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“Shh, shh, it will be okay…” the voice isn’t familiar to him, and the words do little to comfort him as he drops down on his knees into the redredcrimson that’s everywhere now. He doesn’t know what happened, and when he hears footsteps coming closer along with a vibrant gold glow he flinches slightly. But he’s not moving, he can’t move.Everything had changed so quickly, it had been a normal day and then those things had appeared and he’s alone now.“Shh, shh…” again, and he can’t help it as a sob finally makes its way out of his throat. The break of the first one is the straw that breaks it, and now he’s sobbing, friutlessly calling for his parents, for his extended family, friends, anyone. “Shh, it will be alright John… it will all be alright…” there are tears on the strangers face, as she gently reaches a hand towards him. “It will be alright, just… let’s get you out of here, this is no place for children…”“Who are you? I don’t know you!” he cries, looking up at her with tears still streaming down his face.“Shh, I’m your sister…” she says, and he blinks. He doesn’t know if he believes her but… He clings anyway. Sobbing. “Everything is going to be alright…” she hushes him, and her eyes faintly glow as he begins to feel tired. She gently rubs the back of his head. “Everything is going to be alright…” he closes his eyes… drifting off.
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His head is fuzzy for a long time after he meets his sister. The eight year old drifts, only sometimes being aware enough to even lift his head as they travel. Stealing through the back streets of towns, and riding rickety carts drawn by horses out through the country side and woods. Travelling in a way that is older than most, travelling in a way that is subtle, harder to track or so she tells him.He doesn’t understand, why do they need to keep low? Why are they sneaking around. But he accepts it, only closing his eyes and letting her take him where she will.Cities, towns, places that he doesn’t know the name of.They come and they go, until she eventually settles.“You’ll be safe here…” she says, and he blinks confused burnt orange eyes into her gold ones as she kneels down. Her eyes are so sad, so distant. He doesn’t understand. There’s something… a thought that he can’t quite grasp, a feeling. She pulls him close, wrapping her arms around him as the hood of her cloak falls back, the markings on her face glowing lightly, warm against his skin. “You’ll be safe here…” she repeats, soft and quiet. “They will take care of you, keep you safe…”Her hand brushes his bangs back from his forehead. And there’re tears at the edges of her eyes.He doesn’t…“Mr. Brown!” she stands up, the door to the house they’re in front of opening. “I’ve brought my brother here!” the man at the door is a stranger.There are no words, not from the man, but his sister stands up, pulling her cloak close. The orb on her staff is glowing again, where the artifact is slung across her back. And he tilts his head, eyes drawn to the glow, ignoring the hushed sounds. It’s… strange, but soothing, the glow is good. And then the man is there kneeling, something in his eyes is…It’s…He feels tired again, blinking slowly as the man’s green eyes stare into his own.A yawn.Arms gently curl around him, a voice over his head.“He won’t remember…”He closes his eyes…The sun is soft overhead, the breeze singing a peaceful song in the leaves, and the slight creaking squeak of the chains of a swingset. It’s rubber holding him up, the cool metal of the chains in his hands, and…Beside him there is someone. Small, a gap toothed smile, bright, bright eyes…But he can’t quite grasp who they are even as he swings together with them. Legs going back and forth, propelling them higher and higher. The wind playing in his hair and the hair of his companion. A bright smile, happy laughter and, he can feel a grin on his own lips.There is no fear here, no confusion, just himself and his younger companion. He doesn’t know how he knows that the other is younger, but he knows that they are. The sun shines overhead, the sky is clear, and there is nothing to fear here, nothing to worry about.There is only the swings and each other. A time to play really, and so play is what he does. Swinging until his legs can’t swing anymore, and then he lies in the grass laughter echoing around him.There’s a call, and the other gets up, a smile, bright glowing eyes. A wave a promise.