Re: And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.
Wolverine followed the Murphy, annoyance visible on his face and quite audible in his footsteps. He caught up with Lochlan outside, on the main staircase that led into the school, and had only one question. "What the hell was that?"
Lochlan visibly shook, now frustrated that the last person he wanted to speak to from that office had followed him. Mandrake spun around to meet Wolverine face to face. "This is bullshit," he'd begun, emotion heavy in his words.
"Of course it is." Logan countered, gruff tone gruffer to match the Murphy's anger. "What did you expect?"
Lochlan paused, surprised at Wolverine's sudden agreement.
"They aren't all grateful at first." Logan told Gael's older brother, "some of them never are." He continued and tried to convey he spoke from experience. "But she's been through a lot and she needs you to be there for her. And it's going to suck for you and she might hate you... but what's the alternative?"
Lochlan's eyes avoided Logan's and he suddenly realized he'd probably done the worst thing he could have, he'd left the room. Mandrake pressed his cheek in-between his teeth and tried not to cry in front of fucking Wolverine. "I just..."
"Did what Murphy's do." Ronan entered the scene from stage right, not surprised they'd started without him - of course, they had. "It's a cycle of shame and regret, lad. Happens ta the best of us." He explained to Lochlan, then handed the younger Murphy the half-smoked cigarette from his own mouth. "Finish that, then come in."
Ronan's eyes finally flicked over to Logan, then away quickly again. "Ye don't have to come back." He said to Wolverine, afraid to say much more because of what personal baggage he might have tried to claim.
Logan sighed through his nose, but his lips remained sealed - the last thing Eva needed right now was a dust-up between him and Mars. Though the feral mutant sensed such an event coming in the future. Unlike with Piotr, Ronan and Logan had yet to air their grievances.
Ronan entered the office at the tail end of what he'd assumed had been a beautiful, tear-filled moment. "Christ." He paced a wide path toward Kiernan and Gael and came from the opposite direction of Zap. "Eva." Ronan had begun with as professional a voice as he could muster for her, then snatched a tissue from the desk and handed it to the electrokine. He'd grabbed a second and passed it to Gael, over Kiernan's shoulder.
"Not you." He told his older brother, "Ye can get yer own." He said playfully then sat in the large chair closest to Gael and Kiernan. "Lochlan will be right back, he just needed a moment. Ye know... musicians." He paused, "But ya do know, I heard that ye play. Not bad." Ronan eased forward in his chair, cold blue eyes somehow set to warm against Gael's. "Yup." He proclaimed, a bit of a smirk on his face. "I can see it in yer eyes." Though her eyes were much darker than the rest of theirs, he could spot the Murphy in there.
"I'm Ronan. The one they probably told ye ta stay away from." He explained to Gael almost in a whisper. "And I won't tell ye they're wrong." He added just before Lochlan reentered the room. "Good. All the important family members are here." He hoped Conlan cosmically tripped somewhere and he knew Morgan was listening. "Ye have somethin' ta say, Lochlan?"
"Yeah." Lochlan returned to the office, a Wolverine clearly prowling the hallway behind him, then reclaimed his seat next to Gael, now hundred percent sure they'd both cried. "I'm sorry about that, I'm usually..." He searched for the words and hoped someone other than Ronan would finish his sentence.
"Less of an idiot." Ronan chimed in.
"Sure." Lochlan confirmed. "I remember yer mum." Mandrake began, this low voice much calmer this time. "I really liked her," he lied but he had been only thirteen at the time. "I'm sorry." He offered, completely unsure about what to say or do. Except not a magic trick, not now. Later.