Hey guys!
I am very sorry that I took so long to update this, especially when the chapter was long finished, but work decided to be too exhausting. So I ended up being too tired to do a thing. Thanks for sticking me with anyway guys *gives out cake and coffee* I really hope you will enjoy this story to the very end of it 3

This chapter is dedicated to Branch, and when you will be finally able to read this you will know.

It felt far from real. Thick heavy tears had begun rolling down Teito's cheeks at some point; he was sobbing, and strangely enough smiling in between and hugging Frau. Sometimes he let go just to look at him and then proceeded to hug him, all while Frau was still trying to comprehend the situation. He was dead, it was only really sinking in just now. Oh my God, he was dead. Happiness felt twisted when Frau realised he should mourn him. It all... It all did not feel right. It shouldn't be a good thing to be happy about someone's death, yet Frau found that he had rarely ever been as happy as when he pressed Teito's warm slender body against his. It barely soothed the panic that was rising in him, though.

"I really never thought I would see you again," Teito muttered, clutching Frau's coat tight. Then drawing a deep, shaky breath trying to calm himself, wiping away tears as Frau did the same, feeling his head leaning against his hand. "You're warm..." Teito muttered, nuzzling his face into Frau's hand.

Frau merely smiled, running his fingers through his hair, pressing a kiss to his head and made a mental note to thank Gido later. "Yeah... Had to actually get used to that," he said with a grin.

He felt Teito smile against his hand. "It's nice... and hard to believe..." Teito murmured and pressed a kiss to his lips, at which Frau grinned for a moment, and then promptly kissed back. Suddenly there was a quite too familiar itch in his fingers to touch him, and Frau suddenly felt immensely depraved of touch, as if all that happened between him and Gido had meant nothing, but that was not quite true, it only had not been the right kind of proximity. It had been different; it had been that bottle of vodka only meant to purge yourself from the pain you end up crying about at four a.m. in the morning. Gido's kiss had been only meant to drown his demons, while it had been Teito he had longed for.

There was something bitter on his tongue though, when he kissed him. He had missed him, he had missed him so much and how he had- He had not known he would see Teito this soon again though. Therefore Frau reasoned he could hardly be blamed for what had happened, or maybe this was just to make him feel less guilty.

Frau hadn't even realised he had buried his face in the space between Teito's neck and collarbone. It was warm there and his scent filled his nose, calming the rising storm inside his mind. "The seal broke... didn't it..." It wasn't even meant to be a question. There was hardly any other explanation, Frau realised when he settled his head in a much more comfortable position, while Teito ran a through his hair and started to play with the blond strands.

It felt oddly wrong. That was Gido's thing. Teito should not do Gido's thing. Yet it was relaxing just the same, so for the moment Frau chose to ignore it and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you... it wasn't supposed to happen... It was never supposed to happen."

Teito pinched his ear, making him flinch. "You moron! If that hadn't happened I wouldn't be here now!" He huffed and put a pout on his lips.

"But that wasn't supposed to happen!" Frau lifted his head. "None. Of this. Was supposed to happen! You were meant to live and I... I didn't want to die and leave you alone. You hear me?" Frau glared, but when he kissed him it was soft and careful. "I was happy for once..." The last words were nothing but a whisper and a breath against warm skin, when his head sunk and he pressed a kiss to his neck.

"Frau..."

He bit down, drawing blood, pleased with the gasp that came from Teito's lips. "And I'm angry..." his voice easily filled with pain. "You were not meant to be here. Ayanami neither, that bastard belongs to rot in hell..."

"Frau he's still... my uncle." That word sounded as weird as it probably felt to Teito.

The coppery taste filled his mouth easily when Frau started sucking on the wound, leaving an overall red mark on his skin. "It's not good that you're here." It was confusing that it made him happy. It shouldn't make him happy that the person he loved was dead, even though that meant they were together again. Should it?

