There, seated on the plush, living room carpeting that was of a deep burgundy in color, was the man of the hour. The star of the show. The... Suddenly the teddy bear known as Angel was drawn into an extreme close up. No, not him. Oh, don't get us wrong. Angel is the star wherever he appears. That's just the nature of the beast ... or of the world's most famous teddy bear. (Ted, eat your heart out!) But Angel is a teddy bear, not a man, so he can't rightly be the man of the hour, now can he?
Please don't tell him we stated that!
The visual returned to normal where Despayre (there we go!) sat on the front room floor, cross legged, with a colorfully wrapped package on the floor in front of him. It was small, square in shape, and one would assume that whoever wrapped it did so either in a hurry or simply wasn't the best at the given job. Hey, it's not like you can blame the kid! He has a PH.D. in unwrapping presents. He can tear the wrapping paper off of a prezzy from across the room, but wrapping a gift to give to someone else? That takes talent!
Which is why Angel was seated on the cushioned foot rest of Synn's personal recliner, overseeing the efforts that Despayre was putting into this little pet project. And not without his own fair share of criticism...
"I am doing my best Angel." Despayre huffed as he rolled the purple ribbon out over the floor and placed the package on top of it so he could add a little bit of flair to it. Presentation was very important, you know. "It has to look its best but this isn't my area of expertise."
Despayre then started to fold the ribbon up and over, then around the box until it seemed to resemble a square mummy as opposed to a gift for someone special. He cast a sidelong glance at his most personal of confidantes and nodded, "That's right. because we have to remember who this is for. We have to put everything that we are into it. Here..."
Despayre reached up and scooped Angel up under the bear's plush arm and sat him down by the box.
"Put your paw on that so I can tie it off all nice like!"
And it was purely a coincidence that the teddy bear picked that point in time to tilt forward and drop it's paw over the ribbon where indicated.
"Thanks!" Despayre said happily as he put the finishing touches on the ribbon, tying it off into a bow -- or what was assumed to be one at the very least. "There!" Despayre proclaimed the project finished, picking it up. "Pretty as a... Angel!"
Despayre rolled his eyes as Angel's paw was ensnared in the ribbon's knot, and he was dangling down from the box where Despayre was holding it aloft.
"Now isn't the best of times to be playing pranks on each other buddy." Despayre stated matter-of-factly as he set about freeing his buddy from the predicament he found himself in. "We have to deliver this package to Missus O'Heaney across the road and then get back home in time to help Gramma make Theresa dinner!"
Hopping to his feet with the package in one hand, and the freed teddy bear tucked in the other, Despayre beamed, "Thanks! I think it's a nice thing to do too!" And that being said, Despayre raced for the front door and pulled it open, vanishing outside into the warm Las Vegas air, allowing the door to clatter closed with a heavy slam behind him.
Back toward the rear of the house, in the downstairs guest room, Theresa Aguilera laid back in the bed, the soft covers folded over her body and pulled up to her waistline. Just a few short months ago, the cherished friend and live-in housekeeper had suffered a stroke and was forced to undergo a triple bypass surgery. Since then, everybody within the household and out, have been doing all in their power to help speed along her recovery. It was a slow and grueling process, and none of them, whether they be active Sins, family or friends, were about to let the older Hispanic woman give up when she had come so far.
The first step once she got home was to move her accommodations to the lone downstairs bedroom, along with all of her belongings so that she would be comfortable. And it was obvious she would need professional care, as those that also called this spacious house their home, were often on tour clear across the globe. So rather than hire a live-in nurse as the surgeon who performed the by-pass had initially suggested, it was Victoria Young, Despayre's own grandmother, who was tasked with the job of caring for Theresa. The older woman had been a successful registered nurse for well over thirty years and when Synn desired the best to care for 'his' Theresa. A rare display of emotion for the man that many assumed possessed none.
Victoria had been looking through the bedroom drapes and smiled at whatever it was that she had been looking at, the sound of the front room having alerted both women. As she stepped back and allowed the curtains to fall back into place, she turned around and started to measure out the pills, Theresa's medications from her surgery, into separate small cups.
