Welcome to Gaia! ::

Mathias had not been sure why his Mother had called to ask if he had a spare room. When she came to visit she usually stayed at a hotel, and since his father’s retirement they had recently begun building a house in a nearby suburb of Destiny City. So the question had confused him, but he did have a free room since Silas had moved out, and he’d moved his office to the gym.

What he had not expected was her to ring his door bell in the cold afternoon after the call with a petulant looking teenager with wavy black hair and striking green eyes. His mother gave him a tired, apologetic smile.

“Sorry Mathias, it was all very sudden. This is your cousin, Conor,” She said, introducing the young man at her side. “He’s grandpa’s brother’s grandson, and was having a bit of trouble back home… So after talking with his mother we thought you might be able to help him… course correct.”

Mathias sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You could have told me this when you came to visit for christmas.”

“It wasn’t settled yet he was still getting his visa, also we were hoping the house would be done so we could let him stay there but…” His Mother gave a small shrug. “You said you had a spare room and…”

Mathias chewed on his cheek and motioned for them to come inside. Conor dragged his luggage behind him, and let it sit next to the door after closing it behind him. Mathias motioned for them to take a seat. Fergus, now almost fully grown, looked up from his spot next to the coffee table curious, but not moving as Mathias gave him the silent command to stay.

He moved to the kitchen to make tea, hoping he could sort this out before Imara and Jane got home.
---
If Imara would have had any idea what was going on at home, she would have stayed out longer. As it was, the grocery run had once again turned into a near fist to cuff fight between Imara and Jay when the former caught the younger one trying to shoplift.

“Really Jane? A mango? They aren’t even in SEASON!” Imara grumbled as she pulled into their drive way only to stop a moment and process the car she was pulling in behind. There was no mistaking that was Mathias’ mother. After Christmas, she hadn’t expected to see the woman until they helped his parents move...or Easter...whichever came first. So to see it now…

“Whoa! Who is that? Maybe the Warden has a lady on the side cuz…” Jay smirked, eyeing her cousin. “Mr. I’m so faithful may have his faults.”

“Oh shut up and give me a hand with the bags.” Imara rolled her eyes, not even going to play this game as both woman climbed out of the car. It wasn’t much but both had loaded arms to make one trip over two. Through the back gate and towards the sliding kitchen doors so the could drop it, Imara barely had a moment to catch Mathias standing over the tea pot before Jay whined behind her.

“So...did she run out the front?” Jay laughed, dropping the bags on the kitchen table before eyeing the two ‘overly sick love birds’. “Mars said no mangos so we ended up cutting the shopping trip early. Oh well…” She reached into a bag and pulled out a small bottle of Chia Tea from Bottlehouse. “At least I got my fix…”

Imara shot her cousin a look and Jay only laughed as she headed for the living room. “Not that kind of…” Stopping short, Jay saw the pair sitting there on the couch. A woman and a young man. The woman didn’t cost her the time of day. The young man...hello eye candy.
----
As Imara came in, Mathias let out another sigh. He’d been hoping to have this all solved before they’d arrived, but if Jay couldn’t keep her hands to herself. His eyes drifted from Imara and Jane to the two in the living room. He mouthed the word “problem” to Imara, before motioning his head toward his mother and Conor on the couch.

Mathias’ mother gave Jane a small, but guarded smile. “Ah, hello, I’m Ellane White,” she said, with a small bow of her head. “I’m Mathias’s Mother, and you are?”

Conor watched the new girl with some interest, his green eyes looking over her with a bit of a smirk. He didn’t speak, instead leaning back against the couch as Mathias came out with the tea.

“Mother, this is Jane, she’s Imara’s cousin… As you can see we’re already sort of acting as… Well… course correction.”

Ellane frowned and looked at Jane and then Mathias. “But you have a spare room, wouldn’t it be easier for you to course correct the both of them? I mean, he’s already due to start classes at Romano’s once the break is over…”

Mathias sighed and sat down on the loveseat, looking at Imara with a ‘Please, help,’ expression.
---
Problem was an understatement as Imara took in Ms. White and the boy next to her. The more she listened and watched, the less she even liked it.

Coming around, Imara leaned on the corner of the arm rest and looked from the pair across from then, to Jane and then back to Mathias as he gave her a ‘help me’ look. If this was any other person he was asking for help with, Imara would have been more than happy to put her foot down. Even if it was his father!

“Jane is as well.” Imara answered, seeing Jane roll her eyes out. “Would have started last period but some...paperwork took a bit too long.” That was short form of ‘her parents didn’t want their daughter in a military school. They had pushed for St. Mags. Imara had to get her own parents to see reason and step in.

