Karma's room gets a makeover and much needed expansion with even Oneiro receiving something he didn't realize he was missing

((The collaboration with @Firehedgehog continues 😸. Enjoy~))

————

"Oneiro, how would you feel about seeing the world with a child's eyes even briefly?" Hearth asked once Karma was in bed for the night, the golden winged monster was drinking coffee as if it was alcohol.

"What does that entail?~" Oneiro said faintly, his words calm but his eyes practically dead to the world after spending an entire day with that creepy toy.

"It's actually made with my alchemy set, I just haven't made it often but it allows the drinker to have their body deaged to a set age for around twenty-four hours" Hearth explained.

"Sure, why not. It can't be any worse than the last day....~" Oneiro was truly done and a small part thought this could be interesting...after he had much more coffee.

"The potion will be done when Karma gets up, I suggest pulling off your clothes before you drink it. I'll make sure you have matching ones for whatever bodyshape you have" Hearth told him.

Oneiro thought that gave him plenty of time to relax, really needing it after his day and held his near industrial sized mug and filled it up with even more coffee.

Any other monster would have dusted from all this caffeine but to Oneiro it felt like a slight tickle to his magic system, very much needing this right now.

"I'll see you in the morning, and you don't have to rush, the potion is good for years. I also asked you, as you really never had a time to be a child" Hearth said as he turned off the coffee bean roaster against the far wall, with that he left the room the only sound was of water heating for more coffee.

"Are Guardians ever allowed to be children?~" Oneiro said with a bitter undertone to his voice, even when he was formed he had a 'job' that gave him little time to just be a child.

He wasn't sure if he even knew how to be a child, the villagers and eating the apples wiping any chance of being able to ever have that sort of life.

But still, a day as a child with Karma. Even if it was only his body.

"I'll take it but not today. I doubt i'll get such an opportunity anytime soon~" Oneiro muttered to himself as he downed his drink, needing time to think but could also see how this could also help Karma as well.

He spent the rest of the night in the library, reading books on Dreamtale and wistfully looking at pictures of young Guardians with the tree.

If only things could have been different but he still wouldn't change a thing, Karma truly worth it all.

The smell of pancakes was what finally brought him from his thoughts, which meant Hearth was up and maybe Karma.

Karma was sleepily stuffing bits of pancake into his mouth, for once not bringing his new toy to the table and instead cuddling with a bunny plushy in one arm while trying not to faceplant into his food.

"Where is your bear?" Hearth asked curious as he placed another plate of pancakes on the table, he wondered if he was going to find it in another funny place in their home. Last time it had been in an empty bathroom wearing a tiny tuxedo of all things.

"Busy playing with my new toy." Karma sleepily mumbled near nonsensically, which could mean pretty much anything and it was very likely the bear would be once again found in a very weird place.

"I see" Hearth hummed, then turned when he realised Oneiro was there "Morning, grab a plate and your Coffee is almost ready"

Oneiro gave a quiet greeting and grabbed his meal, his mind still racing full of conflicting thoughts but seeing his child sleepily eat and look so carefree helped to quieten down all his worries.

He would be taking the potion..but first he was going to make sure Karma didn't faceplant into their food..or drown in their milk.

"Did you wake up and read in your bed again, Nebula?" Hearth said as Oneiro saved the child, he was going to build Karma a mini library linked to his room wasn't he.

"Found a cool star book. Wanted to finish it." Karma yawned, nearly falling asleep into juice and chirping sleepily when dad picked him up.

"I think someone might need a nap.~" Oneiro said gently, snorting when Karma went limp with quiet snores coming from.

"I love him to bits, and while I like him reading, midnight reading is a habit we need to break" Heath sniggered "Think it's time I link the room next to his to his room and arrange his own little library and office"

"I think its a good idea. They are starting to need more space to spread out. Their book collection is getting quite extensive.~" Oneiro had never been so glad about Hearths expanding tent then now, glad Karma could indulge in their interest without having to worry about space.

"They're a little book hoarder, I'm so proud" Hearth said with fake tears.

"They are very much a hoarder of everything. I wonder where they got that habit from?~" Oneiro said the last part dryly but was visibly amused by just how many habits Karma seemed to copy from both of them, finding it rather adorable at their little copycat habits.

Hearth pouted, its not like he ever kept what he hoarded. He donated it.

Oneiro snorted, Karma whining sleepily in his arms at the movement before dropping off to sleep once again.

"We really need to work on his sleeping habits.~" Oneiro said utterly amused when a wing was smacked into his face as if scolding him for being too loud but at least they had finally eaten their breakfast even if it took them an hour to do so.

"I'll take bad sleep patterns over night terrors"

"So do i.~" Oneiro said softly, the babybones doing so well over the last few months and could now actually sleep in their own room without issues. He wiped their face clean but didn't put them straight to bed, instead holding them as he quietly read in the library.

