[[ Whooooooooa. Ahahaha. You should be resting up! XD Congratulations! :heart: ]]

Gian looked at Alfie for a second or two before he'd sighed and slumped in his seat. He leaned against Alfie and rested his cheek on his shoulder before he'd slid his eyes shut. As much as he was looking forward to the hot chocolate and finding out the secret of the merman and Alfie, he was getting tired. The boy just wasn't sure if it was because of the naga's gentle touch or the fact that he was getting too comfortable with Alfie.

Either way, he liked it.

"And, you're not to lie if you do want this family to get closer," Hebs reminded Shadow as he took the bag of marshmallows. Opening it and eating some as he poured a few into the drinks, he added: "You're to set an example for them, Shadow."

Kratos knew what Léan meant. He didn't want to talk himself. It wasn't in his nature, nor was it in Léan's nature to do so, he was sure. Grunting a little, the life man put his hand back down on the others' lap before he'd rested his cheek on the merman's forehead.

((Thanks! :D I should be sleeping, but I don't feel like sleeping, yet. D: I just had two cans of Monster Energy...))


Alfie cuddled up against Gian, wrapping his tail around both of them and in turn creating a makeshift blanket around them. It was certainly a warm blanket, even though Alfie was qvery cold-blooded. He wasn't very tired, even though he could sense that Gian was. The hot chocolate would probably wake the human boy up...and he was sure that Gian was interested in knowing more about the family he had come to love in the past few weeks.

Shadow chuckled softly. It was a mildly amused chuckle, indicating that there was a bit of unhappiness in it. "I know." He planned on telling the truth, most likely...he, like Léan and Kratos, simply didn't want to talk. He had an interesting past, but he didn't like talking about the past and the world that he had left behind upon becoming a fallen angel. He also really didn't want to talk about the freaks in the past, but would if he had to.

"You sound a lot like a nagging mother," he added, arching an eyebrow.

Léan placed his own hand over Kratos' hand once it rested in his lap again. He shifted it to the left a little, away from...questionable areas. If he wanted to get through this with his head still on his shoulders and in a good mood, Kratos was going to have to make sure he didn't touch the siren anywhere...sensitive.

[[ That doesn't sound good. o.o; ]]

"Sadly," Hebs started as he took two mugs and turned to hand them to Shadow, "I don't reproduce." The snake man moved to take two other mugs to bring out the door and to Gian and Alfie. Setting it on the table, in front of them, he noticed Gian being tired and decided to leave him to Alfie. They can take care of each other, he was sure. Moving back into the kitchen, he took the other two mugs after sealing and putting the bag of marshmallows back into the overhead cupboard.

Yet again, the snake man walked out of the kitchen and back into the room where the others are and put the mugs in front of the empty chairs. He seated himself into one and leaned against the said chair before crossing his arms over his chest. "How'll we start this?"

Gian only perked at the smell of hot chocolate and he groggily opened his eyes to see the mug sitting on the table. Using his free hand to take it and put the mouth of it under his nose, he blew over the surface and started to take a sip. That really tasted good.

Kratos wasn't going to. He had his hand near the merman's knee. If anything, he was still not comfortable touching him anywhere higher. Or lower for that matter.

"To verify that, we should have a doctor examine you," Shadow suggested, completely serious, as he leaned over the table and set the cups of hot chocolate in front of Kratos and his lovely merman. "After all, depending on who you're with...that could change..." he hummed as he sat down in front of the other cup that Hebs had set down.

There was still much about Shadow's species that no one in the family knew. Honestly, as well, he had heard of nagas that were internally androgynous...both males and females being able to reproduce. He didn't know if Alfie or Hebs were like that--Hebs especially, as he wasn't as mutated as Alfie was...

Alfie snatched up his hot chocolate and blew on it for a brief moment before taking a sip. A blissful, heavenly sort of look passed over the naga's face, and he smiled widely. He loved hot chocolate. It was quite possibly the best drink in the world, hot chocolate was...

