InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Aaarrrgghhhh"

Andrew Wilkinson (snapshotdaddy) wrote in vrrpg,
@ 2018-02-26 17:26:00

Entry tags:

!complete, char: andrew wilkinson, char: hyperion montgomery, char: zj montgomery, location: residence, time: 2010 02

RP: A Birthday Dinner
Who: Hyperion/Zahara, Andrew (and Lara, Harold*, Phoebe, and Evie Wilkinson - NPCs)
When: Monday, February 26, 2010, evening
Where: Andrew's house
What: Andrew has family over for dinner for his birthday, completely unaware that his future brother-in-law's world is about to turn topsy-turvy.
Warnings: TBD, likely heavy emotions though
NOTE: *Just a reminder: Harold is really Heracles Montgomery, Hyperion's missing father.

Andrew was, in a word, nervous about this endeavor. No matter how much ZJ reassured him that she was okay with it, he was still anxious that she was going to hate his mother on principle. And though his mum reassured him that she didn't, he worried that she might resent ZJ for being the reason his father hadn't wanted to be involved. It had been a messed up situation, and he just hoped that they would get along despite it, even though he hadn't been able to bring himself to reach out to his father yet.

In time, he thought. He still wasn't quite there.

He'd asked ZJ and Hyperion to arrive early, though, in part so he could put the floo on hold to make sure no one used it to contact him while his parents were over and thus accidentally reveal magic to Harold. He'd overcome a lot with his amnesia, learning to live again without his memories, and the last thing Andrew wanted for his step-dad was for his memory to be messed with again.

When they arrived through the floo, Andrew was in the kitchen, stirring the stew he'd made--it was simple and not something he was likely to burn or mess up!--and getting reading to get the rolls out of the oven. Evie was set up in a play pen in the living room where he could see her from the kitchen, and she pulled herself up on the side of it when she spotted the visitors, greeting them with a happy shriek as she bounced on her chunky little legs in her excitement.

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hyperioniam
2018-03-06 03:16 am UTC (link)

At Hyperion's whisper about Phoebe's name, Harold's eyebrows shot up, his lips stretching in a wide smile that looked so much like his son's, it was uncanny. "Ye know yer Greek mythology!" he said in delight.

"Of course I do! Ye taught me at yer knee when I was as young as this wee lass. It's a Montgomery family tradition. Don't ye remember, da?" Realization was starting to set in--his father didn't remember him, didn't remember his life from before the war had stolen him away from them--and tears filled his eyes. "Ye don't remember, do ye? Nothing from before twelve-thirteen years ago?"

Montgomery. There was something familiar about that name; it stirred something in him, not quite a memory but perhaps vague wisps of one, something that wanted to push through but was blocked by something, causing a dull ache in his head. But then he latched onto the time frame, and he turned to look at Lara, who'd come to stand next to him. "Do ye here that, my love? Twelve years, that's about the time they found me, innit?"

Lara's heart was racing, far too many thoughts going through her mind that she wasn't sure she could handle focusing on right now in the presence of others. She took Phoebe gently from her husband, settling the little girl on her own hip as she looked between the two men. There were so many similarities, it was easy for her to see that they were father and son even if a part of her screamed that it couldn't be so. She'd always hoped her husband would discover the truth of who he was, but she'd never really let herself consider the possibility that he might have another family. And she couldn't focus on those big picture details just then, either. "It is, yes," Lara confirmed, nodding her head.

As soon as Phoebe was in Lara's arms instead of his dad's, Hyperion finished crossing the distance between them, enveloping him in a big bear hug, a bit of hot moisture slipping from his eyes. "Yer alive," he breathed, astonished and overjoyed all at once.

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zjhoneydukes
2018-03-06 03:42 am UTC (link)

Zahara watched on through her tears, her heart breaking as it was becoming clear that the man didn't recognize his own son. The son that he shared an obvious smile with, that looked so much like him. Yet, he didn't remember him.

It wasn't until the man had spoken to Andrew's mother, that she remembered others were in the room with them. As badly as she wanted to slip from the room, an excuse to use the loo, she couldn't leave Hyperion. He had crossed the room and hugged his father, while Zahara's broke just a bit because she knew that his father didn't recognize him.

