Veles’s eyes narrowed as Xevon made his move, frozen in place apart from the matching grin that began to form on his lips. The urge to strike out his hand and grip the little creature’s neck began to coax his hand up from his side, ever so slowly. He would have loved to tighten his grip and slam him backwards, but the rough bickering could wait. They had time, well until Veles grew bored of Xevon’s smart alec replies.

Instead, his hand snapped up to the back of Xevon’s head and curled his fingers into the locks of hair tightly. Holding Xevon in place, maintaining the minimal distance that the other man had decided upon. He didn’t want to give up his tricks just yet, it would be more fun to let Xevon think he had a fighting chance if it came down to them scrapping with each other again. In fact, Veles was curious as to how long it would take for Xevon to figure out that the necklace around him had rather…restrictive magic.

“You want to turn to violence so quickly.” He commented carefully, giving a small pull backwards to tip Xevon’s head backwards. “You really can’t help yourself, can you?” It was a rhetorical question, made evidence by the speed at which his next words came. “I thought you craved my touch, Xevon. Isn’t that what you told me?”

–

Lily tipped her head to the side and her jaw slacked ever so slightly at the reveal Callisto had just given them. Before the words could leave her mouth, Finn said what she was thinking. So they’d all have to jam blades into themselves, fantastic. She groaned and hung her head, looking down at the ground as Finn moved on giving him a noise that almost sounded like agreement.

Then, she saw Finntello appear below her with a less than elegant exit from the tree. Lily grimaced as he stumbled forwards, he was fine but it didn’t look like a comfortable dismount. As she began to lower herself carefully, she paused and looked down at the ground. Well, if she had great balance..Lily sprung herself from her branch and landed beside Finn. She had expected to end up tumbling over with him, but instead she found herself standing poised on the balls of her feet. A small surprised giggle coming from her before she shook herself free of the excitement to check on Finn.

“Are you alright?” She slipped up to his side and offered him her hand to help him up. After a moment she continued. “Your house would be best. I lived with my parents and I don’t think we would be very welcomed there.” Then the thought crossed her mind, how long had they actually been gone? Did time move the same in both places, or did one move faster than the other? Good god, what year was it!

She kept her spiralling silly thoughts to herself and decided that they would find out soon enough.

Callisto picked his way down the tree, keeping himself in the smaller cat form until he reached the base of the tree and his full height was returned. Even he knew a tall winged man and a talking cat weren’t normal, no matter what period of time you lived in. He kept to himself, watching the pair talk to each other. He wanted to ask if he could shower, lay on a real bed, god just eat something. But he knew they didn’t care about him currently and frankly, he didn’t blame them.

Then he felt a jolt of guilt, he shouldn’t be thinking about enjoying things the living could do. Not when Xevon was still stuck in that godforsaken place, being forced to do god knows what. Well, god literally did know what, actually.

Xevon shook his head lightly, watching the man. His head tipped back just slightly, almost surprised... before he let out a small noise. Now there was a part of him that was slightly terrified that Veles could just read his mind. However, judging by the fact that he had gone with it so far, Xevon was far more certain that he couldn't.

But now, it was time to push it. He had to be the part, he couldn't just pretend now. He had to be what he had said.

"You're the one who said it, not me," his lips pursed slightly before a rough chuckle escaped from his lips, reaching to set his hands on the shoulders of the god. "I just crave touch," he whispered slyly, "never said who's or what. Just that I .... I need it."

--

Finn slowly stood up and brushed his knees off and shook his head lightly. "Well, it all depends on if the others are still there and if they'll let us in," he admitted, "I lived in a sort of... trailer like thing behind the museum. Everyone did. It just depends on how... on if I'm still classified as a missing person or not. They were there when I was basically kidnapped," he explained loosely, fluffed his wings out and looked up to the sky.

The stars began to poke out and glittered overhead, looking back down silently without much fuss or fanfare. There was no real breeze to the air, just a silent unseeing moon.

"... so," he glanced up. "I can ... I think I can fly us out there," Finn turned to Lily, extending his hand with a loose smile. "You said you always wanted to fly, right?"

His narrowed eyes stared back at Xevon, studying the smallest twitch of his facial muscles. He could play these games, it had been a while since he last ventured out from his realm to indulge himself among the living. Even then, his visits had been short and sweet. It was on one of those little vacations that he had located Xevon in that hotel, imagine the surprise when the little bugger ended up sticking around.

Veles’s shoulders barely tensed as Xevon’s secured his hands over them. He was deciding upon whether or not to allow his first initial remark to leave his lips, it was a little scathing in nature. “I never pinned you as the desperate type.” Veles matched the lowered vocals, he didn’t move from where his head was held. Almost like a statue in his stillness, Veles had also yet to decide on whether or not Xevon was playing him for a fool. If the little pest had managed to concoct some sort of plan, which he doubted would work anyway, that if coaxing him into Xevon’s embrace was a means of outright manipulation or not.

–

Lily winced as she watched Finn stand up, that couldn’t have been good for his knees. She knew all too well that after your early twenties knees in particular got a little creaky. On that note, she wasn’t exactly sure how old Finn was, close enough to her own but still.

