Something Unexpected

[Maira]

Lia hadn't even known that Ruri was awake until there was a knock at the front door and the girl yelled that she would get it. It didn't even occur to her that she should possibly be worried about who was at the door until she heard Lysander's voice in the house calling for her. She shared one quick panicked look with Cian before trying to make herself look relaxed just as L burst through the door into their kitchen trailing Dominic and Ruri. When he grabbed her hands and pulled her from her seat at the table, spun her around and then planted a loud kiss on her mouth before exlaiming about having sold one of her pieces she nearly panicked until his words settled into her brain. Once they did, her mind quickly left the worry of him being there to skin her alive for sleeping with his daughter to focussing on showing him her other pieces out in her studio.

Ruri watched helplessly as her dad hauled one of her lovers out of her sight on the premise of finding more pieces to sell to a very interested buyer. Ruri really hoped that was what he was actually doing because if she found out later he'd cornered Lia and given her a "talking to" she wouldn't speak to him for months.

Trying to keep up enough small talk to keep Ruri from running after L and Lia was exhausting and Dominic was just about to give up when L made his way back into the house. Alone. When L then asked Ruri to take a walk with him in the back yard, Dominic relaxed just a bit. He knew what was coming now, L had told him he was going to talk with Ruri, and he really hoped that what his lover had to say would put their daughter a little more at ease.

As soon as the pair of them left, Dominic looked at Cian curiously for a few moments trying to read the incubus. Finally giving up he just flat out stated, "She's a lot more sensitive than she lets on, please be gentle with her heart." Having said what he came to say, Dominic picked up the mug of coffee Cian had offered him earlier and sipped at it, commenting on how good it was and asking what it was and where he could get some.

*****

Ruri listened as her dad spoke. His story shocked her and she did her best not to gawk at him. When he finished telling her about his own experience with his father and told her he just wanted her to be happy, she stood quietly for a moment before answering, "I am happy Dad, really happy. I wasn't worried about how you'd feel about the situation, just how you'd feel about who I was in this situation -with-." Lysander gave her a strange look and Ruri sighed before clarifying, "An incubus and a succubus, clearly two people who could coerce me if they'd wanted but I was the one that pursued them. Mom's best friend. And of all people my own nephew's father." L's silent shrug just reinforced his declaration that he just wanted her to be happy and Ruri threw herself at him, burying her face in his chest as he hugged her tight and whispered, "Thank you."

When they went back inside, Ruri kissed Dominic on the cheek on her way to stand between Cian and Lia, who had apparently made her way back in from the studio while she was out in the yard with L. She kissed each of them quickly on the lips, well aware her fathers were both watching and then turned a happy smile towards the two men who were now standing next to each other getting ready to leave. L's parting words to Cian and Lia made the succubus flinch, and Ruri glared at him.

As L turned them both to go, Dominic corrected, "Our little girl L, and please just keep the bodies out of my flower beds okay?" The orange that connected with the back of Dominic's head (thrown by Ruri no doubt) just made him laugh and he let himself be lead through the house and out the front door. Once the door was shut behind them, Dominic snuggled up to L and said softly, "I think that went rather well, how did it go for you?"

[Demeter]

Smiling, Lysander wrapped an arm around Dominic's waist. "I think that went very well. Now we just have to wait to see what happens with Saiyuri. Considering the threats Saiyuri threw at him when she found out about Shay, something big must be going on for Cian to have consented to this."

Lysander grinned at Dominic. "Come on. Let's go home and I'll treat you to breakfast in bed. Again."

****

Cian watched the two men walking arm in arm down the sidewalk. Once they were out of site, he turned to the two women in the room with him. "Well, that was interesting," he said while running a hand through his hair. "Ruri, can we expect any other parental visits? Should I go put on body armor for when Saiyuri arrives?"

He knew it was somewhat silly but she's threatened things worse then death when he'd managed to get Shay pregnant - never mind that Shay had been soaked in drink and had been the one to get his arm bands off, thus probably starting the chain of events that lead to Keane. He was scares of his son's grandmother when she was pissed off. 

In the end, it was a few days before Saiyuri managed to find the house. Ruri and Lia were out at the time, leaving Cian to work on his latest novel. The current scene wasn't going the way he wanted it to so he was in a very bad mood when Saiyuri came knocking on his door. 
She came with husband in tow. The moment he opened the door, Saiyuri asked him if he had a problem remembering what she'd told him last time.

Cian scowled. "You know, Saiyuri, it's great that you are a protective mother. It shows that you care for your children nut I will have you know that both times, it was your daughters that jumped me. Both daughters that got my limiters off my arms." 

That was true enough. Both Shay and Ruri had done that. He'd only encouraged them a little. "Your children are adults, Saiyuri and you need to take a step back. I'll let you in on a secret; the Gods told Lia and myself to form a relationship with Ruri and who am I to defy the gods."

"She's safe with us so stop worrying so much. We won't drain her. We can't -she's too powerful for that."

