Chapter Two

Running was my favorite activity.

It was strange, all the abilities I'd been given, including the ability to transport myself from area to another in the blink of an eye by expanding the molecules of my physical form and simply guiding them to a place so fast it was as if I were light itself. I could not fly, but running felt as close to the gift of flight as I could get.

I changed from my lounge wear into a pair of tight, stretchy pants and a black sleeveless top, strapping on a pair of more comfortable boots to run in, heading through the open front door of our home and along the path I'd drawn between the meadow and the forest. My boots crunched down on dirt for only a split second as I flew across the dirty path, fists pumping at my sides.

Here the scent of pine wood, oakmoss, and cedar infiltrated my senses more strongly than it had in the window of my room. The smell of fresh soil, moist from the rain the previous day. The wildflowers a combination of sweet scents, from powerful to light, all blending together in a delicious honey pie. The sound of birds singing and cooing through the trees, sunlight blinking through the tree branches laden with vivid green leaves. Insects humming softly in the tall grass, a few hopping aside as I burst through the foliage to dart into the woods.

I took the path that curved around the trees, weaving in and out before straightening into a smooth dirt path to the lakeside.

The air was warmer now than it had been earlier, sweat forming at my temples and oozing down my neck, the salty drops careening down my spine and soaking my top. Ignoring it, I continued my sprint through the woods, breaking through the treeline and coming out onto the shoreline where I took off around the opposite way from our home that could be seen towering over the treeline, a large black gem gleaming in the sunlight.

The run was smooth and relaxing. My thoughts scattered and security blanketed my mind in the form of deep appreciation for the nature around me. Thick trees quivered against the wind, tall grass swaying, flowers dancing. Insects buzzed by, did little circus acts in the air before returning to their purpose. The frogs creaked and croaked as I dashed by, circling the lake to the forest on the other side, ducking branches as I dove in and ran past trees.

I slowed as I came to the middle of the woods, my heart beating madly, my muscles quaking and pleading for rest. Sweat poured down my face, down the back of my neck, a steady stream soaking my clothes. I came to a halt, panting for breath, placing my hands on my knees, stooping in an attempt to catch my breath, eyes closed, ponytail sliding past my face to dangle beside it.

I stood for only a few moments when I felt a presence in the trees with me. I picked up quickly on the smell of cool fresh air, something damp and moist. It was the smell I associated with nighttime, and a small smile threatened to spread across my face as I heard the very faintest of giggles. I straightened, wiping sweat from my brow and turning partway around to face the shadows that hid beneath the trees from the sunlight.

"Come out, children. I know you're there," I called gently. There was a pause, then the giggles became clear and two tiny forms burst out from the shadows in the trees. The first was a tiny female, barely reaching my knee caps, with jet black hair that contrasted sharply with her pale skin, her eyes nearly as dark as night. Her hair was cut short, styled for her bangs to be straight cut across her brow, the rest longer in the front than in the back, but still cut neat and sharp. The little boy beside her, though he did not giggle, smiled shyly, his equally black hair much longer than his sister's, falling down his back, his eyes as dark as his sister's. They were quite a match, but certainly not a set of twins. The boy was just a couple inches taller, and his face was clearly masculine while his sister was petite and feminine.

"Nyx. Erebus. Should you not be resting for nightfall?" I asked, pausing to thrust my arm across my chest, stretching a bit so as not to get a muscle cramp. Nyx stuck her tongue out and blew at the same time, making an obnoxious noise similar to passing gas.

"Huh uh! Eerie and I are exploring the trees! We found yummy berries and made friends with a big ugly froggy! I named him Zeus!" She proclaimed, making Erebus smile at her and take her hand, which she responded to by squeezing his. I smiled. The name in the First Language meant bull-headed. Amused, I looked around, then back at Nyx and Erebus, but the new little ones had already vanished into the shadows, Nyx's giggling fading into the darkness along with the last whip of Erebus's hair.

