[OTA] The Next Generation Needs Love, Too

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

Pierre cares for his uncle's family. They're sweet and more than a little affectionate, which can sometimes get uncomfortable, but he tolerates it. Nóra still insists on critiquing his wardrobe, and Erin really wants him to have children someday, but that wasn't even the most shocking bit of news today -- and, in fact, none of that was shocking at all. What did surprise him was being asked to stand as Mikail's best man when he and Alisain renew their vows next month.

He'd agreed, reluctantly, and promised to do his best to bring Briony around more, too. For some reason, Alisain was incredibly fond of her.

Whatever made the woman happy, he supposed. It wasn't that big of a deal, considering that he spent a portion of his spare time with her anyway. There was certainly something to be said for a woman who could take what he had to give and give it back just as good.

But now he was doing what he didn't do nearly enough: playing with Jaxon. The kid was sweet as candy and overly fond of 'Unca P,' so he did what any good cousin would do and indulged him. He'd probably take him home soon, but for right now, running after him was the name of the game.

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[i-machiavellian.livejournal.com]

Had Michael not paused and glanced down to light up his cigarette, he would have tripped over a young boy who brushed past his trousers, laughing as he ran.

He looked up to see what he was running away from and his smile faltered ever so slightly, though it was barely noticeable with a smoke between his lips. First Isadore, then Briony, and now Pierre. What had he done to deserve this chain of supposedly random encounters with these Spades-turned-Clubs?

The boy, a little out of breath and still laughing, decided that since Michael had stood as still as a statue, perhaps he could hide behind the Spades' legs. He plucked off the burning end of the cigarette and tucked what was left of it behind his ear. He didn't smoke around young kids.

He knew next to nothing about Shea Cleary's son other than name, face, rank and Suit, but with a little boy involved, Michael sincerely hoped that Pierre was nothing like his father.

"Friend of yours?"

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

He was breathless when he stopped in front of Michael, a full grin on his face which is really only ever seen when he's got the boy in tow. Jax just squealed and darted off again, but Pierre needed a minute to breathe. He wasn't five anymore, unlike the little ball of energy.

"Nephew. Well, cousin, but effectively my nephew. I'd apologize and say he's not usually like this, but he kind of is. He's...almost always like this. Meet Jaxon Cleary, the youngest of my father's side of the family."

Who was apparently in the mood to tackle Pierre, which meant the kid was getting swept into his arms, kicking and squealing and giggling madly.

Strange little child.

[i-machiavellian.livejournal.com]

Cleary. Fantastic. More demonspawn. Thankfully neither he nor Pierre looked particularly demonic. Just... looked like family having a good time, which was a bit of an odd image for Michael to make sense of. It was a nice image though, and one shouldn't question the nicer things in life.

This was the part where Michael smiled, nodded, said 'OK' and left the two of them to it, but curiosity got the better of him.

"Your father had siblings?"

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

Shifting Jax so that he was perched on his hip rather than dangling awkwardly took a minute, but then was time to give the older man a serious look. "My father had a brother. That brother married and had four beautiful kids, and adopted this brat after he was orphaned."

Jax was born to Spades five years ago. Three years ago, his parents died off-Deck. But you'd never know, just looking at him; he was such a happy child, full of energy, and in a family of people who were just as high-energy as he was. It was good for him.

And Mikail was a good man. He was absolutely nothing like Shea and never had been; being so much younger than him probably contributed to that.

[i-machiavellian.livejournal.com]

Michael was surprised. He'd only ever seen the one face of the one Cleary, and to assume they were all one and the same had been quite ignorant of him, he could gather. And yet, he figured they had to be, considering, well. The brother had outlived him, after all. That was no small feat.

"I see," he finally managed to say, and he had to force himself a little in order to smile. It was easier to put on a smile when he was looking at Jaxon who was grinning from ear to ear.

"He's quite attached to you."

kids all over o/

[sirforawhile.livejournal.com]

Will Jaxon come and play? Aran's theory is that he will if invited often enough. Or tugged.

Fear not, Iggy's coming to intervene. It's even odds which uncle will get there first.

