I've been drinking, I've been drinking [Aven]

Aven was much the same, dazed and confused at the drama unfolding around him. Not only did Aviel seem to know the Valkyrie extremely well, they were on hugging terms? What was that about a wife? Everything was passing directly over his head, an experience he wasn't used to, and not one he particularly enjoyed. When Nessa turned to him for confirmation, he gave her an honest shrug. He'd even less idea about what was happening than her, so any possible answers wouldn't be coming from him. In fact, even the scenery was a step above his class, and that was a terribly difficult feat, considering: thrones for chairs, a castle in the clouds, food fit for the gods, he was out of his league for the first time in his life.

It was actually a bit refreshing.

Aviel's six wings brought him effortlessly into the air, settling him into Hakon's throne. He rested his arms on the sides, as he sat with regal posture, his aura mixing in with the various combating magical energies around the room. "Cold as ever, Ellamora. I thought that was Arcturus' modus operandi?" Tension would do them no good in such a meeting, his resounding laughter echoing through the halls as a smile spread across his face once again. "I jest, of course. I assume you all know why I'm here, since a majority of you miss Hakon just as sorely as I. Still, my times not been wasted these past years, and at last, I've tracked Castor's signature though the planes." His eyes swept the room for reactions. It was quite the announcement he was making, tacked with the proposal of a monumental undertaking. If they were to have any hope of freeing Hakon from Castor's grasp, a dimensional rift to Castor's realm would need to be opened and maintained throughout the entire battle, while simultaneously warding him away from the freedom such a portal would offer him. It was a gambit unlike any they could imagine, and with the stakes as high as they were, the question was on the table: "Are you in?"

A sudden rush of magical pressure filled the room, as Aviel's gentle aura contorted, and a powerful rage pulsated from his body. The shift caused Aven's attention to focus from his stupor for a moment, his eyes drawn to the Seraphim: his golden eyes had grown darker, and the light that normally exuded from the angel had become tendrils of darkness. A small hint of fear rose, unbidden, to the pit of Aven's stomach, though in his mind, he was assuring himself that Aviel wouldn't hurt him or Nessa.

The anger intensified, despite Aviel's internal attempts to quell it. It was his dual nature rising again, the darkness bubbling to the surface. His garments shifted from white to black, and he slammed his fist onto the table in front of him. All that talk about the Gods, and their pitiless agendas... this was exactly why Aviel had tried to dissuade Hakon from joining Odin's Valkyrie. His darkened eyes shot to Ellamora, boring into her. "You think I don't know that? Of course, she isn't how she was before, did you think you were dealing with a simple Wizard? Castor is on the apex of becoming a God, and Odin can't be bothered even to send Valkyrie on account of some misbegotten pride?" Aviel stood, his fury boiling over the edge. "Don't misconstrue this, Valhalla has two choices in this matter: it can either stand and fight to free your Sister in arms, and have the privilege of welcoming her back into it's ranks, or stand idle, and allow a new God of the Void to be born, forcing me to rescue my wife alone. This fabled third option, of eliminating Hakon, is not only ludicrous, but dangerous to your health," Shadows roiled behind Aviel, seemingly taking form before receding, as he glared at the table, making himself understood, "Because to get to Hakon, you'll have to get through me."

To the room's relief, Tiphanae chimed in, and Aviel nodded, deeming to augment her point. "Castor's power lies in the control of other beings, and a siphoning of their power. Now that he's collected seven different Immortal class beings, he can begin the process of ascension. If he succeeds, not only will he be unbound from his dimension prison, he'll be free to assault the power structures of this world, not the least of which Valhalla. Like it or not, this is Odin's problem either way, regardless of his pride." Aviel's attention shifted to Nessa and Aven. "What's more, such an event would wreak havoc on the mortal realm, devastation beyond belief. If Castor's power is allowed to reach the level of a God, even the mortal's most powerful wizards could be subjected to his will with the smallest of his efforts, put under the same mindless control as Hakon."

Aviel's aura faded, and his visage returned to it's normal golden hue. A deep breath in, and out, before he could attempt to calmly assess the situation. The Valkyrie were proud warriors, to a fault sometimes, and Hakon was no exception. He'd crossed a boundary that shouldn't have been crossed by bringing Odin into the matter, that much was clear, even beforehand; he deserved every biting word from Ellamora he recieved, and thus, he kept his mouth shut. His brow narrowed, but not in anger this time, but with a tinge of shame. Not only did her words strike deep, they touched on the very essence of Aviel's discomfort and desperation: even should Hakon be rescued, her pride would dictate that she lay herself upon her own blade in reparation for her betrayal, even under the control of Castor. She'd been burdened by the stigma of her Honor before, several times, in fact, attempting the same maneuver, only to have Aviel steal it away for the sake of love. He sometimes wondered if that was merely a selfish form of love, if he were actually robbing her of vindication of some sort, of peace of mind. These insecurities weighed on Aviel, so heavily that he sat down once more, sinking further into the throne than before, his posture a mess.

