Amethyst Ayesha |PF|
*Peeking out at the deck, she sighed, glancing at Turstin. When he just shrugged, she straightened her shoulders, heading to the counter to grab a cup of black coffee. Detouring to the refrigerator, she grabbed a bottle of apple juice for herself before sliding the french doors open. Turstin pretended he was busy doing literally anything else, but she knew he'd react quicker than anyone would guess if she appeared to be floundering or scared. Nudging the large feline with her toe, she held the steaming mug up when he lifted his head to look at her* Shift, tiger.
*Peeking out at the deck, she sighed, glancing at Turstin. When he just shrugged, she straightened her shoulders, heading to the counter to grab a cup of black coffee. Detouring to the refrigerator, she grabbed a bottle of apple juice for herself before sliding the french doors open. Turstin pretended he was busy doing literally anything else, but she knew he'd react quicker than anyone would guess if she appeared to be floundering or scared. Nudging the large feline with her toe, she held the steaming mug up when he lifted his head to look at her* Shift, tiger.
Amethyst Ayesha |PF|
*He growled, but shifted into the still-imposing human form of her brother-in-law* You realize sitting out here pouting...er... glowering isn't going to help anything get resolved, right? *As he ignored her, she made a face before dropping into the hammock, letting it swing gently as she opened her drink and took a sip* Fine. Don't talk. Listening is better anyways. I have a little story to tell you.
Amethyst Ayesha |PF|
*He scoffed, but leaned forward, so she knew he was at least going to give her the time of day. Progress!* Well. A long time ago there was a little girl. Her parents had died and she went to live with her grandmother who she'd never even met. The woman tried her best, but she was just too old to handle a small child who was "different". So she sent the little girl to a military school in the hopes of helping by giving her life structure. While there, the little girl met a boy around her age.
Amethyst Ayesha |PF|
He was her hero. Her knight in shining armor. When he'd cut courses, she'd tag along. He pretended like it annoyed him, but he always made her feel like a part of his little group. When he went to Chicago for more in depth training, she followed. When she had her first roommate, he welcomed the other girl as well. He became their rock. He made broken hearts okay by making sure no one dared hurt them. He made sure they never wanted for anything, even though he wasn't but a few years older. They never even asked where he got the money to help them from, they just knew that if they ever needed anything, he'd be there.
Amethyst Ayesha |PF|
She didn't have a family, but he made sure that she didn't feel that loss. He got drafted for PsiForce a year or two before she did. At the same time, her roommate had graduated. She was alone for the first time in a long while when her grandma died. Neither of them had anyone else. She sat at the funeral by herself. Wondering how she could go through life completely and utterly alone. And you know what? From places that she couldn't even pronounce, they both came back. She hadn't said a word, but they'd seen the announcement and showed up at her side. Sat beside her on the pew, holding her hands. Letting her tears fall without a word. Didn't matter that both had been working, that neither had the cash to come. They'd done it anyways. Because they were her family and she wasn't alone.
Amethyst Ayesha |PF|
Now. The psychological trauma we deal with due to the jobs we have may result in some of the agents letting off steam in creative ways. It may turn them into the occasional raging prick that needs knocked on his ass a time or two. It may cause trust issues, or wariness. But I don't give a damn what he's done on his downtime, because I've been there too. We all have. That man would have died for two little girls he barely knew and didn't need to help. The fates brought us all together for a reason, I truly believe that. You may not realize it, but I saw it even then. Illy has never loved another the way she loves Kaden. Ever. Frankly, neither has he, though he's tried. So you can look back on your memories and shudder, seeing the demons both of you tried your hardest to banish together. That's your right.
Amethyst Ayesha |PF|
But remember that the rest of us have far, far different memories. And that man has given up more than any one person should. So has Illy. They deserve happiness. And they deserve their family to support them. We are all family, and we will all make this a home whether you personally like it or not. Your siblings need you, Ailwin. And though you appear to loathe seeming weak, you need them as well. *Standing, she tossed her bottle into the trash can, wiping her hands on her jeans* You can go ahead and shift, get back to your brooding now, I've said what I wanted to say. *Stepping back inside, Turstin 's arms wrapped around her, causing her to let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. Meeting his lips, she shook her head when he asked if she'd gotten through to his brother* Only time will tell, T. I think I did. Or rather, I hope I did.
