Welcome to Gaia! ::

The rosary hung in the shadowbox Blue had bought for it, on the wall beside his bed, crystal and silver on red velvet, or velvety stuff. Sometimes he took it out, ran his fingers over it, held it while he prayed. He didn't think his brothers prayed. Papa might. He was sure Dad didn't. He wasn't so sure how he felt about that. But a prayer wouldn't be heard without the heart in it, so maybe it was just as well.

Anyway, Dad had his own god, of a sort; Dream, which had blessed him. How very strange, and yet not strange at all. It hovered just within Blue's reach, he felt. But it wasn't his. That was okay, in its way. He had the ghosts.

The living-ghosts were harder to see now, more like flutters in the corner of his eyes, though when he concentrated, he could still watch them swirl and fade around people. Did he have ghosts, too? He must. If he did, he couldn't see them.

In a way, he was grateful for that.

There were several copies of the flyer on the bulletin board. Blue studied them, frowning faintly. He sang sometimes, and he thought he was pretty good at it. At least, nobody had ever told him to knock it off. And he could read music. Piano lessons had been boring, but they had at least left him with that skill.

He was old enough - he might be child stage, but the reading one of the tutors had taken had said he was more like 12 than any other age. That counted as preteen. He could dye his hair ...

His eyes kept dropping to the last bit of the flyer. He could do that, he thought. It wasn't like he'd never had the idea. He could ask Ren for help. Or Papa. It wasn't like he wanted to be a girl, that was for sure, but he liked the idea of seeming in-between like some people could. Maybe he could even pass.

What a weird idea. But ... appealing.

Blue glanced around to make sure nobody was looking, took down one of the copies of the flyer, and folded it into his pocket before hurrying for home. He'd think about that a while longer.

(backdate: just after previous post)

The Beginning of the End: metaplot

Later in the evening, Blue hesitated in the doorway of his parents' bedroom, ears half laid back. He felt like a little tiny frightened kid again, and he hated it, but he could feel the bad dreams just waiting for him, and he didn't know if he could stand it alone. When Abishai looked up and noticed him, Blue made his way over and leaned against his papa's side, needing the hug badly.

"I'm here," Shai whispered, putting an arm and a wing around Blue.

Blue clung, unable to put anything into words. It was like the dreams he'd had when he first arrived, only stronger and more immediate, and he remembered this in painful clarity. He'd never really thought he'd wish for the ache of unrecalled nightmare, but he would have preferred it now.

"Love you, kiddo. What can I do to help?" Shai asked softly.

Blue hesitated, his own small wings bundling tight against his back. He was inexpressibly grateful that Papa hadn't asked, and embarrassed, too, feeling suddenly stupid. "Can I have my nightlight again?" Maybe the glow of the little porcelain lamp would help him sleep more calmly.

"Of course." Shai stroked Blue's hair. "You want to talk about it?" he asked after a moment.

" ... I ... don't know." Blue curled his fingers into Papa's shirt. "I was sleeping. It wasn't in Dream," he added, and tried to figure out how to go on.

The hand on his head was gentle. "I'm listening."

"I don't know where I was." Wisps of half-seen ghosts swirled around him. Blue squeezed his eyes shut. "I think we all almost died - and - and - " The lump in his throat choked off his words, and Blue went silent, seeing again the broken bodies, the unicorn girl, the dark shattered place they had been.

Shai hugged Blue, rocking him gently like a small child. "I'm here. You're here with us now. You're safe."

Blue hid his face against the backs of his hands, clinging close to Shai, embarrassed. He was crying now, like a little baby, unable to stop or keep the little teary sounds from escaping him.

"Let it out. It's okay." Shai wound his wings around his son, worried. "Not letting go. Papa's here."

It took some time to get the tears under control, and when he could finally stop crying, Blue felt drained, exhausted, shaky. He leaned against Shai, not looking up.

"You want to stay with me and your dad tonight?" Shai asked.

