[[ Ayt! ]]


Normally, Hebs would be the first one to wake, but considering the long flight, and his and Shadow's activities the night before, it was only understandable that he was exhausted. So, like Shadow who got woken from the sound of the vacuum, he, too, greeted it with a groan of his own. When Shadow shifted to put a pillow over his head, the snake man could only let his lover go as he rolled to his side, bringing some of that blanket with him. He seemed to lay there for a second or two more before he finally propped himself up and sat up. Hebs looked like a lost freak, eyes still glazed over with sleep as he glanced out the window.

It was a little well past nine-thirty but the sun seemed to be further high up in the clouds. Noon. It reminded him of when it was noon time. Squinting a bit from the bright light, Hebs lazily brought up his hand and massaged the bridge of his nose. Breakfast. He should be making breakfast for all of them.

With this thought in mind, the snake man shifted to lean to Shadow, reach out to lift the pillow and give the man a kiss on the lips. Follow downstairs when you're more awake. He let go of the pillow, got out of bed, and headed for the door. Running his fingers through his still messy hair, Hebs picked up his shirt along the way and slipped it on. Even with the clothes on, his scales was still visible.

"Good morning," he greeted Sebastian when he'd seen him downstairs. Smiling politely, the male continued venturing onto the kitchen to start with their breakfast: eggs, bacon, and toasts. Coffee. Idly, he wondered, would they like a cup?


Gian, like Alfie, felt that discomfort, but he relaxed when he was around the naga. And, every minute they spent without Shadow, it didn't look like they were safe. He stirred awake for a moment, and the male tightened his hold around Alfie. Snuggling his lover, it didn't look like he was going to wake up any minute yet.


Kratos, though he may not voice out his thoughts all too clearly, missed Shadow, too. In fact, he was feeling rather troubled with the roaming souls that called out to him. It was getting harder to sleep and it was making him grumpy. With Léan, though, he was able to get at least a few minutes of sleep; but, every time he left his side, he'd wake up, linger in bed and move to follow after him. He was like a lost puppy in this context, but it never got to him. The half-dead man would only sit with his lover, lean against him and blandly watch the television with him, without as much as a particular want for any channel.


Johnny, like usual, was still running through case files. As the day got closer to when he was to work for Shadow, these case files only seemed to lessen in number. So, it was no surprise when he only had three to go through that day. Currently, the black-haired beauty was seated by the beach chair, near the swimming pool. At his feet was a pail of fish. He wasn't sure how to feed it, so he was waiting for Blake. That, and he was bored. Normally, he'd bury himself in work, but those three cases he was working on? He was almost done with it, and the court order isn't going to happen yet until later in the evening.

Shadow's only response to his lover's mental statement was a weary huff. He immediately slapped the pillow back on top of his head after Hebs pulled away from their brief, chaste kiss. The fallen angel was clearly irritated that his brother's incessant desire to be moving around and doing something roused him from a comfortable sleep. Once Hebs finally left the bed, he rolled around, making a cocoon of blankets around himself, and also nabbed the other male's pillow to add to the pile over his head.

He wasn't anywhere near ready to get up just yet. But...the fallen angel did like to eat. Perhaps the smell of delicious food wafting through the house would finally convince him to leave his warm bed?

Downstairs, Sebastian was just finishing up with the vacuum. In fact, he had just turned the noisy thing off when Hebs at last made his way downstairs. The angel merely glanced over his shoulder at the snake man, eyes catching for a moment on those brilliant green scales, before he turned back to the vacuum cleaner. "Good morning." He seemed to be in the middle of rolling up the vacuum's cord. He liked completing menial tasks, especially when he had something to think about.

While Hebs prepared breakfast, Sebastian continued to bustle about the house. He put the vacuum away (to Shadow's utter relief), but kept on cleaning. He dusted shelves, rearranged the out-of-order books in the living room's bookshelf, and carefully put the couch pillows back in place.

Shadow was right. His twin just didn't seem to stop moving, or stop working for that matter. He always doing something. Never sitting still. Never taking it easy.


Unfortunately enough for Gian, his stirring and shifting instantly woke Alfie. The naga was normally a deep sleeper, but ever since Shadow left them, he'd been sleeping lightly. He sighed, snuggling up against his human lover and trying in vain to get back to sleep. What a shame. He was having a great dream...

Léan welcomed Kratos' presence with a low, affectionate cooing sound, but no words. He continued flipping through channels, occasionally pausing on something before flipping through all of them again. The spirits haunting the graveyard, and the villa for that matter, seemed to be a little unnerved by Léan (save for the two or three merpeople buried out there). They wanted to talk to Kratos for a variety of reasons. Some wanted help. Some wanted to cause mischief. Others just wanted someone to talk to. Léan kept them away without even knowing it. The siren must have had a strong, intimidating aura. All merpeople did.


When Blake finally sauntered his way outside, he was a sight to see. He was barefoot, clad in simple black pajama pants and a tight purple tank top. While younger than Johnny (just shy of nineteen), he was certainly a good-looking young man. His sour attitude was what drove most potential partners away from him. He yawned, rubbing his eyes with one hand and holding a couple pieces of burnt toast in the other. Blake took a huge bite of his toast first, chewing noisily, and eyed up the bucket of fish at Johnny's feet. Once he swallowed his mouthful of toast, he gestured to it with his free hand, an eyebrow raised. "Aren't you gonna feed him?"

Hebs peered out of the kitchen doors to see Shadow's twin moving around. Indeed, they were different. Sebastian would be very much helpful in household chores. Not that he was saying Gian wasn't good enough, but an extra hand would always be nice. While he left the bacon to cook, Hebs poured coffee in one of the three mugs he'd put down from the overhead cabinet. The snake man set the coffee pot back in the maker, took the mug and moved out of the kitchen. "Sebastian?" he called out, "Would you want to sit down and relax as you enjoy this?"

His coffee might not be as good at Shadow's, but it was at par, at least. Hebs set the mug down on the dining table and smiled. "Please." With that, he left again to continue with breakfast.


Gian would've had apologized if he had stirred Alfie awake, but he was far too caught up in sleep. Sleeping, all snuggled up with Alfie, was enough to lessen his nerves.


Kratos smiled at that affectionate cooing of his lover. He was really getting used to smiling around Léan, and although that was strange for others, he didn't seem to mind. No one was around. He's also noticed the way those spirits that bothered him gone whenever Léan was awake and he liked it. It was around this time when his hand snaked its way to take Léan's free hand and the life man sooner than later found himself falling asleep.


Johnny turned to look at Blake and quirked a perfectly arched brow. Oh, he enjoyed seeing the boy all messed up and dressed lightly, but he made no mention of that. There was no need a brat for him to know such a thing. "I'm not sure I want my swimming pool to be filled with... blood." Making a face, the lawyer turned to look back at Arcturus. "Can't he come over and eat the fish outside the water?"

Sebastian, who seemed to be totally engrossed in his menial work, must not have been expecting Hebs to speak all of a sudden. He jumped, nearly dropping the Swiffer duster clutched in his hand, and peered over his shoulder at the scaly male. Sharp golden eyes, identical to Shadow's own pair, carefully studied the mug as it was set down. The angel just stood there for a moment or so, looking between the steaming mug and the Swiffer duster. Finally, he set the duster down on a nearby shelf and approached the dining table...

But he didn't sit down. He snatched up the mug, turned on his heel, and promptly made his way back into the living room, where he planted his rump on the couch and began idly flipping through television channels. Apparently, Sebastian didn't fancy the thought of sitting at the table when there was no one else there to make conversation with. He would wait until breakfast was ready and his late riser of a brother was roused from his comfortable bed.


No matter how hard he tried, Alfie just couldn't drift back off into sleep. A shame, too--he wanted to finish that wonderful dream. Carefully, the naga wiggled out of bed, trying his hardest not to wake Gian up. Predictably, he slithered his way past the two lovers cuddling on the living room couch and disappeared into the kitchen, wanting to forage for food. With both Hebs and Shadow gone, and Jae bedridden, the other freaks now fended for themselves when it came to food.

