You are wanted

Date | 6th of April 2022
Time | Early afternoon
Weather | Clear blue skies and sun is shining
Place | Not far from the fjords
Attire | Practical clothes for hiking

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It hadn’t been all that hard for Leon to pick up that something was wrong. Even though it seemed, or that was what he hoped, that Addams were trying to keep on the good side of the Radclyffee family. Especially now that Melanie had decided to invite Clay to become more a part of the family than he had been before. But that didn’t make things any easier, he knew that. To a point where he felt guilty that he hadn’t done this before, but as always life had a tendency to get in the way of what you wanted to do, maybe it was the fact that Hope had gathered the courage and finally faced her demons that had made him think that he needed to this. Maybe it was the fact that Minerva was back, and even though she was one chaotic pup that tended to get into trouble wherever she walked, she also brought family closer together because it was clear that it meant everything to her. It had also taken all his power to convince her that she needed to stay home, because when she had heard that he had texted Clay and asked him to meet up for a small walk, she had been jumping out of the couch running towards her jacket to go with. But in the end she had stayed home, even though Leon had been looking over his shoulder a couple of times, seeing if she was following along. And it wouldn’t surprise him if she would suddenly surprise them further down the road.
He turned his head when the scent of Clay caught up to him, a warm smile spread over his lips as he raised his hand in a small waving gesture before he started walking towards him, hugging his cousin. “Glad you could make it, how are you doing?” he asked, knowing it wasn’t great which was of course why he had invited him out here.

Now it wasn't Clay if he hadn't for at least ten times before getting closer had thought it was bad news that waited him. News that his own mother couldn't even get to say herself, and he had needed to almost punch himself in the face for letting his thoughts control him like that. But it had been like a lot like that lately. Not feeling like anything made sense at all. Clay had been stuck more or less at work trying to find something that could cure or help, anything really to Nia. But it was tricky because of the way she had become human again, and he was scared to make the situation worse - and she also had Tyler. She didn't need him to stay there. Then there was how Birdie had connected with her daughter, daughters actually. Had met Reginald who was the father of Amelia, if the story had stopped being complicated there he would have been fine. Then there was Zayden. Clayton's cousin. A cousin he never really had been in contact with and only knew off because of his relation to Zoe. So, learning that Zayden and Birdie had been a thing, had two daughters together. Well, Clay felt like ever since he had unlocked Birdie's memory he had basically just given her too everyone, and him of all people hated and knew that feeling too well. He had let Danica go too, to let her be with her mate - not that even that had gone as planned. But well, he wasn't speaking to anyone really, because it seemed like most people only contacted him if there was an issue.

Clay caught the scent of Leon rather quickly and a small smile grew on the hybrid's lips, and he lifted his hand up as well before headed towards him. Almost surprised that he was hugged, maybe he had really just had been digging his own grave with work to make up for how he was feeling. One thing was how angry a werewolf could be, how intense they could feel their emotions at times. Mixed with the vampire whose emotions lived on a high, he felt rather chaotic. But Clay did return the hug within seconds, making him feel less anxious about the meeting. "Besides the none sleeping and constant state of worrying, I would say I'm doing just around average level of fine," he shook his head a little, always able to pull a small joke when needed.

Leon gave his cousin a small smile and a tight nod when Clay was rather honest about, he was feeling. He always liked that. The no sugarcoating, and there wasn’t a hint of Clay actually wanting to get help, or the fact that he didn’t really expect there to be any. Which was something the older werewolf once again felt guilty for, so much he could have done in the early stages, but for a long time he hadn’t known about the fact that Oscar and Melanie had gotten kids. If only his father and uncles hadn’t been so against the union, things might have gone differently.
“Thought’s as much, which is why I invited you, I know things have been, unusually difficult of late, and wanted to make sure that you knew that we are here, even if it sometimes feels like you are alone in all of this” he gave him a small smile and then turned to the side “Walk with me?” he asked, before he started walking down the small road. If anything he had always felt like a good walk around nature could ease a trouble mind.

