TRP: Anwyll, Mishka, and Raef (Change)

**MINK**

[Day: 380 Setting: Patch Island]

Leaves and sticks crunched under his boots, a welcome,
familiar sound.   Warmth fluttered
through him, thrumming low in his chest.
At first he had been disgusted, frightened, unsure of what was settled
in his chest.

Anwyll was a demon.

He should hate him.

Instead he found himself enthralled (ensnared).  He wanted to listen, wanted to be with
him.  He sought out the snake whenever he
could.

Just like now, where he followed the tugging in his chest to
the woods.

Raef sighed out and stretched his arms over his head.  He had no fucking clue wear he was going, but
his magic would take care of him.

**COYOTE**

Mishka was heading back in the forest, the hood of his
sandy-white cloak pulled across his face. He caught sight of someone familiar
through the woods. Huh, he thought. That was Raef, wasn't it?

He decided to pull a dumb trick. He vanished silently, then
padded up behind Raef invisibly to catch him unawares.

**MINK**

He was beginning to wonder where he was going.  Where the fuck did --

--something touched him.

Raef jumped with a strangled sort of startled scream.

**COYOTE**

Mishka dropped the invisibility, pleased with himself.

**MINK**

"Shit." Raef gasped before inhaling softly,
shooting Mishka a small glare. "Fuck, Mishka." He let out a breathy,
relieved sort of chuckle. "What're you doing?"

**COYOTE**

"Following you, I suppose. I was taking a walk among
nature. Out and about. Y'know how it is. Then I spied you across the way. What
are you doing?"

**MINK**

"Goin' for a walk." Jumping damn near our of his
skin.  Raef smiled, a little
sheepish.  He should've been paying
attention instead of bitching about not knowing where he was going.
"Fuckin' glad to be back here."

**COYOTE**

“Liar,” Mishka said, amused. “What’re you really doing?”

**MINK**

It wasn't a fucking secret or anything that he'd made some
sort of pact or whatver, but he still debated.
No one knew the creepy ass way that Anwyll'd helped him.

Mishka probably'd not care.

He hoped.

"Gonna see what Anwyll wants." Raef shrugged.  No big deal.
Nothing special.  If Mishka could
believe that.

**COYOTE**

Mishka stared openly at him.

**MINK**

"...my patron." He shrugged again.

**COYOTE**

Mishka’s eyes shifted to the forest. “He’s... here?”

**MINK**

"Dunno." It'd be a first... Raef's heart jittered
at the thought of seeing Anwyll outside of a dream. "Maybe."

**COYOTE**

Mishka watched Raef carefully, not missing the brief flicker
of... anxiety? Hope? “What’s he wanna see you for? Big snake, right? He gonna
eat you like a python?”

He felt jittery.

**MINK**

Raef snorted, amused. "Hasn't eaten me yet." The
corners of his lips twitched.  "He
probably wants to check --" he changed his answer. "--on me."

**COYOTE**

“He hasn’t met you in person yet. Has he?”

Mishka kept it careful, tried not to express disapproval.
Wanted to figure out what was going on before he showed anything.

**MINK**

"I wish." Raef's nose wrinkled.  Shit.
He wasn't a love sick fool.  He
took a step towards the woods. "Well, I'm gonna go..." Alone. He
glanced towards the trees and back at Mishka. "...see you later?"
Mishka didn't need to see Anwyll...part of him (a large part) wanted to keep
the (his) demon to himself.

**COYOTE**

“Hmm. Well, alright,” Mishka said.

**MINK**

Raef smiled. "Bye." He waved before continuing on
his way.  He scratched at his chest.  The tugging didn't hurt, but it was the
strangest thing.  At least it let him
know where Anwyll was.

**COYOTE**

As soon as Raef was out of sight, Mishka snapped his fingers
and vanished again, then began following him quietly from about thirty feet
back.

--

As Raef passed through the forest, it grew darker and more
tangled, and the ground became softer. Eventually, he passed into a saltwater
marsh. The song was loud here, but it was difficult to tell which direction it
came from.

