HOME | DD

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

The night had come for the Kearney party. There was a lot to celebrate. Atif had gotten engaged and now Kyle was part of the family. Kyle was very excited about this, not just because it was him being welcomed into the Kearney family but that Donovan had managed to get Ororo to agree to come. He was certain if he’d asked her, one he’d trip over his words and two she’d say no. But he’d take what he could get at this point. It was at least a chance to be around her without Stephan. yes his new ‘cousins’ would all be around but Ororo didn’t look at them the way she did Stephan. Kyle was waiting down in the lobby area with Donovan for Ororo to drive over. The others had already left with their parents and Rose was going to meet Donovan there since she had her motorcycle. Some of the older kids were coming down the stairs getting ready to go to the Draven. Taylor, Marco and Nathan all were going to be working but the others Carter, Nikki, Aaliyah, Nash and Aurora were all going to hang out with Sebastian and Gina.
Because three of them were working that night, despite their different in height and appearance, Taylor, Marco and Nathan were all wearing the same out of slim straight fit black slacks, fitted white button up, red tie, black and grey layered vest, black dress shoes, and black fedora. Taylor was the oldest but he wasn’t the tallest, Nathan was actually the tallest despite being the youngest. All three lined up as they waited for the others, Nathan checking his watch before looking over at Donovan and Kyle with a smile. Despite both of his parents having red hair Nathan didn’t, he had inherited brown hair from his grandmother Judith, but he did have the Shadow eyes. “Shouldn’t you two already be at the Delaney beach house? Thought everyone already left.”, Nathan commented fixing the cuff of his dress shirt over his watch. Taylor chuckled seeing that Kyle looked a bit nervous. “I think they are waiting on Ororo.”, Taylor commented centering his tie. “Oh that could be a while.”, Marco teased. Only in the eyes could you tell that Taylor and Marco are related as Taylor got his mother’s brown hair and Marco got his mother’s red hair. Kyle sighed shaking his head looking back at the stairs. “Some lassies are wort’ da wait.”, Donovan smiled nudging his son playfully.
“Come on Stephan, the others are going to the Draven. Why don’t you just go with them?”, Ororo asked leaning in Stephan’s doorway. Stephan sighed shaking his head looking at her. She was wearing that pink dress with the heart cutout in the back from her photoshoot back in February. And it still looked beautiful on her. But he knew that she wasn’t wearing it for a photoshoot and instead was going to a party with Kyle. he wasn’t fully sure why it bothered him, but it did. “Ororo you know I don’t really like going off grounds. I just feel like I’m the odd person and I always need to be careful about bumping people with my wings or well in general because the HAG can’t hide the feel of fur and feathers.”, he protested. Nathan had already tried to talk to him about coming. He’d gotten dressed like he might, just to shut his roommate up. “You are already dressed though. You look very nice why waste that on bumming around the institute? The Kearneys are all over at Misses Delaney’s for the party. I’ll be going there shortly. And the others are all going to the Draven. So unless you plan to just hang out here with Charles and Junior. Which do not even try to say that your plan is to hang out with my little brother and Junior, no one’s asked you to babysit. You are old enough to at least go to the Draven, I have to wait till next year. So go and have fun.”, she insisted folding her arms across her chest.
That subtle movement of folding her arms, he knew was to try and show she was serious about her insistence that he go out to the club but all it did was accent that she was starting to develop into a young woman. “So? Because everyone is going out including you I should? That’s your argument? I don’t hang out often with the older kids, I mean I’m friends with Nathan but he’ll be working. I spend more time around Hiro, Evan and well you. And all of you won’t be there. You’re going with Kyle to the Kearney party.”, he sighed a bit of emphasis placed on Kyle’s name. “My argument is that you can’t stay cooped up in the school all the time. Mister Kearney invited me to come as Kyle’s friend. Not exactly a big deal. If I wasn't going I’d be stuck here with my brother and Junior since I’m not old enough for the club.”, she countered not really seeing the issue of her going to the party as Kyle’s friend. “Yes but if you weren’t going you’d be stuck here with me.”, Stephan pointed out. Ororo rolled her eyes. “Just go with the others, have a good time.”, Ororo stated. “ORORO!? LASSIE WE NEED TA GET GOING!”, Donovan called up the stairs. “I need to go, so go please. See you later.”, Ororo said giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before rushing down the hall and down the stairs with the other older kids.
“So you talk my roommate into coming?”, Nathan asked with a smile. Kyle raised an eyebrow but then looked at Ororo in her dress and blinked. She looked beautiful in jeans and t-shirt but that dress was something else. “I think I did. So are we ready then?”, she asked turning her attention to Kyle and Donovan. “Aye lassie, da cab waiting fer us.”, Donovan said getting the door. “You look..”, Kyle tried to say something. Ororo raised an eyebrow but smile. “Um thank you Kyle. It’s a dress I wore for a photoshoot in February. The designer apparently liked how I looked in it enough and gave it to me as a birthday gift.”, she explained walking out to the taxi. Donovan rolled his eyes patting Kyle on the shoulder. “Smoot’ lad.”, Donovan teased as they walked to the taxi. Nathan chuckled shaking his head. “So when do we take bets on how long before Kyle realizes Ororo is hung up on Stephan?”, Nathan asked. Nash shook his head. “How about we take bets on how long it takes Stephan to realize it.”, Nash asked. Aurora nudged Nash nodding to the stairs as Stephan was coming down the stairs putting his watch on the transition from ivory owl/sphinx to albino teen instantaneous. “So you coming then?”, Nathan asked fixing his hat with a smirk. “Yeah I suppose. guess it beats playing video games with Charles and Junior all night.”, Stephan shrugged. ‘More like beats waiting for Ororo to get home from what he thinks is a date with Kyle’, Marco thought to Nathan who chuckled. “Glad to have you with us. Come on three of us need to punch in for work.”, Nathan said heading for the door the others not far behind.
The celebration at Sadria and Azriel’s beach house was massive and mostly just took up the whole private beach the Delaney brothers owned. Colby and Alison sat out on their deck and shook their heads at the sight. “There are just soo many of them.”, Colby commented. Alison laughed a little looking over the sea of Kearneys. There was Sadria, Colin, and Iver three of the original four to attend the institute. Then there was the next generation of Kearneys; Atif, Darren, Owen, Lauren, Evan, and Hiro not to mention the visiting Donovan and the newest member Kyle. “Yeah there are now eleven Kearney on our beach. That’s not even counting their other halves. Which apparently the new generation favors Howlett blood.”, Alison teased pointing to some of the couples. Sitting in adirondack chairs around a bonfire roasting marshmallows Renie Howlett was sitting comfortably on Owen’s lap and Lauren was sitting on Jimmy’s. But those were couples everyone knew about the. Alison was mostly pointing at Donovan who had one hand on Rose’s waist and the other held a beer as he talked with his aunts and uncles. “So it would seem.”, Colby nodded in agreement. Kyle was enjoying the party having rolled up his pants and taken off his shoes wading just ankle deep into the ocean with Ororo who’d left her heels on his new Aunt Sadria’s deck. Kyle glanced over at his new father with his arm around Rose and smiled. Ororo followed Kyle’s line of sight and chuckled. “They look good together.”, Ororo commented. Kyle blinked looking back to Ororo.
