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It wasn't that Doucette so much as didn't like technology; it was more that technology simply refused to reveal its secrets to her and thus like her in return. To this end, Doucette was not unfamiliar with the daily interactions between electronics and people, and she especially believed her grasp of telephones was at least as up-to-date as it could be (though the truth of the matter was that she was probably still stuck somewhere in the 80s when cellphones were a huge deal and things like caller id were reasons to brag).

Thus it was to her great confusion when she picked up her phone, dialed the number for Aphismet and Rivener, and launched into a hearty hello when she heard the voice pick up at the other end after a few rings...only to be interrupted with a general apology for being out halfway through her own small speech.

Doe stared at the mouth piece for a moment as she pondered what she was supposed to do until she was suddenly startled almost out of her seat at the sudden beep that eminated from the receiver. There was a long, long pause while she waited for something to happen. Maybe the beep had been a notification for Aphismet that there was a call waiting? Was it going to beep again? When nothing happened she finally hung up the phone with a soft click and a perplexed expression.

The red head had never experienced an answering machine before. Her parents didn't have one, and she didn't either, and it wasn't that she didn't have friends for heavens sake, but she'd never actually tried calling them without getting them on the line first try because they'd agreed on a call time before hand. She had also called restaurants often, but only during opening hours and only when she was sure they weren't in peak work time to ensure that someone would answer the phone when she called.

Pushing her hands to her flaming cheeks she took a deep, deep breath before trying again, listening with determination to the voice on the other end and wincing as the beep once more caught her by surprise. How unpleasant.

There was silence for a moment before she attempted to speak.

"Hello? Hi. Erhm, this is Doucette?" the statement-question hung in the air, as if it was waiting for some sort of reply before she decided to plow on. With any luck they just wouldn't get the message. Maybe someone would simply steal their phone and delete all the voice mails for fun.

"Yes, well. We met at the coffee shop? I'm one of the new owners, Doucette. Red hair? Aurora Borealis?" Doe bit on her lip. This was nearing on the traumatic for her. "Anyway, I was just calling to let you know, though now I guess I'm leaving a message to let you know, that I finally caught the soul. I went with a jellyfish afterall. Actually, I don't know what kind of jellyfish it was...just one on the beach, but still, ok."

Enough rambling. With a finally deep breath for gusto she bid the two have a good day and a general reaffirmation about how nice it had been to meet them and that surely she would like to meet them again and a few more pleasant statements before she cut herself off finally and hung up with a belated goodbye that likely only got halfway onto the actual recording.

Today, Doucette learned she wasn't as good with what little technology she thought she understood.

Doucette was very much ready this time. She had practiced for almost an hour, much to the pugs delight at their lady pacing the living room talking into thin air, muttering things about souls and jellyfish and a whole other matter of things. The story had been written and rewritten in her head until she'd thought it best to read it off of paper instead.

The call came soon after Vivi's, which might be surprising to the too men but not to the two woman who'd been put to the test ever so recently. There was no awkward long pause suitable only for crickets but instead the sure voice of a woman totally out of her depths and trying to not let it show.

"Hello again! It's Doucette...again." The woman sounded just as sweet and absent minded as she had in the coffee shop and they could likely imagine the way her expression shifted as rapidly as a leaf being blown down the sidewalk. "So it turns out I might have been wrong afterall. I seem to have accidentally captured the soul of my bowl of moonstones instead of the jellyfish as earlier assumed."

And then the long pause came, a fidgeting sound on the other end the only clue that the woman hadn't simply forgotten she was on the phone with someone. "If it isn't too very forward of me," Doucette said, pausing once more as she sought the right words, "I would very much like to meet with you and talk with you about this development. I would like to speak with you about what you know about Raevans with rocks for souls, as I've only met those with souls that...you know...were alive?"

Another long pause before there was a hurried thank you and a good bye. Hopefully her strange phone calls would not provoke an impatience in Rivener, for she felt very strongly he was her best option for help.

