Illstar

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While he could only hear one half of the conversation, it sounded entertaining. The wolves had been easier going as of late, and Aerin didn't worry about them hurting him if he got too close to Nova. Which was exactly why he chuckled at the interaction between the two. It had been a while since he'd gotten a good laugh, and it made the sound welcome in his ears. However, the slight joy in that faded as Nova affirmed his fear: they were out of gas. "Ah well," he said, flipping a hand like their lack of fuel was nothing, "I'll try to get us as close as I can to civilization."

A half hour later, the jeep was beginning to slow. It would last for another few minutes before it died completely. Aerin did his best to press on, and it was that concentration on the dusty surroundings that he noticed something dark on the horizon. The area where they were driving was bare, signalling that there shouldn't have been houses for at least a few miles. But there it was, a patched up wall surrounding a small settlement.

"I'm not hallucinating, right?" Probably shouldn't insinuate something like that while he was driving, but there it was. "There's a settlement here." It was most likely Illstar-infected, but sometimes, Aerin got lucky and they sent him off with a few supplies in exchange for never returning. While it wasn't the best trade-off, he always took what he could get. If that meant clean water and sometimes food, Aerin was certainly going to jump on that.

"We've got a choice. We can see if they'll let us in for a while, or we can try to get an extra two minutes out of this thing before we have to walk."
 
When he'd said civilization, Nova hadn't pictured actual people. To her, civilization was more wishful thinking than reality and therefore she had no need for it. At his words, though, she looked up and stared at the wall, uncomprehending for a long moment before understanding came and with it also the instinctive, quick words on her tongue to go right past the place and keep going until it was completely out of sight. But that was her first inclination to his question.

She knew what Aerin's would be.

Nova didn't agree with him at all and she opened her mouth to say as much and list all the reasons this was a BAD idea, but she stilled herself just before she could utter a sound. They were looking for his father. That's what this whole insane trip was about and like or not, she'd chosen to follow him or get him here, or whatever she was doing. That couldn't be changed now. She'd already come this far.

And a settlement...meant people. It meant information and perhaps even survivors from a different state. It was worth at least asking in there was a man here by the name of Aerin's father if nothing else. Besides, they might not even let them in.

"Let's go with option A." Gah, her tongue almost burned and her skin crawled just SAYING it. Nova didn't give much indication of that, though, even if the wolves had sat up and were bristling slightly, teeth showing just a little as they sensed her unease.
 
Or maybe he should still fear the wolves. Rifle was right near his ear, and the flashing fangs weren't lost on him. Aerin pushed the car as far as it would go, but they still had to walk through the sandy wind to reach the mismatched, metal gate looming in front of them. One part of the wall was raised with a small roof and shaking walls. A man peered out of a door, and his glare was evident in his face. "What do you want?" he snapped, showing off a machine gun tucked near his leg.

"We just want some shelter. Wind's bad today." As if it wasn't bad every day.

The proclamation made the man snort. "Good observation, kid, but we ain't allowin' anyone else in."

Aerin looked down at the ground, trying to figure out what would make this man tick. He stood up straight, his eyes calculating even as he stood above them. He held a secondary pistol at his side, grip loose but ready to fire at a moment's notice. "Sir," maybe it would appeal to the military side of the scout, if Aerin was correct, "we don't want to stay for long. We're immune." No point in hiding or lying about it. "Maybe we could talk to your superior? We aren't here to harm any one of your people inside there."

"Mr. Belsaiven isn't takin' in anyone else. Ya'll should leave."

Wait... "...No, sir, you have to let us in right now!" Aerin's voice had become a little more frenzied, desperate. It wasn't the right emotion to show off, but in that moment, Aerin couldn't have cared less. He moved several steps forward, waiting in the depths of the wall's shadow.

"And why should I do that, kid?"

"I'm Mr. Belsaiven's son. If you don't believe me, bring him outside. He'll tell you who I am. If... If he doesn't think I'm his son, we'll not bother you anymore." To even think of thinking that his father wouldn't recognize him... It almost crushed Aerin. For over a year, he'd been searching for his father, and maybe it was that desperation or if the scout just wanted Aerin and Nova to leave, but he disappeared. They waited for several long minutes before the gates creaked open. The scout was there along with a man of thin stature. He was the same height as Aerin, with dark blonde locks streaked with grey, and he wore tattered and dark clothing. His eyes, bluish-green and careful, swept over the two Wanderers. "You claim to be my son?" he asked in a sort of raspy voice. "I don't see it."

