PopeAlessandros

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

The days slide by filled with a mix of worry and wonder. From moment to moment, Akito has no idea what's going to happen, and in the end he decides that it's not something he should try and control, or avoid. He almost feels like he's being lead around by the nose, but in the end, there really isn't much he can do about it. He's not a royal yet, and even after he is, he's sure it won't feel right to order the servants around. He's not their son yet, so he still doesn't feel right asking the emperor and his wife for things, though he's sure that much like the situation with the servants, he'll never feel comfortable around the ruler and his spouse enough to consider them anything but his lord and lady.

One small comfort he's found however is the quiet moments between himself and his betrothed. True, he's still a bit nervous most of the time, ever vigilant, as he's always been taught. But sometimes, when there's no one else around, and he's able to just sit and listen to the man, he feels a kind of peace he's never known. With the other soldiers, there were calm times, and even with his father, there were times of peace, but with Hiro he finds a contentedness he doesn't quite understand from time to time. He will listen to the man talk about magic, or games, or even small stories about his life, and Akito will find himself just listening. He won't feel the need to interject or to look around, or question if he's doing the wrong thing or not. He just finds peace and calm, and that isn't so bad in his eyes.

As the day of their nuptials approaches however, he finds himself more tense, more alert. He jumps when he hears his name called or when someone appears suddenly from around a corner. It feels almost like a noose being slowly tightened around his neck and his only relief comes when he finds himself alone and away from the hustle and bustle inside the palace. In the garden, or the forest, or on the training grounds, he can pull himself away from it all and find the zen kind of peace he had back with his fellow soldiers.

He is in such a peaceful state when the sound of his name makes his eyes snap open, locking on the direction the voice came from as he slowly pulls himself back to the reality around him. Like always, the servants had vacated the garden to let him sit and meditate so the only movement he sees at fist is Hoko, skittering off after however called Akito's name. A slight breeze ruffles his hair and the plants around him causing him to shiver slightly, his eyes coming into complete focus when Hiro's face appears over some tall decorative grass.

His heart does the little dance it does every time he remembers that he will be marrying this man and flutters again as his gaze moves over that pretty face, taking in all the little details before focusing back on actually communicating with the man. “Hello Hiro.” he murmurs, leaning back ever so slightly as the prince leans in to talk. Around his fellows, there is a respectful distance they would keep when talking, but he supposes he really needs to get used to the idea that Hiro will be just that much closer. They are going to be married after all, and it's not like he's right in his face. Just that little bit of closeness that makes his spine a little stiff and his attention unable to be elsewhere.

He smiles slightly at the man's suggestion and adopts a thoughtful look as he wonders if it will be okay to do so close to the wedding. Hoko half crawls up Hiro's leg, providing a mild distraction, before turning and climbing into his lap and slithering out of sight. It's clear that the little beast knows what's being proposed and is getting ready to head out. Akito laughs slightly before nodding, smiling up at his betrothed. “That sounds like fun.” he replies finally, shifting away from the prince a little so he can stand up without bumping into him. He doesn't mean to be standoffish, but he's still trying to get used to the idea of being so physically close to someone.

On the way to the front doors, Akito's ears perk up at the sound of whispering and he glances over to see some servants watching them pass. Normally, the servants look away or down when the royalty is passing by, but he's noticed that a few in particular keeps eyes on them as they pass. He's not sure why these servants are different from the rest, but he figures there must be a good reason. He's seen no hostility from them, however he's not completely convinced that something strange isn't going on with them. He keeps an eye on them as they pass, turning his attention back to his betrothed as soon as they are out of sight.

Still slightly amazed when things are just sort of “done” for him, Akito takes a moment to stare as they leave through the front doors and there is a horse already prepared for them. He's a bit curious as to why there aren't two horses, but he says nothing, figuring the prince must have a reason for wanting to ride with him. He takes the reins from the groom and mounts gracefully. He then pauses to consider something before scooting back slightly and holding a hand out to the prince. 'It's easier to protects from a frontal attack. He can bend over the horse, and I can see the attack coming. Behind me, he could get shot and I'd never see it coming' He wishes that he was overthinking things, but as he pulls Hiro up in front of him he can't get those staring eyes of the servants out of his head.

