~Sin'aeis~ Diary of Dante and Kellen Arrikanez

[Juridian Soul]

Weekly Log - Tuesday, May 31

The last couple of weeks have been insanely stressful. One by one, the children are coming to me for checkups. So far, one - Parvana - is blind, and the rest are at least fairly healthy. A few heart-murmurs, but those are common in young children and should pass within the year at the latest. Falcon's had a relapse. I don't know why, really. Nothing set it off, it just happened. He's in the hospital now, trying out some sort of experimental treatment, on his own will.

Me, I'm doing well. Have everything set up, and more stock on order. This is a great place to work, and I'm glad that the caretaker is letting us stay. Ms. Aylee. She's pretty, but taken. Plus, I'm bisexual. Just because she's taken, doesn't mean that I can't find others.

Dante is being a baby. Cries all night if no one's holding him. We've taken to letting him sleep with us, putting a ward around him through the night, so just in case we DID roll over, we wouldn't hurt him. Neither of us move much in our sleep, though. He's learning to crawl, and once he completely learns, I'm going to have a harder time keeping up with him than even now.

Here's hoping things get a little quieter.

~Kellen

- - -

Weekly Log -Saturday, June 04

Falcon's taken a turn for the worse, and it's coming down to WHEN we're going to the hospital, instead of IF. I have to give Dante's care over to one of the other Protectors for the duration of Falcon's illness. I'm sorry to do it - but a hospital is not a fun place for a baby. Speaking of baby, he's started to get a little odd. I bought a toy for him the other day, and it was in pieces almost out of the box. He hasn't ever done that sort of thing before, and I think I'm going to have to brush up on my child psychology. I might be doing something to harm his personality.

Anyway. I think I will let Rayne babysit him. He seems to like her, and what's more, Yukito is there. I'm sure that boy's a good influence. I trust Rayne as well, which is always a deciding factor in whatever I decide about a person. I'll leave her a note now, and I'll leave my phone-number, and an explanation. Though I can't really explain it ALL that much...

In other news, I've heard little to no news from Juridia. I suppose it could be counted as good. "No News is Good News" and the like. I just don't like how quiet it's gotten. Something's up, and I know it. Another reason to temporarily transfer guardianship of Dante. To protect him.

Afterall... Knowing my family, I may not be alive in a week or two...

~Kellen [Very Worried]

- - -

Weekly Log -Friday, July 08

Back, finally, though it's just me. Fal's still in the hospital, and I just got back from Juridia. Bad news. Everyone's dead. I can say this now without falling apart, because I already did that. Dad, Mom, all my uncles. Dead. No reason, either - and not a trace of them. Not even a note. But I can't dwell. I have a child of my own now to pay attention to. I didn't tell anyone, but I put Dante in stasis while I was gone. Woke him up this morning, and he seems happy and healthy as a clam. I wonder if it's going to have any lasting effects...

Anyway - Falcon's still in the hospital, undergoing chemo. He's got cancer - but it's a highly treatable kind, so we're holding our breaths. I'll be back in the center within days, now that I'm back and settled again.

~Kellen [Concerned]

- - -

Weekly Log -Friday, July 19

Busy as a clam. Left Yukito in charge of Dante for a bit as I went off to meetings. Falcon's still in the hospital - though people don't know how serious it really is. I haven't had the heart to tell Yukito or his mother - or anyone else for that matter. Hell, I don't really believe it myself. Fal's taken a turn for the worse. It's progressing faster than the doctors thought. My cousin is dying.

Oh gods, my cousin is dying...

Falcon... don't die. I need you. Dante needs you.

Falcon...

- - -

Weekly Log -Saturday, August 06

Well, Falcon didn't die - but he's not very well. He's home now, on orders of bedrest, and instructions to keep taking the medication they sent home with him. It makes him weak, so I don't blame the bedrest part. Dante's very glad to have his second daddy back, and I'm very glad to have my cousin back. I'm a doctor, so naturally I come in to check his vital signs every three or four hours or so. I know it's got to get annoying - but I'm worried.
They managed to kill off the "cancer" - which really wasn't cancer at all... They're still not sure how that happened. Falcon underwent an operation to have a tumor removed, and we found out that it was some sort of.. well... something like an organic bomb that had long been diffused. Fal thinks that when he was captured a couple years back, they put one into him - it just never went off. Makes sense, really. Boy am I glad that no one else is trying to kill us now, since Dragon and Aaron dealt with the original ones.
Dante refuses to be out of Fal's arms once I put him there. He seems to understand a little that Falcon is sick, and so he can't be very rough with him. He just lays there against his chest while Falcon's asleep. It's the most adorable thing I've ever seen.

~Kellen

- - -

Weekly Log -Friday, August 19

This is Falcon! For once, ne? Been to the hospital so often now for checkups that I'm SURE I've memorized exactly where everything is. They still don't like the sound of my heart or lungs, but they've given the OK to go back to work, so long as I pace myself. I'll be running a small teaching clinic in a day or so, to short of teach first aid to the Sin'aies that are interested in learning it.

