Though Kratos wasn't aware of it--not to the siren's knowledge, at least--Léan honestly didn't need his assistance in this case. Though they were indeed powerful beings, both angels and demons could still be affected by Léan's powerful Song of the Siren. His singing had a greater effect on human beings, but it could still stun both angels and demons, and if they weren't expecting it (and these two probably wouldn't, seeing as Léan had legs at the moment), the song could control them.

He nestled his chin on top of the human's shoulder when he shimmied in front of him, obviously making himself a barrier. He knew Kratos was attempting to protect him. It both annoyed and flattered him, a peculiar combination. Though he seemed disinterested, Léan was entirely focused on the angels before him. His instincts told him that these creatures were not to be trusted. He tensed when one of them suddenly took to the air again, circling them like a shark would circle prey. At this point, he bared his teeth, still large and surgically sharp.

Surely, this would give away that even though he appeared to be human, he most certainly was not.

Léan only had time to flash Kratos a brief, but curious glance when the other claimed he was half-human. Instinctively, his nostrils flared, taking in the other's scent...but he didn't have time to analyze it. Before he realized it, the unfamiliar creatures had vanished, and the temperature around them began to pick up. For a split second, he resisted Kratos when the other began tugging at him, obviously not ready to flee from a fight with creatures he disliked. Just as he gave in and allowed the other male to lead him toward the villa...

Two large figures appeared on the horizon. Even from a distance, their massive wings were clearly visible. The one that led the way was obviously Shadow, with huge night-black wings. Gliding along after him was Sebastian, whose wings were a blinding snow white color. Sebastian was much more agile than Shadow, who was not used to using his wings anymore, but he made a point of staying behind. Just the sight of his brilliant white wings could temporarily blind Shadow. He was a high-ranking angel. Most other angels were obligated to obey him. They moved surprisingly quickly, and before the merman and his beloved human could make it through the front doors of the villa, the two alighted just within the villa gates.

Self-conscious as always, Shadow immediately retracted his inky black wings. He could already tell that there were angels in the area--his instincts were screaming at him to keep his distance. Sebastian was more confident in his approach, expansive white wings spread out as far as they could go.

"Who goes there?" His voice held an authoritative tone. He immediately stepped in front of his younger brother, shielding him from potential damage. Shadow was reduced to squinting, unnerved by the bright light pulsing from his angelic twin.


"Oh." Damon's nose wrinkled up in disgust. Evidently, he didn't much care for Erudito. This dislike ran deeper...it wasn't purely because the powerful spirit was affecting his recovery. Damon was never well-liked by most of his former family members while he still lived. Shadow gave him oodles of special treatment, and that instantly garnered envy and bitter feelings from the other freaks. He likely had a rough time back then.

I'm home. Shadow's voice was small. Nervous. Uneasy. It was understandable, really. For a fallen angel, there were only three creatures they had to fear--demon summoners, men and women of the cloth, and angels. To an angel, a fallen angel was the worst of the worst. To them, an angel that would deliberately shed his white feathers was an absolutely disgusting disgrace, and when angels did come across one of their fallen brothers or sisters, they usually treated them like inferior beings. Like pests. Like muck on their holy little shoes. Even though Sebastian was here to protect him, Shadow was incredibly nervous.


"Yeah. I couldn't remember his name until now...but I'll never forget how he looks." Now, after having his epiphany, Blake didn't seem quite as pleased. He really, really didn't want to do this. He was a novice. Even with the right fail-safes and traps set out, summoning a demon as prominent and powerful as Balthazar could prove fatal for not only Blake, but Johnny as well. He kicked his legs underneath the table, a sullen aura about him. He was moping like a moody preteen.

"You know I'm not gonna be able to do this." It wasn't a question, and this time around Blake sounded more confident than ever in this assertion. "I think you should find someone more experienced." A powerful summoner would be difficult to come by, and they usually charged outrageous amounts of money for their services. But in this case...it might just be necessary.

Kratos, apparently, was not aware of the power of Léan's voice. But even if he knew this, he would probably still do the same thing. It's not that he didn't trust Léan to take care of himself; he liked being useful - especially to his lover. It was no hidden fact, Léan was the only one who happened to soften and crumble what defense he had and hatred against anyone and everyone. Hell, when his lover nestled his chin on top of his shoulder, the slightest curl of the sides of his lips could be seen.

Once all the introductions were set and done, and he powered over his lover's resistance as he led them to safety, he found himself stopping in midstep just as the flash of bright light cast over him. A part of him hurt. But the other part of him seemed to feel less burdened, lighter. "What..." He trailed off as he frowned, finally straightening up as he stepped in front of his lover and raised his arm in what seemed to be a protective stance. "Shadow...?" His eyes squinted to seer through the bright light and the powerful winds, and although his legs were starting to wobble under his weight, he kept his stance.

