untitled: Baiting -editting

 

Meanwhile, whilst Ceata slept off the amazing bout of bloody sex he had just experienced, Death sat with Rowan drinking a glass of wine each. The two were discussing battle plans, though the meeting was as much to figure out just what Rowan was planning now that he had Stannis as any sort of war strategy. It seemed strange how that day's events had gone so well in Rowan's favor, as if the man had planned Urius' intense reaction to his callous words. What's more, Death sought to find the strange reason as to why Urius was so loyal to Rowan. Surely, this obsession he had went far beyond love.

 

The immortal peered up at him thoughtfully, pondering just what was hidden behind those emotionless eyes and that dazzling smile. Rowan was complex and until Death could crack the mystery behind him, there would be no way he could guard against the things that the other could do. "Tell me Rowan... how did you get Urius to do what he did? He reacted so strongly.... it was as if he were possessed." The immortal breathed, his dark eyes catching and meeting Rowan's.

 

Rowan merely smiled in turn, putting down his glass of wine with an elegant gesture. Death could tell that the other was fresh from a bath - his skin had a particular glow to it and he smelled just like lilacs....lilacs and sword steel. "All Starcs will react in a similar way. As you saw, Stannis went into a trance much like Urius did. When his master told him to do something, his instincts kicked in and, because of various selective breeding, he became focused entirely on following the order. All Starcs have that ability - this blind loyalty that will persist until they have breathed their last or destroyed their target. Why else do you think Urius works himself to exhaustion to fulfill my every demand? It is not as though I ask him to go to such extremes. It is merely his nature."

 

 Frowning, Death stroked his chin slowly. "Could that not be a downfall as well, Rowan? I mean... I could think of various ways that could become a problem..." He mused softly and plucked up his glass, sipping wine delicately from the glass. He stared off into space, pondering faintly to himself upon the matter. There was much on his mind, mainly the war, Rowan's strangeness and the baby that was rapidly growing in Lazarus' belly.

 

"Tell that to the ones who made us what we are...Starcs are the commanders. They take orders and are trained not to disobey. Valens are the bankers, they tell you where you can spend for a war and where you cannot. Tenshihana are the priests and the Princes, governing all for the greater good...Maestars are the mages, they control all aspects of magic in our realm. And Jins, as you know, are expendable. They are the foot soldier that dies so the Starcs can live and the Valens can bank and the Maestars can cast spells and the Tenshihana can rule. That is simply how it works," Rowan replies as he watches Death's haunted eyes. He conveys nothing that might give away what his true feelings are.

 

"Sounds foolish to me..." The immortal replied softly. "There is a danger when one forces a certain people into a slot. They will become resentful and you loose people who may have had skills one could have used. We have royalty and nobility, but we do not have strict social order. One can be what they desire to be, marry whom they please and no one is going to be outcast for it."

 

"I never said Tenshihana was the best form of government or that the Houses were the most efficient way to govern the people...but, then again, how long have we been in existence? Even though we are not yet God's servants and merely worship him as we earn our place in Higher Heaven, we are still quite powerful on our own. We've forged Tenshihana by the sweat and blood and tears of thousands, our history is long and bloody, and yet still we remain. Perhaps our history attests to how well these methods DO work...Though, I must admit, it does not offer any room for change," Rowan replies thoughtfully as he reached forward and takes up one of the rose bread rolls he made earlier in the day. They're much better than Falcon's, if only because it was Rowan's original recipe to begin with. 

 

"It does not mean it works well, Rowan... there will always be things missing, people suffering and others getting rich off of that suffering." Death sighed, peering off into nothing, eyes glazed and thoughtful. "If one were to look into the human world, one can see just how twisted and corrupt it is... even though it seems so rich and vital... But I am musing now, forgive me." He murmured softly and bowed his head with a dry chuckle.

 

Rowan cocks his head slightly, chewing on the sweet rose roll in his hand as he watched the other's face intently. "Tell me, Death, what is it that drove you to create the Shadowshifters?" Rowan asks, watching the other carefully. Death seemed a bit surprised by the sudden change in topic, blinking his dark eyes with confusion. "I understand the need for Death Angels, as you have work that must be carried out in a timely manner and you cannot do it alone....but the Shadowshifters puzzle me. Were they an experiment of boredom turned labor of love or merely a deliberate attempt at creating a better Death Angel?"

