#sungodofdarkness

Wait. That was a piano...from upstairs? Who... No, he couldn’t have come back...could he?

Even as he told himself that, Crow found himself standing in front of Aion’s door, frozen for longer than he would ever admit. Eventually, though, he finally crossed his arms and took a deep breath.

“Oi Wimpion, what’s the big idea--sneakin’ back in here without a peep!?”

Clearly, knocking was for chumps.

It was on the way back that plans changed. Instead of returning to Aion’s room where he had left him, he found himself sidetracked down the stairs, and soon outside.

First thing first, he found a good patch of mostly not-snow to stand in, within sight of Aion’s window. Second, he set the stereo from his room onto the ground next to his feet.

He hit play, and turned up the volume.

What came from the stereo was nothing extravagant--just something simple he had thrown together, and far and away from most anything the band would normally play. Tomahawk’s strums were unusually calm and gentle, to match the tone of Crow’s voice when he finally started to sing. Not one of their songs, but one he had written just for the occasion.

At that point, all he could do was hope Aion heard him out there. Otherwise he’d just have to sing the whole thing over again. Not that the minded, but surely the neighborhood would have something to say about that.

Chorophobia: Our muses dance together.

“…you hear that?”

Crow lifted an arm to stop Aion from walking any farther, ears perked while he tried to listen more intently. After a moment, he gave his head a short nod. Yep, no doubt about it. Just as he had hushed the both of them, music from one of the neighboring houses began to swell. Nothing like what they would have played themselves, though. He couldn’t make out the lyrics clearly, but what he could hear was unmistakably the kind of music for one thing…

“Yai, Aion.” Turning to face him, Crow’s outstretched arm turned over, to instead offer his hand, rather than block the lion’s path. “Let’s give it a shot.”

From the brief hesitation, he could only guess that Aion didn’t immediately realize what he had in mind. Really, it was hard to say if he understood even when he did finally take the hand offered to him. Either way, Crow was more than happy to take it as an invitation to gently tug him closer.

Unfortunately, that was when he had to hesitate, himself. His first instinct was to emulate ballroom dancing, as he’d seen it in the movies. The problem came when his fingers brushed Aion’s waist–and it showed when his face tinged red in the same moment his fingers retracted.

“I, uh…” Instead of pausing to actually think, he released the lion’s hand and looped both arms around him at once, effectively burying his face in his chest, in the process. Well, that was one way to try and hide, at least a little.

It wasn’t until neither moved for a long moment or two that he seemed to relax slightly. Just enough to quietly chuckle and give him a little squeeze.

Sigh.

Crow finally dared to tug at the bow around his neck--he could only assume it had been Yaiba’s doing--and let it lazily fall free. Whatever all that was, it was done, leaving everything quiet... too quiet, almost.

“Yai, Aion...”

That was all the prompting Crow gave before he shifted, just enough to reach for Aion’s free hand. Though his own fingers probably shook, it didn’t stop him from carefully lacing them between the lion’s. Nervous as he still was about it, he had to admit, it felt nice...

“I, uh... y’know,” he could feel the heat in his face already; it was no wonder he locked his eyes onto his own feet, “was hopin’ I could make tonight special for ya...”

“The guys kinda got to it first.” He laughed, weakly. Ultimately it had worked out well enough, though. Either way, he shook his head, as if to dismiss the thought. Too late to be mad now. Besides, he already had something in mind.

“Oi.”

An arm shot out to block Aion’s path before he could climb the first step to the front door. Once satisfied he had stopped, Crow’s finger turned upward.

Tucked just under the roof’s lip was a certain festive plant. No question about it.

“A bit early for that stuff to be hanging around, ain’t it?”

Not that saying that stopped him from hauling himself up two steps so they were on more even ground.

Beauty liked to watch the tall lion-tailed man comb over the inventory, occasionally muttering things that Beauty could only barely hear even when the room was quiet.

“Aion, c’mere for a sec.”

Without any explanation, or real warning, Crow was on his toes and hooking an arm over Aion’s shoulders. Meanwhile, his other hand was up in the air, aiming a phone at the two of them. A grin crossed Crow’s face, and the device flashed.

Phase one complete.

Satisfied, he let the lion go in favor of looking down at the yellow phone in his hand; the dragon mark painted over it left no question as to who it belonged to.

Gokotai runs his hand down the striped tabby’s back, smiling as the cat arches beneath his touch with a loud purr. He’s crouched within a dark, filthy back-street, lavishing his love on a stray cat that’s taken up residence between twin dumpsters within Sector oo4.

“There, Kitty-san... You don’t have to feel lonely.” He scratches the cat beneath its white chin. “We’re like neighbors, right? I live u-under the ground, and... And you live right here.”

The tantou pauses as a dark shadow suddenly falls over the alleyway, blocking out the light. He looks up, his golden eyes widening, and stares at the tall figure that’s appeared before their only exit. Instinctively his spare hand falls onto his wooden tantou, its twin pulling his kitty companion closer to the knobs of his dirtied knees.