Ailwin Ryann |PF|
*He sat staring at the treeline as Amethyst went back inside. He hadn't said a word simply because he didn't know what the fuck to say. Hell, he'd been there that day. He remembered that shit. K had seemed shaken up about something. Had asked him what you did when you knew someone you cared for needed you. Damn, at the time he'd figured it'd been something random. They'd been simply agent and informant, though he'd like to think they'd counted each other as a friend at that point, but really, who the hell knew.*
Ailwin Ryann |PF|
*He'd taken another hit from K's smoke, leaned back and stared at the sky above them. Small town in Bangladesh, if he remembered correctly. Fuck if he knew what town, but the place was a fucking ghetto. He and K had fit right the hell in though. Just needed a "fuck off" attitude, really. As he'd watched the sky, he'd thought of his own siblings. Of what he'd give up to be there when they needed him. Of how often he'd wondered about all the fucking times someone else had wiped Illy's tears. Had lifted the idiots up by the scruff of their necks and shoved 'em back into the fight even when they didn't want to play any more.*
Ailwin Ryann |PF|
*He'd told the young agent that there was nothing on this goddamned earth that would have stopped him, fate be damned. If he knew someone he cared about needed him, he'd take on the fucking devil himself to get to their side. K had nodded, wished him luck. Disappeared into the night. He'd gotten back to an empty hotel room. Figured the fucker would stick him with the bill at least, but even that shit had been taken care of. Fucking hell. Least now he knew Illy hadn't been alone. She hadn't cried with no one to tell her shit could get better. His lips twisted in a grimace as he glanced towards the small house not even a couple hundred feet away from the Den.*
Ailwin Ryann |PF|
*His brother had found one hell of a mate, he'd give the little bastard that. If he was being honest with himself, so had Illy. Taking a sip of the coffee, he shuddered. Shit was disgusting. Setting the mug aside, he let out a large sigh. Life was infinitely more fucking complicated than he cared for. He hoped he never found a damned mate, if this was what his life would end up consisting of. Love was time consuming and aggravating. Even when it was for your goddamned siblings.*
Ailwin Ryann |PF|
*How the fuck do two arrogant dumb fuck males make amends? You didn't talk. Shit was for pussies. Won't be no hugging it out bullshit. The memories he had of K meant he'd never be able to look at the fuck the same way the rest of them did. Though Am was right. They all had their demons. Just so happened his and K's had been drinking buddies. Past was the past, wasn't that right?*
Ailwin Ryann |PF|
*Standing, he ambled down the small pathway, heading for the truck T had told him to use if he needed to. Little while later he dropped off a package on K's porch. Had taken some time, but fuck it. K'd understand. With that, he twisted his new key in his hands. He hadn't been prepared for finding his siblings here. Hadn't been remotely prepared for K and Amethyst. Saying "home" felt foreign. But that's what it was. or at least, would become. He'd make damn sure of it.*
Kaden Kaleva |PF|
*He'd stepped out to toss the trash bag in the bin when he noticed the white plastic bag on the deck. He hadn't heard anyone come up, but hell, may have missed 'em when he'd gone to shave after Illy had headed to check out the proofs from the damned lingerie job he'd interrupted on Valentine's. Tossing the garbage, he lifted the bag, his brow raising as he saw beer. Shit, there was a goddamned beer delivery service now? Men the whole world over would be pissed drunk in no time. As he went to chuck the beers in the fridge, he caught the labels that he hadn't seen through the bag.*
Kaden Kaleva |PF|
*Letting out a laugh, he pulled one bottle out, popping the tab.* Where the fuck'd you find this shit? *Taking a sip, he coughed, barely swallowing before setting it aside* Gotta say, Fosters ain't any better here in the states than it is in Jhenaidah. *Rubbing a hand over his face, he exchanged the Fosters for a Budweiser, dropping to sit in the La-Z-Boy he'd demanded for the living room.*
Kaden Kaleva |PF|
Well, damn. *His lip curled slightly as he stared at Illy's shoes tossed by the door. The books she'd stacked in a pile against the wall until he either built or bought a bookcase. Still surprised him a bit. Looking around, wondering what the fuck had happened. How he'd gone from the idiot picking fights over the two girls with pigtails with stars in their eyes, to calling one his sister and the other his woman. His mate. Hell, guess life was funny like that. Can't outrun your fate, always comes back around.*
Kaden Kaleva |PF|
*He couldn't remember feeling this sense of peace. Of being right where he belonged in a long time. Fuck, he wasn't sure if he'd ever felt it before now. Tipping his head back, he grinned. He loved her. Couldn't imagine not having her in his life. Looking at his palm, he ran his thumb over the tiger paw branded into his skin. Guess he didn't have to worry bout that too much anymore. Where she was, so the hell was he. The woman had torn apart his life like a damn hurricane. And he was 100% okay with that.*
*He growled, but shifted into the still-imposing human form of her brother-in-law* You realize sitting out here pouting...er... glowering isn't going to help anything get resolved, right? *As he ignored her, she made a face before dropping into the hammock, letting it swing gently as she opened her drink and took a sip* Fine. Don't talk. Listening is better anyways. I have a little story to tell you.
