AN: As was requested by Aria! I hope you like it, girl!

"She's been ignoring me all day."

He was at his wits end, no matter how much he tried to wrap his mind around it, he couldn't think of a reason as to why their youngest charge would be ignoring him. He couldn't remember wronging her in any way, they had shared plenty a joke that morning during breakfast, they hung out together well into the night before he had decided it was time for bed.

Was she upset that he had sent her to bed?

He'd let her sleep in his room with him, as she was prone to do, it was a mystery as to why she even had her own room seeing as she had never used it.

"Is she upset with me?"

Puriel adjusted his hold on the bucket of eels he had in his hand, switching it from his left to his right, and shared a look with Abraxos as his side. His brother shrugged, the little duckling hadn't made any mention to him of any distaste for the Captain, as far as he was aware, they were still in good spirits.

"I don't know. She hasn't mentioned anything to me." It was slightly comforting to know that her bestest of friends didn't know of any distaste she might have held for him, but that didn't explain as to why she was ignoring him, perhaps she was keeping her ire a secret, leaving him in a limbo of trying to figure out what he had done. "Why don't you just ask her?"

"Because, she won't talk to me, what part of that didn't you catch when I told you." He holds up two fingers. "Only two minutes ago."

Abraxos crosses his arms lightly, a particular expression over coming him, and he sets his jaw lightly. "She can't avoid you if you corner her."

"That's true." His Captain nods, scratching a finger over his chin thoughtfully. "You make a good point." He looks between the two of them carefully. "Is she in her room?"

Puriel and Abraxos exchange looks, turning back to nod at him, and he smiles in appreciation for their help. Turning in the direction of their rooms, he steps off, only turning to call over his shoulder. "It better not smell like eel guts in here later, Puriel."

"It won't."

"And Shelby better not get water everywhere." Nisroc glares at him playfully over his shoulder. "Again."

"You have my word."

He made his way down the hall quietly, peering in on the others as he passed their rooms, smiling at the sight of them. Titus sat at his desk, writing a letter to someone, no doubt his supposedly secret Love, he was not as great at hiding his secret affairs as he thought he was, but he was in no position to judge and all that mattered was that he was happy, nothing less.

Haniel was laying in his bed, reading through the same book he's read through countless times before, a journal of notes passed once between him and his best friend, Hasmal's loss had hit them all hard, but none so hard as it had hit Haniel. They were two peas in a pod, one was never far from the other, and now the one side of the coin was missing it's other half. Haniel had lost a part of himself since Hasmal had been taken from them, he didn't prank them as often, didn't laugh like he used to, it was the hardest blow the newly made youngest Power had ever taken and they all feared that it was one he wouldn't recover from, not truly.

Puriel's room was empty, of course, him and Abraxos were having a conversation in the front lounge. His sea snake, Shelby, was making quite the fuss in her tank waiting for her supper of eels.

His destination was the door across the hall from Abraxos' door, he turned, taking a deep breath as he looked upon the closed oak door, and curled his fingers loosely as he reached up to knock on the fine wood. "Aba," he stops to listen for a response. "Are you decent?"

There's a slight commotion from behind the door, something being slammed shut, and he quirks an eyebrow at the possibilities this particular secret could hold. Soft foot steps cross the floor, and the door opens a crack, small blue eyes peering out at him cautiously.

"I didn't do it."

His eyes narrow at the absurd confession. "Didn't do what?"

"It hasn't happened yet?" She sighs in relief. "Well, then, nothing."

He raises an eyebrow, but shakes it off, for now. "Aba, I'm sorry to interrupt whatever mayhem you were in the planning of causing."

"I can forgive you."

"But, I have to know, have I done anything to anger you?"

Their resident teenage 'Power' in training shrugs. "Not that I can think of."

"If I haven't done anything to anger you, then tell me, why are you ignoring me?"

Abraxas snorts softly. "I'm not mad at you, calm your horses down, I was just messing with you." She pushes against his chest lightly. "You should have seen your face though, you were getting all worried, you're going to get wrinkles someday."

