Topic: A Day For Juno

Mataya

Date: 2012-05-07 10:02 EST
((All part of the Beltane Children's Day, 6th May 2012))

What was this" Mataya De Luca, braving poor weather to take part in Beltane's Children's Day without make-up or heels" What could possibly have possessed her" Juno, of course. Hand in hand with the little girl she and Max had taken in to foster and were still hoping to adopt, 'Taya allowed herself to be dragged through the forest trails, occasionally squealing as drips of water fell down the back of her neck, toward the Glen, where all manner of exciting activities had been set up for the children of Rhy'Din to enjoy. "C'mon, c'mon!" Juno hadn't been this excited about anything thus far, but an entire day dedicated to children like her" That she could get excited about. And the fact that both of her favourite people were going to be there with her just made it even better. Speaking of both ....where was Max"

Max was bringing up the rear. Dressed more for combat than a children's play day, but for a reason. He wore cargo pants, shirt, vest and even a cargo hat. It was Juno's day, after all (not that any other day wasn't!) and he was more than prepared with little candies, toys and tissues. As he marched behind in his combat boots, he couldn't help but grin at Mataya's squeaks and Juno's enthusiasm. He really had no clue what was in store for them, but that didn't make much of a difference. If his ladies wanted it, Max wanted to deliver.

"We're comin', we're coming!" Max laughed, catching up to the pair and sliding his hand into Mataya's free one. "It's just up ahead, see the streamers?"

"Streamers?" Juno came to squelching halt before they reached the edge of the foliage, frowning toward the Glen itself as though she'd be able to see something the six-foot-something Max could from her low vantage point. "Where?" Laughing, 'Taya rolled her eyes. "We should go a little closer before you two start confusing each other, shouldn't we?" she asked the pair of them. Unlike Max, she and Juno had gone with wellington boots, jeans, and shower-proof parkas for the day, since Juno was absolutely convinced it was going to rain on them. 'Taya trusted that little girl's weather sense more than the weather forecast itself.

"Over there!" Max pointed, then realized Taya was right, Juno definitely had the height disadvantage. Quick thinking as ever, Max bent at the waist and picked up the little girl. She squealed and laughed as Max sat her square on his shoulders, one little leg dangling against his chest. With one hand on her bottom to keep her from falling, he took Taya's hand with the other. "Problem solved," he grinned.

'Taya laughed as Juno pummelled small hands on the top of Max's head. "Put me down," the girl complained loudly. "I want to do stuff, not just look at stuff!" And she was more than capable of giving her foster father quite a massive headache in the process, too. "Hey, take it easy on his head, Juno," 'Taya chuckled, releasing Max's hand so he could do as he'd been told. "We're almost there, anyway." Flicking her loose hair out of her face, she grinned at the sight of her burly fiance being beaten up by a ten-year old girl - it never got old.

"Oooh! Ow! Hey! Okay! Okay!" He ducked from the tiny fists and hurriedly grabbed the fiesty Juno about the waist. Picking her up, he flipped her over his head and placed her gently on her feet. "Go, Juno, go!" He straightened his hat on his head and then reached to pull Taya closer with an arm draped across her shoulders. When Max flipped her over, Juno tensed up just a bit but was put on her feet before she could be truly scared. She straightened her parka and with Max's encouragement, began trotting down the path towards the festival. "C'mon! C'mon!"

Giggling as she shook her head again, 'Taya tucked herself comfortably under Max's arm as they moved to follow the over-excited Juno out from the dripping shadow of the trees and into the over-cast brightness of the Glen. The little girl seemed torn as to which way to go first, which was pretty enchanting to watch. 'Taya leaned up to murmur into Max's ear. "Ten silver says she gets her face painted first."

"Hmmm," Max was all smiles as he watched Juno run about and snuggled with his favorite girl. "I think you just might be right." Canting his head, he rested it to Taya's temple and then turned his head to plant a kiss to her cheek. "Have I told you how amazing you look?"

Mataya

Date: 2012-05-07 10:04 EST
"Oh yeah," the actress laughed as she was kissed. "I'm a real riot today. Off my case, dude, I'm off-duty!" She stuck her tongue out at Max, turning her eyes back to make sure Juno hadn't disappeared from view entirely. That gaze found the little girl seriously considering the flowered circlets that were being handed out, apparently taking her time in choosing the perfect one to then cram violently onto her head.