It had been a very long time since he'd needed company to ward off the nightmares, but it seemed like a much better idea than going back to bed by himself, cold and vulnerable. And he hadn't had to ask, either, which helped a little. Blue nodded.

"We'll keep you safe. Come on, let's go get your pajamas." Shai took Blue's hand. Blue clutched at it, ears back a little, because he was behaving like a little kid; but he just couldn't deal with it right now. Not now. He followed Papa down the hall, guiltiliy grateful.

Quiet please - Blue/Elena

At least, in the library, nobody was hovering around, worrying at him, trying to get him to talk. Blue stretched up to reach another book, pulling it down from the shelf to get a good look at it. A lot of these books on ghost-hunting and mysticism were pure crap, and often it was hard to tell what was solid fact, what was theory, and what was hot air from the titles alone. The problem was compounded by the fact that a few of the more useful books were scattered into different subjects, in places where he'd never have thought to look for them. If he hadn't checked the catalogue, he wouldn't have guessed that there was a smattering of books about haunting locations and practical exorcism for builders in the architecture section, for example.

He picked up his pile of books again and made his way slowly towards the quiet back corner where a little group of chairs sat mostly undisturbed. He didn't feel much like encountering anyone, and usually there was nobody there. Balancing the stack took some concentration, and he watched mostly his feet. Research was a good distraction from the panicky round of thoughts that seemed to seep into his head whenever he didn't have much to think about, anyway.



Unfortunately for Blue, there was someone else in the back of the library, a stack of thin books next to her. Unlike many, Elena was dressed somewhat formally for such a location, although for her, the dress she was wearing was quite simple. Being in the library was an odd step for someone with access to a near limitless supply of books, but escaping the house and her family was more important than being able to read every book, ever.

"Hello," Elena said in flat greeting, without looking up, her entire attitude one of 'go away, leave me alone!' and that would likely have been the end of it, had she not glanced up at the sense of sameness coming from the other. As soon as she got a good look at him, it clicked into place. A Tale, like her. Well, that changed things only slightly. One didn't simply come back here to read, as it was out of the way. One came back here to escape, and having found a sanctuary of sorts, Elena was loath to leave, and her conscience twinged enough to not begrudge Blue the same.

"I promise not to make a lot of noise," she continued, voice now slightly thawed, and the statement implying she expected the same in return.


There was someone else in his hiding spot. Blue paused at the greeting, about ready to turn and pretend that he'd just sort of been passing by and not meaning to stop, as stupid as that was. But she looked up, and he half-recognized her. She was like him, a Tale, and hadn't he seen - okay, that was headed right for the bad subject. "Hello," he said instead, softly.

"I'm not noisy," he assured her in return, and chose a chair not too nearby, tucking himself into it with his books. He could share the quiet. It wasn't like they were going to bother each other.

Mostly, the books did occupy his attention, but from time to time, Blue looked up, casting little flicking glances at Elena. He wasn't sure whether to feel relieved that he wasn't the only one who wanted away from everything, or grumpy about the unexpected company, or what. And a tiny wriggle of curiosity remained in him; he couldn't quite see what she was reading from this angle.


Other than knowing, somehow, that Blue was a Tale, Elena didn't recognize him. Not entirely surprising, given that she'd been deliberately ignoring and blocking out several things that had happened there.

"It's appreciated," the girl said in reply, going back to her reading, ignoring Blue for the most part, although she could tell he was looking at her occasionally. The books she had were thin, but apparently difficult for her, as she often paused to read things over again, or flip back to previous pages. Finally, though, she finished the one she had in hand, setting it down on the table next to her other stack. The cover was visible to Blue and indicated that Elena was reading about...psychics?


Blue had just about finished with his own book; the motion caught his attention, and he glanced over again. Psychics? Huh - was she interested for a personal reason, as he was in his stack of books, or just out of ordinary curiosity? He set down his book, hesitated for a moment, then leaned over to reach towards the one she had put down. He didn't pick it up immediately, instead casting an inquiring look at Elena for permission. If she didn't want him to stick his nose in, he'd quit.


