His sandpaper tongue tickles my fingertips, and I grin a little. My family is... distant, and that's just fine for me. I need space, to preen and to grow. But hanging out with Kazari's doesn't sound like a terrible idea too.

After all, he seems pretty okay now. I like that.

"We... didn't get a great start, last time." I shrug, then. I've figured that much out, at least. We were never meant to win. Maybe--this is our reward for not feeding off the human race. Or something. Or maybe, we're just lucky.

"Now, we're more able."