confessions

[Catherine SaDiablo]

Kitty was still uncertain as to how she perceived married life. In her opinion, her life did not seem to change one bit other than the fact that there was now a silver wedding ring upon her index finger. The only true change that seemed to have occurred during the four months after Theresa's birth was that Quinn was no longer avoiding her, and according to her husband and newly appointed father-in-law, the reason for his avoidance was because Quinn desired to properly propose to her with an actual ring rather than just mere words. For this change, she was grateful because she was beginning to believe that perhaps Quinn was only attentive towards her because she was carrying his child, and now that Tessie was safely delivered into the world, he would not want anything more to do with her. Either way, she was a bit disappointed in what married life had granted her. She had expected much more excitement than from just merely being an engaged woman, but his did not seem the case. According to a friend she had briefly written to, Kitty had to acknowledge the fact that perhaps she and Quinn were already acting as if they were married before their nuptials, which she must admit sounded quite plausible.

"Please," Kitty pleaded with her squirming and fussy four-month-old daughter. The afternoon times were usually Tessie's resting hours, but Tessie did not seem to want to rest on this day, which caused the seventeen-year-old mother to be slightly vexed. If Tessie did not rest now, then she would be even fussier at supper time, and refused to eat because she was fatigued; Kitty disliked the thought of her daughter going to sleep hungry, and even more disliked the thought of waking in the middle of the night to feed the babe. Though she supposed she should not complain. She brought the responsibility of raising a child upon herself, and though she had not had much of an issue with Tessie during the four months after her birth, Kitty was well aware that the bliss of becoming a mother would soon wear off. However, that did not mean that she loved Tessie any less than she did the four months previous, but at present, Kitty was now being introduced to the hardships of raising a child.

However, Tessie was not always a fussy and demanding child. She was mostly sweet and content to gurgle and stare at objects and people in curiosity for hours, which only seemed to endear her more to her parents than ever. The young babe just had a moments where she deemed it necessary to caterwaul when she demanded attention, a nappy change, or a to be fed. Oh, and Tessie especially despised when she was handed into the care of her nanny, Ms. Jolly; it seemed that four months was not yet enough for the young girl to accept and appreciate her caretaker, which Kitty could thoroughly understand considering that she was not very fond of the nanny either, but what could she do? According to the file, Ms. Jolly was one of the best nannies one could acquire, and whom was she to test that logic? Other than that, Miss Theresa SaDiablo was quite a copacetic and serene child.

"Mrs. SaDiablo," one of the factotums called out into the nursery where Kitty was sitting in a rocker, attempting to sway her fussy daughter to sleep, "your brother is here to see you. He informs me that it is quite urgent."

"Oh?," Kitty inquired, whilst she shifted the child in her arms in order to turn her head towards the servant, "Which brother may that be, Fiona?"

"Mr. Ezekial Aesalon, ma'am."

Kitty rose an eyebrow in suspicion and surprise. Eze was here to see her? What for? Should not he have sent a note beforehand? Then she recollected the fact that sending notes was more of her eldest brother's practice rather than Eze's, but what would be so urgent that he would show himself unannounced? If this was, indeed, Eze they were speaking of, a dragon unexpectedly appearing in Hogsmeade could be the main reason for his urgency. He was rather immature like that. However, rather than dwell upon the numerous possibilities as to why her favorite brother could be announcing himself at this hour, Kitty lifted herself and her baby from the rocker, and proceeded to walk out of the nursery to the main parlor where visits were usually paid. "We're going to see Uncle Eze," she cooed to a still squirming Tessie as she strolled down the main hallway, "I know you like Uncle Eze; he adores you. Perhaps he can get you to sleep if you won't sleep for me."

Crossing the threshold of the main parlor, Kitty's eyes immediately found the familiar (and honestly quite comforting) presence of her favorite elder brother. As usual, Kitty's chocolate-brown eyes lit up as she resisted the urge to run and clutch him as she usually did after not seeing him for quite some time, but that would mean squishing poor Tessie. However, then she recognized that perhaps the situation he found himself in was quite urgent due to the fact he seemed to appear at least slightly nervous, which only caused Kitty to be concerned because usually Eze was quite confident, a symbol of his Gryffindor pride. Sending of any maid or servant about the room, Kitty said lightly with some concern laced into her voice, "Eze, I won't lie and say that your coming here - unannounced, I may add - did not surprise me, but I am concerned. Are you alright?"

