Shine In The Dark - A Private Lantern Corps RPG

[Lantern Thaal Sinestro]

She laughed at the heart attack comment, though only slightly. It was funny to think that he was complaining to her. This whole relationship seemed so normal, despite the extreme circumstances surrounding it. How could that be? How could they be so comfortable with one another? It made her wonder about her father, a man she had assumed could only be cold and unfeeling. Who had cast aside his emotions a long time ago. Every little thing seemed to point out a new thing to think about. She wanted to know more about what was going on between them. Not EVERYTHING, of course, but more.

Ceraphel was right- he was different.

"Hal and I talk about it sometimes," Soranik commented lightly, "how different he is now. Even in the brief encounters we've had with him, he's not the same man that once controlled the yellow lanterns. That man pops up every now and again, but it's different. We both find it very strange. We're pretty sure you have some kind of magic powers and cast a spell on him," she teased lightly. That would have explained a lot, but she knew it wasn't true. Everything she was seeing was completely honest.

She couldn't talk about it any more, though, since Sinestro was there.

When Ceraphel brought up his heart, Sinestro moved a hand to his chest. "I imagine that's something very few will claim to have done," he chuckled faintly."

But then Ceraphel excused herself, and things took a turn for the awkward. Sinestro looked away again, and Soranik took a sip of her drink. She could have asked about the planet, but instead she asked about his heart- she couldn't help letting her doctor side come out. "How is your heart holding up?" She asked her father lightly, "have you had any pain since the transplant anything you're hiding from Ceraphel?"

"No," Sinestro assured her quickly, "I'm not hiding anything from her. My heart is just like new- even better, now that I have this ring." He raised his hand, looking at the white ring that sat there. He smiled faintly, but it seemed Soranik was not pleased. Was she not convinced? For the first time in what felt like forever, he wasn't lying about his heart- he really hadn't been bothered by it since the surgery. It was as strong as his old one. "What?" He demanded.

"You look really tired," she told him, "you should rest- you look like you're going to fall over right now."

"I'm not that tired," he huffed in return, "I look worse than I feel." He imagined Ceraphel would have made a joke about that, but luckily she was still dealing with dinner. Soranik crossed her arms over her chest, frowning at him.

"You're making Ceraphel worry- you should be more mindful of other people. You're as selfish as ever!"

"I'm just trying to get used to this ring! I'm sorry if it's a little taxing. And I'm not being selfish! She's running around trying to do her job, too. She's just as tired as I am, she's just prettier about it." He grumped. Soranik had to consciously tell herself not to be amused about that one.

"Then you both need more time to rest! Have you thought about taking her somewhere? Maybe a nice vacation on a relaxing beach planet? I'm sure Hal knows plenty of places to take lovely women."

Sinestro would have replied, but Ceraphel had come back at that moment, setting the plates down in front of them. They glared at each other, neither one terribly angry, and turned their attention to the delicious-looking dinner.

"It looks amazing," Soranik complimented, digging in. Sinestro sighed, looking at his girlfriend.

"I am not a workaholic," he said quickly, "and I don't use my ring for EVERYTHING." He poked at his food, tasting it carefully. "You're lucky you're so good at cooking, or I might have been mad about what you implied."

"It really is good," Soranik agreed, "I don't cook, so it's really nice to have something freshly made like this. Thank you for inviting me."

✘ ✘ ✘

In blackest day, in brightest night,
Beware your fears made into light
Let those who try to stop what's right,
Burn like my power... Sinestro's might!
✘ ✘ ✘

[Minaarchangel]

"If you were any other two people, I'd be worried that I came back out and found you glaring at each other. But that seems to be standard for both of you, so I'm going to assume that you were having a pleasant conversation about kittens," Ceraphel said, shaking her head a bit.

"Thank you," she replied, smiling when Sinestro complimented the food, and Soranik followed. "You're always welcome to come by for dinner if we're home. Our door is always open to you."

Unlike most people, who would have just been spouting pleasantries, Ceraphel was absolutely serious about it. She would always be glad to see Soranik, both because the woman was her friend, and because Sinestro needed to see his daughter more. Even if it reminded her that she was much closer to his daughter's age than his. But that was nothing too terrible to think about, and she did not really mind, anyway. She loved what was inside, not what was outside. Maybe some day they would have a conversation where they would not end in a glaring match.

"I helped end a civil war earlier today," Ceraphel began, knowing that if she did not start some kind of conversation, they were all going to sit there and eat in silence, and that was not the point of this at all.

"It was actually quite peaceful. A cease fire was called when I talked to both of the faction leaders, and we were able to all sit down and talk. It was about limited resources and a large gap in class distinction. But they were receptive to discussion after a while, if only because they were all having numerous casualties and no headway either way."

She talked about the solution of raising worker wages and while the upper class would have to pay more, it would enable more people to become the upper class and that both sides seemed ready for that, and willing. Ceraphel finished eating, and when they were all done, she took the plates into the kitchen and set constructs to work on washing the dishes and putting them away. She came back out with the tea tray and poured them all a cup of floral tea, that mingled well with the scent of the garden.