Kel thinks it's a good way to ease back into the profession. I am inclined to believe him, yanno?

Aah well. I'm better, but I'm not 100%

~Falcon  

[Juridian Soul]

Making Fools of Ourselves - So Much More in Love

It was late in the afternoon, and Kellen had just gotten home from picking up some supplies for Dante. A pool to fill with water, some food for him, lots of watertoys that he'd put up until Dante was a little older. He was expecting Falcon to be up - He wasn't expecting him to be dancing. But the boy had a "DDR" soundtrack on in the kitchen, and was on top of the kitchen table dancing away to "Days Go By". Kellen supposed he must have gotten bored.
The rhythmic beat and the motion of Falcon's feet drew his gaze, and he set the groceries down silently. Falcon still hadn't heard him yet. Or seen him. But he did soon enough, when Kellen hopped up on the table beside him, and started dancing as well. Neither of them were very good.

[Picture]

Dante was in his high-chair, and bounced along with the music, giggling, and clapping his hands. What all three of them hadn't noticed... was that there was quite a crowd gathered around outside the window. ALL watching them attempt to dance. If they'd been thinking at all, it probably would have been quite embarrassing. But no - Neither of them saw the crowd. There was no crowd.
The was no house, there was no Dante. It was just the two of them, making utter and complete fools of themselves, dancing, and looking into each other's eyes, more in love than ever.

Kellen's hand stroked back some of Falcon's hair, and Falcon grinned, pulling Kel into the most passionate kiss the people outside had probably ever seen between two men. Dante giggled, but the two were lost in each other.

When Kel finally came up from air, he noticed the crowd, going beet red. But he didn't have a chance to say anything, as he was pulled back into another kiss, and closed his eyes, losing himself in it again, before harshly whispering to Falcon.

"There's people outside, Love."

Falcon grinned.

"I know - Let them stare. I don't give a damn."  

[Juridian Soul]

And I'm Leaving, On A Jet Plane...

It was finally time to bid the city goodbye. Kellen and Falcon had had enough of the hustle and bustle to last them a lifetime, and the further away, the better. They were moving back to the countryside, to a little place Falcon had found while out driving. Dante was getting bored of the city too - and sick. All three of them were coming down with colds. And being smack-dab in the middle of the city wasn't exactly the best way in the world to get well again. So they were flying out to an island retreat that Kellen's father had purchased before he died. In his will, it was bequeathed to Kel - though he'd just now thought of using it. Plus, the place had an indoor pool - perfect for Dante. The baby was starting to want to crawl around now - to play and chase - but couldn't because of the tail that served as his lower half. So they were going to get a pool for him anyway - it just happened to be easier to go about doing it, this way.
Dante had never been ON a plane before, and this was exactly what the cousins were worried about. The car-ride over to the airport was no big deal - the movers would show up with the rest of their stuff about a week after they got there. But once they hit the airport terminal... Dante started to get a little upset. He started to thrash and flail in his carry-seat, and was making it hard for the cousins to hear each other over the baby's cries, and the typical noise of the airport.
But Kellen had an idea, and disappeared for a while, returning with a stuffed dog. Dante's multi-colored eyes swirled in curiosity, as he was given the toy [which was bigger than he was], and started patting it and cooing at it, completely forgetting about the airport.

Flight 783 to Shaimen Island is now boarding at gate 14C. Flight 783 to Shaimen Island, you are now boarding at flightgate 14C.

Falcon nodded - that was them. They left the baby holding the stuffed dog, and started to head towards their gate. Dante - by this time, had fallen asleep clutching his new toy, a thumb in his mouth, his ears back in contentment. That was one blessing at least.
They boarded the plane along with everyone else. Dante stayed asleep for the entire flight [Kellen thanked the gods for that on the way], and only awoke when they were in their rental car, on their way to their new home. The car ride was torture for the little one, but the cousins were amazed that he remained quiet and calm. He just hugged his new toy dog tightly, put his thumb in his mouth, and watched the world roll by with wide and colorful eyes. Not one peep of complaint.
Already, the three of them were starting to breathe easier. Kellen's congestion had cleared up, and Falcon felt like he had more energy. And given that Dante wasn't crying - he must have felt better as well. It was more proof that the move was better for all of them - Sure, it would be a bit of a trip to see anyone - but the city life was a thing of the past. All that remained now, was to settle into their new home, and get a good night's rest, before shopping for things tommorow.
They arrived two hours later, and unloaded what they'd brought with them. The house was far from empty - all the appliances were still there - as was the water in the pool, and the plants in the greenhouse. Someone must have been taking care of this land for Kellen until he decided to show up. It was just like his dad to leave those sorts of instructions.
After a brief swim, which Dante LOVED, a good meal from the stocked fridge, and a short bedtime story, the entire impromptu family fell asleep, curled up on the couch together in their brand new - and much nicer - home.  

