Blood and Water (♠ Blue Suit ♠)

((Sorry, helped mom with the shopping but I really don't feel good now so I might not reply again :( ))


Joachim whined quietly at Mia, able to feel her sadness as he had felt Tome's. He flailed his little limbs around in an attempt to get Mia to set him down, starting to whine louder and louder because he could see where Tome and Malia were standing over Mia's shoulder. In his little brain, Mommy was upset, and Daddy could make it better.


Tome picked his head up to look, though he didnt let go of Malia, still sobbing quietly into his shoulder. "Mia . . ." He murmured softly, and debated on whether or not he should let go. Was something wrong? Why was Joachim crying?
 
(Oh. I hope you felt better after that!)


"It's okay. Here, I'm okay. See?" Mia was a strong girl, she had to be. So, avoiding for the tears to well up, she gave little Joachim the best smile she could give him at the moment. She hadn't even realized both the two people she was hoping no to cross ways with were nearby. "There, there" Upon the realization that he wanted for her yo set him down, she gently did so, bending down before him "You do know how to cheer people up, huh?" Well at least as she had him with her, she could occupy her mind with other more pleasant thoughts.
 
Joachim whined a little more, then turned and waddled quickly off towards where Tome and Malia still embraced. Tome saw the little dragon coming and followed his path back to where Mia was, an uncertain expression crossing over his features. He made a lost sort of helpless face and beckoned her closer with a hand. Malia was crying on his shoulder and she was quite possibly the mother he had never known and he didnt know what to do. He didnt do emotions well. He needed help, even if he didnt know what that help would be.
 
Raising her eyebrow, Mia followed Joachim's path until her eyes met with Tome's. Her own widened as they laid on Malia and then back at him. Oh she had done it. And she felt really scared. Like absolutely scared. Her features were colored with fear and she took a step back. She didn't want to hear him say it. She actually considered it, running away to avoid that for a bit longer or face it once and for all. Honestly, she was biased towards the first one but then she noticed the look on his face and, tentatively made her way over to them.
 
Joachim was usually rather good at running around on his own - too good, in Tome's opinion, since he caused trouble sometimes - but the baby was trying to get to them too quickly, and when he was close he tripped over his own feet and did a couple tumbles until he bumped into their legs and came to a stop. Then immediately started crying.


Malia jumped, surprised, and stepped away from Tome to dry her eyes, apologizing again while he bent to pick up Joachim and brush off the dust, hold him gently and make sure he hadnt gotten hurt anywhere. "It's okay, it's okay," he soothed, rocking Joachim gently until his crying had turned to quiet little whines, and finally just nothing.


Mia had been standing nearby for a few moments already, and after a second or two of though, Tome took the effort of two steps over to be next to her, and shifted Joachim to one arm so he could hold her hand. "You don't have to keep apologizing." He said, to Malia but unable to look at her because he had it in his mind to lie about anything and everything that had occurred throughout his childhood. ". . . I turned out just fine. . ."


"I'm sorry," she said again, and gave a watery little laugh as she dried her cheeks on her sleeves. "But I don't think I will ever top apologizing."
 
Mia had been rather slow on her approach towards the two of them, but had quickened her pace when Joachim tripped and eventually started crying. Tome took care of the situation rather easily and she was left there, by them, feeling a bit out of place considering the situation she had found them in.


When Tome stepped over to her side, she threw him a quick glance, quickly lowering her gaze when she felt his hand. Frankly, it surprised her a lot, really expecting him to be mad at her. As he spoke, her stare softened and she raised her head to look at Malia. It was rather nice how he tried to ease her by choosing those words.


There, you see? Of course she wouldn't not want you Of course the thought was directed to Tome but she didn't bring herself to say it out loud. Raising her free hand to her eyes, she rubbed them a bit. She could feel tears welling up and she wondered if it was because she was happy for him or because she felt extremely relieved. She didn't allow them to come out though, just taking in a few silent breaths to stop them.
 
Tome tried not to look as panicked as he felt when Mia rubbed her eyes, and when Malia was still sniffling. Heavens above - he could in no way handle both of them crying at the same time. And Joachim was not helping! He shifted uncomfortably, unsurely, and shook his head a little. "Please don't cry anymore. . ." He managed, quietly, after a moment, and felt only a little bit better when Malia laughed. He'd been serious, but if it stopped her crying he would bear her laughing at him.


"I-I'm trying." She said, smiling a little and drying the rest of the moisture from her eyes and cheeks and chin. "I . . . I left you to fend for yourself," She continued a moment later, the smile gone and her eyes still watery, looking at him with an intensity of focus and concern and hope that made him uncomfortable. "If you let me . . . I won't do that ever again. . ."


Tome's fingers curled a little tighter around Mia's, his free hand curling lightly and possessively under Joachim's chin where it rested, the little dragon lying out across his arm with his small limbs dangling. "I . . ." He glanced at Joachim, and at Mia, and shook his head. "We'll discuss it. . ."