“Yeah they do. They work well at least from what I’d seen when they rescued me last year. I’d kind of thought something was going on between them back then, not sure what changed Miss Rose’s mind about Donovan but I’m glad she did. He seems happy.”, Kyle agreed. “Well sometimes it’s the one you don’t original notice that’s the right one in the end.”, Ororo smiled. She of course was thinking about Stephan who never seemed to notice her as more than a friend, but Kyle was thinking more about that she never seemed to notice him. “Watch out!”, Hiro yelled flying low on his side letting his black wings just graze the water as he flew by accidentally knocking Ororo in the back causing her to fall forward into Kyle who fell back into the sand. “HIRO MARCUS KEARNEY!”, Iver shouted with a groan stepping away from his siblings and nephew to go reprimand his son. Donovan set his beer down and with Rose went over to help Ororo and Kyle up. “Ya alrig’t lassie?”, Donovan asked offering his hand to Ororo. Ororo was slightly red in the face combination of embarrassment of being knocked into Kyle landing on him like this and anger at Hiro. She took Donovan’s hand getting back to her feet smoothing out her dress. “Yes, I’m fins Mister Kearney.”, she nodded. “I’m sorry Kyle are you okay?”, she asked. Rose was helping Kyle to his feet dusting the sand off his back. “Aye, I’m fine. You don’t exactly weigh all that much.”, Kyle nodded dusting off some more sand. “Well as long as you two are okay.”, Rose commented. “Hiro won’t be...ooo that showboating little…”, Ororo grumbled glaring down the beach where Hiro had landed.
Iver was standing with his arms folded across his chest, his white wings twitching ever so slightly as he was not happy with his son. All the older Kearney men had worn their kilts for the event and as Donovan looked down the beach at the slender Iver who was a foot foot taller than his son scolding him he couldn’t help but laugh. “Why are you laughing? Hiro is in serious trouble from the looks of it. I never really see Iver mad, and you can tell Hiro feels bad look at how his wings have drooped.”, Rose commented. “Ah’m laughing cause ot’er t’an da wings and Hiro being a blonde it looks muc’ like mah dad reprimanding me w’en Ah was a lad. Just doubt dat Uncle Iver will be taking Hiro off ta da woods’ed fer a beating like mah dad would me.”, Donovan explained. “You in trouble?”, Rose teased. “I can’t imagine..”, she said sarcastically trying to not laugh. “Oh ya tink dat funny do ya lass? Ah da one dat got da beatings but Skye was always da one dat got mah arse inta trouble in da first place.”, Donovan jokingly narrowed his eyes putting his arms around Rose tickling her a little. Rose laughed a little pushing at Donovan’s hands to stop him from tickling her. “Oh that I believe, Skye the master mind not getting into trouble and you the one following her lead and getting caught. But unlike you and Skye I doubt that Evan was behind Hiro’s antics.”, Rose said sighing little as Donovan stopped tickling and just stood there with his arms around her instead. “Speaking o Evan w’ere is he?”, Donovan wondered looking around.
“Evan’s on the deck playing chess with Darren.”, Ororo pointed. And as she described when Donovan, Kyle and Rose turned to look Evan had looked up from playing chess and was frowning shaking his head seeing his twin getting into trouble. Darren was looking over his shoulder shaking his head as well at his cousin. “Hiro.”, Evan sighed. “I think he’s got enough energy for the both of you and probably me too.”, Darren commented. Evan nodded. “Dad says that Uncle Evan was like that when they were younger. I’m apparently more like Uncle Hiro in personality but Uncle Evan in looks.”, Evan sighed. “I hope that Ororo and Kyle are alright.”, Darren commented. “They look to be. Donovan and Rose helped them up. But I am sure Hiro will hear about this from Ororo.”, Evan nodded. “So I don’t go to the institute and all but is our new cousin and Ororo an item?”, Darren asked. Evan shook his head. “Oh no. Certainly not. I’m sure Kyle would like that, then again most boys would like that. But if you lived at the institute you’d know it’s Stephan Wagner her eyes are fixed on.”, Evan stated. Darren chuckled. “Stephan know that?”, he asked returning to the game moving his bishop to take Evan’s rook. “Nope. Guy is clueless about it. Guess he figures with his mutation a girl like Ororo wouldn’t be interested.”, Evan commented moving his knight. “Check.”, Evan stated.
“So one mah wee cousins causes trouble showing off fer da fun o it, two are snuggled wid lassies, and da ot’er two are playing c’ess? Do Evan or Darren ever do anyting adventurous?”, Donovan asked. “Evan?”, Ororo asked. “Oh no. Evan is the responsible one. Can always depend on Evan. Darren sometimes gets a bit more adventurous. He surfs and like his Delaney cousin Blaire has become an excellent marksmen when it comes to guns.”, Ororo explained. “Hm. So based on da sorties Ah got told bout Uncle Iver and uncle Evan mah cousins are just like dem. Hiro being like Uncle Evan and wee Evan being like Uncle Iver. Some da twins are like date in our clan. Ya get one dat is outrageous enough fer bot’ wid da ot’er being sensible.”, Donovan nodded. “Yeah and then you have twins like you and Skye were you are both crazy.”, Rose teased. “Aye we bot’ gotta be nuts we follow yer fine arse inta fiig’ts.”, Donovan smirked kissing her cheek giving her ass a pinch. Rose jumped a little and elbowed him in the stomach. Ororo and Kyle both covered their mouths to not laugh. “Cousin! Ororo! Why don’t you two come roast marshmallows with us? I’m sure the fire will help warm you up and dry you off from falling.”, Lauren called waving them over. “Um alright...coz.”, Kyle smiled liking the idea of having family again. “Excuse me...dad… Miss Rose.”, Kyle smiled heading over to his older cousins sitting in a chair. “Well I suppose the fire will help dry my dress out. So help Hiro if that salt water does any damage to this dress. I’ll ring his little angel neck.”, Ororo grumbled heading over taking the remaining chair sitting next to Kyle.
Sadria sighed shaking her head a little looking at Donovan and Rose before looking to her son and future son-in-law. “So Ah canna say Ah kne mah nep’ew well. Da two of ya do. So Ah want an ‘onest opinion o him wid Rose. Ah kne he kin and Ah s’ould o course like him, and Ah do. But dat Rose, dat’s mah mentor’s baby girl dat girl been like a daug’ter ta me given she grew up wid ya all.”, Sadria asked looking to the Atif and Billy. Billy glanced over before looking back to his future mother-in-law. “I can’t say I’m a huge fan of Donovan. But that’s just because our personalities don’t mesh. However as far as Rose goes, he’s never been one to not sh that he cares for her. So guess just see how it plays out. If he screws up, trust me Misses Delaney he’d pay for it ten fold. I may not be as close to her as your kids but she helped save me so I ower her by watching out for her.”, Billy answered. Atif shrugged a little glancing over at Donovan and Rose smiling as they watch Kyle with his new cousins. “I told her that one day she’d find her match. The vision hasn’t been clear on the man. So it’s possible he’s the one. He is like her that he won’t age and is damn hard to kill. So he’d be that one constant in her life. Someone to love and be loved by that won’t grow old and leave her behind. So I can see it working as long as they are both all in.”, Atif nodded taking a sip of his beer. Sadria smiled a little and patted Billy’s arm. She did appreciate that despite having been raised by Wanda he was a good man. That he was willing to risk so much for her kids, blood or extra. “Good Ah don’t wanna need ta ‘elp Professor Logan ‘unt down mah own nep’ew.”, she chuckled.
