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 Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 6:30 pm
“I think I’m officially getting old,” Jack announced as they followed Chris inside—not like he lamented his advancing age (which wasn’t that advanced to begin with), but with the same good cheer with which he accepted most things about life. He lifted his throwing arm and moved it around as if he were trying to work a few kinks out of his shoulder. “I always thought I could make it to my late 30s, but I don’t know, man. I see why people retire around our age.”
The Gallo house, or rather one of the Gallos’ houses—Chris Gallo’s to be more specific—was a spacious estate just outside city limits, and so far removed from the humble ranch of Jack’s youth he still occasionally moved through it with an uncharacteristic restraint, like he thought he might break something valuable if he wasn’t careful. He trailed a few paces behind Chris with Roxy and Quinn at his side, moving through the darkened entryway toward the kitchen lights in the back.
“I smell food,” he said, just as his stomach gave a loud whine.
The game that night had been grueling. Chris was lucky he hadn’t been the starter. A win was a win, but sometimes Jack wished for an easier time achieving one. Fortunately they had an off day tomorrow and what seemed to be a delicious meal waiting for them.Guine Transfering what we have from docs cause i need a 10th RP rip
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 6:31 pm
It wasn’t often that he had a chance to invite Jack over after a game. They usually lasted well into the night, and they often had things to do after. It was even more rare for Jack to have Quinn and Roxy within collecting distance so they could all head over.
“Kids should be asleep, but mom and Paris usually make sure there’s plenty of food,” Chris shared with a little skip in his step, clearly proud to be bragging about his homelife and the women who take such good care of him.
“You actually thinking about retiring?” Chris looked over his shoulder with mild surprise as he led the way through the foyer towards where the kitchen was. “Let me know so I can plan mine!”
Quinn felt anxious and on edge. He had his hands tucked deep in the pocket of the hoodie that he had borrowed from Jack and just never gave it back. Sure, it was a sweltering humid heat, but it was nothing he wasn’t used to. Or… used to be used to. Before his world froze over. Before everyone died. Before they left him in a stasis pod and never woke him up.
Earth was strange. Beautiful in some ways, but overwhelmingly lonely. He missed everything. He tried not to talk about it, especially not with Jack who, as far as Quinn could tell, was still a little weirded out by the whole "otherworldly Senshi from a planet of water” thing. So instead, he cried into Roxy’s beautiful thick coat when he became too overwhelmed.
He was grateful to be included at least, even if he didn’t really know where to look or what to do with himself. He kept his head down, trying not to glare at someone unintentionally.
Except there was a sudden scuffling and scraping of claws on the ground, and a blur of golden fur lunged out to greet Roxy.
Quinn let out an embarrassing yelp as he instinctively grabbed Roxy’s collar, bracing himself as the strange animal launched itself towards them. Wide eyed and tense, he looked up at Jack for help -- but the panic rising in his chest faltered when he realized no one else was reacting with alarm.
“It’s so good to see you again, Peanut!” Claire beamed as she rounded the corner, arms open wide. She gave Jack a warm, welcoming squeeze.
“You’re just in time! How do you like your burgers? Do you want cheese? We have fries almost ready to come out of the oil,” she explained, clearly delighted to do so. She went over to hug her son next before turning her attention to the rather distressed young man between the two large dogs.
“Oh! That’s Poe. He’s completely harmless, just a little excitable,” she quickly explained, her smile softening in an attempt to help him feel more at ease. “You’re Quinn, right? How do you like your burger? Oh-- how about I surprise you?” she quickly insisted, since the poor guy seemed completely overwhelmed and ready to run.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 6:31 pm
“You’re an angel,” Jack said as he returned Claire’s hug. “Cheese for me, please. Lettuce and tomato, too, if it’s not too much trouble.”
He let her go so she could lavish her attention upon the others, too, eyeing Quinn with a smile Jack hoped didn’t look too amused.
“This is Chris’s mom Claire,” Jack offered. “Really she’s like everyone’s mom, though. Don’t worry about Roxy. She and Poe get along great,” he added, giving Poe a few pets in greeting. Roxy offered an enthusiastic greeting of her own but, maybe sensing Quinn’s discomfort, stayed close instead of bouncing around like she might have otherwise.
“You already know Paris.”
Paris, dressed for bed but still wide awake, slipped off the island stool and waited for Momma to get her hugs in before wrapping her arms around Chris. She popped up onto her tiptoes to steal a quick kiss, heedless of their audience.
“What’s this I hear about retirement?”