“If you don’t mind me asking…” Imara shot a look over at Mathias then back to his mother. “What sort of course are we facing here? Someone…” She nodded her head back towards Jane who shot her a look. “...is already making a handful of herself. I don’t want to screw helping one or the other if the courses don’t line up.”

“Seriously Mars, you make it sound like I’m in rehab.” Jane grumbled, falling into the arm chair and sipping on her drink. “And please, call me Jay. My friends do but some people seem to think the old fashion Jane is better. I find it...stuffy.” She shivered. Still, she turned her eyes back to the boy, smirking as well. If he wanted a better view, he had to provide one.
---
Ellane sighed and shook her head. “I didn’t know that Mathias and you already had… someone under your collective wings.” She said, motioning to Jane with a polite nod of her head. “As far as it goes with Conor however…”

“I was cutting class and going to parties. Some stupid #$%@ got his arse cut when he wouldn’t step off one of my friends, so they felt I’d be better spending some time in the corrective hands of your dear ma and da.” Conor finally spoke up, his accent thickly Irish. “Which I think is total shite, cause I was a week short of starting up my apprenticeship at the kennel.”

“Conor, language!” Ellane hissed, between clenched teeth.

“Psh,” Conor said, before muttering something under his breath. The mutter caused Mathias’ eyes to narrow and he set his teeth.

“Well I see that they weren’t entirely off wanting to see you learn some manners at least…” He said looking to Imara. “We’d have to take the doors off the hinges, there’s no telling what the two of them might get up to if left to their own devices.”

“Hey, what? I’m not living in a place where I can’t a lick of privacy!” Conor stood up, trying to use his not quite fully developed height to look down at the seated Mathias. “You aren’t my da, you can’t tell me what to do!”

Mathias looked to Imara again, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Mother, are you sure this is really the ONLY place he can stay?”

“It’s here or we have to put him up in the room next to ours until the house is built…” Ellane said quietly. “And between you and me I’d rather he be somewhere where he can at least have a semblance of supervision.”

“Hey! Still ******** here!” Conor said, waving a hand. “I’m not deaf!”
---
“Con, I wouldn’t even try.” Jay sighed, her eyes now looking off in the distance as if her shoes were not very interesting. “When they don’t want to listen to you, they do this. I’ve been putting up with it for months.” Kicking at one of her shoes, then the other, she slipped bare feet back onto the floor. “Amazingly, they still hear you when you tell them you are going on and to mind their own business when you don’t want to say where…”

Imara though was to busy now stepping over to Conor and grabbing the hand he seemed to be waving. With a jerk of not even half her strength, she gave it a hard squeeze and whispered. “You may think we are bad, the last thing you want is his father watching over you. So if you want to keep your skin kid, shut up and sit down.”

Red eyes flashed into those green ones, a hard, warning look daring him to push her buttons. Even as a human, she could kick is bloody Irish a**.

But she waited until he made his move before stepping back.

Jay on the other hand, just smiled. “Watch it Con. She’ll happily put your cute Irish a** on the ground.”
---
Ellane covered her mouth with her hand. “I don’t think we need to get rough here,” She said softly with a nod of her head. “I mean, really…”

Mathias made a low grunting sound and stood up, crossing his arms before walking away for a moment, leaving Conor to deal with Imara. The boy was going to either be smart and shut up, or learn the hard way.

Conor though, looked into Imara’s eyes, and then, after a few counts, looked away and lowered his gaze. “Sorry, I’m just… I’m not used to the sudden change and i’m jet lagged.” He added with a tired sigh. “Is there someplace I can lay down for a bit?”

Ellane looked to Imara and Mathias. “We can at least let him rest for a moment while we sort this all out?” She asked.

Mathias sighed. “Come on… I’ll show him to the guest room…” He muttered, motioning for Conor to follow.

As Conor walked by Jay, while Ellane, Imara and Mathias had their backs to him, he shot her a wink and a smirk, before resuming his tired, beaten expression.
---
The wink drew a large smile from Jay before she quickly shifted gears. Oh she was going to like this one. He knew how to play the game.

Imara though watched the pair go before turning her attention back to the older woman. “My apologizes Ms. White. I’m used to my brothers and well…” her eyes darted back to the bedrooms. “Sometimes at that age, they don’t want to see reason until you show them they are evenly matched. Especially when dealing with a woman…”

Imara now turned her attention fully back to Mathias’ mother and moved to take a seat across from her. “If it will be easier on you both, we can keep him here until school starts. Romano is a boarding school as well so outside of the weekend, they will be under the watchful eyes of some very strict teachers. Besides, you have a new home to worry about and a retired husband who I’m sure still doesn’t know what to do with himself.”

