NOTM: Bonding After Dark (Aurath/Diego RP)

Aurath shivered and rubbed his arms. He had done his best to try and stay in the same room as the merman, but as they exchanged awkward smiles under the judging rubber ducks' stares, the fisherman found himself lurching on deck, a blanket over his shoulders almost dragging like an oversized cape. At least he had the decency to not go in his PJs, considering he slept in only his underwear.

At the same time, Diego was busy sneaking out of his cabin. Lying sleeplessly in bed was much too frustrating, and he couldn't really do anything else in there - Maggie, when she wanted to, could have a really shallow sleep; probably the least needed thing in Diego's situation. He really didn't want to worry her any more than he did already. Slowly, watching out for any planks that could creek under his feet, he got out of the cabin and the moment the door were closed behind him, he took a deep, relaxed breath.

The man spotted Diego, standing lonely up ahead. He pulled the blanket closer and approached the boy. Aurath found it surprising, but he made him feel comfortable even if they were still getting to know each other, and dealing with his merpeople issues was so much easier with Diego's support. "'Nighty mate, havin' trouble sleepin'? I'd offer ye a drink but I didn't really have that in me mind when I came up here..." He said, sounding a bit awkward, still a bit shaken from his phobias and definitely not looking like his usual awesome self.

Diego's heart skipped a beat once he heard someone behind his back, but noticing a familiar tone in the steps, he relaxed.
Aurath's voice sounded pleased to see the boy and friendly, however, it had a firm hint of exhaustion and uneasiness. Diego knew very well, why - his presence on the deck only could mean one thing, sadly. Diego turned around.
"Hey... Couldn't stand it down there, could you?", he said in a hushed, sympathetic tone. It was rather surprising, to see Aurath look like this, but Diego tactfully said nothing. Himself, he was draped in the sweater from Leelu, with hair quite messy from bed. He wasn't wearing his eyeband, his scar and blind eyes on full display, and there were purple shades from lack of sleep visible; he felt a bit weird, unsure if he was comfortable and ready to show himself like that - but it was too late anyway, wasn't it?
Like this, with eyes surprisingly big - wait, were they blue? - and his pistol out of sight, Diego seemed... Much more helpless than he was usually.

Aurath met Diego's clear eyes for the first time. His gaze followed the scar crossing the boy's face for a moment. "Nonsense, I-" he pretended to lie, but really, the boy knew better and so did himself, he let out a sigh "Aye, aye. Tried me best t' handle th' situation but... Guess it's gonna take a lot more than that." His expression turned to concern as he noticed Diego's evident exhaustion. He moved closer to him and ran his fingers through the black messy hair, combing it a couple times. His hand slid gently down to the boy's neck and finally rested on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. "C'mon, let's go find a cozy corner t' sit 'n chat."

Diego stood still under Aurath's gaze, not saying a word. The scar was not a natural line; whoever had given it to him, had been cutting methodically. They had wanted Diego to suffer - at least this was possible for him to figure out, and he was wondering if Aurath's conclusions were the same. He ended up saying nothing, however, and Diego welcomed this fact with sort of a relief.
"It's just the beginning," he said in a reassuring voice. "I know it seems hopeless now, but you never know. Maybe you two can warm up to each other over time." He kind of hoped it could be possible - not only for Aurath's sake, but because of Jul, too. Despite how annoying and excitable the merman was, Diego had sort of started liking him.
Aurath's gesture, to say the least, caught him off-guard. He remained quiet, awkwardly unsure how to react; the one thing he understood was he didn't want the man to stop.
"Uh- -," he spoke finally, realizing he was talked to. "I usually crash over there," he added, pointing at where the upper deck was. "By the stairs. They're a nice barrier between you and the breeze so you don't catch a cold or something."

"Well, maybe... sooner or later, probably later." He chuckled and put his arm over Diego's shoulder, covering him with the blanket while slowly walking to the spot he had mentioned. "So ye usually crash here? How often is that? Ye seem t' really need some rest, Diego." He knew part of what was really going on and didn't want to make him uncomfortable by asking, but he couldn't help but feel concerned. "Ye know, I don't want t' intrude, but if ye need t' talk 'bout anythin' I'm here t' listen, just like ye did with me. I got yer back."

Diego bit his lip nervously and remained silent til they reached the stairs, rethinking the situation - and, well, enjoying the warmth of the blanket and Aurath's side as well. He was feeling safe in this very spot, and it was both relaxing to him and scary to some extend.
"It's really nothing...", he made a weak attempt to lie, but his voice didn't sound convincing enough even to him. He sighed. "You are maddening. Both you and capitana. I can lie my ass off and stay convincing to anyone but you two." Well, anyone in this realm at least...
"I suppose we're having a truth or dare night? Only without dare. We did dare once already and the whole crew saw me in a dress," he made a final attempt to pretend, this time by trying to play it cool, but the tension in his body gave it away.

