Fate and Misfortune

Lukas wanted to argue. He wanted to dispute every point Navi made, counter them with the firmness of a belief that he was in the right to offer up the couch - but he couldn't. While he believed that Navi wasn't as incapable as others in his life might have made him out to be, it was true that their best shot at defending the cabin, and their lives, probably lied with Lukas first and foremost - and how could he even attempt to engage in that defence if he was suffering?

While a single night on the couch was hardly going to improve his situation enough for a full return to health, it at least wouldn't deteriorate his condition - which a night on the makeshift bed on the floor probably would have done.

He wasn't happy having to accept that Navi had made inarguably good points, but he resisted the urge to selflessly sacrifice the couch and weakly nodded his agreement, no doubt convinced to eventually do so when a twinge of pain arose, as if to tip him over the edge into agreement.

Ultimately, the couch would provide his aching, tired body the best chance of recuperation - it gave him comfort, relative support and warmth that the bundle of blankets in the corner of the room simply couldn't. Resigned to the night on the couch, he eventually allowed himself to settle along it, adopting the position slowly and carefully to avoid tearing the few stitches that remained in place. Ideally, he would peer up from his place on the floor to see Navi settled on the couch, cocooned in blankets and content - and so the guilt that hit him when he instead glanced down at the other on the floor hit him far more intensely than he could have prepared himself for.

Yet, aware that arguing that they switch places now would be a waste of time, breath and energy, Lukas murmured a goodnight and let his eyelids slide shut with a determination to get as good a night's sleep as possible, so he didn't waste the opportunity to soak in the comfort of a night on the couch - because like hell was he going to allow Navi to continue to take his place on the floor again.

At first, the night progressed like countless others had - peaceful and still, the silence of the cabin only broken by soft snoring of those slumbering within it. Lukas, ordinarily, was a light sleeper (because under the circumstances, he had to be), training himself to stir awake and jump into action at the faintest of noises, but the exhaustion of that day's events and the pain he was inundated with inevitably resulted in the sleep deepening; in the man falling into the depths of his unconsciousness, oblivious to the awake world around him.

And yet, even if he had been uninjured and energetic, resting at the lightest stage possible, there was little chance he would have heard the approaching steps; heard the guttural exhalations of heavy breaths, animalistic in nature and containing a monstrous growl of sorts, emanating directly from the chest.

Which was apt, given the monster said growls emanated from.

Despite the sheer size of the beast, feet and feet above the size of even the tallest of humans, it moved carefully, each step deliberate and soft in spite of the thick claws at the end of each foot. Manoeuvring such a bulk ought to signal noise, and yet the monster moved with eerie silence as it peered with its menacingly red eyes through the cabin windows - because this was no rogue monster, careless and fuelled entirely by its own hunger. This was a 'civilised' creature, trained and intelligent enough to take in its surroundings and act accordingly. It was, in short, a being Lukas had had no known interactions with and so, even at full strength, would hardly be able to give it as good a fight as he did the unruly ones.

Rather than burst through the cabin door as a rogue monster would, the beast took in the fact that his behemoth stature wouldn't fit through that space and shifted his presence accordingly, the human form -though still bulky and extraordinarily tall- allowing him to ease the door open and slip through with characteristic silence, his eyes seeing through the darkness to take in the sleeping forms, though they only focused intently on one of those forms.

Naveen's.

Crouching down beside his brother, Garrison's head tilted as he tried to grasp the situation - he wanted to think that the human on the couch had kidnapped Navi because that was far easier on him than the idea that his brother had willingly shared the space with the human man; willingly slept in the company of a strange enemy than return home to the family worried sick for his wellbeing.

"...Navi?" He began gently as he reached for his brother's shoulder, his large hand dwarfing it entirely. "Come on, don't make me drag you out. I'd rather you came willingly. Mama won't want me distressing you."
 
Navi offered a toothy grin at watching Lukas accept his fate on the couch, knowing it was a fight he had won. That was a rarity when he lived with his family, just more proof that Lukas was at least willing to consider his feelings rather than simply disregarding him.

Sure, the blankets weren’t ideal but it was certainly a lot more comfortable than sleeping in the inside of a tree or just out in the snow like he had done on his journey away from home. He arranged them neatly to resemble a bed, however lumpy that bed was. He made sure to sleep close to the fire as they allowed it to simmer and, without a word, covered Lukas in a few blankets to offer him the extra warmth he needed. Sure, Lukas had the extra layer and meat on him to keep him warm but he couldn’t help but want to keep Lukas as toasty as possible when he knew he was in so much pain.

Once he was happy with the situation, Navi climbed under the blankets as well and pulled them up to his nose as to keep him as warm as possible, it being easy to lose him in his human form bar his stark black hair that contrasted the colored blankets. It wasn’t the couch but Navi had come to appreciate it nonetheless, especially when it meant he could peer over at Lukas with his face hidden, hiding just how red he felt his cheeks grow at just watching Lukas sleep. He wanted to scream and groan in frustration but he kept quiet, biting hard on his lip instead to force back his feelings. He could figure it out in the morning.

What mattered now was getting well-needed rest because while he wasn’t injured like Lukas, he was still exhausted from overexerting himself. So, with his face buried within another blanket as a makeshift pillow, Naveen was happy to eventually drift to sleep knowing that he was safe in Lukas’ company.

Or rather, he assumed so. The dizziness that hit him when he shot up from Garrison’s unfamiliar grip left the youngest triplet seeing stars, his one eye blinking back the black spots that threatened his vision. When he was able to concentrate he moved for his cane, gripping it tight with full intentions to fight - something he wouldn’t have even attempted prior to meeting Lukas.

Seeing just who it was gave him more anxiety than any monster could, his mind racing in thought. Quiet stammers were what escaped his lips first before letting his thoughts out, his hands shaking hard as they gripped his cane.

“G-G-Garrison? How… h-how t-t-the hell did y-you get here?!” Navi whispered as his eye glanced nervously to Lukas and back. “Is it j-just you?”
 
His brother's panicked reaction wasn't exactly the welcome Garrison had been anticipating.

In fact, it only served to confirm his fears that the other wasn't held captive against his will, too weak from his travels to fight back against a human aggressor. No, it became more and more clear by the second (aided mostly by his brother's worried glance to the slumbering Lukas) that Navi was willingly dedicating himself to coexisting with a human; a human Garrison could only assume was unaware of what his newfound companion.

The thought that his brother would willingly separate himself from their home, their family, was one that had been dominated by fears for his safety during the search, especially when Garrison picked up the scent of blood beneath the snow, just beyond the cabin. The intermingling of a monster's blood with that of a human's had only intensified his concerns, visions of his 'helpless' brother being easy-pickings for a sturdy human having crossed his mind and only spurred him on with his journey - either he would find his brother alive or tear apart the human that had harmed him; bringing about justice for Naveen the only way he knew how.

Navi might not have been killed at a human's hand but a monster had perished, that much was certain - and Garrison's expression could only communicate that growing, festering horror that his own brother might have taken part in the killing of one of their own kind. Uncivilised monsters, ones that roamed the woods alone, may be a world away from the beings the creatures in the city were, but they were still one and the same; still monsters who ought not to slaughter themselves when there were humans to target instead.

