Author's Note: Sorry about the wait! I hope that yall enjoy!
"Tsyeyk."
The little boy pauses picking up the blanket that his mommy always used when she would stay on the colder nights, or at least, as many pieces as he could gather together. There is an ache in his chest that usually comes whenever this happens, but he doesn't know the word for it. Just that he knows if he waits long enough, it'll pass.
He looks up at the male that he still wasn't sure of his name, to see him pulling the strap from over his shoulder connected to the strange thing he and the others were holding. He lowers down onto a knee and lays the strange thing down in the dirt next to him. Tsyeyk looks at it, then back up at the male. His little ears and tail are stiff as he wars with himself and the feeling hollowing out the inside of his chest.
The male stares at Tsyeyk for a moment, as if warring with himself too. But Tsyeyk doesn't understand why that is, what the male would have to work though. This range of emotions flicker over his face, most of which Tsyeyk doesn't recognize. Except for one.
Sadness.
Before Tsyeyk can contemplate that, the male pulls the little boy into his arms, first tentatively, then more firm, his arms wrapping so easily around Tsyeyk's much smaller frame. The little boy tenses up for a moment, still not used to so much physical affection, but oh does he crave it. He's not sure why the male is hugging him when it's obvious that the male is the one who is sad. Tsyeyk should be comforting him. Mommy never wanted it, but that was because Tsyeyk wasn't good enough yet. But these people don't seem to mind him as much. He's proven to them, somehow, that he's good enough for other things.
Maybe he's good enough to make the male in front of him not so sad anymore.
He wraps his arms around the older male after dropping the remains of his basket beside them, sinking into the male's embrace. He relishes in the warmth and safety. He's never had a male hold him like this. It's only really been... well, Grace. And the other nice female. But it's not quite like this with the other female. Like this, it was just Grace. His chest tightens as he struggles with the bubbling emotions inside of him, trying to figure out exactly what he's feeling.
One of the male's hands tangles up in his wild black hair, blunt nails scratching at his scalp a bit, while the other hand flattens against the middle of his back, occasionally running up and down his spine but mostly just holds him close. And it feels good. So good, he hopes that it'll never stop. That somehow, they will both just get stuck like this and be together forever. Nice and safe.
Tsyeyk wraps one arm around the male's neck and the other gently mimics the male's actions, petting down the back of his much shorter hair. It must be the right thing to do, because the male tenses for a moment, then relaxes slightly. Then a little bit more.
Unable to deal with the emotions swelling in his chest, Tsyeyk softly says, "Don't cry," like his mommy used to whenever tears welled up in his eyes like they are now. But his voice isn't as solid or strong like hers was. His was shaky and weak, cutting in and out with his sniffles.
But the male doesn't push him away. Not like mommy did whenever he did something wrong - touched her when he wasn't good enough to. Instead, the male squeezes Tsyeyk tighter to him, even turning his face into the junction between the little boy's neck and shoulder when Grace softly says, "Hez saeing dohnt crii. Ohvr ahnd ohvr ahgen."
"Aww baebee," the male says. "Dohnt let hr werds fors yuu tu be strong, sweet baebee."
He doesn't understand the male, but his voice is so soft. So sweet. It just makes the tightening in his chest constrict tighter. He wished that he could talk to him, try to get him to understand that he didn't have to be sad, that it could all be replaced. Mommy would just bring more stuff when she came back. He didn't know the words to say it, but the male doesn't seem to mind and just holds him. Holding him tight enough to hurt, but instead of making him feel bad or upset him, it awakens this feeling deep inside of him, something that bubbles up from his toes. A foreign feeling of vulnerability and... weakness. Maybe... maybe even sadness? Is that what this feeling is?
Before he knows it, he's crying. Thick globs of tears sliding down his cheeks. It feels wrong for him to be crying about this. He knows that his mommy doesn't like it when he does that. He doesn't want to make them mad. He doesn't want to give them any reason to think that he's not good enough to be allowed around them. And with his home all destroyed he doesn't want to be left out here. Not after he got to spend the night sleeping somewhere warm, somewhere he didn't listen to beasts fighting just out of line of sight.
He knew they were out there, but they stayed away from him, thankfully. Any time they found his home, he was never there, so he's been lucky thus far. But it's just... it's hard to see it all gone. Again. Enough times that he uses up all the fingers on one hand. That's so many times. And all of his things are now just... ruined. Again. Mommy didn't bring much for him the last time. His supplies were running low and now...