"When you leave Els, where are you heading?" Ceraphel asked Soranik, sipping her cup of tea out of the delicate china cup that also bore a floral pattern, which was the theme in her life, it seemed. "If you were going home or to your office, I'd like you to take some of the flowers from the garden with you. They're all so beautifully in bloom and if they die on the plants, I just have to cut them off anyway. They would even brighten up the infirmary if that was where you were headed."

[Lantern Thaal Sinestro]

"Thank you, I deeply appreciate the offer. And I might take you up on it, too- it seems I'm still needed to make sure Sinestro doesn't get off easy!" She smiled at her father, who looked indignant. "I think you're being too soft on him! He gets away with too much!" She liked his annoyed expression, and was aware he probably felt like she didn't need to be meddling. Truth be told, she liked meddling a little bit, at least. It seemed like he needed a swift kick in the pants sometimes. He was a man who had always pushed himself to his limits- he was used to working as hard as he could, as long as he could. But he wasn't as young as he used to be, whether he wanted to admit it or not, he couldn't work as hard as he used to, even with a new heart.

If he wasn't willing to admit that he needed to relax more often, he had two people willing to remind him frequently. It was weird, though.

When had she started to care? If anyone asked, she would say that she was still concerned about his heart, and making sure he didn't need a third one. They wouldn't get lucky twice, after all.

When dinner was finished, and they were alone again, Soranik looked at her father once more. He had wandered into the kitchen to help with the dishes, though she wondered if he had been allowed to help with them. She took a moment to smile faintly. This man... it wasn't Sinestro. It was closer to a man who could actually be her father. Of course, then she remembered that he was responsible for killing her other father and it made it all the more difficult to really accept everything that was happening. Everything that she was feeling. He had destroyed Korugar. It was his fault.

But then, it wasn't like he had been the one to attack the place. It had been that Volthoom being. If not for him, neither of them would be without a home. Still, it was hard. There was a lot going through her mind.

Sinestro returned first, and it seemed like Ceraphel wasn't far behind. She thanked her for the tea and smiled, taking a sip. "I would love to take some flowers back with me- that would be fabulous. I think my patients would really enjoy the bright colors, too." She imagined it would help them feel more relaxed. If not, it would piss off all the manly warriors, which was just as great in her mind. "I'm surprised Sinestro lets you keep the flowers. You're not really the type to like them, right Sinestro?" She turned her head, only to find that Sinestro had sunken a little in his chair, his head resting comfortably on his chest. He was sound asleep.

She chuckled faintly.

"I told him he needed more rest. I didn't think he would jump right on it for me." She looked back at Ceraphel, taking the opportunity to speak to her a bit more openly. "I should thank you. You really have done some amazing things for him. You helped him feel things none of us thought were even left in him. He's... becoming a better man. And I think he wouldn't have if he had never met you."

✘ ✘ ✘

In blackest day, in brightest night,
Beware your fears made into light
Let those who try to stop what's right,
Burn like my power... Sinestro's might!
✘ ✘ ✘

[Minaarchangel]

"He does need to be picked on occasionally," Ceraphel agreed with a smile. "Keeps from getting too egotistical. Remind me to do my Sinestro impression for you. It's getting better."

Sipping her tea, she laughed softly, "He doesn't mind, as long as he gets to lay in the hammock while I weed the garden all alone, right?"

Ceraphel turned her attention to Sinestro to see the annoyance on his face, when she realized that he was sound asleep. Her mischievous smile turned into something far more tender, and she held a finger to her lips to indicate a moment of silence, going to the door of the house and drawing a blanket out of the linen closet with violet energy. She opened it up and draped it over the sleeping form of her lover, and kissed his head gently, silently hoping he would not be plagued with the nightmares as he slept. She then eased the tea cup away from him and put it on the tray.

She gestured for Soranik to join her and she walked down the length of the garden to the half hidden potting shed and got her clippers and a basket, handing the basket to the green lantern. Ceraphel then walked to the beds of blooming plants and began clipping flowers, putting them in the basket she had pulled out, carefully choosing blossoms that were beautifully open, a few that needed some time to blossom so they would last a bit longer, others that had obviously already been used for pollination, so that there was a wide assortment. It brought a smile to her face, thinking about the idea that she had helped him become a better man. It made her happy to know she might have had something to do with the man she loved so much.

"If I hadn't crash landed on that planet, I truly do think he would have died there. Either from one of the creatures that lived there, or he would have gotten hurt or sick, and had no medical attention. It was the simplest thing that showed me that he had more inside him than what he showed. Just not responding to his attitude. And twin gods did he have one. I haven't shared this with Hal or anyone else that's heard our story, but I woke up stark naked next to his campfire. It hadn't occurred to him that a woman might not want a strange man to see her naked."

A laugh made her shoulders shake for a moment and she shook her head, "And then despite the cold...he draped his only cloak around me. That's when I knew. I knew there was something else there, beneath all the cynicism and anger and hatred of me simply for the color of my ring. If he had no compassion in him, he would have let me die, or he would have let me sit there naked and injured. I think I realized I felt for something on Iucrora. When he was in the hospital there, he woke up and his stomach growled so loudly I could hear it. He turned so dark red and I was smitten."

