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:: Vacation Troubles ::
Bank Balance

Rivener whistled as he looked into the mirror, running his fingers through his hair to style it. There was one lock of red that kept trying to sneak its way over his left horn, when its place should be below the horn with the rest of the red. Riv was almost sure that particular piece of hair was out to get him, vengeful little b*****d that it was, always flipping itself into the wrong place, but the Scorpion was armed with mousse and hairspray and more. If that thing won't listen to reason, Rivener would use his weapons. In fact, he held the can of hairspray threateningly in one hand. The lock seemed to get the message: it settled into place without too much of a fuss. Grinning victoriously, Rivener put down his weapon, gave a sharp nod, and floated out of his room.

Down the two flights of stairs from the attic, Riv whistled. He glanced on the second floor- no one was around. Eiry and Isi must be out again, and Aphi was downstairs, by the rattle of kitchen things that could be heard. Rivener didn't pause, whistling still as he swept around the corner at the bottom of the stairs, finding his guardian indeed standing behind the kitchen counter, cutting up something for dinner. Riv grinned at the human's look of amused surprise.

"Good morning!" Riv half-sang.

"Well! Aren't you chipper this morning." Aphismet grinned, straightening from his task for a moment.

"I certainly am!" Riv replied in his best posh gentleman's voice, taking a seat on one of the kitchen counter's stools and leaning on an elbow, giving his Guardian a proud look. "Today's the day! I'm finally going to the travel agent and booking a Vacation for Zul and I. I saved up like mad, and now we can finally go! I'm thinking something later this summer, maybe around August. August is a good time for vacations. Something on a beach, maybe- Zul likes beaches."

Aphismet's grin faded slightly, but not all the way. Riv's faded to match, both men suddenly quite aware of the elephant in the room: Alex. Aphi was a tad jealous of Rivener being with Zul so easily when he couldn't be with Alex, and Rivener felt a tad guilty for flaunting his happy relationship. Oddly, Rivener was the first to break the silence: "We're gonna be gone for like a week or two... Alex is going to be alone. Maybe you could, I dunno... Call her. She'll be lonely, maybe."

Aphismet's eyebrows rose as though he hadn't thought of that at all, and Rivener held back a sigh. Aphi probably HADN'T thought of it at all. The chef brightened considerably and his cheeks flushed as red as a virgin's. "Yeah, maybe I'll... Maybe I'll do that."

Now Rivener DID sigh. "I swear. You're worse than a woman sometimes." He pushed himself upright and floated to the entryhall, ignoring the stuttered and outraged "HEY!" from behind him. Resuming his happy whistling, Riv donned his favorite leather jacket against the late February cold, shoved a thick woolen tuque on his head, covered his ears with his headphones, and left the house.

Cold was putting it mildly. Rivener instantly regretted not waiting until oh, June to make these reservations. He blew hot hair onto his fingers and shoved them into his pockets, protected against the chill. Music blared into his ears and he made his way towards the city, floating along at a strolling pace along the sidewalk. He'd waited for almost a whole damned year, he wasn't going to wait another day! He'd saved up like mad- hah! Aphismet could not suspect the truth about Rivener's job, so the Scorpion had pretended he worked a s**t pay job as a bouncer. He'd hardly spent anything of his REAL pay, and honestly he could have afforded this Vacation about eight months ago. All this was just to ensure Aphi didn't get it into his head that he'd want to check up on Rivener's job anymore. Riv had not really explained much to Zul about the situation, but Zul was nothing if not infinitely patient. And now, finally, Riv could go book their trip, visit Zul, and present him with the plane tickets and everything. A grin bloomed on the dark Sigel's features. He couldn't wait to see his beloved's face!



The trip into Durem was long and rather torturous due to the cold. Had it not been freezing, Riv would have flown to Durem- it would only take a handful of minutes from their home in the suburbs. Since his wing injury long ago, however, he'd get painful aches if he flew in too cold a weather. So he was confined to bus lines, which wasn't so bad once he was ON the bus. Waiting at the stops and slowly feeling the chill seep into him wasn't nearly as fun. It's going to be worth it, he told himself, grinning while his teeth chattered.

The Travel Agency was nice and toasty inside, thank all the stars in the heavens. Rivener pushed his earmuff-sized headphones down around his neck and finally managed to rub some sensation back into the tips of his fingers as he waited for the next available agent. A lot of the people working here kept glancing at him. For that matter, a lot of the customers did too. There were enough Raevans around for it not to be a shock anymore to see one, but Rivener doubted they'd ever get USED to seeing floating half-people.

He'd made it half-way through a mildly entertaining article as he thumbed through the waiting-area magazines when a woman came to him with a business-like smile on. "Hello, I can help you now if you wish," she said, offering her hand to shake. "I'm Belinda."

"Hello, Belinda," Rivener purred in a honey-coated voice, standing and shaking her hand. His smile was one of his best, his eyes slowly swirling with heat. "I am Rivener."

"Rivener. Come right this way, Rivener."

