"It was a try to throw that out there." Hebs kissed his lover on the cheek and smiled. He was really adorable all snuggled up tightly against him. Although he didn't mind the fallen angel's warmth enveloping him, it was a little difficult to walk in such a position. Imagine his relief when they had finally settled down on the couch. Reaching up to play with Shadow's hair again, he nuzzled the other's cheek and made a face. Really. The other didn't have to tease him so. As if to silence him, he took those lips with his own for a kiss, and slid his hand down to his chest to give it a little pat.

"I still don't see why the rules up there is different when you're one big family." Relaxing against Shadow, he sighed and twirled a few strands of the other's hair around his fingers.


Johnny raised his eyebrows a bit and turned to look up. "Oh, no. I know. I'm simply telling him to clean up after himself." The male straightened up and leaned back against the dining table. As he stretched out his legs underneath, he sighed quietly and licked his drying lips wet. Sure, he was used to eating alone; but, it was quite different and odd with someone who was obviously far too taken with their own companion - dead or not. He'd just finished about halfway his bowl when he felt the sudden feel of the boy's leg against his own.

For a moment there was nothing but shock on the lawyer's face, and that look only doubled over when he'd seen Blake's seat mate. Recognizing the face of the said man, he parted his lips for a moment as if he were ready to talk. But, like a fish, he closed his mouth again and cleared his throat. "Good day," he greeted the dead man before he'd looked down at his food, "I would offer you some food or a drink, maybe, but I doubt it's edible for the dead."

So, was this how other people were able to see what Blake could see? When he touches them without meaning to?

Shadow hummed softly when Hebs began playing with his hair again--he tilted his head more to the side, eyes both closing once more. He really did love having his hair played with like that...as long as it wasn't mussed up too badly, of course. He could really be quite affectionate, even when other people were watching, but it only truly shone when they were by themselves. Some clanking sounds gained his attention after a moment. The fallen angel opened his eyes, craning his neck to peer into the kitchen. Sebastian was already well on his way to preparing their meal--he had all of the ingredients, no meat unfortunately, all ready to go and was in the middle of boiling some water.

"It's different for them. It's strange. It's...rather cold, in my opinion." But that suited most angels just perfectly. They were a generally snobbish, cold, and distant bunch. This was peculiar, actually. Their supposedly evil counterparts, demons, were actually much more genial and affectionate in a general sense. Over his long lifetime, Shadow had met several demons, most of which weren't actually pure evil at all. He preferred them over angels by a long shot--they were much easier to get along with.


The spirit seemed just as shocked as Johnny was when the human suddenly spoke to him. He glanced rapidly from side to side, fixed Blake with a concerned look (Blake seemed just as concerned as him, which wasn't quite reassuring), and then cleared his throat--his voice had a haunting echo to it, and it was incredibly soft.

"No, no--no...no drink." He sounded almost panicked at the thought of a drink. That might have had something to do with the way he died, drowned underneath the ice in frigid water. Blake rolled his eyes, focusing on his soup now. He wanted desperately to yank his leg away from Johnny's. He wasn't used to touching other people, or being touched by other people--physical human contact was something he typically went out of his way to avoid, seeing as something like this could happen. When he was in the middle of using his powers in some way and he accidentally touched someone else, there was a chance that they would be able to see the same things he saw on a regular basis. He had to be the one to initiate the contact, though, which was why mild contact had never had such an effect on Johnny before. Now that the other man was conversing with the spirit he figured that would be just plain rude of him to interrupt, so he reluctantly kept his leg against his housemate's.

The longer Blake kept the contact unbroken...the more the once-empty room began to change. One by one, spirits started taking shape. A few of them looked familiar--subjects of the boy's paintings, no doubt. Three middle-aged women on the couch, one with a viciously sliced neck, who were blabbering away about the husbands and children they left behind. A little girl playing with a jump rope nearby looked like someone had tried to behead her in life, but failed and left a small strip of neck behind. A tall and beautiful woman in Victorian garb flitted about from one end of the room to another. A couple of darkly-dressed teenagers with identical gunshot wounds to their heads sat on the stairs. On the far end of the room, a man in a straitjacket paced back and forth, eyes owlishly wide, and kept on muttering to himself in an unfamiliar language--it might have been Russian. Several other spirits continually passed through the walls at a rapid rate. Others started to appear, but then instantly vanished.

There were so many of them. And they were so loud. How did Blake manage to deal with this every day?

Indeed, it is. Quite cold. Hebs could see now why Sebastian felt lonely. It would still be nice if he, at least, has a companion - a pocket-like one that he could keep and appear at any time. The thought made him chuckle softly and he tugged a bit at Shadow's hair before he nipped at his jaw. "How'd you think Sebastian were to react with a pocket friend?" Hebs shrugged and curled up against Shadow. "I just wonder... it might be a little less lonely for him."


It was really loud. No wonder the boy wore his earphones like they were his lifeline. While he didn't mind the leg against his own, it was getting a little disturbing having close to him for far too long. Oh, Johnny didn't speak. He'd only reached under the table to give Blake's leg a little pat before he shifted to push his chair back. He's finished with his bowl of food, and really, it was rather distracting to see spirits all around his house. He was feeling a lot better not seeing them. "It's a pleasure meeting you," he told the spirit beside Blake, "And... thank you." He directed that last one to Blake before he headed back to the kitchen to clean up before either of them were to decide to get to bed.

"I'll be in the library if you need me." Glancing at the boy, he gave him a silent nod before he entered a door below the stairs that led to the basement. It's not your usual dark and damp place. In fact, it was just like any other room, and was painted a bright color. Rows of bookshelves covered one side of the room, the other, a long table with what appeared to be open books taken from various shelves. This wasn't the first time Johnny's come down here. He's been, apparently, researching about Blake's power and the 101 guide on how to set a trap for powerful demons.

Shadow grinned widely at the nip to his jaw, resting his chin on top of the other male's head. "To be honest, I think that would annoy him more than anything else," he admitted, glancing skyward. "He is a loner by choice. Sure, he is lonely. But at the same time, he has little to no desire to seek out company." Trying to make friends here, in the human world, was a futile effort for the angel anyway. He couldn't bring them back to Babylon, and there was next to no way to keep in contact with them. If they could convince Sebastian to fall, he could stay here...but it wasn't likely that a perfectionist like him would agree to fall just like that.

