here comes the sun — keane , kavan

[MASON]

.you save everyone —————————

————————— but who saves you.

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HE STUMBLED ALONG THE EDGES OF THEIR MAKE-SHIFT CAMP, TEETH GRINDING as puffs of annoyance slipped past his rough tongue. Willowy tail twitching in tandem with the swerve of his ears, azure-tinted optics staring out towards the houses, head swerving to catch sight of Keane whose sharp optics watched him, muscles straining beneath his multi-hued pelt. “I can walk on my own, you know.” He shouted from over his shoulder, already turning to pick his way closer to the bustle of twolegs he had no intentions of returning to. Not if he can help it, at least.

Damnit. Nostrils flared, body groaning from the quick pace he set, wanting to get further from the camp for no particular reason. He just wanted out. He felt trapped in his own damn home … if you could call it that. He wasn’t sure what to call the damn thing, but it wasn’t home. He doubted they’d ever find someplace to stay, but it wasn’t like they had options. He knew damn well how hard it was to live on the streets. Hell. He’d just scraped past with his life recently, having taken on two mangy mutts that nipped at his skin. He winced at the memory, hackle rising along the lengths of his spine. Some fucking cat you are. He grinned weakly. Can’t even save yourself so how the hell are you gonna protect anyone? His thoughts took a dark turn, borderline self-decrypting. Not that Mason cared all that much. He deserved it.

With that in mind, Mason took a step back, head low to the ground, staring out at the canopy of pines that blocked his vision. Wonder what Pops is doing. He thought with a twitch of his whiskers, grinning weakly. Damnit. He jerked his helm back, shoulders pulled back with a shaky grunt. What right do I have to fucking cry? He grumbled, ignoring the burning well behind his optics. He hadn’t allowed himself to cry. Not since he met Chi.

Mason’s brow furrowed, head whipping to stare at Keane who was further back than he realized. “The hell?” He uttered, lips twitching at the panicked expression Keane adored. The fuck gotten into him? Azure optics flickered, coming face to face with a coiling snake close to his hindquarter. “Fuck.” He stumbled back as something slammed into him, away from the snake in a tumble of fur and panicked shouts.

The raven-hued male ripped himself away from the stranger, chest heaving with wide azure optics as spots danced along the edges, blinding pain smearing up and down his frame. He choked back a wheeze, teeth gritting at the pain until it dulled to something more bearable. Fucking hell.

Glancing up, taking in the sight of the scarred tom with yellow optics and familiar brown fur. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” He uttered, stumbling back to stare at Kavan who grinned cheekily. “No. This isn’t fucking real.” He shook his helm, falling on his haunches with a grunt. “You’re fucking dead. I—We saw you die.” His voice came off strong, tapering off to a mere whisper, staring owlishly at the tom.

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[KAVAN]

.a knife ? are you —————————

————————— flirting with me ?.

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YELLOW OPTICS SOFTENED AT MASON UNTIL HE REALIZED WHY HE PUSHED THE other away with little prompting. His helm whipped to see Keane had already dealt with the snake as it hung limply in his jaws, staring at the other with narrowed hues. He offered the multi-hued tom a wobbly grin, unsure how he’d react to seeing someone who they thought had died. The notion left him wincing, which seemed to spur Keane, barreling into the larger male with a shaky hiss. The two rolled until they bumped into Mason, who still looked as if he was dreaming. Kavan couldn’t blame him.

“Hey there.” His voice was velvety smooth, glancing down at Keane with a small smile. “Sorry, it took so long.” He laughed, unsure if this was actually real. He found them. He found them. It didn’t feel real. What if he was dreaming? Did he really die? He wasn’t sure, and he honestly didn’t want to know. He was home. He was with the last bit of his clowder that had fallen to shambles if it wasn’t for the poorly done bandages that littered Mason’s muscular frame and the fresh scars Keane adored. It’d be like before.

“Mason—” He called, glancing up from staring at Keane who shook his helm. “It’s alright, sweetcheeks.” He purred. “I’m real. I’m not going anywhere, alright? You aren’t dreamin’, love. Took me a while to find you guys, but I did. I never stopped lookin’ after that night, y’know?” His voice rumbled, welcoming the soothing sensation to calm the thundering of his heart that beat harshly against his sternum.

With little prompting, Mason surged forward, a slightly smaller frame slamming into the two, becoming a muddled mess of colors and raised skin. He laughed, grinning at the familiar feeling that washed over him. To finally wrap his frame around two of the most important cats in his life after his brothers died. It was heaven, but even then, he knew things like this couldn’t last forever, but he could enjoy it while it lasted, right? “I’m sorry.”

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[KEANE]

.if i can still breathe —————————

————————— i'm fucking fine.

▵ ———————— ◮ ———————— ▵

KEANE WASN’T SURE WHAT CAME OVER HIM WHEN HE SAW THE OTHER WINCE, mind reeling from the close call to the fact Kavan was here. He was fucking here. Right in front of him with that stupid grin, he wore that’d drive him mad.

The multi-hued brute fought back the string of curses he wanted to shout at the brown tabby, sharp yellow optics blinking, staring at Mason’s ashen face and the well of tears that threatened to fall. His heart squeezed at the sight, bitting at his inner cheek with a scowl. “Why the fuck are you apologizing?” He grunted, staring at the other, somehow finding a comfortable position in the jumbled hug they found themselves in. He wasn’t even sure what to call it other than a mess of limbs, not knowing where one started and where it ended. “I should be the one to fuckin’ apologize. I should have been faster. Otherwise, we’d never be in this damn mess.” Some protector I am. He thought with a flick of his tail.

Kavan scowled, nudging Keane with a rumble, telling Keane it wasn’t his fault, but he sure as hell didn’t believe him. Things would have been different if he’d been faster. Yuhwa wouldn’t be trying to keep them together. Mason wouldn’t have tossed his damn life away. Keane? Keane was fine. He knew what it was like to lose someone even before he met them all. He fucking knew, alright? It hurt. It hurt more than he wanted it to.

Fuck. He never wanted to feel it. Anger was better. Anger was harsh and unforgiving. He could hide behind anger. Sadness? He couldn’t hide behind that because where would he go? The multi-furred brute growled, tightening his hold on Kavan who laughed, tugging Mason closer to their make-shift huddle.

“You’re a fucking asshole, you know that?” He grunted, staring at Kavan with narrowed optics that flickered at Mason. “Maybe you’ll finally stop throwing your damn life away.” He snapped. “Fucking annoying is what it was. What would have happened if Kavan didn’t tear your ass away from the snake? Yuhwa and I barely have the skills to deal with that shitstorm.” His nose jerked to the mar of wounds that littered his frame.

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