He couldn’t sleep the rest of the night. He didn’t return to Aslatiel, but kept watch over the camp from the peak of the falls. His mind raced through the evening hours, scenarios, paths, solutions unexplored. Thinking too much about what he should have done left him feeling deeply depressed, and when he looked to the future anxiety shook his very limbs. It was a long dark night, and relief did not come with the dawn. Songbirds still remained here and their voices filled the air as the sun began to creep towards the horizon. Indigo blinked back his tired eyes and lifted himself to his feet. Haze filled the air and the little meadow they settled in was a basin of fog. A heavy sigh fell from his lips as he picked his way down to the camp, his mind and heart heavy. He picked up a bit of breakfast for Asla and made his way to where she had been sleeping. He didn’t know what to think anymore, he couldn’t predict Aslatiel, not that he thought he could to begin with but he hadn’t expected the meeting to go so poorly. Maybe he was just too naïve. Indigo parted the mist and quietly returned to Aslatiel’s side, placing the haunch within reaching distance and lowering himself to the yellowing grass. She deserved to know what was going on, but he wondered if she even wanted to know. He’d thought too much during the night, but he tried to suppress his errant thoughts. He had to deal with the present moment, that was giving Aslatiel an enjoyable vacation. "Asla" -- "Indy"

An enjoyable vacation was out of the question. Aslatiel felt tension and anger still left over from meeting Indigo's band. That purple bitch had dared to touch Indigo in front of her before sulking like a child. It was clear that she was the submissive type while Asla was nothing but dominant. Was that why Indigo liked the woman? Because she was a weak little flower that he could take care of? These and other similar thoughts kept Aslatiel from sleeping deeply, so when Indigo stirred and left her side, oh... she knew.

The anger that had burned within the Reaper flared to life and she was tempted to follow Indigo to find out what was so fucking important, but she stopped herself from doing so. No matter how much of a soft hearted dolt her brother was, she still loved him. Because he loved him, she would try really, really hard to keep herself from reducing his band to a pile of blood and viscera.

She stayed awake the whole night, the miasma of emotions within her not allowing her to sleep. It was only when morning came that he returned to her side. He'd been away all night and she was truly hurt by this. Thankfully, the hurt was out shadowed by anger. Indigo curled up beside her like he'd never been gone and Aslatiel scoffed, her nose wrinkling. The small fae pulled away from him, standing to stalk off and pace a bit. Fire burned in Aslatiel's glittering purple eyes and the scowl on her face wrinkled the scars upon her. "We're finally able to be together without hiding anything and you leave me for the entire night to what? Go off with one of your band mates?" She made no attempt to hide the fury in her voice as she spoke. "Was it the woman that touched you?" He didn't smell like he'd fucked anyone, so what then would be so important that he would leave her side on their very first night together? What was more important than she was?

"Aslatiel Fatalis"

He barely lowered himself to the earth a pace or two away from the sleeping roll and Aslatiel was on her feet, turning on his with a scoff as she created more distance between their bodies. Indigo was exhausted, he’d never gone this long without sleep before and the intense emotions of the last twenty-four hour took their toll on him. He was truly nearing the end of is rope, and yet he remained stoic and expressionless as the one e loved scowled at him. This was far from the beautiful nights they shared together before. There couldn’t have been a bigger gap and he didn’t even know how to begin to fix this sudden rift. He hadn’t even seen it appear or start to grow. He was blind, but he was realizing left and right he had been far too careless. Aslatiel was furious when she spoke. Indigo’s red marked ears lowered to his skull as she questioned him, looking like she had gotten nearly as much sleep as he had. Had she been waiting up for him the whole time? He’d been with Duchess for less than a half hour and the rest of the night had been spent alone with his own thoughts as he tried to accept everything going on. "I’m sorry, I meant to come back." He explained softly while he tried to arrange his words, he was numb. "I didn’t want to disturb you, I couldn’t sleep after..." He couldn’t accept Aslatiel’s anger and he struggled with what he’d learned. Again he struggled with telling her, she obviously had taken the most offense to Duchess, perhaps it was with good reason. He couldn’t forget the way she reacted to his question. He pressed his lips together as the thought swirled in his mind. A heavy sigh left his dark lips. "I’m going to be a dad." "Asla" -- "Indy"

It was obvious that he was exhausted and that something was bothering him, but at the moment, she didn't care. He had been the one to ask her to come here. Asla wasn't even entirely mad at Indigo. She was mad at everything. She was pissed that she had taken so much responsibility onto her own shoulders while her brothers, Indigo included, went off to gallivant and frolic around the world. She had taken care of the Armada while her father had lost his shit. She had worked with Sirius when his night terrors returned. She ran the pack and made sure that everyone was safe and fed while her father and brother's were gone. They all left... but she had stayed.

