backdated to October 9th

Alek

As the time approached for the hatching of the first three, Erasmus seemed stressed over every detail on parenting, asking Alek questions that he sometimes did not even know the answer to. Still, he used his logic when experiences failed to answer. But he was always unfailingly honest to Erasmus, admitting his own lacking of knowledge when it came up.

So when the time for the hatching of the first three not only approached but came, well. It seemed Erasmus's stress became panic at times this day. Alek had wanted to find a way to tie Erasmus to the world, to life, and in a way, he had succeeded.

So long as these chrysalises were around, Alek rather doubted Erasmus would abandon life... or abandon Alek. He was selfish enough to know that his fondness of the vampire had caused this situation, which they now suffered for.

Alek usually visited both the chrysalis sites each day, of the children of Erasmus and he and the child of Fulgur and he. But since it was the hatching day, he had been staying with Erasmus more to keep watch over these three and Erasmus themself, though he'd done his best to let Fulgur know the situation.

Erasmus had used to visit both chrysalis sites too, since seemed still very attached to the idea of the their children having siblings. But now the other had withdrawn, and Alek was worried deeply.

Take shelter from the sun and grow in shade
And walk among the trees of plans we've made
The rain will wash the sorrows away
And learn to soar the skies once again

@Erasmus

Erasmus

It was not entirely unusual for children to hatch late, Alek had mentioned idly once. But since mentioned, a thought that perhaps they would never hatch had occurred to Eramus.

As Erasmus sat in front of the chrysalises, there was a undeniable sense of themself having failed. They had taken a life, and they could not even bring that life back in any way, nor could they create brand new lives alongside Alek.

They were a failure, and they could not even voice these thoughts to Alek. They had been brought back to their silence today, and when they tried to speak they could only make wordless sounds.

Alek had brought food for them, and extra for when the children hatched he had said, and Erasmus never refused the gifts from the dragon, they felt plagued by guilt that they had somehow tricked the dragon into taking care of them and these children they doubted would hatch.

As the day stretched on, Erasmus's anxieties only compounded.

So lost was Erasmus in these thoughts, that they did not notice a change, not initially.

As I breathe into our silence
There's a voice that comforts me
It's a voice of understanding
It's the voice of empathy

@Doru @Bezaliel

The life within one of the chrysalises of purple amethyst shifted, not for the first time. But this time, though the life could not pin down why, was different. This time, the life was ready. The being shifted more violently, and then the chrysalis at last shattered.

A draconic yet also humanoid, in figure at least, child fell out, pale gold hair darkened from the fluid of the chrysalis. Wings stretched out without thought, but the child crawled on all fours though clearly they had the capability for a bipedal stance.

The first figure that caught their attention was pale and golden both, with hair much like their own, and the child could tell something was not right now with this being. They tried to croon at the being, to reassure.

However, their first sound came out as a odd sort of warble, instead. Confused, they lifted one of their hands from the ground to their throat, feeling where the sound had came from.

The stone that contained the second child split and cracked only slowly. The hand that extended out, uncertain and fumbling, held black claws; the skin was colored like coal and ash, though here and there that coal seemed almost to be smoldering with reds.

The weak strikes that tried to force open the breaking shards accomplished nothing. The soft, wordless, angry squeak of a voice--more draconic than humanoid--was likewise ineffectual at breaking stone, not unexpectedly.

This one, it seemed, would require a little help in his escape.

@Alek

Alek

Usually, Erasmus was the first one to notice any sounds, their ears incredibly sensitive. This time, however, it was Alek that first became aware of the cracking. "Erasmus-" Alek attempted to warn the other of what they suspected was about to occur, but the first one hatched so quickly, tumbling out of their chrysalis.

And oh, Alek really hadn't thought this through, had he? The moment he saw this first child, this hybrid of him and Erasmus, he was stunned silent. He could see the resemblance to Erasmus, even as the child was draconic. And Alek already loved the child, because he also was suddenly realizing he loved Erasmus.

He loved Erasmus, and he had not really been fully aware of that until this moment. Alek was aware he was attached, but not to what extent. He still did not truly grasp the extent. He was tempted to blurt out the words, but he suspected that would not help Erasmus.

"They're beautiful," He spoke instead, gazing at the child who crawled towards Erasmus and warbled, confused perhaps. Alek started to drag the extra food he had caught earlier closer to the little gembound. Truly, the child was tiny. His child. It was mind-boggling.

