Take My Hand

[Tree]

Marina leaned into his touch, eyes turning towards him.

"I never was. Why did you think as much? "

This was nicer than she had even hoped for. She wanted to keep it as long as possible. She shifted a bit to wrap him in her blanket and tuck herself into his lap.

[Sushi]

Ryker chuckled and booped her.

"I suppose it doesn't matter. It'll be my problem when it happens, hmm?"

[Tree]

"It does though.... but. .... it can wait. "

Because she just didn't have it in her to push at him for that tidbit. She kissed the finger as it retreated from her nose, eyes turning up to his.

"I'm in love with you so hopelessly, daddy. I trust you and need you. "

She confessed directly, tucking her face into his neck now, arms moving from keeping her curled up to hold about him.

/ You're precious to me. /

[Sushi]

He lifted her up a bit.

"So does that mean you missed me? " he purred into her ear, voice rich as chocolate and sin.

[Tree]

Marina swallowed, trying to not choke on the very air.

" I always miss you, my love. My heart is sad without you. I need you in my world. .... you're part of what keeps me whole. "

Marina shifted to brush a couple kisses along his jawline, cuddling into his chest.

".... you still are in love me, too, aren't you? "

She asked, the insecurity and heartbroken fear pushing is way to the forefront.

[Sushi]

"Of course. I can tolerate a little meanness and still love you."

He nipped her ear.

"But only a little," he teased.

[Tree]

Marina smiled a little bit, looking up at him through her lashes.

"I don't need more than love, you know. .... "

Because she didn't want him to feel like Ryder once had where she wanted him only for pleasure. Or... or that she had to have the little things she mentioned dreaming of. The dreams should stay just that, but sometimes she got too comfortable or too optimistic and....

She pressed a small kiss to his neck, then just under his chin.

" I don't want you to think any other silly whims matter. "

Because even though love wasn't enough to others, she was going to make it be enough for her. It was something she didn't see any other way about.

"I just want to be loved and to see you happy and healthy. "

She shared, trying to not start crying. It still really, really sucked.

"... you don't seem fully like yourself, though. Are you still trying to settle? "

She asked timidly, genuinely afraid of upsetting or frustrating him. She didn't want him to just walk out or be cold towards her again.

[Sushi]

At the comment about whims, he bit her ear. It wasn't suggestive this time, done barely just hard enough to hurt like a flick to the forehead.

"Now you're being ridiculous," he added in chastisement.

He cooed at her to soften the effect as he listened to her talk some more.

"I'm fine, and I do love you."

[Tree]

Marina relaxed a tiny bit, sniffling a tiny bit as her fingers slowly curled into his shirt.

"My love..... ..... will you come back home to us soon, then? ... I miss feeling balanced at home. I love Ryder very, very much..... but it's not right without you. "

She shared tenderly.

[Sushi]

"I came last night, didn't i?"

His fingers kneaded into her back.

[Tree]

Marina nodded slowly.

"But .... I want you to be with us. .... not just a moment stolen before you're gone from me again.... I.... I will do whatever you want, but I want us back to us.... please? "

She begged, accepting that this was something she wanted bad enough to poise herself right on the edge of crushing disappointment and heartache. She was willing to let go of her wishes and needs that may exist for this one request.

"I just want your brother to have you back and home to feel right again. "

[Sushi]

Ryker knew she was being serious. Still...

"Anything I want?" He purred suggestively into her ear, pulling her closer.

[Tree]

Marina blushed a tiny bit. That was a tidbit more like her normal lover.

"Almost anything. "

She amended before he came up with some crazy idea of rolling down hills covered in body paint or something.

[Sushi]

"Ah, ah. No take backs."

Ryker was just teasing, though. There was no pressure behind his words, even if that slight intensity remained.

[Tree]

Marina shifted to take a few kisses, breathing him in as her fingers slowly curled into his shirt.

"I love you. .... and this isn't claimed by anyone anymore. But.... let's not stay here? Let's go home? Please? "

She wasn't worried about his intensity, or the slight miss balance. She just wanted to love him..... and maybe pet Fritz.

[Sushi]

"Fine, fine..."

He swept her up into his arms.

"But only because you asked so nicely."

[Tree]

Marina shifted and kissed him now, relief settling into her.

/ Thank you. /

"I love you, you're the best, daddy. "

She snuggled right in, face tucking into his neck as she held to him. Hopefully Ryder wouldn't be too surprised by their return?

[Sushi]

Ryder was in the middle of clipping his toenails when she showed up. He blinked a couple times behind the paper face mask, foot still perched on the edge of the little trashcan.

"Oh. Hi. I wasn't expecting you back so soon."

[Tree]

Marina snuggled and cuddled Ryker, nodding a bit as she looked up at her self care man.

" I just wanted to be home. "

She whispered, looking up through her lashes at Ryker, before continuing more privately to Ryder.

/ It threw me off too much him leaving like a call boy or something.... I... I'm sorry. I can't do that. I didn't know I would be back this quick, either. But.... here's where home is for us three. /

She reasoned tentatively, pressing tiny kisses to Ryker.

