#mar'reen

It breaks Mar'reen's heart to hear and feel her sweet little squidling whimpering and sobbing against her chest. He is trembling and shaking; his mind tight and tense and wailing in agony.

“You're so strong, my sweetheart”, Mar'reen coos and pulls him closer; cradling him safely against her body because there's nothing else she can do to soothe his pain. Her arms and tentacles embrace and blanket him and rub slow, calming circles over his back and head.

Vlassk is one of the more unusual illithids. A pair of delicate and very expressive frills circle around his head and – as Mar'reen had found out roughly a week ago – he apparently also had a set of tails. Which were currently in the process of regrowing after being brutally cut off by his former guardian.

Vlassk's life prior to meeting Mar'reen … hadn't been nice, to say the least. The tiny boy had been severely neglected and abused when she'd found him – abandoned and frightened and hurt.

He had lost his right eye to that life, but not his kindness nor happiness, even if the latter was a shy little thing that had to be carefully and patiently coaxed out.

Mar'reen didn't dare think about all the horrible things Vlassk had to endure during those dark, lonely times. She just couldn't imagine how someone could do something like that to a child – their child, presumably. Mar'reen prayed that she never found out who it was and met them, or else she would go on a rampage, consequences be damned.

Vlassk moves. His little body wriggles and shuffles closer and a tiny and awfully weak tentacle reaches and curls around one of hers. His grip is barely noticeable. Another lasting reminder of his past.

Mar'reen's face and mind soften as she returns the gentle touch. “I'm so sorry you have to go through this”, she whispers and leans down to carefully nuzzle the top of his head. His frills flutter and tickle her cheek. She smiles.

Vlassk doesn't answer, but she feels a shift in his mind. He tries to push the pain away and appear strong – for her. It makes Mar'reen both proud and sad and she softly presses her forehead against his.

“You're the bravest soul I know”, she praises and means it, because she can clearly feel in just how much agony her squidling is. His skin is parting and breaking; muscles staining and bones aching. And she can't even give him painkillers to make it easier for him.

Vlassk is almost entirely resistant to analgesics of any kind – thanks to his former guardian using them excessively on him to keep him calm and quiet whenever they weren't in the mood of taking care of him. Which – judging by his blood tests – had happened a lot.

Oh, if Mar'reen would ever meet them, she would- …

The tentacle holding onto hers gives a light but insistent tug and interrupts her thoughts.

“I'm sorry”, she instantly says with a fond but apologetic smile; her mind gently brushing and wrapping around Vlassk's. “You're right. They don't deserve to be thought about.”

Shifting, she adjusts both their positions; allowing Vlassk to comfortably lie down on her chest as she keeps rubbing his back and caresses his tired mind.

Day 1 - Almost

Eating breakfast with Larik quickly became a habit.

… and then lunch. And then dinner.

Both Coal and Omeluum insisted on his presence or they would refuse to east anything, no matter what Vlassk tried to convince them otherwise.

Omeluum would start to cry and Coal throw a tantrum, resulting in their brain slices ending up everywhere but their stomachs. And in the end, Vlassk had to give in. It was annoying at first, all of his muscles and limbs bristling and tense and his eye watching Larik very closely while in the vicinity of his kids but with time, things changed.

Larik wasn’t a threat. Neither to his kids nor him and soon enough, Vlassk found himself relaxed and calm whenever the much taller illithid entered the room. And was even looking forward to meeting him – not that he would ever admit that, though.

It was during one of their collaborative dinners, when it happened.

Vlassk was busy feeding Omeluum while shooting side glances at Larik – who was handling the much squirmier and stubborn Coal – now and then to make sure all was in order and going well.

His treacherous little heart fluttered at the sight of his child in Larik’s arms and how careful he was with him. His tentacles formed a solid sling that cradled Coal to his chest while one arm was securely wrapped around his small body for extra support and to keep him somewhat under control and from climbing up his shoulders and onto his head.

Coal grabbed for his face and giggled while Larik cooed and purred and carefully fed him.

Vlassk felt the tips of his tentacles tingling and his eyes growing soft and almost sighed. He was startled by that small sound trying to escape his throat and gave a quick shake of his head before brushing that odd feeling inside his chest aside and going back to feeding Omeluum.

The process of giving his twins their food was far easier and quicker with Larik’s assistance than when he had done it all on his own, and Vlassk couldn't help but be grateful for that. A little bit, at least.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t manage on his own but with Larik things certainly seemed easier. Especially since Mar’reen had their own things and duties to attend to and rarely had time for helping him with such mundane things nowadays.

Another thing that Vlassk would never admit out loud, but which was nevertheless true was that me missed Mar’reen and their attention. They had been the first person to show genuine care and concern and worry for him and it had been all too easy to get addicted to it. And now that they weren't solely responsible for his well being and that of his children anymore, they had other patients to tend to.

This time, Vlassk didn’t mind the sigh escaping him. It was a small, tired sound; like the gray haze clouding over his thoughts, but easily breached and brushed aside when Omeluum’s mind nudged at his own and the little squidling made an inquiring chirp and tilted its head in confusion.

