Nearly There Nicely 72

It took Will and Crow about ten minutes to walk down the damp streets before they turned onto Chebod; a wide cobblestone road blockaded off so people could only walk down the street. There was a mix of restaurants, eateries, and cafés among the mix of small art galleries. Will led Crow down the road to a larger building with a half-circle staircase built up off of the street. At the top of the stairs were large glass windows and doors, with an overhang to protect visitors from the rain. Above the overhang in thick letters read the words “ART MUSEUM” with a small flower between the two words.

Crow felt himself take in a nervous breath as Will pulled away from him and opened the glass door toward them. Hiding his nervousness, Crow reached around Will and held the door open as Will stepped through. Crow followed just after him, their hands parting.

“I haven't been here in a couple of years.” Will told Crow in a soft voice. He was speaking quieter out of respect for other visitors, and in regard to any sound echoing across the polished white floors. “It looks like they've had some construction since then. There used to be a desk and a wall over there,” he pointed just to their right.

“They must've expanded.” Crow offered, not sure if that might be the case, but Will nodded to him just the same.

The two stepped forward through the large foyer. After a few moments, they came to a wide desk with two paths behind it; one that went around a curved wall and out of sight, and the other that led up an open staircase. Sitting as the desk was a woman with chestnut hair tied back in a braid. Dressed in a crisp white suit, the only pop of color besides her hair, was a leaf-green tie around her neck. She lifted her brown eyes up as the two boys approached, then a smile came onto her face.

“Hello! What would you like to see today?” she asked with a smile.

Crow glanced at Will, hoping he'd have the answer. Will didn't notice the glance as he answered without a pause, “Both exhibits, please.”

“Do you have a membership card with us?”

“Yes,” Will nodded his head, “Under Bel'vaz.”

The woman nodded her head, glanced down at a leather book in front of her, flipped it open and checked through the names. “Ah, yep, here you are.” She picked up a pen and jotted down a tally mark in a box next to some other marks. “And... this is with a guest?” She asked, looking up to give Crow a once-over. Immediately Crow frowned at her examination of him, but he didn't say anything.

“Yes.” Will answered once more, keeping his tone well-trained and plain.

“All right, go on through.” She said as she put down another tally mark, then shut the book.

After they walked around the desk, heading toward the curved hallway first, Crow whispered to Will, “Did you see her glare at me?”

“She did?” Will asked, meeting Crow's eyes with surprise. “Maybe she was attracted to your eyes.” He suggested with a hint of a smile, curving the edge of his lips just barely. Crow had gotten accustomed to looking for the minute signs of Will's expressions, allowing him to catch sight of the smile.

Chuckling Crow shook his head, “No. It was like she was going to make me pay to get in.”

“Mmm, couldn't you just give your last name and get in for free? You are a noble, and a knight... And all knights are lord's by default. Right?”

“I dunno,” Crow shrugged his shoulders as the stepped around the corner. “I don't exactly rely on my title for any sort of benefits.”

“Not even if it means good food?” Will raised his brow, his tone surprised. Crow gave Will a glance, then smiled. “Well – I mean – food is best when it's … good. Right?”

“Yeah, but I don't mind cooking. That awesome meal we had last night, I can make something like that.” Crow explained.

Before their conversation could continue, they stepped into a dim open room with odd partitions. Lighting up certain spaces were spot lights, just above or below paintings. Spread along the middle of the room seemingly sporadically placed, were beautifully decorated vases. The whole room had curved walls, meant to guide them along like a river. At the opposite end of where they entered was a drastically curved wall that seemed to let in daylight from the far edge.

“Wow.” Crow spoke in awe, stopping still. He scanned his blue eyes around to take in the wide sight of the room.

A few steps ahead of Crow, Will stopped mid-step to turn around after hearing Crow's voice. The startled expression on Crow's face brought a sense of worry to Will. With a bit of hesitation, Will let a shy smile come onto his face as he took a few small steps back to look at Crow's face closer.

“Crow?” Will asked softly, tilting his head slightly to the left.

Crow darted his eyes to refocus on Will, then a brief smile passed over his lips. Immediately after, Crow's face relaxed back into awe as he stepped around Will to the right to look at the first painting. Slowly, Will turned his body to watch Crow as the other stopped a few feet out of the light to examine the colors.

The painting was an impressionist painting of blue and navy with white and gold splattered out from the bottom-middle going upward. Almost uniformly spread across the surface were smaller dots of white, orange and pink, creating a strange image.

It looks like a sky-spark.. Crow thought as he stared at the painting. The soft sound of footsteps coming up to his right took Crow's attention long enough for him to glance over to see Will approaching him. Like the sun is being seen through a waterfall.

“What's this one supposed to be?” Crow asked, glancing to Will again.

Will took a step forward, looking on either side of the painting. “I don't see a label... What does it look like?”

“One of the festival sky-sparks.” Crow answered. “Like it's shot up into a sky not yet night and it's already begun to fade.” He spoke with a soft voice; his usual tone drowned out by the awe.

