Welcome to Gaia! ::

She held more tightly to him as she was adjusted, grinning at his words. "I was going to tempt you in with a--!" Alex felt the chef's deep breath, barely warning her in time to do the same and squeeze her eyes shut, holding onto Aphismet tightly. When they broke the surface again, she laughed with him, disentangling her arms long enough to take out her hair clip and clamp it to the string of her bikini. Her hair was entirely too heavy when wet for that to work gracefully!

"Ah..." The chuckle that came was a little sad, and resting her arms around the man again, she closed her eyes. "Lorenzo passed away. I..." Her tone was thick for a moment, and it took her a few swallows to continue; she still hadn't let her dear friend go. "Work had me out from home. I'm sorry Aphi, believe me, I'd rather have been on a date with you than anything else!"

Alex opened her eyes, her smile still holding traces of sadness before tilting her head to kiss his cheek. "So let's plan to see each other while we've got each other rather tied up." Her green eyes momentarily shifted to the new diver, the disquiet in her expression melting away as she remembered they were in public and there were other people around. It'd do no good to grieve in public! The Italian snuggled a bit more closely to the chef, awaiting a favorable answer.

Sevilin dumped his towel down readily beside Rivener's things, but kept his hat, mainly to ward off anyone who came too close. Just knowing the things he used to love left him irritated only served to make him more irritated. And the worst thing was, he probably finally understood how We`rika felt regularly more than ever.

He took a quiet moment to look across the bright pavement, the stark blue water and the soft screaming and laughing of Raevan and guardians alike. He decided he didn't need to add to his bratty behavior by telling Riv fresh water drew out the salt in him and left him dehydrated. He would just avoid it then, especially since he really didn't know any of the Raevans his friend listed off. Except Lulu.

That name left Sevilin snarling with a seething hatred that twisted his usually soft round face into a horror. That... thing would one day get her comupance! "I think I'll... jes go sit by the pool..." Giving them both a pat, the sea fairy slowly made his way to the small kiddy pool , resting on the warm cement.

Iorek's ears perked at the call of his name and while still in motion, looked towards the pool. For a moment he looked sick, but when recognizing the woman who had taken care of him before he live with the children the raevan smiled gently and gave her a wave. But since she was in the water he wouldn't dare get close. She was fine without speaking to him. By the looks of it there were plenty at this party for her to talk to if she desired conversation.

"Hey Iorek! Want to see if you can try some of this...." Tyson had turned away from the snack table with a few goodies in the palm of one hand wrapped safely up in a napkin and a drink in the other. Yet he barely saw the shake of Iorek's head as the raevan zipped by and over to where a the baby pool sat. Staring back at him questionably Tyson decided to shrug off Iorek's weird behavior. The poor guy just didn't like water, especially when it was deep enough for him to sink in. "Alright. Suit yourself buddy."

The lad walked back to join Lil's side as he munched on a decorated cookie. "These are good. I think you'd like them." Tyson smiled up at her before taking another bite out of it. "Mmmmmm...." The look of delight suddenly vanished from his face when he saw something very interesting occurring a few feet away. "Huh. Would you look at that?"

Lillian arched a brow at the boy's words and turned her head to see what had caught his attention. "What is it....oh jeez!" What awaited her line of vision was something she certainly did not expect. Alex and Aphi, two close friends of the family who over the last few years had become the closest thing to outside relatives they had, had become pretty close themselves.

Tyson snickered and glanced back up at Lillian, "You thinking what I'm thinking?" He asked with a high arch of his brows before taking a gulp of his drink.

The older Maevin smiled and crossed her arms over her chest, "Let's go pay them a visit, shall we?"

With that the two scooted off, knowing that the couple had become too immersed with one another to notice them. The next thing Alex and Aphismet heard was a loud, "AHEM!" above them.

"Well, well, well! You two have become well acquainted since the last time we saw you guys. A little heated to just be friends wouldn't you say?" Lillian purred with delight as she gazed down at them. Speaking of the past, Lil certainly looked different. Her hair was longer and she had it pulled back with a clip in an attempt to manage it in the heat. Not only that but she had lost weight. The curves the girl had once been proud of hard to find now that the cover up she wore looked loose against her body. Once sparkling eyes now looked worn and aged.

Lil's words were followed by a chipper laugh from Tyson as he looked down at the two with a chesire grin. "When did this occur hmmm? And Aphismet by how close you're holding her I'd say you have other intentions. In front of the children though? Oh my!" He raised his drink hand and held it up over his mouth in an act of blushing surprise. "Alex, do I need to wrestle him off you?" The boy asked cheekily while bending down to set his food on the cement. He then picked himself up, dusted off his hands, and hiked up the sleeves to his t-shirt, small muscles evident. Even Tyson looked older from growing a few more inches and wearing his hair in a shaggy style. At least his were more along the lines of positive changes than his siblings.

