[PRP - PICK UP] Sweeter Than Bitter Honey (COMPLETE)

[Ravina Loki]

Who: Aaron, Claire, Lorin, and Zeke
When: March 3rd, 2016; around 10am
Where: Lab 305
Weather: Crisp, cold, a fair bit windy

When one thing failed, it was always nice to have a backup. In this case, it was Claire's cellphone number on hand after her home phone rang and rang and rang before the answering machine picked up. He still left a message - one never knew after all! - but as soon as he hung up with one number he was immediately dialing the second. Turns out it was the second time that was the charm. Claire picked up and as soon as she got her greeting of choice out Zeke was throwing the biggest curve ball he had in his arsenal her way.

"He's here Claire! Really! He's here and he's waiting for you!" The smile on his face could be heard in his voice and he guaranteed that he would be waiting all day long if need be for her and Aaron to arrive.

"But of course, the sooner the better!!!"

When the conversation ended he set the phone down in its cradle with a laugh on his lips and a light in his eyes. Behind his office desk he even went so far as to do a little jig, so very ready for this very special Raevan. He had done everything he could to keep Claire and her husband in the loop with his development, sending along everything from little texts about new developments to his figure to photos of the humanoid-shaped shadow floating in the tank. It felt like it had been forever since she had returned the captured soul to them but now the long awaited day was finally here.

Zeke really couldn't wait to meet him.

"Oh man..." It all came flooding back now. Meeting Claire for the first time that cold winter day and helping her fill out her application. Then came the big surprise of her selection, Anya in tow and extending her own congratulations. Awhile later she had returned the filled Soul Glass to him during the tea party and he had started the process that very same day. And now? Well...Now for him was going to be who knows how long of excited postulating about the newborn Frei's appearance, his demeanor, and just how his Guardians would react upon seeing--

It was quiet in the Lab; Zeke was the only one in right now. That's probably why he picked up on the ruckus outside his door as quickly as he did. There was a thumping sound, followed quickly by the all too familar sounds of several things falling to the floor after it. Then a cry - fear or pain he couldn't tell - but it needn't have been heard because Zeke was already out the door and gunning down the hall toward the room where the only other body in the Lab was.

He had wanted to let Claire and Aaron in on the tradition he had held onto since learning about it with Anya via Alex. He had wanted to see their reactions through a crack in the door and hear their voices echo out into the hallway as they beheld their child for the very first time.

What he had wanted didn't matter and he would apologize for breaking the tradition later. For now he had to make sure the child that they had been waiting so long for wasn't hurt or worse.

As soon as Zeke was at the door he threw it open, hand on the knob so the door didn't collide with the doorstop on the wall behind it.

"Are you okay?!"

There was alarm on his face as he let his eyes search the room for the Honey Frei, fearing the worst and sending his heart solidly into his throat at the very idea of such a thing.  

[alpha lyrae]

It had been a busy morning following the late night that had preceded it. Claire and Aaron were habitually early risers but given the situation with Cadi, the girl had taken a little more coaxing to get going (as well as a strong dark cup of coffee). With her insistence, they did not backtrack to Louie's to inquire after her keys; she said she had kept them busy long enough and that she would handle it from there, but Claire did volunteer to call the apartment manager before she could protest. They did not have to wait long outside of the complex for him, and he arrived just short of ten in the morning with the set of master keys. The clinking caused Cadi to wince but the door opened just the same, and as she said goodbye to the manager and Claire and Aaron stepped forward to make sure everything would be okay, three sets of eyes fell on the keys sitting on her coffee table.

"Oh my god," she groaned, burying her tired face in her hands. "Please, just leave me here to die in my embarrassment." Aaron laughed gently and placed a hand on her back. Unlike yesterday, she did not wince away from the contact.

"Don't worry, happens to the best of us." The three of them exchanged farewells (Claire sternly telling Cadi to text them later to let them know how she was feeling) and the couple had set off towards the front curb when Claire's cell jingled. Eyebrows scrunched in confusion, she balanced her purse on her knee and fished it out, eyelids opening wide despite the little sleep they had had. Aaron mirrored her surprise. "Who is it?"

"Zeke," she replied, with a flutter in her chest. "From the Lab." The two had been receiving a few teasing text messages since she had last left the bottle, and it had been more like him to text that news rather than call - the flutter bloomed into a racing pulse as she scrambled to answer. "Hello? Zeke?" The man on the other end seemed fit to burst with excitement.

"He's here Claire! Really! He's here and he's waiting for you!" The phone nearly tumbled from Claire's shocked hands and she had to maneuver quickly to steady herself. The voice carried enough for Aaron to hear, and his face was awash in surprise.

"Oh my god -- oh my god." Her mind scrambled for words, words enough to convey everything she was feeling right then - he was here, the leshy was here, actually here. "I -- we're on our way! We'll be right over!"

