Misbehaviour. [Aven]

Aven gave her a bright smile, giving her a moment to finish up her presentation, before following her out to the hallway. Following after him, however, was a pang of uncertainty, eating away at the back of his mind. Am I... just going to do this all over again? His eyes trained on Lily's expression, that sly and confident grin she wore as she led him away from the rambunctious venue. It was no small part of him that would jump at the chance for another passionate night with the seductress, but no man could truly escape his past; in this case, for the better. Aven could almost hear a soft voice in the recesses of his mind, a relic of innocence, asking him to look beyond the surface, just as he once did. Beyond the curves, the sway of her hips, and the playful lust in her touch, to wonder whether he could do something more for Lily, something that would mean more than a simple reprieve from her desires.

The pair reached the hallway, noise steadily fading away behind them, as she stopped, waiting for him to lead the way. Of course she was; it was his house they were headed to, after all. It'd been a while since he'd made his way back to the Alveron Family Estate, but the Circle was ever present in his mind, as though written on the back of his hand. Approaching the wall, Aven set his palm flat against it, a silver Magic Circle several meters tall covering the surface. After only a moment, the Circle spun wildly, melding into a mirror-like gateway. Inside could be seen a hedged archway, leading into an extravagant cobbled courtyard with a magnificent, bubbling fountain. Beyond the courtyard, a sprawling Mansion stretched out to either side, tall and imposing as a marble giant. Aven glanced back at Lily, gesturing toward the gateway. "After you!"

The Gateway closed behind them with a telling 'voom', as Aven lead Lily through the Archway in into the Courtyard. "I suppose I should welcome you properly," He laughed, "To the Alveron Family Estate! It's a bit grand, I'll admit, but grandeur tends to run in the family." As their shoes tacked away on the orderly cobble, Aven's magic sense reach out toward the household, only to find no purchase. He smiled over at Lily, almost apologetically, if there weren't relief pasted plain as day on his face."Seems my Mother and Father are off on business, so I'm afraid I won't be able to introduce you." Undoubtedly for the best; Drani and Aven had been on shaky terms for a good while, and had recently taken great strides in patching their relationship. It was hardly good timing to throw a wrench in the works.

As they passed the fountain, however, an alarm sounded in Aven's head, as a memory jumped to the forefront of his thoughts. LUCY! Of all the blunders, he couldn't believe he'd forgotten! That frisky feline had started a tussle with Nessa, when she'd visited, and Nessa was as pure and innocent as the falling snow! He couldn't imagine the catfight that would ensue between her and Lily; it took two to tango, and he knew just how good Lily was at dancing. "Regardless, I was thinking: doors are overrated, why not go straight up to my room?" Knowing Lily, it was a fifty-fifty shot whether she'd see fit to skip the pleasantries, or insist on a tour just to tease him. Gods knew, he'd hardly been subtle about the issue, an oversight in the moment.

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[Word Count: 599.]
[Word Count Total: 9363.]

Aven sighed, staring up at the fourth window from the left. It would've been a simple teleportation circle up through that window, and a quick lock of the door, not to deal with Lucy's shenanigans. Still, Lily had made a good point, if not unintentionally: he was teetering on the edge of whether it was the right move to bring her to bed, and truth be told, he was far more interested in learning more about her. Not about her curves, but about her likes and dislikes, her favorite foods and songs. He wasn't fool enough to think she was interested in anything but a second night stand, but if he did nothing else that night, Aven was going to move forward in his life, and do what he'd been too scared to do with Nessa: be blunt.

Glancing over at Lily's expectant expression, he knew immediately it wasn't going to be easy. More than likely, she'd just laugh in his face, so if he wanted to have even a ghost of a chance, he'd need to pick the perfect time. Or, at least, close to it. Gesturing to the tall, dark mahogany doors, Aven ushered her forward. "Then, I'll let you count as we go. The tour can come first, though I'd like to give you a bit of a warning about the live-in Maid, Lucy. Her family has served the Alverons for generations, and I'm afraid she can be... well, possessive." Unfortunately, that was only half the story; it'd only gotten worse, the stronger he grew. After 'Learning' a few things from Lily, and cross referencing the storybooks and magazines Lucy unscrupulously devoured in her free time, he'd come to realize the girl was hopelessly lost in a Master/Servant fantasy; worse yet, in retrospect, she and Zane had gotten along very well. It was only a theory, but he had a sneaking suspicion that when his Mother erased Lucy's memories of his brother, her mind had naturally replaced Zane with Aven, carrying over the crush she'd obviously had on his twin.

