The Cast (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
random_xtras) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
randomplaces2011-02-23 02:42 am
random_xtras) wrote in randomplaces2011-02-23 02:42 am
Entry tags:
Breaker 'verse 15
Ettiene was down by the water, cleaning he and Henri's late night haul when he heard a commotion on the porch. "Eh, could you keep de noise down a bit? Y' be scarin' de gators." As if in response, a large splash was heard across the water, a big female going after a varmint that had strayed too close to the shoreline.
A whoop came from the direction of the cabin, then Al's voice pleading with Jubilee that he was trying to read his emails, dangit!
"Vader's happy," said Dove suddenly from right next to him. "So'm I aussi. Wow, what stinks?"
"Dat be de big cat Henri caught las' night. Ain't she a beaut?" He held up the big fish head, his own grin rivaling the dead catfish's. "But she gon' make for some good eatin'."
"But Vader said not t' eat the cat..." Dove reached out a delicate-looking hand to touch the head and twitched her ears in surprise. "That's not a cat, Uncle Ettiene."
"Jubes, dangit... Okay, now you're in for it!"
"Heh, just try somethin', bub!"
The big marine chuckled softly. "Yer right, Ange. Dis be a cat fish." He pointed to the whiskers near the mouth. "Has feelers like de cat do." Hanging the head with other ones on the nearby cypress tree, he finished cleaning the big catch. Then he dropped his voice to a whisper and nodded at the couple on the deck. "Dey havin' too much fun, no?"
"Can't have too much fun." Dove spread her wings and turned to look as Jubilee gave a bloodcurdling screech. "Wow, that's fun?"
"For dem, it is." He rinsed his hands and carried the tray of fish to the house, beckoning the little girl to follow. "Ya don' wan' ta be here for a while. De gators, dey like de fish guts. Not safe for anyone t' be here alone right now... even you." He raised an eyebrow at her until she scrambled to walk in front of him. "Good girl."
"Why do the cat fish stink?" She perked an ear toward the tray and sidled away from it, using one wing elbow to feel for anything she might bump into as she went off the path. "I'm not eating that..."
"Help! I want my lawyer! Eee, Alvin, you @#$%&*!" came from somewhere in the darkness to their left.
"I like staying up all night." Dove turned her head, distracted from her opinion of catfish.
"Ah, but Sweetheart, you have ta cook de catfish. She tas' très bon when Oncle Ettiene be done wid her." He paused as the girl opened the cabin door, then stepped in. "Now you can help me fix dis up right, neh?"
* * *
"I hate you, E." Alvin groaned and dug his shoulders into the couch, then blinked and tried to remember where he'd left his can of beer.
"Nobody tol' y' t' eat dat much fish." Ettiene glanced over at Jubilee, who curled around Star on the bottom bunk. "'N y' always be tellin' us not t' teach you daughter bad habits..." He snorted.
"But it was catfish. I love catfish. 'Specially fried, since ya did it for me..."
"Did it f' Sweetheart." Ettiene finished his beer and leaned over to set the can on the counter, then started. "Hey, I only drink one 'a dem. Where de udder go?"
The other man raised an eyebrow and groaned. "And you drank my beer! Uhh." He tossed over to his side, squirming as a deep belch worked its way free.
"T'anks fer sharin', bro." Ettiene grinned broadly, then gasped and got out of the chair. "Sweetheart, no! You too little fer dat."
"I'm too little for beer?" came the puzzled reply from the kitchen. "Vhy, Uncle Ettiene?"
"E." The tone in Alvin's voice stopped him.
"You 'tite drinkin' de beer!" he snapped, scowling.
"Come here, Dove." Alvin turned onto his back with another groan as she came to hunker next to him. "You want a taste of this, to see why adults like it?" At her nod, he took the can from her hand and opened it. "Only a taste, now."
She sipped solemnly, then sputtered and put her ears back. "You like that?"
"Al, what the @#$%&* are you doing?" Jubilee squinted at him blearily.