"Who's that?" There was but the slightest curiosity, frustration, and wariness all mixed together as he pursed his lips.

A gasp could be heard just as a powerful being made its way just a little bit into the villa. "Aki! It's Sebastian!" The winds seemed to suddenly die down as these two little angels' wings flapped noisily in the air. "Sebastian!" Aki cried out with giddiness as a grin splayed out on the boy's chubby face. He was just about to raise his arms and dive down when he stopped in midway at the sight of Shadow. Surprise was apparent on his face, and this surprise soon turned to disapproval. Rika, on the other hand, wore an expression of disgust. "Fallen! Why is the great Sebastian with a fallen?"

"Preposterous! Angels do not protect a fallen!"


Hebs blinked. The rush of thoughts from the angels that Kratos had summoned made him frown. He didn't like them, and he certainly would've smacked some sense into those powerful little things for his lover. No one should think of Shadow any differently. He was, to him, still a beautiful being. His thoughts, though, were cut off at Damon's reply and he chuckeld lightly at the expression he wore. "I may not be of any help, but please bear with me." The snake man smiled.


Johnny raised a brow. He, yet again, looked up. "Then, shall we start setting out to find this... someone?" Where the hell were they were going to start looking? The lawyer sighed quietly and shifted to lean back against the edge of the table with his arms crossed. He sure as hell didn't have connections in the underworld. Blake should have a better chance with that, right? "Doesn't matter how much. As long as your name's cleared." Did it look like the lawyer was starting to finally show a little bit of compassion?

Unlike his human lover, Léan was only briefly blinded by the heavenly light pulsing from the higher-ranking angel's wings. He blinked a few times and then shook his head, squinting at the figure before them. Then...the merman stared. And stared. And stared some more. He'd already spotted the familiar figure of their beloved patriarch lurking behind the angel, facing to the side to prevent overexposure to his twin's heavenly aura. The resemblance between them was just uncanny. The voices differed only slightly, and the angel's hair, identically-hued to Shadow's, was much shorter...but it was still startling.

Not to mention a bit creepy.

Predictably, an almost hollow look crept over Shadow when the other two angels began to speak. He didn't want to let them know just how much their words affected him, how those seemingly insignificant insults pierced through him like a stake. Sebastian was having none of it, however, and his wings spread out a bit more, further shielding his fallen brother from his comrades. When he finally deigned to speak to the other angels, he spoke slowly, calmly, and with firm purpose. "What I do during my scheduled sabbatical, as well as who I happen to spend my time with, is none of your concern." His voice adopted a more formal tone. He was obviously pulling rank with these lesser angels for his beloved brother's sake. The corners of Shadow's mouth began to twitch and tremble.

Holding back laughter, no doubt. Sebastian very much resembled a huffy grandmother scolding her grandchildren for having their hands in the cookie jar. Sebastian noticed this instantly, and he tried to elbow the other man in the gut. Shadow deftly avoided him, and Sebastian didn't try it again.

Finally, after a tension-ridden spell of silence, the elder of the two brothers piped up once more. "I am simply doing him and his family a favor." His marigold-colored eyes focused on the expansive graveyard surrounding the villa. "This place is rife with spirits. Some of which are...not the friendliest. They have been causing this family trouble for quite some time. I intend to cleanse the space and ferry any stubborn spirits still hanging on to their final resting places."


Damon sighed, wringing his fingers anxiously. "...Ah..." Perhaps in an attempt to distract himself from thinking about the current situation, something else came to mind. "...Now that your business here is concluded..." 'Business' being raising Damon from the dead, of course, "...we will be departing soon, yes?" It had been quite some time since their freak family left home for this Austrian villa. Alfie was already homesick.

Perhaps now that their family had grown, and their life man now had sway over their finicky siren, they could start making preparations to become a traveling freak show once they returned home.


At the lawyer's reassuring words, Blake affixed him with an odious stare. He wasn't quite ready to let bygones be bygones and start opening up to Johnny again, and for a little while, any attempts on the other man's part to reopen that door would be met with stalwart resistance. "Conduct face-to-face interviews with the candidates," he hummed instead, swinging his legs underneath the table. "I'll be able to weed out the legitimate summoners from the frauds."

The numerous spirits that gravitated to him on a daily basis would tell him that much. Blake hated fake summoners, mediums, and psychics. They gave the real deals bad names.

The angels were silenced at the sight of those majestic feathers that spread out to protect the dark being hiding behind their light. Inasmuch as they'd love to make fun of his brother, they knew that a wrath of an angel was no joke. So, they decided to drop it with a sigh as Aki turned to look at Rika. Rika, on the other hand, only shrugged and shooed her brother to protect the house as was requested of them. When the smaller of the two angels landed on her feet, she nodded profusely at Sebastian's words.