This place was familiar. There was a saltwater lake
surrounded by thick vegetation, and nearby, a large cave with a light inside.

**MINK**

Hard leaves and sticks gave way to soft, damp leaves and
earth that pressed down as he walked.
Soon he had to pick his steps to avoid pockets of water.  He was sick of saltwater but - but - a cave
was here.  A cave with a light glowing
inside.

A familiar cave.

Raef's heart skipped a beat.
Shit.  He didn't know if he was
nervous, scared, excited...or all three.

He chose his path carefully to the cave before he was
finally stepping inside it.  His fingers
danced near the hilt of his dagger out of habit before he made himself stop

"Anwyll?" he called.  Probably a stupid idea. He was probably going
to have to take a nap to complete the song.

**COYOTE**

There was a response. A stronger tug pulling him into the
cave. And a lower, bestial noise from inside— almost like a growl, or the
rumbling of a great beast.

**MINK**

Goosebumps broke out over his skin, a shiver chasing its way
down his spine.  It was a stupid fucking
idea, and part of him knew that, but he kept walking towards the light and the
rumbling.

**COYOTE**

Deeper inside, it rapidly became obvious that Raef had been
here before. This was the cave from his dreams, where he normally visited
Anwyll.

The narrow, winding corridor eventually broke out into a
wide cavern full of odd trinkets— a hoard of gold coins and strange, valuable
objects; fine vases decorated with precious gems and jewels, statues of beasts.

Anwyll lay in his bed of furs at the center of the room. He
was in his usual white-skinned golden-haired human form, and when Raef
appeared, he rose to his feet, spreading his arms to beckon Raef to him.

**MINK**

Nothing was different.
Not even the demon laid out on his furs.

A soft sigh escaped Raef.
He stepped towards the pile, towards the (his) demon, slid off his
boots, and climbed onto the pile

He settled comfortably, in the all too familiar embrace, and
nestled his head against Anwyll's neck.
One arm slipped across the demon's waist.  It was strange.  It wasn't a dream.

It wasn't a dream and he was inhaling the soft, beastial
scent that emanated from Anwyll.   He
could feel the soft skin against his.
Familiar and different.  Better.

...better.

**COYOTE**

“Found you,” Anwyll said, pleased, pulling Raef down into
the bed to lie with him against the furs. “Smelled you nearby. You didn’t tell
me you were coming to this island.”

**MINK**

Raef snorted. "You didn't tell me you were here."
He lazily turned a strand of pale hair around his finger.  Soft, like silk.  Like the dreams.

**COYOTE**

Anwyll made a pleased sound, leaning into the touch. “I was
uncertain sure you could be trusted,” Anwyll admitted after a moment. “I know
that Pride’s pet came to talk to you. Tempt you to his side.”

**MINK**

He tilted his head, sliding his hand up further to run his
fingers more fully through the long strands.

"Yeah, and I'm still here," Raef answered,
flat.   He hadn't gone runnin' to Pride's
side.  He - He - the thought pissed him
off. "I'm not going anywhere."

**COYOTE**

“I know. Mine,” Anwyll said, pleased. “Mine. But I feared
perhaps you would tell someone where I was. I am... mortal... in this form.
Killable. But you won’t, will you?”

**MINK**

Raef shot Anwyll a cold look. "Why the fuck would I do
that?"

**COYOTE**

Instead of looking offended, Anwyll appeared satisfied. “You
wouldn’t.”

**MINK**

"...yeah, I wouldn't," he mumbled, settling back
down.  No one trusted Anwyll...he
did.  He resumed stroking Anwyll's
hair.  Yeah, he trusted the demon.

**COYOTE**

He straightened up, folding his legs. “Would you like to
learn more today? I’d like to teach you a thing, and perhaps tell you a story.”

**MINK**

Raef shifted with Anwyll.
He arched an eyebrow. "Mmhmm...what kind of thing?"

**COYOTE**

“A minor thing. I want to teach you how to see people’s
auras,” Anwyll said, pleased when Raef shifted back against him.

