Schuyler
Wynn files the paperwork to change her last name the week after her parents are sentenced. She tells Evie she doesn't want another thing to do with them, and feels like she honestly can't get rid of any ties to them fast enough.
Evie privately frets about the change, and whether or not it's just borne out of Wynn's emotions, but she keeps it to herself, opting to be supportive, instead.
Then Wynn disappears.
She brings Ana to Sara and Hendrich’s to watch her, then says she’ll be back for dinner. It’s barely after eight when she leaves, but she doesn’t say where she’s going.
Naturally, there’s a slight panic. Hendrich calls Evie, who tries calling Wynn, who doesn’t answer. She tries about thirty times before she gives up and calls Brom.
“Brom! Is Wynn with you-”
“No,” he interrupts, sounding a bit irked. “But she’s fine.”
“What?”
“I know where she is, I have her location. She’s not with me, but she’s safe, I promise.”
“Where is she?” Evie asks desperately.
“Can’t tell you,” he sighs. “She made me swear.”
“Brom-”
“Ev,” he says tiredly. “I recognize this is stupid, but she begged me not to tell you. I can, however, promise that she is safe, she will remain safe, and she will be home for supper. Alright? That’s all I’m allowed to say.”
“Brom-”
“I swear to you, Evie, she will come home to you tonight completely safe. There’s just something she needed to do. And don’t worry, I’m tracking her. I won’t let her do anything stupid.”
“But-”
“She’s safe, Evie,” he says gently. “I promise.”
“Why didn’t you have her talk to me-”
“Because. She wants this bit to be a secret. It’s like a surprise, sort of,” he explains. “But you’ll know by tonight where she’s been. I swear.”
“I hate surprises!” She whines.
Brom laughs. “I know. I reminded her of that but she insisted anyway. Take it up with your wife when she comes home.”
“I’m gonna kill her when she comes home,” Evie grumbles.
“Well,” he says cheerily. “That’s your business. But I promise you, you’ll have the opportunity to tonight. She’s coming home.”
“Fine,” Evie says unhappily. “But I don’t like it.”
“Neither do I. Like I said, it's stupid," he says. "But take that up with her."
When she comes home that night, Wynn’s a bit cagey, not letting Evie get close enough to hug her. She just smiles at her tightly and kisses her on the head, then takes Ana from Sara, holding her up against her chest by her neck. She loves sleeping on Wynn, who’s a veritable human space heater. She snuggles right in against her and is asleep in seconds, sometimes snuffling in Wynn’s ear as she settles in.
As they eat, Ana snoring softly in Wynn's ear, Wynn brushes off everyone’s concerns. She promises Evie they can speak about it at home.
When they get home, Evie frowns as Wynn doesn’t go to shower like she normally does every night. Instead, she places Ana in her bassinet by their bed, then perches on her side gingerly.
“Are you going to tell me where you’ve been, now?” She asks icily.
Wynn nods, staring at the floor, looking a little nervous. She slowly reaches for her shirt, pulling it off over her head with a small wince.
Evie gasps, darting forward. “Wynn! What happened-”
“Don’t touch,” she says quickly, putting her hands out.
Evie gapes at the bandages adorning Wynn’s body, from her shoulder then across her back and wrapping around her middle, then disappearing into the back of her trousers at her right hip. Evie assumes it continues below her waistline, down her right leg, based on the way she's got it stretched out in front of her.
“What happened,” she demands tightly.
“I got another tattoo,” Wynn says sheepishly, wincing.
“That’s a tattoo?” Evie gapes, staring at the sheer amount of Wynn that’s bandaged.
“It’s a big one,” Wynn shrugs. “Two, technically.”
“Two tattoos?” Evie echoes.
Wynn nods quietly. “And a half.”
“Well?” She prompts, exasperated. “Am I allowed to see, or?”
“Not til tomorrow,” Wynn says softly. “Gotta keep them covered.”
“Do you have a picture?” Evie asks.
Wynn nods. “Yes, but I- I want to see your reaction tomorrow. When I uncover it.”
Evie sighs, pinching her nose. “Wynn-”
“I sorta need you to be supportive about this,” she says quietly. “Please.”