Léan peered curiously at the hot chocolate, but he didn't dare touch it yet. Sirens were cool-skinned. It was sure to burn him right now. He would wait a while until he was sure it wasn't hot. The merman glanced down at Kratos' hand, uncertainly. Though he knew the human would try to be careful, it was easy to make mistakes...all of those scales blocked everything from sight, and it was very easy, as a result, to touch unwanted areas...

Hebs wasn't surprised by Shadow's suggestion. It was how serious the fallen angel was that he wasn't able to pull his gaze away from him for a few seconds until Gian had called him out. "Hebs, you want to start us off?" the human boy asked as he raised his eyebrows a little. Hebs was still a little disturbed by Shadow's suggestion but he'd easily slipped off a short, "I didn't know you were looking forward to being a father," to the fallen angel before he'd smiled and turned his attention to Gian.

"And, I don't mind." The snake man seemed to be deep in thought as he lightly stroked the handle of the mug with his thumb. "My mother died giving birth to me, or so I was told when I had turned twelve. They found me crying by my mother's dead body. It was a miracle, really, I didn't die since it was three days after she gave birth to me that I was found." The looked forward, his slit, yellow eyes wandering for a second or two before he'd continued on.

"I grew up being ostracized but that didn't stop me from being helpful even if they pushed me away. I often hid myself under a hoodie and a face mask until I was old enough to leave the orphanage. No family took me in, of course, and I pretty much jumped from one group of what you'd call a hobo family to another." Hebs smiled softly as he remembered that time. "I came across Shadow one time in the convenience store while he was choosing vegetables. He gave me an offer I couldn't refuse so... here I am. Still learning to cook and trying to best him."

Gian looked surprised. "You mean, Shadow really was good ever since?" Hebs laughed at Gian's blunt question and nodded. "He was and still is." Kratos only grunted and mumbled: "Don't make Shadow's head any bigger than it already is."

"Oh, no. I would make a terrible parent," Shadow replied to Hebs, quite firmly. Considering how he was a terrible influence on the rest of their freaky family, even though most of them were over the age of eighteen...it was indeed likely that he would not be the best parent. He didn't like children under the age of four to begin with--babies were the worst for him. There were reasons why, after so many years of living, the fallen angel had no young.

While Hebs spoke, Shadow shifted his chair towards him and wrapped an arm around him rather affectionately, listening closely and paying attention to what was in the other man's mind. He didn't react, really, until Kratos gave that last parting comment. "You're just jealous," he crooned, leaning forward a bit in his seat and grinning. He glanced back at Hebs, as well, scanning over his mind to make sure there was nothing he missed. "I'll warn you, now--if there's anything you left out, I'd say it now before I take the liberty, myself."

Alfie listened curiously, totally engrossed in the story. When Hebs finished, he straightened up and glanced around. "Um...who wants to go next?" Really, the naga wanted Léan to go, as he had so many questions for him. He was also curious about Shadow...he figured, though, it would actually be easier to make the merman go before Shadow. Shadow was probably the only one who could get away with not telling the whole truth, after all.

Léan rolled his eyes at both Shadow, for his comment about being jealous, and at Alfie. He knew how badly Alfie wanted to hear his story. After all, when the naga had first joined Shadow and himself, Alfie simply wouldn't leave the siren alone about his past, constantly asking questions even though he knew it pissed him off to no end...

"Then, I hope the results would turn negative. I have five I'm already looking after. I don't need to put my attention on a small one that can barely do anything." Hebs chuckled again and took his mug of hot chocolate to blow over the surface and listen in amusement at the fallen angel's retort the life man. "Oh? I'm not sure I remember what else I've missed out on." The snake man turned to look at Shadow and tilted his head a bit. "Unless you're talking about that one time I got caught up in a murder and almost got myself killed?"

