HOME | DD

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

"Mmh... So this is suppose to be training for them, right?", she asked. This being one of the first times she'd observed then training since moving into the institute. "Yeah. Their game of follow the leader. Trying different flight maneuvers so that all three teams have a winged mutant that can pull off any aerial move needed.",she nodded "Soo...", she held her hand out, a purple light glowing before a bow formed. It took a lot of concentration, but it was fun. "How angry would they be if I shot at one?", she smiled. "Um... Depends who you shoot. And if you actually hurt them.", she answered a bit nervous about this. "I said at one.", she said. "Not actually hit them.", she corrected. "Okay. And again depends who you shoot at. I can't really see Evan mad but certainly confused. Hiro may get upset. And Stephan... That's a wild card. He's generally gentle and sweet but... There's that neyaphem blood that boils quick sometimes...", Ororo explained. "It's training, they can't expect things to run smoothly all the time.", she raised her bow up and aimed at the middle of the trip forming an arrow before firing a few feet behind them. At worst, it'd feel like they grabbed an electric fence if they were hit. "Yeah.... I suppose... Though we're just obser....", her voice trailed as the arrow was released heading directly at Stephan. "ing them....", she finished. Hiro blinked seeing something purple heading their way. "Um did training today include avoiding getting shot?". Hiro asked. "No just flight patterns and speed...". Evan went to answer. "What the...", he questioned flying up to be out of the way. Stephan blinked as he heard them and looked down, watching the purple arrow zip behind him harmlessly. "What is she doing?", he asked, blinking his large eyes as he spotted her summoning another arrow.
"Think we should go to evasive patterns and speed?", he suggested. He'd only had a couple training sessions with Inola since she came to the institute so he'd not fully learned her powers and techniques. Hiro and Evan nodded. "Yeah... Apparently your team's archer is looking for some winged mutants for her taxidermy.", Hiro nodded separating from his twin and Stephan. Three together was easier target but splitting up would be harder. Evan flew up higher to put distance between him and Hiro and Stephan. Ororo just sighed shaking her head. Stephan tilted to move further to the right. "Following patterns is nice and all, and so is the danger room. but-", she fired another arrow, aiming at Hiro this time. "Not expecting things coming at you is even more help.", she finished as she loaded another arrow. "Right... You realize this means you've made yourself or maybe both of us the targets now?", Ororo asked. Hiro barrel rolled to avoid the arrow it just barely clipping his right wing. "So do we just play evasion or do we get to fight back?", Hiro asked."Oh I never said I wasn't ready for that.", she said with a smirk. "It's just playing, relax. Or you afraid daddy is going to come?", Inola asked. She aimed and fired at Evan before rapidly sending two shots towards Hiro, slowly aiming closer and closer to them. "I say..." Stephan thought a bit. "Lets fight back.", he nodded to the twins.
"No, not afraid of my dad. Plus he's not here. So fine. I'm in.", Ororo nodded. Some would consider her powers limited only thinking about them in the sense of her father's ability to take away memories. Those would be fold sense if she can dream it up she can take it from her mind and unleash it. She brought forth one of her recurring dreams of a storm the clear orb forming in her hand filled with dark cloud, claps of thunder, stand of lightening and blowing winds. "How's your aim in strong winds?", Ororo asked throwing the orb not waiting for an answer unleashing the storm. Evan moved to evade the arrow.Hiro moved avoiding one arrow the second clipping his wing "Oh they want to play...", Hiro chuckled looking up as the clouds went black and thunder started to roll and the winds picked up. Stephan blinked and looked at the thunder then smiled a bit. So Ororo was joining Inola's side in this match. "Time to focus!", he yelled. Inola grinned and watched how the wind was moving by watching their feathers and Stephan's tail and fur, starting to fire at them all with a volley of arrows. Ororo had some control but not much over the storm she'd just unleashed. She kept it centralized over them only but otherwise it was a raging storm. The winds blowing in varied directions getting stronger the more she focused. Evan tried to get lower the wind that high up with nothing to cut it starting to toss him a little. "We can't just stay in the air with this wind!", Hiro yelled barely avoiding Inola's arrows as he also was fighting the gusts of wind. Hiro, Evan and Stephan all tried get lower to use the trees not only as cover but to help cut the wind as they weaved through them to make their way for the observation deck and their new targets, Ororo and Inola. "Their on the attack, trying to use the trees for cover.", Ororo commented. She'd trained with the boys for years so she knew them. "Three against two. I think we can take them.", Inola smiled ready for a challenge.
The winged mutants made their way under the cover of the trees still having to avoid Inola’s arrows to the building and suddenly turned up flying close to the structure to avoid the volley of arrows. As they reached the roof Stephan tucked his wings and made Inola his primary target, she started this after all so it would end with her. He dove at her, but Inola was ready switching from her arrows to just shooting out beams from her palms. Stephan had to alter his course to avoid getting hit landing hard into the roof. A crack of thunder and a streak of lightning came dangerously close to the building as Ororo moved from the railing knowing if Stephan was at the roof the twins would not be far behind. With Inola’s attention turned to Stephan, Hiro flew up and mid dive transformed to his siberian tiger form and landed on Inola forcing her to the ground his large paws pressing down on her shoulders holding back just enough by not letting his claws dig in. “OFF ME BIRD BRAIN!”, Inola shouted trying to shift the balance but in his tiger form Hiro more than a little out weighed her and was stronger than his human form.
Ororo watched, her eyes darting looking for Evan, “I’ve got you covered Inola”, she called focusing to control the raging storm and strong wind forming into a tunnel and aimed directly at Hiro sending the nearly seven hundred pound tiger off Inola. Hiro dug into the shingles of the roof to not go flying off leaving his claw marks. Inola moved to get up finding herself going on defense as Stephan took the opportunity to move in for some hand to hand combat. Evan was the last to come up the side of the building and dove after Ororo knowing it was the only way to take her focus off Hiro. He landed hard tackling her to the roof, the wind dying down and Hiro getting his balance again. Hiro moved to help Stephan combat Inola while Ororo flipped Evan off her and pinned him down her forearm across his throat. “Ge...get off me..”, Evan managed to breath out grabbing her by the arms and used his wings to shift his weight to get her off him. Inola was holding her own dodging the siberian tiger while trying to fight off Stephan’s attacks. Ororo scrambled to her feet as did Evan the pair throwing fists and kicks as they had many times in survival training over the years. Ororo got Evan back to the ground Evan on the defense trying to block her punches. “A little help?”, Evan requested.
While the impute training ‘battle’ raged upstairs Shawn Boykin arrived at the front door of the institute. His brown eyes looked up seeing the storm that was only centralized on the school wondering what student was behind it as it obviously wasn’t natural. Karli groaned hearing the door and walked over pulling it open. “Hi ya Karli.”, Shawn smiled flirtatiously at his client's older sister. Karli rolled her dark red eyes at Shawn. “Hi Shawn. I will assume you are looking for Ororo.”, she said stepping aside for him to walk in. Shawn smiled talking inside holding his briefcase, having some schedule conflicts to discuss with Ororo. “Maybe. Or maybe I’m here about you.”, he commented. “Me?”, Karli questioned shaking her head knowing he was just trying to be coy. “You have been giving me the cold shoulder since I started as Ororo’s agent. Personally I think it’s because you don’t want to admit you want me.”, he shrugged his smile not fading. “Right….and what’s your telepathy tell you?”, she folded her arms narrowing her eyes slightly. She’d admit he wasn’t unattractive. However she’d played the younger guy game before, sure it was enjoyable while it lasted.
But that was Merrick and he was a beast in bed. She had doubt that the young telepath could compare to the experience she’d had with Merrick or even her experience with the older and very good with his hands, organic and otherwise, Forge. Shawn smirked. “I don’t need telepathy to know you’ve at least thought about it.”, he winked. “But in honesty where is Ororo? We’ve got work to discuss.”, he questioned looking around. Kyle was mournfully walking through the foyer and stopped hearing someone ask about Ororo. “She’s probably still on the roof with Stephan..”, Kyle commented as he continued to head for the kitchen looking to drown his rejection in food. “I’ll go get her. Sit.”, Karli said pointing to a sofa. “As you command mistress.”, Shawn said playfully winking at her as he took a seat. Karli rolled her eyes but smirked heading up the stairs for the roof access to find her younger sister.
Up on the roof Stephan ducked Inola’s attack and went to help Evan reaching down and grabbing Ororo pulling her off Evan and putting her into a full nelson slipping both of his arms underneath the her armpits and locked his claw hands behind her neck, pushing the Ororo’s head forward against her chest. “I’ve got her. Go help Hiro.”, Stephan instructed. Evan nodded being able to catch his breath and hurried to his feet heading to help his twin fight Inola. “Got who?”, Ororo demanded raising her arms up, elbows out the sides, with the tips of her fingers touching the inside of Stephan’s wrists. She formed her hands into hooks and clench them closed around one another to form a single horizontal bar out of both her arms. Placing the back of one of her hands against her forehead and flex her arms, pushing backward with enough pressure to halt Stephan’s attempts to push her head forward. By doing so, she partially thwarted his hold lessening his control. Taking a wide step to her left, bending at the knees to dropping her center of gravity she placed her weight on her left foot and took a step with her right foot to form a U shape, traveling to her left, around Stephan’s left foot, and then out to her right to extend behind both his legs. Stephan realized the danger of his position and thought to release her of his own volition. But before he could Ororo bent forward, bending deeply at the knees and digging into the back of Stephan's legs grabbing hold of his pants just above his knees. She straighten her back while lowering her body as if she was sitting in a chair to picked him clean off the ground. His weight being largely supported by the hold around her neck, so lifting his lower body was not difficult, even though he is larger than her. From this position, she pivoted on her right foot while twisting at the waist. She released at the appropriate moment sending Stephan flying in a sideways spin off to her right.
