Shadow stopped in his tracks for just a split second when that single thought passed through the snake man's mind. The fallen angel peered over his shoulder, a downright devious expression on his face. Shadow did indeed have a boating license...but he typically preferred to stay on dry land. Too much time out at sea was never good for him. He was prone to severe seasickness if he spent more than three days out at sea.

It was a shame, really. If their freak show ever became a traveling one--and that was very likely to happen if Kratos could convince a stubborn and stalwart Léan--going places by boat would be commonplace. Léan despised planes and preferred to travel by boat, and if he did eventually cave in (the last time Shadow asked for the opinions of his family, all but Léan wanted to become a traveling spectacle), he was bound to put up colossal fusses whenever they had to travel long distances by plane and vehemently suggest they take a boat instead. Shadow already decided long ago that a unanimous vote was necessary for their family to become a traveling show. Léan was really the only one in opposition at this point. Kratos sure had his work cut out for him with the stubborn siren.

Sebastian happily took the seat nearest to the railing, craning his neck and peering out over the water. The boat would leave in just a few minutes. Beside Hebs, Shadow reclined back in his seat, taking deep, slow breaths. Such a short boat ride shouldn't make him seasick, but he was psyching himself up just in case that did happen. "Dolphins will be out, certainly. But whales and merpeople will be much harder to spot. Merpeople especially. They go out of their way to avoid being sighted by people."


"I guess we could have the doctor check on him at any time," Alfie mused, rubbing his chin. "I mean, it doesn't really matter if Shadow and Hebs are here or not. The sooner we get those legs looked at, the better it'll be, right?" Waiting for too long to get a professional opinion could hinder Damon's prospects of ever painlessly walking on his own again. Damon made another face when Gian questioned him, turning away and fixing one of those famous sideways stares on the other male. After a moment, the emerald-haired man heaved a great sigh, rolling his eyes. "...Any time is fine," he conceded at last, though he sounded less than enthused about the whole ordeal.


"My what?"

It was soft. Barely audible. Muffled by feet upon feet of water. But that voice was unmistakable. From his safe corner at the smooth concrete bottom of the pool, Arcturus was still as a statue. For once, his face was turned skyward. He had a pretty face, almost identical to Léan's. There were subtle differences, minor differences...but for someone like Johnny (who wasn't used to everyone in the family just yet), those differences wouldn't be apparent. Those wide, unblinking, owlish eyes, like two cool chips of ice, were fixed upon the human perched at the poolside.

Either he didn't realize that he spoke out loud, or he just wasn't willing to say anything else. His gaze remained fixed on Johnny, a strange mixture of shock, anger, and potent fear.

Now that, he didn't know. He didn't know that his lover easily got seasick; but, now that he knew, he intended to do all he can not to have that happen. Reaching out to rest his hand atop Shadow's chest, the tips of his fingers ran along the material, hopefully to soothe the other's man and distract him from thinking about it. He shifted a bit, too, to rest his other hand on the other's lap as he turned to meet his gaze upon hearing his reply. "With this much people on board," he trailed off to look around, "I wouldn't be the least bit surprised."

After all, their own merman hated crowds. But, his, he supposed, were of a different reason. "I don't think I've ever seen a dolphin. It would be nice to see one up-close." The snake felt oddly excited, but he was pretty good in masking it in with a smile.


Gian nodded. "That's true but-" He cut himself off when Damon finally spoke up. The smile that graced his lips was enough to tell anyone that he was happy to hear this from the musician. After all, knowing that Damon didn't like doctors but still going through the lengths to have a check-up was a big step. And, this made Gian hope all the more that Damon was going to be walking in a few months time! It's rather exciting!

"All right, I'll call the doctor later to see if he has any free days within this week." The boy reached out to take Damon's hand in his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Sorry, I'm just really excited." Chuckling nervously, he finally let go of Damon's hand and moved to step back and turn so he could head back to where Alfie was.

The male immediately linked his arms around the naga's own arm and leaned against him, a cheerful expression taking over his features. "We'll see you tomorrow then, Damon! If you need anything, don't hesitate to call out. We'll just be in our room." Tugging a little at Alfie's arm, he slid his hand down to take the naga's own hand into his own. He was happy. And, it was obvious. It was obvious that the boy hadn't forgotten his promise - though it sounded more teasing than it should have been - as he led the naga back into their room. "So... about that new thing I was talking about..." There was a playful glint in his eyes.


That faint voice surprised Johnny. For a moment there, he froze. And, for a moment there, he thought he was hearing things. Looking around for a second or two before he'd turned around to look back at Arcturus, the gaze the othe gave him suddenly gave him an odd shiver creeping up his spine. That look was odd. The mixture of expressions he wore had Johnny be taken aback. He hadn't expected that at all.

"If you didn't hear me properly, I was talking about your scars. Your brother, he won't be happy to see those." At least, from what he'd heard from Gian, Arcturus had a twin. Léan, wasn't it? "And, don't look at me like that. I'm not doing anything to you, and I don't plan to do anything at all."

[[ Should we pull out Gian and Alfie? o: Or do you want to make it like a joke of some sort between them? XD ]]

(( We can take them out! Just send me an e-mail with your next post! ))


"...It's probably a good thing that they avoid humans beings like they're the bubonic plague," Sebastian acquiesced, though he was looking rather glum about the whole thing. "They know better. Most of them are helpless on land." Shadow nodded sagely, placing one of his hands over the hand resting on his lap. "If they venture too close to human beings..." he continued, gaze cast out over the water, "...there's a very good chance that they'll suffer the same fate as Léan and his brother." There was a booming black market trade for exotic humanoid beasts, after all. A single merperson could be slapped with a price tag similar to that of a mansion.

Sebastian blinked in surprise when Hebs admitted that he'd never seen a dolphin, but Shadow didn't seem surprised. Their tented home was landlocked, far away from the sea, and that was where they spent most of their time. "Just keep a sharp eye out for a fin breaching the water. If you're really lucky..." the fallen angel added lowly, eyes glinting, "...that fin may turn out to be the fin of a shark."

