Kaz marched down toward Hosenka. Nuala had left in the early hours, leaving him to finish up with his dealings in the farmlands of Marigold. But the wind mage had little to go on to find her. It seemed it was a perpetual game of hide and seek for the sultry thief.

The apartment he stayed at was as regular as he could find. The guest houses in Hosenka sported a traditional look of Joyan design. He pulled back the sliding door to his room and plopped his bag down next to the twisted tree in the corner.

The window opened up to the city. A feature he made sure to have, assuming the thief would find him soon enough and sneak into his room yet again. The next few days rolled by without a word. Not from her or the man he had come here to track down.  While he waited for the thief to return to him, he spent his days and nights on rooftops keeping his senses keen for any omens of conflict.

The town was different than any place he had ever been. It reminded him of the place Nuala brought him down to when they first met. Only extrapolated throughout a whole city.

There was a sweetness in being reminded of his homeland though. An idea he had never thought about and wondered if that was part of the reason she had chosen this location.

The third day came with no hint of her, even a fleeting message. With a sigh, the mage donned his armor on. "Seems I'll have to sneak into wherever it is you are."

It wasn't long before he left his room in search of his wandering thief. The roads were filled with people and rumors of a seedy part of town drifted on the lips of those with pockets in crime. He shook his head and walked toward it. "Well if you're gonna be anywhere."

"HEY! You there!" A man yelled and his entourage rushed in front of the mage. he was a heavy man with a scar on his neck. A cigar hung from his lips and bobbed when he spoke. Two men stood at his sides, one held a red chest with a golden lock.

"Yes," Kaz asked.

"You're that Wizard Saint right? Well I have a job for you. You see this is a very valuable item we have."

"I don't really,"

"No no no. See this isn't just any box. It's something that is one of a kind. Trust me. There is this thief running around town. They've been nabbing every valuable thing they can. No one has come close to stopping them. I just got this and I pay handsomely to," he wiggled his brows at Kaz.

"An unstoppable thief that has never been caught or seen huh?" The gears began to click in his mind as to why she wanted to make her way down here.

"Exactly so you'll help then?" The man rubbed his hands together.

"What's in the box. How did you get it?" Kaz asked. The men shot looks between each other. The two guards clasped their hands together and looked away. The leader waved his hands in front of his face.

"No no no. that doesn't matter. What's important is that there is a dangerous, murderous thief on the loose."

Something wasn't right about this situation, but it was his only lead so far. But He couldn't bee seen just running around with people that may be criminals themselves.

"Alright I'll help you out. But I'll need a disguise. Just in case?'

The man nodded and had his goons scrounge up some clothes for Kaz to wear and blend in a bit better

pic:

Somewhere in Hosenka City, a mischievous thief was bathing in an ocean of glistening gems and brilliant jewelry. Nuala Nazari had taken a liking to sparkly valuables and diamonds in particular, although she found every gemstone to be lovely and desirable, which is why she had stolen so many of them. The Voidling had never been the type to wear many accessories, but it seemed that Nuala’s tastes had changed recently, and as she inspected her reflection in the golden mirror inside her luxurious chambers, wearing nothing but a silver necklace specked with pure amethysts, the woman turned around to ask her concubine for a second opinion. “Too flashy?” She asked the joyan beauty, who shook her head in response. “Not at all, mylady. It suits you rather well,” she smiled softly, and Nuala couldn’t help but throw her a bag of coins. Sayuri was such a good girl, she truly deserved it.

“Anyways, I have to get going for my next contract. Sushi for dinner?” Nuala returned to her wardrobe and put on her usual, skin tight black attire and the long cloak that marked her as the thief she was. Although after a second thought, Nuala put the cloak back down – the weather was way too hot for that. “Sushi it is,” Sayuri responded and blew Nuala a kiss as she disappeared through the window and into the busy streets of Hosenka’s entertainment district. The Voidling wore her hair in a high ponytail, with a few loose strands coming down by her face. Her marks gleamed in their usual purple colour, matching both her eyes and her mane. Between her long pants and the cropped black top, Nuala’s exposed midriff showed her wearing a heart-shaped belly button piercing, with the letter K in the middle of it.

Hosenka was uncharted territory, which is why the thief had decided to leave Kazimir behind: in order to get to know the local crime scene, establish some dominance and conduct a few schemes she had to avoid the Nephilim’s stern observation and righteous attitude. Besides, she wasn’t even sure what exactly she was looking for tonight. Rumour had come into town; Nuala had heard of a mysterious item being held here in Hosenka, allegedly very precious and guarded by many men. She couldn’t find out what it was, and no one else seemed to know either. And because of that, there was really only one safe way to find out: she would have to steal it and check for herself!

Getting into the right building was child’s play really, and she was surprised to learn that there were fewer guards than she’d expected. Of course this could only mean that there was a trap already laying in wait for her–her reputation exceeded her after all–and because of this, Nuala made sure to have her daggers at hand should she need them. Fortunately for her, the Voidling’s abilities were perfect for her thieving duties and she made it into the final room of a large building without further interruptions. It was dark, but that didn’t matter. There was the box, hidden inside a glass cabinet –  and standing guard in front of it was none other than her darling Captain.

The thief uttered a sigh at the sight of her beloved; even in the darkness she could see him clear as day and his enchanting scent had caught her attention the minute she had stepped into the room. Nuala crossed the distance between them as swiftly as she could and within a second she was inside his arms, pushing herself up against him and pulling him closer against her. “I knew that the treasure hidden here would be more valuable than anything else I found until now,” she gasped and pressed her lips against his in between words. “But I couldn’t have possibly estimated just how precious it really is.” She giggled, snuggled up on him, and decided to dismiss the stupid box and whatever was inside of it for now. Nuala had missed Kaz, even though it had only been a few days. He was getting much faster at tracking her down now, and soon she wouldn’t be able to tell him where she went anymore if she wanted some privacy.