Now in arm's reach of the doors, Aven stepped to the side and pushed on the wood, a small magical seal unlocking at his touch, the mahogany swinging open effortlessly to reveal the Grand Foyer, complete with a crystal chandelier, a set of dark red, velveted spiral staircases, multiple vases with seemingly magical plant-life, and a pouncing brunette maid tackling Aven onto the porch, pinning him to the wood with bright eyes and a grin from ear to ear. "MASTER AVEN! YOU'RE FINALLY HOME!"

A small aura of black magic could be seen fading from behind his head and under his shoulders, having shielded his body from the ground as he looked up as gracefully as he could. "Nice to see you again, as well, Lucy." Raising a hand, the only part of him that wasn't trapped under the tall Cat woman, he waved to Lily. "Lily, this is Lucy, the Alveron Family Estate's live-in maid. Lucy, this is Lilith Kadokawa, a good friend of mine." For a moment, the air vibrated with energy, as he spoke, "I trust you'll be a proper host?"

Aven's words were laced with purpose, and though the energy faded from the air as soon as it'd gathered, the weight of his meaning hung around the maid, as her eyes darted up from Aven to meet Lilith's. For a brief moment, there was a clear disdain, bordering hostility, which clicked into a bright, welcoming masquerade. "Of course! Any friend of Master Aven's deserves only the finest of service!" Rising up and off of Aven, Lucy straightened herself up and issued a stiff, formal bow to Lilith. "Welcome to the Alveron Family Estate, Miss Kadokawa; I do so hope you enjoy your stay." The woman's ears visibly twitched as she spoke, telltale signs if ever there were.

Aven, too, rose from the ground, dusting himself off. "I was just about to give Lily a tour of the Manor. Would you be so kind as to let Belmont know we have guests, and to prepare a meal?" Aven paused, seizing the opportunity, "Lily, what would you like to eat? Belmont is a fantastic chef, I'm sure he could even make your favorite meal, if you'd like?" Was it an underhanded way to learn her favorite food? Perhaps, but he preferred to frame it as 'clever'.

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[Word Count: 732.]
[Word Count Total: 10,483.]

Lucy made a beeline off toward the kitchen in a huff, likely determined to keep an eye on the two from afar. Aven's exasperated glance at the maid's back spoke volumes, but he said nothing more on the matter. A swift change in topic, and a deft dodge of his advance, Lily deflected toward amenities. Aven laughed, shaking his head softly. "You'd have a better chance of finding a Tennis Court in the middle of Desierto; the Alveron's are a Military Family, you see," His eyes wandered out the window, towards the Courtyard, "Even as children, our free time was limited to either our studies, or rigorous training. My Mother had little fondness for sport, and I doubt she's changed her mind on the subject." He waggled a finger, performing a rough imitation of his mother's blunt tone, "'If you have time to play, you have time to train,' she'd say. Not that I blame her; no one becomes a General thwacking a fuzzy green ball."

His attention returned to Lily, his usual smile plain as day. "However, the Pool is a different story. She considered swimming an essential skill, imperative, even; it's also good exercise, in my Father's words, though I'd wager that was his way of buttering her up for the Hot Tub." Sergis and Aven didn't see each other far too often, but they'd always had a close bond. Despite being a Nobleman from birth, his Father had retained a certain aloofness that'd kept Drani grounded. The man was nearly always away on business, but Aven had many fond memories of the short intervals he'd been home. On the other hand, the thought of taking over the Alveron Family's affairs when Sergis retired was a daunting thought, to say the least, and as it crossed his mind, a small wrinkle of worry formed on Aven's face. Would he be able to fill those shoes? Worse yet, did he want to?

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[Word Count: 324.]
[Thread Count Total: 11107.]