Amethyst Ayesha |PF|
*He scoffed, but leaned forward, so she knew he was at least going to give her the time of day. Progress!* Well. A long time ago there was a little girl. Her parents had died and she went to live with her grandmother who she'd never even met. The woman tried her best, but she was just too old to handle a small child who was "different". So she sent the little girl to a military school in the hopes of helping by giving her life structure. While there, the little girl met a boy around her age.
Amethyst Ayesha |PF|
He was her hero. Her knight in shining armor. When he'd cut courses, she'd tag along. He pretended like it annoyed him, but he always made her feel like a part of his little group. When he went to Chicago for more in depth training, she followed. When she had her first roommate, he welcomed the other girl as well. He became their rock. He made broken hearts okay by making sure no one dared hurt them. He made sure they never wanted for anything, even though he wasn't but a few years older. They never even asked where he got the money to help them from, they just knew that if they ever needed anything, he'd be there.
Amethyst Ayesha |PF|
She didn't have a family, but he made sure that she didn't feel that loss. He got drafted for PsiForce a year or two before she did. At the same time, her roommate had graduated. She was alone for the first time in a long while when her grandma died. Neither of them had anyone else. She sat at the funeral by herself. Wondering how she could go through life completely and utterly alone. And you know what? From places that she couldn't even pronounce, they both came back. She hadn't said a word, but they'd seen the announcement and showed up at her side. Sat beside her on the pew, holding her hands. Letting her tears fall without a word. Didn't matter that both had been working, that neither had the cash to come. They'd done it anyways. Because they were her family and she wasn't alone.
Amethyst Ayesha |PF|
Now. The psychological trauma we deal with due to the jobs we have may result in some of the agents letting off steam in creative ways. It may turn them into the occasional raging prick that needs knocked on his ass a time or two. It may cause trust issues, or wariness. But I don't give a damn what he's done on his downtime, because I've been there too. We all have. That man would have died for two little girls he barely knew and didn't need to help. The fates brought us all together for a reason, I truly believe that. You may not realize it, but I saw it even then. Illy has never loved another the way she loves Kaden. Ever. Frankly, neither has he, though he's tried. So you can look back on your memories and shudder, seeing the demons both of you tried your hardest to banish together. That's your right.
Amethyst Ayesha |PF|
But remember that the rest of us have far, far different memories. And that man has given up more than any one person should. So has Illy. They deserve happiness. And they deserve their family to support them. We are all family, and we will all make this a home whether you personally like it or not. Your siblings need you, Ailwin. And though you appear to loathe seeming weak, you need them as well. *Standing, she tossed her bottle into the trash can, wiping her hands on her jeans* You can go ahead and shift, get back to your brooding now, I've said what I wanted to say. *Stepping back inside, Turstin 's arms wrapped around her, causing her to let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. Meeting his lips, she shook her head when he asked if she'd gotten through to his brother* Only time will tell, T. I think I did. Or rather, I hope I did.