Down the beach Hiro was looking at the sand not wanting to meet his father’s gaze. Iver was not generally the one to discipline of his parents. It was more often Kisa who’d be yelling at him, so for it to be his dad Hiro knew he was in trouble. “Ya ‘ave any idea ‘ow bad dat could gone? Ya coulda been ‘urt. Ya could ‘ave ‘urt Ororo or yer new cousin Kyle. Ya need ta start tinking before ya do tings. Ah used ta tell yer Uncle Evan dat all da time. He never listened ta me. He dinna tink he just did. And as brave as his actions were it lost me him. And just cause yer mum is a ‘earler isn’t a good reason ta act da fool. Now ya need ta marc’ yer arse down dere and apologize ta Ororo and Kyle. Den Ah want yer arse planted on yer Auntie’s deck wid yer brot’er w’ere Ah kne yer staying outta trouble.”, Iver said going full Scottish accent. Maybe it was wearing his kilt again or just being around his nephew Donovan or it was just he was that angry but the accent came out in full force. Hiro nodded. “Yes dad.”, he said mournfully before starting to walked down the beach. He stopped at the bonfire and stood by Ororo and Kyle. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to knock you down.”, he said frowning. Kyle turned in his chair to look at Hiro and smiled a little. “I know you didn’t. So don’t worry about it. No one got hurt.”, Kyle said. Ororo sighed and looked at Hiro, it wasn’t often she saw him frown. “It’s alright Hiro. You’re an idiot but it’s alright. if my dress however is ruined in anyway but that sale water I’ll take it out on you next danger room session.”, she warned with a slight smile. “I’ll even let you win. I apparently need to go sit with Evan and Darren. So bye.”, he gave a small wave walking to the deck where his brother and cousin were starting a new round of chess.
Across town at the Draven Stephan reluctantly sat at the booth with the other kids till Sebastian and Gina showed up. “Hey Stephan. Good to see you out.”, Sebastian smiled greeting Stephan. Stephan shrugged. “Yeah well I got talked into it this time. Evan and Hiro are at a family party because Kyle got adopted or something by their cousin Donovan from Scotland and Ororo went with Kyle to that party.”, Stephan explained. “Oh I see. Well guess that explains where Jimmy is tonight if it’s a Kearney function.”, Sebastian commented grabbing a seat pulling Gina onto his lap. “Yeah though Jimmy not the only Howlett in attendance.”, Aurora commented. “Well of course renie would be there right?”, Gina questioned. “Yeah and Aunt Rose.”, Nikki said. Sebastian froze for a moment. Rose was back in town, after last summer and how she so readily walked away from his brother and nephew he wasn’t sure she’d ever come back to Bayville. “Rose? She’s came back? Why would she be at a Kearney party?”, Gina asked. “Her and Donovan started seeing each other.”, Aaliyah explained. Sebastian nodded silently, Nash gulped a little glancing to Sebastian being the only one from the institute at the table that knew about Merrick and Rose. “I see. Donovan, who just adopted Kyle. So a guy with an older kid is fine...she can step up for that but…”, Sebastian took a deep breath. “What’s wrong?”, Stephan asked. “Nothing. You know what not nothing. I just can’t believe that. Granted I shouldn’t be bothered. He’s way happier now but fucking christ.”, Sebastian spoke in frustration shaking his head not making much sense to anyone but Gina and Nash.
“It’s alright Sebastian. Don’t let it bother you. Merrick and Faelan have my sister. Rose made her choice, it was a stupid choice but oh well. Merrick is the happiest I’ve ever seen him now that he’s with Zoe.”, Gina tried to sooth rubbing Sebastian’s back. The rest of the table all went wide eyed. “What!?”, Aurora and Aaliyah asked. “My brother was sort of seeing Rose before Faelan was born. Last summer Rose came home and Merrick introduced her to Faelan and was completely honest with her about everything, and the next day she tells him she can’t be with him. Basically my nephew was a deal breaker. And now she’s dating a guy that just adopted an eleven year old? Consistency is too much to ask? Or is that Kyle lives here and Donovan lives over there where she is? So she doesn’t have to deal with a long distance boyfriend just a long distance kid who’s mostly grown and doesn’t need a mother in the same way?”, Sebastian was just letting out his frustrations with it. “Look man I get it. But just breath and let it go. Goosfraba. Let Rose be with Donovan and see if that’s where she belongs. Your brother is with Zoe and that’s where he belongs. Merrick and Zoe are like peanut butter and jelly the perfect pairing.”, Nash encouraged. Sebastian took a couple more deep breaths and nodded. “Yeah. Your right. Fuck it. Merrick and Faelan are happy and that’s all that matters to me. Come on let’s dance Gina.”, Sebastian suggested. Gina nodded getting up. The table emptied leaving Aaliyah and Stephan. Aaliyah smiled and got up offering a hand to Stephan. “Come on birdboy. Marco’s working and I don’t feel like just sitting. And I’m not going to flinch or be weirded out by the fur and feathers.”, she suggested. Stephan sighed but got up and danced with Aaliyah staying at the edge of the dance floor so his wings weren’t a problem.

After the Church of Humanity’s kidnapping of Adder Mason was a bit more cautious about her. He didn’t try to stop her from going to the street fights, however he did require that she kept her phone on so the GPS would be available to him if he needed to know where she was. Adder had decided she also needed to be more careful with who, if anyone, she chose to leave the fights with. Mason was working closely with his new tech guy Webber aka Arcade to track down the people higher up that put the plan to kidnap Adder into play. Webber didn't even bat an eyelash when he was told that he’d be reporting only to Mason or Adder as he was to help in regards to uncovering Church of Humanity plots against Mason and the company. It meant more resources and tech at his disposal. He was going to get to basically have complete freedom to create any gadget he wanted and get to hack various companies and systems all with permission of his employer.
Through Webber’s work they were able to find out a few of the people that had actually hatched the original plot to kidnap Adder to get to Mason. While Mason needed to keep up his normal appearances he stayed out of some of the missions. There were some of the assassinations that Mason did take part in, specifically those that were behind the plot to kidnap Adder. For him taking them out was personal, they’d sought to hurt someone he cared so deeply for. Adder was fine with assassinations, these weren’t supposed to be full blown fights these were more stealth based so going it alone worked for her. Webber had set up a type of communicator for Adder to still stay in touch with Mason, Ashton and even Tiffany even though Tiffany was on leave from any of this stuff since having Blake. Adder was able to slip in easily to the homes of these men and for the most part kill them in their sleep with her poison. She was getting rather good at it too. Webber had supplied her with some tech that allowed her to get through home security systems too. Never once did he question why he was doing what he was doing.
Webber had sent some intel to Mason about the highest person he could find that was in charge of the group that went after Adder. Mason didn’t tell Adder where he was going or even that he was going anywhere. He went and handled the man personally it did get a tad bloody ad this was not one of those quiet assassinations this was a much more painful sending a message type of assassination. It’d been Adder’s kidnapping that had gotten Mason to snap out of his funk a little. He realized it happened because he wasn’t there to protect her, he’d pushed her so far away they’d become strangers. As he got back to the flat he knew he needed to fix it. He sighed as he got back to the flat that night seeing Adder on the sofa watching TV. He sighed and sat down right next to her. "How many have you had?", he asked pointing to the bottle in her hand. Adder physically jump a bit and couldn’t hide the confused and slightly questioning and skeptical look on her face as she looked at him. Instead of saying anything she picked up an empty cardboard six-pack and shook it, before leaning away and onto the arm rest. She figured he wanted space... like he always did. Well only wanted space, when she was in it. Mason nodded and took the beer from her hand starting to drink it putting his feet up on the coffee table. She blinked and looked at him a bit before shaking her head. "Arse..", she said softly. But she leaned back to how she hadn't sat in a long time. How she used to sit beside him. After a minute or so she found herself leaning on him like she used to. She knew she had tears on her face. But she'd never admit it. "So I've been told.", he smirked sipping the beer leisurely.
