Post by Arden St. Mordeaux on Mar 7, 2018 11:58:01 GMT -5
Standing furious in the middle of the porch, Arden felt very much like a bull in a china shop. He had reamed his cousin with all of the pent up anger he felt towards the entire episode of the Leckard family's departure and subsequent return. He had stunned Ellie into apparent silence for the time being, and he knew that although Amarie was trying to keep the peace, she probably didn't agree with the way he chose to deal with things. He had taken Owen down more than once at that point, but even that didn't soothe his temper. Every word that came out of his mouth only pissed him off even more, and Arden was already incensed at the knowledge that Remy was going to take him back. There wasn't a doubt in his mind about it.
She hadn't made a peep during his entire tirade, and honestly, that was probably the best case scenario. Had she tried to defend herself, or worse, Owen, it would have only lit Arden on fire even more. But as she blanched and said that she needed some air, her roughneck cousin was already beginning to feel the slightest pangs of regret for lashing out. She rushed out through the back of the house, and rather than try and stop her, he waved his hand and dismissed her from his presence. It wasn't that he regretted anything he said; he knew that he was speaking the truth, even if it wasn't sugarcoated. It was simply that Arden was used to being around tough chicks, and it wasn't until those moments, where he tore into her and watched her fall apart, that he was reminded that his cousin simply wasn't one of them. It had happened time and time again as children, and Arden could still remember the way that his parents had scolded him for making her cry. They had grown up, but they had grown apart, too. But either way, family was family, even if she was the runt of the litter when it came to sensitivity. Still, Arden didn't regret it and would address it with her at a later time once everything settled down.
The news of Jay and Daisy's deaths surprised him, though he felt indifferent towards the announcement. He had always hated Jay, and while Daisy had gotten on his nerves, he had carved out a place for her there as Damon's girl. Maybe he would have wished death on Jay, but not on the girl. And especially not for Damon's sake. As he stood there digesting what Owen had said, he felt bad for the kid who he had taken under his wing. He should have felt bad for Owen, too, but there was too much hate there. And the bitterness in his heart told him that Owen was getting his just desserts, even if Arden would have been distraught in the same scenario. But for Arden, he didn't see Owen's point of view, and if he put himself in his shoes, he would have found another way. He would have found a way to keep everyone together, even if it was difficult.
Imagining losing his family soothed that temper for a moment. Ellie was a little brat and she knew it, but that was still his baby sister. He would always go to bat for her, even if she often brought it upon herself. That wasn't to say that he would excuse her actions, but it meant that Arden wouldn't let her fall to this world just because she made some dumb mistakes. Amarie was his girl, even if he often had a hard time admitting it or acting on it, and imaging nothing but cool sheets in the bed beside him made him feel even worse for Damon. And Remy? She had always been transient in their lives, and yet, she always found her way home. What if something happened to her while she went on a walk, and the last thing that Arden ever did was rip her apart worse than a walker ever could? Arden rubbed the back of his neck at that, and as everything started to calm just a fraction as Amarie addressed Owen, Ellie piped up and reminded Arden that Owen merely did what any of them would have done. It was humanizing, and Arden scowled at that. He didn't want to validate what Owen had done. He didn't want to accept him and his mistakes. He wanted to hate him, and it was much easier to do so if he thought less of him than the undead.
"What, Ell? Now you want to take up for him, after everything that went down? You measuring dicks with his sister is what made them leave in the first place. Or did you forget that?" Arden wasn't nearly as rough with her as he was with his cousin. She had certainly gotten the brunt of it, but Arden had already had multiple conversations with Ellie about Damon being forced to leave the property. Arden had made it apparent from their discussions in the past that not only did he blame Ellie for their departure, but that she would do well to keep her mouth shut sometimes. And this was one of those times. He rubbed his forehead and said, "Just don't start right now, Ellie, all right?"
Arden was starting to get angry again, and his little sister had always been good at getting under his skin and riling him up. She had always been good at instigating and egging people on, even before all of this. That quality hadn't gotten any more admirable now that the world had ended, and out in the real world, that kind of thing would get her killed. Just as impulsiveness had gotten half of the Leckard clan killed. Jay and Daisy he wouldn't mourn. But had it been Damon's blood on Owen's hands, it would have been much worse. Just imagining it made his temper flare as he glared at Owen, who was now standing by the porch steps with a firm grip on the banister. Arden snarled and took a few steps towards him, but Amarie stepped between them and stopped him in his tracks. Arden may have been a rough and tumble guy, but he would never lay hands on her. Especially not now, when he was so angry and knew that he couldn't recognize his own strength.
