They had it coming

Romeo did like that thought, not even hesitating to open his own and then Eden's just for at least some brief release. It was hard for him at times like these. He truly felt too needy and in heat that anything could perhaps turn him on - especially when it came to his husband. He sighed softly at the feeling of Eden's cold against his own burning heat and relished in that feeling even if it was a brief moment.
He could of course feel the vampyre's apprehension, but the lycan was also not one pressing for an answer right away. No, he would rather Eden speak the truth as they had promised each other over and over, and hearing how his jealousy had played a part in it made him hum. Romeo hadn't been blind to it, but perhaps it was because Eden hadn't had time to process much yet. The notion of her liking him better made him scoff, kissing his husband's cheek softly, "of course she waits for me .. I'm the quote on quote alpha; you see how she seeks out my permission." Was that really not obvious to him? But then again, Eden perhaps wasn't too aware of lycan customs. Sighing softly against his skin he leaned away to keep eye contact instead.
"I won the domination out on the field .. she's a young pup and she recognizes that I'm her leader," he tried explaining but he wasn't sure if a vampyre could understand the animalistic side that truly bound lycans together like that. "Not every lycan friend group needs to have a leader, but she's a child and needs help navigating this world, and therefor a part of her primal instinct is to follow the one whom she submitted to in that sense," he explained.

At least it seemed as though Eden tried to understand, which Romeo truly appreciated. However the question about her age made him hum. She looked young indeed, "no more than 10," he said quite confidently. He would guess around 6 or 7, but not too much younger. She looked small, but that could be because of her genes. But she did look rather cute laying there on the rug. The reminder made Romeo feel almost saddened. There was a part of him that had sort of wishfully forgotten that, even if he knew it to be true. "I know," he breathed out in a soft sigh. He guess he had grown a little attached to her too in that sense, but he was certain it was just about that primal connection. Romeo hadn't been around his own kind for a long while now, and maybe he missed that a little. Having someone that just knew what it meant to have your mood shift because of the moon. But alas, he did not regret choosing Eden.
"We also still need to figure out her name .. that will make it easier in her search," he nodded. Was it really so bad that he felt the need to look out for her? She seemed too young to have shifted already during the full moon at least. It was much too dangerous for someone that age. "She's just a kid," he muttered, feeling a sadness within him grow. In what world was it even viable to have a young girl like that forced to change. He could better understand why she had been so sporadic and scared. Those people she had been with clearly hadn't been her true family. "I know you're probably dying to get rid of her, but I don't want to force a name out of her before she's ready .. maybe we should look through some missing cases? That would at least be our first safe bet." It wasn't much, but it would be a start.

"It's not usually something that happens, but it's not unheaed of," he noted, but he had to agree that it was atrange. But then again he had a feeling what that pack had been doing. "I think the ones she had been with that night forced her to change somehow," he noted. It was completely frowned upon within lycan society, but it was possible. "Back in the day when fights between vampyres and lycans were more common sometimes parents would force a shift at an earlier age to protect their young and make their pack stronger." It wasn't a history that many were proud of. It would essentially be like changing a mortal child to a vampyre in that sense.
Already. Romeo looked down, feeling like he was being scolded for being compassionate. It felt like Eden couldn't make up his mind about how he wanted the lycan to act. No revenge. No compassion. What else were there? "I know that," he just said in a soft mutter, touching the vampyre's chest, feeling his cold and trying to calm down. "It's just been a while since I've been around other lycans," it wasn't like Eden wasn't enough, but even he had to admit that seeing a vampyre every now and again was nice, right? "She makes me miss my cousins .. my family back in Italy that I don't even know if they want to see me again." It was a little pathetic, wasn't it?

Romeo wasn't too sure either. And frankly he wasn't really sure he dared to know the answer. For now all he knew was that this kid needed them in some capacity, and that she clearly wasn't old enough to fend for herself, even if she had indeed tried. The notion of writing to his family made him hum, but there was also that fear of rejection. Him and Eden were family now, but no matter how deep their love was and no matter the level of belonging, it would never be the replacement of the social aspect of being a lycan. Eden could deny it, but it was just a sheer fact of life.
The apology that followed made him shake his head no, "I brought this kid into our house without consulting you," he said. He had put himself in this situation and there was truly no other way around it. He kissed his forehead, breathing him in at his hairline, "I didn't think, but I also couldn't just leave her out there if those people had truly forced her to change this young." It had been a no brainer in the moment, but he hadn't given Eden a choice. And perhaps that was what had lead to the jealousy. The fact that the vampyre had had no time to prepare himself. "I know that if it hadn't been the full moon I would've acted more logical, and yet I can't really apologize for my nature anymore than you can apologize for drinking blood." It was just a fact of life. "I guess having her around right now makes me long for a time when we'll have our own kids," he admitted. Of course he was young, and some might argue too young, but there was just something within him that didn't want to miss out on anything with Eden. He felt like he owed the vampyre everything that their life together would entail, and he was also awfully aware of his own mortality. He wanted a legacy. Wanted someone to carry on their story, even though he knew Eden always would. "I guess im just truly excited for what's to come .. having a family .. having kids,"- "I'm sorry if it's moving too fast for you."