Riv smirked, smug. She'd blushed. He had her in the palm of his hand. Hopefully that meant she would give him good deals. He followed her to her desk, second to last on the right, and he draped his coat over the chair she designated for him to sit in. When he settled into place, she steepled her fingers and gave him a smile that was a little less business-like, and a little more honest. Borderline-flirty. He'd be getting a good deal, Riv knew. "So," she began, "what can I do for you today, Rivener."

"I am interested in booking a trip, hopefully somewhere warm and peaceful, this August." He'd only mention that there would be TWO people going later, when it was too late for Belinda to take back her offered prices.

"Let's see what we can find, then!" She turned to her computer and began clicking away at the keys.



Nearly an hour later, and after a whole laundry-list of questions asked and answered, Rivener had his trip planned. His Vacation with Zul! Finally! He'd had more than enough money to indulge in something extremely luxurious, and Belinda's disappointment in learning that Riv was taking a lover on this trip had been more than balanced by the gigantic commission she would be making on this sale. A week and a half stay in a private cottage on one of the many resort islands of Maldives. There would at most be ten or twelve other cottages on their island, making it a very quiet and relaxed getaway, with a lot of warm beaches. Riv thought he might even get to go swimming if the ocean there was as warm as Belinda made it sound. There was a central resort with a gym, sports terasses, a theatre, a full-service 24 hour restaurant, multiple boat-ferries to nearby islands for MORE activities if they didn't have enough on their own island. In their cottage, built over the sea, would be a large TV, a host of movie selections, an Xbox with a large selection of games available in the main resort building, a jacuzzi, a small private pool and access to a fenced-off private beach just for them, with a fire pit on the beach. It was going to be magical! Rivener was already excited for August, and he was going to have a hard time keeping his impatience in check until then.

"How will you be paying for this?" Belinda asked, already pulling out the card-reader machine, smiling dazzlingly at Riv.

"Debit," he answered with a smug expression, feeling rather powerful to be able to buy something so luxurious. He found his wallet in the pocket of his jacket, pulled out his card, and handed it to Belinda. She swiped it and then handed him the touch-pad, where he thumbed in his pin. Quite a few moments passed, then the machine made a sound Rivener had never heard such a machine make before. Belinda glanced up at him. "What happened?" Riv asked, frowning.

"Insufficient funds," the woman told him with a slightly forced smile, trying to appear easy-going. "Sometimes it can happen with larger amounts, some banks don't allow debit above a certain number. Do you have a credit card, or maybe you could write a cheque?"

"I have no credit card with me-" not since that over-charging fiasco did he feel he could handle a credit card without losing his head, "-and I've no cheques either. But there's a Durem Bank branch just down the street. Keep the info up, I'll go to the bank and see if the debit has a limit on it. I'll come back with cash for the full amount." He smiled reassuringly and extended his hand for the debit card back, stuffing it into his wallet before he stuffed himself into his coat, tuque, and headphones.

He floated out rather embarrassingly, frowning at the ground and hoping his cheeks weren't as red as they felt. How mortifying. Here he'd been, so proud, and the bank made him look like a fool. Grumbling about stupid debit rules, Riv hurried to the end of the block, shouldering his way into Durem Bank without regard for the people he bumped. They protested until they spotted the wicked spines on his wings and the heated glare on his face. The line for the tellers was obnoxiously long, but Riv had no choice. He stood in line and waited, hands in his pockets and curses on his lips.

The line advanced by sporadic, stuttering leaps. The sound of scuffling shoes all in unison when the line would lurch forward soon became so irritating that Riv turned his music back on to drown it out. He looked at the time on his cell phone often- how late did that travel agency stay open anyway? It was almost 3 pm... Surely they were open until 5, right? Another lurch forward. What about the bank itself? Didn't banks close at 3? Would they turn away people in the teller line, or would they allow them to finish? Rivener shook his head. So much for being an adult, if he'd never done anything like stand in a teller line at the bank. What else hadn't he done, that adults did? ...Paid bills? Signed up for life insurance? Bought a car? ...Well, before that, get a driving license! Another lurch.

After thirty of the longest, most annoying minutes of Rivener's life, he finally advanced to a teller, a jaded, done-with-life-looking man in a white shirt and a blue-and-yellow polka dot tie. "What can I do for you?" he intoned in a way that said I am so damned tired of saying this. He surely said it a hundred times a day.

"Need to withdraw a large sum," Riv said, slapping his debit card onto the counter none too gently. "Is there a debit limit on the account or something? The debit card didn't work at the shop."

"There's usually a debit limit, yes, but it varies by account. I'll check yours momentarily, sir. Enter your pin." He spoke like a monotonous robot, this teller, and Rivener resisted the urge to punch him in the face. Just a few moments longer and Riv would be out of here with his money, then he would have the trip all booked and bought, and Zul would be so surprised and hopefully pleased... Just think of Zul. Think of Zul. He swiped his debit card and punched in the pin. "How much did you want to withdraw?" the clerk asked.

Rivener wrote the amount on a tiny pad of paper provided. It was apparently not alright to say money amounts out loud. Riv wondered why. Thieves? Unlikely... Nevertheless, it WAS a bit amount, and he'd just as soon no one here knew he was walking out of here with a few handfuls of hundred-dollar bills. The clerk raised an eyebrow at the amount, and Rivener glowered at him. "Paying for a trip, you curious ********> That certainly earned him no points in the jaded teller's book.