Just as he finished speaking, the boat's horn sounded and it lurched to life, pulling gradually out of port. It was only half-full of spectators today, and that gave the three of them a lot of privacy.


Damon gave no protest as Gian snatched up one of his hands and squeezed it like so. He only smiled, reaching out to pat the back of the other male's hand. "Just...make sure his visit is as brief as can be." That hint of sourness returned to his voice. Oh, he didn't like doctors. He didn't like needles, either--yet another thing he picked up from his oftentimes surly surrogate father. He and Shadow were so very similar, but of course, the fallen angel raised Damon--he found Damon unceremoniously dumped at his doorstep, and the boy was little more than a newborn. It was sad, really...he never knew where he came from, or who his parents were. He didn't even know if he had siblings.

With a knowing little smile, Damon waved the two of them off, settling down into bed for a rest. Oh, he had some notion of what the two of them were scuttling off to do. He just hoped they were quiet--everyone else was resting, too. The muscles in his legs were on fire. He needed to give them a break.

Alfie instantly snuggled against Gian when the human linked arms with him, a stupidly happy expression on his face. He didn't seem to think anything was unusual about the mischievous aura surrounding his lover...that is, until they finally reached their room and he actually spoke. Alfie's eyes snapped open. He blinked rapidly, looking clueless, for a couple of seconds. Typical. The naga was the one who forgot about the promise, even though he claimed he wouldn't. When it finally hit him, a wide grin curled his lips. "Oh. You're gonna give me a demonstration, I assume?"


For the longest time, the frightened siren said nothing in response. He didn't move a muscle, either--again, he was so still that it looked like he might have been made of colored stone. Then, after an agonizingly tense and slow twenty-five seconds, there was suddenly movement. That beautiful, flowing tail of his, identical to his brother's, swished back and forth, creating tiny bubble tornadoes underwater.

"How do you know about my brother?" This time, his voice was much clearer. More angry than frightened, though not by that much. The look on his face morphed into something more curious, but equally as suspicious and unsure. "Do you have him imprisoned somewhere, too? I want to see him." Despite his words, his position shifted as he spoke. Every single muscle in his body tensed up. He was coiled up, ready to spring if Johnny drew too close to him. Just like a deadly rattlesnake.

Hebs nodded glumly as he smiled sadly. That couldn't be helped. Although they had a government who took care of the unwanted, helped the homeless, and gave incentives to those who rightfully owed themselves that, it was still hard to take care of the black market. They could never seem to find one sole source. After all, what makes the black market work are countless of people - that's countless of stockholders whom Hebs knew was all in the top executives of the business sector. That, sadly, was what was thriving this city - this country.

"I hope Arcturus had already been found," the male started, a worried expression now taking over his features. He turned his hand around to take Shadow's hand in his own and gave it a little squeeze. "But, I trust Johnny already had." Hebs shifted a bit in his seat when the boat lurched forward and he excitedly moved his gaze out to the ocean, looking much like Sebastian who was on a quiet search for mermen - impossible to appear or not.

Hebs did, however, gave his lover a sideways, unbelievable stare before he playfully slapped Shadow's chest for teasing him.


Johnny squinted, sizing the frightened siren up for a second or two before he'd started to step back. He stopped, though, the moment he'd seen movement of that tail of the other's. His tail was beautiful, no doubt about that, but he wasn't the least bit interested in even owning this one. Mermen, in general, was a kind he had no interest in. "Oh, please. This isn't imprisonment." The male motioned to the pool. "You're only here because someone asked me to find and take care of you." Snorting, he rolled his eyes.

"And I assume you weren't aware. Your brother's found a family of freaks, which you and I will be joining soon." He held his hand out to will the plate to come to him like a nail to a magnet. Once in his grasp, he pursed his lips. It almost appeared like he wasn't going to speak, that he was going to ignore the other, but he suddenly spoke up after he'd adjusted his glasses. "You're one demanding fish. Even if I want to have them take care of you instead, they're not here. They should be back soon."

Sebastian was totally engrossed in scanning the horizon with those sharp golden eyes of his. He was so distracted, in fact, that he completely ignored Hebs and his brother, far too eager for his own good. Shadow knew he would come out of this disappointed. Even very young merpeople knew better than to stick near the surface when humans were out and about. It was one of the many reasons why most merpeople either stuck to the ocean floor or only ventured out under the cover of darkness. The ones that did chance coming to the surface were sometimes captured by humans, so this was a legitimate fear.

Shadow leaned back in his seat, more interested in the cool ocean air washing over him than looking for merpeople. Once the boat reached deeper waters, he would probably pay more attention to his surroundings. He liked dolphins, but had a special place in his heart for sharks. "...Even if Johnny already has found Arcturus..." Shadow didn't even bother opening his eyes as he spoke. "...I highly doubt it will be easy to convince him to join this family. What little I know of Arcturus comes from his brother. He is apparently an extremely meek and timid young man. He fears human beings above all else, for his and Léan's mother was taken by humans when they were still very young. We may have to use Léan as bait."

If Arcturus cared enough about his brother, who was too conditioned for captivity to return to the ocean, then he might be obligated to stay despite his fear.


"You are holding me hostage from my ancestral homeland." The siren's tone went inexplicably flat. "Therefore, this is imprisonment." Merpeople adored the ocean. Even freshwater varieties, which were incredibly rare. If they were taken from the ocean and prevented from returning in some way or another...they oftentimes became spiteful, unfriendly, and sometimes violent beings. Léan was a prime example--he was never as sour as he was now before being imprisoned.

Arcturus didn't seem to believe a single word of what this human was saying. His enchanting cerulean eyes narrowed into little slits. He bared his teeth at Johnny, the flowing fins behind his ears snapping out to the side and expanding in an instant. His brother was the strong one. He hated human beings a thousand times more than Arcturus himself did. There was no way he would willingly give up a life in the ocean to stay with rotten land creatures! It appeared as if he wouldn't believe anything Johnny said on the matter--it was a futile effort. He would only believe the other's words when they came out of his brother's mouth.