[Maira]

She'd taken time to cool down. Had stopped eyeing her knives and swords and other nasty sharp pointy things. She had even managed to talk calmly to Theiry about the whole situation on more than one occasion. When she and Theiry finally made their way over to Cian and Lia's house, it wasn't even for her to give him a piece of her mind. Saiyuri's only intention when asking Theiry if they could go over was to visit with Ruri since she hadn't been home in days and hadn't called or sent any text messages. Saiyuri just wanted to apologize to Ruri for how she reacted.

The greeting that Saiyuri got when Cian opened the door floored her. The longer he talked, the closer to tears she got. She backed away from the fuming incubus until she bumped into Theiry, who wrapped an arm around her protectively. Theiry had seen the turmoil Saiyuri went through coming to terms with her best friend, and his girlfriend, sleeping with her daughter and for her to now be getting torn to shreds by that best friend was obviously very hard on her.

When Cian got to the end of his tirade, saying something about the Gods telling him and Lia to pursue Ruri, the dark-haired woman just stared blankly. As her brain processed that, she nearly missed the comment about Ruri being safe and too powerful for the pair to drain but it wasn't as shocking to her as the bit about the Gods so that got shoved to the back of her mind for later. Very quietly, shock clear in her voice, Saiyuri finally spoke. "What's this about the Gods? Why didn't you just tell me this? I'm not one to argue with the Gods either you know." Then, a little more like her normal self she added, "We just came so I could say sorry to Ruri for freaking out and to just make sure I hadn't totally chased her off. I also wanted to let you and Lia know that I'm okay with this. A little confused, but okay."

Secure in her husband's supporting embrace, Saiyuri watched Cian's thoughts and reaction flit across his face. He'd always been an open book to her but at this moment, her own confusion very strong, she had no idea what he was thinking.

[Demeter]

Saiyuri had been his friend for as long as she's known Theiry, some 54 years ago. He wasn't sure why he was so...aggravated by the woman lately but thought it had plenty to do with that dressing down she'd given him when she'd discovered that he was the one that had impregnated Shay. 

Saiyuri was known to be slightly irrational at times and perhaps she felt betrayed to learn that "Uncle Cian" had slept with his honorary niece but what she had said back then had hurt. It had also been part of what had led him to Haven. That had been the breaking point. For close to 40 years he'd been living on the fringes of happy families. 
40 years of watching Lia and Talbot together; only joining them when they offered it. 40 years of being an Honorary uncle. And just when he thought he might get a chance to be part of a real family (oh god, he had a son), he'd been driven off. Between that and an offer that, to him, had just been full of pity, he'd run off. 

Of the few he trusted, Lia was only one who knew how he'd spent the in between years. Four of those years had been spent recuperating in Haven. The other seven had been spent being a summonable incubus. He wasn't about to tell the woman on his doorstep that he daughter was involved with a former man-whore. Instead he focused on what she'd caught. "Yes, Saiyuri, the Gods have something big in store for Ruri. Something world altering and she needs strong beings by her side when it happens."

He leaned forward and whispered what he knew into Saiyuri's ear. When she stuttered and stared at him, Cian nodded. "With what I'd just told you, with Ruri's genetic background, she'll be somewhere on par with Darius. Imagine if Darius didn't have the outlet of sparring to drain his energy. He's already unbalanced as it is. Without the energy draining sessions with Carmine or Voski, he'd be...unstoppable and insane.

"Ruri doesn't have the experience or the stamina to go through such extensive sparring sessions. What is to come hasn't happened yet but already she is strong enough to resist us. It took both Lia, who is ancient and powerful, and myself working at full power for somewhere around eight hours to exhaust her." 

He didn't mention that she'd then been asleep for several days afterwords. Cian reached out and placed a hand on Saiyuri's arm. "I know you are uncomfortable with this but it is for Ruri's own good. She needs us, even if she doesn't yet know it."

***

Later that night, while Lia was out in her studio, Cian snuggled with Ruri on the couch. They were tucked into the corner bit of the large L shaped couch and she was plopped between his legs on the chaise portion. He had one arm loose draped around her while the other was working the tv remote. Nothing good was on so he left the channel on some cheesy romance movie. "Ruri," he said to grab the woman's attention, "your mother stopped by the house today. I may or may not have bitten her head off."

When Ruri bounced around to demand what her mother had wanted, Cian grinned. "To tell you that she is okay with us. As I still have my balls, I really think she's okay with this."

[Demeter]

Saiyuri had been his friend for as long as she's known Theiry, some 54 years ago. He wasn't sure why he was so...aggravated by the woman lately but thought it had plenty to do with that dressing down she'd given him when she'd discovered that he was the one that had impregnated Shay. 

