Chapter Text
Juno’s in his favourite tree when Peter finally found him.
He had managed to convince the branches over time to weave themselves together in places forming a natural web that could support both the detective and his daemon when they needed some time to themselves.
From the ground, all that was visible of the two were their silhouettes cast by the dying light through the dense cloud pine’s branches.
Juno’s ‘soup pot tree’ had grown exceptionally large extremely quickly over the last few years, prompting the need for a larger and more secluded home for the pair. The old cottage out on the edge of the sandy martian wastes had not been Nureyev’s first choice, nor Juno’s, but it was the only one they could agree on.
Juno had planted cloud pine saplings in the cracks of the solid wooden floors and convinced them to grow up to fill the gaps in the structure and provide extra support. Sturdy roots entangling under the house to form a web securing their foundation.
Peter, for his part, had managed to coax a natural spring of water to divert it’s ground access point from a couple miles away to the courtyard of their home. Providing both them and the trees all of the water they could want without paying out the nose to have water trucked to them. The isolated them more than either could admit to preferring, but also kept their home safe from people too curious for their own good.
Juno’s first tree though, the one they found half withered in a little clay pot in one of the most secured rooms at the Kanazawa complex, had proud place of honour in the centre of their home. Branches stretching through both floors of the house and up over the roof.
Peter found Juno cradled in the uppermost branches with Cinna flopped on her side beside him. They were staring out at the dying sunlight over the vast desert, their eyes bruised with lack of sleep and faintly red, Toska curled on Cinna’s head licking at her ears in a vain attempt to cheer her up.
He floated as close as he could with one hand on his cloud-pine branch, familiar carvings soft under his hand from use, and pulled himself into the organic basket to perch beside his partner. Not touching, but close enough to share his warmth.
“Juno, about what happened —“
“Don’t”
Juno’s voice was hoarse with disuse and raspy.
“Just…sit here okay? With us.”
“Alright. I just need you to know I would never hurt you or Cinna —“
Juno interrupted again “I know. We just… need some time yeah?”
The detective allowed himself to lean slightly against the body beside him
“Just give us some time. Sit and watch the stars with us”
An arm snaked around the smaller figure’s shoulder and pulled him a bit closer.
“Of course darling. Whatever you need”