The final destination, a final plea. (Closed to Mike)

Their conversation had taken them out of the house long ago. Silus and Zell sat on the rooftop of a coffee shop, legs hanging over and Silus as his side doing the same. Zell smirked when he lifted them to the six story tall studio apartments above the initial shop, and they both had ordered the same drink. It was always so painfully apparent to Zell how much he and Sius were alike. All Zell wanted was to be everything to everyone... and one day he had to learn that it couldn't happen. Silus was still making his way, but he was growing bitter and sour. "It just hurts...when he doesn't even see me as a brother." Silus said as he ran his hoodie sleeve over his eyes, the mist form the steaming hot chai escaping into the cold night air. Silus took a sip at the exact same time as Zell did and sighed at the same time too. "Oh trust me. I know man. You know that picture you have. With me, Niall and my older half brother." He asked, referencing the picture of Niall, Zell and Zell's half brother from his mom's side Aramis. Then he had another half brother not in the picture, Corbin... but he sort of just... vanished. Silus nodded in response to the question and Zell smirked and looked down into his Chai cup.

"I tried for fifteen years, ever since I was two. I' ve tried everything I could. I sided with him when he rebelled against mom, I sided with him when he picked on me... I never tattled to get him in trouble. I did everything I could to get him to love me... and you know what?" Zell asked to Silus with a rather happy voice and a smile. Silus smiled back slightly. "He came around?" He asked the smile still there. The smile faded when he saw Zell's eyes water a little and he chuckled as he looked back into the Chai. Silus' heart sank as he saw Zell's tear drip into his own drink. Zell shook his head and sighed. "No matter how many times I told him I loved him... He even tried to shoot me... but he never loved me. He never told me he loved me, he tried to kill me... for fifteen years I tried. Never heard anything from him other than he wished I was never born." Zell said as he chuckled wiping his eyes slightly. Silus felt himself slip into a form of depression, but not a depression of self-pity. He sympathized. "Even now... I still try. But I know I'll never get it. Then my mom... she hung herself because of having to deal with me alone." Zell sighed as he shook his head. It wasn't his fault and he knew it, but he didn't feel any less guilty for it. Silus shifted and leaned over and wrapped his arms around Zell. Zell just looked at him and scoffed as he wrapped an arm around his son. "You're just like me..." He said under his breath, to which Zell smirked. "Hey...I came first. YOU are like ME. Because you're MY little boy." Zell said as he kissed Silus on the forehead and hugged him again. "And I love you. I'd give ANYTHING to see you happy and healthy. Even my power." He explained. IT was refreshing for Silus to hear it. The conversation was a long one, they spoke fo0r hours before they reached this point. But now tht they were here, Silus realized something. Michael was a dick, and he honestly didn't deserve Silus' loyalty or affection. But Silus was still going to love him, and be loyal to him. Michael could do NOTHING to make Silus love him any less. Just like Zell loved them all. He loved them all and nothing could ever change that. But that didn't mean that Silus had to be a doormat, he didn't need to let Michael walk on him, he didn't need to give Michael the haunting in his head, the constant guilt. Michael didn't EARN that nor did he deserve it. Michael shouldn't be the sole aspect of Silus' happiness. Silus believed this...but it didn't change anything. Silus was still very much so attached to Michael, and he was miserable because of Michael's lack of returned affection. But Silus learned from Zell. Especially when Zell picked him up and floated down to the ground . Zell looked down at his son and smiled. "Love them when they least deserve it." Zell said. Silus rolled his eyes, still wearing a little smile as he finished the sentence with a little tune. "Because that's when they need it the most..." Zell winked and they began on their trek home.