Her ring pulsed as she talked about him, responding to the love that made it to her face, made her smile so radiant that she could hardly keep it in. She had half filled the basket, shaking her head a bit as she kept clipping flowers, her smile fading a bit while she admitted a little more.

"But sometimes it scares me. The power that I'm able to call on because I love him so much. It's a wellspring, and it's dangerous. I have to be careful to not wear myself out completely because I feel like I can go on forever just thinking about how much he means to me. Violet rings come to those who have lost love or been betrayed by it. Those with love to spare. I don't know if we're mean to love this way when we're part of the Star Sapphires. And then I think that's ridiculous, considering we're supposed to be spreading and defending this very kind of thing all over the universe."

Basket full, she put the clippers away and tucked a towel over the stems of the flowers in the basket, "You can just bring the basket back the next time you come to visit. Because I really hope you will come back and visit us again."

Ceraphel smiled, "I don't think it's any secret that I'm trying to facilitate a relationship between you and your father. I'm not too shy to meddle when I think it's needed. I know it'll take time. He's done a lot to answer for. But he's trying to do it."

[Lantern Thaal Sinestro]

Sinestro made a small stir when she kissed his forehead, but otherwise wasn’t disturbed by her tucking him in. He continued to sleep soundly, a more restful expression on his face than had been there in a long time. He wasn’t dreaming about the demon, for a change, and was instead dreaming about more happy memories together, just him and Ceraphel. He had no idea Soranik and Ceraphel had moved away from him to continue their discussion. He might have felt a little embarrassed about falling to sleep right there in front of them if he had woken up. But he, thankfully, was not awake. The night air had been so pleasant, and the mood so calm, that he couldn’t help but finally find some peace.

His daughter didn’t seem to mind, either. She smiled as she watched Ceraphel put the blanket over him. When was the last time she had seen him asleep? Being unconscious didn’t count- she couldn’t include the moments where she had been treating him. This was different. He was just asleep because he was tired, nothing more.

She was sure it was the first time she had seen him with so much of his guard down.

Following Ceraphel, she took the blanket from her, smiling faintly still. The older woman seemed pleased about what she had said. And she couldn’t help but laugh when Ceraphel explained in more detail about the moment she and Sinestro had met. “Yeah,” she sighed softly, “that certainly sounds like my father. Though I’m sure it was more to do with him not caring about your embarrassment, rather than not realizing it.” He had never cared about anyone before, not after Arin. He had shut himself off and avoided anything to do with love or friendship. So it didn’t surprise her to learn that he had been a little less than welcoming when they had met. Still, knowing that he had cared at least a little was something interesting.

“The Star sapphires have changed a lot from what they first were, a lot like all the rest of us,” Soranik commented lightly, “I don’t think you need to worry. The rings were always meant to spread love, and I think they were probably used wrong the first time around, not now. I think they were always meant to be used by people who was enjoying love, and things just got a little lost along the way. I know when the corps originated, it was because some of the guardians, the ones who were in charge of our corps before Sinestro killed them, felt that it wasn’t wise to lead without emotion. They left to embrace emotion, and over time evolved into the beings that led the Star Sapphires. That’s the story, anyway. For all I know, if could have been a bunch of lies too. But it does seem like they left to embrace love, not to use it against people. Things just have a funny way of changing over time, that’s all. Maybe you’re returning things to how they should have been.”

She looked over her shoulder and back at her father, who still seemed to be fast asleep. She shook her head. “Though I still can’t imagine who you could love an idiot like him. He must be quite a project.”

She nodded a thank you for the basket and the flowers, and of course she would return the basket when she could. Though she could use her being a doctor as a very valid reason not to come see them again for a while, she wasn’t compelled to. It hadn’t been as bad as she thought. The fight she and her father had been in had almost been friendly, not like a verbal war to express who had the better opinion. It was more her being concerned about him, but not knowing how to say it properly.

“I know. I know you want us to be closer. But… there’s just a lot to get through. But I promise you I’m trying, alright? I know he’s changing. I can see it, too. He’s definitely not the man he used to be. One day, maybe I can really think of him as my father.” She started to move back over to the man, watching him while he slept. His expression had darkened somewhat since she had last seen him up close, and it seemed as though he was having a bad dream. Frowning, she placed a hand on his shoulder, deciding it was better to stir him from his thoughts then let him continue his discontented sleep. At least now she could see first hand why he seemed so tired. With a deep breath, Sinestro opened his eyes, not jolting awake or giving any indication that he had been having a nightmare. He looked up at Soranik, smiling faintly.

“Leaving already?” He asked.

“You fell asleep,” she chuckled in return, “I think that’s a sign I should go. You need your rest.”

“I apologize. I don’t think you’re that boring, I promise.” Sinestro sighed, a little surprised by the blanket on him for a moment before moving it to get up. He offered Soranik a handshake. “You’re welcome back whenever you feel like it.”

“I know,” Soranik replied, the basket of flowers floating behind her as she shook her father’s hand, “Ceraphel beat you too the invite. But thanks. I’ll return soon. Just… try and relax, alright? Maybe you should take some sleeping pills or something. You’re never going to get enough sleep like this.”

