Every Little Piece

[kol]

fandom: Kingdom
characters: Loni, Reed, Keoni
prompt: 31_days Something like a phenomena & fanfic100 Hours

one.
The bag slipped from Loni's tired hands, leaning perfectly against her low bed. It had been a long day, thanks to the late Hunt the night before, and she was ever so glad to collapse upon the nest of pale pink.

The sheets, decorated in princess crowns and stylized, cartoonish heels, had been waiting for her last April when she'd moved in. She hadn't the heart to tell her well meaning father the sheets more properly belonged on the bed of a pre-teen. He had meant well, and she was always careful to sleep neutral sheets on the bed when she invited anyone over.

But she could endure childish sheets for her father. After all, they were exceptionally soft!

Loni's lashes fluttered close the moment her skin touched the soft linens, her mouth letting out a very soft moan. Her muscles ached from misuse and the row of scratches from the feline daemon were itching terribly. She knew better than to scratch at them, though-- she'd just make the wound worse, marring her skin permanently.

As the warmth properly enveloped her tired form, Loni reminded herself to call Reed later, to see if the quiet guy was up for a quick healing later. He'll probably be busy partying, she thought hazily, snuggling against her body pillow. But I'll try anyway.

two.
An hour was all she needed. Who needed caffeine when there was still daylight to burn? She bounced up from the bed, shoved on a well-worn pair of flip flops, and skipped from the room. Her brother would be due sometime that night for his bi-monthly visit home, and she wanted to get the scratches healed before he could catch on to anything being wrong.

She was beginning to dislike her brother's constant visits. She just fundamentally didn't understand why he drove all the way to Sunset City every month. If she was in college, there's no way she'd come home! Wasn't the whole point of college spreading your wings and enjoying some freedom for a change? It wasn't like her mother was that great of a cook, and all he ever seemed to do was sleep and make her life miserable for the whole weekend, like big brothers were suppose to. But twice a month, something drove Ke back north, pushing him away on Sunday for a long, lonely drive.

Her brother was just weird. Why wasn't he living it up, partying every weekend like the Hunters she knew? It wasn't like Ke was much of a student. He'd barely gotten into UCLA in the first place and still hadn't declared a major, much to their father's disappointment. She'd found his Facebook, thanks to Jane's computer!fu, and knew her brother wasn't attending his classes regularly. Half his updates were pleas for class notes.

She had skipped the others, face burning. She did not want to know about her big brother's love life!

Which was why Loni wondered why he'd taken such an interest in hers. Lately he'd taken to watching her whenever he came home, always wanting to know where she was going. He'd even tried following her a few times, but she had gotten pretty good at shaking him off. It just took running into a coffee shop (Ke hated coffee) and crawling out of the tiny bathroom window. She figured he was just being ridiculous, especially when he began demanding to know why she was hanging with college boys. Why should he care? It wasn't like she was doing them! She wished she could tell him about Hunting, but she had a feeling that would just make him even more impossible to be around. He'd probably shove her in a closet and demand she never Hunt again.

As if! Her nostril's flared in a fit of sudden anger, and she shut her bedroom door with more force than she'd intended. She was alone in the house, apparently, because that outburst normally would have unleashed a bout of parental worry. Loni rarely got mad, after all, except when Ke was involved.

Stupid older brothers.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled out her phone and sent off a quick text message to Reed. Not caring what his response would be (she knew him well enough to know he had a problem saying no if she dropped Lynn's name), she grabbed the keys to the mini-van and made it halfway to the car before she remembered she was in California and forgetting to lock the door behind her wasn't an option.

It was the little, stupid things like that that made her miss Maui so hard, it felt like someone had landed a punch against her gut. Sucking in the stale, California air, Loni barely managed to keep the tears from spilling.

She'd been in California for months, it was useless to cry over a place that wasn't her home anymore.

And besides, she thought with a thin smile as she climbed into the totally ancient mini-van, Maui just didn't have the hot boys that California had.

three.
Loni was a little disappointed. Convincing Reed to heal her scratches had been ridiculously easy, no challenge at all. Just a quick yank of the tank high enough to display the angry flesh and he'd dragged her into his dorm room, his face oddly flushed and tight with a worried look to the hall they left behind. She knew it wasn't about her silly little wound-- silly Reed probably thought the age police were watching, ready to pounce because a 17 year old was stripping in front of him.

It was a dirty trick, but it had gotten her what she wanted. He wasted no time unleashing his weird healing goo, but he didn't meet her gaze, even when she tried to pull him into conversation.

Loni rolled her eyes. Boys were so predictable. He wouldn't be good for anything until his hands were away from her skin.

It was too bad she knew Reed wasn't the least bit attracted to her. It would have boosted her spirits to know she had an older admirer! But he just saw her as a little girl, a younger sister. At least he wasn't as annoying about it as Ke was.

She spoke too soon.

"You should be more careful on Hunts." Reed muttered as he jerked her shirt down.

Loni frowned at his words, too busy twisting her back. The motion didn't hurt, and her curious fingers found no trace of the angry scratches. "Thanks, Reed!" She smiled cheekily.

"I'm serious, Loni. You keep getting hurt, and I'm not always around."

She let out a soft giggle, laying a hand on his forearm. "Silly, that's why they make bandaids!"