As Elena picked up the next book in her stack, she nodded at Blue. He could go ahead and look through it; it hadn't been very helpful to her, as it had been more about psychics in legend, with only slight detailing of their abilities. A brief rub of her forehead, and a flash of projected annoyance (at herself?), indicated Elena was likely researching for personal reasons, not abstract research. She didn't say anything regarding the mental leak, but if Blue was capable of looking at that sort of thing, he might see the spun out edges of a deteriorating, outwardly imposed shield hiding Elena's self.


Blue picked up the book and settled back into his own chair. His ears flicked up at the sudden little burst of annoyance. He recognized it as not his own feeling; it must be hers. He cut a short glance at her, and was startled to see a roil of flickering half-ghosts jittering in and out of existence around her. She had been a calm, blank slate when he sat down - or had he just not been looking right? The half-ghosts were only intermittently visible, these days.

He pulled his own mental walls tighter around himself, and the ghosts went away again. Not any of his business, not really. He tucked himself tighter into the chair and returned to the book in his hands.


"Mind if I look at yours?" Elena asked, voice quiet. Her headache was starting to flare up again, and reading her books didn't help matters at all. In fact, she thought grumpily to herself, they were simply making it all worse. While she waited for an answer, she examined Blue more closely, though half lidded eyes so as not to make it seem like she was doing so. He was certainly...unusual looking, although having lived in Gaia, Elena was more than used to strange appearances. There wasn't a lot about her that would be considered odd; her ears were pointed, true, but you could say the same about most of the other people in the library. She brightened slightly; there was always her hair! Never one to pass up an opportunity to show off, Elena mentally flicked the 'on switch' for her hair, causing bright points of light to appear, arranged neatly in constellations.


"I don't mind," Blue said, just as softly. He pushed the stack of books towards her a little; she would find that most of them were on ghosts, hauntings, and exorcism, ranging from the practical to the wildly speculative.

The next time he glanced up, there was something different - her hair - were those constellations? Her midnight-dark hair had taken on the appearance of the night sky, spangled with stars. He blinked and forgot not to look, his ears swiveling forward with interest. Internally, he debated with himself. Should he ask? Curiosity won out. It did seem that it might be something she could control, since it hadn't been that way when he first sat down, and if it was voluntary, then she'd chosen to show it to him. "Is that Orion?" he asked a little hesitantly, eyes on the bright points of light.


"Thank you," Elena replied with a gracious nod of her head. So, ghosts and hauntings? What an interesting subject to pick. Elena twirled a strand of hair in her fingers as she flipped through one book, nothing in particular catching her eye. Setting it back down, she picked hers back up and was about to start reading when Blue noticed her hair.

"Yes, it is," the girl said, sounding immensely pleased that he had recognized something besides the Big Dipper, which was all most people seemed to notice. Granted, it was the one right above her face, but that was really no excuse in her mind. Setting her book back down, she stood and turned around, displaying the other constellations marked onto her hair. "Recognize anything else?"


A shy smile crept across Blue's face. He held the book open in his lap, but watched Elena instead as she stood and turned. She did have constellations; he recognized some of them. "Cetus,", he said softly. "Cygnus, Draco, Sagittarius. Aquila." Of his brothers, only Reverie was really interested in the stars, and the kitsune had other things on his mind lately. It was kind of nice to have a chance to share his knowledge with someone, even if it was a passing encounter with a stranger.


Elena smiled softly at each named grouping of stars. Oh, she liked him~He knew the stars, and that would always be an excellent way to get on Elena's good side. She spun around, skirts and hair flaring out slightly. "That's more than most people would know," she said, offering praise for his knowledge. "I'm Elena," the tale continued, dropping a curtsy in greeting before sitting back down, smile now slightly wider and eyes sparkling happily.


