Hades barely peered through his lashes toward the door of the bedroom when they creaked open and grimaced at the sight when his brother poked his dark-haired head inside.

So much for the reprieve….

When carefully annoyed golden irises met downright enamored sky-blue of Ares's, he involuntarily tightened his hand around Hyth's – still asleep next to him and quite adorably snoring quietly – when his older brother pushed the door open and walked in like he owned the place. Which – likely – wasn't that far from the truth…

"Don't you have more interesting things to do than bother me, Azem?" he drawled through his teeth hauntingly… and briefly wondered why did he even bother when Ares grinned his stupid, crooked grin as he settled down at the edge of the mattress next to his hip.

"Awww…. Don't be like that, little brother," he gushed embarrassingly, then wiggled his dark eyebrows playfully – adding a funny twitch of his cat-like ears – and Hades scowled darkly to cover the way his lips wanted to twitch as well at the display. But he knew him – and if he indulge his behavior… He looked up at the ceiling above the bed when his throat tightened painfully as he realized how much he missed this – his stupid, clingy brother who would embarrass him constantly with his ridiculous doting… "How do you feel?" Ares asked quietly and he felt his hand rest over his heart. "Damon told me what she tried to…"

"He shouldn't," he replied without looking at him and grimaced involuntarily at the reminder. "And I'm more than fine. A few hours at most and I should be able to…"

"Hades… don't," his brother sighed and he winced involuntarily at his tone. A quick, careful look told him that, yes – Ares's narrowed eyes and tight line of his jaw – now he was dealing with his second father, instead of the annoying brother.

Opposite to Damon – who always was his father and usually his best friend – Ares enjoyed playing into their real connection… until his temper was spiked. Then he faced the facet of his personality that took none of his temper and one that demanded respect.

"I'm truly fine," he sighed with resignation, meeting his gaze head-on. "She choose the wrong thing to pick at, anyway, like I told Father."

"Did she, now?" before he knew it, that hand moved off his chest and wrapped around the back of his neck, pulling him up – and despite his indignant hiss in the process – his brother without effort forced him to sit and lean against him, wrapping his arm around his neck tightly. It felt more than awkward – considering he was a tad smaller in this form than he used to be – but the addition of the audible, rumbling growl in his deeper voice had him still involuntarily instead of pushing away. "Because I did know of that, Hades. Do you believe me blind and deaf…? I had millennia of dealing with our people before you were born, boy – so don't take me for a fool. I was only ever proud of you and your skills, little brother," he added in a gentler manner when he winced and dropped his head on his shoulder, closing his eyes. "And more than shared in your doubts. To see how much frustration and guilt their behavior toward me brought you and Damon… hurt. But if I were to fit in…"

"You wouldn't be you…" he whispered, with some uncertainty wrapping his free arm around his back. "…and you wouldn't have me in the first place. Every time they said you should give me away…" he choked, falling silent and instead clearing his throat self-consciously.

"As if I ever do that," Ares chuckled fondly, smoothing his free hand over his back in comfort.

"You don't understand," he breathed barely audibly. "I was another reason why they…."

"You were – and are – the light of my existence," his brother cut him off in a snarky tone and Hades smiled weakly even if he couldn't see it. "From the moment our mother put you in my arms until the stars will blink out of existence. Never doubt that."

"And yet… you made yourself mortal for your… host," he said quietly with accusation.

"Hades… we were over that," Ares said softly, pulling back to look in his face and no… he wasn't pouting. Only glaring daggers at the opposite side of the room over his shoulder. "Look at me, boy," he sighed and smiled somewhat ruefully when he did. "What happened with Senri… was a surprise, I told you that, but even if it didn't occur – Damon's spell wasn't meant to make them immortal. The very idea of… mortality was quite abstract to us at the time, I admit, but considering we knew what we're the stakes – we could not change too much not to risk this world unraveling around us. That was the only way and the reason why he didn't make it so we would take them over completely once awoken – as we hardly cared about them back then. I hated Senri…" he added quietly, pulling him tight against him again and resting his chin on Hades's shoulder. "I did… while Damon was indifferent about them – seeing them as not much more than means to a goal – I despised the mortal that dared to snuff out your light… and intended to make him pay accordingly because the very idea that he was part of my soul – and yet did that – I found especially unforgivable. And yet… after Damon woke me and I spent time watching… I couldn't find that hate in myself anymore. Do you know why, my boy?"

