Tangled Bush

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Reuben would probably latch onto Caden and never let go of him. At least for a good, long while, all while trying to wrestle him away from Julian. Oh well, he would go gallivanting off to find the little kid once he got over this flu bout. A sick and grumpy little brother that wouldn't take medication was something he didn't want to have to deal with.

"With the frequency you run into him, I might have just had bad luck and kept missing him not by much at all..." Reuben sighed. Knowing his luck, that was probably what had happened. He and Caden had likely passed each other several times and never even realized it.

"That's... a very long story, actually." Reuben was a bit flustered. "Let's just say that there was some truth to those rumors... and leave it at that, hopefully?"

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<sub>Benedict put his hands on the table, looking down. So Caden and Reuben might have missed each other by the brink of his nose. That much suck. He didn't say anything about Caden, though. For now, he would try and find the kid and bring him to Sine's residence. Maybe that will help. For now? Console Reuben.

"I'll find him, I swear, as for those rumors..." He remembered what he told Caden, and he sighed. "I could tell you you are a bad kid and a sin against God, but I don't know where I came from, and I don't know if I would be considered a hypocrite if I said that." He looked down. Well CLEARLY Caden said too much.

"I was born an orphan. For all I know, my parents could have been horrible sinful people and I was born a result of it." God, he speaks the truth. "The truth? We're both good people. We took light of dark deeds."</sub>

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Knowing Reuben's luck recently? Very likely. Either way, he closed his eyes, only to open them back up when Benedict spoke up about the rumors. Oh great, was the other going to give him a sermon about how he was a sin and then didn't deserve a cute kid brother like Caden- or maybe not. He tilted his head at Benedict when the other mentioned that he would be a hypocrite.

"Go on?" He urged, wanting to know about this.

"That's the truth. I have one brother through my mother, Caden, and at least one more through... erm, Andy." He couldn't use 'pops' unless he was trolling Andy, and he wasn't going to call him father. "All I know about that brother was that he is about my age, black-haired, and was left at a church. And as for... Andy. He told me when he met me it finally hit him what the consequences of his actions were, for people like me and my other sibling."

Oh god, if Sine was listening...

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<sub>Reuben looked like he was about to have a teenager reaction to his sermon, but it seems he got interested when Reuben spoke up about that. Hm, black hair, about his age... Benedict's heart and stomach flipped around. Left at a church...? He was left at a church too...

"... So Andy is your father...?" He swallowed. Wow, a rapist pirate as a dad, that must be hard, but it seems Andy confessed his actions. What a strange incident. Either way, he was having trouble believing Andy would even-wait a moment.

"... Reuben. It feels like too much of a coincidence that I have black hair, I'm your age... and I was left at a church as a baby..." His voice got quieter. "... And we were mistaken as.... siblings..."</sub>

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He was raised Catholic, of course he would have had a teenager reaction. It didn't hit him what his words were doing to poor Benedict. Slowly, Reuben nodded when Benedict asked whether Andy was his father.

"Biologically, yes. I can't call him 'father', though, that's reserved for the man that raised me from childhood." Though 'pops' wasn't out of the question. "I was in huge denial when I found out, but... it's strange. He robbed me three times in my life, but upon realizing who I was, he stopped attacking me, and just annoys me every once in awhile."

...Wait. Benedict was black-haired, about his age, left at a church as a baby, mistaken for his brother... Oh dear lord. He stared at the man for a bit, blinking several times, and clearly not sure how to react, before giving a bit of a roguish, but weak, grin.

"You know, this means you have an actual obligation to care for Caden now." Joking? Maybe, maybe not. Still, the grin left his face.

"Are you really my..." He sneezed, but even then, he was having a hard time getting the words out.

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<sub>Benedict wondered about that. So Andy actually had an instinct to protect those who were part of him. That's pretty... interesting. Maybe he was finally getting older, and maybe he'll see the light and go to heaven some day. Who knows? But Benedict? He was having trouble coping with this realization.

"... Maybe he does have an obligation to father you. Might be a strange instinct or something. I guess you'll just have to wait and see." Benedict was still reeling over this possible revelation. Does this mean...?

"... Caden aside... Do we share the same mother... or father....?" Benedict knew in his logic that it was probably the same father. Andromeda is infamous for rapes, which meant... Damn. This sucks. He was the son... of the most wanted pirate in all three countries.

"... I don't know. It just feels too coincidental." He swallowed.</sub>

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It had blown Reuben's mind when he had first found out about him, but Andy refusing to rape him upon realizing he was his son, despite having tried to do it before and having had the perfect chance to, proved that. Though Reuben probably would have laughed at the thought of Andy hoping to go to heaven. Nope, the man was atheist, sorry bro.

"Maybe... all he does right now is poke fun at me and talk to me about things whenever we end up encountering each other." Maybe it was his imagination, but did Benedict look a little pale at the revelation?