"I think I should be mature enough to handle changes." he argued, as it still wasnt fair on him to be cruel to his husband just because a child had been brought in. Because Romeo was right, she needed them to take her in. He moved his hands down to gently grab at the lycan's hips, just to keep his hands on him somehow. "Would it have been different under any moon?" he asked, because he had a feeling that the outcome would have been the same regardless of what phase the moon was in. He gave his hips a soft squeeze, sighing as Romeo pointed out kids of their own. Eden wasnt sure how he felt about that yet. But he averted his gaze and had a not so telling expression on his face. He just nodded before he looked at Romeo. "I really want to understand, but on one hand were you asking me the other day to plan and take revenge on my children, though children that I never asked for nor wanted, but children regardless... And now you're talking about our family and starting one." he said, shifting between the hazel eyes. Was it odd that the vampyre was a little drawn back? He sighed and looked away for a moment. "Your happiness will always be my priority. But you're moving at a pace that I cant quite follow yet."

No, it probably hadn't been different, but he would at least have had Eden's council in mind. Feeling the vampyre trying to ground himself didn't upset him, rather it showed that he was willing to communicate for once. His confusion became clear because Romeo knew this was odd. He knew that nothing made sense, because he couldn't make sense of the vampyre these days. "And what of you?" He whispered tenderly, not wanting to raise his voice, but he was clearly frustrated. "You were adamant before we got sick to get rid of them .. we both agreed on a family .. I don't .. Eden what do you want from me?" He felt almost desperate. Yes, they were starting a firm, and they were together at last, but it felt like with everything there was something that was meant to screw up. And somehow Romeo had gotten in his head that he needed to appeal to the vampyre more. "You want my happiness, and my happiness is you .. I never asked for more than you and honesty .. I just want to see you happy; to see you proud and not hide away in work and meetings," both of them had been too occupied with work, and they didn't even need to rush to start a firm. They had been building up their funds, had been saving and planning out everything. Hell, they had even slowly started to spread the message around that good jobs would be available soon in the future. But Romeo felt like he was slowly losing sight of what they wanted, because he couldn't figure out if Eden wanted this or he simply did it to make him happy.

When he started to hiss at him he sighed, looking down with a saddened expression as things were pointed out to him. Things that Romeo felt too, and he wasn't sure how to handle them. Well he had tried in different ways, but the one solution he had tried had gotten himself so sick. And now this solution was a clear miss. He got up and off of Eden, "you're right," he just said. He felt so hurt that he couldn't really bring himself to talk about it anymore, looking to the girl, "I'll put her to bed .. then find her parents .. and then we can talk about all of this, okay?" Romeo said, because he honestly couldn't bear so many things at once. Not when he felt so stressed that his stomach started to ache and the need for control entered his thoughts. He couldn't let himself go back to that.
So he did as he said, putting the young lycan to bed before calling around to different police stations, looking up missing persons adds and generally doing some research on lycan families in the area. Nothing. He found nothing! He got up, pacing a little before he finally caved and grabbed a cigarette. He had been told not to smoke, but fuck that shit, he needed to calm his nerves, heading out onto the balcony to smoke.

Romeo heard the mess, squashing out the rest of his cigarette under his foot before he entered the apartment once more. He went towards the sound before he watched the little girl having gone to the door already. He shook his head at her, but she didn't seem to listen, the rabbit under her arm as she opened the office door. She was still a little tired, but she went to the vampyre, grabbing onto his shirt, offering him a pink band aid along with her rabbit. Even though she didn't speak, it was so clear she wanted to give him some comfort, the same way as he had given her.
Romeo entered as well, seeing the exchange and he saw his love so frustrated and angry. He didn't even care if he got hurt, moving over to take his good hand, moving over to the small couch in the room. The little girl followed, crawling up on the couch, leaning into the vampyre, nestling her head against his side while Romeo tended to the cut, using the pink band aid that the girl had offered Eden. Of course both lycans could feel his pain, but neither shied away from him. Neither blamed him for his actions. "Amelia," she then said, her voice timid, but her words clear.

