Indeed, Alfie had it good. As much as Hebs didn't want to admit it, he was rather envious. When the other started to reply to his question, he hummed thoughtfully as he listened. "Kratos like anything dark. But, maybe we'd better be practical and bring him something he could wear during performances." The snake man walked back to his lover's side as he reached out to take his hand - the one toying that loose string on his shirt. This one looked like it could do some stitching. He silently noted that as he clasped their fingers together again. While his thumb carressed the side of Shadow's thumb, he nodded.

"Gian wouldn't mind anything he's given. I'm not too sure with Johnny, either." He hesitated for a moment. "And Jae. I'm thinking giving him something as an apology." Hebs sighed. It was rather hard having to deal with someone who's hurt, and it didn't help at all that they'd taken him off from work because of his wound. He didn't linger on the thought, however, and only tugged at his lover's hand. "Then, we better start searching for these gifts. Will we be able to catch the boat, you think?"


Jae blinked and then frowned. Why did Shadow treat Damon in such a way? Damon was one tough man even when he was in wheels. Idly, he wondered. Had he always been in wheels? "He is," he agreed as he nodded. That was one of the many things he found rather attractive on Damon. And, when he'd heard Alfie spell it out for him, he dropped his gaze down to his spoon. It was true. He did have to prepare for rejection. After all, he came right after knowing that there was something between the two before. He knew it. Feeling that bout of depression hit him, the beautiful male quietly ate. Why did he always fall for the ones so hard to catch?

Gian parked the car about thirty minutes later and he turned off the engine before he got out of the car. The male made his way to the back and silently watched the two. He thought for a moment before he'd rang the side of the car with the tip of the key. "Hey, you guys awake? I'll get the groceries. You guys can get the fish." Reaching into his pockets as he fished out a couple of bills, the male reached it out.

Kratos, like Léan, had fallen asleep. He did stir, though, at the sound of something sharp and he grunted as he frowned, eyes slowly opening. "Yeah." That was all he could say as he slowly reached out to get the money from Gian, careful not to move his shoulder away from his lover. He did like the feeling of the other leaning and curling up against him. And, he was more than tempted to return the favor of that little display of affection he showed back at home. But, he held himself back. To disturb a sleeping Léan meant having the risk of being bitten by those sharp fangs of his.


Johnny frowned at that. Really, Blake wasn't cute. The way he spoke really didn't match that face of his. Clicking his tongue as he continued to make breakfast: chicken porridge, he glanced out the window. Gian and his family sure were taking so much time. A couple of minutes later, Johnny finished cooking the porridge, turned off the fire, and went to pull out the sofa bed. He searched through his external hard drive for the movies he had. There were, strangely, different genres, and most were horror. The series he had all had the same theme: law. It didn't matter if there were police or lawyers involved.

"Hm. Something to wear during performances?" Shadow's fingers ghosted across the back of Hebs' hand. "We would have to be careful with that--he won't wear something too ridiculous. Perhaps something a bit more on the Gothic side? It fits with his power. We'll just have to make sure it's classy enough. Kratos may not take to a themed costume...unless Léan likes it, that is." Shadow knew the siren better than anyone else in the family, even Kratos. And he knew for certain that Léan liked seeing male humans in certain clothing. Tank tops, leather jackets, and fancy tuxedos--even of the Gothic variety--were at the top of that list of appealing clothing.

"Perhaps we should find two similar things for Gian and Alfie--something they can enjoy together. Under normal circumstances, I would recommend something as interesting as a Ouija board...but those can be very dangerous, especially in a house filled to the brim with spirits." Shadow shifted. Talking about these boards obviously bothered him. "It wouldn't be all that safe back home, either--Blake is a very sensitive medium, and opening a doorway for wayward spirits could spell out trouble for him. They could jump him. Possess him. That sort of thing takes a toll on a medium's body. It could make him very sick."

The fallen angel made his way into the nearest shop, instantly taking notice of a nice display of sand dollars. "We will catch the boat in time. We don't have to get a souvenir for everyone--Blake won't appreciate a souvenir, so it may be wise to not get anything for him."


Staying asleep with that annoyingly high-pitched sound on the side of the van? Yeah, no--that was not going to happen. Just a few moments after Kratos accepted the offered bills from Gian, Léan stirred with a low grumbling sound, tucking his fuzzy blonde head underneath the human's chin. His icy blue eyes were open, but only halfway. He still wasn't looking forward to being around a large number of humans...but nonetheless, after giving the other man a quick nuzzle, Léan shimmied his way off of Kratos' lap.

One thing he was excited about was getting to personally choose his fish. Tuna was his favorite fish--particularly Bluefin Tuna, which were inexplicably huge and rather difficult to come by. But here, in this store...a vast array of fish was sure to be on display. With renewed vigor, the merman popped open the van door, hopping out. He was much steadier on his feet, now. He only truly struggled with stairs and with running at a high rate of speed. He also couldn't tie shoes--he preferred shoes with Velcro straps or slip-on shoes.

Of course, Kratos could always tie his shoes for him...


Fifteen minutes later, heavy footsteps indicated that Blake was trudging his way down the stairs. When he wanted to be sneaky, the boy could be quite as a mouse, but when he wasn't being sneaky he stomped through the house like a stampede of elephants. His skin seemed a tad less pallid after that shower, but he'd neglected to brush his hair--he seemed intent on just letting it run wild. He must have made a pit stop in his room, because he was hefting along a few shoe boxes. When he reached the sofa bed, still sniffling but thankfully no longer sneezing and coughing incessantly, he plopped down immediately and popped the top off of one of the shoe boxes.

Inside were an assortment of DVDs. Movies, mostly--including Silent Hill, Rosemary's Baby, The Skeleton Key, The Fourth Kind, and The Exorcist--...but a couple of TV shows--including Monk, Dexter, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and House--were lodged in there. "I've got these. I, uh...I really like horror movies. I've got a pretty decent collection." He passed one to Johnny, just in case he wanted a peek. The shoe boxes were stuffed to the brim with DVDS, some in their original cases and some in smaller, more compact CD cases.

Hebs chuckled as he imagined it. That was true. But, he doubted Léan wasn't going to be happy with something really ridiculous on Kratos. He noticed the way the merman liked teasing his lover, much like how Shadow teases him. "A themed costume behind closed doors, maybe?" he suggested with a louder laugh this time, obviously not able to hold back his amusement, "They do need to loosen up, one way or the other. Even if not in public, even if not with us." There was that mischievous glint in his eyes and a playful grin on his lips. However, this was gone the instant he'd noticed something at the corner of his eye.

It was an array of shells, he noticed, and quite flashy ones than the ones they've seen in Austria. He tugged at his lover's hand a little to lead him towards it and picked one up, looking quite in awe at the colors it was able to produce. It looked simple, but when flashed under the sunlight (the display was probably purposely put by the window by the owner), it was beautiful. "Mm. How about we get something for bedroom use for Gian and Alfie?" He seemed nonchalant as he suggested this, "And, I'm not sure, too, what Kenichi wants. How do you think he's doing with Rousel?"

Hebs held the said shell up to his lover and smiled. "I'll bet Johnny's going to be happy with just bull clips for his papers, too. They're somewhat similar with Blake, I noticed."


Kratos looked down - as much as he could anyway - at his lover who was currently nuzzling his chin. His hair was ticklish, but the Life Man made no complaints. In fact, he was thoroughly enjoying the way his merman was lavishing much attention to him. Reaching up with his free hand to run it through those light strands, he turned to look up at Gian who only grinned at him before leaving. That boy was strange, but he was thankful nonetheless. He didn't think he could go around aisles and aisles of rows while dragging a cart. There was just something about shopping that wasn't fun at all.

"Wait for me," he grumbled under his breath when Léan left. Despite his disappointment, the male shifted to get out of the van. Shutting it behind him and moving to follow after him, his heart did a little leap, black tendrils seeping out from the tips of his fingers from the shock. Seriously, Gian couldn't find a better time to lock the van. He'd thought the boy already left. Taking Léan's hand into his own once he got his power under control, he gave Gian a little glare before he'd led the way into the building. It wasn't odd that he knew where the display for fish were. The way the fish spirits were jumping around, swimming by the doors gave the Life Man more than a clue.

And, indeed, inside was more than heaven for the merman, most definitely.


Blake could really do better than trudge those heavy feet of his. Lazy kid, was all that slipped into his mind as he turned to look up and meet the boy's gaze. Once the boy was settled, he found himself blinking at the shoe boxes. It was only when Blake had opened one did the thought click in his mind. DVDs. Of course, the boy would have one. Though, he wasn't sure how he got those. He didn't know how Blake found his way to the freak family, but he could more than tell that he was still new. Their first meeting, anyway, was enough of an evidence.

"Sounds nice," the lawyer said before he'd pursed his lips. He wasn't very fond of horror movies, but he could bear them. After all, he's seen a lot of gory pictures in the precinct when he was handling a lot of cases under that man. He's also visited crime scenes that weren't exactly pleasant to look at. It did't help, too, that he often visited the morgue just to check on the bodies of the victims and have a chat with the doctors there. Moving to seat himself on one of the single couch, he handed the box back to Blake. "Eat before the food gets cold and try not to leave any crumbs on the bed."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about them loosening up. Around each other, at least. As time goes on, Léan will accomplish that all by himself. As for loosening up around us...they already cling to each other like teenagers in love whenever they're together, even if others happen to be around them. Kratos still has work to do with that siren, though. His hatred for humanity runs deep. It would benefit him if he overcame those discriminatory feelings and started truly opening up. As well, Kratos doesn't do much talking on his end, either..."

There were still a lot of things about the merman that no one (except Shadow) knew. Until both Léan and Kratos opened up to each other and started spilling their secrets, including painful things about their pasts...Shadow's work with them was not finished.

Shadow instantly took a keen interested in those shells, scooping a different one--spiral-shaped--and turning it around in the sunlight. "Léan should like this," he declared easily, spinning it around in his hands. He flashed a mischievous look at Hebs when he suggested something bedroom-related for Gian and Alfie. "They aren't exactly an ordinary human couple," the fallen angel hummed, tugging the snake man's hand and leading him around the rest of the store. "What did you have in mind, precisely?" This was mostly souvenirs and knick-knacks. While walking, he scooped up a fish tank decoration that he knew would amuse Rousel--a Hawaiian girl in a grass hula skirt.


