Welcome to Gaia! ::

As Melisande elaborated, the demon's face lit with familiarity. That was why the name Aria had sounded familiar! "That's the manor you took us to -- Lucia and I, after her -- episode? When we first met, you and I." It'd almost been four years since he'd first set eyes on Melisande; it felt like a lifetime ago. He understood that what she was sharing was something that may have never been spoken out loud, the weight of the words making him feel like he was missing an important piece. Zul lowered his eyes quietly at the mention of the Guardian left behind for Zavier, but returned to her face thereafter. An Opera singer? "Is that why you sing? Because she did?"

He tipped his head in acknowledgement, gingerly accepting her mug and putting it aside on the tray, not yet taking it back in. The demon didn't want to miss the moments just then, quietly sipping his cider and watching Rivener in silent contemplation while he talked. When his pet name was shared, Zul only flickered a gentle smile, as insulted by it being revealed as he'd been insinuated to be beautiful earlier in the evening. "I've no reason to be embarrassed by an endearment. It's why I took such a keen interest in roses, after all." He waved his free hand in delicate dismissal, not in the least bit fazed. When Rivener looked to him, he opened his mouth, thinking to have him speak of his brother, knowing he and Melisande had met -- but instead took another drink. He wasn't sure he wanted that bad blood opened yet.

Zul realized it'd come to him, and with a small shrug, he offered up what he knew. "I met Riv'ner when I was very young, so I can't remember a time he wasn't there for me." He wore a small but sincere smile. "I also accidentally killed my woman's pet when I was young. I made many mistakes then, trying to learn the way of the human world. It was difficult; I traveled with her to her jobs, one of them tried to kill us both since I am...what I am." He tried to think of what had impact on him as he grew that didn't include almost killing Alex during the fel virus or trying to kill Lazarus at the end of the same situation. "I killed the ghost that possessed Lucia, and watched her turn into a Sigel. I pulled drugs out of my private tutor's veins, I've...seen my love in the hospital." The demon shook his head slowly; though he spoke of these things, he felt like he was apart from them. Like nothing outside of what he had now quite touched him. It was about him, but it wasn't him. "Ah -- I stole a fel essence and sent it to someone I wanted to be a Guardian." And at that, the demon smiled, though his expression was still distant, trying to think of what defined him. Before Rivener had come to him about Melisande, he'd been in a bit of a crisis of just who and what he was. It seemed that was coming back to haunt him now. "I used to play a lot of video games and the guitar, but I mostly work with my woman's brother and best friend when I've the chance. They taught me a lot."

But at his core...? "...I don't know what my soul is." That gave him pause, though his blue eyes were fixed on the fluted glass between his fingers. "I know I'm a demon, but I don't know why I'm different from Laz'rus." His gaze flickered briefly to Melisande, knowing it might strike a nerve he had no intent to harm. Realizing the air might have become a bit heavy with the three of them laying bare their troubled pasts, Zul suddenly smiled, straightening his shoulders. "We could always play a game of twenty questions."

Rivener enjoyed hearing Zul recount his life, though it was quite abridged. The way Zul said his name, Riv'ner, never ever failed to make his entire chest bloom with adoring warmth. That accent killed him, and the grin on his face reflected that. The rest of the stories were not so beautiful, and Riv smiled ruefully, especially when Lucia was mentioned. He kind of missed the kitten, but though she had forgiven him to some extent, he didn't think she would ever be very fond of him again. At least on his side, he had forgiven her for what she'd done to him. Such a complicated past... Was there at least one Raevan whose time growing up hadn't been marred by misery of some kind?

Ah, but tonight was not the night for dire thoughts. So the Scorpion forced himself to cheer, taking a drink of his Rum and Coke, perking at the mention of twenty questions. That would be an idea! And a quick way to learn about each other in a short amount of time. Pasha seemed to share that enthusiasm but she latched instead onto a few other topics. "Cesc introduced you to strawberries, did he?" Rivener chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "And your gift was the perfect scale. Those pictures of the two of you, those text messages along the way, that was all the gift I'd wanted in return. See?" He pointed to the framed image of she and Zul blowing a kiss to the camera, which stood above the fireplace. "And the others are in my room. The one of you laughing in the post office is just perfect." He grinned at her, then looked to Zul and gave a heated wink: the Demon knew damned well Rivener's favorite of HIM was the one in the bath.

Ohoo, but Melisande wanted to plan Valentine's Day? Riv looked over at Zul with excitement, warmth and overwhelming joy, eyebrows arching up. She was making plans for the future! She was taking for granted that she would still want to be around them in February, and the Scorpion was just so ecstatic he could have jumped and whooped! "Alright," he said, turning back to the Muse with an extremely happy grin. "Valentines is all you."