"...I was looking for you. Tia went out last night, it was my turn tonight. We-- were worried, decided to go looking by ourselves. Don't know if I should have bothered when you clearly don't want to be found," the older triplet murmured, the tone of distaste creeping in as he flashed a look towards the still sleeping Lukas. His muscles tightened as anger seeped in, the monster suddenly overwhelmed with an instinctual desire to just tear the human apart limb by limb, whether that was because of his unease at the situation he had walked into or because-- well, because Lukas was human and he was only really good for consumption. Granted, he could be forced into servitude, allowed to live a little longer, but Garrison would hardly welcome that.

Not when this was the man that had taken Navi in, allowed his brother to shelter himself away from the worried siblings, the distraught mother, desperately searching for him.

Garrison's expression grew stormy as his discontent expanded, his eyes darkening in continued disbelief. Sure, he might not have any definitive answers, he could have simply wandered down the incorrect path - but from his brother's reaction, he very much doubted it.

"A monster has been killed near this property and that human is injured; his wound is seeping. He has killed one of our kind and you-- you wear his clothes? You sleep beneath his blankets? Mama will-- you know what she'll do if she learns you're a traitor, don't you? So tell me, yeah? Tell me you're here against your will; that your illnesses are playing up, that you're too weak, and you couldn't fight your way out of this. That you were waiting for rescue. Tell me that, Navi. 'Cos I can defend that. I can help you against Mama with that. I can't if you're going to sit there and tell me you chose to remain with a fucking human."
 
Navi’s face grew beetroot under the dim light, the very last of the embers being the only thing that set shadows as the moon hid behind the heavy clouds. He took note that the snow had stopped, however briefly, a distraction from the anger and embarrassment he felt rising in him.

First it was anger in himself. He had trekked the cold for a week, no food or warmth, only for his brother to find him in a day?! His body still ached from the journey, however tough he was willing to act for Lukas, so to know that Garrison found him within hours only made him feel weak again; the little confidence he had began to build in the human’s company dashed in an instant. Secondly he was angry at Garrison, or rather his family in general. He fully intended to escape from them, let them live an easier life, so the fact that they had still searched for him without realizing it made his body shake.

Navi hated that the tears were already staining his cheeks before he could reply, sniffles filling the place of words as his frustration grew. He wasn’t going to remain silent as he often did, he… he knew he had to at the very least defend Lukas as his eye moved to take in the human fully.

“He… h-he s-s-saved me, Garrison!” Navi defended in hushed tones as to let the other rest. “The m-monster would have k-killed him, it… w-w-was in self-defense. The monster w-would have k… killed me.” He spoke firmly - well, as firmly as he could when faced with his brother. Navi knew his brother loved him dearly but it didn’t mean the older triplet didn’t intimidate him nonetheless as he stared up at the other, vision blurry by tears.

“I… l-left because I-I…” he stammered, his stutter growing intense the longer he spoke. Telling Lukas, an indifferent party, his motivations was different; Lukas wasn’t the problem. “I… d-didn’t mean to… to worry you. I l-left to save you.” He explained, pushing himself from under the blankets and to his feet with still shaking hands. “I’m in… I’m in t-the way of mama’s plans.”
 
Snorting derisively might not have been the best response Garrison could have mustered, but it was the automatic one; the instantaneous reaction to the excuses he felt were spiralling from his brother's mouth, more ludicrous and unbelievable by the second. Anything Navi said to defend the human would make Garrison's eyes roll hard in disgust, so the other was already in an impossible position - but it wasn't helped by the manner of the defence itself; the intense, firm words that arose to support Lukas and his actions.

No, if anything, such a defence only served to anger Garrison further, a guttural exhale escaping him as he struggled to maintain his adopted form. His skin tingled, hairs pricking up, at the temptation to abandon it completely; to allow the form to crack and tear in favour of his true appearance. That was his preferred one, after all; the one he had been born in, raised in and existed in, with the human appearance having simply been a method of entering the cabin. Why he maintained it this far into the conversation with Navi was lost on him, though he knew, deep down, that his brother probably preferred communicating in that way, without Garrison completely towering over him with all eyes narrowed in on his brother, ominously glowing in his anger.

Though that preference -for human-like appearances- was just another reason on top of the ever-growing list why Garrison's patience with his brother was wearing precariously thin - and so he abandoned any kindness he had been willing to show to his brother, namely by allowing his form to switch; allowing bones to elongate and crack as the full force of his real form, in all its intensity, took hold.

"...Any sympathy I might have for you is sort of dimini-- dimens-- ruined by you shacking up with a human, Navi. Abandoning us out of some-- some stupid belief that you're doing us all a favour? Fuck right off with that self-pitying bullshit," came the elder triplet's eventual response in their native tongue, the seething expression on his face mirrored through his word, which were spat out with such force that, despite being hushed in tone, may as well have been screamed out - the end result would have been the same regardless.

Grabbing his brother's wrist in his clawed hand (albeit not as firmly as he would have liked, given his resistance to actually hurting him), he prepared himself to simply pull Navi to his feet and force him to accept the reality of the situation - that he had to return home and face the consequences, particularly the emotional ones, of his actions. Ideally, he would deal with Lukas before they left, with Garrison having absolutely no desire to leave the human alive-- but Lukas' fate could be postponed for a few hours, until Navi was home safe and sound and incapable of getting in the way of justice being served.

At least, that was the initial plan; a plan that came crashing down not too unlike the saucepan against the back of Garrison's skull.

Smashing anyone over the head with force would result in unconsciousness at the very least, and when Garrison was as bulky and as large as he was (particularly in that form), the result was inevitable - the coffee table splintered and broke apart entirely as his unconscious body made contact with it, the creature sprawled out on top of the broken pieces of wood as a trickle of black blood leaked from the wound at the back of his head.

Breathing heavily, Lukas could only stare down in horror at the monster taking up much of the space of the living room floor. One hand remained clutching the saucepan as the other held his side to stem the trickle of his own blood making its way through the poorly joined stitches, but the latter didn't matter; not as much as ensuring that Navi was okay and unharmed. From Lukas' perspective, he had just saved the other from being taken or worse, being eaten alive by a vicious predator.

"Fuck. Fuck. F-Fucking hell, are you alright?" He whispered, his voice still understandably shaky after the intensity of the takedown. Dropping the pan in his desperation to check up on Navi, he manoeuvred his way past Garrison and knelt down beside Navi, cautiously eyeing him for any sign of a cut or a bruise. Confident there were none, and he had stirred from his sleep just in time, he managed a smile and allowed himself the few seconds to celebrate that Navi was okay. That jubilation couldn't last too long, however; not when there was still a living monster in the safety, the sanctity, that his cabin provided them.

"You're alright," he confirmed with a firm nod, easing himself to his feet with the faintest of grimaces. "I'll-- I'll handle this. I'll get the knife, make sure he doesn't wake up. Make sure he doesn't hurt you. I've got this, Navi. You're okay. We're okay."
 
On a normal day could a room spin for Naveen. He could be perfectly fine one moment and the next he would be hunched over spilling out his guts from just how fast the room was spinning. This was one of those moments, clearly overwhelmed of what was happening to realize the situation until the sound of the metal pan against his brother’s skull rung out in his mind.

He stared down at his brother in horror, ignoring Lukas’ fussing as he tried to refocus himself and not succumb to his desire to pass out. No, if he passed out now then there was no doubt in Naveen’s mind that his brother would suffer the same fate the monster had prior. Blinking back into focus, the little tears that stained his face were nearly blinding as he hurried to Garrison’s head as quickly as he could.

