"Really?" asked Waltz. "It's my time to shine?"

I chuckled and hugged his waist. "Yep, so you better get ready. We'll be spending all day together."

Waltz squealed and jumped around, then ran out of the room without a word to Dian. I glanced up at Dian's face, which held a saddened expression.

"Dian?" I asked quietly, and he bent over to trap me in his arms. I hugged his neck as he lifted me. "Dian, are you okay?"

Dian's deep brown eyes softened after I squished his cheeks and peppered his face with kisses. I petted his head and stared worriedly at his face, then gently pecked his lips.

"Dian, I love you."

The moment after I whispered my words in his left ear, his porcelain skin flushed bright red. His arms curled tighter and he tucked his nose down onto my shoulder.

"I love you, Dian."

His body temperature rose and I smiled happily, hugging his head and shoulders. "Anwyll," he breathed. "Anwyll..."

I pushed my fingers into his deep black hair, gently scrubbing his scalp with my fingertips. Dian kept muttering my name while I gave my full attention to him. Dian's aura just felt really off to me a bit earlier, so I decided to place a special barrier on him.

"Dian," I whispered, firmly rubbing his nape. "What happened?"

Dian never paused in his muttering of my name, as if he hadn't heard me. It was possible, but I'm not sure that was the case. I breathed a silent sigh, then kissed his head.

"Tell me when you're ready, Dian. I'll wait patiently."

He definitely heard me this time. "Thank you, Anwyll." he whispered, then lifted his head. His dark brown eyes were reddened from unshed tears and his skin around them was a bit puffy.

"Is it okay to kiss you?" I asked quietly, holding his face in my hands.

A flicker of a genuine smile crossed his face. "Of course it's okay, Anwyll."

My thumbs gently stroked his cheeks. "I just wanted to ask to make sure." I stated, then I lowered my head and he tilted his own.

Our lips met and molded together for a smooth, soft kiss. Dian relaxed further when we did it again, then he pressed his face into my shoulder and seemed to smile. His weird aura had faded, so I was relieved about that, too.

"Thank you for noticing something was wrong with me," he murmured, and I smiled sadly.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I considered it, but I didn't want to bother anyone."

"Dian..." I sighed softly, then cupped his head and kissed his face again. "My dear Dian, it wouldn't trouble anyone and especially not me. You may not know this, Dian, but many—if not all—of the family members in our home have felt just like you do now. They may even have some symptoms returning from time to time, but they don't keep it to themselves anymore because they know, just as I do, how important it is to tell someone." I explained, kissing his right temple.

Dian nosed my shoulder, his right horn rubbing against my head. His dragon wings twitched, then they moved and settled down again. I hugged him tighter and pressed my lips to the curve of the horn closest to me. Dian shuddered and squeezed my form.

"I want to tell you soon, Anwyll, but today is not the day." he whispered, then kissed up my throat to my jaw. "Focus on Zee today. Thank you for calming my mind down and easing my anxiety, tension, and depression."

I nodded and pecked his lips. "I was happy to do help you, Dee. And that's 'cause I love you dearly."

He sniffled. "I love you too," he mumbled. "I love you so much."

As Waltz came bouncing in, his smile faded and a concerned expression appeared. "Dee? What's wrong?"

Dian set my feet on the floor, kissed me, then Waltz, and waved to us as he left. Waltz draped his arms over my shoulders and curled to look at my face. I tilted my head back and smiled gently, then grasped his hands and pecked his lips.

"Dian's not feeling well today, but he said he's feeling a bit better now." I explained, so Waltz stared worriedly at the doorway from which Dian had exited.

"He said not to worry, Alt. And, although I believe in him, I did put a special barrier on him. So don't worry too much, okay? Dian told me to focus on you today and that's what I'm going to do." I stated, so Waltz's pretty hazel eyes brightened and faerie dust rained down on the floor behind us.

I giggled and hopped up to kiss his lips. Waltz's eyes widened and then he smirked, curling down more to meet my lips for a more passionate kiss. Gavin whistled when he walked in, and that made me blush. But I knew Waltz wasn't keen on ending the kiss too soon, especially since he had a bold streak of exhibitionism.

