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 Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 7:52 pm
For the first time in a very long time, Ren was actually sleeping soundly.
Curled up on his bed, tail twitching every so often, his wings tucked neatly and tightly against his back, Ren had the covers pulled all the way up, the eleven different sized pillows he had scattered over his bed haphazardly, surrounding him. The pillows, combined with the many multicolored foxfires all sleeping on the bed, made a sort of nest, of which Ren was quite comfortable in.
He was not having nightmares this time; or at least, though his dreams were still dark, they were not the mind-numbing, terrible ones that caused him to wake up gasping for air, exhausted and dizzy. Right now all he saw were shadows drifting aimlessly across his vision.
Warm, comfortable, and still asleep, Ren was unaware of any visitors that might have come ambling into his room.
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Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2011 8:16 pm
Ambling was hardly the word to describe Jove's behaviour as he slunk into his brother's room that night.
He had come with a bit of a problem. A new, peculiar fluff had somehow come to follow him home, and even though it was little more than a wisp of a foxfire, the thing was causing trouble. And although this one was not eating his mushrooms like the last tag along, it was making itself quite the nuisance. It was overbearing and pushy, bumping into the boil when he didn't pay it enough attention, and bumping into his other fluffs and disturbing them too.
The little pup had to wonder why so many of the things were drawn to him, it couldn't just be their mutual ancestry at work... Maybe it was their shared love of dark, cosy places?
He wanted to go to Ren for some help, since all the fluffs in his big brother's room coexisted in a fluffy, peaceful pile. With that many foxfires all in one place it was bound to learn some manners! So he had grabbed the little thing and trotted off to his brother's dorm, the very image of a ghost as he dashed across the campus lawn in his white night shirt, his pale skin glowing in the moonlight.
And when he got to his brother's room, the first thing he noticed was that everything was quiet and still. Most of the time he arrived in time to interrupt Ren's nightmares, but this was a pleasant surprise! With a happy tail wag, Jove set down the nuisance fluff. It was his intent to wiggle up next to his brother, but the excited urge was too strong. He pounced instead of wiggling onto the bed, and grabbed Ren's ear in his teeth for a good head shake.
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Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:38 pm
Ren was dreaming of something fluffy.
...something fluffy?
Well, that was certainly odd. Hadn't he just been dreaming of something else, instead? Something dark and dreary, something not entirely unpleasant, but simultaneously, it was not pleasant either. It was simply...there.
And now it was fluffy. Well, this was odd. Ren stretched out a hand to reach towards the fluffy thing and -
"wwaaaAAARRGGHBFSDPL;MS;F"
Something cold, floppy, and wriggling was suddenly on top of him, and Ren was quite suddenly awakened to find a set of tiny teeth latched onto one of his ears.
"OW OW OW WHAT DID BIG BROTHER TELL YOU ABOUT BITING - !!
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Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:50 pm
Jove paused, mid-shake, but he didn't let go right away. Why was it Ren was allowed to n** at his ear, but he wasn't allowed to n** back? The pup was perhaps a little too young to fully appreciate the difference between the affection his brother showed him and the fiercely happy bites he returned.
When he finally sat back on his heels, his expression was sheepish and mildly embarrassed. No biting Ren on the ear unless he was going to be gentle about it...
Then the little brown fluff was suddenly on the bed, bumping irritatingly against Jove's side. Why did this one demand his attention, while all the other foxfire wisplings he had nurtured were content to simply float around harmlessly? He shoved the little thing back, and when it proceeded to bump into him, he shoved it in Ren's direction with an exasperated expression and a slight whine. Forget the ear biting, this fluff needed his big brother's help!
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Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 9:32 am
The reason why Ren was allowed to bite Jove and not the other way around was, in fact, because he was the older brother.
"OWIE JOVE OW!"
After a few moments the prickling teeth were removed from his ear, and Ren sat up, rubbing it as a wince flickered across his face. When he looked at Jove, however, the expression shifted to a mildly exasperated one mingled with happiness that he could see his little brother. He reached out, ruffling Jove's fluffy hair, and said "What brings you he..."