Also predictably, Léan completely ignored Alfie as he rummaged around in the kitchen area. His fingers stroked the back of Kratos' hand as he continued flipping through channels. Eventually, he settled on a program about the ocean called Blue Planet. He watched it with wide, fascinated eyes. It had been so long since he spent an extended period of time in the ocean...


"Uh..." Blake took another bite of his toast, chewing in a purposely noisy manner. He had a feeling this would annoy his companion, and he did so like to annoy him. "He's kind of a marine creature. He can't get around on land...not by himself, anyway. And he's also terrified." He indicated toward the swimming pool, where a still-frightened Arcturus remained pressed hard against the pool wall. "He hasn't even moved from that position yet. You're going to have to deal with the bloody pool, I think."

Shadow? Hebs took the pan from the stove as he turned off the fire. Bringing it to the counter, the snake man divided the eggs into three and finally put the said pan in the sink. The food is ready. He turned on the faucet in the sink and set his hands on the edge of the counter. For a while there, he waited for Shadow's reply, and for a while there, he tried to reach for what his lover was currently feeling as of the moment. Relaxation. Hebs raised his brows just a tad, curled his lips in amusement, and ended up chuckling. Come down?

Pushing himself off the counter, he took the tray and brought this out the kitchen to put it on the dining table. He'd seen where Sebastian was, seen what he was watching, and he smiled before he'd gone back to the kitchen to get both his and Shadow's coffee. He took the milk, too, and the steel container that had the sugar.

Hebs seated himself on one of the seats and relaxed, bringing his mug of coffee close. The snake man liked his coffee black, and he intends to keep it black. "Do you like to clean, Sebastian?"


Gian stirred awake when all he felt was cool air. Grunting, the male curled up and pulled the sheets up, lips pursing and eyes cracking open. He was hungry, that was true, but he was lazy to get up still. With both Hebs and Shadow gone, he missed having a home cooked meal. Kratos didn't even stir when the sounds of rummaging could be heard from the kitchen.


"I get that," was all he could bring himself to say before he'd sighed. Lifting his glasses with the back of his finger, the lawyer massaged the bridge of his nose. "But I'm not cleaning the bloody pool." Johnny fixed his glasses and turned to look back up at Blake. It was almost like he was expecting his companion to do that. Tearing his gaze away from the boy, the male picked up a piece of fish and tossed it into the pool. "No one's going to hurt him, though." And, it was boring having to deal with a merman who just pretty much runs away.

Do I have to? Shadow sounded just like a spoiled toddler who didn't want to go to school. The medicinal ointment that numbed the pain from his wounds was beginning to wear off. Also, he was comfortable as could be, all curled up in his warm cocoon of blankets. After a few moments, he shifted in bed, eyes opening and a low string of curses escaping him. It was no use. He couldn't get back to sleep. No point in trying anymore. I will be downstairs in a few minutes. Even mentally, the fallen angel seemed groggy as all get-out. I need to wake up. If he didn't wake up just a little bit more, he would probably take a tumble down the stairs!

Sebastian, on the other hand, was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, all ready and raring to go. Definitely a morning person. He was fixated on a morning news show, where the anchors were discussing growing tensions between two warring countries--ones he didn't really recognize. Earth geography was not his strong suit. This sudden realization deeply peeved him, and he made a mental promise to himself that he would thoroughly study Earth geography once his pilgrimage ended.

The angel glanced up when Hebs approached and then sat down beside him, but didn't really greet him. He, too, liked his coffee black, and he didn't bother putting anything fancy in it. When the snake man began speaking, it looked like Sebastian wasn't listening at all...but he was actually paying close attention. "I like to keep things neat. Tidy. Orderly," he explained, sipping his coffee. "It bothers me if a place, or even an individual, is unkempt."


Just a few minutes later, Alfie burst through the door of his and Gian's shared quarters, beaming and carting a plate full of snacks (including chips, cookies, pretzels, and a box of Pop-Tarts) with him. He carefully set the plate down on the foot of their bed, crawling back up onto it. "Hey, sleepyhead." He nudged Gian, the tip of his tail wiggling with excitement. "I got snacks." Eventually, after about twenty minutes of watching the program on television...Léan also drifted off to sleep, curled up against the human beside him.


Blake met Johnny's stare head-on with those striking ice blue eyes of his. He didn't even blink, nor did he falter. "I hope you're not expecting me to clean it." His tone was flat and to-the-point. "Because last time I checked, I'm not your housekeeper." Whatever attitude the lawyer gave him, Blake returned it tenfold. He was not intimidated by Johnny, and he didn't take flack from him. Arcturus refused to move from his place against the wall of the pool at first...but while the two humans were distracted, he inched forward and snatched up the fish. The siren immediately returned to his corner, practically inhaling the fish. He ate like he hadn't been fed in days.

Yes, love. You have to. Inasmuch as the snake man wanted to leave Shadow to sleep the rest of the day, he remembered the fallen angel wanted to spend more time away from the villa. We'll be going back to the villa tomorrow, aren't we? We can't leave them on their own for too long. Hebs was particularly talking about the preparation of food. Although they were all grown-ups, to not have he or Shadow, especially, around to take care of things worried this mother hen.

And, really, Earth geography?

Hebs turned to look up at Sebastian before he'd smiled softly. "I see," he started, "I apologize, then, for you to see me in such a state." He hadn't taken a bath yet and was really not ready for the day. Did this include in Sebastian's list of being 'unkempt'.


Gian murred for a bit before he'd pulled the covers down. The first thing he did was pull his lover's wrist, use his free hand to thread it through his hair and tighten his hold around him. "I'm starting to miss homemade food already," he started, noting the snacks Alfie brought from the kitchen. Not that he was complaining about the service. It'd just be nice if Hebs and Shadow were to get home soon.

They can certainly do something about the spirits bothering them badly.


Johnny grunted. He obviously didn't like Blake's reply, but he couldn't exactly give him a reason to do the cleaning of his pool. The splash of water caught his attention and he, for a moment, tore his gaze from the brat to look back at the pool. He'd seen Arcturus finish that fish, in time. Damn, hungry mermaid. Leaning back and putting his foot at the edge of the pail, he purposely tilted it over to have the contents spill into the pool.

"Eat already." Getting up to his feet, he slid his hands into the confines of his pockets and pursed his lips. Maybe he should get himself something to eat, too. "Hey. Brat. Do you cook?"

We can leave tomorrow morning. Sebastian and I must fly, so...you will have to take the plane back. I need to be well-rested. If Shadow tried flying while he was sleepy...there was a good chance that it wouldn't end well. Today...the fallen angel wanted to do nothing but relax. Lay out on the beach. Maybe go out for lunch at that little bistro down the street. Go swimming. He definitely wanted to go dancing! Now that Hebs was here...they could go out and experience the nightlife together.

Sebastian hummed, taking another slow sip of his steaming hot coffee. "You're fine," the angel assured his companion, eyes glued to the television. "You don't smell like a landfill and your clothing isn't dingy." Sebastian liked things to be orderly, but not necessarily formal.

Just like Shadow. There was one similarity between them, at least.

A few moments later...a familiar form appeared from the stairwell. Shadow looked like a wreck, flowing hair all mussed up and clothing rumpled. He just stood there, yawning and rubbing furiously at his eyes. Sebastian scoffed. "Now that is unkempt."


The mention of a home-cooked meal brought forth a grumble from Alfie's belly. He pointedly ignored it, instead digging into the container of gooey Chips Ahoy cookies. "They'll be home soon." He sounded confident about that much. "Hebs will work his magic. I just..." The naga frowned, swallowing a mouthful of cookie. "I don't know if it'll be a happy reunion. I mean...what if Shadow and Damon go at it when he comes home?" Alfie's gut feelings often heralded bad things, and he was usually right on the money.

Damon was difficult to read...but he was clearly still irritated with Shadow. He didn't need to be smothered. He didn't need Shadow acting like a father figure anymore.