"You're beautiful, no matter what you wear..." he grinned, watching Juno deliberate over the circlets. "Or don't." There was a quiet snicker in his voice. "Which one do you think, hmm' I think she likes the purple one." They strolled together, like the love birds they truly were. The weather wasn't exactly behaving itself, but that didn't bother Max and it surely didn't seem to bother Juno.

The threat of rain always bothered Mataya; she was ever so slightly precious about keeping her hair under control, and damp did not help. But in t-shirt and jeans, she didn't really have a reason to be precious about it today. "Purple" I don't know, she's been leaning toward pink the last couple of weeks," she answered Max with a smile. Across from them, Juno proved them both wrong. She seized on a bright yellow circlet and crammed it onto her head, turning to run away from that little booth with a grin. The circlet, of course, fell straight off, and there was a moment when Juno gave away her less than human origins - she spun too quickly for any human child to save her chosen flowers from landing in the mud. Studying the thing carefully, the little girl then came over to Max and Mataya, holding the flower circlet out. "Make this not fall off."

"Ah, we're both wrong," Max chuckled. And then Juno did something Max had never really witnessed before. How she had moved quickly enough to save her own flowers from hitting the muddy ground, Max was in awe over. He didn't hold the dumbstruck face for long, not wanting Juno to feel ostracized by her own foster parent. Her little talent just made her that more amazing to Max. "I, umm...babe?" He turned to look at 'Taya, master of all hair.

Slightly shocked herself, 'Taya was just as quick to hide her own amazement as Juno came pattering over to them. Max helped, of course. His utter cluelessness when presented with a hair problem brought a soft snicker to his fiancee's lips, and she took the little circlet from Juno's hands. "All right, girlie, turn around and let's have a look." With Juno's back turned, 'Taya used the hair clips they'd battled over that morning to secure the flower circlet into the girl's hair before sending her off with a pat to her backside. As Juno ran into the midst of the fun once again, she turned worried eyes onto Max. "See what I mean about the weird" First the thoughts thing, and now this?"

Max watched with a fond smile on his face and his hands in his pockets as his fiancee set the little girl's circlet into place and pushed her off. His smile disappeared when he saw the look of worry on 'Taya's face. "I see it, but we're in a place where dragons sit at a bar and drink with vampires and werewolves. This entire place is weird, I think."

"I just want to give her a normal childhood, but I don't know what normal is for her," 'Taya admitted with a low sigh. "At least she forgave us for not getting the parrot." Skidding in the muddy grass, Juno came to a halt in the little booth where a mysterious female figure was painting on water. Fascinated, she stared, utterly entranced by what seemed like magic, shoulder to shoulder with the other children who had been drawn in by the little display.

"You worry too much," Max assured her, taking 'Taya into his arms and bowing his head to kiss her softly. "We'll work this out, baby. I'm pretty sure she'll let us know what?s good for her and not if we go over board. But look." He turned his head to watch their little one as she stood shoulder to shoulder with the other children. "She's happy, healthy and a regular kid with some special abilities. She and we will be alright. Okay?"

"Someone has to worry about her," 'Taya pointed out with a smile. "Left to you, she'd be addicted to sugar and so spoiled we wouldn't be able to do anything with her." She poked at Max's stomach teasingly, leaning into him to watch Juno's antics. The little girl had somehow procured a paper copy of something that had been painted on the water, and was standing off to one side with another boy, perhaps a little older than her, both of them comparing notes on their unique pictures.

"Somebody has to be the good cop," he chuckled in reply, squeezing her just a bit. Max was truly happy and it showed in the smile on his face and the fond look in his eyes. And then....the boy was talking to Juno. "Oh no, she's a bit too young for boys, don't you think?"

Mataya

Date: 2012-05-07 10:08 EST
The look Mataya turned onto Max for that was best described as utterly disbelieving. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me," she snorted with laughter. "Max, she's ten. She's allowed to be friends with boys. You know what? Even when she's fourteen and discovering kisses, she's still going to be allowed to be friends with boys. We'll just gross her out with stories about sex and pregnancy to make sure she doesn't go too far." Her hand laid firmly against Max's chest. "In a few years' time."

"But....but....she's a girl, and he's a boy." He turned a serious look that was nearly comical in his panic onto his fiancee. "And you know what that leads to. He's not going to break my baby's heart." If not for 'Taya's hand against his chest, he just may have gone and made more of a fool of himself than he was already in succeeding in doing.