He rolled his eyes, breaking her hold to retreat to the desk sheltered in the dim corner. It was almost cute, watching him hold up in the farthest spot in the room, man-sulking over his advice being so easily dismissed.

Almost. "Lynn wanted me to tell you she's setting up a training session for tomorrow night. She wants to know if you can pick Jane up."

She'd been looking for a place to sit down, frowning at the pile of textbooks and trash heaped on the nearest bed. Boys were soo messy. How did they ever expect to draw women into their rooms? Lynn must never come over. Really, she should give Reed a few pointers...

"I don't think I can make it," she managed, shifting her weight to lean slightly against the door. She was still a little tired, even after the nap, and her muscles were still complaining. "My brother's in town again..."

Reed let out a slow yawn, his eyes flickering closed. She wasn't the only one who was exhausted. She felt a sliver of guilt for making Reed heal her when he was already tired, but it passed as soon as he opened his mouth again.

"I'll let her know. Too bad he's not a Hunter-- Peter's been going on about a big ass daemon he's been sensing. Good thing Deon stopped him from blurting it out to Mara last night at the Fortress-- she'd demand we go after it without resting up. Even though we're not even working under her anymore."

Loni rolled her eyes. The boys might go on about their independence and how cool it was to have their own band on campus, but they were over at the Fortress too much for their words to have much meaning. Boys, she sighed, pushing her hair back from her face. "I do not need another big brother on a Hunt. Especially not a cool one like you guys! My brother's so lame, Reed. He'd totally cramp my Hunting style, banning me from Hunting on school nights or something equally lame. You have no idea how happy I am he's not a Hunter! He'd never let me do anything!"

She wasn't ready for Reed's eyes snapping open, staring at her with steady, uncomfortable scrutiny. "Maybe that's a good thing."

four.
Keoni's ratty car was in the driveway when she got home. She could feel the heat off the engine as she passed, so he couldn't have been home for long. Great, just what she needed, a grumpy just off the road brother! He'd probably demand why she wasn't home, studiously working at her homework. As if! She always did hers on the way to school on Monday.

She wasn't prepared for Ke to jump at her as soon as the door closed behind her, fury pulling at his otherwise handsome features. She backed away on instinct, letting out a shaky laugh. "Oh hi, Ke, fancy seeing you-"

His fist tightened painfully in her hair. "What is this?" He snarled, leaning closer to glare at her.

"A-a girl isn't allowed to dye her hair now?" She laughed skittishly, wincing as her brother leaned back. "Ke, what's the matter with you?"

He immediately let go, the offending hand rubbing against his temple. "Sorry Loni," He managed, sounded not at all contrite. "I'm just... I went to that house."

Loni froze. "What house? I go to a lot of houses, silly." She managed a too-large smile from her perch against the wall, knowing the effort was useless. "And why are you following me? I'm practically an adult!"

"I..." Keoni growled, not quite meeting her eyes. "Damn it Loni, what else was I suppose to do? You're a high school student getting mixed up with college guys."

She let out a bark of laughter. So that's what this was about! She could totally bluff her way out of this one. Oh, silly over protective brothers. "Ke-"

The relief faded when he did meet her eyes, and Loni realized for the first time his had changed. They'd matched her own all her life, an attractive warm brown, but now they were unmistakable gold. Oh no, she managed just he interrupted.

"I wish it was just college parties you were getting yourself mixed up with. Damn it, Loni, you didn't have to wake up as a Hunter! There was already one of us in the family!"

Loni closed her eyes, biting her bottom lip. "I'm sorry-"

"Well, there's not much you can do once you come face to face with a Daemon," Keoni dismissed her apology, pushing his own hair back from his face. He was at least three months past needing a trim, Loni couldn't help but notice. Why couldn't boys take care of themselves? "At least you had enough sense to track others down and not go out alone."

"You... you don't Hunt alone, do you?" Loni asked timidly, still finding it difficult to meet her brother's different eyes. It felt like her whole world was shifting. "Because if you are, Keoni George MacKay, I will come down there and force you into a band-" She launched a volley of fists towards him.

Something relaxed on Ke's face, and a measure of his easy bearing returned. His hands raised to fend off her blows, his laughter forcing his now gold eyes to sparkle. "Relax, Loni, I've been doing this a while. I know what I'm doing!"

Loni shook her head, leaning forward to wrap her long arms around his shoulders. "Just promise me you'll be safe. I've... I've seen some people get really hurt." She muttered into his shoulder.

He tosseled her hair, still laughing. "Who do you think I am? This is me we're talking about. And besides, I lob magma. Most things have the sense to stay away."

"Magma?" Loni leaned back to stare at her brother, incredulous. She thought siblings were suppose to have similar powers-- Mara and Lynn were both water-based Hunters, after all. "You hurl lava?"

"Yeah, it's pretty cool." Keoni laughed. "Scared the shit out of me the first time it popped into my hand. What... what do you do?"

"Well, wind stuff." Loni wavered, thinking it over. "Probably why I was so good at golf back home."

Keoni shook his head, clearly not bothered by their dissimilar abilities. "I always knew you were cheating. No way a sister of mine could beat me!"

"Keoni, I beat you even when I was five, and I certainly wasn't a Hunter then!"