And that was another dilemma. Arcturus had been heavily tranquilized when he was first brought to Johnny's place. Removing him from this pool without tranquilizing him wouldn't be a simple task.

Hebs' expressions turned to that of worry. "Won't Léan and Arcturus get into a fight, though?" he asked. Shifting a bit and leaning into his lover so he, too, could look out properly. The ocean was truly beautiful. It was just sad knowing that Léan was trained in captivity. Would it be more possible for the brothers to swim along the seas should they turn into a traveling circus? Stroking Shadow's knee with his thumb, he, for a moment, relaxed.


"It isn't." The lawyer replied just as flatly, "You were caught, I took you from the black market, and don't technically own you." No. Arcturus wasn't under his name. He'd purposely put Shadow's name there because, well, the man was much more powerful than he was. He's surmised that from their last meeting. Plus, from the way he looked far too young, he knew he wasn't normal. In fact, he could be immortal.

"Well, whatever." Nonchalantly waving his hand, he slipped his hands into the confines of his pockets and stepped back to leave. "I did what they ask me to do: find you."

"If Arcturus wants to return to the ocean, and if he hasn't been in captivity for very long I assume he does, then they will fight. That will be impossible to avoid. They're kin. We must allow them to work it out themselves." Shadow melted into his lover's touch, eyelids drifting closed. As long as they weren't out on this boat for more than two hours, and the sea remained somewhat calm, his seasickness wouldn't rear its ugly head.

Just then, Sebastian perked up, peering over the side of the boat. A few other people on the boat reacted in the same way. In the distance, a grouping of fins could easily be seen. As the seconds ticked by, one of the creatures leaped out of the water. Yes, they were definitely dolphins. Sharks were a much rarer sight than dolphins.


Arcturus clicked his tongue defiantly. Sure, he was timid. Little bit meek, as well. But he'd had time to get used to his surroundings, and to the two creatures taking care of him. "Documentation or not, you are currently in possession of me, and that makes you my owner." He spoke very formally, more formally than his brother. English was not this siren's first language, and he must have been less used to using that human language than Léan. It was both a good and a bad sign. He hadn't been in captivity for very long.

The merman settled down at the bottom of the pool, striking icy eyes closing and a stubborn aura about him. "If you won't take me to see my brother, then you and your demonic friend can leave me alone."

...Demonic...?

The way Shadow's relaxed state washed over him made Hebs smile. He, too, found himself relaxing until, that was, the sight of fins caught his attention. He didn't tense, no. He found himself bubbling with excitement, and all the more when one of the dolphins leaped out of the water. Hebs' expression turned to that of awe and he smiled brightly. Now, Hebs wasn't going to say he hasn't seen a dolphin yet; and, he couldn't help but lean against Shadow a little more before he'd waited for another to jump out.

Indeed, another one jumped out and the people clapped their hands with what appeared to be joy. Some even took pictures. "They're amazing," Hebs started, his eyes sparkling with amazement.


No. He wasn't happy owning such a troublesome fish. He did, however, stop when the other finally spoke up about his companion. Demonic? From their conversation, Johnny could tell that the other knew more than he did, and he couldn't help but find himself looking back at him. "We can't leave you alone, unless your wish is to die of hunger."

The male frowned, though, and pursed his lips. "And, what did you mean by demonic? Blake's human no matter how much you see him." He's sorted through the documents and through the boy's identification. He was born from a human mother. Although, he did find it strange that the father wasn't listed. Did Blake's mom re-marry or something?

"Beautiful creatures, no?" Sebastian finally spoke up, golden eyes shimmering with admiration. He loved marine creatures of all shapes and sizes--his admiration wasn't limited to merpeople. "I suppose so." Shadow looked amused, at best. "Dolphins are deceiving creatures. For the most part, they like people. But they can turn into monsters at a moment's notice. Packs of juvenile males have been known to assault swimmers. And I don't mean in just a physical sense."

Sebastian's nose wrinkled up in disgust. "I, ah...I did not need to know that," he muttered, trying his best to block out his brother's persistent rambling. Shadow laughed openly, leaning back in his seat. "What? I'm just stating the truth!" He had trouble concealing the mirth in his voice. "Even the mer-form of Dolphins are mischievous and unpredictable like that. It comes with the species, apparently."


Arcturus huffed, pouting like an enraged preteen, and defiantly folded his arms in front of his chest. Yeah, no, he didn't want to starve to death. He'd been starved before by past owners as punishment, but they never allowed it to get too far. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. At one point, he'd been certain that his stomach was trying to digest itself in its search for nutrients.

The siren's expression did a 180 when Johnny spoke again. He blinked, ear fins perking up somewhat. "What do you mean 'what did I mean?'" he echoed, puzzlement etched on every inch of his face. After a couple of moments, realization dawned on him. He arched a pale eyebrow. "That's right. You humans don't have an advanced sense of smell." Merpeople, especially predatory merpeople, had heightened senses. Sharks were the most sensitive of all, but all merpeople were sensitive. "You can't smell it." Arcturus shifted where he was sprawled out, resting his head in his arms.

"Your violet-haired companion can't possibly be a human being," he declared simply. "At least...not one hundred percent, anyway. No, that boy has demonic blood pumping through his veins." The merman angled his head upward, sniffing the air profusely. "...Smells like Demonic Reaper to me." Demonic Reapers specialized in spirits and the dead. They usually had the ability to travel between realms and ferry souls to their designated resting places. They were always mediums with acute psychic abilities.

Hebs was just about to open his mouth to reply when he heard his lover's first. Blinking for a bit and raising his eyebrows in obvious curiosity, the snake man's expressions marred to a frown. "Suppose so?" Once Shadow started to explain his part of the reason, he found himself humming in surprise. "Emotionally then, too?" he asked. Since they were already in the topic of it, he idly wondered how a dolphin would look like in their human forms.