"I know their stories, too, some of them," Blue offered, encouraged by her approval. "I like mythology. It's fascinating." Stories of all sorts interested him, and moreso when they stood just on the line between imagination and reality. He had evidence that at least some of the myths he knew had been true, in one way or another, in some world somewhere.

"I'm Blue," he answered. "Blue Sarihe." He bowed over the book, a little awkwardly because he was sitting, but it was the only proper thing to do when greeted with a curtsey.

incomplete

A different sort of haunting - Blue/Veloren

Blue's footsteps were slow and hesitant as he walked up the drive, hands tucked in his pockets in an attempt at nonchalance. He didn't want to be here. He did want to be here. Confront your fears, right? Maybe he'd discover it had all been a stupid dream. Even if he had slept for long days. Even if he had woken with an absolute and horrified conviction that what he'd seen was real.

Still, as he approached the house, he slowed down yet further. Stupid! If something awful had happened here, wouldn't he have heard? And there was supposed to be something going on soon, too, and that wouldn't have happened if -


As Blue walked, he would see crews of people running around busily with building materials, lists and other assorted items. The sound of construction and the hum of hurried life could be heard everywhere - the people didn't pay the boy any attention though. That was a little odd.

As was the lack of a "welcoming party". Under normal circumstances Syrie was so in tune with this land and it's magic that he knew when visitors arrived and would send one of his kids to greet the incoming guest. Not today. Today he was in his library, doing research and looking haggard while his eldest son, Veloren, ordered around a veritable army of servants.

Cleaning and cooking and taking care of everything. This was how he was dealing with his little brother missing. Phaid, the Pard that was Ren's companion most often flicked his ears and turned his head...new scent. The boy, the one that his companion liked. The small fuzzy one, he was here; Phaid glanced at Veloren and then rose to his feet, tail flicking.

He padded outside and down to the well traveled "drive", sleek coat shining in the sun. Yes, it was Blue. Good. Excellent. Veloren would be pleased and he could easily jog out to meet the child and nudge him along, yes...


There was definitely something going on, anyway. There were people hauling stuff around, people talking and shouting, people with checklists; Blue cast confused looks around him. Usually the grounds were quiet. Usually someone would come out to see who was around, too. Maybe everyone was too busy, or there were too many life-signs out here. Some of Blue's apprehension faded under the weight of curiosity. Whatever it was happening, it was a big deal.

Oh, wait, there - there was a pard padding serenely down the drive. "Phaid," Blue called out, and hurried up a little. "What's going on? Where's Ren?"


Blue's voice filtered through the cacophony of other sounds and Phaid chuckled a little to himself; yes, the hustle and bustle was interesting indeed. The normally lazy Pard waited until he was able to rub his big body against the boy before answering. "Festival. To celebrate." Because after all of the crap that had happened to the Tales, they needed something like this...not that Phaid was going to elaborate on that that.

"He's in Main Hall, ordering vassals. Come, come. He will be pleased you came." With that, the siamese colored Pard used his broad head to bump Blue into motion, towards the Grand Manor.
Blue braced himself so as not to get knocked over by the soft bumping, and ruffled the pard's fur. The pards at the house weren't always careful with their affection, so he'd learned to be ready for it. "Festival?" he echoed, curious and confused. Some kind of New Year thing, maybe, but he couldn't remember if any holidays were around now. Too early for valentines.

"I'm coming," he assured Phaid, and moved up towards the manor, less nervously now that he was assured that his friend was there. He could go talk to Ren first, and maybe it'd be easier.
"Mm. For the Tome children, yes." Phaid's tail curled and un-curled in an amused manner -- he found the idea of kids born from books to be quite amusing. The rest, well...Blue could find out the rest from Veloren; that was who he needed to talk to, it seemed.

Once they were closer to the Manor, Ren's voice would be heard - he was snapping out orders and directing people to do things; it just happened that he was growling at some contractor that had damaged the stone supports that usually held the wrought-iron gate to the Sanctuary; the Lykin was arguing with him about having it fixed. The guy wanted to talk to the "master of the house" and Ren was telling him that "HE" was the master, at the moment.

