The Reunion Game

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Cepheid saw the ship and felt a small knot of dread well up in his gut. Maybe if he was fast enough, he could duck out and borrow some of his brother's clothes so he didn't have to stay in the dress. No one would recognize him in the get-up, but all it took was one comment from Dani...

Once the approached the ship, Ceph wasted little time in ushering Ben up the ladder and onto the deck. Due to the sun and the viel, he hadn't noticed Andy and Reuben on the deck. Waiting until Ben and Dani were up, Ceph scaled the ladder without much trouble, and stepped onto the deck, looking around to see if there was anyone else in the docks.

After a brief once over, he turned and looked at the deck, and decided that life wasn't worth living anymore. There stood not only Reuben and Lapis, but Andy.

Awww geeze, better prepare for the ridicule.

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<sub>Andromeda would take his focus away from Lapis, looking over to Reuben when he spoke up. Yeah, it had been weird, and this man just thoughtfully inhaled the smoke from the cigarette, slowly working his way down it. Finally, he breathed out the last smoke and then flicked the cigarette over the railing.

"I see Daniela." He spoke up. He saw what happened to be a black haired cowboy... which he knew would have been Benedict, and the man swallowed. Okay, so nobody told him the kid would have a cowboy getup.

"... I assume that's Benedict." He spoke quietly. Finally what seemed to be some Arabic woman.... that is until Andy realized with horror that must be Cepheid... disguised... as a woman. Andy held his breath as everybody was ushered in, and now everybody was on board.

"Hey, that's Benedict." Dani spoke up. Andy mumbled something about it, saying he knew that already, but then it seemed that he would ignore Ben for a moment... just to point to the hallways leading to his bedroom, smacking his face with his other hand in some kind of awkward facepalm.

"Get some clothes on that fit your gender."</sub>

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Reuben coughed a little from the cigarette smoke, but he didn't complain at Andy to put it out. It wasn't his fault that his lungs rebelled against even a bit of the smoke. He looked over the railing of the ship as Andy pointed out that he saw Daniela. Yup, that was her, alright. And that man with them with the black hair...

"That's Ben. I don't think he had the hat last time. And who..." Reuben stared as it clicked who that woman with the veil was. Oh dear god. A smile twitched on his face, but he covered it up. "No need to tell me who that is. That's Ceph."

After a bit, all of them were inside, and Reuben pointedly tried not to look at Cepheid, so that he didn't bust out laughing. "Hey, Ben. Been awhile."

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<sub>Benedict was now sure he was being ushered on the ship, which made him nervous. Of course he relaxed quite a bit when he saw Reuben there, climbing up professionally until he hopped up on deck. Andy focuse don Cepheid this time, which was fine by him. .. Andy seemed a bit bossy. Then again, that is his twin brother in women's clothing.

"Hey Reub." He smiled, but it was quite the nervous smile. ".. You look like you've seen better days." He'd take extra care to look over those injuries. They actually look like they've been taken care of quite well.

"How have you been aside from the injuries I spot?"</sub>

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Lapis looked up from her game and watched silently as the adults did very strange adult things. Who was the pretty lady? And who was that man in the hat?

---

As soon as Ceph met his brother's gaze, he simply stared back as his brother seemed rather bothered by his getup. Suddenly, all shame left him and for reasons he will later attribute to heatstroke, walk down the hallway without a word, popping his hips in a kind of strut, just to mess with his brother's head. Lapis certainly found it amusing, giggling childishly as Cepheid rounded the corner in a overly glamorous fashion.

Several minutes later, Ceph would come back, dressed in a spare outfit of his own he had forgotten he stashed in Andy's room, and looked casually at the group of them, then to Andromeda. "You owe me one, by the way." He said simply.

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<sub>"... So that's him..." Andy murmured as Benedict came up, started looking around. He would let him chat with Reuben for the moment, in order to focus on his insane twin brother.

Andromeda simplly watched as Cepheid left the area, and he... swung his hips... like a woman. Andromeda had nothing to say, but his hand reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose tightly and he lowered his head. He was like that for a few moment, that is before giggling happened to break his stride.

Selena was there now. Uh oh. She and Dani seemed to be busy chatting it up though. Hopefully she wouldn't try and cling to his other son now. Either way, Cepheid came back, and once he opened his mouth, the elder Cepheid twin quickly spoke up matter of factly.

"No I don't." He then walked over to the two sons, sort of awkwardly jamming his hands in his pockets.</sub>

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Reuben moved up to Benedict as best as he could without straining his leg or swinging his weaker arm too much. It would still take a bit of time for those to be healed completely, but at least he was getting better. Andy could focus on his rather... effeminate brother. He would focus on his own brother.

"Oh, don't remind me," he smiled back a bit nervously as well. "Seems like every time I run into you there's something wrong with me. I'm getting a lot better, though. Bullet to the arm and the leg, but I was treated."

And here, he broke off as Lapis's giggling alerted him to Cepheid who was... acting... very weird. He blinked a few times, and then tried to forget that disturbing mental image as he turned back to Benedict, keeping an eye on the girls. If he had gotten cuddled by them, Ben was too.

"Other than that, very bored. You know he won't let me off this ship until I'm fully healed? I'm surprised he even let me up here today."

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<sub>Benedict looks downright horrified when Cepheid started swinging his hips and acting like a girl. That just CAN'T be normal, not at all. He pulled his hat off his head to scratch his messy black hair, looking at the other half-brother nervously as he spoke up. Okay so he was stuck here, huh?