Ren trailed off, eying the tiny little poof that had suddenly appeared beside Jove. It wasn't quite like anything he had seen before, and it was clinging to Jove with a stubborn expression, even when he pushed it towards him.
"Who's this?" said Ren, picking up the fluff with interest and watching as its tiny little legs flailed in midair as it tried to run away.
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Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 9:59 am
The pup seemed relieved when Ren picked it up. Almost a "Good, it's your problem now," type of reaction which was highly unusual for him. Especially when it was with regards to his fluffy kin.
"No manners," Jove said quietly, his relief giving way to that concern he usually showed for the fluffs. Even now the thing had started to yip insistently, it's high-pitched noises causing Jove's ears to fold back. He put his finger to his lips in his brother's "Shhhh" gesture, but the little foxfire puppy only stopped squeaking for a second before starting up again just as loud.
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Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:45 am
Ren gave Jove a suspicious look.
"This isn't one of those foxfires that like...wreaks terror and havoc when I'm not looking, will it?" he said, peering at it pointedly.
His brows lifted, slightly bemused. "No manners, eh?" he said, pushing aside the small p***k of happiness at Jove speaking aloud - his British accent was even more clear now as he grew older.
The foxfire was squirming madly in his arms, making irritated grumbling noises and squawking like an annoyed bird. Ren stared down at it with a confused expression. It was quite different from the rest of his foxfires; why was this one so wriggly?
"Where did you get it?" Ren asked Jove, attempting to set it down, after which it pelted off the bed and zoomed around the room like a bullet.
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Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:05 am
Jove just shrugged. Whether it was in response to the "wreaking havoc" or "where did you get it", it was impossible to tell. Either way, the shifty way in which Jove avoided his brother's eyes didn't bode well.
However, the answer to the latter was likely the same as it was for any of the little fluffs Jove seemed to pick up. He would be out in the woods, just enjoying himself and minding his own business, when a wisp would float over to him. And he would either play with the wisp or give it some food, or a little scratch, and when he came home it just seemed to come home with him. But this foxfire... it had clung to him, demanding his attention. It had even tripped him as he walked back to his room!
It didn't seem like an inherently bad foxfire wisp... it was just so eager for attention!
Jove flopped down against his brother's side, leaning half on Ren and half on the pillows as he watched the fluff rocket around, and gave a wide yawn. It was hard to know if he was simply tired, now that he had begun sleeping normally again, or if it was a worried yawn.
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Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 7:57 pm
Ren gave Jove a pointed look that clearly said "You didn't answer my question, mister," before the foxfire in question came pelting back towards the bed, bouncing up and down with an exorbitant amount of energy that Ren was not entirely certain where it had come from. He slung a casual arm around Jove's shoulder as Jove leaned against him, both of them eying the fluff, which bounded forward and wriggled itself beneath one of Jove's arms, fluffy tail wagging madly back and forth.
"Well," said Ren. "This, er...he's a bit excitable, isn't he?"
He gave a yawn that he tried to suppress, but it didn't entirely work and Ren rested his chin on the top of Jove's head, frowning a bit.
"What's up with you?" he said. "You seem a bit...I dunno. Uneasy somehow. You worried about anything, little bro?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 8:20 pm
It was hard to shake his head with Ren's chin on top, but the pup tried his best. No, he was maybe only a little worried. And it was for the little brown fluff that just wouldn't behave. Jove lifted his arm and picked the thing up to set it down on his lap, but it just head-butted him in the stomach as it threw itself back into him.
Jove picked it up again and held it up for Ren to take. Could his brother make it calm and not a nuisance? Even Fruitloup hadn't been this demanding when it was little...
The pup stifled another yawn, he wouldn't be able to sleep until this thing stopped clamouring for his attention!
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Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 8:27 pm
Ren felt Jove shake his head beneath his chin and he pulled back, giving the puppy a mildly suspicious look. "You're not doing that thing where you're gonna try and hide whatever it is you're feeling, are you?" he asked, frowning a bit, though his tone was lighthearted. "Cuz you know I'll figure out what it is eventually."
