[O] Sun and rest, interrupted

"It's been a long time since I was this small." Alek could hardly remember it himself. It had been a long, long time since he was that age.

The Lycan growled playfully as he leaned down to 'eat' Cinaed. The child squealed loudly as his twin jumped to his rescue, pulling at Alek's hair to try and drag him away.

"If you didn't like the trouble he caused, you wouldn't spend time with him," Zeke's wife returned with an amused smile. "You can bitch as much as you like, you'll still go back to him asking for more trouble as soon as that leg's healed up."

Moe gave a happy cry of 'grandfather' when she cleared the doorway into the livingroom. She skipped forwards to wrap her arms around him. Alek stopped in his devouring of her son to lean down and press a kiss to the crown of her head.

His gentle smile curled into a wry grin at Zeke's question. "It's still to be seen that the only Wolf I force apologies out of is my son." His gaze flickered to Zephyr. "This one's genuine."

He bounced the twins gently. "Now, the twins will make good snacks for me, but I'm not too sure about a main course. What have we got for dinner? Lycus and Chester are coming down soon."

The woman bit her lip, gaze flickering to Zeke as she smiled. "I cooked up a pot of skirts and kidneys." She flitted over to Zeke's side, perching on the arm of the seat he'd taken up. "Plenty enough to go around."

"He is food fun, when he isn't being and annoying twat."

Zeke replied with a wolfish grin, it was true, he knew Aodh caused trouble but he still liked hanging out with him as much as he could.

Zephyr watched the family interact with slight awkwardness, it was strange not knowing anyone but Theo and they all seemed so close.

He had made himself an outside for such a long time.

"Well then, apology accepted, can I get you two a drink?"

He asked, his head tilting to a side a little as he looked up at both men.

"How often is that?" the woman sighed softly, pulling the tie from her husbands hair to comb her fingers through it and neaten it up.

Alek grinned. "I wouldn't say no to something from my favourite cabinet in the house." His gaze turned to Zephyr. "He might be better off with water. He can have big boy drinks when he can behave," the man teased.

Darragh, who had gotten bored of just hanging onto Alek's back, reaching out to pet Zephyr's hair.

"You have a bit like mommy's," he stated, trying to reach for teh silver lock of hair.

"Not often."
Zeke replied with a soft purr as he leaned into the touches in his hair, he loved it when Moe played with his hair.

The younger wolf chuckled and got to his feet padding into the kitchen to grab a beer for himself, a glass of brandy for Alek and a bottle of water.

He made his way back in and placed them out on the table for everyone before sitting back down and pulling Moe into his lap playfully.

"A bit like mommy's?"

Zephyr replied as he lowered his head a little so the boy could reach what he was aiming for.

Children always made him curious.

"So, you going to introduce us to your friend Alek? Or you going to leave us guessing?"

"If ever," Moe replied pointedly. Aodh was always a twat. You just learned to deal with it.

She sat back when Zeke disappeared into the kitchen and squeaked when she was pulled into his lap when he returned. "Be careful of your leg," she scolded as she leaned up to press a kiss to his throat.

Darragh nodded, grasping the silver curl tightly when Zephyr leaned down. "Uh-huh. Mommy's hair is this colour. He says it's natural. Daddy says mommy's an old man. Is you natural or old man?"

Alek chuckled softly at his grandson with a little shake of his head. Trust Darragh to say whatever came into his mind.

"Ah, sorry. This is Zephyr. He was my brother figure when I was in the pits."

"It will be fine, you already kissed it better for me."
Zeke replied with a wink as he snuggled in against her.

Zephyr looked up at Aleksandr was a quizzical look, the boy made it sound like his mother was a man.

"I'm just an old man."

He replied with a laugh, Zephyr was in his mid thirties his hair had started getting grey flecks when he was still human but thanks to being turned all he had was a single grey ringlet.

Zeke nodded as he watched the man curiously.
"That explains why he is so old, older than you? Always thought you were the oldest Lycan alive."

Moe leaned closer to him, her eyes slid shut. "I may have my anatomy wrong, but I'm certain it wasn't your leg that I was kissing," she murmured softly.

