Much, much later that evening, after Raha settled down into their nest and fought not to think about how hurt and disappointed he felt over their immortals' mistrust – especially Damon's – toward him, at some level he was very surprised that Senri didn't show up. He asked him to – and was glad for some time alone to think – but it still quite… worried him, too.

Considering if he should look for him – and assure his lover that he was not mad at him, knowing how much Senri trusted their passengers – he didn't realize when exhaustion claimed him.

When he woke up to the complete darkness ruling inside their bedroom and to the sound of rustle of materials – followed by the much bigger frame claiming into their nest behind him, he relaxed slightly… until he realized that it wasn't Senri. Their bond quite muted, he didn't open his eyes or moved a muscle while his lover's body wrapped around him securely – like every other night. Feeling his breath tease the fine fur on his lowered ears, he finally opened his eyes but otherwise stayed motionless. Since he asked him to, Damon stayed silent yet – apparently – Senri's absence had a reason…

"I'll not apologize, Raha," he finally heard by his ears but still refused to move or say anything – still beyond… pissed off that they would not trust him or force his mate to keep secrets from him… "We did what we thought best – for both of you – at the time, like we always do. If the merge didn't make Senri immune to my compulsion, he wouldn't know of it either. And while I do understand why do you feel hurt and that's why I kept my boy from following you… I do want to ask you a question and do consider it objectively – beyond your feelings, okay? If you didn't know that your… passing would kill Senri, and somehow you would find yourself in a situation where it would seem like by giving up your life you could save his… what would you do?" his deep voice was quiet and emotionless – as if he was discussing the weather at most. But despite that, Raha curled into himself slightly and closed his eyes with a quiet sigh – because he did know the answer to that…

"Exactly," Ares added softly – though still in that flat tone. "Damon reasoned that letting you – both of you – know what Hades did, would affect your choices too much and those threaten this timeline. I did not necessarily agree with that – but to say I respect his opinion is an understatement. And while ours can joke of me being… whipped by him, do you know why I would do whatever he asked without hesitation, Raha?"

"…why?" he whispered.

"Because different than in case of you and Senri, my boy, I have absolutely no doubt that he lives for me," the immortal inside his lover downright hissed, slightly tightening his arms around him while his words made Raha's throat close up. "While your Senri knows your selfless heart all too well – and knows that if you were forced to pick between your and his life… Well, he knows what you would pick, Raha. As much as he loves you – he is unable to comprehend that… not really, anyway – because like to me, the very idea of self-sacrifice is absurd to him. Do you understand why?"

"Because…" he choked, then swallowed thickly and sighed with resignation. "…he lives for me."

"And do you understand the difference, Raha?" Ares's voice softened then he chuckled sadly when he shook his head slightly under his chin. "Yeah, he knows that, too. And Damon – brilliant as he is and knowing your every thought and feeling – knows it as well, and that is why we kept it from you. That is why I am not going to apologize for wiping it out of your mind every single time you found out about it, Raha. I trust my Damon with every sliver of my soul because I know he would bend the very universe to stay by my side, as I would to stay with him. As Senri would fight to his very last breath to be with you – and that is what it means to live for someone, Raha."

"Because…" he took a deep, steadying breath then opened his eyes, staring into the darkness numbly while his hand moved up slowly and wrapped around his wrist resting over his chest. "…Damon would rather kill you himself than asked you to watch him die…" he whispered what his immortal told him once – on the day he found out about him.

