Chapter Text
Malfeas' Urge Wyrm
“Erin!” A woman in her mid-forties yelled down the hallway from the kitchen, tapping her foot impatiently. A younger woman of 17 years old leaned around the corner, the remote clutched tightly in her hand. Her copper red hair swung from her movements, dark green eyes focusing on the blue eyes of her mother.
“Yes?”
“I need you to run another errand for me. You remember your favorite little cousin, right?” Her mother turned around, walking back to the cutting board that held a fresh, defrosted salmon.
“…Emile?” Erin trotted down the hallway, joining her mother in the kitchen.
“Kaine,” Her mother flippantly swayed the slim kitchen knife with a lazy grip.
“Of course I remember!” Erin cooed at the memory of her younger cousin, the summers Kaine spent with Erin and her family. She remembered all the times when she would dress Kaine up in the cutest little pink and yellow dresses she owned personally, putting vibrant colored bows in that soft ebony hair and making tiny random little ponytails. Her hair was rather short back, because her mother accidently cut a section much too short, and Kaine’s father had to come in and cut it even because his wife wasn’t exactly handy with scissors. She’d recently been having a bad home life, according to Erin’s father, her mother became a vicious alcoholic and her father becoming far more distant and indifferent from his little girl as a result of it; the two only stayed together for Kaine’s own peace of mind and sanity, as well as family tradition.
“I need you to go to the airport and pick her up.”
“She’s here? I didn't think she'd be here so soon.”
“Things have moved a lot quicker than her father thought." Erin’s mother looked at her daughter sternly, “The law decided that it would be unacceptable for Kaine to stay with her mother and her father needs time to get things in order. Kaine will be living with you actually until her father is able to move out here."
Erin’s face dropped, her eyes glistening with what would have been tears before perking up. “Well, I can go get her, if I can borrow your car...?” Mrs. Simmon nodded, waving her daughter off as she continued to cut the meat. Erin rushed to the door, teetering on one foot as she slipped on her sneakers, snatching her mother’s Honda car keys and rushing out the door. She threw the door open and ran halfway to the car then back to the front door. She stumbled into the car, accidently hitting her hand on the steering wheel, otherwise successfully turning the car on and driving to the airport with no further injuries…well she did make a quick stop at the popular toy store to pick up the largest, and fluffiest stuffed animal they had in stock.
The drive after the stop was relatively short, considering that Erin was screaming at every idiot driver and slow pedestrian that crossed her path. So yeah, not long at all. Finding a parking spot was easier than the drive. With the car engine shut off and secured in its spot with the keys safe in her pocket, Erin took a deep breath and put on her best smile. She practically skipped into the airport and up to the reception desk.
“Hello ma’am. How may I be of service to you?” A woman in a navy blue suit looked up and smiled, it seemed to reach from ear to ear; literally her smile was so big and white. It was just a bit creepy.
“I was wondering. When does the flight from Milan land?”
“Ah, expecting a special someone?” She grinned cheekily and winked, typing rapidly at the keyboard.
“Oh! No. My younger cousin is coming to live with me.
“Aw, sound lovely. Well their flight has landed about thirty minutes ago at gate 28D. Your cousin is probably waiting for you right down that way.” She pointed off to Erin’s left.
“Thank you for your time.”
“Not at all, have a nice day with your cousin.” She waved as Erin skipped away, giddy like a young child.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-Erin's_-_POV-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
‘28D…28D…Twenty-…two E, I’m getting closer.’ People crowed the narrow hallways, cluttering around the baggage line. Parents held onto the hands of small children, teenagers that stood about talked animatedly with friends or chose to stand moodily, waiting for their parents. I pushed through the crowd with difficulty, “Kaine!” I shouted, leaning this way and that, jumping in place, trying to find my short cousin. A certain teen with long ebony hair attracted her attention, “Puppy!”
The girl turned with a shocked expression as she saw me run at her, placing something from her hand in a side pocket of the bag at her side instead, “Erin?” I flung myself onto the shorter girl, cuddling her, “You’re suffocating me!” Kaine scowled, attempting to remove me from her. Onlookers stared at us but continued to walk by. None of this was too concerning to them.