Geara's dearest creations, night and darkness. They were still young, still fresh, would need to do a lot of growing before they were prepared to take their place in the world. Still, it was refreshing to have them toddle across my path every so often.

I turned with the intention to continue my run, only to hear something rustle in the grass. I smirked, expecting it to be the siblings returning for another game, but I turned and found myself staring at someone I did not recognize. I went absolutely still, every muscle in my body locking, despite the ache within them from my workout.

The male blended almost so well with the shadows, I had missed him earlier, and apparently so had the siblings, which terrified me to think the male had been here with them. He was extremely tall-- in fact, he was taller than myself. Unlike my lean wiry body, however, this male was muscular, much in the way Xiphrus was. His sun kissed skin held tight over muscles that bulged with raw power. His hair was so black, it absorbed the color around it, and it fell in long locks over his shoulders, a braid threaded along the left side of his head, fastened tight against his scalp. His eyes seemed to almost be alive, the way the silver churned and swirled in those irises.

And suddenly, I remembered Xiphrus's description of his Atlan. The male he supposedly was completely in love with.

However, when I had told Xiphrus I would like to meet Atlan, I did not think Atlan would approach me himself. It made me extremely uncomfortable that I wasn't presentable, or at my full strength to protect myself should he decide to attack.

His expression, on the other hand, did not threaten me. He appeared calm, a pleasant smile across his face. He wore layers of very thin red and black robes so they fell about him, loose on his muscular body, pooling around his feet, feet that were hidden by tall black boots that were at odds with his robing.

"I apologize," he spoke first, emerging from the shadows, almost as if he were part of them in a way similar to Nyx and Erebus, "It was not my intention to frighten you." His voice was different. A deep rolling baritone. Rich. Pleasant. Everything about him was oddly pleasant. Had I been mistaken about him?

"You shouldn't jump from the shadows then," I said slowly. He smiled. It was a lovely smile... But something about it felt off. I wasn't sure and passed it off as lingering paranoia from the most recent nightmare that once again started with being swallowed by vines, but ended in a pane of glass coming down in front of me, and I was trapped inside a glass box, as if I were on display. Just thinking of it was giving me goosebumps and I cleared my throat to return to the conversation, watching Atlan's eyes bore into mine.

His stare was intense. It was as if he were slowly stripping pieces of my clothing away. It sent a strange heat rushing into my face.

"I suppose I could've introduced myself better," he said, stepping from the trees into the clearing, "I'm called Atlan. You must be Joxeia." I arched a brow at the fact that he appeared to already know me, which meant Xiphrus must have described me to him and for some reason, that bothered me. I wasn't entirely sure why.

"How did you know?" I asked to make sure. Atlan smiled, and his eyes drifted over my form, from toes to head, and he met my eyes when he was done. There was a strange heat in those eyes. My body stirred and I frowned, confused, as my body generally only reacted to Xiphrus in this way.

"Xiphrus has told me much about you. Though, his words failed to do you justice. You're devastatingly beautiful, but I suppose you already knew that, did you not? As the Demon of Creation, one of the first creatures in existence, you know this to be fact," he explained. I felt that heat hit my cheeks and I quickly turned my head, though, the turn of a cheek did nothing to hide the effects of his words, and his lips appeared to pull further into a smile.

"I did know that, yes, thank you. I don't need you to remind me."

"Of course not," Atlan agreed swiftly, "Still, I am honored to be in your presence. Xiphrus speaks so highly of you. It's impossible for me to find words to express how happy I am to meet you." He bowed low at the waist and the heat felt like it was reaching the tips of my ears as I cleared my throat, taking a step forward to wave for him to rise.

"Please, don't do that. I ask for respect no different than anyone else," I told him, and he inclined his head. We were silent for a moment, simply staring at each other, as if determining whether the other was safe, whether the other was worthy of conversation. And then another smile split Atlan's face.

"I apologize, but I must ask a favor."

"Feel free."

"May I touch you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your hand," Atlan said, holding his hand out, "I wish to hold your hand, if for but a moment." I frowned, looking down at his hand, confused by his request. It wasn't dangerous to hold his hand, was it? Why would he want to hold it anyway? Was he really frazzled about meeting me?