Aurath looked at Diego, into his eyes, at him biting his lips, at all the signals. "We care enough t' see through all that. I know ye can tell that kinda things 'bout me too, 'n fer th' record th' dress was yer idea" He played along, raising his eyebrows and trying to lighten the mood a bit. "I just be sayin', in case I hadn't already, that ye can tell me anythin' 'n I'll listen 'n support ye if ye need it." There was a moment of silence after he said it. "But if ye wanna pay truth or dare we can do that too." He gave the boy a lopsided smile.

"So you care?", Diego asked before he managed to shut his mouth. "Nah, stupid question. Caring is kind of a condition to being a friend, isn't it?" He pulled the corner of the blanket a little more to his side, both for warmth and to lead Aurath to sit down with him. "It may have been my idea, but you didn't protest. You always laugh at me when I say stupid things, but this one time you had to go 'why not'," he accused the man and frowned. There were certain moments in his life when his brain would just turn off. The princess incident was one of them.
Right now - was not. "I am not playing truth or dare with you," he said decisively, resting his chin on his own knees. "When it comes to you teasing me, I don't trust you."

Aurath raised an eyebrow at Diego's question but said nothing at first, following the pull on the blanket and settling next to boy, scooting over closer and wrapping them both in the blanket. "Ye shouldn't have underestimated me then. I do have t' say I enjoyed that dare, but that ye already knew." That would be a moment he would remember forever, most likely. "Oh c'mon... Where's th' fun in that?" He asked, but didn't want to push Diego around. "Just truth then?"

Diego snorted sarcastically, but inched closer to the other man, for more warmth. He wasn't taking a whole lot of the cloth, but the smaller he was, the more he could cover; after a couple seconds of wiggling, he disappeared almost entirely, only his head and neck above the blanket's border. "Of course you enjoyed it. You had to tie the corset on me."
He was about to protest when Aurath teased again, but hearing him give in, he offered him a small smile instead. "Yes... Just truth. For now at least. It's too dark and chilly to do anything, anyway."
It took him a longer while before he spoke again. It was a bit difficult, to choose where to start from. "Every one from my kind... Used to be a normal human. Just like you, capitana... Or Jackie." His green-haired friend wasn't the best example - but he was the only one who knew the story, so for Aurath, it was close enough. "What we have in common is that all our lives were suddenly cut. Too early. Unexpectedly. Often cruelly, rumors say. It was how I got this so very becoming scar on my face," he explained, tapping his scarred cheek with a finger.

Aurath felt Diego's skin touch his as he hid under the blanket and looked at him avoiding his gaze. "Well I didn't see ye arguing 'bout it on that moment" He kept listening and smirked at a particular sentence. "Oh but I know somethin' perfect t' do when it's dark and chilly." He said, half serious, half joking. They boy would most likely threaten to shoot him between the eyes after that. Then the conversation turned to a more serious one. The man listened carefully, never taking his eyes off Diego. He frowned as the story continued. Who could be so twisted to have tortured the boy to such extent? He hesitated for a moment, but then lifted his hand and lightly grazed the scar with the back of his fingers. "Fuckin' bastard, I would tear t' fuckin' pieces whoever did this t' ye if I had 'em in front of me."

Diego chuckled at Aurath's last burst, trying hard to not think about the hand caressing his cheek. He felt both happy and concerned about this kind of reaction; it was most flattering, yet at the same time, he didn't want the man to be that worried about him. "Oh, trust me. I would not stop you from that, if we had this opportunity." Diego couldn't help but notice how easy it was, to say "we".
"I don't know who did that, however. Nor do I know where. I don't know where I come from, don't know my family, or whether I had one for that matter. All I know...", he hesitated for a moment, "...is that the scar is a memoir. My creators, the ones who gave me life again, keep the final wounds on us to have us remember how much we owe them. The cut was what killed me." It must have damaged the eyes as well as the brain - but he didn't want to go as far as mention such gruesome details. "We serve the angels. Carry messages, fulfill tasks all around this realm... All this for the price of a new life and wiped memories."

Aurath sighed, hearing the boy's story. What could he really do to help take away Diego's pain? "Ye're only here because they sent ye, right?" The angels had given Diego life, but he couldn't help the odd feeling it gave him when the boy told him about them. "What's been keepin' ye awake at night... Yer nightmares... Is it because of 'em?"

"They... Sent me here. Yes," he admitted and hushed for a moment, considering how much he can reveal. His task was nothing very special - probably a lot of scientists and mages around the realm were already working on the same kind of research. If anybody finds out, it's nothing that would raise suspicions. But... Would the angels appreciate Diego actually, willingly sharing it with someone?
...the answer to such questions always was no, so he didn't continue. "I'm glad they did, though. You guys are like family to me. On my own, I was often alone. My partner... I mean, my friend whom I used to travel with, Drina, disappeared months ago..."
He bit his lip. It was the first time he mentioned Drina to anyone in the crew. "My nightmares... I believe they are a clue. I have suspicions that my memories aren't gone, just... Locked away from me. And the nightmares are exactly them. The problem is that I never remember them, no matter how hard I try. This and..." If it was even possible, he curled up even more. "I wake up terrified. I have to run out of the cabin because I'm so scared I can't breathe in there. I want to know what's trying to reach me, but at the same time, I want to avoid it so bad..."