"So what's the deal with Yancey? You've been shoving him away for a little while now. Talk to me." Zell prompted this conversation. Silus hmmm'd and haaa'd for a moment but ultimately he ended up stopping, reaching into his pocket and thrusting a collar with a locket at Zell. Zell looked to it picked it up and noticed that each side of the medallion heart-like locket opened up. As soon as he saw he was pretty sure he understood. Each side opened and there was a total of four pictures. Silus was in each and every one of them, his eyes were covered. The first one was a picture of him and a taller boy squatting down beside him. It looked exactly like Yancey, just about a foot taller and white rather than bronze. The second picture was the male holding Silus, picking him up and Silus laughing, the blindfold still on. The third picture, on the other side, was a picture of Silus sitting on his shoulders, looking like he was about to fall off. The last picture was a picture of each of them holding a piece of paper. The pale Yancey looking male held a sign that had "I love you Silus" written in green paint with an arm around Silus and kissing his cheek. Silus held a similar sign but the color was in red and it read "I love you Abra". That made it all click. This was Abra's human form, the one he never took and the one he promised Silus he'd take when they were old enough to go to school together. This was Silus' brother... not literally but it was truly his closest friend. Yancey looked JUST like him, but tanner. Zell smiled and closed the locket as he squatted himself down and sighed as he placed his hands on Silus' shoulders. "Oookay. So why are you pushing Yancey away?" the question was simple enough, but what Zell heard was not a typical Silus answer, and it set his heart to ease that he JUST had the talk with Silus that he had, especially having the semi-happy and cheerful loving boy say... "Because. I let Abra down. I should have died not him. I know he's not Abra, but I don't wanna lose him too." Zell nodded as if he followed the logic, but sadly he did not. He arched an eyebrow. "I'm afraid to lose him...so I'm going to push him away... Hash-tag Michael-logic" He said. Silus giggled and shrugged as they continued on their way home, making it to the safe-house. The door appeared, and they could enter, but much to Silus' confusion Zell insisted on staying out for a bit. Silus shrugged it off and went in as Zell remained out.

Michael was still out, he knew because he was tailing him. He went to the beach with his son Shael. Zell called a different Archon, one from a pointless zombie verse or something and followed him incognito and perfectly undetectable. Zell mauled this over for a moment, and then made his decision. He feared making things worse, but his heart ached too much to let it be. He quickly made way towards the beach. He'd get a little help mind you, relying on the Archon energy to augment his transportation method... Running.(+6 speed +4 Dur/Stam.) With a steaming mph and the stamina to do so, he sped his way, almost certain that no one would move too far as he went all out to get there. Once he got to Michael however he'd walk up and stand or sit next to him in whatever manner that Mike was. "You'll get tired just watching him burn energy." He'd say about Shael with a chuckle and looking to Mike with a smile.

Salty waves lapped up at the shore, Shael darting back enough that they only touched the tips of his toes while Michael watched half amused. He was sitting on the sand, knees drawn to his chest and arms wrapped around his legs, simply watching his son enjoy himself, something about the each seeming to excite him. Neon green flecked silver orbs would continue watch the male as his mind found itself wandering off as it usually did, or rather as it did recently. His shoes lay beside him, toes squirming through the sand slowly, feeling the grains embed themselves between his toes and create an annoying sort of grainy feeling, one that caused him to relax his toes and let some of the grains fall out. His eyes would scan up to see Shael looking at him with a curious expression, perhaps wondering why he had been staring at the sand for a few minutes, though he did what seemed to be the usual Shael thing and tackle hugged him, knocking Michael off balance and back first onto the sand; with the ethereal child sitting on his chest. ”Gotcha.” he chimed cheerily, flashing white teeth and revealing two sharp canines, giving the impression that he was trying to cheer him up some.

He couldn’t help but give a small smile, making a mock surrendering gesture. ”yeah, no way I could escape you now.” Michael chuckled with a roll of his eyes, before moving fast, switching the script and ending up with the little ethereal being pinned down, though all he did was giggle wildly, flailing a little thought Michael could tell that it was mostly noncommittal.

”Daaaaad that’s not fair.” He chuckled, Michael letting the pressure off and sitting back.

”Good thing I never claimed to be fair.” Michael added with a laugh, ruffling up Shael’s hair as he fell flat on his back and seemed to just roll around in the sand, as if the whole being dead thing had never happened to him. It was better that way, his sons innocence not be ruined by another of his mistakes, that smiles was perhaps one of the only things that he could enjoy lately, since it was almost always plastered on the little ethereals face. Part of him wondered if that was something that came from his side of the family, the mothers or he was just born super happy all of the time. Either way he was as he was and that was all that mattered, as the tan male would shoot to his feet and then proceed to swim about in the ocean, seemingly taking the form of some manner of fish. From what he could tell it was a shark, fin sticking up above water as he swam around, having too much fun, and that was alright.

Michael smirked, shaking his head and raking fingers through his somewhat messy dark brown hair, remembering that it had gone without proper treatment and grown a little dry. He twirled a few strands between index and thumb, then found himself wondering why the state of his hair was important. Not like it had fallen out of his head, which was an accomplishment considering the stress he had went through. Perhaps it was just him trying to get his mind out of its funk, not that it would be doing so instantly, time needed to be taken and how long that was. Footsteps in the sand however caught his attention, Michael half expecting Fera, turning instead to see Zell. Instantly he thought of why the male would be here, but then again it was a public place. Turning back towards the water, he would see Shael beginning to emerge from the water as a vblack wolf, shaking violently as the water begin to cascade off of him in droplets.

