Nature Calling [open]

[Straw Buckett]

There was an odd sensation in his stomach today. A pulling, a feeling, a knowing but unknowing, sixth sense? Whatever it was, it was pulling him to get outside and head toward the park. He couldn't explain, it itched at his side like a mosquito bite. It was unlike his usually ‘ants in the pants’ need to be outside but a yearning, a belonging, a calling.

Whisking up the children, as Kat was at work, Straw headed out the door toward Organic park. Along the way he stopped to talk and discuss the interesting ice-cream flavors with the local ice cream vendor Hubert. “Fig flavour, really?” and despite his amazement the decision to get a double helping was not enough to convince the children that daddy had the better ice cream.

Finding a spot in the sun, Straw lay out the toys and began to chat away, reminiscing of old band days and having to crawl through the fig cupboard to enter the room. “That’s right, Daddy played guitar, Aunty Kelly was the singer, mummy was…” Straw paused, ‘What was Kat?’ In fact, recalling the memory was harder then he originally thought, he did however recall the awkwardness of finding a role of his dear wife. Kelly being the clearly better singer and best friend of his crush was a road block Straw couldn’t avoid. So to keep everyone happy allowed her to join, “And I think Mummy was very good at the triangle!”

[Logan Renly]

He had been following them, watching from a distance casually. Not wanting to disrupt the purchasing of ice creams or family stroll. The Bucket family were quite a cute scene, Straw lively talking to his miniatures as they gazed up in awe and affection.

Approaching the small congregate of happiness a fond smile came to Mr Renly’s lips as his eyes met his cousin’s.

“It has been awhile..” Logan’s gaze dropped to Straw’s icecream “..ah figs.” The thing was Logan was more nervous about the little ones than the lengthy catching up and explanation he owed his cousin. Logan’s disappearing acts were usually followed by more of such, before details of his travels could be revealed.. But you see Logan was never very good with tiny people, or children rather. Interacting with them always scared him a bit.

Looking down at the three he struggled out the words “Oh hi”. Awkwardly pocketing his hands and taking in the little versions of Kat and Strawmiale.[/size][/font]

[Straw Buckett]

"Indeed, only your favourite flavour dear cousin," Smiled a very surprised Straw. He never picked his cousin for grand entrances but boy did he do them well, picking his moment as precisely and cleverly as a lion picks it's prey. The itching made sense now, for reason unbeknown to Straw, be it in the blood, he always knew when his family were about and it seemed that it was Logan signal that his antennas had detected today.

"Tis been too long," Straw smiled biting back urges to leap up and embrace Slytherin's barefooted wanderer. "Might you crawl through the fig tunnel and lay your posterior upon my woven mat?" cooed Straw as his children turn to the uncle they had never met. "Spaiden, Josh, Scarlett," and the children briefly glanced his way [like well trained monkeys], "This... is you're Uncle Logan," Josh fell into Straw's lap immediately with shyness, hiding his face in his fathers arm pit. "Uncle Logan... this is Spaiden," and pointed to the one that resembled himself the most, "This is Scarlett," and pointed to the one wearing the green dress. Scarlett waved at Logan but continued to hold a confused expression, "And this one here..." Lifting Josh, Straw spun him around to face Logan, "is Joshua!" Straw took hold of Josh's little arm and made him wave. "Hello Uncle Logan!" he chanted in his best impression of a child's voice which indeed made Joshua giggle and roll back into his fathers arm pit. "Well i tried," shrugged Straw as brave Spaiden made first contact with Uncle Logan's leg.

[Logan Renly]

Logan dropped down to his knees slowly so not to freak the little ones out more. "Well you guys are a bit wussie and sassy," Logan said staring at them after they had said their little hellos. His eyes overly wide perhaps maybe looking a bit scary. Yeahhh, Logan didn't talk to children ever. If his words weren't freaking them out then surely his facial features probably would do it. Mind you Logan was a bit dirty and already somewhat scary looking. With mud caking some aspects of his clothes and spots of dirt on his face and in his hair. He really did look like he'd gone for a great tumble. Yes, hunting does that to a person when they get very involved.

"Awh Strawie you've spoilt them into mini sassy wusses. How do you expect them to grow up and become tough like me if you're showering them with cutesieness? .. And obviously over exposure to Kat's sass," Logan grinned now deciding the shake each of their tiny hands politely. "Wartsie would set them straight," Logan sighed a bit sad, he hadn't seen his pet in awhile now. She had actually grown quite large over time but kept running away. "That reminds me I have a few eggs to give you," Logan murmured mostly to himself as he started determinedly to dig through a muddy backpack.

[Straw Buckett]

Straw watched with much amusement as his cousin began to interact with his children. "Hey! They're only three," Straw smirked, 'Oh Logan, how much he needed to learn, this was cute however' Oh dear cousin Logan, he was that awkward friend that held children out at arms length and found little baby geese more adorable then children. Straw loved him muchly for his pure efforts to be who he was and never changed for anyone but for his own need.

"Why are you covered in dirt?" Last time Straw asked as he watched him go searching through his pockets. He had seen his cousin for a while now, last time he recalled the man with longer hair and bare feet. From this angle Straw couldn't tell but gathered he was bare footed as usual anyway, "Where have you been cousin? What jolly tales does thee have to tell?" Josh now finding his feet began to copy his brother and wondered over to Logan. He didn't touch him but decided to circle the man instead like a curious lion cub.