Back and forth Aslatiel paced, the white blaze at the back of her neck bristling as a growl pulled from her. She couldn't even voice her anger yet. It was still too fresh, too hot. And if she wasn't mad before...

Indigo's words met tall grey ears and Aslatiel's vision began to get spotty. He was going to be a father? "What a fucking JOKE," she growled. It didn't matter that she'd produced her own children. She'd done so to take care of her duty as a member of the Fatalis family within the Armada. This... Ugh. Indigo didn't need to have children. If he had them, it was because he wanted them. That... was something that the cream and grey fury couldn't forgive.

It was clear by the expression on his face that he wasn't thrilled about being a father either. Had the purple whore tricked him? If so, it was only a little. He was the one that had filled her up enough to make those puppies. She couldn't rightly be upset with him over that either, but dammit, she was. "Do you want me to kill her? I'll rip her womb out of her body right fucking now." It was no jest. Aslatiel Fatalis meant every. Single. Word. And Indigo should know it.

"Aslatiel Fatalis"

Indigo had been absent from the Armada for a long time, he’d never really found his place there and never truly fit. Leaving had been one of the best decisions for his growth and he wouldn’t regret the fact. His parents hadn’t chosen him as heir so he had never pursued his path in the Armada, he couldn’t have Aslatiel and living beside her would have been too much to bear. His band was everything he’d never realized he wanted, an alternative to his once predetermined life. Aslatiel erupted. Indigo wasn’t sure he had ever seen her so angry before. He didn’t know if it was because of his news, his distance, or something else but he took it, he took her emotions. She was irate and he didn’t even fully know why. Ears pressed to his skull Indigo had barely moved as she paced in front of him, her irritation and fury palpable in every step she took. Her voice wasn’t a whisper like his had been. No one stirred, but the goats were all awake now, bleating softly. They weren’t loud enough to mute Aslatiel’s next words either. They hurt most of all. Tore at his heart as she offered to kill Duchess and take her womb. Indigo was far from prepared to be a father, this wasn’t the right time for him or the band but he wouldn’t have ever contemplated ending those little lives. He told Duchess they would raise them and he meant that. What was hard to get past was acknowledging Duchess had done this on purpose, knowing he wasn’t ready. "Aslatiel, those are my children." He whispered, stunned to hear the words from her lips. He wanted so badly for Arcturus to be his, but that wasn’t possible. He loved her two puppies, he could only imagine the deep emotions he would develop with his own. He was hurt and disappointed but he did want them, no matter their mother’s faults. "Asla" -- "Indy"

The shock and horror on his face as she made her offer didn't matter. "If you wanted them, you'd be happy about it." He didn't want them, but was too much of an emotional coward to do do anything about it. No one ever had the balls to do the unsavory things. But she did. If he wanted them dead... if he wanted no trace of the woman or the children within her, he had only to say the word and Aslatiel would handle it. That was how much she loved him. She would lie, cheat, steal, murder... Aslatiel would bring the world to its knees. All for him.

"I can't do this, Indigo." The fury was getting muddled and mixed that that deep sorrow that had plagued her all these months. Asla's voice caught as she continued to pace. If she stopped, she would dissolve. "I hate that woman and I hate the children that she has inside of her." Tears filled her eyes as she circled once more. "I hate anyone that touches you. I want them all to rot and burn and die." She wasn't a pure, selfless, loving creature like he was. Not by a long shot. Aslatiel was fueled with rage and spite and hatred. Children, whether they were his blood or not, weren't spared those feelings.

"I hate that I love you so much..."Anger, sorrow, anger, sorrow. They ebbed and flowed like the tide. One stood at the forefront, then the next. There was never a balance. She finally stopped her pacing and stared at the massive, gorgeous purple beast before her. She wanted him to see this. Wanted him to see the pain that she'd been living through. "I love you so much, Indigo... but I also hate you." Aslatiel was stabbed in the guts as she spoke the words aloud. "I hate that you escaped to traipse about the world with no cares while I was left behind to shoulder the burdens of our family. I hate that you made a new family without me in it and I hate that you're okay with that." Indigo built his band of lovers and friends. He built his family and there was a smile on his face the whole time. He was happy here with them and it hurt... because she was the exact opposite.

