The Age of The Masrui

“What do you think I want to do in that hour or so?”

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“Scary air.” Altair repeated, snorting quietly.

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“Don’t be sorry, we’re just talking. It’s your home too - you don’t need to apologise for coming home.” Grayson shook his head, waving off her apology.

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“Just go back to work if you want to that badly, don’t worry about me or anything else”

"Mhm," Reid hummed with a warm smile, ruffling Levi's hair before looking to Altair. "You know my point though."

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"I want to, but I'm not going to if it makes you too anxious, sweetheart." Marlowe sighed softly, glancing to the side to him as she reached over for his hand. Kissing his knuckles gently, "Don't worry, it doesn't matter. It can stay like this for awhile longer."

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"Must of been quite a conversation then as she is beetroot." Sienna laughed, giving a wave of greeting to Kaya before heading into her room.

Kaya grimaced at that, sinking back into the sofa.

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"Crosswords?"

“Ignore Sienna, I’m starting to think she enjoys walking in on people and ruining their moments.” Grayson snorted, reaching over to rest his hand against her face again. “You okay?”

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“I’ll leave you to your phone call and crosswords then.” Bella rolled her eyes playfully, moving to get off his knee.

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“Don’t make a big deal out of going back then say you won’t. Just do it, make the arrangements.”

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"I'm not making a big deal out of it, we are having a conversation." Marlowe sighed. "What do you want me to say that'll make you happy, hm?"

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Ronan just laughed, tugging her back onto his lap. Taking her face with his fingers and making her look at him before leaning in to kiss her deeply.

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"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just not a.. affectionate in front of other people kind of person." Kaya grimaced. "It makes me feel weird."

“That you’re gonna start taking this seriously and not just dismiss that something major happened to you.”

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“Not a fan of pda, noted.”

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Bella grinned, kissing him back deeply.

"I know that, I know. Why does no one believe me when I say that I am okay though? Something major happened, I was really ill but now it is over and I am not." Marlowe sighed, "I won't go back to work, okay? Whatever stops the arguing, I just don't want to argue - it makes me want to cry."

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Ronan moved his hand around to tangle his fingers in her hair.

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"I never expected you to be so gentle when you kissed," Kaya mused, "Thought you'd be more rough and ready - I'm pleasantly surprised,"

“I’m adaptable to the situation.” Grayson laughed quietly at that. “Wasn’t going to pin you against the wall the first time I kissed you was I?”

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“No, you want to work then work. Just make sure your will is up to date.”

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Bella moved to undo the buttons on his shirt, pushing it off his shoulders.

Marlowe wrinkled her nose up in frustration, opening her mouth to come back with a retort just as tears she wasn't even expected escaped her eyes. Turning her face away as soon as she realised and lifting her hand up to rub her forehead instead to disguise them.

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"You could of," Kaya laughed. "I am also adaptable."

“Mm, noted for later.” Grayson smirked before leaning in and kissing her deeply.

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“You forced me to take a whole year off last time I got hurt. You’ve barely had a few weeks off but you want to go back. Where’s the same logic?”

"I..." She began, voice thick unable to get any further as a sob escaped her lips.

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Kaya kissed him back gently, moving her hand up to brush her fingers against his cheek delicately.

“This is a public area and I can’t guarantee Sienna won’t come through again... but I don’t want you thinking I’m assuming anything by inviting you to my room...” Grayson murmured against her lips.

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“You want to care for everyone but get frustrated when we want to care for you Marley.”

"I just want to stop fighting," Marlowe cried then, "I don't know what everyone wants off of me, I'm confused I - I don't understand."

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"We can go to your room," Kaya whispered, pulling back slightly.

“We want you to take some time for yourself instead of trying to stop getting back out there to take care of everyone else.”

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“You sure? If you don’t want to it’s fine.”

Marlowe shook her head, wiping at the tears on her face furiously. "I feel like I have though! I have taken time for myself."

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"As long as it is clean," Kaya laughed

“It’s impeccable, don’t worry.” Grayson laughed, getting up and taking her hand as he lead her into his room.

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“Not enough. You’re still stressing about everyone else.”

Kaya got to her feet and wandered behind him, lagging behind a little bit. Letting go of his hand once inside the room and wandering around it to look at the little personal items that made it more homely.

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"I can't help that, that is just part of who I am - like it is a part of who you are too!"

“You made me take a whole year and I wasn’t even as badly hurt as you. I’m not going to force you to do anything Marlowe but I think this is silly.”

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There were a few photographs of Grayson with his sisters and family on the sides, a smaller one of Grayson with Aiden as a baby. Grayson watched her - almost nervous looking as he sat on his bed

"You were worse, you were worse because your heart stopped multiple times. You needed blood transfusions. You were asleep for closer to months. They didn't know if you lived... I was just in a crash. I was just in a crash, you walked into the house bleeding a- and saying good...goodbyes." She sobbed, body shaking then. "I was just in a crash, you got shot in the chest."

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Kaya wrinkled her nose as she picked up the photo of Grayson and Aiden, inspecting it closely before concluding gently; "You look like him."

“Most of us look like each other... my grandfather had strong genes.” Grayson smiled softly at the photograph.

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“Your brain was injured! You had seizures! At one point we didn’t know if you were even in there anymore!”

"You were fading away in my arms, a-and I still see it in my nightmares sometimes. I feel it too. Do not say you weren't bad, you were.. you died; your heart stopped multiple times, you died multiple times."

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Kaya nodded, putting the photo down as she lowered herself to sit beside him - close enough their legs were touching. "Your the best looking one of the family though, right?"

“I like to think so.” Grayson laughed with a nod.

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“And we thought you were brain dead multiple times.”

"Why does it feel like we're falling apart?" She asked quietly then, swallowing back another sob. "Ho- How can I be so madly in love with you but it feels like we are breaking right now. I just want to stop fighting, I just wan- want to run away with you somewhere and forget how scary everything is. I'm scared..."

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"I am the best one out of mine too, always have been."

“And you don’t think I am too?! Of what will happen if you have a seizure and I’m not there?!”

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“I mean you do have a beautifully big head.” Grayson teased.

"Mm, lucky enough it is still smaller than yours though so we look semi-normal walking down the street together." She laughed.

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"I don't know, Mads... I don't know." Marlowe sighed, finally turning her head to look at him once again.

“My head is a perfectly normal size.”

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“I’m gonna go home…” Maddox sighed, getting up. “Give you some space since you apparently need it."