His thoughts constantly going back to the potion Hearth offered, the book in his hand soon losing its interest.

Meanwhile Hearth had cleaned up after breakfast, and pulled out a large pad of paper.

If Karma was getting a new room added, he wanted to design a good one before he connected the rooms. Actually, what if he joined the two rooms into two, Karma's room wasn't the biggest and it was getting rather crowded. He scrapped the first design and started a new one, Bookcases against the walls, and in the middle of the room a set of desks and a reading nook type area. He'd have to find out if Karma wanted things from storage, or from the room or new.

Humming he added a small staircase off the left wall leading to a small loft for Karma's bed, where windows built into the tent's magic would allow him to look outside. He marked a few spots for a shorter bookcase, so Karma could add things to the walls. Then doodled toy storage under the stairs leading to the loft. He wrote a few ideas for wall paint, such as a starry night sky pattern with either glow star stickers or magic added to make them glow or even move around the paint. Maybe plush carpet that looked like grass with false paths everywhere.

This was a rather fun activity, even if Karma didn't use it.

Still... the grass carpet had him mentally designing furniture and walls and pillars that looked like living forest but would be comfy.

A bit of an adventure fairy forest theme, well either way it was up to Karma but his creative magic itched to create that room.

Karma slept for a good few hours before finally stirring around lunchtime, purring when he realised he was being held by dad but still wasn't fully awake, more than happy when he was carried into the kitchen towards some nice smells.

"The beast has finally awoken.~" Oneiro said playfully when he spotted Hearth by the counter, spotting a colourful pad of paper on the table, realising it was sketch ideas for Karma's expanded room.

"All hail the beast" Hearth intoned like a great priest, then giggled.

Oenrio snorted when Karma had a dazed expression when they looked up from his shoulder, nuzzling his sleepy child and placing them on their chair. He was briefly worried they were going to fall off with how dazed they looked, placing a hot chocolate in front of them and watching very amused how they came back to life as they took a sip.

"No more midnight reading Karma, but I do think it's time we upgraded your room and gave you more bookspace" Hearth grinned, watching as the hot chocolate revived his baby brother.

"Upgrade?" Karma perked up in interest, his eyelight no longer fuzzy with sleep and now able to focus on the paper pushed in front of him, chirping in interest at what he was looking at.

"I was thinking of this design with the bed in a loft combined with a fairy forest theme" Hearth suggested, but I did go over other ideas which is why so many papers" Hearth grinned.

Karma was Instantly enthralled by the idea, eyelight shifting to a star when he saw the ideas, quick to suggest more ideas when he saw the theme.

Oneiro grabbed himself a coffee as the two went on a creative spree, smiling softly at how excited Karma looked, smirking when Nix ran into the room and jumped on the table as if to join in as well.

Thanatos landed on the back of Hearths chair, cawing some ideas.

"I see you will be busy today.~" Oneiro watched in growing amsuemnt how more pieces of paper were brought out and more ideas sketched out, this going on for nearly an hour before Karma finally decided on a design he would like for hir room.

The living forest design was greatly approved of, the star theme for the ceilings was also added and a few mystical animals were to be included on the walls as living art.

It was a good thing that Hearth had creative magic as Oneiro had very little clue how he would have been able to achieve any of this without finding a Creator to do it for him.

Template didn't even enter his mind as an option, a very much last resort due to how much they could talk, almost regretting acting more friendly towards them as now his phone was bombarded with daily essays from them.

"I'd offer to redesign your room Oneiro, but pretty sure you live in the library" Hearth said looking at Oneiro with a grin, Thanatos cackled jumping to his monster's shoulder.

"My rooms fine. It's comfortable enough and i don't even need to sleep.~" Oneiro rarely spent much time in his room and pretty much stored Karma's artwork and other random trinkets he had collected over the years.

"I helped make it pretty. I added so much colour." Karma said proudly, as it had been far too boring beforehand.

Oneiro was very thankful it wasnt mind numbingly bright but the small handprints on the wall were rather cute.

"If you change your mind" Hearth said getting up gathering the approved drawings, soon enough Karma and himself were heading to his sibling room so they could start up.

Nix flounced along behind them, the two familiars watching the utter chaos as Karma bolted from one place to another to choose the perfect furniture while Hearth began the process of merging the two rooms and adding the loft area.

Oneiro obediently allowed Karma to direct them towards certain items to grab, amused how he was used as a pack mule by the bossy little babybones.

"I think you'll have to sleep in my room or Oneiro's room tonight nebula, while the paint is dry the fumes are still pretty strong" Hearth said as he adjusted an open window, the room was coming along but would take a few days to get everything created and placed in there new home.