One arm slips around the prince's waist as he urges the horse into motion. Despite this being closer than usual, he finds the position less invasive than when Hiro moves close to talk to him. 'The things you know. . .' he muses, looking over Hiro's shoulder to make sure they are headed in the right direction. “Is there anything you were thinking of doing in town? Perhaps a picnic on the outskirts?” he inquires. He wants to make sure the prince enjoys himself so they can keep up the trips away from the palace even after the wedding. He shudders at the idea of being stuck there all the time.

The Power of The Fallen ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

'So sweet, so innocent. . .So tempting. . . .But in the end, still unobtainable' His body shivers as he looks down at the adorable little angel, watching him respond in delight to his agreement to go flying together. He stays as still as he can as his desires pulsate under his skin, trying to force him to move in a direction he knows will not be good for either of them. His eyes travel over the smaller male's contours as he looks away, trying to appreciate him in new and different ways, giving himself at least a mild distraction. 'Even if I can't touch him with my hands, at least he's no objection to the ogling thus far'

He smiles a little at the idea of going all googly eyed over an angel, given his lineage, the smile going from amusement to delight at Aoba returns his attention to him. A curious expression crosses his face e moment later as Aoba begins to flush, trying to articulate something in his usual innocent manner. His eyes actually flash however when Aoba mentions the comfort level on the couch and he can't help himself from creeping ever so slightly closer to the angel as desire dances just under his skin. 'He an't be offering. . .I mean, is he completely blind? I'm ready to jump him right now, and he wants to. . .'

Firmly controlling his breathing he watches the youth sinking deeper and deeper into the water with every word he speaks and he uses the slight distancing to anchor himself. His hand drifts out to brush gently over those ever more dusky wings when they are mentioned and he whispers, “I have no objections to sharing a bed my Little Mouse. . .” His fingertips brush across the soft feathers of Aoba's wings again and again, using the small contact to satisfy his desire to touch the angel at least a little bit. “And I'm sure we can make it so we're both comfy. . .” Reaching down he once more pulls Aoba's chin up so he can look into the man's eyes, the desire behind his own being held back, but only barely. “Thank you, Aoba.”

~*~*~*~*~

“Well, that's better than I expected. . .” Fenrir muses, actually admiring Kuro for not making some kind of crude joke or at least molesting the angel more than he did. Reaching out he tugs gently at his own wing before shaking his head and covering his eyes. 'I can't believe I'm still partially rooting for this demon. . . .' He knows he's not exactly supporting the idea of Kuro bedding Aoba, but a part of him can't help but feel glad at how obsesses Kuro seems to be as it keeps Aoba safe.

~*~*~*~*~

Planting another feather light kiss on the angel, Kuro pulls himself back a little bit, grabbing the soap so he clan clean his own hair. He uses the slight distance to calm himself ever so slightly, allowing him to think about something other than pulling Aoba into his lap and making him cry to the heavens how much more fun he's having in exile than he did when living up there. The thought actually makes him chuckle slightly, his face partially hidden behind soapy hair as he scrubs. 'I can't wait to see the look on Dani's face when he realizes that I get to sleep with my dear Little Mouse here. . .' He begins humming happily, a definite delight coloring his demeanor as he dips down to wash the suds out of his hair.

When the Roar Falls ~ PopeAlessandros x Raafling

A faint tug in the back of Viltez' head tells him that Aryx isn't being completely truthful, but he shoves the feeling even further back, not really caring at the moment. For now, all he really cares about is that the man did what he could to get back to the house. Back to him. That thought puts a smile on his lips as he squeezes the man's hand. “Well, I am glad you made it back safe.” he murmurs, letting go of Aryx's hand to check the water and make sure it's still a good temperature. His tail continues to coil around the man's arm, the blade stroking gently across his collar while his hands are busy.