There was nothing much left to say, besides the obvious. "I know full well the weight of the burden Hakon's mind will carry, there's no need for enlightenment on that topic. My words reflected a side of myself that should not have been represented here, in this discourse, and for that, you have my sincerest apology." His fingers laced, and he rested his head forward onto them, the halo above him almost seeming to sag. "As far as any mortals go, Castor's corrupting power will not be effective, under the rules of the dimension Castor was sealed in. If the rest of you can gain that shelter under your Link to Nessa Cordelia Lux, it would prove invaluable, though I hope it's clear that she would need to be present under such conditions." Aviel's eyes were somber now, and they shifted to Nessa. "This venture needs much preparation, and will not be occurring for some time, but I feel it only fair to warn you just how unbelievably dangerous the fight will be. The very fate of your world would hang in the balance-"

Now, Aven had been listening to the conversation silently up to this point, partially absorbing information, partially chugging the delicious Spiced Rum he'd been poured. The matter at hand concerned him, if not for the sole reason that Castor had pissed in his cheerios with that bastard demon Hak'hal. However, among all the serious talk, shows of magical superiority, and somewhat contrived anger and strife, Aven was sure of one thing. He stood up in the middle of Aviel's words, planting one foot on the table with a loud noise, and pointing at Aviel. It was immediately obvious to anyone observing, by the slightly dulled position of his expression, that he was more than a tad bit tipsy. "Don't you underestimate Radiant Light! Nessa and me, we're so strong, we took out Castor's minion just like that!" He made an exaggerated snap, and clacked his cane on the table, skewing a large drumstick in the process by accident. His attention drifted down momentarily, before he flicked the meat up into the air, barely catching it by the bone, then holding it up triumphantly. "This is supposed to be a party, so I don't want to hear all this doomsday nonsense; we'll kick Castor's butt when we get to it, I say, let's enjoy the food while it's hot!" With that, he took a huge bite out of the drumstick, a big smile on his face. He may have been incredibly inebriated, but he'd learned one very important thing: Nessa could handle herself, not just as a member of Radiant Light, but as a Wizard in general. She didn't need anyone's pity or protection, otherwise, she'd never become stronger. Aven knew that he'd hate to endure such treatment, so he refused to let Aviel look down on them as humans, even if it were out of concern.

Aviel's face broke from a stern, business expression, into a big smile, as Aven threw out his thoughts on the matter. A flash back to his own days as a mortal brought warmth to Aviel's heart, the bit of himself he saw in Aven more than enough to remind him of better days. He remembered his days courting Hakon, the two star-crossed lovers of opposite sides of a senseless Civil War, and that beautiful sunset over Reahj while they sat on top the clock tower on their first date. In many ways, Aven was everything Aviel wished he could have been, innocence and all. If he'd grown up in this world, it's possible that would have been the case, but still, he closed his eyes. Despite the countless struggles, he couldn't bring himself to regret his past for long, not when it led him to Hakon. On the same notion, their current trial was nothing but another chapter in the saga of tribulations the two had gone through in their time, and he had little doubt that it wouldn't be the last. A sense of pride came over him as he laughed jovially at Aven's drunken speech, the tension in the room all but obliterated by the light the young man constantly exuded from his words and actions. He was positive, the boy was suited to the light of Radiance far more than himself, and he'd certainly grow to match Aviel one day.

As if on queue to the true beginning of the feast, Agatha and Arcturus arrived in spectacular fashion. Agatha's not entirely unexpected hearty welcome was greeted with a grin by Aviel. "It's been too long, in fact, Agatha. Official business, of course, but a feast never hurts. Oh, and I latched a ride with my young charge over there." Aviel's surprise surfaced at Agatha's reaction to spotting Aven, and his mind quickly surveyed the possible reasons. Agatha was single, to his last recollection, but he was nearly positive that was because Valkyrie didn't normally court or even marry. Hakon was an exception as she was adopted by Odin upon their arrival to this universe. If that was the case, then it was unlikely her actions were founded solely in her own interest, but rather an alternate motive. Agatha's words, of course, lit a spark in Aviel's mind as he realized just what was going on, and his grin widened. He'd have to agree wholeheartedly with Agatha, Markus hadn't a chance: and he would know, he'd met the young man on multiple occasions. It may have been a small bit of paternal pride, but nevertheless, Aviel Kilandre-Alveron could personally guarantee that an Alveron never loses a battle of love.

