"Huh? No. Why?" Meryn sputtered.
Kari looked from the twins to the two men on the screen. "Ah."
Ryuu looked at her and nodded.
"What!?" Meryn demanded.
Avery took pity on her. "Noah is worried now that you have Nigel and Neil, you won't need them anymore."
"That's ridiculous. Noah and Jaxon are my minions. I found them; they're mine. Nigel and Neil are my Baby Keelans..." Meryn paused. "Oh. I can see how that can be confusing. But I feel the same about all four of you."
"How?" Noah asked, biting his lower lip.
"Hmm. Not like Aiden, because we don't have sex."
"Thank the gods," Noah whispered.
"Not like Ryuu, because y'all don't feed me..." Meryn scratched her head, looking truly confused.
"Denka, do you care about them?" Ryuu asked.
"Yes, of course."
"Worry about them?"
"Yes."
"Want them to be happy?"
"Duh."
"Then what type of family member do you care about, worry over, want to be happy, that are usually close in age and male?" Ryuu prompted.
Meryn frowned. Kari could imagine the wheels turning a mile a minute in her brain. Finally, Meryn's face lit up. "They are like male versions of Beth and Amelia. That would make them my brothers!" Meryn announced happily. Her eyes narrowed, and she grinned. "I have brothers now; brothers are cool."
Kari took in the four men's faces and smiled. She could see how Meryn's words affected them.
Noah dissolving into tears broke the silence. Jaxon rubbed his back gently, his own eyes shining brightly. Nigel and Neil were clutching each other's hands so hard Kari was afraid they were going to snap off each other's fingers.
"Now how did I break them?" Meryn groaned. She laid her head on her crossed forearms on the table. Avery rubbed her back. "I don't think they are broken, Meryn. I think they are just fine," he whispered.
"We are. We are. We are. We are!" Noah sobbed.
Meryn lifted her head, looking angry. "You stop that! No crying, Noah, I can't help you from here!" Meryn twisted her hands together anxiously.
A sniff then a giggle escaped Noah. "Like you would know what to do even if you were here."
Meryn's face relaxed at his laughter. "Probably not."
"Meryn, I understand Noah and Jaxon, you've known them longer, but you've only just met us." Nigel pointed between him and his brother.
"So?"
"We just met."
"Yes, you said that."
"How can you possibly love us enough to call us brothers?" Neil asked. His eyes were hopeful but leery. As if he was afraid to believe that Meryn could possibly care for them that much.