"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
11-04-2018, 04:37 PM (This post was last modified: 11-04-2018, 04:37 PM by Wallace.)
Lacey
She hadn't even cared where they'd ended up. She was so sick of traveling and just wanted to rest, stay in one place for a while no matter where it was. Hell, she'd have even taken Pangea, that hell she and Sabrael had been stolen away to had it not been for the disease soaking the earth there. She just wanted to rest.
She'd followed in silence, a numb steeling in her weary bones and the sun beating down on the pale lace pattern over her hips. Aside from those scars, that art, she was brown on top of more brown with a hint of brown. She was dull and uninteresting, and nothing like the family she was surrounded by. They were all like their father, even little Baddie with his red and purple like a sunset on fire, matching Reilly's Irish red.
She was the imposter. The outcast. She always would be.
The sound of his approach was familiar, a comfort because it was not one of her grandchildren. Hah. Grandchildren. She couldn't quite wrap her head around that. She felt like she'd barely just had Kali, and suddenly she's a grandmother. A horrible one, of course. She was a terrible mother and would surely be the worst excuse of a grandmother too. God, a grandmother! It was insane. She was barely five or six now. How could this have happened?
"I don't like it here," she said quietly, still managing to sound a bit bladed even when she was so tried. What she really meant was that she hated everything. Absolutely everything. Their home wasn't safe. Again. She's a god damn grandmother. They'll hate her. She's terrible at everything she does. Why did Reilly insist on staying at her side? She didn't deserve this fool Irishman, or those three gorgeous babies she'd birthed. She didn't want to see that stranger anywhere near Kir. She didn't want to see his stupid face either.
He stays close because he feels he has to. Every time he has strayed too far before, everything he knew was torn away. He misses his mom and sister, deep down, though as time goes on he has trouble remembering what they looked like. He has a new family now. But some strayed, and now they were torn too. Everything changes so quickly in this world. The thing with Taiga, and now this Plague business. Bad business all around. And he just couldn't bare to be completely alone. So he stays close to Reilly and Mama-Lacey.
Mind you, he could handle himself. He could. He is a trifecta. Though young, he has his mighty horn (not sharp yet, but it was more than a nub now, at least). He has his beautiful wings (more than fledgling now, they have formed real feathers and not just those fuzzy useless things). And he's immortal. He doesn't really know what that one means, but he thinks it means he's freaking awesome. A few times, when trying to learn to fly, he'd wrecked a time or two- give him a break, he is young and there was no one to teach him. Bound to happen. But each time he'd really scraped himself up, he was pretty amazed at how quickly he healed. So yeah, he could handle his own, young or not.
Didn't mean he wanted to though. Yeah, that was it. He stays with them because he wants to. Thank you very much. Plus, Reilly is a pretty cool guy. He's all huge and has this cool way of speaking. Doesn't care what others think of him. Unless it's Mama-Lacey, at least. He really cares what she thinks. Of him and herself. He thinks that's pretty cool too, maybe. The way Reilly talks her up when she talks herself down. And after the thing with Taiga, he took them to his homeland! Him and Mama-Lacey and Reilly. And boy, was that extra cool! To see a place outside of the only world he'd ever known. Meeting other people who talked like Reilly and carried on. He had trouble understanding them sometimes, but he got away with it because he's young. And Reilly was there to help him figure things out. Super cool.
They're back now though, and things are so strange. Barely a minute there, and Mama-Lacey says they can't stay. He'd looked forward to coming home. Maybe seeing her other kids. Never mind the sting that comes with the thought that those were her actual kids. Mama-Lacey loves him the same, he thinks. And plus, he felt super special to get to go away with her and Reilly, just them. Kharon, Kylin- twins- and then little Kali. He thinks she's his favorite. So sweet and cute and soft gray and lavender. So lovely. He'd wondered how they all had been doing. Probably fine, off somewhere with their dad, Kirby. At least that would have been better. Come to find out that Kirby and Kharon and Kali had been together. On the magical Mountain, where she had suspended them in time. A few days had been years? Which seemed true for them too. Time away in Ireland with Reilly had been different than time in Beqanna too, apparently. But poor Kylin. Somehow she'd been alone. For years? He can't wrap his head around that. He hadn't been alive for years, so it was fair, right? But wow, Kylin is so much older now. And has two daughters of her own. But they all were supposed to still be kids.. Kharon and Kali, and himself. All still young.. He can't imagine how Kharon feels, being her twin.