Saiyuri was known to be slightly irrational at times and perhaps she felt betrayed to learn that "Uncle Cian" had slept with his honorary niece but what she had said back then had hurt. It had also been part of what had led him to Haven. That had been the breaking point. For close to 40 years he'd been living on the fringes of happy families. 
40 years of watching Lia and Talbot together; only joining them when they offered it. 40 years of being an Honorary uncle. And just when he thought he might get a chance to be part of a real family (oh god, he had a son), he'd been driven off. Between that and an offer that, to him, had just been full of pity, he'd run off. 

Of the few he trusted, Lia was only one who knew how he'd spent the in between years. Four of those years had been spent recuperating in Haven. The other seven had been spent being a summonable incubus. He wasn't about to tell the woman on his doorstep that he daughter was involved with a former man-whore. Instead he focused on what she'd caught. "Yes, Saiyuri, the Gods have something big in store for Ruri. Something world altering and she needs strong beings by her side when it happens."

He leaned forward and whispered what he knew into Saiyuri's ear. When she stuttered and stared at him, Cian nodded. "With what I'd just told you, with Ruri's genetic background, she'll be somewhere on par with Darius. Imagine if Darius didn't have the outlet of sparring to drain his energy. He's already unbalanced as it is. Without the energy draining sessions with Carmine or Voski, he'd be...unstoppable and insane.

"Ruri doesn't have the experience or the stamina to go through such extensive sparring sessions. What is to come hasn't happened yet but already she is strong enough to resist us. It took both Lia, who is ancient and powerful, and myself working at full power for somewhere around eight hours to exhaust her." 

He didn't mention that she'd then been asleep for several days afterwords. Cian reached out and placed a hand on Saiyuri's arm. "I know you are uncomfortable with this but it is for Ruri's own good. She needs us, even if she doesn't yet know it."

***

Later that night, while Lia was out in her studio, Cian snuggled with Ruri on the couch. They were tucked into the corner bit of the large L shaped couch and she was plopped between his legs on the chaise portion. He had one arm loose draped around her while the other was working the tv remote. Nothing good was on so he left the channel on some cheesy romance movie. "Ruri," he said to grab the woman's attention, "your mother stopped by the house today. I may or may not have bitten her head off."

When Ruri bounced around to demand what her mother had wanted, Cian grinned. "To tell you that she is okay with us. As I still have my balls, I really think she's okay with this."

[Maira]

Ruri hadn't been home when her mom and one of three dads stopped by. She'd been out letting of steam in feline form with some of her friends from the Pard. When she returned home from her romp in the deeper parts of the town park, she went about her normal routine of puttering around the kitchen throwing together a simple meal for the three of them.

Unlike her older sister Lani, Ruri wasn't quite as obsessed with her dad Lysander's spaghetti but it was still a tasty and quick meal and had become one of her fall-backs when she was stressed. Watching Lia devour her helping, Ruri couldn't help but smirk. Cian seemed to enjoy his helping too, but now that Ruri had time to think about it, memories of him at family functions were resurfacing and she realized that over the years he had probably had L's famous spaghetti sauce on more than one occasion as Lani -always- requested it.

After they finished their meal and the dishes were loaded into the dishwasher, Lia wandered out to her studio to work on more pieces for L, and Ruri and Cian migrated to the livingroom and the big comfy L-shaped sofa. Like the spaghetti, cheesy romance movies were a fall-back comfort when Ruri was stressed so that is what they eventually settled the tv on as they snuggled.

With a full belly and Cian's warm body behind and surrounding her, Ruri was nearly asleep when Cian informed her out of the blue that her mother had stopped by earlier while she was gone. Immediately she was alert and hurriedly turned around to face him and demanded to know what her mother had wanted. At Cian's cocky grin and his shocking words, Ruri just gaped. Finally, after a few moments of silence, she stuttered, "Sh-she's what?" Cian laughed at her obvious puzzlement, which earned him a smacked shoulder, and then she laughed too.

Beaming a smile at him, Ruri asked him, "So she's really okay with us? With all three of us?" Then, just to be a bit sassy she reached down between his legs and felt around before adding, "Well I'll be blessed, they are still there!" At his stifled groan of pleasure from her none too subtle fondling, Ruri's eyes took on a wicked glint and she asked, "Would Lia be mad if we indulged a bit without her?"

[Demeter]

Cian wiggled in his seat. His thrice damned commencement robe itched like crazy but as head of the English department he was required to wear the damn thing during the quarterly graduation ceremonies. If Lia wasn't seated behind him, he'd reach around to scratch at where the cheap fabric was rubbing him raw. If he did, she smack his arm. She'd done it before.

There was another reason for wiggling. As soon as the graduation festivities were over, he was grabbing his wife and their girlfriend and high tailing it out of town. The three of them had been invited down to Haven. He and Lia often spent their summers in Haven and he wanted to introduce Ruri to the temptations found there.

Ever since Ruri had come into their life, both he and Lia constantly wondered what day Ruri came across her destiny. Both their deities had whispered to them that there was time left. So, they were taking Ruri on a vacation to Haven to spend two months in the Grotto. They would spend the days improving Ruri's tolerance to them.

