Dreamsharing

by Project Zombie Shitstorm

Another OC story, as children

"Stop it!"
"Why should we?"
"It hurts!"
"What, this?" One of the older boys who looked to be around 11 pulled Grimm's hair, grimacing at it. "How is it not dyed?"
"Ow!" Grimm yelped, bending so the boy's hold wouldn't hurt so bad. "No, it's not. What's wrong with that?"
"It's /weird/." One of the other boys rolled his eyes.
"Billie, please." The 11-year-old snorted. "But he's right. It is weird. And your eyes are weird, too. You're just one big freak show, aren't you?"
Grimm's lower lip quivered a bit. "I'm not a freak!" Well, he was, but he didn't want these boys to know that. "I just look a little different..."
"I'll say," The older one laughed. He leaned in and flicked Grimm's forehead harshly. "/Freak/."

A little brown haired boy was wandering not too far away on the other side of the park. At the voices, his head raised in curiosity as he spotted a few kids older than him standing around another with interesting coloured hair. They seemed to be tugging at it in a way that made the boy grimace so he rushed over there, slapping the offending boy's hand away. "That is not very polite and I would please suggest that you stop now." He declared, huffing.

Grimm cracked an eye open to look at his savior, brow furrowed. Why was someone defending him? No one ever did that.
"It's not polite?" Billie raised his eyebrows. "Jack, didja hear that?"
"What's not polite," Jack spit, "is you interrupting our little game."

"The way you speak is very impolite." Kynareth growled lowly. "And I would ask that you please stop bothering my friend." He stared right up at Jack critically and bared his sharp teeth just the slightest bit. "Please." His dad had been teaching him how to intimidate bullies should the need arise, even though he looked quite the opposite. Right now, though, his eyes had darkened and his young soft voice was a growl. His wings would be flared up if they weren't kept tucked away at the moment. His parents warned him not to let them show around normal people.

Jack, Billie and the other boy jumped back, but then they calmed down. "Alright, alright." Jack pretended to be unfazed by it. "We'll go, sheesh. You're annoying anyway." He turned, his friends following him as they left the park. Grimm stared after them, then stared at Kyn.
"You didn't have to do that." He said in his cracked voice. His voice naturally sounded that way- cracked, but at the same time still sounded like a little boy.

After they had left, he had returned to his regular state and turned back to the boy with the odd hair colour. "But if I did not, they would have harassed you, would they not? Did you not want me to?" His head tilted in confusion.

"No!" Grimm waved his hands to show that's not what he meant at all. "I'm happy you did, but... People do it all the time to me. If I'm real calm and don't do anything, they usually go away." He shrugged, kicking at a pebble.

"This happens often?" Kyn frowned. "Why have you not said anything? Your parents?" He still looked rather confused. He didn't have problems like this in the small town he lived in, but when they moved to the city because of his father's job, he had been warned about all sorts of bad things that happened here. It made him really hesitant on going outside, but the city fascinated him too much.

"Well," Grimm sighed. "My dad's not around, so I can't have him do anything. And my mom let's me go off on my own since she knows I can take care of myself well enough. But I do tell her that people pick on me... And she's a good mom about it. She makes me feel better."

Kyn just grinned then. "Then I will just have to make sure it happens no more!" He stuck out his hand. "My name is Kynareth Fanacasecul and I am 7 years of age, it is nice to meet you!"

Grimm looked at him, a tad amused, before shaking his hand. "I'm Slender Huntsback. But call me Grimm." He smiled. "And I'm 9. You talk kinda funny. Mind if I just call you Kyn?"

"I do? I thought it was just the people here." Kyn paused, putting a finger on his lip for a moment then shaking his head. "Kyn, I like that." He confirmed, smiling. "Well, Grimm, does this mean I may call you a friend?"

"Heck, you can call me your best friend if you want." Grimm smiled and nodded happily. "Thanks for making them go away, though." He flashed his teeth.

"Best friend? But you are the only I have." Kyn said, but smiled anyway. He shrugged off Grimm's thanks. "It is what anyone would have done." He looked around, as if expecting someone to come but not finding anyone. "If you re not to be expected home, would you like to visit my home for dinner? You may bring your parents so they may meet, if you like."

Grimm beamed. "My momma would love that! We never get invited places but she loves people. Humans scare her a little, though..." he mused. "I don't know how she'd feel about that."

"Humans? You are not?" He was about to grin and say that neither was he but he was told very specifically not to. "Well, we are from a very quiet town many miles from here, we just arrived a few days ago. We are not like others at all." He assured. "If you would like, I could come with you to meet her beforehand?"

