Disclaimers: All characters belong to rightful owners.
Story concieved by Lee.


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"Oi, Darran. Aren't you supposed to be _preventing_ things like this?"

Darran turned back at Kein's dour tone and let out a gust of laughter as he surveyed the scene: his friend with arms folded, glaring to beat the band as a little bundle of child-sized clothing snuggled into him. "Not unless the kid's packing."

Kein sent another death look his bodyguard's way and gritted out, "Just get it off me, will you?" The way he saw it, there was no goddamn reason he should have to put up with children as long as he wasn't stupid enough to get a girl pregnant. He gave a little warning twitch that Darran could easily translate: get the kid off or I'll do it, and I won't be half as gentle.

Still chuckling, Darran knelt to pull one little hand off Kein's waist and turn the child around to face him. "Hey, kiddo. Looking for someone?" he murmured quietly, a small, reassuring smile on his lips.

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The Barwig house was just hopping with excitement. Ever since they had moved to New Eden, they had always made a point to go to the Noel Festival. Although Wolfgang and Frank didnt quite show as much entusiasm as thier youngest brother, Robert, everyone was on the up and up from the usually dismal day. Even Gabby had a special glitter in her eyes, especally when her children were so excited about something.

"Are you almost ready, Robert?" Wolfgang called out from the downstairs kitchen, still cleaning from brecfast. Keeping the house clean was still one of his priorities to help out. Lord knows that his mother needed as much of a break as he could give her. "...And you," directed to Frank, "you ready yet?"

Frank was sitting on the coutch, watching the remaining morning cartoons. He gave a glance at Wolfgang, "yeah, Im ready...I have been ready!" You could tell by the obvious tone of his voice that he was irritated of waiting for everyone else and was ready to go out and have fun.

"Dont worry!" Gabby came around the corrner of the downstairs hallway from the master bedroom, "you will have all day to roam around and do your *thing*" Gabby had now started to realize that her babies were starting to grow up, though she didnt want it to happen.

"Im CoMmINg!!!" Robert, half running, half falling down the stairs, emerged trying to tie one shoe and hold on to the other. He landed safe, sat on the bottom step, and started to putting on the other.

"How bout you?" Gabby said looking at wolfgang, half dressed still from waking up and still cleaning, "let me finish, you go get dressed..."

"No, mother, its ok I ca.." he stoped as his mother gave him a look. It wassnt an angry look, and not quite sad...just a look. A look that any child gets from thier mother, and Gabby has grown very well at giving Wolfgang this look. Plus, it works, "alright, Frank...would you help mom, please while I get ready...it well only be a miniute." There was a quite grunt of anger from Frank, but other than that there was no ubjection from him. He was just as egger to leave the house as any of them.

Wolfgang let his long, green-'ish' hair out of the bun he had put it up in to keep it clean, then pulled it back into a messy ponytail, still having strands of hair over his face that he pulled back over his ears. He gave his mother a kiss on the cheak and ran up the stairs, passing Robert and giving a playfull kick in the shin. It wouldn't take him long to dress, he had layed everyting out last night what he was going to wear. Wolfgang had come to terms with his anal retentive-'ness' a long time ago.

He opened the door, then closed it quickly and locked it quickly out of habbit. There was a quick draft of cold air, acompanied with a few snow flurries, that startled Wolfgang with a quick jolt. "Good God! You could at least close the window if you are going to do that, and why are you here anyway! What if Frank came up here for something, or _WORSE_, my mother!" His words directed at the black man sitting on his window ceil, sporting a brown lether jacket, red scarf with a matching knited cap.

"Sorry, baby. Just wanted to see you before the festival, thats all." He slid off the window ceil with a light thud on the floor soon followed by a 'suhhhh' from wolfgang. He gave Wolfgang a light kiss on the cheak. "So, are you going to help at the show later?" Roscoe had gotten suckered in to helping out a puppet show the other day by one of his other friends unknown to Wolfgang other than by a name.