 

The immortal stroked his chin, thinking about it thoughtfully. "Well... truth be told, it was merely experimentation. I was curious what would happen if I were to combine the traits and appearances of some of the races I had seen and favored. The first two had a heavy amount of my blood and were so intriguing. Watching them grow up was delightful. I cannot produce children, so they were my children since most death angels were born as adults. They grew on me... I came to adore them and I decided to make more and more once Adam and Eve had their first child... "

 

"Ah, yes...Adam and Eve. Those two were rather intriguing figures in Shadowshifter history, were they not?" Rowan asks as he folds his hands before him, though he's smiling faintly with a strange glimmer in his eyes. Of course, Death does not know that Rowan has in his possession the diary of Adam. In order for Varun to marry Alpheus, he had to promise to keep that much a secret.

 

"Yes... they were wonderful... but the fatal flaw was how deeply they bonded." Death sighed softly, rubbing his temples. Even now, their death is a sore wound in his heart and he shakes his head slowly. "So I went back and tweaked with them, made sure that they would all create harems so that they would have enough mates to lighten the blow should a mate die. It has worked well." He smiled faintly. "But those first two... they were absolutely perfect. Beautiful, loving, intelligent and eager to learn and explore since they were tiny. How I adored them."

 

"I imagine....Children are always precious, are they not?" he says as he picks up his wine and swirls it in his glass. His eyes seem to go far beyond the crimson liquid before him, staring into a memory too deep for Death to fathom. Death finds himself pondering over this strange Angel before him, unsure how to react when it comes to Rowan's disarming and deceitful smiles. One moment he can seem like the man of your dreams and the next he is causing untold pain. 

 

"Yes... they are wonderful. I am looking forward to Lazarus'." Death replied softly, "He will be due soon... that babe may be growing a little slower, but it shall be born soon." He sighed, smiling slightly even if the child would be born into a war. "I suspect your son shall be a wonderful father."

 

"My son? Oh, yes, Sahenna...He shall be a decent parent, I assume. Urius raised him, so I have no doubt he will take to his paternal duties with care," Rowan replies as he stares into his glass of wine and then finishes it off. He puts it down and leans back in his chair, seeming rather comfortable. 

 

The immortal watched the man thoughtfully, hands folded before him, dark eyes fixed on the pale man before him. Such a strange angel, very queer, so very complex. He cocked his head slightly and suddenly leaned across the table, tipping Rowan's face up with a claw to gaze into his eyes with interest. "You've beautiful eyes..." He mused softly. "They change colors.... green-gold, pale green, dark green... and sometimes they have pretty ruby red flecks in them." He smiled faintly, seeming to be musing about something, perhaps how Rowan would look beneath him? Or perhaps nothing of the sort. He did not seem interested in Rowan sexually. He had made no move to seduce him.

 

"Is it my eyes that interest you, My Lord Death, or something else?" That enigmatic smile did not budge, refusing to show any faltering or weakness. Truly, Rowan had no fear in order to be able to lie with such cunning to a God. He was either telling the absolute truth with his actions or he was insanely skilled at hiding the chinks in his armor. Even now, holding up the other's chin and barely caressing his thumb against pouting soft lips, Death could not find any evidence as to a lie. Everything about Rowan seemed genuine...but then...there were those moments of suspicion that had Death pondering just what sort of creature this Rowan was. "Is there something you desire of me?"

 

The god chuckled softly, lashes lowering over his eyes. "I dare say you are gorgeous, but I doubt you'd have interest in lying with one such as me." He replied softly. "You are far too dominant to want me... I fear I am not the most perfect submissive." He grinned before starting to lean back in his chair, not wishing to bother

 

"Perhaps you are wrong, My lord. I am not dominant in the least," the other replied with a cool green gaze. There was something dark shifting behind there, watching curiously as they talked. Death could not place it, but he was certain he had come across this feeling before...much like he had with that cold foreboding Urius gave off on the battlefield. It was simply too strange a sensation not to ponder. 

 

"Oh? I would not peg you for one." Death replied, brows having shot up into his hair line. "You always seem so in charge and aware. Surely you are not want to like having someone else in charge of you?" He pondered, stroking his chin. He leaned back over the table, red hair pooling about him and across the gleaming tabletop. He looked beautiful, temptation born as flesh.