"Yes, and I would thank him for that," Ares replied with confidence… and a hint of amusement. "Raha… I believe – and I know that Senri shares that notion – that one's life is the very most precious thing he can offer to someone one loves – and to discard it, no matter the reason, is the very epitome of breaking one's trust. Or put it otherwise… would you want to live if Senri would give up his life for you, Raha? With his issues… what do you think that would do to his soul – if he was able to survive it? I didn't understand it until Damon explained it to me…" he added softly and Raha frowned with confusion. "I mean, what happened after our… failed jump to Thavnair, my boy. What brought about the merge… and in a way, his original breakdown that twisted the Esteem. And can you imagine… if thinking – consciously or not – that he used your… neglect to gain your heart did that…" he trailed off meaningfully, then sighed softly when Raha curled into himself with a quiet whimper. "All I'm saying… is you need to value your life as much as you do Senri's or more, boy, because without you… he is not able to exist, and I'm not talking about the bond between you, but about his sanity, if nothing else. And you can resent us for keeping the fact of your immortality from you – as it is your right to do so – me and Damon, I believe, would never deny you that. But do not take it out on Senri… because we literally spent bells convincing him to keep it from you – and he still wouldn't if we didn't swear he can tell you once the whole mess with Meteion is sorted out – one way or another – and didn't add the whole… Crystal Tower debacle, too…"

"Crystal…?" he started, then choked on a gasp – flinching as the understanding dawned instantly. If he wasn't immortal, he would have to – eventually – either seal himself in the Tower again or… His throat tightened with disgust at the very idea of letting anyone other than his mate touch him…

"Mhmm," Ares sighed then rubbed his chin between his ears delicately. "So, as I said, we do only ever have your best interest at heart, Raha. It might not always seem like that – and perhaps you can't truly understand that… but Damon loves you, boy – and my husband only ever loves fully and utterly, without any kind of compromises or hesitation. And…" he chuckled, then delicately wrapped his hand around Raha's jaw, raising at the same time behind him, turning his head slightly until his confused gaze met nearly luminescent, sky-blue irises than shone with no less devotion toward him than his beast's beautiful eyes when Senri looked at him. "…is what I saw in his soul on the day I met him, Raha. What made his soul look to me like an utter perfection – and made me determined to have him. Because with one look I knew if I can claim his heart – it'll be mine for an eternity… And as much as we understand – both of us, and Senri, too – that it's your childhood and upbringing that makes you… undervalue your life – and none of us would ever begrudge you that… believe me when I say it, Raha, my boy would not be as devoted to you as he is if you didn't truly deserve his heart. And that… is all I wanted you to know," he grinned – a bright, crooked thing – and his eyes shifted, pupils slitting and their color turning pale, ice-blue – and instantly growing uncertain and worried. "Raha…"

He sighed softly, then turned around in his arms completely, pushing his hand to rest around the back of Senri's neck and pulled his head closer until their foreheads met.

"I… freaked out," his lover admitted sheepishly, smiling hesitantly as he raised his hand against his cheek, smoothing his thumb over his skin delicately. "Rushed after you… and that's last I remember."

"I imagine," Raha sighed, then rubbed the tip of his nose against his mate's gently, holding his stare. "I was not… mad at you, Snark. After all they did for us… I know you trust their judgment… more than mine. And you're right," he added with power when Senri opened his mouth to protest. "Ares made me realize… No, you're just right, Senri. To doubt me – because now I know… why you sometimes grow so uncertain. I thought… Well, I fooled myself into thinking that I know better – that when I swore I would never leave you again… I was genuine. Yet… they knew, better than me that if forced to pick... I would always pick you, Snark. Even knowing how much losing me would hurt you… because as much as I try… I can't help but think you're a… miracle and that our world would be… less without you," he sighed, closing his eyes and resting his hand on his cheek in turn.

"I can't… be without you again," his lover whispered in a flat, monotonous tone and his heart lurched painfully.

"I know…" he whispered back, then opened his eyes and brushed his thumb over Senri's lower lip delicately. "And I swear to you, Senri… now and for the rest of eternity, I'll gladly live for you – as much as you live for me, my beast."