The fallen angel reached out with his free hand, searching for the remote. When his fingers finally brushed against it, he snatched it up and began flipping through television channels animatedly, obviously looking for a good horror movie that they could watch while they ate.


"For what?" Blake sounded awfully suspicious. He arched a single eyebrow and watched closely as Johnny rose from his seat, heading for the kitchen. Once the other man left, he resumed swinging his legs rhythmically underneath the table. Seeing so many spirits at once wasn't an uncommon occurrence for Blake. Various spirits, both friendly and malevolent, were drawn to him. There was rarely a time when he was completely alone--there was almost always a spirit or two hanging around him. Mediums unconsciously attracted these spirits to themselves. Lonely spirits who wanted their voices heard flocked to him like moths to the flame.

He didn't bother following Johnny into the library. That was his private space, for one thing. For another...he had a sneaking suspicion that Johnny was researching something about his powers. He wanted no part of that. He was confident enough to converse with spirits, but not comfortable enough to use any of his other powers. Convincing him to do so would take a lot of effort on his housemate's part. Blake instead headed straight up to his room, humming to himself as he scaled the stairs. He decided to take a brief nap, but it turned into a much longer snooze--he was all curled up beneath his blankets, looking relaxed as could be. But...he couldn't even relax completely while he slept. Stronger, more desperate spirits could invade his dreams with ease.

A shame, really. That meant that Blake always had to be on-edge.

Hebs found himself chuckling again at the thought - at the image - that crossed his mind. That was going to be amusing all right, to see Sebastian feeling annoyed by a certain companion. Amusing, and at the same time, heart warming. At least, then, Sebastian won't have to choose to be alone. "That's pretty contradicting though, what you just said." Loneliness and choosing not to seek out for company? He'll bet Sebastian's just waiting for that someone whom he could take along wherever he went. For that to happen, though, his companion won't have to be a human, and neither would he or she have to be an angel or a demon - or any other kind of creature.

Yawning slightly, the snake man curled up against his lover and tilted his head back, nuzzling Shadow's neck and exhaling deeply. Inhaling the fallen angel's scent, he slid his eyes shut and relaxed, already finding himself close to slumber.

"It is somewhat contradictory. But at the same time, it's not." Sebastian was very much used to being by himself. Being alone. Though it would most likely benefit him in the long run to find some sort of companion, at the present time he simply didn't want such a companion. He despised change. It was strange, and Shadow--a usually blunt and straightforward man--just couldn't understand it.

Even if Sebastian eventually found a companion, if that companion was not an angel and he chose not to fall in the end, that companion would not be able to come home with him to Babylon. Angels were picky and awfully superficial. The vast majority of them disliked coming into contact with beings different from themselves. To put it simply, if you were not a full-blown angel, or if you constantly associated with someone that was not a full-blown angel, the populace would shun you like a clique of catty high school girls. For Sebastian, who was already lonely as it was, this rejection from the only people who actually accepted him would break his heart. He just couldn't risk it.

Oh, the fallen angel was perfectly content keeping himself all snuggled up with Hebs. So much so, in fact, that he began to doze off while flipping through television channels. He was only awakened by the smell of tasty food wafting through the air. Barely a second later, Sebastian was seating himself next to him and setting a tray full of food before them on the coffee table. "Here we are. Some makeshift stir fry, ramen noodles included." The angel made a grab for the remote, and Shadow happily relinquished control of the television as he reached for his food.

Hebs, like Shadow, awoke to the smell of food and the shift of the couch indicating that Sebastian had finally joined them. "Mm..." Groaning quietly and snuggling against Shadow, it was a couple more minutes later before he actually opened his eyes and pulled his feet down to stretch out his legs. "Sounds delicious," he mumbled with a lazy smile, "Thank you, Sebastian." Using Shadow's leg as leverage, he reached out for his own share of food and settled back to slump against his lover.

He brought up his yellow eyes to watch the television for a second before he'd started on his food. He'd immediately lit up the moment he'd had his first taste and he shifted a bit, straightening up as he ate a little more and quietly. This is really good, he thought as he turned to look at Shadow, Does cooking this well run in the family? Or, did it have something to do with being an angel?

Sebastian kept himself quiet as he ate, eyes predictably glued to the television. He was in the middle of surfing through the various available channels, searching for a decent movie to watch. After much searching, he finally settled on a channel that was running a Nightmare on Elm Street marathon. He loved this particular movie series, and it instantly snagged his attention. He paid very little attention to his brother and Hebs from that point on, focused entirely on the screen before him.

My brother and I are excellent chefs. Shadow was downright starving, and though he ate quickly he still made sure to behave like a gentleman. Our sister is a terrible cook. The ability may be hereditary--our mother is also an excellent chef, from what I've read from Sebastian's thoughts. The fallen angel's mood plummeted for a brief moment when he mentioned his mother, but he quickly rebounded from it, attention split three ways between his food, his lover, and the slasher flick playing on television.

Your sister? he asked, obviously finding this little fact unbelievable. How was it that the woman of their family did not get that ability? As he let his mind linger on that thought for a little longer, the snake man continued to eat his food silently. Oh, he'd felt the way Shadow's mood changed at the mere mention of their mother, but he didn't say anything about it. It wasn't like he could, not when he'd prefer Shadow in a happier mood. Like the other two, he set his attention up to the television and languidly ate his food, enjoying every bite, and enjoying both his lover's and his lover's brother's presence.

About halfway the movie, Hebs had already finished eating and had already set his used bowl and utensils aside. The snake man curled up a little more against Shadow, hummed contentedly under his breath, and toyed with the man's hair while he rested. He had no interest in movies, and especially not horror. He couldn't bear horror, which is why he was now relaxing instead of watching the movie Sebastian and Shadow were focusing on.


The other's squeak made him chuckle, though a bit, before he'd uttered a short apology, "Sorry." Once he got enough of his bearings back, the male lifted himself with his elbows, propped himself up, and looked down at his lover. Gian managed to turn around, shift himself, and grinned down at him. Leaning down to take his lips for a light kiss, he added in a low murmur, "Let's go have that bath. I'll help you clean up."

