{Aava smiles down at Esme, petting her head.}

Aava: "Heh...You're a cute one...what are you up to?"

Esme made a shrugging motion, then turned her gaze towards the kitchen, ears pricked, waiting expectantly for Dianne to come out with her breakfast.

{A few minutes later, Dianne did exactly that. Aava accepts her plate, eating slowly. Dianne sits next to her, looking a little pensive.}

Armin joined them in the dining room, not eating, but simply sitting at the table, bent forwards with his head resting on his arms.
.
'I always suggest drinking a lot,' he said in a slightly muffled voice, 'despite knowing from experience how everyone will feel next morning.'

Aava: "...Nobody blames you, Armin...I was having fun, up until the point I woke up this morning."

Dianne: "...That's alchohol for you...Especially Triticum's ale....Next time, let's just not go over board..."

'Would be great if Triticum brought out a new type of ale that doesn't give you hangovers,' Armin grumbled quietly. He said nothing more, but continued to lie there, resting.

Dianne: "You mean his non-alchoholic run?"

Aava: "...This is the risk we take. We were all aware of it....No point in complaining about it..."

'No, something that gets you drunk but without the side effects...' Armin muttered. He lifted his head off his arms. 'Well, at least we had fun last night.'

Dianne: "That's physically impossible..."

Aava: "Yeah, we did have fun...I have no regrets..."

Armin fell silent as he waited for everyone to finish eating so they could go out. His headache and nausea abated almost completely during this time.

{They finished soon after, with Aava getting up to find her coat. She still looked a little pale.}

Dianne: "Ok, let's get going so Pythia can scold us..."

'Hmm...'
.
Not particularly looking forward to it, Armin put his jacket and shoes on and headed out to the truck. The day was cold, as expected. There was thick white clouds on the horizon, hinting at the possibility of snow.
.
'How are you feeling?' he said to Aava.

Aava: "A bit better..."

{She says, climbing into the car.}

Aava: "My head is still killing me, but at least I don't feel like I'm going to vomit anymore..."

Dianne: "That's good. Here, I brought you a fruit juice. Keep drinking this, you might be dehydrated."

Once everyone was buckled in, Armin aet off, trying not to jolt them too much. Seeing that it wasn't quite 2PM, he drove slowly to Pythia's house, taking several detours. When they finally pulled up outside, it was 1:50PM.
.
'Alright, let's go,' he said, clambering out.

{Dianne hops out with Aava and Esme. As they walk through, there were people waiting in the room to be seen. Pythia sees them immediately.}

Pythia: "Hello! Oh, my you all look dreadful! Are you ok?"

Armin scratched his jaw. 'Yes. Just some overeager celebration yesterday.'

Aava: "Oh, we just...drank a lot of ale.."

Pythia: "What? You're in no condition to be drinking Akhetian Ale!"

Aava: "C'mon, we were celebrating me being cured. We were having a good time."

Pythia: "At the cost of your health!"

'Pythia, she's fine,' said Armin with a hint of exasperation. 'Yes, she's got a hangover, but so has everyone else. She's not going to die.'

Pythia: "Armin, this can't be a regular thing for her! She's clearly run down, who knows what condition her liver is in! That ale is extremely potent , and I'm surprised at you both for encouraging this!"

Dianne: "We wouldn't have let her if we thought it was dangerous."

'It might not have been the best idea we ever had, but it's done. No point in arguing about it now,' said Armin, attempting to calm things down. 'We're sorry, but still, we didn't force her to drink. She wanted to.'

Pythia: "Just because it's done, doesn't mean it never happened, Armin. You can't just gloss over this."

Aava: "Hey, I'm the one who wanted the drink!"

Pythia: "But it was their irresponsibility to give you the booze."

'I'm not glossing over it, but what do you want us to do? Go back in time and make it not happen?'

Pythia: "Just...sigh...You know what, forget it. Aava, let's start the examination."

{Looking fed up, Pythia leads Aava into the next room.}

Dianne: "Well...Could have been worse..."

Armin ran a hand through his hair. 'I won't be made to feel bad about it. It's not a crime to have a drink. And I'm sure no lasting harm was done.'

Dianne: "It's Pythia, she worries. Aava is in rough shape and we did give her too much. Still, we'll just not worry about it now and do better next time."

'Yeah. I think we were all a bit overexcited after the success of curing her. It won't happen again.'
.
Armin looked around uncertainly, wondering if he should sit somewhere and wait. Pythia and Aava had left for the examination and he didn't plan on following them.

{Dianne leads Armin by the hand to a seat away from everyone. Once they've sat, she wraps her arms around him and nuzzles his hair.}
Dianne: "We'll just wait here until they're done..."

Growling contentedly, Armin pushed his head against her and settled down.
.
'We don't know how long they'll be. Want to talk about anything interesting while we wait?' he suggested quietly.

Dianne: "Yeah...what do you think she'll want to do, now that she's not cursed? Also, you'll have to spend more time with her once I go back to work next week."

'She'll probably have to spend some time figuring out the world before she can do much else. When you're gone, I could show her around the city. She's pretty good company, despite the inappropriate questions she likes to ask me.'

Dianne: "That sounds good. I'm glad you two get along, inappropriateness or not. And I'm glad you're kind to her, despite her not quite being over me. Other guys would be aggressively mean or cruel to her over that."

'It doesn't bother me because I trust you; I know you won't do anything with Aava that's supposed to be kept between us. And also because I completely understand why she loves you. Hard not to, when I like you so much myself.'