Kaz stepped up and down, stretching in his pants. He ran tugged at the lapel of the suit he wore. He ran his hands down to the thin fabric around his forearms and pinched it between his fingers. It was a far cry from the leather armor he had decided to wear recently. His toes wiggled within the dress shoes. He scrapped the heel gently across the ground, and it slid without friction or grip. "That'll be a problem," he mumbled in the silent room. The only thing behind him was the secured locked box with its glass case.

He waited in the dark room and rocked on his heels with his hands in the thin pockets of the dress pants. There were no footsteps echoing down the hall or a shifting shadow. yet emerging from it, was an indigo-haired beauty. A sigh of relief washed over the wind mage, with his suspicion and hope confirmed. A smile came across his face, hidden the dark of the room, but the woman knew. She was already across the room and her familiar arms wrapped around him. He hugged her tightly as she pulled him closer in.

Their kisses came one after another between each word. The thought of the box left his mind and he was glad that she rushed to him before any trivial jewelry hunt. "Well I'm glad that the treasure was worth it. You're just the thief I was looking for." He didn't care to bring up the string thefts left in her wake or the one she was about to commit. All that mattered was that he finally tracked her down and all the grief that had been weighing on him could continue to melt away.

"I got tired of waiting on you," he joked and wrapped his arm around her lower waist, and planted another kiss upon her lips. "Why don't we get out of here," he whispered next to her ear and looked toward the window leading out of the tall building.

The owner of the box peaked around a column. Shadows covered his flushed face. His palm gripped the side of the column with white knuckles. Eyes filled with betrayal. He stepped forward, his mouth opening to spit venom. A hand clasped onto his forearm. The second in command pulled him back, "shhh. Easy boss," he said. The boss pulled back and pressed his back to the cold column. "Look at her hair and those daggers at her side. It's..that thief. A wizard saint and her...together," eh shook his head. "I'm afraid we've been had. We're outclassed today sir. She'd drop us before we could act with a dagger in our heart and he'd blow up the building to make sure. let's just lay low." The leader spat against the wall and slinked back into the shadows.

Kazimir stepped Nuala towards the window, "Let's get out of her, my love. It's good to have you back" The wind picked up around them and with her agreement, he would swoop them out of the place and into the streets. Her embrace was one of the only real comforts of the past few days after the bitterness that plagued him and the guild.

“What are you looking so handsome for anyways,” Nuala snickered and pinched the Captain’s butt. If she had to take a guess, it would be that he hated his current attire and couldn’t wait to slip back into his usual, comfortable uniform. Of course Nuala hadn’t missed the obvious set up here; meeting Kazimir in such a setting was by no means a coincidence and whether word about their entanglement had gotten out or he had simply been chosen for his profession was unknown to the thief, she wouldn’t let this chance at another sparkly gem slip away. “Patience is a virtue,” she whispered and smiled as her lips were still against his. He nudged her towards the window, eager to leave this place, but the Voidling had other plans.

“Not quite what I was hoping to accomplish tonight, my Captain.” With a quick step to the side, the slippery thief wiggled out of Kaz’ embrace and put her hands onto the glass cabinet he had failed to guard. “I wonder what’s inside this pretty little box,” she said quietly, speaking more to herself than to her partner and when she heard movement in the distance, the Voidling’s head turned around abruptly. “Ah, we have spectators, how unfortunate.” Her amethyst eyes caught sight of two men, one of which peaked around the corner, and their conversation told her everything she needed to know. Not only had they seen her face, they had seen them together, and Nuala couldn’t allow that – at least not yet.

With a dash the predatory Voidling had crossed the distance between herself and the man, and with a flick of her wrist, some twists and some turns, their throats had been sliced and their bodies pushed down the stairwell, so that her precious Nephilim didn’t have to see what she’d done for the sake of their privacy. Nuala wiped her weapons clean on her leg and swiftly returned to the glass cabinet, which was now open for her to access. And because the men who owned this place were already dead, the thief decided not to mince words and simply smashed the glass in with her fist to retrieve the box.

“Alright, now we can go. I suggest my place, food is already being prepared for my return and I’m sure you must be hungry.” Nuala gave Kaz a kiss on the cheek and then walked towards the window. “Besides, it really couldn’t hurt you to eat more,” the woman added and gave his arms a pitiful look. Her poor, darling Captain. It’s a good thing she was here to carry the heavy box for him. The independent thief didn’t need no man to assist her, and because of this Nuala skillfully jumped out of the window and landed easily on both her feet, like a proper rogue. Once Kaz had followed behind, she would link her arm with his and lean against him.

“Sorry about all of that,” she said softly and squeezed his arm. “Old habits die hard, but in my case I guess they are immortal.” After some time Nuala’s hand slid down his arm and found its way into his and if he allowed, she’d intertwine their fingers. His skin felt warm against hers and she had missed that feeling. “I’m glad you actually came to Hosenka with me, I have lots of gifts for you. It’s a beautiful city, I doubt we will grow bored of it anytime soon.” Nuala stopped walking for a moment there and looked up to him. Her expression softened and became almost gentle and she squeezed his hand.

“It’s far away from all the troubles and everything and everyone that could possibly annoy us. We deserve this, right?”

His cheeks gave a small flush as the excited and flirtatious tones in Nuala's voice, "Hey," he remarked as she pinched his butt. "Actually I had a hunch I may run into you here. I went with a disguise but it's painfully uncomfortable and offers no protection at all." With her lips against his he let his hand trail down to her lower back. Now that she was fully upon him, he could take in all the delights of her perform and the curves of her body. He shook his head as she slipped through his arms and didn't stop her as she pressed her hands against the glass case.

Kaz looked over to see the men Nuala was talking about. As Nuala took her step to dash toward the men, Kaz rose his hand and a gathering if wind swirled around it. His palm was aimed at the men and a funnel began to form. It dissipated as quickly as he conjured it. Nuala was already dashing over to them and he wanted to trust that she would leave them alive, and more than that he was just tired of destruction, and all he'd be able to do was bring the house down around them anyway, and possibly crush them beneath the rubble.

A draft blew the long curtains across Kaz's legs as he waited for his thief to finish her mischief. The place was a den of criminals and he had little interest in intervening in acts between those in the criminal underworld. His mind was far to focused on other things.