Karma didn't seem to care one bit about that, looking around in awe at how his room was coming along, it already looking pretty perfect.

"Much larger than before.~" Oneiro said in approval, plenty of space for Karma to spread out and lots of potential nooks for Karma to put their 'collections' in.

"Just glad we got so much done so quickly, I think I may pick up some storage books for his collections" Hearth said, clearly thinking the same thing.

"Might be for the best.~" Oneiro doubted Karma's hoarding habits would stop anytime soon, unsure where they even got half their 'collection' items and wasn't sure if he would like the answer to it.

"Oh stars look at the time, we missed lunch and it's now almost dinner time" Hearth said in surprise, as all three of them had been having fun.

"Let's get you some food, little one.~" Oneiro was quick to grab Karma before they went back to the storage room to look at more furniture, snorting at their scolding chirp when he didn't just let them down.

"You can decorate more tomorrow. Food, then a bath and then story time.~" He said softly, nuzzling his pouting child as he walked towards the kitchen.

Chuckling Hearth followed them, they really did need to stop. He'd have to set up timers for tomorrow so they don't miss a meal.

"It's not going to run away nebula, but if it makes you feel better I'll allow you to use the chocolate smelling bubbly bath" Hearth grinned as he grabbed something to eat himself.

Karma's mood immediately lifted up at the promise, no longer trying to wiggle out of dad's arms and realising that he was in fact starving.

Oneiro shook his head in amusement and passed them a small orange to snack on while heating up some pasta, snickering when the quiet chant of 'garlic bread' soon followed after.

"I may have done reality a disservice, as Karma seems to think all other garlic bread is subpar to mine now" Hearth sniggered hearing the chant.

"They expect a certain standard now. Such a picky, little raven.~" Oneiro cooed fondly, Karma looking entirely unrepentant and eyeing the garlic bread being put in the oven like it was a national treasure.

"I fear if anyone ever tried to take it from him outside" Hearth said with an amused smile.

"I doubt they would ever make that mistake again.~" Oneiro half joked, knowing full well how protective Karma could be of things they liked, almost pitying the poor San's who mistook Nix as a common pet and tried to touch them in front of the babybones.

Nix didn't have time to show their sheer offence before Karma pounced like a feral animal, having to be bribed to leave the crying monster alone.

Thanatos gave a weird throaty bird laugh, Hearth gave their familiar a dirty look.

"I'm not repeating that," he replied.

Nix meowed with visible amusement, the two familiars soon sitting on the table and conversing quietly, Oneiro unsure he wanted to know what was going considering the look on Hearth's face.

Karma was far too enthralled watching the garlic bread cooking to bother looking over and barely reacted when he was put down on the ground, immediately sitting on the ground in front of the oven in sheer anticipation.

"It's times like this I remember he's a Cross," Hearth grumbled, and Nix likely just as bad as they were a feline.

"It is hard to remember most times that is what they started as.~" Oneiro hummed in agreement, as before they became Thanatos, X barely acted like a Cross type even on their good days.

Oneiro, now knew never to allow such programming again, or step aside if another did it otherwise he was pretty much CHAOS 404 to Cross... well Nova was but he had not helped. And he had known, just because it would protect Karma did not make it right.

Nova, had gotten their own talk, and it had left the Error actually shaken.

Of course Thanatos still held a bit of a grudge, Oneiro falling prey to a few pranks every so often while Nova was nearly given a full on death glower and the cold shoulder.

It was frankly a miracle that X had held on for so long without completely losing it, this truly the best outcome that could have ever happened to the previous Cross type.

"Garlic bread.~ Garlic bread.~" Karma chanted when he saw the timer go off, near sweeping up Nix into a hug as he bounced around the room in sheer happiness.

"He really does love garlic bread.~" Oneiro murmured in pure amusement, especially once Thanatos joined in to make the most chaotic 'dance' ever.

"It's a good thing I usually keep the dough set up to cook quickly, with the way he eats them I had to create a dough storage that freezes them in time once the garlic dough rises" Hearth said with an amused snort, he actually mixed a few other spices in the dough when mixing it and then did the rest of the dressing when cooking it.

He was never sharing the recipe. Not that it would do any good as one of the herbs only existed in his greenhouse now.

"He might actually riot if you ever run out.~" Oneiro said playfully and quickly stepped back before he was slammed into by a dancing Karma. Scooping them up before they could run into the kitchen chairs.

He snorted at the trio of unimpressed looks he received for 'ruining the fun', the familiars ever so expressive with Nix puffing up their tail in his face.

"Why don't you wash your hands. Once you are done dinner will be on the table.~" He was always entertained how quickly Karma could switch moods, the enthusiastic nodding as he let them down and practically sprinted out of the room.