“But I’ve missed you! How was Milan? How are you? How was school in Italy? Did you have a lot of friends? Did you make any? You know how your aggression isn't exactly friendly-material. Do you have a boyfriend?” Kaine flailed her arms animatedly, looking at me with hardhearted look.
“Can we find my bags first?” her accent was fairly heavy still, sounding harsh to my ears.
“Uh-huh, but you have to answer my questions."
“Certo…” I nodded, not sure of what she had said. She seemed to have forgotten I didn’t speak Italian…or maybe she didn’t forget. She could be such a mean little girl.
“Which ones did you bring?”
“The paw printed duffle and the black Moschino bag..” She cracked her knuckles as she stood on tip-toes to see up the line if her bags was there.
“You stuffed you're life...into one luggage bag and a weekend duffle?.”
“My bag, my stuff, my choice.”
‘Oooooh, she’s one of those kinds of teens.’
We managed to squeeze in to the packed line and grab the black Moschino, but I looked to my right and spotted Kaine’s black paw print bag heading further down the conveyor belt. I reached for it, but it moved just out of my range. I ran off after it, shuffling sideways and slipping in front of other people to get it. A hand reached out and grabbed the handle of the duffel bag and held it out to me, "I believe this is yours." I took the bag from the outstretched hand and looked up at the man.
Kaine came up behind me and took the bag, "Mia valigia! Grazie, signore!" She smiled briefly before moving out of the crowd.
“Thank you for the help. I would be running after it still if you hadn’t.” I smiled at him.
“Not an issue, are you her mother?” He looked between me and Kaine with a curious glance.
“Oh! No way! I am her cousin.” Brown eyes took in the appearance of the man before me. Slightly tanned skin, brunette hair, and matching eyes that stared back at my own. It was a quirky combination for appearances and yet I found myself liking it.
“Oh. My mistake,” He laughed off the mishap, “I should get going actually. It was a pleasure meeting you…Miss…” He faded off at the end, waiting for me to fill in gap.
“Erin, Erin Simmons.”
“Michael Maverick; It was nice meeting you then, Erin.” He took my hand and shook it lightly, grinning deviously.
“You as well, Michael.”
“Hai fatto corteggiare a vicenda?” Kaine looked at me then Michael, skeptical of the man who’d just helped her.
I forced a fake laugh, grabbing her, maybe a bit too roughly, she began to complain and protest to the affectionate actions, “This is Kaine Luziasco. Kaine, Mike.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Kaine.” Michael offered her a hand, meaning to be friendly. Kaine, however, looked at the man as if he’d sprouted another head or something of the like. Michael looked at her, wondering why she gave him that look.
“It’s not exactly ‘customary’ to be friendly towards people you don’t know over in Europe.”
“That’s how you get stalked, stabbed, kidnapped and killed, Erin.” Kaine escaped my hug and straightened her hair that was mussed.
“When did you get so dark and evil?”
“Why does it matter? It’s true.”
“No it’s not…”
“I doubt that’s how that happens to people, Kaine.” Michael stepped in and tried to reason with the girl. She still looked like she would bite his arm off. He laughed lightly at the malicious intent emitting from the smaller girl, “I should get to work now. I hope to see you around sometime.” It seemed as though he said that more towards me then he did Kaine…which was more likely than him saying it to me and her. The girl wasn’t one for having strangers around her. He left with a wave and a smile, disappearing in the throng of people.
Kaine pranced ahead, a cheeky grin stretched from one side of her face to the other. This wasn’t one her usual evil little smirks…this was a full blown smile. It was kind of funny. “Erin’s got a crush! Erin’s got a crush! Erin’s got a crush and I’m telling your mother!” She taunted me like a little sibling would when they were about to tattle on her older brother who broke their mother’s vase.
“Don’t be such a nosy parker!” I scowled at her, questioning if something was wrong with her or if she was just bipolar; a moment before she was talking about kidnappers and stalkers and stabbing people.
“Aye, lighten up, and my name isn’t Parker…What’s wrong with you?” Kaine’s turned abruptly and walked away towards the exit of the airport. I stood there shocked.