There was a slight moment of tense silence as the teller clacked at his keyboard. Rivener clacked just as loudly on the counter with his sharp nails.

"Well, there's no limit on the debit of your account," the teller announced, turning to face Rivener.

The Scorpion spread his hands impatiently. "And?" he snapped. "Why'd it not pass, then? Get my money!"

"It didn't pass because your account has insufficient funds."

"What? That's ridiculous, I have easily fifty thousa-"

"You HAD that, yes, I can see. But at the moment your account holds a whopping two dollars and eighty-one cents."

"WHAAAAT?!?!"

"Keep your voice down, sir, or security will escort you out."

"How in the hell did fifty thousand dollars just-!"

"I wouldn't know, sir, but there's no limit on your debit. You might have just taken it all out in one go."

Rivener's temper boiled and he reached across the counter without thinking, grabbing the banker's tie and yanking the man forward. "Now you listen to me, you pathetic little-"

"Security!" squeaked the teller, though there was no need. Even as the word left his lips, two gun-toting security personel were grabbing Rivener's arms and pulling him away, dragging the floating Scorpion through the bank under the watchful eye of everyone else. Rivener allowed them to do it with only mild resistance: he could have flung both men across the room, but that would only get the cops called and there would be general panic. Angry as he was, Rivener knew better than to get himself arrested: perhaps that was his job training at work. The two men chucked him out the door with a growled warning not to come back, and Riv straightened, dusted his coat, and yelled as loudly as he could, scaring the living daylights out of every nearby pedestrian.



That night Rivener sat at his computer in the darkness of his room, only the light of the screen illuminating his frighteningly glowering face. He'd come back empty-handed. He hadn't even gone back to Belinda to tell him he couldn't afford the trip: he was too embarrassed and ashamed. He hadn't gone to visit Zul, feeling like he'd betrayed the man by not getting the trip that was supposed to be a surprise, something Zul wouldn't even know to expect just then. Now Rivener just sat, looking at the computer screen, at his online banking information.

Two dollars and eighty-one cents. 2.81$. That's all he had to his name. The history informed him that just two days ago, 52,000$ were transferred from his account to another Bank's account. No way to tell which bank, much less which account. How the hell could this happen? Who the hell would dare steal from him? How did they do it?

"...I'm going to find out. Mark my words, you piece of s**t. I'm going to find out how you did it, and I'm going to find you, and then you'll wish you'd never even thought of stealing from me." His eyes narrowed to thin red slits of fire, and though Rivener had never once thought of killing people since the Virus all those years ago, his stingers began beading deadly poison.

[[RESERVED]]

Rivener caves in and asks his Boss for help in finding out who stole from him.

Rivener managed to avoid all of Aphismet's attempts at conversation once they got home, claiming that he was tired from the event and wanted to get some rest. The chef seemed a little let down at being brushed off, but brightened considerably when Riv promised to be down for supper. They could talk all Aphi wanted then. The Scorpion had then been free to float upstairs to his room and flop onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

He'd really enjoyed that outing. He'd really enjoyed Melisande. What an unexpected surprise that had been. Sure he'd decided a while back that he probably didn't hate her anymore, but when had he ever really known anything about her? That pretty blonde Sigel was a revelation today, surprising him at every turn with her dry sense of humor, her oddities, her radiant smiles and modesty. She was nothing like he'd expected. She was a complex, beautiful puzzle and he'd only seen a small corner of it, he was sure.

But the fact that he wanted to see the rest of that puzzle made him as guilty as it made him exhilarated. What would Zul think? And was this even something Rivener needed to be guilty about? He'd made tons of friends, and none of them warranted this kind of reaction, did they? So what if Rivener thought Melisande was fascinating. So what if he wanted to get to know her better. That's just how people acted around friends, wasn't it?


...Yes, he decided with a smile. His curiosities towards Pasha were completely innocent, and there was no reason to be guilty about any of it. Convincing himself of this, Rivener retrieved his cell phone and put in a reminder in three days: Call Melisande to set up a trip to that thrift store she knows. he would just be making a new friendship, and that's all.

Odd that the little sliver of guilt remained...

[[RESERVED]]

PRP - Project Raevan

Aphismet put the car in park and took a deep breath. He looked at his hands- they were shaking on the steering wheel. There was so much to be nervous about. Was this the right address? Was he going to make a giant fool of himself? Would she even remember what had happened last Halloween? Was she even home today? Shaking his head, Aphismet dragged a hand over his face and tried to calm down. "Come on. No more waiting. Take a chance." The white-haired man's shaking fingers reached into the driver's seat and gripped the colorful bouquet he'd painstakingly selected at the store. None had seemed good enough, but this one had shockingly purple blossoms and it made the green leaves pop. Like her eyes. Swallowing again, Aphi left the protection of his car and walked up to the doorbell. His hand trembled as he pushed the doorknob, but he'd decided he'd do this, and he would go through with it. No more waiting to see if she would ever ask for more than that one startling, hope-kindling halloween kiss. Aphi would make the leap himself.