“No, no, no, no!” Whispered Navi, his own dialect changing briefly as he tried to find the source of the wound. Garrison’s skin wasn’t the same as the fleshy skin of a humans, he doubted a needle and thread would fix it as easily as Lukas had fixed his own wounds. His form was surprisingly intact despite the pure anxiety he was feeling now knelt down beside his brother, desperately trying to prep his head up.

Then seeing Lukas’ own injury worsened? It was close, his head pounding as he threatened to remain put together - but he did it. It was a well-established fact amongst his family that his skill in keeping his human form was superior to even their mothers after all. He couldn’t say anything, his throat tight from the urge to simply sob, but he did at least put a boundary between Garrison and Lukas once he managed to get back to his feet. He offered a smile, one that pulled in all the wrong places.

“Y-You are n-n-not going t-to touch him.” Navi stated with surprise calm, even if his words were stuttered out. His concern soon shifted to Lukas as he motioned the human to sit down urgently, his brain swimming as he tried to create a tale that would make everything make sense.

Please s-sit down, Lukas! You’re b-bleeding! You… You aren’t g-getting up. Just s-sit down and… let me h-help you?”
 
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Recoiling in horror (though understandably, a good dose of confusion was mixed in too), Lukas was left to stumble back in his sudden desire to make some distance up between him and Navi; a far cry away from his hurried, urgent movements to ensure the other was safe and harm-free just seconds prior.

The abrupt display of violence wasn't one he needed Navi to celebrate or even comment upon - even if a monster was the victim of such an attack, Lukas wasn't blind to the fact that openly bashing one around the head and leaving them bleeding on the floor below them wasn't easy to witness. Perhaps it was easier for him to detach himself from the viciousness of the attack when he had witnessed monsters literally tear apart beloved family members, but Navi (as far as he knew) didn't possess that sort of backstory, shielded from the potential sight of his loved ones torn to shreds by ravenous monsters.

That was good, of course; Lukas would never wish the horrors he had witnessed on his worst enemy, let alone someone he had grown to care for, but it did mean that there was a lack of understanding; a disconnect that meant the burning hatred he felt might not be... as fiercely mutual as he wanted it to be.

But even he couldn't anticipate the scene unfolding before his eyes. Navi might not have suggested that he felt as passionately contemptuous towards the monsters as Lukas did, but the human at least expected there to be some disgust there; some outrage that these beings had invaded and torn apart everything with cruel disregard. He could never have imagined that Navi would cradle the unconscious monster closely; panic over his well-being and even go as far as to defend them, the sight of the other standing boldly in front of the indisposed creature being so unbelievable that Lukas wanted to laugh, bitterly and humourlessly in his bewilderment.

But he couldn't.

All he could do was stare at Navi, as though seeing him with new eyes; seeing him in a light he hadn't seen him in before.

And he didn't like it. No, in fact? He despised it.

"What did you say? What language was that?" The words eventually tumbled from his lips after a prolonged silence, during which he had opted to deliberately ignore the concern Navi was presenting. His wound, despite its pain, wasn't important; not compared to the creeping, slithering fear that Navi wasn't who he claimed to be; wasn't what he claimed to be.

The strange language, the emotional reaction to the monster's unconsciousness, the defensive warning against hurting it further-- all of it added to that lingering feeling that Lukas was left in the dark, kept ignorant of something vitally important. As his mind whirred, thoughts soon drifted to re-examining the scene he had woken to - the sight of a fearsome behemoth of a monster looming ominously over a sheepish-looking Navi. Upon first inspection, it was obvious to Lukas that Navi was in danger, that a monster had invaded the home they had settled in - but revaluation made him doubt that assumption.

Why would a monster silently enter the cabin when all monsters he had interacted with were brash and fuelled by hunger, that sensation pushing them to be wild and untameable?

Why would a monster simply bypass the defenceless sleeping human in order to venture across to Navi?

Why would any monster take Navi by the wrist with a clear gentleness and not the violence borne from frenzied desperation?


"...Stay the f-fuck away from me, y'hear? Stay there, just-- just stay back," he warned suddenly once the distance between them became too close for comfort, the saucepan now back in hand and held out to ensure that the separation remained. He didn't want to have to use the pan as a weapon again, especially not against Navi, but he refused to rule out the possibility of it; not now he had the uncomfortable realisation that Navi wasn't as honest with him as he wanted him to be.

"What's-- going on? I don't understand," he proceeded, his voice inadvertently breaking with the emotion his confusion had brought on, wild, manic eyes switching between the two brothers. "W-- Who is that thing to you? A-- A friend or something? You're friends with one of them? Is that it?"
 
Navi’s hands went up immediately in defense as he backed up as well, miraculously not tripping over his own brother’s large body as he did so. He glanced back at Garrison, his heart aching in guilt with the urge break down threatening him, but he knew he couldn’t just ignore Lukas. No, not when it was clear in Navi’ s eye just how scared he was of the human.

He had never been subjected to training like his siblings, had never learned the ways to protect himself. He was coddled and it was clear by just how frightened he was, physically shaking from a mix of fear and the cold. His eye moved from the pan back to Lukas, then to Lukas’ wound, darting fast enough that it almost made him dizzy. He grew silent, afraid of how to approach the situation - he was no ambassador like his sister, he couldn’t convince people to do as he said like she could. He was ready to spiral again, all the confidence he had managed to gain and the happiness he had felt spending time with Lukas, however short that time may have been, slipping through his fingers quickly.

“You’re hurt…” Navi reminded with surprising clarity, his concern still evident as his attempt at a calming smile twisted the more he grew worried. He remained in place nonetheless, respecting the other’s boundaries. He didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to have to break down something he was so proud to build up - to ruin something that truly made him happy, for the first fucking time in years.

“This is… m-my brother, G-G-Garrison,” Navi finally explained after a long pause, hands still up, “he m-m-must have found m-me. I… I-I wasn’t lying when I s-said my fam… my family is v-very protective, haha….” He explained, wincing as he embraced for an attack. Unlike Garrison he was certain a strike to the head by the saucepan would be an immediate killing blow and he couldn’t blame the human for wanting to kill him. Still clenched in fear, Naveen continued.

“I-I never w-w-wanted to be a… to b-be a m-monster, it i-isn’t the world for… for me. S-So I practiced looking human. I c-can hold it longer than a-anyone I know, even… even if I still couldn’t do it right,” he explained in a hushed tone, knowing if he spoke any louder that he would start to sob. He pointed to the eyepatch for emphasis. “W… W-We aren’t like t-those monsters who hurt y-you, Lukas. We’re c-civilized, y’know? Can c-change forms and speak your language. I just… I d-didn’t want it be a m-monster anymore. I wanted to be human, to… I dunno - I’m sorry.”
 
All the progress Lukas had been proud to have made over the past few days, every step forward he had made in breaking down long-established walls to welcome Navi in, all of it had now been washed away, the waves of deceit breaking it apart with unfathomable ease. As the room seemed to spin around him, Lukas was left to manage his spiralling thoughts and inner-criticisms, the latter resulting in his inner voice yelling at himself for being so idiotic; for being so weak in allowing Navi in when he ought to have remained firm in his approach.