Grimm shook his head. "Momma's magic, daddy's human." He said. "I'm both." He smiled a bit proudly. "But that's okay. You don't have to do that." He shook his head. "If you just show me your house I'll remember where it is and I can take my momma there tonight."

Kyn took his hand, leading him towards the edge of town to his house. "It is a bit ways off, I do hope you can remember. Though we had to come here for father's job, my mother does not like the noise of the city and wanted to live in a place more like where we were." They ducked through strangers as the buildings began getting shorter and spacing out more. He eventually stopped a rather small brick house with a single window in the front.

Grimm smiled as he held onto Kyn's hand and upon arriving to Kyn's house. "It's cute," he said. "Small, but in a good way. I don't have a house." He said, but not sadly at all. "I live everywhere. But we come back to this city a whole lot."

"That is sounds most exciting! You travel?" Kyn asked a little longingly. "I am not allowed to. Father says I am too weak. But I have been well for a few days now." He shrugged, bringing the boy up to the door and opening it a crack. "Mother, father, I am home and I have a friend! No, best friend!" He corrected, then said. "Monah, nivah hin viings!" before pushing the door open. It was small indeed, with only three rooms. A small kitchen combined with a living area, a bedroom and a small bathroom. The place looked old and still pretty bare, but homey. A man with sunflower blonde hair and green eyes was in the kitchen while a curly brown haired woman with blue eyes was stepping out of the bedroom. "Oh, greetings! I was not expecting a guest." She quickly moved to tidy the small space. "Welcome!" The man grinned, just finishing putting away some clean dishes.

"I travel all the time and never stay in one place for too long," Grimm shook his head. "Mama calls us Wanderers but I don't know if that's the actual name for it. And that stinks." He pouted a little, showing he felt bad for him. When he called him his best friend, he beamed again and then furrowed his brow, having never heard that strange language before and wondering what it was he had said. He shrugged it off, however, and followed him in. He didn't mind it being small; it was just nice to be in a house. Grimm jumped to attention when he heard Kyn's parents' voices and smiled a little nervously. "Uh... Hi," he nodded. "Mr. and Mrs. Fanaces- Er, Faneces... Sorry." He scratched the back of his neck. "Kyn said the name but I'm not good with names."

"Oh that is fine, dear, do not worry." Kyn's mom waved her hand. "Just call me Feykro, if you like. And my husband, Damini." The blonde man leaned up against the wall with a small wave. "We were not expecting Kynareth to have friends so quickly. But it is nice to meet you..." He let the sentence hang for Grimm to introduce himself.

"Oh, I'm Grimm Huntsback." He said, "Everyone but my mom calls me that, so you can do that, too." He smiled. "Feykro and Damini? I like your names, they're cool." His feet shuffled a bit and he glanced at Kyn before looking back at his parents, not really knowing what to say.

"Why thank you." Feykro smiled and Damini turned back to tidying up the kitchen with a smile. "Can he stay for dinner, please?" Kyn pleaded to his mother, clutching Grimm's arm. The woman just laughed and nodded. "Of course, but it is not yet time to make it. Is he staying here or leaving to return later? I am afraid there is not much room here."

"I should probably get back to my mom in a few minutes here, actually," Grimm admitted. "She let me out real early this morning and I still haven't returned. She'd get worried. But then I have to help her get food for tomorrow and tell her about you guys. She can come for dinner too, right? She'd really like that."

"Of course she can." Feykro nodded. "We shall set a place for her." Kyn nodded and led Grimm back outside his mother shooed them off. "What time will you be back?" he asked as they stood on the side walk.

"Well..." Grimm looked up at the sky and squinted. "It's 4 right now. So I'll be back around 6 or 7? Unless that's too late, we can get done faster and come over earlier." He said, shrugging.

"No, that is fine! There is no need to rush." Kyn assured, nodding. "I shall see you then." He smiled and bowed farewell. "We will try not to be too human-y."

Grimm smiled happily. "Thanks," he giggled and then back up some, waving to Kyn. "I'll see you in a while!" he called, running back the way they'd come. He made it to the forest after a while and returned to where his mother had sent up their little campsite, immediately jumping onto her back and telling her all about his new best friend and his family. She was overjoyed that he'd found a friend and was even happier when Grimm told her that they could eat dinner at their house, especially considering she had nothing for that night and no money at the moment. She'd be sure to thank them.
After Grimm helped with finding food for the next few days, which took about 2 hours, his mother attempted to make herself look a bit more presentable. She looked fine as it was, but she was going somewhere where there were humans that she didn't know. She asked Grimm if he'd told Kyn anything he shouldn't have, and she scolded him a bit for revealing the fact that they're magic. But it was fine- these people seemed nice as it was. She'd just have to see for herself.