Aurath rubbed Diego's back in an attempt to comfort him. The boy had suffered so much already, he could only hope his new life would go easy on him. "Fer what's worth, I be also glad they sent ye her so I we could meet ye. Ye're a very precious mate fer us all, or at least that's how I feel. As fer yer nightmares... I don't know, maybe some things are best left forgotten... But if these memories are chasing ye it must be fer a reason. I'm not sure what I can do t' help ye with this, but whenever ye feel like ye need t' take a breather I'll be there fer ye." He paused for a moment, the hand on Diego's back moving to his shoulder in a loose embrace. He squeezed the shoulder lightly. "Thank ye... Fer trustin' me 'n sharin' this with me." Aurath smiled sympathetically.

Diego listened to the other's words, a warm feeling spreading through his chest. Not only did Aurath find him precious and needed; he had never been hiding that he'd valued the boy highly, yet hearing it again was not getting old at all.
He, however, did something else, and although it was not said straight, Diego felt he had to be right about it. The man actually trusted his judgement. "...thank you. For listening," he whispered and leaned back, resting his back against the other's arm. "Capitana... She's really worried. I can't blame her, I've put her through a lot." His voice sounded guilty. "She insists that I go to Nadie with this. So she gives me something to stop the nightmares."

"Her concern is justified, and she has seen it happen herself, so it's only natural that she's tryin' t' help ye. I personally don't trust in th' whole magical doctor mumbo jumbo. Magic in general makes me a bit uneasy, but there's also that other doctor lady? I really haven't met her yet but Jackie boy seems t' get along with her 'n maybe ye don't have t' say anythin' 'bout th' nightmares, ye'd just be lookin' for somethin' t' help ye sleep more soundly, no need t' get into details, right?"  He suggested, making a short pause before chuckling, "Unless ye wanna try cuddlin' with me?" He winked jokingly.

Diego smirked. Aurath weaving casualities into serious talk seemed to be working on him in a relaxing way. "This magical mumbo jumbo is essentially why I'm able to see. It's kind of everything to me." He had no idea how he'd do on his own and to be honest, he didn't want to check it. "The other doctor... You see, this is where problem starts. She isn't just a human, or at least it's what capitana told me. There's something technological about her... So you have nothing to worry about, but me, she could unintentionally give me something that'd be toxic to my body." He frowned. "You have a lot of luck, being neutral."
Then suddenly, his face turned bright red at the last remark. He almost cursed under his breath when he heard his own heart start beating faster. Did Aurath hear it, too...? "...c-cuddling," he repeated rather than asked.

"I said 'magical doctor mumbo jumbo' alright? I trust in yer magical mumbo jumbo. I trust ye. Merpeople also have their magical mumbo jumbo I abso-fuckin'-lutely do not trust in, but ye already know that." He listened to Diego's explanation and raised his eyebrows. This was actually news for him, given his mundane human status, things like technology and magic were just there for him, but he wasn't really knowledgeable about them. "Oh well, then forget I mentioned th' other doctor, better not risk it." He then saw Diego's reaction at his last suggestion and laughed out loud. "Actually considerin' it, are ye?" He teased, lightly nudging the boy.

"Well, my connection with Pepito certainly has something to do with magical doctors," Diego answered, letting a hand out from under the blanket, so the butterfly could sit on his fingers. "The archangel who came up with my kind is the patron of medicinal doctors... As well as runaways and sailors." He shivered at the very thought of the pale face and cold, amethyst eyes... Being away from these was a true blessing.
He blushed even more. "Ugh, shut up!", Diego snapped, a little too aggressively maybe, and bit his lip nervously. He was indeed considering it, but definitely not when this asshole was openly mocking him. "I am way too exhausted for my brain to work properly," yes, let's go with that explanation, "so you could give me a break from making fun of me this one goddamn time you know..."

"Which is exactly why I suggested it, you're exhausted and I be very comfortable t' cuddle with" Aurath chuckled "Maybe that'd help ye rest? I'm not making fun of ye!" He thought it would help distract Diego from his worries but maybe he wasn't doing such a good job?

Diego sighed. "I'm sorry... I guess tired means easily irritated in my case." He suddenly felt a little guilty to have reacted so harshly; what was a bit of teasing compared to all the support Aurath had shown him so far? "Maybe... Maybe it would help, I don't know. It's not like I have a lot of experience in cuddling," he added with a small smirk.

He raise his eyebrows in slight surprise, he wasn't really expecting Diego to consider it, then he smiled. "It's ok, I should already know not t' tease ye when ye're in such mood." He scooted a bit closer to Diego, if that was even possible, "Lemme tell ye, ye're actually fortunate because I happen t' be a professional cuddler." Cuddling in the stair would probably be a complicated task, but he thought he'd manage. He smirked.