Because his instinct -not to trust Navi- was the correct one; he was a monster who Lukas had naively welcomed in.

He should have left him out in the snow to perish.

The thought, in its cold clarity, made him flinch: he didn't want to believe he was capable of cruelty, but leaving a defenceless being to die out alone in the cold, in the snow, was the epitome of cruelty--

He shook his head again, this time allowing himself to laugh aloud. The regret that hit him at his own reflections regarding what he should have done when he first stumbled across Navi was misplaced and he had no right to feel it - not now he learned that Navi had deceived him, pretended to be something he wasn't.

Existed silently as the enemy within despite everything Lukas had confessed to him about his family and their demise at the hands of the very monsters Navi... belonged to. He didn't need to know them personally for Lukas to group him in with them, of course - uncivilised, civilised, rogue, loyal: it was all the same to him and his expression steeled, hardened, once that realisation broke through the mind fog and settled at the very front of his brain.

The compassion, the kindness, the gentleness - everything he had allowed himself to remember in Navi's company had been abruptly pushed back behind his self-constructed walls once again, though the indifference that had rested on his features when he first met the monster didn't return. In its place was anger, sheer burning disgust, that he saw no reason to hide.

Frankly, it was a miracle he hadn't swung the pan and rid himself of Navi once and for all already, the only thing stopping him being the bond he had naively started to build with him.

"Get out."

The words arrived quietly though hard, tough, in tone, reflected in the deep-fixed contempt along his face; in his eyes. He gripped the pan in his hand in case he did need to use it, his knuckles white in the effort (though admittedly, the grip on the pan was also a way of fighting off his hurt and his upset; of ensuring his hands didn't begin to shake as the full weight of the situation sunk in).

"Get out," he repeated with more force, his breathing quickening as his emotions began to rise, despite his best efforts to push past them. "Get out. This is my home a-and I want you to leave before-- before I change my mind and get my knife. You and your brother-" he spat the word in continued disbelief, "need to leave. Don't come back here. I'll let you both go alive if you leave me alone a-and stay away from this place, you fucking understand that? You leave me alone."
 
“Lukas, please.” Navi begged, though for what he wasn’t sure. Safety? Kindness? He knew one thing was certain and it was his desperation to keep whatever had started to grow alive. While his form had stayed intact, his tears were no longer that of a humans and instead that of the smoggy vapor he often cried in his real form, proof of his growing distress.

He knew his pleading was useless though; knew that no matter what he said, what he did, Lukas hated him. He couldn’t blame him of course, he understood the generational trauma he faced under his own kind’s hand. He wiped thr smoggy vapor away as he wiped his eye quickly before nodding. Perhaps if he left without a fight it would at least leave some sort of good impression on the human; that not all of his kind were out to destroy the human race or saw the need for some sort of primal supremacy. He moved carefully to grab his coat, hat, and mittens with the full intent to staying in his human form, one he had grown to enjoy despite the weaknesses it came with.

It made him feel on some sort of equal level with Lukas, even if he was still weaker.

Once dressed properly, making sure not to move quickly to startle Lukas, he moved onto his brother. If he had been in his human form it would have at least been a bit easier to get him through the door and he knew that the longer they stayed the more likely Lukas would become violent. Navi swallowed hard, his eye downcast as he managed to carefully drag his brother from the cabin - however slowly. Audible groans escaped as Navi pulled his brother along, cursing in his native tongue when faced with his brother’s broad shoulders. Once he had managed to get Garrison into the snow, Navi dared to take a step inside the cabin once more - albeit briefly.

“I-I just w… want you to k-know that I’m grateful, f-for the t-t-time we’ve h-had together, Lukas,” he said, voice cracking as he spoke honestly. “I’m… s-sorry, for everything. I… r-r-…” he paused, knowing that he would cry if he didn’t take a moment to calm his nerves. “I r-really loved your company, you… you made me f-feel important. So thank you. Please, please, get better. I-I know you’ll n-never want to see me again b-but - but I h-hope you’ll meet some human w-who will make you as happy as y-you’ve made me.”

The words grew easier the longer Naveen spoke, feeling out his words carefully. Once happy with his parting words, he closed the door to the cabin carefully as to avoid the possibility of a saucepan to the head before turning to face Garrison’s unconscious body. The snow would be easier to manage than the wooden boards, he knew that to be certain at the very least.

With his cane close to his side, Naveen dragged his brother from view. He could easily come up with some story; he had managed to kill Lukas in a mighty fight, using their bond to his advantage. There would be no reason to go to the cabin, he would return home. Everything he had done was stupid, it was all a bad idea. Once a good distance - enough where the cabin could barely be seen - Navi collapsed into the snow from exhaustion before once again looking over his brother.
 
Out of all possible times to stir from his unconsciousness, Garrison (though it was out of his hands) really couldn't have timed his reawakening any better (as far as Navi would be concerned, at least). Once a healthy distance from the cabin had been accomplished, the monster stirred with a grumble, a murmuring, before jolting awake once the pain kicked in. Inevitably, grogginess and disorientation momentarily dominated him and his movements, one bleary red eye opening to survey his temporarily blurred surroundings before the other five followed suit.

The eyes blinked in unison in his attempt to clear the fogginess from his vision, all whole his mind whirred and raced to determine just what had happened. One moment he was whispering urgently to his brother, encouraging him to get a move on, and the next? The next he was out in the snow, staring up at the almost blindingly white sky above, covered with a blanket of clouds prepared to deposit sweepings of snow throughout the next handful of hours.

Garrison wasn't the type to contemplate the beauty of nature. He was rough and ready, finding enjoyment in his training and his fights rather than the scenic beauty that existed beyond the walls of the cities his mother had collected under her control, but in his delirium and disoriented state, he did feel a little... peaceful as he stared up at the expansive sky, finding some contentment in how quiet, how still, everything around him seemed to be.

Until another pang of shocking pain kicked in, jolting him from his reverie and reminding him, with a hot flash of searing agony, that he had been hit over the head, no doubt by the human his brother had been sharing the cabin with.

A clawed hand reached up to his head wound now some answers had revealed themselves, pulling it back to examine the sticky blood that trickled across his fingers. The sight didn't trouble him too much; not when his immediate fear was that Navi had followed a worse fate.

That fear was quashed when he realised someone must have dragged him from the cabin, kept him alive and protected from the human's wrath, and though he knew the answer already, he still peered around to confirm it. Smiling wasn't necessarily something he could easily accomplish in his birth form, the rows upon rows of sharp, predatory teeth making that expression of joy a difficult one, so, having to improvise, he instead reached over to ruffle his brother's hair up with the palm of his hand, ensuring the claws at the end of each finger were kept far from Navi's soft flesh.

Though it took every piece of stored energy to do so, Garrison adopted his form in order to effectively communicate with Navi; to make his brother more comfortable. Hell, after saving his life, it was the least he could do.

"Your buddy really did a number on me, huh? Don't-- mention that to Mama or Tia. They'll-- they-- it's not good if they find out a human managed to take me down, Navi. Keep it our secret, yeah?" He suggested with a smile now he could manage the expression properly, sitting up from the snow with a hand naturally reaching to cover the wound atop his head. Unable to hide the desperation in his tone, he coughed in order to try and distract away from it, clearing both his throat and the awkwardness that had come along with his plea for brotherly support.