"But of course, the sooner the better!!!" She barely had time to mutter a "thank you" before they said their goodbyes and Claire dropped the phone back into her purse, hands trembling. He was here. But there was still so much she had yet to do - she was prepared and yet she wasn't, and she looked to her husband with panic written on her features.

"We haven't picked a name yet," she gasped, eyes wide, "And his room isn't fully decorated yet. What will he wear? Should we call Ma?" Her hand reached up to clutch at her bangs. "We have to go. I'll drive. Where are the keys?" Aaron was all thumbs as he searched his pockets and dropped them in his wife's outstretched hands, and she was jogging the rest of the way down the sidewalk. His own heart was keeping rapid time in his chest and all of his fears seemed to be coming to head much too quickly. He wasn't ready either but here he was, and their Raevan was here.

---

The room was bright. He liked that.

What he did not like was how empty everything felt, and cold, and trapping. There were few items adorning the room he was in but he could not get past the nervous pitter-pattering of his own heart. He had been placed in this room by.. by someone, or something? .. and left to keep company with silence and chill. His tiny hands pulled the hood more firmly around his face. He did not like being stuck here, he decided, and he moved towards where he had come in. Fingers around the door knob, he jiggled it experimentally.. to no avail. Next he tried turning it; it clicked and would not move.

His breath hitched and his pulse heightened. He needed to get out. He did not like this, not one bit.

Head turning to and fro, he spotted a set of shining tools left in the room on a tray. They were placed up just out of reach of clumsy hands, and he frowned as his fingertips only grazed the top. He could get up there, he could, but it was so high. His frown deepened and he eyed the floor (so as not to go too far, it was awfully high) as he slowly hovered upward, hand still outstretched -

His fingers caught on the handle of the tray and in his surprise, the Frei jerked it away, sending the tools and tray loudly clattering to the floor. He cried out in shock and pressed himself against the wall, both hands clasped together against his heaving chest. The sound of footfalls in the hall echoed into the room and the door opened quite suddenly, jolting the tiny Raevan's attention to the tall man standing in the doorway - was he the one who put him here? The man spoke words that he did not quite understand, but there was concern on his face; the small Raevan was still scared, his heart threatening to run from his chest given leave to, but he had opened the door, and he looked so shocked, so worried, that he hovered closer to the newcomer. He hoped he had not upset him by dropping the tray.

He hiccuped, a soft sound, and tears rolled down his cheeks as he started to cry, clinging to the man's sleeve. He did not like being by himself.  

[Ravina Loki]

He found the Frei floating there over a spilled tray and some tools and as with every newborn there was a moment of simply staring. The newborn Frei floated just under four feet high and he looked every bit the child - eight or nine, ten at the oldest if he were to be asked. His Essence lended him golden blond hair and colors that befitted honey of all kinds. His Soul showed in his attire's warm style and the leaves that quivered on his back as he looked back at the man who had just barged in.

"Hey..." The word slipped out as the two stared back at each other, soft-spoken and awed. Even more awing was the fact that the boy did not recoil from him in that moment. He came closer and, surprisingly, took ahold of the sleeve of his sweater just before the tears started to well up and fall from his big brown eyes.

"Oh no. No, no, don't cry!" A tiny noise of worry left him as Zeke pulled the Honey Frei into a hug, pulling him up to squeeze him warmly against his chest. "Shhh...it's okay! You're okay! Everything's okay!"

He made soft sounds to try and console the Raevan, looking between the top of his head and the scattered objects on the floor. A million things that could have happened crossed his mind but no matter the possibility the result was always the same: he had frightened himself and Zeke barging in without preamble had pushed him to tears.

Now he couldn't help but feel like a jerk.

"You're alright," he said again kindly, "you're okay. That tray falling must've been really scary huh? I heard it all the way down the hall."

He eased his hold off the boy and smiled down at him, pulling his sleeve up a little with his fingers to wipe the tears off his face with it.

"And I bet I scared you even more just now, huh? I'm sorry; I thought you had gotten hurt!" But he hadn't gotten hurt, at least not physically it seemed. His feelings, on the other hand, were perhaps not so unscathed.

"I'm Zeke." He crouched down to the Frei's height and the hand he had used to wipe away the blond boy's tears was rested on his chest as he said his name. They had gotten off to an unexpected start so best to fix things while he had a chance. "I'm sorry for scaring you and I'm glad you're not hurt."

But as fine as he was or was going to be, Zeke wasn't about to leave him alone again.

"Would you like to come with me? I know this is all very sudden, but I'm waiting on two very special people and I could use the company. What do you say, kiddo?"  