Of to the side, Jay rolled her eyes. Boy Mars was laying it on thick. Guess that was what happened when dealing with basically her future mother in law. Have to win the woman over.

“I’m going to my room.” Jay groaned, pushing off the chair and sliding her bare feet across the floor and down the hall. If Mathias touched her door she would kick him in the balls.
---
Mathias escorted Conor to the guest room - well - what might be his room if things turned out in a way that made Mathias cringe just thinking about it, but what could you do. He was between a rock and a hard place and even as he was sure Imara was trying to make the situation clear to his Mother… Bless her heart but she could be more stubborn than his father when she set her mind to it.

Conor simply bowed his head to Mathias and threw himself onto the bed without a word, not even kicking off his shoes and just laying face first in the pillows. “I’ll be fine after a spot of rest,” he said in a weary voice. “Sorry for being such a pill.”

Mathias sighed and shook his head. It had been entirely too easy, but - what could he do? “Apology accepted,” Mathias said with a grunt. “Take a nap and rest up if you’re still bogged.”

WIth that, he closed the door behind himself and walked by Jane, keeping an eye on her to make sure she went into her own room before moving to stand in the door to the hall so he could hear if the doors opened.

He watched Imara for a moment, keeping quiet as the ladies discussed the options.

“Honestly, the goal is to get him into Romano’s as quickly as possible and have him board as long as possible. If it’s just the weekends I’m sure it won’t be too bad?” She asked, looking between Imara and Mathias as he came into view. “The house should be done in a month or two, and if it’s really that much of an issue we’ll be able to take him off your hands then.”

“You sure it’s a good idea? You and Dad looking after him I mean?” Mathias finally interjected. “I doubt he has the patience he did when I was Conor’s age… The last thing I want to see is him and Dad have at it.”

Because then s**t would really hit the fan, and there wasn’t any keeping silent about it for his Mother’s sake. Conor didn’t have that connection, and Mathias knew it.

“As much as I hate to say it… Maybe it is better he stays here… With certain rules that need to be followed and are easier to enforce.” He said, looking to Imara. “Provided you agree… Imara.”

He wouldn’t fault her for saying no, given how much of a royal pain in the a** Jane was. He’d almost lost his cool a few times at her himself, and he hoped she’d finally gotten it through her head that there was no way he was touching anything she threw at him with a ten foot pole.
---
Good. He realized her fear was his father getting his hands on a teenage boy. Mine you, it didn’t always seem like a bad idea but there was a time and place for it. However, when he possed the question, Imara sighed.

“I’m worried about the two of them in one house and how much sleep Mathias and I will get.” Imara finally said, her eyes glancing from one White to the other. “I think trying it would be alright but I don’t want to commit to anything. At that age...well…” Imara shrugged and glanced towards Mathias. “If it becomes a problem, then one of them is going to have get out from under this roof. However, we can deal with that then.”

Jay slipped into her room, grabbed her headphones and fell back on her bed. So...a new house guest and one that was European and cute. She could make use of this.

Sadly, ‘introductions’ had to wait as she had seen Mathias post guard at the door. Was he really going to be turning up the game? Oh two could play at that.
---
“He’s gotten far more patient Mathias… He is actually quite proud of you. He keeps bragging to all his friends at the country club about your new gym and how you’re going to rise to the top as a successful entrepreneur. It’s really quite endearing.”

Mathias felt a strange twinge of… he wasn’t sure it was happiness… but it was a strange warm feeling in his chest at the words… But all the same.

“I think it’s better not to risk it. If things get out of hand, then yes - we can find a way to keep the two apart and under different roofs. But for now, it’s probably best we make do with what we have for the time being. We have certain ground rules for Jay, he’ll be expected to follow the same.”

And he’d probably implement a few new ones - what with there being two teens of the opposite sex in the house and if Conor was anything like he had been at that age, he was sure the young man’s mind was currently geared on getting to know Jane a LOT better.

“But, I think this will work for now, but you’re right, I doubt we’ll be getting much sleep for awhile… Well, at least until they’re in Romano’s anyway.”

