"Ryraso! Open up!" Isst continued to bellow loudly when Ryraso didn't respond straight away.
"Shut up! Give me a moment," Ryraso yelled right back, exhaling furiously at his friend's impatience. Ryraso patted Eyeri on the head fondly, giving the boy a warm smile. "Don't worry Eyeri, I won't let anything happen to you," he murmured.
"Ryraso," Eyeri smiled up at him still visibly nervous but also a little happier.
"Come on, put your shirt back on so we can deal with the rest of the circus," Ryraso added, his tone a touch darker at the mention of dealing with the rest of their makeshift family. Dealing with Eyeri's brothers and Aw'endo was not going to be fun, Ryraso mused darkly. He could only hope that Aw'endo settled down fast.
Eyeri quickly put his shirt back on so Ryraso could open the door, thankful to Ryraso for waiting. He didn't like people to see his scars, not even his brothers. People acted strangely when they saw them and it made Eyeri very uncomfortable. Eyeri didn't like the reminders of his past either but it was frustrating to deal with the fallout.
Ryraso sighed annoyed as he opened the door to find five sulking teenagers, all lined up facing the opposite wall of the corridor. Isst standing there, channelling his drill sergeant mode, glaring at them just in case they tried to turn back around.
"Good, you dealt with them," Ryraso nodded firmly. Of the five, only two were actually teenagers, though Kanan was 21 so arguably still young enough to be pulling this stuff off. Still, it was annoying to deal with as a father figure though, thank goodness he had Isst to help with the more testosterone-driven ones.
"So the kid attacked Eyeri?" Isst growled gruffly, walking over to check Eyeri over, dusting off his uniform as he did so. Eyeri blushed slightly as Isst manhandled him to check he was unharmed from the k'nairi. Isst may be intimating but he was also a big softy at heart. As Ryraso's closest friend that had meant Eyeri had quickly grown used to the seasoned warrior treating him like a nephew. Isst was as protective of Eyeri as Ryraso or his brothers. Eyeri wasn't sure how much his brothers appreciated having Isst as an adoptive uncle however, it tended to mean the man expected more from them.
"Yes, I'll deal with it," Ryraso waved his hand like it was nothing. "Call it a love bite," he added calmly as his eyes looked all the boys up and down one by one. To people who didn't know Ryraso very well, it would appear that he was not bothered by this event. However, everyone in earshot did know him well. They could hear the underlying tone of anger in his voice. He was furious at the k'nairi youngling for harming his apprentice.
Fetmar and Kanan barely flinched under his look, Makio and Aw'endo both tried and failed to retain a look of not caring and Oria, the scientist brother who was only a little older than Eyeri, looked a bit embarrassed. The order of brothers went Fetmar, Makio, Kanan, Oria and finally Eyeri. Oria shouldn't have been involved in the fighting either but as a scientist, not a warrior, he had been allowed to join the army a little younger than most.
Aw'endo whimpered, his wings shivering, threatening to fall from their high defiant position. He knew what would be coming to him. Fetmar's lips twitched into a smirk but Ryraso's glare landed on him making him stiff back up into soldier's rest.
"I don't know why you are laughing Fetmar," Ryraso said darkly. "To my knowledge, one of your regular rivals is a general of the royal army. Do you think he will be impressed to hear that you were brawling with his prince?"
"Yerir'o..." Fetmar bit his lip, clearly not having considered that angle. "The chick shouldn't have attacked Eyeri," Fetmar settled on firmly with a stubborn look in his eyes.
"I'm not a chick!" Aw'endo hissed, teeth snarling.
"Aw'endo!" Ryraso barked, shutting the youngling up who looked away unhappily. "Fetmar, the term is youngling. Not chick, I hear you call him that again I will make you go through the diversity lectures again. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir," Fetmar said reluctantly but respectfully.
"I trust you will deal with Aw'endo," Isst commented, eyes flashing at seeing one of his commanders acting more immaturely than he typically allowed. He ran a hand through Eyeri's hair, pleased with what he had found and trusting Ryraso to have the situation in hand. "I'll deal with the older troublemakers. Thanks to that stunt they are all on clean-up duty."
The four men groaned, even Kanan losing his uncaring facade. Oira outright pouted but reluctantly started in the direction Isst was pointing in. Isst gently cuffing Oira over the head as he went. Oira was a scientist after all and not technically in his division, and unlike the other three Oira could argue that it wasn't Isst's place to give him punishments. Not that receiving punishments from Wiljam would be any better, the other person who had become part of their foster family.
"Eyeri, you too," Isst added, looking expectantly at the youngest brother.
"No, I want him here," Ryraso shook his head, holding Eyeri's shoulder to stop him leaving the room. "These two are going to have to learn to get along," he said commanded firmly.