'I'm. . .So happy that he's back. I can feel him here, like he's a part of this house. It felt. . . .So empty with him gone' He swallows, still turned away. 'But I can't keep feeling that. He will have to move on at some point. He's just a visitor, he's not. . .I can't. . .' Steadying himself with a breath he pulls back, the faint smile back on his lips. Holding out his arms he murmurs, “I can take your clothes if you like. The bath is a bit warm, but it should help with the cuts and scrapes.” His tail retracts reluctantly so the man can remove his clothing. “I was about to begin on dinner. Is there. . .Something I should grab from outside? It's okay if there's not, I got enough just in case. . .Not that I doubted you, I just know the woods around here can be difficult to. . .” He flushes, realizing he's babbling and suddenly cuts himself off, looking down at his feel, arms still outstretched to take the tattered garments.

When Realms Collide {AkiBlue & PopeAlessandros}

Inui’s negative feelings continue to roil beneath the surface and Seishu, seeing this, lets out a sigh. Pulling his underling a little closer he strokes his hair, pulling him down so his head is rested on his chest. Laying the boy’s head over his heart he hums softly, letting his magic begin enveloping the boy. Crios watches with a raised eyebrow at this treatment method for the upset he senses in the youth and wonders if this is what Enasi does when comforting his own minions. Then suddenly he begins blinking rapidly. He can actually see the darkness slipping into the boy and he. . . .Doesn’t feel upset.

Before, every time his energy came out and was snaking about, even if it was only around his body, had always made him feel naturally uneasy. ’But now, it’s just. . . .Neutral. I can’t feel the prickle, the itch. . .’ Shaking his head he feels both unsettled and happy over this fact. He looks over at the sight of movement and notices Rasha looking at him. He shrugs, showing he’s got nothing to say right now and the feline yawns at him.

The story has Rasha feeling a bit calmer and after the open works of negative energy fades he hops off Rue’s lap and scurries over to the bed. He bounces up on to the bed and nudges Inui until the minion sits up and smiles. He soon has a Rue in his lap as well, perking him up considerably. The two begin talking softly about what they were doing while the Guardians slept. Seishu watches them with a faint smile before his eyes fall shut and he rests his head against his lover. Crios watches him from his place by the window, staying to make sure there are no negative effects from suddenly going back to his old dose of the painkiller.

Enasi’s gaze fell on Inui for a few moments while he was being comforted. He could understand why his answer wasn’t a very calming one, but it was all he could give at the moment. There was little he really could or wanted to say at the moment and Seishu was doing a better job at comforting him. Then, the quiet mumbles between the smaller minions became rather relaxing in the silence. There was never a dull moment with this group and he had gotten used to the buzz of their background noise. Before Seishu could get comfortable, he shifted slightly to give them a bit more room despite most of the foot of the bed being free. Just in case they wanted to stretch out some more.

Sitting so quietly and peacefully, the guardian realized despite the sleep he was still rather tired. It wasn’t so much physically anymore, but he didn’t realize how much energy it took to be so angry. There was no need to be worried over it though, Enasi was sure rest would do him fine. He was back home surrounded by loved ones so there was no need to worry. Something he had to remind himself constantly.

His eyes had closed, but he was listening to the quiet mumbling and Crios’ quiet shifts until he felt the weight of someone carefully crawling onto his lap. First one eye opened and then the other to see a bright eye Rue staring at him. “Hmm?” Instead of speaking, the little fairy smiled and hugged the guardian, careful not to rustle Seishu. Enasi blinked at first only to smile and kiss Rue’s head. Rasha playfully pouted and scooted closer for his own turn making the guardian giggle. “Of course.” The playful cat earned a kiss on the cheek and beamed as happy as ever, now wanting to get another from his other favorite guardian. Keeping this little ‘train’ going, Enasi blew a kiss to Inui who blushed ever so slightly and smiled. And then, the guardian kissed Seishu’s head. Crios’ tail twitched when Enasi smiled and motioned for him to come over, but like an embarrassed child he shuffled over to receive a kiss on the cheek.

“It’s nice to see you feeling better sir.” The fox doctor spoke softly.