Tag: Eze | Words: 953 | Outfit: here

  

[Ezekial Aesalon]

• Now that he had been tasked with proposing to Abe, Eze was starting to realize that he knew absolutely nothing about proposals. He knew that there was a ring, and a question, and hopefully an affirmative answer - but he had no ring and he was entirely unsure as to what Abe would like.
  
  Luckily this need coincided nicely for the other task he had given himself: telling Kitty. He didn't particularly want to, because admitting everything meant that the whirligig leading him to this point were completely real, and because she would quite possibly yell at him. Just because Eze was used to being yelled at didn't mean that he enjoyed it, particularly not when he was being scolded by someone whose opinion he actually valued. He also knew that he had earned any reprimands Kitty might have for him.
  
  It took him a few days to muster his courage, but when he did show up at Kitty's he did it unannounced. (What would he write her? Any hortatory letter he sent to her would surely come across as forced.) Her father-in-law's butler gave Eze a look when answering the door, but Eze was quite certain that he managed to express an amount of urgency to get him to take him seriously.
  
  He was even sober, although he always was when he visited Tessie.
  
  The butler led him into the parlor, where Eze stood quite awkwardly surrounded by SaDiablo opulence until his sister entered, carrying his niece. He beamed at her and took a step forward. "I'm fine," he said, because he was, really, despite everything that was going on.
  
  Maybe it was his comeuppance for tupping an engaged woman. He decided that it was best not to tell Kitty about that part, even if she was his favorite person. Telling her everything did not, really, consist of telling her everything - just the important details. (The ones that affected his life and did not make him feel like an atrocious human being.)
  
  He hugged the pair of them and, gently, pried Tessie away from Kitty and settled her into his arms, quite carefully. His hands shook when he was sober but he was careful with Tessie, and he didn't think she minded much anyways. He took a second to make a silly face at her before looking back at Kitty.
  
  "I just - I need to tell you some things. Important things. And I need your help," he said, trying not to plead to his sister too much. She had her own life now - her own kid and a husband - but she was also the first person - only person - he thought of when he needed help desperately and he needed her now, even if he was fine.
  
  He rocked Tessie in his arms. "You don't mind, right?" Eze asked, mostly for the sake of being polite. He was starting to feel awkward standing in the parlor again even if he was with Kitty and Theresa, but he didn't want to sit down before he was certain that he wasn't interrupting anything super important.

  

[Catherine SaDiablo]

Kitty softly smiled as she witnessed her favorite brother gingerly hold her daughter (whom she just realized was wearing a less than appealing gown of periwinkle - she would have to resolve this little fact as soon as Eze took leave of the house). It was always fascinating to Kitty how Tessie seemed to tug on nearly everyone's heartstrings. Her child whom most referred to as a æbastard' during her pregnancy had somehow managed to persuade them to love her, and the one person Kitty had expected to ignore Tessie's existence entirely was her mother, but it seemed that Mildred Aesalon was also entranced by her first-born grandchild, as well. However, Kitty was perspicaciously aware of the fact that her mother was still disappointed in her youngest child for having a child out of wedlock, and to be honest, Kitty could not blame her.

Kitty was perceptive of the way Eze seemed to plead with her to assist him and hear him out, and she immediately tugged gently on his jacket to lead him to the red-velvet chaise, urging him to sit before taking the seat next to him. She was used to Eze coming to her for advice or just to get certain situations he found himself in or emotions off his chest, and just because she was now a married woman and a mother did not mean that she didn't have time to listen to her brother's woes and concerns. If her prognostications were correct, Eze's troubles involved a young woman, and Kitty sincerely hoped that he was not about to confess that this woman was carrying his child. Of course, she would not think any less of him, but having once been unmarried and pregnant herself, she could not help but be somewhat sympathetic towards this mystery woman of his.

"Of course I don't mind," Kitty said with a kind smile as she watched her daughter squirm in her uncle's arms, "you're my brother, and when have I ever failed to listen to your woes before? Now, come, tell me what has recently occurred in your life; must be much more interesting than mine, at least." She believed her statement to be true because once a woman was married, the only manners in which she could amuse herself with were children, gossip, tea parties, more gossip, books, and everyday wifely duties. What a wonderful life.