Malia smiled for him again, at least, and he felt a little less like there was a weight crushing down on his shoulders, squeezing the breath from his lungs. "Of course. As difficult as it is to accept, you're an adult now, and you make your own decisions. I . . . I'll get back to work while you consider."
 
Oh It was something that almost left her mouth but she stopped herself from doing so by bitting her tongue. Did she wanted for him to stay there? She tilted her head a little to the side, and then raised her eyebrow when she felt Tome's singers curling a wee bit tighter around hers. She glanced up at him and found him doing the same before he glanced at Joachim too.


Watching Malia walking away, Mia's gaze turned distant as she thought of the possibility. And because she was feeling insecure anyway, she wondered what would be of her if that were to happen. Still, she considered that Tome had allowed for her to remain by her side because he had been left without Fawn, but now that he had regained a mom would he still need her? Those were some things she didn't want to consider but once she felt like that she couldn't get them out of her head.


Oh, stop it. If he did... Well if he did he wouldn't stop her from being there. At least she could keep close because of Joachim. It was silly of her thinking of things in such terms, being it his decision or not, she'd be there either he wanted for her not to or if he did. She pushed those thoughts away. What was the point of heaving them if there was nothing certain about them?
 
Tome watched Malia go, only briefly because she kept glancing back at him, then turned to look at Mia again, fingers still curled through and around hers. ". . . What do you think?" He asked, a little more faintly than he'd wished because there were still people around and he hated eavesdroppers. Joachim wriggled around and Tome repositioned him carefully and with one hand until he could put his front paws on Tome's shoulder and rest his chin there, watching what went on behind them. "Do you want to stay? We - We don't have to stay, but . . . I . . ." He sighed and decided to just stop there because words were too difficult. He didn't know what he wanted, nor what he should say about it. He wanted to be able to know the person that was his mother, but at the same time he had survived a long time without parents and wasn't sure what having one would do to him. He was lost, and he hated it. "I don't know what to do. . ."
 
Mia snapped out of it when Tome spoke to her and she looked up at him. She remained silent until he spoke his last words. She... Didn't had any problem on staying there. To be honest, and though it sounded rather cheesy, home wasn't that house by the lake she had been staying over but where he was. Where him and Joachim were - to be precise. They were sort of like her family by now. Either way, it would be nice if he got the chance to know his mother. A golden chance. He didn't have to decide on the spot, surely Malia would be able to understand that much "Well... Why don't we stay here longer? That way I think you should be able to decide whatever you'd like to do. I don't mind staying at all" A small smile crept over her lips "The village is quite nice too and Joachim seems to be happy here"
 
Tome looked at the infant dragon trying to crawl over his shoulder, feet digging into his chest, and could only nod. "He likes watching the big dragons. . ." Joachim would be better off if they stayed around other dragons he could learn from, wouldn't he? And this place . . . Mia liked this place, and even though the only place Tome had ever thought of as 'home' was gone, did he really need it? It would be painful, surely, but he had others to think about, and he was always better at thinking of caring for others than bending to his own wants and needs. He looked out at the rest of the dragonry, at where the workers were going about their business smiling and talking with each other and looking content and happy.


". . . Okay." He said finally, quietly, and shook his head. "Joachim needs to be here longer anyway and we . . . we can think about it." It would require a whole lot of thinking, and a considerable amount of pain, he thought, but he would think about it.
 
Now that it was settled, it was better if she did what she was meant to do. Softly - and to be honest a bit reluctantly - she pulled her hand back from Tome's before stepping over to stand in front of him "I'm sorry I went on ahead and told her" Mia lowered her head a bit in apology. She did not regret doing so, but still wanted to apologize because she had done so without his permission. He didn't seem mad, but it was better for her to go and say it even if he wasn't.
 
Tome's fingers grasped at air, subconsciously, when she let go, but he just curled them into a fist and left it loosely at his side, not chasing after her because she wasn't running away. To be honest, he felt a little bit betrayed, because he'd made it clear he didn't want to tell Malia at all, and Mia had gone ahead and done it anyway. . . But what would he have done if she hadn't? Sulked for the next few days? Avoided the woman he suspected was his mother without telling her why? That wasn't right. It was rude to her, and not fair to Joachim, who still needed them to learn how to take care of him.


". . . It's okay." Tome said finally, voice quiet and gentle, though he looked a bit uncertainly at the ground rather than at Mia. He shook his head faintly. "Heaven knows I would never have done it." And then everything could've just spiraled into disaster. It could've this way too, but everything had worked out, so it was okay. It was better than doing nothing.
 
When he didn't reply, Mia started to fiddle with her fingers rather nervously, not able to look up. She hoped he hadn't hold her hand before on the spur of the moment. Now that she had calmed herself down, the anxiety came much worse than before. But then he spoke and his voice made her blink and look up automatically. Though he was not looking at her, she was reassured by the gentle tone he had added to it.


"But I told you..." She finally dared to say "There was no way she wouldn't want you" Mia added as her gaze softened. And she had been sure of those words, apart from the uneasiness that had settled on her chest for a moment before.
 