At last...Iorek breathed a sigh of relief when he had reached an area were it was less populated. The gargoyle smiled and looked around, unsure where his power of avoidance had taken him. Green eyes glanced down to the ground where a small pool rested. For a second his heart clenched with worry but....as he looked closer it appeared to be too shallow to drown in. Good. Now he could get on to relaxing.

But as the raevan began to sink his ribbons upon the warm ground something blue caught his eye. It wasn't the pool it was, by the look of the wings and flowing ribbon, another raevan!

"Ah!" Iorek said with surprise, certainly not expecting this. "Umm...." His voice trailed off as he tried to see if he met them before. Fairy like wings, blue hair, and small statured. Nope. Never had be come across a raevan like this. By the look on his face the other didn't seem to be enjoying himself. So Iorek wasn't the only one who disliked water?

"Hey." He finally uttered to Sevilin. A simple greeting but he guessed a short greeting would sit best with the gloomy raevan.

"Call me Connor" he said, the smirk still playing over his lips. It was always a good sign when someone reacted with humor instead of slugging him. And British was she? Reminded him of home, though he hadn't been back to the isles in so many years. He'd lost the accent long ago, though the sweet sound of pure, uncorrupted English was always a treat on the ears.

He leaned forward over the water, swishing his feet lightly. It was a bit of a relief from the bright sun, he underestimated how hot it would be today. It prickled his skin uncomfortably, the burns echoing the heat slightly. The doctors said the ghost burning and the pain would fade eventually, but the cool water brought a certain soothing touch in the mean time.

"It is certainly a pleasure to meet you, Ebony." he said, still tripping lightly with a teasing tone. "Though I don't think I did get a good enough look after all. When one has such impressive assets, it behooves one to show them off. Don't you think?"

Rivener, like Zul, watched Sevilin the whole while as he made his way to the kiddie pool. The Sigel's lips were a straight, tightly-closed line of disapproval... Since when was the bubbly fairy-boy this glum?! It was like a crime against nature! At least Iorek was there now, hopefully his stoic and straight-forward friendliness might break through Sev's shell a little bit.

"I hope he's okay too," Riv agreed with the demon at his side. Out of his peripheral, the Scorpion spotted Zul reaching for him and then instead streeetching as though he hadn't meant to do anything but that. The seriousness was wiped from Rivener's face at the act, amused red eyes turning to alight directly on the blue ones, Riv's smirk showing quite clearly that he'd seen that. How cute!

It wasn't as cute to hear Zul mention Lucia so easily, though. Rivener's face opened in slight shock, as though one was never meant to speak about the other... It just felt weird. "Erh..." Zul seemed to have made up his mind already, going to lie on that reclining chair and looking just so-... ugh, so delicious like that, relaxed and barely-smiling... A shiver ran through the Sigel's longer-than-frei spine, and he tried to play it off with a slight cough, glancing aside and scratching at the back of his neck. "Uhm. ...I'll just-... I promised her we'd dance. So, I'll go do that. But I'll be right back after!" He'd even keep his jacket on until he was back with Zul on the chairs, how's that? Extra points for loyalty, or something.

Before he changed his mind for whatever reason, Rivener floated over towards Lucia's chair, finding the kitten pretty much in the same spot he'd left her. Many Raevans seemed to enjoy sunning themselves, not just Rivener himself! Was it a species thing, or just a coincidence, the Scorpion wondered? "I'm back, Lucia! Did you still want to dance?" He smiled and extended his hand, offering to help her up.

Aphismet gasped slightly in surprise at the sudden obtrusive AHEM! from nearby. For a moment he felt like he was fifteen again, caught in the act of flirting too openly with a girl... Not that anything like that had even happened at that age. Aphi hadn't flirted with anyone until a few years ago! Dark brown eyes slipped over to the side of the pool. Ah, Lillian and Tyson! Aphi's face turned from surprised-guilty to brightly happy, then stunned stupidity as Alex whispered in his ear and swam off.

Aphi didn't WANT to be off whatever hook Alex had him on!

Grinning rather goofily, Aphismet followed the Italian to the side of the pool rather belatedly, getting out as she had and wrapping up Tyson and Lil in another wet hug almost as soon as Alex had let go. That was about the time his smile dropped into an angry frown, mouth hanging open in disbelief.

"LILLIAN MAEVIN! What's this all about?!" He poked her softly in the ribs. "Have you not been eating the food I left you? Tyson looks very healthy, though, so I'm very glad, but ah! You poor little thing, do you sleep enough? You don't eat enough! Alex is right, we should start taking them out for dinner a few times a week." Hearing Alex threaten almost the same things he himself had once threatened made Aphismet grin. HIS threats had been more like You're going to move in with ME instead of the other way around, but that could work too.

"Tyson, you're a big man now; make your sister eat her food like she should!" To signifiy Ty's rise to manhood, Aphi lowered his voice macho-style and clapped the boy on the shoulder encouragingly, scowling in a playfully-severe manner.