"I'm glad to see him act like a child again, even if it's over bread" Hearth giggled as he pulled out the garlic bread, and placing them out to cool enough to eat "It reminds me of when i first started out, I was still so very young in mind"

"I hope he always feels safe.~" Oneiro could only hope despite knowing he could never promise that, the last few years showing that he couldn't control everything out there.

"We can always hope," Hearth hummed.

Karma came running back with a partially wet Nix, whose paws had also been clearly washed much to the amusement of Hearth and Oneiro the babybones quick to sit at the table and near drooling when he spotted the food on the counter.

"Pasta first, then bread" Hearth told him, otherwise Karma might only eat Garlic Bread.

Karma pouted but did accept the compromise, near shovelling the food in his mouth from how hungry they were, it quickly obvious they would need a bath after this.

Nix happily chewed on a meatball, not needing food but wouldn't turn down being given certain foods.

Thanatos somehow did a bird pout. He survived purely on Hearths energy or ate death energy so eating was out.

Karma then quickly chowed down on the garlic bread as soon as it was put on the table, acting as he had never eaten before despite the clear sauce stains all over his face and clothes.

Oneiro snorted when Karma generously let him have some, especially when he sensed their clear hesitance to do so.

Hearths mouth twitched amused, then pulled more off the cooling rack he'd saved for seconds.. or firsts for Oneiro and himself.

Karma held a mini garlic bread in his hand in a death grip, another stuffed in his mouth and yet he still stared at the fresh batch in deep consideration.

"Eat what you have first, garlic fiend.~" Oneiro smirked when Karma looked oddly offended, his SOUL squeezing fondly at them acting far more free and childlike lately.

"You would stop your own brother from having garlic bread?" Hearth said, giving Karma sad looks as their tiny hands reached for his plate.

It was clear to everyone at the table that an inner war was going on inside Karma but it was clear the choice that was made when the small hand went back to holding the remains of his half eaten garlic bread.

Oneiro found it very hard not to laugh at the visible effort Karma used to not try and snatch up any more garlic bread, finding it adorable how hard they were trying.

"Thank you Brother" Hearth said, as if it was a great sacrifice.

Karma nodded seriously, wings fluffing happily at the praise, glad they realised what a true sacrifice he made. He was even generous enough to let dad keep their garlic bread as well but it was very much a struggle.

"What a kind SOUL.~" Oneiro cooed fondly but smirked in amusement at how much they adored Hearths cooking.

"And for dessert, a treat" Hearth grinned, plopping a tiny mini cake in front of each of them. Each was a different flavour, of course Karma's was chocolate.

Karma's disappointment at the lack of garlic bread was quickly forgotten when he saw the mini cake, nearly unhinging his mouth to eat the delicious treat as if fearing it would be taken away otherwise.

"Lemon cake. I haven't had that in a while.~" Oneiro hummed in approval once he took a bite, eating at a much slower pace compared to the babybones who was now licking their fingers clean of every bit of chocolate.

"That's because my lemon trees finally had fruit, I got them as saplings so it took awhile." Hearth said cheerfully, his own one was blueberry "Took awhile to make it, as I wanted to make the cakes as a surprise"

"You should definitely make them again.~" Oneiro had never eaten better since moving in and doubted he ever would, cutting into his small cake for another bite and humming happily at the taste.

"More cake?" Karma said hopefully, looking like he had bathed in chocolate, rather impressive considering that it was only a small cake.

"Not tonight nebula, I can only make this type of cakes now and then due to some ingredients grow slow" he replied, as the cakes used a certain flour type that took over a year to grow and while he hoped to make a bigger auto farm for it he would need to arrange another island expansion for it especially as if bigger would have to be above ground.

Karma looked shattered by the news but Oneiro quickly picked them up into his lap, cuddling them while he finished off his own lemon cake.

"Don't forget you can have your chocolate bubble bath in a bit.~" Oneiro reminded the pouting babybones, feeling he would need a bath himself with how much food had somehow gotten all over Karma's clothes.

"Maybe once I get the next island expansion, that will give me an actual field to grow this flour in bulk" Hearth giggled "Now off to bath Nebula"

Karma jumped down from dad's lap and grabbed Nix whose fur was also covered in food before running towards the bathroom, very much looking forward to using the super nice bubbles.

"I'll clean up.~" Oneiro offered as he began picking up the dirty plates, the one thing that was safe for him to do alone in the kitchen.

"Thanks, I'll go get him clean and in bed so you can give him stories" Hearth chuckled, then headed off to get Karma clean.

Oneiro calmly cleaned up, the routine rather familiar after living here for a while, just putting away the last dish when he heard Hearth call him saying they were done.