Theresa glanced away from the small, portable television on the bed stand and asked, "Joshua?"
"Mm." Victoria nodded as she picked up a water glass in one hand, and filled it from a glass pitcher with the other. "He seemed to be in quite the hurry too. I think he was headed for one of your neighbors."
As she sat the filled glass down onto a tray, she failed to notice Theresa almost cringing from what Victoria had just stated. Synn tried his best to keep Despayre at home, especially when he was not there to supervise the young man's comings or goings, but he was by no means a prisoner in his own home. Indeed he could come and go as he pleased, so long as he stayed in relatively close proximity to their home. Just in case. Yet there was only one house that Despayre had really spent any time venturing to, and it was never good news.
Instead of explaining this though, Theresa said, "At first I thought it was Synn, but he doesn't slam the doors the way Joshua does."
"Well, I think I heard his car too." Victoria sat the tray across Theresa's lap and handed her both the glass of water, and the first plastic cup with a pill in it. "Joshua must have just missed him."
"He'll be home soon." Theresa said (hoped) as she took her first dosage. "Joshua never stays away from home for long."
While Victoria kept a close watch on her patient of sorts, they heard the front door close firmly and the heavy footsteps in the hall told them both that the head of the household was heading their way. Only a brief moment later, the already open door nudged open wider and Synn leaned in, "How are we doing?"
"We? Fine." Victoria smiled, answering with a bit of sass that seems to have ben passed down from mother to daughter, and perhaps even then to grandson if the stories she had heard tell from Synn and Gabriel alike were true. "Have you heard anything from Gabriel and Odette?"
"Not yet." Synn answered. "Just that last text that Gabriel had taken her to the hospital so I imagine it'll be any time now." He glanced around, expecting to see his boy somewhere in the room, assisting his Grandma in caring for Theresa, but obviously that was now not the case. He asked, "Where's Joshua?"
Victoria answered, "I saw him leave just a few minutes ago. Heading for your neighbor's house."
Synn cast a look toward Theresa who shared his expression, before he looked imploringly towards the Young matriarch and he asked emphatically,"Which neighbor?"
"Well I don't know your neighbors, Synn." Victoria answered. "You have few enough to begin with. But it looked like he was heading for the closest house across the boulevard."
"Oh Christ." Synn muttered. "Not again..." He sighed and rubbed his jaw with his large paw of a hand, but before the curious Victoria could question either of them as to why they were so concerned over Despayre visiting any of his neighbors, the sound of the front door swinging open with a loud 'wham' told them the aforementioned young man was already home. At the sound of racing footsteps heading in their direction, Synn stood upright from where he had been leaning against the dresser. "Speak of the little devil..." He whispered as Despayre leapt into the open door, landing in the middle of the room with his arms held wide open in an act of self-presentation.
"And presenting.... me!" They humored him as always, each of the adults giving him a round of applause and Despayre put on his best bashful act. "Please! You're too kind!" He then turned to face his father and, as always, his face lit up at the man who was both flesh and blood as well as his hero. "You're home!" And he practically threw himself into Synn's arms for the obligatory hug.
Once they finally separated, Synn held his son out at arms length, his hands resting on the smaller man's shoulders, and father asked his son, "Your Grandmother tells me that you went to visit Missus O'Heaney?"
Despayre blinked, then his eyes slowly opened wide like a deer caught in the oncoming headlights of a speeding car. Despayre looked slyly at Angel and whispered from the corner of his mouth, "We are so busted."
"Busted for what exactly?" Synn asked as his hand slowly guided his boy around to the lone and unoccupied chair in the room, giving him little choice but to take a seat. Despayre sat down, and placed Angel on his lap and he carefully looked everywhere but at the inquisitive face of his father. Even more so not wanting to see if his Grandma was giving him the same once over. He snuck a little peek in her direction and winced. Oo! She was!
"Joshua?" Theresa spoke up as Synn sat back against the dresser. "What did you do to Missus O'Heaney this time?"
'This time?' Victoria mouthed silently and Synn could not help but smile. Despayre's little hijinks were becoming something akin to legend in their social circle, and this was but just another example: his on-going feud with their seventy-seven year old neighbor, Missus Colleen O'Heaney.