"Not only that, they're well aware he's landed." The sound of distaste was apparent in her voice as she eyed the being behind Sebastian. "And, you'd do that?" She looked shocked, even moreso than her brother whose gasp could be heard echoing about in the open air. "But, he'd have to go into the confines of his home to be safe, Sebastian. You can be a little... rough when it comes to cleansing places." Oh, and this wasn't their first time to see it first hand. Though, this was their first time to be in the same place as the high-ranking angel.


Hebs blinked and turned to look at Damon. He let out a short, "Ah," before he smiled and nodded. Indeed. Now that things have settled here, they had to return home. Kenichi, he hoped, is all right with their eight-legged friend. "That would be a good idea, yes. Alfie must be feeling home sick now." Also, they still had the matter with Blake. He's yet to hear from Gian news about the boy's situation and the brother of their merman.


The lawyer nodded at this. "Then, I'll start creating the schedule. I'll show it to you tomorrow, or the day after at the latest." He glanced back at the book that showed this problem of theirs and parted his lips to silently sigh. This was going to be troublesome if they didn't catch him. Shadow, he was sure, was going to have his behind if Blake ended up behind bars or worst... have run away to change his identity and his name.

"Now that we're done here, I'll be going back up." He paused, however, once he'd realized it was well past noon time. The male hesitated for a second as he adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose, a habit he does when he'd be asking people for favors next. In fact, when he spoke up again, he wasn't looking at Blake and seemed to be intent on focusing on his glasses.

"In exchange for dinner I'll be preparing... would you mind feeding Arcturus?"

Still lingering by the front entrance into the villa, Léan perked up at the lesser angel's words about Shadow needing to take shelter. He prodded Kratos gently in the arm, looking determined. "I, ah...I should fetch him." The siren didn't exactly trust Kratos to get too close to those angels. He didn't miss how his lover reacted to their heavenly light (especially the light of the one who resembled their family patriarch). He also didn't trust anyone else to do it--humans were weak compared to these creatures and would stand no chance if they decided to strike. Even though Alfie wasn't human, Alfie was also a coward who would run from a fight. He would be of no use.

"You should consult with your otherworldly friends." After Sebastian finished with his cleansing of the graveyard, a Demonic Reaper would also have to sweep the place to weed out any unpleasant lingering spirits. After both an Angelic and a Demonic Reaper properly cleansed the graveyard...all would be well.

With a nuzzle and an affectionate purr, Léan strode forward on now-strong legs. He sauntered straight past the two smaller, less powerful angels and completely bypassed Sebastian--the powerful angel seemed intrigued by his bravery. The blonde merman reached out and placed a hand on Shadow's arm. The fallen angel jerked, not expecting the touch, but instantly shuffled closer, knowing that he would be of no use right now. Léan led him past the other two angels, hissing at them and baring his sharp teeth like a feral animal.

He would attack them without hesitation if they dared to insult or harm Shadow. He still had a special bond with Shadow, even after all of these years.

Once safely inside, Shadow patted his beloved siren on the back and hurried away as quickly as his feet would take him. He went straight to his room at the end of the long hallway, where he slipped inside and set his suitcase down at the foot of his bed. Here he would be safe from Sebastian's holy light. As a safety precaution, he began yanking the curtains closed on all of his windows, just in case stray rays of light managed to reach them.


"I suppose I will be going with you...?" Damon didn't sound quite so sure. He still didn't see the freak family as his own family. Indeed, when he spoke of the family's affair, more often than not he didn't include himself in the mix. He didn't feel like he belonged. Hopefully, over time, that would change. "Where precisely do you live? I know that you don't travel..." He frowned. "That is unfortunate. You should travel."


"I just need to know when I'll have to be awake." Blake's sleeping schedule was anything but regular. Sometimes he slept all day, sometimes he slept all night, and he even had his own half-and-half days. If he needed to be awake at a certain time to assess a client, he needed to be well-rested. His powers could not be trusted when he was lacking in sleep. Peculiar things happened when he didn't get enough sleep.

Blake was already up and out of his seat by the time Johnny declared that he would be heading back up. He managed to reach the first step when the older man spoke again--he peered over his shoulder, one eyebrow raising. "I don't have a problem feeding him. But don't let those idiots with the Marshals know that I set one foot outside. They'll freak out." The violet-haired male ascended the stairs without another word.

Kratos was only snapped out of his trance when he'd felt the gentle prod to his arm. When he turned away from those wings, he, for a moment, was taken aback. Everything was dark. The Life Man frowned, blinked, and then turned to look away as his lover went to fetch Shadow. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was a tad frightened. Blindly reaching for the knob of the door to the villa, he left it open for Léan and Shadow while he used his memory in finding the sofa.

