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At least the sobs were quieting. That was good because Alexander really wasn't sure how much more of it he could take before he joined in, and that was the last thing he wanted to do at the moment. He had to prove he could at least be stronger then that, on occasion. He had to be able to surprise himself, sometimes. Maybe it was the rage, boiling away inside of him, that kept him from giving in. Whatever it was, he was grateful for it.

He removed the hand that he'd been using to try and wipe away Yin's tears so that he could wrap his arm around the other boils body again, still holding him close, and never wanting to let him go now that he was able to do so again. He wished he could do more. He wished that he could promise Yin that this could be fixed and that everything would be alright again. After all, didn't they deserve a little peace and happiness by now? He rested his face against the top of Yin's head, cheek just barely brushing against antennae and let out a small, quiet sigh. This was really it. This was as close to happiness as they were ever going to get, wasn't it? Better to realize it now instead of continuing to fool himself.

When Yin started to speak again, Alex wanted to hush him. They could talk more later. Now was a time for comfort. But he just let him say what he needed to, thoughts already rebelling against what he had to say. Yin might be dangerous, but Alex still needed to be with him. In fact, it would be better if he did. He would have somebody who could keep an eye on him then, to watch him for any signs of hunters taking control of him...if they hadn't done so already. "I'm not going anywhere. I love yo----" His words halted. Wait what had Yin just said? Anything else the weremantis might have tacked on after that was heard but not yet processed. Yin had said...he had just said..

Really, it was probably under the least ideal circumstances possible, but that didn't change the fact.

"If...if the hunters do control you, and something should happen, and I get hurt...it won't be you hurting me. It will be them. I'll know it wasn't you." He finally murmured, lifting his head away from Yin to look down at him, giving him a very serious look. "This isn't something that you chose. I know you would never have chosen this. No part of this is your fault." And then a very small, and very tentative smile.

"I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me...as long as you'll have me, at least."

Alex chose to ignore Yin's complaint. It was silly, really. Everyone got hurt sometime. It was inevitable, and Yin knew it. It was a hazard of being a part of this school. It was a hazard of living...or in Alex's case, not living. Really, if he wanted to be absolutely safe what they should have done was both leave the school together and live somewhere alone for the rest of their time with Yin tied securely to a wall or bed or kept locked up somewhere. That was just so ridiculous and unrealistic however it almost sent Alex into shaking his head, his lips pressed in a firm line.

But then that complaint was followed up by a question. And maybe, just maybe now Alex could feel like everything might be okay in that Yin would stop trying to push him away and just accept the fact that he was there and he did not wish to be anywhere else. "Even if it means forever." He kept up the serious face, giving a ridiculous answer to a ridiculous question, but moving his face ever closer to Yin's, pulling his arm back again to reach over and tilt the other boils face up, mostly just trying to look into the weremantis's eyes, to make him see. Alex's own gaze gave no hint that he was trying to joke around, or laugh off a very serious matter. As ridiculous as the answer he gave was, he actually meant it. At that moment all he could think was that he would do anything to be able to be Yin's forever.

That and how much he wanted to rip off and possibly consume some hunter faces in the near future. He was suddenly very glad of his decision to join Medea. She had promised power, and revenge. The power he could have done without, unless it granted him some ability to cure Yin. The revenge though? Ya, that suited him just fine.

"Are you ready to go inside now or..or was there more?" Dear Jack he hoped there wasn't more. He could still barely handle the information he was already given.

That was all. The words were almost funny. Like there could possibly be more horrible things to add? Alex didn't even want to think about how much worse it could be. He wasn't sure it possibly could be any worse.

"Okay then." He nodded, face still serious, possibly even a little broody, as he let his arms slide away and fall back to his sides. It took him a little longer to get himself up off of the ground, as usual, and he had to shuffle over to where he'd left the two packages he had set down and bend over to retrieve them as well. By the time he was finished doing that, Yin was already approaching the waters edge and he was following slowly after him, stopping to wait until he was finished before they began making their way towards the dorm which wasn't too far away.