He lets his mind drift as he feels shifting around him. The world feels calm, peaceful, if a bit too bright for his liking. He’d forgotten to do something about the many windows in Enasi’s room before going to sleep so having his eyes closed is the best he can do. When something small and fuzzy crawls on to his chest however his eyes open to slits, taking in the sight of whiskers and kitty lips nestled beneath his chin, bright eyes staring at him with wanting. Out of the corner of his eye he notices Enasi calling the foxy doctor over and planting a kiss on his cheek and gets the picture.

With a snarky grin he kisses Rasha square in the furry lips causing the little feline to foof out and roll off the guardian on to the bed, his tiny paws flopping up in the air. Chucking at the dream’s response Seishu turns his head a bit away from the windows and buries his face against his lover’s chest. Inui and Rue are giggling at him when he flops back over and just starts purring madly. Rue however notices Seishu hiding from the sun and flutters off to fix the issue. Crios meanwhile uses the excuse of already being by the bed for the kiss to check the Nightmare Guardian’s pulse and checks his temperature.

When Seishu moved closer, rather instinctively, he began to gently pet his hair. He watched as Rasha turned into a large fuzzballl and Inui tried to pet his fur back down. “Oh, thank you Rue.” He hadn’t realized all of the windows were open until Rue began fluttering about and closing the curtains.

“Well, I don’t see anything too bad. Do you still feel sick Night?” Enasi had stopped his gentle petting to in order to let Crios do his work. “Your previous trip seemed to help balance out the medicine again to avoid any negative reactions.” He glanced around the room as the last curtain was left slightly open. “Now of course it’s the task of...dulling things down for you.” Crios, at this point, was mumbling to himself as he assessed the situation.

Enasi watched the silly fox mumble to himself, only to glance at the door. The approaching energy had drastically lowered, but there was no doubt about it that his favorite rabbit was coming through. He motioned for Rue to open the door. “Did I interrupt anything?” The rabbit’s ears were lowered, noticeably more relaxed than he usually was.

“No, of course not Harper. It’s always nice to see you, especially when you’re so calm.” It appeared that Harper didn’t notice just how relaxed he was because his ears perked up again. “Oh,” Enasi gestured for him to come closer, ignoring the confused gaze that his second in command gave. Harper received the same fate as Crios before, causing one of his ears to bend rather cutely.

Crios hid his laughter behind his hand, trying to stay silent as Harper straightened up. “Um, yes- well,” The start made Enasi giggle and gesture for him to continue. “I took the opportunity to give those...subordinates of yours a proper punishment. So you wouldn’t have to of course.” He noticed the smile on the guardian fade slightly, but continued. “Community service basically. To keep them busy and working for most of the day, starting tomorrow.”

“Oh, well that’s not a bad idea. Thank you Harper.”

“It wasn’t the most positive news, sorry-”

“It’s fine dear. Trust me, in the span of a few weeks, we’ve had worse news.”

This made Harper nod and glance over at Seishu. He looked a lot better than before, both of them did actually. He offered a nod to the Nightmare. “Though, to offer some better news, things have smoothened out.” It was obvious Harper wanted to discuss what had happened during the incident, but he didn’t know when would be a good time to say. Crios wanted to know as well, but he was much more discreet in his curiosity.

“I am quite alright Doc. . .” Seishu murmurs without opening his eyes. “Little stoned, but other than that. . . .” He opens an eye, smiling at Crios who wrinkles his nose at the guardian. “I am quite sure, I will be perfectly fine, in no time at all!” He adds a touch of cheer to his voice, making Harper roll his eyes and Crios to sigh and shake his head. The little ones giggle and Inui nuzzles in closer to his guardian. “Anyways. . .” he murmurs softly, petting Inui’s hair. “I have all the incentive now to stay put and not get myself kidnapped again.” His grin becomes a little sly as he looks up at his lover, remembering the idea of bringing their lovemaking into the waking world.

Not wanting him to die of red cheeks before they even get the chance, Seishu does not mention this aloud and instead turns his attention on to the little ones who now seem to be having some kind of cuddle match at the end of the bed. He delights in seeing Inui so happy and strokes his lover’s arm gently as they watch the play. Eventually however, sleep begins to claim him again as the doctor’s medicines continue their work and without a sound, he falls asleep against his lover’s arm.