Aven listened intently, noticing just how intrigued Lily was with the Foyer. He watched her eyes flit around, from doorway to doorway, snatching a quick peek of each of the connected spaces. The dining hall lay to the right, while the lounge nestled comfortably through an open concept arch, sporting a myriad of puffy chairs and matching couches, all gathered around a beautifully crafted antique coffee table in the center of the room. On the far side of the lounge, an ornate stone fireplace accentuated the decor, while a pearly white grand piano sat silently in wait, eager to entertain. Ahead of them, the twin spiral staircases led up to the perpendicular hallway of the second floor, and the promise of the unknown.

Aven laughed as Lily batted her eyes, almost enough to make him forget the melody of her moaning into the bedsheets. If he hadn't such an intimate knowledge of her, he would've believed it. "I'm sure you were the pinnacle of good behavior!" It was strange, though; there seemed to be something the mirthful spark in her eyes as she spoke of her Stepmother, a dull, resentful gaze. If he had to venture a guess, Aven would've bet she didn't have the happiest of childhoods. Par for the course, when it came to Wizards, he found: besides for the incredibly gifted, the yearning for a better life proved a powerful motivator. Pain, loss, and tragedy had a way of breaking people, and those who could gather the strength to put themselves together again oftentimes unlocked potential they would've never had otherwise. Cruel and unusual, perhaps, but only fools could dream of a world without suffering. All Aven could hope for was to prevent all he could, and leave the rest up to fate. As for Lily, he wouldn't push the subject; better to move on, than to drudge up old scars.

Aven took the opportunity to get a bit closer, and attempted a smooth slide of his arm through hers as he responded. "That's a lot of ambition you're holding there, are you sure you'd want to deal with the Politics?" He knew full well, from listening to Drani vent at suppertime, how convoluted the Military Hierarchy could be. No firsthand experience, of course, but it may as well have been, hearing how often her orders were misinterpreted, twisted, or flat out ignored. That, paired with appeasing Government Officials and separating orders from agendas, and he'd be remiss to ever involve himself in the Military's affairs. Far better, in Aven's mind, to be a force to be reckoned with, than to be forced to reckon. "And of course, but what of the meantime? You asked for a tour, would you like one now?"

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[Word Count: 457.]
[Thread Count Total: 11954.]

Aven met Lilith's gaze with a side-glance, as he looked back to regard her. She was all too eager, as he expected, but this wasn't the end of the night by far. Rather, her insistence was only proof of how important the night was turning out to be. It was his chance to peek past the veil, and find out whether Lily could be what he needed in a partner; or, at least, if she had the potential. A small amount of dark energy leaked out of Aven, just briefly, as he opened his pathways to observe Lily's magical prowess, the light of the chandelier flickering above them for a split second. Aven closed his eyes, quickly concealing the dark irises that blossomed as his energy manifested, and when he reopened them, they were back to a shimmering teal, a bright smile bringing into question whether the last few moments had ever occurred. "Now, what's a prize worth, if one doesn't have to work for it?" His suspicions were all but confirmed; Lily was no slouch when it came to raw magical power. She was a powerful woman, though still an enigma of sorts: there were traces of a foreign signature entwined with her aura, signs that pointed to something greater, untapped. At the very least, she fit his qualifications for strength, as it would only do him harm in the long run to adopt yet another weakness, especially considering the scope of his potential enemies. As for the enigma, he'd address that when the time was right.

Leaning in and softly kissing her cheek, Aven lifted the shackles from her hands, and twirled them around his finger. "You aren't the only one with ambitions, you know. I happen to have a particular aspiration that might very well involve you, at some point," He gave her a brief little smirk, obviously attempting to play coy, "But our first 'meeting' was a freebie, an equal exchange on neutral grounds. You can call me greedy, if you like, but since we're using my house, wouldn't you say the scales have tipped in your favor?" Lily was a formidable foe, and decidedly difficult to barter with. She was the kind of negotiator who knew just what she brought to the table, no more, no less; but he had a hunch she would enjoy the thrill of the hunt, as well. "So, I propose a game! Somewhere in this house, there's a secret passageway that leads to a particular room, one that's quite special to me. If you can find this room before Midnight," He flourished the handcuffs, "You get free reign until morning. However, if you fail, I get free reign. You'd be allowed three chances to ask for a hint, which I give my word will be helpful and accurate. What do you say?"

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[Word Count: 473.]
[Thread Count Total: 12725.]