"I eat plenty on the road," he playfully protested and looked at his arms. "But what's on the menu?" It seems he had a lot more weight training to get to. As she stood by the window, he ran his fingers down the slender angles of her stomach to her belly button and then across the piercing branded with a letter. "This is new?" he lifted it with his finger and returned a kiss to her cheek. It was all these little things she did that he liked about her so much.

When the voidling leaped from the window he watched as she skillfully landed. He had spent too much time seeing her as a human and nearly forgot how capable she was in her true form. With a final look back at the empty hall, he undid the tie around his neck and jumped down to join her with linked arms. Her hand sent a tingle down his arm as it snaked closer to his hand and their fingers wove together.  

"Of course I came for you. Gifts?" he asked. And he was glad he came for her. But there was a persistent nagging at the back of his mind about the onslaught that awaited him once he left here and all the changes that would come about. He swallowed as she mentioned not growing bored of it. He didn't want to bring up yet that he couldn't get lost in this wonderland with her forever. She hated how often duty called him to act and he just wanted to enjoy these few moments together in bliss.

"It would be hard to grow bored of much as long as I have a daring thief with me." When they stopped he gazed back at her and turned her body to face his as she squeezed his hand. far away from all the troubles...that was more true than ever.

He stood for a moment. The lights of the street flickered and the sounds of the nightly parade wafted through the town. The flickering lights danced in her amethyst eyes. The ambient glow from lacrima powered lamps illuminated her soft skin.  He ran his hand through her hair and brushed it to the side. This was it. This is what he wanted and the people strolling around them were non-existent.

"We do, Nuala. Life has been hard on us. And it's taken a long time for us to get to this point," his mind filled with the idea of just traveling around the county intimately with her. "We deserve this and more," he said with his hand cupping around her neck, he pulled her lips to his and their tongues entangled with a passionate kiss.

Something lingering in the back of his mind but his focus was on her. "I have to leave to Astera soon and then to Magnolia. Until then I just want to enjoy this city with my lady. No sneaking around or hiding in the shadows." He stepped forward with her hand still in his. "Let's go have dinner." He would say once more and let her lead the way to her abode.

When the reserved Captain repeatedly caressed the thief, she grew just a tad bit suspicious of him – what were Kazimir’s ulterior motives? It wasn’t like the Nephilim to be overly affectionate, and his stoic personality and mundane lifestyle offered little space for romance and intimacy. It was just a gut feeling this time around, but Nuala couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps there were bad news, and that is why he chose to overlook her crimes even when she committed them right in front of him. The Captain had his own morals, and he stood by his principles the same way Nuala stood by hers – they respected each other's ways, and that’s why their relationship, even on platonic terms, had worked. “Sushi,” Nuala said slowly. “I ordered sushi. It’s traditional joyan cuisine, suitable for your tastes I hope?” The Voidling licked her lips after their last kiss.

The Captain stood still for a moment, and she watched as sparks of light reflected the colour of his indigo eyes beautifully, tinting his skin in a healthy, peachy tone and complementing his overall complexion. The colours of his homeland suited him well. When he spoke again, Nuala could hear yearning in his voice, and see a hint of sadness in his eyes; pulled in for another kiss, the Voidling breathed a sigh the moment their lips separated and furrowed her brows in concern. “I can’t complain much,” she admitted to her partner and her head tilted to the side in wonderment just a little bit. “Both Daeva Eye and yourself have embraced me for who I am, I’m no longer lonely and I have found people I can trust.” Her words came out almost reluctantly, but eventually Nuala’s lips formed a smile.

“Dare I say that I’m very happy?”

And of course her sweet Captain immediately found a way to ruin that happiness. When Kazimir explained that he would soon be on his way to Port Astera, and then Magnolia City the Voidling took a step backwards and gently shook her head in confusion. Strands of Nuala’s purple hair came loose and fell into her face, but she pushed them aside as her facial expression turned from confusion to distress. “I don’t understand,” she whispered between pressed lips and took one more step backwards. “I get that you have to check on your little guild occasionally, but what could you possibly want in Magnolia?” She sounded frustrated, and annoyed at the fact that the Captain could never let loose of his duties, not even for her sake – or his own.

Nuala’s voice had turned sour, and the woman ran a hand through her long hair, turning away from Kazimir as she kept walking towards her hotel. Of course this looked to be a simple matter – she overreacted, and such she should apologize, but things weren’t as easy as they seemed. The Voidling knew her Captain well, and she understood that whether he lived 80 years or 200 years wouldn’t put a dent in how he acted – Kazimir would always put his duties first, and as his partner that annoyed her. She hadn’t opened up to him about her feelings for him to keep running back to do paperwork after giving her a few days of his time every now and then. Two-hundred years already seemed frustratingly short to an immortal, and losing any more time to something so irrelevant and ephemeral seemed utterly absurd to Nuala.

“I guess with you constantly gone I’ll have to find pleasure and intimacy elsewhere,” she uttered, and her words came out spiteful and angry.

He smiled at the woman and her thoughtful attitude towards him. "That sounds delightful thank you. But you know...I'd like to try some of the food from the culture you came from as well." Even on their long trips together and dungeon delving in the past, they never really had the chance to explore the culture that she had come from. Seeing her getaway home, he now thought it was because she had been avoiding things that would have reminded her of that life so long ago.

The hesitation and reluctance in her voice were almost expected with what she had said. Never one for too much emotional whimsy she kept a cold distance from people for a long time. "That's good to hear. I'm glad you've found a place you can call home again." he thought about how close he would be moving near her now, with the guild transition. Something he hoped would add to her happiness despite the bitter news he also had to share. But the more he thought about it the more he remembered that it would be news that would benefit her more than making her sad.

"Me too," he replied to the feelings of happiness shared by the couple. Even now with all that was going on, she was a bright spot for him and there was even something about his current situation that seemed to bring him a sense of calm.