Words: 358 | Tag: Eze

  

[Ezekial Aesalon]

• Eze wondered, not for the first time, if there was something he could have done to prevent all this.
  
  The obvious answer was that he should not have slept with another man's callipygian fiancee. He should not have let his concupiscent tendencies get the better of his moral compass, and Abe would be married to someone else - pregnant with someone else's child - and Eze would be, well, he didn't know. But he wouldn't be an expecting father.
  
  Oh, but he could go deeper than just 'not sleeping with Abe.' If he had been more abstemious in the first place - ignored the foofaraw of his current lifestyle and instead been more well behaved and a little bit fusty, like their brother - he never would have even been in a situation vaguely similar to this.
  
  But it was too late, and he was an expecting father, and thinking about what he could have done differently was not telling Kitty about his life and was therefor not important.
  
  "Remember the coworker I told you about a few months ago?" he asked. "I um - she's pregnant."
  
  Oops.
  
  The news wasn't very bodacious, Eze thought, at least not compared to his having avoided this disaster until now. And he had tried. But that didn't matter either.
  
  "Her brother - it's sort of a wandpoint wedding, except she doesn't know it," he admitted with a raise of his eyebrow. "And I - would like your help. Getting a ring. And stuff."
  
  He could have pretended that Leo Trelawney was a pettifogger that had finagled Eze into this, but he wasn't, even if Eze knew that his choices seemed to be 'assault' or 'marry Abe.'
  
  Surely marriage wasn't that scary?
  
  He glanced away from Tessie and up at Kitty, wondering if his baby sister was about to yell at him, even if she had done the same thing.

  

[Catherine SaDiablo]

Kitty nodded to his inquiry of whether or not she could recollect the woman he had mentioned in his letters a few months ago. She had been particularly concerned about this romance he had with this woman because she had absolutely no idea whom he was seeing beyond the fact that she was his co-worker. There were still lingering questions upon her mind about this woman such as her name and age; however, she suspected that perhaps her brother just desired for this affair to be kept in secret, and Kitty has, so far, respected his wishes as any good, non-annoying (hah!) younger sister should do. However, it wasn't just that Eze's woman was a mystery to solve, but Kitty was also concerned that perhaps he would forget to be careful and end up with a bastard child. No matter the woman's age or position, she firmly believed that no woman should have to endure being pregnant whilst unmarried. Unless the woman was already married? Kitty inwardly laughed at the thought, but her face on the outside displayed none of her amusement as she awaited her brother's next response.

However, his next words caused her to snap her head up from her tea as her teaspoon clattered to the floor, startling her half-asleep daughter who jumped awake in Eze's arms. Just as she had feared. Eze was going to father a child, and with a woman she had no knowledge of nor she believed she had ever met. Recovering from her shock, Kitty cleared her throat and retrieved her spoon from the floor as she attempted a response before she settled with, "Well...I honestly do not have the proper words to express my astonishment, Eze." She gave him a look that clearly meant, Actually, I do; but none of those words are exactly words I want to say in front of my daughter - you just wait, Ezekial Aesalon.

Though his continuing words caused her annoyance towards her brother to slightly ebb away. He wanted her to assist him in searching for an engagement ring. Though she was disappointed in him, she was also flattered that he trusted her more than their elder brother with the task. Then again, Eze and Kitty had always been quite close with Eze being her favorite brother and she his favorite sister - it seemed only natural for him to desire her help.

With a sigh, Kitty stood from her seat and closed the distance between she and Eze before sitting down next to him and wrapping her arms around him. She honestly disliked the fact that Eze had found himself in this situation, but at least he was doing the noble thing and that was marrying the mother of his unborn child. Marriage was certainly a big step for someone like Eze, and she had to applaud him for doing the right thing. "Of course, I'll help you, Eze," she said before she continued, "I may be quite astonished and disappointed that you found yourself in this situation - a situation similar to mine - but you are my favorite brother, and family helps family."