Will felt himself smile a bit. He quietly followed as Crow took a few steps over to the left to the next painting. This one looked like buildings on a river mixed over in a yellow fog – ghostly shadows of buildings that were almost there, yet not quite. Crow took a longer amount of time at this painting, studying the colors and letting himself get confused by the strokes and clouds the painter had done. Then without a word, Crow proceeded on.

The two of them walked quietly around the gallery, stopping at every painting for a minimum of five minutes. Each painting was different in shade, tone and color, allowing the light to emanate to Crow's eyes like a stain. Some paintings were of landscapes that looked ghostly in tone like traditional impressionist paintings, while others were focused areas of an item or event that left Crow confused on what he was looking at. A green-and-yellow mixed painting looked like a leaf up-close bleached by the sun, while another looked like a tree hanging over a narrow bay on an overcast day.

As they followed the path down the curved hallway, they passed a set of floor-to-ceiling windows that were standing opposite a mural painted on the wall. Crow took a few steps into the white light from the cloudy day outside, glanced at the wall, then stopped and turned his full attention to the wall.

“Will.” He asked, his voice echoing around in the empty space. The hall was barely twenty feet long, but it felt emptier and devoid of color compared to the gallery they had just left. “Is this from the Djradas ruins?”

Will looked over the mural, then nodded. “Yeah,” he answered with a softer voice so it didn't echo as much. “It looks like it's their creation myth.”

The mural stretched along the length of the wall, simplified figures in full face-on or profile painted over a burnt cream background.

“This is the trio of dragons that created the world,” he pointed to three dragons blocked in solid colors of blue, green and grape. “Sapphire, Emerald and Onyx,” he named each one pointing to them, then Will took a few steps farther down the hall. “That's their introduction scene, and here is where Sapphire and Emerald make an oath of love for each other.” Will pointed to a scene where it looked like the two dragons had an orb of light over between the two of them, followed by their forms merging into a mixed orb that represented the ocean and continents.

Crow followed Will slowly, taking in the sight of the mural. “This can't be the real mural.”

“No.” Will nodded. “It's a recreation based on what was found. The real one is thirty-feet tall and over sixty-feet long, I believe.”

“Right...” Crow nodded, somewhat understanding the scale. “And then Onyx became the blanket to care for both Sapphire and Emerald.”

“Sort of,” Will started down the hallway again, looking over the mural to see if he could decipher the scenes from memory. “Onyx wouldn't act like a parent to them, but as a physical manifestation of wonder and curiosity. When either would stop being curious, all they had to do was look out around them, and the world was full of things that brought them imagination.”

“I get why this is here in an impressionist gallery,” Crow commented. When Will glanced at him with a look of confusion, Crow smiled at him. “Well, the dragons weren't physical dragons. They were representations of things – the ocean, land and sky. Even the other two,” he pointed to a spot on the mural that had a dragon painted a tan-orange tone next to a gray-white dragon, “Gold and Silver were just the sun and the moon.”

Will scoffed, shaking his head, “Gold and Silver were the guardians of life and death, so they protected the flow of time itself. Without them, even Onyx would cease to be wonderful, and Sapphire and Emerald would become bored and fade away.”

Crow stopped walking, propping a hand on his hip. “This is what you meant before – the gods were dragons.” Will stopped, slowly turning to face Crow with a meek look on his face. Although Crow's tone sounded like he was skeptical, the look on his face remained gentle. “This is why you don't think Matéas and Phyte are actual gods.”

“Well...” Will drew out the word, then nodded slowly. “Somewhat.”

Will smiled as Crow grew a skeptical look on his face, pursing his lips on the left-side. Dragon this, god that – Maybe he is hiding something. Almost instantly Crow grew irritated with himself as that brief thought of mistrusting Will went through his mind. He stood back as Will stepped forward and out of the corridor, bending his head to look at the mural once more. His eyes scanned along the length of the mural behind him, then slowly to the parts left to be seen.

The last section of the mural seemed to show a black dragon fighting with its maw open while facing the golden dragon – just at its back hung the silver dragon, looking like it was swooping down to stomp on the black one.

Frowning as he stepped past the darkened scene, Crow turned his eyes forward to the next part of the gallery. On his right were tall, wide stairs leading up to the second floor, in front of him was a path that looked like it circled back to the desk, and to his left was a pair of glass doors with horizontal metal handles across them with a large red rectangle across each one.

“Will?” Crow called when he didn't see Will down the hall. He glanced his eyes up the stairs when he heard the distinct sound of shoes hitting the polished surface.

“Come on. I've got more to show you.” Will called back down to him with a pleasant tone.

Crow's muscles relaxed as he started up the stairs and the sight of the mural vanished from his peripheral vision. Out of sight, out of mind – I hope. Crow thought to himself as he trekked up the stairs. Once he was even with Will on the floor, Crow smiled at him and then followed Will down the next gallery.

The next set of paintings were still impressionist style, but they fluctuated between playful colors and those that attempted to convey a ghostly sense of realism. There was a navy painting with shadows of a pier at night lit up by a red moon, and a painting of a church covered in fog so that only an open river reflecting the red moon could be seen. The two paintings were distinctly different and yet gave off a haunting air of similarity that it made Crow uncomfortable. Other paintings were of beach coves, waves, even the dense forest floor with sunlight trickling in. The wide use of blue and orange was mesmerizing to Crow as he stepped slowly throughout the gallery in a quiet awe. Will continued to follow Crow without a comment, glancing every now and then at Crow's face.