**MINK**

Raef traced the tips of his fingers down Anwyll's arm.  He couldn't get enough of the feeling of him.
"...okay...teach me." He didn't know how useful it would be, but
learning anything from his patron was exciting.

**COYOTE**

“It shouldn’t be that hard, now that you have the
capability.” Now that the power inside Raef has grown large enough. “Close your
eyes, and... focus on that feeling inside your chest. I learned how to do this
before I was Lust.”

**MINK**

Raef's brow furrowed, skeptical, but he closed his eyes,
feeling silly.   The feeling in his chest
- warm, pulsing, soothing, like a tender hug - was easy to find now, easy to
focus on.  There was no fear, no
uncertainty.  It just was, and he
welcomed it.

**COYOTE**

Anwyll held up his hand and focused his power into it,
making it glow with golden light. “That little compass inside you should be
able to feel where my power is right now. Can you reach out and touch it? Take
my hand without opening your eyes. See if you can tell where it is.”

**MINK**

Little compass...it didn't feel little.  Not anymore.
It felt like it grew every -- Raef pushed aside the thoughts.  He settled himself.

"Yeah..." Except he wasn't certain.  The golden light kept going in and out.  He reached anyway.  Missed.

**COYOTE**

“Good,” Anwyll said, pleased, and kissed Raef’s cheek.
“We’ll practice a while.”

**MINK**

A smile pulled at his lips at the kiss. "I get it, I
deserve a reward." He chuckled before focusing again.  Another near miss before he caught Anwyll's
hand.  He grinned.  Finally.

**COYOTE**

They practiced a while, until Raef could do it reliably, and
Anwyll was pleased. Finally, he said, “Now while you’re focusing like that,
open your eyes. And you should be able to still see the auras.”

**MINK**

It was frustrating when he missed.  Anwyll praised him and gave him small kisses,
but he wasn't supposed to fuckin' miss.
He hated it.

Eventually he got it.
He kept catching Anwyll's hand.
Each time his heart would leap.

He opened his eyes and the aura remained.   It was no less beautiful with his eyes open.

"Beautiful," he said, running the tips of his
fingers over the outside of the golden light before he hooked his fingers with
Anwyll's.  He pulled Anwyll's hand closer
to kiss the demon's knuckles. "What's mine look like?"

**COYOTE**

“See for yourself,” Anwyll said. “Concentrate on summoning
your power to your hand, as if you’re about to cast a spell.”

**MINK**

Raef glanced down to his other hand.  He thought over the spells, pushed down into
himself to draw out a snaking tendril, held it in his hand.  Lavender light (smoke...it was smoke...)
danced over his skin.  Not as pretty as
Anwyll's.  Vain.  He snorted quiet laughter and let the magic
go.  The smoke vanished.

He placed a kiss to the back of Anwyll's hand.  "Yours is better."

**COYOTE**

Anwyll scoffed dismissively.

From the front of the cave came a faint clattering sound.
Anwyll looked up, arching his eyebrows and frowning, arms curling possessively
around Raef.

**MINK**

The magic he'd dropped was drawn out again even as Anwyll
held him closer.  His eyes narrowed.  He didn't see anything.  Slowly he released the tendril back.  Maybe it'd been a mouse or something.  They were in a marsh.

**COYOTE**

Anwyll looked puzzled, then annoyed. His eyes slowly
narrowed; then he pushed himself out of the bed, heading towards the entrance.

He motioned with his hand, and roots erupted from the floor,
wrapping around something invisible near the entrance. Mishka’s invisibility
dropped as he was caught, trapped by the roots.

“Excuse me,” Anwyll said.

**MINK**

Raef clambered to his feet after Anwyll, following him.  He didn't know what to expect, but Mishka
wasn't it.  He stared.  He didn't know what to fuckin' think, but
he  was sure to be quick and place a hand
on Anwyll's wrist - a light, soothing touch.

"It's fine.  He's
a friend," he said with a soft smile at Anwyll before giving Mishka a
quizical look.

