Rihn Warden House, Ashmaine, England, Mid
Sunday, June 11
12:46pm
Edd peaked out the living room window as a silver car pulled up in the driveway "That him?" Matt asked, stepping into the living room "Think so" "Hey, um... did you tell Tom about this? about... him moving back in?" Matt questioned, the other boy sighed "Tried to, but whenever I brought up his name, immediately puts the headphones on and ignores me" Edd answered. "It kind of feels like we're ambushing him" Matt admitted as his friend turned to him "Yeah, it does, but we've tried the nice way and it didn't work" "And ambushing him with the whole 'he's moving back in' is going to work? he'll push us away more-" "He's done this to himself" Edd cut Matt off. "If helping him heal means him hating me for the rest of his life, then fine, but I'm not going to sit back and let him destroy himself" the brown-haired brit stated whilst watching the old friend outside get out of the silver car "I'll take the full blame" Edd said before walking out of the living room and over to the front door, Matt following close behind.
Edd opened the door, meeting face-to-face with Tord, standing in Red Army soldier uniform, greeting each other with bright smiles and a hug, and after Edd stepped away, Matt greeted the friend with a small 'hello'. "Hey- sorry if I'm late, there was a storm yesterday which delayed all flights out of Norway" Tord stated as the other two lead him in through the front door, closing it behind themselves "You're here now and that's all that matters" Edd smiled "And hey, look at you! army uniform and all-" he stopped talking after watching Tord's face drop. "...he doesn't know I'm here, does he?" the soldier questioned, his trip having re-thickened his Norwegian accent "N-no, he uh... he refused to have any conversation if your name is mentioned" Edd answered as Tord closed his eyes "It's okay" the soldier told him.
Ever since that phone call with Edd a couple days ago, he thought of the possible states Tom may be in once seeing him again; silent anger, verbally or physically hateful... yet one reaction he hoped for, one that was the least likely to happen, would be Tom happy to see him and him being able to hold his love tightly in his arms again after several months away. It was a hopeful thought Tord had to kill every time it entered his head.
"I'm surprised that the Red Leader had let you leave so suddenly" Matt said as Tord opened his eyes and looked up at the taller boy "He's... very understanding, he let Paul and Pat go home early due to a family emergency also" the soldier answered.

They stepped further into the house, now standing around in the living room whilst they talked. "Anything on the hypnotics?" Edd asked and Tord answered "No- we've searched majority of Mid and started searching the Human Realm, but nothing" "Anything back from Paul and Patryk?" Matt found himself asking, immediately shying back into himself "I-I've tried calling but nothing". "I haven't heard from them since they left, but they did arrive safely at Paul's parents' place" Tord assured him "And they have all the family support and more, if they need anything, they'll reach out" he added, pausing for a mere second as footsteps travelled throughout the hallway, stopping at the door of the living room.
Tord's gaze, along with the other two teens', shifted to the doorway to find Tom; dark grey t-shirt, black ripped jeans, horrid bags under his void-like eyes as they met Tord's across the room. Tord smiled a little at the other "I'm home, Thomas, just like I promised" he said, words gentle and meaningful as he stepped towards Tom "I missed you so mu-" the soldier froze as Tom took a step back, hands balling up into tight fists. "Tom...?" Edd's voice hung unanswered in the air as anger consumed Tom's face. "Tom, please say something" Tord nearly begged, flinching a little as Tom shot him a glare "Tom-" "This was your idea, wasn't it?" Tom cut Edd off yet the question aimed directly at him "Six trips to the ER not enough for you? dragging me to a hospital isn't working anymore so you bring home the fucking problem?" the demon snapped. Edd shook his head "No, I-" "I told you I don't want fucking help- for once in your fucking life, take a fucking hint" Tom hissed as Matt stepped over to Edd, placing a hand on his shoulder whilst giving Tom a stern look "Tom, that is enough" Matt firmly stated "He was just trying to help, not hurt you-" "I don't fucking care" Tom spat back. "Tom, please-" "I told you," the demon's gaze snapped right back to Tord as he cut him off "I'm not your friend, I fucking hate you" Tom harshly stated "You left, so stay gone" and with that, Tord's brows frowned as he shook his head "No" he answered, watching the anger grow on Tom's face "Get out-" "No, Thomas" the soldier cut the demon off. "You're not being fair" "You made your choice-" "I had no fucking choice!" Tord cracked, speaking over Tom "I had orders to leave for Norway, whether that was by my own will or being dragged by soldiers, or worse, my father- I didn't want to go and I did not want to leave" the soldier firmly stated.

"Especially after that day... your three are as much as my family as any, so yes, Thomas, I left" Tord continued, holding eye-contact with the demon "And I couldn't come back- not after hearing what happened at the Drift house or to the kids there, the Red Leader Ceremony, not until half a year later, until now..." Tord said "I don't care if you hate me, but I'm here now and I'm staying". Tom didn't speak or move as Tord took a step toward him "I don't care if you rip my heart out of my chest; every single word I've ever told you has always been the truth, that including every promise... I'm here, protection and love, like I promised... and I am never leaving again" the soldier firmly stated.
Not a word left Tom as he turned on his heel and walked back down the hallway and to his bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him as Tord let out a breath, not one of relief... one to control every drop of emotion threatening to show itself right then and there. Tord held his chest, feeling as though he had been stabbed a million times "...it's something" Matt said, placing a comforting hand on the soldier's shoulder "Thirteen years forth of trust and friendship down the drain" Tord muttered aloud, gaze falling to the ground "I should've fought to stay" "We understand why you had to leave" Edd assured the soldier. "He understands that too... I just don't think he ever really accepted it" Edd admitted, Tord breathed out again and turned back to his two friends, forcing a smile onto his face "Nevermind that- I'm happy to be home and to see you both again" he stated "What about we make some tea and catch up with one another" he suggested, Edd and Matt exchanging a small look of concern before leading Tord to the kitchen.