LuLu watch as Varun recoiled from her attack and poised his water rifle for a counter assault of his own. The raevan tried to bob out of the way of the orange hued barrel but her actions were futile. A stream of pressured water launched straight at her! She was anticipating the spray that washed over her. Who would join a water gun fight and not expect to get wet? The female frei gave a playful squeal as her hat was knocked off of her head. The accessory was forgotten as it drifted into the pool. Meanwhile, LuLu had already taken off in the other direction to hide from her two foes. The girl had taken Varun’s words to heart.

LuLu quietly slunk around until she found a safe base nestled behind the head rest of one of the numerous chairs lining the poolside. She barely peeked around its edge as she tried to locate her next target. Purple eyes scanned cunningly in search of Domo or Varun. LuLu was upset to find that both had also pulled their own disappearing act. LuLu slipped her head back behind the chair and pressed her back against its plastic slats while she rung out her sopping ears and hair.

LuLu jumped slightly when she felt a body pressing back against her in the chair. How had she not noticed them?! The girl spun around and peeked through an opening between the plastic strips that made up the seat. She was shocked to find a mop of spiky, orange tipped hair lying on the other side.

Just as quickly as she had spotted him, LuLu had set down her gun. Two thin brown arms snaked their way through the plastic strips and wrapped around Zul’s chest. “Zuuuuuul,” Lulu beckoned in a sing song voice. Her two ears poked out from the right side of the chair. “I found you.”

She would have jumped out from her hiding spot to give him a proper hug, but that would mean she would risk exposing herself. LuLu was smarter than that. As a matter of fact, Zul would be a nice ally in this ‘war’. LuLu chirruped at the male frei, “Want to join?” One of her arms retreated to procure her water gun. She shook her weapon next to Zul’s face. The liquid sloshed in the plastic container. “I am in a water fight.”

"Waitwait! Idea! Ambush?"

LuLu’s ears perked up. So it was a truce for now. She detached herself from Zul and floated away from the chair. Sure enough, she could see Varun not too far away. He wore an expression that was almost… devious. Something fun was about to happen. Zul had to join! The girl did not wait for his answer. She called out to her leviathan friend, “We need a gun for Zul!”

On the other side of the pool things were not quite as heated. Josh barked softly at Yuurei, “N-no thank you.” The only memory Josh had of drinking was him lying face down in an alley with his pants down. He was not a fan of liquor to say the least. He wiped away his panic and replaced it with a cheery smile, “I am sure you can find someone who would want to have a shot with a lovely lady like yourself.” He punctuated his words with a flirtatious smirk.

Josh noticed a familiar hat find its way into the pool, “But for now I must go. It was a pleasure seeing you again Yuurei.” With that, Josh dove into the water and swam to the shallow end of the pool. He resurfaced just above the hat so it flopped atop his head. He donned his raevan’s accessory with pride as he climbed out of the water.

Of course he understood he had to move about and dodge fire but it was fun being splashed with the water. If he couldn't get in and swim at least he could be splashed and splash others but even that wasn't enough it seemed. Varun was far too determined to make sure others were involved in there little fire fight. "Ambush?" The lead frei asked looking around. This ambush sounded kinda fun and he wasn't quite sure but maybe it meant splashing more that Varun and Lulu.

"Domo think know, spray other?"
He asked looking toward Lulu who was already on her way to invite another Raevan into there game. More meant fun. Fun was a good thing. "Domo ambush. Who ambush?"

The demon smiled contently at Rivener's explanation, giving a slight incline of his head in understanding, although his interest was piqued. Dancing? That was one of the things he was interested in, ever since he'd watched his woman slide across the hardwood floors after her date with Aphismet, dancing to something on the iPod--

And then there were dark, slender arms wrapping around his chest. Zul gave the two random appendages a most curious glance, relatively sure he didn't just sprout those. He caught a whiff of something vaguely familiar and soft, like a spring wind, just before the sound of his name carried to his elongated ears. The Frei leaned back in the chair and laughed, momentarily resting his own arms around the ones holding onto him. "My LuLu," he purred softly to the disembodied voice behind him, "you got me."

Blue eyes crossed to focus on the liquid-filled gun being sloshed by his face, giving it a curious look; they didn't make those sounds in movies! The warmth of the bunny femme was lost as she emerged from behind his chair, prompting him to right himself back into an upright position. Zul floated after LuLu, bare fingers skirting over her back, gloved palm coming to a halt beneath her wings. Likely, the sun-kissed, bone-winged, light-haired duo could have passed for siblings.

"Odd," he commented indifferently, looking at the three he'd seen from the day they were born. He felt...older, somehow, obligingly watching their game. He didn't need to participate, he could just as easily cheer from the sidelines, but it would give him some time with his friends. Zul looked forward to that above all the games and pretense.