What if Mommy doesn't come back? Whenever she came back after this happened, it was the next day. But she hasn't been back for so long. How is she supposed to know that he needs her help if she hasn't come back? How is he supposed to let her know?
First it was him and his mommy. Then it was him for a very long time. But now, it's him, and them. Grace and Lyle and the rest of them. But unlike with Mommy, they let him stay at their home. The space was cold and scary and quiet, but he had slept so soundly with the blankets to keep him warm. He was so tired and yet never heard a single animal searching for him. He slept so hard that he woke the next morning disoriented for a moment, forgetting where he was. With those nice people who helped him. Who are kind to him. And if he got to choose; well, he... he doesn't...
He doesn't want them to leave him. He wants to stay with them, and the kindness they offer so freely.
He and his mommy both deserve to be happy and safe and together. And these nice people would probably do that for him, if he proved that he was good enough. And he would. He would because they should all be together. Yes, all of them.
But thankfully the male doesn't seem like he's willing to pull away just yet, which Tsyeyk will selfishly capitalize on it. He brings his feet up onto the male's thigh, getting comfortable in his arms. The male doesn't seem to mind, shifting a bit to accommodate him. The male is so warm and safe, while Tsyeyk knows that they'll have to separate at some point, he doesn't want too yet. He'll hold on for as long as the male will allow it.
Tsyeyk's shaky breaths calm, and his voice dies out, throat hurting. Then he just... rests against the older male, cheek on his shoulder, closing his tired eyes for a moment of respite. The hand running up and down his back is enough to put him into a half dream-like state. The tension in his body bleeding out more and more. He hadn't realized how tired he was until this moment. His eyes and throat hurts and his body feels too heavy. Just a bit too warm. But he's comfortable. Safe.
"Tsyeyk?"
Tsyeyk opens his eyes to see Grace knelt down in front of his eyes. She reaches up and gently pushes a few strands of dark hair off of his cheek in such a strange, but sweet action that makes Tsyeyk's chest tighten once more. He sniffles, letting out a little cough. The hand of the male makes a pass up and down the length of his spine and it's so soothing, he could fall asleep to it.
He flutters thick lashes, trying to keep himself awake and focused on Grace's gentle expression. "Grace?"
"I know you're sad," Grace says and Tsyeyk only has enough time to wonder if that's the feeling in his chest. Is that what his mommy felt? What was reflected in the male's eyes? Is that the name of this feeling? It's familiar, but not something he knew the name of before. "I'm sorry that your home was destroyed, but we can salvage what we can from it and bring it back with us."
He frowns, trying to understand her words. "Go back?" His voice is thick. His throat still hurts. He coughs lightly.
Lyle steps closer, pulling out his strange pouch, taking the top off of it and holding it out for Tsyeyk.
Grace takes it and brings it close to Tsyeyk's lips. It takes him a second to realize what it is before perking up, peeling his cheek from the male's shoulder and opening his mouth for her to pour the water into. His little tail, which had been curled around the male's arm to keep him as close as Tsyeyk could get him, unfurls enough to wave a bit in excitement. Hopefully it would be as cold as it was last time.
She pours a few drops into his mouth, and it is! It feels so good, stealing away a bit of the heat of his body. He opens his mouth again, feeling more cold water drop onto his tongue and slide down his throat. He purrs softly, hugging the male tighter, eager for his fill.
Once he's done, shaking his head a bit when Grace offers him more, she passes it back to Lyle, who puts the top back on and straps it to his side. She offers Tsyeyk a soft smile as he rests his cheek onto the male's shoulder again.
"Yes," she finally says. "We'll go back to where we were before. You'll come with us, right?"
Tsyeyk blinks a few times. "Place before?" He asks, trying to understand.
She smiles softly. "Yes, sweetheart. You want to come back with us?"
He eagerly nods. Go back? With them? Yes, he would love that! It was strange, and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to react to certain things, but it was safe. And they just give him food and water without him having to go track it down. Grace gave him soft pets on his head and back, and then warm blankets to wrap up in when he sleeps. It was so nice. Of course he would love to go back!
Especially since he wouldn't have to be alone.
