For Jazzy-Jazz. 300+



Already Ehno had been home for a few days, and most of what he had managed to do was wander like a ghost between his bedroom and his wood-working room. He traced his fingers along the edges of some of the tools on the shelf, finding comfort in their familiarity. Each time he stepped into his workshop, he felt the need to pick up his tools and start up a little project, but the will to actually do it constantly fled from him. Talking to Savina had eased most of his worries about first being back home, yet something still left him feeling unsettled, so the most he could bring himself to do was to stare wistfully at his equipment.



He just couldn’t get over the fact that he felt like a stranger in his own home. The sights and smells called upon strong and familiar memories that played vividly in his mind. Even with these memories to reconnect him to this place, he still felt slightly out of the loop. What he needed to do was spend time with the members here, reintroduce himself to a life that had once been all he thought he would ever need. It was such a strange and simple concept, yet the thought of it frightened him. He would need to ease himself into this task, it seemed, and the best way to do this was to speak with those he was most familiar with. Already he had begun to patch things up with Savina, and he knew immediately he would need to speak with Ghita as well. So much had gone on with his family while he was gone. Ehno stepped through the halls of the manor, trying to pick out the room with the most prominent scent of his sibling. He stopped before a slightly-ajar door, listening for signs of life within. He reached out and knocked on the door, calling out a tentative, “Hello?” before deciding to step through.

Sorry for teh late. D: End of semester was mean to me. 500+



Ehno had been expecting to see the slight frame of his sister in the room, rather than that of the gentle giant Jazper. He blinked, and for a moment he had to remember why the sight shouldn’t have surprised him. Jazper’s scent hung heavily in the room along with his sister’s, and that alone should have been enough to remind him. It was the sight of the puppies that did the trick, reminding Ehno of the news Savina had shared with him. Ghita had two healthy children and Jazper was their father. It was quite a shocking and unexpected thing to learn about, but seeing the two little ones face to face somehow made everything more real, while also giving him a sense of relief. So much may have happened while he was gone, but at least everything worked out fine.



“Hey there, Jazz,” he greeted, smile broad on his maw. When the colonel asked about Naniko and the pups, his eyes took on an excited gleam. Ehno was so proud of his own little ones and loved speaking about them when the opportunity presented itself. He followed Jazper into the room and seated himself in an adjacent spot from the dark-furred male before he began. “They’re all doing well. Naniko has fit into Phoenix Valley quite well, and the puppies were delivered just fine. Three beautiful girls and one handsome little boy. Caprica, Lucia, Rio, and Harlowe.” He grinned, feeling very proud of the little ones. He only wished that they could be here with him right now.



Jazper went on to introduce the two children he held before sheepishly admitting that they were all family. He nodded quickly at the giant’s admission. “Savina has filled me in on some of the news while I was gone,” he added in explanation for his lack of shock or surprise. It had been quite a surprise to him when he first heard of it, but he was prepared for this news now. That didn’t change the fact that it was still quite a surprising turn of events. His gaze drifted to the two little ones. “They are beautiful, Jazper. I can already see that you’re a great father,” he complimented. The younger male had always appeared very responsible, and it was great to see that he lived up to such expectations. Ehno smiled at the little ones, waving at them pleasantly. “Hello. I’m your Uncle Ehno,” he said with a slight laugh.



“You and Ghita sure seem to have become quite close in such a short time,” he commented as he watched the squirming pups, voice neutral. His sibling had returned to them for how long? And already she and Jazper were raising a pair of lively puppies together. Ehno had no right to judge, considering how sudden and unexpected his own children had been. The Italian man was simply playing the part of the protective brother, a role he knew well and excelled at. As the protective brother he needed to reassure himself that his sisters were being treated properly, and knowing Jazz, he likely had nothing to worry about. The onyx-hued male was a kind and protective soul as well, and so Ehno could only imagine that he would have been there for his sibling during what had to be a nerve-wracking pregnancy.

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That calm exterior remained with Ehno as he sat and listened to Jazper’s explanation of what had happened between him and Ghita. He listened carefully to each word, watched the Rhiannon boy’s actions and expressions as he spoke. He held onto the protective older brother neutrality as he observed the onyx-hued Dreamer. It was a scary sort of calm, an obvious mask to his currenlty dormant anger. Ehno had been angry a number of times before, let that mask of his slip away, but he would not be angry now. That didn't mean that it didn't bother him that Jazper had put his family through that scare in the first place, regardless of how everything had worked out in the end.



“You did the one thing that could have sent Ghita running off again. That one thing that could have broken her,” he said, the neutrality of his words taking on a slightly harder edge now. “We’re all quite lucky everything turned out the way it did, considering.” He shook his head, trying not to imagine the mess he would have returned to had Ghita not been able to carry the pups to term again. The Marino male decided to lay this particular point to rest, though. Poor Jazz had probably already gotten an earful about it from his other sister in the beginning. Savina could have a fiery temper of her own, when she wanted to. And when the safety of her family was involved, she would have no hesitations about letting that temper flare. Ehno mainly wanted to let that subject drop because it wasn’t as if Jazper could have know that when it happened. That did tie directly to the other problem Ehno had with the situation, though.



Ehno kept his gaze steady on him as he continued. “I’d like to lecture you about how careless the two of you were to let this happen, but considering the way my own pups came about, I don’t really think I have the right.” He laughed suddenly, and immediately allowed himself to slip back into his usual friendly demeanor. The change was almost subtle, but it was noticable if one were paying attention close enough. “In the end, you just brought us more little blessings. And Ghita, Aro, and Sophia are lucky to have you.” Ehno smiled at the pups once again. He wanted what was best for Ghita and her children, and it was quite easy to see that Jazper had the same goal in mind. But Ehno simply had to reassure himself that Jazper was aware of what a mistake he could have made had the situation turned out. If he had hurt Ghita, the Marino man would have been wearing a mask of anger right now, rather than one of still composure. He still felt like a hypocrite preaching against recklessness, but he couldn’t help himself.



Things had turned out okay, though, and after all that Ehno had been through in recent months, he had learned to take things as they were. Everyone was safe and happy right now, that was all that mattered in the end. “C’mon, sit down. Everything’s fine, Jazz.” He made a quick motion to the spot Jazz had been seeing in just moments before, indicating for him to take his seat again. “I suppose our whole family is lucky to have a big guy like you to protect it,” he joked in an attempt to lighten the mood and reinforce the fact that Ehno was ok with everything.