Why she did the things she did she would never know, actually, she always knew the reasons why but to the rest of the world it probably made no sense. Firefly just had to remove herself from the packlands after the things she'd done the night before. It had been enough alcohol to cause enough damage but not enough for her to forget it all come morning. She knew that Haku's and her own mateship had been destroyed so long ago but she wasn't about to have another down and out with the Lilium over what she wasn't allowed to do yet was perfectly fine for him.
The coppery gold woman bared her teeth at the idea as the bright light seemed to much overhead on the warm sunny day. It was beginning to seem like spring and the Acer of Dahlia de Mai figured that she might as well take her time to roam the lands away from the packs. She didn't want to linger in the sun too long today so she quietly slipped into the cover of the dampwoods, hoping that the cooler shadows would be enough to sooth the roar of her splitting headache.
She wrinkled her nose as the small voice in the back of her head began to scowl her before she realized soon enough that the voice wasn't in the back of her head. She snarled as her eyes caught sight of the stupid family of chipmunks that had decided to come out and bitch about the fact that she was tramping through their woods. If they were smart enough to understand her she'd give the beasties a piece of her mind but she just figured it wasn't worth her time and flicked her tail at the annoyances and moved one deeper into the forest.
[doHtml]
Sorry for the horrific wait, my dear. D:
my nymphetamine girl !
The last time he'd traveled to the Dampwoods, he'd had an experience that continued to echo within him. He remembered it clearly, entering the camp of the young coyote. The encounter had opened Kansas's eyes to the deepness of others, even of complete strangers. He still thought about their conversation often, trying to make the most sense of it that he could. He hadn't even told Savina about Arkham. It was a small turn in the road, one that may have been void of much significance but that he enjoyed keeping to himself.
Kansas had set off that earlier morning. His mate was heavily pregnant, but the entire pack knew of her condition. He trusted they would take care of her for a few hours. The sun shone meekly through the trees overhead, but he didn't mind the shadow. He felt safer concealed in this half-darkness. Kansas was subconsciously headed in the direction of the old camp. Perhaps he thought he might see Arkham again. Perhaps he had more questions to ask.
But the scent he picked up made the trip even more worth his time. It was Firefly's. Kansas moved more quickly, excitement welling inside him. He hadn't seen his sister in so long - the place in his heart she belonged to had started to ache. Her scent took him to her in no time, and he nearly ran into her, halting just abreast of her. "Firefly!" There was an air of darkness around her. He sensed it perfectly. Frowning, Kansas looked into her eyes, subtly intrusive with his concern. He hated it when she was troubled. But he knew better than to ask her about it straight away. "How have you been?"
|
[/html]
The dark minded woman's ears perked up almost instantly when another had called her name. Very few actually knew her name and even fewer tended to use it. The voice could only belong to one person and as the woman with the golden red locks turned to catch sight of the male she tried to hide the sorrow and pain with a smile. Soft laughter came from her maw as she grinned at her brother. "Kansas!.." She looked him over for a moment before continuing. "So they finally loosened the chains enough to allow you to escape?" She had realized as soon as he'd approached that he'd wanted her to come visit so long ago and of course things had become hectic and those wishes and plans had fallen through, but now here she was..
She flicked her tail back and forth softly against her leg as she tried for the longest part to avoid the question that she knew he would ask. And of course there it was. She flinched as those words were granted to her. Shaking her head she pawed at a small pebble in the path as she shrugged, trying to find an answer suitable enough for her sibling. "I don't know.. I'm alive, that's good, right?" Pathetic, that's what it was but she'd already spoken and she really couldn't take it back now.
Smiling slightly to Kansas she tried to push past it all as she asked. "How's life in the pack?"
[doHtml]
my nymphetamine girl !