 

"This is where you have a misconception about the power balance between the positions," Rowan replies simply as he looks to the other with that delicate smile of his. One thing Death finally picks up on - that smile never reaches his eyes. "The power does not lie in the one above...it relies in the one below. After all, once addicted to their submissive, a dominant may do anything for a willing participant. Why, he may very will kill for the chance of owning his heart, wouldn't you agree?" Those red flecks slowly crept forward as Adonis stared back at Death with such strength that it was frightening. Torment was a feeling even a God could understand.

 

The immortal was immediately, dangerously intrigued. He leaned forward, head cocked thoughtfully to the side as he gazed into that red-fleck gaze, eating up the intensity of it. His own dark eyes were hard to read, but his body language told the other just how curious he really was.  A cold finger ran along Rowan's bottom lip thoughtfully, still staring into those eyes. "Ahhh.... you are wiser then I would have thought..." He breathed. "Very cunning. I find that rather attractive." He mused. "But perhaps that is because I enjoy surprises?"

 

"Ah, that is so like Death to enjoy surprises...it seems befitting of your position, as death always comes as a surprise," Rowan replied with a chuckle, letting the other touch him. Such smooth pale flesh. it was unlike Agenta's with its faint honey color, looking almost like freshly fallen snow. Even so, there were faint freckles on his cheeks when one looked closely. Death imagined counting each one of them with a kiss. However, would that be so wise as to become involved with Rowan? He would see first hand what lay behind that emerald gaze...and yet...what if he ended up the same as Ceata or Absinthe? How unlikely that seemed and yet was it worth the risk?

 

Perhaps... Death was treading a dangerous line, but perhaps the thing behind Rowan's gaze could be just as intrigued with the immortal? "Did you know that I can change shape?" He asked softly, smiling impishly. "I rarely do it outside of soul collecting, because it makes me feel vulnerable... especially in female form, but it is one of my many talents." He rolled his eyes in amusement, perfectly happy to laugh at himself even as he toyed with Rowan's hair. What would Adonis think of Death admitting to having fears? Would he pray upon them or ignore them?

 

Adonis was not an idiot. He could smell a trap a mile away and thus chuckled lightly. "Oh, truly? To be honest, I have my own fears too..." Death leaned in, seeming interested with that brilliant sparkling gaze. Rowan then winked at him and laughed. "Of course, I'll never tell."

 

Death laughed and shook his head playfully, eyes bright and lively. "Good, I might play upon them." He teased. The immortal yawned, reaching for his wine and finishing it with a pleased smile of pleasure. He ran a hand through his long hair, sighing with delight and looking like sex on legs. Such a beautiful male, how pleasing it would be to have such a man on his knees and collared for ones delight.

 

Still, Adonis was not so foolish as to attempt Death. He was still too weak in this Angelic body of his for him to attempt a God, but there was no doubt that Death would bow to him with time...Adonis was not one to allow another God to have something over him. Death's powers were such that they made Adonis uneasy. He would not allow the other to exist so long as he was a god. "Well, perhaps I should go to bed and allow you to play upon someone else's fears. I believe mine are best left alone."

 

Chuckling, the immortal winked. "I'm not that much of an ass, but it is getting late." He mused, chewing his lip. "And tomorrow Absinthe needs his training... boy has been slacking what with all the things that have gone on lately." He smiled in amusement. "And then there are other things to do besides teach the little godling how to use those budding powers of his. I'm excited really; recently he's been showing great promise. Late bloomer really, poor thing."

 

 

"I do hope you teach him to control his arrogance...that's the worst downfall he has," Rowan replied with a chuckle as he got up and moved to leave. He brushed passed Death, the smell of lilacs and sword steel a heady combination. 

 

The immortal watched him with interest, his dark eyes bright. He would not sleep for long tonight, not when his mind was going wild and milling over everything he had seen in those slight expressions. Rowan was brilliant at hiding his feelings and expressions, but those eyes.... those eyes gave him away. "I shall, good night Rowan, sleep well. Remember not to leave Absinthe bowlegged." He teased, winking at the other male.