"Because he's so much like you?" he asked with a frown.

"No," his brother chuckled, tapping his hand against his spine. "Because – in a way – he reminded me of you, Hades."

"…I beg your pardon…?" he frowned with confusion.

"Silly, right?" Ares sighed, then carefully pulled back letting him fall back down on the mattress. The obvious mix of fondness and amusement in his sky-blue irises had his throat tighten again when he leaned in and gently brushed his hand against his cheek. "But he did… Hiding his feelings behind the mask of cheery instead of scowls, yeah… but the very idea of that had me think of you, little brother… and how could I hate him, still, seeing that? I'll tell you a secret, Hades…" he winked, playfully flicking him on the nose and chuckling at his instant scowl at that. "…while Damon adores Raha because he's somewhat… awed that someone so kind could spring up from his soul – part of the reason why I love Senri – and why I did what I did, bound my soul to his – is because I can't help but see you in him, more than myself. Because despite all of the hardships and his circumstances he always strived to make the best of it – hiding his hurt and shades of his personality so as to not worry those he care about. Sounds familiar, hm?" he laughed softly when Hades looked away from his gaze as his face heated up unbearably. "Now, rest, brother. And don't you dare think about taking over the barrier before you are absolutely sure you are ready to do so."

He nodded slowly without looking toward him when his brother stood up and headed toward the door.

"Ares…" he whispered when he opened them.

"Hmm…?"

"I… m-missed you," he admitted, closing his eyes.

"I know," his older brother chuckled fondly. "And I love you, too, little brother," he added, then walked put, closing the door behind him silently.

"Now that I think about it, I do see quite a few similarities between you and Senri," Hyth's quiet laugh made him flinch and his gaze swiveled toward him.

"How long were you awake…?" he snapped involuntarily, feeling his face heat up again.

"Long enough," Hythlodaeus chuckled, then rose on his elbow and leaned over him slightly. "You worried me," he admitted quietly, brushing his lips against Hades's cheek.

"I… ah, sorry," he sighed, raising his hand against his cheek in turn. "I really thought… I can handle her without a problem."

"Mhmm… and I forgot you're now too used to handling everything on your own, love," Hyth sighed, then laid down resting his head against his shoulder and wrapping his arm over Hades's waist. "Or rather… you became worse with that," he chuckled again as if knowing without looking up that he rolled his eyes at the remark. "Ares's right… you're not touching that barrier until you're completely recovered, Hades."

"Is that so…?" he hummed with surprise at the uncommonly hard note in his voice.

"Yes, this is so," Hyth said, tilting his head and looking up into his face with narrowed eyes. Then some uncertainty flared in their bright, purple depth and he took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and took on a determined look. "And… you'll B-Bond with me."

Hades blinked at him slowly.

"S-So… I can support you better and…" Hythlodaeus blurted out, coloring darkly.

"Ah… only because of that?" he scowled, narrowing his eyes.

"No!" his lover's eyes shoot wide open in terror and he sat up suddenly then leaned over him with a funnily panicky expression. "Don't… Don't be silly! Because I l-love you… and I w-want to live for you, Hades."

"That's better," he couldn't help his instant, wide grin – chuckling when he wrapped his hands around Hyth's face as his eyes grew dazed and more than enamored.

"Gods… but you do look sooo much like Ares when you grin…" Hythlodaeus muttered numbly, pressing his hand over his cheek in turn. "You should do it more… it fits you."

"…you do NOT want to see him when I grin, love," he chortled quietly, pulling him closer until their breaths mixed. "As ridiculous as he normally is… it can be worse, believe me. And for the record… yes and I love you, too," he breathed and pulled him into a deep, scorching kiss.

What woke him up was a warm, gentle hand taking hold of his and the shock if it had Themis's eyes shoot wide open instantly, then look numbly at the hesitant, tiny smile on Alisaie's face.

"Hey…" she said, slightly tightening her fingers around his hand in reassurance and he blinked slowly, then darted his eyes toward it. "Senri said it's okay if I… check on you and all…" she flustered visibly when he looked up in her face again.

"…he's back…?" he rasped, grimacing involuntarily at how hoarse his voice sounded.

"Mhmm… they came back yesterday," she nodded, then leaned in slightly. Only that led him to notice she brought one of the chairs inside the room to the side of the bed he was on… and he looked around with confusion, trying to collect his scattered wits and remember what happened.