Clayton narrowed his eyes just a little bit, just an inch as Leon said it was the reason for having invited him. Now outside of the family drama Clay had been placed in despite not really having much to do with the families other than having spoken a couple of times with some, of course some more than others. ...wanted to make sure that you knew that we are here a small snort left him, well the lack of sleep didn't really help his rather honest state of mind. Because it hadn't felt like that. Even after he had been there to help Angel it had been just to do that, and even then he hadn't felt welcome. Now he had always struggled with fitting in anywhere - almost anywhere since he was young because of what he was. Danica had saved him in many ways over his life, and he was damn sure without her he would have become a very different kind of monster. Walk with me, Clay took a deeper breath in, realizing he had been caught in his own thoughts for a moment. What a mess this was. How his father had attacked his mother whilst having turned off his emotions. Now, Clay understood, perhaps better than any of the wolves in the manor why someone would turn off their humanity. How many times hadn't he been about to reach the switch and just flip it. Instead of living on an emotional spiral forever.

So walking around, first he didn't really say anything. But the guilt of his sick friend and not being at the hospital working to find out something had him tense his jaw. "Did Cecilia tell you about the whole Nia situation?" He wondered, knowing Leon also had helped Cecilia with her adjusting to the wolf life - and Cecilia was rather good at sharing when something was bothering her or she was worried about something. "Nia is a close friend of both of us, so - I've been working my ass off trying to find a way to help her," he dragged a longer and more annoyed breath in. But as Clay would like to yell he was a bit if not a lot angry that Nia had trusted a djinn - genie - whatever. "So, add that to the top of the iceberg," he shook his head a little bit. "Usually Zo and I talk a lot, it's just weird having her suddenly go silent on me," not that he didn't understand because he did, his expression indicated he understood that. It didn't mean that his feeling on the matter should be neglected. Clay knew it was complicated. What was more complicated and lonely that any of this was the fact that he felt like he was facing all of this on his own.

Leon nodded slowly when Clay asked if he knew about the human that had gotten sick. He had heard about it because there had been a Djinn invovled. Tricky and horrible beasts, or at least some of them were. Knowing that there wasn’t really anyway to reverse the damage that had already been done, there was only the hopes of someone finding a cure to help safe her, or that an angel would take pity on her. Sadly, most angels knew that death was something that was apart of life, something that needed to be honored even if it meant letting go of people that meant a great deal to you. Which was why, even if they had the power to do so, didn’t. “Hopefully things will turn out okay” he said with a sad smile, then Clay mentioned the fact that Zoe hadn’t really been the most welcomed or thankful after Clay had helped with Angel. He understood why it wasn’t helping on how his cousin was feeling, and if he was being honest, he didn’t feel like it was right to blame Clay for anything. “She is just angry, not that it makes it okay the way she is treating you right now” he agreed letting out a small sigh “she isn’t much better around Adonis, even though is brother is here, she has more or less just retreated to Ethan’s house and won’t take any of our calls” he elaborated, hoping it might give some peace to the fact that it wasn’t only Clay she was treating this way. “I don’t know if it helps, but Letha, Ace’s mother, is trying to mediate between the two families, in the hopes that things gets smoothed out, I’ve met with her a couple of times, and I hate to admit it, because I never thought it would be possible to see this side of her -- but her intentions in making sure that this feud ends, is true” his eyes travelled the surroundings that they passed, to think there would ever come a time where the two families would even think to try to hatch things out. At least he hadn’t thought he would ever be around to see it himself.

He nodded a little bit, "Cecilia told me yeah - Ethan texted her so," at least he hadn't lost his friendship with Cecilia, so that was nice now learning that they were family. Clay didn't know if it was much better comparing himself to Adonis' situation, or well. Clay had been inside the mind of Adonis and seen more things and understood his uncle better than perhaps most because of it - yet never spoke that much about the matter. But he nodded a little and exhaled a bit again. Clay had only met Letha once, it had been after Adonis had bitten her. He remembered her. "If Letha wants to mediate she should get a hold of my mother, not because I don't trust you know what you are doing," Clay clicked his tongue a little bit. No, he hadn't been around for just as long, so the story was told through many people, many different ways. But sometimes it was also nice having fresh eyes on a matter. "I still don't know a lot about what happened - I have never seen other versions of her than through Adonis' eyes really," reminding himself of what his mind had tried to repair itself from after that mind dive. Clay had kept his distance after the episode between his parents, at least to his father for the most part - or well he had spoken to Ace, so Clay did know a little about what was going on. "You think that after so long that they will ever find a way to co-exist or always just expecting someone to make the first mistake and let another war start?" He wondered. Of course, as a child of a love affair that to many should never had happened, you wondered if the trying to just be, and to be accepted by a world that was fearing what he was so badly.  

