Chapter 9: Johnny, you think too highly of yourself

Johnny stormed towards Filarion, yet, Filarion still let the sticks fly. The three groaned, and went back to the beginning position. Just because the elf's soulmate had entered, didn't mean that he was going to slouch in the training of his kids.

"What are you doing here?" Johnny growled, and Filarion pointed at the three running teens.

"Training my kids. We formed a party together. Do you think Leaf Party is a good name?" Filarion tilted his head to the side, keeping an eye on the running trio.

"I have a restraining order against you!" Johnny yelled, and the three turned to stare at the two ex-lovers, stopping their running.

"Who told you to stop? Keep running," Filarion barked, and waved his three sticks for the trio to see. They began their zigzagging run again, not that it would save them from a repeat of the stretch. Filarion turned back to Johnny.

"Johnny, you think too highly of yourself. My life doesn't revolve around you, my love. Do you want a break from our relationship? I will give you your space. Don't think I will go out of my way to avoid you, though," Filarion let the sticks fly, and the three adorable kids dragged their feet back to the door. Serves them right for stopping.

"What are you doing?" Johnny asked again. This time, his voice was less of a hiss and softer.

"I told you. Can't you see? I am turning a new page in my life. See, your words moved me to action. I realized the family business needed to change. Granted, some opportunist or the other will step in to fill the vacuum, but the low lives will have to find another supplier," Filarion aimed the sticks, but Johnny grabbed his hands.

"You left me that note," Johnny was glaring at him, and that hurt the elf. He heard whops of joy soon after, and it was Filarion's turn to glare.

"You are interrupting my training," Filarion watched as the three stood by the door, reading the mood and realizing that they were not to come near the duo.

"You were just playing with those kids. I know you, Filarion. You could have hit them blindfolded," Johnny snapped, and his voice carried over the entire training hall. Filarion saw his kids shift uneasily, and decided to do damage control.

"They would have learned to dodge, eventually," Filarion countered, letting his voice carry as well. He could see the nods the three gave each other. Hope was a tender thing. He had to nurture it, or hate would replace it. "I have faith in them."

"You used to speak like that, when you helped me train. Now I realize that you played with me as well," Johnny's words hurt Filarion even more than his glare. "If you get these kids killed, I will hurt you, little leaf."

With that, Johnny went to a corner of the hall, and began lifting weights. Filarion waved the kids over.

"Who was that, lord Elathana?" Zaine asked. Filarion scrunched up his nose at him.

"My lover. We have a bit of a disagreement at the moment. And don't call me lord Elathana. Filarion, or just Fil is better," Filarion told him, and then saw that their eyes had gotten wide again. "Now, for the next training, you are to play tag."

"Wait, what?" Gregory asked, and Filarion smiled at him.

"Against me. I catch you, you have to go and lift weights," Filarion told them, as he stood. "Now, you will be in a bit of an advantage, seeing as I am hurt. But don't think I won't catch you."

The three took off running. Filarion gave them enough time to get in three different corners of the hall, and then he was off. Running towards Zaine, he switched his direction at the last second, just as Zaine took off running again.

Nathaniel ended up in Filarion's way, and the elf caught him without a problem. The healer groaned, but went to Johnny's corner, and took the lightest thing he could find.

Now that it was just Gregory and Zaine, Filarion's eyes shifted from one to the other. The same tactic won't work twice. So, Filarion walked towards Zaine again. The berserker was confused at the slow pace, but then took off running as soon as Filarion was close enough.

Then, like a spring, Filarion was off and running after the berserker. He caught the kid by the door, and tickled his sides.

"You are out, kiddo," Filarion said, as Zaine dragged his feet to the weights corner. The only one that was left was Gregory, who was running in zigzag around Filarion. Filarion tried to catch him a couple of times, but the archer was fast. The elf had to give him that.

Then, the archer showed signs of slowing down. Filarion sat in the middle of the room, and waited for him to stop running.

"Fil, are you giving up?" Gregory teased, and Filarion smirked at him.

"I just remembered a nice archer technique I could tell you about, but I am too hurt to keep on running," Filarion murmured, as if regretting the loss.

Gregory edged closer, but didn't come into touching range.

"You can tell me now," Gregory spoke, as he bit his lower lip.

"Come closer," Filarion spoke. To prove that he was not going to snatch the archer from his spot, he placed his hands to the back of his back, and gripped them. "See? I am tied."

Gregory jogged the rest of the way, and leaned in, so he could hear Filarion whisper in his ear. Filarion headbutted him, his hands still gripping one another.

"Lesson number one, Greg. Never trust a rogue," Filarion said, as he stood. "Now go and lift your weights. Technique training starts after you three have made some muscles."

Gregory groaned, and rubbed his forehead. It had been more of a tap, than actual headbutting. Still, he was sore over being tricked.

Johnny watched as Filarion went to the other side of the room, and relaxed on one of the benches. The three teens gave the tank curious looks, but didn't talk to him.

Which was good because Johnny was conflicted. Was Filarion simply a good actor? He had treated the kids well, played with them in a good way, even. Was Filarion trying to show him that, beneath the rot that Johnny now knew was there, was a good heart that was fighting to cleanse the elf?