Hebs didn't think that was important. After all, the murderer was now behind bars thanks to Shadow. Protection and food for him and for his old families - the ones he could reach anyway, those were the 'offers that he couldn't refuse'.

Gian raised his hand. "Mine's short. I ran away because I couldn't bear my mother venting out her frustrations on me. Dad left us for another woman and..." he trailed off as he frowned and tried to think of what else he should say. "I guess her venting out her frustrations on me had something to do with her not being able to say it was because of my grandparents' stressing her out on her broken family. I was supposed to have a sibling that was due in seven months time."

Alfie pleasantly snuggled up against Gian, smiling. "...I guess I can go next?" He cast a woeful look in Shadow's direction--Shadow grinned at him, in a positively sadistic sort of manner. The naga grumbled under his breath. "I'm an only child...my mother had a one-night-stand. No idea who my father is or was. Looking how I was, my mother could never send me to any kind of school, so she home-schooled me. I had a relatively peaceful life, seeing as she accepted me for what I was. I was avoided by all other people, though, so...yeah, it was lonely. She was sickly, so she died when I was younger...my mother had met Shadow at one of his shows, and he'd offered to take me in should she die before her time, so...that's how I wound up here..."

Deliberately, Alfie had left something out. It wasn't something vital, but it was something that Shadow found utterly hilarious. Shadow chuckled softly and folded his arms across his chest. If anyone wanted to ask questions, he supposed they could do it at the end, after everyone gave a short summary about themselves. The only two of the family who probably wouldn't give simple summaries would be himself and Léan...the information would have to be forced out of them in a series of successive questions, mostly, as both of them didn't want to reveal more than was necessary.

Shadow glanced around the room absently to see if there were any more volunteers. Léan shrunk back against Kratos when the fallen angel's gaze passed over him, looking stubborn as ever. He would probably go last or second-last.

Gian blinked when Alfie had snuggled up against him but he welcomed it all the same and even cuddled up against him. The naga was warm. At least, his tail was. "So..." he started, "What was that thing Shadow was talking about a while ago?" The boy frowned a little and nudged the naga. "And, it just happened like that? You coming here? What was meeting Shadow like for the first time?"

Hebs was rather amused at how Gian was probing his lover into a corner. It looked like Alfie won't have a chance to slither out of these now. The snake man leaned a little against Shadow as he moved his gaze to Léan and smiled softly at him before he'd taken another sip of his drink. The marshmallows were a great blend, indeed. Whoever had invented such a drink was a genius.

Kratos glared a little at Shadow. He was getting overprotective, he knew, but he couldn't help it. It just came naturally.

Alfie made an embarrassed, strangled sound in the back of his throat and then grinned, quite sheepishly. "Ah...yeah, it did happen like that, actually. There was nothing funky about me coming here. I did get beat up on a daily basis, though, since Shadow put me in charge of Léan..." He cast a vengeful sort of glare in the direction of the merman, who sneered at him in return.

"Oh, no..." Shadow interjected, looking amused. "If you've lost your nerve, I certainly have no problem telling everyone for you. Gian, since you are so curious...Alfie's mother, for the first five years of his life, did not know if he was male or female, as he has no external parts. So as a child, he did often wear dresses as well as shirts...and his room was entirely purple, as it was his favorite color. He even had a dollhouse." He grinned. "If you're interested, I have a baby picture of him in a pink frilly dress..."

Alfie made a huffing sound and folded his arms across his chest, looking thoroughly embarrassed, yet amused at the same time. "Yeah, yeah...till I hit puberty and didn't grow boobs, my mother didn't know if I was a guy or a girl...laugh about it, now..."

Shadow glanced around the room curiously. "I am thinking we will save most of the questions for the end, after everyone gives their brief summaries. If we don't have any more volunteers, we will have the people who have already gone nominate someone to go next."

He glanced at Alfie, Gian, and Hebs.