Despayre fidgeted, reaching back behind his head to scratch his scalp and putting on his best, 'Who, me?' facade. One that his father simply wasn't buying.
"Joshua?"
Despayre smiled somewhat innocently and attempted the 'puppy dog eyes' routine, before he answered, "I just wanted to take her a little present."
Synn folded his arms across his chest and countered with, "The last time you took the woman a so-called 'little present', it took all year for her Rhododendrons to grow back." He cocked his head to the side, "What did you give her 'this' time?"
Despayre all but buried his fists into his lap as he answered simply, "A Rubik's Cube."
"Well that doesn't sound so bad." Victoria observed, feeling the obligatory need to defend her grandson. But before she could say anything further, Synn spoke up and stated, "The woman is color blind."
"Joshua." Victoria shook her head and clucked her tongue. Oh that was fighting dirty as far as Despayre was concerned. Nothing could whittle away at a young man's brave resolve like a grandma's guilt! Despayre smile of pride at his perceived joke slowly wilted and his cheeks flushed with a tint of pink as he bashfully looked up at her through his eyelashes.
She asked, "Why would you do such a thing to a sweet old woman?"
Despayre's head shot up, his eyes wide at the words he had just heard, "Sweet!? She's a devil in support hose!"
Victoria looked over to Synn who sighed and nodded, coming to agree with his son. Not out of obligation mind you, but because the words he spoke were simply the truth.
"But, what started all of this?" She asked.
"Halloween." Synn answered. "The first year we moved in to the neighborhood."
Despayre leaned over in the chair, edging closer to his Grandma and cupped his hand on the side of his mouth as he whispered loudly, "She gave out toothpaste for Tricks or Treats!"
"He got even the next morning." Synn went on. "Dressed up as a bloody zombie and stood on her front porch until she opened the drapes." He shook his head. "Thought she was going to have a heart attack the way she carried on." Synn the paused in what he was saying to look at Theresa almost regretfully and said, "Sorry."
Theresa waved off his words and chuckled, "Don't be. I'm enjoying this."
Synn went on, "It sort of went on from there. Every so often one of them does something to antagonize the other. She sent Angel an invitation to an afternoon tea but not Joshua."
"So rude." Despayre murmured as his father went on, describing the feud.
Synn went on, "Joshua here put police tape around her property and drew chalk outlines on her drive. She bombed him with a garbage bag filled with pudding."
"That one wasn't so bad." Despayre admitted.
"Trust me, it's not all Joshua." Synn stressed to Victoria.
"Yeah!" Despayre nodded, his 'little angel' rep for his mom and Grandma all-too important to upkeep.
Synn stated, "There was the time that she attempted to sic her dog on Joshua."
"What?" Victoria's eyes widened with worry for her 'little' man, and she looked at him with concern while he himself put on his best pair of soulful eyes and nodded. She looked to Synn again and said, "I hope you phoned the police!"
"No." Synn said simply as the phone in his office started to ring. He stood upright and said. "She called the police, however."
"What?" Victoria asked. "The woman had her dog bite my grandson and yet she called the police? Why?"
Synn glanced up back at her as he stepped out of the bedroom to receive the call and he smirked. "Because Joshua bit the dog back." And he stepped out, leaving a baffled Grandmother in his wake, watching her grandson who chomped his teeth, displaying how good of a biter he was.
"Joshua." Victoria started to say. "You didn't really do that, did you?"
"Noooooooo!" Despayre shook his head rapidly from left to right, denying everything.
"Really?" Theresa spoke up. "You didn't bite Missus O'Heaney's German Shepard on the tail?"
"Oh that?" He blinked, then nodded at his Grandma. "Yeah that I did do'd."
"But..." This was perhaps the first time Victoria had heard anything really 'out there' in regards to her grandson's behavior in regards to others. She held her hands out towards him and asked, "... but why would you bite a poor dog's tail?"
Despayre looked at his Grandmother like she had just asked simply the most ridiculous question on the face of the earth, but recovered quick enough to answer simply, "Because it tried to bite me first!"