Conor huffed and rolled onto his side, eying the room in the dim light to see if there was a window he could maybe slip out of. The point was to find a way over to Jane’s room, if he could even find it through all the various windows. The house was single story, but the last thing he wanted was to draw attention to himself in the backyard of all places.
---

The words even made Imara smile as she watched his mother compliment his hard work. If only she knew the HALF of it. He had founded a gym. Started a training program. And in her eyes, was quickly becoming one hell of a General.

Oh the thought of him like that made her shiver and she had to clear her throat. Not now Imara.

“If that’s alright with you, and you can keep pushing the paperwork for Romano, then I think we will be fine here. Worst case, Fergus will just have to sleep on top of one of them to be safe. Oh, and my mother would like to have you both over for Dinner on New Years Eve. We do a large family fireworks show if you two have the time.” Imara offered, shooting a glance at Mathias with a ‘sorry I forgot to tell you’ shrug.

Tapping her foot to the song, Jay finally rose up out of her bed and headed towards her window, making sure her door was locked. She had the one that faced the side of the house. Pushing it open, she slipped out the open seal and dropped to the ground. She wasn’t going far, just under the fake rock she had stolen from down the street. Flipping it over, she pulled out a small baggy of weed. “Hm...almost out.” She shrugged before grabbing the joint she had rolled before and lighting it. She didn’t need much. Just enough to take the edge off…
---
“Oh that would be lovely! We didn’t have any plans for New Years I’m sure Markus would love to join you and yours for New Years,” Ellane said in a voice that basically stated that if he didn’t he was going to anyway. “Consider us RSVPed!”

Mathias chuckled. He was sure his father had been looking forward to a nice quiet New Years even, but oth well, looks like the old man wasn’t going to get his way, and Mathias was okay with that. He actually really enjoyed Imara’s family, and that was a good thing because he had a feeling if things kept going the way they were he was going to have to bite the bullet and ask Imara a question he wasn’t sure the answer of yet.

But he could save that for another time. It wasn’t an issue that needed to be faced right at that moment.

“Well, then, it’s settled,” He said, referring to both the current situation and New Years. “I’ll make sure Conor’s things get moved to the guest room - though I suppose it’s his new room. Would you like to stay for dinner? I was going to do pasta.”

“I wish I could, but I really should get back to your father and make sure he hasn’t gone off and bought another set of golf clubs,” She said with a sigh. “But I suppose I can wait until Conor is done with his rest so we can tell him the news.”

“Or we could just tell him now and get it over with if you need to go?” Mathias said, turning to head toward the door.

“No, no, it’s fine, let the boy rest a bit, I’m sure he’s quite tired. It’s so much later in Ireland than it is here…” Ellane said with a sigh. “I’m sure that’s partly why he was so thorny…”

She gave Imara a small apologetic smile. “So, tell me Imara, how are things at the gym?”

Conor had gotten up by this point, and had finally found the window, popping it open to slip out the back. Looking around, he saw the fence line and the AC unit around the back of the house, but no real good way up and over without making a racket… Unless…

He slid out the window and made his way along the wall, climbing carefully on top the AC frame and looking down over the fence… right down over Jane and her stash.

“Oh, why hello there, luv, what you got going on over here?” He asked, quirking a brow. “Seems like you got yourself a nice little stash there, eh, Jay-bird?”
---
“Busy. End of the year and all.” Imara offered with a shrug. “Mathias has taken on more students so I’m spending more time with the paperwork and keeping the IRS off our tails. But the numbers look good and membership is up. With any luck, we will see a rise next week. New Years resolutions and all.”

It had been why she had made sure the marketing was in order. This and wedding season were prime times.

The voice made her jump. Nearly dropping the small joint, Jay shot her head up and gazed into the green eyes of the new guest. “That depends on who is asking there.” She responded, putting the joint to her lips and tucking the bag back into its hiding spot. “And if that asking is going to go tattling.”
---
Mathias grinning, leaning against the wall and watching Imara and Ellane talk. He was quite glad that Imara and his mother got along so well. As it was, he hoped that they would continue to improve on their relationship. His eyes would occasionally drift toward the doors behind him, as he was having second thoughts on checking up on Conor and Jane. Or at the very least Conor. He didn’t trust the boy quite yet… It had almost been too easy for him to calm down.

Ellane grinned. “Well that is very good to hear! I am so glad you are both keeping busy and things are going well!” She said, finally picking up her tea from the table to sip at it for a long moment. “Mathias tells me your family owns quite a bit of land? Do they plan to develop or are they more the naturalist type?”

Conor smirked and shook his head, causing the wavy hair to obscure his eyes as it swayed a bit. “Hey now, hey now, I’m no tattle-tale.” He said, making an obvious crossing symbol over his chest. “By the saints, that’s no lie.”

