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“Have you decided yet?” Nexus’s monotone voice comes out of nowhere, startling Rex. “I have.” Solaras replies as if they hadn’t flinched. “What will you do with it then?” Nexus tilts their head slightly as they question Rex, their unwavering gaze unnerving to all but Solaras. “The human is a he.” Solaras sighs, electing to ignore the question for as long as possible. “Oh.” Comes the simple reply, and Rex knows they don’t care. “There’s not much we can do. He must be ruined, there is no other way.”
“There’s always another way.” Nexus shoots back, sounding angrier than they actually are. Rex hits them anyway, a quick smack to the back of the head ought to set them right. “Do not undermine me.” Solaras snaps, playing their upset to an extreme. Nexus growls, feral, low in their chest, and lunges. Nexus tackles Solaras. Rex meets them with ease, rolling with the punches, literally. Hands grasp at each other, squeezing painfully tight and leaving marks. Fingers dig deep, forming gashes that leak their life force profusely. They barely feel it. Though, it's a pretty sight. Viscose blue and black liquid mixing together, smearing over skin, it might be the one of the few good things about these vessels.
The playful spar, which looks more like a death match to outsiders, stops with Nexus’s teeth in Rex’s neck. They're both breathing heavily with their mimicry of lungs. Nexus is the one pinned but both know they are the winner of this round. It takes a minute for Nexus to calm and pull their teeth from Solaras’s neck. Rex faintly notices the amount of blood running down their arms, Nexus must have gotten them with their nails. The little bastard. Nexus collapses back as Rex releases them and stands. Solaras leaves them there without looking back.
“She heard his sobs but refused to turn back. See ‘em stars up there?” The old man points a bony finger upwards to the night sky. “Those ‘re his tears, I reckon.” The kids seated on the grass look up with wide, awed eyes. “But why?” One of the smaller girls asks, “why’d she leave him?” The old man cackles out a harsh laugh. “Oh, my dear child. Iudex only knows.” He sighs, suddenly seeming even older, and looks back up into the obsidian darkness that's glittering with stars.
“Rex and Nexus ain’t never get along, not really.” The girl is quiet for a moment, long enough that one of the older boys speaks up, “How come?” He prompts curiously. “Ah, that's a story for another time. Run along now, all of ya, it’s time for bed.” The old man creaks to his feet, shooing them off. The youngers, easily distracted, groan at the order but turn to giggles as they chase each other back indoors. The oldest move more slowly, reveling in the cool breeze, chatting quietly to one another.
The old man almost misses the littlest continuing to linger, lost in a race of loud thoughts. “Let's go, kid.” He guides her with a gentle hand resting on her shoulder and she follows without a struggle. “I wonder why she wouldn’t help him.” The girl muses under her breath. The old man catches it anyway. “Love is a complicated thing, especially for beings that stay forever.” The girl considers this before nodding, “Alright.” She decides this as a fact and the old man chooses to leave it at that.
“And you left them there?” Aspen demands, their touch gentle despite it.
“Yes.” Rex mutters, holding still so Aspen can clean the blood from their arms and check the wounds Nexus made.
“Honestly, you two are so childish sometimes.” Aspen says sharply, shaking their head in a disappointed manner. Rex shrinks a little, hunching their shoulders for only a moment before straightening. “You don’t know anything about us.” Rex replies hauntily.
“Sure I do. I’ve known you both longest now.” Aspen pulls the cloth away from Solaras’s arm and it’s soaked in black. The cuts look raw but they’re closing fine. Aspen sighs and tosses the cloth onto the counter. “Get out of here.” Aspen orders without a trace of hate in their tone. Solaras glowering at Aspen in response, grumbling to themselves as they stomp out. Aspen sighs and shakes their head in a disappointed manner. “Children, the lot of ‘em.” She says to the empty room.