”You could say that again.” Michael answered, letting one leg push outwards, dragging along the sand as his hand rested upon the knee. His father would sit beside him and Michael would give him a quizzical glance. ” So I guess i’m not the only one here to enjoy the ocean side view, am I?” Michael joked weakly, smirking as if to add to it and turning to Shael who was now just trotting around.

"Well honestly I don't care much for the ocean. I was captain of the swim team but I could never really get used to open ocean." Zell explained, looking back at Michael's quizzical glance mirroring it back at him. "What's with the look? Is it that awkward to check up on the people you love?" Zell asked, unsure if he really wanted the answer from Michael. Zell believed that Michael could love, hell he KNEW Michael loved. But if Michael never showed it others would be utterly oblivious. He wouldn't lie, he contemplated using his Archon capabilities to FORCE him to show his emotions. That would literally be the easiest course of action. But he'd never do it, not unless Michael asked him to. Genuine love must be elected to share. It's not genuine if you're forced into it. Zell awaited the answer as he looked back to Shael. How would he seriously start a conversation like this? Just upright say "Yup you fucked up but it's going to be alright?" No he couldn't do it like that. Michael knew he messed up, reminding him in a way like that would only be harmful. Did he bring up the fact he defended him and ask him what he thought? No if he did that it looked like he was fishing for a compliment. Did he be honest? No... Hell no. Honesty was the best policy, true, but not here and not directly.

  "I came here to talk to ya. Maybe...I dunno.... Maybe I guess I'd actually try being a father this time. Talk about things rather than throw myself into an energy blast and die." Zell said with a sigh as he began to feel the weight of responsibility. "I'm finally myself so I don't think I need to worry about Sir dickhead's self destructive measures taking hold." He tried to laugh it off just a little as he tried to calm himself down internally, freaking out otherwise. He was going to mess it up, he knew it. It was just like dealing with Aramis, just this time it was his kid. He was going to mess up. He always messed up. Everything he ever did made others miserable. HE never saved anyone. He only made people suffer. I'm more a Villain than Ouroboros ever was. was all he could think as he closed his eyes. Now he really felt like Silus. It is untrue. I manipulated your path for something greater than this. Desist this pointless self-loathing. I saw you brought up better than this. A voice echoed in his mind. Zell's anger boiled, but only because it was true. The truth of the matter was... The Lych was like a father to him, and honestly even with all of the messed up shit he did...he was a better father than Dartameaze. Did you question yourself when you faced me? Did you question your resolve? Do you truly question yourself now? If you do...the Michael deserves to be lost. If you do nothing and he is lost...it is on your hands. The voice echoed within once more. Zell steadied himself, actually thankful for the voice within as it guided him. Harsh words, but ones that had meaning and benevolence. Truly uncharacteristic for Ariel Mortimer A.

Zell questioned the look that he was giving him, and Michael was unsure how he would answer it really. Was it awkward to check up on the people that you loved? This was something that he found himself seriously contemplating, mind running over it quick enough that it only took a few seconds, and yet to Michael it felt like an eternity. Having someone check up on him was not something he was ever used to, and in fact he was growing used to dealing with most things on his own. Either through his own inability to show his own emotions or simply not wanting to come off as weak, one of them tended to impede that little thing. ”Awkward works.” Michael said with a slow nod, watching the black wolf trail along the beach slowly sniffing the air as if looking for something, digging into the moist sand as if for shells.

Michael’s face had taken on the usual expression, placid and calm, with a small smirk playing along his lips. Afterall, the expected was he did not feel and that tended to be how things worked. Part of him was glad that Shael was not like him, more free with his emotions and just an overall likable kid, ended with less problems anyway. Save for the getting killed part anyway, but that was supposedly history, even though it would always stay in the back of his mind. Zell spoke about actually being a father, talking things over and things of that nature, something he had not been expecting really. Okay, perhaps he had been expecting something like that but being so upfront about it was a welcome change, Michael turning towards him for a moment with a mildly intrigued look.

The neon green flecked orbs would consider Zell for a moment, lips pressing into a hard line before anything came from them. ”Well daddio, what do ya wanna talk about?” he would ask simply as out of his peripheral he would watch Shael as he just trotted around, enjoying himself and just acting as Shael would act. ”I'm not really busy so I guess I could do some talking. I’m an open book, so just ask and you shall know.” he shrugged, dragging fingers through the sand and creating deep grooves within the grainy ground. He may have been sarcastic or sincere, only going for it would prove one or the other.

