Bearclaw Valley gardenia and king protea

It felt good to have his name in Evien's mouth. Like he was grounded. His feet curling into the dirt, he's almost overwhelmed by a need to stay in Ursus. It unsettles him, how much he wants it. He grits his teeth, knowing that it will only be all the more painful if or when he has to leave.
For a few wild moments, he swears to himself that he'll stand his ground if Planck finds him. Hey, Taylor. Why don't you hold still? In his mind, he holds his brother's head in one big hand, and makes a fist.
Taylor doesn't hear the and you're here too, but he feels it. Wants it so bad for it to be true. Wants so bad to be known, to be liked, to be comfortable in his own body. He smiles, both at Evien and at his joke, and he hasn't felt this normal in so long. When I was recruited, we spilled blood too. 
He berates himself for being so awkward. The otherness he'd been born with had never felt like such an obstacle until now. He sighs ruefully. A good healer and a decent fighter. Damn, Kastner. Leave some for us. He almost wishes he could stay like this forever.