Arcturus, now spoiled for choice with food, decided to wait until the two humans left before he ate more. Blake rolled his eyes, turned on his heel, and trudged back into the house. "Like I said before...I'm not your housekeeper, and I'm certainly not your chef." He paused, halfway in the house, and turned around, holding up his remaining piece of burnt toast. "You can nibble on this masterpiece, if you want. This is about as good as my cooking gets." Oh, did he sound smug!

That's okay, the snake man started,You'll still live even if you sleep in the air. Amusement was clearly written on Hebs' face as he took another sip of his coffee. Letting out a pleased sigh, he rested and relaxed against the rather comfortable couch. Later, he was going to move so he might as well while they both wait for Shadow to get down.

When the other replied to his apology, Hebs could smile. "Thank you." He was just about to open his mouth to say something else when he was held back by his lover's feelings washing over him like a cold bucket. Apparently, the closer people were, the easier it was for him to grasp and empathize with them. Literally speaking. "It pays to have short hair," he commented with a chuckle before he finally got up to his feet. Setting his coffee down, the snake man moved towards his lover and waited 'til he was on the last step to reach up and fix his hair - as much as his fingers running through them strands could do anyway.

"Shall we all eat our breakfast? They might grow cold if they stay out any longer."


Gian, in reaction to Alfie's tummy grumbling, rubbed his stomach as it grumbled, too. He shifted to move and take some of what Alfie had scrounged up for them before pursing his lips. "Maybe I should try cooking eggs and toast, at least." The sweetness overloaded him and as much as he wanted to fill his stomach, he wanted food. Real food. And, after all, he's helped in the kitchen a couple of times. He should know how to cook - even a bit. "You want?"


Johnny stopped in his tracks, turnd to look at Blake and raised, yet again, a perfectly arched brow. Oh, he'd seen that toast, and he'd heard that smug tone in his voice. Honestly, it didn't fit the looks of this kid. That, and he was spoiled. Badly. "Why do I even bother?" he asked to no one in particular, "You're useless." At least, Gian would've tried and make himself useful. This one didn't even try. That disappointed him.

Turning to look away as he made his way further into the kitchen, the male pulled out a pot. Eggs and bacon sounded good. He still had jam, so that'll go well with the toast.

Shadow only grunted as a greeting when Hebs approached him, but that silence didn't last very long. He stiffened when fingers suddenly threaded through his long azure hair, just for a moment...and then the fallen angel let loose a breathy sigh, tilting his head forward a bit to give the other male more leverage. He instantly began to purr. From his place on the couch, Sebastian shook his head and chuckled, taking a small sip of his coffee. "He's like a kitten, isn't he?" He sounded quite amused. "A little blue kitten, with a dark and devious side." Shadow grumbled again, opening only one eye to glare sourly at his snickering twin.

Oh, yeah. He definitely wasn't in the mood for much this morning. He'd probably wake up a bit more after getting some good food in his belly...but for now, he was still a wreck.

Both brothers perked up at the mention of breakfast. Sebastian was the first to move, turning the television off as he rose to his feet. He briskly made his way to the table, taking a seat. The angel didn't wait for his companions to start eating, but when he did...well, those slow, polite, and gentlemanly table manners sure did look familiar. Shadow seemed reluctant to move, as he was thoroughly enjoying Hebs' touch...but after a moment, his stomach rumbled, demanding that he fill it with food. The fallen angel ambled over to the table, also taking a seat, and slowly began piling his plate full of food.

"So." It was Sebastian who spoke. Shadow was still far too tired to even think of making conversation. "What is the agenda for today?" He flicked a finger in his brother's direction--Shadow was in the middle of dousing his coffee in milk and sugar. "I know he doesn't want to return to your family just yet." Shadow took a long sip of his sugary sweet coffee, purring afterward and looking a bit more awake. "We could always lounge on the beach and talk," he suggested, voice still thick with weariness. He cast a knowing glance in his lover's direction. "I'm sure that Hebs here is still a little curious about angels. And about where I came from." The snake man probably picked up a few details through the brothers' thoughts...but Sebastian, unlike Shadow, wouldn't mind going into detail about it all.


"Really?" The naga pouted, looking disappointed. "I went to all the trouble to forage for the best snacks and you wanna go try and make something? ...I guess that's okay," he added at the last moment, a sweet smile adorning his features. "The others will probably appreciate it, too." Kratos, Damon, and Jae would be pleased, at least. Léan didn't really care for human food, but would eat it if Kratos offered it to him. It was good that he was branching out a bit in the culinary sense. His favorite fish, tuna, was ungodly expensive nowadays.


"Hey, now." Blake followed Johnny inside, munching on his final piece of toast. "I barely ask you to do anything for me. I take care of myself. I wash my own clothes. I wash every dish I use myself. I make my own food." Which was, admittedly, not the greatest. He was a terrible cook. Some real food would do him some good--he was so skinny and lank. "If I could drive, I'd probably do some grocery shopping for you." ...That was odd. Blake was eighteen years old, and he still couldn't drive? He mustn't have had anyone to teach him. For all his arrogance, he would indeed be willing to do some grocery shopping and running around for Johnny if he could drive.

Come to think of it...Blake rarely spoke about his past. About the life he left behind when he fled from home. He was a bit of an enigma. All anyone, save for Shadow, knew was that he accidentally killed someone he cared about because he couldn't control his powers.

Hebs noticed the way the other stiffened under his hold, and eventually relaxed. He also heard the purr his lover let out. This made him smile. It made him chuckle softly. In fact, when Sebastian asked that question, Hebs could only nod. "But this one's my kitten." Bold. Apparently, he's become bolder since he'd formally asked the fallen angel to be his. As his fingers untangled those long strands, he finally let go when Sebastian stood up to make his way to the dining table.

Moving back to the coffee table by the couch, he picked up his mug of coffee before he, too, made his way to the table. While he took his seat, he listened to the conversation between the two and set his mug down. "He doesn't," Hebs agreed with a smile before he'd filled his plate with food. Bacon, eggs, and toast. This was the simplest breakfast he could make with the lack of groceries in the fridge. When his lover made mention about him wanting to learn about angels, his cheeks colored in embarrassment. It was apparent that he'd left his mind open for Shadow to go through.

"I am," he admitted, "I'd like to learn more about the both of you. We can hang out on the beach."


Gian blinked. He nudged the naga and playfully shoved him. "At least I'm eating my share, too," he defended and stuck his tongue out. He hadn't meant to make food for the others, but he wouldn't mind if his first plate - the one for them - went well. Leaning in to grab ahold of Alfie's arm, he took those lips of his for a smack with his own and pulled back to grin. "Come on." Picking up the plate on the bed, he got off and up to his feet, heading off then to the kitchen.


Johnny paused halfway to breaking the egg. "This afternoon, let's get you to a driving school then." He wasn't going to waste his time working with the kid's abilities. He'll have someone else take care of that. "Get the jam if you want to eat." Indeed, the boy took care of himself pretty well; but, he wouldn't put it past him that he could mess up because of his powers. Whatever power of his it is that he had, anyway. "Wait outside, too."

Sebastian chuckled genially in return, after swallowing a hearty mouthful of eggs and bacon. "Shall I purchase a collar for him?" he crooned, clearly taunting the slightly younger twin. "A collar emblazoned with your initials?" Shadow's only response to the playful teasing was a muffled snort. He must have been starving, because he wasn't paying as much attention to his table manners as he usually did. He was by no means messy...but he wasn't eating as slowly or politely as his angelic brother.

"I would be more than happy to elaborate on my species for you." He flashed a charming smile in the snake man's direction--just in case, seeing as he'd just met the angel the previous day, Shadow reached up and tapped Hebs on the back of his scaly neck. Both brothers smiled in an identical, and tantalizingly handsome, manner. Sebastian could be worse, simply because he didn't realize that he was doing it. "In fact...we can start that conversation right now, if you wish." Golden eyes met an identical pair across the table. Shadow was making himself a lovely little sandwich with two pieces of toast, two pieces of bacon, and a lovely egg. "He can be a bit...iffy...about his heritage. So...I will do most the talking."

