Orion watched them from the other bed, curled up into herself, staying as silent as a church mouse as to not interrupt their moment. They were close, that much was obvious, a relationship had formed between them that she hadn't seen before, or at least, from what she could remember. Her thumb rubbed gently over her arm, curled up in the fetal position, chin resting on her arms, she watched them enjoy each other's presence.

Akriel was leaning back against the headboard of his bed, ankles crossed, a book held open with one hand. He'd read them numerous times, and loved rereading them time and time again, he learned something new every pass through. Gzel was laying next to him, stretched out on her back, her right arm curled over his stomach in her spread out position. They were talking between each other, playful banter at play, and every so often he would reach down and poke her in the stomach. She'd bark a laugh and jolt slightly, as though wanting to curl her arms around herself, but refraining from doing so.

She curled up tighter, part of her wanted to join in, join in on whatever it was they were doing, but she knew her place. Gzel was the first one, she was the focal point, she had been here first. Akriel only invited her in because he felt obligated to, because the Healer had placed her under his care, he was just being nice to her because he was a nice person. Orion sighed softly, like a gentle nearly inaudible breeze flutter through the open space and curled her arms tighter around her knees as she pressed her face into the dark hole that was created, hiding away from them both, always stuck in her own little world. An outcast among her own kind, because the Mindbreaker had chosen her for the task of being her protégé, she didn't think she did anything wrong, but Orion was being punished for something. That's why no one wanted to be too close.

Orion heard the book close softly, a gentle thump, and he whispered something down to Gzel. There was no verbal reply, but the bed creaked under her as she moved, and the door clicked as she shut it behind her. Peeking up an over her arms, she tilted her head in confusion, jumping slightly when a hand pressed against her shoulder. Turning to look, there was only one person it could be, and she gazed upon Akriel's gentle smile. She liked his smile, she liked it when he smiled, it was so kind, so gentle, so full of love. There was no malice, no hatred, no ill intent. Just warmth and love.

"Where'd Gzel go?"

He shrugged his left shoulder. "I asked her to give us some time alone." He inclined his head slightly. "I believe she may have gone to bug Oren. He'll handle it just fine." He winks at her. "He's had practice."

"Why….Why'd you tell her to go?"

"Because, I could see that you needed me." His hand climbs from her shoulder to her cheek, it's a gentle caress. "I'm a very observant kind of angel. It's what makes me so very good at what I do." He rubs his thumb over her cheek lightly and she leans into the touch involuntarily. It brings a smile to his face. "Tell me what I can do to make you feel better?"

"I—I'm just fine."

She didn't believe the words, and her eyes shot down of their own will, averting their gaze from his. If she couldn't believe her own words, she had no expectation that he would.

His thumb strokes over her cheek again. "I don't have to know as much as I do, to know that's not the truth, it's okay not to be okay."

Orion swallows, nodding slightly to the gentle reprimand, there's no anger behind it, but she knows that he doesn't like it when people lie to him. "You really like Gzel."

He nods, raising an eyebrow slightly. "I do. She's a very good angel. She has her up's and down's, but everyone does, she calls herself a 'work in progress'. I know her quite well."

"Do you…" She scratches at her knee lightly, averting her eyes again, not wanting to see his reaction lest it be a bad one. "Do you like me too?"

There is no hesitation. "I do." She looks back up quickly, he's smiling at her, and he rubs her cheek again. "I wouldn't have asked you to stay with me if I didn't like you. Is that what's wrong?" He tilts his head forward slightly, catching her gaze again. "You think I don't like you?"

She nods, and feels shame burn her cheeks, she knows they must had turned red because he chuckles softly. But he lets her collect her thoughts, lets her put them into words, to explain herself and her thinking. "I just…I...You and her get along really well….and you're really close and you make her laugh which is really hard to do and…and she trusts you when she doesn't trust anyone and you talk every day and you know what she wants before she says she wants it and you..you….."

"Hey, hey," he curls his fingers under her chin lightly, lifting her head, so that their eyes can meet again. "Hey, calm down, I think that is the most I've ever heard you say in one sentence before. That's great!" His fingers travel back to her cheek, wrapping around to just behind her ear. "I only know her so well because she's opened up to me. We weren't always so close. She used to only come see me when she wanted to talk. It took us some time to get where we are now." Akriel smiles softly, stroking a loose stand of hair back behind her ear, rubbing his thumb over her cheek again. "I want to get to know you just as well as I know her. I just don't want to push you too hard, too fast, I know how harmful that can be. I want you to come to me because you feel comfortable doing so, I don't want to force you, and I'm always here to talk to. Always." He leans forward, as if to accentuate his words. "Anytime you need to. You just have to ask."