It took a few stumbles, but he managed, and when he seated himself, he could feel his heart beat take on a strange rhythm. Strange for the normal human being; but, normal for him. Leaning back, he slid his eyes shut and forced himself to relax. Perhaps, he was being tense; or, maybe, it had something to do with Sebastian's wings.

Odd, though, Kratos has never lost his sight before. It must be a temporary thing after staring for too long.

The sound of shuffling of feet, caught his attention, and he, with his eyes still closed, turned towards the siad sound. Léan must be back inside. "Léan?" he called out, hesitation apparent in his voice. All he really wanted right now was for him to hold his lover while stuff was going on outside.


Hebs blinked and then chuckled softly. "Yes," he started, "You are part of our family now, after all." Reaching out to put his hand over Damon's own, the scaled snake human glanced out the window. "Live?" Ah. Yes. That was true. They didn't travel; but, they had plans to. Gian had been adamant about the idea; but, he wasn't sure how that was going to go.

"We will, once the matter settles down. Once we get back." Going back reminded him that he has yet to have Gian contact his childhood friend. They should've already found Arcturus.


"Of course," was all Johnny replied to Blake's answer when he told him he'd show him his schedule tomorrow. And, like the other, he stopped in midstep when the boy answered to his favor. That was true. The Marshals were, indeed, going to freak out. The thought was amusing to him, so he wasn't able to hold his lips back from curling up and into a slight smile.

Following Blake up the stairs, he started preparing their dinner, leaving himself just a bit and enough to fill his stomach so he could get back to work. If anything, Johnny preferred busying himself than having to have free time in his hands.

As soon as all three members of the freak family--Shadow and the two fellows he didn't know, of course--retreated into the house, Sebastian stepped forward, finally folding those radiant snow white wings against his back. "Well, then." He addressed the other two lesser angels like one would address complete strangers. Indifferent, but not mean. "Shall we? I have spirits to move on. And I need you two to help me keep order. It's an important task." There. Motivation! "And I trust you can do that for me? I would put in a good word for you."

With an angel as high-ranking as Sebastian, a good word could mean an instant promotion. The more promotions angels got, the more stunning they became, and the more powers they had access to. It was a tempting offer, and hopefully, it would help these two unruly angels to behave.

"I'm here." Léan didn't immediately move toward Kratos, which was strange...but his voice was close. He sounded concerned. Shuffling footsteps erupted through the room, and then a weight pressed down on the sofa beside the life man. "What is wrong with your eyes?" he demanded, extending a hand and resting it on his cheek. "Open them for me?" If you're ill, we need to call a doctor. Or...perhaps Shadow can take a look at it."

Shadow was technically a doctor in his own right. He had a great wealth of knowledge on sickness and healing--he took care of his many freak families in the past. Even if he couldn't do anything, he could at least take a look at Kratos' eyes and make sure the issue wasn't an emergency. And if it was...they could call a doctor to do a home visit.


Damon shifted uncomfortably when Hebs laid his hand over his own. He never was fond of too much intimate contact, and hand-to-hand contact seemed intimate to him. He glanced toward the only window in his room, striking emerald eyes studying the bleak landscape outside. "Shadow used to travel when I was still alive. With our family," he mumbled after a moment. "We went all over the world, traveling by boat. Shadow hated traveling by boat. He was sick for weeks."

Poor seasick Shadow. At least now there were planes that could ferry them from place to place...if the family could convince their flighty merman to ride a plane, of course.


Blake hummed to himself as he rummaged around in the freezer, eventually unearthing a few large fish. He carried them awkwardly, nose wrinkled up in disgust. He never did like the smell of fish, even though it was a staple back home in Alaska. With his nose still wrinkled, the violet-haired young man hauled the fish outside to the pool, where Arcturus was half-asleep. The uneasy siren instantly jerked awake when he heard footsteps nearby. Blake didn't even bother trying to communicate with the merman--he instead leaned down and carefully slid the fish into the water. When he was finished, he hurried back inside. Arcturus seemed grateful for the lack of direct contact--he wasn't nearly comfortable enough around Blake or Johnny to want to be close to them--and quickly collected the fish.

The second Blake was inside, he headed straight upstairs. He emerged a few moments later in a pair of old sweatpants and a snug-fitting black tank top. He was small, but he obviously had some muscle to him. Did that come from being in the wilderness in Alaska? He made a beeline for the kitchen, where he scrubbed his hands and arms in the sink. He couldn't stand the stink of fish, even though he didn't mind the taste. He wanted it gone.

Aki and Rika weren't just delighted. They were ecstatic! To be summoned by that demon-human, but given only the simplest of tasks of protecting the house- This was, by far, much more exciting! "We're in, we're in!" Aki started. Rika, on the other hand, chimed in after her fraternal twin, "Yes, yes!" The two seemed to put their concentration on the matter at hand. They weren't just protecting the house, they were also keeping their powers at bay to keep it from ruining the villa.