(( Okey-dokey! Skipping forward to the following day! ))


Predictably, Sebastian was the first one to wake up that morning. He bustled about the house, locking windows and hiding valuables so thieves wouldn't be tempted to ransack the place while it was empty. He also whipped up a small breakfast for everyone using the remaining ingredients in the fridge. It was nothing special, really--one bowl of cereal topped with powdered sugar, a mug of hot coffee, and two pieces of toast per person--but it would do for now. Both of the brothers had to be energized for today. While Hebs had the luxury of taking the plane home (and he would probably return first), both Shadow and Sebastian had to fly back home.

And speaking of Shadow...the fallen angel only grunted in annoyance when some sunlight filtered through the blinds. He yanked the blankets up and over his head, blotting out as much of that traitorous light as he possibly could. He normally wasn't much of a morning person, and the fact that he was headed home today didn't help him out all that much. He still wasn't looking forward to facing Damon.

God, it was like a little kid fearing the wrath of his irritated mommy because he broke her favorite vase.


Back in the villa, the only one stirring at this hour was a drowsy Léan. Now that he was more mobile, it wasn't uncommon to see him flitting about the house late into the night, into the wee hours of the morning, and into the later morning hours all by himself. He was usually seeking out the television...or rummaging around in the kitchen and looking for food. The kitchen was his target today. The siren was in the middle of chomping on a rather large fish, straight from the freezer.

Alfie, of course, was still dead to the world. He preferred nighttime over the daytime. Only the promise of tasty food could draw him out of a warm bed at this early hour. Damon was also still out like a light. He'd been up late last night, even after Gian left him. Reading was a favorite pastime of his. In fact...he'd actually fallen asleep with a book still clasped in his hands!


With his irregular sleep schedule, it wasn't a rarity to see Blake up and roaming about the house at any hour of the day. This time, he was watching a special on television about big cats--his all-time favorite animals. He was all curled up on the sofa, sipping on a bottle of Pepsi and watching the program with wide blue eyes. Blake was still intent on avoiding Johnny unless he absolutely couldn't do so. If they couldn't make peace with each other, this court case was a useless endeavor--merely a formality. He would spend the rest of his life in prison.

Hebs stirred at the sunlight filtering through the blinds and the yanking of a bedsheet beside him. The snake man, unlike Shadow, moved to lay on his side, his back on the said blinds. He didn't open his eyes. Not yet. Shifting closer to snuggle against the lump of his lover still under the sheets, he exhaled deeply and relaxed. As his hand run over up and down his back, hoping to soothe him, he pressed his lips against the top of his head and resumed sleeping.

It was about fifteen minutes later that he did finally wake up. "Mm..." A quick glance around told him that he wouldn't be able to see the time. And, if he didn't want to be late for his flight, he knew he should get up and prepare. Looking back down at the lump he was currently snuggling against, he tugged a bit at the sheets, shifted to pull it over his head, and leaned in to give his lover a long, lingering kiss on the lips. "I'll see you back home, Shadow." Stroking his cheek with his padded fingers, he leaned in again to give him a kiss, before he'd finally had the urge to pull away.


Kratos, like Léan, stirred awake whenever his lover was gone by his side. He'd follow after him, find what surface he could slump on and take a short nap until Léan were to move again. He was like a little chick following its mother hen. Then again, that was understandable when the spirits didn't keep away unless he was close to the merman. He wasn't sure why that was happening, but he didn't mind. He liked staying with his lover. It soothed him. Both inward and outward. In fact, right now, watching him eat made the life man's lips curl up a little into a smile.

Gian, like Alfie, was also dead to the world. Apparently, their night exercise tired him out, and it didn't help at all that he found something refreshing and new to do with the naga. Curled up against Alfie and holding the naga tight, he looked a lot like a little kiid who didn't want to let go of his favorite thing - or, in this situation, his favorite person.

Jae had been long awake since the wee hours of the morning when he'd seen someone brush by the outside of his room. He managed to get out of bed with little difficulty, and was able to finally move around despite his bandaged chest. Yawning and stopping only to wince, he walked towards Damon's room, peered in and raised his eyebrows a bit. He was still asleep, he noticed. Smiling at the sight of the other with a book still clasped in his hands, he stepped in and made his way to stand by the bed so he could pull the covers up over Damon's body. Brushing a few strands of hair away from the other's face, he stepped back again and decided to help a little with breakfast. After being taken care of like the last time, he had to return the favor. At least he, unlike Gian, could cook simple dishes. He wasn't as good as Hebs, Shadow, or Kenichi, but he could still handle the kitchen. The sight of Léan and Kratos surprised him, though. "Good morning," he greeted them with a handsome smile, before he went about his business to prepare breakfast for all of them.


Johnny looked like a zombie when he stepped out of his basement with a huff. There were dark circles under his eyes, his skin looked sagged - unlike when he'd stepped out of the shower a couple of days back looking refreshed, and he probably stunk of old books. He was headed for the kitchen with a thick book tucked under his arm when he'd spotted Blake, and instead of getting himself a glass of water like he'd planned to, he headed straight for him instead. He stood by the sofa's arm, and he quickly put the book down to open it to a page he found would prove useful for them. "We capture this demon once and for all, and get them to lay the blame on it." Johnny tapped it as he used the sofa's arm to prop up the upper half of his weight.

"You say you don't care, but I do. You're innocent. All you did was call out this demon you thought was harmless. Wouldn't you want to get revenge against it for ruining your life, for making you lose someone important to you?"

Shadow grumbled when he felt Hebs shift next to him, but that was promptly cut short when the other man snuggled up against him and caressed his back. A low, sensual purring sound escaped him. In an instant, the irritation faded. The fallen angel curled up into his lover, cozy as could be. He was not ready to get up...not in the slightest! An extra twenty minutes or so would do him some good. Both he and Sebastian had a long journey ahead of them.

He barely even stirred when Hebs next woke. He smiled when a soft pair of lips brushed against his own, but only grunted at the snake man's words. Sebastian certainly had his work cut out for him--he would be the one who had to rouse his drowsy brother from a comfortable bed. And speaking of Sebastian, the angel himself was seated in one of the dining chairs, contently downing his breakfast. When Hebs finally made his way down the stairs, Sebastian gave him a simple wave and then motioned to his already-prepared share. "Some breakfast," he explained between mouthfuls of food. "I have some for Shadow, as well, when he finally musters up the energy to get out of bed."


