"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
"You came," he said with a friendly smile, his grey eyes steady on her beautiful face before they took the rest of her in. His steps were casual and languid as he kept approaching, stopping a few feet in front of her.
"You look good." A bit of purple, like them. That was pretty cool. He looked back up at her, a softness in his weary gaze. He wondered if he could even reach the fun-loving flirty guy she'd known him to be. Not today, at least. He regretted that, but maybe she'd still enjoy his company anyway.
And Kali's.
He checked on her in whatever way he could, would nuzzle her sweetly if she was a critter placed where he could reach. You wanna meet my friend? She's pretty nice. He turned back to Umbra, his head tilting a little and white hair falling to the side of his face. And she knows how beautiful you are, he added, remembering the day Umbra had changed herself to Kali's gorgeous colors.
"This is my baby sister. Kali."
Who's now younger than her nieces. But he didn't bring it up.
"The other, with fins and looks like me, that's.." Well. Not really his twin, now. Older and with kids and another life. His eyes dimmed and his voice was quieter when he finished it. "Our older sister." Despite that her markings are nearly exact to his. Nearly identical. "And her kids," he added with even less enthusiasm, quiet and solemn.
But they were all here. And they were all safe. And they were all together again.
The family was whole.
I wish I could scrape away the dirt that's on my mind
Kali clung to her Khari’s back, little claws clinging to his mane as she flattened herself against him and held on tight. His soft voice murmuring to someone new was nice and soothing, and she rubbed her foxy little bat cheek against his shoulder. He craned his head around to brush his muzzle along her wing, and she chittered softly at him and nodded, rubbing her face against him a little more. Meeting his friend sounded nice, as long as she didn’t have to talk or shift or anything. Curled up against him was the safest place she knew, and she wasn’t ready to be standing on her own four feet just yet.
She did, however, wave her wing when he introduced her, and let her skin and hair change colors back to her normal ones for a heartbeat or two so his friend could get a vague idea of what she looked like in horse shape at least. Recognize her, or her picture in Khari’s mind, whichever she’d seen. She chittered a soft greeting at the pretty girl whose darker purple and black and silver swirling made her look like part of the family. Kali liked that. It felt safe, and she relaxed a little into Khari’s neck and watched with big dark brown eyes, quiet for now.
Umbra looked up as he approached, a faint blush coloring her cheeks a darker purple as he murmured you came in that sexy voice of his. Not just yet she didn’t, but she hadn’t exactly forgotten the last time she’d seen him, and there had certainly been--okayyyy not the point, shushhh before you get all flustered and oops too late. Keep that train of thought to yourself, thanks, now was clearly not the time for inappropriate jokes even if his eyes on her made her smile turn dopey and her heart do little nervous flips in her chest.
“You like the purple?” she asked, flaring out her wings a little to show off the way it whispered along her side, silver tracing patterns through the purple like it was inviting fingers to trace their lines and trail along her skin. And okay the thought of him doing just that, tracing the patterns on her skin with his lips or his eyes or his anything made her allll tingly warm fluttery. Make a game of it, her skin shifting patterns to guide his touch to where she wanted it. Needed it. Cough. Um. New subject. Before she combusted.
She blushed a little deeper and ducked her head, letting her black forelock fall in front of her eyes, resettling her wings against her sides as silver danced along her skin in subconscious invitation. Behave. There were more important things going on. “You look good too,” she murmured back, even as she tried to curb her tongue. He did, though, always, soft lavender and white so lovely, and those eyes. Ugh. Okay. Focus.
“Hi, Kali,” she said softly, tilting her head a little to catch the little fox bat’s dark eyes. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m--well, Umbra, but--?” She blushed again, not quite sure if that was a just him nickname or--but she liked it being just him. His Amber, something soft and secret and precious maybe? Or--well, anyhow. “I’m Umbra,” she reiterated with a quiet little nod.
His face fell though when he talked about his older sister and her kids, and she tilted her head, took a step closer, aching to comfort him. Not really sure what the problem was, maybe there was some strife there? He’d never mentioned an older sister before that she could recall at least, though admittedly they’d been...um, otherwise occupied during their encounters. Still, she closed the distance between them, brushed her nose against his, pausing to breathe in the scent of him before doing the same with Kali.
I’m sorry, she said with a soft touch instead of words, offering silent comfort for whatever it was he was going through.
He wished he could be more amused with Umbra's thoughts. They were pretty delightful. He loved to hear them. But it was getting harder and harder not to fall so completely into his own depression, keeping up a solid appearance for the family so they had time to pick themselves back up.
He could do it a while longer. For his family.
"You like the purple?" He blinked, then nodded with a little smile, taking a moment to admire the gorgeous wings she flared out for his pleasure. The way she thought was nearly as sexy as she was, and he wished he could've enjoyed it more. Would've loved to test out that game of hers and see how it thrilled her, made her blush for him.
"You look good too." Then her attention slid to his beautiful baby sister as she said hi to her and introduced herself. He smiled again, tilting his head as she hesitated on giving the name Amber. Now he was a little amused, as much as he could be. He wasn't about to offer his assistance with it either. More fun to watch her struggle this way.