Once Grimm was out of sight, Kyn went back inside to help clean up the small house. There was only a two seat couch up against the wall in the living room, so he fetched some pillows for whoever would be on the floor to sit on. It was carpeted, anyway, a deep orange. The kitchen, though, was tiled a cream-ish colour. The walls were also a warm gold/orange as they hadn't painted when they moved in. When he was finished with that, his mother called him into the kitchen while his father started on dinner. "Take your medicine, Kynareth. I know you have not today." She chided him, handing him a small bowl of herbs that were crushed together with a mortar and pestle. He groaned. "But it does not taste good and I feel fine." Feykro sighed, leaning against the counter. "While we are here, there is more of a chance of you becoming sick. Now drink." The child did so, grimacing at the taste and handing the small bowl back. Feykro nodded, taking it and washing it. "Now, help your father with dinner. Make the broth for the stew." He nodded and did so.

Once Grimm and his mother were ready, he linked hands with her, showing her where Kyn lived in his mind. She smiled at the little image and then closed her eyes, pulling Grimm close to her. When she opened her eyes, they were in front of the house. Grimm pulled away and looked up at her, had her lean down, and then he messed with her hair a little. She shot him a confused look. "Sorry, some parts of it were sticking up." He giggled a little and she smiled a grateful smile.
"Did you tell them about my impairment?" She asked him. He shook his head.
"No, I forgot, sorry." He bit his lip in apology.
"It's alright," she shrugged. "I'll just tell them." Grimm nodded and took his mom's hand, walking to the front door and knocking.

Kyn, at the knock, raced from the kitchen to open the door and greet them. "Mrs. Huntsback, it is nice to meet you." He bowed, then stood back to let them in. "I apologize for the small space, but I do hope you can make yourselves comfortable." His parents looked up from the food to greet her as well. "We are making stew, if you do not mind?" Feykro asked, wiping her hands on a cloth. "Do you eat meat?"

Grimm's mom looked at them with a smile. "I don't mind at all. Meat's fine with me." She walked in, looking around. "I'm Arabella, by the way. You're Feykro? And your husband is Damini if Slender told me correctly." She laughed a little.

"Feykro Fanacasecul, yes. Pleased to meet you." She held out her hand to shake it. Damini then shook her hand after. "Dinner will be ready momentarily if you would like to sit?" He gestured to the couch. Kyn stood off to the side, half listening and half tempted to drag Grimm off to talk with him. He let his parents talk, though, not really wanting to make a bad impression.

Grimm inched towards Kyn while his mother acquainted herself with Kyn's parents. "My mom's real nice," he whispered. "She's just weird around humans because they don't like us once they know what we are." He explained. Arabella did move a bit apprehensively, but Grimm could tell it was because she was around so called humans and not because of her eye.

Kyn wanted to explain that his family was the same way but he bit his tongue. He just nodded in understanding instead. "We lived with non-humans in our old town, there is really no need to fear, but I do understand her aprehe-hension." He struggled with the word a bit, frowning. His mother than checked on the stew, declaring it finished. She set down two bowls, one was smaller. "Big bowl is with meat, smaller is without." She set down bowls and utensils, encouraging the Huntsbacks to grab a dish.

Arabella seated herself. "Thank you," she smiled. "Slender, honey, come on." She gestured. Grimm looked at Kyn. "Sit next to me?"

Kyn nodded, taking some from the plain stew and settling next to the boy. He didn't seem too enthusiastic, but a look from his father made him take a bite. "What about your father? He is not home?"

Grimm went from smiling to staring at his bowl with an emotionless face. Arabella winced. "His father, Xavier... He left us two years ago." She told him. "It's a bit of a touchy subject, I'm sorry."

"Oh, my apologies." Kyn shifted a bit uneasily. "My little sister died right before we left. It is why my mother wanted so badly to leave. She would like you, Kai." He nodded, smiling a little. "She loved everyone." He stirred the stew a little absently. "Anyway, uh, you said you knew the city fairly well, yes?"

Grimm shook his head and blinked as if returning from being in a trance and nodded, grinning. "We always come back here after traveling for a long time."
"It's sort of a safe haven for us," Arabella chuckled. "We know it well, so we like it."
"My brother does especially." Grimm said. "He's all into techy stuff and this city has a lot of that. He loves it."

"Techy stuff? What is that?" Kyn cocked his head. "The lights and sounds and such?" He blinked. "We did not have anything like this where we lived. Especially the cars." He crinkled his nose.

"It's okay," Grimm shrugged, swallowing down some of the stew. "I don't like it very much but it comes in handy some times. Calik would be here if he wasn't out at clubs all day." He looked a little sad, but perked up again.