"I would like to come up and see them." He glanced over and offered a small smile. "I hope Fei behaved for you while I was gone. I shouldn't have just left him with you like that and expect you to look after him. If you need me to pay for any food or anything..." He let that offer trail off as they pushed their way inside and navigated the maze of hallways and stairs to Yin's dorm room. It was extremely difficult, to just pretend things were okay and revert back to what might have been considered normal conversation. Didn't they need to talk about this more? Did Alex not have other questions he wanted to ask? He did..but at the same time he didn't want to push. Especially not after Yin had just had his breakdown. Mostly at the moment he was just scared. Scared about how many others might know about this. Scared of what the repercussions might be if the boogeymen caught wind of it. He didn't want his boilfriend to end up locked up and experimented on because he had a piece of hunter technology residing inside of him.

And as usual, the more he thought about it, and about the hunters, the angrier he got. No, it was best if for now they just continued to talk about other, more mundane things, until he could fully wrap his head around everything without feeling like destroying everything in sight.

There were times when Alex wished that things could be less complicated as well. But really, there was nothing that could have been done about it now. They were just in things way to deep. He had been foolish to think that he could have just run away back home and stayed there and unlife could have gone on as usual. Doing so really wouldn't have fixed anything. Hunters would still exist. The horsemen isles would still be destroyed, leaving them to live in Halloween instead. He'd still have this mark on his hand and a red crystal fragment that was a part of his fear hidden away somewhere, calling to him quietly to seek out revenge. There was really no going back now, and there absolutely could not be any running away.

Alex just nodded in response, his gaze still somber as he continued to dwell. It didn't really feel like any time had passed at all when they reached Yin's room and the weremantis was pushing open the door.

He was still so wrapped up in his thoughts he almost didn't notice it. That eerie feeling one got when suddenly a lot of attention was placed on them. The feeling of multiple pairs of eyes watching him. He barely glanced up from where he'd been frowning at the floor when the miniature horde was upon him.

When Yin had said that the pets had missed him, the weremantis hadn't been kidding.

It was madness. He didn't know what to do. Fei was already climbing him, digging claws into flesh and fabric, scrambling up to his shoulder while others swarmed around his feet. A long and fluffy vaisel tail was soon wrapped around his neck, tickling against his cheek as Fei began batting at his hair, staring at him, wanting attention but at the same time somehow giving off an air of 'how could you have left me for this long'.

It was a little overwhelming, and soon Alex could feel a larger smile tugging at his lips as he bent down to pet the various mini's on the head, Fei moving from his shoulder to perch on his back before leaping down to the floor and waiting his turn. The package that he still had tucked under one arm was removed and tossed in the general direction of where Yin was standing. The bag of treats opened so that he could distribute them to those who were vying for his attention before that got thrown over towards Yin as well.

He needed two hands free for all the petting that needed to be done.

When he straightened back up again it was with silent laughter glittering in his pale eyes, and he directed his attention back to the weremantis, a grin spreading across his face. "I didn't think they really missed me, you know. I didn't think they'd even know I was gone." Yes, the pets were a welcome distraction. Just what was needed to drag Alex out of his thoughts. It was enough to make him realize that what was done was done, and if he and Yin were going to get through this together they needed to take what moments they could get and at least try to make them happy, or it was going to tear them apart. The minipets were busy with their treats, so Alex shuffled over to his boilfriend, still smiling.

"You should probably open that." He nodded towards the package, reaching out towards Yin's hand and lacing his fingers through that of the weremantis's before tugging him gently towards the bed.

Alex spared a glance away from his boilfriend towards Princess Eva, not really giving a fig about her new collar but knowing it was probably important to Yin and so at least putting in an effort to look pleased. "Oh yes, it is very lovely. Would Princess Eva like a treat as well? I think my mom probably put some crown shaped ones in there." He smiled, reaching towards the bag that Yin held and putting his hand in only to pull out one of the said crown shaped treats, offering it out towards the rabo before collapsing down beside Yin, leaning against him to rest a head on his shoulder, missing the feeling of being near him too much to stop now, relaxing against that all too familiar warmth that he had gotten so used to.

He shrugged as he reached over to grab another treat from the bag, this time popping it into this own mouth to crunch on as he watched Yin work away at opening up the package. "I doubt it's anything extravagant." He said, pretty much already guessing what it was, and finding that he was not at all surprised to see a flash of green as Yin tore the paper away, revealing a knitted sweater.

"See, I bet she started making that right after the first time she met you." Alex said with a grin. Mrs. Weasly Alex's mother pretty much made them for everybody, Alex had one himself, somewhere, probably shoved in the back of a closet. It was probably at least a practical article of clothing for Yin, though. After all, the warmer October months would be coming to a close soon, and the cooler ones were going to begin.

