α/η: αℓєχ υρԃαтєѕ αт α ησямαℓ тιмє ωιтн ραιηтιηցѕ αηԃ ɕσσℓ ƒσηт 🤯

ѕσ ρяσв ℓαѕт υρԃαтє υηтιℓ ѕɕнσσℓ ѕтαятѕ, ѕσ єɕρєɕт α вιցցєя ցαρ (ωιтн мє ρяσв α ωєєк ℓσℓ)

αℓѕσ, ι αԃԃєԃ ραιηтιηցѕ тσ αℓℓ тнє σℓԃ ɕнαρтєяѕ ѕσ ρℓʑ ցσ ɕнєɕк тнσѕє συт.

тω?: мєηтισηѕ σƒ ѕєℓƒ-нα*м, ԃєρяєѕѕιση, αвυ*є, αηԃ ԃєαтн. (вαѕιɕαℓℓу єνєяутнιηց уσυ єχρєɕт ℓмασ)

-----------------

Da gasped as she looked around, only being able to see the moonlight shine through the window. She had to be dreaming. She had to be with her grandparents back at home. She got up to fly before falling on her knees.

"It's true." She looked at her new legs with wide eyes. "We actually did it."

She reached around in the dark for a lamp and flicked it on. While her eyes were adjusting to the light, she looked in the mirror. She touched the top of her head to feel for her horns, only to feel nothing but her soft hair. She actually had pupils, pretty ones too. She adored brown. Her hair was still black and curly, though it now went to her shoulders instead of her neck. She kept looking at her legs. She thought they were the funniest thing.

Holding on to the bed frame, she stood up for the first time. She felt so different. She took her first shaking steps. She stumbled, but she was able to walk. It felt really nice. She looked down. She was wearing clothes like Lily does. She touched the fabric, enjoying the way it felt between her five fingers. It was a white blouse with tiny pink flowers on top and light blue jeans. She remembered this outfit. This was her mother's. She saw her wear it a couple of times.

She walked to the door, still stumbling. The second she opened the door into the living room, two women gasped and stood up.

"It's her." The one with pink hair whispered to the slightly taller one. "It's really her!"

Da then smiled. "It's you." Their eyes went wide. "Susu and Sarah."

Sarah slowly went up to her. "...How do you know our names? We were told that you.."

"I've seen you two grow up. Uncle Ho talks about you all the time!"

"Daddy..." Susu covered her mouth and looked away.

"You've seen our father?" Looking at Da was scary for Sarah. She looked like Beom, was the same height as Marie, and knew about their family. "Who else have you seen?"

"Oh-"

Beom and Marie walked in, still with open mouths. Da looked at them. These are her parents. She was standing right in front of them. They could see her.

"Maman et papa.."

Marie's hands were shaking. She never imagined what her daughter's voice would sound like. It was finier than wine and deep like her own. "Y-you speak French?"

She suddenly blushed. "I could speak more that! I could speak French, Korean, and English!"

Beom suddenly trapped in an embrace, and so did her mother. Being overwhelmed by this sudden rush of comfort, Da began to cry. She was surprised when she went to wipe them and saw no red. She got to feel their touch, to hear them speak, to feel their kisses. She's so glad that her baby brother got this treatment.

"Da-Eun, you're so beautiful, oh God!" Marie sniffled as she touched her face. It was like looking at the female version of her husband.

"Oh, um, I go by Da!"

"That's fine, that's lovely!" Her father kissed her. "I missed seeing a child of ours."

Susu and Sarah, feeling a bit awkward, hugged her when their aunt and uncle were done. They only found a few minutes ago that they had other children when they called them to help. They gave her a bath and put clothes on her. It was like having another sister.

"I'm so happy to see you, but we do have lots of questions." Beom didn't let go of her. He needed to hold something of his. He missed that feeling.

"Oh, yes!" She had her arms around her parents. "So, I came from the higher world."

Sarah stood with her sister. "Like Heaven?"

"Yeah, I guess. So I lived there with my other siblings-"

Beom gasped, tears in his eyes. "You've seen your other siblings?"

She happily nodded. "And I've seen Uncle Ho, he's very nice!" Beom turned his head to let his tear fall. "But I lived there, and I talked with Lloyd before lots of times, but after he died, we couldn't find him." Her smile dropped. "But then Lily and Uncle found him, and he apparently came back here. So me, Lily, and Étoile came down here!"