Léan didn't seem to mind that behavior at all. While other members of the household weren't quite so keen on it--Alfie in particular thought it was creepy, for lack of a better word--the siren was apparently flattered by it all. He actually wasn't aware that he kept the various spirits here at bay whenever he lingered by Kratos' side. If Shadow were to elaborate, however, he certainly would. Merpeople were an ancient race with various magical abilities, some of which could contain, destroy, and drive off spirits.

Damon only stirred briefly when Jae invaded his personal space. Quite unlike Shadow, the virtuoso disliked being physically close to other people. His distaste for cuddling and other similar behaviors often drove Shadow insane in the past. He was an extreme introvert, only seeking out company when he was truly lonely and desperate. He was happy with his own company more often than not. Being so uncomfortable with physical contact made Damon ultra-paranoid about people intruding upon his bubble of personal space, and even though he was dead to the world right about now he could literally sense Jae's presence.

He was truly a strange and difficult person. At present, he felt much like an outsider in this family. The closer the others grew to Damon, the more they would realize just how unusual he was. He shared many traits with Shadow...but the constant craving for companionship seemed to be absent.

Léan briefly perked up when Jae suddenly, and unexpectedly, strolled into the kitchen. He bristled and his icy blue eyes narrowed into slits. Instead of lingering in the kitchen, he silently slunk away, teeth still buried in his half-eaten fish. He plopped down into a chair by the dining table, a contemplative expression on his face. "I didn't know he was up and walking." He had enough sense to keep his voice down--he didn't want Jae overhearing. "Why is he still hanging around here if he's mobile?"

Léan made no secret of his dislike for outsiders. He barely even liked most of the members of his own family--outsiders were a thousand times worse.


Blake wasn't expecting to be interrupted--he was so focused on his program that he didn't even take notice of Johnny's presence. So, understandably, he jumped and squeaked like a startled mouse when the other suddenly slammed that book down. The startled aura only lingered around him for a couple of seconds. Gradually, Blake's expression darkened. He partially turned away from Johnny, fixing the older male with an unpleasant sideways stare.

"I don't want revenge." His voice had fallen oddly flat. "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. I just don't want to see the creature ever again. I don't want to get involved in nonsense like that." Blake turned completely away from Johnny, bringing his knees up under his chin and propping his chin on top of them. "I never asked to be born with these stupid powers. To be born a monster. I just want to live my life without being bothered, especially by supernatural entities. I'd rather live my life on the lam than face such a creature again. Besides, I wouldn't be any help to you even if I did agree to use my powers. You need the thing's name. I was knocked out when it killed Grayson. I suffered short-term amnesia. I can't remember exactly what I did to summon it. And I can't remember its name."

Without a name, a summoning ritual was pointless.

Hebs looked up just as he was balancing holding his bag and slipping on his jacket. Blinking for a moment to let those words sink in, he let out a short, "Ah," and smiled. Once he stepped down the last step, he headed towards the table where his share of the food was before he'd given Sebastian another look and, of course, words of gratitude. "Thank you." He grabbed his bowl, seated himself, and joined the angel on the table. "I don't think that'd be any time soon." The snake man fixed his hair - as much as he could anyway - before he'd chuckled.

"Did you get to sleep well, Sebastian?" he asked, hoping to, at least, start a small conversation while they ate. He had a few minutes to spare, after all, 'til his flight.


Unlike Léan perking up and bristling at the sight of Jae, he, on the other hand, only grunted at the man's greeting. He didn't bother returning it. After all, it wasn't like it was necessary and he really didn't care. Instead, he'd only shrugged at his lover's words and propped his chin up on his hand. He watched him eat, motioning to the fly that seemed to have found its way in trying to find a time to perch onto Léan's fish. "There's a fly," he stated the more than obvious statement before he'd pointed to it flying near the base of the half-bodied fish's tail.

Jae found himself chuckling quietly at the two's antics. Oh, he knew Léan didn't like him and neither did Kratos. It was obvious with the way the two had greeted him back. But, he didn't seem to mind. It looked like Jae could easily overlook this and still treat them nicely.


"You may not want it, but I want it." Johnny flopped down beside Blake and leaned forward, rubbing his hands on his face before he ran his fingers halfway through his hair, "I don't want to be the cause of another innocent to be put behind bars. You're no monster and you're innocent." He'd have enough of that. And, Blake was only a kid. He still had his years after him. There is no need for him to spend those years caged up. There was also the big possibility that Blake could hurt himself there. Who knows what convicts did to fresh blood?

Johnny slid his fingers further to push back his hair before he'd moved his hands down to rub his bare arms. When he removed his glasses, he folded them to put them over the open book. "I'll take whatever you can remember about this bastard," he told him as he turned to look back at blake, "What can you remember?"

"I slept just fine." Just like his twin brother, Sebastian always ate slowly. Elegantly. Just like a proper gentleman. "I happen to be a morning person, unlike my brother. He prefers the darkness of night." Shadow always was more comfortable during the nighttime. He also was fond of cloudy days...as long as it didn't rain, that was--he still loathed rain and storms. These brothers were so starkly different...if they weren't identical twins, it would be difficult for most people to understand how they were related.

"I'll have to wake Shadow soon," he murmured, glancing toward the nearest clock, hanging on the kitchen wall. "You will beat us back to the Austrian villa no matter what we do...but I would like to get going soon." It was a good thing, really, that Hebs would return before the brothers. Once Shadow set foot on that property, all hell was bound to break loose. Kratos had to be ready to handle any immediate problems. Sebastian could help lay the spirits to rest, but fighting them? That would all be up to the Life Man, and Hebs had to make sure that the other knew Shadow would be home soon.


Léan turned his irritated glower from Jae to the annoying buzzing insect, baring his razor-sharp teeth. He'd fallen eerily still and was watching the fly as it tried desperately to find a place to land. Just as it was about to land...the siren made a move. It was obvious now more than ever why the other members of the freak family, Shadow and Kratos aside, were so wary about approaching the merman's aquarium, or getting too close to him while he was in his territory or defending something. In less than a second, one of Léan's hands shot out and snapped shut around the fly, crushing it instantly. His movement was so fast that the fly didn't have time to react, and a whooshing sound accompanied it.