[alpha lyrae]

The small Frei's misgivings about the man who had burst into the room so suddenly and startled him vanished as soon as he was pulled into the hug. This was.. nice, much nicer than being alone had been. He sniffled and more tears leaked out as he buried his face into the man's chest as the vet tried to soothe him. There was so much he did not understand but this man was being very kind to him and decidedly not loud after their initial introduction, and he pulled his face away to get a better look at him as he was released. The sleeve that he had held onto was now being used to clean his face, and he blinked an eye closed as the hand edged close, cheeks rosy from the contact. His tiny hands were still clenched in front of him as the stranger wiped his tears away. They were coming less frequently now, and he gave one more long sniffle to try to pull them fully back, and he rubbed his own eyes as Zeke took a knee in front of him to look at him eye-level. His gaze traveled up to the spiky hair in dual colors, and the number of piercings adorning the man's ears and face that caught the light - there was no lack of things to look at with this newcomer, unlike the room behind him with its bare walls and scattered instruments on the floor.

The man touched his chest and introduced himself, and the Frei reached a small hand out towards him.

"'M Zeke," he said quietly with a tiny tap of his fingers atop Zeke's own, and he nodded. "I'm Zeke." Another tap followed, and he smiled.

Then the conversation turned towards leaving, and while he did not understand fully what was being said, the Frei could feel the urgency of it, and with a careful glance around the man as he stood, he looked up at him with a small "mmmn" and lowered the hand that had reached for him before to instead link timidly around one of Zeke's much larger fingers. He was ready to leave this room far behind him.

---

Claire considered herself a fairly law-abiding citizen, but the car had a hard time keeping up with the rapid tempo of her heart. It took Aaron resting his hand over hers and quietly telling her to slow down, "he's not going anywhere," for her to lower her speed back down to the limit. She felt Aaron's fingers trembling when he had touched her own, and she turned her hand to take his when they finally turned onto the proper street. Her thoughts were hazy and excited, her pulse relentlessly quick, and she held onto her husband's hand for dear life.

Still being so early in the morning, they found a prime spot out front and she slid into it easily. The car was put into park, the ignition turned off, and still they sat, without moving or speaking.

"I'm scared, Aaron," Claire admitted after a moment, her voice a whisper. "What if he doesn't like me?" Aaron, for his part, had been wondering the same thing about himself. Given his own string of doubts, he was not quite sure he would make a likeable parent at all; he felt himself barely a likeable person recently. However he gave Claire's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't say that," he answered with quiet feeling. "'Course he'll love you." His own nerves frayed and he wondered how their new Raevan would perceive him, but his own feelings were not what was important right now. "You're gonna be his mom, after all. Best one in the world." She smiled tremulously and swallowed. Their hands unlinked and she put her fluttering hands to work smoothing her hair, grabbing her purse, dropping the keys inside, checking her phone to stare at the recent calls list. She took a shaky breath and Aaron's fists clenched together anxiously in his lap. She put on her bravest face and smiled wide.

"Let's go." Inside, the both of them were quaking.  

[Ravina Loki]

"You got it." He winked at the Frei at the second tap; his smile was back now and causing the corners of his eyes to crinkle.

Although the reply to his questions was not really a reply at all, Zeke took the soft noise made by the Raevan as a good sign and that notion doubled when the boy took hold of his fingers. He also took hold of his heart with that action and if asked Zeke would say that he felt the organ melt with that one little action. Gently he curled his hand around the child Frei's and with a tiny hug, beckoned him to follow.

"These people I'm waiting for, I think they'll be here real soon, but just in case they're not I'll get you some paper and some markers to draw with to pass the time. Would you like that?" He would also play with the Frei if the boy wanted, talk to him of course, and if he preferred quieter activities, Zeke had a small library of books on hand in his office. Sure they weren't the lightest of reads for anyone, but a lot of them had pictures. He thought of Vesna; the Rusalka had definitely enjoyed that illustrated compendium of magical creatures. Perhaps that one would be another hit the little guy here.

"Okay we're just about to the lobby now," with his free hand he gestured to the glass door that let all the light from the lobby windows in unhindered. It was bright and Zeke raised that same hand to shield his eyes, looking down at the Frei to see if he was doing the same. "Once we're in there, you can explore to your heart's content! It's a big room, much bigger than the one you were in and I--"

He stopped just short of the door, looking through it as the lobby's front doors opened and the chime over it jingled. Claire and Aaron stepped in, both looking nervous and excited and so many other things all at once. They were sure to be looking for Zeke who was usually there to greet them, but instead of dashing out with a cheery 'hey hello!' he instead crouched down next to the Frei again.

"See those two people out there?" He gave the hand he held a gentle squeeze and his smile only grew as he took in the boy's blond hair, brown eyes, and soft features all over again. "Those are the special people I mentioned. But you wanna know something? They're here for you, little guy. They've been waiting an awfully long time to meet you and they're the ones that are going to be taking care of you from now on. They're you're Guar--"

He stopped before he said the word, looking back at the couple looking anxious in the lobby. Maybe, for once, that wasn't the right word to describe a Raevan's caretaker. For all he knew of them, and Claire especially, he knew enough to know that this tiny Frei right here was more than just that to them.

