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Silva scowled, not even bothering to get loose as Ice headed for the door of Ruya's house. She had consistantly insisted on him saying thank you. So what if he hadn't said thanks? It wasn't as if she had even noticed.

Had he said thanks? He couldn't remember. He turned in Ice's hold, looking at the butterfly fluttering around them with disgust. Damn but he hoped Ruya wanted him. He didn't want to put up with the little s**t any longer then he absolutely had to.

"Alright. You're going to be polite and say thank you for the sunglasses." Ice told him as she knocked on the door. "Are you going to give her the butterfly?"

"It's self preservation." He muttered, rolling his eyes as the bug got distracted by a flower.

"Just don't tell her that." Ice replied, turning patiently towards the door.

The door opened slowly, not too long after Ice knocked on it. Kam stood in the doorway, Iqbal hefted on one hip. The toodler ceased his screaming into Kam's ear just long enough to look at Ice and begin screaming all over again in her direction.

"Nap time," Kam said apologetically, surprised to have visitors at her door. "Can I help you?"

As soon as she spotted Silva, she realized this probably had something to do with her feien.

"Ahh, I know how it is. My little girl just went down for hers. Um... I'm Ice, I live in the house over there." Ice said, pointing with her free hand. "And Silva's my feien. He uh... has something to say to one of yours." At least she hoped it was one of hers. If not then she would have to hunt down yet ANOTHER person and do the whole speech over again. "Say hello, Silva."

Silva scowled, propping his elbow on the top part of the hand holding him, then propping his chin on his hand. If anything, he looked bored. "Ruya here?" He finally asked, looking at the kid and twitching slightly as his sensitive hearing protested the crying.

Kam followed Ice's pointing absently, studying the house she referred to. Iqbal took the moment of distraction to make grabby hands at Silva. His arms were much to short to get even close, but Kam scowled anyway.

"Ruya? Yes, of course. If you'd like to come in," she stepped back from the door and motioning at the living room to her right. "I'll just go put cranky up for his nap and get Ruya."

Kam started up the stairs behind her as soon as possible, leaving Ice to shut the door behind her. Iqbal was actually on rather good behavior at the moment and Kam wanted to get him in his crib before he really got cranky.

Ice turned, calling for the butterfly before entering the house and closing the door behind her. She looked around then headed into the living room, dropping down on the couch. "If you promise not to skip out then I'll let you go." She said to Silva.

"Sure, whatever." He muttered, dropping down from where she was holding him and walking to the edge of the couch. "Dammit, Ice, don't you think I'm old enough to do this on my own?"

"Old enough, yeah, nice enough? Well I'm not so sure."

"You're lying." He said, finally realizing something. "This is just an excuse to meet Ruya and her bondmate, isn't it? What, going to trade training tips for your pet feiens?"

"Actually I was just coming to see if she had a miniature whip that I could borrow. Put you through your paces." She replied, making him bite back a laugh. The butterfly, on the other hand, looked horrified.

"You wouldn't REALLY whip him, would you? That would be--" He stopped, flushing as they both started laughing at him.

Kam wandered back downstairs in a bit, Ruya perched on one shoulder. As they reached the bottom of the steps, Ruya took off and made her way over to set down near Silva.

"Hello Ice," she said politely. She studied the butterfly child with a raised eyebrow before remarking to Silva skeptically, "New friend?"

Kam walked over with a friendly grin and settled into a yellow armchair by the couch before leaping back up.

"Did anyone want anything to drink? A snack? I just made oatmeal butterscotch cookies this morning."

"Hi, Ruya! Silva has something to say to you, don't you Silva?" Ice said, then turned to Kam. "I love cookies! Do you need some help? Like... with cookie dough or something?"

Silva turned, scowling evilly at Ice before turning back to Ruya. "He's not a friend, he's a--" He bit back the many descriptions that jumped to mind. "Gift." He finished, scowling as the butterfly divebombed for Ruya, grabbing onto her.

"Save me? They keep talking about ripping off my wi-ings!!" The butterfly said, looking up at her with tear-filled eyes. "I'll be a good pet, I swear!"