Chuckling at Sebastian's reply to Shadow's explanation, he gave his lover's knee a gentle pat. "It's best to be aware of it instead of kept in the dark," he told Sebastian with a smile. "Though, how did you know such a thing, Shadow? Have you ever met one?"


Johnny wasn't the least bit bothered at being called 'human'. After all, he was. He was, however, not able to stop himself from replying rudely with a, "Mm. That's too bad. I can only imagine how bad a stinky sock would smell like for you." The sides of his lips twitched, but that was about it. When the other finally continued speaking and answering his question, he found himself raising his eyebrows in obvious surprise.

If that was the case, then was he correct in his assumptions that the boy was only half-human? That was going to be bad. He had to make sure this doesn't come out during the trials at all. "Even if he is a Demonic Reaper, he's still partly human." The male, though, managed to smile politely.

"Thank you for that information, Arcturus. I'll bring you a little extra to much on for tomorrow."

"Oh, no. Not in an emotional sense. Though some dolphins have been known to emotionally attach themselves to human beings--they're very smart creatures. They, uh...they've been known to inappropriately assault lone humans. Drag them underwater. Kill them without meaning to." Sebastian made a face at this more detailed explanation, but he refused to tear his eyes from the happily leaping pod of dolphins. Just like chimpanzees, because dolphins were so intelligent they tended to behave like barbaric humans. Violence was an everyday occurrence, especially with the males.

"Met what?" The fallen angel nestled his head against the side his lover's head, eyes half-lidded. He was very relaxed, indeed. As long as the swells didn't get too rough, his seasickness would not emerge. "A Dolphin? Not the animal, but the merpeople? Oh my, yes. They're some of the most common merpeople in the world, alongside Betta Fish, Tuna, and Salmon. There are incredibly rare species, however. Sharks are common in general, but specific species are so rare that only a few have ever been sighted. One of those rare species is considered the Crown Jewel of merpeople." Sebastian smiled, peering over his shoulder. "Ah. That would be the famous Greenland Shark."


Arcturus blinked slowly again, eyes wide and mystified. "...What's a sock?" he inquired, looking rather confused. Of course he wouldn't know what a sock was. He was a merman. A marine creature. He didn't have legs, let alone feet. The expression on his face was downright childlike and innocent, very much unlike the typically surly and unpleasant aura that surrounded his brother. The two of them truly were like polar opposites. Now that Arcturus wasn't so frightened, he was a great deal more talkative than his brother would ever be in a situation like this.

"A half-breed, then." Demons didn't care all that much for human beings, so their blood rarely mixed. When such a thing did happen, the half-breed was often ostracized on both sides of the spectrum. Demons wanted nothing to do with half-breeds. They were inferior abominations. Humans could just sense that something was off about the half-breeds, and the shunning often happened just because a half-breed looked different.

The siren closed his eyes again, settling down for a nap. "You'd better be careful, though." He sounded nervous. Anxious. Somewhat uneasy. "If he doesn't know he's a half-breed, I doubt he'll take the news well. Look into his family history and break the news gently. He might fly off the handle." And with Blake's powers, flying off the handle could prove to be deadly. His powers could even affect Arcturus out here, which was mainly why the siren was so concerned.

That was rather cute, until, well, the other said something about drowning human beings. That, to him, was simply disturbing. Did these dolphins ever feel guilt or the likes once they do kill? Or, do these humans become fodder to algae after their deaths, collected in some sort of treasure box the dolphins have for themselves? Pushing the thoughts away, the snake man could only purse his lips in distaste. It was only when his lover had leaned against him and nestled that head of his against the side of his head did he relax and smile. He'd even brought up the hand resting atop his chest to gently stroke his cheek and play a bit with his hair.

"Hmm. I see." Nodding a bit, he could tell why Shadow like sharks instead. The snake man kissed Shadow's temple before he returned his attention back to the dolphins who were still being lavished a lot of attention by the humans on the ferry. "The Greenland Shark. Does he or she live in Greenland?"


Johnny wasn't sure why but he found that look the marine creature had rather amusing. He did, however, keep that amusement to himself. As he shut the back door behind him, he for a moment, looked up. He's lost it when his best friend was torn to shreds after reluctantly chanting a spell; he could only imagine how much he'd lose of himself should he find out that he wasn't human. Flying off the handle was a gentle way of putting it, really. Arcturus better not open his mouth and tell that to him himself. That was going to put him and the merman in a lot of trouble.

He might be able to take care of himself, but he wasn't sure about him. And, although Blake's been nothing but trouble, he had strangers worrying about him. Whether that's part of his charm or not, it was really tiring. "Sleep," he told himself. First, he needed a nap and then he'd run through his library. He should have something - a trap - meant for demons. The occult was something a college friend of his liked delving into.

"Well, sort of." Oh, Shadow certainly liked having his hair played with like that, if the blissful expression on his face was any indication. "Both the marine species and the mer-species live in the cold northern oceans of the world. The sharks themselves are rarely seen by human beings--they prefer to stay in incredibly deep waters, around a thousand to two thousand feet below the surface. Miles beneath the ocean. The merpeople are even rarer than the actual sharks. Greenland Sharks live in familial clans in cold, deep waters. They have excellent night vision and rarely venture to the surface."

"I've never seen a Greenland Shark," Sebastian added in, a dreamy expression on his face. "I'd love to see one someday, either the fish or the merperson."

Shadow snickered at this--the angel frowned pointedly at him before returning his attention to the dolphins. They were following the boat, apparently liking all of the attention. "Oh, come, now." Shadow sounded quite amused. "Don't be jealous just because I got the chance to see such a rare creature. Ah..." He cracked open one eye, meeting his lover's gaze. "Do you recall my tale about Obsidian, royalty in the underwater world? He is a Greenland Shark."