Words: 531 | Tag: Eze

  

[Ezekial Aesalon]

• Eze raised an eyebrow at his sister. He fully suspected that she did have some choice words for him, and was simply holding his tongue; he supposed that he would find out sooner or later, especially since Kitty Aesalon was not famed for her ability to hold her tongue.
  
  He probably deserved some harsh language - no, he definitely deserved it. He was a cad who had gotten someone pregnant, and he had taken longer than he ought to have taken in doing the honorable thing. But now he was doing the honorable thing - because Leo Trelawney had bullied him into it, yes, but it was the right thing to do.
  
  (Eze was suddenly very glad that he had not mentioned the exact circumstances of why he was going to propose to Abe, because then he was pretty sure that Kitty actually would have yelled to him, and not delayed it at all.)
  
  "Thank you," Eze said, breaking out in a grin. You're damned right I'm your favorite, he thought smugly. Their elder brother may have been better, more responsible, and probably happier - but Eze was Kitty's favorite, and that was certainly worth something. Maybe even worth more than all of those other things.
  
  He always had valued Kitty's opinion above everyone else's. Her disapproval made him uncomfortable, of course it did, but he had expected it and now he just needed to move past it, right? Right.
  
  She had agreed to help him, so she couldn't be too pissed at him.
  
  He smiled sheepishly at her. "How does one - exactly - manage a proposal? I honestly have no idea," he said, "Beyond, 'hey, we should get married,' I mean. There isn't really a - guide, or anything, on it." He had never really planned on getting married. Nor had he ever talked to anyone about it, or asked about it, or thought about his wedding some day.
  
  He supposed that all of these things were dilemmas.

  

[Catherine SaDiablo]

Kitty contemplated whether or not she should make her rage known to Eze by requesting that she wanted her daughter back, but as she gazed upon the little figure whom was resting so serenely in her uncle's arms, Kitty believed that it would be a disservice to both she and her daughter - Merlin knew how difficult it was to persuade Tessie to close her eyes and be gifted with sweet dreams, and this hassle often made Kitty rather cross with her daughter, but it was unintentional. Therefore, Kitty continued to let Eze hold and cuddle his niece, and she had to admit, the sight of her favorite brother holding her firstborn child was one of her favorite sights. However, this sight also reminded her Eze is most likely to be holding his own child within a couple of months, and now she felt it was more pivotal than ever to become acquainted with the woman that Eze was to soon call his fiancÚe.

"Wipe that smug expression from your face," Kitty scolded her brother after she had admitted that her only reason for assisting him in his time of need was because he was her favorite brother, "My assisting you does not mean that I am any less disappointed. It is fortunate that my daughter is present, or my wrath would have been unleashed upon you sooner. However, you are welcome - I am happy to be of assistance." Acting as if she had not just given Eze a subtle threat, Kitty casually stood up from her seat next to Eze to retrieve the small and silver teaspoon that had fallen to the floor when he had announced that he was having a child out of wedlock.

As she laid the silver teaspoon upon the equally gray and shiny tea tray for the servants to collect, Kitty listened as her brother inquired as to how to properly propose to his mystery woman. After he had made his inquiry, Kitty felt slightly - just slightly - disappointed in herself for threatening him, but cast her guilt aside in order to properly analyze her next words. What was the perfect proposal? None of the proposals Quinn had made were particularly special, but they were most definitely meaningful. Quinn's first proposal only contained the promise that as soon as they completed their schooling, they were going to get married and raise an assortment of animals (now that Kitty thought about it, she had to wonder with what money were they going to raise those animals?), and there was no engagement ring. Quinn's second proposal consisted of passionate lovemaking and a beautiful diamond ring upon her finger by the end of the night.

"No, I don't believe that there is a guide," Kitty responded neutrally as she proceeded to prepare two new fresh cups of steaming tea (for she had a suspecting feeling that they would need to benefit from the calm and soothing warmth of the tea as the conversation went on - however, perhaps not, considering that the worst of the conversation seemed to have passed), "though to be honest, I do not believe there is a correct and incorrect manner of proposing. It all comes down to the right moment to propose and how well the man knows the woman he intends upon marrying."

She set Eze's cup of tea down in front of him before once again taking her seat, and as she blew upon her tea to cool it, she smiled apologetically. "I apologize if that advice is useless to you," she confessed, "but I have never made a proposal before, but I suppose I can give you a few tips to ensure that the proposal goes smoothly, and you're not floundering about like an idiot?" She laid a hand upon his arm to show that she meant no offense. "First off, however, is your woman a romantic?"

