Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Just a little for Lily." He murmured, digging the knife into the squishy jam and lightly spreading it over two pieces. it was thin, the color of the bread still able to be clearly seen. "Here you are. And Nix you want lots of jam." and spread the jam on hers, the purple colored gelatin thick and smooth as it was spread. "Here is yours." and soon made his own, not thickly covered but the color of the bread underneath was hard to tell. "Best jam in the world, I tell you. Connections!" and took another happy bite. "Home made, made of the weirdest ingredient, I won't tell you. And don't worry it's not from an animal! I made sure not to get blood jam!"

The next two days were filled with tension, Elliot hardly looking at the other. Ipo was doing his best to keep them both happy, but soon he decided to stick with Lily, Nix and Henry. The prince, he hung out with the guards in silence and practiced his swordsmanship until Henry demanded he stop. But it was how he passed the time during lunch, before sleep, early in the morning. The rides were noisy, Ipo talking to Lily and Elliot talking to Henry, but that's how it went. The prince kept on glancing over, aching and missing Leo despite them both being less then maybe fifteen feet apart, but he never spoke a word, looking away when the other glanced over.

When they arrived home, it was dark, Elliot had been falling asleep in the front seat until the carriage stopped, recognizing the stable boy. He was greeted and he smiled, greeting the other and stepping down. The snow was falling hard tonight. "Let's go inside." he said with a smile, looking at Leo and the others before looking down, smile shrinking somewhat. "Where's Tsume? Ah, Tsume. Ipo will be showing you to your room. It'll be on the hall opposite of ours, he'll show you. And Nix will be sleeping close to you as well, but she can still walk to where Leo is if need be." he explained. "Thank you Henry, be sure to sleep well." and entered the warm castle, only a few candles lit. Everyone was asleep, the perfect time to arrive home.

Ipo was carrying Nix, something he seemed to be doing often, smiling happily. "I'm home I'm home! I cannot wait to see my cute brother's face!" and snuggled Nix happily, walking toward the stairwell. "We're all upstairs, come on. I sleep downstairs but that's because I'm a servant. You guys get the guest bedrooms." and hopped up, humming to himself.

Elliot stood behind for a moment before glancing at Leo, grabbing to of his fingers with his own. "when we're in my bedroom, we need to talk. Afterwards you can go sleep with your sister if you'd like, or with Tsume. Okay?" and let go, walking up the stairs.

The hare glanced where Elliot and Leo were walking, before turning in the opposite direction and looking at the doors quickly, opening the first one. "Tsume this one is yours. I figure you're a strong man so you don't need many luxuries, and you don't have clothes but you have a wardrobe, desk, bed and night table." he explained, pointing them out. "Your bath would be across the room, or you can use the bath house downstairs that servants use. I'll show you that in the morning. As for you, Princess Nix." he exited the room and moved two rooms down. "Yours is right across from the triplet's room, this is yours." It was much more lavishly furnished, a small couch at the end of the bed which stood in the middle of the room. "A wardrobe, a dresser, and lots of shelves for things you collect while here. And a big fluffy bed!" and placed her on it. "Your bags shall be up momentarily and will be placed in your room. Shall I stay with you until then? Your room comes with its own small bath over here behind this door, but if you'd like you're more then welcomed to join the princesses."