Oh, Johnny didn't have to worry about Arcturus spilling the beans. The siren was still uncomfortable and wary around both of them. He only happened to speak to Johnny today because the man mentioned his beloved twin brother--it was all a fluke. Human beings still frightened him, and at this point, he honestly wanted nothing to do with them.

Several hours later, Blake finally emerged from his room. The first thing he did was scurry off to the bathroom to answer the call of nature and take a shower. After that, he quietly padded his way down the stairs, rubbing at his eyes wearily. He instantly made a beeline for the kitchen, rummaging through the cabinets and trying to find something good to eat. He wasn't the greatest cook, so he was mainly looking for snack foods.

The way the brothers teased each other was simply amusing to watch, and Hebs wouldn't have minded continuing to watch them if it weren't for his lover meeting his gaze. "I do," he replied with a nod, only to blink a bit as he let out a short, "Ah!" of realization. He even surprised himself. "No wonder you have a thing for sharks more than dolphins." Chuckling, the snake man turned to look up at at Sebastian. His smile turned to a grin. "And I don't mean that in the innocent way."

Looking past Sebastian and past the crowd again, he watched the dolphins. They were really nice to watch, he thought.


Johnny awoke with the sound of running water. Shifting a bit in his bed before propped himself up with an elbow to push himself up, the male brought up a hand to massage the bridge of his nose. He'd overslept. And, here he thought he was only going to get a nap. Reaching out for his glasses he set on his bedside table, the lawyer slipped it on, pushed his blanket aside, and moved to get and straighten up. He stretched his arms up over his head a bit, made his way out his room and frowned at the sound of someone rummaging through the cabinets of his kitchen.

Blake? The lawyer made his way down the stairs as he tugged his shirt down. When he'd seen the boy, he only reached out to ruffle his hair. It was almost time for dinner. "Help me find the pot and boil some water, kid." Something easy to eat would be good for now. He wasn't too hungry, but it was easy to fill the stomach and easy to cook, too. The lawyer grabbed a few ingredients from the fridge, pulled out a chopping board, and started cutting up the ingredients.

As the boat trip continued, two more pods of dolphins were sighted, much to the joy of the crowd aboard the boat (and Sebastian, too). Near the very end of the trip, a couple of overly-eager kids spotted a fin in the water and leaned in for a closer look...only to be pulled back over the rail by their attentive parents. It was definitely a Great White--their faces were rather distinctive, thanks to the worldwide popularity of Jaws. It was an incredibly puny shark, though. Much smaller than average. Shadow instantly perked up, cooing like a mother fussing over a baby.

"It's a baby!" he declared loudly, almost exuberantly. "Aw." Sebastian grinned. "I guess it's pretty cute. I hope no one kills it." Sharks had a bad rap all over the world. It was an undeserved reputation. Sure, sharks sometimes killed people. But, amusingly enough, more people were killed by cows and vending machines than sharks each year.


Blake definitely looked ruffled and unkempt again, clad in a tight black tank top and an old pair of red flannel pajama pants. He must have been feeling better. He wasn't nearly as pale as he had been earlier, and the stray sniffles from earlier seemed to have vanished as well. The tank top unintentionally showed off his slender figure. He wasn't really that muscular, but he did have some muscle in his arms. Probably from doing chores back home--he lived in a rural Alaskan town, after all.

He wasn't expecting to be suddenly touched. The violet-haired male whirled around with an indignant grunt, pouting moodily in Johnny's direction. For a moment there, it looked as if Blake didn't intend to help his housemate out at all. And then...his stomach let loose this earsplitting gurgling sound. He instantly flushed and spun around, rummaging noisily through the cabinets. Oh, he was hungry, all right. He hadn't had much of an appetite earlier on, simply because he didn't feel all that great...but now he was downright starving. Eventually, Blake managed to locate the aforementioned pot--he set it down on the counter...and then he just stood there, looking terribly awkward.

The boy was most definitely not a cook. He had no idea what Johnny was intending to make, or what he should do now.

Hebs, unlike Shadow, didn't coo like a mother fussing over a baby. No. Instead, he perked up and smiled brightly, immediately taken in by the beauty of that small shark. It didn't matter if it was a baby, but it was rather cute. "Only pretty cute?" he asked with a chuckle, "I think it's pretty nice to see itself enjoying being paid attention to." The way the kids were excitedly pointing at it and looking up at their parents who, in the other hand, tried to force a smile was simply sad. Parents shouldn't show anything forced, really. If they didn't like it, then they should at least fake it with their kids.

After all, it wasn't all the time that kids become curious. "Do you think its mother is near?" The snake man turned his attention to Shadow and shifted a bit to sit upright in his seat. He half leaned against his lover and half put his weight on his lower body. It was apparent that he was trying to look at the other marine animals present in the ocean, swimming along the waves with them.


Johnny turned to look at Blake while he slid the ingredients into the strainer. Seeing just standing there looking like a clueless child was rather amusing. He, however, did not point this out. He's already teased him enough. He was pretty sure that if he teased him any more, he was going to get some of the other's fusebox off. Plus, he knew he had to avoid angering the boy. He'd prefer not to have any demons out and about lurking in his place. "Fill the pot with water." Motioning to the pot and the sink with the knife in his hand, he added, "And click the red heat button once you put the pot on the glass surface. Cover the pot then leave it alone."

If there was anything he was proud of, it was having a glass induction stove installed in his home a couple of years back. He liked how they worked, and it was less of a mess compared to keeping a gas stove. "You can help me wash these vegetables while I defrost the meat." The last was the carrots. Johnny expertly peeled it with the peeler before he chopped it into cubes. He put this in, too, the strainer.

"Oh my, no. Definitely not." Shadow shook his head vigorously. "Mother sharks usually do not stay with their young. In fact...if they get the chance, they might attack and eat them if they don't swim away quickly enough after being born. The principle is somewhat the same with mer-Sharks and their young. Children are on their own from a very young age. Shark mothers in particular are especially hostile toward their own offspring." Sebastian's nose wrinkled up and he focused his attention even more intently on the horizon, scanning for dolphins...or even a rare whale.