"Max, she's ten. And she's more sensible than you, so get over it." 'Taya took a firm hold of Max's arm and dragged him around in a circle, removing him from the situation before he could incur Juno's wrath by getting in her way. "C'mon, let's get you a cupcake to keep you happy."

Deep down, Max knew that 'Taya was right. But there was this fierce protective instinct in him that seemed to come from no where. He was led, like a dejected puppy, until she mentioned the cupcakes. They were one of his major weaknesses. It wouldn't take torture to get a secret from Max, just offer him a cupcake. "Oooh! Cupcakes....mmmm..."

All right, so the cakes and lemonaid were for the children, but if it kept Max from getting a mouthful from Juno's sharp tongue, it was worth putting up with the disapproving looks from the staff looking after the stalls. 'Taya aimed Max toward the sweet treats, tossing a look back at Juno just to make sure, and almost swallowed her tongue as she caught the little girl planting a smacker of a kiss on her new friend's cheek before scurrying off laughing.

That little move may have made Max come unglued if he weren't engrossed in picking out just the right cupcake. It was a matter of culinary importance. He stroked his chin and canted his head this way and that before reaching out to nab a chocolate with blue fluffy icing. "Mmm come to poppa," he nearly moaned as he took in the beauty in his hand. He only admired for a moment before the tiny cake was shoved into his mouth. "Mmm, stho good." His dark eyes turned to Taya as he began to lick the frosting from his lips. "Kissth"

Relieved Max hadn't seen the apple of his eye smooching a random boy, 'Taya laughed again at the sight of him enjoying his treat. "Not a chance, lover boy," she told him firmly, picking up a pink pretzel for herself and dropping a few silver into the pot to assuage the outraged look on the face of the woman keeping that particular stall. "Having fun, sweetie?" This was spoken to Juno, who had come scurrying up to them to push her picture into 'Taya's hand and steal the second cupcake from Max's hand. She grinned up at them both cheerfully. "S'fun."

Max grinned and quickly wiped the blue frosting from his mouth and wiped his hand onto his trousers. "Sth....oh..." He turned and there was a Juno taking a cupcake from him. She was about the only other person other than Mataya that could get away with such thievery. Her sweet little face melted his heart, every time he looked at her. He reached to pat her tiny head. "Look, there's the fire dancers. How cool is that?" Protective about boys, but not fire. Max was a strange one, indeed.

Nibbling on her pilfered cupcake, Juno leaned back against Max's legs as she watched the fire dancers with a critical eye. "Why can't we learn with the fire?" she asked mildly. "It's cheatin' with fans." Mataya just about managed to swallow her grin as she looked at Max. "This one is all yours, hotshot."

Mataya was quick on the draw! Max nodded and knelt down in front of Juno to explain. "Well, nobody wants you to get hurt. So they make you learn how to use the fans and when you're really good at it, they'll let you use the fire." He hoped it was enough and stood back up. "Nobody wants Juno to get hurt." He nodded and put his arm around 'Taya. He looked at his fiancee for approval.

"But fire doesn't hurt," the little girl objected through her mouthful of cake. "Look." And she would have marched straight to the nearest bare flame to prove that fact had 'Taya not been waiting for it. The actress grabbed hold of Juno's hood, keeping the little girl from giving Max a heart attack in public. She'd been treated to this particular brand of Juno's weird at home already. "Let's show Max at home, shall we?" she suggested. "Just take it on faith, sweetie, not everyone is friends with fire."

Mataya

Date: 2012-05-07 10:12 EST
If 'Taya hadn't pulled her back, then Max would. He watched the interaction, hands upon his hips now. So there was more to the "weird" than he knew. Mataya helped him out to regain his composure and he nodded in agreement. "Fire does hurt some people and they don't want the other boys and girls to get hurt."

"So it's for keeping the normal kids safe?" Juno asked, lifting her eyes to Max curiously. There was an odd tone in her voice, the same as had been there when she had asked him all those months ago to tell her whether she really was a freak or not. She knew she was different, and she didn't like it.

Upon that question, Max knew what she was asking. He gave Mataya a reassuring smile and then knelt down. Taking Juno's tiny shoulders in his hands, he smiled genuinely. "It's for keeping the kids that don't have your abilities safe. You're just as normal as they are, Juno." He forced eye contact and wouldn't reliquish it until he could see in her eyes that he meant what he said.