[Juridian Soul]

Quote:

To My Beloved Pages of Thought,

It is I, Falcon! Here to sweep my excess prose into thy wonderous pages. And these thoughts, let me tell you - I have a lot of. It's been about a year since we got Dante - and DAYUM has he run us ragged. But it's worth it, especially in the new house. He loves the pool, and now he lives in it. Kellen managed to rope off a section of the shallow end that's very, very near the stairs, and thus shallow enough for Dante to sleep in. That kid loves the water more than I love books - and that's saying something. Kellen's working on getting him a "seat" to ride in when we go out. It's tough finding someone who won't burst out laughing when you tell them you need a kid-carrier for a child with a tail.
He hears us now - hears us, and responds. Started cooing the other day! It was precious! I slid into the water with him to play around, and he started purr-cooing at me. It was the most beautiful sound I've heard for a while, and I just held him, and stroked his ears, and played with his tail. He's a manipulative little one, too. He's figured out that Kel and I will run when he starts screaming. So he's taken to screaming for anything - a habit we're going to have to break him of. But we love him so very much... He's our little one, after all.

~ Falcon

Quote:

Dear Journal,

Dante's growing in leaps and bounds, in terms of mental capacity. He's learned to scream for what he wants. Getting up at 2 AM in the morning to go check on our little water-baby has become something of a habit of mine. A habit that Falcon keeps insisting that I will stop. I don't blame him - I wouldn't want to be jostled awake from a deep sleep at that hour, either. Anyway.
Getting a seat for him for the car, and one to sling across my or Falcon's chest. I've been laughed at far too much to like going to stores anymore.

"Yes sir, can I help you?"
"I need a custom-made child-seat and carrier."
"Is this a child with special needs?"
"... he has a tail."
- Bursting into Laughter -

It's blamed annoying is what it is - damned salespeople don't ever think beyond the end of their own noses. Oh well.
Roped off an area for him to swim and sleep in - he doesn't like to leave the water, we've found.

- Kel

 

[Juridian Soul]

Fishy Adventure

It was a lazy Friday morning like any other. Falcon and Kellen were asleep in eachothers arms, and Dante was swimming about the shallow end of the pool, bored out of his mind. He'd been all around the shallow end, but Kellen had blocked off the deep end with a ton of warding spells and a big sheet of glass. He supposed that it was ok - but he wanted to explore over there!
He dived back down to the bottom of the shallow end of the swimming pool, and lay there on the floor, contemplating. If he hadn't done that, than most likely, he wouldn't have found "it" when he did. A switch. On the wall. Something like a big red button - only blue and shiny. It blended in with the wall pretty well, which was why he hadn't seen it before - but it looked fun to play with, so he swam on over, and floated there, head tilted, and ears twitching. Curiousthing. He reached out a finger to punch the button. Something to his left moved, and he whirled in that direction, kicking up bubbles. A... tunnel? He swam closer. It was awfully dark in there. He stuck his head in, and blinked as blue circles started to light up all around him. Forget the deep end! This was WAY more interesting. He started to swim.
It seemed like he was in that tunnel for a long, long time - when in actuality, it had only been around five minutes. He saw a brighter light, and slipped out the end of the tunnel into something wide and murky and cold. It was HUGE! He could see things that he'd never seen before! See things that he wasn't sure even were real. Being able to breathe water was a good thing, really. It meant he could explore this part of the water as much as he liked! He swam further, and dived down, patting the bottom of the water-area with his small hand. Soft? Grainy? He liked that. He started to whirl, spinning around and around in the water, and kicking up the sand. He giggled, and swam even further. Something flitted past his eye - something quick and silver and small. He darted after it - This was FUN! Funfunfun! - Back at the exit to the tunnel, both entrances closed...

- - -

Falcon woke up first that morning. He was still tired, but breakfast had to be made, and the baby checked on. Come to think of it - he hadn't heard Dante cry all night. Maybe he was finally learning to sleep in peace! Wouldn't that just be a blessing. He rose from the bed without waking his lover, and walked to the kitchen, giving a great stretch and yawn.

"Pancakes today, I think - Kel deserves them, after all the work he's been doing for his practice over the last week and a half..."

He made his way to the fridge, and opened it, getting the ingrediants out, and starting preperations for making Kel's favorite breakfast. Eggs, butter, flour, water, and various other ingrediants lay ready and waiting by the time he was done gathering everything. While he cooked, he started thinking about something he hadn't told Kel about quite yet. His little proposal of a boat from the guy down at the pier near here. A fine and seaworthy ship. 'Ship-shape' as the case were. He smiled a bit. He'd always wanted to go out to sea for a while. He'd heard both wonderful and horrible things about the ocean, and really - just wanted to see for himself. The boy was cheap enough to buy on half of one month's salary - and it seemed to be a pretty nice one too, if small. He wondered why the guy was willing to practically give it away. It had almost been as though he had been BEGGING Falcon to take him up on his offer. He was sure there was nothing wrong with the ship - he'd had an expert inspect it. But still, the sea-dog kept lowering and lowering the price until he had finally agreed that he'd think about buying the boat. He was going to suprise Kel with it tommorow evening, when he went by to pick it up. Surely, the old man would hold the ship for that long.
All of this was on his mind as he was making breakfast, his thoughts trailing away from what he was doing.
Kel, on the other hand, was up, and already in and out of the shower. He was going to go check on Dante soon, and he wanted to be cleaned up so that he could slip into the water with his sun. He slid on his swimtrunks, and headed off to the pool. When he reached the door, and slid it open to peer past the frosted glass, he paused short. His eyes widened, and his mouth was stuck in a shocked 'O'. Dante was gone. Not dead,gone - but GONE. Nowhere to be seen. No fin marks on the tiles, no appearance that the dolphin-cat-fish had somehow pulled himself out of the pool, and started walking around. No sign of him at all. Kellen did the only thing that came to mind in that particular situation...