Aven, on the other hand, was quite in shock, and rightly so: he'd been about to introduce himself to the new arrivals, having sat back down after being incredibly pleased with the outcome of his miniature speech, when out of nowhere, the Valkyrie named Agatha pounced directly in front of him and began to inspect his body. This was no simple once over, either, but a thorough, detailed analysis of his physical worth as a man, not to mention that her hand coddled his chin with great intensity. Her skin was as expected of a warrior, calloused and tough, but somehow, it was smooth at the same time. He could feel the blood rushing to his face, as he attempted to object to the sudden treatment, but the words got caught in his throat. Her presence was commanding, and even in his drunken state, the earnest and effortless dominance that Agatha exuded cowed Aven, and he was reduced to simply allowing her to tilt his head back and forth, making several flattering remark about his physique. What was this about a wager, though? Agatha'd just arrived, they hadn't time to make any recent bets, but all the same, it seemed to involve him in some way. His mind was too hazy to connect the pieces of a puzzle, so all he could think of was that it was some kind of bet as to whether he was worthy to be on a team with Nessa. Yes, that had to be it, after, she made a comment about his musculature, a key component in battle, and since Valkyrie were essentially Angels of War, it made perfect sense. All the pieces simply fell into place for Aven, and he had no reason to ask clarification. After all, what else could it possibly be? Nothing, that was what.

The issue, of course, became that Agatha didn't stop there. Nessa attempted to intervene, and he wished she had, because in response, Agatha leaned in, not inches away, her face passing dangerous close beyond his as she... smelled him? It was ridiculous, why would she do that? Better question, why was all the blood in his body suddenly in his face, and feeling extremely self conscious about whether he'd washed thoroughly enough that morning? Her compliment, contrary to what he'd thought, actually made it worse, and his vision blurred, before his head lolled back, and he slumped in Agatha's grip, temporarily passing out. Metaphorical steam rose from his ears as she let him free, returning to her seat, and Aven slowly revived, only to dig into more food, trying to bury his embarrassment in the veritable mound of delicious morsels he'd quickly gathered onto his plate. "It's okay, Nessa, I'm totally fine, no harm done, really, it's no big deal." The blood red shade of his poorly hidden face told her just how fine he was, of course, and it didn't' exactly corroborate his tall tale.

Aviel's demeanor shifted in a way it hadn't before as Nessa spoke her slightly addled mind, challenging Scythen with such gusto. It twisted, slowly morphing as the Angel struggled to contain the emotion that was rising within him. It proved too powerful, however, and finally, it burst forth, sending him into a tirade of laughter. He'd been about to retort to the Valkyrie of Death, but Nessa's words were more than adequate to taper the edge of Scythen's own. He leaned back in Hakon's throne, as his laughter rang out through the hall, a clear, almost ringing sound.

Aven, on the other hand, had noticed Nessa's downing of the Valkyrie's brew, and he couldn't simply sit idle as she outdid him. They'd only suspended the drinking game, what kind of Alveron would he be in he slacked off when she'd called time-in? In one fell swoop, he poured and knocked back a full tankard of it: a mistake, to be sure. Were it not for the fact that Aviel had shut off his body's magical cleansing capability, he would have been fairly tipsy afterward, but without it, the full force of the brew hit him within seconds. It burned his throat, and brought a haze over his mind. Scythen was saying something again, but he only caught parts of it. She'd said something about court, and women... did she mean he couldn't handle himself in a nobleman's court? That certainly wasn't right, he'd spent many evenings entertaining guests of all genders at the soiree's that his family would hold, not the least of which older women, who loved to hear his elegant piano playing and song. His hearing, of course, tuned back in a few seconds, in time to catch Nessa's speech. She was absolutely right, he wasn't there to be tested, he was there to meet her friends and comrades, and to party!

As Nessa finished, Aven stood up once again, though keeping his feet planted this time. His balance was off, strange for him, even when drunk, so he clacked him cane on the ground, before he swayed forward, waving his cane in a sweeping gesture around the table. He also held a hand semi-elegantly against his chest with a proud smile. "You're so right, Nessa. I'll have ya all know, I'm a mazter of courting, I could do it in my sleep. My fingers are like magic, even without the magic, and I got a tongue graced by the gods themselves!" Of course, Aven was speaking of playing the piano and singing, but who could possibly glean anything else from such words? Not Aven, that's who.

