[Despayre]

 09:10 AM

The past two days here in Las Vegas had been cold and threateningly wet. The sky had remained gray with a forecast of plummeting temperatures and a high chance of rain. Nothing Synn himself would have minded. Personally, he loved those dreary skies and thunderstorms much more than warm temperatures and bright, sunny skies. Despayre, however, loved running around in their spacious front and back yard on bright, clear days, playing with Angel as well as the demon with paws feline that Rage had bought for the household, a tabby named Sebastian. He had woken up bright and early at around six to the sound of rain beating against his bedroom window. He always woke up early to get as much business out of the way before the inevitable awakening of his son who would take up the remainder of his day, distracting him with antics and chatter if Gabriel or Rage were not present to distract the lad.

"Yes, Margaret. He's fine." Synn said as he walked around the island counter in the kitchen of his house, a large cup of coffee in one hand, the phone in the other.

He had been on the phone with Despayre's mother ever since she and his Grandmother had returned to Canada and witnessed the match that had pitted Despayre against Gabriel, something that nobody had ever believed would one day happen. It ended abruptly when Gabriel countered one of Despayre's favorite maneuvers with a reversal, and became not only the first man to pin his 'little brother's' shoulders to the mat in Sin City Wrestling -- he was the first to pin Despayre's shoulders, period. A lofty distinction that laid a serious guilt trip on Gabriel, but one that Synn had worked hard to elevate. Now he was busy working on the concerns of another.

"Margaret, for God's sake..." Synn begun to say, then shuddered on reflex. "That put a nasty taste in my mouth! ... Yes, I understand how he's feeling. He's trying to hide it. ... Of course he's disappointed. It's the first time that it ever happened."

"Are you still on the phone with his mother?" The housekeeper, Theresa, asked in a hushed whisper so as not to alert the woman he was talking to. Synn just nodded and the feisty Hispanic woman simply rolled her eyes and walked past 'her' kitchen and peeked through the blinds over the patio door and her eyes widened.

She turned around to Synn and said aloud, "You should see this."

"I've seen it rain before Theresa." Synn replied, then returned to his phone conversation. "We don't give him enough credit, Margaret." He said into the cordless. "Yes he is sensitive, but he has quite a knack for recovery. I..."

"It's not rain, chico." Theresa frowned and pulled aside the blinds so that a distracted Synn might look outside casually and his eyes took on a note of definite surprise.

"I'll be God damned." Synn muttered, and then winced and cast a sidelong glance toward the phone. "Sorry, Margaret. I'm going to have to go." Synn had set his coffee cup down and peered out the patio glass door, holding back the blinds. "Because I have to let Joshua know it's snowing. ... Because we live in a desert so he might find it fun, that's why. ... Okay, call back later and he should be up. ... Good bye."

"Damn." Synn said as he clicked the phone off with a light 'beep' and placed it back in its cradle on the wall. "Woman could talk the ear off a deaf person." He picked his coffee back up and stated 'matter of factly' "Must be where Joshua got it from." Before he took a drink.

"Yeah." Theresa muttered as she poured her own mug. "Must be." She turned around to find her employer simply staring at her and she shrugged.

"What?"



You know what the absolute best thing is about being in bed on a cold morning? Snuggling up against your best teddy bear pal? That's definitely at the very top of the list! After all, after a hard night's work, shielding you from the horrors of the random monsters in the closet and bookie men beneath the bed, a teddy bear deserves a little R&R.  You know what else is great? The feeling of absolute peace and security, that nobody can take it away from you. There's also that neat and relaxing sensation when your arm slides under the soft, cool underside of the pillows that your head rests on. Who doesn't love that?

It's after nine in the morning and not even close to the time when Despayre is normally dragged forcibly from his bed by his father to begin his day. Right now he was buried beneath the blankets and comforters of his bed, nothing of him to be seen save for the fetal-shaped mound beneath the covers. Angel was held tightly against his chest as the dreams had taken him away to a place where teddy bears reigned supreme over the land and Skittles rained down from the sky above. (And let's not forget the fountains that Cherry Coke flowed from freely!)

The bedroom door opened and Synn stuck his head in and surveyed the room before his eyes fell on the mass dead center in the middle of the bed. Synn quirked his head at the soft noise emanating from under the covers and could not help but wonder silently when Despayre had started to snore. Little matter. Synn pushed the door the rest of the way open and crossed over the carpeting to the bedside where his boy was sound asleep.

