tampered | Log: Complete

Seth inhaled the sweet aroma of the city, from the flowers that grew candy to something else intoxicating floating on the air. The city overwhelmed every one of her senses. Overflowed and short-circuited until all that was left was raw addiction, the primal desire for more. In her mind, she knew what needed to be done, but the addiction took precedence over logic.

It didn't help that Lilith was here. If Lilith was dead - if she couldn't leave - then Seth imagined that she-

Her brother's name spilling from between Lilith's lips smacked her out of her euphoric reverie, and she squeezed her hand tight. "Abel-nii can't wait to see you. I can't wait either, it'll be like good old times, won't it? Can we go ride the carousel together later, Lilith?"

Abel had taken a little longer than he expected, but that always seemed to be the case when thrown into a new location. He had gotten lost more than a few times in the milling crowds, and for one thing, he knew he had walked past the carousel more than once.

However, the priest finally found the garden and sighed softly in relief.

Just a short distance away, he spotted a woman and a child, and at once, Abel knew whom those two were: Lilith and Seth. A smile spread across his lips, as warmth filled him inside. He would be reunited with his family again, and this time, he wouldn't be letting them go.

"Seth? Lilith?" he called out as he urged himself forward. All Abel wanted to do was run over them and sweep the two of them up in an embrace, and yet, he still felt the need to go slowly at the same time. It was as if he felt that by going too fast that they would disappear. "I... I'm sorry I'm late!"

The priest began to hurry now, but perhaps he should have just stuck with going slowly. A few feet from the other two, Abel tripped and fell flat on his face with a thud.

Hearing her name, Lilith turned to see Abel, eyes wide in slight surprise although she was expecting him. There he was after so many centuries, hurrying towards them until... he ended up face down in the garden. Gasping, Lilith glanced down at Seth for a moment, and then quickly hurried over to the fallen man, easing her arm under his to help him up.

"Abel, are you alright?" she asked in concern, trying to hold back a little laugh that was threatening to escape her lips. Leave it to Abel to make an entrance. She hoped he wasn't hurt, because as soon as he stood up fully, she immediately pulled him in for a tender hug, arms looping around his neck while resting her cheek on his broad shoulder. She couldn't wait any longer, apparently, with Abel in such close proximity and after too many years between them.

With Seth and Abel right there with her, Lilith couldn't remember the last time she had felt this content.

Glancing at Lilith once before dashing off to help Abel up as well, Seth could not contain her giggling, the laughter that reached all the way up to her eyes. Abel-nii-san was so graceful! He couldn't have made a more perfect entrance.

Watching them embrace, Seth clasped her hands behind her back and felt the warmth, the happiness spread through every fiber of her being. It was wonderful to see everyone so happy.

Abel had little time to regain his bearings as the second he got off the ground, Lilith had pulled him into a hug. Of course, it was only natural that he do the same. Arms encircling her smaller frame, he smiled and closed his eyes. "Lilith... so it's true then," he murmured, a contented sigh slipping past his lips. "...praise the Lord for allowing me this opportunity."

He held her for a moment longer before turning slightly to look at Seth. Abel glanced back at Lilith for a second, hands sliding onto her arms to give them a squeeze before he knelt down. He opened his arms and smiled at his little sister. "It is good to see you again as well, Seth. While it has not been quite as long since I last saw you, I still missed you." His eyes momentarily drifted back to Lilith. "I have missed both of you for so long..."

Wherever this place was, it was like... a dream come true. Two of the closest people to his heart were here right next to him. Their family had been reunited finally.

Lilith watched Abel and Seth embrace, listening to Seth's infectious laughter and so pleased to see the warm, content smile on Abel's face. She hoped to remember this moment and meeting for a long time, locked away in her memories to be cherished. "I am sure the feeling is mutual all around, Abel," Lilith laughed softly, smiling affectionately back at him.

"I am so pleased to see you both looking so well," she continued, gazing back and forth between Seth and Abel. "As strange as it sounds, I am glad you were able to go on without me," she added, a wistful note in her voice.