The angels didn't just behave, the motivation Sebastian gave caused them to not just half-assedly use their powers.


The feeling of his lover's hand on his cheek and the weight of the sofa shifting eased the Life Man's worries. When he started to ask about his eyes, Kratos could only find himself smiling despite the thrumming sound of his heart he could hear ringing in his ears. "I'm not ill," he told him, raising his hand to put it over Léan's own. His hand was burning hot, it seemed; a great contrast to his cheek, which was as cold as that of a lifeless corpse. "I just... can't see right now." And, indeed, he didn't understand it. He wanted to understand it, but he was afraid of what was going to happen.

The Life Man's eyes slowly fluttered open. What revealed beneath those lashes and eyelids were nothing but, well, black. Where his irises and the white space around it was gone. Just, a literal blackness to it. "Tell me, what does it look like? This must be because of Shadow's sibling's wings." Kratos grunted and took Léan's hand to pull him close and lean in so he could bury his face into the crook of his lover's neck. "They were strangely bright. Too bright for any human to handle." At least, to the human part of him, they were brighter than when one looked directly at the sunlight. He did feel a burning sensation, but he didn't bother saying that bit; afraid that he might scare his lover away.

Really, Kratos was head over heels with the merman, and he'd like to keep that feeling close to him.


"Oh?" There was a glint of amusement in Hebs' eyes. Somehow, just remembering the way his lover leaned onto him for support that time- It made him smile despite himself. He knew he shouldn't be taking this to his advantage; but, really, he liked it when Shadow leaned onto him for anything. No matter how small. "Then maybe we can think of other means of transportation." Flying was now possible with their merman since he has his legs now. Rousel, though, was going to be a problem if he was going to join them.

"Ah. It looks like it's started." Despite them having a view of the outside, the whiplash of winds and the roof shaking just a bit told him that something was going on outside. "They've probably already arrived." And, really. Thank goodness.


Johnny was already cooking up something when he noticed a flash of a figure in the corner of his eye. He turned to look over his shoulder, at Blake scrubbing his hands and arms like there was no tomorrow. "Is there anything else you do not like or are allergic to?" If Blake was scrubbing that hard, then maybe he should reconsider feeding Arcturus himself. But, really, why hadn't Gian called yet? The lawyer pursed his lips again. Somehow, he was already missing the boy.

Sebastian waited patiently for the two lesser angels to get into position and start work on their given task. Once he could feel the effect their protective powers were having on the property, the angel strode forward. With a flick of his hand, his wondrously bright scythe appeared, and his fingers gratefully clasped around it. When he was finished sweeping the place, a Demonic Reaper or someone of equal status would have to bowl through the area, as well. An Angelic Reaper could only ferry so many souls on his own.

Most of the trapped souls, former members of Shadow's beloved family of oddballs, went without a single protest. The sight was breathtaking, for those who had never seen it before, and the departing souls could easily be seen through every window in the villa. They became visible, and surrounded by a beautiful silver light. Slowly, gradually, they began floating toward the sky above.

Some souls gave them trouble. Sebastian was forced to abandon his attempts with a few of them, including Erudito, simply because they were destined for a darker afterlife. But he went ahead and sealed the area around the graveyard, creating a barrier that would keep the unruly souls in. With his work finished, he stepped out of the graveyard, scythe vanishing in a brilliant golden light. "I am finished. Now...a Demonic Reaper should sweep this place, as well, for good measure. Why don't you fetch that half-breed and tell him so?" he inquired, glancing at the other two angels. "It needs to be a powerful and imposing presence. I have already weakened the most troublesome spirit...so taking care of him now should be simple."


Léan's horrified expression couldn't be seen by Kratos at the moment, of course, but the way he jumped when the other male opened his eyes and the concerned sound that spilled past his lips should have told the entire story. "They...are black," he muttered after a long, tense moment. The siren glanced downward, and then looked up again, wringing his hands. He was worried.

"I, ah...don't think it has anything to do with being human."

This was the first time that Léan had openly accused Kratos of not being entirely human. Perhaps he should have voiced his suspicions at a more appropriate time...but he was concerned about Kratos. "Perhaps Shadow will know what to do." Shadow was a fallen angel. He refused to look at his brother's wings while they were out--maybe there was a good reason for that.


"...You can fly, now, right?" Damon spoke awkwardly. Flying in planes...that had not been possible when he was alive, but he knew of the existence of airplanes through other spirits--he spoke to many spirits during his time being dead. "That would be ideal. But...from my experience, and Shadow's as well...merpeople especially hate to fly. They are sea-dwelling creatures, and they feel uncomfortable on land, let alone in the air."

Now that their pretty blonde siren had his own set of legs...he would be all right, as long as Kratos was by his side. But Rousel would indeed be a problem. He was huge, as well--it would be difficult to hide him.

