Kenjista recovered her composure first, but thankfully she didn't want to try and go back and teach Cacopheny a lesson. All she said on the matter was, ::I knew he was a freak,:: before she dropped the subject and herded the still-shivering Sentio into a chair by a warm, comforting, crackling fire. There they stayed for the rest of the evening, Sentio reading and absently stroking Kenjista, who dozed contentedly. At least in a book, he could forget about everything that was going wrong and go somewhere else for a while.

It was starting to get late, nearly bedtime in fact, if they were to be up and ready for school the next morning. Kenjista was truly asleep, even snoring faintly; she was actually kind of cute when she was asleep, because a sleeping daemon couldn't have an attitude. Sentio was trying to convince himself to move and swap the safe, warm comfort of the sitting room fireplace for the the safe, warm comfort of his bed, and so far failing. He just didn't want to move.

::Sentio....::

The hesitant sending almost didn't catch his attention, he was so unfocused, gazing at the fire. ::Hmm?::

::Sentio... I'm sorry. Didn't mean to frighten you. Didn't mean any of it-- I didn't mean-- I'm sorry.::

Blinking himself fully awake, Sentio looked around rapidly, disoriented. ::What? Huh? Cacopheny?::

::I'd never mean that. Never. Never want to hurt you, I swear it. Will do my best, I promise. It's a promise, Sentio.::

He shook his head, trying to sort out the jumbled thoughts, all seeming to be referring to different things, none of which he knew anything about, which made it all the more confusing. ::I know you don't, I know,:: he answered sleepily. ::It's okay.::

::No, it is not. Not okay, very not okay. Everything-- it-- everything is bad. I am very bad. Very wrong. It's a promise, Sentio. A promise.::

::All right, it's a promise. Where are you? In your room?::

A movement from the doorway caught his attention, and he squinted into the darkness beyond. It was even darker than it should have been, as if the fire were dead and not just slowly dying-- more magic, his fluffing fur told him-- but he could make out the white-pale of Cacopheny's face and the reflection of flame in his dark eyes. The rest was shrouded in black, at the very least shadow, but Sentio thought he could make out the texture of the bathrobe he'd stolen from his father's closet for him beneath the shifting dark.

::Here,:: he answered silently, not wanting to wake Kenjista. Sentio started to get up, but Cacopheny shook his head at him. ::No. Stay there, Sentio. Do not go back to your room until I am back in mine.:: He sounded oddly coherent, in that moment, and his eyes were steady on Sentio's.

::Why?::

::I do not trust myself. Lock your door when you get there. Just in case.::

Sentio swallowed. ::What are you talking about? You've never come in, before.::

::That was not now. Please, Sentio.::

::If you really want me to... you could probably get in, anyway, though. You've walked through walls before.::

Cacopheny's head moved from side to side slowly, eyes still on him, but he seemed relieved. ::Not here. Something your father did, some spell. The shadows are closed to me.:: The hint of a smile. ::Clever of him. I have to wonder when he did it, I never noticed. Probably. Probably just for me. He knows... he knows....:: The thought frayed, the expression grew vague for a moment, and Sentio caught his breath, suddenly nervous again, but when Cacopheny's eyes focused back on them, they were still his own.

::Are you-- going to be okay?:: he asked.

::I don't know. Go to bed, Sentio. Don't forget. The door.::

::I won't....::

::Thank you. That. That-- ... relieves me. Good night, Sentio.::

::Good night, Cacopheny....::

The room seemed brighter once Cacopheny and his aura of darkness drifted away down the hall again, and Sentio sighed out a long breath. He'd gotten himself into something that now he couldn't get out of, even if he wanted to, but he had no idea what to do besides just cling hopefully to the choice he'd made. Maybe all Cacopheny needed was time. If they were all lucky.

The faint echo of a click sounded finally, the sound that said Cacopheny was back in his room and it was safe to go back to his own room. Now, that was all he wanted to do; waiting in the fluffy armchair beside the dwindling fire, with nothing but a snoring daemon for comfort, had started to make him anxious. Combined with his bond's vague concerns and unusual request, it was enough to make him wish for that solid, securely locked door, if just for protection from ghosts rather than a psychotic half-demon.

"Kenjista." He nudged her, and she stirred sleepily.

::What? What? I'm not getting up, it's too early....::

"It's not morning yet. You fell asleep in the armchair with me. C'mon, let's go to bed."

::I did not fall asleep. I'm as aw-aw-awake as you are.:: A wide yawn that even made her thoughts stutter proved her a liar, but she obligingly slithered down from beside him so he could get down, too. She padded complacently at his side as they headed back into the hallway with their bedrooms, and didn't seem to notice the heavy darkness that hung over it all, as if, on his way back to his room, Cacopheny had left a trail of shadows. Sentio did, and as soon as Kenjista's tail-feathers cleared the door, he shut and locked it with a sigh.

::You never lock the door,:: Kenjista commented, but she'd crawled onto the bed beside his pillow and shut her eyes before he had to think up a reason why. Casting a glance in Cacopheny's room's direction, Sentio followed her, but it took him a while longer to actually fall asleep.