 

"I do not know what you're talking about, My Lord, but I will assume it is again your unique brand of humor," the other replied with that charming smile and a bow. He then turned and walked away, leaving Death to his musings. Perhaps it was time that he got someone to help him...Asking Rowan himself was obviously a fruitless act that only ended with vague inclinations. Urius...he held the answers to this.

 

And Urius.... was just as hard to get anything out of. Yawning, the immortal stood and smoothed out his robes, sighing with annoyance at having to go back and forth all over looking for what he needed. Even picking through peoples memories did not give him everything he desired. Someone or something kept blocking things from him.

 

Ah...but...perhaps Yoren would know? The image of that sweet little youth came to mind as Death gently stroked his chin. The boy was obviously easier to work with than either Rowan or Urius and he might just know something, what with his close proximity to both. Yes, talking to Yoren would surely yield SOMETHING more substantial than a feeling.

 

But how to get to Yoren? As protective as Rowan was of his sibling, he was not sure if he would be able to get to him.... at least, not the way a normal man would. Smirking slightly, Death made himself look presentable. He knew where everyone was being housed, as was his right, so finding Yoren would not be hard at all.

 

 

As Death contemplated the best way to get to Yoren's rooms, the youth was busy washing up in the baths and enjoying the hot steaming water. He had been given a trustworthy Death Angel attendant to keep him company, allowing Yoren someone to talk to at last aside from his cat Urphestes. "So is this place really as dark and dreary as the Tenshihana government would have us believe? I haven't seen much of it...so I'm curious," Yoren asks as he plays with some bubbles.

 

The young female looked up, the luscious fall of dark green hair curling lightly about her dark brown shoulders. She smiled faintly and shook her head. "No, it is a very nice place actually. Warm and welcoming. Death enjoys beautiful things and he would be displeased if his home were ugly and dark." The girl's soft, melodious voice pegged her for a Patron of Arts.  She was young as well, probably only around for a few hundred years, but very well informed and well spoken.

 

"Amazing....this place does seem more vibrant and alive than what my elders painted at home," Yoren says thoughtfully, smiling at her. "I wish I could get to know it more...Tell me, what is Death like?"

 

The girl scratched her chin, head tilted slightly to the side. "I do not know him as well as some of the elders do, but he is a kind, thoughtful man. He does have his cruel side, as all of us do, but his kindness and intelligence far outweighs the downsides." She laughed softly. "And he likes sex, very much. He is normally very cold to the touch; he enjoys the warmth of others very much."

 

Yoren blushes sweetly at the mention of sex, biting his lip as he ponders the very experience until he's all red - even up to his ears. "....I-I've never been allowed to have sex or date. My brother doesn't want me to fall victim to a horrible person and spend the rest of my life sad and alone, taking care of some rape baby." The fact that he says that with such unfailing cuteness could be considered laughable.

 

The angel giggled loudly, covering her mouth with slim fingers. She had had sex often enough to know how nice it was. "Really? How sad... perhaps if you find the right person your brother will let you? Everyone deserves someone if they desire it." The angel's bright eyes sparkled, her smile gentle and motherly. She looked as if the was one of those perfect statues, utterly flawless.

 

Yoren considered this with a bit of a pout, watching the other as she set out some fresh towels for him and some clothing. She was awfully sweet and certainly very informative about Yoren's new home. He wondered if she might know just what sort of lover Death would like...After all, Death is Yoren's first crush. "D-do....do you thinks Lord Death m-might...um....that he might...be interested in me?"

 

Peering at him curiously, she smiled cheekily. "In you? Why ask such a silly question!  Of course! You are just his type, sweet, handsome and surely able to keep his cold body warmed through the night." The girl winked, fluttering her small purple, black, and gold wings.

 

He looks to her and her lovely wings, sighing as he wishes he had wings that pretty. He reaches back and runs his hands over the place where his wings would come out, but he has yet to experience that feeling...After all, his father never allowed him to go through that critical stage of puberty because it would awaken his sexual drive. XD Funny how that works, considering he's already interested in Death even without his wings having been released. "...But...I-I'm not as lovely as you are. Surely, he can do better than me."

 

"Appearance does not matter as much as you would think." She replied simply. "If he likes you, he will flirt and see how far he can get. What with how protective your brother is, that's probably why he has not really been able to get your attention. He's sorta like a peacock when it comes to seducing someone."