Aerin threw his hood from his head and swept the mask from his face. "Dad, it's me. It's Aerin." The man's eyes widened in shock and disbelief, and then joy. He pulled Aerin into a fierce embrace, crushing his son with the hug. "Dad, I'm so glad to see you," he managed to say, returning his father's embrace. "Why did you leave Virginia?" he asked, releasing his father but keeping a solid grip on his arm, as if he were afraid that his father would disappear if he let go.

"That will wait. Please, come in. We have to catch up." His father looked past Aerin to actually see Nova for the first time, and he squinted at her, judging her from a safe distance and from behind Aerin. "Who is your friend?" he asked, looking down at the wolves at her side.
 
Nova had stood quietly, not helping Aerin negotiate, but not hindering either. If they didn't get in, she wouldn't shed a tear over it and if they did get in...well, she wasn't going to be the one who got them there. It was almost looking hopeful that they'd have to leave, but then the scout said a name that Nova's ears perked up at. She'd only heard it once, but once was enough and now she sighed inwardly, resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. Well...she'd agreed to stop. This is what she got for it.

She needed to learn.

When the man came out, Nova saw the resemblance immediately and she had to quirk her mouth in a sort-of smile when the two embraced. It looked like Aerin had found what he wanted. His father seemed to be in good health considering and running this place. Not bad. It was likely the younger blond would get to stay which meant their journey together was over. The brunette didn't expect to feel so disappointed about that and it brought a frown to her face that stayed behind her mask and hood when attention turned to her.

Suddenly she had the irrational urge to dislike this man. He was taking Aerin away from her; the first decent human who hadn't treated her like a freak since this whole damn mess started. This man, this place, these people...they were going to take her friend away from her. No, there was nothing for her to like here. Still, she pulled her expression into a neutral zone as she pulled her mask down and flipped her hood back. The wolves at her side bristled, fur high and tails higher and stiff, but they stayed where they were when Nova made a gesture to them and moved forward. The canines paced, growling low as she came more near to Aerin and his father, but far enough away that she couldn't be touched and could easily leap back if she was lunged toward. Distrust extended both ways.

"I'm Natasha Avorne. Glad for Aerin that you're alive."
 
Neil glanced over her, but his gaze lingered on the wolves. If there was any displeasure, it was guarded behind his eyes, the ones so much like Aerin's, but not at the same time. Instead, a slight smile creased his face and he waved them all forward, wolves included. "Welcome, Natasha." The name grated on Aerin's ears. She was lying... or was she? When they'd met, she'd had no reason to tell him her real name. Had he really been too trusting of her? She'd saved his life multiple times, and they were... friends, right? He didn't want to think she was lying, so he kept quiet about her identity.

The inside of the settlement was just as mangled and mismatched as the outside. Shacks and lean-tos littered the wall and all around. There were a few children playing with an unbouncy ball, but they stopped when they saw the wolves. They looked like they wanted to move forward, most likely mistaking Rifle for an actual dog, but parents and guardians alike snapped them back lest the wolves decide to snap at them. There was a much larger building in the corner with smoke curling from a makeshift chimney. Judging from the line of people with cracked bowls and broken silverware, it had to be their kitchen. An actual house, or what remained of one, was situated beside it, and that was where Neil walked in, letting his son and his companions file inside.

The house was nice as one could make it. There was a yellow couch pressed up against a window with a radio sitting on a small table next to the armrest. There were several pieces of tin foil wrapped around the antennae, but all that came through was static. The paint on the walls was peeling and the wallpaper was frayed in many corners and there was a hole in the floor. Despite that, it felt like a real home. It didn't look anything like Aerin's old home, but with his father there... he just wanted to imagine that was what this old shack really was.

"We're able to get hot water here for a few hours, so feel free to clean yourselves up and wash clothes," Neil said, going underneath a cupboard to pull out a bottle of water out for Aerin and one for Nova. Everything felt a little too normal until...

"Dad, are you infected?" The question came out of nowhere, and it made Neil freeze. He glanced up at his son, noticing Aerin's sad gaze. He had guessed what Neil was going to eventually say anyway.

"I am. This entire community is. You aren't?"

"No. No-- ...Natasha and I are immune." Aerin didn't mention Nova's ability. Neil and the rest of his group could keep thinking the wolves were Nova's pets. Neil sighed and stood up straight. "I've been looking for you this whole time, ever since this thing started. It doesn't matter if you're infected." Neil nodded, but he didn't look his son in the eye.

