Welcome to Gaia! ::

The doorman grinned as the young lady knocked instead of using the buzzer intercom. He rushed out to meet her, holding the door open and giving her a very winning smile. "Milady, come in, come in! The boys upstairs did tell me they were expecting a ladyfriend of their kind tonight to celebrate New Years, and they did warn me you would be gorgeous beyond words, but no warning could have prepared me for this." He inclined his head along with his compliment, waiting until she ducked inside before sliding the door shut behind her. "Aren't you cold? Where is your jacket? Oh, or maybe you are like that Zul fellow and cold doesn't matter to you? Ah, here, let me help you with that." He offered to take her bag, and walked her to the elevator on the other end of the entrance lobby, pushing the button for her and escorting her inside, putting down the bag there and pushing the top floor's button. "When you get up there, they are the door on the left. Enjoy your evening, lovely lady!"

Upstairs in their loft, Rivener floated back and forth in his version of pacing, wings rustling. Every time he passed the large mirror in the hallway that led from their open-concept main room to the bathroom and two bedrooms, he glanced at himself, wondering if he was underdressed, overdressed, or just confuse-dressed. He'd opted for a fitted, stylish black button-down shirt with gray seams, and over that a very dapper, double-breasted red vest that sold his figure: wide shoulders and strong, slim waistline. His hair was brushed and loosed, his bangs swept back just so and held in place with a modest amount of product so he perpetually looked like he'd just stepped inside from a windy walk.

The main room held their broad kitchen, the TV room, the sitting area in front of the fireplace. The entirety of one side was made up of glass windows that looked out onto their balcony, which lined the whole wall. On that balcony were a few white wrought-iron benches, a water feature of rocks that presently wasn't functioning since the water would have frozen by now, and a bunch of haphazardly-arranged planters filled with earth. The lack of snow on any of it was a clear sign it had all been added only recently. Riv ran his fingers through the long red strands of his front locks, wincing. "I really hope she'll like it. You think she'll like it?" he asked Zul nervously for the twelfth time that hour.

"And I look alright?" he added, again pausing by the mirror to look at himself. He smoothed the vest over his abs. "Do you think I should be more casual?" There were bottles of various kinds of liquor on the kitchen's island, ready for mixing into any drink they might want. The picnic basket she'd gotten him for Christmas was displaying their snacks, and he'd laid out the blanket in front of the fireplace as an invitation to go rest there eventually. A soft undertone of music drifted from the TV. Had this not been so important, he would have cooly confident in his sensuality, but it wasn't just Zul he was trying to impress tonight. Melisande was a new mystery, one he still wasn't sure how aggressively he wanted to approach. With Zul it had been easy: they both loved each other and both had no qualms about their sexual desires. With Meli, who knew where that line was? Rivener didn't want to scare her off by coming on too strong! "So nervous. ...Okay, no, it'll be fine. I'm fine. Right, Zul? We're fine."

Melisande paused as Zul peered out into the hall. For a moment, that same little voice she'd heard within her the first time she'd ever seen him called warning. Dangerous.

This time, the voice made her smile. Yes. He was dangerous. And he was watching over her. Pasha blushed at compliment, and shifted her bags to the side to show her dress playfully. "So do you. We match, again." It didn't seem to bother her that beautiful was the wrong word for a male. It was amazing being able to see him in a new way, and it did nothing to help her blush. She offered him both bags with a murmur of thanks, and caught his eyes for a moment before moving forward to hug him delicately in greeting. Melisande settled her arms around his shoulders, cheek almost brushing his before she pulled back. "Thank you for having me."

She caught sight of Rivener over his shoulder and her smile dimpled for a moment before fading. Melisande didn't wait for the tour, or to have her hand kissed, or any such business. She gazed at him with wide blue eyes from the doorway, expression grave.

"My wing is all better." She said, keeping her face straight. "You can swing me now."

The demon's smile warmed. It didn't bother him at all that she'd returned the words to him, flattered. He bowed his head into the hug, murmuring softly, "I will greet you properly shortly. I'm so glad you're here." And then she was facing Rivener, her bags in his hands, and all he could do was smile in a cheeky manner. The Scorpion's approach and claws in his hair made him very nearly purr, eyes lidded and upon Rivener with comfort and ease, but once he was released he retreated, giving Melisande ample room to be spun.

Zul made his way through the loft, giving the two a moment to greet and speak, pausing momentarily in front of their room. He'd been automatically prepared to drop her stuff off in their bedroom, but he felt a twinge of uncertainty. Would that be implying something? Too much, too soon? Casting a playful smirk over his shoulder as Rivener's compliment reached his long ears, he turned and went into the spare room instead, gingerly placing the bags on the bed there. She could join them if she wanted, but it would be her choice and not made for her. This way she had some small privacy for changing, as it were.

