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["Indeed we are, buddy."]

Cody's jaw dropped, and he looked from Xaver to Ginny, and back again. For once in his life, he was speechless. Xaver laughed aloud, Meliody smiling at his side, and nodded.
"Indeed we are, buddy."
Xaver flashed Cody a grin, then opened his remaining arm to his family, preparing to leave.

["Just about, baby."]

"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!"
Cody was in nice black pants, shoes, and halfway into his white dress shirt. Arms up in the air, his head somewhere in between, he was doing circles in the room. Xaver was more or less trying to catch him.

"Just about, baby."
He caught the hyper youngster by a belt-loop and tugged the shirt the rest of the way down.
"There."

He grinned up at Ginny, then went to them, picking up Meliody from her arms and bringing her close, resting her on his side.
"Hey, there, pretty lady."

After a quick five minute shower, Xaver tossed his pajamas in the laundry and donned more suitable attire for their visit. His hair was the mess it always was, but the rest of him portrayed the King he so very competently was. Black, pressed slacks, nice shoes, and a fitted, navy shirt that accentuated the dark oceans of his eyes, tucked beneath a floor-length black dress-coat.
He ran a hand through his dark hair, slicking the wet strands back over his handsome head, and made his way to Cody's room to see how he'd come about.

["You know I wouldn't."]

"You could have asked me to do that..."
Xaver smiled over at her, placing the last of the staples into the hand now full of them. He shook his head.
"You know I wouldn't."
He tossed the staples into the trash, then ran his hands over his belly. It was flat, and muscular as ever, but now more scarred and ugly as it had ever been.
"Pretty ugly, huh?"
He traced his fingers down his still multicolored side, smiling slightly. It hadn't been too long ago that he'd looked like he'd been chewed up and spit out. He was doing pretty well, all things considered. Much better than the one who'd inflicted all that onto him.
Xaver winced at the thought.
No matter how right it was, it was still wrong to kill your family. Especially a twin that would have forever had a mental and soulful connection.
Xaver shook his head. Xences had no soul left to speak of.

Reaching for Ginny's hand, he let the shirt fall.
"Let's go change."

["I don't believe so."]

Take anything?
Xaver looked around them, but nothing in particular stuck out.

"I don't believe so."

He rinsed the dishes, running the back of his hand over his forehead out of brief fatigue. No matter how much fun it was to play, beneath his tattered, comfy shirt were still a healing array of bruises. His stapled belly didn't even hurt much today... it just wore him out a little.
At the thought, Xaver dried his hands on his sweatpants and lifted his shirt, displaying the railroad track of staples that went like a cross across his once gorgeous stomach. They had been put in place not too long ago by the mortal doctors who had both saved him and that he'd had to be saved from by Ginny. Looking down at it, he frowned, then tucked his shirt beneath his chin and gripped the highest staple between his thumb and index finger. It didn't hurt to touch. Xaver bit his tongue, then pulled it out. The flesh stung, but didn't bleed, the now small holes sealing closed.
It was a good sign.
He began pulling them out amidst hisses and curses, feeling more and more like himself as he did so. It was natural to heal quickly, for him..

["Whaddya think, Melly, should we play with Codium just a little more? Make him wait for his surprise?"]

(yay!!)


Xaver grinned at his family, watching them eat. He and Meliody shared and finished off his bowl, then began making faces at each other. When Cody had finished, he began to squirm to join in.
"Whaddya think, Melly, should we play with Codium just a little more? Make him wait for his surprise?"
Meliody clapped her chubby hands together, and Xaver laughed, planting a big kiss on her forehead.
"DAaaaaaaaadduuhh..."
Cody sighed heavily.

Xaver grinned at his exasperated son.
"Go on, you get the both of you ready, I'll take care of all of this."

Cody grinned and nearly flew off his chair toward Meliody. He took his care getting her out of her seat (with Xaver's help), and held her hand as they made toward their rooms, whispering giggly words of childish excitement to one another.

["It's going to be a good one,"]

Cody gave a melodramatic sigh as Xaver plopped a bowl of cheerios in front of him. He nodded then, which made Xaver laugh over a mouthful of his own cereal. He set a bowl for Ginny beside Cody then, coughing, he sat next to Meliody, offering her some of his cheerios and a wink. The little girl made a huge grin and a squeal, reaching for the O's.

"It's going to be a good one," Xaver said between bites, not able to resist.
Cody gave him a glare over his pursed lips, determined to listen.

"We have a surprise today!"

Xaver found himself giggling over his Cheerios. Pouring the milk in, he had a though that he would look much different to the people of the Fallen realm from when he had left. Sure he had visited, but this time, coming back with his family... He would look like a new man. One happy bird.
He could almost see the excitement on his son's face when Cody began his endless stream of "Whaaatsss?"

He looked over his shoulder, winking proudly at Ginny.

