The Queen Is After Me

"I know sweetie," She whispered quietly with a frown, "Just take deep breathes, okay? It's not your fault, none of it is your fault."

"You need me, of course im not going to."

"Let's stop talking about it," Keagan murmured, dragging the hem of his shirt up and using it to wipe his mouth before rubbing his hands on his thighs and reaching out towards the carcass again.

---

"'course I need you. Wouldn't know what to do without you."

"Okay," She sighed softly.

She smiled.

Keagan stayed quiet for the rest of the walk back and only spoke to ask her to open the door when they arrived at the house.

---

"I'm still scared to knock," Orion admitted, still sprawled over her.

"I'll do iy then." She moved out of his grip and knocked on the door.

April done as asked.

There was a loud clattering inside the house and a shout to 'hold on' before the door was swinging open. Anthea looked bedraggled, dirt and plants stuck to her clothes and a small bowl of something foul smelling in her hand she hadn't used to open the door. She took a few moments to recognise Ryan and smiled slightly at her. The smile widened as she saw Orion and nodded in greeting, asking, "You come for your daily visit, starshine?" The nickname was obviously a play on his own name.

Orion nodded almost shyly, smiling childishly at the nickname she had for him as he mumbled, hand almost nervously moving to grasp at Ryan's, "Mmhmm. Is it okay I brought a friend with me?" He sounded like the younger sibling of the two.

---

Keagan waited patiently for her to walk through first. Fleet had poked his head around a corner, wrapped up in a blanket and looking as if he had been hit by a car before he snorted at what he saw and retreated back into the house.

"What happened to you?" She grimaced, walking to Fleet. "Are you okay?"

Ryan smiled.

"Don't talk so loud," Fleet moaned. He was in a cocoon of a blanket fort in the lounge. "I've got a cold. Stop thinking too, it's giving me a headache. Jesus, yes, he's a pitiable little fuck, but Keagan hates it when people feel sympathy for him because he doesn't like being a burden, stop feeling bad for him and focus on helping him. Shut up."

---

"Of course it is. Don't see why it would be a problem." Anthea took a step to the side, smiling at Ryan again as Orion scooted in, dragging her behind him with almost gentle, questioning tugs at Ryan's hand.

She followed him.

"Sorry about the smell. It's the mix of chemicals of plant matter." Anthea sounded more excited than apologetic.

Orion peered around a doorway and added, "The dead cat has nothing to do with it?"

"Oh, no, it's recently dead. I gave it extract of the western water hemlock - it was so hard to find but I've managed to cultivate it now, the greenhouse and garden in the back - and it died shortly afterwards. I was gonna cut it open and see what happened but you showed up - don't!" She'd peered around the corner and seen Orion reaching for it. "I don't need you bringing it back to life!"

April just sighed in response and whispered a quiet, "Get better soon," before leaving the room and heading into the kitchen.

Keagan was in the kitchen. He'd pushed all to furniture to the sides and set out a large plastic tarp on the floor so he could almost angrily hack at the deer, skinning it as best he could, completely focused on his task.

April sat down next to him.

Ryan looked around.

"Not too close or you'll get gore flicked at you."

"Don't worry," She replied with a quiet laugh, "If I minded I wouldn't be sat so near."

Ryan looked around.

"If I get the knife caught, move away. I might have to make a jerky movement to cut through and I don't want to hurt you."

---

"Find a space wherever there's room and I'll be right through, just don't let - Orion!" Anthea sounded fondly exasperated as she scolded an almost smug looking Orion who was cradling and petting a very much alive cat.

"I'm not dumb, don't worry I will." She replied with a quiet laugh.

She laughed softly.

((I made too much pasta damnit lmao))

"Just making sure. It's better to be safe than to have you painting the kitchen with your innards..." Keagan's voice trailed off towards the end.

---

"What? It's only gonna be dead again in a coupla hours." Orion scratched the cat under the chin and it purred loudly.

"Suppose I can't complain. Just don't let it leave your sight, I don't want to have to hunt for a dead creature in the coming days because it'll stink the house out."