"If you're an open book then this will be quick. What do you think of your family? Of Shael and Fera... of your brothers. Of Sean, and of me? What are we to you? Where do we stand?" He asked. it was a plain question but it held more gravity than one would have expected. This was truly Zell's first question into delving into Michael's psyche. If the family meant nothing to him, then Zell was done here. He wouldn't waste his time. But when Zell stood across the notorious leader of the Crime Syndicate he would remember the night Michael disowned his family. Likewise, Zell wasn't foolish enough to believe that Michael would confess to loving them. He was too detached, too isolated. The only person who he ever seemed to say he loved was Shael. Zell's heart hurt as he waited in anticipation, he wanted to hold on to Michael, but he wouldn't hold if Michael didn't want to be held to. Only he could save himself. Zell could only show him the light, the path. But Michael needed to have a glimmer in him, a spark that still existed. If no such spark existed, then Zell would leave Michael to his own devices and do the only thing he could... pray.

"I guess... I just need to know. We've been here, with you. But it's like you don't even notice us. You do realize that we're there right? You do realize we love you right?" He asked, and honestly perhaps it was just because he knew how Silus felt... but it took some serious restraint to keep his voice from seeming judgmental and to keep from out bursting about Silus and Shael's concern for him. But for now Zell simply inquired, hoping Michael was truly as open a book as he claimed to be... Zell's heart was broken, cracked and chipped. He had hoped that it wouldn't shatter...he couldn't deal with it any more.

The first question was not expected actually, and Michael did not hide his surprise in the form of eyes widening for a moment before returning to their normal narrowness. Of course one would expect him to say something callous, perhaps nothing but what he thought of them was….well despite the rareness of him saying that word, he loved them in his own twisted ways. His mouth opened and he began to word it in his own way, however it was. ”You’re family.” he started off simply, or rather tried to but his voice seemed to waver for a moment. ”I care for you guys, as terrible as I may be at showing it, even if prior evidence has shown otherwise. ” Michael noted forming an answer. ”Aaaaaaalright, I am incredibly terrible at showing it, I don’t think I have enough adjectives to fit actually, so I’m just going to use that one.”

Next came something about wondering if he knew that they loved him, and his expression stayed as it was. How did he describe that he was somewhat retarded when it came to love? ”I’ve been called the brat prince for a reason, hasn’t been to compliment me either. Could say I’m retarded when it comes to the subject of love. I realize it however, but showing it back….” Michael shrugged and sighed, Shael turning his head towards Michael with cocked ears before trotting around.

"Showing it back is the problem." Zell pretty much simplified and finished the response. He wasn't surprised, but he was certainly pleased. Difficulty showing love means that there is love there, which means Zell wasn't wrong. That was a good thing, Zell being wrong generally led to the collapse of a reality, granted he wasn't sure how this instance would have lived up to the paradigm, but he was okay with not having to find out. But then he found himself realizing that he had royally failed as a father, and that in itself was damaging. But this was what he was doing right? Trying to fix what he failed? "So you can't show it because... you don't know how or...?" He asked, formulating that his inability to show emotion stemmed from one of two psychological formations. The first one being the inability to communicate with leads to an isolation, a distance that one becomes so comfortable with that they won't let someone close, even when they're miserable. The other option he could think of was still a communication issue, but it was the simply inability to show love because he never learned how. Having been raised by Ouroboros that was highly probable in it's own right. Ouroboros was as emotionally fostering as Dartameaze was. Not at all...basically. Before Michael could really answer Zell took a breath in.

"I mean... I failed you. I was your father and I should have been there, I should have taken more incentive, I shouldn't have thrown myself on the chopping block for the Hale lady. I had beat Ouroboros and the first thing I do is waste my life for people who hate me. I was scared he'd beat me again...that he'd take control again and I wouldn't be able to save you or Silus when he tried to execute his plan... Just like I couldn't save Shael." Zell shrugged, now it was just him trying to justify himself he just sighed and shook his head and wiped his eyes to stop any moisture that had begun while he could. He knew he failed as a father, but he needed to do his best now and hope it wasn't too late. Granted, at the time saving them form the monster that was Ouroboros seemed more important, but had he known everything he knew now... the things he wouldn't have done back then were numerous. Zell was the farthest soul from innocent, he was the most tainted and guilty creature in existence. "I guess...I really do bitch a lot hehe. But uh... seriously... I just wanna know what you're thinking Mike. You've been through enough, Silus has been through enough, both Shael's been through enough. I'm pretty sure Jordan's too dumb to realize he's been through enough, but still. I need to know what I need to do. I need to know where I failed you. Did I never show you how to show love? Did I really push you that far away?"

