gumnut-logic: And I found another Kayo scene floating around in my fic folder. Still nto the one I w
gumnut-logic: And I found another Kayo scene floating around in my fic folder. Still nto the one I was looking for, of course.-o-o-o-It was an accident she found him.She wasn’t supposed to be there and neither was he, but once her ears picked up on someone crying, she hunted her little brother down.They were at the bottom of Three’s silo and her footsteps should have echoed, but she didn’t let them, so he wasn’t aware of her approach and she found him vulnerable.Alan was sixteen. He sported experience and knowledge far beyond his years, but he was still only sixteen.And today had been a hard one.He had his back to her and it wasn’t until she touched his shoulder that he even realised she was there.He startled at first; wet, red eyes wide and shocked stared up at her, but she didn’t give him the chance to bolt. Instead she wrapped her arms around him and drew him in tight.Many a Tracy brother had done the same for her and she would never hesitate to return the favour.He let out a strangled sound against her shoulder before breaking into little pieces in her arms. He sobbed, his body shaking, letting out what he had no doubt been holding in so tight for most of the day.She found herself running circles on his back, her fingernails catching in the material of his t-shirt.“I’m sorry.” It was barely comprehensible, but she deciphered it.“Don’t you worry. It is to be expected.”That poked him and he pulled away. “Expected? Because I’m the youngest? Because I can’t handle it?” His face was all blotchy, his eyes bloodshot and his hair stuck up in random directions. Her little brother was a mess.“No, because John nearly died and you had to rescue him.”Alan rubbed at his eyes, obviously attempting to straighten himself out. “But that’s what we do. We rescue people.”“Not like that.” Her voice was ever so quiet. “It was close and you were all by yourself.” She swallowed. “We are all very proud of you.”He bit his lip, the mixture of fear and shame in his eyes suddenly showing just a glimpse of hope. “Really?”“Really. It was no small thing, Alan.”His face crumpled a moment and she reached out and caught his arms gently, her hands holding him.Those blue eyes grew anguished. “He was so pale, Kayo, so limp. I thought…I thought I was too late. And then he breathed in and…god…” Alan’s face crumpled again and Kayo drew him back into her arms.She cursed the entity who had endangered her brothers. John was optimistic.Kayo was not.And as Alan sobbed on her shoulder, she ran over her contingency plans should this entity show any hint of endangering them again.She resumed drawing circles on his back.After all, he was only sixteen.-o-o-o- -- source link