Alfie glanced between Shadow and Léan pointedly with a grin on his face, indicating that he wanted one of them to go. He had a feeling Shadow would skirt around the truth...

Gian's eyes widened. He could imagine that and honestly, it made him more than curious. "Can I... see?" he asked, his head snapping up as he looked from Alfie to Shadow and then back at the anga. The other huffing and folding his arms across his chest made him smile in amusement and he leaned in to kiss him boldly on the lips. "I'll bet you were cute. Being dressed up and all." The boy grinned at Alfie.

Hebs only chuckled at the conversation between the two and then nodded at Alfie glancing from Shadow to Léan. "Though, wouldn't it better for you to go ahead?" the snake man asked as he put the mug down on the table and leaned in to nip at his earlobe and whisper a few words: "Give both Kratos and Léan a good example?" He pulled back to look over at the two who seemed comfortable in each other's embrace.

Alfie made yet another huffing noise, but snuggled in to give a bold kiss in return once Gian backed away. "All right, all right. But Shadow has it, not me...so you'll have to get it from him..." The naga obviously wasn't pleased about having Shadow scrounge up his dirty laundry, so to speak. He hated that the fallen angel had such a picture of him--really, it was totally embarrassing...

When Hebs went to move back, Shadow attempted to tug him closer, purposely to stare directly into his eyes and whisper back: "Of course, you know I'm going to be stubborn about it all." He released Hebs and sighed quietly, shifting around in his seat.

"I'm not going to get too into it, so if you have any questions, just ask me. Of course, I was not born in this world. I was born in a different dimension, one known simply as Qiell. The capital of Qiell, Babylon, is my birthplace. I was born as Shadiel--my name wasn't given to me by my parents, but it was just the name I knew I had from birth onward. If you don't already know, those angels born with -el at the ends of their names, in the angelic world at the very least, become Archangels, which I did. Quite a few years into that, I, ah...I left. I didn't like having my creativity suppressed, nor did I like the 'pure limitations' imposed on me by superiors. I confided in the only family I had, and she told me to leave, even though she deemed it a bad decision. So I left...and I've never been back. In the process, I lost the -el at the end of my name and forever adopted the name Shadow instead. I wandered the world alone for a while until I started gathering other non-human or strange friends...the idea for a freak show came a little while later..."

He trailed off, thinking that was enough for now. He'd certainly left a lot of things out--just like their dear siren was probably going to do. Maybe a bit of prodding was in order?

Gian smiled at that bold kiss and he nodded as he turned to look at Shadow. "I'll prod for it later then," he said and rested the side of his head on Alfie's cheek. The boy watched Hebs and Shadow for a second or two before he'd looked elsewhere. He didn't mind if he was all lovey-dovey to another but if he saw it, he thought it as rude to watch for long.

Hebs blinked as he was tugged closer and he found himself lost into those eyes. The whisper made him shiver slightly before he'd rubbed his cheek lightly with the back of his hand. There was a hint of red on his cheeks. Apparently, it was embarrassment. He listened along with the others and took his mug again to take another sip of it. Once Shadow had finished, he turned to look at Gian's frustrated face and laughed lightly. "You should ask questions. He finds joy in playing such games."

The boy grunted but he'd asked anyway: "Why gather them? And, what'd you do after you've gathered them? Oh! Where's the money coming from too?"

Alfie seemed rather fascinated by Shadow's explanation, but like Gian, he also had some questions. "You said like...nothing about your home and family life. Care to explain, hmm?" Shadow didn't seem too bothered by Gian's questions, but he was bothered by Alfie's inquiry--he made a face. Nonetheless, he straightened himself out and cleared his throat, preparing to answer both of them.

"I will start with Gian's questions..." For obvious reasons--Alfie's question bugged him. He didn't like talking about his family. "Do you have any idea, young man, what it feels like to be completely and utterly alone on a world filled with six billion plus sentient beings? I was plagued by loneliness for years. When I finally found outcasts, of a sort, that I could get along with and fit in with...and I saw how easily I could help them...that was where I got the idea to start a freak show and create my own family, in a way. The money, well...the money comes from my only living relative..."