Such was his complete adoration for his gold and crimson sister that Kansas had allowed himself to forget about her promise to come see him, to meet the only other girl he loved. He'd thought about it in the months that had passed since their last encounter, here and there, but now that he was looking into those green eyes, he didn't remember what she'd promised. She met him with a smile that concealed something, something unpleasant. But her response was enthusiastic enough for him to think it only a trick of the light.
"Guess they did..." he said with a smirk, though it was quite the opposite. His leaders probably wished he would get out and do more productive things now and then. Fighting back the chuckle in his throat, he looked Firefly over, as if ensuring the words she offered next were the truth. Her remark led him to believe that she really had been hiding something behind her winning smile. "That's... always a plus." Good luck getting her to tell you more, Kansas. "Really good. Haven't been doing much. Firefly..." he said, his voice low, but excitement shimmered in his eyes. "Savina's pregnant." Grinning, he chewed his lip and tried to guess at her reaction.
|
[/html]
A slight smile sat on her lips as she watched the normally shy boy come alive. She wished that he didn't live in another pack but she suspected it was for the best that he did, there were just things about her that she expected her twin would never want to really know about. She'd screwed up enough for half the world to know recently she should figure that she was lucky enough that he hadn't found out the truth yet.
The smirk that played across his lips with her tease just made her chuckle lightly as she moved closer to her sibling. She shook her head as he answered her comment, "Yeah, still kicking is always a grand thing.." she stopped in her words as she realized that her twin didn't even know that he was an uncle, that she'd taken a mate and had brought two little boys into the world. She'd been about to tell him when he turned the tables on her and seemed to have his own news to spread.
When the bomb was dropped she couldn't do anything but smile. She had never met his mate and she wasn't for certain what she could or would really think about the lady but it seemed that she'd just have to deal with that forever now. "Congratulations Kansas!" She chuckled as she asked, "So you're gonna be a father now.." she sure hoped he'd do better than her children's father had done.
[doHtml]
my nymphetamine girl !
However much his sister had messed up in her life, he'd probably never know. No matter how close to right in his face important news came, Kansas never seemed to learn of it. He kept his whole being to himself, enclosed tightly into his own little niche. He had Savina, he had his family scattered here and there. But the goings-on of other packs, the dramas of their members... he was almost never aware of that. Kansas knew who Haku was, and about some of the things he had done, but never would he have been able to guess that he'd fathered Firefly's children.
Kansas shook his head at her, mocking her playfully. He emitted a laugh that was almost a boyish giggle, eyes still sparkling. Even if she'd keep him in the dark, knowing that she was alive was always enough for him. He couldn't imagine how he'd lead his life if his twin were to disappear from it. The idea made him want to rush into her, but he held himself back.
Her words of congratulations sent him soaring. "Yeah..." he responded, his tail waving behind him. "Honestly, I'm scared out of my mind." Something he could never directly express to his mate. "So... do you want kids?" he queried, genuinely curious (though he didn't know if he saw Firefly as the mothering type).
|
[/html]
Firefly could not help but laugh out load as Kansas spoke of his fears and the new future that was coming around the bend for him. It wasn't exactly funny the emotions that he was feeling but it was reminding her of another who for a moment in time had seemed to show the same feelings but very quickly that male had did a 360 on the whole family and reverted back to his normal ways. She shook her head and honestly said. "You'll do fine.. you'll see." She really didn't know what to say otherwise. She had hoped that her mate would have felt the same about their children but she'd been so wrong there, it was a bitter taste in her maw to see he sibling being the perfect man that she'd never had in this area.
She paused a moment as Kansas asked her a question that she was surprised to hear him asking. She had thought that he'd found out by now about her litter and had just stayed the distance to give her space and time to learn. She raised a brow at her brother and asked, "Are you serious?" She shook her head a moment and smiled slightly. "I've been a mother for almost two months now Kansas.." She missed her boys but she'd done what she thought was best for them at this moment in time. "You've been an uncle for a while.." Talk about a surprise..
[doHtml]
my nymphetamine girl !