Then the other chrysalis began to hatch, but not fully. "Erasmus- That one needs help, and I'm too large to assist. I need you to try and help," He turned his many eyes to Erasmus, hoping that the other was feeling less anxious and not more now that the children had begun hatching.

Take shelter from the sun and grow in shade
And walk among the trees of plans we've made
The rain will wash the sorrows away
And learn to soar the skies once again

@Erasmus

Erasmus

The utterance of their name by Alek was what caught their attention at first, then they sharply turned their head at the sound of cracking. It was one of the purple amethyst chrysalises, or it was. Suddenly the chrysalis was broken.

Erasmus gazed stunned at this child that resembled Alek, and they felt more connected to the other than ever. The two had a child together, now. Said child let out a warble, and Erasmus let out a reassuring croon in turn.

They wanted to approach their child, to hold this precious life close. But then came another cracking noise, though not as complete as the first.

Alek spoke up, confirming that it was not a complete hatch. The child needed help. So Erasmus turned away, approached the other purple chrysalis, the child in need. They gave a croon, louder this time, judging this one in need of reassurance due to the distressed noise.

Strong golden claws carefully began to pry away pieces of the purple amethyst along the cracked points. Regularly, Erasmus would croon again, reminding this child that they were here and meant no harm.

As I breathe into our silence
There's a voice that comforts me
It's a voice of understanding
It's the voice of empathy

@Doru

The sound of further cracking caught the attention of the navy and gold marbled child as well. The words vaguely caught their attention, but the fellow clawed hand reaching out from a chrysalis of the same stone was what held their attention.

Pale and gold was trying to pry the chrysalis open, but was being slow. The draconic child stumbled over to the open chrysalis and gave an attempt at a croon of their own, reassurance. Maybe now that they had heard pale and gold make such a noise, they could do it themself.

It still came out oddly. They let go of the frustration, they were not the one trapped.

Instead, they reached their own clawed hand slowly to try hold the hand that had managed to get out so far. A different kind of attempt, a reminder that they were beings out here, trying to help.

@Bezaliel

The gentle, oddly wordless croons reassured the hatching child, at least, that he was in no danger from those outside. That wasn't to say he was afraid, or soft and sweet in turn.

His gaze held more of the calculating nature of a hatching crocodilian than a humanoid; glowing pupils peered up past broken shards in the dark wet of the chrysalis, and he let out a little rumble of his own. It was tiny, high-pitched; it wasn't a growl, or a hiss, but somewhere in between and more a statement that he was.

Impatient, he pushed and clambered his way through the gap being made for him, tumbling out in a pile of goop. A few raspy coughs purged the last of the fluid from his lungs, and he sat up and looked around. Draconic eyes adjusted to the light only slowly--even dim as Cetus's was--and settled upwards in a squint on the blurry figures towering above him.

Bezaliel kept squinting, for a moment, as if deep in thought; then he belched.

@Alek

Alek

The more draconic child seemed naturally empathetic, focusing on the emotions and feelings of others, even if they were still new to the world. It felt like a relief. Alek hadn't thought to worry about the temperaments of the children, but both Erasmus and he were undeniably predators in temperament, even if Erasmus suppressed that side of themself to the extreme at times.

However, the gaze of the other child... Alek could see the predator in that gaze. It had at least some of their nature, though it was yet to be seen how that would show. Alek would watch. But he loved the child no less for his nature.

Alek finished dragging over the meat from a lesser caught earlier this day, dropping it by the children. "Eat, little ones," His masculine yet musical voice was warm. "You are our children. I am Alek, your dad. Erasmus is your other parent." He nodded towards the vampire as he spoke.

"We'll protect and care for you, until you are ready for the caves. And even after, we'll be there for you," Alek assured the two.

Take shelter from the sun and grow in shade
And walk among the trees of plans we've made
The rain will wash the sorrows away
And learn to soar the skies once again

@Doru

The smell of the food enticed, but the words were more interesting still. This was language too, not just sounds. Their dad's voice was interesting, his shape even more so, giant and blue and glowing. And pale and gold was their other parent.

But they were not just parents, they had other titles too. No, not titles. Names. And they realized they had one too. "Alek," The child gestured sort of at their dad. "'Rasmus," This time, they nodded towards their pale and gold parent.

Then they placed their own gold clawed hand along the gemstones on their neck to gesture to themself. "Doru."

Doru glanced with curiosity at the other child, their brother. So many words. Did their brother have a name? Doru wanted to know.

Then their stomach rumbled, and the scent of the food drew them close. They would learn their brother's name in time, even if not now. For now, food.

@Erasmus