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Rhaenyra knocks for the third time on her sons’ door and waits impatiently for one of them to come greet her. It is early in the morning, but it is a routine they have established. She occasionally, during the week, brings her boys breakfast and coffee on her way to work if they don’t have an early class, and twice a week she meets with each of them for early breakfast.
(Actually, they meet three times a week for outside breakfast. Each son gets a day of the week for individual breakfast with their mother, and then on the third day both of them meet with her. They made this a tradition when Jace and Luke moved out of home into a shared apartment.)
Today is Jace’s day of the week.
When the door finally opens, is neither of her sons who greet her. Instead, she finds her brother, Aegon, shirtless and only in small clothes standing there; his short silver locks a mussed mess. He blinks at her sleepily, “Hi, big sis.” he says, casually.
Rhaenyra is confused, to say the least. Her siblings have moved back here only a few months ago, and while they aren’t really close, only the occasional family dinner, she hadn't been aware her boys and her brother had rekindled their bonds. So to see her younger brother in her children’s house is a bit surprising. But then again, they were close when they were younger. Inseparable, annoyingly so. All that, before things got so tense and wrong. “Aegon. Surprised to find you here.”
Aegon snorts, blinking at her through sleepy eyes. “We were having drinks and I crashed,” he shrugs.
Rhaenyra raises an eyebrow, and is about to say something, but Jacaerys then comes out of his room, half asleep still and wearing nothing but a shirt that barely reaches his thighs. “Egg? Why are you up?” He says groggily, rubbing at his eyes. Aegon gives Rhaenyra a little smirk and turns to leave.
“Your mom’s here!” He says as he walks past him, patting Jace’s head on his way and then disappears into the bathroom. Jacaerys is wide awake immediately.
Rhaenyra eyes her son suspiciously and Jace has the decency of looking a bit embarrassed at the state of his appearance. “Hey, mother. I’m sorry, I forgot today is Friday, please, allow me to go change and I’ll meet you in a few.“
Rhaenyra’s violet eyes then scan the living room and curiously enough notices the lack of use of the couches, decorative pillows neatly put.
See, that time Jace managed to not make his uncle’s presence suspicious. But Lucerys, on the other hand, doesn’t run with the same amount of luck the next time Rhaenyra comes to visit her sons for their usual breakfast dates. Because next time she knocks on her boys’ door, it is yet another one of her brothers answering. “Aemond?” she frowns a bit at the sight of her youngest brother.
“Sister,” he nods. He looks quite awake, despite the hour being early. “Luke is still asleep,” he informs her, as nonchalant as ever, proceeding to fetch his coat from the hanger, (omitting the fact that he lacks a shirt and it was cold as shit outside). He buttons it up and lets Rhaenyra in as he steps out muttering, “Good day, sister.” And helps himself out, leaving Rhaenyra dumbfounded at the quick exchange. Aemond is a man of few words and has never liked people in his business, but this display right now, what the shit was that . This feels like all of their business somehow. She shakes her head and makes her way to her younger son’s room. He is a messy individual, her precious boy, of nothing served her scoldings when he still lived home. There are clothes scattered all over the floors and she finds him all tangled in his sheets. She sighs, it’s been a while since he had slept in on her. “Luke? Darling?”
“Mmph, Aemond?” He croaks out, turning in his sleep. Rhaenyra freezes, blinking at her son with her hand mid air. Okay, has she missed something these past weeks?
“It’s me, Luke. Mother.”
“Mother…?” He says softly and then a few seconds later he jolts awake. “Mother?!” He squeaks, eyes wide and hair a tangled mess of soft curls. Rhaenyra gives him an expectant look, eyebrows raised. “Oh, hi!” His cheeks burn up as he sits up. “What are you doing here?”
“It is Tuesday, my son.”