"Seth tells me that she is an empress, of all things," she winked at Seth. "And you, Abel, are a priest, I see. Wonderful," Lilith sighed quietly, reaching out to take one of both of their hands.

"Mm- It's because of you, Lilith," Seth said with a stern nod. All she had accomplished in her long life was thanks to Lilith's teachings, the example she had set when she was alive. It was in loving memory of the closest thing to a mother Seth had ever had.

Kissing Abel tenderly on the cheek before pulling away, she bounced off into the surrounding flowers, giving Abel a chance to monopolize Lilith's attention. He needed it more than she did.

Abel blinked as Seth skipped off, and he slowly rose. He watched her for a moment before turning to look back at Lilith. Did Seth just do that on... purpose? It wasn't that he wasn't grateful to have some more time with the other, but Seth should be allowed the equal amount of time with Lilith, too.

However, if his sister was willing to give up some time for him, the priest wasn't going to turn it down.

Turning back to face Lilith, he simply stared at her for a moment, not entirely sure what to say. Abel fussed with his glasses before finally reaching over to take her hand in his. "I know I've already said it, but I've missed you," he murmured. "I never thought I'd see you again.

"Ever since Cain took you away, I've... I've just dreamed that one day this would happen." A smile crossed his lips. "And now it has. A miracle has happened."

Ever knowing, Lilith realized at once that Seth was purposely giving the two of them some time alone to talk. Seth really was much wiser than her appearance credited her for.

Glancing back to Abel with an amused smile, she didn't say anything and waited for him to speak first, hands clasped in front of her until he reached for one. Lilith smiled, lacing their fingers together and tilting her head to the side, simply listening to him talk. It felt good to hear his voice again.

"I have missed you too, Abel," she smiled, reaching up to cup his cheek gently for just a moment. "You look wonderful. Really, you both do. I am so pleased to see you both in good health, regardless of this rather interesting situation we've all found ourselves in," she continued, looking over towards Seth, who seemed to be enjoying herself amongst the flowers.

"Ah, yes... Thank you," he murmured. "You appear quite well yourself. You look as beautiful as ever." Abel fell silent then and simply looked at Lilith for a second. Where was he supposed to start? What should he say? Where did they stand now? It'd been 900 hundred years, but all it took was five minutes for everything to come flooding back.

The priest looked down at himself and the uniform he wore. Abel was a priest now, someone who swore himself to serve the Lord with his body, mind, and soul. Admittedly, those in AX weren't exactly one's typical priests and nuns to begin with, but still, what was he to do with the promise he made to the church? to Caterina? to Esther?

Would he abandon them all to restart his life in this crazy city?

Abel turned and looked at Seth playing among the flowers before turning to look at Lilith, expression revealing his confused thoughts. He squeezed her hand and looked at the ground between them. "Lilith, I..." He paused and shook his head. "Has it been too long? Have the times changed too much?"

Can we ever go back to where we were?

Abel looked torn and confused, and the smile on Lilith's face faltered slightly as she watched him curiously, studying his expression and returning the gentle squeeze. In all honesty, she hadn't really pondered the questions he was asking her now. She had been too busy being overwhelmed by returning, by the strange city they were in, and reuniting with Seth and Abel, too filled with happiness to think of anything else.

Perhaps it would be selfish of her to ask Abel to simply pick up where they had left off. After nine hundred years, he no doubt had a much different life than he did when she had previously been alive. All of that lost time.

"Abel," she began, looking into his face even though he was looking down at the ground, "I think that might be up to you. I cannot ask too much of you. If you have... other obligations now, it would not be fair of me to demand anything from you," she replied softly, swallowing hard.

"But I had hoped that we... I-- nothing has changed for me," she finished, gently letting him know where she stood on the matter, smiling wistfully at him and running her thumb across his gloved knuckles.

Blue eyes shifted to focus on the hand holding his own and then locked onto the cross on the back of his glove. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Despite all of his wishes and dreams, Abel never really thought he'd see Lilith again. As such, he had never thought about what exactly he should do in the case that he ever did.