**COYOTE**

“Right, absolutely. Friend of Raef’s,” Mishka said.

“You brought him here?” Anwyll said sharply.

The roots tightened on Mishka, and he wheezed.

**MINK**

"I didn't!" Raef answered in as sharp a tone.  His hand tightened a little on Anwyll when he
heard the wheeze. "Let up.  You're
gonna hurt him."

**COYOTE**

Mishka wiggled his hand like he was trying to get it free to
snap his fingers. Anwyll’s eyes slid over to Raef. “You vouch for him? If
anyone knows where my lair is, they could come here and break my eggs— or tell
Pride where I am. I am not a fan of this, Raef.”

“Tell ‘em I’m honest,” Mishka wheezed.

**MINK**

"Yes -- he's fine.
He won't tell." Raef glanced towards Mishka, a quiet warning.  He didn't know how wrapped up Mishka was with
Pride.  He could only hope that he
wouldn't tell him where Anwyll was.  He
wasn't going to - he looked back up at Anwyll.
He reached to gently place a hand on the side of Anwyll's face.
"Please, my love, let him go."

**COYOTE**

Anwyll turned to Raef with a cold look, and held it a
moment, then sighed, and acquiesced, loosening the hold slightly.
"See?" Mishka coughed. "Harmless."

"You come into my lair again, I will not be so kind
next time," Anwyll said, kicking him lightly.

**MINK**

Raef met the cold look, unflinching, before the roots
loosened.  "Thank you." He
stroked his thumb over Anwyll's cheek before lowering his hand. He winced at
the kick.

"He won't come back," Raef promised. "Let him
go."

**COYOTE**

Anwyll leaned into the touch, seeming faintly pleased, but
still cold. "Get out, then," he said to Mishka, "and be on your
way."

Mishka raised his hands in a submissive gesture.
"Certainly. Certainly. Was just, ah, wondering, I guess, what you were
doing with my friend Raef."

"That's hardly any of your concern, little rat."

"Ah. Aha. No, see, you're wrong, there, because Raef is
a pal of mine, and lives in my castle with his family, and is my husband's
chaver, and thus my chaver. So. Definitely my business. Raef, buddy? You okay?
You good here? You sure you should be hanging out with this snake demon?"

Anwyll's cool expression didn't change.

**MINK**

"Yeah, it's fine.
Anwyll's fine." Raef squeezed Anwyll's wrist before stroking over
the skin.  He smiled.  More than fine. "I'm his." He
glanced up at the demon before back at Mishka.
"I'm good.  See you in a
bit?"

**COYOTE**

"Maybe we both should go," Mishka suggested.
"Walk you out've the woods."

"No," Anwyll said flatly.

"Maybe that's a Raef decision, not an Anwyll decision,
hm?"

Anwyll glanced at Raef and raised his eyebrows.

**MINK**

Raef tapped a finger on the pulse of Anwyll's wrist.  He should go with Mishka - walk him out, talk
with him - but...he had only ever seen Anwyll in his dreams.  It was as if he had swum a very long distance
and gotten his first real breath into air starved lungs.

"I'm gonna...stay a bit." He winced apologetically
at Mishka.  He'd explain.  Later.

**COYOTE**

Mishka eyed them both, but said, "Fine, alright, fine,
stay with the demon if y'like. Your business." And he walked out of the
cave.

Anwyll scoffed loudly.

**MINK**

Raef watched Mishka go. Damn it.  He didn't know what to do.

He twined his fingers with Anwyll's. "Come on," he
suggested gently, tugging the demon further back into the cave, back towards
the pile of furs.

**COYOTE**

Anwyll sighed, but complied, heading towards the furs. As
they walked, he briefly admired the walls of his cave, which were covered in
old carvings. One depicted a man standing as king atop a tall, pillar-like
throne, and all manner of people-- some snakes, some lizardfolk, some human,
bowing down to him. Anwyll touched it, looking pleased, and then moved on.

