Drafts, Mini-stories and Excerpts

T-R-U-S-T

"So Drake, how's the kids in finally connecting with their human counterparts?" Three men stand in a crowd of people on a steamboat, the river runs calm and willow trees sitting on the shoreline. Willow's leaves trail against wind as the boat pass by the forest, sky clear and blue as ever.

"Good I guess. Marci already ran off with some girls to make friends with them. Jake is dancing around happily with CB. While Wolf... Is somewhere, maybe somewhere quiet.." Drake looks out at the shore before looking back over at his brother & friend.

"Well how's Jo? She seemed... Quiet when we visited." Drake frowns, Fox folds his arms and sighs in response while Jiji raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, what's up with her? Whatcha do?"

"I-I didn't do anything. She's just been... Quiet and distance... I don't know why. I try to get her to open up but she has it clamped up like it's stuck in her ass. And it's infuriating...." Fox gazes down for a moment before responding.

"Well, maybe she has a reason...?" That made his face harden, pressing his mouth into a thin line and sharpen his gaze on his friend.

"She doesn't trust me?" His expression shifts to being unsure, also confused about why his other dear friend is acting strange.

"No... I don't think it's that." Drake take a step towards him, seething.

"Then what is it? Could it possibly be Fox..!" Jiji slides in front of Fox, who quickly take a few paces back.

"Hey now, just because your angry at your wife, doesn't mean you have to take that tone with my Fox."

"I'm not angry! Im just inf-" Suddenly familiar and desired laugher rings in Drake's ears. He snaps his attention over to the back of the boat, the source of the angelic laughter, evaporating all of his bottled up rage. Jo stands leaning against the rail, laughing in joy and amusement. She settles back down as another man who seems to recompose himself and beam back at her.

"Oooooo looks like a man moved in on-"

"Shut the fuck up Jiji before I kill you." His brother raises his hands in surrender, rolling his eyes.

"Come on Fox, let's take our leave so we can go explore and watch Drake marinate in jealousy."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. J-e-a-l-o-u-sy. And do tell if she has a better time with him than you. Byeeeee!~" He quickly disappears in the crowd with Fox in hand. That weasel...

He shakes his head and looks back over to his wife who's chatting to a formally dressed man with a top hat, long coat and brown locks of hair. Bleh.

Why can she talk to a stranger so freely? Openly? Why won't she talk to him like that? I mean, he gets that he can be intimidating, stoic and people have their boundaries but she trusts him right? It should be with everything but he gets it. Fox may say it isn't trust but it has EVERYTHING to do with it.

After all they have been through, fighting monsters, running from his father, etc, he would think she would be able to or will talk to him about anything. And again, they married and decided to settle down with kids on a magical mountain in more or less isolation. Yet, she doesn't talk about her issues or anything that's bothering her. What the fuck. What else could it take to get her to open up to him?

He already took an oath for her. Magic, blood, marriage, everything. He even told her in her coma, where he knew she was mentally-awake, that they don't have to be alone anymore, they had each other.....

But...

He shakes it off and navigate through the crowd to the other end of the boat to watch them closer. Her back turnt to him as she conversed with another man, who frankly had weirdly proper clothes, like he was royalty. Actually, when he looked over to the crowd to see them all wear proper clothing and other strange clothing pieces he doesn't recognize.