Of Leaf and Lust - Arc 01

"Don't." Her tone was icy, full of promised retribution. Her hand hadn't left my knee after settling back down post-smack. She dug in lightly with her nails. A threat. But I knew Mera. She put on a frosty front, but that's all it was,a front. One that I saw past. She hid a squishy nougat center underneath all those prickly cactus thorns.

I turned and lashed out with my left hand. She tried to block, but I wove around and attacked. Mera flinched away at my touch, but the car left no avenue for escape. Not unless she wanted to fling herself out of a moving vehicle.

The giggles started almost immediately. A lifetime of little brother tickle-jutsu flowed like a zen state. Her defense was meaningless under my assault. Every block? Dodged. Every twist? Pursued. Every vulnerability? Exploited. The sensitive spots just under her ribs trembled beneath my relentless fingers. She never stood a chance.

"Stop-- iiiit!" My sister begged between wheezing breaths.

I conjured my best Bane impression, "You know how to make it stop."

Seeing no other option, she counterattacked. Her slender fingers met the gaps between my ribs. It took everything to keep a straight face. "You merely adopted the tickle. I was born in it, molded by it. By the time the tickles stopped I was already a man."

Mera's face had begun to get seriously red from the lack of oxygen. She would stutter out hitches of breath multiple times before inhaling in a giant gasp. Tears collected in the corner of her eyes.

"Tell me what you know."

"Nev-- ver!"

"Children, I am trying to drive!" Amerys yelled at us.

My danger sense prickled. I caught her trying to light my eyebrows on fire through the power of her rearview mirror gaze. So I backed off. Esmera took a bit to recover from her doubled over position and stole a tissue to dab her eyes.

I switched back to my normal voice. "But, seriously, what is it?"

The twins exchanged a wordless conversation between each other. Esmera ran the full gamut of facial expressions, leaving me more confused than ever. They shared a nod. Esmera turned to look out the window.

I waited. And waited.

"Well?!" My outburst hung in the air, met only by the rumble of the engine. Save for their continued passive touch, they completely ignored me. Ugh, sisters. Nobody knows better than them on how to push my buttons. "Tch, fine. Keep your damn secret."

I spent the rest of the car ride just staring out the window pondering. It wasn't often that Esmera survived a turbo tickle session without spilling the metaphorical beans. Whatever they're keeping from me must be pretty important. And it obviously has to do with my birthday. Maybe it's a present? I don't remember asking for anything recently, so it could be anything. But it does make or break their Spring Break plans. Maybe they're going to invite me somewhere? Some kind of road trip? Maybe mom will finally let us go to the Dells.

We pulled into our suburban neighborhood and I was glad this car ride was almost over. I watched the houses go by, each of them little cookie-cutter things typical in America -- a single tree, some flowers or bushes lining the house walls, all surrounded by a lawn. Sterile. Wasteful. Boring.

Our house, by contrast, stuck out like a sore thumb. Or maybe a green thumb? It looked like someone transplanted an entire section of forest and nestled a home in its depths. Trees fought for space on our lot, stretching high into the sky and eclipsing our roof's height. Dense, tall grasses and wildflowers seeded and bloomed under their boughs. If it wasn't for our hint of a driveway, which was just some worn ruts through the foliage rather than a giant concrete slab, a person would be hard-pressed to actually see the house itself from the road.

I loved it. The abundant nature calmed me. But our neighbors hated us. How dare we infest their curated little blocks of blah with our awesome untamed beauty.

We pulled into our garage. The engine turned off. I tried to get my hand back so I could get out of the car and we could get some food for Amerys. But she still wouldn't let go.

"Just... give me a minute, okay?" She sounded sad.

What the fuck is happening? I thought you were hungry? Esmera must have noticed my confusion because she gave an awkward conciliatory pat on my knee before getting out and heading into the house. She didn't even say a word.

Amerys wouldn't meet my eye through the rearview mirror anymore. And I was so out of the loop at this point I might as well be a dimension hopper. I couldn't think of anything to say. So I sat. And waited.

Time sure ticks slowly when you're waiting in silence with nothing to do. I resisted the urge to fidget or say anything. I ended up having to press my lips together into a line. I was certain Esmera would give me another slap if I made an ass of myself again.