"...Father. I don't think you're Caden's actual brother, and no one in my family, either side, has black hair. I think you got that from your mother." He patted Benedict. Reuben could probably guess how the other was feeling at the moment, considering how much he had been in denial upon finding out... and deciding that a strong drink was an excellent idea.

"Coincidence or not..." He didn't know. It was too coincidental, but at the same time, it clicked. Poor Andy, his other son turned out to be the Christian boy that he was dreading.

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<sub>Benedict felt sick to the stomach. He was denying it wasn't he? It was Andromeda. The man who was everything he was not. Now he had to decide... did he want to accept this as his father after wondering for so long? Or... would he hate him? Benedict was at a complete loss for the first time in his life.

"Sounds... casual. I guess all those rumors about him being a monster aren't true..." Well, yeah they are. Andy just loves his family. And those who hurt them? ... They suffer the consequences.

"... Well it was false hope. But this means we'd be half brothers. And we have a wanted pirate for a father." He smacked his head on the table and groaned. "How delightfully sinful. I'll ask the Father of the church I grew up in, if it's true or not. I'd like to know who my mother is."

Benedict lifted his head when he heard footsteps walking up the stairs and Sine returned, smiling at the two of them, but they seemed a bit different.

"You two look like you've seen ghosts." She'd check on the food, deciding it was cooked and pulled it out of the oven.</sub>

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It was denial. Benedict definitely looked sick, and for a moment Reuben was genuinely concerned that the man had gotten sick or was about to vomit on him or something. He patted Benedict on the shoulder in an awkward manner.

"...Oh, they're true. Just not with the people on his 'Do not harm' list." He rested his hand on Benedict's shoulder.

"You're coping better than I did. I holed myself up on my airship for a few days, worried the heck out of my friend, and then the first thing I did upon leaving was go drinking with a down-on-his luck military Clockwork and a frustrated screenwriter." Oh, that had been an interesting day. No sermons about how alcohol was the devil's drink, please.

"Speaking of your mother, he did mention her name... Sine, I think?" Yes, Reuben was being just a little slow. Speaking of Sine, the woman walked in right after he said that, and he stared up at her with a bit of a deer-in-the-headlights expression.

He snapped out of it, and gave a weak grin. "N-Nothing, ma'am..."

No, that had to be coincidence. Though Lila would probably be trollfacing right about now.

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<sub>Benedict thought for a moment. He met Andy... oh god he met his dad. he choked a moment, realizing that he met his dad without even realizing it. And Lila...

"I ran into him. Lila was acting funny. I thought it was because she felt something bad in him... She usually doesn't pester people to that level, stealing his hat..." Lila knew, that horse knew... how? He had no idea.

".. Sounds interesting. The Church usually allows drinking in moderation, but... you know I would want to get hammered myself." He murmured. And then he mentioned Sine. Benedict froze like a deer, and just in that time Sine did some in. He swallowed. Hard.

"I-I'm okay..." He spoke up, voice voice several octaves higher. Sine looked at the two of them, wondering what sort of trouble they got themselves in. Plus, Benedict was observing her carefully, and it hit him.

She has black hair!

"Alright... you two look freaked out." She'd start spooning the meal in for the boys and put them down, before getting a plate for her and Dr. Rosin.</sub>

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Yep. Reuben was still trying to comprehend that he had been nearly raped, three times, by his own father. He mentioned Lila, and then he blinked. Hm. If the horse knew Benedict and Caden pretty well, then he would smell like the both of them, wouldn't he? Maybe. Still, it was funny to know that Lila had harassed Andy too.

"And nearly mowing down people with the flu and then deciding they were interesting and stealing their hair?" Reuben rubbed the spot where Lila had yanked out a few hairs. That had actually hurt.

"It was interesting. I could temporarily forget what I had just learned, and I don't blame you for all of this." You were still Benedict. Not 'bro' just yet. It was too awkward.

"I just realized I need to do get something done..." he somewhat lied - he did have to find Caden, but he hadn't just realized it. He glanced over at Benedict, patting the man, before finding his meal very interesting.

Ball was in your court, Ben. He wasn't saying anything.

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<sub>Benedict looked over to Reuben. Well, Lila was the most interesting horse he owned. Actually she was the only horse he had. And right now, she was enjoying her delicious meal, as well as the grass that was in the backyard. Yum! She was completely oblivious to what just happened, but she would neigh in relief at it.

"Lila probably... I don't know her sometimes. She can get a little disobedient when something gets on her mind." He'd go quiet at everything else, even as Sine handed them the meal. Man he was hungry, but he didn't want to eat.

"Give me a moment to take this to Frances and I'll join you." She spoke up. Sine would leave for a quick few minutes. Benedict had time to think about it. He bit his lip and chewed it.

"... There's only one way to find out, Reuben. And that's ask her." He took a deep breath. As soon as she came back, he watched her as she sat down and he finally asked the question.

