Xavier watched Richard’s emotions change with every sentence he said. By the end, he noticed tears in his eyes but was unsure of how he could comfort him. Then came the million dollar question. Could they be related? Xavier was well aware of the lifestyle bio parents had lived before and after he was born and so the more he thought about it, the more of a possibility it became. “There’s a very good chance.” He responded as Richard dropped to his knees and began searching through boxes. “Um…Richard?” He asked as he watched him. “What are you doing?” The response he was given was actually pretty reasonable and so he joined in the search to find photographic evidence of a relationship between his father and Richard’s mother. “Do you know if these photos are sorted by year?” He asked, trying to see if it would help them in anyway.
Richard chuckled at Xavier’s statement. “Categorized? This place?” Richard looked at Xavier and smiled. “My mother would never organize something she deemed old enough or unimportant enough to be burried in the attic.” Richard looked at some old picture he found and as he flipped it he saw the date and the occassion. “But some of these have a date written on them.” He responded.
Richard kept searching until it dawned on him. Xavier was helping him search but he doesn’t know what he’s searching for.
“Xavier, I realize you know what your biological dad looks like or looked like when he was young … But do you know what my mother looked like young?” He realized he probably doesn’t so he responded “If you want I can bring back up a photo album from when my mom was young.” Richard was halfways up as he proposed this as if Xavier already said yes.
Xavier chuckled along with Richard. “Trust me, my family isn’t any better. The back of my closet is basically a graveyard for old soccer sh-t but it only gets there after my parents find it in the weirdest spots in the house.” He responded with another small chuckle. As they continued to look through the photos, he nodded when Richard told him that some of photos had years on the back. “If it helps, I was born in January 2022, so we’re looking for 2021 or earlier.” He told him, looking up when he was asked if he knew what Richard’s mom looked like younger. He shook his head because obviously he didn’t. He’d never met the woman. “Uh, yeah, that might be helpful.” He responded when Richard offered to show him pictures of what his mom looked like during the time period in question.
ORP: I forgot what age my character is and that info is not on the Faceclaims for some reason …
“Yeah well, my mom usually is organized. She’s a clerk at this fancy hotel and she likes things organized.” Richard stopped looking through the boxes to continue talking and he turned to Xavier “Maybe this place is disorganized because nobody can be fully organized and there’s always a place where you dump things you don’t need around the house but don’t want to get rid of … Or for my mother it could also be disorganized because it’s something she’d rather forget, but it’s this part of her past she can’t forget.”
As Richard regained his focus on the pictures he sighed and said “Well, her past being so disorganized is what’ll keep us here forever.” But then he found a picture of his mother in a picture frame. The year wasn’t anywhere on it, but Richard could tell it’s an old photo becasue she looked as young as she did in her wedding photo. As he handed it to Xavier he said “At least I found this. It’s my mother when she was younger.”
ORP: I was thinking as he handed it to Xavier it would fall and break and it would be revealed that the photo in the frame is folded to only show a part of the picture … if you catch my drift @Caticorn - Xavier
“My parents are bakers and the only part of the house that’s actually organized is the kitchen because if it’s not, then my mom ends up shouting through the house asking my dama where they put something.” Xavier responded with a laugh as he continued looking. He listened to Richard’s theories as to why the attic was so disorganized and nodded, laughing when the other boy made a comment about the disorganization keeping them up there forever. He turned around to see the picture that was founded but as he was being handed the photo, Richard let go before Xavier had a firm grasp on it and the frame crashed to the ground, breaking the glass holding the photo in. “Sh-t!” He exclaimed as it broke. He immediately got on the ground to clean it up. “I am so sorry, I…hold on…” In the middle of apologizing, he realized that one of the edges of the photo looked like it had been folded. He brushed the glass off and picked up the picture, unfolding it to see what was being hidden. It was the evidence that they needed. A picture of his father and Richard’s mother together. “Richard, look.”