Luke’s pouty lips form an O as he realises. “Right, I’ll get up.” And he does as he says. But Rhaenyra can’t look away at what his son is wearing. A shirt too big for his dainty form. And it’s nothing new, Lucerys has always loved comfortable clothing—and it isn’t like Rhaenyra knows her son's wardrobes by heart. But she has seen this shirt before. On one of her brothers. The one that just walked out on the winter air shirtless with only a coat no more than ten minutes ago.
And Rhaenyra, Gods be good, can’t help herself when the question just sputters out, incredulously. “Is that my brother’s shirt?”
The look on Lucerys’ face is enough of an answer itself, even when the boy starts to deny it rapidly, turning ruby red and changing clothes quickly. His denial could’ve been convincing any other day, perhaps. He says it was one of his friend’s shirt from when he had come over. Rhaenyra almost believes him, because this is her darling boy and she would believe anything that comes out of his mouth adorned with his best puppy eyes. But she was not born yesterday. Still, she lets it rest.
The third time it is Jacaerys who answers the door, at least he’s dressed in his own clothes and ready to go. However, it is Aegon now who is swimming in an oversized hoodie that belongs to her son. She knows this because she bought it for him last fall. He is eating cereal and he says hello to her, flashing her a cheeky grin. He says goodbye to Jace, though, and the look they share is an almost shy one, Aegon’s smile to him is definitely softer. They leave, and she considers cornering her son about both of his uncle’s continuous presence in their home and how they definitely look way too comfortable there. But she ultimately chooses against it, deciding to respect her sons’ decision on wanting to spend what appears to be close time with her brothers. After all, nothing has really changed.
Except the fact that they’re all very, very poorly lying to her face.
Jace starts a conversation immediately—completely avoiding any mention of his uncle. She decides to leave it too.
The fourth time, Luke comes out of the door the moment she knocks, and he wears a dreamy expression. He wears a jacket way too long for him, reaching his calves; all black with silver clasps. She takes a look at him and shakes her head. Her son has his head in the clouds that day.
“You seem chipper today, my sweet boy. What’s got you in such good spirits?” She asks, blowing on softly on her latte before taking a sip.
“Hm? Oh! It’s nothing,” he dismisses with a giggle and rosy cheeks.
“Really? Is there something perhaps you’re not telling me?”
Lucerys is fully blushing now, shrinking into what she knows is her brother’s coat. She’s seen him wear it a couple of times, and she remembers when he put it on when he was shirtless-ly leaving her sons’ home the other day.
“Is there someone you like?” She teases him, trying for a gentle smile.
“I—um…maybe...” he stutters, looking everywhere but her.
“Would you like to tell me about them?”
“I’m… not sure you’ll like it.”
She purses her lips, eyes soft and hopeful. “Try me?”
He sighs, looking down at his blueberry muffin and picking it apart; deep in thought. He then shakes his head and looks up at her, finally. His eyes look uncertain and it stings. “I don’t think I’m ready to talk about it just yet,” he says, and his voice is drenched in something akin to shame—it makes her heart ache.
She nods, extending her hand and invitingly opening her palm. Her son places his soft hand in hers, she grips it warmly. “That’s alright. As long as you remember that I’m here for you and that I love you no matter what. Always,”
He mutters something under his breath that sounds vaguely like not with this you won’t and her heart clenches once more. Lucerys is the closest to her out of all of her children, and seeing that he feels as if he can’t share this with her is digging a hole in her chest. But—she respects his choices and decides to let it go. Grabbing his hand and placing a few kisses in it. It makes him giggle like when he was still a boy. She misses him so.
The fifth time, Rhaenyra stands with her arms crossed, waiting for her younger son to be ready while she watches her eldest move around the kitchen with her brother and her other brother sits on the island eating cereal comfortably quietly. Jace is helping Aegon make himself pancakes without burning down their entire building and they argue about the right measurements and the way they were taught how to do them. Jace insists on the way Rhaenyra taught him and Luke when they were kids and Aegon on the way he watched the maids and Alicent. Aemond ignores them but throws a fuelling comment on how Aegon can’t cook to save his life and should let their nephew do it before he leaves or he could just starve.
