Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ice's house was a small, cozy looking place already decorated for Christmas. There was a statue of Santa and Jack sitting by the front door and unlit Christmas lights decorating the front porch. It was only the first of December, so it's a sure sign that someone in the house loved Christmas very much indeed.

It was light out, and far earlier than Silva usually wakes up, but the dark red feien was lying on his back on the roof, his head pillowed by his hands and a toothpick hanging from the corner of his lips. He looked to be waiting for something.

Twas some night before Christmas,
And furtive and soft,
The flapping of wings,
Came from aloft.


A dark feien-sized form descended from the background of the starry sky, to alight near the Santa statue. The christmas lights played across Averno's scowling features and the envelope in her hands. "Bah HUmbug!" she muttered.

"Not a Christmas girl, huh?" Silva asked loudly enough for her to hear as he slowly sat up and looked down at her. "Why am I not surprised?" He had been waiting for her to show up. He figured it had something to do with the old man and his, as Soho called her, lady friend. But he had been surprised the first time he sensed her magical energy.

For a second he had even thought she came to see him.

"I'm a darkness element, Silva. Leave it to the Gaians to light up their yards at night so brightly a 747 could land in them. So yes, not much of a Christmas girl." She rested her hands on her hips and looked over the white-haired figure with a frown.

"I suppose I owe you a thank you, for snapping the neck of the little fiend that nearly killed me with those poisoned cupcakes."

"He got you, too?" He asked, slightly surprised. "I hadn't noticed." He got to his feet, stretching languidly before stepping off the side of the house. His wings spread to catch him right before he hit the porch. "But I'm surprised. No lecture on becoming even more cold-blooded than I already was? You disappoint me, Princess."

He glanced up, eyeing the mistletoe that hung from the roof with amusement. If she hadn't noticed he wasn't about to bring it up. Not unless she really pissed him off.

Soho had insisted on kissing him (on the cheek, of course) at least five times already thanks to those damn leaves. "Tell me, would you have done it?"

Averno's gaze followed Silva's eyes to the roof and the plant dangling there. She smirked slightly, before looking back at him. "In an instant. But I couldn't for the same reason you didn't know I was sick. After Arae and I tried to murder each other in a duel, Sajhiri separated us and locked both of us up. Shortly after that we were both so ill any chance of escape was out of the question."

She turned the envelope over in her hands as she talked, her wings twitching in memory of the fury in Arae's eyes, the mindless rage. She wasn't about to admit the ancient likely would have ended her if Sajhiri hadn't interfered. "I'd have disemboweled him and fed his entrails to the gargoyles if I'd been able to get to him. You were much too merciful. Your little girlfriend making you soft?"

The ever so slightest hints of a wince crossed his face as he remembered what had happened in the shop. "No." He said. "I was planning on drawing it out." He said. "But something... distracted me." He eyed the letter. "Writing me love letters, princess? I'm stunned."

A dark brow arched at Silva's wince. Mistaking it for her spotting of the mistletoe, Averno sidled closer to him, lowering her voice to a husky near whisper. "Do you want me to write you love letters?" She purred.

She leaned back then and blunted, "Do I seem the mushy type? Arae and Aleric are the Queen and King of romantic nonsense. I've been reduced to a messenger. But if it'll get her out of the house and out of my hair some, it's worth it. You need to get that boy off his tail to stop writing and start macking on her."

He laughed. For the first time in God knows how long, he actually laughed. "Macking? Aleric? Damn, woman, you don't know him very well, do you?" He drawled when he was done, chewing on his toothpick. "She'll have to tie him down if she wants a snog. All that nice guy bullshit he lives for means he takes things way too slow."

"Now me, on the other hand. I'm always up for an easy lay." It was a lie. He hadn't slept with Quantel, but Q was more than he had time to handle. But she didn't need to know that. Besides, she was more likely to slap him than snog him. He leered at her, knowing it would piss her off. "So... wanna?"

Averno snorted. "Nice guy means nothing if he gets around Arae. She's the closest thing to a free loving hippy I've ever seen. All earth mothery and 'its natural' and such. If she fancies him, she'll get him to drop that goody goody nonsense at least long enough for a snogfest."

At the proposition narrowed her eyes. "What makes you think you could handle me, skinny man?"

The image of Aleric in that position amused him, but he followed her change of subject quickly enough. "Hmm... So you've got some experience?" He asked, doubt showing clearly on his face. "Wore out some other poor b*****d? Now I'm downright curious. Who's your lover, Princess?"

"It wouldn't be polite to snog and tell." Averno quipped. She wasn't about to let Silva know she had no experience whatso-freaking-ever. Not so much as a kiss. "You look worried, don't think you have the stamina for it?" Antagonizing Silva was the best Christmas present she could hope for. She might actually have to thank Arae later.

She idly tossed the envelope to the doorstep for Aleric to find when next he ventured out.

"Oh, I have stamina enough." He said with a little smirk. "I'd last a hell of a lot longer than you could. But I wouldn't want any of your ex-lovers getting jealous. I've already killed one psycho b*****d this month. Don't want to make it a habit." He drawled, his tone belying his words.

"Besides, I wouldn't want you getting addicted."

Averno choked out a laugh. "Puh-leeze. As if a skinny boy like you could addict me. Who are you and what did you do with the Silva I knew? Afraid to kill an ex-boyfriend if he needed killing? That doesn't sound like you." She grinned. "But it's ok. I can accept it if I intimidate you that way."

