"It's definitely something… else," murmured Thancred at his side while watching his mate with wide open, silver eyes. Surr giggled, and after shooing away Alisaie, picked up a big leather armchair and headed upstairs, nearly skipping steps. Then his ashen-haired friend cleared his throat and looked at G'raha with furrowed brows. "Doesn't that… I don't know, make you a little bit nervous?"

"Why should it?" he chuckled. Then, ignoring his friend's quiet gasp, he pulled on his connection with the Tower, easily picked up a massive leather couch, and followed behind his miraculous girl. "Grab the smaller stuff, okay?" he threw back over his shoulder with maybe a little mean smirk, earning his friend's scowl. Poor Alphinaud stood at his side with a slack jaw and clearly beyond confused.

It amused G'raha to no end how stunned they were at the easy display of strength. Though he amended in thought, frowning, he and his mate would be considered a 'special' case even before magic went out of use.

"Where do you want it, love?" he asked, entering one of the empty rooms behind his lover. To say that the crew of the transport company was confused when he requested they just leave all of the ordered furniture in the lobby was an understatement. Thankfully, his friends arrived soon after – with Alphinaud in tow – and the burly men assumed they were there to help, and left.

"Just put it down," she said with distraction, resting her hands on her hips and looking around with consideration. "We can arrange it once we're done bringing it upstairs."

He hummed with an agreement, setting the couch down next to where she put the armchair. When he straightened, Alisaie walked in carrying a few small boxes stacked on each other.

"Another car just pulled in front," she said with a frown, setting the boxes down on the couch. She scowled visibly when Thancred, together with Alphinaud, carried in a big, low table. Despite Surr's explanation, she was still miffed with her twin's presence.

"Cool," he said with a chuckle, then headed downstairs to open the door.

Still, despite their friends' help, it took them three bells to set everything up to his mate's satisfaction. Not that he minded, as once they were done, the room – now turned into an entertainment center presented itself amazing. When he dropped on the couch, splaying his arms on the backrest and looking around, he figured that the only thing missing was to change the curtains in the two massive windows to dark enough shutters – but that could wait.

"Seriously," Thancred sighed, sitting next to him and running his fingers through his hair. "Didn't you go a little overboard?" he motioned with a broad gesture to the whole interior. Especially the massive, flat-screen tv in front of them earned his scowl. "It's only a few moons before we end school… What are you going to do with all of this stuff then?" he raised his eyebrows in question.

He shrugged nonchalantly, smiling when his beautiful girl dropped into his lap, leaning against him with a giggle.

"Don't even start," she said to his friend, rolling her eyes. "I tried to curb him in – but you could as well talk to a wall."

The twins settled on the armchairs opposite each other around the low table, clearly avoiding even looking at the other… but he figured that was to be expected. Even if his mate's plan works – it'll take time to resolve their issues. Himself missing a chance to have a sibling… He sighed, moving his arm around Surr's lap, pulling her closer against him.

"Living in the dorm," he said toward Thancred. "I couldn't get too many things I wanted – since it would raise too many questions, not to mention the lack of necessary space. Now at least temporarily, I can spoil myself with some… toys," he smirked, shrugging again. "Later… Dunno, we can either sell it together with the house or have it moved to the Crystarium. It's not like the Crystal Tower misses space."

"Twelve forfend…" Alisaie sighed, frowning. "How rich actually are you?"

Her twin scoffed quietly, earning everyone's attention.

"Don't be ridiculous, Alisaie," he said slowly, looking at her with a frown. "He's an Emperor – and the Allagan Empire will never run out of funds with how it provides the energy to most of the known world."

"Nobody asked you," she snapped back, glaring as she splayed sideways on the chair, swinging her legs over the armrest.