It sounded unbelievable, and to be honest, nobody would've believed if it wasn't for the dream and the fact that someone who's been dead for thirty-two years is standing right in front of them.

"Who's Étoile, Da?" She loved the sound of her mother's voice.

"Oh, that's one of the twins. Lloyd named it."

Beom wrinkled his nose. "Don't call them it."

"But it likes that! It doesn't want a gender."

Susu titled her head. "Wait, are you telling me that Lloyd is alive, and your other siblings are alive as well?"

"Yes, actually! Where are they?" She looked around for them.

Her mother, in shock, touched her shoulders. "Sweetheart, they aren't here. You're the only one that landed here."

"What?!" She backed away. "B-but, they're babies! They need me! What if they get hurt?! What if Jo-"

She instantly covered her mouth as the others started to ask her why she was so afraid of her older brother. She tried to play off as nothing, but they were so persistent that she eventually cracked, crying into her hands as her father sat with her and cradled her.

"He's evil, papa! He's so evil!" She looked up at him as he wiped her big tears. She could see the concern in his eyes. "He's done so many terrible things!"

"Like what?" Marie sat next to her, rubbing her back. She also rubbed Sarah's. "You can tell us anything you like."

"Do you remember Étoile's twin?"

"How could we forget?"

"Lloyd named her Aurora." She saw the two young ladies smiling at her, encouraging her to keep going. "When Aurora and Étoile, um, dead-" her parents' faces twisted with pain. "-I was going to touch her but Jo, he, he call her really bad things and threw her into the dark. We hadn't seen her for twenty-five years until Lloyd freed her and helped her become human too! It's all my fault!"

"No, no, darling." Marie let her sob into her shoulder. "We're not angry with you. You made a mistake, that's all."

"But I let him hurt her! I should've stopped him!"

Sarah held her hand. She has very long fingers. "It's okay, big brothers are assholes sometimes."

Susu nodded. "Word."

"That's not even the worst." She sniffled. "He punched Lloyd."

"How?" Beom's voice raised slightly.

"He had dreams about us. That was the only way we could talk to him." Beom thought back to his horrifed face when he told him about the dream. It all made sense now. "Lloyd and him were yelling, and he just punched him! He's so sick, and Jo just hurts him like nothing!"

Marie shook her head. She never thought she could be so disappointed with someone she had never met. "Has he done that before?"

Da made herself smaller. "Well, only when he was angry." Jo got angry with them often, especially when they didn't understand something. On one occasion, Étoile was having trouble understanding the concept of sleep because they didn't get tired. Jo got so furious with it that he slapped it across the face. It got so upset that it cried for days straight. He also hit her and Lily before.

"Oh, Jo." Her father took off his glasses to rub his head.

She was quick to hold his big hand. "It was our faults, papa! We shouldn't have made him angry."

Susu huffed. "No, Da. Our "brother" Hunter used to hit Valentino and Lloyd very often. He even hit me once."

She turned her head to her. "You? But you're so nice! I remember him hitting Lloyd. That got us really mad."

"That was never okay. He shouldn't hit anyone no matter how angry he is."

"But he said sorry.."

Sarah scoffed. "Sorry doesn't mean anything if he doesn't change." She looked up at her aunt. "I hate to say it, but I already don't like this guy, and he even isn't here."

Marie and Beom didn't nod nor stop them. Da continued.

"The worst thing he did though was when he-" She began to sob again, remembering all the blurry emotions from that horrible night. Her mother held her again as her father stroked her hair. "He killed Lloyd!"

There was a collective gasp. Again, her parents drowned her with questions, unwilling to believe that their son would do such a thing. The others didn't put it past him, though they felt themselves becoming angry.

"Grandma has this knife she used to bring people up to the higher world. She used it on Lily and Grandpa, but only when they were ready. It was painless." Beom's face soured until he remembered that was his mother. "Jo stole it and he killed Lloyd! He stabbed him in his chest!"

Susu let out a wail, Sarah embracing her as tears got in her nose.

"He-he didn't do it right, and he felt it! He actually felt it! He was trying to get help and he fell down the stairs!" Da was hysterical, not able to look anyone in the eye.

