// tw for non-graphic mentions of abuse, in the second paragraph only, i will section in in between [[double brackets]] so that anyone who wishes to skip over it can
also
tldr: everything in between the hr lines is just backstory, it's completely optional! i didn't proofread it !
first paragraph and last is rlly all you need to read unless you want the cool ~lore~

Shit, shit, shit! They were going to be late! The trio of blonde haired disasters were rushing as fast as they could, on the most unconventional methods of transport, yet making it work somehow. Lil was in the front, skateboarding as fast as she could. She wasn't great, but Shay had taught her enough for it to be a reliable method of transport-- and it was a good wedding gift, too! Lil had stolen Shay's skateboard. That's what had happened. Sometimes it just be like that. Meanwhile, Lissa and Eli were a dynamic duo, traveling with the help of each other and in style at that. Lissa rode speedily on a bike, keeping up with Lil and occasionally tossing her head back to check on the remaining triplet. Said triplet, Eli, was simply cruising along, sunglasses on and wind sweeping her hair back as she held onto a rope attached to Lissa's bike, being pulled along with Lissa's effort and her own heelys.
They were going to make it to this fucking wedding.

---

The three had been tossed into the foster system early; [[They had been removed from their house after their father struck Lissa. Their mother had died young, not that that would've helped, she had been nothing but neglectful in the time she was around.]] With no siblings able to take them in, they were left to the elements, only with each other as reliable links. It didn't take long for the three to realize being adopted together was unlikely, but it wasn't that they'd have it any other way. If someone tried to separate the three, they'd raise hell. Even the well-tempered Lissa could be red-eyed and furious if someone got between them. They weren't dumb; they realized nobody wanted them together aside from themselves, and so they ran. Ran in the night, away from it all.

They lived in the city slums, jumping from one abandoned building to the next. Collecting supplies where they could, gathering broken knives and pieces of themselves with every day that passed. They saw more fights than any child should've; there was blood on their hands that they could never wash off. Eli faced the brunt of that, and there were still nights she stayed up, watching out the window in case someone came for her. For revenge. She knew that the world was unkind, and although she didn't greet death with open arms, she refused to let anyone hurt her sisters. Not now, and not ever. If someone wanted and eye for an eye then she'd be the one to pay the price, not anyone she cared about.

Lil cracked her eyes open, finding that they were immediately watering. Resisting the urge to shut them once more, roll back over, ignore the issue, she sat up. A deep breath soon lent to the smell smoke, and after a coughing fit she decided to locate the exact source. She rose up and looked around, assuming that Eli or Lissa had been cooking something, boiling some water, something of that sort. However, the sight of her two sisters at her side quickly disproved that theory. Light lent itself from the ceiling which was a telltale sign that they needed to get out. Lil shook her sisters violently, and the three gathered the bags right around them before they bailed.

It was supposed to be simple: follow the stairs, get to the exit, get out. But the building was already beginning to light up rapidly and despite it seemingly spreading from the building next door -- Eli deduced this after seeing that larger portions of their current location were untouched, although likely not for long -- it had been moving quick. Quicker than they could. They didn't know the building layout, but the fire didn't discriminate. It was eating up as much as it could, as fast as possible.

A staircase to the main lobby was supposed to be their salvation, but a part collapsed as Eli jumped across a gap in the stairs. Lissa felt the spike of fear from Eli through their bond, and quickly turned around to help the other before the opportunity was lost. Lil yelled out to her sisters as rubble fell between them, but Lissa stayed steadfast as she helped Eli up. Lissa stayed steadfast as flames licked at her body, trying to consume it. Lissa stayed steadfast as they jumped through the flames, over the rubble, out of the building.
Lissa stayed steadfast, right up until she couldn't.

From there Lil and Eli tried to treat the burn wounds, but they realized soon that this wasn't something they could bluff their way through. They needed medicine and better supplies, but that wasn't fathomable with the current amount of money they had. They had as much to their name as delicacy Eli had in her actions, which was to say none at all. So Lil and Eli did what they did best: they turned to crimes. A quick trip to the busier parts of the cities lent them to people to pickpocket, stores to lift from. They knew it wasn't right, but Lissa was more important than any moral compass. They didn't care what was right anymore-- the world never showed them what was right in the first place.