After a few minutes, the tiny Great White Shark swam away, most likely off in search of delicious prey. The rest of the boat ride was remarkably unremarkable. Shadow spent most of the two hour-long trip cuddling with Hebs and relaxing, breathing in that sweet ocean air. Sebastian, like a little kid, stayed glued to the railing, obviously on the lookout for marine life. When the boat finally rolled back into the marina, at a snail's pace, evening was gradually starting to settle in. It had been an eventful day, for sure--eventful, but still relaxing.


For the longest time, Blake didn't move from his spot--he just glowered at the empty pot, certainly not enthusiastic about this whole cooking debacle. After a few long seconds passed, he finally moved, carting the pot along with him to the sink. He quietly muttered to himself while he waited for the pot to be full. Blake wasn't in the greatest of moods...not at all. Being busted by the United States Marshals really had him down in the dumps. Did he really believe he could just keep on running and never have to face the music, undeserved as it was?

Once the pot was full of water, he grabbed onto it again. He had a bit of trouble making it back over to the stove simply because he left the lid back on the counter instead of popping it right on top of the pot, but he somehow managed to make it without slopping water all over the place. He retrieved the lid, then, and pressed the previously indicated button. With a wary eye, he studied the stoves as some lights flickered on. Was he not used to working a stove? At all? When the other man spoke up again, mentioning vegetables, Blake made a face and peered over his shoulder idly.

He didn't care much for vegetables. At least he knew now there was going to be meat in this dish--unless sweets were on offer, he preferred his meals with meat.

"What all needs to be washed?" Oh, yeah. Blake's distaste for vegetables shone through clearly in his voice. He just didn't like them. That might have been the influence of that unknown demonic side of him--demons were known to love meat. The rarer the meat, the better!

Hebs, somehow, found himself saddened at that. Then again, it was how Mother Nature works, right? When there seemed to be nothing remarkable as the ride went on, the snake man shifted again in his seat and leaned back comfortably. There, he held Shadow close, wrapped his arm around his lover's shoulders, and resumed playing with his hair. The kids, who became bored after a few minutes of finding nothing new, went to play amongst themselves as parents chattered about.

Once the boat finally came to a stop, Hebs leaned in to steal his lover's lips for a light kiss before he'd smiled and pulled away. He gave his shoulder a light pat and nodded. "Shall we head back? And, rest up? Or, would you two want to get something to eat?" It was, after all, getting dark.


Johnny watched Blake from the corner of his eyes and made a mental note to let the water evaporate there. There was simply too much. Putting the used chopping board and the knife into the sink, he went back to the fridge to pull out meat: beef strips. "Yes," was his only reply. It was obvious he was ignoring the look of distaste the other was showing all too clearly. How could he not? If he paid that attention, he was sure he was only going to hear whining from his part, and really, he was in no mood to hear it.

The next few minutes, the lawyer became quiet as he started cooking, throwing everything into the pot, before seasoning the food - the soup. It was a couple more minutes, yet again, when he covered the pot, the scent food already starting to fill the kitchen.

Shadow, who had taken to curling a strand of the snake man's snow white hair around his pointer finger after being kissed like so, yawned widely and shrugged nonchalantly. He was tired, and a brief respite on the beach followed by a night of cuddling in a nice, toasty warm bed sounded just lovely to him. Sebastian seemed less drowsy. He perked up at Hebs' words, obviously contemplating them. He pursed his lips and glanced at his brother, noting how tired he looked. Being away from his family for so long must have been taking its toll on him. It was sweet, really. He was terribly worried about how his family was faring without him.

At the same time, Shadow was still uneasy about facing Damon. It was akin to a small child fearing punishment from their mother, which was rather amusing.

"Well...I suppose we could have a nice night in. Perhaps prepare a small meal and sit by the beach to eat it. Or have a movie night." Sebastian was fascinated with human movies. It was odd, really--some of his favorites were the goriest and most unpleasant movies in existence, such as Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street. Violence wasn't an issue for him. He did have to cover his eyes for nude scenes, though--just like a child. Sebastian, still eager as ever, led the way off of the boat, while his lazy brother followed idly behind. Shadow seemed to be glued to Hebs by the hip right now. He was definitely in a cuddling mood. How cute!


Despite his distaste for vegetables and his clear lack of skill in the kitchen, Blake cleaned the vegetables like a seasoned professional. He was used to cleaning veggies, fruits, and meat in preparation for cooking, but he never did the cooking himself. Well...that wasn't entirely the truth. He could barbecue and grill among the best of them--meat only, of course. He preferred to cook meat over an open flame. Johnny wouldn't find this out unless he opted to make a meal on a charcoal grill or a fireplace sometime.

Once finished, the violet-haired male set the vegetables aside and took a step back, watching sullenly (and silently) as Johnny continued cooking. Was he not used to modern kitchen appliances--was that it? Just what kind of home life did this kid have back home in Alaska? He seemed to lack a lot of basic skills, and yet he was good with technology and seemed rather smart.

The smell of delicious food immediately captured Blake's attention, as he perked up...but he kept his distance, gaze zeroing in on everything but his housemate. Was he not in the mood to reconcile just yet?

And, it was rather amusing, indeed, to find this lingering feeling of uneasiness after throwing such a big tantrum over Damon protecting Jae. Although, yes, Jae was no freak and wasn't exactly welcome in their family, he had to say, it was rather refreshing to see someone so upfront and bold about how they felt about someone. In this time and age, perhaps only a few percentage of the whole population had the same attitude like Jae's. Perhaps, the boy had a good upbringing?

"That sounds perfect," Hebs said as he flashed Sebastian his pearly whites, "Though, I hope this movie isn't... all gore?" He purposely asked that after having had a flash of the other's thoughts going through his head. As he wrapped his arm around his lover's waist, he glanced up at the fallen angel, smiled, and nudged his cheek a little with his head. His heart warmed at the feeling of closeness with Shadow and he couldn't help but lean up to press a lingering kiss onto his cheek.

