Taming the Beast(Closed with AvaAssassin)

Rina was a bit concerned herself as she watched her son eat. Once he was done and she had eaten her own she winced as she got up with the plates and took their own plates. She had a thoughtful look on her face as she sat them in the sink. She was so deep in thought she didn't even hardly notice Xavier was in the room.

"You would think he'd be afraid of the Red Cross, what with what he went through." Xavier said quietly, the necklace dangling around his neck and off his bare skin. He was staring into the sink, contemplating on whether or not he should wash them now or wait until later.

Rina jumped when he spoke and slipped almost falling. She caught herself on the counter before looking at him. "Perhaps we should ask him..." She said with concern in her voice as she leaned out the kitchen door to look at her son.

Xavier also took his eyes and placed them on the boy. "Would he even know himself? He seems like a bright boy and yet....some people don't know why they feel the way that they do." He asked.

"We won't know until we ask." She said before turning her head to look at Xavier. She looked worried and confused and wasn't really sure what else to do.

Xavier gave a quiet sigh and nodded before he pushed himself upright and went into the living room, where he sat down beside the boy and ruffled his hair for a moment. "Lad, I have a question for you."

Hunter looked up at him and tilted his little head. "Ok." He said smiling up at Xavier with a wide smile. He turned to face Xavier giving him his undivided attention.

Xavier took a deep breath and played with his father's necklace for a moment before he let it rest against his bare skin, the metal cool to the touch. "I'm curious about something." He began slowly, letting the necklace be in full view of the child. "Why weren't you scared of this?" he tapped his father's necklace with a finger.

Because the men who took me and wore it was bad... You brought me back to my mommy so you must be good." Hunter told him still looking up at Xavier with big curious eyes. Rina watched from the kitchen while they spoke.

Xavier's eyes widened for a moment before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The child wouldn't understand if he told Hunter exactly why he wore this necklace. So instead he simply said "Some view me as someone who shouldn't be trusted. And yet a child is willing to trust me." He sounded...emotional. As though this was what he'd wanted all along: someone to trust him. "Sorry to have disturbed your show. Go on back to watching it." Xavier ruffled the boy's hair for a moment before he called to Rina. He wanted to speak with her privately, without her son hearing them. It was time for her to know the truth.

Rina had just finished the dishes when she heard Xavier. She peeked out of the kitchen and looked over. "I'm in here." She said nodding for him to come over. She knew her son was so preoccupied with his show he wouldn't hear them speak here.

Xavier stepped into the kitchen, looked into the living room for a moment before he took a deep breath. "Have I told you why I wear this necklace?" He asked, sounding like he was growling internally. Something was definitely on his mind but his heart was tearing into two with one half wanting to tell her the real reason and the other screaming that he didn't need her sympathy or her trust.

No, you haven't but I've never asked. I didn't think it was any of my business." She said tilting her head slightly. She had been curious but she was staying in his home and she thought it might have been rude to ask.

Xavier's face twisted into a snarl, though it wasn't because of Rina. It was because of what she might say. "Contrary to belief, I'm not full blooded Assassin." He said slowly, a growl backing his words. Immediately he turned away from her and went to the counter, where he planted his hands, his muscles rippling beneath his skin and his necklace falling forward, swinging quietly back and forth for a time.

Should that bother me? I had a theory that at least one parent was probably a Templar but it doesn't change my option of you." She told him with an amused smile. "To me, you're the hero who returned my child to me." Smiling she leaned on the counter.

Xavier, shocked, swung his head to stare over at Rina. She'd already theorized that he'd been born under the red cross? Xavier shook his head for a moment before he told her exactly what had happened, exactly what he'd been told. "It wasn't just my father, though. My mother believed everything the Templars did. She just never joined them, especially when she found out she was pregnant. I've been told the story by my Assassin rescuer since the day he'd heard my vow.

"The Templars threw me out because they were afraid of me. All because they think that I'm some sort of demon. Assassins, civilians, Templars...they all fear me because of this damned thing." Xavier turned to look at her and pointed out the scar that ran down his entire left side of his face. "I've told myself years ago that I don't need anyone's trust." Though at this moment...it seemed his world was turning upside down and all because Hunter trusted him, because Rina trusted him.

It doesn't matter where you came from. I don't see you as any sort of Demon or monster and Hunter loves you. Ava certainly seems to be your friend as well." She told arching her brow. "You are not a Demon. You're a man and just because you wear that cross doesn't mean anything to me. It's just a piece of metal." She said as she looked up at him with a smile.

Xavier seemed taken by surprise. His eyes were wide and he was searching her face for any hint that she was lying. That she was merely saying what he wanted to hear. But there was no sign of anything cruel in her eyes. Just caring, kind eyes that made his heart melt. He turned away from her for a moment longer and closed his eyes with a heavy sigh. "Thank you..."

Rina chuckled. "There isn't anything you need to thank me for Xavier. I'm simply telling you the truth." She said with a smile. "Now I need to find something for Hunter to wear so we can get him into that school." Rina said with a smile as she gave his arm a pat as she moved towards the living room.

"There won't be any need." Xavier said with a shake of his head, straightening up. "They provide uniforms."

Oh? Well, that's a relief!" She said happily. "He still needs clothes though." She said as she sat down next to her son. Turning off the TV she smiled. "Come on we need to get you cleaned up. We're going somewhere where you can make some friends." She said as she kissed his forehead. "I still need something to put him in after his bath. These are filthy." She said picking at her son's dirty clothes.

Xavier gave a quiet laugh before he went upstairs and came back down with small children sized clothes. "Don't think it weird, but I've always kept my old clothes from when I was small. I was roughly about his size, maybe a bit bigger, but these should fit him." He handed Rina a pair of light blue worn out jeans and a rather odd looking tee shirt that looked like it belonged to a child who loved dragons.

Oh, dragon cool!!!" Hunter said happily as Rina picked him up. "I think he likes it." She said with a chuckle as she accepted the clothes. "Thank you." She told him as she walked with him to the bathroom and quickly cleaned him up before changing his clothes. He came running out of the bathroom in his new clothes with Rina following with a smile. "There we go. All clean and almost ready to go." She said as she placed his clothes in the dirty laundry for her to do later.

Xavier chuckled and shook his head. "I suppose I'll get ready too. Hey little man. You ready for a ride?" Xavier asked as he headed upstairs to get himself ready to talk to the man who ran the school.

Rina smiled as her son ran around excitedly. He jumped from the couch to the chair and kept his balance the entire time. Rina was glad to see him so happy and to know he would be going to a school where the Templars couldn't touch him. "Don't jump on the furniture sweety." She told him with a smile making him stop and go over to her.