"FALCON!"

- - -

Dante was having a blast out here in the big water! It seemed to have no end, and that was immensely interesting. He'd caught the silver shiny smallthing, and let it go. It was a fish, like daddy F had been teaching him about. He knew he wasn't supposed to play with them very much, because they were shy - but he couldn't help chasing them, because it was so COOL! He'd become hopelessly turned around, but was too busy exploring and trying out things that he hadn't noticed. He'd picked up some bones, and tossed them around a bit, run across two very startled hermit crabs, and seen a school of fish swim by. He was having the time of his life. He started to swim faster, faster, enjoying the rush of the cool water over his skin and tail. It was an exhileration that he hadn't felt ever before, and was nearly addicting. He rolled in the sand like a puppy in dirt, swam through mazes of coral, and poked at strange worms on the ground, and all manner of fish and crabs. On had snapped at him with a claw, but he'd hissed at it, and it had retreated.
But the best part was yet to unfold.
Dolphins. He'd heard about them from daddy K, and he'd said that they were gentle creatures - creatures that swam about looking for fun, much as Dante himself was doing. He wasn't paying much attention, because he ran smack-dab into a pod of them. Clicking, squealing, and squeaking ensued - and to his suprise, Dante found that he could understand what the dolphins were saying!

~Human creature? Fish creature? Not know - ask?~
~Creature human, not understand. Creature fish, we eat.~
~Fish no eat, creature human. Human good - petpet lots. Take fishyfish to.~

The dolphins that swam around him were probably not older than himself. He felt so small and weak compared to these animals, though. Two of the adult dolphins approached, one male and one female. They too started talking, while the young ones examined Dante from every angle.

~He's alone out here... sharkbait for sure if we do nothing.~
~We can't let that happen - that brute's had more than enough of his fill to last his lifetime, and that of most of his children. Greedy son of a-~
~Shhht! Reeski, not in front of the children!~
~Right, right - sorry...~

The one that the male had named 'Reeski" approached him, and nudged him a little with her nose. She was gentle. And he was scared - so he did the first thing that it's in an infant's repitoire to do - clung to what was put in his path - Reeski's nose.

Instead of being upset, the dolphin just gave a musical set of clicks and whistles that was most obviously meant to be laughter.

~Do not fear, little one - you are safe in this pod. We will protect you.~

Dante hadn't been afraid at all - he felt at home with these creatures. Slowly, he made his way up the mother dolphin's head, and managed to get to her back, clinging to her dorsal fin, and curling up around it. He was tired. It was a long way to go for a little one, and he was in desperate need of sleep.

~Rest, young-and-strange. We will keep you safe. You will have no need to fear the sharks....~

- - -

Falcon had bought the boat without question when Kel and he found out that their little water-baby had gone missing. He was a BABY. How long could he LAST in the ocean? And they knew he was in the ocean - Fal had found and disabled the tunnel now - and it was clear that's where it led. Right now - they were rigging up the boat to cast off, making sure everything was secure, and checking supplies and the radio. They were going to find their little one, and they weren't going to come back ashore until they had.
They cast off within the next hour and a half, making sure to head towards where Kel judged the exit of the water-tunnel was. They'd look around there first. Dante couldn't have gone too terribly far, being as young and inexperienced as he was. It was only the beginning place though - from there they'd go off in a straight line, and make depth checks every so often.
Calling for their son, they set off, both eyes set on the murky teal waters, hoping to catch a glimpse of the young Sin. There really was no luck. It seemed that Dante had gone further out. But how? He was a baby, when all was said and done - it would be too far of a swim to go out much further. But when they made a second sweep of the area, and didn't find him, things started to look bad. If he'd been eaten... or.... No - they couldn't think of that. They HAD to keep looking. HAD to.

- - -

It didn't take long to find Dante, once the dolphins surfaced. Somehow, the fish [MAMMALS, blast you Kellen!]... mammals had known that Dante was theirs, and seemed more than happy to return him to his proper parents. Kellen gave the f-... mammals a pat on the snout each, and they started home with Dante in tow.
When they arrived back at the place, it was clear that Dante couldn't be cooped up in that pool all day. So Kellen improvised a spell. A spell that would allow Dante to move as freely in air - as he did in water. Which he proceeded to do the moment he was let go. He swam up to the ceiling, and started playing with the light-fixtures, burning his hand. He queckly swam back to his fathers, who comforted him, and dressed the burn, before putting Dante down for the night, as it was almost ten-o' clock.