Aviel, at this point, was doubled over, his laughter reaching the point of physical discomfort. If it was the last thing he did, he wanted to make sure that Aven never lost the pureness of his heart. Well, maybe with one exception.

Aviel took quite a time calming down, the continued antics with Agatha setting him off once more. He hadn't laughed so freely since Hakon had disappeared, and frankly, it was a well needed reprieve from the hectic search and constant worry. Especially considering the visage of tranquility and grace he naturally adopted, it would be difficult for any outsider to understand just how chaotic his thoughts were at times, a mask of sorts. Aven's blind, and sometimes naive, optimism and innocence had a way of bringing out the best in people, even Aviel, and he was incredibly grateful for the opportunity. If he had to wager, Aviel would say that his descendant was even better at finding the good in others than himself.

The angel did have to agree with Ellamora's judgement on the matter of drunkenness: without his magical cleansing, Valkyrie Rum could do some serious damage to Aven. He rose from his seat along with Tiphanae, and ushered the utterly smashed Gentlewizard alongside his crush, still lightly chuckling to himself about the misunderstanding that had taken place not a minute ago. He was the only one in the room that had understood the true meaning behind Aven's words, and the irony was too palpable for him to ruin by explaining it out. Better to allow them their fantasies.

Aven was incredibly excited at the prospect of a tour. He could learn so much by exploring the area, he wondered where the source of their magic power was? Was it Odin, or something else contained within Valhalla? in any case, Ellamora said they were gonna visit a grand chamber, or something: it sounded like it could be even bigger than his own room! After a long and tipsy walk through the halls, the two 'happy' wizards were led to a smaller version of the massive doors that had guarded the entrance of the Castle, which swung open to reveal a grand chamber, indeed. Aven's eyes widened, it was even larger than his parents master suite, several pillars throughout the area to maintain the structural integrity of the ceiling. The walls were adorned with various weapons and armor, of all kinds from different time periods, it seemed, with exotic animal skins scattered along the marble floor. Several of the animals, Aven had never even seen before, appearing ancient in origin. In his addled state, all Aven could manage was, "This... is a room."

Aviel nodded with his usual smile, Tiphanae was just as earnest as she always was. He appreciated her straight forward attitude, and that willingness to say exactly what was on her mind. He glanced at Aven as he spoke, watching the young man's awe. "Yes, Aven is very dear to me, just as each of my descendants have been; I must admit, he's more like me than I would have anticipated, in the best way I could have hoped for. Were it not for Castor's interference, he would've had my light from the beginning. As for Nessa, I couldn't have picked a better teammate for Aven, along with their little dragon friend, Arcadia. It's a perfect trio of good intent, one I should hope guides those around them."

Aven follows Nessa with a wobble in his gait, and let out a small 'ooh' as Nessa's clothes were changed into a beautiful silky nightgown. She looked radiant in his eyes, befitting of the holy place they were occupying. When the question was posed to him whether he wanted the same, he grinned and nodded without hesitation. "Absotutely, but no dresses, m'kay? I don't wear the dresses."

Aviel, who'd been trailing lightly behind to ensure Aven didn't taste the marble floor, knotted his brow for a brief moment. There was the issue of his scars, inflicted by that estranged member of Grim Heresy. He wished he could have helped back then, a regret that weighed heavily on him whenever he glanced the young man's chest and arms. If he'd been just a little bit faster breaking Castor's seal on Aven's soul, they could have expelled Hak'hal long before that incident happened, and Aviel could have taken Aven to safety using the bond they now share. His face lightened once more. This may set me back a bit in preparation for Castor, but Aven deserves to be proud of himself, inside and out. He placed a hand on Aven's shoulder to steady him, a small, almost unnoticeable glow emitting from under his suit, before Aviel retracted his hand, as though nothing had happened.

Tiphanae's wind swirled around Aven, changing him into silky white pajama bottoms that matched Nessa's nightgown. His top half was bare, but instead of the grisly sight that Nessa had seen before, revealed to the room was the visage of a near perfectly toned chest and arms, the muscles tight and molded, even in his drunken state. Where his scars had been, instead, were small glowing lines of golden light, which pulsated softly along with his heartbeat. His upper half was rife with them, forming intriguing patterns from his wrists to his abs, and even down his back. Aven, of course, was astonished, and a welling of happiness bubbled from inside him, as he wore the biggest smile of the night, and plopped onto the bed, laughing. He was obviously too hammered to see right, but he'd enjoy the drunken illusion while it lasted.