“I’m fine,” Sinestro assured her. “You had better get going.”

Soranik nodded and turned her head over her shoulder to look at Ceraphel. “Thanks again,” she said lightly, “the food was really amazing. I hope to see you again soon.” She didn’t need to be let out the front, mostly because she lifted off the ground and flew away from the back yard. They had been outside anyway, right?

Once she was gone, Sinestro sighed, moving over to join Ceraphel. He tossed the blanket around her, using it to pull her in closer to him. “Thank you,” he said to her, kissing her neck, “for inviting her.”

✘ ✘ ✘

In blackest day, in brightest night,
Beware your fears made into light
Let those who try to stop what's right,
Burn like my power... Sinestro's might!
✘ ✘ ✘

[Minaarchangel]

"The best kind of project," Ceraphel replied. She smiled as she looked over at him, knowing he really wasn't a project, but her lover, and she hesitated to use the word boyfriend. Gentleman friend more covered it. It felt silly to call Sinestro her boyfriend, even if she thought it might make him blush. He was just so serious that the title did not fit him as well as gentleman. She nodded as Soranik talked about how hard it was to get past what Sinestro had done before his change began.

"I know you do. He's got a lot to atone for. But I think he really is doing his best and I know you are too. Some day, it might not even be a mass of awkward silences while I'm in the house getting dinner."

Ceraphel smiled as Soranik went to wake her father up, though she had planned on letting him sleep a little longer. If he was that tired, she was more than willing to let him nap in the garden in a chair. But she supposed it would have been rude to let Soranik go without saying goodbye to Sinestro. So she followed her over, letting her wake him up, glad that at least the tense expression was gone from his face when he returned to the real world. She stepped forward to embrace Soranik, if only because the handshake felt so stern to her, but that was where they were at.

She on the other hand was at the point of hugs and she was going to take advantage of that. After giving Soranik a good squeeze, she stepped back with a smile and a wave, "Come back soon! You're always welcome here. And next time, no uniforms at the table. This is a place to relax and enjoy ourselves."

When Soranik disappeared, she found the blanket she had draped over Sinestro wrapped around her, and he pulled her closer. She pressed her hands against his chest, and leaned close against him smiling as he kissed her neck. He always made her feel as if she were the most important person in the universe, and it was a feeling she enjoyed. Ceraphel leaned her head against his chest, sighing softly at the calming effects of the garden, of being in his arms, of the fading light outside.

"You're welcome. You're both welcome. The two of you are my favorite project right now. Civil wars are easy. Getting you and Soranik to spend time together that isn't terribly awkward and ending in a huge fight is far more complicated. But I'm willing to put in the effort. You have the chance to really have a relationship with her now. I want you to have that. I always want you to be happy."

There was a slight breeze picking up and it blew some hair into her eyes. Ceraphel pushed it out of the way and leaned up to kiss him, "Let's go inside. I'll bring everything back into the house tomorrow. You're tired, as much as you don't want to admit it. I think it might be a good idea to go inside, go upstairs, and sit in the bathtub full of warm water together."

Taking his hand, Ceraphel began to lead him into the house. She wanted to spend time with him before he went back to sleep, the conversation she had with Soranik making her want to be close to him. It was hard not to feel that way after they had been through so much together.

[Lantern Thaal Sinestro]

"A project, are we?" Chuckled Sinestro, "well, I suppose if it makes you happy, I can't really complain." It wasn't like he didn't want to have a better relationship with his daughter, anyway. She was helping him out by meddling, so he would allow it. Normally, he didn't like people having a hand in his personal affairs. He would have told anyone else that the troubles with his daughter were his own to deal with. But she wasn't just anyone else- she was Ceraphel. More than just someone who was a part of his life, she was connected to him on a whole different level. So it wasn't surprising that she was allowed to do things everyone else would have been punched in the throat for.

He was happy when she meddled- somehow, it didn't upset him like he thought it should have. She really did make him a big marshmallow.

Good thing it wasn't universal. She was the only one who got the squishier parts of his personality, even if he did have a white ring and was supposed to be some kind of savior now. That didn't mean he needed to be nice about it- heaven forbid.

"A bath does sound nice," he told her with a nod, picking her up into his arms and carrying her inside himself. He smiled and gave her a kiss as he walked, taking her to the bathroom and sitting her on the edge of the tub. It felt good to be able to enjoy some time with her- he didn't want that to end any time soon. He moved to get the water ready, though he imagined she would be better at making things perfect. When it came to these sorts of things, his experience was lacking. He never had time for warm baths or moments of relaxation when he'd been younger. And when he had, it had always been Arin who had prepared them. He supposed not much had changed since then.

As long as he didn't go power mad and attempt to take over her home world, he would be happy. He had enjoyed his life with Arin. If only he hadn't messed things up- he might never have killed so many people along the way. Then again, he wouldn't have met Ceraphel, either. As much as he had loved Arin, there was just something different about the new love of his life.

He couldn't remember ever feeling so happy. Not to such an absolute extreme.

