Long story short ...

Cassian noticed that he and Riggs both nodded the same way as Ayah told them she would put on the kettle for some tea. “I wouldn’t say no to a good cup of tea,” Cassian said with a smile, and Riggs made a small sound to agree that he would like one as well. Then they both got their shoes off before walking into the living room. Cassian looked around while Riggs walked over and sat down on the couch; he felt somewhat awkward still, not really knowing what to say or do or if there was even anything he could say, which was why he kept himself unusually quiet for the time being.
Cassian walked into the kitchen as he saw Ayah pushing herself up to get a box that he supposed was where the tea was in. “Here, let me”, he chuckled as he took it down for her. “Don’t know why you didn’t just use your powers”, he teased her as he placed it on the counter; “anything else I can do?” he asked, giving her a soft smile, not wanting to just sit down even if she had told him that he should just make himself at home. Riggs was just about to get up when Cassian looked at him and showed with his hand that he should just sit down again, so he did.

Cassian took the box with the different herbs down, making her shake her head and chuckle a little bit. "Because I'm extremely stubborn and wanted to reach it with my hands, that's why," she pointed out with a small laugh poking his shoulder softly. Ayah took a slightly deeper breath in when he asked if there was anything else he could do. "You can take the cake tray with the plates on, and go sit down. Thank you," she gave him a soft nod with a brighter smile. She appreciated he wanted to help, even so she had most things ready, so it was very easy for her. "And I will be out with the tea tray within a few minutes once the water is boiled," she patted him on the arm where she seconds ago had poked his shoulder then, turning to find a teapot so she could get started with making the tea for them. Which was rather easily done, and with her powers she managed to arrange the cups on the coffee table where Riggs and Cassian sat, making it look as effortlessly as it was. If anything Ayah was so used to using the air in her magic, which also made the air in the house much fresher and clean than many other places, even uplifting. Most likely the only reason she was still somewhat sane. Then she took the teapot and placed on the tray, walked over with it to the coffee table and sat herself down in the armchair, still couldn't really believe after so many years that she was sitting in front of her son.

Her eyes slightly caught the picture she still had with her sisters standing near the table, before she moved her eyes to the tea and poured up into the cups for them, "so I heard you live in Oakheart with your sister. Have you guys settled alright?" Ayah asked with a warmer smile. Very respective of the fact that even if Cordelia was his biological cousin it wasn't the relationship the two had created over the years, she off all knew what it was like to see someone else like your parents or family because the people who had brought you into the world wasn't around anymore - for various different reasons.

Cassian nodded with a smile before taking the tray she had referred to and walking back to the couch, where he put it on the coffee table. He turned his gaze toward the very silent Riggs, that gave a small smile, clearly not knowing what to do with himself at this very moment. He didn’t envy the kid, so much was sure; it had to be quite the turnaround suddenly finding out who your birth parents were and what lies had been fed to you since you had been but a child.
He sat on the chair opposite him and looked toward Ayah as she came with the tea for them.

Riggs nodded when she asked about the fact that he lived in Oakheart with his sister, “yes, we found a small house we rent out together; I’m trying to get her to join Athena Academy, hoping she might get some help for her abilities and getting some relations” he said with a smaller smile, he leaned over and took the cup that she had poured for him. “Trying to figure out what to do with me, to be honest”, he chuckled, looking down at the dark brown liquid. It felt like his world had been turned upside down, and he had no idea how to live in the new world he had become a part of. Not that he had told Cordelia this, she already had more than enough to sort through on her own.

If there was anything Ayah could relate to it was your life turning upside down, for better or for worse. She had lost count on the times where she had felt completely hopeless in the world not knowing what to do next, or who she was supposed to be. It wasn't like she had experienced never seeing her biological parents, but they had been taken from her and returned after she had thought they were gone. Still it seemed like he just like his parents had a bad habit of putting others needs above his own, not that she found anything wrong with it, she did it herself and wouldn't change it about herself if she could. "I might be able to help with the academy situation, my mother is the headmistress," perhaps just letting him know if it came to Cordelia wanting to attend, it was possible to find a solution there. "No one is expecting from you other than feeling like everything to be completely turned upside down: because everything is as a matter turned upside down," she picked up her tea cup didn't leave her eyes away from Riggs for long. "You will figure it out, its not like there is a magic cookbook saying how long it takes to find ones place in the world after everything that has happened," if there was one she would very much like it herself. "Anything you particular enjoy doing?" She then wondered, not just in the aspect of finding oneself, but sometimes it helped to know your passions and Ayah was as well curious. She didn't mind asking questions.

He lifted his brow as she told him that her mother, making it his grandmother, was working as the headmistress. “Really?” he said, finding it hard to comprehend just how far this family connection was spreading. He already knew that Cassian had many contacts and could help him get a job with the snap of his fingers, but the truth of the matter was that he had absolutely no idea what he wanted to do. He nodded, giving her a thankful smile as she told him that he shouldn’t push himself. When she asked if there was anything he enjoyed doing, he took the time to fill his lungs with enough air so he could feel how his chest expanded.
“I have to be honest”, he started as his eyes fell on the coffee in his hand. “I don’t really know if there is anything I enjoy these days” a dry chuckle left him, hoping it would ease the tension that his words would bring. It was a hard truth and probably not something his newfound parents wished to hear their son say. But he couldn’t hide from the truth, and the fact was that he felt incredibly empty. “I guess I like playing the guitar, but not on a scale where I could make money off it”, he laughed, looking up and giving his mother a big smile, even if it didn’t quite reach the eyes. “I used to be in the army, but that was more something I did for the project, not something I did for myself” he shrugged, not knowing what else to say if he was being honest.  