Yeah, cuddling did sound pretty good right about now. So is sleeping.


Johnny didn't think of this as a peace offering to the boy, no. He was, by no means, wanting to clear and clean things up with the boy just yet. Once the food was cooked, the black-haired male pressed the same red button Blake pressed not so long ago, and moved to get a bowl from the overhead cabinet. The loud beep could be heard, signifying that the induction cooker was now turned off. "Go ahead and eat first," he told the boy, "You know where the spoon is."

Cleaning up the things he'd used in the sink, the male then put them aside to dry before he'd glanced up at the wall clock. It was still about two in the afternoon. Johnny yawned, adjusted his glasses, and then stepped back and around to walk out of the kitchen. A bath. A bath sounded pretty good right now. It was a matter of minutes before the sound of the bathroom door in the second floor could be heard and the running water from the shower.

Unfortunately enough for Jae, his affections were directed toward someone who was raised by Shadow himself, and someone who picked up on many of the fallen angel's quirky and unpleasant tendencies. Damon's mind was difficult for Shadow to read, but he'd gotten the gist of Damon's opinions about Jae. Like Shadow, Damon was prone to being unbelievably selfish...but in different ways. He couldn't possibly care less that Jae had feelings for him. Just like the azure-haired beauty, Damon had yet to move on one hundred percent. That could take weeks. Months. Even years. He was also, sad as it was, a difficult person to get to know. It was subtle, but noticeable once someone knew precisely what he was doing. He always looked happy and content. He spoke softly, and spoke few words. He usually excused himself at once after meals and retreated to his room.

He didn't feel like he was part of this family. He was an intruder. An outsider.

"I like horror movies. Nothing gives me more of a thrill. Though, ah...I do have to turn away if anything inappropriate occurs." Shadow sputtered with unrestrained laughter at this, prompting Sebastian to glower at him with slightly colored cheeks. "Angels are weird," he immediately declared. "Oh, sure--watching someone spill their guts all over the floor is just dandy, but you can't watch two people rutting like animals? Really? Where is the sense in that?" Sebastian at first looked offended...but then he glanced off to the side, a frown on his lips. "I don't understand that much, either," he finally admitted. Shadow, looking triumphant, followed along after his now-sullen brother. The vacation home was just a short walk away--soon, it would surely come into view.


Though he was downright starving, Blake stubbornly waited for Johnny to take his leave before he made a move for the silverware drawer. He retrieved a spoon and the bowl setting on the counter after that. He had no trouble spooning himself out a heart serving of soup. He considered just standing there and eating it so he wouldn't have to walk back over to fetch seconds...but something seemed to compel him to sit at the table. He ate as he walked along, heading straight for the table.

For the longest time, Blake was relatively silent downstairs, just devouring the soup like a starving animal. About three minutes in, however...he started talking. It wasn't that irate mumbling tone he often used when he talked to himself, either. It was full-blown sentences in a regular speaking tone. He spoke, stopped, and then spoke again. It was almost like...Blake was having a conversation with someone. And the topic most likely wasn't a static one, either. His voice rose, and then dropped back to normal, and soon after dropped into a low whisper. He sounded angry, then confused, then angry again...and then glum as ever.

He was talking to someone. It was probably some kind of spirit, considering his powers.

Unlike Shadow, Hebs managed to chuckle softly - almost quietly, as he watched the animated conversation between brothers again. "There, there," Hebs started as he slapped his lover's hip and gave it a squeeze, "Let's not get to teasing." Although, it was rather questionnable how Sebastian was fine with seeing blood and bones and not be fine with, well, intimacy. Sure, angels weren't allowed to kiss and go further than that. Shadow mentioned them becoming fallen if such a thing happens, but is it just really all because of the urges?

Are angels even allowed to have that? Urges?

"What'll we be having for tonight? Will you be cooking for us, Sebastian?" Hebs smiled as he pulled the fallen angel much closer. The way his body was emanating warmth, in this temperature lowering as the skies around them grew darker, felt awfully nice and comforting.


Jae shifted in bed and let out a deep groan as he sat up. His whole body hurt, especially his upper body, but he didn't want to stay in bed any longer. He wanted to see how Damon was doing. After he'd let the shock of Gian asking him about what to do for Damon's legs subside, he managed to tell him in detail about what parts of the legs he should massage and work on. After all, Jae's done that for his old man whenever he didn't have the masseuse around.

Bringing up a hand to rest atop his bandaged chest, the male glanced at the food of tray Gian and Alfie had set for him. He's eaten the rest, but he hasn't eaten this one yet, and neither had he drank the painkiller. No wonder he was in shit-like pain. The male ate quietly as he glanced up at his closed door. Idly, he wondered what Damon was doing, and if he was really already able to move his legs on his own. Tomorrow, he thought to himself. He was going to see Damon tomorrow and attend to him. He should be better by tomorrow after a good night's rest.


Johnny stepped out of the showers about midway of Blake's conversation with this 'someone'. It was about a third left then when he'd stepped out fully dressed with the towel now discarded onto his bed. While he was making his way down the stairs, dressed lightly now in a pair of silk pants and a tank top, the lawyer, with the messy, damp hair seemed to ooze charm as he slipped his glasses on. He only glanced at Blake and his 'companion' before he made his way further into the kitchen to get himself a bowl. Idly, he wondered: who was it that the boy was talking to in such an angry tone in his voice? Blake also seemed glum. That look didn't seem to fit him at all.

Shadow squeaked like a tiny mouse when his hip was slapped like so, but he quickly recovered, a coy smile alighting on his lips as the slap transitioned into a squeeze. "Oh, but we simply must tease one another!" he declared, a little louder than he probably should have. Passerby flashed him strange looks. "We are not only brothers, but twins as well! We have to pick on each other. It's in our genes." Sebastian hummed in agreement, though he was still looking rather surly.