Her words were the softest that they'd been during this entire ordeal when she finally spoke again. "I hope they make you happy enough, Indigo. From now on, just stay the fuck away from me. All of you god damn Fatalis bastards can just stay the fuck away from me." Without another look or a backward glance, she was gone. It was funny that she'd almost died here once, trapped beneath the ice of winter. Funny... because now she died here a second time, and Indigo had helped her pull the trigger.

"Aslatiel Fatalis"

If you wanted them then you would be happy. He averted his gaze, guilty about his trepidation. He wasn’t ready, this was not the right time and he struggled with his words with Duchess, but he’d never admit to himself that he did not want these babies. He’d figure something out, he always did, but right now he was struggling and what he needed and wanted the most was his sister to comfort and guide him like she always had. He’d always looked to her for guidance, she helped suggest he move to the Hallows she had helped suggest he find his mask, and he’d followed that guidance as best he could. He made his own path, and now… Soft sapphire eyes lifted to Aslatiel as she spoke again, vitriol on her lips as she told him exactly how she felt. There was no cushioning and she gave it to him raw and fiery. Just like she had always been, but Indigo never thought he would ever be on the receiving end of her rage. He could barely accept what she said. She hated his band, hated his children and as she went on revealed that she hated him as well. "I love you so much, Indigo... but I also hate you." Indigo’s whole world stopped in that moment. Aslatiel pulled his heart into the open, out of her safe grasp and into the light of day. He watched as she meticulously butchered the organ he had been certain was secure and guarded given to the one that he loved. The one he wasn’t allowed to love and the only one that could hurt him like she was doing right now. He was thankful for the feeling of numbness that had taken him earlier because he would have broken completely if he allowed himself to feel the true bite of her sword. Suddenly he couldn’t breath, he wanted to cry out and scream and protest what he saw, but she was the executioner and with one swift blow his heart was destroyed. She hated him and everything he had built for himself. "Aslatiel..." Her voice quieted, she paused and looked up at him, rage and sorrow burning in her endless galactic gaze as she put in the final nail. Stay away, stay the fuck away. Without another word she turned away from him and ran. "Please, don’t… Please no." Tears streamed down his eyes, she was long gone but he pushed himself to his paws. He couldn’t take this, it couldn’t be real. The pain that began to blossom in his chest was far too real. It hurt too much. He started to run after her, eyes filled with exhausted tears as he tried to push himself. He needed Aslatiel, he couldn’t go on without her. I hate you. Her words repeated in his head as he ran after her. He knew he wouldn’t catch her but he had to do something. Onwards he went, pushing through the foliage, his massive form moved slowly through the forest but he pushed onward until he couldn’t anymore. The sun was high in the sky as his limbs gave out, he’d been trying to catch Aslatiel but also run from the pain that swiftly caught him. He cried out and fell to the leaf littered ground. He thought he was broken before, but nothing compared to this. He lost her, she was gone. He was weak and couldn’t lift himself despite everything his body was telling him to keep going, to do something. He had responsibilities to return to, he had a life to sustain, but he couldn’t do anything but curl up in those woods and let the sorrow and grief wash over him, it took him over, it drowned him. "Asla" -- "Indy"

Keen ears heard almost every word. No doubt the entire band had heard Indigo's sister as she ripped into him. Gypsy winced and sank against Bertha, feeling the painful words hit her like a bite to the face. The words weren't even directed at her and she could feel the pain that they would inflict. Those words... they had been meant to hurt. She knew they would hit their mark on the kind, purple man.

Once things quieted a bit, Gypsy roused Bertha and had the sheep lead her to where Indigo lay sobbing on the ground. The tiny purple fae urged the sheep to head back to the herd. "I'll be okay, I promise," she whispered to the surprisingly motherly sheep. A little more urging and a few more promises sent the four horned ungulate on her way, though Gypsy could feel the goats gaze burning into her lavender back.

Carefully, Gypsy made her way to Indigo's side, drawn by the scent of his heated body and the sounds of his cries. Gently, as though he was the tiny, fragile one, Gypsy lowered herself to the ground in front of him and wrapped her small arms around his neck. The woman's little pink nose touched between his ears before she slid her head overtop his, holding him close and letting him feel everything that he needed to feel. She was here for him, free of judgement. Anything that he needed, she would be for him. She owed him that for all that he'd done for her.

Soft murmurs left Gypsy as she gently stroked the tears from Indigo's damp cheeks. The woman's tongue pulled through the fur atop his head as she sought to give him as much comfort as possible. "I'm here, Indigo. I'm here." She assured him in her soft, sweet tones. She was here, and she wouldn't leave him. Not like this.

"Gypsy"

**Gypsy's past is full of some extreme abuse. Be warned.**

Indigo may enter any of Gypsy's threads as he sees fit.