She could scarcely hear the sound of her pen scratching over the paper as she signed her name on the bottom of it, smiling to herself with contentment. Another job done and signed off; it felt good to be working again and not just waiting for the next shoe to drop in the Lab. Alex leaned back in her chair, tilting her head back and listening to the music that poured out of the stereo speakers, drowning her in sweet, comforting sound. It was not loud enough, however, to block out the chiming sound of the doorbell, causing her to glance out of the open space of her office and down the stairs. Pursing her lips, she gave herself a shrug and spun around in her chair, flouncing down the stairs in her tank
top and sweatshorts, barefoot with her long hair swinging behind her in a single ponytail. Careful to keep her scarred leg behind the door, she didn't use the peek hole and instead simply opened it up, expecting mail or maybe that Zul had forgotten his key again. Instead, she was faced with a nervous looking white-haired chef that she knew all too well.

Alex lost the air in her lungs, green eyes widening and her back stiffening with a sort of guilt she had no control over. Her lips parted in a bid to reclaim her breath, but it was clear from the way her fingers gripped the edge of the door that she was winded. "...Aphi?" she squeaked out, shock bolting her in place.

Aphismet's breath stuck in his throat as the door opened. Oh god she was right there. It had all been well and good to convince himself of the action he was about to take, but to see her in person... Maybe it was the fact that there was no instant smile greeting him. The chef had enough self-doubts that the lack of that smile instantly convinced him he had made a mistake. She hadn't meant it that day. Maybe she'd been drunk. Or a whole mess of other things. Or she'd met someone in the year since- it was almost Halloween again, after all.

He smiled shyly and shrugged a shoulder, raising the bouquet into her field of vision and looking about as sheepish as he could, face staining red. "Uh, H-hi, Alex. I... Got you these. For, uhm..." He scratched at the back of his neck. He floundered. How was he supposed to broach the topic? He should have practiced more in the mirror! "Y-you look good."

If Alex knew she wasn't smiling, it didn't show, as she was having enough time struggling just to breathe. She had almost convinced herself that she'd only ever see Aphi at Lab shindigs anymore, that she'd never have the connection with him that she'd had before. And yet...there he was, on her doorstep, smiling in his shy manner and holding out a bouquet. For one heart-stopping moment, she was overwhelmed with deja vu, seeing him for the first time in years with the ocean in the horizon, roses handed to her on that long-passed Valentine's Day.


Realizing she had a white-knuckled grip on the door, she forced her fingers to release it, letting it swing open. "Aphi," she murmured his name again, enough of the shock drained from her that she could move again, extending her hands to gingerly accept the flowers. Almost automatically, her fingers slid over his with the gesture, one hand still holding his wrist as she drew the flowers to herself. "They're beautiful, Aphi, but you always did know how to find the most thoughtful gifts." And then she did smile, a quiet, almost tired expression. It wasn't him, though - it was entirely her. "I look like I just rolled out of bed, flatterer. You..." her green eyes dipped to take him in, a pang in her chest at the familiarty of him. "...look as handsome as ever. Would you like to come in?"


Aphismet didn't know what was going on here. She seemed... happy, yet unhappy to see him. Tired. Shocked? Gnh, he wished he knew. Any moment he could be putting his foot in his mouth so badly, and he should come out and SAY it, but the nerves had him so solidly now that his entire frame felt like it would shake itself to pieces.

When she reached for the flower and touched him, a sweeping surge of warmth and tingling terror bowled over him. She sounded tired, and that smile reinforced the opinion. Why? "I always did like how you looked when you roll out of bed," he said before he realized his mouth was moving, and then he blushed bright red, looking away for a moment. "Ah, I mean, thank you, yes. I'd like to come in, yes." He cleared his throat.

Argh, why was this so hard?

Alex uttered a short laugh at his quick response, releasing his hand and resting her own on the door, still cradling the flowers against her chest as she pushed the door open entirely and stepped back for him to come in. "It's good to see you too, Aphi," she responded with a slight grin. It seemed her shyness was nowhere to be found just then. "Please, then, come in. And can I get you something to drink?"

Releasing the door, she turned and began to pad down the hallway and out of the foyer, her heels making a dull sound against the hardwood floor. The house was almost a larger version of the one she had moved out of -- white, spacious, sparse of furniture but full of decoration.


Alex followed her in, his own grin coming a little easier after that familiar playful wit made an appearance. God he missed her.

Dark eyes swept across the place, a soft smile tugging at his lips. It was so her, airy and light yet cluttered with personality, giving the impression that you'd always find something new to discover. He was quiet the whole way into the kitchen, or wherever she chose to lead him, hardly paying attention. He was too busy trying to gather his thoughts and his scattered courage. His hands flexed into fists over and over and he swallowed. "I could use some water, yeah," he agreed with a wry laugh. "My throat's dry as the desert."


And to the kitchen she lead him, which was possibly larger than the living room, the type that was meant to hold the dining table as well, though the only one there was a cozy little nook that took up hardly any room. Retrieving a vase, she carefully put the flowers in it before moving to a different cupboard to get a glass. "You taking care of yourself?" she asked over her shoulder, glancing to him as she closed the white cupboard door. "You better be eating right and keeping yourself hydrated, Aphi, working in those kitchens is no joke!"