Richard gasped when the photo fell, but that was only one of those reactions you have subconsiously, so he sighed and said “Oh don’t worry, if she cared about the picture she wouldn’t have showed it way up here. Plus we can get a new frame and glass, the picture is fine.” Richard stopped Xavier from trying to apologize. He got on his knees next to him to stop him from touching glass. “Hey don’t use your hands to clean this up, you’ll cut yourse …” Richard heard Xavier’s hold on and it seemed to him he had to shut up and notice something that captured Xavier’s attention. Richard was staring in disbelief as Xavier took the photograph out of the broken frame and revealed it was folded. When Xavier said “Richard, look.” and unfolded the picture, the back said December 2019. and under that was written “Me and Jill-bean”. Richard joined Xavier to see the front of the full picture and he saw his mother when she was young with one of her arms around the man they saw before. Richard looked at Xavier and asked “Xavier … Tell me now if you’re completely sure this is your father … Because that is definitely my mother, it even says her name on the back and the year is 2019. and I was born in 2020.”
Xavier looked at the date and message on the back of the picture, written in what he vaguely remembered to be his father’s handwriting. Even more, the two of them were posed in a way that definitely made them look like they were more than friends. “Yes, I’m completely sure this is him.” He answered, nodding. “I, um, I guess that makes you my older brother. Half-brother, at least.” He said, saying the words out loud with a sense of actual certainty. “Athena is never going to believe this.” He said to himself with a small laugh. Then there came the realization that he would have to inform the man he just found out was his brother that their shared father was six feet underground. He looked to Richard, his hands in his pockets. “So…now what?” He asked, having no idea what this information meant for the two of them going forward.
After Xavier confirmed what he already knew to be true, and even though Richard knew what was coming he stilled looked at Xavier with confusion in his eyes but now there was a hint of sadness in them too. Looking at those eyes Xavier could get the wrong idea of Richard’s feeling or thoughts, thinking he’s sad because he doesn’t want to related to him, but there was a different story to the hint of sadness behind his eyes. He remembered his mother lied to John for years about him being his son, and how if she would’ve handled the situation better and not just lied to a man to get him to marry her withouth too much remorse, maybe John would’ve ended up being kinder to Richard. Richard has found it hard to forgive John, but after he was old enough to understand, he realized his reaction, although a bit of an overreaction, wasn’t uncalled for. He became angry at his own mother, and realizing the thoughts he had about her made him sad.
“Athena, is she also my step-sister then?” Richard asked, not knowing if they also shared a father … After all, with his mother, anything is possible.
After Xavier responded and asked what to do now, Richard was all too quick to respond with a “I don’t think I can process this right now. As much as I don’t mind having a step-brother, it’s a big step and a big thing was revealed. I don’t want to confront my mother just yet and want to think about it first … Do you mind if I carry this baggage to our football game?” Richard asked thinking a football game would be a nice and healthy way to think about it instead of rushing in and overreacting.
Xavier could see a mix of emotions in Richard’s eyes, most of them mirroring his own at the moment but there was also a hint of sadness to them and Xavier wondered if that meant that he was disappointed with what they found out. “Athena? No, they’re 100% Chinese and so is their father. Also, they’re my cousin, not my sibling.” He responded when Richard inquired about his cousin. He paused for a moment, thinking of the best way to describe the dynamic between him and Athena.
“Technically, they aren’t related to you at all because they’re my adoptive parent’s brother’s husband’s child from his first marriage but I doubt they would care about that. Our family is hardly a traditional one.” He explained, not sure if it would be reassuring to Richard or crushing. When Richard suggested processing what they just found out over a game of soccer, Xavier nodded. In his opinion, soccer was the best way to work through difficult emotions because you can just kick the ball a little harder if you really need to get something out. “Yeah, that sounds like great idea.” He answered with a reassuring smile.
“Oh good” Richard exclaimed a breathy and soft sentence in relief. “Don’t get me wrong, I know your cousin must be super nice and everything … She’s probably like a sister to you … But I had only one sibling before. My father, well the guy my mother married after concieving me with your … our father … He had a daughter when my mother married him and the only sibling relationship I ever had was with her … and not only was it strained at first, but when my dad found out I’m not his son and started mistreating me and avoiding me, the relationship between my step-sister and me became almost abusive. A-and I would be new to being a sibling in a healthy relationship with you, let alone with both you and your sister … So don’t think I’m trying to insult your family by reacting this way.” Richard stood up with a forced smile on his face.
