For what felt like an eternity, there was darkness and emptiness. The other that had been here with him, his twin sister, was now stolen from him and he was mildly irritated at her sudden disappearance. Where did she think she was going without him?
Then he forgot everything, his mind resetting in his true birth into the world, fussing softly a moment until his nose was cleaned by a gentle tongue and he could gasp in a breath. He tapped and nudged at the touch in thanks, in eagerness for more that it might have to offer him. He needed more of her.
She cleaned his eyes too, and he was able to open them, brown gaze bright on her face with innocent delight. He loved that look in her face. The way she beamed over him like he was beautiful, and of course he was just as beautiful as his sister. He glanced around for her, found her nestled in and resting against someone else.
There was hard, white bone and rivulets of dried blood around the edges on top of black and blue and stars. He peeked at his own skin, nearly as black with the same stars glittering across him in uneven patterns, with faded bits just as Momma and his sister had. So they all belonged together, he figured. He hadn't heard the man's voice as he had the soothing tone of his mother while in her belly, but he could see now that they belonged nonetheless. His brown eyes lifted to his dad's face with a sharp, mischievous glint, grinning in a way his mouth hadn't learned how to mimic just yet.
But it was time to get up now, and Mom ushered him in her gentle way. Overly eager and feeling a burst of energy, he stumbled quickly to his feet, tripping forward a few steps and falling back to the ground. He just beamed up at her though, completely unfazed. Then with a small, determined snort, he shot to his feet again and bounded forward with a confident little buck, pride and accomplishment gleaming in his eyes even as he fell to the ground again.
He'd still done it though! And he was good at it, even briefly.
He glanced at Dad and his sister for a reaction, expecting to see their pride too because he was awesome. But his attention didn't last long as he lugged his galaxy-adorned body right back up to chase after Momma and her glorious milk, digging his little face beside her thigh until he found a teet and latched on so greedily and demanding. He had to take what he could before his beautiful sister came to crowd him and take her fill too.
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