A Welcome

Who? Just who is this person, carrying the spitting image of James? Hair lush, catching the perpetual glow from the sun above, but his eyes, they aren't a lively green spawned from an open clearing amidst a bustling green forest, but a deep expressive blue mirroring a storm-filled sea much like Agatha. His voice, clear and confident ringing bells of deja vu within my head, it must be, it was he who helped Agatha tend to me those times, but this uncanny likeness, he must be...

"Weren't you supposed to be at the shop with the rest?" The rest? Just how many more is she eluding to?

"You know me, got a bit restless for a walk, ah, here." He's unstrapping some sort of basket from his back, it is neatly woven with beige fibers tying together every inch, looking closer his trousers are specked with dark spots of dirt smelling faintly sweet, this package handed over so smoothly oozes with pronounced scents tickling my nostrils with their distinct identities, this man, or is he still a boy? Agatha and James don't seem to be that much older than Harry... Ah, it, it hurts, this tight squeeze choking my heart.

"Hey, what's wrong?" So sudden, but he doesn't seem to worry as much as the others have, the word should be curious, somehow, it's calming, helping me abate this restless pain. Still...

("Just got out of breath for a moment, it is better now.") How am I going to tell them about Harry? All these feelings, longing, and haunting shivers, I don't even know what to make of them. His gaze, it's like his piercing through my fragile lies, leaving me... exposed, at the mercy of his perception, his left eyebrow's raising itself giving a look of doubtful skepticism.

"If you say so. Anyhow let's not bide too much time here, I'm sure the rest wouldn't want us to stall like this." He's turning around, heading towards that square, it's so close, but somehow it feels impossibly far, just when did these shivering tremors crawling up my legs start? This hand, so warm and gentle like its owner, pressing lightly down with its thumb against my own palm.

"I told you to tell me if you started to feel tired." Her voice's so soft, yet it is so shrouded, I can't tell exactly what it is, whether it'd be worry, disappointment, or something else entirely.

("Sorry, it was really sudden.") This gesture, holding that weaved package of herbs out straight towards her son, nodding for him to take it.

"Carry it back for me, would you. You went through all the foraging yourself, after all, there should be no problem carrying it a few more meters." Did he just glance at me for a moment before he turned his attention back?

"Sure, I'll do that." He's heading there now, holding on firmly, only a few more steps away, he is quite quick on his feet, I doubt I could reach that speed on ground even without these injuries holding me back.

"Well then, hop on." Agatha's crouching in front of me? I must have been distracted, she's telling me to get on, even when the remaining distance's this meager. But with all this shaking, there's no way I can refuse, just for a bit... it should be alright. Her back is pulsing with a steady heated tune echoing each of her heartbeats, her shoulders slim yet strangely reliable, I... my body, feels floaty... like I'm gliding through a lukewarm summer breeze.

"Khat!" Huh? Mary? Are we already inside? Did I dose off? My surroundings, the walls painted with an inviting cyan reflecting the sunlight like its cast across a cloudless sky from large display windows, the floor's a routed wall to wall carpet steeped in a slightly deeper dye from its edges. Around the counter stands six people, some I already know, James looking slightly weary, Maryon seeming anxious yet happy at the same time, Abel seeming relieved putting down a few boxes, he probably got them somewhere down back, there's a door back there after all, inconspicuous and hard to spot, but its there. The guy from earlier is leaning against the edges of a display case looking relaxed, a smirk slowly stretching across the edges of his pale lips, but there are two more, a man and a woman, the lady possessing locks of auburn hair flowing down to her hips almost puffy as a cloud, her eyes a very familiar brown reflecting Maryons irises perfectly, but the man, how can I describe him? What comes to mind?... Stillness, a dark quiet dragging itself over his dark hair creeping into a slightly lighter scalp, his skin tone's a ghastly gray matching his steel cold eyes fixated on a pile of documents with immovable focus.

"Khat... I'm sorry I didn't visit more, things have just been busy and all right after we returned." Her gaze is downcast, apologetic, and uncertain... It reminds me of the first time we met, it hasn't been that long but it already feels nostalgic, like it's already been a lifetime. Where is my notebook? It was in my hand before...

"Don't worry, I got it right here, just let me put you down first." Agatha, did she read my mind just now? The carpet... it feels ticklish, hundreds of intersecting threads brushing against the sides of my feet, my feet aren't trembling anymore, instead, they feel numb, almost like they aren't even there, except for those brief grazes of stimulating thread. Ah! The notebook!

("It's fine, really, I just hope we can see each other more from now on") Those gleaming eyes, irises wide like tiny mirrors reflecting my own snowy visage back at me.

"For sure, we'll be neighbors of today." Neighbors? That close? This soon? Agatha's smiling, a soothing welcoming smile brimming with comfort.

"Since you've improved this much I thought we could finally move you to your new room."

("New room?") Laughter, that guy from earlier! Just what's so funny?

"Did you think that you would stay at the clinic after you came here?" Is there anything strange with that? It's a nice room.

"You are being rude Jack, It's not nice to tease our new younger sister like that." Sister... the man with that chilling gaze, now peeking up from those heavy stacks of ordered documents, those words, calm and direct flowing through the room without any waste or hesitation, but that means.

"Pft, don't be like that Will, you should honestly try loosening up some more." Agatha's shaking her head, that red satin flowing down her chest, her gaze meeting mine, steps grazing against the floors innumerable threads and bindings, James!

"Welcome to the family."