Diego rolled his eyes. Without his eyeband on, it was a visible grimace for once. "I wouldn't dare doubt THAT," he said, smirking back at the fisherman. "But let's see if we're actually right or are you just a little too convincing."
Saying that, he was doing his best to not sound nervous. Aurath - and Diego hoped he was not aware - already stole his first kiss, and now he was supposed to be the first person the boy ever cuddled with... This was an incredibly intimidating situation for him. Not unwanted - but intimidating, definitely.

"Ye won't be dissappointed." He moved closer to the railing, resting his back on it and pulling the blanket to guide Diego closer to him. "Ye just have t' come here, close t' me 'n enjoy th' warmth."

"Okay...", the boy answered, still with a hint of uncertainty in his voice, but he did what he was told to. "Sounds easy enough...", he added in a quieter tone, and snuggled closer. For a longer moment, he struggled with what to do with his arms; there was no comfortable way of putting them. Eventually, he simply wrapped them around Aurath's waist. Loosely. Blushing like an idiot.

Aurath laughed softly, finding Diego's shy actions cute. He pulled the boy even closer, making his head rest on his shoulder. One of his arms held the boy's shoulder and the other pulled the blanket to wrap it around them. "There we go. Comfortable?" He asked, "I sure am. Me mother used t' hold me like this when I was just a boy 'n I couldn't sleep. I remember she would sing t' me. Do ye want me t' sing? I only know sailor songs though." The man chuckled.

"Y-yes," Diego answered, snuggling his cheek to Aurath's chest and turning his head a little to the side, hoping the other wouldn't notice his blush. "It is quite nice."
He listened to the story pretty much with the interest of a child listening to a fascinating bedtime story. Not remembering his own parents, he found the childhood memory very charming, and he couldn't help but want to hear more. Combining it with the fact he was feeling a need to get to know Aurath better in general - the urge was serious.
"No kidding, you sing?" This was an opportunity too tempting to give it up, so he grinned. "I'll abuse that in just a minute, don't you worry! But..." His voice became more gentle, his smile - softer and more tender. "...tell me more about your family. And where you come from, and your childhood. You know a lot about me already, and I want to make sure at least you had a normal life."

"I was th' lead singer of me previous crew!" He joked. Then he smiled at the memories back at home. "Me family was pretty normal. Me father was a fisherman, just like me. He would pull me off th' bed at sunrise 'n throw me in his boat with all th' gear 'n he would talk hours on end about th' correct way of doin' everythin' 'Ye're holdin' that wrong, ye're supposed t' do it like this, because of this 'n that!' or 'What are ye, a girl? Pull th' damn fish fer god's sake!'" He laughed. "Me mother would receive us with somethin' fresh baked 'n then me father would leave t' sell th' fish 'n she'd sit with me 'n would teach me how t' read 'n write." He felt nostalgic. "One day, I remember I was 14 maybe, me father walked out th' door with his back packed. He was joinin' a crew or so I heard, 'n that was th' last time I ever saw him. He could be at th' bottom of th' sea now fer all I know. I'm not sure if that was th' kind of normal childhood ye were expectin'." Aurath breathed deeply, he wasn't used to talking about it.

Diego's embrace became a little tighter. "It's still better than what I have," he judged, but he sounded sympathetic. "You have so many wonderful memories. And both your parents sound like amazing people, I wish I could meet them." He sighed quietly. "Where was the last time you saw your mother? Was she okay with you becoming a sailor?" The question may have been a little out of line and Diego started feeling weird about asking it the moment he closed his mouth. Hopefully, in the spirit of being honest with each other, Aurath wouldn't decide to smack him.

Aurath saw the question coming and wasn't really bothered by it. Diego had shared a lot of his past with him and had showed him that he trusted him, so it only seemed fair. "Me mother... I saw her not too long ago. I make sure t' visit home every year or so. She wasn't particularly happy about that decision of mine, she was like 'Aurath William Thorne don't you dare leave me like your father!'" He mimicked in an odd high pitched voice. "But she already had someone else in her life, a nice man, a widowed merchant and his boy, 'n I just couldn't stand th' thought of stayin' there all me life, ye know. She's still th' same ol' lovin' mother 'n mine relationship with me step father is polite 'n alright, if ye wanted t' know. Maybe ye could meet her next time I go see her, we could go with Jackie 'n yer friend th' doc 'n she could make some apple pie, that'd be nice."

Diego chuckled and his smile widened noticeably. "Careful. If the pie is delicious, and I'm ready to bet anything it would be, Jackie is never going to leave your house again. He would build a nest and forever whine that your belongings mess with his OCD." He hummed. "...you might one day enter your bedroom and discover it's cleaned up, so at least there's that. Though I'm not sure if you really want your family to meet Nadie..." The doctor was a good friend really, but she still remained her creepy self and that wasn't something safe to forget. "...you really would take us there?"
The thought of it was actually pretty exciting. The way Aurath spoke of his home was already enough to make it feel like a lovely place. The Court... Yeah, that was nowhere Diego ever wanted his friends to end up in.
"So your middle name is William?", he asked suddenly.