Orion smiled softly, a small smile, but something much more open then the ones she gave before. Those were reserved, as though she was just smiling so she wasn't the only one who wasn't, to keep everyone appeased. But, this one was real, she meant this one, it was all for her. Akriel liked her too. He wanted to know her, too. She could talk to him, too. He cared, that's why he took her in, because he wanted to, and he liked her. Just like he liked Gzel. He saw her. Akriel saw Orion. Not the Mindbreakers unwilling Apprentice. "I'd like to talk to you, too."

"Okay, I'd love for you to talk to me, when do you want to talk?"

She nods. "Every day."

He nods to her request. "We can do that. How about every day just after midday rest?"

She nods, again, and he nods in return. "Okay, we can start tomorrow, does that sound like a plan?"

"It sounds like a plan."

"Good, I'm looking forward to it." He lets go of her cheek, smiling as she slowly uncurls from her tight position, and he leans back on his hands. "What else is on your mind?"

"Why does Gzel laugh when you poke her?"

He raises an eyebrow in amusement to her question. "Why?" He tilts his head. "Because her belly is ticklish. It gets her every time."

"What's that?" She tilts her head in curiosity. He leans forward, eyebrows scrunching up. "What's what?"

"Ticklish?"

"You don't know what….My sister really did a number on you, didn't she?"

Orion doesn't seem phased by his statement, it's true, there was much she couldn't remember from before. It was all just too blurry, too fuzzy, and it hurt to try and focus on it too much. So, might as well make new memories now, to make up for the ones she lost.

He leans forward, arms resting on his knees. "Do you want me to show you?" She nods innocently enough, curiosity peaked, and he smiles at the childlike innocence that shines from the angel that is so typically so reserved. "Okay, I'll show you, lay back for me." She does as he asks, uncurling from her position completely, laying on her back, she watches him with wide innocent eyes. He shakes his head in amusement, Akriel turns in his position on the edge of the bed, turning to sit at her side instead. His hand is a warm heavy weight on her stomach as he lays it to rest there. "Tell me to stop when you want me to, alright?" She nods, her curiosity as peaked as a fledgling's, staring between him and his hand.

He digs his fingers in so suddenly that is catches her off guard, vibrating and wiggling into her stomach, and she arches, an involuntary response, laughter exploding from her in surprise. Her hands fly up to his, she's a small angel, her hands are so small compared to his, and she curls her fingers around his. He pauses, smiling down at her, his eyes shine with amusement. "Do you want me to stop?" She's breathless at the peace, residual giggles echoing after her laughter diminishes, and she shakes her head, still clutching at his fingers. The Virtue chuckles softly. "Okay." And digs back in, this time his hand moves, in a circular motion, sliding down to her sides, gliding over her lower belly, up to just brush against her lowest ribs. And she shrieks brightly, Orion throws her head back, laughing brightly into the silent room. "This is so cute. Your belly is almost as ticklish as Gzel's is. She hates it when I do this." Her guardian lifts her tunic up with his hands, hers having curled back into the blankets, and buries his face into her shaking belly. Orion arches her back again, her laughter rising in pitch and quantity, squealing brightly at the feeling of his beard rubbing against her bare belly, and her hands fly up again, curling into his hair when he inhales and blows deeply into her lower belly.

The Virtue pulls back, her fingers still tangled in his hair, chuckling at her giggles. "Do you want me to stop?" This time she nods her head and he nods in return, leaning forward to kiss her belly, and pull her tunic back down. He reaches back for her hands, carefully untangling them from his hair, and presses a kiss to her palms as he folds their hands together. "Do you know what ticklish is now?"

She nods and he chuckles softly, folding her hands up against his chest. "What do you think?"

Orion smiles, bigger then before, a bit more open then she was previously. "It feels weird."

"Bad?"

She shakes her head. "Not bad….exhilarating…it was…fun."

"I'm glad you had fun." He reaches forward to poke her nose playfully. "You deserve to have some fun." And then to brush her hair back behind her ear. "Well, I for one am going to return to my book, and you're welcome to join me."

Akriel smiles at her and climbs off their bed, crossing the short aisle back to his own, settling back in his previous position. This time, Orion does move forward, climbing off her bed and over to climb up onto the Virtue's bed. Akriel lifts his arm for her, and she scoots in close to his side, stiff at first, but melts against him, resting her head on his chest. His fingers rub lightly over her arm, and she sighs, closing her eyes lightly, listening to his heart beat against her ear. It's hard for her to believe that he's the Mindbreaker's brother, she's just so...so.…and he's so nice, they're nothing alike.

He's playful and nice and caring. And she, she's taciturn and mean and heartless.

"Go to sleep, Rio."

She opens her eyes, half-lidded. "I'm not in my bed."

"I'll move you before I turn in, you can sleep here, it's alright." He rubs a soothing circle against her arm with his thumb. "You're comfortable where you are. It's okay if you fall asleep."

"Okay."