Finally Crow stopped at the last painting displayed. The painting was a sunny scene, a white patio lined with circular archways held up by white pillars with greenery growing atop them. Lining the base of the archways were simple flowerbeds that seemed to be blowing gently in the wind. At the back of the patio was a plain white building with a bronze vase sitting out in front of it. However the part that was entrancing Crow was the sight seen through the arches on the right: a crisp sapphire ocean with almost no disruption upon its surface. The calm water spread itself up to the horizon of a paler blue sky and an even lighter mist of clouds. Hugging the water was a small white and green maze of village houses with few boats out upon the water. It looked quaint, slow, steady and quiet – the town had a different, uncanny feeling that didn't match up with where Crow lived now.

With his hands in his pockets, Crow tilted his head ever so slightly to the left and right as he continued to take in the sight of the lazy water painted before him, then he spoke. “Thanks for taking me, Will. I'd... forgotten what colors could look like.”

“No problem, but you know there's more.” Will answered, leaning his chest forward so his face was farther into Crow's field of vision. At that, Crow let out a careful laugh, light and airy as he shut his eyes.

“Great, let's go.” Crow turned to smile at Will.

Will felt his smile falter as he watched the mix of colors, daylight and manufactured light sparkle in a mist in Crow's cobalt eyes. Will kept his eyes on Crow for a bit while they started back down the stairs and wound their way toward the desk. “You've got really nice eyes.” He said all of a sudden. The urge to blurt it out just came out of nowhere.

Surprised, Crow turned his entire upper body to look at Will as they stopped walking. Will had an equally surprised look on his face, so much so that Crow could practically read his thoughts. Oh shit I didn't mean to say it like that I just meant that they look nice – appealing – the way their light and color is just – compliments your skin and hair harmoniously. As Crow imagined Will's thoughts while studying his face, he started chuckling and then laughing. Worried, Will frowned as he took a step closer to Crow.

“S-sorry.” Crow laughed, gasping for air as he straightened up. “It's just – I thought I could read your mind there.” Another light chuckle escaped his lips before he could catch it to take another breath in.

Will pursed his lips through a smile as he felt his cheeks burn hot as he blushed. “I just meant that I like your eyes regardless of their color, and whichever one you choose to go with will look stunning – great – acceptable –” Will let out a breath of frustrated air as Crow's chuckles filled the space around them, echoing on longer.

Crow held up his hand while the other braced just above his knee as he tried to catch his breath. Putting his right hand on the top of his hip, Will let out a playful huff of air like he was annoyed.

After taking another deep breath to calm down, Crow straightened up with a smirk on his face. “So, I heard you like my eyes? Gold? Blue? Doesn't matter?” He asked as his smirk widened when Will stubbornly refused to change his frustrated, blushing expression on his face. When a few seconds passed and Will still hadn't looked away from him, Crow relaxed his face to chuckle. He looked up at Will with a refreshed smile. “I like your eyes, too.”

Will relaxed his muscles, his face going lax, and his jaw opening a bit. No thought passed through Will's mind as he took in the sight of the Crow's relaxed countenance. Seeing that look on Will's face, Crow immediately recognized it as surprise.

Crow took a single step toward Will, and in a swift movement, planted a chaste kiss at the far edge of Will's cheek just before his pink hair curled up his jaw. While moving, Crow stepped toward the desk, taking a soft grip of Will's left hand and pulled him along. Will followed without a word as they left the art museum and went out into the cool air of the street.

He... really has a talent for catching me off-guard; impulsive behavior that's childlike and hasn't changed. Will thought as he followed Crow down the street to another art gallery.

Neither of them talked much as they visited two more art galleries, unless it was about the color or where to go next. They stopped at a small café to get some pastries as a snack. Crow picked out a flaky puff pastry that was filled with raspberries and topped with powdered sugar. Will had taken a crepe with strawberries inside, drizzled over with honey and powdered sugar.

After eating, Will led Crow to what looked like a music instrument store from the outside, but inside was filled with various instruments set up. The instruments were broken of into sections as if they were in an orchestra but none had any stands for music, just chairs here and there. There was a young man playing around on a flute, while sitting next to him was a girl matching his notes with a clarinet. Across from the couple was a girl plucking the strings of a ukulele.

Will waved out his hand in a wide gesture with a shy smile on his face. “I thought you'd like to play around a bit.”

Crow scoffed, but wandered forward toward the strings. “You're just trying to make a fine arts nerd out of me today, aren't you?” He asked, turning to Will with a smile. Will shrugged, then stepped to follow him.

Crow picked up a violin and its bow. “I remember wanting to play this as a kid.” His words came out soft and muted in such a way that Will sensed Crow wasn't talking to him. Will relaxed the smile from his face as he watched Crow prop the instrument up on his shoulder. It took a moment for Crow to balance it before he straightened out his hand with the bow.