**MINK**

Raef glanced at the old carving then looked over the
rest.  His skin pricked. "Are they
about you?" That seemed up Anwyll's alley.

**COYOTE**

"They were," Anwyll said regretfully.

**MINK**

He settled down onto the furs, pulling Anwyll with him.
"What happened?"

**COYOTE**

"Well, I became Lust. It was sort of a choice, I
suppose. I had a kingdom, once," Anwyll said, almost wistfully. His
fingers played on Raef's ribs. "But then I lost it."

**MINK**

Raef shivered, shifting into the touch.  He twined a strand of hair around a finger.
"How'd you become Lust?" One step at a time...one question at a time.

**COYOTE**

"I was offered a choice by a man who no longer wanted
to be Lust."

**MINK**

"...a choice...why'd you choose it?"

**COYOTE**

"Why wouldn't I?" Anwyll said. "Live forever.
Do whatever you like. Live apart from people. Have remarkable and incredible
power. Cultivate little friends like you."

**MINK**

Raef twisted the strand, watching the light glint off
it.  It sounded nice...having power...not
being a fuck up..."...and your kingdom...how'd you lose that?"

**COYOTE**

"It was a choice," Anwyll said simply. "I was
happy with my kingdom. The man who was Lust saw that, and he wanted it. He
offered me a choice. A wishing spell. He said that he could give me his
immortality and his strength, and in return, he would like my face, and my
kingdom. And I thought it over for fourteen days and fourteen nights, and I
agreed."

He touched the figure on the throne, which vaguely resembled
him.

**MINK**

"Was it worth it?" He thought it might be.  Anwyll seemed happy with his power, with his
life.

**COYOTE**

"I'm uncertain. It was so long ago. And... when I
changed, I lost most of my memories of that past life. It's part of the
process."

**MINK**

Raef made a soft hm sound.
He played with more of Anwyll's hair. "Did it hurt?"

**COYOTE**

"No. Not at all. It felt... warm. And nice. Like
something growing inside me," Anwyll said.

**MINK**

His stomach tightened. "How long did it take?"

**COYOTE**

"For me? Only a week," Anwyll said easily. He bent
to kiss Raef's hair. "It will be much longer for you. Much, much longer.
Years, perhaps. If it grows too quickly, it might hurt you or damage you, like
it did me. Yours will be much slower."

**MINK**

Raef sighed out softly, shifting to rest his head on
Anwyll's shoulder. "I don't have years." Hansel didn't have year, Az
didn't have years, Tikva didn't have years...he had  years, but they didn't.

**COYOTE**

Anwyll seemed alarmed. He pushed Raef back. "Why not,
my darling?"

**MINK**

Raef didn't fight being pushed back.  He bent a knee, propping his arm on it.  He plucked at his pants.  "My family doesn't have years." He
rolled his shoulders.  He had
centuries.  Mishka was the only person
other than Anwyll who had centuries, and he'd give that up if he could.

**COYOTE**

"Well, what's it matter?" Anwyll said, mystified.
"Isn't it better this way? You get to spend three, or four, or five years
with them until you become a Sin, like me. And then once you've become like me,
you won't remember them anymore, and it won't matter. This seems good. It fits
the time frame nicely. Yes?"

**MINK**

"It matters because..." Raef plucked again, brow
furrowed.  He opened his mouth, closed it,
and said, "...they deserve to be happy."  If he forgot them...that was fine.  If they were safe, taken care of.

**COYOTE**

"You can make them happy before you go," Anwyll
said soothingly. "You can set them up, surely. I assume if I had a family,
I likely did something similar."

**MINK**

Raef shot Anwyll a cool look. "There's a fuckin' god
breathin' down their necks."

**COYOTE**

"You can handle that before you move on and join me as
a Sin," Anwyll said indulgently.

**MINK**

He fiddled a little more.
Made himself stop. "How?"

**COYOTE**

"I'm not sure. I suppose we'll see. I'm not sure how
you kill a god. In the meantime... all I can do is make you stronger,"
Anwyll said.

