so darling hold my hand (I'm ready for this)

grief wont leave

Yellow tulips -
Sunshine in your smile

Whatever it was that had happened, (whatever was a really mild phrasing, considering what exactly had went down at the museum) it hadn't left Druigs mind. Especially Makkaris words had stuck to him like a piece of gum that a child had put into his hair.

"I'm not saying that they should beat each other up, but don't you think its unfair to take away their free will to solve problems their own way? Not talking about a problem doesn't make it go away, Druig, and I think you know that very well."

He knew now and he hated it. Well, he'd known before, but he hadn't been aware that he knew.

But maybe, only maybe, not thinking about it, distracting himself, would make it go away.

He cursed his inability to mind-control himself.

Makkari tugged on his jacket and one look at her made him forget all of his worries.

Her smile was radiant as she excitedly signed to him: "We're here! Look! Druig, look!", trying to get him to divert his attention to the house before them.

Druig only had eyes for her. He, however, had to oblige as she started to pout, that beautiful face of hers gaining a pleading look.

"Fine, fine.", the mind controller told her and finally did what he was supposed to do.

Compared to all the other constructions around, the house didn't seem out of the ordinary. A lush, green lawn. A clean, light facade. A happy, normal family.

Well, if one didn't consider that one of the dads was an eons old being, created by the very entity that had formed the universe, tasked with protecting humanity from the deviants.

(One was graciously avoiding the fact that they had been doing this so Tiamut would have enough to snack on after his extended nap-period. If no one was to bring it up, neither would they.)

"Auntie Makkari!"

Jack came running at them full force, looking as if they'd just gifted him the stars. They boy flung himself at the shorter of the Eternals and wrapped his arms around her, squeezing as tightly as he could.

"Hello to you too Jack.", Druig mumbled and rolled his eyes. Affectionately.

His eyes landed on an elderly lady, her arm hooked under that of the equally elderly gentleman next to her.
Ben and Phastos were talking to them, mirroring the couples posture.

Well, they had been talking to them. Now however they were looking at the new arrivals, the older couple quite curious.

"Jack dearie, why don't you introduce us to your friends?", the lady suddenly spoke up, exchanging a look with what presumably was her husband. He seemed to agree and the boy beamed at them.

"They're daddy's family! His family is sooooo big!"

To underline his statement Jack spread his arms appart as wide as he could, hitting the mind controller standing next to him in the process.

He, of course, had to feign hurt as a cover the snatch the boy of his feet, effortlessly wrestling him up and into the air.

"Daddy! Papa! Ma-haha! Pa! Help!"

His breathless laughter was contagious to say the least. Soon Makkari, who wasn't able to hear him - but still, was cackling aswell, Ben and the elderly man joining too. From Jack's exclamation, the man and woman were most like his grandparents and therefore Ben's parents.

Huh.

"Phil, sweetie, why didn't you tell us your family would visit! I would've made something nice to eat if I'd known!", Jacks grandmother complained, a sullen look painting her features.

Phil? Who in Arishems name was- ooooooh. Oh.

Makkaris expression mirrored his own, feral grin that spread across their faces as large as "humanly" possible.

"What'd she say?", she asked, so much anticipation in her eyes.

Druig already raised his hands to respond, but Phastos was faster.

"They don't know and you're not going to tell them anything!", he signed quickly, glaring at the mind controller as he did so. His stern looked softened when he looked over at Makkari. "Regina called me Phil because they don't know, and I'd really like to keep it that way."

That got a reaction.

"Why?", she asked, irritation written all over her face. "Don't you think they deserve to know?"

Phastos groaned and lifted his glasses to be able to pinch the bridge of his nose.

Ben, Jack and the boys grandparents stayed silent throughout the whole argument, though that didn't prohibit them from observing the whole thing in silence. As it was, the whole conversation was signed, making it infinitely harder for the onlookers to discern the cause for said argument.

"Makkari." The technopath took a deep breath. "They will freak out. Paul had a heart attack two years ago and I'm not eager to repeat that experience, thank you very much."

He turned to Regina, now speaking out loud for the first time in minutes.

"I wanted it to be a surprise, Gina. Besides, they're only here to babysit Jack-" "I'm not a baby!" "- I know Jack. Anyways, they're here to look after him so we four could go to a restaurant for our anniversary.", he explained, laying an arm around his husband while his son looked a little less pounty at being called a baby.

Gina smiled.

"Well, shall we get going then?"

_______________________________________

To everyone that celebrates, happy belated Hanukkah!