Isst gave him a look to check Ryraso could handle both boys, but shrugged. "As you wish. I'll see you later," he commented, waving a hand as he wandered down the corridor. "Be good Aw'endo, Eyeri."
"Aw'endo, come here," Ryraso said once he was gone. Ryraso's voice had been calm, but now that the others were gone it took a more serious tone. Those three words showing how pissed he was with the k'nairi.
Aw'endo's wings fell in a submissive gesture hearing the tone before he slowly turned to face him. Seeing Ryraso's expression, he whimpered and pushed against the wall behind him in an attempt to get away. Not bothering to try to play the cool and unaffected card now that it was just the three of them.
"Do. Not. Make me say it again!" Ryraso growled warningly, making both Eyeri and Aw'endo shudder in trepidation.
Aw'endo walked over, his feet dragging as he walked, the very image of a child who knew he was in trouble. Ryraso let out a warning growl, quickly losing patience with the youngling. This was not something for Aw'endo to be dragging his feet over. Not to mention if Ryraso didn't get control over Aw'endo quickly, he wouldn't he'd be allowed to look after him.
At the sound Aw'endo ran in, standing to the side, visibly cowering. Ryraso grabbed him by his wings and dragged him over to his bed, bending him over. Eyeri shifted so he was at the top of the bed and out of the way, having been sitting on the edge.
"Stop," whimpered Aw'endo, as Ryraso twisted his wings painfully.
Aw'endo struggled and yelled in pain but was unable to break loose. What Ryraso was doing wasn't harmful to the boy, but hurt a lot. The k'nairi equivalent of being spanked, painful, but as long as it was done in a controlled manner, harmless. Ryraso was not about to let the boy be stubborn about not liking Eyeri for long.
"He. Is. MINE!" Ryraso growled in k'nairi, keeping the boy's wings pinned painfully as he spoke. "He is my apprentice, and you attacked me AFTER I told you not to hurt him!"
"He's an outsider!" Aw'endo yelled back in k'nairi, his eyes looking up darkly at where Eyeri was curled up nervously.
Eyeri shifting uncomfortably at the glare, able to tell Aw'endo was thinking dark thoughts about him. Seeing Eyeri's reaction, it wasn't hard for Ryraso to guess what Aw'endo was doing. Ryraso pressed harder, making Aw'endo yell louder for a moment.
Wincing, Eyeri slowly lifted a hand, "Ryraso? Shouldn't you..." he started.
"Quiet!" Ryraso said firmly. Eyeri shut his mouth quickly. Ryraso nodded and switched back to k'nairi tongue. "Look at him Aw'en!" Ryraso ordered. Aw'endo twisted his head so he wasn't. Ryraso moved the wings so he could hold them in place with one hand, before forcing Aw'endo to look up at Eyeri. "He's my kin, Aw'endo! You are not to harm him, or anyone else who is mine. You so much as touch him with dangerous intentions and I will punish you. Is. That. Clear?"
"He's not bloodkin!" Aw'endo argued back weakly, sounding close to tears for more reasons than the pressure Ryraso had on his wings.
"Neither are you, but I still look after you!" Ryraso pointed out in a snarl. Aw'endo stopped struggling for a moment. "He is the same as you to me Aw'endo. Someone I care about deeply, someone I view as family. Do not make me choose between you." Ryraso said with a sad tone. Ryraso honestly did view the two as surrogate sons; he didn't want them to fight.
"I... I understand," Aw'endo weakly sniffed, fully cowed by his elder. Ryraso let go of his wings, watching as the boy stretched his wings briefly before sitting down on the bed and wrapping an arm around him.
"I know you missed me, but you can't expect things to be the way they were, sweetheart," Ryraso murmured.
Aw'endo sniffed and buried his head in Ryraso's shirt. Tears running down his face. "I'm sorry, I won't attack him for being an outsider..." Aw'endo whispered into Ryraso's chest.
"Good boy," Ryraso kissed the top of Aw'endo's head, before reaching out for Eyeri.
Eyeri had watched the scene feeling very awkward and lost, not understanding most of it. He had felt a little like an outsider, a feeling he had not felt with Ryraso before but seeing the familiar hand reaching towards him made his chest feel warm again. He crawled over and nuzzled in on Ryraso's other side. Smiling as Ryraso kissed him on the forehead too before hugging him closely. His two boy's scents alien together and yet smelling of home to him.
"You two going to play nice?" Ryraso asked with a note of seriousness.
"Yes Ryraso," the two said in unison, looking up at him with similar looks in their eyes. Fear of abandonment, one which was Ryraso's fault and the other was not.
"That's my boys. Now let gets going, we have a long day ahead of us," Ryraso mused, giving them both one last squeeze. This was not over by a long shot but hopefully, Aw'endo would know better than doing anything to hurt Eyeri.