Once the ceremony was over and both he and Lia had congratulated their favorite students before hurrying to the house to pick up Ruri. When they got there, Ruri was surrounded by their packed bags. Cian grinned. "Ready to go?"

[Maira]

She had been anxious for the end of the school year for so many reasons, but mainly because Cian had booked a trip for the three of them to somewhere called Haven. Seeing the sparkle in Lia's eyes when they talked about the place had just amped up Ruri's excitement more and more. When Lia and Cian finally got home from the graduation ceremony that they'd both had to attend and Cian asked if she were ready to go, a huge smile split Ruri's face and she nodded eagerly. As soon as their bags were loaded they were on their way.

After the intial issues with her mother, Ruri was a little worried how the older woman would take the news of the trip but Saiyuri handled the news surprisingly well. While she had never been to Haven herself, Saiyuri had learned about the place from her maternal grandparents Darius and Genesis after Cian had told her about Ruri's fate and about where he had found out such news. Unknown to Ruri, Saiyuri had even gone so far as to buy her daughter a charmed necklace that Cian was to give to her if a deity called her while she was there. The charm of the necklace, when presented to Ruri, would take on the symbol of whatever god or goddess had chosen her.

*****

The trip to Haven had taken longer than Ruri had expected but she had not lacked at all for ways to keep busy, Cian and Lia saw to that. No sooner had they arrived in port, however, when Ruri started to feel off. As they disembarked the ship, Ruri started to feel a bit queasy and she couldn't help muttering under her breath, "So help me, if I'm sick -now- I'm gonna be pissed!" In a quiet moment on the ship, Lia had taken Ruri aside and had told her about the Grotto and the time that she and Cian had spent there as newlyweds. Ruri did not want to miss out on her chance to enjoy their time in the same place because of some stomach bug.

By the time they reached the Grotto and settled in, Ruri was happy to note that she was feeling a bit more normal. Normal enough, anyway, that she was able to ignore her questionable stomach and enjoy her introduction to the joys of the Grotto at the hands of Lia and Cian.

The next few days Ruri woke up feeling quite ill, each day the illness lasting longer and longer. Finally, on the fifth day after arriving at Haven, Ruri woke herself up vomitting and she couldn't stop. Worried for their girlfriend, Lia left Cian and Ruri in the Grotto and went to find Charis. She was sure there were plenty of healers in Haven, but she didn't know who might be in residence currently so she went to the one person she knew for sure would be around. Not to mention Charis was her longest friend and she trusted the woman implicitly.

When Lia finally located Charis, she greeted the woman with a smile and a hug and when she was asked how their visit was going, Lia answered, "Well, things were going pretty well until this morning when Ruri woke up vomitting. She's been ill off and on since we got here but never like this morning. When I left to find you she still hadn't stopped."

With the look that Charis shot Lia, an eyebrow raised suspiciously, Lia threw her hands up in the air and declared, "Don't look at me that way, if she's pregnant it wasn't me that did it!" She glared at Charis halfheartedly when the woman laughed at her. "Come on, stop teasing me and help me with Ruri please," Lia finally said when Charis stopped laughing at her. The two women made their way back to the Grotto, picking up a healer on the way, and they were greeted at the entrance by a very anxious Cian with a pale, unconscious Ruri in his arms.

"What happened Cian!" Lia demanded at the sight but she got no coherent answer before she ushered him toward a flat space to the side of the entrance so he could lay Ruri down for the healer and Charis to check on. Immediately the healer knelt down and placed his hands over Ruri's abdoment, then her stomach, heart and mind. He looked up after only a moment and informed them, "She's not pregnant or ill so far as I can tell, I think she needs your help opening to the deities though, Oracle. There is something pressing in on her mind and heart that I can't identify but it has that feeling to it." Then, turning to Lia and Cian he told them, "Sometimes people react this way if their deity is calling them and they are unable to answer for some reason. Normally its because of a spell that has been placed on the person to repell malevolent intentions and a deity trying to enter a person's mind is often seen by the spell as malevolent because it isn't naturally a part of the person."

The question was left unspoken by the healer but it still hung there in the air and Lia turned to Cian and asked, "Did Saiyuri have any spells like that placed on her children? I know she was overprotective, it sounds like something she may have done." The look in Cian's eyes was enough to answer Lia's question and she turned to Charis and asked, "What'll happen to her? Can you help her?"

[Demeter]

Charis rolled her eyes. "Of course I can help her," she said. In the back of her head, she heard from the deity of Ruri's mother and understood the safety measures that had been put on this woman as a child. Charis approved of such actions but it was long past time for them to be removed.

With Nemesis guiding her hand, Charis dissolved the wards. On the last one had been erased, Charis sat back to wait. "If she's called by her deity upon waking, I doubt you'll get much time with her. Surely you two remember what its like and just what her place in this world is destined to be."