They'd accumulated enough for the next few days or so -- not enough for all the time it would take Lissa to heal, but the two didn't like leaving Lissa alone that long, and it was beginning to get late. Nighttime was the worst time to be alone in, and they sure as hell weren't leaving Lissa to the elements. Still, Eli noticed a couple that looked well put together, and with the point made that they could probably lift something without getting caught, and by proxy be able to grab some more supplies for Lissa at a later date, Lil gave in. The two sisters worked well together, it would be fine. And it was fine, up until the white-haired woman grabbed ahold of Eli's wrist.

Lil was immediately in action, pulling a switchblade from her pocket and ran to Eli's side, grabbing her forearm and pointing the knife at the woman. Perhaps it was fate that they'd try to pickpocket this couple, because they were more... understanding than either of the blonde twins expected them to be. They were reassuring, and they were gentle about it too. They inquired about the two's parents, or if they had anywhere to belong. Eli was immediately spitfire and rage, but Lil took the opportunity that she saw. It was a risk, yes, a complete gamble, but she was the one with the knife here. At least she had an edge, even if it was literal.

Lil just wanted to have the two leave them alone -- she didn't even care about keeping what they'd tried to steal from the couple, they just needed to get back to Lissa! -- but the two insisted on helping. Lil and Eli vehemently denied, eventually running off. The icyhot duo didn't follow.
That wasn't the last of them, though.

The three were curled up in an dead-end alleyway they'd found. It was meant to store trash and garbage and Eli had joked about them fitting right in. They assembled a little bit of a fort, pulling a dumpster towards the back of the alley and tipping it over so that they could nestle inside. They pushed trash bins in front of them so anyone glancing into the alley wouldn't see them, and although the entire situation was pretty much disgusting, it kept them safe and dry, which was good because a light drizzle had begun. They set out empty water bottles to catch rainwater and Eli kept first watch. When she and Lil eventually switched out, Eli had only just fallen into a light sleep when lights shone down the alleyway. Lil froze, hoping the lights would pass by, but familiar voices called down the pathway. Calling for the kids, the triplets. On any other occasion this would strike fear into Lil's heart (admittedly, it still did) but she knew these voices. She recognized the call of the icyhot couple. They'd come back.

Lil ventured out on her own, a sturdier knife held between her fingers as she made herself visible. The two looked relieved, and almost immediately offered a bag to her. It had been full of medical supplies, and ones of good quality at that. There was also three sweatshirts, and from the looks of it, they were new.
"Dude, it's pouring out here. Wanna crash at our place for the night? I'm not going to force you guys, but catching a cold isn't gonna help her recover." The white haired one pointed out, leading to the other woman to back her up in turn. "You can stay as long as you need, with us. Only if you want, of course, but please consider it. We want to help you three, you're too young to know such horrors."

The three eventually went with this mysterious, yet compassionate couple. Eli made them swear up, down, left, and right that it was just for the duration of Lissa's healing, and the two insisted that they were free to go whenever, they just wanted to help. Never once did they pry for information, and questions were left to simple inquiries about dinner preferences and favorite colors. Lissa had relaxed around the two first, finding joy listening to Margaery tell stories like an eager young child would, and spending nights out with Shay in the backyard to look at the stars. Still, it took all three of them a decent amount of time before they trusted either parent alone with one of them, which made it rather surprising when Eli had opened up first.

It had been a normal night, the three had fallen asleep in their shared room -- the two offered each girl their own room, but even then it seemed out of genuine consideration and not a desire to separate them -- in the king sized bed the three shared. Eli had found herself woken up from a nightmare, and after slipping out of bed (reassuring Lil that she was just getting some water, and she'd bring her knife anyways) she ventured outside. In the kitchen she was greeted by Shay, who looked to be grabbing a snack by the looks of things.
"You doing okay, kid?" She asked, glancing over to the blonde, who only crossed her arms and huffed in response.
"Of course I am. I'm grabbing water, that's all." She hurriedly grabbed a glass, filling it with a copious amount of ice before adding the actual water.
"Neat. I'm bored. Wanna play Mario Kart?"

