The Age of The Masrui

"Mm, well I would have to be otherwise we wouldn't get along so well." Asher laughed, leaning across to kiss her cheek.

(( Anyone else? ))

((Who you thinking of))

“You’re rude, Mr Levi.” Nora chuckled, turning her head and catching his lips with hers.

(( Anyone at all I don't mind ))

Asher deepened the kiss straight away, resting one palm on the table to steady himself properly as he reached his other across to tangle his fingers in her hair.

((Post for whoever ))

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“I’d be lying if I blamed the alcohol.” Nora murmured against his lips, breath catching.

"Why don't we exchange a bar for cheap tequila and a bed at yours?"

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"There..." Darya whispered after pouring hot water into a mug - finishing off a coffee which she brought over to the bed in the hotel room they were in. Placing it on Caliban's side, "Decaf too, so you'll sleep tonight."

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"So, my Uncle Altair is alright according to dad." Tesni whispered as she settled down onto the sofa with a glass of wine, putting her mobile to the side. "Which is good, he is the one who helps hone my poker skills."

“You’re thinking about bed already, you tired?” Nora smirked, though was already leaning behind her for her bag.

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“I don’t think I’ll be doing much sleeping, Dar… but thank you.” Caliban whispered, grabbing her hand and pressing her palm to his cheek.

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“But your uncle Maddox didn’t fare so well… I’m sorry for your loss.”

"I didn't know him aswell. Is it awful of me to nor be... feeling much about it? I mean, I'm sad for my mom, and Maddox's children but other than that." Tesni shrugged slightly.

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"You'll be exhausted, emotionally, sleep is the closest thing to helping that." Darya frowned, brushing her thumb against his cheekbone affectionately.

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"Exhausted." He nodded, downing the last of his drink as he pushed his,chair back under the table. "Lead the way."

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"Please say something..." Marlowe whispered shakily, gripping tightly on her own cup of hot chocolate as she stared across the table at Chris. "I- You need to.. talk to me, Chris, you... "

Christian lifted a hand up in a silent 'be quiet' motion, jaw tense as he pushed his own hot chocolate away from him.

“I feel like such a bad parent, knowing Olivia has had to drop Isaac off with Bella but… Jasper is on that school trip and Olivia and Gideon have each other and I just… can’t… right now… you know?”

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Nora headed outside, hailing a cab and getting in when one pulled up, dragging Asher in with her.

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“He isolated himself and when he did appear he wasn’t exactly pleasant… I don’t blame you.” Tobias shook his head, wrapping an arm around her.

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“What is there to say at this point? He’s dead. Died because he was being a dick and now he’s put it on someone else…” Theo murmured, leaning back in his seat. “You die a hero or live long enough to be the villain. Well shocker - dad became the villain.”

Christian shook his head at his brother, thoughts hard to read as he got to his feet and left the room - grabbing his coat from the hallway and heading out of the house.

"Chris-" Marlowe sighed, turning her attention back onto Theo when she heard the front door closed. "Faye is going to be home soon. She's going to need you to be sympathetic, not.. sprouting this hate speech."

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"You don't have to be a parent right now. You're off the hook for that role." Darya assured softly, slipping an arm around his shoulders as she settled beside him. Pulling him against her chest gently. "You've gone through enough today."

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Asher laughed quietly as he was dragged, pulling the door closed and pulling her in so he could kiss her deeply once again.

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"Sucks for my cousins... and the people who knew him before he I don't know... broke, I guess? Sucks for him too, must of been a miserable life in the end."

“Eager aren’t we?” Nora giggled, moving to tangle her fingers in his hair.

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Caliban moved to rest his head on her chest, moving his arm so he was curled into her. “It still doesn’t feel real…”

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“It’s what happens when you let your demons win, I suppose…”

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“Faye isn’t an idiot. She knows what Maddox was like.”

"Not everyone is able to distance themselves from him the way you always have found so easy to do," Marlowe answered, tense. "Your sister is going to be upset, your aunt and uncles too. You need to be empathetic, Theodore. Your father was far from perfect but beneath all his... demons.. he loved you, loved us."

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Darya leant her head down to kiss the top of his head gently. "I know, it probably... it'll probably be like that until the funeral. You've got everyone to catch you though."

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"Mm, shall I slow down?" Asher hummed against her lips.

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"What a miserable life." Tesni repeated quietly, watching the floor with a frown. "Scary... isn't it? How do we know that won't be us in like a decade? Haunted and troubled with- I don't know, nieces and nephews that don't feel anything if we die."

