The Age of The Masrui

Rhys rolled his eyes at that. “We both know you’re lying, darling.”

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“Just leave me alone. I don’t know how many times you all need to be told to get out and leave me alone. You, my mother, my sister. Back off. Go.” Caliban snapped quietly

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“Marley.” Maddox sighed, frowning. “I didn’t say you had to go.”

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“I don’t see how I can keep it.” Serena shook her head. “I only wanted this baby because it was his... because it was us, and we’d be doing it together. I’d be a horrific parent and you both know that, no maternal bones in my body... having a baby wouldn’t be a good idea.”

“You’d be a wonderful mother, Rena. But if you don’t want to... me and Ronan have your back. But he’s right in that it’s not safe. Not for a while for you to go home... if you still want to go when we’ve got to the bottom of it then we’ll accept that but not anytime soon sister.”

"Mm, your right; you are mediocre when it comes to looks aswell. Honestly, I don't know what it is - on that note, nice knowing you. Thank you for helping me see the error of my ways, I should get going." Cleo grinned, getting to her feet.

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"No," Alexia sighed, slowly laying herself down on her side just beside him; slipping an arm around his torso and nuzzling her face against the back of his neck.

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"You know exactly what you are doing with the 'if you lost me' spiel." Marlowe snapped, leaving the house and slamming the door closed behind herself as she got into the car.

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"Whatever you want, we're here for you. You aren't alone."

“I want Dorian...” Serena whispered, moving to lay down and curl in on herself.

“I know... I’m so sorry.” Bella gently ran her hands though her hair. “You’ll always have me though, and Ronan. We’re here. No matter what you decide to do. And Rhys too, you know he adores the ground you walk on. You’ve done so good with him. How about we all have a family night tonight mm? We’ll order your favourite takeaway in and play that board game you like? I promise Ronan won’t cheat...” she added lightly, squeezing her sisters shoulder.

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“Just want to be left alone.”

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“If you go there’s no coming back Cleo...” Rhys shrugged. “Would be a shame as well since I just finished buying in all your birthday gifts.”

"You think you can buy me?"

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"I never cheat, I just play to win." Ronan answered with a quiet laugh. "It is something you have to put up with when there are so many loopholes in the rules. I think that is a good idea though, we haven't had a good games night in- Oh." He cut off with a frown when he heard the doorbell ring. "Who could that be."

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"I've given you space, done my best to stay out of your way." Alexia whispered. "I need to be here now though, with you. I'm sorry, Cal."

“I’ll bin the concert tickets for your favourite band that've been sold out for months then... plus the meet and greet tickets I got that money can’t buy and that only come with having a family like mine.” Rhys grinned.

---

Serena let out a small laugh at that despite herself.

“I’ll be back.” Bella assured before heading downstairs and opening the door.

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“You don’t need to be doing anything except just leaving me be.”

"Mm, okay so I am not a prize I am more like a high end prostitute whom you shower with gifts to sleep with." Cleo hummed, turning to face him then. Eyebrow raised and a small smirk on her face.

---

Marlowe had been about to back out, already taking a few steps backwards. Grimacing as the door opened, and beginning to wring her hands as she mumbled an exhausted; "Hi.."

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"Mm, no. I think I am going to stay here." Alexia whispered.

“I only wanted a date from you, you initiated everything else.” Rhys laughed. “You kept texting me back. This is all of your own making.”

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“Then I’ll go somewhere people will respect my wishes.” Caliban sighed deeply, moving to get up.

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“Oh, Marlowe. Hi. Come in.” Bella greeted in surprise. “You’re here for Serena I imagine? Come in...”

Marlowe wrinkled her nose in irritation at the surprised tone, but bit her tongue as she stepped into the house. Not saying a word.

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"Mm, everything is always my own making. Men can never take responsibility for their own actions, I know; Steven made that very clear. You don't have to tell me what I am the one who is responsible for everything that happens in my life."

