[IC] Who Will Break? ~ PopeAlessandros x Raafling

[PopeAlessandros]

Kiel watches as his ward becomes lost in thought, looking with eyes that are not seeing. He dies his best not to stare, only catching the near blank expression through glances, however the look is unmistakable. 'Most of the time I see this look, they are recalling something unpleasant. I get lost in thought too, however with street kids it's normally not a good idea. . .But in this case . . .' The Father really has no idea what to make of this boy. One minute he's like every other lost lamb he's ever helped, showing all the signs and signals, being familiar even if they are disturbing. And others, like this moment, he looks like a completely different beast.

Watching the look in the youth's eyes as they move around the room. It's clear he is not looking at the fish any more. The waitress comes back and Kiel smiles warmly, giving her his order. Once the boy's order is in she leaves, giving them both a sideways glance before moving on to her next table. Kiel's gaze then settles on Zach. Without the menu there is no need to pretend not to look at him, since he is here with the youth. He smiles gently at the question posed. “It was an accident really. I normally thumb through the paper in the morning, see if there's anything I local I should check out, like fires in warehouses that I know my kids sleep in and such, when I found out about this place opening!”

He chuckles. “Since this is their opening week, admission is half price, and more affordable for a poor church man like me.” His smile widens and he glances off to the side where a colorful poster shows the time of their daily shows. 'We could catch one of those before we go. . .' Pointing at the poster he says, “Looks like the dolphin show is soon, and after that a second smaller show but with harder tricks.” He tilts his head to the side cutely. “We can catch one of those if you like. The first one would mean we'd need to eat fast, but we could make it, but if you'd rather we can spend some more time with the fish now and hit up the second show.” His smile stays in place and his suspicions fade back like always as he looks at his wounded charge.

[Merule]

Zach smiles at what the priest is saying, finding it easy enough to focus on his current assignment over other distractions. Of course it helped that the priest was also an inherently interesting person. Zach supposed that some might find it odd a demon would be intrigued by a goody-two-shoes like Kiel, but there is a pure determination to his convictions that he can appreciate. It is rare to find a human who genuine tried to do what is best for others, without expecting something in return. Or perhaps that just says something about the company he usually keeps.

The question about the show catches him off guard, and he frowns consideringly before realising that he should probably be excited about something like that. The aquarium was nice, but he is far more interested in the wonders that the world has to offer, than the ability of humans to make animals jump through hoops for them. It is hard to imagine Kiel won't have noticed his hesitation though, so he doesn't bother to hide it.

"I don't know," he says slowly, looking away in a slightly nervous manner. "Won't it be really busy there? I would rather just stay with you for a while. I mean, unless you really want to go..." He quickly adds, as if to placate the priest in advance.

[PopeAlessandros]

Zach seems to almost freeze at the question and Kiel waits silently to assess the damage. 'It's obvious he doesn't want to go. If he agrees to go I should suggest perhaps not. I don't need him feeling uncomfortable or anything. At least not any more than usual' His suspicions are confirmed as the boy talks about the crowds and the priest smiles warmly. “No, no, it's alright. We can hang out together here, watch the fish talk. I could just sit and watch you sketch of you like. I'm open to whatever you wanna do.”

His smile shifts ever so slightly as the waitress returns with their order, the expression a bit less welcoming and more polite. Kiel may love all of God's children, however he has a special affection for those abandoned by society like Zach. Once the dishes are in place Kiel says a silent prayer before shooting Zach a half smile. “I wonder if the food here is any good.” he murmurs softly giving the boy a wink before digging into his fish based dish. He eats slowly, keeping an eye on his ward, hoping to catch a little hint to his mood. 'I hope he isn't upset about the show idea' Kiel is a bit easily flustered when it comes to upsetting his kids, however he almost always can maintain a look of calm even when falling to pieces on the inside. He always tells his kids it's okay to be upset, however he rarely lets them see him upset.

[Merule]

Zach smiles at the priest, making sure to let genuine warmth into the expression.

"I'd love to draw some more, yeah," he says quietly, before tucking into his meal as well. The food tastes bland to him, but everything does when he's hungry, so he makes sure to eat with enough enthusiasm. *t might be a little harder to focus on habing fun now that he's realised he needs to 'feed', but if any of that shows it can probably be attributed to being tired.

After the food Zach leads them away from the larger press of people, so he can look at some of the fish without the constant hum of humans at the edge of his mind. He sketches some of the more interesting fish, but mostly he just wanders around in companiable silence with Zach.

He's just about to suggest heading back home, when they round a quiet corner to find a young couple using the dark spot for a round of making out. Zach can't help but freeze, the charge of lust in the air setting the hair on the back of his neck on end, even as he forces himself to take a step back so that he's half behind Kiel. Thinking fast, he turns his initial shock into an expression of embarassment, and gives an embarrased cough that has the couple breaking apart to glare at them.