“Nothing serious,” Jack grinned. “Lamenting my old age. I’ve still got two more years left in my contract, so assuming injury doesn’t take me out before then I’ve got plenty of baseball left in me.”
Jack flexed the arm he’d only just been pretending to nurse, as if to prove his durability.
Paris rolled her eyes. The smile on her face made the gesture affectionate.
“How are you, Quinn?” she asked, moving to ease Poe back. “Poe, sit.”
Poe sat, but wagged his tail excitedly.
Paris met Quinn’s eye apologetically. They were passingly familiar with one another, having become acquainted while Jack and Chris were busy with the baseball season. She checked in on Quinn from time to time, made sure he had what he needed as far as food and clothing were concerned, but she could never quite tell if he liked her company. He seemed like the distant, defensive type, unwilling to let his guard down. Considering what became of his world, Paris couldn’t blame him. She tried not to pry. Most of their conversations revolved around Jack, or Roxy, or various topics regarding Earth. If Quinn ever wanted to share more, she would listen, but she wouldn’t press if he wasn’t ready.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 6:32 pm
He greeted Paris with a kiss in return, and a hand along her back to pull her closer for a moment, but let her step back to greet Quinn. He offered their guest a much gentler smile than he usually wore on the field.
“You alright?” he asked, his voice low so he wouldn’t draw too much attention, although it seemed like Quinn had everyone’s anyway. “Poe looks intimidating, but he’s basically a pillow with teeth. You want water or something? Make yourself at home.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled, his voice a little breathless from being startled. He shuffled awkwardly and made himself let go of Roxy’s collar, trying not to eye the way Jack flexed. Trying to ignore the way his cheeks suddenly decided to flush.
He forced his attention to Claire. “Surprise me’s fine,” he quickly told her before she ran off. But before she could, he mumbled a quieter, “Thank you.”
In response to Paris’s question, he shrugged awkwardly, but didn’t really look at her.
“I’m fine,” he mumbled. “Poe has… a lot of enthusiasm.”
Claire gave Quinn a little, knowing smile.
“You’ll get used to him. He’s very gentle, he just sometimes forgets he’s the size of a small bear.”
She moved back towards the kitchen and the stove, preparing everything that was cooking with expert ease, and checking on the oven for the toasting buns.
“Let me know if you need anything, darling. If there’s something you like or can’t eat, we’ll figure it out,” she smiled brightly as she focused on her task.
Poe had eagerly wiggled his way down the hall without actually breaking the command to sit, but he knew where the food was and quickly plastered himself as close to Claire as possible without getting his fur in the oven.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 6:32 pm
Jack put a reassuring arm around Quinn’s shoulders, urging him toward one of the island stools. “Seriously, you can treat this place like mine. Try to relax. I’ll get you something to drink.”
Quinn could be prickly. He could be moody. He could be distant. It never really bothered Jack, who was a cheerful and tactile person by nature but who tried to be a little more restrained out of respect for boundaries and Quinn’s general unease. Not that Quinn seemed to mind all that much. Jack pulled out a stool for him and let him go with a comforting pat to the center of his back.
He went to the cabinet where the glasses were without needing to be directed. He went to the refrigerator already knowing it would be fully stocked. He found some apple juice definitely meant for the kids but poured some for Quinn thinking it might be good for his blood sugar. Fierce as Quinn often looked, he could seem a little distracted when overwhelmed. Almost faint, but without the falling over.
“If you ever need a break you can always look for Sassy,” Paris told Quinn. “She’s our cat. Of the non-talking variety. She’s getting old and she likes to avoid people, but she’s affectionate one on one and likes a good cuddle.”
While Jack got a drink for Quinn, Paris handled the drinks for Jack and Chris. She moved around Momma and Poe without much trouble, like they all frequently puttered around the kitchen together.
“Everyone else is asleep so it should be a quiet night,” she added. “The kids were up late making smores in the back yard.”
“Aw, man, we missed smores?”
“There might be some left if you don’t mind digging through the kids’ rejects. I think Eld’s still watching over the fire,” Paris said, glancing out the back window to the figure silhouetted in the light of the flames.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 6:32 pm
The tension in Quinn’s shoulders lessened a bit when Jack put his arm around him. He didn’t dare look him in the eye. Not when his cheeks were flushed as they were. Maybe he was just a little starved for the gentle touches and attention. For someone treating him like he belonged. Jack had been good to him the whole time he’d been on Earth, and Roxy was perfect in her own way.
