When Carl got back to Archyon, he sat at the edge of one of the shallow lakes, gazing up at the flawless moons. The peace that cane with being on an uninhabited planet was terrifyingly seductive.
He had almost made it impossible for anyone else to co to the world by the ti Kyubi gasped behind him after the tell-tale crackle of the portal opening echoed out and alerted him to her imminent arrival.
"Carl, this is beautiful..." He heard her move toward him, then her arms draped around him and he felt her press against him. "...Whatever you say, thank you for this at least."
"You’re welco, I’ve made it future proof as well so there are self maintaining buildings all over, including nurseries, bath houses etc. When the various fox spirits make their co back, they will be well equipped."
Her arms tightened around him. "Truly, I can’t thank you enough Carl."
"Well, maybe see how you feel after we speak..." Kyubi squeezed him briefly, before releasing and kneeling beside him. "...I want to accept your feelings, but can’t honestly say I feel the sa. I want to start with a kind of trial between us, if that’s okay?"
"It’s more than I hoped for in all honesty. I expected outright rejection and only asked because I would have regretted it if I never did."
Carl went on to tell her everything he spoke to Klaire about...
"I agree with all your preliminary terms as well. I’ll try to give you a nudge in the an ti too, but can I ask for one small concession?"
"Sure, what do you want? I want the right to sleep beside you, on our dedicated day. You slept with Klaire long before you "slept" with Klaire and those monts of the other person being the first and last thing you see in a day are precious and powerful agents of bonding. I also want to be able to kiss y-"
"Kyubi, yes I will do all of the usual couple stuff, I just an I can’t sleep with you until I can tell you that I love you. Oh, I didn’t really tell Klaire this before, but I don’t mind you two talking about or bathing together or anything like that either. You two can move as fast or slow as you want and you don’t need to hide your relationship from anyone else, just ask them not to talk to about it."
"Of course, can I ask why you’re accepting ? I have to admit, I’m surprised you even gave it a second thought."
"Oh, well, to tell you the truth... Gaia, kinda ca and spoke to ."
"Really? Am I still free to kiss others if it isn’t sexual or at all romantic? I need to give that beautiful hunk of earth a big one."
Carl chuckled before telling her that was fine, a little surprised when she actually left suddenly and the distorted sound of surprised vocalisations could be heard, before Kyubi returned with a big smile on her face.
He wasn’t sure if it was his change of perspective, but with that smile on her face, he couldn’t deny how beautiful she was. He compared her to the broken, half-mad, guilt-ridden and indescribably lonely woman he t back at Kon’s holand.
"Carl!.. I an, Carl. Can I kiss you please? I know this isn’t my day, but I want to kiss you while you’re accepting , before I wake up or sothing ruins it." Carl pulled a face then stood awkwardly and walked over to kiss her.
The mont their lips touched, Kyubi flushed red and showed an immature and more bashful version of herself, which contrasted her usual mature grace in a way that could only be described as adorable.
"For what it’s worth Carl, I love you, deeply. You are a singularly brilliant individual and I hope regardless of anything, I can at least make you happy in so way." Kyubi pulled him close, holding him in her arms and tails, secretly terrified she’d wake up and find it was all a dream.
"You already make happy, Kyubi. Every day you’re a mother to Ki-ko, and are there for the faction."
"Thank you for saying that. I know you don’t want to hear about Klaire and I, but I’m not as squeamish about you and Klaire and I know she needs so attention only you can give. I’m going to get Ki-ko and show her this place, I know she’ll love it."
"Okay then, I’ll ssage you later, we can have a late night al and then you and Klaire can have so ti tomorrow whilst I go to the variants..."
Kyubi smiled, kissing him on the cheek and giggling with such genuine joy, Carl couldn’t help but feel happy too as he snapped a picture on his slate.
"Carl!"
"Sorry, but Grandma would never forgive if I didn’t show her this and neither would Klaire."