"I warn you though, the material can be itchy. You'll want to wear something underneath it." If he chose to wear it at all. They were hideous, in Alex's opinion, but Yin had..odd taste.

Alex really didn't know how lucky he was for that.

Alex was actually quite hungry so he grabbed another treat for himself, sitting up again to reach over towards the bag before popping it in his mouth. He watched Yin pull the gift out slowly, gaze flickering the weremantis's face to see what his reaction would be. Really, it was only a sweater. One of dozens upon dozens that Alex's mom had knitted. It was quite plain, probably only because she did not know what YIn would like, just guessing that the color was good enough.

"Yes, just for you. She likes to knit things for people, and I told you that she considers you to be a part of the family. She still really wants you to come and visit someti---" His words froze, eyes widening slightly as a realization hit, and then he tried to cover up by coughing into his hand.

"Sorry..uh..food went down the wrong way." The words were a little strained, and he turned away so that Yin couldn't see the expression on his face. Yin couldn't go to Alex's home. Not with what he was now. If the hunters could really see and hear everything that Yin did then..no, he would not invite that to his family. He would not have hunters knowing where his horde resided, or anything else about them, if he could help it. If they knew about him...well, that was just fine. But his parents, his siblings, his cousins, his aunts and uncles? No. Just...No.

When he felt like he was slightly more composed he sat back up a little straighter, turning back towards Yin. This multitude of kittens had finished gnawing away on their treats and were making their way over to the bed, rubbing up against his ankles, so he reached down to give them little scratches behind the ears. They probably just wanted more treats, but the bag was already at least half empty from the ones he'd handed out before.

"Is it my imagination, or are there more of these then before I went away?" He asked, trying to change the subject. "Do we uh...need to start keeping Fei and Lady Terror out of the closet?"

"I'm fine." He reassured the other boil, and then, "I'll have to get a new phone first, and then we can call her, if you still want. I can get her to send some pictures of the baby too, if you'd like to see." There, everything was perfectly normal again. And Yin wasn't saying anything about possibly going to visit Alex's family which was good. Knowing Yin, he likely never would so it probably would never be an issue as long as the zomboil didn't slip and bring it up again.

Yin's ignorance towards where the vaisel kittens were all coming from might have been irritating, if it wasn't so cute. Considering the boil had spent time personally on the breeding isle as a mini pet once, Alex would have though that the weremantis would have understood by now. "Well then, we need to start finding some homes for these kittens. There are way too many of them." He pointed out.

The yawn didn't go unnoticed, and while it was incredibly odd for Yin of all people to be speaking about taking a nap, it was...understandable really. He was likely just emotionally exhausted. Still, it did worry the zomboil to see him like this. Yin never took naps. Ever. He was pretty sure he'd heard the weremantis say that they were waste of time. "It's fine. I do have a few things I should go and do, really. I do need to make a trip to the maul to get a new phone and to uh..talk to my boss." If he still had a job, that was. Somehow he didn't think so, after all of the shifts he missed, after the message he gave them to tell them he was going away and would let them know when he got back without warning...ya, he was pretty sure he'd been fired by now for sure.

He wanted to ask Yin if he would be okay while he was gone but..that was a stupid thing to ask. Alex had just spent how long away from him? "I'll come back when I'm finished, if that's okay? You can fill me in on all the classes I've missed. Do you want me to bring you anything back?" He was maybe stalling just a little.

The issue of the vaisel kittens pretty much settled, he was just about to push himself up from the bed when Yin spoke, his gaze flickering back towards the other boil in surprise. It was just a trip to the maul. A trip he had made almost daily when he was working full time. It wasn't even particularly far, and didn't take him much time at all if he used his skateboard.

He eased himself back down slowly, frowning a little, contemplating what to do next. Yin was obviously tired. He wouldn't have even mentioned a nap otherwise. "No, it's okay. You said you were tired so...we can go later, when you wake up?" Really, it wasn't like the maul itself closed early or anything, even on a Spookday.

"I'll stay here." He reassured the other boil. "Uh, I can catch up on my reading, maybe, and go to my room to unpack my things and check on my pets?" Really it felt more like he was asking Yin's permission to leave now more then anything. One day being told to leave, the next being made to feel bad if he tried to. Not that it really bothered him much, but things were going to get a little weird if Yin insisted on going with him everywhere.