She pulled a little bit to her smile, even if there was a sadness to not feeling like there was anything he enjoyed these days, it was such a sad thing to relate to. But Ayah also fully believe that he would find something, an old passion. Ayah had picked up on her cooking again, especially since Hope or Ella had dropped by, or when Sariel had lived with her in Aston. Even thinking about if she should return to that path of life. She had very much enjoyed being a chef once. The emptiness, the dark void she knew too well, of course she hated he felt like that. But since she had failed to be there before today, she did make it her very own mission to make sure that he would find something - or at least help him along the way. "Sometimes I guess its just start out small, and take it day by day, you don't have to find something big, just a small thing for yourself  - the chaos around you just need to rest before you can see clear," she gave him a more assuring smile, believing it, now she did actually believe that. Had you asked her before she knew her children were alive, she would have been slowly fading away into something she barely recognized. Then shaking her head, "not that you asked for my mind on the matter, sorry - habit," she excused herself in her form of trying to come with advice, it was just natural for her trying to help even if people didn't always ask for it.

He chuckled when she apologised for speaking her mind about what he could do; he didn’t mind it, far from it, really. “I know I didn’t, doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate it—thanks,” he said with a soft nod; now, he had wondered if he should start at the academy, but they needed money, so he would have to find something that he could at least earn something while doing.
There were so many possibilities, and as she had said, start something small and then work your way from there. Maybe that was the best advice he had gotten in a long time, even though he had no idea where to start, but he would figure it out—he always did.
With a soft sigh, he leaned over and cut himself a piece of the cake and leaned back while taking a bite. “This is good”, he said with his mouth full, laughing a little as he moved the back of his hand in front of his mouth, stopping himself from spitting out cake because he wanted to tell right away. He had never been good at waiting; maybe that was the biggest reason why it bugged him: he didn’t have a goal in mind. Which meant that he had to wait, even if he didn’t like it.

Ayah was happy he didn't take offence to her advices but actually instead appreciated it. You never knew, she had people yell at her for just trying to help in the past, so, you never really knew with people and if they wanted help or not. Ayah took a bite of the cake, very thankful for Sariel having dropped it off - knowing Sariel only could predict so much - Ayah also knew better than to ask for more details because you couldn't influence your future too much. Ayah couldn't help but chuckle as Riggs laughed the cake was good. His laugh just made her laugh a little bit more, shaking her head a little bit lovingly. "Maybe you can help me a little bit then, if you have time on your hands, and if you want to of course," Ayah took a little deeper breath in, "I'm trying to look for a place in the area where I can perhaps put a lost passion back in the works. I used to own a restaurant back in the day," she looked shortly towards Cassian, she had even had that dream when she had been with him, it was just first years after, years after Anthony that she had made the dream become reality. But it was a long time ago since she had even put thought into it, not till she had been hearing about Archie's ideas that her own passion had started to awaken again. "This time I'm thinking about a small café nothing grand, just simple and cozy really," she exhaled a little not really knowing if he had interest in helping her look for places, but at least it was an offer on something he could spend his time with, and perhaps getting a look around time could get his mind floating with new ideas. Getting inspiration never hurt.

He lifted his brows as she asked if he could help her but didn’t say anything before she was finished with explaining her idea, her vision, really. A small cosy café, well, he could always waiter tables, and he did know how to fix things—he wasn’t very good at baking, but he could cook, and he also knew how to make a good cup of coffee. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea?  
“That sounds really neat”, he said with a softer smile and then nodded. “Yeah, I would love to help, just don’t make me bake; I’m absolutely rubbish at that”, he chuckled, but everything else that he could help with to some extent and maybe it would be nice to finally have something to do, other than hanging around the house and starting new projects every week because he was bored out of his mind, not knowing what else to do with his time. He knew it was beginning to drive Cordelia crazy; “maybe my sister, Cordelia, could be of help too; I’m sure she can help with waitressing and such,” he said, even though it was still only a vision and there was still a lot to be achieved before it was possible. But it was nice to have something to look forward to.

Her smile grew bigger as it sounded like he liked the idea, and that he would love to help. "Noted," Ayah chuckled as he mentioned being bad at baking. Ayah liked how it seemed like he could imagine her vision himself, see a point with it rather than it just being another idea in the bank. It was like she could see the thoughts travelling around in his head. "Would be amazing, I would like that," she added when he mentioned his sister Cordelia perhaps would help. If he wanted her to be a part of his life, she would take it. Ayah had a lot of contacts, perks of always being open to conversation, she knew people and therefor also knew whom she should reach out to if some of her dreams were to come true. All she really had to do was believe in the fact that she could make something for herself again. Ayah took another bite of the cake. Shortly eying the photo standing on the counter close to the sofa, the picture of her and her sisters. Ayah reached out for it, "these are my two sisters, Hope and Mariella, as you can see one was more delighted with getting her picture taken than the other," she chuckled a little.