Floating back into the room, he caught the tail end of Rivener talking about him again, rolling his eyes playfully. "I'd rather use the real one if I was going to impress her," he teased back, approaching the two. "I'll let Riv handle the tour business. I'll take your drink and food order if you're craving, m'lady." With his arms free, he dipped down and ghosted his arms around her middle to hug her, mirroring the brush of cheeks she'd shared with him moments ago. She smelled divine, her presence light but very real in his arms, earning a low, rolling hum from the demon. "It feels amazing to have you here, Melisande." He then withdrew, giving her a gentle smile before he continued on his way to the kitchen, intending to get a beverage for himself.

"Want anything, love?" he asked, blue eyes resting upon the Scorpion with fondness.

He'd received her approval of his looks, and that eased the very last of his nerves. He'd stood still for her assessment, grinning as she fingered his hair and smoothed his vest, but that final quick hug and chirped compliment about his perfection lit him up and warmed him inside. Zul had told him much the same, and it had the same effect. Knowing BOTH his loves thought him perfectly handsome made it so much easier to wear his usual cocky self-confidence.

Rivener snorted at Zul's comment about the REAL guitar. "Don't believe him," he whispered to Pasha in a theatre-whisper, smirking playfully. "He's WAY better at the Guitar Hero guitar. I never had the heart to tell him he sucked at the real one." He gave his beloved a wink again and laughed, assuming everyone would know that statement for the lie it was. "Maybe at some point the two of you will duet, and I'll be the luckiest guy in the universe to get to hear. ...Zul, I'd love a coke please. I'll keep the liquor for later. Thanks!"

With Pasha on his arm, Rivener began the tour. The kitchen, with its dark wood counters and black appliances. The TV room, in the center of their open-concept main room, was basically just a square of couches and the large entertainment center that held their TV, consoles, movie players and sound system. A partial wall stood behind the entertainment center to provide a delineation between that half of the room and the other, which was flanked on two wall by those full windows. The fireplace was sunk into that partial wall that hid the entertainment center on its other side. More sofas here, as well as a pair of tall bookshelves on either side of the fireplace. Then he showed her their bathroom with its large tub with jets (he elbowed her playfully and declared them more than ready to accomodate that demand of hers), the pale-yellow-walled spare bedroom where her things had been laid on the thick, plush bedcovers in color-blocks of white and yellow, and his and Zul's room was last. The windows here were mostly drawn closed, and the dark red cover on the large bed was very much in Rivener's taste. There was a computer desk, a tall bookshelf filled with nicknacks, mementos and a good amount of photograph books, and a large walk-in closet.

But the place Rivener brought her to last, through the sitting room to look outside at the balcony, was the one he'd been really intent on showing her. He glanced at Zul so they could both share the joy of announcing what would hopefully be a good surprise. "And that's the balcony. ...We decided it would be yours. We bought a few things to start with, and you can put them where you like: we''ll move them. And when spring comes, you can plant anything you like in those planters. We'll get more, too, when you decide what you want the space to look like. Though Zul has reserved one of the planters for his own flowers. ...Just so you know, this is our trick to get you to come back often." He winked as he whispered the last, smirking confidently. "Or you could just stay. We won't press of course, but we want to make sure you know the offer is always, WILL always be there for you to consider."

Melisande was stunned silent for most of the tour. She took in everything...the dark woods and rich colors, the way Zul drifted so easily about the kitchen, the smell of their room. Especially the smell of their room. She wanted to linger. It was...addictive. Her cheeks were already pink before Rivener showed off the tub, but she couldn't help but imagine the bath he hinted at. By the time he revealed the balcony, bright tears stood in the corners of her eyes.

Pasha released his arm slowly, and drifted to the window as he spoke. "It's beautiful. The balcony, your home. All of it." She smiled, eyes shining for a moment before she turned to look out the massive windows again. Her fingertips left dainty circles of steam upon the glass. "I've never had a place like this. With Aki, it was all fear and boxes and packing tape."

Her voice was regretful. It was hard to talk about her guardian. Ex-guardian. "The Manor isn't truly mine, it's Aria's things, her memories. Even Anderson calls me Aria sometimes, when he forgets. And Vi's..." She cast a smile back over one shoulder as Zul approached. The glimmer of tears had vanished. Pasha shrugged self consciously even as she smiled...the fall of her hair parting over one pale shoulder. They had seen her little room at Vi's shop. They knew.

"You're very lucky." She repeated, accepting the tea from Zul with a grateful nod."Thank you for the invitation to return...and for the tea! I'd love that." Melisande wrapped her hands around the mug, smiling as the image of the flower blossomed like magic. She'd moved her eyes for a moment to Zul when Rivener had whispered about staying, but let the offer rest for now.

"I love roses!" Pasha plucked some mint for her tea and added it to the mug, tugging at the strainer to give it a mix. "I used to care for the ones in the garden. You have to cut them back pretty aggressively, but they bloom all the more beautifully for it." She brought the mug to her face and blew gently, looking back out over the balcony. Images were already taking shape in her mind.

