How exciting :33 This is a rambling mess. I left Ezra’s location kinda vague, because I figured you wouldn’t want Ezra right up in there with no warning, yannow? sosuwrimo: 548 Table by Cait!
The sun had finally risen, and so the time had come. The hulking beast was staring at his old battered front door that had been rocked by the sea’s winds for over a year now. His chocolate son had dutifully packed up his few possessions in the satchel that Eli used to ride around in; these days, however, the boy had grown far too large for it and he was given the ripped leather bag for his own use. Ezra’s black scarf blew around in the wind lazily as the optime man took in his house for what he knew would be the last time. He sighed, ran his hands through his un-braided mane, and picked Eli off the ground and on to Petra’s back. The horse made a small noise of complaint and after a stomp of her hoof was silent. The buckskin horse didn’t seem to mind the small pup, which pleased Ezra.
The man sighed, trying to collect his thoughts. He had been nothing but a recluse for too long. The pain was finally starting to dull down, though, which was nice. Eli had kept his spirits up as much as a four month old puppy could; his innocence was too cute for words sometimes. This wasn’t how the hybrid had imagined he’d bring a child into the world, but Eli didn’t seem to mind that his mother had left. If only Eli had gotten to know his mother he would have known how beautiful and perfect she was. He had her spirit for sure; the pup could be just as stubborn as the beautiful silvery woman that gave him life.
The duo-toned hybrid managed to get on Petra’s back with one fluid motion, and he kicked her into an easy canter. Ever had taken Saphraine, but not his tack and so with some modification Ezra had taken it and given it to Petra. His old lover was always so proud of the condition of her supplies that she had so meticulously taken care of for so long. But they had been taken out of sheer necessity, Ezra knew it would come in handy for the long journey ahead.
The ride took forever. Ezra had no real direction except for Halifax. The city was a sprawling mess of human remains that had jagged edges and rough spots but the trio rode on. Ezra was determined to find Barry, which was why he had left at the break of dawn. He had NO idea where he was supposed to go, but the man kept going for hours and hours in silence, the three animals’ minds in different universes.
A congregation of scents seemed to grow stronger down a certain path, and the curious man took Petra down that path. Most of the scents were unfamiliar, but… he… no. Had he really found the place? Ezra let out a howl as he urged Petra forward, his dark nose following the scent of a friend he so desperately needed. He knew he was arriving with no real plan in mind, but he had prayed that Barrett could take them in. He had invited him to stay at the garage when they met, so who knew… maybe this could work out.
Looking back, it was laughably ironic. Not long ago, with the (perceived) burden of fatherhood weighing down on him and the gut-wrenching news of the war, he might've said he was stuck in a rut. He buried himself in work, drugs, sex — typically very rewarding things — but ultimately, he was dissatisfied. Most of the relationships forged during this time felt superficial and shallow; he wasn't attracting as many repeat customers as he would've liked. Ravesque kept him from getting too close to Naniko... even the kids to some extent. Fortunately (?), the Powers that Be seemed awfully keen on keeping his life interesting — maybe too interesting.
When the war ended and his baby mama's suitor disappeared, a dam broke. The momentum carried him forward at a dizzying pace... and he loved every minute of it. His trip with Ulilohi reawakened him; although the intense psychedelic experience lead him to assign more meaning to their liaison than he might otherwise, the connection felt no less genuine. A follow-up visit further solidified their bond. The AniWayan greenhouse project was a go. Distance (and culture clash) might keep him from Loving her, but that didn't mean he couldn't love their time together.
In a wholly different way, the "other woman" in his life was growing on him. Lilin kept him guessing, and although her dismay over his backyard forays perplexed him at first, he now found it mostly amusing. The torrents had slowed to a merry gurgle; he was feeling too good to question anything anymore. Somehow, it seemed only natural that an old voice rose out of nowhere, rousing him from his half-baked reverie. Ezra? He stumbled to his feet, nearly knocking a bong off the table in the process.
What a sight greeted him when he stumbled outside! A broad grin spread across his face. Well, here I was thinkin' you'd forgotten about me! he called down the street with a good-natured laugh. Some entourage you've got there, he remarked, waving daftly at the young boy.
Well, at least his sudden appearance had gone over well. Ezra’s exhaustion led him to not seeing his charcoal-colored friend at first who came out of his garage looking like Ezra had woke him up from a deep sleep. He felt bad, but this was a bit of an emergency. He wasn’t entirely sure how Barry would react to the three animals staying here for some time before they got back on their feet…. But he guessed he would be finding out soon enough. Maybe he would just play it by ear or something and not make any formal plans just yet.
Petra came to a halt when the two werewolves finally met in the middle of the street. Ezra grinned as he dismounted the horse, making a soft noise as he hit the ground. He carefully dropped Eli back on the ground and the puppy instantly took off, exploring the new area. Poor Eli had been cooped up for too long on the horse’s back and was getting a bit stir-crazy towards the end of the excursion. Ezra nodded to his friend, and leaned in for a hug. They hadn’t known each other long, but their interaction this summer was solid enough to ask him for this big favor… Ezra’s chest tightened up with nervousness as he pulled away.
My dear friend, it has been too long, Ezra smiled, and motioned to his multi-hued son run around excitedly.This is my… son, Eli, Even though the boy had grown exponentially, the poor thing hadn’t been exposed to many other wolves. Ezra also hadn’t introduced his boy to many people, so he still swelled with pride when he got the chance.I… don’t know how to say this Barry, Ezra sighed, nervously playing with a thread that had gotten loose off his scarf. But I really, really need your help.
