The Age of The Masrui

“You’ve played the softly softly approach Tes… it’s affecting you, it’s affecting the kids. None of you are sleeping. And they may only be babies but they can tell when the atmosphere is different.”

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“I like you, really like you… and I wanna try make us work? But I know it’s been awful, I’ve been awful so if you’d rather not I get that, and I’ll accept it, work through that too.”

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“Fine. But don’t complain to me when the place gets blown up.”

"Niether of you have any idea what he went through, what he is going through right now. There isn't a fucking atmosphere we're just tired - get your nose out of my damn business. I'm going home, didn't realise I'd come over for a judgement lunch - go back to praising the perfect Cain and fussing over Wren. Leave me to my life."

Cain rolled his eyes. "Your a bitch when your tired Tesni."

"Fuck you Cain."

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"Go home O'Connell. I'll call you in a few weeks for a back to work check, see if your doing any better. In that time I need you to talk to someone about all of this, a professional."

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"How do I know you mean it this time?"

“Never experienced any ptsd before in my life, ever, at all.” Karsi rolled her eyes with a sigh. “You’re exhausted. You look like you’ve been punched with how dark the circles are around your eyes. Your kids are crabby and exhausted and he’s not faring any better either.”

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“A few weeks?” Tobias hissed then as he turned around in his chair. “What the fuck Dorian? You can’t just sign me off for weeks!”

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“Can you trust me? The way I trust you?”

"Three weeks, I'll pay you. Consider it extra holiday time." Dorian answered with a roll of his eyes. "You need to go home and get your head together, Tobias. I can't have half of my staff leave because of your issues."

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"Not PTSD from a literal war zone, Karsi, no." Tesni hissed. "Stop gossiping about me and my family." She finalised before leaving the house, slamming the front door behind herself.

Cain shook his head, "She's being stupid."

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"I don't like being screamed at Wren.... I don't like conflict."

“I can’t promise if we’re together we won’t ever argue about where to eat or where we take the horses…” Wren joked weakly, scratching at her arm. “I’m working on it, I’m working really hard…”

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“If theh leave they weren’t right for the job. I need to be here.”

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“I hate that whenever I’m not backing her up I’m not mom anymore I’m just Karsi.” Karsi sighed deeply, rubbing her forehead and going to take a sip of her drink before gagging and putting it back down.

"This isnt a request, Tobias. I am telling you to go home. Now."

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"Is the drink out of date?" Cain asked with a small frown, watching his mother closely.

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"I... okay." Nathan whispered quietly.

“No…” Karsi sighed before wrinkling her nose. “I hate lying to you and I wanted to tell you all together.” She sighed softly. “I’m pregnant.”

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“Fuck this.” Tobias hissed angrily, shoving the chair behind him as he walked out.

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“If you don’t want to it’s okay, no hard feelings. I know I’ve been… a lot.”

"I said okay." Nathan repeated quietly. "We can go slow, until we know if you are better or not, hm?"

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Dorian grimaced, pulling his phone from his pocket and texting Karsi: Tobias is on forced leave for a few weeks. He has been too strict on his team, they're threatening to walk. Try and get him to sort his head out?

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"You are... oh. That's great, congratulations mom." Cain whispered with a slight smile.

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Tesni was sat in the livingroom, curtains drawn to make the room as dark as possible. Clinging onto a warm drink as she watched the television screen.

“Wasn’t planned, especially with everything that’s going on with Logan and … well everyone.” Karsi laughed softly. “But it happened and me and your dad are happy. Just know that Wren probably won’t be and we weren’t sure how you and Mila would feel, we didn’t wanna upset anyone.” She gave him a sad smile before reaching over and hugging him. “Thank you for being okay with it son.”

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“I’ll never be fully better, fixed, normal, okay… whatever I wanna call it, y’know? That’s the first thing they tell us when we go in there, that we have to get over the idea that the darkness is forever gonna be banished. But im learning, I’m getting there. I don’t wake up much, if at all, in the night anymore. I’m not as jumpy around people, men. I’m getting there.” Wren smiled hopefully.

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Tobias slammed the door as he headed inside half an hour later, angrily kicking off his boots and taking his jacket off.

"It'll be a bit strange if Mila gets pregnant soon, for the baby to have an aunt or uncle really close to their age but our family is always going to be bizarre." Cain answered, hugging her back gently. "I' happy you are mom. You haven't haven't proper good news in awhile."

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Tesni jumped at the sound of the door slamming, putting her drink to the side and cautiously getting to her feet to head into the hallway. "Tobi? Your home early. Whats happened?"

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"Good. Good. Well done you."