Words: 659 | Tag: Eze | Outfit: here

  

[Ezekial Aesalon]

• The right moment. Eze did not think that he could engineer a right moment when he was only proposing because Abe was pregnant. They had left gooey romantic territory and entered 'well, I guess this is a good idea because we fucked up,' territory, but Eze was not allowed to tell Abe that her brother had made him proposed. So somehow he was going to have to turn his shotgun proposal into something else. Unfortunate.
  
  "I could definitely use some tips," Eze said, reaching for the tea and taking a sip. He wasn't sure if it was nearly as comforting as something else would have been - namely, alcohol - but it worked, and it wasn't like Kitty was going to let him drink when she was already mad at him, either.
  
  He just wished there was a simple way to solve all this. He wished that Kitty hadn't gotten pregnant out of wedlock, that he hadn't gotten Abe pregnant, so many things that he would never be able to do anything about but wish and hope that one day they would sort themselves, even if he knew they wouldn't. Taking action as to the course of his own life wasn't something Eze was used to, and he wasn't sure that he liked it - proposing to Abe would be the biggest life decision he had taken in a while, and he was already fairly confident that he would screw it up.
  
  Oh well. Like he and Abe weren't used to screwing up by now. He just needed to pull off a proposal, and then everything would be - not smooth sailing, but certainly smoother than being threatened by her brother in a closet.
  
  "She's definitely not a romantic," Eze said, "Or if she is, she likes to pretend she's not under a facade of violence and rage." Eze wasn't sure what his being unable to tell said about him, or what it said about Abe. Probably nothing good.
  
  I guess we deserve each other.
  
  That was the most cheering thing about their situation. They got along well at least sometimes, they both sucked sometimes, and because of this they could go be fuck-ups in love in Bartonburg together with their enraged, frizzy-haired child that would inevitably do things like hang out on their roof when i had parents like them.
  
  "I might be best off proposing casually," Eze said. Everything about their relationship had been done casually - even their screaming matches had never seemed to him to be particularly romantic, or incredibly serious. "What do you think of that?"

  

[Catherine SaDiablo]

"Let us save the tips for last," Kitty said as she idly fiddled with a loose thread that was on her red gown. She figured that perhaps it would be best if the two of them planned on whether or not Eze's proposal should be a big affair or a casual one - both of which appealed to Kitty, but even she would have to admit that considering the circumstances surrounding the reason why the two were to be married in the first place, that a simple proposal was the best answer.

Ahhh..., Kitty thought to herself, a little amused and rather intrigued, So Eze's bride-to-be is not a ninny - that is relieving. Kitty harbored no ill feelings towards the woman whom had married her eldest brother the four months previous, but Alexandra never did strike her as particularly interesting and thus, Kitty had very little desire to become further acquainted with her new sister-in-law. Eze's woman, however, sounded rather intriguing, and Kitty was now quite eager to meet her - not only because she desired to observe the woman and confirm that she would treat her brother and her unborn niece or nephew well, but also because women who were not susceptible to romance were often women of strength, will, and determination. However, she could not deny the fact that the words "violence" and "rage" quite concerned her, but she supposed that perhaps a strong woman was exactly what her brother needed - he could use some reigning in, Kitty believed.

"I quite agree," Kitty consented with Eze's idea of a casual proposal, "If we take into consideration the reason for why you are even proposing, I suppose a casual and simple offer of marriage would be the best course of action. If you are to be proposing in a casual manner, you will also find that you will not need to prepare yourself too much for the proposal. I would suggest at least appearing presentable, sober, and be prepared to present the engagement ring - no fancy speech or anything of the sort, just quick and simple." Kitty rather hoped that she was at least being just a little bit helpful due to the fact that since she was not a man, she had never really put much thought into how to proceed with a marriage proposal as she had never had any reason to prepare for one. Though she supposed that she should have expected Eze to approach her for assisting him with his proposal rather than Bram, their elder brother, but she had not expected this occurrence to be quite so soon after her own marriage.

Words: 449 | Tag: Eze | Outfit: here