"...We gotta get going. We'll sort that human out another time; let's just get home first. I... everything's kinda dizzy for me right now, I can't see without my vision blurring, so I'm not going to try and kill that guy right now. I know when to retreat."
 
Naveen wasn't worried, not really. He wasn't exactly sure when his brother would stir but he knew he would eventually, he had to. The whack to his brother's head was certainly not a gentle one, hearing the ringing of the metal against hard skull clearly in his mind, but Garrison was tough. He had witnessed much more from his brother in the past, he knew that - however long it may take - his brother would wake up eventually.

He thanked whatever higher being there was out there for the fact that he just so happened to wake up sooner than expected as Navi sat in the snow, clearly exhausted in more ways than one. He wanted to... perhaps not enjoy the quiet but ruminate on it. It was a quiet he knew he wouldn't be able to experience for long, not when he had to return to his family and his life within the confines of city walls. He found himself staring at his brother's unconscious body, visibly shaken as he wrapped his face in his scarf tight to hide his trembling lips. Even if his brother wasn't awake yet he still felt shame in showing his upset.

He had plenty to be upset about though, right? First and foremost, his brother was hurt and it was all his fault. Garrison would be fine but it didn't mean it wasn't traumatic to watch as someone he saw as a pillar of strength be hurt so badly. Secondly, he just lost someone he had... still very confusing feelings for, but feelings nonetheless. It was stupid, he knew it was stupid, but he had planned out a life together in his head; picking up herbs and trapping animals come spring, making delicious meals together as Lukas taught him to hunt and defend himself. He pictured the two sat by the fireplace keeping warm, both from the flames and their presence as well. To have that taken away from him so suddenly, so violently, left Naveen in shock as he watched his brother stir.

He watched in silence as his brother came through, a sigh of relief escaping. He knew his family wasn't exactly the type for physical touch, given their sharp claws or large size, but Navi couldn't help but move to wrap his arms around his older brother and hold him tightly in a hug for a moment, his face buried within Garrison's chest as he began to sob. Sob for his stupidity, for his fear, for the loss of happiness. He wasn't one to show emotions often, not in recent years, but he was tired, too tired to hide his feelings as he at least took comfort in knowing his brother was alive. He held the hug as tightly as he could for as long as possible until his arms felt too weak to hold on anymore. Pulling away, Navi refused to meet eyes with the other monster as he sat in the snow.

"You... Y-You don't have to go back, I killed him." Navi reassured after a moment, his words held with confidence after replaying the conversation in his head. At noticing his brother's attempt at covering the wound he offered his hat, pressing it into Garrison's hand for emphasis. "W-While he was focused on you, I s-slit his throat. I... won't tell mama what happened if you don't."
 
He had been told it was a cliché, to be brawny but lacking in the brains department, but Garrison had never really understood what that meant - which others had laughed at, saying that it proved their point, but his obliviousness tended to shield him from what could be construed as an insult. Ultimately, as talented as a fighter as he was, with there being no obstacle he couldn't break down, his downfall was his tactical thinking; his ability to appropriately assess a situation and analyse it for meaning.

Simply put, he could fight until his muscles screamed in pain, succeed at every fight that came his way (with the recent takedown by Lukas being a mark against his stellar record) but ask him to complete a puzzle? Soliloquise at length about some academic topic his sister no doubt excelled at? He, frankly, wouldn't know where to start.

Which was why his brows furrowed in confusion at the tight hug, at least initially as his thoughts took time to reach the answer. He didn't need an excuse to hug his own brother, hence why he accepted the affection without hesitation, but the tightness of the expression of love, the desperation within the grip, was lost on him - much like the hearty, heavy sobs into his broad chest were. With the reason being as obvious as it was, he eventually stumbled upon an answer he considered to be the whole truth, unaware that some of the tears being shed were for a life Navi had hoped to have but had to face losing in horrifically traumatic fashion.

Deciding not to delve into a conversation about his experience at being taken down by Lukas -because really, it was mortifying enough just having to live with it, let alone talk about it aloud-, he reciprocated the affection in a silent show of both gratitude and support before peeling away when he sensed the hug coming to its natural conclusion, that same smile still fixed to his lips. He could understand that his brother was upset at the idea of returning home -or he wouldn't have sought to escape in the first place- but he wasn't going to pretend not to be overjoyed at the prospect of his family being complete again; at having his brother back home, with them, where he belonged.

His naivety could only show itself once more when Navi's lie was uttered. He wasn't without an initial bout of uncertainness, of doubt, because he knew Navi's aversion to violence. His weaknesses might have prevented him from joining in the training their mother had their troops complete (or rather, they assumed he was too weak to attempt it) but nothing stopped Navi from joining them as they observed another celebratory round of culling humans for feasting; engaging in the process even if he had no active part in it. But he had always shielded away from such slaughter, protected himself from joining in and getting his hands even a little dirty - so it wasn't easy for anyone to believe that he had suddenly adopted a behavioural shift and killed the man he had been happy sharing a cabin with within minutes.

But Garrison did believe it, both because he wanted to believe his brother wasn't too dissimilar from him and their sister and because... well, he was just that naive.

"You-- killed him? Shit, Navi, that's-- I'm so proud of you!" He gushed in enthusiastically celebratory tones, shoving the hat on his head to be able to have both hands free, given his desire to be the one to offer a hug to his brother this time around. Given the vast difference in height, the hug resulted in Navi being lifted completely off the floor, held up with remarkable ease as Garrison held onto him in a show of undeniable pride.

"I wanna tell Mama, I'll be honest. She'll be just as proud as I am, bud. So will Tia-- but you're right. Best to keep it a secret or you also have to tell them I was fucking useless and-- I can't-- they can't think that about me. You get it. It's our secret-- but just know that in private, when it's just us, I'm always gonna gush about this. Shower you with the praise you goddamn deserve. Now let's get a move on, huh? I'll be fine, don't you go worrying about me. A little bang on the head isn't going to slow me down anytime soon. Takes a lot more than that to stop me."
 
"H-He was gonna k-kill you, I.. I c-couldn't let that h-happen," Navi explained, his voice a squeak from the sudden pull. He was exhausted but not tired enough to at least offer the meekest of smiles, however false it was. There was nothing to smile about, even if Navi had killed Lukas. No, he was a pacifist through and through so the idea of killing someone, even in self-defense, made his stomach churn in disgust and guilt. He was willing to accept that guilt, keep that secret to himself, if it meant there was a chance of Lukas being able to survive without his family barging into an already difficult life.

His smile did drop the moment he actually looked at Garrison as a twist of feelings once again hit him hard, a mixture of that guilt as well as anger at knowing this had been one of the very few times he felt his brother was actually proud of him - and he was proud over his ability to kill someone he had seen as a friend at the very least. Lukas wasn't one of the few humans they kept in captivity, he was his savior. He was a man who was willing to believe in him when he had no reason to, including his lies. He was a man he could speak openly to, confidently to. He was now meant to be seen as a victim to his hand when he had been treated so kindly.

He had to force the thought from his mind, at least until he was alone - where he knew he would ultimately spiral like he had many time before. At least before he hadn't experienced anything like what he experienced out in the cabin, having lived a cushioned life from hardship. He had justified fuel to his spiral now, at least in his mind - a reason to be upset. He could be upset when he was in his room alone, with that very well being his punishment depending on how their mother reacted.

