Everlasting Dream

Chapter 71: Starving

[Aster]

In the early morning, the sun struggled to break through the thick cloud cover, and its weak rays couldn't reach the forest floor below. A bitterly cold wind swept through the pine trees, causing them to sway and creak under the weight of the snow covering their branches.

Behind the snow-blocked entrance, down the dark and winding tunnel lay a chamber the Silverfrost family called their home. It was filled with sulfuric air from the hot spring bubbling nearby, the only thing keeping the cave from freezing entirely during the harsh winter months.

Nivalis and Silvia were huddled under their blankets, sharing body heat to keep warm as they slept. Their chests rose and fell slowly with each shallow breath, their bodies nearly motionless. Their long, silver locks intervened, sprawling across the bed. Aster was sitting nearby, desperately trying to feed his mother with what little food they had left.

The fire nearby burned low, casting long shadows around the room that danced on the rocky walls. Aster's golden-bleak eyes reflected the flickering flames, his soft features barely illuminated by the light.

The boy had dark circles under his eyes, and his once plump cheeks now looked hollow, making him resemble a walking skeleton more than anything else. His skin had taken on an unhealthy gray hue, and he wore a loose-fitting tunic knitted by Nivalis and a scarf given to him by Silvia for his birthday. His tiny round butt peeked from under the tunic, chilled by the cold air in the cave.

But in comparison to his mother and sister, Aster was doing fine. Nivalis, like any loving mother, had made sure that her children ate first before herself. As a result, she was in the worst shape of all three. Her skinny body was now nothing but bones and protruding ribs, her hips sticking out of her pelvis. Her skin, of the same sickly-looking shade as his, moved over her bones as she breathed. She looked incredibly frail; even the slightest gust of wind could blow her away if one suddenly appeared.

Silvia was not much better off. She, too, had a gaunt, skeletal appearance, though slightly better than her mother's. The girl spent most of her time sleeping, feeling too weak and exhausted to do anything else.

— "Please, Mom, eat," Aster said, his voice hoarse, barely above a whisper, holding a spoonful of honey in his thin, trembling hands.

"I-it's fi-ine, swe-eetie. You're hungry. Ea-at i-it," Nivalis replied weakly, her half-lidded blue eyes looking at him.

Aster shook his head, tears welling up in his golden eyes. "You and Silvia need it more than I do."

Nivalis forced a smile, her lips dry and cracked. "I-I'm not... hu-ungry, my love. Eat," she repeated, her hand weakly moving the spoon away he held out to her. The way she looked at him broke his heart. "G-give it to... S-silvia."

— "I will eat it with Silvia after you have it," Aster insisted, trying hard to hold back his tears and decided to munch the food for her. In one motion, the boy lifted the spoon, took the crystalized honey into his mouth, and began chewing it thoughtfully, his small jaw struggling with the tough piece.

Nivalis sighed weakly, her eyes fluttering shut, too exhausted to argue with him.

Tucking a strand of silver hair behind his ear, Aster leaned closer to his mother, gently pressing his lips against her cracked ones. His tiny, slippery tongue slid past her lips, forcing them open and pushing the mix of his saliva and chewed-up honey inside. The taste of her son's mouth was just as sweet as the honey he tried to feed her, making Nivalis hum softly.

Her tongue moved slowly and weakly, swirling around his tiny one, feeling the soft flesh of her son shyly glide over hers, their saliva mixing. After a few seconds, she finally swallowed all the chewed-up honey his little mouth had, feeling it slide down her throat and enter her belly.

Aster broke the kiss, looking into her blue as the summer sky eyes, his golden ones reflecting the dancing flames of the fireplace, darted between hers. He gently wiped the corners of her mouth with his fingers, a soft blush on his cheeks and a warm smile gracing his face.

"Happy now?" Nivalis whispered, her pale lips curling up slightly into a weak smile, her voice barely above a whisper.

The boy nodded enthusiastically, scooping another spoonful of honey, putting it in his mouth, and chewing it thoroughly, leaving no crumb behind. His golden eyes remained fixed on hers until he leaned over again to feed her the delicious treat. Their soft lips met in a gentle, innocent kiss, the one only a mother and son could share.

Her thin arms rose and wrapped around his skinny torso, pulling the boy closer. The hem of his tunic rode up, exposing his tiny, pale asscheeks, trembling from the cold. Nivalis parted her lips, allowing his tongue to invade her mouth once again. The hunger she had been trying so hard to hide from her children finally surfaced, making her lips begin to suck on his tiny, slippery tongue, eager to take every drop of sweetness it was coated in.

Aster's little hands gently caressed her cheekbones, holding her face still. Even if Nivalis wanted to pull away, he wouldn't let her. When it was time for the third spoon, Nivalis suddenly whispered the moment he started scooping the honey, "Darling... please don't. You saw how little we have left. I'll be okay."

