Ketvia knocked heartily on Cacopheny's door with one hand, her other laden with a large-- very large, actually-- roll of heavy fabric. Chiya had bags in each of her hands. It was their last day on Avengaea before they returned to the war-- there had been a period of quiet before the bonding, leading many to hope that the hydras might have finally given up, only to have their hopes dashed just the day before with a fresh onslaught-- and both dragons had decided to leave their former charge with at least a little more in the way of worldly possessions. More than the two changes of clothes he had, now, at least.

To their surprise, however, no little gold-and-white Light came to open the door, glad for their company. In fact, the door didn't open at all. Frowning, Ketvia knocked again, and again got no answer. She glanced at Chiya, who was starting to look concerned.

"He's not in there," she said after a moment of staring at the door. "Neither of them are."

"Well, that's weird," Ketvia snorted. "Since when does cave-boy ever go outside when he doesn't have to?"

"I don't know, but he's not inside."

"Wonder where he's off to. Getting into trouble, probably." Ketvia snorted again. Though she'd grown to respect the half-demon a little, even feel sorry for him, she still didn't really trust him, and probably never would. Oddly enough, she got the feeling that he understood that and had no complaints about not being trusted. Anyone else would probably have been offended.

And, even if Cacopheny accepted that lack of trust, Chiya didn't and frowned darkly at her friend. Before she could start scolding, though, movement down the hall distracted her, and she looked past Ketvia quickly. Her dark expression cleared into a relieved smile, and Ketvia looked over her shoulder to see Cacopheny, with Sentio trotting along beside him, coming towards them. Sentio looked refreshed and relaxed, but Cacopheny looked a bit drawn. But then, if they'd been outside or in contact with other people, which, given that they weren't in his rooms, was likely, that was entirely understandable. He did crack a smile at his former guardians, though, so it couldn't be too bad; he was alert and himself, at least.

"Oh no," Sentio exclaimed, "we're sorry, are we late?"

"Not really," Chiya said, smiling still. "We're a bit early." She brought Cacopheny's face down for the obligatory kiss on the cheek, which the half-demon submitted to meekly, then motioned for them to open the door for them. Since it wasn't locked, that was just a formality, a polite little way of saying "this is your place, and it's your right to let us in". One of those things Chiya thought about that Ketvia didn't.

"What's all that?" Sentio asked curiously while Cacopheny opened the door for them all, taking in bags and rolls of carpeting and fabric.

"Parting gifts," Ketvia answered, stepping inside readily and depositing her burdens on the floor between the beds. "Something to make it look less deserted in here, at least."

"Partingk kifts?" Cacopheny echoed, looking between the two blankly as Chiya followed her friend inside and set down her own bags. Ketvia noted that Chiya couldn't quite meet his eyes.

"We've been recalled," Chiya murmured.

"War's on again, so vacation's over," Ketvia clarified. The door shut behind Sentio, who entered last. "So today's our last lunch together for a while, I'm afraid."

"Oh," Cacopheny said simply. From his expression, flicking briefly to disappointment before settling back into its habitual mournfully sullen look, he understood and wasn't particularly pleased, but knew better than to try and change their minds. Chiya might well be swayed, and Ketvia couldn't go back without her. They were needed, and Ketvia was too used to having the little mage at her back now to fly solo again. Ketvia was proud of the guy, though, keeping himself in check, keeping anything that might distract or upset Chiya inside. He was more mature than one gave him credit for, sometimes. Only sometimes, of course.

The very brief, almost stoic response, though, wasn't what Chiya had expected nor wanted, and it was enough to undo her. She threw her arms around the startled demon-get's waist with a little sob. "Oh, I'm sorry, Cacopheny! I wish we didn't have to go!"

"Issss. All rrright," he told her haltingly, obviously uncomfortable though he patted her back in as comforting a way as he probably knew how.

Sentio turned a bit pink under his fur and hastily looked away, but Ketvia, after a moment of letting Chiya get some of her cry out, gently disentangled her and directed her to the bathroom to wash her face. "She's not too excited about going back," she explained blandly. "War's not really her thing."

While Chiya tried to repair the damage her bout of tears caused, Sentio, proving himself to be the little boy that he was, eyed the bags and rolls curiously, even a bit greefily. "What's in there?" he asked.

"Mostly stuff for the monster here," Ketvia told him dryly, "so don't getcher hopes up." He looked like he very much wanted to make a face at her but was too polite to do so. Ketvia swallowed a laugh. Kits. This was why she didn't want any-- or, it was one reason, anyway.

"Vat iss it. All?" Cacopheny asked after a moment of eying the lot with less curiosity and more suspicion.