The front door closed and the black car drove away. Rivener could see it through the window, and despite her leaving the house, Rivener wasn't calming down. He still felt sharp and spiky inside, he still felt full to bursting with fire and acid, he felt like he would explode if he didn't lash out! There was no enemy to destroy this time: it was already dead. He couldn't attack Lucia anymore, it wasn't her fault. He didn't want to hurt Aphi, he was an innocent bystander. There was nothing Riv could do. Nothing. It wasn't FAIR.

"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGHHHHH!!!!"

Screaming at the top of his lungs, Rivener just lost it. He sunk his claws into his bed and flipped it over, toppled his bookshelves, threw his coffee tables at the wall... A hellish cacophony of destruction filled the room, Rivener's screaming voice drowning out all other noise in his own ears. He let his strength loose without restraint, ripping his mattress to pieces, stabbing at books and toys with his wing-tips, smashing lamps to the floor. Even his precious computer was ripped away from its wires and thrown through a window, falling to its death on the ground. Nothing was safe from the Sigel's rage save his desk, upon which lied the only sacred item in his destroyed world: the bowl with Zul's fish in it. The creature flitted around like crazy, detecting the threat, trying to hide.

With nothing left to destroy, floating in the middle of his room, Rivener just stared at the fish. He was breathing a little harder from the exertion, and his wings ached from over-working... But the feeling of needing to explode was gone. Rivener was left feeling-... empty.

His eyes stung. Frowning, blinking back what he knew was coming, Rivener let himself lower to the floor, hiding his face in his hands. He never wanted to feel that powerless again. He never wanted to feel that again ever ever ever ever... But it was too late. Rivener would never feel powerful again.

It was easy for Rivener to find Zul. As always, the Demon waited for him in his room or on the balcony just outside the bedroom's doors. The Scorpion's ruby eyes flared to life, a wide beaming grin spreading across his face as he found his precious one: tonight it was the balcony Zul had chosen as his waiting spot. "My Zuuuuul," Rivener purred, sighing in contentment and rushing forward to lace arms around the Frei's shoulders, drawing him close so Riv could nuzzle at the short, burn-colored hair. "Mnnnhh."

He missed the Scorpion. As time moved on and became less ample between them, he felt the sharp loss of something in his chest, though he couldn't rightfully say what. Spending more time with the humans only made him more acutely aware of Rivener's absence in his days. When Zul's name reached his long ears, his whole expression warmed into a muted joy, turning to greet the Sigel by wrapping his arms around him in turn and squeezing him as close as he could to his half-formed body. "My Rivener," he purred softly into the other's jacket. "I missed you."

Another deep sigh of contentment. Rivener lived for this moment, counting down the time every single night until he'd get to come home and see his Zul. Ever since his accident, they barely had time together... If it wasn't Zul's job, it was his tutoring or Riv's job stealing all their time. Not fair. More than once the Sigel had almost quit just so he could see Zul more, but he'd thought better of it: surely Felix wouldn't agree, and what might Zul think of such dependant desperation on Riv's part? So all the Scorpion could do was wait and count down until they could see one another. Thought that didn't keep him from thinking about Zul every moment of the day! Everytime he'd see something he thought his beloved would enjoy, Riv felt a new pang of loneliness. Today such a pang had caused Riv to make a very sudden, impulsive purchase. "I missed you too, my precious wonderful Zul. I wanted to see you so much... I got you a present!" Riv grinned, not offering it just yet. He wanted to see Zul's reaction at the news before the actual object.

If a demon could purr, the Baphomet was doing his damndest, wrapped in a tangle of arms against his Scorpion. Blue eyes had lidded heavily at the gentle, flattering words spoken to him, but those that followed changed his expression; his gaze sharpened, head tilting to look at Rivener with clear surprise on his face, dark brows lifted. "A gift?" Zul almost asked what the occassion was, but distantly remembering his first meeting with Zeke - 'Just to see him smile,' the man had said, 'It's my deepest wish to always see him happy,' - and just like that, the demon began to smile himself, wholly and pleasantly caught off guard. Could Rivener...feel the same towards him? "Rivener," he murmured in a softly abashed voice, his surprise rendering him momentarily speechless. "You...didn't have to..."