**MINK**

Raef sighed and rubbed his face. "...yeah..." He
straightened out his leg before dropping back onto the furs. "...thank
you..." He could live with getting stronger...maybe make shit right.

**COYOTE**

“Of course,” Anwyll said. “I just want you to be like me,
darling. I just want you to join me.” He kissed Raef’s face again.

**MINK**

Raef's eyes fluttered shut at the kiss.
"...mmm...soon..." A few years would pass with the blink of an
eye.  And, before then, things would be
fine...good...great...

He opened his eyes and slid a hand through Anwyll's hair to
draw him down for a kiss, just to see if it was better than the ones that
filled his dreams.  It was.

\_\_

Leaving Anwyll felt like walking through quicksand - he
didn't want to.  He wanted to stay.  He scowled to him.  He wasn't some fuckin' lovestruck kid.  Still...he was hesitant as he left the cave.

He could come back, if Anwyll was still there.  Before they left the island he'd come back.

**COYOTE**

Mishka waited outside the cave, feeling twitchy, resisting
the urge to dig his fingers into his arm. Eventually he gave in and dug out a
cigarette, lit it with his thumb, and smoked.

Eventually Raef came out.

**MINK**

"Hey," Raef said, pulling a little at his
best.  He smiled at Mishka, not really
surprised he'd stuck around. "Ready to go back?"

**COYOTE**

“Maybe.” Raef didn’t look surprised. Mishka wanted to talk,
but wasn’t willing to do it here, outside that snake-demon’s cave. He rose to
his feet and headed down the path.

**MINK**

Raef followed, pressing the tip of.his tongue against the
back of his teeth.  He probably should
say something...clear the air or something...

"...he's good," he finally settled on.

**COYOTE**

“Uh huh,” Mishka said.

**MINK**

Raef glanced towards Mishka. "He is."

**COYOTE**

“I was listening just now,” Mishka said. “He wants to make
you— he wants to— good gods, Raef. You’re going to— lose all your memories and
get like him? You want that?”

**MINK**

Shit.  There went the
idea of keeping that to himself.
Fuck.  He made himself not fiddle
with the hilt of his dagger.

"Not 'wants to'," he answered, not quite a mumble,
cheeks coloring lightly.  He supposed if
Mishka already knew so much already then he should know all of it.  "It's already there." Soft, warm,
comforting.  He winced. "No, of
course I don't want to forget."

**COYOTE**

“Then— why?” Mishka said. His voice was a little too sharp,
a little too loud. He checked over his shoulder back down the path to make sure
Anwyll wasn’t listening, then walked faster so they’d get away from Anwyll’s
lair faster. “Why are you letting him do that to you? You wanna be like him?”

**MINK**

Raef picked up his pace with Mishka.  "I want to take care of people for
once." He shrugged; not really bitter. He knew he'd done shitty things in
his life, fucked things up.  Taking a
dive to right some of the wrongs was fine by him.

**COYOTE**

“Okay, but.” Mishka struggled for a moment, thinking over
what he was about to say, running it over in his head.

“I’ll... miss you,” Mishka said. “If you do that.”

There was a lump in his throat, and his heart was beating a
little too fast.

**MINK**

Raef missed a step, nearly tripping over a branch in the
process.  "...Mishka..." he
started then stopped.  He didn't know
what to say.

**COYOTE**

Mishka gestured vaguely. He wasn’t sure what he was
gesturing about. He was, temporarily, unable to say words.

**MINK**

Raef twisted his fingers around the hilt of his dagger.  He wanted to touch Mishka, to squeeze him, to
do something, but he didn't  know if
Mishka would let him.

"I..." He couldn't say he'd miss him.  He maybe wouldn't remember him.
"...you'll be fine."

**COYOTE**

Mishka fumbled, reaching out to clasp his arm.

“It’s just,” Mishka said. “You’re the only person who—
you’re an elf, like me. I feel like you— get things the others don’t. And...”