Iffy... Shadow sounded almost offended. No, that's not it. I'm simply not proud of my heritage. I was never meant to be an angel. I never fit in among that pretentious, superficial gaggle of snobs.

Sebastian took another long, languid sip of his still-steaming coffee, eyes half-lidded and relaxed. "So." He set the mug down with a dull clack. "What is it you wish to know?"


Playfully, Alfie licked his lips after being kissed like so. He willingly trailed after Gian, eventually snuggling himself up underneath the human's arm. As he slithered along, he was constantly picking things off of that heaping plate of snack foods, munching on them noisily. "...Hey..." He spoke quietly as they passed the slumbering merman and his lover--the TV still blared in the background, but the two of them were sleeping surprisingly deeply. "...You think the others would appreciate a home-cooked meal?" he suggested through a mouthful of salty pretzels. "None of us have had one for a couple of days."


"Don't waste your time, or your money." Blake sauntered into the kitchen, fishing through the fridge for the single canister of jam. "I've tried that before. Having strangers teach me. They all get fed up with me. I don't have a great deal of respect for authority figures, or people that think they know everything. So...it would be better for me to learn from someone who can put up with my attitude." A triumphant noise escaped him. He trotted away with the jam in hand...but, defiant as always, he lingered in the doorway, tossing the jar deftly between his hands.

"Hey." He squinted at Johnny all of a sudden, studying him closely. Because of their starkly different sleeping schedules, there was rarely a time when the two of them were both awake and both in the same room at the exact same time...and with Blake's natural introversion, he never made an attempt to spark conversation. "Just what kind of power do you have, anyway? Never seen you use it."

"That's a nice idea, but I don't think he'd like that." Hebs chuckled and glanced at his lover. He was just about to take another bite off his cooked bacon strip when he heard Sebastian's next words and flashed that charming smile on him. It had his hand pausing in mid-air as he, well, stopped. The tap on the back of his neck snapped him out of that enchanting trance before he turned to look back at the other. Thank you. Feeling his cheeks color in embarrassment at that, he cleared his throat and cast his gaze down to continue eating his food.

"In fact... we can start that conversation right now if you wish."

Hebs turned to look back up at this and then followed that trail of Sebastian's gaze to Shadow's. Listening to the conversation that isn't exactly happening between the two, the snake man leaned back in his seat and reached under the seat to rest his hand on the fallen angel's lap. Squeezing his leg, he gave him a small smile before turning to look back at Sebastian. He knew. He knew that the other was not proud of that heritage of his. He knew that he didn't like being an angel but... one thing was for sure: He still liked - no, loved - those wings of Shadow's, black as they were.

"There's this saying going around humans about guardian angels. How exactly does this work? Are... angels borne out of thoughts?" He doubted there was a couple in Sebastian's specie. He doubted they need two people to create babies.


Gian blinked and chuckled at Alfie snuggling himself up underneath his arm. He couldn't help himself from kissing his lover's cheek, too, for being adorable. "Mm?" Glancing at the two who were still on the couch - fast asleep, he idly wondered if they've been getting enough sleep. Kratos, he was sure, didn't know how to cook. Perhaps, his dead followers could? Was he eating right then? "I'm not sure." He ruffled Alfie's hair. "But I don't even know if I could cook well enough. How about we prepare a plate for us first?"


"Don't waste your time, or your money."

This time, Johnny didn't turn to look at his companion when he stopped for a moment from beating the eggs. When the other spoke again to explain himself, he only continued beating the eggs. Fed up, huh? he asked to no one in particular as the side of his lip curled up in amusement. Would it be better for him to teach him then? But, he wasn't in the mood to; and, he'd prefer not to. And much more, too, when the other let out a triumphant noise. Once the non-stick pan was heated enough, the lawyer poured the egg into the pan and started to cook. He only took the eggs out when it was half-cooked. Just how he liked it.

The toast, on the other hand, he'd consciously moved it with his mind from the counter and into the toast while he was busy with the eggs. "I don't have to use it all the time." Johnny went to get the bacon, put each strip onto the still heated pan, and turned to look back at Blake. With a rather nonchalant look on his face, he literally grabbed the bottle of jam in the air with his mind and moved to set it on the dining table. "Sit and wait."

Tearing his gaze away from him again, he resumed cooking the bacon and prepared the plates. He'd prefer to wash less so one big plate will do for everything.

How do you know that I wouldn't like such a thing? Briefly, for just a split second...Shadow flashed his scaled lover a devilish, crooked smirk. He probably would enjoy such a thing. The fallen angel was into some fairly unusual and kinky things. The more Hebs learned about these inappropriate and oftentimes wild subjects, the happier he could make Shadow. And the more fun, incredible encounters they could have together.

Oh, Shadow fully intended to assist Hebs in understanding these peculiar topics. Perhaps even give him a demonstration of his abilities.

Shadow clearly appreciated the soothing squeeze the snake man gave to his leg. He sighed softly through his mouthful of bacon and egg sandwich, eyelids lazily drifting shut. He wasn't quite awake yet. He would feel much better after eating his breakfast and downing a couple mugs of sweetened coffee. Sebastian was just about finished eating--he was on his final piece of buttered toast. He listened carefully as Hebs began to speak about how humans viewed angels, guardian angels in particular. After a moment of careful contemplation, the angel cleared his throat.

"Not all angels are Guardian Angels. That is merely a specific job title. Myself...I am an Archivist, as well as an Angelic Reaper." Sebastian gestured to the shimmering jewelry wound around his neck. "The little token on this necklace transforms into a scythe whenever I need it." The angel shifted a bit in his seat and finished off his piece of toast before continuing on. "We angels come together in couples, both opposite and same-sex, to conceive...but not in the way most of you humans do. Our genes are combined using ancient magic--no physical contact is permitted. The young are incubated in Sanctorum Nidos, specially-made capsules, for nine months. And then they...hatch, so to speak."

So...true angels didn't seem to conform to any set human religions or myths. They were similar in some ways...but extremely different in other ways.


Alfie at first pouted when Gian declared his uncertainty...but the naga perked up when the human mentioned a plate just for the two of them. "We can do that! If you do a good job, though...can we make more for the others? I bet they'll appreciate it." Alfie didn't get along with Kratos or Léan, but he tried his very best to be nice to them (unless they were outwardly rude to him). Unpleasant as they could be...they were still his family. Once in the kitchen, Alfie bustled about, stealing a peek inside every cabinet. He was a terrible cook...he didn't even know where to start.


For a few seconds, Blake didn't appear to notice the items floating through the air by themselves. And then...he leaned forward a little, lips pushed off to the side and expression oddly inquisitive. Quite a change from his usually unimpressed and stone-faced look. He didn't say anything for a long moment, though he did scowl when the jar of jam was suddenly ripped from his hands and deposited on the table.

"...Well, that's useful." He didn't sound impressed, nor did he sound frightened. In fact, he sounded a little glum. "At least your power is useful. I got stuck with a totally useless ability. Mine serves no purpose. And it's dangerous. So...I just don't use it." That route didn't always work out well for Blake. As well as being a demon summoner, he was also a sensitive medium. Those powers were mostly dormant within him. The more he practiced with his ability to summon spirits and demons, the more his power as a medium would develop.

Looking rather miserable, now, the violet-haired male turned on his heel and plopped down in a chair, sitting with a horrible slouch and staring moodily at his feet. Any talk of his own power was bound to sour Blake's mood. It was still a sore subject for him.

Hebs’ eyes widened a little in surprise at the sudden images that washed over him. It, for a moment there, caused his body to shiver – mostly from pleasure – before he brought up his hand to press his lips against the scales of the back of his hand. He hadn’t expected that at all, and it honestly made him a little embarrassed. Should he had been around Shadow only, he wouldn’t have acted this way. It took a while for him to relax, but when he did, he resumed eating his food, albeit hesitant about his lover thinking sudden unusual and kinky thoughts, which he could read with his own mind.

