Firefly Glen some place we called home

proper feels.

Rian was entirely unaware that Cypress was ticklish in the first place and, even if he had been of right mind, he likely would have forgotten in the moment anyway. So when the first trembles began to seize his muscles, and the barely surpressed laughter caused his rib-cage to shake with the effort, Rian nearly bolted straight upright as if he'd burned his younger cousin (and would have likely caused his skull to connect with the shadow's jaw in a painful way in the process). His ears snapped to attention and he yanked his muzzle away from the nook. A fraction of a second later he realized, just as Cypress gasped, that nothing was actually wrong. Cypress was laughing from the sensation. The ruddy yearling blinked, flattened his ears, and almost had the mind to look sheepish until the riduculousness of the moment hit him:

what even did he have to be upset about, really? his cousins love him and that is enough. also cypress: ticklish. hilarious!

A spluttering laugh pushed out from his mouth and he sniffed in another rather unsightly snot bubble that had formed in his left nostril. He lifted a paw and placed it firmly against his brothers chest to shove him playfully with a teary smile but before he could dissolve any concern they had about his potential reaction to the uncontrollable reaction, Rannoch approached and settled in closer to them both. The silver-saddled male commanded his attention with merely a word, and he looked up from his place beside Cypress. 

What Rannoch offered came as a bit of a shock to Rian. It wasn't just in title to ease his transition into their lives, or by assumptions made by the pack—they wanted to adopt him. Actually adopt him. Rian's mind blanked. He could hardly breathe, could hardly think, as the feeling blanketed him like a comforting embrace. He'd never felt truly alone, not even now, but with the confirmation that they, too, felt the same was as if they'd reached in and raised his heart from the void that existed solely within himself. The moment, nor the timing, was of little importance. Rannoch could have asked him on their deathbed and he would have accepted. 

"Yes," he exhaled, fighting another wave of tears. "My da..." He trailed off abruptly, stopping the train of thought and decided, ultimately, not to bring it up. The yearling shook his head. Keiran had never really been a large part of his life, as they were well aware, and there was little sense in keeping the O'Malley name. It made much more sense to take on his true family's name, that of the Frostfur line. "Your last name is cooler anyway." He remarked, smiling weakly.