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Post by Dina Doo on Sept 13, 2016 15:23:12 GMT -8
Claus attempted to teleport away from Goddard in an attempt to escape the older pirate's hold, only to reappear a few feet in front of him. It didn't take him long to process the new information though Claus still isn't sure what to make of it or the situation. There was still a part of him that cannot fully comprehend that Nikida was still alive. After all those years of rising to the top, reigning terror across the sea, the quiet yet ever present ache in his heart. Then all that pain was meaningless. His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he considered, thought about what he could say. What was there to say? Claus thought of some questions but they were the sort only Nikida could answer and... and he wasn't ready for that. "Where did you find him?" The pirate finally asked. "Where was he hiding this whole time?"
"I-it's not that I'm uncomfortable," Cyril stuttered. He let out a shaky sigh, shame filling his features. The shame, he knew, was something that could not be as easily chased away as his other problems, his other feelings. Because he could not forgive himself. "I-I'm not, it's just... j-just that I'm n-not used to people comforting me." The small owl braved a small and hesitant glance up at Edmund. "N-never received hugs o-or touched in a c-comforting way." Cyril's gaze fell and shame heats his face red. "A-and you'd think a w-whore would be used to being touched by everyone." He took a small step back, suddenly feeling small. "A-anyway, I'm sorry for b-bothering you, I-I just wanted to apologize to you."
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Post by clouds just clouds on Sept 14, 2016 23:46:09 GMT -8
Letting his hand fall to his side, Goddard watched Claus closely through bored eyes. "You act as if he actually listens to me." Honestly. They were children. They never grew up. At least, not in Goddard's eyes. He would never point it out. He rather liked his balls where they were. "I suppose it didn't go well. How did you find out?" Rubbing his chin, Goddard chuckled dryly. "Suppose that doesn't matter either. You have all your answers waiting for you, and you're wasting your time on me." He tilted his head and watched Claus for a few solid seconds. "I don't get you. What if he's been kidnapped all this time, and that's why he's so afraid? What if he had no idea you were alive, and the mere shock if it is too much for him? Granted, I understand. You're in pain. But don't be selfish, lad." Goddard looked down the hallway, in search of anyone. "You saw the missing eye, didn't you?"
"Stutters," Edmund said softly, with a hint of something stern. "You're, what? Fifteen? Sixteen? With a dictator asshole father. At least I had had my brother. For a bit." He took half a step forward ans leaned against the doorjam. "Steps at a time. I..m it was hard for me to get used to comfort, too. And, uh, thank you." Edmund tried to search Cyril's eyes. "For… apologizing." His face weighed with so many demoms, but he pushed them back enough to give a quiet smile. "I am sorry, too. I just… I'm happy, I guess. To have… you to straighten me out in some way. Thanks. Uh," he hesitated. "Good night. And… feel free to come to me any time for anything, alright? Even if it's just company."
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Post by Dina Doo on Sept 15, 2016 11:21:44 GMT -8
"Accusing a pirate of being selfish is an awfully invalid point," Claus muttered under his breath as he folded his arms across his chest. His gaze flickered over to the far wall as Goddard spoke. "Yes, I did see that. I only found out because I saw him bolt and I followed him into the cargo bay. He only transformed when I cornered him. But I can't.. I can't face him, not yet. Not right now when I've only just found out the bastard is still alive." Claus bit his tongue, held off on accusing Goddard of not understanding, of never having lost a loved one, but there was little room for jabs and jests.
Cyril wished he hadn't stepped away from Edmund, hadn't made such a big deal about his comfort. He wished instead to still be in Edmund's arms, to be safe and cared for. But he had ruined it. The small bird took a step away from Edmund, his wings drooping as the only indication of his disappointment. "O-okay, goodnight, Edmund," he said quietly. "I-I guess I'll s-see you later." The little bird turned away from the gunman before he made the journey back to his room.