"But... Fine, I suppose it is nice you can see even when I’m not there. She beca blushed again and waved for Carl to leave after that, wanting to compose herself before picking up Ki-ko from Alisha and Leanna.
Carl got ho and told Tiamutael to keep watching kid-vids until he is done talking with Klaire, then walked up the stairs and into the bedroom.
As he opened the door, Klaire was sat cross legged on the floor, running through the unneeded maintenance of her gun. "Sorry, I got antsy, I’ll be-"
Carl knelt behind her and began kissing her neck as he wrapped an arm around her and placed his hand to make his intent clear.
---anwhile at Gillian’s---
"Gillian, this is awkward."
"What do you an Blanc?"
Blanc didn’t reply imdiately, taking a second to look at Sophie, who was sat next to him and Scylla, who was sat next to Gillian and who he had scarcely heard a word about.
"I don’t know, maybe it’s the fact you haven’t spoken about Scylla at all, then you invite and Sophie over to chat and she’s just here... No offence, Scylla. I’m shit with stuff like this and Sophie and I are barely together and not even really sure what we are."
"Don’t worry... He asked if I wanted to co over and et "one of the guys", didn’t ntion the whole double date thing to either..." Scylla’s thick white hair was kept at shoulder length, her physique compact and powerful.
Her piercing pale blue eyes were averted from them, as though she wasn’t interested in looking at those opposite her.
Sophie just sat with lips pursed against the uncomfortable tension.
Gillian had sat down and was about to sothing, when Blanc spoke his mind without filter in the sa way he always did.
"You know Scylla, you don’t have to avert your eyes, we’re used to Lillim’s gaze so yours is nothing." Scylla side-eyed him and then turned her head to face him.
"How did you know why I was looking away?"
"I’m a householder, that deals with systems, I know everything docunted about pretty much everyone in the faction. You got Lycaon’s eyes, they passively intimidate people who look into them, I’ll take that over seeing the millions of souls that scream behind Lillim’s anyday."
"Yeah, when she stares at you..." Gillian shuddered. "...I thought I’d die the first ti I looked into her eyes."
"Personally, I think your eyes are pretty. They’re like twin moons and how often do you get to see twin moons together?"
Suddenly everyone’s slates beeped to notify them about a ssage, though it said Carl on their screens, they were all aware that ant Ki-ko these days.
"Check out the ho Dad, made for Mum on Archyon."
The ssage was followed imdiately by an image of Kyubi smiling back at the cara flanked by a cherry blossom on either side, presided over by two large silver moons that were reflected in water behind her.
"...Anyti we want apparently." Gillian said in response to Sophie’s earlier question. "...Is that a consolation prize you think, or a "sorry for making you wait"?"
"Co on, you don’t think that Carl would ever be with sobody other than Klaire do you?" Sophie asked sarcastically. "Even I heard about them back on SATS."
"Usually I’d agree, but with Klaire taking an interest in her, I think he might."
"I think he’ll agree to the polycule, but with strict boundaries where he’s concerned. What I want to know, is how Alysse is taking it."
"She was... let’s just say "disgustingly happy", I really regret going to check on her on the way." Sophie answered with a shudder.
"Ew." The other two said in unison.
"Ugh, why are you all so obsessed with Carl and Klaire, is this so sort of cult?"
Sophie laughed, explaining she asked the sa thing, then they took turns telling their own stories of why they follow him.
"Well, as a proper lycan, I won’t bow to soone who doesn’t best ."
"You did hear us tell you that he toyed with Dracula, like the Dracula. I an not to ntion he has the most dangerous weapon in the universe." Sophie answered, rembering at the end about the stories the others told her.
The comnt piqued Scylla’s interest. "What weapon? Is it sothing Alysse made him?"
"No, she ant Klaire." Blanc and Gillian said together with a chuckle.
"Scy’ I told you what she done on Lunelia, she could properly rip your soul out from wherever she is."
"Well, we’ll see about that..."
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