Sheryl & Lanny

"...I don't care, I'm really getting sick of it." Sheryl was complaining as she sat on a stool next to Lanny, sipping absently at glass of Captain 'n Coke, while he had a bottle of beer in front of him that was hardly touched. Around them, the air was hazy with the fog of cigarette smoke, and booming with the rythem of outlandishly loud music.

Lanny's blue eyes were fixed hard on the amber bottle in front of him, and though his hand made a move for it, he clenched his fist at the last moment and turned his attention back to Sheryl and her complaint, "He'll be alright. Carl's with him, anyway." The 19-year old stated, dropping his gaze from Sheryl's, and now settling them on Raimi, who she had perched in her lap.

"If it's not one thing, it's something else. It's bad enough we've got to stir up the damned Carlyle's, and now he's got to piss of that hunting club and a bunch of fucking ninjas!" Her voice spiked with anger, which wasn't helped by the alcohol and the drugs she had already ingested.

Despite his usual tendancies for indulging in alcohol, Laurence had surprised his brother and future sister-in-law both by cutting down on his drinking since Raimi had been brought into the picture. And while the two were involved in their drugs, particularly Sheryn, Laurence was a rarity in his gang, and didn't touch the stuff, as tempted as it often was. "Sher, I don't know what to tell you. It's just part of the business." He went on tiredly, for he had been repeatedly trying to console her in the past hour that they'd been at the bar. "It's getting late; Randy's got to be getting tired." Lanny went on to suggest, but Sheryl was no longer paying attention as she was waving down the bartender for another drink.

Raimi

He had been drowsing sleepily against Sheryl's shoulder, blinking his eyes rapidly to keep himself awake, and occasionally rubbing at them in the universal child's "I'm sleepy" sort of way. But as Sheryl's voice got shriller, he sat up at pawed at her face, a look of half-heartbreak on his own. "Nah-nah! Krrrratz doooo..."

The little voice was soft and soothing, but he used no real words yet, though he'd reach the age of two in less than a month. Too often, since coming to live with the Zelkovis, Raimi had been forced to sit quietly with Sheryl as she revisited this kind of topic, and it always made him fret, as he did now. In a last-ditch effort to calm and soothe her, Raimi rested his head back against her shoulder once more, cuddling himself in like a small puppy. "Shuuupat..."

Sheryl & Lanny

Waiting impatiently for her next drink, Sheryl felt a familiar touch that produced a smile on her gaunt, drawn face. Soft brown eyes, marred by an ugly, drunken glaze, turned down to look at Raimi, "Having fun, sweety?" She cooed, stroking the top of his head and conjuring up something of a pleasant face to greet her 'child'. But the attempt was only half-hearted as her mind drifted to other topics.

"Lanny, can you watch him for a minute? I've got to use the lady's room." Hoisted Raimi up just as he got himself settled again, Sheryl handed him off to her brother-in-law.

He took the youngster unquestioningly, knowing full well that she wasn't going there just to use the restroom. "Hey there, little buddy." Lanny brought his voice into a friendly pitch, adopting a bright smile as he tried to keep the youngster's attention while his adoptive mother went to satisfy her addiction. "I think we should go to the park tomorrow. What do you think about that, huh?" For a brief moment, he let his keen eyes flash over the crowd, always on the lookout for those that could be a danger.

Raimi

Raimi gave Sheryl a smile when her voice softened once more, but he wasn't fooled. For his young age, the boy was an unusually keen child, and even if he didn't quite know what was going on, he understood that his new mama was sick, in her own way.

He did not fuss when Sheryl transferred him to Lanny's lap. While it was Sheryl he wanted when he was sleepy or sick, Lanny had become his favorite playmate, particularly when James was gone and Sheryl too spaced out to really entertain him. But now the little brown eyes looked after Sheryl, letting out a whimper before leaning back to look at Lanny's face. "Jupahhh..."

Sheryl & Lanny

Guilt flooded him, but he held his cheerful facade for Raimi's sake and bounced the boy on his knee as he tried to entertain him, "Mommy will be right back, buddy, it's ok." Lanny studied the kid's face for a moment, struck with the ironic notion that he could be so easily swayed by the look of a saddened toddler, when he was suppose to be the second-in-command of Atroe's most powerful and ruethless gang. "You know what else we'll do tomorrow? Get you a bit of a haircut. I think Mommy will agree that you're in need of one." And as he sat their talking in light and cheery tones, making smiling faces at the boy, no one around dared give him a hard time for it. The little CS emblem, stitched so plainly into the shoulder of his bunnyhug sweater, was enough to tell most people to watch themselves around him.

Raimi

The toddler, still looking after Sheryl, whimpered once more, but finally surrendered to Lanny's convincing tone. Another moment saw the little smile back on his face as he patted his hands together jovially and giggled, speaking in bursts in time to the bouncing. "Bels! Boh! Zaht! Mah-pol! Zhink!" And suddenly, he leaned forward to tug a length of Lanny's hair down over his eyes, a queer expression on his face.