It was an impossibility after all.

But now that the impossible had been made into real flesh, the priest found himself completely lost as to what to do next. Lilith still had feelings for him, and it would have been a total and complete lie to say that he still didn't have feelings for her either.

"You have the right to ask anything and everything of me," he murmured. Abel finally opened his eyes once more and looked at Lilith, reaching up to cup her cheek with his free hand. "It is because I wasn't there to protect you that you're even in this situation.

"You take precendence over everything else I have accomplished." Abel looked at her, expression serious. "I... I would give up anything and everything to be by your side again." He paused, thinking about how serious his words and actions could be if they played out. "Let me stay with you."

Amber colored eyes widened as the weight of Abel's words washed over her, and Lilith merely looked back at him for a few moments. She had no idea how much he was giving up by promising that to her. After all, the details of his life during the past nine hundred years were still, on the whole, a complete mystery to her.

With a soft sigh, she raised her other hand to hold the hand on her cheek, and leaned into Abel's touch, closing her eyes. "I am in this situation because I chose it, Abel. I chose to go speak with Cain, even though I had a feeling as to what would happen. The fault is not yours," she murmured, hating that Abel blamed himself, and had done so since her death. What guilt he must have felt, all over her.

Opening her eyes again, Lilith studied Abel's priest uniform, realizing the commitments he must have made to the church. Who knew what he would be leaving behind, putting aside, all for her. A part of her wanted to refuse, to make him go back to that, the life he had built for himself in her absence.

But she knew Abel would never do that, now that he knew she was alive. And she didn't want him to. "Stay with me," she repeated softly, nodding her head and locking her eyes with his. "I want you with me again," she added, not being able to stop herself from saying what she truly felt.

To argue with Lilith was to go into a stalemate, if not a losing battle. Abel said nothing further about his thoughts on who was truly at fault for her death, but he knew that the guilt he had held over the matter wouldn't simply vanish with her reappearance or her words of consolation. He had carried it with him for 900 years, and at the moment, the only thing that would clear that guilt of his was to kill Cain. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Even then though, would his guilt really be... erased?

Abel silently watched as Lilith took in his outfit, a mark of what he had become and what he had bound himself to. For just a second, he thought that she wouldn't let him stay, but the moment quickly passed. Lilith wanted him to stay, and Abel could feel a small smile tugging at his lips. She would have him back. All would be well.

"I will always be by your side," he whispered. Abel lifted her hand to his lips, depositing a kiss on the back of her hand. He then lowered it and smiled at Lilith. "Always."

Always. The word resounded in his head, and he briefly wondered how many times he had said that to others. How many promises had he made, and how many promises would he break to keep this one? The thought was unpleasant, but Abel knew without a doubt that this was where his heart would feel the most at home.

By Lilith's side was where he belonged.

Unable to resist any longer, Lilith stepped closer to Abel again and wrapped her arms around him once more, resting her chin on his shoulder and holding him tightly.

"Thank you," she whispered, still sensing that Abel was slightly troubled. She held him there for a few moments, just glad to be able to embrace him again, hoping that some of her gratitude was palpable through the hug.

No doubt he had many things going through his mind then. How much was he giving up for her? As overwhelming as it was for her to return, it must have been even moreso for those she loved. There were sure to be some complications.

Not wanting to let go but doing so anyways, Lilith stepped back again, slipping her hand into Abel's once more. "Shall we go get Seth and tell her that she is allowed to come back now?" she laughed lightly, glancing in the direction of the dark haired girl with much affection in her expression.

Abel's eyes grew wide as Lilith embraced him, but it took only a moment for him to return the gesture. Arms folding around her elegant form, his eyes slid shut as a smile formed on his lips. No, thank you, he thought at her words. You've returned to my side.

To have the one he loved so dearly back once again was a dream like no other, but at some point, Abel was going to have to deal with the ramifications of his actions. How he was going to go about confronting them was yet to be seen, but something would work out. There would be a way, and if there wasn't, he'd make one.