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hyperioniam
2018-03-06 04:54 am UTC (link)

Andrew stayed where he was in the kitchen, holding Evie as he watched the reunion. Guilt and anger and resentment all began blooming in him, emotions he was far from comfortable with. Guilt because he realized then that he should have looked to see if Harold was missing from the magical world, though it had never occurred to him because he'd never used any of the unique magical world language. Anger because it was his birthday, and though he wasn't a vain person by any means, he was feeling a bit cheated. And resentment because even though Harold hadn't raised him, he was the best father figure he had, and now he was going to have to share him with even more people than just Phoebe. He didn't like or want those type of thoughts in his head, though, so he forcibly pushed them away.

He should be freaking out, Harold thought. He should be doubting this young man's words, but it had all been so genuine, and he couldn't fathom any reason for him to be lying. There was a whole list of questions he wanted to ask, but the didn't seem important in that moment, not when his son--his son!--was coming over and hugging him. Harold hugged him back firmly, clapping him soundly on the back. "Aye, I am. I've no idea who I was, though. Near total memory loss, ye see, couldn't even tie me own shoes," he explained as he pulled out of the hug. He didn't go far, though, his hands holding onto Hyperion's upper arms. "Let me get a good look at ye, then."

Total memory loss, the words echoed in Hyperion's head. "But ye remembered some things. Ye named her Phoebe." He realized then, though, that he hadn't said his own name. Had Andrew told them his name? "I'm Hyperion. My sisters, they're Pandora and Persephone. And my brothers..." he paused, his voice choking up a bit on the word as he brought a hand up to rub it over his lower jaw. "My brothers, they were Apollo and Perseus. And yer Heracles. Heracles Muiredach Montgomery." His tone and his eyes begged him to remember, to be back fully.

There was so much pain, not only in the words Hyperion spoke but in his eyes as he spoke them, pain that Harold--Heracles, apparently, and wasn't that something?--couldn't fathom him having had to endure on his own. He hoped that he hadn't, that he'd had support through it all. "I believe ye--I've got eyes, don't I?--but I don't remember. I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head. And it was the god's honest truth. He wished he could remember.

"Why don't we all have a sit down," Lara chimed in, her voice quiet yet firm. "Andrew, love, was the food saved, or should we order in?" She was still holding the boxed cake she'd picked up for Andrew's birthday in one hand, Phoebe secured against her side with her other arm.

"We'll have to order in," Andrew answered, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived. He turned to ZJ then. "Could you take her for a minute?" he asked, holding Evie out. He had a sudden urge to bring out the whiskey even though it likely wouldn't be fair to ZJ or his mum, but he knew he needed a bloody drink, and it was his birthday, so he felt justified.

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zjhoneydukes
2018-03-06 04:40 pm UTC (link)

The words echoed in Zahara’s mind, near total memory loss. They were heartbreaking to hear, and she was just glad that she had tucked herself off in the corner of the room with Andrew. It was overwhelming her to be there, taking all of it in. Hyperion’s father was alive, married to her brother’s mother, and had another daughter that was technically Hyperion’s sister. There was just too much to process, she knew she needed to pull herself together so that she could be there for Hyperion when all was said and done.

Zahara was in the process of trying to pull herself together, tears still slipping down her cheeks, as she took Evie from Andrew without a sound. The little girl fit easily on Zahara’s hip, and she distracted herself by making a funny face at the little to make her laugh. It was a welcomed distraction from everything that was going on just then. She just hoped that the night ended on a good note, because she knew there were so many ways tonight could go horribly wrong.

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hyperioniam
2018-03-07 05:12 pm UTC (link)

Hyperion's heart was breaking--yes, he'd found his father, stumbled on him, really, but it was certainly bittersweet since the man couldn't remember him. It made sense--it was likely the only thing that would have kept his father from coming back to them, from protecting his family during the war. And his mum--his da had loved his mum completely--there was no way he'd have willingly left her. The thought made him glance at Andrew's mum, blinking in surprise as he took in how uncanny her resemblance to his own mum was--they could easily be sisters--and he couldn't help the soft snort of laughter at that thought, even as it brought another pang of sadness to him. His father was married with a young daughter; that made him think that his mum would never have him back. What a mess, he thought with a sigh.