**MINK**

Raef hooked a hand under Mishka's elbow, gently holding
him.  He hadn't thought...shit...His
throat hurt."...and what?""

**COYOTE**

“I don’t know. You’re— from where I’m from, and you— ran
away from Alabaster too, and you hate them like I do. You get how awful it was
there. And you get what it’s like to be— old, but young, still. You get what
it’s like to— lose people, all the time.”

He hunched his shoulders, crossing his arms, leaning very
slightly into the touch. Very slightly. Still feeling flighty. Compulsively
checking the trees to make sure nothing and no one was around.

**MINK**

Raef's grip tightened - not painfully, not to hurt Mishka...
reflexively...He swallowed.  It didn't
ease the burning there.  He understood
all of it.  All of the pain.  All of the heartache...he knew it
and...and...and...

"...I'm tired, Mishka," he whispered, hand
dropping away.  He rubbed at his face; it
felt too hot.

**COYOTE**

Raef was roughly his height— maybe a couple inches smaller—
and Mishka found himself stepping in, reflexively, to hold him, wrapping an arm
around his waist. He did it tentatively, checking if this was good, if this was
alright.

**MINK**

Oh.  Raef was
surprised when Mishka stepped closer.  He
wrapped his arms around him (taller...of course) and gave him a squeeze, if
Mishka didn't draw back again.  This was
nice; he liked it.  And Mishka knew the
shit that happened when you lived too long. "...I'm sorry..."

**COYOTE**

Raef relaxed, a little, which was good. Meant this was okay,
maybe. Mishka gave himself time to settle and breathe.

“Listen,” Mishka said. “You’re— you’re worried about Az
dying, right? Probably. And worried outliving Tikva, and Hansel. Right?”

**MINK**

Raef smiled, a little thin, a little tired.
"Everyday."

**COYOTE**

“I know. I’m tired, too. I know you feel like— you’d
probably rather just forget, and become a monster, so you didn’t have to worry
about people dying or leaving you anymore. Is that it?”

**MINK**

He chuckled despite himself.
Mishka had it, or part of it.
"...I'd rather they'd...be safe."

**COYOTE**

“Alright. How about this,” Mishka said. “I found something.
Rituals. Books of research. From the ruins underneath Skyport. The Undercity.
There’s a spell, a process that can take life from one person and give it to
someone else. I’m going to do it with— Hansel, and maybe... maybe others, too.
You could do it. With Az. And Tikva. You could give them longer. And we could
all protect them.”

**MINK**

 Raef frowned, not entirely certain he bought it or
understood... He straightened, still holding Mishka though loosely now.
"...how do you...know it works?"

**COYOTE**

"I don't," Mishka said honestly. "But we can
try, and we can find out. And if it doesn't work and it blows up in our faces,
we'll try another fucking way." He averted his eyes again, then made
himself look, and said-- "Please. Don't go. Don't-- let him change
you."

**MINK**

Raef picked at the back of Mishka's shirt, glancing back the
way they'd come.  He wanted to promise
Mishka something - anything - but...he couldn't...not on a maybe...

His gaze dropped. "...I don't have time."

**COYOTE**

"You don't think we can-- find out how to make it work
in time? You don't think we can expand their lifespans in time? You don't think
you can... protect them in time," Mishka said.

**MINK**

Now he let his arms drop. "I haven't protected anyone
in time."

**COYOTE**

Mishka dropped his arms, and pulled away so he could see
Raef properly, chewing his lip, thinking, not saying anything. He kept starting
to speak, then stopping.

**MINK**

Raef tapped his fingers on the hilt, feeling awkward and
unsure...fuck...Mishka was confident and shit. He had ideas while he felt like
he was drowning, struggling to keep his head above water...at least until
Anwyll, who promised him something, gave him something...but now...

"...I don't know what to do," he finally
said.  He just wanted to make things
right; do something...else.  Something
that could help (him forget) his friends.

**COYOTE**

"Okay. Okay, I have a plan."

Mishka felt really fucking unsure about this, because Raef
was well over three hundred, and Mishka was only into his first century, and--
Raef seemed so fucking steady and calm, all the time. Raef never seemed unsure.