“Let’s play again tomorrow!”He finds himself in the park too often really. Sitting on the single swing and staring. He doesn’t know why he finds himself here, not really. He doesn’t know any of the other children from around the town. Not really, yet still he finds himself coming to the park. And he’s almost always drawn to the swings.Sometimes he’ll look to the side, a grin on his face as he turns to talk to…But there is no one there.There’s a sharp pain, an ache he can’t quite name. But he knows, he knows that there is someone who is supposed to be there. Even if he can’t quite say who, or even how he knows but… A bright smile, a gap toothed grin, eyes that shine and sparkle. Free and bright, hopeful. He looks down at his shoes, a frown on his face as he considers the thoughts.There is no one like that here.It hurts. Because he doesn’t know who the other is. He just knows…He knows…He doesn’t know what he knows, because when he tries to grasp the memories associated with his draw to the swing it just… it escapes him. He doesn’t know anything, not really. A smile, a laugh, something small. There was someone else who he would play with once, but they’re gone now. Or maybe he’s the one who is gone, he doesn’t know. But he does know that eventually, there is someone, or something.A green thing, with sharp teeth and claws, glowing orbs of light as eyes.He doesn’t know what it is. Or where it comes from. But it’s always there. Always, and as time passes the thing talks to him. Whispering paranoias and fears, the whole world is filled with dangers, with troubles. Woes and people can’t be trusted… He decides that means that he needs to help people.Still, he finds himself day after day at the swing.Waiting.Two boys sit on swings. Waiting, worrying, growing, and changing.One has forgotten.The other, has only seen snippets of a tragedy on the television screen, and does not understand, not entirely. But he knows that the screen showed something bad, and that his friend was from that place…So he sits, quiet and waits. Because he does not know what else to do.“We can play again… right?” he whispers, looking up and waiting to see his friend.A friend who will never come, not for years, by the time even his own memories will have faded away into a fuzzy blur. Only a sense of the faintest familiarity.
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It happens slowly, over the course of a month. The whole marriage thing probably helps, being together on the daily. But it still happens slowly. He’ll notice the way that the mechanic laughs, the way that the light catches in his hair at just the right angle. The slightly lopsided grin that the blond offers him when sheepish. He notices the way that he works, getting absorbed in a project, maybe muttering to himself. It happens slowly, two months in and he finds himself walking home after work already wondering whether the mechanic is back, or staying late at the workshop caught in another project. Or if he’ll arrive home to the scent of some new delicacy or treat. The small extra spices in his food just the way that he likes them. He finds himself looking around the shops and just noticing, hey maybe he’d like that small sunflower book there, or there’s a puzzle set in view on the shelf that he’s sure the mechanic would like. A book on cooking the perfect confectioneries.It happens slowly, three months in and he can barely remember what it was like waking up to an empty bed. The comforting and familiar warmth of the mechanic beside him still asleep. He knows that the other is part of a Paranormal Investigations Group, a Paranormal Investigator and he finds himself rolling over and just staring. For once awake first. Watching the rise and fall of the blonds chest and in that moment everything feels right. And he considers maybe finally gathering the kids together, they are his ghost children and it would only be proper to introduce them to the man his married to his, partner.It hits him when he’s putting on his uniform later that day and Arthur calls out a reminder for his medication. It’s enough to steal his breath away and for a moment he just catches because it had crept up, slowly but surely. And when the blond worriedly rushes over, asking if he’s okay he can only laugh out breathy reassurances.Breathlessly, he walks to work and ponders the thought. Later that afternoon, when he’s staring down a ghost who’s screaming about unfair treatment he feels bolstered by the realization.It gives him the strength, and he goes straight to the old apartment building.“Kids!” he calls, and there are three flickers, three small children who appear, he knows there are others but this trio is his main trio. The main three, all of them look at him curiously, green, blue, and crimson. “Kids! Papa ha trovato l'amore! Do you want to meet him?”“SI!”
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John feels like nothing more than cursing Kaelin Alastrine, better known as Seb.