Beom slowly walked off and slamed the door. He screamed into his pillow, fat tears streaming down his face. Da became even worse, apologizing for getting papa so upset as her mother comforted her, shaking with rage.

"I hate Jo!" Susu exclaimed with a raspy voice. "I hate him!"

They had no idea. The family thought he had a heart attack. That's what the doctor said after the autopsy. They were told two stories. He either got so frightened by the fireworks and had such a terrible PTSD attack that he fell down the stairs trying to get help, the fear and the movement giving him a heart attack. The second one was that he had the attack first and then fell.

They needed a break, especially the couple. Marie took a while to calm herself and her husband down. Sarah and Susu had to explain to Da how that wasn't her fault. After a few minutes, everyone was back on the couch. Beom and Marie's eyes were bright red.

Marie tried to talk, stuttering on her words. Finally, all she could do was yelp, "Why?!"

Da touched her hands. "Maman, I honestly think he did it out of jealousy. I always saw it. He was always jealous of Lloyd for being loved and alive!"

"But we love him too!" Beom shouted as he moved his arms around. "We love all of you! He had no reason to do that!"

"Your sister. Why did he treat your sister like that?"

Her cheeks flushed. "..He told me that she, he always called her he but she's a girl, made maman sick and made Étoile die, so she needed to be punished." She felt the worst feeling in the world when she made her mother cry into her tissue. "And I believed it! I was mean to her too, we all were! Lloyd changed us, but we should've known before!"

Beom looked the most upset. He looked her dead in the eyes. "Can I ask you a question? Do you still feel like that?"

She was quiet for a few seconds, tapping her foot. "...A little bit, I-"

"-How do you feel about Uncle Ho?"

"Oh, he's so nice! He likes to talk about cars and trains, and-and give us little things."

"Daddy..." It was Sarah's turn to be hugged.

Beom nodded. "I'm going to tell you something that not that many people know. You've met your grandmother, correct?"

She nodded, feeling scared by the tension.

He took a deep breath before saying, "Ho killed her."

Da gasped and covered her mouth. The other girls held hands, too shocked to say anything. "How?! Why?! Uncle Ho is so nice. There's no way! There's just no way, papa! He wouldn't do something like that!"

Marie held Beom's hand and rubbed his knuckles. He was rubbing his forehead. "When she was giving birth, she got very sick. I honestly don't know how, but I know that by the time my little brother was wrapped up in a blanket, she passed." He covered his eyes for a second.

Da sat up and covered her mouth, tears and sobs escaping her throat. "Why would he do that to her..?"

"That's what I thought. I was extremely upset with him. Then one day, when he was a baby-" he took his glasses. "-I picked him up and screamed at him. I.." He couldn't hide it anymore. He cried as he shook his head. "..I told him I didn't want him anymore. I told him I hated him before he knew what words meant."

He cried more. He remembered how Ho screamed and cried as he yelled at him. He was only three months old. Da and Marie touched his shoulders. He kissed both of their hands.

"I stopped to look into his eyes, his big brown eyes. I saw my mother in there, and that's when I realized that I needed to protect him. I wanted to love him." He smiled shakily. "And I did."

Susu and Sarah sat there. They couldn't believe it. They never knew. They never met their grandmother, but it never bothered them. They really had no clue.

His voice was soft again. "Now, do you hate him, Da?"

She shook her head, wiping her tears with her finger. "No, he was a baby. I wish I treated Aurora like that. She doesn't remember us anymore."

"What do you mean?"

She felt nervous again. "Lloyd made a wish. When he dies, she'll become human and live somewhere else. When he...went away...it came true. Grandpa and grandma went to see her, but she didn't remember us. She has no idea who you are. She has a little girl and she's married."

They sat motionless. They have a daughter that doesn't know them and a grandchild that they'll never meet. Marie stroked her arm.

"If her happiness is unbothered, it's for the best." She sighed. "But I love her very much, and her daughter."

Da looked down. "...I'm sorry. I know it's my fault for what happened..."

Beom sat closer to her. "My baby, it's not your fault. People make mistakes."

She looked up, her body trembling. "What's a mistake..?"