“All of my stupid sweaters are dirty and I forgot to do laundry yesterday,” Luke huffs coming out of his room with a frown. He is fussing over the long sleeved shirt he threw on, complaining that it’s itchy and too dressy and he just wants to be comfortable.
Rhaenyra opens her mouth to finally mutter a word after twenty minutes of silently waiting, but Aemond beats her to it. “Here,” he says, letting go of his spoon with a clink and reaching for the hem of his own sweater. He pulls it off and hands it to his nephew. Rhaenyra is glad to see that her little brother wears a simple black tee underneath this time, and she’s not forced to witness him shirtless again. But the display makes her look at the pair in strange awe. Lucerys’ face glows in a rosy tint, and he looks at his uncle like he just hung the moon when he mutters out a soft and almost shy’ “Thank you, uncle.” Aemond shrugs minutely, “It’s cold outside,” and resumes to break his fast.
Luke runs to his room and when he comes back out is changed into Aemond’s dark green sweater. He is radiating pure comfort, dainty hands tucked into the pockets. Her brother, done with his breakfast now, turns on his seat and lets out an approving hum that makes her understand that he enjoys the sight of her son swimming in his clothes and that makes said boy smile bashfully. She shifts uncomfortably and her son breaks out of his uncle-induced spell, going over to her quickly. “Sorry for the wait mother, we can go now. Jace!”
“Coming!” his brother replies. He reaches unconsciously and squeezes Aegon’s arm softly. “Try to not burn the entire square down, will you?” His voice is teasingly soft, and he almost leans into his uncle’s space, a gesture that feels out of habit in their body language. Rhaenyra also doesn’t miss the way her brother’s eyes drift down to her son’s lips for a brief second, but it seems they catch themselves quickly and pull away. Aegon shrugs it off and rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, whatever, I’ll see you at dinner time.”
Lucerys is next to her, and through the corner of her eye she can see her son batting his eyes prettily at her brother, whom she catches blowing him a discreet kiss.
Rhaenyra sighs—it has become a habit these past few weeks, with her sons and brothers behavior it’s now normal in her. They do think she was born yesterday, the little shits.
“Okay, we may leave now.” Jacaerys says airly as he finally joins them.
It is a couple of weeks later that Rhaenyra finds herself knocking on her sons door, not in the morning this time and not on their usual days. She’s exhausted and frustrated after the day she’s had. Her husband got on her nerves so badly that evening that she fled the house, closing their front door with a bang. The days at the office were too tense. She was trying her best as heir of the family’s company, but since Alicent’s return to King’s Landing everything was even more stressful than before. She knew her younger brothers could care less about their family dynasty. She knew and had been witnessing where their priorities lay for over a month now. That her former best friend now turned step-mother still blinded herself with these fantasies was beyond her. But it was exhausting. Her husband’s constant nagging and insistence about her having to harden her hand and stance regarding that side of her family in the council meetings was fucking tiring. She needed a break. Lately, she was missing the good old days of her youth. Oh how carefree she’d been back then. She loves her life now, don’t get her wrong, and she loves her children and husband. But sometimes… she wishes she had a little time to unwind and connect with young Rhaenyra for a bit.
Jacaerys opens the door abruptly, he is giggling about, looking to his right until he finally pays attention to the door he just opened and sobers up, eyes a little wide. “Mom?!” he squeaks out, loud enough that the laughter coming from the living room dries up. “W-What are you—*coughs* doing here?”
Behind him she can hear the start of some commotion and a chorus of frantic whispers of “oh shit, oh shit!” and she groans. “You boys don’t have to hide the pot, I can smell it from here!”