Tome raised his eyes a bit to look at her, though he didn't quite move his head as well, and watched her as if in study. She was just . . . There. Always there, even when she should've gone away so many times, should've been frustrated or angry with him, or given him up for a lost cause when he could hardly do more than just breathe on his own. When he'd been angry and violent towards her, when he'd treated her like she meant nothing. But she still . . . she'd said those words he wasn't supposed to hear, and it did strange things to him he didn't really know how to accept.


His expression softened slightly, though, into something less harsh but no less confused, and he reached out his free hand to pull her closer, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and breathed out a little shakily into her hair. "Sometimes," He said faintly, a mess of emotions making him sound a bit lost, "I don't know what I would do without you. . ." He would have been lost long ago. Without her to keep pushing him forward after Fawn's death . . . he no doubt would have just laid down with her, and let himself die.
 
Mia let out a surprised small gasp when he reached out and pulled her closer. Ah... So warm. She thought to herself as she raised one of her hands and wrapped them around him as well, clutching his shirt on the back lightly. Something she found quite troublesome was the fact that her heart was pounding against her chest, but apart from that she found herself enjoying the spontaneous hug much more than the last one he had given her a few weeks ago back on the house.


Moving her head a bit to the side to glance at Joachim, she used her other hand to stroke him softly "It's the same with us" She replied quietly, a smile settling on her quite flushed cheeks. Really, she was grateful that he couldn't see her face right now.
 
Tome only sighed and turned his face into her hair, fingers curling lightly at Joachim's back so that he wouldn't fall when he leaned back a little into Mia's hand, fluttering his small wings. Tome just held onto Mia for a long minute or two, and finally let her go. "Let's just . . ." He sighed softly and shifted Joachim to a better angle. "Let's take him to playtime." He needed to socialize with other hatchlings, and he was happy when he got to, as long as they were nearby. Tome liked watching Joachim play.
 
When Mia felt Tome's grip letting go, she automatically did the same with hers. Her cheeks were still redder than usual, but at least they were not as noticeable as before. She took a step back and gave Joachim a bright smile. "Oh, he'd like that" She nodded as she stepped over to the side and positioned herself by him to walk by them. How about that? Instead of getting a mad Tome she had gotten a huggy Tome, not bad at all. Raising both of her hands to her mouth and pressing them against her lips she hid the smile that wouldn't just go away.
 
Tome tried to ignore the strange movements Mia was making and just walked, leading her along to where the younger hatchlings were usually corralled. He slipped over the fence that kept them in, helped Mia over, then set Joachim down. "Come on, little guy." He said gently, urging him forward. "Let's go play with your friends." Joachim looked up at him, gave a happy squeak, and bounded off. "We'd best keep up." Joachim tended to be a bit stronger than most of the other little ones. They had to watch him closely, just in case.
 
Whenever Joachim played with the other little dragons, she couldn't help it but think just how quick and how much had their little dragon grown so much over a few days. If they indeed decided to stay there, she wondered if that'd be their daily lives. In a way, it was much brighter than back on that house. She had to admit that.
 
Once Joachim found the little mob of baby dragons, he joined in the play immediately, rolling around a ball that was almost as big as him with two others. When they grew tired of that, Tome made a tiny little light in his hand and floated it around so they would all try to chase it. He smiled a little as they dashed about, and tried to catch the littlest ones when they ran into him and tumbled into his legs where he sat on the ground. Joachim was only slightly bigger than them, but he did his best to help them up too.
 
Mia watched over the little dragons as she leaned her body against the fence. She looked at them going here and there for a couple of minutes before throwing her head back and allowing for a content sight to escape her lips. Gazing at the blue sky above her head, she slowly closed her eyes. Perhaps she should get a job. Of course, she was human, and of course she was a woman. But maybe she could work as a barmaid or something like that. Just a fleeting thought though, if they were to stay there she sort of wanted to do something. Sure, she could always try and work there but she felt as if she had already received so much from Malia to ask her for a job.
 
"O - Okay," Tome muttered, rolling his eyes a little. "All right. Okay. We're done now." He sighed and just sat there while the little dragons tried to crawl from his knees to his shoulders. "I am not a climbing tree!" He complained and winced a little when a clawed foot dug into his shoulder. "Mi-a," He glanced her way without turning his head, not wanting to tumble them. "I could use a hand. . ."
 
It was not until he called out for her that Mia actually pried her eyes open and lowered her head to look at Tome. She raised her hand to her mouth but it was to late to hide the chuckle. "Right, sorry" Apologizing, she walked over to where him and the other little dragons were. "Come, come on guys" Kneeling down by him, she gently reached for the small ones that were at his knees, an amused smile still on her face as she did so.
 
Joachim came trotting over and climbed over them all, up to Tome's shoulder and past that to flop down on top of his head. Tome huffed and glared a little. "You're not helping." Joachim just rumbled happily and Tome tried to peel one of them off his arm without dropping the others. "Why do they like me!?"
 
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