Even with legs, he still possessed superhuman speed. The others kept their wits about them whenever they ventured too close for a good reason. They wouldn't even have time to pull back and escape if Léan decided he wanted to take a chunk out of them. Poor Alfie learned that the hard way!


"Why should I care about what you want?" Blake's voice kept that oddly flat tone. He was in no way, shape, or form ready to play nice with Johnny. Not yet. It took quite a bit of time for even the tiniest sliver of trust to build up, and the moment Blake decided to open up a little more, Johnny inadvertently struck him down. For someone as reserved as Blake, it would take a little more time for him to forgive, and even longer for him to forget. Either way, Johnny wouldn't have to worry about Blake rotting away in prison. If he did decide to run, he would likely never be captured. The spirits always looked out for him.

For the longest time, nothing but silence met the lawyer's questions, and it seemed as if Blake simply wasn't going to cooperate. Then, after about thirty seconds passed, a low grumbling sound escaped him and he peered over his shoulders, one bright blue eye fixing on the other male. "I read from a book. An old book. I think it was in Latin. Maybe something Satanic or whatever." He rolled his eyes, obviously kicking his past self for not being a bit more cautious about the book. "I remember that it had horns. Black horns, pointed forward and curled slightly. It had long hair. I think it had lots of dark tattoos. It carried some weird weapon--a pole with thick blades on either end of it. I can't remember its name." He squinted. "...I think it started with a B."

Hebs chuckled. "Yes," he agreed, "That is true." After a mouthful of cereal and chewing languidly, he added after he'd swallowed: "I'm glad you got to sleep well."

While the other continued talking about the time, and about them having to leave soon, he only quietly ate his food. Unlike Sebastian and Shadow, he was less than elegant. After all, he didn't grow up with it, and he really had no time to eat elegantly if he wanted to leave soon. "You two should bring a bottle of water, at least, just in case either of you gets thirsty." He was nibbling on his last piece of toast rather thoughtfully when he'd leaned back in his seat and tilted his head. He seemed to be deep in thought.

"Also... do warn Shadow that as soon as he steps onto the grounds of the villa, a supernatural war will break out because of Erudito." He just remembered. They still had to stop him.


Oh, Kratos watched. He watched with interest as Jae continued on cutting up ingredients he'd use for breakfast. When he saw his lover's hand shoot out and crush the insect, he raised his eyebrows in obvious surprise before he'd frowned. Sure, Léan's put up a great show, and that was real skill he had handy but that was still disgusting. Kratos disappeared for a moment, only to return with a bottle of alcohol. He seated himself again beside his lover, uncapped the liquid, and poured a handful in his hand before he'd set it back down.

Reaching out with his free hand to take Léan's hand into his own, he eased that fist open so they could rid of the fly to the floor. It was dead. It wasn't going to bother them again. Kratos then went about to cleaning Léan's hand before he'd let go so he could resume eating his fish.


Blake reminded him a lot of his very noisy, all too dramatic girlfriend back in University that he was glad he'd let go of. She was real trouble, and all she wanted from him was his money. After all, he wasn't just a lawyer back then, he was also a rich kid. "Just let me do this one thing for you," he told him, "And just for once, until they stop pointing a finger at you, trust me." He was going to get Blake out of this mess even if it were to cause him his license.

When the other finally replied, he found himself blinking. This was certainly going to be tough if he had the right demon in mind. Johnny pursed his lips, and he, for a moment, leaned back and clasped his hands on his stomach. He seemed to be deep in thought as he stared at the wall before them. He's managed to find a trap that may catch this demon, but they were going to need something else - something stronger. Would he be able to pin the demon down given his strength, and give Blake enough time to trap the thing himself? Better yet, will Blake have the willpower to trap it?

"Will this demon be visible for humans to see?" he asked, "Once we catch it?"

"Ah, yes. He did mention something about that." Sebastian seemed rather nonchalant considering what he'd just heard. That's right. He was not only an angel, but an Angelic Reaper as well. He had nothing to fear from spirits, even malevolent ones. He and Shadow would be perfectly safe as they arrived. No, Shadow was more concerned about Damon than anything else. With Shadow under the protection of a powerful Angelic Reaper, Damon would be the ideal target for an angry Erudito.

Just as Hebs was finishing up, some heavy, plodding footsteps heralded the arrival of Shadow, all disheveled and half-asleep. He came trudging down the stairs, eyes nearly closed but nose going a mile a minute. He must have smelled the toast. Much like Alfie, food was one of the only things that could rouse Shadow out of a warm, cozy bed.

Sebastian openly laughed, nearly choking on his final piece of toast. "My, what a sight that is!" Shadow only grumbled, dragging his feet during the entire trek to the dining table. He flopped over into his seat, instantly digging into his share of food.


Léan made a face when Kratos returned with a bottle of alcohol and began vigorously rubbing his hand with it. He didn't much care for the smell of that stuff--his nose wrinkled up and he leaned away, resembling a little kid cringing at the sight and smell of vegetables. It was rather adorable. Once Kratos finished cleaning off his hand, the siren waved it around in the air, looking disgusted. He eventually returned to his half-eaten fish, but he wouldn't touch the fish with his now-clean hand. It smelled funny. And he didn't want to get any of that funny smell on his fish.

After a short while, the merman finished off the last bits of his fish. He leaned back in his chair, a low but constant purring sound rumbling forth from his chest. He could smell that Jae was making something tasty in the kitchen...but a good smell didn't always mean good taste, and he was awfully picky with human food.


Blake was certainly no gold-digging girl. Money was of no issue to him--he lived perfectly fine without much money while he was on the run, and he never had an abundance of the stuff back home either. He also wasn't noisy. He kept to himself most of the time and was typically a quiet person. But he was guilty of being overly-dramatic. He could be a real drama queen, especially when his feelings were hurt...and that made him very much like a whiny girl at times. He huffed when Johnny spoke, further proving the drama queen point. "Why should I trust you?" was his only retort.

The lawyer was right to worry about Blake's ability to pin this powerful demon down. The complete lack of self-confidence surrounding those powers of his was infectiously negative. If Blake wasn't at least somewhat confident in his abilities, the demon could manage to escape regardless of the traps they set out for it. Perhaps...if Johnny could do enough to reassure him, lay enough traps out (maybe too many traps, but the more the merrier in this case)...Blake's confidence would swell.