I gasped breathlessly when Waltz broke the kiss, my head resting on his chest. Gavin chuckled and stroked my left cheek with his knuckles. I weakly turned my head and kissed his palm. Gavin's caramel-brown skin warmed under my lips.

Waltz hummed and hugged my form closer to his body. "Annie is mine for today, got it?"

Gavin raised an eyebrow, but then he grinned mischievously. "Oh? But where's your mark of claim?"

When I felt Waltz's fingers grip my hair, my eyes widened as my head was pulled to the side. My bare throat was bared to Waltz and Gavin. Gavin licked his lips, but Waltz inhaled and bit down hard on my neck. I think I heard a crunch, then pain made my vision swim. Gavin hissed when he noticed my knees crumple, but Waltz held me to his body. He glared fiercely at Gavin.

"Mine for today."

Gavin held up his hands, his eyes flashing gold for a moment. "All right, geez. I was just teasing." he muttered, then winked at us as he left the living room.

Waltz gently slid his tongue over my bite wound. Perhaps it was a mix of saliva and blood that trickled down my neck, but the barrier on Waltz kept him from dying—no matter what. So that's why Waltz was perfectly fine lapping up my blood.

"I used to hate the taste of blood, Annie." he whispered suddenly, startling me enough to jolt in his hold.

"O-oh?" I stuttered, nearly slapping myself before relaxing into the feeling of the gentle sweeps of his tongue.

They paused again for him to say, "Yeah, because it was a reminder that I was still alive."

My heart pounded an uneasy rhythm. "Alt, let's talk somewhere else." I suggested, then asked, "Is there any place you want to go?"

Waltz was quiet for a few minutes. "Will you read my mind for the picture?" he asked, and I nodded.

It took only a moment to attain the picture, then I visualized us being there. We stood outside of a small white and gray church, stained with the colors of the setting sun. Waltz frowned.

"It should only be about eleven o'clock," he muttered, then looked around for a few moments.

I looked around the yard and noticed children's equipment that looked almost brand new. I wandered over to the plastic slide and settled myself in the hideaway at the top while Waltz stayed near me on the ground in puzzled silence.

"Come on up, Waltz." I said, leaning through the opening.

He nodded and pulled himself up using the fireman's pole. Needless to say, I was very impressed and didn't hesitate to tell him my thoughts. Waltz blushed and cuddled me into his lap, tucking his nose down against my shoulder. His arms curled around my waist, then I placed my hands over his own and leaned back. Waltz sighed aloud.

While Waltz readied himself, the birds sang their syncopated songs once more as the light began to fade. I used my magic to keep us warm, which Waltz thanked me for. It was surprisingly freezing here—wherever we are.

"When I was seven, the church over there was built. Initially, my family was attending a church that was very accepting of all kinds of people, but my mother was drawn into the member-based choirs and the activities that the new church offered to its members. I remember my first attendance quite well. The choir sounded nice, but the priest's homily didn't make any sense to me. Unlike the previous church, this new one didn't have lessons for kids."

"Mm, that must have been a shock."

Waltz nodded, curling tighter. "After getting on my knees a ridiculous amount of times, my mother decided to take me up to the priest to see what I could do for a social activity since I was apparently shamefully shy. She always disliked that I cowered behind my father. My father was really kind and caring—more introverted like me, although he didn't really pay attention to me most of the time. My mother was outgoing and eager to do new things—an extroverted social butterfly with no care for anyone else's opinions, which included her family. Selfish, I guess, was the word I needed."

"I understand," I mumbled, turning my head to kiss his own.

Waltz silently exhaled and licked my neck again. "The priest recommended me for the boys' choir since I had a soft, smooth voice. The church was still collecting candidates to enter the choir, so I was shuffled along to an audition. I nearly burst into tears from anxiety and panic when it came to my turn. My father patted my head of curls and told me that he'd love me regardless of whether I'd make it into the choir or not. It was really just to make my mother, his wife, happy and proud of herself."