"Look lady, 'm gonna talk to the man of the house, not you, or 'm not gonna do it." The contractor was one they'd contacted to help expedite the construction; a stupid jock-type that was about to get his a** reamed by the little Lykin (who wasn't, for once, dressed in drag).

Ren narrowed his eyes, his fur bristling a bit; he hated dealing with idiots - really he did. But he spoke in his best "I'm a sweet thing voice" and got real close to the contractor. "If you want to get paid, I suggest you "deal" with me because I am the man of the ******** house." Obviously, more than words were needed so out shot Ren's hand to snag the other's wrist and he forced the idiot's hand to his crotch. "What part of that makes you think I'm a damned 'lady', Huh?"

Point made. The guy yelped and jerked away as though burned before scurrying out of the Manor with his proverbial tail tucked between his legs.


"Oh." Blue blinked, and filed that thought away. For the Tales? He'd see some people he knew, he was sure. Maybe meet some new people. Maybe - well, that was the subject he was thinking about and sort of not thinking about at the same time. He should go, really. Hiding in the house forever would get boring.

He paused off to one side as the contractor argued with Ren. That was pretty dumb of the man, he reflected. Even if he did think Ren was a girl, it was dumb to argue with the person who was in charge. At the last exchange, Blue burst out in giggles, unable to help himself. Wouldn't that just teach him!


Ren had turned to glower at the man's retreating back and caught sight of Blue and Phaid standing there. "Oh! Blue, sorry - I didn't know you were coming!" The Lykin hurried over so he could hug the child in greeting; he couldn't help but drop a little kiss on his cheek. "Phaid, you could have told me!"

The Pard chuckled and went to lay down in a doorway, making certain someone would trip over his sleek body at some point during the day while his companion and the little blue-ghost child exchanged greetings.


Blue hugged Ren gladly, smiling up at him. "You were busy," he said, in mild, apologetic defense of the pard. "That guy was pretty dumb." He laughed again, picturing the man's face. "Maybe he'll think more next time he argues with someone."

He stuck close to Ren, glancing around at the bustle again. "Phaid said that there was a festival going to happen," he offered curiously. "What's it about?"


The Lykin squelched the urge to ruffle Blue's hair or cuddle up against him while in public. He shouldn't be so...forward, but he kind of wanted to. Ah well. "Yeah well...I've been dealing with a**-holes like him for a week now." Obnoxious.

"Mmhmm, Dad wanted to have a carnival or something so people would get to relax and have some fun." But Syrie wasn't in any frame of mind to deal with it, not with Khia still missing and all the other kids back.


"Well - at least you know who not to hire, if you guys need to have stuff built again," Blue said, thoughtfully. "There must be workers who can listen better than that." There was a touch of scorn in his voice; the guy had been excessively rude, and thus, in Blue's opinion, had gotten exactly what he deserved.

"Why're you having to deal with all of it?" he inquired, glancing up towards the house. "Is - is something wrong?" A little apprehension snuck into his face and voice. He wanted very much to be told otherwise, but surely Uncle Sy wouldn't have left it all to Ren if everything was going normally.


"Oh believe me, I've got a whole list of jerks that won't ever see our business again." And that he would have just loved to see run out of business, but hay, that wasn't likely to happen. "I've already fired three of the crews for substandard work or for jerking us around...it's been a huge pain." Ren sighed a little and rubbed at the back of his neck; his hair was pinned back in a little low ponytail to stay out of his way.

The Lykin shook his head a little bit and let his ears droop. "Because Dad's busy...Khia hasn't-- He's not back yet." Syrie was out of his head worried for the shape-shifting Tale, and Ren was worried too...but he was better able to push it from his mind.


"Yuk." Blue made a sympathetic face. Not that he'd ever had to deal with anything like that, but he imagined it was a huge pain in the tail. Pain in the a**, even.