Aviel nodded silently with a smile, and left the two alone to gather themselves. The scene reminded him of something, however, and a bit of color rose to his cheeks. He didn't think the two were even close to that subject matter, luckily, but he did know the first thing Hakon and him were going to do once they rescued her. With that, he shut the door.

Aven chuckled drunkenly at the notion of 'fairy lights': what was more fitting for a Fairy than to give off a golden glow? Next thing he know, he would be dropping fairy dust behind him! He sat up in the bed, flexing as acknowledgement of her praise. My clothes cover them up, ya know? Gotta have an ace up my sleeve, or maybe six! He chuckled again, using three fingers to tap one half of his abs like the keys of a piano. "Today was so crazy, your friends are bonkers! Remember that one part, Agatha exploded a drumstick?" He flopped onto his back in resignation. "Ya did have more than me, I guess ya won, yeah. So, what do ya want for winning?" His white hair was mussed by the bed, giving him a slightly unkempt look as he glanced over at Nessa, waiting for her reply. He hadn't really thought about what he was saying, it just rolled off his tongue.

Aven's smile was just as warm as he felt, the covers slowly beginning to reflect his body heat, as their eyes met. Something seemed to change about her demeanor, less silly now, as she shuffled up against him, suddenly grasping his hand. The soft pulsing glow of Aven's marks began to quicken, slowly but surely, and Nessa spoke her wish. It was a sobering moment for Aven, as the silliness of the night faded, and there he was, alone with Nessa pressed against his shoulder, his unscarred shoulder. It wasn't an illusion, there really wasn't any craterous flesh or mangled tissue to be found, only the smooth markings of light over his unblemished skin. She didn't want him to leave... he squeezed her hand back, the solemnity of the moment clearing his thoughts a little. The steady pulse of his magic could be felt through the veins of gold, the heat of their skin together drawing it toward her. He paused for a moment, the words stuck in his throat, before he spoke. "You know, Nessa, I've been alone most of my life. Friends were never a luxury I had, even with the fortune my family was afforded. It was just me, my books, and a world beyond that I rarely saw. Those nights, when I'd watched the sun set over the hills, I always wished for someone to sit next to me, to share a laugh, or talk about even the most trivial of things, just because we could. The politics of high society kept everyone on airs, and even surrounded by people at a Gala, it's deafening lonely among the hollow stares of disinterested party goers." He glanced over at her, hoping to catch her eyes. "Then I met you. You were the first person to give me the time of day, learn who I was, and accept me just for that. You didn't ask for anything in return, except my company." A small bit of color was showing through as he spoke his heart. "I promise, I'll always be by your side. I'm a man of my word."

As he finished, a small nuance of her question tugged at his mind. He wondered... what did she mean by 'others'? "Have you... been alone before?"

The redness in Aven's cheeks transformed from nervousness, to slight anger. Who... who could say that to someone they called a friend? He sat up with a start, his passion rising up through his chest and pouring out in the form of words, as he turned to face her. "You can't believe that, Nessa!? What about your Dad, your Aunt, your brother, your friends at Fairy Tail?" He squeezed her hand harder, though not to the point of discomfort. His emerald eyes were intense, filled with emotion and a deep sense of caring. "You made me promise that I'd never leave you, so that you'd never feel that loneliness again, but how do you think I'd feel if you left? It doesn't matter what some fake friends told you, you mean the world to me, and you deserve the world for it!" His speech paused, and Aven realized he was hovering over Nessa. Still, he had more to say. "Everyone makes mistakes, it's what makes us human; learning from our mistakes is what makes us good people. If you have to learn anything from being alone, and if I learned anything from meeting you, it's that the people that are worth sticking with are worth waiting for."

Aven's marks pulsated faster and faster, a twinge in his heart as she made him the same promise back. Still, she made an outlandish remark that she didn't deserve him. She didn't get it, what else could he say? He wished he could tell her everything he felt, make her believe his words without a shadow of a doubt. How could he let her know just how special she was, how irreplaceable her soul is? With a gentle smile, Aven exhaled, then breathed in deep, sitting beside her, their fingers still intertwined. Softly, he began to sing, his voice silky and smooth as their garments, pouring out his thoughts in a soothing rhythm:

Can you read my heart,
See the pages of words that I wish I could say;
Could I be the start
Of the thought that you always could treasure each day?
Would you take my hand,
and be everything I know that you can achieve,
So, that, while we stand,
Every person that watches begins to believe

We can change this world
To a place where our hearts can be never alone,
See my dream unfurled,
And the choices we made reap the seeds we have sown.
With your hand in mine,
We'll dispel all the darkness, replace it with light,
and see that sunshine
Be the head of the charge in the battle we all have to fight.