"Why don't you and Natasha put on some new clothes? The others and I pooled our resources and we were able to come up with many articles of clothing. They're upstairs, and water can be brought as well as some wood for a fire. There's a hearth up there." Aerin only nodded before he twitched his head at Nova, about ready to go up the stairs when someone else came through the door. A slender woman with bright red hair sauntered in to find Aerin and Nova. Her clothes, a pair of jeans and black tanktop with a military jacket over the top, were clean, as was her face. It looked like she'd even procured lipstick from... somewhere. With one eyebrow quirked in Aerin's direction and a subtle glare at Nova, the woman looked to Neil.

"Who are these two?"

"Andria, this is my son, Aerin and his friend Natasha. They are going to stay here for a while. My son has been looking for me for over a year."

"I see. You didn't tell me you had such a cute son."

"That's because I didn't tell you I had a son."

"Hey, hello, right here," Aerin interjected with a sigh. "We're going upstairs now, if you two would care to stop talking about me."

Neil cleared his throat a few times, watching Aerin as he took the steps two at a time. "Yes, Andria. Do you have something to report?" Their voices faded as Aerin found the bedroom with the hearth. There was a small bed and a chair, both with torn coverings and ugly colors. With a huff, Aerin dropped his things, flipped off his jacket to watch dust pile in the middle of the floor, and sat down in the chair.

...His reunion with his father had gone differently in his mind.
 
Nova didn't speak as they moved through settlement, her entire body rigid and she kept the wolves close to heel. She wouldn't let them hurt anyone here, but if any of these people hurt them, she wouldn't hesitate to draw blood. Still, nothing happened and when they moved into the house, she made herself looked relaxed even if she didn't feel it and listened to Neil and Aerin speak without interruption. She had nothing to add, no reason to even be here anymore, but the offer of getting clean was appealing and she wouldn't protest that. Though, she didn't think she'd be staying long afterward either.

Especially since it seemed her place could be more than taken by this red-haired vixen. She was probably a great deal more friendly and whole than Nova was. Her brown eyes glared right back at the other female, not cowed in the least despite the fact that she was on Andria's territory. The wolves at her side bared their teeth, unimpressed, but they remained quiet and Nova followed after Aerin when they went upstairs.

She watched him as he sat, Rifle and Fang moving to the window to look out, and crossed her arms before she approached slowly. She wasn't sure what to say, but after a moment she sighed, came closer and crouched in front of the male, balancing easily on the balls of her feet. She didn't touch him, but her expression, the look in her eyes was almost...comforting. No, no it was. Nova wasn't sure where it was coming from, maybe Alec blowing into her spirit from wherever he was, but her words were actually gentle when they came out.

"It will get better. You're both just in a bit of shock right now. You'll connect better when you're alone. Don't worry about it."
 
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Aerin closed his eyes and sat up, leaning his elbows on his knees. He didn't seem to notice her proximity until he opened them back up, the green eyes holding a sort of guarded pain. It was like he was unsure how to feel, but he knew he felt sad. Still, her words, the softest he'd ever heard her, made him give her a smile. "Thanks," he said. She was doing what he would have done in any other situation. In that moment, it was rare for her to be so close, and Aerin found himself distracted by the curve of her lips, even if they were chapped from the wind. He fought the urge to push stray locks from her face or to remove the dirt from her face. She had such a strong appearance from afar, but up close, Aerin could make out very faint freckles that made her seem innocent. Her cheeks were slightly gaunt from lack of proper nutrition, but he found it matched her slender form well. Her nose was small, one that always seem to wrinkle at the idea of touch or even sometimes conversation. He wanted to kiss that face just then, but he knew a punch to his face would be in order, and he resisted his desire to do so.

To avoid any other affectionate thoughts, Aerin leaned back in the chair and covered his face with one dusty hand. "You can go ahead and take care of cleaning up first, if you want. I'll... Draw. That's what I do best, after all." He leaned to pull out his book, careful not to show Nova any of his drawings on her. It wouldn't go so well if she saw them. "Or I can try to find something to wash my clothes with." He stood up, sliding his boots from his feet to relish the cool wood beneath his toes before he padded down a short hall to what used to be a bathroom. The tub was plugged, clear water sloshing slightly with his movements. There was a small stack of soaps on the counter next to the broken sink. Even if it was hand soap, Aerin was sure people still used it on their clothes. In that moment, a teenage boy came up the stairs, hefting two warm buckets of water. "Wow, Mr. Belsaiven wasn't kiddin'. You are dirty!" he exclaimed, setting the buckets down beside Aerin. "That's all I could get for now. Gotta wait another hour for the next batch." He disappeared as quickly as he came, and Aerin watched him go before peering behind the door to find a few towels. They were dry and itchy from not seeing fabric softener in months, but it would get the job done when the time came.