Drift Warden House, Perible, England, Mid
Blake opened the front door, freezing a little as Euanthe stood on the other side "...h-hey" the man bluttered out "May I come in?" "O-of course" Blake answered, stepping to the side and letting the princess step inside before closing the door behind her. She glanced into the living room where all the kids were, seated on the floor around the coffee table playing a board game, yelling and arguing in competitiveness "All the kids are playing?" "They needed a distraction" Blake answered "And Jocelyn?" "Meeting with a couple relatives". Blake turned to Euanthe "So um... what brings you he-" "Let's talk upstairs" the princess suggested, the man nodding his head and leading her upstairs to his bedroom, closing the door behind them.
"So-" "There has been an reporting of a few portal travels between Mid and the Under Realm" Euanthe cut Blake off, the man's brows knotting at the statement "...the Under Realm gate is in Dark Nation, it would most likely be the citizens or Grey Army going in and out" he said "No- the travel-signatures are coming from three unregistered portals" the princess told him "The locations of the portal exits are still unknown, but the origins of the entries are Blighfall and Rorrim in Dellone- Erik's reporting this straight to the armies and council as we speak". Blake nodded his head, pausing for a second before asking "So why are you telling me?" "...because you deserve to know what's happening to the kids" Euanthe answered "And now that I have told you, I'll leave" she said.
"I have to go" she said, quickly making her way over to the front door as Blake followed after her "Euanthe-" "Blake" she cut him off, hand already on the doorknob yet refusing to look back at him "I should go" she firmly stated.
"Euanthe, wait" Blake called after her as she turned towards the door "Please, we need to talk-" "Unless it's about my little cousin or the two witchlings, we have nothing to talk about" she said before Blake quickly darted between Euanthe and the door, his movement accidently shutting the bedroom door behind himself. "Then listen just this once... and I promise that afterwards, if you don't like it, I won't make you hear it again" "Blake, move-" "Please" he pleaded with her and so she took a step back, and listened "...I'm sorry" he apologised "I shouldn't have kissed you or invaded your space like that- if you hate me now because of that, then I'll leave you alone and never do it again-" "I don't hate you" Euanthe cut him off.

Blake's brows knotted in slight confusion "Then why have you been avoiding me? I've obviously done something wrong" "You didn't do anything wrong-" "Then dare I ask why you've been avoiding me like the plague?" he questioned as Euanthe immediately turned her head away from him "Ethe..." Blake said yet she refused to look at him. "I don't care- just believe me when I say, I... I love you, Euanthe" Blake told her, Euanthe closed her eyes "And I don't expect you to return the feeling- I will understand and never bring it up ever again, I'll keep my distance and be a friend from afar-" "Stop" she cut him off. Euanthe opened her eyes, a saddened expression painted over her face "...I've loved you the moment we met" she stated, her words finding Blake's heart.
They had met eighteen years ago, the day that both Blake and Kate joined the Prodigium Council board; Kate as the 'Ghost Ambassador' and Blake as one of the five head councilmen. That day, both twenty-year-olds met a few royal family members of both Heaven and Hell as well, that including Euanthe and that very day, Blake made a friend and Kate made a best friend, one who four years after that very day she'll insist being her daughter's godmother.
"You two were dating and I was her best friend- you got married and had a child, I couldn't ruin that, I loved you both too much to do that" Euanthe said "Kate passed about ten years ago, why not say anything until now?" "Blake- she was my best friend, it felt wrong" she answered "I can't pull you away from your world to be in mine, even if you love me and want me like I want you, I can't have you" Euanthe continued. "Ethe" "We can't" she firmly stated, freezing a little as Blake gently held her hand in his "I'm a hundred years older than you, Blake, someone who will live well into their five-hundreds- I'll outlive you, I'll watch you die and be forced to live without you" Euanthe told him "Then in my next life- if I'm reincarnated or arrive in Heaven or Hell, I'll come straight back to you and continue to love you" Blake said as finally, his words pulled her gaze back up at him. Euanthe shook her head "The council will kick you off the board if they hear that-" "I'll still be a member of the council, Ethe" Blake cut her off "I'll still be a teacher at the high school- I'll still be housing these kids and be their guardian, I will still be doing the job I love" he told her "You have every right to refuse me, but you can't ignore and avoid me with the hopes that it'll make me love you any less" he stated.

"Blake-" "Show me" he cut her off "Catch me up and show me the eighteen years of love I failed to see and rightfully give you" Blake asked as Euanthe's gaze softened a little "...that kind of from me will kill you" "Then let it destroy me" he said.
Before Euanthe could say another word, Blake gently caressed her face and kissed her as though it was his last day alive. A kiss filled with so much want and so addictive, the woman caved in immediately. She curved into his touch as his hands ran down her sides like drippling fire and snaked themselves around her waist, holding her body firmly against his, letting her feel every muscle beneath the fabric that separated them.