Welcome to Gaia! ::

It had been a little weird being back in his old room at his cousin’s apartment, especially since Saffy had repurposed it into a generic spare room years ago - although it wasn’t that surprising given that he had moved out over a decade ago.

Still with his cousin currently out of town, the timing had conveniently worked out, allowing Arian to house sit for her during his current stay–

And the stocked first aid kit, that had been a later addition after she had found out that she was a Page, had come in handy for patching himself up after the events on Tempesti.

It wasn’t anything advanced - just some well-stocked essentials - but it had been enough for his needs–

And whilst his friend Orah was one that was the actual medical professional - Arian had patched himself (and Orah) enough over the years to know his way around the basics - provided that the injuries weren’t anything too serious.

He hadn’t felt particularly like puttering around Saffy’s empty apartment that evening though and he had already had a call with Rianna and Robin earlier–

Which was how he had found himself sitting atop a shuttered building that appeared to have been long abandoned as Athene as he quietly looked over the city.

"That in some ways things were a lot simpler back when I was sixteen" Athene murmured, his quiet voice tinged with a wry chuckle as he rose from the seated position that he’d adopted.

Because back then his biggest concerns had been dealing with High School, and then (after finding out that he was a senshi) also figuring out how to handle everything that came with it.

He accepted the drink and then the pastry with a quiet "Thank you" before beginning to nibble at the pastry absentmindedly.

"But now there’s things like bills and family and stuff that’s layered on top of all the senshi stuff."

Athene shook his head slightly in an attempt to dispel the direction that his thoughts had taken as the earlier laughter faded into a quiet but sincere smile "It’s been a while Niflhel."

Athene nodded, because whilst in some ways some things had been simpler back when he was sixteen, they had not been [isimple.

Although that was hardly surprising given that that was when he had first found out that he was senshi.

He took a sip of his drink and gave another nod "Yes you got it right” he agreed.

Because it was hot chocolate, which was always a safe choice. Coffee drowned in cream, syrup, and sugar, would have been an equally reliable bet–

Even if there were some that were under the mistaken impression that it was sugar with coffee rather than the other way around.

"I’ve been okay," he said quietly. "I’ve been splitting time between the UK and here, because my little brother is there."

Athene sighed as his gaze dropped to the takeaway cup in his hand for a few moments before lifting again to look up at Niflhel as he admitted softly "Although I’m not sure if I’ve always managed to get the balance right."

Especially as it hadn’t been the first time that Rianna had suggested looking into her and Robin moving to the States and it was unlikely to be the last.

"My cousin’s been out of town on a job so I’ve kind of been housesitting for her while I’m here or apartment-sitting I guess."

He nibbled on another piece of the pastry before adding "But it turns out that she’s a knight - one of Polaris’ actually."

Athene laughed "Yes, although it’s been a little weird being back in the room that I used to have back when I was sixteen - especially since she turned it back into a guest room years ago."

He took another sip of the hot chocolate before continuing "I moved out because it was getting harder and harder to keep all of the senshi stuff hidden - and then I met Liryn and her apartment complex has a strict no-pets - which is kind of ironic since she turned out to be a knight."

And to be honest, Athene still wasn’t entirely sure how his cousin was managing to keep Liryn hidden whenever the mauvian came over.

He nodded when Niflhel mentioned that Snowball would probably want to meet her, having heard of the other mauvian from Liryn and then smiled slightly when Niflhel mentioned that his cousin could reach out to him.

"Thanks, I know that she’d appreciate that,” Athene admitted quietly. ”I know Liryn has been keeping an eye out" at his request and because the small mauvian liked his cousin "But neither of us are knights."

His smile deepened slightly as he added "And I think that I know my cousin well enough to say that she’d be happy to meet Snowball as well."

It occurred to him belatedly that Niflhel might not know who Liryn was, so he added, voice softening "Liryn’s a mauvian and a good friend. He’s also a little obsessed with visiting homeworlds and wonders." A fond note crept into his quiet voice as he added drily ”And probably the source of a lot of my grey hairs.”

The smile faded when Niflhel asked him how he was enjoying his trip to the UK and Athene hesitated as he looked down at the takeaway cup for a moment, before admitting "It’s.. Odd in some ways." Especially as there had been a time back when he was younger when he’d been certain that he would never step foot in the UK again.

"It’s not home in the way DC is, even if I was born there - but my little brother lives there and he’s a good kid." A wry note slipped into his voice as he added "Even if he is also a teenager."

"I might take you up on that," Athene admitted at Niflhel’s mention that he’d be welcome to crash at his place from time to time.

He nodded when Niflhel mentioned his Grams being far away from the dangers in Destiny City. "I get that" he said quietly, "That’s why I’m glad that my brother’s in the UK."

He hesitated for a moment before admitting reluctantly "And… I know that it’s probably silly, but I can’t help worrying about the chances of him ending up powered too - given that my cousin and I are."

Because whilst Athene had no idea whether it was the sort of thing that ran in families, he did know that powered life was dangerous–

And it wasn’t something that he wanted his little brother to be dragged into.

Not if he could help it.

His gaze shifted towards Niflhel’s weapon as curiosity flickered in his eyes, "Iðavöllr’s is a christmas tree ornament - well at least for the moment it is." Because Athene knew enough knights to know that their weapons changed and grew stronger as they themselves got stronger.

He continued quietly "Although speaking of magic, I’ve got a bit of healing magic now - in addition to my other magic."

He hesitated and added "And I seemed to have picked the ability to sense auras even when I’m not powered up - although it’s nowhere near as strong as when I am."

He chuckled softly when Niflhel suggested arranging a trip to one of their homeworlds or wonders, with Snowball and Liryn in tow.

"Liryn will be your best friend if you offer to take him to your wonder," he said, and he was being entirely serious.

"But I’d be up for it - and I do need to visit Athene whilst I’m here in DC since I can’t when I’m in the UK."

Athene nodded when Niflhel mentioned that there was a chance that his little brother might end up not being powered if he ever came to Destiny City.

Because, rationally, he understood that.

Rationally.

Yet the knowledge did nothing to quell the part of him that kept circling back to the 'what ifs', especially since Rianna had mentioned on more than one occasion that perhaps they should consider looking into the possibility of moving to the States so that he (or rather Arian) wouldn’t have to travel back and forth so much.

Although thankfully, she and Robin remained in the UK–

At least for the moment.

He nodded again when Niflhel mentioned that his ability to sense auras as a civilian might come in handy at some point and then answered Nifhel with a wry but quiet laugh of his own when he mentioned hearing about others finding life on their homeworlds and wonders.

"I’ve yet to find anything on Athene either" he admitted "But I haven’t really been searching either."

Athene finished the last of the hot chocolate before nodding as he murmured quietly, “Yes, I’d be up for that.”

The evening had been a pleasant one so far, and he wasn’t quite ready to bring it to an end by heading back to his cousin’s empty apartment–

Instead a patrol alongside an old friend seemed like just the right way to bring the evening to a close.