Her question hit him a little harder than he thought it would, but he just smirked. "Sometimes when you're as ******** up in the head as I was at the time things don't go the way you think they should."

He reached out, to touch her ear as his other hand raised to his toothpick. "And princess, you'd have to be a hell of a lot scarier than you are to intimidate me." He went on, giving her plenty of time to pull away if she wanted.

Averno stiffened at the touch on her ear for a moment, more at his reaching for the vicinity of her neck than anything. He did just murder another feien afterall. But the sensation of fingertips on her ear sent a relaxing warmth through her and she didn't draw away.

"You've never seen me scary, Beanpole. Muscles and strength aren't the only ways to hurt others." She traced a fingertip along the inside of his wrist lightly.

He saw the way she tensed. Would everyone do that when he touched them? Soho hadn't, and Aleric probably wouldn't either. That was all that mattered. But his fingers continued to gently stroke her ear as he pondered her words. "Hell, that one I learned a while back, too." He told her casually. "But it doesn't keep me from needing a good snog now and then."

His hand moved his toothpick to its spot behind his ear then moved to her back, below the wings as he looked her straight in the eye. "And threats like that just get me excited, princess."

Averno sucked in a breath. She felt a little lightheaded and wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. "Do they indeed? And what happens when you get excited, Silva?" Her eyelids lowered to half mast and she pressed closer to him, one hand seeking the base of one of his wings, just brushing it very lightly. She swallowed hard, telling herself she could handle it, and him. Even though she truly wasn't so sure of it.

"It depends." He said, his smirk widening at her touch. "But in this case it could be good things." He whispered, leaning close. His mouth barely touched hers as he spoke again. "Very good things." He whispered before kissing her.

Her first kiss, well the first not coming from someone who looked on her as a daughter, was not something she ever expected from Silva, who she'd long scribed in her diaries as her "arch nemesis". That nagging little piece of information was quickly smothered by the sensations of being kissed. Her eyes drifted shut entirely as her lips parted in response. Her heavy silken curls cascaded across his chest as she shivered against him. She wanted to give a witty retort, but the witty portion of her brain was momentarily short circuited.

He had once thought she would taste like poison. But he had tasted poison before. She didn't. He brought his hand up, gently brushing against the base of her wings as he deepened the kiss slowly. It was as much for the pleasure as it was to wipe the filthy taste of Casca's kiss from his mind. The princess was evil, sure, but she wasn't as twisted as that son-of-a-b***h had been.

He was so intent on kissing her senseless that he didn't even notice the gasp from the rooftop. Soho watched with a mix of fascination and jealousy as her Mister Silva Demon made out with a feien she had never met before. But she backed away, heading for the other side of the house without saying a word.

So this was what it was like...what made Arae get all googly eyed and swoony over Aleric. This was what she'd been wanting to do, and Averno got to first. A little tingling triumph rushed through her and her free arm snaked around Silva's head, to pull him rougher to her. Any control she may have been hoping to exhibit was washed away in a flood of enthusiastic passion.

He laughed against her lips, pulling back slightly even as he kept rubbing the base of her wings gently. "I thought you said you wouldn't get addicted, princess." He teased her. "You sure feel that way to me."

Averno's breathing was rapid and her heart was pounding. His drawing back frustrated her, but she composed herself as she smirked at him. "I thought YOU said you could handle it, beanpole. Too much for you? Needed a break?" Her hand traced the contours of his ear teasingly.

"Mmm... want more, I see." He said. He had her. It was even easier than his first time. He leaned down, brushing his lips against hers again, wondering how she would take to being pinned up against the Santa statue and snogged brainless.

"Ahem." Aleric said, trying not to laugh as he dropped down to the porch as well. "I'll just be taking my letter now. Thank you, Averno, for delivering it."

Averno growled and sank her teeth into Silva's bottom lip animalistically. Amusingly enough, she then tried to pin HIM against Santa to snog him senseless.

Aleric? Aleric who? She shot the ancient a quick thumbs up in response to his thanks.

Silva started laughing. It covered Aleric's own amusement easily. He reached down, hauling her closer and wrapping his gigantic wings around both of them as he kissed her just as wildly. Who would have known the little princess would be the horniest of all the females he had had?

Aleric shook his head, wondering how he would tell Arae about this. She didn't approve of Silva, and she hadn't even met him yet. But to find out that he was... having a relationship with her sister? He didn't dare try to guess how she would react.

He took his letter and headed back to the roof.

Ah yes, Arae would probably not be thrilled, but Averno was a big girl, and she wasn't her mother, no matter how she sometimes felt she was. It's the quiet ones who are often the wildest inside afterall.

Aleric's letter was in the same lime green ink as the last one from Arae.

Beloved Aleric,

The ink upon this page does set,
My simple words to history,
My love for you I'll not regret,
If you can feel the same for me.

Averno's nails slid up Silva's back, before sheathing to let her fingertips caress his wings and shoulderblades.

He groaned. Claws were new... claws were damn good... He had always been a bit masochistic. He pulled back, gasping just a little. "Damn I feel sorry for all your ex's. You probably left them in ribbons." He said, reaching down and grabbing her by the knees to wrap them around his waist. His fingers rubbed roughly against the back of her knees. A tiny drop of blood trailed from his bottom lip to emphasize his point.

Averno grinned lustfully as she licked the blood from Silva's lip. "I'm a creature of darkness...did you expect any less?" she purred teasingly. She shivered at the touch to the back of her knees.