Before she could question him any further, Synn stepped back into the bedroom, his office cordless in one hand while he gently tapped it into the palm of his other. He had a subdued smile on his lips as he said, "Joshua, pack a bag. We are going to need to catch the first flight we can to London."
"How come?" Despayre asked.
"Because that was Gabriel on the phone." Synn said before he smiled at the two women in the room. "Odette had the baby."
Victoria clapped her hands over her lips in a exuberant display of joy while Theresa leaned back against her pillows with a smile of her own, one of soft contentment, while she whispered a soft prayer of thanks for the parents and the new baby.
Despayre had shot to his feet at the news. "Oh boy!" He exclaimed. "I'm a father! Or... say what am I anyway?"
Synn patted him on the shoulder and said, "Gabriel said to tell you that you are an uncle."
Despayre beamed brightly with a pearly white smile, his chest puffing out just a bit to show just how proud he was. His bestest friend and big brother was not a brand new daddy to a... to a.... Despayre frowned and looked up to Synn and asked, ""Say, did O have a boy or a girl?"
"Boy, Joshua." Synn answered and said to all three present. "Gabriel and Odette have a son."
"Oh that is wonderful!" Victoria almost wept as she spoke. "A blessing!"
"I'm glad it's a boy!" Despayre declared, his face taking on an expression of seriousness.
"Oh?" Synn raised his eyebrows. "Why is that?"
"Uh, hel-LO?" Despayre rolled his eyes. "I didn't want to be an aunt!"
His statement was met with a healthy round of laughter from both Theresa and Victoria, and Synn just nudged his son towards the door.
"Go on." Synn ordered. "Get packed so we can leave and see the baby."
Despayre whooped in glee and took off for the stairs like a shot, Synn just turning back to the happy women and shook his head at his boy's antics.</color>
<HR>
"Please excuse us while we interrupt this scintillating excursion into the world of Despayre, and move into something just a shy more ... direct. You see, in what we have witnessed so far, we have seen the usual light hearted comedic antics of Despayre, and discovered some wonderful news of a new life being brought into the world. It's something we will return to briefly, but for the moment, we are going to have to forgo pleasure and get back to business."
"You may have heard a rumor about history being made this weekend in Tunis, Tunisia where the Seven Deadly Sins will team for the first-time ever in six-man tag team action. I find it surprising that it took us this long to accomplish a match like this. Sxxxy Shane Boswell. Rage. Myself. We've all been around at the same time as Gabriel and Despayre at one point or another, and all three of us are credible competitors inside of the ring in our own right. Hell, even in the Asylum Wrestling Alliance where we first met Chris Shipman and he found himself drawn to our sides as a natural 'Sin', even then they did not find themselves together for a match. Yet now, after all this time, Mark Ward and Christian Underwood have finally deigned to give the fans what they have wanted for so very long, and give the opposition what they truly deserve."
"I find it strangely ironic that this team the Sins have been signed to compete against refer to themselves as Nobodies when they have been doing everything within their power to be recognized, and to some degree, have succeeded."
"Take Kris Halc for example. This man came from out of nowhere and secured enough victories for himself to defeat none other than Kain to claim the SCW Internet Championship. Very few men can state they hold victories over the 'King of Kings'. Halc is one of those few, and he wears the championship gold to prove it. Even the wins that lead up to that match, and what came after, have shown that the man is anything but a so-called Nobody, but now it just seems to be a thing, if you take my meaning. Perhaps that is something that Kris Halc thinks to use against his opposition, no matter who it may be. If his challengers for the title walk into that ring, believing Halc's own hype, then they will come to a natural assumption that an easy win will be theirs to claim and the gold will follow. Then, the trap is sprung. Halc's true nature and abilities come into play, and his opposition discover that Kris Halc is not even remotely close to what he claims to be, and is everything that he appears. He is a champion. One of Sin City Wrestling's chosen elite! By the time his opponents have that figured out, they find themselves flat on their backs, staring at the lights above the ring while the referee counts to three. Bravo, Kris Halc. Your trap is indeed ingenious, and that championship you wear is the proverbial cheese to which it is sprung."