So he had vocalized his own deficiency, it felt strange in a way and how he was all deficient in the love showing department. The question to that was what that entailed, and he had to figure up an answer for that, since he did offer himself up as an open book and that meant being truthful. So all the gut spilling that he probably never did before would have to happen, which Michael was feeling a little hesitant about but it had to happen. Not that it was a surprise how he had emotionally developed, seeing as how well Ouroboros had encouraged one to show their emotions, or not at all. So his being somewhat retarded in showing emotions was not too surprising. Zell continued to talk, something about how he had failed as a father and thins along those lines. Something about the Hale lady and sacrificing himself, plans all of that.

Didn’t really see what he was doing as bitching though, just perhaps whining or maybe lamentations, one of those two. ”You want to know what I’m thinking?” The realization was an interesting one and the want to be sarcastic was great, but he controlled himself. ”That’s not something people want to normally know, not that I blame them anyway. Strange things up in the headspace.” He said tapping on his temple softly. ”But yeah, when it came to love kinda had to learn that stuff on my own.” The male did keep on about failing him and things of that nature, and yet he was trying to figure out what he meant by that. Michael shrugged, running fingers through his own hair slowly.

”No one pushed me away really, I think I did that well enough myself. Don’t go taking all of the credit yourself on that one, or any of it really. I seem to be good at the whole pushing people away thing, not that its very hard.” Say the wrong thing do the wrong thing, and it causes people to run away, save for of course his family it seemed, that went nowhere really, not that he had ever actively tried to push them away. Still, it was until now that he finally noticed it really and that was sad really, considering he thought himself to be so smart or something like that. ”Never really had anyone to show me how to show love, so I tried learning it on my own, and that went…..not great really. Otherwise I have a feeling we would not be having this conversation.” he rubbed the bridge of his nose softly.

”In the end I found myself trying to emulate Ouroboros, without the whole strangling people, don’t think I find that whole thing to appealing actually, but potential erotic asphyxiation aside. We see how well that went, not well at all actually. Anyway, if you want to know what you need to do, you seem to have the whole showing love for people down pretty well. Perhaps you could…I dunno, give a little advice on that.” It was worth a shot, even though he had a feeling he left the wording something to be desired of.

Advice? Zell was awful at that. Not really, but he still believed himself to be terrible at it. Perhaps that was the self-deprecation he had as the Omniversal being, maybe perhaps it was just him as a being...before the Omniversal part. Either way, he had this question still sitting here before him. Perhaps he could give advice on it. So badly he wanted to use the smart-ass answer of "No". He and Michael had their similarities, but it's not like Michael needed to know that. Zell choked back the smartassed retort as he thought about what else he should say in it's stead. "There's four ways to really show someone you love them. The first one is taking an interest in them. Ask how their day was or just have a talk, bond with them... even if you don't "Stay" close the bond will be there forever. The second way is to do something for them, to show you want to help them, a simple hand on the shoulder a smile at them...not this Smirking shit you and I USUALLY do. Occasionally you'll see me actually smile at Sean... even if it wasn't funny or if it was trivial... if it makes him smile, I smile too. Then you have the third way, which is SHOWING them with your actions. It sounds tedious, it sounds stupid and primitive...but honestly as I said. I'll laugh when I don't find it funny. When you LOVE someone you're willing to put them on your priorities. Get protective, get defensive. The best part about it, when they don't agree with you on what you think is best for them...get snarky, be a dickhead about it! Show them you are only trying to help and THEY are the dicks... ultimately being a dick yourself. It's a form of guilt-trip and 98% of the time YOU get the last word. What am I always doing when people get snippy with me. I sigh, shake my head...act offended... and say "Yeah sorry. My bad for trying to help"... Instantly THEY are the douchebags. Even though I'm the one that set them up for it." Zell chuckled as he looked to Michael.

There was a lot to teach it seemed. The primary example right now was quite literally that to love someone didn't mean you had to alter yourself entirely. It just means establishing connections and fostering them. But Even if it was difficult. Relationships...love platonic OR romantic took work in the beginning. It always did. "The last way is simple. Just say so. I can think of an eleven year old who wants for nothing more in this world than to hear those three words. Everything he did, ever, was in Michael's defense. He told Ouroboros, Shael and Jordan that you had hope...you had a chance. Everyone else had given up on you, except Silus. Shael came around after Silus, still in tears, begged him to forgive you...right after you almost killed him. Silus put himself between you and Raziel... because he thinks that if he loves Michael enough then Michael will love him back. I'm willing to bet, on my life, that you love your brothers." Zell said as he smiled and shook his head as he tears escaped him. "But I know what it's like to be Silus...to want to hear those three words from your older brother. I remember the day my older brother tried to shoot me... If I hadn't tripped... you wouldn't be here. But I still told mom to let it go, to forget it. I still pleaded for the police to let him go...I don't want... any of you to turn out the failure I did. If you want to run the Crime Syndicate you do it. I'm just asking you don't forget about your family...and you don't stop loving them. You don't have to like them... but love them enough to put their needs and wants on an even scale. with yours." He said, almost as if he were pleading. He never had felt so powerless as he brought his kneed up and put his forehead down and sighed as he tried to clear his mind.