"..Are you ok up there?" Gabbies voice ecoed as she was traveling up the stairs, concerned about the noises coming from Wolfgang's room.

"I dont know, but you need to go...Ill will see you sometime...I promise" he gave his boyfriend alight kiss and a shove out of the window, almost sending Roscoe off of the roof.

He could hear the door rattle as his mother was trying to get in, "whats going on in there? why is the door locked?"

"Its nothing mother," and he continued to get dressed, the rest of the morning went on with out a hitch, and the 'Barwig clan' was off to another corndog filled day out on the town.

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"GO LONG" a distant voice echoed, suddenly Frank (who had perked up quite a bit from leaving the house) comes running down the street trying to catch a ball, not watching where he is going, and runs into Kein, and falls to the ground. "uh... uh... sorry mister..."

Wolfgang comes running up, the youngest brother, Robert, not far behind. "Oh, sorry mister...is everyone alright?" giving Frank a, not-so-gentle WHAP across the head.

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The only thing peeking through the various layers of hat-scarf-hood, Cordero's dark, soulful eyes peered up to the faces over him and, obviously oblivious to the impending threat, his eyes crinkled as a smile shaped his hidden lips. Tilting his head a single curl peeked out as he reached his hands up toward Darran, as if asking to be picked up, held. Still, his attention turned as Para descended on the trio and, hardly even giving either male a glance, she scooped her brother ip into her arms.

"Oh, Cordy! You can't do that!" She sighed as she nuzzled against the boy's hidden cheek. Like any good mother, any anger she'd felt for his wandering away was swept away in a tide of relief at seeing her beloved brother well, whole, unharmed. Once absolutely certain that Cordy was whole, she turned her eyes to the two strangers and, smiling brightly, she shook her head. "I'm really sorry about that! I just put him down for a second and he wandered away on me! Thank you for stopping him, though..."

Still, as his sister apologized, Cordero seemed more interested in the dark-haired, colder stranger and, like any curious child, he turned his eyes toward Kein. Lifting his arms, he reched out to the elder as if asking for him and, his eyes smiling, he murmured a single word. "Teddy...."

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Fully expecting the tall, gangly youth to begin railing at him again - and perhaps seize the offered hand in order to pitch him head first into the wall - Tesu was, therefore, more than a bit surprised at the soft-voiced response he received. And even more so at the gentle inquiry as to whether he, himself, had been hurt.

Smiling faintly, Tesu shook his head, "No... No damage done... I'm okay. Now that the other's anger seemed to have melted away, Tesu was able to notice what he'd been too frightened to see before: scratches, bruises, marring the other youth's face, swelling around one eye. Surely *he* hadn't done that, had he? They hadn't hit *that* hard. Frowning slightly, he took another slow, hesitant, step toward where the other boy still lay sprawled on the sidewalk, his hand still extended to help the other to his feet, should he desire to take it.

"God.." he breathed, peering into the injured boy's face, "Did I do that? ...I...I didn't think I ran into you *that* hard... I'm so s- sorry..."

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Mune sighed with relief when the other youth reassured him that nothing had been hurt and he was just gathering himself to get to his feet when he ingested the latter question. A laugh--soft but humorless--escaped his lips as he turned his head away from Tesu's scrutiny.

"No." He shook his head slightly to this same as he took the offered hand, pulled himself to his feet. Running a hand through his hair, he brushed it back from his face, but, naturally, it fell back into place seconds later. "There no reason to apologize; you didn't do anyhting except maybe bruise my ass--and even that's doubtful."

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Getting up from his crouch, Darran suddenly bit down hard on his lips to muffle himself as _another_ kid barreled into Kein. There was a steadily rising look in his eyes only Darran could identify as Really, Really Bad for the person to push him over the edge. *Guess that's what I get for wanting to be around kids today... God, I hope they have the sense to clear out before he loses it.* Trembling slightly from bottling up his laughter, he turned to the woman who'd arrived to claim her child and his eyes widened slightly as he took in her appearance. *Yeeow.* _Very_ nice indeed.