“I’m allowed out again next Friday night, do you wanna do dinner then, if you’re not working? A proper date?”

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“Well with Ezra and Elle your newest sibling is going to be younger than their niece and nephew so I don’t think it can get too much stranger.” Karsi laughed as she pulled away, checking her phone. We’re trying, it’s not that easy she text back before turning her attention back to Cain. “How are you and Mila getting on?”

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“Dorians put me on leave because the crew are a bunch of wusses that are crying about me shouting at them because they’re fucking shit at their jobs.” Tobias muttered angrily.

"I- sure thing. I'll... book us a table somewhere. Any preferences?"

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"We're okay, I'm training and she is in the studio with Sebastian alot so we are only seeing each other in passing at the moment. It's strange."

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"That works out well if you let me book us a holiday though, doesn't it?" Tesni suggested lightly. "We can get away from everyone, relax."

“Going away will just leave the kids vulnerable. What if something happens to them whilst we’re away?”

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“Surprise me? I’m not picky about food or anything, can’t be when my mom cooks.” Wren chuckled.

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“Me and your dad are like that sometimes. Makes the moments you’re together so much better though. How’s training coming along? Not long left before the team gets picked is there?”

Tesni let out a slow breath, moving to stand in front of him to rest her hand on his cheek and lean her head forward to touch her forehead to his. Closing her eyes as she whispered, "Never mind."

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"Okay," Nathan nodded.

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"End of the week, the pressure is on." Cain chuckled.

Tesni let out a slow breath, moving to stand in front of him to rest her hand on his cheek and lean her head forward to touch her forehead to his. Closing her eyes as she whispered, "Never mind."

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"Okay," Nathan nodded.

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"End of the week, the pressure is on." Cain chuckled.

“You’ll be great, you always are. You excited? Nervous? What’s outweighing it at the moment?”

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“I miss when Cain lived here, we had a private chef for his training. Mom wanted to cook when he moved out and it’s been awful since.” Wren laughed softly.

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Tobias closed his eyes at her touch, wrapping an arm around her waist

"The most important thing right now is feeling safe." Tesni whispered, moving her hand away from his cheek to tangle her fingers in his hair instead. "So, you've been given some time off. That's okay, we don't have to be mad about it."

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"I can only imagine. You should learn how to cook go save yourself from it." He laughed

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"Nerves. Definetly nerves."

“Can you cook? You should teach me.”

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“Made me feel useless like I can’t do my job properly. It’s ridiculous Tes. He wouldn’t be complaining if they weren’t so soft. Idiots.”

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“Harder to defend the title than win it in the first place isn’t it?”

Cain nodded, "So much more precious, more embarassment aswell if I don't manage it. My coach has turned into this crazy man, I think he is feeling it too."

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"Only basics." Nathan chuckled. "You could find better teachers than me."

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"Of course you can do your job, don't be silly. You're the best person there could be for that job." Tesni whispered. "Come into the livingroom. I just put a movie on, brought the covers down from the bed too so we can curl up?"

“Maybe we could do a cooking class together? Bet you’ve never done that as a date before?”

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Tobias nodded, kissing her forehead. “Sounds good, great.”

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“You making this your last go around before retirement?”

"I don't know yet, I'll see how well it goes." Cain laughed quietly.

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Tesni nodded, kissing him softly before heading into the livingroom and settling onto the sofa once again - lifting the cover up for him. "I bet your exhausted."

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"That is different. I like it." He laughed.

(( I am going to nap for a couple of hours. Will post at about 5 ))

“Cooking class for date one… me too.” Wren grinned.

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“I’m not, I’m okay.” Tobias lied quietly as he sat down, bringing her into him with his arms.

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“You’ll be good at coaching, we’ll have to help you up with a punny name for a school.”

((Jealous!))

(( One more post then nap, I decide to sleep then my phone starts dinging - so annoying ))

"I am," Tesni whispered, curling into his and resting her head against his shoulder, resting her palm on his cheek.

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"Maybe I don't want to coach... I don't know yet."

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'"I'll organise it."

“You’ll be good at whatever you decide to do. You’ve a good head on your shoulders and have a decent work ethic.”

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“Tired? Get some sleep then princess, I’m here.”

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“Sounds great.”

"Mm, I want to watch this with you. I'll try and stay up." Tesni whispered, watching the television screen quietly as she brushed her thumb in small circles against his chest.

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"You don't know that, I may be terrible in a normal job." Cain chuckled.

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Nathan smiled, leaning in to kiss her cheek though stopping just before he did; "May I?"

(( We haven't had anyone with a police officer yet. That could be dramatic, what with all the illegal dealings the families do ))