Velcro Brooklyn (aw)

[I L Y I C H]

Irony, perhaps was what tainted my tongue with it's metallic glint. Though I knew it to be blood I couldn't help the sarcasm bubbling up to the for-front. It was a nasty habit to be sure. In the dark and rain I lay curled contemplative in my usual nest, hidden amongst the rocks and foliage long ago built to fit my body. It was a fraction more cramped then usual, but the tightness of my body against the stone was comforting in a way. Warm with what heat the earth and myself made. Warm from the two figures pressed tight and helpless against me. Gentleness was not in my nature, and any attempts I made to touch were restrained. Ideas rather then action. A part of me lay anxious of my hurting them, though I couldn't really understand the emotion. None the less my silent tongue pressed across their damp but swiftly drying backs with long sweeping strokes at short intervals as the children suckled.

I had known obviously. I was not an idiot. Not a moron and not in some self-loathing cartwheel trying to hide from myself. Not Noelle. It was still a small shock to find myself in this position however. A small confusion that wondered how I had fallen into such a situation. I had the scars worked across my back to remind myself of how, but the connection of sex and pregnancy never really forms in ones mind until it is a reality. A whole, warm uncomfortably alive reality. Ginger eyes watched them breath, uncertainty plain in my gaze. I had no doubts I could raise them. I would do so properly and to the best of my ability. The questions came whispering forward about their quality of emotion. What could I of all cats offer in way of emotional support? I suppose we would see. At some time or another.

Hind legs pulling them closer to my tired if not mildly concerned frame I turned my blank expression into something of a frown. Sunlight would bring recognition from those who did not notice, or who had misled themselves. Perhaps not even sunlight. Black ears swiveled forwards at the sound of paws sucking through the mud, but when I glanced up to check I was met with sapphires and promptly looked back to the children. Vengrad was no idiot either. Brother settled without note at the entrance, squirming a bit to lay claim to a rain free section. He didn't say anything, merely joining me in my mildly concerned but vaguely happy staring. We held no worries truly, though I found myself releasing my claws at the idea of my other younger brother coming forward from the dark as I had no doubt he would the second he noticed the smell of blood and pain that coated the air in it's traitorous cocktail.

Perhaps I should have been more worried as the children pressed against me were not simply feline, but I could not bring myself to consider such things at the moment. The future would happen in time, the present was a constant. Brother would agree, and it seemed he did for his spotted skull dropped to settle on my for limbs in a state of companionship. One male and one female, vastly different in the coloration in the state of darks and lights. The little girl was more wolfish then her brother, her snout slightly longer and her tail shorter and thicker. Spots rumbled across both of them, though they appeared more obviously against the boy's paler pelt. It would be of no doubt that the two were indeed hybrids. Rare even then the two young children who I had once watched on these very hills. I had no name for them. Surely someone would come up with some clever quip to call their newly made species. It was not something I would concern myself with.

Their personal titles however were needed, I supposed. I watched them further for a moment, listening to the sounds of rain and my brother's soft snores as he fell asleep in the cocoon of warmth our body heat created. The female would be Laura. A proper germanic name that would suit her well. Maybe I was being a bit petulant, but I did so prefer the thick heavy texture to the word. It gave it substance, and the same went for the boy who I would dub Kalub. The tones gave hearty meaning and power to what would otherwise just be a whisper of one's tongue against the roof of one's mouth.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

I cannot say I was surprised. Perhaps the messed up child that so often dominated me was, but I was not a cub anymore. I knew the scent I was smelling--it was blood, but not of a murder. My sister had given birth to the cubs I had watched swell her stomach. She had not spoken of it, and I had not asked. Denial. After what had happened to my other sister, I could not help but let the thing flood through me--my shelter come over me and blind me from the reality. One sister had been raped, I knew that smell now, too. There had been fear with it, saying it was unwilling. But my older sister...I could not recall that fearful scent coming from her. Had she willingly courted with some random feline? Did she even know his name? This was why I had kept myself in denial of it. I could not think of her like this--as someone who whores herself out. But she had given birth now, so how could I continue in my fantasy? She had obviously mated. I had not been mistaken. She had plumped up and it wasn’t simply from some extra deer meat. She had most certainly been pregnant. I would bottle up all the emotions and thoughts and be happy for once in my damn life. Zero had taught me some control. This meant more cats for Zonta--we would come out stronger.

