Themis pulled close the jacket offered by the tiny, Lallafelin woman Ares… Senri introduced him to last night and with a frown and narrowed eyes looked himself over in the tall mirror in as offered bedroom.

The outfit consisted of the white, silver-etched jacket, white shirt underneath it and as white slacks – and he wasn't exactly sure if that's what Ares meant by saying he had to 'blend in.' The woman… Tataru said – with a smile – that his hair and pale carnation inspired her, yet, he worried that Ares would decide he still… stick out too much and sends him away. He couldn't help his eyes… other than wear the mask of his station – but Damon was quite clear about them not wanting anyone to connect him with his title.

Not that he could blame them…

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair tiredly, grimacing at his reflection.

He remembered most of what happened after the Sundering… and almost wished none else did. Or that he could forget it completely… He was tempted to ask Ares to erase it all – but at the same time, that would mean letting him… see it all and that… he couldn't bear his idol to witness.

Of all the lessons he learned from Ares – it seemed that only his yearning for balance survived, though he almost curled into himself thinking of how… twisted it became in his fragmented mind.

He agreed to become the heart of Zodiark to save them… and ended up betraying everything they taught him. Last night, to not see the judgment in Ares's sky-blue eyes… burned. And to know all they did to make him whole again…

Themis sighed, then smoothed his expression into a neutral mask – a light, polite smile – then, after carefully checking his reflection again, headed toward the door of the bedroom – hoping to find the room of Ares and apologize… again.

He did so twice last night – but after a few bells of thinking – as he didn't require rest and honestly, was a tad… too excited to sleep – he could only come up with more and more reasons to beg forgiveness of the man that once inspired him.

Now… more than ever, too.

And if it was as well an excuse to make sure… he was still there – apparently sharing the body with the Warrior of Light – well… He had as well more than enough reasons to apologize to Senri.

To think he almost killed him – would, if the Elzen Dragoon didn't stop it – and would never know of his… passenger, now sent a shudder of terror down his spine.

Perhaps… he should rethink asking Ares to erase that – all his mistakes led to… But he couldn't help but feel that would be proof of his cowardice – getting rid of his guilt instead of facing those he wronged… Wouldn't that also go against his mentor's lessons…?

"Who, in the hells, are you?" someone snapped at him and Themis blinked, turning his surprised gaze toward the source of the angry voice. He frowned at the white-haired mortal female that glared daggers at him in turn, searching his still a bit… messy memories for her name. "And what are you doing in here?" she rested her hands on her hips and narrowed her blue eyes at him, grimacing slightly at the sight of his eyes. "One of Emet-Selch's… friends?"

Ah… one of the Levellieur twins… Alisaie, was it…?

"Excuse me the intrusion, miss Levellieur," he said smoothly, bowing slightly and putting a carefully polite smile on his face. If he was still good for anything… at least his work as the Emissary taught him good manners. "My name is Themis, and I do prefer to count myself as a friend of Ares if…"

"Are all mortals this noisy in the morning?" snapped an aggravated voice on the side – when the door they stood by opened quite quickly and despite his too-familiar dark scowl – now supplied with his restored memories – he recognized the hint of worry in Hades's bright, golden eyes when he looked between them.

"Em…" the girl gasped, backing away from the door slightly and Themis almost sighed, straightening and sending the older immortal barely visible nod – silently assuring he was fine. Though much more subtle in it than his brother, Hades was no less protective of those he saw as his family – and once he thought himself lucky for the honor of being counted as such.

Another thing his mistake robbed him of.

"Good morning," he said calmly, holding his gaze without a flinch. "And we do apologize for the inconvenience, Hades. I was just about to explain to miss Levellieur who am I and what…"

"Oh, hey, Alisaie," Hythlodaeus peered from behind his lover with a grin, nodding toward the girl.

"Great," she muttered under her nose, then sighed with a hint of resignation. "Now they moved in, apparently… It's too early for this… Senri's around?" she finished out loud.

"He's still asleep, probably," Hyth replied with a smirk, leaning against the doorframe. "They were quite busy last night…"

"I don't want to know," she rolled her eyes, then tossed him a slightly suspicious look, though at the same time she relaxed visibly. "A new friend of yours, I take it?"

He frowned and opened his mouth to reply, but Hades was faster.