/ It felt safer than going to his house, too./

Which had been the other location she'd privately considered. For five seconds.

[Sushi]

Rider considered her for a long moment before just nodding and going back to grooming.

/ I'm glad you made it home/

[Tree]

Marina nodded slightly, resting into her lover.

/ Leaving the men who hold me up when I'm weak and grounded when I might blow away wasn't an option. ... I love you.... even if you do look adorably silly right this moment. /

She giggled to herself.

" I love you two. "

/.... I'm not suggesting we call or even ask.... just speculating.... do you think your mom would know what's off with him? He seems more like himself, but..../

She hadn't placed it just this moment, but it was certainly there. Just as surely as the brilliant glow coming from her palm was there. Marina had not yet seemed to notice it.... or maybe didn't care?

[Sushi]

/I don't know. You can try if you want./

He grinned at her.

"I would say that it takes work to look this good, but that would be a lie," he teased.



Ryder was tugging on her hand to look.

[Tree]

Marina looked from Ryker to Ryder, opening and extending her hand towards him as he wished. Curling about her palm in thin, metallic platinum ribbons a new card was forming two over from where a cheeky, delightful mage based Ryder was watching.

The edges were budding inward vines and leaves coiling together to weave into two delicate champagne glasses depicted lightly clinking together. A figure with a boyish, wicked grin appeared with a flourish. As the filigree and glasswork became his background and he seemed to be pushed into the foreground, script wove across in bold "Two of Cups" .

"What's up? Is your man doing something odd? "

Marina asked, watching Ryder's face to try to pick up on what was going on. The twin incubi looked to be rather delighted in her palm.

[Sushi]

((I don't understand what she's saying or to/ about whom))


((Oh wait. Autocorrect. Ryker was the one looking. ))


"See for yourself," Ryker suggested smoothly.

[Tree]

Marina looked between the incubi and then to get hands, eyes widening as she looked to Ryder.

/I have two now? /

She expressed with disbelief and bewilderment. It was weird the first time, it was twice as weird now. She shook her head a bit and kissed Ryker before slowly, tentatively crawling the small space from one brother to the other. She snuggled into Ryder, reaching to remove his face mask and gently rub the little bits of residual serum in.

" This one smells really nice. Fruity. Kind of peach like.... maybe with banana?"

She was so tempted to lick his cheek.

" Daddy, do you use these sorts of masks, too?"

Sure she was getting a bit of delight at them both smelling so delicious..... but really that was fairly harmless, yeah?

[Sushi]

"It read was labeled as 'tropical lychee'."

Ryder reached out to study her hand.

"You're growing a collection. "



Ryker laughed.

"No, I'm just naturally beautiful, " he heckled.

[Tree]

"I dunno about collection. But I certainly have a nice pair? "

She posed with a grin that grew as she spared a glance to Ryker.

" You are naturally stunning, I'll give you that. "

[Sushi]

"There are other blank ones. I wonder who goes in them. "



Ryker slid an arm around her.

"Birds of a feather..." he suggested smoothly.

[Tree]

"No idea.... but they're coming in after I interact with you guys.... "

She considered the blank spaces, mentally reaching to try to get Nikki's attention as she fought not to blush at Ryker's attentions.

"You're much too good at hitting on me. "

She clearly was enjoying it though as she turned to steal a kiss before shifting to tug Ryder to into her to get all the snuggles.

"I'm glad you're my pokemon, though. "

Cause these two were extra special to her.

[Sushi]

"That was just flirting. Hitting on you would have you blushing all the way to your toes."



/hmm?/ Nikki asked.

[Tree]

/Busy? There's something I wanted to see if you have a minute? /

She asked, blushing a tiny bit more.

"I love you too, daddy. "

[Sushi]

/ um... I wouldn't say I'm busy, but... I'd love to look at what you have. You could probably visit me? / he suggested

[Tree]

/... are you alright? /

Marina asked, perking up a bit in between the incubi, biting her lower lip as she tried to decide if she wanted to leave these two alone together. .... she really couldn't tell if they'd be fine or if Ryker would try to sex up his brother or what.

[Sushi]

/ oh, yeah. I'm fine. No worse for wear. /

[Tree]

/.... what if I have a taxi service or two bring me there? /

Like he'd shared her with these two before so it wasn't like they weren't at least somewhat ok with each other.

[Sushi]

/ as long as you come on the front door, it shouldn't be a problem how you get here/

[Tree]

/.... alright..../

He seemed really vague and it was worrying her just enough that she shifted to kiss Ryder.

"Take me to go make sure Nikki isn't like, bleeding out from fighting a toaster? Please? "

[Sushi]

Ryder nodded.

"To his house? "

[Tree]

"Yes. Apparently the landing outside. "

Which was odd enough she supposed, she glanced to Ryker, leaning in to steal a kiss from him now.

"I love you. I don't think it'll be long .... unless he's got a blender imbedded in him or something. "

[Sushi]

Ryker shrugged and sank into a chair.



Ryder didn't mind.

"Oof. I forgot how cold it is here, even indoors."

Nikki was not home.