She was a cruel women to her troops and those below her and that cruelty, while never quite reaching her children, still made an appearance in the form of a firm command for punishment. Depending on how she reacted he would either be witnessed to that cruelty, scolded and subsequently isolated in his bedroom, or it would be the opposite, with his mother refusing to let him out of her sight. He would rather be eaten alive at that moment than dal with what his mother had in store for him, though it wasn't like he had much of a choice other than to face the music. Even in Garrison's dazed state he couldn't outrun his brother and even if he could, where would he go? He only knew of the cabin and he clearly couldn't return, no matter how much Lukas' state of being ate at him. With furrowed brows, he offered another feigned smile before motioning Garrison forward since he had no idea just how close they had been to the city walls.

Still a fact that grated at Navi, just more fuel to his self-pitying spiral.

"... Y-Yeah, let's... just k-keep going. I need a nap, b-badly."
 
"Hey, look at you, bud! Swooping in like the hero, defending me. What a role reversal, huh?" Garrison beamed as he offered his brother a pat on the back in continued praise -and gratitude- for his bravery, with that emotion so dominant that he failed to recognise how cutting his compliment might be construed.

He intended it to be a compliment, one representative of the deep pride he felt for Navi's commitment to protecting him, but he lacked the cognisance, the awareness, to realise that reminding Navi of how much his family doubted him, how much they overlooked what talents and capabilities he might be able to bring to the table, wasn't the wisest way to communicate that.

He was innocent in his approach, at least having the excuse that he tended to put his foot in things by saying the wrong word, but his lack of awareness wasn't an excuse that could be used by their mother, sister or the high-ranking soldiers within the city that would never agree to involve Navi in discussions, let alone offer to train him. No, Garrison might be able to rest on his dimness and naivety but the others couldn't: their references to Navi's weaknesses or his inabilities were solely born from doubt and judgement, whatever good intentions laid behind them.

Oblivious to the upset he may have caused (both now and by his initial arrival at the cabin, given the consequential fallout that appearance had brought on), Garrison proceeded with the walk in high spirits. His anger at his brother's disappearance still lingered, but it had been dimmed by the brightness of his pride, the yearning to gush it all to his mother being a strong one - but to spare his blushes (and the criticism) that would come from having to admit he had been taken down by an injured human, he knew he had to zip his lips and keep quiet on that front, especially since he had made a promise to Naveen.

And if there was one thing he had always prided himself on, it was keeping a promise, regardless who he had to keep that information from. There was honour in upholding a promise, illuminated the loyalty that Garrison possessed; a word he liked to think described him most accurately (the obvious 'strong' and 'tough' descriptors aside).

Though the entire state the humans had once known as Washington was now firmly under their mother's control, Seattle was where she had settled; where she was content to call home and formulate her plans for further expansion beyond the city walls, formidable bricks set in place constructed for the city's protection from outside invading forces. Their mother wasn't the only monster that had their eyes set on expanding what they laid claim to by conquering beyond their settlements, after all - others had collected their own followers, set themselves in place as leader and proceeded to venture outside their lands, happy to fight their own kind and collect further supporters to bolster their forces whenever the opportunity arose.

But as far as Garrison was concerned, be it bias or otherwise, his mother was best positioned for success; the one best prepared for the fight for ambition and power. It was why he smiled proudly to himself whenever he had the chance to walk the streets of the formerly-known Seattle, admiring the way the bland landscape his mother often spoke of had been transformed; reimagined into a hub of activity as every monster within the border worked and fought for the same common goal; the same dream that his mother had formulated before she clawed her way to the surface.

Not needing to transition to his other form amongst the towering monsters around them when his human one was known enough amongst his mother's followers, Garrison reached back for his brother's arm to support him through the bustling activity on the streets to their home. A former museum back before the invasion, the grand building had been snatched up by their mother and, inside, transformed into the home the three children had been raised within. To Garrison, it was just another example, continued proof, that their mother was a genius; a visionary whose plans would not only see fruition, but be just as successful as her conquest of Seattle and of Washington at large.

Offering a nod of his head to the dutiful monsters stood as guard to the property (who couldn't hide the surprise -and the relief- at Navi's presence at his side - it would at least spare their leader her continued emotional outbursts since his disappearance), Garrison visibly relaxed once in the warmth and comfort of his home. Self-consciously, he reached to adjust his hat to continue to hide the throbbing wound beneath it, hoping beyond hope that his mother would be far too preoccupied with the return of Navi to care that her other son was sporting a hat he would never ordinarily wear.

"Come see Mama before you head to bed; explain to her that you... I dunno, that you went out and got lost, Navi. Let's not mention that you opted to leave. That's our secret, and I'll keep it for you. Mama's been through enough," he murmured beneath his breath as he silently set his eyes on his brother, imploring him to do the kind thing and lie. It wasn't moral but the thought of their mother having to hear that her child had left of his own free will, decided to escape and never return? Garrison simply couldn't endure it, preferring instead that Navi lie and keep things as gentle as they could be. "I'll go and fetch Tia, she'll want to see you. Mama will be in the study; she's... holed herself up in there since you left."
 
Though he knew Garrison's words were meant as praise, it came as no surprise that Naveen was left with the feeling of uselessness that had consumed him nearly his whole life. He knew his brother didn't intend to hurt him, he knew none of his family meant to make him feel this level of worthlessness, but there were enough people he knew that did to mix the messages altogether nonetheless.

Navi had never been the one to fight back, neither physically nor verbally. He couldn't, after all - that's what everyone told him at least. He would sit and stare at the old relics of the human world for hours, listening as his mother's advisors would sneer and scold him behind his back. He would hear their insults; that he was a dud, that the loss of his father's life was in vein. He could remember the backhanded comments, how he was 'so brave to exist amongst such powerful monsters', vividly. The hours spent staring at what was left of humankind only helped encourage that need for him to leave, join the humans and embrace their way of living. He knew he would never be strong enough to be a formidable foe to anyone, at least that was what he had been told, but he would hope that perhaps they would be more understanding at the very least.

That assumption was proven correct given how easily Lukas let him in. Sure, there was hesitation at first but there was no doubt a kindness in the human that led him to at least offer him a temporary home away from the cold. He couldn't say all humans were as kind as Lukas but he would like to think so as he offered a kindness few of his own kind offered to him. His chest hurt, both from exhaustion and from distress at the loss of that kindness. It was a kindness he doubted he would ever experience again inside the walls of their territory at least.

While monsters hustled about, doing their tasks with diligence and with honor, it was hard for Naveen not to notice as many stopped in their tracks. He could hear their whispers, a mixture of concern and that same backhanded cruelty he was used to. He avoided matching any gaze with his kind, instead having grown silent once he and Garrison had started their return home - not because he was the type to want to stay quiet, rather the fact that he had simply realized it was easier that way. That fact was lost upon his family though, having instead simply been seen as the quiet type and a good listener. Once at the door to their home, Navi stared at it with obvious dread. He longed for his bed and good food, that was true, but the thought only caused him to feel guilty for Lukas' situation. How come he had to survive off of broth and a couch when Navi had a warm bed and plenty of food to eat? It made him ill thinking about it, his stomach churning at the thought, though he kept quiet. He gave the guards the briefest glances though didn't let his eye linger long, instead he focused on his brother's words as he shook the snow that had collected on his head away. He offered a nod in response as another pang of guilt hit, this time for his mother.

