"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
12-21-2018, 01:08 PM (This post was last modified: 12-21-2018, 01:47 PM by Kerberos.)
Kirby wasn’t much of a planner. More of an impulsive do-er than anything else, but hey, that had its up sides. Like he hadn’t really given much thought to doing something special for the kids, or even what day it was, until a whim struck him on the night before Christmas. The kids were already asleep, curled up all cozy and snug together the way they often did, especially with their mom still missing and Kali still slowly recovering from Taiga trauma.
He stood nearby, keeping silent watch over them while he stared up at the stars, their faraway light reminding him how damn vast the world was, and how tiny they all were in comparison. He glanced back at his family (however many of them were curled up together or gathered nearby), heart aching for those who were missing, and in that moment size didn’t matter.
That’s right, smirk away, he thought it.
It didn’t matter how tiny they were compared to the incomprehensible vastness of existence. His family was his whole world, nothing mattered but them. And impulsive as ever, he just...he needed to show them, needed to do something special for the people who gave his life meaning, gave him meaning. So he gathered iron to himself, drawing it up through the ground into his body and scattering it like little sparkling stars through the nearby trees, hanging delicate little ornaments and tinsely wisps of shimmering iron threads and ribbons that couldn’t do much to sway in the breeze but they looked fuckin’ phenomenal, whatever.
He made little presents for them, delicate iron jewelry, decorations for pretty manes or tails or wings, little toys and baubles they could pick from, enough that everyone could choose one they liked or felt drawn to. And then he curled up to cuddle any of his babies who were near enough, maybe catch a few zs, and act all surprised when they woke up. Wasn’t like it’d fool anyone, who else woulda decorated with iron? But still. It’d be fun, and hopefully it’d lighten their hearts a bit when things had been so very heavy lately.
((Okay, any of the little Kirlace family is welcome to jump in, Kirby wants to shower his babies with love and presents. Lacey, Kali, Kharon, Kylin, Kyveli, Kypria, Reilly, Baddie, you’re family, c’mere if you want and pick a present and come cuddle. Hell, Minerva, if you wanna show up, you can do. No pressure on anyone to do so, just if you're up for it, you're welcome. Feel free to be curled up with the family or wander in, whatever makes sense for your character, and make up what your present is or if you need/want, we can pick something out for you, or you can make a request, idc, we left it pretty open so it can be something your character likes. He just wants them all wrapped up in love for Christmas.))
Mom was missing and it was hard to be excited about much of anything. Even still, when he peeked his eyes open and saw all the silver gleaming decorations, he smiled softly. Dad couldn't help himself, huh? He was so perfect, like Mom had always thought. Dad loved to shower the family in love and basically anything they wanted at any point in time.
I love you, Dad. It's perfect.
He lay curled protectively around little Kali, twisting to nuzzle her so gently and lip at her pretty ear, spread soft whispery kisses down her cheek to her jaw. His nose swept sweetly against hers, murmuring a soft, Good morning. Time to wake up, baby. Come look.
He leaned into Kylin on his other side, touching her just the same but trailing kisses over the elegant curve of her neck. That was as much as he could do though with Dad here and he pulled back. He'd sort of gotten in trouble once for holding too much interest in her. He didn't want to get them in trouble again, didn't want Dad to suspect he'd forgotten their talk.
Kharon hadn't gotten a chance to be close to Kylin's daughters yet, not really. They almost felt like two different families in a way, which he hated but had no idea how to solve. So he didn't have soft affection to greet them with if they were here with the rest of them. Instead, he stood, gently coaxing Kali to join him.
It was so strange to see his dad Reilly and little Badden sleeping together without Mom. She had always been near them where she felt more welcomed and wanted. And now she was gone, her place in the family as empty and hollow as she had felt the majority of the time. It was hard to listen to her thoughts sometimes, and so he'd avoided her most days except for when Kali wanted to see her. And when Kali and Dad had visited with Dad's friend, he'd gone searching for her again, needing her home again where she belonged.
He couldn't give up.
Today of all days, she should be home with them.
His head turned to the sea and he decided he would sneak away soon to continue searching for her. Maybe he was finally a good son, but he'd do everything he could to bring her home again.