New Eyes and an Old Soul

Without a word the little one sets off, sliding down the tree and taking off the moment he hits the ground. Dorian follows just as swiftly, but without the small shower of tiny branches that had followed his ward out of the tree. He smiles as the youth begins his hunt, staying well back to give him room to proceed and to avoid disturbing anything that would spook his prey. ’The way he prowls. . . A real natural this boy. . .’ He smells the hare too and watches the youth move over sticks and fallen leaves silently, his tattered clothing not even brushing the many things reaching out to grab it. ’So he can avoid damaging his clothing’ Smirking, he stills for the final sprint, waiting until he sees James’ head pop up and turn towards him.

Drifting over to the boy and his bunny, Dorian nods in approval at the catch, watching the hare make itself scarce the instant it’s released. Crouching down the elder vampire reaches out and scratches the youth’s head gently in approval before settling on his heels to listen to his question. “Well, I do not rightly know.” He muses. “This investigation will take as long as it does, and after that I pray to return home.” He smiles warmly. “You will have plenty of room to run around at home, as long as you do not worry the horses.”

Humming softly he helps James to his feet and announces that it’s time to head back to the inn. The sky is lightening in a barely perceptible way even to his vampiric gaze, but it is enough to mark their need to return. Wrapping an arm across the young man’s shoulders he gives James a little squeeze as they head back past the buildings at the edge of town. He brings them back in to town a goodly distance from where they fed so they cannot be associated with the location and easily draws them back to the inn before sunrise. He is quite tired now, having not had so much “fun” in that particular fashion in some time.

The inn has a sleepy air about it as they enter, most of the patrons having not woken up yet. Only one man is in the main room besides the person manning the front desk and he seems half asleep at his table, the smell of coffee emanating from the cup resting between his hands.

Keeping an arm around James, Dorian leads him through the front room and to their room near the back. Once inside he lets the newborn go and locks the door behind them. “Well, that was enjoyable.” he murmurs, looking around to where James is. Smiling he shucks off his outer layers, leaving him in just his leggings as he wanders over to James. “Let us get you out of these things.” he murmurs, helping the newborn out of his tattered, filthy clothing, snatching up a rag to wipe him down a bit so they don’t get the sheets too dirty.

Once he’s as clean as Dorian can get him the elder leads his young ward over to the bed, crawling in and getting comfortable while leaving plenty of room for the boy to follow. Once all things are in place Dorian wraps an arm around James and sighs softly, the morning light hidden behind the shutters lulling him towards sleep. “You are a good hunter James.” he whispers sleepily. “You should be proud of that.”

Over the Hill ~ ClosetMonster x PopeAlessandros

With sudden, rasping breaths, Wren seems to come to life. While not dead before the quietness surrounding him had been far more peaceful and relaxed than these deep drafts of air he’s pulling in sharply. Chall, still not recovered, cowers a little further into the chair, praying his magic comes back to working order quickly just in case this man is upset with him. His feline eyes watch the man closely, his ears quivering in his direction. Despite his instinct for fear, a part inside him whispers softly that there’s no need for it. That there is something, some. . . .Reason, that all of this is happening, and that he needs to open his heart to it.

However, the voice is small, too small. His fear takes precedent and stays put on his face as the large man sits up, making his insides quiver unpleasantly. His ears fall back, his tail coming up to curl around him. Wren finally spots him after a long moment of looking about and Chall finds new definitions of how small he can curl up. He doesn’t understand the question and the man’s confusion is not something he knows how to ease. ’Being around people is so hard. . . .At least with my brother, I know what to say, what to do. . .Home. I want home. . . .The servants have learned their place. My brother is there to hear me rant. . .’ He lets out a little whine, regretting it moments later when the big man turns to get up, still looking at him.

He opens his mouth to at least try to begin explaining what he thinks may have happened but his mouth snaps shut with a click as Wren gains his feet unsteadily and lurches towards him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. . .” he whispers, the angry face of the townspeople flashing behind his eyes as the man practically falls to one knee in front of him. The hand on his arm makes him flinch, his finger tips twitching as he feels the urge to scratch to make him let go.