[ The rest of the THREE PAGES in Word that was this story somehow got corrupted between typing and saving. And now I can't open it. In any mode. And I'll be damned if I'm typing it ALL. OVER. AGAIN. So XD
More journal entries for me! ]

 

[Juridian Soul]

Quote:

To My Beloved Pages of Thought,

Alas, the time has flown ever so swiftly, and our young... protege has grown extremely restless. After a harrowing bout of escapism, he is now safe and sound, and under the most curious of spells that I have seen to date. Kellen has enchanted the bounder so that he may move about the air as freely as if he were swimming in water. This means that he is no longer apt to go roaming where we cannot see him. It also means that I essentially have a baby chick clinging to me at all hours. Not that I mind - he is strikingly adorable, and I would not give up his parentage for the world. Ahhh, my little Dante. He speaks now! Simple words, such as "dada" and soforth, but it is speech, and I am overjoyed! So is Kellen - but that's for him to discuss. I don't know if we've quite got what it takes to help our little one through the times ahead - but I sure how we're... close. I don't ever want to lose our little cat-fish.

~Falcon

 

[Complete_Juridia]

Goodbye...

Kellen and Falcon had decided to go on a bit of a vacation, leaving Dante with Kellen's brother Steele. Riding in a car had never been Kellen's ideal of a good time [he preferred to be driving], but then again - it was a vacation. Neither of them were supposed to be doing much in the way of work, and so far that had been the case. They'd been indulging in their own guilty pleasures all weekend. And happened to be doing another in the car. Listening to Disney songs, and singing along with them at the top of their lungs. Childish? Yes. Fun? Yes. Any point to it? Not a one in the world, but that was the point in itself. The volume cranked, the pedal to the floor, and highway to themselves. That was the way that they fairly flew down the highway on the way to their next destination in their vacation. Kellen and Falcon both were speed demons - but rarely broke traffic laws, and knew how to drive very cautiously, even as speedy as they were. Thus, it wasn't particularly odd for them to be driving in the pouring rain on the way to the next hotel.
The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack was slid into the car's CD-player, and cranked up, skipped to "Jack's Lament", which Kellen started to sing in the passenger's seat. He did the characteristics of Jack so well that both of them started laughing.

"There are few who deny, at what I do I am the best, for my talents are renown far and wide. When it comes to suprises in the moonlit night, I excel without ever even trying. With slightest little effort of my ghostlike charms..."

It was as far as he got before bursting out laughing alongside with Falcon. They had gone on this vacation as a way to have a little fun. Being doctors might pay at least decently - but it wasn't really condusive to having a good time whenever the situation presented itself.
Kellen groaned as the CD skipped, and sighed, flipping it off, and just sitting back and closing his eyes, listening to the rain pattering on the windows of the car.

"You know, Fal... This vacation... it's been the best one of my life so far."

Falcon laughed, and flicked the windshield wipers to their fullest, the lightning flashing in the sky, and the thunder rolling. Both of them were quite glad they were in a car at this particular moment. Falcon put on the high beams, and watched the road ahead as he talked.

"I know, Kel. The hours that I've spent with you on this trip are ones that I've always wanted to spend. Just the two of us. Having fun. Being in love. Half of me doesn't want to go back. Next time we do this - we should plan to bring Dante. He IS our son afterall. Better now, than when he's a teenager. Hells, if he swings our way, he may start giving us tips!"

He laughed, and Kellen joined in. To think of Dante as a teen was a tidbit frightening - especially since they remembered how THEY were as teenagers. Well, chronological teenagers. They didn't seem to have aged much past the twenty mark in the time that they'd been alive. Dante giving them tips, if he turned out anything like them in the long run, was quite a possible idea, and quite a hilarious one to ponder.

They didn't have time to ponder for long. A drunk driver swerved in front of them. Falcon gave a cry, and spun the wheel hard to the left. On the slick road, the car spun out, sending them slamming into the concrete wall that divided the two sections of highway. The drunk driver sped on.