Riv chuckled affectionately under his breath, charmed at Zul's reaction. The slow change from surprise to flattered happiness. That bright, honest smile. Riv felt his cheeks heat up, flushing with pride at having made Zul so happy. "I wanted to," he answered easily, moving one hand from around Zul to instead rummage around in a pocket, pushing aside his cell phone and a handful of money to locate the small box. "I saw it and thought of you, so how could I not get it?" He moved away slightly so he could offer the treasure between them, smiling hopefully. Gently he opened the lid, revealing what he'd bought: a bright red flower made of rubies, the size of a quarter, dangling from a golden chain.

He leaned against the Sigel opposite of the side that was being rummaged in, curious what the gift could be but unable to tear his eyes from Rivener all the while. Zul had been having his doubts - about many things - and he hadn't realized how heavy they'd made him until now, feeling as light and excited as he had the day he knew he was going to live with the Scorpion. Allowing himself to be pulled away from, he hovered with a silent hum of anticipation, finally moving his sky-cut eyes down to Rivener's hands as they procured a box. It was larger than the ring box, so he couldn't even wager a guess; when Rivener opened the lid, to say he was blown away was an understatement. The demon's eyes grew at least as wide as the pendant, jaw slackening in the surprise that laced up his spine. A flower. A red flower. Just like--when they'd talked--and that time he was gone. Zul was floored by the gesture - and what it meant to them! "Rivener!" he exclaimed, his voice even lower than usual. "It's..." All the tutoring went out the proverbial window, his fingers gently lifting the box from the Scorpion's hands. A new expression lit his features - one of being deeply touched - and with a firm hold on the box and his treasure, his arms found their way around Rivener's shoulders, tightly holding on as his lips sought the Sigel's in an equally firm, affectionate kiss. "Thank you!" he murmured as he took a breath, another kiss following thereafter.

Just as Zul hadn't torn his eyes away while Riv procured the box, now Riv's eyes fixed onto Zul as the demon looked at his gift. Zul's joy was so REAL, so incredibly heartfelt and perfect that Rivener grinned, feeling his chest swell with warmth. He had known Zul would like the gift, but he hadn't expected this slack-jawed, stunned shock. The Sigel let out a light laugh, allowing Zul to take the box. Riv thrummed all over with his own joy now: pleased beyond measure to have found such a perfect present, to have made his precious Frei smile so much. A kiss was the perfect gift in return, Riv's arms twining around Zul's body eagerly once the Baphomet returned into Riv's embrace, lips finding lips. The Scorpion's were curled up in a smile at the edges. Zul's murmured thanks drew a quiet, happy moan from Riv as they kissed again, the Sigel only able to formulate a reply once they parted for air again. "I'm so glad you like it. This one won't wilt or need water... It will always be vibrant and beautiful. Keep it safe, hm? My Flower?" The sudden pet-name was comical if one didn't know the meaning of flowers to the two Raevans: Zul looked anything BUT a flower. Still, Rivener found it fit very well and he decided then and there he'd call Zul his Flower in private whenever he could.

Arms still around the Sigel's shoulders and neck, his hands lifted to sift through the bi-colored hair, his gaze gentle and more than a bit admiring. Rivener had chosen him. There was only the thrum of energy between them when they were together, something that strengthened each time they touched, and wrapped up as they were, he felt vibrantly alive. "I will--" Surprise lit his features again at the nickname, but it made him laugh, a low, smoke-filled sound. "I will be your Flower," he agreed good-naturedly, chest warm for all it meant for them. What it meant to him... The demon kissed Rivener once again, murmuring softly against his lips, "I love you." Another kiss - and then Zul looked perfectly surprised, as if it were the Scorpion that had said the words and not he. For a moment, his expression wavered between uncertainty and defiance - fully expecting the Scorpion to say that he couldn't love him, that he was wrong. Clinging to how right it felt and how easily the words had left him, he lifted his chin and let his expression settle on how he really felt: a sense of belonging. "I do," he added quietly, hoping to refute any denial on Rivener's part, "as much as I can. I do."

