Parallel Lines- *RAYOR*

Chapter 13

This comfort can only be given by family, this feeling that you're truly safe- though of course it can be upended, and I know that there are some fears that only family can give you.

It's stupid. We teleported and set up camp and then it was time for bed. I thought we'd be doing something before sleeping, or just going the next day so that we can actually sleep in our beds. I tell this to Blake.

"Well, not everyone is as smart as you, Levy," she says wryly. Then she and Gabriel go in one tent, Aster, Nicco and I in the other. Technically Aster could just go in the tent with Blake and Gabriel since they're so familiar and knew each other for such a long time I don't think it would matter- but for formalities sake, and because Aster needs to keep an eye on my twin, he stays.

"I'm not tired," I say now. I can tell, a split second later, that I have woken up Aster and I feel really bad.

"Just lie down," says Aster, voice slurred with drowsiness. "It'll come."

I lie down, but I can feel twigs against my back despite the mat, and the thin blanket does little to shield from the cold. I can hear Nicco's teeth chattering. He forgot a mat and has only a jacket. He only packed Waddles and Aster packed clothes for him.

"Nicco, come here," I say. I force out the words. Because I'm hurting for him, and I'm hurting even more for myself.

He isn't budging.

"Nicco."

He doesn't move a muscle but I know he is awake. He has to be.

But his ego won't let him move.

If he won't move to me, then I'll come to him.

I drag over my mat, my blanket, to a spot beside him, and lay down again, but to the side. Then I pull him onto the mat with me and fling the blanket over both of us. He buries his face into my chest. His dirty blonde hair tickles me. He's identical to me. I realise again that this shows we aren't born out of those pills reaper women take for children. We look, with our blonde hair, as alike to our dark-haired mother as a black cat to a sheep.

I touch his hair, silky between my fingers. I'm a little warmer now, and I feel peaceful. This comfort can only be given by family, this feeling that you're truly safe- though of course it can be upended, and I know that there are some fears that only family can give you. Maybe I'll get some sleep after all.

The next day, I wake up first. Nicco's still sleeping- he can sleep through a hurricane- and I ease myself out of his grasp. Whilst I get up, I wake up Aster accidentally. I feel bad for it, but he doesn't mind. If he does, he doesn't let on.

"Shall we go in?" asks Aster.

"Nicco will be mad if he misses out on something," I say. So I go out of the tent. Gabriel's emerging from his, and he looks really sick. He's too pale.

"Gabriel, maybe you should sleep more," I say.

"Levy?" he says.

I nod. "You're too pale."

"I'm a reaper. Reapers are supposed to be pale." Gabriel shrugs. "Anyway, you look tired as well. It's only eight o'clock."

"Aster's awake," I say. "I'm thirsty."

"Let's look for water, then," says Gabriel. I go back in my tent to get a flask, and Gabriel and I start moving through the trees. The foliage above us glows a green-gold from the sunlight filtering through the leaves. Spring has coaxed flowers from buds and snowdrops tickle my feet. I pick one, and Gabriel tucks it behind my ear.