He sat at the edge of the bed as he read Karma a story, barely getting through a page before the babybones began to softly snore. He quietly put the book away and pulled up their covers, spending a moment just watching his child sleep without a care in the world.

When he got out he found Hearth in the living room sipping tea, a large aged leather bound book in his hands reading. There was a coffee by Oneiro's chair, along with cookies.

"He's already dead asleep in my bed I see" Hearth said looking up smiling, Karma had been more active than usual with how crazy working on their new room had been.

"I'm not surprised with how much energy he burned running around like crazy.~" Oneiro snickered, sighing happily as he sat down and drank his precious coffee.

The silence after that was comfortable, both reading their own respective books but when an hour passed by Oneiro finally spoke up.

"I was thinking of taking the potion once Karma's room is done.~" He said softly, seeing Karma's pure innocent reaction when decorating had spiked his curiosity but also made him truly wonder if he had ever felt like that when he was younger.

It was so long ago and the apples had further distorted his memories of when he was younger, never having asked Ordeal due to knowing how painful it could be to talk about it for them.

"I thought you might, did you know there is also another potion people can take to be older for twenty-fours hours. I took it once so i understand the strangeness of changing age, its quite different then age shifting. Younger is easier on the body" Hearth told him, Karma would never have the potion unless he gained a lot more common sense and maturity.

Oneiro's mind Instantly went to the same place as Hearth's, his face going through an interesting mix of emotions when he thought of Karma ever taking that sort of potion, knowing reality would not be ready for an adult Karma.

"Sounds interesting~" He said as diplomatically as he could while those thoughts swam in his mind, very much putting those thoughts to the far corners of his mind.

An amused snort was his reply.

"Not really, I made the mistake of going out while an adult and everyone hit on me and all the strange hormones adults have. I have no interest in that type of thing" Hearth said, shivering in disgust.

Oneiro could only imagine how uncomfortable it would be, very much glad he didn't have that sort of issue, it far easier to deal with fear in his opinion.

He was of course oblivious to any admirers he gathered, even with his ability to sense emotions he could be rather clueless sometimes.

"Enough talk of potions, but we should likely be done with his room tomorrow or the next the way we're going. I'm making sure all the bookcases will be up tomorrow so you two can organise his books" Hearth hummed, then grinning placed a strange looking device that looked like a rabbit on the table between them.

"..what is that?~" Oneiro said a tad hesitantly, really hoping it wasn't like the weird toy that he still hasn't managed to burn, still getting traumatised by that devil toy Blotched made for Karma.

"To add the spring and summer areas I'll need to expand the island to certain other spots. One of them will be a wheat farm of the type that takes so long to grow, it's the type I used in tonight's cake. But that means its too big for a normal auto farms, that's a proto type of the little helpers I'm thinking of making to run some farm's outside the normal ones" he told Oneiro "It only looks over bright, as it's a tester and easy to spot"

"That.. and Karma will likely steal it when I'm done with it" he said dryly.

"He will very much steal one..or a few more.~" Oneiro said with certainty as he picked up the device, it very much resembling a very odd rabbit, just knowing that a few would go 'missing' when Karma saw them.

"It would fit their themed room well.~" He said amused as he lightly tapped the 'nose' of the 'rabbit', it was rather well made and feeling rather solid.

"Press on the back of the neck to activate it, right now its just programmed to hop around and void things for a minute" Hearth said giggling "And depending on how this one works, I have a few starry or fairy rabbit designs for Karma's forest room"

Oneiro pressed the slight indent on the back of the device, putting it down just before it began to hop around and wiggle in place before hopping again.

"It really does act like a rabbit.~" He said intrigued, observing the way it seemed to 'sniff' the furniture before hopping away to a new area.

"I've actually had it in my workshop forever, you walked past it quite a few times. The final ones, once I'm sure they'll work, will have fake fur that looks like real fur types instead of a toy" he said, still giggling, picking it up, pressing against the chest opening a small slot of its electronic/magical insides.

"I do hope you've made a few.~" Oneiro just knew Karma was going to demand to have a few but at least it wasn't a real animal that Nix would likely hunt in feline jealousy.

"I have three testers right now, all rabbits. The other two are in a sealed room doing longer tests for the next three months. But they're easy to make, at least will be once I verify they'll react the ways I want" Hearth told him adjusting the settings, then activating it again a moment later.

This time it went into a sleep mode, where it curled into a ball sleeping little ears quivering with each 'breath' it took.

"The perfect size for a helper. Are you thinking of creating other 'animals' for the island?~" Oneiro thought it was a more visually pleasing form then just metals plates and wires for a helper, feeling they would blend in very well especially with the different seasons of the island.

"Depends on how well the rabbits do, but I'm thinking a canine one for the sheep and goats to herd them.. I swear if I find one more goat on a..." he voice descended into muttering, he disliked the darn goats and only kept them as Karma liked goat milk in the mornings.