I wish I could scrape away the dirt that's on my mind
Mmm, waking up to soft kisses and touches was the best thing. Kali hummed and nuzzled her Khari back, snuggling closer and reaching up to sneak a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. Oh. But he’d turned to kiss on Kylin. A weird little knot in her belly made her frown a little, and she nibbled on the inside corner of her lip, not really sure what that feeling was. Her ears flicked back uncertainly and she stood with him as he got up. She almost pulled back, confused by the way her chest felt a little tight and her tummy clenched, but he coaxed her closer instead.
Still perplexed, she tucked herself up against his side, burrowing under his wing where she loved to curl up into him and let him wrap himself around her and hold her close and safe and warm. She was so distracted, it took her a good long moment to notice the way the trees sparkled and shone with iron decorations, light glinting off the metal as breeze rustled through the branches of the trees, making them sway and dance gently. “Oh!”
Her dark eyes lit up, and a soft smile started at the corners of her lips. It’s so pretty! She glanced up at Khari, bumped the top of her nose gently against his chin, turned the playful touch into a caress. Thank you for waking me up. Even if she had been so, so cozy all nestled against him like that, mmm.
Her face fell though, as she looked around at their gathered family. Mom should be here. All her soft, tentative happy crashed down, heart aching in her chest as she buried her face in Khari’s hair. I miss her, Khari. It’s not right that she’s not here for this. Do you think she’s okay? How were they supposed to be happy and celebrate when she was missing?
bitterness is thick like blood and cold as a wind sea breeze if you must drink of me, take of me what you please
Their time together had grown quiet and drowsy and he had finally—finally—let himself go into the river of unconsciousness that had flowed underneath him from the very beginning. When he had finally woken, the cave had been warm and she had still been there. He had pulled her closer to him again, his mind having cleared just a little, but his feelings having remained the same. Woolf’s smile was a little mischievous as he pressed as kiss to the curve of her neck, to the sweep flesh beneath the mane.
He yawned and stretched, his magic still stretched thin but replenished by the sleep.
After a quick kiss to her jaw, he finally stood, stretching and feeling the muscles pull taut throughout his broad body. “Okay,” he finally said, the sleep making his voice husky, urging her to her feet. “We can’t stay here forever, and you need to go home.” He would keep her here if he could. He would create a haven for them both—a place for him to finally rest, to finally feel at home, to finally have some peace.
But what would be a sanctuary for him would mean nothing for her if her family wasn’t near. He knew that. Perhaps didn’t truly understand it—not the way that she felt it—but he could understand it. So finally he just nods, perhaps a little verbose than he was while half-drunk on exhaustion, but maintaining that glint in his eye. “But trust me when I say I plan on coming back to get you,” he says with a grin.
Then, without further hesitation, he cuts open his shoulder, lets the blood fall down and stain his coat.
A portal opens, splits open reality, creating a window into her temporary island home.
He touches her shoulder and they walk through it, toward her home, toward her family, and toward him. Woolf can feel the anger burning low and slow in his belly, the rage barely held in check as they step through into the decorated space. He finds the purple iron stallion, holds his gaze for a moment and feels the jealousy of their family together, the dream threat still barely held in check on his lips.
But this isn’t the time or place and he just turns to Wallace. Deliberately, he presses another kiss onto her neck before whispering in her neck. “I should go,” his voice is low and it takes everything in him to not hold onto her longer, to keep her held against him, to steal her away. “But I’ll be back.”
Almost as though Kali had wished her home, Mommy appeared, just like that. Kali’s dark eyes went wide, and she gasped. Khari! she shouted at him, as if he wouldn’t have already known the instant she saw her. And then she was racing toward Mom, eyes welling up with tears. She crashed right into her, sobbing and wrapping herself around her and pulling her in tight for the world’s biggest hug.
“Mommy!” she cried, pressing her face into the curve of her mom’s beautiful shoulder, not caring if it meant she touched a stranger too. Or wedged her face in between them. She tried to say more, but mostly just dissolved into incoherent sobs, holding on tight and crying so hard.