Smiling beneath his mustache, he offered Dove another sip. "Do ya want some more?"
She shuddered and turned away, giving him that offended look known only to little girls. "Moeder, Vader is gek."
"Yes, he is... come'ere and rest now..." Jubilee waved a sleepy hand at the child.
"It's not night time." Dove walked over slowly.
"What dat chil' jus' call you, Breaker?"
"Don't you wish you knew?" He glared at the big marine who merely shook his head. "Crazy, all right? Crazy."
Ettiene's face dropped and he turned toward his honorary niece, who was listening to Jubilee sleep with her head cocked slightly to one side. "Dat not nice t' say, mon Ange."
"I'm sorry, but beer is schrecklich," she said primly without turning.
"You don't want to know..."
"I done got the idea, bro."
* * *
"Vange? What you doin' back? What you got there?" The people inside could hear the scuffle as brother and sister tussled over something.
"Whaddya mean, what I doin' back? Give dat back! Ettiene, y' break dat 'n I gonna make ya cry!"
"Should I break it up?" asked Alvin without taking his eyes from the screen, where Nightwind was entering into a new round of mayhem.
"Only if you wanna, like, get hurt," said Jubilee from where she curled comfortably against his side with Star snuggled between her body and legs.
Vangie burst through the door, the big marine hot on her heels. Back against a wall, she hissed at him. "You' not gon' take dis, 'Tienne. Dis be for de chile." Auburn hair swinging wildly, she turned and looked for Dove. "Where? Der she be. Come'ere, Dovie. Tante Vangie have gift for ya."
"Gift?" Dove froze from where she'd been about to jump down from the back of the couch and gave her look of wide-eyed horror. "Vhy?"
Alvin reached up a steadying hand. "Whoa, Sweetheart. Vangie means a present, something good for you. Special. Not bad."
"Oh." The little white girl gave a sigh of relief and bounced over to wrap her wings around her honorary aunt, side-stepping a playful grab from Ettiene as she went. "Vhat you have for me, Tante Vangie?"
Vangie hugged her back, then went to her knees and carefully opened the box that she was holding. "Dis gonna help y' see, sha."
"It vill?" Dove ran gentle fingers over the things in the box, her ears flicking with interest. "My eyes won't be broken anymore?"
"Ah." Vangie winced. "It won't fix you eyes, sha. But it'll make t'ings alot easier t' hear."
"Oh." Dove carefully pulled a ring about two inches across from its bed of foam and peered at it, then looked up as Vangie took a similar ring and gently fastened it to the longest flight finger of her right wing.
"Okay, 'n now dis one go here..." The auburn haired woman took the one from her hands and carefully put it in place on the other wing. Then she removed a slender black collar from the box and buckled it around the little girl's neck. "Okay, tell me if dis be too loud." She flipped a switch, then sat back and looked at Dove, who was staring at the bunks with perked ears. "Sha?"
"That's the bunk." Dove seemed to look them up and down. "There's another bunk on top of it!"
Alvin stopped his bubble in mid-blow, watching the girl's excitement. Rolling the gum back into his mouth, he grinned. "Radar?"
Vangie nodded, her own grin seeming as though it was going to split. "Yeah. When I realize she be gettin' 'roun' by hearin' t'ings 'n 'member how she be chasin' dem ants de udder day, I t'ought it might work."
Dove cocked her head and held one wing out, her eyes widening as her ears pointed toward things she'd never paid any attention to before. "Great shades 'a Elvis..."
Jubilee choked. "Where the heck did she get that line?"
"Two guesses and dey both be him," laughed Ettiene as he pointed at the now sputtering Alvin.
"You say cheesy crap like that, darlin'?" She turned to give him a disbelieving look.
"Vader likes Elvis." Dove swiveled her head from side to side as she tried to 'see/hear' everything in the room. "He got a big picture of him, like a blanket. Only he don' want anyvone to know."
"I'm gonna die," muttered Alvin, rubbing his face.
"Dat nothin'," replied Vangie gleefully. "'Tiene gotta big picture of Jessic..." A large hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her thought.