His hand lingered after her as she pulled away. Fingers slid down her arms until the faltered through the air back to his side accompanied by a soft sigh that he had stripped away a moment of happiness from them. He opened his mouth with a heavy heart to speak but held his breath as she turned away from him. The phrase 'little guild' stung unknowingly by her, with the truth behind its destruction.

The wind mage stood still as she took a few steps. His gaze shifted off to the side. ''The guild is gone. It's been...a tough time. Dragons have returned to the land and one of them...burned the guild to the ground. Reports say its nothing more than ash now."

He stepped behind her and grabbed the back of her pants, giving her a tug to bring him closer to her, revealing that he had been working out from the more forceful pull than before. He pulled her back against his chest. His head rested next to purple hair. "All the members are safe though. And as for Magnolia...I met with the guild master there and have become the successor to that guild. I guess...there is little place in this world for a knightly organization any longer. Maybe I was just holding onto a memory and nothing more." There was a sadness in his voice at a history lost but oddly not as sorrowful as one would have expected. Perhaps even a hint of calm among the turmoil. losing the guild had been hard, but no of them perished and after learning about his parents, and finding a new path so soon...he was ready for something new if a bit unknown.

When the Captain stepped behind her and, with a gentle tug on her pants, pulled her back against him, Nuala did not resist. The Voidling, still in silent protest, didn’t snuggle up to him and crossed her arms in front of her chest. The news Kazimir had to present was shocking, especially because Nuala hadn’t heard of dragons or such things – not in all 80 years of her life. “Dragons,” she muttered quietly under her breath and turned around to properly embrace her dearest. “I didn’t think those truly existed.” Slowly, Nuala’s arms slid around Kazimir’s thin waist and she gave him a gentle squeeze; her hands lingered on his back, and her cheek rested against his chest. “I’m sorry,” the thief whispered and planted an apologetic kiss to his lips.

“Although I wouldn’t have minded it much if Noyiah died.”

It was a bold thing to say, and perhaps a bit tactless but the selfish Voidling didn’t care. The idea that she was still somewhere at his guild quarters was all the more reason for Nuala to keep Kazimir locked out of Port Astera for as long as possible – and so far the deceitful rogue had succeeded masterfully. Of course Nuala didn’t expect his entire guild to just burn down in the process of her little scheme, but this was his loss and not hers. The woman merely inhaled a deep breath and supportingly rubbed his back. “I know that guild meant a lot to you, but part of me is glad you’re finally rid of it.” She meant those words, and she spoke them with no hostility or anger in her voice. Nuala’s amethyst eyes went up to lock with his blue ones and a candid smile lit up on her face. He’d always been so gentle with her, but a part of him also looked defeated – as if he had given part of himself up to be with her.

“I want you to be free like the wind,” she spoke softly and ran a hand through his hair, carefully tugging a few strands of purple behind his ear. “And I always thought you wanted that too.” When he spoke of Magnolia and Fairy Tail and how he was meant to be its next guild master, Nuala was surprised at first but quickly calmed herself in order not to overreact again. In the end Kazimir was a Wizard Saint and hereby qualified to lead any guild of good alignment, technically at the very least. Nuala’s facial features became thoughtful and she nudged him into a darker corner, further away from the busy streets. “Fairy Tail is not very remarkable,” she whispered and looked over her shoulder. “The streets are way too busy, and people are recognizing you. Let’s go home first.” Nuala then quickly led the Captain down the streets, and through a few sparsely lit alleys until they finally arrived at the pompous hotel she’d chosen.

At the hotel Nuala led Kazimir up into her chambers and swiftly locked the doors behind herself. Sayuri had her own key, but she would only show once requested so the two of them had more time to talk. The rooms were all stylized in typical joyan architecture and the interior design took its inspiration from the oriental culture as well. The main colours were red and gold and even though it was all rather flashy, Nuala found it oddly comforting at the same time. She ushered her partner towards the table and began unbuttoning his shirt. “Undress yourself, I can’t bear to watch you trying to move around in tight pants any longer,” she laughed and went to fetch him a black silken robe. The Captain, in all his divinity, truly was the opposite of graceful. Once he was seated and properly dressed, Nuala poured both of them some sake into a pair of porcelain cups and took a seat next to him.

“Magnolia is close to Dahlia, so that’s the good news,” she began and took her first sip. “But I don’t understand how you can become the master of a guild you previously had no relation to. As far as I know they work under completely different standards and ideals than what you are used to,” she continued and in her restlessness stood up again to find herself a hairbrush. “Fairy Tail is chaotic, leisurely and sloppy..it’s the complete opposite of a military organization,” she said and positioned behind Kazimir’s chair. The Voidling put her hands onto his shoulders, pulled him back and undid his hair before beginning to brush it.

“And what does that have to do with dragons? They don’t want you to do something about that just because you’re a Wizard Saint, right? I hope you know that I’ll lock you up in a dungeon below Dahlia before I let you go to fight fucking dragons.”

"I didn't think they did either. But it was there, and so was the threat of many more to rally together," he said as the voidling dropped her frustration and wrapped him once again in her soothing embrace. He pulled her in as she rested on his chest. Her sympathy subtly washed away beneath the cold waves of truth in her next choice of words. His grip loosened on her, "I know you didn't care much for her, but wishing her dead is a bit much." He didn't know what to say at her next comment about the guild being gone. He didn't have the mind to confront her on it or defend the value it had for him. It was never something she cared for. Even though, he could tell her human sentiment had wanned now, with her cold indifference about it. "You know you could use a bit more practice on this whole consoling thing," he joked instead to get by it.

"Free like the wind? You're starting to sound like me. Things have just been so confusing lately. So many things have been going on...but even so...I feel like it's given me some clarity about things." It was truly one thing after another, but each event seemed to guide him down a road. One that was long overdue. Or so it felt to him. It was hard to recall the last time he wasn't buried in paperwork or negotiating a deal. Dealing with political fallout and backlash. None of the things he had come to Fiore to do in the first place.

He only grinned at her remark on Fairy Tail. "A chunk of metal is not very remarkable until it is forged into a sword. I think there is...potential there. Lot's of it. But more importantly...it has an atmosphere that I think will be good for me."

