A Dangerous Game

[Mayah Playah]

With the beef finished and the strawberries cut, the man started to carve the plum, slicing carefully and humming to himself. "Black is the colour of my true love's hair. His face is like some rosy fair, the prettiest face and the neatest hands, I love the ground whereon he stands." He stopped singing to himself as he set the rose-shaped plum on a small plate, looking over to Julian. "Is the rice almost ready?"

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Mayah Playah

Julian Rieux

Julian watched Ellery cook, dedicating every step to memory - Of course, it would take a few times before he could get it right himself. He only lifted his head when he heard the song hummed. Black hair? The only person he knew that had black hair was... "Is that song about your husband?" he asked.

 

[Mayah Playah]

"Hm?" He glanced to his hands that were now working on cutting up a peach. "It's a very old song, but I suppose that it could be used to describe Fredrich." He chuckled. "Although he doesn't usually like it when I sing songs about him."

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Mayah Playah

Julian Rieux

"Huh. Daniel's the same way, although I usually sing songs to make fun of him. Like father, like son." Julian commented.

 

[Mayah Playah]

Ellery plucked a peach slice from the cutting board and bit into it, holding another one out for Julian to eat. "They really are a lot alike," he observed after swallowing. "They're both secretly super sweet, both intimidating to anyone who doesn't know them, both remarkably intelligent, both find it easy to catch me doing something incriminating or stupid." The man chuckled, then continued with his work. "They're my favorite boys."

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Mayah Playah

Julian Rieux

Julian took the snack with gratitude. "Wish I could say the same. I always run in on my parents doing the weirdest things and they don't care. It's like they want me to find them like that! One time I found them trying to see if they could both fit in an Iron Maiden, and all they did after they saw me was try to keep a casual conversation! It's... It's weird! Oh, that's really good." he commented in the end, licking his lips at the slice.

 

[Mayah Playah]

"Daniel and his father are both very sweet people, and very talented in ways outside of what you'd expect. One example is that peach you ate. Daniel grew that." He set aside the cut up peach, starting to cut up a green apple and a red one. "As for Cameron and Liam, they haven't changed too much since they took you in, but they really do love you very much. You're their pride and joy."

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Mayah Playah

Julian Rieux

Julian blinked and looked back at the juicy looking peaches. Daniel did that? The brunette tilted his head back to picture Daniel with that serious expression and a gardening outfit on, with even one of those large hats on for shade! He wasn't sure whether to find it adorable or hilarious, though it was definitely surprising. When did Daniel ever find the time for that?
Hearing the comment about his parents, Julian returned his attention to Ellery. "I know that, they just have a weird way of showing that, is all." he muttered while rubbing his arm. "I don't really want to be a murderer like them. I mean, I'm not afraid to fight someone, I just don't love it as much as they do. Clearly."

 

[Mayah Playah]

"What, and you think I approve of Daniel's career choice, or my husband's, for that matter?" he snorted, slicing up another peach and tossing the pit into a jar filled with different kinds of seeds. "There's a lot of death between our family, and between yours, but I like to think that it bonds us all together. I mean, you probably would never have been adopted if Liam hadn't tried to kill me in the first place. That really brought your parents together as a couple, going through that crisis."
He stopped cutting, looking out a window and sighing through his nose. "They're both very unique people, who express love in very unique ways. Your mother used to only show it when he taught you how to dissect a living person."

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Mayah Playah

Julian Rieux

"Oh yeah, I remember hearing about that." Julian nodded, recalling how Liam explained how he met Daniel's parents one night. "About that, how could you be friends with him? He tried to kill you, didn't he?" It must have been a family thing, the way even Daniel forgave him in an instance after he tried to kill him. How could you forgive someone that easily? How could anyone look into the eyes of someone that didn't care about their lives and call them a friend?

 

[Mayah Playah]

He shrugged. "I don't know, to be honest. I just couldn't let myself not forgive him. I felt that I needed to forgive him in order to move on, and I did, and now I don't think about it. Occasionally I catch Fredrich looking at my scar, or Liam will spy it and stop talking altogether, but I don't dwell on the past. It distracts from the now." Ellery placed the box in front of himself, starting to organize the peach slices into a little flower.

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Mayah Playah

Julian Rieux

Julian watched Ellery. Usually someone that went through near-death experiences like that were traumatized, especially when they were around his age, but he seemed to be perfectly fine. Was this acceptance his way of coping? Was that... Was that healthy? It was a positive view, yeah, but... it wasn't the natural one, was it? Then again, with both of their families, what was natural?

 

[Mayah Playah]

"Hand me the beef, would you?" he asked, quiet voice stunning the silence. He didn't seem to really be hooked on what had happened to him, taking it with a grain of salt. He was happy that he'd made friends out of it, so what was there to be still upset about?

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Mayah Playah

Julian Rieux

"How many more steps until this is over?" Julian asked while handing him the meat.

 

[Mayah Playah]

"It's almost done, I promise," chuckled Ellery as he carefully situated the meat. After a few minutes, he finally smiled and looked up at Julian. "There, all done. Why don't you put it in the fridge so we can bring it to him later?"

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