"I shouldn't have." He agreed, enjoying the shiver so much that he did it again. He wasn't about to admit she was the first darkness feien he had ever snogged. It wouldn't look good on his reputation.

Hell, now that he thought about it, the last time he had gotten this excited had been when he was a kid. What next, tag for kisses again? Or would this be different? Would they pretend to hate each other in public then sneak hot make-out sessions in the bathroom? He snorted at the idea, pulling away from her lips to kiss her neck. At times like these he almost wished he had fangs.

Averno groaned softly at the touch of Silva's mouth on her neck. She arched her head back, curls cascading over her shoulders, and breathed deeply. "And I should have expected all your pent up aggression could be put to such good use..." Her head was spinning, she felt dizzy, almost like she was floating. Her skin was flushed and overwarm.

"Mmm, I could have told you that one." He whispered against her neck. Then he licked her, his tongue trailing up her neck to run over the base of her ear.

Averno shuddered and let out a soft sound of delight. Was the snow melting around them by now? Sajhiri would have a fit if she knew what she was doing. Damnable goody goody. Her fingers tangled in his hair, one leg sliding down the back of one of his. How many had come before her, she wondered. And how many would come after. She thought he was a horrid lech, she still thought that, but this was so...much....fun. She half hated herself for enjoying it so much.

"You taste good, princess." He whispered into her ear. "Come by for a snog anytime."

Averno swallowed hard and she pulled back, lowering herself to the ground. She forced a smirk, though her knees felt a bit weak. "You don't taste too bad yourself, beanpole. If you want me, you know where to find me." She smoothed her mussed hair with a hand. "I should get back to the tower. I have things to do."

He watched her through lowere eyelashes, a little smirk pulling at his lips. She probably enjoyed snogging a killer. It was a good thing. He doubted he'd find anyone else daring enough to say the same. "I'll do that." He said, sticking his toothpick between his lips again.

And best of all, she would never say those words that still haunted him.

Twas some night before Christmas,
And out on the lawn,
A game had been played,
But which one was the pawn?

With a flap of leathery wings Averno was gone, blending seemlessly into the nighttime sky, flitting her way home to ponder what she'd just done.

Neruo led the "gang" (as they were affectionately called by him) into the Feien shop. Inanna was mercilessly taunting Demetrius about his height, he was ignoring her, and Neruo was happy as a clam. All way well in the world of the Feien as far as these three were concerned. They floated into the shop, Neruo looking for someone to speak with, Demetrius to ignore Inanna, and Inanna was looking for someone more interesting to torment.

"What made you so short? Bad genes? Lack of nutrients? Stupidity?" she sniped.

Demetrius rolled his eyes. "Stupidity doesn't affect height, Inanna."

"Oh, look! Cookies!" came a pleasant cry from the orange one.

Silva scowled as he flew into the shop, not wanting to be there. But Aleric insisted on bringing Soho here. If they didn't the place would become more and more of an evil in her mind until she was too scared to go at all. Silva glanced over at Soho. She didn't look too traumatized. Really.

"Um... Aleric?" Soho asked. She was riding in the life feien's arms. "Do you think Dee will be here?"

"I'm not sure, but--"

Silva spoke then. "Neruo's here." He said calmly as he sighted the orange feien and his brood.
Neruo's ears perked at the sound of his name. He turned about in midair and waved to Silva happily. "Silva! And Mr. Aleric! How are you two today?"

Demetrius cast a glance in the other trio's direction while Inanna continued to verbally assault him. Tuning Inanna's whining out for a moment, he looked them over before deciding they were okay in his book. Inanna's bicolored eyes darted from Silva, to Aleric, to the girl behind them. Who was she?

Buzzing over to Silva, she stared up at him. "Who're you?" she asked, her voice low.

"I'm Soho!" Soho said with a happy grin. She loved meeting other juvenile females. "Well, it's really Ruby Soho, but I go by Soho most of the time. What's your name?"

Silva scowled at the sight of the cookies that Neruo had mentioned, memories flashing through his head. "Orange boy, we got to talk." He said.

Aleric smiled at them, then looked to Demetrius. "Good day to you, my friend. My name is Aleric. And you are?"

Neruo looked confused, but shrugged it off. He liked talking, and didn't mind talking to Silva in the least. He floated over to the maroon male and smiled. "What's up?"

Demetrius cracked a grin and bowed to Aleric. Finally, someone sane and polite. "I'm Demetrius. That's Inanna. Don't let her dig into you too much. She's annoying."

Inanna shot him a look from Soho's side. "You're just jealous I've got height on you, shorty."

"You're obsessed and petty."

She turned back to Soho. "I'm Inanna, the best one out of this sorry lot."

"Oh, I know how that is. I'm the prettiest of my family. Aren't I, Aleric?"

"Of course, Soho." Aleric said with a little grin of amusement before turning back to Demetrius. "You know, I've never gotten the chance to talk to you, although I almost swear we've met before. Neruo and Silva are rather close, so I'm sure we should get to know each other, as well." He said, knowing Silva needed to tell Neruo what had happened.

"We had a little ********, orange boy. Someone brought cupcakes into the shop, laced with drugs. Screwed up a lot of the juveniles." Silva said lowly, eyeing the cookies for a moment. "Keep your kids from eating anything unwrapped and not in the kitchen."

Neruo eyed the cookies, seemingly not disturbed by the idea of drug-laced confections at all. But then again, did anything get to him. He nodded, his orange curls bouncing. "Did you happen to eat one of the drug cupcakes? And are the effects permanent? You seem well and good right now." As well and good as Silva could be.