Ailwin Ryann |PF|
*He sat staring at the treeline as Amethyst went back inside. He hadn't said a word simply because he didn't know what the fuck to say. Hell, he'd been there that day. He remembered that shit. K had seemed shaken up about something. Had asked him what you did when you knew someone you cared for needed you. Damn, at the time he'd figured it'd been something random. They'd been simply agent and informant, though he'd like to think they'd counted each other as a friend at that point, but really, who the hell knew.*
Ailwin Ryann |PF|
*He'd taken another hit from K's smoke, leaned back and stared at the sky above them. Small town in Bangladesh, if he remembered correctly. Fuck if he knew what town, but the place was a fucking ghetto. He and K had fit right the hell in though. Just needed a "fuck off" attitude, really. As he'd watched the sky, he'd thought of his own siblings. Of what he'd give up to be there when they needed him. Of how often he'd wondered about all the fucking times someone else had wiped Illy's tears. Had lifted the idiots up by the scruff of their necks and shoved 'em back into the fight even when they didn't want to play any more.*
Ailwin Ryann |PF|
*He'd told the young agent that there was nothing on this goddamned earth that would have stopped him, fate be damned. If he knew someone he cared about needed him, he'd take on the fucking devil himself to get to their side. K had nodded, wished him luck. Disappeared into the night. He'd gotten back to an empty hotel room. Figured the fucker would stick him with the bill at least, but even that shit had been taken care of. Fucking hell. Least now he knew Illy hadn't been alone. She hadn't cried with no one to tell her shit could get better. His lips twisted in a grimace as he glanced towards the small house not even a couple hundred feet away from the Den.*
Ailwin Ryann |PF|
*His brother had found one hell of a mate, he'd give the little bastard that. If he was being honest with himself, so had Illy. Taking a sip of the coffee, he shuddered. Shit was disgusting. Setting the mug aside, he let out a large sigh. Life was infinitely more fucking complicated than he cared for. He hoped he never found a damned mate, if this was what his life would end up consisting of. Love was time consuming and aggravating. Even when it was for your goddamned siblings.*
Ailwin Ryann |PF|
*How the fuck do two arrogant dumb fuck males make amends? You didn't talk. Shit was for pussies. Won't be no hugging it out bullshit. The memories he had of K meant he'd never be able to look at the fuck the same way the rest of them did. Though Am was right. They all had their demons. Just so happened his and K's had been drinking buddies. Past was the past, wasn't that right?*
Ailwin Ryann |PF|
*Standing, he ambled down the small pathway, heading for the truck T had told him to use if he needed to. Little while later he dropped off a package on K's porch. Had taken some time, but fuck it. K'd understand. With that, he twisted his new key in his hands. He hadn't been prepared for finding his siblings here. Hadn't been remotely prepared for K and Amethyst. Saying "home" felt foreign. But that's what it was. or at least, would become. He'd make damn sure of it.*
Kaden Kaleva |PF|
*He'd stepped out to toss the trash bag in the bin when he noticed the white plastic bag on the deck. He hadn't heard anyone come up, but hell, may have missed 'em when he'd gone to shave after Illy had headed to check out the proofs from the damned lingerie job he'd interrupted on Valentine's. Tossing the garbage, he lifted the bag, his brow raising as he saw beer. Shit, there was a goddamned beer delivery service now? Men the whole world over would be pissed drunk in no time. As he went to chuck the beers in the fridge, he caught the labels that he hadn't seen through the bag.*
Kaden Kaleva |PF|
*Letting out a laugh, he pulled one bottle out, popping the tab.* Where the fuck'd you find this shit? *Taking a sip, he coughed, barely swallowing before setting it aside* Gotta say, Fosters ain't any better here in the states than it is in Jhenaidah. *Rubbing a hand over his face, he exchanged the Fosters for a Budweiser, dropping to sit in the La-Z-Boy he'd demanded for the living room.*
Kaden Kaleva |PF|
Well, damn. *His lip curled slightly as he stared at Illy's shoes tossed by the door. The books she'd stacked in a pile against the wall until he either built or bought a bookcase. Still surprised him a bit. Looking around, wondering what the fuck had happened. How he'd gone from the idiot picking fights over the two girls with pigtails with stars in their eyes, to calling one his sister and the other his woman. His mate. Hell, guess life was funny like that. Can't outrun your fate, always comes back around.*
Kaden Kaleva |PF|
*He couldn't remember feeling this sense of peace. Of being right where he belonged in a long time. Fuck, he wasn't sure if he'd ever felt it before now. Tipping his head back, he grinned. He loved her. Couldn't imagine not having her in his life. Looking at his palm, he ran his thumb over the tiger paw branded into his skin. Guess he didn't have to worry bout that too much anymore. Where she was, so the hell was he. The woman had torn apart his life like a damn hurricane. And he was 100% okay with that.*