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"Everyone is just worried about you, Cal.."

“And everyone needs to mind their own damn business. Can’t you just go back to work for another six months and leave me alone? A lot quieter without you around.”

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“Hey.” Rhys frowned then. “Don’t lump me in with him. I’ve never hurt you... you see me like that?”

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“I’d ask how you are but... it’s a silly question...” Bella offered her a sad smile. “Serena’s taking each day as it comes, imagine you’re the same mm? Do you want a drink?”

Alexia flinched at that, swallowing thickly and muttering; "It is so hard being loved, right? Having people care about you. How fucking difficult it must be for you to have people to care about your mental well being whilst you are grieving. Let me find a fucking violin. Snap out of it, Cal - stop pushing everyone away!"

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"No, I'm driving. Maddox if with the kids, I think, maybe. I don't know." Marlowe muttered quietly. "Can we not do whatever this is? The small talk. I'm not- just no."

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Cleo shrugged gently, quiet before answering softly; "That was unfair of me, sorry."

“One of your presents is a bath bomb that cost like fifty cents but it’s in your favourite fragrance. I’m not trying to fucking buy you, just make you smile.” Rhys muttered. “Sorry. I’ll take you literally next time you say not to get you anything.”

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“Third room on your left, upstairs.” Bella gave her directions to Serena’s room. “Door will probably already be open, Ronan’s in there with her.”

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“You don’t get to tell me what to fucking do!”

"Do you think he would want this for you?" She asked, getting to her feet and taking a step towards him. "For you to be fighting with everyone because they keep catching you about to undo all of your hard work and have a drink?! You think he would want you to be laying in the dark in your room all by yourself?! Falling out with everyone around you?! It isn't even just him, do you think any of them would want you to be unravelling yourself and not at least giving anyone to chance to be near to try and take some of that emotional load off?!"

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Marlowe nodded, heading up the stairs quietly and knocking lightly on the door before stepping inside.

"Ah, I'll leave you both to it." Ronan whispered, heading out of the room and going down to the join Bella.

Marlowe grimaced, watching him go before looking over at Serena.

---

"Don't say things like that," Cleo whispered. "You initiated it, this is your own making. I - They uh..."

“Hi...” Serena greeted quietly, before opening her hand so Marlowe could see the ring. “They.... they just gave this to me. I...” she stammered, not able to find the right words to say.

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“You made out like I was coercing you... I wasn’t. And if you’ve ever felt like that then I’m sorry but I never meant to...”

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“Well he’s dead so who gives a fuck what he wants?! If you can’t respect the wishes of the living then why argue over the wishes of the dead?! Hed want to be here with his girlfriend! Running his business! With his sister, his niece and his nephews! He wouldn’t want to be fucking dead!”

"He is, but that doesn't mean you should live as if you are the one who died!"

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Cleo shook her head, "I should leave. I've been around too long, your family and you have enough things going on without having to deal with my issues. I'm sorry."

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"Yeah, I've seen it already. He uh, showed me the day he picked it up from the shop." Marlowe swallowed thickly, "We don't have to - I can go. This is ridiculous, anyway.. not going to help do anything and I'm sure you're probably busy."

“I’m pregnant.” Serena blurted out, cheeks beating. “It’s Dorians... obviously it’s Dorians. I... yeah. He knew... it was the last conversation we had before he... he was happy.”

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“I don’t want you to go...” Rhys frowned.

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“I’m allowed to grieve Alexia!”

"Your not just grieving though! You are attempting to dump me every time I open my mouth when your in the room and he was my friend in the end too so grief plus you being horrible isn't fucking helping, okay?!"

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"I just.. don't feel like this is a good time for you to be dealing with me."

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"Your.... your what? I..." Marlowe shook her head, glancing around in search for something to ground her and swallowing thickly when she realised she had come alone. Gripping onto the bedside table instead.