There was familiarity with him there, like a pause button had been undone, allowing her a sense of ease and comfort rather than bumbling and being jittery. Maybe she'd just grown up a little with what had transpired with Roux. Pouring water from the fridge, she added some ice cubes and brought the glass to the white-haired chef with a quizzical smile. "I know you have a lot to take care of with Isi and Riv and Eiry, but don't forget that you're important too."


His heart ached. He wanted this. Watching her move about the kitchen to put the flowers away, get him a glass of water, all the while asking if he was taking care of himself... He needed her. He'd never wanted anything more in his life, and for someone that usually didn't want or ask for anything, it was a big deal, or so Aphi thought. He took the glass and tried to return Alex's smile, but he ended up frowning down at the counter in determination.

"I'm... I'm lonely, Alex." He downed his water glass and put it aside, trying to pretend he could find courage in it as if it were a shot of whiskey. "It's been so long that you left, and to be honest I just can't get over you. I tried. So hard, I did. And I thought I was doing better, I only wished for you to be happy, but since last Halloween... I've started feeling selfish, a little."

He turned to face her, searching her face for any sign of what she might be thinking. "Why did you kiss me that day?" A simple question, but it held so much importance. The answer could destroy him.

Withdrawing once he had the glass, she returned to the vase and took the bouquet, setting about clipping the bottom of the stems. She was at peace until he spoke again, the scissors clanking against the glass of the vase with her surprise. Alex listened, staring into the sink with unseeing eyes, her shoulders a little tense. She was expecting him to follow up his 'lonely' statement with needing to move on, but instead, he took the darker route -- reminding her of what she'd done almost a year ago.

Carefully drawing in a measured breath, she resumed snipping the stems, her brows furrowing over her distracted gaze as her bangs slid across her eyes. "I didn't mean to hurt you," she responded quietly, her snips slower and more considered. "I kissed you on Halloween because...I wasn't thinking. I just did what I felt was right and that was
kissing you." She paused in cutting, putting her scissor-adorned fingers on the sink to steady herself. She couldn't even look at him. "I didn't mean to ruin your life, Aphi. If you were doing better, I -- I'm so sorry I was so thoughtless and selfish to hurt you for all this time." Her words were quiet and a little broken, things she'd kept inside, words never spoken of with anyone cracking as they were given life.



Aphismet felt his throat close. Was she saying it was a mistake? It had felt right, so she'd done it, and that was fine, but why would she be apologizing like this? She looked like this was hurting her now, and the chef felt a monster for having come, for having intruded.

"If it felt right, why did you leave me? I still don't understand, Alex. I don't understand. I never understood, and if it felt right then, does it still feel right now? Would you... Could you kiss me again? Give me another chance?" He stared at her back, hesitating only a moment before joining her at the sink, putting a hand on her arm, soft and pleading.

"I still love you so much, Alex. I'd be better this time, I would... I would fix whatever I did wrong. You don't have to live with me or anything like that, just... Just give me a chance?"

She was surprised when he approached her, finally tearing her eyes from the sink upwards to look at him, the green bright and borderline 'toxic' as her brother liked to say. "Leave you?" she repeated, clearly surprised. Blinking at the chef a few times, she tried to process everything being said and make sense of it. Disentangling her fingers from the scissors, she put the flowers on the countertop and slid her wet fingers over his shoulders and into his hair, not hesitating in the least as she pushed herself on her bare toes to press her lips to his.


Lightly gripping his hair, she held the kiss for several heartbeats, withdrawing slowly but remaining against him. "Aphi, I didn't leave you, I just had to leave the house. It -- it turned into a break up and I don't know how or who started it, but the fact is that my feelings never changed, okay?" She moved one hand to brush over his cheek and through the hair by his temple, her worried eyes searching his face for an answer. "You never did anything wrong, Aphi, I never...stopped being yours. I love you too," she smiled then, and almost immediately, her eyes glistened with unshed tears, "and I don't know where to start again, but if you're willing to give me a chance, you can have all you want!"


Aphismet blinked in surprise as she turned to look at him with that sharp glare, repeating the words as though disbelieving. He frowned in confusion and opened his mouth to elaborate, but she surprised him yet again by lunging up on tip-toes and kissing him!

The man's eyes widened to saucers for a second before he threw all caution to the wind and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, relishing the feel of her in his arms again. It felt so right, so good, and this was exactly why he couldn't live without her.

When she pulled back to speak, he frowned in confusion again. He was sure he'd offered to still see her even if they lived apart: there was no way he wouldn't have offered that... But who cared what had been said in the past? Who cared about anything before now? Alex said she loved him too, and those words put the life back into Aphismet's heart. He grinned broadly, brightly, and his own eyes misted dangerously. Had his gamble really paid off?

Fingers slipped up along her back to cradle the back of her neck, and Aphismet laughed as he leaned in for another kiss, his lips curled up into a smile at the corners the whole while. "If you're really saying what I think you're saying, then this might be one of the best days of my life!"

