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It had been two-hundred-thirty-four and nine hours since the crash, and sixty-two days and nine hours since his brother had officially run away from them. Nai stared silently at the sands that swelled around the buried ship he had made their home. He picked at the fabric covering his legs, it was sandy and itchy. He missed the dome. Even if the dome meant he was trapped on that stupid ship, at least it wasn’t sandy.
He shivered, his eyes dragging over to the sun in the sky. The third was still rising. Nai hummed, the holy sun. He could not help but associate the suns with the words he would read silently. That could be a sign that this planet was destined for his plan and his paradise. This planet he found, the antithesis of them falling as dazzling stars chose, will be a paradise for him, and his sisters. His only family.
He will be the new Moses. He will guide his people through the desert, he will act as a vengeful hand and part the sea of diseased vermin. Cut through them like grain a farmer cuts. He will make their Eden, and seal the gates to those unworthy. His sister's hymns will no longer be in pain or suffering, but a harmonious, peaceful orchestra. His daydreaming was interrupted by a soft prodding to his mind. Raising his head, he tilted to look into the burrow.
He had commandeered this ship early on into the long days of his soon paradise. He followed the voice of a lone sister nearby and found this maintenance ship. The scent of vermin was strong in the ship, but it was stale. His sister's bulb lay in the back of the ship, tucked away behind a compressed maintenance panel. The parasites that they had were, had left her to rot. Alone to burn herself out till she drained her energy into this useless ship. He believed that the rot he smelled on the wind was their flesh being ripped by the vultures of this planet (he hoped so they wouldn't come back and encroach on his small haven). He snuck closer to the plant, her eyes peeking out of the bud she was in. His feet’s soft padding is the only thing besides breathing machines and whispered breaths.
She blossomed upon seeing his arrival, large glass eyes flickering in the artificial lights. Her soft chirruping melody filled his mind as she swam closer to the glass. He felt his mouth twitch into a smile leaning over the flickering console. The cool glass was a balm to his skin from the blistering heat of the dry landscape outside. He huffed under his breath at the gentle but excited prod from her.
‘Are the suns up’ her voice crooned through his mind.
“The third just reached its highest point” he whispered like a secret. Her bemused mind glided over his, asking for a peak of what was outside.
“It looks the same as it did the day before” he hummed, tilting his head back from her. Hushed blue flickered off her eyes and lashes from Nai’s markings. The plant huffed in annoyance, bubbles wisping past her mouth.
‘You don’t know it could change suddenly, she wheedled petals a flutter, we don’t get to see outside’ Her gaze slid over him to the makeshift bed. Following her unwavering gaze to the mattress he pulled to the center of the chamber, he swallowed the lump that grew at the sight.
The woman on the bed's shallow breath filled his ears, finally being cut from the pneumatic hiss of machines. Her brown hair pooled around her head, blonde showing their faces in her roots. Pale skin was almost translucent as sweat dripped from her temple.
‘She was calling for you again..” his sister's hushed in his mind, a melancholy whistle to her lips. ‘I think she’s lonely…’
Pulling himself from his sister, he walked closer to the bed, dropping to his knees to crawl to sit next to the women’s bed. He leaned over her, not yet touching or disturbing her. Fingers twitched on his knees, her breaths puffed against the silicone of the breathing mask and a soft drip of liquid for an IV.
She had been laying here for two-hundred-twenty-one and 9 hours. She would wake, and sleep at random intervals, her body fighting her constantly. Burning through infection and sickness, she sleeps most days with his sister dutifully watching over their mother.
Delicately, reaching out, he brushed his fingers through silky hair. He has been taking care of her when he could. Washing her hair while she healed. He took his role seriously, he’d take his tears and wash her if he could, like that woman, try to annul the sins he committed against her. His one regret of his plan was this simple miscalculation.
With a crooning sigh, green eyes tilted open, dragging over the ceiling till they landed upon his face. Her confused squint unfolded into heartfelt adoration, a soft smile bleeding out of her sweat-soaked face. “Nai…” her hand shook before turning steady as she brushed fingers over his cheek. His chest flipped and with a swallow, he leaned delicately into her clammy hand.
“Mythia… good morning, the suns have risen to their crest.” He said, resting his eyes.
Her soft hum echoed, fingers going to drag through blond bangs, “You’ve let me sleep too long again, dandelion.”
He frowned, the human concept of sleep was something they didn’t experience. He grumbled and huffed. “ You're not sleeping.” He spits childishly.
