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"Hmm." Nikolai repeated as he stared wistfully at the mirror. "Warping yourself with darkness in order to protect someone you love, am I getting it right?" he asked then turned his distant smile to Leon. "My love hasn't changed. I've turned less human myself. It's interesting, though, isn't it? We've both changed so much yet our love hasn't." Nikolai faced forward, growing silent once more. He inhaled slowly and audibly through his nose as he tilted his head back. "... I'm so tired, Leon." he whispered. He then opened his eyes and looked at the two. "But it's time to get up, isn't it?" Patches of light poked through the darkness surrounding them. Nikolai was waking up.

Nikolai stayed motionless for a moment then smiled tiredly at Leon. "That's not enough time." he said, but the light enveloped him before anyone could say anything.
Sloth observed the two as the dark world around them crumbled into bursts of light. It was like they were doomed lovers accepting their tragic fate, yet it was the exact opposite. How ironic. Sloth's green eyes looked at Nikolai when he heard the vague answer. So that's how you've felt all these years, he thought. He turned his head and grinned to himself as the light took away the two.

From the bedroom, Aysun reached out and poked Leon's back, holding her finger then pulling it back. She gave a concerned look to the crow on her shoulder. "Do you think they'll ever wake up, Mr. Crow." Ezekiel cawed his answer, to which Aysun looked back to her uncle in concern.

"Uncle Leon!" gasped Aysun as she pressed herself to the edge of the bed to look at Leon, the crow standing on the dresser to give her room. "You were asleep for a long time! The man with the mask told me you would be okay but I was scared you wouldn't wake up like Uncle Nikki..." she said with a drifting voice and looked down sadly.
There was movement on the other side of Leon's bed. Aysun looked up when she heard a heavy sigh and saw Nikolai sitting up on the bed, rubbing his eye and stretching out his other arm.
"Goodness me, I feel like I've gotten out of hibernation." he grunted through his stretch. His arms fell to his sides, then he pat his stomach inquisitively. "Have I lost weight?"
"Uncle Nikki!" cheered Aysun. She ran to the other side of the bed and practically jumped on to hug the Russian.
Nikolai wobbled for a second then awkwardly set his hand on the girl's back to pat it. "Yes, yes, it's me. Good morning to you too, dearie." he said.
"You didn't wake up for days! I waited and waited but you never moved and it was scary and I thought you wouldn't wake up ever!" cried the little girl as she pushed her face into his stomach.
Nikolai looked down and watched the little girl cry with relief. He didn't think of himself as much of a parent. If anything he was practically another one of Leon's adopted kids the way he made the man take care of him. Was she really scared about the idea of not getting to see him?
Nikolai closed his eyes and sighed through his smile. His arm stopped patting her and wrapped around her shoulders, holding her in a comforting hug. "I won't go away that easily, dearie. I promise." he vowed. He then turned his head to give Leon a wry look. "A certain Prince Charming will make sure of that, hmm?"

"I enjoy sleeping and I'm far more beautiful than you." replied the Sin with a smirk. He paused to take in Leon's features. How long exactly had he been out? Leon looked fine in the Dream World, but in reality? There were bags under his eyes and his hair was just as messy as his clothes. Was it the lighting or did it look like he was growing a beard? For that matter, how was Nikolai holding up on that end?
The Russian rubbed his chin to test its smoothness. Once he was assured it was smooth he looked back at Leon. "Why don't you keep sleeping, dearie?" he suggested. "I'll cook and... Well... Aysun dear can help decide what to order for dinner."
"Yeah!" cheered Aysun, her smile wide despite the tears staining her cheeks.
Nikolai grinned at her then looked back at the other man. "Well? Go on. Get your beauty sleep, dearie. You certainly deserve a day off." he said while comfortingly rubbing the man's lap.

"I see." Nikolai murmured, though he didn't like the idea of Leon going to work with such little sleep - and to a Council meeting, no less. Those took forever!
He waited for the door to close before looking back down at Aysun and patting her back. "Come, come, dearie. We need to help your Uncle Leon wake up." he said and, once he was at his feet, motioned for her to follow him while keeping quiet.
It took a lot of stifled giggles and intensive listening to Uncle Nikki's instructions, but soon enough Aysun proudly set a cup of coffee on the table. It was the very first cup of coffee she had ever made, and Uncle Nikki made sure it was perfect! She stared at the cup, nitpicking at any thing that could've bothered her for even a second like cup angle or placement on the table. Then she stared anxiously at the stairs. She couldn't wait to see the look on Uncle Leon's face when he saw the coffee she made him. The very thought made her fill up with giggles again.

"Yeah!" beamed the little girl proudly. "Uncle Nikki taught me!"
Nikolai stepped away from the kitchen and towards the table, holding a small bag of ice over his hand. "And to think she only spilled it once." he murmured with a small smirk on his face. Earlier he crouched down and held the mug in front of him while instructing Aysun to pour the pot into the mug carefully. She was... for a minute. Then she tried to speed up the process by pouring in more and splashed a good chunk onto the Sin's hand. Even now, as he was holding ice over the burn, was there a thin stream of purple around it.
Aysun smiled at Nikolai before running over to Leon and gripping his coattail. "Try it, try it! Is it good??" she asked persistently, eyes wide with excitement.

The pride lighting up Aysun's face was enough to rival the sun. "I'll make you one every morning!" she promised excitedly. So many thoughts raced in her mind. She must've made the best coffee in the world! Could she give this to other people so they could have something as good, too? She could be like those fancy people at the coffee stores that gave drinks to everyone!
Please no, Nikolai mouthed to Leon as the two hugged. His hand could only take so much. He needed this very hand for... things! Besides, what was the point in lying to a child, hmm? They'd get such a high esteem. See, that's why Pride often hangs around children. Now that he thought about it, wasn't Pride a *****>

Nikolai looked down at Aysun, who was still giggling happily to herself from the perfect cup of coffee she had just made. "I think I'll be okay." he said and looked back at Leon with a smile. "Now if you need reinforcements during that oh-so dreadful Council meeting then text me. There are plenty of lawyers in Hell that owe me favors." he said while patting down the man's vest. Once he was satisfied with how Leon looked Nikolai smirked to himself and gave the man a quick peck on the lips. Ah yes, he definitely missed that. He'd need more of that later tonight~ "Be sure to come home safely, dearie."