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Faolan pulled Ellandra back against him, nuzzling her hair and sneaking a kiss to her ear. "Could make use of the kids keeping themselves busy eatin', you know," he purred softly.

"It's only going to be smaller when you're a proto and there's two infants about," Zia said, frowning. "Mama chose to live here with him and we got a bigger place because of you and because they wanted bairns. Deal with it and quit whining so much." It snatched the container of fries away because, well, it could and it felt like it had been nice enough to its annoying sister for her to keep pestering him. "And leave off my fries. You've had enough. Eat the burger."

Faolan's ear twitched, hearing the two Essentics arguing in the front room, and he let out a growly sigh, sitting up and extracting himself from his wife somewhat reluctantly. "Goddamn it. Can't leave them alone for five minutes." He got up and went out to the other room, glaring at Zia first, then up at the rafters where Rhian was. In a pure moment of Keagan-brand parenting, he barked orders at them, pointing at each as he spoke. "You get down here and eat the dinner your sibling brought. And you stop fighting with your sister. I'm sick of this s**t." He went past them and out the front door.

Zia watched him go and glared up at Rhian, giving her a sour look. "Well, guess you can go help Mama now." The young alter headed outside after Faolan, taking its food and the bag of food it had gotten for its owner as well.

Fao came back with Ziazan, beer in one hand--presumably having needed a drink and that vendor had been close--and a burger in the other, talking to the alter. "You can't be like that to her, hinny. She's just a baby still. You weren't the easiest to get along with either at that stage. You need to learn some patience, kid."

The alter frowned, hands in its pockets--having already finished its food--and sulked. "I say we find that Rugovin guy and let him shock the s**t out of her, too. Did wonders for me."

The young man stopped and glared at Ziazan. "That's not funny."

"And I ain't laughin'. I don't see how she's helpin' when all she does is complain about not gettin' to go out--like it's my fault somehow that I can because I look human--or complain that she can't help Mama. She could help plenty if she'd just grow up and stop being such an infant," Ziazan grumbled.

"She'll grow out of it eventually. You did," Faolan said, shrugging. He tossed the now empty hamburger wrapper away and took a drink from the beer bottle. "I get irritated with her, too, but I put up with it 'cause I know she's young and still learnin'."

Zia let out an annoyed, angry sigh and looked up at its owner. "Don't see how when all she does is complain and cry. Are you sure she's not retarded? I think Banning just gave Mama a defective spark. Her purpose seems more to annoy people than help them. Mama should just give her back and get a better one."

Faolan turned and backhanded the kid, surprising them both. He blinked a little at his own hand, then at Zia's shocked face, the alter looking up at him, hand to its cheek. Frowning, Faolan pulled him over by the shirt collar. "Come here. No, don't try and run off now, you get over here." He held the Essentic's shirt fast and leaned down so the kid would be sure to hear him. "This thing you have against Rhian, it stops now. That's your sister and your fellow Essentic. You should be looking after her and helping her grow, not picking fights with her and being a little a*****e about her living with us. You're the oldest and you best get it through that you're gonna have a lot of little siblings. I need you to help. You're family. I know it's not your purpose, kid, but I'm doing the best I can here and you're just not making things any better at the moment."

Zia just stared up at him, its hand still on its cheek, a little still in shock that Faolan had struck it. It nodded, though, at the man's words, knowing he was right. Zia hadn't been much help lately, either around the home or during their working hours. "I'm sorry. I'll try to do better."

"Yeah, me too, Faolan said, pulling the alter closer to wrap an arm around him in a hug. "I didn't mean to hit you, either. I'm sorry about that. I don't want to be that sort of father."

The alter hugged him. "Then don't be. Don't do that again. Ever." It looked up at Faolan, deadly serious. "Or I'll tell Mama."

Faolan nodded, then nudged the kid back towards the vardo. "Let's go check on the womenfolk, eh? Bet Rhian's had enough time to calm down now for you to apologize to." And before the alter could argue with him, he added, "I plan to have her aologize to you, too."

The two arrived back at the vardo, Faolan stepping up to hold the door for Zia to walk in, the Essentic shuffling its feet a bit, head down to hide the small bruise on its cheek. Faolan followed it in, shutting the door behind them, and looked up into the rafters. "Rhian, come down here, please. I want to talk to you."

Faolan gave Zia a sharp nudge to the back with his elbow, prompting the alter forward. "Zia has something to say, actually."

The alter looked down, nodding, then finally met Rhian's eyes with its own. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so hard on you just 'cause you're little still and are still learning the best way to perform your purpose. You're not a bother. I'm just . . . a shitty sibling. I didn't like that I wasn't the only one anymore and I took it out on you and that was wrong. We're siblings more than just because we're of a kind. I want you to be my sister."

The half-demon nodded, ruffling Zia's hair affectionately, taking a sip of beer as if there wasn't a heartfelt apology going on. He walked over and set the bottle down on the table and patted Rhian on the head. "You gotta ease up on Zia, too, wean. It's not his fault that you can't go out or that you're still sorting out your purpose, okay? You wanna blame someone, then blame me. I'm the one that said you can't go out and I'm the one that takes Elle away from you for a bit, but that's my right as a father and a husband. You're a part of this family and we're happy to have you, but you live under my roof--such as it is--and this family needs some rules. Both of you--" He pointed back and forth between the Essentics. "--are going to start getting some better discipline around here. I don't want anymore of this sibling rivalry crap going on, got it?"

Faolan shrugged a bit. "Dunno how much rules will help your purpose, little 'un, but it definitely will make things easier to deal with around here." He stroked at Rhian's head and antennae affectionately. "And I know it sucks being stuck in here. I'm sorry for that. I promise I'll sort out a way for you to run around a bit outside, too."

Faolan nodded. "Aye, wean. I'll do my best to come up with something, but till then, you have to learn to be patient and try to entertain yourself around the home, okay?"

Zia shied away from Ellandra, stepping back to hide behind Faolan a bit. "It's nothing," it said quietly. Faolan set a hand back on the Essentic's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze, and looked at Ellandra, his own expression a little of shame but also that things were alright between them now.

Zia peeked out from around Faolan. "Why didn't you say something earlier?"