The last thing he could recall was sitting at the edge of the bed Hades rested at and with determination feeding him his aether, trying to… help, then something cracked and… He blinked, looking up at the ceiling over the bed with a frown.

"I… failed…?" he murmured with confusion. At this point, that wouldn't be a surprise…

"No, you idiot," Alisaie growled and the insult was so surprising his gaze shoot toward her and he almost winced at the sight of her scowl. Those, still, she didn't release his hand… "Unless you planned to kill yourself," she rolled her blue eyes then narrowed them at him with a clear warning. "Raha told me that you almost drained yourself dry to keep Hades stable this long…"

"I wouldn't…" he blinked slowly, then looked away from her eyes and simply curled in with guilt.

A moment of silence, then her hand tightened around his almost painfully.

"You would… wouldn't you?" she said softly and he dug his gaze into the ceiling above him.

"Ares loves Hades," he murmured and flinched when she swore in a long, creative string of profanities and stood up, leaning over him and wrapping the fingers of her free hand around his chin, holding him still when he still refused to look in her eyes.

"And what…? Do you think he would be happy if you sacrificed yourself for this?" she snapped with a nearly audible growl in her voice. "Because I don't know him as long as you do, Themis, but as everyone says Senri is so much like him… let's just say, he would damn well drag your ass out of the aetherial sea and kicked it so hard you would get over yourself instantly!"

And he couldn't help how his lips twitched at the image of that – and how accurate it was for his idol. But instead, he sighed, lowering his gaze to her eyes and frowning.

"You don't understand," he whispered hesitantly. "All I did… millennia after millennia… I failed him so many times, Alisaie… how can I ever hope to make up for that…?" he cut of with a gasp when she growled, swore again then blew his mind, leaning in and slanting her lips over his. It was quick and uncertain – clearly nervous – and she pulled back too quickly for him to do much more than stare at her with his mouth open in astonishment, blinking rapidly.

"You can do that only while living," she snapped, flushed darkly up to her hairline and now avoiding looking anywhere neat his eyes. "Step by step, and not do something as… ridiculous that goes against everything he stands for. Like I said, I don't know Ares that well… but do you really think he would be happy to lose you like that after all the trouble they went through to bring you back…?" she trailed off, letting go of his chin but before she could pull back completely, he caught her wrist and she froze.

"W-Why did you do… that?" he asked, trying to catch her gaze but she still refused to look at him, only her face went even darker in shade.

"Be… Because!" she grumbled, turning her head away and curling her shoulders in.

"…Alisaie?" he sighed with resignation, letting go of her wrist and lowering his arm. He cleared his throat slightly and somewhat wobbly sat up, blinking away sudden dizziness. She moved away but remained standing, still not looking at him and quite… looking ready to bolt. "I just wish to… understand why would you want… why would you steal my f-first kiss," his face heated up unbearably when she gasped and finally looked at him, though with eyes wide open in shock.

"Y-your…? But… but you're old!" she snapped and he couldn't help it… despite embarrassment snickering at her expanse. At that, she took a deep breath, crossed her arms over her chest, and glared daggers despite her fiery blush. "Don't make fun of me!"

"Am I…?" he chuckled sheepishly, then sighed and folded his hands in his lap, looking at them as he continued. "By our standards… I guess, before Sundering – mentally at least – we would be close in age. At eight hundred years old, I was barely considered a young adult… and soon would be required to start creating a circle of females up for consideration for future Bonding. That was the custom, anyway. Did Ares or Damon mention that?" he asked, looking up at her with a carefully polite smile.

"No," she said, then sighed and dropped into the seat behind her, putting one leg on top of the other.