“Now, let forget about this for a while and play some football … I’m dying for an outdoor activity where I can forget about this for a while…” Xavier’s reassuring smile turned Richard’s sour one into a real smile and got to forget about the mind blowing turn of events that just hit him like a truck. He tied the shoelace that somehow got untied and headed for the stairs.
Beryl Heights Airport 7th April 2040
The temporary escape from senior year in the form of the ski trip has arrived. As the seniors arrive at the terminal for a plane expecting to arrive in France in approximately 11 hours, they each hold a ticket which will tell them who they will be spending this prolonged and confined time together - where they realise it is difficult to escape your problems when for most they are sat beside them. And while the plane may cause some turbulence, it will be nothing in comparison to what will occur on landing.
It’s gonna be a long flight, aye pirate? Yeah, eleven hours stuck on a plane next to someone he barely knew. Well, he’d seen Clara Weston around school, and she seemed nice enough. He wasn’t really bothered if she was nice or not, though, as he could just listen to music or sleep if needed. He’d definitely be nice to her, though. After getting though security and customs, the plane began to board. He found his seat, settling in and buckling his seatbelt. He decided not to put his headphones on yet, as he wasn’t sure if anyone would try and talk to him. @Caticorn - Clara
Mia Campbell was nearly bouncing from excitement. Neither her or Tyler had ever been skiing before, and both were excited. Tyler was much better at controlling himself, though. Mia was nervous at the prospect of sitting next to someone she didn’t know for eleven hours. Due to her nerves, Mia didn’t trust herself to eat anything, but she figured getting on a plane with an empty stomach was a bad idea. Luckily, she found a small sandwich at a cafe in the airport, so she wasn’t starving. @Caticorn - Embry
Rin Watanabe was having a panic attack. There were so many people in the airport, and poor Rin definitely wasn’t prepared for it. After getting through security, they spent the remaining time before boarding having a panic attack in the bathroom. It’s not that they were afraid of flying, it was the fact of being in close proximity with so many people for eleven hours. ELEVEN HOURS. After getting on the plane, Rin found their seat, buckling their seatbelt. They leaned their head against the window, the cool glass soothing their nerves. @Caticorn - Athena
Hyun-Ae’s heart lodged in her windpipe when she learned who she’d be sitting next to for eleven hours. ELEVEN HOURS! She considered herself lucky that her mom was in the medical field, because she’d told her things to do in order to calm herself down. She began breathing deeply, slowing her heart rate. She suddenly remembered she could help out if anyone near her had nausea, as she’d stocked up on carbonated drinks and saltine crackers to settle the stomach. She had a hunch people would be airsick, and even if they weren’t, they probably liked Dr. Pepper. She did. Well, minus the bubbled burning her nose every time she burped. She’d probably die if that happened on the plane. @Caticorn - Niko
When Cleopatra had heard she would be sitting with Missy, her cousin, uncle john and Sarah’s child she was overjoyed but Hades wasn’t so happy. He had grumbled about having to sit with someone and not with her Cleo, Cleo had teased him and asked if she was his favorite cousin and he had scrunched his nose and said, 'not even close to 99th" and Cleo had pouted, she knew he was joking. She was definitely his favorite cousin, well first cousin, second cousin Gasty (Gastor Astor) was probably his favorite, but she was definitely his favorite first cousin or at least favorite first cousin family- He did not like Artemis much for God knows what. SHE IS OUR COUSIN, our family for godsake was what cleo wanted to scream at Hades when she saw him scrunching his nose everytime Artemis walked inside during family meetups. When she had asked why he didn’t like artemis, he had said, ‘Artemis is not an astor the same way you and I are’ first of all, that made no sense. Artemis looked like an Astor, tan/olive skin and black/brown hair, really attractive, nice eyes and all- that’s what Artemis had told Hades he had said ‘she’s an astor but not a true one’ and left when Artemis approached them with a huff. Talking about Hades, she had heard from someone he was aloof and goes by Eryx now… She didn’t believe that, Hades was fun and a little like Adonis, but then again his been acting different.
