"Lucius is... not fond of humans. Perhaps you'll be good to help him see straight again." Linda shrugged, and then smiled when Aidan trotted back in with the water.

Mira sighed. "Alright. What can I expect? From your family, I mean."

"Wait, if he's not fond of them, then why...?" Terra trailed off, trying to work it out in her head.

Dominic shrugged a bit.

"Micah and Natalie are older than I," he said. "Micah has a mate, Natalie is being courted. "Jonah and Marcus are my younger brothers. None have a particular aversion to humans."

Linda shrugged. "I cannot say. Perhaps for Aidan's sake? Perhaps because he was curious?" She shrugged again, setting some water to boil for tea. "You'll have to ask him yourself."

Mira nodded. "Okay, that doesn't sound too bad." Hopefully. "How young are your younger brothers?"

Terra made a vague sound of agreement and settled back to think for a bit. Because she'd been given something to really think about.

"Jonah is nearing his eightieth year," Dominic replied, "and Marcus his hundred-and-fiftieth. Really still just pups."

Linda spent most of the rest of the time occupying Aidan, a task she was more than happy to do. She did keep tabs on the human though.

Mira's jaw dropped. "You're... you can't be serious! A hundred and fifty? There's no way!"

Dominic blinked.

"He's still an adolescent," he said. "I believe the equivalent in your human lifespans would be... perhaps half-way between childhood and adulthood?"

Mira shook her head, astounded. "That's just... insane. I don't even want to know how old you are. You look like you're maybe late 20's."

Dominic frowned for a moment, thinking.

"I will have reached three hundred and sixty-four next autumn," he replied.

Mira thought about whimpering, dismissed the idea, and instead put her face down in her hands.

"I'm twenty-two," she said evenly. "And you don't look that much older than me. This is insane."

Dominic blinked, surprised.

"Had you been a demon, I would have placed you right around three hundred," he said. "Unattached, but old enough to take a mate. You are truly only twenty-two?"

"Really. I'll be twenty-three in another two weeks," Mira said, like that might make up for her being so young.

Dominic just shook his head slightly.

"Come with me," he said, gesturing for her to follow. He turned, heading in the direction of the clan's 'daycare,' of sorts.

Mira frowned but followed him cautiously, glancing occasionally at the other demons they passed, most of whom ignored her.

Once they reached the area that served as a playground for the young pups, Dominic paused.

"There," he said, gesturing. "The pup there with the dark hair. Do you see him?"

Mira nodded, repressing the desire to coo over the little ones. They were all so cute! Especially a little tumble of kids that looked to be about five or six and were playing together.

"He is about to reach his twenty-third summer," Dominic said quietly, tilting his head towards the pup he had pointed out.

Mira blinked. Twice. And then sighed.

"Seriously?" she mumbled.

Dominic nodded.

"He has not learned to speak, yet," he said, "and has only just learned to walk."

"And he's twenty-three?" Mira's mind was reeling. "That's... that's... if he were human, I'd say he was one, maybe two years old."

Dominic nodded. That sounded about right. "Barely out of infancy," he agreed. He gestured for her to follow again, heading back to his house.

Mira followed him quietly, looking around with more interest now. Now she was actually curious.

Dominic noticed how fascinated she was, and decided to take a quick detour.

"Do you feel that you can point out what supplies are necessary for humans?" he asked, a little awkwardly. He wasn't sure how to properly phrase the question of getting things for his new 'pet.'

Mira blinked before she nodded. "Yeah, that shouldn't be a problem. Are we stopping to pick things up now, then?"

Dominic nodded.

"At least some things," he said. "There is a market not far from my family's home, if you would like to take a look."

Mira nodded after a moment. "I would like that. Thank you." She offered him a tentative smile, still feeling kind of guilty that she'd insisted on following him and causing him problems.