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 Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:22 pm
Evan drew in a deep, quiet breath, and clutched his knees tightly. He didn’t want to hear that Riker had been gravely injured. He knew that already! And even if he was in stable condition, it was just still hard to swallow.
“What, with his teacher? No. No offense. Here is fine,” Zac said, and finally sat Lucien down atop the back of the couch next to Soleiyu. Soleiyu nodded at the Mauvian knowingly; of course he’d sat up straight and poised himself nicely when he realized they had company, he was still doing it now.
Zac continued, “How long do we have to get a space set up for him? And how long is he staying? We’re not going to have to worry about cops rolling up and accusing us of kidnapping, right?”
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:23 pm
This time Michael frowned. Not necessarily at Zac, but because he still wasn’t sure if he could trust Zac with more information or if he would still have to pretend like he was just some random teacher from Azure visiting. He didn’t want to assume things, and he was starting to think that Evan and Soleiyu’s silence meant that Zac wasn’t involved.
Then it was a good thing Michael didn’t give him all the details.
But would it be safe there, if other people could potentially find out about Riker and Julian’s identity? Evan was an adult, but he seemed easily frazzled and maybe a bit scatterbrained.
“That, I don’t know,” he admitted, focusing his attention solely on Zac now. “We were going to bring him over maybe in a day or so. His mother doesn’t seem to have any particular interest in his whereabouts, and he doesn’t seem like he wants to be around her.”
Unfortunately, Lucien didn’t know these young men that Michael was talking to. He knew Soleiyu, of course, but he couldn’t offer anything to ease the tension he could sense in his bonded’s spouse. Perhaps if Zac was an unawakened Senshi, he would be able to offer more insight, but as he was now…? He could be anyone.
On the back of the couch, Lucien stretched before settling down to wrap his tail around him, quietly observing after returning a small nod to the other Mauvian.
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:23 pm
Zac exhaled heavily and scratched his chin. He was obviously mulling something over and then turned to Soleiyu. “If I need you for help with something, you’re not busy, right?”
“No, not too busy,” Soleiyu agreed. He squinted just a bit, like he was trying to figure out what Zac was up to. Suspicion was, occasionally, well placed. Zac’s heart was in the right place, even if he never wanted to admit it. He was always so bristly and on edge. It wasn’t Michael’s fault that he was a stranger but of course Zac was going to be careful when it came to protecting his family.
“Why, what are you thinking?” Evan asked. He only half turned to face Zac but it was more than he thought he’d be able to do.
“That Julian’s room is upstairs and I know you’re not going to carry him up and down every time he needs to go to the bathroom.”
Evan realized of course that he had a point, but he didn’t seem to have drawn any conclusions about what Zac was planning. Zac kept his eyes on Michael but seemed to be thinking less than he was some sort of threat. If Soleiyu spoke in front of him it all but confirmed he was trustworthy in at least some way but Zac was still making up his mind about him.
“Is he going to be staying with Julian? What kind of ‘gravely injured’ are we talking about, does he have all his limbs? Is it safe to have him and Julian in the same room?” Zac asked, and even if he was still a little on edge he seemed to at least trust Michael enough to ask questions.
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:24 pm
That Soleiyu spoke was a relief, and it answered at least some of Michael’s questions. There was some weight that seemed to lift from Michael’s shoulders. He hadn’t even realized that he’d reached up to hold onto the necklace around his neck until he was reminded he could breathe again.
The necklace was steady, at least, and Michael twisted the orb between his fingers before just holding it in his palm.
“He’s got all his limbs. Stabbed with a broken wooden parasol handle. Was close to bleeding out, but we had some extra hands and healing around. Soleiyu helped get some first aid devices set up after we had a similar stabbing case a couple years back.”
And for that he was grateful, although he wished they didn’t have to use those medical devices and equipment. It was good to have on hand, regardless. He would have to teach the boys how to use everything.