The lycan remained quite as he watched Amelia snuggle up to Eden, letting the vampyre take his time and consider if he wanted to speak. Then the truth finally came, and Romeo felt an ache in his heart, sitting down beside him, wrapping an arm around him to pull him close. Closing his eyes he just felt the sadness, the grief and fear all mixed in one. Of course deep down Romeo knew that that action had hurt his love, had hurt so many things between them, but there was nothing he could do to take back his actions. And there was no excuse and nothing to apologize for that he hadn't already apologized for. Kissing the top of his head, he just held him, letting him feel these emotions and come to terms with them for a small time. "I wish I could delete it from your memory," Romeo admitted, looking down, touching the cold hand that was now fixe, though being mindful of the cut. Eden was the most precious thing to him, and if he had been in the same situation he would've lost his mind completely. Hell, he might've ended up dying along with him.
"What happened .." He had to take a deep breath, feeling the emotions rush back, "it wasn't your fault, alright." He knew he would never be able to convince him on that, but he needed to at least say it. "If anything you were the one who saved me from a situation I should've never have put either of us in." Romeo had a few regrets in his life, but this was perhaps his biggest. Kissing the top of his head, he nuzzled his nose into his hair, breathing him in. "I'm getting better day for day .. but I think that's why I've been so confused; because you seem stuck." The lycan had always been wise beyond his years, but he hoped that the vampyre would intercept if he spoke out of term.
"I had been so desperate to escape the pain; I felt like I had lost my only chance at a life with meaning, with love and an actual future I could decide," of course it would never excuse what he had done, but perhaps speaking about it could put Eden in a better understanding of it and why it had happened that way. "Before I met you my whole world was planned out ahead for me; what I was going to do for a living; what sort of marriage life I would have; what sort of children I was expected to raise," he moved his hand up along his arm, caressing him softly, not only comforting him but also himself in a sense. "Living without you was too much to bear .. it was a pain I never wish anyone would feel .. but knowing that someone had forced me to the brink like that, that someone within my reach had been the root cause of that initial doubt," he shook his head. Maybe that was why he was so hung up on the twins. That woman had planted a deep seed of worry and jealousy. She had torn a rift between them, that they were still trying to patch up together. "I'm not saying that either of us are without blame, but the hurt that they have caused us far out way the good they have brought with them." They weren't Eden's kids, at least not in the sense that he had raised them or cared for them. No, they were more like Loralei's minions, here to finish a job when she couldn't.

Facing what was to come, it was facing what had already happened that took its toll. And Romeo had known something was off, but he had tried so many things to get through to him, but Eden was not the type to open up so easily. Of course the lycan loved him no matter what, but the guessing games had to stop. He needed to be certain in Eden, needed to know that an invisible rift wasn't slowly tearing its way between them. Helping him get rid of some of the tears he just kept holding him, wanting him to feel just how present Romeo was; just how alive he was. He hadn't died. He had had a few close calls along with Eden himself, but they needed to overcome that pain and work on it - not push it away and bury it.
Looking into those blue green eyes Romeo knew he only cared for their shared happiness. Their shared future and life that they were building. But Eden couldn't sit here and pretend that any weakness they might have could be taken from them in an instant if the twins knew that the vampyre was still alive. They had been lucky to avoid them thus far. But with a company on the rise and talk of family then who was to say that they could live in peace forever? The serious reply made Romeo nod, leaning in to kiss him in a loving peck, wrapping his arm around him and holding him close. Afterwards he saw how Amelia crawled up into the vampyre's lap, hugging him as well. She knew he was sad, but because they kept the conversation so vague, she wasn't sure what it was about. But she did know that he needed comfort, and she could hopefully provide him a little, moving her rabbit up to kiss his cheek. Romeo chuckled softly, "seems like you're stuck with us for a while, huh?" He told the little lycan, patting her head gently, making her look up to the older lycan with a soft yet careful smile.