It took an hour before the woman woke with a gasp and went running out of the grotto. Charis looked after her with a smile. "Yes, you two will have to finish out your anniversary on your own. Oh, and Lia, it's not Ruri who needs to worry about proper amounts of Folic Acid."

Charis ran out of the Grotto with a giggle. Cian stared after her and then turned to Lia. "Did she say what I think she said?"

[Maira]

Lia was glad that she had gone to fetch Charis and the healer, seeing Ruri go streaking out of the grotto on her way to who-knew-where and knowing that she wasn't pregnant was a relief. When Charis herself ran out of the grotto after dumping some surprising news on her and Cian, though, she wanted to chase after the other woman and pin her down until she explained herself. Instead she turned and stared at Cian, answering him, "Eris is a bitch, she would find this totally irresistible..." Her hands travelled to her belly and she couldn't help but wonder if they were going to need a bigger house when they got home.

*****

Ruri didn't know where she was running, she just knew that she felt drawn by something. By someone. When she came skidding to a halt in front of a building that she knew to be of traditional Japanese style architecture, she couldn't help the small smile that crept onto her face. She didn't take long to oggle the outside of the building because whatever was calling to her, demanded she go inside.

As she passed from the false daylight of Haven into the dark interior of the building, Ruri realized it was more than just a building, it was a temple. To which deity she wasn't sure yet, but she knew she was about to find out. As much as she wanted to wander the temple, she still felt a distinct pull on her and she couldn't help being drawn deeper in.

Walking through the temple, going room to room, Ruri felt a sense of peace settling on her. She had no idea where she was but she knew it was where she was supposed to be. At last she found herself in a small room with candles lighting the back wall, illuminating a small statue no bigger than her torso. There were no other doors to go through, and the pull on her disappeared, Ruri realized as she looked around the small room. Curious, and not realizing she was doing it, Ruri asked aloud, "Is this is?"

There was gentle laughter from the direction of the statue followed by the most soothing voice Ruri had ever heard, "Yes, daughter, this is it. You are home now, if you choose to be." Then a tall Japanese woman unfolded herself from in front of the statue and approached Ruri. Ruri wondered how on earth she could have missed seeing the woman before but didn't get much time to dwell on that as the woman introduced herself, "I am Izanami-no-Mikoto, the Japanese goddess of creation and death. And you, young Ruri, are suited well to protecting souls travelling to the underworld."

Ruri couldn't help but gawk at the woman -- no, the goddess -- before her. Her mother had a greek deity and she was more Japanese than Ruri was so she had never once thought she would be called by a Japanese deity herself. Not to mention she was way more artistically inclined than nurturing so why she was being called to be a protector made no sense to her. "Are you sure?" she finally squeaked out in reply.

Izanami laughed gently again, and then reassured Ruri, "I am certain, daughter, but if you do not agree with me you are welcome to choose another path."

Ruri shook her head and answered, "I would never think to argue with a Goddess, My Lady, I just don't understand what you see in me that makes me suited to that task. If you wish it of me though, I will try."

Izanami smiled warmly at Ruri, nodded slightly and held out her hand to the young woman. Taking Ruri's hand in her own, Izanami returned to her place before the statue, taking a seat and bringing Ruri down in front of her. They sat that way for hours, talking and sharing and generally getting acquainted.

*****

Quite surprisingly for Lia, Ruri returned to them that night and every night thereafter for the duration of their trip to Haven. The younger woman spent her days at the temple of Izanami getting to know her goddess and learning what her duties would be and how to perform them, but apparently the goddess insisted that Ruri return home to her family each night. Some nights it was obvious that what Ruri had learned that day wasn't easy on the girl and that, Lia was sure, was why Izanami insisted she go back to Lia and Cian for the night. It was still unknown to Ruri, but Lia and Cian were both well aware of why the girl had two lovers and clearly they were all getting trained how to fulfill their future roles.

The morning that the three of them were set to leave, Ruri was spending the last few hours with Izanami and that left Lia and Cian lazing in bed in the grotto. The trio had started off their day with a last romp in Haven and a swim before Ruri had rushed off leaving Cian and Lia to their own devices. Lia was happily snuggled against Cian's chest, his arm over her shoulders and holding her close, when suddenly she was bolting for the bathroom. As her stomach emptied itself, she heard wicked laughter in the back of her mind and she mentally cursed her adoptive mother. Leave it to a chaos deity to play with her own children's lives...

[Demeter]

Cian ran his hand up and down Lia’s back and managed, barely, to not laugh. Charis had told them to expect this, he thought, and Charis rarely ever lied when it came to the words of the Gods. He had this feeling that laughing would get his head bitten off by the currently miserable woman. When Ruri popped back into the Grotto, Cian motioned for her to be quiet.

After hauling his wife back to the bed, he went over to Ruri. “It seems that Lia is pregnant,” he said, a smug little smile on his face. “When we get back to town, we’ll be looking for a bigger place. Why don’t you think about what you want out of the new house for you.”