The red hair was bouncing now, and never had he looked more like his own family than he did now. While the toddler's expressions were mostly Conan's, the smirk that lit the chubby face now was completely Ratri: the half-smile that his brother had always used to disguise himself when he was thinking, or when he did not wish to answer a question. Blood will show, they say... Raimi was displaying the characteristic face frequently used by his eldest brother... whom he'd never met. Who'd died before ever he'd been born.

Sheryl & Lanny

A sincere laugh came at the response to Raimi's antics, as the boy jabbered on and tugged at his sandy-brown hair, "Haha, that's right little guy. Hair. And are you trying to tell me something? Alright, yeah, maybe I need a trim too." A thin brow arched up as he grinned at the kid. Even if Raimi couldn't understand all or much of what he was saying, Lanny always made it a point to speak to him like he could.

The grin dampened a twinge as his stormy blue eyes flashed with sudden surprise. That smirk... he knew that smirk perfectly well, as he had seen it more than once. You look just like him... Laurence thought grimly, before giving his head a shake and breaking out of the little reverie. He fitted the smile back in place for Raimi's sake, but he couldn't shake off the erie feeling that now washed over him, and once again took a hasty look around the room.

Raimi

Now Lanny was experiencing what Conan so often had: a half-despair in realizing exactly how much Raimi took after his older brother and a determination that he never follow in Ratri's footsteps. The rest of his family was dead, with the slight notable exception of the father, but if Raimi were to follow Ratri to his end... the world had better watch out, because Conan's currently fragile hold on his sanity would shatter completely.

But the toddler was ignorant of these things, and even though he still missed Conan dreadfully, Lanny was an excellent substitute, most of the time. Still, there were times when the little boy would break into inconsolable tears, crying for "Ras-Ras"... and Conan never came. Even the combined efforts of Lanny and Sheryl couldn't comfort him during these moments, and they usually gave way to exhausted sleep when he cried himself out. But no distress showed on Raimi's little face as he again swiped at the fringe of hair above him, dutifully parroting back the word. "Ha... ha-ir!"

Sheryl & Lanny

Initially, he had tried not to get too attached to the kid, with the thought that he'd wind up dead or carted off somewhere when their plan came to head. But Raimi had grown on him quickly, and Sheryl was adamant about keeping Raimi as her son. Now, it was the fear of what Raimi might become that had Lanny apprehensive. James had also taken notice of the occasional smirk that the boy gave, and it never failed to remind them of Ratri and the fate he met - and the fate that they planned for Conan as well.

Lanny didn't care one bit about Conan, although it did distress him to some degree that they would be attempting to kill Raimi's brother soon. The fact was driven home whenever Raimi broke into one of his inconsolable fits, which Sheryl always dismissed as a tantrum that kids were wont to have, but that Lanny figured was do to seperation anxiety.

As long as Raimi was happy right now, Lanny was conent to dwell on the moment and keep the boy cheerful, "That's right, Randy! Hair." To further show his point, the teen brought a red lock of Raimi's hair down in front of the boys eyes, "Hair."

Raimi

Conan himself had no reason to like any of the CrypicSilvers any more than they had reason to like him. Raven had let slip, one time when he was angry and had been drinking a tad too much, a hint about some girl he'd dated, that had been a CS. Not enough for Conan to guess what the eventual outcome had been, but plenty to make the teen place secondary blame for his abuse on the opposing gang. When he found out that the 'Silvers had his beloved little brother, there was no telling what new bounds his hatred would leap to, and whether or not he'd be willing to let them explain themselves before he decided to exact revenge.

But Raimi cooed and grasped the little tendril of hair Lanny had coaxed out, jumping a bit as he tugged it a bit too hard, but not bursting into tears, as any other his age might. Instead, he gave an experimental second tug, followed by a second wince, before he looked up at Lanny, a question on his face as he patted the teen's chest with his other hand, still gently tugging the little lock. "Jza may likpah! Shuuuu..."

Sheryl & Lanny

Giving a sympathetic chuckle when Raimi experimented with just how much pressure he could put on his locks, he ruffled the kid's hair, "Now don't be tugging too hard, or you'll end up looking like uncle Andy, then we'll have no hair to cut at all!" Lanny leaned his head down closer, brows furrowed in concentration as he listened to Raimi's next line of speech, "Is that so, Randy?" Again he gave a good-natured laugh, having not understood a single word.

Returning from the bathroom, Sheryl was making her way back to her stool when her path was blocked by a slightly older guy with a towering stature and bristling with over-done muscles. "You're a sweet little thing to look at." He commented wryly, taking a forceful hold of her arm as she tried in vain to shove him away. "Back off, jerk!" She snapped and landed a resounded slap across his face.

Hoisting Raimi up, Lanny stood and took a few decisive steps towards the confrontation, "Hey! She said back off, asshole!" He snarled out, looking defiantly at the man who looked to be at least twice his bulk and strength. The agressor turned with a scoff, ready to have it out with whoever dared to tell him what to do. As soon as he saw who had spoken to him, however, the arrogant smirk flashed away. Without any further provocation, the large man backed off, leaving Lanny to guide Sherly back to her seat.