[PopeAlessandros]

The warm smile is reflected on Kiel's lips as he nods slightly. A light feeling races through him seeing the boy smile like that and the father is grateful he was able to steer away from whatever about his suggestion had upset the youth. 'I think I may be getting a little eager in my old age' He laughs silently inside him mind before glancing once more at his ward. 'He is a strange one, but it's understandable. I can tell he's had it rough. . .' Once they are finished Kiel lets Zach drag him around, a light smile playing on his lips at the boy's enthusiasm. When they would pause for him to draw anyone would think that they were a couple with the way Kiel watch would watch Zach work.

His eyes remain soft and caring, even as his gaze would drift to those dancing fingers as sketch after sketch would jump from the end of that pencil. Often he would prop himself up against the tank, pretending to look at the fish while keeping half an eye on his ward. More than once he'd lost a ward on an outing, something upsetting them and causing them to flee before the father would catch on, so now a days he is far more attentive. 'No matter what we are doing however, I get the feeling he's distracted. Perhaps this trip was not the best idea, but it seems like he's at least got some enjoyment out of it. And that makes me glad'

Moving through a quieter part of the facility they come across a not uncommon sight and Kiel pauses with a faint sigh. However, before he has the chance to call out to the carnal couple his gaze is caught by Zach's response to the sight. The boy stands stock still, his eyes locked on the couple and for a moment Kiel could swear that something is going on behind those eyes that goes beyond what is being echoed on the surface. His smile widens though as Zach ducks behind him and flushes slightly. Turning to address the couple he chuckles at their glares turn to looks of shock. Their eyes dart down to his collar and for an instant they look ready to bolt, however Kiel smiles warmly and holds up his hands. “Do not fret my children, love is a wonderful thing.”

He chuckles again. “However I think you may want to find a better place for such activities. . . And wait until work is over.” The young man jumps slightly, slapping his hand over his name tag and flushing furiously. His girlfriend stares at her feet before they share a fleeting kiss and the boy races past and heads towards his abandoned souvenir cart. Turning slightly Kiel reaches up and pats Zach's hair gently, running his hand down to cup the back of his neck before asking softly, “Are you alright? Bit of a shock for you there, hmm?” His voice is laced with concern. The girl heads off in the other direction looking very much like she'd never kiss another boy again. Kiel however keeps his eyes on his ward, looking close to see if he can catch anything that will explain the boy's initial response.

[Merule]

Zach is beyond grateful that Kiel takes the time to talk to the interrupted lovers as he composes himself. He's been careless, letting himself get too comfortable with his assignment and now he was paying for that. He knows the priest can see something's up with him, and it is essential for the success of his assignment that the priest doesn't start suspecting that he is not the 'lost child of god' he is pretending to be. Sure, he won't get offed for failing a mission, but blowing this chance will ensure he is negated to grunt work for at least a century.

He manages not to roll his eyes at 'love is a wonderful thing' and even schools his face in just the right mix between closed-off and vulnerable by the time Kiel turns his attention back to him. The hand in his neck was unexpected, and he stiffens to keep from leaning into the touch. No matter. It'll fit with his story anyway.

"Yeah, shock," he mumbles, avoiding the priest's eyes with a practised air of 'obstinate youth'. "Though I don't understand why you were so nice to them. I mean, you're a priest right? Shouldn't you have told them to 'wait for marriage' or some shit?" He lets a hint of anger leak through before shrugging off his hand and taking a step back. It will mean a small step back in his plan, but it's important to play this right.

"Isn't that what you religious types get off on? Judging people?" He puts enough venom in his tone to make it seem genuine, but a bit of a wobble at the end to make sure the priest knows this isn't so much directed at him as it is a part of his 'fractured soul'. He catches Kiel's eyes again, making sure his own are shining with just a hint of unshed tears. "Telling them what they do is wrong and that they are sinful?" He lets the last bit hang in the air for a few moments before visibly deflating.

"I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lash out. It's just... Some people can have everything, you know?" He lets his voice catch slightly. "It's not that simple for all of us..." He trails off for a bit before composing himself again, sheepishly plucking some imaginary lint off his sleeves as if he's trying to cover for accidentally letting slip too much.

"I think I'm done," he says as he slings the bag holding his art supplies over his shoulder. "I'm tired anyway, can we just go ho-" he catches himself, embarrassed, letting the silence go on just long enough that is was clear he was going to say 'home' but short enough that it is plausible he's trying to cover it up. "- to your place. Let's get back to your place."

[PopeAlessandros]

The harsh, somewhat angry words wash right over the young priest as he has heard them many time before, even from his fellow clergymen. He does not resent the youth for thinking such things about him, even if has has proven a few times that he's a slightly different flavor of priest. 'He's upset about something, and I think it goes beyond this little thing here. If only he would talk to me, let me in a little. . .' He remains still and calm as Zach steps away, his hand dropping slowly to his side as to not look like he's disappointed. The words keep coming harsh, venomous, and backed by such deep rooted pain that Kiel once more feels the urge to gather the youth up in his arms and soothe all the pain away, if that were a possibility.