More time passed. She sighed out an 'okay,' gave my hand a parting squeeze, and let go. I stared at my slightly clammy hand for a moment while she, too, headed inside. I couldn't help but notice the melancholic sense of finality in the air. My sisters had always been the touchy-feely kind, even in my earliest memories. But today took the proverbial cake. Something was up. And I no longer thought it was as benign as a trip.

I hauled my backpack out and took my shoes off by the door. I paused with my hand on the door knob, mentally bracing myself for the shitshow. Might as well get it over with. The smell hit me first: grilled meat, spicy peppers, and an undercurrent of tomato. Oh, shit, did mom make what I think I smell? I dropped my bag by the door and rushed to the kitchen.

My socks caused a sliding stop on the freshly waxed wood floor as I gazed upon the glory that is my mother's cooking. A veritable mountain of chicken wings coated in her secret spicy sauce took center stage at the table. Steam wafted off their delectable hot crispy selves. My salivary glands kicked into high gear.

"Happy birthday, Arden!" my mom announced with a bounce and arms wide in the air. My sisters sitting at the table didn't share her enthusiasm, letting out a half-hearted 'woo.' They seriously looked like someone shat in their soup. Whatever. Wings!

"Thanks, mom!" I made to dig in but she stopped me.

"Ut, ut, ut. Wash up first."

Instinct urged me to give my family a bit of space by not using the kitchen sink, so I made for the bathroom. I heard a whispered conversation start just before I turned on the faucet. Temptation to eavesdrop made me hesitate. But I didn't. My sisters made it clear that it wasn't for me to know. I forced myself to be decent and respect their wishes.

I returned to a group of smiles. Maybe my paranoia led me to see things that weren't there. But all of them looked strained, like their eyes were tight or something. Them putting on masks for my comfort did just the opposite. But do I call them out on it? What if I'm wrong? So I pretended nothing was awry.

Hell yeah! There's even another glass of milk.

Mom's wings always delighted me. She grilled the chicken wings to perfection and directly transferred them to a giant glass bowl of her secret spicy sauce. She never let anyone watch her make it, but from the flavor profile I could pick out some of the more prominent ingredients. A fair amount of chilies made it deadly for someone without spice tolerance. I loved spicy and even I broke out in a light sweat after devouring a few. Sweet balanced out the spice, sourced from honey and tomato. A menagerie of other spices added complexity. My palate wasn't particularly refined, but I at least detected garlic, I think.

"They're delicious, mom." I voiced my appreciation. My hands and mouth were sticky with excess sauce. But I didn't want to waste it. I cared not for decorum so I licked it off. Without the meat to bring the savory note, the sauce tasted even spicier. But oh so good.

"I'm glad you like it." Mom's smile became more radiant, losing the cardboard fakery.

"They're the best. You could probably open a restaurant and only sell these."

"That's sweet of you to think, but I prefer only sharing them with our family."

My mom and sisters ate at a much more sedate pace from their own pile of differently sauced wings. I was the only one in the family with spice tolerance, so mom reserved a portion that lacked heat for everyone else. Only their finger tips got coated in the sauce, unlike me dripping all the way down to my palms. Delicate careful bites left their faces spotless rather than a saucy mess like myself. At this point my pile of picked-clean chicken bones probably outweighed theirs combined.

For someone so hungry, Amerys' eating speed sure didn't match. She and Esmera also weren't making fun of me for my near-feral consumption of the mom's cooking. Suspicion could wait, though, there were more wings to devour. Oh, and vegetables for dipping, too. The carrot and celery sticks made a thousandfold improvement when dunked in the sauce. My mouth burned so good. I drank copious milk, even thought it didn't seem to help. It just transferred the tingling burn everywhere.

Eventually the meal ended. Not due to the food being finished, but because we were full. Mom really made a huge amount of wings. My stomach literally couldn't hold any more. One wrong movement and I might pop. We cleared the table together and washed up.

Mom put a hand on my shoulder while I rinsed the last plate to put into the drying rack. I looked up at her face. Statuesque was the right word for my mom. Compared to me and my sisters she towered over us all. In fact, she towered over most women. Probably near six feet tall I estimated. I guess her height genes skipped us. Disappointing, but you had to play the hand you were dealt in life.

"Do you want your present now?" Her expression seemed conflicted. I didn't like the look. It made me nervous.

"Sure?"

"Okay, just sit at the table and I'll... get it."

