Doomed and Determined Snippets

Meet Zephyr's parents

    "Zerxes," He lets out a breath, before looking at his uncle in the eyes. There's anger, but also something else. "Stop being an idiot. I would have thought your mother raised you better than this." She did, it just didn't stick. Murvenvu shakes him, not roughly, but enough to get his attention back.

    "Maybe I'm not what you all thought I am." He shoots back reaching up to grasp at the arm holding him, teeth bared. Great, now their both standing in alleyway snarling at one another.

    "No, your not." It's a shock, almost like someone pushed him under freezing cold water. A sharp sting of hurt- "You're more than that." He blinks. Murvenvu lets go of his collar, his hand drifting to clasp his shoulder instead. He's not sure just what the look on Murvenvu's face is annoyance/pride/content?

    "Uncle?" It's timid, quiet. Enough so, Zerxes wonders if it's even his own voice.

    "I'll tell you one thing, whatever reason you think she's going to hate you," there's an intake of breath, "you need to let that go." both his shoulders are held, Murvenvu ducking just enough for them to be at the same level, eye to eye. "Let it go before you lose those you care about."

    Zerxes is unsure of how to do as his uncle said. It wasn't something you could just brush off in the space of minutes. This was something ingrained in him since he'd been born. "But-"

    "I know," A quiet sigh as Murvenevu pulls back, hands coming to rest on his own waist."I used to be just like you, pup. But you have to decide which is more important. Your anger, the hurt or the people who make you feel like someone better. Help you be someone better." He's turning away before Zerxes even answers, shoulders set and voice back to being monotone. It should feel like a dismissal, but instead, it feels like he's giving him privacy. Sort his thoughts out before making a choice. Pup. It's been a while since his Uncle had called him that. A deep breath later and he's coming up to stand beside Murvenvu.

    "Think it possible I could at least change first?" He grumbles, and there's a snort of laughter coming from his uncle. They leave the alley behind them, Murvenvu tossing an arm around Zerxes' shoulders.

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    He's out of the suit, feel a little bad at the tear he can see along one seam. He can worry about getting that fixed later though, it's not as big of a concern as to what happens next. They'd meet Daevaris downstairs by the bar. There was no one else around, and she was leaned back, arms crossed. It was little wonder why many of the guilds tried to not piss them off. Murvenvu and Daevaris had that calm, disappointed look down pat.

    "She's upstairs in her room," is the only response he gets, Elswyth staring at him with big green eyes from her spot at Daevaris' feet. For a second, he was afraid he was going to become kitty chow, but the big cat just laid her head down again huffing. "Pull a stunt like that again, and you'll deal with me." That's both a threat and a promise.

    He's turning away as Murvenvu leans against the bar beside her. Catches the way she leans sideways into him, body seeming to sag and relax. Barley catches the little whispers that start, not enough to know what is said, but enough to know something is being said. It's something he wants to share with Zephyr if she'll let him.

    He knocks on the door, hearing the quiet "come in." and breaths. Her voice was dryer sounding, rough as if she'd spent far too long yelling or crying. Maybe, he should turn around and go back downstairs and face death. Death was the easier of the two options. Straightening his shoulders, and trying to pull in that natural swagger, he opens the door.

    He is not prepared for how small she seems at that moment. She has cried yes, he can still see some evidence left behind, and that's the worst punch to the gut. He can also see the quiet anger in her eyes though, blended with the worry.

    "Look, I know I was an idiot," Ow. His head turns with the slap, cheek burning. At this point, he wonders if everyone is going to go for the face. If they were, then he was going to look into getting something to protect it from all these attacks. "I deserved that." He muttered, turning to look back at her. She was crying. Her shoulders were shaking and he panicked again hands coming to rest on her shoulders. "Hey! Hey, it's fine!" There's a temptation to yell down the stairs at his uncle and call him an ass, but that's stopped by the armful of Zephyr. Her arms are wrapped tightly around his waist, and he pauses at first, before wrapping his own around her shoulders.

    "I thought you left," It was almost to quiet he didn't pick up on it. "I thought you left and I-"

    "Zephyr," He pulled her in tighter, tail curling around her thigh gently. "Why would I want to leave one of the better things in my life?" If asked, he'd denied ever letting his eyes getting misty and want to start crying. There's something muttered into his chest, but he was almost sure she was calling him an asshole. He hummed, pressing a kiss against the top of her head, eyes sliding shut as he rocked them slowly.

    "Besides," He rested his cheek on the top of her head, staring blankly at the wall he could see. "I remember saying I wanted us to be forever and no one else."

    -Neris-

    She watched him, walking up those stairs as if he'd rather face death itself then whatever was waiting for him up there. Good. Maybe this would teach him to actually think things through before attempting to beat the shit out of people.

    It still didn't settle the worry in her chest.

    She'd come to care about both of them, granted the protectiveness over was Zephyr was more...pronounced, but Zerxes could handle himself as seen from tonight. She had worried for a split second that maybe Zerxes had taken off, but there he went again, surprising everyone. Elswyth chuffed at her, and Daevaris ruffled her fur blindly, still leaning into Murvenvu. He was her safety net at the moment, if he moved away she'd probably fall to the floor and stay there for the rest of the night. Wouldn't have been the first time.

    "When did we adopt children?" She mumbled, free hand coming up to pinch the bridge of her nose. There's a low chuckle, and she lets him lead her down into the seat beside her. Neither of them mentions the way his hand lingered around her waist for a few extra seconds.