"Good choices. Karma will adore them either way.~" Oneiro said without doubt, choosing not to address the goat issue as Herath grew very heated whenever it was brought up.

"Thinking letting Karma play test it after their room is done, make sure its AI can work around a busy babybones" Hearth sighed turning the rabbit off.

"It will be the perfect test.~" Oneiro thought that if it could survive Karma and Nix it would be able to survive nearly anything, looking forward to the many amusing pictures he was sure to capture.

"Its kind of a fun project" he said stretching.

"Maybe i'll look into starting my own little project.~" Oneiro said thoughtfully as he eyed the 'rabbit' on the floor, having a stable home that few could access and with Karma being in a much better headspace it meant he could do so when everyone was asleep.

"I just realised, this place is huge but you don't have your own workroom," Hearth said with a frown, everyone needed their own private spot and the library didn't count.

"It was never needed before but i wouldn't mind having a place now.~" Oneiro easily waved off their apologetic look, as when he moved in Karma was hardly able to be alone for long or able to handle not seeing either of them at least every hour, hardly anytime to indulge in a project.

"Well...there are plenty of rooms, but we are also expanding the island for the summer and spring areas." Hearth hummed pulled out his map of his island, looking over it and then pencilled in areas where the extensions would be. Summer would be large due to having a false ocean.

Sure, more a giant salty lake/ocean but it would work.

"How would you feel about having a tower around the summer area? There is a piece of nice land right by where it will be, that would fit one?" he asked.

Oneiro leaned over to study the area they pointed out, humming as he eyed the location.

"That would be ideal. Its out of the way and id feel more comfortable with my workroom being harder to access.~" He said thoughtfully, tending to get lost in the more unique sort of experiments that weren't exactly safe.

"We could even add its own shielding to it, mind you could be a few years till we build it unless you can find a tower you want to move there" Hearth told him, as he already had a lot of projects for the island "Mind you if you do find one, that would save time"

"I might have a place in mind..~" Oneiro gained a thoughtful glint in his eyes, trying to recall the AU which had that delightful old castle and outbuildings to it, feeling that would be ideal for what he wanted.

"Tell me if the plans pans out, and we can see about moving it over.. after making sure no weird pests and animals come with it" Hearth said thoughtfully.

"Will do.~" Oneiro was rather looking forward to it, rather impressed by how large the island was and unable to hold back a smile when he thought just how much Karma would love the summer area once it was done.

"It's getting rather late. You should probably get some rest as Karma is bound to wake you up early for decorating.~" He said once he saw the time, picking up the 'rabbit' to put it on the table and helping to gather the few items scattered about on the table.

"I'm off to bed then Oneiro, I'll leave the helper rabbit with you to play with" Hearth giggled, then headed to his room to sleep knowing Karma was quite a cuddler in their sleep.

------

"I think he likes it.~" Oneiro said redundantly as they both watched Karma near bounce around their newly finished room, unsurprised Karma had found one of the 'rabbits' and had added them to his room.

He gently nudged the 'rabbit' which froze that had fairy wings on the back of it, the AI still a work in progress but it was learning surprisingly fast, especially with Karma putting through its paces.

"I do believe he's right, and he's putting the one free tester through its paces too. Think I might need to replace the false fur, it's just not quite right" Hearth said, rather pleased with the room.

"A bit studier might be good but it's a good start.~" Oneiro commented, Nix alternating between curiously batting the 'rabbit' whenever it hopped past them or trying to groom it.

"It is a tester," Hearth snorted, but it was cute that in the few days since Karma found it they ran to Hearth anytime it stopped working for more than a few minutes. He'd added the fur and wings, unable to resist, because looked less like a toy now.

Oneiro was also happy as since Karma found the 'rabbit' they had stopped playing with the devil toy for a while, praying this would last and he wouldn't have to deal with it anymore.

Karma was overjoyed as he picked up his new bunny and nuzzled it, giggling as its wings flapped and how sparkly they were.

"I'll likely have to replace its entire innards when all the testing is done, as future rabbits look like they'll be more robust" Hearth whispered, the room likely could fit two more rabbits without making it too crowded for the false wildlife.

With the way Karma was squeezing the rabbit and showering it with love, he thought that it was a very wise idea to make it more sturdy, pretty sure it would be the most sturdy rabbit after all the rigorous 'testing' Karma was giving it.

"Thanatos got the toy" Hearth whispered too low for Karma to hear, meaning it was in the void now.

"Thank the stars.~" Oneiro whispered back and made sure his expression didn't flicker even if he was internally cheering at the toy finally being gone, hoping that Blotched never made them a new one.

Karma was far too enthralled with his cute bunny to listen in, carrying his new friend around the room and showing it every part as Nix walked along beside him.