At least, Hebs had some sort of shame. Would that be gone, though, should he spend more time with his lover and be taught these… peculiar topics?

The soft sigh his lover let go and the relaxed wave of sensation that coursed through him made him smile as he glanced at him. He’d just finished his toast when Sebastian finally answered his question. An Archivist? As he thought what this was, he almost missed the other gesturing to that jewelry around his neck. It made him blink as he raised his eyebrows a tad. A scythe! This oddly surprised and excited Hebs at the same time. He, however, did a pretty good job of keeping a polite face and an equally polite smile on.

And, when Sebastian continued on about how angels were conceived, all he could say was: “That’s quite difficult.” How, then, do angels show their love to each other if they were not allowed to do anything more but hug? Was kissing even permitted? Hebs wanted to ask this, but he held himself back. Instead, he asked something else:

“Are all of the angels related then, somehow?”


Gian chuckled. “Yeah. We can definitely make more for the others if it comes out good.” He could see how his lover still wanted to take care of their family. After all, who else could they all turn to but each other? The sight of Alfie bustling about in the kitchen made him chuckle. “A pan. We need a flat pan, I think. I remember Hebs choosing something of this shape…” The boy trailed off as he drew it in the air with his fingers and his hands. Gian continued on to open the fridge, take the pack of bacon and tray of eggs. Good thing he observed Hebs because he was, at least, able to crack and beat the eggs in a bowl.


Useful? Johnny repeated in his head as he pursed his lips. It’s a cursed power that he wished he didn’t have. It was pretty hard to control himself especially when emotions go out of control. It’s one of the reasons why he has taken up the job of a lawyer and made himself unattached to the world and to everything. At least, as much as he could as as lawyer. Around Gian, he just seems to go back to his old self and soften up; and, he was pretty positive that he could kill anyone in the way if they hurt the boy.

Once he finished cooking the bacon and the eggs and toasting the bread, the male brought this big plate with him into the dining room. “Perhaps you don’t see it now,” he started, “And I don’t want to admit it, but it’ll be very useful if you get to master it.” He could actually see Blake get more smug by the minute should he grow up into a matured man with his power.

Johnny seated himself across Blake. “Eat. If you’re hungry.” Without another word, the lawyer took a toast and helped himself with the food he’d prepared.

Thankfully enough for the thoroughly embarrassed snake man, Sebastian didn't appear to notice his predicament. Oblivious as ever, the angel munched away on his last piece of butter-soaked toast, eyes half-lidded and expression relaxed. In stark contrast, his wily twin smiled like he had some dirty little secret, taking a huge bite out of his messily-constructed sandwich. Oh, Shadow would most definitely be teaching Hebs more about these things. Once everything was settled, including this business with Erudito back at the villa...school would be in session, so to speak. And Shadow was an excellent teacher.

Poor Hebs was in for quite a time. There was practically nothing that the fallen angel had not experienced...of that manner.

One who deals with texts of all shapes, sizes, and ages. Shadow still seemed groggy, but his mental voice answered in a perfectly chipper way. Sebastian is in charge of the most heavily barricaded and well-guarded wing of the Ancient Athenaeum, the Vetitum Alae. It contains mostly ancient texts, some of which need to be carefully tended to so that they may be properly preserved. As for the scythe...if you ask poliely, Sebastian won't mind showing it to you. The fallen angel made a face as he finished off the last few bites of his tasty sandwich. He can go on and on about his work for hours.

"Difficult how?" Sebastian finished his last sip of coffee, arching an azure eyebrow. "I find your human methods of conception and birth difficult. It hurts the female terribly. And it can go wrong in so many ways. Our method is much more efficient." The angel leaned back in his chair, sighing softly. "I suppose we could head out to the beach, now...if everyone is finished, that is." Shadow perked up immediately. At once, he moved to start gathering up all of the empty plates and mugs. He was obviously excited about lounging around on the beach. While his twin bustled about, Sebastian continued speaking, tapping one foot on the tiled floor.

"We all originate from the same being. But genetic mutations have made us all different over the eons."


"A flat what?" Alfie's head swiveled slightly as he peered over his shoulder at Gian. "A pan? ...Oh! Oh, wait!" The naga picked up speed, rummaging through drawers and cabinets at an alarming rate. Hebs and Shadow, who spent the most time in the kitchen, probably wouldn't be happy when they returned to find everything in disarray...but that was all right. After a moment, Alfie emerged from a lower cabinet with that particular pan, beaming. "Voila!" He plopped it down next to Gian, but rapidly backed off. He was no good in the kitchen.


"Oh, yeah right." It was...odd, to say the least, to see Blake forgoing arrogance in favor of deliberately putting himself down. His wild, unpredictable power would one day get the better of him, unless he learned how to properly utilize every part of his power. Though Johnny obviously didn't know it, the violet-haired male also had the same problem with powerful emotions making his powers run wild. In fact...such a slip-up was what had killed someone close to him.

He never wanted that to happen again, so...he just stopped using his powers altogether. But that wasn't practical. If his emotions ran wild, his powers did as well.

"And what am I gonna do with it that'll make it useful in some way?" Blake continued, making himself an egg sandwich. He completely ignored the bacon, which was peculiar. Maybe he didn't like bacon? "Summon demons and make them tap-dance for large crowds? It serves no purpose. And I don't want to associate with demons and the like anyway. One was enough for me." The creature that killed a close friend of his was an extremely powerful demon, and one that Blake never wanted to encounter again.

Hebs listened. He seemed rather intent on learning about the ways of angels, their lifestyles, and of their jobs. Only probably because he had learned then that Sebastian and Shadow were related. If Shadow's sister was the one whom they were with instead, would he have shown the same interest? Most probably. Hebs, after all, wanted to learn more about Shadow, his previous kin and life, and his siblings - his family, although he doesn't call them that.

It's a good thing, then, that I got to change the topic? he asked, his polite smile now turning to that of amusement.

When Sebastian started to take into account his comment and venture on from there, Hebs looked up from his mug of coffee. He'd picked it up not so long ago and was currently paying it more attention than the food before him. He wasn't very hungry like the two, it seemed; which probably explained why he was satisfied with just one piece of toast and a few of the bacon and eggs. Hebs finished his glass just before Sebastian mentioned the beach.

"I see," he replied with a hum. Considering he wasn't exactly human per se, he could relate to that. Genetic mutations, indeed, could form species. If he and Shadow had a child, wouldn't that said child be having a hard time? Snakes are generally blind to bright light, and if he remembered right, he usually bumped into things back when he was a kid. His growth, too, was different from humans. He aged differently. If he were human...

"This scythe of yours, may I see it?" he asked, hoping to completely change the topic. He was a little distracted by his rather depressing thoughts.


Gian laughed. Alfie was too damn adorable. Taking the pan, he gave him a bright grin and a short, "Thank you," before he'd turned on the fire. He waited 'til the pan was hot before he put the egg in. It was apparent that he was mimicking Hebs after watching him countless of times. Could Gian have a really good memory and be good at mimicking?


Johnny turned to look back up at Blake with the toast halfway to his mouth. He clamped his mouth shut, pursed his lips, before he finally took a bite off it. He didn't reply to Blake's question just yet. It was apparent the lawyer was thinking. By the time he'd swallowed the food in his mouth, he sipped some water before he set his toast down. "We won't have to worry about them causing trouble."

The black-haired male answered so nonchalantly. It was almost as if he was well aware that humans weren't the only ones living on this Earth. He believed in dimensions; he also believed in the existence of another world. He just wasn't sure about how this said 'world' looks like.

"Because you're around to control them." Indeed, Blake could become powerful. He could become someone who would even be feared of by these demons. Wouldn't that be a pleasure? Johnny particularly enjoyed seeing power at play.