Crow dropped his blue eyes toward the bridge of the violin as he set the bow onto the strings. He took a slow focused drag across one string to create a hardy D-note. The other instrumentalists stopped playing for a moment, the room falling silent. Carefully, Crow arched his elbow up higher, changed the angle of his wrist and he pulled the bow down onto the A-string.

Crow was dragging the notes out in a slow fashion, testing the strings and his sense of the wood. He carefully played a few more strings before the sound of a ukulele starting to harmonize behind the violin echoed to Will's ears. Looking up, Will turned to look over toward the girl. She had shut her eyes and was waiting to predict the notes Crow would play. After a few moment, the sound of a flute and clarinet mixing with the melody came to Will's ears.

The song lasted hardly three minutes before Crow jerked his elbow and created a painful jarring note. Immediately lifting the bow off of the strings, Crow dropped the violin from his shoulder in a quick violent movement. Will watched as Crow gasped out for air as he reset the violin and bow back onto the stand. The other people continued to play as if nothing had happened.

“Anyway,” Crow said abruptly, turning to look at Will's face. “Where to next?”

“Oh, uh...” Will paused, trying to remember the next stop he'd planned out. “The art dome. It's just a few minutes away.”

“Great.” Crow nodded and briskly walked out past Will.

Will watched after him for a moment before glancing around at the instruments. The sad slow ballad continued to play for another moment until the ukulele player picked up the pace and started to lead the others down a chipper tone.

When Will stepped outside, he scanned around to see Crow standing alone half a block away with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He was standing up straight looking relaxed now, but he was clearly waiting as he watched the sky seeing the overcast clouds slowly move. A gentle wind came down the street, blowing his navy hair into his face and then out. As it was getting darker out, thick clouds were coming in from the ocean, bringing in a moist feeling.

Without warning, Crow turned his head down and looked right at Will. He wore no expression on his face. He looks... distant, and cold. Will thought unsurely. As Will walked over to Crow, Crow's expression seemed to change to something more present; the air around him becoming welcoming.

“Ready?” Crow asked with a smile on his face.

“Yes,” Will nodded, his words coming out soft. “It's a few blocks that way,” he pointed behind Crow down the street. Crow turned in the direction, but waited until Will was even with him before he started walking. “I thought you didn't know how to play the violin?”

“I don't.” Crow answered plainly. Curious, Will glanced to look at Crow's face to see a darkness in the blue of his eyes. “I learned enough to mess around a bit.”

When Crow didn't expand any further, Will felt the need to ask. “And then?”

Crow jerked his head away from Will as a lazy shrug, then let out a breath so his chest shrank. “Knighthood.” The word was crisp and sharp as Crow made sure to punch every consonant, including the “d” at the end of the word.

Will felt himself close his mouth, tensing his lips a bit as he returned his gaze forward. I suspect this is another reason Crow dislikes his father. “What you did play just now was beautiful.”

“It lacked any skill, discipline, training and knowledge.” Crow's words cut through the gentleness Will was attempting to re-establish almost mercilessly.

Will tensed his lips outward to withhold from frowning. “I meant, it's heart.” Immediately Crow slid his eyes to study Will. There was silence for a moment before Will pointed up at the curved archway to the next building. “The art dome.” Although Will was smiling, Crow could spot the tenseness in his posture.

Shit and fuck, and greatness. Crow cursed as he entered the building with Will. Nothing like being the dark cloud suddenly.

Inside the archway opened to a strange hallway. Although the hall was at least thirty-feet long, there were red velvet pillow guards meant to stop people from proceeding past the single doors on the left and right.

“This one's first,” Will said in a happier tone. He led Crow to the door on the left and opened it.

As Crow stepped in, his mouth gaped open. Walking on artificial grass to the center of the room, Crow had to glance all around him to take the sight in. The walls and ceiling were structured to form a half circle above him like a dome. The walls were painted brilliantly to create a realistic interpretation of the land as if there were no buildings. All around was lush grass, low brush and a few trees dotting the artificial landscape. Behind him, Crow could make out through a painted mist the Kavar Mountains, and in front of him, the land seemed to stretch on until it feel into the Acur Sea. The sky was painted blue with soft white and gray clouds thinly scattered about, with light seeming to emanate through them.

Crow let out a breath he didn't notice he'd taken in as he fell down to his knees. He shifted around onto his butt to look up into the sky. There was no sign of the sun, but it's light was clearly painted to come from the side with the mountains.

“Neat, huh?” Will asked as he settled down to sit next to Crow.

“...Neat... doesn't even being to describe it.” Crow gasped. Carefully guiding his weight, Crow laid back onto the grass to look up into the sky. “It does the same as it would outside- it's bright and seems to bleed into your eyes. It's amazing.”

“I thought you'd like this.” Will said with a smile, relaxing a palm next to Crow's shoulder as he turned to study Crow's face.

“It's a really nice summer sky.” Crow mused, looking upside-down at the painting behind him. “That ambient noise of wind, water and birds makes it.”

Will shifted up to look over the painting for a few minutes as Crow just laid there taking in the colors. After a bit, he shifted up and stretched.