Perhaps he was being a little presumptuous but at the same time, he remembered Claire's words the first time they met, the way she had lit up at the word 'adoption'. Then of course there were her tears the day he and Anya had surprised her with the best sort of news. He clucked his pierced tongue. Perhaps it wasn't bad to be a little presumptuous.

"They're your mom and dad." He smiled again at the boy and ruffled his hood-covered head. "Why don't we go and say hi?"

From the back of the Lab the lobby door was pulled inward and Zeke stepped out. He waved at the two people he had been waiting for, but did not immediately rush them with a whoop and a bear hug of a tackle as he usually did with those he greatly liked. Instead he smiled at them, breaking that eye contact and expression only to look behind him at the tiny Frei who was sure to be all but completely hidden by his frame. The boy was through the door but he would let him reveal himself when he chose to.

Well, physically reveal himself when he chose to, at least.

"Hey, hello! Sorry if we kept you waiting!"  

[alpha lyrae]

The honey Frei nodded meekly and followed in Zeke's wake as he led him out of the awful, lonely room. Now that they were in the hallway and travelling towards the front of the Lab, he let his eyes wander around when the older man spoke. He did not know what papers and markers were but they were, apparently, going to be brought out for him, so he smiled, eyes bright with curiosity. Truthfully, he did not understand much, if at all, of the things that Zeke was explaining to him, but with a squeeze of the hands, he figured that it was for his benefit. The man's tone was much more gentle and the way he lightly held his hand and squeezed in reassurance emboldened the small Raevan. The sunshine likewise startled him and he blocked out the rays, wincing against them, as the front doors of the Lab opened with a happy jingle and two new figures entered, silhouetted by the sun.

He would have shrunk behind Zeke, had he had the option, but the man knelt before him and squeezed his hand. Once more, while his understanding was limited, he knew that this was for his benefit, and the kind way that he looked out at the two in the lobby reaffirmed that this was something for him. Eyes wide, he listened to the vet seriously despite it all and he nodded, much more firmly this time.

"Meet.. you," he repeated, and gave a squeak of surprise when Zeke ruffled his hair and stood, opening the door.

The Frei's pulse quickened and he ducked behind his legs, heart pumping with nerves but mind burning with curiosity when Zeke greeted the two new strangers who were here for him.

Claire glanced up at his greeting, her hand linked in Aaron's, and she smiled a shaky, nervous smile. The quaking within had spread to her fingertips, and Aaron steadied his grip, swallowing nervously himself as the moment of truth approached.

"Y-you're fine, Zeke," she said, smile steadying. "We came as quickly as we could -" Behind the vet, the small Frei's antennae twitched. Whomever this person for him was, they had a very nice voice. Hands clinging to Zeke, he peered around him, half of his face discernible behind the vet. Claire felt her heart leap into her throat as the mop of golden hair and the flash of red hood came into view, and Aaron's fingers went slack in his own surprise, their hands dropping to their sides.

The leshy had come back as a child.

Trembling hands rose to her lips and she took a slow breath. The leshy had come back as a child. Had it been intentional? Between the two of them, the small Frei before her looked nothing like that tall, wizened guardian of the wood that she had met last summer, and yet here he was. Her breath caught and she felt tears welling behind her eyes at the leshy's kindness, but it was Aaron who brought to the forefront the leshy's other parting gift.

"He looks like you, Claire," he whispered, putting a hand on her arm without taking his eyes off the child.

"O-oh," was all she said before the tears escaped and rolled freely down her face, cheeks rosy and a smile clear and bright on her features. The Frei's eyes widened in alarm and he leaned out further from behind Zeke's legs, tiny fingers clenching the hem of the man's shirt anxiously. He made a worried noise in the back of his throat and floated out a little towards them. Why was she crying? What happened? Did he make her sad? Both Claire and Aaron's eyes widened at the small Frei before them, approaching timidly but worry clear in his eyes, hands clutching together. Claire hastily wiped her eyes with a hand, although it did little good - the tears would not stop. "H-hey, it's okay." She re-positioned her purse and knelt down, tucking her skirt around her legs as she went, and the Frei's heart hummed warmly in recognition of this familiar gesture. "It's nice to finally meet you. I am so, so glad you're here." Claire wanted so much right then but she was also so scared, so worried that she might frighten him away or do something to mar this happy occasion, so instead she reached out a hand towards him. Aaron watched the proceedings with his pulse drumming loudly in his ears, his own hands shaking at a child, an honest-to-God child Raevan - he looked over at Zeke, whom he had yet to meet, and then back to the Frei and Claire.

The Frei crept closer to the blond woman who smiled so kindly and placed his tiny hand in her extended one; her fingers curled against his and squeezed warmly. He smiled, which drew another hiccup and smile from her, before her eyebrows lifted in surprise as his free hand drew up to wipe one of the tears from her cheek with concern.

Her composure slipped and she scooped him into a gentle hug with one slow, sweeping motion. Her breath tickled against his hair and his hands clutched at her back. She felt warm.  