I reached my hand out and Atlan took the initiative to take my hand in his. An electric pulse shot up my arm, making my heart jump in my throat and my body react powerfully. I instantly regretted wearing the tight pants, because my cock punched hard against the inseam of my pants, and I prayed to the Source Atlan didn't look down to see what a simply handshake was doing to my body.

And I was confused by my body's react, confused by the way my heart picked up speed, my face heated and my lip parted, as if to speak, but no words could escape. Instead, I could only stare as Atlan's face broke into one of utter awe and reverence. He swept his thumb across my knuckles, his hand large and rough around mine.

How strange that I felt small. I was certainly not a small male. I was only a few inches shorter than Atlan, but far more slender, muscles sculpted smoothly from hours of swimming and sprinting. I was built more lean, and quite feminine. I was the equal balance of masculinity and femininity. It was something the Source made sure of when it created my siblings and I. Geara was the epitome of femininity. Xiphrus masculinity. I was the combination of both in body and face, in soul.

Atlan made me feel small and oddly... pretty? Particularly when I compared our hands. His were large and rough, as if he worked many hours with just his hands, and despite his gentle touch, I could feel the power in those hands, in those stroking fingers. His fingers were thicker, his palm wider, and there were more lines across his palms.

Meanwhile, my hands were far more slender. Not nearly as tiny as Geara's, as my hands swallowed hers, but still smaller than Atlan's. My fingers were long, almost dainty, and by far softer. And apparently more sensitive, because Atlan's gentle sweeps with his thumb sent goosebumps gliding up my arm, another electrical current of satisfaction.

How utterly bizarre to feel like this for a male I had just met, one that was clearly in love with my brother.

"May I kiss your hand?" Atlan asked. I stared at him, and surprised myself as I nodded. Atlan relaxed, brightening a little before he stooped and pressed his lips to my middle knuckle. He paused, lips hovering over my skin, and then he kissed the top of my hand. Then kissed the tips of my fingers. A shudder coursed through me and I closed my eyes.

What was this? What was this feeling? It felt like I was slowly being lured to an edge, an edge to the unknown, and it was a cross between frightening and exciting. Who knew such delicate little kisses could result in such a profound sensation? I felt faint.

"Are you alright?" Atlan asked, releasing my hand. I snatched his hand back, then froze when I realized what I'd done and Atlan stared at me. I stared back at him, quickly released his hand, took a step back.

"My apologies. I... That was inappropriate of me," I admitted, frowning in confusion both at myself and my actions. Atlan didn't appear upset at all. He simply smiled that pleasant smile of his, and I felt oddly relaxed when he smiled.

"Oh, no, not at all. I am glad we are already becoming acquainted. Xiphrus would be pleased," he responded. I still felt uncomfortable with my actions, but was relieved he wasn't upset. Wanting to change the subject, I took a step away from him and scanned the trees idly.

"Speaking of which, have you seen Xiphrus?" I asked. Atlan stared at me while shaking his head, as if he didn't want to take his eyes from me, and for some reason, I felt something in my chest swell and I felt oddly confident that he was unable to take his eyes off me.

"He promised to meet with me this afternoon to fetch fruits from the trees on the other side of the lake, but he never met with me," he replied. I sighed, frustration sucking the pleasant, yet puzzling mood I was in. I gripped one arm with my hand, turning to look in the direction of our home.

"He probably lost himself in yet another hummingbird or cloud. Without us, Xiphrus would truly be lost," I told him. Atlan smiled warmly.

Thu-dump

What a strange heart I have.

"It is lucky he has you. He appears to love you very much. If there is one subject he speaks of often, it's you." I wasn't sure why, but his words pleased me. I was relieved Xiphrus didn't just like teasing me or poking fun at me. He truly did enjoy my presence, and seemed to love me as much as I loved him. Or, at least, I think we loved each other the same way.

It was as Geara said; love is fickle.

