Until the Stars Grew Dim (Late Sat, early Sunday)

A priestess' robe belted at her waist, she stood on the deck of the ship. The ship itself is so very familiar to her. More than thirty years had seen her visiting the vessel. She never thought to be visiting her own soulmate on it's decks, however.

The lessening of the terms of the curse had been the only way that Persephone could help make it better. The siren still found it difficult to forgive the other woman. She'd been the cause of all of it. Everything that had led to this. Needless to say, she hadn't spoken much to Persephone lately.

The men aboard the ship gave her clear respect. Only an eighth remembered the little goddess from Kaito's time. These greeted her like an old friend. A quarter saw the fateful day of the switchin captains.

She wascurrently handing out messages to many of the men. Two to three times amonth, she became a living message in a bottle.

From behind, familliar arms wrap around the little goddess, lifting her up in a loving suprise embrace.
"I've missed you, my dear!" Haro told her happily.

For just a moment, he sounded so much like his father, it knocked the air out of her lungs. How many times had she been greeted by those exact words from the old fox? It made her throat tight. She wiggled, wanting to turn around and return the hug given her. He'd barely released her before she was back in his arms. Other than the relative peace found with her children, or times with the few people she kept close to her, times like this made the world pause for just second. Her answer is quiet, happy to see him, but not nearly as jovial as his. "I've missed you too, koishii."

his arms retook her once shed turned to him, and his lips found hers.

Her lips met his, and they clung for long minutes. Being away was hell. The kiss ended, however, because she really was tired of being the current thing of entertainment for the boys. They were all good men, but their minds were still male. Voyeurs, the lot of them. She kept Haro's hand as she swept out and gave a fluid curtsy. "You're lucky I don't charge." She said lightly to the men.

Hand in his, she waited for him to lead her toward somewhere with a bit more privacy than the middle of the deck.

haro laughed, and guided her to his bedroom. like his father, haro rarely sleeps, but he still has the room set up for himself

She came into the room, settling immediately on the bed. She's quiet, though certainly not distant. She watches her husband, as if memorizing him. She does that fairly often. As if wanting to make sure things hadn't changed from the last time she'd done so.

he sits with her, putting an arm around her. so many questions, but hes not sure where to start.

She pressed her cheek to his shoulder, rubbing like a cat against it. She gave him time to decide where he wanted to start. Just a little over a year to go. It couldn't go fast enough.

"so how have the kids been" he asked, chosing his first topic

She laid her head on his chest. "The kids are good. Nic is a lot like you were around that age. Quiet, a little shy, sweet, thoughtful. He's protective of his sister and I. Very much like you, there. Damiana...Damiana has become trouble, lately. She's acting out. Doesn't listen to a word I say, and apparently, everything I do is just wrong. I can't keep her away from Mama, and she's beginning to pick up my mother's worst qualities." Kaya's brow is knitted. "I have no clue what to do with her. I know she misses you horrendously. And there's no way I can find to comfort her."

"..." haro sighed, wrapping both arms around her, turning so she can rest her head against him as shes trying to. he bites his lip, holding back afew tears. shes getting into trouble... because she misses him?... that hit him hard. its terrable not being able to be there for them to begin with but... "im sure nic will keep her out of trouble." he told her, trying to stop his thoughts. "i wish there was more i could do, but its just that rebellious phase, as long as nic is able to keep her from getting in too much trouble, its just a game of patience with her."

She sighed, teeth sinking into her bottom lip. "I'm so worried it's more than that. She's got demon and kitsune from you. She's got love and sex goddess and death god from me. It really feels like she's beginning to spin out of control. She's always surrounded by men. It's like what the Fates did to me to keep my from becoming my mother just made all that behavior lie dormant in me, until it could be passed to her.

I've tried to talk to her, to explain certain things that make the game she's playing very dangerous, but she refuses to listen. And Aphrodite isn't helping. I know they always say mothers and daughters don't get along when the child gets older, but I can't afford that. Has she been out to see you?" Kaya asked. She'd be unlikely to know. It wasn't like Damiana would tell her anything.

"..." haro shook his head. "no... she hasnt..." the flood gates overflowed alittle at that. afew tears dripped down the poor mans cheek. she could have visited him... he never gets to see his family, save for kayas visits... and the whole time, his little girl could have visited? thats just... heartbreaking. simply heartbreaking

Kaya brushed gentle lips over his cheeks. "I'm sorry. So sorry, koi." She didn't have words. Once again, she found herself balling her hand into a fist. It was a purely impotent fury. She could do nothing to fix the shambles that her family had fallen into. None,notone of their paths had been ideal or without serious downsides. All of them would have led to her family being ripped apart.

She closed her eyes, shuttering them away. "I'm sorry, my love." She said again, softly. This time, he's sure she's apologizing for something more than his sadness. She pressed her cheek to his, moving her arms around him.

haro took her tight in his arms, the gates hadnt quite broken, but a steady stream flows down his cheeks. "... what are you appologizing for?... " he asked, knowing something more was in her words than feeling sorry for him.

She took a breath, her face hidden away in the crook of his neck. She spoke low, but right below his ear, so that he could hear her. "I'm sorry that, pretty much since we've met, nothing has been normal or even. One situation of strife into another. I feel like our family is crumbling, and I have no idea what to do with it, and I'm sorry for that. I feel ashamed that so much of this has happened because of who and what I am.

You had to pay the price for immortality, because I was in danger of the gods finding me. It was my so called friend that ended up giving us away. You're on this ship, because of me. I'm disaster, koi! I feel like I've been more of a burden and curse upon you than I have a blessing and a happiness." She's controlling the tears that want to fall, but it's sped her breath to do it.

in the middle of her final word, haro takes her lips to silence her in a passionate kiss. after afew moments it breaks and his hand cradles her cheek. "... the part everyone forgets, my dear, is that the knight must go through many trials for his princess... before they live happily ever after" hes tilting her face gently up to look at him. those tears still run... but his eyes have that confidence she knows so well.

She clung to his lips in the kiss. That was the final straw. The tears that she'd fought against fell in a steady stream. mixing with his. That surety shining back at her was quite possibily the only thing that had kept her going the past almost nine years. Her cheek leaned into his hand,her eyes on his.

Her own hand lifted, wiping away the tears on his face. "I love you." She whispered in a low, and rough voice. She pulled his mouth back to hers, curling into him. For just a little while, it seemed she wanted to get lostin him. Return to a time before the mess that was life now.

when she lost it, so did he. the gates broke and the tears flowed free. he held her close, lips bound in what both hoped could be an eternity.