"No harm done," he answered breezily, "I wouldn't hold anything against a kid that cute. And, uh," he snuck a glance at Kein, then lowered his voice to prevent the possibility of being heard and vehemently contradicted, "I'm sure he wouldn't, either." He grinned and gave a friendly wink. "But nice to meet you, ne? I'm Darran..." His eyes widened again in both amusement and mild alarm as Cordero appealed to Kein, and he took one of the child's hands gently, to try and distract him before Kein responded. "Oh no, kiddo, there are plenty better teddies in this city than Kein..."

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Christ on a unicycle. _What_ a f*cking morning. Kein tightened his lips for a moment, then grunted out to the second child to invade his personal space, "Watch where you're going, will you?" And really, the boy was lucky to get off that lightly.

To the child's... friend or brother or whatever, Kein replied, "Yes, everything's fine," and then let the matter drop with a slight glare, praying the kids would take the hint and leave. Forget all these stupid children, he just wanted to be in the office... damn it all, why was Darran still talking?

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Noticing the other boy's...embarrassment?... when he asked about the injuries to his face, Tesu, likewise turned his face aside, dropping his gaze. Whatever had happened, the taller youth obviously didn't want to talk about it - and it was none of Tesu's business anyway, so he let the subject drop.

Once the other had been restored to his feet, Tesu blinked up at him with wide, grey eyes. Tall. *Really* tall. Tesu wasn't *that* short, but next to this guy, he looked like a ten-year-old. Once again, he was very glad that the stranger's anger over their collision had vanished - otherwise, said stranger would probably take this opportunity to pound him into the pavement. And then... *if* he survived said pounding, he'd be in no shape to go to work that evening, and then Ausar would *know* he'd slipped out without the watchdogs...then he'd really be in trouble.

With such thoughts in his head, the other boy's ass-bruising comment therefore seemed much funnier than it actually was. A nervous, almost hysterical giggle bubbled over his lips, and he said the first thing that came into his head, "Hey, I hope not... um... that's a really important body part... and I'd hate to be the one who put it out of commission.."

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"He wouldn't mind either, huh?" Para giggled as she peered out of the corner of her eye to the stranger upon whom Cordy'd originally latched himself. Well, it could just be her, but he looked about _this_ close to tearing off someone's head at the very least. Still, she'd trust the word of the kinder one, for now, and, if it did come to that, she'd just hide Cordy and herself behind this cute Darran for protection--feminist that she was...

Of course, it seemed that her younger brother had much the same idea as his sister for, as soon as Darran took his hand, he giggled softly. Rutching in Para's arms, he turned his appeal to the orange- haired boy, now asking _him_ to hold him.

"Yea, it's really nice to meet you.." Para giggled as Cordy all but glomped on Darran and, shaking her head, she smiled widely, fondly to the both of them. "Cordy seems to be really fond of you..and he's usually a great judge of character."

"Oh, by the way, I'm Parajo--just call me Para--and this.." She giggled softly and, reaching across, she tucked back a bit of Cordy's hair which'd escaped the confines of his hood. "...is Cordero. You best be careful or he'll just want to go home with you, I think..."

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"Hn. Out of commission my ass..." Mune snorted, then, upon realizing his wording, he rolled his eyes at himself. Soon, though, he resettled his eyes upon the other and, quirking a single brow at the quality of the boy's laughter, he idly wondered if he _had_ caused the stranger to hit his head. Perhaps it was these wonderings which allowed the words to escape his mouth before he could call them back or really think about what he may be saying. "I think I'd have to charge you for it, really. Only fair..."

