Doomed and Determined Snippets

Meet Zephyr's parents

    "You know what, you cretin." Zerxes watched her turn away, but really only allowed her to take one step away before he was following behind her. Always the protector Zerxes? He could almost hear his mother's voice, even as they both stepped into the dining hall. Her parents were already settled down, and Zephyr and Zerxes took the seats across from them. The suit was starting to feel tight. She hadn't said that she was thinking the same thing he was, but he hoped he knew her as well as he thought he did.

    It was in the dining hall when everything went to shit. When Zerxes was finally able to breathe and do something he had been waiting for.

    "So who are you exactly?" He's pulled from his thoughts almost harshly but didn't bother looking up from the cutlery he was looking over. He was sure they'd just be staring down at him, which for the amount of time they had been doing it, their necks must really hurt by now. Zephyr's hand was quick to grasp the one that was settled in his lap. He let her drag it back towards her.

    "Mother, father," He was tensing again at the tone of her voice. She should never have to be unsure of herself. That just wouldn't do. "This is my boyfriend. I mentioned him remember?" Zerxes knew the answer was no, he was starting to doubt they'd read anything she'd sent them.

    "This man?" He bristled at the tone but bit his tongue. "Surely, there's someone more....qualified?" Qualified? Is that what it was called these days? He was unsure if he had heard her right, but his hearing wasn't that horrible. The look that was sent his way just made him bristle, the want to bare his fangs like some wild animal was there.

    There was a reason no one ever brought him to these types of things. Quick to defend, quick to flee.

    "Mother-" Zephyr starts, eyes wide and Zerxes is sure she doesn't quite understand just what had happened. The happy little bubble popping. That bubble around her was probably the last thing that set him off if he was being honest. He could have tried to hold things back, just to keep her happy. Now though, all bets were off.

    "I see now," he murmured, eyes trailing between the parents. Their eyes meet his harsh and closed off. "Their thinking of someone to give you more.... Recognition, Dove." Someone that didn't scream riff-raff.

    "But," he was standing up, one hand placed on the back of her chair. It was the only thing keeping were he was at the moment if he was being truthful. He watched her eyes go from him to them, and the look on her face was close to heart-wrenching. Mark that up as another punch he owed the bastards. "They said they wanted me back. That includes you" Not in their mind, Little Dove. A heartbeat, and then her father scoffed in a way that Zerxes was sure he could turn the fork into a weapon. Maybe the spoon? If you used enough pressure it would hurt more. Although it might be more likely to break than anything.

    "They don't want us, Lovebug." He's moved from the chair to her shoulder. Just rip the band-aid off then lad? He scoffed at himself. "Their looking out for their best interests, love, not yours." He pulled his eyes away from hers, least he just throw her over his shoulder and leave. Turning instead to stare down Verendus. If she could read what was going through his mind, he was sure there would have been a few...inventive swears words coming his way.

    "But," There's an almost calming effect as her hand was placed over his, "we're a packaged deal. You can't just pick on or the other." And then her mother ruined that calm but muttering.

    There was a brief moment were the words darken the air around them. "The unwanted runt and the mongrel," Zerxes never did understand the words "peace" and "calm". What he did understand was that nasty black anger that was brewing, that turned into an explosive thunderstorm. Loud, abrasive, angry. He glanced once at Zephyr, -always a guard dog aren't you Zerxes?- and he could tell that she had caught what he had. Whelp, I won't feel so bad after doing this.