When she blinked at him, Cian grinned. “We want you around, Ruri, and a baby isn’t going to change that” he said. He smirked when Lia moaned her agreement from the bedroom.

[Shinigami]

Talbot had been raised among the Gods, he had traveled the world and drifted in and out of the dreams of millions. His Incubus heritage had practically bred confidence into him since birth. He had stepped up to be a father for a mostly grown son he had never known he had, but...

He had never been as nervous in his entire existence as he was in this very moment.

Talbot had been called back to a town he never thought he'd see again decades after leaving it. Most didn't remember his face, not after so long, and since he hadn't aged he preferred it that way. He had grown bored of playing student and had decided to play teacher across his travels, when the Art Department of Cedar Valley University reached out to him. They were looked for a new Adjunct Professor, and they had seen his work. They were impressed and wanted him. They were even willing to help him with his move.

He wasn't sure what the big fuss was about and was ready to decline, but Hypnos had stepped in and all but demanded that he take the offer. So here he was, horrendously nervous sweating as he walked into the Art building for the first time in decades with his pack of personal art gear thrown over one shoulder, ready to introduce himself to the new head of the department and settle his things before he starts teaching classes.

Talbot was praying to Hypnos, to any Deity that would listen really, that he wouldn't run into Lia. How the hell would he explain himself if he did?

[Maira]

They had been back from their vacation for about a week, but today was Lia's first day back at work. She'd already had an early morning drawing class (which she had been 15 minutes late for due to morning sickness) and she was now hurrying to her office to pick up her needed papers and slides for the next class. If she was going to be honest with herself, she hated teaching art history class about as much as her students hated taking it but she tried to make it as interesting as she possibly could for all involved.

On her way to her own office, Lia thought she heard a familiar voice coming from the Head of the department's office. The door was closed though and the voices were muffled. It could really be anybody and probably wasn't who immediately flashed to the front of her mind. She had to shake her head to clear it and refocus on what she was doing, but after only a moment's hesitation Lia continued on her way down the hall.

After she had gathered up her supplies for her art history lecture, Lia made her way back down the hall. Just as she passed the head of the department's office the door swung inward and out walked Talbot. Decades may have passed, but there was no mistaking her former student and the man she once though would be her husband. The mad giggle rose up in the back of her mind again, the same one that had sounded a few weeks prior when she'd realized she was pregnant. Silently she cursed her adoptive mother as her stomach churned and her heart began to race.

At the sight of Talbot, who was now gawking at her in much the same way she was sure she was gawking at him, she was reminded of the greeting she'd given Cian when he had come home to her. The urge to kiss Talbot was there, but the entire art department new she was married to Cian and if she greeted him like that in public word would get around that she was having an affair. With a baby on the way, that was the last complication she needed at work. While she wanted to kiss him, she also wanted to smack him. He'd been gone far longer than Cian had, and by his lack of confidence in their meeting he clearly hadn't come back to Cedar Valley for her. Instead of kissing him or smacking him, Lia felt her stomach lurch and before she could stop it, her breakfast was on Talbot's shoes.

Embarassed beyond belief, and fighting warring emotions of joy and hurt, Lia bolted from the art building, her supplies dropped in a pile in the hallway. She couldn't do this today and needed to go home. She knew Ruri had class today though, so she pulled her phone out of her pocket and texted the younger woman, "I need a ride home, can I meet you at the truck?" Almost instantly Ruri's reply came that she would be right there.

*****

Lia felt bad the whole ride home. The only outward sign of Ruri taking half a breath as she rushed out of dance class was her flip-flops had replaced her dance shoes. Otherwise the girl was still in tights and a leotard with a sheer dance skirt around her waist. If her stomach and nerves weren't suddenly so out of control, Lia likely would have scolded her lover for not putting on something warmer before rushing out to meet her.

Ruri tried talking to Lia on the drive home, but Lia just couldn't answer. By the time they got home, Ruri was in a near panic and was glad she'd managed to shoot off a text to Cian as she'd been rushing to the truck telling him there was something wrong with Lia. Seeing Cian's car in the driveway when she pulled the truck in, Ruri sighed with relief and honked as soon as she put it in park. It was only a moment before Cian came bolting out of the front door and ran to the passenger side of the truck to help Lia.

The succubus tried to swat her husband's hands away, but he was clearly having none of it so she just let him fuss and support her as they made their way into the house. Once the front door was closed behind all three of them, the tears finally slipped from Lia's eyes and she crumpled to her knees on the tile of the foyer. It was a good ten minutes before Cian was finally able to get her to tell him what was wrong and all she managed to say was, "I puked on Talbot's shoes and then ran away," before she started crying again. Ruri was really confused, but when she looked at Cian to see if he knew what Lia was talking about, she suddenly remembered the name of their old lover. Feeling suddenly awkward, Ruri slipped up the stairs to her room and left Lia in Cian's arms downstairs. This was something she had no place intruding into and she just wanted to give them their space.