[Ravina Loki]

"I'm sure you did." His words were warm. He could have said more, made a joke about them struggling to drive the speed limit the whole way here but he held back. There was no need to say anything else about it or anything, at least not in the moments that followed the Leshy peeking out from behind his legs.

It was all in slow motion. Claire covered her mouth and started to tremble. Aaron gave breath to thoughts he had been thinking, what with the Leshy's blond hair and small figure. That undid perhaps the last lock the pretty woman had keeping her emotions back and she started to cry happy tears. The boy, sweet little thing he was and counter to the name his Essence had for itself, released his grip from Zeke's shirt and went to her. She got down to his level and he seemed to know everything was alright, closing the gap with a touch before she wrapped him up into the biggest hug Zeke had ever seen.

The world from his point of view was now misty and edging on blurry. The vet raised his own hand to wipe away the tears that that threatened to spill over, smiling all the while at the scene before him. He looked from the hugging pair to the husband who still stood next to his wife and the vet saw his hands shaking. They locked eyes. Zeke gave him a sunny smile although his own figure started to shake with the effort it was taking to keep the tears at bay. In the moment before Aaron looked back at his wife and child, Zeke jerked his head at the pair, silently saying 'go for it' if Aaron wanted some sort of masculine permission to let go of manhood and join his wife on the floor in a hug with their boy. Zeke would not cry foul to anyone for such a thing, let alone a man just meeting his child for the very first time. A lapse in stoicness would be safe with him.  

[alpha lyrae]

Aaron caught Zeke's nod of encouragement and he stilled, eyes fixed on his wife and his soon-to-be adopted son. He had a lot of reasons to hesitate, many of his own misgivings still in turmoil, but he also did not want to take away this moment from Claire. She had the right to this first, and he... he was still not sure he was fit for the job looming before him, but like it or not, the moment was here. At that moment, Claire disengaged herself from the small Frei and wiped her eyes quickly with the heel of her hand.

"Oh look at this, I've made your hood all damp, I'm so sorry," she apologized with a congested laugh, smoothing out the damp spot on the boy's hood and attempting to pat it dry with her sleeve. The Frei hummed a small, happy giggle and put his hand on her cheek again and patted softly, which drew a warmer laugh from Claire. Aaron's heart hammered; as much doubt as he was having, he had never felt so gratified in watching a scene like this unfold before him, and he smiled. The Raevan's small face lit up at the smiles around him, craning his head around to look back at Zeke, who was likewise wiping his eyes and beaming.

This was nice. This was good. Everything was warm and pleasant here with these people.

"I'm Claire." She touched her chest lightly. "I'm your mama, baby boy."

"Mama baby boy." As he had earlier, he reached out to tap her hand as he said the words, eyes squinting as he tried to understand the words. She laughed again and touched her chest.

"Mama.. Claire." Her hand started to extend towards him, but she paused, and once again the quandry of his name came up. So many of them were racing through her head now, so many favorites. Perhaps Lorenzo had been right to let his charge decide on their name.. but this one could barely speak yet. Should she still deny him that? There was little room for other thought as he grabbed her hand, still frozen between them.

"Mama Claire," he repeated dutifully, his hand moving up to tap her shoulder, and her heart felt as though it were melting within her. He had understood her.

"That's right." She affirmed warmly, and the Frei pulled his scarf shyly around his face, but the edge of his smile was still visible. She stood up and he loosed his hands from around his scarf, eyes trained on her, but she offered her hand to him again, which he gently took. "Come on, time to meet your papa." She had only to turn and take a few steps to reach Aaron, whose heart made the jump into his throat when the Frei's eyes landed on him at last. The Raevan had taken note of Aaron, certainly, but it had been glancingly, as Claire had taken up much of his first few moments in the lobby. This man was a good head taller than Mama Claire, with thick hair that curled and a jacket that looked as though it were made of rough material. His cheeks were red and his smile was hesitant but.. but still nice. He smiled experimentally back and his leaf-like wings fluttered. "Papa Aaron." Claire's pale hand rested on Aaron's arm, and the man felt himself sweat under the child's scrutiny.

That all passed when the boy beamed up at him, rested a hand on his knee and proclaimed, "Papa Aaron" with a resolute pat. While he was not one for tears, Aaron found it hard to swallow for all the mixing emotions settled within him.

"That's me, kiddo." He chuckled deeply and leaned down to offer his hand. "Nice to meet you." The honey Frei examined the hand, Aaron's face, and then Claire, who nodded and disengaged her own hand from his so that he was free to take Aaron's. In comparison to Mama Claire's, Papa Aaron's was larger and a little rougher, but it was still careful, with a slight tremor. He squeezed the fingers reassuringly and Aaron weakly squeezed back, earning a bright smile from the boy. Claire felt tears threatening again and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before finally addressing Zeke.

"I don't have the words to say what this means to me - to us, rather," she amended, voice full of emotion and earnestness, "thank you, from the bottom of my heart." She swallowed against her welling feelings and sighed in content; she knew there was more work to be done. "So.. what comes next?"  

