//a bit of a belated mothers day one shot. i was kinda busy that day, and im in an aunora mood//

"Goodnight, kids," Aunora murmured, pecking Seraph and Victor on the cheek, "I love you."

"'Night mom," Victor mumbled, turning onto his side and shutting his eyes.

"Goodnight, mother," Seraph said, his voice drunk with sleepiness.

Aunora smiled, slipping quietly out of the room and shutting the door. She leaned against the door, covering her face. A deep, almost embarrassing blush settled on her cheeks.

Mom. She still couldn't get over it. She was a mom, a mother of two children. Two children that loved her and relied on her.

At that thought, her gut twisted. Those kids relied on her. They needed her to kiss them goodnight, feed them, protect them, and nurture them.

Could she even nurture?

Aunora stared at her palms. Her hands were cracked and calloused, her nails were sharp, and if she turned her arm over, she would see a scar she received from attempting to maul a man over a scrap of food. She had a maw full of fangs.

What was she even thinking? She wasn't some soft, loving, feminine woman. She had lived her entire life fighting and driving people away, and now suddenly she had two kids entirely dependent on her? Not many things could make her paralyzed with fear.

What if she messed up? What if she couldn't give Victor and Seraph the love and care they needed? Her parents had abandoned her, Aunora had no idea how a mother would care for her children. Was it a learned behaviour, or did it come by instinct?

"You okay, Aunora?"

Aunora flinched, raising her head to see Umbra carrying a basket of laundry.

"How do you do it, Pretty Boy?" she whispered, a lock of coarse hair falling over her eyes.

"Do what?"

"This. All of this. You're always so calm and caring with the kids. How do you do it? I'm terrified," Aunora rasped, running her fingers down her face.

Umbra sat down the hamper, placing a stern hand on her shoulder. "Aunora, to tell you the truth, I'm terrified too."

"Really?"

"Really," Umbra said, giving her a gentle smile, "When Matthew and I first brought Victor home, we had no idea what to do. I didn't know what to say, what to do...but I made it work. I knew I loved that kid with all my heart, so I just followed that. And, you know," Umbra shrugged, "a lot of trial and error. Five years worth of trial and error."

"It makes me feel a little better that you're just as confused as I am."

"And, Aunora, you're doing just fine. They're crazy about you, you know?" Umbra said, "So don't worry about it. That's why there's three of us to help raise these kids. We can help each other."

Aunora's shoulders relaxed, and she cast another look at Victor's bedroom.

Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as she thought it would be.