Rivener laughed along with Zul after the impromptu nickname, though he was pleased to hear the demon-frei agree to be Rivener's Flower. It was more than just a word to them, after all. Riv's heart soared and he shivered from the feeling of all that fluttering in his stomach, like a million butterflies trying to get free. "My Flower," Riv tested again before another light kiss, smiling against Zul's lips helplessly. He'd be smiling all night, surely. Soft breath tickled Rivener's lips as Zul whispered something between kisses, and it took about the same time for Riv to process what had just been said as it took Zul to realize he'd said it. Both males moved at once, Riv gasping in surprise and staring over at the cerulean eyes with wide ruby-red shock. The Scorpion's heart felt like it stopped in his chest, inflating to the point of bursting. The blood in his ears pounded a racket and his whole body tingled. He remembered to breathe and drew in air desperately, beginning to tremble as he did so. H-had he heard-? Was it a mistake? Had Zul j-just... But they'd agreed! Not until Zul was a Sigel, because the Frei couldn't be sure-... Half-thoughts and jumbled protests died as Zul claimed defiantly that yes, he DID love Rivener. As much as he could, which was much more than enough for the Sigel. The world suddenly seemed to pull back into focus around them and Rivener LAUGHED with elation, latching himself onto Zul tightly, hugging, running clawed fingers gently through the short locks. "I can't believe-... Say it again! Please, my Flower? Say it again, tell me again..."

The way Rivener was looking at him made him feel a bit uneasy, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle, standing calmly by his claim. Maybe he couldn't really be in love until the butterflies could be felt, but that didn't mean he couldn't love with all he did have. Zul watched the Scorpion suck in a deep breath, preparing himself for the denial and gentle rejection - the likes of which never came. The demon felt surprise settle in his chest - now a constant companion more than unusual in this evening - as the Sigel laughed, the grip Rivener had on him tightening ten-fold and rather pleasurably so. Squeezing the box against his palm, he closed his eyes and uttered another smoky purr at the fingers sliding through his hair. The request that fell from the Scorpion made him smile, an expression of tender joy as he pressed his lips against the lobe of Rivener's long ear. "I love you," he repeated easily, elation making him feel weightless. "I love you and I'll say it as long as you'll let me, my Rivener."

He was flying. He must be. He felt the same as he did up there in the sky, like the air was thinner and lighter, like his head was full of fluff, like his breathing came so easily it filled him with the merest sip of air. Another light laugh, cut short by the moan he couldn't hold back at feeling the other's lips on his ear, nibbling. Rivener knew, logically, that he should have been fighting this. Should have been saying, again, how they should wait until Zul was a Sigel... But as much as Riv wanted to fight it, he just COULDN'T. He'd DREAMED of this day ever since he'd met Zul on that pier on Valentine's! He'd wanted it so badly he'd truly and literally dreamed it, though it never felt this WONDERFUL. "Say it always! Say it forever, my Zul, my Flower, my precious beloved. I love you too, I love you so very much!" With another half-choked moan Rivener set his own lips to Zul's neck, nibbling above the gorget, running fingers still through Zul's hair the way they both knew the demon liked. "I love you. I love you!" The words spilled non-stop, coming as easily as breathing between kisses and nibbles. Rivener felt INVINCIBLE now.

He felt the same wonder - if they should have been waiting, but he didn't know why. Zul felt that if he felt anything at all, it should be shared, but that would bring back the gnawing doubt and thus he didn't think on it further. Instead, he kept his arms around the Sigel, contenting himself with the knowledge that the time WOULD come, eventually, and he'd see what that brought when it got there. The demon couldn't help the laughter that came with Rivener's potent insistance of using the words that he was told not to before, both charmed and amused by it. "Anything to make my Rivener happy," he murmured softly, settling against the elder Raevan as his hair was exploited pleasurably. He didn't feel the heady rush of needing to clash their lips and lay claim to Rivener like when the virus had him. This time, it was like how he felt when sunbathing on a flat rock: warm, at ease, at peace with the world and the Raevan in his embrace. "Love you," he purred again, eyes flicking towards the hand that was still gripping the box. Who knew that fated day a year ago would lead him this far? He was grateful, and knew he'd take good care of his Rivener's beloved Flower - in more ways than one.