"How about we search for our lost little bird together?" Atlan suggested. Without really thinking about it, I nodded. It wasn't until we were on the same path together, walking along beneath the canopy of the forest, that I realized I'd agreed to a walk with a stranger. I hadn't even thought about it, and that concerned me. I was a thinker by nature. My mind was always working, always humming with activity, be it pointless or stressful tactics.

Yet, with Atlan, it was as if my mind could settle. My mind was relaxed. I was relaxed. I had just met him, and yet I felt comfortable with him, as if I'd already known him for a while. I sniffed at the air, but I smelled no rancid stench, nor anything sweet, at least, not from Atlan. The flowers were sweet and lovely, but Atlan held a different scent. It was a smooth combination of lavender, grass, and patchouli. Nothing about it smelled out of the ordinary, or possibly evil.

Perhaps Atlan was a sign from the Source, a good sign, one that would be able to assist me in further pursuing my nightmares of Evil. Still, I wasn't going to bring it up with him just yet, no matter how comfortable I may feel around him. If I couldn't tell Geara right away, certainly Atlan held no higher place above her.

For now, it was best to observe him and discover his purpose, his higher calling. Right now, I knew nothing about him. I couldn't even really say he wasn't evil either. My earlier conversation with Geara echoed in the back of my mind.

"How can you tell evil from a good smell then?"
"You can't... And that is what is truly frightening."

Yes, dear sister mine, it was.

"So," Atlan said after several moments of stretched silence, "You have a sister also, do you not? Geara?" I nodded, stepping over broken branches knocked free during the most recent storm, moving around a particularly deep puddle. Each step I took, Atlan followed, which pleased me somehow. Leading was in my nature.

"She is Wisdom. Knowledge. She prefers her garden over anything else in this realm, however, and trying to pull her free is like trying to catch smoke," I explained, making Atlan smile as if he understood, "I'm sure she will be pleased to meet you in the near future." Atlan nodded.

"Xiphrus told me you wanted to wait to introduce us," he replied. I stopped for a moment, almost stumbled actually, and Atlan caught me by the elbow, pulling me back up against his chest, and we both hissed past our teeth. At first, I was unsure why he did so. The reason I did it was the fact that I had pressed back up against his body, and my body was still reacting to his, and now that they were together, it was an even more powerful sensation that pooled heat into my groin and made my knees weak.

It wasn't until I pressed back further, unsure why I did so, when I realized why Atlan had made the noise of discomfort as well. I was pressed right back against his cock. A rock hard bulge felt thickly through his thin robes. I sucked in a sharp breath, then quickly stepped away from him, turning to look at him, but he didn't react to our bodies. He just smiled apologetically.

"This appears to happen whenever I am around you or your brother. Your beauty knows no limits, Joxeia." I wanted to tell him it was alright, apologize for my own reaction, but the sound of my name leaving his lips sent a chill through me and I had to swallow twice in order to find my voice in a mouth that suddenly went dry as cotton.

"Huh?" What sort of stupid noise was that? I stared at Atlan, who stared back, then he smiled and walked past me, continuing down the path as if nothing had happened. I blinked a few times, then quickly turned to keep up.

What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I speak? What was it about Atlan that had me so flustered?

I suddenly remembered what had caused me to trip in the first place, and it only furthered my embarrassment when I realized Xiphrus had told Atlan I didn't want him to meet Geara, at least, not right away. I couldn't believe Xiphrus had told Atlan such a thing. Surely Atlan was offended, and while I loved my brother dearly, I was suddenly in the mood to put his head through a tree.

Wanting to quickly redeem myself, I caught up to Atlan until I was at his side, and we walked the narrow path with shoulders that bumped together every so often. Or at least, my shoulder bumped his arm anyway. Standing right beside him like this truly revealed how much larger the male was in comparison to me.