"This and this," Ketvia said, lifting two of the fourth bags, "are six new sets of clothes for you. All dark colors, promise, Chiya knows you well enough for that. But if all you have are those two you have already, you'll end up ragged by the time the month's out. It ought to all fit, seeing as we used the measurements for those others, but there's the address of the seamstress in here if you ever need things adjusted or you ever want more."

"More closs," Cacopheny said, sounding either overwhelmed or mystified, or maybe even resigned. It had been something of a battle to get him into clothes to begin with, after all.

"This," Ketvia continued, pointing to the third bad, "is some general kinds of stuff. You know, nice comb and brush, a new mirror to replace that one you broke-- try not to break this one, hey?-- file for those awful claws of yours in case you get tired of them being sharp. Stupid stuff that you probably need but don't think about. There's even some stuff for cleaning your hair, Cacopheny. It smells nicer than that shit we got you before. Chiya insisted we get it for you, even if it'll make you smell like a girl."

Sentio made a little snorting sound, like he was trying to hold back a laugh or an exclaimation or something. Cacopheny, despite now definitely looking overwhelmed, shot him a look and maybe even a thought that made him swallow whatever emotion he was trying hard not to express and roll his eyes to the ceiling, trying to look innocent. Kits. Bah.

"And these," Ketvia finished, giving her own former burden a kick to partly unroll it, "are a set of rugs, cuz this carpet is not only ugly, it's uncomfortable, and a pair of tapestries, cuz the walls are even uglier. It'll make the room look a bit more lived in, see." The designs were all abstract, mostly of Fire origin but with a few of decidedly Earth style, in darker colors that Cacopheny ought to appreciate-- why, Ketvia didn't understand, since all the subdued and shadow colors just made her depressed, but, well, he was half demon. Half dark demon, even.

"You forgot something," Chiya said, coming back in and looking more composed. She even smiled at Cacopheny before pointing out the fourth bag.

"Was saving that for you," Ketvia said truthfully. That one was Chiya's actual gift for him, so she wasn't about to steal her thunder.

"Ssere isss more?" Cacopheny asked in a small voice.

"What, did you think we'd just abandon you with nothing, kid?" Ketvia retorted cheerfully. "We're not that cruel. Go on, show 'im, Chiya."

Chiya blushed a bit, but still smiled and pulled up the final bag. It only had one thing in it, but it was still very full. She sat down on the bed and took out its contents with one gentle movement, revealing a patchwork quilt in fluid, faintly geometric patterns of of dark blue, gray, and black fabrics with a silvery trim. Chiya had bought it specifically for Cacopheny, because she thought he would like it. Even dark and gloomy-colored, even Ketvia had to admit it was a lovely piece of work. "None of your blankets are yours," Chiya explained softly, running a hand over the folded quilt. "And... I thought you might like it."

Cacopheny made his slow and careful way over to where Chiya sat, not looking at him, with more grace than he usually showed and knelt fluidly in front of her, looking from the quilt to her face. Ketvia cleared her throat and pointedly ignored whatever words the two exchanged, instead motioning for Sentio. He seemed just as ready to give the two some space, as well, readily inching over to her. "You two doin' okay?" she asked quietly.

"Of course," he answered, too quickly. At her disbelieving expression, he wilted a bit, but still sounded optimistic, somehow. "The past few days've been kinda bad... but we're getting better. He even went outside with me today."

"That's good." Ketvia paused, then decided to just be up front with the boy. "You probably already know this, but you've got your work cut out for you, and I don't envy you it. Honestly, I'm glad he's off my hands. But, since he hasn't hurt you yet, I'd say you're doing fine, so far. Just be careful, all right? Don't be afraid to go to Aloia if you think you need to."

Sentio gave her a look so full of mixed emotions that Ketvia had to make an effort not to chuckle at him: indignance, fear, annoyance, dislike, chagrin. It seemed like she hadn't made a friend out of Sentio, but honestly, she didn't care. "I'll remember that," he answered stiffly with a cold, adult-ish look that, though obviously comfortable in his face, didn't quite fit it. That time she did laugh, embarrassing him.

"Don't even try to intimidate me, kid," she told him, "I've faced down much scarier people than you. Hey!" She shifted her attention to Chiya and Cacopheny, who seemed done with their serious conversation. Both looked over at her, Cacopheny with a blank blink and Chiya with a slightly watery smile. "You almost done over there? I'm gettin' hungry over here!"

Chiya laughed a little and nodded, rising and setting down the quilt. "Yes," she said, "we can eat now."

So Ketvia left Sentio to glower lightly at her back as she went over to help Cacopheny to his feet. "Let's go, then, we picked a great place. You're gonna love it, promise. Gotta spend our last meal together memorably, hey?"