The Walk Home

Cocooned in your sister’s embrace you rest your weary body. Despite feeling happier than you ever had before you were not at peace. You knew this magical moment in the tower would have to end at some point and the pair of you would have to face the real world. How would a creature like Vespera get by out there? No simple illusion could cover her wild form. Would the pair of you stay together as lovers? How would that even work? You knew no human woman or man could ever do for you what Vespera did, but once Ves got settled she might have other ideas. What kind of life could she lead in a world ill suited for one such as her? She would surely be the oddest of what Trixie described as your oddball family. And most pressing on your mind, would your family even accept her?

You open your eyes and whisper. “We have to go.” You push out and after a moment Vespera releases her grasp. You roll from her tentacles and up onto your hands and knees. Looking back at her you say. “We have to talk to Mom. Dad said he was busy tonight. We need to talk to her while he’s not around. She’ll know what to do.”

“Mother.” Ves shifts to a standing position.

“I know you love her too.” You smile as you receive flashes of memories of your mother sitting quietly with Ves, now knowing how to communicate but content to be in her presence. “She’s a pretty great Mom, despite…everything. She’ll understand once we tell her. If anybody can get through to Dad it’s her. Mrrrm!” You groan as you struggle to your feet, Vespera reaches out with a helping limb. “Thank you.”

With difficulty you dress. You walked into this tower already beat to hell but now, after being with Ves, you were absolutely smashed. Everything hurt from the knot on your head right down to your bruised ankles. Your muscles are sore and your joints aching from being stretched. And your ass and battered twig and berries was a whole other thing. The gash on your calf had split wider in your lovemaking with your sister and was bleeding again. But your purpose gives you the strength to press on. You put on your underwear, pants, socks, and sandals then reapply the shirt around your leg to stem the bleeding. Vespera watches and helps, picking items up for you as needed and supporting you with a steady arm.

As you turn to her, ready to depart, you realize the dark shadows had now completely vanished from her. Her arrival to your world was complete. Born into this reality by the sin of ****, yet you could not think of it that way. What had happened had been so…right. Seeing her here, really here, gives you courage. This gives you the hope and belief that together the Devlin twins could do anything.

“Come on.” You say as you take her tentacle in your hand. “It’s time to meet the family.”

With gingerly steps you **** your body into action and start back for the house. You exit the tower doorway, the writhing mass of your twin pouring through with surprising ease. She moved over the ground with a constantly shifting fluidity unlike anything you’d seen, how an octopus moved across the ocean floor the closest thing but even that not quite comparable. The pair of you walk hand in tentacle back around the shore of the lake. Eventually you have to lead her further out as she continually kept splashing her limbs loudly into the water.

“You’re getting wet.” You chuckle. “Get out of the water silly.”

She looks at rippling waters of the lake seemingly confused. She pauses to watch the waves settle down…then splashes it again. Three tentacles thrashing wildly as she made a hell of a noise.

“Stop!” You laugh as you shield your face from the spraying water. “What’s gotten into you?”

Her limbs stop and she pulls them back and she watches the water slowly calm again.

“I’ll bring you back here later, okay?” You say. “Right now we have to get back to the house.” She looks back at you with that hint of a smile you’d only seen once before. It is brief but it is there. “Come on.” You pull her along toward home.

With your sister’s help the trip is not nearly as difficult as it might have been. She holds your hand and even supports your back at times, once she gently lifts you right over a fallen log in your path to set you down on the other side. Her connection with you gave her a new appreciation of your fragile human form. Along the way she looks about as if seeing the world anew. She reaches up to touch high branches as they sway in the breeze and she picks up a clump of earth to squish it in her grip then watches the pieces fall with open wonder.

You pat her arm. “You’ll get used to it.”

She looks to the moon and reaches out for it. “Beautiful.”

You gaze up at the pale gibbous moon with a new appreciation. “Yeah. It is, isn’t it.” You grin. “Floating there in the dark…it reminds me of your face.”

A passing moth flutters up and lands on her outstretched limb. She brings it down to her face to study it more closely. Attracted by the glow it flits up to land on her nose. All six eyes go crossed as she focuses in on the insect. “Beautiful.”

“You are too pure for this world Sis.” You can’t stop smiling. “Yeah, it’s lovely.”

“Gentle.” She carefully scoops it off of her face to look at it again.

You nod. “Yes, gentle. Living things are very delicate.”

As she reaches out and tries to lightly pet the wings with one her hair tendrils the moth takes flight and returns to its nocturnal trek through the forest. You stop to let Vespera watch it go with rapt fascination. Taking the time to watch it flutter off you appreciate the simple beauty of it, one you would have taken for granted and not even given a second glace to on any other night. Your eyes turn to her and you fall in love with her even more.

Before long you are at the edge of the trees and peering across the sprawling lawn to the garden and manor beyond. You grip her firmly in your hand and steel yourself for what was to come. They would accept both Devlin twins or they would accept neither. You would have it no other way. You take a long deep fortifying breath.

“Jacob.” Ves could sense your tension, and you sensed hers.

Bring her tentacle to your chest you hold it tight. “Stay with me Ves and let me do the talking.”

Together the pair of you start off toward the house.