The intensity of Léan's discomfort was amazing, really--the moment he set foot into that place, his shoulders rose up to his chin and his expression darkened. On a positive note, he did grip the human's hand a little more tightly and shuffled closer to him, practically leaning on him the entire way there. He tried to ignore the humans bustling about around him, but particular things (and particular people) just couldn't be ignored. A frazzled mother near the entrance stood in line like a prisoner waiting for the gallows, her five small, screaming brats running wild in the nearby aisle and an infant shrieking in her arms. An older woman walked in front of them at a snail's pace at one point, blabbering away on her cell phone about her day. And then there was the kicker--a gaggle of teenage girls passed by them and fixed both men with appraising, flirtatious looks.

The merman seemed miserable, at least until they turned the corner and the seafood display came into view. He perked up a bit, eyes locked on the various goodies on display, but he refused to dart forward and take a look--he remained glued to Kratos' side. When they finally did approach the display all the way, Léan scoured the fish carefully, pupils moving a mile a minute. He was silent for all of three minutes before he pointed out ten different and tasty-looking fish--enough to keep him fed for a while.


Blake's taste in horror movies was probably different than what Johnny was imagining. Sure, gore could be scary. But Blake preferred a different kind of scary. A thrilling, psychological sort of scary. The kind of scary that would leave you having horrible nightmares and sleeping with all the lights on for months on end. Scary movies that were based on true stories were even more appealing--there were witnesses to corroborate the story itself!

"You gonna watch any of these with me? I know damn well you've got absolutely nothing to do anyway." He kept a pretty good eye on his housemate--he was a rather observant young man. "Plus, watching movies all by myself in the dark gets kind of depressing after a while." Blake sifted through the various movies in his shoe boxes for a moment...and then he yanked out his well-loved (if the marks on the case were anything to go by) copy of The Fourth Kind. "This one's interesting. And it's got facts to support what happened." He held it out to Johnny with one hand, finally making a grab for his share of food with the other hand. "You have a DVD player, right? Wanna pop that in?"

Hebs had to agree with that. If they wanted to get to know each other, shouldn't they be bringing up their pasts? Then again, he was pretty sure Kratos has his own style of having the merman warm up to him. Just like how Shadow was warming up to him. "You really are like a doting father and a love cupid combined," he started, grinning mostly to himself as he glanced up at him, "And, I'm not sure. What about-" Hebs purposely cut himself off and continued this with a silent whisper to their open link. He couldn't exactly say it out loud. After all, they weren't the only ones in this shop. There was that playful mirth dancing about in his eyes, but it stopped the moment he saw something.

A scarf. Sure, it may be nothing to most people, but the thought that flitted to his mind would be enough to tell his partner - to tell Shadow - that Hebs wanted it for him. "Beautiful, isn't it?" a stranger piped up by Hebs' side. Alarmed, the snake man tore his gaze away from the scarf to the human standing by him. The stranger was around his early thirties. At least he looked the part. That defined jaw, the handsome, winning smile, the perfectly shaped brows, and the way he brought himself should've been obvious that he was an actor. Hebs, though, didn't seem to grasp that bit because the wave of the man's obvious interest on him seemed to splash him with a bucket of warm water. He was far too bothered by this to have realized anything else. "I had my eye on it first, but if you'll be buying it for yourself... may I offer to buy it for you?" Even that tenor in his voice was almost - just almost - similar to Shadow's. It didn't have the same effect, though.

"Ah," Hebs started. He was glad he was able to snap out of his gaze on the said stranger when a little kid was pulling her mother into the store and the bell rang to announce their presence. He gave the said man a polite smile. "No, that's all right." Hebs' hands immediately raised up in level to his chest to show the other that he was all right. He did like it, but he wasn't going to buy it for himself. "You may-"

The way the man sidled up to him, crossing what personal space he had, had him stopping in midsentence. "That's too bad. I'd have preferred it on you." It didn't help, either, that this human wrapped the scarf around his shoulders. Hebs managed to chuckle, albeit nervously. He was trying to get the scarf off of himself, but the man's hands were keeping him from doing so. It almost appeared to him that this stranger was only interested in trying to touch him. After all, he did have scales for skin. And, because he didn't want to hurt this stranger, he was trying to keep his arms still, much to his dismay. "Thank you, but I really-"

"I insist. Let me buy it for you."

Shadow? I'm sorry. But, can I ask for your help here, please? Hebs would've had been fine with the situation if the stranger had just ask for his permission. But, even then, this was crossing harassment.


Kratos noticed the way Léan's expression and stance changed, and he immediately let go of the other's hold to his hand to reach around his shoulders and keep the other close to him. He gave what wanting stares a glare and made sure to pull the other away from bumping too much into people - kids or not. These were one of the reasons why he hated going grocery. Why couldn't people just pop in, get what they need, then pop out? They were loitering, and they were adding to the population of the already crowded place. And, the sight of those gaggle of teenage girls only added to his disapproval. The frown marring the Life Man's face as his expression soured seemed to do its job of keeping people away from him - from them.

Once they arrived at the display of seafood, he seemed to have relax a bit and turned to look down at the other. They were not much different in height, but he liked how he towered over him - even a bit. "That all?" he asked him before he'd slid his hand down from his shoulders to his waist. The look that was given to him by the old lady by the display was ignored as he re-pointed from memory what his lover had chosen. He got at least a crate of each, used the money that Gian had given him, and made a face when he found out that it was lacking. The boy could take care of that. After giving them the details of the payment, he tugged Léan with him back out and towards the van.

Just in time, too. Gian was towing a cart of food and had just opened the van when he came up to stock them into the back with Kratos and Léan. He did, however, stop when Kratos got his attention and told him about the crates of fish. With Gian gone, Kratos let go of Léan to resume what the boy had been doing before he leaned against the van to wait for the crates. From the looks of things, it'd seem like he and Léan will have to sit with Gian inside the van, after all.

They had to fit the crates in.


Johnny really disliked the way Blake pointed out that he was going to be bored. Wow. Really. What a way to get under his skin. As the lawyer only grunted in reply, he leaned back against the couch and crossed his arms over his chest. But, he did, however, seemed to have calmed down when the boy continued and admitted something like that. His irritation would've stayed down if it weren't for Blake asking him to pop the DVD he held out to him.

"It's in the other side, beside your laid out 'bed'." Johnny held the DVD out back to him and pursed his lips. He waved the DVD again to point in the direction of the said player. "Pop it in."

A doting father and Cupid combined, you say? Shadow sounded wickedly amused by Hebs' words. Partially because those words practically described him to a T...but mostly because deep within his mind, he was desperately trying to picture exactly what that would look like. For some reason, this rather scintillating image of a pudgy middle-aged man wearing cupid garb and building a deck--yes, it was the perfect visual to go along with those words!

The fallen angel, as observant as he was, definitely didn't miss that fleeting thought of his lover's. In fact, he was about to pop off a comment that was most definitely not appropriate to say in public...but he was interrupted. Rudely so, in fact. Like Hebs, he instantly pirouetted in place to get a better look at the stranger, golden eyes narrowed into a squint. The unfamiliar man's looks instantly snagged Shadow's attention. He was not used to being in a committed relationship, and in the past Damon never minded him checking other people out or even flirting with them (as long as that was as far as it went). So naturally, his eyes swept over the other male's body, taking in every little feature.

At first, he didn't appear to be too bothered by this strange man and his obvious interest in Hebs. Flirtation should always be taken as a compliment to one's looks and nothing more--no one should ever be insulted by simple flirtation.

But the man obviously crossed the line when he bridged the gap between himself and Hebs, clearly invading his lover's personal space bubble. Instantly, Shadow's shoulders rose somewhat, eventually stopping at a point level with his chin. He was surprisingly slow to react. Clear boundaries had not been set between himself and Hebs as of yet. Shadow disliked commitment for a variety of reasons. He preferred open relationships over monogamous ones. He and Hebs had yet to sit down and iron out the details--to speak about what each expected out of a relationship and what they were not willing to tolerate from the other. So even though the man was being rude, Shadow waited for Hebs to become uncomfortable.

The second the snake man verbally expressed his discomfort, Shadow's entire demeanor changed. That same infuriated expression, the one that chilled most people to their very bone, darkened his features. He took a step forward, both hands raising. With obvious force, Shadow snagged the man's intruding hands and viciously pried them off of Hebs. He didn't release them at first--instead, he squeezed them with all of his might. He leaned forward slowly, menacingly, until he was nearly nose-to-nose with the man.

"Do not touch what does not belong to you." His voice was absolutely chilling and laden with unspoken threats. With a final shove, Shadow put himself between Hebs and the man, standing tall in front of his lover. Shadow was a tall man, and this other male was about as tall as he was...but somehow, he managed to look down at him. Threateningly.


Oh, Léan certainly appreciated all the close contact, even in such a public place! As he grew more comfortable around the human...more of that instinctual behavior that merpeople were so very fond of would crop up. Such as enjoying this public display of affection--merpeople could be very possessive when it came to their life-mates, and they definitely didn't want other creatures to venture too close.

Especially during mating season. Now, that was a completely different ball game, that was. Kratos was sure to get a taste of what that was like in the next couple of weeks--the mating season of the merpeople drew closer with each passing day. Hormones ran wild. Testosterone and estrogen alike ran wild, causing merfolk to shamelessly seek physical attention from others, attack on a simple whim, and suffer through constantly shifting mood swings that were...well...insufferable. Shadow had conveniently neglected to talk about this with Kratos. Usually, Léan was kept locked away during the worst week of the mating season, isolated from his family. But now he had Kratos. And he definitely wouldn't want to be alone during those trying times.

Though he was now completely mobile on land, the siren didn't bother helping Kratos with the crates. Steady as he was on his feet, heavy lifting could easily throw him off balance. He could see it now--he'd try to lift something, but he'd end up slipping and falling, and the heavy crate would crush him. That would be just peachy--and with his luck, it wasn't too far-fetched of a concern. He leaned against the side of the van, gaze turned skyward. Involuntarily, he began sniffing the air. Merpeople were usually on point when it came to the weather. "I smell rain," he murmured after a while, squinting at the sky. "A storm. Thunderstorm. Possible hail."

That was unfortunate. He was terrified of thunder, after all.