"He is right, though," G'raha said with a sigh, hoping to defuse the situation and drawing absentmindedly slow circles on his girl's thigh, right below her skirt's edge. "All things considered, I have more money than I can spend in a few lifetimes. With most of the current technology achieved by the study of the ancient Allagan technology – not to mention that it's mostly running on aether – and the Crystal Tower basically being a huge, endless battery… Yeah, you get the idea," he chuckled at Alisaie's dead-pan stare, then motioned toward the stack of the thin boxes on top of the table containing the video games for the new console. "And then add this…."

"Huh?" his mate hummed curiously and leaned toward it, reaching out and picking up the first box on top. "What is it?" she frowned, turning the box around in her hands as she leaned against him again. "Final Fantasy XIV?" she read out loud, then peered at him with confusion. "I heard about this series… and I think I saw at least two movies from it at some point… loved the graphic, but I never liked the turn-based games."

"This one isn't like that," Thancred chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "I tried it once, a few years back. It's pretty fun, but the story is slow, so I gave it up after a bit."

"Really?" G'raha frowned, looking at his friend and then back at the box in his mate's hands. "I've been dying to try it – just never had time, really. Which is kind of funny in itself."

"How so?" Alisaie leaned toward them and reached out, smiling when Surr handed her the box. Then she sat back and started to read the back of it.

"Isn't this one based on the old myth of the last Warrior of Light?" said Alphinaud quietly and flustered visibly when all of them looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I might have been playing it… a bit at some point," he admitted, dropping his gaze and clearing his throat.

"Really?" a new interest flashed in Surr's eyes when she looked at him. He just shrugged slightly without looking back. She frowned and looked back at G'raha, raising her eyebrows. "But what that has to do with you?"

"Well… according to my contract with the producers of this one – I'm supposed to be kind of in it," he chuckled at her stupefied expression, then lifted his hand and brushed her hair back delicately.

"What the fuck?" Thancred gasped, leaning toward him. "You're in the game?"

"He is," said Alphinaud quietly, twitching uncomfortably under their gazes again. "Or at least there's a character with, ah… the same name and looks - but it's kind of late in the game, so…."

"Raha?" his mate looked at him with wide-eyed astonishment. "What the hell?"

He laughed loudly at their shock, leaned back, and wiggled his eyebrows meaningfully.

"That's why I've been dying to play it," he admitted. "Years back, they – the producers – contacted my people for permission to use the concept of the Tower and my likeness in the game," he shrugged nonchalantly. "I was a kit, then… And I thought it was a hilarious idea, so I even provided them with some logs from the Tower's archives about that era. Supposedly, by now, it's quite popular – since it's an MMO – and I get some percent from that."

"Huh?" Alphinaud looked at him with a new interest and furrowed brows. "So it's not… completely made up?"

"I will tell you after I have a chance to play it," he said with another chuckle, wrapping his arms around his mate and pulling her against him. "I know for a fact that one of my ancestors – coincidently one I've been named after – used to know the last Warrior of Light. Closely," he added in a meaningful tone, then pressed a kiss on her throat. "But how much they changed the events? No idea… yet."

"Okay, now I have to play it, too," Alisaie gaped at him over the box.

"For one, the Allagan Empire isn't a thing in it," said Alphinaud, then cleared his throat, coloring visibly when they looked at him. "Kind of, anyway. It's still there, but as a thing of the past… and you – ah, the character based on you is…."

"No spoilers!" Surr gasped, waving her hands, and he immediately snapped his mouth shut. Then she looked at G'raha with a glint of determination in her dark-purple eyes. "Now I'm curious, too. So we're going to play it together," she demanded in such a bossy tone… it was adorable.

"As you wish, love," he chuckled, pressing a kiss on her cheek.

"I guess I'm going to give it another shot, then," Thancred sighed patiently. Still, there was an unmistakable glint of amusement in his eyes when he looked at him.

"Me too!" Alisaie gasped, dropping the box on the table, then hesitantly looking toward her twin. "Since you play… ed it, we have it at home, right?"