"Joshua." Synn said calmly as he could and stretched his left arm over to give the blanket mound a soft nudge. He would normally allow Despayre to get up when he pleased, yet another testament to the signs of his spoiling the lad. Yet here he was, attempting to rouse him before he would normally venture downstairs, grumpy as a ... well, a bear. Joshua was most definitely not a morning person.

"Joshua." Synn called again, giving him a harder nudge. "Come now, wake up."

The buried young man stirred from beneath his blankets and Synn heard a murmured, "Mmm ... cookies."

"No, no cookies." Synn said and he had a seat on the bedside. "I need you to wake up."

A grumbled "Don't wanna go to school." Came next and Synn sighed. He did not like the thought of forcibly rousing Despayre from his slumber. With his unpredictable nature, how he might respond would be, well, unpredictable.

"No, you don't have to go to school." Synn said. He placed a hand gently on what he assumed to be Despayre's shoulder and gave him a harder shake. He said, "But you do need to wake up."

Suddenly the mass of blankets and comforters were thrown off and Despayre sat upright and pointed straight ahead. "We attack the palace at dawn, Commander Angel!"

Well. That was unexpected.

Despayre blinked through sleepy eyes and glanced up at Synn who was again standing and watching him with a bemused expression.

"Laying siege to another kingdom I gather?" Synn asked.

Despayre flopped back down and drew both Angel and the pillows up against him. "He's a tyrant when he's roused." He said in a tired voice, speaking obviously of the teddy bear companion.

"Well I believe his next siege can wait a moment or two." Synn said, grasping the boy by the arm and jostling him again. "You have to see something."

"Can't it wait?" Came the mumble as Despayre pulled the blankets back over his head.

"It could." Synn answered. "But the snow might have stopped by then."

A few seconds of silence passed before the blankets shifted down and Despayre's gray eyes peeked over the rim.

"Hm?"

Synn emphasized, "It's snowing Joshua."

Despayre continued to stare at his father for moments on end when the covers were thrown off and Despayre leapt toward the window...

*BANG!*

Synn cringed as Joshua's over enthusiasm caused a not-so-gentle greeting between his forehead and the window right over his bed. Despayre flopped back on his bed, rubbing his head and nose.

"Ow." He whined before he stood back up, pulling Angel up along with him by the bear's paw.

"You okay?" Synn asked as Despayre stood at the window and gazed in a marvelous fascination at the flurry of large snowflakes pelting down against the window and ground from the skies above. Despayre just nodded.

"Oh yeah..."



"Gang way! Teddy bear coming through!"

Despayre shouted and his rapid footfalls caused the paintings on the wall to shake as the little guy tore downstairs as fast as he was able. With Angel in his arms, he tore through the large interior of the house and headed straight for the kitchen where the patio to the large back yard was. It was only Synn's quick reflexes that allowed him to be nabbed by the shirt collar.

"Grk!" Despayre gagged over-exaggeratedly. "What's the big idea!?"

Synn, with a tight grip on the collar of the boy's sweater, lead him around toward the coat rack and with his free hand, pulled the heavy jacket of Joshua's off of it's rung and handed it over to him.

Synn said, "Gloves to, and a hat to cover that bald scalp of yours."

"It's not bald! I'm not Rage!" Despayre retorted hotly. "It's shaved! And it's just half my head!"

"You could have a bear rug glued to your scalp," Synn answered right back. "You're still wearing the hat."

Despayre whined and grumbled as his father passed him the gloves and hat from the open closet door, while he muttered, "Angel doesn't hafta get over dressed."

But then he watched as Synn nonchalantly reached back into the closet and took out a heavy scarf and raped it around the teddy bear's neck. Despayre looked at the teddy bear and frowned.

"Oh sure! Take his side!"

Synn quickly got Despayre dressed and protected from the elements, Despayre anxiously fidgeting the entire time. After all, how often does it really snow in a desert oasis like Nevada? It could have stopped by the time this silly nonsense was finished! Horrors! No sooner did Synn finish this 'fatherly' task than Despayre took off in a sprint with a hearty "Bye!" left in his wake.

Theresa walked out of the kitchen, having just barely managed to avoid being trampled. She glanced back toward the kitchen and then to Synn before she said, "He's not having breakfast?"

Synn just shook his head and said in answer to this, "Let him have some fun. Gabriel will be home any time now. I'm certain that will lure Joshua back inside to eat."