His fingers twitch slightly, the only sign of his desires, but the movement is small and inconsequential. The pain, the hurt, the damage, it all races through the man and he feels more and more that there must be something he can do for the boy. He lets out a soft sigh, his eyes remaining kind and understanding through it all, a faint smile jumping to his lips at the faint slip about “home”. 'I do not mind my little ones thinking of my place as home while they stay there, but I don't think that this would be the best time to mention it' His smile widens ever so slightly and he nods, not rebuking the young man for his thoughts, nor trying to disprove them, knowing that many times when you fight an opinion directly you end up casing the person to latch on to their beliefs, no matter how misguided, even more strongly.

“Yes, let us head back.” He motions for Zach to follow as he turns and begins heading slowly towards the front door. He keeps an even pace, keeping an eye on the boy least he decide to run off after his upset. Kiel's hands slip behind his back and he grasps his elbows in opposite hands. The walk to the bus stop is spent in silence and when at last the rumbling beast arrives Kiel motions Zach on first. He knows it's a little paranoid but he would rather not give the young man an easy opening for escape.

[Merule]

It is simple enough to guess what the priest is doing by not letting him out of his sight, but Zach doesn’t mind. He keeps the lines of tension in his back for a while, then gently smooths his posture out as they walk to the bus and wait for it. It is important to show the priest that he can come back from an outburst like that relatively easy, so the man will feel confident to pry further next time.

Still, he doesn’t initiate conversation as they wait on the bus, and neither when they are seated, preferring to let his body language speak for himself. He peers out of the window as if he’s deep in thought, pretending it’s about what just happened rather than what he’s planning to do once they get home.

There are plenty of sexually repressed people on the church grounds, so it should be simple enough to tweak a dream until it can give him what he needs. What he needs to decide, however, is whether he should try and creep into Kiel’s dream before going somewhere else. He wants to, but he doesn’t want to risk ruining the progress he’s made so far. Of course, he can always choose to bail if it doesn’t go well. Just… have a peek at what he’s dreaming at least. He is his assignment, after all, and it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on how things are going.

Before he knows it, they’ve reached the bus stop at the church, and Zach is shaken from his musings. He lets a small smile on his face as they get out, slowing down so he can walk side by side with the priest.

“That was really nice,” he says softly but earnestly. “Thank you for showing me.”

[PopeAlessandros]

Zach slowly relaxes as they move away from the aquarium and Kiel is glad to see it. By the time they reach the bus he can feel himself relaxing a bit, a soft smile on his lips so that the boy knows he's not upset. On the bus he sits close to Zach, watching him out of the corner of his eye. He doesn't want to crowd the boy or make him feel like he's being watched. 'He is free to leave if he wants. Not that I won't chase him if he does run, but it's not like he's a prisoner, and I have to be careful it doesn't end up feeling like that for him' The bus coming to a stop seems to shake Zach out of his silent funk and he actually lets a small smile grace his features as they exit the bus.

The sight is enough to relax the worried priest and reach out to ruffle his hair as he replies, “It was my pleasure Zach. I'm glad you had fun.” Finishing up with a pat on his back Kiel walks alongside the boy silently for a few seconds before asking, “So, is there anything you'd like for dinner? I'm sure I could talk my dear friend the cook into finding something fun to end the day with.” Listening to Zach's reply he opens the door to the shack and motions the boy in before him, however as he steps in something feels a little off and he gently moves the young man aside and stands in front of him.

From the corner there is a soft sobbing and in an instant Kiel realizes that it's one of his little ones. Closing the door quickly he moves towards the dark corner only to get a sudden armful of teenager. The young dark skinned girl sobs and clings to him, no words coming from her lips, just pathetic sounds of hurt and sorrow. Petting her hair he tries to comfort her, looking over to Zach apologetically. “Forgive me Zach but would you grab me a glass of water? This is Sarah, her home life is a little rough. . .” He feels terrible asking one of his little one help him out soothing another, but maybe, just maybe, helping another will be just the thing to get help Zach relax and open up. 'Many of my little ones adopt pets or younger “siblings” and that helps them keep their noses clean and gives them someone to talk to' He knows the chance of Zach adopting her is low, after all, she does actually have a home to go back to, but the chance is still there that this will help Zach as much if not more than Sarah.

[Merule]

Zack the smile on his face grow, making it hopeful rather than smug. The priest is obviously happy to see him relax again, and he is reasonably sure that by talking about the fun stuff for the rest of the evening, he can make this a good memory in the priest’s mind. And they’ve spent so much time together, that it won’t be a stretch to give the man’s dreams a nudge to start including Zach. From there on he can start placing small suggestions to slowly but surely lead the man’s thoughts to where he wants them to be.

