PopeAlessandros

Who Will Break? ~ PopeAlessandros x Raafling

Zach slowly relaxes as they move away from the aquarium and Kiel is glad to see it. By the time they reach the bus he can feel himself relaxing a bit, a soft smile on his lips so that the boy knows he's not upset. On the bus he sits close to Zach, watching him out of the corner of his eye. He doesn't want to crowd the boy or make him feel like he's being watched. 'He is free to leave if he wants. Not that I won't chase him if he does run, but it's not like he's a prisoner, and I have to be careful it doesn't end up feeling like that for him' The bus coming to a stop seems to shake Zach out of his silent funk and he actually lets a small smile grace his features as they exit the bus.

The sight is enough to relax the worried priest and reach out to ruffle his hair as he replies, “It was my pleasure Zach. I'm glad you had fun.” Finishing up with a pat on his back Kiel walks alongside the boy silently for a few seconds before asking, “So, is there anything you'd like for dinner? I'm sure I could talk my dear friend the cook into finding something fun to end the day with.” Listening to Zach's reply he opens the door to the shack and motions the boy in before him, however as he steps in something feels a little off and he gently moves the young man aside and stands in front of him.

From the corner there is a soft sobbing and in an instant Kiel realizes that it's one of his little ones. Closing the door quickly he moves towards the dark corner only to get a sudden armful of teenager. The young dark skinned girl sobs and clings to him, no words coming from her lips, just pathetic sounds of hurt and sorrow. Petting her hair he tries to comfort her, looking over to Zach apologetically. “Forgive me Zach but would you grab me a glass of water? This is Sarah, her home life is a little rough. . .” He feels terrible asking one of his little one help him out soothing another, but maybe, just maybe, helping another will be just the thing to get help Zach relax and open up. 'Many of my little ones adopt pets or younger “siblings” and that helps them keep their noses clean and gives them someone to talk to' He knows the chance of Zach adopting her is low, after all, she does actually have a home to go back to, but the chance is still there that this will help Zach as much if not more than Sarah.

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

Unlike Enasi, Rue begins panicking quite badly. On the inside at least. His wings twitch in agitation, wanting desperately to start up and take off to look for himself for the Nightmare Guardian. He can't be gone, he just can't. That's not possible right? He would never leave here, leave Lord Enasi to suffer through his wound alone. Without even saying goodbye? No, it's just not possible. . .With that being said, he knows it must be true, even if ever fiber of his being knows it simply can not be. His wings twitch, humming to life every so often but stilling swiftly after. As badly as he wants to leave. . .He can't. He made a promise. . . .

~*~*~*~*~

Inui walks slowly back towards the Dream Guardian's room, his feet dragging a little as he feels a faintly nice feeling drifting through the halls towards him. He knows that it means someone is upset, but since both guardians are here, not to mention all of his new friends, he feels it's okay to not feel bad about absorbing a little more. He'll ask Master Seishu to take it off of him later if it becomes too much. 'I mean, I already got some from that doctor. . .I still wish I knew why she. . Anyways, I got some from her, and I feel a little better after it. I'm. . . I'm a nightmare minion, it's. . . It's okay for me to enjoy other people's bad feelings' Taking a deep breath he nods to himself, taking his time, and wondering who all these sad people are, or if it's just one really sad person.

~*~*~*~*~

Harper can feel waves of pride flowing through him as his lord resists the urge to freak out and act rashly. He worries a little when Enasi moves, but relaxes when asked something he can answer with certainty. Standing at attention he nods. “I saw him off exactly one hour and forty-eight minutes ago. I saw him last heading off in the general direction of the west hall from here.” Then he adds, “His pace was slow but steady so I think his wounds weren't bothering him too much, and he seemed in relatively high spirits.” His eyes fall slightly, ears drooping. “I shouldn't have let him go. . . .It's the whole reason we set up so many guards for him, and I failed him. . .And you my lord. . .”

From across the Crios too drops his head. He knows he couldn't have really done anything, but he can't help feeling responsible for his patients, even if there was nothing he could do. A part of him wants to curse that damnable Night but at the same time he knows that sometime people just need to breath.