"I'm sure he would be obsessed with it, it's th' best apple pie in th' seven seas. About Nadheera... Yeah, maybe not. Mom would probably look at me wide eyed th' moment she made th' first creepy comment." The mental image was definitely amusing, but his mother's judging face was something he would rather not see first thing after so long. "Of course I would, I'd be glad t' introduce ye t' her. She says I got me good looks from her." He laughed. "Yeah, it was also me father's name. Mom would call me that only when she scolded me. Do ye have a middle name?"

"Nadie is probably not the best choice if you want to start introducing the crew to your mother, I agree," he said, but his smile refused to disappear. "She would? Wow. And does it work? Because if yes, I am definitely borrowing that trick from her," he announced and grinned again. His humour was definitely getting better. "I don't have a middle name. Or at least I think so... The angels only told me one, and two last names. I think in one of the southern countries you take one from your father and one from your mother...? It might be a hint on where I am from. But it just as well can be a mere coincident."

"Sometimes it works. You can give it a try but I don't warranty it's effectiveness." He laughed a bit. "I get th' feelin' ye'd be usin' that  a lot." He listened to Diego's voice, he could notice his mood had improved and he smiled, glad to be helping the boy. "Oh, interestin' t' know, nonetheless. At least ye can be sure ye come from somewhere there, right? Th' name, th' spanish. Would ye like t' go there sometime? Maybe ye'd find answers."

Diego gave him a smirk. "You bet I am going to, William."
When he heard the question, the corners of his mouth dropped down a little. It was not enough to make his humour worse, so at least there was that - but both his smile and voice became sheepish, as if he was embarassed of what he was saying. "I would... But I'm not exactly allowed to go where I want. There are no strict borders as to how far I can go from where I'm supposed to be... But I was ordered to stay on Trickster's Pride until further instructions. I may leave the ship, explore around, but I can't ditch my tasks and go someplace completely different. The angels are already cautious to not send us anywhere near our origins." He brushed his hair with a hand. "Besides... I don't even know how much time passed. I kind of lost track."

"Oh... Guess ye're gonna have t' deal with William until then." Aurath knew not ask too much about the angels and his job, so went for what he thought was a safe question. "What has been th' most memorable place ye've visited in yer assignments?"

"The most memorable?" Diego squinted a little, giving it a moment of thought. "I'm not sure... A lot of places I've been to were wonderful... But you know, at some point they just stop seeming different from each other... And it's the events and people that start making them memorable instead." He stopped for another moment. "That one time, Drina and I really needed money to stay in a city, so I used Pepito to cheat at cards... My opponent didn't notice a thing, but he was so fucking stubborn to win his money back he eneded up losing everything." He chuckled. "I had never run so fast in my LIFE."

"Oho, look at ye bein' a troublemaker. That would've been fun t' see. Somehow I have a hard time picturin' ye doin' somethin' like that... Gamblin', cheatin'... Then again, we're th' crew of a pirate ship so... It's t' be expected? I just see ye like a righteous person. I don't think that's a misconception either."

Diego couldn't help but smile. "I have my moments. Especially in times of need... Like I said, we needed money. And in that particular city, it was either taking a risk at cards or... Well, out on a street. Gladly, it never came to that." He fought a yawn and rested his temple against the other's shoulder. "But I can imagine you making all sorts of troubles, hmm?"

"Glad t' know ye got away with that." He yawned right after the boy, it seemed exhaustion was getting the best of them both. "Me? A troublemaker? How could ye even consider that?" He asked jokingly. "I assume ye won't be surprised t' hear that only happened when it came t' th' ladies. There was this one time, I remember clearly, I was tryin' t' impress a beautiful lass, she was walkin' 'round th' port one fine day 'n I could see her lookin' at me 'n laughin' shyly. I spend th' afternoon charmin' her when a bunch o' muscly guys come by, threatening t' beat me to a pulp. Turns out she's th' governor's daughter or somethin' like that 'n th' next thing I know is I jump t' th' sea t' escape th' thugs." He laughed, remembering his crewmates' questions after he boarded the ship drenched and with lipstick marks on his neck.

"She must have fallen at first sight," Diego teased lightly, but then it reached him he was not in fact much better than the girl, and he did not like the conclusion. "I just hope you managed to escape before they got you, although I can imagine the poor thing being heartbroken when you left. How many ladies were there since you joined the crew, anyway~? We haven't sailed all that much lately, but the city is big enough, I believe." He half wanted, half didn't want to know the answer. Curse his jibberish mouth...