"Atlan," I said, making him glance at me, still wearing his calm smile, "I meant no offense, in wanting to postpone your meeting my sister. I simply want to-to--"

"You want to observe me," Atlan filled in, making me go silent, and Atlan nodded, "You want to ensure that I am a safe entity to be in the presence of your beloved sister and brother. I take no offense whatsoever. In fact, I would be more offended if you allowed me to meet your sister with nothing more than a smile. It shows you are protective of your blood. You love them dearly and will do anything to protect them. There is a fierce loyalty in you that I truly admire, Joxeia." I felt the heat coming back to my face, and I nervously wiped my palms on my pants, coming to a stop and Atlan did the same, turning to face me.

"You are... You are incredibly sincere," I said after a moment, and Atlan tilted his head, smiling wider, as if my words pleased him, and seeing him delighted with me was befuddling in its satisfaction, "I appreciate your honesty and I am thankful that you respect my choice. By no means am I protecting them because they are inadequate either. In fact, my sister can be quite frightening when she is angered. In protecting them, I suppose I am also protecting you." If Atlan smiled any more, I felt like I was going to melt to the ground. My knees felt weak and my body felt like it was straining, becoming a magnetic pull toward Atlan.

"Then I thank you ever so much for protecting me, Joxeia," he said, then bowed low again and I shook my head.

"Please there is no need for that. We are equals."

"If you say so," Atlan said, shrugging his shoulders, "But I still see you and your brother as quite high above." I felt more heat splash across my face, and it only intensified when I heard Xiphrus's rich laughter coming from the trees, and Atlan and I turned to see him coming off a less used path and my heart skipped a beat when he approached.

He was dressed in a pair of tight black pants similar to my own, and he wore no shirt-- surprise, surprise. A pair of dark brown boots that came to his ankles finished off his attire. Well, unless you counted the wide grin on his face.

"You've met Atlan!" He exclaimed, coming over to kiss me on the cheek. For some reason, having him kiss me in front of Atlan made me uneasy, and I couldn't find words to reply. In fact, I was completely at a loss as he approached Atlan, and kissed him directly upon the lips. Their lips fell together in a perfect press, and I caught sight of Atlan's tongue darting down to brush Xiphrus's bottom lip.

I was trapped, I realized in frustration. I was trapped between wanting to shove them apart and wanting to grab them both. I wanted to feel those lips against mine, and not just Xiphrus's soft plump ones. I wanted to feel Atlan's. They were firm, his bottom plush and his upper thin, but well shaped with a soft curve in the center. It was such a sudden, erotic thought that I was caught off guard by it. I wasn't sure whether to feel ashamed or scared.

A sudden flood gate of emotions broke the dam in my mind. I struggled to compose myself, struggled to gather them up and shove them back where they belonged, but I felt myself drowning in them and I suddenly couldn't breathe.

"I need to go," I said abruptly. Xiphrus looked up, bewildered.

"Joxeia?"

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Atlan. I should hope we can speak again, and perhaps take a longer walk next time." I had no idea why I said that. I had no idea why I offered such a thing. My walks, my runs, were mine and mine alone. I shared them with no one. It was my time to focus, my time to think in private, my time to bathe in my emotions so as to keep better hold of them should I find myself in a social environment, such as this one. But apparently that was no longer so, and I felt panic override my rationality.

Without waiting for a response from Atlan, who was just staring at me as if confused by my unexpected change in demeanor, I vanished from my spot in the clearing. I didn't run. I didn't walk. I didn't leave calmly. I simply teleported myself from the clearing and quickly to my chambers, where I slammed the door shut and, without lifting a finger, picked up the heavy armoire and thrust it against the door to keep Xiphrus out.

Not Geara.

Not Nyx and Erebus.

Not just anyone.

But Xiphrus.

My breath came in labored gasps as I stumbled over to my bed and fell forward on my face. The smack against the mattress stung my nose, but I ignored it as I dragged myself completely onto the bed until I was face down in the pillow. Without lifting my head, I wept. The tears flowed hot and fast before I could stop them, a wrenching sob burning my throat and getting trapped in the pillow. I curled my arms around the thing and pressed it harder against my face, struggling to contain the overflow of emotions I didn't understand.