"It's Themis… and he's harmless, mortal," he flinched and tossed a glare at his lover when Hythlodaeus sighed with resignation after poking his side.

"Apologies," the violet-haired immortal rolled his eyes. "His manners are still a work in progress, Alisaie. But yeah, Themis is one of our friends. Damon kind of… brought him back last night, exhausting himself… badly, so I wouldn't disturb them if it isn't absolutely necessary."

"I see…" the girl sighed, then ran her hand over her hair, looking between them again with a frown. "I guess that explains why they weren't answering my calls yesterday… what now…?" she hummed, tapping her nails against her cheek as her unseeing eyes trailed down the long corridor.

"Is something the matter?" he asked quietly, though mostly out of politeness – at the same time wondering if that was the direction of Ares's and Damon's room…

"Kind of…" Alisaie exhaled slowly, then folded her hands behind her back and smirked, bouncing slightly on her heels. "Yesterday at the Annex, I was asked to pass a message to Senri of a tip about that thief… The one who cat-napped Salina," she added like it was supposed to mean something and he frowned, looking with uncertainty at the other two immortals – his confusion made worse when their expressions darkened considerably.

"Oh?" hummed Hades, narrowing his eyes at her. "They found him?"

"Possibly," the girl shrugged helplessly.

"Who's Salina?" he finally asked, looking between them.

"Kind of… Senri's and Raha's daughter," explained Hythlodaeus with a slight nod down the corridor. "Some time ago someone took her from the care of the Warrior's sister. Hades got her back, obviously, but the thief got away."

"I see…" he said slowly, considering it before looking at the mortal girl with a new interest. "And that thief… Ares... I mean, they would like him caught?"

"Of course," she snickered, rolling her blue eyes. "It makes for a bad precedent to let someone get away with stealing from the Warrior of Light! Not to mention he could try again…"

"Just tell me who it is and let's be done with it," Hades muttered with some aggravation. "We surely have more important things to think about than some insolent…"

"No!" Themis gasped, then instantly smoothed his expression with a smile, trying to hide his sudden excitement. "I mean…" he added, clearing his throat and looking at the girl with a slight nod. "…if I could be of some assistance… I'm sure there is no need to bother the Warrior before the thief is caught."

"Oh…?" she narrowed her eyes at him with confusion.

"Themis…" Hyth said softly, drawing his attention. "You don't need to…"

"You heard him," Hades snapped, cutting his lover off and sending him a warning glare before looking toward the girl with some haughtiness. "Until the thief is truly known… He's more than enough to help you investigate. The others have much more important things to attend to right now… and Themis is more than capable on his own to deal with one insolent mortal."

Alisaie bit her lower lip, looking up at the golden-eyed immortal with some strange glint in her eyes, before she rolled them, then sighed and exaggerated resignation.

"Okay," she said, then motioned for him to follow her before heading in the opposite direction of the corridor that she was earlier looking at. "Come one, Themis, we don't have a whole day!" she snapped without looking back when he hesitated, but one quick glance toward the older immortals had him steel his spine, nod toward them politely and follow the girl.

"Is that really a good idea?" Hythlodaeus worried, brushing his violet hair back over his shoulder when Hades closed the door and headed back inside the room, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "He barely got himself back… if he even did, completely, I mean," he added, then sighed and laid back down, resting his head in the other immortal's lap.

"He needs something to do, otherwise he's going to drive Ares up the wall with his apologies," Hades rolled his eyes, but smiled running his fingers through his lover's hair delicately. "If he thinks he can somehow… make up for what he sees as a failure in Ares's eyes… let him, I say. And that girl is of a clever kind," he added reluctantly – especially when Hyth smirked at that, gushing playfully. "Or at least, Father consider her… fascinating."

"Oh…?" a new consideration flared in the bright, purple eyes. "Does he, really?"

"His words, exactly," he chuckled at the flare of excitement in his lover's eyes.

"That's high praise, indeed!" Hythlodaeus snickered quietly, then sighed softly. "Aren't you even a bit… I don't know, unnerved by all of this, Hades? And with them soon heading to the past…"

"Not really," he shrugged helplessly, then raised his eyes toward the closed door. "Father said that whatever happens in there… Well, he believes it won't affect this timeline – but the next one this travel will inevitably create. As confusing as it all is – I have to believe in his intellect, Hyth. And that they'll be all right. I got back… everything I wanted," he admitted in a whisper, dropping his gaze to his lover's when Hythlodaeus pressed his hand over his cheek. He wrapped his arms around it, squeezing it gently as he leaned in, closed his eyes, and rested his forehead against his man's. "Now… the trick will be keeping it."