Leon nodded giving a small smile towards Clay as he told him that Letha should get a hold of his mother. He believed that as well, but it was more complicated than that. Especially when there was so much bad blood between the families, and when it came down to it, they were both equally responsible for who it had turned out. It was no secret that his family had been against Melanie falling in love with Oscar, and when warning her against staying with him hadn’t worked, they had discussed how the best course of actions would be. In those times, politics weren’t really a thing, you hit hard, and typically you tried to hit harder than your opponent. Luckily, they had come a long way since then, but that didn’t make things suddenly okay.
The older werewolf thought about it for a moment, could they find a way to co-exist. He looked towards his cousin and gave him a small smile. “I really believe it is possible, we have come a long way since then, and I personally believe, that if we don’t find a way where we can see eye to eye, it will mean the end for all of us, we either adapt to the new situation, or we parish while trying to hold onto the old ways” he licked his lips, looking around surroundings. “There is more at stake than holding onto old grudges, and hopefully this time we’ll make it happen” he mumbled, not wanting to be pulled into another Addams and Radclyffee war.

Clay was far from blaming his parents on all of this, nor the families. Sometimes it was just the world who then got affected by a vision on how things should be, and then suddenly the world had spoken, leaving other words defenseless. Himself included. Clay lived in the echoes of the life the two families had created of chaos, every single werewolf had some story about a vampire and the same the other way around. It was like the circle of life after so many years, and no perhaps you couldn't break the cicle. But it wasn't the only way to change things, was it? "Perhaps. If people are ready for the change," he exhaled a little bit. It was the same when you came with something knew medical, especially with the work he did as well. If people weren't ready for the change or to take a chance on it, then you would get close to nowhere. Maybe it was the fact that he always had felt closer to Zoe, then suddenly having her look at him and fear being around him would do bad. Cause more drama. It was hard to shake all the things that were going wrong in your life off, when every time you took a turn something else collapsed on you. But here he was. Having lost the love of his life to someone who didn't deserve her. Having found love again only to have it break him to pieces... falling for the person he had pretended to be in a relationship with only to watch her fall in love with some other guy, then getting a lost love back - losing her all over again.

How much more was he supposed to take before he would just crumble on the floor? If Nia died from this, he would never be able to forgive himself, he knew this. That much he knew. Sometimes perhaps like anyone in this side of the family that was cursed, he wished he wasn't cursed. That he could just put an end to this suffering. One thing he could do something about was the wish of not feeling a damn thing. Like vampires he could feel the switch to just turn it off, shut it all out and it was tempting. He realized he had left them standing in silence for a moment while his troubled thoughts had seemed to catch up with him. "Sorry got lost in my own mind for a moment there," he huffed a little trying to dismiss it.

Leon didn’t mind silence. Far from it really. Which was why he was having no problems with Clay retreating into his own mind as they walked down the path. Digging his hands into his pockets he let his eyes glide over the scenery, just taking it all in. How you could see that the seasons were starting to change, even though it felt like the weather couldn’t really make up its mind if it wanted to be hot or cold.
Then Clay talked and he turned his head and let out a small huff that matched his cousins rather well. “Right, well, that happens to all of us from time to time” then something cracked, and a familiar smell was thrown their direction. And for a moment he was about to call out to Ava and tell her not to play any games right now. But that was when he realised that this wasn’t Ava. “Isla?” he asked, as the grinning hybrid half walked half fall out of the bush she had landed in. “Well good tidings to you!” she shouted as she tried to shake some of the branches that had caught unto her ancle. She looked towards Clay and gave him a brilliant smile, a smile that quickly faltered as she saw how he was looking. Pressing her brows together she turned her attention towards Leon “I think you should leave me and Clay alone” – “Wha-“ but before he could say anything she pushed him into a portal and he disappeared. “why didn’t you call me” she asked pressing her brows together, and before he could say anything she pulled him into a hug.

