#earthrunes

He shakes his head. "I'm not going to do that."

A gentle smile. "I can't see anyone confusing the two of you; you're very different."

"Well, yes, but if they've only met us once..." A shrug. "Still, if you think the story is the way to solve the confusion, then yes...let's figure out the story."

"You're cousins, my feelings for Julia... shifted, but you and I got to know each other better and...." He takes the hand with the ring and strokes that chimerical space gently.

"...and...things happened." She smiles at him and the touch.

"Yes." Soft.

"It got weird for a while, but we're all good friends now and.... you and I....."

"...have become better than friends, so..."

".... so I thought you should meet them." Carefully.

"...again. Without the slapping."

He grins. "Yes, please."

She murmurs, "I might even wear a bra this time."

"Aaahh...." Blink. "Yes. Please."

An amused look, and she teases, "Orrrrr...maybe I shouldn't? Perhaps I should let them know what they're getting in a daughter-in-law?"

He flushes even as his face breaks into an incandescent smile. "Well. We're a bit away from that yet, but.... Yes, I want them to know you."

She pauses to enjoy that smile. "Mmmm....as you wish, my love."

Then a curious look. "What will you do if they decide they despise me?"

"Beloved." With a silly grin. "They won't." Utterly confident.

"Well...good." She doesn't seem particularly concerned, either.

August looks down, then back to her with a frown. "Do you know... why? I was, ah, upset? At the Eagle Court party?"

"Well...not precisely. I remember you wouldn't look at me. And then I was upset, so I stopped wondering why you were upset."

He nods mutely.

"I couldn't look at you." He murmurs softly.

She quiets, waiting, listening.

He sighs, and makes himself explain. "Every time I looked at you, I... I wanted you. And it scared me and confused me and... I couldn't -do- that in front of the troop and my parents and.... "

".....and then I saw the guys were watching too and...."

"... that was worse."

"Oh, August...."

She carefully reaches to touch his cheek. "That was...so early for us."

He nods, still not looking. "Anyway, I feel bad about it then. And I still do. I'm sorry."

"I wanted to kill them."

A bit of silence. "I'm sorry I got so angry about it. And for hitting you."

"You didn't know. You couldn't have."

"I didn't understand what it was...."

"I didn't either." Ruefully.

"You...wanted to kill them?" She looks concerned.

He nods, eyes still down. "For looking at you. Wanting you. And that scared me too."

"It's not like me."

"It's more like me." A bit of a grin.

He doesn't seem buoyed by humor.

"Oh, my love..." she brushes his hair back from his brow in a familiar gesture.

He dares a glance up.

Her expression is loving and supportive. "You have passions. You are learning about them still. Back then, they surprised you. Badly."

"I had passions back then...." Mumbled.

A surprised look. "You...don't now? I challenge that, Beloved."

((BRB))

That gets a sheepish chuckle out of him. "No, I have different passions now. But I had things I was passionate about then."

"Well...yes, true. I'm beginning to understand that. I didn't then."

He shrugs. "Why would you?"

She shakes her head. "I wouldn't. I couldn't."