"I did manage t' escape them, it was quite some exercise tho." Aurath raise an eyebrow at Diego's question, not really expecting him to be interested in knowing that. "Since joinin' this crew? Two, maybe three... Met 'em at th' bar. I've been surprisingly not very successful 'round here, it seems. Could it be I be losing me charm?" He knew of some people who seemed interested in him, but it was more like dancing around the idea of being attracted. He moved slightly to look down at Diego. "Do th' angels allow ye t' get involved with anyone? Romantically I mean."

"I don't know, maybe your reputation outran you to here? Or the governor put you on a wanted list..." He chuckled. "But in this case, flirting with you has a chance to be very profitable. On another hand, I'd shoot anyone who'd try to sell your skin this way, lady or not lady." He said it in a playful way, however, they both knew well he did mean it.
"I... Have never been forbidden to get involved," he answered the question slowly, carefully considering every bit of it. "But I've never BEEN involved, either. So a lot before me, I guess." He raised his head a little. "Well... Once. But that didn't have a chance to work anyway."

"That actually sounds amusing... Bunch 'o lasses 'n lads tryin' t' seduce me just t' sell me head. But when ye think 'bout it I sound like easy prey. I'll have t' trust ye t' save me ass if it gets t' that." He listened carefully to Diego's answer. "Oh? So there was someone? Tell me 'bout that... If that's ok with ye, of course." He was curious about the kind of person the boy would have feelings for.

"...you have some messed up sense of humour, you know that? I may be weird, but that doesn't sound amusing at all," Diego answered, frowning slightly. If anything, he'd rather keep his head where it was - but it was just him...
Hearing the question, he hesitated for a moment. He had had a hard time admitting his feelings to himself even; telling someone else about them... "Drina," he said finally in a hushed tone. "Back when we were travelling together." A small smile bloomed on his face. "She was the kind of person who could cheer you up whenever you were down. And she was fearless. Sometimes stupidly, but she had a talent to just keep pulling you forward whenever you had doubts." He sighed. "...but yeah. Couldn't work."

"But it kinda is. As much as I be used t' th' constant flirtin' 'n stuff I just imagine them all fightin' over me 'n it's flattering in a... Well, yes, in a messed up way." The man snorted. "But of course I'd like t' avoid bein' in such a situation. It's no fun if ye die without at least gettin' t' second base, ye know." He joked, knowing the boy was probably judging him for what he was saying. Then the conversation turned to Diego. Aurath had a small smile as he listened to him describe his companion, he couldn't help but feel curious. "I would have liked t' meet her, she sounds like a great mate. Was she yer age?" It almost felt like Diego was describing him though. "Did she not correspond yer feelin'?"

Diego did not comment the second base remark, just rolled his eyes to end this rather than continue. He wasn't in fact judging, at least not further than his earlier opinion of "messed up". He had very few delusions about the man - or so he thought. He wasn't at all surprised. Instead, he paid a small smile. "Either way, if you're ever hunted, I've got your back, Bill."
At the further questions about Drina, he bit his lip. "She... Well. Physically, she was maybe fourteen. But like mine, her mentality was developed further than that." Suddenly, he realized he had started talking of her as if she was gone forever - and his smile disappeared. "I... Guess she could've felt something for me, too. But I never had the courage to ask. Then the angels had us split up, she received a new mission and I was being tossed around til I arrived here. I don't even know if she's alive." He bit his lip again - a little more painfully than the last time. "That would be my primary problem with relationships, I suppose...? Well, other than the fact I simply suck at those. Sometimes I spend years in one place, sometimes I have to leave overnight. It's kind of a burden."

"Good t' know, Diego." He glanced at the boy as he told his story, his hazelnut eyes lingered on the way he chewed on his lip. "Don't say that, I'm sure she's alive 'n well. Wherever she is she might be thinkin' about ye, wonderin' why nothin' ever happened too. Who knows, maybe ye'll cross paths again someday. My solution t' yer problem had been just... Not really gettin' attatched? There was always th' promise of havin' t' set sail again as well as many see ye laters 'n hearts breakin'. I suppose ye can't quite call that a relationship, but that didn't stop me from enjoyin' every moment I spent with those people. I know ye 'n Jackie don't really think me advice is th' greatest but I insist that if ye feel somethin' fer someone ye should just go fer it instead of bein' silently lovesick."

Diego snorted. "Yeah, well... Getting attached is something I do much too easily." It felt kind of ridiculous, how exposed he kept getting every passing minute around Aurath, but he also reached the point when he didn't care anymore. "That's why I'm a blunt asshole. Because I know that if I get attached, they can lie to me, deceive me, hurt me, but I'll never want to part with that person anymore. Not that it fucking worked," he muttered in a kind of irritated voice. "Jackie, Nadheera, Lala, capitana... You. All of you became much too important much too fast." He took a breath and frowned, shutting his eyelids, to push away emotions and start thinking for a change. "I don't really... Think of Drina that way anymore. Or at least I think I don't." His mind was too occupied thinking about someone else, but he didn't say it out loud. "It's just not knowing what's up with her that hurts... I'm worried they may have tossed her into something beyond her capabilities. And for the record, I tried 'going for it' once and it got me nowhere."

