Hebs frowned at Shadow's reply before he'd made a face. It was definitely refreshing to see Shadow slowly reverting back to his old self. It calmed both his heart and his soul. "After having lived for so long, that's not surprising." The snake man slowly got up to his feet as he smiled in amusement. His eyes even seemed to hold an expression that resembled, well, Shadow teasing someone. "Oh? I thought you were already the gift." Putting his hand against the wall, he reached out with his free hand to tilt Shadow's face towards him so he could meet those lips of his with his own. He'd missed that. A lot.

Nipping lightly at his bottom lip, he smiled again. "I do promise not to misuse it." Hebs had too much of a heart to misuse anything. He could be selfish but even then, he knew how to let go.

Hebs chuckled lightly at Shadow's purring and leaned close to the other when he'd felt that arm of his wrap around him. Of course, he took the other's instructions seriously. He always has ever since he's been taken under his wing. "Promise," he said before he'd grinned at the other squirming out of his hold. He was quite tempted to tease him a little more but held himself back from doing so. He was surprised, though, when he'd seen Shadow open the said door to the place and he was in awe at the "magic" he saw. Sometimes, he had to remind himself that he lived with a family who isn't, well, normal so to speak.

Quickly moving when he was ushered in, Hebs followed after Shadow and kept his hands to himself. The place was quite a view. It would've had passed off as a museum if it weren't for the eerie feeling the place gave. When he was asked to wait, he did so and Hebs curiously tried to peer what was in the room. He couldn't make anything out even if his eyes had already adjusted to the dark and was a little more clearer compared to humans.

Hebs' eyes widened at the sight of the box and he reached out to take it from Shadow. The grin made him a little wary but he did what he was told anyway. He opened the box. Slowly. He had to agree, it was pretty dusty. What was going to be inside, though?

Hebs' eyes couldn't have grown any wider in surprise. The ring was... beautiful. Scratch that. It was more than beautiful. The snake man let his thumb run over the edge of the casing before he'd looked back up at Shadow. Apparently, he didn't have to ask what it did. The other was already answering his question. "That's..." He trailed off as he looked back down at the ring and then up at Shadow. A frown creased his brows. "Isn't this similar to what you can do?"

There was hesitation when he'd looked again at the ring. Should he try it out? But, what if he read the mind of someone who didn't want their thoughts to be read?

Hebs wasn't exactly sure how to react. He should be happy but... was this what Shadow really wanted? When Shadow had positioned himself behind him and had held him close, he slowly took the ring and looked at it again. It was really beautiful. Shutting the box, the snake man slipped it on his third finger on the left before reaching up to have that hand rest on Shadow's cheek. He tilted his head a bit to kiss his jaw and smiled. "You do realize you won't be able to have any private thoughts now with me wearing this." Turning in the said embrace, Hebs' smile turned to a grin before he'd caught Shadow's lips again for a long, very long lingering kiss.

Hebs broke the kiss and nipped the other's chin lightly before he'd wrapped his arms around Shadow's waist. He didn't mind satisfying the fallen angel's need for touch, attention and everything else. In fact, he was willing to give the other his all. He had promised Damon, after all, and he intend to keep that promise. Whenever. Wherever. Just as he was about to shut his eyes and relax against Shadow, they opened right back up and his eyes widened. Shadow's lips weren't moving. He was... talking in his head.

They were communicating in each other's minds!

That's all right. I don't intend to tell anyone what I've read or seen. At least, he didn't think he should be considering it isn't his business. Their safety, though, would be his priority. Tightening his hold on the fallen angel, he smiled slightly. "I love you, Shadow." Now, he could freely say that without anything else holding him back.

Hebs leaned into those fingers and smiled in amusement. Really, he didn't see himself getting nosy. Once he'll be worried, though, he'll probably get nosy. "After dinner sounds good and Gian..." The snake man trailed off. Apparently, with the ring, he could read through the boy's thoughts and one of them included waking Alfie up with a deep kiss. A rather amused smile touched his lips. "He should be almost done about now. Is there anything you want to eat with rice?"

Shadow didn't need to verbally say the words. Hebs knew he could also just as easily transmit his thoughts to Shadow but saying it out loud made his heart go aflutter. It honestly was a nice feeling and he couldn't help but want to feel that once in a while.

Hebs seemed to be imagining it. "It does sound good." The snake man smiled again before he'd patted Shadow's arms. "Then, how about helping me make the sweet sauce while I prepare both the chicken and the pork. After dinner, maybe we can go to your room and I can focus my attention on you and not on food." Though, food had its connotations, Hebs would rather fill his stomach with food first before he dwelled to that - the perverted thoughts.

Gian pouted and nipped playfully at Alfie's lower lip. He gave it a little tug. "I'm too handsome to be a masked rapist. And, the only one I'd like raping around here is you." Grinning down at the other, he snuggled up against him. His toes had, as usual, rubbed along those scales. The boy couldn't help it. He had a fascination with them. "I just finished cooking the rice. Hebs should be cooking what to pair up with the rice."

"You're saying I'm not good-looking enough?" he asked as he propped himself up on his elbow and quirked a brow up at the naga. He shifted to lay atop him and reached up to poke his chin lightly. "You okay by the way?" Gian raised his eyebrows a little as he tilted his head a bit. The other seemed out of his element. It worried him.