Lil and Lissa rushed out of their room the next morning, frantic, only to find Eli and Shay asleep on the couch wrapped up in a blanket.

Lissa followed suit quickly, having an affinity for gardening already. The discovery of Margaery's garden was one followed by gasps and compliments. The brunette invited Lissa to garden with her, and from there on out the two were tight.

Lissa wasn't even sure when she had begun crying, but one moment she was okay, silently gardening and watching her hands as she always did, and the next she was dripping tears onto her hands. Muffled, as if underwater, she could hear Margaery in the background asking if she was okay, if she needed anything, but Lissa only shook her head. She wasn't in hysterics, or sobbing at all. Her breathing was steady, only her hands were shaking, and yet tears rolled down her cheeks, onto her hands. Her scarred and calloused hands.
"I'm sorry, I just... I can never make something so beautiful. Not the way you do, Miss Margaery."
"Oh, don't be silly! Don't you see, dear? You already have."

Margaery and Shay had a fight one night -- all three girls remembered it distinctly. Lil worked on lulling her twins to sleep before she tiptoed outside, to the kitchen -- the warzone -- and got to work.

It was silent. Lil was boiling milk, grabbing marshmallows and whipped cream on a quest to make hot chocolate. The two mothers were simply staring, suddenly aware that at least one of the three girls they'd taken in had heard their quarreling. Looking back at the situation, it made sense, but the two had been so accustomed to having this house to themselves, and with the anger that consumed them in the moment of fire and rage had blinded them to the three girls who had only ever known yelling and screaming as a code word for run!

But here Lil was, stirring milk as it boiled and humming a part of a song that her and her sisters used to sing together. Margaery and Shay had tried to speak up, but were only met with a stern "Sit!" as Lil continued to cook. And after the three drank their hot chocolate, they talked things over. Found fair compromises and solutions. Things were calm once more.
"Lil, this is very sweet but... don't think you have to shoulder this kind of responsibility, okay? Margy and I won't fight anymore, okay?"
Lil only laughed, raising a fist to her mouth as she did. She shook her head, finished her mug of hot chocolate, and looked up at the two.
"Don't be stupid, of course it'll happen again! But that's okay, I mediate for Lissa and Eli all the time, and you two are pretty similar to them, you know?"

The two adults had offered to cut the girls' hair ten times over, or at least give them the tools to do it themselves, but all girls had insisted on keeping their long locks. Still, that didn't stop Eli from complaining to her siblings about how she was annoyed to death with brushing out knots every day, trying to figure out how to keep it out of her face.

"Do I look like fucking Rapunzel to you? Hell no! So why do I have to be cursed with hair that just won't stay put! Ugh, bullshit, magic hair needs to fuck right off." Eli complained loudly running her fingers through her hair in front of a mirror. Margaery looked over from the couch, opening her mouth to make a suggestion before Eli took the liberty of cutting her off. "If you suggest cutting my hair again, Margaery, I swear to god the only thing that's going to get cut here is you."
"Of course not, dear, you said no the first time. However, I was wondering if I could braid your hair? It's an old thing I used to do with a sister of my own." Knowing full well that it could've been a lie, Eli sat down in front of Margaery and let the other get to work.

A while later -- Eli lost track of time, not that she was really keeping it anyways -- Margaery deemed the styling done, and as Eli inspected the beautiful braid adorned with flowers she began to tear up. For a moment, she pulled Margaery into a bear hug, but after that moment she put the woman down, turning her back on the rose queen.
"I never did that! I'm not a fucking softie..." She cast her head to the side, murmuring the next bit. "...not when Lissa and Lil need me to be strong."
Margaery understood why Eli was so guarded now.

Lissa had always loved the idea of cooking, but never really knew how. Not big elaborate meals, anyways. She could boil water to purify it, and she could cook some basic foods over a campfire if she was lucky, but nothing like the meals Margaery and Shay prepared.

"Yo, Liss, can you c'mere for a sec?" Shay called from the kitchen, and from the living room where the triplets were lounging, watching TV.
"Take a knife with you." Eli said halfheartedly, digging out a switchblade from her pocket and offering it to Lissa. Lissa took it knowing that Eli would follow along if she didn't and quickly headed to the kitchen, only to be offered another possession by Shay.
"I found an old family cookbook. Take it. I see the way you watch when Margaery and I cook." Shay said, smiling as the young blonde delicately accepted the book. "I can teach you, if you'd like."