"Yet it's not an advantage you hold this time around, now is it? No, not because this is a tag team match and your singles championship is in no jeopardy. But because I have figured out this little act of yours for what it's worth and as such, it will have no play once that bell rings. The Sins have watched you rise to the top, and we still ponder what was going through your head when you joined this little tandem. If you choose to continue trying to play your games against us this weekend, then the only one who will end up burned is you. You will not be taken lightly. If anything, Despayre, Gabriel and Shipman will up the arsenal against you and fight even harder. You can play dumb and dead all you like to try and lull them into a false sense of security, but do so at your own risk because in the end you will have proven yourself dumb, and you will most certainly end up dead."</color>
<HR>
Royal London Hospital
The elevator on the maternity floor slowly slid open with a soft chime, and Despayre practically darted out in his gleeful excitement, and probably would have raced into every room in order to find Gabriel and Odette, had his father not quickly caught him by the bend of the arm and reeled him in. Rather, Synn helped pull him along and draped an arm around Despayre's shoulder to steady him as they went in search of their comrade and his new family. Ever since Despayre had heard the news about Gabriel being a daddy, and he himself an uncle, the boy was a complete bundle of nervous energy -- more so than usual! And that was saying something!
They walked the clean and narrow halls, passing by the random nurse and closed doors, until they came to the room number that Gabriel had texted. Synn held up a hand to keep his son from barging into the room and disturbing anyone. he instead leaned in and saw that Odette was fast asleep, the wear ad tear of the birth having drained her so completely, she was still worn out. The baby was not on the bed with her, as is often the case, but Gabriel was there, seated in the chair beside his wife's bed and the proud poppa was himself seemingly dozing off. His head dipped forward, and this caused him to jerk back awake when Synn took the opportunity to rap his knuckles lightly on the door, just enough to draw his attention.
Odette remained asleep, but the sound drew Gabriel's attention up and the moment he saw his two closest friends, his face lit up with the joy of new fatherhood. The reigning World Champion stood right up and walked over to them and saying no words, he wrapped his arms tightly around Synn's neck and drew the big man into a fierce embrace. Despayre didn't even wait to get his own personal hug. He just joined the one that was already in progress and gave a squeeze for all he was worth.
No words really needed to be said. Not when you were as close as these men were. Indeed, that was what family was all about. Gabriel hen turned to his little brother and Despayre was worried at first, seeing the tears in his big brother's eyes, but a sense of calm came over him, realizing that these were not tears of sadness, and Gabriel gave him the hug that he had wanted for his own.
"Despy?" Gabriel started to say as he moved to let go, but as was the norm, Despayre was not anxious to release the one that he was embracing. At least, not yet.
"Joshua." Synn tapped him on the shoulder and only reluctantly did Despayre let Gabriel go. He took a step back and fidgeted uncontrollably until he asked, "Where's the baby!?"
Synn, wanting to know the same, turned to look at the new father for the answer. Gabriel smiled, running his fingers through his hair and he said, "In the maternity nursery with the other babies, staying warm."
"Awww!" Despayre pouted, jetting out his bottom lip.
"Don't worry Despy." Gabriel beamed, patting him on the shoulder. "You and Grandpa here go to the maternity window..."
"Grandpa?" Synn frowned.
Gabriel acted as though he heard nothing and gave his little brother a nudge in the right direction. "I'll have the nurse bring the baby."
Despayre headed toward the direction Gabriel had indicated, and Gabriel had to push Synn along to follow his son, hearing him say, "What's this 'Grandpa' bullshi..."</color>
<HR>
"I must admit that it is always interesting when new talent is signed and sets foot inside of the ring, but... really. Isn't think akin to the same thing as when God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, his only son, mind you, Isaac, as a burnt offering? Do you believe this to be one and the same, Johnny Tsunami? Do you believe that as it was with Abraham, that your own impending sacrifice is a test of faith for Tim Staggs and Kris Halc?"