 

" Well....you're sort of like a peacock too, aren't you?" he asks, pointing to her wings. "How did you come by such startling wings? Surely, y-you must have dyed them or something?" Yoren asks cutely, the question having been on his mind all the while. He wishes he could touch the soft multi-hued feathers and see for himself if they were real or not. He'd heard of a recent fad among Angels of dying their wings, but he'd never seen it done before. 

 

The girl's musical laughter returned and she came over, gently drying him off. "No, death angels naturally have such beautiful wings, Yoren." She replied softly. "We came from Death, he granted us these beautiful wings so that we could have something special for all to know us by."

 

"R-really?! Oh...Oh, goodness..." Yoren blushes, putting a hand to his mouth. "I thought you had all dyed your wings...I-I've never seen colored wings before...r-real colored wings, anyway." His stammering is cute as he lets her dry him off and he dresses himself as she drains the tub. "I wish I had wings like that...they're so pretty. You can't look away."

 

"Death could make some for you. He changed his angel Haniel's wings for him." She replied with a giggle. "He's very good at it really, Haniel's wings are utterly gorgeous." She paused, chewing her lip. "Of course I don't know how much your brother would like that..."

 

"...I've never even seen my wings," Yoren replies mournfully as he looks down at his belt, fixing it again. He sighs sadly as he thinks of it, having sometimes wondered what it would be like to look like the rest of the Angels here. "Wings mean you are sexually mature. My brother said my wings cannot come out until I'm certain of who I will marry."

 

The girl snorted, sounding disgusted. "He sounds far too controlling to me." She replied, fluttering her wings in agitation. Unlike normal angels, death angels always had their wings, but could not let them out as easily when they are babies. Learning to let them out and take them back in was hard for a tiny baby, but it became easier as it went along. "Have you any ideas for someone you would like to marry?"

 

 

Yoren shook his head and fixed his shirt a little, his green eyes looking to the beautiful young woman. "No...I...I don't really meet many people. You're the first person I've spent this much time with in probably years. I...I don't get to have many friends. I grew up in a monastery."

 

The death angel cocked her head, chewing her lip. Her name was hard to pronounce for Yoren, so she had been going by Gai around him. "Well, perhaps you'd like to meet some of the other angels? I will make sure everyone knows not to crowd you or anything like that. We do not get visitors very often you see..." Gai chortled.

 

"Truly?! I would so love -" he starts, only then hearing a knock at the door. He squeaks from surprise and instinctively hides behind Gai, as he's not exactly big and strong enough to defend himself. Gai can only chuckle as she feels his hand against her sleeve, clinging like a frightened child. She goes to answer the door, finding none other there than the man they were talking of previously - Lord Death. Just the sight of him is enough to make Yoren turn beet red.

 

Death smiled and slipped in. With Gai about, he would certainly not get grabby. It would have been rude anyway. "Hello Yoren." He smiled warmly. "I was curious as to whether I could have a little of your time perhaps?" He asked gently, not wanting to scare the young male off.

 

Yoren was stammering terribly with his big wide eyes and his cute little cheeks all red with embarrassment. He stared up at the other, the verdant warmth of his gaze so like Rowan's and, then again, so much purer than his. "W-w-wh-what a-a-about, M-m-my L-lord?" 

 

"Anything and everything." Death teased, leaning down and taking the others smaller hand in his. He delicately kissed his knuckles, red lashes sweeping down charmingly to brush at the soft skin of Yoren's hand. Utterly seductive. Death did not even have to try.

 

Yoren just about fainted on the spot, his ears now red as well as he just stood there and gasped for air like a fish out of water. Death was amazing. He knew just how to make young boys fawn all over him and the little virgin was absolutely no exception to that. Poor Yoren didn't know what hit him as his chest tightened and his heart fluttered. Everything felt warmer and he timidly pulled his hand away - it still tingled from Death's kiss.

 

"So, would you be up to it? We can eat a snack out in the garden and your lovely friend here can come as well to make sure I behave." He teased and grinned faintly at the lovely young man. He was so soft looking and shy. It was delightful.