Two weeks later Eli had complained about being hungry, and a half an hour later Lissa excitedly presented her with a grilled cheese sandwich sided with a cut up apple and some warm peanut butter to dip it in. Eli was wide eyed at the plate, but Lissa was absolutely beaming.
"No need to thank me! I'm learning how to cook, didn't you hear? I've got a cookbook and everything."
"Is that what you're always staying up and reading?" Lil asked, grabbing an apple slice, swiping it through the peanut butter and munching on it. "Oh, wow, this is real good! Thanks, Liss!"
"Shit, yeah, thanks dude. I don't think we've had a family meal since we were... young." Eli added on, a genuine smile coming to her face.
"Of course, anything for you guys."

After hearing that the triplets had never built a pillow fort they immediately got to work. They described the basics after Lissa had inquired about "the rules" and following suit the three began hanging blankets and pushing couches together. Margaery and Shay popped popcorn and poured sodas as the kids turned from pillow fort to pillow fight. Eventually the five of them had crashed into the fort and turned on a movie, and as soon as the two women had fallen asleep, the trio was speaking in hushed whispers.

"I like it here." Lil said softly glancing over to the mothers before looking back at her sisters. "They've said before that we're welcome to stay with them... forever, if we wanted to. I kind of want to."
"It's definitely an improvement from the streets!" Lissa added on with a hushed chime, pressing the fingertips from both hands together. "Staying would be nice." She glanced over at Eli, who was refusing to make eye contact.
"If you don't want to stay, El, we won't." Lil said, placing one of her hands on Eli's own. "We're not goi--"
"Let's stay." Eli cut Lil off, looking up at her sisters and smiling. "Yeah, let's stay. I think that'd be alright."

Margaery and Shay smiled to each other. They were awake, but they'd never tell the triplets that.

---

Lissa parked her bike right outside, not bothering to pick it back up as it clanged to the ground. Lil flipped up the skateboard and held it under an arm, beckoning with her free hands for her sisters to hurry! Eli dropped the rope and kept rolling along with her heelys.

As the three approached the doors, Lil shoved them open, panting.
"Please tell me we didn't miss this!" Lil cried out, looking around the hall.
"Damn, Margy and Shay got real tight security. Guns at a wedding, I'm digging it! I like the decorum." Eli added on as she stood by Lil's side, pointing to Washington and Carolina. Then, in a more hushed tone, she murmured, "They're still looking out for us after all. Huh."
"Guys, be quiet! What if you interrupt the vows at the objection, like in the movies!" Lissa said, red eyes wide and full of concern as she tried to see over the heads of her triplets. Pushing between the two, she approached the two freelancers and offered hands for each of them to shake. "Hi-- so sorry for the interruption, my sisters can be a bit- ah, rowdy! My name's Lissa Mikaelson-Folie-Everhart, daughter of Margaery Mikaelson-Folie and Shay Mikaelson-Folie. Those are my two sisters, Eli and Lil, we're here looking for our mothers." She looked around the venue, expression growing downcast. "Did... did we miss it?"

Suits were stuffy, uncomfortable and one yank of the tie and you were choking. But this was one of the few scenarios where he would dress fancy and not white about it, not even quietly. Granted, he could have been a little more prepared but he had about a day between his return and the ceremony itself, his own fault entirely. Not that he would let that stop him, if he missed such an important event for the two people that cared for him he would never forgive himself. Never.

He even brushed his hair back, pulling his bangs into the tiniest ponytail behind his head. It was the best he could do. He hoped he looked decent enough, there was no way to truly tell when you always grimaced at your own reflection. Admittedly, he would love to stick some flowers in his hair, that seemed appropriate, also he liked flowers.

Alex dashed towards the ceremony, almost tripping numerous times and only catching himself with the fear of dirtying himself. And he did make it, doing a quick run over his hair and adjusting himself before sliding near Wash. "I didn't miss it..." He breathed, a wave of relief washing over him. From that point he stayed silent, letting everything play out as it was meant to.