Path of the Hunters [PART 4] (NSFW)

"If things flip-flop we will still 'ave one 'oo is loud."

*

She laughed. "What? We coulda called you X."

"Now that just sounds retarded. The 'mysterious X' nickname is as overdone as 'Deep Voice'." She laughed.

Yue giggled. "Looks like you're stuck either way!"

"Watch it, kid," Nova said.

*

Briggs rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever. Besides, my older bro already took that handle."

Star smiled. "If she hadn't said it, I would've."

*

"Geez. That's... kinda gay."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Hey, you're the one with 'em," Cross said, smirking. "Deal."

*

He shrugged. "It's all good. Settled into Briggs okay, and it probably suits me a little better."

Star giggled, scooping Trip into her lap.

*

"Yeah, seems like it to me. So how much farther?"

"Ah, can it, Sparky. You're just mad cuz you'll never-"

"Don't even think about going there," Cross said darkly.

Star took his hand, squeezed it softly.

Cross gave her hand a delicate squeeze back, sighed heavily. That was something very hard for him to accept.

Nova sighed. "Sorry, man. Keep forgettin' how touchy that is."

Aurélie looked curious, but said nothing, nuzzling Dart softly.

"Don't worry about it," Nova said to his wife.

Yue looked downtrodden. She knew what was not being talked about, and she didn't like it at all.

Trip cuddled close to his mother, sighing.

A stillness fell over their table, one that unsettled Cross more than talking. This silence was the perfect window for the dark memories, stories, and his own wild imagination, to torrent in his mind...

Elesis sighed, finally thinking of a subject change. "Hey, Star. You mentioned something about Comet yesterday, remember?"

"Hm? Did I?" She laid her head on Cross's shoulder, purring softly to try and relax him.

Cross sighed shakily. He had to remember to thank Elesis for the distraction.

"Yeah, briefly," Elesis continued. "You were still kinda zonked out from the truth serum, or whatever. Anyway, you said he liked me."

She blinked. "Oh, crap! I promised I wouldn't say anything!" She sat straight straight up, then blinked again. "Um... I mean... I don't know what you're talking about..."

She smirked. "Too late, Star. Besides, I was interested before the fact, anyway."

Well, since the secret was out... She grinned. "Youlikehim?!Howcomeyouneversaidanything?!"

The echidna girl jumped back slightly. "Easy, girl! I just said I was interested. It's not like I really got to know him, the two or three times we met."

"Well, blah. He mainly likes you because of this photo he took - you had to have noticed that he never puts the thing down. But I don't know. He reads people through his lens and he said that there's something different about you." She shrugged.

"Something different about me, huh?" She smiled. "Okay, now I'm passed interested. I gotta remember to keep my camera on hand."

The hedgecat laughed, purring. "We'll see what happens."

Cross smiled, nuzzled Star. "Best of luck to you."

"You too, bro." Elesis gave him a thumbs-up, which Cross acknowledged with a nod.

She purred, snuggling close.

Nova sighed, growing impatient. "I know Briggs' a bit of a freak, but this is gettin' ridiculous. Where are those two?"