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Post by clouds just clouds on Sept 15, 2016 13:55:29 GMT -8
"What do you need to process?" Goddard raised his brow. "Your husband is alive. It seems frank to me." Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement, and the only warning he had was Pax muttering: "TiMe FoR rOuNd TwO." A blur of gold turned into a blur of a human form. For the second time that night, Goddard was slammed against the wall. Except this time, the hold was much weaker and Goddard had the feeling that his aggressor was using him more as a crutch than anything. "This really isn't a way to greet someone, you know-"
A grunt left Nikida and his legs shook from lack of use.
"Oh, you're angry are you?" Goddard smiled sadistically. "With what, exactly? Getting yelled at your darling? Me tricking you? Why don't you look me in the eye and speak to me, both eyes. Oh. Wait-"
"You're such a bastard," Nikida hissed, slamming a weak fist into his jaw.
"You look like shit-" Goddard started.
"I know," Nikida growled. He put his feet underneath him. He tried to keep his legs from shaking as he stood up straight. He kept his face turned away from Claus.
Swearing under his breath, Goddard rolled his eyes. "Alright. You two are bloody fools." His hand twisted around a knob, and before Nikida could snap at him even more, Goddard threw him into a closet. Without wasting a second, Goddard grabbed Claus and tossed him in after Nikida in one smooth movement. "Talk." He growled and slammed the door shut. A second later, a small shield popped up around the knob. With a satisfied smile, Goddard leaned on the wall opposite and lifted Marina in his hand. "Hello there, lovely lady. How are you tonight?"
The disappointment outlined every single edge of Cyril. It tugged Edmund's heart. His eyes filled with sorrow and he watched the boy's back as he walked away. Unable to withhold himself, he stepped forward to quickly capture Cyril in his arms. Gently, he turned Cyril around to tuck the boy's head under his chin and he gently held the back of his head. "Goodnight, Cyril." Edmund said softly. "If... you wanted, you could stay here. There's extra beds. It… would be nice to have the company." A flash of embarrassment burst through him and he had hoped that he hadn't read Cyril wrong.
"G… granpa?"
The soft, tired question made Edmund pull away in surprise. A toddler waddled down the hallway with a ratty blanket dragging on the floor, and a small, old toy pressed to her chest. Her hair was a tired mess atop her head, and she looked near asleep as she walked. With a tired breath, she fell against Edmund's leg and yawned.
Smiling gently, Edmund left go of Cyril momentarily to gently pick Xan up. He wrapped an arm back around Cyril, holding sleepy Xan in the other. "Honestly how you've managed to make something so cute is beyond me."
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Post by Dina Doo on Sept 17, 2016 12:51:58 GMT -8
Before Claus had the chance to process what was going on, he found himself stuck in a dark closet with Nikida. Just when he thought it was safe to run away from his problems.. But it seemed Goddard wouldn't allow that. "You bastard!" The pirate roared as he started to bang his fist against the door. "If Marina ends up with another pirate again, I'll kill you!" He did indeed try the doorknob but the shield Goddard put in place prevented Claus from getting anywhere. He relented soon after, dropped his arm to his side and let out a frustrated breath. There was no point, was there? Claus wasn't going to get out until Goddard let him. Bitterly, Claus wished Marco strolled on by.
"GoDdArD, aRe YoU sUrE tHiS iS tHe BeSt WaY tO rEsOlVe ThIs?" Marina couldn't help but inquire.
In the closet meanwhile, a soft glow of light emulated from Claus' palm and he lifted it to get a better view of his surroundings. Though, his gaze was locked on Nikida but it took so long for him to decide what to ask. Every time he thought of something, Claus would decide against it. The internal battle raged on and on, its existence only given away by the clenching and unclenching of his jaws. Finally, in the smallest of voices, he asked, "Where were you?"