ERRYWHUR who is Aran. :|

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

Jax loves playing. Tugging is the perfect segue to playing tag, right? So the five-year-old smacks Aran's hand with a grin, then bolts. Pierre is ready to drop, but he catches his cousin by the waist and sweeps him up.

"...Sorry. He, ah...hasn't gotten it into his head that hitting is bad." Serious look, Jax. You're getting one.

"Is your boy okay?" He hadn't been hit hard, but it can be a shock.

God, when did he start knowing so much about kids?

one of the gigazillion nephews with only a name to his... name.

[sirforawhile.livejournal.com]

Given that Jax's foot is still within reach, Aran's already about to retaliate when Iggy pulls him back. "He looks fine. We've not gotten that message into him, either- it's that age, I guess. Aran, say hi."

There's a squeak of a 'hi' in the furious flailing of a boy trying to get down. Iggy figures that'll do.

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

Jax squawks his own hello in return, struggling to get to the ground so he can play with his new friend. Children are strange; Pierre has never denied that. Grumbling a little bit, he shifts the five-year-old to settle on his hip. Jax is still flailing, but once Pierre sternly tells him to calm down -- in French because that's his default when annoyed -- he gets less aggressive about it.

"Around five, I'm assuming." Look at him. He's not even a little bit paternal, and he can still commiserate.

[civilizedpoison.livejournal.com]

"This is horribly domestic." But sort of...cute, she supposes. Briony murmurs at Anton to sit and behave himself as they pause in front of Pierre and Jax, who is probably about twenty seconds from being fascinated by the giant dog.

"You got corralled into babysitting again?"

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

Jax is waiting for Pierre to lunge at him again, clearly buzzing with energy, but when Anton sits, the boy darts toward him, instead. Puppies! Just. He needs to play with Anton's ears, or something.

"Mikail asked me to be his best man at the renewal of vows next month, and Jax latched onto my leg when I wasn't looking." And he has a tough time saying no to the little guy. Briony will figure that one out soon enough.

"Anyway. I, ah. ...You know Alisain likes you, right? She'd like to see you more." How's that for a segue into asking her to go with him? He's kind of proud of it, and the grin probably helps.

[civilizedpoison.livejournal.com]

Or use him as his very first pony, which fortunately Anton is historically patient about.

"A wedding," she says. "Sounds exciting." But then her brow quirks. Pierre's aunt is very nice, of course, and she and Briony have always had a less wary relationship than Briony's had with most of the Clubs. Even so, that's odd, and slightly concerning. She knows how families thing.

"...Would she," she says. "I see. And I suppose you have a particular occasion in mind."

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

Pierre is very deliberately ignoring the implications of their families. It's obnoxious, but as long as they don't actually say anything outright, it can be ignored. That's the beauty of selective ignorance.

"I think it'd be good for you to go with me. To the wedding." Someday, they'll do something other than his family events. For now, well. "You don't need to buy a new dress or anything; it's nothing huge." He'd be in a suit, not a tux. That's a big difference, right?

[jackoftrades.livejournal.com]

"Woah, hey there boyscout." Jack said with an amused grin as Jaxon barreled around the corner and almost right into him. When Pierre appeared, he looked awfully amused at the whole thing. And even though Jaxon was clearly visible where he was hiding just behind Jack- the two of Clubs was very dutiful in his- "I haven't seen any kids, especially adorable ones."

It was a fatherly thing.

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

With a very falsely serious expression, Pierre lifted himself up. Folded his arms, even, while Jax giggled from behind the other man. "Are you sure? A little birdie told me he came by here. About this tall, towheaded, curly as can be? Might be squealing about now."

Whoops, there he went grinning. Damn. So much for serious face.

[jackoftrades.livejournal.com]

Kids were infectious like that, and admittedly moments like this had him missing his own. But, alas, work was work. The worst thing that could happen would be for Tucker to just...appear in the Deck.

"I swear on my heart, I have not." Though he couldn't help the laugh as Jaxon launched around him and ran back toward his 'Uncle'. "Oh, wait...I think I just found him."