Following Lilith's gaze to look at his sister, Abel nodded his head slightly before turning back to Lilith. "Yes, let's do that," he said, hand closing around hers. Once more, he turned to look at the other. "Seth? You can come back now..."

Returning to Lilith and Abel's side, arms full of flowers of all colors of the rainbow, Seth looked up at them and nodded. Listening in on their exchange sombered her up exponentially, but she did her best not to show it. She wondered truly if things between herself and Lilith would go back to normal as easily as they had for her and Abel, for her brother wasn't the only one at fault for things that happened centuries ago. And unlike Abel, Seth had chosen a very different path.

"Are you two finished?" She giggled, handing them each a candy-coated blossom, the sweet aroma filling the air. "If you are, I think I'd like to have some tea."

"We are, for now," Lilith smiled down at Seth and her bouquet of flowers, taking the flower that she handed her. "You did not have to leave though, Seth," she winked playfully at the girl, glancing over at Abel with a smile.

"Abel, have you tried Seth's tea?" she asked curiously, looking up at him. "I had some when we first met up. Perhaps I am biased, because it is Seth and it was the first tea I have had to drink in nine hundred years, but it was very good. Perhaps we should go sit and have some, hmm?" she offered, looking back and forth between the two of them.

Abel took the flower from Seth before smiling at the other. He whispered a silent thank you to her before turning to look at Lilith as she spoke. "Tea?" he repeated. "I... I don't think I have actually.

"So, I shall agree with the consensus." He laughed softly and looked between the other two. A spot of tea with two of the people he cared for most in the world sounded like an excellent idea, even if the other two hadn't suggested it in the first place. "Where should we go? Or should we just stay here?"

Winking at her brother, Seth twirled around on her heels and chirped, "You're missing out, Abel-nii!" A pause. "Why don't we have tea here in the garden? It's so beautiful here!"

Seth tossed her bouquet into the air, watching in delight as the flowers scattered through the air, carried by the warm wind. One, two, three cups poured from the container on her back, one for each of them. She nestled herself into the grass with a content sigh.

Almost content. Closing her eyes to savor the moment, she found her mind adrift, going places she didn't want it to go. The carousel, ticking, and the promise of destruction. Things she didn't want to think about just then, for it was supposed to be a happy moment. A reunion. The voice that whispered Armageddon was not welcome.

"Hey, hey!" She spoke up suddenly, full of enthusiasm she didn't feel. "I want to ride the carousel later..."

Lilith watched the rainbow shower of flowers rain down around Seth with a smile. Her hand was still in Abel's, and she stepped closer to him so that their arms brushed gently before sitting down gracefully in the grace, cross-legged.

There were many other things the three of them should have probably been worrying about, or at least discussing. Still, Lilith selfishly wanted to put all of that off for now and just enjoy the time with her loved ones.

In her first life, she had intentionally left them to fight for the "greater good" and it had hurt her, and them presumably, but it had been necessary. But here, in this strange city, nine hundred years later, that war wasn't an issue and was long past. Lilith took a sip of her tea and sighed softly.

"Wonderful, Seth," she smiled appreciatively at the younger girl. "And what do you think, Abel?" she looked over at him curiously.

Abel's head jerked slightly in Lilith's direction at the gentle brush against his arm before he followed suit and took a seat. He kept one hand loosely entwined with Lilith's while he gratefully the cup of tea from Seth with the other. "Thank you," he said, passing the cup under his nose. "It smells wonderful."

Lifting it to his lips, he took a sip and made a soft noise of appreciation. It was nothing short of perfect, even without the thirteen teaspoons of sugar that he usually took his tea with. "It's even better than Sister Kate's tea," he remarked, chuckling softly. "I didn't think it was possible, but this is wonderful."