Her hand in his made his stomach flutter and he gave the small palm a faint squeeze, wings rustling proudly. "Bah, it's no big deal. Ghosts aren't so bad." Not now that he had that special Ghost-killing venom earned by mixing Eiry's blood to his own. Her hand squeezed a little more when she asked about Zul's Demon side, and for the first time Rivener was confused. He'd never thought twice about Zul's core. He hadn't even known Zul himself was unsure! "Lazarus is an Incubus. Some kind of lesser seductor demon." He grinned at that, amused. "And you're a different kind of Demon, Flower. That's all. The stars told me so. But anyway, why should it matter? We're all made from weird things. I'm a Scorpion and a piece of the night sky! But I'm more than the sum of those parts. Same for you, love. And same for you, Melisande. Whatever we were, we're more now, I think." He shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe it's because I come from a dumb animal without conscious thought, but I never understood the whole questioning-your-makeup thing. I mean, humans don't go around trying to decipher what their parents were doing when THEY were created." He made a face.

"Well, that's not quite true. I mean, I can understand some people worrying about it a little when they can... remember things from before. That must be disconcerting. But I never do." He finished off his drink and smiled at the pair. "I'm going to get a refill. Anyone else want something? And we should play that twenty questions thing."

Lazarus was a...seductor demon? Pasha didn't know what that entailed, but her cheeks were pink already. She had never thought of Laz in that light before...not even when they'd co-hosted a Valentines event for Aki and Kyou! Melisande shook her head at Rivener's offer, still blushing. "I'm fine for now, thank you!"

Her hand slipped from his as he made his way to the kitchen, and she waited a few more heartbeats before lifting her eyes to Zul. She wasn't trying to hide what she had to say from Rivener...the Scorpion just had a different point of view about it. "I understand wanting to know. Where you come from, what you...used to be." For a moment, her smile was touched with old sadness. "It can be important. If you need me..." He'd been there for her, once. It seemed as though the Muse was speaking from experience, but as Rivener returned from the kitchen she brought the conversation back to all of them.

"I was thinking of stopping by to visit Cesc tomorrow, after..." Melisande paused, realizing what she was about to say. After she spent the night. Her ribbon hitched for a moment, sending a ripple down the length of its slender spiral. The reality of it sat inside her like a glass of champagne, though she hadn't had a drink. Fears and excitements rose like bright bubbles, but she kept composed. Only the tiniest dart of her tongue and press of her lips gave her away. Was she really going to spend the night? What happened to coffee?

"After breakfast. And I'd be happy to sing for you, if you'd like." Had she promised them a song? Pasha didn't have time to think back, but it didn't matter either way. "I'm not sure...if I will make it my path or not. I need to decide if I'm going to spend my time on myself or encouraging others." It was a dramatic oversimplification, but it was the first time Melisande had ever spoken to someone else about the Choice that weighed on her. She looked from Zul to Rivener, and smiled.

"So, you're doing me quite a favor, Rivener. I should see if I like teaching before I commit myself to it, I suppose!" She rather liked saying his name. It was rare she had the opportunity to do so. Melisande pulled the fall of her straight blonde hair over her shoulder, straightening it self consciously with a single comb of her fingers. "I'd like to see your game, as well. Before or after a movie, do you think? Which do you have?"

She liked the idea of getting comfortable, and offered Zul a smile for the suggestion. Their home was something precious to her, and sinking into the couch sounded like a tiny blessing.

Zul cast the Muse a brief, thankful smile at the shared words before the topic moved on, bearing in mind that she'd offered to help him; it was a rare thing for anyone to do, and not something he'd forget. He'd just thought it fair she know, given that it was the exact lack of knowledge that had cost Zavier his existence. Of course, he didn't miss the small pause, but he didn't dwell on it either, simply smiling in a private manner and dipping his head. "In that case, please send him my fondest regards. I'll visit him at a later date, then." He didn't want to infringe on every aspect of the Muse's life, tempting as it may be.

He smiled with a touch of amusement as the two idly bantered about her choice and Rivener's specific use of words. It didn't really make sense to him - why did she have to choose? Why couldn't she do both things she wanted? - but it didn't seem like the time to ask. It was most curious to him how heavy the air could be when they were just trying to have a good time. Shaking his head a little to himself, he gingerly touched the back of her dress before floating towards the couch and chairs. "I vote for Harry Potter," he chimed in his choice without explanation, 'jumping' over the back of the couch and landing neatly on its plush cushions, leaning against the arm with a lazy comfort. Usually he'd be keen to lay on Rivener instead but they didn't have to impart all their habits just yet.

Rivener smiled as the choice was made. "Harry Potter it is!" he declared, putting the other movies away and floating over to the dvd player, setting them up with the first movie. The box set was placed right beside the player so they could switch out for the second movie if they felt like it. When Rivener turned back, he was quite surprised and pleased to see that Meli had made herself a drink, roaming the house comfortably. A wide and happy smile split his features in two.

"There's going to be an intermission?" he laughed, then floated over to his side of the couch, eyes gilttering with happiness to see the girl sitting next to Zul. "And you can indeed sit there." He settled on his end of the sofa with a happy, comfortable rustle of wings, careful not to leave any of his prickly spines resting against the material. There were already a few nicks in the thing from his moments of inattention.