She had found his pain so easily though when mentioning Kylin, his twin. His not-twin. Once-twin. She stepped in and brushed her nose against his, earning a subtle little push in reciprocation. She had no idea how clear her apology was, louder than the soft touches as it crossed through his mind.
He turned his face to check on Kali again, gently lowering them to the ground and making certain she wouldn't fall at all. Then he sighed and looked off into the distance, away from them. He didn't have much to say, couldn't come up with small talk just then, regretfully. He was not as enjoyable to be around as he had been before.
But he supposed Kali's continued silence wouldn't mind.
So silent he remained.
I wish I could scrape away the dirt that's on my mind
She seemed nice, all blushy and soft and smiles. When her velvety black nose got close enough to touch, Kali snuck her nose out to brush against Umbra’s in a quiet little hello. She breathed in her scent, which was not as like family as she was expecting from the purple, new and unfamiliar and smelling of forest and fallen leaves and hibernation, not that that made sense especially but it was a cozy, comforting smell even if it was one Kali wasn’t super familiar with. Islands didn’t have much by way of fall.
Still, she breathed in the scent of falling leaves and crisp hints of cold on Umbra’s skin. Smells nice. Almost reminded her of Taiga when it used to feel safe instead of utterly terrifying, but there was a difference to the scent, not the sharp, clean, almost piney scent of Uncle Ru’s home, more like...well, she didn't really know. More like old leaves than old pine needles, really. Like she'd slept in a different kind of forest, and the islands hadn't quite washed it off her skin yet.
Maybe Kali would like to see the forest that smelled like that someday. If the world was ever safe again. But that felt like a pretty big if. She sighed and snuggled back into her Khari’s mane, breathing in the scent of home in his pretty hair. It would fade and change too the longer they stayed in this new place, but no matter how much Ischia faded from his scent, he would always smell like her home. Love you, Khari.
Neither of them were in a particularly talkative mood, it seemed, but that was fine with Umbra. She nuzzled Kharon’s nose a little as he pushed it against hers, with just the tiniest little gasp at the way his touch sent shivers racing across her skin. It was clearly not a day for hitting on him, tragic though it be, but she settled in beside him, lowering herself to the ground next to him as Kali closed her eyes and snuggled back into his sexy hair.
She brushed her nose against the little bat-girl’s back, earning a snuggly rustling of those leathery wings against her mouth and nose that made her huff out a silent laugh. Such a sweetheart, and it made Umbra’s heart ache that she was having such a hard time. That both of them were.
She blushed and pressed a soft kiss to Kharon’s shoulder, not minding the quiet, just curling up to be near them for a little longer, snuggling close enough that she could rest against Kharon and fuss gently over both of them. Ugh, she hoped it got better soon for them, not that she was about to give them such empty sympathy out loud. Not that she really had any idea what was wrong, ‘cause it seemed like it was something way more than just a bit of a plague sweeping through and driving them from their gorgeous island home.
Somehow prying didn’t seem helpful though, so she held her tongue, just held them and snuggled them. Kali took advantage of her nearness and climbed to curl up on top of them where their bodies met, snuggling into a little batty ball where she could sneak some of both of their body heat and be extra cozy. Umbra reached to nuzzle her again and raised her wing to drape over Kharon’s back and give her extra shelter, a safe little place to hide without actually covering her so she didn’t feel trapped. Plus, this way she got to pet Kharon’s back with the edge of her wing, too. Definite up side there.
“Do you wanna talk about it, baby?” she asked softly, brushing her nose gently against the side of his neck. Quiet was fine too, if he preferred. But she was here if he needed somebody to talk to.
I love you too, Kali, he murmured, sweeping his nose gently against her. We'll see forests some day. We'll see it all. I'll take you after the world is safe again. He'd do anything for her.
Umbra kissed his shoulder and he turned to her in reflex of the soft affection, brushing his muzzle across her neck. Kali was right; she smelled good.
He smiled faintly as Kali moved to curl up on them where their skin met, essentially accepting Umbra and cuddling with her. It made him feel so warm and pleased inside, glad that she liked Umbra's company. Then he was reaching to nuzzle his Amber again as her wing draped gently over them.
"Do you wanna talk about it, baby?"
She brushed his neck and all these shared soft touches were really damn nice. He gave them back, too, brushing his white velvet over her, breathing her in, feeling her skin. He trailed it up to her throat, her jaw, traced it to the corner of her mouth where he lingered with a soft kiss as he watched her with pale grey eyes.
"Just a lot goin' on," he replied in a whisper. "We'll get through it."
I wish I could scrape away the dirt that's on my mind
They were so cozy, all soft and warm and safe purples, white and black and silver and different shades of home wrapped around her and draped over her and making her feel like maybe for a little while she didn’t have to be so scared. Kali closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into their warmth, hiding in the shelter of wings, and she even shifted into something a tiny bit bigger, a cozy, snuggly grey fox nestled in the spot where their bodies met. Curled up in her safe little burrow of their bodies, her presence hidden by hair and feathers and the press of their bodies.