Marie held her right hand, and her husband held the other. "It's when you do something bad, but you didn't mean to do it. You've made mistakes, but they don't make you a bad person. To be human is to make mistakes."

"You made mistakes?" Her mother nodded. "And you?" So did he. "And Lloyd made mistakes, and his husband makes mistakes, and grandma and grandpa make mistakes..."

Sarah spoke up. "Me too. I make lots of them."

"Me too."

"People learn from them, and they grow. And it seems like you're learning too." She chuckled as her father sighed and hugged her. "It good to have you back."

"We think about you often, every day." Marie hugged her too. She smelled like lavender. "You're so beautiful."

"You are too. I feel this weird feeling in my stomach."

"Ohh." Susu passed her a tampon.

"Oh no, I'm infertile. It's different." She rubbed her stomach. She had an hourglass figure. "It's like moving."

Marie laughed. "My love, that means you're hungry!"

Beom stood up. "I'll cook for you, baby. Just give papa a minute.'

---

"Franny, I'm so sorry! I had no idea, really I didn't!" Lloyd was hanging to François for dear life. He felt so different.

"No, love! I'm not angry! Oh, I'm so happy you're back!"

Lloyd kept touching his face. He looked so different. François noticed this, looking down and rubbing his hands.

"I know that I look ugly, I'm sorry."

"No, no." He studied his features. He had white hair in his beard. His eyes looked tired, and his skin aged. "You're gorgeous."

François sobbed as he touched his face. The other found it strange that he kept looking away from him and hugging him when he looked back. Blueberry was crying as she got her belly rubbed. Jr was hesitant, but he got patted as well.

"So much has happened." He sniffled, still touching his face.

"Like what?" The other shook his head. "Please tell me, dear boy."

Shamefully, he told him about the hallucinations. Lloyd covered his mouth. His breathing got fast as his eyes got big.

"François, I'm so sorry." He sounded breathless as he put his hands in his white hair. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry!"

"Hey, it's not your fault." He tried to look into his eyes when he saw Lloyd begin to hyperventilate. "Lloyd, it's not your fault. They stopped."

"I'm so sorry!"

The redhead saw the other's goosebumps. His hands started shaking. He remembered what she said, so he quickly embraced him close and made sure the blanket was wrapped tightly around him.

"Breathe, please. You're going to get sick." Lloyd looked up at him as he kissed his head. They both missed that.

"..Are you angry with me? I really had no idea I was dead. I swear.." He felt his body warming up.

"How could I be angry with you? You were so sick.." His voice quivered. "What happened, Lloydie? I have so many questions."

Lloyd chuckled, fat cold tears spilling down his face. "Damn, I'm going to sound crazy."

The other wiped them. He even missed his tears. "Then we'll be in the nuthouse together."

They giggled together. They missed that sound. The shorter held him tight to him, breathing in the scent he missed. The taller let out a quiet sob and clung to his body. He never felt it this healthy. When he first met him, he was already too thin. Even when he put on weight after the war, he was still never a healthy weight. When he was sick with the cancer, he was the skinniest he ever was. He was so light that none of his clothes fit anymore. But now, he actually looks great. The only time he looked like this was the first year of the war. He's beautiful.

Lloyd told him what happened during the year he was alive. The dreams, where he's been, and the whole truth about his siblings and family backstory. Instead of throwing him a patted cell, François believed every word he said. It honestly made sense. He said their names when his fevers spiked. He talked in his sleep often, something that he had never done before. Sometimes, as his husband would be getting ready for work, he would overhear him talking. On the night he had that seizure, he was talking so loud that François couldn't sleep, hence why he was able to save him.

"It makes sense, I don't doubt you." He stroked Lloyd's face. "I just wish you told me sooner."

"There was so much going on. We didn't need that."

He sighed. "Baby." He felt the other playing with his dirty beard. "You like it? I know it's not the best."

"What! It's so cool!" He then played with his long greasy hair. "I'm a little surprised about the hair, though. You said you never wanted it that long."

"Well, I told you I was only going to cut it once you were better and you-" he stopped, looking down. 

The other frowned and rubbed his face. "I'm better now, I'm okay. Do you want me to cut it?"

He nodded, tears swelling up in his eyes. They went to the bathroom, and Lloyd flicked on the lights. François blinked. He wasn't used to the lights being on. He glanced in the mirror before looking away.