{Dianne smiles at this, squeezing him affectionately.}

Dianne: "Yeah, I trust you too, in the same way with Rex. Thanks for being understanding and kind."

'She's important to you just as Rex is important to me. And I'll try to help and protect her.' He sighed slightly. 'I can't pretend to like it when you're away all day. But you've got to work on your project, so I'll use the time to help Aava.'

Dianne: "I know. But I need to do this for our safety. Just stay with her and when I get back, we'll spend time together."

{She kisses the side of his head, comfortably settled with him.}

'We can wear the Thoughtstone rings when you go, so we can still communicate. That will make it much less unpleasant for me. You can tell me how boring your day is, and I'll tell you about the fun things Aava and I are doing,' he said mischievously.

Dianne: "That sounds great. I think that will make things more enjoyable for me as well. And you know, you're welcome to visit me at work sometimes, if you get really lonely."

'That's always a possibility. And, I guess you won't be at work /every/ day. I'll just spend extra time with you at weekends to compensate.'
.
He affectionately dug his teeth between her neck and shoulder, after checking that nobody was nearby to see.

{Dianne tenses at this, giving a surprised expression.}

Dianne: "Armin, not here....There are people around..."

{She says quietly.}

//I made sure nobody was looking,// he said innocently. //Besides, that was just a bite of affection, not me trying to be frisky.//

Dianne: "Ok, good...I don't like messing about in public...but affection is always welcome..."

{To make her point, she kisses him on the side of the face.}

Armin gave a faint smile. 'Yeah, I might be gutter-minded but I'm not an exhibitionist. Vampires bite for a lot of reasons.'

{Dianne chuckles at this, running a hand through his hair.}

Dianne: "Yes, they do."

{At that moment, Pythia comes back out.}

Pythia: "Can I speak to you both, privately?"

Armin lifted his head to look. His expression shifted to concern as he tried to gauge Pythia's mood.
.
'Sure.' He started to get up to accompany her wherever she wanted to talk.

{Pythia's mood seemed annoyance mixed with concern. She leads them into the examination room, where Aava was sitting on the table. She seemed a little anxious, being slightly hunched over.}

Pythia: "Ok, she is malnourished and very, very underweight. She's suffering from a hangover, but you already knew that, and she may have the early onset of scurvy. Here's what you need to do. Get her a multi vitamin, give it to her once a day. Make sure she eats three meals a day, and no junk food. Lean meats, poultry, fish, dark, leafy greens and vegetables, and to drink, whole milk and citrus juices. No soda. No, absolutely no alcohol. Got it?"

'Alright... most of that is what we normally eat anyway, so that should be easy. We'll just stop ordering pizza and lay off the ale.'

Aava: "Awwww...."

Dianne: "Sure. We can handle that. Anything else?"

Pythia: "Yes, make sure she gets good sleep. She'll need it to properly recover. She says she has nightmares so watch out for that."

Armin nodded. 'We'll figure something out. It'll be OK.' He decided that if Aava was constantly kept up by nightmares, then he wouldn't mind if she slept in their bed with Dianne sometimes.

Pythia: "That's it. I want to see her again in two weeks."

Dianne: "Alright, we'll be back then. Thank you for seeing her."

Pythia: "Of course. Take good care of her."

Armin glanced at Aava, then turned to leave. 'C'mon. Let's go.'

{Dianne follows Armin, with Aava shuffling out after them. After they get into the car, Aava speaks up.}

Aava: "... It's not bad, right? I'm going to be ok, right?"

Dianne: "Of course you are. Everything is going to be fine."

'It's like we said last night - just get a few months of proper food and you'll be fine. And sleep.'
.
Armin started the engine and set off, leaving Pythia to deal with all her other patients.

Dianne: "Yeah, you'll be in great shape, I guarantee it."

Aava: "Ok...Well, what now?"

Dianne: "Now, I go to pay Luxia. I have the horn and a few gold boullions in the back there."

Armin was already heading in the direction of Luxia's shop. 'We're lucky the mad old witch agreed to help us, you know,' he said thoughtfully. 'She's unpredictable, but without her, we'd probably still be en route to Alacria or something.'

Dianne: "Yeah, we are. And I'd likely be unconscious due to the cold right now. She was a great help."

'I'm glad she came here. Pranks or otherwise.'
.
A few minutes later, they arrived on the street of Luxia's eccentric shop. Armin took Esme so that Dianne could carry the payment, and stepped into the shop. Luxia was restocking and rearranging shelves, just like she'd been when the Aspect visited her.

{Dianne: "Hello, Luxia."

{Dianne walks in with the horn over her shoulder, wrapped in a cloth. In her other hand was the bag of gold. Aava trails in behind her.}

Luxia was arranging a row of strange figurines on the window display. When she turned around, her eyes immediately tracked to the massive horn in Dianne's grasp.
.
'Ahahaha! You really brought it, did you? Well, that's wonderful. Everything has worked out great, hasn't it?'

Dianne: "It has. Thank you for helping us."

{Dianne places the gifts behind the counter for the old witch.}

Dianne: "You and Gail should be eating well for the rest of your lives now."

'Well, we're not going to take it for granted. Prefer the humble life, me. But I'm certainly looking forward to making some things with this horn essence.' Luxia smiled and rambled happily. 'It's the little things that mean the most. Like being invited to afternoon tea by Bob. He and I are friends now.'

Dianne: "Sure...Anyway, I think we'll be going now."

'Kids these days, always in a hurry. Go, then. Oh, and Dolorus says hi,' she said, grinning crookedly at Dianne.

{Dianne stops in her tracks, looking at Luxia incredulously.}

Dianne: "What did you just say?"

'Dolorus! You know, giant feathered earthworm? He joined Bob and I while we were chatting. Lovely fellow, I must say. Very friendly.'

{Dianne begins to look confused and slightly frightened.}

Dianne: "No, no, no, that's not possible. I sent Dolorus to Oblivion after stopping him. There's no way you saw him."

'Well, maybe Bob took him out of Oblivi-whatsit,' said Luxia breezily. 'Cuz he was there. They seemed on good terms.'
.
Armin gave Dianne a side glance, unsure what to think of all of this.

Dianne: "...You're telling me, that Death is chumming around with the snake responsible for slaughtering an entire continent of people?! The one I had to stop in his name?"

Aava: "Dianne, relax, she's a crazy old coot. She doesn't know what she's saying."

Luxia cackled, seeming to find their reactions entertaining. 'Oh, believe me or don't. But regardless of his atrocious past behaviour, he seemed surprisingly sane and normal to me. Very odd, that.'
.
Seemingly done with the conversation, she turned back to restocking the shelves.

{Shaking herself off, Dianne heads outside.}

Dianne: "Let's go."

{She says shortly.}

Armin called Esme and she padded after him to the truck. Once everyone was in, he started off for home, assuming that they had no other errands to run.

{Dianne, noticing the direction they were heading in, speaks up from her displeased musings.}

Dianne: "Oh, wait, we should go to the market. We need some stuff."

Aava: "Yeah. We don't have milk, and I don't know what a multivitamin is, but I bet we don't have it."

Armin turned on a roundabout and doubled back in the direction of the market. After a few minutes, he spoke up tentatively.
.
'You think there was any truth in Luxia's rambling?'

Dianne: "By the gods, I hope not...I didn't go through that nightmare just to have Death forgive him and possibly bring him back."

Aava: "This...Dolorus character...he's bad news?"

'I'm sure he won't bring him back. That would violate his own laws. He only brought Magnus back temporarily, because he knows people are supposed to stay dead.'
.
Armin half-glanced over his shoulder at Aava.
.
'Yeah, he was Dianne's evil boss.'

Dianne: "Yeah, you're right. Once you die, you need to stay dead."

Aava: "Oh...I, uh...I don't know that story..."

Dianne: "I'll fill you in later."

Armin contemplated Luxia's ramblings as he drove to the shopping district. It was hard to know what to believe and what to disregard when it came to her, but this time, he had a feeling she was being honest.
.
They parked up in the district, close to the grocery store. 'Alright, let's go and grab all the things we need.'

Dianne: "Let's..."
{Hopping off, Dianne leads the way.}

Armin collected a cart for them. Esme happily walked beside the cart as if she were trying to race it.
.
'Let's look for the vitamins first, then get food,' Armin suggested, heading towards that section.

Dianne: "Ok..."

{As they arrived at the vitamin section, Aava curiously examined one of the boxes.}

Aava: "Vitamin...pill? The heck is a pill?"

Dianne: "...Let's get her the chewable version..."

Armin ran his finger along the shelf until he located the correct box.
.
'Here. Multivitamin, chewable. Orange flavour... Although I bet they don't have any real oranges in them...'
.
He absently dropped the box into the cart.

Aava: "Huh...Alright then..."

Dianne: "Alright, to the next isle."

{Dianne proceeds to pick out a variety of foods as they went through the store. It seems pot roast was on the menu tonight.}

Armin went down another aisle while Dianne was gathering dinner ingredients. He came back with two cartons of milk and a big bottle of orange juice.
.
'I think Esme will like the juice, too,' he mused as he deposited them into the cart.

Dianne: "She likely will. She seems to love anything fruity."

Aava: "Hmmm, packaged orange juice... I think that's awesome. I used to have to squeeze my own oranges. Awfully convenient."

'Yep. And you can keep this in the fridge so it stays nice and cool.'
.
Following his drink detour, Armin stayed with the group, following Dianne as she picked out things.

Aava: "Nice."

{Dianne continued into the produce section, gathering fruits and vegetables.}

Aava: "Huh...weird stuff here. A dragon fruit? What is that?"

Dianne: "It's a cactus fruit with hundreds of little seeds. I don't think it's great..."

'I've never eaten one,' said Armin. 'Where I grew up, we grew mostly apples, pears and berries, as far as fruit went.'

Dianne: "I've seen people eat it, and I don't like the smell..."

Aava: "Hmmm...Bananas from southern Aether...Oh my gods, that is a big spider!"

{On the bananas was a large, tropical spider. It was big and brown, with long legs. It was motionless on the pile.}

Dianne: "Sometimes, imported fruit has stowaways."

Armin gave a start and quickly moved to the other side of the aisle.
.
'Eurgh, can't they check the things to make sure there's no spiders before selling them?'

Dianne: "Sometimes they can't check every banana."

{As Dianne gets the attention of an employee, the spider jumps off, beelining for Armin. Aava yelps and darts away.}

Armin grabbed the top of the shelf and proceeded to vault over it into the next aisle.
.
'Sorry, you guys have to deal with it alone!' he called out.
.
Esme took a curious swipe at the arachnid.

{Dianne darted over, scooping up Esme and trying to stomp the offending arachnid. The spider nimbly darts around her boot, running for the center of the isle. Aava dashes forward and smashes it with a large, wooden hand.}

Aava: "I got it! Eeeewww, now there's spider guts in my hair..."

Armin was watching from a safe distance away over the shelf. 'Was that spider possessed or something?' he said, unnerved and refusing to come back, out of disgust for the crushed spider on the aisle floor.