Demetrius was more than impressed by Aleric. Perhaps because he was an Ancient like Neruo had said. They must've come standard with respect and sanity. This was a breath of fresh air. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Aleric. What brings you here to the shop?"

Inanna decided the one named Ruby Soho would make an excellent friend. Inanna scoffed. "I'm the prettiest in the family, too. It's hard being the only girl among all these boys. Especially being the pretty one." Her wings buzzed, waiting for an angry reaction from Demetrius. He merely winked at her.

"You sure you're the prettiest? Last I checked, my backside looked much better than your face, Inanna."

"Shove it, Banana!" she shouted back.

Soho giggled. "Well, I have to admit, Aleric is very pretty, as well, but I'm prettier. And you just have to think of what they can do for you! Mister Silva Demon even killed for me." She said. Her "Storytelling" was starting to kick in. And this time she had someone that would be willing to listen properly!

"Wound up killing Casca." Silva said softly. "He had Soho feed me a glass of the s**t, then almost killed her, Sunil, and a few other brats. Then they took me and the others to a hospital or something." He shrugged.

"Well, I enjoy meeting other feien." Aleric said, heading for one of the chairs to sit and talk. "And the shop is a good place for that, don't you think?"

Neruo looked genuinely shocked. Someone killed another? But at least Silva was drugged, and didn't know what he was doing. Or so he hoped. "Silva, you killed Casca...?" He looked down, gray eyes tracing the floor. He knew Casca. "But you didn't know what you were doing." He wasn't angry, but rather... saddened.

Inanna grew anxious. "You got Silva to kill for you? You'll have to teach me that. In all honesty, I want a henchman to take over the house, but most everyone is bigger than me. Sad, huh?" she whispered the last few parts to Soho. Her wings buzzed happily, the thought of running the whole house making her grin.

The yellow Feien looked back at Silva. Neruo looked different now, but he didn't want to be rude and pry. "The shop is a good place to meet new people. I haven't met many new people as of yet, but you're the best I've found thus far. Neruo told me that you are an Ancient...?"

"Why yes, yes I am." Aleric said. He sometimes forgot that fact himself, to be honest. "Not all feien are like... my brother. I've met several nice feien. I'll have to introduce you to Arae sometime. She's an ancient as well. But there are others, such as Aria, and Ian and Bertrand and Ernestine, and--" He shook his head, a little smile on his face at all of them.

"I knew what I was doing." Silva said. "He had four little girls bound and bleeding on a couch. And he had ******** me up." He fingered his toothpick with a scowl. "He was crazy. Hell, it was like he wanted me to kill him..." And he was telling Neruo all this... why? Because he wanted reassurance? Or because he wanted someone to see him for what he really was?

"Oh, Mister Silva Demon runs the house." Soho said. "He's the strongest." It was said so simply, as if it were an unspoken pecking order. "But I'm his little girl. He'll always protect me." She held out her scale necklace. "That's what this means."

Demetrius took mental note of those last few names. Something was up with them, and perhaps he had to avoid them. "What is it like, being an Ancient? Are you special in some way? No offense." He just liked to collect information. There was nothing on the vast expanse of the internet that offered anything on ancients. Best to find out from one in person.

Neruo took in this information, and was glad, by far, that he missed these events. But if Casca was hurting others, drastic measures had to be done. "I think, in the grand scheme of things, what you did was right, Silva." He placed a steady hand on the taller Feien. "You're a hero." The orange one smiled warmly. Hopefully, Silva would feel a little bit better about what had happened...

Inanna snickered. "You've gotten everyone bound by your ability to be adorable? Genius. Simply genius."

"Shhh!" Soho said, peeking a look at the two males in her family. "I try to keep that part quiet." She whispered. "But Mister Silva Demon already knows." she shrugged, as if it didn't stop it from working. "But you're so pretty, it must work for you, too!"

Aleric wondered if he had said something wrong. The hint of caution that entered the boy's emotions made him frown ever so slightly. But he went on gamely. "Well, as far as I can tell it means that I don't have a childhood that I can remember, and come from a stone, rather than a flower." He said thoughtfully. "You would think I'd be more powerful, but Silva is stronger and faster than I am. My abilities are more in the area of... helping and understanding others."

"That's what Ice said." Silva said with a scowl, looking away from the other feien. "But killing a kid's different from killing a rat." He went on. "Hell, I don't know. Maybe I did the right thing, but it was damn well for the wrong reasons."

Inanna ran a hand through her hair. "We do come from similar blood. Beauty must just run in it naturally. Too bad being pretty doesn't work on these morons. Neruo's a grinning idiot and, as you've seen, Demetrius is a short little a**. You've got it made, Soho." She gave the red female a gentle, playful nudge in the upper arm.

"You come from a stone? Interesting... I'm just asking because research is my hobby. I didn't mean to sound rude about it. I find Ancients quite fascinating." He took mental note of everything Aleric said. He looked back at Silva. "He may be more powerful, but you've got far more interesting markings." Demetrius explained with a nod.

The orange one nodded. "It was for the wrong reasons, but you chose the lesser of two evils, right? Don't be too hard on yourself, Silva. I'm sure I would have done the same thing in your place."

"That's what the princess said." Silva muttered. "But her I believed. You wouldn't be fast enough to kill someone." He snorted, shoving it to the back of his mind. "I also got involved with someone..." He said. "But damn, I almost feel like I'm cheating." As he had when he kissed Berra, and made out with water sprites, and... who else had there been?