The last door on the upstairs floor was closed and appeared to be locked, even if no one was inside. Aerin didn't think too hard on it as he walked back into the small bedroom, shedding his shirts to sit back down in the chair. Despite not taking off his clothes that much, Aerin's torso was still tan and fit, even if he was a little thin. The remnants of his bruises still remained, darkening his back with blues and browns. He didn't seem to care that he was half naked in front of Nova, or anyone else that might have walked by. He was much more preoccupied with the blank paper sitting in his lap, wondering what to draw.
 
Nova sighed after him, feeling suddenly awkward over what she'd done - not that she'd done much - and she rubbed her palms on her pants, muttering to herself about how stupid she was. He didn't need her halfhearted attempt at reassurance. She wasn't good at it anymore. Maybe she never had been.

Her brown eyes looked to the wolves, smirking slightly to see them on the bed, looking right back at her and she shook her head before she dropped her bag to the ground, raising her own cloud of dust. She removed her weapons next and set them down far more gently by the wolves, knowing no one would be touching them as long as Fang and Rifle were guarding. The brunette removed her outer clothes and then Aerin came in. She let her eyes trail over him - and if he looked up, she would be quick to have her 'doctor face' on - appreciating every muscle, ever line of his body as only a woman could. She wasn't made of stone and like she'd said to herself many times over, he was cute. So very, very cute and Nova could readily admit that in the most primal sense she was attracted to him.

Who wouldn't be?

She let just the slightest of smiles flicker over her face at the thought that if she'd been a few years younger, a few years more naive...she probably would have dated him in a heartbeat. Now...now she'd be happy if he survived all this...because she really didn't want Aerin to die. It was strange, caring for someone like that again.

Nova tried to push the thought away for the moment as she took her tanktop off. She was only wearing a bra underneath, but the way she saw it, bathing suits had shown more just a short while ago when the world had been normal. She kept her pants on, slipping her shoes off and though she still had her bottoms on, more scars were made visible this way. There were incision scars on her arms, that he already knew of, but there were more on her sides. Another gun-shot scar made itself known on her hip. Nova pulled her hair out and looked to Aerin then. "Sure you don't want to go first?"
 
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Apparently he had started the 'let's take off our clothes' trend, for Nova was soon down to just a bra and pants. Aerin had a hard time trying not to take glances at her. Though scars marred her skin, she was still fit and attractive. He did his best to focus on the very blank piece of paper in front of him, willing his hands not to itch to grab her. It was with those hands that he began to draw her, but it was in a different light. This time, he drew her exactly as she stood, remembering those details from her face and dragging those thoughts all the way down to her toes. There was no fantasy this time. He could see the toned lines of her arms and abdomen, and he didn't have to imagine what she'd look like anymore.

Her voice startled him, the pencil jabbing to the side and creating a harsh line where he'd been drawing one of her legs. Quickly erasing the line, Aerin forced himself to look at her, studying her face rather than the rest of her. It was certainly where his eyes wanted to travel. "No. You can go ahead. I'll be fine in here for right now. Got a good idea," he replied, tapping the pencil against the paper. He didn't want to tell where it had stemmed from, and if she even thought about moving toward him to look, he was definitely going to hide it. Of course, that made him even more conspicuous, but she still wouldn't be able to catch a glimpse of any of his art. Not until later.
 
Nova raised a brow at his last comment, but she didn't question. She never had and she figured that if he wanted to share artwork, he would. She'd never liked it when someone had pried into her own art and when she'd wanted to show it to someone, she had. She wouldn't try to make him show her what he was drawing all the time, though, she had to wonder why in the world he sometimes stared at her when he did so. He thought she didn't see it, but she did at times. She couldn't imagine why he'd want to draw her and so she assumed he wasn't. Besides, the wolves were usually near her, so she reasoned that he was drawing them.