"He's not?" That was almost inaudible. Blue looked down at his feet, all the cold chill of his fears and bloody half-dreamed memories rushing back to coalesce in a freezing lump in his chest. He'd only slept. Had Khia vanished entirely? Blue stuffed his hands deeper into his pockets, trying to quash the urge to cling to Ren's hand for comfort. He could deal with it. He wasn't a baby.


Veloren shook his head and brushed the back of one hand impatiently against his eyes; thinking about his little brother off...lost somewhere...was just painful; it didn't matter that they were not related by blood or even magic. They were brothers. "'Fraid not. Khia never came home after all that...Dad did, and I guess most of the others...but he's still missing. Dad's totally obsessed with trying to figure it out."

The Lykin looked around; people were busily working and doing as he'd instructed them, so maybe they could go and just...hide away for a little bit? "You wanna go somewhere else? Sit and talk or something?"


"Oh." Blue's wings hunched up against his back, and he studied his toes. He hadn't been particularly sure he wanted to see Khia, but he realized now that he had, too; that he'd wanted to verify with his own eyes that the older Tale was okay, after all that.

"Yeah. Let's go somewhere quiet," he said gratefully. He wanted to ask, and he wanted to tell Ren, like he hadn't really wanted to tell anyone else. And he wasn't certain that he could relate what had happened or hear what had happened without losing his composure, and even if nobody was currently paying attention, this was still too public a place.


Blue's reaction was a curious one, but Ren didn't question it - not here. He too preferred to discuss things like this privately; he'd spent a week or more making these people take him seriously to get the work done...and he just knew if they saw him being overly emotional or anything it would ruin that.

"C'mon, let's go to my room..." It was upstairs and located a good deal away from where most of the work was being done; up here in the private quarters there would be no festival access, but it was still being cleaned. Once up in his room, the Siamese colored boy stretched and tossed his planner's clipboard aside.


Blue followed quietly, glad to get away from the bustle and sounds of the work being done. He found a place to sit, tucking his legs under him and folding his hands in his lap. "I was worried," he said after a moment. "I kind of hoped I was just being stupid about it." He looked up to Ren, studying the lyin's face,hoping for some kind of clue.


Ren sat on a chaise-style lounge in his room and motioned that Blue should come sit by him, not so far away. "We're all pretty worried...I wish we knew what happened. I mean, it's hard not knowing." He sighed a little bit and picked at his jeans. "Being stupid? How so?"


"I guess I was kind of hoping it was really all just a nightmare." Blue plucked loose fur from the end of his tail. "I dreamed - Dad said I was asleep for days ... " He took a careful breath and began to recount what he'd witnessed of the confrontation, his voice soft and a little unsteady. He had to pause and struggle for composure a few times, but he managed to get all of it out. "I wanted to come see if - if ... " His voice trailed off. If what? He didn't really know himself.


Half-way through the other's tale, Ren got up and went to sit at Blue's feet. He rested his hands lightly on the boy's knees, touching gently - just letting him know he was there; that this was now and though what he'd seen was scary and horrifying...they weren't there anymore.

It was kind of sickening for Ren to hear that his little brother had...broken like that; to hear that he had gone out of his way to kill and maim. To be hurt. To be changed, small again. "So...he's still there." Good, he knew now; but more than knowing Khia was okay, Ren was concerned with Blue. Khia was his brother, Blue...well, Blue....was something else.

"It's..it sounds so horrible...Blue, I'm so glad you're okay." Ren rose to his knees and slipped his arms around Blue protectively.


"He must be still there." Blue let himself lean against Ren, sighing. He hadn't told anyone. It would only worry his family, and there hadn't really been anyone else he'd wanted to put the weight of that story on. "Thank you," he said shakily. "I guess it sort of helps to know it wasn't all in my head."

"That sounded bad," he added a moment later, ears flipping back.


