"C'mon, c'mon... if you're not coming down, then at least scoot over."
The words were soft, a gentle request to the bundle up quilt hiding in the branches of the wisteria tree, obscured by the yellowing leaves and falling blooms, purple giving way to brown as they danced one last farewell towards the earth below. Crumpled petals fell to rest with bits of crumpled paper, once mighty cranes felled by tear-stained hands.
There was no response from the bundle of blankets, other than a half-hearted lashing of her tail, the spade-ended limb's movement agitated and jerky. Either she hadn't heard, or more likely, she was trying to ignore the blonde below her.
A soft sigh, and Teagan found herself moving to climb up into the branches, careful not to slip as she made her way onto the branch. "...What happened to your birds?" Her voice was soft, gentle; she didn't want to pry to hard at emotions that were clearly so raw. Emotions she knew the younger felt so much stronger than any of them did. "You were so excited to make them last time I visited..."
"It was dumb." The words were mumbled, muffled by quilt, the child's eyes glaring at the ground below them. "Gods don't care about monsters, why would some stupid crane? Or anyone else?" The sound of tearing could be heard, and another crane of purple and gold fluttered into pieces down to the ground. "Wishes are stupid. The whole thing was stupid. And I was stupid-"
"You aren't stupid." Teagan's words cut in quickly, trying to stem the spiral before it could start. "And who cares about some invisible people in the sky? You have so many people around you that love you, and-"
"And? How many of them have said they'll kill me the minute I'm a threat?" The sorrow flared into anger, quicker than a blink as the child's head whipped around to glare at her sister. "How many of them only see me as an 'academic anomaly'? Something to take notes on? How many of my aunties and uncles will turn on me the minute I'm not tiny and cute? And that could be any day now! What if Mama wakes up and realizes I'm not worth the threat to her? Or realizes that me existing puts the twins at risk too? What am I going to then? Or when you finally stop being so stupid and realize I'm a monster; you'll leave then too just like the others. Everyone always does! I don't... I don't...." As quickly as it had swelled, the anger flowed out, leaving nothing but tears staining her cheeks, the ashy-black a stark contrast to pallor of her skin.
"Shhh, shhh, hey now...." A sleeve was raised to gently wipe the tears away. "You know that isn't all true. There are people who love you, genuinely love you. You mother isn't going to leave you for the world, you know that. She loves you so much. And I'm never going to leave you either. I promise. And if anyone tries to hurt you, they'll have to go through me. I'll protect you. That's what sisters are for, yeah?" She couldn't tell her people wouldn't hurt her, and she couldn't argue those who saw her as nothing but a study subject, but she could focus on what she -did- know. What she could prove.
"But what if they're Mama's friends? Or yours?" She didn't know too much about her older sisters friends, other than they were some sort of adventuring group. And....adventurer's killed monsters. That was their job. She knew this, she wasn't dumb. "And you're not even my sister, I was just a dumb kid..."
"You aren't dumb." Again, she cut in. "I'm not going to let anyone talk badly about my sister, including my sister... And I'm not your sister by blood, true." She could feel the weight of those golden eyes on her, hear the hiccups of sobs trying to bubble up. She turned to her sister, summoning her strength to lay a hand on her head. "You're my sister by choice. And I'll choose you, again and again and a thousand times again. I'll choose you over her friends, and I'll choose you over my own. I will choose you, Theya. You're my sister, and nothing is going to change that. I will always be there for you. To protect you, and guide you, and advocate for you when no other will. I promise."
I promise. Strong words, powerful words, borderline a vow, borderline a pact with the tiny voidsent, but words spoken so freely. So easily. So genuinely. There wasn't a doubt in Teagan's mind that she'd face the world if she had to to protect the little girl huddled in the wisteria tree.
"I'll choose you." She reiterated again, her hand slipping down to the girl's back as the little one began to shake and sniffle. "Please don't cry... you're not alone, alright? I'm here. Your mother is here, and 'Raha is here... there are so many people here who love you, Theya." It was hard to maintain the contact, her own hand trembling, but she had to push through, ignore the voice inside her screaming that she'd be in trouble. Some things were -worth- the trouble.
"I know it's scary...not knowing when you're going to wake up as someone new. But you aren't alone. All of us will be right here to help you, no matter how much you grow. I'll be here to have your back, promise?" And then there was weight, the blanket-wrapped child flopping into her; a bundled mess of tears and hiccups and little hands clinging to the cloth of her dress. Teagan's own breath hitched as she had to choke back the initial panic the sudden contact brought her. Choke it back, focus....remember that you are here, and not there. Now, not then.... you're safe. You have to be safe, to keep her safe.
"It's....i-it's going to be okay, Theya....please, don't cry...." Her words stammered and faltered, but she was fighting, fighting so hard to keep them even. To be strong. She had to be. There was no other choice. Because in the end, over her own discomfort, she chose her.