"He likes hitting things?" Kyn looked confused and slightly worried. "That does not sound very enjoyable." The brunette hummed a little, sipping down broth and licking his lips.

Grimm laughed, putting his hand on his forehead. "No!" he looked at him. "Clubs are... Dance parties, I guess. You're funny." He grinned and ate some more.

"Oh, well does sound like some fun. I have never danced." Kyn pouted a little, feeling like he was missing out on something. "I am funny?" He looked confused again. "Oh. Well, thank you." He pierced his fork into a carrot and popped it in his mouth.

"Thank you so much for letting us come over tonight," Arabella spoke to Kyn's parents. "Slender's very happy he's found a friend. Could hardly stop talking about it."
"Mom!"
"Oh, shush. You know you didn't." She tapped his nose and he grimaced, crossing his arms. "But thank you. It's nice to have an actual meal."

"Ah, you are very welcome. We are happy that Kynareth has a friend now as well." Feykro smiled from her seat. "You are travelers, yes? It must be hard to find a meal, we would be glad if you would come over whenever, we always have enough for guests. Our meals are fairly plain, if you do not mind that though."

"That's totally fine," Arabella waved a dismissive hand. "Any meal is better than berries in the forest." She chuckled. "Thanks so much. It means a lot."

"Anytime." Feykro answer, resuming her meal. Once they had all finished, Damini set about putting the leftovers away into a small coldbox for later. "It was wonderful for you to be here and join us, we do hope that you will visit again." He said, finishing packing up.

Arabella nodded and grinned. "Of course. Any time we come back. I'm not sure when we're next leaving, but it's going to be soon, I know that." She sighed. "Sorry."
"Do we have to go home right now?" Grimm tugged on her sleeve. "I don't wanna go."

"So soon?" Kyn looked disheartened as well, causing his mother to sigh. "If you want to stay the night, there is always the couch. I do not believe it would be very safe to leave your mother alone, though." She looked between the two.

"His brother'll come back. He always comes back before nightfall." She assured them. "I'll be fine with him. Slender can stay the night if he wants." She crouched down. "You want to?"
Grimm looked between Kyn's mom and his own mother before smiling and hugging her. "Thank you!" She pulled away and kissed his forehead.
"Thanks again for the meal. You can send him home any time you want tomorrow, and thanks for letting him stay the night."

"Of course, stay safe Arabella." Feykro bid her farewell, smiling. "I shall go fetch another blanket, then." Damini walked to the bedroom to search the small closet while Kyn cleaned off the pillows and tossed them on the couch. Feykro quick slipped into the kitchen and returned with a small container with a few items of food in it (ie. bread, cheese, vegetables etc) and handed it to the other woman. "For your family." She winked, whisking her out the door. "Do not worry, we shall take care of Slender."

Arabella blinked, eyebrows raising. "Oh, um, thank you again!" she called as she walked away. Grimm waved to her with a grin before Feykro shut the door.
"Whaddya wanna do?" he asked Kyn, grinning still.

Kyn looked around the small room and didn't really find anything of interest. "I... am not sure. What is there to do here?" He pondered what he'd usually do after they came here, and before that even. "I normally just read, but that is not a two-person activity." He smiled a little.

Grimm pursed his lips. "We could... We could just go walking around for a while. I can see good in the dark so if it gets dark I'll be able to find our way back real easy."

Kyn looked cautiously up at his mother, who gave a relenting nod. "As long as you two stay together." He beamed then, tugging Grimm out the door with a wave to his parents. "So, where do we go?" He grinned, looking around. "I am not really allowed to explore because of my age and where we are, but maybe you know of some places?"

"There's the movies and the little lake right outside of the city, there's the playground you found me at... I don't get to go /in/ a lot of places since I'm young, too. I mostly just wander around the city." He explained. After a few moments of silence, he chuckled. "My mom was mad that I told you we're magic."

"I do not know, what would you like to do?" Kyn tilted his head, only recognizing two of the three things Grimm had offered. After he had spoke, Kyn said very softly "My parents would be furious with me if I told you." He frowned and said a little louder "But we will not do anything that would bring harm to you."

Grimm snapped to attention, hearing the little side comment. "I heard that!" he pointed, smiling. "I feel I should mention that I have really good hearing."

"O-Oh." Kyn blushed, embarrassed. "Well, um, that is nice to know." He looked kind of at a loss of what to say now. What if he asked? Should he tell? Since they were magic folk, if shouldn't really matter right?

"I'll tell you a secret about me because I trust you, but only if you tell me what you are," Grimm wasn't sure when it happened, but they were holding hands again and he was swinging them happily as they walked.