Once again, Shadow shifted around uneasily. He didn't really want to talk about his family. "I never knew my parents. My parents dropped me and my only living relative, my older sister, off at an orphanage when I was young. She is about a year and a half older than I am. She is a high-ranking Virtue Angel, and she takes pride in what she does. She was not happy about my decision to leave, but she supported me because we are blood relatives. She sends money to me once a month--it appears in a lockbox she charmed and gave to me before I left. I also, of course, amassed a fortune from all the freak shows I have led in the past, mind you."

Now that Alfie had pointed that out, Gian was curious. Why didn't Shadow say anything about his family? It'd be impossible for Shadow to grow on his own without support. At least, this was what he'd thought. Smiling sheepishly at the others' words, he shook his head. He didn't. He didn't know how that felt like in Shadow's point of view that is. His view on loneliness would surely be different.

After hearing Shadow talk about his sister, he found himself raising his brows out of curiosity. Hebs, on the other hand, was simply leaning back in his chair, one hand loosely around the mug and the other moving to rest on the fallen angel's lap. "How come you missed out on talking about her? Are you two not in good terms?" The boy stopped for a few seconds as if to fix his thoughts.

"Do you... want to see her again?"

Shadow dropped his hand down to rest on top of Hebs' hand, and he leaned over a little to rest against him. It was a mildly affectionate sort of gesture...he literally wanted someone to lean on. Alfie was leaning in a different way--forward, facing Shadow and looking insanely curious, still.

"I do not like to talk about my family. And we haven't spoken in years. Angels and fallen angels aren't allowed to speak to each other. If anyone even found out about her sending me money, she would be in much trouble. So no, I don't want to see her again..."

He shook his head a few times, possibly trying to clear it. "Who else wants to go?"

Hebs turned his hand to clasp their fingers together and he leaned in to whisper into the fallen angel's ear, "Lean on me." It was as if he could read his mind. "Kratos or Léan?" The snake man suggested as he moved his gaze to the two. Gian also happened to turn his attention to them after nodding at Shadow's replies to his questions.

He supposed he shouldn't pry any more than he is. It was obvious that the fallen angel was uncomfortable.

Kratos turned to look at Léan and tilted his head a little. "Do you?" he asked in a low voice.

Shadow leaned fully on Hebs after he spoke, squeezing his hand and closing his eyes. He knew everything about everyone else already, save for just a few deep, dark secrets, perhaps, that he had not managed to scrounge up out of one of their minds.

Alfie glanced over towards the siren and the life-man as well. He was super curious about Léan, but at least they had an inkling about his past. Kratos...they knew nothing about Kratos--save for Shadow, of course.

Léan shrunk back a bit, immediately shaking his head and casting his eyes downward. The very thought about talking freely about his past scared the merman.

Hebs only smiled at Shadow when he had leaned against him. Pressing a light kiss on the fallen angel's head, he turned to look back at Kratos and Léan before he'd rested his cheek on Shadow's head. Kratos decided to take the risk then when he'd seen the others' reaction. The hand that had been resting just a little above the merman's knee had moved to rest on the back of Léan's own hand.

"I grew up in the orphanage. I had my power from way back when and all I could do was kill any living being by touching them. I can bring them back to life, too, but they'd be living corpses. Their bodies would be decaying as they live." The male stopped and grunted. What else could he say?

Shadow opened his arms, peering at Kratos from underneath Hebs' head in a way that said 'Say as much as you possibly can.' Alfie leaned forward more, looking more curious than ever. "I want to know more. Surely there has to be more than that! How did Shadow find you and stuff? What was it like living where you did?"

Léan didn't look like he was listening, but he was...very closely. Even though he was up next, he had that look about him that said he wasn't going to talk...

