Theodore listened for a moment--he could hear the kitten's heavy purring inside, if anything he supposed he could get the kitten from the room for Denzell.

He slowly opened the door and slipped into the room, approaching the man on the bed with a sigh. He must have been sleeping, he supposed it was for the best.

Sloane perked up at seeing Denzell and bound off of Tobias' chest, rushing to his new-found buddy.

"Tobias?" Theodore said softly again, trying to gain his attention.

Denzell scooped up the animal and nuzzled against him, glad to have his furry friend again in his arms. He loved the sound of the purrs and the wet nose that investigated him.

The mage continued to sleep, finding his dream fading, yet so real...

Theodore crawled into the bed with Tobias when the man decided to continue sleeping rather than pay any attention to him, burying his face against his body as he held to him and tried to rest as well.

He kissed at his cheek faintly, sighing out a bit more and he touched the man's cheek, then down his neck. He rolled away after a moment, on his stomach as he felt his tears fall over his sore face. "Nkh.. A-Aidan..." He whispered out, trying not to cry out loud, not wanting to wake the man beside him. "Aidan... why'd you leave..?" He whispered with a choked sniffle.

A storm raged outside, rattling the confines they were occupied in. The falcon, hidden under the comforts of a cloak in a makeshift closed space, peeked his head out to glance at the occupants of the bed. Disinterested, he flipped about and bundled up in a ball of feathers to rest.

Theodore gasped as he heard the loud clash of thunder and the light filled with a sudden light from the lightning outside as the shudders over the windows blew open. He gave a small cry, suddenly latching back onto Tobias, shaking at the man's shoulder insistently. "T-Tobias.. pleasseee.. please wake u-up!" He squeaked out, sobbing. He was terrified of storms. "T-Tobiasss..."

Tobias woke up easily to the boy's cries and trembles. He was surprised, unsure of what had added weight to the side of the bed. But the voice was his without doubt!

"Theodore! What are you doing here?"

"I-I... Sloane wanted to go home, so I was gonna visit... but--bu-but... Nnkk... th-things went wrong... terribly wrong." He gasped out, burying his face against Toby's chest, afraid to let him see those tight stitches and horrendous marks across his face, slight trace over his plush lips that proved he'd once been stitched all across.

"I see," Tobias said, rubbing the boy's back. "Shhh, it's alright. I'm here. There's nothing to be afraid of," he told him calmly, comforting him with his hugs. "It's just the wind and rain."

Theodore calmed down slowly as he was touched, that stronger hold comforting to him as he felt the mage's arms hug him close. He eventually brought his hand over to one of the man's, bringing it up to rub over his stitches so slowly, swallowing thickly. What would Tobias say? "It.. it went terribly wrong..."

"How?" Tobias asked, not believing him. He assumed the child was exaggerating the situation. "Do you need an escort on your way home?"

He felt over his cheek and stopped, confused by the stitches he felt.

The falcon peeked his head out again and glanced at the pair.

"... I'm.. I don't think I'm going to visit home.. I-I... Sloane.. Sloane's dead..." He whispered, guiding the man's hand over all those stitches, from ear to the corner of his lips. He rose his head finally to allow the man to see his face, cringing a little as he waited for some reaction, tears burning at those blue eyes.

Tobias blinked, unsure if he heard Theodore right. "Wait...what? What happened? How did he.....die?" Feeling over the stitches, he was frightened. He wasn't gone for that long...How could this have occurred? He tilted his chin up and frowned.

"Oh Theo..."

"Whe--when.. Aidan was bringing me to Caer Elise, this man.. he was the one who took my eye back then--Denzell was tired and we stopped in here... but we ran across that man and he snuck in while I slept. S-Sloane tried to protect me... b-but the man threw him ou-out the win.. window.. nnhk.. goddd..." He felt the tears fall down his pretty, though scarred face.

"The man.. d-did this.. before I was able to react.. h-he's dead now too..." He swallowed thickly, lookig slowly at Tobias, brow furrowed. Was the man disturbed by his face? He was afraid to know what he thought.

"You killed him?" he asked, still caressing the boy's face, only more careful with where he felt over. He sighed, feeling terrible that the boy's hands were now stained.

"How do you feel?"

The boy smiled a bit sadly as Tobias noted that he'd killed someone, nodding slowly. "I... I'm fine now. Elidion took me to the clinic after it happened... He's holding Sloane for me now I believe." He sighed, leaning softly into the man's touch.

"Tobias...." He sighed and trailed off, his hand reaching up to cup one of the man's, holding it tight.

"Get some rest," Tobias murmured, kissing the boy's head. "I'll be here with you. No need to be afraid of the storm."

He laid back down, patting his arm for the boy to lay on.

Theodore nodded a little, crawling closer and he laid down against the man's side, arm draping over him lightly. "Toby..." He whispered, kissing softly at hi cheek before relaxing down even more to close his eyes and fall asleep, feeling safe in the man's embrace.

Tobias watched over his face and sighed. This boy just had to keep going through hell every waking day of his life, didn't he? He closed his eyes and slept with him, uneasily.

The falcon ruffled his feathers and hid once more.

Theodore slept easily in the comfort of his lover's arm, breathing out slowly as his battered body relaxed there. He would sleep until disturbed, especially if Tobias' warmth left his side. "Mnh..."

Morning came without the presence of the sun. Storms continued to assail the areas around the hamlet, beating down more fiercely upon it.

Tobias woke up, sighing at the situation and glances over at Aidan, who was distressed by being stuck in the room with no way of getting food. He pat Theodore and watched him sleep.

Theodore stirred slightly soon after Tobias had. He made a noise at realizing how much his face ached as he started to wake up, groggy. "ngh...? Tobias?" He mumbled as he still snuggled against his body, a little cold.

Tobias held him. He had been thinking how unfortunate it must be to live a life where others must be constantly watching him and caring for him. It was luck that Theodore had a skill in him. One that he needed to refine so he could gain some autonomy. Some way of defending himself against others.

He sighed and wrapped the boy in blankets. "Hm?"

Theodore shifted against him softly, leaning up to give him a tender kiss. "...Morning." He murmured, smiling a little. He was torn between hiding his face and allowing Tobias to see it.

"Morning," Tobias greeted. "It's not the prettiest day, I'm afraid." He added with a teasing tone, "You can hold onto me whenever you get scared."

Theodore couldn't help but giggle a little. "Mmm, that's good." He shifted to crawl onto the man's body, sitting on his waist lightly. The blanket was still draped over his little body, hooded over his head. "Oh Tobias.."