"We do," he replied, then frowned. "But you should get your own copy, anyway," he added haughtily, looking at her down his nose – though G'raha could almost swear there was amusement behind his blue eyes. "There's no way I'm missing that," he nodded toward him and Surr, then a slight smirk danced on his lips. "And I can show you the ropes."

"Sounds fun!" his girl grinned… and suddenly he was getting a funny feeling about the whole idea… but oh, well – it did sound fun.


The following day, in her first lesson – Surr started to think quite quickly that coming back to school so soon was a bit of… bad idea. However, after arriving at the school grounds hand in hand with her mate, she thought she'll be fine. They met Thancred at the door, surprisingly chatting with both Alphinaud and Alisaie – and together, they walked them to her first class. It didn't take her long to notice what their friends warned them about – as most of the students avoided even looking toward her. She wondered, though, what exactly Raha's 'people' did to achieve such an effect.

At the door of the classroom of her first lesson, when the bell rang, her mate kissed her delicately and walked off with the rest of the boys. As she walked inside with Alisaie, and they took the seats next to each other, she started to get a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Fifteen minutes into the lecture – about booooring math – she was twitching uncontrollably and constantly shifting in her seat, earning more than one of the teacher's annoyed glances.

But she couldn't help it! Especially when soon she also started feeling Raha's rising agitation across their bond.

"Oh, Twelve…" she gasped softly, folding her arms over her desk and resting her chin on top of them, fighting to stay still.

"Miss Kirh," the teacher, gruff-looking, tall Hyur, narrowed his eyes at her. "Is something the matter?"

She almost jumped, straightening quickly and blushing furiously.

"I, ah… I'm sorry," she smiled sheepishly, fluttering her lashes with an innocent, pained expression. "I really need to go to the bathroom," she said, bracing her hands on her desk, pushing her chair back, and raising to her feet. "If I can be excused, sir?"

She didn't dare to look toward Alisaie, but she felt her stare.

"Ah, yes," the teacher sighed, waving her off. "But be quick about it."

Immediately after exiting the classroom, she pulled out her phone. She texted her mate, though actually heading toward the bathrooms. She at least needed to splash some cold water on her face!

Surr
OMW to the bathroom to cool down. Seriously, I think we shouldn't come back so quickly – DYING! .

Raha
Wait there for me.

She blinked at the screen a few times… then another furious blush hit her face.

Surr
Is that smart, darling?

Raha
I don't care. Wait! .

Surr
As you wish, Your Highness o.~

She would be embarrassed to admit that out loud. Still, by the time he arrived at the doors to the restrooms, she was nearly vibrating with anticipation – leaning against the wall and praying that another student or teacher wouldn't choose that moment to head there as well. Then, without a word, her mate wrapped his hands around her waist and picked her up, hastily opening the door of the girl's bathroom and carrying her inside when she giggled madly, coiling her legs around his waist.

"Interesting choice," she whispered, biting delicately on the side of his jaw as he entered one of the stalls, locked the door behind them, and then dropped her to the floor.

"More stalls," he murmured, his crimson eyes narrowed and fiery as he watched her discard her underwear quickly. Then he picked her up again, pinning her to the wall with his body. "Gods, you might be right," he whispered, near-violently pushing down his pants, then whimpering breathlessly against her throat as he took her. She bit her lips to choke down a whine of relief when he filled her up. Then gasping, carefully to not destroy it and leave evidence, she unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it partially off his shoulders. "I thought I'm going to d…" he choked on his words when she bit him, though not hard enough to break the skin. Finally, she tightened her legs around his hips, clenching her inner muscles around his dick, making her demand clear. "I'm going to be rough," he warned on a growl, pulling the collar of her shirt back off his mark with one hand while the other clenched near-painfully on her hip, holding her still.

"Yes, pleeeease," she whined around her bite, shaking with need.