"Alright." Kynareth conceded, pursing his lips a bit but feeling kind of glad that they were holding hands again. "But let us go to the lake, yes? Away from my parent's house. It would be better if they did not know I told you." He let the boy lead him in the direction.

"M'kay!" He chirped, tugging the boy in the direction of the lake. Once they got there, he sound a picnic table and jumped up on it, then sat down and crossed his legs.

Kyn licked his lips a little hesitant, but peeled off his shirt and let his wings open up. They were still small and not very useful at the moment, but white and fluffy. He had his shirt up to his chest in embarrassment, cheeks flushed a bit.

Grimm's jaw dropped and he beamed, crawling over. "That's awesome!" he said incredulously. He pet one of the wings carefully, still grinning. "You can fly and- You've got wings!"

Kyn squeaked, flapping the things and shaking his head. "I cannot really fly yet, just..." He jumped up, wings beating a little furiously but managing to stay floating a bit before dropping to the ground. "Just hover." He righted himself again before looking up at Grimm. "What about you?"

Grimm laughed at the display, thinking it to actually be really cool. "Me?" he blinked, then remembered what he'd said. "Oh... My mom says not to do this..." he sighed. "But I know I'm okay. I don't know if you'll like it, though." He grimaced.

"Why would I not, you seem fairly nice." Kyn blinked, tugging on Grimm's hand with a pleading looked. "Show me?"

Grimm looked up at him with bit of a reassured look. "M'kay." He nodded and let go of Kyn's hand to stand on the ground, then closed his eyes. He looked a little disturbed for a moment, and then all of a sudden he smiled and a giggle bubbled from his lips. It was a tad more high pitched than his normal voice. His skin turned dark red and his eyes turned completely yellow as he began thinning out, his hair changing to black and growing. His face transformed into a dog's muzzle and he laughed a little again, but this time it was lower. It wasn't too low, more like... A teenage boy's voice, to be honest. Once he was completely transformed, what stood in front of Kyn was a skinny red demonic dog, just slightly taller than Grimm himself when he stood up straight. He looked strangely like a puppy.

Kyn back up a little, watching in absolute fascination during the transformation. When it was over, he had set his shirt on the ground and walked a little closer, wanting to pet or touch his dog form but not really knowing if that was okay. He grinned, though, really widely at the boy. "That is... most wonderful!" His wings gave a joyous flutter, unbothered by the rather atrophied form but seemingly liking it.

The dog demon's muzzle pulled back in a happy grin. "Hello," it spoke. "You are Kyn?" he leaned forward, sniffing at him.

"You... are not Grimm?" Kyn looked confused, but held his hands out in a silent plea for acceptance.

"I am Nazari," he clarified. "The Demon inside of Slender. I am not the only one, however." He sniffed at his hands before licking one of them and walking forward to nuzzle him like a puppy. "You are one of the nice ones."

"Ah, Nazari. It is nice to meet you, then." He smiled, running one of his tiny hands through the demon's unruly hair. "There have been not nice ones?" His head tilted but he looked a little sad. "I shall keep you away from the mean ones now, yes?" He grinned, petting him.

Nazari leaned into the touch, letting out a small mewl. "If you wouldn't mind," he chuckled. "Slender is weak on his own." He commented, letting out a small cough just as normal dogs often did.

"I shall try." Kyn nodded, sitting on his knees. "But I am not the strongest either." He pretended to growl and look mean, then erupted into a fit of giggles. He ran his thumb in the little space between Nazari's eyes and on his muzzle like he knew most animals like to be stroked.

Nazari, although a dog, sounded as if he was purring. He closed his eyes and keened, tongue lapping out to lick at the hand affectionately. He panted happily and then opened his eyes. "It does not matter. You were able to scare those boys away earlier. That is enough."

Kyn nodded appreciatively, then leaned foreword to return the gesture. Not by licking, of course, but a little peck on the forehead. "You said that there was another, yes? Not just you?"

Nazari froze for a moment at the peck, but then smiled. "Nakaru. He is... A bit less odd looking than I." He chuckled. "Would you like to meet him?"

"I do not think you are odd looking." Kyn smiled. "That would be most wonderful, however. To meet him. May I?"

Nazari nodded and gave one last lick to Kyn's chin before backing up again and closing his eyes. A bright white light flashed and he suddenly disappeared, a small boy who looked the same age as Grimm standing in his place. He had a cloak on, but he immediately pushed the hood off and looked down at it, grimacing. "This is so uncomfortable," he muttered, bunching some of it up in his hands and lifting it up over his head, setting it on the table beside them. Underneath he was wearing a red T-shirt and blue jeans with tennis shoes. He looked at Kyn and beamed. "Hello!"