Clay pressed his brows a bit together by the scent that suddenly followed the crack of the branch. Isla of course. His brows remained pressed together as he watched her tumble out of the bush. Even if he did loosen his face a little bit up, it was perfectly clear to someone who knew him well that he had taken being burned out and completely roasted himself to a point where he just wasn't at any good use to himself. At least he hadn't stopped feeding, otherwise he would have had a completely different problem with his control. So, that much credit did he give to himself. Then he pressed his brows together again when Isla said to Leon that she thought he should leave them alone, but before either of them really had any say on that, Leon was pushed through a portal, and gone he was. "Where did you sent him?" Clay wondered for a moment blinking then looking back up at his friend as she asked why he hadn't called. Not that he really got a chance to respond before she hugged him. Shocked for a second, he processed the embrace before he placed his arms around her and closed his eyes for a moment. Just taking in the comfort her scent brought over him. So, no he didn't respond to the question either he just let himself stay in this little bobble of comfort that was provided for him.

Now where had she sent him? Now that was a good question, one that she didn’t answer right now. But when she saw Leon again, she was sure that he would give her a piece of his mind. Not that she really cared, all she truly cared about was the other hybrid that decided to place his arms around her and let her give him the comfort that he so desperately needed.
It would be a shame to say, if Isla didn’t suffer from severe human connection. She couldn’t even remember when had been the last time that she had hugged someone. One job had taken another, and before she knew it, she had been away for a couple of years. It wasn’t until recently that Yuumine had found a contract here, that she had found out everything. That Clay had been divorced, had moved from Australia and was now here in a giant pile of family mess. Not that she knew everything, but she knew enough, that he should have called. Especially after everything that had happened with him and Danica.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there” she mumbled, closing her arms a little more around him and decided to close her eyes. Mostly so she could take in the whole experience a little more.

Clay took a sharper breath in, he should have called. But maybe he had just tried to outrun it, seen that if he just tried to ease it from his mind he could do it without using his powers. Because turning off your humanity was something that would leave him everything he didn't want to be. But if he just took the memories of what hurt and delete it. Then it would be gone, lost in a void not to be found. It wouldn't hurt anymore. "It's not your fault that I tried to run away from my problems rather than facing them," he assured her and after a moment he pulled out of the embrace giving her a small smile. Clay wanted her to know it was alright, because really there was nothing she could have done. And he didn't blame her for anything, how could he? It wasn't like Clay was looking for a way to be complete and find all the answers of life, he was just looking for the feeling of not being empty. Like everything he did ment nothing in the end, like it was pointless hours he spent trying to save some of the people that mattered most to him. And he hated it. Knowing somewhere that there might not be anything he could do to save Nia. "It's just been a rough couple of months." He explained, even if his heart was being torn apart more and more each day.

She leaned back as he pulled a little out of her embrace, a small smile blossomed over her lips, and she shook her head. Mostly because she wanted to tell him that he was an idiot, but she didn’t, knowing right now wasn’t really the time for her to be her usual sarcastic self.
Her hands found his cheeks and she softly let her thumbs glide over his cheekbones while her fingertips were slowly gliding into his hair. Now she only had rough months, but that was because she liked living in it. She liked the death, chaos and everything that came with what she did. She wasn’t going to deny it, and it was a part of who she was. But she was also this, soft and loving. Especially for those that she cared for; she could be just what they needed.
“Yeah, well, to be fair your whole life has been pretty rough” she joked, giving him a light smile, a smile that slowly disappeared. Now one could argue that this was maybe the most idiotic idea that she had ever gotten, but it had been something she had wanted to do since she had met him the first time. But there had never been a time where she could actually do it, without stepping on some toes that she didn’t want to step on. Besides, Clay was one of the most loyal persons that she knew, which had been the biggest reason why she had never done, what she did right now. She leaned towards him and placed her lips gently towards his.

