The Age of The Masrui

"Dozed, scrolled through my phone. A new gallery opened up in Milan, I was just reading some of the reviews. It isn't anything groundbreaking."

---

"Yes," Alexia confirmed softly, leaning in to press her lips to his then.

"I wouldnt know, you've not told me anything about yourself other than your name yet. You tell me what makes you so fanfare worthy." Dorian chuckled, finishing his own drink.

---

"The most important thing is our family." He agreed.

---

"Why don't you like me anymore?" She asked quietly, though pre-emptively flinched as she heard herself say it. Expecting to be told off.

“My darling sister only sees me once a year when she brings my nephew over to visit, and even then if I’m working then we miss each other completely. So I deserve the fanfare purely because it’s such a rarity for her to see me, plus I’ve made the long journey over here which is awful even on a jet.” Serena pouted as she took a sip of the drink that was brought to her.

Caliban kissed her back with a small smile.

---

“Are you wanting to go?”

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“I love you, silly.”  Maddox frowned as he held her close.

---

“The only way we’re going to survive forever is by prioritising us, mm?”

"No," Penelope shook her head. "The publicists don't know what they are doing with it.." She reached over and grabbed her own phone, pulling up a news article and handing it to him. "All of the stuff is mediocre at best and they are comparing it to the likes of Salvador Dali. These people behave like they are Theo Van Gogh when they have about the same amount of knowledge about art then a worm does about well... anything."

---

"Ah yes, the classic champagne problem. Don't you hate it when your jet has the wrong kind of material on the seats? It is atrocious." Dorian smirked.

Alexia pulled away after a moment, turning her attention onto Dorian and Serena to watch them with an amused grin

---

"You and mum are going to break up, and your not going to want to see us cause you don't want a pebble that doesn't do anything so why would you want to spend time with me? All I do is talk..." Sienna mumbled.

---

"Exactly."

---

(( Night night ))

“I’m the worm in this scenario.” Alex chuckled.

---

“Ah, you do understand.” Serena responded with wide eyes, playing along with him.

“Shall we go back to mine? Dorian knows how to call for a cab...”

---

“Me and your mother aren’t breaking up... I’m just having a hard time at the moment sweetheart.”

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“Shall we go grab an hour in bed?”

"They are more worm like than you," She promised, "It is worse then they are pretending they know things too."

---

"Mm, yes, of course." Dorian chuckled, having another sips of his drink. "Who wouldn't understand something so basic and mundane?"

"Yeah, I've had enough second hand embarrassment for today." Alexia whispered to Caliban

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"Because of me?"

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"Whilst we still can, yes."

“No, not because of you... I’m just struggling with grandpa not being here anymore.”

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Alex just nodded as he ate.

---

Cal nodded as he got up.

“Where are you going?” Serena frowned.

“It’s bedtime for me, are you joining or staying?”

---

“You’ll have to help me up.” Karsi laughed quietly.

"I miss him too," Sienna whispered after a few minutes of silence.

---

"It's been a long day," Alexia explained quietly as she also got to her feet; downing the last of her drink.

"I'll meet you at home."

---

Louis nodded, offering her a hand up.

“Promise me I’ll see you at the party?”

“No promises Serena, but probably.” Cal hummed as he wrapped an arm around Alexia’s shoulders and headed out.

---

“I know you do sweetheart.”

---

Karsi pulled herself up with a small noise, reaching down to take the baby from her car seat as she headed upstairs.

"You have a huge extended family," Alexia mused as she walked. "I don't think I would be able to cope with it."

Dorian watched them go before turning his attention back onto Serena. "So.. French?"

---

He followed.

---

Sienna just rested her head against his shoulder then, whispering tiredly, "Can you tuck me in?"

“Huge family, huge extended family... comes with the territory.” Cal chuckled. “Serena is harmless though.”

---

“Mm.” Serena hummed in confirmation. “Who are you really then mm? The Levi’s don’t have friends. They have family, extended family, ex family, business associates and employee’s. But they don’t just have friends.... so which category do you fall into, Monsieur Dorian?”

---

Maddox nodded as he carried her up to her room, placing her down on her bed as he pulled the covers over her.

"My sister is married to Maddox, so that puts me under the family brackets I suppose. I have also slept with Karsi and Astrid." Dorian hummed, downing the last of his drink and ordering himself another. "Cal and I are friends though, got a bachelor pad - I spied Lexi for him. We've been through hell and high water at this point."

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"Must be exhausting." She laughed. "I am glad my family is a normal size."

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"Thank you, love you..."