And then he was holding her, and Alex could scarcely keep her footing, her knees felt so weak with -- what was it? Relief? Hoping she'd not ruin him again? Hope that she wasn't alone anymore? -- something that she could only lean into him and his gentle kiss. Alex bit her bottom lip when it ended, gazing up at him with a soft smile. "Oh Aphi. I don't deserve that!" She laughed then, stealing a fond kiss to his chin, her eyes full of adoration. She still had Zul to consider and she knew...he'd not be happy about this development, and that it was possible her brother wouldn't be either.

"So what do you think I'm saying?" Tilting her head to the side, she had a little playful air about her, leaning into the hand that cradled her against him, her own fingers still seeking through his pale hair affectionately. "That I'm crazy about you and that all this time hasn't dulled how I feel for you? Because if that's what you're saying, then you're golden."


All trace of the nerves and heartache he'd felt before were gone. Aphismet basked in Alex's sense of humor, in the light of her eyes. This was an absolute dream! "Yes, as a matter of fact, that's exactly what I thought you were saying. Thank you for clarifying." He chuckled and, bold as you please, both his hands moved to hook under her legs so he could lift her, plopping her to a seat on the nearest counter where he resumed kissing the Italian he loved so much, sighing repeatedly with relief.

His life was going to have a spark of joy in it again! Not that he didn't love his family, he did... But nothing lit up his day like Alex. Things would be different this time, he told himself.

Rivener was biting at his thumb nail as he floated up to the front door, insanely nervous. That was not an emotion he usually displayed when he visited Zul, but the Scorpion couldn't help it. Just two days ago he'd asked Zul to live with him, in their own place, and they'd gone looking for the first time. Nothing had met Riv's standards, so he hadn't picked a place yet, but still... He was going to live with Zul! This was a dream, and one that Rivener was suddenly afraid he'd prematurely ruined by hiding something that had happened a while before. It wasn't a big thing! Not at all! But hiding it from Zul suddenly seemed so WRONG, and if they would live together Rivener wanted his conscience clean. Straightening, he rang the doorbell and opened without waiting for permission, floating inside. "Hey hey," he called, heading straight towards Zul's room though Brad wasn't around to interrupt them, so who knew where Zul was currently hanging out. "Are you in your room?"

He heard the knock and the door opening, the sound of his Scorpion's voice reaching his pointed ears. Zul repressed a small smile, immediately floating out of his 'room' where he'd been leaning on the patio and floating to the top of the staircase. "I'm here," he called, his quiet voice still carrying in the open house. He floated slowly down the stairs, fingers on the banister and watching Rivener with a lop-sided smile as he descended. "How wonderful the day has become to see you again so soon."

Rivener's eyes snapped to the top floor as Zul's voice rang out, and his nerves doubled. He hadn't even done anything remotely BAD per se, but that day at the beach so long ago was burned into his heart with such force that he couldn't feel anything but nervous now. He didn't want to feel like that ever again, and if this little itty bitty thing made Zul rip his heart out again, Rivener didn't think he'd recover. He adored the demon. And that made it all worse: why would Rivener potentially ruin that by being unable to control himself around other people, dammit? As Zul reached the bottom of the stairs, it was clear Riv was preoccupied, his smile tentative at best. The Scorpion crossed over to join Zul at the last step, and put a hand on the strong chest, frowning. God, was he ever nervous. "Um. Listen, I came because there's something I really... I have to say. I mean something that you have to know. But it doesn't mean anything, I promise! I'll stop if you ask me! I... Uh, this is hard." He grumbled at himself and spun once in place. "Look, I hung out once or twice with someone outside of Lab events, and... And I kind of kissed her on the cheek. And I may have a tiny crush on her. But it's just a crush! I love YOU! I'll stop seeing her if you ask me to, I really will, I wasn't TRYING to keep it a secret, it just seemed to small that I never thought to mention it, a-and now that we're going to be living together I figured you should know. I'll stop seeing her if you ask me to. I love YOU, Zul, YOU."

Immediately, the demon could pick up the discontent within Rivener, the smile the largest indicator that the Scorpion was troubled. His own slender brows furrowed as he received the other Sigel, putting a hand over the one on his chest. As Rivener struggled with his words, Zul became even more concerned, lifting his free hand to delicately touch his love's cheek, trying to offer him some form of silent comfort as he spun back from him. Zul folded his arms across his chest and simply watched, listening, waiting
for the news that seemed so damning. Rivener spoke of a crush, of kissing a woman's cheek, and the way he worded it made it seem as though the demon ought to have been angry or self-righteous in response. Instead, the simply stared unblinkingly at Rivener, offering a small, albeit perplexed smile. "You once told me that you only kiss those who are important, those who are special, Rivener." The smile warmed, once again trying for comfort, rather uncertain about the entire situation and why he should have been upset over it. "If she's special, then I don't see the problem."