At his reassurance that she could go first, she left the room, having searched for suitable clothing and taking her dirty ones, and went to the bathroom. She worked with what she had then, using the shower stall to clean the grime from her skin. She even managed to wash her hair by dunking it in a bucket and the end result was a clean, tanned-skinned Nova in a pair of jean shorts - none of the pants had been her size - and a red tank-top with a coca-cola logo on the front. The bathroom, miraculously enough, had three razors in the cabinet, obviously salvaged and Nova did something she'd not done in a year - shave her legs and under her arms. It was heavenly bliss and she grinned like a happy teenager as she ran her hand down one leg.

Such a simple thing and it lifted her mood so much.

The brunette braided her clean hair back and then she exited the bathroom, having washed her dirtied clothes. She'd hung them on the bars provided to dry and now padded her way back to the room. The wolves hopped up to greet her and Rifle sniffed curiously at her bare legs, making her smile, a chuckle in her throat as he licked the back of her knee, testing the soap he could smell. She looked back at him with a raised brow and laid her hand on Fang's head, looking to Aerin.

"I only used one bucket. You can have the other." she informed him.
 
It was positively amazing how one went from attractive to super attractive after taking one short shower. And it hadn't even been that. Still, he caught himself watching the way her slim legs swung as she walked, and how they melded into curves that were a sin to have. His finger threatened to break the pencil in his hand as he shook his head. "Thanks," he said shortly, stuffing the paper back into the folder with excessive force. Lurching from the chair, Aerin moved to the bathroom where the other lukewarm bucket waited for him. While he wanted to relish in the fading warmth, his mind kept drifting back to Nova and how he wanted to be back in the room, drawing her shapely form. He finished up cleaning both himself and his clothes quicker than Nova had, but he made the mistake of washing himself before grabbing a new set of clothes.

Searching around, Aerin moved to the other room where the clothes were, clad only in a faded red towel around his waist. It wasn't so dangerous to be venturing out if there wasn't the threat of a certain red-haired woman who found him cute. He groaned at the thought before sifting through to find a suitable outfit. He ended up coming up with a v-neck t-shirt with a tear in the side along with a pair of washed out blue jeans. As he was hanging up his wet clothes to dry, there was movement behind him. Thinking it may have been Nova, he turned with a slight smile on his face, though disappointment must have shown through clearly, because Andria smirked, "Sad to see I'm not Wolf-Girl?"

"Don't call her that."

"It's true, isn't it? You two are immune? Surprised you aren't getting it on, keeping the human race alive with your immunity genes and all that."

"...Don't you have anything better to do? What are you to my father anyway?"

"A scout. A good one at that. I've had previous training." So she was most likely ex-military, just like the other scout. "Why do you think Neil never mentioned you?"

"Probably because he thought I was dead. Excuse me." Aerin pushed past her with a shove that matched his displeasure. She didn't bother him again, even though she did shoot a look into the room where he'd gone. He sat in the chair again, one leg propped against the vanity beside him, lost in the art of Nova again. He hadn't even said anything to her when he walked in, only because he was too lost in thought.
 
She'd taken to cleaning her bow while he was away, having neglected to do so for a time and the sand and dirt coating the weapon. It was shining by the time Aerin got back and she looked up at him when he entered, a frown coming to her face at the frown on his. Something was wrong, had happened, and when Andria went past and glanced in, a growl threatened in the brunette's throat. It caused the wolves to look up from the floor to where she was sitting on the bed, but her sudden glowing eyes were not on them, but the doorway and her thoughts were filled with red. It was a reaction she'd not expected in the least, but Nova found she didn't care at the moment.

Something had shifted in her head, seeing Aerin upset. He might have been thinking now, but he'd been unhappy initially and she'd sensed it far more than she'd seen it. Sure, she'd disappointed him at times with her words or actions, but...she'd not hurt him, not angered him or truly upset him. And she didn't like seeing him that way.

Why? She wasn't even sure, but it prompted Nova to move from the bed and over to the blond himself. She didn't try to look at what he was drawing, but she did do something she didn't instigate unless he was injured; she reached out and touched Aerin. The backs of her fingers touched his cheek, a faint brush at first and then a bit firmer as the desire to instantly pull back didn't strike so soon this time. His skin was smoother than she expected, warmer and it sent a tingle through her hand that she didn't understand at all.

Nova wasn't really thinking, though, and there was a faint glow of a greenish sheen in her brown eyes as she looked at the male. "Aerin, what's wrong?" A simple question, but there was true concern about it, for once not hidden as if her emotions had jolted loose for a rare moment in time.
 