"Giddoff her." Silva muttered, violence in his eyes.

Kam started to say no, but then glanced at Ruya and Silva. Something sunk in and her eyes widened a little. She nodded to Ice.

"Sure. I'd love some help."

Then she turned and made her way through the doorway to the kitchen on the back of the first floor.

Ruya curled her arms protectively around the little butterfly kid and scowled at Silva.

"No one is going to rip off your wings." She sighed at Silva. "Did you really need to frighten him half to death?" She looked at the butterfly questioningly. "What's your name?"

"That sounds great!" Ice said, getting up to follow the other female. If Silva did anything TOO wrong she would hopefully notice it from a room so close.

"My name is Flutter." The butterfly replied, curling closer even as Silva pulled off his chain.

"I wasn't the one threatening his wings. But I'm starting to think I should have let them." Silva replied, focused on the little s**t wrapped around his girl. "And who in the hell names their kid FLUTTER? It's no WONDER the guys tried to--" He stopped, remembering his decision to use this to his advantage with Ruya. Something told him threatening to kill the little b*****d wouldn't leave a good impression.

Once in the kitchen, Kam turned on the oven and bent down to pull a cookie sheet out from underneath.

"There should be a container of frozen cookie dough in the freezer." She said, her voice partially muffled by the fact she had her head in the cupboard. "On the opposite side from the fish."

She lifted and arm to guesture behind her to the opposite side of the kitchen where the refridgerator stood next to the basement door.

"I think that Flutter is a very appropriate name." Ruya said carefully, gently prying the little guy off her.

She sat down on the couch, feeling odd with the new height advantage she had on Silva, and sat the kid in her lap.

"Anyway Silva, Ica said you had something to tell me?"

While she had a good idea of the sort of person Silva was, it still pissed her off that he had allowed Flutter to be threatened. As a consequence, her voice was polite, but remote.

"Got it!" Ice said, pulling out the cookie dough. "Man, I wish I had had help like this with the last feien party I threw. Silva didn't really... care. So I wound up doing everything by myself." She put the container on the counter, prying the lid off.


Silva scowled, then shrugged it off. "I need to say thank you. For the sunglasses. Guess I must have forgotten. And I brought you... Flutter... because the wolf and the skunk boy keep trying to kill him. I can't keep an eye on them all the time, you know. So I figured you would--" Be sucker enough to think he was cute? No... "Save him for me." He finished.

"Just keep him from the basement and the dragon and things should be fine." He looked over at Flutter. "This is for your own good, kid."

"You had a feien party? Nobody tells me anything." Kam pulled her head out of the cupboard, putting the cookie sheet up onto the top of the stove. "Spoons are in the drawer by your left hand."

Ruya smiled at Silva.

"You're welcome, even if you didn't want to thank me." She chuckled, ruffling Flutter's hair. "And I can take Flutter."

Flutter blinked at Silva and scooted around to face Ruya.

"Dra- dragon?"

Ruya nodded absently, not bothering to comfort the poor kid. He'd have to learn to live in the house with everyone else.

"I left a note up at the shop. Silva never told me there was a feien owner in the house behind us, or I would have told you." Ice said, digging out the spoons. "So... Are we going to cook this...?" She asked, looking at the dough.


"I didn't remember if I did or not, darlin. Didn't want to be redundant." He scowled, looking around as he felt jealousy welling up. "So... done anything interesting lately?" Just friends... just friends... killing a gift that you give a friend for sitting in her lap would be rude, he told himself, snorting at the thought.

Kam reached for a spoon and then stood still for a moment thoughtfully.

"Well, it has fake eggs, so we could eat it. I just wanted spoons so we could scoop it into cookie sized lumps onto the cookie sheet."

Without any sort of pause, she continued onto the other subject they were discussing.

"I didn't mean you. I meant Ruya. I'm sure she or Sunil knew about the party, but neither of them told me."

"I'm uh... not sure Silva told them. Actually, I don't think he told anyone." Ice replied, heading for the sink to wash her hands. "He's not the most polite feien around, I'm sorry to say."