When Kellen woke, the first thing he thought was something along the lines of My gods... the car... wrecked.... His train of thought wasn't exactly running straight in a line after what had happened. He lifted a hand to touch the back of his head, and came away with blood. The car had trapped him in, constricting him. As a doctor, he started to catalogue his injuries. Broken leg, broken ankle, broken foot with nerve damage since I can't feel it. Broken or dislocated left arm and shoulder, bruised and gashed chest with more debris of metal than I want to think about. He couldn't really see straight, but after a moment, his vision cleared near perfectly, aside from something wet right above his eye. A gash, most likely. So HE was not a fatality. He was still alive. Not in good shape, mind - but alive. His next thought stopped his blood cold. Falcon... There was already a sense of dread in the word. Fal had been driving the car, and the side that had been slammed into the wall was the driver's side. Immediately, he loosed himself from the metallic prison of the car's interior, and pulled himself from the wreckage, dragging himself to the other side of the vehicle, to prize open the driver's door, and see if his love was alive.
Falcon had been slammed up against the concrete as hard as the car had. His head and chest were bleeding badly, his arm was broken in two, and hung in an unnatural position outside the car window. Glass shards littered his face and hair, some of which had imbedded in his scalp. His chest was partially caved in from the impact of the steering wheel, but his right arm and right side seemed at least only semi-injured. The airbag in the steering wheel had not deployed. Kellen feared the worst, as he tried to wipe the blood of his own fingers on his jeans. He slid two fingers over his lover's carotid, and waited. There was a pulse. Sluggish. Erractic. Weak. But it was a pulse. And Kellen breathed a sigh of relief, before pretty much collapsing on top of his unconscious mate, slipping into darkness again himself.
A woman who had seen the accident had already called the ambulance, and it was less than five minutes before the sirens were heard, and the road was cleared to make way for the vehicle.

Kellen's collegue Hank was leading the paramedic team that found the wreck in the rain, thunder, and lighting. His eyes widened, and he sped the orders a quickly as possible.

"I want vitals on both of them as of five minutes ago! Be careful not to hurt them anymore than they already are! Get me something to stop that bleeding, and put both of them on O2! MOVE IT, PEOPLE!"

Hank himself ran to Kellen's side, and helped load him onto a stretcher, and strap him down. Neither of the two were conscious, and it was beginning to look like the older one - Falcon - wasn't going to regain consciousness without some serious assistance. He was first priority, and was loaded into the ambulance first, followed shorly by his mate.
Orders flew, sirens wailed, and they were on their way to the hospital when Kellen woke up. He was comfortable, as the painkillers were working, and he was talking when he was unloaded from the ambulance, and rushed to the trauma room. Both of them were immediately treated to the best of the hospital's ability, and set into the same ICU room - though Kellen really didn't need to be in Intensive Care.

After a few hours, Kellen was walking with the use of crutches. His leg had been sprained, not broken, and the nerve damage was not vital to functionality. His arm had been placed back in the socket, and - while sore - was usable. He hadn't left Falcon's bedside.
Nurses and doctors came and went, but he was never given an estimate on his mate, no matter how many times he asked for one. Falcon was only just alive. Being held together with more stitches than a quilt, and enough drugs to wipe out a small hospital's supply. Wires and tubes lay all about him like snakes off jungle vines, and bandages covered the worst of the wounds on his chest, and wrapped his head twice around. A respirator was taped to his mouth to allow him to breathe, and monitors covered his chest, and some of his scalp, tracking heartbeat and brainwaves. A monitor was clipped to his finger to check the blood oxygen level. None of the numbers were comforting.
Kel's face was streaked with tears. He reached out to gently run his fingers through Falcon's hair, holding his hand, bringing it to his lips, and brushing it there with closed eyes.

"Oh Fal...." he murmured softly.

"I don't know if you can hear me... Hell, I don't know if you want to hear me... But I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I didn't drive.. that I'M not the one in that bed right now. That I'M not the one fighting for my life. I wish it were... I wish I could take all this for you, and watch you sleeping in the sun by the window again, with that soft smile you always have when you're dreaming..."

He paused, and squeezed his hand a little tighter.

"You're dreaming now, I'll bet... Of me? I can tell - you have that smile again."

His finger stroked the lips that were indeed quirked into something of a sad smile. As if he knew what had happened to him, what was happening. His eyes moved a little beneath the lids, but he did not awaken. Kellen rested his head against the limp hand of his lover.

"You and I.. this vacation... it was a good idea, wasn't it? I mean, we both needed a breather, and I'd always wanted to go swimming at the beach. You know... you looked pretty hot in that cute little top you had on."

He paused again, and his voice started to crack.

"You're... you're a mess, lover." tears trickled down his cheeks. "The doctor said your brain is scrambled eggs right now. Your spleen and liver were punctured, there was arterial bleeding into your stomach and chest. The sac around your heart was a bit torn, and your lungs aren't working anymore. They say... They say you're going to...."

He couldn't continue, his eyes closing, and his shoulders shaking with silent sobs, as more salty rivulets traced down his features. He remained that way for a good fifteen minutes, sobbing his heart out in that silent, painful way, before he had the courage to speak again.

"You and I, lover... we're both... we're both doctors. I know what he knows, and I'm sure you know... what we both know. There's... there's more of your body non-functional than working, Humpty Dumpty."

He offered the still body a soft chuckle at the attempt at a joke, and squeezed Falcon's hand still tighter.

"You're hanging on... you shouldn't be, by all rights, but you are. And I know why. You're trying to cheat at this game, Fal... For me. I know."

More tears, and a choked-back sob. He knew he had to say this, he had to be strong through it, though inside, his heart felt like it was crying right along with him. He bent close to his mate, and traced the unmarred cheek with a few fingers.