She growled and tugged at it, but then paused and squinted at her best friend's hand, which sported a simply carved ring of bald cypress wood. "Mmph! Mmm! Mmm! Mmm!" she exclaimed, wriggling with eyes gone wide.
"You wan' say sometin'?" Ettiene gave her a stern look.
She said something extremely rude in field sign, then pointed at the other woman's hand and squawked when her brother let her loose. "When you get dat? You din' wait for me? You din' tell me!!"
Brilliant blue eyes sparkled as Jubilee shrugged. "Love didn't wait, Vange. Like, sorry?"
"You jus' met the guy, Jubes! What you t'inkin'??"
"Hey, Sweetheart, you wanna go try out your new radar?" Alvin closed the laptop and snagged Star as he got to his feet, suddenly feeling the need to get out of the cabin as quickly as possible.
"Sure, Vader," she said uncertainly, flicking her ears between the two women before she turned and followed him through the door.
"'Ow long he been here? T'ree days? Four? 'Ow can you be engaged?" Vangie was practically shouting now.
"I've been around enough to know a good guy when I see one." Jubilee stood and stepped forward till she was nearly toe to toe with her friend.
"OH! Der's a good reason!" Sarcasm dripped like venom from the cajun woman's lips and Jubilee pulled back, wrapping her arms around herself.
"I love him," came the pained whisper. "Something about his heart calls to me and I know it's right. And you, like, can't change that."
Vangie blinked at the shimmering blue eyes and realized the truth that shone there. "Ahh, sha, I so sorry. It jus' seem like too fas', but den, dis be de swamp and t'ings move at dey own pace here." She held her arms open in apology.
Jubilee sighed and grabbed her friend in a crushing glomp, then giggled and started talking a mile a minute, waving her hands for emphasis as Vangie listened intently.
Ettiene stood and watched, face impassive. Yes, it was his friend, his sister and his sister's friend and this was messy, but it had to play out, like much of life. When it was over he stepped outside to let Alvin and Dove know that the dust was settled.
"Lookit that," said the Tennesian quietly as he came onto the porch.
The two men watched the white child wander over the grounds, stooping to touch something occasionally but mainly just walking with more confidence.
"Ain' dat sometin', bro," the big marine breathed.
Alvin grinned and rubbed Star's back, then chuckled as Dove turned eagerly toward them.
"Uncle Ettiene, vill you vatch me fly?" she called hopefully. "Can I fly now, Vader?"
"You up to playin' wing coach?" asked Alvin.
"Let's do dis, Ange." Ettiene gave his pants a hitch and headed down the steps.
Alvin watched for a few minutes, absently wondering why his ears were ringing, then realized that his cargo pocket was buzzing and took out his phone. "What?" He scowled, then blinked and looked at the screen. "He's bringin' Logan here in three days? Oi, I gotta convince Jubes ta quit sleepin' with me."
* * *
Collette scowled as Henri picked at the roasting pig. "Stop dat, you. De be none lef' if y' keep takin' it."
The giant man gave his wife a look and she smiled at him in return. "I know. Der be extra in de odder side. But don' tell 'Tienne or he come pick too."
"Don' tell me what, sha? Dat shore do smell good."
The Creole girl rolled her eyes as Henri took a swipe at his brother's hat and instigated a tussle. Shaking her head, she took stock of the pork, then stirred the pot of crawdads that bubbled merrily away next to it. A glance over the top of the pit took in Alvin hacking away at his computer, one of the rare times she'd seen him alone. As she watched the brown haired man scratched his head absently before wiping his brow.
Collette frowned. It wasn't that warm out, just a bit humid. Then she noticed him shifting his foot and flexing his toes painfully.
"What you do, boy? What you do?" she murmured to herself.
"Can I help you, Tante Collette?" Dove hunkered down and reached into the pot.
She turned back to look at the girl and gave a little shriek of surprise. "Chil', what y' doin'?"