“What’s wrong with me?! What’s wrong with you!?” I chased after her. Too bad she was far too aware for her own good…well I guess it was good for her. She wouldn’t get stabbed by a stalker, at least. But because of this, she began to run away from me, barely managing not to shove little children down and out of her way.
Though being the child she was, she ran with absolutely no clue where she was going or what she was running towards.
“KAINE, STOP RUNNING!”
“THE HELL I WILL! YOU’RE GOING TO-” She didn’t get to finish that sentence. She ran head first a large luggage trolley, falling headfirst into it with a shriek.
I couldn’t help myself…I laughed at her. I couldn’t stop laughing at her while she kicked her legs and shouted for someone, me specifically, to help her out. The sides were too high for to put her feet to the ground. You could only see her legs, “Erin! You will get me out of her or, so help me sacred divine, I will cry!”
I burst into another fit of laughter, among the group of bystanders that found the situation hilarious. The airport security had come by after receiving calls about ‘a little child stuck in one of the luggage trolleys.’ It seemed impossible for them to get through the thick crowd of people interested in the minor dilemma. Many citizens stepped up and attempted to pull her out of the trolley, but she kicked at them because they were ‘strangers’- I couldn't believe she was still stuck on that- not to mention they were trying the completely wrong way by pulling her by one leg. It must’ve hurt. Everyone had partially given out, mostly waiting for the girl to tire from her constant kicking to help out…until one young man stepped up and actually did something logical. He grabbed both of her legs and lifted her up, rather than pulling out with one leg like most of the wannabe heroes had tried to do. Kaine was pulled from the trolley suddenly; the young man hadn’t been expecting it and fell to the ground with Kaine, her bag followed last and knocked Kaine backwards. I sighed, a bit saddened that the amusement was over but glad that she was at least safe and relatively unharmed. Dizzy and a little sore, but alright. Bystanders applauded the man’s help briefly but moved on.
“You should be a lot more careful when you are running.” The guy sat up slightly, pushing the heavy bag off the both of them.
“I tried to tell you, but you probably thought I was going to stab you or something.” Erin reprimanded her younger cousin.
“No, you started chasing me and I thought you were going to punch me or something.”
“Something,” I poked her forehead, “is wrong up here. Now come on, say thank you and let’s get home.” I stepped back, picking up Kaine’s dropped bags.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-Kaine's_-_POV-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
“Thanks for the help.” I massaged one hand with the other, looking up at the guy as he looked back at me with gray eyes. It struck me as a strange eye color, definitely not one you see every day. He smiled sideways, his ebony hair swished with the motion.
“Not a problem. You are okay, right? That was quite a front flip you tried to pull off.”
“It wasn’t like I tried to do that! I just wasn’t watching…” I pouted when he chuckled.
“Sure thing, I should get going. My sister will be wondering where I’ve been. Maybe we will see each other around town if you plan on staying.” He left after that with a quick wave. I shook my head after the encounter; maybe it was me but he seemed was rather friendly.
“Kaine’s got a crush! Kaine’s got a crush! Kaine’s got a crush and I’m telling your father.”
“What are you? A 5 year old?”
“Hey now, that’s mean. You were doing the exact same thing earlier.”
“Was I?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
“Very.”
“I don't think so.”
“Of course you did-”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Yes, you did!”
“I didn’t.”
“You did.”
“Okay, I did say that.”
“No you didn’t Kaine, now stop it!”
“I guess I didn’t since you’re always right.”
“Damn straight- Wait. What?” I ducked to avoid the quick swat she tried to throw, smiling.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-Erin's_-_POV-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
I led Kaine away from the airport by the strap of her bag when she began walking the wrong way, “But that was the food court!”
“And this is the way to the car.”
“But I’m hungry.”
“My mom’s cooking for us.”
“Eriiiiiiiiiiinn!” Kaine whined and jumped up and down in frustration. Apparently hunger makes a very whiney child. ‘Note to self, keep her fed.’ Even though I found this infantile behavior amusing, starving her wasn’t nice and I liked to see myself as an angel!
“You’re right yet again, Erin, starving me wouldn’t make you a nice girl.” Kaine leaned on the door of the large Durango.