“Oh, can we have pasta again?” he says without having to fake his enthusiasm. “I really liked it when-“

There was someone in the room. Zach only has a moment to see someone backed up in a corner before Kiel is pushing him gently but firmly aside and then the air is filled with strangled sobs, enough to push away all chances of a productive evening for Zach.

Something dark flashes over his face, but he quickly buries it in favour of an expression of awkward indecision. It’s not difficult to summon a sense of feeling out of place, and when Kiel asks him to get a glass of water he is grateful to have something to do.

“Em, of course, I’ll get it,” the kitchen is familiar to him by now, and when he brings the glass of water he also has a cookie in his hand that he cautiously offers to the girl. Now that he has swallowed his initial disappointment of having his plans foiled, the girl’s sadness is pushing at the edge of his mind. It is in his nature to be in tune with the emotions of mortals. While extremely useful in his line of work, it can also be a spot of trouble when strong emotions hit him when he’s unprepared- and it tends to be even more pronounced when he’s hungry.

As it is the girl’s pain feels raw and jagged against his mind and he’s filled with an irrational urge to help her soothe it. No one would accuse demons of being kind, but Zach had nothing but contempt for those that willingly caused harm to children.

“There you go, Sarah was it?” he said softly, easily falling into a pose and speech he knows will register as unthreatening. As a creature whose existence depended on being able to read and adapt to mortals, it was simple to go on instinct when it came to soothing frightened children.

“I’m Zach, and I’m staying with Kiel for a bit. You know Kiel, right? He’s a good guy, and now that there’s two of us you’re going to be even safer here.”

[PopeAlessandros]

Kiel feels bad, making Zach work when he himself is going through something hard, not to mention turning his slowly brightening emotional state into one of worry, and maybe even fear. IN the dark of the room it's hard to see the youth properly but with the trembling girl in his arms his focus is split, causing him to berate himself for not being a better man. One who could deal with both at once without compromising either. 'However I just don't know enough about Zach to gauge his responses, to be able to tell if , and if so, how much, this is bothering him!' After a sound self berating he looks up to see Zach handing Sarah a cookie along with the water he asked for. 'Almost forgot I had those. Oh, so sweet of him. . . .'

The priest swells with pride and joy, looking at the youth with the pride shining clearly in his eyes. “Thank you Zach.” His voice is soft, but confident. Sarah takes the proffered food and drink, looking at the young man with bright, teary eyes. As Kiel watches he sees a change come over Zach and he feels something tugging on the back of his mind. 'It's so strange. This isn't anything like the young man I've seen so far. . .Does he have a younger sibling? I know that some kids with siblings change when they are with them,. Feeling protective of them. . . .Maybe he's seeing a younger brother or sister in Sarah. . .' His stomach drops at the thought despite it being a positive swaying of emotion for Zach. 'Does this mean he left them? Or did they die and that's what prompted him to leave, or. . . .'

He shakes his head, he can't think like this. Not now. They need him, and he needs to be there for his little ones. He looks at the girl in his arms. Zach is talking to her, calm, soothing, and he can feel her relaxing. He smiles at this and after a little while longer she lets him go and shuffles into a cross-legged position to sip at her water and eat her cookie. Kiel rubs her back soothingly, smiling once more at the young man before standing slowly and petting her hair with one hand. She looks up at him, wide eyed. “How about some dinner Sarah? Does that sound good?” He nods towards Zach. “Zach here wills stay with you while I go pick it up!”

She looks between the two males before nodding slowly. There is a faint edge inside Kiel, the idea of leaving the two of them alone making him slightly uncomfortable despite the fact that Zach does not seem like any fashion of a threat to her, and Sarah is little more than a kicked puppy right now. He gives Zach a kind look, holding his shoulder gently as he gives the youth a faint smile. “I'll go get that pasta you liked.” he murmurs softly, heading out once he's sure Zach is okay with the situation. He moves more quickly than he usually does after leaving his shack. It isn't that he does not trust the inhabitants per se, but getting back to them quickly with food simply seems like a good idea.

Entering the kitchen he has a stare off with the head cook after making his request. It takes a full minute of staring before she seems to read what she needs from him and consents to making the dish special for him and his wards. He thanks her profusely before sitting off to the side to wait. Once he has his orders he makes his way back to the shack quickly as he can with arms full of food trays, and has to knock on the door with his foot to gain entrance to his home.

[Merule]

Zach stays focused on Sarah as Kiel gets up to get food. He can feel the man’s eyes on him, can practically hear the gears in his head turning as he processes this new side of Zach. It wasn’t how he was planning on spending this evening, that was for sure. Not only was he tired and hungry, but now he also needed to pay attention to an upset child and come up with some kind of backstory to explain how he’s good with children. Not what he’d been looking forward to at all.

