A/N: Wow, I've been away for far too long. Oops. Just...life, you know. Wonder if anyone still cares at this point xD Regardless, I found some documents on my computer that were never posted. So let's clear these out, yeah? Still been reading/faving/alerting, branching out my fandom interests, and like to think I might have learned/picked up the odd thing from reading those with great writing skills and ideas. I'll tidy up my old stories, dust off these files and post them before I lose nerve (again) and maybe write out some of the ideas that keep swimming round my head but don't get the justice of writing they deserve (just a quick note jotted down to keep them alive). If anyone's still interested, then...wow, what did I do to deserve people like you? And to any new readers; hello, welcome, thanks for popping on by and I hope to see you around again ^^
Any and all criticsm and advice is welcome, I think I'd like to start taking my writing more seriously now that I have a calm(ish) period of my life right now, so show me what you got!

Muffled sobs mix with the dark air. The turtle pads silently towards the sound, woken from his slumber, worry etched in his heart. He hesitates at the threshold, wondering whether he is rightful to intrude into his brother's sanctuary. He pauses, hands cupped, ear at the door. A break in the sobs as the brother gulps for air; the sound of a shifting blanket as he burrows deeper, hiding the sound from prying ears. The turtle breathes slowly, finds himself pushing open the door, even as he tells himself not to. The muffled sounds cease, his hidden brother stilled by the presence of another.

"Go away" pleading, his brother draws tighter into himself, hidden under the blankets of cloth and dark.

The turtle pauses. He tells himself to leave, it is not his place to intrude on this brothers emotions. He crouches, his hand trailing softly down the blanket.

"Please...go away, please..."

His brother draws in a short gasp as the turtle lifts the edge of the blanket. He scrubs furiously at his eyes, uselessly attempting to dispel the spilled tears, even as more fall from eyes worn red.

The turtle sighs, running a thumb down the side of his brother's cheek. Cupping his hand under his brother's chin, he shushes softly; his other hand stills his shaking brother's.

His brother parts his lips, only to find himself silenced by a firm growl. The turtle slowly lowers himself, so he lies side by side with his brother. Gently rubbing soothing circles into his brother's shell, the turtle makes no sign of disapproval when his brother buries his head in the turtle's neck.

Words of comfort, soothing sounds that mean nothing when faced with the crushing truth. But he feels he must speak them. He has to hear them himself.

A sob shakes his brother's body, and he pulls him closer. The shivering form of his elder brother feels so fragile in his arms. So broken inside. As they all are.

"Shhhhh..."

He nuzzles his brother at a loss for what else to say. Soothing noises seem to be all that is needed or appropriate.

His hands trail the rough shell of his brother. Feeling scars he never knew were there. Another sob breaks from his brother, and the turtle pulls him closer, mindful of how fragile he seems. So strong and loyal. So broken by night. There is a religion that used to believe a turtle carried the world on its back. They must have met his brother.

A whimper breaks the rhythm of sobs.

His brother twists next to him, burying himself further into the protective embrace. He senses the turmoil coming from his brother. Another shudder shakes the delicate frame.