The little fairy hardly hears any of this, his promise to Seishu the only thing keeping him from racing off, and he feels that if he shifts his focus, he will break it. Rasha shifts slowly to the end of the bed where the little guy is sitting clenching the comforter in his small fists. His own panic is in full swing but seeing the little guy sitting there alone convinces him that he can't let it out. It's not what Seishu would do, or his little carbon copy, Kaila. Yeah, Kaila, he's a good man. He knows how to act in a crisis. He can help by being at least half as good as his idol and the man who's already mastered Seishu way of dealing with problems. Gently he wraps his arms around Rue's back, stilling his wings, and pulling him in close to try and help him relax.

The Truth Behind The Blaze ~ PopeAlessandros x tenebrae16

Yes, I had a few pics taken of me, mostly in my Matt and Edward cosplays. :P Yeah, I met several Edwards. Two at the same time at one point. Many hugs went around. :P Yeah, sadly, Death Note is actually hard to cosplay due to the fact that everyone wheres basically normal clothing. Props are needed. . . .Except Ryuke of course. :P There's a lot of crossplayers every year. One year I went as The Major(Motoko Kusanagi) from Ghost in the Shell. So yeah, I've crossplayed. The heels killed my feet though. :P

I'll give any Yaoi a chance and even if the art style isn't my fave I give it a read anyways. After all, finding Yaoi isn't all that easy per se(Legit Manga anyways) so I take what I can get. *Giggles at the hand reference* Well, actually, Jujou Romantica(And it's follow-up Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi), one of the best Yaoi ever, has a mild to moderate case of the "Yaoi Hands" and honestly, I really don't care. If you just read and don't focus on it, accepting the art work as is, such trivial things as that fade into the background and allows you to enjoy the Yaoi without reserve.

As for what I DO like, I'm not particularly picky. I like different things at different times, so I don't really have a preference per se. I like everything from Jazz to Our Kingdom to Time Lag to friggan Incubus :P So, yeah :P I like it all. I have a vast collection of doujinshi as well, but other than 2 they are all digital.

The Power of The Fallen ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

The slow scraping of metal on wood is somewhat soothing to the demon and as each little curl of wood falls to the ground he can feel his mind clearing, his worry dimming. He knows Aoba doesn't see him in such a low way. The angel is incapable of seeing anyone or anything in such a low manner, save perhaps himself. Aoba is too kind and sweet to think anything but the world of him and Kuro feels such a fool for thinking that way. 'It was not an irrational train of though' he muses. 'After all, all my points are valid, but. . . .But what matters is how he sees me. I'm not. . . .I'm not just a thing around here like the barn or the bath. . . .I am Kuro, the one who sticks by him, the one who made him fall. He could hate me but he doesn't, I would sense that, so. . . .So he must think something good of me. . .Right?'

Sighing he looks at the still very unfinished collection of wood pieces and lets his mind eye see them in their finished state. The carving has actually changed from what he originally saw as the finished work, a few details of their life adding to the complete picture despite all his efforts to keep it the same. Something about it all has changed and no matter what he tells his fingers they make the image he sees and he has no real choice in the matter. 'Well, I could stop carving altogether. . . .' He shakes his head. No, he wants to do this, and give it to Aoba. He wants to make this thing no matter what, even if it's a little silly.

~*~*~*~*~

Dani bristles on the inside, his eyes narrowing. 'Always with thinking about him! Little Black Storm Cloud's only been gone a few minutes, ten max! And already he's aching to chase after him!' His teeth flash for a second but after a moment his head snaps towards the door and instead he grumpily stalks out of the house, deciding to check on Otto and Mama. They are far more interesting at the moment than this silly enamored fallen angel.

~*~*~*~*~

Fenrir lets out a sigh as the little one leaves Aoba alone at last. To the arch angel, the demon's intentions were clear. He was trying to get closer, even if he sucks at it. While he knows there's nothing to be done about the larger one, he at least doesn't radiate an aura of possessive desire when around the small angel. 'Well, not really. . .I mean, when the little one is trying to get close or tease Aoba, or when the Father was about, Kuro seemed to get a little possessive, but. . . .That's understandable I guess. Demons are greedy little things, but that large one seems willing to let Aoba do what he likes. . .' Fenrir starts slightly when he realizes, for the first time, he's been calling Kuro by his name rather than simply “Demon” or “The taller demon”.