He sighed at the rugby match clip that the sport news was showing as they talked about the upcoming season. "Fucking Kearney...", he muttered. "Right? He's fucking blew t’rough everyt’ing last season and probably will this one too. He's a fuc-fucking steamroller..", there was a couple times her voice caught. But she hadn't talked to him like this in so long not since the first day in India. "Because the lummox is a steamroller. Bullet didn't stop him our boys don't have a chance against the highland prick.", he chuckled moving his left arm along the back of the sofa behind her. She glanced over and nodded, staying quiet because she didn't trust her voice. She focused on the tv, too proud to wipe her cheeks. He had hurt hert. "You alright Adder?",he asked bringing his arm back and wiping the wet from her cheeks. Adder nodded. "W’-w’y wouldn't Ah be?",she managed to ask her voice still unsteady. "Well for instance you drank a pack on your own and you've got tears on your cheeks. I can't recall ever seeing you cry.", he pointed out. She shook her head. "Just- Not’ing is wrong mate...",she sighed. "Feels like fer t’e first time in a good w’ile, somet’ing is rig’t again.",she whispered. "I'm sorry.",he said with a sigh. "Ah'm.. Sorry. Fer w’atever Ah did ta make ya angry and not be round me anymore, mate.", she apologized.
"You don't need to be sorry. You didn't... you didn't do anything wrong. It was me.", he sighed shaking his head. She glanced up at him. "Ya... Really.. Ya didn't do anyt’ing but.. leave me alone.", she frowned. "And I shouldn't have. You're my best mate and I let something stupid interfere with that. I told you I'd always be here for you and something idiotic happens and I push you away.", he tried to explain. "Mate... W’at ‘appened?", she asked softly. "That whole trickster night... showing my what I wanted most and then it was gone. And guess it's because in ways you're similar to 'Cinderella'. And being close and you trying to be a good mate and just comforting me made me feel worse.", he explained trying to not just admit it was her he’d seen. He couldn't bring himself to tell her it was her he’d wanted and thought he’d slept with that night. She blinked then sighed. "Just... Don't... Feel very... Mate. Ah dunno if Ah can trust ya again.", she admitted. Sure she could trust him in a fight, she could trust him to still have her back and save her. But could she trust him as a friend again like she used to.
"I know. Not sure I can fully gain it back. And again I'm sorry for that.", he sighed. "We bein' all trut'ful?",she asked softly. "Ah... Ah never... 'urt t'at bad.", she admitted. He frowned. "I'm sorry. I kind of went blinders up. And it wasn't till you got kidnapped that I first got them kind figuratively punched off.", he explained, though it wasn’t an excuse. She nodded a bit. “I know it’s not a good enough reason. And It’s not supposed to be an excuse.”, he sighed shaking his head. He couldn’t explain to her that she was Cinderella and that’s why he’d pushed her away. He couldn’t because that would mean admitting to his feelings for her. She nodded. "W’at... W’atever makes ya ‘appiest, mate.... Ah stopped bein' round because Ah t’ought t’at is w’at ya wanted. Figured.. Ya ... Finally got tired of me.", she admitted her voice a bit emotional as she spoke. "It's not really what I wanted, at least not totally. I did think we needed some amount of separation of our lives. We spent every waking moment together. Which had apparently cost you a relationship.", he frowned.
"I can't get tired of you. I don't really just stop being friends with someone unless they've really done something bad. Like I haven't talked to Oliver since I kicked the crap out of him.", he sighed. "It didn't cost me my relationship. Ollie not trustin' me, not believein' me and t'e mask cost me a relationship w'ere t'e guy was willin' ta c'eat instead 'o talk ta me.", she shook her head. "W'at if Ah liked spendin' so muc' time wit' you?", she asked. "Yeah well I can see Oliver's side in a sense. Have a girlfriend who spends all her time with another guy imaginations run away. Doesn't excuse his actions because you're supposed to talk in a relationship.", he shrugged. "I know... and I have always liked spending time with you. But if we are the only people we spend time with who knows what we miss out on. Just want to try and find a balance. Because you spend time with me for work and I don't want off business hours to be work where you think you need to hang out because it's your job to keep me safe.", he explained. "It's never been like t'at, mate. Ever.", she said softly. "Ah don't t'ink Ah'm missin' out on muc’.", she shook her head. For her the best times she had were with him.
"Again I'm sorry. Though these past months you've found things to take up your time...", he shrugged. "Mate ya 'ave no idea w'at 'ave been doin, do ya?", she asked. "I know you've been doing street fights again. And have kept company with... blokes..", he said though the emphasis on the word 'blokes' wasn't a happy time. "'Ave a feelin' ya like t’at as muc’ as Ah ‘ave.", she smiled a little. "The street fights or blokes?", he asked. "T'e blokes.", she answered. "I don't really get a say in that. You're an adult and so can do what you want with who you want.", he shrugged. She chuckled. "T'ese past months Ah've gotten bettah at catc'ing tones. Ya didn't say blokes favorably.", she smiled. She liked that in a way he was still protective about her. "No I didn't. You haven't brought any round the flat so can't say I've personally met any. But distant as I've been I still check up on you. And some of them....", he shook his head. "Ah got... lonely," she said. "So Ah get drunk a lot.", she admitted. "I get it. I have been smashed a lot recently too. Just I...well I was worried about you.", he sighed. "And now ya say somethin..", she sighed. "I realized that I haven’t been here for you. And that I'm not exactly acting like a good mate. And the more I thought about things the more I realized that my self defense mode pushed you away and probably hurt you. I've never wanted to hurt you. I've spent since the day we met to keep you from getting hurt.", he explained.
"Maybe it was bound ta happen, mate. Ya got ot'er people. Ya... Ya 'ave yer job.", she sighed. Adder was mostly hurt because he either knew she was hurt and ignored it, or never noticed at all. It took getting kidnapped for him to do anything. "Maybe Ah s'ould just find a new place.", she offered. "Ya don't want me 'ere.", she frowned. "My job isn't my life. And I never wanted to lose you. I was being a complete ass. Not thinking about how things were affecting you and I mean I've noticed I just wasn't sure I could fix what I broke. Because I was broken. So how can a broken person fix a broken friendship?",he frowned. "I'm not looking for you to move out. I do want you. I want to try and fix this. Next to Ashton you're my best mate and the only person I have in London.", he shook his head. He was broken? What he saw was that bad? She had no idea. She had a hard time thinking what he felt was worse than what she had felt every time he was with someone. She lived not being with who she wanted. How he talked didn't help. Like he was trying to save a real relationship.
"T'en just... ask me ta stay. Ya know Ah'll always be 'ere if ya want me.", she stated. He sighed and finished off the beer. Talking to Adder like this was stirring old feelings. He did his best to keep any beyond friendship in check. He wouldn’t let himself start to feel in a more than a friends way for Adder. "Then stay?", he asked. Adder smiled a bit and leaned over, hugging him tightly. "Ah always will, mate... Ah can't leave ya and never want ta.", she smiled. Mason smiled hugging her back. It was a start to getting that friendship back. "And I never want you to. You've been under the same roof as me basically our whole time knowing each other. And I can't think of a reason to not.", he assured "Once ya get a family o yer own.",she said softly. "Ah'm gonna 'ave ta leave some day. Ah know getting ta live wit' ya, be as... 'appy as t'is is it's on borrowed time, mate.", she sighed. She didn't like thinking about him getting married and starting a family. Mason sighed and shook his head. "I've a good time before a family would come into play. I suppose at some point you need to leave the nest. But we aren't there yet.",he said kissing the top of her head. "I'm not ready for that.", he admitted. Adder closed her eyes and relaxed into him, arms around him. "Ah'm not either, mate. Yer all Ah 'ave and all Ah want.", she whispered the last part. "I promise you won't lose me either. And I'll try to be a better mate. Get that trust back you once had in me.", he promised. Adder nodded and was content to just stay like this for awhile. Mason sighed and just watched television a small smile it feeling more like old times.