Alek nodded in response. Yes, his mother was male.

"Yes, by a fair few years. A few hundred?" Alek guessed with a careless shrug as he crouched down to let the children out of his arms. The brandy was calling to him.

He took a swig of the amber liquid. "I am not the oldest. Beyond the two of us there is one more, older even than Zephyros. I wouldn't like to hazard a guess at her age." The man turned an almost frightened look to Zephyr. "She might just have my head for it. We'd appreciate it if you didn't mention her in conversation outside of Zephyr and I. She's kept out of public knowledge."

Zeke smirked at his wife's whispered words, he loved it when she was cheeky like this.

Zephyr gave a small nod of understanding, he knew well enough that people took unconventional parental figures, in the pits he had seen family bonds made up of countless different combinations of gender and races.

The older wolf chuckled and took a seat, grabbing his water and taking a drink.

"You should never talk about her age, she can probably hear you from here, no doubt you're being put over her knee next time you see her."

Zephyr froze for a moment and looked up at Aleksandr, curiosity written all over his face.

"Have you seen her lately?"

He asked, his tone slightly hopeful, he had missed her deeply after being away for so long, if Alek and Lycus thought he was dead, she must think so too.

He looked down at his drink and mumbled softly under his breath, knowing only Aleksandr's ears were good enough to hear it.

"I miss our Mother."

Alek heaved a heavy sigh as he took a sip of brandy. "I know. You should have seen her when I was last there. Tanned my hide well." It had been quite an experience to be put over her knee again.

The Lycan reached out to thread his fingers through Zephyr's hair, stroking him in slow, comforting movements.

"A year ago, Lycus took Chester and I to the estate. Mother is still there and still ass strong as ever."

His lips curled upwards in a soft smile as his fingers slid down the man's neck. "I missed her, too."

The touch of Aleksandr's hand had always been a source of comfort for him.

Living in such a hostile environment the boy had brought much needed tenderness and love to his life when he had first arrived in the pits.

Zephyr may be volatile and easy to anger but Aleksandr had been the calm he needed to quell the storm within and when Aleksandr had been out of control he had been the one the sooth him.

He leaned into the touch with a soft wolf-like whine, he was much more in tune with his animalistic side than most.

"I'd like to see her again."

"Perhaps I can talk to Lycus."

It would definitely be nice to see his mother again. Though a year had gone by like a blink of an eye, it was still a year and he missed her an awful lot.

It would be nice to see her again; especially with Zephyr by his side.

"Moe has met her. There was a time when the Fae made a visit." The man gave a disgusted look; a far cry from his usual calm and accepting ways. "Moe and her children had to be moved off the grounds. They stayed with mother."

Alek gave the woman a smile as she leaned over to pick Luka - who had been tugging at the laces of her boot - up and lifted him so he could place a wet kiss to his father's cheek before settling him in her lap.

The pup immediately began tugging at her hair.

It didn't take much longer before there was a small knock on the door which was pushed open a moment later.

"Hello all."

Lycus greeted, Chester gave a bright smile and a wave as he held his Master's hand and followed him inside the house.

The boy looked cheerful as ever, no one would be able to guess what he had been put through the last week, he always bounced back after a little cuddling.

"Moe, Zeke, how are you both?"

He asked as he guided the boy to sit beside Aleksandr before taking the spare single seat.

"Fine, thank you, Lycus." The woman gave a small smile which shortly turned to a grimace as Luka yanked her hair roughly. Ever since he had been a little pup, he had been obsessed with trying to pull her hair out. He never bothered trying to pull out his father's hair.

"And yourself?" she asked distractedly as she attempted to pull her hair out of her son's grip a few strands at a time.

When Chester sat in the chair besides him, Alek rested his hand gripping the glass of brandy on top of his head. Three fingers gripped the brandy while the other two stroked Chester's hair gently.

"We've had a few rough weeks."

Lycus replied. Aleksandr had been very volatile the last few weeks, it hadn't escaped his notice.

