[Citadel] Two Dads, One Cub

Kithoi ward had stood tall during the war, its parks had burned, there had been holes piercing through it, but it citizenries had didn't see that as a set-back, just a reason to work harder. The debris of broken towers had started to make way for new spires and the plazas and parks the linked them with each other and with the older buildings that had survived the war.

Kithoi residents like most had been very vocal against urban developers that tried to teardown those building that had survived. It is one of buildings, teaming with life and busy people we find an apartment, and in this apartment we find a lime green turian fussing around.

"Yeah I understand, don't worry!"

"I hate these traveling restrictions."

"I know dear..."

"See you soon, and take care of Rahk."

"I will, love you... say goodbye Rahk"

'-Ey!' a small figure says towards the hologram. Rahk had come to terms that while the new adults weren't his mom they still fed him and took care of him so that was a net win for him. He dashed off towards the somewhere, Tellix in following closely otherwise there might have been a crash and another dent somewhere...

...How many times he had stood outside Gallix's doors again? Too many times to count. But they were all good times. Perhaps the irresistible charms of Tellix and Takkar could cheer him up again in this moment of Juhani's misery. That or newborn krogan babies.

The doorbell rung.

Juhani fiddled with his fingers nervously. Sure, he was a dad, adopted dad of a lovely little girl, but Aira was six already. The toddler here was barely a year old. Babies were a grey zone for him, and this made Juhani very nervous on how he would fare with the young one.

There was sound coming from behind the door, "...Rahk stop... not so fast you'll..." followed by a *dunk* against the door. It opened soon after, a puffing and normally dressed lime green turian opened the door holding the hand of a small krogan like figure, who was grinning widely.

"Juju!" the turian immediately perked up, "enter quickly before he breaks my hold!"

The krogan's brow wrinkled he had never heard 'Juju' before, after a think he decided to give it a try. 'U-ju!' Close enough...

"Uh, okay!" Juhani nodded and slipped quickly inside, slapping the door close button behind him. The door slid back shut, and he was left with Tellix and the little krogan. He looked at the little one, then at Tellix, and back at the krogan, unsure on who to focus. So he addresses the space between the two.

"Hi."

This is getting awkward...

"How's it going?" Tellix asks, letting of the toddler who to his credit does not directly assault Juhani, but instead begins to stare at the human... so many fingers, and the strange thing on his head...

"This is Guc Rahk, son of Guc Takkar and Guc... eh, Guc Isaan I think it was, my adopted son, and currently on an energy rampage." He smirks. The little krogan straightened up when he heard his name.

So that's what was Takkar's clan name. About time it was revealed to him too. Juhani crouched down to bring himself closer to Rahk's level, looking at the little child with equal curiosity as it was eyeing him.

"Hey there Rahk. I'm Juhani." he waved and smiled. "I'm surprised his mother let him offworld. I was expecting people on Tuchanka to be...bit more possessive about their children." Juhani talked back to Tellix, while engaging in what seemed to be a staring contest with Rahk. Who'd react first?

"Well his mother is not like... no don't!" Tellix leaps towards Juhani as he sees the man crouch down to Rahk's level but it's to late.

Guc Rahk, fears warrior of the Clan Guc, sees a worthy adversary challenging him, and with a growl... -well it's more a squeal really-

'*RAWR*'

Before he charges -more a wobbly run- head ready and moving to give a decent headbutt... hopefully the human's reflexes are in good shape to get out of the way.

Fortunately for all parties involved (except Rahk), toddler's charge is nowhere close to the feared unstoppable murdertain that fully-grown krogan are, and thus easily stopped by Juhani's hands that scoop the krogan up by his sides and hoist him in the air.

"Aren't you a big boy now, challenging me? Very well! Have at you!" Juhani decides to play along, and gently bumps his forehead on Rahk's still-forming crest, like he would do with Aira. He sets the toddler back down onto his feet before his hands would get too tired holding Rahk, probably leaving him confused and/or irked over this unfair advantage of height his opponent has.

"Well, I see he's eager to meet new people head-on..." Juhani chuckles. "How have you tw- I mean, three doing?"

Tellix let out a chuckle, Rahk a sigh while he squinted at Juhani, the human had made a powerful enemy today... lucky for him the toddler was quick to change his mind about these things... or just forget it due to distractions.

"We made it through, except for my toe... our family managed to survive without to much harm... Takky and I lost some friends... all in all we were lucky. How about you?"

The news of them surviving were good, but he knew this already didn't he?

"Yeah...I'm sorry for your losses. Did your brother make it, and what does he think of this little guy here?" Juhani asked, walking further into the apartment. Sitting down seemed like a good idea to him, if the talk was going to be about departed ones that were dear. It made him think of Veneta, and that in turn made him angry. Should he tell about her to Tellix or not?