“He’s got some other injuries. Probably at least bruised ribs from CPR. I’ll have to get the description of the Captain from him. See if we can’t put a stop to whatever she thinks she can get away with. But I should be asking you if it would be safe to have him and Julian in the same room,” Michael said, his attention still on Zac, who was at least able to function. Sorry Evan.
“He’s going to need help, and I’m assuming you know how stubborn and defiant he can be. His identity wasn’t compromised if that’s what you’re asking. We didn’t take him to a hospital. Didn’t want to risk drawing unnecessary attention.”
Michael doubted he’d have to explain how mitigating one risk of not drawing attention at a hospital meant he was more at risk to die without proper medical attention. But hospitals didn’t have magic or the springs.
“I would like to offer my assistance as well, if accepted,” Lucien said as he puffed out his chest a bit.
“My bonded is looking over the young man now. I would like to ease his burden by making sure the transition goes smoothly, although I realize that may come across as selfish on my part,” he admitted.
“He is a fighter, but he may have trouble knowing when to stop,” he admitted, humming quietly to himself.
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:24 pm
One Mauvian was more than enough, there was already fur everywhere from Soleiyu.
…No, that wasn’t fair. And it wasn’t like Soleiyu didn’t groom or have little vacuum robots. The house was already crowded but–
Well, maybe an extra pair of hands–as it were–would be useful.
“Riker is a good boy,” Evan protested, trying not to imagine what Riker had been through. “And so is Julian. They get along very well, they’ll both be fine with each other.” Yes, Riker could be defensive, and maybe stubborn and defiant were true, but that didn’t mean he was hard to deal with or difficult in any way. And if he was hurt, all the more reason to extend patience and tenderness.
“They’ll be fine,” Soleiyu agreed, and before Zac could protest he offered, “Your assistance will be most welcome. Especially if you know the extent of his condition.” Soleiyu thought so highly of his own skill that he didn’t think he needed help but he wasn’t so arrogant or prideful that he would turn it down when there was the matter of someone’s health–especially someone young and vulnerable.
Zac exhaled, but that was that. A Mauvian's assistance was nothing to turn your nose up at, and if Soleiyu agreed, fine. As long as they got the job done.
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:24 pm
“It sounds like things are settled here, then,” Michael tried not to let his lip twitch with amusement. Not that anything that they’d so recently experienced had been amusing, but he could see when someone had met their match. Any concern that he had about Riker and Julian staying there was easily washed away with the way Zac exhaled.
“Give me a call if you need any help with whatever you’re planning,” he insisted, nodding to Soleiyu since he’d definitely have his contact information. “I’m pretty handy with construction and electrical.”
He already planned on giving Evan some funds to cover anything he might need for Riker. It was difficult enough taking care of teenagers when they were healthy. If nothing else, maybe for a little extra food in the house.
Lucien was grateful to the agreement to let him help. He was still learning everything he could about Earth, and any little bit helped expand his knowledge. Even if it was just to observe, he could at least remember how things were done for next time.
“I was present when he was brought to Sessrumnir, yes,” Lucien nodded to Soleiyu’s comment about knowing the extent of Riker’s condition, puffing up proudly again. While Alastor was his bonded, the fact that Devyn was proud of Sessrumnir meant that he was as well.
“These young Knights are destined for great things.” They all did so well in the face of something so horrible. Surely it would only serve to strengthen their bond.
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:25 pm
Evan seemed to have relaxed a bit, but the surge of adrenaline he’d felt gave him the stability he needed to stay focused. He was still too overwhelmed to do more than worry or plan, and he’d gone back to fussing with the fabric on his knees. Even with all the offers for help, all he could think about was what he could do to make Riker feel safe and make sure he was okay.
He offered a soft word of thanks, but it was almost not even loud enough to be heard.
Maxim’s tail wagged but Zac and Soleiyu were a little further away, and each had other things to focus on.
Soleiyu had nodded; his tail twitched and he was clearly thinking deeply about something–the early stages of a plan.
When Lucien spoke, Zac’s eyes slowly shifted back to Michael.