As his brows furrow over this revelation he looks down on the angel, curious as to what he will do now. 'If he acts like he normally does, he'll be seeking out. . . .That demon, any moment now. I swear, he's so needy sometimes. That demon, he's like a pillar of strength that keeps Aoba moving forward, striving to learn, to do, and to not give up. I'm not blind, I see his pain, his longing for home, but. . . .Somehow th-. . .' he sighs. 'Somehow Kuro makes things bright for the little one. . .Foul hellspawn' He adds those final words almost without feeling them. Almost as if they are expected of him.

~*~*~*~*~

Twitching Kuro looks up to see Dani darting off towards the barn and quickly he hides his work. He knows that his dear older brother doesn't really care about such silly little things but he would rather Dani not destroy them in a fit a pique should they get into a spat at some point in the future, the smaller demon seeing the bits of wood as easy prey. Moving out of the long grass he walks towards the pig pen and after a moment switches direction, not wanting Aoba to be left on his own. 'I am his guardian. The least I can do is be within striking distance when he's alone' With this in mind he heads for the front door.

When the Roar Falls ~ PopeAlessandros x Raafling

Chuckling slightly Viltez shakes his head slightly at the dragon's words. “No, no, I. . .It's alright, I understand your sentiment, and I'm. . .I'm honored you think so much of me, especially since we've just barely met, however. . . .Perhaps I just do not see myself the same way you see me.” He smiles brightly at his companion, patting his tail to make sure it's firmly in place as they approach civilization. He enjoys the little back and forth with the man, smiling readily and for all appearances very calm. However as they cross the threshold into town his voice becomes softer, his eyes sharper, and his smile a little more guarded.

He remains visibly lighthearted as he talks to the vendors, getting a decent bit of fresh meat and a selection of sweet fruits to go with dinner. He smiles sideways at Aryx as he picks out a particularly succulent bit of fruit and tosses it to the man. Once the shopping is over he walks back to his house, his purchases held carefully in his arms. He insisted on carrying it all seeing as he's the host, and waves off any attempt to help. “Dinner will take a little while so you should eat that while it's fresh.” he murmurs, pointing at the fruit with his chin. His sense of being watched has been on high alert since they came within range of people however he manages to stay calm, concluding that his presence with someone else, someone who caused a ruckus no less, is the reason for all the staring.

Despite that he does not relax until they are back in his home, the sounds of the night closing in on the sleepy little town and the warm breeze of spring days gives way to the cool air of the night. Once inside he sets right into making the meal, his stomach almost aching at the thought of food. Looking over his shoulder he chuckles as his stomach growls audibly. “Looks like all that running around out there has worked up quite an appetite huh?” He sounds a little embarrassed at this, however moments later his tail slides out and pats his shoulder before wriggling in the direction of his guest. He chuckles again and goes back to cooking.

The Truth Behind The Blaze ~ PopeAlessandros x tenebrae16

Ah, the cos play. I cos play every year, some are more high quality than others, but I wear 3 different cosplay every year, one for each day of the con :P This year I was Vejita(Vegeta) from Dragon Ball Z: His pink 'Bad Man' shirt and the yellow pants, Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist: His classic garb complete with the red jacket, sans the machine arm because I'm not that good yet, anf for the final day I was Matt from Death Note: The only outfit you ever see him in complete with gameboy. He only had less than a minute screen time, but I'm a devout part of his cult following :P

So yeah, I cos play, and it's so much fun! I carry around my "I heart Yaoi" bag with me at all times so everyone knows I am Yaoi Otaku :P I bought $100 worth of Yaoi from one stall this year, and these were postes, not Anime. I think I own most of the Yaoi anime I enjoy though, so finding ones that I don't own and want is hard. . . .Thank gog for the internet!

The Truth Behind The Blaze ~ PopeAlessandros x tenebrae16

Hmmmmm. . . .As I seem to recall, we planned for them to have this "Talk" seeeeveral posts ago, but the two times it could have reasonably happened, your guy walked out in the middle of this discussion :P

*Smiles* I would love to hear a blow by blow of your thoughts before I go on to pour on more because I'm rather narcissistic and can talk about myself forever :P

Yeah, detour is awesome. Technically it's classified as "Small" but really, anything bigger and it would lose it's charm. It's big enough to have all the awesome but small enough to feel very "Family" like. And of course the only English voice actor I know(And only one I actually like) comes every year and is awesome and says Detour is the best he's ever been to and has been coming since forever *Rambles* Anyways, yeah, it's an awesome con. Very fun.