"Yeah, sure. Hold your horses." Blake bent over the other side of the makeshift bed, muttering to himself as he shifted around. He was trying to pop the DVD in with only one hand--the other clutched a bowl of food. It was an amusing spectacle, but the boy had determination, that was for sure. After an almighty struggle, he finally shoved the DVD into the DVD player and sat back up, heaving a great sigh. "There. Done. Should start playing, now."

Blake seemed tense as the movie started to play, but he calmed down after a couple of minutes, contently munching on his food. His skin was still pallid and every once in a while he coughed or let out a loud sneeze, but he looked a little better, now.

Hebs breathed a sigh of relief when the man's hands were off him. Although the scarf was still around his neck, that, as of the moment, was of no concern to him. Right now, he was more taken aback by Shadow's rather threatening behavior. Sure, he'd seen this before, but he was never the one being protected by it. At the words his lover spoke, though darkly said; Hebs couldn't help but find himself feeling a little more than embarrassed and pleased all at the same time. It was a strange feeling and the way his heart fluttered about gave his cheeks that reddish tint.

It took a second for him to regain his composure, and when he had, he reached out to put his hand over his lover's arm. "I apologize," he started. Despite him being the receiver of this stranger's affection and harrassment, he thought he need to give his apologies. After all, he hadn't said it out loud and clear. "I had meant to buy this scarf for my lover. Not for myself."

This handsome stranger seemed threatened and afraid. Only rightly so because he had a fallen angel - one who's beauty really does surpass anyone and everyone - giving him a death glare. But, when the snake man spoke up, he let out a nervous chuckle as he took a step back. His wrists seem to still hurt because he was rubbing them. "Why didn't you say so? Well. That's too bad. I really did have an interest in you... err..." He stopped and waved his hand as if he were silently brushing off his words before he'd left in a hurry.

Hebs hold on Shadow's arm tightened and he leaned closer to rest his forehead against the other's back. Even if the man had already left, he was still feeling all sorts of weird. Different. Weird, but nice. "Thank you." Sliding his hand down to take Shadow's hand in his own, he brought his hand up to press a gentle but lingering kiss. He also pulled the scarf from around his own shoulders to put it over Shadow's neck. Hebs peered over the fallen angel's shoulder and smiled. "And, I have to admit, I like those words you said. Makes me fall for you all over again. No pun intended."


Kratos grunted when the kid finally came back with a tray of crates. He seemed to go back and forth while the Life Man loaded the creates into the van. He did, however, stop and blink when his lover murmured something. Rain? The man's nose scrunched up. "We should hurry then." Once all the crates and grocery bags had been loaded, he reached out to take Léan's hand and led him back into the van. Gian, too, after returning the cart, went and took the driver's seat.

They were off in a couple of minutes and back to the villa. That was when the clouds started to darken above them. Gian turned to look back at Kratos and Léan after he'd turned off the engine. "I can take care of the crates. I just need help with the grocery bags, please." He disappeared back into the house to get a cart, started piling up enough carts he could carry, and, indeed, skillfully brought them all in.


Johnny did particularly like the sight. He enjoyed it, so to speak. It was amusing seeing Blake trying to balance the bowl of food and the DVD. He would've had offered to hold his bowl if this was Gian, but he still wasn't used to Blake. After all, he was just a guest here and Gian, well, he was his childhood friend. Leaning back into the couch, he relaxed with his arms crossed over his chest. It was rather annoying hearing Blake munching on his food, but he knew better than to decide for a sick man. Instead, he just kept his eyes - though half-lidded - stuck on the screen. He was barely registering the story, really. Johnny, right now, was feeling more drowsy than active.

Shadow was so caught up in his fury that he almost forgot that Hebs was there. When the snake man initially reached out and placed a hand on one of his arms, the muscles there tensed as if they were preparing to swing. He didn't want to let this man, this man who touched his lover without his permission and made him uncomfortable, off the hook that easily...but he also knew that neither Hebs nor the owners of the gift shop would much like seeing the degenerate's guts strewn all over the shelving...

He let the man go. He did not say another word, nor did he give chase...but that was obviously difficult for him, given how gloomy his current thoughts were.

The fallen angel jumped when a soft warmth pressed against his back, but he was quick to relax, leaning back against Hebs and purring softly. He immediately adjusted the scarf now wound around his neck. Scarves were garments that Shadow was awfully fond of--in fact, during the wintertime, seeing him without one was an oddity indeed. He definitely looked good with the fabric wound around his neck and draping across his shoulders. After a moment, Shadow turned, an almost wolfish expression on his face. Without hesitation, he leaned down and pecked the snake man on the lips.

"We should pay for the things we've picked up--the scarf, the hula girl ornament for Rousel, and this shell for Léan," he murmured, his voice a low and tempting croon. "We need to hustle if we want to pick up enough gifts for the whole family. There isn't much time. We should pay and promptly move to the next store." He still wasn't sure what Alfie and Gian would enjoy, but he was looking for clothing for Kratos. He knew what Léan really liked to see on human beings, and he was intent on finding the right costume for Kratos--after all, if the siren liked it, he'd be inclined to try it on, even just one time...


Léan made a point of not looking at Gian during the ride back to the villa. He wasn't in the mood for conversation, and if his lack of eye contact didn't spell that out, his tension-riddled stance most certainly did. Thunder and lightning were incoming. The storm would be here any moment. The last place he wanted to be during a storm was stuck in a screaming metal deathtrap. A tin can. No, he wanted to get home, rip this stupid necklace off, and burrow himself underneath a nest of blankets to wait out the storm.

Thunder scared him terribly. He never really relayed why to anyone but Shadow, though. Perhaps it was a painful memory?

The merman wholly intended to disappear into the villa the moment he crawled out of the van...but Gian's words stopped him. Léan huffed and his shoulders slumped. Yep. He was still spoiled rotten. Shadow made a grave mistake in spoiling the blonde siren so much and letting him have just about anything he ever wanted--that behavior would be difficult to curb. Despite putting up a bit of a childish fuss, Léan caved in and carried a couple of the lighter bags inside. Even that added weight made his unsure legs wobble a bit.


As the movie continued on, Blake became engrossed in it. His blue eyes were so wide that they reflected the images on the television screen. It was about halfway into the movie, however, that the slowly-developing creepy atmosphere was shattered. A series of loud banging noises echoed throughout the house. Someone was at the door, knocking with a heavy hand. "Hello? Anybody home?" The knocking intensified. "Open up! U.S. Marshals, with a search warrant! We have reason to believe that you are harboring a fugitive of the law!"

What little color remained in that pallid skin instantly faded. Blake slowly set his empty bowl aside, suddenly becoming very interested in the carpeting below his feet. His reaction spoke volumes, even though he made no comment. Those United States Marshals...they were here for him. His past was one shrouded in mystery, sure. No one (sans Shadow, of course) knew where Blake came from. What he left behind. What his real story was. The only thing that was well-known...

...Was that his out-of-control powers accidentally brought about the death of a dear friend. But if it was all an accident...then why...?

That soft purr Shadow let on made him smile. It made him smile in amusement. No, Shadow wasn't just a cupid and a doting father, he was all he could ask for: a protector and a lover. His. When the other turned, showing him that wolfish expression of his, he could only find himself laughing after that feeling of discomfort. He did enjoy that kiss from him, though. "We should," he agreed witha nod as he reached out to take the hula girl ornament and the shell from his lover, "But I insist paying for that scarf for you."

Reaching back up to slid his arms along Shadow's shoulders, he reached up to pull the other's man head down for another kiss - one much longer this time, but still innocent. Hebs was aware of the stare from the little girl down the aisle when he'd pulled back and he nipped Shadow's lower lip before he finally let go. Smiling towards the little girl's way and her mother, he went to pay for the items he'd picked out and made a mental note to help Shadow with picking up something for Kratos.

[[ Should we fastforward to them finding gifts and all for their family? o: ]]


Kratos, apparently, wasn't aware at all of Léan's fear for thunderstorms. Sure, he had the other pressed close to him that time before, but he didn't think much of it. All he wanted and was thinking that time was that he liked the merman and he finally had him in his arms. That time, too, he was still adjusting to having to actually take care of the other, to be by his side. "You don't have to try so hard," he told his lover when he'd caught up with him. His lips seemed to have curled up in amusement as he leaned down to peck his lips. Moving towards the kitchen, the Life Man continued walking in and out the front door to get the bags from the van.

Once he got everything out, he left the crates to the boy. That's what he said, right? Then, he took Léan's hand into his own, tugged lightly and tilted his head towards the hallway where the rooms were at. It was obvious what he wanted: sleep. And, he wanted to sleep with the merman by his side.

Gian, on the other hand, managed to get the last of the crates in before the storm finally surged in. He shut the door with his foot, apologized when it slammed shut, and cringed. He hoped he hadn't disturbed anyone from their sleep. Rolling the cart to the kitchen, the boy then went and unpacked the groceries, putting the fish - and as much as he could - into the fridge. Somehow, it looked weird with all sorts of fish tucked in there and their mouths all too obvious for anyone if they were to open the freezer.

Once the boy was done, he heaved a sigh of relief and flopped down the couch in the living room. It didn't take too long for him to fall asleep, and he was glad he washed his hands before he did because in a matter of minutes, the boy had curled up with his hand tucked under his cheek.


Johnny, on the other hand, was starting to find himself falling asleep. That was what usually happens when he had too much free time on his hands. It didn't matter if there was a movie or a series running on-screen. It's also the reason why he's subscribed for re-runs of movies and series available in all channels. But, he was jolted wide awake the moment there was a loud rapping noise from where he was sure his front door was. It didn't help, too, that his visitors said something about having a search warrant.

The male frowned and he turned to look back over his shoulder at Arcturus. If they were to find him harboring a merman, that was going to be a problem, wasn't it? After all, black markets didn't have legal receipts. Bringing up a hand to have it run halfway through his hair, he tugged at the strands, brought his hand down and adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose. He wasn't sure if they were talking about Arcturus, but what he was sure about was that they weren't talking about him.

"Blake-" He stopped at the sight of the boy looking pale. His brows shot up and his eyes widened a bit. He couldn't- No. The marshals couldn't be talking about any of them. Pushing himself off from the single seat sofa, he walked towards the said door and opened it. Along the way, he made sure to grab his lawyer badge. He always did leave it by his front door. "Good morning, marshals," came his first greeting as he gave them a polite smile, "May I have a look at the search warrant?"

