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Post by Lizzie on Jun 17, 2014 20:42:27 GMT
Roxy shook her head. She didn't need to think over if her son should be around his father. It was silly to even have to question it. It wasn't like he was asking her to marry him to be around his son. This was the 21st century and you didn't have to be married to help raise a child and the Azaizel she knew, never would push such an ultimatum. "No, I don't need to think on it. I want you in his life, he wants you in his life so I don't see any reason to be against it."
Xen watched the exchange, still appreciating the words his dad had said of his mother. Any person who could appreciate his momma was definitely one he could get along with. He also liked the idea of going somewhere. He and his momma didn't get to go on many trips, especially not recently...But what if he left and this daddy changed his mind about wanting him? After all, he hadn't seen him ever before this...
Standing up in his chair, Xen reached out a hand to offer his toy car. It was his favorite and he took it with him everywhere. If this man was as nice as he was pretending to be, he wouldn't run away without at least giving back his favorite toy, would he? "Give it back tomorrow." He tried to sound commanding, but his eyes almost looked unsure as they met Azaizel's
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Post by Shea on Jun 17, 2014 20:48:54 GMT
Azaizel was about to respond to Roxy when their son stood up. He looked at the little boy, surprise on his face. He wasn't sure what he meant by the gesture. Honestly it stumped him completely, but he reached out and took the offered car.
It was a tiny thing, and beat up from being played with so much. He ran his thumb over the back of it before he put it in his shirt pocket. "Okay..." he said, and then reached to the back of his neck and lifted something above his head.
The necklace was a simple thing. A little wooden carving his sister of a wolf head his sister had done years ago. Before... he and their father would sit, and carve. Azaizel had turned away from the simple hobby after their parents had been killed, but Jalah had picked it up in an effort to have him start doing it again.
It was a calming little hobby, and he had taken it back up thanks to her. He handed the necklace to his son, and smile on his face. "When I give you back your car tomorrow, give me back my necklace, okay?"
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Post by Lizzie on Jun 18, 2014 7:07:42 GMT
Xen's eye grew wide with awe looking at the necklace Azaizel held out. At first he was almost unsure about taking it. It was something that looked old, and it was so cool... His little hand reached out for it after a brief pause, running his small thumbs over the engraving of the wolf. For some reason, Xen suddenly felt calm was over him and he wasn't so worried about not seeing this man again, not seeing his dad again.
"Kay!" He nodded with a big smile, putting it over his head, the necklace hanging low on his small body but he held it, still, as much as his small hands would allow. All the while Roxy found herself fighting back a rush of emotion.
It was so much, so soon...but in the best kind of ways. She'd always imagined it to be so much more difficult, introducing Xen to his father. She imagined it would take him a while to understand, or even a while for Azaizel to adjust to being a father but...there they were. Almost like Azaizel had been there from his birth.
Roxy took the moment of distraction to jot her number down on a napkin. She couldn't deny that this man and this boy needed this with each other and regardless of if it was difficult or what it would mean for her, she didn't care. Giving Azaizel a smile, one hand on the fluffy curls of their son and the other offering the napkin. "Call us tomorrow? You can come by and get us from the apartment. It's silly to meet here, it's not like we're exchanging state secrets, we're family." Amber eyes looked up at him as painted lips pressed a kiss to the top of Xen's head. "We can have breakfast or something. I'm a much better cook than I used to be."
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Post by Shea on Jun 20, 2014 6:45:50 GMT
Azaizel watched the way Xen treated the silly carving like it was something precious, and the smile that lit up his face pulled at his heart. He'd only just found out about him, but he knew if Roxy decided she didn't want Azaizel in their son's life, he'd be heartbroken. Probably even more so than when Roxy had run away.
He looked to her when she held out the napkin, and gently took it from her hand before putting it in his pocket. "Will do, Rox," he smiled at her; first, softly, but then it curved into a sharp smirk. "And really? That'd I'd be interested in seeing for myself. You were quite a disaster in the kitchen last I knew you."
He wondered what else had changed. Suddenly, he wondered if she had someone in her life. Had she put off telling him for so long because of another man? Had she put it off until she needed his help?
But maybe she just didn't miss him, not like he'd miss her. Even if she wasn't seeing anyone, she only came back around because of their son's blood. It was a painful thought, and he stood. "I'll give you a call tomorrow morning around 10, okay? I've got to get to work now." Looking to Xen, the pain faded as fondness bloomed in his chest. "Watch out for your mama for me, big guy, okay?"
