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The demon drew comfort from the simple touch of long fingers in his hair, smiling at the Sigel easily as he expressed his contentment. Knowing what it meant between them, the offer was very touching. "It is very special to me," he agreed lightly, "but I have to get you some too." Zul hoped the flowers would be able to say what he couldn't yet.

When Rivener began to preen, the Frei felt more like the world had settled back on its normal axis, laughing in his lazy, smoky manner, dragging his fingers down the Sigel's back to keep from doing the same motion on the elder Raevan's front. This was going to be very, very hard. "Yes. I like Rivener all ways." Zul chuckled, tightening his hand into a fist against the Scorpion's side, chanting an inner mantra of not touching his neck and face and--

Startled, the demon came out of his thoughts and peered curiously at Rivener, following his gaze to a Raevan he'd never met. She was exceptionally pale but had the most amazing pair of black ears that Zul had ever seen, his fist loosening a little as he imagined what they'd feel like. Like a cat, no doubt, but soft like LuLu's, or more fine like Alex's silk pillows? He again found himself off track, blinking up to Rivener as he mentioned a very familiar name. "Sevilin?" he echoed with familiarity. "I haven't seen Sevilin for...almost a year. Can I go with you?" The demon wasn't exactly willing to let the Scorpion go anywhere, either.

The woman had just caught sight of Rong Wei, about to pull herself out of the pool to go greet her (and reassure her that all the floating creatures were real, should she still be in doubt), but a certain white-haired chef effectively made her forget just about everything but her name, staring almost dumbstruck at him for a few moments before grinning ear to ear. "Aphi!" she practically purred, shifting on the stair to lean on his leg. "I was just wondering if you were here! Oh!" Her green eyes momentarily lowered to the sodas, gingerly choosing the lemon. "Thanks. You're so sweet."

She popped the can open with her forefinger, the other arm still lazily curled on Aphismet's leg; she took a sip before resting her cheek on her arm, smiling up at him. "I'm okay," she replied, having a better handle of keeping herself together than her charge, "worn. Had a few things hit me all at once, but I'm alive so that has to stand for something, right?" Alex chuckled softly, quite comfortable. "How about you? How's the fam?" Her gaze only briefly turned to their Raevans before returning her attention to Aphismet.

"I'd like to stay with you." He said it plainly, because he couldn't tell him with touch. He really couldn't even tell Rivener why he was so needy of the Sigel's presence, just...needing. It didn't make sense to the demon anymore than the words he tried to use in his mind to explain it, but being close to Rivener soothed him, made the past several weeks bearable somehow. Zul could only place it as the feeling that life went on, but the Sigel was his constant, unwavering happiness in it. It sounded mushy even to him, and he was glad he kept it to himself.

His blue eyes turned towards his woman, intending to tell her that they would be going and to give Rivener some privacy, but there were two things working against him. One - and most importantly - was Rivener's arm around him, and there was precious little in the world in that moment that would be able to tear him from the Sigel. Second, and more amusingly, was that she seemed quite distracted with Aphismet. Zul couldn't help but grin a little, one brow raised at their proximity; the teasing tables would be turned, tonight!

But for now, the Frei pressed subtley closer to the Scorpion, waiting patiently. He could float there all day and be quite okay with it so long as Rivener stayed in his company.

She couldn't help the grin that formed as Aphismet seemed to catch himself. Her green eyes closed for a moment, thinking fondly of Isi and Eiry, hoping they were doing well. "Yeah, I imagine he'd grump at us the whole time, but I'd never not want him here for it. I find it charming." Alex laughed softly, opening her eyes again and grinning at the chef, the first strains of mischief in her gaze.

"Speaking of which...what's your excuse for not being in the pool, hm? You're dressed for it." She righted herself and put her soda aside from the pool lip, taking one of the white-haired man's hands and giving a gentle tug as she took a step back into the water. "C'mon, only thing that bites in here is me, and I'm not that brave." Alex grinned teasingly at the man, mind already whirring on how she could further tempt him into the pool.

"So....you're positive you're not gonna even TRY to get close to the pool?"

Lillian cast her eyes away from the sparkling blue water and up to catch the visible eye of Iorek. Having finished claiming three lounge chairs for them, Lillian had waved to Aphismet and sent Tyson off to grab them a few drinks from the snack table. Yet when she turned around from this she expected to see Iorek flying over to chat to a raevan he knew. Instead she came face to face with sight that made her cringe. Even though Iorek would have liked to visit with the other raevans and people who sat about the pool, his fear of water wouldn't let him get close.