"Perhaps..." Damon glanced upward, looking thoughtful. "...Perhaps Shadow could buy his own personal airplane." That would solve a lot of problems in one go! And Shadow certainly had the money.


"I'm not allergic to anything. I'm just sick of fish," Blake muttered, stopping a few times while scrubbing his arms to smell them. "They were a staple back home, and I'm just sick of eating them and smelling them." This was really the first time Blake spoke about his home, but he didn't bother elaborating, and that spoke volumes. He must not have had a pleasant home life.

Rika and Aki, being a lesser angel, certainly found Sebastian's work a beauty! They didn't stop to gape in awe, though, no. That would be them leaving their jobs undone. When Sebastian started to speak, Rika slowed down and left the safety of the house to her brother. She flitted about, left and right, before gracefully landing onto the ground with her bare feet. She looked up and nodded. "Rika and Aki do not like to admit it but Kratos can take care of this." The dead, after all, is best taken care of with the dead. Plus, they knew he was friendly and all bud-like with Hades and, what was that other guy's name again?

She hovered again in the air and flew towards the door. With a flick of her hand, the door opened at will and shut behind her. "Kratoooooos!" When she spotted him, she was about to close the distance between them, but was held back by the horrid sight. In fact, she was disgusted, and her face showed it.

"Erudito's weakened. You just need to bring those troublesome souls down with those buddies of yours."


Kratos frowned. Black? How was that possible? He knew he wasn't human, but he was still human, right? Deciding not to ask that question, he shifted to sit up and then lean back. That was true. Shadow knew what to do; but, why did he feel strangely pained? Was he feeling the fear coming from his lover? Or, was it the tense air around them? Shutting his eyes again and hoping that he wasn't scaring his lover now with his eyes closed, Kratos nodded. "Can you-" He was cut off by the call from the angel.

Grunting, he stayed still for a moment before he'd sighed. He couldn't exactly ask for Léan's help, no. The least he'd like to do was get him in the way of trouble. Plus, he'd prefer if Hades and the rest didn't see him with legs right now. Léan's was his, and he'd rather not have anyone ogle at his lover.

Possessive? Maybe, he was.

"Go to Shadow," he told Léan as he turned to where he knew he'd last heard his voice, "And stay with him." Without another word, he left to follow the angel. There was an odd, strange, black smoke billowing after him. Was this how Kratos truly felt? Darkened by the fear he'd cast on Léan?


"A personal airplane?" Hebs repeated with a thoughtful hum. That sounds about right. They didn't need to hide who they were. They didn't have to dress up, and most especially, he didn't have to have people stare at him just because he had inhuman skin. The snake man may have been uncomfortable with this fact, but after he'd had Shadow as a lover... well, he was starting to like them. "You ought to bring that up when we get back home." Hebs chuckled and smiled brightly.

"Ah." He glanced out the window. The wind seems to have calmed down. "It looks like things have calmed down."

Shadow? Are you okay? Where are you?


"Ah," came the thoughtful hum from the lawyer. Well, that explains a lot. The male turned off the fire and put the food onto two plates he'd grabbed from the overhead cabinet. He, for a moment, scrounged in the fridge only to take out what looked like a whole lemon. Cutting this into two on a cutting board with the use of a knife, he set the utensils down only to close the distance between them. "Hold your arms out." The male could see how red Blake's arms were getting. He really didn't have to do that unless he had plans of tearing his skin out.

Once Blake did, he squeezed the lemon and then used them to lightly - almost too gently - run them over the boy's reddening skin. "Let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing it." The smell of fish should be gone after.

Sebastian carefully stepped out of the villa's grounds, wanting to give Kratos and his associates a wide berth while they swept through the place. A high-ranking angel such as himself could easily tangle with most high-ranking demonic beings...but he would rather avoid a fight. This was simply a favor for his estranged, yet beloved, fallen brother. It was strange how close the two brothers appeared to be, despite their vast differences in both personality and opinions.

They would always love each other, and look out for each other, no matter how great the wall that divided them grew.


Léan instantly scowled at the other male's words--those cool ice blue eyes narrowed into minuscule slits. He knew Kratos meant no harm with his words...but typically (unless the circumstances were dire), the blonde siren never did like to be treated like an invalid who couldn't look out for himself. He rose from his seat on the couch, brushing himself off indignantly.

He was a true mystery, this merman was. Sometimes he liked to be babied...and other times he was prone to getting so huffy, just like he was now. He stomped perhaps a little too loudly through the hallway, probably disturbing everyone else in the villa. Shadow was at his door before the temperamental blonde even reached the end of the hallway. Wordlessly, but with a playful smirk, he ushered Léan into his room and quietly closed the door.

For now, Shadow would keep the siren at bay. This was a good chance to sit down and have a proper talk with him about...some things Kratos had no business hearing as of yet.