"You said you had another child. What happened to him? I mean...when was the last time you saw him?"

That question threw off Sine, and she looked at the both of them carefully. She swallowed, looking down at her food, looking a bit uncomfortable at this.

"It's a long story. And... I don't know if you'd want to know. She murmured.

"... I have to know." Benedict spoke up, looking almost desperate.

"You know Dula, right? Such a horrid place, and I had to live in that place. I had to take care of my little niece Nerys, wherever she is now..." She looked glum. "I met and fell in love with a boy there. I won't say his name, though, but he was a nice man who loved me back, that is before that company got to him. I was pregnant at age sixteen with my first child then, and it was shameful, I know. He ran away before I did, because I couldn't escape in time. As soon as I could I hitched a ride here and gave birth to a boy. I had to leave him at the church in east Alfya because of society and... they'd look at me like some kind of slut if I was taking care of a child at that age. ... I just wanted to start a new life as soon as I escaped."</sub>

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Reuben would still be very cautious around Lila. First impressions of being nearly trampled and having hair stolen weren't the best. Or maybe it was because her name was Lila. "She's interesting, that's what she is."

He nodded to Sine as she went to take the meal to Dr. Rosin, and then glanced down at the food, taking a bite. Hm, it was pretty good. He looked again over at Benedict when the other decided that he was going to ask him.

"It's your mother we're talking about, so it's only right that you should be the one to ask. I wouldn't be related to her." So he nibbled a few more bites as Sine came back, swallowing as he finally popped the question to Sine. Reuben stared back up at her, instinctively flattening his messy Andy hair.

"..." It fit. Everything that she told him fit with what Andy and Benedict had told him about themselves and what had happened. "I know Dula. I'm not exactly welcome there... as for Nerys, she was my next door neighbor for awhile." Then she got to talking about how she left her first child at a church in the eastern part of the city, and slowly nodded, looking back over at Benedict.

Maybe he shouldn't tell this woman he was her ex-boyfriend's son just yet.

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<sub>Benedict was lost in thought as Reuben spoke up. Well, Lila and all. The horse he loved. Platonically, damnit! He took a few bites of the meal, blowing on it to cool it off. Mmn, it was good! Maybe he could eat after that. Reuben was right though. He would be the one to ask. When Sine explained what happened with her, he was full on listening.

"Oh thank God for Nerys. She made it safely..." And is dating Cepheid, her ex-boyfriend's twin brother. They didn't know about that though.

"... The father is Andromeda, isn't it?" Benedict spoke quietly. Sine's eyes widened a bit at that, and she stammered a bit.

"How do you... what.... Yes. Andromeda Seren Callidum." She spoke, nervously. "I... ran into him just yesterday, with his twin brother. Never got his twin's name though. He had an infection, and Andy looked really worried. For once, he didn't flip out when I told him I dropped the baby off at the church, and married someone else, pretty much ruining our plans as teenagers... I don't think he took it well at all anyway, despite his iron will self control. But... we separated, we were going to meet up again, but I never saw him again until just yesterday..."

Benedict's eyes widened. Why would Andy be unhappy about that? Did he have intentions of marrying Sine and... he would have been their child, they would have been a happy family, away from the hellhole known as Dula... all because they had to escape it. It sounded like some soppy romantic drama now.

So it is true. Everything matched up like pieces of the puzzle, at least his and Sine's side, and just by process of elimination, it meant Andy was his father, and Sine was his mother. But... the question, the very question dogged his mind, just like Andy's.

"... Why didn't you take back the child once you were old enough or married to Dr. Rosin?" Benedict asked. His eyes turned cold, and for just a moment, Andromeda seemed to creep out a bit from the teenager. Granted, it WAS the same question that Andy asked her, and she was completely taken aback.

"I.... Andy asked that question... wh-why do you want to know? Who are you?!" She demanded. Benedict would stash that comment in later.

"It's all making sense now, Mrs. Sine Rosin. I'm that very child you dropped off all those years ago."</sub>

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One would suspect that since you couldn't love human women as far as the RPer knew about Catholicism back then he had settled for loving the female horse. Maybe. At least she seemed to be relieved about Nerys, to the point where it was probably another good idea not to tell her that Nerys was now under Andy's protection and was dating Andy's twin brother. These family trees were already tangled up enough.

".Right, he had gotten shot." He remembered wondering what the Star Man had done to get shot. He swallowed another bite of food and stifled a sneeze as she talked about how it would never work out.

Right, of course it wouldn't. The love of his life he had been searching for for years was now married to another man and had a son. It wouldn't work out anymore. The fact that Dr. Rosin was still alive was a miracle in itself, knowing Andy, unless he couldn't bring himself to hurt Sine by killing her husband. Reuben felt a headache coming on that didn't seem to be from the flu.

"...I feel like I'm in one of that screenwriter's movies right about now."