"Good girl," he praised with a choked groan, then bit her in turn. It took an inhumane effort not to scream, just whimper and gasp into his skin, clawing at his back desperately as he rutted into her furiously. In no time, she peaked, breaking her bite with a gasp, shaking and mewling breathlessly until he had to straighten and cover her mouth with his hand. She didn't mind, enjoying the pure, mindless lust in his darkened irises too much as his thrusts grew brutal and desperate. She rolled her hips eagerly, gasping and wanting to only drive him completely mad. And it worked as he pulled his hand back and claimed her lips roughly, feeding her his choked whine as he came, shuddering violently and using his freed hands to pull her tight around his cock. Hold her like that as his fingers dug into her skin, and she could feel his flesh throbbing inside her.

She mewled under his lips, fisting both hands in his shirt to not do the same with his hair, though the need was almost painful. They kissed long after he stilled completely, now only smoothing his hands up and down her bare thighs wrapped around him. Purring with bliss into each other's mouth… until the bathroom's door opened and someone walked in. They both froze, pulling apart and choking down their sounds.

"Surr? You're here?" she almost snorted at Alisaie's hesitant voice when her mate's eyes grew veeery wide.

"Yeah, I am," she said instead, trying to keep her voice even when Raha paled considerably, then dropped his head against her shoulder. She barely contained a giggle, wrapping her arms around his head. "I need a moment, though."

"You're okay?" her friend now sounded worried. "It's been a while, and the teacher got impatient. So I volunteered to check on you."

"I'm great!" she couldn't help but snort, shaking with laughter at this point. "Just… wait outside a moment, p-please."

"Huh? Why?" the teen sounded confused.

"Get lost, Ali," Raha positively growled, and she couldn't help but snort at that.

A moment of dead silence, then…

"Seriously?!" Alisaie huffed, clearly scandalized. "What the fuck?! Gods… in the girl's bathroom? Nice going, Your Highness," she snickered mercilessly when he growled again. Surr just giggled merrily, tightening her arms around him. "I will wait outside… but do hurry up," she finally said, and the door closed behind her.

"Think she'll tell Thancred?" Surr whispered and cackled when he flinched, and his face grew even hotter against her throat.

"Not funny," he murmured, then pulled back, and yeah… his face was at least as red as his eyes, as she thought! "They'll never live it down," he rolled his eyes, coloring even darker. Then he sighed with resignation when she just covered her mouth to choke down her giggles. "You're enjoying it too much, love."

"It's HILARIOUS!" she gasped with a snigger. "Twelve, if you could see your face, darling…."

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"I'll so get you for this," he warned, then backed away carefully, helping her to drop to the ground. "Just you wait."

They cleaned quickly and fixed their clothes while she was still constantly giggling. By the time they exited the bathroom, joining exasperated Alisaie, his blush had passed – just to return with a double intensity when the teen had tossed him a withering glare.

"Not a word," he snapped, but clearly beyond embarrassed as he looked everywhere but not at her.

"Of course, Your Highness," the Elzen grinned brightly if with a bit mean tilt and exaggerated bow. "Wouldn't want the tabloids to learn what kind of side activities the future Emperor engages in during classes."

Surr positively died, covering her mouth again to not let her laugh escape. Raha sent both of them a glare, entirely and utterly crimson at this point, then again sighed with resignation and pressed a kiss on her forehead before turning around and heading down the corridor, back to his class.

When he was out of the earshot, Surr wiped her eyes and turned toward the other teen.

"You're really keeping it to yourself?" she asked.

"You're joking, right?" Alisaie snickered when they headed back to the classroom, pulling out her phone and typing furiously. Surr looked at her own phone, choking down another round of giggles. He was just too adorable when embarrassed!

Alisaie
Thancred, you won't believe where I just caught Raha .

Thancred
? o.o

Raha
ALISAIE! Seriously, shut up! T.T

Alisaie
Girl's bathroom *smirk*

Surr
With me 3

Thancred
… LMAO! Twelve, I never saw him this *red* before xD

Raha
This is LITERALLY bullying at this point ._.

The teacher did NOT appreciate how they giggled when they entered the classroom, but Surr could hardly bring herself to care.