 

"Y-yes...I....I-I.....w-would like th-th-that very much...t-thank you.....y-your Lordship..." Yoren stammered out as he looked down. It was unnerving to see Rowan's face on such a sweet creature with those big expressive eyes and delicate features. Gods, if Death didn't already know Rowan's vicious personality, he might assume that the two brothers were very much alike.

 

He smiled down at the other and nodded slowly. "Lovely... I will let Gai lead out then after you are ready, Yoren." He smiled gently and slipped out so that the other could finish getting dressed.

 

"G-Gai....w-why was he here?" Yoren asks as soon as he knows Death is gone. He looks almost scared now that his crush has asked to talk to him, clinging to the other. "I-I'm nervous...w-what if I make a fool of myself? W-what if I'm not appealing? ...G-Gai-san, please help me!"

 

The girl coddled him, dragging him over to finish dressing him. "Oh hush now, little one. Did he seem to be judgmental at all? The very fact that he came to you shows that he is interested enough even if your brother is overprotective!" The slim female hustled about, forcing Yoren into his clothes skillfully, her lips curled in a sweet smile.

 

"...Y-you're right..." Yoren says, calming down enough to realize the wisdom in her words. He then bites his lip, looking back at her with faint fear. "...D-do you.......do you think my brother might prevent him f-from seeing me if he knew? Oh...I....I'm worried...if someone sees us...I will never get to know if he's my true love or not." Yoren looks a little dejected, being helped into some traditional Death Angel garb that Gai has had him dressing in. He looks pretty in bright colors.

 

"Oh hush. I will be with you. I would not allow his lordship to take advantage and I highly doubt he would anyway!" The femme snorted in amusement, tightening a lace. The clothing he was in really would not ALLOW anyone to get at him! Too many laces and such manner of things.

 

Yoren pouted lightly at all the laces, having so many bows to deal with and frilly things. Still, he was absolutely adorable with his white-golden hair all fresh and clean, his pale skin of such a smooth and supple texture...that combined with Gai's fashionable tastes made him adorable. "...b-but...if he is my true love...I-I'd want him to, right?" he asks, knowing that Gai is well schooled in the art of love. She is his teacher, of sorts. 

 

  "Not so soon silly!" Gai admonished. "You only just met him. These things must be taken slowly or you might ruin it." Chuckling, she pats him gently on the head and made sure the purple and gold clothes she had put him in were all in order. Purple looked lovely with his hair and the gold made him all the more striking to look upon.

 

"...I-I wish I knew more a-about soc-social graces like you do..." Yoren says sadly as he fixes his sleeve and then looks in the mirror. Having been dressed and made ready, Gai takes Yoren out and to the gardens where other servants have already made ready a nice little brunch. Yoren is shy as he sits across from Death, blushing and staring down at his cup of tea.

 

The delicate little table they sit at only makes Death look larger and more intimidating. However, nursing a tiny teacup in his hands, the immortal almost looks comical. He smiled warmly at the other, and offers him some of the little pastries that sit upon a plate in the middle of the table.

 

"N-no, thank you..." Yoren stammers as he picks up his tea and sips at it delicately. He keeps staring at Death, his attraction barely veiled in those lovely green eyes. Death must think it rather amusing how quickly this little one has fallen for him. Then again, with a man like Death, it's almost certain he'll be loved in some way, shape, or form.

 

The immortal smiled gently and sipped his own tea. "How have you been liking it here?" He asked gently, eyeing the young male with interest. It still boggled him that Rowan-Adonis' sibling was so sweet natured and pure. One would think by now he'd have been married off by their father. It seemed that Rowan had protected his sibling well.

 

Yoren blushed sweetly and smiled, trying to hide his nervousness about being in front of the other. "I-I like it here...g-Gai i-i-is v-v-very k-kind to me...um...a-and I am making...s-some friends...Um...th-the cat t-that you keep in th-the kitchens...sh-she's my friend...a-and the boy that works there too...um..." He seems nervous about talking further, fiddling with his tea cup.

 

The immortal chuckled faintly and leaned on the table, just watching Yoren curiously. "Is that so? Well that is a good thing, yes?"