"Teehee, look."

François turned his head and smirked. "You're all nakeyyy."

"Look." He grabbed his dick and swung it around. "A mighty sword!"

"Ah, I've missed your humor." He hugged him, then felt a poke. "Aww!"

"Hey, I can't help that!" He covered himself. "Hehe, it feels good, though. Get naked."

"Oh, um." He was wearing baggy black clothes. "I rather not.."

"Franny, you can't shower with clothes on!"

He didn't meet his eyes. "Love, I've changed in ways you wouldn't like."

Lloyd frowned and touched his hands. "François, I'll love you in any look."

He looked up, his cheeks flushed and his eyes were wet. "I've, uh, gained weight. Before, I was skinny, but during the whole Covid thing, we couldn't really leave the house. I got lazy and sad and-"

"- That's okay! I got fat too!" He rubbed his stomach.

He chuckled slightly. "No, Lloydie, you're actually a healthy weight. I'm not. My doctor said I'm thirty pounds overweight."

"Baby, it's okay." He titled his head. "You don't look bad."

He sighed as he took off his shirt. He started crying just looking at himself. Lloyd looked at him. He had a slightly bigger stomach and maybe a fuller face. If anything, the weight went to his thighs, something that the other found very hot.

"So beautiful!" François jumped when he hugged him. "You don't look bad!"

"I do! I don't look the same!" He had his arm around him as he wiped his tears.

He laughed. "Me either! My skin and hair are white again, and now I have some weight on me! It's been two years, of course things change!"

He looked up at him, sniffling. "..You really don't mind?"

"No, of course not! I think you look cute as ever!" He kissed his scars, the other blushing and hugging him close. "You don't mind me, do you?"

"No!"

"Then we're good!" He looked at his pants.

He chuckled. "Okay, okay." He took off his belt and pants. He took a deep breath before taking off his boxers.

"No biggie." His body showed otherwise. "You get in first."

François did as told. Lloyd came in and instantly took a step back, whining about it being too cold. The other had to make sure the water was hotter than Hell before he was satisfied.

"Okay, let's wash your hair." He looked in the basket on the stand and saw the same shampoo and conditioner bottles from two years ago. "You kept this?"

"Yes. It reminded me of you."

He touched the shampoo and smelled it. Still smelled like coconuts. He put some in the other's long hair and gasped when the water started turning brown.

"I'm so sorry! I don't really care about my hair!" He covered his face, his tears getting lost in the water stream. "I know you think I'm disgusting!"

"No, it's fine!" He cringed when the water got on his toes.

It was so bad that he needed to do it twice. He then had to comfort his husband because he was crying so badly. He then conditioned his hair, which was much easier.

"Time to clean your chest." When he turned him around, he frowned. "Oh no. I don't think I can."

It was knotted and covered in dirt. François said he could shave it off after the shower. Lloyd put conditioner in his beard and attempted to clean it. It looked shinier, but the thing was so long and damaged that it was nearly impossible.

"I know I'm gross."

He hugged him again. "No, my dear. I'll cut your hair now."

Making sure François was clean and clothed, Lloyd tried to find something to wear from the downstairs closet. He couldn't believe how tiny he was before. He ended up wearing one of his husband's baggy black shirts and his big red boxers. They went to the kitchen.

The taller picked his nails as the other got the scissors, the golden mirror, and a comb. First, he shaved his chest. Honestly, he didn't mind that. He needed it anyway.

"Oh my goodness, so handsome!" His smile returned as Lloys stroked his scars and kissed his bare skin. "You look naked!"

Next, he tried again with his beard. He tried cleaning it again, which ended up working.

"Do you want me to shave it all off or just a little?" He kept looking into his eyes. Blue was the only color he could see right now.

"Anything you want, I don't care."

He shortened it, now the beard being clean and only being up to his chin. He thought it was the prettiest thing. François also liked it. His face was easier to move.

"Tha-" Lloyd sat on his lap and hugged him hard. He clung to him again, closing his eyes and relaxing.

He got up and went to his hair. It was terrible, even he had to admit that. It was tangled, frizzy, and knotted mess. He decided to put it into sessions. He tried brushing it out. François' head ached, then he started crying out of embarrassment when he heard the comb break.

