Kratos wasn't sure if what he saw was what he thought it was. Did Léan mean that look? What exactly did that mean? Blinking for a second or two and then feeling his cheeks color in embarrassment, he quickly shook his head. "I..." He stopped and ran his free hand through his hair as he lightly stroked the other's hand under the water. "I don't want to lose your trust."

That was, perhaps, the best answer he could give. It bordered on safe, at least. If he answered 'yes', he didn't want Léan to freak out on him; he didn't want him to hate him, too, for answering 'no'. The unreadable expression on the merman's face made Kratos watch him carefully. Forcing someone into doing something they wouldn't like... it's just not in Kratos' personality to do something like that. "And hide away from me like that." The life man shifted to sit on the edge of the tub and move his hand from Léan's hand to the other's cheek to caress it lightly before he pulled his hand back.

Kratos pulled his hand away just to be on the safe side. He was quite tempted to lean in and kiss Léan again, to have those lips against his own for a longer time.

Gian was tired, indeed, and he smiled against Alfie's lips before he'd nipped his lower lip just a tad. The boy let his eyes slide shut before he'd snuggled up closer to Alfie and let out a quiet sigh. He was contented just sleeping with Alfie like this. It felt awfully nice to have another body by his own, even moreso to feel the other's scales with his toes. "I like you a lot, Alfie." Like? Love? Gian, apparently, isn't sure of the concept of them but he was sure to learn should he stick by Alfie's side like this.

Kratos found that reaction of Léan's rather cute. He wasn't able to stop himself from smiling slightly in amusement before he'd shifted to kneel on his knees and lean in forward. His lips pressed lightly against the merman's forehead before he'd slid his lips lightly down the tip of his nose and then further down to Léan's lips. "Tell me and I'll stop." That was all he'd said before he'd kissed Léan a little deeply now while his free hand moved to caress the other's cheek to silently assure him that he meant what he said.

Gian smiled softly at the other's reply. That was enough to make his body relax even more as he pressed a light kiss under Alfie's jaw. "Yeah," he mumbled. He didn't need to be told twice. He was rather tired with all that talk not very long ago. It looked like he'll just have to call Johnny tomorrow morning.

Kratos continued to let his lips linger on the merman's own as he took his sweet time. There was no hurry and he didn't want to make the other think he needed it. It's been a while, too, for him considering the last time he'd made out with someone, he'd made him into a corpse. He had unknowingly sucked out all the life of the said human. Sliding his hand from the other's cheek to the back of his neck, the tips of his fingers lightly caressed and stroke the scalp underneath the light strands of soft and wet hair.

It took awhile for him to pull away but he did and he smiled slightly at Léan. "Your scales. Are they less dry now?"

((I'm having a really bad day. :( I think my laptop's motherboard is fried. I'm stuck using the crappy desktop and my iTouch.))


Léan wasn't sure how to react when Kratos started running his hands across his face and neck, and then started attacking his hair with them. After a few seconds, though, he reached his free hand up and began to curiously play with the human's hair. It was softer than he'd expected it to be.

When Kratos pulled back, after a considerable amount of time, the merman, inexperienced when it came to actually participating in any kind of sexual activity, was left shaken and a little breathless. He shifted slightly in the tub, causing the quickly-cooling water to slosh around a bit.

"...Yes, they're fine, now," he admitted, simply.

[[ Your motherboard's fried?! o.o! How'd that happen?!
Sorry, too, for the late reply. x___x Been busy. ]]

Kratos gave a little nod at that. He would've had stayed since he enjoyed Léan's fingers playing with his hair. He didn't know why but it gave him a good feeling and the man wasn't able to stop himself from leaning into his touch. "All right," he started before he'd taken his hand back. Shifting a little to get Léan out of the water, he brought him back to bed and gave the other another small kiss, which led to gentle, soft kisses following thereafter.

The life man did test Léan to where he could touch him to a certain extent. He decided it on Léan's reply every single time he asked him whether he's okay or not with him going on. There were some things, too, that he'd found interesting. His sensitive spots, the way mermen reacted to certain things and the places where things, well, pop up.

Once all that was over, he pulled Léan into a close embrace and let out a quiet sigh. He had, well, reacted to what had happened a while ago but he'd blatantly ignored his own needs. Freaking Léan out and losing that trust he'd taken time to build was out of the question.

((It's fine! It isn't as serious of a problem as we originally thought--had a computer-savvy family friend check it out and he said that the motherboard shifted in a way that it's hard for the power button to connect with it. I need to get it fixed soon, though...))


Léan clung to Kratos as the human picked him up, still concerned that he might loose his grip on his wet body and drop him. Once the human reached his bed though, the siren reached up and curiously began to toy with Kratos' hair again while the other male kissed him.