The urge is countered however. The little voice from before grows a little louder and he realizes the conflict within. It is a silent battle of his lifelong fear and mistrust of humans battling against this new feeling coming from somewhere around the new threads of magic telling him that this, this right here in front of him, is the right thing. His eyes narrow as he looks at the man, the feeling throbbing almost painfully as he sees those bright, blue eyes looking up at him. The color, while a shocking change, isn’t nearly as stunning as the level of worry radiating out of the pale orbs. He’s never seen that much worry for him since his mother, and even then it never seemed so powerful as the concern clear and sharp in Wren’s eyes.

It almost takes his breath away. Unfortunately, as the man’s hand slides down to take his own, he knows the weaver deserves an explanation, any explanation, to begin unraveling all that’s happened in the past hour or more.

A shaky hand comes up to settle over the one atop his own and he swallows, trying to keep everything straight even as it endeavors to fly to the four winds. He shakes his head, his ears trembling slightly. “I. . . .I am not hurt, not really.” His voice is weaker than he’d like, but he deals with it. “I was brought here because you were struck ill and the old one, Marge? She believed I could help you.” He swallows again, his ears flipping with irritation at himself. “I was. . . .Doing something delicate at the time however, and it left me a bit weak. I. . .I’ve fixed what was causing you harm, or at least done what I can.” He looks towards the door, making sure the old woman is not about before going on.

“My magic. . .It has mingled with your own. I’m not sure what the full effect will be, but for now it seems to have cured whatever took you down to begin with.” He looks down at their hands, worried, frightened. He doesn’t want to tell him. He doesn’t want to just inform the man that he himself may have been involved with laying him out. ’He was cold, and dying, and I am sure the spirit played a part in that, but. . .I don’t know what they means. I don’t want him blaming me, I don’t want that worry to turn to anger. . . .’

Beyond his fear of being hurt, beyond his fear of attack from Wren and the other villagers, beyond it all. . .He can feel something completely out of place. A fear he’s never really felt before. A fear that, indeed, in and of itself, frightens him.

He’s afraid of being rejected. Of this kind, peaceful man pushing him away and being alone once more. For some reason, this human has gained something of him and he doesn’t want to have to let it go. The hand atop Wren’s tightens even as he shakes slightly, this new feeling causing his tail to poof out fearfully. “I have not told anyone of the magic. I am sorry, so sorry. . .” His eyes fall to his knees, his ear falling down as his magic flickers, trying to rekindle itself.

We'll take the low road.

The faint smile is a welcomed sight for the upset young man. He smiles back, the warm touch of Illiendi's fingers comforting. 'Yes. I will have so much. I will live my life, and I will have power and prestige. . .Real power. Not the kind my father has. The kind that could collapse with one wrong move, or dependent on other people. It will be me. I will be the one to stand in the eyes of the people as a man worth showing respect' Puffing up inside from the demon's words Amano's smile widens and he nods, stretching his now aching legs out in front of him. Rubbing them softly he looks around the room, sending one last glare towards the window before moving on to more important matters.

He lets his mind wander over the idea of eternal torment for his father as he slips off the bed and takes to his feet. Stretching he spares a moment to think about his own eternity before shrugging it off and turning his mind to the task at hand. 'Illiendi will be handling my afterlife. Not mine to think about' Wandering over to hes desk he begins going over all of the things he wrote down before being distracted, letting the demon make the changes that need to be made and listening to his advice about the whole affair. He continues going over and over the little bits in his head, like standing up straight and seeming confident, doing his best to maintain these things as a kind of practice for the time he will need them.

Eventually, they get through all the things they can do for the day and Amano takes to his bed once more, staring at the ceiling. It's only half an hour before dinner and he wonders what else he could be doing. After a few seconds a thought occurs to him and he slides off the bed, heading to his closet. Careful this time to not drop anything on his head, he pulls out his drawing supplies and brings them carefully over to his desk. Turning to the demon with a faint flush he asks, “Would it be completely frivolous of me to bring these with? I really do enjoy working on my simple bits of art, but, well. . .” He casts around for the right way to say what's on his mind. “I do not really want to give up drawing, but if you think it will serve no purpose, I think now would be the time to let me know. I think it would be easiest to drop the practice if I simply deprive myself of access to the tools. . .” He looks at the demon with slightly wide eyes, clearly torn on the subject.