The whole way back from the beach, trapped in the car with Aphismet, Isi and Eiry, Rivener stared out the window and didn't speak. He ignored even the most tenacious of his brother's pestering, not because he didn't want to talk to the other Sigel, but because his mind couldn't function. Try as he might, Rivener couldn't string two coherent words together, couldn't comprehend anything going on around him. He was dead to the world, and it took all his willpower to keep himself upright and conscious on that horrendously long drive home.

When they finally pulled into the driveway, Rivener languidly got out of the vehicle, closing the door quietly behind himself. He floated away to the back of the house, ignoring anyone's voice. He needn't worry: Aphismet only called out to him in question once, frowning in concern. Rivener didn't hear, only kept moving forward with all the single-minded determination of a zombie, just advancing and advancing and advancing without any apparent life. He rounded the corner into the back yard and with just as much lifeless enthusiasm beat his wings to lift himself to his balcony. His door was locked, but with limp fingers Rivener fished out the key from within the potted plant between his and Eiry's rooms. The key went into the lock, the lock gave a snick of warning, the doorknob was turned and the door opened wide. Rivener went through the motions like an automaton, and he felt the mildest twinge of surprise to find himself floating there in front of that open door, his room waiting beyond. It was normally such a welcoming place. And now it seemed dark and foreboding, stifling.

Like someone waking from a dream Rivener frowned with sudden emotion, his head lolling forward to stare at the planks of wood beneath his ribbon. Reality was crashing in on him. He stood on the balcony, unable to go inside... The cause of his death replayed, echoing in his brain like a gunshot, piercing him through with every reverberating word. Lucia loved you. Did you say all those pretty things to her too? I don't know how much of what you said was a lie-... Keep me like a trophy bauble- you said was a lie- trophy bauble- did you say all those pretty things to her too? On and on, over and over, slashing Rivener raw. He inhaled sharply and his eyebrows knotted up in pain. His chest felt like it was caving in again, just like after Zul had said those scathing words. He turned away from his door, as though the portal was to blame for opening these thoughts anew, and the Scorpion's red gaze alit instead on the balcony's railing.

...That's where they'd stood. He could see it like a movie playing before his eyes. He'd come home and found Zul waiting there, right there! Rivener had given him that neverending flower, and they'd confessed their love to one another, they'd kissed...

Whatever composure Rivener had left broke like frail glass. His entire being ached, from his hair down to his very rune, everything throbbed and strained with agony. The Sigel's chest constricted almost beyond belief, and with a strangled groan Rivener crumpled to the wooden floor, fists shaking as they tried to bear his weight. He'd lost him, hadn't he. Rivener had lost Zul. The Demon was upset, and Rivener didn't know how to possibly make it better. He had no excuse to give, nothing. What could he say that Zul would believe? He'd tried to tell the truth and not hide anything from his beloved, so how had this turned out so wrong?

A rustle nearby alerted Rivener to his location. He didn't want to be found out here, weak and broken, by anyone. Trembling, the Sigel dragged himself half-upright by yanking himself along the balcony's railing, then lurched into his room. He closed the door and leaned against it heavily, keeping his eyes clenched shut. He could feel the tears spilling over, running down his cheeks. The knot at his throat made it hard to breathe. It was so dark in here, so suffocatingly dark... This was where the bed was. This room was where Rivener would fall asleep with Zul in his arms from time to time. This room was where Zul kept what few things he owned. This room had been THEIR room. Would it remain their room?

"He'll forgive me," Riv tried to tell himself, paralyzed against the door. "He'll forgive me, this is just a misunderstanding again. It's not the end. I'll apologize, and he'll hold me again, and we'll be alright, we'll be alright..."

Why did it taste like a lie?

Crumbling again, Rivener let himself fall to the floor and this time didn't try to push back up. As quietly as he could manage he sobbed, face buried against his arms. He didn't want to lose his Flower!