The Age of The Masrui

"Mm, well enough." Ronan laughed quietly before pointing to one of the walls. "We could get a professional in to do that one though, like a mural?"

---

"Just been tired," Marlowe whispered, brushing her fingers through his hair. "Too tired to eat. I - I'm fine, really. Please don't worry about me."

---

(( Do you want to have Dorian back now or play it out a little more? I can't decide. ))

“Mm, what were you thinking? Nothing tacky like a rainbow I hope.”

---

“You’re overtired, no appetite and barely eating and you’ve been irritable.” Maddox ran a hand down her face. “We have leftover tests in the bathroom… do you think you need to take one?”

((We can do it now if you don’t want to wait haha, I don’t mind the waiting if you’d rather not do it yet))

(( You decide, I am so bad at these choices as I am impatient but if you think it will be more impactful to wait then I will hold off I was planning for him to come back with amnesia, it is like he isn't quite back then ))

"What? No... no I can't be pregnant again, things are too up in the air for a baby. The kids are still all over the place, this - not the right time."

---

"Oh god no. We can search something up online, loads of people make mood boards and stuff, right?"

“Christian wasn’t the right time either but we made it work. Sienna wasn’t either... if you’re pregnant you’re pregnant...” Maddox kissed the top of her head. “We’ll deal with it if we have to. It might just be stress mm?”

---

“I want some of the photos framed, that we had Louis take for the press report. He took some great ones. The one he took of you and Rhys in particular. I either want them on the walls or on the side in frames...”

((We can drag it out a bit longer then get to it if you like, happy medium then haha))

(( Sure ))

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"Our situation wasn't right for Sienna, nor for Christian but- but this time it isn't the right time because of my emotional state. That is different to a situation, I can do anything when I am feeling better than I am now." Maddox whispered, "Spooking myself, Mads... I just don't feel like me since Dorian. I don't know why... I can normally push myself out of it."

---

"A canvas of you, Rhys and I in the living room maybe?"

“This is what it’s like, losing a sibling.” Maddox explained gently as he wrapped an arm around her. “If you are, and you don’t feel like you want to continue... then we can deal with it.” He kissed her forehead. “Together.”

---

“Louis offered to take some more when the baby was born too, I’ll want those up as soon as we have them.” Bella smiled brightly at the idea. “Our little family... who would’ve thought.”

"I don't know yet," Marlowe whispered, curling against him. Whispering after a few minutes of quiet, "Can we head over and see Cal now? I - Don't want to waste your breakfast, I'm sorry I'm just.. just not hungry."

---

"He is doing more photography then he is with his family business this days." Ronan laughed. "I think all of Karsi's praise has finally gotten to his head."

“He’s good... and he enjoys it. Wasnt it his mothers hobby? Either way... it’s nice seeing him settled. I remember the mess he was when his parents passed. Karsi having to physically force him into the shower and to brush his teeth and eat... it’s nice to see that he finally got to be happy at the end of it all. The adoption, this hobby, the fact that King’s is taking off anyway... good for him, for them. And I’ll always have him to thank for you in the end. For the wedding giving us a push.”

---

“It’s okay.” Maddox nodded. “We can go to Cal’s if you want, don’t worry about the food.”

Ronan nodded subtly in confirmation, resting his palm against her cheek as he pressed his lips to hers.

---

"Thank you, and thank you for the effort too." Marlowe whispered, kissing his forehead softly. "I really do love you."

“I know.” Maddox ran a hand through her hair. “It’ll get easier... it won’t ever go away. I won’t lie to you but.. it does get easier. Sometimes me and Cal go up and talk to my brothers, my dad... and I go away feeling better than I did when I first went in. Eventually their memories become a source of joy rather than pain.” He rubbed her arm gently before getting up and leaving her to get dressed in peace, taking the food with him.

---

Bella kissed him back deeply.

Marlowe just nodded subtly and watched him go. Ten minutes later making her way through the house to find him, calling quietly; "I'm ready, Mads."

---

Ronan dropped the paint bucket down so he was able to tangle his fingers in her hair.

“Let’s go.” Maddox hummed quietly as he grabbed his keys, heading off to the car and setting off once she was inside.

---

Bella laughed quietly when he dropped the bucket, wrapping an arm around his waist. “Someone’s eager...” she grinned against his lips.

"Someone hasn't seen how beautiful they look in a little while to believe I can be anything other than eager." He breathed against her lips.

---

Marlowe reached her hand across to rest it on his knees as he drove. Getting out of the car once they got to Caliban's apartment and making her way inside; knocking on the door gently before entering.

“Hey.” Caliban greeted tiredly, getting up from the couch. Dark circles under his eyes from the jet lag, his hair lighter and skin darker from a few months in the sun. “How’s my favourite sister in law?” He hummed as he swept her up into a gentle but tight hug.

---

Bella rolled her eyes playfully. “We both know I’m hotter when I can fit into my jeans, you on the other hand... seeing you getting your hands dirty...”

Marlowe hugged him back tightly, tangling her fingers in his top. "I missed you, Cal. I didn't think you were going to come back."

---

"I can't wait until the baby arrives and you start to appreciate yourself again."

“Just needed to clear my head... I’m sorry I just upped and left but when I heard Serena was going... I jumped at the chance. I wasn’t in a good way… I know nobody was and it’s not an excuse but yeah... I’m sorry Marley. I’m back now though. Not going again.”