Xaver was sitting on Cody at the dining table when Ginny and Meliody came in. Cody was giggling wildly and punching Xaver's sides in a play-wrestle. Both stopped and stood up, smiling sweetly and innocently when they saw Ginny.

"Hiya Mom!" Cody chirped, clambering back onto his chair and plopping his bottom onto it, cheeks flushed brilliantly. He waved at Meliody. "What's Ghaderia?"

Xaver, grinning ear to ear, made into the kitchen to whip up some breakfast, planting a kiss on his daughter's cheek along the way.

["See you in ten, my love."]

Xaver laughed aloud, taking Ginny's hand and standing, then drawing it up to his lips and planting a kiss over her knuckles.
"See you in ten, my love."
He swept in for another kiss at her mouth, then turned and raised his hands like a monster, roaring aloud and charging down the hallway like the charmingly dorky father he was. He bellowed straight into Cody's room where the boy, sitting on his bed, shrieked giddily and went hiding again under the covers. Xaver dove in after him, snorting and chuckling and reaching out to tickle. Grabbing his prize around the waist, Xaver drew the wiggling boy to him and slung him over his shoulder upside down. Turning and making toward the kitchen, he roared.
"BEAST HUNGRY!!!!"
Cody screamed a giggle and tried to tickle his father's sides as he was carried like a potato-sack back down the hallway and toward the front room..

["I know they will be... Ah, and the surprises I have in store for them.. For all of you."]

"Let's go when they wake up... I know Cody will be so excited!"
She planted a kiss on his cheek and Xaver beamed.

"I know they will be... Ah, and the surprises I have in store for them.. For all of you."
He winked at her, then drew his hand to the back of her head and pulled her to him, catching her lips with his own. After a long moment, he broke away, though not too far, their lips still slightly touching.
"I wonder if-"

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Xaver almost laughed aloud, his sons voice hollering through the hallway almost as if on cue.

"Well, there you have it," Xaver laughed softly.

["Aye, rules."]

"Xaver, it's a part of them."
He knew it always would be, too. They were as much from his world as this one, and they would want to see that world, if not want to live in it.

"Aye, rules."
His mouth pursed at the thought. Another element his children had never experienced - seeing their father in his working environment. So far, they had only known him at home. It was an environment Cody or Meliody might themselves take over, someday.
"When do you want to go, love?"
The excitement was barely restrained.

["First we'll have to visit there and pick out where in the castle we'll be staying. Bedrooms, whatnot. I think the children should visit, anyway, before we go head over toes into this. You never know.. they might not like it."]

Her giggle brought a warm smile to his lips.

"First we'll have to visit there and pick out where in the castle we'll be staying. Bedrooms, whatnot. I think the children should visit, anyway, before we go head over toes into this. You never know.. they might not like it."

There was a bit of uncertainty in his tones.
Perhaps the kids, perhaps Ginny, wouldn't like his realm too much? Perhaps they'd like to visit, but to stay?.. Xaver didn't know how they'd take to it. After all, the last time Xaver remembered Ginny going there it was to bury Kylie.
Xaver's heart lurched.

["They are part you, there's a difference."]

"They are part you, there's a difference."
Xaver held her close, and honestly thought about it. Would his children be patronized for being half Fallen?
"In truth, many Fallen have never encountered humans. We stick to our realm and away from humans.. the stories are enough to make us wary of racism and judgment for our differences. Well, they were. I came because I wanted to know the truth.. and while there is a lot of that, there are also people like you, and your family."
His gaze turned to her, thoughtful.
"They are our children. Children of the crown or not, I would think they would get their fair chance at acceptance, just like the rest of us. Though he was vile in sense of a parent, my father forbade racism in our realm as I have after him. Hell, even the cat-folk are okay so long as they're not dedicated to their religion of wiping us out. And if they don't have fleas..."

["I'm not sure I know what that word means... But at peace? I believe so. With a goddess for a wife and two brilliant children I don't believe we will ever be.. normal.. but I believe we are working towards things slowing down, and us being at peace. Which I have heard should be nice. I'd like to have many more moments, just like this.."]

She leaned back into him and Xaver murmured gratitude, sinking into the cupboards of the counter and wrapping his arms more snugly about her. He dropped kisses over the back of her head and the slope of her neck. They had had years of life officially together, but not enough actually side by side. Kissing the back of her ear, Xaver planned to remedy that.
"What a life."
He murmured agreeably, resting his strong jaw on the soft roundness of her shoulder.
"Do you think things will ever become normal?"

Xaver sat quietly, rocking her side to side within the circle of his arms as he thought about it. Normal?
"I'm not sure I know what that word means... But at peace? I believe so. With a goddess for a wife and two brilliant children I don't believe we will ever be.. normal.. but I believe we are working towards things slowing down, and us being at peace. Which I have heard should be nice. I'd like to have many more moments, just like this.."
He tilted his head and kissed her cheek.