It’s irrational really, because part of him knows it’s not the Sorcerer-turned-Spirit-turned-Guardian’s fault but still. He feels like cursing the name as another wave a nausea rises up with an echo of pain somewhere deep in his stomach. If the sorcerer had just kept his ‘suggestions’ to himself then John wouldn’t be here curled in the bathroom wanting to vomit but only able to weakly huff around the toilet bowel and mentally curse the one who’d given him the idea that had led to this.Magically born children.It’s not like he’s never met such children before, but still the idea of having his own children like that… Well he wouldn’t have thought too far into it if not for the green themed sorcerer’s suggestion. And even as the bile rises in John’s throat he can’t really regret it. Since he knows the blond, his amore. He knows how much the blond wants a bigger family, to share the love around. What with the fact that the blond has already adopted kids as his, their, family.And now…He lets out a wheeze, wincing against the pain. Against the nausea. Now, he raises a hand up, pressing down on the switch and flushing away what little mess there is in the toilet bowel before standing up. Wiping his hair back from his forehead and meeting his own orange-red eyes in the mirror. He’s flushed, and looks ill, but it’s not really that bad he thinks. Bad enough he’s off work though, and he’s so tired, but…His arms circle around his stomach as there is another small twinge of pain. The nausea has passed for the moment, and he’s sure of what’s going on. Although he’s, somewhat surprised that it’s him, but at the same time not. Because when he tentatively let his magic curl with the blond’s in an attempt for this… He’s not surprised.He’s just curious about how well the symptoms match thus far with what he knows of a regular pregnancy. And yet, as he leaves the bathroom, he is still hesitant to let the blond know. To share, it’s only been a few weeks. Nowhere near long enough to be absolutely certain that it’s what he suspects…But-He does know someone else who’s gone through the whole thing before… Natural rather than magical. And he swallows. It’s been a while since they had contact, last time was his second marriage to the blond. The one to make it officially official and not just platonic.And now it’s eight and a half-years since they first got platonically married.He sighs, letting out a breath, and grimaces slightly. Walking down the hall almost resigned. Acutely aware that he’s not entirely home alone as he pauses by an open doorway. Seeing one of the two kids Artie has adopted there on the bed, messy brown hair splayed over their head and honey eyes focused on a passage in what looks to be a Necromancy book. It gives him a twist of distaste to see, but they’re allowed to make their own choices.He’s just going to make sure that they do it all legally, and if possible ask Seb if he can get them a proper apprenticeship for it.They don’t need another Case 44.Having seen that they’re alright, he finally finds the hall phone. With only a bit of hesitation he lifts it from its cradle, dials and holds it up to his ear. He waits until she picks up, and nervously twists the cord in his hands for a moment before speaking.“Ciao, Marthe…” a deep breath, and it’s almost said in a rush. “Ho una domanda… circa la gravidanza”
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Seb hadn't expected it, nor planned it. Even when he made the suggestion to his former host's husband, he didn't anticipate that one of those sunny themed twins would take to him so quickly once they were born. After all, he was far from the nurturing type. The idea of having a family of his own just never interested him.Back when he was alive, it was always Abnus who took care of the children in their village. They cooked the meals, looked after them, and taught them all there was to know about the world. And now, the necromancer had found two people they loved with all of their heart.He had to admit, the three of them along with the pair of little ones they had adopted so far did paint a rather fitting picture of what happiness was supposed to look like. So did the mechanic and his loved ones. A family...The Sorcerer-turned-Spirit-turned-Guardian missed being part of one more than he let on. The sense of having somewhere to belong. So whenever he felt the small boy tug at his green silken robes, he couldn't help but roll his eyes. Isaia was so tiny, so puny. But not powerless. No, he had natural talent like his parents. And it was that talent which the older magic user respected. He showed a lot of promise, being descended from such an arguably reputable line of Sorcerers and Sorceresses before him.Teaching him how to harness it was another thing Seb had never imagined himself doing. But here they were, the young blond filled with a never ending taste for adventure and unrelenting tenacity as always. It was difficult to deter him from pursuing anything, so the Earth aligned mage put up with his student's antics. Antics that in truth, impressed him so long as Isaia didn't get himself killed.He didn't know exactly when he started caring whether he'd actually see him again or not, along with Kevani or the other members of the Brown-Kingsmen clan for that matter. Although, earning enough trust to have Marthe place family markings on his skin might have had something to do with it.And when Isaia came of age, requesting that his own marks match his, but a few shades lighter, Seb found it hard to suppress his feelings. There was a certain amount of pride welling up in his chest, a emotion he hadn't felt for another person in quite a long time.No one could really explain where the new robes and hat for the growing Sorcerer kept coming from after that. Sometimes the colors were wrong on purpose, yellow with a touch of blue just to throw them off his trail. But eventually, the blue with hints of green stuck, grinning to himself."So he really is taking after his good ol' uncle Kae, eh? Hm, that doesn't sound half bad. I might begin going by that name again. It has a nice ring to it."