[Ravina Loki]

He was silent up until Claire spoke to him, too involved in watching and wiping at his eyes until he finally thought he had everything contained. As it turned out, he did not. Her words hit him in the weak spot he had in his chest and a few tears did escape and roll down his reddened cheeks while his smile quivered in its width.

"Well ah...This, for one." He strode over to her and embraced her fully, laughing softly as he pecked her once on the cheek. "Congratulations, Claire."

He pulled away from her - one hand still resting on her upper arm - to address her husband.

"Nice to meet you finally, Aaron." He held out his right hand for a shake when the man was ready to give one. "Gotta say though, kinda disappointed you aren't brown-eyed. He'd be the spitting image of the pair of you if you did." Of course his "disappointment" clearly only stretched as far as a jest. He chuckled, peering down at the child Frei and his little fuzzy antennae. Eye color aside, looking between the husband and wife duo he was amazingly similar to them. Funny how it worked out, but fitting. Oh so fitting.

"Now if, and this is a big fat if on my part, I can stop blubbering sometime soon ah..." He wiped at his eyes with his finger tips, pulling them away to survey the dampness that had collected there. "There's really only a couple of things that need to be done before you can take him home. The most important one is his name."

He looked between the two before settling on Claire. He could bet that topic was something they had discussed at length but as the de facto Guardian on the paperwork he had to fall to her first. He smiled knowingly, however, how so many name ideas could just get blown out the window upon seeing one's Frei for the first time. For all he knew, that oh so perfect name that had been chosen was now replaced by something entirely new.

"What do you say kiddo?" He then crouched down to address the Honey Frei, putting on his sunniest smile just for the boy. "Would you like a name?"  

[alpha lyrae]

Claire's face blossomed into a fuller blush as Zeke pulled her into a hug and surprised her with a kiss on the cheek. Her hands moved from their position at her side to embrace the vet with a laugh, and as they pulled away, they rested lightly on his arms for a moment.

"Thank you, Zeke," she replied warmly when he moved away to greet Aaron, all smiles and still rosy. Aaron squeezed the honey Frei's fingers once more before disengaging to shake the vet's hand and laughed in response to the jest. His heart was still doing nervous rounds in his chest despite it all and his doubts, ever present, still leered in the back of his mind but for all outward appearances, he showed none of it underneath his smile.

"Well somebody in this family had to get all the good looks, or two somebodies, I guess," he joked right back with a firm shake and another laugh. "Nice to put a face to the name at last, Zeke. Thanks for everything." With his hand now free, the childlike Frei took hold of his fingers again, startling Aaron for a second but drawing another shaky grin. He did not think himself fit for parenthood in the least but this little boy was certainly providing a convincing counter-argument as he smiled at him and held his hand. The trio waited patiently for Zeke to gather himself and Claire folded her arms over her chest as he mentioned the first step, her eyes widening a touch.

The name.

She remembered the baby names book sitting on her nightstand at home and its plethora of sticky notes to denote favorites, yet most of her choices fled from her memory as she looked down at the timid, smiling face next to her husband. Zeke crouched in front of the Frei to pose the question to him directly while she and Aaron exchanged a look as they both scrambled in thought. The Raevan pulled his scarf shyly around his face at the vet's sunny smile, hiding his own as he swayed a little on the spot. Claire was almost mad at herself for how quickly her list of favorite names had deserted her. She took him in while she puzzled over the chief question that had given her difficulty for the past few months, eyeing his honeyed hair and large, sweet brown eyes as he looked from Zeke up to Claire expectantly. His antennae twitched.

She decided.

"Lorin." She looked to Aaron for confirmation - she wanted this decision to be made together. For his part, a gear clicked into movement in Aaron's mind that drew him back to the memory of them sitting on the bed and how he had felt when she had told him it came from Lawrence. Somewhere in the world, Lawrence Yew would probably be laughing at him. However, the meaning of the name kept the wheels turning as his gaze set on the boy's antennae, which seemed a little laurel-like in their form. Perhaps it was the perfect fit.

"Lorin," Aaron agreed, resting a hand on the child's head and rubbing gently. "Lorin Petri Holmes." He gave another soft pat and the child giggled, Claire's heart giving an excited thump at the choice of middle name. "How d'you like that one, buddy? Sound good?" Lorin looked up, tiny hands distracted as they tried to tug his hood back up and the material slipped from his fingers. He looked between the adults for the moment, and for his benefit, Claire placed a hand on his shoulder and repeated the name softly. His hand lay against his chest.

"Lorin," he said experimentally, trying to match Claire's gentle tone, and he smiled.

"So that decides that, then," Claire added with a small laugh. "I take it there is some paperwork we'll have to complete?"  

[Ravina Loki]

"You're very, very welcome." He winked at Claire then laughed at her husband's words. "I'd shoot for three somebodies if I were you, you're all quite the family of lookers! Heck, I think the little guy here will be quite the heartbreaker with that cute face of his!"