Watching Ceraphel a moment, he smiled. "Soranik suggested we go on a vacation," he told her lightly, "I was thinking that might not be such a terrible idea. I suppose it's no well-kept secret that I'm exhausted. With the nightmares and the worries about this power I wield, I haven't had any time for sleep. I need to clear my head. Maybe get away from hit for a little while. Perhaps we both could- you need rest, too. We could find a nice, relaxing planet somewhere, or something fun. Whatever you would like to do." He watched her carefully, wondering if he might have said too much. It wasn't every day he admitted he needed to rest. Normally, he would have just kept pushing himself.

But he had told her he would be more careful about hiding things from her. After what had happened with his heart, it was a promise that was always in the back of his mind.

"What do you think?"

✘ ✘ ✘

In blackest day, in brightest night,
Beware your fears made into light
Let those who try to stop what's right,
Burn like my power... Sinestro's might!
✘ ✘ ✘

[Minaarchangel]

"My favorite project. Once I've made everything nice for the two of you, I'll get to work on Hal and Carol. Because I can't stand the idea of people I care about not being even close to being as happy as I am with you. Then I can move on to fixing the rest of the universe one family or one couple at a time, depending on the situation."

Ceraphel smiled as he picked her up to carry her into the house. He had this way of making her feel dainty, and it was not in the way that malicious beings made her feel small. It just made her feel like she was cozy and protected, and that was such an unique feeling for her that she was enchanted with it. Usually she was the one doing the protecting. And it was pretty fun when he picked her up too. Just like when she got piggy back rides.

He took her into the house, and they headed upstairs to the bathroom together. She had a bath large enough for two, the shower a separate thing. Cera kissed him once again before he set her down and she was surprised when he brought up the idea of a vacation. A vacation? She had never taken such a thing, not since she was a child. She smiled slightly and began to remove her clothing, slipping off her shoes, and turning on the warm water, feeling it for temperature before she let it run. Just because it made things more pleasant, she poured in some sand from a container near the bath that turned the water a rich blue green, added a light scent and added a few bubbles as well.

"A vacation?" she said, as if having to ruminate over the idea out loud too. "I don't know that I've ever really been on one. Not since I was a child, anyway. What about you?"

She was taking off her clothes now, setting the blouse and skirt aside, dropping her underwear and picking them up to set aside, the supportive camisole that then left her nude. It was an interesting thought. Some warm beach somewhere, water lapping at their toes, while the two of them sat in chairs low to the sand, an umbrella covering them from the hot sun overhead. Late nights walking on a beach. The idea of Sinestro taking her to a luau made her smile more than it should have. Then again, the idea of him in flowered swimming trunks made her smile too.

"It's an interesting idea. Where would you like to go?"

Getting into the tub, she sat forward until he could get in behind her. Then she leaned back onto his chest, and reached for a few hair pins, putting her hair up so that it would stay mostly dry. Ceraphel turned off the water and thought about a vacation. She looked up at him, smiling as she took one of his hands in her own and put her palm against his, golden flesh standing out against red, her fingers slender against his own, her hand smaller. She nodded a bit against his chest, her mind already made up. Going on a vacation seemed like an excellent idea.

"Let's do it. Let's find a quiet beach somewhere that the only people around are there to bring us delightful drinks with little umbrellas in them. Let's take two or three weeks and pretend we're not supposed to be out saving the universe. I want to fall asleep on a hammock with you being nudged back and forth by tropical breezes."

[Lantern Thaal Sinestro]

Sinestro chuckled. "I don't think everyone can be fixed just by making them spend time together," he commented lightly. Hal and Carol had a lot of history, and they didn't have any blood relation to cling to, either. Trying to get them to work with one another probably wouldn't go so smoothly for her. Still. he imagined it was all with the best of intentions, he just didn't want anyone getting angry with her for attempting to meddle too much. While he appreciated her wanting to help her friends, he was still the kind of man who felt someone's personal business was not for others to get involved with whenever they saw fit.

When she asked about the vacation Sinestro chuckled. "I was hoping you'd have more experience, I haven't been on one in years. Not since before I joined the corps." He imagined they both had the same excuse- they had been too busy with their respective lines of work to really go on vacation. Even when he had been married his moments of relaxation had been at home or while he was recovering from a particularly nasty wound. He'd never really been on a vacation that lasted a while or took them somewhere really exciting. Once or twice, maybe, but it had never ended well. He could never resist going to save the day.

His work had always been very important to him.

He got himself undressed as he mused over her question, wondering if he really had thought this one through. He didn't know where they could go, or if they would even enjoy it. Maybe they weren't the types to like vacations.

Once he was undressed, he looked down at his chest, observing all the various scars he'd gotten from their more recent adventures. The most prominent was, of course, the long line down the center of his chest where he'd had his surgery, followed by the more circular wound where he had been shot by Indigo 1. Neither scar looked as bad as they used to, no longer active and painful, but they still reminded him of some pretty close calls. The long scar in particular- it still amazed him that he had someone else's heart inside of him. Someone who wasn't even from Korugar. He sighed and moved to join Ceraphel. In any case, the scars on his front were nothing compared to the ones on his back.