Shadow associated with his twin from time to time...but he rarely spoke to his elder sister, Nomi. The two of them were on good terms despite the fact that they never communicated. Nomi was an angel of a different rank than Sebastian. Most of the time, she was forbidden from leaving The White Palace of Tzchora, where the Goddess Amelia, her servants, and her consorts all resided. When she was permitted to leave, she never left Babylon. At least Sebastian left that horrible place every once in a while!

Oh, most definitely. Shadow mirrored his lover's amusement. Sebastian is a workaholic. That is, ah...all he does. He has no social life. Not that I know of, anyway.

While Hebs and his brother conversed, Shadow bustled about the open floor, running empty plates and mugs to the sink. On his last trip, only the snake man's plate and empty mug of coffee remained, and he gleefully snatched them up. Shadow thoroughly enjoyed the ocean, which was what initially drew him to the wonderful and fascinating world of merpeople. The fallen angel was associated with a surprising amount of merpeople. Every once in a while (before becoming involved with Hebs, that was), Shadow often disappeared for a day or two, leaving a note behind for his family and claiming that he was 'off taking care of business.' Sometimes that was true. Other times he was off visiting his many contacts, both human and inhuman, around the world.

Now that he was close with Hebs...would he be willing to take his lover with him on these excursions?

For a moment, Shadow's mood seemed to sour when thoughts of children passed through Hebs' mind, but it quickly passed. Shadow made no secret of his aversion to children. They made him uncomfortable, particularly if they were under the age of ten. He wasn't interested in producing young. Adoption was a different story...Shadow adopted many children, all with strange abilities, during his time on Earth and welcomed them into his family.

"My scythe?" Sebastian began fiddling with the charm of his necklace, suddenly looking a little nervous. The charm itself was blindingly bright and took the shape of a crescent moon. The angel glanced around furtively, memorizing the location of each window. He obviously didn't want to be seen. "...I suppose you can see it," he finally surrendered, rising from his seat. "But do keep watch for humans outside. It would be...problematic if one were to see me doing this." Sebastian reached up and slowly, carefully, removed his necklace. A string of a strange language (it sounded oddly like Latin, but the words were clearly different) escaped him. The necklace suddenly shone brighter...and then it rapidly expanded with a loud shhk! Clutched in his right hand was a huge scythe, which Sebastian twirled around absently. It glowed with an otherworldly white light.


"What all are you going to make?" The naga wisely kept his distance from Gian as the human worked, knowing that he was nothing but bad luck in the kitchen. Alfie was looking forward to having a nice, warm meal in his belly. He really wanted this to go well...because then they could feed their whole family. It made him feel useful for a change, even though he wasn't the one doing the cooking.


"But that's just it!" Blake didn't sound angry. Rather, he sounded exasperated. "I don't have any semblance of control over my powers. I can't choose who I summon--it just happens. I can't control them, either. Also, it's annoying." He took a huge bite out of his makeshift sandwich, opting to chew and swallow his mouthful of food before speaking again.

"Having spirits constantly speaking to me," he finished, swinging one of his legs back and forth slightly underneath the table. "It's really annoying. I can't help them. I can only hear them. And they never shut up." Blake was a naturally quiet, introverted young man. He only babbled when someone really got him going, or he was angry. For someone like him...it was a horrible thing, really, to have all of these dead people constantly on his tail and never shutting up.

He should really invest in an MP3 player and a good pair of headphones to block out the noise.

Hebs doubted angels to have a social life. If they did have one, the ones whom they'd normally hang out with are ones amongst their kin, too. That, to him, was rather sad. To not be able to converse to anyone else but other angels - it wouldn't be a surprise at all that they've become stuck-up. Were there angels, too, that thought of themselves as the highest of the highest beings? That was possible.

And, regarding the excursions, Hebs wouldn't mind going at all. The only problem there would be that they would not be able to leave their family alone for too long. Two days, so far, and with trouble still brewing back at the villa, Hebs worried. One of them ought to learn how to coook.

Idly, he wondered if Johnny, that lawyer, knew how to.

Turning to look at his lover, the snake man noticed the change of his mood. Was that because he'd thought of children? The last time he remembered, they'd already had this kind of conversation - one that involved kids.

"Ah... yes." Hebs moved his gaze back to Sebastian and smiled slightly, "I hope it's no trouble." When the other replied in a positive matter, he found his excitement rising, yet again. Somehow, this reminded him of that time when he'd seen his freak family perform for the first time. At the warning, Hebs blinked and he quickly rose from his seat to go around the first floor of the house so he could shut the curtains. Well, at least the curtains of the windows that showed the road anyway.

The language Sebastian spoke gave Hebs quite a creepy chill. It reminded him a lot of those horror movies he'd come to cross by when a peddler would pass by renting DVDs. The bright light from over his shoulder made his eyes widen and he quickly turned to watch with awe and amazement when Sebastian was now holding it. It was certainly huge all right!

"It's..." For a moment there, Hebs became breathless. It seemed to emanate power and quite a lot of it. "... beautiful."


Gian blinked and turned to look at the naga. "Not sure... eggs and toast?" He grinned sheepishly, "Or I can cook rice instead?" Really, Gian couldn't make anything else even if he wanted to make something else. "I really wish Hebs and Shadow comes back..." There was that expression of sadness that crossed his features as he pouted a little. He'd almost burnt the eggs, too, but he was able to transfer it before they turned a darker shade of yellow, which is close to brown.

"It looks... edible, right?" the human asked as he turned off the fire.


"Has it ever occurred to you that you aren't alone anymore? It's everyone's problem now that you can't control your powers... yet." Johnny glanced up at the other before he took his toast again to resume eating. The boy seemed to be complaining so much. Instead of ignoring it, though, shouldn't he be doing something about his powers now? He wasn't alone, and certainly, he doubted Shadow was going to let him be.

"These... freaks. They want you. That should speak volumes." The lawyer leaned back and chewed languidly, slowly, as if he were relishing the taste of food in his mouth. "They will, undoubtedly, spoil you."

Snorting, Johnny finished his toast and helped himself with another. Well. Whatever. Changing a stubborn boy's mind is a challenge that he didn't want to take.

"You are, after all, still an immature brat."

Angels were incredibly stuck-up creatures, so much so that their commitment to remaining pure, kind, and gentle was often compromised by their superficial, judgmental attitudes. Sebastian claimed that angels were a holy people, driven by a desire to help others and keep the dark ones in check. Shadow claimed that angels were brattier than rich teenage girls, and more judgmental too.

Their merman was hopeless when it came to the kitchen. Their naga was just as hopeless, unfortunately. Damon was a decent cook...but would only work with one hundred percent vegan ingredients. Shadow wasn't sure if the others would like that so much, especially their scaly resident carnivores. Rousel was just as hopeless as Léan in the kitchen--merpeople had no need to cook their food, and cooking was an almost alien skill to them. Blake could easily be taught to cook if he had a patient teacher. So...Damon and Blake could definitely be adept in the kitchen with enough practice.

Of course...Sebastian was an excellent chef, too. He and Shadow both shared a passion for cooking. With their skills, they could go up against the most talented of celebrity chefs.

"You like it?" The angel waved the scythe around like it was nothing more than a toothpick. "I'm afraid you can't touch it, though, if you were hoping for that. I would liken it to...Mjölnir. The hammer that the mythical Norse deity Thor was purported to wield. It is impossible for anyone but an angel to lift and utilize this scythe. ...Oh..." He began glancing around the room, suddenly looking concerned. "...Speaking of which..."

The second his brother decided to whip out that gigantic weapon, glowing with such a blinding white light...Shadow seemed to mysteriously disappear. He'd apparently slipped outside just a few seconds before Sebastian finished speaking those words, leaning against the stucco wall with his eyes closed tight.

"Ah. That's right." Sebastian shuffled a little closer to Hebs so that the snake man could closely examine the scythe. "I keep forgetting that I'm not in angelic company. The language of the angels, as well as the aura emanating from this scythe...they can cause demonic figures a great deal of pain if their guard is down. And...Shadow is fallen. I doubt I hurt him in a serious sense...but...he might be sore for a half-hour, at least."