Kyn cocked his head in a curious manner and smiled. "Greetings." He scooted up beside the boy and looked him up and down, still rather amazed at the two transformations. "You are Nakaru, yes?"

He nodded, then seemed to notice Kyn's wings and suddenly swooped over behind him, looking at them with fascination. "Incredible," he mused, poking one and then running his finger across it curiously. "It's soft!" he determined happily, and then walked back around front. "I apologize. Slender does not let me out much." He held his hands behind his back and shuffled his feet.

Kyn let out a rather surprised squeak, but rather liked the touch. It was like when his mother pruned loose feathers from him. He let out a curious noise. "I wonder why that is? You seem very nice as well."

"His mother is afraid we are not nice." He explained. "And we are not nice in our full forms. We are only ourselves in our half-forms, which is what we are in now. We are full-form when Slender loses control of his anger."

"But you are nice." Kyn said insistently. "I cannot imagine why you would not be. What happens when you are in your full form?" He asked.

"If I... If Slender loses control," Nakaru sat on the table, swinging his legs as they did not touch the ground. "Then Nazari will appear as vicious and will attempt to kill anyone who gets in his way of his objective. He is a creature of pure rage. And if Nazari continues to grow angry, he turns into me." He paused. "If I have even the slightest intention of hurting you and I look at you, you die a gruesome death. It is not fun."

"I do not believe I understand how that is, but if that is how you say..." Kyn just nodded and sat down next to him. That didn't really stop him from wanting to hang out with the boy, just made him more fascinated with him. "And you all have such very pretty eyes, very unusual. I like them." He smiled.

Nakaru blushed. "Our eyes?" he went crosseyed for a moment as if that would let him see his own eyes. "Thank you." He smiled. "And you have very pretty eyes as well. And wings."

"Well, thank you." Kynareth grinned. He looked up, shivering a bit in the small breeze and decided it was best to put his shirt back on. "Perhaps maybe we should head back soon? I think it is getting late." He blinked. "Maybe?"

Nakaru looked around and blinked. "It does appear to be getting dark." He agreed. "And I should let Slender back. He gets tired from doing this."

"Ah, yes, I suppose so." He stood and stretched a moment. "But it was nice meeting you and Nazari!" He picked up the thick cloak from the table and offered it back.

Nakaru stood as well, and when Kyn offered the cloak back, he took it and put it on. He kept the hood pulled back, however. With one look at Kyn, he smiled and leaned forward, quickly kissing Kyn on the cheek and then wrapping his arms around his neck in a tight hug. "Thank you."

Kyn flushed brightly all over and stuttered out a welcome in response. His arms wrapped themselves around the boy's waist anyway, head resting against the odd material covering Nakaru's chest. "Farewell, then?"

The light was already beginning to glow. "Goodbye," he said one last time before suddenly, it was Grimm he was hugging. Grimm slumped down and sighed, sitting on the ground now.

Kyn, who hadn't been expecting him to change back so suddenly, was pulled down with him and practically onto his lap. He blinked, pulling himself up and off him and apologizing. "Are you feeling well?" He asked, noticing the fatigue on the boy's face.

Grimm looked up at Kyn with half-lidded eyes, tiredly nodded. "M' good," he murmured and rubbed his eyes, yawning. He giggled a little. "Nakaru's so funny."

Kyn chuckled, attempting to get the boy to stand. "I cannot carry you back to my home." He warned, shaking him a bit to try and wake him up.

Grimm blinked and shook his head, kind of leaning against Kyn for a moment. Then he straightened up, huffing. "I'm awake!" he declared. "So... Didja like 'em?"

"Of course I liked them." He grinned, attempting to lead the still half wobbly boy back to the city. "They were most pleasant and very kind." He shot Grimm a mock accusing look. "And you were going to keep them from me." He giggled then, sliding his hand into Grimm's. "I do hope my parents do not find out I told you.

"I promise I won't tell them if you promise not to tell my momma I told you." Grimm said looking at his feet as he walked, watching them kick pebbles and dirt around. He held Kyn's hand tightly, liking being able to be in contact with someone- especially someone like him.

"I promise." Kyn smiled. After they got back to the house, They found that his parents were already asleep and the couch had two pillows propped up against the armrest with a blanket folded up next to it. Kyn locked the front door then walked into the kitchen to get a little glass of water. "Would you like something?" He called.

"Just water, thanks!" Grimm called back. He put a hand on the pillow and squeezed it. Soft and fluffy. The pillows he and his mom had weren't very comfy.

Kyn walked back a few seconds later, two cups in his hands. He set them down on the small table next to the couch and sat down, looking over at Grimm. "My mother makes them." He grinned. "I could ask her to make you one as well? And for you mother and brother? She likes making things. It keeps her busy."