"Don't say that, you don't mean that..." There was pain in his voice, and Frau wished there wasn't. He wished for a moment he had kept his mouth shut, when he noticed how tight Teito was holding on. He remembered clinging to Gido and suddenly that was enough and he gave in, mumbling, "I'm so sorry" over and over again. "You should have had it better, that was always the plan," Gido's word sputtered from his lips and it was almost enough to make him cry. Frau was thankful that he didn't.

Frau later remembered that they talked, but hardly about what. It was more the taste on his tongue, the warm skin under his hands, the sweet sounds that left his lips and the familiar scent in his nose that he remembered. And when it came down to it Frau hardly wanted to remember anything else, after all they had plenty of time to talk now. Although he could hardly believe that there would be any reason for Teito to stay up here. He had never been a Ghost, and though he had harboured Verloren's body, his soul had barely been touched.

Day had melted into night had melted into day and bright rays of light were shining through the gap in the curtains. Teito was still sleeping though it was near midday, but then again there was a lot to take in about this place. Teito's eyes blinked open when Frau pushed a few brown strands out of his face.

"I thought you were going to sleep the whole day," Teito muttered, winding his arms and legs snug around Frau's body.

Frau snorted quietly, but amused. "You've been awake the whole time?"

"Not really," Teito gave a small yawn and buried his face in Frau's shoulder. "I dozed off in between... I didn't want to get up."

Frau felt him smirk, and pressed a kiss near his ear, digging his teeth into the soft skin of it. He trailed a line of kisses down his neck, but was interrupted when Teito landed a soft punch on his shoulder.

"Never thought it would take our deaths to get you this far..." Teito muttered, biting Frau's ear.

To that Frau only huffed, returning the bite and flipping them over, pinning him down with ease. "You're enjoying that way too much brat," Frau growled when he noticed Teito's smirk.

"Maybe..." he replied, writhing. Eyes half shut and smirking.

There was no denying, Teito definitely knew how to get his way, and Frau found it strangely comforting to know he was still the same annoying brat. "You are enjoying this," Frau repeated, yet smiling and he kissed his nose. "I'm glad," he said, and Teito only blinked before he returned his smile and buried his nose in his cheek, burying Teito beneath him, before rolling to his side after a while.

"I'm already dead, no need to worry you'll suffocate me with your weight anymore," Teito teased.

"I know," Frau replied with a sigh, but still smiled. Stupid brat, Frau thought. Still, he rolled over onto his back, rubbing the last sleep out of his eyes. They fell shut either way when he sighed and smiled to himself. A while ago he had thought he couldn't be any happier and now he would have to argue about that. Teito was moving closer, curling up next to him and suddenly Frau was very glad that he didn't try kissing him awake.

Gido had done that and Frau had loved it, for the mere fact that it was so much nicer than being kicked out of bed by Castor.

Teito had started running a hand through his hair and Frau opened his eyes, scrutinising him. "What...?" he asked.

"The man who brought me here said something peculiar... He said you all stay here till you can go back down again," Teito said and sunk down onto Frau's chest. "What did he mean?"

"The man who brought you here?" Frau echoed, feeling way more content when he was the one running a hand through Teito's hair then the other way around.

"Yeah, Zehel before you, he brought me here and Ayanami as well," Teito declared and shifted a little in his position, to have it more comfortable it seemed. "I forgot his name..."

"Gido brought you in?", Frau asked, confused and sat up. He felt slightly dizzy, not quite awake yet, why would Gido even... It made no sense. Teito nodded, he noticed, and tried to smile a bit.

"What did he mean by that, Frau?" There was concern on his face, but Frau couldn't really concentrate on it as the ugly feeling in his stomach was too hard to ignore. Although Gido had not lied to him per se, he had voluntarily kept that information from him and Frau knew him well enough to be certain that there was a good reason for that. Though, Teito did not need to worry about that, so he kept quiet for now.