Nothing. There was nothing and everything meant nothing anymore. Exhaustion, sorrow, and shock combined to a blessed numbness as he internally tried to protect himself. Tears fell freely down his cheek, and his ble gaze wasn’t really watching the place she disappeared. There was nothing. Nothing was worth this pain, the pain he was avoiding. His mind put him in reverse, trying desperately to forget what had just happened. Pretend like it didn’t exist, that life was fine and moving forward like it always had. He counted every day to the next time he saw Aslatiel and now.

His chest burned at the thought that consumed him. There was no more Aslatiel. He cried out again, like waves crashing against him the ocean of sorrow beat against the numbing shield that surrounded him. He couldn’t get up, he could go one, he could barely think as her words played over and over in his mind, teasing and torturing. He wished for the unfeeling to return, this was too much.

When he thought the moment where he would combust and turn to ash had come he felt tiny paws hold to his neck. Gypsy’s tiny form curled around him protectively. She couldn’t keep him from physical harm but she made certain he knew she would help him bear the emotional weight on his shoulders. She no doubt heard every word spoken, and understanding was her gift. Aslatiel was gone, but Gypsy offered her full support of him. She dried his tears and held him tight. Her rhythmic grooming allowed him an anchor against the waves that crashed against his conscious. He would have had his belly ripped open ten times over the feeling of despair that settled over him now.

A soft whine left his lips, followed by more tears, quiet sobs that wracked his body. His head was pounding, his heart was shattered, and his body was exhausted. But he had Gypsy, she held him together there in the forest. Held his sanity and his spirit together as he suffered through his worst nightmare come true.

Tiny paws continued to touch and stroke. It was the only way that Gypsy could try to put a bandage on the situation. She hoped that her comforts would reign Indigo back enough that he could land on the other side of his grief. From what she'd heard and from what she could piece together, Gypsy imagined that Duchess was pregnant. Though Gypsy and Indigo were not sleeping together in that sense, it was common knowledge that he wasn't ready for children and had expressed that to the band. Birth control had either failed or Duchess had deliberately gone against Indigo's wishes. Either way, that admission had served to ignite a fire that Indigo's sister had had ready and waiting.

Again and again Gypsy peppered little licks and kisses upon Indigo's head, but she eventually settled with placing her cheek against his forehead. She wouldn't tell him that everything would be okay, but she would tell him that she was her for him. "I'm here, Indigo." The tiny woman gave him a gentle squeeze. He wasn't alone. Unless he chose to be, Indigo would never be alone.

"When you're ready..." she spoke softly. The plum and snow fae's ears were open and readily available to Indigo when and if he wanted to talk. For now, she would continue to take all of the intense feeling and emotion that he couldn't contain. She would feel everything with him.

"Gypsy"

**Gypsy's past is full of some extreme abuse. Be warned.**

Indigo may enter any of Gypsy's threads as he sees fit.

He didn’t know what would happen if Gypsy hadn’t found him. Maybe he would have perished right there, unable to find his will to get up or go on after watching Aslatiel turn her back on him. Gypsy held to him tightly, peppering his head and ears with sweet little kisses as she tried so hard to soothe his shaking sobs and pick up the shattered pieces of his heart. She lay her cheek against his forehead and squeezed him as he cried, unable to do anything but hold him as his body was rocked by the waves. She spoke to him softly and supportively. There were no words of assured resolution, but she was here. That’s all that mattered, she had come to him in the middle of nowhere to comfort him. Like she knew what he needed all along.

”Gypsy,” his voice was raw from the emotion within, but there was a hint of relief through the sorrow. He didn’t have to face this alone. She was here just for him. He squeezed his eyes shut and shifted himself so his massive arms were wrapped around her hips and he held her tighter. She might not know what she really meant to him but this moment cemented her place in his life, his anchor when he was nearly swept out to sea. ”What if I’m never ready?” He didn’t want to say it. He didn’t want to admit his loss because that would make it real, that would mean he had to live his life without Aslatiel in it.

Indigo wrapped his strong forearms around her small frame and Gypsy almost gasped in surprise and panic, but stopped herself. He didn't need to feel worse than he already did just because she couldn't get it together. Gypsy knew that Indigo would never hurt her. He'd proved his patience and his kindness. Her reactions to physical contact were just reflex. She'd been doing so much better around him. Maybe not around the others, but definitely around Indigo.