"Hm, watch this."

He heard the other snapping his fingers, and in a flash, his hair was cut, styled, and beautiful again. He gasped as Lloyd happily explained he could do that now.

"Lloyd, you're amazing!" He kissed his cheek, the other laughing and blushing.

He took out the mirror and showed François their faces. His lip started to trembling as he covered his face. Lloyd hugged his shoulders.

"I'm so ugly! God!"

"You know what I see?" He made François look up. "I see a beautiful man that's been through a lot. I see someone with ocean eyes and ruby hair and millions of star kisses." He hoped he was still right about the red part. To him, he was all gray and white apart from his eyes.

He sobbed and hugged him. Lloyd put down the mirror and sat on his lap again. He touched his face. He looked so different, yet still had that home feeling.

"I'm never leaving you ever again. I swear." Tears spilled from his face. "Never again."

"I believe you." His voice was gentle. "I love you. I missed you."

He kissed his cracked lips, stroking his bread. François rubbed his back and pressed deeper into the kiss. This is all he wanted for two long years. He would daydream about it for hours. His lips were just as soft as he remembered them to be. His touch was still warm. He finally had everything he wanted.

Lloyd pulled away first to stare into his eyes. He wished he could see more colors. He missed red. However, it did make him look more attractive. It was easy to see all his features. Besides, his favorite color was sticking out.

"I think I need a haircut too."

Just as François was reaching for the scissors, he saw Lloyd holding the mirror and snapping his fingers. He took a few tries, but he was eventually happy. It was short in the back and still had crazy bangs.

"What else can you do?" He kissed his hair that was surprisedly clean.

Grinning, he wrapped his arms tightly around François and started floating. The animals looked up in bewilderment as their redheaded owner shook.

"Baby, baby, down, down."

Laughing, he put him back down. He reminded in the air, this time taking the frightened pug up with him.

"Wow." He held his hand, his arm going up. "This is so cool."

"Now I can kiss you without standing on my toes." He gave him a peck on the pink lips. "I could also do this."

He snapped his fingers, giving Jr a little tailor's hat. He groaned as his owners laughed at him. He snapped again to give himself proper clothes that fit. François was surprised by what he chose. Black shorts and a pink tank-top. He didn't have any of his scars anymore.

"So pretty." He flexed his muscles. François was overjoyed. He never saw him this confidence before.

He pulled him down and cradled him, lovingly looking into his eyes. "My beautiful boy."

"Frannyyy?"

"Yess?"

He looked into his eyes, a big smile on his face. "I'm hungry."

---

Da ate all this amazing food. Her favorite were the oranges, just like her grandfather. Her parents were staring at her, still can't believing the whole situation. Susu promised to take her out tomorrow, and the girls left.

"We'll find your siblings, Dattie." Da smiled at the nickname. "Don't worry."

"Thank you, maman." She rubbed her eyes. "What's this weird feeling?"

"What feeling? Are you still hungry?"

She yawned. "No, I'm like slow, I guess. My eyes feel heavy."

"That means you're tired." Marie hugged her and yawn. "You don't have your own room here, but you could share our beds."

"Yeah." She laid her head on the table. Before she knew it, she fell asleep for the first time.

Her mother stayed with her as Beom cleared up the table. "I've missed having a child here."

"Me too, Beomie. She's actually here." She stroked her soft curls. "I can't wait to see them all together."

"I don't want to see Jo." He sat next to Da and rubbed her back. "Call me an asshole, but I don't know if I can love him anymore."

She touched his shoulder. "I understand how you feel, but I love him still."

He sighed and held her hand. "I guess, but I need time."

He moved their beds together. He picked up Da. She was tall and a healthy weight, but he was strong. He gently laid in bed with her, kissing her head. He remembered Lloyd. How he used to cuddle with him. She slept just the way he did. He's going to have that back.

Marie moved the blanket to them and hugged her back. She kissed Beom, then her daughter's head.

"I feel happy."

Beom smiled at her. "Me too."

----

François and Lloyd ate lunch together for the first time in years. It was nice, but it kinda freaked the taller out to see the other unhing his jaw to eat a whole burger in one bite. Not the strangest thing he's done, though.

"Baby, it's so warm for January! Is global warming really that bad?" He gave his leftovers to Blueberry and Apple.