Synn and Theresa both snuck looks outside and wore smiles on their faces as they watched Despayre run around the back yard, his head tilted as far back as he could manage to catch the snowflakes pelting him with his tongue. They saw that he also held Angel's head back and up so the teddy bear could enjoy the same. This little ritual lasted until Despayre's ankle caught on the leg of one of the patio chairs and he took a tumble, head over heels.

"Ohh!" Theresa could not help but laugh in a sympathetic manner, her palm placed over her heart, as she watched Despayre right himself and deliver a swift kick to the chair, sending it flying. Despayre looked at Angel who he had scooped back up from where the teddy bear had fallen and nodded firmly.

"Yeah!"

...

Despayre ran along the yard, being extra careful to avoid the pool, and pulling Angel behind him on a bite-sized sled.

...

Gabriel's car pulled into the drive, the wipers working frantically so that he could see out his window in order to drive. This snow had erupted so suddenly it had caught him, and many other drivers, unaware, making driving hazardous. Climbing out of the driver's door, Gabriel hunched his jacket tightly around him to stave off the cold and headed quickly for the front door when he heard a loud...

Whooooooooo hoooooooo!

Coming from the back yard. Smiling, he immediately knew that Despayre had to be up and about, taking full advantage of this sudden and rare snow fall for some early morning play time. Deciding to brave it, Gabriel walked off of the front walk and around to where the gate was at the border of the house. He opted to sneak a peek and glanced over the top of the gate when...

*WHAP!*

... he ate a snowball right in the kisser!

"Despy!" Gabriel shouted as he spat the snow from his mouth. "watch it!"

"It wasn't me!" Despayre shouted back. "It was Angel! He said that was for almost hurting yourself with that magic trick!"

Gabriel blinked and glanced away in silent thought.

Nobody else was there? How the hell did he...?

Gabriel looked back over the gate and shouted, "How did Angel...?"

*WHAP!*

And he got another snowball right in the face!

"Angel!"

"No, that one was from me! I thought you deserved that too!"

Gabriel spat out more snow and looked over the gate and ducked, just in time to miss another projectile.

"Alright!" Gabriel called out. "I'm sorry! It won't happen again!"

"Promise?"

"Promise!"

"Okay! You can enter now!"

Gabriel pulled the gate open and stepped into the snow covered back yard, just in time to be greeted with a headlong rush and attack hug from his 'little brother'. Despayre squeezed him tightly a moment before stepping back with a smile as bright as the snow itself. Gabriel then noticed a mark on Despayre's cheek and pointed toward it.

"What happened there?" Gabriel asked.

"Huh?" Despayre blinked and reached up to touch the welt on his cheek bone. He then shrugged.

"Guess I got it from falling." He said innocently.

"Well alright." Gabriel nodded. "Just be careful. We don't want you..."

*WHAP!*

"Despy!" Gabriel practically shouted.

"What!?" Despayre yelped, holding his arms out in innocence. "I didn't do it!"

Gabriel frowned and glanced around the smaller man. "Then who...?" And the only other one in the back yard was Angel in his scarf, seated atop the patio table with a small mound of bite-sized snowballs around him. Gabriel closed his eyes and shook his head.

He wandered toward the patio door, saying, "I wonder if it's too early for a drink."

Despayre called after him, "Not if you have eggs to go with it!"



"Yes, I do believe it's an appropriate time to finally yield to temptation and address two certain people, namely the sibling combination of Daniel and Tiami Tyler, a brother/sister pairing that will be having a most unpleasant experience in the coming days."

"I hope you will forgive me for not devoting as much time as I might normally for a match such as this, but if I have to be honest, I simply don't see the need to bother. This is, after all, what I like to refer to as a mere formality inside of the ring. You see, I have a bit of news for the Tyler siblings. They should either count their lucky stars that they have a match at all next week at Blaze of Glory II, or curse the names of the bookers who placed them in the ring against Despayre and his partner, Karina Koji."

"There was no doubt that Despayre and Karina would be booked for this historic event. True they did not get to the end of the Blast From the Past tournament, but they came ever so close. Both were offered the opportunity to have the show off, but Karina declined, and I did the same for Despayre. Rather than have either in a singles match, I thought to myself "Why not have them reunited for another mixed tag?" They didn't make the tournament finals, but this match will serve as another reminder of just how close they came."

"Both Daniel and Tiami have had their chances at glory in Sin City Wrestling, but this will not be another. Blood may be thicker than water, but severed blood is of no use to anyone."

"Remember that, Tylers. It might serve as a way to soothe your minds when you once again find yourselves staring up at the ring lights for the inevitable count of one ... two ... three."