[attr="class","cian"]"and whose turf is it, kid?"

attention dragged away by the canine by his leg, cian turns to regard its trainer as he lowers slightly to give the rockruff a single pat on its head, though he's mindful of it possibly snapping to bite him.

"po's a cute name."

[attr="class","noodles"]Roman Maher

"Mine." he's quick to reply, lips curved into a smug smile. "All of Fallarbor's my turf. Just ask any of the other kids, and they'll tell ya." and if they didn't, he'd kick their asses again.

Po doesn't bite but retreats back to Roman's side as the stranger leans down. A low growl escaping from the back of his throat. "Uh, thanks. I picked it myself." Roman's eyes narrow on the man's face. It's not one that he recognizes.

"I've never seen you around here before."

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"damn, all of fallarbor? you must be tough shit. but i believe you."

cian watches the rockruff retreat, then straightens back up with a sigh. the urge to pet something lingers, which is annoying, so he slides his hands into his pockets.

"oh i'm just out here running. you can come with, if you'd like."

a finger points over his shoulder towards more rocky terrain.

"what's your name, kid?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Roman Maher

"The toughest." he rubs the underside of his nose with a cocky smirk.

Roman follows the man's finger, leaning to the side to look past him and down the bridge. Skeptical orbs glance back at the stranger.

"Going for a run? What's next? Are you gonna ask me if I want some candy?"

Despite the insinuation, Roman doesn't say no. He had planned to explore the route anyway.

"Roman Maher, but everyone just calls me Ro."

Bending down to pick up Po, he holds the Rockruff close to his chest.

"What's your name?"

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]what the fuck?

roman maher?

like his own maher?

his suspicions are hidden well enough behind his friendly facade.

"cian maher. looks like we have the same last name! what a coincidence."

[attr="class","noodles"]Roman Maher

Huh? Roman blinks, clearly caught off guard. They had the same last name. His nose twitches in thought, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"You being for real?"

He'd never met anyone with the same last name as him. Well, aside from his dad that was.

His grip on Po tightens slightly.

"If so, that's weird. I thought for sure my dad and I were the only ones with Mahers."

Roman lets out a small sigh and frowns.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"mhm!"

the smile lingers.

"and what's your dad's name?"

cian asks if only to make sure; his own dad could've been fucking around for all he knows.

[attr="class","noodles"]Roman Maher

Unaware of the ramifications, Roman gives his father's name without a second thought.

"Bo." a pause.

"That's not his actually name, just what mom calls him when they're on the phone."

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"oh. bo doesn't live with you?"

cian knows he doesn't; he had just been to boruta maher's house, after all, and there were no signs of a child nor a wife. just a kabuto that wanted so desperately to flee. for a moment, he wonders if it's a reflection of bo's character.

[attr="class","noodles"]Roman Maher

"No, he lives somewhere else."

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"sounds like a great dad."

the implication lingers between them, carefully placed for roman to pick up on his own.

[attr="class","noodles"]Roman Maher

"He's..."

Roman sifts through a hurricane of feelings to try and find the words. Battered back by imaginary winds in his chest, the storm's too intense for him to search. He grasps the first emotion he can find instead.

Rockruff yelps. The tight, angry pressure of Roman's hands press into the canine's sides. He doesn't even notice.

"I hate him." vitriolic venom spat from the raspy voice of a child tenses the air.

"What's your problem anyway?" all that anger points itself at Cain like an arrow. "The fuck you wanna know about my dad for?"

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]it's an anger he's seen time and time again. it spreads like a plague, festering until it inevitably consumes them whole.

will roman suffer the same fate?

"woah why are you getting angry at me, kid? i'm not the one who left."

with a shrug, he continues:

"he's my brother."

[attr="class","noodles"]Roman Maher