He smiles at the priest to show he’s fine with him leaving, but it slowly melts off his face once the man is out of the door. Yes, not how he had planned to spend his evening. Still, the child is innocent in this, and it’s not like he’s a bad improviser.

“Well then Sarah, seems like we have to entertain ourselves for a while.” He makes sure to mask the disappointment on his face as he turns to her. He knows he could try and ask about what had happened, but it’s unlikely he’ll get anything out of her in the short time they have together. Best to use the age-old tactic of distraction to try and lighten her mood a little. Perhaps if she feels more comfortable with him, it’ll impress Kiel and the evening might not be a bust after all.

The girl seems in no hurry to talk just yet, though, but looks at him with big eyes from behind her glass of water. Pushing the matter will only make things worse, so Zach grabs his sketchbook from the bag and sits himself down on the floor so Sarah is able to peek over his shoulder if she leans in.

“We went to the aquarium today,” he chats airily, just filling the air up a little without pressuring Sarah to talk back. “I haven’t seen so many fish together in one place before in my life!” He goes on to describe some of the more interesting specimens, flipping through the pages to look at what he’d drawn. A smile creeps on his face when he can hear the girl shift around behind him to get a better look and he makes sure to hold the sketchbook so she can clearly see what he’s drawn.

When she seems absorbed by his stories, he manages to surprise a small giggle out of her by describing how someone got splashed in the petting pool, and after that she’s confident enough to ask questions here and there. Eventually he ends up sitting on the couch with Sarah tucked against his side as they flip through some of the older drawings at well. She’s mostly silent as they look at delicate drawings of flowers and little songbirds, but speaks up as they pass by a drawing Zach had forgotten was still in there.

“Hey, that’s Kiel,” she says, looking up at him for confirmation. Zach hesitated slightly before nodding, even though it’s impossible to deny the subject of the drawing. He’d indulged in drawing the priest, he knows, but the moment had been hard to resist. Kiel had been reading in the garden with him, for once not looking at him from the corner of his eye. The sun had cast shadows of his lashes on his cheeks, and Zach had carefully traced the contours of his face so that he would do his cheekbones justice. Kiel in the picture looked serene, as he had done in the moment, and there was more… emotion in the piece than he’d been willing to show the priest. What could he say, it was in his nature to appreciate the beauty in people- and Kiel was very beautiful to look at. He’d meant to throw it away, but apparently it slipped his mind.

“He’s very pretty,” Sarah shakes him from his thoughts and he doesn’t need to look at the child to know her eyes are on his face.

“Huh,” he says as casually as he could manage. “I didn’t notice. It’s just practice, you know, like with the fish? Fish are more pretty to look at any-“ his casual façade falls flat when he slams the sketchbook shut with a guilty expression at the sound of the front door opening. He puts it down on the arm of the couch and quickly stands up.

“That must be Kiel with the food, I’ll go set the table,” he says before doing just that.

[PopeAlessandros]

The guilty expression is more than enough to let the little girl know that he's lying about thinking fish are prettier than the youthful priest, but that coupled with the slamming shut of the sketch pad makes her actually smile at the idea. As Zach opens the door letting Kiel in he looks over to her ans spots the smile, feeling a warm rush race through him. 'She looks a lot calmer now. I am so glad that she and Zach didn't spend the whole time just avoiding one another. I know a lot of children do that, even when they share a pain. Not that I think they have had the exact same experiences, however. . . .'

Shaking himself out of his thoughts he sets the dishes on the table and removes the covers with a flourish. Sarah lets out a very faint laugh before scooting off the couch to take a seat at the table. Reaching out the priest pets her hair and she smiles at him, much of the pain and fear gone from her eyes. Kiel returns it with a brilliant one of his own before carefully clearing off the last table chair and taking a seat, leaving the one he normally uses for Zach to use.

Once they are all seated the priest closes his eyes for a moment, his silent prayer the only real sign of his faith in his home other than his outfit and praying every evening. 'And given Zach's responses about the faith I doubt he wants to join me in prayer, and Sarah could care less' He muses silently. Once his prayer is over he beams around at the tables other two occupants and hums softly. “We have Zach to thank for tonight's fair. He ordered it special!” he says brightly, giving Sarah a gentle look. She smiles faintly back at him before digging into the meal with enthusiasm.

Kiel eats somewhat more reservedly but still with a relish. He really likes Zach's choice in food and looking over at said youth tells him so. “This is one of my favorites Zach. It's nice she let me special order it, and it's all thanks to you!” He chuckles, looking to his meal and letting out a pleased hum. Once the meal is over Kiel gathers all the dishes and stacks them up out of the way after rinsing them off. He could return them tonight, but with two guests, even ones that seem to get along well, he'd rather not leave them alone if he can help it.