This place wasn't Blake's. It was certainly Arcturus' though. He hoped the merman was hidden well enough so these strangers wouldn't find him. Taking the said search warrant from their hands, he noticed one of them already surreptitiously eyeing Blake. Recognition and realization was also something he saw there after the boy's image sunk in. "Yes, please. By all means." The male stepped aside and rolled the search warrant. He had wanted them to stay away from his home, but to do that with a search warrant?

"Is he with you, sir?"

Johnny turned to look at Blake when one of them had motioned to him. He knew then whom they were referring to as a fugitive. "Yes. I represent him and he is under my protection. Is there already a court trial datea?"

(( I'll fast-forward that. I'm assuming Shadow will buy a nice suit for Kratos...as for Gian and Alfie, I was thinking maybe some scented bath beads. Alfie loves taking baths--they could certainly put those to good use. :3 ))


Shadow was predictably picky when it came to choosing a show costume for Kratos. Of course, their beloved siren was also terribly picky, so this would turn out to be a good thing in the end. As long as Léan was happy with, the fallen angel figured that Kratos would be happy with it as well. All in all, it took him a half hour to finally settle on a suit from one of the various clothing shops along the street. It wasn't ostentatious enough to be ridiculous, but it wasn't so plain that the merman wouldn't take to it. It was a handmade piece and ridiculously expensive, but Shadow didn't even bat an eyelash as he paid for it. As for Gian and Alfie...after visiting a fragrant bath and body shop, he playfully suggested some bath beads (which smelled absolutely amazing even through the packaging). These were also pricey, but again, he didn't seem to mind.

Just as they were about to head back, something glinted in one of the shop windows. Shadow insisted on checking it out. It just so happened to be a beautiful little bottle. The fallen angel instantly snatched it up and paid for it, declaring that it would be a nice gift for Sebastian to take back to his sister Nomi in Babylon. He missed his dear sister terribly...the least he could do to maintain some sort of contact with her was to get her a gift.

Shadow seemed content as he led the way back to his vacation home, whistling to himself with his arm wound around one of Hebs' arms. "I hope everyone enjoys their gifts," he declared brightly, obviously in a good mood. All of their shopping was done, and they still had some time to relax and take it easy before their sightseeing trip on the boat.


It would serve Léan well in both the near and distant future if he started exercising his legs. They were new limbs. Weak limbs. Even though he could now support his own weight, that wasn't nearly enough to function in the real world. Even the siren himself knew that much. Kratos could help him exercise, certainly. Somewhere in the villa was a small gym, used by Shadow's family in the past. The equipment there was definitely outdated, but would work for simple leg exercises.

Still acting like a spoiled child, Léan huffed after being pecked on the lips and continued on. He stubbornly waited for Kratos by the hallway after hauling in a few more of the lighter bags. The other bags were too heavy for him. He already had trouble balancing as it was--he still had a bit of trouble with climbing stairs because of the balance it required. That was something he needed to work on, as well...his balance. At the moment, though, Léan wasn't interested in what he still had to work on. No, he was more interested in getting under the blankets and settling in for a long, stormy night. He immediately squeezed Kratos' hand, enveloping it in his own, and decided to take the lead for a change--he led the way down the hallway and to their room, quickly sidling inside. Just as he set foot into the room...a sickening crack of thunder rocked the house. The merman jumped in fright and hurried over to the bed, burrowing under the blankets.

The loud crack of thunder woke Alfie from a comfortable sleep--he sat up rapidly, looking panicked at first. When he realized what he'd just heard, however, he calmed down, unwillingly sliding out of bed. Predictably, the naga made a beeline for the kitchen...but he paused when he noticed a familiar shock of brown hair poking up from in front of the sofa. With a snicker, Alfie slithered his way around the sofa, flopping onto it and snuggling against Gian with a low, pleased purr.

Cuddling with his lover was more important than shoveling his face full of food.


The empty, almost hollow expression clouding Blake's features intensified some when Johnny spoke his name and looked his way. Slowly, the boy brought his legs up and pressed them against his chest, resting his head on top of his knees. It was a defensive stance. He was frightened. Frightened of the small battalion of United States marshals outside, who most likely had the residence surrounded. He might have considered running if he'd been in a less unfortunate state--he was ill, and he knew he wouldn't get very far.

He was trapped. Cornered. And if there was one thing Blake hated more than talking about and using his powers...it was feeling cornered.

As was expected, there were three U.S. Marshals at the door--two men and a woman. Lurking behind them, almost out of sight, were several armed police officers. Probably SWAT, simply based on what they were wearing and the long automatic rifles they were armed with. The younger man was the one conversing with Johnny. The woman was rifling through paperwork, probably a file containing all of Blake's information. The older man had his gaze set squarely on Blake, who refused to move from his place on the sofa bed.

All three Marshals stepped inside when Johnny allowed them entry. The older man instantly made a move to stroll across the room toward Blake, but the younger man wisely held him back, noticing the boy's muscles tensing up. Sick or not, he was ready to brawl. The sight of the older Marshal set Blake even more on edge. This was the one leading the case against him. The two obviously knew each other, and the relationship between them seemed awfully sour. Perhaps they had both done something to rub the other the wrong way?

At Johnny's words, the woman finally looked up from her paperwork, arching a perfectly groomed eyebrow. Blake seemed surprised by Johnny's words--he blinked and briefly broke off his staring contest with the older Marshal. "You are his new attorney, then, I assume?" She had a nasally voice. "I don't know why you're harboring him if you know what he's done. He's dangerous. There was an arraignment back in his hometown of Homer, Alaska." So...Blake traveled down into the continental United States all the way from Alaska on his own? Impressive.

"There was an arraignment there. For aggravated first-degree murder." Blake shrank back further in his seat--the older Marshal tensed, just in case the violet-haired male was planning to make a break for it, but Blake thankfully stayed put. "I don't know how he managed to escape from prison, but he did." Probably with the unexpected help of a couple of merciful spirits. "His looks are very distinctive. It was only a matter of time before we located him. I'm afraid we're going to need to take him into custody now."

The female Marshal offered the file to Johnny. The very first thing in the file was Blake's personal file, which included his previously unknown last name--Ashling. The next item was a picture. A downright gruesome picture of a murder scene. The victim must have been identified through dental records...because really, there was no other way....

His skin had been ripped from his body. He'd been brutally dismembered. The cuts were jagged and uneven. All four limbs, as well as his head, were strewn about the grassy clearing at the scene. The eyes and some of his teeth were also missing. It was a horrific scene, for sure.

Hebs saw a few things here and there, but he didn't really find anything good for Gian. Also, even if he did buy something for the kid, he was more than positive he was fine with Alfie's bath soaps. From what it appeared to him, the kid liked taking a bath with his lover. When Shadow's exclamation reached his ears, he was cut off from his thoughts.

He looked up at him and chuckled. Hebs brought his hand up to take the fallen angel's hand in his own before he'd nodded. "I'm sure they will. They enjoy anything from you." Reaching up to fix Shadow's scarf, he looked around to the couple and their child. He was pretty sure the little girl was fascinated with him. After all, he was pretty different. Shadow was different, too, but in another kind of way.

Waving at her and watching her childishly and excitedly telling her parents about him greeting her, he moved his attention back to Shadow. "That little bottle you just bought, though. It's really beautiful. What do you think it was?"


Kratos blinked when Léan suddenly took the lead. No, he was surprised. More than surprised. The squeeze to his hand made him look down and he found the sides of his lips curling up a little. A rare expression on him, and it seemed that only Léan was able to get that out of him. Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak up, he found himself stopping at the sound of the loud crack of that thunder. Even his heart jumped up to his throat.

When he realized Léan's lack of presence and the bulk on the bed, it wasn't too hard to put two and two together. The male immediately marched to the bed, slipped off his shoes, and slipped under the covers. The first thing he did was reach out to pull the merman's body to him, to run his fingers through his hair, and lean in to take those lips for a light kiss. "It's fine," he mumbled against his lips, "You're with me, Léan."


Shadow was surely going to have his head if Johnny didn't step up his game like that. The look the woman gave him didn't seem to phase the lawyer at all. He only wore his pin, took the file, and made no mention of what he had just been informed. He had to, after all, look like he knew what had happened. "Yes," was his only reply to politely answer the woman's question. To anger them was certainly not in his code, and he's learned through his various meetings with them that they were not to be dealt with lightly. In fact, he could be thrown behind bars if he didn't settle this in an amicable way.

But, at the mere mention of the boy needing to be locked up, it took all of Johnny's will not to be surprised at this and say what he thought was in his mind. "Will the three of you please follow me out?" He turned to look at Blake before he moved his attention back to the woman before him. "I'd just like a word." He saw the looks they seemed to exchange to each other. There was obviously discomfort there. "If he runs away this time, I'll be sure to take the boy's place behind bars. This is, after all, a grave sin against the law, is it not?"

Once the deal was done, Johnny waited for them to step out, albeit hesitantly. He turned to look again at Blake, gave him a stern stare that obviously said to "Stay" before he disappeared behind the front door.

Good. They didn't notice Arcturus. They didn't search his house, so they have not seen the boy's paintings yet. He really had to call Shadow to have him dispose of those before they become evidence. The thing he was holding now was, by far, conclusive evidence and to get the judge to oversee this was like using a piranha to catch fish. It was about thirty minutes later when the sound of sirens were shut off and the cars that had once surrounded his home was gone. Johnny, looking very much exhausted, stepped back in and locked the door behind him. For once, he didn't want to speak. For once, he just wanted to sleep. And, for once, he regretted taking on being the lawyer for Shadow's freak family.

Johnny flopped onto the couch and let out a deep breath. He seemed still for a moment as he rested the back of his head against the couch and crossed his leg over the other. No, he was past surprised. Right now, he was already formulating a plan. How was he supposed to get the judge to believe that not all demon summoners are bad? What kind of witnesses should he bring up to the stand? And, why did the boy's lawyer in Alaska not do anything to try and counter the facts written in the file?

"Keep watching the movie, brat," he told him as he shifted in his seat and crossed his arms, "And finish your food so you can drink the medicine." But, there was one thing he needed to do: get the court to trash this evidence and not put the blame on the boy.