Grimm looked at him and grinned. "That'd be great!" he chirped. "We'd love that. They just have to be kinda small so we can carry them around easy. But big enough for us to sleep on." He laughed a little.

"Of course, I shall ask her." Kyn nodded, reaching over to shut off the lamp, but turning on a little light that was sitting on the stand. He sent Grimm an apologetic look, curling up at the edge of the couch with his head on the armrest. "I am not a fan of darkness." He sat back up again, unfolding the blanket to cover them.

"That's fine. Neither am I." Grimm shook his head. "I like a little bit of light." He turned over so he was facing Kyn and pulled the blanket up to his nose. "Thanks for saving me today." He smiled.

"You may stop thanking me, there is no need." Kyn laughed, also pulling the blanket up but to his shoulders. "Let us both sleep, yes? You look like you are about to fall unconscious at any moment." He chuckled.

Grimm nodded. "Yeah, that sounds nice." He put his forehead on Kyn's shoulder lightly and closed his eyes. "'Night."

"Goodnight." Kyn scooted up a bit closer to him, also closing his eyes. He let himself be lulled by the comfort of having another boy next to him in the faint light coming from the table that eventually coaxed him to sleep.

Grimm fell asleep quickly, his hand by his mouth and breathing steady.
When he woke up, he was still very close to Kyn and he didn't mind. But he could hear other voices, two he recognized as Kyn's parents, and one he recognized as his mother's. Why was she here?

Kyn shuffled into awareness somewhat reluctantly. He didn't feel to good anymore he noticed as he opened his eyes. Wait, were those voices? Both of their parents, he recognized, and sat up. He couldn't tell if Grimm was awake or not, but he made sure not to move too much. "Mother?" He called, rubbing sleepily at his eyes. The woman walked over, kneeling by the couch and pressing the back of her hand to his feverish forehead. She mumbled "God, not again." under her breath and walked briskly back into the kitchen to fetch the medicinal herbs.

Grimm furrowed his brow, thoroughly confused as to what was going on. His mother was here and Kyn was sick or something. "What's wrong?" he asked a bit groggily. "Are you okay?"

"I am fine, it happens sometimes." Kyn assured him. Feykro returned with the crushed up medicine, making sure he took it all despite his uncomfortable expression. "Mother, why is Ms. Huntsback here?" He asked her, looking concerned.

Arabella stuck her head in. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry." She put a hand to her head. "Calik came home drunk last night so I'm afraid that we have to be leaving again. Today." She said regrettably. "If we stay he'll continue drinking."
Grimm looked absolutely heartbroken, a hand on Kyn's arm. "But... But I don't wanna go!"

Kyn shot a rather alarmed look at Grimm. "Now? But..." He looked back to the woman in the doorway. "I just..." He clutched the boy's hand possessively. "I do not want you to leave." He protested. "You are the only nice person here!" Feykro gave him a sympathetic look but Damini spoke up. "You cannot keep him here just because you want to, Kynareth, that is not how it works." The boy's lip trembled a bit and he looked down. "I know, but.."

Grimm held his hand just as tight. "We can't leave, momma!" He pleaded. "Can't Calik just... stay away from the city?"
"Honey, you know we can't keep him away. He'll sneak back out." She crouched down in front of them. "Kynareth, I'm so sorry. I don't want to leave, you and your parents are so nice. But it's for the best."
"The best for Calik!" Grimm defended. "What about me? I just found a friend and you're taking it away!"

Kyn just sat quietly, biting his lip while his throat closed up. He couldn't believe that this was already happening a day after they met. He thought maybe he'd get to like to city now. He couldn't even ask to travel with them, he knew he'd never survive like that. And they couldn't just split up their family by asking him to stay... "If you would not mind, at least letting me help you pack up?" He asked quietly.

Grimm felt tears prickling at his eyes as he nodded. "Please." He choked out. Arabella looked like she was about to cry as well.
"I'm so, so sorry, boys... We'll come back and visit soon, okay? I promise. I swear on my life we'll come and visit very soon. Within the next month, okay?" she looked at Kyn sadly. "We just need to get Sam away from alcohol for a while."

"Of course." Kyn gave a weak smile, crawling off the couch but keeping Grimm's hand clutched tightly. "Well, we will be here when you do come back." He nodded, then called over his mother to ask her something. She seemed to think for a moment, then brightened, nodding and vanishing into the bedroom. She came back with a bag containing three small pillows for them, handing it to Arabella.