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"Hello?" Christian called quietly, pushing the door open to Karsi and Louis home.

“Definitely not.” Nora whispered, pulling him close and kissing him deeply.

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“Because we talk, we communicate. You and your siblings are close. Your niece and nephew are only young right now but I’m sure as they grow older you’ll bond with them Abs the same goes for any more kids that join the party. You want to be included… the impression I get is that Maddox shut himself out.”

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“My mom would be devastated… this would’ve broke her.” Caliban murmured, closing his eyes.

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“I had to distance myself to survive, mom. You allowed him to suck the soul and happiness out of you for so long but I couldn’t have withstood it. Don’t make out like I just shut him out for the fun of it.”

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“Christian… hi.” Karsi greeted quietly as she came out into the hall, Rose asleep against her shoulder with a blanket around her. Karsi using her daughter for comfort as much as the opposite was true. “Is everything - I know it’s not okay I just mean - I - sorry… thought you’d have been with your mother right now after everything.” She whispered, using her free arm to wipe the almost dry tears from her face.

"Her and Theo are probably going to start arguing soon and I - I don't have any interest in being around for that or for when Faye comes in seeking comfort that my brother won't give her." Christian answered quietly. "I uh - can I stay here tonight? You won't even notice me, promise."

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"He was shit to me, but I never let him be to you - not without a telling off. He loved you, Theo - he loved all of you so much that it drove him crazy half the time. He never knew how to show it."

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"I don't know.... I don't know. It's still scary." Tesni whispered, lifting her glass up to sip at her drink. "I don't like it."

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"A leaving for us is a reunion on the other side, that's what they say, right? He's got lots of people to greet him. Hopefully he is hugging your parents extra tight for the rest of you."

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Asher moved his hand up to tangle his fingers in her top.

“Of course.” Karsi nodded. “You don’t have to make yourself scarce either… what’s ours is yours, Chris…” she murmured, holding her free arm out to hug him.

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“He wasn’t a good father, mom.”

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“Then we make sure we forge and keep good relationships with everyone around us.” Tobias squeezed her gently. “We spent a lot of time thinking we were going to lose you Tesni. And it was crippling… you matter.”

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“I’m not quiet up to an audience.” Nora whispered with a small laugh as she pulled away then, moving her hair behind her ears.

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“I just… hope wherever he is… he’s finally at peace with himself.”

"I never said he was, Teddy." Marlowe whispered, swallowing thickly as she continued tiredly; "But he did love you... us. I - I am sorry I couldn't keep his soul safe enough for you to get to know him for who he actually was. You would of loved him too. I tried.. I tried so hard, for so long."

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Christian moved over to her, leaning into her hug quietly; "I don't know how I am meant to feel, Aunt Karsi. How are you meant to feel when your dad dies but he was basically a stranger to you anyway?"

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"I think he probably is, I think he has to be." Darya agreed softly, tightening her arms around him.

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"No? How boring. We'll have to work up to that." She joked gently.

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"I know I do, I know." Tesni nodded, curling into him.

“Those kids up there think the sun shines out of your backside and I’m inclined to agree with them.” Tobias teased gently as he held her close. “Your family adore you Tesni, you’re so loved. You’re never going to end up like Maddox.”

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“It was never your job, mom. It was his and he didn’t do well at it.”

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“Your father was a stranger to me too,” Karsi admitted sadly. “In the end… you mourn what was lost. What you could’ve had, had things been different, you mourn for the future you were robbed of… and you promise yourself that if you’re fortunate enough to have your own kids one day that you’ll never be to them what he was to you. You build on his mistakes and you learn… it’s all we can do as humans. Build and learn.” She kissed the side of his head. “One day… maybe not for a long, long time, but one day you’ll be able to think of your dad and it won’t hurt. You’ll just be able to nod and accept it for what it all was…”

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“It shouldn’t have ended like this Dar… if Maddox was to die it shouldn’t have been the way it was.”

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“Never… what happens next is for your eyes only.” Nora teased, getting out when they got to her apartment building, grinning as she headed over to the entrance and let herself in.

Marlowe let out a sigh, quietly offering her arms out to him for a hug. "Come here?"  

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Christian swallowed thickly, lifting his hand up to wipe at his eyes as felt felt tears begin to build in them. "I think part of.. part of asking for a job with everyone was to try and piss him off. Make him... notice."