Still, Quinn didn’t quite know how to stop feeling like he was mooching. Sure, he watched Roxy for him, and he didn’t make a mess of things, but other than that… What could he do? What could he offer? He’d never had a job in his life. Being the literal designated volcano sacrifice of his world wasn’t exactly resume material.
He settled onto the stool with a polite nod to Paris to let her know he heard her about their cat. It was kind. He knew that. But now he just felt like the weird guest who couldn’t handle people. Great. That was the last thing he wanted Jack to think. And he’d been doing so good trying to not glare at anyone.
But then he heard it. A name.
Eld.
His hand, halfway on the counter to steady himself, froze.
Maybe… maybe it was a common name.
Quietly, Quinn slid off his chair, his eyes on the window where the dark silhouette stood.
Chris smiled warmly when Paris got him a drink, and leaned down to give her an affectionate kiss.
“Oh, I’m surprised they’re asleep. Or did Eld wear them down until their sugar crash hit?” he grinned in amusement, and maybe a little bit of guilt. He wished he could be home to have fun with the kids all of the time, and help them wind down, but… soon he’d have to think about retiring. He would spend all his time with them, then.
“Oh, they were so wild,” Claire laughed, pausing in her prepping the food so she could lean down and rub Poe’s head and give his soft fur plenty of kisses too. Just so he didn’t feel left out! The kids weren’t the only ones who deserved some love. And Roxy got a pat too, of course. Both of them had earned it.
“He’s got handling the children down to an art. Everything okay?” she asked, her voice suddenly softer with concern as she spotted Quinn slowly walking towards the door. Maybe he just wanted to see the fire?
It wasn’t the fire he wanted to see.
He needed to see with his own eyes.
Needed to be sure.
To be absolutely certain that it wasn’t him -- that it wasn’t the Eld that had done such heinous things. That the man responsible for terrorizing his brother hadn’t actually survived like himself. Like Devyn.
But… if there were survivors from an age long passed, then… could it be possible?
The Senshi of Desolation, the Conqueror of worlds, who tore lives apart and wounded people’s very souls, who left nothing but ash and rot in his wake -- surely he was not there, being allowed to watch children like a guest.
Quinn’s heart was racing, his breathing uneven. He felt like he was going to be sick.
He saw the glint of green from the man’s earrings, the sharpness of serpent-like eyes in the firelight as the man turned to see who had joined him.
He’d nearly dropped his pen, he was gripping it so tightly.
He didn’t think. Didn’t speak. He powered up on instinct, the transformation a mere reflex at this point that there was almost no distinction between Quinn and Enceladus.
His magic surged forward, an orb of water surrounding and dousing all in its bubble -- capturing the evil man inside. These people on Earth didn’t know, but Enceladus did. And he would not allow Earth to fall to ruin -- not allow this family to be torn apart by pretty smiles and charming speech.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 6:33 pm
Jack noticed at the same time Claire did.
He moved to check Quinn, to look out the window, to see who it was who’d caused such tension in him. If Jack knew the name Eld, it was in passing. He knew Chris and Paris had house guests. He knew those guests were not of this world. He didn’t know who they were, or what they might have done, or how they got to Earth. Chris and Paris did what was necessary to keep their family safe. Maybe they were a little too secretive at times, but it was for a good reason. The less people there were who knew exactly who they were connected with—and why—the better.
Jack knew what he needed to, and nothing more. He was fine with that. He understood it. He knew more than enough to keep himself safe, to keep his family safe. And to help keep Quinn safe, too.
Quinn went to the door.
Jack followed.
The man who stood by the fire would have seemed unassuming to Jack. He spent his days around men of similar stature. The man’s height was normal. The bulk of him was, too. Maybe there was something otherworldly in the way he carried himself, in the glimmer of light the flames put in his eyes, but none of it would have troubled Jack, only intrigued him.
Quinn was troubled.
Quinn transformed.
“Oh s**t no no no wait!”
Jack wasn’t fast enough to stop him. He wasn’t fast enough to prevent him from using his magic.
He grabbed Quinn around the middle and tried to drag him back anyway.
“Stop! Not here!”
In retrospect, Paris should have expected it, knowing what she did about Eld’s reputation. He might have proven himself to her, but that didn’t mean he’d had the chance to prove himself to everyone else. Maybe everything Liesel had heard about Eld in the past had been a lie. Maybe there was truth to some of it. Maybe a thousand years had given Eld time to reflect, to change.
It didn’t matter at the moment. What mattered was there was now a Senshi on their property.