Whatever, Hades and her began to talk when Artemis approached and Hades rolled his eyes and left and Cleo glared at him, “@sshole, say hi to cousin missy.”
'fck off" was all he replied and Cleo rolled his eyes, “I don’t know what his problem with you missy.” Cleo said before throwing her arms around Missy, "We are sitting together, aah I wish his sister was in our grade, me Madeline and you could have been a trio sitting together. " Cleo said with a giggle. “So how have you been, and is that a new haircut?”
Artemis really wasn’t a fan of the ski trip, but it was better than being at home, so here she was. She doubted it was all bad. Maybe she could “accidentally” push Hades off the mountain. Bonus points if he turned into a giant snowball like Looney Tunes. Yeah, that would never happen. Oh, speaking oh Hades, there ne is. Luckily, her other cousin Cleo was standing next to him. Artemis was really glad she’d be sitting next to Cleo instead of Hades. Then bad things would happen. As soon as he saw her coming, Hades promptly left, but not before telling either her or Cleo to F off. “Wow, thanks.” She said sarcastically, facepalming. Cleo said she wasn’t sure what Hades’s issue with Artemis was, and she shrugged. “Yeah, I’d definitely like him better if he wasn’t an ass.” She smiled when Cleo said she wished Madeleine was in their grade. “Yeah, like the three musketeers, or something. Oh, I’ve been fine, and yeah, I just trimmed some split ends.” She said when asked about how she was. @Kristi - Cleo
Cleo let out a laugh at the, ;i would like him better if he wasn’t an @ss part’ Hades or Eryx, if he was actually calling himself that was definitely an @sshole. Born and bred, which is shocking because he has the two most amazing parents ever, the sweetest younger sister and HER as a cousin, but he will always be one of her favorite cousins. “The time we will see him not be an @ss is when he decides to start seeing you as a family, which is basically like saying hell will freeze over.” Hades and Artemis relationship was really interesting, Cleo swooned at the thought of Hades removing the stick from his butt and being friendlier to Artemis so they could go on a trip together; her, Madeline, him, missy(artemis), jennifer, Gaston, Renee, Harriet. But pigs would have to stop flying before that, curse you Hades! It could have been so fun, the 17-19 year olds of the astor family who were closest to each other. “Would have been four if Jen wasn’t such a bore, the 4 main Astor heiress. I like that.” Cleo said holding Artemis hand as they walked. “It looks like so good. You should get a wolfcut, it would look really nice on you.” Remembering that she had a box of chocolates, Cleo went through her bag and brought the snacks out, “You fancy one?” Cleo said, mocking the way Angelina would speak after she married that royal count.