'Taya watched as Max and Juno locked gazes, feeling the familiar pang strike deep. She knew what it was like to feel different; she couldn't imagine what it must be like for Juno to know she was different from other children her age, no matter their race. And she was very glad that Max had that well under control. Juno's pale eyes met Max's, holding the gaze steadily. She knew he believed what he said, and for now what he believed was good enough for her. Time would tell whether it would remain so in the years to come. She nodded, flinging her arms around Max's neck to hug him warmly.

Max held her tightly, picking her up as he stood. Turning slightly, he smiled for Mataya as he stroked the girl's golden hair down her back. "I want you to sit with me, just for a few minutes. Sit as still as you can. Okay?" He hoped that his gut instinct was right and that if they sat for a few moments, they could see the other children and their special abilities as well. He gave Juno a gentle nudge with his shoulder, enough to get her to lean away as he still held her. "Watch the other kids, Juno. See if you see anything different about them." He freed one hand and reached to take 'Taya's, wanting to pull her close.

Juno frowned a little at having her freedom curtailed, but settled on Max's hip comfortably at his quiet encouragement. Her frown lightened as 'Taya winked at her; the girls were humoring Max, just as 'Taya had warned her they'd have to from time to time. However, in this case, 'Taya knew that Max was absolutely right. The little girl turned her eyes to watch the other children playing around the fire dancers, studying them minutely for anything that was out of the ordinary.

As they watched the children, one little girl caught her eye. The word "butterfly" hummed in her head and the little blonde curly hair girl suddenly had a dozen butterflies flitting about her head and shoulders. There was the tinkle of laughter as the little girl weaved her hands between the colorful insects. A little boy was next and with Juno's own quick reflexes and sharp eye sight that went with it, she saw him trip, nearly fall and suddenly levitate and return to his feet. All of this was lost on Max; he was too busy watching Juno for any indication that he'd come close to the mark.

Juno's mouth fell open as she watched. She'd never really watched other children the way she watched herself, and despite all Max's reassurances, she'd never really believed that she wasn't a freak compared with other children who looked like her. 'Taya smiled as she saw comprehension dawn on Juno's face, squeezing Max's hand gently. "See, sweetie?" she said to the little girl. "Not everyone is as boring as me and Max. Everyone here has something special to share, just like you."

Max smiled - no, beamed - pure pride as he watched Juno watching the other children. His hand squeezed 'Taya's right back and he put his cheek to Juno's. He really didn't know what to say, Mataya had already said it. So, he fell back on his wit. "Yeah, couple of boring fuddy duddys with a very special little girl." He kissed Juno's cheek then.

"Yeah, but you're my boring fuddle-duddles," Juno objected, squeezing her arms around Max's neck before lunging to do the same for 'Taya. Having throttled her foster parents, she pointed imperiously at the ground. "Down now, not finished."

"That's right!" He hugged his daughter, for that's how he saw her, then had no choice but to reliquish some of the weight to 'Taya. "Yes ma'am," he grinned and promptly put Juno to her feet. He rose then, and put his arm around her shoulders. "She's so amazing," he murmured.

"I know." Hugging Max fondly, 'Taya watched as Juno skipped through the drizzle that was slowly beginning to soak them through to grab a ribbon from the May Pole and join in the giggling dancing as music reverberated across the Glen. Not one ribbon, but two, in fact ....yellow and blue, new beginnings and healing. An odd combination, but one that made sense, perhaps, to the parents she'd chosen for her own.

Max returned the hug, then relaxed his grip. His arms still looped around 'Taya, he took the opportunity to give her a patented Max Yako passionate kiss. He may be getting older, he may be a parent, but that didn't mean he was any less frisky than he was ten years ago. "Mmm, give me some of that sweet, sweet sugah."

"Max!" Giggling, 'Taya succumbed with ease to that passion, teasing her fingertips against his cheek as she kissed him back with as much enthusiasm. "You're going to embarrass the baby, you know."

Mataya

Date: 2012-05-07 10:15 EST
"What she doesn't know..." he grinned and let one of his arms fall from her so he could turn to watch the baby in question. His hand that was still on Mataya slid to her back pocket where he gave a gentle squeeze. "We need to find a bigger place."