A sigh escaped his lips. "Well... there's a catch," he began and realised that Teito would not like this. Even more he would want to stay... Certainly, he would. Why the hell... Gido could at least have kept his mouth shut about this, Frau thought as he ran a hand over his face. He leaned onto his hand, his elbow resting on his knee, getting comfortable. "As former Ghosts we need to wash out the darkness first before we can even think about being reborn..." Frau was surprised how easy the words slipped from his lips.

To his surprised Teito took it all quite calmly. "How long...?" was all he asked.

His lips parted, but the words would not come out. Years, decades, that much Frau knew... How long exactly he couldn't say. "I don't know," he admitted. "Long..." and after a moment he added. "We're definitely talking decades." There was no answer to that, but Frau noticed how Teito curled up in his lap and Frau pressed a kiss to his head. "What's wrong?"

"I was vessel to Mikhail and Verloren's body, that's going to take more than decades to wash out..."

Frau was speechless.

"Stupid!" Was it even possible to be this wrong. How could he even believe, Frau felt like something that was meant to be yelled and screamed was stuck in his throat. His nails were digging into the sheet, but he hardly noticed. "You damn brat, is that really what you think?!"

"I mean, that both of you have souls that burn so pure it's amazing you don't blind innocent onlookers."

Gido's voice was clear and vibrant in his head, ringing in his ears.

Teito was startled by his anger. Good, Frau thought, gritting his teeth.

"And neither of you seem to believe it."

Well, you can hardly blame me for that, Frau thought and swallowed, running a hand through his hair. But he would not allow Teito to think the same way. "If the shadow had laid a hand on you, you would have been swallowed. There would have been– The light was all your own to begin with. It was all yours" Frau could read in his eyes that Teito wanted to argue, that he couldn't believe him, but the glare he shot him effectively silenced him and after a while, he didn't quite know why, he even smiled. God he had been such an idiot, he was even close to feeling sorry for all the trouble he had put Gido through. He had probably been the reason for several headaches of him. "Don't ever say that again. Don't you see, you can go whenever you want, but I have to stay..."

"No." Grim, Teito sat up to stare at him. "Not when I finally have you back, I'll wait and then we can go back together. I'm not going alone."

Oh damn... Just as expected, Frau stifled a groan and instead of sinking his head he bumped it against Teito's. "No way. I'm not letting you. This is gonna take half a lifetime, even with being my heroic self; it's way too long!"

Teito snorted. "Right," he smirked. "I'm not going back down without you and you can't make me," he went on and got very close which reminded Frau ultimately of the games Teito had been playing with him. Being such a tease that it had been a sheer miracle Frau hadn't lost his nerve any earlier and given in completely. Or at least it seemed to him that way now as he stared stubbornly back at Teito.

"And if I have to drag your ass down there myself, I don't fucking care. You're not wasting away your time in this place. Bad enough you're here at all! What were you thinking?"

At that Teito huffed, probably very well aware that Frau could still manage that with ease and even find a way to make it happen. Frau was pretty sure he would, maybe he could talk Asyl into taking Teito back down. After all he only meant well. Actually the idea itself wasn't so bad, and Frau made a note to ask her when he saw her.

"It all happened too fast..." Teito finally muttered. "I couldn't do a thing. Next thing I knew I was here and Ayanami was as well."

That made no sense, considering that Verloren's soul shouldn't be allowed entrance to heaven. It seemed to confuse Teito even more, and Frau made a mental note to do some research of his own later.

Teito had always had his own methods of getting him out of bed and half the time it was worth it. This time it was not. For all he tried, Frau couldn't help himself but find the refectory depressing with that few people present.

"It's weird to see this place so empty..." Teito stated and Frau nodded. Anyhow he didn't seem as affected by it, as Frau noticed how it seemed to immediately lift his mood to see Fea. And while Teito ran over to his uncle Frau trudged behind.

He noticed Gido and Tamika chatting a few tables away, something about their picture still made him stomach drop.