The pink-haired Lykin snuggled his nose against Blue's neck and petted his back soothingly; insinuating his slim body between the boy's legs so that he could pet just a little easier. "Hey, I'd want to know if it were just in my head too. It's okay; it is."

What a scary story to hear about two people you cared about though! Veloren was a little bit shaken himself -- Khia had been some huge beast that wanted to kill things...that was scary. And what about how that had seemed to Blue? Ren knew the little Tale had always looked up to Khia... "Blue?" He pulled away a little and flicked his ears a bit. "Are you-- I mean, I know you were close with him.."


Blue relaxed slowly, some of the tension he'd been carrying since he woke from the nightmare finally easing. Ren believed him. Ren worried. That was weirdly comforting.

"I didn't want to think it was Khia," Blue admitted, his tail tucking closer to his legs. "I didn't want to believe it. I - he couldn't - but he - " he bit down on the inside of his lip, looking to Ren. "He's kind of like my brother too," he said, very softly. "I don't want to be afraid of him."


"Oh Blue, shh.." The poor thing was miserable! No wonder he'd been sleeping the time away -- why on Gaia would anyone wake up when they'd have to face something like that? Ren's hands went to Blue's cheeks, cupping his face in dark-tipped hands. "Khia couldn't have been himself, doing all that. There's no way. Baby, you know he wouldn't." The Lykin didn't even realize he'd called the younger boy by that particular endearment; he was just...reacting.


"It must've done something to him," Blue agreed, clinging to that hope. "I just - it was horrible." He swiped a hand angrily across his eyes. He was not going to cry again. "Sorry," he apologized, voice rough. Talking about it was like cleaning something poisonous out, finally pulling a thorn out of his foot.


Ren shook his head a little and took his hands from Blue's face to catch his wrists gently. "Don't be sorry. I'd be crying so hard if it had been me there..." He leaned in and placed a soft little kiss to the pale boy's mouth; chaste and light. "I know everyone says boy's aren't supposed to cry...but there's nothing wrong with doing it." He spoke quietly; there had been a time in his own life when something horrible had happened. He hadn't cried and it had gotten worse...holding back tears didn't help.

"And it's just me here..."


"I'm not afraid," Blue said plaintively, and slid down to the floor to lean against Ren, the corners of his eyes steadily leaking. "I did cry when I woke up. I'm not. I didn't want people to see." He didn't think Merlyn would tease him, or Reverie, not now, anyway; maybe later, once things had returned to a closer semblance of normal. He trusted Ren not to mention it at all. Perhaps that was strange. He didn't care. He was comforted.


Ren's arms went around the smaller boy and he pulled him into his lap; the Lykin was a great deal stronger than he appeared...and Blue was so light. "No need, I'm here." Ren wouldn't mention it, no -- what was happening just then was going to stay right there; he wasn't interested in holding Blue's tears against him later for any sort of reason.

He cared too much for the boy in his arms to do something like that.

No, he would just hold him and pet him and maybe lick at the tears at the corners of Blue's eyes.


Blue put his head on Ren's shoulder. It didn't matter if Ren saw him crying. It was fine. The tears came silently for a time, blurring the fleeting ghosts that flickered around them both. He didn't look too hard at those ghosts; whatever they meant, he didn't really want to see.

When the tears eased, Blue felt dry and light and hollow, emptied out of almost everything. He lifted his head and placed a careful light kiss on Ren's cheek, unable to quite put words to the weird and delicate mix of feelings.


The Lykin had the good sense to let his small companion cry without commentary, he just held the boy and petted him; being there but not being overt. This was not the time to do anything but hold and comfort. So that was what he did until the tears ceased sliding down Blue's cheeks, until he dampness of his shirt started to dry without further wetting.

When Blue kissed his cheek, Ren curled his tail around them both and tucked the child's head under his chin; silent for a good long while. The moment called for quiet -- not silence, no, but not clumsy words. Eventually, Ren would speak; it was getting late, the sun had been moving shadows across the floor for quite some time now.

