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 Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 8:16 pm
Jove tried to pull away, but there was nowhere to pull away to. He was already backed as far into the corner as he could get short of disappearing into the walls themselves! He jerked back, trying to free his hand before it could get too close to that piece of paper, trying to re-plaster himself to the walls. But Ren didn't seem alarmed. Well, not over the paper at least, so it couldn't be anything harmful...
Still pulled as far back as he could, Jove reached out with just the tiniest piece of himself to take the paper. A mere slip of ghostly essence. He took the paper from Ren's hand so it appeared to float in midair, held up by the little tendril of himself.
It was... an exam authentication slip? He had made it to third year?
The little pup watched in shock as the piece of paper drifted back down to the ground. What? How had this happened? Did that mean he had passed the trials after all? Did this also mean he passed his second exam without knowing it had been an exam?
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Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 8:24 pm
...well, that was certainly new. Ren tilted his head, surprised by the fact that Jove had not moved a muscle and yet he had somehow reached out and gotten the paper. It was like he was using some of the ghostly tendrils that he sometimes caught wafting away from Jove - but whatever it was, it startled Ren enough that he nearly dropped the parchment. But he relaxed again, waiting for Jove's reaction without a word.
The paper drifted down, his little brother's face mirroring shock. Ren smiled.
"Congratulations," he said cheerfully, and reached out, ruffling Jove's hair in the best big-brotherish way he could possibly do. "I knew you could do it. I made it too."
Ren grinned, his hand resting atop Jove's head.
"We're all Hobs now!"
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Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 8:31 pm
Jove didn't relax as much as he slumped in place, still shocked by this development. He wasn't ready, he couldn't be ready for third year!
Without a word he crawled under the covers still remaining on the bed, until only his feet and fluffy tail stuck out. Nope, this had to be another one of those not-real real dreams. And any minute now there would be a huge bang, and hunters would come in and start using their nasty electric shock thingies again.
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Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 9:00 pm
Ren debated reaching under the covers and pulling Jove out by his tail, but then he thought better of it, instead merely tugging on it gently.
"Oy," he said, trying to pry Jove out from under the covers. "What's that expression for? You're a third year now - you've earned it, and you've done well. It's not like you're not ready for it."
His hand smoothed over the covers, over Jove's back, where it lay between the boil's shoulder blades - a gentle gesture of affection.
"What's wrong?" Ren asked quietly. "I thought you'd be happy about this."
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Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 9:14 pm
The pup frowned from under the covers.
When Jove thought about making it to third year... he thought he would have been happy too. But he also thought it would be at the end of long study periods, followed by a challenge he could face head-on, a challenge he was prepared for and could tackle with confidence. It had been the same with his advancement after first year. Catching him by surprise made him feel unsettled, unprepared.
As Ren rubbed his back he felt himself relax. Maybe that's all he needed, some time to adjust, time to relax after the stress of the horseman trials. After the stress of seeing his friends hurt or dying. Maybe if he just lay there Ren would keep doing that, and maybe if he stayed under the covers his brother wouldn't see him being vulnerable.
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Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 10:28 pm
Leaning his head against the side of the bed, Ren let out his breath slowly, still absently rubbing his little brother's back. He had the distinct impression that Jove was unsettled over something, but why? Making it to third year was a huge accomplishment.
Ren closed his eyes. Sometimes, when he thought about it, it seemed like just yesterday that he had run into Jove. It was over a year now, when he had met the pale skinned, freckle faced boil who had never even heard of Scario Kart and who had looked at Ren as though he had two heads sometimes. The second part still happened on occasion, but Ren had never once even thought he'd open himself up enough to get close to anyone.
And now he had a little brother and a ghoulfriend.
I'm lucky, Ren thought, closing his eyes. He kept up the rhythmic back rubs, knowing they were calming Jove down, at least a little. It was strange - at first he had been unsure of what the boil was thinking, stumbling over each facial expression, each small huff. Considering Jove's lack of speech, it wasn't unusual, and Ren could remember the first time he had ever heard him speak - a small, slightly accented voice, uncertainty laced in every syllable.
But now - now reading Jove was as easy as reading a page from a book. Ren had long since learned how to take every minute detail, every look, every glance, every emotion in Jove's eyes - for the most part. It was second nature to him, just as it was second nature to want to protect and care for everyone that he could. And he knew Jove was not transitioning well - not with whatever had happened within the dream.
"You'll be fine," said Ren quietly, a small smile on his lips. "I'll be here for you. And so will LW and That Dog, and Tomoko and all of your other friends. It's not like you haven't faced bigger challenges before. I know you'll do fine. It's still a few weeks til term starts - you can just...relax. Take a break and breathe."
His fingers playfully poked at the lump beneath the blankets, then smoothed out against Jove's back gently.
"We're all still alive."
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:46 pm
Jove's tail wagged slightly. Yeah. He had everyone watching his back, just like he was watching theirs. And two weeks to relax... Wait.
Two weeks before term started. Ears perked under the covers, and then he leaped back out like a rocket. Two weeks! He had two weeks to get all caught up on the subjects he was weak in, two weeks to immerse himself in books and dusty manuscripts... He could study hard every day so he wouldn't be caught off guard again!
The pup dashed across the room amidst a flurry of foxfires, snatched up a giant textbook from the cluttered desk, and flopped down on the floor next to his coffee table. In an instant the book was open.
Sure he could be sweet, but the pup was still just that. A borderline hyperactive little foxfire who couldn't sit still for a half hour.
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:59 pm
Jove, clearly not paying attention to the fact that Ren was right there, trampled over his big brother in the process of getting up and fleeing to his desk.
"Ouch."
Ren sat back up and rubbed his back, eyeing his little brother with an amused expression on his face. This was more the Jove he liked seeing, and it made him relax a little.
"Shall I leave you to study, then?" he asked, and got to his feet, brushing off his pants and smiling.
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 7:44 pm
Jove glanced over his shoulder, tail wagging. Ren had to be the best big brother ever. Not once did the gryphon ever really question him, or his motives, just accepted his abrupt changes in mood and desires. Ren just... rolled with it.
If he ever lost his brother...
No, that wasn't going to happen. We're all still alive, he repeated mentally to himself. He offered the gryphon a quick smile, just a brief one. They would all be okay.
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Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2012 10:10 am
The tail wag was enough for Ren. He crossed the room, putting a hand atop Jove's fluffy head of hair.
"Have fun studying," he said, and pecked a kiss to to the top of his head before waving, slipping from the room and sticking his hands into his pockets.
It'll all be okay, he thought, as he made his way back to his dorm room.
Everything is okay.
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