I made my way to the stone-like shelter her scent trail lead to. Vengrad was already there, which was of no surprise. The two were close, even if emotion was not really in it. I sat in the rain for a second, my mane a dark brown with the moisture. The tip of my tail flicked through the mud and I worked to swallow up my stressed frustration. I had to be on control, happy, supportive of my sister. I had failed Noelle because I had let my honest emotions have free reign. I had to fake it for Ilyich--society demanded it, and so did my heart.

I moved forward, but remained in the rain as I peered silently into their shelter. My eyes adjusted to the dim light quickly, and I froze as I stared. I could feel my mouth fall open slightly and eyes dull in a blank expression. There were two children, a female and a male. “They’re...” I paused for a second and searched for a word. I wanted to call them beautiful, or maybe unique so I would not be lying, but I would be keeping a sense of control. “dogs.” Ah, my words came out flat before I pulled away into the rain, body tense. I held no aggression towards her children--folami had helped in our war so I would not hate them. But could a folami and a feline really mate? Well, obviously, the proof was right here. I shook my head and closed my eyes as if it would wake me up. I needed Zero. I could feel my mind getting fuzzy as I stood outside the den. I didn’t want to lose myself again. I was working fucking hard to be a good leader. I did not deserve my rank, and I knew this now, but I was doing better. I was trying. But this? I shouldn’t have to deal with this. I didn’t need this--not now while I was still so close to the edge.

“You fucked a folami.” Again it came out flat, my eyes still scrunched closed, but at least I was doing well at keeping emotion out of my tone. I was not angry or upset in anyway...just confused. I took a breath and opened my eyes, stepping towards the family once more. “Did you...did you love him?” The least I could do as alpha was try and see if I could have a political advantage in this. If Ilyich had a folami mate and I pretended to be okay with it, eventually I would accept such a thing and this folami could help us in our fights. I knew Ilyich knew me well enough to see the conflict in my green gaze, but she had to give me credit for trying.

[I L Y I C H]

"Yes" I responded without real thought. They were dogs, I supposed. Or at least a good portion of their blood was indeed folami. It would be interesting to watch them grow. To see how they filled out and what instincts they would retain. My ears flicked back slightly at that thought, worried for a moment before I brushed it off. Children grew up more so based off of their environment then any physical genome within their bodies. Alphonse himself was proof of that. Myself being secondary in later stages of my life. He was confused. Of course he was. Alphonse wasn't much one for different things, though one couldn't put much abuse his way in this situation. Vengrad simply wasn't bothered by anything, and that was the basis of his reaction. Zero would react in much the same way I was sure, and I would be greeted with my assumptions very soon as I could see the spotted women padding tiredly towards us from over Alphonse shoulder.

My fellow leopard stared at the two for a long moment before giving me a quizzical look and I just shrugged in response. How was I meant to repute evidence? Of course their father was folami, it was obvious. Surprising to my pride mates it would seem, but not really an issue in the long run. Zero turned her look to Alphonse before seating herself beside the man, dripping under the rain but apparently curious enough to not mind all that much. Perhaps it was the way Zero's head jerked with Alphonse's sudden realization. The look of incredulous surprise on both of their faces. Maybe it was just the tired manor my brain was plodding along or all of the above but I didn't stop the slow spread of a smile across my features. Vengrad returned it and joined in with the low gravely chuckle rumbling out of my chest.