Ohhh, she was really home, she was back, she was safe, she wasn’t dead or broken or disappeared or sucked into another time warp that would take her away for years and years! Kali just held her and sobbed, relief breaking through all of the protective layers of denial and pretty little lies she’d been trying to tell herself so she could hold onto some semblance of sanity instead of shattering into a million pieces and never being able to put herself back together again.
She wasn’t stolen away by the fairies, she wasn’t drowned or murdered or trapped or being tortured, she was home and she was safe and she wasn’t even old. Kali wasn’t going to have to finish growing up without her momma like Kylin, get old and have babies and be all alone with no mom to help her figure it out. She didn’t have to lose her mom too.
this time I’m torn, please wake me if I lose that face search in these eyes: there’s still fire in the darkness
She hummed in her throat at the kiss on her neck, as it swept up to her jaw for another. It felt like bliss here. It felt like a dream, a reality where she meant something. This was a place where she could be herself and know she wasn't disappointing anyone.
But of course, it wouldn't last.
His voice dismissed the drowsiness and she stirred, raising herself to an elbow and blinking. Wow, she hadn't even meant to fall asleep. It'd just been so warm though, and that ridiculous quest had exhausted her completely. And it was safe here with him, she thought as her ice-rimmed eyes lifted to him.
"Okay. We can't stay here forever." She nodded, brushing her cheek on her shoulder to smother a yawn. "But trust me when I say I plan on coming back to get you." Her gaze slid back up to him, caught that handsome grin like a sickness as it curved her lips too. That's right. He owed her a date. So far, it sounded as if he planned to hold to it.
She brought herself to her feet then, shaking out the tousled look of her hair so it would lay flatter. Or as flat as a mass of brown, wavy hair could. It seemed it was just as untameable as her temper used to be, and she sighed to herself. Even her dumb hair was hopeless.
Woolf touched her shoulder then and led them through his portal. She held her chin up to cover her uneasiness, made certain her steps didn't falter as she stepped to the other side into her temporary home with her family. It seemed everyone was there, all in one place, and she frowned. She didn't typically sleep that near to Kirby, and Reilly was always at her side, and yet here they both were sleeping in one place.
She startled subtly with a deep blush, Woolf's lips pressing to her neck again, and she turned her head to him with a soft breath. "I should go. But I'll be back." Her head dipped with a small nod, gaze lifting to the wild green of his, memorizing the light in them in case he didn't come back despite his promise. So strange to venture onto a horrible quest with one man, find herself in the arms of another, and now here with the fathers of her children. So strange to feel this way, even an echo of attraction, when for years she'd only ever wanted one.
The last twenty-four hours had been far too eventful, and it was only the beginning. Now there was her absence to attend to, and Reilly, her children, their father. Tiphon. This was going to be a goddamn mess. A hell of a time ahead of her.
"Mommy!"
Her precious girl barreled into her almost instantly, pressing her face into her shoulder and crying. Her heart broke for her and she bent her neck to hug her close with soft murmurs of comfort. "Oh, baby, it's alright. You're okay. Something happen? Was someone mean to you?" She'd damn well kick them in the face if anyone hurt her baby's heart.
"I missed you so much. Don’t leave me."
"What? I'm not going anywhere, silly girl." It hadn't felt like she'd been gone all that long, a couple days or so maybe. A week at most. Surely, they hadn't missed her that much. She hardly spent much time with anyone but Reilly and Baddie, it felt like. His love and stubbornness had kept him at her side even through her wild moods. "I'm back now. And I won't be leaving," she brushed in a promising kiss in Kali's soft hair. She shouldn't keep Woolf longer, though. She'd taken so much of his time and taken complete advantage of his generous magic.
"Thank you, Woolf," she told him, her eyes warm in gratitude for being returned to her family again even if she never truly belonged with them. They were more Kirby's than hers, especially Kharon. And Badden was likely more Reilly's, though she loved them all and ached for their affection. "You know where to find me," she murmured in a small lift of her mouth, not quite smiling and certainly not daring to feel hope.
He'd done so much for her. She didn't feel even a hint of the bone-chilling cold that she'd suffered before. Her hair was dry and warm, not covered in frost. Only her eyes still held a hint of change, the brown ringed in snowy white, making them look sharper and enhancing the pale scars that laced over her hips.