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

The night had come for the Kearney party. There was a lot to celebrate. Atif had gotten engaged and now Kyle was part of the family. Kyle was very excited about this, not just because it was him being welcomed into the Kearney family but that Donovan had managed to get Ororo to agree to come. He was certain if he’d asked her, one he’d trip over his words and two she’d say no. But he’d take what he could get at this point. It was at least a chance to be around her without Stephan. yes his new ‘cousins’ would all be around but Ororo didn’t look at them the way she did Stephan. Kyle was waiting down in the lobby area with Donovan for Ororo to drive over. The others had already left with their parents and Rose was going to meet Donovan there since she had her motorcycle. Some of the older kids were coming down the stairs getting ready to go to the Draven. Taylor, Marco and Nathan all were going to be working but the others Carter, Nikki, Aaliyah, Nash and Aurora were all going to hang out with Sebastian and Gina.
Because three of them were working that night, despite their different in height and appearance, Taylor, Marco and Nathan were all wearing the same out of slim straight fit black slacks, fitted white button up, red tie, black and grey layered vest, black dress shoes, and black fedora. Taylor was the oldest but he wasn’t the tallest, Nathan was actually the tallest despite being the youngest. All three lined up as they waited for the others, Nathan checking his watch before looking over at Donovan and Kyle with a smile. Despite both of his parents having red hair Nathan didn’t, he had inherited brown hair from his grandmother Judith, but he did have the Shadow eyes. “Shouldn’t you two already be at the Delaney beach house? Thought everyone already left.”, Nathan commented fixing the cuff of his dress shirt over his watch. Taylor chuckled seeing that Kyle looked a bit nervous. “I think they are waiting on Ororo.”, Taylor commented centering his tie. “Oh that could be a while.”, Marco teased. Only in the eyes could you tell that Taylor and Marco are related as Taylor got his mother’s brown hair and Marco got his mother’s red hair. Kyle sighed shaking his head looking back at the stairs. “Some lassies are wort’ da wait.”, Donovan smiled nudging his son playfully.
“Come on Stephan, the others are going to the Draven. Why don’t you just go with them?”, Ororo asked leaning in Stephan’s doorway. Stephan sighed shaking his head looking at her. She was wearing that pink dress with the heart cutout in the back from her photoshoot back in February. And it still looked beautiful on her. But he knew that she wasn’t wearing it for a photoshoot and instead was going to a party with Kyle. he wasn’t fully sure why it bothered him, but it did. “Ororo you know I don’t really like going off grounds. I just feel like I’m the odd person and I always need to be careful about bumping people with my wings or well in general because the HAG can’t hide the feel of fur and feathers.”, he protested. Nathan had already tried to talk to him about coming. He’d gotten dressed like he might, just to shut his roommate up. “You are already dressed though. You look very nice why waste that on bumming around the institute? The Kearneys are all over at Misses Delaney’s for the party. I’ll be going there shortly. And the others are all going to the Draven. So unless you plan to just hang out here with Charles and Junior. Which do not even try to say that your plan is to hang out with my little brother and Junior, no one’s asked you to babysit. You are old enough to at least go to the Draven, I have to wait till next year. So go and have fun.”, she insisted folding her arms across her chest.
That subtle movement of folding her arms, he knew was to try and show she was serious about her insistence that he go out to the club but all it did was accent that she was starting to develop into a young woman. “So? Because everyone is going out including you I should? That’s your argument? I don’t hang out often with the older kids, I mean I’m friends with Nathan but he’ll be working. I spend more time around Hiro, Evan and well you. And all of you won’t be there. You’re going with Kyle to the Kearney party.”, he sighed a bit of emphasis placed on Kyle’s name. “My argument is that you can’t stay cooped up in the school all the time. Mister Kearney invited me to come as Kyle’s friend. Not exactly a big deal. If I wasn't going I’d be stuck here with my brother and Junior since I’m not old enough for the club.”, she countered not really seeing the issue of her going to the party as Kyle’s friend. “Yes but if you weren’t going you’d be stuck here with me.”, Stephan pointed out. Ororo rolled her eyes. “Just go with the others, have a good time.”, Ororo stated. “ORORO!? LASSIE WE NEED TA GET GOING!”, Donovan called up the stairs. “I need to go, so go please. See you later.”, Ororo said giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before rushing down the hall and down the stairs with the other older kids.
“So you talk my roommate into coming?”, Nathan asked with a smile. Kyle raised an eyebrow but then looked at Ororo in her dress and blinked. She looked beautiful in jeans and t-shirt but that dress was something else. “I think I did. So are we ready then?”, she asked turning her attention to Kyle and Donovan. “Aye lassie, da cab waiting fer us.”, Donovan said getting the door. “You look..”, Kyle tried to say something. Ororo raised an eyebrow but smile. “Um thank you Kyle. It’s a dress I wore for a photoshoot in February. The designer apparently liked how I looked in it enough and gave it to me as a birthday gift.”, she explained walking out to the taxi. Donovan rolled his eyes patting Kyle on the shoulder. “Smoot’ lad.”, Donovan teased as they walked to the taxi. Nathan chuckled shaking his head. “So when do we take bets on how long before Kyle realizes Ororo is hung up on Stephan?”, Nathan asked. Nash shook his head. “How about we take bets on how long it takes Stephan to realize it.”, Nash asked. Aurora nudged Nash nodding to the stairs as Stephan was coming down the stairs putting his watch on the transition from ivory owl/sphinx to albino teen instantaneous. “So you coming then?”, Nathan asked fixing his hat with a smirk. “Yeah I suppose. guess it beats playing video games with Charles and Junior all night.”, Stephan shrugged. ‘More like beats waiting for Ororo to get home from what he thinks is a date with Kyle’, Marco thought to Nathan who chuckled. “Glad to have you with us. Come on three of us need to punch in for work.”, Nathan said heading for the door the others not far behind.
The celebration at Sadria and Azriel’s beach house was massive and mostly just took up the whole private beach the Delaney brothers owned. Colby and Alison sat out on their deck and shook their heads at the sight. “There are just soo many of them.”, Colby commented. Alison laughed a little looking over the sea of Kearneys. There was Sadria, Colin, and Iver three of the original four to attend the institute. Then there was the next generation of Kearneys; Atif, Darren, Owen, Lauren, Evan, and Hiro not to mention the visiting Donovan and the newest member Kyle. “Yeah there are now eleven Kearney on our beach. That’s not even counting their other halves. Which apparently the new generation favors Howlett blood.”, Alison teased pointing to some of the couples. Sitting in adirondack chairs around a bonfire roasting marshmallows Renie Howlett was sitting comfortably on Owen’s lap and Lauren was sitting on Jimmy’s. But those were couples everyone knew about the. Alison was mostly pointing at Donovan who had one hand on Rose’s waist and the other held a beer as he talked with his aunts and uncles. “So it would seem.”, Colby nodded in agreement. Kyle was enjoying the party having rolled up his pants and taken off his shoes wading just ankle deep into the ocean with Ororo who’d left her heels on his new Aunt Sadria’s deck. Kyle glanced over at his new father with his arm around Rose and smiled. Ororo followed Kyle’s line of sight and chuckled. “They look good together.”, Ororo commented. Kyle blinked looking back to Ororo.