Alfie hummed, nodding as Gian listed off what he was going to make. No meat, which was disappointing...but if the other male didn't feel confident enough to make meat, then he was probably better off sticking to eggs and toast. "I think eggs and toast are enough," he agreed, carefully studying the eggs. "...There's really only one way to find out if they're good! Let's try them!" If they were good...Alfie desperately wanted to get their family together for a home-cooked breakfast.


Blake's expression instantly darkened into a defensive one the moment Johnny started talking about not being able to control his powers. He began assembling another toast and egg sandwich, refusing to meet the older man's gaze.

"So what I'm immature?" he spouted off, folding the egg into a neat little square like he usually did. "I'm barely an adult. I'm eighteen--I think I have the right to act a little immature." Socially, Blake was underdeveloped. His past was still a mystery to everyone (except Shadow, and maybe Hebs once the family reunited), but he obviously wasn't used to spending too much time with other people. He rarely asked Johnny for anything. If he needed something from the grocery store, he scribbled it down on a Post-It note and slapped it on the fridge for the lawyer to find later. He was independent as all get-out...but somehow, still immature.

He never mentioned having any siblings. Was he an only child? Were his parents not the most loving of people? Was that it? Perhaps they didn't pay him much attention back home...

Blake took a bite out of his new sandwich, vibrant blue eyes half-lidded. Speaking of his past...his peculiar eye and hair colors were intriguing. He didn't wear contacts, and his hair obviously wasn't dyed. So...where did those odd colors come from? Especially that violet hair?

Hebs smiled. "I do," he started, "It's beautiful." Knowing full well that he'd just repeated himself, it didn't seem to bother him one bit. In fact, he opened his mouth to ask for the angel's permission to touch it when Sebastian answered it for him. Here, Hebs dropped his hand back to his side as he willed himself not to feel disappointment for not being able to touch it. He did look sheepish, however, for being caught up with his want.

When the other started to look around, he noticed the lack of Shadow's presence in the house. He obviously missed Sebastian shuffling closer to him because when he'd spoken again, it surprised Hebs that his voice grew, well, a little louder. "Oh." So, that explained why Shadow stepped out of the house. Maybe they should've given him a warning or something of the likes. Worry immediately flushed over the snake man's nerves, but the sight of that scythe up close and personal obviously caught his attention.

Hebs made his hands into a fist at his sides. He shouldn't touch it. He shouldn't touch it. But, why did it look so nice to touch? "I... ah... we better go." This voice within him was doing him no good. He'd prefer not to worry his lover or his family should anything happen to him. "I'll see you outside?"

Without waiting for a reply from Shadow's twin, he gave Sebastian's arm a light touch before he smiled. He stepped back, retrieved his hand and moved towards the back door where he was sure Shadow had slipped out of. Upon sighting him, he moved to where he was and reached out to put his hand on the fallen's cheek, thumb lightly caressing - stroking - as he raised his eyebrows a tad. I had to leave before I hurt myself. The snake man chuckled softly before he'd slid his hand down to rest on the side of the other's neck. And, I've heard from Sebastian about the effect of that. Are you all right, Shadow?

Idly, he wondered: will Kratos and Blake be okay should they see that scythe of Sebastian's?


Gian looked hesitant. But, that was true. In order for them to find out if they're good or not, he ought to try them out. "Okay!" It seemed like Gian got his bearings back because he closed the distance between him and the plate he still hasn't taken off the counter, reached out and took a small piece with his fingers. "Here goes nothing." The human popped the food in his mouth and chewed languidly. His expression seemed wary before it turned thoughtful. "Not bad!" he exclaimed to his lover as he turned to him and grinned.


"I did say that." This was all Johnny said in reply to the other's spout. It was a reply where he hadn't meant to hurt the boy's pride. But, then again, with the way he'd said that, it almost looked like he was starting a fight wtih him. "And, Gian's seventeen." It reminded him; the boy's birthday was coming up, wasn't it? Somehow, the side of his lips curled up in the slightest of smiles. "Therefore, you have no excuse, neither do you have the right to act a little immature."

The smile disappeared from his lips and he looked up to meet Blake's eyes. There seemed to be some sort of a mocking expression there.

"I suppose you could try to touch it another time..." Sebastian mused, rubbing his chin with his free hand. "It is supposed to burn human flesh. But, ah..." He leaned forward a little more, golden eyes sweeping over the expanse of hard emerald scales on the other man's body. "You are covered with hard, durable, and clearly inhuman scales. There is a chance that you could touch this scythe without it burning you. But you still cannot lift it."

This scythe had an adverse effect on human beings...but the side effects were even worse for demonic beings, such as fallen angels. If Shadow even laid eyes on this scythe, he could end up contracting a nasty (but temporary) illness. He could even be temporarily blinded by the holy aura pulsing from that weapon!

Speaking of touching...Sebastian's reaction to being touched was peculiar, at best. The angel instantly shrank away from the snake man's touch, grip tightening on his scythe. Angels hated to be touched by other creatures, particularly humans or demonic beings. It was good for them to have, and maintain, a healthy fear of being touched. The slightest hint of inappropriate intention behind a touch could cause an angel's rank to decrease. They could even fall from such a touch if the other party wasn't careful! The higher an angel's rank, the brighter their wings became...and conversely, the lower their rank, the darker their wings grew.

Shadow wasn't expecting Hebs to suddenly materialize before him. He jumped, startled, when a hand suddenly alighted on his cheek...but the fallen angel quickly relaxed upon realizing that it was only his lover. He purred softly when that gentle touch migrated from his cheek to the side of his neck. I am all right. He sounded a little winded, perhaps because he hadn't been expecting Sebastian to suddenly spout off angelic language. At least, not without warning him beforehand. A little sore, but I'll be fine. If you and my brother are going to continue speaking out here...I might as well take a dip in the sea.

As if on cue, Sebastian emerged from the house, scythe back in its necklace form and wound around his neck. "I hope I didn't hurt you," instantly escaped him. "I did not mean anything by it. I, ah...I simply forgot that I was not in similar company." Shadow hummed in response, glancing out toward the ocean. Two beach chairs were positioned just where the waves met the sand. Shadow liked to lounge in beach chairs right around that area, so that the cool ocean water washed over his feet.

Thankfully, Kratos and Blake would both be fine should they ever lay eyes on that scythe. It only affected demonic beings in that way, and neither of them were demonic. They just had demonic abilities. ...Or...perhaps that wasn't entirely true. No one knew anything about Blake's past, after all. And his eye and hair colors were pretty outlandish for a human...


Alfie watched Gian approach the plate full of food with bated breath. The naga didn't even blink while the human scooped up a piece of food and tossed it right into his mouth. Predictably, Alfie squealed when Gian exclaimed that it was decent. He slithered forward, snuggling against the other male's chest. "So...we can make more, right? For everyone? Should I get them?" Jae was still bedridden, so they would have to bring some to him...but Damon, as well as Kratos and his lovely merman, could join them.


"And you don't have the right to preach to me about how I act." Blake's tone was sharp, but not angry. He was setting some clear boundaries between himself and Johnny now, laying out what was acceptable and what was not. Seeing as the two of them spent so very little time together due to their schedules, they usually avoided each other and left it at that. Now that they would have to work together to take care of Arcturus, Blake was making the boundaries and the rules very clear for the lawyer. "You're not my dad. You're not my uncle. You're not my brother. You're just an equally arrogant jerk who thinks he knows better than I do. And you might, or you might not. I don't care." Blake finished his second sandwich and then rose from his seat, plate in hand. "Just keep your nose out of my business and we won't have any more problems."

Independent as ever, Blake shuffled off to the kitchen to wash his dirtied plate, humming to himself. He sure was an odd one. Difficult to figure out. One moment he behaved like a pouty teenager, and the next he spoke like he was much wiser than his age suggested he was.