So engrossed was he in perfecting the power behind her legs, Aerin didn't notice that she'd come in front of him. His head tilted up as her fingers ran along his cheek, but he didn't tense. In fact, the scowl that had previously dominated his face had transformed into a light smile. "Nova, I...." Where to even start? She was opening up, like a rare flower he might have drawn at one point. A flower that only bloomed with the right amount of care.

"I guess you probably had guys all over before Illstar. I'm not used to attention." He might have shaken his head if he didn't fear movement. If he twisted too much, she might skitter away and their moment would have been lost. "Andria is... not my type." Truly eloquent words right there.

"She stopped me outside of the door after I had finished changing, and she called you a name. She then said that we should be... 'Getting it on' as she said so our immunity passes to our kids." Despite his earlier fear, Aerin's head turned and he almost nuzzled her hand like a dog wanting to be pet. Her hands were calloused and rough, but somehow, it made the touch all the better.

"She called you Wolf-Girl, if you were wondering. I didn't tell her anything about you. It... it wouldn't be smart." Opening eyes he didn't even know he'd closed, Aerin gazed up at Nova's glowing orbs. Any other thoughts on Andria or anything else ran from his mind. "Why do your eyes glow? It only happens sometimes, and it varies in intensity." They were beautiful in his eyes, and he hadn't even realized he let that opinion slip out of his moth following his question.
 
That smile. Why did that suddenly mean so much? When had her opinion of him changed so much? When she'd realized that she would soon be parted from him? When she realized that he had someone to go to and she only had him? When had that happened? When had that care turned into...into like...no, into need? She hadn't needed anyone since Alec. Hadn't thought she could, but Aerin had somehow gotten under her skin.

But he was confusing her right now. What did her social life before the Illstar have to do with what was bothering him? Attention? He was upset because Andria had shown interest? That didn't make sense. Why would that make him unhappy? Wait...called her a name? Nova raised a brow at that, lips twitching with a slight smile at the thought that he'd gotten all huffy because someone called her a name. Getting it on, though...okay, that one just made her roll her eyes and Nova realized she was still touching his face gently when he leaned into her touch, much like her wolves did. It startled Nova a bit, but though a tremble ran through her body, she wasn't all that sure it was a bad one - something that puzzled her greatly; she was just puzzled altogether, wasn't she? - and the brunette didn't move her hand away.

His words reassured her, but she noted in that moment that they didn't surprise her, as if she'd known that he wouldn't breathe a word. Like she knew she could trust him.

Aerin's green eyes closed and Nova felt something in her chest jump - oh right, that was her heart - as she watched him and her fingers slowly moved into his hair, carding through the blond locks at his temple with only some hesitation. It was the most touch she'd given anyone in six months, maybe longer, and Nova knew her fingers shook rather badly, but she didn't stop. She both did and did not want to.

He asked about her eyes and then called them beautiful in the same breath and Nova slowly withdrew her hand from the blond, taking a step back as she tried to get some equilibrium. The glow faded from her eyes as she sank down to the bed and trembled. She didn't even know why and Fang nuzzled her side, both wolves acknowledging her, but somehow not worried about her state like they usually would be. Perhaps because there was nothing to worry about.

"It...they did something to me." Nova swallowed past a dried throat and she rubbed her palms against her legs, still feeling them tingle oddly. "I can see in the dark. Sometimes...sometimes I feel different, like...an animal. I think they change then, too." Like now. She was definitely feeling strange right now.
 
He'd said the wrong thing. He'd been so worried about doing something wrong that he hadn't even been paying attention to what had spilled from his mouth. Her hand pulled away and the gentle warmth was gone. Her fingers in his hair had been soft, even though she'd been shaking. He started to stand up to go to her, but his father came to stand in the doorway. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked.

Yes. "...What do you need, Dad?"

"You wanted me to explain why I left and came to be here. And I brought you some fruit." He held out a peach and two apples. Aerin took one of the apples, letting his father sit in the chair. He set the peach next to Nova's leg, knowing she liked at least the canned version of the fruit. He stood near her, but whatever soft spell that had been cast was gone. He didn't know how to get her to that state again, even though he was already longing to see the gentle caress of her eyes again.

"We were overrun by infected. By the first point, we didn't know if we were infected ourselves." Neil stopped to break into a series of short coughs. Aerin was concerned, but he didn't move. He didn't know to help his father. "Excuse me. We were able to drive here, but our car broke down. This place where we are now used to be a neighborhood, which is why the few buildings are still standing. It took us a few months to build this up, and we've been able to maintain a population of about 40."

