Never thought I'd find you here

Kichi explained that he was going to go visit his parents' graves, pay his respects, let them know that he was all right and surviving. Alastor wished he could empathize with the young wolf in that regard, but it was hard for him to when he'd killed one half of his parents and been abandoned by the other. The only thing he ever wished for his parents was that he had the chance to kill them twice. Perhaps that was what drove him to be such a protective father figure—his own shit upbringing. A terse nod was all Alastor could give; it had been too much to hope that Kichi would want him to remain in his life after the revelations he'd laid bare. It hurt, but he'd heal. He always did somehow...

But Kichi didn't finish speaking there. The gray wolf hesitated, considering his words. This wasn't like him, and it brought Al's attention back to the lad. Kichi spoke cryptically, but the riddles were thinly veiled, and it didn't take long for Alastor to catch on to what the young man was implying. He wanted to come stay with Alastor. Alastor, who wasn't one for emotions, found himself actually choking up the longer Kichi praised him. His efforts to care for him as a boy, to raise him and build a life for them, they hadn't gone unnoticed. Maybe by Lurid they had, but not by Kichi. What finally broke Alastor down was when Kichi tanked him—truly, genuinely thanked him. A simple notion, but one that held more impact to the dire wolf than Kichi would ever know. All his life he'd served Lurid and her family, and never once had they thanked him for anything. He'd been beaten, chastised, scolded, spoken down to. But never thanked.

There was no hesitation in Alastor. He moved forward to throw a strong foreleg around Kichi's shoulders again, sparing the boy the affectionate nuzzles he wanted to cover him with in favor of not embarrassing him or hamming up the moment, but the affection was there all the same. He kept his head above Kichi's, lest the young brute see the tears springing up in those abyssal pools. "My home will forever be your home, Kichi," he replied in deep, resolute tones that rumbled from his chest. "You're my family. You're the little brother I never had." For Kichi, Alastor would always have room in his family. He knew Manea would give him no issue about bringing Kichi into their fold, nor would he have accepted any answer other than yes from her. Kichi was as much his as Avacyn and Saracyn were.

After a long moment, he released his surrogate brother, giving him a knowing smile and nod. "You go take care of what you need to. The band lives on Alias Island for the time being. When you're ready, make your way there. I'll be waiting to introduce you to my mate and welcome you home." He had some preparations to make; Kichi would need a den, bedding, all the essentials for living amongst the Elysium Band. Patting Kichi's shoulder, Alastor motioned with his head toward the northern forests where Kichi's parents had been laid to rest by their own murderer. "I'm so glad I found you again." A small, but genuine smile touched Alastor's lips. Not the smile of a madman, but the smile of a brother, or a father.


"Alastor"