"Rather the other way around" The man went on, sapphire eyes all but cackling. I twitched my whiskers at him, as he was obviously right in that manor. His accent was thick in the words and my laughter died away again as I tilted my heavy skull towards my blood brother. Vengrad turned himself slightly to look up at Zero who had let out a high pitch bark and immediately tried to contain the immature giggles biting at the back of her teeth. "Sie ist bei Ihnen lachen, Schwester" My tail flicked, the heavy tip coming down against Vengrad's thick hind leg in some form of tisk. He was laughing at me too after all, making Zero's poorly contained laughter his fault entirely. Distracted slightly by Al's final question I snorted and shook my head. Sex wasn't about love. I hadn't even known the man's name and I saw nothing wrong with that. The idea hadn't been for this to occur after all.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

I could feel the biting heat rise to my cheeks as Vengrad answered for her, but at least Zero was here now. Besides, I could not focus much on the momentary embarrassment I felt over speaking about my sisters sexual activities, or let myself fall into Zero for comfort, because I found it like music in the air. Ilyich had laughed. It was low and rough, but seeing that hint of a smile curve her stone-like features, and hearing that whimsical sound pass by her fangs, I needed no comfort from my only friend beside me. My sister, she had laughed. I could not recall the last time I had heard it, if I ever had, and it made my quickened heart normalize its beat. This could work. If these children made my sister happy, I could live with that.

"Was sind ihre Namen?" I said it almost calmly, my german rough around the edges, but ultimately got the job done. I would support my sister. I was an Uncle. I had messed it up last time, but I would not make that mistake again. I would not let my torn apart heart lose itself when these things made my sister laugh. I could not do that. I grit my teeth for a moment, swallowing my last traces of unease, and sat down beside Zero, letting my pelt brush over hers ever so lightly. "Schwester, um..." I scrunched up my face and tried to think, but then blinked and shrugged my shoulders, "ah, fuck it. Sister got dominated by the big bad wolf. Guess that is the only way to keep you from wearing the pants in a relationship--match you with a dog." I rolled my eyes, doing my very best to keep the playful tease in my tone, though it was clear there was a little hysteria behind it all. Vengrad words led me to believe that maybe Ilyich was raped as well.

But it didn't bother me as much. Ilyich wasn't broken, Noelle had come home torn apart at the heart. Ilyich wasn't the same. I did not need to avenge her, because she was keeping her dignity on her own.

[I L Y I C H]

Brother had apparently decided to roll with the punches, though I could all but smell his embarrassment leaking into the air. Silly little boy didn't want to think about sex, let alone talk about it. Perhaps it was a 'normal' thing, but I didn't see much use for it. It had happened. How did he think children were made? Magic? Such silly premiss. Of course he knew but that didn't mean he was comfortable with it which still didn't make much sense but then not much of Alphonse made any amount of sense. At least to me. Understanding such a powerful body of emotion was a thing that held me at a loss as hard as I tried. So I just stayed still and let him think himself out. Its how he must be handled, a thing Anna had never allowed her son. So I would provide him that, I supposed. An open forum. My lips fell slowly back into their normal position. It hurt to smile too long, and it felt odd.

My ginger gaze turned back to the two children, ears twitching in response to my youngest brother's rough question. "Grammar." Vengrad said the word happily, tail curling at the end. My eyes flicked up to the man and nodded in agreement. Alphonse was getting better with it, I had to admit. The leopard looked back to me, curious but not all that entitled. He figured he would get them eventually. Didn't need to be told, which was most likely. Alphonse merely wanted names to add to his mental list. A thing we shared. I enjoyed having thoughts put in order, and I assumed the liger did as well. Zero shifted slightly closer in time, bushing her fur against Alphonse's shoulder as she did so bright blue eyes gleaming. Her curiosity was thicker then the other two. She was starting to peak around the shield she had flung up before herself.

"Laura and Kalub" I offered, glancing to Vengrad as he nodded in response. Strong names. They felt right on my tongue at least, even if I had only put a couple of minutes thought into both. Zero leaned back on her heals face tweaking slightly as she placed the titles away in her memory before she stood up. Tail waving the leopard turned to take her leave, nodding to myself. I would assume she was giving me some room, though I very much didn't care one way or the other. I wished to sleep, and that could be accomplished with or without visitors.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

alphonse stored the names for future reference before nodding a farewell and following behind zero.....he heard ilyich's breathing calm seconds later, having fallen asleep, and vengrad followed suit after pushing his snout against laura in an attempt to shut up her grumbling sounds of annoyance at having her mother fall slack beside her