Blue Blood

Family Meeting

The last thing I would have expected when they came back, was that Kate and Damien were Magnus's parents. But now that I looked deeper, I could see their resemblance.

He had Kate's steely eye shape and Damien's deep blue color. He had his father's nose, but his mother's nasal bridge. He shared his mother's sharp jaw line as well, and matched the way she held herself.

As they explained themselves and told their story, Magnus kept a cold stare. Arms crossed and posture straight, he just seemed to be absorbing all the new information. His eyes didn't move, no perking of his lip and no scrunching of his eyebrows, he just stared.

"Magnus, you have to understand. We had no idea you were alive, they told us you were dead. We had no reason not to trust them!"

No response.

"I know this must be hard for you, it's hard for us as well."

"A-and we never stopped loving you! We mourned you every single day, you were all we ever wanted in life!"

Still, no response. He just kept starring,  but now I could see all the pain buried in his eyes. The anger, sadness, weakness, and plain misery hidden in his eyes. Someone who had never known him would never be able to see it. His own parents, surely didn't.

10 minutes passed in the stale atmosphere before another word was muttered.

"Magnus, you haven't spoken." Kate spoke, just above a whisper.

His jaw tightened, "And what do you want me to say?"

He tore his eyes away from the stare, "You want me to say that I forgive you? That I still love you? That you're still my parents?"

"Magnus-" Damien tried you speak.

"You've been absent my entire life and now you think that you can just walk back in?" Magnus boomed, knuckles staring to turn white around his rolled shirt sleeves.

"Darling, please, try to understand-"

"I understand plenty. I don't care that you loved me, I don't CARE that you gave birth to me! I don't care that you tried or that you grieved, I'm not yours anymore," Magnus barked.

"Magnus-!"

"And you're not my parents! I never had any, and I never will!"

In a flash, he was swinging the door open and letting it slam and clatter behind him.

"Magnus, wait!" I call rushing out the door behind him, leaving the parents to mull over what just happened.

The sky has shifted to angry yellow-gray and thunder rings across the horizon. The wind was pulling twigs and leaves off the ground and sending them in all directions.

It was hard to catch up to him. He wasn't running, but he was sure walking fast. His fists were still balled tight.

"Magnus-hey!-s-slow down for a second!" I stumble grabbing his arm.

Reluctantly, he stops and mumbles, "I don't want to hear in Rody . . ."

"H- . . . Hear what?"

"That I was wrong! That I overreacted and should go back and apologize!" He snaps.

There's a beat of silence as he takes a deep breath and pinches his nasal bridge.

"I wasn't going to say that." I mumble, softening my grip on his arm. "Mags . . . I just want to support you. I l- . . . I love you. And I want you to be happy."

He turns to me tears starting to break through. He looks so upset . . . He angrily swipes as his tears, tearing them away. I slip my hand into his.

"Whatever you need, whatever path you choose to take . . . I'll follow. Always."

He breathes slowly, "And what if you don't agree with my path? What if . . . What if the path I choose isn't the right one and people get hurt? What if you . . . Fall in love with someone, and the path we're on keeps you from them? What then?"

I squeeze his hands "Then we find another path. Together. Nothing in this world or any other, could ever keep me from being with you,"

I take his hand and gently place it over my heart, "Magnus . . . My life is yours."

In that moment, a loud boom sounds and dazzling lights fill the sky, but honestly, I couldn't care less about completing one of my labors.

Before I can even think further, he pulls me into a crushing embrace. It's painful around my ribs, and it's hard to breath, but I don't mind. For him, I'd take it and much more, gladly.

Mags let's lose a broken laugh and wipes a tear away, "Ya know, that's kind of my line, isn't it?"

We both break into a fit of laughter, breaking the hug but still holding each other. After all that's happened today, we could use a good laugh.

After a while of laughing, we both stop and just soak up what has happened today. All is quiet between us, only the wailing of the wind occupying our ears.

"So . . . What should we do?" I chime up after a few minutes.

His demeanor faults and he looks down, "Well, we have to go back no matter what. All of our stuff is still there."

We both cough out a laugh.

" . . . I can't accept them yet, at least not now . . . I need time."

"I understand. Let's stay the night and leave in the morning."

He nods his head and we start walking back as the wind and thunder bellows around us. Suddenly, Magnus perks up and stops.

"Did you hear that?"

"What? No, what is it?"

"It sounded like . . . Holy shit."

Magnus starts running towards the woods, dead set on something. I chase after him. How the hell could he hear something through all this wind!? And then suddenly I hear it. I can't help but break into a giant smile.

Through the trees barrels Edima, covered in mud and soot, but she's healthy. She neighs loudly as we rush up and hug her.

"Thank the gods, I thought I lost you. Don't ever run away from me again, do you hear me!?" Magnus yells over the wind.

A few yards away, I start to notice some small trees being lifted from the ground. And then heavy logs. And then rocks. And then a bear.

"Uh Mags, we should-" I start to say, but he's already on it.

Pulling me with him in one hand, and leading Edima with the other, he rushes us towards the barn.

"Mags, are you sure!?"

"You got a better plan!? There's a fucking tornado out here! Get in the goddamn barn!"

We rush in and bar the door behind us. The horses are all spooked, bumping into their stalls and neighing all over the place. We go to each window and latch them shut as fast as we can. I just finish the last one when Magnus pulls me into his lap and holds me in a death grip. Edima stands beside us, pacing.

The wind shakes the barn and bombards our ear drums. One by one, I see the storm start to tear apart the boards of the structure.

Oh my gods. We're going to die.

Mags pulls me under him and wraps himself around me as the tornado starts to roll over the top of the barn.

"What are you doing!?" I scream.

"I just got you back, I'm not loosing you again!"

The roof of the barn disappears into her gaping maw and we stare up at the wind demon above us, Waiting for her to swallow us whole. Waiting for us to become one with the storm.