Aleric laughed. "I'm sure that counts in some places." He said with a nod. "They are interesting, aren't they? I've gotten comments on them before."

"It's nice." Soho said. "But what's your bond like? Would it work on her?"

Neruo laughed. "No, I'm definately not fast enough to kill anyone, that's for sure, but you know what I meant." He shook his head. "I don't know anything about your current state of affairs, but I'm sure none of the 'cheating' was intentional. You were drugged, after all."

The smaller juvenile examined Aleric's wings. "They're by far more interesting than burgandy. All I've got is my primary colors." he said with a short laugh.

Inanna sighed unhappily. "My bond's missing some marbles upstairs." she explained with a wave of her hand above her head to emphasise the airiness of her Bond's head. "The only thing she's got going for her is that she eats people. I've seen it." She crossed her arms. "What about yours? You get a good Bond?"

"Ice is fun! She writes stories and watches anime and has this door that leads to other universes!" Soho said happily. The idea of the door was only just as interesting as the other parts. "She showed me how to listen to music on her computer. I like punk rock. But it drives Mister Silva Demon insane."

"Well Silva is a shadow element. I don't think he'd like having his markings draw attention to him." Aleric said thoughtfully. "Especially when he's hunting. But there's nothing wrong with primary colors. Yellow suits you very well, I think."

"Wasn't drugged when it happened." Silva said. "But Ruya's a bloom and hell... that was over months ago. What are you going to do when she's a juvie again and doesn't remember you?"

Inanna's ears perked. "Door to other worlds? Hell, how'd I get stuck with the maneater and you got the interdimensional door Bond? Not fair!" She huffed. Karma must've hated her.

"Thank you, Aleric. And what element do you happen to be?" He disregarded the comment about Silva. It wasn't Silva he was interested in, and besides, Silva was rude. He flapped his wings out to float more comfortably.

Neruo took that into consideration. He knew she didn't like him the way she loved Silva, and had taken that information in stride. Whatever happens with her was alright with him. "She's a bloom again? That's odd. Well, when she becomes a juvenile again and we meet, if she doesn't remember me, that's fine. As long as she's happy in the long run. As far as I'm concerned, she loved you more by far anyway." he said with a chuckle.

"Then maybe this is your chance." Silva said. "She won't remember me. Hell, if she hears about me it'll probably be that I'm the only feien killer around. Not exactly someone she'd want to meet." He went on. "Or have you decided on a new girl?"

"I'm a life element." Aleric said. "I enjoy being around living things. It's good that I've got such a large family, don't you think? And what element are you, Demetrius?"

"Well, I haven't gotten the chance to go through yet. And I'm not sure Silva would let me, even if I tried. He gets shot at when he goes through the door." Soho said with a nod. "And since I've almost died once this month I don't really want to get shot at just yet."

Neruo thought a moment. "Honestly, I haven't thought about other females. I've just been...around, you know? But I don't want to attempt anything that might jeopordize your chances with someone you truly love. Killer or no, I couldn't do that to you, Silva."

"Life element? My siblings are Life elementals, though I'm the only earth of the bunch. Lu says my bloom enjoyed potted plants. But she's a strange one." Demetrius explained. "But, do life elementals have magic as well? I've never seen examples of life magic..."

Inanna's eyes widened. A door that shoots people? "It shoots at you? With what, bullets? Lasers? Who's shooting at you?"

"Not the door, silly! The people in the other dimensions!" Soho explained. "Mister Silva Demon gets shot at by all sorts of people! It's probably because of how he acts."

"Life element spells are along the lines of healing and empathy. Understanding others." Aleric said with a little nod. "There's also some spells that let you read other people's minds, slightly. But I can't do that."

"I told you, I'm involved with someone." Silva said. "And I'd rather not try and explain all the s**t we went through in a life she doesn't even remember. She chose to forget it, man. Least I can do is let her." But was he? One snog (no matter how hot) did not a relationship make. But hell, he didn't plan on leaving it at one snog, anyways.

"Maybe the other dimension people have an a**-dar for tracking complete asswipes to shoot at." Inanna explained with a sage nod. "Maybe you should stay away from the door, if the people are always shooting at you."

Demetrius nodded. "I haven't found anything useful as far as spells are concerned for earth elements. But then again, it's not like I have a choice, you know?"

"I'm going to let things run their course. If Ruya and I end up together, then so be it, and vice versa. But it is very honorable of you to save her from any sort of pain, Silva. You truly do love her." Then, Neruo winked at him. "Who's the new lucky lady?"

Silva choked. Then the barest of evil smirks crossed his face. Hell, why not? "You've met Averno before, right?" It was all he had to say if the other male had met her. "She's mine." She'd probably stab him in his sleep if she knew he said that.

"Soho is an earth element as well." Aleric said. "She enjoys playing in the backyard. Perhaps you could join her sometime."

Soho giggled. "Maybe!" She agreed. "Your name's Innana, right? You'll have to come over sometime! We can look at the door."

Inanna smirked. "I'll pencil in a brush with the door of death sometime for you. And Trius here is too slow. He'd probably miss the door."

Demetrius sighed. "You wouldn't even recognize it as being a door."

"Well... you're short!!"

"Ooh. Nice comeback, Inanna. Smooth."

Neruo shook his head. "No, I haven't met her. Is she nice?" he asked innocently. Ruya was nice, and Silva had her. This Averno woman must've been really nice, but then again, there was that patented evil smirk of Silva's...