Stephan using his wings to control how far he went in the wind that blew around the school. He smiled a little looking at Ororo. Her ponytail had come loose and her black hair was freely in the wind that look of confidence and determination in her hazel eyes that he saw every time they were in training as part of team alpha. He shook his head a little trying to push aside the thought of how beautiful she looked at the moment. As Ororo went to catch her breath Stephan tackled her pinning her to the roof, using his weight and wings to hold her in place. Ororo’s hands tried to act as defense pushing back against his shoulders digging her nails into his shoulders. Neither really thinking about how precarious the position they’d put themselves into might look to someone who didn’t know they were righting. As Ororo and Stephan battled Inola was shooting arrows at Hiro to keep him at bay while trying to fight off Evan. She knew she had to focus and chose to tackle Evan to the roof Evan hitting hard. His black hair a mess from all the fighting and his ivory feathers ruffled and a mess with some becoming loose again. “Got ya.”, Inola smiled down at Evan. “Today...it not my day…”, Evan groaned at being pinned again. “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON UP HERE!?”, Karli demanded opening the hatch seeing the five, or at least four in precarious positions. Though her focus was on seeing Stephan Wagner on top of her little sister in a position that the times she’d ever been in were naked with Forge or Merrick.
All five stopped what they were doing freezing in place. Hiro had been ready to pounce on Inola but shifted back to human hearing Karli shouting. Ororo turned her head from being inches from Stephan’s to look at her sister. “Karli?”, she questioned losing her focus and the storm dying down. Inola sat up still having Evan pinned down. “It’s called training.”, Inola defended. “Right training. And that’s why it looks like Stephan there is mounting my sister? Cause seriously if it was our father that came up here and saw him on top of her like that…”, Karli shook her head. Stephan blinked realizing how to an outside perspective him having Ororo pinned like this their bodies pressed so close together it could look bad. And as he realized that he became very self conscious about how it felt to have her under him like this, blushing behind his feathers and he carefully moved to get off Ororo and offer her a hand up. Ororo blushed at what her sister was implying and took his hand standing up. “Gutter brain. It was training Karli, something I’ve done since I was like six. What do you want?”, Ororo asked straightening her clothes looking at her sister. “Your agent is downstairs waiting for you.”, Karli explained. Inola moved getting up from Evan offering him a hand. “No hard feelings right? Was just training.”, Inola smiled. Evan frowned up took her hand and stood up. “Yeah no hard feelings. I just got pinned painfully by you and Ororo.”, Evan grumbled. Hiro chuckled. “Dude I wouldn’t mind getting pinned hard by either of them.”, Hiro winked.
Ororo shook her head fixing her hair and Stephan and Evan both sighed and Hiro. “I should go see what Shawn wants.”, Ororo sighed pulling her hair back into her high ponytail. “Yeah guess training is over. We should all head back inside. Some of us could use a shower and to groom our wings.”, Stephan commented noticing that the twins and his own wings were a bit out of sorts from the strong winds. “Yeah you boys have been flying and training most of the afternoon you are rather musky from what I could tell.”,Inola teased since she had just being rather close to Evan. “Do whatever. But Ororo go see what Shawn wants before he flirts his way into a knuckle sandwich.”, Karli suggested climbing back down. Ororo laughed shaking her head. “One of these days Shawn is going to either take his flirting too far or flirt with the wrong woman and get hurt.”, Ororo sighed heading to follow her sister. Stephan simply nodded, he wasn’t a fan of Shawn Boykin and certainly not how he flirted with most people especially Ororo. The others followed Ororo down from the roof starting for their dorms to clean up from training. “Stephan…”, Ororo paused looking back at him. “Yes Ororo?”, he questioned stopping and turning to her. “Um after I deal with Shawn can we talk?”, she asked. “Of course. If you’ll excuse me I should go clean up.”, Stephan smiled giving a small nod to her as they parted ways.
While Ororo went over her work schedule with Shawn to prevent any conflicts with her public school and institute schedules, Stephan went solemnly to his room ignore Nathan who was getting ready for work and asked what was wrong. Ororo hurried back up the stairs, nervous about what Stephan’s answer was going to be when she asked why he’d been upset. She knocked on the door and it was Nathan that opened it dressed in black slacks, dark purple dress shirt, black tie and vest combination for work. “Hi Ororo. Looking for Stephan I’ll assume.”, he smiled greeting her. Ororo never came to their door looking for him. Ororo rolled her eyes but nodded. “Yes. I asked to talk to him after my meeting with Shawn. Where is he?”, she asked. “Shower but come on in, I’m sure he won’t mind.”, Nathan chuckled letting her in. ‘Ororo is out here looking for you. I suggest walking out in something more than a towel...unless you are looking for her to get a up close and personal to know just how much you like her.’ Nathan thought to Stephan. ‘I’m heading to work. Good luck man.’ he added. “He should be out soon. I’ve gotta head to work. Later Ororo.”, he smiled with a nod grabbing his fedora hat and heading out of the dorm closing the door behind him. Stephan sighed shaking his head hearing Nathan’s telepathical warning. At least he was given the heads up about her presence.
Ororo shrugged as Nathan left and sat down on Stephan’s bed waiting while Stephan quickly put on his pants he’d been wearing before walking back out. He didn’t feel overly self conscious about the lack of a shirt as his fur acted as its own cover and she’d seen him without a shirt on before after training. “Hello Ororo…”, he greeted drying his hair with his towel. Ororo smiled tilting her head slightly to the side watching him. His fur was still a little damp from the shower and she could see droplets of water dripping off the end of his wings. “Hi Stephan.”, she greeted. “How was your meeting with Shawn?”, he asked. “Productive I suppose. There was some scheduling conflicts of work dates and my academic requirements both here and the public school. We got it all situated though.”, she smiled moving a little and patting the space next to her on his bed. Stephan nodded a little sitting down his lion tail swishing back and forth a little nervous. He was sitting on his bed, with a closed door, alone in his dorm with his crush. “I see. Well that’s good. You had said you wanted to talk to me. What about?”, he asked deciding to get to the point.
“Well it’s about what happened on the roof. Inola said you’d come to find me when I came down with Kyle and when you returned seemed upset. But I didn’t see you come down. What happened?”, she asked softly. “Oh...that…”, Stephan nodded. He was trying to think of how he could explain that he was upset that she was going out with Kyle, that she’d only recently gotten back from her world travels for work and was again going to be leaving and this time with Kyle. How could he explain that and it not sound like he was jealous? Because he was, but he couldn’t let her know that. Then he’d be outing himself and his crush on her. He wasn’t ready for the rejection he was certain would follow. Even though she was always sweet and the kindest to him he never thought it could be because she care for him the same way as he did for her. “Well I overheard Kyle asking you to be his date for Ashley and Xavier’s wedding. And if I seemed upset it was because you only just recently returned from traveling for work leaving our team one short. And the school is already going to be without the four Kearney and four Howlett students. Our team was the only one not really being hit too hard by them leaving as only Junior would be missing from our team.”, he explained trying to make it about the team rather than his own jealousy and that he would miss her and had missed her all summer.
“Ooh…”, Ororo nodded a little as he explained his stance on it. He was upset because if she’d agreed to go it would affect the number of members on the team available for a mission if one came up. “I see...well you don’t have to worry about the team being short two members. I declined Kyle’s offer.”, she said softly not looking at his face unable to bring herself to. She sighed a little and noticed some feathers out of place and without asked him reached out and ran her fingers over his feathers helping to free the loosened feathers. Stephan blinked a little as she said she’d declined. So she wasn’t going to the wedding...she wasn’t going on a date with Kyle. He smiled a little a tiny sliver of hope was there. “Ororo…”, he was about to say something but stopped when she reached and started to groom his feathers. “Hmm?”, Ororo asked lightly holding his wing in one hand gently moving it to open to better preen his feathers. “You don’t have to groom my feathers…”, he said quietly. “I know. But I like doing this. You’re wings are so beautiful. With their subtle pattern and shades of white. I don’t think any creature in all of creation could have feathers more beautiful than yours.”, she commented setting any of the loose feathers aside shifting behind him on the bed to reach his other wing. Stephan smiled and knew under his feathers he was blushing. He always blushed when she complimented him. “Thank you..”, he said quietly. “You’re welcome. And besides it’s probably the fault of the winds from my storm that your feathers are soo out of place.”, she smiled happily continuing to groom his wings. She loved getting to be close to him like this, even if she couldn’t bring herself to tell him how she felt. She decided that she’d give him till she was fourteen to realize she likes him. If didn’t by then she’d say something.
Kyle had sent a text to Donovan letting him know he’d tried to ask Ororo to the wedding but was given a no, albeit polite but still a no. Donovan knew how rejection could sting, he’d been rejected a few times by Rose but now he had her. Which he tried to be a good father figure and just told Kyle that sometimes things don’t work out when you want them but they can work out when you didn’t expect them. He was typing up the reply sitting at Muir Island with his feet on a coffee table still in his uniform from having finished his patrol. He was going to head home and take a shower and change into his street clothes for a late dinner with Rose as she’d been on her patrol as well earlier and had some studying to do and practicing the song she was supposed to duet with her friend Landon for Ashley and Xavier’s wedding. He was looking forward to seeing her all dressed up in a kimono with her hair and makeup done. “What are you still doing here?”, Rose asked appearing in the main space of Muir Island. She’d planned to practice there rather than at the house, knowing that both her roommates were trying to study. Donovan leaned in his head back looking over at her with a smirk. “Wat Ah doing ‘ere she says. Ah still in mah uniform princess. Ah dinna get back not but a few minutes ago and got a text from Kyle dat Ah was replying ta. Wat ya doing ‘ere a better question. Ah t’ought ya had studying and practice ta do before our dinner at mah place.”, he smiled bringing his feet down.