 

"Y-yes..." Yoren replies, sitting back a little and seeming the shrink away from the other. He's so very shy, it makes Death wonder if he's been around people all that often. Has his brother really imprisoned him away to protect him from people? Death ponders over so many things as he looks to the boy, his sweet pouty lips being lightly nibbled on in Yoren's nervousness. "U-um...s-so...so....w-what did y-you w-w-want to a-ask me about?"

 

"I'm just curious about your brother is all." He chuckled softly, "And since you are his sibling, surely you must know things about him that no one else does, yes?" He mused, smiling and sipping more at his tea. "And besides, it gives me an excuse to speak with you."

 

Yoren's head shoots up when he hears Death asking about his brother, his brow immediately furrowing as he seems to go further and further back within himself. Obviously, Death has touched upon a touchy issue to cause the other to react in such a manner. "W-why do you want t-to know about my brother?" Yoren's tone is almost defensive when he asks, edged with uncertainty and a bit of displeasure.

 

"Simply curiosity." He smiled gently. "He is an interesting man and I like to know as much as I can about those that I am sharing ranks with." He leaned closer, catching Yoren's hand and giving the pale skin another kiss. "Please?"

 

Yoren just about fainted and pulled his hand away sharply, blushing up a storm. "N-no! B-brother...he....h-he warned me about things like this..." Yoren stammers out, partially in fear and partially in embarrassment. Never before had anyone gone so far as to kiss his hand like that. His skin tingled warmly and he cursed himself for liking that sensation so much. "I....I-I don't w-want to talk a-anymore..."

 

The immortal frowned, leaning back and sighing. Well, there went that path. "Then let us talk of something else." He mused, narrowing dark eyes on Yoren. "I will not push it if you do not wish to speak of it." That would be to loose trust and Death was not stupid enough to keep pushing it.

 

"...r-really?" Yoren asks as he seems to sit forward a little more. He trusts Death as would a lonely puppy, but he is so intensely loyal to his brother that he would never dream of disobeying his orders. Death could change that, though...very easily, too. It helped that the boy had a huge crush on him.

 

"Of course. I was just curious. If you don't want to share I won't force you." The immortal smiled faintly. "Perhaps there are some questions you wish to ask me about this place and its people? Or something else perhaps. Go ahead, we will talk of something that interests you."

 

Those pretty green eyes sparkled and Yoren nodded, seeming to like this alternative much better. He sat forward a little, proving he wasn't so scared, and offered the other a shy smile. "I...I-I w-wanted to ask you w-where all the birds a-are...a-and...and why there are so few animals...a-and w-why y-you made the Death A-angels so colorful...bu-but the Shadowshifters no-not...an-and w-why you never leave, a-and - ?" he begins to say, Death actually having to reach out and place a finger to the other's lips to get him to stop. Yoren is a very curious person.

 

The immortal chuckled softly. "We have plenty of birds, Yoren, they are just less flighty and tend to enjoy the company of the death angels. You can hear some of them singing right now..." he mused, listening slightly to the soft sound of bird song off somewhere in the garden, "Animals tend to need more room to roam, but we do have little animals that live here."  

He smiled at Yoren, stroking some of his red hair. "The death angels were made so bright because bright colors attract attention and mortals seem to find color beautiful and it holds less fear for them. The shadowshifters... well, they were made darker simply because I liked the smoky look." He grinned.

 

Yoren blushed cutely and nodded, feeling a bit ashamed for his outburst. He had been asking Gai questions constantly and most of them she really couldn't answer. Being able to ask the source of those questions just got Yoren very excited. "U-um...b-but....w-what is it like to be a God? I...I mean...is it like being like an Angel....? O-or a Human?" 

 

"Being a god is hard to explain... but there are many duties and responsibilities for an immortal as I." Death replied softly, smiling at the other male. "It is very much different from being an angel or a human, though it has its similar moments. There can be pain, love, sadness, but a god cannot allow themselves to usually act upon these emotions or risk upsetting the natural order."

 

"N-no...I...I mean....do you see things d-differently. Um....d-do you feel differently?" he asks as he stirs his tea with a little spoon. "U-Urius-san used to d-describe to me h-how something would look t-to him....y-you see...Angels...d-don't look at the world like Humans or Demons...e-everything seems d-different. I just...wondered what I-it felt like..." He twiddles his thumbs, looking rather shy about his silly question, however he loved listening to what a flame looked like to Urius. Because Urius' body was mortal, he would see things differently from other Angels. Yoren was fascinated by that.