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Post by Lizzie on Jun 20, 2014 15:52:01 GMT
She almost called him an ass, playfully, but she didn't. Roxy knew Xen would pick up all kinds of words from all kinds of people and they were JUST words but she didn't want him tossing around insults for people to act like that shit was cute. She'd seen it happen and knew the little monsters it created. Her son...well he wasn't a monster. He was special and, with Azaizel's help, he'd excel and become even more special and she couldn't be more proud of him.
She pulled the vial out of her pocket, setting it on the counter and pushing it away. "Hey, you make sure Martha gets that back, okay?" She almost felt ashamed, letting him know what she had been doing like that. Sure she hadn't come out and said it, but he was always smart enough to put two and two together. Just like he knew what not to push back in the day and what would keep her close but not too close for comfort. He did deserve a lot more than Roxy gave and she had know that back then and she knew it now.
"Come on, Xen, say goodbye. Maybe we could swing by the park on the way home, hmm?" She mouthed a thank you with bright painted lips,trying to ignore the way his eyes seemed to fade for a moment before they looked right down at the young boy that connected them
The young man nodded in response to his father. Xen, her precious boy, just lifted his tiny arms to the massive man. "Bye daddy."
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Post by Shea on Jun 21, 2014 2:06:29 GMT
Seeing Xen raise his arms up to him and acknowledge him as his father made his eyes mist over. He gave him a shaky smile, and walked over to him. It was easy, picking up the small child, and he pressed a kiss to his soft curls before he could think to stop himself.
"I'll see you soon, little man, okay? And I promise, from now on, I'm gonna be here for you. I'm really sorry I wasn't before. Do you think you can forgive me?"
Azaizel had never really thought about raising a family of his own. He'd been raising his sisters for years. But holding Xen felt right. He felt like he actually had a purpose again, and wasn't just going through one day at a time.
Looking to Roxy, he told her, "See you tomorrow, Rox. Try not to run away again this time, okay? At least not until we get him what he needs." Pressing another kiss to Xen's forehead, he told his his son, "Come on, back to your momma. See you tomorrow, okay?"
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Post by Lizzie on Jun 21, 2014 17:51:36 GMT
Azaizel's hug was comforting and warm and, to Xen, it felt right. He didn't like being held by too many people other than his mama. It just never felt right, but right then it did. This man was his dad... It made Xen happy and calmed the wolf inside of him, somehow as his tiny arms wrapped around Azaizel's neck in a hug.
When he pulled back, he nodded and smiled, curls bouncing as he did. "Yeah!"
Roxy couldn't help the warmth that spread through her chest and the smile that found itself tugging at her lips as she watched them. But...her look turned slight stern at Azaizel's words, only slightly. "I Had my reasons for running that time, wolf boy. I don't run anymore unless it's after Xen." She would have said more...but a proper talk was better saved for when their son wasn't around.
She reached her arms out, taking Xen as his little arms reached out for her. "We'll see you tomorrow. Thank you for deciding to be a part of his life and...for a lot. I'll see you tomorrow." Roxy stopped herself before she said anything else, before she let herself ramble and get into all the things she hadn't had a chance to say yet and picked her purse up from the bar. As she turned away from Azaizel, a man she thought she'd never see again, once more, roxy shouldered her purse and left the bar. Tomorrow was going to be quite the day.
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Post by Shea on Jun 23, 2014 16:45:12 GMT
Azaizel watched Roxy walk out of his life again, with their little son on her hip, and he had to wonder if she would be back. He had to wonder if she'd ignore his call tomorrow; would decide she didn't want his help or in their son's life.
He felt rather than heard Martha's presence at his back, and he turned to look at the woman. She was leaning against the door frame, a hand cocked on her wide hip. "Well?" she asked. She was smiling.
"Don't lie to me, woman. You heard every word of that," he sighed, and went to collect the empty plates Xen and Roxy had eaten off of. "Tomorrow... is going to be interesting."
"I don't think she'll leave, this time," Martha said, her tone thoughtful. But it still made Azaizel frown.
"She's here for Xen. Not for me." Never for me, he thought, as he brushed past Martha.