"It should be." Slowly, Blake pulled his legs out from underneath his chin, reclining comfortably on the couch with his eyes closed. "As long as there's a proper summoning circle beneath it. It might try to trick you into thinking it's not a demon--it'll probably appear as something else first."

The last thing a demon wanted was to be trapped by a human being. This demon likely played the same trick on Blake and his late friend Grayson, lulling them into a false sense of security.

Hebs nodded. "A little problem is all," he added with a smile, as if he were just talking about the types of birds instead of a full-out supernatural war. He'd just finished with his toast when Shadow decidedly joined them. Chuckling lightly at Sebastian laughing and Shadow grumbling in reply, he pushed his chair back to pick up his used utensils, put them into the sink, and glanced again at the time on the wall clock. He better leave if he wanted to catch the plane.

"All right. I'll be going on ahead." He waved at Sebastian before he'd come up to Shadow's side and reached out to take his chin and lift his face. He wiped the sides of his lips with his thumb before he'd leaned in to kiss him lightly - just a peck on the lips. "I'll see you and Sebastian at the villa."

I'll inform the others, too, of your arrival with Sebastian. Without another word, he let go and finally left.



"Because I'm not about to let you run away all your life and pay for something you didn't do." The male reached out to give Blake's hand a little pat. "And, trusting me will benefit us both." Once he got all the answers from the boy, he reached out to take his glasses and his book. Shutting it and tucking it underneath his arm, he was just about to get to his feet when he realized he was going to need Blake's eyes. He should be able to pinpoint what kind of demon it was, and as much as he hated to admit it, he needed help preparing the traps and the summoning circle.

"Come with me to the basement. We need to work together from here on in."

Shadow grumbled again when Hebs grabbed onto his chin--he wanted to eat his food so badly that he wasn't even enthused about getting affection. He did purr lightly after the snake man pulled back from the kiss before he immediately dove back into his food, for once forgoing his usual gentlemanly manner of eating. He was far too groggy and far too hungry to worry about how neatly he was eating.

Sebastian nodded contently to Hebs, rising from his seat to dispose of his own dirtied tableware. He bustled about the vacation home while Shadow ate, packing the few possessions his brother dragged along with him--he knew the fallen angel wasn't going to pack his own things properly in this state. He also packed up his own belongings, as well as the few souvenirs Hebs couldn't take with him. That beautiful perfume bottle was among these things--the angel packed it away with care, making sure it was surrounded on all sides by soft clothes.

Merely twenty minutes after Hebs departed, the two brothers left, as well, with Shadow leading the way back to Austria. They would arrive at least an hour after the snake man.


Blake instinctively jerked away when Johnny touched his hand, looking terribly uncomfortable. Even though he had to be the one to initiate a touch in order for the other to see what he saw, physical contact of any kind still made him uneasy. He fixed the lawyer with a flat stare, one of his violet eyebrows arched upwards. "The last time I trusted someone else's word, he ended up being violently slaughtered," he replied matter-of-factly. No, he wouldn't trust Johnny. Not with matters such as these.

He wouldn't make the same mistake again.

He made a face when Johnny suggested they retreat to the basement together, and for a tense moment he held his ground, refusing to rise from his comfortable seat on the couch...but he finally gave in, standing up with an unhappy grunt. "What? Going to take me to your torture chamber or something?" He stomped along after Johnny despite his words. There wasn't much the other man could do to ease Blake's concerns, or make him less hostile about this...all he could really do was try to boost the boy's confidence level.

Hebs was bored in that hour trip back to Austria and to the villa. When he arrived, however, he quickly marched into the kitchen where he was smelling food and blinked a bit when he saw Jae already standing and moving around. "Jae. Are you sure you should be moving around?" The snake man set his bag down by the kitchen entrance and exit before he'd pulled up a seat from under the dining chair. Jae only gave him a smile in reply, and Hebs decided not to bother him since he seemed quite intent on fixing them up breakfast.

"About an hour, they'll be coming over," he told Kratos who perked up at the thought of Shadow coming back. Now, he may not like the fallen angel, but he was a respectable man, and one who knew a lot about his lover. So, he had use for him. "I'd like you to prepare. Try not to bring up Hades and the others, though. It might do them bad since he's got his brother with him."

Brother? Kratos frowned at this. "An angel?" he asked as he crossed his arms over his chest after he'd leaned back in his seat. At the sight of Hebs nodding, he pursed his lips and hummed thoughtfully. Ah. Well. He might as well prepare while Jae was fixing up the last of breakfast. When he turned to look at his lover, he hesitated bringing him along. After all, he'd prefer not to have him hurt. Not at all. Also, someone's got to protect Damon knowing that Erudito was going to go all out and send his rage towards him. Two humans, a snake man, a naga, and a musical prodigy... they had bad militia.


Johnny snorted and made a face. "I know you were friends with him, but please do not lump me in with a normal human being." Sure, he was human. Technically, he was; but, because of his powers, people would definitely make him out to be a monster. Not that he'd mind. The lawyer never did bother with what people thought of him. The only problem there, though, would be his business if word ever came out that he was one of those freaks. "I'm also a monster in the eyes of society."

When the boy said something about a torture chamber, the male could only arch a perfect brow. "You have no idea how much that would be nice. Are you a masochist?" The lawyer followed after the boy, caught up, and leaned down to smile - almost mischievously too. He even went so far as to pressing his lips close to that boy's ear so he could whisper, "If you are, I'm afraid you're looking for the wrong kind of partner. I'm told my personality don't match in bed." Blowing none-too-gently into that same ear, he pulled back, straightened up, and slipped on his glasses.

"Watch your step, by the way. The stairs are steep."

Léan's sharp ears perked up when they caught a familiar voice in the near distance. He didn't seem all that happy to see Hebs. In fact, when the snake man headed into the dining room, he craned his neck, peering behind him for any traces of Shadow. It was Shadow he was truly concerned about. After all, Shadow meant quite a bit to the merman. When Hebs addressed Kratos and revealed Shadow would return in about an hour, the siren hummed to himself, his building excitement squashed for now.

However...he did straighten up when Hebs mentioned a brother. What was that? Shadow had a brother? Did he really? He never shared that tidbit of information with anyone in his family. An angel, hmm? What exactly was he like? Probably pompous and snobbish, if Shadow's description of his own species was on point (and for the most part, it really was).