Iorek didn't even look down at her when she spoke to him. Instead, his eyes remained fixated on the shimmering water. It looked....awful. A gruesome memory flashed before him. One where he couldn't move, nor breathe, and the surface felt so far away.

Suddenly a slap to his shoulder pulled him out of the past and back to the present. Lil's hazel eyes were burning up at him. She certainly was not as happy as she was earlier.

The gargoyle gulped when he scrambled to recall what Lil had asked him, "Um....well...I think I might go over to the snack table..." Yep. By the looks of it the place where the food rested was the farthest from the pool. Of course he was headed there. "I'll grab you something."

"But you don't even eat..." Lillian's words trailed off when Iorek quickly left her side, hurrying to join Tyson by the smorgasbord of treats. She'd get him to conquer his fears...but with a huff of frustration Lillian decided that it would have to wait. She needed to find someone to talk to since standing alone, during a party, just didn't appeal to the lass.

Her slender brow rose slowly in a quizzical manner, a tiny smirk spreading across her lips. Did this guy just use a line on her? Not that she wasn't flattered by the compliment, but couldn't a person make a simple engaging question without being hit on? Then again wasn't she just blatantly flaunting her stuff earlier? Oh what the hell, it was a lazy sort of day and Ebony could use a little flirty fun.

Seeing the way that viridescent eye looked her over as best it could with the Brit half hidden under water, "You get a good enough look there bloke? I think your teeth will fall out if you grin any wider." The woman chuckled light. "Ebony Shade. And you are?"

Rivener grinned at knowing that they wouldn't be forbidden to go. Having their two guardians being so wrapped up in one another was a great boon; it gave the two Raevans many chances to see each other, and at the same time the humans were not paying them too much attention anymore. Riv was of course also glad they enjoyed each other so much, but at the moment all his thoughts were only for Zul and himself.

"Alright, see you later!" the Sigel offered, grinning. He basked in the squeeze he received, squeezing back just as much. Eager to be alone with the demon, Rivener slipped on his jacket and floated quickly towards the exit. They'd take a bus, Rivener decided. It would take a little longer, and they could be alone that much more before Sevilin joined them.

Aphismet had to admit that he didn't find it so unacceptable anymore, Zul and Rivener. It was starting to be quite apparent the two of them weren't just out to molest one another. Riv was never as happy as when he was around the demon, grinning and smiling like that with perfect honesty.

That's about as far as Aphismet's thoughts went before they turned back to Alex fully, grinning as the woman called over to Iorek, drawing Aphi's attention. "Ah, Tyson and Lil must be around too, then-... ah?" The Italian grabbed his hand in both of hers and was tugging at him again, trying to get him to go in.

"Alright, alright, I'm going!" The chef laughed, pulling his hand free just long enough so that he could pull his tank-top off, piling it off to the side of the stairs, leaving him only in his bathing shorts. Grinning, Aphi hopped down from his seat, splashing softly into the pool with a pleased gasp at the cool sensation. Dark brown eyes turned to Alex over a mischievous grin. "Happy? Who knew you were such a water-nut?" Chuckling, Aphi slipped his hand back into Alex's, under the guise of pulling her away from the stairs and more towards the middle of the pool.

Aphismet hadn't noticed how she'd looked at him, and thankfully at that. If he had, he would have blushed permanently. At least he was damned thankful for Ebony's strict training schedules; it had made his body much less on the thin-side and more on the well-defined side. He wasn't a muscle-bound guy by any means, but he looked fit. He'd never thought he'd be so grateful for his physical looks.

"I wish I could live beach-side too, it sounds so luxuri-uhh..." Aphismet's permanent blush threatened to become a reality as Alex jumped onto his back. OH god, he could feel her knees on his sides, her arms on his shoulders, he b-breath as she laughed near his ear!! Reflexively Aphi's arms wound down against her legs to hold her up, and he leaned forward to bear her weight although it wasn't much at all in the water. Even though she might not spot how red his cheeks were, surely she must see how crimson his ears were!!

"B-barter what now? Sobriety? Situations? Wh-what are we talking about?" Aphismet struggled to mentally catch up, clearing his throat and trying to wipe the big silly grin from his face. He was enjoying this WAY too much.

It seemed to Kuna that many of the people here knew each other quite well, for there was much flirting going on all around. Even two of the half-bodies had been entwined with one another not too long ago. Hm, I suppose I may as well go enjoy the pool, she thought to herself after a few minutes more of sun-bathing. It is why I came here after all. Not wanting to disrupt all of those near the shallow end, she stood up and walked over nearer to the deep end before slipping in. The cool water felt exceptionally nice after having been in the sun for a while.