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Post by Lizzie on Jun 23, 2014 17:05:01 GMT
Getting Xen up in the mornings, or rather him getting her up as it were lately, was the highlight of her morning. Sure, when he was just a babe, getting woken up at all hours by his crying had nearly driven her mad with lack of sleep...now? Now she almost waited for him to wake her. Some mornings, just like this one, she would pretend to be asleep until he came crawling into her bed and shook at her with his tiny hands.
Rolling over, she pinned the small boy to the bed, tickling him until his squeals and giggles sent the neighbors banging on the wall. Her hair was a mess and so was the dark curls of her son along with their rumpled night clothes but his smile was wide and happy.
"Morning, baby boy. Did you sleep well?" Roxy ask as he tried to catch his breath, curls bouncing as he nodded. Her eyes caught the motion as his small hand came to his chest to grip the carving his father had entrusted to him just the day before. It only further reminded her what would come today...who they would see. She didn't dread seeing Azaizel...but more she dreaded the fear that crept up into her. She had let him down once, would she do the same to their son?
She certain knew she would if she didn't give him this chance to be with and be SOMETHING with his father. And, aside from the small amount of dread that Xen seemed to sense almost instantly and wrap his arms around her neck, she was also excited to see him.
Two years of seeing the man's face when she looked at her son was definitely enough to realize how much she'd missed actually seeing him when he had spoken to her.
"Alright, baby. Let's get up and get dressed. Your daddy will be calling any minute now."Roxy gave him a kiss to the forehead, sliding out of bed in her nightgown. Today was definitely going to be an interesting day.
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Post by Shea on Jul 1, 2014 16:24:25 GMT
Azaizel spent most of the night awake. Instead of walking home from work, he detoured around the park, taking in the cool night air. He wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring. He wasn't sure how well it would go with Xen, or with Roxy. She seemed to truly believe she wanted him in their son's life.
And he wanted to be. God, did he ever. That little boy had stolen his heart. But he wanted in Roxy's life, too. He wanted to help her, when she needed it. He wanted to care for them both. They were his family, his greatest treasures.
But if Roxy didn't want him, then there wasn't anything he could do about it. She'd find someone, and move on, and maybe even take Xen with her. It hurt to think about.
It wasn't until nearly 5am that he came home, his sisters up and worrying about him. He told them what happened, and Jalah had smiled, doing her best to stay positive. But he wasn't the optimistic type.
He'd gone to bed feeling lost and worn, and woke up before his alarm.
Rubbing bleary eyes, he looked at the clock. Despite everything, there was an excitement in his chest he couldn't ignore. So he took a quick shower, managed to eat half of what his sister made for breakfast...
And then stared at the phone for twenty minutes before he worked up the nerve to call. His heart was hammering in his chest as it rang. What if she didn't pick up? What if she had changed her mind, and he'd never seen either of them again?
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Post by Lizzie on Jul 4, 2014 19:44:05 GMT
Roxy finished getting ready for the day, getting Xen dressed in some comfortable summer clothes, careful of the necklace that the small boy seemed to covet above all that morning. After she'd gotten Him settled in at the tablet with his coloring books and a few of his cars, she moved to get breakfast started. She couldn't remember too much about what Azazel liked, but there were a few things that came to mind when she started pulling things from the fridge.
The young woman remembered how he liked his eggs, many of mornings she'd been too drunk and fell asleep right after sex with the werewolf and waking to breakfast cooking. She remembered him eating from a large plate after he'd offered her her own. Scrambled with cheese and ham was always how he'd made hers, and before she'd realized it that's exactly what she was making.
She was raking some onto a plate when her phone went off. She would have hesitated but...honestly, she was too excited and anxious for the day that she couldn't help but snatch up the small phone.
"He-." She cleared her throat, hoping she didn't sound too eager. "Hello?"
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Post by Shea on Jul 4, 2014 19:53:43 GMT
When she answered on the first ring, his immediate thought was that something was wrong. Had something happened with Xen? Was she okay?
But she sounded... nervous. He smiled, leaning back against the wall of the kitchen. His sisters gave him knowing grins. "Hello yourself," he told her. "Did you sleep well?" It was a habit to ask; the first thing he'd always said to her when she'd come into work, even at night, and in the morning on the few times she'd stayed over after what was still the best sex he ever had.
He grabbed his keys off the hook by the door and wave over his shoulder as he left. "I was going to head out, if you and Xen were up and ready. It won't take me more than fifteen to get to you."