"Why did your scout say you weren't taking anyone else?"

"We're running low on food. There's a lake nearby that we get fresh water from, but the animals left, so I'm unsure of how to proceed. I can't expect these people to move with me. They're all infected, so they're more likely to go crazy and die before we broke this down and moved on."

"Go crazy?"

"It's happening more and more. The Illstar... It's changing us even more than before. I've lost four different people to attacks from my citizens. There's no way to stop it except to kill the crazy one." Aerin looked down, unable to respond to his father. He knew he was infected, but he didn't want to think that his father would eventually go insane and need to be shot down. Neil looked between Nova and Aerin before standing. "Thank you for coming all of this way to find me, Aerin. I'm sorry that I'm infected. Just know that even if I do go insane, I would never hurt you." He stepped over to embrace Aerin, who appeared to be fighting back every emotion ever. His father moved away and left with a short nod at Nova.

Once he was gone, Aerin slid against the wall until he was sitting. Images of his father going insane and attacking everyone flew through his brain. His grip on the apple shook with intensity, like he didn't know how to handle what was going on.
 
Nova had worked to resist a growl when Neil had come in and the inclination had surprised her, unbalanced her a bit. She had no reason not at least tolerate him. He was Aerin's father and the blond beside her was glad to see the older man. She should be happy for him at least even if this didn't affect her in a way she liked. That was simply being selfish. Still, the growl threatened, though, and Nova kept quiet, kept it contained, not really understanding why it wanted to jump out right now anyway. The wolves were tense, too, fur slightly raised, but they weren't growling. They just seemed wary of the people here. They knew they were sick.

Far sicker than anyone had anticipated it would seem. Not that anyone had anticipated the Illstar, but still. This was a new level of wrong and the brunette took the peach by her leg, rolling it around her in fingers as she frowned, thoughtful.

They needed a cure. Everyone did. She knew there had been rumor of people trying to make it, mostly those already immune who'd lost loved ones to the virus, but she'd never come across any of this so-called groups. And what would they have to work on anyway? Unless they'd been people who worked with her father, they would have no idea how the Illstar was made, worked....and no one knew that it was from an alien bacteria they'd discovered. Not most branches of the government at the time had known that. Only selected few, her father and mother among them.

No, a cure wasn't within reach yet...which meant all these people....they WERE going to die and that included Neil. The man in question had left and Nova stayed where she was for a good two minutes, just letting Aerin absorb...and then she moved. It seemed like a compulsion to do so, something she couldn't really help as she came to toward the blond. There was no glow in her eyes this time - actually, she looked completely uncertain as to what she was doing - but the movements seemed to come easily enough as she reached out...and simply pulled the male into a hug. Her entire body shuddered with the contact, but she didn't let go and Nova closed her eyes, almost scared about what she was doing. She'd not hugged anyone since before the Illstar and she had less reason to want to now.

But Aerin needed it and that seemed to be all that mattered. Even if she couldn't stop shivering and she had no words. What was one to say to something like this?
 
Those two minutes were the longest he'd ever imagined. 120 seconds of every emotion he could ever feel rushed around his head, confusing and angering him. The inevitable knowledge that his father would die sooner than he thought... Pain filled every inch of him. It was as if his life had lost all meaning.

And then, it stopped.

A pair of arms had curled around him and it was then that Aerin realized it was Nova. She was hugging him, even if her arms shook with the effort. His head had come to rest on her shoulder, and his green eyes studied her neck, the soft lines and the way her skin curved into her rounded, but strong jaw or how the tips of her hair brushed along his. Too much feeling overcame him and his arms snaked around her waist and dragged her closer to him. His face disappeared into her neck, wishing he could hide from his problems.

"I'm sorry that I dragged you into this," he said, but his voice only came out as a hoarse whisper, like he was fighting back tears. "I thought maybe my father was immune and that I could stay with him but... I can't. Not if... Not if he's going to go insane." It was bad enough that he'd lost one parent because she'd disowned him, and now his father was going to crack and kill someone before he was killed himself. Aerin's arms trembled and he gripped Nova tighter. She was like a life-line in his sea of emotion, but he didn't know why. She was just beginning to care about him, and he saw that he already liked her far more than she might have wanted him to. He wanted to kiss her and she was scared of touching him.

He didn't want to dwell on her social shortcomings. It was enough to enjoy the feeling of her weight pressed against him.
 
