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Being nearly three years & the oldest of everyone in the family besides Trelweny herself -and Shippou, but the cait hardly ever thought of the little fox as much older than him- Locke had been around. He was not dense & he was not blind; even if he was a little slow from being winded. He casts Keme a worried look. So worried he does not even laugh at the sight of Tien trying to stand the audio back up by tugging on his chin. He ignored the thundering hooves. "Ok Keme. What's wrong? When you left our house you were happy. What happened?"



It had taken a few proddings for Timex to convince the pictomancer to climb back on his back. It seemed Relm had the idea that Morgana had wanted her to stay behind but the ninau would not stand for that. Whatever had happened... she needed to be there.

Now he ran, lagging behind half on purpose half from exhaustion. It had been a long night. His nostrils flared with effort. It would be longer still if this was not resolved.

"Damashe..." Tien pouts as it is set in Keme's lap. Soon however it has distracted itself, playing with the weave patterns of the audio's sweater. Watching Keme's tears Locke puts his paws on the audio's lap, stretching up to nudge the underside of his chin with his head. His yellow eyes are bright when he speaks again. "Look, from one wanderer to another trust me. Whatever's bothering you, tell somebody. Doesn't have to be me, but you can't go keeping it inside."

When they stopped, Relm was afraid to look up. If they had found him... what would she say? Shivering the painter huddled into Keme's jacket.

The look Relm gives her is almost pleading, terror filling her eyes though she knows the bloody female was right. "I don't see how it could get much worse..." Then she could... They could have never found Keme. Or worse, found him... Relm shook such a negative thought from her mind.

Without another word she slipped from Timex's back. Something in her needed to walk to him under her own power. Although her steps were deliberate & her posture mostly erect she stumbled when she usually would not & seemed to shake despite her act of strength. A wan shaky smile almost touched her lips, as Keme came into sight -Locke & Tien in his lap. By that time she was shaking fiercely, fingers clutching tightly at the sleeves of Keme's coat.

She looked a sight: hair disheveled, holes & tears in her pants, crumpled beret peeking out of her pocket, dirt & tear streaked face with signs of handkerchief use around a reddened nose, eyes bloodshot & red from weeping.

Relm wanted to run, but the desire to run towards him battled with the urge to flee once more. She could fight the flee instinct but could not quite trust herself for the other. So she stood there, gazing with sad green eyes until she could find her voice. "Keme..." Her throat was sore from crying & it was apparent in the scratchiness of her usually clear alto. "I-I-I'm sorry. I-I panicked. I-I..."

Then she was taking off his coat, offering it before her as she shivered, tears flowing down her face. "I-I-I d-don't w-want y-you t-to b-be c-cold."

She fell to her knees. "Keme I... I... I..." Words failed her.

Her gaze fell to the ground as Keme took back his coat but she slowly looked up in disbelief as he wrapped it around her shoulders once more. At his words Relm felt something in her chest aching. "I-I d-on't s-see h-how I-I'll ever g-et w-warm a-again... n-not a-after w-what I-I-I've d-one..."

Her lips tingled, remembering the kiss she had given him just before she fled. She reached out a trembling hand to touch him but stopped, her arm shaking between them in her indecision.

Putting a paw over Tien's mouth the cait stops the kunkun from interfering in when Locke can see is a very tenuous moment, He knows that there is something between them. Relm had been far too happy in this male's presence for there not to be. But would her own stubborn pride keep them from what Locke was certain they both really wanted?

Relm cannot find the strength to face him. All her courage it seemed was going into her being able to speak -and not running. Keme's words tear her up inside. "no... you're not..." she whispers, brokenly.

She wrestled with herself for what seemed like ages. Relm knew she could not leave it like that, but could she tell him? And what was it she should say? "But t-that's what I thought I wanted... Now... Now I-I-I...."

"Now I-I'm n-not so sure..." She looked up hopefully then, vainly trying to catch Keme's eye.

Locke underestimated the kun's persistence, especially when it knew the answer to the audio's question. "San! San! Relm idme san! Relm ahm san!"

Relm crumpled at the truth in the kunkun's words, hoping that Keme could not understand kunkunese. As Tien fluttered out of Locke's reach Relm closed her eyes to the sing-song prattle of the kun's latest one-word song. "Ahm Ahm Ahm AHm! Ahm Ahm AHM!"

Each word was like a p***k in Relm's heart. She looked away, for all intents seeming to ignore the kunkun save for wincing slightly each time a joyful "Ahm!" was sung. "I thought I had it all figured out... I thought I knew so much... I thought I knew what I wanted... I even believed I deserved to get what I wanted!"

"But I don't! I'm worse than Kefka! He never cared!" She stood, averting her face & keeping her eyes closed. Timex took a step forward, tilting his head in his worry for her. "You called me brave but I'm not. In my selfishness & fear I panicked..." Her voice was raising, almost shrill though the volume remained the same. Locke raised a brow in concern & even the kun paused in its song to utter a confused "Heke?". Relm noticed none of them as she shivered, clinging to Keme's jacket around her & pulling it close. It was almost as if she did not know she was still talking, her emotions were so high. "I faced my own feelings & terrified I fled. I panicked and hurt the one I love"

Relm stumbled backwards as if she had been slapped in the face. Terror gripped her at the same time something fluttered within her at Keme's repetition of that last word. One she had not known she had uttered. Thrusting its tiny chest out Tien flew to alight on Keme's head. "Rahna? Ahm. Sikan san." The green banded cait would have laughed at the kun's "I told you so" behavior if he had not been more worried the pictomancer was about to flee. Again.

He was not the only one. Stepping forward Timex nudged her forcefully, effectively blocking her & turning her around to face Keme in one fell swoop. [No. You'll stay. You'll tell him. Or would you really hurt him all over again, knowing what you know now?] His wisdom stunned Relm beyond words. No, she could not hurt him worse. Better she be hurt.

But she could not answer, her throat would not open. Her light green eyes are almost pleading with Keme not to have to answer. Slowly, Relm nods the affirmative.

[He can't hear your head rattle, Relm.] Timex nudges her forward, his great head against her back. She stumbles, nearly falling into Keme. Relm breathes in sharply in surprise, choking out a strangled "Yes."