"As long as ye know t' step away from th' people who really hurt ye... Ye have us t' protect ye from that too, ye're also very important, I know ye are t' me." He ran his fingers through Diego black hair repeatedly. "There's no way t' know fer sure what happened with her so only time will tell, I suppose." He didn't know what to use as advice on that matter, it really seemed like a concern that wouldn't fade away any time soon. "What do ye mean it got ye nowhere, what happened?"

"Have you even listened to me, my life is a whole story of not being able to step away from those who hurt me," he chuckled, although the image of Archangel Raphael appeared very vividly right in front of his eyes; he shivered and snuggled closer, as if Aurath could protect him from this sight. He was in fact feeling safe in these arms - like in Maggie's, just in a... Different way? "...I am?", he asked quietly, once again blushing a little, and let out a relaxed sigh while he was being petted. "IIII'd rather not talk about it. It was rather embarassing." Aurath's reaction, apparently, meant that he either didn't remember or hadn't taken it seriously - which was a huge relief on Diego's side.

"I do! I do listen... I just be sayin' that's what ye should do 'n that we will be here t' advice ye on that..." He felt Diego shiver and rubbed his arm trying to warm him up. "Ye cold?" He chuckled at Diego's shy question. "Of course ye are... I can't stress that enough."  It has occured to him that the boy might have been talking about that time heading back to the Trickster after a couple drinks, but really, he didn't think he would remember that and if he did he was pretty sure Diego would just push back to the corners of his mind. Back then it had been cute and funny, but the situation didn't let him take it seriously. "Oh? Embarrassing? It's ok, ye don't have t' tell me if ye don't want t', I've had a few of those 'n I know th' feelin'."

Diego couldn't help but smile. "I know you do. And I consider it a wonder really, sometimes I am sick of listening to myself inside my head and just wish that other part of my brain would finally stop whining and get its shit together..." He raised his head to face the other man. He bit his lip once again in nervousness. "I... Uh. Thank you. For-for everything," he whispered, then lightly cupped Aurath's jaw with one hand and left a small kiss on his cheek, just to then immediately pull his own head back down. He, however, didn't seem irritated like in case of the previous couple of kisses. More like... Tender? And really, really embarrassed. "I am really bad at this, you know," he chuckled finally, trying to return to his normal tone, and took his hand back. "There are moments when I really want to speak up, but then I feel like I'd sound... I don't know, needy?" He sighed and smiled again. "So... Am I going to hear you sing, Bill?"

"Me pleasure, mate." He smiled when he felt Diego's lips on his cheek. "Bad at what exactly? Openin' up is not easy fer everyone, especially if ye have a lot ye've kept locked up inside. I don't care 'bout that, really, I can also be needy from time t' time. So don't be silly, ye can tell me whatever ye want." He laughed at Diego's request. "Sorry, that's somethin' I would say t' some lasses in different circumstances." He cleared his throat and hummed, thinking about one of the song his old crew used to sing. "Ah, that one." He chuckled. "Sally Brown she's th' gal fer me, boys. Roll Boys! Roll boys roll! Sally Brown she's th' gal fer me, boys! Way high, Miss Sally Brown. It's down t' Trinidad to see Sally Brown boys! Roll Boys! Roll boys roll! Down t' Trinidad t' see Sally Brown boys! Way high, Miss Sally Brown. She's lovely on th' foreyard, 'n she's lovely down below boys! Roll Boys! Roll boys roll! She's lovely 'cause she loves me, that's all I want t' know boys! Way high, Miss Sally Brown." He sang, trying not to be too loud. He laughed, looking down with his ears burning, he wouldn't admit he was feeling a bit embarrassed.

"I guess I just haven't really had anyone to open up before...?", Diego wondered, half speaking to Aurath, half to himself. "I never really had actual friends apart from Drina and Alois... And, well, I didn't need to tell her anything because she just knew everything from autopsy... And Alois is just a child." He blushed. "No, I... Don't believe I can tell you everything. Not now. Not that I don't trust you, but- - Some things, I am too confused about right now..." Why did it have to be SO difficult?
He rolled his eyes at the remark about "different circumstances", knowing all too well what Aurath meant. Diego didn't know the song, but the man's voice as nice to listen to. The angels would probably give him a whole list of mistakes and butchered notes, but the boy didn't care. He wouldn't want it any other way.
However, Aurath's behaviour at the very end caught him surprised. He squinted a little bit, trying to confirm, and when he did, he grinned widely. "Awww, is this stage fright I see~?", he teased, enjoying the roles be reversed for once, yet he hoped it wasn't crossing the line. "So adorable."