Her breathing hitched when the hug was returned, when she was pulled closer to the male, when his face pressed against her skin. Her hugging him had been her choice, something she could pull away from whenever it got to be too much, but him hugging her...it took control away and for a moment she felt a flash of panic run through her body, but then Aerin spoke and somehow his voice, muffled and warm against her neck, strangled with emotion, brought her back down. She didn't know why, didn't understand and for the moment she felt she didn't need to.

She was needed.

Nova felt the tremble in his body, felt his grip tighten and her own did the same without thought, an instinctive reaction to comfort him. A hug could not solve all the problems he was facing, hell all the problems she was facing, but it spoke to a person in ways words could not. You're not alone, it said. I care about you, it said, and for Nova it spoke far more. In her own way, she was telling Aerin that she cared, that he'd become far more important to her than she'd expected, that she didn't want to leave without him. All the things she couldn't say aloud. It was there in her touch, in something she didn't give anyone.

And certainly not to this degree. Treating wounds was one thing, a comforting, fleeting touch was one thing. What she'd done today in the span of twenty minutes of so...that was another thing entirely.

"You didn't drag me into anything. And...you don't have to make your decision now." The words took effort and Nova released a shuddering breath, her body giving sporadic tremors still and she slowly started to pull back, wondering if he'd let her, wondering what she'd do if he didn't. But she needed space again. She felt light-headed and sweat had beaded on her forehead and upper lip. It was a sad truth that contact, it was hard for her and this...this had bulldozed over more boundaries than she'd ever planned on crossing, and certainly not in one sitting.
 
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Aerin felt her pull away, and the irrational part of his pain-addled brain wanted to keep a grip on her. He was reluctant to let her leave his clutches, but he could feel her shaking. His fingers unlatched from her waist and moved back so she was free. His face wanted to press into her neck for the rest of his life, but soon, his cheek was cold with the lack of her warmth. Still, despite what he was feeling, he managed to give her a small smile. "Thanks," he said, and it was truly genuine. He hadn't been comforted since... He couldn't even remember. It was nice to have, even if Nova was scared.

He stood up, finishing off his apple quickly now that he was done feeling angry and sad. One apple still remained, and he picked it up and rolled it around in his hands. "I won't decide now. My father will let us stay here for a few days... He couldn't turn me away." He didn't say that Nova could have left whenever she wanted if Aerin chose to stay with his father. It was because he didn't want to think she would leave. Aerin didn't want her to.

Rubbing his fingers over the scar on his brow, Aerin glanced out the window. It was growing dark with night, meaning that he couldn't draw anymore. He settled for sketching in the waning light, glancing at Nova and the wolves every now and then. He drew a scene of a house with children playing outside, much like what they'd encountered outside. A question struck him then, one that he'd forgotten about after he'd seen his father.

"Why did you give them a different name?" he asked, not looking up from his drawing. His hand still moved fluidly along the paper, like he wasn't impeded by the thoughts weighing his mind.
 
Nova...missed his embrace. It was an odd thing to note when her body was calming, grateful to not have the contact anymore...and yet she wanted it back. It was incredibly confusing to have two warring feelings inside herself and the brunette went back to the bed, the wolves jumping up after her as she laid on her stomach and rested her chin on her arms. Rifle laid over her legs and Fang rested his head on her back, both dozing off immediately. They'd need food soon, but Nova knew she could worry about that in the morning. Neil had said that the animals had left, though...and they were running out of food themselves. She didn't quite know how she was going to solve that problem, but again, she'd deal with it tomorrow.

She said nothing to Aerin about staying or going, not knowing her own mind right now and not daring to risk saying anything she didn't mean. Nova never spoke unless she was sure of something, even when she herself didn't realize it until AFTER she'd opened her mouth. Some part of her had to know or else she wouldn't talk. It was just as simple as that.

Brown eyes watched the male - hey, there was nothing else in the room to watch - and she raised a brow in surprise to his question. Out of all the things she might have expected him to ask, that was not one of them and Nova let herself relax a bit, realizing he wasn't going to dwell on her hug, on her uncharacteristic behavior. It was relieving. This question...she could answer. Perhaps not fully, but truthfully none the less.

"I didn't trust them. My name is Nova. I didn't lie to you, but I didn't have reason not to trust you. I have every reason not to trust them and I would rather they not know who I am." And then there was the chance that someone would get suspicious over the name Nova and want to know her last name and that was not going to happen, not willingly on Nova's part.
 
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