"Good," his mate sighed softly, closing his eyes and tension he didn't really realized until now left his body. "I…"

Raha lifted slightly, tilting his head and while curling his hand into a fist in his lover's dark hair, placed a small, sharp bite on his lower lip, smiling slightly when Senri gasped and his eyes shot wide open, instantly sparking with arousal. And holding that stare, he lowered his hand slowly down his lover's muscular body between them until it stopped and curled possessively around swiftly swelling flesh and tore a breathless whimper from his mate's beautiful lips.

"Now…" he whispered against Senri's mouth. "…that we have that cleared up… And with no more secrets between us… I want you to take me, Snark," he finished on a rumbling purr, placing another bite on his chin.

His lover's hand shot to curl possessively around Raha's ass, pulling him tight against his body and he almost whimpered needily, feeling those maddening crystals dig into his skin delicately, tightening around his body most sensitive areas. His heartbeat picking up and almost instantly tripled its rhythm and his breath left him on a gasp when Senri's pale irises flashed with endless, insatiable hunger as they trailed over his face.

"I won't be gentle," his lover growled in a warning.

"Did I ask you to?" he asked, smirking coyly.

"No, Raha…" Senri's deep voice rang with aggression that sent fine hair and fur across his body to bristle in alarm. "…I mean… I'm going to fuck you so hard you'll beg for mercy… and sing my name until your beautiful voice goes out…"

"…promises, promises," he purred near-deafeningly with a daring smirk, then did whimper feeling sharp tips of his beast's claws on his buttock right before his lover snarled at him then I a flesh of a movement pinned him down into the nest face-first, tearing a surprised whine from his throat when he felt Senri's dick press tight against his ass with demanded.

Taking hold of his wrists, his lover pinned his left arm above his hand, then using its proximity, forced the fingers of his right hand to sink into the bowl with oil, then pulled that arm back and between them. He couldn't help but mewl his painful arousal as he complied to the silent demand instantly, preparing his body for his beast's claim. And seeing his obedience, his mate rewarded him with a rumbling growl against his neck, leaving that hand to curl his – distinctively clawed – around his cock, pumping the wanting flesh in rhythm with his own fingers efforts. Drowning his gasps and whimpers in the pillow under his face, Raha instinctively wrapped his tail around his lover's thighs possessively, helplessly rolling his hips between the two sensations.

"My prince…" his mate purred teasingly, nipping in sharp bites over his shoulder and neck, forcing his body to move with his movements as he rutted into the back of his thigh impatiently. "…so beautifully eager for me," he tightened his hand around his wrist, pulling his left arm higher above his head and forcing him to stretch and bend his back in display of utter submission. At that Raha couldn't help but simply whine his arousal, speeding up the movement of his fingers and losing his mind when Senri chortled breathlessly and matched it with his other hand, its unbearable tight, hit grip almost too much to bear already. But as soon as he pulled his hand back from his ass, Senri purred and caught it instantly, forcing it to join the other, crossing them at R wrists and holding them down with one of his as he lifted of his back, curling his free hand around his cock and the redhead almost expired, choking on desperate groan when his mate used it to insistently rub the tip of his dick between his buttocks. "Tell me, my Rrraha…" he rasped in that growly note that had him mewl and strain his back, trying to push back onto the scalding flesh and force it inside him. "…tell me, you want my cock… beg for it, love, and I'll fuck you as yourrr beautiful body needs…"

"P-please… Snark, n-need you…" he whimpered, trying to collect his scattered wits and press back.

"What do you need of me, my hearrrt?" another rasp had him whine shamelessly, tightening his tail around his lover and arching his back harder.

"Your dick… pleeease, claim me…" he choked out, losing all sense of shame in the painful arousal. And whimpered with relief when instantly his beast complied, groaning deeply as he took him, sinking his cock inside him up to the hilt in one, hard stroke. The feeling of his scorching flesh spearing his insides and filling him until it felt like he was going to burst had him arch with a shout under his body, whining in the back of his throat in bliss when Senri moaned and pulled his hands apart, wrapping his around his wrists again and pulling them up over his head higher, while with his knees pushing his wider apart. Utterly immobilized by the position and his weight, Raha almost spilled on the first, harsh roll of his lover's body against his back, the complete dominance of his mate's over his body as arousing as the feeling of his cock pulling out and slamming into him harder, forcing all the air out of his lungs on a choked whine.