"Well, that's how it was back then," he said calmly, then looked at his hands again. "As our… race was so long-living, the fact that once Bonded it was eternal and in a way… enforced monogamous relationship, it was a sensible thing to do to carefully consider one's options before committing to such. Both males and females would spend centuries… testing the waters, so to say, and to forgo it was quite… frowned upon. Much later – after the Sundering – I remember thinking that the Miqo'te inherited that specific trait most… prominently, with their mating customs, if it is not as permanent – at least as far as I understand it. You see, once Bonded, for us, it is truly… eternal. As our people died only by choosing to slip back into the aetherial sea, their partner would follow, willing or not. So to treat it lightly, was to risk one's soul in a principle. Hence, the logical and sensible custom was made to make such occurrences as rare as possible. Then – long, long before my time – an anomaly occurred and Cassiopeia, a true beauty famed for her skills and aptitude for creation magic broke the custom by Bonding in a mere year with her first lover, Nyx. The scandal this caused… you can't imagine," he chuckled sadly, then sighed and continued when she remained silent and motionless. "All cautioned her against such rush behavior, but they ignored it and remained steadfast in their commitment to one another. As only Bond allowed our people to be… ah, fertile, soon after their son was born – Ares," he smiled weakly when she gasped quietly and dropped her arms in her lap. "And imagine… our people rejoiced when it seemed that the fruit of such union seemed flawed, confirming their prejudice. As a child, he displayed almost none of his peers' aptitude for creation magic, not to mention his temper soon became apparent as they look on, waiting for any slip or mistake of him to confirm their ideas. When his talent became known – the unnaturally strong ability to control the aether of others, and with that their will as well – he and his whole existence were put on as the example of danger coming from going against the custom. Scorned and ridiculed – rejected by all but his parents who openly adored their son – few would have a heart to last in their convictions as he did. At my age, despite inheriting his father's famed looks that drew females toward him, he insisted on having only one lover at the time and demanded the same commitment of his partner – and such was seen as an unreasonable thing to do, again putting him under the onslaught of ridicule. Until he met Damon, the most brilliant man to ever walk among us, but who dutifully followed the customs our people said before us. And in less than two years, they Bonded their souls, utterly baffling their peers then and those who came after. Pointless and waste, our people would scoff – seeing only the fact that they were both male and by principle couldn't procreate. More than a few would more or less openly insinuate that Ares used his gift to force Damon to accept him…."

"Ridiculous!" Alisaie snapped and now he did smile, tossing her a quick, amused look before clearing his throat self-consciously and dropping his gaze again.

"But what I mean to say with all of this…" he exhaled slowly, then sighed and looked up again, now holding her gaze when she frowned and tilted her head slightly. "…once, I dared to ask Ares what was that made him so determined to make himself a target of… such rumors and all that. And he grinned at me this wide, crooked grin and with utter conviction and without a hint of remorse told me: love. That growing up and looking at his parents – at how much they loved each other and him – he knew that he refused to settle for anything less. That he wanted to love someone like his father loved his mother and have that person love him as hard. Enough to trust him with their own heart and soul – and to live for them. Then…" he grinned somewhat dreamily as his mind drifted back to the memory of that evening. "…as we stood at the side of their – his and Damon's – living room, watching as Hades and Hythlodaeus bickering as they tended to do back then while Damon was snickering at their expense… He – Ares – wrapped his arm around my shoulders then pointed toward them all and said… 'And look at the rewards, Themis, isn't it worth it?'... And then – that instant – I knew he was right up to the deepest recesses of my soul, Alisaie. That no matter what hardships it brings along… no matter the price… it is worth it and more. And at that moment I decided that – like him – I would never settle for anything less… Hence, you stole my f-first kiss," he smiled somewhat sheepishly when she gasped and instantly colored darkly again, shifting uncomfortably and looking away. "And, as I said, I wish to understand… why?"

"Because…" she exhaled slowly, then met his gaze, raising her chin pointedly even as her blush went impossibly darker. "…I wanted to. You're… I'm sorry if it bothers you… but I do… l-like you and… I don't know," she snapped then groaned loudly, slapping her hand over her eyes. "Twelve, I suck… at this… But if it m-makes it any… better, it was my f-first kiss, too…"

"I figured," he said quietly, striving to keep on a serious expression and not let his lips twitch – as they really seemed to want to do. But, gods… she looked so unbearably cute flustered like that!

"Huh… that bad?" she grumbled, peering through her fingers with one eye.

"I didn't say that," he said slowly then blinked innocently. "Just… fast. Now I don't understand what the whole fuss is about," he added with a slight shrug.

Alisaie dropped her hand and scowled at him.

"Excuse me…?" she drawled through her teeth, narrowing her eyes at him as fiery spark of her temper flared in her blue eyes.

"You heard me…" he replied calmly – after years of observation of Ares's ploys to rile up his husband's as fiery temper. "…hardly seems like a big thing now, honestly."