I had knowledge. I was created with knowledge.

But emotions were not knowledge.

Emotions were not logical.

They were tangled and confusing, like a bunch of vines on a tree. Brittle, yet difficult to break apart without a knife, twisted and knotted together, suffocating the tree. I felt like the tree, choked back and it only increased my sobs when I realized how much it felt like my nightmare. Was this what my nightmare had meant? Was the ivy that swallowed me up the emotions I could not control?

Fear was a wave that crashed down with the ocean of emotions that flooded me. I choked on a sob that felt more like a scream and I curled up tight, trying to clamp down on it all.

And it only got worse when I felt a surge of power in my quarters, and rage shot through me as I sat upright, gasping hard as I realized Geara had appeared in the center of my room, wearing a pair of olive shorts and a white ruffled top. Her eyes were wide with shock.

"Joxeia?"
"Get out!"

"Brother mine?" Geara ignored my repeated shout and ran to the bedside. I wanted to push her away when her arms wrapped around me, but the idea of hurting her only made me weep harder and I gave up, letting Geara climb on the bed beside me, cradling me to her. Her tiny arms around my head, her head resting on mine as she whispered soothing words, went a long way in calming the storm that brewed inside me.

And it wasn't until I looked past Geara out the window that I realized the cool blue sky of the afternoon was suddenly overcast with thick rolling dark clouds, rain streaking from the sky, as if the sky was weeping with me. Geara, too, looked out the window at the falling rain, then she looked back down at me and stroked the hair back from my face.

"You are safe, dear brother mine. Take a breath, count to three, repeat... Come now, look at me, mine sweet brother. You are safe here with me. I will not harm you or mock you. I would sooner find death than bring you harm, you know this, precious Joxeia. Deep breath, come now... Good, very good. Three... two... one... Good. Again." I repeated the process, letting Geara walk me through the steps of bringing myself to a calm.

Soon, I could breath without choking, without hiccuping, could see without the film of tears blurring my vision. And with each breath I took, the sky outside began to clear, the rain ceasing with my tears, until the afternoon sky was clear as it had been earlier, not a single cloud in sight, and the sun a brilliant shining gem in the sky.

"Did I do that?" I asked, turning to Geara, who nodded.

"Your emotions have manifested as the weather."

"Why?"

"You contain something for so long, brother mine, and it must find an outlet. Your emotions are as powerful as the weather. They correlate now." Her explanation didn't make me feel better. It only worsened my mood. I had no idea that was something that could happen, but it made sense that Geara would. Geara knew everything. And apparently, I knew not as much as I thought.

"Sister mine," I whispered hoarsely, and Geara looked at me, frowning in concern, "I hate Love." Her eyes widened.

"Joxeia--"
"I hate it." The finality in my voice made Geara's shoulders slump. Her golden eyes glowed with sorrow and she wrapped herself around me tightly, stroking my hair. I allowed her to remain and comfort me. Her gentle hand through my hair was almost enough to put me to sleep, and her hum a soft vibration in the room that lulled the tension into peace.

I knew Geara wanted to discuss the topic further, but she respected my wish to drop the subject. I wasn't sure I could speak to Geara of the strange emotional build up that had exploded upon seeing Atlan and Xiphrus kiss. I myself was unsure of my reaction. It'd been so harsh, so sudden, so unbelievably dramatic, yet I could not simply shrug it away.

Something about seeing them kiss had sent electrical shocks of pain through my heart. As if someone had thrust a lightening bolt through it and pinned it to the floor, proceeded to crush it with the heel of their boot. With that pain came obscene guilt, for why should I resent Xiphrus his happiness? I had not seen him so comfortable with anyone, but myself and Geara. He was so confident in his stride, and he positively glowed at the sight of Atlan. I remembered at once his whispered words of awe as he described his lover to me, as if he revered Atlan.

And then that kiss...