I kept petting his hands and gripping his fingers. Waltz appreciated the comfort and reciprocated by pressing his lips to my bite wound. I'd left it alone since Waltz had put it there on my body for a purpose. I liked the sting of it, too. Then Waltz's voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"I was really shaky, cracky, and squeaky at first, but the priest's eyes lit up once I began to relax. I was picked for the choir, so I was given sheet music and a pat on the back. Mother was overjoyed, of course, because now I could back up her good reputation in the community. I already knew I was less of her child and more of a tool for her own gains. It hurt, but I was happy my father loved me.

"It took a lot of work to be part of the choir, though, but I started getting a bit popular at school and with older boys in our group. After a year passed, I was friends with almost everyone in the church. But then a new man came to town. He was the designated parish priest in our church, who was told to go there by upper management—also known as the bishop in charge of the territory that included my small town. At first, everyone welcomed him with smiles. But then I noticed some of my friends would flinch away from the parish."

My stomach churned. "Wh-what happened?"

Waltz inhaled deeply and released a shuddering sigh, his form trembling. He squeezed my sides tighter before he began speaking again, his voice slightly more choked this time, "O-one afternoon, after the Saturday rehearsal, I was one of the last ones to leave the practice room. I heard a bang and startled, dropping all of my practice sheets onto the floor. While I hurried to pick them up, I heard muffled voices and a weird sound. I grabbed my things and quietly hurried to the parish's office, then noticed the door was cracked open. Before I could even knock, the parish opened the door and stopped short when he saw me.

"I was asked why I was there, so I told him I'd heard a loud noise and asked if everything was okay. The parish said yes, so I wondered what that was about when I turned to leave. Then I heard a whimper and whirled around just as the parish moved sideways to shut the door. And I saw that one of my friends had been tied to the office chair with his legs spread. One of his own socks had been stuffed into his mouth and his body was littered with bruises.

"The parish realized I had seen everything, so he dragged me inside and threw me against his desk. My head hit first, so the force of the hit made me dazed. I was scared, confused, in pain, and panicked as the door locked behind the parish. My friend screamed and cried through his gag, but my neck was grabbed. My chest was slammed on top of the desk and my shorts were ripped down." stated Waltz, but his voice was now completely monotone as if he was reciting a poem for the hundredth time.

I reached up and gently petted his ash-blond curls. Waltz's tension eased and he inhaled deeply again, releasing a shaky whimper. Now his emotions were returning again.

"I couldn't b-breathe. It hurt so badly. Pain was all I could feel. My vision was blurred, but I could hear the parish grunting above me and the s-slapping of flesh. As I became more aware, I could feel the parish's hands gripping my hips and fondling my privates, and I was acutely aware of the bastard's robes rubbing against me. I remember trying to look at my friend, but I couldn't see through my tears. I wanted to scream, but the sound was stuck in my throat. It didn't help that the parish made sure to squeeze my neck hard enough to choke me once in awhile, too." remarked Waltz, albeit extremely dryly.

"Waltz," I murmured, then gasped when he bit down on my shoulder.

"This is the easiest way for me to talk about it, Annie. Please forgive me."

"What's there to forgive, Alt? You did nothing wrong. Everyone handles grief and trauma in their own ways, especially when speaking about their long-buried, heavy, and painful memories. I'm merely here to listen and give you comfort." I replied quietly, gently kissing his cheek. "Think of me as a big wolf plushie."

Waltz giggled and shook his head. "No, I won't do that, but that sounds adorable."

I grinned. "I guess so."

The mood took a nosedive as Waltz continued his tale, "I limped home. My mother was on a business trip. It was laundry day, so my father confronted me about the blood on my underwear, but I couldn't say anything. I felt so ashamed. The parish had ordered me to keep what we'd done as a secret, lest he tell everyone that I was a bad boy and that I had come onto him. I was naive. I should have just told my father what happened. Perhaps things would be different now if I had..." he trailed off, then sniffled. "But I can't change the past."

"No, we can't change it." I whispered.