"I wonder what Karma will ask me to program his rabbits to do once he has more, right now that one is in what I call cute friendly animal mode" Hearth giggled, he likely would program them once they were out of testing fully to keep Karmas collections in his room in Order.

"Guard rabbits, perhaps?~" Oneiro joked but could also very much see Karma ask for that in order to keep his many collections 'safe'.

He wasn't sure who would want to steal any of their 'treasures', especially their bottle cap collection which they were oddly defensive about but he could tell that Karma loved it all so he let it be.

Hearth actually broke out cackling over the image of guard rabbits.

"He is definitely going to want whatever other 'animal' you create.~" Oneiro whispered so Karma couldn't hear, not wanting the babybones to try and hunt down for more of them, which he knew they very well would do.

This also fulfilled Karma's need for more animal companions without making Nix jealous, the feline in question looking more intrigued than angry at the rabbit Karma was carrying around.

"I only have rabbits right now, and he'll have to wait for the other two rabbits still" Hearth giggled.

"I hardly think that will be an issue.~" Oneiro smirked as Karma began showing off his collections to the rabbit, snorting when the babybones held each item to the rabbit to 'sniff' before moving onto the next with a very serious expression.

He felt they would be at this for a while but was pleased by how happy Karma was.

"I promised Thanatos no bird helpers, and Nix no feline ones" Hearth sniggered.

Nix looked over at that moment and puffed up their tail as if he heard them, very much unwilling to share Karmas attention with anotherfeline.

"Very possessive.~" Oneiro cooed quietly, it utterly adorable how defensive they could get over the babybones.

A feather got stolen by Thanatos at that moment, the familiar landing in one of the false trees where Hearth as a joke had placed a nest for him.

Oneiro sighed as another feather was stolen from him but at least it was a loose one this time, still wincing at the memory of his largest flight feather being ripped out his wing.

"They have an oddly large collection already.~" He said surprised when he spotted the nest, not recognising a few of the feathers and having a feeling that Karma had helped Thanatos gather some for their nest.

He was not going to ask where they got them from, knowing when to pick his battles.

"He's a crow, pretty sure if he hadn't become my familiar and Nix wasn't Karma's he would have easily become Karma's due to way crows even Death crows collect things" Hearth sniggered, he could feel Thanatos amusement from here.

"They're definitely matched in that regard.~" Oneiro muttered, watching how Karma was still showing off his vast collection to the bunny in their hands.

"Oh stars they are, but I wouldn't trade familiars ever"

"I think Nix is the perfect match for Karma. A perfect companion for them.~"Oneiro couldn't think of anyone better to keep Karma out of most trouble, feeling that Thanatos would only encourage Karma's collections hoarding even more.

"You realise, Nix is pretty much me as a cat?" Hearth said, staring at Oneiro.

"Do you disagree with my assessment?~" Oneiro questioned back, not rescinding his opinion as he had seen how viciously Hearth had dealt with past threats towards the babybones, Nix very much the same in that regard.

He couldn't think of a better familiar for the danger prone babybones, doubting anything else would be able to survive the situations Karma seemed to stumble into.

"Not really, but.. there is something in one of my labs I want to introduce you to before you take the potion" Hearth said humming, such a rare find it was too.

Oneiro hummed in question but could clearly see Hearth wouldn't speak more of it just yet, going back to watching Karma who had gone up to their loft area to lay on their plushy collection.

"Just enjoy the day Oneiro, I'll be playing in the lab working on the summer area if you need me" Hearth said and called to tell Karma what he was doing, he had work to do.

Oneiro went up to join Karma up in the loft, soon pulled into a game involving all their plushy's and their new 'rabbit', nodding along with a small smile as they explained the frankly bizarre 'rules' to their new game.

He was more than happy to go along with it though, just basking in his child's easy happiness that wasn't tainted by anxiety for once, something far too rare in the past year.

------

"You look a lot more relaxed" Hearth said greeting him as he entered his lab.

"Karma is much calmer than they have been in a long while.~" Oneiro said simply but it truly explained his better mood, the SwapDream very much attuned to his child's emotions.

He had played with Karma for a good few hours and the babybones was now napping, not realising how much he had missed the simple things his child did.

"That's good," Hearth said pleased, he picked up a box and placed it into Oneiro's hands. Opening it Oneiro was surprised to see a strange obsidian black egg the size of a marble cushioned inside.

"What is it?~" Oneiro said softly, oddly mesmerised by the tiny egg, afraid to even touch it even if a part of him greatly wanted to.

"That.. is.. well the best way to call it is a familiar egg. It's not bound to anyone, and can take years to hatch or minutes depending on the person that shares their magic bound to it. Their shape, is based on what the bonder truly needs" Hearth said, taking the egg out, and placing it in Oneiro's hands.