Paris ran after him.
“Lucasta!”
Lucasta hardly needed the warning.
She’d been nearby, as she frequently was, keeping an eye on the property at what was often the most dangerous time within any twenty-four hour window: the dead of night. She made her rounds every evening, following the same path from front to back and side to side, checking cameras and alarms to ensure all their security measures were in working order.
She felt the aura as soon as it flared and sprinted through the dark to intercept. She skidded to a stop by Jack and Enceladus, giving a warning n** to one of Enceladus’ ankles.
“Control yourself!” she snarled at him, perhaps a bit less ladylike than usual. “What on Earth has possessed you to put us all at risk?”
He was incredibly fortunate she was there to do something about it. He was even more fortunate that there were currently no other auras in the vicinity to sense him before she was able to dampen his own.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 6:34 pm
Realistically, Eld could have moved. He’d heard the door open. Heard the footsteps. Heard the sharp hitch of breath that came just before someone crumpled in panic. His senses were still sharp, even after everything. After hundreds of years of silence and solitude.
But he didn’t move.
He stood deliberately still. Not from surprise or caution, but by choice.
Enceladus was not exactly a stranger, but he hadn’t had the opportunity to really get to know him before, and vice versa. But Eld was surprised to see him. Regrettably, he understood it.
So as water swirled around him, trapping him in its bubble, he stood still with his hands raised, showing no resistance as he held his breath and waited for the magic to fade. Beside him, the fire from the smore making had already started popping and fizzling as the water splashed into the basin.
“Let me go!” Enceladus shrieked, hissing at the sudden bite at his ankle and fighting to make Jack release him. Panic made his voice sharp and high and too loud. He didn’t hear Poe and Roxy getting riled up and barking behind him, nor did he notice the others watching. All he could process was the rage, the betrayal, the truth that had been festering in his heart.
Maybe it looked like a full out attack on Jack to an outsider, wild and flailing, but Enceladus’s movements were very purposeful beneath all the chaos.
He didn’t strike at Jack’s face. He didn’t claw or lash out in places that would do real harm. Shoved at his shoulder instead of his throat. Tried prying his arms from around him without digging his nails into skin. Kicked, but not with his heel where the shoe was sharp, but with the flat part of his foot and his ankles, trying to force space between them.
Jack was not his enemy.
But Eld was.
Tears, hot and angry, poured down his face.
“You don’t know what he did! He’s a monster!” he sobbed around gasps for air that couldn’t quite fill his lungs. “He destroys everything he touches!”
“Jack--” Chris started, wanting to see if maybe he could help with restraining Enceladus. He looked like he was getting hit and kicked hard enough to bruise… but Jack didn’t seem like he was getting ready to give up.
So, after sparing Paris a shared look of exasperation and concern, Chris made sure to keep the dogs inside the house, wincing at the exchange and hoping the kids wouldn’t be woken up.
He kept an eye on Jack, though. Making sure he was available to jump in if he did need help.
Claire watched from the kitchen with alarm. She knew better than to get involved in whatever was going on. She was a Squire with just enough knowledge to get by, but certainly not enough to step between two ancient Senshi with a lot of unresolved issues it seemed.
She would have to make sure dessert is ready to go for once they settled down.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 6:35 pm
“I can’t do that,” Jack said, tightening his hold around Enceladus.
The safe punches and half-hearted kicks hardly phased him. He’d taken worse during a bench clearing brawl. If Enceladus had shoved at him with the same energy he often stood against when a player slid into home plate, maybe Jack would have been moved. Quinn was strong as a Senshi, but his heart wasn’t in the fight. Not against Jack.
“Come on, it’s all right,” Jack said, though he knew it probably wasn’t. Enceladus was temperamental, but he was often more bark than bite, which meant his bites came with a reason. “You can’t power up here. There are kids upstairs. You want to fight, fine, okay, but don’t do it like this.”
The dogs were barking up a storm behind them. Jack managed to drag Enceladus a few steps back, hopefully pulling him out of range of any retaliatory magic, if the mysterious man decided to do so. Assuming he was a Senshi, too. If Enceladus knew him, he probably was. If Enceladus knew him, it was probably from a long time ago.
Paris’ heart had risen into her throat, but she settled somewhat with Lucasta there. She glanced around anyway, like she thought someone might jump out of the shadows, like there might be evil lying in wait, ready to attack at the first sign of proof that there were Senshi and Knights there. They had security measures in place courtesy of Lucasta, but they’d never been tested before. Not without warning like this.