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It was another early morning for the mechanic turned baker, sleepy grumbles being heard down the hall as he got ready for the day. Arthur wasn’t exactly someone who sprung up out of bed with any sort of grace to speak of, although he did love his job. He adored it in fact. It still seemed like a dream even after all this time. He had wanted to share his passion for food with the world along with his best friend, and now they each owned their own food establishments. It had been a rough road for the both of them, but he was just glad everything had worked out in their favor.Having both of his parents back in his life was rather strange as well, a part of him fearing the worst as always. But thankfully, nothing had happened so far that threatened to break them apart again. And for that, he was grateful. Not that it didn’t make his uncle any less wary of his older sibling, however it was a start. They had only reconciled during autumn of the previous year after all. Undoing the rift between them would require a lot of patience and trust, something that Arthur had an endless amount of these days. His mother would also no doubt play a role in it herself, having already grown fond of the child that her son had adopted as his own. It was the whole reason she had come back personally, and convinced her former husband to stay too once the air had been cleared amongst all family members. There had been a lot of overdue apologies that day, and Arthur couldn’t have been happier they were whole once more.Despite being his young friend’s legal guardian, he felt closer to being a big brother to them rather than a parent, continuing to reminiscence while he made sure everything was in order before he left the workshop out of habit. He knew he didn’t need to worry about it as much anymore now Uncle Lance and his father were business partners again for the time being, but it was his way of showing that Kingsmen Mechanics would always have a special place in his heart. The mystery solving crew he had formed with Lewis and Vivi was the same way. While not as active as they used to be, they still got together from time to time, helping humans and other worldly beings alike find their individual paths again when they needed it the most. Every successful case made his heart feel that much lighter, never having forgotten all the lives they had touched. Including his own.Finally opening the door to the bakery, Arthur put on his usual gear with a smile, being mindful of the rune necklace around his neck. It rarely got caught on anything in the kitchen but one could never be too careful. After all, it had been a gift from someone he knew once. And he looked forward to seeing them again someday.Stopping in his tracks to scratch his chin for a moment as he thought of what to bake first, Arthur glanced over each recipe he had made in an attempt to perfect a gluten free menu for his dear adopted sibling, deciding to stick to the basics. He knew Hæfen would love whatever he whipped up for them to taste as long as he took the necessary precautions regarding their diet, so it didn’t matter if it was fancy or not. Surprising them with a birthday cake on the other hand, well, they would just have to wait and see.“I hope they like it...” He remarked softly, running a gentle hand over the sketch of the specially prepared treat next to a not quite filled out page in his current cookbook.
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“Listen! No, really listen. We need a break right?”Sometimes, a break is all that’s needed. And quite often, that break will be in the level of seriousness around the department floor. And it starts with a binge night, before everyone seems to collectively try their best to be as ridiculous as possible while still doing their jobs.Officers in clown uniforms, a unicycle and running literally up the walls to settle for a moment or even-- to some of those they’re trying to interview.“Let me play you the world’s smallest--““Is this a meme?”“Ahhhhhhhh” and even an officer rolling around on heelies and it’s chaos. Organized chaos, but still chaos. Which doesn’t even stop when he comes home and his husband is getting up to some antics of his own. Dramatically falling down and--He can’t help it.“Oh no!” he gasps, one hand up to his mouth. “This is so sad! Siri play Imogen Heap’s Hide and Seek”
Mhmm Whatcha Say
Only for his husband to snap up and hold a bubble gun to him and-- now it’s his turn to dramatically fall down to the song. Before they’re all laughing, his husband’s friends stepping in, wondering-- and it’s like a chain.One after one, and all of them on the floor in the end laughing. Gleeful.