"I suppose the only issue would be...where Shadow would keep it." Damon reached up and rubbed the side of his neck, looking like he felt tired. This whole business with the spirits in the graveyard was wearing him out. All he wanted to do was relax while he had the chance. If he was thinking correctly...as soon as all of this business was done and dusted, the freak family would begin making preparations to go home. He wanted to get as much rest as he possibly could before then.

After all, he'd never flown on an airplane before. And this trip would be his first time.

I'm here. Shadow sounded much calmer than before, now that he was away from those bothersome angels. Once Kratos and his associates have finished sweeping the graveyard...everything should be fine and dandy again. But...we will have to start packing. We've been away from home for far too long. We should leave within the next two days.


"Why?" Blake was instantly suspicious. Well, of course he was. All still wasn't forgiven. Despite his wariness, the violet-haired male held his arms out, though he had his feet planted firmly against the floor just in case he had to strike out or make a break for it. He really wasn't the most trusting of people. It was a wonder that Johnny had managed to break him out of his shell even the slightest bit.

He made a face when the other began rubbing the lemon halves on his arms--he'd scrubbed his arms so hard that there were a few tiny wounds, and the lemon juice burned them like a fiery inferno--but he made no attempt to stop him. Once he finished his work, Blake stood there sullenly, still holding his arms out and allowing the juice to seep in. Once enough time had passed, he scuttled over to the sink to rinse his skin off, muttering under his breath.

Blake wasn't speaking to Johnny, or himself. There must have been another spirit (or two...or even three) in the room with them.

"Hey, Kratos. I'm smelling... an angel."
"Two... three?"

"Does it matter?" Kratos' voice was sharp, cutting in like a knife. He currently had his arms crossed, and his eyes still shut. Oh, he'd shown the effect of Sebastian's wings on his eyes to the two, but all they did was laugh at him. Really. They were very helpful, sarcastically speaking. "Just hurry up with what you have to finish here. Everyone needs to relax."

Hades snorted. "Like you, especially."

When Kratos opened his eyes to give the god of death a sharp look, Hades was silenced in that instant. He shuffled along with his companion and started to sweep the place off the spirits that had been weakened. Tossing them into the pit for them to go and pass the River of Styx, he sealed the pit once he was done and uttered a short, "Tata!" before they both disappeared.

Kratos finally crouched down and sighed. He didn't feel anything in the backyard anymore. It looked like everything's been swept clean. Now, everyone can relax. Him, included. But, he couldn't exactly keep calm, knowing that he'd not only struck fear to his lover; he'd also angered him - from the sound of those footsteps of his when he marched to Shadow's room.


Hebs blinked. Why would it be an issue where Shadow kept the plane? Had it been confiscated, maybe? Or, had Shadow entrusted the plane to someone else? As much as he wanted to ask Damon these questions, he knew that he wouldn't be able to get a question out of him. The best person to ask of this would certainly be Shadow. "You look tired." The snake man left Damon's side to prepare his bed. He could only guess that he'd want to be left alone.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak up, he was cut short by the knock on the door. It had him raising his eyebrows in obvious curiosity as he tore his yellow eyes from gazing at Damon to move towards the said direction. To his surprise, Jae Hyo was there wearing what looked like a sheepish grin. "I can help and watch over Sir Damon, if you'd like." Hebs smiled and then turned to look back at Damon. He wasn't sure if Damon was up to it, but he certainly can't just leave him alone.

"Only if it is all right with Damon."

I shall relay the message to everyone. Is Léan there with you?


"When you're done rinsing it off, come up to my room." Johnny tossed whatever was left of the lemon in the bin before he'd rinsed the knife he'd used. Once he'd dried that and put it aside, the lawyer made his way out. The food was going to go cold, he knew, but that didn't really matter. Blake's arms were his priority right now. He can't have the boy in pain while he ate. If he knew he had such an aversion to the smell of fish, he shouldn't have asked of him to do such a thing.

Somehow, it made the lawyer wonder. Why had Blake agreed to feeding Arcturus when he could've just stomped his foot down with a firm 'no'? As he pushed the door open to his room, he walked in to start searching for that first-aid kit.

The lawyer's room wasn't much of a sight to see. All it had was a bed, a work desk cluttered with folders, papers, and a laptop in screen saver mode. His closet? It was in the bathroom right beside his bedroom door. Plus, he didn't have to keep his books with him. After all, he had his library for that in the basement.

Sebastian lingered outside of the villa's expansive grounds, shuffling his feet anxiously. He wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of just strolling right on in. Not when he wasn't particularly familiar with the rest of his fallen brother's family just yet. He wrung his hands together, waiting patiently. When Shadow was ready for him to come in, surely he would venture out to fetch him, or send someone else in his stead?

He had no idea that he'd inadvertently injured Kratos' eyes in such a way. If he knew, he'd probably feel terrible about it!