While Jack restrained Enceladus and Chris restrained the dogs, Paris put herself between Enceladus and Eld. The anger on her face was mild, more a warning than true fury.
“I don’t know what your history is with Eld,” she told Enceladus. “I’m sorry you had to reunite this way, but if you don’t stand down, I’ll make you.”
Lucasta’s tail flicked with irritation. An ear twitched, too, displeased by the loud barking. A single dog was aggravating enough. Two was a kind of torment she hoped Paris and Chris would never inflict on her over the long term.
She put herself into a position to dampen all of them, should anyone else feel the need to power up. Amber eyes cut through the dark, shifting from Enceladus and Jack, to Paris, and to Eld. The magic would end soon. Eld would probably be fine, even unpowered. Enceladus had gained his second stage power back, but his magic was not always reliable. Likely a result of his long stasis, or the presence of Chaos on his world. Lucasta didn’t get the sense that he’d attacked with full power, even if that had been his intent.
Whatever his business with Eld, it would not be solved like this.
Lucasta’s ear twitched again. Beneath the magic and Enceladus’ shouting, she caught the soft sound of a door opening.
“... Celi?”
A pale, thin figure stood many yards away, having just exited the renovated carriage house at the back of the Gallos’ property. His voice was hushed and brittle, like he didn’t use it often, but it carried just far enough to reach their ears.
He stared at Enceladus in disbelief.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 6:35 pm
“Then make me,” Enceladus snarled at Paris, still struggling against Jack, but still without the violence that he could have inflicted. He didn’t want to stand down. They didn’t understand. They didn’t know the danger they were in. None of them understood the threat they were protecting.
And then a voice that he thought he would only ever hear in his dreams made him freeze.
The rage didn’t disappear, but it was momentarily contained, like putting a lid over a fire to smother it. His breath was heavy, heart racing as he held onto Jack. Maybe not so much to push him away, but to force himself to settle even though he didn’t want to. To anchor himself to reality.
He stared, wide eyed, at the figure standing beyond the garden lights. Very clearly not a dream.
He felt terrified. Not because he was afraid, but because of the distance between them. The time he spent mourning. Regretting. Waking from nightmares with his brother’s name still caught in his throat.
“... How? I thought--...”
His breath hitched, the power that kept him Enceladus dissipated. His knees buckled, as though his legs forgot how to hold him. He sank suddenly, and would have hit the ground if Jack hadn’t been there.
Eld waited patiently, understandingly, for the magic to fade. For the water to disappear and let him once again take a breath. He knew it was difficult. He knew the stories Enceladus had likely heard.
He hadn’t flinched at Enceladus’ screams, nor had he made any attempt to move when Paris stepped between them. Not that he could until the magic faded. He only watched. Not as a soldier or a conqueror. Just… as a man. Feeling older and more tired than he had in a long time. He could recognize the grief that radiated off Enceladus. The fury of someone who clearly remembered him. Or at least stories about him.
He put up no defense. Left his pen in his pocket. The sound of Tyr’s voice reached him through the water, which soon cascaded down and around him as though a bubble popped. He cast a weary glance in Tyr’s direction, but still didn’t move. Except maybe the slightest drop of his shoulders, a flicker of regret.
Chris had stayed with the dogs, trying to keep them out of the way. He had a hand on Roxy’s collar and had his arm around Poe to keep them from charging forward. He’d been ready to step in if Jack needed help. But he didn’t need to.
He saw the way Enceladus froze, the way he collapsed. Slowly, Chris stood, releasing his grip on the dogs but watched the others with cautious concern. He spared another look towards Paris, as though to verify she was okay.
Claire had retreated into the kitchen when things escalated, her heart pounding. She wasn’t really trained for all of this. Not like Paris or Chris or Jack. She could keep cool under pressure of course, but she knew her presence would likely only cause more tension.
So she stuck to what she knew she could do, and hoped that it would help.
She put on coffee, pulled out a tray of sliced fruit. Even uncorked a bottle of dessert wine that she hadn’t planned to serve.
Now she hovered near the back door, hands wringing a dishtowel she didn’t remember grabbing. She couldn’t hear the words very clearly, but the change in tone was impossible to miss.
It was no longer a fight. But perhaps more painfully, it was a reunion.
She glanced over her shoulder, upwards to where the children would be sleeping, hoping that they still were. She would have to get another set of glasses. Whatever happened next, someone was going to need a drink, and she was probably going to join them.
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