Juhani flopped onto the couch, stretching his limbs. This couch...he had a lot of fond memories about it, and what had happened on it. Small grin crept onto his features.

"Rellix is alive and well, he's still on frontline duty," Tellix sat next to Juhani, there was a little bit of space between him and his guest, soon enough Rahk climbed on the couch and claimed the space.

"He had a few close-calls during missions, I don't know exactly what has happened but he says he has seen enough refueling stations to last a life-time. So... what about you?"

Tellix's persistent inquiries made him feel bothered. What to start with here...

"Well I've been doing my duty as one could expect. Desk job certainly beats one in the field in my opinion. I wrote a book about my service...it was just published. Wonder if anyone will be interested in it. There's also one movie I acted in as the villain...Albert might have told you something about it."

Hopefully those threw off his inquiries for a little longer.

"I've bought the book, still need to read it, kind of busy with the little one... do you know krogan kids can stay awake for a very long time if they put their mind to it..." there was a weak smile.

"Didn't need Albert to recognize you..." the turian says proudly, and Rahk nods, it's doubtful that he actually knows what's being said or the subject matter. Tel paces a hand on Juhani's shoulder, "you don't need to tell me anything you don't want to, but I'll be here if you need someone to listen."

Juhani cocked an eyebrow at the kid. "He's that energetic? Guess you need to drop the temperature here, see if that calms him down, being cold-blooded and all...heh." he chuckled and nudged Rahk's side.

But there wasn't any escaping from Tellix. Even though he said that Juhani didn't need to talk about it if he didn't want to, the question was hovering there all the time, nagging, tempting, pestering him...

Oh, to hell with it. Juhani turns away from Tellix to stare at the roof intently.

"Veneta wants a divorce." that short sentence already made bile rise up to his mouth.

Rahk was under attack by the intruder, the man dared to nudge him... a counter attack was imminent when suddenly the lime green one took him and put him the ground.

"Rahk, why don't you go and bring back your varren to show Juju?"

Rahk sighed, his plan thwarted! Well at least he understood what was expected from him... he would go hunting! And away he went, running towards his room, leaving Tellix enough time and freedom to give the human a hug.

"I'm sorry to hear that... it sucks when that happens... We're going to be there for you, you can count on us."

Somewhere something fell on the ground, it didn't shatter as everything that could shatter in the apartment had either already been shattered or been put into storage.

The embrace was welcome, even if it didn't seem like it. Juhani just sat there, letting Tellix hug.

"She found herself a new man and is waiting a child right now. Thought she'd seen the last of me when the Citadel was taken, and then she got shipwrecked. Thought she'd be there on that backwater planet forever, thinking I'm dead. It would have worked. But relays got repaired and they were found. So, yeah. Shit happened."

He explained solemnly the outlines of the situation that had led to the divorce in the first place. It made him so angry, thinking about it again. If he hadn't sent that message on the last minute before Citadel was hijacked, not telling Vee to let go of him if he died...maybe they'd be together. But in what? Union that was fruitless, where she wouldn't be able to have the child and heir the way she wanted because her husband couldn't deliver?

Juhani clenched his fists, still drilling a hole into the living room's wall with his eyes.

"It's better this way than the other."

The turian sighed and gave an extra squeeze before letting go.

"Listen, nothing I say will take away the pain and anger you must be feeling, but, always remember your friends will always be there to help and stand by you..." Tellix closed his eyes, trying to think of something else to say, "you know the situation sucks... but that doesn't mean everything sucks, look at from this perspective, you're free again to sleep with anything that says yes, you have a solid if lowly position in the hierarchy and you get a second chance... 'kay it isn't fun and games now but trust me, you'll get over it. You'll be suc..."

tap, tap, tap small feet run across the room, and a small krogan child held a big plush varren in the air.

' -RAN!' Rahk said presenting the thing to Juhani.

"Trading your dear wife for a string of one nighters really doesn't cut it, man." Juhani sighed bitterly. Yes, he could do that, but what kind of example he'd set for Aira?

This string of thoughts was cut short when Rahk returned with his find, a varren way larger than he was. It managed to get a smile out of Juhani.

"Now isn't that a huge scary varren you have there! Did you tame it?" he addressed the child.

'Mine!' Rahk replied, while still handing it to Juhani.

"Go ahead, take it Ju-Ju, you're safe as long as you give it back when he wants it. You know that and 'no' are the only words he knows..."

'-ran mine.' Rahk said pushing the varren into Juhani's face.

"And a one-night stand is only that if you don't bother following up on it, otherwise it's just another, very fun, way to meet people."

"Okay. I'll be nice with it." he nodded to Rahk and picked the big varren toy up...it was big alright. Reminded him of the dog he used to have when Juhani was younger, although that was lot livelier and furry than this. "Does it have a name, Rahk?"