Dove bit off the crawfish's head and chewed, perking her ears. "Eating. I really like these bugs." She reached for a second one, ears flicking as Collette called for Alvin.
"Fire doesn't bother her. It's okay." He didn't even look up and the small woman frowned as she watched his eyes blink slowly.
"Here, sha, stir de pot." She handed the stick to Dove, then wiped her hands on the butt of her jeans and walked over to put a hand to the brown haired man's forehead.
He started and leaned back to frown at her. "What?"
"How y' feel, bro?"
Alvin ignored her and finished reading the email.
A slight smack to the side of his head caught his attention. "I said how y' feel, bro?"
He frowned again and tried to think. "I'm alright." He blinked and looked down, then all around. "Where'd I leave Buddy?"
"He be wid' Vange 'n Jubes. He okay. You' not okay. When did you foot start hurtin?"
"My foot..." Alvin looked down again and poked it, then winced. "Yeah, it does. Alvin, ya goober, how did ya not notice that?"
"How ya not notice dat? How ya not notice? Boy, y' be burnin' up." She let her fingers drift to a spot behind his ear. "Um-hm... Henri!" She stood and watched her husband pin his brother before rising and responding to her call.
"Now wait, I'm okay. Just a little tired is all..." started Alvin, then winced as Jubilee darted over and knelt next to him. "I'm okay."
"You sure?" His fiancée put her hand to his forehead and scowled. "No you're not!"
"I'm fine! I'm just sunburned is all. Now, lemme up and I'll go..." He bit off a yelp as she bumped his right foot, then leaned on his hand for a moment as his head pounded. "Really sunburned..."
Jubilee pulled the laptop away from him and closed all the programs without a second glance. He tried to stop her but his vision started to swim. "I think... I ought to lay down... somewhere."
"Breaker?" Ettiene hunkered next to him.
"One 'a ya big lumps get 'im in de house," commanded Collette. "Jubee, quit'cher cussin', dat ain' gonna help none."
"Vader?" called Dove anxiously from where she faithfully held her post by the fire.
Henri gently pushed Jubilee aside and hoisted Alvin into his arms, ignoring the brown haired man's flush and muttering of embarrassment. Face set with concern, he carried him carefully into the cabin and lay him gently on the lower bunk, then turned to his wife.
next
A whoop came from the direction of the cabin, then Al's voice pleading with Jubilee that he was trying to read his emails, dangit!
"Vader's happy," said Dove suddenly from right next to him. "So'm I aussi. Wow, what stinks?"
"Dat be de big cat Henri caught las' night. Ain't she a beaut?" He held up the big fish head, his own grin rivaling the dead catfish's. "But she gon' make for some good eatin'."
"But Vader said not t' eat the cat..." Dove reached out a delicate-looking hand to touch the head and twitched her ears in surprise. "That's not a cat, Uncle Ettiene."
"Jubes, dangit... Okay, now you're in for it!"
"Heh, just try somethin', bub!"
The big marine chuckled softly. "Yer right, Ange. Dis be a cat fish." He pointed to the whiskers near the mouth. "Has feelers like de cat do." Hanging the head with other ones on the nearby cypress tree, he finished cleaning the big catch. Then he dropped his voice to a whisper and nodded at the couple on the deck. "Dey havin' too much fun, no?"
"Can't have too much fun." Dove spread her wings and turned to look as Jubilee gave a bloodcurdling screech. "Wow, that's fun?"
"For dem, it is." He rinsed his hands and carried the tray of fish to the house, beckoning the little girl to follow. "Ya don' wan' ta be here for a while. De gators, dey like de fish guts. Not safe for anyone t' be here alone right now... even you." He raised an eyebrow at her until she scrambled to walk in front of him. "Good girl."
"Why do the cat fish stink?" She perked an ear toward the tray and sidled away from it, using one wing elbow to feel for anything she might bump into as she went off the path. "I'm not eating that..."
"Help! I want my lawyer! Eee, Alvin, you @#$%&*!" came from somewhere in the darkness to their left.
