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Hearing those closing in footsteps catching up to him from behind, Dax tensed in annoyance, but there was something else.. Was it some sort of satisfaction that Sayael did, afterall, give chase after him? Whatever it was, he felt a warm rush inside him that made him feel as if he wasn't so alone in this place. Stopping in his tracks after the other prince had caught up, Dax still folded his arms defensively over his chest, saying he wasn't going to back down just yet.

"And you couldn't have said that before we left?!" the Ice Prince exclaimed, believing they could have escaped that whole argument if the other had just said so. It seemed Sayael just couldn't function without a constant dose of his teasing. But that's where Dax became a hypocrite. He could dish out the teasing, but he didn't like to take it in the least. "Honestly Sayael, learn some proper timing."

Finally looking the other in the face, Dax noticed that astounded appearance. He arched a brow, waiting only a moment, to see if Sayael was going to speak. "Um.. What is it?" he asked, his voice holding less agitation than curiosity. "Did I.. say something?"

"Well, that shouldn't give you a reason to act so strangely all of a sudden," Dax said skeptically, watching Sayael search for the family picture. "You're probably just getting homesick already." But then again, he couldn't start criticizing the Prince of Darkness for that. Given a few moments of silence or isolation, Dax himself would start thinking about the home he left behind. While he knew he had made the decision to leave with Sayael for new adventure, he couldn't deny he would miss his life back in the Ice Kingdom.

Taking the picture from Sayael, Dax took a better look at the individual the other pointed out. He had to blink several times and even squint at the photo to convince himself it wasn't himself at a younger age, for some reason grouped with these children. "I suppose he does rather... resemble myself," he murmered, seeming somewhat dazed by looking at the one called Lawrence. It took several moments for him to allow his gaze to wander across the rest of the children, pinpointing Sayael, before he realized something.

"Sayael.. I thought you said that there were only twelve of you," Dax said, holding the picture toward the other prince as if Sayael had made an unknowing mistake himself. "Thirteen people are pictured here."

((Three boys with very similar hair... >>;; ))

He... hadn't been expecting Dax to move like that. Hardly anyone dared touch him when he was in such a pained rage -- but, then, those were the people who knew his reputation, which Dax most deffinately did not. The Kingdom of Darkness, quite understandably, was very hush-hush about their royal line, particularly with the deviations that had been occuring in it as of late. A... hug was the last thing that the half blood had been expecting.

Even more hesitantly than any move of Dax's, Sayael slowly returned the gesture, his grip on the other teen surprisingly loose. He knew when he was... like that, that he lost control and he didn't want to do something horrible like he was prone to -- like maybe squeeze Dax to death or something (though, if he had been rational at that moment, he would have known it impossible for someone with his strength).

He nodded slowly to the other's softly spoken words, face brushing slightly against pale, scented blond locks, head bent down in a surprising air of solemnity. Sayael was usually so... so lively, whether it was with happiness or anger, or whatever other front he chose to don. But now he was... being himself -- and he had far fewer barriers up between himself and others, now that he wasn't pretending to have a perfectly unscathed, carefree personality.

"Thanks..." he mumbled slowly after several moments, his lightly tanned hands tightening against the other for a mere moment to give him a small squeeze showing both thanks and apology.

Sayael nodded slowly, trying to offer the other a small smile in return, though the end result was rather weak, to say nothing else. The prince did not at all feel deserving of Dax's kindness -- in fact, it only made him feel a twinge of guilt. He winced slightly at that feeling, being rather unacustomed to regretting anything he had ever done. Then again, the things he had done before had all only been himself -- or, at the very least, the people he had used had been, if not faceless and nameless, at the very least not people he had come to befriend. But he felt bad now -- for dragging Dax here away from a loving and kind family, even if they were rather... over protective. They were at least a real family. But it wasn't just that. He shrank away from the thoughts of his real reasons for remorse, shoving them to one side so that he might not have to think of them just yet.

He followed after the other meekly, prompted by the small tug at his sleeve. He usually would never have allowd someone to drag him along -- he would either go enthusiastically or not at all. At the other's last words, however, a small grin cracked over his lips. Dax truly was a sheltered child, or he wouldn't have said something lips that. But Sayael didn't tell him and simply nodded in reply, bright eyes moving over the other's face for a moment before they returned to their desired path.

Dax continued to prompt Sayael with the occasional smile, but he refrained from really pulling on his arm. He worked more as a guide inside the inn, but he was glad the other prince was following. Sayael, from what the Ice Prince believed, was depressed and angry. Probably not only at himself, but most expecially those vile men who violated his mother. Dax tried to look on the brighter side of things, though. Without that occurence, Sayael wouldn't have been here with him this very day.

As if settling some internal disagreement with himself, Dax turned to face the other once they came to the rooms. "Alright. Which one's ours?" he asked, looking from door to door, knowing Faryn and Jillian to be behind one of them themselves. "The faster we get there, the faster I can give you this surprise I've got for you."

Upon entering the room, Dax's nose scrunched in distatse at the sight. It definitely wasn't anything compared to his own quarters, but then again, he told himself... he shouldn't be expecting anything better any time soon. At least they weren't sleeping outside in the dirt. Or better yet, under the water's surface from which they all so narrowly escaped. He would just have to turn that dignified, noble nose of his back down and accept what he had this time. After all, he promised to be good the rest of the night. That would include complaining.

Feeling those curious eyes on his back, Dax didn't turn to face Sayael. Instead, he opened one side of the large coat he was given by his rescuers and reached into one of the deep inner pockets. His movements indicated he pulled something out, but he waited to turn around. "Now, Sayael," he said. "I expect you to be extra nice to me for this."

When he turned around, in his outstretched hands he held what looked to be an unwrapped pastry. But not just any pastry. It was covered in that sweet honey that he knew Sayael loved so much, topped with various fruits. "It may have got a little smushed in the coat, but it should still be good."

Of course, the seemingly ever-innocent Dax didn't pick up on what Sayael had been expecting in place of the dessert. Though he did find the sudden laughter rather odd, but that was something easily brushed off his mind. The point was that Sayael appeared to be currently over that previous depression.

Shrugging off that over-sized coat, Dax drapped it over the back of a nearby chair. "Don't mention it," he said, sauntering toward the other. "But it's the men who picked me up who should be receiving the thanks. They tried to give that to me after they fed me, but I asked them to wrap it up for me instead. Right when I saw it, I thought of you, and knew you'd appreciate it much more than me." Even after saying this, Dax broke off a small piece of the pastry, almost half-expecting Sayael to bite at his hand; So protective he was of his sweets!

Placing it in his mouth, he voiced his own appreciation with an 'Mmm'. Though he wasn't big on sweets, this was still rather delicious. "No wonder you're so crazy about these things," he said, moving to sit on the bed.