"Aww, shut up!" He laughed again, his hand went to his face to cover his silly smile. Then, he cleared his throat. "I do not have stage fright." In a sense it was true, but he was definitely not used to 'performing' for just one person. "Satisfied?" He was truly curious about Diego's opinion. "Not everyone gets such special treatment, ye should feel flattered." Why was he still blushing?

"I just saw you embarrassed for once and nothing you can do is taking that away from me. So yes, I'm satisfied, very," Diego answered and the very moment he was done, he started laughing. Maybe it was Aurath's cracking up expression or the whole situation itself, but he just couldn't contain himself. "I do feel special now," he chuckled finally, then took a breath to stop the giggle. He didn't want to be too cruel, because all in all, he really enjoyed the performance. "You sound very nicely," he said finally, in a much more appreciative tone. "Not that I'm an expert, but... Yeah, being so much around angels, one out of necessity develops some musical hearing."

"Fine, fine, ye win just this one time. Ye have earned th' 'Teasing Aurath' medal, boy." Aurath turned his head, his chin resting on top of Diego's head. He grinned at the compliment. "Ye think so? Well, ye seem t' have better judgement on that matter, although I wouldn't call meself a singer, fer sure. Can ye sing?"

"Do I get a certificate of authenticity with that?" Diego smiled. "I am so winning more often, now that I know how!"
He snuggled closer eagerly, feeling more and more comfortable in the embrace. His lips almost touched the other's neck. He blushed and turned his head a tiny bit to prevent this from happening. "I sort of can... All of my kind can I think, the angels really put singing on a pedestal. But when the crew sings, you may see me with my mouth shut. I like listening much better."

"An 'Aurath Seal of Approval' in the form of a kiss? I would have t' borrow some lipstick so it can be visible tho. Do ye happen t' have some on ye?" The man joked, he thought it would make Diego flustered the moment it escaped his lips. "I wanna see ye try that, mate, I won't make it easy fer ye," he smirked, "would ye sing? Just fer me..." It had picked his attention and now he really wanted to listen to the boy.

"I am not dignifying THAT with a response!", the boy complained, his cheeks turning bright red again. He had no hopes it wouldn't be visible in the dark anymore. Then he muttered: "I don't wear lipstick, you asshole...", pretended to be angry for a couple seconds, and hummed.
"Just for you, you say... I guess that would be fair?" He rubbed the back of his head. "I just don't know what, I don't really know a lot of songs by heart... When you travel as much as I do, you hear a lot, but not frquently enough to memorize."

Aurath laughed out loud. "Was just askin', mate, ye never know." He smiled when Diego spoke. "Aye, it would be fair... Any sailor songs, lullabies, nothin'? C'mon, there's gotta be at least one song ye know, at least a bit?" He pouted, what happened to being fair?

"Jackass," he complained, frowning a little. "I wore a fucking corset for you, there is a limit to how much I can take for someone," he added, but he was clearly smiling saying this.
"Lullabies? We're both half asleep here and you want me to sing a lullaby?" He scratched his cheek. "Actualy, there is one that my hermanito makes me sing every single time... Here goes nothing, I guess?" He cleared his throat and began. "Lay by my side, and we'll sail away, off to the shores of another day. All set to go once I hear you say goodnight my friend, until the morning. Up we will float as we close our eyes, stars all around us like fireflies. Just me and you drifting through the skies, goodnight my friend- -" He finished the verse and chuckled. Singing this song felt both nice and a little ridiculous.

"Well I wore th' reindeer shirt before that, so we're s'pposed t' be even, and ye looked pretty anyway. Besides, I didn't see ye protest much when I was puttin' th' corset on fer ye..." He remembered the situation with amusement but refrained from making another comment. "Aye, lullabies, any song really." Diego was actually right, the man was starting to feel his body's tiredness, his eyes heavy and fighting the sleepiness. He listened with care at what the boy was saying, his voice held a fond tone when talking about his little brother and his mind wandered back to his family for a moment. The fisherman closed his eyes as Diego started singing. His voice sounded sweet and soothing. He smiled when he heard the chuckle. "That was a nice song. Not bad at all, mate. I bet ye were part of an angel choir."

"They would never allow me there," Diego noted and covered his mouth to yawn. "Sorry... I mean, every time I sing lullabies to Alois, and then get out of the room to leave the Court, I get these glares of disapproval- - I just have no idea if it's me in general or just my singing... Both are extremely possible." He snuggled closer, both to push away the thoughts about angels, as well as because he was getting really tired. "One just doesn't feel welcome there, at all..." He yawned again. "Sorry."

"Their loss." He couldn't help but yawn after Diego did. "Yer singing is perfectly fine, they are just asses." His head moved to the side and his cheek rested against the boy's hair. "What are ye..." His face scrunched up in another yawn, "apologizin' 'bout..." He blinked a couple times, but his lids kept pulling his eyes shut. He felt himself drifting off slowly.

Diego couldn't help but smirk, although his eyes closed as well. "Did I just put you to sleep with a lullaby...? That's... So cute..." And before he noticed, he was asleep.