As the ballad ended, he smiled once more, those emeralds shining with that overwhelming kindness. Perhaps, that could reach her.

Aven became confused for a moment, as he noticed he beginning of tears in Nessa's eyes. He hadn't meant to make her cry, he'd messed up! His mind raced to find what he did wrong, which words were out of place. He'd made it up on the spot, it had to have been something he said. Unfortunately, he found he couldn't remember all the words, since, not only was he drunk, but he'd improvised. Just then, she rose from her relaxed position, and let go of his hand, taking a calming breath. Aven knew it, he'd upset her, him and his stupid song! Maybe, he could still apologize, so she could at least sleep soundly-

Instead of moving away like Aven expected, she closed the distant, and the pulsing of his markings jumped in speed. What... what was she doing? She was looking at him so intently, closing the distance between them. He remembered the times he'd done the same without thinking, she couldn't be...!? He began to panic inwardly: he wasn't prepared, it was so sudden! Was he supposed to do something, or just sit there? Her arms wrapped around his neck, as they were but inches apart, and at the last moment, with Aven's eyes wide with shock, she wrapped him in a soft embrace, whispering her gratitude. His panic started to settle, it'd been a hug... just before her lips planted a soft kiss on his cheek, and his heart skipped a beat. She'd.... kissed him!

Aven didn't have words to say, his composure utterly obliterated, as she drew back and smiled lightly at him. He expected the blood to rush into his face, like always, but this time, there was only a light tinge of red; instead, a fuzzy feeling invaded his chest, wrapping around his heart. It was akin to happiness, and caused his smile to soften, as the air returned to his lungs. He drew back the covers, sliding his feet under. "Come on, let's get some sleep. It's been a crazy day, and the world won't change itself, you know?" A small hesitation, then he reached up and wiped the remainder of the tear from her cheek, and, before he could lose his nerve, planted a soft peck where the tear had previously been. "Goodnight, Nessa." With that, he laid down his head on his pillow, pulling the covers over his markings to hide their frantic rhythm.

There were many moments in life that required subtlety. Once, a few years back, a group of three forest Vulcan decided to hunt near the tree Aven was napping in. Four hours, he sat still, not making a sound, as the monsters roamed the area, waiting for any sign of life, ready to beat whatever they found to a living pulp and devour it. He'd been much weaker then, and facing all three at once would have almost certainly sealed his fate; thus, he bided his time, until a passing deer was claimed for their dinner, allowing him to slip free in their distraction.

Much the same, Aven found himself in a precarious situation at the moment, having woken up about fifty minutes prior to Nessa's groggy start. He wasn't sure exactly how he was supposed feel about what was going on, but the frantic pulse of his light soundly betrayed him. On the bright side, he'd dispelled the splitting headache that had woken him with his Radiance, so he wasn't worried about his judgement. Rather, he was worried about the slew of other issues that arose the previous night, when he'd drunk far past his share. In his drunken stupor, he'd made up and sang a ballad for Nessa, with no musical accompaniment whatsoever; he imagined his Father turned in his sleep at the prospect. That wasn't even the worst of it, as, besides making a fool of himself in front of the Valkyrie of Valhalla, he'd kissed Nessa on the cheek without her permission. How bold could he possibly have gotten!?

As Aven saw it, he had one of two options: he could move, and in the process, risk fully waking Nessa, and invite the possibility of a misunderstanding that he'd been cuddling her in her sleep, or, he could lie still until she was fully awake, and act as though he'd been sleeping. He didn't condone lying, even by omission, so, as he'd decided on the second option, he'd tell her that he'd been awake for some time if she asked. Still, he was worried about what exactly Nessa would remember from the previous night, as it seemed Radiance's cleansing power had since returned before he'd even gone to sleep, saving a few more of his memories than he rightly should have retained after such a night. In the moment, of course, he enjoyed the warmth of Nessa's soft embrace, actively ignoring the fact that her breasts were coddling his arm, and one of her legs had hooked its way around his. It's fine, I'm fine. I'm not nervous, I'm confident! This doesn't faze me, I'm not nervous, it's fine...