Like a cat eager to be petted, Cyril cannot help but lean further into Edmund's hold. He doesn't feel any surprise this time, only comfort. "I-it's beyond me too," he said in a quiet voice as he raised an arm in an attempt to reach for his daughter's hand. Cyril watched her for a moment as his eyes swirled with everything from sadness to regret. He wanted to tell Edmund his daughter deserved better but he knew it would ruin the mood. "S-since Xan's here, I-I guess we can stay the night with you. O-only if it doesn't bother you or your son." Cyril decided not to tell Edmund that he really wanted to, but perhaps the man could see it in the way the boy's wings no longer sagged, how his shoulders straightened.
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Post by clouds just clouds on Sept 18, 2016 10:09:25 GMT -8
The water closet was stocked full of brooms and other cleaning supplies. Nikida vaguely wondered if there were any harsh chemicals he could gulp to just get this over with. His skin itched with the weight of his husband's eyes. If this were years ago. his skin would have warmed and a smirk would have twitched his lips. Now he wanted to curl up in a ball. The question made Nikida wince. He watched the floor and swallowed. His throat felt dry. "I don't..." He glanced up at Claus for a fleeting moment. "Here and th-there. I don't really... I-I don't remember m-most of it. Just..." He sighed shook his head.
What was the point making excuses? None. The damage was done, as done as his eye was gone. With a shaky breath, Nikida met Claus' eyes. His heart scampered away, but not because of fear. "I-If... if you're going to throw it away... y-your ring. Can I have it?"
A small smile curled Edmund's lips. He's spent a lot of his life observing people. He observed his father to tell if it was a good or bad day, he observed his targets to see if they were good or bad people. He learned when his family might need a laugh or a hug. And also learned when to run from the house when Ana got that look. Gods, if he didn't learn that look, they probably would have had a couple more sets of kids.
But this, this was small. A straightened back, a lean, and a content look. Edmund's eyes softened and his stomach warmed. It warmed the same way it did when he woke to seven in a bed instead of just two. Or when Sam would call him. Smiling, Edmund pretended to think about it. "Well, having you in the room would be such a bother," he teased. "I suppose I'll suffer." He stepped away, if only to get back into the room. "Come on, Stutters. There's a nice warm bed for the two of you."
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Post by Dina Doo on Sept 18, 2016 17:38:58 GMT -8
"What? My ring?" Claus echoed, his brows falling in confusion. It didn't take much longer for his mind to process what Nikida was asking about. Another deep frown pursed his lips. "It's not here. And I wouldn't give it to you even if it was." The pirate leaned back against the wall of the closet. "You know, technically, the contract of our marriage still stands, did you know that? The contract may be moot by terms of 'till death do us part' but you were never dead. So we're technically still married." He paused. "I'm keeping my ring unless you want papers." But... but Claus took an unsteady step forward, no longer able to contain the part of himself that was happy to see Nikida, his husband, alive again. With little thought, he raised his hand, trying to gently brush his fingers against Nikida, against that face he had missed so much. "You don't know how much I've missed you," he whispered.
"I-I know, I'm s-such trouble," Cyril said with a small smile. He followed Edmund into the room, unsure of where to go from there. From where he stood, Cyril could make out the small shape sleeping on one of the beds. A shape far too small to be Edmund's son. His brows fell in confusion. He hadn't seen much of Elijah, only when they had first brought him and Damien back onto the ship. Even then, he had seemed like a tall young man. "E-Edmund, I thought your son was in here too?" Cyril asked, glancing back up at the gunman.
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Post by clouds just clouds on Sept 18, 2016 20:26:33 GMT -8
The gentle touch relaxed him and a relieved breath left him. Unconsciously, he leaned into the hand. His brows pressed together and he nearly purred. Swallowing. Nikida forced back the need to wrap Claus up in his arms. His eyes fluttered open and he reached up to place a hand over Claus'. "I'm so proud of you," he said, brokenly. "Captain." His eyes pinched with tears and like a cat craving attention he nudged his head against Claus' hand but stopped himself from pressing closer to Claus. "S-So... so you don't want a.... divorce?" Nikida asked quietly, searching his eyes.
