One of us.
A term the Neko didn't want to wrap his mind around. No the child was not one of them nor was he ever going to be. It wouldn't have wings no matter what Lovino would say. It would be a creature that had destroyed nearly all of his brothers and left his clan in ashes.
His clan? No his ex-clan but he still cared. About them and about his brothers. "Fuck!" He swears pulling out his ax and whipping it at a nearby tree so hard that it's quickly embedded into the wood.
"Huh." He hears but it's not until he shifts his eyes to the side of the tree does he see the owner of the voice. "So this is the anger I heard so much about growing up." Emil shakes his head as he leans his shoulder against the injured tree, in clear amusement. "I think it got you into trouble once before didn't it?"
It gets a snort from the older Neko. "You don't know the whole story," Abel says running a hand through his blonde hair hoping he doesn't look like a wild man. It's one thing if he loses control in private but it's another to do it in front of someone, let alone his brother. "It's complicated."
"Which story?" Emil answers, watching his brother pull at the ax. Originally he didn't want to get involved but, Natalia can be persuasive when she wants to be so here he is. Though he's not sure if he'll be able to get through to his brother any better then the rest could. While the other two have settled down over the past few weeks it's only seemed to anger the third more to the point where he's spending most of his time among the trees. "Cause that could really mean a few different things couldn't it?"
For a moment Abel doesn't answer as he examines his weapon for any damage. "Don't be a smartass." It's clear that Emil will have to try a new tactic instead.
"Fine." In a flash the younger Neko pulls the ax from his brother's hands. "Then tell me why."
"Kid." Abel growls out in warning but Emil dashes up another tree out of his reach. "You,"
"No." Emil interrupts as he stands on a sturdy branch, glaring down now. "I'm not Alfred and I won't take the kid shit. You want to play this game then I'm going to play."
"This isn't a fucking game and if I have to come up there you're in trouble."
This only gets a knowing smirk. "I'm not a child Abel. Sorry but, I haven't been one for years now." His hair falls into his warm eyes. "Neither has he but again I doubt you've noticed."
"I've noticed more than you think." Abel sighs quietly. It's true and while he doesn't want to admit it to himself the man towering above him is not the same quiet child he once watched from afar. The few short years with Natalia has matured him. Sure he still may play the same mind games but the confidence is different. "She's good for you."
"Yeah?" Emil tosses the ax into the air, catching it as it falls. "Didn't realize we were talking about me." As Abel goes to speak Emil continues happy that he's high above his brother's reach. "So what pisses you off more? That she kidnapped him under your watch or that she raped him?"
"Emil!"
"Or that he might have feeling for the child that came out of it?" Emil watches Abel's face turn rapidly from a civilized man to a wild animal once again. "That's really it isn't it? You can't stand the thought that he has a heart and you don't."
"It has nothing to do with that! I care about him and all the kids like they're all my own!" His lips curl back into a snarl. "I've always had!"
"Then why not now?"
"Because that whore had no right to him!" It takes him a moment to realize he's shaking, in a pure anger he hasn't felt in years. A jealous hatred that he finds almost ashamed of, so while he's sure Emil is still staring at him, looking for another answer he can't answer him much less look at him. So it's not until the ax is sticking out of the earth at his feet does he look back up at his brother.
"This world isn't perfect. I don't have to tell you that but wallowing in self-pity is sad, even for you." He takes a step forward and lands with a soft thud in front of his brother.
"It's not self-pity."
"Could have fooled me." Emil sighs looking him deep in the eyes. "She might have had no right but, he's not a prize and from the stories he's told me you once knew that."
"What?"
Again the younger shrugs as he walks off back to his own mate. "Something about letting him fight his own battles. I mean why spend weeks training him when you'd just treat him like this in the end?" He leaves his brother alone in the woods, hopefully he's gotten through to the stubborn man but, he can never be too sure.
"Emil." The man turns to the young child as Peter runs up. "Have you seen Abel? He said he was gonna show me some stuff about fighting like Papa would do."
With a soft smile Emil takes the boy's hand. "He's a bit busy right now."
"Oh," Peter answers looking up with innocent eyes. "Is he gonna be busy long?"
"I don't think so." Emil looks back at the woods for another moment before walking towards his hut. "So, until then I can show you a thing or two."
"Really?"
Again Emil gives a small smile. "Yeah kid."