[Logan Renly]

“Dirt? Hm.” Logan mumbled more concentrating on digging through his magical Mary Popins like backpack, mixing up Straws questions. Pulling out a various strange looking artifacts and other peculiar things. “Ah there she is,' he grinned apparently Logan had found what he was looking for. The seams of the bag creaked as Logan pulled and twisted the thing out using all of his strength. He had almost forgotten it was in there. How very silly.

Laughing somewhat at his own struggle Logan looked over at Straw “I need a favor if you wouldn’t mind? Since you obviously have proven your maternal side,” Logan asked with a little charming smile, the vibrant blue and gold speckled egg finally popping out of the bag.

“I have met your babies now you can meet mine! I mean, wait.. well sort of not really at all. Hah.” Logan ran a hand through his hair the other out stretching the very extraordinarily large egg in victory before then placing it down for the little ones to look at. For how big the thing was it was very light, the shells exterior was complex and looked almost translucent in the sunshine.

Logan sat himself next to Straw watching Josh and Spaiden poke the egg with curiosity. “See look they love it, watch as they fondle the shell.”

[Straw Buckett]

Straw watched curiously as his young cousin dig through his pack back. Leaning back on his hands he smirks to himself, 'This ought to be good'. Logan was a unique one, one of Straw's favorite people, there was never a dull moment with him and he was sure there was no chance in million that Straw could guess what Logan was about to pull from his backpack.

'Come on muscles," Straw teases as Logan struggled with the items in his bag. The children were even in awe of their uncle. They all sat, finger in mouth and eyes a gaze stunned by what was about to come out of the man's bad. "What kind of favor?" Straw's eyes narrowed questionably as Logan began to tug an oval shaped object out of his bag.

Straw reaches out with a single finger and strokes the not so rough texture of the egg nervously... 'Yup.. that's definitely an egg'. It didn't look like an egg but that was only due the translucency. Was there something really in there? Straw pauses for a long moment, gazing from the egg to Logan and back to the egg.

"It's... beautiful Logs," Straw replies hesitantly still squinting at the egg questionably. "It's an egg right? What kind of egg is it? Where's it's mother?" Judging by the size of the thing it;s mother was probably ten times the size... Straw wasn't looking forward to meeting who ever it was.

[Logan Renly]

"Could you baby sit for me?" Logan now looked at Straw with a big grin as if he was offering a prize. "For your own sake I can't-shouldn't-really tell you what they are but I promise they won't hatch at least for another 10 days." He continued in a matter of fact tone. "I just need you to keep them warm in your house... other wise they might not hatch. Heh." His voice became a little disheartened at the end part now gazing at the egg with concern.
"I mean there’s only 5, and you could keep them in your hall cupboard I suppose - Kat wont even know!"

[Straw Buckett]

Straw probably shouldn't have attempted to drink anything while listening to his cousin's request, "WHAT?" Straw spat as he half chocked on his water. "What do mean for my own sake you can't-shouldn't-really tell me what they are??" Straw's voice growing increasingly concerned. "Let me get this straight, you want me, father of three, to hold these unknown egg stay in my house despite not knowing what is in there?" Straw now pointing to the eggs menacingly. "Of course Kat will find out, how often does she not find out about stuff that I'm trying to hide from her?"

Pondering on the thought Straw remembered how he was now experimenting with high shelves that she couldn't reach to hide the chocolate. Shaking his head Straw turned to look Logan firmly in the eyes, "Man I have kids now, they could sooo easily break the egg and god knows what's in it could hurt them?!" Looking down at his watch Straw realised it was time to go home, he would be starting work soon. "I have to go Logs, Kat's finishing soon and I have to drop the kids before I shoot off to work,"

Straw quickly gathered up the blanket and toys, stuffing them into an over sized yellow stripped beach bag. It was particularly feminine but Straw secretly liked it as he could easily throw it over his shoulder and it would hold the bottles, food, nappies, wipes, toys and blanket quiet easily. "Good luck trying to find a place for them, Kelly's free, maybe she could take them?" he chuckled knowing that would be the last thing she wanted. Straw was still a little dark toward her for still not telling him what was wrong with her. They hadn't spoken for weeks now... it was their biggest fight. He clipped the children into the pram. "We should catch up for a ButterBeer soon, come round to my place later ok!" and giving his depleted cousin a wave, Straw walked off.

'Don't forget the milk, don't forget the milk, don't forget the milk

[Logan Renly]

"There’s no way they could break the eggs," Logan scoffed at the suggestion. ”Completely..." A pause. "-highly unlikely.” He watched as Straw gathered up his things and Logan's grin faded to blank amazement. "Really? That’s it? Just no? What happened to the adventurous, fun-time Strawie I use to know and love? Ohyeah that’s right you got old." Logan now mocked Straw as if that would maybe annoy his cousin enough to change his mind. Usually that worked but apparently Straw honestly didn't think twice about it. Logan shook his head now in disapproval as Straw explained why he had to leave. He frowned deeply continuing to sit there and refusing to say or admit that this was goodbye.

Eventually as Straw began to walk away from Logan the realisation finally hit and the young man sighed looking very disheartened.

"Oh..Bye."

Yes Logan, Straw had actually said no to you. But he also invited me over? Right?
The muddy man sat there for a few more moments watching Straw, the big girl he was, walk off into the distance with the ridiculous yellow bag and trundling the prams away.
No no. This wasn't over by far and after a moment of silent self-reassurance Logan got his feet with the egg and made his way to a certain household.

(continued here: Amongst the towels[104 - open])