"We will," Hyth whispered in turn, sinking his fingers in his pearly-white hair. "I swear, Hades. You'll never be alone again."

He smiled weakly… hoping his lover wasn't lying. And more than ever determined to make it true – no matter what it takes.

Feeling something slightly chilly press against his skin right at the place where his thigh began, Raha moaned sleepily, instinctively shifting his leg away from it as his tail flicked against the pillows lazily. His ears twitched slightly at the lovely sound of his lover's deep, mischievous chuckle, then he felt that slide and close around his thigh. That feeling, swiftly followed by the chill sliding around his hips, coiling delicately around the sensitive base of his tail and around his other thigh, had him arch slightly and whimper softly when that sensation brushed against his cock and balls in the most… interesting way.

He blinked blearily at the ceiling above their nest, then frowned and despite his blush, looked down – and gasped because yeah… obviously his mate had his own ideas about what to do with that chain of crystals – not that far from his own, yesterday – and using his sleep, Senri was busy implementing it with life interest… and pure lust in his beautiful face.

"What do you think you're doing?" Raha rasped, lowering his hand to sink his fingers in the ink-black hair and petting his lover's ear delicately.

"Morning, my heart!" Senri grinned his ridiculously awe-inspiring grin, blinked at him innocently with his jet-black lashes… and went right back to his task, hovering over him as he wound the long, thin chain around his abdomen and up his chest.

"Snark…" he sighed patiently – despite his own, instant arousal at the pure, shameless admiration in his mate's ice-blue eyes – and delicately pulled on his earing. "I can't go with it this like... this," he blushed darker, but when nudged slightly, he shifted to allow his lover's… designs on his skin – reasoning that he could at least for a moment indulge his fantasy… And gods, but that chain on his skin really felt quite…

"We will see," his mate chortled evilly, ending the long chain in a loose loop around Raha's throat, then sighed with delight and using his legs being spread, he laid down on top of him, tearing a surprised gasp from his throat when those small crystals slightly dug into his skin, at the same time gently tightening around his tail and the exquisite sensation had him arch with a choked whine and dig his fingers in Senri's back. Squirming slightly at the maddening sensation of the hard crystal s pressings against his most sensitive areas, he almost missed his mate whisper something against his throat, nuzzling affectionately on his heated skin.

"Connect," his lover purred with the characteristic note, and Raha gasped breathlessly, shakily pulling on the part of the chain wrapped around his neck – smiling somewhat ruefully when it didn't loosen – now forming a loose collar. He didn't really need to look to know that with his gift, Senri forced the chain to connect wherever it crossed, forming quite… permanent adornment on his skin. "Looks lovely," his mate chuckled playfully, then dragged his rough tongue up his throat while at the same time hooking his hand under Raha's knee and pulling his leg up around his waist, with premeditation letting his dick slide against the chain where it rested right next to his cock, Senri cooed his approval when he arched under him with another gasp, digging his fingers into his shoulder blades for purchase.

Filling his head with the intoxicating scent of his arousal thickening the air around them and rutting against him, forcing the links of the chain to move and tighten around his body in the most sensitive areas, before long Raha was whimpering his name in choked groans. Smoothing his hands possessively down his muscular back, he wrapped them around his lover's beautiful behind, pushing his hips harder into him with each stroke.