A soft chuckle left Edmund. "Elijah's in here. He's..." Pausing, surprised, Edmund glanced at Cyril. His face fell and he gently said, "It's our partners that keep our bodies shorter, in order for us to ride them easier. Elijah lost his partner at a young age, so... he grew very tall. But there's also a... cost. If a malaki partner dies, then they are... well, it's commonly referred to a 'curse' in which you are forced to transform into your partner's shape. And..." Gently leading Cyril over to the bed, Edmund carefully reached down the run a hand over the cub's head. "It's a forced reminder to some, of what you have lost. There are some ways to... ah, this is getting too technical. But here he is... I should send a picture to Sam." Edmund pulled out his phone a moment later, and quickly took a shot of Elijah before sending it his son's way.
(Optional: )
Sighing, Edmund cradled his phone and shook his head. "I know this isn't helping what you think of me, but... I'm..." a blush filled his cheeks. "I'm afraid... nervous, really, to see them again."
((What Edmund didn't know, is that he dialed Sammy, and SammySam heard the confession and so he ran around and told everyone-- LOL))
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Post by Dina Doo on Sept 21, 2016 18:29:41 GMT -8
Claus could no longer fight away the small yet hesitant smile that curled at his lips. He continued to attempt to brush his fingers against Nikida's cheek, having a strong desire to relearn everything about his husband. "Now that I've seen you again, after all these years, I don't think I have the strength to go through that," he mused lightly. "Nikida, I..." His brows collapsed and his smile vanished. "Nikki, I'm.. so sorry for what happened, all those years ago. Everything those bastards put you through and everything after that." And then he can't help himself. Claus pulled his arm away from Nikida's face before lifting both in an attempt to wrap around Nikida's shoulders, trying to bring himself closer to the husband he had yearned for for so long. And, if gorgeous wants, perhaps Claus leaned forward to plant a soft fleeting kiss against his husband's cheek.
It didn't take long for Edmund's phone to blow up with texts after sending out the picture of Elijah. Not that it matters, but Sam was just so happy to see that, finally, his little brother was safe again. He was probably sending Edmund all sorts of texts, telling his father to take good care of Elijah, telling him that his other little brothers were, probably, happy to see prove that their littlest brother was alright. Sam probably thanked his father several times over before sending Edmund cute pictures of a pup Scott.
Cyril said nothing after Edmund explained the malaki curse. Though he had never heard of such a thing, as a prostitute, Cyril had seen and heard far stranger. But then Edmund spoke and his thoughts on the curse fade away. Hesitant, he took a step toward Edmund, his brows falling. "Y-you shouldn't be," the teen uttered. "B-but I understand, you haven't seen them for so long.." He tilted his head. "F-from what you t-told me of them, I-I think s-some of them will b-be very happy to see you again." Another hesitant step until Cyril is close to Edmund. Once again, his wings spread and curl in an attempt to hide them both. "I-I could always hide you, if you want," he mused sheepishly.
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Post by clouds just clouds on Sept 25, 2016 13:49:29 GMT -8
Relief rushed through Nikida and the only noise he could manage was a soft, little chirp of happiness. He pressed his nose against Claus and nuzzled him. "I-I am so s-sorry," Nikida choked, "for being a coward." His arms wrapped around Claus and breathed in deeply. "
The texts always brought a bright blush to Edmund's cheeks but he couldn't help the happy smile on his lips. Not entirely consciously, Edmund turned and melted into Cyril's hold. He smiled and said, "Don't tempt me, Stutters. I can and I will." His eyes flickered up to him and he gently reached up to gently tousle his hair. "Thank you, Cyril. You... I can't begin to explain. But... I am really glad you're here. I'm glad a ran across you and saw your pale white ass." Lips curling, Edmund wrapped his arms around him as best as he could.
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