"No, not yet at least," he said with a sigh, looking to the little girl, her soft curls framing her face and her eyes curious and big. The notion of food made him nod, getting up he picked up Amelia as well, holding her on his hip, "I've called up every police station in the area, even the main ones in either district," he spoke as they walked to the kitchen together. He placed the little lycan down by the table so she could crawl up on the chair herself. She seemed very insistent of that at least. Romeo just went to go cook, trying not to think about that control urge he had had earlier. It was a fine line to walk sometimes. "I even called up a few packs as well, but no-one seems to lack a girl with her description," he felt sad about the fact that someone had plainly abandoned her. Or at least it felt that way. Not that he minded her here, but Eden had been right; she had a family out there and maybe Romeo just hadn't been looking hard enough. "When we've eaten I'm going to try and call up some central police stations in Korinthia and Aurvandil," that had to be the next step, right?
He served up the meal, even grabbing a few vials for Eden, and while fresh blood would've been better, at least this way he could sit at the table with them. Of course Amelia wasn't really aware of how vampyre's worked, but she did offer up some of her food to Eden, which Romeo felt was rather adorable. She was so young. "How old are you, Amelia?" He asked, not wanting all conversation to just go over her head. Continuing to chew and hold her rabbit close, she tried showing her fingers. "Seven?" She nodded to confirm. He hummed, now he at least had some more information to go by. "Do you know when your birthday is?" Amelia frowned, looking down as she wasn't sure how to communicate that just yet. She was shy and was having a hard time still because of the moon phase. "No worries .. you can always tell us some other time."

Romeo frowned at the notion that he shouldn't call. What was Eden insinuating? But then again it wasn't like Romeo hadn't had that thought pop into his head. Eden was so good with her, and she seemed to settle in here rather fast. Well as fast as a seven year old could settle. She was perhaps mostly here out of circumstances, but as long as she seemed alright he would take care of her. There was just something within him that sparked when he saw them interacting. How she started to hide her face away, smiling at the secret and hugging the rabbit close. Eden's chuckle and his willingness to take what she had handed him. It was so good. And it made Romeo more certain in protecting what was theirs.
All of the questions seemed a little too much for her, but she did her best to reply, either with small nods, shakes of the head or even hand gestures. "South," she just said, which made Romeo frown. Did she mean Southern District? In that case he felt like the fears he had had were coming true. If she was from Southern, then it would be no wonder if they couldn't find her parents. Romeo hadn't been in Churchill for long, but he knew what the underbelly of society was, and it flourished in that district. "You really like your rabbit .. have you named it yet?" He asked, just making her feel as not everything had to be about her knowledge. "Babbit," she said making Romeo chuckle, patting her head softly, "Babbit the Rabbit, huh?" He smiled, making her nod.

It seemed that Eden and him shared the same concern, and in that case they had to consider what to do next. But that was grown-up talk, and they could discuss it once she had gone to bed. If she ever got tired after the long nap she had had today. But if she was from Southern it had been no wonder why she had been so ready to defend herself and even more so appreciative of the rabbit. He had to admit that the longer she stayed here, the harder he would have it if she were to leave, which surprised him a lot, but he had truly matured over this year. Being with Eden, facing all of their challenges. It was bound to do something to ones growth.
The mention of clothes made her surprised, looking in disbelief from Eden to Romeo to which the lycan nodded. "I found you some different stuff; that way you can choose whatever you like, alright?" He encouraged her and she became shy again, hiding her face away in the rabbit. She wasn't talking more, but she was emoting more and reacting to what they were saying. Perhaps for a child who had never gotten to feel true safety, maybe this was a good change for her. Though he also knew that the longer she stayed, the more of a weakness she would be to the both of them.
After eating Romeo cleaned up, having Amelia dry off the cutlery because she seemed to want to help. It would give Eden time to go smoke, and he would probably find his packet lacking one. But he hoped he wouldn't judge him too hard. It had been a stressful day for all of them it seemed. Amelia grabbed onto Romeo's hand, pulling at it lightly as she hid her face away in the rabbit's plush. "You really wanna see that clothes?" He chuckled, nodding as he showed her into the living room where she sat down in front of the heater on the fluffy rug. It seemed to be a good and safe spot for her now. Romeo took out the bags, showing her everything from dresses to pants to shirts. Really any style or fashion that Romeo thought she would like. Touching the different fabrics it was clear she was in disbelief. All of this? For her? Touching a nice pink dress - one that befitted her pink band aids - stood out to her. "You really like pink, don't you?" He smiled, moving closer, "but I think you need a bath before you can try them on, hm?" The girl looked down herself, knowing she still had small specs of dirt on her after the moonlit transformation. Nodding Romeo got up and went out to prepare a shower. Meanwhile she sat in front of the heater, showing the rabbit all of the things that were now effectively hers.