"That was...very sweet of both of you." She met Rivener's eyes in the reflection, then Zul's, smiling over the rim of the cup. "Thank you for making me feel so welcome." Pasha took a cautious sip as she turned, pleasantly surprised at the perfect temperature. Her pale brows lifted, and she cast a rather calculating look at the Demon, unconsciously pressing her shoulder against Rivener for support.

"I don't suppose you can do that to bath water..."

He'd only came in on the tail end of the conversation, and with a curious tilt of his head, the demon tried to figure out who the names were. They weren't Lab related, but Rivener's reaction made him feel that he was missing out on something important. "Who is Anderson, and -- Aria, is it? I remember Vi, lovely lady. Are they also people who work at the shop?" For a moment, Zul truly felt ignorant; he had so little knowledge of Melisande that even simple conversations of her life put him at a loss. That was why, he knew, she was here; they were to take steps together, and to learn. It would be an intense amount of give and take before they could get to the level he wanted to be.

As she carried on about the flowers, he could not hide the smile that formed, watching Melisande speak with warm eyes. She was rather knowledgeable - which didn't surprise him - but being so agreeable about it made him feel wonderful. "Then perhaps you might help me learn the proper amount for cutting them back when the time comes? I can read books but experience is always best."

The demon dipped his head with a lowering of his eyes at her expression of gratitude, his smile still in place. It tickled him that she was so polite; they'd practically asked her to move in with them and she was still acting as though she were a mere house guest. He let it go, however, and instead lifted his blue eyes to Rivener's face as the Scorpion shared his thoughts out loud, giving the other a grateful smile. When he answered her question for him, however, Zul turned his head and laughed softly, lips pressed in a smile to try and keep his mirth at bay. "As he so eloquently stated, yes, I can warm a bath and chill a beer quickly. It's a small perk of keeping a healthy balance." Again looking to the two, giving Rivener a slightly darker, almost smoldering lid of his eyes at the recount of the story. Surely there were reasons Rivener had been so tired, but far be it from him to point that out.

"I'd be happy to pre-warm any baths upon your visit," he assured the Muse with a playful but gentle smile. He knew they were dancing on a thin line of wanting her there and trying not to pressure her. "And so long as they're in season, I can promise strawberries. You see? It's not an accommodation when your presence and habits are a natural part of our lives." Zul lifted his broad shoulders in a whimsical shrug. "We simply fit."

Rivener had no clue Zul felt like he was the odd man out when it came to knowing about Melisande, and had he learned of it he would have been quite shocked: Riv himself knew nothing! Those names had been as new to him as they were to Zul, but the Scorpion hadn't thought to ask for details. He was so glad Zul did, however. The story that came pouring out of the girl was brief but contained so much of her experiences in just a few sentences it was almost unbelievable. He listened incredibly intently, soaking it all in, commiting it to memory.

He knew who the "we" meant when Pasha mentioned visiting the Manor, and for some reason he was surprised when she offered to take them to that manor for a visit. He felt like she might have wanted to keep that for herself and the memory of Zave, so to be invited into that part of her world made him so happy he couldn't help but grin broadly and nod. "If you wouldn't mind, I would LOVE to see that manor some day. And anything else you would want to show me. I'm a bit of a photography nut, and that place sounds lovely, I can hear it in your voice. It'd make for beautiful images." Maybe he could make her a book out of some of those pictures! A good way to immortalize a place that was hers yet not hers.

The apologetic smile earned a fond twist of his lips which grew into a pleased grin when she mentioned strawberries. It was rare for him, but he actually blushed and tilted his head down-ward, glancing between his two loves. "I'm really glad you loved them. I made them myself, you know. And if you have room in your balcony plans, there's no reason we couldn't grow a whole bunch of strawberries here ourselves! That way you'd have them in the summer, sun-drenched and flavorful. Home-grown stuff always tastes better than store-bought."

He cleared his throat and smoothed down his vest then, smiling at the pair. "We can do whatever we like! But I thought a movie or two would take up a few hours, and I really would like to hear Zul play the guitar for us, if you're alright with that, Fl-... Love." He laughed at his own hesitation, raising an eyebrow at Pasha and leaning in to whisper: "My pet name for him is Flower, but I'm not sure if he'd be embarrassed by it." The Scorpion's eyes glittered as he kept watching Zul for a reaction, having made sure he whispered that little snippet out loud. "As for telling you about ourselves, I wouldn't know where to start! ...I'm glad to hear your reasons for leaving Aki weren't harmful ones. Aphi wasn't particularly happy when I left to come and live here, either, but he got over it. After a while it just seems to make no sense to stay there: I make my own money, I take care of my own things, there was no reason for a Guardian. So now he can focus on his own wants. Um, what else..." He looked to Zul for help, making a slight face, confused as to what he should speak of. He didn't know if now was a good time to bring up his work, since Pasha might not be very keen on what he did to earn his money.

"Oh, I've been in the hospital a few times, that's something! Had my wings broken, been shot, fought with a ghost... Multiple ghosts, in fact. There's not much else to say, really."