~ Kingdom of the Sun ~
~- Slip Past His Defense -~
Seriously, what the hell was the issue with Tony's brother? Always going off over the most inconsequential of details, and now Zack was ready to blow just because of the look that the kid had given him. "Think I mighta pushed this one too far this time," Tony muttered, dodging another of Zack's heavy swings as the other man's eyes slipped further into the range of gold. "Crap, might have a little Rage going on here..."
"And what do you want to find Leyla for?”
Jumping back from the mounting tension, Tony's attention immediately snapped to Timmy as the teen asked the million dollar question. Despite knowing he'd already screwed up by letting her name slip in the first place, Tony heard himself ask, "Wait, you know Rozen?"
Before anymore could be said, though, a familiar voice broke the air, bleeding out the tension. Spinning around, Tony found himself giving a surprised gasp at the woman walking toward them from the jungle. "Cheza?"
Tony couldn't believe it, but it was true. They'd actually found someone! He barely even heard Cheza scolding them, he didn't really pay attention to how Zack's expression changed to a look of pure joy as he swung the diminutive blond up into a massive hug, such utter relief on his face that it damn near broke Tony's heart.
Tony? Can you come over?
No. He wasn't going there. Slamming the wall back to full height, Tony turned away from Cheza and Zack for a moment, giving the two of them as private a moment for their reunion as possible. Facing Timmy again, Tony sized the kid up as the boy seemed to watch Zack and Cheza with a stony expression. Blue-violet eyes catching the brown ones, Tony decided that he might as well use the opening he'd given them earlier by letting Leyla's name slip. "How do you...?"
“I hate to break up such a touching reunion, but I believe I asked you a question.”
It seemed the kid had about as much patience as Zack. Timmy talked right over Tony, his voice laced with enough bitterness to slice through a weaker heart. As it was, Tony could sense that Zack now held Cheza close to his side, his fingers squeezing her tight to him in a protective display. Tony didn't need his twin telepathy to tell him that's what Zack was doing. The look in Timmy's eyes was so hard, so cold, it reminded Tony of how Zack's face looked when the Rage started getting the better of his brawler brother.
Taking a step forward, Tony made sure Timmy's attention was focused on him before he said anything. "Leyla's a friend of the family, one of my kid brother's closest friends, in fact. She's..." here, Tony lost his words, as another voice rose in his head.
What did you do?
Hold on! Please, just hold on!
"Tony?"
Tony jumped, shocked out of his reverie by a soft touch on his arm. Tilting his head, he looked into Cheza's eyes, their soft blue-green clouded with worry. Shaking his head, he gave her a shaky smile, trying to reassure her that he was fine. A crease etched itself across her face, but Cheza let it go for the moment.
He was very careful to keep his eyes on her face.
Cheza moved past him, and Tony heard an almost feline whine from behind him. Crap, again. Clearly, Zack had slipped far enough into the Rage that some of the tiger's mannerism's had slipped into Zack's own. Cheza had arrived just in time to save the day, from the looks of things. Tony really didn't feel like dealing with the fallout of Zack eating someone today.
He'd dealt with that enough times to last him ten lifetimes.
But still, Tony felt himself tensing as Cheza moved closer to the agitated Timmy. Carefully, she worked her right glove off as she said in a soft, soothing tone, "Leyla's a dear friend, one we've missed sorely for the past two years. I'm certain this is something you'd understand, yet I also sense that you won't take our word for it. Things have changed so much recently, it's rather difficult to trust strangers, especially when those very same people look like they can take your head off with barely a thought. So, instead of trying to convince you with words, perhaps I can show you a different way?"
Tony reached out, stopping Zack as the other man took a step forward, anxiety written clearly on his face. Catching Zack's attention, Tony shook his head, telling his twin to just back off for a moment. Zack gave him a look that said he thought Tony was crazy, but he stayed back for the moment, watching Cheza and Timmy carefully.
Cheza kept talking in a soothing tone, ignoring Tony and Zack for the moment. Keeping Zack where he was, Tony watched Cheza raise her ungloved hand in a clear invitation for Timmy to take it. "I can't see in the traditional sense any longer, but that doesn't mean I can't See. Take my hand, and let me look. But I need to warn you, this power of mine can be dangerous at times. I don't... I don't think it will hurt you, but it's still something you should be aware of. So, will you show me? Will you let me look at your memories of Leyla?"