He settled in behind her, moving his hands around her body. She was so smooth and slender, and it made him feel very aware that they were naked together. Of course, he did his best not to just mount her, wanting to have a relaxing evening with her instead. He couldn't just leap on her every time they were alone together, as much as he might have wanted to.

"Alright," he chuckled, "I know there are planets designed specifically as large getaways. There's a large market for it with space travelers. I'm sure we could find a lovely planet to spend some time on. Maybe I'll ask around and see if any of the other lanterns know of a place we could go. He looked at her hand in his, wrapping his finger between hers. He liked the difference in size, somehow.

"We just have to promise ourselves we won't run off if trouble pops up. We both need to relax. I'm sure you don't want me to have another heart attack, right?" He kissed her neck, feeling a lot of the stress that had been building up in his body melting away as the water soaked in.

✘ ✘ ✘

In blackest day, in brightest night,
Beware your fears made into light
Let those who try to stop what's right,
Burn like my power... Sinestro's might!
✘ ✘ ✘

[Minaarchangel]

"Somewhere quiet," Ceraphel stipulated. "I know we won't be able to get a private beach or anything, but I think calm and serene would be best for us. Instead of somewhere with a lot of action, a lot of activities. I'm sure we can come up with something to do all alone in a quiet bungalow on the beach without any interruptions, without any need to rush off and save the day. In fact, I can think of several things we can do without even leaving the bed."

It was a tempting thought. She relished being in his arms, being what he wanted, remembering what it was like to be so in love that she just could not get enough of her lover. Ceraphel took the time to lean up and kiss him, leaving a trail of little light kisses, butterfly wings on flesh, down to the scars on his chest, pressing her mouth against them as if she could take them away a little at a time if she could. Smiling up at him, she stroked his cheek with one hand wet from the hot water they were soaking in.

"Just think about it. A tropical paradise without blue lanterns around. Without Hal poking around. Speaking of which, it's probably best not to tell him where we're going. Just that we're going. Because I can imagine him showing up just to see what we're doing. We seem to be everyone's favorite form of entertainment recently."

Her fingers closed around his hand and she brought it to her lips, kissing his fingers gently, "You can pick where we go though. I'm not particularly picky, as long as it's warm and tropical and has a beautiful beach to spend time on."

She smiled, "Besides, I'm extremely interested in seeing what kind of swimwear you prefer. Unless you want to go somewhere with a nude beach. I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that. I don't like the idea of other people getting to see what I get to enjoy. So which is it? Flowered board shorts, or something more revealing? Speaking of which, we may have to do some shopping before we go, just so you have some clothes to wear while we're on vacation."

The more she thought about going on vacation, the more excited she got. Cera could not remember the last time she had the means or the time to go on a trip, not to mention the reason. Her hand slid down his chest and she leaned against his shoulder, thinking about how perfect it could be. Fruit drinks laced with more adult mixtures. Soft sand under their toes, going barefoot for most of the day. Watching the sunset on the horizon and taking a walk lit by moonlight on the water. It was not just a dream though, it was going to be a reality.

Ceraphel was going to make this vacation good for him, "If I promise to not get involved unless it's absolutely necessary, I want the same promise from you. It's not just my vacation, is our vacation. You're going to relax, you're going to smile, and you're not going to glare at helpful cabana boys. They're there so we don't have to do anything but have a good time. And we're not the first couple they've seen, they don't care about meddling."

[Lantern Thaal Sinestro]

"You're probably right about that," Sinestro sighed. Yes, there would be no telling Hal what they were doing- that would only end badly for them. He had no shame and no sense of privacy, so he would likely not be against showing up where he wasn't wanted to see what they were doing, completely ruining the atmosphere in the process. He didn't really hate Hal, not like he used to, but that didn't mean he wanted the guy showing up and making a mess of their vacation. Knowing Hal, he would likely bring a whole mess of trouble along with him. For all the messes they seemed to run into together, Hal was even worse. He couldn't seem to stay out of trouble for more than a few hours.

Maybe he hadn't been the best choice to leave in charge of the green lanterns.

"Warm and tropical, got it," Sinestro replied. He was sure he would be able to find a place for them to go- he had some people who could speak to. If nothing else, he could use his ring to hunt down a nice planet. Or he could just ask the blue lanterns. Those hippies probably knew where all the prettiest planets were. Of course, that ran the risk of them showing up later to see how things were going. Perhaps he would figure it out on his own. Blue lanterns were almost as annoying as Hal was.

He chuckled when she commented on the swimwear, and that they needed to go shopping. "I think you just want to buy me those flower trunks you mentioned," he commented lightly, "but I suppose we should make sure we're prepared, especially if we're going to be keeping ring usage to a minimum." He knew it would be better for them both if they just took some time away from their rings. It wasn't something he was used to, but he was willing to change if it meant keeping her happier and healthier. For him, work was life- there wasn't anything else. It had been that way for a very long time and he hadn't thought it would change. Now, though, he knew better than to just keep his mind on his mission. He wanted to make her happy, too. He wanted a normal life.

It was very strange, but true.

"What makes you think there won't be females helping that you need to not glare at?" he chuckled faintly, "it's not just boys in thongs, you know. But I promise I won't glare unless they get overly friendly. Then I make no promises at all."