((*didn't post Ruya's part for some reason* x_X Sorry. ))

Kam paused and then walked over to follow suit after Ice was finished. Her hands were probably clean, but it wouldn't hurt to make sure.

"You threw a party for him, but he didn't tell anyone? Not very social?"

Ruya moved Flutter out of her lap, feeling a little warm. She watched Silva a little before replying. Had she done anything interesting lately? Not really.

"I went to the shop. Saw Neruo, one of the feien I met at your party, and a few others. Other than that I have simply been taking it easy." She shrugged. "What have you been up to?"

"Well, Silva is..." Ice started, out, looking thoughtful as she moved to the cookie dough to start scooping. "He's a hard person to get along with, sometimes. He's stubborn and arrogant, and he goes straight for the throat when he feels threatened. Verbally, that is. Although he could probably pull off physically as well."

She paused, looking down at the cookie dough. "But he's basically honest, and he's strong, and stable, and would risk his life for someone he cares for. He's so good with my four year old. You wouldn't think it to look at him, but--" She flushed, startled that she was talking to a stranger about this. "He just doesn't have much use for other feien, I guess. He prefers to be alone. Or with the girl we came to see."

Silva shrugged, not really having much to say. "Working out, got the twerps for my summon day. Kept two as sparring partners, giving you this one. Nothing much."

Kam nodded, now washing her own hands. She absorbed what Ice had to say about Silva, turning it over in her own head.

"It sounds like you really care about him." Kam turned off the water and dried her hands. "I don't know my feien that well." She didn't sound particularly sorry. "Sunil was my first feien and she was always so difficult, that I've sorta left Ruya to her own devices as well. I probably should pay more attention to them," she sighed, "Especially since it appears Ruya has a boyfriend."

Ruya nodded, he had been up to about as much as she had been. She watched him a little, the way his muscles moved under his skin.

"You look good." She blushed a little, thinking that thought through. "I feel bad for the two you kept, having to fight you."

Flutter snuggled up to Ruya's side, spooked at the mention of the other two "twerps".

"I guess I'm kind of overprotective." Ice replied, giving Kam a crooked grin. "He's difficult, but not overly so. I've run into people that are a lot more."

"But I don't think he's her boyfriend." She went on, focusing on her cookie dough placement. "I believe she dumped him a few weeks ago."

Silva snorted, amused for the first time since getting there. "You'd have to meet them before you could say something like that. Beisdes, I gave them permission to launch sneak attacks. It should be entertaining."

He paused, smirking a little more. "The wolf is all stomach, the skunk is all brain. And both of them can be meaner then s**t if the kid was telling the truth."

"I see." Kam dipped a spoon into the cookie dough, getting a nice cookie sized amount. "Do you know why?"

Ruya gave Silva an odd look before snaking an arm around Flutter so she could hold him.

"Sounds... fun? I don't really think having my pets randomly attack me at will would be my idea of a good time, but I'm glad you're happy."

She looked down at Flutter where he was now dozing by her side.

"I'm just glad it doesn't seem like you're latest gift will cause quite the trouble the last one has."

"Actually... no. I'm not sure he ever told me." Ice replied, sitting back for a second as she thought. "I mean, I've got some ideas about WHY, but nothing solid."

Silva was still grinning slightly, anticipation hitting him again. "It gets boring just working out, darlin. I need a little... variety in my diet." An evil idea flashed through his head, then stuck there, making him go silent.

Kam eyed a new spoonful of dough before popping a piece in her mouth. She had to make sure it was still tasty, right?

"Ah, I just thought they looked very familiar with eachother. Even though she is quite a bit larger than him now."

Did feien do the sort of things people did in relationships? That was a worrying thought and Kam scowled to herself.

Ruya nodded at Silva, smiling a little herself. When he stopped, she prompted him to voice whatever he was thinking.

"What are you thinking?"