Oh God... was all Frau could think when Fea obviously beamed at him. He would never get used to it. But Fea was merciless and his joy about their relationship unyielding, and while Frau wasn't exactly bothered by it, it was slightly embarrassing. And while Teito was happily chatting with Fea, prying holes into him, Frau poked at his food, eyes fixed on Gido.

What had he been thinking... Ayanami of all people. Someone stuffed something into his mouth and Frau found himself glaring at Teito. It was a smile that greeted him though.

"You should eat properly now that the Scythe is gone," he said.

To that Frau only rolled his eyes as he chewed and swallowed. "I'm not hungry. That's all."

"That will come with time," Fea interrupted when Teito wanted to protest and for the first time Frau was actually glad for his presence. "Some things are ingrained too deep to disappear over night. Eat as much as you like whenever you feel like it."

"See brat, it's not like I'm dying or anything," Frau grinned, snagging a strange star-shaped fruit from his plate. It was sweet like sugar, almost too sweet. He pulled a face. "Ugh..."

"What?" Teito smirked.

"Too sweet. Now I really don't want anything else..." It had been enough to make him feel slightly sick.

Teito huffed. "You did that on purpose," he muttered.

"Right," Frau strained the vocal in that. "You know I can't stand sweet things. Makes me feel nauseas, goddamn..." He muttered, the rest of his argument became incomprehensible gibberish when he dropped his head onto the table. At least he didn't have to see Fea's everlasting smile resting upon them. Fortunately Fea and Teito had a lot else to catch up on, which allowed Frau to fall into silence for a while as he tried to calm his revolting stomach. It had been Teito's idea anyway, he had been the one to drag him out of bed, saying it would be fun getting to know everything and everyone. Frau would have preferred to stay in bed and ignore the world a little longer. Especially when it was just a fuckton of gardens and more gardens and nothing else and weird baths and fountains and this weird church.

It was Teito's voice after all that caught his attention. "That one," Teito said, pointing over at Gido. "He brought me here, and Ayanami too!" When Fea furrowed his brows Teito only nodded. "Do you know him?" That question was for both of them, he realised, when Teito's eyes skipped between the both of them.

"Yeah that's Gido, he was Zehel before me, why do you even know that?"

"I met him on my journey with father," Teito replied, nodding at Fea. "And you?"

"He was my mentor," Frau said, trying to sound as nonchalant as he could, but he had to smirk when Teito gaped. "He raised me, and I was part of his crew."

There was no immediate answer, and for a while all Teito did was scrutinise Gido, who still sat by Tamika's side. "It certainly explains a thing or two..." And as much as Frau would have liked to argue with that, he couldn't. His behaviour had been shaped after Gido's, as Frau had wanted to be just like him just four years back. And frankly, that still hadn't changed much. If there was anyone Frau looked up to, then it was Gido. It had always been him. Always Gido. "Then," Teito's gaze focused on Frau. "Was he the one who taught you the requiem?"

As there was nothing to say Frau only nodded. He might have even commented on that if Fea had not interrupted them.

"Earlier, you said that Gido brought you and Ayanami here. Is that correct?"

"Y-yes... why?"

A kind smile rested on Fea's lips, but his eyes spoke of something Frau couldn't quite figure out. "I gather that only the two of you know of this so far, so I need to ask a favour of you. Keep it to yourself. There was no unanimous decision and some might not react well to that information. You would do Gido a favour too."

"I just don't understand why him. I can hardly imagine he volunteered," Frau replied, raising his brows, while Teito didn't quite seem to grasp why the whole thing was a problem at all. Although Frau could only guess himself, he would say he had a pretty good idea.

Fea sighed. "That I cannot say, but I don't think it's likely either, given... Nevermind," he cleared his throat, drinking from his cup and shifting in his seat. "What I can say though, is that Gido is excellent at bringing in strays that are somewhat conscious of where they are and what happened to them. No idea why, but he has some good hunches," Fea smiled. "Maybe that is why they asked him to do it."