He hadn’t worked up the courage to tell those words to Vigilante. He only told the alpha that his adopted daughter was gone and that Ezra was leaving. He didn’t know why, or what possessed him to move his son at such an impressionable age, but it just seemed like the right thing to do. Ezra rolled his shoulders back, looking up his friend, truly worried.
His brows lifted as the mini-Ezra charged past him with his nose to the ground and tail waving. The whelp scrambled from one thing to the next, investigating each pebble, blade of grass, and wood chip with exuberance seen only in youth. It left Barry scratching his head for a moment, and he was still shaking it in disbelief when the bicoloured hybrid pulled him into a quick, friendly embrace. He clapped the husky on the back as they disengaged from the hug, exclaiming Too long! You're telling me! It shouldn't have been too surprising, given how big his own boys were — but it still felt like a lot of time had slipped by all at once.
The brunet hardly knew where to begin, but before he could get too carried away, Ezra's unease provided a sobering dose of reality. His amused and incredulous expression melted into one of concern and confusion. Uh.. what? he creaked. As it was wont to do, his brain began to concoct a million and one horrifying possibilities. Had something happened to his family in the war? Had he gotten into something harder and become addicted? A knot was forming in his stomach, but he reminded himself to breathe. In the face of another's distress, Barry naturally assumed a more assertive role: it was the best way to offer reassurance.
His hand lingered on the male's shoulder yet and he offered another pat, but this time it was lighter than before; it was sympathetic and consolatory. Alright man, let's head inside, he suggested gently. We'll figure something out. A warm smile made him sound more convincing. He dropped his arm and motioned for Ezra to follow him inside. Without prompting, he packed a generous bowl and peered imploringly at his companion, waiting for him to explain.
Ezra’s nervousness dissolved when Barry showed genuine concern for him. The man showed Ezra inside but before he entered the garage he took off Petra’s tack to let her roam comfortably by the garage. He was worried the flighty animal would leave, but he was surprised to see her loyally staying by the house, grazing on the grass. He smiled a little to himself as he looked at her before heading inside the dark room. He knew Eli would stay close as well, and so he didn’t try to find him. Eli shouldn’t be hearing this conversation, anyway. He would remember that his mother was gone, and Ezra wasn’t entirely sure if he had it in him to comfort his son anymore.
Ezra chuckled at the bowl as he walked inside the cozy garage. Ezra paced back and forth in the building, not entirely sure where to begin. He sighed for what seemed the millionth time in his mind, and looked at his friend with all the sorrow in the world behind his duo-toned eyes. My mate… left, was all he said bluntly, the words coming heavy and clumsily out of his mouth. They were hard to articulate. We were supposed to have two children, but our little girl didn’t even have a chance…. Tears welled up in his eyes which he quickly hid from Barry. His heart still ached for his daughter. However, he continued on: And, it broke Ever’s heart. The girl looked just like her, shining blue eyes and everything. She was so torn up by the loss that she just… left, all the time… she barely raised Eli…. She couldn’t bear to be near me or her son. I don’t know how he survived. He was weaned at a too young age. You can already see what that’s going to do to him later… he trailed off again, looking through the garage windows looking for his son. Shit, this was going to be hard.
Barry, he looked back at his friend, truly desperate now. I had to leave the kingdom, I couldn’t bear to stay in the same house where everything smelled like her and reminded me of our life together… She left a few weeks ago… But I couldn’t stay there any longer or I would have gone crazy. Do you mind if I stay here for a little while til I figure something out? I’ll help out with anything, hunting, protecting… I would do anything, Begging wasn’t really his style, but this was an emergency. Eli can help around here too, and you could use Petra whenever you wanted. He looked at the ground, cursing Ever for the first time in his life. If she hadn’t left, none of this would have happened and he still would have been happy and blissfully ignorant. Deep down he could understand the loss she felt, because he felt it too. But leaving their one beautiful child was unforgiveable in his mind. Eli should have known how wonderful his mother was.
Even as his old pal turned away, the strain in his voice was obvious. Barry breathed a soft Yikes from his seat as the woeful tale began, but kept silent as the story continued. His champagne-coloured eyes focused dully on the white crystals and red hairs of the buds as he broke them up; if it was embarrassing for a man to express such raw emotion before another, it was nearly as troublesome to witness it. It was the closest thing to privacy he could give while they occupied the same large room.
Despite distancing himself from the situation as best as he could, it wasn't hard to empathise. He barely knew his kids, but he'd still be upset to learn one hadn't made it. Hell, maybe his trio was once a quartet and Naniko simply hadn't bothered to tell him. And although his relationship with the boys' mother wasn't nearly as profound as Ezra and Ever's, he would still suffer a great emotional blow if she removed herself from him or their children.
Sorry wasn't going to cut it, so with down-turned ears and a solemn expression, he simply gestured for Ezra to join him on the couch. He pushed the bowl and a half-empty lighter along the table in his friend's direction, then rested his elbows against his knees and numbly clutched his face. Only when the man addressed him by name did he look up. Barry shook his head at the husky's request — not in disagreement, but because such urgency and distress was unnecessary. Of course you can stay here, he said quietly.
His tail gave one half-hearted flop. I'm sure I can keep you busy, but don't worry about anything until you get settled in, he continued. Petra can stay with Jøren in the stables, he added, unwittingly disclosing that he, too, owned a horse now. I've got a few open rooms above the distillery, he explained, jerking a thumb in the direction of the structure as if it were visible through the garage wall. You won't be alone, though, he cautioned. This girl's been stayin' there maybe a month already, he explained, a roll of his eyes silently adding that her occupancy was a story for another time.
A pause. I'll introduce y'all and show you your room after we smoke, eh?
feel free to powerplay them getting through the bowl and heading outside again or something c:
