Dante Lacostos: "No," he says simply, sighing as Sagan lets out an indignant chirp, crawling from his coat pocket to his knee. The little mouse regards Aerin and then looks up at Dante, blinking, catching its tail in its paws.

Aerin Thomas: He nods to Dante's response, taking a sip off his scotch. The mechanical mouse draws a faint smile from him...he's still interested in it, but business first. "Okay, then. Is it something we SHOULD talk about?"

Dante Lacostos: "I've been told I should stay away from Jez and Corbin and Nate..."

Aerin Thomas: "Ahhh. I see." He tilts his head slightly to the side. "By your old Alpha, I assume."

Dante Lacostos: He nods. "Hai. Said it would be best..>Wouldn't want the Children thinking I was spying for the Lords."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: Knock. Knock. Knock.

Aerin Thomas: He looks over to the door, brow raising. Dante can now see what the slight delay was from when he knocked...Aerin tenses and puts his hand under the trench coat, on his gun, and moves to the door. He checks the peep hole, and only after he sees who it is does he relax and open the door.

Dante Lacostos: Dante turns slightly, watching as Sagan skitters back into his pocket and out of sight.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: Bliss is dressed as per usual Bliss - black vinyl pants, laced up boots, neon green strips of fabric and fishnet shirt. HIs hair is braided again, into a single tail, threaded with charms, black feathers, peacock feathers, and bells. There are two large beaded black feathers tied at the end of the tail. He's carrying three boxes and a drink carrier, carefully balanced on top. "So...I brought dinner." His smile fades, just a bit when he sees Dante, then reappears - but different somehow. "Hello. Dinner?"

Dante Lacostos: He blinks slowly at Bliss and stands, wrapping his arms around his overly skinny frame, palms cupping his elbows. He's dressed plainly in a pair of very baggy jeans, boots, t-shirt and coat...Everything just hanging from his frame.

Aerin Thomas: "Bliss." The man smiles warmly to him, shutting the door after the man. "Perfect timing. Serendipitous. I'd like you to meet someone." He looks to Dante, letting him do the introduction.

Dante Lacostos: He moves forward slowly until he comes to rest just behind Aerin and to his left, eyes not rising to Bliss's face. "Dante Wakes-the-Land Lacostos, Cliath Theurge of the Shadow..."He frowns, hand rising to rub his scarred cheek. "Of the Children of Gaia."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: Dante wrapping his arms around himself changes everything - Bliss hands sets the food down and stalks across the room toward Dante. He's been edgy lately and it shows now, it isn't entirely clear whether he intends to introduce himself, come onto someone, or tear someone's throat out. He circles Dante as he listens to his introduction. That he circles Aerin doesn't change his bearing, Aerin does not have his attention now.

Dante Lacostos: ((Gack! Correction! "Cliath Theurge of the Shadow Lords...Soon to be a Child. I think." ))

Aerin Thomas: He remains where he is, perfectly calm and raising the glass of scotch to his lips. Bliss's action clearly doesn't bother him in the slightest.

Dante Lacostos: As Bliss begins to circle him he moves closer to Aerin, letting their bodies brush lightly.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: Bliss bares a hint fangs for a second as Dante moves into Aerin at a simple introduction. "It cowers." His voice has gone to that silken whisper. Soft. Quiet. Bit seductive. "No wonder he isn't suited to Thunder's glory. We'll have to teach it better if it means to stay. That manner is not becoming in any of Gaia's chosen warriors." He slowly tightens his circling, closing the distance lazily. At least he seems less inclined to outright violence.

Aerin Thomas: A hand comes out to rest lightly on Dante's arm. Simple movement. He waits, watching the two.

Dante Lacostos: Dante's body tenses and Sagan peeks out of his pocket, chittering and squeeking agressively. Not that the little metal mouse is very frightening.

Dante Lacostos: He glances up at Aerin briefly and then to the floor, arms curling more tightly around himself.

Aerin Thomas: He nods a little bit to Bliss's assessment...whether it's an acceptance of the words or pure acknowledgment is unclear. "If I recall, Bliss...I wasn't entirely with it when you found me. Granted, I didn't exactly cower..." He shrugs, eyes passing between Dante and Bliss calmly.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: Bliss darts forward at Dante with no real warning, breaking off at a sharp angle from his slow circing. He lays his hands to either side of Dante's face and raise it until he's looking straight ahead. He looks over Dante's shoulder at Aerin, hands still cradling Dante's face. "Yes. But you're better now."

Aerin Thomas: "And, with our help, so will he be." He steps away from the two Lords and lets them do their thing, watching with an almost curiosity to him.

Dante Lacostos: He flinches slightly as Bliss touches him, eyes widening as his breath catches. Sagan begins to screech and chitter angrily, sharp little metal claws digging into Dante's coat as it scampers up to the Theurge's shoulder.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He stays there, hands still on Dante's face, watching Aerin. It's that eerie, sudden full attention but it's softer when it's Aerin. "Perhaps." He steps back to arms' length and lets go of Dante's face with his usual dramatic flourish. "Shadow's Blissful Silence. Fostern Shadow Lord Ragabash."

Dante Lacostos: Sagan lunges after Bliss's fingers as they leave Dante's face and the young man lifts one shaking hand to steady the little mouse. Yes, he keeps his head up but his eyes don't meet Bliss's. They don't even look at the man's face.

Aerin Thomas: He smiles a little bit and nods, moving to the kitchen. "Drink, Bliss?"

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Interesting. I see we can use him as a challenge of our worth. If we can get him to present himself properly we'll have proven we're good at this...." He looks past Dante again to Aerin with a faint sigh.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Yes."

Dante Lacostos: "Sagan, hush," he murmurs. THe little metal mouse quites instantly to a soft whirring click.

Aerin Thomas: He pulls down the Rum and grabs a Coke from the fridge, mixing Bliss a drink. "I think we can do it. Can't be as difficult as making me halfway presentable. Or are we not there yet?" He looks over his shoulder to Bliss, grinning slightly.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He breathes out softly and reaches out to cup Dante's face again, tilting his head back and 'biting' Dante's throat. Very light pressure with his teeth, not enough to leave even a fleeting mark. And then brushes past Dante to join Aerin. "Anyway, Italian. Ravioli in some strange mushroom cream sauce, tossed spiral pasta with pesto and parmesan, lasagne. Coffee. Because you know, the last thing you need is sleep." He chuckles and rubs his cheek against Aerin's, dropping his eyes to the floor as he does so.

Dante Lacostos: He swallows hard at that and Bliss gets his fingers pricked by very sharp little claws. When he's let go Dante moves to sink into the chair and shrugs out of his coat at the same time, curling slim arms back arounhd his frail, bony chest.

Aerin Thomas: "Yeah...sleep is definitely NOT my friend these days." Or for any other time in the past year or so...he blinks as he realizes something, and then shakes it off. "It sounds good."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Well, I will see to it you eat at least. Sleep I'll worry about later. When I start slipping you awakened drugs to knock you the fuck out."

Dante Lacostos: "His partner might not like that," Dante says softly from the livingroom as he draws his knees up to his chest. Sagan hops from his shoulde to his knees and chirrups, whiskers twitching as he presses his nose to the young man's.

Aerin Thomas: "No. No awakened drugs." He moves to hand Bliss his drink, then walks over to Dante, a hand coming out to brush over his back. Reassuring, perhaps. "My dreams are fucked-up enough, don't you think?" He looks from Bliss to Dante...a brief look, as if to say 'You okay?' with a tilt of his head.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Who? Ethan?" Bliss chuckles. "You assume I'd tell him what was in the tea?" He leans back on the counter a few seconds watching Dante. Amused. And then he starts dishing out food. Onto three plates.

Dante Lacostos: He blinks and glances up at Aerin. "Hai," he says softly, responding to the silent question. Fingers rise to rub at his cheek as Sagan chirps and whirrrs soothingly.

Aerin Thomas: He nods a little bit to Dante and smiles to him, then looks back to Bliss with a chuckle. "I'm telling you, Bliss. You start drugging my drinks, you get to be the one to deal with it when I wake up in Crinos trying to claw my way through the walls."

Dante Lacostos: "I haven't met Ethan," he says with a slight frown, glancing up at Bliss, one finger rising to stroke the metal mouse.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Mmmmmm...I never had that problem. But then, you've met the woman you used to put me out that way. It hardly matters. I don't have all my connections anymore."

Dante Lacostos: "Well," Dante says slowly, glancing to Bliss with a slight smile. "I wouldn't say you don't have the connections..."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He hands a plate to Aerin, with a fork tucked along the side of the food.

Aerin Thomas: He raises an eyebrow to Dante at that, and looks to Bliss. A hand comes out and takes the plate, moving to the couch to go eat. "So, then...what do you think?" The question seems addressed to Dante, though he looks at neither of them when he says it.

Dante Lacostos: "I was thinking of awakening Sagan here but...Its got enough of an attitude as it is," he says with a slight smile.

Aerin Thomas: He blinks and looks at Dante. "Spirit Awakening it?" He looks to Bliss, then back. "Yeah...how about not?"

Dante Lacostos: He nods at Aerin, just slightly.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He walks over and sets down his drink and a plate of food, then brings a plate to Dante and settles on the floor at Aerin's feet. He is so not joining them on the couch without an invitation. Possibly not without a direct order.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Aerin. Just how crazy do you think I am?"

Dante Lacostos: He eyes the plate full of food a long, quiet moment after he takes it, sighing as Sagan noses a bite of something closer to Dante.

Aerin Thomas: "No more then I am."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Do you think I would actually drug you after you told me not to?"

Aerin Thomas: "No." He smiles a little, shrugging to Bliss. "And thus ends the amusing banter about chemically intoxicating the Alpha portion of the conversation." He looks up to Dante, eyebrow raised. "Eat."

Dante Lacostos: He sighs again and flicks his tongue over his lips, expression sour. But, he does obey, eating slowly, his bites small.

Aerin Thomas: He nods, satisfied when Dante starts eating, and digs in himself. "So, then. Business. When do you go through the whole conversion process, Dante, and what needs to happen at this point for that to go through?"

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He watches Aerin and Dante, eyes gone suddenly dead. Intent, but expressionless.

Dante Lacostos: "I'm not exactly sure, Rhya," he says softly, choking down the food. "I need to talk to Angie-rhya and then the rite needs to be performed. And if she doesn't accept me then I'm not sure...I guess that would make me Ronin, hai?"

Aerin Thomas: He nods a little bit. "When's the meeting scheduled for? Or has it been yet?"

Dante Lacostos: "I don't think it has been. Craven-rhya's been handling all the details." He sighs. "I just moved out of the Packhouse a couple nights ago. I've been staying with Jim."

Aerin Thomas: "Ahh, okay." He nods a little bit. "Jim is, I'm assuming, unaware of your nature, of course..."

Dante Lacostos: He frowns softly and licks his lips, setting the plate aside slowly. "I..."

Aerin Thomas: He raises an eyebrow slowly. "Yes?" Okay, pot, kettle, and black, but he's at least divested himself of his mess.

Dante Lacostos: "No. He knows. But he knew what about Garou before he met me," he says softly, fingers stroking over Sagan. "He's...Um..." He sighs and gestures helplessly at the mouse.

Aerin Thomas: He looks down at the mouse. Then looks back up at Dante. "He's a...machinist?" He sounds hopeful that this is all it is.

Dante Lacostos: He licks his lips and sighs, hand rising to rub furiously at his scars.

Aerin Thomas: "He's more then a machinist, isn't he?"

Dante Lacostos: "Hai, Baro," he murmurs.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: His eyes roll and he rests his head against the couch.

Aerin Thomas: The plate is set aside, and he dips a hand into his pocket to get a cigarette. He's chuckling a little bit, a rueful shake of his head as he puts the thing into his mouth and pulls out a lighter. "Dante...don't think I'm not sympathetic. I am. But I need to tell you. From personal..." The lighter flicks, the end of the smoke turning glaring red as Aerin's eyes lock onto the Cliath's. "...VERY personal experience. It won't work out. It very much won't work out."

Dante Lacostos: "We know," he says softly, sighing, his eyes deeply pained. "And when that time comes, Baro, we'll seperate."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He runs the side of his face against Aerin's leg. It's the first contact since his greeting, which is a long wait for attention from Bliss.

Aerin Thomas: "That time's coming soon." He pulls the cigarette out of his mouth, a cloud of smoke following it. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that, but it is." He puts a the cigarette back in his mouth before his hand goes to Dante's shoulder, the other hand dipping to pet Bliss's hair. "And I'll be here to help you after the fact. Okay?"

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He sighs at the petting, which calms him enough he adds without sounding entirely sulky, "We."

Dante Lacostos: He closes his eyes and looks away, bony shoulders tensing hard as Aerin touches him. His chin drops to his chest and he makes no sound, jaw working as his teeth grind together.

Aerin Thomas: "We." He looks to Bliss and nods, then back up to Dante.

Aerin Thomas: d10: Per+Emp: 2,8,7,1,6,8,2,

Aerin Thomas: He pauses a moment, and then takes the cigarette out of his mouth, passing it down to Bliss, as if asking him to hold it. His eyes remain locked on the Rroma, his expression calm and even.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He takes the cigarete obediently. He gets cues.

Dante Lacostos: The young Rom is looking at no one. His eyes are squeezed tightly closed beneath the flop of his bangs, his jaw is clenched tightly. Sagan clicks softly and moves from tightly clutched knee to shoulder to nuzzle Dante's jaw, small paws touching the scars.

Aerin Thomas: The cigarette out of his hand, he reaches up to take Dante by the shoulders, pulling him into an embrace. So performed so that his head is on the other side of the mouse. He's been marked up enough lately. He murmurs into the man's ear quietly as he hugs him.

Dante Lacostos: He makes a soft sound, body tensing hard before he lets his skin and bone frame lean into Aerin. Sagan chirps inquisitively but doesnt move to claw the man.

Aerin Thomas -> Dante Lacostos: "I know your pain, far better then you may understand. I know it three times over. And I'm sorry for it. We'll help you through it, I promise...this isn't your only chance."

Dante Lacostos: His breath rattles from him in a sob at Aerin's words, thin shoulders shaking.

Aerin Thomas: He nods a little, holding Dante there while the sob breaks through. Calm, stoic, and warm.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: Bliss huffs softly and slips away from the two of them, absently taking a drag off Aerin's cigarette and walking over to wherever the nearest window is, pointedly ignoring them.

Dante Lacostos: He pulls away slowly. "I gotta go," he mumbles.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Stay. I'm shockingly far less annoyed with you than you might think. I interrupted you. I'll go." He sounds almost...human? Gentle? Something.

Aerin Thomas: He nods a little bit, sighing. "You don't have to do it yet, necessarily, Dante. But the sooner, the better. And certainly before your meeting with Angie." He looks over to Bliss, sighing, and then back to the Theurge. "Do you have somewhere to go, when you do it?"

Dante Lacostos: He blinks at Bliss and shakes his head. "I gotta go see Jim..."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: His eyes roll again, and he shakes his head, but he laughs softly, if a touch bitterly. "Mmmmmm...."

Dante Lacostos: He blinks and glances at Aerin, wiping a hand beneath his eyes. "I'll be fine. I'll find somewhere to sleep."

Aerin Thomas: "No...you won't just 'find somewhere to sleep.'" He pulls out a key and places it in Dante's hand. "You'll stay here, for now. And I will come back to make sure you make it back here."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: "Oh, for the love of God!" He growls. "I have two places to live. You can stay at the fucking cabin. I'd invite you to the apartment if I didn't think three Garou would destroy the cats."

Dante Lacostos: He stares at the key for a long minute and then nods mutely, standing and sliding into his coat.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: Blink. Blink. The things that just never occur to him. "Or you could stay here. That could work too."

Aerin Thomas: "Bliss." A single word, intoned to mean 'quiet.' He looks to the man briefly, then back to Dante.

Dante Lacostos: "Sagan, pocket," he murmurs, sighing as the mouse reluctantly obeys. "Thank you, Rhyas."

Shadow's Blissful Silence: He actually hisses at Aerin, and storms out the door.

Dante Lacostos: Dante flinches as Bliss storms out.

Shadow's Blissful Silence: [And, unless someone actually stops him, I'll be dropping the window. Great playing with you guys. *hugs*]

Aerin Thomas: "You're welcome," he says to Dante, rising when he does. "I know how hard this will be. Trust me...TRUST me. I do. You'll make it through. Be well, prala."

Aerin Thomas: He sighs deeply at Bliss's storming out, lips twisting into a frown. "Ahh, motherfuck."

Dante Lacostos: "Baxt," he whispers to Aerin, voice sounding broken as he moves out into the night.

Aerin Thomas: And he's following close behind Dante, heading out. He has an emotionally 13-year-old girl of a Shadow Lord to find.