"I like staying up all night." Dove turned her head, distracted from her opinion of catfish.
"Ah, but Sweetheart, you have ta cook de catfish. She tas' très bon when Oncle Ettiene be done wid her." He paused as the girl opened the cabin door, then stepped in. "Now you can help me fix dis up right, neh?"
"I hate you, E." Alvin groaned and dug his shoulders into the couch, then blinked and tried to remember where he'd left his can of beer.
"Nobody tol' y' t' eat dat much fish." Ettiene glanced over at Jubilee, who curled around Star on the bottom bunk. "'N y' always be tellin' us not t' teach you daughter bad habits..." He snorted.
"But it was catfish. I love catfish. 'Specially fried, since ya did it for me..."
"Did it f' Sweetheart." Ettiene finished his beer and leaned over to set the can on the counter, then started. "Hey, I only drink one 'a dem. Where de udder go?"
The other man raised an eyebrow and groaned. "And you drank my beer! Uhh." He tossed over to his side, squirming as a deep belch worked its way free.
"T'anks fer sharin', bro." Ettiene grinned broadly, then gasped and got out of the chair. "Sweetheart, no! You too little fer dat."
"I'm too little for beer?" came the puzzled reply from the kitchen. "Vhy, Uncle Ettiene?"
"E." The tone in Alvin's voice stopped him.
"You 'tite drinkin' de beer!" he snapped, scowling.
"Come here, Dove." Alvin turned onto his back with another groan as she came to hunker next to him. "You want a taste of this, to see why adults like it?" At her nod, he took the can from her hand and opened it. "Only a taste, now."
She sipped solemnly, then sputtered and put her ears back. "You like that?"
"Al, what the @#$%&* are you doing?" Jubilee squinted at him blearily.
Smiling beneath his mustache, he offered Dove another sip. "Do ya want some more?"
She shuddered and turned away, giving him that offended look known only to little girls. "Moeder, Vader is gek."
"Yes, he is... come'ere and rest now..." Jubilee waved a sleepy hand at the child.
"It's not night time." Dove walked over slowly.
"What dat chil' jus' call you, Breaker?"
"Don't you wish you knew?" He glared at the big marine who merely shook his head. "Crazy, all right? Crazy."
Ettiene's face dropped and he turned toward his honorary niece, who was listening to Jubilee sleep with her head cocked slightly to one side. "Dat not nice t' say, mon Ange."
"I'm sorry, but beer is schrecklich," she said primly without turning.
"You don't want to know..."
"I done got the idea, bro."
"Vange? What you doin' back? What you got there?" The people inside could hear the scuffle as brother and sister tussled over something.
"Whaddya mean, what I doin' back? Give dat back! Ettiene, y' break dat 'n I gonna make ya cry!"
"Should I break it up?" asked Alvin without taking his eyes from the screen, where Nightwind was entering into a new round of mayhem.
"Only if you wanna, like, get hurt," said Jubilee from where she curled comfortably against his side with Star snuggled between her body and legs.
Vangie burst through the door, the big marine hot on her heels. Back against a wall, she hissed at him. "You' not gon' take dis, 'Tienne. Dis be for de chile." Auburn hair swinging wildly, she turned and looked for Dove. "Where? Der she be. Come'ere, Dovie. Tante Vangie have gift for ya."
"Gift?" Dove froze from where she'd been about to jump down from the back of the couch and gave her look of wide-eyed horror. "Vhy?"
Alvin reached up a steadying hand. "Whoa, Sweetheart. Vangie means a present, something good for you. Special. Not bad."
"Oh." The little white girl gave a sigh of relief and bounced over to wrap her wings around her honorary aunt, side-stepping a playful grab from Ettiene as she went. "Vhat you have for me, Tante Vangie?"
Vangie hugged her back, then went to her knees and carefully opened the box that she was holding. "Dis gonna help y' see, sha."
"It vill?" Dove ran gentle fingers over the things in the box, her ears flicking with interest. "My eyes won't be broken anymore?"