Again, a jest, but he might not be wrong on that front. Cutie like the Honey Frei turned out to be, Zeke was sure plenty of girls and guys would melt at the sight of him and completely puddle when they came face to face with his sweet demeanor and that endearing pinch of shyness he was displaying with his scarf. The corners of the vet's eyes crinkled at it now and he playfully wiggled his fingers at the child Frei before the boy looked up at his mother with expectation.

"Lorin," he repeated, looking likewise from Claire to Aaron before settling once again on the honey-sweet Leshy. "Big name for a little guy, but I think it fits! Of course, what I think on the subject wholly doesn't matter but he looks like a Lorin to me." And it seemed Lorin felt the same. "I'd say so!"

He finally stood back up again, nodding and extending his hand out toward the desk Claire would perhaps remember well from days long past. There were a few new knick knacks and office supply staples but it was the very same desk and the very same chairs all around that had been here when she had first come into the Lab looking to inquire about the project.

"Feel free to take a seat, but I understand if you're still too excited to attempt that," he opted to stand himself, opening up her file and taking out the very last set of release forms she would need to sign. A pen was procured and Zeke held it over the line for Lorin's name but not yet putting tip to sheet.

"How do you want his name spelled? Last thing I wanna do is put it down L-A-W-R-I-N when it's supposed to be L-O-R-I-N or something." He chuckled, albeit a touch sheepishly. So far Zeke had avoided such chances but there was always a first time for everything and he had yet to make another set of copies of these forms just yet. Better to be safe than very dearly sorry, especially for this particular trio. Everything had to be just perfect.  

[alpha lyrae]

Lorin nodded eagerly at Zeke's praise of his name, one hand toying with the end of his scarf and the other looping through Aaron's much larger hand again. The man himself laughed at the jest from the vet and squeezed the Frei's hand in his own, mimicking the same feeling he was getting in his chest. Still so many misgivings but here he was, this small Raevan, who looked at him with such shining, adoring eyes. Aaron could not deny a growing fondness for the boy. Zeke rose and moved to the desk, and Claire looked between Aaron and Lorin, fingers flexing at her side as she was about to reach for him, but her husband waved her off and grinned, "do what you gotta, we're fine here, right kid?" He looked down and the tiny face bloomed into a smile and another eager nod.

"Mm!" he replied, which wrangled a laugh from Claire. This was good, giving the two a private moment, and likely easier for her if she were not holding onto a child the whole time. Turning and following towards the desk, she chuckled appreciatively at Zeke's perception and continued to stand as well.

"You've got me there," she conceded, leaning forward with palms pressed to the desk as he fetched the files and the proper pen. Her purse slid down her shoulders and thumped softly against the side of the desk and she hastily readjusted it while Zeke asked her about the spelling. "L-O-R-I-N, yes. Petri should be P-E-T-R-I, as well," she offered with a smile. She cast her gaze back towards the two behind her momentarily, eyes crinkled fondly, as she saw the honey Frei tug decidedly on Aaron's hand.

"What's up, little guy?" he asked with a raise of the brows. Lorin did not reply but just tugged once again with a small smile. Another grin bloomed on Aaron's face. "You wanna be picked up?" Lorin's face was awash in confusion at the term but it was soon put to rest as Aaron bent his knees and scooped up the Frei with a "gotcha!" and the boy dissolved into giggles, burying his face in his father's shoulder. Another thump of the heart against his ribs, but Aaron's doubts still lingered. He was always good with kids, but.. fatherhood? With the mop of golden hair against his shoulder, though, Lorin continued his stubborn counterargument through action alone, and that left Aaron feeling very conflicted. Good, sort of, but conflicted. Claire gave a soft laugh and returned her attention to the vet when he was done with the name, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears. Another thought had occured to her and she gave voice to it now.

"I'm certain he'll be hungry when we get out of here, but I just wanted to confirm no manmade or processed foods, right?" She remembered Cruz's.. very interesting source of nourishment, her own lips tingling at the memory. "The most nourishment would be Essence-related, yes? Looks like we'll be picking up a few things at the grocery store on the way home, then, see what he likes best?" The grocery store stocked local honey but she would buy directly from the source during the next farmer's market in town - she wanted the best for him, after all.  

[Ravina Loki]

He took great pains to make the name neat and legible on the line, but every muscle in his hand fought to make it his natural scrawl. Zeke won out though and the name was set.

"Lorin Petri it is!" He turned the papers toward Claire and set the pen down to the side. "I just need to to read over and sign your name here, with the date right next to it there." He tapped the appropriate spots at the bottom of the second page, ignoring the second set of lines beneath those for his own signature and notation of the date this all took place. "The legal mumbo jumbo is standard issue stuff. You promise to take care of him to the best of your ability and see to it that he's happy and healthy. You also promise to bring him to Lab if we ever contact you for check ups or what have you, since Dr. Kyou likes to keep a record of how everyone is doing." Zeke would more than likely oversee anything of that sort. "And, lastly, although I really doubt it'd ever happen with you guys, if there ever comes a time where something happens and you cannot take care of him, you promise to return him to the Lab or contact me or another staff member to come and do that for you."