"I'm a bit weary, yes." Once again, Damon seemed to have shrouded himself in an enigmatic shield. His voice was forcibly toneless, as well, and he pointedly avoided meeting Jae's gaze. He wasn't in the mood to be fawned over or babied, especially now that the problems in the graveyard had been summarily taken care of and his legs were sure to heal in a timely manner. He was certainly a difficult person, no matter how sweet he seemed. In fact...the more time that the other members of Shadow's beloved family of freaks spent around Damon, the more they would come to realize that the two of them very much resembled each other!

No wonder they fought so often. They were far too similar to get along all the time!

"I think I will just settle down and rest." As he spoke, the emerald-haired man moved to do so, flopping over onto his comfortable bed. Ah...despite his innocent exterior, he could really get moody.

Yes. He is with me. Shadow sounded awfully amused, for some reason. I wouldn't suggest interrupting us for another few minutes, however. I am in the middle of giving him a merperson-oriented version of 'the talk.'

Poor Léan...


"Again...why?" Blake's face scrunched up into an unpleasant grimace. As he spoke, he was still scrubbing dutifully at his arms. He had a clear aversion to fish. Especially the smell of fish! It was a plentiful food source back home in Alaska, but not one he particularly enjoyed from the start. Oddly enough, he didn't have the same aversion to shellfish, which were also common sources of food back home. He was particularly fond of lobster!

Despite his own words, the violet-haired young man traced Johnny's invisible path up the stairs once he turned off the tap--he was now lightly dabbing at his arms with a clean dish towel. He didn't dare to enter the room. Instead, he leaned against the wooden door frame and slumped his shoulders, idly watching the older male rummage about the room. In this dim light, his icy blue eyes seemed almost luminous, even though they were half-lidded.

He didn't bother offering to help. After all, he was certain that he wasn't welcome in the lawyer's private space...and, to boot, he had absolutely no idea what it was that Johnny was looking for.

Idly, Hebs wondered what it was that Shadow needed to pep talk with the merman. Nonetheless, he let that be, his mind now lingering to Kratos' rather worrying thoughts. He also noticed Sebastian's flittering thought out in the open, and let out a short, "Ah," when he'd realized the angel has yet to be welcomed in. He didn't know, though, if the others would be all right with such a holy presence with them, but he couldn't just let Shadow's brother stay out. He also had to bring Kratos in somehow.

With these decisive thoughts in mind, he replied with a short, All right. Don't take too long, though. Kratos seems really worried. He glanced at Damon and at Jae before excusing himself, leaving the musician's quarters to make his way out towards the front doors. Once he's gotten there, he noticed the lack of the presence of those two small angels around, and looked about to spot Sebastian. It wasn't hard to do so. In fact, he wasn't the least bit surprised at how calming Sebastian's effect was on him when his yellow-slitted eyes settled on the high-ranking angel. Hebs pushed forward, jogging to get to where Sebastian was. "Hey," he started, "Come on in. I need to call Kratos, though, so give me a minute?"

The snake man gave him a gentle smile before he'd stepped back and turned to get to Kratos' side. It seemed like the other was sensing his presence and hearing his footsteps, because the life man was lifting his head and turning that head of his towards his direction. His eyes were still closed, and he knew why they still were. "Kratos?" The half-human reached out to set his hand on the other's shoulder. It was a light touch, nothing more - nothing less. After all, he knew how much Kratos hated anyone touching him unless it was Léan. He quickly retrieved his hand. "Let's go in. We'll need to get ready to pack. We'll be flying back home."

Kratos seemed stuck on the word 'home', because he was quick on his feet, and was already hurrying in. He almost bumped into the wall, though, if it weren't for Hebs calling out to him and asking him to turn right. But, it looked like the life man could handle being blind. Without that eyesight of his, he must be utilizing all his senses.

Once he was sure Kratos was safely in the villa, he turned to look up to see if Sebastian had also already made his way in.

"Please rest peacefully, sir." Jae felt that nervousness at the pit of his stomach as he mindlessly rubbed the bandages he had on his arm. Leaning back to rest against the wall, the teen could be seen glancing every now and then to the bed, to the door, and then out the window. He wasn't sure what had happened or what had transpired in the past hours. Whatever the doctor gave him since he's been treated for his wound got him completely knocked out.


The black-haired man could be seen stopping for a second as he pulled something out of his cabinet. Once he was successful, he stood back up to his feet, turned around, and headed to his study table to set the first aid kit on his messy table. Johnny pulled out his chair, away from his table to turn it to face Blake's way. "Come in," he started and pointed at the chair, "Sit." Whatever the boy's reply was, he was still going to get those arms of his patched up - or ointed, at least. He was, after all, still responsible for him.

Johnny unzipped the kit, took out a ball of cotton and started to uncap the ointment to wet one side of the cotton with it.