But yeah, I live off feedback, please, tell me your thoughts!

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Long before the servants knock Akito wakes, taking several seconds to orient himself before rolling over and wrapping around his pet who had taken up a prominent position at his back some time during the night. Hoko coos happily, licking Aki's face as much as he can from his bundled position in the young solder's arms. He stays like this for several long minutes before rising off the floor and slowly stretching out some of the light kinks in his body. Despite the familiar firmness of the hard floor beneath his body apparently the softness of the covers was enough to upset his body.

He does not think too much this early in the morning, instead simply thoughts of getting awake and getting to the training grounds for his morning practice. Hoko seems to share this mentality, settling on the bed next to Aki's clothes to wait to be carried out of the room. The day before is fresh in his mind and he silently cringes over several awkward points. However no singular event can even begin to overshadow the fact that he will spend the rest of his life in this strange place. That thought threatens to crush him as he dresses with swift efficiency however as Hoko slides into place around his waist and he takes up his sword he pushes the feeling aside and instead focuses on navigating through his new gigantic home.

His footsteps are silent, his life as an assassin having taught him well how to travel unnoticed even over long distances. He manages to find the outside training grounds rather quickly, the sky just barely beginning to fade from it's cloak of night into the faint predawn light. The little audrat slithers out f his kimono and scurries off to see if it can find anything to munch on while Akito is busy. With a slow breath the man launches into a series of stretches, limbering up his body before at last drawing his sword and commencing with his morning exercises. From sword play to running to climbing, he moves all about the training ground, moving off into the trees on occasion so he can use the lower branches for swinging and pull-ups.

He does all of this without being noticed by the servants, his activities quite, his motions smooth and soundless. It isn't until one of them knocks on his door for several minutes before peeking inside that at last the servants are alerted tot he fact that he's wandering the grounds. It takes little time to find him, many having heard or been at the sparing match the day before and gotten a feel for their new resident. He is in the middle of a sequence of sword poses when the servant assigned to get him up and to breakfast tries to get his attention.

She walks slowly towards the grounds, the edge marked by the lush grass that grows everywhere in the yard suddenly becoming hard packed dirt. She pauses at the edge and tries calling to him. Akito eventually notices her, her having to raise her voice to be heard through his concentration. When at last he looks her way, his sweat soaked body bare from the waist up and glistening in the morning light. She can not help looking at his scars as he turns towards her but her eyes quickly rise to meet his for an instant before falling respectfully. “Forgive me for disturbing you my lord but his highness insists that all members of the household eat their meals together, and breakfast is going to be soon. . .”

Akito takes a moment to come out of his training daze and as the words sink in he can feel his stomach drop. 'I must wreak, I can't go to breakfast like this!' In a mild panic he says softly as he approaches her, sliding his sword home. “Is there somewhere I can freshen up nearby?”

His tone is respectful and catches her off guard however she responds quickly with a nod. “Yes my lord, right this way.” She turns and begins leading the way, not seeing his arm raise as he tries to tell her she could just point. However after a moment his hand falls and he sighs, scratching his pet's head as he rears up next to his leg inquisitively. 'Looks like it's the royal treatment already. . . .I really hope I don't get used to it. . .It's so not self sufficient. . . .' Sighing again he motions Hoko to follow, not wanting to put the top of his kimono back up until hes cleaned off a bit.

The servant leads him to a wash room with lovely carved stone basins which she promptly fills with cool water. She is about to add some light scents to the water when he catches her attention and shakes his head. “Sorry but scents mostly just more my nose itch.” he says with a smile. It's clear from her face that she did not need the explanation but he still feels good or doing so. She offers a light bow and goes to stand in the corner of the room to wait for him. This makes him a little nervous however he knows he does not have time to hesitate. He's got a breakfast to get to.

Quickly he wipes himself down with a convenient cloth and pulls his clothing back into place. It is not longer crisp and perfect looking as it had been when he'd let his troop mates dress and press him, but he hopes it will be good enough for now. Hoko takes up his spot, promptly falling asleep, and the two make their way to the main food hall. The emperor and his wife are already seated when he arrives and he does his best to offer them a s mile as he enters however he's not sure if he actually managed to pull it off as he takes his seat and looks up at the rulers and his future in-laws.