"Oh?"he looked around confused to find the potential people starring at them and then followed her nudge into the alley and then through the streets toward her place. He wondered when her desire to be alone would outweigh the leisure stroll through the streets.

Kaz entered her abode with all the trimmings of Joyan royalty. "A traditional choice. Almost like Joyan royalty." He took his time looking at the ornate details.

"I prefer it when you do," he replied as she was already unbuttoning his shirt.
"Thank you. How do people wear these things all day? I can barely move in them let alone fight," he said with a sigh of relief as the button to his pants unfastened and they dropped to the floor. The shirt was thrown over the back of the chair. His body felt so much lighter already, and he shook his head at the silken garment Nuala brought with her. Sliding through his arms and over his shoulders, it fit just like the robes he once wore.

The sake went down smoothly. Although he felt like he had drunk more sake in the past few days than in the past year. "I thought you'd like that. It also leads to my next question since we will be so close together I'll probably get a place in Magnolia if you'd like to move in there with me. I'd rather enjoy having you around more often and if we are going to take our relationship further. What do you say?" He just dropped it out there as she pulled him back in his seat and he looked up at her with the hairbrush in her hands. A picture of perfection standing above him, taking care of a weary angel.

"As for the guild, it will...take some getting used to. But I think it's something I should have done for a while. The knights...it's clear that there isn't a place for that, and maybe it is time for something new. As you mentioned, I've been wanting something a little freer. Away from the bureacracy of it all. Maybe a chaotic and leisurely guild is what I need. Would give me plenty of time to focus on helping others and of course...more time with you. Maybe even some adventures like we used to have."

His shoulders slumped and he eased into the comfort of her brushing his hair. It was something a tad new to him and it felt odd to have someone brush it for him, but it was more relaxing than he thought. "Unless you think I'm too stuffy to be able to adapt to something like that," he said with a smile. "My connection with the guild is a little more complicated," he ran his hands down the seams of the silk garment and pulled them over his body. "Turns out the guild master was a friend of my parents. She told me about them and their disappearance. She was the one that gave me to the wind clan and watched over me for years while I was a child. And then she found me to offer me the position. After all she had done for me and with my members in need of a new home. That was that. I owe her a great deal. I never had any idea. And had largely given up on even the idea of my parents. It was...more a relief than anything. A great mystery lifted from my shoulders. That's why I'm a bit lost in thought. What do you think?"


"The dragons have to be stopped. It'll take all the guilds coming together as best we can. They didn't even have to ask. You know I have to help face them. As much as being locked up in your personal dungeon sounds delightful," he added but didn't think it would do anything to lighten the mood for her.

"Besides, they can't be that much worse than demons and angels."

When the Captain commented on her chambers’ flair, mentioning joyan royalty and how much it resembled such, Nuala simply lifted his hand to her mouth and kissed it. “Only the best for my King,” she said and shot him a gaze so loving and sweet, it’d send his mind spinning. He continued to complain about the nature of his attire, and even after Nuala had brought him something more comfortable to wear the Nephilim was baffled at the choice of clothes he’d been offered. “I doubt it’s that bad,” she said and gave him a gentle pat on the thigh, mockingly comforting the Wizard Saint. “It’s just that you are not very flexible.” Nuala had seen plenty of men fight in suits before, and none of them had ever complained as much as he did after a few hours. Kazimir was a creature of habit, or so it seemed.

Nuala occasionally ran her hands through the Captain’s long hair, gently caressed it in between brushes and eventually it smoothened out and became silky in between her fingers. He spoke of Magnolia and when Kazimir revealed his intentions he had for the city, the Voidling mustered up a rapt smile. “What a bold offer to make,” she said and placed two fingers below his chin. Nuala gently tilted his head back and placed her lips against his. They were soft and warm, still tasting of sake and her lipstick. “I doubt I’ll ever be permanently living anywhere, but I wouldn’t mind hiding some of my stolen goods at that mysterious future place of yours,” she suggested with a laugh and quickly kissed him one more time before continuing to brush through his hair.

Once she’d finished grooming him, Nuala spun around Kazimir’s chair and took a seat in his lap. With one arm around his shoulders, the Voidling placed her free hand against his cheek and gave him a long look filled with concern and questions. “What does that even mean? Taking our relationship further?” Her question was simple, and even though the thief should have known what he meant by now, she didn’t. On Nuala’s terms, everything was always almost perfect. And in an entirely perfect world, the Captain wasn’t affiliated to any guild and neither was she; in a perfect world, Kazimir and Nuala would spend their days travelling the world and their nights in passion together, without ever having to worry about anything or anyone but themselves. Especially not dragons. But that wish of hers was a far cry from what reality would ever be like for the couple, and the thought pained her.

Perhaps in a hundred years or so, she told herself.

The conversation continued to the topic of ‘guilds’ and when Kazimir suggested that they take some time off to adventure out like in the old days, the Voidling laughed heartily. “My love, who can’t even wear a normal set of clothes for one night without complaining, too stuck up to be the guild master of fucking Fairy Tail?” She laughed again, shaking her head and giving her partner a tight hug. In hindsight, she couldn’t wait to see how that guild would drive him into madness, because Nuala would be there for all of it. Unfortunately there were bigger, more important matters at stake and when Kazimir mentioned his history with the mangolian guild, and that he intended to assist them in their fight against the dragons, Nuala uttered a sigh and began undressing herself.

“I wasn’t kidding about the dungeon.”

Eventually the now bare-chested Voidling leaned back against the table and reached out for more sake. "It’s great that you know more about your past now, but I still think it’s all a bit too convenient..for them.” Her gaze fell on the Captain, and when she locked eyes with her beloved, she couldn’t help but think about how gullible Kazimir was. “I don’t think it’s right for you to be dragged into this mess. Adriana couldn’t have bothered to tell you about this sooner, and not just the moment she needs you for some fucked up anti-dragon agenda? Seems suspicious if you ask me,” she shrugged and took another sip from the alcoholic beverage.

He could have melted away in the sweet look she gave him coupled with the slight flush of embarrassment from being called a king as she took his hand. "I'm lucky to have such a good queen," he smiled and kissed her cheek.