"Blue...? Do you want me to take you home?" He could stay there, if he wanted, but Ren would have to call Prox and ask.


Blue thought about that, and after a moment shook his head. "Could I stay?" he asked, voice a little creaky from the remnants of tears. It would be more like normal, maybe, and it had been a while, and he didn't really want to go right now.


"Absolutely. I'll call your dad in a little bit and see if he minds." Ren was almost certain that Prox wouldn't mind, but he really didn't want to step on anyone's toes...and the fact that the Tales children had just returned from a "dissappearing act" likely had all the parents feeling a little bit more protective than usual.

"You can stay in my room, if you want."

Blue nodded silently. He stayed where he was a few moments longer, reluctant to move away from the comfort of Ren's hold; but eventually he did untangle himself carefully, feeling vaguely that he shouldn't cling too long. "Thank you," he said in a very small voice, and rubbed at his cheeks where the tears had matted the fur down.


Candy-pink and cream, Ren only moved when Blue had resettled himself a little bit better, and then it was only to pet the other boy's soft hair. "You can thank me by smiling for me." He was an idiot. He was going to have this boy staying in his room, probably his bed...and he knew better. He was going to call Blue's dad - his 'uncle' - and see if he could keep him there. 'I'll keep my hands to myself!' was his silent promise. Time - and permission from Prox - would tell the truth.

After a few moments Ren got up and went to call Prox. A small part of him wanted the master of Dream to say no -- the rest feverently hoped he would allow it.


Blue looked up and smiled shakily. He hadn't often let his guard down recently, and he'd been barely aware of how closely he was guarding his words and his memory. He felt drained, tired, weirdly quiet inside. When Ren got up to go make his phone call, Blue pulled himself back up onto the chaise, tucking his feet under him and composing himself further.

If Khia came back - no, when, he wasn't going to think about if - when Khia came back, then he'd face up to the dread of what had happened. For now he was safe, and Ren understood.

--

When the phone rang, Prox leaned over the desk and picked it up, welcoming the chance to take a break from the complicated tangle of tax paperwork he was slogging through. "Hello?"

--

Ren's tail curled back and forth while the phone rang, and he was a little bit flustered when Prox answered but collected himself quickly. "Hi Uncle, it's Ren~" There was a slight pause before the standard phone-greetings; how are things, etc. Niceties. But then he had his real question. "Uncle, I know it's probably a lot to ask right now, but can Blue stay with me tonight?"


Prox blinked, a little surprised. Blue had gone off perhaps an hour ago, after half-asking and half-stating that he was going to go see Khia, and promising that he wouldn't go anywhere else. "I don't see why not," he answered slowly, frowning a little. "Is everything all right? I know your family's been pretty busy lately." Had something happened? Blue hadn't been planning to stay when he'd gone over there, at least not as far as the feline knew.


The Lykin bit his lip a little at the hesitation in his uncle's voice and let out a small sigh when the man said yes. "Everything's fine Uncle, Blue just wanted to stay longer. It's been really busy, but it's okay. Blue's never any trouble." He didn't want to tell the feline that his child had started crying in his arms, even though he was his parent.


"As long as it's not an imposition," Prox said. "I can send one of the Zurui over with an overnight bag." He relaxed a little. It had been a while since Blue had wanted to see anyone. Perhaps this was a step in the right direction.


"No no, it's not at all...and that'd be great. I know he didn't bring any of his overnight stuff." Ren flicked his ears and curled his tail happily as his Uncle's tone changed from concern to parental-worry-but-pleased. "We love having Blue here."


"All right. I'll go see where Ambyr has gotten to." Prox smiled to himself. It was good that Blue was starting to be interested in going places again, in seeing his friends. "Thanks for calling."


Ren made a happy purring sound and smiled brightly at the phone - funny how excited this made him...wasn't he too old for sleep overs and things? "Thanks Uncle~ I'll have one of the Pards meet her at the gates." The lykin said his goodbyes and then went back to tell Blue the good news.


incomplete