"Do you think them to calmly watch while the blood letting begins, and the pain never ends, and think to themselves, 'Johnny has passed our test. Let us reward him and continue on with the grace that he calls life.' Unfortunately, Tsunami, that is not the case on either account. I can not speak for either Staggs or Halc as to why they would stand back and allow a relative newcomer to stand by their side and face the sickest, most violent sociopath on the planet, Chris Shipman, the World heavyweight Champion and master of the psychological arts in Gabriel, or a young man that has an impeccable record of his own and capable of absolutely anything in Despayre. Perhaps this is as what it was not with Abraham and God. Perhaps this is not a test of faith, but an actual leading of the sacrificial lamb to the proverbial slaughter."
"I mean, it does make sense, does it not? Why else would they seek to oppose one of the most dominant forces in SCW in the Sins, with a completely unproven commodity at their side? They want to be big. They want to make a further name for themselves at our expense, but in doing so, they have put you in the cage and thrown away the key. You are the Christian in ancient times, in the arena being thrown to the lions. You had best pray they have a change of heart and the good grace not to tag you into this match because, Tsunami, it won't be pretty unless you show us why you deserve to be in there against us. Much like the Romans did, the fans will cheer for the blood and the pain. It's nothing against you personally. It is simply the nature of the beast. It is mans nature to want to see pain inflicted on another, and unfortunately that is the spot you will now find yourself in."
"Come hard, come fast. Show everyone that a Tsunami is more than simply a big bag of wind. Show us that you can fight! Show us that you can fly! Then you can show everyone else that you can take a loss gracefully and return to fight another day. That, in the end, is your only option against us."</color>
<HR>
Only minutes later, Synn and Despayre were standing at the forefront of the glass window where visitors could look into the nursery and see all the recently newborn babies. While Synn stood back, away from the glass but still close enough so that he might see, Despayre was pressed as tightly up against the window as he could get, his hands on the window and his breath causing a light fog against it. His face was alight with joy at seeing the newborns, his eyes randomly searching the multiple basinets for the one that was Gabriel's son, and 'his' nephew.
Gabriel walked around the corner, his hands tucked deeply into his pants pockets and his face showing just how exhausted he was. Synn turned his head and rose a single eyebrow in question, and to answer, Gabriel said, "She's coming in to show you here in just a sec Gramps."
Synn stared down at the man and said in a grated tone, "You and I are going to have to have a little chat about this whole 'grandpa' thing Ga..."
"Oo! Oo!" Despayre's excitement drew the other two men to look into the nursery where the head nurse walked in quietly so as not to disturb the sleep these babies needed so desperately. Despayre tapped a forefinger on the window, just enough so that the nurse was given pause and she glanced up from the direction she was headed. Despayre gleefully pointed off toward the right of the nursery and said, "We'll take the black one!"
The nurse blinked back and Gabriel waved off her startlement, his face betraying the hilarity of what the little guy had to have misunderstood. Perhaps it was his exhaustion talking, or that is what he'd like you to believe, but Gabriel paused, holding his head in his hands and chuckling without a care at what Despayre had just done.
Synn then took it upon himself to correct the young man, and he said, "Joshua, this isn't a buffet where you can pick whatever you like. You take the one that they give you."
Despayre huffed, clearly disappointed, but he turned back around to watch and Gabriel stepped up between both men. His arms draped around their shoulders and his face was one of joy neither Synn nor Despayre had ever seen on him, and the three watched as the nurse picked up a little blue bundle from its basinet and turned around so that they might see the newest member of their family.</color>
<HR>
"Tim Staggs. I don't want you thinking that any of us are looking the other way where you are concerned, or perhaps simply casting you aside out of disinterest. Between the two men you call your teammates, and yourself, you are the one I foresee the greatest of things from. You have a wrestling pedigree, if you will. Great talent flows through your veins, and it is simply a matter of time before you come to fulfill the prophecy that was bestowed upon you as a right of your birth."