Safe. This was what safe felt like.
She breathed easy, letting herself drift into a half-sleep daze, still just conscious of the gentle movement, soft touches they exchanged, soft murmurs that washed over her and chased fear further away. A teeny little smile curled one corner of her lips, and she sighed softly and rubbed her cheek against their collective warmth, tension melting out of her body. Maybe her Khari was right. Maybe they’d get through it after all. If she could feel like this again, safe and cozy and warm, maybe it could get better again.
God, she was precious. Such a soft, sweet little thing, with big, sad brown eyes that reached right into her chest and wrapped little fingers around her heart. She brushed another soft little kiss to Kali’s now-foxy head, a smile lighting her own brown eyes as she met Kharon’s. Oh. Mmh okay yes and then he was brushing his soft lips against her skin too, and coaxing equally soft gasps from her as his touch sent electricity racing through her.
“Ohhh…” She tilted her head, giving him better access to brush those perfect lips along the line of her throat, her skin tingling, her body waking gently with every touch. His lips on her jaw woke a quiet ache in her chest, coaxed warmth to bloom and pool so deliciously in places that longed for more of his touch. A soft “mmh…” dragged its way out of her as he made his way to the corner of her mouth, and she nuzzled him gently, brushing the very edge of her lips against his as her eyes drifted half closed.
God, she wanted him all over her, wanted those lips to explore every inch of her, wanted him to make his slow, teasing way across her skin. She could still remember every taste, every touch that had lit her body on fire, made her come alive as he coaxed her body so gloriously high. “Kharon…” She crooned his name, eyes heavy with waking desire as they met his.
Okay but calm down though, he hasn’t even kissed you. Yet. Mmmh. She dragged the edge of her wing along his side, feathers stroking skin she couldn’t have reached otherwise, brushed her lips against his with a soft “mmh...” She could play it cool though. Really. Even if she suddenly wanted to devour that perfect mouth of his, wanted to feel him pressed against her, teasing her, wanted him driving her wild with his lips and his teeth and his touch, she could play it cool.
Or as cool as the fire sparking to life in her belly would let her.
He was having a hard time, he needed her to be a friend and listen, not think about how gooood the weight of his body would feel on top of her, okayyyy cool it. She blushed helplessly, closing her eyes and taking a slow, deep breath before she combusted. What the hell? It was definitelyyy not the time of year she expected her body to go rogue on her and wonder what it’d feel like--yep no blushing hard okay.
She made herself focus, nodded agreement. “You will,” she agreed in a husky whisper. “I’m here if you need to talk, okay?” Mmm, god, or if you need a distractionnn--oh my god shh. Definitely did not add that part out loud, even if she had to bite her lip to keep from crooning the words in a fuck me voice that just begged him to take advantage of the way her body begged for his touch god okay Calm Down was there a cold spring somewhere she could just dunk herself into?
She closed her eyes and groaned softly and tried to banish the hopelessly sexy thought of him taking advantage of alllll of her. Mmm, and that hot little memory of the two of them in the water together. Her abdomen clenched tight with want and she let out a slow breath, a little perplexed at the strength of her reaction to him honestly barely touching her. She met his eyes again and murmured, “anytime.” And tried really, really hard to mean come talk anytime instead of. Um. The other part. Come take advantage of her anytime.
Well. So much for getting that blush under control.
Kali cuddled on in, her thoughts so soft and warm. It eased his heart to feel her relax this way, and with a near-stranger too. Amber's purple probably helped, and his familiarity with her. He already knew she was a safe person, quiet and gentle when she needed to be. So they held his Kali between them, doting on her with soft touches and reassurance, giving her all the sense of safety that he could.
His touch got a different reaction from Umbra. She gasped quietly and lit up, tilted her head for him so he could have better access to her throat, her jaw. She was beautiful. And damn, he felt so lonely. Kylin was around, but mostly kept to Mom or her children. He missed the connection they had, the heart-racing thrill of knowing how impossibly beautiful she was, stealing time alone when noone was around to see them.
As he almost had with Kali.
His heart broke for what they almost had. Wiped so cleanly away by the tragedies as though it had never happened.
The loss made him feel so empty, hollow, as depressed and quiet as Kali was lately. Hers was from trauma. His was from her. But it was probably for the best. He'd promised Dad he'd be better, he wouldn't mess up. He'd try not to find his sister as attractive as she obviously was. They all were. Just look who their dad was. How could they not be drop dead gorgeous? What was so wrong with knowing it, appreciating it?
But he'd try.
So maybe it was best that Kali was so withdrawn.
"Kharon..." Amber crooned, and he pulled back slowly with dim eyes. He'd wanted to feel that fire again, make him feel alive again. It almost had. He almost could've. But his thoughts crushed him and he turned his face away. He missed Kylin. He missed Kali. He missed being happy and flirty and beautiful. Now he was nearly as miserable as Mom was on any given day.
He sighed and laid his head down, tucking Kali into the crook of his neck and resting his chin on Amber's shoulder.
I wish I could scrape away the dirt that's on my mind
