"No, but I can throw."

And he's Rockruff ready to become a missile at a moment's notice.

He squints.

"I don't know." he hadn't thought that far ahead.

"Don't you have like, a photo or something?"

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"good idea."

pulling out his phone, he gives it a few quick taps before turning the screen to face roman. he holds it at an arm's length, ready to pull it away just in case.

it's a somewhat recent selfie of him sipping what looks to be a smoothie. boruta maher's in the background, clearly unprepared for the photo.

"you can zoom in if you want. don't swipe, though; you might not like what you see."

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

Eyes narrow on the screen, ready to catch Cian in a lie, but he's not fibbing.

"Holy shit. You...You weren't lying."

Roman leans forward, Po dropping from his arms so he can reach for the phone. A finger touches the screen, and because he's a child being told not to, Roman swipes to the next photo.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]thankfully, the next pic's just one of boruta maher's little kabuto skittering across the living room. if roman had swiped the other way, however... :monkas:

"yeah i ain't a liar."

that's a lie.

cian pulls his phone back, pocketing it.

"told you."

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

"Everyone's a liar." he says as if he knows how the world works.

Little arms fold against his chest, a boy mimicking a man.

"Why didn't nobody tell me about you? Not my mom or my dad. Nothing."

They wanted him to be alone, didn't they? Absent of anyone or anything that could care. Emeralds drift down to the puppy. The muscles around Roman's mouth tighten while he watches Po lick at his paws.

Alone.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"nobody told me about you either, so i guess we're even."

mirroring roman, cian folds his arms against his chest.

"guess that makes you my nephew."

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

He frowned.

"I guess."

Narrowed eyes.

"You owe me ten years of birthday presents."

And he'd collect them. Eventually.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]cian laughs.

"you're only ten? man, you're a baby."

instinctively, he raises his hands, ready to defend himself.

"but sure. why don't you ask your dad to invite me over next time he visits?"

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

"Whatever old man."

Roman looks away.

"He might not visit again."

And if he did, Romam wouldn't be there waiting. He had a plan.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"why's that?"

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

"Because I hate him."

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]huh. maybe it is genetic.

"you gonna run away like he did?"

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

He shoots Cian a pointed look and raised a brow.

"He ran away?"

CIAN MAHER