Shadow's peculiar looks tended to attract attention from teenagers and adults only. Children weren't usually affected much by his beauty--unless they were caught in the throes of puberty, of course, and hormones were running wild. No, for the most part children just seemed to notice that something was off about him. Children were a great deal more sensitive to the supernatural and paranormal than older human beings. They could usually sense the presence of wayward spirits and demonic entities in their household, for instance--even long before the adults took notice.

"Hm..." The fallen angel fished around in his shopping bag, eventually unearthing the delicate little bottle. He turned it around in his hands, studying the ornate decorations with a well-practiced eye. He collected odd things from around the world--it was only natural that he was interested in this strange little thing. "It looks like it may be an older perfume bottle. It's very ornate. Probably hand-crafted. I'm not sure where exactly it came from, or why it ended up in a Greek thrift shop...but it is pretty. My sister likes pretty things."

Shadow didn't speak of his sister that often. She was obviously someone he looked up to, despite her being a loyal and devout angel. She probably took very good care of him during their time in the orphanage. As well, she was the only member of his family who did not try to stop him when he abandoned his home for good. As he spoke of her now, a pleasantly warm expression fell over his face. He kept this aura about him as they approached the vacation home, apparently in good mood.


Léan at first panicked when a sudden warm weight pressed against him, but he was quick to calm when he realized it must have been Kratos. With a low, shaky huff, the siren began ripping at the pants covering his legs--he was desperate to change back into his natural form. The second they were yanked from his body, he unclasped the beautiful necklace. In mere seconds, the legs were gone, instead replaced with his gorgeous tail and flowing tailfin. The fins behind his ears mysteriously reappeared along with the tail.

He always felt more secure in this form. Finally, the siren seemed to calm down some, curling his body around the human's and squeezing his eyes shut. The storm raged outside, gradually growing in intensity. It would likely rage like this all night long. The possibility of the power going out was rather high.


Despite the situation, Blake's nosiness knew no bounds. He craned his neck the moment Johnny disappeared out of sight, sitting on the edge of his seat and straining his ears in an attempt to catch bits and pieces of the conversation between the lawyer and the United States Marshals. He caught the occasional word or two, but he was too far away to hear much more. Disappointed, he curled back in on himself, the bowl of cooling food beside him forgotten for the time being. He hadn't shared the fact that he was a wanted fugitive with anyone in the freak family. Johnny never bothered to ask, and Blake didn't want to talk about it. He thought that if he didn't leave the house, no one would be the wiser.

He had a sneaking suspicion that those nosy neighbors next door had something to do with it. Those snitching bastards.

When the front door opened again, Blake's violet head at first shot up, his expression wild and his body poised for a fight. When he saw that it was just Johnny, though, his shoulders slumped and he once again curled in on himself, blocking his face from view. He said nothing to the other man as he approached and sat himself down again. At first, it didn't seem like he was going to listen to his companion's orders...but after a few long seconds, he dropped his legs from up against his chest. With a blank expression, he retrieved his abandoned bowl and and began picking at his food.

He was no longer interested in the movie, though his eyes remained locked on the television screen. No, he was thoroughly distracted. He knew that Johnny was a great lawyer, but that negative part of him was convinced that there was no way in hell anyone could clear his name. He was also dreading the talk that would eventually come between them. Sure, the female Marshal gave Johnny a file on the case...but Blake knew that if Johnny had any hopes of winning this case, they would need to have a long, serious talk about it.

Oh, no. He wasn't looking forward to that at all. He hated talking about what happened with his late friend. He blamed himself, which was a bad thing considering the charges against him. Johnny would have his work cut out for him worming information out of someone who was just as stubborn as he was.

Hebs watched Shadow fish into the bag and pull out the thing he was talking about. It really was beautiful - intricate, even - and really pleasing to look at. Although he particularly didn't care about objects or the little, materialistic things, Hebs did find pleasure in seeing things that was different. Like Shadow, for example. Not only was he different in a sense, he had the traits Hebs found cute and appealing. "Hmm," the snake man gave a friendly hum, "I'm sure she'll love it."

Smiling up at his lover, he reached out to take ahold of the little bottle. He didn't rub it, no. It was rather charming having that dirty spot a little above and near the mouth of the thing. "Hand-crafted to perfection," he added as he handed it back to him. The snake man only let go of the fallen angel once they've arrived at the porch, and he managed to pry the bags off Shadow's hands so he could move forward and ahead to open the door. He left the door open for Shadow, and climbed up the stairs only to return back down with a jacket in hand. It was in Hebs' nature to pack up things that he needed to bring along with him the next day.

Evenings in this country, he's realized since last night, could be pretty cold.


For a moment there, Kratos was stunned. Just for a moment anyway before he'd calmed back down. Once his lover relaxed in his arms, he reached out to take the necklace and put it on the bedside table. Stroking Léan's back, Kratos relaxed, too, and idly used the tips of his toes to satiate his need to touch the other's scales. Talk about a fetish - or a habit. Whatever it was, Kratos really didn't seem to care much.

Gian stirred at the sudden cold and warm presence altogether beside him. He, though, snoozed back, cuddling against his lover as he tucked his head under the other's chin. He inhaled his scent - faint, but nice - before he resumed falling back asleep. That loud rumble of the thunder in the skies didn't wake Gian at all after that.


Johnny waited for Blake to finish his food, to drink his medicine, before he'd shifted in his seat. He kept his half-lidded gaze on the boy, seemingly looking uninterested as he propped his chin up with his hand. Johnny's elbow rested on the arm of the couch. It wasn't until the movie was finished, that the credits were rolling, that Johnny started to speak up. "Hey, brat, just tell me one thing for now." Was he feeling guilty? He bet he does. It's probably the reason why this kid was being stubborn - grew up stubborn. He really wasn't cute.

"Do you really believe you did all that with your bare hands? Ripped this guy to shreds and left nothing but bones and teeth?" Johnny leaned forward and tapped the folder with his index finger, elbows now resting on his knees. He was observing the boy's facial features, watching for any sort of expression that wouldn't be guilt.

The instant Shadow and Hebs set foot back in the vacation home, Sebastian heard them. He poked his head around the corner, golden eyes sharp and attentive as usual. "Ah. You're back. We have about thirty minutes to get ready and reach the dock--plenty of time. Find any goodies out there?" "We most certainly did." Shadow sounded chipper as could be. "Several wonderful trinkets for our family members back home. Oh, and, ah..."

The fallen angel dug into the one small bag he managed to keep in his hands, peeling the wrapping paper away from the delicate perfume bottle. "I saw this. I couldn't resist. I know how much Nomi appreciates pretty things like this. I, ah...I was hoping you could give it to her." Sebastian squinted at the bottle, studying it carefully. He definitely didn't miss that dirty patch, and the perfectionist in him was just dying to wipe the beautiful thing down with a damp cloth. "I can. But for now, it would be best for you to keep it securely wrapped," the angel decided simply, folding his hands behind his back. "I don't want it to break before she has a chance to see it."

Sebastian was by no means a clumsy man. He was referring to Shadow and his occasional bout of clumsiness, and Shadow knew it. The fallen angel pouted before carefully wrapping the bottle back up and stowing it away in its small bag. He set it down on the kitchen table for now.


The tips of Léan's tailfin constantly furled and unfurled as he settled into the human's secure arms. Another, albeit quieter, rumble of thunder shook the house. The siren tensed, tucking his head underneath his lover's chin and squeezing his eyes tightly shut. Sure, thunderstorms were frightening to him--his current behavior showed that much. But...Kratos made him feel safe. The human was like his own personal security blanket, and he intended to keep him as close as he possibly could while the storm raged outside. Léan was not at ease, and it was quite a long time before the tension finally began to leak out of his muscles. Just a few moments later, he was drifting off into an uneasy sleep.

Alfie welcomed the snuggling with gusto--he coiled his thick tail around the both of them like a makeshift blanket. Like Gian, the naga was in no way bothered by the storm. Sure, it was noisy. Sure, the power just might go out as the storm grew in intensity. Alfie didn't want to bother worrying about things he just couldn't change. He deeply inhaled the scent of the human's hair, eyelids drifting shut. He sort of wanted to go back to their bed, but he couldn't bear to disturb Gian's comfortable sleep...so he himself got comfortable, settling in for a much welcome nap.


"I didn't lay a finger on Grayson." Blake almost seemed to wince as he spoke that name out loud. "I didn't touch him." He hung his head, looking decidedly glum and melancholy. "But I did summon the demonic entity that did that to him, right before my eyes. I couldn't stop that thing--I tried, but I couldn't do anything to it. I didn't know what I was summoning--Gray had me reading from some dusty old book his grandma owned. He was always interested in paranormal stuff. Always hunting for ghosts. Going out at night looking for UFOs. Trying to take legitimate pictures of Bigfoot. Fat lot of good that got him..."

Talking about his late friend seemed to dampen Blake's mood even further. Now he wouldn't even look at Johnny as he sat there, twiddling his fingers. "So, yeah. It was my fault. That what you wanted to hear? Because I fucked with stuff I shouldn't have fucked with, the only person that ever gave two shits about me is in the ground. I vowed never to use my powers again after that happened, but I can't control all of it. Can't stop seeing spirits, for one. But I can refrain from summoning things...so I won't do that anymore. Unless I'm under proper supervision, that is."

Thirty minutes. Yeah, Hebs heard that. When he'd returned back down, he saw Shadow handing that little, old perfume bottle - or so it still appeared to him - to Sebastian. The conversation between the two made him blink, and he laughed softly. Softly, only because he didn't want his lover to hear him. "All right," he cut them off, hoping to wipe that pout off his lover's face, "Shall we head out?" Hebs smiled and moved to stand by Sebastian's side.

"How far is the dock from here?"


It was bad that Kratos liked this, but what was worse was the fact that he was taking advantage of the situation here. But, then again, he had always been like that. Quiet and scheming. All right, maybe not the latter, but he liked how his lover leaned onto him like this. As his hold around him tightened, the Life Man continued to stroke the other's back. He, too, only relaxed further when Léan's breathing evened out. While he was asleep, he pulled his head back to look down at him. He, without another word, leaned down to peck him on the lips before he settled down and slept, too.