"They?", Frau and Teito echoed in unison.

"The eldest, our self-proclaimed council. They won't or can't leave for reasons they never tell, but they have been here the longest and we heed their advice, especially in matters like this."

So that was what the bunch of weirdoes he had named the first generation was called. He raised a brow...how curious. Why would somebody even consider staying in a place as fucked up as this one? Whatever their reasons were, they were beyond his comprehension. "I see," was all he said in the end. It kind of made sense actually, seeking advice from the oldest and wisest. Rather than those who had most experience in making mistakes.

After that, Teito finished his plate and was finally able to part with his uncle. Frau didn't like to admit it, but he was glad it was over. Those hundred-volt beams that Fea called smiles where just too much to be on the receiving end of.

"Heh. Never thought I'd see you embarrassed."

"I'm not," Frau protested. Though that was not entirely true, it was just... It was bothering him. "It's just... why does he have to smile like a thousand suns," Frau pressed a hand to his forehead. "I could do without that, it's creepy..."

Teito only chuckled in response. "So where do you wanna go?"

"I don't know, what is there to see?"

"Well let's see – gardens, gardens, gardens, some freaky hot springs and fountains, gardens, gardens, the lake and who would have thought, more freakin' gardens...gee we really haven't enough of those!" Frau had started counting on his fingers, while his gaze lingered on Teito. Although grim with frustration at first, he soon smiled when Teito laughed.

With a smile Teito said, "show me whatever there is." And tugged at Frau's sleeve. "Please..."

Frau only glared, but he did as asked. Considering how fucked up this place was he could hardly let Teito walk about on his own. "Alright, then let's go meet our neighbours," Frau smirked and found Teito, to his delight, eyeing him with suspicion.

"We have neighbours?" he asked, half curious, half sceptical.

Frau hummed an answer and led him along towards the church gates. Once they were outside though, Teito froze and Frau couldn't help but to stop and stare himself. It was a sight for itself. "Teito – Strays, Strays – my boyfriend," of course the strays were indifferent as always, trudging by with slow steps, staring right through them, even through the building. He had also noticed how Teito had blushed upon his words and Frau couldn't help another smirk and ruffled his hair.

"They don't react to the church..." Teito noticed surprised. "But it's right in their way. Why aren't they approaching us?" Confused he looked around, watching the strays part ways around the church.

"Hm, well Gido said it's under some sort of cloaking spell. So only those who know it's there can see it." Thankfully the explanation seemed to suffice, because he really had nothing else. "So, where do you wanna go next?"

"You said there were hot springs?"

"Hm... yeah... in a way..." Frau admitted and Teito's look reminded him way too much of himself when Gido had told him about it. It was almost enough to make an awkward laugh slip from his throat. "Come," he said.

They walked for a while in silence. Teito didn't seem to be bothered as much by the gardens it seemed. To his surprise he was smiling, staring around in wonder.

"The petals," he said, when he noticed Frau's stare. "Do they fall all day?"

"Yeah... they get everywhere..." Gido had been more than right, Frau thought, grumbling as he shook some out of his hair and brushed some more from his coat. Strangely enough, Teito kept smiling. "What?" Frau just had to ask.

"They remind me of snow. It would fall for days sometimes when I was small..." He cupped his hands, caught some and turned them over in his fingers.

Frau only sighed. "Don't the gardens bother you? I mean, there's literally nothing else here..."

At first there was no answer, Teito only turned his head away. When he finally muttered an answer though, Frau could only grin. "Don't remind me, I'm trying to actually enjoy this!" He pressed the words out between his teeth, trying hard not to be upset it seemed. All Frau did was snicker in response.

When they reached their destination Teito remained awfully quiet, even when Frau eyed him and bent down to look straight at him.