"I don't believe her size bothers him much..." Ice said tactfully, scooping out her own bite of cookie dough. She snickered slightly as she remembered the conversation she had had with him about older feien. "Actually... more like not at all. If I didn't know better I would think he uh... enjoyed that fact."

"Thinking? Oh, nothing much. Just about variety. Maybe those parties of Ice's aren't that bad an idea." He leaned back, watching her through lowered lashes. "Maybe a little variaty is a good thing im nore then just exercise." He stopped, rubbing it in a little more. "How's Neruo these days, darlin?"

"Oh." That only served to worry her more. Seriously, what was her feien up to?

"Do feien... uh... do they have any sort of mating behaviors? I mean, Sunil never seemed to have any interest any of the other feien, so I never worried about it."

Ruya blinked, seeing where this was going. Just knowing where it was going didn't help her understand the motive behind it at all however.

"He seemed fine when I saw him last. He asked me about you." She shrugged, looking at him only out of the corner of her eye. "He never comes over to visit anymore."

She briefly debated saying more, but without a clue as to what Silva's aim was she wasn't going to admit anything.

"Mating behaviors?" Ice repeated, looking blank. "I've only got Silva, so I couldn't really say what feien do for mating. But I saw something up at the shop about breeding, so I assume they have some sort of courtship."

"But honestly, I can't see Silva doing some silly dance..."

Silva blinked, his surprise at her words only showing for a second. The orange boy had skipped out? Could it have been because of the-- He stopped, shrugging it off. "You told the kid we were just friends, didn't you? Wouldn't want him to think I would attack if he moved in on you."

"We're both free to do what we want, after all." He stated, wondering if he was trying to reassure her or screw with her head. Even he wasn't sure about that one.

Oh dear. Breeding. She'd have to go to the shop then, figure out what that meant in terms of having to talk to Ruya.

"Ah no. I can't either actually and I really haven't seen very much of him."

Kam dropped another cookie onto the sheet, filling it. "Alright, into the oven we go." She picked up the sheet, stuck into the oven, and set the timer.

"He asked if he was the last to know I had grown into an adult. The current status of the relationship between you and I never came up."

Ruya slid one leg out from where it was bent in towards her and stretched it, flexing her foot. She stared down at it for a moment thoughtfully, before speaking again.

"And we aren't really completely free to do what we want, since we're just friends."

"It would be worth a lot in blackmail if he did, though." Ice replied, looking thoughtful in an evil way. She took another scoop of cookie dough, eating as she thought.

"You know... with our yards the way they are, and the gate... we could throw a sweet party..." She stopped, shrugging slightly. "Course, I don't want to push you into anything. We just met, after all."

"Now darlin, I don't see how being friends keeps us from looking around. Hell, if you wanted we could look together. Maybe throw another party, see what kind of... variety there is to offer." He was giving her what she wanted, after all. And in his mind being friends meant hanging out with someone but being able to date someone else. Or someones.

Kam raised her eyebrows at that. A party? Could be fun. And then she wouldn't be out of the loop anymore. It would be the perfect opportunity to spy on Sunil and Ruya.

"A party sounds like fun." She grinned. "But what sort of party? I haven't planned a party since... well, never really."

Ruya shook her head at Silva.

"I don't want to look around. Nor do I want to watch you look around."

She shrugged, her demeanor saying that she was just stating the facts.

"Well, I did a beach party, but it's getting too cold to swim... Something fall-ish, you know? Festive. I don't know..." she stopped, remembering all the Ranma that she had read. "How about one of those Japanese festivals? With the games and the fish catching and the lanterns? I know a place we could get the lanterns pretty cheap..."

Silva turned before she could see his slight smirk. She still hadn't figured out his point. She HAD been looking around, after all. But now that the orange boy had stopped showing up she had decided she didn't want either of them looking around.

But she was the one that had wanted to be just friends. "Thats fine, darlin. I can go alone." He kicked his feet up, leaning back on his arms and stretching slightly. "I'm two months old now, darlin. I might be changing in a month or so."

"Oh!" Kam clapped her hands together. "That sounds like a wonderful idea! I can make sushi too for snacks."