To hear such a strong woman succumb to her stress all because of him? It should have come as no surprise that Navi felt responsible.

Before he could comment though, he was interrupted by the familiar sound of his sister. Oddly calm was her voice, despite the clear sound of her stomped feet. Tia had taken it upon herself to help their mother, to take command while Garrison left and their mother grieved. She stopped at the entrance, her many eyes blinking slowly as she not only realized that Garrison was in his human form but he wasn't alone, her eyes slowly moving to her little brother. She was left silent, her jaw agape slightly, before she changed to her own human form to pull her youngest brother in for a tight hug - perhaps not with the same strength as Garrison but enough that Naveen squeaked.

"Where the hell have you been?!" She asked after holding the hug, her face buried in Naveen's hair. "Are you alright? Oh, mama will be so... hm, well, hopefully she'll focus on the happy part rather than the anger."
 
"You can't blame him, Tia. He-- wandered off and he got lost outside the city walls. Easily done when you don't leave the house much and when you're on the weaker side. Cut him some slack, he's been through some shit," defended Garrison with a subtle wink to his brother, hoping to return the favour of being physically saved by saving Navi the ordeal of having to seamlessly carry out the lie. He would have to continue it and discuss it at length with their mother without Garrison's help -unless he wanted to drop Garrison in it by admitting that it was a lie, he didn't really have a choice in the matter- but the older triplet decided to do what he saw as honourable and give his brother time before that inevitability kicked in.

Granted, his efforts at defending him were still imbued with a backhandedness that Garrison didn't intentionally introduce, his words holding that same judgement over Navi's stature and capability that had become normalised over the years. It was just... natural for him to assume that his brother wasn't able to contribute much to the fight; that he was best placed within the walls of their home, watching on and offering moral support to his family when they returned from wherever their duties had taken them.

And frankly, he also held the assumption that Navi agreed. He didn't connect his desire to flee with his unhappiness at his situation, because he, like his family, believed they were doing the right thing in keeping him back from the action in case he was injured; in preventing his assistance in methodically plotting their next move as a collective to spare him the potential stress. Why would Navi want to escape when they were doing what was 'best' for him?

"Look at us, huh? All of us back together again, the dynamic trio. It wasn't right without you, Navi. Tia ran rings around me, I need you on my side or she'll talk her way into making me do shit for her. You know how good with words she is," huffed Garrison in faux anger, shooting his sister a smile to ensure she knew he was playing around. Though it had been a remarkably short time that Navi had been missing, it didn't matter - just a few hours without him had been enough to render their mother frantic in her panic and grief, and those feelings of deep emotion hadn't been unique to her. Others in the city boundary might believe Navi's disappearance to be beneficial, a removal of a point of weakness, but Garrison didn't. No, the lack of his brother had been a source of alarm; of anxiety as his mind spiralled with fear for the other's wellbeing.

When the three had been together since before they were born, when they were raised at one another's side for all the years they had lived, suddenly being torn of Navi's company felt like he was missing a vital part of himself. With that in mind, he refused to hide the broadness of his smile or the shine to his eyes, unable to fight back the celebratory nature to his words when they were reunited as a family again.

The jubilant tone to his voice naturally carried through the building, echoing in the vast room that served as both hallway and living space and carrying throughout the corridors. Though the words lost their clarity, Mariana's interest was piqued regardless when she noted the chipper quality to her son's voice, unable to fathom why he would sound so happy under such difficult circumstances. Determined to squash that attitude out of him and keep it that way until Naveen was returned home, she abandoned her efforts to lose herself to her plans (all of which resolved around searching the woodland areas beyond her city for her son) and trailed from her study.

The various staff members she passed on her way all lowered their heads in respect for their leader, their Queen, her presence automatically encouraging that dutifulness. She was the one to grant them a life beyond the dirt they had dragged themselves from; a purpose for existing upon the surface. She had given them a chance to fight for more than merely settling; to set their ambitions for greater things. It was unthinkable for many in the city not to offer them every ounce of energy and strength for the fights ahead in return.

The chastisement that had been resting temptingly at the tip of her tongue faded the instant she arrived at the foot of the grand staircase, peering down at all three of her children united in presence. A formidable presence, usually capable of striking unease into even the toughest of her warriors, Mariana found herself running, flying, down the stairs in her desperation to pull her son into her arms and simply hold him there, cocooned; safe.

There were questions flooding her mind that she would demand answers for in a short while, but right now, overwhelming delight at his return drowned all else out.

"Darling boy, you're safe; you're-- you're home, it's all going to be okay," she soothed as she pulled back to get a good look at him, albeit not before showering him with a flurry of kisses to his forehead and cheeks. Expressing her affection for her children wasn't seen as something she ought to hold back on; it never signified weakness or vulnerability. After all she had done to have her children in the first place, like hell was she going to resist supporting them, loving them, just because others might look upon it as an exposing a soft spot.

Nobody had had the guts to tell her that was what they thought, of course, fully aware of the devastating consequences of getting on Mariana's wrong side.

She had never taken kindly to adopting her human form, especially in Navi's presence when she believed he ought to maintain his a lot less than he did, but now seemed an appropriate time to compromise.

"Look at you, you look so tired, my darling," she frowned worriedly, her hands cupping Navi's cheeks in her continued need to hold onto him; to assure herself that he was real and not a hallucination of hers conjured up in her all-encompassing panic. "I... I am so glad you are home, Naveen. Don't you ever worry me like that again; me or your siblings. We were so worried."
 
"I can run rings around you whether Navi is here or not and you know that," Tia replied in a confident drawl, her arms still wrapped tightly around Navi as he simply accepted the hug. She peered down at the youngest, her smile - often small and reserved - matching Garrison in it's toothiness. As sly and proper as she tried to be she couldn't hold the facade when the last week had been absolute hell for the family.

Sure, Tia wasn't the most... emotionally available person but she still cared dearly for the youngest of their family. She had kept a put-together demeanor in hopes to convince not only her family but herself that everything was okay; that Navi had just wandered off and would be back. When hours turned to days it was harder to keep that ideology, leading her to offer to search for their brother herself when it seemed the troops they sent were incompetent. Returning bare handed was her worst nightmare and the guilt she felt was immeasurable. She feared letting go of Navi would only lead to him somehow slipping away but she loosened her arms completely upon hearing their mother.

To be pressed against his mother and her natural, monster form didn't bring the comfort Navi wished for but he accepted it nonetheless. He knew immediately that he couldn't tell her the truth, couldn't tell anyone the truth. He knew that even if he did they would either not believe him or seek out Lukas and kill him, neither options being ideal. He buried his face in his mother's embrace nonetheless as he felt tears once again leak from his eyes, black and smoggy as he was unable to hide his real monster identity completely. He said nothing in the hug bar a soft whine in discomfort from the touch of his cheek, that of which he had only then noticed he had been chewing. He also hadn't noticed his migraine, or how achy his body felt, though perhaps it was just his body reacting to finally being somewhere warm and safe. Emotionally safe? No, but certainly safer than the cabin on paper.

"I-I'm okay, mama," Navi finally reassured after wiping his eyes on his coat's sleeve, the snow that dusted it melting fast under the warmth of their home. "I'm... I-I'm hungry, and... tired, yeah." he admitted and offered a small smile despite avoiding his mother's eyes, knowing if he looked her in the eye he would either burst into more tears or blurt out what had actually happened - or both. Neither were ideal of course, not when he just wanted to rest and recover from just how far he pushed his body. Not once had he asked Garrison to help him but he sure as hell wished he had, every joint ached as his headache only pounded harder. "I'm o-okay though."