The last thing they needed right now was Zell opening up...especially when he was trying to get Michael to open up. Michael was officially the only one who knew Zell had a brother, let alone one who tried to kill him. Zell didn't want to be the one who cracked and opened up, but he did. If luck proved anything Michael would see that as trust. Foolishly placed perhaps, but maybe when Michael saw Zell open he might try to emulate it. He might see the highly intelligent being, the omnidimensional being breaking down over something as trivial as love. Perhaps it wasn't so trivial if an omniveral being was willing to cry and be so broken about it.

"I-I'm sorry. I-I d-di-didn't want to rant. I didn't want to cry." He cleared his throat after a moment, stammering to keep his breathing sounding controlled as he ran his sleeve across his eyes again and let out a long exhale, trying to calm himself. "But yeah... Try to spend time with them, show them you're interested in them. Don't be afraid to put a hand on their shoulder, or mess up their hair, or actually joke and smile with them. Get defensive over them, when they're hurting or emotionally hurt BE there for them. Poke them and prod them, show them you WANT them to open up... those kids who tried to drown Silus? I know what you did to them... DO THAT. But you can also just tell them you love them, and put them and their wants as priorities in your life. Just below your needs...but just above your wants... and if you do that. Those you love...will put YOU and YOUR wants above their own." Zell said with a smile. He shook his head and chuckled as if he suddenly realized something. "Okay...seriously. I'm done now... sorry man." He said as he looked out at the Ocean, watching Shael with a huge smile.

Michael had asked and so he received, perhaps it was most of a lecture, but then again he got what he asked for. Advice, despite the long windedness of the entire thing, it was something that he could seriously consider for a moment. Some of the points given however he had considered, but prideful as he was tended to push off as weakness, yet there were two people that he had said those phrases to, his children. Not that he had a chance to say something like that to Fera in a long while, as she seemed to have a deep seated dislike of him lately,  always with the glaring and the blank expression as if she did not want to deal with him then. Not that he blamed her, with all he had done, she was justified in how she felt. Michael stretched, feeling his joints pop and then let the rest of the whole preachy thing sink into him, considering how to respond rather than just “Yeah.”

One thing was mostly a rather thinly vieled “Silus wants you to love him” thing, and he had let that sink in. He had heard it before, that Silus idolized him for some strange reason and that seemed to tear at him more than he let on, that someone would idolize him. There were better people for him to idolize, Shael being a good example. Thinking of his brother however only made his jaw ache, and so the male massaged it lightly, mind still capable of remembering the fine jelly that it had been reduced to once before. The back to the fact that someone had fought for him, that he had when the rest of his family was likely more than willing to kill him. Not that he could blame them, especially after that incident, one that perhaps made him wish that he had died. Small beads of moisture were trailing from Zell’s eyes, confusing him slightly.

He was crying, but the reason behind it the male could not ascertain really, other than what he was talking about had caused some kind of emotional pain. Now however hew was finding out that Zell had a brother that had tried to kill him, which meant that he was more like Silus than he thought. Michael sighed softly, looking to Shael who still seemed to be playing around, and he couldn’t help but smile faintly. It was really a reflex at this point, and the little ethereal always seemed to spread happiness wherever he went, though that seemed to break through his own barriers. Ones built up over an amount of time and ones that had been rapidly built, perhaps far too quickly for him to adjust.

”So you know about that? Damn, I thought I was being sneaky too.” Michael found himself chuckling, remembering the anger he had felt upon finding out who had nearly killed his sibling, and then the residual of when he had thought he had actually been killed. Michael blinked, wondering why his eyes were feeling a little moist, rubbing his eyelids and playing it off as just something being in his eyes. ”Sounds aloooot easier when put like that, can’t believe I didn’t figure that out before.” he wouldn’t bring up the fact that his father had broken down, and opened up instead of him, as seemed the intention. Granted…okay what was with all this moisture in his eye.  Michael would have grumbled it outloud but instead decided to internalize the annoyance and rub his palm against his left eye, feeling a small amount of moisture cling to it.