Rose sighed setting her guitar down walking over leaning over the back of the couch to give him a kiss on the cheek. It’d been a couple months since they started dating but they were still in the taking it slow phase. After the fiasco with Merrick slow was what she wanted. She’d jumped into the physical side of things with Merrick, but that was okay for what they had been. Donovan however was different, this was a relationship and she’d rather focus on the less physical side of it for a while before going further. Though it’d been called into question once if her decision to take things slow physically was a lack of animal magnetism. She did feel a spark when Donovan would kiss her but she had to admit, only to herself, that she’d yet to feel that unquenching thirst to have him, to touch him and to be touched by him. But she was certain that was just the lingering effect from wanting to take things slow with him. Donovan however turned his head so the kiss didn’t land on his cheek but on his lips. He held the kiss bringing a hand to hold the back of her head his tongue brushing against her lips gently before pulling back with a smile. Rose smiled back, the kiss was nice and he smelled a little musky probably from his patrol she liked the scent.
“Well if you must know I came here to practice. I’m going to be video chatting with Landon so we can practice together. And I figured it would be easier to do here where I wouldn’t be bothering Atif and Billy who are studying.”, she explained. Donovan nodded. “O Ah see. Ah’ll let ya get to dat den. Need ta make sure dat song perfect fer mah cousin and yer nephew. Ah’m gonna ‘ead ta mah place and get in a shower and start on dinner.”, he sighed getting up from the couch. “A shower?”, she asked. Donovan smiled. “Aye a shower. Ya kne wid da water and soap. If we weren’t taking dis slow Ah’d invite ya ta join me.”, he smirked. “I like the way you smell.”, she shrugged smiling a little as his implied invitation. “Mmm good to know you like how I smell sweaty.”, he commented leaning down giving her a deep kiss. “But Ah still gonna shower before Ah fix supper. See ya after yer practice álainn”, he smiled. Rose sighed a little when he pulled back she was rather tempted to skip the practice and take that shower, but she was going to hold out and see if a relationship can work before they got physical. “Okay, I’ll see you at your place late then. Bye Donovan.”, she nodded. “Bye.”, he winked before pressing the button on his watch that teleported him to his house in Glasgow. Rose sighed picking up her guitar and going to the computer and pulled up skype to practice with Landon, the thought of Donovan in the shower in the back of her mind distracting her during the practice.
With practice finished Rose teleported to Donovan’s house, which only recently he’d finish getting furnished and with the help of his mother decorate. He had put faith in his mother as she is an interior designer for her business. “Donovan?”, she questioned looking around the living room. “Out ‘ere.”, Donovan called walking in from his back patio where his grill was carrying a plate with two just off the grill steaks. Rose smiled a little, one thing she had to admit she didn’t miss about being with Merrick was worrying about eating meat and it somehow offending him. “Steaks?”, she questioned with a smile setting her guitar against the back of one of the sofas. “Aye. Ah got baked potatoes bout ta take out da oven and broccoli on da stove.”, he paused giving her a kiss before continuing to the kitchen setting the plate on the counter going about getting the potatoes and broccoli. “So ‘ow was yer virtual practice wid yer mate Landon?”, he asked setting the food down on the counter. “Went well. Landon and I are rather good at being able to play well together even if we are doing so virtually.”, he said moving around him in the kitchen grabbing plates and setting two places at the table in the nook off the kitchen. “Well ya did say ya were part of a band fer a number of years. So Ah suppose dat w’y ya two work well together. And w’y mah cousin insisted dat ya two sing deir song fer da wedding. Wat is da song anyways? Ah never ‘eard it.”, he asked bringing the food to the table and grabbing a couple beers from his fridge.
“It’s called ‘No Matter Where you Are’ by Us The Duo.”, she answered taking her seat. It smelled good at least. So bonus point he can cook. Donovan nodded a little sitting down and serving up some food to his plate. “Ah suppose Ah’ll wait till da wedding ta kne wat da lyrics are and w’y mah cousin and yer nephew picked it fer deir song.”, he said starting to cut his steak. “I think they picked it because the lyrics talk about that no matter where they are they’ll be there for each other, that they’ll always be there to catch the other if they fall and that they’ll love each other forever just because.”, Rose explained taking a bite of her steak before. “Hmm.”, he nodded eating. “For example the opening lyric.”, Rose said taking a small sip of her beer before singing the opening line. “I will stay by you. Even when we fall. I will be the rock, that holds you up and lifts you high so you stand tall.”, she sang softly. “Verra nice. Ah canna say Ah’ve ever ‘eard yer mate Landon sing, but between wat ya’ve told me and mah cousins ‘ave da man got a good voice. So s’ould make fer a lovely duet. Yer playing da guitar and he playing a drum?”, he continued making conversation as they ate. Rose nodded. “Yup. I’m going to play my acoustic guitar, which funny enough Landon made me as my graduation present. And he’s going to play a tambora drum.”, she nodded eating. “S’ould be an interesting sight. Yer wearing da kimono and he gonna be in a kilt. Looking forward ta seeing ya dressed up.”, he commented. Rose smiled. “Well the kimono that Ashley picked for us girls is a beautiful pattern on silk. Though I guess she got Landon a different kilt to wear. She’s putting my nephew, cousin and Atif in the Kearney tartan. But Landon she actually ordered his in the Bryant tartan which is more an olive green with red, purple, and soft yellow.”, she shrugged.
Donovan nodded finishing up his dinner, having been hungry from patrol. “Aye. Ah suppose dat makes sense. Xavier marrying a Kearney so he s’ould be in our plaid. Atif is Kearney so o course he better be in our plaid. Den from wat Ah learned during our trip ta Bayville yer cousin Jimmy dating mah cousin Lauren. So all dem eit’er born Kearney or in love wid one. Yer mate Landon da only one not involved wid a Kearney so no need ta make him wear da colors of a clan he ain’t. Plus Xavier made him da best manaye?”, he asked. Rose nodded. “Yeah Landon is the best man and Lily is the maid of honor.”, she explained. “Aye so he s’ould stand out a little from da ot’er groomsmen den. So yer paired off wid Atif or wid Jimmy fer da procession?”, he asked starting to clear the table. “I’m with Atif and my friend Cora Lee is with Jimmy.”, she explained helping pick up. “Aye. Da fair skinned one wid da vivid purple ‘air. She a bit taller dan yer cousin.”, he commented. “Yes well Jimmy takes more after my dad than his dad as far as height goes. But Jimmy says he is in agreement with my dad that his height isn’t a bad thing. Something about puts him at just the right natural height on Lauren.”, she chuckled. Donovan laughed shaking his head remembering the height difference between his younger female cousin Lauren and Rose’s cousin Jimmy. “Aye canna argue wid dat logic, almost makes me wish Ah was s’orter. But Ah still prefer being taller dan ya lassie. So Ah suppose dis wedding be w’en Ah get introduced proper ta yer parents?”, he asked snaking his arms around her from behind as she was heading for the living room.
Rose nodded leaning back against him. “Yeah. You’ll meet them this time. And well the entire Howlett family for that matter. Even my sister Kirra is coming from her travels in Europe and my brother Cero is coming from Alaska for the event.”, she explained. “Meeting all da Howletts...Ah’d say it sounds terrifying if not fer da fact dere will be more of mah clan dan yers at da event.”, he smiled brushing some hair away from her neck starting to lightly kiss and bite along her neck. Rose sighed tilting her head a little for him. “That’s only because Kearney’s breed like rabbits and generally in multiples.”, she teased rubbing his arms with her hands. “Aye Kearneys are verra good at ensuring our clan name carries on. Dere a good reason we so many in number…”, he spoke softly as he nibbling on her earlobe his hands starting to rub at her sides. “Mmm...and why is that…”, Rose asked a little distracted but having an idea of why. “Cause we passionate and, as Ah been told, bonny lovers.”, he answered biting a little harder to only barely draw blood before the wound easily healed. Rose growled a little in pleasure at the bite. Yeah pain was still something she could enjoy even if it wasn’t Merrick’s claws or fangs. His hands were staying outside of her clothes but one had moved to hip at her waist while the other hand moved higher running over her chest and up to her exposed neckline from the scoopneck top she was wearing. “Mmmm… that’s the story.”, she replied rubbing her lips she had to admit she was enjoying herself. “Aye….if ya want Ah’d be more dan ‘appy ta show ya it ain’t just a story.”, he offered bringing his hand up and turning her head to him and kissing her letting his tongue slip into her parted lips before she could really answer.
She moaned a little into his mouth turning around in his arms bringing her arms up around his neck returning the kiss. Her movement causing the hand that held her hip to now be over her ass, which he moved his hand enough to cup one cheek giving it a sound squeeze while bringing his other down to join it picking her up off the ground walking just enough to a wall and pressing her against it his hands eagerly seeking to touch her skin as his tongue rubbed against hers exploring her mouth. It was an all too familiar yearning for him, over the last couple months of them dating they spent more time together that wasn’t Excalibur related talking and kissing. And it seemed each time the kissing escalated just a little more than the last time. Tonight was no exception, it escalated rather quickly as he was finding the concept of holding back that much more difficult. He’d wanted her for years and now he had her but not to the extent he wanted her. And he could feel that she wanted the same just by her reaction. Rose losing herself in the moment letting her legs wrap around him her nails starting to press against the soft skin of his neck and shoulders. But something held her back, she didn’t dig in as hard as she could have. Her upper brain won and she pulled back from the kiss slightly out of breath. “I...I..should…I should head home.”, she said catching her breath. Donovan sighed resting his forehead on her shoulder still holding her against the wall.