Elliot led the other to his bedroom. "Only if you're uncomfortable being around me." he murmured. "You don't have to sleep with me if you don't want to." and opened the door, surprised at the scene inside before smiling. His sister's were all curled up on his bed, blankets a mess and Martha sticking out of the blankets and up against the headboard. Annabelle was neatly tucked in and Emily was curled away. Their nanny, which had been Kashi, was asleep on a chair, open book in his lap.
The prince walked forward, gently shaking the servant. "Kashi, Kashi wake up."
"Hm?" he lifted his head, looking at the girls first before up at the prince, waking up and standing. "Prince Elliot! I-welcome home! I wasn't aware of your return!"
"That is all right. Thank you for caring for my sisters."
"It was my pleasure."
"Brother?" The prince turned to see a sleepy Martha sitting up, short hair sticking everywhere before she smiled. "Ellot you're back!" and jumped into his arms, rousing the other two.
Annabelle sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before looking over, smiling just as happily. "You're both back! It's been so boring without you! What'd you bring me?"
Emily merely turned, facing them but still lying down, smiling sleepily. "Welcome back brother, Miss Lily." and yawned, curling in deeper.
"Girls, girls we need to leave." Kashi said, lifting Emily from the bed, girl as limp as a doll before clinging to his warmth. "Martha, Annabelle, you promised until he came home."
"Tell us lots in the morning, okay?" Martha asked, being placed on the floor and following Kashi out.
Annabelle gave a hug to Lily as well. "Welcome back! I've got a surprise for you for tomorrow! Sleep well!" and bounced out happily, silently chatting with Martha.
Elliot closed the door. "it seems they're getting along well." he murmured.

"If you say so. Sleep well Nix." and bowed, exiting and closing the door behind him, spotting his brother enter the princesses room. "Kashi!" he cheered quietly, following the other and helping him with the girls. They were happy to see Ipo back, and Kashi hugged his brother after tucking in the girls and exiting. The older hare explained to his twin who was sleeping in the other rooms before heading downstairs, ready to get some rest themselves.

Ears lowered at Leo's question but he nodded, looking at him. Where did he begin? How did he start? He curled his tongue in his mouth hating himself. He'd been going over what he was going to say over and over the past few hours, but now it had all left him. "I'm sorry for making you cry. It's all I seem to know how to do and I apologize for it." No, he sounded to formal. "I'm really sorry, Leo. It was unexpected and I didn't know how to react." Damn him and his vocabulary, he sounded the same regardless. "It was, it was very sudden you were right." silver eyes shifted away. He thought in Falia he was just putting on a face to be accepted, but he, he didn't need to act to be the other's mate. He'd just acted and loved the other, cherished him even. "I don't hate you, quite the opposite, actually." he said, feeling his face heat up. "I just, need time I suppose." he felt so pathetic and weak right now. Sort of like a woman, yes, that was lovely. He felt like a woman. Oh this couldn't get any worse, his ego was bruised, his pride was shattered and he had no control over his emotions. "Don't hate me because I can't answer your question. I'll answer it soon Leo, I promise."

Why didn't he just go hide under his bed like a child and never come out? It was certainly a welcome thought, and he knew he could fit under his bed. The prince stepped away from the door. "if you'd like you can go sleep with Nix or Tsume, now." though he'd prefer her sleep with him. He didn't like sleeping alone with no one to cuddle. Dammit what had that Falian done to him? He was too needy, like that prime minister always around his father.

Elliot did his best not to move away or flinch as Leo neared, holding the other's hand tightly, not wanting to let him go. "I must worry, I do not want you to hate me." he said softly, feeling the overwhelming sadness and despair cover him. Leo hated him, Leo must have thought terrible things of the him. What they had... Elliot's voice was gone and he looked down. He could not pretend it ever happened, he couldn't. With his free hand he took out a small box. "These are earrings," the prince felt that if he spoke any louder he would cry. "I thought they would look nice on you. Please sleep with Nix tonight." he asked. The earring had come in a set, but he knew Leo would have trouble even accepting those. "Sleep well, I shall wake you both up tomorrow for breakfast."

And the prince waited until Leo was gone and his door closed before leaning against it and sliding down, silently crying into his arms. He felt like a pathetic child, sitting there and not letting others hear him cry. He wasn't going to be getting any sleep. Even if there was a party tomorrow, he was not going to sleep, he couldn't. He felt to miserable to do that. "I love you Leo, please, I love you." but he knew it was too late for that. He'd lost Leo.