"This is fine. It's that suit that was the problem. This isn't much different than the robes I wear. Although it's a bit smoother on the skin." The silk garment was a good fit, even if he wasn't used to something that fit as elegantly as it did. eh cocked his brow at being called inflexible. But he couldn't argue the point too much. With his history and wardrobe, he didn't give himself much room for change. "I do have three sets of clothes now," he chuckled, including his armor in the mix.

The weaving of her hands through his hair made him lean further into it. Were this after a long day of work and travel, he could have easily fallen fast asleep in the gentle caregiving hands. A soft moan of relaxation came from the mage, with his eyes now shut.

"No bolder than confessing our love to each other," he said in the seconds before their lips met. "Give it some thought. And you know I'll just end up returning it all to who it belongs to," he replied with a smirk. Turning more serious again, "Just think of it like a place that's our little getaway." She leaned in for a kick kiss and Kaz ran his hand to the back of her neck once more, holding her in for a few more moments of passionate exchange.

His chair spun around with his hair feeling more loose and free than it had all day, and somehow lighter. He just smiled back and nuzzled the hand that was against his face and kissed her palm. "For an immortal woman, I didn't think I'd have to be so forward," he joked.

"Or maybe you just like to hear the words. I mean that I want to spend our lives together. Committed to each other. Building a life together," he said and ran his hand across the soft skin of her back beneath her top. "That's why I asked you to get a place with me. It's really less of you moving in with me as much as it is us finding a place together." Even if they spent more time traveling than at home, which was likely the case, at least it would be theirs together. A place of solitude for the intimacy they shared.

He paused as the woman laughed at the statement and then laughed along with her. It did seem like an extreme change. "Those pants are the worst. But Fairy Tail is a guild about individual expression. I'll be able to wear the same attire day in and day out. I want to run along with the wind as freely as I did when I first came to Fiore."

"Oh really. And just how do you propose to keep me there," he said with a smile but there was a hint of worry that she really would lock him away.

He exhaled softly through his nose. "I admit the timing is a bit convenient. But she knew things about my past that she could only have known if she was there," he placed his hands snug onto her hips.

"I wasn't dragged into it. I was on a mission with Pheonix Feather. We dove into a dungeon and encountered the other guilds. In doing so an ancient evil was released. A cult of evil dragons and we met one good dragon that asked for our help. We all agreed to lend our support. It was some time after that when Adriana found me." He leaned forward and planted a kiss between right below her collarbone.

"But you know me Nuala. I can't turn away from facing a threat. Especially one of this nature." He grabbed her but and hoisted her up, setting her on the table. Their bare chests inches from one another. "Everything is going to work out fine," he said in his usual never give up tone. The same confidence that had gotten into many troubling situations in the past but also pulled him out of the fire more than once. In retrospect, he played fast and loose at times with his life on the line always ready to go in headfirst.

Nuala’s fingers trailed up the Captain’s skin, gently tracing the shape of his neck and jawline. Her lips formed a plump smile and when she saw him look at her with so much affection in his eyes, the Voidling leaned forward and engaged in a slow, tender kiss with her dearest. “I don’t think it’s bold at all,” she gave back and flashed her man a curious look. “If you hadn’t been so..,” she paused for a moment, clearly searching for the right word, “..preoccupied during our first meeting, I would have stayed until the next morning and longer. I would have never left – I know I didn’t want to,” she whispered and curled one of his soft locks around her finger. Nuala wanted Kazimir to know that she’d allowed him to end his previous relationship on his own terms, and that if she’d wanted to, she could have taken him for herself much sooner.

In hindsight Nuala could hardly believe how gladly she would have accepted rejection for the sake of his happiness. Yes, she did love him, but her love for the Captain had only made the thief more selfish. “Still, I think I do like that idea. It would be a private place, something only for the two of us,” she said and the tone of her voice sounded content now – she was satisfied with his proposal and accepting of it. “I suppose it’s time that we stop meeting in these shady hotels after all.” Nuala laughed and wrapped her hands around his neck; the warmth of his body felt comforting against the coldness of her own and the lifting and lowering of his chest was calming.

The Captain continued on, speaking about everything he wanted for their relationship and to the free-spirited Voidling, all of this came as a surprise. “But we are already spending our lives together,” Nuala spoke, tilting her head to the side ever so slightly at his words. “And by ‘committed to each other’ you mean you don’t want me to have sex with other people anymore?” A mischievous smile painted the woman’s dark lips, and the sound of her voice made her question seem almost innocent, when both of them knew that it was not. Nuala wanted to know exactly what Kazimir wanted, and with how rarely the Nephilim expressed his deepest darkest desires, being able to squeeze the truth out of him was delightful and entertaining.

Apparently the Captain thought that her intentions of keeping him here were futile, but the rogue had to disagree. “Of course I can keep you here if I want to,” she announced proudly and leaned back, arching a brow while checking out his delicate statue. “I’m much stronger than you, remember? And you can’t use your magic without hurting me, therefore I win.” It was a simple thing really, and before he could talk back she gave him another kiss to seal his lips. The conversation took a strange turn, returning to the topic of Fairy Tail and dragons, none of which stopped the sneak thief from getting naked and spreading herself out onto the table in front of him after he had lifted her up.

“If the ‘good’ dragons–whatever that’s supposed to mean–asked for your help, then that means you got dragged into it,” she concluded and corrected him at the same time. If he still wasn’t on top of her at this point in time, she would pull him in between her legs and slip off the robe she had given him earlier. “Of course you can, you just don’t want to.” There was a pinch of bitterness in her voice, but before things went off-road Nuala thought it best to seize the tension that had built up between them for a round (several, actually) of love making. The hours flew by and the Voidling found herself spread across the bed and her lover’s body, sheets wet from sweat and still gasping for breath. All this dragon talk had exhausted her, so she decided to switch tunes for just a little bit before the two of them had to go back to more serious matters.

“If you’re not tired yet I have a little surprise for you,” she purred and bit into his neck.