“Sessrumnir, huh. That you?”
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:26 pm
With Lucien being more vocal than maybe Michael would have been comfortable with, he didn’t really have a chance to stop him from mentioning Sessrumnir. Not that he hadn’t already introduced himself to Evan, and Evan gave him his Senshi name in return.
Still, the way Zac pondered the name made it seem as though he’d at least heard it before. It wouldn’t have surprised Michael if he knew the same people twice over, hidden by their glamor to keep them protected.
Or maybe his reputation was bigger than he realized.
“It is,” Michael confirmed with Zac after a moment of hesitation. He doubted anything would happen, what with him knowing Evan’s identity and Soleiyu.
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:30 pm
Zac clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth thoughtfully. He crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his foot but his shoulders relaxed a bit.
“Oh. We’ve met.”
For a moment, it seemed like he wasn’t going to expand on it. Soleiyu was looking at him like he expected more, probably because he’d been the one to introduce them. Soleiyu’s adamant expression was motivation for Zac to just walk away and leave it as it was, if only because he didn’t like being pressured to do anything. With great effort, he managed to resist the urge to just leave and, with a heavy sigh, introduced, “Michel.”
They’d worked together. Zac didn’t much trust most people, but he supposed he could count Sessrumnir as ‘one of the good ones’. He just hoped that he understood that what Zac did and what Michel did were very separate, and he gave Michael a look that said as much.
Before Evan could ask, Zac answered, “We ran into each other a while back. Negaverse was making problems, you know how it is. Don’t overthink it.”
Because Michel didn’t make friends. He kept to himself and it was better that way. He didn’t want to get anyone else involved. He knew his choices would have consequences and he wasn’t going to let anyone else pay for them.
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:30 pm
There was a moment where Michael’s eyebrows raised with curiosity but any leftover tension he had seemed to ease. He even let go of the necklace. Or at least wasn’t holding onto it so tightly.
“Then I really don’t have anything to worry about with the boys’ safety,” he nodded with acknowledgement and mild amusement. If only because he couldn’t have pictured Michel in such a domestic setting.
“I guess we will probably be seeing more of each other if our kids will be hanging out,” he smiled, and maybe there was some teasing there.
Zac seemed disinterested... except for when it came to needing help with something that just happened to come up when trying to figure out how to make things easier for Riker.
Lucien stood up and stretched when it seemed as though Michael was getting ready to head out. Probably because he didn’t want to leave his own son alone for too long. Not that Atticus was alone. Elliot had been incredibly attentive, especially after Atticus had used up his magic as many times over as he could to help the healing process.
Although Lucien was the newest addition to their ‘family,’ he could say he was honestly pleased that Atticus and Elliot had found each other.
And he was equally grateful that Riker had found a place here, in whatever capacity that was.
“I am available any time,” Lucien said to Solieyu, giving him a small nod of gratitude. Any chance to learn about how things worked on Earth was something he looked forward to.
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:34 pm
Soleiyu nodded. “I’ll send you a message later, we’ll meet up soon.” He needed to assess possibilities and talk to a few people before making major plans, but he supposed that if Zac was involved he wouldn’t tell Soleiyu no, and he doubted it would be any effort at all to convince Talia to do whatever they needed in order to help.
Zac made another noncommittal noise; he still struggled to think of himself as any sort of parental figure for Julian, even if he was with Talia and she had been the one who had put in so much effort to make sure Julian had a home here.
He trusted Michael; they’d worked well together before and his morals seemed to be in the right place. Zac just had a lot of precautions in place, so he didn’t mention anyone else that lived here.
“Yeah, maybe,” Zac answered, and gave Michael a look. He could tell he was being teased but given how anxious Evan already was, he wasn’t going to make a big deal. He could see Evan trying to work out the details, trying to calm himself down.
Michael said Riker was fine so Zac trusted that. Whatever came next was just recovery. They could handle that.
“Which one’s yours again?”