Well, a trailer wasn’t a huge home but she didn’t care. In fact, she quite preferred the comfortable closeness smaller homes held. It made her feel safe, so hopefully they could get into Finntello’s home. Her eyes blinked quickly as Finn spoke, drawing her back to reality, surprise on her face. Then that surprise was overtaken by a wide grin as she hurried to reach out to take his hand, not thinking about the fact that he had barely flown himself let alone with another person. She could worry about the danger when she was falling from the sky.

“Absolutely.” Lily peered up at him, eagerness blazoned across her face.

Callisto remained by his tree, waiting to see what they would say about him. He didn’t expect them to exactly offer to take him as well, maybe they’d make him find his own way there. Where ever there was.

He had heard about these towering cities of shiny materials and technology but he had never seen them, let alone navigated the complex streets. Cars, they were a new thing as well. Some sort of mechanical vehicle that was powered by gasoline, another thing he hadn’t seen. All of a sudden, Callisto felt very small and very alone.

Veles allowed himself to be tipped towards Xevon, keeping his grip on his hair but it was a a smidge more loose. In all honesty, he hadn’t exactly had many amorous interactions recently, on account of his lack of Earth visits. Not that he wasn’t spoiled for options when he was there, most didn’t peak his interest. However, the sense of grandiose that Veles was receiving due to this type of attention from a man previously determined to end his existence. Well, that was mighty convincing.

“Violently desperate, yes. But this, this is not what I expected from you.” He finished his comment by letting his free hand move forwards to press palm first into the lounge beside Xevon. Allowing Xevon’s weight to pull them both backwards, eventually his knee made contact with the edge of the furniture and he let his weight be taken onto that leg.

–

Lily was about to practically throw herself at Finn when she say him look over her shoulder and her face dropped. He was looking at Callisto and as she turned around she saw the man’s eyebrows lift up in surprise. Her own expression hardened a little, but she didn’t want this to tinge the excitement of flight.

“I suppose I can imagine he’s a normal cat.” She huffed before she flicked her wrist to gesture for Callisto to come over. He did so, but he wasn’t deaf, he’d already whirled himself back down. His tail lowered as he looked up at Lily without making a sound.

Hesitantly and with a look of annoyance, Lily leaned down and plucked him up off of the floor and bundled him up in her arms. Making sure she kept a tight hold on the feline, as much as she’d like to toss him into the wind. They needed him for their Xevon rescue to work.

Lily turned back to Finn and offered a less giddy smile. “Well, is the pilot ready to go?” She laughed gently, trying to regain her previous eagerness.

Veles could practically hear the dull beating of Xevon’s facade of a heart, it sounded like the thing was smashing against his ribs with each pulse. He cocked his head to the side, allowing for a small amount of pressure to be relieved from the other man as Veles secured his position leaning over. His weight was now entirely on the seat along with Xevon.

His eyes drifted to the side, glancing across the room before he brought them back slowly to look at the man beneath him. He let go of the hair at the back of his head and instead planted the hand beside his head. Despite his godly career choice of death and immortality, Veles was still a god and they certainly loved to indulge themselves. That and they were always overly confident in their desirability. Veles was no different.

He remained above Xevon but didn’t progress any further instead a smug smirk came over his features. “You talk some big words, but you’re all bark and no bite when it comes to this it seems.” Veles teased, dipping his head back down towards Xevon. His form had cast a slightly darker shadow over the both of them where he hung.

–

Lily tensed up her muscles as she was lifted up, her hold on Callisto tightened and her eyes closed briefly. She felt securely held but that didn’t help the small amount of panic as they lifted from the ground and she felt the air begin to flow past the bare skin on her arms. It was cold and she moved her arms and Callisto closer to her torso in reaction.

Her head had turned towards Finn’s chest initially, nose crinkled lightly. It took her a moment, but she peeked out from her position and saw the sky. Her eyes widened as she saw the blanket of stars laid out across the darkening sky, her hair obscuring some of the view as it was moved around by the wind.

She had seen stars before, obviously. But from here and their elevating height, they seemed to take up her entire field of view. Lily hadn’t dared to look down yet, in fact she wasn’t sure how Finn had adjusted so comfortably to flinging himself up to these heights. Suddenly, Lily was extremely grateful for Finn’s strength.

Veles’s eyes flashed with something close to surprise, there for a millisecond before it was replaced with a darker glint as Xevon’s hand made contact with his face.

“You certainly may.” By this point, Veles was more concerned with bolstering his own ego than the previous thoughts of possible plans and manipulation. What exactly could Xevon do right at that moment, not much.

He lowered his head down to Xevon and closed the gap, however he kept his kiss a gentle touch. Not out of consideration for the other’s apprehension, but to see how Xevon would react.

–

Lily clearly heard Finn over the sound of the wind whipping past her and glanced up at him. Her lips were split into a wide grin, forgetting that she was currently holding a corrupt cult leader in her arms.

“Incredible!” She raised her voice so he could hear her, after all he didn’t have her hearing.

She turned her head to look back out across the lights below now, feeling more comfortable that they had made it this far with her falling to the ground. It looked rather pretty from up here, as much as she didn’t enjoy the environment of a city on most days, up here it looked peaceful.

Lily kept herself squished up against Finn, not entirely confident that if she leaned too far forwards she might topple out of his arms.

Callisto had his form curled up into a ball in Lily’s arms, head tucked as far into the crook of her arm as he could possibly go without popping out the other side. His fur bristling and eyes scrunched closed. It felt very strange for him, he couldn’t share Lily’s joy. Frankly, Callisto was terrified.