“Yeah they do. They work well at least from what I’d seen when they rescued me last year. I’d kind of thought something was going on between them back then, not sure what changed Miss Rose’s mind about Donovan but I’m glad she did. He seems happy.”, Kyle agreed. “Well sometimes it’s the one you don’t original notice that’s the right one in the end.”, Ororo smiled. She of course was thinking about Stephan who never seemed to notice her as more than a friend, but Kyle was thinking more about that she never seemed to notice him. “Watch out!”, Hiro yelled flying low on his side letting his black wings just graze the water as he flew by accidentally knocking Ororo in the back causing her to fall forward into Kyle who fell back into the sand. “HIRO MARCUS KEARNEY!”, Iver shouted with a groan stepping away from his siblings and nephew to go reprimand his son. Donovan set his beer down and with Rose went over to help Ororo and Kyle up. “Ya alrig’t lassie?”, Donovan asked offering his hand to Ororo. Ororo was slightly red in the face combination of embarrassment of being knocked into Kyle landing on him like this and anger at Hiro. She took Donovan’s hand getting back to her feet smoothing out her dress. “Yes, I’m fins Mister Kearney.”, she nodded. “I’m sorry Kyle are you okay?”, she asked. Rose was helping Kyle to his feet dusting the sand off his back. “Aye, I’m fine. You don’t exactly weigh all that much.”, Kyle nodded dusting off some more sand. “Well as long as you two are okay.”, Rose commented. “Hiro won’t be...ooo that showboating little…”, Ororo grumbled glaring down the beach where Hiro had landed.
Iver was standing with his arms folded across his chest, his white wings twitching ever so slightly as he was not happy with his son. All the older Kearney men had worn their kilts for the event and as Donovan looked down the beach at the slender Iver who was a foot foot taller than his son scolding him he couldn’t help but laugh. “Why are you laughing? Hiro is in serious trouble from the looks of it. I never really see Iver mad, and you can tell Hiro feels bad look at how his wings have drooped.”, Rose commented. “Ah’m laughing cause ot’er t’an da wings and Hiro being a blonde it looks muc’ like mah dad reprimanding me w’en Ah was a lad. Just doubt dat Uncle Iver will be taking Hiro off ta da woods’ed fer a beating like mah dad would me.”, Donovan explained. “You in trouble?”, Rose teased. “I can’t imagine..”, she said sarcastically trying to not laugh. “Oh ya tink dat funny do ya lass? Ah da one dat got da beatings but Skye was always da one dat got mah arse inta trouble in da first place.”, Donovan jokingly narrowed his eyes putting his arms around Rose tickling her a little. Rose laughed a little pushing at Donovan’s hands to stop him from tickling her. “Oh that I believe, Skye the master mind not getting into trouble and you the one following her lead and getting caught. But unlike you and Skye I doubt that Evan was behind Hiro’s antics.”, Rose said sighing little as Donovan stopped tickling and just stood there with his arms around her instead. “Speaking o Evan w’ere is he?”, Donovan wondered looking around.
“Evan’s on the deck playing chess with Darren.”, Ororo pointed. And as she described when Donovan, Kyle and Rose turned to look Evan had looked up from playing chess and was frowning shaking his head seeing his twin getting into trouble. Darren was looking over his shoulder shaking his head as well at his cousin. “Hiro.”, Evan sighed. “I think he’s got enough energy for the both of you and probably me too.”, Darren commented. Evan nodded. “Dad says that Uncle Evan was like that when they were younger. I’m apparently more like Uncle Hiro in personality but Uncle Evan in looks.”, Evan sighed. “I hope that Ororo and Kyle are alright.”, Darren commented. “They look to be. Donovan and Rose helped them up. But I am sure Hiro will hear about this from Ororo.”, Evan nodded. “So I don’t go to the institute and all but is our new cousin and Ororo an item?”, Darren asked. Evan shook his head. “Oh no. Certainly not. I’m sure Kyle would like that, then again most boys would like that. But if you lived at the institute you’d know it’s Stephan Wagner her eyes are fixed on.”, Evan stated. Darren chuckled. “Stephan know that?”, he asked returning to the game moving his bishop to take Evan’s rook. “Nope. Guy is clueless about it. Guess he figures with his mutation a girl like Ororo wouldn’t be interested.”, Evan commented moving his knight. “Check.”, Evan stated.
“So one mah wee cousins causes trouble showing off fer da fun o it, two are snuggled wid lassies, and da ot’er two are playing c’ess? Do Evan or Darren ever do anyting adventurous?”, Donovan asked. “Evan?”, Ororo asked. “Oh no. Evan is the responsible one. Can always depend on Evan. Darren sometimes gets a bit more adventurous. He surfs and like his Delaney cousin Blaire has become an excellent marksmen when it comes to guns.”, Ororo explained. “Hm. So based on da sorties Ah got told bout Uncle Iver and uncle Evan mah cousins are just like dem. Hiro being like Uncle Evan and wee Evan being like Uncle Iver. Some da twins are like date in our clan. Ya get one dat is outrageous enough fer bot’ wid da ot’er being sensible.”, Donovan nodded. “Yeah and then you have twins like you and Skye were you are both crazy.”, Rose teased. “Aye we bot’ gotta be nuts we follow yer fine arse inta fiig’ts.”, Donovan smirked kissing her cheek giving her ass a pinch. Rose jumped a little and elbowed him in the stomach. Ororo and Kyle both covered their mouths to not laugh. “Cousin! Ororo! Why don’t you two come roast marshmallows with us? I’m sure the fire will help warm you up and dry you off from falling.”, Lauren called waving them over. “Um alright...coz.”, Kyle smiled liking the idea of having family again. “Excuse me...dad… Miss Rose.”, Kyle smiled heading over to his older cousins sitting in a chair. “Well I suppose the fire will help dry my dress out. So help Hiro if that salt water does any damage to this dress. I’ll ring his little angel neck.”, Ororo grumbled heading over taking the remaining chair sitting next to Kyle.
Sadria sighed shaking her head a little looking at Donovan and Rose before looking to her son and future son-in-law. “So Ah canna say Ah kne mah nep’ew well. Da two of ya do. So Ah want an ‘onest opinion o him wid Rose. Ah kne he kin and Ah s’ould o course like him, and Ah do. But dat Rose, dat’s mah mentor’s baby girl dat girl been like a daug’ter ta me given she grew up wid ya all.”, Sadria asked looking to the Atif and Billy. Billy glanced over before looking back to his future mother-in-law. “I can’t say I’m a huge fan of Donovan. But that’s just because our personalities don’t mesh. However as far as Rose goes, he’s never been one to not sh that he cares for her. So guess just see how it plays out. If he screws up, trust me Misses Delaney he’d pay for it ten fold. I may not be as close to her as your kids but she helped save me so I ower her by watching out for her.”, Billy answered. Atif shrugged a little glancing over at Donovan and Rose smiling as they watch Kyle with his new cousins. “I told her that one day she’d find her match. The vision hasn’t been clear on the man. So it’s possible he’s the one. He is like her that he won’t age and is damn hard to kill. So he’d be that one constant in her life. Someone to love and be loved by that won’t grow old and leave her behind. So I can see it working as long as they are both all in.”, Atif nodded taking a sip of his beer. Sadria smiled a little and patted Billy’s arm. She did appreciate that despite having been raised by Wanda he was a good man. That he was willing to risk so much for her kids, blood or extra. “Good Ah don’t wanna need ta ‘elp Professor Logan ‘unt down mah own nep’ew.”, she chuckled.