"You love it, don't you?" his lover purred against his neck, then bit him brutally, tearing a scream of his name out of his mouth that trailed of to a deep, blissed-out groan. He barely registered when Senri moaned around his bite, pumping his dick into him mercilessly and when he let go of his right hand, he only curled it in the blanket at the edge of the nest, holding for dear life as his whole body burned and bounced with his mate hard, demanding thrusts. Then he nearly choked on a gasp when his lover's big hand slapped his ass mercilessly, making his body fall into an instinctive submission and tearing a string of profanities from his mouth on a choked gasps at the sting, followed by that hand wrapping in a tight ring around his dick, leaking pre-cum at this point. Feeling the pinpricks of pain mixed with pleasure where Senri's fangs pierced his skin, drowning in their mixed scents as they swarmed his head and filled his lungs with every harsh pant and surrounded by the unbearable heat of his mate's body, in mere few strokes he came with a choked shout, then whimpered his lover's name in a bliss of it… to mewl helplessly when Senri growled into his skin and shifted slightly against his ass. At the first hit against the knot of nerves that sent almost painful jolt up his spine, Raha screamed, instantly too overstimulated. The second had him whine for mercy as his dick grew hard again almost too quickly, leaving him dizzy and breathless. "That's it…" his lover purred, breaking his bite to drag his rough tongue over his skin – tearing another choked whine from his mouth as he didn't break his stride, pounding into his ass mercilessly. "…sing forrr me, Rrraha."

And he did – in whines, whimpers and gasps – until his throat wouldn't utter a sound anymore, merely mindless, incoherent mewls leaving his lips and drowning in the pillow as Senri fulfilled his promise, fucking him from one orgasm into another time after time, and even as he tried to beg for mercy, his lover would only purr his name deafeningly and fuck him harder… and he loved every second of the onslaught, of his beast claiming his body with no less enthusiasm than his Snark submitted his heart and soul into his hands.

And by the time he was done with him – despite covering him bite marks, scratches and exhaustion making his gaze blurry… he fell asleep in his grasp with a tiny, blissed-out grin – knowing with utter confidence that this – his Snark's possession of him – was everything he ever wanted or needed – and sleepily noting to thank Hades for making it permanent.

In the darkness of offered by the mortals' bedroom the bright, golden eyes shot wide open and Hades gasped slightly, feeling a hard push against the barrier he created around the Source. Though with his father's warning expecting it – and earlier thinking Damon was overly cautious about it – he almost arched off the mattress under the sheer scope of the pressure.

"What's going on?" Hythlodaeus gasped, pressing his hand over his heart and peering into his face with worry in his bright, purple eyes.

"It…" he muttered through his teeth, gathering his boundless reserves and mercilessly pushing back against the onslaught…

They'll die… all will die and you'll be alone again… on and on, millennia after millennia, watching everything around you crumble…

"…started," he finished with a quiet snicker, narrowing his eyes into a fierce glare at the ceiling of the room and baring his teeth in a humorless grin.

Nice try, he sent back against the despair incarnate, forcing her to back of with the sheer effort of will. Feeling the reassuring flow of Hyth's aether supporting his without a word, he gathered and thickened the flow of aether currents around the star – brutally showing the presence back. But you'll not take from me again, bitch.

We will see, ran through his head before it melted away.

He more of felt than saw Hythlodaeus sit up, then reach for his new clothes.

"I'll wake up the others," his lover whispered, then hesitated, leaning over him with a worried frown. "Now, feeling it… How long do you think you can keep her back?"

"As long as necessary," Hades hissed through his teeth, then cleared his throat and raised his hand against his man's cheek. "But tell them to hurry."