“I’m making time aren’t I? Wouldn’t have asked you here otherwise.”

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“I... yeah. Seven weeks.” Serena mumbled, wrapping her arms around the pillow again.

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“I’m not attempting anything. I’m done. We’re done! Out!”

"Well uh... congratulations."

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"Why?! What the fuck have I done?! Cal!" Alexia began to cry then, heart breaking.

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"I don't mean time as in literal time, I mean you have enough on your plate right now, Rhys. I'm too damaged. I've always been too damaged."

“I don’t know how I’m gonna do it...” Serena whispered quietly. “I’m not like you... not natural. Would’ve leaned on Dorian a lot...”

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“I want you. That’s all that matters.”

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“You’ll die like the rest of them! And I’m not having it! So go! Go somewhere else! I’m done!”

"I have as much of a chance of dying as you do, it is just a part of living Cal." She whined, reaching across to grab both of his hands in hers. "I know you are scared, okay?! I know you are scared, and hurting and that is okay! That is fine, but stop pushing me away! Stop trying to hurt me to make me go, it isn't nice and it isn't working. You can be scared, that is fine but you deserve love, okay? You don't deserve to be alone. None of us deserve that. Can't we just enjoy each other while we can?!"

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"You'll have me, and everyone else but especially me." Marlowe whispered. "I'm not a natural though, I uh... I don't think anyone is one of those. We all just kind of make it up as we go along, hope we don't fuck our kids up too much."

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Cleo sighed, wandering over and sitting beside him once again.

“I was thinking of moving back home... I don’t feel like I have a place here anymore. Not without him...” Serena whispered, voice catching. “I’m so lost without him... I miss him so much.”

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“No! No because all it does is end in pain so go!”

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“As long as you want me too?” Rhys looked over at her quietly.

"S-So your just going to leave.. wi- with his baby?"

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"And this isn't painful! No! Please don't do this." She trembled. "After so long, we- we aren't just casual, you can't just do this because your scared. Th- That isn't fair."

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"I do,"

“Good.” Rhys grinned, leaning over to kiss her, resting a hand on her face, being mindful of where the injuries were so he wouldn’t hurt her further.

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“Ronan and Bella have  talked me out of it.” Serena whispered. “But I... I don’t feel like I have anything for me here. There’s my sisters family but that’s hers. It’s not like you’ve ever wanted to be friends with me, I stopped trying because Dorian pointed out I couldn’t force a friendship. I know you think I’m too much, and that’s fine. I’m not for everyone but...  I know the longer I’ll stay here the more I’ll feel like I’m imposing on everyone’s lives... I’m not wanted here. My sister houses me out of obligation because that’s what family does but she doesn’t want me here, ruining her peace.”

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“What? So I’m not allowed to break up with you? That’s it then? I have to stay with you in the idea of fairness? I can’t want to be by myself?!”

"You can't tell me you are expecting my brothers baby and then announce you are going to go away with it, not let me know the only smidge of something that is him! That isn't fair! I don't - I can't - I'm not interested in your sob story right now, I'm sorry, I'm not. We've both lost him, I just offered to help you - I made the effort and came over here, not that you've even bothered to fucking text me so I am already trying harder than you. We are both in pain. It isn't a damn contest. You choose to have that baby, and you stop me from knowing them and I will never forgive you." She snapped, having not even heard that she had been convinced otherwise - in a complete panic.

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Cleo just leant towards his touch.

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Alexia shook her head, pushing her way past him and heading out of the door.

“I said I’d been talked out of it! I was being transparent with you! You ignored me when I text you and asked if I could be involved in the funeral preparation and I was told to just let it go by my sister like my opinion in what he’d want wouldn’t matter! I wasn’t trying to make it a contest!” Serena sobbed then. “If you had actual friends that weren’t your husband you’d know that with friends you’re honest with them, you talk openly about your feelings! I’m trying to tell you how I feel!” She shook her head then, getting up from the bed.