Hebs had honestly felt a little uncomfortable with Sebastian's eyes sweeping over him so nonchalantly, so he was glad he had left the angel's side. Although he knew that Sebastian meant no maliciousness in that look of his, to be under scrutiny like that and for the other to point out his being 'inhuman' clearly seemed to hit something within him. Hebs, after all, still could be a little uncomfortable about his kind. The molting, and the blindness to bright lights can sometimes be a hindrance to his every day task.

Also, he didn't know anything about angels so aversed to touch. Now that he'd picked that particular thought off Sebastian's head, he made sure not to repeat that mistake.

The way his lover jumped and be startled like that only made him chuckle. That soft purr and the way he seemed to enjoy his touches really calmed Hebs. While he continued to speak in their link, he only leaned in to press a soft, chaste kiss onto his lips. Chaste, because he knew Sebastian was going to come out sooner or later. He'd only pulled his hand back when he heard Shadow's twin speak, and he turned to look out at the beach. The bright sun reflecting itself on the waters blinded him a little, but turning away solved that problem. "Let's go then," he told the two, "The water looks nice enough to take a dip into."

Reaching up to rub his eyes a bit, the snake man smiled at the two and went on ahead. The sun, despite it only being nine was making itself well known. Hebs could feel his scales drying up as he continued venturing on until he was by the beach chairs. Before he went dip his feet, he rolled his silk pants up and looked over his shoulder, making sure the brothers were following suit. Then again, even if they weren't going to follow suit, he was going to take a dip himself.


"Whoa, whoa. Slow down." Gian held Alfie's face in his hands and grinned. He was too happy, too, which is why he can't seem to get his smile off his lips. This was, after all, his very first success in the kitchen! "We got to cook them their shares first. Maybe we can give it to them instead?" Calling them to eat while Jae wasn't around seemed rather awkward.


The way the boy spoke obviously had Johnny stopping in surprise from taking a bite. He hadn't expected the boy to reply in such a way, and neither did he think he had it in him to call him an 'arrogant jerk'. Wait, he started, No. He has it in him to call me that, the brat. Grunting, the black-haired male only leaned back again in his seat as he resumed eating. Well. So much for him to get a grown-up brat to act his age.

As soon as Johnny finished with his second toast, the male pushed his chair back and decided to put the leftover food in a container in the kitchen before he put that in the fridge. Putting the dirty plate by the sink, he checked the time on the wall clock. He had to go get ready for his job in the afternoon. This was going to be his last job on the court under that bastard's name.

And, he was glad to be out of it as soon as possible. Johnny can't wait to open up his own office, take the cases of the freaks, and the cases that he wanted to handle. It should be fun.

Like Shadow mentioned earlier...angels were a terribly snobbish bunch, even if most of them didn't quite realize it. Sebastian rarely took the feelings of members of other species into consideration whenever he opened his mouth to speak. He didn't really care whether Hebs was covered in scaly stuff or not. What mattered was that his twin brother cared about him. Shadow didn't seem to mind the inhuman scales. In fact...he tended to surround himself with humans that were a little inhuman on the inside or the outside, as well as other supernatural beings such as merpeople.

He found Hebs to be a rather exotic catch. And Shadow did so like exotic things.

"I'll live," was Shadow's cryptic response to Sebastian. The two brothers strolled side by side after Hebs, albeit at a slower and synchronized pace. "You should have warned me, though. I could have been seriously injured." A sheepish smile stretched across the angel's face. "I wasn't thinking," he admitted, reaching down after a moment to remove his shoes. No point in wearing them if they were only going to get wet. "I am not used to being around other species, particularly those of the demonic sort. Forgive me?"

Shadow snorted in response, sauntering right past Hebs and heading straight for the ocean. He instantly dipped his feet in the water...and then he recoiled, his nose all wrinkled up. "That's cold!" he exclaimed, wiggling his toes. Sebastian didn't bother stepping farther out into the water. Instead, he sank down into one of the beach chairs, sighing and settling into it. Both regular and fallen angels could not burn in the sun, so neither brother had to worry about getting nasty sunburn.

Though he tried his very best to relax...Sebastian just didn't seem to want to sit still. He twitched constantly, attention rocketing from one thing, to another, and then another as he tried to keep his mind occupied. He never was a fan of relaxation and idle time.


"But..." The naga frowned, glancing furtively at the entrance to the den, where he knew their two most reserved housemates were still slumbering away. "...I kind of wanted to have a nice family meal," he admitted, sounding a little embarrassed. "Jae's probably not feeling up to it, anyway. He might still be asleep." And even if he was healthy enough to sit at the table, it'd be awkward, wouldn't it? With Damon there? Especially after what happened. Damon avoided Jae like the plague ever since the other male got himself injured. He was not ready to deal with an admirer just yet, even if that admirer already risked life and limb for him.

"But...everyone else can have some food. Right?" Alfie sounded hopeful, and he unleashed his famously wide puppy dog eyes on Gian. "I miss family meals. Everyone's tense because Shadow's not here. We could all use some family time right about now."


With Blake's strange mismatch of mature and immature qualities came a mismatch of habits, pet peeves, and mannerisms. For instance...he scrubbed his dirty plate until it was clean, dried it off, and then neatly stowed the squeaky-clean plate away in the proper cabinet. But he completely ignored Johnny's plate, still dirty, in the sink. If he dirtied a plate or some silverware he would clean it for sure, but he wouldn't touch things that anyone else dirtied. That was their responsibility, after all. It was petty, sure, but Blake was set in his ways.

It wouldn't be an easy task, changing that boy. He was unbelievably stubborn. Sometimes he behaved like a toddler, other times he behaved like a well-rounded adult. It wasn't normal behavior for someone his age, that was for sure.

Blake slipped outside once he finished up with his plate, obviously checking on Arcturus. The merman was in the process of finishing up his last fish. Thankfully, he was so engrossed in his meal that he didn't notice Blake peering into the pool. Confident that Arcturus was all right (for now, anyway...he did seem fairly unstable), the young man trotted back inside, making a beeline for the stairs. It was a mystery, really, what Blake spent most of his time doing. Locked up in his room. All alone.

Hebs blinked. He'd blinked because Shadow oh-so easily sauntered past him to dip his feet into the water, only to recoil and exclaim that in such a loud voice. The snake man wasn't able to hold back a laugh, and he would've had continued to laugh if the water hadn't reached his own feet. Yelping a bit as he, too, recoiled, the male pursed his lips and silently cursed the sea. Hebs dipped his feet into the sand and turned to look at Shadow. "It is," he agreed, "Cold, I mean." Reaching up to rub his arm with his hands, he looked over his shoulder at Sebastian and raised his eyebrows a tad.

Relaxing is a hard thing to do for them, isn't it? he asked his lover before he finally ventured back into the water. This time, he was prepared for the chill that jolted him to stand upright and he shivered a little. As he wiggled his toes, he idly wondered how their family was doing. He was, after all, worried.

"Sebastian, do you not like to swim?"


"Oh." Gian smiled. If he could fall in love all over again, it was certainly because of Alfie. He really loved how he could be so attached and caring to his family. Perhaps, second closest to Hebs. Were all snakes like this, he wondered. "Yeah. I know what you mean. And, sure." Raising a thumbs-up, Gian grinned. "I'll start cooking more eggs, then, and toast. I'll see if I can cook other... things."

And, with that, the boy went about exploring. About twenty minutes later, he was able to prepare a plate of eggs, a couple pieces of ham (he just learned you toss that in the pan and wait for it to turn that glazed kind of color), and toast. That should be enough for breakfast, right?


Johnny noticed it. It wasn't hard to especially when they were living under a roof. Setting the plate into the sink as he let the faucet run for a bit, he filled it with water. Later. He was going to wash that later. With that in mind, he ventured out to his room, changed into a formal attire and arranged the papers he'd scattered about on the living room table. The lawyer didn't bother telling Blake when he'd leave and what time he'd come back. After all, it wasn't like he and the brat was close.