At her laugh Kansas did little more than smile. He was far from offended, but his fears were real as they were strong. He didn't want to fuck up the lives of his children as some parents liked to do. He didn't want to be like Conri. Like Lucifer. And he honestly believed that he wouldn't. But there were ways to mess up kids other than leaving them behind. He looked down for a brief moment, shaking his head a bit to himself.
As soon as he saw her brow lift, he knew he'd once again been oblivious to some important thing about his family. But the smile on his face widened, and he went forward to timidly embrace his sister. "Wow... that's great, Firefly. You beat me to it. I guess," He laughed a little. "What are their names?"
|
[/html]
She tried hard to hide her pains from her brother, he always seemed to believe that her life was fair and free from heartache and she didn't want to see him believing otherwise. She just smiled and acted like her whole world was perfect. She knew it wasn't and she could probably bet that quite a few others knew as well but as long as her brother honestly thought that her world was perfect and she was getting along fine then she could live. She didn't know why in the world she tried so hard to let him believe she was in a happy healthy world but she did and there was no turning back from that idea.
When Kansas moved forward to embrace her after he'd found out that he'd been an uncle for so long she closed her eyes tight to keep tears from forming as she held a bittersweet smile on her lips and shook her head slightly. She just had to remember it was all a game and everything would be fine. She held her breath a second before finally replying as she pulled away from the short embrace he'd given her. "Emwe and Conor. They're sweet as can be.. nothing like me.." she said with a soft laugh. How strange the two were nothing like their brash and cruel parents, but she wouldn't have wanted them that way either. Everything was better this way.
She tried hard to hide her pains from her brother, he always seemed to believe that her life was fair and free from heartache and she didn't want to see him believing otherwise. She just smiled and acted like her whole world was perfect. She knew it wasn't and she could probably bet that quite a few others knew as well but as long as her brother honestly thought that her world was perfect and she was getting along fine then she could live. She didn't know why in the world she tried so hard to let him believe she was in a happy healthy world but she did and there was no turning back from that idea.
When Kansas moved forward to embrace her after he'd found out that he'd been an uncle for so long she closed her eyes tight to keep tears from forming as she held a bittersweet smile on her lips and shook her head slightly. She just had to remember it was all a game and everything would be fine. She held her breath a second before finally replying as she pulled away from the short embrace he'd given her. "Emwe and Conor. They're sweet as can be.. nothing like me.." she said with a soft laugh. How strange the two were nothing like their brash and cruel parents, but she wouldn't have wanted them that way either. Everything was better this way.
[doHtml]
my nymphetamine girl !
Kansas saw only what Firefly showed him in their few-and-far-between meetings. All he could do was assume she was happy because that was most of what he saw. But there was always something in her eyes, something perhaps only he could have detected because they were still connected somewhere. He wished more than anything that she would confide in him. He worried that she didn't trust him as she used to. But Kansas knew better than to pry into his sister's world, so he didn't try. Still, it felt like the little time they spent together was missing something.
Their embrace brought a bit of whatever it was back. He felt whole as they touched, a different kind of comfort from that which he felt when he and Savina were close. He didn't want to let his sister go; he'd never been protective of her as a good brother should be, but he always felt the need to keep her with him so neither of them would fall apart. But that need was rarely fulfilled.
"Heh, I heard that happens," he said in his quiet voice. Her words left him wondering if any of his puppies would be like him, or like Savina. From what he'd experienced, children taking after their parents was kind of a myth. He wasn't like either Phoenix or Iskata, and he didn't believe Firefly was either. "I can't wait to meet them. Maybe when mine are born. We can... arrange a playdate." He laughed softly. A few moments of comfortable silence passed, wherein he simply gazed at his sister. So much time had passed, and yet he felt the same around her as he always had. "I miss you."
|
[/html]
Firefly knew it was cruel not to keep her twin informed of the way things were going in her life but she knew better than to start letting her true feelings show. While she was the one who was strong and firm in her ways Kansas was the one who cared for the world and fretted over every little thing, especially if it had to do with those he loved. She'd learned in time to make him happy was to leave him knowing little of the real world she lived and thrived in.