Down the beach Hiro was looking at the sand not wanting to meet his father’s gaze. Iver was not generally the one to discipline of his parents. It was more often Kisa who’d be yelling at him, so for it to be his dad Hiro knew he was in trouble. “Ya ‘ave any idea ‘ow bad dat could gone? Ya coulda been ‘urt. Ya could ‘ave ‘urt Ororo or yer new cousin Kyle. Ya need ta start tinking before ya do tings. Ah used ta tell yer Uncle Evan dat all da time. He never listened ta me. He dinna tink he just did. And as brave as his actions were it lost me him. And just cause yer mum is a ‘earler isn’t a good reason ta act da fool. Now ya need ta marc’ yer arse down dere and apologize ta Ororo and Kyle. Den Ah want yer arse planted on yer Auntie’s deck wid yer brot’er w’ere Ah kne yer staying outta trouble.”, Iver said going full Scottish accent. Maybe it was wearing his kilt again or just being around his nephew Donovan or it was just he was that angry but the accent came out in full force. Hiro nodded. “Yes dad.”, he said mournfully before starting to walked down the beach. He stopped at the bonfire and stood by Ororo and Kyle. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to knock you down.”, he said frowning. Kyle turned in his chair to look at Hiro and smiled a little. “I know you didn’t. So don’t worry about it. No one got hurt.”, Kyle said. Ororo sighed and looked at Hiro, it wasn’t often she saw him frown. “It’s alright Hiro. You’re an idiot but it’s alright. if my dress however is ruined in anyway but that sale water I’ll take it out on you next danger room session.”, she warned with a slight smile. “I’ll even let you win. I apparently need to go sit with Evan and Darren. So bye.”, he gave a small wave walking to the deck where his brother and cousin were starting a new round of chess.
Across town at the Draven Stephan reluctantly sat at the booth with the other kids till Sebastian and Gina showed up. “Hey Stephan. Good to see you out.”, Sebastian smiled greeting Stephan. Stephan shrugged. “Yeah well I got talked into it this time. Evan and Hiro are at a family party because Kyle got adopted or something by their cousin Donovan from Scotland and Ororo went with Kyle to that party.”, Stephan explained. “Oh I see. Well guess that explains where Jimmy is tonight if it’s a Kearney function.”, Sebastian commented grabbing a seat pulling Gina onto his lap. “Yeah though Jimmy not the only Howlett in attendance.”, Aurora commented. “Well of course renie would be there right?”, Gina questioned. “Yeah and Aunt Rose.”, Nikki said. Sebastian froze for a moment. Rose was back in town, after last summer and how she so readily walked away from his brother and nephew he wasn’t sure she’d ever come back to Bayville. “Rose? She’s came back? Why would she be at a Kearney party?”, Gina asked. “Her and Donovan started seeing each other.”, Aaliyah explained. Sebastian nodded silently, Nash gulped a little glancing to Sebastian being the only one from the institute at the table that knew about Merrick and Rose. “I see. Donovan, who just adopted Kyle. So a guy with an older kid is fine...she can step up for that but…”, Sebastian took a deep breath. “What’s wrong?”, Stephan asked. “Nothing. You know what not nothing. I just can’t believe that. Granted I shouldn’t be bothered. He’s way happier now but fucking christ.”, Sebastian spoke in frustration shaking his head not making much sense to anyone but Gina and Nash.
“It’s alright Sebastian. Don’t let it bother you. Merrick and Faelan have my sister. Rose made her choice, it was a stupid choice but oh well. Merrick is the happiest I’ve ever seen him now that he’s with Zoe.”, Gina tried to sooth rubbing Sebastian’s back. The rest of the table all went wide eyed. “What!?”, Aurora and Aaliyah asked. “My brother was sort of seeing Rose before Faelan was born. Last summer Rose came home and Merrick introduced her to Faelan and was completely honest with her about everything, and the next day she tells him she can’t be with him. Basically my nephew was a deal breaker. And now she’s dating a guy that just adopted an eleven year old? Consistency is too much to ask? Or is that Kyle lives here and Donovan lives over there where she is? So she doesn’t have to deal with a long distance boyfriend just a long distance kid who’s mostly grown and doesn’t need a mother in the same way?”, Sebastian was just letting out his frustrations with it. “Look man I get it. But just breath and let it go. Goosfraba. Let Rose be with Donovan and see if that’s where she belongs. Your brother is with Zoe and that’s where he belongs. Merrick and Zoe are like peanut butter and jelly the perfect pairing.”, Nash encouraged. Sebastian took a couple more deep breaths and nodded. “Yeah. Your right. Fuck it. Merrick and Faelan are happy and that’s all that matters to me. Come on let’s dance Gina.”, Sebastian suggested. Gina nodded getting up. The table emptied leaving Aaliyah and Stephan. Aaliyah smiled and got up offering a hand to Stephan. “Come on birdboy. Marco’s working and I don’t feel like just sitting. And I’m not going to flinch or be weirded out by the fur and feathers.”, she suggested. Stephan sighed but got up and danced with Aaliyah staying at the edge of the dance floor so his wings weren’t a problem.

After the Church of Humanity’s kidnapping of Adder Mason was a bit more cautious about her. He didn’t try to stop her from going to the street fights, however he did require that she kept her phone on so the GPS would be available to him if he needed to know where she was. Adder had decided she also needed to be more careful with who, if anyone, she chose to leave the fights with. Mason was working closely with his new tech guy Webber aka Arcade to track down the people higher up that put the plan to kidnap Adder into play. Webber didn't even bat an eyelash when he was told that he’d be reporting only to Mason or Adder as he was to help in regards to uncovering Church of Humanity plots against Mason and the company. It meant more resources and tech at his disposal. He was going to get to basically have complete freedom to create any gadget he wanted and get to hack various companies and systems all with permission of his employer.
Through Webber’s work they were able to find out a few of the people that had actually hatched the original plot to kidnap Adder to get to Mason. While Mason needed to keep up his normal appearances he stayed out of some of the missions. There were some of the assassinations that Mason did take part in, specifically those that were behind the plot to kidnap Adder. For him taking them out was personal, they’d sought to hurt someone he cared so deeply for. Adder was fine with assassinations, these weren’t supposed to be full blown fights these were more stealth based so going it alone worked for her. Webber had set up a type of communicator for Adder to still stay in touch with Mason, Ashton and even Tiffany even though Tiffany was on leave from any of this stuff since having Blake. Adder was able to slip in easily to the homes of these men and for the most part kill them in their sleep with her poison. She was getting rather good at it too. Webber had supplied her with some tech that allowed her to get through home security systems too. Never once did he question why he was doing what he was doing.
Webber had sent some intel to Mason about the highest person he could find that was in charge of the group that went after Adder. Mason didn’t tell Adder where he was going or even that he was going anywhere. He went and handled the man personally it did get a tad bloody ad this was not one of those quiet assassinations this was a much more painful sending a message type of assassination. It’d been Adder’s kidnapping that had gotten Mason to snap out of his funk a little. He realized it happened because he wasn’t there to protect her, he’d pushed her so far away they’d become strangers. As he got back to the flat he knew he needed to fix it. He sighed as he got back to the flat that night seeing Adder on the sofa watching TV. He sighed and sat down right next to her. "How many have you had?", he asked pointing to the bottle in her hand. Adder physically jump a bit and couldn’t hide the confused and slightly questioning and skeptical look on her face as she looked at him. Instead of saying anything she picked up an empty cardboard six-pack and shook it, before leaning away and onto the arm rest. She figured he wanted space... like he always did. Well only wanted space, when she was in it. Mason nodded and took the beer from her hand starting to drink it putting his feet up on the coffee table. She blinked and looked at him a bit before shaking her head. "Arse..", she said softly. But she leaned back to how she hadn't sat in a long time. How she used to sit beside him. After a minute or so she found herself leaning on him like she used to. She knew she had tears on her face. But she'd never admit it. "So I've been told.", he smirked sipping the beer leisurely.