"You know... you know I love you, Fal. You know that... that I'd do anything to see you out of this bed... back home, reading one of your rediculous trashy romance novels. And then you'd raise your eyes past those granny-glasses, and give me a smile. You know that.. that those are the memories I cherish - the ones with you in them. I know you know that."

He stroked the cheek one more time, and closed his eyes, bowing his head.

"I can... I can feel your struggle, Fal... I know how it must feel... to be in so much pain... to be so close to agony and despair. But... I... I want you to know... that it's ok... That I'm here, and I'm safe, and... and I love you more than I love life itself. I do, I have, and I always will. I know Dante and Steele love you too - though S-man may be a bit of a pain in the a** of a brother-in-law."

He paused again, opened his eyes, and continued, trying his best not to let his tears interrupt his words.

"I also know that your brother, and your sister are waiting for you... that your own son is waiting for you. Not Dante, but... but your own - the one you lost so long ago. They're waiting for you, Falcon... and I understand that. It... it breaks my heart to see you this way. To know that you're... in pain... suffering... every moment and every breath.... I... I want you to know..."

He stopped, swallowed, and continued.

"That... that it's ok to let go. There are others there to catch you, even though I cannot be one of them. There is so little of you left in this world - the doctors said you may not ever wake up. So... Falcon..."

He bent over his lover, and pressed a kiss to the still lips, tears dripping from his eyes to the pallid skin of Falcon below. He unhooked the respirator, and kissed him again - fully, passionately, with no tubes or wires to get in the way.

"Fly to the sun, my brave hunter... my love of loves. This is one journey of yours that I cannot stop. I will not stop, though it pains my soul to let you go. I know I must. You are, and forever will be, my True Love, my Bloodbonded, and... my brother. I will forever love you - and forever miss you, Silverwings.... How did that line go?"

He paused, and leaned close, forehead against Falcon's, eyes closed.

"Goonight sweet Prince.. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest..."

And he added his own.

"I love you, Falcon."

Before he met Falcon's lips again in a kiss that took the last breath of Falcon's lungs, as the man's body seemed to relax fully, and the small smile seemed a little happier. One solitary tear trickled down Fal's cheek, before his heart stilled forever.

There was a cracking. A tearing. A profound detatchment of spirit and soul, and a pain that spread through Kellen's body like wildfire. His world darkened, dimmed, went black, then bright again. All of this in a second's worth of time - but to Kel, it felt as though he was living through a lifetime of grief. When it was finally over, there was something sick and sad deep within his core, and an empty space that once his love had filled. Now, Falcon was gone. He was free of his pain and his torment, but it was just beginning for Kellen.

~ ~ ~

He left the hospital the next morning with a heavy stride, and half a soul. The drive back home, he was on automatic, eyes staring fixedly ahead at the road in front of him, barely even seeing his surroundings. Just enough to get into the front drive with the rental car, and drag his keys from his pack. The walk to the front door felt like a journey up a thousand mile mountain. When he opened the door, his son, as always, came to greet his fathers.
Dante looked a little confused when only one entered the room, and swam around in the air a bit, looking for Falcon. He was talking just little now, and he wanted to know what was going on. He approached Kellen, who was sitting on the front porch, and looking up at the stars.

"Daddy? Where DaddyF?"

Kellen wrapped his arms around his son, and sobbed, hard. Dante didn't know exactly what was up. So he looked towards his father for something of an explination why Falcon wasn't here to cuddle him too. Kellen pulled away after a moment, and pulled Dante onto his lap.

"Dante... you see that star up there? Right smack dab in the middle of Canis Major's eye?"

He pointed to said star, and watched as Dante's eyes moved to that direction, and stared.

"Daddy.... Daddy Falcon went on a little trip there. He said... He said he loves you very much, and wants you to be good..."

"DaddyF love me!"

Kellen nodded, and held Dante tighter, his throat constricting with tears he dare not shed again in front of his son.

"He had to go on a long trip, Dante... but... but whenever you look up at that star, he's waving back at you. Like he used to do when you got alllll the way to the end of the swimming pool, and he was on the other side. He's.... he's waving at me too. Let's wave back at him, ok?"

He took Dante's hand, but didn't need too, as the child was already waving at the star. Kellen did so as well. Dante's words broke his heart.

"Hi Daddy! Dante love!"

"He... he loves you too, Dante. Very, very much. So do I. Let's get you to a nap. DaddyK's had a loooong drive that took up all day, and he's very tired. You be a good boy, and go to sleep."

He took Dante to his crib, and lay him down, waiting until the boy was fast asleep, drifting in dreamland. He went back to his and Falcon's room, and looked at the bed long and hard. Tears started to come to his eyes, but he wiped them away with his sleeve, moving into the room to curl up on the bed without even changing clothes. He wrapped himself in the blankets that still held Falcon's scent, and wept until he exhausted himself enough to fall asleep.  

