Firefly Glen We'll be alright if you don't ask me to stay

like so many things in life, arcturus was given little time to react before things just went sideways.

first, his father’s rebuke. it tore through the air, sounding harsher than the single clap of a sniper bullet — arcturus flinched from the bite in charon’s words, his gaze going from judgmental to wounded.

on the plus side, if charon had been referring to him (when he had been standing off to the side not even wanting speedy, but whiny-arcturus digressses), charon had at least referred to him as a ‘man’. that was a compliment to arcturus, who still sometimes felt as the baby, he was not taken seriously by his peers.

following charon’s snap, his sullen gaze flickered to hydra readily, knowing enough of his family to know that an absolute shitstorm was coming. hydra was sure to resent the manner in which she was spoken to - just like arcturus, she was unaccustomed to charon’s fury, and likely would react poorly to it.  

family man as arcturus wanted to be, his loyalty was divided — he had always envisioned he would be steadfast in this devotion, but when his family fragmented, which piece then did he choose to follow?

his options thinned as amekaze’s howl called for all of them; now he had three conflicting commands to obey, and almost no willpower mustered to amuse each of them. he was still stung by the harshness of his father, and annoyed by the commanding overtures issued by his sister. he was not a puppet to be controlled; when would his family see that? he resented being pulled six ways to sunday, and shared a private glance of sympathy with dirge (you is marrying into crazy) before his attention drew to revui.

he would have probably continued to stay where he was, and maybe even would have stepped in as the buffer between the brewing tension of father and daughter, but revui had left, and with him went arcturus’ interests in playing family mediator. he didn’t understand why everyone was so stircrazy this time of year, and couldn’t help but feel like it was partially hydra and speedy’s fault. if speedy hadn’t left, hydra hadn’t been so controlling, charon hadn’t been so caustic....

today, arcturus obeyed the command of none. in an act unprecedented for the most obedient boy in moonspear, arcturus gave everyone in the remaining circle a “you-guys-suck” glare (sparing dirge, whose only flaw was maybe being in the wrong place at the wrong time) before he turned after his brother, tail bobbing in cold dismissal as he went.