"I knew you'd love it, Raha," Senri chuckled, bracing his weight on one arm while the other fingers dipped in the oil right outside the nest and soon slipped under his ass, pressing into him unceremoniously while his lover placed a small, sharp bite on the tattoo on his throat, still rutting his dick against his insistently. "I want you to wear it just like this, my prince," his beast cooed shamelessly, working his body into a rapid fashion and tearing helpless mewls of arousal and need from his mouth. "And every time you feel it pressing on your skin… I want you to remember this moment" he whispered then pulled his hand back and wrapped it around his hip as he forced him to arch under him harder and took him with a raspy, possessive snarl, blowing his mind completely at the insane mix of sensations. When seated inside him up to the hilt, his lover rose above him and the sheer scope of the possessive pride in his beautiful beast's face as his ice-blue irises trailed down his body below him… was staggering and took his breath away as his heart pounded deafeningly between his ears. Whimpering involuntarily in embarrassment, he sank his shaky hands in his lover's dark hair but wrapped his legs around him with an as obvious need to have him… own him… this maddeningly beautiful beast that purred with delight at his claim then braced his arms around him and sparing him none of his inhumane strength proceeded to take him in a deep, brutal rhythm – sooo soon having him beg for more in choked, desperate whines of utter submission. "So beautiful you are, my Raha," his mate growled, sinking into him time after time. "So b-beautiful… Each time you feel that chain… I want you to think of this…" he added in a raspy note, shifting slightly to pound into the knot of nerves that in a heartbeat had him sob his name desperately.

Sneaking one hand between them to relieve the painful pressure, he came in a stroke on his throbbing flesh… yet, Senri only flashed his fangs at him in a vicious grin and set to fuck him even harder, forcing all the air out of his lungs and making him choke on a whine as before he knew what happened he was coming again, utterly overstimulated. Yet, more than loving each second of the onslaught, the pure domineering instinct all over his mate's face as his pale skin shone with the sweat and the power in the muscles dancing under it was so undeniable.

"How mine you arrre, my prrrince," his beast drawled – his pupils insanely dilated to let it peek through and the pure, mind-shattering devotion in those eyes made his heart simply stop. "How only I can make you sing like this… How you only everrr belong to me, Rrraha… my beautiful, perrrfect soulmate…"

Robbed of words and his throat too tight to speak anyway, he nodded eagerly, clawing at his lover's shoulders until he choked out a groan and fell atop of him. Surrounded by him – his scent and heat blowing all the sane thoughts away – he wrapped his arms around his neck desperately, holding on for dear life as Senri growled against his throat with obvious need, bit kept taking him in a rough, punishing rhythm – the pressure of his muscular body pressing all of those crystals into his skin – but far it was from being unpleasant.

And even as another orgasm mounted in his body almost too quickly, he tightened his arms around him securely at his lover's quiet, choked whimper against his skin.

"I… w-won't lose y-you… everrr again…" the sudden raw vulnerability of his deep voice tore through the haze of his body's furious need and he whimpered sadly, fisting one hair in his mate's dark hair.

"Never again," he swore with conviction, closing his eyes as they started to burn. "I'm yours, Senri… a-always…" he choked on it when his lover growled with satisfaction, then groaned loudly and rocked into his harder, freeing one hand to smooth it down his side and pull on his tail at the same time as he bit him – and the combined sensations had Raha scream, as the rainbow of colors bloomed under his eyelids and he came so hard his senses went out for a long, long moment.

He gasped for air desperately when he came around to Senri sagging on top of him with a relieved groan and the feeling of his almost too-hot seed filling him up. Running his hands soothingly over his Warrior's back as his senses reeled in the afterglow and then only tightening his embrace around his lover's shuddering body, he spread delicate, affectionate bites over his throat and shoulders, whispering gentle reassurances into his heated skin while his mate fought to catch his breath.

"So… you'll wear it like this?" his lover chuckled sheepishly, nuzzling against his throat affectionately but seeming content to remain in his possessive embrace.

"If you so wish," he replied softly, despite how his face heated up unbearably at the prospect. He knew his clothes would cover it – but Senri definitely achieved what he wanted… there was just no way he wouldn't think of his lover taking him like this when he feels it on his skin at all times!

"Good," his Warrior sounded incredibly pleased with himself as he pressed a tender kiss on his throat before pushing his legs off him and rolling them over, to let Raha splay with a content hum on his chest and sigh with bliss at the way their scents mixed into a truly intoxicating aroma. "You're mine, Raha…" his lover whispered, wrapping his arms around him tightly and lazily nuzzling against his ears. "No matter what happens – there and when we are back – we will stay together, yes?"

"Yes," he agreed easily… hoping it wasn't a lie.

You and me both, my boy, hummed Damon in his head tiredly before he felt a gentle brush against his soul. Sleep, Raha… We will need all the rest we can get.

And he wasn't sure if it was his magic or just exhaustion… but he gave in with a small, relieved sigh.