“Ya kne, Ah tink yer gonna be da deat’ o me.”, he sighed softly as he reluctantly set her back down. Rose sighed a little looking up at him touching his cheek and leaned up giving him a soft kiss. “I’m just..”, she tried to explain. “Aye Ah kne ya want ta go slow and dat all well and good Ah suppose. It ain’t gonna deter me from wanting ta be wid ya. Ah just get da feeling yer ‘olding back. And Ah dinna kne w’y. Ah felt yer nails fer a moment, yer claws trying ta come out. But dey dinna. ya kne ya canna ‘urt me any more dan Ah can ‘urt ya. Ah will not pus’ ya ta do anyting yer not ready ta do. Just kne dat w’en ya ready...don’t ‘old back on me lassie. Cause Ah will not ‘old back on ya.”, he smiled a little cupping her face giving her a kiss. “So you don’t mind too much that I keep hitting the brakes?”, she asked. “Oh Ah mind plenty. Ah canna tink of a woman Ah been wid dat given me bluer balls dan ya leave me wid Rose. But Ah can deal wid cold showers and ‘aving a wank every now and den.”, he explained. Rose chuckled a little shaking her head. “Eventually...when I’m ready to take that step you won’t need cold showers and if you get a ‘wank’ it won’t be your own hand.”, she smiled. “Now yer just teasing me wid promises of getting ta at least second base, as ya yanks call it.”, he sighed. “Thank you.”, she said simply. “Fer wat?”, he asked. “For being patient with me. But I really should head back to the cottage I’ve got early morning clinical classes.”, she sighed grabbing her guitar. Donovan nodded and got out of her way for her to get the guitar. “Ah’ll see ya tomorrow den. Nig’t Rose.”, he smiled giving her a kiss. “Night Donovan.”, she smiled before hitting the button on her watch and disappearing.
The weekend of the weddings was finally upon everyone. The Kearney/Delaney clan from Bayville; Sadria, Azriel, Darren, Colin, Mary, Lauren, Owen, Iver, Kisa, Hiro, Evan, Kyle, Colby, Alison, Blaire, Tristan, and Carter were all packed and on their plan heading for Glasgow. And just at they were leaving so were the Howletts and the Manhattanites; John, Sarael, Rachel, Landon, Jimmy, Logan, Aurelia, Nikki, Reine, Junior, Cora Lee, Malcolm, Lily, and Tommy. Traveling for even further Cero and Mia were leaving Alaska, Kirra caught a flight from Serbia where she had been busy fighting a group called The Hand which had been stirring up trouble across borders, Hudson and Teresa were coming in from Madripoor, and Amiko, Haung, Shiro (Sunfire), Leyu (Sunpyre), and Yukio were all flying in from Japan along with some of Xavier’s friends from university. As they departed for the wedding a team of X-Men; Scott and Meghan Summers, Max and Kyung Moon Rodriguiez, along with Kamal and Callisto Raque boarded the x-jet in route to Muir Island to offer coverage to Excalibur while they attended the wedding. The vast Kearney clan was preparing for the wedding. Alan II, Alendria, Malcolm, and Christine possibly the most excited next to their parents marcus and Margret at the idea of getting to see Sadria, Colin and Iver after being separated by the ocean for so long and meet their other nephews and nieces. It would be the first time in over two decades that all of the Kearney clan was back on their native soil of Scotland.
As there seemed to be a mass exodus of the Howlett and Kearney family to Scotland there was also a migration of the Frost family as they headed to Boston for the wedding of Josalyn and Robert. Faelan had already headed up with his grandparents as he was going to be the ring barrier for his aunt. So Merrick just needed to drive up with Zoe. He sat in the living room waiting while Zoe finished getting dressed. He had his phone out and was talking with his sister Lily. “I know you needed to go to Scotland for Ashley, she asked you to be maid of honor after all. But just do me a favor and call me later during the reception and I can give the phone to Josalyn.”, he requested. Lily groaned a little, her and Josalyn didn’t really see eye to eye on much of anything. But Merrick still pushed to try and get them to get along. “She didn’t want me at the wedding so why should I call her?”, Lily asked wincing a little as she sat in a chair her red hair getting tugged this way and that to get into the style Ashley wanted them to wear. “That’s not true. Even if she won’t admit is you are her twin of course she’d want you there, but she knew you were going to Ashley’s wedding. So just please for…”, his voice trailed off as his head turning hearing the steps of Zoe’s heels and he froze staring at her. Zoe had chosen to wear a pale green satin shelf dress that she’d gotten from Hazel, the cut was perfect making her look a bit curvier and like she had a bit more of a chest than she knew she really did. She was putting on the second of her dangling pearl and white gold leaf earrings that matched the necklace from the set Hazel had given her that matched on point with the engagement ring.
“Merrick? You still there?”, Lily questioned. Merrick’s green-yellow eyes were busy moving over every curve of Zoe’s body mentally undressing her, but he blinked hearing Lily. “Um yeah I’m still here Lily. Just do this for me. Okay. Call later and talk to Josalyn even if it’s just a simple congratulations. Now...I… I gotta go. Zoe just walked out and… bye Lily.”, he answered haphazardly before hanging up. Lily rolled her eyes setting her phone back down and sat still for the hairdresser. She glanced to the other two chairs and noticed Cora Lee slouching a little and the hairdresser getting frustrated. “Cora Lee Bernice, sit up straight and let the woman do your hair the way Ashley wants it.”, Lily scolded. Cora Lee groaned and sat up. “I’m tired. All that traveling...but fine.”, Cora Lee agreed. “Are...are you going to wear like I don’t know a shawl or something?”, Merrick asked looking at Zoe rubbing his lips together a little. Zoe looked down and then back and him and smirked. “Hadn’t planned on it. Why? Too distracting?”, she asked with a laugh. Merrick smiled getting up closing the space between them and pressing her against her living room wall. "Extremely...think it’d be an issue if we are late?”, he asked with a smirk picking her up gently by her hips pinning her to the wall bringing her legs up around him letting his hands run over her soft legs the hem of the dress riding up. Zoe laughed a little putting her hands on his shoulders. “Merrick Edward, you can wait till later. Today is Josalyn’s day. Do you want her to be late to our wedding because she decided to give into some animal passion and screw Robert?”, she countered.
Merrick shrugged. “No I probably wouldn’t care, unless they are part of the wedding party. More power to them I say. They need to eventually catch up with us in the kids department.”, he smirked giving her a deep kiss. Zoe was going to say something in reply but the words got lost in the kiss as she returned it letting her hands wrap around his neck and her fingers twirl at the short hairs on the back of his head. She pulled back from the kiss for air. “Okay we need to go. We can finish this later. I promise. I don’t want to be late for the wedding.”, she finally got out her original thought. Merrick let out a small whimper like a dog who’d been disciplined. “Fine...but either I’ll find a dark secluded corner at this reception or wait till we get back to the Haven either way I am going to screw your brains out sometime for today is over.”, he smirked setting her back down. Zoe sighed fixing her dress. “And I look forward to it, trust me.”, she smiled giving him a kiss before grabbing her purse. “Now let’s go to your sister’s wedding. I want to see our son in his suit.”, she smiled heading down the stairs for his car. Merrick nodded and locked up her apartment and followed after her driving up to Boston. During the drive they discussed the house and it’s progress, Zoe eager to start making the former Haven their first home.
"I'm going to get into so many fights at this reception.", he sighed shaking his head as they got out of the car and grabbed the gift from the back seat. “Why is that?”, Zoe asked smoothing out her dress. “If any of Robert's university buddies start oggling your chest.", he explained. Zoe chuckled linking her arm on his. "Oh let them oggle. We both know who I’m going home with, tonight and every other night." she said. "You realize some scenes on broadway are nude scenes.", she shook her head. "Yeah well... First of the idiots to try something it'll be between me and Alexander which knocks them out first. God we'd actually be of the same mind of something... So scary.", he chuckled. Defending Zoe was probably the only thing him and Alexander could agree on anymore. "And yes, I know there are nude scenes. I just don't think about that. I’m the one that gets to see you naked in private and gets to touch, kiss, lick and nibble. ", he smirked. Zoe chuckled leaning into him as they walked from the parking lot. “It'll be nice to see Alexander. He doesn't visit too often..",she commented on the subject of her brother. "Well I'm sure college and then his future father-in-law keep him busy.",he shrugged. She shrugged a little. "I'm sure." She chuckled and fixed her hair. "Hopefully he eventually gets the time to get to know you more. Gina adores you to no end. He should take the time to see he got a rather fantastic sister, even if she's foolish enough to marry me.",he smiled.
"Okay. This is it. You ready?",he asked looking to the large canvas tents decorated with fall colors to fit Josalyn and Robert's theme. Most of his family and the academy was already there. "Oh yes.", she said. She leaned up and kissed his cheek gently, smiling. Merrick smiled taking her hand in his as they walked up to the tent. “Bride or groom?”, an usher asked looking briefly at Merrick and mostly looking at Zoe’s chest. Merrick growled a little. “They are bride...thank god you got here Merrick. Come on.”, Kim said taking the gift from Merrick’s hand and shoving it to the usher. “Put this where it belongs William.”, she instructed before grabbing Merrick’s arm. “Um guess I’ll grab our seats…”, Zoe said figuring this was some family emergency if Kim was quickly snatching Merrick up. “No you too.”, Kim said dragging them both in the direction of the small building on the property where the wedding party was getting ready. “What’s wrong? Faelan okay mom?”, Merrick asked figuring this was about their son. “No Faelan is fine. He’s been perfect. He’s over in the groomsmen room with your father. It’s your sister.”, Kim explained as they walked up to the door that was marked ‘Bride’. “Um okay then what do you need us for?”, Merrick asked confused. “Zoe I want to come with me to the kitchen this caterer is pissing me off and we can’t understand each other. He apparently only speaks Italian, I call bullshit, so I need someone to yell at him in his own language.”, Kim explained. “And you need to talk to your sister and get her to calm down.”, she said pointing to the door. It was easy to hear muffled crying and yelling. “Um...can I trade with Zoe?”, he asked. “No. Now talk to your sister. Come on Zoe I need your help with this chef.”, she said taking Zoe’s hand. “Um alright happy to help Kim. Good luck Merrick.”,she waved disappearing with his mother.