“W-We don’t—we are not—”
Rhaenyra gives her eldest son an annoyed look and then rolls her eyes. She pushes him out of the way. They are gathered in the living room. Snacks and beer are placed on the coffee table. The tv is on, a movie that she knows they were only half watching. Luke is sitting next to Aemond in the loveseat, looking flustered while Aemond looks relaxed, only his clothes are a bit mussed. Aegon is sitting by their feet in front of the coffee table—trying to hide the rolling papers and probably a quarter or few grams of weed they must be sharing. Aegon is doing a poor job of trying to put out discreetly the already lit blunt, though.
Her middle son looks at her, eyes bloodshot while he tries to regain his composure to greet her properly. “Mommy? We weren’t expecting you today.” He hasn’t called her mommy publicly since he was thirteen and claimed that he was a grown man now, she shall be called mom from then on. Bullshit talk, because he still calls her that when he is either sick, alone with her or exceeding his wine cups. And high, like now.
“I know you weren’t, that’s why I’m here.”
Jace is now next to her, looking nervously at the scene. She wonders how on earth her sons seem surprised that she knows of their weekend weed and alcoholic activities, but not that they’re clearly fucking her own brothers and doing a shit job trying to hide it.
She approaches Aegon, who startles, looking at her with wide, dilated eyes. “Sister, I swear this is not my influence—” Aemond snorts from his seat, Aegon elbows his calf.
Rhaenyra takes a deep breath. “I know my sons are potheads, calm now, little brother.” She hears offended gasps behind her and has to fight a bit longer to keep her composure and not chuckle.
“What?!” “No, we are not! It was all them mom!” “I would never—” Her sons talk at the same time. She gives them a pointed, knowing look.
Aegon is shaking his head, “I’m innocent. It’s all them, I had nothing to do with this. If anything, Aemond is involved.” That earns him a kick in the ribs from said brother.
“ ‘Innocent’ my ass, it was you who provided this time.”
The Targaryen brothers start bickering and Lucerys is now leaning on his seat, picking up a half empty beer from the table. “Mom, not that I don’t love seeing your beautiful face that only brightens my days, but why… um, why are you here? It’s Saturday night, I thought you had a date with Daemon?” Luke asks her.
Rhaenyra lets out one of her tired sighs. “I had a fight with Daemon and fled the house. Needed a break,” She turns and shrugs off her long coat, hanging it and then takes off her boots. When she returns she takes a seat besides Aegon, extending her hand out and wiggling her fingers. Aegon hands her the half burned joint he put out and then the lighter. “Left him the little ones for a change, he’s been traveling a lot this year, hasn’t been home in ages, now that he’s come back all he does is give me shit ever since Alicent’s return.”
She can feel the room go tense at this confession, but she busies herself lighting up the cig and taking a long drag. Damn, it’s been a while since she’s smoked anything. Too many pregnancies and kids to raise, and apparences to keep. “Don’t worry, it's not like I’ve been listening to any of his babbling.” She assures a frozen Aegon by her side, touching his arm lightly and then retrieving it just as fast. She looks up to find her kids gaping at her, and her other brother looking mildly surprised. “What?” she blows out some smoke and then takes another drag soon after.
“Well, um. You… I didn’t know you smoked, mother.” Jace says lamely.
Rhaenyra chuckles. “Oh dearest, I was your age once, you know. Please don’t offend me like this.” She searches for the rolling papers and a few grams Aegon hid under a dorito’s bag and starts preparing it while she continues her rant on her asshole uncle-husband that’s been getting on her nerves worse than ever lately. The silence, she notices after a bit, is getting quite ridiculous. She presents Aegon with the freshly made blunt and her brother takes it, breaking out of the trance he’d been while watching his oh mighty, impeccable older sister perfectly prepare a joint in her son’s coffee table.
“Damn, sis, didn’t know you had it in you. Turns out, you’ve been the og this whole time.” His laugh is incredulous. He happily lights up the joint and takes a drag.