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:45 pm
“Atticus. Ephesus of the Moon,” Michael answered proudly. “He’s very gentle and sensitive, but has an unbreakable spirit and stubborn determination.”
He’d seen it first hand. Most recently with Riker. Even though it was obvious that all Ephesus wanted to do was hide and cry, he was steadfast in making sure his magic was used for his friend’s benefit. It wore him out and he has been with Elliot since then, but Michael was proud of him nonetheless.
Speaking of…
“Elliot -- Amarynthos of the Moon -- is practically mine, too. I’ve known him since he was in diapers, and work with his parents. They live right behind us. Amarynthos is pragmatic with a trickster streak -- when appropriate. He and Riker know each other through their baseball team.”
He knew Zac would claim he didn’t care, or would brush it off as superfluous, based on their interaction so far. But Michael wasn’t just oversharing for the heck of it. If Zac, or Evan, were to ever cross paths with either boy, Michael wanted to make sure they knew what to expect of them.
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:47 pm
Soleiyu seemed amused, but agreeable, when Michael praised the boys. It was easy to tell how much he cared about them and how proud of them they were. Evan had heard some of these names so he nodded along. He was still pinching the fabric of his sweater and tugging at a loose thread with enough force that it was starting to warp but he didn’t show any sign of stopping.
Zac seemed to consider Michael’s looseness with information. Normally, Sessrumnir had seemed a bit tight-lipped, sharing only what he needed to. He obviously cared about keeping people safe and he was cautious about what information he shared.
Maybe he expected that Julian had not been so careful and assumed that Evan and Zac already knew, or maybe he just trusted that they were all in this together.
Either way, Zac suddenly felt like he had to keep an eye out for a few other Knights.
Julian would be a mess if anything happened to them, and that meant Talia would be a mess, too. And Evan, probably. Soleiyu looked too interested, maybe him too. Ugh.
“All right, fine,” Zac grumbled. “Should we expect that any of them are going to want to come over and visit Riker while he’s here? Someone’s going to have to give me a heads up if he’s going to have visitors that don’t know about talking cats or alien senshi, just saying. We’ve got a busy house, I’ll want to make sure everyone knows what to expect.”
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:48 pm
“Since they’re friends with Julian too, I’m going to assume they’d want to visit. I don’t know if they’d have any friends over that weren’t involved with everything,” he admitted. He didn’t know all of their friends, especially not everyone Riker was close to.
“I’ll make sure they know to give everyone a heads up if they think someone will visit who doesn’t know,” Michael promised, because he certainly didn’t want anyone to reveal their identities without good cause.
It wasn’t so much that Michael wanted to reveal everything about Atticus and Elliot, but since he knew Zac and Evan’s identities, he wanted to be able to trust them with at least keeping an ear out for the boys. Just in case they needed help.
That, and Michael had been incredibly strict about identities for over a decade, but even that didn’t matter in the end. Maybe, instead, they should focus on allies.
Lucien watched the exchange, waiting patiently for arrangements to be made. He was content observing and took great interest in everything he could learn.
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Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2024 7:49 pm
Evan nodded, maybe because that was the best way to look like he was participating in the conversation and not half dissociating right now. Soleiyu nodded because he agreed, and honestly he was sure he’d be able to identify which of their friends were powered. He could just keep his distance from anyone he didn’t recognize.
Zac sighed, even if only for show. Julian didn’t have a lot of friends over but when he did they were usually well-behaved, or at least kept all their misbehaving for when they were upstairs where he couldn’t tell.
“Well, thanks,” he said gruffly, but neither Evan nor Soleiyu reacted in a way that would indicate he actually seemed upset.
“...Do you want some coffee or something while you’re here?” Zac finally asked.
“I figure someone’s going to have to tell Julian about what’s going on,” he eyed Evan but promptly returned his attention to Michael and the two Mauvians, “but if you’re not busy I guess we could spend some time figuring out what the best plan for Riker is. Unless you’d rather figure it out later.”
…He would just get started without them.
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