Silva laughed. An honest to God laugh, once again. "She's meaner than hell." He told the orange male. "She's threatened to kill me at least once every meeting since we were brats. Well, except for last time. She was a little too busy to think of it." He was almost grinning at the thought. He brought his hand up, toying with the toothpick to cover the grin. "You'll have to meet her sometime. You'd probably piss her off."

"It's good to see you have such a close relationship with your bondsister." Aleric said with a smile. He often got into arguments like that with Silva. They knew each other well enough that he could be rude without feeling guilty about it.

"Oh, you've got to!" Soho said. "It'll be fun!"

Neruo blinked innocently. "Why would you want me to piss off your girlfriend? I thought you could do that well enough by yourself." He chuckled, smiling. "I suppose if you really want me to meet her... I'm not adverse to meeting new people."

Demetrius rolled his eyes. "Yes, such a close, tender relationship. Like hugging a cactus." He stared at Inanna, who glared intensely back. She crossed her arms and growled.

"Loser." she scoffed and turned back to Soho. "Alright. Door of Death it is. When?"

"Oh, I can." He said. "But you wouldn't even have to work at it." He said with a wicked little grin.

"Sometimes those relationships are just as important as the more peaceful ones." Aleric said, glancing over at Silva. "I find my own has helped me through many things in this life."

"Oh, any time!" Soho said happily. "I'm sure Ice won't mind one bit!"

Neruo blinked, slightly confused, but shrugged it off. "Sounds good to me. I'd love to meet her. We'll have to arrange is sometime soon! But now we must get going. Lu expects us home soon. It was good to see you, Silva. And please, take care, okay?" He patted Silva on the shoulder before motioning to the rest of the group that it was time to leave.

"Any time. Yes. I'll come over, and I'll drag Banana Brain along with me." Inanna buzzed over to Neruo, awaiting her escort. Demetrius bowed to Aleric, mouthing an apology for leaving so soon, and shot Inanna a glare.

"'Least I'm not ugly."

"Your a** is ugly."

"Why are you looking at my a**?"

Neruo floated over and grabbed the both of them by the ear and began to drag them out. "Come now, children, time to go home!"

Aleric didn't laugh, but the amusement showed in his eyes. "Farewell, my friends." He called.

"Byeee Innana!! I'll see you!!" Soho called happily.

Silva just smirked, fingering his toothpick thoughtfully. "Let's get out of here." He said after they were gone. The others nodded and took to the air, following him out the door.

Soho looked around the shop, a toy under her arm and a thoughtful frown on her face. "Are you sure you don't know where Dee lives?" She asked Silva for the thirtieth time.

"Nope." He said. Damn Aleric, where was he when he was needed? The last thing Silva wanted was to babysit. Again.

Thankfully for Silva's sake, something half-hidden behind the sofa cushions on the top backline stirred; one long arm stretched out, followed by one pale calf: what finally stood up, smoothing back her hair, appeared to be wearing Dee's clothes (though the old pink frock was now awkwardly short, and there was a black ribbon around one arm). She also appeared to have Burgundia's need for cat naps in weird places. However, she was nearly as tall as Silva now.

"Ruby?"

All hurried rush - hurried for Burgundia, anyway - and awoken by her sister's voice, Dee made it to her sister's side in record time and took her wholesale in her arms. It was easier now, as she had a lot more arm. "Ruby!"

Soho blinked, looking up at the tall feien blankly for a moment with a cocked head. "Dee?" She asked. "You grew up??! You grew up!! DEE!!" She shouted, dropping her toy and hugging her sister tightly. "You look so beautiful!!"

Burgundia kissed both of her sister's cheeks, which now involved a slight amount of leaning down, and then smoothed the white hair back from Soho's forehead. There were still black smudges under her eyes. "I do what I haveta do," she said crisply, accent apparently even thicker now that they were reunited. "Learning experience. Now I can take care of you, thank God. Have you been eatin'? You're my skinny little girl. So thin..."

And a lot shorter, but that was to be expected. A rather small little smile - the first one in a long age - drew itself over Dee's lips, and she sighed with relief as she pulled Soho close again, rather painfully needy, ignoring Silva's presence totally. "I thought I lost you."

"It's okay." Soho said happily. "I'm still here! And you're here and everything's okay now!" She tugged away, looking up at her sister. "I got you a Christmas present! That's what Ice says you're supposed to do for the people that you love!"

Burgundia knelt down so that she was more in eye level to petite Soho. The fact that - after everything - Ruby could still be so bright and alive and happy and wonderful almost brought her to tears again, but at least womanhood had conferred some more sense of dignity. "Now, that's not fair," she said. "You know you're my best gift."

Christmas. All that had brought on was fasting all over again. And everything she'd tried to make for Soho had just fallen apart in her hands. What a joke.

"Oh, I know." Soho said with a wide smile. "But I wanted to give you something to hug when I'm not around. I've got Mister Silva Demon and Aleric and Nick and Nack and Ice! So I got you, um..." She dived towards the floor, grabbing the penguin and bringing it back up.

She came back up, holding him out. "See? I got one for myself, too, Mine dances!"

Burgundia took it carefully and looked the penguin over before hugging Soho again, almost too tight like always now, as if to make sure she was still there. "He'll sit on my bed," she promised gravely. "I guess our penguins are siblings, too. This is the gorgeousest gift I ever got, Ruby. It's wonderful. God bless you."