He crosses his arms lightly. "You mean to tell me that you led me to believe I had wronged you just for a bit of fun?"

"I played you, dude, like a fiddle. You were getting all flustered and everything."

"You tricked me."

"Hardcore. It was hilarious." She reaches forward to pat his arms lightly. "Good times, thanks for a good time, it's been great."

"Not so fast, missy." He uncurls his arms to reach out for her, nabbing her by the collar of her tunic, and she jolted to a surprised stop. "You really had me concerned thinking I had hurt you in some manner."

"All I wanted was a good laugh, and I got it, no sweat about it."

"You wanted a good laugh?" He tugs her closer, until their chest to chest, his nose brushing against hers. "Nis, you need to calm down, it was just a joke."

"You want a good laugh?" He tugs her forward, closer. "Let's have a good laugh."

"I don't think I like the connotations behind that statement."

He yanks her forward, and she stumbles, tumbling over his shoulder as he kneels before her. She yelps, shaking her head to clear it, and pounds against his back.

"You are totally overreacting!"

"I'll show you overreacting."

The Captain steps into their young charges' room, turning slightly at the waist, he kicks the door closed. She doesn't make it easy for him, kicking and squirming, beating her fists against his back. But, he holds her steady, despite her struggling. He kicks off his boots off next to her bed, not wanting to track dirt all over the place, bending slightly at the waist as he pulls her up and over his shoulder, throwing her down on the bed.

Abraxas bounces, flailing as she does, staring up at her oldest brother with wide eyes.

"You had me thinking I had wronged you."

"Well, you didn't, I wasn't even mad at you."

"You let me think you were angry with me."

"I just wanted to see how long it would take for you to crack." She giggles lightly despite the precarious position she's in at the present moment. "It took a little over two hours. I kept a vigilant watch."

Her older brother smiles down at her, climbing up on the bed with her, gripping her ankles as he pulls her down within his reach.

"Let's see how long it takes you to crack."

She giggles softly in anticipation. "Let's not?"

His fingers curl around her wrists, holding them securely, gently, as he leans forward to hold them on either side of her head. He smiles down at her as she giggles, kissing her nose lightly, she scrunches her nose up at the feeling. "You know what I'm gonna do now?"

Abraxas shakes her head, giggling lightly, and he smiles again at the sound of it. "You want me to show you?"

"No!"

"I'm going to show you."

She shakes her head, giggling like she's a fledgling again, and he chuckles fondly. "No, Nis!" He leans over to the right side and she follows, scrunching up her shoulder tightly, he laughs softly as he leans over to the left and she does the same. "I'm gonna get you."

She giggles adorably in anticipation, and he leans forward to brush his nose against hers. "Let me show you my overreacting."

"Let's not and say you did?" Aba giggles lightly, staring into his eyes as he presses his forehead to hers. "That's not how this works." He kisses her nose again. "And you know this."

"Go easy on me?"

"I'll go easy on you, baby girl." She smiles up at him, leaning up to kiss his nose this time, and he smiles down at her adoringly. "Now, how upset did your little prank make me?"

"Not very upset?"

"No, I don't think so." He leans away, eyeing the side of her neck playfully. "I'm gonna start here." He thrusts himself forward, burying himself into the right side of her neck. She squeaks brightly, scrunching up her right shoulder in an instant, bright, high pitched giggles erupting from her like bright colorful bubbles from a freshly made bubble bath. He kisses at the skin playfully, like one does to a small fledgling, nuzzling in with his beard until she's nice and giggly.

"Nihihihis! Nihihihis! Get out! Get out!"

He presses another round of kisses, she shrieks brightly, and he chuckles. "Okay."

His little girl jolts, jumping in his grip, when he jumps to the other side. Her left shoulder shoots up, trapping him in his beloved place to torture, but it does nothing to inhibit him as he nuzzles his beard into her neck and she shrieks brightly.