“Ready to see the other room?” Will asked as Crow stood up.

“Hell yeah!” Crow stretched his shoulders up followed by his arms and then started toward the door.

Will got up to follow him, and after closing the door to the first room, he stopped Crow in the hallway. “You have to close your eyes first.”

With a refreshed and playful smile on his face, Crow closed his eyes. “All right.”

Will turned around to open the door, then he took Crow's hand and led him in. Crow listened as Will shut the door behind them, and then they stepped a few steps farther into the room. The sound of a lazy fountain reached Crow's ears, followed by a cool moist feeling. The light that reached his eyes was minimal, leaving the impression that the room was dark.

“Okay, you can look now.” Will's voice came to Crow's ears gently in a pleasant soft tone.

When Crow opened his eyes, they were assaulted by a pitch black shadow. He looked up and around them as his eyes adjusted and dilated. Slowly, Crow's jaw hung open in amazement.

The soft gentle sound of water was coming from built-in ponds all around the room as they circulated water slowly around. The floor was made of dark stone tile, but above and around them in the dome was a mix of wet rocks. Unlike the summer-day room, this room was solely being lit up by small specks of blue that shone like starlight.

“It's a fungus gnat that creates the starlight of the nightsky.” Will explained in a softer voice, but it still echoed off the wet rocks.

Crow gaped, afraid to move as the 'stars' looked close enough to reach out and touch. “It's like the cosmos threw up in here.” He said with a chuckle, relaxing his face into a small awed smile. The blue glow bounced off of the still water, creating an ethereal nature to the room. “It doesn't seem real.”

Will let out a light laugh. “You've been in the Threshold and find this unbelievable?”

“Yeah.” Crow answered, shifting his weight a bit as his eyes scanned around the wet rock at the bioluminescent light.

Will smiled, looking around at the lights. “My father... he took me here when I was little.” Crow turned his face to look at Will, his smile evaporating. “He said this place was made for me – an endless amount of starlight even on cloudy nights.” Will glanced at Crow, noticing the attention on him, and smiled so his cheeks puffed up briefly. “Too silly?”

“Nah,” Crow shrugged, gazing back out to the lights. “Maybe not enough.”

The two young men stayed and enjoyed the cave for a while. Only when Crow's stomach growled did they get up and leave. Outside, the sky had darkened so much that the street lamps were coming on. The cobblestone was shiny from the light mist that had accumulated during the time they were inside. They caught a small horse-drawn taxi to ride down through the streets toward the commercial and tourism piers.

Once there, Will led Crow to a restaurant that hung over the water. Although from the outside the place looked acceptable for knights to enter and eat, the inside gave off the impression that Crow was vastly under-dressed. Other customers sat in fine dresses and suits, or casual-classy like what Will had been dressed in at Crow's insistence.

The waitress looked Crow over up and down, clearly making a judgment on his royal blue shirt and burnt orange pants, but didn't say anything. Crow grimaced after her, sticking the tip of his tongue at her after she gave them their menus and walked back to the front desk.

Will lifted his menu card and gently batted Crow's knuckles with it. “Hey, don't do that.”

“What? I didn't do a thing.” Crow asked with a smile. Will shook his head, but was smiling, as he looked down to the menu. “What are you getting? Salmon?”

“Probably. Although the alfredo pasta sounds good.” Will commented.

Crow looked down the menu. He frowned, not sure what sounded appealing to him. Everything had a weird foreign name, so he had to resort to reading the ingredients list below each title. He eyed the alfredo pasta Will mentioned, looked over the poultry list, moved onto the seafood and glanced the pork and beef. “I think I'll just have a shrimp pasta salad.”

“Oooh that looks good, too.” Will chirped immediately. His tone sounded so pleased with Crow's choice, that Crow felt his face drop all expression in surprise.

How the hell am I supposed to flirt with that? Crow asked himself as he watched Will turn the page of his menu to look over the drink selection.

Before Crow could say anything the waitress came back to their table. “Have you decided?”

“Yeah,” Crow nodded to her. “I'll have the shrimp pasta salad and a cup of apple cider.”

“And I'll have the alfredo pasta and a red wine.” Will asked politely.

After the waitress left with their menus, Crow leaned is chest over the table to address Will in a hushed tone. “You're drinking wine?”

“You're getting cider, and besides, it goes great with the pasta.” Will answered with a simple look on his face. “Would you rather drink water with me?”

“If its iced, why not?” Crow asked with a chuckle. He lifted his arm up to prop against the table's edge, not on it, to hold his chin up. “What do you have going on next?”

Will's eyes widened a bit as he felt a change in the air around Crow. “Well, perhaps, I'd like to have an audience with Rhys.”

“Oh?” Crow's attention perked up as he straightened up. “Going to cave and become king?”

“Not quite.” Will smiled a bit. “I had a thought that perhaps if we implemented trains of some sort, that could connect our kingdom. We aren't large, but it'd be beneficial to the people to remain connected.”

“Huh,” Crow nodded. “He can funnel that idea to the right people then. Is that it?”

“Yes.” Will nodded. “About being king...”

