Xisuma's Parrotsitting [HermitSteal AU]

Surprise Visit!

Long chapter to make up for the long wait! Wooo!On another note, I will be absent for the whole month due to semester exams. How they managed to spread 6 exams through the whole month of June, I have no idea but thankfully, this gives me more preparation time between each one! That's great!

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A whole week passes without a hitch. Spoke and Parrot go to school without Xisuma's persuasion and it seems that the shadow boy's view of learning has changed for the better. Spoke begins going through the little books sitting on some shelves in the house not three days after attending school and after enlisting Parrot's negotiation tactics, they now have a slowly growing pile of superhero comics in their room (thankfully, they root for the heroes). Not only that but there has been a lot of chatter about their friends in the house since Xisuma introduced himself to the kids' friend group. It is a really nice change, one that has obviously alleviated the thick atmosphere within the household.

Having the kids encourage each other during homework is also a plus. When Parrot gets stuck on a problem, Spoke will help him find an alternative route or when Spoke is scratching his head to write an essay, Parrot will help him come up with lines. That happens most often if Xisuma is busy with chores or work.

Today, the house is pristine so he is helping them as much as he can with revisioning History and working out errors in their grammar and vocabulary. It is one of those wonderful, relaxing evenings in which Xisuma is sitting at the kitchen table, solving a crossword whilst the boys are doing their homework. Books are strewn around on the wooden surface carelessly and they both have their noses deep into the classic blue notebooks in front of them. Parrot writes down a passage from a text, trying to fit it into a presentable essay. Spoke is tapping his chin with the rubber end of his pencil as he stares at a small yet difficult equation.

Xisuma thinks of an answer for one of the questions on the puzzle but it doesn't fit. It's one of the hardest crosswords he has encountered and it is absolutely doing his head in. Sighing, he leans back on his chair and looks at the clock. It is around 7PM and the kids have yet to ask to go out as they do most evenings. He doesn't like it when they wander the streets at night but they assure him that they're going to be playing football at school with the rest of their friends and... well, he can't really say no –specifically to Parrot. They need a treat for studying anyway and exercise is good for them.

They can take care of themselves, he knows –Parrot has shown the lengths he'll go too– but Xisuma always worries about their safety. Even if they have a whole gang watching after them with shady teenagers like Red, it is risky. Way shader people roam the streets at night.

The doorbell rings unexpectedly, bringing him out of his thoughts. The sound startles poor Spoke out of his seat, spooking him so much that he melts into a messy, black puddle on the floor in the shadow of the table. Parrot's wings flare and puff up instinctively and he makes a face of caution. Who could be knocking at the door at this hour?

"Relax, boys, it's probably a salesman. Be right back!" Xisuma says as he stands to see who is at the door. He doesn't bother looking through the peephole, since the glass it's made of is so old that it's become almost white in colour and it can't serve its purpose anymore. When he twists the knob, ready to turn down a salesman or a neighbor, he can't withhold his surprise.

"...Xanthus?"

His little brother is standing at the door, red plated armor shining in the white light of the stairwell. Xanthus' red eyes are glowing behind his dark visor, a sign of excitement that Xisuma hasn't seen since his brother went to university. On any other day and at any other time, Xisuma would've been happy to see his brother –it's been months since they last hung out! Now, though, he has two kids that know nothing about Xanthus and who are dangerously distrusting of strangers.