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

"Mmh... So this is suppose to be training for them, right?", she asked. This being one of the first times she'd observed then training since moving into the institute. "Yeah. Their game of follow the leader. Trying different flight maneuvers so that all three teams have a winged mutant that can pull off any aerial move needed.",she nodded "Soo...", she held her hand out, a purple light glowing before a bow formed. It took a lot of concentration, but it was fun. "How angry would they be if I shot at one?", she smiled. "Um... Depends who you shoot. And if you actually hurt them.", she answered a bit nervous about this. "I said at one.", she said. "Not actually hit them.", she corrected. "Okay. And again depends who you shoot at. I can't really see Evan mad but certainly confused. Hiro may get upset. And Stephan... That's a wild card. He's generally gentle and sweet but... There's that neyaphem blood that boils quick sometimes...", Ororo explained. "It's training, they can't expect things to run smoothly all the time.", she raised her bow up and aimed at the middle of the trip forming an arrow before firing a few feet behind them. At worst, it'd feel like they grabbed an electric fence if they were hit. "Yeah.... I suppose... Though we're just obser....", her voice trailed as the arrow was released heading directly at Stephan. "ing them....", she finished. Hiro blinked seeing something purple heading their way. "Um did training today include avoiding getting shot?". Hiro asked. "No just flight patterns and speed...". Evan went to answer. "What the...", he questioned flying up to be out of the way. Stephan blinked as he heard them and looked down, watching the purple arrow zip behind him harmlessly. "What is she doing?", he asked, blinking his large eyes as he spotted her summoning another arrow.
"Think we should go to evasive patterns and speed?", he suggested. He'd only had a couple training sessions with Inola since she came to the institute so he'd not fully learned her powers and techniques. Hiro and Evan nodded. "Yeah... Apparently your team's archer is looking for some winged mutants for her taxidermy.", Hiro nodded separating from his twin and Stephan. Three together was easier target but splitting up would be harder. Evan flew up higher to put distance between him and Hiro and Stephan. Ororo just sighed shaking her head. Stephan tilted to move further to the right. "Following patterns is nice and all, and so is the danger room. but-", she fired another arrow, aiming at Hiro this time. "Not expecting things coming at you is even more help.", she finished as she loaded another arrow. "Right... You realize this means you've made yourself or maybe both of us the targets now?", Ororo asked. Hiro barrel rolled to avoid the arrow it just barely clipping his right wing. "So do we just play evasion or do we get to fight back?", Hiro asked."Oh I never said I wasn't ready for that.", she said with a smirk. "It's just playing, relax. Or you afraid daddy is going to come?", Inola asked. She aimed and fired at Evan before rapidly sending two shots towards Hiro, slowly aiming closer and closer to them. "I say..." Stephan thought a bit. "Lets fight back.", he nodded to the twins.
"No, not afraid of my dad. Plus he's not here. So fine. I'm in.", Ororo nodded. Some would consider her powers limited only thinking about them in the sense of her father's ability to take away memories. Those would be fold sense if she can dream it up she can take it from her mind and unleash it. She brought forth one of her recurring dreams of a storm the clear orb forming in her hand filled with dark cloud, claps of thunder, stand of lightening and blowing winds. "How's your aim in strong winds?", Ororo asked throwing the orb not waiting for an answer unleashing the storm. Evan moved to evade the arrow.Hiro moved avoiding one arrow the second clipping his wing "Oh they want to play...", Hiro chuckled looking up as the clouds went black and thunder started to roll and the winds picked up. Stephan blinked and looked at the thunder then smiled a bit. So Ororo was joining Inola's side in this match. "Time to focus!", he yelled. Inola grinned and watched how the wind was moving by watching their feathers and Stephan's tail and fur, starting to fire at them all with a volley of arrows. Ororo had some control but not much over the storm she'd just unleashed. She kept it centralized over them only but otherwise it was a raging storm. The winds blowing in varied directions getting stronger the more she focused. Evan tried to get lower the wind that high up with nothing to cut it starting to toss him a little. "We can't just stay in the air with this wind!", Hiro yelled barely avoiding Inola's arrows as he also was fighting the gusts of wind. Hiro, Evan and Stephan all tried get lower to use the trees not only as cover but to help cut the wind as they weaved through them to make their way for the observation deck and their new targets, Ororo and Inola. "Their on the attack, trying to use the trees for cover.", Ororo commented. She'd trained with the boys for years so she knew them. "Three against two. I think we can take them.", Inola smiled ready for a challenge.
The winged mutants made their way under the cover of the trees still having to avoid Inola’s arrows to the building and suddenly turned up flying close to the structure to avoid the volley of arrows. As they reached the roof Stephan tucked his wings and made Inola his primary target, she started this after all so it would end with her. He dove at her, but Inola was ready switching from her arrows to just shooting out beams from her palms. Stephan had to alter his course to avoid getting hit landing hard into the roof. A crack of thunder and a streak of lightning came dangerously close to the building as Ororo moved from the railing knowing if Stephan was at the roof the twins would not be far behind. With Inola’s attention turned to Stephan, Hiro flew up and mid dive transformed to his siberian tiger form and landed on Inola forcing her to the ground his large paws pressing down on her shoulders holding back just enough by not letting his claws dig in. “OFF ME BIRD BRAIN!”, Inola shouted trying to shift the balance but in his tiger form Hiro more than a little out weighed her and was stronger than his human form.
Ororo watched, her eyes darting looking for Evan, “I’ve got you covered Inola”, she called focusing to control the raging storm and strong wind forming into a tunnel and aimed directly at Hiro sending the nearly seven hundred pound tiger off Inola. Hiro dug into the shingles of the roof to not go flying off leaving his claw marks. Inola moved to get up finding herself going on defense as Stephan took the opportunity to move in for some hand to hand combat. Evan was the last to come up the side of the building and dove after Ororo knowing it was the only way to take her focus off Hiro. He landed hard tackling her to the roof, the wind dying down and Hiro getting his balance again. Hiro moved to help Stephan combat Inola while Ororo flipped Evan off her and pinned him down her forearm across his throat. “Ge...get off me..”, Evan managed to breath out grabbing her by the arms and used his wings to shift his weight to get her off him. Inola was holding her own dodging the siberian tiger while trying to fight off Stephan’s attacks. Ororo scrambled to her feet as did Evan the pair throwing fists and kicks as they had many times in survival training over the years. Ororo got Evan back to the ground Evan on the defense trying to block her punches. “A little help?”, Evan requested.
While the impute training ‘battle’ raged upstairs Shawn Boykin arrived at the front door of the institute. His brown eyes looked up seeing the storm that was only centralized on the school wondering what student was behind it as it obviously wasn’t natural. Karli groaned hearing the door and walked over pulling it open. “Hi ya Karli.”, Shawn smiled flirtatiously at his client's older sister. Karli rolled her dark red eyes at Shawn. “Hi Shawn. I will assume you are looking for Ororo.”, she said stepping aside for him to walk in. Shawn smiled talking inside holding his briefcase, having some schedule conflicts to discuss with Ororo. “Maybe. Or maybe I’m here about you.”, he commented. “Me?”, Karli questioned shaking her head knowing he was just trying to be coy. “You have been giving me the cold shoulder since I started as Ororo’s agent. Personally I think it’s because you don’t want to admit you want me.”, he shrugged his smile not fading. “Right….and what’s your telepathy tell you?”, she folded her arms narrowing her eyes slightly. She’d admit he wasn’t unattractive. However she’d played the younger guy game before, sure it was enjoyable while it lasted.
But that was Merrick and he was a beast in bed. She had doubt that the young telepath could compare to the experience she’d had with Merrick or even her experience with the older and very good with his hands, organic and otherwise, Forge. Shawn smirked. “I don’t need telepathy to know you’ve at least thought about it.”, he winked. “But in honesty where is Ororo? We’ve got work to discuss.”, he questioned looking around. Kyle was mournfully walking through the foyer and stopped hearing someone ask about Ororo. “She’s probably still on the roof with Stephan..”, Kyle commented as he continued to head for the kitchen looking to drown his rejection in food. “I’ll go get her. Sit.”, Karli said pointing to a sofa. “As you command mistress.”, Shawn said playfully winking at her as he took a seat. Karli rolled her eyes but smirked heading up the stairs for the roof access to find her younger sister.
Up on the roof Stephan ducked Inola’s attack and went to help Evan reaching down and grabbing Ororo pulling her off Evan and putting her into a full nelson slipping both of his arms underneath the her armpits and locked his claw hands behind her neck, pushing the Ororo’s head forward against her chest. “I’ve got her. Go help Hiro.”, Stephan instructed. Evan nodded being able to catch his breath and hurried to his feet heading to help his twin fight Inola. “Got who?”, Ororo demanded raising her arms up, elbows out the sides, with the tips of her fingers touching the inside of Stephan’s wrists. She formed her hands into hooks and clench them closed around one another to form a single horizontal bar out of both her arms. Placing the back of one of her hands against her forehead and flex her arms, pushing backward with enough pressure to halt Stephan’s attempts to push her head forward. By doing so, she partially thwarted his hold lessening his control. Taking a wide step to her left, bending at the knees to dropping her center of gravity she placed her weight on her left foot and took a step with her right foot to form a U shape, traveling to her left, around Stephan’s left foot, and then out to her right to extend behind both his legs. Stephan realized the danger of his position and thought to release her of his own volition. But before he could Ororo bent forward, bending deeply at the knees and digging into the back of Stephan's legs grabbing hold of his pants just above his knees. She straighten her back while lowering her body as if she was sitting in a chair to picked him clean off the ground. His weight being largely supported by the hold around her neck, so lifting his lower body was not difficult, even though he is larger than her. From this position, she pivoted on her right foot while twisting at the waist. She released at the appropriate moment sending Stephan flying in a sideways spin off to her right.