[Demeter]

Cian decided that he hated house shopping. With Lia teaching and dealing with all the hormones and Ruri taking classes as well as studying with her deity, it meant that he had taken on the task of looking for a new home. It had to have all the basic amenities as well as studio space for both women and a place he could hide in. When his phone signaled a text from Ruri, he very nearly cried. He was up for whatever the woman needed him for.

And that seemed to be that something was very wrong with Lia. As he paced the living room, peering out the window at the start of every lap, Cian wondered just what that could be. It took a lot to ruffle Lia's feathers. When Ruri's truck finally pulled into the drive, he rushed out and manhandled Lia into the house.

Except the words she spoke just about broke him. He didn't notice when Ruri slipped away to her room. Somehow, he managed to get Lia to her room and managed to get the rest of the story out. She'd run into Talbot, her old lover and a friend of his, outside of the art department head's office. Summoning Ruri to watch over Lia, Cian found his shoes and keys. He'd go over to the university with a plan to gather Lia's things and to see if he could charm any information out of anyone about Talbot.

He stopped by Lia's office, gathering up her bags and the papers she'd collected from an earlier class, before heading to the department head's office. He skirted around the cleaning crew and knocked on the door. He spoke with the department head, offering his apologies for Lia's abrupt exit and a promise that she'd notify her late afternoon class about the cancellation. And then he charmed the information out of the head. Before hunting down his quarry, Cian stopped by his car to drop off Lia's things and to take a moment to just think.

He hadn't been around when Talbot had left; he'd already had his own breakdown and hauled himself off to Haven for a bit of a vacation. He hadn't even been aware that Lia had been left to herself for a long while when he'd returned. Growling to himself, Cian turned and marched back into the art building. He was quick enough to find the correct office and knocked on the partially open door. "Hey," he said when it opened all the way, and jabbed out with his right fist.

[Shinigami]

Talbot had managed to avoid everyone on is way to the meet with the Head of the Department. They chatted briefly in his office with the door closed about the classes he would be teaching and the role he would be looking to fill in the department over all. They also chatted about Talbot's work and his recent travels. He was feeling a bit more relaxed as the Department Head offered to show him where he could settle his things between classes and give him a quick tour (none of which he needed, as he was very familiar with the building).

As he stepped outside of the office, however, he caught sight of the one person he had been dreading running into. He knew it would happen. Of course it would. And with the Department Head standing right behind him he couldn't retreat like the coward he certainly felt like he wanted to be. Talbot tensed up, readying himself for a screaming fit or a slap. What he got left him absolutely mortified. He had apparently hurt Lia so badly that she couldn't even look at him without puking. On his shoes.

Talbot watched helplessly as she took off running down the hall, leaving all of her art supplies laying haphazardly all over the floor. Tale finally registered that the Department Head was speaking to him. "I'm sorry, what?" She was pregnant. Lia was pregnant. Talbot suddenly felt like he wanted to faint.

He held it together long enough to head into the bathroom and get his shoes cleaned off. As a painter, he learned long ago to make sure to wear footwear that could be washed off easily, because they would get covered in paint no matter how hard you tried to stay clean. Facilities had come to clean up what had made it onto the floor by the time Talbot was done and he helped the Department Head pick up Lia's things and listened closely while he further explained that she had just come back from her honeymoon. They were back in the office, setting Lia's things carefully aside, and Tale was trying to figure out how to tastefully ask more questions about Lia's husband - like his name - when he heard a knock on the door.

Talbot turned towards that familiar "Hey" just in time to take a crack right in the mouth. His head jerked back and to the side sharply, but he kept his feet. He put a hand to his mouth instinctively, and he tasted blood, but nothing felt loose. He heard the Department Head shout, but he put a hand up to wave him off. He wasn't going to start a brawl. Not with Cian.

He finally took a good look at his old friend. A man he had missed as much as Lia, if he were being honest. He still remembered a time when they were all together in some fashion. All three of them. Now it looks like Cian and Lia had found each other again, and moved on without him. Gods, he felt like he could cry, and he hadn't done that since he was a child. "Cian," he muttered quietly, "I'm sorry."

[Demeter]

Cian hissed as he shook his hand out. He hadn't meant to do that; it had just happened. "Talbot, long time no see. I think we have some talking to do."

He made his excuses and apologies to the department head and lead the way to the on-campus cafe. Once there, he sat and stared at Talbot. "We both did a number on Lia, leaving her like we did. Me first, you second. I've been back for a while and things have just really started to come together for us."

He paused, looking at the man across from him. "Damnit, Talbot, where the hell have you been?"

[Shinigami]

Luckily Talbot wasn't needed for anything other than administrative BS that day. Or unlucky, if you were Talbot and being led off to have an extremely uncomfortable conversation with an ex-lover, old friend, and current husband of another ex-lover. Who was pregnant. He promised the Head of the Department that everything was fine and apologized for the commotion, promising to come in early and finish any paperwork that was needed tomorrow.