As he turns to the other two in the room however – Sarah letting out a long yawn and looking quite sleepy – a new problem presents itself and Kiel is torn. 'I can't have them sharing a room, that just wouldn't be right, but there are only two beds and I don't know how Zach would react to sharing with me. . . .I suppose I could take the floor' It doesn't even cross his mind to have the youth take the floor. 'Yeah, that could work, but it's up to him really. I know. . . He's been abused and if sharing frightens him I could just sleep out here or on the floor, whichever he prefers. . .'

With a light sigh he looks at Sarah and pats her head gently before ushering her toward the spare bedroom. “Off you go dear, get some sleep. We'll see you bright and early.” He nods sleepily, being around Kiel doing wonders for her mood and after spending some quiet time with Zach, finding out they share a fondness for the priest, has settled he soul ever so slightly. At least enough to remove the panic from her heart. Looking over at Zach with an apologetic expression he says softly, “Looks like we'll be bunking together tonight. I'll take the floor if you want me to. The bed isn't the biggest thing ever, and I'd rather you take it. I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing you were kipping on the floor.” He tries to not to sound pushy, letting the youth decide what sounds best to him without forcing him into anything.

[Merule]

Zach can all but feel Kiel’s approval radiate from him as they get ready for dinner. It’s enough to make up for his slight lapse in control with the sketchbook earlier. He should have known to be more on guard: kids like Sarah are all too well-versed in picking up on the little things- they have to be to survive. Fortunately the girl does not seem interested in making a scene, but just enjoys the attention from the priest. She seems to like Zach well enough as well, and he shoots her an impish smile during Kiel’s prayer to improve her opinion of him even more.

When the priest has his eyes closed, he crosses his eyes and sticks out his tongue, expression melting back into an innocent smile before Kiel is done. Sarah has to bite her lip to keep from giggling, and when he shoots her a wink later on she has to dig into her food to keep her composure. There, now they share an insignificant little ‘secret’ that makes her laugh and paints him in a fun and approachable light. And if he feels a warm glow at the increased brightness of her smiles, he chalks it up to professional pride.

Kiel seems satisfied as well over dinner, and eating and cleaning up is an amicable affair. It wasn’t what he had in mind originally, but he supposes it’s good for the priest to see him act as an adult towards a smaller child. With Sarah in the house, perhaps he loses the ‘little one’ stamp at least for a little while.

The child has to go to sleep right after dinner, and when she’s sent into ‘his’ room, Zach has to hide a smile at the implications. The priest immediately confirms his hopes with an apologetic tone. While Zach knows this is better than he could have planned, he still keeps a serious look on his face as he nods. When the priest mentions sleeping on the floor, however, he allowed himself to roll his eyes and huff in indignation.

“Do you really think I’d sleep well knowing I put you out on the floor? If anyone’s used to sleeping on the floor, it would be me.” He makes sure to look Kiel in the eye. ’See, I trust you now. Are we not equals?’ Getting the priest to warm up to him was all good and well, but he would need his respect as well if the man was ever going go along with his intentions.

“The bed is plenty big. Believe me, I’ve slept in smaller.” He grins as he goes on, “Slept next to train stations too, so I don’t care if you snore or whatever.” He bumps his shoulder into the priest’s affectionately before making his way to the man’s bedroom. Kiel has shown he cares about his charges’ well-being more than ‘propriety’, so Zach is not worried he’s going to try and talk him out of it. Not when he’s dangling a show of trust in front of him like this.

“I don’t want to disturb Sarah to get pj’s, so I’m just going to borrow some of yours, ok?” He pulls the door closed just soft enough that it bounces open to a crack again rather than clicking shut, giving him just enough of a space to casually undress in to allow the priest a glance of his now-healed torso. He might be shorter than the other man, but there is no mistaking him for anything other than an adult now that the bruises have faded.

The pants he finds are too long, but the way they hang low on his hips make up for he has to roll up to sleeves at the bottom. The shirt that goes with it is both too tight across his shoulders and too long in the sleeves, so he just sticks with the shirt he wore for the day. That it just happens to leave a narrow strip of tan skin uncovered every time he moves is a happy coincidence.

[PopeAlessandros]

Zach rolls his eyes at the priest's suggestion for him to sleep on the floor and Kiel smiles softly at the gesture. 'Well, turn it back around on my why don't you?' He is glad to see that he's not upset at all at the prospect of sharing a sleeping space and he wonders vaguely if it isn't time to start talking to Zach about his pains so that they can work through them. 'Not now of course, not right before we're about to go to bed, possibly making said more uncomfortable by bringing up painful, frightening memories. . .' With a nod he chuckles softly at the bump, patting him on the back as he heads for the room first.