He pulls away for a moment, resting his forehead against her again. "Still think I'm overreacting?"

She's nice and giggly, his favorite version of her, and nods her head lightly.

"Okay, then, let's move on." He kisses her nose and her face scrunches up again. "I'm going to make you say you deserve this."

"Never!"

"Never say never, baby girl."

The Power looks up at her hands, adjusting his grip on them, capturing both her left and right wrists in the same hand, and pokes a finger into her left underarm. "Let's try here." She giggles brightly, little spurts of laughter mixing in, tugging at her arms experimentally. "This isn't a good spot. I need a good spot. Let's go to a good spot."

Abraxas shakes her head, giggling up a storm, and he nods in time. "Oh, yes we are."

His attention turns down to her belly. "What about your little belly?" She shakes her head and he chuckles. "What do you mean 'no'?"

Nisroc pokes at her belly with the fingers of his free hand. "I've always had a preference for your cute little belly, myself."

Abraxas curls her hands into fists, stiffens as much as she can, and takes on a determined expression. "Do your worst."

"Oh, the cockiness of the young." He smiles down at her at her challenge. "Your wish is my command."

The young charge of the Powers squeals when he lets go of her wrists, his hands shoot down to the hem of her tunic to lift it up, and he buries his face into her belly. He rubs his beard all over, it drives her crazy with laughter, he blows raspberry after raspberry and she squeals with every single one. Her fingers tangle in his hair, tugging and pushing at the same time, anything to get him and his beard and his raspberries away from her belly.

"Say it!" he kisses her belly button. "Say you deserve this!"

"Nehehehever!"

He curls his fingers around her upper thighs and digs in, she kicks and screams when he blows another raspberry into her belly, she yanks as hard as she can at his hair, and he laughs as he reaches up for her hands.

"I deserve it! I dehehehheserve iihihihihit!"

"Yes, you do." He kisses her belly on last time and pulls back, sitting up again, he laughs at the giggling mess he's made of his baby girl. "Are you okay?" She giggles up at him breathlessly. "I was a bit mean."

"Myhyhy belly! Huhuhurts! Myhyhyhy behehelly!"

The Captain laughs softly, chuckling in amusement, reaching down to pat her belly. "You did ask for it."

"Yohohohou dihid yohohohour wohohorst!"

"You're just full of giggles now, aren't you?"

She merely giggles in response.

"Want to go help Puri feed Shelby?"

Abraxas nods, choking back her giggles, until they slowly start to dissipate. "I like watching her tear into the fish."

"I know you do."

The Captain turns, kneeling before the bed, holding his arms out. "Hop on." Their baby girl giggles again softly, pulling herself up, she crawls across her bed to climb up on his back. He stands, securing her on his back, and turns them towards the door. She bounces excitedly, leaning over his shoulder to point at the door, she loves helping Puriel feed his sea snake. "Come on! Come on! We have to get there before he does!"

"He was talking to Abe when I left him, knowing those two, we have more then enough time."

He crosses the room any way, turning the handle to open the door, stepping out into the hall. Puriel and Abraxos had just finished their conversation and parted, the medic making his way down the hall towards them, he smiles at the sight of them together.

"Told you she wasn't mad at you." He notes her red cheeks with amusement. "He sure got you, didn't he, little butterfly?"

Abraxas giggles. "I deserved it."

They exchange a smile at her giggles.

Puriel tugs at her leg lightly. "Want to help me feed Shelby?"

"Yes!" She jumps in Nisroc's hold and he grunts softly. "Can I!"

The medic chuckles softly, coming to stand at his Captain's side, he turns around. "Climb on, butterfly, of course you can help me."

Nisroc turns slightly, adjusting his grip, as she climbs from his back to the other Powers. Puriel curls his free arm around her left knee and nods to his Captain as he turns them in the direction of his room.

He watches them go fondly. "Puri, I'm serious, there better not be a mess."

"I make no promises."