94
Reality
The truce was a lot harder for outsiders to accept. Radical humanists claimed they had no say and wanted Mother gone for good. Radical environmentalists claimed they had no say and wanted humans to relinquish their assumed rights of the land and to set Mother free from Furuichi's body. Needless to say, the group stayed away from most people during the final years of The Great Reconstruction.
They carved out an acre or so of land for themselves and as a sanctuary for the scared, abandoned guardian animals Mother had chosen. Not all of her lost children accepted their help, however, and it stabbed at Mother's already bleeding heart. With the help of her new human friends, Mother learned that it was okay for those guardians to refuse and to keep the sanctuary doors open if they ever changed their minds.
"What a day…" Oga sighed as he flopped into his and Furuichi's shared bed.
"You know," Furuichi began to knead Oga's aching feet, "out of all the possible outcomes, this reality isn't the worst one."
"Yeah. Whatever you say."
"I mean it!"
Furuichi climbed into bed beside Oga. His long silver hair tucked into one long, heavy braid away from his face. Oga pulled Furuichi close and buried his nose into that hair; there was a pleasant scent of magnolias.
"Furuichi," Oga brought the silvernette closer, "I don't care about any reality that doesn't have you in it. Let's get some sleep. You know the shadows wake up early."
"I love you," Furuichi kissed Oga's chest before settling back to rest.
"I love you more."