~- Slip Past His Defense -~
Seriously, what the hell was the issue with Tony's brother? Always going off over the most inconsequential of details, and now Zack was ready to blow just because of the look that the kid had given him. "Think I mighta pushed this one too far this time," Tony muttered, dodging another of Zack's heavy swings as the other man's eyes slipped further into the range of gold. "Crap, might have a little Rage going on here..."
"And what do you want to find Leyla for?”
Jumping back from the mounting tension, Tony's attention immediately snapped to Timmy as the teen asked the million dollar question. Despite knowing he'd already screwed up by letting her name slip in the first place, Tony heard himself ask, "Wait, you know Rozen?"
Before anymore could be said, though, a familiar voice broke the air, bleeding out the tension. Spinning around, Tony found himself giving a surprised gasp at the woman walking toward them from the jungle. "Cheza?"
Tony couldn't believe it, but it was true. They'd actually found someone! He barely even heard Cheza scolding them, he didn't really pay attention to how Zack's expression changed to a look of pure joy as he swung the diminutive blond up into a massive hug, such utter relief on his face that it damn near broke Tony's heart.
Tony? Can you come over?
No. He wasn't going there. Slamming the wall back to full height, Tony turned away from Cheza and Zack for a moment, giving the two of them as private a moment for their reunion as possible. Facing Timmy again, Tony sized the kid up as the boy seemed to watch Zack and Cheza with a stony expression. Blue-violet eyes catching the brown ones, Tony decided that he might as well use the opening he'd given them earlier by letting Leyla's name slip. "How do you...?"
“I hate to break up such a touching reunion, but I believe I asked you a question.”
It seemed the kid had about as much patience as Zack. Timmy talked right over Tony, his voice laced with enough bitterness to slice through a weaker heart. As it was, Tony could sense that Zack now held Cheza close to his side, his fingers squeezing her tight to him in a protective display. Tony didn't need his twin telepathy to tell him that's what Zack was doing. The look in Timmy's eyes was so hard, so cold, it reminded Tony of how Zack's face looked when the Rage started getting the better of his brawler brother.
Taking a step forward, Tony made sure Timmy's attention was focused on him before he said anything. "Leyla's a friend of the family, one of my kid brother's closest friends, in fact. She's..." here, Tony lost his words, as another voice rose in his head.
What did you do?
I don't think I can do this...
Like a drum, baby don't stop beating. Like a drum, baby don't stop beating.
Hold on! Please, just hold on!
Please....
Don't stop beating...
"Tony?"
Tony jumped, shocked out of his reverie by a soft touch on his arm. Tilting his head, he looked into Cheza's eyes, their soft blue-green clouded with worry. Shaking his head, he gave her a shaky smile, trying to reassure her that he was fine. A crease etched itself across her face, but Cheza let it go for the moment.
He was very careful to keep his eyes on her face.
Cheza moved past him, and Tony heard an almost feline whine from behind him. Crap, again. Clearly, Zack had slipped far enough into the Rage that some of the tiger's mannerism's had slipped into Zack's own. Cheza had arrived just in time to save the day, from the looks of things. Tony really didn't feel like dealing with the fallout of Zack eating someone today.
He'd dealt with that enough times to last him ten lifetimes.
But still, Tony felt himself tensing as Cheza moved closer to the agitated Timmy. Carefully, she worked her right glove off as she said in a soft, soothing tone, "Leyla's a dear friend, one we've missed sorely for the past two years. I'm certain this is something you'd understand, yet I also sense that you won't take our word for it. Things have changed so much recently, it's rather difficult to trust strangers, especially when those very same people look like they can take your head off with barely a thought. So, instead of trying to convince you with words, perhaps I can show you a different way?"
Tony reached out, stopping Zack as the other man took a step forward, anxiety written clearly on his face. Catching Zack's attention, Tony shook his head, telling his twin to just back off for a moment. Zack gave him a look that said he thought Tony was crazy, but he stayed back for the moment, watching Cheza and Timmy carefully.
Cheza kept talking in a soothing tone, ignoring Tony and Zack for the moment. Keeping Zack where he was, Tony watched Cheza raise her ungloved hand in a clear invitation for Timmy to take it. "I can't see in the traditional sense any longer, but that doesn't mean I can't See. Take my hand, and let me look. But I need to warn you, this power of mine can be dangerous at times. I don't... I don't think it will hurt you, but it's still something you should be aware of. So, will you show me? Will you let me look at your memories of Leyla?"
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