He always seemed like he knew what he was doing, even when
Mishka first met the Runners. Mishka had carefully gathered dossiers on each of
them, and Raef's had been simple: Murdered husband. Going to kill Bloodgrut.
Raef always picked a path, then went at it with a calm single-mindedness Mishka
envied.

He made Mishka feel like a child by comparison, sometimes.
But sometimes, Mishka sort've-- liked that.

"Okay," Mishka said, clutching Raef's hands.
"You can keep turning into a Sin, then. But in the meantime, I'm gonna
fucking find a way to extend Az and Tikva's lifespan, and I'll bring it to you.
We can do both. I'll show you."

**MINK**

Oh.  Raef squeezed
Mishka's hands.  There was surity there,
in Mishka. "Okay," he agreed.
He'd trust Mishka to help him...and he'd help, too...help
Mishka...yeah...

Raef squeezed again before he stepped forward to hug Mishka
once more.  "Thank you," he
said, voice muffled against Mishka's shoulder.

**COYOTE**

Mishka tensed, briefly, at the affectionate response.

**MINK**

Raef felt the tightening, but he didn't let go; he gave a
gentle squeeze instead.

**COYOTE**

Mishka held steady there a moment, feeling a wave of anxiety
hit him, and then crash over him, and then pass. He focused on breathing.

"I realize," he said, "the appropriate
response to someone telling you thank you, is, um. You're welcome. So. You're
welcome." His face colored a bit.

**MINK**

Mishka didn't pull away, tight for a moment in his
arms.  That felt...nice.  Even if he wasn't hugged back in return.  Fuck...when did he become so needy?

Raef snorted, a chuckle peeking in. "It is," he
agreed, finally drawing back.  Maybe
Mishka didn't want someone sobbing on his shoulder like some lost kid.  He rubbed at his face. "Fuck...dunno how
you're so fuckin' put together."

**COYOTE**

Mishka scoffed. "D'you really think so?" That was
flattering.

**MINK**

"Just look at you." Raef made a vague hand gesture
at Mishka, smiling. "Yeah...I do."

**COYOTE**

"Well, I'm glad the illusion works on someone."

**MINK**

"Pretty damn good illusion." Raef chuckled
lightly.  He ran a hand through his
hair.  Blew out a puff of air.  There.
Better.  A little more steady.
"...want to...go get a drink or something?"

**COYOTE**

"Maybe." Mishka hesitantly wrapped his arms around
Raef's waist and hugged him back, because he realized he ought to do that, and
he wanted to. Raef was very slightly smaller than him. He smelled like crushed
leaves at the moment, which was pleasant, but Mishka wasn't sure if that was
because they'd been traipsing through the forest or because that was just how
Raef smelled.

**MINK**

Raef leaned into the hug; he liked it.  Mishka was lithe, lightly built, only a
little taller.  He was warm, sweet.  He gave a gentle squeeze again.

**COYOTE**

Mishka let out a small noise-- pleased, but... unexpected,
too. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. He never really
expected to get close to another elf again, physically or... being friends with
one. Another one of his kind. It was fucking terrifying, but... Raef was so
quiet, and steady, and that made it easier, somehow.

And as badly as he wanted to go get a drink, all he wanted
to do right now was stand here, and enjoy this another moment.

"We can go get a drink," Mishka managed.
"But."

**MINK**

"...yeah..." Raef didn't know what he was agreeing
to except to stand there a little longer, just holding Mishka and being held
back.  It was an unexpected enjoyment and
he wasn't quite willing to let go.

But they also couldn't stay out there in the woods all day.

After a few more moments, Raef made himself let go and step
back. "How 'bout that drink?"

**COYOTE**

[end]

**MINK**

Title: Change

Summary: Raef finds Anwyll on Patch Island, meeting Mishka
along the way.  Mishka follows Raef,
meets Anwyll, and learns Raef is going to be a Sin.  Raef and Mishka talk and bond.