Stephan using his wings to control how far he went in the wind that blew around the school. He smiled a little looking at Ororo. Her ponytail had come loose and her black hair was freely in the wind that look of confidence and determination in her hazel eyes that he saw every time they were in training as part of team alpha. He shook his head a little trying to push aside the thought of how beautiful she looked at the moment. As Ororo went to catch her breath Stephan tackled her pinning her to the roof, using his weight and wings to hold her in place. Ororo’s hands tried to act as defense pushing back against his shoulders digging her nails into his shoulders. Neither really thinking about how precarious the position they’d put themselves into might look to someone who didn’t know they were righting. As Ororo and Stephan battled Inola was shooting arrows at Hiro to keep him at bay while trying to fight off Evan. She knew she had to focus and chose to tackle Evan to the roof Evan hitting hard. His black hair a mess from all the fighting and his ivory feathers ruffled and a mess with some becoming loose again. “Got ya.”, Inola smiled down at Evan. “Today...it not my day…”, Evan groaned at being pinned again. “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON UP HERE!?”, Karli demanded opening the hatch seeing the five, or at least four in precarious positions. Though her focus was on seeing Stephan Wagner on top of her little sister in a position that the times she’d ever been in were naked with Forge or Merrick.
All five stopped what they were doing freezing in place. Hiro had been ready to pounce on Inola but shifted back to human hearing Karli shouting. Ororo turned her head from being inches from Stephan’s to look at her sister. “Karli?”, she questioned losing her focus and the storm dying down. Inola sat up still having Evan pinned down. “It’s called training.”, Inola defended. “Right training. And that’s why it looks like Stephan there is mounting my sister? Cause seriously if it was our father that came up here and saw him on top of her like that…”, Karli shook her head. Stephan blinked realizing how to an outside perspective him having Ororo pinned like this their bodies pressed so close together it could look bad. And as he realized that he became very self conscious about how it felt to have her under him like this, blushing behind his feathers and he carefully moved to get off Ororo and offer her a hand up. Ororo blushed at what her sister was implying and took his hand standing up. “Gutter brain. It was training Karli, something I’ve done since I was like six. What do you want?”, Ororo asked straightening her clothes looking at her sister. “Your agent is downstairs waiting for you.”, Karli explained. Inola moved getting up from Evan offering him a hand. “No hard feelings right? Was just training.”, Inola smiled. Evan frowned up took her hand and stood up. “Yeah no hard feelings. I just got pinned painfully by you and Ororo.”, Evan grumbled. Hiro chuckled. “Dude I wouldn’t mind getting pinned hard by either of them.”, Hiro winked.
Ororo shook her head fixing her hair and Stephan and Evan both sighed and Hiro. “I should go see what Shawn wants.”, Ororo sighed pulling her hair back into her high ponytail. “Yeah guess training is over. We should all head back inside. Some of us could use a shower and to groom our wings.”, Stephan commented noticing that the twins and his own wings were a bit out of sorts from the strong winds. “Yeah you boys have been flying and training most of the afternoon you are rather musky from what I could tell.”,Inola teased since she had just being rather close to Evan. “Do whatever. But Ororo go see what Shawn wants before he flirts his way into a knuckle sandwich.”, Karli suggested climbing back down. Ororo laughed shaking her head. “One of these days Shawn is going to either take his flirting too far or flirt with the wrong woman and get hurt.”, Ororo sighed heading to follow her sister. Stephan simply nodded, he wasn’t a fan of Shawn Boykin and certainly not how he flirted with most people especially Ororo. The others followed Ororo down from the roof starting for their dorms to clean up from training. “Stephan…”, Ororo paused looking back at him. “Yes Ororo?”, he questioned stopping and turning to her. “Um after I deal with Shawn can we talk?”, she asked. “Of course. If you’ll excuse me I should go clean up.”, Stephan smiled giving a small nod to her as they parted ways.
While Ororo went over her work schedule with Shawn to prevent any conflicts with her public school and institute schedules, Stephan went solemnly to his room ignore Nathan who was getting ready for work and asked what was wrong. Ororo hurried back up the stairs, nervous about what Stephan’s answer was going to be when she asked why he’d been upset. She knocked on the door and it was Nathan that opened it dressed in black slacks, dark purple dress shirt, black tie and vest combination for work. “Hi Ororo. Looking for Stephan I’ll assume.”, he smiled greeting her. Ororo never came to their door looking for him. Ororo rolled her eyes but nodded. “Yes. I asked to talk to him after my meeting with Shawn. Where is he?”, she asked. “Shower but come on in, I’m sure he won’t mind.”, Nathan chuckled letting her in. ‘Ororo is out here looking for you. I suggest walking out in something more than a towel...unless you are looking for her to get a up close and personal to know just how much you like her.’ Nathan thought to Stephan. ‘I’m heading to work. Good luck man.’ he added. “He should be out soon. I’ve gotta head to work. Later Ororo.”, he smiled with a nod grabbing his fedora hat and heading out of the dorm closing the door behind him. Stephan sighed shaking his head hearing Nathan’s telepathical warning. At least he was given the heads up about her presence.
Ororo shrugged as Nathan left and sat down on Stephan’s bed waiting while Stephan quickly put on his pants he’d been wearing before walking back out. He didn’t feel overly self conscious about the lack of a shirt as his fur acted as its own cover and she’d seen him without a shirt on before after training. “Hello Ororo…”, he greeted drying his hair with his towel. Ororo smiled tilting her head slightly to the side watching him. His fur was still a little damp from the shower and she could see droplets of water dripping off the end of his wings. “Hi Stephan.”, she greeted. “How was your meeting with Shawn?”, he asked. “Productive I suppose. There was some scheduling conflicts of work dates and my academic requirements both here and the public school. We got it all situated though.”, she smiled moving a little and patting the space next to her on his bed. Stephan nodded a little sitting down his lion tail swishing back and forth a little nervous. He was sitting on his bed, with a closed door, alone in his dorm with his crush. “I see. Well that’s good. You had said you wanted to talk to me. What about?”, he asked deciding to get to the point.
“Well it’s about what happened on the roof. Inola said you’d come to find me when I came down with Kyle and when you returned seemed upset. But I didn’t see you come down. What happened?”, she asked softly. “Oh...that…”, Stephan nodded. He was trying to think of how he could explain that he was upset that she was going out with Kyle, that she’d only recently gotten back from her world travels for work and was again going to be leaving and this time with Kyle. How could he explain that and it not sound like he was jealous? Because he was, but he couldn’t let her know that. Then he’d be outing himself and his crush on her. He wasn’t ready for the rejection he was certain would follow. Even though she was always sweet and the kindest to him he never thought it could be because she care for him the same way as he did for her. “Well I overheard Kyle asking you to be his date for Ashley and Xavier’s wedding. And if I seemed upset it was because you only just recently returned from traveling for work leaving our team one short. And the school is already going to be without the four Kearney and four Howlett students. Our team was the only one not really being hit too hard by them leaving as only Junior would be missing from our team.”, he explained trying to make it about the team rather than his own jealousy and that he would miss her and had missed her all summer.
“Ooh…”, Ororo nodded a little as he explained his stance on it. He was upset because if she’d agreed to go it would affect the number of members on the team available for a mission if one came up. “I see...well you don’t have to worry about the team being short two members. I declined Kyle’s offer.”, she said softly not looking at his face unable to bring herself to. She sighed a little and noticed some feathers out of place and without asked him reached out and ran her fingers over his feathers helping to free the loosened feathers. Stephan blinked a little as she said she’d declined. So she wasn’t going to the wedding...she wasn’t going on a date with Kyle. He smiled a little a tiny sliver of hope was there. “Ororo…”, he was about to say something but stopped when she reached and started to groom his feathers. “Hmm?”, Ororo asked lightly holding his wing in one hand gently moving it to open to better preen his feathers. “You don’t have to groom my feathers…”, he said quietly. “I know. But I like doing this. You’re wings are so beautiful. With their subtle pattern and shades of white. I don’t think any creature in all of creation could have feathers more beautiful than yours.”, she commented setting any of the loose feathers aside shifting behind him on the bed to reach his other wing. Stephan smiled and knew under his feathers he was blushing. He always blushed when she complimented him. “Thank you..”, he said quietly. “You’re welcome. And besides it’s probably the fault of the winds from my storm that your feathers are soo out of place.”, she smiled happily continuing to groom his wings. She loved getting to be close to him like this, even if she couldn’t bring herself to tell him how she felt. She decided that she’d give him till she was fourteen to realize she likes him. If didn’t by then she’d say something.
Kyle had sent a text to Donovan letting him know he’d tried to ask Ororo to the wedding but was given a no, albeit polite but still a no. Donovan knew how rejection could sting, he’d been rejected a few times by Rose but now he had her. Which he tried to be a good father figure and just told Kyle that sometimes things don’t work out when you want them but they can work out when you didn’t expect them. He was typing up the reply sitting at Muir Island with his feet on a coffee table still in his uniform from having finished his patrol. He was going to head home and take a shower and change into his street clothes for a late dinner with Rose as she’d been on her patrol as well earlier and had some studying to do and practicing the song she was supposed to duet with her friend Landon for Ashley and Xavier’s wedding. He was looking forward to seeing her all dressed up in a kimono with her hair and makeup done. “What are you still doing here?”, Rose asked appearing in the main space of Muir Island. She’d planned to practice there rather than at the house, knowing that both her roommates were trying to study. Donovan leaned in his head back looking over at her with a smirk. “Wat Ah doing ‘ere she says. Ah still in mah uniform princess. Ah dinna get back not but a few minutes ago and got a text from Kyle dat Ah was replying ta. Wat ya doing ‘ere a better question. Ah t’ought ya had studying and practice ta do before our dinner at mah place.”, he smiled bringing his feet down.