The boy ignored her, shoved the spoon into his mouth, and diligently chewed the honey. His golden eyes glared at her stubbornly.@@@@

Nivalis sighed, looking at the boy above her. "The winter isn't over, my love," she whispered, taking a deep breath. "I know I'm not looking good, and it's hard for you to see me like this, but... if you keep this up, none of us will survive it," she explained, her blue eyes filled with tears threatening to spill down her sunken cheeks. "Please save the food for yourself and your sister..."

Aster's eyes darted between hers, frowning at her for saying something like that. Then, without a word, he leaned down and pressed his soft, small lips against hers once again, pushing his tiny tongue inside her mouth for her to suck on. Her eyelids fluttered shut as she let out a quiet moan, her arms tightening around him. Her lips began to move up and down his slippery flesh, licking every tiny droplet of sticky liquid off it.

"I won't let you starve," Aster murmured against her lips, his little hands caressing her neck, feeling how she swallowed the honey he fed her. "Trust me, Mom. I have a plan, a super smart one. Just eat as much as you can, and don't worry about the rest," he added, licking the corners of her mouth clean.

Her blue eyes stared at him with both love and worry. She knew that expression on his face; it was always there whenever he did or was about to do something she didn't like. Nivalis patiently waited for him to reveal his idea, but the boy remained silent after each new kiss full of food he gave her.

After the seventh spoonful of honey, Nivalis' stomach couldn't fit anymore, getting bloated and painful from all the sudden food intake. Aster made her a cup of tea to help calm her stomach down, and after she finished it, she whispered a simple, "Tell me."

Aster's little hands gently massaged her belly, his thin fingers tracing circles around her tummy, hoping to ease some of her discomfort. "You won't like it," he whispered, a weak smile playing on his pale lips.

"Tell me," Nivalis repeated, her blue eyes fixed on him, showing no emotion.

Aster sighed, closed his eyes briefly, and nodded. "I'll go outside and get food," he breathed, his hands caressing her hip bones.

Nivalis didn't reply immediately; she stared at him blankly for a moment, expecting him to tell her it was a joke. When he didn't, she shook her head. "Absolutely not. You'll freeze to death out there. And what will you find there? More snow?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

— "I'll go to the river-" Aster tried to protest, but his mother wouldn't have it.

"If you're lucky not to get lost, it will take you half a day to get there," Nivalis interrupted him. "Have you seen the amount of snow out there? You're not going anywhere, my sweet. It's suicide. Not to mention you have no idea how to catch fish-" Her words were cut off by Aster's lips suddenly pressing against hers.

He kissed her softly, shutting her up with a soft peck before pulling away. Nivalis looked at him, about to say something else, when he did it again, interrupting her in the most gentle way possible.

"Just be careful... Don't push yourself," Silvia replied, starting to massage his thigh with her free hand, her little fingers tracing circles on his glistening skin, up to his hips, and then back down. Her voice was nothing but a gentle whisper; her warm, humid breaths brushed against his little shaft and tiny, hairless balls, causing them to twitch faintly.

The boy clenched his jaw and nodded, his chest heaving up and down as he struggled to hold the mana inside. Every breath hurt. Each heartbeat sent a wave of pain through his body. But with each passing minute, it was getting easier, if only a bit.

— "H-how's the honey?" he managed to ask, trying to take his mind off the pain. A small smile appeared on his pale, sweaty face, eyes still closed.

Silvia looked up at him, her lips smacking around the wooden spoon. A tiny drop of honey fell from her lips, landing on his thigh, right beside his soft, pink little member. "Good... oh, one moment," the girl mumbled, noticing the sticky drop. Without thinking and with the belief that no food should go to waste, she bent her head, her hot, wet tongue slid out of her mouth, and lapped the sweet liquid from his skin, just next to his tiny, flaccid penis.

One little movement to the side, and she would have tasted her little brother in a way no sister should. The smell of his sweaty balls filled her nostrils, making her pull away, her nose wrinkling cutely.

Meanwhile, Aster remained silent, the pain in his chest so great that he didn't even notice the faint movement of her tongue. "Everything alright?" he asked.

Lying her head back down and licking the honey off her lips, the girl continued, "Mhm. I haven't eaten this much in a while," she whispered with a satisfied smile.

— "I'm glad. Try to finish the bowl," Aster whispered with a slight tremble in his voice, his stomach making a quiet growl. Hearing it, Silvia got on all fours and crawled closer to his face without saying a single word. Curious about what she was up to, the boy slightly opened his golden eyes only to see her bulging cheeks stained with honey coming closer.