"I will," Hythlodaeus replied, reassuringly squeezing his hand around his then determination flared in his purple eyes as he leaned away and headed to the door.

Hades looked after him for a moment before he closed his eyes again and – reassured in what was on stake – tightened his grip on the star.

Themis joined them in the travel across the rift, landing with them right in the middle of the Ocular of the Crystal Tower on the First and looking around with some curiosity despite the circumstances.

T'senri merely smiled sheepishly when the door to the Umbilicus were nearly shoved open and Ardbert – in Raha's old skin – marched in, looking at them with a very high raised eyebrows.

"Not that I don't enjoy your visits," he said with some humor. "But it is a… surprise. What do I owe it?"

Themis's jaw nearly hit the floor, his bright, blue eyes wide open while they moved numbly between him and Raha.

"What…?" he murmured, frowning.

"A long story," his lover chuckled, rubbing his hand over his face tiredly before turning his gaze toward his half-crystalized double. "We need your help, Ardbert. Apparently, this Tower can be used to travel back to our friends' world… our world before Sundering – only we're not sure how…"

"Whoa," the ghost in his old skin gasped, looking between them with confusion. "If you don't know that, how I am supposed to? Other what you taught me back then, I'm still figuring stuff out," he scowled, folding his arms over his chest and tapping his crystalized fingers against his bicep… and to say that T'senri felt awkward was an understatement when his mind involuntarily instantly jumped to the memory of how those felt on his skin… or inside him… and he looked away as his face heated up unbearably.

Raha – thank the gods, perhaps not noticing that – sighed, looking around helplessly.

"Come," he finally motioned for his double to follow him and headed toward the open door of the Umbilicus. "We will check the logs for anything… related," he added toward T'senri before disappearing inside, closely followed by his doppelganger.

"I'm… confused," said Themis slowly, looking after them.

"No wonder," he chuckled, then raising his hands and bracing them on his hips, slowly walked toward the crystalline mirror. "Ares, any ideas? Did that other… T'senri mentioned anything about how did he use it?" he muttered under his nose, stepping up the steps leading toward it.

Kind of… but that option is out, the immortal chuckled sheepishly, though with a strange undertone.

"Huh?" he frowned, stopping in front of the mirror.

In that timeline, Raha used the Crystal Tower to cage Themis inside it, Ares said softly and T'senri gasped, turning his head and looking toward the young-looking immortal, that now with interest explored the carvings on the crystalline wall of the Ocular. After he attacked you for killing Hades. Being part of it by the time you… he returned to ask him about Elpis, he used last of his aether that Tower didn't consume yet to sent him back there.

Well, yeah… then that option is out, he agreed, looking back toward the mirror. He still might have had a bit mixed feelings about the Elidibus – in general – but now looking at Themis…

"Does he know something?" the boy asked behind him.

"Not really," he replied without missing a beat, folding his arms over his chest and bouncing on his heels. He didn't know him long – that him, that is – but seeing his devotion to Ares and hard to hide guilt over something… that wasn't really his fault, he refused to sill that tidbit, having a feeling that the boy would insist on trying his hand on replying his… counterpart's achievement.

Thank you, Senri, his immortal hummed with some relief. I wasn't really worried – knowing your opinion about self-sacrifice… but still, thank you.

Don't mention it, he replied smoothly, narrowing his eyes as he dragged them over the edges of the crystal. I don't know what you told Raha when I was… out, but I can only guess… ah, I owe you more than that, that's all. And hey… if he does hook up with Alisaie – she's like my sister, so…

Who knows? Ares chuckled fondly. I just thought that her… no-nonsense attitude would be good for him – but if Damon agrees – well, he's quite good in his guesses, I believe, if that bet we had about Hades and Hythlodaeus took literally millennia to resolve… but, eh, look at them now, right?

Right… he trailed off, looking behind him when he heard the steps coming back and raised his eyebrows expectantly at his lover when he and his double walked back into the round room. "And…?"