"I'm so glad you like it!" Soho said happily. "Ice said I could help her pick Mister Silva Demon's and Aleric's gifts. We should probably do it soon, since Aleric is out with his ladyfriend. He's been gone almost all day now. And Mister Silva Demon has a girlfriend now, too, and--"

Silva started ignoring her then, not really wanting to hear what all of their private lives she was passing on to her sister.

"There's a talking box under the Christmas tree!" Soho finished. "He... well, it, really, wants to eat all the candycanes."

"Well, I guess you better not let the talking box near all the candycanes," her sister said, heavy-lidded eyes narrowing slightly. Tucking the penguin under one arm, she reached down and popped Soho on her hip like a toddler. "You're heavy, darlin'. I guess no candycanes for you either. - Cousin Silva, if I hear about anything in-app-rop-riate going on in front of Ruby, we'll be having Words."

Its difficult to avoid the one place where everyone else always goes. Its especially difficult if you're a personable feien who has been mostly alone for a long while and is remembering that being around OTHER feien is really amazingly pleasant.

Hadrian sort of tried to sneak up on the shop...only he wasn't good at sneaking or being quiet or not being seen (being that he was the color of a traffic cone) - so really, the best he managed was not saying anything when he entered.

"We're feien, darlin' there's no inapporpriate bits to be doing things with." Silva drawled absently, turning to look at the feien that had just entered. The fire boy... what was his name again? Oh well.

"You could do inappropriate things with no arms and no legs, don't give me that bullshii-iit," Dee said primly, shifting Soho, popping a kiss on her forehead and putting her back down. "I'm not a baby now. - You better not be getting up to a never-no-mind either, Ruby. Are any boys tryin' to be your boyfriend?"

It seemed Hadrian had a gift for walking in at particularly awkward points in the conversation. He nodded, smiling at the shadow feien...what was his name? Oh yes Silva. The one who went hunting, and there was Soho - who had brought up the bloodiness of the hunting. Curious family that.
He began poking around the room, rather then interrupt the conversation - he didn't really feel confident stepping into any conversation that involved 'doing inappropriate things'.

"Oh no." Soho said, shaking her head. "I don't really meet many male feien." She went on. "I don't know why, but Aleric says I'm still too young to have a boyfriend. What about you? You're so pretty I'm sure you could get any male you wanted!"

Silva just smirked and chewed on his toothpick a little.

"Now that's something I'm seriously uninterested in," Dee said, even more primly than before, if it was possible. Cousin Aleric's opinion was obviously one she shared. "There's more to life than - than that. I was thinkin' about living a life of Solitude and Beatitude. I don't need a man. I have my baby sister. Anybody who tells you you need one of those is a big fat liar."

Hadrian found he was unable to leave well enough alone at that comment.
He stepped back from the nook he had been pearing into and turned towards the female - who he had not met but whom was apparently Soho's sister.
"I think," He called, smiling brightly, "Its supposed to be a matter of want rather then need."

"Oh! Hi Hadrian!" Soho said happily, waving at the fire feien. "But I think having a boyfriend would be fun! Aleric does all sorts of nice things for his ladyfriend, like writes her poems and gets her gifts! Just think of it, Dee! Someone else to cuddle with!"

Silva's smirk turned to a scowl. "You're too young for that, Soho." He muttered.

"How d'you do," said Burgundia stiffly, smoothing her hair out again. The expression on her face was a rather more restrained mimic of Silva's. "I don't recommend holding a conversation from behind a wall, it tisn't nice. And you should rather wait until you're all grown up to speak about want. And Cousin Silva is absolutely right, you wait for cuddling until later. And even then, only if you want it, not because someone else says you have to or you feel like you oughta."

Ignoring, or perhaps not noticing, any restraint on the part of the adults, Hadrian flitted over to bow politely to Burgundia, "Apologies, the wall just happened to be in the way when I wanted to speak, and it was faster to go ahead and talk first and move later. HELLO Soho!" With this comment he turned to the juvenile with a big cheerful smile, "Its nice to see you again. And you as well, Silva," he finished, more restrained when directing his comments to the other male.
"You know...she's to young to have a boyfriend the way YOUR thinking about boyfriends, Madame, but you know she's not to young to have a boyfriend the way SHE is probably thinking about it. There's nothing really wrong with trading poems and presents and hugs as children."

"I do think Ruby's accepted enough presents from strangers as it is," said Burgundia, in a voice that had spent a week in the freezer. "I do think she just needs a childhood now. Boyfriends can wait, young man." Her expression changed. "Did you come here all on your lonesome?"

Soho blinked. "Poems and presents! And hugs are always good! I hug Mister Silva Demon and Aleric and Dee and Nick and Nack and--"

Silva just looked at him, remembering his first relationship. He had been barely a month old and he had been well into the other "type" of boyfriend status. "She's still too damn young to make up her mind." Although he doubted she would EVER be old enough to stick to her decision from the way she rattled off names.

Hadrian appeared to miss the point, "A 'boyfriend' wouldn't be a stranger though..." He sounded honestly confused. "And isn't that sort of thing PART of having a childhood?" It had certainly been part of his...he didn't want to think that was odd. He seemed very earnest, it was endearing really. And why was he being called 'young man' anyway? Very odd.
"And yes, I did come here on my lonesome...er...by myself."

"Then you should watch yourself," Dee said. "If you were a juvie, I wouldn't let it happen. These times are dangerous."