The other gave him a sad face. "Sweetheart, it's May 5. It's 2022."

He put his hand on his face. "Oh damn, I forgot. I should've checked my phone."

"You don't have a phone, it's in a museum."

"Oh." He snapped his fingers for another one, the latest model. "Wow, it really is May."

"Your birthday is coming, baby." He was actually excited. He hasn't been able to celebrate for years.

He smiled at him. "I'm turning...twenty-two! I'm old as fuck!"

"Dinosaur."

"If I'm a dinosaur, you're dust." He threw his head back to laugh, and that's when François saw his teeth.

"Open your mouth." When he did, he saw that not only were they perfect and white, but something else. "You have fangs!"

He turned red and covered his mouth. He can't tell François that part, poor thing's been through enough.

"It's okay, it's cute!"

He sighed in relief. "I love you, Franny."

Jr was giving him a strange face, so Lloyd patted his head to make him stop. He blushed when he felt kisses on his face. François missed this terribly. He was frightened that he was hallucinating all this, but the animals never reacted to them. Even when he turned his head away, Lloyd was still here. He thought he was dreaming, but he never dreamt of him. This was real.

"Franny, look at this." He touched his water. The lukewarm water suddenly became cold.

"Wow, this is awesome! You have ice powers?"

"Yeah, it's great!"

"You'll be great to cuddle with. I get so hot at night." He played with his hair. "And I'll keep you warm."

"I want something." He looked down and grinned, feeling something lift from his shorts.

François poked it, making him squeal. "Yes, love."

Lloyd was going to go upstairs before the other picked him up and carried him. The shorter was surprised and saddened by the room. It looked exactly the same. From the sheets and books to the curtains and medicine, it hasn't changed at all.

"Just in case you came back." François voice was light.

He turned to him and hugged him. "Thank you, my love." He touched his pants. "Offff."

François got naked and laid down. Lloyd happily got undressed, then raised his eyebrow.

"What do I do?"

"Hehe, I'll do it first, then you copy." He put his hard dick next to his lips. "Your lollipop, Mr. Sauveterre."

He grinned and held it. François moaned already. "That's General Sauveterre to you."

"Y-yes, General Sauveterre..."

He started sucking. The redhead was loud. He pulled it out to cum on the bed then put it back in his mouth. Lloyd put his in his mouth. François never sucked dick before, but whatever. He was good at it. He never heard his other make those sounds before.

"Ich werde abspritzen!"

He pointed to his mouth, so he did it inside of it. It was overwhelming, but it was all swallowed.

"Having this is fun." He was out of breath. He wiped the wet off with a napkin then did the same for the other, who laughed.

François flipped him over. "You can do this too."

He missed the way he would squeal and moan when he would do this. The bed creaked.

"Guter junge! Tu mehr!"

He took out to cum then put it back in, going faster and harder. He only stopped when Lloyd wanted a turn. He didn't know what to expect, but the feeling was better than anything they've ever done before. He clung to the blanket and moaned. He let him cum in him again. He smacked his ass a few times, laughing at the jiggle. At least he was still attractive to him.

"Damn, boy!" Lloyd laid next to him after finished, half-asleep and sweating. "That..that was amazing!"

"Mhm." He cuddled up to him, exhausted. "Damn.."

Lloyd snapped his fingers to make them clean. He cuddled to him for his body warmth and to get François chilly, who enjoyed that very much.

--

They woke up at around eight with all the animals cuddled up beside them. François was relieved to see his face when he first woke up. It really wasn't a dream. He's staying. Lloyd carried him around like a little baby as he snapped his fingers around the bedroom.

"Floor is clean." The rug was finally white again. He snapped his fingers to changed the once white curtains to a baby blue. He tried to open them but François whined about it being too bright. "Look, LED lights."

"Can you make them purple?" He got his wish, even though he turned them orange instead.

He changed the bedsheets. It was hard for François to see them go. It held so many memories. It desperately needed a change, though. It was fresh, white, and smelled lovely. Lloyd was happy to get rid of the rag and bowl. He hoped he'll never need that ever again. Everything looked better clean.

"There we go." He was going to pick up Benjamin before remembering he had two arms and not four. "Franny, you're so sweaty!"