Needless to say, the merman was jumpy while Kratos tested him. They did not manage to get very far with Léan still frightened as he was...but he did manage to calm himself down enough to allow the human's hands ghost over his tail to locate sensitive spots. It was very clear to Léan that his mate was more than ready to move on and probably aroused. Léan wasn't sure how to react to this realization, and he was nervous when Kratos finally stopped lightly exploring his body and simply tugged him closer.

He was already beginning to calm down...but, at least to him, it didn't seem like Kratos was ready to stop or calm down, yet. So, the merman cleared his throat, uncertainly. "...You...we...we can...I don't want to...to leave you hanging," he muttered, quietly. "I am ready to go farther...I think..."

He peered around the room slowly. If they were going to go farther...he was going to need to perform his Rhianne Symphony for Kratos. And Kratos, if he wanted to hear it again, would have to record it somehow...

Kratos looked at Léan like he'd grown another head. Was he serious? "No," he said as he shook his head. It was rather obvious with the way Léan had reacted a while ago to his touches that he wasn't ready for it. Plus, he didn't want to force the merman into doing something he didn't want to do. Yet.

The life man let out a deep breath as he slowly let his body calm down. Léan didn't have to worry about him. Really. He wasn't some sex maniac who, when aroused, would loose his cool. Strangely, the man was pretty calm about approaching the matter. "Not now," he assured him as he continued to stroke the merman's hair to soothe him - hopefully, "Only when you want me will I go further."

It didn't take long for the life man to fall asleep. With Léan's body close to his own and the way his heart beat had calmed into a rhythmic beat did he finally relax and let himself succumb to the needed rest.


[[ That's bad to hear. o.o; Looking forward to hearing your computer getting all better. xD -treating a computer like a person- Ahahaha. How've you been other than your computer being in a bad state? o = ]]

((I've been doing okay. Been playing lots of video games. :3))


Léan flinched a little when Kratos declined, not understanding at first why he did so. Was he not good enough? Did he appear to be too delicate in the human's eyes? Did he come on too strong? Having been imprisoned and abused without first having a chance to really experience affection, the siren had little to no experience when it came to love. And thus, he was incredibly self-conscious about it already...

He closed his eyes tentatively when Kratos kept stroking his hair, resting his head against the other's chest near his neck. He didn't really understand what his human companion meant...mating was mating, wasn't it? If they wanted to be mates, they would have to mate at some point. The merman had already come to terms with his feelings of affection, and to him, affection equaled a want for sex from his object of affection. He wasn't very knowledgeable on how to properly court a mate, obviously, other than knowing about the Rhianne Symphony.

It took longer for Léan to fall asleep. He was a nervous wreck, and was up for a good amount longer than Kratos was. When he finally did fall asleep, he was sure that Kratos had already been asleep for at least half an hour.

[[ Woot. X3 ]]

Mating wasn't only mating. Sex meant a lot of things and if it meant healing his companion, Kratos would do so and wait. Patiently. It isn't like he's in a hurry. Plus, if this was for Léan's recuperation from being abused, then Kratos was going to double his patience for him. That was, perhaps, how much he liked the merman.

Love? He wasn't sure about that but it has to go there at some point in time, wouldn't it?

The next morning, the rain didn't seem to want to stop at all. The cold was making Gian shiver and he snuggled closer to his cold blooded companion. The other may not give him the warmth he needed but the comfort of having another body against his own was enough. It was rather disturbing, though, to be seeing Gian only in his underwear as he lay against the naked naga. But, he was enjoying the weather as he grumbled quietly under his breath and let out a deep breath.

Hebs, on the other hand, had stirred awake at the next rumble of thunder and he brought up a hand to have his fingers run halfway through his hair. Nn... the rain hasn't let up yet, he thought as he kept his eyes shut and moved closer to the warm bodied fallen angel, Can't do laundry. He was planning to do the clothes today but the weather didn't seem to want to agree with his plans. It looked like he'll just have to move it another day.

And, of course, spend more time in bed with Shadow.

Hebs' lips tugged up into a small, amused smile. "My bad," he mumbled, his own voice husky with sleep. He was thinking, after all. Not speaking not very long ago. As he was tugged closer, the snake man rested his forehead against the other's collarbone and let his eyes slide shut. It was pretty normal for him to be thinking about chores. He did, after all, take care of things here.

It was only a few hours later when Hebs had stirred again. Gian was still comfortably asleep and Kratos was enjoying holding Léan close to him. Hebs didn't seem to want to get up, though. He simply stayed there with his eyes still shut and his index finger lightly stroking the fallen angel's hip bone.

Hebs own eyes only fluttered open after he'd felt that touch on his hand. He didn't look at all tired. In fact, he looked well-rested and wasn't at all minding the close proximity he had with the other. "He must be hungry," was all he could pick up from the fallen angel's first words. His lips tugged up into a small smile and he gave a little nod. "Seems that is so. Are you sure you want to get up in this weather?" The snake man shifted to sit up as well as he used his free hand to put some of his weight on it.