“I was kidding.” Crow cut in before Will dwelt on his sentence any longer. Will glanced up to Crow, meeting his eyes. A small smile snuck into the far edge of his lips as Crow widened his lips into a smug smile. “Just to let you know, if you do go for kingship, Imma call you 'kingy'.”

Will lifted his palm to cover his lips as he let out an airy laugh. “Kingy?”

“Yep.” Crow reached over to pick up his cup of water. He took a drink of it before continuing. “If you need a better reason to become king, I can come up with one.”

Will shook his head. “I doubt if you can find a better one.”

“Oh, really?” Crow set down the glass carefully. “I'll have to give it some thought then.”

Will thinned his eyes as his smile shrank slightly. “Are you going to come with me to see Rhys?”

Crow straightened up fully, looking up toward the dark ceilings. The light from outside had vanished away as night crept in, leaving only the warm glow of the sconces and chandeliers to light up the restaurant and tables. At the center of their table was a set of three vanilla candles lighting up the area just around the table. The flames gave a soft golden tint to Will's face, that Crow could only imagine was similarly being reflected on his own face equally.

Before Crow could answer, the waitress returned with their glasses of cider and wine, then set down their dishes and left. Will took a starting sip of his wine, and then began to eat. Without any further comment, Crow began to dig into his own food.

After a few bites, Will glanced up to Crow. “Is it good?”

“It's great.” Crow nodded, then he took another bite. “About seeing Rhys, yeah, I'll go with you.”

“You won't be busy doing something else?”

“Nope.” Crow nodded. Will to a sip of wine, then spun the red liquid around before he set the glass down. “Is there something you think I should be doing?”

“N-no” Will shook his head, feeling his cheeks burn pink. I just wanted to spend more time with you – well that's too embarrassing to say. “Please come with.”

“Sure.” Crow smiled at Will. Noticing the bit of awkwardness in Will's posture, Crow flashed his eyes to gold, creating a small atmosphere of soothing energy around himself and Will. Will lifted his eyes up to study Crow's as he felt the difference in atmosphere.

Lien. Use the power minimally. If you take more than 1% it will have consequences to your world.

Crow felt himself frown as Tengyi's voice echoed inside his head. It came with a surge of power unbridled by anything, creating a tense pain between his eyes. Hiding it from Will, Crow lifted up his fork to take a bite of pasta.

Consequences? What a dark and mysterious tone. Just tell me straight out. Crow thought. As he focused on hearing Tengyi's words through telepathy, Crow didn't notice how the restaurant's lighting seemed to dim – the world was darkening around him.

Holding up continents take energy and if you use all of it before I can replenish it, well, just imagine the calamity. Tengyi's voice was firm yet far-off and cold. Like a machine, it lacked emotion.

“Crow?” Will asked softly. Crow darted his eyes up, straightening his back up immediately, to see the worried look on Will's face. Will had leaned his body forward and called out to him several times before, judging by the look on his face. “If you don't want to, that's all right, too.”

“Don't want to what?” Crow asked, his eyes going wide. Shit. I just missed something important. Crow felt the weight of the conversation had changed while he hadn't been paying attention.

Slowly, Will closed his eyes. When he opened them, Will was looking down to the set of candles. “Nevermind.” Will's answer was formal and crisp, his pronunciation flawless although his voice fell soft and dropped in tone.

Crow studied Will for a second, feeling his brows furrow and a frown grow on his face. Thinning his eyes, Crow tilted his head so one ear was higher. “What was it you asked?” Although he felt irritated, Crow made an effort to keep his tone plain.

Will answered with a quick glance of his eyes. “Nothing.” He lightened his tone so it sounded more pleasant.

Liar. Crow thought, but he didn't say anything. Instead he cleared his throat while putting down his fork. “You done? Want anything for dessert?”

“No. I'm fine with just this.” Will shifted his palms to his lap. He gave Crow a small nod when Crow looked him once over for any sign of wanting more to eat.

“Then,” Crow stood up, pushing his seat out from behind him. “Let's get some air.” He turned his chin up with a smile as he stepped around the table and took up Will's left palm from his lap.

With no chance to protest, Will followed Crow through the restaurant and out into the night air on the pier. Outside, Crow released Will's hand and stepped over to the banister to lean his weight onto it through is forearms. Will stepped after him, standing next to him.

The air's so still. And quiet. I had no idea the lazy lapping of the water against pillars could be soothing and yet deafening. Will thought to himself as he looked out to the surface of the water. The clouds were dense enough that there was no sign of the moon or starlight. Will could hardly make out any lanterns on boats out in the harbor. It was stupid to ask if he felt like talking to Corian. But... He's his father – a father who wants to be part of his life in a way that mine – Will's thoughts paused as he turned his head to look over Crow's plain expression in the dim light. Seeing his father was the farthest thing from Crow's mind at that moment. Will opened his lips to speak, but stopped when a cool wind breezed past them gently. There's no sense to ask him about it now. Will turned his attention back out to the water, halfway looking around to see what might have Crow's attention. The birds like things that shine so maybe he sees something on the waves? Although it was a playful and ridiculous thought, it brought a soft chuckle to Will's throat that remained inaudible to Crow.