"Well, we'll definitely have to start up a proper dinner then, huh, mama? I think this is a celebration worth... well, celebrating. Do you want to help him to his room, mama?"
 
For a moment, Mariana was silent as her full focus was dedicated to her youngest; every corner of her mind dominated by thoughts revolving solely around him. She could hear Tia's encouraging tones, just about discerned the words enveloped by them, but they sounded distant, as though they were coming from a different room - because when every ounce of her attention was (understandably) offered to Navi, it was hard for her to drag herself out of that state of being to do something as simple as answer her other children.

Eventually, her observations ceased, the woman having decided that her son wasn't sporting an injury or developed an illness he was choosing to hide from her. As such, there was little else she could do other than divert her attention away from him; give him a respite from the intense analysing she had embarked upon in her worry and concern, and finally take note of the silence that had lingered as her other children patiently awaited her answer, or just an understanding of what was going to happen now Navi was home.

"I'll draft a speech announcing Navi's safe return home. Perhaps you can get started on it for me, my love; a first draft, the bare bones, of what I should say; you know my voice, my tone, better than I do," praised Mariana to her only daughter, reaching to rest a hand momentarily on her shoulder in gratitude for the other's consistent help in that area. Mariana had a natural talent for speeches; for inspiring others, firing them up with an intensified belief in their talents as individuals and as a collective, but she would be a fool not to accept her daughter's help in finetuning her speeches now she had such a vast following hanging on every word she uttered.

"Garrison, would you inform the staff; ensure they prepare all of Navi's favourite things for him for our celebratory meal later tonight? I, meanwhile, will help your brother to his room, settle him back into his bed. You two can sort things out for me while I do so; I trust you to do a good job in my momentary absence," she continued as her eyes drifted from one child to the other, holding some firmness in her gaze to ensure they understood the seriousness of her request. She had yet to learn what had driven Navi to venture out of their home by himself, out beyond the city borders, but she wasn't prepared to risk anything that could tempt him to make such a decision again - and making sure that their meal that night went seamlessly, without a single flaw, was just one way she could convince herself that it wouldn't.

She didn't need to emphasise that seriousness beyond a simple look because, unlike with Navi, she could trust the elder two to take on the pressure and thrive within it; carry out her desires without fault. They had been raised within an environment that gradually prepared them for such duties, after all: Tia was encouraged to hone her intellect ready for the tactical meetings she would attend and battle plans she would help to formulate, while Garrison was thrown into physical training amongst the soldiers, growing his core strength for the many battles that would await him in his adulthood. Ultimately, Mariana knew she could depend upon them; lean on them for assistance if she couldn't juggle all her responsibilities to her growing empire by herself.

But she couldn't with Navi. She doted upon him as much as she did her other children, but it was unfathomable to her that she would ever turn to him for help. He was 'too weak', 'too sensitive' for such things, which was why there was that sliver of anger beneath the surface, behind the joy and relief at his safe return home. She didn't see him as capable of existing outside of the home without assistance so how he could deem it a good idea to wander off and get himself lost was a cause for her rage to grow - but, unwilling to criticise until she had gathered the facts, she bit her tongue as she dutifully accompanied her son to his bedroom.

Only once there, in the privacy the room offered, did she turn to him expectedly, unable to hold back her words a second longer.

"I sat on your bed in your absence, Naveen; laid there, imagining that you would walk into the room and lay beside me at any moment. I was worried; I had awful images in my head of you out in the world, lost and alone and cold. Of you lifele--" She cut herself off, unable to finish the sentence as she turned to the window overlooking the grounds beyond the former-museum, her hands joining together behind her back during her moment of silent contemplation.

"...I want you to tell me what happened, my darling. I want the truth. I won't shout or be angry if you... be honest with me. I know you left on your own volition. That much is obvious," she smiled sadly, the corner of her lip twitching as she struggled to maintain the effort, a frown eventually falling in its place. "Why did you leave us; me and your brother and sister? It was a reckless thing to do. You are not... suited for the outside world, Naveen. Your place is here, where I can look after you."
 
Navi watched silently, as he often did when within their full family unit. He would sit silently, hands fiddling with one another, forcing back the urge to offer his opinion because, to the youngest triplet, it would either simply not be acknowledged or looked at in an unintentionally mocking light. The best way to avoid that was to simply not speak and watch as his family grew around him and he remained stagnant.

If was all he could think about, stewing in his thoughts not unlike how he had done the night he originally escaped, though he knew he had blown his chance - squandered it, wasted it. He couldn’t even run away right. His glanced away from his family once his mother had stopped fussing over him, the bruises and general exhaustion he felt being nothing compared to Lukas or Garrison’s injuries after all. His entire body ached, screamed, but for what? Dragging his brother out into the snow? He clenched his cane right, feeling the etchings of Tia and Garrison’s signatures to help calm his nerves when their voices were muffled as well.

He watched, a mere observer to his own life. He watched as Tia offered a nod at her command before changing her appearance to her much preferred monstrous form. He watched as the two followed their duties without question while Navi… what? Took a nap? He needed one desperately but how could he in good faith when his siblings were hard at work?

His mind only continued to wander until feeling his mother’s hand on his to help lead him to his bedroom, a place je wanted to simply lock himself up in and cry. He wanted to cry and scream and punish himself for being such an idiot - but he remained silent, only offering a small smile at seeing the glee in his siblings upon really realizing that the youngest had returned. Their happiness left a weight of guilt on his shoulders, that of which ached severely.

He did take comfort once in his bedroom, at least for a moment. He shimmied off his jacket and physically cringed upon realizing he still had Lukas’ sweater on. He held it tight for a moment, debating whether or not to tear it to shreds or frame it like some of the remaining human artifacts that decorated the home. What he did know was that he needed to sit before his legs gave out and upon feeling the bed, he couldn’t help but want to crawl underneath the covers and sleep for the next few days. He had done it before when his fatigue hung heavy on him so he would be justified after having nothing of substance to eat for a week and little to no sleep, right?

He stiffened upon noticing his mother lingering for a bit longer. He watched from his bed, nails gripping the fabric of his blanket tight for some sort of comfort. He… hadn’t thought about what he would say after all. Garrison was easy to convince but his mother? Mariana wasn’t the type to accept things at face value. Desperate to try and seem distracted, Navi rested his cane in the notch of his bed frame as he allowed his form to change for the first time in over a week.

Tendrils of shadows twisted and evaporated from the otherwise black void of his body. All that could be seen from his body was his single, large eye, his mouth blending into thr void of his form. The sweater fit well now, however silly it may look on his true form. He preferred to keep the human disguise but he knew that if he were to be yelled at that perhaps offering a brief moment to show his mother some ‘pride’ in who he was he might get some slack.

“I… was in o-one of my fugue states, mama. I wanted… I wanted to go out a-and see what w-was behind t-the walls. I… d-don’t remember after that.” Navi answered after a moment, his fingers still touching Lukas’ sweater to offer some comfort. His words weren’t entirely false, with the week of trudging through the snow mostly a blur. “I-I-I’m sorry, mama.”