Shadow's thoughts answered his lover's unspoken inquiries. All creatures had urges, even angels--the purest of the pure. Urges were one thing. Acting upon them was another thing altogether, and if that happened, the proper punishment would be dealt depending on the severity of the incident.

"Shadow doesn't have very much stocked in the kitchen," the angel replied genially, finally regaining some of his usual spunk. Just as he spoke these words, the beachfront house came into view--Sebastian made a beeline for it. "Non-perishable items, mostly. I'm a decent chef. I live by myself, you see." ...No matter how much he tried to hide it, this angel was a lonely man. "I suppose I could whip something up. Perhaps a makeshift stir fry using ramen noodles." "I like ramen noodles," Shadow piped up at once, looking enthusiastic.


The violet-haired medium settled what was supposed to be a brief glance at his housemate when he heard the other man starting to descend the stairs, but it turned into a stare that lasted for three seconds flat--enough time for his unseen companion to regain his attention. Blake huffed, closing his eyes, and continued on with his conversation. He multi-tasked between talking and stuffing his face with his bowl of soup. After feeling under the weather the previous day, he now felt much better, and his appetite was back in full swing.

The conversation continued on while Johnny was in the kitchen, but of course...only Blake could be heard. "Yeah, I know." A brief spell of silence--he was obviously listening for or to a reply. "You're one to talk. You're a sopping wet mess. You're lucky he can't see you dripping all over his floors." More silence. Blake made a face all of a sudden--a bright blush attacked his cheeks. "Why are you even asking me that?" Another pause, but this one was much shorter than the others--now Blake looked indignant. "I do not!" he snapped, shoulders rising up to his chin. "You have no idea what you're talking about? Why don't you just get lost? ...Oh, yeah." He hung his head, heaving a great sigh. "You're already lost."

...A lost spirit, perhaps? Blake was talking to an invisible someone, or something, sitting in the chair to his right.

"I'm sure you do." When Sebastian was out of earshot and would not hear him, Hebs looked up at his lover and tilted his head a bit. "Lonely. I feel bad for Sebastian." It must be hard being an angel. If angels were, according to Shadow, all high and mighty with the need to put their attitudes in check, then they must not be making so much friends. Hebs stroked Shadow's hip and he leaned against his lover, the side of his head finding its way to tuck under the other's jaw. "It'd be nice if we could have him in our family... but it must be hard since he's not allowed to make contact with anyone else but angels."

The fact, too, that he was here in secrecy meeting with his brother by chance... it gave Hebs' heart a little squeeze. He was sure Shadow missed Sebastian greatly, too. After all, it wasn't all the time that they could meet like this. Also, his sister. Idly, he wondered. If Sebastian and Shadow were this beautiful... would she be, too? Hebs couldn't help but let that bit of thought leak out, and his cheeks colored in embarrassment. "I mean," he started, "For a woman... not that I have my eye on her or anything." Truly, he loved Shadow, but like the other, his eyes would often drift about every now and then. Just for a look or a glance.


It was rather amusing watching and hearing Blake talk to himself. Well, all things considering, anyway. Johnny knew what powers it is Blake had, so he didn't think of it as anything strange. In fact, he found it rather amazing. Not everyone, after all, was blessed with such. A curse, or so Blake tell him it is. "Tell him to make sure he cleans up after himself," he said as soon as he appeared with a bowl now in his hand. He moved to sit across Blake before he started on his food.

Quiet. It wasn't unusual that the lawyer was quiet, but he was, as of the moment. It almost seemed like he was thinking, too.

Sebastian bustled his way out into the kitchen, rifling through the various cabinets and the poorly-stocked refrigerator. He didn't even bother asking what Hebs or Shadow liked in their food--he just went about gathering ingredients. He was used to living alone by now. Depending on their profession, angels were or were not permitted to fall in love and to marry, but physical acts of affection were always forbidden. Their sister Nomi, for example, was forbidden from finding a partner. Sebastian wasn't forbidden from doing so...he simply had no interest in such things.

"I highly doubt that we'll be able to add him to our family." Still snuggled up tightly against the snake man, Shadow led the two of them out into the living room, where he quickly settled down on the couch. Sebastian wanted to watch a movie, so they would probably eat in here. "Angels follow strict rules and guidelines, and unless they're on a pilgrimage, they have to stay in Babylon." Sebastian was on a lengthy pilgrimage, but once the permitted days began running low, he would have no choice but to return home. The fallen angel did grin wickedly when those thoughts of Hebs' passed through his own mind--he cracked one golden eye open, looking highly amused.

"She is quite attractive. Small and petite. The slightest bit mousy." Angels were all attractive, but that didn't mean they all looked the same--goodness, no! There was as much variety among angels as there was among human beings. More variety, in fact--they could be born with some wacky hair and eye colors. Shadow and Sebastian were prime examples of that!


"Oh, it's not real water," Blake muttered through a mouthful of soup. "It's spectral water. It'll disappear on its own in a few hours." So...this unseen spirit must have been soaking wet, dripping invisible water all over Johnny's pristine floors. For the longest time, the violet-haired man was also silent as he worked on his bowl. He even got up at one point to get some more. The moment he returned and sat down, however, his face scrunched up and he glowered to the side--the side that spirit was apparently occupying.

"Why are you still hanging around here? Don't you have better things to do? More interesting people to haunt? Candy to steal from babies? Grannies to push down stairs? Shoo." Blake swung his legs under the table as he ate, now pointedly ignoring the spirit beside him. Whatever the spirit was saying really had him riled up--his legs swung faster and faster. Finally, and without meaning to, one of his legs smacked against Johnny's. He instantly froze, leg still against the other male's, knowing what that sort of contact could do to a regular person...

Bit by bit, a fuzzy shape took form in the chair beside Blake. The sound of dripping water disrupted the silence. Seated beside Blake was a hauntingly familiar figure, soaking wet and covered sparsely with frost. His face was gaunt, and his eyes were wide and unfocused.

It was the same spirit Blake had been sketching the other night. The one trapped under the ice.