Jace rounds the table and takes a seat next to Aegon on the floor. Aegon passes him the cigarette and he hesitates to take it at first, looking at his mother a bit sheepish. She rolls her eyes at him for the second time that night and urges him with a hand gesture. He takes a drag and relaxes, only the tiniest bit though. Aegon takes the joint back and turns to him, “Wannna shotgun?”
Jace’s face goes red. “Egg,” he warns, giving Rhaenyra a nervous side look that makes her laugh.
“You know, son,” she starts making a second joint with what’s left of the weed. “I wasn’t only doing weed at your age. Matter of fact, I was doing a lot of things,” she licks the paper and seals it. “But mainly I was doing my uncle.”
Up on the coach a sputter is heard when Luke chokes on his beer, and coughs while Aemond pats his back. “Mom!” he wheezes out.
Aegon, who now that she notices, is once again wearing one of her son's sweaters, shifts uncomfortably beside her, and Jace is looking at her with wide, scared eyes.
“Oh, come on! It actually offends me that you boys think I’m blind to this. Me, the original uncle-fucker. Do better.” She finally snaps; she’s been dying to say something for months now. She places back the half burnt joint in her lips and lits it. “Luke, you can go back to your uncle’s lap now, I know that’s where you were when I arrived. Big, cuddly baby that you are, my sweet child. But no funny business! Respect your mother.” She scolds.
The tension breaks immediately after that, the room is filled with giggles. She passes the joint she’s just made to her youngest so he and his uncle can share it like the other two are doing. They all engage in lighthearted chatter, mainly Rhaenyra retelling stories from her youth while the four boys listen, completely mesmerised by her younger self’s recklessness and shenanigans. Aegon ends up being her biggest fan, naturally.
Later on they order pizza, of three kinds, and half watch a movie—only because they all keep interrupting with something stupid to say.
Rhaenyra feels relaxed, finally. Just like she so desperately needed, and she is happy to have found comfort in her boys and her brothers. Amusing herself by watching their dynamic turns out to be quite fun when they don’t try to stick each other’s tongues down the other’s throat. They don’t, at least not in front of her, thank Gods. But Aegon, ever being Aegon, steals a peck from Jace at some point and Rhaenyra only shakes her head, taking a gulp of her beer while her son swats his uncle away from his face. “You’re so embarrassing, Egg!” He says, but still holds him close to himself.
Right now, Aemond and Luke are the calmest of the bunch, they remain on the couch. Luke’s legs rest on his uncle’s lap, and one of Aemond’s hands is caressing one of his ankles mindlessly.
The domesticity that these boys share tell her that they’ve found something good, something special on one another, and that eases her initial tentativeness about their whole involvement.
“How long have you known, sister?” Aemond wonders at some point.
“Since the first time I saw Aegon here.” she snorts.
“Pay up!” Aemond kicks his brother and insults are shared between the two again.
And because she is a Targaryen, the mother and older sister of the bunch, Rhaenyra decides to stir the pot some more. “Annnd, Luke also called me Aemond when I woke him up one time. He was also very obviously wearing your shirt.” She adds, amused.
She hears Jacaerys groan, “I knew it!”
“It’s not my fault! Aegon wears your shit all the time!”
“Yes, it is! You were the one that accepted Aemond’s sweater right in front of mom! Pay up!”
“I think you all are missing the point here. You all owe me money, I told you all that it would be me or Lucerys’ clingy ass to expose us.” Interrupted Aegon.
Money was begrudgingly exchanged.
When Rhenyra left, it was late into the night and in an uber. Jace, a bit more sober than everyone else, had ordered one for her. He had also texted Daemon,
“Mom is arriving home in an uber soon. She’s high and wasted. Good luck!!!”
After that weekend, they made it a tradition that one Saturday of each month, Rhaenyra would escape her household and her husband and she would join her youngsters, indulging her inner child in some carefreeness. This time served to bond with her half-siblings, making things less and less tense between their families. It was comforting and freeing. The boys were not ready to explicitly announce their relationships yet, and it was comforting and freeing to have such an important figure in their lives on their side.