The egg felt cold in Oneiros hands, it was so tiny that it felt like it would crack with a simple touch despite how solid it felt in his hand. He didn't even think when a spark of his magic instinctively went to the tiny egg, startled when it near Instantly grew to fit snugly in his palms.

"It feels so warm.~" He whispered in awe, feeling oddly comforted from just holding it.

"Where did you get it?~" He asked but didn't look away from the now larger egg, so many questions and yet most of them felt stuck in his throat.

"Believe it or not, years ago. I didn't know what it was then, the new books you picked up had a section on them" he responded.

"I must have missed that book. I got quite a few from that AU.~" Oneiro said distractedly, rubbing a thumb across the black shell and felt a slight heartbeat coming from it which made him smile.

"I've seen the way you look at Nix and Thanatos and I know you wondered. Everyone deserves a special friend" Hearth said "But who said I had only one, twins should always be in balance"

And placed a second box on a table.

"He came for Karma against FATE, even though he really shouldn't"

Oneiro held the egg close to his chest and peaked into the second box, spotting a pure white egg that was the size of a marble as well.

"Ordeal can be rather stubborn.~" He said fondly, knowing his brother could really use a constant friend and not those pets they called friends.

"A familiar from these eggs tell a lot about a person, things they may never realise about themselves or others" Hearth told him turning back to the summer expansion "I look forward to see what your SOUL creates as a companion and what Ordeals will be one day"

"So do i. I'm sure Ordeal will love it.~" Oneiro murmured as he looked at the egg with a rather fond look, carefully placing it in the pocket inside his coat pocket, having a need to keep it close to his SOUL.

"You should go see Ordeal, you likely won't get a chance for awhile" Hearth told him as he looked over some notes, he looked up at his friend specks of Celestial gold in them.

Oneiro gently brushed against the parental bond with Karma, confirming that they were sound asleep with no nightmares and gently grabbed the wooden box donating the second egg.

"I shouldn't be long.~" He hoped he would be back before Karma woke up, not bothering to ask what exactly they knew as he knew it would lead to anyway. He trusted them enough to accept the helpful advice for what it was, holding the wooden chest close to him before going off to deliver a precious cargo.

He hadn't given his brother such a surprise in a while and he was sure they would enjoy seeing him again, it was far too long since they last met due to a non-emergency in his opinion.

That should prevent some silly things

A Good choice too

"Chatty today I see" Hearth snorted, sometimes even Oneiro needed a push in the right direction.

~~~~~~

Hearth: *Wondering where Karma's bear plushy is* Did you misplace it again, Karma?

Karma: *Half asleep and mumbling a nonsensical answer* It's playing with my new toy

The bear plushy in question: *In a greenhouse with the cursed 'toy' in a pose set up for a tea party*

Oneiro: *Feeling a shiver run down his spine, still convinced the new 'toy' is possessed* We need an exorcist for it~

-

Karma and Hearth: *Having fun redesigning the babybones room*

Oneiro: *So pleased Karma is happy and realising how lucky he was that Hearth is sane* I can just imagine Template trying to do this~

Template: *Texting his usual essay to Oneiro of the day of rather unhinged things*

Oneiro: *Deleting the text without looking with a a slight twitch to his eyes*...so very lucky~

-

Oneiro: *Gushing over his child at the park to a random monster* They are such an angel. Aren't they just adorable?~

Karma: *Spitting and hissing like a feral animal with rabies because someone tried to touch Nix*

Random monster: *Sweat dropping and trying to put space between him and the crazy Dream* Y-Yeah...

-

Karma: *Visibly struggling to share any garlic bread* You may h-have some too

Oneiro: *Trying not to laugh at the sheer effort exuded for suck a task* Why thank you~

-

Hearth: *Talking about ageing potions* I even have ones that can make you much older

Oneiro: *Thinking of how chaotic Karma is now and shivering at the idea of how much worse it could be*..let's keep those locked away somewhere nice and safe~

Hearth: *Ten steps ahead and having the exact same thought* Already done

-

Hearth: *Creating 'rabbit' helpers for the farm* These will be useful for all farm work and it's far from done but-

Karma: *Spotting it and quickly yoinking it for his room* New toy!

Oneiro: *Smirking in amusement and snapping pictures at how enamoured Karma is by it* Good thing you have such a good 'stress tester', Hearth~

-

Oneiro: *Holding his familiar egg with clear fascination*

Hearth: *Nudging them to give the twin egg to Ordeal, knowing Oneiro can be a bit oblivious to the obvious things* I'm sure your brother would like one as well. Why not go see him and catch up?

Hearths Aspects: *Pleased at the Choice made and at the brighter path chosen*