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Post by Lizzie on Jul 4, 2014 21:09:51 GMT
She wasn't a girl to swoon, never had been. If she were honest, Roxy thought women who 'swooned' over men were pathetic and fragile and asking for their heart to get played with and discarded. But, here she was, practically swooning at the sound of his voice as it ran over her skin like cool velvet. She forgot how he sounded, almost like a purr into her ear. Roxy had to shake it off and leaned against the counter.
Roxy tried to act nonchalant, her body language not doing much for masking some of her emotions her voice was sure to give away. One arm was wrapped around hersself, gripping the arm that held the phone, eyes glancing at their son sitting at the dinning table, coloring away. "I slept okay. How about you, wolfboy? Did you sleep alright?"
She took a breath, trying to keep her eyes from closing in memory of all to many mornings she'd heard his voice. God when had she turned into this?
"Mmm Xen is excited to see you. He doesn't take his hand off that necklace you gave him to look after." Roxy couldn't help but smile to herself. She hated she'd left him without two years with his son but she was also happy it was him that had fathered Xen. Happy that she didn't have to be so insanely worried that he'd leave her little boy heartbroken and lonely.
"oh. What do you want for breakfast? Eggs, sausage, french toast? I can't remember what you used to eat...."
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Post by Shea on Jul 4, 2014 21:33:39 GMT
Wolfboy. It was a silly name she'd come up with when they'd first met. Back then, it was odd for him to come across a full-blooded human. Especially one that knew about the entire other half of the world. But she did, and after catching him eat a raw steak, she'd known what he was.
And hadn't run scared. Honestly, he wondered if that was what had originally attracted her to him. That unknown and even dangerous part that most tended to shy away from.
"Slept alright," he said. He had to bite his tongue to keep from adding, "Woulda slept better next to you," like he had before she'd run. She'd always laughed, called him a hopeless romantic. But it hadn't upset her. Now, though, it would. He had no place to say it anymore.
Instead he laughed and told her, "You don't remember? Roxy, girl, I eat damn anything. You couldn't have forgotten that." He felt a little bad, having her cook. And feed him. She obviously couldn't be swimming in money.
He turned around, went back inside, and pulled the blueberry pie he and Jalah had made from the counter. There was still a pineapple and cherry one they'd made, but he remembered Roxy liking blueberries. She used to steal some from the bowls he'd take to the bar to snack on.
"Really, Rox. If you're gonna feed me, I'm not gonna be picky. But I'll see you soon, okay?" He hung up after they said their goodbyes.
And then entire drive there he was filled with nerves. He felt a little silly, standing in front of her door, holding a pie and probably reeking of cigarettes. He'd smoked nearly an entire pack to try and calm himself down. Raising a hand, he knocked twice. And waited.
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Post by Lizzie on Jul 5, 2014 0:04:39 GMT
Roxy had almost expected something else to come at the end of his words and wanted to kick herself for holding her breath as she waited for it. The breath released and she found herself doing something she never did...blush. God what was wrong with her. She had to turn on that cold disinterest and quick. After all, it wasn't like she was ready to be intimate or romantic with anyone.
After saying her goodbyes to Azaizel, her brown eyes met the small boy's sitting at the table. He had watched her, no telling for how long, expectant. It was almost like he'd wanted to speak to him...or maybe he had heard everything. "Hey big boy, did you hear all of that?" She asked, and Xen hesitated but, eventually nodded and looked down to the picture he was coloring. He was so good at that, so patient but...seeing the wolves colored like the three of them...well it was almost embarrassing.
"I wouldn't make a very pretty wolf." Roxy chuckled, kissing the top of his curly head.
Walking away from her son, Roxy took the sausage out of the pan, and put on the rest of the things she hopped to cook for them for breakfast, honestly knowing she'd have to cook quiet a lot to sate the hunger of two were, boys.
It wasn't much later that she heard the knock at her door. Xen's head perked up from his plate full of eggs and bacon. "Eat." She ordered. She might not be a were but her little boy knew who was the alpha in the house.He went back to his meal and she went to open the door, not hesitating to give herself a chance to think of something witting. The smirk she held came naturally and she looked down at the pie.
"Blueberry pie?" Roxy asked, almost wanting to hit him for being so sweet. "I can't believe you remembered. Xen likes blueberries, too."
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