Blacktail Deer Plateau to the moon and back

Atticus’ enthusiasm to see him was warming to Crete, and the mute’s tail wagged joyously behind him, as he met Atticus half way, pressing his nose against his littermate’s cheek before Atticus nuzzled him beneath the chin. Another piece of Crete’s puzzle-like heart was filled, sewing itself into place. All they were missing of their litter was Osprey, now, and Crete’s heart would almost be complete. Almost, but never fully. There would always, he had acknowledged when they had buried his father, be an empty place that had died with Aether. No one could ever fill the hole that the patriarch had left in the wake of his death - though Crete reflected absently, that if Tyrannus had been trying he had failed quite miserably. At Hawkeye’s approach, Crete lowered himself into proper submission before he moved to stand beside Peregrine as Perry (though why it was particularly unexpected to Crete, he would never know) went on to inform Hawkeye that Atticus’ male genitalia was bigger than Crete’s. Crete shot Peregrine a perverse look, lips twitching in a taunting grin. 'If you keep going on about Atticus’ and I’s genitalia she might start wondering about yours.' There were those moments in life when Crete, whom had never really been the ‘woe is me’ type, wished with a fierce passion that he had not been born mute. There was so much he wanted to say, wishing he had the ease of simply letting it roll off of his tongue and pass through his lips.

That had been one of those moments, though the wish was as fleeting as it was fierce. It had vanished near as quickly as it had came.

Hawkeye’s compliment had not gone unnoticed by Crete, but he did not truly have the choice of responding to it, so simply let it go, not knowing what else to do. And since he could not speak, figured he'd just stand there like the silent sentry he was.

table by houkie