She smoothed down her worn pink dress. "Who says you need to have a boyfriend to get gifts and poems? Why can't you just have a friend? God willing, we could all use more friends nowadays. I'd value a friend before I did a lover."

"Your'e my friend, Dee! You're better than a friend! You're my sister!" Soho said happily, wanting to cheer her darling sister up more than argue the point. "But I don't see anything wrong with having a friend that's a boy." She went on thoughtfully. "Most of my family are boys!"

Soho's hair was petted, like she was a good kitten. "I know. I do think you surely need more feminine influence in your life. Bein' raised by bachelors... But there's nothing wrong with having friends-who-are-boys, sweetheart, but they don't have to be boyfriends."

"I've always travelled alone...." Hadrian said, hesitantly, tilting his head slightly. "And I admitt I've never gotten or given a poem...but," And he stopped, to let a little smile sneak onto his face as Soho spoke up, doing a better job then he had of explaining what exactly he had been trying to say. "I like to think boys make very good friends." He said, half to Soho, half to her sister.

Soho grinned proudly up at her sister. "Yeah! I keep meeting girls. And I like girls, but I'd like to meet a boy that's my own age, too, sometime."

"And if he gets too close I can always break his neck." Silva said casually. It solved his problem, at least.

"Mister Silva Demon!" Soho said. "You can't do that! It wouldn't be nice!"

Burgundia had tensed the moment Silva had mentioned breaking necks: however, all she did was turn to Hadrian, bobbing a curtsey before she baldly held out her hand.

"I'm Burgundia Lukas-Hein," she said languidly. "I surely apologize for not introducing myself sooner. I'm not used to... being without a chaperone, so to speak. I see you already know the love of my life, anyway. Are you Ruby's friend, then?"

The fire seemed to not take Silva seriously when he mentioned breaking necks, but he tensed away from the shadow feien imperceptably before turning toward Burgundia's greeting.
"I'm Hadrian." He took her hand, smiling warmly, "Its a pleasure to meet you. I'd like to be Lady Soho's friend, as this is only our second meeting I think I shouldn't go jumping to assumptions."
He appeared to be making an effort to make sure he phrased things politely, which sometimes worked and sometimes seemed a little stilted.

Silva cursed, looking over at Dee. "Sorry. Bad joke." He muttered, running a hand over his face. Dee was important to Soho, therefore she was important to him. And as crazy as she could be, she was decent enough. And what else did he say? Sorry for killing your brother? No hard feelings? He had basically avoided the subject until now, then he opened his big ******** mouth and--

"He's nice! And he can make fire!" Soho said cheerfully.

Burgundia appeared to do a Southern Belle handshake, which was graciously squeeze Hadrian's - though there was a mild shock, since fire blood and cold blood did not make for a mild handshake. "Please surely don't mind what I say. It's been..."

Whatever it had been was apparently hard to put on her lips; she drew away her hand with another nod to the fire feien, putting one hand on Soho's shoulder for some kind of strength. "Don't get me wrong," she said, not looking at Silva. "Never get me wrong." Nevah. The accent always got even more unbearable when she talked fast. "I hate my brother. I hate him and he's burnin' in Hell for what he did. You just took away my sin and my responsibility for - stoppin' him; and I owe you everything. It's just... difficult, to know how to bear this like a woman, so I'll be a little green 'till I wrap my head around coping. Now," Dee said daintily, "let's get off the damned subject fo'-evah."

Hadrian lifted his eyebrows slightly, feeling as if he was an unwelcome extra presence in this conversation. Apparently something very ... well violent anyway...had happened. It explained why Burgundia considered these dangerous times...and it rather fit with Silva too. Usually curiosity did wonders to prod Hadrian into asking about these things, but in this case, he definitely knew it was a bad idea to bring it up.

"You were a ******** kid, Dee. I was the adult. And of all the feien in this whole damn place, I was the one that could do it best." Silva told her, ignoring her comment about dropping it. "Don't you dare think it was your responsibility."

"Mister Silva--" Soho said softly, looking up at him. "I think we need to go now." She leaned forward, hugging her sister's waist. "I love you, Dee."

Burgundia took both of Ruby's hands and kissed them, on the palms. "I love you something awful," she said. "Mind your papas and I'll come visit you soon."

One more kiss, and she dropped the juvenile's fingers, throwing Hadrian a glance of what was very near thankfulness for not bringing it up in front of her sister; then she gave one of her rather horrible, clear and angelic smiles to Silva, the ones more appropriate for a crazy nun. "She created you in weakness, and after weakness was appointed strength; whomsoever wrongs your blood, cut them out. You are absolved of all guilt. God bless you, Silva."

"I have no idea what you mean... but thanks." He said with a nod. "Let's go, Soho." He muttered, nodding to the male feien before taking to the air.

"Bye Dee! Bye Hadrian!" She called happily, waving as she took to the air and chasing after Silva. She caught up easily and soon they were down the stairs and out of sight.

"Sins of the fathers," Burgundia murmured, watching them both go; it seemed more a comment to herself than to Hadrian. "I hope she never grows up."

"Bye Soho!" Hadrian waved, enthusiastically, as the juvenile left. The conversation, however, had left him somewhat confused. First of all, Burgundia had apparently been a juvenile fairly recently - which made that young man comment confusing. Apparently Silva had...killed someone? Burgundia's brother...apparently...whom she hated...it was all a bit jumbled in his head.
"uh..." He turned to Burgundia, as if to confirm that she wanted the matter dropped or if she might offer some explaination.