Vlassk blinked, then chuckled and leaned down to nuzzle the small face. He sent a wave of reassuring fondness, inlaid with the mental message of “Everything is alright. No worries, my dear” to the small, still developing mind twining and mingling with his own and saw Omeluum’s face changing back to a relaxed state.

Its big, bright eyes softened and grew heavy with exhaustion as its tentacles wriggled and knotted into each other. Vlassk chuckled and purred at the cute display and felt a small hand grasping for his face but missing and settling for a tentacle instead.

Adorable, he thought with another controlled burst of affection and care as he pulled the little one tighter against his chest. And then, he felt a change in Coal’s and Larik’s minds.

Coal’s thoughts halted for a mere second before lighting up with an idea which sparked a rush of curious determination. Larik made a noise of surprise and then- …

“Ow!”

Vlassk winced when he felt a spike of pain from Larik and lifted his head off of Omeluum and turned to look what his little troublemaker of a son had done this time.

Larik’s eyes were squinted and his shoulders tense and still as he held onto Coal with one hand and a spoon with the other while said kid tightly held onto one of his tentacles and chewed on it.

Vlassk couldn’t help but snort. Coal really didn’t seem to grow out of that habit, no matter what they tried to tell him that – more often than not – it was rather dangerous to shove something into his mouth.

He mentally reached out for Larik’s mind and skimmed over the outer edges to asses the damage his son was doing and was relieved to find that it was barely more than a pesky nibble. Still, it was bad manners and downright rude to chew on someone else and Vlassk had to do something about it.

Rising from his seat, Vlassk moved closer to them and adjusted his hold on Omeluum to free one of his tentacles.

“Now, now”, he cooed at Coal as he patted his head with said tentacle and carefully reached for Larik’s trapped limb. “Uncle Larik may look tasty but he’s not here to be eaten, Coal.”

He felt a snicker from Coal and a jolt of surprise from Larik but paid neither much mind as he gently pried the tentacle out of Coal’s grasp and mouth. The little squidling resisted for a bit and tightened his little hands but Vlassk’s tentacle on his head slid down to his back and rubbed encouraging circles around his spine.

“Uncle Larik may refuse to eat with us again if he’s the one on the menu”, Vlassk tried again with words and that finally did it. He felt recognition and understanding from Coal and the barest hint of regret before his hands unfurled and let go of Larik’s tentacle and allowed it to slip out of his mouth.

Vlassk purred and gave him a few more head pats. “Such a good squidling”, he cooed and nudged his tiny mind with warm, proud approval which had Coal blinking and squirming and giggling.

When he lifted his head to make sure Larik was fine and to apologize for Coal’s behavior however, he was surprised by the blank, dreamy look in his eyes and the fuzzy state of his mind.

Vlassk blinked and slowly waved a tentacle in front of his face. “Larik?”, he tentatively asked, wondering if Coal accidentally had pierced skin and damaged some nerves. “Are you-”

He yelped when his tentacle suddenly – and without warning – was grabbed and held. Vlassk flinched and tried to recoil and get away but the hold on his limb was too firm to have it budge and slip free.

His breathing quickened and his heart pounded against his chest as his mind began to race and swirl and boil with emotions and resurfacing memories but before anything serious could happen, Larik’s hold on him loosened. It didn’t vanish completely but at least Vlassk didn’t feel trapped anymore and his anxiety began to calm down again.

He forced himself to breathe deep and evenly. This is fine, he reminded himself. He was free and safe and this wasn’t him. This was Larik, whom he had meet barely a month ago and who had so cheekily stolen his kinds hearts and now had the audacity to touch him without a warning or asking first!

Vlassk’s mind bristled and sizzled and he grimaced as his tentacles quivered angrily. He was about to slap and snap at Larik when he blinked and his eyes changed. Focus returned to them, along with something else – something, that had Vlassk’s breath hitching and his heart stuttering.

He was stunned by that peculiar look in his amber eyes and couldn’t find the strength in him to look away as the tentacle on his own softly caressed it and send a shiver down his spine. Something in the back of his mind tingled.

He watched with widening eyes and fluttering heart when Larik moved; leaned closer and tilted his head as if to rest it against Vlassk’s and a jolt of excited surprise raced through his veins and lit them ablaze.

Vlassk didn’t know what was happening but it felt important – special – and he didn’t dare to interrupt as Larik came closer. Inch by inch and at an agonizingly slow pace as if waiting for Vlassk to pull back and retreat.

He didn’t. He watched and waited and allowed whatever Larik was doing; his throat running dry and his mind tightening and tensing until it felt as if it was about to snap. And then …

… then the door flew open and Mar’reen entered the room and just as unexpected and sudden as that weird moment between Vlassk and Larik had started, it ended.

Both of them made a small noise and jumped apart. Vlassk felt his face heating and paling while he sensed a similar reaction from Larik's mind, mixed with guilt and a touch of sad regret.

Mar’reen’s thoughts however, were sharp and suspicious and smug as they asked: “Did I interrupt something?”