When he woke up, Grace was there. Only mommy has ever been there when he woke up in the past. And Grace hasn't left him yet. And if she did, it was for a short amount of time and he wasn't alone, someone else would be there, then she was back, but no longer little Grace, but big Grace.
But then, he remembered why they came out here, and his tail wilts a bit, leaning into the male a bit more. He was a silly boy for having forgotten.
"Tsyeyk's mommy?" He looks around but doesn't see her. She hasn't come back yet. He curls his toes on the male's thighs, adjusting a bit so that his knees press firmly to his chest. Even though he's hot, he's also cold. How very strange.
The male stiffens but Grace's look is soft and sad.
"You miss her?" she asks, tucking a few strands of black hair behind his ear.
Tsyeyk nods. "Go with her to be with at Grace's? We go to her's and then Grace's?"
Grace frowns a bit, lowering to sit on her legs. "Do you know where your mommy goes when she isn't here?"
Tsyeyk frowns too, shaking his head. He points to the forest. "Away, then back to Tsyeyk. Just a little and then go again."
Grace nods slowly, running a thumb gently across his cheekbone. She considers something for a moment before letting out a little sigh. Her eyes study his face, then, softly, she asks, "When was the last time you saw your mommy?"
Tsyeyk's eyelashes flutter as he tries to figure out when it was. It was sometime during the day, the sun was still out, but it had started to dip toward the horizon, but it feels like it has been so long. He just... doesn't know how long.
"I don't know," Tsyeyk says, ears folding back. "She goes and then comes for back Tsyeyk. But... she be soon here. Yeah?"
Grace shakes her head. "I don't know," she says. She caresses his cheek, and it feels so good, he leans into it a bit. "I'm sorry that there isn't anything I can do about that. But we want you to stay with us. Okay, sweetheart?"
Tsyeyk wants to stay too. "And mommy? When she be here?"
Grace hesitates, chewing on her lower lip. "We have to speak to her, but just know that you're always welcome with us, Tsyeyk."
They picked up what remained of Tsyeyk's home, Lyle and the nice female named Maria, even crawling under the rock into his space with him to pack everything up. They would go through it when they made it back home, according to Grace, and he was excited. Mommy didn't come back yet with all the time that it took for them to get Tsyeyk's things, and as sad as he was when he realized it, he forgot, for a time.
Two of the males with the group, called Ja and Fike, were playing with him like no one ever had before. They would splash him with water or chase him around, not telling him to quiet down like mommy did when he was too loud, and when they would catch him, they would do this thing called 'tickle' under his arms and legs and along his ribs and thighs while being mindful of his knife, and he couldn't stop laughing. They would pick him up and blow air onto his belly which tickled in a different way.
Each would hold one hand and hold him high up into the air and swing him gently back and forth. Fike would grab him under the knees and let him dangle upside down for a little bit, swinging him then too. Ja hefted him up onto the male's shoulders, carrying him around as he looked at the new perspective so high up. This was the best day of his life.
At one point, as they were making their way through the forest, Tsyeyk saw his favorite fruit by the male that he didn't know the name of. Even then he hadn't said. He was holding Grace's hand, too exhausted from running around to keep playing with Ja and Fike. He had realized that she had more fingers than he did. They all had more fingers than he did, and Grace tried to explain to him that it was one of the easiest ways to tell an 'avatar' from a 'Na'vi'. And 'eyebrows' which just so happened to be patches of hair over their eyes, which Tsyeyk didn't have. It was crazy.
The male, who keeps glancing over at him, tilts his head, catching the boy staring just over his shoulder.
He stops, which makes the rest of them stop. He says something in the words that Tsyeyk doesn't know, to which Grace says down at him, "What is it, beautiful? What are you looking at?"
"Mommy get Tsyeyk that," he says softly, pointing. He lets out a little cough that won't go away. No matter how much he drinks from Lyle's strange pouch, his throat keeps hurting.
Grace looks at the male and says something to him. The male turns to look up at the fruit, moving the strange thing he's holding onto his back before reaching up half-heartedly for it, before stopping, considering. Then he looks over at Tsyeyk, smiles slightly with a crooked edge to it, before holding out a hand for him. Tsyeyk's ears perk a bit before he tentatively pulls from Grace and moves over to the male, reaching out for his hand. The male pulls him close before turning him around and grabbing onto his hips, lifting him up towards the fruit.