Johnny saw Blake's expressions, his actions, and the words he spoke. He listened intently for any sort of crack, hesitation or whatnot. When he found nothing, the lawyer only nodded after the boy spoke. "No," he started as he leaned back again, "It wasn't your fault to begin with. He asked for you to read a spell, it worked, and this demon ripped your friend to pieces. The supernatural isn't usually blamed, but you were left in the scene. Your fingerprints, your hair, and most probably your clothes - they were there." The male smiled. "I need you to use your powers again, but this time, we will lay traps for this demon."

That smile Johnny wore wasn't exactly friendly, no. The look he had on wasn't gentle, either. "I will clear your name." If there was anything Johnny was proud of, it was his ability in the court room. "There's no need for you to rot behind bars when you didn't personally touch your friend." For once, Johnny was dealing with an innocent, and he knew then that he can get Blake out of this mess. Wiping the smile off his own face, he pushed himself to get up.

"Drink your medicine and tuck up in here. Take a rest." Taking the used bowl and utensil of Blake's, he disappeared into the kitchen.

Even though Hebs tried his best to laugh softly, Shadow still heard him. He frowned disapprovingly at his lover, but mirth danced behind the annoyed glint in his eyes. Sure, he could be clumsy. Most of the time, Shadow was the very picture of elegance and grace, but there were those scant times when he became gloppy and clumsy. For instance, he behaved much like that in the morning hours. The fallen angel was by no means a morning person--if he woke up before nine in the morning, he would be miserable and uncoordinated, and he wouldn't pay too much attention to what he was doing or where he was going.

"Oh, it's not far." Shadow was the one who answered. He knew this area better than his lover and his brother, after all--this was his favorite place to escape to when he was feeling blue. "It's a five-minute journey by taxi. Walking there would take fifteen minutes, but again, we have some time." Walking would also give them the chance to better sight-see--there were so many beautiful things to see on this secluded island. Sebastian shrugged, strolling past the pair toward the stairwell. "I ought to change before we head out, into something a little warmer. It will get colder the farther we drift out to sea."

Shadow, already clad in his favorite fuzzy turtleneck, didn't bother retreating to change clothing--he was all ready to go.


Later on in the evening, Alfie's sharp ears caught the distinct sound of someone struggling with something and cursing to themselves. He was a deep sleeper, and also incredibly lazy, so it took him a while to muster up the willpower to wiggle out of Gian's grasp. The naga quietly slithered over to the hallway, peering down it curiously. There was no one in the hallway...but Damon's door was open. Nosy as ever, he drifted a tiny bit closer...and then he caught some distinct words. Looking both concerned and excited, he made his way back to Gian, grasping his arm and shaking him lightly.

"Hey. I think Damon's finally got some strength back in his legs--I hear him stretching them out in his room. Maybe you, uh...maybe you wanna try and help him stand?" Once Damon was able to stand on his own, that would be his first big milestone in learning how to walk again.


"I shouldn't have bothered with the stupid incantation in the first place, so I am still partially to blame." Blake's voice held a note of sourness to it. Grayson's brutal and untimely death was the main reason for the massive amount of insecurity circulating around those powers of his, after all. That insecurity of his wouldn't go down without a fight. This attitude would not serve him well in court--if he felt guilty, looked guilty, and (god forbid) expressed that he felt guilty, the jury would undoubtedly find him guilty on all charges. Due to the nature of the crime, he would most likely be put to death.

When Johnny declared that they were going to lay down traps for that demon during a summoning, Blake stared at the lawyer incredulously, as if the man had suddenly sprouted a second head. "Oh, no!" Immediately, his hands shot up and began waving around in the air. "No! Not gonna happen! I already told you, I'm done using my powers to summon things! It's too dangerous, and I'm terrible at it. I've already killed one person I cared about, and I don't--"

His mouth snapped shut and his shoulders rose again, a scowl marring his features. He didn't bother saying anything else, because after that embarrassingly colossal near-fuck-up, anything else he said would only make things worse. With an overly-dramatic sigh, Blake downed the foul-tasting medicine in one gulp, clacked the bottle down a little too hard on the small end table beside the couch, and buried himself underneath the blankets, shifting around until he resembled little more than a small lump beneath the covers.

Convincing Blake that summoning the very demon who shattered his youthful confidence in the first place would be a trying endeavor, indeed...but hopefully, Johnny would be up for the battle.

Hebs didn't bother changing, either. He did go up the stairs foreseeing this. When Sebastian was gone and out of sight, he moved again to stand before his lover. "Before I forget..." He reached behind him to pull out a part of the scarf he'd carelessly tucked into his back pocket. Reaching up to put this around the fallen angel's neck, he fixed his turtleneck, too, and smiled once he was finished. "Perfect." Meeting Shadow's gaze and quite not bothered at all this time when he wasn't able to tear his eyes away from him, he reached back up to pull his lover down to plant a light kiss on his cheek.

"I'll wait out for the two of you." Sliding his hands down Shadow's shoulders, his arms, and taking his hands in his own, he squeezed them gently before he slid his eyes shut. It was a couple more seconds later before Hebs finally turned away and let go to step out and past the front door again.


Gian was quite bothered by the lack of presence by his side, and even more so when Alfie decidedly woke him up from his slumber. "Mm..." Groaning, the boy tried to hide his face in his arms, only to fail so when the rays from the sun, which were peeking in from the window across him - blatantly hitting him squarely in the eye. It blinded him for a bit and the boy shut his eyes tight. "He is?" he started before he'd shifted to sit up, "But I don't-" He paused. Jae should know what to do. He vaguely remembered the guy telling him helping out in the home for the aged.

Once his eyes were fully opened did he look up at Alfie and then back to the hallway. "We can ask!" he said excitedly, almost forgetting that Alfie didn't know that. He used his lover's arm as leverage to get himself off the couch, back to the floor, and hurried to walk past him and on towards the hallways. He held himself back from just rudely opening Jae's door. Knocking and waiting with anxious feet shuffling beneath him, he finally opened it and peered in. "'scuse me," he started with a grin, "There's just something I need from you. Sorry for waking you up so suddenly."

It was a few minutes after when Gian stepped back out of Jae's room. He headed towards Damon's open door and blinked as he knocked to announce his presence. "Evening, Damon!" he said, chirpy as ever. There was also a grin that touched his lips. "Mind if I enter and help you to your bed? There's something I'd like to try." Jae told him to massage Damon's legs first, then every day, at least for a few minutes, Damon should try and use someone as leverage to hold himself up. Even a cane would be useful around this time.


Johnny clicked his tongue. "You just did what you naturally do," he told him as he shrugged his shoulders. Just like how he naturally honed his powers to their full extent. He wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he could start moving bodies around - with or without their spirits. Speaking of, he should probably start with trying to pin down spirits, especially those nasty ones. It can become useful. "Please," he started, more than irritated that the boy was putting him in level with that normal friend of his, "I'm not normal. There's no need for you to care about me because I do not need it."

No. Johnny didn't need any of those: care and whatnot. What he needed was power, money, and his own office. To deal with his own cases. This was a first - one he'd taken up on himself.

The male adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose. He's lived alone since he was in college. He didn't need anyone else to protect nor fend for him. This was how he lived, and this was how he will continue to live. Gian didn't even know half of what he'd gone through with this damned power of his. "Get some sleep, brat, and get better. I will need you."

Shadow smiled as Hebs affixed the scarf around his neck, and that smile stretched into a grin when the other tugged him down to plaster a kiss on his cheek. "Oh, don't call me perfect." The fallen angel's nose wrinkled up in distaste. "Angels are perfect. I happen to be of the fallen variety. Therefore, I am hopelessly flawed and imperfect. But, ah...I prefer it that way." Shadow never truly enjoyed himself when he lived among angels. The most fun he ever had was escaping and making friends with a demonic entity, which of course earned him a serious case of Tenebris Odore. No, no...he was much happier, much more content, now that he was fallen.

He didn't want those pearly white wings back. He just wanted to live his life in leisure and take in the rest of society's little misfits.

He was quite confident that his turtleneck would suffice for slightly cooler weather...but then he peered downward at his pants, lips pushed off to the side in a pout. He quickly scaled the stairs after that, obviously to fetch a warmer pair of trousers. Sebastian, clad in that purple hoodie he seemed so fond of and a pair of thick, cozy pajama pants, passed him on his way up. Despite the casual state of his clothing, the garments bore no wrinkles and were spotless. Even when he dressed casually, everything had to be in place. Sebastian pushed his way outside, taking notice of Hebs standing there. He flashed him a smile, but didn't strike up conversation. Shadow made his way through the door mere moments later, now wearing some soft-looking fleece pants. Sebastian took the lead the second his twin stepped out of the door, striding down the street. "The dock should be this way."


"Ask what? Better yet, ask who?" Alfie's confused voice echoed through the hallway as he pursued Gian, quiet as a mouse. Alfie could be quite the sneaky creature if he wanted to be...but even though he moved silently, he was almost always blabbering away or making some other kind of noise. Nope, sneaky did not describe the naga in the slightest. He blinked when he realized that Gian was knocking on the door to the room they'd temporarily lent to Jae. Oh...he wanted to ask Jae something? But what could that be? Politely, despite his curiosity, Alfie remained in the hallway while Gian conversed with Jae. Too many people in the room at once could be bad for Jae's injuries--too much excitement at once.

Damon wasn't expecting to suddenly have company--he was under the impression that the rest of the household was sound asleep in their beds. Naturally, a startled noise escaped the emerald-haired male and he jumped when someone knocked on his door all of a sudden. His head whipped around, but he promptly relaxed when he realized it was only Gian and his naga lover. "Oh. It's you two." Though he still sat in his wheelchair, Damon was wiggling his toes, and every couple of seconds, he made a valiant effort to try and stretch each leg out. They did move--finally!--but they didn't get very far, and whenever Damon tried to push himself, he grunted and his eyes squeezed shut in pain.

He seemed both wary and intrigued when Gian declared that there was something he 'wanted to try' with him. Alfie snickered, mind instantly going to the gutter--Damon leveled an unimpressed sideways stare on him before smiling at Gian again. "...You may."


"But it's not natural," were the words that immediately escaped Blake. "It's the complete opposite of natural. People aren't supposed to have powers like mine." This was something he only halfway believed. He knew there were other people with similar powers out there, and sometimes those powers could be put to good use. But it still wasn't...natural. Blake was fairly certain that having powers like that make him abnormal. Unnatural. A glitch in the human machine. That took a toll on his self-esteem.