Make Me Purr, or Roar. . . ~ PopeAlessandros x Crawkid

The chuckle makes the man flush even more as he stares at his food, wondering if he looks a complete fool now. He pushes his food around a bit before taking a small bite, wanting to be ready should the Seraas require him to respond. His eyes snap up as the other begins talking and he listens intently to what he has to say. 'Officially? Meaning there's an unofficial reason he's here? Something to do with the thing that's happened?' Swallowing hard Jin nods, eyes still locked on the Seraas, giving the being his full attention.

He feels his chest tighten at the description of how the world's respect for his kind has declined and he feels, a bit irrationally, responsible for all of their failings. He wants to promise that they will do better, that they will turn things around, but he knows he's only man and there's no way he can promise such a thing. The air around them shifts and flows a bit, making the chimes jungle melodically. Jin is worried, thinking, and ashamed all at once. “I have. . .Actually noticed this too. I mean, I am the only one this generation who even volunteered for the task of taking care of the shrine and making offers that I know if in my village.” he says softly, the wind dying down.

He looks down, truly ashamed, but after a moment he looks back up, an earnest look in his eyes. “I want it to be different. I think people have forgotten. They don't know, they can't see, so they've lost their trust.” He smiles, slightly excited. “The old keeper, our elder, he still believes, and he is the one who taught me and gave me all the things I use to take care of my duties. I mean, it's not like we all have lost the old ways, so, maybe, we can change things?” He looks almost like a puppy looking hopefully up at Allen. All that's missing is the wagging tail.

Who Will Break? ~ PopeAlessandros x Raafling

Smiling gratefully at Zach, Kiel watches the young man leave with a soft smile and a wave. Sarah looks a bit reluctant, but she leaves peacefully, giving a small wave of her own as she vanishes from sight. Letting out a happy sigh he looks around at the morning mess and is actually glad of if. 'A few moments of calm reflection before heading into the temple of god to confess my sins. . .' His stomach falls at the recollection of what transpired in the night, but he keeps his expression soft and calm, just in case the little ones return. He works hard, scrubbing each dish and every crack in the table, his sleeves rolled up, his hair pulled back, until he can put it off no longer.

Pulling his sleeves down and wiping his brow he makes his way out the door, making sure to leave it unlocked in case the little ones come back before he does. His walk is a little wooden as he makes his way towards the side door to the church, and once inside he can feel himself drawing inwards a bit. 'I didn't mean to, and it was an err made in sleep and an impulse, not a will. . .' He bites down on his excuses and shakes his head. There are no excuses for sins in his eyes. He forgives his little ones, he thinks no less of them, but he himself can not make these mistakes. He must hold himself above such things, even if he can and does forgive it in others.

His eyes trace across the crosses and stain glass artwork of the small church, the light decoration making it quaint, but beautiful. He smiles as he looks at it all, moving off to a corner of the main room where he takes a seat at the far end of a pew. He adopts his usual position of submission, hands clasped together, head hanging between his arms as his elbows rest on the pew in front of him. His hands are behind his neck, somehow making him feel safer as he begins murmurs soft prayers to the lord above, seeking absolution, and forgiveness.

~*~

Sarah agrees with a shy smile, nodding her head rapidly. Taking the sketch pad she begins making rough drawings. Her hand seems unsteady, moving in an almost infantile manner. The abuse she's suffered in his life has obviously messed with her fine motor function. It's not as pronounced when she eats, as she's got a lot of practice with that, but tasks she's not used to caused her to seem rather clumsy. She doesn't look up at Zach, afraid of being judged, but eventually she does address him. He quite, timid voice can barely be heard on the light breeze.

“Father Kiel is great.” She is smiling, beginning on something that looks suspiciously like Kiel's priest robes amid a forest of flowers. “I've known him so long it seems. . .He found me, one time when I ran away. When I wanted to feel safe, and. . .And it wasn't safe at home. . .” She glances at Zach before looking back down quickly. “You're bigger, stronger than me. Who hurt you Zach? How did father Kiel find you?” She is blushing, though her dark skin hides it well, the rush of blood sounding loud in her ears. She keeps her hand moving, muttering something about Zach not having to answer if he doesn't want to.