Tsyeyk's whole body tenses for a second before realizing that the fruit was now just within his grasp. His rigid tail unfurls and sways slightly, as he reaches up to grab the fruit closest to him, cradling it to his chest. The male pulls him back against him, turning the boy around so that he's holding Tsyeyk as he was the first time that they met. Tsyeyk sniffs the fruit, hoping that it was ripe enough to harvest as he's learned sometimes if it smells off, it'll make his tummy hurt really bad and he'll vomit uncontrollably for a long time.
It smells good.
Tsyeyk happily holds his fruit, tummy rumbling and mouthwatering. He is patient, though, as the male carries him through the forest towards the beast that brought them back here.
He sits in the male's lap with his cheek resting against the male's shoulder as the beast takes them back to Grace's home. He holds his fruit close, but dozes against the male's shoulder as he rubs his back, his shoulders, his arms, and his neck. It makes his skin prickle, but he loves it. It's been happening a lot since he met these people, and he just doesn't want it to end. He doesn't know what he did, but he hopes that it never ends.
They talk around him, their soft voices beneath the loud roar of the beast outside, doesn't scare him as much as before, but he while he's a little afraid, he feels safe in the male's arms.
Quietly, the male says, "Ii cood cee luving yuu." He lets out a little sigh, pressing a soft kiss into Tsyeyk's shoulder. "Haow cood shee leeve yuu? Haow cood aneewon not luv yuu with evry pahrt uf them? Brayv, beyutefull boiee." His hand runs up through Tsyeyk's dark locks, blunt nails scratching lightly against his scalp. Their travel back to Grace's home is a lot faster as it seems like Tsyeyk blacks out for a moment before coming to once more to the feeling of Lyle trying to gently pull his fruit from him.
He pouts, pulling it back to his chest, making a small whining noise in the back of his throat. "No, please. Stay mine, Wyle, okay? For Tsyeyk?"
Lyle pauses while Grace says something to him. He pulls away from the little boy's fruit, saying something back while rubbing at Tsyeyk's cheek with his fingers. His smile is sweet and Tsyeyk forgives him immediately for trying to take his food.
Grace turns to Tsyeyk and says, softly, "He didn't want you to drop your fruit."
"No," Tsyeyk says softly, eyes drooping a bit as the hand runs up and down his back again. "Not to drop, eat."
Grace smiles a bit as Tsyeyk closes his tired eyes to rest. They feel heavy and swollen and it feels nice to close them.
When Tsyeyk opens his eyes again, they are walking into Grace's home. Somehow his fruit is still pressed to his chest as he blinks back into himself, its hard outer skin keeping his little arm from squishing it. His little tummy rumbles again, reminding him that he hasn't had time to eat his fruit yet. He pulls away from the male a bit to rub at his eyes with his free hand, while leaning against the male's head.
"Arr yuu hungaree, baebee?" the male says, turning his head a bit to Tsyeyk. "Wee'l find sumwair for yuu tuu reelax ahnd eet."
Tsyeyk yawns, still rubbing at his eyes, not at all sure of what was said to him, but the male's voice is low and smooth and once more, that soothing hand runs up his back and he's thankful for the comfort it offers him. Hopefully he keeps up with whatever it was that he did to deserve this.
They get inside and while the others head off, Ja and Fike and Maria coming over to either pet down his hair or back before going, while the male, Lyle and Grace carry him into the place, going through the loud room that fires a burst of wind at them that makes him cry out in fear and hug the male close, shaking. The male presses his lips into Tsyeyk's cheek. The little boy wraps his arms tightly around the male's neck trying to keep calm.
Well, he's definitely awake now.
They bring him back through the place where Grace lives until he's back where he slept the night before. Grace steps away to grab some things while the male lays him down in his pile of blankets before lowering down into a cross-legged sit. He grabs his knife off of his leg and carefully takes Tsyeyk's fruit from him and before the little boy can protest, he carefully cuts a piece of the fruit and holds it out for him. Tsyeyk takes it, sticking it into his mouth and chewing happily.
"Gud?" The male says, one of the hairy things above his eye - an eyebrow - raises.
Tsyeyk's eyes widen, watching the motion, impressed. He just holds his little hand out for another piece, chewing thoughtfully before point to the skin above his eyes. "I don't have do that?"
The male smiles faintly, a little strained. "Yah, yuu dohn't hav ann iibrow. Yuur liek yuur... mommy liek that."