Chester smiled softly as he looked up at his Master, sitting still so he didn't spill Aleksandr's drink.

He liked having his head rubbed softly. He was aching but happy, Lycus had been very gentle with him as he bathed and dressed him.

Alek had the decency to gave a sheepish half smile to the Elf before grinning at Zephyr. The past few weeks had been hell for them all, but at least now they were looking up.

"I'm sorry to - oomph - hear that," Moe murmured softly, grunting half way through her apology when Luka yanked painfully at her hair.

After a few more moments trying unsuccessfully to release herself from her son's hold, her green eyes turned up to Zeke pleadingly. He was always good at disentangling hair from his son's grip. He'd learned to do it quickly when he began growing his hair out. Moe still hadn't perfected the art quite yet.

"It's okay since I am assuming all the trouble has passed."

Zephyr had a little bit of an control issue but he seemed calm enough.

At the very least he could be reasoned with and hadn't attempted to take his life yet.

Zekd chuckled and expertly untangled the boy's hands before pulling him into his own lap and tapping his nose.

"Behave pup."

He muttered before nibbling on the boy's ear, causing him to squeal in excitement.

Darragh, who had been entertaining himself with Cinaed and the mass amounts of toys they had, grew bored and decided the wanted to play with the big people.

His attention was caught by Chester and he stepped in front of the Hybrid. He tugged at Chester's shirt, head tilted to the side slightly. "You're pretty."

Moe smiled as she watched her cousin with the other hybrid in the room. It seemed that the hybrids got along well. Darragh had taken a liking to Moe, too. Sometime it felt like Hybrids banded together and made allies well in the purebred world that they lived in.

The woman bent down to lift Cinaed up, cuddling her son gently.

Chester was accustomed to being complimented by his Masters but not many others when the boy walked up to him he blushed softly, a gentle smile gracing his lips.

"Thank you, you're very handsome."

He replied, he was usually very good with children and found them quite endearing.

His hand reached out as he pet the boy on the head gently.

Darragh blinked up at the older Hybrid owlishly.

His face squished up when he was pat on his head. "I'm not a dog," he whined. "That's how dogs get pet."

His arms raised in the universal sign for wishing to be picked up.

"You don't like being pet? I think it feels nice."

Chester replied with a soft laugh and a smile as he reached down and picked the boy up, settling him in his own lap as he looked down at him.

"Dogs are a type of canine, just like wolves. Wolves like to be petted too."

He replied, he was one of the few Lycan who would openly admit to liking the treatment.

Darragh puffed his cheeks out when he was told about Wolves liking being pet.

"Mommy likes to pet daddy. Daddy likes it but says he doesn't." Darragh shook his head and his curly hair flew out around him. He didn't like his daddy lying.

"I'm human." He jabbed his own chest with his thumb, giving Chester a gappy grin. That meant he didn't have to like being pet.

Moe, who had been laughing at something Zeke had just said, fell quiet, glancing back at Darragh as she leaned closer to Zeke. Her eyes were sad as she looked down at her cousin. She knew Aodh's feelings about Darragh being human.

"Well then I'm sorry, I'm half Lycan, half Elf."

He replied, pushing his fluffy blond hair out of the way to show his pointed ears.

"I thought everyone would like it, since I do.

What do you like then?"

He asked, tilting his head a little as he looked down at the small boy.

Darrragh reached up to try and touch the pointed ear. He hadn't seen ears like that on anyone bar the garden faeries from back home and his grandads wife. They were pretty.

So naturally he wanted to touch them.

"I like cuddles like mommy gives."

Aeker was the best at giving cuddles.

He smiled and leaned down so Chester could touch his ears freely.

"Well, the wont be as good as Mommy's cuddles but I can give you a Chester cuddle if you want."

He replied with a soft chuckle, he knew it wasn't the same but he could at least try to befriend the young boy.

His fingers stroked over the pointed ears gently. His eyes narrowed a little in concentration as he traced every little detail of Chester's ear.

"All cuddles are good cuddles," Darragh responded seriously.

Cuddles were great, no matter who gave them.