A/N: First off, before we begin this chapter, I'd like to thank RoxRox for her lovely picture of Larxene and baby Roxas. Really, I love it. It's posted on DeviantArt, under her name rox4eva. Please check it out some time!
Jester stumbled through the back door that led to the kitchen. He stood, rooted under the threshold, as his panting evened into regular breathing patterns. Leaving the maze-like garden behind him, the young man loped forward in an uncertain gait until he reached a kitchen counter. There he fumbled sleepily for something to drink. Scotch? Maybe vodka? Or how about that fiery whiskey he bought last week? He realized he didn't care; he just wanted something that would jolt his senses.
"Have a good run?" came the guarded voice.
Jester started jerkily but nonetheless turned around. "The usual," he replied quietly, fixing himself something heavy to drink.
Mortica eyed the mixture of alcohol. "I hate that awful habit of yours that you develop around this time," she managed to say, her tone hardened. "Getting drunk off your ass and making an absolute fool of yourself before passing out on me. I hate it." Normally, they would share a drink, and Jester would know his limits; the same went for Mortica herself. But at times like now, Jester would consume as much as he could, slurring vulgar and sometimes crude sexual comments about girls and even Mortica. She hated it, but she didn't hate Jester.
Jester's lips had barely touched the rim of his glass when she said that. "I do, too," he agreed softly, regretfully, before he took a slow slip. He looked at her once more, and he felt that desire rolling around in his chest, trying to flatten the genuine affection and friendship he truly felt for her. His shaky hand fought with his other side, but at last he dropped the glass into the sink, where the contents poured down into the sink. He hated this time of the month, where his other side clawed to come out and make itself known to the worlds; it affected his personality, almost dominating it at times, pitting Jester's carefree and fun-loving attitude against its own ruthless, lustful, and blood-yearning nature.
"Jester...?" Mortica asked warily, feeling the hair on her neck rise. Her fingers flexed in defense.
Jester turned around, all smiles. "Yeah, Amore? Don't tell me that the alcohol's gonna stain your sink, eh?" He chuckled lightly, humorously.
Mortica heaved a sigh of relief, but she was still on edge; no telling what mood Jester would be in during this time. She knew of his condition, yes, but still...
"Now, Sinka," Mortica commanded. "Kill this rabbit."
Sinka tilted her head curiously as Mortica lifted the door to a sort of large rabbit hutch fit for one. A single white rabbit occupied the wooden structure, and it pressed itself fearfully against the darkest corner, trying to flatten away from the blood-red wolf in its vision. Mortica's hand reached inside to grab the pitiful thing by its scruff; she held it in the air in front of Sinka's quivering nose.
"Yes," Mortica encouraged. "See the way it quivers in terror? It knows you are the stronger one. Take advantage of it's fear; turn it into your strength and use it to kill!" Her ice blue eyes shimmered commandingly.
Sinka's tail swished left and right, until she moved to a hunter's crouch, to which Mortica dropped the rabbit. It's legs pumped before it even hit the ground, and the terrified creature took off running. Sinka's hunting instinct kicked in, and she was off, chasing the prey down. Through the caged meadow the two went, until the rabbit pumped out more energy; Sinka pushed herself harder to catch this prey. To please her hunger... and Mortica.
Mortica chuckled darkly just as Jester sauntered into the garden. "Looks yummy," he commented.
"Screw off," Mortica growled.
"I was talking about the rabbit," Jester pointed out, to which Mortica flushed in embarrassment. He leaned forward as Sinka began closing in on the rabbit. "GO, GO, GO, KID!" he cheered. "CATCH THAT DINNER-WITH-LEGS!"
Mortica rolled her eyes when she and Jester heard a dying squeal. Their eyes pinpointed the spot where Sinka was crouched over, a white bundle of fur in her jaws, spiky and wet with blood. Sinka lifted her head, proud of her catch, her golden eyes gleaming with childish delight.
"Excellent!" Mortica cried, approaching the shapeshifter. "Now give me the rabbit." Before Sinka could respond, Mortica took the rabbit out of the girl's muzzle.
"But aren't I going to eat it?" Sinka asked innocently, tilting her head to the side.
"Of course not!" Mortica replied sharply. "This thing was just here to practice your killing efficiency, which is quite good for someone like you."
Jester's tri-colored eyes flashed. Food should never go to waste like that; besides, that rabbit should at least serve as a reward for Sinka doing so well on her first try. His orbs of blue, green, and purple followed the limp thing as it was tossed to the side like a rag doll.
"Did you feel the power welling up inside of you?" Mortica asked in Sinka's ear.
Sinka's ear twitched as the question crept into her mind. "I felt something...," she answered slowly. "Something that made me feel faster... Stronger... Like I couldn't be stopped..."
"Eh," Jester grinned comically, "must be indigestion."
Mortica shot him a glare.
Creena crooned softly to Roxas as the baby giggled and tried once again to grab the female's waggling finger in front of his face. "Ooo!" Creena said. "Almost, Roxas!" She giggled again as Roxas gurgled in response, frowning; his idea of a pout.
"Let him win, Creena!" Jink protested lightly, beside the female. "Let him enjoy a catch, instead of disappointing him!"
"Oh?" Creena raised an eyebrow at her younger brother. "And all of a sudden you know these things?" Her golden eyes gleamed with innocent amusement.
"Yeah," Jink answered, as if this were the most simple thing in all the worlds. "Here, watch the big brother do it!" The auburn-haired child dangled a finger close to Roxas's fingers. Roxas, frowning in concentration, seized Jink's finger before it could retreat, which it wouldn't have in the first place. "There you go, Roxas!" Jink cheered. "Now uh, leggo." Jink tugged ever so gently, but Roxas kept a firm hold, keen on not letting go of his catch. "Uh, I don't wanna force my finger out; don't wanna hurt you..." Jink was at a loss over what to do, and he felt Creena's amused smile warming his back. "C'mon, Roxas...," Jink said slowly, tugging again. Roxas smiled a baby's smile and held on. "Please?" Jink begged.
Behind Creena and Jink, the two adults stood together, their shoulders touching. They leaned against the wall, smiling, also amused at the scene on Roxas's mother's bed.
Axel grinned. "Poor Jink seems at a loss over what to do," he commented to his lover.
Larxene grinned devilishly, proud of her son. "Worse than the Chinese Finger Trap you and Xigbar got stuck in during that fix in the Land Of Dragons."
Axel frowned playfully, muttering something about a little red dragon trying to burn their feet while they were still in the trap.
If you can imagine that.