He found himself comforted by the simple words she whispered. His mind relaxed into the soothing kiss she planted on him. "Good to know," he replied with his breath against her cheek. It was a tricky thing to navigate verbally around that first meeting when things were more complicated. "And now you don't need to ever leave," he added with a smile, knowing she had a knack for wandering off in the night, but always returning so they could be together.

The hint of content in her voice was all the affirmation he needed. Kaz ran his hand across the faintly glowing runic markings on her cheek and around into her hair, that flowed freely between his fingers. "Exactly. Just a place for us to build together. Fill with our own memories. And yeah...meeting somewhere less shady will be nice. Although I have to admit," he looked around the room and then back to his beloved. "These rendezvous have grown on me." Admittedly they had and the constant travel was nothing new to him. But he felt it time they settled on something a bit more stable. Her cold body never felt so chilling to him, especially as their intimacy grew. Her hair dripped from her shoulders and tickled against his bare chest.

"We are," he nodded. and when she said the next part his eyes widened a bit. "Anymore? Are you sleeping with someone els..." He cleared his throat and playfully scowled at the woman. "Yes That is exactly what I mean," his face a little flushed as they so openly discussed sex fidelity. "I want our relationship to be serious and committed. Just the two of us." A topic he never thought he would have with someone he was romantically entangled with. For him, it always had gone without saying. Part of him felt a little silly having to say it out loud.

He crossed his arms as she examined his physique. He knew what that look was going to lead too. "my," he started but the woman snuck in a kiss. A tried and true method of hers to keep him from countering her point or more precisely to avoid any wind analogies he always had ready to go. She was right about his magic without a doubt. It was only useful for running and destroying. If he used it against her, he had no way of mitigating its effects. But he could still run...if he could escape her vice grip arms.

The wind mage followed after her on the table, pulling her remaining garments off and dropping them to the floor. His hands slithered down the contours of her smooth legs before he was pulled between them. "I would have done so even if they didn't ask," he shrugged and knelt over her, placing his lips against her flat stomach and weaving his way up her body.

There was a bitter snap in her voice. But he could only smile with his lips still grazing her neck. She was right....he wasn't forced to...He could choose any path he wanted, but that's just who he was. Instead of responding he playfully bit her earlobe and shifted his intimate attention to her neck before they spent the next few hours within each others embrace.

His deep exhale blew a rogue strand of his hair from his face. Deep breaths followed from the long bout of exertion with his lover. He pulled the wet sheet from their torsos. The room warm enough now to be comfortable without it. His fingers massaged up and down her back as they laid there.

He let out a small moan at the bite, "A surprise? What are you up to?" He asked both excited and cautious, never really knowing what his lover had in mind.

When the Captain suggested that he wanted for their relationship to be ‘just the two of them’ Nuala rolled her amethyst eyes at the man. Of course she knew what he meant, and the thief had never been fond of having several partners at once (or partners at all for that matter) anyways, but in Nuala’s opinion there should at the very least be room for opportunity. The Voidling laughed when her Captain scowled at her, and placing two fingers against his lips she gave him a wicked smile in return. “Sometimes I am,” she admitted and planted a sweet kiss to his lips, knowing well he was probably in distress after hearing those words. “But not since I have fallen in love with you, my dearest.” The thief’s grip around the man tightened and she pulled him closer to comfort him.

“I suppose I should have expected your standards to be so traditional,” she taunted, but before the woman knew what was happening, her Captain had already lured her away into dreams of passion, intimacy and lust. Hours went by until Nuala decided it was proper timing for the two of them to have a midnight snack, and while her partner still lay on the bed she’d climbed on top of him, pressing him into the sheets. Her hands snaked up his arms, put them above his head and before he knew it, she had him chained up against the bed frame. “Oops,” she smiled meekly, but there was nothing innocent about her mannerisms or actions.

“I think you should at the very least give this a chance one time,” Nuala said and reached for a small, golden bell that stood on the night table next to the bed. “It’s not a terrible thing to try out new things, you might even like it.” And while she spoke, Nuala felt as though she was making some reasonable points. Knowing Kazimir, the stale Captain probably hadn’t even tried something like that yet, and she wanted to brighten up the mood a little. The Nephilim had suspicion written all over his face, and she couldn’t help but laugh at how scared he seemed to be. Nuala rang the bell and after a few moments, Sayuri entered through the door, carrying far more sushi than all three of them could eat in one night.

“This,” Nuala began and pointed at the joyan beauty. “Is the most prized concubine in the entire east, perhaps even in the entire country.” Sayuri was a beautiful, exotic looking woman; slightly taller than Nuala, with full curves and a luxurious and sensual appearance. Her hair was deep black in colour and reached far below her hips. The nude courtesan placed the sushi on the nearest table and one plate by the bed. “I paid a ridiculous sum of money just to have her to myself for a few days, and she’s been keeping me company during your absence.” The thief reached over, grabbed a pair of chopsticks and a piece of salmon nigiri that she put into the Captain’s mouth, to give him some time to chew and think twice about whether he wanted to decline this amazing opportunity – or not.

"Just one night, Kaz. You won't regret it."

The voiding left a confused thud in the mage's gut as she whispered sometimes. His hands clammed at the thought of her in another's arms. Yet all his tension was eased when her following sweet words left her lips and sang into his ears. He held her tightly when she pulled him in for a comforting embrace. She had him worried for a moment but he dare not say that aloud. "I suppose I am. It doesn't seem to bother you though," he teased back. With their countless hours spent together in travel, he was aware of just how well she knew him and his ways.

"Hey what are you," he began to respond, bringing his senses together after she snaked around his body as skillfully as a succubus. It was the distinct click of familiar metal gears that gave it away. "uh Huh. Nuala, just what do you have planned?" He asked, looking back at the cuffs around his wrists and giving them a small tug. "I'm usually the one on the other end."

He cocked his brow. Kaz was always one for adventure. But this turn of events seemed to have another layer to it. The fact that she had to ask was enough to give him worry. "Might even like what? And what's that bell for? Actually, where did that bell even come from?"