He sighed and hid his face. "It's a fat guy thing."

"Don't call yourself that. It is pretty hot." He snapped his fingers to turn on the air conditioner.

He went to his jewelry box and frowned when he saw all his favorites gone. François told him his parents took most of everything. He wasn't ready to call them. It made him feel scared just thinking of it.

"I'll buy you new ones." He touched François' hand when he kissed his cheek.

He snapped his fingers to give himself new, fitting clothes. He opened the closet despite the other asking not to. He looked down as all the gifts fell to his feet. The other shamefully looked away.

"I'm so sorry." His voice shook. "It was too hard."

He stroked his hair. "I'm not angry. We'll open them together."

He put him on the bed and gave him all forty-five gifts. He held his hand to open all of them. He forgot what he brought, so seeing his reactions made him feel warm. Jewelry, books, poems, and little toys.

When he opened the last one, François wiped his tears with his arm. Lloyd hugged him and thanked him for opening them. It was hard for him to do this. He remembered staring at them, feeling like a piece of shit. It felt better now.

"I'll get you gifts for your birthdays. You'll love them." He kissed his face and body. His long lost treasure returned to him. "I'm sorry, my love. I'm being such a baby."

"You're not. You've been through a lot." He felt his body becoming cold. "Wanna watch a movie?"

"Yes, Lloydie."

They laid in bed together with the animals. Apple and Benjamin were cuddled up the redhead as the other two were with the shorter. There were lots of new movies. Lloyd chose Turning Red. He liked the panda on the cover. He wrapped himself in the blanket, already shivering.

"Aww, you're cold." François pulled him into a cuddle.

Lloyd twisted himself to be hugging his neck and laying his head on his shoulder. The cat and dogs were on the bed, Benjamin on the rug because there wasn't enough space for him. François looked at him watching the movie. He hasn't had the lights nor the TV on in ages. He hasn't laid in this bed since that day. He usually slept on the ground to next or the couch. He hasn't been with all the animals or his husband for so long. The house finally wasn't too big.

The shorter felt tears getting in his hair. He looked and saw François crying again. He hugged him, his face up to his beard.

"What's wrong, pretty boy? You don't like the movie?" He rubbed his back.

He looked down. His eyes looked like diamonds. "I've haven't been this happy in so long. I forgot how it felt."

Lloyd hugged him tight. "I'll make you happy again, I promise you that." He kissed his forehead. "You'll never feel sad again."

He kissed his head, sighing and gently touching his hair. He's ashamed to admit that he was losing his faith in God, but he truly answered his prayers. He kissed his Star of David, then he kissed Lloyd's. He was wearing the jewelry he was buried in, including his wedding ring.

"I love you. I prayed to see you every day, and it came true." He took a shaky breath. "I'm not alone anymore."

The other stroked his beard. "I'm not leaving ever again. The only way I'll go is kicking and screaming." He kissed his face. "I love you."

He yawned. A sudden rush of tiredness came over him. He was fighting to it to enjoy more kisses, but the other saw it.

"Sleepy babyyy. I guess I could go to sleep, too."

He muttered, "Skincare."

He smiled at him. He picked Lloyd up and carried him like his baby as he went in the bathroom and took out his old skincare. The other snapped his fingers so he got the newest ones. He put on his dry face, washed it off, and then laid in bed with him.

"Goodnight, Franny." He was snuggled up in his chest, his hand on his lips.

He stroked his cheek, looking into the eyes he missed dearly. "Goodnight, my darling. Sleep well."

--

Around twelve in the morning, Lloyd sat up. He saw the pets staring at him with big eyes. He moved the blanket and saw that he was back to being a snake. He was pretty happy about it. He looked different. He was white instead of gray, and he didn't have four arms.

Before Jr had the chance to growl, Lloyd feed him a treat and told him that everything was fine. Apple was going to wake François up because she thought he was in pain, but he quickly grabbed her and stroked her white fur.

"It's between us." He was back to dragging out the s again. "Our little secret."

He remembered what the goddess said. He'll be back to normal by the time the sun comes up. He made sure all the pets were comfortable before going back to cuddle François, desperately needing his warmth. He fell back asleep, his body wrapped around his husband's.

--
The Arrival
Franz Xaver Simm