Rivener stared blankly at Zul. Where was the upset? Where was the anger, or even a frown? It was baffling, puzzling, and Rivener was the one suddenly wearing a frown, confused beyond words. He floated there for a while with arms at his sides, then his hands began gesturing as though seeking answers in the air between them. "Buh... But you left me once. You broke my heart because I'd been flirting with people for fun. You were upset, and rightfully so, because I shouldn't have been doing that if I already have you. I-... Have you been kissing people who are "special" to you, apart for me?" Suddenly Rivener wasn't nervous about the same thing anymore, and his wings bristled. His frown turned from confused to tentatively angry. "How can you not care that I kissed someone else, even if it WAS just on the cheek?"

Ah, there was his Scorpion's venom, all ire and defenses. Zul loved all the facets of Rivener, though he was aware he shouldn't have been admiring the other in his wrath, as it could give off the wrong impression. Stretching his own wings to match the other's, he flew forward and abruptly took Rivener's face between his hands, floating high with his eyes becoming an icy blue. "I felt like a thing to be owned, then, Rivener; it was not because of your affection with others. Why do I not mind that you show fondness to another? Because you love me." His hold lessened,
allowing him to float more against the dark male's body. "Rivener, you are amazing - you are full of potential beyond imagination, a life of unknown joys and excitement ahead of you. Why would you limit yourself to me? I'm not a woman. I cannot offer you what she can."

Dark fingers tightened in Rivener's hair, wanting the Scorpion to hear him out. "If you love me, and you have enough love in you to warm the life of another without those feelings diminishing or being replaced, who am I to be angry? Who am I to tell you that you can't, to keep your perfection to myself?" Zul's eyes brightened again, his smile absent but also without a frown or scowl. He stared at him for a long moment before releasing him and floating back to give him space for the moment, adding quietly, "And to your accusations, no. There's been no others."


Rivener didn't flinch back as Zul flew to him. He stared right back into those blues with hot reds, the air between them sparking. Usually being this close would make Riv swoon, but now he listened raptly, all attention on the other's words, with no toughts for the more base things they usually engaged in. Zul had said something to that effect, actually, that he was not a bauble to be owned. But how was that different from this? Rivener had loved Zul back then, too, and it hadn't been enough. Riv thought faithfulness and unflinching loyalty had been what was missing, but apparently he'd been wrong. "I'd loved you back then, too." There was no other way to find out- he would ask. "I'd loved you then as much as now, and still you thought yourself a bauble. What changed? Why do you suddenly not feel like that? I just want to understand, Zul, so I don't make a mistake. ...I am glad you haven't been kissing others, Zul. I don't want you to do anything I'm not part of. I'm selfish, and possessive, Zul. You're mine. Mine, and I don't like sharing." He very nearly pouted then, rubies daring the other to say otherwise.

Exhaling slowly, the demon shook his head, crossing his arms once again. The distance was there, then, and Zul was going to take that dare. "What changed? I was a Frei that couldn't love, by your own words, my Rivener. I'm older now; wiser. I can understand love because of what you have taught me." Turning his eyes over Rivener's floating form, he tried to formulate how best to express his thoughts on the matter - why he wasn't angry, and why he wasn't bound by human convention.
"It's not sharing, Rivener, because you - or I - would not be divided. You feel no less for me, do you? Do you have less a desire to see me, to touch me, to let me take you upstairs...?" He let his question trail off, both in suggestion and in clarity. Zul was damn sure he knew the answer.

"You would never be replaced, Rivener, anymore than you'd be replacing me. I trust you. I know you. I love you. If you can still say the same for me, even with these feelings towards another, then why would I be angry?" Zul smiled again, though it was rueful. It was so clear to him. Why was it so hard to understand that they were more than what they'd been taught to believe?

Rivener had been fully ready to stay angry. Zul's words did ring true, he HAD been a Frei, and perhaps that was the problem in its entirety. Without the butterflies, how could Zul have ever returned Riv's feelings? So he'd thought himself a prize for Rivener to claim. That, yes, that made sense. Riv relaxed a bit, finally understanding to some degree. But the rest of it, he wasn't so sure he understood. The dark eyebrows curved into puzzled skepticism, and Riv crossed his arms. Yes, he would always want to go upstairs, and his eyes flicked towards that destination without his consent, a soft flush coloring his cheeks. Damn smug Demon, he cursed without venom, smirking at Zul's clear confidence. "It would be different, between you and her. How to maintain a balance? One would be favored over the other from time to time, and that's unfair to both! And honestly, Zul, just thinking about you with someone else behind my back makes me angry! Maybe I just don't have the same level of trust you do... You hurt me before, no matter what you meant it as, and I never want to feel that again. I want to keep you. I don't want someone else stealing your heart and taking you away from me!"

Zul's discontent began to show, his brows narrowing a little. "How is it me that you don't trust? You're projecting your own guilt on me and I don't appreciate it." There was a lowness in his tone, rolling just above a growl. "If you don't like what you're doing, Rivener, then stop. Tell her she means nothing to you; regret it, be unable to resist it, resent me for it, and see how well that turns out for us." The demon began to float backwards in the slightest, only coming to a stop when he was even with the staircase again. "I support you, Rivener. I trust you. If you don't feel the same, then perhaps we need to re-evaluate taking this next step in living together." And it was then that his voice became flat, losing the edge; the demon was not the type to lose himself to unnecessary emotions.