She jumped a little as the buzzer went off, already wondering where she could get goldfish that wouldn't be too heavy for a feien to catch.

Ruya nodded to Silva's statement about going alone. As long as she didn't have to see or hear about it, it was fine with her.

"It will be interesting to see what you look like as an adult." Ruya mused, tapping her chin with one finger. "I wonder if you'll have any mutations."

"I've got the pools already, we could get some of those small fish, the neon tetra? I think that's what they're called. and we could have some sort of games..." Ice stopped, thinking for a bit. "We'd need prizes though..."

He smirked, the thought of being an adult pleasing him. "Mutations? Like the fangs?"

"Ah, tetras. Good call." Kam grabbed an oven mitt and bent over to get the finished cookies out of the oven. "Prizes. I wonder what sort of prizes feien would like? Maybe just like little charms or something to go along with the theme?"

"Yes, like the fangs." Ruya ran a hand through her hair before tucking it back behind her ears again. "Although that would be a little creepy if you got fangs. I'd be afraid you'd actually use them."

"Well... I can probably get the fish if you want to do the charms." Ice replied, waiting for the cookies to cool down enough to touch. "The last party turned out pretty big, actually. I think there were over a dozen feien hanging around. But I didn't bother to count. I think I'll get two dozen fish, just in case."

"Afraid I'll bite, darlin?" He almost laughed, amused by the idea of a vampire feien. "Suck people's blood? But that would mean dealing with them on a regular basis. Not my idea of entertainment."

"I can do charms." Kam picked up a hot cookie, tossing it from hand to hand. "When should we have ithe party?"

"I am." Ruya confirmed. "Fangs would certainly help take a chunk out of anyone you fought. And you deal with me on a semi-regular basis, so I don't get why you seem not to want to deal with other feien."

"Well we'll need to get the stuff ready and maybe invites, though leaving a note in the store actually worked pretty well..." She stopped, shrugging. "Say a week?"

"As a group they seem to be a bunch of idiots, darlin. You saw the guy almost drowning himself. Then there was Neruo and his--" He stopped, scowling. "I'd rather not deal with them if I don't have to. Especially en masse."

"And you're right. They would come handy in a fight. If you didn't mind the taste of idiots."

"I'm actually going to be out of town this upcoming weekend. Visiting the parents." Kam smiled regretfully. "Perhaps the weekend after that?"

Ruya shrugged, although she didn't really agree. "I think you're perhaps a bit harsh in your assessment of the others. I'd hate to hear what you really think of me."

"That'll work!" Ice said, grabbing a cookie. "I wonder how the kid's are doing... I haven't heard anything breaking or any screaming so either they've gotten along... or they've killed each other. And I was planning on making Silva run some of the booths..."

"I admit, some of them might come in handy... Like the bleach boy. He seemed to know alot. But hell, darlin, you show me a large group of feien that are useful and I'll eat my... words. But not one of them can do something stupid, say something retarded or not know something simple. Like the meaning of their name."

He was enjoying this, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched for her to get offended. Something about an irritated Ruya just... got to him.

"I assume they're alright. Ruya is pretty low-key. Sunil is the feien to watch out for in this household." She bit into the cookie she had been tossing back and forth.

Ruya sighed, annoyed, and then calmly spoke.

"Are you trying to tell me you've never done anything stupid?"

She raised one eyebrow at him, daring him to say he hadn't.

"I don't believe I've met Sunil..." Ice said, looking thoughtful. "I wonder if Silva has..."

"Knowingly or unknowingly?" He asked, leaning back and chewing on his toothpick. "A lot of people would consider going through the door stupid, but hell, I knew that before I did it. I just didn't care."

"Probably not," Kam said quickly, "She isn't very social. I'd introduce her, but she seems to be missing again."

"It doesn't matter. You've done something stupid." Ruya frowned. "You shouldn't be so quick to judge others for faults you also have."