He stayed in the bath with her for quite some time, until there was no choice but to get out. He had enjoyed his time with her, washing away the stress that had been building over the last couple of weeks. It only made the idea of a vacation that much more appealing. If he could feel so calm with her from a simple bath, he imagined being in a tropical paradise would be a great help to the both of them. It was strange, looking forward to something.

He hadn't done that in a long time, either.

It was another sleepless night for the white lantern, though, this time his dreams haunted by images of himself abusing the white light and using it to take over the universe. To kill anyone who stood in front of him, including Hal and even Ceraphel. After that dream, he hadn't gone back to sleep. He hadn't even tried. Instead, he stayed in the bed with Ceraphel and just waited for morning to join them. Then he slipped off early and got breakfast ready for them.

✘ ✘ ✘

In blackest day, in brightest night,
Beware your fears made into light
Let those who try to stop what's right,
Burn like my power... Sinestro's might!
✘ ✘ ✘

[Minaarchangel]

"I absolutely want you to buy those flowered trunks I mentioned." Ceraphel said with a smile. "I think you would look fetching in a pair. Maybe not the bright orange ones that are popular right now, but maybe blue or green would be okay."

When the water in the bath cooled, Ceraphel had him stay where he was and she drained it away and refilled it with more hot water, because it was far too enjoyable to get out of the tub. She wanted to spend as much time with him as possible and knew that he was relaxing in the bath. She could feel the tension drain away from him, the muscles in his shoulders relaxing, his tone getting lighter. She knew that this vacation was a good idea, if only because it would let the two of them get away from work, away from the constant onslaught of things that had kept them going for so long.

She got out of the bath with him and helped him towel off before they headed to bed. Ceraphel pulled on a pair of panties, but that was all. She wanted to be close to him physically, and curled up next to him beneath the covers. Unlike Sinestro, her dreams were pleasant, filled with thoughts of the things they could do on vacation. She did not wake up when he did, but slept contentedly next to him, curled at his side as she always was. She did not even wake when he left in the morning to get breakfast ready, though she woke up not much later.

Finding herself alone in bed, but the smell of food in the air, Ceraphel got up, rubbing her eyes. She pulled on a shirt with slender straps and lace on the bottom edge, and considered that modest enough for walking around her own home with Sinestro. Hair wild from sleep, she came downstairs, sighing softly as she smelled the air once again. It was nice to know that there was someone who would make her a meal on occasion. She wandered into the kitchen, and stopped, seeing the dark bags under his eyes. She was instantly concerned, and went to his side.

"...Another bad night?"

Ceraphel slid her hand around his waist, her head against his chest, "Will you tell me what you dreamt? I didn't have any bad dreams last night, but you know, I've had them too. Mine are about that demon returning. Usually you're trapped somewhere, and I struggle to get to you, and when you do, you turn into that demon again. Then I watch as my world burns and he takes my ring so I can't stop him. I know that if that happened, I'd rather die fighting than end up helpless for his sick amusement. Other times, it's just him, fighting him again, killing him and knowing that I've killed you too. Even if I know he's gone, it doesn't stop the nightmares."

Her melon colored eyes turned up to look at him, "You can share your dreams with me, you know. I just want to help. Even if it's just being here to talk to."

[Lantern Thaal Sinestro]

Sinestro tried his best to fool her. When she came down the stairs, he offered her a smile, wanting nothing more than for her to think that he had woken up and decided to make breakfast for her, no strings attached. Of course, she was immediately showing him a concerned face when she looked him, letting him know that any attempt to pretend he was fine wasn't going to fly. She moved over to him and put her arms around him, and he let out a sigh as he stopped what he was doing to give her a hug. He imagined he must have looked pretty bad if she had been able to tell right away that something was wrong with him. Darn, maybe he should have splashed his face with some water or something like that- something to hide the fatigue.

Instead, he wore it clearly, even if he didn't want to.

She asked him if he would tell her what he had dreamed about, but he wasn't sure if he really wanted to share. He had changed a lot since being with her, but there were still some aspects of his personality that weren't quite up to par yet, and that included his pride. It was difficult for him to admit he needed help. Of course he would honor his promise not to hide important things from her. He had already told her that he needed a break, and that his dreams were getting the better of him. But to let his pride go so much as to explain what he had been dreaming about... he wasn't sure he had it in him. She didn't need to know, did she? It wasn't like her knowing would change anything. It just meant fully admitting that he was being bested by something as silly as a dream.

Still, he knew he couldn't lie to her. Not when she was looking up at him with that face, asking him something she felt was important. It wasn't fair, really. She had a power over him and he was pretty sure she knew it, too.

She could make him wear a dress with enough prodding.

A sigh escaped him again. "I just dream about... everything," he relented after a long pause, "some nights, it's about the demon. Either me being unable to control my body, or me facing that version of myself eye to eye. Either way, it never ends up going to well for me. Sometimes the conversations are so vivid, so real... it feels like it could still be inside me. I know it's impossible. I've scanned myself with my ring so many times, and I know there's no trace of him left inside me. Still... I can't feel secure. It bothers me, but I feel frightened I might lose myself to his control again." He hated that- he hated that he was afraid. And that he had to admit it, too. The master of fear was suddenly feeling fear again? He needed to over come it.