Slowly, Teito finally looked up, staring at him like he had done something very bad here. "What even is this place?" he demanded. "Why the hell is it shaped like a cross, why is there a goddamn reception desk when nobody needs one? What's about all these flasks and jars and that thing is no fountain or shower head or whatever you wanna call it, that's fucking art." He was pointing at the dragon fountain that Frau still had little trust in.

"It's not art, it's weird," he objected, "ask Gido, he knows every damn thing about this place. I've only been here for some months." He thought about the dozens of jars and bottles, but only ended up hiding his face in his palm and trying to reassure Teito that he was truly okay.

It had been the wrong idea to wonder if he would actually find anything on these shelves considering the last time he had done that. "I'm fine, I'm fine... let's go somewhere else."

"But I wanna take a bath!"

"You've got to be kidd–", but before Frau could finish his sentence Teito was already undressed and halfway into the water. Frau felt ignored, frustrated, and finally he decided to give in. There was little he had to object, no actually he had nothing at all to oppose. There was never a wrong time for a hot bath. Never. Although, Frau realised when he stripped and followed Teito into the pond he had picked, maybe Gido had take him here one time too often.

The fountain in this one had the shape of a bear's head, like the one he had killed in the mountains, and for a while Frau watched it with suspicion. Only when Teito splashed water at him did he turn around to dunk the damn brat under water. Teito laughed in answer and spit whatever water had been filling his mouth at him, which caused Frau to dunk him in once more. A smirked lined his face when he felt Teito's shoulders as the other was trying to wrestle him down. Their fight left them both drenched and warm and laughing

"I'm no brat," Teito huffed and crawled onto his lap when Frau sat down beside him. His arms slid around the slender, warm body, as he watched the surface slowly calm. His thumb drawing circles on Teito's shoulder blade, when said one nestled close.

Damn brat, Frau thought, slowly sinking nose-deep into the water, only to be greeted by Teito's smile. "What?" he muttered, lifting his head just enough so he could talk.

"You still really enjoy baths, don't you, hm?" Teito said. It sounded less like a question, more like a statement, and since there was not much to say Frau only hummed a sound of agreement. Becoming a Ghost had deprived him of all of his body heat and this had been the closest he had ever come to it for the longest time in his life. The only response he got though was a smile, and Teito made himself comfortable on his lap.

This was entirely different.

It was not that he hadn't known this already, but he somehow felt the need to state that for himself. Gido would... Gido... His skin was crawling at the thought of his touch and suddenly Frau wished the water would be scalding hot. Then it would be easier not to jump up and scrub it off his skin.

This was not the time and place. This shouldn't even happen. Frau barely noticed when Teito scrambled for something behind him. "What's in all these bottles and jars?", Frau heard him ask.

"Don't know. Ask Gido, he knows them by heart!" Frau explained and was suddenly very glad when Teito did not ask for a reason why Frau knew that Gido knew. That would have ended awkward. God damn... he thought, this was just the wrong place. He didn't want to think of Gido right now, but that wasn't as easy as he had hoped, but it helped when Teito let the flasks and jars be flasks and jars and kissed him, and Frau smiled. For once he didn't mind how demanding Teito was in these matters.

Except for the baths, some fountains they had passed, and the lake there was little to see outside the church, and though Frau had mentioned it earlier he would not take him there. Not today anyway, not when he still remembered how deep it had cut the first time, not when he knew exactly how much it would hurt Teito to see them right now. But of course Teito wouldn't be himself if he allowed Frau to let matters slide. Frau sighed at his question.

"You said something about a lake earlier, aren't we going to visit that one first?" Teito tugged at his coat.

"It's just a lake, I believe you've seen one before. No need to go, is there?" Frau responded, lighting a cigarette and hoping the matter was done with this.

"Well, if it's just a lake we can go there, right?" Frau didn't respond to that. "You're not telling me everything, are you?"

Frau sighed. "Not today..." he said in answer to Teito's first question and tried a thin smile when he ruffled his hair. "We'll go there some other time," he added, the promise in his tone, and that seemed to be enough. Although he saw Teito pouting on their way back.