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

He'd make it plain to the other man someday that swearing on things that you're unwilling to lose is a bad idea, particularly to Pierre, who would literally take it. But today was a day for play, a day for smiles and laughter and enjoyment.

Today was a day for catching the boy and sweeping him into the air with airplane noises, and for laughing when Jax squawked his excitement. 'Unca P, Unca P!' Sweeter sounds had never been heard.

"Thank you for finding him. I'd hate to have to tell his father that he disappeared. It might have been the trolls to get him this time," he snickered.

Who said he couldn't make fun of the butler behind his back?

[makeminerubies.livejournal.com]

Jogging. Jogging was therapy, yes? Well, it was now, Claudia decided, coming around the sidewalk at a good clip, mobile playlist blaring in her ears and water bottle in hand. She was on her cool-down, thankfully, ponytail swinging and still riding the euphoric high.

Imagine her surprise to see out on the nearby lawn her own brother, chasing and cavorting about with a...small, squished version of an adult--what? Oh. One of those. Children. Hm. Interesting.

She slowed, then finally paused altogether, watching expressionlessly.

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

Catching his cousin and tossing him in the air with a grin on his face was as far from normal for Pierre as it got, and yet here he was. When the boy saw Claudia, he started squirming because he wanted to say hello, so Pierre put him down to hold his hand and walk over.

The grin didn't falter much, but he made sure to keep Jax in a spot that he could defend him if necessary.

Not that he expected to need to defend him from Claudia, but instinct won out when it came to him. "Claudia. Mikail's son, Jaxon, wanted to say hi." Or, apparently, grab her hand and shake it like a crazy child. Whatever.

[makeminerubies.livejournal.com]

Although the small--child had no qualms about squealing and running up to her and even grabbing for her hand, Claudia almost recoiled nevertheless. Years of diplomatic training --as well as a staunch determination not to flinch in front of her damned brother-- was all that kept her from doing so, although she did hesitate just a fraction before letting the boy do so.

"--ah. I see."

She looked down at the boy--Jaxon, and managed a polite nod and smile. Perfect hostess. "Hello, Master Jaxon. How do you do?"

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

Jax's face contorted a little with confusion. "Do what?" Poor kid didn't understand at all.

With a sigh, Pierre released his hand and took a seat in the grass. If his sister felt like coming down from her ivory tower, there was plenty of grass for her to sit on to join him. But then, how often does she do that?

"You're busy." Easy observation. "Long day ahead?"

[thecutdiamond.livejournal.com]

The small boy nearly runs right into her-- looks forward just in time to stop and look properly embarrassed for nearly running into an injured woman. Rachel just laughs a little, smiles at the boy in a reassuring manner that his cousin would recognize from years ago.

"It's okay, no harm done," she tells him, "You look like quite a fast runner. Are you practicing for a race?"

Most likely, he's just playing tag, though. Which is why she'll be looking up after a moment to see which of the adults milling the area he belonged to.

To her credit, her smile won't falter when she sees which one it likely is, but then, she is a Diamond.

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

Jax nods enthusiastically at her comment, pointing to Pierre before squealing and hiding behind her legs.

Pierre slows his pace when he sees Rachel. That's...unexpected. And it makes his heart ache, but he doesn't show it too much. "Jaxon. Come here. Now, please."

The boy peeks, but shakes his head, and reaches up to tug at Rachel's sleeve in hopes that she'll say he can stay. "Jaxon. I said now. I'm sorry, Lady. He doesn't understand quite yet how to approach one of your standing."

[thecutdiamond.livejournal.com]

She shakes her head just slightly at Pierre, smiling reassuringly at Jaxon as he tugs on her sleeve.

"I am a Ten the same as you, Lord. And he is just a boy; it's certainly forgivable."

[hommesadique.livejournal.com]

"You're a Ten, yes, and he's not even technically a Two yet. And while you are, indeed, a Ten, you are also the previous Queen of Diamonds."

That, at least, seems to mean something to the blond little boy, because he pauses and his eyes go wide. A Queen! And she's talking to him? Golly.