 

"Ahhh..." The immortal breathed softly, lashes lowering over his dark eyes. "I have different levels of vision, I switch depending on what it is that I am doing." He opened his eyes again and they glowed softly, a faint luminous shimmer along the wet dark color. "Right now, every color is more vivid then the human eye can handle, you are shining like sunlight and diamonds... each strand of hair glittering." He smiled, "Your eyes are so intensely green as to put emeralds to shame. This is how I would normally view the world, but I get distracted like this and must shift to less intensity."

 

"A-Amazing..." Yoren breathed with glittering eyes, imagining how the world would look if everything was sparkling like that. He blushed at the kind compliments that Death afforded him, but his descriptions only made the boy more curious. "...b-but does e-everyone look t-their best when y-you look at them t-that way? E-even bad people?"

 

"Bad people... are not very pleasing to look upon." The immortal replied softly. "They are blackened... tainted." He ran a hand through his hair, thoughtfully nibbling his bottom lip. "I do not like to look upon them.... they make me feel ill and saddened. They lack the glimmer that good people have."

 

"...Does my brother look like that?" Yoren asked then, knowing that was likely the reason why Death was asking those questions from before. Yoren sat there and stared into the other, Death finding those green eyes ripping into him and touching even the most intimate parts of his being. It was strange...Such purity was rare in a person, and especially in an Angel, what with all the corruption lately. 

 

"There is... a taint in him." The immortal replied softly, hands clasping before him on the table. "But it comes and goes so much that I cannot tell if it is just some spirit trying to mess with him or not." He sighed. "Spirits tend to flock to those with troubles... the bad emotions of a person can drag evil spirits in or mischievous spirits."

 

"Y-you're wrong!" Yoren says then, looking desperately at Death with those glistening eyes. "He...h-he's not....he's not a bad man....He's a good man! He...he just....is very sad," Yoren says as he looks to the other with such sincerity. Death realizes then that Yoren is completely oblivious to Rowan's condition. He, like the rest of those that worship the man, sees nothing more than the glistening beautiful hero that he wants to see. It's rather tragic, especially for Rowan.

 

The big male smiled gently, "Even the best man can have a taint in them, Yoren. That doesn't make him evil." Long fingernails tapped lightly upon the table, Death's expression thoughtful and wistful. "The leaves.... they glitter like jewels..." He whispered softly, gazing off at the tree to their right, a dreamlike expression upon his handsome face.

 

Yoren looked sadly to him, realizing Death was trying to distract him from the subject. "...Big b-brother is......he's an amazing person. H-he's kind and loving...a-and he promised never to leave me. He c-can't be tainted - there's no way," Yoren says stubbornly before looking back down at his lap. "I........I want to go back t-to my room."

 

"As you wish." The immortal stood, Gai coming forward to take the young man back to his room for a while. "Thank you for the talk, Yoren, perhaps we can do so again?" He offered softly, lashes lowering over his dark eyes as he gazed upon the much smaller young male.

 

"Y-yes..." Yoren replied, though seeming dejected. It was obvious that Death's observations of his brother had made Yoren very sad. All of those that surrounded Rowan seemed to believe him to be this unending strength that they could rely on, this cunning that would weather them through any storm...If only they knew how desperate the situation was. Urius was very good at keeping that from them. "Good day, L-Lord Death...um...t-thank you..."

 

"You're welcome sweetling." The immortal smiled beautifully, his dark eyes glistening as he bowed politely and once again took Yoren's hand and this time, delicately placed a kiss upon his open palm. "Be a good boy and go enjoy yourself... I am sure Gai would be kind enough to take you to some little death angel celebration."

 

Yoren blushed outright, unable to stop himself despite feeling a little depressed. His crush on Death was just too much for him to dislike the immortal for his comments. Yoren nodded timidly and took his hand back, caressing the place where it tingled. Death had such warm soft lips...Oh, it was mind-boggling! "T-Thank you...I...I appreciate it." 

 

 

The immortal smiled and Gai gently led her charge off, leaving her lord to ponder. Rowan really did have everyone so blindly fooled... it was utterly amazing how good he was at hiding just what was going on from the rest of his companions. How amusing...