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"I know... I know. Altair is... not going to be the same after this is he? Just when he seemed close to being happy too. It's horrible."

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"Spoil sport." Asher laughed, following after her.

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"Worse though what if I end up like Marlowe? Or how Altair will probably be. Like... riddled with self-guilt and shit like that? That's horrific too."

“I don’t know how he ever could be the same again after everything… whether or not it was intentional you don’t kill your brother and live to tell the tale unscathed. He’s… part of him will have died with Maddox.”

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“I don’t need a hug mom…”

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“Go settle yourself in the sitting room mm? I’m gonna go put Rose in her crib… grab yourself a drink, kick your shoes off and I’ll come back and we can talk... or you can talk and I can listen or… any other combination. Whatever is needed.” Karsi murmured as she held him close for a few seconds longer, gently resting her hand on his face before heading upstairs.

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“I’m sure I can make it up to you.” Nora grinned, dropping her bag down and turning the light on in her hallway before quickly shrugging her jacket off and moving to kiss him deeply again.

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“You’re not gonna shoot your sibling… and I’m not dying so that’ll never happen.”

Christian nodded, heading into the kitchen and raiding the cupboards to pull out something alcoholic to pour before sitting down on the sofa in the sitting room - leaning back into the cushions and staring at his drink.

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"Maybe not, but.. you've been pissed at me recently and I've missed you so... an olive branch? Forgive me... please?"

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"Exactly like part of Maddox died at some point. It's like beginning the cycle again, isn't it? The downfall of our family is going to be themselves."

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Tesni let out a small breath, moving her hand to gently trace the lines of dome of his tattoos. "I'm being ridiculous, I know."

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Asher gasped at the suddenness of it, moving his hands to grip her waist as he kissed her back.

“You are… but I understand your fears, and I’m glad you’re talking to me about them.” Tobias murmured, closing his eyes at her touch. “You mean a lot to a lot of people, princess.”

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“Yeah… yeah.” Theo nodded with a small sigh.

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“I almost forget you’re old enough to do that.” Karsi mused when she came back down into the room. “You were a toddler five minutes ago in my mind.”

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“We have to do our best to not let Altair fall so far.”

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“You were saying something about my bed?” Nora hummed as she moved her hands under his shirt, running them up his chest and gently dragging her nails down.

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((My Fitbit says I had 3 hours and 49 minutes of sleep last night and I definitely feel it so I’m gonna try for some more tonight night))

(( Haha, good luck! Night night ))

"Like three months off but... fuck it, right? Extenuating circumstances." Christian whispered, attempting light-heartedness. "Lets just pretend we live in Europe for tonight."

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"So... can we hug it out?" Marlowe asked quietly, swallowing thickly and repeating the; "Please?"

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"How do we do that?"

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Asher groaned in content, turning his head to the side so he could try and kiss down her neck. "Lets go.. yeah, let's go there "

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"I know that, I do. So do you, Tobi."

Nora pulled away slowly, grinning at him before heading down the hall to her room.

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“I was doing far worse far younger so I won’t begrudge you a few drinks after today.” Karsi snorted gently.

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“I wish I knew.”

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Tobias held her close, smoothing her hair down.

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"My main priority right now is you, anyway," Darya whispered, tightening her arms around him a little bit. "I have to keep you from falling too."

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"Do you want one? I should of thought... here, have this one - I'll make myself another."

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"You're such a tease." Asher groaned, following after her.

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Tesni shifted her position so she was sat up more, taking his face in her hands and quietly studying his eyes. "You're incredible, you know that?"

“It’s fine.” Karsi shook her head. “I’ve had a few already and any more I’ll probably end up in floods of tears so… best I stay off for a little longer.”

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“I’m okay, honestly.” Caliban insisted. “I’ll be okay…”

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“No, teasing would be getting my fluffy pjs on and telling you the couch is free to sleep on.” Nora chuckled.

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“I’d say we’re pretty matched in that department.”

"You've worked it out then; what a healthy amount of crying is, I mean?" Christian questioned quietly, taking a sip of his drink. "Mom always cried, Theo doesn't at all, Faye holds it in until it spills out of her like when you are reading a newspaper and it rains - the pages just melt apart in your fingers."

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"You will be," She agreed. "Do you think Maddox has - had - stored any of those letters away? The ones the legal team like to suggest as 'nice things to do'. Last message momento's."

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"The perfect match." Tesni laughed, leaning in to kiss him deeply then.

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"That would be cruel."

(( Slowly updating - adding more onto the character post ))