"I admit I was unfamiliar with your exploits in ACW, but before you even set foot inside of the ring here in SCW, I took notice. You are brash, straight forward, and might I add, a touch arrogant. All qualities I can admire and ones that will serve you well on the road of your professional career. You had no qualms what so ever at walking right into the office of the owners of Sin City Wrestling and make not just yourself known, but your demands as well. You wanted to compete. You wanted a match, a chance to prove yourself, and against Kain you did exactly that. Granted, the match did not go the way that I am certain that you had hoped, but you made people, the Sins included, sit up and take notice. We saw the beating you took from Kain, who is known for laying in a punishing one. You might have felt something akin to shame at the brutality that was laid out before you, but it wasn't what Kain did to you that made people take note. It wasn't even the display of sportsmanship afterwards."
"It was the simple fact that despite the beating Kain dished out, you took it. You took it, fought back from the pain, and fought back. You gave it your best, and came from behind to return the favor and give as good as you got. No surprise there. Look at the stock you come from. Your parents. Your extended family. They have all played some small role in the breeding of what will soon be a future Superstar. Just not yet. Not now."
"And certainly not at our expense. We were all there watching, and we saw that despite your rookie status and relatively smaller stature, you can and will fight to prove yourself and defend your own sense of worth. That makes you a force to be reckoned with inside of the ring, and a threat to whoever sets foot inside of the ring. This time, that would be the seven Deadly Sins. That would be Despayre. The World Champion Gabriel. And yes, Chris Shipman. Men who each have a wealth more in-ring experience than you, but none of whom will make the grievous error of taking you lightly. They will fight, and they will be prepared for a fight."
"Just do yourself the favor when you get tagged into the match to do your own thing. Do not think to make the same mistake against us that you made against Kain. Do not think you are going to pull a fast one against us, and we'll be okay afterwards. Be straight up with us. Give us your best, because that is certainly what you will be receiving in return."
"We are not called the Seven Deadly Sins for nothing. Do this, or the Staggs family legacy will be cut short."</color>
<HR>
Later, at the Royal London Hospital, the scene is now in the more comfortable sitting area I=of the maternity ward, where new mothers could relax with loved ones and show off their newborns in a setting that was not a hospital room. The floor remained sparkling clean tiles, as did the walls, but the decor was simple and warm to the senses, a soft yellow with white paneling. the furniture was plush and comfortable, with several arm chairs and sofas stationed about the room.
Only two families were currently making use of this room, one being that of the new parents Gabriel and his wife, Odette Stevens. These proud parents sat on one of the aforementioned sofas, while their new son lay curled in Odette's arms. Synn had sent out for Italian, knowing full well what the taste of hospital food was, and that father and mother needed a little something better than whatever simple fare the hospital's cafeteria was capable of serving up.
They made certain that no mess was made to inconvenience the staff, and as such, Despayre was being kept a close watch on as he huddled close to the sofa where Gabriel was eating and helping his wife to eat something more substantial than what she had been receiving since she first came into the hospital two days prior. In Despayre's hands was one of the black, plastic containers filled with the remnants of his spaghetti dinner. He, with Angel's help, watched the baby boy like a hawk, because as an Uncle, it was his job! And until Angel located the baby's own guardian, he too would be working overtime, protecting the wee little one from whatever baddies would take advantage of a newborn's helpless nature.
While Synn ate, his eyes down, Despayre found himself casting continued glances back over his shoulder at one of the only other family unit's making use of this comfort room. He would tear his gaze away from them and to the baby, only to find himself looking back at the family with a disapproving glare.
"Is something wrong Joshua?" Odette asked, having noticed Despayre's level of discomfort.
Taking one last look at the family, he looked at her and Gabriel and asked them in a hushed tone so as not to let the family know that he and Angel were on to them, "is it alright for them to have a dog in here? It can't be good for all the babies."
"Dog?" Odette blinked and she looked over to the family, as did Gabriel and Synn. Gabriel saw what his little brother did and shook his head, then looked at him.
"Despy, buddy." Gabriel said. "That isn't a dog. That's their baby."
Despayre straightened his back in a sudden and tense surprise, looking at Gabriel like he was nuts (pun intended) and Gabriel nodded the affirmative. Despayre looked sheepishly back at the baby (the one that proved they were not all adorable), then looked back around and down, his cheeks pink and he said in a light and questioning tone, "So I guess I shouldn't have given it that meatball I dropped on the floor?"
</color>