As always the empress is all smiles. “Good morning Aki-chan, how are you feeling this morning? Did you sleep well?”

The emperor chimes in, “Still wearing your sword I see. You know, you don't need to carry it everywhere now. I won't stop you, but you should know there's no real need.” He puffs up proudly. “Does make my kinda happy to see it however. Reminds me of my soldiering days. . .May go back to wearing it!” The empress chuckles at this and squeezes her husbands arm, still looking expectantly at Akito.

A little overwhelmed he takes a second to gather his thoughts before replying softly, “Good morning, thank you, I am feeling well enough. Morning exercises were satisfying, and I slept well enough, thank you.” She smiles happily at this and looks towards the door with an expectant expression, clearly hoping her son will arrive soon. The emperor doesn't look too hopeful of this and instead draws Akito into a conversation of battlefield tactics punctuated by tales of how it used to be and how things have changed.

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

At first he doesn't notice it. So used to being around little Spike or around Master Seishu himself, Inui is used to the new feeling of being able to absorb negative energy. That being said, it has always been unusual to get it from any other source, especially when no one is in pain or afraid, and as far as he can see everyone is smiling or peaceful around him. He carefully looks over himself when he first feels it, earning a questioning look from the doctor trying to treat him, but eventually he figures out it's not coming from himself. Slowly his eyes come up to focus on her, his expression unreadable. She swiftly goes back to work, the cut requiring very little attention, however under his close scrutiny she can feel a slow wave of panic washing over her.

'Why is he staring? I mean, there's nothing else to look at when I'm up close like this, but. . .This feels. . . Could he know? Does this nasty little wretch somehow sense something?! No, no, he can't. I'm just being paranoid. I need to relax least I slip up. . . .' She keeps her breathing even, her years of the meek, calm, easily startled nurse mask makes keeping her calm front rather easy.

Despite her efforts however, Inui can tell something is wrong. At first he blames himself, after all he is a Nightmare Minion, and she's always been so shy. . .'But, no, this isn't fear. . . She's. . .She's angry about something. . . .' His eyes narrow slightly as she finishes up, smiling at him warmly. 'I wonder why she's mad. . . .I know a lot of the dream denizens have never been happy with me, but. . . .Is she angry because she has to treat me? I. . . Rue told me some of the doctors resented taking care of Master Seishu and attacked him. . . She wouldn't. . . .' He swallows hard, returning her smile and quickly bowing his way out of the room. He doesn't know what's wrong with her but the sooner he gets away the better, the faint licks of his negative energy beginning to escape his little body.

~*~*~*~*~

Smiling happily the chef nods. “Of course you can!” he chimes brightly, slowly unloading his cart on to the mattress. The smell of the food as he lifts off the covers of the dishes rouses Rasha from his comfortable sleep and with slow grace he disentangle himself from the sheets and stretches out lengthwise atop the covers, his head now pointing towards the foot of the bed. He purrs happily at the sight of the snacks and gives Cho his brightest most adorable begging eyes he can muster in human form. Cho laughs happily as he spots the look and nods, grabbing a small stack of plates from the cart and handing them out to the three taste testers. A part of him really wants to tell Enasi what's going on, but at the same time he knows it's for the best that he doesn't know quite yet. Not when there is still a chance this is all a misunderstanding and he may be found just goofing off in some corner of the realm.

~*~*~*~*~

The argument continues for several minutes, the primary combatants Harper and Crios with Flynn chiming in every now and again. Starla however, remains silent. She watches the exchange with indifference and at fist one would think that she's simply waiting for the fight to end. However after a good ten minutes of the word volley getting exactly nowhere a distinct expression of exasperation appears on her face, growing more and more apparent as each second passes until at last she stomps a foot on the ground hard and rises to her feet, glaring at both competitors.

Harper and Crios both look to her, startled and more than a little confused. The sound had caught their attention, but the look is not something one would expect on a subordinate, even if the easygoing Dream Realm. Flynn shrinks back, not wanting to attract her ire. With a firm scowl split evenly between them Starla lets out a huff, crossing her arms. “This is why the realms are not democracies.” They both continue to stare, more confused than ever. She shakes her head, disappointed. “Both realms are completely occupied by followers. Trying to come to a consensus is stupid, it's never gonna work.” Giving a sharp look to Crios she turns her attention to Harper. “You are the second in command, like that Kaila guy. When Seishu vanished, he took over, he gives all the orders, and he keeps order. He listens to his underlings, but he has the last say.” Her harsh tone softens slightly as she goes on. “That's what we need now General.” Her gaze drops, a bit surprised at herself.