'That's right, you've had it hard. Doesn't mean I want you to ever have to do anything like that ever again. Especially directly under my care' He follows after, pausing at the doorway as Zach slips inside to change. “Of course Zach.” he says softly, fingering the sleeve of his robe while he waits. After a moment he realizes the door did not close all the way and curiously he peeks inside, keeping his eyes high so he can look over the boy's wounds without Zach glaring at him for “babying” him. He did initially accept the help with his injuries, but as time went on Zach seemed more and more upset over Kiel's gentle treatment of him.

Stands to reason, he's not only nearly an adult, but he's also very mature for his age. . .' His eyes travel over the nearly unmarred skin and he nods happily to himself, glad that there is little to no sign that the wounds were ever there. Letting out a sigh he looks away before Zach drops trow and waits until the sound of shifting cloth fades before peeking again. Seeing Zach fully dressed he knocks lightly before slipping into the room and giving the youth and approving once over, giggling lightly at the rolled up pant legs. “Looks comfy.” Is the only comment he makes before shooing Zach out the door so he can also change.

Humming softly to himself he slowly undresses, pulling off his robe and hanging it back in his closet. Stretching slightly he continues humming, going about his nightly routine quickly as he knows after such an active day, Zach is likely quite tired. Pulling out his pajamas he finishes stripping down before sliding into them, tossing pants and underwear into the hamper in the corner. 'Today had it's ups, and it's downs, but I think I'm making progress with him, and Sarah normally goes back after a night or two. It's good to see them getting along. He was very much like a big brother. . .' Letting out a soft sigh he kneels at the edge of his bed to offer his nightly prayer before standing and pulling on his top, doing half the buttons before calling out, “Zach, you can come in now.”

He had not noticed the door being slightly open and even as the young man enters it doesn't even cross his mind that he may have been being watched. Instead he simply smiles at the slightly comical sight of Zach in his too big clothing, the little slice of midsection sowing with every little movement more cute than alluring to the still pure minded priest. Sitting on the edge of the bed he pulls the tie from his hair, shaking out his crimson locks and taking his brush to them as he addresses the youth. “Would you prefer the outside or the wall side? I am comfortable with either.” Looking up at the youth he smiles softly, his bright green eyes almost seem to sparkle in the dimly lit room, the single bedside lamp the only illumination.

[Merule]

If Zach didn't know better, he would think the priest is doing this on purpose, he thinks wryly as he can't quite help himself from peering at the priest through the cracked-open door. Surely no once can be as oblivious as to stretch as they undress themselves, even wriggling their his a little as they shed the underwear, coyly turned away just enough so Zach has to keep guessing rahter than-

He stops his train of thought there and turns away with an effort, aware that none of this was helping his state of mind any. He should have been paying more attention the past weeks, should have visited some of the sexually repressed clergy in their dreams so he wouldn't have ended up hungry and sharing a room with his long-term mark. He can't afford to make any mistakes with this one- can't afford to push him too much too soon, so he's going to have to take it easy and stop projecting his preferred motives on Kiel.

By the time the priest calls for him to come in, he's back into his role, moving just slowly enough to hint at the posibility of discomfort that Kiel is reminded of the trust Zach is showing him right now. Trust is what he seems to crave, after all, and Zach needs him to be invested enough in the outcome ofthe night that he won't consider sneaking out to sleep on the floor after all.

"Outside please," he says with a smile, happy to know that sneaking out will be even more difficult for him like that. Plus, it's the choice that makes sense as the inside would leave him trapped against the wall. As Kiel was now, he deliberately does not dwell on, just as he dosn't dewll on the way the soft illumination brings out the priest's eyes and how well those eyes would be suited for a more heated look. He doesn not care that patience is a virtue, but he does care that it is a necessary tactic in his line of work.

'Let him take the lead,' he reminds himself once again as he waits for the other to slip into the bed before settling in himself. He's probably imagining most of the heat beaming off the body next to him, but he's defenitely not imagineing how there is no room for them to lie anything but pressed together. It takes him a bit of wriggling around to settle down, but eventually he ends up with his face turned to the side of the bed, the priest a warm presence against his back.

[PopeAlessandros]

The night passes with the demon teasing him in his sleep, making a little progress towards his goal, but ultimately failing. Kiel slips, ever so slightly, but by the time he begins to wake for the second time, he's once more in control of himself.

~*~

Kiel shifts slightly as he comes slowly into the waking world. Feeling a body against his own his mind flashes to the last time he felt it and he takes a moment to say a pray to remain calm before opening his eyes and letting out a soft sigh. The youth is still laying flush against him, but Kiel no longer feels the urges to get closer, to touch him more, and instead he simply hums slightly and stretches a little, doing his best not to disturb Zach right away. 'Thank the heavens he didn't wake up last night. The way my body was acting, I would have lost him' Despite how mild his action had been, his own memory of the event comes into his mind like an image of a mad hound trying to tear into the boy.