That hesitant aura surrounding Kratos was instantly picked up on by his marine lover. Léan huffed, arching a blonde eyebrow. It wasn't exactly prudent to leave Damon under his protection. He was physically strong, and he was fast as well. But he was also a marine creature. He was nearly helpless on land--he certainly wouldn't be much help defending Damon. "If you can't rely on your demonic associates..." he drawled after a moment, playing with the fingers on one of his lover's hands, "...perhaps you can call on associates of the holier variety?" Sebastian would probably appreciate some help from friendly, angelic faces.


"Oh, no. You're not normal." Blake sounded annoyed again. Every time he tried to toe the boundaries of friendship, Johnny always said something that made him question his decision to do so in the first place, and Blake always retreated from further attempts for a while. "But being able to move stuff with your mind won't help you against a powerful demon. Most of them are masters of telepathy and telekinesis already--they'll cream you." Many demons specialized in a single element or ability, but the vast majority of them had at least a partial mastery of telepathy and telekinesis.

A truly powerful demon could easily nullify Johnny's powers for a spell.

He stopped short when the older male caught up to him, looking awfully suspicious about that masochist question. "No. I'm not a masochist." Blake leaned back immediately when Johnny leaned down to smirk at him, a wary expression on his face. He nearly jumped a full foot into the air when hot breath slid across his ear. He was momentarily stunned. That was enough time for Johnny to pull back...

And just in time, too. Blake's hard fist was inches away from cracking him in the jaw. If the other had moved just a bit more slowly, Blake might have broken his jaw. His entire face was red and his hand was still clenched in a shaking fist. He didn't say anything, but a sensible voice deep within him hoped that Johnny would get the message and hurry on ahead. If the spirits thought Blake was in danger, or in need of back-up...they could launch an attack on Johnny. He had to calm down before he followed the other down into the basement.

Kratos didn't react to the way his lover huffed and arched that brow of his, but he did react at the other's fingers playing with his own. He'd lift his finger to nudge Léan's before he, eventually, turned his hand to clasp their fingers together. His eyes moved from his lover's hand to the other, brows shooting up in an obvious look of surprise. The Life Man grunted and he nodded once. He can certainly do that. Calling onto angels for help was a part of his power that he'd been playing with when he could. "I can." But, in order for him to do that, he'd have to start now.

Reaching out with his free hand, he squeezed Léan's leg in silent thanks before he'd turned in his seat. He, however, stopped as he returned his gaze back to the other. "Come?"


"Then," he started, "We'll just have to set up stronger traps to catch this bastard." Johnny went on ahead down the basement, dropped the book atop open books on the desk and moved to pull up a stool. He disappeared for a moment through the rows and rows of books, and returned with another stool. Setting this by the table, he seated himself and reached out to lift a couple of books so he could pull out one.

"Should we set up different kinds of traps?"


[[ Short post. x__x Sorry. ]]

Léan purred under his breath when the human clasped their hands together like so. His fingers curled protectively around that foreign set. At first, he scowled when Kratos turned away, obviously under the impression that he was just going to leave him behind...but he brightened up at once when the other turned back around and asked that single-word inquiry. Instantly, the siren rose from his seat, hand still clamped around the other male's.

He would not be much help, with both the impending physical altercations and the call for help to the angels that Kratos was off to make. But he wanted to stick close to Kratos nonetheless. With him clinging to his lover's side, however, that left Damon in a precarious state. After all, if Erudito couldn't get past Sebastian to get to Shadow, he would immediately target Damon instead. "Ah...perhaps someone should stay with Damon," he murmured, glancing about warily. Was it possible that Erudito was watching them right now? "But it has to be someone who's capable on land. I am not."

Maybe Hebs could stay with Damon for now. Alfie and Gian were safe in their bed--Erudito wouldn't bother them--but the snoozing virtuoso was definitely at risk.


Blake didn't follow Johnny into the basement. He stayed upstairs, hands clenching and unclenching several times. He spent a couple of minutes pacing rapidly from one end of the room to the other, and then back again. It took him three entire minutes to calm down, and even then traces of that horrid blush still remained in his cheeks. He stomped carelessly down the basement stairs, shoving his hands into his pockets. Once downstairs, he made a beeline for the extra stool, sitting down with a huff.

He didn't hear what the other said about the traps, but a helpful spirit supplied the information for him. "Maybe. I don't know." He knew quite a bit about demons and their powers...but unfortunately, because of his aversion to using his powers he'd gathered little to no knowledge on summoning them. Tricks and traps to confuse and contain demonic entities? He had no clue. This was a problem. It meant that Johnny would probably have to be in charge of drawing the circle and setting up the traps, and seeing as Blake knew very little about those traps it was possible that he wouldn't trust the other's handiwork enough to actually summon the demon.

The sides of Kratos’ lips turned at his lover rising from his seat. He didn’t let himself linger back. After all, he had a job to do. The Life Man stood up with him, tugged lightly at that hand to pull him closer as he relished in the warmth coming from Léan. It looked like that that necklace did a good job of not just giving Léan those beautiful legs of his, but also the appearance of a human and the warmth of one. Not that he was complaining when the other was a merman, no. He just liked the fact that they were not spending time in water where he, in his human form, would obviously have problems. There will be a time, though, he knew, that he would have to try out the necklace that’d give him a tail. Idly, he wondered if his body would really change then.

It was a little difficult to forget their first time. It was a real experience, he thought.

Blinking a bit at his lover’s words, he turned to look back at Hebs. “You are,” he said out loud like that was the most obvious thing in the world. Tugging lightly at Léan’s hand, he led the way out of the villa and back onto the backyard. With his lover around, the spirits seem to go their own ways, them being protected by some sort of charm. The Life Man, though, didn’t give this much thought.

Instead, he only let go of Léan’s hand to lean in and give him a kiss before he proceeded with setting up a spell that would call onto angels, angels that was of a lower spectrum than that of Sebastian. A warm wind that seemed to resemble that of a mother’s hold spun around the villa like a tornado. In a matter of minutes, two angels – two redheaded twins – arrived, their wings, smaller than that of Sebastian’s and Shadow’s, spread out behind them as they flapped while they slowly landed back to their feet.

“Problem, Aki?” one of them asked. “Lots of spirits, Rika” the other chimed in, “You strange human.” The shorter of the twins sniffed the air and frowned. “There were demons here.”