The young man's expression instantly darkened at Johnny's words. "Well, gosh golly gee!" he suddenly exclaimed, his voice taking on a falsely-chipper tone. "Maybe I should just run from the law again and saddle you with the responsibility and the jail time, huh? Seeing as I shouldn't give a flying fuck about you, apparently." The level of bitterness in his voice was astounding. Blake was a man who did not trust easily, and it was very rare when he did actually start caring about someone, let alone allow that fact to slip (accidentally in this case, but regardless...) around that someone.

Still deeply peeved, Blake flipped around so that he was facing away from Johnny, curling up into a little ball even more. "Piss off." Oh, yeah. He was deeply entrenched in the throes of a violent mood swing. He'd get over it eventually--he was used to people abandoning him and refusing unspoken offers of friendship by now. But in the meantime...that powerful anger might attract spirits. The wrong kind of spirits, that was.

Well, it didn't matter to Hebs either way. He still found his lover perfect, and perfect he'd continue to be in his eyes. It didn't help, maybe, that Hebs was head over heels over Shadow. "I didn't mean it in the angel kind of way," he called back just before he'd seen him leave for the stairs. Tucking his hands into the confines of his pockets, he looked over to the horizon, to the white sandy beach, the sea's gentle music, and the sound of the breeze as it whisked past. He was just about to relax, maybe even lean against the wall, but this was cut short the instant he'd heard the front door open. Quickly tearing his gaze away from the oceans, he returned Sebastian's polite smile before his eyes, well, glued onto him.

Hebs only managed to look elsewhere when Sebastian went on ahead. Quite thankful for that little move, he straightened up and stepped up beside Shadow. "Should be...?" he asked as he raised his eyebrows a tad, "He won't get lost, will he?"


The moment Alfie snickered, Gian's cheeks flamed in embarrassment as he whacked his lover's arm. "Hey," he hissed, "Not in front of Damon." It was fine if it was Shadow, maybe even Hebs, but Damon, really? He loved Alfie, no doubt about that, and he enjoyed the things they did together, but really, his dirty mind should work in the right places. He didn't stop there, though. There was a playful glint in his eyes as he grinned. "But, I wouldn't mind trying something out on you, too." Winking at the naga, he managed to straighten his face as soon as he'd turned to look back at Damon.

Welcoming himself in after the invitation, he hopped on over to stand by Damon's side and hummed thoughtfully. "Jae told me to bring you to bed before I give your legs a little massage. You should try and stretch your legs out every once in a while and then we practice standing with you leaning on me." The male motioned to the bed. "So before we get to the standing and stretching part... do you want me to carry you or can you get yourself on the bed?"


Johnny felt the strange chill creeping up his spine. Hey, he'd said he'd be able to control spirits, but not right away! "Hey brat, are you aware you're also saying I'm not normal?" Johnny arched a brow. Although he knew full well that the other meant well when he'd said what he said a while ago, it was a little - and truthfully - irritating. Saying so nonchalantly that having powers like that wasn't normal - was he saying his, Kratos' and whoever else in the world's freaks' aren't, too? It wasn't also hard to deduce that Blake has some sort of feeling for him. He wasn't sure what it was, exactly, but he didn't want to know either. "Are you always this much of a drama queen? You're worse than a woman." The lawyer cleared his throat, trying really hard not to laugh. Reaching up to, yet again, adjust the glasses he had on the bridge of his nose, he glanced at the time on his wristwatch.

It should be around early afternoon in Austria. He better call and give Shadow a heads-up about what's happening here. After all, he did want to take credit should he ever be successful in pulling this brat's butt out of trouble.

"I highly doubt that Sebastian will get lost. He has a keen sense of direction. It's one of the only things we have in common." Shadow sounded confident about that much. Despite being identical twins, the brothers couldn't have been more different. The things they had in common could be counted on ten fingers. Ordinarily, they weren't quite so civil with one another whenever they happened to cross paths. These were different circumstances, however--an unusually lengthy period of time went by where the two of them had absolutely zero contact with one another.

They missed each other terribly, no matter how difficult it was for them to get along.

Speaking of that ever-famous angelic perfection...perhaps Sebastian would allow Hebs a glimpse of his vibrant pearly white wings before they left the following day. Shadow would have to temporarily vacate the room--just laying eyes on those wings was dangerous. Prolonged exposure to an angelic aura, even the constant but light aura that radiated from those perfect white wings, could harm him. Staring at Sebastian's wings for too long, in fact, could cause temporary blindness. He would be all right flying with Sebastian tomorrow--he would leave first and Sebastian would follow at a safe distance.


Alfie's snickering transformed into full-fledged laughter when Gian chastised him. Damon simply rolled his eyes, looking mostly exasperated but the tiniest bit amused. He was used to antics like this. After all, Shadow had the filthiest mind out of all of them. The naga leaned forward, nestling his head on one of the human's shoulders. "You know what?" He sounded downright devious. "I'm gonna hold you to that."

Seeing as he was still unsure of himself around Damon, Alfie stayed in the doorway while Gian entered the room. Damon nodded sagely as Gian revealed what he'd discussed with Jae. As the other male kept speaking, Damon kept stretching his legs. They were awfully weak--even from a distance, it was obvious that the poor limbs were struggling to flex their depleted muscles. "My legs are sore from stretching," he murmured, finally giving the weakened limbs a well-deserved break. "It would probably be best for you to help me into bed."


Not even five minutes after Johnny left the room, Blake seemed to have mysteriously disappeared, along with his shoe boxes stuffed full of movies. Apparently, it didn't matter now if he would be bored out of his mind--he was intent on locking himself away in his room and getting back into the swing of his usual routine. His routine had changed as of late--he was awake more during the daytime, which was odd indeed...and led to more visits from mostly unwanted spirits pestering him while he tried to sleep at night.

Now that he was angry, it wasn't out of the question that he might just go through with his threat, pack up his stuff, and flee from the house through that single window in his room. His powers aside, there wasn't much that Blake actually feared. Hopping out of a second-story window and leading the United States Marshals on yet another massive, lengthy manhunt? Those weren't on that exclusive list--not at all. For how young he was, he sure was resourceful, not to mention resilient and crafty as all get-out. He was in no mood to reconcile with Johnny, or even to be in the same room as the lawyer.

Unfortunate, really. If he didn't buck up and agree to summon the demon who maimed the only real friend he ever had...he had absolutely no chance in court, even with someone as skilled as Johnny representing him.

"Ah," was all Hebs could reply to that as he nodded. If that was the case, he shouldn't worry then. Relaxing as he continued to walk alongside his lover, he blinked at Shadow's thoughts crossing his own mind. Hebs reached out. He reached out to take his lover's hand into his own and clasp their fingers together. "Maybe some time later," he told him, "I prefer my things with a... darker color." Grinning up at his lover, he leaned against him and rested his cheek on his shoulder.

Hebs might have a chance to glimpse at Sebastian's wings later on once he gets back to the villa. But, again, even if he didn't, he didn't mind. He was satisfied just seeing Shadow's wings, touching them, and even lavishing attention on them.

"On a random note... have you ever seen a glowing fish yet in one of your long travels around the world?"


Shrugging Alfie's shoulder off his shoulder, he stuck out his tongue at him before he'd nodded at what Damon said. "All right!" Moving closer and sliding his arms under the other's knees, he excused himself as he picked the man up from his wheelchair. Damon was gaining weight, he noticed, and he found himself smiling at this thought. This was good. Definitely good. The last time he'd helped him up on his bed, he was as light as, well, skin, bones and organs, really. It was rather terrifying - in a sense or two.

Once he got the other down, he moved to straighten Damon's legs out. How was it that Jae told him he should massage the legs? While Gian was figuring it out, his expression seemed to scrunch up, hands moving in the air like he was playing some sort of game. His features, though, lightened up when he'd finally figured it out. It was a strange method, but one that Jae had told him would work. Making sure to hit all the nerves necessary, the boy looked up at Damon and raised his eyebrows a tad. "You should tell me if it hurts, okay?" Apparently, that request was told after he'd started.


Johnny cursed under his breath. His phone was missing. As he frowned and put his hands on his hips, he pursed his lips and looked around his room. The last time he'd had a conversation with Gian was the week before they went off to Austria. That was also the day he'd picked up Blake, wasn't it? Humming under his breath, the lawyer sighed before he dropped his hands to his sides. He might as well check the car. Stepping back and moving back out of his room, he stopped at the sight of the door of the room he'd lent to Blake shut tight. Did the kid actually take his words seriously? He wouldn't be surprised if he did. Blake wasn't just a drama-queen, he was too damn sensitive, too.

Stepping forward and knocking on the door with his fist, he rested his hand on the surface of the cool wooden door. "Hey," he started, "If you're thinking of running away, don't." Johnny used his other hand to lift his glasses and massage the bridge of his nose. "What I said a while ago might've been too much, sorry. But, I didn't like the way you put me together with that powerless friend of yours, and neither did I like the way you turned away from your responsibility." What exactly was he doing explaining himself to the kid here?

"Look. Run away after I get you your 'not guilty' sentence. Do whatever you want with your life. But, while I'm around and while you're holding that 'guilty' sentence, I won't let them put another man who didn't do the murder behind bars." Johnny might be talking about a past case - maybe even a couple of cases - but, he didn't elaborate. "Just for the time being, trust someone else. Trust me. I won't let them touch you."

Shadow hummed thoughtfully, turning his gaze skyward with a small smile on his face. He still didn't quite understand why Hebs loved his wings so much. It was even harder for him to comprehend why the snake man would prefer his own darker, shameful wings over Sebastian's pure white ones. There were some self-esteem issues there--issues that the fallen angel was not likely to resolve anytime soon. Perhaps if he did start showing his wings off at shows, that self-esteem could slowly be built back up.

"A glowing fish?" he echoed, glancing down at his lover with a surprised look on his face. That dissolved into something gentler as he reached out with one hand and threaded his fingers through the other's stark white hair. "A bioluminescent fish, you mean. Yes, I've seen several. Every once in a while, I like to go scuba-diving. I rarely get far enough down to see bioluminescent species, though. If I want to get to the bottom of the ocean, I have to charter the assistance of a merperson." Like human beings, both regular and fallen angels had a hard time being submerged in deep water. The water pressure grew more and more crushing the farther one went down, and if one wasn't careful...that could be the end of it. But merpeople were protected from this pressure. Shadow could distinctly remembered Léan taking Kratos on a brief underwater adventure during their vacation, and not once did the water pressure have any effect on him.