“Won’t be a bachelor pad for much longer then mm? Never known Caliban to be settled.” Serena chuckled as she gestured for another drink for herself too. “Karsi and Astrid though. You like your Levi’s clearly.”

---

“It’s got it’s perks I suppose.” Cal shrugged as he got in the car, setting off when she was inside.

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“I love you too Sienna, I’m sorry if I’ve made you think otherwise.”

"Yeah? What are the perks?" She laughed. "Besides always have a party to go to and an excuse to dress up nice."

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"They nearly broke up earlier, before even really fermenting. I have no idea what caused the one eighty, very confusing." Dorian chuckled before shaking his head. "No, I think I just like going after messes that will predominantly break my heart. Must be self-sabotage or something. What about you; healthy love life?"

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"Its okay.."

“I broke up with my fiancé because I realised he didn’t love me.” Serena shrugged as she played with the straw in her drink. “I’m here... running I suppose. We were in a routine, not love... think we both fell out of love a long time ago but the routine kept us going. My sister visited over the summer and I saw the way she looked at Ronan and I realised nobody has ever looked at me like that... the way they’d find any excuse to touch each other, a hand on the shoulder here or on the knee there... made me want more.”

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“You’ve identified the perks.” Cal nodded with a laugh.

---

Maddox kissed her forehead before leaving the room, turning the light off as he went.

"Parties aren't as much fun when you don't have anyone to go with, your lucky you have me now; hm?" She hummed, grinning at him. "I am a blast at parties, I have the wildest stories."

---

"Sounds like you had a lucky escape," Dorian hummed. "The last thing Karsi said to me before she chose Louis was that the two of us needed to accept contentedness. I've been trying to do that, then Astrid came along and told me I was a closed book; a pessimist to love... she made me fall for her, then chose I wasn't the one to commit to. It's an exhausting battle field. I don't know how Marley fell onto her feet like she did."

“Lucky escape from the man I’ve been with almost my entire adult life? I’m lost right now.” Serena shook her head. “You dodged bullets. Karsi is lovely but she’s an unstable mess that ruins everything she gets her hands on, reverse Midas touch... and you dodged having Altair Levi as a father in law so I say you got pretty lucky there mm? Imagine that.”

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“I can’t wait to show you off this weekend then.”

"Mm, they are both now in stable relationships with kids and I am stuck by myself at a damn bar." Dorian muttered, glancing to the side at her. "Course you have had a lucky escape; if you never loved him then you are fine. This living with 'content' idea is all bullshit. What is the point of eternity if you aren't happy."

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"Show me off? Mm, that sounds... different. I've never been shown off before."

“Wouldn’t call Astrid and Reid stable. Second kidnapping has robbed them both of their marbles. My sister and Ronan are gonna be taking care of the kid because those two basket cases can’t pour themselves a cup of coffee never mind look after a baby.” Serena raised her eyebrows with a small shrug as she downed her drink.

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“You’ve not? Whoever you were with before was doing it all wrong then mm.”

"Not mentally stable in themselves especially but... together." Dorian answered with a shrug. "Reid was supposed to be my friend too, turns out he was a snake in the grass all along - I put his mind is tormenting him, karma is a bitch and he deserves it."

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"Ah, are you ready for a terrifying revelation that might send you running again?" She hummed.

“You’re very bitter, aren’t you Dorian?”

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“I can’t run whilst I’m driving so now is probably the best time.”

"Had dates before but never anything concrete; even this is the furthest ever for me. They normally find some reason to run early on, the job, the not being able to have kids thing. There is always something."

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"Your the first person to come to that conclusion."

“This.” Serena motioned a circle around him with her finger. “Is attractive. The bitterness is... not. Nobody wants someone bitter because bitterness indicates you’ve not let go of the situation yet... find your peace. Let go, so to speak. What you’re looking for, the content. Will come shortly after I assure you.”

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“And here I am with a dead wife, a divorce and yet still in the same position as you, date wise.” Cal shrugged with a laugh. “Why would that send me running?”

"Inexperience isn't exactly an attractive feature, especially not at our age." Alexia answered with a shrug, glancing out the window. "I suppose I am just used to people running."

---

"I don't need life advice from you. Here to drink, that's all." Dorian snorted softly.

“What’s the point in forever if you’re just going to keep doing the same things you’ve always done?” Serena asked softly. “It’ll be a shitty eternity if you keep stewing in your own annoyance.”

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“I’m not running.”

"You've literally just said you are here to run away, that is just as bad as stewing." Dorian pointed out, scratching at his cheek before running his finger along the rim of his glass. "You don't get to say you are here to run away and then criticise other peoples pain, it is hypocritical."

---

"Okay," Alexia hummed, smiling softly to herself.