Well this was brilliant, he was likely cryin, minus the horrendous sobbing and ugly face. ”Wouldn’t hurt giving it a try, I mean the worst thing that could happen is….well whatever that is.  All of the shoulder patting, and hair rubbing, sounds like something I could get to doing. Seems doing the opposite has gotten me pretty shitty results, so maybe I won’’t totally screw this up.” Michael found himself saying, and then wondering if he was already looney. Shael had finished his frolicking, trotting over to Michael and laying next to him, curling up and yawning, Michael scratching him behind the ear. ”Don’t need to apologize though, seems like what I needed to hear. Otherwise I would have probably gone off what I assumed and probably blown something up, or something equally destructive, aaaand that is not something anyone would want, except this little guy. He likes it when things explode.” Michael would add the last part rubbing the back of the wolf.

”Sooooo thanks for the advice….dad.” Despite his attempts at sincerity, he still managed to sound a little Michaelish, but hopefully something within that was visible enough to show he meant it. So all he had to do was offer a smile, and....there we go, it was more of a semi-smile, a little teeth shown but it was good.

"It's kinda what I'm here for... while I am here that is." Zell said with a chuckle as he kept watching Shael. He loved that little dog-boy, but the fact he was a grandfather was incredibly irking to him. He had to make a mental note to himself and somehow prompt a way to force those kids to not call him anything resembling "grandpa" or "old man" or anything symbolizing he was old. He's seventeen, not ready to be called "dad" let alone "grandpa". He was more than willing to take the stress of both, but not the title. Zell fell sideways a little and leaned into Mike. "It's the least I could do anyway. You were the one who taught me how to love Sean." Zell said with a yawn. He then figured Mike wasn't quite a fan of it, and moved himself straight back up before looking about and standing to his feet as he stretched. He remembered the day Michael was born. That day was the second most monumentally changing day for him, right behind the day he defeated Ouroboros and took back control of his life.

"March Third, at Seven O' Seven pm, Zell Atterrius realized he was in love with Sean. He always lied Sean, had things messing with him to be inclined to Sean. But THAT...was when he realized." Zell said, feeling awkward about talking in the third person as he sighed and crossed his arms with a smile. Michael would be able to figure it out, unless he were truly retarded. Which he wasn't. He looked to Shael and clicked his tongue with a wink. "September Eleventh, at Two forty six and two forty eight he made the best twins EVER." He laughed as he turned and started to walk away, putting an arm up into the air and waving, wondering how much of what he said went in one ear and out the other. Knowing Michael who knows...Zell could only hold on to hope. But he had faith in Michael, and that would be more valuable than anyone could ever know sooner than anyone would ever like to know. Perhaps he would see Michael back at the house, perhaps Yancey and Silus would venture out to the beach like they normally did and run into them. It was likely...but it was also possible for it to not happen. It all depended on Michael and Shael actually, Silus and Yancey weren't far. If they didn't move within the next minute or so, they'd probably cross paths...unless they neglected each other.

Zell walked in the house and went straight to his room, pulling out his personal little journal and walked over to his own little chair, that all others knew to leave alone. (Except Sean, but Zell could allow this for him) He sat down and opened the cover to the old looking leather bound book. The back of the front cover had a picture on it...

The leaning on him bit confused Michael somewhat, mostly because the gestures were unexpected from Zell, or the person that was known as his dad. What he said about teaching him to love Sean was a little confusing, as Michael teaching anyone to love was just something that did not happen. So he gave Zell a confused look, one brow raising as if waiting for him to explain what he said further and all he did was give his birthday and the time he was born, giving him an idea. That he was the reason that Zell loved Sean? The idea that he was the reason was flattering, but he found himself still wondering anyway, humming softly to himself as the male ended the whole leaning on him thing. Then something was said about Shael, who looked to his grandfather and panted happily, bright alert eyes scanning over Zell before choosing to rest his head upon his paws again.

With his father walking away, likely to their home, Michael would look out to the sea once again and hum to himself. He would sit there for a few minutes, shaking his head and then standing to his feet, feeling the sand under his feet and sighing. He would stretch and Shael would shift back into his human form, dressed in the typical camo shorts, black shirt with a skull on it and black jacket over that. Michael had enough of the sea air for now, a breeze blowing over his face and feeling somewhat calming as he wiped a palm along his cheek and turned around, pivoting on his heel. ”Alright Shael, I think that’s enough of the beach for one day.” Michael yawned softly, Shael latching onto his hand with both much like a vice. Luckily he had chosen to take that adorable and younger form of his, or prying eyes would make too many assumption, and Michael would be inclined to break jaws.