"Ah." Vangie winced. "It won't fix you eyes, sha. But it'll make t'ings alot easier t' hear."
"Oh." Dove carefully pulled a ring about two inches across from its bed of foam and peered at it, then looked up as Vangie took a similar ring and gently fastened it to the longest flight finger of her right wing.
"Okay, 'n now dis one go here..." The auburn haired woman took the one from her hands and carefully put it in place on the other wing. Then she removed a slender black collar from the box and buckled it around the little girl's neck. "Okay, tell me if dis be too loud." She flipped a switch, then sat back and looked at Dove, who was staring at the bunks with perked ears. "Sha?"
"That's the bunk." Dove seemed to look them up and down. "There's another bunk on top of it!"
Alvin stopped his bubble in mid-blow, watching the girl's excitement. Rolling the gum back into his mouth, he grinned. "Radar?"
Vangie nodded, her own grin seeming as though it was going to split. "Yeah. When I realize she be gettin' 'roun' by hearin' t'ings 'n 'member how she be chasin' dem ants de udder day, I t'ought it might work."
Dove cocked her head and held one wing out, her eyes widening as her ears pointed toward things she'd never paid any attention to before. "Great shades 'a Elvis..."
Jubilee choked. "Where the heck did she get that line?"
"Two guesses and dey both be him," laughed Ettiene as he pointed at the now sputtering Alvin.
"You say cheesy crap like that, darlin'?" She turned to give him a disbelieving look.
"Vader likes Elvis." Dove swiveled her head from side to side as she tried to 'see/hear' everything in the room. "He got a big picture of him, like a blanket. Only he don' want anyvone to know."
"I'm gonna die," muttered Alvin, rubbing his face.
"Dat nothin'," replied Vangie gleefully. "'Tiene gotta big picture of Jessic..." A large hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her thought.
She growled and tugged at it, but then paused and squinted at her best friend's hand, which sported a simply carved ring of bald cypress wood. "Mmph! Mmm! Mmm! Mmm!" she exclaimed, wriggling with eyes gone wide.
"You wan' say sometin'?" Ettiene gave her a stern look.
She said something extremely rude in field sign, then pointed at the other woman's hand and squawked when her brother let her loose. "When you get dat? You din' wait for me? You din' tell me!!"
Brilliant blue eyes sparkled as Jubilee shrugged. "Love didn't wait, Vange. Like, sorry?"
"You jus' met the guy, Jubes! What you t'inkin'??"
"Hey, Sweetheart, you wanna go try out your new radar?" Alvin closed the laptop and snagged Star as he got to his feet, suddenly feeling the need to get out of the cabin as quickly as possible.
"Sure, Vader," she said uncertainly, flicking her ears between the two women before she turned and followed him through the door.
"'Ow long he been here? T'ree days? Four? 'Ow can you be engaged?" Vangie was practically shouting now.
"I've been around enough to know a good guy when I see one." Jubilee stood and stepped forward till she was nearly toe to toe with her friend.
"OH! Der's a good reason!" Sarcasm dripped like venom from the cajun woman's lips and Jubilee pulled back, wrapping her arms around herself.
"I love him," came the pained whisper. "Something about his heart calls to me and I know it's right. And you, like, can't change that."
Vangie blinked at the shimmering blue eyes and realized the truth that shone there. "Ahh, sha, I so sorry. It jus' seem like too fas', but den, dis be de swamp and t'ings move at dey own pace here." She held her arms open in apology.
Jubilee sighed and grabbed her friend in a crushing glomp, then giggled and started talking a mile a minute, waving her hands for emphasis as Vangie listened intently.
Ettiene stood and watched, face impassive. Yes, it was his friend, his sister and his sister's friend and this was messy, but it had to play out, like much of life. When it was over he stepped outside to let Alvin and Dove know that the dust was settled.
"Lookit that," said the Tennesian quietly as he came onto the porch.
The two men watched the white child wander over the grounds, stooping to touch something occasionally but mainly just walking with more confidence.
"Ain' dat sometin', bro," the big marine breathed.
Alvin grinned and rubbed Star's back, then chuckled as Dove turned eagerly toward them.
"Uncle Ettiene, vill you vatch me fly?" she called hopefully. "Can I fly now, Vader?"
"You up to playin' wing coach?" asked Alvin.
"Let's do dis, Ange." Ettiene gave his pants a hitch and headed down the steps.
Alvin watched for a few minutes, absently wondering why his ears were ringing, then realized that his cargo pocket was buzzing and took out his phone. "What?" He scowled, then blinked and looked at the screen. "He's bringin' Logan here in three days? Oi, I gotta convince Jubes ta quit sleepin' with me."
Collette scowled as Henri picked at the roasting pig. "Stop dat, you. De be none lef' if y' keep takin' it."
The giant man gave his wife a look and she smiled at him in return. "I know. Der be extra in de odder side. But don' tell 'Tienne or he come pick too."
"Don' tell me what, sha? Dat shore do smell good."
The Creole girl rolled her eyes as Henri took a swipe at his brother's hat and instigated a tussle. Shaking her head, she took stock of the pork, then stirred the pot of crawdads that bubbled merrily away next to it. A glance over the top of the pit took in Alvin hacking away at his computer, one of the rare times she'd seen him alone. As she watched the brown haired man scratched his head absently before wiping his brow.
Collette frowned. It wasn't that warm out, just a bit humid. Then she noticed him shifting his foot and flexing his toes painfully.
"What you do, boy? What you do?" she murmured to herself.
"Can I help you, Tante Collette?" Dove hunkered down and reached into the pot.
She turned back to look at the girl and gave a little shriek of surprise. "Chil', what y' doin'?"
Dove bit off the crawfish's head and chewed, perking her ears. "Eating. I really like these bugs." She reached for a second one, ears flicking as Collette called for Alvin.
"Fire doesn't bother her. It's okay." He didn't even look up and the small woman frowned as she watched his eyes blink slowly.
"Here, sha, stir de pot." She handed the stick to Dove, then wiped her hands on the butt of her jeans and walked over to put a hand to the brown haired man's forehead.
He started and leaned back to frown at her. "What?"
"How y' feel, bro?"
Alvin ignored her and finished reading the email.
A slight smack to the side of his head caught his attention. "I said how y' feel, bro?"
He frowned again and tried to think. "I'm alright." He blinked and looked down, then all around. "Where'd I leave Buddy?"
"He be wid' Vange 'n Jubes. He okay. You' not okay. When did you foot start hurtin?"
"My foot..." Alvin looked down again and poked it, then winced. "Yeah, it does. Alvin, ya goober, how did ya not notice that?"
"How ya not notice dat? How ya not notice? Boy, y' be burnin' up." She let her fingers drift to a spot behind his ear. "Um-hm... Henri!" She stood and watched her husband pin his brother before rising and responding to her call.
"Now wait, I'm okay. Just a little tired is all..." started Alvin, then winced as Jubilee darted over and knelt next to him. "I'm okay."
"You sure?" His fiancée put her hand to his forehead and scowled. "No you're not!"
"I'm fine! I'm just sunburned is all. Now, lemme up and I'll go..." He bit off a yelp as she bumped his right foot, then leaned on his hand for a moment as his head pounded. "Really sunburned..."
Jubilee pulled the laptop away from him and closed all the programs without a second glance. He tried to stop her but his vision started to swim. "I think... I ought to lay down... somewhere."
"Breaker?" Ettiene hunkered next to him.
"One 'a ya big lumps get 'im in de house," commanded Collette. "Jubee, quit'cher cussin', dat ain' gonna help none."
"Vader?" called Dove anxiously from where she faithfully held her post by the fire.
Henri gently pushed Jubilee aside and hoisted Alvin into his arms, ignoring the brown haired man's flush and muttering of embarrassment. Face set with concern, he carried him carefully into the cabin and lay him gently on the lower bunk, then turned to his wife.
next