Like any good lantern.

"Last night, I dreamt I started to abuse this power- the white light. Just like when I had been a green lantern, I used it for my own gain and lost sight of my own mission. I killed so many people... I killed you..." He frowned, turning his head away from her. He needed to get over it. He just didn't know how to.

"I know it's foolish," he said lowly, "but I can't control what happens in my dreams. I feel... a little bit helpless in that regard. It just seems easier not to sleep. My subconscious is starting to disallow it, in fact."

✘ ✘ ✘

In blackest day, in brightest night,
Beware your fears made into light
Let those who try to stop what's right,
Burn like my power... Sinestro's might!
✘ ✘ ✘

[Minaarchangel]

Hearing about what he was dreaming of made her heart hurt. Ceraphel knew that Sinestro had a shady past, and that was putting it mildly. But she had no idea that feeling remorse for his actions, trying to make things right, would haunt him in this way, that he would lose sleep seeing visions of himself doing things she knew he would never do. Her arms wrapped around him tighter, and she reached up to turn his head toward her again, to kiss him gently.

"It's not foolish. You've been given a great power. And with that comes the responsibility to use it well. It would weigh on the most experienced lantern to be entrusted with such a thing. I would be more worried if you weren't bothered by these dreams at all. It just shows that you're looking at things in the right way."

Ceraphel took one of his hands in both her own, letting his other arm stay around her so she was close to him, bringing his hand to her lips gently, "I believe in you. With all of my heart."

The smile on her face was one of perfect trust. If anyone was going to hurt her, the very last person she was going to expect to do so would be her Sinestro. Ceraphel knew that these things would haunt him even if she could soothe every fear he had. They haunted her as well, even when she woke up and saw her lover next to her, calm as could be, not at all like the monster in her dreams. But she would try to help. She would do all she could to help him.

"Hal wants to believe in you, and I know Saint Walker believes in you. Even Carol is starting to come around and she might be able to believe in you too. I think some day, Soranik could too. Call me naïve if you wish, but I know that support will hold you up just as well as your own powerful will."

She put her arms back around him, "What that demon did was not your fault. He took us all by surprise, and I just wish I could have realized that something was wrong with that staff before I ever let you near it. If it had been a different Elsian, they would have felt it right away, I'm sure. Don't tell me not to blame myself. I let my desire to see you enjoy yourself get in the way of my common sense. It should have been you who got knocked on their a** that day."

Her hand came up to control some of her hair, "What can I do to help you? I don't mind if you wake me up to talk during the night. Or for other things. We could certainly tire you out that way."

Ceraphel's smile was definitely now a lot more mischievous.

[Lantern Thaal Sinestro]

Ceraphel was trying to comfort him, and it worked, if only a little. He imagined she was right- he would be concerned if someone else had this kind of power and it didn't bother them. He could do so much with it. Of course he was worried about going too far. Still, very few had done the things he had. When he lost control, he really lost control, and he wasn't sure there would be anyone capable of stopping him this time around, should it happen again. He couldn't only hope the ring itself would know there was something amiss and leave him- it seemed a more sentient ring, in a way, than the others, and didn't tend to stick around when it wasn't needed. Of course, a better option would be to not fall into trouble in the first place. To not walk down that path again.

He was so concerned about it, but he wondered if it would ever really happen. Everything seems so real in dreams, but they rarely happened in real life. Maybe he was just letting himself get carried away with his fears.

But he could hardly be blamed- if he did stray from his path again, he wouldn't be the one to suffer for it. It would be every living thing in the universe that suffered at his feet, instead. And that included Ceraphel, though he hated to admit it.

"I'm glad people believe in me," he said faintly, "I wish I could believe in myself, too. Perhaps in time, I'll grow more comfortable with the way things are now, and stop thinking that they're just going to fall back to the way they were sooner or later." Everything had happened very quickly. Perhaps a part of his plight stemmed from feeling a little over whelmed, too.

All the more reason to go on a vacation, then.

He frowned when she blamed herself for what had happened. He wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault, but it seemed she felt as guilty about it as he did. "It was my body," he sighed lowly, "I should have been able to fight. The strongest will in the universe, they say, and I couldn't even keep something from taking over my own body, where my will should be strongest." He held onto her a moment, before finding moving away to get back to what he was working on.

"I suppose we're both going to have to deal with that demon," he sighed faintly, "it will likely be some time before we fully recover from what happened to us. I don't think you need to worry about me so much- a little lost sleep won't be the death of me. It will go away eventually."

He took the plates he had finished up and set them at the table, smiling at her warmly before sitting himself down to eat.

"Let's focus on the vacation," he hummed, "we'll go shopping after breakfast, and I'm sure that will brighten both our moods. I might even consider those trunks you mentioned."

✘ ✘ ✘

In blackest day, in brightest night,
Beware your fears made into light
Let those who try to stop what's right,
Burn like my power... Sinestro's might!
✘ ✘ ✘