Amarie grilled Owen about what his intentions were and what he was trying to accomplish by coming back here. She reminded him that Arden would happily kill him for his return, and to that end, Arden crossed his strong arms over his chest and glared over her shoulder. Owen looked like a kicked puppy, though there was a new kind of determination in his eyes. Arden didn't like that one bit, and as Owen prepared to answer Amarie's questions, he narrowed his eyes and spit on the porch to show exactly what he thought of him in that moment.
She hadn't made a peep during his entire tirade, and honestly, that was probably the best case scenario. Had she tried to defend herself, or worse, Owen, it would have only lit Arden on fire even more. But as she blanched and said that she needed some air, her roughneck cousin was already beginning to feel the slightest pangs of regret for lashing out. She rushed out through the back of the house, and rather than try and stop her, he waved his hand and dismissed her from his presence. It wasn't that he regretted anything he said; he knew that he was speaking the truth, even if it wasn't sugarcoated. It was simply that Arden was used to being around tough chicks, and it wasn't until those moments, where he tore into her and watched her fall apart, that he was reminded that his cousin simply wasn't one of them. It had happened time and time again as children, and Arden could still remember the way that his parents had scolded him for making her cry. They had grown up, but they had grown apart, too. But either way, family was family, even if she was the runt of the litter when it came to sensitivity. Still, Arden didn't regret it and would address it with her at a later time once everything settled down.
The news of Jay and Daisy's deaths surprised him, though he felt indifferent towards the announcement. He had always hated Jay, and while Daisy had gotten on his nerves, he had carved out a place for her there as Damon's girl. Maybe he would have wished death on Jay, but not on the girl. And especially not for Damon's sake. As he stood there digesting what Owen had said, he felt bad for the kid who he had taken under his wing. He should have felt bad for Owen, too, but there was too much hate there. And the bitterness in his heart told him that Owen was getting his just desserts, even if Arden would have been distraught in the same scenario. But for Arden, he didn't see Owen's point of view, and if he put himself in his shoes, he would have found another way. He would have found a way to keep everyone together, even if it was difficult.
Imagining losing his family soothed that temper for a moment. Ellie was a little brat and she knew it, but that was still his baby sister. He would always go to bat for her, even if she often brought it upon herself. That wasn't to say that he would excuse her actions, but it meant that Arden wouldn't let her fall to this world just because she made some dumb mistakes. Amarie was his girl, even if he often had a hard time admitting it or acting on it, and imaging nothing but cool sheets in the bed beside him made him feel even worse for Damon. And Remy? She had always been transient in their lives, and yet, she always found her way home. What if something happened to her while she went on a walk, and the last thing that Arden ever did was rip her apart worse than a walker ever could? Arden rubbed the back of his neck at that, and as everything started to calm just a fraction as Amarie addressed Owen, Ellie piped up and reminded Arden that Owen merely did what any of them would have done. It was humanizing, and Arden scowled at that. He didn't want to validate what Owen had done. He didn't want to accept him and his mistakes. He wanted to hate him, and it was much easier to do so if he thought less of him than the undead.
"What, Ell? Now you want to take up for him, after everything that went down? You measuring dicks with his sister is what made them leave in the first place. Or did you forget that?" Arden wasn't nearly as rough with her as he was with his cousin. She had certainly gotten the brunt of it, but Arden had already had multiple conversations with Ellie about Damon being forced to leave the property. Arden had made it apparent from their discussions in the past that not only did he blame Ellie for their departure, but that she would do well to keep her mouth shut sometimes. And this was one of those times. He rubbed his forehead and said, "Just don't start right now, Ellie, all right?"
Arden was starting to get angry again, and his little sister had always been good at getting under his skin and riling him up. She had always been good at instigating and egging people on, even before all of this. That quality hadn't gotten any more admirable now that the world had ended, and out in the real world, that kind of thing would get her killed. Just as impulsiveness had gotten half of the Leckard clan killed. Jay and Daisy he wouldn't mourn. But had it been Damon's blood on Owen's hands, it would have been much worse. Just imagining it made his temper flare as he glared at Owen, who was now standing by the porch steps with a firm grip on the banister. Arden snarled and took a few steps towards him, but Amarie stepped between them and stopped him in his tracks. Arden may have been a rough and tumble guy, but he would never lay hands on her. Especially not now, when he was so angry and knew that he couldn't recognize his own strength.
Amarie grilled Owen about what his intentions were and what he was trying to accomplish by coming back here. She reminded him that Arden would happily kill him for his return, and to that end, Arden crossed his strong arms over his chest and glared over her shoulder. Owen looked like a kicked puppy, though there was a new kind of determination in his eyes. Arden didn't like that one bit, and as Owen prepared to answer Amarie's questions, he narrowed his eyes and spit on the porch to show exactly what he thought of him in that moment.