Employee: "Cleanup in produce."

Dianne: "Who knows why spiders do what they do?"

Aava: "Can we go now? Do we have everything?"

Dianne: "Yeah, let's go check out."

Armin walked towards the checkouts, not looking back at the spider, and also giving Aava a wide berth. Esme seemed unconcerned by the entire scene.

{Dianne pays for everything, then walks out to the car with the cart full of groceries. As she puts them away, she gives Armin a concerned glance.}

Dianne: "Armin? You ok?"

'Yes, I'm alright. But I certainly wasn't expecting to be attacked by a spider in the supermarket...'
.
Shaking it off, he climbed into the front seat.

Aava: "Hey, at least I killed it."

{Dianne leans over and kisses Armin on the cheek.}

Dianne: "Take us home."

Armin smiled faintly and started back for home.
.
'And you've probably got dead spider on you because of it; you might want to consider showering.'

Aava: "Yeah, once I get in, i'm going to shower. Wash my hair and all that."

'That's good.'
.
After a pleasant, companionable drive, the family arrived back at Dianne's house. Armin helped with the groceries, taking some bags and carrying them inside, where he began to unpack the chilled things into the refrigerator.

{Aava immediately went upstairs, leaving Dianne and Armin to deal with the groceries.}

Dianne: "Roast for dinner. I need to put it in now."

Armin finished with the refrigerated food and started putting away the other things in the cupboards and shelves. Esme had wandered off to explore, or play.
.
'Sounds like it'll be good.'

Dianne: "Yeah. Roasted potatoes and carrots to go with it. I'll probably make some squash too."

Done with the groceries, Armin turned around and tugged her into a loving kiss, seemingly just because he felt like it.

{Dianne expected it this time, hugging him and leaning into the kiss.}

Dianne: "Mmmm...You just love having your hands on me, don't you?"

'As long as you're not opposed to it, why should I hold back?' he murmured. He gave a quick squeeze before drawing away, smiling.

Dianne: "Well, certainly don't be a stranger."

{She smiles flirtatiously, leaning back against the counter.}

Armin raised his eyebrows slightly, mirroring her flirtatious look, while leaning against the opposite counter near the sink.
.
'Didn't you want to put the dinner in now?'

Dianne: "Oh, crap, yeah. Hold on..."

{Standing straight, she starts to prepare the roast and preheat the oven.}

Chuckling, Armin remained leaning on the counter, watching her work.
.
'I must be good at distracting you,' he said with amusement.

Dianne: "You are. Kissing me made me blank a little."

{After a few minutes, the roast was in the oven.}

Dianne: "There. In two hours, I need to prepare the carrots and potatoes."

'Two hours, eh? I don't suppose you have any ideas on what we could do to fill some of that time?'

{Dianne simply shrugs, leaning against the wall.}

Dianne: "I suppose we can just go into the rec room and watch tv."

'We could...'
.
He cocked his head and watched her for a moment as if considering. He then stepped forwards and kissed her again, slightly pushing her back against the counter.

{Dianne smiles at this, putting an arm behind herself and an arm around him for support.}

Dianne: "...This works too..."

After kissing her tenderly, Armin drew back enough to see her face.
.
'We could go up to the bedroom for a while... if you like?' he suggested. 'But if you're not in the mood, it's all good.'

{Dianne chuckles, leaning forward and playfully bites his neck in quick succession.}

Dianne: "That answer your question?"

Armin smiled, eyeing her, then backed off and started to head up towards their room. //Aava will be fine on her own for a little while.//

{As the couple headed up the stairs, Aava was headed down, dressed comfortably and looking refreshed. She looks at them, knowingly}

Aava: "Have fun, you two. I'll be in the rec room."

'Sure...' Armin watched her pass, not knowing how she'd guessed what they were doing just from seeing them walk up the stairs. He continued on, and once they reached the bedroom, he picked up the Thoughtstone rings and handed one to Dianne. 'Maybe we could try it with these on, just for fun.'

{Dianne accepts the ring, putting it on.}

Dianne: "Yeah, it might be fun."

{Sitting on the bed, she beckons him to come closer.}

Armin slipped his ring on and came over, ducking down to bite along her neck as he climbed onto the bed with her. As he bit, he slowly shifted his weight forwards, trying to tip her onto her back.

{Dianne sucks in a quick breath, letting him tip her over. She wraps her arms around him, welcoming his affection.}

Armin continued to bite along the side of her neck, seemingly enjoying it. He ran his hands up her inner thighs, using the gesture to slightly push her legs apart.

{At that, Dianne jolts in surprise, looking up at him. Through the ring came a strong feeling of...enjoyment...}

Dianne: "Woah...impatient today, aren't we?"

Armin gazed back at her. A confusing mixture of amusement, excitement, and curiosity came through the connection.
.
'Or maybe I'm just teasing you...' he suggested with a grin. He sunk his teeth into her shoulder muscle while keeping his hands on her legs.

{Dianne becomes tense, her pulse quickening. She smiles and chuckles, digging her fingers into his back.}

Dianne: "...Such a tease..."

Armin let out a playful growl in response. He nipped his way up her neck before capturing her mouth in a rough kiss. In the middle of this kiss, he slipped his hands beneath her shirt and raked both sets of nails down her stomach.

{Dianne arches her back, letting out a quiet whimper. Through the ring connection came strong feelings of excitement and anticipation.}

Dianne://Oh, gods that's good...Don't stop...//

Armin had no intention of stopping. He began to move back down her neck, while clawing her abdomen and sides with slow, but rough movements.
.
//Heh... You really like that, huh?//

{Dianne began squirming restlessly, her breathing ragged.}

Dianne: //Yes....Oooh...I think you've just about....figured out my preferences...//

{She seems to be chattier with her thoughts than vocally.}

//You're cute like this...//
.
He considered for a moment, then grabbed her wrists, pulled them above her head and held them there with one hand, while his other hand alternated caressing and clawing at her. His teeth bore down hard between her neck and shoulder.

{Biting her lip, she arches her back.}

Dianne: //Oh...cute like....what?.....ffffff$&cckk....ok, stop...definitely time to move on...//

{Judging by the feelings coming through the ring, she was telling the truth.}

At 'stop' Armin pulled back. He lay on his side next to her, gazing at her with amusement and interest.
.
//OK, just breathe. Take a moment...//

{Dianne smiles and laughs breathlessly.}

Dianne: //That felt great...Thank you...give me a moment and we'll finish this...//

Armin settled down patiently to let her regain her composure. The feelings seeping from his ring were a mix of anticipation and deep, loving affection.
.
//Take your time. Sounds like you almost went over.//

Dianne: //Almost did, yeah... you were doing everything right.//

{The feelings coming through her ring was anticipation, deep affection, and joy.}

Dianne: //Ok, I'm ready...//

(Skip?)

----
.
Later, Armin returned to the rec room to relax. He sat quietly and watched the TV, smiling slightly as he looked back on his and Dianne's time together. He looked very contented. Esme was also there, watching the TV and waiting for some food.

{Dianne was in the kitchen, getting plates together. She still had her ring on.}

Aava: "...Guess the private time with the dragon goddess went well, judging by your smile..."

Armin eyed her sideways, faintly startled. He hadn't realised he was smiling.
.
'Well, yes. It was very nice. She was adorable as always.'

{Aava smiles mischievously.}

Aava: "Adorable, huh? In what way?"

'Mind your own business,' said Armin mildly.
.
//Dianne, help, Aava is asking me personal questions about what we did,// he called out dramatically.

{Through the ring came the feeling of amusement.}

Dianne: //Hold on, I'm coming with the dinner.//

Aava: "Awww, really? Not even a little detail?"

{Dianne then walks in with the trolley, handing out the plate.}

Armin looked up with slight relief.
.
'Nope. Not one detail. Just use your imagination.'

Aava: "Awww..."

Dianne: "Come on, Aava, don't pester him."

{Aava accepts her plate and starts to dig in.}

Aava: "Ok, for you, Dianne."

Armin accepted a plate as well. 'You're a pain in the ass. Also, this looks pretty good. Great cooking as always,' he added, to Dianne.

{Aava looks over at Armin with mock offense.}

Aava: "/I'm/ a pain in the ass? No, I'm adorable. You're just mean, like a crotchety old grampa."

'No. It's more like I'm a long-suffering but kindly old man, and you're an annoying disrespectful kid,' he replied, digging into his food.

Aava: "Hey, I am respectful! I'm just curious about specific topics..."

Dianne: "I don't know, you're asking for some pretty personal info. The kind of stuff he's not comfortable sharing."

'Yeah, I'm not telling her anything, and I'm definitely not telling her stuff that's private to /you./ I value your trust more than that.'

Dianne: "I know. It's one of the things I love about you."

Aava: "Ok, fine. I'll just use my imagination, like you suggested..."

Dianne: "Well, let's see what's on tv."

Sitting comfortably on the beanbag, Armin continued to eat. Even though he didn't taste a lot, he enjoyed the feeling of sitting down together and having a meal. //Human culture... The only reason I bother eating most things.//
.
Esme ate ravenously as always, liking the mixture of meat and vegetables.

{Dianne was sat comfortably next to Armin. As she ate, she flipped through the channels. She passed a horror movie with a masked killer closing in.}

Aava: "What the hell is that?"

'Probably a serial killer,' said Armin casually, glancing up. 'I don't think I know this movie. Might be too gory for dinner time, though.'

Dianne: "Yeah, and Esme doesn't like blood."

{Dianne changes the channel, landing on an anime depicting a magical girl with black armor and red eyes.}

Dianne: "Oh, jeeze..."

Aava: "What's this?"

Armin laughed out loud, trailing off into a series of snickers. 'Oh no. It's /that.'/ He glanced briefly at Aava. 'Someone made a show about Dianne. Based on her life, I guess. It sounds hilarious but she won't let me see it.'

Dianne: "It's not!"

{She loudly protests.}

Dianne: "Someone made an anime loosely based on my life. It's garbage."

Aava: "Oh, can we see it pleeeeeaaaaase? I've never seen an....anime before!"

Armin grinned, holding a roast potato on his fork and using it to point accusingly at Dianne. 'I bet you've never even watched it. It's so cringeworthy that you never watched more than a few minutes.'

Dianne: "So what if I couldn't watch it? It's horrible."

Aava: "Please, let me watch it. I want to see."

Dianne: "Fine...I suppose you ought to see how bad it is..."

{Leaving the channel on and continuing to eat, she was rather discontent, and the ring transmitted that.}

Armin snickered once more at her giving in. Regaining control of himself, he resumed eating. 'Come on, this is still better than the film where you dated Sargon.'

{Dianne just facepalms.}

Aava: "I totally have to see that too."

'Oh, we're not watching that one. That one makes even me feel sick.'
.
Armin fell silent after that, focusing on his food and half-watching the movie.

{In the movie, "Dianne" seemed to have a completely different power set. She could shoot lasers from a jeweled wand and fly. Her outfit was very revealing and could hardly be called armor. Dolorus was not a serpent at all, but a swooningly handsome young man with a red, feathery cape. His power set was more accurate, being able to summon undead and spread pestilence and disease at will. The basic plot was that Dianne was his minion, but fell in love with some anime protagonist and turned on Dolorus so their forbidden love could continue. It was hard to follow and often nonsensical.}

'Aww, what a beautiful story this is,' said Armin, trying not to snicker as the plot unfolded. 'Why are you running off with that generic hero guy? You should've stayed with Dolorus, he's better-looking...'

{Dianne doesn't reply, looking very annoyed as she rubs her face.}

Aava: "This Dolorus guy is better looking. But, look at you. You're smoking hot. Way too hot for that guy. Hey, how come you don't wear outfits like that one?"

Dianne: "You have to ask?"

'That outft is silly,' said Armin thoughtfully, gesturing with a roast potato again. 'I prefer her in casual clothes. Not to say she doesn't look good in other things.'

Dianne: "Yeah, that looks ridiculous. And cold."

Armin finished eating shortly afterwards. He gathered up everyone's empty plates and cutlery and carried them out to the kitchen to wash up, leaving Dianne, Aava, and a slightly drowsy and contented Esme alone for a few minutes.

{Now alone, Aava walks over and takes Armin's spot next to Dianne.}

Dianne: "Armin's sitting there."

Aava: "Well, he's not here, is he? He can sit on the other side of you."

When Armin came back, he looked them over with a hint of amusement. //So that's how she wants to play?//
.
He walked up to Aava and, with ease, lifted her around the waist, moved her to Dianne's other side, and set her down. He then settled back in his reclaimed spot.

Aava: "Wha-hey!"

{Aava was surprised by Armin's bold move. Dianne started to snicker.}

Dianne: "I told you he was sitting there."

Aava: "Yeah, but I didn't think he'd move me!"

{Aava leans back and pouts at Armin.}

Armin just smiled smugly back at Aava. He then leaned into Dianne, affectionately kissing the side of her jaw.

{Aava narrows her eyes at the vampire, crossing her arms and snugly tucking herself against Dianne.}

Aava: //Oh, I'll show him...//

{Dianne gives Aava an apologetic smile before nuzzling the side of Armin's face.}

Armin's smug smile melted into a fond one. Ignoring the looks Aava was directing at him, he lightly nipped Dianne's neck, then turned back to the TV.

{Dianne settles in, closing her eyes. She was very comfortable and wasn't interested in the anime.}

The rest of the evening passed relatively quietly. When the terrible anime was over and the commercial break came on, Armin turned down the TV a notch and surveyed his companions.
.
'How tired is everyone?'

{Aava was drowsily watching still. Dianne was asleep and didn't respond.}

Aava: "I'm ready for bed."

Armin turned the TV off and scooped up Dianne. Esme followed him as he began to slowly make his way up the stairs. He was a little drowsy as well.

{Aava followed behind the group. Dianne began to stir, halfway up the stairs.}

Dianne: "Hmmnngh....Huh?....Did I fall asleep?"

Aava: "Yep...Didn't even need to rub your back..."

'You are always either hungry or sleeping,' said Armin jokingly.
.
Armin stepped into their bedroom and placed her down, sitting, on the edge of the bed.

{Aava walks into her bedroom and closes the door. Dianne simply chuckles, standing and beginning to change.}

Dianne: "Hey, you're the one who fell in love with a dragon. That's what we do."

Armin changed as well, while Esme hopped onto the end of the bed and curled up without a sound.
.
'Well, it's a pleasant change from my previous partners.' He lay back on the bed, starting to get comfortable. 'Come here, you giant fire-breathing lizard.'

{Dianne smirks, climbing into the bed.}

Dianne: "A pleasant change, you say? In what way?"

'Janet always wanted to be doing something. She wouldn't lie with me in the mornings; she liked to get up early and start the day. I admired her for it, but it's nice to have someone to laze around with.'

Dianne: "I see. Well, the time I've spent with you has been the best sleep I've ever had. I'm more than happy to lie with you in the morning, when time permits it."

{She snuggles up to him, getting comfortable and settling in.}

Armin wrapped an arm around her, lazily rubbing her back. It gradually slowed as he dozed off.

{Feeling at ease, Dianne quickly drifts off.}

---------------------------------------------------------

{Around 5am, all was peaceful, until Dianne was abruptly awoken by a blood curdling scream from Aava's bedroom. She sits up abruptly at the noise.}

Dianne: "Aava?!"

The scream was so abrupt and unexpected that Armin bolted up as well. He looked at Dianne first, before realising the noise hadn't come from her. Getting up, he reached for his sword hung on the wall. He then started to move towards Aava's room.

{Dianne immediately bolted from the bed, dashing into Aava's room.}

Dianne: "Aava?! What's wrong?"

{Aava was sitting up in bed, staring blankly ahead. She was breathing heavily and her pulse was racing. It seems she was having a night terror, as there was nothing else in the room.}

Aava: "....Th....the necklace....it's coming back for me!...."

Armin kept his distance, not wanting to alarm her any more. He swept his gaze around the room, vampiric night vision picking up everything, but it appeared normal. 'There's nothing here. You're just dreaming.'

{Dianne calmly approached Aava, looking worried. Aava was crying, looking terrified.}

Dianne: "Aava, everything is ok. There's nothing here. You were having a bad nightmare."

{Aava slowly turns to look at Dianne, beginning to shake.}

Aava: "S-......sorry...."

Armin slowly let out his breath. His sword was hanging harmlessly by his side.
.
'Why don't you come into our room?' he suggested.

{Aava nods, grimacing a little. Dianne picks her up without preamble and takes her to the bedroom. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Aava hugs Dianne tightly, sobbing quietly. Dianne gently rubs her back, attempting to comfort her.}

Aava: "I don't want to go back...Please don't let it get me..."

Dianne: "You'll never go back. It's not here. You're perfectly safe."

Armin put his sword away and quietly sat on the bed, a little apart from them. He watched Aava with concern but said nothing, unsure what to say that might help, and knowing she would probably draw more comfort from Dianne than from him.

{Dianne sat with her, holding her close. After a short while, her breathing and heart rate returned to normal. Aava pulls back, looking at Dianne.}

Aava: "Sorry I woke you....It was just....really bad....That thing was chasing me...I....I..."

Dianne: "Shhhh...It's ok. Stay here with us tonight."

Aava: "...Armin won't be mad?"

Armin scoffed quietly. 'Of course I won't. I just want everyone to get some sleep. You can stay.'
.
He started to climb underneath the blankets, eager to doze off again now that the drama seemed to be over.

{Aava doesn't seem very reassured.}

Dianne: "It's late. Let's just sleep now."

{Dianne lies down. Aava lies next to her, closing her eyes. Dianne quickly dozes off again, but Aava remains awake for about an hour longer, trying to forget her nightmare.}

Armin snuggled up to Dianne and closed his eyes, not seeming to mind that Aava was there. He could sense that she was still awake, and thought about offering some words of reassurance, but he drifted off before he could think what to say.

----------------------------------------------------------------

{Late the next moring, both Dianne and Aava were still asleep. Aava had shifted to lie atop of Dianne at some point in the night.}

Armin stirred a little, yawning and surveying the scene. He was momentarily put out to find Aava hogging all the space, making him unable to properly cuddle with Dianne.
.
Rolling over, he turned to face the other way, snuggling under the blankets and resting quietly.

{Dianne was the next to awaken, looking down at Aava. Figuring she had a rough night and needed the sleep, she was careful not to wake her as she turned to look at Armin.}

Armin was still in the same position, facing away and dozing lightly. His fingers were gripping the blanket a little hard; he seemed subconsciously aware that he wasn't close to Dianne. At the end of the bed, Esme was just starting to wake.

{Dianne reaches over, squeezing his arm reassuringly. She didn't speak, out of fear of waking Aava.}

Armin eased slightly. Several minutes later, he stirred, rolling onto his back and turning to survey them.
.
//Morning...// he said, rubbing his eyes.

{Dianne smiles at him, then whispers.}

Dianne: "Get the rings off the nightstand."

Armin reached over, fumbling for the rings. He slid on onto his finger, and put the other on Dianne's finger for her.
.
//This better?//

Dianne: //Much. Boy, I ought to thank Frederick for these again. So useful . Anyway, I'm going to let her sleep. Pythia's orders. You don't mind lying here with me for a while, do you?//

//No. Let her sleep. She didn't sleep for a while after you let her into our room last night, so she must need it.//
.
He eyed Aava lying on top of Dianne, and the faintest twinge of jealousy seeped through their link; it disappeared instantly, as if Armin had suppressed it.

{Dianne felt that, immediately filling her with concern.}

Dianne: //Armin, you're not jealous, are you? You know why I'm doing this, right?"/

Armin winced, having hoped the brief flicker wouldn't be detected. //Of course I do. I understand. I just can't help wishing I was with you, instead of looking at someone else with you...//

{Dianne smiles, squeezing his hand.}

Dianne: //At some point, she'll either wake up, or roll off of me. Then, you can snuggle me all you want. It's funny, However, she normally tucks herself against my side.//

//I suppose she's just unconsciously drawn to you.//
.
Armin eyed Aava for a moment longer, as if he could make her move with the sheer force of his gaze. Then he settled back and closed his eyes.

Dianne: //Well, I am kind of the only thing from her time that she has left...makes sense she would cling to me...poor thing has been through a lot...//

{Dianne settles in to sleep as well. About an hour later, Aava finally stirs, groggily opening her eyes while remaining on top of Dianne.}

Armin shifted slightly, opening his eyes with a yawn. He hadn't been sleeping deeply. He fixed Aava with a quiet, slightly drowsy stare. 'Morning...'

Aava: "..G'morning..."

{Letting out a massive yawn, Aava puts her head back down, closing her eyes. Dianne wakes up again in response.}

Dianne: "Mmmmm......Good morning, Aava..."

Aava: "...morning..."

'... You're not planning on moving anytime soon, are you?' said Armin casually.

{Aava shoots him an annoyed look, opening one eye.}

Aava: "What's the rush?....I'm trying to wake up..."

Armin gave a quiet sigh and rolled over, closing his eyes again.

Dianne: //Armin, don't be like that. Just give her a few minutes.//

{After a few minutes, Aava picked herself up, off of Dianne, and trudged off to her room.}

Aava: "I'mma make breakfast..."

Dianne: "Ok, we'll be down in a bit."

Dianne: //See? She just needed time.//

Armin grumbled, rolling over and nuzzling into Dianne's neck while draping an arm across her.
.
'Sometimes I think she likes to pretend to herself that she's in a relationship with you...'

Dianne: "Is that so bad? Poor girl has literally nothing, aside from our charity. And you know I won't engage in any compromising activities with her."

{Dianne then starts to stroke his hair.}

'I know...'
.
Armin curled his arm around her tighter and leaned into her touch, snuggling in. Now that he was here, he was unwilling to move.

{Dianne chuckles, moving her other hand to rub his back.}

Dianne: "We don't really have anything important to do today. Want to go riding after breakfast?"

Armin curled up slightly against her, a quiet sound of enjoyment escaping him. 'Mmm... Yeah, that sounds nice... We could ride all the way to the next town and explore, maybe.'

Dianne: "Riding all the way to Opalway? Yeah, sounds fun."

{Dianne continues to lie with him, as long as he wants.}

Eventually, Armin started to feel slightly restless; the prospect of going out riding had stirred him up. After lying there for ten minutes, he sat up.
.
'Alright, let's go. You're probably hungry.'
.
Leaning down, he gave her a short, but loving kiss.

{Dianne smiles, sitting up.}

Dianne: "Yeah, let's. I want some food."

{Getting up, she starts to get dressed.}

Armin followed suit, putting on his heavy winter coat to keep the chill off while riding at speed. Once they were both done, he accompanied Dianne downstairs. Esme had already left, to see what Aava was up to.

{Dianne walks down into the kitchen, dressed warmly. Aava was cooking eggs for everyone.}

Dianne: "Aava, after breakfast, we're going to go riding."

Aava: "Oooh, fun! Here, have some eggs."

Armin accepted his share with a murmur of thanks. Once he was sat at the table, he pulled out his phone and texted Rex.
.
<Hey, it's Saturday. You're off work right? We're riding to Opalway, come and join us.>
.
He absentmindedly cut up eggs and toast while he waited for a response.

{Dianne and Aava made short work of their eggs. The both of them were eager to get out.}

Dianne: "Ready? Who're you texted?"

*texting

'Rex.' Armin took his empty plate into the kitchen. 'It's the weekend, and I know he doesn't get out for fun much, so I asked if he'd like to come riding.'
.
He glanced at his phone. Rex had written, <I think I can do that. When?>
.
<Now. Fly over and meet us outside Dianne's house.>

Dianne: "Ok, cool."

{Dianne walks outside to get the horses ready. Aava stays behind.}

Aava: "Hey...can we talk?"

Armin put his phone away. 'Sure. What is it?'

Aava: "Sigh...look, I'm not trying to steal Dianne from you...I just...I get scared...this time is so different, I hardly know anyone, and just a few days ago, I wasn't even in control of my own life...Being near her is my only anchor right now.... I promise, eventually, I will leave you two in peace, but... I need time...and help..."

'I know. I knew from the moment we found you that you'd see her as your only anchor to reality. And I promise I don't have a problem with that. I trust Dianne, so I know nothing inappropriate will happen between you. It's just not enjoyable for me to be barred from getting close to my own partner.'

Aava: "I wasn't barring you. You could have joined me up there. I get it, you're a very...physical person. From now on, I'll leave room for you. That ok?"

'You were kinda taking all the space. But, alright. Next time, try to stay on your side, and I'll stay on mine. Then it's equal.' He scratched his head, considering. 'Can I ask you something on a slightly related topic?'

Aava: "Sounds good. And yeah, what's on your mind?"

'Last night, when I left the room after dinner, why did you move to sit where I'd been sitting? I wasn't annoyed by it, I just wondered if there was a reason.'

{Aava shrugs.}

Aava: "I wanted to sit close to her and still have a direct view of the tv. Once I had finished eating, there was no need to sit on the floor."

'Fair enough, I guess.'
.
Armin headed to the foyer and pulled his boots on. Esme trotted out in pursuit.
.
'Come on. She must be done with the horses by now.'

{Aava puts on her heavy coat and walks out behind him. Dianne was standing by the horses, all tacked up and ready to go.}

Dianne: "Is Rex coming?"

'Yes. He's within telepathic range.'
.
Armin walked over to his horse and, with a springing leap, got into the saddle. A moment later, a raven dived down and transformed into Rex, wearing a long trench coat, gloves and boots.
.
'Good day.'
.
'Get on my horse,' said Armin, looking down at him. 'Aava can go on Dianne's.'

Dianne: "Hello, Rex. Glad you could join us."

{Dianne mounts her horse, helping Aava follow. Aava shyly waves to Rex from atop the horse.}

Rex jumped up behind Armin and loosely wrapped an arm around his waist for balance. He nodded uncertainly to Aava in greeting.
.
'So, we're going to the nearest town, Opalway, and having lunch when we get there. It'll be a fairly long ride,' said Armin, gathering up the reins and setting off at a brisk walk. Esme took to the air, intending to fly above them until she got tired.

{Dianne starts forward, matching Armin's speed. the day was overcast and cold, but everyone had overcoats.}

Dianne: "We need to take the country roads. We can't just cut across properties."

'Yeah, especially with our big scary horses.'
.
Sticking to the dusty road, Armin nudged his horse into a leisurely canter that ate up the ground and was comfortable to ride in. Rex held onto him a little tighter. He didn't seem entirely at ease on horseback.

{In contrast to Rex, Aava leaned to the side, smiling and letting the wind blow through her hair. She seemed very comfortable and happy atop a horse.}

Armin grinned, thoroughly enjoying the ride. He knew that Rex would get more comfortable with time. Through the rings they were still wearing, Dianne would feel his excitement and sense of adventure rising up.
.
'Onward to Opalway!'

(If there's nothing else you'd like to do, we could probably skip here?)

(Yeah, let's. Start when ready.)

(I'll post a new room and do it later today. I don't wanna type the long opening text on mobile.)

(Alright. I'm going to bed soon, so I'll look for it in the morning.)