Rivener did enjoy Harry Potter quite a bit, remaining quiet during the first half of the movie while he finished his drink. When he got up for a refill, he offered to top off anyone else's glass and returned with a smirk, wedging himself between Zul and Melisande with a chuckling sing-song announcement of "Intermission's over!" He pulled Zul to lean against his side, and gently tugged and offered his other shoulder to Pasha, fairly vibrating with joy if and when he managed to get his two loves snuggling up beside him. So happy and comfortable was he that not long after he was cocooned on either side, the Scorpion fell asleep, head lolling back against the couch cushions. He couldn't help it: such warmth, the comfort of their mixing presence, their scents twining together! It was the most blissful sensation in the world and not even Harry's confrontation with Voldemort could wake him.

Pasha set her glass down at Zul's question, the credits rolling in the background. Her cheeks were warm from the drink and from having been settled for so long against the sleeping Sigel. It had been amazingly comfortable. "No, I'm okay for now! Besides, I'm not all tangled up in Rivener. Can I get you anything?" She spoke quietly, but her voice was playful. It was wonderful to see them both so happy, and so often. Her memories of Rivener's frown were even beginning to fade.

"The movie was…sad, don't you think?" She tilted her head forward to smile past Rivener's silhouette, peeking at the Demon where he rested. "I liked it, but…they're so young. To go through so much, to be treated how they were treated." Her smile turned a bit sad, and she shrugged one shoulder. "At least they have each other. I've never really had a lot of friends. Just…a lot of people that I've met."

She lifted one of the red locks from where it lay over Rivener's shoulder and smoothed it absently between two fingers for a moment. It was New Years Eve, Zul was quiet, Rivener was sleeping, and here she was reminiscing about her past. This wasn't how parties went…was it? Pasha's smile was slow, and she met Zul's eyes with a mischievous glint. "Zul. Let's wake him up!"

Melisande turned slightly on the couch, the rich fabric of her dress rustling quietly. "Like the photograph." Her cheeks were burning, but the Muse ignored her blush and glanced at the Demon to gauge his reaction. "You get that cheek, and I'll get this one?" Pasha leaned forward, both hands pressing down on the couch cushion beside the Scorpion's ribbon.

"One, two…"

"I'm well, thank you," he murmured softly to Melisande's offer, but his pleasure at it was apparent. That she was comfortable enough to offer that spoke loudly to him, a sense of belonging and familiarity with the loft that made it feel natural for her to be there and offer. As she reflected on the movie, Zul smiled in a distant manner, yet again thwarted in his best intentions. "I feel an understanding with it. We're younger, by logic, but...we've been through much. And I'm sure we've yet to see the end of it." He extended his hand across the sleeping Sigel, his fingers sought hers, gently taking and holding the slender digits. "We're friends if nothing else, Melisande. I will always be here for you." It was a promise. It wavered on something else, the threat of a click inside, but it passed, and it was just as well.

Grinning at her suggestion, the demon righted himself and rested his hands against Rivener's shoulder, gently nosing the other's ear as he listened to her plan, nodding his agreement. On countdown, they both leaned in and kissed the other's cheeks, the brief awareness that it was the third time they've had a moment that kissing was involved flitting through his mind before Rivener awakened -- and attacked.

Zul laughed openly and freely as Rivener peppered his face and neck with kisses, loving the feel of the other's hair around him, his presence so close, returning the kisses when the scorpion was close enough that he could and growling teasingly when he couldn't. When the dark male turned his attention to the fair Melisande, the demon remained where he was, laying back on the couch, looking like quite the cat with the canary, satisfied and relaxed. His blue eyes watched the female, not sure if he should apologize with his gaze or be amused, settling on something inbetween.

Rivener was quite surprised that she didn't run. She did try to fend him off playfully, but without really putting herself out of reach. The Scorpion took that as an unspoken invitation. His confidence soared and his handsome features melted into the sultry expression he wore so comfortably. When he approached her, it was with a slow, quiet, heated simmer of pleasure-threat. He'd crawled off Zul along the sofa, hands pulling him forward like a predator stalking prey, red eyes hooded and riveted on the girl's beautiful irises.

"Too bad for you, then," he purred as he loomed over her, moving up her ribbon, up her gray corseted dress, until he was nose-to-nose with her, hands pressed to the cushions on either side of her shoulders. "If you can't run, then you're quite caught."

He lowered and pressed the first few kisses to her cheeks slowly, giving her an unspoken chance to tell him to stop. But if she didn't, his kisses both quickened and lingered, his lips finding her neck, her ears, her cheeks and chin and forehead and nose, everywhere but one place: her lips. He kept that for last, pulling away to smirk at her seductively before he dipped down again slowly to press their mouths together. He didn't make it a deep kiss, it was quite chaste for his standards: closed-mouthed, but luxuriously relaxed. Like he was tasting the best dish. Her lips had the flavor of her drink.