Standing side-by-side looking out to the water from a pier connected to the restaurant, the two of them could feel the heavy clouds coming down as evening set in. The clouds were close enough now that the water vapor was hanging around them in a thick mist.

“This was fun.” Crow broke the calm sereneness first. Will looked over to him, watching as a smile grew on his face. “We need to do this again sometime.”

“You... want to?” Will asked, widening his eyes.

“Well yeah,” Crow answered, turning to look at Will with a silly expression on his face- a mix between a smile and confusion. “It's nice to just take a day and relax.” Then he let out an airy chuckle, “I get why people do it now.”

Eased by his words, Will offered Crow a small smile. Will made an amused sound in his throat, similar to a laugh. “Okay,” he answered with a sweet tone.

Content with this, Crow turned to look back out onto the water. It was quiet around them, allowing the repetitive sound of the water lapping against the pillars beneath them fill the atmosphere. Will followed suit, looking out back to the horizon, watching out into the quiet bay. He looked toward his right out to the ocean. There he could see ships sitting in the harbor, waiting for morning.

This is a nice relaxing mood. Crow thought in the silence. He glanced an eye over at Will, thinking it over. Kissing him would be a good option. But would he be so embarrassed, he gets mad, since we're still in front of the restaurant?

“Crow?” Will asked, catching Crow's full attention.

Before Crow could even fully get out the word “Yeah?” as he turned his head to face Will, he saw Will moving toward him in a quick motion and then a sudden pain hit through the front of his face.

Yelping, both boys recoiled from one another. Will had his hand clasped over his nose and upper lip, while Crow held his entire mouth, feeling the pain at the front of his teeth get worse as a throbbing started.

Crow gave a slight rub to his teeth through his skin, feeling where it was most tender.

“Ow...” Will whined.

Crow looked over to him, seeing Will's eyes shut and a look on his face like he was cursing himself. “You okay? You didn't cut your lip did you?”

“No...” Will answered through his hand, his voice almost echoing a whine still. “I just,” immediately he corrected his voice to sound more composed, “banged my nose.”

On my teeth. Crow thought. Oh. He was trying to kiss me. Slowly, Crow dropped his hand from nursing his mouth to his chin. “Do you feel up to trying that again?”

“Not really.” came Will's blunt answer. He blinked open his eyes, and had an expression that surprised Crow. Will was practically glowering out to the water. His voice didn't sound rather upset and hurt, instead sounding extremely formal.

“Ya sure?” Crow asked, raising a brow. There was a pause, before Will moved his eyes to look at Crow out of the corner of them. Seeing the curious attention suddenly on him, Crow responded appropriately with a smirk. “I don't mind.”

“I'll just crash into you again.”

Laughing, Crow shifted to cover his mouth, “You might.” At that, Will immediately looked back out to the water. “Here,” Crow reached over and turned Will to face him by turning his shoulders to him. Although Will's face appeared expressionless, Crow could see a few hints of sulking and still cursing himself in the way Will took a few seconds to meet Crow's eyes. “Move with your eyes open and when you get to eighty-percent, then you close them.”

Will dropped his eyes to Crow's lips, tensing his lips for a half second as he barely pursed them. Kissing him with instruction isn't the same as being... “It won't be spontaneous now.”

“Nah.” Crow answered easily. When Will lifted his eyes to examine Crow's expression, he laughed again, “You didn't hurt me. That was just a pre-kiss-bonk. Love packaged and included, no charge.” Will pulled his lips back, trying to not smile and force a grimace instead. The look was funny, causing Crow to chuckle. “Right?” He asked, sounding the word out slowly for impact.

As quickly as Will relaxed his expression, his head darted forward toward Crow's. In response to the sudden movement, Crow jerked his head back.

“Whoa! A little slower, Will.” He said, catching Will's shoulders to stop him so they didn't crash together again. “And eyes open.”

“I did have them open.” Will answered, sighing.

“Slowly,” Crow chuckled. He shifted forward, moving his head close to Will's so their noses almost touched. “Then here you close your eyes–”

Crow got cut off as Will moved his head forward in a swift motion so their lips touched. It was a chaste kiss, that Will both started and ended.

“Was that right?” Will asked plainly.

“Y-yeah.” Crow stuttered, still surprised Will kissed him so effortlessly. “You get the idea.” He gave Will a small smile. I wonder if he can do it without crashing into me first though. That zeal... Man.

Will tilted his head to the side as he saw a blush start to form on Crow's cheeks. “What are you thinking about?”

“Uh,” Crow turned back toward the restaurant, resting his palms on the banister as he leaned against it. “Just you know.... How much you cherish me.”

Ch-cherish – he said it as a replacement for 'love'. Will felt his cheeks burn. He took a half-step back from Crow, as he looked down to study the wood grain beneath his feet in the dim light.

“Adorable.” came a monotone voice from the restaurant.

Crow lifted his head up, turning around to see who was speaking to them. The lack of light made it harder to make him out, his form seeming to suck away all of the light that shone on him. Akiio stood hardly five-feet away dressed in his usual all black – slacks, stiff-collared jacket, with a trim of white around the edge of his neck and going down to his belt. His black hair absorbed the light, almost reflecting none from the inside light of the restaurant. Pale skin framed his crimson eyes that looked sunken, tired, and worn.

