't scare the kid.”

“We'll have a celebration.” Dustin smiles in between bites. “We just have to make sure he has as much fun as possible. Right, Jiraya?”

“I want to have a party.” Jiraya says, without even thinking it over at all.

It's all about making up for lost time.

Soon enough, confirmation comes that Jiraya is the missing Sparrow child (surprising no one) and he is allowed to move immediately in with his parents, Dustin and Meghan. He's been living here with them since the day Jyoti found him, but not on paper.

His dad takes him on a shopping spree for new clothes and a haircut. He has no idea if he likes it or not. It's nice to have shorter hair, he eventually decides.

He is given his first actual gift from his mom and dad, a music box that he wished for.

And this person visits, being actually invited over. At times his expression is startlingly condescending,

...at times it is wistful.

“Loki!” Jyoti still greets him warmly.

Dustin has no idea where to start though.

Loki explains about his ex-wife and her schemes he did not prevent, although Dustin is very familiar with the ongoing case. Loki promises to help aid in apprehending her, to make sure there are no more victims.

Dustin vents a little bit. “If you had been focused on your own family, and not mine, this all could have been prevented. What do you think your abilities are for, if you forget how to be human?”

“You're right. I won't forget.” 

...and amends are made, one way or another.

It feels like a homecoming for more than one reason. “I shouldn't have said we would never forgive you.” Dustin feels old. He used to think he understood everything.

“It's alright- I'm sorry too. I've made my mistakes.” Loki admits.

He's not even done making them.

“You brought my son back.” His voice is thick with emotion.

Loki sighs. “If I had known sooner, you would have had him sooner.”

Too emotional! Quick, deflect! “At least you have nice teeth.” Dustin mumbles.

There is that.

also Magic.

Jiraya is impressed, but he seems to think that we should be more impressed.

“This... feels weird.”

“Good.” Dustin smirks.

A man born a vampire might be thinking that people are weird, sims, humans, whathave yous... but Loki knows the difference, the sims who live at this particular property are a special kind of it.

Jiraya is fitting in at an impressive rate. Jyo is not one to throw a soft ball.

Future sportsman right here.

“Why'd you do that?”

“Don't you do a bunch of things just because you can?” Dustin retorts.

“I ...do.”

Jiraya finishes his game and calls uncle Loki over, and it dawns on Dustin. He's finally friends with a vampire. That's cool. There was a time when he actually wanted to be one, but it was a passing thought and he'd never admit it.

“Thank you.”

“I told you they were good people, right?”

“Yeah.” The child's voice is filled with relief. 

“So be good too.”

“I will... do you have to go already?”

“Are you going to help Emir now?”

“I'm going to try. Let's not say anything about that for a while, okay? Until there is good news.”

“Okay...”

Loki leaves, feeling unsettled. There were high expectations now that he would be able to locate Circe. The problem with that was, she could be anywhere. The woman was well aware of how his mind works, and knew some of the limitations of his powers. She had even taught him how to use some of them. He knows he is not going to just bump into her in town again and glean careless thoughts from her mind to find her other victims. She had lost some important investments in this incident, and she was not without defenses besides. There is no doubt in his mind that she would still be in town, and even deeper underground. Most literally.

He's going to spend the next several months deep diving into the machine. It fails to register that he didn't get to spend time with Casimir today. He's going to remember whilst in the middle of some in-depth project or other, probably.

Jiraya's last few months of childhood pass by in a blur. In school, he's behind but the work is satisfying.

For fun there is the Winterfest, and all sorts of activities.

but Dustin has a better idea than regular boring festival memories for his son.

So he takes the family on an island vacation.

Jiraya is so easily confused. Do normal people live this way?

He just stares at the bubbles for a half of an hour. Meghan wonders if it's okay to let him miss school already, but figures she can tutor him later whenever he needs it.

The Sparrows have spared no expense on their new vacation home.

Jiraya realizes that there is much more to life than he ever thought was possible.

One of these days the author is going to realize that Casimir is the main character here. 

He just doesn't DO that much.

“Stop working, mom.”

“No.”

beep

Thanks for the face old man. You don't have to drink it all, just because you fancy yourself a juice-ologist these days.

It just makes sense to get ahead of his schoolwork now, it's not that he doesn't want to go outside for anything, and half of this house is outside...

“You should eat. It's good.” Jiraya tells him. Bananas on toasty bread, yes-please.

“Thank you son. Put your homework away and come spend time with us on the top deck, the view is amazing.” Meghan tells Casimir.

“We'll go comb one of the beaches later and see if we can find any treasure.” She tells the boys.

Casimir can't get hyped up about the activities, but he says he'll eat soon at least. “There are lots of bugs here, I'll show you how catch some.” Meghan tries again.

“No thanks, Grandma.”

Jyo lets him be. Nothing wrong with academic success, and she's sure she can get him to exercise sooner or later.

Jiraya doesn't know what to say. There is almost nothing good about staying indoors, comparatively. Also, it's his MOM that is asking. He will do anything she wants.

He eats on the top deck while the whole family decides to work off lunch with a little smustle. Casimir pretends he's still inside, by facing the wall and being under the awning. It's hard to ignore the heat of the sun on his back. For once Jyoti complains. “Come dance or something, you'll get cramps when we all swim later if you don't stretch your muscles!”

Dustin gets a cramp from dancing right away after eating.

...he keeps dancing anyways, determined to be energetic in front of the kids. “C'mon Caz, join us!”

Oooah ooah

The beach combing is rained out. Casimir gratefully snuggles up into the bunkbed and tries not to feel the rocking of the boat too much.

The next clear day they all end up at a local lake.

The sun is not as bright under the trees, but all our heir wants to do is read a book. 

He goes out to where the adults are soon enough. Just in case it's not safe to be alone here.

Jyo tries to reconcile with herself. Life seems pretty great, when there is a massive change of pace like this. Possibly she just works too much to enjoy what she has.

We all knew that Meg was crazy, right? How did she find wind on this calm water?

It was her idea to swim too.

Casimir wants to know when it's polite to stop being outside.

Then he realizes nobody will yell at him for throwing things out here.

He teaches Jiraya.

...and has a really great time.

Plunk.

This is absolutely the life. Dustin doesn't really remember the things he desperately wished for when he was a child, what he got for birthdays or the names of all the kids at school. He barely remembers playing at the beach with Meghan when they were children, but the terror of the thought that he wouldn't get to be with her when they were teenagers, that still sticks. The dreams, the traveling they had done, the rapidly passing years of work that somehow are over. Looking back, even with so many hardships, it's good.

He's still magically becomes a rock sometimes when no one is looking.

Glitches, magic, it's pretty much all the same thing, optical illusions.

Meghan still doesn't want to be in the sun as long as they were on this vacation.

Family bonding achieved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I need a mod that keeps the sims on the inflatalounger for more than five seconds of real time. They can read on the thing, but it's impossible to click on them fast enough before they go back to just swimming. Also, they can't nap on it!? Really...? Ugh so annoying. I've always wanted a huge pool party with everyone enjoying the loungers, but no~o...