I sat at the dining table and waited. A few moments later my family came out together. Their hands? Empty. Expressions? Tight. Mom sat opposite me across the long edge of the table. The twins remained standing, flanking her. I broke out in a cold sweat.

Mom sucked in a large breath and let out a sigh. Esmera put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Mom dug a crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket. She unfolded it and smoothed it upon the table. It was too far for me to read any writing on it. She looked over it for a moment before staring at me right in the eyes. Their intensity made me more nervous.

"Arden. I want to preface everything by saying I love you. We love you." My sisters pursed their lips, swallowed their feelings, and nodded. "And I need you to know that I am proud of you an--" Mom choked on a word as tears began to fall. "--and you will always have a home here. No matter what. Okay?"

My mind warred between panic and the crushing sight of my mom breaking down. Through my tight throat I managed to croak out an 'okay.'

"But if you do decide to leave, then--" She pursed her lips and blinked away more tears. "Then I'll support that decision too. You won't leave empty handed, unless if you want to."

Why would I leave? The question echoed. A sudden dryness hit my mouth. Swallowing scratched like sandpaper. I resorted to a nod.

"Arden, you're adopted."

That's it? Relief washed over me. I suspected, but I never knew fo certain. Why do they still look so conflicted? "Mom, I love you. I love my sisters. You're my family. That doesn't matter."

If anything my words made them grimace even more. I pushed out my chair and made to stand. I wanted to hug them so bad. Seeing their agony stabbed me in the heart. Hugs heal everything, right? But mom held up a hand. "Please, sit. There's more."

I plopped back down, deflated.

"I killed your parents."

I think my ears aren't working. My mom's a murderer? "What?"

"I killed your birth parents, Arden."

My ears began to ring. The table suddenly seemed so very long. My family telescoped off into the distance as my perception warped. Why are we sitting so far apart? I don't think my voice goes that far. A single scratchy word came out, barely above a whisper. "Why?"

She trembled under the weight of the question like it slapped her in the face. "Your parents named me your godmother. I was there when you were born. They were so happy to finally have a child. You have your father's eyes, your mother's smile."

She grew wistful for a moment, lost in the past. Her hands upon the table slowly clenched into fists, causing her knuckles to crack. "I thought I was hot shit. Untouchable, arrogant,stupid. A faction hostile to your parents used me to track their location. I led them there. Without me they would have never found your parents. Without my carelessness they would still be alive today. When the time came to defend ourselves, your father told me to run with the children while he and your mother held them off. He knew I was too weak, too useless to help fight. I left your parents to a fate I caused. I killed them. They trusted me and I killed them."

This woman. I rose from my chair like a marionette, detached from my body while I processed my thoughts. This woman took my life away. My steps were rigid, robotic. I'll never know my parents because of her. I closed the distance between us.

Her form had slumped forward into a hunched curve, youthful vibrancy drained out of her. She had aged years in mere moments. Her eyes listlessly tracked me across the room. The strong woman who raised three children on her own had been replaced by a decrepit crone.

My mom.

She stiffened at my touch. I wrapped her in my arms. I held her close. "I love you, mom."

"I don't deserve it." The words were breathy and hollow.

I held her tighter. I didn't know. You didn't tell me. "Love you."

"Stop." Some life had returned to her voice.

A burning sensation started in my chest. I would have laughed at getting heartburn in this moment, but my attention focused on holding my mom's crumbling psyche in one piece. I could only imagine the guilt she held all these years. Guilt she didn't deserve. My sisters joined the hug. With my entire being I gripped my mom. "I forgive you."

"Stop!" She tried to push us away.

We didn't let go. The ache in my chest steadily rose into a painful crescendo. Hugs heal everything. Mom used that phrase all throughout our childhood. I believed it. I willed it. I forced it to be the truth. Heal her. The pressure increased. Heal her. I bit my tongue to stifle a cry. Heal her.

"Girls, help."

"How?" "What do we do?"

"Pull him off me. Arden, you have to stop if you can."

I couldn't. My arms no longer listened, locked in a loop of spasms, as molten torment flowed up their lengths. Amerys and Esmera overpowered my grip and pried me off mom. She laid me back on the table. The taste of blood filled my mouth. I had bitten off the tip of my tongue.