"Will Kratos want to leave Léan's side? And, will Léan be okay with sharing Kratos?" He didn't really know where those questions had come from but knowing those two, they didn't seem to want to separate at all. It'll be bad for Léan to see Kratos touching someone else too. Was Léan possessive just as Kratos is?

Hebs chuckled lightly and shook his head. "You'll just chase the poor boy back to his room," he started before he'd tilted his head a bit and looked at the other. "Though, Kratos must be awake. Do you want to go over to his room to talk to him?"

Kratos, indeed, was awake but he was thoroughly enjoying staying on the bed with Léan in his arms. In fact, he didn't even move or budge an inch. His arm was still possessively wrapped around the merman laying atop him. The fingers on the other's back were lightly running over the skin and he smiled a very, very small smile. Somehow, he still couldn't get over what had happened last night. He and Léan didn't go all the way but he was happy to have touched the other in a way that Léan didn't feel at all disgusted with.

And, Kratos was going to continue doing so. Well, when Léan wants him to, that is.

Gian snuggled closer to the naga and pressed his lips up against the other's neck. The other was cold, sure, but his body further relaxed when the tips of his toes felt those scales. Whether it was a fetish of his to want to feel something rough, he wouldn't know. Gian simply enjoyed the said feeling.

"...Well, we could try to talk to Kratos. Don't know if he'll be willing to leave bed at the moment, but it's certainly worth a shot." Shadow flashed Hebs a brilliant white smile. "If I could assign Blake another, more sociable mentor, I would have already. But Kratos' power is closest to Blake's, and therefore he is the most logical choice..."

Léan was still soundly asleep, curled up in his human mate's arms comfortably. He wouldn't stir unless he was disturbed...or if his stomach decided that it wanted food. He would be possessive of Kratos, but as long as he didn't sense anything romantic going on between them, he would be fine.

Alfie stirred awake when Gian's toes slid over his scales, popping his mouth open to let out a long, loud yawn. "Mm...mornin'..." he mumbled, eyes still closed.

That brilliant white smile made Hebs chuckle and he nodded at the other's last words. Now that he thought about it, Kratos' power, indeed, is closest to that of Blake's. Like Shadow said, he is the most logical choice. "We'll give him a few more minutes of rest," he told him as he brushed off a few strands of hair away from Shadow's face, "You sure you want to get out of bed now, though?"

The rain seemed to have heard Hebs because it became louder as it hit the roof of their tents. It almost appeared like it was teasing them.

Gian smiled lazily. "Morning," he mumbled back, his voice full of sleep as he continued to let his toes lightly slide over those scales of his. Okay. So, maybe a fetish of his is touching something rough and scaly. Apparently, Alfie satiated such fetish.

Hebs chuckled. "I know," he said before he'd shifted to lay on his folded elbow and smiled in amusement. "You could always do that during lunch time. I'm sure Blake would want to go out if I make his favorite food, wouldn't he?" Shifting again to put his hand under the side of his head, he looked up at Shadow and leaned in to kiss his jaw. "Try and get some more rest, maybe then the rain would stop."

Gian grunted. He didn't want to get up from the bed. It was cozy with Alfie, even more so with the other close to him and his fetish of having to touch something rough with his toes. "Later," he mumbled as he stroked Alfie's small wing with the tips of his fingers, "I'll borrow your phone to call Johnny."

"You're quick to catch up on what he likes," was all Hebs could say before he'd chuckled lightly and nodded. Giving a light pat onto Shadow's chest, he shifted a little to have his elbow on the bed with his free hand holding his head and his body laid out on his side. The kiss was rather cute but he didn't voice out what he'd thought. Surely, Shadow could read his mind then and there.

I'll leave once the rain stops, he thought as he continued to pat Shadow's chest while he let his own eyes slide shut. The rain sure made a lot of noise this supposedly fine morning. Was there a storm?

Gian continued to touch them until Alfie had revealed where he'd hidden his phone. The boy gave another grunt. He really didn't want to call his old childhood friend yet. That, and he really wasn't aware of what he was doing or giving Alfie. "You really shouldn't have told me," he mumbled under his breath, "Now it's bothering me."

Hebs wasn't sure why but that gentle squeeze the other gave to his hand made him smile softly. Shadow was rather cute like this. Much like a child who's throwing tantrums and is trying to calm himself down. "Now, don't say that," he said in a low voice before he'd given the other's chest a little pat. Hopefully, the latter was helping Shadow fall back asleep despite the said rain ramming onto their roofs.

Gian blinked for a moment before he'd snickered. "You want me to continue?" he asked, purposely pulling his hand away to have it rest on the other's side. He continued to snuggle up against him and yawned again. Idly, he wondered if Johnny was already awake.