~*~

No one bothers the young father for the full hour he spends with his head bowed. A few of the nuns walk past, keeping an eye on him as they pass with a hint of worry in their gaze, and the bishop's protege spends several minutes watching him from the pulpit as he organizes the papers for the next sermon. They've known the young man for most of his life and they know when he's upset about something. His usual prayer last only a few minutes, but when he doesn't come up for air after ten minutes, the older church members begin to worry.

When at last he does raise his head however, they all see his soft smile and decide not to ask. Kiel himself feels cleansed, and calm. He looks around, feeling once more completely at home in his church and he thanks the lord one last time for granting him such a wonderful place to call home. Rising, he makes his way to the kitchen and asks for lunch made for three today. The nun in charge raises an eyebrow, but as she was one of the ones who saw him praying so hard, she doesn't question his need for more food today. After thanking her Kiel heads outside and begins slowly circling back towards the gardens. He wants to see his little ones enjoying their time outside without being spotted so he takes his time, his eyes sweeping the area calmly, his smile calm and happy

Never Ending Battle ~ PopeAlessandros x AkiBlue

Once again, the idea of spending time alone with the prince is brought up by Hiro's mother and the implication makes Akito flush. He keeps his eyes on his food however and keeps himself from overreacting to the tease. Hiro himself has a comeback and Akito is glad it's to fend her off a bit. He knows things will eventually need to happen between them, but for now, he's happy that his betrothed isn't rushing things.

While not a master of understanding people, Akito can tell that Hiro is mostly trying to humor his parents rather than having any actual interest in playing. He sets the idea in the back of his mind to play with the prince only when he brings it up, leaving more free time for them to find something Hiro would actually enjoy doing. 'I already know he likes magic, and. . .' His thoughts pause as the king chides his betrothed on his enjoyment of books and Aki feels a little tug in his chest at the idea that his father actually disappointing of something Hiro has a passion for. He looks to the lord of the household and wonders if there's a way to help him see that it's actually a bit mean to say stuff like that, but keeps his thoughts to himself for now. 'I've already had a victory today, and I think time out of the palace will be good for. . .Hiro' He smiles, proud of himself for growing more comfortable in this environment, and even more proud that he's learning to look forward to spending his time with the man he's meant to marry.

The smile becomes a little plastered on when Hiro rises to leave and he knows he can't just up and follow. He's not done eating, and Hoko is still nibbling away at the little treats he's getting from his plate. He watches the man leave, dragging his eyes back to the table once he's out of sight, and smiling at his soon-to-be in-laws before turning his attention to his food. Jezura seems to sense his discomfort and smiles at his before turning to talk to her husband about some ideas for the baby's room. Akito is grateful and eats his meal silently, looking up to listen once in a while so he doesn't seem rude.

They manage to make it through the rest of the meal without Akito jumping out of his skin and once he is finished he leaves, bowing respectfully. On his way out he notices the servants gathered in a shadowing corner whispering to one another and despite knowing that this is probably a normal occurrence he feels the hairs on the back of his neck stiffen. He doesn't stand there staring however and instead slips out of the room and begins wandering through the halls. He keeps the basic layout of the palace in the back of his mind and eventually heads for the back garden best he can. I knows he wants to eventually wind up in the practice area, but he figures that watching Hoko run around catching bugs will give him time to relax and think.

Walking outside he watches the few servants in the garden bow and move off away from him to give him space. He bows back and tries to suppress the feeling that they just don't want to be around him. Taking a seat on one of the stone benches he pulls his legs up so he can sit cross-legged and clicks so Hoko knows he's free to wander. The critter slides out slowly, a little lethargic over having such a hearty meal, but after a few quick breaths of fresh air he's off to play in the flowers and reeds. His eyes slide out of focus as he watches his companion chase a small lizard across a patch of white flowers and he wonders what the future holds for him.