Humming softly he eventually reaches out and shakes the boy's shoulder gently. “Zach, time for me to get up buddy.” He smiles warmly, patting the arm beneath his hand. “You can sleep in a bit more if you want, just let me sneak past you here. . .” He carefully moves the covers and shifts so he's kneeling over the youth before sliding out of the bed. He's careful to keep his eyes of the young man as he climbs over him, turning his warm smile on to his guest only after getting upright at last. Tucking the blankets back around Zach he chuckles, looking at him sheepishly. “Sorry, habit.” Giving the young man's arm a squeeze he throws on a house coat and moves out into the kitchen to make breakfast.

Securing it carefully closed he resolves to get dressed and say his devotionals as soon as Zach is out of his room as to not make the young man uncomfortable and begins putting together a meal he's seen his guest enjoy before. Singing quiet hymns to himself, he moves around the kitchen with a smile on his lips and in his eyes, turning both on Zach when he eventually leaves the room some time later. “Good morning Zach, I pray you slept well. I didn't snore did I? I've never had a complaint before, but, you never know.” He's as cheery and friendly as he normally is, setting the table and excusing himself to do his morning tasks in his bedroom.

His prayers are a bit more fervent that usual, banishing the last of his thoughts from the night before before getting on his usual garb and making his way back to the table. Taking a seat he smiles over at Zach, humming happily as he begins eating. With an interested smile he asks, “So, what's on the agenda for you today Zach? Anything special?”

[Merule]

The rest of the night passes quietly enough, with Zach simply lying there and enjoying the comfort of another warm body beside him. It might not be quite the comfort he usually aims for, but at least tonight hadn't been a complete disaster. This continued 'little one' business is starting to be a quite insistent thorn in his side, though, so it might be high time he focuses his efforts on removing that particular obstacle. The wounded bird routine might have given him his in, but now it is clearly impeding further progress.

In spite of his brooding, it is simple enough to keep his body loose and relax and when the priest finally awakens, Zach makes a convincing display of yawning and slowly blinking awake. He pointedly ignored the tucking in, turning over sleepily until the door closes again. When Kiel is out of sight, all traces of sleep are gone as he sits and stretches for a bit before getting out of bed. There is no real point is staying in here for much longer, so he exits the room not long after the priest, with another yawn and stretch for effect.

"I slept really good actually," he answers, injecting an air of surprise into the answer. "I didn't even have a single, er, dream," he went on, with a small pause intended to make it clear he isn't talking about the good kind. He's not quite sure if he'll be able to talk his way into the priest's bed any time soon again, but it never hurts to lay some ground work.

"How was your night?" he asks. He lets the priest get comfortable with his morning rituals as he finishes setting the table, frying up some eggs to go with the food Kiel had already put out. He scoops some onto the priest's plate when he sits down, before joining him at the table as well.

"Same old, same old," he quips with none of the usual grogginess he normally displays in the mornings. "Actually, the weather's looking up so I thought I might take Sarah out around the gardens? Ah, there she is now." He waves a daunty little wave at the small face peeking out of the second bedroom, hair sticking up from one side and completely flattened on the other.

"Morning sleepyhead. You up for some breakfast?"

[PopeAlessandros]

'Well, at least nothing of my own little mishaps from last night disturbed the poor boy's night' Kiel comforts himself with thoughts of Zach sleeping peacefully, glad he didn't have any nightmares as he settles in for breakfast. With a sigh he murmurs, “My night went well enough. No complaints.” Focusing on his meal he watches Zach with interest. 'He seems pretty alert this morning. Must be the good night. . .I wonder how bad the nightmares really are for him. . .I know kids like him have it rough. Being plagued, even in their sleep.'

At the idea of taking Sara outside Kiel brightens up even more. “That sounds wonderful!” He follows Zach's gaze and smiles brightly at the peeking girl. She nods at the question before shuffling out of the room in her over long night shirt, a brush clutched in her fingers. “Good morning Sara!” he says cheerily and she smiles back at him before plopping down in front of the priest, holding the brush over her shoulder. Chuckling Kiel turns, taking the brush and setting to work.

She looks over at Zach, her eyes bright. “Outside?” She crosses her arms over her chest. “Not too far, right?” She blinks her eyes, gazing at him with them opened wide in question and worry. Kiel runs his fingers through her hair comfortingly as he works on removing her tangles, smiling softly.

[Merule]

"Of course not far," he says easily, gesturing with a piece of food on his fork before popping it in his mouth.

"There's plenty to see within the church walls," he talks with food in his mouth, a few tufts of his hair standing up from the back of his head. "Someone here has green fingers, because the must be over a gazillion different flowers!" He winks at Sarah, the very picture of casual nonchalance that can only be achieved through practice and precision.

He still isn't quite sure how he'll get rid of the 'little one' label, but Sarah has at least given him the opportunity to distinguish himself from a proper 'little one'. He'll just have to take care of her a little, be all mature and everything and before he knows it Kiel will realise he's not a kid any more.