---

“Non pregnant me looked great... pregnant me...” Bella made a face, shaking her head. “I don’t get he glowy shit everyone else does. It’s not sexy.”

"Alexia left the day she found out you went, she's ignored every call - or maybe she is off the grid, I don't know." Marlowe whispered, taking a step back away from him. "You owe me and Maddox a coffee after the disappearing act."

---

"I think your beautiful."

“I know, I owe you more than that. I’m sorry.” Caliban whispered as she pulled away, leaning down and picking up a scan photo from the coffee table, handing it over to her. “Serena wanted you to have this... she kept the baby. It’s a girl, she’s naming her Lux, after Dorian. I think this is her way of an olive branch, I promised I’d pass it on.”

“Auntie Marlowe... I mean you’re already Auntie Marlowe but now you get to be auntie Marlowe to your brothers kid, like you wanted.” Maddox rubbed her shoulder gently.

---

“And I think you’re incredibly handsome,” Bella rested a hand on his cheek, kissing him deeply then.

"No point if I never see the kid." Marlowe answered with a shake of her head as she placed the photo down and turned her back to it.

---

"That would be because I am." He laughed, just before matching the kiss.

“Like I say... her olive branch.”

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want. It’s okay.” Maddox kissed her forehead. “Let’s not talk about it for now, she came to see you.”

---

Bella locked her arms behind his neck, moving to kiss his jaw.

Marlowe wrinkled her nose, irritation clear on her face. "Or it was a bad idea to come to the Serena fan club meeting, hm? Let's walk out and leave your brother to it, like he did to us. I dont have the energy to get caught up in this; Serena is a wilting fucking flower who lost the love of her life and I am the bitch who offered to help her on the condition she actually let me see my niece. Very unreasonable condition, obviously. Maybe you and Serena should get together, Cal. You both shit on people who care."

---

"No, no." Ronan whispered breathily. "I want this to be about you."

Caliban flinched at that, stepping back from her with a wounded expression.

“Don’t go with the puppy face. You fucked off when she needed you.” Maddox frowned then. “You don’t get to be upset that she’s mad with you for it. You lost your friend but she lost her brother and we both know how that feels and you and Serena just fucked off and left everyone to deal with the pieces. You both made us all feel like complete and utter shit. Marley needed you and you weren’t there. Fucking Louis has helped us more than you did and he can’t stand any of us - that should tell you how badly you fucked up in this situation. You ran.”

“I - I’m sorry. I said I was sorry. I - “

“It’s not good enough! We needed you here!”

---

“Make it about me then... but until you stop me...” Bella kissed down his neck.

"Christian thinks your dead, we can't convince him otherwise. He understands he can't see his Uncle Dorian ever again and asks for his other favourite uncle and we can't tell him when he is coming home and you don't answer damn calls to speak to him so he puts one and one together and decides that it must mean he is never going to see you again either." Marlowe told him sharply. "You think Mads and I are hurting your feelings for telling you the truth, you should hear how Sienna has felt. Maddox and I have been juggling our grieving children, whilst we have been grieving ourselves and Maddox has been the only one to help me get my head around this business stuff on top of him doing all the fucking jobs that couldn't be done for Levi's. So do not give me a fucking scan photo, chatting about how Serena is 'offering an olive branch' because neither of you have any idea what hell you've put us through because not everyone gets the luxury to run away like you! Sorry is... fine, not great but fine but I don't give a shit about her fucking olive branch. You relay back to your precious Serena that she needs to not use you as a messenger, and whilst you are at it remind her that you may want to be a good uncle to her child now but when she and the kid actually needs you then you'll be gone. Before it all happened, I told Mads I was sure if anything ever happened I'd at least have his family - mostly meaning you.. thank you for showing me how wrong I was, and for teaching my kids the same thing."

---

"How can I when your doing that?" He hummed in content

“Marlowe...” Caliban whispered, hurt on his face. “I’m sorry I - I lost it. I hit self destruct... I couldn’t take any more... I’ve lost so many people. It’s one after the other after the other and every time I - I can’t. I couldn’t cope. I broke, I buckled. And I’m sorry I wasn’t stronger, I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. I wasn’t with her, we just took the same flight over, saw each other a few times and came back together but I wasn’t running with her. I was on my own... I couldn’t take it anymore. The weight of everything... I’m sorry.”

“You’re fucking pathetic. Like I haven’t lost the same people you have?!” Maddox hissed then. “Grow up and stop using the dead ex wife and biological mother shit to one up us because other than those two we’ve lost the same fucking people and I didn’t run away!”

---

Bella laughed softly, running a hand up his chest.

"You hurt me, you've hurt Maddox but that's fine, because we fucking love you and we'll suck up the betrayal but you've done irreversible damage to your nephews and niece. irreversible, and it isn't only you who feels those effects but Karsi and Altair and Dane too, they've closed up to all of them." Marlowe inhaled sharply, voice breaking as she added; "As if grief wasn't enough for them, they now feel like they can't trust the people we've always promised them they could trust." Wandering away, she lifted her hand up to her eyes for a few minutes- watching the wall as she tried to compose herself; "I don't want to hurt you, but you need to know, Cal. You need to know what it has done, and I know you never meant to b- but... you never answered calls. Someone killed him, it wasn't safe and you disappeared. What if you had died too?"

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Ronan tilted his head to the side to kiss down her neck.