He ruffled Jove's hair affectionately, the looked down at the wriggling, yipping foxfire in his brother's hands before giving the boil a slightly exasperated one. "What," he said, catching the yawn. "Is he keeping you awake? Are you giving him to me in the hopes that he'll actually settle down?"
With a melodramatic sigh, Ren slipped the foxfire from Jove's fingers and pulled it into his lap, petting it gently. It purred beneath his hand, but was vibrating quite a bit, as if holding still took a great deal of effort.
"Strange little bugger, isn't he?" he said with a small laugh.
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Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2011 9:05 pm
Jove tilted his head to peer up at Ren, appearing very much like the little brother looking up to his older sibling. No, this time he wasn't really hiding anything. He was an open book tonight...
Another yawn, and a nod. See, his brother read him perfectly.
He watched silently as Ren took the little creature from his hands, and tried to calm the thing down. It looked only partly successful. Jove was sure Ren would calm the thing eventually, he certainly could calm the little ghostling down when he was anxious or excited. Whether it was encouragement or petting behind his ears, his brother was an expert at soothing away all the uncomfortable spots.
Even now Jove was leaning back and taking comfort from his brother's warm body, letting the sleepiness build as he felt Ren's laugh. Sometimes he wished he was warm too, and breathed and had a heart that he could feel, but being with the gryphon had to be the closest thing to it.
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Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:45 pm
Ren was quite satisfied with the fact that he did not need words to understand what Jove was feeling. In all honesty, he prided himself on being able to read his little brother's facial expressions, his body language; to communicate with him completely satisfyingly without ever hearing so much as a "hello." It was one of his greatest accomplishments, at least in Ren's mind.
And he especially knew when Jove was tired. The wide yawn, revealing tiny pointed teeth, was evidence enough of that.
Ren flopped back onto the bed, dragging Jove with him, his arm thrown casually around his little brother's shoulders, the foxfire prancing merrily across Ren's stomach. One hand absently tugged at one of the boil's ears, flicking at it playfully.
After a moment he stopped, raised his head, and stared at Jove's ear. "When did you get your ear pierced?!"
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 1:03 pm
Jove let out a little squeak as he was pulled backwards, it was always one surprise after another with his unpredictable brother. Although being pulled around shouldn't have surprised him with how often it happened. Ren had spent many occasions trying to coerce him into a nap.
He was content enough to lie there with his head resting against Ren's arm, until the older boil gave his ear a tug. His stomach gave a flip. The pup had recently learned that the weird, swirly feeling in his stomach was often called queasiness, a milder counterpart to the gut-churning nausea, and a reaction that wasn't completely unheard of for someone who recently had their first piercing. Perhaps it still bothered him because he was a ghost or something, but at least the reaction was getting better.
The pup tried to ignore it, and instead gave Ren a nonchalant look that said "Oh, awhile ago, I don't really remember..." Although a minute later he hopefully glanced back to see if his brother approved.
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Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 10:58 pm
It was more out of habit than teasing that Ren flopped back on the bed. He was, by nature, a cuddling person - as most who knew him had gathered already. Probably because of his rather unorthodox upbringing, Ren had always had a strange desire for the company of others - not in a low way, but just the mere presence of someone in the room with him made him feel more at ease, less jittery. That need had both strengthened and lessened since the last field trip, Ren's emotions on a constant up and down roller coaster, but Jove himself was one of those people with whom Ren could never really do without. His little brother was quite important to him, and therefore that meant snuggling when the time came.
Even if the puppy was stubborn and disgruntled over it, though it was clear that he had long since grown used to his older brother's weird antics and put up with them quite well.
"I've never seen this before!" Ren said, sounding half outraged, half impressed as he stared down at Jove's ear. There was a tiny stud where there hadn't been one before, glinting silver against the pale teal fur. "And don't give me that look," he said sternly, catching the expression on Jove's face. "I don't remember this."
After a moment of mock irritation, he said "It kinda matches mine, you know," and ducked his head, the dangling silver cross swinging into Jove's vision.
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