Serendipity ○ All 14

20. Owen

"Do you see how they circle around her?"

Owen fiddled with his glasses in a very Kota-like manner. He looked over to Axel and raised an inquiring eyebrow, showing that his interest was peaked. He could answer straight away, but in a uncharacteristic move on his part, he wanted to put off the conversation.

Axel leveled him with dark, deadpanned eyes. "Don't pretend you don't notice."

Looking around the light painted walls and photos of family members long since passed, his eyes settled on the woman sleeping on the cream colored couch. She was curled up into a ball, fist planted under her cheek, making her lips settle into a slighty parted pout.

"I notice," Owen said. He truly did. In the last couple of hours, all of his brothers had ventured into the room to check on her wellbeing more than once. He wasn't sure whether he should be proud or worried.

"Are we going to allow it to continue?" His close friend asked.

Thinking back to his brothers smiles and eyes filled with new purpose, he wasn't quite sure stopping was an option. The lovely brunette had snuck into their affections with all the subtlety of a seasoned Academy bird. Quick and efficient.

"I've given it thought," Owen admitted freely. "Yet it doesn't seem right."

He looked down at the sheet music covering his lap, absently remembering Ms. Bennett telling him that she'd like to hear him play for her. She had mentioned her never hearing someone play classical music on the violin. Her grandfather had taught himself to play bluegrass music on the instrument.

He admired her ability to admit she had zero aptitude for instruments without embarrassment or shame. One doesn't have to know how to play the violin to appreciate the beauty.

Based off of the way her eyes lit up with nostalgia and comfort, she admired it plenty. Their tastes may have been different, but they both understood that music could be enjoyed without lyrics filling the space.

His friend sighed, but Owen noticed there was no ill will behind it. He almost seemed wistful. "She's like nobody I've ever came across before. So unapologetically herself."

"Agreed," Owen conceded, both of the men gazing at the slumbering woman. "I will admit that I believed it was curiosity that drew me to her, but now I am not so sure."

"When we accepted Kayli into our family, I always had these creeping doubts. She was too violent, too headstrong." Axel ran his fingers over the leather arm of the recliner, lost in thought. "I should've listened to my instincts. Look at where my ignorance has gotten my team."

Owen steepled his fingers under his chin. "You shouldn't regret it. Learn from it and move on."

To many, Owen would seem harsh with his words, but knowing each other for so long, Axel took no offence.

"I don't regret it." Axel shot him a look of contained amusement. "In fact, at the risk of sounding like an ass, I think the break ups were needed for our teams to finally understand that nothing would tear our families apart. Not even a bird we shared."

It wasn't the best thing to make an example out of, but it was remarkably true. With all the fear Owen and his team shared about Sang breaking their family up, they were able to hold strong and trust each other.

"Perhaps that's why our continued dalliance with Ms. Bennett seems so natural compared to our rocky starts with both Ms. Sorenson and Ms. Winchester."

"I wouldn't call it a 'daliance', Owen." Axel was still amused. "From the way our brothers are hanging around her, it's far from casual. Plus, maybe it feels natural because she fits better than the girls ever did."