Arabella took it, a bit surprised. She looked inside and smiled, "Oh my goodness, thank you!" She looked back up. "You're so nice, it's hardly believable." She closed the bag up. "I suppose we should be going, though. Kynareth is allowed to come help us pack?"

"Of course." Feykro nodded, opening the door for them. Kyn reluctantly led Grimm out, shoulders sagging in defeat. It seemed like that was the last thing he wanted to do, but to spend a little more time was what he wanted. "If you are starting to feel lightheaded, come straight home alright?" His father called out to him, knowing that he wouldn't but decided to say anyway.

Grimm held Kyn's hand all the way back, and Arabella didn't bother phasing them back in order to have more time. She kept quiet so they could chit-chat on their walk home.
"I'm sorry we have to leave," he said quietly to him, his voice cracking. "It's all Calik's fault."

"Please do not blame him, I do not want you to be distant with your sibling." Kyn smiled a little. "And you said that you will return, yes? I shall hold you to that." He absently ran his thumb over Grimm's knuckles which, even at his young age, were boney.

Grimm smiled. "I hope you keep holding me to that." They were silent for a while until they came up to the campsite in the forest. Arabella went to work on putting the tent away, shooing a hungover Calik out of it. He simply grumbled, shot a grumpy look at Grimm who sneered right back at him, and then lay down on the bare ground and curled up, his black hair falling over his face.

Kyn made a little noise helping pack up up some of their stuff while maintaining a low conversation with Grimm, occasionally stopping to give a little cough or rub at his forehead. He really wished he could travel with them, it seemed like an exciting prospect. Much more than staying here in a dirty, loud city without Grimm.

When they were sadly all packed, Arabella looked at the large backpack and huffed, then twirled her finger and snapped it. The bag shrunk down to a smaller and lighter size. "That's better," she smiled, picking it up and slinging it over her shoulder. She went over to Sam and sat down by him while she waited for Grimm and Kyn to say their goodbyes.

Once Arabella had taken the bags, Kyn quickly resumed to his clinging of the older boy. "I am really sorry that you have to leave." He mumbled softly. "I really do not want you to."

Grimm wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug, face buried in his shoulder. "I don't wanna go either," he said, voice cracking again. Tears welled in his eyes. "But... But I'll see you again. I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die."

"I would much more preferred that you live." Kyn gave a weak chuckle. "But we will have a nice dinner all prepared for you when you do. Maybe even a bigger house so that you do not have to sleep out here when you visit. But if we do move, I shall stay there everyday until you come back." He smiled, feeling hot tears start rolling down his cheeks. "Promise."

Grimm's lips quivered and he smiled through his tears that were also streaming down his face. He hugged him closer. "Thank you for everything, Kynareth. You're amazing." He paused and squeezed his eyes shut. "I love you. A lot. You're my best friend now and don't you forget that."

"Not ever." Kyn agreed, burying his face against Grimm's chest. "And I love you as well, so you are not permitted to leave forever anyway." He knew that the boy's mom wanted to leave while it was still day time, so he reluctantly started to release him. "And.." He reached beneath his shirt, plucking a feather from one of his wings and handing it to Grimm. "Keep this, okay?"

Grimm's eyes widened and bit and he took the feather gently, being very careful not to wreck it in any way. "One of your feathers?" he asked hesitantly. He then smiled and held it to his chest. "I'll keep it forever." He said firmly, still crying. "Thanks again. Nakaru and Nazari say goodbye and that they'll miss you a whole lot." He leaned forward and kissed Kyn's cheek just as Nakaru had. "That was from Nakaru and me."

"And I will keep that forever." Kyn gave a little giggle, but returned the gesture anyway. "As I will miss them." He blinked and looked up. "And your eyes." He gave a half smile. "I shall miss them as well."

Grimm blushed for the second time that day, not used to the compliments. "I'm gonna miss everything about you." He said softly. He went in for one last hug, holding him tightly for a moment before pulling away. "I'll see you around?" He smiled lopsidedly.

"I suppose so." Kyn smiled as well. His bare feet scuffled absently in the dirt, hands laced behind his back and teeth attached to his lower lip in an effort to stop them from trembling.

Arabella stood and pulled a very grumpy Sam with her and looked at Kyn. "Goodbye, Kyn. I promise we'll be back soon. Within the next month like I said." She assured him. Grimm smiled at Kyn warmly, then grinned.
"Best friends." He poked his chest and kept his feather held in his other hand gently. "Bye!" He waved, smiling even as tears kept streaming down his face as he and his family walked away.

"Best." Kyn agreed, chuckling that kind of sounded like a blubbering due to his throat constricting. "Farewell." He waved them off, only just letting himself start sobbing openly as they vanished from sight. Once he had gotten the nerve to walk again, he started back toward the city and home.