With Shael latched onto his hand he would walk along home, his son seeming more alive than him but that was always the case. The kid was always happy, a huge skip in his step as he went along with life. Eventually he would reach the safehouse, stepping through and letting Shael walk off after ruffling up his hair. ”Try not to blow anything up.” He muttered as the kid nodded and ran off with a wide smile leaving Michael to roam into the kitchen, digging through the fridge and removing a small cup of pudding, mostly because he was in the mood for it. Sitting down at the table with his dairy based treat, he would slowly begin to snack on it until taking note of movement in the form of a both familiar and unfamiliar tan male, one that he could recognize as the rainbow pup Yancey, and tagging along was Silus.

Michael waved to the two with a spoon clamped between teeth, and mouth closed, creating perhaps an unusual image of Michael. Pulling the spoon from his mouth, Michael let it dip into the pudding. ”Hey Silus, hey Yancey.”

"H-Hi." Silus said, his face partially red as he swatted Yancey's arm. Yancey arched an eyebrow and was slightly confused but wiggling an eyebrow. Silus grumbled, causing Yancey's smirk to turn into a full out pearly white smile and an almost child-like giggle. He then dropped an arm over Silus as the child seemed to be angry about something. "C'mon SI! Lemmie do it!" Yancey pleaded. Silus shook his head and Yancey let out a little moan as he puffed out his lower lip a little and forces his shimmering eyes onto Silus' faintly glowing ones. Silus shook his head, the mop of hair flopping about as if he made his final decision. He turned back to the fridge and then Yancey struck. He slid down on one knee and pulled back on Silus' shoulder as he bent his arm, literally sliding up and laughing. Silus was kicking and then growled and crossed his arms, pouting as Yancey cradled him with a little smirk as he stepped around and looked to Shael and Mike, as if showing the little kid off. "Gotcha" He giggled. Silus' eye looked up to Yancey as he smirked, but kept his arms crossed. He was partially amused. Yancey set him down and Silus shook his head as Yancey went over to pet Shael and play with him.

"They get along good...keeps Yancey off me too haha" Silus said with a smile at Michael, taking Zell's lesson to heart. His dad was right, and his dad knew who he was going through. He wouldn't give up on Michael, but he wasn't going to break himself. His heart can break, and his heart can hurt...but he'd never change. He'd always love Michael. But he'd be okay regardless, because Silus was loved. If Michael loved him... he wouldn't ever be happier. But if not he could learn to be content. But for now Silus seemed to be in better spirits.

Michael found himself smiling lowly at the display, Yancey seeming to carry Silus like one would expect a married couple, an amusing thing really. The display did not last long as Yancey placed him down on the floor and trotted away, likely to play around with his son as he turned to Silus who said something about how the two always seemed to get along. ”Yeah and Shael seems fond of him.” Michael noted taking a bite of the pudding in the cup, chocolate taste filling his mouth as he considered the younger male and then to the seat next to him. His brother had appeared a little more lively, or atleast he wasn’t sad, so things seemed to be okay with him. ”If ya want you can join me, plenty of pudding to go around.” Michael said simply keeping a semi-friendly tone about motioning with his head towards the chair next to him and wondering how Silus would respond to attempts at socialization.

Mike seemed to agree with Silus when he said about Yancey. It was good seeing Yancey make other friends, since he had so few of them as it was. Michael then said something along the lines of there being plenty of pudding to go around and it slightly confused Silus, but if he wasn't going crazy it would seem like Michael was inviting Silus to relax...and eat pudding. Silus doesn't swear...but fuck yes. It was pudding. Silus smiled and nodded but cautious and curious as to the friendly nature behind Michaels voice. Mike didn't do friendly normally. Not that Silus could remember anyway. He mostly did "Indifferent", "Amused", "Arrogant", or "Inconvenienced" from what Silus could recall. But then he found himself being a tad bit bitter. He heard genuine emotion out of Mike when he said his apology, and when he said he loved Shael.

  "Y-yeah." Was all he really could say as he made his venture for a pudding cup, there was one left and it was marked "Jordan". That Dragon loved his pudding. Granted this round was chocolate, but normally he gets banana cream pie flavored pudding, and no one touches it. Jordan will eat it like candy and if anyone else touches it they get a swift tail to the face. Peeling back the cup's strange aluminum-like lid he took an acquired spoon and walked back towards Michael and sat. Not quite NEXT to Mike, but certainly close enough to emulate (in his mind) the feeling of actually being close enough with his brother to enjoy a moment like this. Silus was always quiet, his nickname around the house was literally "Shy Guy", thanks to both Yancey and Zell. It was a joke about how he was always in a hoodie too big for him and obviously for his lack of outgoing nature. But he'd fight it off long enough to converse as best he could with his brother. "I-It's really good to have him back."