Mom looked down at me with love in her eyes again. Youthful love and calm, collected determination. She took command of the situation. "We'll get through this together. Girls, just like I taught you. Hold his hands. Follow your instincts. Arden, just breathe. Breathe."

"What's happening?" Amerys asked.

"He's hatching. Just force it out your hands, Arden. You'll know it when you feel it. Trust your sisters. They'll help."

What the fuck? Am I a bird? That doesn't explain anything! I wanted to yell at them, but only bloody bubbles sputtered through my closed lips. Mom forced my head to the side and held it down so I wouldn't choke as easily or hurt myself with uncontrollable thrashing. My family all looked down at me while I twitched on the table. Full body spasms shook me. Panic etched into the twin's faces.

"I'm not ready." Esmera voiced her worry.

"Nonsense. You'll be fine. I'm here."

Something deep inside my chest ruptured. Verdant green light filled my veins. The tension literally bled out of my pores in the form of wispy tendrils that dissipated in the air. But the majority surged down my arms and into my hands. They flayed under the sheer onslaught of power.

My sisters reacted like I had punched them in the gut, their eyes scrunched closed. But they still held on, even as the skin on my fingers and palm peeled away from flesh, leaving behind raw nerves. Despite their grip never shifting I felt a force pulling on this green stuff coming out of my hands.

It was a weird sensation to be incredibly aware of my own blood thrumming inside my veins. Each pulse brought more untamed light. It needed direction. I locked onto the sensation the first wave gave me and willed it towards my hands where my sisters took it. My hands' skin regrew nearly instantly only to melt away again just as fast. My sisters groaned in unison.

"You're doing great, Arden. You, too, girls. Keep it up."

I don't feel great. Unbidden tears pooled in my eyes. I couldn't see anything anymore. The pain. So much pain. My teeth hurt from how much I clenched my jaw. My entire body throbbed. Everything itched, from my skin down to my bones. How do bones itch? Over and over again, the pulses continued.

I lost track of time. Moments became a blur. Just one more pulse. Just one more. It became too much to bear. Thankfully in the wake of this otherworldly outpouring came exhaustion beyond bone deep. It numbed me into a passive empty feeling.

"You did it, Arden. I'm so proud. Sleep well... my son."

= ARDEN

I regained consciousness. The dreams? Memories? They resurfaced. I wasn't sure what was real. Maybe mom slipped some trippy drugs into the secret sauce this time. Yeah, just a silly goof. Ha, ha, you got me, mom. Nice one. There's no way I could...

I became aware of a new sensation in my chest, something more than a heartbeat, an intrinsic warmth. Potential. That concept resonated with this new feeling. Despite its constant thrumming alongside my heart, it reminded me of a coiled spring, ready to unleash its energy at any time. I needed to only ask. It brought comfort. Like this piece of me had been missing my whole life, but it was here now. I didn't want it to be a dream anymore. Contentment suffused me.

More awareness expanded to my waking mind. I definitely wasn't on the table anymore. A cocoon of soft warmth surrounded me. I tried to rub the crust out of my eyes, only to notice my arms were trapped. So I did my best to remove it with rapid blinks.

I was under the blankets in... mom's bed? Early morning sunlight filtered through closed blinds. Based on the lumps under the covers, I wasn't alone. I turned to my right and saw a serenely beautiful woman sleeping. Her full emerald green lips were slightly parted, tickling my cheek with every gentle exhale.

I blinked a few more times to make sure I was seeing things right. I hoped it was a trick of the lighting. Her skin had a pale pastel green coloration. Two small blunt horns and a pointed ear poked through her black hair.

Don't panic. Do. Not. Panic. There's a hot monster next to you. Don't wake her. I slowly turned the other direction only to see a near mirror image, except she had pale lavender skin and white hair.

My groggy brain struggled to put together a plan. Panic? Yeah, panic is good. A whimper most brave issued forth from my throat while I flailed for my life. But the unbreakable grip of my subduers made my efforts all for naught.

The lavender one simply growled, baring sharp inhuman canines while not opening her eyes at all. Sharp nails dug into my bicep for a moment before she relaxed back into slumber. At the same time the green one sleepily complained, "Dun' wanna get up." She hugged my arm tighter to her body and nuzzled her nose into my neck. I leaned my head away, trying to put distance between us, fearing she might bite out my throat. That only brought me closer to the growler.