"Missing, huh? Well, I hope you don't have an inter-dimensional closet like I do..." Ice blinked, realizing how strange that sounded. "Um... not that you would, I mean--" She grabbed a cookie, shoving it into her mouth. She gulped. "Huh... I wonder how much Tetras cost by the dozen..."

"There's a difference between deliberate stupidity and plain stupidity." He said stubbornly. "One means you're aware that you're doing something stupid and could avoid it if you felt like it. I just didn't feel like it."

Kam blinked a couple times before replying. "Oh no... I don't. She isn't there yet, but she'll be in Greece soon. I saw it last night."

She didn't even seem to think that was an odd thing to say and quietly continued munching on her cookie.

"So what are other dimensions like?"

"They're both stupidity," Ruya pointed out. "Playing with different categories to make yourself seem superior is just pointless." She paused and then gave a derisive sniff. "But if you're insecure I suppose I can let you have your illusions."

"Well, depends on which dimension you go to..." Ice said, relaxing as she realized she wasn't being considered a mental patient. "I'm actually rather fond of one that's further advanced then we are, complete with space exploring trips. Kinda like space cruises."

"If that's what you want to think, darlin. I guess extreme sports would be stupidity to you, too." He examined his toothpick, idly wondering if she was getting so judgemental because she hadn't had a good snog in a while. Then he snorted, dismissing the idea. She had probably been like this when they were making out, just hadn't had the opportunity to talk.

"Sounds nice." Kam said mildly, mulling over the idea of space travel.

"There are risk reward trade-offs. I'm sure the rush involved makes the risk worth it." Ruya settled back, trying to back off. The last thing she wanted to do was make Silva think she didn't want him around.

"It's not bad. The scenery is nice, but it can make you a little sick if you're looking at it while reading..." Ice snorted, remembering a few times that had happened to her. "And you have to deal with some strange cultures sometimes. I know this planet which gets high on a regular basis. They have these huge beach parties for their mating ceremonies with a dance that the tourists can go see."

"The rush is nice." He agreed, relaxing slightly. "Not much can equal the rush..." He went silent, thinking of what else gave him a rush.

"Huh." That stumped Kam, robbing her of words. "Interesting."

"Whatcha thinking?" Ruya raised an eyebrow at Silva.

"I'll have to show you sometime. I've honestly thought about renting out the door for vacations, but I'd have to make sure they didn't go places that would get them killed..."

Silva shrugged, not feeling the urge to answer truthfully. "About the rush, darlin. Kinda like surfing, or going to the jungle. Adrenaline is a very good thing."

"Get them killed?" Kam's eyes widened. "Does it go both ways?"

"Agreed." Ruya nodded. "Working out in the morning always makes me more energetic for the rest of the day." She smiled up at him. "I miss you coming over Silva."

"Not if the door is closed." Ice replied, shrugging the question off. "Of course, I always close it behind me. I mean it's not that hard to re-open... for me, that is." But for Silva... well that was another subject.

"I'm around, darlin. But I think you're right. Maybe I should go see if I'm wrong about the feien race." He shrugged, game for reaffirming his beliefs. It shouldn't take too long.

"Can people from the other side - " Kam was interrupted by a loud squawling from a baby monitor out in the living room which had thus far been silent. She smiled at Ice apologetically, before starting back towards the stairs. "I think naptime may be over."

Ruya crossed her arms over her chest and studied Silva for a second. "Around, huh? I see." She grimaced as the baby monitor squawled and looked up as Kam came walking back out from the kitchen.

"Jade!" Ice said, finally remembering her own little one. "You're right. We really should get going." She followed the other female, looking over at Silva. "Time to leave, babe. Did you tell her?"

"I did." He muttered, motioning to the sleeping butterfly boy with his toothpick. "Gave her the annoy-- Gave her the brat, too." He vaulted onto the offered hand and climbed to her shoulder, looking down at Ruya for a few seconds before speaking.

"I'll be around." He said, turning and leaning against Ice's neck.

"Bye!" Ice called to the house at large before heading out the door. "Man I hope she hasn't ransacked the kitchen again..."

"Yeah, right." Silva said, snorting. "Like she would pass up the chance."