“Sup?” Crow asked, his smile fading away to a look of suspicion.

“Orders.” Akiio answered bluntly. “Step away.” Will frowned at seeing Akiio's tired complexion. He ran his thumb against his index finger on his left hand, releasing his anxiety.

Thinning his eyes, Crow took a step in front of Will to block him from Akiio. “Why?” He asked slowly.

“Pain.” Akiio lowered his eyes so that they were half-lidded, lifted his left hand up and raised his palm toward the sky. He jerked his fingers toward Crow and then up again, just enough for Will to catch a glimpse of metal sparkling in the light. It was a quick motion, but sudden in Akiio's hand, held almost delicately like a flower, was a stiletto dagger made of a dark heavy metal.

Will stumbled back a step was Crow pushed his hand against his stomach to push him away. Will caught ahold of the banister to balance himself, looking up to see Crow pass his hand by his left ear. Without grabbing anything or even touching his ear, Crow made a circular pass by his ear and then stretched out his arm toward Akiio. An extension of his arm grew like a vine piercing forward, and suddenly Invictus had stretched forth from Crow's fist until the tip of the sword rested against Akiio's exposed collarbone.

“You better start elaborating, shithead.” Crow threatened, lowering his voice to an octave below his normal register. His sense of pronunciation dropped as he rolled his 't's into 'd' sounds or losing them entirely. “Pain isn't a good enough reason to back away.”

Will watched as very slowly a thin smile went across Akiio's lips like slime. His crimson eyes seemed to light up in the darkness, and then the restaurant's lights went out. Will turned his attention over to the windows as he heard the worried sounds of customers and workers. Crow, however, refused to take his eyes off of Akiio. He stood there like a shadow now, disappearing into the night's atmosphere.

Just a bit more for my eyes to dilate dammit. Crow cursed, moving his eyes slightly left and right, just enough so he could keep track of the line between Akiio's form and the darkness of the land behind him. It took a second before Crow realized Akiio had vanished. Shock and worry filled Crow, his heart pounding in his ears. Swiveling sharply on his heel, Crow turned to face Will, but what dim light was left wasn't reflecting off of Will's light colored clothes or his pink hair.

“Will!” Crow called, stepping forward suddenly with his hand out, dropping his hand with Invictus to his side. He swung his arm vertically and then horizontally at the place where he was sure Will had been standing moments before. Feeling nothing but emptiness, Crow jogged a few steps forward. “Will?” He raised his voice, asking louder for a response. Panic filled him up, his hands growing sweaty so that Invictus became slippery and heavy in his grip. Crow ran back across the pier, around to the front of the restaurant, and then back to the other side until he ended up where he started. “Will! Answer me!” Crow's voice cracked, feeling the urge to use Tengyi's power.

Tengyi! I have to use your power! Will's gone!

I refuse.

Tengyi! Crow stomped his foot, turning around to look all around him again in a circle. Please? At least light up the area!

Light it up?

Crow yelped, dropping Invictus as the blade sprouted flames. Although they had felt hot, they didn't burn the wood when the sword landed. Cautiously, Crow lifted the sword up by the handle, then pointed it left and right to double-check once more for Will.

There was no sign of Will.

Shocked, Crow relaxed his arm to his side. The flames disappeared off of the blade as Crow relaxed his hands stunned. Invictus rattled as it fell onto the wood. Crow looked up with wide eyes as a young man dressed like a waiter ran up to him with a worried look on his face. The man's mouth was moving, but no sound was reaching Crow's ears.

Pain. Akiio … delivered … pain. Was all Crow could think as he stared wide-eyed at the man.

Will yelped as Akiio yanked him by the wrist along the street. He couldn't see Akiio in front of him, or his own hand or arm. Instead, Will could see the blackness – a shadow of his physical form being pulled around by another shadow.

“Ow!” Will repeated his complaint. Will felt his voice was shaky, as if he was something akin to a ghost between materializing and disappearing. Akiio's grip was cutting through the joint of his wrist in a way similar to how Crow dragged him away once. “Akiio, you're hurting me!”

Akiio's brisk walking pace slowed until they were just normally walking. Only at that point did he relax his grip on Will's wrist, but he didn't let go.

“Akiio?” Will asked again, his voice continuing to echo with that strange sound that felt ghostly. He frowned with worry, glancing over his shoulder in the direction of the restaurant. “Why are you...”

Straightening up, Akiio turned his face to look at Will. Lit up by the lanterns of the street, Akiio's skin looked paler than Will recalled it should be. It startled Will so much so that his eyes went wide with surprise and his upper body recoiled away. With a sad countenance, Akiio spoke his answer. “I'm kidnapping you.” Somehow, the ghostly tone of Akiio's voice seemed to match the grave and dark expression on his face. His crimson eyes, although brilliant in color, seemed to have lost their sheen.

Wh—what did Phyte do to you? Will was afraid to voice his question aloud – afraid to hear the answer. His whole body tensed as Akiio turned away from him.