Raimi

Raimi's sudden interest in tugging on his little red lock evaporated as Lanny ruffled his hair, and he smiled back, wriggling contentedly on the teen's lap and giggling up at him.

It was Sheryl's voice that made him turn from the entertainment, and add his screeching protest to Lanny's intimidation, a cruel little scowl adorning the cute face and directing that ugly look at the burly stranger. "Graaaaaaahhhh mat! Kruuuuzzz-jip mah liiiiith!" If there was one thing to be said for his time among the Zelkovi's, it was that he had learned that his new family could intimidate almost anyone into submission, and he was quickly learning the ropes of doing so himself.

As Lanny carried the boy back to the table, Raimi leaned toward Sheryl, clearly wanting to be transferred so that he could soothe Sheryl and wipe the ugly grimace from her face. "Randy Randy Randy..." He parroted softly, hands grasping for Sheryl, "Shay-shay! Randy..." He hadn't quite gotten used to calling Sheryl "Mommy", not yet understanding that his own birth mother was dead, but he often called her Shay-Shay, having derived this from James and Lanny calling her name about the apartment. It was only on a very rare occasion that Raimi could be persuaded to call Sheryl 'Mommy', and then usually to soothe her. But now, he did so. "Moooommy... shuuupa!"

Sheryl & Lanny

Lanny's intentful gaze followed after the man even as he seated himself back at their table. It wasn't until Raimi began to lean away from him and talk that his focus snapped back, "You ok, Sherry?" Thinking subconciously, he responded to Raimi's wordless wants and passed him on to his adoptive mother.

Brushing a stray wift of auburn hair behind her shoulder, Sheryl gladly accepted her little boy and met him with a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine. And how's my little boy?" Dismissing the entire encounter as if it was nothing, she lavished attention on the boy, who's words more than made her smile return despite her hazed-out mind. "That's right Randy, Mommy's back."

Not entirely satisfied with the turn of events, Lanny took his cell out to dial his brother.

Raimi

Now assured that Sheryl was fine, Raimi cuddled up against her once more, murmuring soft nothings to himself as he reaffirmed to himself that she had come to no harm. Sheryl might not be Mommy... but she was the next best thing. Thinking that she might be hurt had distressed him.

For now, he contented himself with snuggling into the fabric of her shirt, making soft mewling noises that were half frightened, and half sleepy.

Sheryl & Lanny

An arm was wrapped around Raimi, in an act of motherly protection and comforting to the little one. She murmured back to the boy for a little while, as her eyes were set into a stare at nothing in particular. Her other hand was busy tapping absently at the table, as Lanny watched on in silence. It was a sad, sweet moment.

Having finished his call with James, Lanny continued to observe the other party-goers, and noted that the man who had caused trouble earlier was wise enough to vacate the club. It wouldn't do him good in the long run, but it at least instilled a further reminder in the others not to mess with the CS.

"Sheryl, I think it's time to go. C'mon, you're both tired, and James will be here soon." Helping the young lady up, and making sure she didn't drop Raimi in the process, he led them outside to wait.

Raimi

Raimi leaned willingly back into her embrace, but as they so often did these days, the little brown eyes carried a wisdom that had nothing to do with his years. The little boy, for being not even two, knew quite a bit about alcohol. He knew the smell of it, and the look of it, and he knew that it made Daddy behave very strange when he drank it. He knew that he, Raimi, was not allowed to touch it, and that Ras-Ras hated it as much as Daddy loved it. he knew also that Mommy hadn't liked it that much either, especially when her husband's drunkenness interfered with her plans.

All these things kept the tiny eyes sad, even after his verbal protests ended. Liquor had poisoned Daddy, and now it was poisoning Sheryl, and sometimes even Lanny and James. This was not a good thing. He sat quietly in Sheryl's embrace as they waited for James to arrive, but his eyes were older than glacier-formed mountains.

Sheryl, James, & Lanny

Too far gone to notice the look her little boy possessed, Sherly just leaned against the wall as she held him against her, eyes continuing to seek into the vast distances of nothingness.

Beside her, hands tucked into his pockets and head all but obscured by the gray hood, Lanny kept a watchout for both Jame's car and potential danger. At one point, he spared a look to Sherly and Raimi. It was then that he noticed the peculiar look that the boy carried, and it again brought a twinge of sadness to his heart.

A beam of headlights flashed around the corner, growing stronger until a sleek, teal-blue car appeared in view. Pulling around the corner with a squeal of tires, the vehicle screeched to a halt in front of Sherly and Lanny. "Come on Sheryl, lets go." Lanny coaxed, guiding her to the car's passenger side and holding the door open for her. Raimi was passed off to him until she got situated in the front seat, and then he handed her back and squeezed himself into the back seat.

Raimi

The little boy met Lanny's gaze solidly when he turned to look at them, and for a long moment, there was an eerie, stretched feeling in the air.

Then, just as quickly, it was gone, and Raimi slept softly against Sheryl as they waited to drive away.