Roman

“I do not think I can repair the damage that has been done. However, I hope they might let me in their lives.

“Alright, Bessie. You’ll do better if you shut your mouth.” Gen grinned as she walked out of the dressing room. Her part of the burlesque show was finished, and she was free to do what she wanted. Granted, it was already 2am, the place was still full, people watching the smaller shows, enjoying the drinks, the music. She preferred that way more than the loud, nonsensical music in the other clubs. “Here’s your nights take.” The manager shot through the doors, just as she was about to make her way to a booth, “Way to make the girls feel special.” Rolling her eyes, the raven-haired girl, took the cash and made her way towards the booth, but first passed the bar. She didn’t even need to say a word, an old fashioned was in her hand. Bitter, sweet and with a twist, something that could easily have described her. 

She made her way towards her booth, slid into it and started to watch the crowd, just as she did so many times before. “You can sit down, you know.” She said to the person standing right by her, their eyes watching something that wasn’t her, but she didn’t mind. “Unlike many creatures here, I don’t exactly bite.” 

Most nights, Roman could be found at Danse Noir outside checking IDs and if need be escorting people out of the establishment if they went too far with one of the girls.  However, tonight he had the evening off and he sure as fuck did not want to be anywhere near work.  Still the man wanted a show and ended up at Mahogany Jazz, a local spot he enjoyed when he was able to get to the time off.

With a glass of whiskey in his hand, he leaned against one of the pillars in the place when a woman’s piped up towards him.  “Thanks for the invite lass,” he responded with a sly smirk. “Though I must admit, I do like a little biting.”  Within a matter of seconds, he slid into the other side of the booth with the woman.  “Nice show you did up there,” the werewolf complimented.  “How are you doing this evening?”

It wasn’t that he wasn’t stunned to see his father, because really, he was. It almost felt like meeting a celebrity and as nerve wracking as talking to your crush. He did have to admit, his father was slightly shorter than Miles remembered. The fact that he had surpassed his father’s height was a nice accomplishment in itself.

“Interesting choice.” Shoving his hands in his pockets, he managed a half-smile. What was the point of approaching him in the first place? His mind suddenly went blank and even as he would forever hold a grudge against his father for leaving him and his siblings alone for so long, he couldn’t help but feel some sort of sympathy for the fact that here he was–trying to make amends.

“Only if you have the time. I’ll just take a water, thanks.” The salt and pepper do on his father really reflected how long it had been. Even so, he didn’t look all that bad for his age. “Mind if we sit? It’s been a long day at work.”

Both of them stood in front of each other, studying their appearance. Roman could see where his middle child took on many of his features.  Some part of him wondered if the young man took on his any of his other traits.  Though it was something he probably have to find out later, if there was a later.

“Of course I have the time.”  Even if he did not have the time to spare, he somehow would have managed to figure it out. “You just want water?”  The older man questioned, rather curious as to why not a beer.  Though drinking a beer with the old man tended to be a rite of passage and maybe that was what kept him from doing so.  “Sure, let’s sit down.”

As they found a place to sit, Roman ordered himself another beer and his son water.  “How are things?”  He started the conversation figuring it was a safe question.

 Of course he was… She should have guess and on some level it made her feel better to know he was. However it still hurt knowing he couldn’t face them. Were they broken pieces of a mirror and he was afraid of seeing himself? Miles made her think of Roman, or at least what she could remember of him. Tall. Dark hair… “Did - you ever think we needed you? Shit happens but we lost our dad once, then lost our mom and a man who was close enough to a dad we could have got.” Her lips twisted trying to hold back from rambling. Who really gave a shit about tabs? That only made her feel like she was being.. nothing short of stalked.

   “Did you… do you have any idea badly I just … wish for once people tried to think really what we needed. I was 17 nearly 18 Roman - Miles was Miles and your eldest fuck knows what’s going on with that. Your - our dad, shitty dad but - you don’t leave family. And you don’t watch them from afar like some weirdo.” 

For years, Roman wanted to reach out to his children.  At one point he almost did, but stopped himself.  It did not seem fair to them to suddenly show up and want a relationship with them.  “Of course I thought that, but I thought a lot of things Phoebe.  It was a delicate situation and I did not know what to do.”  When she mentioned his beloved’s new husband being close enough to a dad, he tightened a bit.  Although he knew the man was a good one, it was never easy watching the man in his family’s life.

Roman kept quiet, allowing his daughter to say her peace on the matter. After all, she deserved to say what she needed whether he liked it or not.  “I did think about what you needed.” The wolf took a deep breath trying to remain calm though it was difficult.  “Your mother asked me to leave and not come back; I tried to do as she asked.  I fucked up, I fucked badly with her...with you kids.”