Tsyeyk perks, recognizing, for the first time, a word coming out of the male's mouth. "Mommy?" His ears spread a bit. "Tsyeyk's mommy?"
The male sighs, rubbing at his forehead with the back of his hand as he cuts off another piece. He passes it to Tsyeyk, who eats it, still staring at the male, waiting. After a moment of consideration, as the man cuts off pieces of the fruit and passes it to Tsyeyk to eat, he says, voice soft, "Iiem triing. Ii cee that yuu ar varee speshal. Ii cee yuu ahnd mii hart fills with joi ahnd ii cood cee miiself luv yuu. Itz ezee, ii think." He pauses, staring into Tsyeyk's eyes, and something in him melts a bit.
Tsyeyk takes another piece of fruit, eating it happily, despite having no idea what the male is saying to him. He wished that he understood the words that the male was using. He only understood just the one.
"Mommy?" He prompts, hoping that the male will use more words like that so he can understand.
The male scowls so fast, it makes Tsyeyk bulk in surprise, before it's gone and his expression clears. "Yuur mommy izn't a gud woman, baebee. Ii no yuu luv her, but shee haz pruven too mii that shee can't bee trusted. Not too com back, at leest. But not mii, baebee boy. Iiem heair too stae. Yuu ahnd mii. Just giv mii ah bit ov tiem. Ii wil bee gud enoff for yuu. Iill bee yuur dahdee."
Tsyeyk frowns, accepting another piece of fruit to eat. The male opens his mouth to continue, but Grace walks in with an armful of things. She lays down what she's got on one side while putting Tsyeyk on her other. Her and the male talk for a moment while the male keeps feeding the boy piece by piece of the fruit. Grace grabs out a few of the pokey things that hurt him. He tenses up, frowning at the sight of it, but doesn't stop her as she turns to him.
"Owie," Tsyeyk says, looking at the pokey things.
Grace smiles softly at him. "I know, sweet boy. It hurts you, but it'll help you feel better, I promise."
Tsyeyk nods, not sure he understands that. How does something that hurts him also helps him? But Grace has been helping him this whole time. She has been nothing but kind. Tsyeyk likes her a lot. He doesn't want to lose her. So, he will accept momentary pain for a chance to keep this nice thing that he has now going for him. He wants to keep Grace and Lyle and Fike and Ja and Maria and the male. As well as the others, who keep sending him soft looks, or a small smile when his eyes meet theirs.
She has him show her the meatiest part of his thigh, hurting him three times before pressing her lips into his hair as he whimpers.
"Owie," he says again, blinking long lashes and sniffling.
"You're a very brave little boy," Grace says sweetly. "I am very proud of you."
"What's this?" Tsyeyk asks, coughing a bit.
Grace smiles, petting his wild black hair, pushing it from his face a bit. "It means that you are doing so good. I'm proud of you, Tsyeyk."
Tsyeyk smiles at her, not sure he fully understands, but she sounds so nice when she says it, and the way her tail curves gives him the impression that it's a good thing. He watches as she brings over a hard pouch of cool water for him to drink, telling him to keep it next to his blankets for whenever he was thirsty. Said that there was good stuff in the water that would help him feel better. He's not sure that he understands what that means, but it was water he could have freely, so he wasn't going to be upset over it.
Once he finishes up his fruit, Grace takes him to go potty. It scared him, the loud noise when it "flushed", but Grace was there to hold him while he shook.
He doesn't realize he keeps yawning until Grace pulls his head down onto her lap and pulling the blanket around him once they returned back to the place he slept in the night before. He lightly traces the dots and the pattern of the skin on her knee as his eyes grow heavier and heavier. He reaches for the male's hand, lightly touching the small, extra finger, perplexed on how that works. How is he able to move it?
All the while, the male just watched him while talking with Grace quietly. Grace's hand would run through the strands of his hair, blunt nails stroking patterns into his scalp. The male kept looking at him with this soft expression, but Tsyeyk was too tired to question it. A part of him recognizes that he should probably find his things so he can see the full extent of the damage, but he's too tired to worry about it right now. He'll ask Grace to help him in the morning.
Warm, safe, relaxed and full, Tsyeyk slips into a deep slumber piling the blankets around him to protect him from the unusual cold of the space he's in, barely realizing that he was falling asleep until he was already under.