Welcome to Gaia! ::

With We`rika in kitchen, doing lord knows what (attempting to cook), Sevilin floated in front of a small mirror in the bathroom above the sink with a critical expression as he turned his face from side to side, pulling at his hair and pinching his pale skin. The little frei pursed his lips and rubbed them together self-consciously.

" 'rika....?"

"Yeah...?!" We`rika shouted back from two rooms away.

".... ......... Do you think I'm pretty?"

".................................... Is this a trick question?"

Sevilin snorted humorlessly. "No!"

"Yes, of course yer pretty...." After a few moments of silence. "Why're ya even askin'?"

"........ I...... Well--.... None of the others like me...."

"... Wha'? Wha' are ya talkin' abou'? Ya and Zave hung ou'. Wha' abou' Zul? Hell, Sai likes ya! Riv.... eh well... you've.... talked before.... And, Alex loves ya! So does Natsuki and Aphi and Kyou..." Actually, most of those he listed were guardians.

"Yeah but--! They aren't like... like my best friend. They aren't sitting at home thinking hanging out with me would just make their day.... Not like some of them.... Some of them are really close...."

"Well, if ya never hang with them how would ya know?"

"I know! I... they tell me things--"

"Sev, yer bein' melodramatic, or wha'evar.... Why wouldn' they like ya? Yer cu'e and swee'--"

"Yeah bu' thas all they see me as... Some frail lil girly boy. I'm smart... but, it's like they don't think I'm capable of a mature conversation...."

Not long after, We`rika walked into the bathroom, staring at Sevilin. "Ya are smar' Sev. Bu' within yer infini'e television wisdom, ya do further yer own stereotype..." When all he got was a blank look, he went on. "Sev'lin, I know how ya are. Yer really mature and can be serious... bu' when yer with other people, ya ac' like a baby--You do, listen--Ya know how ta ge' wha' ya wan'. Ya know how ta be spoiled like a baby and so ya feign fragility and childish behavior ta ge' yer way.... Is hard ta take ya seriously when ya do tha'. Maybe ya should show them ya can ac' yer age. Ya are older than almos' all of them..."

With that, We`rika went back to the kitchen and Sevilin looked back at the mirror. As much as he didn't want to agree, We`rika was right. He knew how to get what he wanted with his innocent looks and.... it was hard to escape that facade. He got attention that way, but... it didn't take long for the attention to leave him since everyone moved on to something with more substance. He had substance! He needed to show it! He wanted a friend that wasn't just a one-time playmate.

We`rika was still fuming by the time he made it up to his apartment, Sevilin trailing as far behind as he could get away with. The door was opened and quickly slammed shut before a large hand once again grabbed him and pulled him towards the bathroom.

This was the first time Sevilin had ever seen his guardian so angry. Sure, he'd always been constantly pissy with his usual scowling or pouting that borderlined on endearing, but it was easy enough to distract the man from his petty grudges. He never wanted to see this side of We`rika ever again. Placed on the toilet seat, the little frei watched the shaman's heated face turn on the faucet and soaked a washcloth. We`rika pulled Sevilin's gossamer sleeve up and began to rub the dried paint off with grim determination.

"Ow..." Sevilin whined softly as hair and paint tore, leaving his skin ruddy and sore. "Ow... Ow! OW! Dun rub so hard--!"

"Well nex' time dun ge' a ********' tattoo! Be thankful I dun hafta skin yer arm ta ge' i' off!" Finally, We`rika gave up after a few spots just refused to come off and threw the washcloth into the sink.

"......." Sevilin sat with his head low, studying the grout between the bathroom tiles. Finally, he spoke. "I'm sorry..." He hadn't meant to hurt We`rika. Frankly, he didn't know he could.

"Yeah, well! We'll talk abou' this later when I'mma no' wantin' ta beat somethin'..." We`rika took his exit and left Sevilin to himself.

We`rika took a moment to do his daily count of Sevilin's candy jar. And surprisingly, it was staying fairly constant. Very surprising. Usually it runs out by Wednesday, but it was Friday and there was still half the jar left. Maybe he was maturing and learning self-control.

He snorted. Yeah, right. And We`rika was just a social drinker. Now that he thought about it, the little frei had been very quiet lately and overall quite moody.

Maybe he was turning diabetic. Great, one more problem to pay for in this world. But he was pretty sure you needed blood to have diabetes. Taking a piece of candy from the tray, he slinked back into the living room, eying Sevilin who sat silently on the couch. "So I saw yer candy jar. Still pretty full..."

"Is it?" The sea fairy kept his composure perfectly, idly flipping through the channels.

"Yeah, I was pretty surprise... since, ya know, ya ea' so many a day, ya usually canno' ge' through th'whole week...." The shaman stepped around the couch and sat down, skeptical. "You know.... now tha' ya have such self-control... I may jes..... star' cuttin' back yer supply--"

"No! Dun do th--" Sevilin stopped himself and huffed, angry that he was so easily tricked.

"You haven' been brushin' have ya?"

"Of course I have!" But his last words betrayed him as his tooth twinged and his face twisted in stinging pain.

"Then there's no reason no' ta have a piece of candy.... Here, since you've been so hones' with me. I' can be you reward..."

"I DUN WAN' I'!" Floating off the couch, he made his way to his bedroom.

"Yes you do! YOU EA' THIS PIECE OF CANDY OR SO HELP ME I'LL--" What would hit Sevilin hard? "I'll take Ferdinand..."

"NO! You wouldn't!" Not his stuffed armadillo!

"I would! I will!"

"Noo, We`rika dun!!!" The blue raevan ran to his bed and flung himself over his plushies to protect them. "Dun hurt them!"

"Jes take one bi--"

"Nooo!" A plushie hurled across the room, hitting a flinching We`rika in the arm. Sacrifices had to be made! Bell had died bravely.

"Yes! Ea' i'!"

"NEVAR! Wha--Dun you dare!" His guardian moved to grab him. "STAY BACK!" But in a small room, Sevilin couldn't even get off his bed before We`rika pinned him down.

The shaman simply waited until his son opened his mouth and plopped the piece of taffy in. He sat up and watched Sevilin yowl and spit the sugary sweetness out on his bed. "AHA! I knew i'! You are no'... BRUSHIN'"

"Bu'! Brushing is soo gaaay...."

"... Ya dun even know wha' tha' means..."

"Uh, yes I do! Is where a guy, like, takes it up th b--"

"OH MY GOD, SHU' YER MOUTH!!" We`rika reared back in horror, scandalized beyond all reckoning. Such filth should not come out of his angel! "Ya hafta brush! Ya ea' so much sugar, is no' good for your teeth! AND NOW THERE'S PROOF!"

"Wha! ... You never brush!"

"Uhh, I dun ea' sugary crap. And I brush! I brush after--" Ehhhh, censure that thought. "I brush okay?" Huffing, We`rika watched his ward for a moment. "And now ya have a cavity. And I hafta pay for tha' Ugh SEEV!"

"I'm sorry, okay?! Jeez... Where you going?"

The shaman began shuffling back into the living room. "I'mma gonna find a dentist... somehow...."

"... What's a dentist?"