"Didn't really find anything… predictably," his mate shrugged, but smirked when he joined his side. "But Damon says he might have an idea for a spell to help us along. He just needs a moment to prepare it."

"Okay," he hummed with consideration, then turned toward Themis and smiled somewhat involuntarily when the boy stopped at the base of the pedestal, looking between them with uncertain expression. "Themis, I would have a request… if you don't mind?"

"Oh? Of course not," the flare of enthusiasm in the bright eyes was hard to miss, and T'senri barely stopped himself from snickering.

"Good," he insisted put a sheepish smile on his lips. "So, Hythlodaeus told us about your and Alisaie's endeavors…" his eyebrows twitched slightly when the slight blush spread on the boy's face before he look away somewhat guiltily. Their immortals seemed to be definitely onto something there, judging by his expression at the sound of the Elzen's name. "…while we're gone… can you still help her as long as Hades won't need your… input? I appreciate that she wants to help us find that infernal thief, but I don't want her to get hurt.. or something while doing so," he added smoothly, ignoring the way Ardbert looked toward him with his eyebrows near his hairline.

"Ah… of course! She'll be completely safe with me," Themis gasped, then cleared his throat and looked at him with some curious uncertainty. "I mean… if you really think that's… okay?"

"Both me and Ares give you a blessing… in your endeavors," he grinned shamelessly, wiggling his eyebrows playfully and snickered mercilessly when the teen-looking immortal colored darkly and dropped his gaze between them.

"I… ah, thank you… and I won't disappoint you… or him, again, I swear," he whispered.

"That, I don't doubt," he hummed, then watched him relax considerably and look up, with a slight, shy smile… And yeah, if Alisaie sees him like that – knowing his best friend as he did – she's a total goner…

"Ready," said Raha, stealing his attention and T'senri turned, dropping his arms to his sides and looking toward his lover expectantly. "Here should be fine," the redhead muttered, turning around and resting his right hand against the crystal mirror, whispering under his breath in a by now familiar tones of Damon's spells. Soon the mirror lit up with a strange, bluish light – not showing anything, but simply glowing. Raha pulled his hand back and wobbled a little, so T'senri grabbed his arm instantly, supporting him. "I'm okay, just… it was a demanding one," his lover tossed him a slight, sheepish smile and he almost blushed – knowing he was the reason behind his lover's exhaustion. They caught perhaps two bells of sleep before Hythlodaeus woke them up, and in less than another gathered confused Themis – and relying in few, brisk words what's going on, had him insist on joining them – at least until here. "Damon says it should work as an portal, Senri – but most likely would close after we pass it – but he should be able to recreate it, back to this place, when we're ready to come back."

"Okay," he said, then smoothed his hand down his lover's arm to intertwine their fingers tightly, before taking a deep, steadying breath. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," his mate sighed, tightening his fingers around his reassuringly, then, without hesitation or looking back, they stepped through the portal… and stopped, both looking around with astonishment. "What in the…?" his lover murmured and T'senri nodded numbly, his mouth slightly agape as he gaze toward a fucking giant person that walked over them, heading toward the other side of the massive room.

Well, boys, welcome to Elpis, his immortal chortled in his head, at the same time as he heard too-familiar voice booming into a laughter somewhere high above them. He spun around with a gasp, pulling his stunned lover behind him, and just… gawked at the gigantic version of himself in Hyur edition… Oh, that's not right… You should be arriving here a day before, and meeting Hades, not us…

"Oh, fuck…" his lover muttered next to him, and when T'senri followed his stunned gaze up… he instantly fell in love.

And when a pair of gorgeous, too-bright cyan eyes somehow – as if feeling his enamored gaze – turned down and right to him while his companion seemed busy talking with another giant, then turned into slits instantly, flaring with a cold interest… he knew they're fucked – and judging by a tiny, choked whimper at his side – his mate more than agreed.