"…not a big thing…?" she hissed, almost unconsciously standing up and leaning over him as she worked her jaw furiously. "…I'll show you not a big…" she curled her hand in his shirt but he was faster, smirking as his hand shoot up and wrapped around the back of her neck, pulling her down into a proper kiss. Or so he hoped, swallowing her gasp and almost groaning at her taste. Something hard to describe but sweet and fresh, instantly drowning his thoughts in static. And when she didn't pull back but instead wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and returned the kiss with unbearable heat and fervor… he was lost, so focused on the new sensation he also whimpered a complaint when she pulled back with a gasp, panting for air desperately and flushed beautifully. "…b-better?" she whispered with such a sweet, shy look, he couldn't help but smile back, then somewhat surprised with himself, brushing the tip of his nose against hers.

"Much better," he breathed, feeling his face heat up unbearably.

"Good," she smirked mischievously and his heart stuttered nervously, but he didn't have time to ponder over that as she leaned in and took his mouth again, this time stealing his mind.

When Senri walked into their bedroom, closing the door behind him, Raha looked up from over his desk, raising his eyebrows slightly in question when his lover dropped into the seat opposite of him and rested his booted feet at the empty corner of the massive desk, sprawling comfortably and folding his hands behind his head.

"All good?" he asked pointedly.

"Mhmm," Senri grinned his goofy grin and wiggled his dark eyebrows at him playfully. "I mean, I left Themis for Alisaie to look after… and all."

"Is that so…?" he chuckled, then dropped his gaze to the map in front of him, smoothing its edges carefully. "Playing matchmaker, my heart?"

"Me…? Nah, just supplying opportunities, Raha. What they do about it…" he trailed off meaningfully and he snickered involuntarily, tossing him a quick, fond look.

"Well, I'm not going to complain if that… opportunities turn out to bear fruit," he said with amusement, then sighed and picked up the call when his linkpearl beeped insistently. "…yes, Krile?"

"Garlemald, near the place you broke the camp," she said quickly and disconnected the call. He grimaced but picked up the pen and marked the spot on the map.

On it, Damon whispered and he merely gasped at the spike of his aether around his soul as his immortal set to mercilessly snuff out any leftovers of Meteion's uninvited visit to Eitherys. They had been at it since Senri left to check on his gift from Alisaie and to see to their immortal guests – their friends scouring their world for the places where Hades's barrier cracked and relaying the locations of there were any 'blasphemies' as the mortals came to call the beasts. He wasn't exactly sure how Damon was doing that, but after confirmation from Y'shtola in Palaka Stand – a village near Radz-at-Han – he knew that the beasts tended to… burst when his immortal was set upon them. He had to later ask him… Wait. There's someone familiar there, Raha.

Huh? He replied without raising his gaze, noting the time near the mark.

Not that certain… but feels like Zenos, my boy, he stilled at the name, narrowing his eyes in front of him but swiftly blocking anything… unwanted from slipping across his bond to Senri. Smart.

"Snark…?" he looked up at his lover with a carefully innocent expression and then smiled sheepishly when his mate raised his eyebrows at him expectantly. "While I'm busy here, would you mind checking on our families? None reported anything near Limsa yet, but…" he trailed off meaningfully.

"Ah, good thought," his energetic Warrior jumped to his feet instantly, then leaned over the desk wrapping his fingers around Raha's chin. "And I think I'll deliver that Keeper to Merlwyb and have a talk with Nico's father… so it might be a bit."

"Don't worry, we'll be probably bust with this for a while, anyway. And if I'm done before you're back, I'll meet you there," he assured with an easy smile and rose slightly in his seat to meet his lover's kiss midway.

"Sounds good, my prince," Senri chuckled, then straightened and with a playful salute, turned and headed out of the room.

He waited until he couldn't feel him in close proximity before he pushed his chair back and stood up, then narrowed his eyes at the spot on the map and grinned.

Damon, prepare something special for me…? He asked his immortal.

What's on your… oh… he trailed off, then chortled downright evilly. Ah, that does seem fitting. Give me a moment before jumping.

No problem, he replied, then headed toward the shelves with their clothes to change.

He had a good, long ponder over the best punishment for the Garlean prince – in his beast's best style, accounting for the equilibrium his beautiful soul craved. Now that he finally showed up again, was time to put his theory to the test and answer the question of what the man would find as the absolute worst to endure.

Ready, Damon hummed with obvious relish when he changed his outfit for a more fitting of the Garlemald's climate.

"Marvelous," he gushed to his immortal's amusement and jumped.