He winced just a little with how bluntly he put it, but like he said, he highly doubted such a thing would occur. Looking between the Frei and his new dad before again looking at Claire, Zeke had the distinct feeling that even the notion of such a thing would be surely 'over her dead body'.

"You're right about his feeding pertaining to his Essence," he tapped the top of the first page where Lorin's Essence was written down. "I'd say honey would be a fair shake for him. As for the food you and I eat, yes. He could probably get away with trying like...a teaspoon of milk or something if you wanna have him taste different things or if he's curious what you and Aaron are eating, but if you gave him a t-bone steak it won't do anything for him just yet, no." He looked at the giggling Leshy and couldn't help but chuckle at the mental image of Lorin trying to take on a massive steak. "Also you should know he could have a secondary way of eating that could derive from either his Essence or his Soul. For example, Anya mainly subsists on viral illnesses but she can also use heat to sustain herself. It's not as filling as illness for her; I think she would compare it to how junk food is for us. Fills you up for a bit but doesn't keep you full and going like a real meal does, you know?"  

[alpha lyrae]

Claire nodded and met Zeke halfway to pull the papers closer to her. She picked them up in deft fingers and tapped them together on the desktop to begin the process of reading through the required information. This, too, called back to her first meeting with Zeke during that fateful December day when she had walked in, thinking this was just an adoption agency and that she would be signing up for candidacy and screening. She paused in her reading to glance back at Aaron and Lorin once more - in a way, her mistaken assumption had been correct. As a former paralegal, she knew the importance of reading the fine print, even if Zeke had not decided to brief her on it while she did so. Check-ups were par for the course for most folks, magical or non-magical she was certain, and nodded accordingly, but the next part drew Claire's gaze back to the vet, eyebrows raised.

Give him back? She spared another cursory glance over her shoulder with a small frown. The answer was as plain as if it had been written on her face. There would always be someone to care for Lorin, should anything happen, but as far as she was concerned, he was her son and she would keep him as close to her and Aaron as she possibly could.

She distracted herself from that thought by leaving the date and initials on the indicated lines and set the papers down when talk turned back towards food sources, as Zeke explained with a tap of the finger towards Lorin's Essence. "That would make sense, given that they don't have a digestive tract or anything yet." She set the pen down and slid the papers back towards Zeke after checking them over once more to make sure she had not missed anywhere. "I wonder what leshies eat though... that might be a question I'll have to dig into. But for now, I think honey might do the trick. We'll puzzle out the rest together." She smiled, nervous but tentatively hopeful as she pushed the papers back towards Zeke. "Maybe he'll be drawn to something at the grocery store." The fluttering in her chest from earlier relighted and she felt their imminent departure approaching; she cycled through their next few steps following them leaving - groceries, home, help Lorin get settled in his room (his room, she thought with a surge of joy, no longer the guest room), call her mother and tell her the good news, would she meet him tonight or another time? So many what-ifs had become concrete and the world was opening up before them, but the question she was left with was what to do with them? She swallowed the nervousness at all these bright, shining possibilities down and cleared her throat. "What next?"  

[Ravina Loki]

"As he grows into a Sigel he'll be able to try more and more human things but for now he is entirely dependent on his rune for nourishment and, as I already said, that tends to lean more toward the Essence side of things." They would come to find out how good an early warning system a Raevan's rune could be as far as overall health, hunger, and fatigue. Anya's dimmed considerably when she was hungry or tired and would flicker if she tried to fight the latter feeling. She had never been sick so he couldn't say what a sick Raevan's rune looked like first hand, but he doubted it would be much different.

When she passed over the papers he took them in hand to review, nodding when he found her signatures and dates in the right spots and not a one missed. With a flourish he picked up the pen again and added his own scrawl to the staff line, dated it, and slipped it back inside its folder. He dropped the pen with a clatter into the cup from whence it had come and extended his arms up in declaration.

"And with that he is one hundred and ten percent all yours!" He applauded over his head, laughing, and made his way out from behind his desk. "And now that he's all yours...There's really only one thing I can think of for what comes next, barring any other questions?"

Claire to Aaron and back again before looking at Lorin and raising a brow. The Honey Raevan did not have the vocals just yet for questioning but who was Zeke to not offer at the very least?

"If you guys don't have any for me right now you can always call me or text me later, of course. Other than that, the only thing I can think of before I let you all get on outta here and get home is this:"

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, waving it in the air for everyone to see before stepping back away from the group and turning it so he was holding it horizontally in his hands. His thumbs worked behind the screen to get things set up and his smile was now fully ear to ear.

"How's about I take you guys' first family photo?"