“Wha…?”
“You were talking out loud…again.”
“Whoops!” I unlocked the car quickly and climbed in to the driver’s seat, starting the car. The car engine revved loudly and the passenger door opened.
“What’s up with this?” I leaned around the large plushie that took up the passenger seat.
“That. That is for you. Like it?”
“I do, I suppose…and this is very big…Where the hell do you get something this big?” She pushed the plush toy into the back seats so that she could take a seat cross legged shotgun, bags shoved in the back with the plush toy, “Don’t you hate big cars?”
“One, welcome to America, land of the unnecessarily large unnecessary objects. Two, this is mom's car.” Putting the car in gear, I pulled out of the parking spot and into the outgoing lane.
“Your mom drives a Durango…that’s kinda funny.” Kaine reaching back into her bag for her phone.
“I hate to bring up bad memories, but how is your dad?” I glanced at the seemingly nervous teen.
“He’s doing well. We hung out the week before I came here."
“Sounds amazing. Hopefully he'll be here soon.” I looked at her expectantly.
“Yeah, I have some pictures on the camera you sent me for Christmas.” Kaine unzipped her bag and pulled out the white hand camera, turning it around in her hands, “I also have a gift for you, your mom and your dad.” She began to pull out three different gift wrapped boxes; one purple, one blue, the last pink with a silver bow. “Can you guess which is for you?”
“Ha, you’re too kind.” Kaine nodded and putting the boxes back in her bag alongside the camera, then switched her bag for the stuffed animal. The leg ended up hitting me in the face, "Kaine, put it back! It's too big for you both to be up here."
"But you had it up here before-"
"But you weren't there before either. Put it back."
"Oooh, make me."
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-Kaine's_-_POV-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
I looked at the giant white animal with large ears and a black muzzle, paws as big as my hand with black paw pads. It had a small black puff of a tail. A bunny… a giant, fluffy, bunny. I stuck it in between myself and the dashboard, Kicking my feet up and nodding off.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-Erin's_-_POV-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
I pulled into the large circle driveway of my beige colored house, “Kaine, we’re here.” I shut off the car and looked to the younger girl to find her fast asleep. I carefully got out of the car and ran into the house, “Dad! DAD! Where are you!?” I ran around the house, screaming my head off.
“Yes, yes. What is it, Erin?” My father came out into the hallway, glasses in one hand and a book in the other.
“Kaine-…the car.” I huffed and waved towards the front door.
“What? Is something wrong?” He started off to the door but I stopped him.
“No, she’s just asleep…in the car. Can you get her?”
Dad sighed and walked outside, “Had me worried for nothing, Erin!”
“Oh shut up! Could have let me finish first.” I pouted.
Dad opened the side door carefully, holding Kaine in place as her support withdrew, “Where’d this come from?” He maneuvered the large plush out of the way and pulled Kaine from the car.
“I bought it.
“Today?”
“Couple hours ago…”
“You need to budget your money.”
“It’s one toy, Dad! Hardly even 20$ at the most!”
“Today 20$ toys, tomorrow a 96$ purse,” He looked at me with a knowing look, “That you won’t use.”
“Heeeeeeeeeyyy! Hey now…That happened once-”
“Twice.”
“Two times! Mom does that more than I do.”
“Uh-huh.” It was that response again. The one where it was more like ‘if you say so’ then ‘I believe you’. He lifted Kaine from the car and walked back into the house, “Can you get her bag…and this toy?” I collected the bags and attempted to tug the toy out of the girl’s iron grip.
“She isn’t going to the let go, dad…” I yanked on the toy aggressively. The toy didn’t come free, “Dammit Kaine! Come on!”
“Ah just let it be.” Dad sighed and shrugged, walking back to the house, “Why not just let her sleep for now? Your mother is almost done making lunch, so after that we can go out and shop around for Kaine's room at your place. Don't be a pest.”
“Me? A pest? Please! I’m perfect!” I gave my dad the best innocent smile I had. He just shook his head and continued upstairs.
“Weren’t you watching some singing show earlier?”
“Oh, I was!” I ran into the living room, “Where’s the remote!?”