Rose sighed setting her guitar down walking over leaning over the back of the couch to give him a kiss on the cheek. It’d been a couple months since they started dating but they were still in the taking it slow phase. After the fiasco with Merrick slow was what she wanted. She’d jumped into the physical side of things with Merrick, but that was okay for what they had been. Donovan however was different, this was a relationship and she’d rather focus on the less physical side of it for a while before going further. Though it’d been called into question once if her decision to take things slow physically was a lack of animal magnetism. She did feel a spark when Donovan would kiss her but she had to admit, only to herself, that she’d yet to feel that unquenching thirst to have him, to touch him and to be touched by him. But she was certain that was just the lingering effect from wanting to take things slow with him. Donovan however turned his head so the kiss didn’t land on his cheek but on his lips. He held the kiss bringing a hand to hold the back of her head his tongue brushing against her lips gently before pulling back with a smile. Rose smiled back, the kiss was nice and he smelled a little musky probably from his patrol she liked the scent.
“Well if you must know I came here to practice. I’m going to be video chatting with Landon so we can practice together. And I figured it would be easier to do here where I wouldn’t be bothering Atif and Billy who are studying.”, she explained. Donovan nodded. “O Ah see. Ah’ll let ya get to dat den. Need ta make sure dat song perfect fer mah cousin and yer nephew. Ah’m gonna ‘ead ta mah place and get in a shower and start on dinner.”, he sighed getting up from the couch. “A shower?”, she asked. Donovan smiled. “Aye a shower. Ya kne wid da water and soap. If we weren’t taking dis slow Ah’d invite ya ta join me.”, he smirked. “I like the way you smell.”, she shrugged smiling a little as his implied invitation. “Mmm good to know you like how I smell sweaty.”, he commented leaning down giving her a deep kiss. “But Ah still gonna shower before Ah fix supper. See ya after yer practice álainn”, he smiled. Rose sighed a little when he pulled back she was rather tempted to skip the practice and take that shower, but she was going to hold out and see if a relationship can work before they got physical. “Okay, I’ll see you at your place late then. Bye Donovan.”, she nodded. “Bye.”, he winked before pressing the button on his watch that teleported him to his house in Glasgow. Rose sighed picking up her guitar and going to the computer and pulled up skype to practice with Landon, the thought of Donovan in the shower in the back of her mind distracting her during the practice.
With practice finished Rose teleported to Donovan’s house, which only recently he’d finish getting furnished and with the help of his mother decorate. He had put faith in his mother as she is an interior designer for her business. “Donovan?”, she questioned looking around the living room. “Out ‘ere.”, Donovan called walking in from his back patio where his grill was carrying a plate with two just off the grill steaks. Rose smiled a little, one thing she had to admit she didn’t miss about being with Merrick was worrying about eating meat and it somehow offending him. “Steaks?”, she questioned with a smile setting her guitar against the back of one of the sofas. “Aye. Ah got baked potatoes bout ta take out da oven and broccoli on da stove.”, he paused giving her a kiss before continuing to the kitchen setting the plate on the counter going about getting the potatoes and broccoli. “So ‘ow was yer virtual practice wid yer mate Landon?”, he asked setting the food down on the counter. “Went well. Landon and I are rather good at being able to play well together even if we are doing so virtually.”, he said moving around him in the kitchen grabbing plates and setting two places at the table in the nook off the kitchen. “Well ya did say ya were part of a band fer a number of years. So Ah suppose dat w’y ya two work well together. And w’y mah cousin insisted dat ya two sing deir song fer da wedding. Wat is da song anyways? Ah never ‘eard it.”, he asked bringing the food to the table and grabbing a couple beers from his fridge.
“It’s called ‘No Matter Where you Are’ by Us The Duo.”, she answered taking her seat. It smelled good at least. So bonus point he can cook. Donovan nodded a little sitting down and serving up some food to his plate. “Ah suppose Ah’ll wait till da wedding ta kne wat da lyrics are and w’y mah cousin and yer nephew picked it fer deir song.”, he said starting to cut his steak. “I think they picked it because the lyrics talk about that no matter where they are they’ll be there for each other, that they’ll always be there to catch the other if they fall and that they’ll love each other forever just because.”, Rose explained taking a bite of her steak before. “Hmm.”, he nodded eating. “For example the opening lyric.”, Rose said taking a small sip of her beer before singing the opening line. “I will stay by you. Even when we fall. I will be the rock, that holds you up and lifts you high so you stand tall.”, she sang softly. “Verra nice. Ah canna say Ah’ve ever ‘eard yer mate Landon sing, but between wat ya’ve told me and mah cousins ‘ave da man got a good voice. So s’ould make fer a lovely duet. Yer playing da guitar and he playing a drum?”, he continued making conversation as they ate. Rose nodded. “Yup. I’m going to play my acoustic guitar, which funny enough Landon made me as my graduation present. And he’s going to play a tambora drum.”, she nodded eating. “S’ould be an interesting sight. Yer wearing da kimono and he gonna be in a kilt. Looking forward ta seeing ya dressed up.”, he commented. Rose smiled. “Well the kimono that Ashley picked for us girls is a beautiful pattern on silk. Though I guess she got Landon a different kilt to wear. She’s putting my nephew, cousin and Atif in the Kearney tartan. But Landon she actually ordered his in the Bryant tartan which is more an olive green with red, purple, and soft yellow.”, she shrugged.
Donovan nodded finishing up his dinner, having been hungry from patrol. “Aye. Ah suppose dat makes sense. Xavier marrying a Kearney so he s’ould be in our plaid. Atif is Kearney so o course he better be in our plaid. Den from wat Ah learned during our trip ta Bayville yer cousin Jimmy dating mah cousin Lauren. So all dem eit’er born Kearney or in love wid one. Yer mate Landon da only one not involved wid a Kearney so no need ta make him wear da colors of a clan he ain’t. Plus Xavier made him da best manaye?”, he asked. Rose nodded. “Yeah Landon is the best man and Lily is the maid of honor.”, she explained. “Aye so he s’ould stand out a little from da ot’er groomsmen den. So yer paired off wid Atif or wid Jimmy fer da procession?”, he asked starting to clear the table. “I’m with Atif and my friend Cora Lee is with Jimmy.”, she explained helping pick up. “Aye. Da fair skinned one wid da vivid purple ‘air. She a bit taller dan yer cousin.”, he commented. “Yes well Jimmy takes more after my dad than his dad as far as height goes. But Jimmy says he is in agreement with my dad that his height isn’t a bad thing. Something about puts him at just the right natural height on Lauren.”, she chuckled. Donovan laughed shaking his head remembering the height difference between his younger female cousin Lauren and Rose’s cousin Jimmy. “Aye canna argue wid dat logic, almost makes me wish Ah was s’orter. But Ah still prefer being taller dan ya lassie. So Ah suppose dis wedding be w’en Ah get introduced proper ta yer parents?”, he asked snaking his arms around her from behind as she was heading for the living room.
Rose nodded leaning back against him. “Yeah. You’ll meet them this time. And well the entire Howlett family for that matter. Even my sister Kirra is coming from her travels in Europe and my brother Cero is coming from Alaska for the event.”, she explained. “Meeting all da Howletts...Ah’d say it sounds terrifying if not fer da fact dere will be more of mah clan dan yers at da event.”, he smiled brushing some hair away from her neck starting to lightly kiss and bite along her neck. Rose sighed tilting her head a little for him. “That’s only because Kearney’s breed like rabbits and generally in multiples.”, she teased rubbing his arms with her hands. “Aye Kearneys are verra good at ensuring our clan name carries on. Dere a good reason we so many in number…”, he spoke softly as he nibbling on her earlobe his hands starting to rub at her sides. “Mmm...and why is that…”, Rose asked a little distracted but having an idea of why. “Cause we passionate and, as Ah been told, bonny lovers.”, he answered biting a little harder to only barely draw blood before the wound easily healed. Rose growled a little in pleasure at the bite. Yeah pain was still something she could enjoy even if it wasn’t Merrick’s claws or fangs. His hands were staying outside of her clothes but one had moved to hip at her waist while the other hand moved higher running over her chest and up to her exposed neckline from the scoopneck top she was wearing. “Mmmm… that’s the story.”, she replied rubbing her lips she had to admit she was enjoying herself. “Aye….if ya want Ah’d be more dan ‘appy ta show ya it ain’t just a story.”, he offered bringing his hand up and turning her head to him and kissing her letting his tongue slip into her parted lips before she could really answer.
She moaned a little into his mouth turning around in his arms bringing her arms up around his neck returning the kiss. Her movement causing the hand that held her hip to now be over her ass, which he moved his hand enough to cup one cheek giving it a sound squeeze while bringing his other down to join it picking her up off the ground walking just enough to a wall and pressing her against it his hands eagerly seeking to touch her skin as his tongue rubbed against hers exploring her mouth. It was an all too familiar yearning for him, over the last couple months of them dating they spent more time together that wasn’t Excalibur related talking and kissing. And it seemed each time the kissing escalated just a little more than the last time. Tonight was no exception, it escalated rather quickly as he was finding the concept of holding back that much more difficult. He’d wanted her for years and now he had her but not to the extent he wanted her. And he could feel that she wanted the same just by her reaction. Rose losing herself in the moment letting her legs wrap around him her nails starting to press against the soft skin of his neck and shoulders. But something held her back, she didn’t dig in as hard as she could have. Her upper brain won and she pulled back from the kiss slightly out of breath. “I...I..should…I should head home.”, she said catching her breath. Donovan sighed resting his forehead on her shoulder still holding her against the wall.