That was Léan's power protecting him. All merpeople were magical beings, some more so than others. They had the power to ward off the effects of crushing water pressure.

Sebastian led the way through town with apparent ease, weaving in and out of crowds of tourists. Many people fixed appraising stares on the twin brothers, obviously liking their good looks. Sebastian was oblivious to them. Shadow only smiled. It took them about fifteen minutes to reach the dock. The boat was waiting for them. It wasn't exceptionally large, and it looked like it moved slowly. Shadow at once strode forward to pay for their tickets, and he led the way this time onto the boat.


Damon was always going to be petite, but at the time of his death his weight was at an all-time low. It took a while for him to build up more bulk and return to a healthy weight. But it wouldn't always be that way. Damon had self-esteem issues when it came to his weight--he suffered from bulimia so many years ago. The disorder showed no signs of resurgence just yet, but the family would have to keep a close eye on him nonetheless.

He seemed wary as Gian moved his legs around--whenever they were jostled too roughly, he winced...but he made no sounds of pain. Those limbs were hyper-sensitive and very sore. Predictably, he reacted negatively at first when the massage began. His features twisted in agony and he gritted his teeth together, clearly in pain. Those nerves were far too sensitive after having been dormant for so long. But, regardless, Damon didn't ask Gian to stop. He toughed it out. A couple of minutes later, he appeared to be calming down, though the stimulation of those overactive nerves still wasn't a pleasant feeling. Maybe there was permanent nerve damage...if he took medication for it, it wouldn't be too much of an issue.


The instant Johnny's knuckles made contact with the door, a sharp and unpleasant "Go away," greeted him. Blake respectfully kept silent while the lawyer continued talking, explaining himself and trying to convince him not to flee from the law a second time. For the longest time after Johnny finished his spiel, not a single sound came from the room. Then, out of the blue, the door to the room swung open. Blake was uncomfortably close to Johnny--there was little space between them. He didn't look happy.

"You need to leave me alone." His words were slow and deliberate, as well as cold. "You blew any chance you may have had of having me play nice for you." Blake was not the friendliest of people. It took him a long time to speak more than three sentences to the man. His reclusive behavior dwindled considerably over the past couple of weeks, and that meant that he'd started letting his guard down. If Johnny didn't take that as a sign that a potential offer of friendship was floating around, that was his own fault. It would take a while for those fresh wounds of Blake's to heal. After having been abandoned by and ostracized from everyone he ever knew or cared about, he was used to rejection. But for some reason, it was different this time. He didn't want to look into it too much, though.

Blake leaned against the smooth wooden door frame, expression blank as could be. "Unless there are legal matters you need to discuss with me, I suggest you leave me be." Over Blake's shoulder, the previously unfinished painting from the other night was now drying along with others. A new sheet of canvas paper had been set up on the easel, and Blake was now filling it in. From this distance, it looked like a distraught Asian woman standing on the edge of a bridge, a thunderstorm raging around her and blowing her glossy black hair all over the place.

Shadow didn't have to understand why Hebs preferred his wings. In fact, all that mattered to the snake man right now was the fact that he was accepting every little thing of the fallen angel. Be it as small as the other's eyes, to something as big as those wings of his. Smiling at the fingers threading through his hair, his cheeks colored a little as he chuckled. "Yes," he started, "That one." Chuckling softly, he listened to him speak and hummed thoughtfully. "I remember that time with Kratos and Léan." The snake man looked about, looking thoroughly amused at the eyes that were boring into the twins. He couldn't blame them. Even they had an effect on him like that. "Mermen and mermaids are really amazing."

Reaching up to take his lover's hand into his own, he stepped up closer to him and grinned. There were odd looks sent his way, some even more in awe than the others, but he didn't pay them any attention. To all, he'd just returned a gentle and polite smile.

When they had arrived at the dock, his smile only grew genuine and wide. "This is amazing," he said rather breathlessly as he followed after Shadow. He'd long let go of his hand so he could go ahead, and he, instead, stayed behind to walk alongside Sebastian. "Did you two come here some time before? I mean, before I arrived. Or...?"


Gian noticed the look of pain Damon was wearing and he, too, tensed and wore an expression that showed that he was empathizing with him and was in pain himself. "Mm... I think that's enough." The boy frowned. "Jae didn't tell me they'd be this painful." Pursing his lips, he sighed and nodded towards Damon's way. He glanced at Alfie and then immediately replaced the look of hesitation he had on with a bright grin. "Do you want to try to stand or we'll work on that tomorrow morning instead?"


Johnny made a face. "Oh, was that you playing nice for me the past few days?" The lawyer stopped for a second, tensing, before he sighed. "No." He massaged the bridge of his nose. "I apologize. I just needed to let out my frustrations." He dropped his hand back to his side and looked past the boy to the canvas he was working on. It smelled of oil paint in the room, and as always, the boy's art was beautiful. Despite it being very... dark. "Just like how you're letting yours out on painting." Johnny nodded once before he stepped back and walked past the room. He did, however, stop again.

"Please don't hesitate to call for me if you need any more medicine." The last time he remembered, he was running out on that.

Continuing on his way down the stairs, the male went back to the kitchen to prepare Arcturus' meal. After that, the male went and tucked himself on the sofa bed for the much needed afternoon nap.


[[ Short. Sorry! D: ]]

(( It's fine! ))


"Yes...merpeople are amazing creatures," he agreed, squeezing the other male's hand. "Peculiar, undoubtedly--they have some downright bizarre customs...but amazing all the same." Shadow was the same way with Hebs and all of his unique quirks. But then again...Shadow was an incredibly accepting person to begin with. Having grown up in a society that never truly accepted him for who he was, accepting and respecting other people was important to the fallen angel. The closeness of the various generations of his family of freaks illustrated that much. To Shadow, his lover's scales were enchanting, not strange. Every single member of his family had enchanting powers or physical aberrations, and that was the way Shadow liked it.

His family was a family of misfits. Outcasts, shunned by society...just like he was.

Sebastian didn't mind walking alongside Hebs. He led the other man up the boat ramp, just behind Shadow. Shadow was looking over their tickets carefully. Once he reached the employee at the top of the ramp, he handed over the tickets with a charming smile. "We walked by this dock and saw the advertisement for whale and dolphin-watching," the angel admitted, trailing after his brother once they were permitted access. Shadow instantly chose three seats adjacent to the railing--some of the closest seats to the water. "This should do nicely!" he exclaimed, taking a seat.


"I, ah..." Damon winced again as he shifted in bed. "...I think I should rest before I even think of attempting to stand. My muscles are very sore." Alfie, from his place in the doorway, was looking rather concerned. His eyebrows furrowed together. "...Hey, Gian. You think he might have nerve damage?" he piped up after a moment of silence. "Maybe we could have the same doctor that looked at Jae come back and check on the nerves in Damon's legs."

Damon made a face at the mention of a doctor. He disliked doctors and other medical personnel--even setting foot in a medical facility gave him the willies. This was yet another stipulation that he picked up from Shadow--Shadow hated doctors, too.


"I accept your apology." Blake's voice was still low and toneless. Once he was calmer, he just might be willing to tear those walls down again, but for now any attempt on Johnny's part to be neighborly would be shot down in an instant. "And I'm not venting through painting. I can relax when I paint." He turned around, but kept speaking. "They're all spirits that came to me. I just immortalize them on canvas."

That way, they stopped bothering him. He couldn't help them in any other way. He didn't know how. He wasn't in control of his own potent powers, even the ones that allowed him to communicate freely with spirits. Eventually, that lack of control would land him in serious trouble--a spirit could jump him and try to take over his body.

Once Johnny walked away for good, Blake closed the door behind him and headed right back to his easel. He would likely be in a sour mood for the rest of the day. Perhaps tomorrow would bring better things for both males.

Arcturus seemed the slightest bit less jumpy and frightened when Johnny came to feed him this time. He didn't wait for the human to leave before he swam up and snatched up his meal. On the other hand, he refused to make eye contact and he did wait for Johnny to release his hold on the meal--he wouldn't take anything from the human's hands. The closer he got to Johnny (physically, not in a friendly way), the more apparent his injuries, both old and recent, became. This merman was in bad shape. Scars littered his otherwise flawless skin. He wore a depressingly haunted expression. He also flinched whenever a shadow passed over the pool, as if he feared something was coming for him.

When Shadow mentioned 'bizarre customs', it made him rather curious. But, as always, the snake man didn't let his mind linger on that too long. His mind was far too occupied with the boat ramp and the way the twins look on the boat. Very fitting, he thought to himself before he'd cleared his throat, realizing that these thoughts were very open to his lover. Despite the slight redness on his cheeks, he smiled nonetheless and moved to take the seat beside Shadow, one not too close to the railing. He was pretty sure Sebastian wanted that seat.

Leaning back and against Shadow, he continued to look out at the seas. "Are there really dolphins at this kind of time?" he asked, finally tearing his gaze away from the ocean to look up at his lover and raise his eyebrows a tad from obvious curiosity.


Gian nodded. He was just about to speak up when Alfie beat him to it. The naga had a point, and although he could tell from the way Damon's expression changed that he didn't like the word 'doctor', he had to. It was necessary if he wanted to walk again. And, really, Gian would like to have Damon walk again. Personally, anyway. "Sounds like a good idea. But, you think we should have the doctor check on him once Shadow and Hebs are back?"

The boy turned to look at Damon. "How's that sound? Do you want to have a doctor check on you before they come back or after?"


Johnny was rather surprised when he saw Arcturus swimming up. It didn't matter if he just swam up after he'd put down his meal, but this was a big change. And, in this big change, he noticed that he needed medical attention. Perhaps, not right away; but, that brother of the merman Gian has with them won't be too happy to know this. "You know," he started, obviously not knowing whether the merman understood him or not, "There's really nothing for you to be afraid of here. And, I think your brother... he won't be too happy to see you in this way."

The lawyer shook his head as he rubbed the side of his neck. "Ah, well." It wasn't his problem. Idly, he wondered. Should he transport him to Shadow's place? If he remembered right, there were two other people there, right?