Once they were settled into the cafe, Talbot finally looked back up at Cian. He gave a watery huff. "You did a number on me, too, Cian. We both wanted you with us, for real, and when you took off without letting us tell you that... it hurt. But you're right. I wasn't any better when I left."

Talbot leaned back in his chair, letting out a long sigh. "We talked about it, you know. Having kids. Scared the living daylights out of me. I'd been told my whole life I'd be a horrible father, but Lia seemed so happy about it. I started to panic, and finally it got so bad I had to bolt. I went on a... walkabout - at least that's what Foster called it when he finally tracked me down a few years later. I still wasn't in any shape to know what the hell I wanted out of my life anymore. I couldn't go back to Lia like that, so I just kept wandering."

[Demeter]

Cian sighed as he listened to Talbot tell of where he'd been. He and Lia had already talked about his reasons for running away; his head hadn't been on straight and a few years in Haven had fixed that. But now, he had to figure out just what to do with Talbot. He and Lia had been commanded to join with Ruri in a triad. It wasn't that big of a trial to be with the younger woman but Talbot showing up was going to throw a wrench into the works.

After all, there were still feelings where Talbot was concerned.

Cian tapped his fingers against the table as he pondered just what to do. They had to resolve things one way or another. "It would be better if you spoke to Lia about this face to face. She deserves that much. Why don't you come over to the house in a couple of hours," he said while scribbling down the address on a napkin.

After leaving Talbot at the café, Cian headed home, prepared to tell Lia that their former lover would be visiting in a few hours. He wasn't sure exactly what type of reception that news was going to get.

[Shinigami]

Talbot knew Lia deserved to hear all this from him directly. He had just been hoping for a little bit more time to process it all a bit himself. Like maybe until the next the next night. But he knew Cian - very well. That wasn't a question or a suggestion. He would be arriving at the address Cian scribbled down on the cafe napkin in a couple hours time whether he was ready to or not.

He nodded his goodbye to his old friend and former lover as he left the cafe, waiting until he was out of sight before letting out a hefty breath. Talbot got himself some large caffeine filled atrocity and settled back down at the table to try and figure out exactly what the hell he was going to say to Lia. Once he was finished his drink he was no better off then when he had started it, but now he was a bit wired. He decided on taking his things home and trying to calm his frazzled nerves before he had to face his former lovers again.

Talbot had waited a couple hours and was now making his way over to Lia and Cian's place. He had stopped off at a nearby bakery to pick out a few of Lia and Cian's favorites. He figured it was the least he could do, especially given that after seeing him again Lia must have given up what was most likely her breakfast - or close to it. He pulled up outside, and managed to get himself and the baked goods out of the car and up the walk quickly, but he hesitated a bit before knocking on the door. He rubbed a sweaty palm on his jeans and took a nice deep breath before he gave the door a solid knock.

[Maira]

Waiting for Cian to get home from the college had been torture for Ruri. Lia had been in a haze for part of it before she finally drifted off to sleep, but even once she was asleep Ruri was anxious that she'd wake up crying so she didn't go far. Even going to the bathroom left Ruri nearly in a panic because what if Lia woke up and needed her?

When Cian finally got home, Ruri heard the front door open and close and she tip-toed to the top of the stairs, leaving the bedroom door open so she could hear if Lia woke. "Still up here," she called down quietly and then waited for him to come find her. It was only a moment before Cian came around the bend in the stairs and Ruri could see the stress on his face and in his eyes. His shoulders were tense and rigid and Ruri couldn't keep the frown from her face. As soon as he was within reach, Ruri slipped her arms around his waist and nuzzled her face into his chest for comfort. Whether she was comforting him or herself she wasn't sure. She didn't like seeing him and Lia so upset like this, especially since there was nothing she could do about it.

*****

When there was a knock at the door, Ruri jumped up from her place in the oversized chair that she'd been sharing with Lia. Since Cian had woken Lia up to tell her that Talbot was coming by the house in a few hours, the two women had been snuggling and talking quietly, Lia filling Ruri in on just who Talbot was. Knowing they weren't expecting anybody else, Ruri took a deep breath as she walked to the door to open it for their guest.

The blond man standing on the other side of the door was clearly surprised to see a woman, not even slightly resembling Lia, open the door for him. It took a bit of restraint on Ruri's part not to smirk at his surprise as she ushered him in and took the baked goods from him. He glanced over his shoulder at her curiously as she followed him into the livingroom.

Setting the bakery boxes on the coffee table, Ruri was about to leave the trio to discuss things when Lia grabbed her wrist and tugged gently at her. Looking at the older woman to see what she wanted, Ruri went against her better judgement and resituated herself in her place next to Lia in the oversized chair. Once Ruri was seated and snuggled into Lia once more, both women looked to Cian.