“Ya kne, Ah tink yer gonna be da deat’ o me.”, he sighed softly as he reluctantly set her back down. Rose sighed a little looking up at him touching his cheek and leaned up giving him a soft kiss. “I’m just..”, she tried to explain. “Aye Ah kne ya want ta go slow and dat all well and good Ah suppose. It ain’t gonna deter me from wanting ta be wid ya. Ah just get da feeling yer ‘olding back. And Ah dinna kne w’y. Ah felt yer nails fer a moment, yer claws trying ta come out. But dey dinna. ya kne ya canna ‘urt me any more dan Ah can ‘urt ya. Ah will not pus’ ya ta do anyting yer not ready ta do. Just kne dat w’en ya ready...don’t ‘old back on me lassie. Cause Ah will not ‘old back on ya.”, he smiled a little cupping her face giving her a kiss. “So you don’t mind too much that I keep hitting the brakes?”, she asked. “Oh Ah mind plenty. Ah canna tink of a woman Ah been wid dat given me bluer balls dan ya leave me wid Rose. But Ah can deal wid cold showers and ‘aving a wank every now and den.”, he explained. Rose chuckled a little shaking her head. “Eventually...when I’m ready to take that step you won’t need cold showers and if you get a ‘wank’ it won’t be your own hand.”, she smiled. “Now yer just teasing me wid promises of getting ta at least second base, as ya yanks call it.”, he sighed. “Thank you.”, she said simply. “Fer wat?”, he asked. “For being patient with me. But I really should head back to the cottage I’ve got early morning clinical classes.”, she sighed grabbing her guitar. Donovan nodded and got out of her way for her to get the guitar. “Ah’ll see ya tomorrow den. Nig’t Rose.”, he smiled giving her a kiss. “Night Donovan.”, she smiled before hitting the button on her watch and disappearing.
The weekend of the weddings was finally upon everyone. The Kearney/Delaney clan from Bayville; Sadria, Azriel, Darren, Colin, Mary, Lauren, Owen, Iver, Kisa, Hiro, Evan, Kyle, Colby, Alison, Blaire, Tristan, and Carter were all packed and on their plan heading for Glasgow. And just at they were leaving so were the Howletts and the Manhattanites; John, Sarael, Rachel, Landon, Jimmy, Logan, Aurelia, Nikki, Reine, Junior, Cora Lee, Malcolm, Lily, and Tommy. Traveling for even further Cero and Mia were leaving Alaska, Kirra caught a flight from Serbia where she had been busy fighting a group called The Hand which had been stirring up trouble across borders, Hudson and Teresa were coming in from Madripoor, and Amiko, Haung, Shiro (Sunfire), Leyu (Sunpyre), and Yukio were all flying in from Japan along with some of Xavier’s friends from university. As they departed for the wedding a team of X-Men; Scott and Meghan Summers, Max and Kyung Moon Rodriguiez, along with Kamal and Callisto Raque boarded the x-jet in route to Muir Island to offer coverage to Excalibur while they attended the wedding. The vast Kearney clan was preparing for the wedding. Alan II, Alendria, Malcolm, and Christine possibly the most excited next to their parents marcus and Margret at the idea of getting to see Sadria, Colin and Iver after being separated by the ocean for so long and meet their other nephews and nieces. It would be the first time in over two decades that all of the Kearney clan was back on their native soil of Scotland.
As there seemed to be a mass exodus of the Howlett and Kearney family to Scotland there was also a migration of the Frost family as they headed to Boston for the wedding of Josalyn and Robert. Faelan had already headed up with his grandparents as he was going to be the ring barrier for his aunt. So Merrick just needed to drive up with Zoe. He sat in the living room waiting while Zoe finished getting dressed. He had his phone out and was talking with his sister Lily. “I know you needed to go to Scotland for Ashley, she asked you to be maid of honor after all. But just do me a favor and call me later during the reception and I can give the phone to Josalyn.”, he requested. Lily groaned a little, her and Josalyn didn’t really see eye to eye on much of anything. But Merrick still pushed to try and get them to get along. “She didn’t want me at the wedding so why should I call her?”, Lily asked wincing a little as she sat in a chair her red hair getting tugged this way and that to get into the style Ashley wanted them to wear. “That’s not true. Even if she won’t admit is you are her twin of course she’d want you there, but she knew you were going to Ashley’s wedding. So just please for…”, his voice trailed off as his head turning hearing the steps of Zoe’s heels and he froze staring at her. Zoe had chosen to wear a pale green satin shelf dress that she’d gotten from Hazel, the cut was perfect making her look a bit curvier and like she had a bit more of a chest than she knew she really did. She was putting on the second of her dangling pearl and white gold leaf earrings that matched the necklace from the set Hazel had given her that matched on point with the engagement ring.
“Merrick? You still there?”, Lily questioned. Merrick’s green-yellow eyes were busy moving over every curve of Zoe’s body mentally undressing her, but he blinked hearing Lily. “Um yeah I’m still here Lily. Just do this for me. Okay. Call later and talk to Josalyn even if it’s just a simple congratulations. Now...I… I gotta go. Zoe just walked out and… bye Lily.”, he answered haphazardly before hanging up. Lily rolled her eyes setting her phone back down and sat still for the hairdresser. She glanced to the other two chairs and noticed Cora Lee slouching a little and the hairdresser getting frustrated. “Cora Lee Bernice, sit up straight and let the woman do your hair the way Ashley wants it.”, Lily scolded. Cora Lee groaned and sat up. “I’m tired. All that traveling...but fine.”, Cora Lee agreed. “Are...are you going to wear like I don’t know a shawl or something?”, Merrick asked looking at Zoe rubbing his lips together a little. Zoe looked down and then back and him and smirked. “Hadn’t planned on it. Why? Too distracting?”, she asked with a laugh. Merrick smiled getting up closing the space between them and pressing her against her living room wall. "Extremely...think it’d be an issue if we are late?”, he asked with a smirk picking her up gently by her hips pinning her to the wall bringing her legs up around him letting his hands run over her soft legs the hem of the dress riding up. Zoe laughed a little putting her hands on his shoulders. “Merrick Edward, you can wait till later. Today is Josalyn’s day. Do you want her to be late to our wedding because she decided to give into some animal passion and screw Robert?”, she countered.
Merrick shrugged. “No I probably wouldn’t care, unless they are part of the wedding party. More power to them I say. They need to eventually catch up with us in the kids department.”, he smirked giving her a deep kiss. Zoe was going to say something in reply but the words got lost in the kiss as she returned it letting her hands wrap around his neck and her fingers twirl at the short hairs on the back of his head. She pulled back from the kiss for air. “Okay we need to go. We can finish this later. I promise. I don’t want to be late for the wedding.”, she finally got out her original thought. Merrick let out a small whimper like a dog who’d been disciplined. “Fine...but either I’ll find a dark secluded corner at this reception or wait till we get back to the Haven either way I am going to screw your brains out sometime for today is over.”, he smirked setting her back down. Zoe sighed fixing her dress. “And I look forward to it, trust me.”, she smiled giving him a kiss before grabbing her purse. “Now let’s go to your sister’s wedding. I want to see our son in his suit.”, she smiled heading down the stairs for his car. Merrick nodded and locked up her apartment and followed after her driving up to Boston. During the drive they discussed the house and it’s progress, Zoe eager to start making the former Haven their first home.
"I'm going to get into so many fights at this reception.", he sighed shaking his head as they got out of the car and grabbed the gift from the back seat. “Why is that?”, Zoe asked smoothing out her dress. “If any of Robert's university buddies start oggling your chest.", he explained. Zoe chuckled linking her arm on his. "Oh let them oggle. We both know who I’m going home with, tonight and every other night." she said. "You realize some scenes on broadway are nude scenes.", she shook her head. "Yeah well... First of the idiots to try something it'll be between me and Alexander which knocks them out first. God we'd actually be of the same mind of something... So scary.", he chuckled. Defending Zoe was probably the only thing him and Alexander could agree on anymore. "And yes, I know there are nude scenes. I just don't think about that. I’m the one that gets to see you naked in private and gets to touch, kiss, lick and nibble. ", he smirked. Zoe chuckled leaning into him as they walked from the parking lot. “It'll be nice to see Alexander. He doesn't visit too often..",she commented on the subject of her brother. "Well I'm sure college and then his future father-in-law keep him busy.",he shrugged. She shrugged a little. "I'm sure." She chuckled and fixed her hair. "Hopefully he eventually gets the time to get to know you more. Gina adores you to no end. He should take the time to see he got a rather fantastic sister, even if she's foolish enough to marry me.",he smiled.
"Okay. This is it. You ready?",he asked looking to the large canvas tents decorated with fall colors to fit Josalyn and Robert's theme. Most of his family and the academy was already there. "Oh yes.", she said. She leaned up and kissed his cheek gently, smiling. Merrick smiled taking her hand in his as they walked up to the tent. “Bride or groom?”, an usher asked looking briefly at Merrick and mostly looking at Zoe’s chest. Merrick growled a little. “They are bride...thank god you got here Merrick. Come on.”, Kim said taking the gift from Merrick’s hand and shoving it to the usher. “Put this where it belongs William.”, she instructed before grabbing Merrick’s arm. “Um guess I’ll grab our seats…”, Zoe said figuring this was some family emergency if Kim was quickly snatching Merrick up. “No you too.”, Kim said dragging them both in the direction of the small building on the property where the wedding party was getting ready. “What’s wrong? Faelan okay mom?”, Merrick asked figuring this was about their son. “No Faelan is fine. He’s been perfect. He’s over in the groomsmen room with your father. It’s your sister.”, Kim explained as they walked up to the door that was marked ‘Bride’. “Um okay then what do you need us for?”, Merrick asked confused. “Zoe I want to come with me to the kitchen this caterer is pissing me off and we can’t understand each other. He apparently only speaks Italian, I call bullshit, so I need someone to yell at him in his own language.”, Kim explained. “And you need to talk to your sister and get her to calm down.”, she said pointing to the door. It was easy to hear muffled crying and yelling. “Um...can I trade with Zoe?”, he asked. “No. Now talk to your sister. Come on Zoe I need your help with this chef.”, she said taking Zoe’s hand. “Um alright happy to help Kim. Good luck Merrick.”,she waved disappearing with his mother.