He smirked again. “You seem like quite the fun one, Jay-bird. They got you locked up in the cage huh? Bet you’d just love to fly free.”
---
Naturalist? Suddenly she had an image of her parents as hippys. Boy that was amusing.

“No plans to develop. My family is made up of avid hunters and sportsmen. We use the land to get out and practice shooting, train the dogs, and just get away from it all. Sometimes when you get around too much development, you forget what it is like just to be out there and not glued to your cell phone.” Imara said with a shrug before casting a glance at Mathias.

“Mathias, do we have any more of that pepper jelly Mom sent us?” She could see what he was doing. Oh she agreed he went down to easy but she also wanted to back off a bit. If he was going to screw up and they had to take action, she did not want it to be in front of Ellane. “I think your mother would enjoy it.”

Jay eyed him coldly for a moment before extending the joint to him. “Been for a few months. But they aren’t as bad as my parents. At least here I can wear my own clothes and not feel like a nun. Or be forced to walk around with a cross.”

She eyed him again, then smiled. “So, cut someone hm?”
---
This was why he needed her, because he knew full well he’d be just as overbearing as his own father - if not more so now, thanks to his actions at the Training Corps. Nodding his head, he moved away from the door and toward the kitchen, looking through the cabinet. “I think we stashed it up here…” He muttered, knowing exactly where it was but taking time to allow himself to cool down and think straight.

If he stormed into the guest room now and Conor was indeed making a fool of himself - well… It would only cement the fact he couldn’t stay, and put his Mother in a bind. Better to just let this one go he supposed.

Ellane smiled. “Ah, yes, it’s so strange these days. Everyone on their phones and what not. I couldn’t imagine being glued to a phone that long.” She said with a small laugh. “But that sounds lovely. I can’t wait to see it come New Years!”

Conor grinned and took the joint with a wink, taking a puff or two of it before passing it back. “Aye, well… not me specifically. One of me mates. I might of kicked the blighter he cut in the mouth a few times once he was down tho.” He said with a small shrug. “If I’d cut him I’d be in jail where my mate is. I mean, the #$#% lived, but…” He shrugged. “You dice a tosser up and you’re gonna get tossed a** first in a cell.”

He grinned at her. “How’d you like to slip the cage for a bit, huh? I bet I could make it happen… After my ‘rest.’ Whatcha say? Feel like showing a poor lost lad ‘round the township?”
---
“My mother will be thrilled to have you both there. She has been dying to meet you since Mathias and I moved in together. I have a sneaking idea you both will have much in common.” Between stubborn husbands and wanting the two of them to get married...yea, she was sure this was going to be a ‘long’ night.

“Mathias, check the top left. I might have snuck a bite for a snack.” she admitted with a playful shrug.

“He had it coming.” Jay shrugged, taking another puff before checking how much she had left. “Anyone stupid enough not to back down when faced with a weapon had it coming. Or didn’t have a clue how to play the cards right to get out of it. Same goes for your friend. Unless the dogs over there in Ireland are rougher.”

With a shrug, she put the joint back in her mouth and sat on the ground. Legs out in front of her. “I’ll show you around if you can get us out without a watch dog.” Jay smirked, looking up at him. Even in her hoodie, she knew if he looked down he got a view. “Whatcha after Con? If you want fine dining, go suck up to momma bear. If you want to see the real city, I can help you there.”
---
Ellane grinned. “I really wish we hadn’t been in the middle of getting Markus ready for retirement I would have really loved to have helped you move in,” She added. “But I suppose I will just have to make due with New Year’s and meeting your mother, she sounds like a very lovely woman.”

Mathias found it in short order, pulling it out of the cabinet and brining it over. “Ah, yeah, right where you said.” He said with chuckle before placing the container down next to the tea. “I’m sure you and dad will love it, it’s really good.”

Conor was very much looking down, enjoying the view as he grinned at her. “Fine dining is only fun when you got the cash to back it up, and I ain’t got a quid to my name right now, which is a damn shame.” He said with an exaggerated sigh. “I also don’t like knowing what the game is here, so if you know some people, I’d love some introductions because I need to start building up my contact list again. I hate not not having a reliable network.”

He rolled his eyes then. “It was painful leaving, lost all of my good connections. Now I’m gonna have to start over with a whole new set of rules to maneuver round. But oh well, I’ll make it work.”

“So what’s the story with the red-eyed bint? She always that catty or she on her monthlies?” He asked, motioning with his head back toward the house.