Hebs, as the lovers moved away, got back up to his feet. He gave Jae’s confused look a gentle smile before he nodded his way. “We should be tired after this,” he told him, “We appreciate you cooking for us.” The boy only smiled in return before he nodded, understanding then what he was supposed to do: Stay put and be a good boy. The snake man made his way towards the virtuoso’s room, quietly stepping in and hoping he wasn’t bothering the other.


“Maybe’s good enough to go with.” The lawyer continued to shuffle about, bringing the books and pointing at a couple of texts that spoke of the traps, and their effects. He asked about each one, consulting the traps with Blake. He had the feeling that it wasn’t the boy speaking, but the spirits around him whom he believed knew this demon. Remembering, though, that they’ve yet to find out about the name of the demon, he pulled out a thick, old book and turned the page to a demon whom he thought was it.

Baal.

“Did it look like this?”

Léan was eagerly awaiting the day when Kratos finally mustered up the courage to try on that necklace and submerge himself in water. His own transformation rocked him to his very core--the pain was so intense that he felt that just might lose consciousness and pass out. But he endured the horrific pain for his lover's sake. If he could survive such a painful metamorphosis, then Kratos could do it, too! It wasn't exactly fair to Léan if he was the only one who had to suffer so that they could spend more time together. In the end, it would benefit both of them.

After all, new limbs and different forms meant that there were various different things they could do together. As well, if they became a traveling freak show and stayed by the ocean at some point, the siren could show Kratos his underwater world unhindered by the other's need to breathe air.

The merman dutifully tagged along after Kratos as the other led the way outside. He did huff and pout like a child starting a tantrum when his lover tugged his hand away, but he instantly purred when the other kissed him. After that, he stood idly by, discontent fading away for the moment. He seemed generally unnerved by the warm wind that swept across the villa. Merpeople were closer on the genetic scale to demons than they were to angels, and they shared many similar abilities--such as the tendency for merpeople to be born with the ability to control a singular element. It was only natural that he felt a little uneasy about angelic creatures.

Léan's discomfort only increased when the two female angels appeared before them. Though they were related to demonic beings, merpeople weren't demons themselves. They just had a predisposition not to trust angels. When they mentioned a demon, however, the siren hummed, arms folded across his chest. "The patriarch of our family is a fallen angel. That may be what you sense. But he is harmless, and he is not present at the moment. He will return soon."

Hebs' valiant attempt at being quiet was a futile effort. The second he stepped into Damon's room, the man began to stir. He sat up a few short moments later, rubbing one eye and studying Hebs with the other. "What is it...?" He sure sounded groggy, but with Hebs now invading his personal space there was no way he would just flop back over and fall asleep.


Blake squinted at the picture of the demon. Only three seconds later, he reclined back in his seat, eyes closed. "No. That's not him. I think his name started with B-A-L, though. Bal-something. Bal-what, though?" For the longest time, Blake didn't say anything else. He answered all of Johnny's questions about traps the like with one to three-word answers. He was clearly lost in his thoughts, searching his mind for answers. Abruptly, he sat up straighter in his seat, blinking rapidly.

"I remember!" Blake sounded quite triumphant. "It's Bal--..." he cleared his throat, remembering that speaking the name of a prominent demon out loud could have unforeseen consequences. "It's uh...B-A-L-T-H-A-Z-A-R." Balthazar was an ancient being. Not an Archdemon, but fairly close to the seven of them when it came to power. He was tall, with long whitish-blonde hair. He wielded a halberd, a spear with two sharp ends. He was covered in tattoos and had two thick black horns curling out of either side of his head.

He definitely fit the description.

Kratos could definitely go through such a horrific pain all for his lover. There wouldn't be anything that Kratos wouldn't do if Léan were involved. And, indeed, it wouldn't be fair if only Léan were the only one who suffered and gave Kratos the satisfaction of having legs. These thoughts of his, though, wavered the instant he caught sight of the two female angels he'd just called out to. He blinked. He only blinked when he heard his lover reply in such a way. He'd really not prefer him to anger them.

After all, Léan wasn't the enemy here. "Can you two help us?" he asked them, distaste already apparent on his face as he made his way to the side of the merman. He stood before him, of course. Like he'd said, he'd do anything to keep his lover safe.

"Sure can."
"We need to know your name first."
Rika pushed herself off the ground to fly around the merman and Kratos.
"The summoner."
"I still smell demon."

"Kratos." To say that he wasn't feeling awkward was an understatement. "And, I am half human." Half human and half what? There was no need for the angels to know that. When they learned of Kratos' name, the vanished into thin air, and the whole place suddenly grew warmer. This time, Kratos sensed danger. He took Léan's hand into his own, gave it a little tug, and hurried to bring themselves back into the house. He could sense Sebastian and Shadow who were already nearing the villa.


Hebs smiled. He was apologetic. "We need to keep you safe," he told him, "Erudito may be attacking you to get to Shadow." After Jae getting hurt like that, he couldn't risk himself nor Damon into such a situation. Making his lover sad nor disappointed was not in his to-do list. Idly, he wondered if he could talk to Shadow even if he was, technically, still far away. He'd heard Kratos' thoughts. He could feel Shadow already nearing.

Shadow? Can you hear me? How far are you?


When Blake exclaimed like that, anyone who was nearby would definitely get a heart attack. Johnny was no exception. He was still willing his heart to keep its composure when he heard the demon's name, and he couldn't help but purse his lips. He sounded familiar, and all too familiar, in fact. That, when he'd pulled up the thick book, he was seeing his hand shake. It wasn't out of fear. It was a reaction, he realized, when his blood was boiling with excitement. He had to drop the book down and scan through the pages at a fast pace to keep Blake from seeing it.

Johnny tucked his hands into his pockets as he straightened up. "A halberd and two thick black horns. That's his signature look." The male let out a deep sigh before he'd shaken his head. This was going to prove to be a problem. What Blake had said was true about his powers being miniscule in front of a thing who'd perfected it. Right now, what he needed was a deal. What good deal and what trap would be nice to keep this demon at bay?

The male seemed to be deep in thought as he turned, leaning back to sit his behind on the edge of the table. Would a life for a life be a great deal?


[[ I wasn't sure how they were going to capture Balthazar to get him to confess. o.o ]]