Rivener did flinch this time, frowning, mouth agape angrily. Zul was... different, in every way of him, but never had it been so obvious or problematic for Riv. The Scorpion's heart felt on the verge of shattering. He knew the picture Zul was trying to paint, of Rivener trying to deny something in himself and ending up resenting Zul for it. He knew that picture, but it still felt... wrong. The fact that Zul would so easily share him made him feel less in the Demon's eyes. Zul's conclusion almost finished the job of shattering Riv's heart. "...I-..." The Demon would do that one day, Riv knew. If he found someone he would feel for, he wouldn't stop on Rivener's sake. He would not feel less for Riv... Until one day Riv would just kind of fade out in favor of another? Riv's eyes watered and he glared at the Demon, but he loved him SO much... "I have to think. I should go." He couldn't agree to anything now. Or disagree. He had to think, really think, and see if he'd be able to live with himself if Zul ever wanted someone else...

"If you want." The demon's support was in short supply now that the truth of Rivener's yet-harbored hurt and mistrust was revealed. It almost disappointed Zul that Rivener still viewed him as an aimless Frei, rather than a Sigel who would do anything to keep him safe and in his life. Exhaling slowly, the Sigel floated slowly to Rivener, his expression reserved as he unfolded his arms. Resting his hands on Rivener's hips, he leaned in and tried to kiss the Scorpion to bid him farewell, though he'd settle for a kiss on his cheek if he was refused. "I have only loved you more each day," he murmured in parting, "and I love you more now than when you knocked on the door. Please know that." And that would be the last he'd say, giving Rivener all the time he needed to think - to consider what to do about her, and what to do about him.

Rivener didn't move away from Zul's touch, or from his kiss. Each made the hurt sharper. The words did the same. Rivener had loved Zul with everything he could give too, but when Zul had changed and been able to love, Rivener hadn't changed and he still hurt. That memory, that day on the beach, was in him like a scar that never healed. The thought that Zul would knowingly do that again, would love someone else and think that wouldn't slash at Rivener... Was there something Riv was missing, again? He couldn't wrap his head around the way Zul was thinking. "I know, Zul. I'll... I'll call you some other day, when I've... Figured this out." Chest hurting, Rivener attempted a pathetic smile and turned to escape, to return home.

"What's this?" Aphismet asked as he appeared in the living room, carrying a box labelled Books. He'd not been sure it was as dire a sign until now, as Rivener lurched up out of the couch, frowning.

"Where did you get that? Have you been in my room?!"

"Of course I've been in your room, Rivener. Who do you think keeps your plants from dying? I saw this and a few other boxes of your nick-nacks around. What's it for?

Rivener fidgeted and looked out the window, but eventually he remembered Zul's advice. Just tell him. Don't ask or leave room for argument. Tell him. So with a stern look he returned his ruby gaze to fix on the white-haired man and crossed his arms, sounding confident and authorative. "I'm moving out, into my own place."

"No."

Rivener frowned, Aphismet frowning at him with just as much authority and confidence across the living room, both men staring each other down. The chef was holding onto that box like it was a hostage, and Rivener's fingers were digging into his own arms where they crossed. It felt like the first one to speak would lose the battle, but Aphismet had always had more patience than his ward, and the Scorpion knew that so he caved first, throwing his arms up in the air. "You can't keep me here forever, Aphismet! I'm growing up, and I make more than enough to afford living on my own. Besides, there's no reason for me to be here! It's not like you actually look after me anymore, I'm able to take care of myself!"

"We're family, Rivener. This is where you belong! You can't go!" The chef did his best to hide how his feelings had zinged with pain, but the momentary flash of hurt across his face had been enough for the perceptive Sigel, no doubt. Aphi couldn't help it- No reason for Riv to be here? Aphi didn't look out for him? Why, because he wasn't holding his hand every hour of every day?!

Rivener could see he'd struck a nerve, but he couldn't let that sway him. His did lower his tone though, tried to be more convincing than confrontational. "Look, it's nothing BAD, Aphi. People leave the nest, that's how it is. You've still got Isi and Eiry, so what's the big deal?"

The white-haired man stood quietly for a while. He wanted to fight. He wanted to bristle and bark and b***h and argue until Rivener changed his mind. But why shouldn't the Scorpion get his way? What reasons did Aphi have, really, to keep him here? It was all purely selfishness, like his desire to have Alex to himself. And like with Alex, he'd stated what he wanted, and that was as far as he dared push. Dark eyes turning down, Aphismet put the box on the sofa between himself and Rivener and sighed. "...It's your life, I suppose. Do what you have to." He wanted to add more, to say he'd miss Riv if he went, but Aphi had already asked for more than he usually would by demanding the Scorpion not go. Turning, the human made his way upstairs to his own room, hiding himself away to deal with this on his own.

Riv sighed and ran a hand over his face, through his hair. That had been as horrid as he'd imagined it would be. But he wasn't about to change his mind. Grabbing his box, he went upstairs to put it back with the others, then sat alone to deal with the knowledge that he'd probably hurt Aphi deeply.