Xiphrus kissed me plenty of times. All over my face quite frequently, but never had he kissed me in the manner that he kissed Atlan. I could not help, but picture the scene in my mind's eye once again. The image of Xiphrus approaching Atlan, having to actually rise on his toes for their lips to meet at perfect level. Xiphrus never had to rise to anyone. And yet he held no shame in lifting his toes, pressing his lips to Atlan's, even parting them to allow Atlan's tongue to invade his mouth. It was a deliciously sinful dance of sexual arousal.

And it was more than just physical. As I became fully immersed in the memory, I could feel the heat blasting from Xiphrus. I could see the bulge in his pants grow hot and heavy, swelling against the confines of soft material. I could smell the scent of hot male spice wafting off him like the hot ash of a volcano. Atlan had lifted his hand, I remembered now, sank it into Xiphrus's hair, pulling that thick black mane back from his face. Xiphrus's eyes closed, as if he could think of no better bliss... And Atlan's eyes had flickered, for a split second, toward me, then back to Xiphrus, completely focused on their tongue dance.

What was that heat?

Why did I become angry with them? What was the root of such an emotion?

How I ached to ask Geara to tell me. I wanted to know why it hurt so much, why I was angered so, why I could not choose between wanting to shove them apart... or slip between them. I had so many more questions, but something in me warned me not to tell Geara of Atlan, not yet. It was not my secret to tell, but Xiphrus's, and if he loved Atlan as he truly did, the chances of Xiphrus wanting Atlan to live with us, or vice versa, were high and he would have to discuss it with Geara.

If she did not already know herself.

Geara cradled me for what felt like eternity. The building stress of the situation began to break, shatter to pieces, fading into dust and blowing away in the wind of exhaustion. Geara lay against the headboard of my bed, my head resting in her lap as she stroked the hair back from my face, her other hand stroking my arm to sooth me.

I watched her hand, fascinated by the stark contrast of her skin so dark and mine so white. They were polar opposites, yet what flowed beneath was the same. Her blood ran red as mine own, her bones as bleached.

"Am I a blank canvas?" I asked Geara out of nowhere. She blinked, then smiled down at me. She knew to what I was referring to, and she took my hand in hers, and I would forever be mystified by how tiny her hand was in comparison to mine, her fingers shorter, yet more slender. More feminine. Delicate and graceful.

"We are all blank canvas," Geara murmured, stroking my fingers tenderly, "It is our life that paints our picture."

"And when it is done?" I asked. Geara gave my hand a squeeze, leaning down to press her lips to my forehead... then my nose. Then my eyelids. I groaned.

"You and Xiphrus have been together often, have you not? To kiss me so frequently, as if you are afraid I should disappear," I grunted. Geara's yellow eyes flickered. For a moment, she looked sincerely afraid of such a suggestion, and I felt guilty for making her feel so, but she quickly recovered, smiled, and kissed me upon the lips.

"When our paintings are done, they are hung in a gallery, my sweet brother mine. And how can you become so testy over our love for you? I will kiss you as I please. I love you, my precious brother mine, and I will take every chance I can to show you thus." To further prove her point, she kissed my forehead again. I sighed, then rolled over and put my arms around her waist and she held me close.

"I love you, Geara."

"Did you not speak of Hate for Love?"
"I... I do not feel such for Love, no longer... At least, not for you, Geara. My love for you is eternal, even should my soul be consumed with sorrow and blackness. I will find my love for you the only reason I cling to breath." Geara didn't respond. She simply wrapped herself around me, and somehow, we'd fallen asleep. I waited for the nightmares to return, the ivy to come creeping across my skin to choke me, or the glass box to trap me, but it never came. The sleep was peaceful, deep, warm.

I woke shortly before sunset to Geara completely wrapped around me, her arms around my torso, her legs entangled with mine, her head locked beneath mine, face against my chest. I smiled faintly at that, resting my head on her unruly black curls. She sighed, and I paused to see if I'd woken her.

"You wake me not, brother," Geara murmured, snuggling closer, if that was even possible, "For I wake when you wake. I am pleased you've not woken with nightmares." I froze at that, and Geara gave me a squeeze, this one more painful than comforting and I hissed.