He sighed at the rugby match clip that the sport news was showing as they talked about the upcoming season. "Fucking Kearney...", he muttered. "Right? He's fucking blew t’rough everyt’ing last season and probably will this one too. He's a fuc-fucking steamroller..", there was a couple times her voice caught. But she hadn't talked to him like this in so long not since the first day in India. "Because the lummox is a steamroller. Bullet didn't stop him our boys don't have a chance against the highland prick.", he chuckled moving his left arm along the back of the sofa behind her. She glanced over and nodded, staying quiet because she didn't trust her voice. She focused on the tv, too proud to wipe her cheeks. He had hurt hert. "You alright Adder?",he asked bringing his arm back and wiping the wet from her cheeks. Adder nodded. "W’-w’y wouldn't Ah be?",she managed to ask her voice still unsteady. "Well for instance you drank a pack on your own and you've got tears on your cheeks. I can't recall ever seeing you cry.", he pointed out. She shook her head. "Just- Not’ing is wrong mate...",she sighed. "Feels like fer t’e first time in a good w’ile, somet’ing is rig’t again.",she whispered. "I'm sorry.",he said with a sigh. "Ah'm.. Sorry. Fer w’atever Ah did ta make ya angry and not be round me anymore, mate.", she apologized.
"You don't need to be sorry. You didn't... you didn't do anything wrong. It was me.", he sighed shaking his head. She glanced up at him. "Ya... Really.. Ya didn't do anyt’ing but.. leave me alone.", she frowned. "And I shouldn't have. You're my best mate and I let something stupid interfere with that. I told you I'd always be here for you and something idiotic happens and I push you away.", he tried to explain. "Mate... W’at ‘appened?", she asked softly. "That whole trickster night... showing my what I wanted most and then it was gone. And guess it's because in ways you're similar to 'Cinderella'. And being close and you trying to be a good mate and just comforting me made me feel worse.", he explained trying to not just admit it was her he’d seen. He couldn't bring himself to tell her it was her he’d wanted and thought he’d slept with that night. She blinked then sighed. "Just... Don't... Feel very... Mate. Ah dunno if Ah can trust ya again.", she admitted. Sure she could trust him in a fight, she could trust him to still have her back and save her. But could she trust him as a friend again like she used to.
"I know. Not sure I can fully gain it back. And again I'm sorry for that.", he sighed. "We bein' all trut'ful?",she asked softly. "Ah... Ah never... 'urt t'at bad.", she admitted. He frowned. "I'm sorry. I kind of went blinders up. And it wasn't till you got kidnapped that I first got them kind figuratively punched off.", he explained, though it wasn’t an excuse. She nodded a bit. “I know it’s not a good enough reason. And It’s not supposed to be an excuse.”, he sighed shaking his head. He couldn’t explain to her that she was Cinderella and that’s why he’d pushed her away. He couldn’t because that would mean admitting to his feelings for her. She nodded. "W’at... W’atever makes ya ‘appiest, mate.... Ah stopped bein' round because Ah t’ought t’at is w’at ya wanted. Figured.. Ya ... Finally got tired of me.", she admitted her voice a bit emotional as she spoke. "It's not really what I wanted, at least not totally. I did think we needed some amount of separation of our lives. We spent every waking moment together. Which had apparently cost you a relationship.", he frowned.
"I can't get tired of you. I don't really just stop being friends with someone unless they've really done something bad. Like I haven't talked to Oliver since I kicked the crap out of him.", he sighed. "It didn't cost me my relationship. Ollie not trustin' me, not believein' me and t'e mask cost me a relationship w'ere t'e guy was willin' ta c'eat instead 'o talk ta me.", she shook her head. "W'at if Ah liked spendin' so muc' time wit' you?", she asked. "Yeah well I can see Oliver's side in a sense. Have a girlfriend who spends all her time with another guy imaginations run away. Doesn't excuse his actions because you're supposed to talk in a relationship.", he shrugged. "I know... and I have always liked spending time with you. But if we are the only people we spend time with who knows what we miss out on. Just want to try and find a balance. Because you spend time with me for work and I don't want off business hours to be work where you think you need to hang out because it's your job to keep me safe.", he explained. "It's never been like t'at, mate. Ever.", she said softly. "Ah don't t'ink Ah'm missin' out on muc’.", she shook her head. For her the best times she had were with him.
"Again I'm sorry. Though these past months you've found things to take up your time...", he shrugged. "Mate ya 'ave no idea w'at 'ave been doin, do ya?", she asked. "I know you've been doing street fights again. And have kept company with... blokes..", he said though the emphasis on the word 'blokes' wasn't a happy time. "'Ave a feelin' ya like t’at as muc’ as Ah ‘ave.", she smiled a little. "The street fights or blokes?", he asked. "T'e blokes.", she answered. "I don't really get a say in that. You're an adult and so can do what you want with who you want.", he shrugged. She chuckled. "T'ese past months Ah've gotten bettah at catc'ing tones. Ya didn't say blokes favorably.", she smiled. She liked that in a way he was still protective about her. "No I didn't. You haven't brought any round the flat so can't say I've personally met any. But distant as I've been I still check up on you. And some of them....", he shook his head. "Ah got... lonely," she said. "So Ah get drunk a lot.", she admitted. "I get it. I have been smashed a lot recently too. Just I...well I was worried about you.", he sighed. "And now ya say somethin..", she sighed. "I realized that I haven’t been here for you. And that I'm not exactly acting like a good mate. And the more I thought about things the more I realized that my self defense mode pushed you away and probably hurt you. I've never wanted to hurt you. I've spent since the day we met to keep you from getting hurt.", he explained.
"Maybe it was bound ta happen, mate. Ya got ot'er people. Ya... Ya 'ave yer job.", she sighed. Adder was mostly hurt because he either knew she was hurt and ignored it, or never noticed at all. It took getting kidnapped for him to do anything. "Maybe Ah s'ould just find a new place.", she offered. "Ya don't want me 'ere.", she frowned. "My job isn't my life. And I never wanted to lose you. I was being a complete ass. Not thinking about how things were affecting you and I mean I've noticed I just wasn't sure I could fix what I broke. Because I was broken. So how can a broken person fix a broken friendship?",he frowned. "I'm not looking for you to move out. I do want you. I want to try and fix this. Next to Ashton you're my best mate and the only person I have in London.", he shook his head. He was broken? What he saw was that bad? She had no idea. She had a hard time thinking what he felt was worse than what she had felt every time he was with someone. She lived not being with who she wanted. How he talked didn't help. Like he was trying to save a real relationship.
"T'en just... ask me ta stay. Ya know Ah'll always be 'ere if ya want me.", she stated. He sighed and finished off the beer. Talking to Adder like this was stirring old feelings. He did his best to keep any beyond friendship in check. He wouldn’t let himself start to feel in a more than a friends way for Adder. "Then stay?", he asked. Adder smiled a bit and leaned over, hugging him tightly. "Ah always will, mate... Ah can't leave ya and never want ta.", she smiled. Mason smiled hugging her back. It was a start to getting that friendship back. "And I never want you to. You've been under the same roof as me basically our whole time knowing each other. And I can't think of a reason to not.", he assured "Once ya get a family o yer own.",she said softly. "Ah'm gonna 'ave ta leave some day. Ah know getting ta live wit' ya, be as... 'appy as t'is is it's on borrowed time, mate.", she sighed. She didn't like thinking about him getting married and starting a family. Mason sighed and shook his head. "I've a good time before a family would come into play. I suppose at some point you need to leave the nest. But we aren't there yet.",he said kissing the top of her head. "I'm not ready for that.", he admitted. Adder closed her eyes and relaxed into him, arms around him. "Ah'm not either, mate. Yer all Ah 'ave and all Ah want.", she whispered the last part. "I promise you won't lose me either. And I'll try to be a better mate. Get that trust back you once had in me.", he promised. Adder nodded and was content to just stay like this for awhile. Mason sighed and just watched television a small smile it feeling more like old times.