Captive?

I stood in front of a Lexus's house.

Why?

Due to the fact that I was suddenly holding a wedding and had no time to tell him or Eli about it.

"Owwa?" Athena grabbed my cheek while she sat on my arm. I brought her along because actually we were coming back after getting her dress for the wedding day.

"Un!!"

"Okay then." As I walked forward and stood in front of their door it opened all of the sudden and Summer, Lexus's niece came out startling me.

"Uncle Arius?" She looked at me confused.

"Hey~ Summer, it's been a while. Is Lexus in?" She nodded but her attendance here made me think maybe more people were there, "Is your dad there too?"

She shook her head, "No, he dropped me here and went home. Uncle got me a driver so I was about to head home but who's that baby." She was very intrigued about Athena.

"This is Athena." I looked at my daughter, "Athena say hi!" I gestured a wave with my hand so that she could copy.

"I" Athena rotated her hand instead looking absolutely adorable. I don't know why she doesn't wave but whatever.

"Awww. She's so cute~"

"I know right!" I couldn't agree more with anything else.

"Who is she?"

"Uh… She's my daughter."

Summer's eyes suddenly left her sockets for a few moments, "Huh?" She got confused.

"Summer!" I heard Lexus call her from inside, "Who are you talking to?"

"Go tell him I'm here."

"You can just come in you know."

"Just tell him."

"Okay." She ran back in, "Uncle! Uncle Arius is here with his daughter!!" She was loud enough so I heard her but only whistled to pass the moments. Athena found my whistling very interesting and smacked my lips with her cute chubby hands.

"Ahhn!"

'How did you do it!' Was probably what she was thinking because she tried mimicking me and blew out nothing but air and spit.

"No Athena." I wiped the little spit off my face, "That's not how you do it." I whistled again trying to entertain her and she looked at me with her big round eyes and mouth slightly open.

Adorable.

"Arius?" Lexus came to the door and I looked at him. Summer came out right behind him, waved us both a good-bye and left in the car waiting for him

"Lex! Hey, how've you been?"

He nodded, "Good." Then looked at Athena in awe and awkwardly pointed both his fingers at her, "Your daughter?" His eyebrows furrowed together clearly showing the confusion.

"Dada!" Athena grabbed my collar to balance herself while she stared at a passing butterfly.

"Yup, my daughter."

"..." There was a moment of silence, "How!?" I can't really tell him even I didn't know I had her until about a few weeks ago, "When did you even get married?"

"Uh," I cleared my throat, "I didn't." I gave him an awkward smile while he looked at me bewildered, "That's why I'm here." I handed him the wedding invitation, "I'm getting married."

He sighed loudly, "Arius, what even-!??"

"Yeah I know. A lot happened and the wedding was planned in a hurry too because of some reasons but still, I want you to be there."

He smiled, "At least you considered me. After mom's death you suddenly stopped talking to any of us. The fact you came to my wedding was a surprise too."

"Well you personally came to me, so of course I had to go." I shifted Athena's weight on the other arm, "Many things happened Lex. It was a bit hard."

"You okay now?"

"Yea. Never been better." I looked at the card, "Be sure to come."

"Sure, when is it?"

"Tomorrow."

"..." He looked at me with an annoyed-confused expression, "Are you fucking kidding me?"

I just smiled back at him.

***

"Well, Well, Well." Eli came and sat down on the couch in front of the one I was sitting on.

I arrived at his house to meet him but he had already heard a bit about me from Summer, "What a unique guest." He smiled while giving out an ominous aura.

"Hi…"

"What made you grace us with your holy presence?" He was angry, "And!" He pointed at Athena sitting in my lap, "You 'SUDDENLY' have a daughter?" He clapped sarcastically, "And you told no one. I guess we were that unimportant to you."

"Eli...Uh, many things happened that I couldn't tell anyone."

"I helped you so many times Arius! In your house!"

"I know. I didn't talk to you guys because I didn't want any possibility that any of you would get in danger. I had already lost too much." I looked down and Athena looked at me, studying my expressions. Then she hugged my stomach and I smiled, "But things are fine now." I looked at Eli, "So I'm here."

"To tell me you have a daughter?"

"Actually I came to invite you to my wedding." I slid the invitation on the table between the couches.

"You're not married?!" He sighed and rubbed his temple, "Wow. But I did expect it might happen since it was you."

"Hey! I didn't have a kid with just someone!"

"I can tell. It's Azalea isn't it?"

"You can tell?"

He smiled when he looked at Athena, "She looks like her." He nodded in approval, "At least you chose a good life partner. Azalea is a good girl."

"Yea."

Eli leaned back on the couch, "I heard about Huang-fei but I never found a way to come and express my condolences."

"It's okay. It was time he retired and rested."

"Oh well." He picked up the invitation and looked at it and then threw it on the table, "Are you kidding me. Tomorrow?"

He was ready to fight but I'm glad I brought Athena along. He won't do that in front of my daughter.

"Sorry?"

He sighed.

"Since you actually came." His frustration subsided, "I'll forgive you."

"You'll come right?"

He nodded, "I will."