Her name came out on a rough sob and the dainty fae gave him another squeeze. His question brought mismatched ears tucking back against her skull. The pain in him was so thick... so raw... Gypsy slid her cheek along the top of his head once more. "I'll be here with you until you are." She promised him in her quiet tones. "I heard what happened," she gave another gentle squeeze. "Her words were meant to hurt you." Gypsy could still hear the growling screams of the banshee that was Indigo's sister. "From an outside perspective, she sounded very hurt too, she just didn't say it." Gypsy had noted the sheer anger of Aslatiel's words and the tone she used. It seemed like a mask. Like anger had been easier to share than pain and vulnerability.

"I hope your sister will calm down and, in time, realize her mistake." Again, Gypsy kissed the brow of the giant man. "Until then, I'm here, Segin is here, Emersyn is here..." Duchess was an entirely different issue. If he wished to talk about that, then they could, but she didn't want to mention the woman's name at the moment, lest it bring up another wave of emotion. "We all love you, Indigo" This, she knew. Each of them, in their own way, loved the man. Gypsy knew that, in his own way, he loved them too.

"Gypsy"

**Gypsy's past is full of some extreme abuse. Be warned.**

Indigo may enter any of Gypsy's threads as he sees fit.

He felt her stiffen only slightly as he wrapped his arms around her and in return felt her squeeze hold more tightly to him. She didn’t show affection, he knew her past caused her to react to physical touch, but she really had changed and softened to him over the time they were together. She held him tighter and reassured him quietly, letting him know she would be here for as long as he needed. Still, Gypsy went on, she had heard what happened, she heard the words flung between them. What Aslatiel said was meant to rip and tear at him, to hurt him as much as she was hurting in kind. That was why he was cut down so low, he couldn’t imagine trying to hurt her intentionally. Never would he have done anything on purpose, but she wanted him to feel this.

Gypsy tried to give him hope that Aslatiel would realize walking away was the wrong decision, and it was the only hope he had so he would cling to it like he held to Gypsy. She kissed his brow, the most precious kisses just for him as she tried to soothe the ache in him. He had her, Segin, Emersyn… She didn’t say Duch’s name. Conflict continued to fill him with regards to the mottled woman and what would happen next. He was too caught up in the painful pit that was his chest.

We all love you, Indigo. He leaned his head against her, in the soft white and purple fur against his face. ”I love you, Gypsy.”Though he had never spoken them aloud he admitted quietly now as he clung to her there in the woods. He felt broken and shattered yet here she was, holding him together. The tiny woman keeping him afloat all on her own. It felt like it would take a lifetime to recover from the pain he felt, and yet Gypsy still remained, her tiny arms wrapped around him.

They held one another while the pain ravaged him. His sister had done a number on him and Gypsy had a feeling that the woman was already regretting her words. If she wasn't regretting them, then she was an idiot and wasn't deserving of Indigo's love. The way that she had spoken and the word that she chose... It was like Gypsy knew that Aslatiel was also in pain. The woman wasn't her concern though. Indigo definitely was.

Indigo returned the sentiment, much to her surprise. She didn't think he'd be able to say it aloud. Not when his love had just taken a chunk out of his heart. The woman squeezed him lightly and kissed him right between the eyes. "I know." She would stay here with him for as long as he needed. Only when he was able to get to his paws and chose to leave her side would she leave his. "You aren't alone," she reminded him. "You'll never be alone." Gypsy would always be here for him. He had saved her life and so it belonged to him.

"Gypsy"

**Gypsy's past is full of some extreme abuse. Be warned.**

Indigo may enter any of Gypsy's threads as he sees fit.

Because his heart had just been ripped apart Indigo was able to confess what he felt for Gypsy. The emotion didn’t feel real anymore, not with Aslatiel gone. So as close as he could let himself get to love, that was how he felt for the sweet white marked woman. He never had to say it, she knew and had known all along. Aslatiel was the one who had his heart, but he cared deeply for these wolves he brought together and Gypsy held a special place in his life. She squeezed his neck with her slender arms and kissed his brow before she reminded him that he wasn’t alone, that she was always going to be there beside him. She wouldn’t leave, she wouldn’t put on a mask. Gypsy wouldn’t break his heart.

Indigo buried his features into the soft fur of her chest while he held her tight. He exhaled softly and tried to relax, tried to embrace that sweet numbness that held him before. The tiny girl that held him in return offered all of her comfort, every affection she had. She changed for him, because of him. He’d saved her and now their destiny was intertwined. Defeated he sobbed softly into her fur, hiding nothing from her. She asked to see everything and he didn’t hold his emotions back from her. He knew showing her now in the raw aftermath he would be able to collect and compose himself sooner. For now he would mourne what he lost and cling to Gypsy for his life.