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The twins didn't see him, but he was watching them walk home with their homework in hand. His two youngest boys. His two little princes. Eos was huddled close to Cyrus explaining something from histopry class and La Brea followed at a distance, lingering in the shadows like a sentinel, lingering in darkness like a silent guardian to his boys as he walked, following them. He did as he was always wont to do since their mopther's death. He watched over and protected the,. And he knew Cherish did the same, but = he was worried. Enough it ate him upo inside worrying all three sons would be hurt. But Eric was playing with friends and his twins were so.... Small.

But Eos stopping was La Brea's first clue something was wrong and he drew his blacxk rose in closer, worried as his soin looked around, frowning and then tugging Cyrus' hand. Cyrus paused to listen. La Brea could not hear what his sons saiud but he knew that flash of breath, that sidelong glance. Eos heard something. But he did not look at La Brea. He looked behind himself and Cyrus, little yellow eyes narrowing into slits. The boy was ever one to try to play hero. To play at being braver than he shoulds be. Especially after losing his mother. And yety Eos' keen eyes spied nothing, soon turning away as the boys hurried along, Cyrus clinging to his twin. La Brea moved closer swiftly, and as he lingered in a shadow closer to his sons - he heard it. Footstepos not belonging to any of them. Not himself. Not the twins. For a moment La Brea turned top look for what might be troubling his children, before he heard sa sound that made him sick -- very sick.

Cyrus screamed, sprinting away at top speed from a monstrosity with talon and fang that came in behind his children, black furred and charcoal feathered, eyes glowing white with hate and huinger both as La Brea spoun towards the sound, gripping his rose. And to his horror Eos was grabbuing the heaviest stick he could get, and hit the beast with it.

His seven year old was trying to fight - La Brea was unsure if it was some youma or something else. What he did know what... His boy wqas in trouble.

What he did know was fangs and claws made for his son. And the beast was larger than any enemy La Brea had ever seen.

The page lunged. He could give a damn about his age, La Brea lunged from the shadows ay yop speed and snatched Eos in his arms. La Brea held him close to his chest and ran, the beast uttering a porimal bellow before giving chase and La Brea dipped, snatching up Cyrus in a bowing sprint, anmd he gathered both startled boys in his arms, not looking back. He would not look back, he had to focus oin his children. He had to get them hopme and safe and protected. The beasts footsteps thumped behind La Brea like a heavy beast, [thump, thump, thump and La Brea did not let it rattle him. Instead, he spied Cherish's home ahead, and put on a burst of speed. And it breathed down his neck. La Brea put on more speed than he felt possible as hot breath washed his neck and his sons screamed at the monster - and then all but flew up the porch stairs, and forced the front door open, slamming it in the beast's face, panting. Loud claws rakmed the door and La Brea panted, putting the boys down.

"Hide. Now." La Brea ordered sharply. But he was pale. Despite this, Cyurus ran, hiding in the closet. Eos ran for the kitchen, and La Brea assumed he'd hide in a cupoboard when the monster burst into the room with a loud screaming cry. It lunged for La Brea, maw agape, and La Brea's hands flew up, catching the monster's maw in his hands, dropping his roise as both hands caught the beast's jaws. He winced, forcing it's jaws to remain open and winced as the abomination pressed down on him hungrily.

La Brea could feel iut breathing on him. Smell... Unspeakable scents, and then Eos ran back hurriedly, bvisibly frightened. Instantly La Brea felt a burst of strength as he shoved the monster away as it swat for his son, and then La Brea felt wood and cold metal in his hand. Without thinking, La Brea brought the blade up and plunged it into the beast's chest.

The chef's knife worked of course. Whatever in hells this was, La Brea panted, watching it dissolve into nothing. No duist, siumple dissoilutuion into nothing. La Brea wasn't sure if he was looking at a ghoist, or what, but he stayed defensive, and panted before Eos' small voice piped up.

"You won't huirt my big sister wiull you?" He asked. La Brea stiffened at the question and turned, looking down, he spied small eyes on him. The boy watched with large, wary eyes anmd La Brea exhaled. He hated this.

"No. No little one. I don't... Hurt nice or good people." La Brea answered. Eos nodded slowly, staring intyensely.

"You masde my Daddy cry. Was Mommy bad?" Eos asked. La Brea's heart clenched at that. Oh, how it clenched. Then Cyrus spoke.

"Of course Mommy was bad. She wanted Eric to learn to do bad things to aliens." Cyurus complained. "And not use his big words like Daddy says we're supposed to do. And she used mean words about it. I miss Mommy too but the superhero might've stoipped.. Stopped Supercrime cause remember? Remember Mommy said don't tell Daddy." Cyrus set his jaw. Eos listened, and nodded slowly.

"I know. Moimmy turned mean." Eos admitted aoftly. He looked down, and then up at La Brea. "She wanted us to not tell Daddy she tuirned into a weird gemstone lady."

Peridot. Of course none of the boys understood.

"Do you tell people ? At school?" La Brea asked quietly. Cyrus' fist pumped.

"Snitches get stiutches! We all said a robber killed Mommy and did a super bad!" Cyrus said excitedly. "You don't tell on superheroes!"

Super Hero. His sons called him a super hero. La Brea Swallowed, and nodded.

"Mr. Superhero will you stay uyntil big sis is home?" Cyrus then asked. La Brea blinked, surprised. Eos nodded.

"The door's busted and there might be more monsters. And she has Dad's Monster Spray." Eos added. La Brea exhaled. 'Monster Spray' was water with peppermint and lavender oils mixed in and plenty of spray bottle-friendly sparkles. But the boys wanted him until they had it. Slowly, La Brea nodded, glad Cherish would know who he was. Cherish knew he was a knight. And whom.

"Very well young ones," La Brea said, softly. "I will protect you."

He would always porotect them.