It all hurt his head. Snapping out of his thoughts, he stretches his wings. They are the same reddish gold of his body along the bones, blending into the violet tones of all his primary and secondary feathers that match his points. This spring weather has him wanting to preen them, to itch his horn along the bark of a tree, but for now he follows beside Reilly as they return to where Mama-Lacey stands. He's quiet, for the most part. Nickering up at her in greeting, nuzzling his nose to her shoulder. Then he looks up to the red-headed man as she says she doesn't like it here. Looks around, frowning as he takes in the land they'd be harboring in til dangers pass. Immortal or not, he doesn't really want to be sick. Although he guesses he can see her point. This Island Resort isn't home. He had wanted to be home. But maybe this place doesn't have to be so bad. Long as they're together and nothing else crazy happens.
12-16-2018, 10:20 PM (This post was last modified: 12-16-2018, 10:23 PM by Reilly.)
Things were messier than the sloshiest pub in his hometown. He'd taken Lacey and Badden away with him for a bit of a reprieve. Much needed, he'd say. But as much fun as they'd had, they'd all missed home. Missed their family. They had no way of knowing they'd be returning to.. this. Disease rampant. New lands risen. Everyone scurrying to safety, them included, with some rallying for trouble. Reilly was a bit tired of trouble, if he was being honest. He had been ready to come home and settle in, kick back a little. Although, he supposed he could do that here as well. Just wasn't the home he'd had in mind. But he shouldn't complain. They were together and safe. Home is where they were. Where she is.
He and Baddie had gone on a morning walk, checking out the new island for a bit. He had felt the worry in the boy, in the way he'd been more quiet than usual, and had thought that some time alone with him would ease him a little. Not for long, though. They'd all been away from each other long enough. Reilly was really looking forward to spending more quality time with the other kids. Kharon, Kali. Definitely Kylin, though no longer a kid was she. Poor dear. How they could ever make it up to her- if they could- he didn't know. But he would try.
For now, though, he especially wants to check in with Lacey. As messy as everything was right now, he knows she's got a lot going through her mind. So they go to her, little Badden at his side. Handsome fella, stretching those wings of his. It was pretty cool seeing him grow up and watching the changes in him. Couldn't help feeling like he would grow to be quite the heartbreaker, once he started being interested in girls. He smiled at the thought as the colt nickered to his adopted mom and went up to nuzzle her.
The day was turning nice and warm as the sun rose in the sky with few clouds to block it. Her coat shines in the golden rays, bringing out the different shades of color in it. A light breeze from off the coast tousles her hair against her neck. When she turns to look at him, he catches the glint in her chocolate colored eyes as she tells him she doesn't like it here. God, she's beautiful. The shape of her face, even with the firm set of her jaw, the slight pout in her lip, and the crease in her brow brings a smile unbidden to his own mouth. "Ah, it isn't all that bad, love. It's only temporary." He shares an affectionate look with Badden and reaches down to tussle his forelock, to which the boy responds by grimacing and headbutting him before shaking his head and walking off a bit to rub his growing horn on a tree.
His attention back to Lacey, he sidles up to her, soaking in the nearness of her body to his. He doesn't touch her often, without knowing for sure she's okay with it, but in this moment just now he feels a little emboldened. His voice lowers, deepening and baritone. "Tell me what's going on in there, lovely." He leans his muzzle toward her head, daring to brush a bit of her brown waves out of her eye. He lingers just a bit after, inhaling the spicy scent of her at her neck, lids drooping over his blue-green eyes. Softly, he sighs before pulling his head away to look at her. He was all ears for her to let loose, if she wanted. If not, perhaps he could help her. Distract her. Many ways to let loose, after all.
this time I’m torn, please wake me if I lose that face search in these eyes: there’s still fire in the darkness
Her sweet boy nickered up at her touched his little nose to her shoulder. She offered him a soft smile, sitting weak and awkward on her face because she still really wasn't great at this mom thing. She wasn't even sure why she'd thought it a good idea to take him in. One day he'd likely despise her or at the very least not carry her in his thoughts.
Reilly joined them and she looked to him, not liking the situation at all. They should be home, not here. Home and safe.
"Ah, it isn't all that bad, love. It's only temorary." The tight lines in her face softened and she watched him toy with handsome Baddie's hair, to which the boy responded with a headbutt and attitude, huffing off to do his own thing and leaving them mostly alone.
"Tell me what's going on in there, lovely," Reilly said, his voice low and sexy. She blushed faintly and peered up at him through thick lashes as he swept aside a bit of her hair, brushing it out of her face and lingering against her skin. His eyes nearly shut then he sighed, leaned back to listen to her.
She nodded and glanced away. She'd been a great communicator once. Now she wasn't so sure she knew how to anymore, almost preferring the silence that was safe, that hid her emotions and depression as best that it was able to.
"A lot has changed. Kylin. Her kids. Kirby, Kharon, Kali. Us." A hell of a lot for one family to go through, even as blended as they were. She sighed. "This isn't home. I just want to be home with them."