"It's on me," Hyperion insisted. "I'm the one that spilled the food, and I'd like to do it." He glanced at Andrew apologetically, remembering for the first time since he'd heard his da's voice that it was his birthday. There was nothing he could do about that now, though--it wasn't like he could put the genie back in the bottle, and it wasn't even remotely possibly for him to pretend that he hadn't just discovered his father after over a dozen years of him being missing.

Andrew nodded at Hyperion, a simple, silent acknowledgment of that unspoken apology as he came around the kitchen to bring the bottle of whiskey on a tray with tumblers into the living room. He had a few vials of sober up if anyone needed them, and he knew he'd be drinking one before they all left so that he wasn't impaired while taking care of Evie on his own. "Phoebe, would you like to take Evie to go play in her room?" he asked his little sister, who looked very confused at everything going on. She nodded, though, wiggling down from her mum's hip and going over to where ZJ stood holding Evie, though she seemed too shy to say anything and instead held her hands out for her niece.

There were enough seats in the living room for the five adults to sit comfortably, and once everyone was settled, Andrew ducked back into the kitchen to find the takeaway menus, choosing one of his favorite Thai restaurants. Pulling out his phone, he put in a rather large, varied order, wanting to make sure there were plenty of options so that his sisters--one pregnant and presumably having strange cravings and the other young and somewhat particular--would be sure to find something they would like. "Cash or card?" he asked Hyperion, not about to turn down his offer to pay for this dinner.

"Cash," Hyperion replied. He almost always had a good chunk of muggle money on him, something the man sitting so close to him on the other couch had taught him. He couldn't stop looking at him, and he couldn't stop smiling. He didn't want to. When Zahara came and sat with him, though, he jolted, remembering that she was there. "Oh! Da, this is my--" wife "--fiance, Zahara," he introduced her proudly.

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zjhoneydukes
2018-03-11 03:58 am UTC (link)

Zahara looked down when the little came over, and she handed off Evie as those little hands reached out for her. "Thank you," she said softly, before she straightened herself up. She was just glad she had worn the make-up that didn't run. She just needed to get herself together, before she made her way over to where Hyperion was seated.

She slipped off to the loo then, quickly freshening up before she was coming back out to find Hyperion. Her heart swelled hearing him proudly introduce her, and she offered her hand up to the other man. "It's wonderful to meet you," she said, doing her best to not add a finally. There were so emotions just then, she was excited that her husband had found his father. The other side of the coin was that Andrew's own happy family was now being turned upside down, as well as she supposed Perse and Dora's. There was a world of heartache headed towards people she cared about and nothing she could do to soften the blow. Instead of dwelling on it, she was going to focus on the happy moment that was going on between Hyperion and Harold, or was it Heracles?

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hyperioniam
2018-03-15 08:14 pm UTC (link)

Phoebe's whole demeanor brightened when the strange lady handed her niece over without a comment about how she was too little. She tried very hard to take care of Evie just like her mummy took care of her when she was a baby, not that she really remembered it, but she liked to pretend anyway. Evie was getting really heavy, though, and she struggled to carry her enough that she eventually did set her down to walk. Phoebe walked behind her, holding both of her hands and going as slow as the baby needed, though she quietly cheered her on.

Harold--Heracles? It was going to take some time to adjust to knowing his real name--smiled broadly at the young woman. She was lovely, and had that kind and caring look about her that he would hope any child of his would be drawn to in a life mate. "It's a pleasure to meet ye, as well, lass," he said genially, taking the offered hand and cupping it between both of his in a gentle squeeze before releasing it.

Lara settled next to Harold on the couch, not even near close to being ready to think of her husband as Heracles Montgomery, though the name wouldn't stop circling in her head. She wanted to ask about Hyperion's mother, but fear held her back. Instead, she leaned forward and poured two fingers of whiskey in each of the four tumblers, handing one each to Harold and Hyperion and taking one for herself, leaving the last for Andrew when he returned.

"Now," Heracles began after taking a hearty sip of his whiskey. "What was that ye did in the kitchen, there? That magic?" he asked. There'd been something familiar about it--it hadn't frightened him in the way he thought it should have, and now that he knew this man was his son, he thought it might be because he'd known of it before he'd lost his memory.

