Hardship



He could feel the lump his his throat begin to choke him as he sat there, watching his cubs sleep softly within their beds.

Ukka, his long lost dead cub now returned to the flesh of the living, slept with his thumb in his mouth, snoring softly though he was almost nine years of age now.

Viona, hugging her stuffed ragged bear close to her, made soft little grunts as she tossed and turned, being too warm from the thick comforter.

Vincet gurgled in his sleep, pacifier in his mouth as he softly suckled, surrounded in toys in his bed with barred sides to keep him from falling out.

Vicheatta sighed, eyes adverting to the small two cubs in his arms. Kayla, whimpered as she could not sleep and refused to give up her mothers teat, even though her belly was full.
With a soft chuckle, the larger saiyan shifted the cub, burping her gently over his shoulder.

His eyes however, adverted to the small bundled form of Victor, the smaller and much weaker of the faternal twin cubs.
The small cub whimpered, so weak he had yet to open his eyes like his sister, barely moving, and at times, breathed so softly it made his mother nervous.

Slowly getting to his feet, Vicheatta placed his two cubs inside their crib.
Once wrapped up in blankets and propped up so that they wouldn't move around too much, in fear that Kayla may some how hurt her brother unknowingly.
He watched them, yawning sweetly as they began to doze off.
Reaching up and turning the small knob on the music box, he let the soothing melody keep them lulled in a soft sleep.

A soft, sad sigh roused past his lips. They were dry, in which made his nervous tongue wash over them, trying to we them and make them feel less cracked.
He tucked his shaky hands under his arms as he folded them across his chest, like a hawk, watching his young.

After an hour, he crept slowly through the darkness, blowing out candles and making his way into the living room.
He watched as the half cresent moon shone through the window, it was the only time he could look at the moon with out transforming.
He looked up at it's wonderous silver body, reaching his hand out and tracing the cold window, watching as it slowly began to rain out side.

He didn't flinch as he felt strong, warm arms wrap around his body, encircling him in warmth and making him feel secure.
"You're heart is beating fast..." The deep but soft voice said over his head, making him sag his shoulders as he looked up, reaching a hand to caress his lovers jaw line.

"I'm...scared." Vicheatta whispered, biting his lip as he placed one of his hands upon his mates.

"Vicheatta, it's alright to be scared. However, you wont have to feel alone when you are. I'm here, I'm not going any where. We'll see through this, I promise." Kinley whispered, but saying it just loud enough for his lover to hear him.
Turning his wife around, he pinched the saiyans chin and lifted it up, tracing his thumb over the left side of his mates face, the scarred side.

"I will not lose you, I c-can't..."

This was the first time Vicheatta had ever heard his husbands voice crack, which caused tears to form at the corner of his eyes.
He wrapped his arms around his husbands neck and drew him down, kissing his lush thick lips, sobbing into him as he shattered down, breaking and unable to hold it back any more.

The giant held his quaking lover, forcing his eyes tight to keep the sting from pouring out, feeling that if he broke down, it would only make his wife feel further lost.
Remembering something his wife said to him once in the forest of night and day, he pulled back just a little, taking his lovers small hand into his large palm.
"No matter what happens, no matter where life leads us and we don't know where we are or what to do... no matter how lost you feel Vicheatta in the fogs of confusion... I will be your light, your guiding hand that will keep you safe."
He said, cupping his wifes face and licking the tears away, soon embracing him again as his mate shook in trembling sobs.

The rain drowned out the sorrowful cries, the weeping tears and choked sobs.
The children continued to sleep, not knowing what was going on and were to young to understand. Their minds could not wrap around the idea of death, or that their mother was growing weaker.

Sniffling and wiping his tears, Vicheatta rested his head against his husbands large chest, listening to his strong, pounding heart.
"You're heart...it puts me to sleep at night... it's like a lullaby... a soothing... but encouraging lullaby...one that makes me fight this...keep me going... when I look at our children...when I look at you... I... I get scared... I'm scared my heart will fail..and...and... I can't let that happen... I can't lose you or the children, I....I don't want to die..." He whimpered, rubbing his face against his mate, soon tilting his face up and a small, soft smile appeared on his sad features.
"I'm scared...but oddly, I'm happy that I am... it shows that... I'm no longer like I used to be. so closed off and unfeeling... never showing any emotion.... I'm happy...I'm happy that I can be able to live a good life... with the person I love. I love you Kinley, so much that this weak heart can't contain it." He whispered, taking his lovers hand as he had made himself so tired from worrying.

Softly smiling at his wife, the giant gently swooped the small saiyan into his arms, carrying him off to their room as he knew his wife was tired.
Tucking Vicheatta in under the covers, he stroked his face and kissed his forehead.
After a few minutes, the smaller male's eye lids began to droop, soon engulfed by exhaustion before taken captive to sleep.

Kinley continued to stroke his lovers face, watching him closely while he too, got into bed.
Leaning close and rubbing his face against his lovers, he whispered sweetly.
"I love you too, more than my large heart can contain as well... I've never been this scared in my life... I don't know what I would do Vic... so I wont let it happen, I can't and I wont. Nothing, no curse, no destiny or markings in stone can keep us apart. I promised, death till us part but only when we are old and gray and lived out our lives... for you, are my guiding light." He whispered, kissing Vicheatta's tender lips before going to his side, wrapping his strong arms around his lover.
Soon, he too was captured by sleep, lulled to sleep by the soft beat of his wifes heart, humming and trying to keep in tune with his own.