"Definitely need a bigger place. With lockable doors," 'Taya added, laughing softly as his hand found a place in her back pocket. A minor disturbance over by the May Pole caught her attention, and she looked that way to find Juno backing away from what looked like a head on collision between two other children as parents waded in to rescue the injured.

"Agreed," he chuckled, then turned his attention back to the May Pole, himself. Children were crying, but somehow he knew it wasn't Juno. All the same, he began to guide 'Taya towards the little one. When they reached her, he let go of 'Taya and knelt down in front of Juno. "Hey, are you alright?" He looked to the girl kindly, his hands moving over her face to her shoulder to check for boo boos.

Juno submitted to the check over, even if her expression did suggest somewhat that Max must have several screws loose if he thought she was injured in any way. "M'fine," she nodded, rubbing at her wet nose as she spoke. "M'cold and wet." Mataya tried very hard not to grin at this interaction. "These things happen when it rains," she admitted ruefully in answer to this announcement, though. "Tell you what ....you do one more thing, and we'll grab take out on the way home. Deal?"

Still in parental protection mode, Max gathered Juno into a hug and pulled the hat from his head to place onto hers to protect from the rain. "That sounds like a fine deal to me. Whatcha got in mind, m'dear?" Max stood up, but kept Juno with him, perching her on his hip.

"Flowers." Juno was pretty firm about that, too. For the third time that day, she scowled at Max for picking her up. "Put me down, I want to get flowers. And you're all wet and soggy and ick." This was a little too much for 'Taya, who had to turn her back rather than let the little girl see her dissolve into gales of laughter.

"I'm all wet and soggy and ick, but I'm your wet and soggy and ick!" He laughed, pressed a kiss to her cheek before putting her down and watching her run off to gather flowers. He then turned to Mataya and grinned with his arms folded across his chest. "You know, we could put her on stage and make a mint. She's hilarious!"

Max's hat was put back on his head before Juno hit the ground, setting off running to pick up her basket and proceed to fill it with as many flowers from the rainbow flowerbeds as she could.

'Taya rolled her eyes. "You were asking for that," she reminded Max with a smile. "You know she doesn't like it when you take away her ability to run for it when we're in public." Watching Juno carefully picking flowers, her expression turned thoughtful. "You know, it's a shame Fiora's not been around. I could have asked her to keep an eye out for a house that'd suit us."

Max returned to 'Taya's side to curl an arm around her shoulders and pull her closer. "I can't help it. I just want to hold her and protect her so much. And there's nothing stopping us from looking ourselves for a house. If we find one and Fiora shows up, we can tell her so she can wrangle some way to get commission on it." He turned from watching Juno pick flowers to gaze down into 'Taya's face. "You're a good mom, you know."

"I'm trying not to be my own mother," she chuckled softly, leaning into Max's side. Unlike Juno, 'Taya didn't mind wet and soggy and ick when she was just as soggy herself. "You can't protect her from everything, Max, or she'll never grow up. And that's the point of all this, isn't it' To give her a safe, happy place to grow up balanced in?"

"I know baby, you're right. That's why I'm so lucky to have you. You keep me balanced." Turning to her then, he brought his hands up to cradle her jaw. "And together, we're going to give her the best place to grow up." He gazed into her eyes lovingly and lowered his head to place a soft, loving kiss to her lips.

As 'Taya smiled into Max's gentle kiss, an almighty flash and crash of lightning and thunder lit up the sky, rumbling so loudly as to make it seem as though the ground was shaking. A moment later, Juno thumped into Mataya's side, wrapping her head with 'Taya's coat as the actress hugged her close. "I guess loud noises aren't her thing, either, huh?"

They weren't much on Max's list of favorite things, either. He huddled his family together and began to hurry them towards their awaiting vehicle. The rain came down torrentially and he was instantly soaked from head to foot. They were surprisingly quick, getting to the car and into it with the exception of Max having to find the car keys in the myriad of pockets that he was wearing. Finally, the car opened up and they were sheltered from the rain. He sat in the driver's seat, dripping wet and breathing heavily. "Whew!"

Settled safely in the car, 'Taya twisted to look into the back seat at the sodden Juno. With her flowered circlet wilting in her sodden hair, and her arms filled with the basket of flowers she had picked herself, the little girl was grinning, exhilarated by her day out. It looked as though the first Yako-De Luca Beltane Children's Day had been a rousing success.

((Huge thanks to Max's player for humoring me with this scene!))