Hyperion chuckled softly and pulled his wand out again. "It was just that, magic. I'm a wizard. So is Andrew. So are ye. And Zahara's a witch."

Harold turned to his wife with a raised brow, but Lara just let out a short, humorless laugh and shook her head. "Nope, I'm just a muggle," she answered. He was a smart enough man to register that something was upsetting his wife, but it didn't feel like the time or place to poke her about it. Besides, he had an idea that she was struggling with this revelation in a different way than he was.

Hyperion held his wand out to his father, handle side out. "Give it a feel," he offered. His wand had more in common with his mother's wand, but he hoped that even just holding a wand might stir something in his father's memory.

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zjhoneydukes
2018-03-22 12:52 am UTC (link)

The accent gave her goosebumps, and she wasn't at all apologetic about it. His father was handsome, even now. It seemed that the Montgomery men aged well, and if you coupled that with that accent she loved so much, it was a wonder she didn't give a highly inappropriate giggle. Her cheeks did flush though, knowing she needed to not think about how his accent sounded so much like Hyperion's. It really didn't help that she thought she could see just what Hyperion looked so much like his father.

While everyone else was grabbing a whiskey, she slipped her hand into a pocket of her outfit to grab out a piece of candy. They weren't hiding magic anymore, so having her candy wouldn't be such a bad idea. She popped a peppermint imp into her mouth as she watched Hyperion hand over his wand. Without thinking, a hand came up to cover her stomach, as if to keep their little safe from any accidental magic.

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hyperioniam
2018-03-29 10:00 pm UTC (link)

As Heracles's fingers curled around the wand, he felt a tingling shiver through his hand and up his arm. There was a flash, brief though it was, of an image in his mind of a shop filled with shelves full floor to ceiling of long, slender boxes, of even more of them piled precariously on the floor in front of the shelves so that there was only a narrow path through the shop. Another flash, a little boy holding this very wand, standing in front of a man with unruly white hair and the palest eyes he could ever remember seeing. There was someone else there, but he couldn't see who it was, not in that brief flash of memory. And he knew it was a memory.

"Ollivander," he breathed, blinking rapidly as he came back out of the memory. Heracles tried to push the memory more, to find more of what was missing now that he'd been given the smallest sliver of his past, but it made his head hurt to do so, so he sighed and looked back to Hyperion. His son. "The man at the wand shop, he's Ollivander, right?"

"Aye. Ye remembered something?" Hyperion asked, choking back the thrill, the excitement that there might be something there. He ignored Andrew as the younger came in and sat down, taking a large pull from his glass of whiskey, Hype's focus completely on his father.

Heracles shook his head slightly. "Just the shop and the shopkeeper." He didn't want to mention the little boy, who he was certain had been Hyperion, not wanting to get his hopes up too high in case more of it didn't come back to him. But he would hold that little glimmer of memory close, would use it as a beacon of hope. Even though it was going to shake up his life wildly, he was thrilled to finally be getting answers.

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zjhoneydukes
2018-05-06 12:16 am UTC (link)

Hearing Heracles mention Ollivander made Zahara almost choke on her candy, hazel eyes popping out of her head. It was quick thinking that had her looking down at her lap, causing her hair to fall over her face so that no one else would catch her reaction. That was big though, wasn't it? He was remembering something. She had hopes that one day he might remember his children, she knew without a doubt that the three Montgomery children would be elated if he was able to remember them. Her heart ached then, realizing though that would mean they would also need to tell him about Philip and their youngest brother Perseus. She wondered for the briefest second if it would almost be better that he didn't remember all of his children.

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hyperioniam
2018-05-08 05:05 pm UTC (link)

As much as Hyperion wanted to sit and talk to his father all night, to keep trying to jog his memories, he was determined to be mindful of the fact that they were here to celebrate Andrew's birthday. So, instead, he made plans to meet up with his father tomorrow night, guiding their conversation to more recent history and the future of their tangled lives rather than the past, hoping it would put their host and Lara a bit more at ease.

Phoebe brought Evie back out from the bedroom about the time the food arrived, which helped to dissolve more of the tension, but no matter how hard he tried, Hyperion couldn't stop staring at his father, a broad, uninhibited smile stretched on his face. He had his father back, and after all the tragedy, that was enough to bring him joy and hope.

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