"I thought you were exaggerating..." Teito admitted, once they reached the gate. "But there really is nothing else but gardens here...", his voice unusually thin. There seemed to be a question lingering on his tongue, but Teito didn't ask it.

Inside the church there was the library where use, function, and purpose were easily explained. Then there was the Cuvere, even at the same place where it used to be and Frau was glad for it, because he hadn't even visited this place himself. Teito seemed genuinely interested.

"Well, that's it", Frau shrugged as they ascended the stairs. "Nothing else interesting in this place if you don't count the inhabitants." And there were depressingly few to begin with, if you were used to ten times as many filling these halls.

"Anywhere else you want to go?"

"Not really..." Teito said, smiling. "I'm happy for any time I get to spend with you." Somehow Teito's fingers had found their way around his own. Frau didn't really mind.

And that he got. From now on they could have an eternity together, or at least a taste of it, as Frau would certainly be stuck here for at least a couple decades. After all Gido had said it himself, Frau would be able to go down again in no time compared to... whatever the others had to face. Time passed, but for all that it made him happy to have that stubborn brat back at his side, Frau couldn't stop that little voice from whispering that Teito shouldn't have to share that burden. And the more time passed, the more it gnawed at him and the harder it got to ignore.

When Teito had wanted to spend some time with Fea, of course Frau had not objected and took the time to, after all, continue reading.

It took him some time to figure out where he had left off.

The entire property on which the great church near the outskirts of Raggs had been built was owned by the Verius family. It was a fact that had been swept under the carpet at some point in history and after that it had been easy to forget, although the knowledge was still passed on to each heir of the house.

Frau blinked, and had to read the paragraphs stating the how and when about these facts twice before he could feel it slowly sinking in. But then, it explained the reason for their strange concept and why they would consider giving the pope the title as the head of their house even when he was a complete stranger. Interesting.

What followed where dozens of chapters about every first (the pope) and second (the one doing the actual work) head of the house of Verius. Frau tried reading the first few, but soon grew bored, merely skimming the pages and he soon skipped to the latest chapter. He had even skipped the recent pope, even though that might have been interesting, Frau found little sympathy in himself for the man to actually busy himself with his life.

'Nante Verius' the title read, but it was not the name but rather his birth date that made Frau furrow his brows. With none of them being an actual part of this house... why was the present head of the house listed here. Frau ran his thumb over the sign on the back. It read 'Zehel', but Gido didn't know anything, which left only Asyl to ask. His eyes skimmed the text. Military training, five children... daughters...

Frau had to stop and rub his eye, it was hardly hurting, and it certainly did feel more like reflex in the end. His head was spinning as something he had tried not thinking about surfaced and he allowed the words to form for the first time.

Gido had lied to him. He had lied, when he had said he didn't know who had brought Ayanami in. So why was there any reason he shouldn't lie about this too?

Maybe there was an easy explanation after all, Frau thought, hoped. Back then he would have let the hurt over this form into anger, he would have yelled at Gido, called him out on it. Right now it made him feel almost nauseas and he had to close his eyes for a moment.

Back then there hadn't been all that pain to deal with.

A warm hand touched his shoulder and for a moment Frau didn't even think about it, he just leaned against Teito and closed his eyes. It was still strange when Teito ran a hand through his hair, the strangest that he couldn't stop thinking about Gido. Frau had hoped it would go away with time, but even after two weeks it was still there. That nagging thought that it was Gido's thing and suddenly he didn't want anymore.

With a grumpy sound Frau ducked his head away and dropped it onto his arms onto the desk. From somewhere he heard Teito lightly teasing him about the book on his lap, but he didn't really care and it wasn't actually amusing either. What was nice though, was when Teito replaced the book and curled up on his lap. His arms wound around Frau's neck and his fingers were caressing his back, while his lips were way too distracting to pay attention to anything else, and for now that was all he needed.