"You think me blind, brother mine?"

"No, mine sweet sister, but I think you are breaking my ribs."

"Yes, indeed, that is my intention. You think to lie to me, sweet brother mine?"

"No, I wish not to bother you with something trivial when you are busy enough as it is," I admitted quietly. Geara's death grip eased upon me and I sucked in a deep breath of air as Geara sighed, long and heavy. She rolled over onto her back, throwing an arm over her head and the other over her stomach as she gazed up through the black canopy of silks upon the bed, beyond to the sleek black ceiling.

"I am never too busy for my sweet brother, especially when he finds himself unable to sleep. It frightens me, and concerns me, that you would not tell me this."
"I'm sorry," I told her quickly, scooting closer so I could rest my head beside hers on the pillow, "I meant not to hurt you, Geara. Truly. I simply wish to keep things to myself. I wish to sort through my own thoughts once in awhile. If it truly hurts you, I will do it no more and tell you what you wish to know." Geara cocked her head against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling with yellow eyes before she turned her head to face me, and she smiled.

"Fret not, brother mine. I understand. All must have secrets." Her eyes twinkled knowingly. I stared at her, attempting to figure out exactly what lay hidden in her words. Her own secret, I supposed.

Our moment was interrupted as the air rippled around us, as if a sudden breeze erupted from the center of the room and spread, causing the hairs on my arms to stand on end. A moment later, the power surge faded as Xiphrus appeared in the center of the room. He didn't appear concerned with my sudden disappearance earlier, simply saw us lying on the bed together before his silly grin appeared on his face and he came to the foot of the bed, then threw himself down between us, causing both of us to fly off the bed about a full hand before we landed among the pillows. Geara laughed, swatted Xiphrus on his backside, making him grunt against the pillow and I rolled my eyes, elbowing Xiphrus to sit up.

He propped himself up on his elbows, arms folded as he looked between us, lifting his legs to swing back and forth. It was as if he always had to be moving. There was an untapped energy inside Xiphrus, one that seemed to make the room glow brighter.

"Have you two slept?" He asked. Geara nodded, rolling over to assume a position similar to Xiphrus's, and on instinct, I followed suit. Soon, we were all lying hip to hip, arms folded in the same position. There was a hum of power in the room from our togetherness, a power that magically illuminated all the candles in the room, filling the darkening space with a warm cozy glow.

"And you, precious brother, where have you been off to? Seems I often seek you, but you are not in the home. You best not be off pestering yet another creature," Geara warned, her yellow eyes flicking to Xiphrus, who smiled sheepishly.

"Tis not I doing the pestering," he replied, and I felt my eyebrows go up, but I quickly dropped a blank slate over my emotions when Geara looked past Xiphrus at me. I simply stared back at her, and she inclined her head, taking her own advice.

Everyone was entitled to their secrets.

It was just strange to have secrets kept from us. We knew everything about one another. We were siblings, created from the same void of raw energy. The same buzzing energy that emitted from the Source ran through our veins, the same cosmic dust clung together to create our vessels. Yet, it appeared there were things that not even the other knew, and it made me uneasy to think that both Geara and Xiphrus had things they wished not to tell me.

But then, I was sure they felt the same way about me.

We were silent, as no words were necessary for us to find comfort in one another. While we may have things we've not spoken unto each other, we still loved each other. Still found comfort. Still found purpose and warmth. While the exterior around us was called a home, it was simply a shell. It was the interior, the creatures that dwelled within, my brother and my sister, that truly made this a home. It was they who brought the definition of family.

It was more than our blood that connected us.

It was our power, our purpose, our connectedness through emotions so complex that not even Geara could quite understand them all. However, it boiled down to the foundation of it all; love.

No, I realized, watching Xiphrus rested his head on my pillow whilst Geara stroked his hair.

I did not hate love.

I could not hate love.

For without love, I would not have my siblings.

And without my siblings... Then, and only then, would there be no love.