"The parish continued to violate me for two years. When I was ten, the priest who did the homily found me tied in a broom closet with a vibrator up my rear end. As soon as the truth came out, the parish fled and left all of his victims with lifelong scars. My mother was angry and ashamed. She said some things to me that even startled her. At the time, I didn't understand that it was her frustration from her marriage that made her outburst that much more hurtful. My father was heartbroken by the news and broke down in front of me, weeping and asking why I didn't rely on him. Again, I couldn't say a word. Instead, I returned to my knees and curled over him to cry."

Tears were in my own eyes while Waltz's tears rolled down my skin. I curled my fingers over his nape and pressed my cheek against his head. I took a deep breath, then shakily let it go.

Waltz wasn't finished yet, though. He went on to say: "That was the final straw for my parents. They divorced and my time was split between them. My mother was rarely at her apartment, so I basically spent a week alone and then returned to my father's side for another two weeks. As I grew older, the hate and pain began to burrow deeper. I had outbursts for no reason. I just couldn't control myself—physically and emotionally. My mental state was in disarray. I could barely function.

"My mother couldn't take it and put me on medication. My father tried to get me off them when he noticed I was purposefully trying to overdose. I just wanted to die. Every single day it was hard for me to not cry—to just go to school like any other kid and hide my pain like a normal person. Eventually, instead of fighting useless internal battles, I let myself go and took my fights to the outside world. I got in trouble a lot—to the point that I was suspended and then expelled.

"My parents weren't happy, but I couldn't speak or even begin to explain what was going on inside me. I was paralyzed, just like I was the first time the parish raped me. I hated myself. I hated that I was too cowardly, too ashamed, too stupid, and too naive. And I loathed the fact that I was so easily tongue-tied and speechless when it came to talking about my problems.

"So it makes me wonder why now it all flows so easily—why there's no lump in my throat that keeps me from spilling my pain like a bag of beans with a large hole in it." he muttered, then exhaled harshly. "I learned later that the damned parish got a slap on the wrist for raping thirteen boys for over two years. What an amazing punishment."

"Do you want me to kill him?" I asked, and Waltz inhaled sharply.

"You'd do that for me?"

I blinked, then turned my head to see that he was facing me. Even though it was dark, my dragon vision could see Waltz's tear tracks and swollen face. I gently kissed my Emerged faerie's face.

"Of course I would." I replied with a small smile. "But we can talk more later about that, Alt. I know you're not finished with your story."

Waltz nodded and returned his chin to my shoulder. "I was sent to a therapy camp for a half year where there was nothing but nature and friendly people. I was surprisingly relaxed there. That was when I emerged as a faerie. No one else could see my wings, but they could see the dust left behind. Until that point, I thought I was going completely insane. But I returned home with a more relaxed frame of mind.

"But my home wasn't home to me anymore. My father had gotten a girlfriend and my mother had gone overseas. I was alone again, so I sought comfort from others. At my new school in town, I found a guy who was willing to have sex with me whenever I wanted, but then he invited friends over. I was known as the 'choir boy slut' after that, which brought old trauma and mental anguish to the surface. My father couldn't understand why I kept brutalizing people for no apparent reason.

"In passing, I had told him about my wings and the last bit of hope for a normal life crumbled inside him. He somehow found an advertisement from Alexandre and called the number. Because, even though my father loved me to some extent, he knew he couldn't take care of me anymore. Alexandre worked it out with the court system and he's still my legal guardian, now five years to this day." finished Waltz, then I frowned and flicked through my mental notes.

"Alt..." I began, my jaw dropping. "Your birthday is today!"

Waltz chuckled dryly. "Yes, unfortunately, but I'm happy to be spending it with you."

I kissed his face again, then turned around and settled my butt in his lap again. Waltz smiled when I draped my arms over his shoulders.

"Happy seventeenth birthday, Alt." I whispered, then he pushed up to meet my lips. I shivered when his hands slipped underneath my shirt. "I'm so happy we could be here together like this."

"Thank you, Annie." he replied quietly, then smiled at me tearfully. "Thank you for helping me find my voice."

"You're so very welcome, Alt." I hugged his head to my chest, our tears sliding down my skin. "Your recovery starts now."

"Yes, finally..." breathed Waltz, closing his eyes with a smile on his lips.