The Power of The Fallen ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Once they are thoroughly out of sight Kuro turns and carefully gathers the angel into his arms. He has to shift the bags just so so they are not rubbing against the lovely gray wings as they fly. His cloak falls swiftly into place and in to time they are airborne. It's such a comfortable feeling for the demon, holding Aoba close to him like this. It's so familiar, so warm. . .He lets out a sift sigh to himself. 'Honestly, this silly feeling that he could just be taken away, just like that, and by a demon no less, it's just ridiculous. Aoba is happy here, with me, and the animals, and Dani. . . .' His heckles rise a little at how comfortable Aoba now is with Dani but it falls just as quickly as he peeks at the demon flying steadily at his side. Normally he'd be darting this way and that, fluttering about like a sparrow having a seizure, but burdened as he is he's forced to concentrate and fly steady.

The flight home is quite, each lost in their own thoughts, and when they finally arrive Kuro joins Aoba in a small chuckle over Dani being so proud of himself. Shaking his head, an honest smile on his lips, Kuro makes to put away the groceries as he always does. However he is stopped by a small hand on his chest. Looking down at the angel in mild confusion he scowls slightly as Aoba decides he wants to do it all this time. Once more Kuro's irrational fear of his Little Mouse pulling away from him rears it's ugly head and he simply stares at the angel's back in a slightly lost haze. Dani's words filter right past him, no retort even beginning to come to mind, and the smaller demon notices the lack of response quickly.

Not fast enough however and before he even has the chance to look up into his brother's face Kuro has turned and is making his way outside. Dani pouts, moving to go after him, however he pauses half way through the living room. Standing stock still in the now rather welcoming looking and clean room the small demon quickly begins weighing his options. 'Little Black Storm Cloud is off pouting over dad knows what, obviously doesn't wanna talk, and the little angel has already proven to be in an open mood today. . .' Turning slowly on the spot the little demon strides slowly over to the line separating the kitchen from the living room, a friendly but wicked smile on his lips.

~*~*~*~*~

Fenrir had been called away soon after Kuro and Dani had returned to Aoba's side, and emergency in the ward demanding his attention. Like a good soldier his mind remains on the task until at last he's released and in an instant it's back on the angel and his demon caretakers. However upon his return, his gaze falling on to the small circle of reflective glass, he can sense something is amiss. Swiftly he locks his door and takes up his normal position behind his desk, his eyes locked on the scene before him. Kuro is nowhere to be seen and the littler one, Dani, looks very much like a wolf staring at a fresh carcass. What trust the arch angel has for the youngest brother does not quite extend to the smaller one and his heart skips a beat at the scene before him.

~*~*~*~*~

Kuro takes to the air once he's outside, deciding on a few slow laps around territory both to check for danger, and to think. His mind, still haze, doesn't make that second goal very easy, and for the most part he simply watches the grass and dirt pass beneath him with very little going on behind his eyes besides a low buzz in inane babble. After his second lap he lets out a long sigh. “It's something he's asked of me, time and again. He wants to learn how to do stuff for himself. He wants a little more independence, that's all this is, he's not. . . .He's not. . . .” 'Pushing me away?' He sighs again, rolling on to his back and crossing his arms.

'He still relies on me, and he hasn't asked to be left alone or for me to leave, but really. . . .Am I anything more than a glorified cook and guard dog at this point? Maybe a farm hand, maybe, but even there all I do is daily chores along side him, and I enjoy the time we spend together, but does he. . . .Does he see me as anything other than a necessity to living? Sure, I guard him, but Dani does too. I don't complain about helping but Dani does it too. . .Of course Dani doesn't cook, but really? Is that the one thing I'm uniquely good for around here?' He huffs aloud, landing in the back yard a few paces from his hiding place. 'And even in that Aoba wants independence. He doesn't want me to be the cook, he wants to do it himself. . .' moving off into the grass slowly he pulls his carving tool from his pocket and settles down out of sight with his silly little project. He needs time to sort out his mind and this task has proven to help him do just that.