“Oh?” She mused, “I think I’m sleeping? Your sister would agree, I believe.”
“We don’t sleep.” He repeated, “We go dormant, we take time to focus on healing. Not sleeping, sleeping is foolish and does nothing for us.”
“Silly boy” She sang softly, tugging slightly on his ear, “I think I like sleeping, being asleep and going dormant is different but we both benefit from it.” Nai squawked as his ear was tugged, pulling from the barely there grip she had. He scowled, flashing sharp teeth, he resisted the urge to shake the mattress.
Mythia smirked at him smugly before frowning with a hum. She brushed a delicate finger under his eye, brushing over the growing circles. They bloomed a moody plum under his sharp eyes.
“You haven’t rested in a long time.” She murmured, her markings rippled slightly. She gently dragged him down, touching their foreheads like Nai had done with his sister. He jumped slightly as two minds reached for his prodding and examining. He soon felt a dripping calm leak in his limbs the longer they were linked. It felt like he was back in the biodome, the Grace of wind brushing his skin. A warm body curled against his own as his soft voice filled the air between them. It felt like the cool glass of his sister's tank against the blistering heat that warmed his back and burnt his feet.
“You aren’t caring for yourself, are you, how long have you walked in the desert, my lamb?” Mythia's voice broke through his calm.
He blinked slowly, drowsily, but he wouldn’t admit it, to look at her.
“I’ve been keeping watch” he defends,” I need to make sure the vermin are not hurting us or coming here.” The hair on his skin stood on end, almost like cat fur. His gate lashed against his chest at the thought of them coming. He couldn’t defend them, his moth- Mythia was weak. Her legs are damaged beyond repair at this point and her body is being supported by their sister’s goodwill.
“And I’m proud of you, lamb… but you are not infinite.” She moved slightly curling onto her side. She patted the bed, he chewed his lip. “You don’t even have to sleep, just rest your eyes.”
Nai found himself at a crossroads, and lying down sounded nice. Being close to Mythia and his sister relaxed, the hackles raised along his spine. But there were dangers outside this small man-made haven. Humans could come sniffing and try to steal his sister from them. Their greed knows no bounds, they wouldn’t care that the plant was keeping Mythia stable. They’d just see all three of them and pull them apart. Fingernail by fingernail, vein to vein. He needed to keep them from prying eyes, he had to play guard dog. He had to be the boulder to the tomb. He had to be the knife that would cut and rope those who came too close. A viper in a pit. He had to keep the holy safe from the fiends who wanted to destr-
“Nai.”
He jerked, looking at the women. Mythia’s face was set, a stern but soft smile.
“Nothing will hurt us, no one is near us. There are alarms on the ship, remember? You set a code for it.. Anyone who doesn’t know it comes in, and it triggers.” Her soft voice washed over him like water. Her eyes stared into him, a silent plea for him to listen to her for the first time in two-hundred-thirty-four and nine hours.
He nodded, his resolve weak and his heart thumping in a tired and lonely beat. He knee-walked the distance left of the bed, placing himself in the space Mythia’s curled form made. He shuffled himself into laying needle straight. She huffed pulling him delicately into her arms, raising a palm to brush through his hair.
“Close your eyes and pretend at least” her voice rumbled under his ear. The pluck of chords was only capable of a plant echoing in her chest. He felt himself slowly relax as her hum filled his ear and shook him. He shyly wrapped his arms around her, his soft hold on her turning tight. Almost as if he could rip her seed's uniform. He shivered, suddenly feeling swelling up in his throat and pushing against his eyes.
This was all he had, a warm feeling peeling through him as he lay here in Mythia’s arms. He clung like a sniveling child did to its mother. He was desperate for her touch, the comfort it provided at this moment. Her touch felt like the sun, filling him with something good. Steadying in this time of destruction and despair at the running of his brother and not knowing what to do with his plans.
He turned his head deeper into her chest. Trying to almost burrow into it. Hide from the world for a short amount of time. The rumble slipped into a soothing purr at the sharp, miserable whine that left his lips. He warbled and whined, and the hand in his hair pulled him closer. Curling him closer, tucking him into her, providing the hideaway he needed.
Eventually, the purr turned distant, and the whines turned to nasally sniffles, tears dry as his breath turned slow.
“It’s okay Nai..”
A soft kiss was placed on his forehead, feathery wings moving to cocoon them closer and protect him from the danger that bellowed outside, under the watchful eyes of his sister and the woman who was his mother.
es of his sister and the woman who was his mother.