Silvia leaned down, waiting for her little brother to part his lips. When he did, she let the thick, thoughtfully chewed honey drip into his open mouth. A long, golden string, a mix of her saliva and honey, stretched from her lips to his, glistening in the fire's light. Aster closed his eyes, swallowing the sweet treat, feeling the thick liquid move down his throat, entering his empty stomach.

"Want more?" Silvia whispered, licking her lips and wiping the corners of her mouth with her palm.

— "Nah," Aster replied, smacking his lips together. "I'm good. I've already eaten when I fed Mom," he lied, not wanting to take more food from her.

Silvia hummed in response and lowered herself to his chest. Her ear was right above his heart, listening to the steady, strong beat. His bony chest radiated incredible heat, making her feel warm and cozy as she pressed her cheek against it. Her head moved up and down with each breath he took, a worried golden gaze fixed on his sweaty face.

Her legs curled against her chest when Aster's fingers found their way into her silver hair, gently caressing and scratching her scalp.

...

From one wall to the other, Aster slowly walked around their cavern. His heavy breathing filled the otherwise silent room. His bare feet shuffled against the stone floor, his legs trembling, struggling to keep him upright. With every breath, a sharp, piercing pain spread through his entire body, making him wince and whimper quietly. Yet, he continued for his mother and sister; he knew he had to do it, no matter what. He already promised to.

Silvia initially walked beside him, making sure he wouldn't fall. But as he got used to the pain, Aster made her return to bed and finish the bowl of honey. She sat near their sleeping mother, hugging her knees, with her golden eyes closely watching his every step. "It doesn't look good," the girl whispered, her voice barely audible.

Aster nodded. "Not even a little," he admitted, turning and walking to the other side of the room, repeating his slow walk back and forth. His body swayed from side to side as he walked, each step taking more effort than usual. After over three hours of holding his mana inside his chest, his skin began to take on a faint shade of red.

"But I'm getting better, slowly, but I do," the boy breathed, wincing from the pain. Sweat dripped from his chin and onto the ground. "Let's go to the entrance. I want to check if I can get cold," he whispered, turning towards her.

Silvia sighed, got up, and stretched her arms, her bones popping and cracking. She walked over to him without putting on any clothes, taking his sweaty, trembling hand in hers. The natural coldness in her limb felt heavenly against his burning, feverish skin. "Alright," she whispered, interlacing their tiny fingers together as they headed towards the cave entrance.

Aster and Silvia slowly walked through the dark, winding tunnel, their bare feet echoing against the rocky walls. Without any light to guide them, the kids knew every step they had to take.

"I haven't been outside since forever," Silvia whispered as her shoulder gently bumped into her brother's. "Uggh... It's so cold here. I should have put on some clothes," she breathed, goosebumps forming on her petite body.

— "Is it?" Aster replied softly, barely feeling any cold himself. It was a good sign.

"Mhm," Silvia hummed, a shiver running through her body. "Let's hurry," she said, quickening her pace.

When they finally reached the entrance, it didn't get any brighter; not a single ray of light came through the snow that blocked it. Only the muffled sound of the howling wind reached them from outside. Aster felt his sister trembling heavily against him, her fingers shaking in his hand. He released her hand and stepped closer to the pile of snow, scooping up a handful.

— "I barely feel it," the boy said happily, his fingers closing around the snow, then tossing it away.

"N-not f-fair," Silvia mumbled, her teeth chattering loudly.

— "This is incredible," Aster whispered, stepping onto the snow barefoot. It was cold but not as terrible as it should be. He began climbing the pile, getting his feet to sink deeper into the snow with each new step, only to dig a narrow hole to peek outside. As soon as his eyes met the bright, blinding light of the outside world, he had to immediately turn his head, his hand shooting up to cover his face.

The fresh air coming through the small hole felt incredible on his hot skin, like a gentle breeze on a summer evening. However, Silvia seemed to disagree, hissing away her entire vocabulary of swear words behind him. A chuckle escaped his lips as he watched her pale, clenched buttcheeks rushing away from the entrance, disappearing back into the darkness of the tunnel.

With the brightest of smiles, Aster turned his gaze toward the light again, squinting as he glanced through the narrow hole in the snow. He had seen the surroundings countless times, but they were now almost unrecognizable; white covered the forest, and no green spot was in sight. He took a few more deep breaths, feeling the snowflakes whirl inside and touch his hot skin, only to melt away instantly.

"Hurry up, you doofus!" Silvia's soft voice chirped from the tunnel. "I can't feel my fingers anymore!"

— "Alright, alright. Let's get you warmed up," Aster chuckled, his naked body sliding down the pile of snow. The miserably looking Silvia reached for him the moment he was within her reach, and they both hurried down the tunnel.

"You better save that mana for me, mister," Silvia whispered, leading her slightly red brother towards the bed.

— "Yes, ma'am," Aster replied, giving her a weak, tired smile.