Again, the unwanted feeling of breaking bonds came across Abel, but he kept a cheerful face, letting the feeling wash over and away for him. He would deal with those problems later and probably in private. For now, it was for the best to enjoy the company right before him. Seeing as more and more people seemed to be gathering in this city, he could only assume that others - unwanted others - would be arriving soon as well.

"Let's go to the carousel after we've finished our tea, hm?" he said in response to his sister's request. Abel chuckled softly. "And hopefully I won't get lost this time around."

"Haha!" Seth tried to smother her laughter behind her hand, but couldn't help it. "I'll make sure you don't, Abel-nii-san. And I'm sure Lilith won't either."

For an instant, her gaze traveled to their clasped hands. Whatever would come out of Lilith's return, whether Seth would be able to clear the skeletons out of her own closet or not, she was truly glad for Abel's sake. Glad that he had this new chance. After all, it hadn't been she who spent nine centuries watching over Lilith's grave. Her brother needed this.

It didn't mean, however, that she didn't want to cleanse her own conscience. Seth had no plans of deserting her empire, definitely not, but there was deeply-seeded regret for betraying Lilith that needed to be dug out and disposed of. This was Seth's chance, too.

Maybe later.

"There are buildings set in a circle around the carousel. I believe that is where people of this world stay. We should be able to make ourselves a nice home for the time being, until we figure out how to get back."

Smiling brightly and a bit mischievously, Lilith winked at Seth and nodded in agreement. Hopefully the two girls could keep Abel from getting himself lost, or tripping and landing on his face again.

"Oh yes," Lilith nodded. "That sounds like a lovely idea. We will certainly need somewhere to stay," she replied, glancing off in the direction of the carousel. Vaguely, Lilith wondered if she would ever be able to leave this place. Could those who had been brought to life again here ever leave? She truly hoped so, if not for her own sake, but for Abel's and Seth's. To be given back to them, and them to her, only to be ripped away from each other again would be cruel.

"Shall we go find a room of sorts, then?" she asked, rising to her feet and straightening out her sari with her free hand, glancing back and forth between her two loved ones. "And then, we can ride that carousel, Seth," she smiled.

"Ah, I agree. Let's go make ourselves a new home, yes?" Abel smiled at the other two before following Lilith and rising to his feet. A home together sounded like a wonderful idea, he thought. A home was made complete by a family, and in truth, Abel would have loved it if the three of them could be counted as one.

He turned his gaze toward the general direction of the carousel, wondering who was already living in the buildings there. Would there be any trouble getting a place for the three of them? Would they have lousy neighbors? How would the living quarters be?

And then his thought process came to a halt.

Abel laughed. Here he was, contemplating their temporary residence as if he were buying a home or something. Perhaps he was thinking a bit too wistfully about the matter. Putting the thought aside, he turned to face the other two. "Shall we both off then?"

Seth resolved to have a room to herself. It would be best if Abel and Lilith had more time for themselves, she thought. Her time with Lilith could come later, after she figured out what exactly it was she wanted to say to her surrogate mother-type. Those kinds of things didn't come as easily for her as they might have come to Abel. After all, her view on Terrans hadn't changed very much in nine hundred years.

Dusting herself off and putting their used cups away, the youngest bounced off ahead of them towards the square.

Watching Seth skip off in front of them with amusement, Lilith glanced back at Abel and smiled. "Seth seems to be attempting to give us a fair amount of alone time together," she laughed softly, shaking her head at the younger girl's antics. "She is as sweet as ever," she commented affectionately.

"She probably heard a lot of our earlier conversation, as well," she added, looking back towards the little head of dark hair, bouncing along through the crowd. Hard to believe that the small girl was an empress.

"It may factor in a bit as to why she's letting us have so much time alone together. Not that I mind, of course," Abel murmured, his gaze also following Seth as she skipped off. A nostalgic smile spread across his features, and he turned to look at Lilith. The priest offered her his arm, tilting his head ever so slightly to the side. "Shall we be off as well?"

(yes plz xD Not just 'cause I'm having a hard time coming up with tags for this scene, but because I think this is a good place to end it! Yee-haw~)

Log: Complete

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