Hebs looked amused. "Lead the way," he started, his hand moving to rest on Shadow's hand as he stroked the back a little with his thumb. There's something you want to happen later after dinner, don't you? he asked, teasingly, as he opened the door back to the hallway for the both of them. The walk to the kitchen was short and Hebs could already see the pot of rice sitting on the counter. Giving Shadow's jaw a little nip, he managed to pull away so he could open the fridge and pull out the ingredients they'd be needing.

Gian noticed the way Alfie's cheeks had turned red and his lips turned up into a bright smile. "If you don't say that, I wouldn't know." The boy moved up a bit so he could press a light kiss onto the other's lips. He was really starting to like Alfie. It was getting too comfortable to be around him. Somehow, he wondered if this was what it felt like to like someone. Or love? Looking rather empathetic when he'd seen the sadness in the other's eyes, he wrapped his arms tightly around his shoulders and kissed his jaw. "We'll be home soon. Just wait a little bit more."

Hebs looked surprised. His cheeks had even turned quite pink from the question and he gave Shadow a smile. "Maybe all you'd need is a glimpse of the images getting into my head." As he said this, he pulled out the bags of pork and chicken meat from the freezer before gathering all the needed ingredients so he could cut them up. Quite vivid, aren't they?

Gian hadn't considered that. "Maybe," he started before he'd frowned, "Do you really think the spirits could do something about-" The boy stopped. Hadn't they revived Damon from the dead? Then, wouldn't that mean there was a possibility that the spirits of some of the freaks here hadn't really laid to rest yet? Gian let Alfie cuddle close to him as he played with the ends of his hair. "Maybe Shadow could bring that up during dinner time."

Hebs had heard their thoughts, too, and he almost cut his finger if it weren't for him stopping just as Gian had stopped talking then. By the time he'd looked down, he was relieved he hadn't cut his finger. If he did, he didn't think he'd like having to suffer another mishap. The snake man did the cutting quickly and then turned to look up at Shadow. "Were there any unexpected deaths among the freaks that are now laying in the back of your villa?"

Gian smiled at Alfie tilting that head of his. He was unable to keep himself from kissing the other's jaw while he watched him. "We can always get back here and I'll make you comfortable again after dinner." The boy grinned and played with Alfie's ear with his other hand. "You really have long ears. It's like an elf's." At least in the stories and their drawings, they looked like this.

Hebs would smile at the nuzzles Shadow would give him and would teasingly ask him if he liked the feeling of his scales before he left to work on the meals. He put rice on each plate and made sure he'd given Alfie the biggest portion before he'd turned to look at the fallen angel. Just listening to him made him worried. "Were there a lot?" he asked as he put the pot and the utensil he'd used into the sink. All they needed now was what Shadow was preparing for all of them. Hebs also prepared lemon drinks for everyone to contrast the sweetness.

Hebs let out a short, "Ah," before he'd nodded. That was true. Times were changing now. It must've been hard to live before, especially without such a group like what Shadow had formed. Blinking when he was told to get the three, he gave a nod before he'd went to set the plates on the tables. The juice would follow once he'd gotten all of them on the table. That, or he could have Gian get the drinks for him. Maybe, he'll do the latter.

Gian shook his head. "You're not a weird-looking guy." And, that was true. Gian liked how Alfie looked. Hell, to him, the naga looked even better than a normal human being. Or, he was just being weird like that. Hebs was suddenly at the door, though, with a knowing smile on his lips. "It's time to eat, you two." The boy was quick to get off of Alfie so he could get up to his feet and Hebs chuckled when Gian looked embarrassed. "It's fine," he assured him, "It's nice to see you two get along really well. Could you get the glasses in the kitchen, as well? Put them on the table. They're lemonades. In case anyone wants more, the pitcher's in the fridge." With that, he went to rouse Damon from his sleep.

Kratos wasn't asleep. He was playing cards with Hades. Oddly enough, he was trying to buy a couple years of his life back just so he could spend more time with his siren. Hades was well aware of that, though, but he did like making deals, which explains why he's here.

Gian blinked at Alfie's suddenly exclamation of lemonade and he smiled brightly. He was distracted, as well, by that and had momentarily forgotten that Hebs had just a walk-in on them. Reaching out to take Alfie's hand, he tilted his head towards the door. "Come on."

Just as Shadow had announced that, Kratos looked up at Hades who'd dropped his cards and grumbled some obscene words. "Fine. An extra twenty years in your life." Turning to look at Léan, he frowned and the walking corpse soon disappeared like ashes. Not after he'd said something bad about the siren, though. Kratos didn't like that at all and he gathered up the cards to set it aside. "You say something bad about him again, I'll be sure to cut off all ties with you." He got up to the bed and walked to the foot of the bed to crouch down. He had extra twenty years of his life, meaning, he'll die at around the age of eighty. He doubted he'd look like an old man, though, seeing as how his power kept him young. "Come up, Léan, so I can get you out."

"You like astronomy?" Hebs asked as soon as he'd gotten to Damon's room. Of course, he didn't ask that right away. He'd knocked before he'd talked. "It's dinner time, Damon."