Kratos knew that was coming. "I'm not sure," he grumbled, obviously annoyed by Alfie's many and bombarding questions. "I was cleaning the orphanage's lawn when Shadow talked to me." Honestly, he didn't really care much about Shadow that time. Hell, he didn't even think he'd be able to catch anyone's attention when he'd tried to just lay low as he could in the orphanage.

Not even the kids there knew him.

"Living there was lonely. I've admired people from afar and pushed away anyone who tried to get close. No more than that." Gian looked saddened by the thought. "Is it because you couldn't control your powers then?" Hebs asked as he took his mug again to drink his drink. When he'd seen Kratos nod once, he smiled slightly. "And those gloves you're wearing?"

"They're a parting gift from the nun who's visiting often."

Alfie seemed satisfied with Kratos' answers, and thus he didn't press him further. He leaned back in his chair, reaching up and rubbing Gian's shoulder to reassure him. The thought of being alone for so long didn't bother Alfie. He'd grown up with only his mother, and other than that...he had been alone, too.

Shadow gave a small nod, indicating that Kratos had said enough for now. Once everyone gave a summary of their pasts, Shadow would officially declare questioning-time open, and a free, obligatory round of questioning would begin. Suddenly realizing that only one of them had yet to go, Shadow turned his wolfish golden eyes on Léan.

The siren's ear-fins flared out the moment Shadow laid his eyes on him. He backed farther into Kratos' embrace, looking like without speaking, Shadow had ordered him to his death. In an emotional sense, he had...speaking about his past was like reopening tons of terrible, deep, infected gashes...

He didn't say anything...he was going to be difficult, it seemed.

Kratos raised his hand to have it rest on Léan's cheek. His thumb lightly caressed the others' cheek before he'd moved his hand back down to put it over the merman's hand. "We do need answers, Léan," he started before he'd given Shadow's hand a pat,"And, try not to scare him, Shadow."

Gian calmed down at Alfie's rubbing on his shoulder. "I'm fine," he told him before he'd leaned against him and smiled, "Thanks." As he turned his gaze back at the merman, he idly wondered how they'll have him speak. Will he speak on his own?

Léan held his silence like the stubborn creature he was, curling up into Kratos' embrace and clasping his hand around the other male's hand. He shook his head, flashing a pointed look in Shadow's direction, and laid his cheek against Kratos' chest.

He seemed to have been sending some kind of thought to Shadow, because the fallen angel's somewhat aggressive, purposely intimidating posture relaxed. "Very well, very well..." He frowned. "I wish you would talk on your own, without provocation. But if there will be no changing your mind..."

Shadow glanced around at his family members. "Feel free to ask him questions. If he doesn't answer...I expect you to keep pushing him. He promised me that he wouldn't act like a child. And he won't." Yet again, the older man's posture grew purposely intimidating, earning him a glower from the siren. It was more of a parental intimidation than anything else.

[[ And after a week...

Ahahahaha. My bad. :rofl: I've been staring at your post and thinking what the hell to ask our dear merman... It was sho hard. x___x ]]


Kratos was pleased when Léan's hand had clasped his own. At least, he knew that the merman was comfortable with him. That, and he wished he could read minds. Then, he wouldn't have to have Léan in such a situation. Being forced to say something one didn't like to share was definitely against one's rights. But, he also knew this was good for the merman. It was a way for him to get to know him better, too. "Where did all this fear start?" he asked, his voice in a low baritone as usual as he lightly stroked the side of the merman's hand.

Gian looked interested as he leaned into Alfie's touch and he snuggled up against him as he waited for the merman's reply. Hebs, too, was waiting patiently and he leaned back against his chair. He would've had rubbed Léan's hand like what Kratos is doing now but he knew that the life man's presence did more to Léan than any of them combined. "Tell us everything about you, Léan. I'm sure Kratos wants to know more than we do."