"Ha, oh jelly bean you only know half of it," he chuckled a little bit. She might have been able to get a few facts but everything that went on inside his mind? No one knew that. Just another curse he had heavy on his shoulders, he could manipulate his and everyone else's memories - which also meant that he didn't forget anything. Not any of his heartaches, joys and the like. Clay noticed how she leaned towards him, yet he didn't move, should he move? For a moment before her lips met his he was so confused, yet he didn't do anything about it. Sure that if his heart was about to burst into a thousand more pieces there was only one person who should and could have that power, just as well as he knew that her hands might be able to heal. So, as her lips finally met his so gently he was surprised still by a second, but not for the action, but the emotion. He liked the way her lips tasted tracing his. How had he not really gotten to this thought in his mind before? But as their lips parted again, he wondered, when could he kiss her again? "What was that for?" He whispered instead opening his eyes again looking into hers.

She let out a shaky breath as they pulled away from each other, even if she kept her eyes shut, she could almost see his expression even if she wasn’t looking at it.
A toothy smile formed on her lips as he asked what it was for. “Hmm - that is a great question” she whispered softly, because it was, but she didn’t really have an answer. Well, she had, but she wanted something better than - because I wanted too. Even though it was the truth.
“Because I love you? Because I wanted too, because I’ve waited so long and - well, you seemed like you needed a kiss, I can give you another one and see if its better this time?” she mused, opening her eyes as her hands found the back of his neck and let his fingers glide into his hair. Maybe it was a lot to take in, when you were clearly on the brink of a mental breakdown. But well, Isla had never been good at the whole timing thing.

Clay listened to her, it seemed surreal that she had just kissed him. Maybe it was because he was so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't been able to see past everything else, not even the people that had been sitting right in front of his nose the entire time. But he liked the way her hands felt as they moved around his neck, how her fingers got entangled with his hair, it felt like coming home to a place he had been unable to find for a long time. "Maybe you should yeah - try it again," he confessed in a lower voice, but before she really did manage to do so, he himself leaned in and placed his lips against hers. Unlocking his own memories from feelings he had told himself would never be, feelings he had repressed in the past. Letting them all out as his arms snaked around her body keeping her closer towards him.

Her smile grew an inch more as she heard his voice telling her that she should try it again, but a slightly surprised sound left her as he suddenly kissed her instead. The chock quickly disappeared, and her eyes closed while her hands found their way deeper into his hair. She liked how it felt pressed against her palms and moved between her fingers. She loved how his lips felt dancing against hers. She listened to the sound of his heart, how he breathed and emersered herself entirely in the feeling, hoping that it would never end. Not that she had been sitting around waiting for him, and she had found a home in Helio as well, but that would never be able to compare how this felt, how long she had wished for it to happen, but also being scared to move further when she was connected to him in a whole other way, than just having feelings involved. All of that didn’t matter. However, nothing could make her rethink if this was a bad idea because this might have been the best thing she had done besides getting Isaac.

All of the emotions rushing through him seemed to be put to rest for the moment, like the beat had been tamed and he could fully allow himself to taste her lips. Clay quickly got addicted to the way it felt with her hands moving through his hair, how it felt like keeping him close. Like his senses just exploded in the best possible way. So, he pulled her closer not even realizing it, till he then let his lips release hers again. "See, this was not how I expected my day to be going," he whispered against her lips, it had far from been what to expect when Leon had told him to meet up. But he didn't complain. His mind finally felt more clear than it ever had before.

She chuckled, feeling how the breath from it was cast back against her lips because of how close he was to her. “I know”, she hummed, placing her forehead against his; “I’m not complaining though; I’ve been dreaming about this for so long”, and she had, even when she had found others, and she had a child with a different man, it had always been him and there was no way she could ever run from that.
“So, are you going to tell me what is going on? What has happened since last I saw you?” because she could feel that something was happening in him, something that was bothering in a way she wasn’t sure she had ever felt like before—yes, of course, there had been times where she knew he had been having troubles accepting who he was, not knowing where he came from or why he was the way he was. She had seen how Danica had calmed him down, how they together had found some common ground, and how it had ruined him when they had to break it off—even more so with Josephine, but there was something more, and she was here to listen if he wanted to tell her.