Perhaps she would have realized that being with her sibling and her children was one of the few times that she could actually be carefree and relax. The rest of the world expected so much from her and demanded that their needs be met in a timely fashion. With Kansas everything was just free floating and a sigh was a sound of relaxation, not frustration. She smiled at him as their embrace ended and the conversation went on like always.
She couldn't help the smirk that escaped as Kansas teased her on how unlike her the two little boys were. She shook her head and remarked, "Gee, thanks. I was hoping you would stick up for me and tell me just how sweet I was to make me feel better." She knew she was far from sweet but she couldn't help but taunt Kansas when he gave her the chance, it was far and few nowadays that she was able to get away with such childlike antics. Firefly smiled softly as Kansas suggested that at a future time they get together. She chuckled and reminded him. "You still haven't managed to get me together to meet your mate, but we'll see." She didn't try and avoid the meetings but he knew she didn't do so well with strangers, but in due time they would find a ways to meet up.
When he issued those little words that she tried so hard to ignore a helpless look passed over her face as she tried to smile, a sad excuse that didn't linger long at all on her maw as she admitted. "I miss you too.."
[doHtml]
Finish up here? ♥
my nymphetamine girl !
Sometimes Kansas wondered if she believed he had never experienced more of the bad in the world that simple, everyday inconveniences. Perhaps she thought he was sheltered such that hearing anything worse from her would send him over the edge. Her desire to protect him touched him, but he hoped this wasn't true of her. She would have had reason enough to think so - she didn't know about what had happened with he, Naniko, and Lucifer. Sometimes he thought she might congratulate him on doing something so off-the-wall, but the possibility that he might disgust her kept him from telling her about the little event.
Perhaps none of that mattered. When he was with Firefly, his cares about everything else simply drifted away. He didn't care too much about how he sounded, what he said, because he knew she would understand him. A heavy weight lifted from his shoulders when he was around her. "Nah... not a chance," he replied, grinning and nosing her shoulder. He wasn't comfortable enough around too many individuals to actually tease them. But he knew he could count on having fun with his twin sister.
We'll see. The sound of the words made his eyes fall just ever so slightly. He wasn't angry. He just wished she could say of course she would come, she'd love to, as soon as she could. But that wasn't Firefly. He hid his disappointment beneath another easy smile. "Come by any time. I'm always there. Literally." Kansas comforted him with reassurance to himself that she would come. Maybe not soon, maybe not for a long while. But she'd be there.
|
[/html]
Firefly couldn't believe that Kansas had actually been so insulting to her but she was quite amused by it. He was one of the few that could get away with doing such things since he was her brother but sometimes she wondered if it was more than just that. Ember was her sibling too and they barely got along sometimes. She shook her head as he spoke a grin splitting her maw as she chuckled. "Just wait Kansas.." She would tell his children all sorts of horrible things about their father to get her revenge. She'd just have to finally shape up and just deal with meeting this love of his life.
She knew that Kansas hated the fact that she avoided almost every chance at meeting his mate but truth be told she didn't want to know who'd stolen her brother just yet. In her own time she'd come around and see this figure who was so overpowering that his world revolved around her. Not anytime soon.. but someday. She smiled as he seemed to beg her to stop by one day. She just shook her head as she admitted defeat. "One day.. I'll see you.." she said, she would seek out the pack and see just what Kansas found so favorable in the lands but she really knew she wasn't going to be looking forward to it already.
The woman turned away from her brother as she began to head deeper into the woods and towards her pack's lands. She knew that she had a lot to do before she even thought of going and playing guests with the other pack and she didn't want to be reminded so soon of the promise she'd made to her lighter hued brother. She'd seen him in time, really.
|