"As long as you weren't shot in the chest or have an infection, I won't be too worried." He spoke up. Granted, he was worried because he just met Reuben as a brother and didn't want to lose him. What surprised him was that Andy intended to keep him on the ship until he recovered.

"Really, huh? As for me, I've been tending to Lila, went back to the church to look out for the kids..." So Ben now has an overprotective daddy who is the most wanted pirate in the three kingdoms. That though scared him and made him feel very safe at the same time.</sub>

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Finally freed from the bounds of female fashion, Ceph stepped onto the deck and, upon his brother's comment, twitched in a slightly irritated manner. He just ran all the way to Seria, tracked down your son, brought him back, and willingly embarrassed himself so he could get Ben there as soon as possible, and he wasn't owed anything?!

Ohh if it wasn't for the fact you had a reunion going on, brother-

Letting out a rather irritated huff, Cepheid's patience with the whole thing waned and he went back into the cabin, heading to where he'd hope to find Nerys. At least she wouldn't be a jerk. He hoped.

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Lapis picked up her toy and watched the people on the deck talk. What was going on? Reuben and this man were brothers? So that made Grumpy Twin his dad too, right? She couldn't help but wonder if their mommy was hiding where hers was too. Lapis doesn't understand the concept of half-brothers

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<sub>Andromeda stared at Cepheid. He was going to get away with being a jerk as long as he could. After all he saved your ass when you nearly died from an infection. He looked back over to the boys, really just wanting to meet up with them and just... talk? He guessed? They were talking about him not letting Reuben off the ship.

"I wasn't going to let him off without those injuries healing. I've dealt with an infection before that scared the living daylights out of me, I'm not risking it again." He spoke up again.

"... Nice to meet you, Benedict. You already know who I am and I guess you don't approve." He took a deep breath. Give him time, Cepheid. He's probably antsy and will recover soon.

Dani seemed to sense that too, and a possible punch fight. She'll keep an eye on those boys. For now, she'd head inside where Cepheid left. He probably went to find Nerys, but Dani would take care of kitchen duties for now.</sub>

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<sub>Nerys herself was in her room, happy to work on a little sewing project. She would keep herself away from Andy and the others as they reunited. It wasn't any of her business anyway since she had no idea it was also her relative. After all, nobody told her about it since lack of communication meant everybody thought they told her.

"Hmm hmm~." Plus? It was the morning. She hated the light anyway.</sub>

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Looking at Benedict, the other probably wished he wasn't seeing what he was. Reuben wished that he wasn't seeing Cepheid at like that, either. It was incredibly disturbing, and something that Caden was never being told about. No way.

"No way, too slippery to be shot in the chest. Limbs are different. And I didn't have an infection... well, okay, I got a mild one. Body doesn't like it. But it wasn't that bad." True, for him, learning that he had a priest for a brother was much easier than learning that he had a serial rapist as his father.

"Speaking of kids, how's Caden, by the way...? I had just gotten shot a couple of days before his birthday..." And there was Andy. Perhaps it was time for some more awkward parent-child conversations. Only this time, Reuben was related to both of them and the parent hadn't abandoned the child.

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<sub>Benedict found he was not just talking to Reuben, but now Andy and he shuffled quite nervously. Okay so Reuben was fine, but he wouldn't touch or hug the guy yet. Probably too painful for him. Andy he had no idea how to react to. Maybe just... keep it casual for now.

"Good, I'm glad you're okay. As for Caden? He's doing great. I heard he was... more than enthusiastic meeting Cepheid.. or um- The Star Man, shall I say. Heard him all the way at the church." Ben smiled, trying to keep some amusement.

"Nice to meet you too... I've had many days to think about it, Andromeda. I still don't know what to think."</sub>

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Lapis stood quietly, listening to the conversation as it progressed, the little Clockwork in her hands squirming slightly.

---

Cepheid grumbled all the way down the stairs. He loved his brother, but that man could be an insufferable pain in the ass! He was going to give that guy a piece of his mind later on, but for now, put on a smile for your woman, boy!

Taking a breath to get himself settled down, he knocked lightly on Nerys's door, taking care to not have a repeat of before. "It's me, Ceph. I just got back." He reported. If he was allowed to open the door, he'd step in and close it behind him.

"Hi love. Sorry I'm late. Headwind on the way here slowed us down. How've things been?" He'd step up to her and put a kiss on her forehead, finding a save non-needle or pin ridden spot to sit down at. After a moment, he'd remember something and reach into his pocket. "Here, I picked this up for you in Seria." He'd pull out a pewter hair clip, the kind you fastened your hair with when you pulled it back. "I thought you might like it, if for no other reason than the engraving." He knew Nerys liked to wear her hair over her face, though he personally thought she'd look fantastic with the hair clip in place.

The hair clip in question

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<sub>Andromeda was pretty antsy, and totally unaware his brother is about as grumpy as he is usually in the morning. He took a long look at both of the boys, just taking in how similar they were aside from the fact that Benedict had black hair like his mom. That had to let Andy sink in for a moment.He had no idea how to add in on the conversation.

"... You two have no idea." He shook his head and looked away. "I honestly thought I'd never end up in a situation like this." He could blame Sine for this. Speaking of which... how did Benedict feel about Sine? ... He didn't want to bring her up, though.

"... I don't know anymore. All I'm dealing with right now is how to take care of one stubborn teenaged boy and his uncle."</sub>