[- Kindred Souls -]

Saved RP

Kellen decided to take Dante into the shop this morning. He had a lot of thinking and planning to do, and not all of it he wanted to do around his son - because of the still-fresh memory of last night, and because the child was young enough that seeing his father cry would most likely be detrimental to his mental health. He carried the catfish to the center, and looked about for a place to set him down, or someone to leave him with. He wasn't about to set the child on the floor, or to walk away until he knew that Dante was being watched.
So he crossed to the couch, Dante looking about him curiously as Kellen sat down with the child in his arms. Kel felt his son snuggle closer, and held him tightly, while waiting for someone to show up. At least it was quiet here for now. But he really needed to get off by himself. And Dante needed to socialize anyway.

An walked into the center, as if on cue, reading a book about Clown fish. She then paused when she heard the sound of russling on the couch, and peered over the rim. Oh, she recognized these people... She didn't like the adult, but the baby.. Well, she shuddered a little as she spotted his cat ears. But remembered that she got along well with him well enough.

"Hello." She said, not one to care for aquard silences. She had grown since they saw her last. But honestly, how could you not recognize a girl with yellow and pink eyes, tricolored wings, and long blue hair?
"Dante, right?"

Kellen's eyes fell across Anceliin, and he nodded in her direction. He didn't smile. He didn't even say hello. He simply noted that she was there, and set Dante on the couch, kissing his forehead, and walking out of the room as quickly as public decency would allow him to. Something was up with him. Usually, he would at least have said hello. But no - he just left Dante there with her, seeing her as a responsible person, trusting her to take care of him while he was off thinking.

Dante, meanwhile, was all wide eyes and flicking tail as he made his presence known with a gurgle of happiness, and a twitch of his ears. He was indeed happy to be out and about again, and he showed just HOW happy by swimming a loop-the-loop in midair, and settling back down on the couch. Before, that is, seeing Ancelin, and making for her like a shot out of the dark, purring up a storm when he finally settled. Curled around her feet.

Dante squealed in delight, and purred louder, switching his dolphin tail back and forth in happiness. He spoke.

"Anc'lin!"

He'd heard his father use it when referring to this girl, so he supposed it might be her name? Maybe? He said it again.

"Anc'lin! Anc'lin!"

Still not a complete talker, but he was learning!

Ancelin couldn't help but awe at the small boy saying his name, before she stroked his head gently.
"That's right! My name is Ancelin. Your such a smart boy!" She said with a smirk before she sat down on the couch. She then went to tuck her book into her back pack, before it donned on her.
"Do you like books, Dante?" She asked, holding it out to the infant.
"This one is about clown fish. They have fins like you do."

Dante swam about her a bit, excited. Yes, yes he liked books. He liked books, and he liked being read to. He swam a loop in midair for a moment, before he settled at her feet, and looked up at her expectantly. Was she going to read to him? Maybe? He'd like that.

"Anc'lin reee!"

Ancelin smiled and pat the spot beside her lap for him to come sit, where he could see the pictures. She then cleared her throat and looked at the pages of the book, before she began to read the words carefully, even if she would trip over on herself every now and then.

"Clownfish belong to a group of small, brightly colored fish called damselfish. These inshore reef dwellers have developed a curious and potentially deadly relationship with the sea anemone." she then leened over to Dante, showing him a picture of a clown fish sitting in an anemone.

His eyes went wide, and he grinned, flapping his tail wildly. He LIKED this book, yes he did. He had something of an affinity to fish, afterall. His ear twitched a little, and he reached up to scratch it. He was starting to get some cat-like tendencies. He saw a speck of dirt on his arm, and licked it clean before paying attention again raptly.  

[AmberLepu]

Quote:

To the tomes of an ending, and new beginning all at once.

How life can be turned away within such a short moment, is beyond that of my own musings as I write this evening. Much has occurred and yet, I am near speechless to describe the horrors that have taken place among good and decent people. Who am I? I am no other than Steele. Kellen’s brother and appointed guardian, as well as a newer role I play as Dante’s uncle. Recently this has been of little comfort, my company seeming to fall short of a broken hearts demands. Yes, that’s right, broken. Since the passing of our beloved Falcon, I fear now that Kellen has become little more than an empty shell of what we all cherish in memory. He refuses to eat, and his eyes have become sunken and distant to us, perhaps seeking far away times and memories…We cannot hope to guess, for this new light has turned us all to the stones of a river. Dante has shed tears for his father, innocent and misunderstood tears of why Kellen refuses to move or play with him. I have done my best to be of comfort, to rear the little one in the stead of these gruesome events. The child has been placated as of late, but little change has been seen elsewhere. I now check Kellen’s heart daily. His health has been declining, I’m afraid, and this is not at all good news for a bloodline such as ours. Still – I digress. The truth of the matter is, that we have come into a mourning that no end has yet been seen. I write in hopes of returning things back to normal…Yet..things are so complex now. By the by, the little one is learning better pronunciations of his speech. I keep the house up by day and the time just flies by and around stilled hearts such as ours. Dante needs my attending now though, so I bid adieu until the next entry I make. May fates be with us…

~ Steele