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At the other youth's words, Tesu's laughter immediately ceased as if it had been cut off with a knife. As he gaped up at the stranger over the top of his shades - which were still knocked foolishly aslant, hanging rather oddly from one ear - he felt the warmth of a deep blush suffuse his cheeks. How had he known? Had this boy seen him at the Guild? God knows he was conspicuous enough *there*.. Although the other boy was much younger than the average patron, there was no real reason he couldn't have been one of the endless sea of humanity sweating and gyrating out on the dancefloor... or gathered before one of the many cages suspended above it. It never even occurred to him that the remark might be referring to the speaker's own profession.

"...Um... yeah..." he stammered confusedly, again dropping his gaze as another shamed flush stole across his cheeks. "Only fair..."

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Pulling himself back to the moment, Muneca blinked as he spotted the confusion, the shamed flush, and, naturally, he could only misread this. After all, he didn't know the boy from Adam and, beyond that, he had no way of knowing the stranger's profession, if any. Besides, Barano always seemed to make sure that any of _his_ pets stayed away from the Guild, so there was no way that he could think of any reason for the sudden change, other than that his slip of the tongue had made the other uncomfortable.

"Forget it." He muttered faintly as he shook his head. It was frustrating, not knowing how to talk to people or to correct his mistake, but, well, there was nothing that could be done for it now. Reaching across, he quickly fixed the askewed glasses--noting well the lovely dove's wing grey of the boy's eyes, as well as the crimson tattoo under his eye--so that they sat more correctly on the boy's nose, then, without comment, he moved so as to continue on down the street.

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As the other boy's hands moved toward his face, Tesu blinked, flinching back a little, thinking that he intended to beat him to a pulp after all. The stranger only reset his sunglasses more properly on his face, however, before moving to go on his way without further comment.

"It's okay," Tesu replied quietly, likewise turning back in the direction of the flower shop. "It's not like it wasn't the truth, anyway... I just wondered how you figured it out..."

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"Figured...what out?" Mune paused at this comment and, tilting his head, he turned back toward the stranger. The hell? It wasn't like he wouldn't know his own profession...or that this same would make random people uncomfortable; both were just common sense, right?

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"That I'm a whore.." Tesu replied, surprised at how casually...how easily the admission came. Then again, why be coy? Why attempt to deny it? The other youth had already guessed, after all, so the damage was already done. Half turning back to face the other, he shrugged indifferently, his gaze not quite meeting the stranger's.

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"Hn. Funny." Muneca snorted as he rolled his eyes. Right. The boy's a whore. Sure. Next thing, he'd be telling Muneca that the sky was green and shit tasted like chocolate pudding. Why did people always have to make stupid jokes like that. Laughing faintly, he shook his head and, rolling his eyes, he gestured faintly. "Really cute."

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Averting his face, Tesu shrugged again as another embarrassed blush colored his cheeks. Now the stranger was laughing at him, pretending not to believe him when he, himself, had already guessed the dubious nature of Tesu's profession. What he was *really* doing, however, was making another subtle dig, his feigned disbelief actually meant that this roughed up stranger didn't even think that Tesu would even make a good whore. Well, what was he supposed to do? Insist that he *was* a whore - and a damned good one? That would only give the other youth what he wanted. The knowledge that he'd put Tesu on the defensive.

Instead, Tesu just shrugged again, "Yeah... whatever..." he murmured, turning back in the direction of the florist's shop.

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"Hey, Im Wolfgang! This Klutz..." Wolfgang gives a slanted glare at his brother spraling to get back on his feet, "...is my brother Frank and Robert [as the second boy runs up]. Glad that nothing is broken, just throwing the foot ball.

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"Fine. Have it your way..." Muneca muttered as he shook his head after the other. Still, he found that their directions were common and, walking a few steps behind the other, he glanced throughtfully at the slender back of the boy. It didn't make sense, any of it, but little did make sense nowadays. Still, he was pretty sure that the boy couldn't be a whore, really; too nice, too kind, too shy....it didn't add up.

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