Evie softens. “I am,” she says gently. “I am. Sorry. You know I think you should do whatever you want with your body. I’m just- I’m exasperated that you kept this a secret and had me stressed all day when it’s just a tattoo!”
Wynn frowns. “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t think it would be that stressful.”
“You dropped our baby off with my parents with no explanation, then didn’t answer your phone all day! Brom had to tell me you were safe and would be home for dinner!”
“Oh,” Wynn frowns again. “Somehow I didn’t think Sara would call you about it.”
“Of course she did, Wynn! You dropped Ana off unexpectedly and left!”
“Okay,” she sighs. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think that one all the way through. But you’re okay with it? That I got more tattoos?”
“Baby,” Evie sighs. “Get all the tattoos and piercings and whatever else you want. Just don’t keep it a secret next time, alright? Or if you do, just... don't just disappear, alright?"
“Okay,” Wynn whispers. “Deal.”
Evie unwraps Wynn’s tattoos the next day, pressing a hand to her lips as she sees the sheer expanse of it.
There’s a lion with a crown on Wynn’s left shoulder, now, the previous lines that had circled her bicep mostly hidden within the new artwork. Then there’s an addition to her old tattoo for her and Brom - small white flowers now show amongst the brambles and blackberries. But the biggest part spans from Wynn’s chest, over the top her left breast, curling over her shoulder, crossing behind her tattoo for Brom, then continuing over her back, winding its way down the outside of her hip, then wraps itself around her thigh and calf, all the way to her ankle. It’s a massive tangle of leaves and vines and berries, but with plenty of space that Evie somehow knows is meant to be filled in later.
“What do these ones mean, then?” She whispers, floating her hand in the air to trace Wynn’s skin without actually touching her.
“This one’s for Sara and Hendrich,” she says, gesturing to her left shoulder.
Evie sends her an amused, if not slightly puzzled glance.
“Hendrich means king. And Sara means princess,” she says softly. “But Hendrich as a surname has a crest - which is a lion. I know it’s not their actual last name, but that doesn’t have a good symbol, and I thought the lion would go nicely with the snake,” she smiles. “So it’s a lion with a crown, since they’re both royalty.”
Evie looks at her wide eyed.
“And this?” She asks, gesturing to the new flowers in her tattoo for Brom.
“That’s for Nate,” she says softly. “I went with his middle name - Elliot. That name has a crest, too, which has whitethorn in it. I would have gone with Nathaniel,” Wynn explains. “But that symbol is three knives and I thought that was a bit morbid.”
Evie laughs wetly, her heart pounding as she touches Wynn’s chest gently. The plants curl over her shoulder, almost caressing her heart before they disappear down her back and wind their way over her entire leg, covering and highlighting her surgical scars in equal measure. “And this one?”
“That’s for you,” Wynn whispers, pressing Evie’s hand flat to her chest. “You and Ana. For our family.”
Evie blinks, looking up at Wynn as she continues.
“Genevieve has roots in the word for juniper,” Wynn explains in a whisper. “And for Ana - I went with her middle name, too. Daphne has ties to laurel. So it’s juniper and laurel. And I- I wanted you both close. And I thought - I knew I wanted to do something for my leg, and I thought having you both wrapping around it and crawling up into my heart would be… poetic, I guess.”
“Wynn,” Evie whispers, choking up a bit.
“It’s a bit silly-”
“It’s beautiful,” Evie corrects. “It’s so beautiful.”
“I wanted our family on me,” Wynn says softly. “I want to feel like each of you is always with me. I’ve carried Brom this whole time, but-”
“I love it,” Evie sniffs, going up on her toes to kiss Wynn softly. “It’s amazing.”
“I left space,” Wynn adds. “In case we have any more babies,” she says. “I can add them in. We’ll just have to make sure their name can fit into the theme, somehow.”
Evie laughs. “I’m sure we can do that. How many babies do you think you have space for?” She jokes.
Wynn frowns, glancing down at her leg. “Dunno. At least five more, probably. We can cover my whole leg. That’s fine.”