“Yeah, there’s no way in hell he’ll ever be nice to me. I was nice to him in the beginning, then when I found out he hated me, I just kinda didn’t care and got snappy with him. He honestly deserves it, though. I’m just giving him a taste of his own medicine. If he was nice to me, I’d be nice to him.” Cleo had grabbed her hand, and Artemis began to swing their connected hands, feeling lighter. Things were going to be fine. The plane ride may have been eleven hours, but at least she’d be sitting with her favorite cousin. Said cousin then said she should get a wolf cut, and Artemis slowed to a stop, letting go of Cleo. “Hold on, let me look that up.” After typing for a second, she nodded. “Oh, I like that. You’re right, that would look nice.” Cleo then offered her chocolate while speaking in a posh accent, and Artemis snorted. “Of course, dah-ling!” She said dramatically, taking a piece of chocolate. “Oohh, where’d you get this? It’s really good.” @Kristi - Cleo
Cleo internally bit her lips at that, Hades was Hades and she wanted to advice Missy to stay away from him rather than try to be rude back because god was he muscular and him and her used to practice martial arts together and Cleo didn’t want to see Missy get hurt. But instead she just let out a laugh, she knew Missy won’t actually do that- or else she hopes so. She did not want to wake up to a missing cousin and a suspicious Hades- she was joking of course, but knowing Astors and our history. Missy was lucky she was a cousin, if she was truly not blood related then it would be a different case. Maybe Cleo could find out why Missy is hated by Hades and discover another long of Astor secrets. Was it weird that Cleo currently wished she was a maid who lived in the Astors manors and could hear them chit chatting? Maybe Cleo could interrogate a maid. “Aunt Gabriella made this, I went to the house to see Madeline and don’t tell the aunts or uncle but I stole like a lot of the chocolates.” Cleo said with a mischievous grin taking a bite of the chocolate. “Did you know 5th cousin Reeces got engaged to a his brother’s girlfriend?” The Venphor-Astor family were really weird, I mean that could be said for all Astor families but still, the Vanphor-Astor didn’t look like the other Astor family. Them being weirdly and uncomfortable blonde (No Astors were blonde so it ws really weird but after they kept marrying blonde people they created a lineage of blondes. So other Astor families called them the Vanphor cousins/relatives and didn’t include the ‘Astor’ part.) They didn’t attend family meetups much too so Cleo couldn’t get to know them much and only knew little about them from the small meetings they attended and hearing the adults talk. “Isn’t it weird how we don’t know a lot about them, even the Vanphor kids around our age? But I heard Tren threatened su!cide for Reeces marrying his ex.”
Artemis couldn’t help but grin when Cleo said she stole the chocolate. “Of course you did. Trust me, I’m not telling. As Long as you don’t shoplift, I won’t tell. Please pay for things.” Artemis’s eyes widened at the next thing Cleo told her. “He did what?! No way. That’s really messed up. Yeah, I didn’t even know they existed until a while ago.” She shook her head, sighing. “Honestly, I’d have expected Tren trying to off Reeces instead of the other way around. Well, nothing is normal with this family, so I really shouldn’t be surprised.” Artemis decided to change the subject. “So, are you excited for the trip? Knowing me, I’m going to pull a Looney Tunes, and end up rolling down a hill as a giant snowball. At least that’s logically impossible…I think.” @Kristi - Cleo
Athena was very excited for the ski trip. Not because of the skiing part, they’d never skied before, they even didn’t know if they liked it. What they definitely knew they liked, or rather who, was Luna and they were sitting with her for the flight to France, which was a pretty long one. They arrived at the airport with Xavier, made their way through security and got themself situated on the plane, stowing their carry-on in the overhead compartment before sitting down, pushing their backpack underneath the seat in front of them.
Athena smiled as they smelled Luna’s perfume coming closer to them. She smelled like strawberries and summertime, which made Athena feel warm and fuzzy inside. They turned their head to face her as she sat in the seat beside them. “Hi.” They greeted her, as their excited feeling turned into more of a nervous excitement. “Have you ever skied before?” They asked her, trying to avoid an awkward silence from settling at all costs.
Cleo blinked “Why would I ever shoplift?” Well it was not like Artemis was wrong to think that of her, because when she was younger, Cleo used to steal things to gain attention from her parents- though it would work, it wasn’t the attention she wanted so she quitted. “I only take it from dear aunts and uncles.” Cleo said jokingly. When Missy said she expected it to be the other way around, Cleo nodded. From what she could gather about that side of her family, Tren was the ‘bad’ kid and Reeces was the good kid and Tren had severe anger issues but Cleo guessed that Tren would never try to harm his brother no matter how much his brother hurt him.
Cleo held her stomach as she let out a laugh, “I don’t think it’s physically possible to pull a looney tunes and roll down the hill in a giant snowball. At most you will probably just break a leg, which is better than breaking your entire body” Cleo frowned, “Unless it’s your favorite leg.” Cleo said in a joking tone. “But yeah i’m excited, it’s been so long since I’ve gone skiing. And the amount of pics we can take.” Cleo swooned at the thought.