"Hey," he proclaimed with a wavering voice and tapped his foot on the edge of the bed to send a ripple of wind beneath the sheets and covering up his lower body. "I've had sushi before Nuala. You could at least let me get dressed before you have someone show up." he turned his attention to the woman carrying the food. "I'm sorry miss. I am usually not so exposed...Oh." So caught up in his own nudeness he didn't realize the woman that entered was as well. And suddenly, "OHH. Oh no." His face flushed red. "You uhm. Well nice to meet you."

He then focused back in on Nuala as she continued the explanation. "I know you may have....paid a lot for her time. And what do you mean keeping you." before he could finish she had shoved sushi into his mouth. He let a deep breath out of his nose and chewed the food. All the while his eyes stayed on Nuala and didn't venture back to the woman.

With a final swallow, he was ready, "This isn't exactly what I meant when I said I wanted things to be just the two of us. And what kind of company has she been keeping you?" He wondered as the voiding said she had no sexual partner other than him since they had fallen for one another.

"I'm sorry miss, could you just," he was about to ask her to leave but was unsure if whoever see worked with would frown upon that. "Can you just put on my jacket and sit down a moment."

"Listen Nuala. I...I'm not much for sharing..uhm...intimacy. It may sound selfish of me. But I want you all to myself," he decided to just be as candid as he could with her.

“It’s been here the entire time,” said Nuala, and her lips twisted into a wicked smile. The Captain frequently let his guard down around her, and she enjoyed the amount of trust he put into her. When the Voidling led her partner into a new place, he rarely scanned the surroundings and his focus clung solely to her. She didn’t seem to mind, but genuinely hoped that he was taking proper care of himself during her absence – if anything, it confirmed that Kazimir was to be kept close to her, far away from things, people and dragons that could hurt him or steal him away. ”Don’t worry so much about the little things,” she said and gently rubbed the area below his neck; sliding her hands underneath him, Nuala massaged his shoulder blades and flashed him a comforting smile. The Captain was visibly flustered when the joyan concubine entered the room and the thief laughed out loud when he used his magic to blow up the sheets, covering up his private parts.

He was strangely loyal, that Nephilim of hers, and she wondered how she could do someone like himself justice. As an immortal woman, Nuala didn’t take most things too serious and especially not herself – there was plenty of time to experience everything and the Voidling had an excessive amount of patience. If anything, she would have waited out the lifespan of his former human partner to be with him, but fortunately fate had brought them together much sooner. “There’s nothing Sayuri hasn’t seen before,” Nuala snickered and pulled the sheets up to save her dearest from further embarrassment. Kazimir never forgot his manners, politely greeting the courtesan as she placed the sushi around the room. “It is my pleasure,” she gave back meekly and dropped a curtsey. As expected, the Captain didn’t seem to thrilled by the idea of sharing his bed with a third person, even if that person was a gorgeous female, and Nuala merely shook her head, uttering a sigh as she sent Sayuri away again.

“I figured you would say something like that, but it was worth a try anyways.”

Rolling off the bed, Nuala sat down at the edge and pulled the table closer so she could properly access the food. ”And she has been keeping me very good company, if that is what you are asking,” she responded and put a second piece of sushi into his mouth, this time with tuna. "Sayuri is an excellent cook, and a great listener." He explained his thoughts on the matter and Nuala listened patiently, munching away while he did so. In the end, everything he said made perfect sense to the Voidling and there was no reason for her to deny him or do something that would make him unhappy solely for the purpose of entertainment. ”I suppose that’s right. Nadir was never a fan of it either,” she said, hinting at the fact that this sort of behavior may be linked to being mortal. Nuala removed the chains and pulled him up into a seating position before handing him his own pair of chopsticks and a plate with sushi on it.

”I guess that means it will be just the two of us then?” Speaking in a gentle tone, the woman ran her hand through his hair and planted a kiss to his forehead to comfort her soft-hearted angel. ”But you should know that having her here wouldn’t have been for my pleasure, but for yours, right? I enjoy seeing you squirming and squealing like that – it’s rather cute.” The tone of her voice had changed a bit, and it was almost as if she was playfully mocking him now. In reality, Nuala wanted to spend as much time as possible being casual and light-hearted with her Captain, because with dragons on the horizon it seemed that the peaceful times would be over soon.

"Don't worry about the little things huh? I always have to keep my eye on you," he teased back and closed his eyes as she ran her hand down his neck. She was a sneaky one, and he always had to be on his toes around her and yet failed to do so, so often. Nothing she did would cause him any harm, but her surprises were always the unexpected sort. From concubines to midnight raids.

"It's not funny Nuala," he shook his head with a red hue in his cheeks from the moment. He was more confused and shocked than angry at all. His voice was a higher pitch than usual.
"Yeah, except for me," he protested and wiggled his wrists in the chains that bound him, unable to sit up. Kaz averted his eyes from the nude curtsy, with a sigh that the woman had not taken the precaution to cover herself at all. "Thank you."

Kaz's eyes squinted at Nuala when she dug in that the woman had been keeping her good company. He turned his head from the second piece of sushi with his lips tightly closed. Only parting once the voidling mentioned the company of cooking and listening. Kaz hesitantly took the sushi, still unsure if she had been intimate with the woman or not. He opted to believe it was only cooking that happened. The delicate taste of tuna wrapped with rice did little to sate the flustered moment he just endured.

"Thank you," he replied as she undid the chains and he joined her at the edge of the bed. "It's just something I think should be between us." He tilted his head at the woman when she mentioned her departed husband. "Just how long have you been trying to lure someone into one? How many have you been a part of?" He questioned an aspect of life that he knew little about.

"I have plenty enough pleasure from you," he responded sweetly and with her next comment, he twisted his smile lopsided and nudged his shoulder into her. He then took her hand in his and made the cheesiest love-struck expression he could. "My dearest Nuala. The beating of your heart is like the wind that lifts me to the heavens. My one. My only," he recounted dramatically, knowing how much she hated anything overly romantic and laughed at how over the top he even felt saying it.

As the dinner went on he took her in a loving embrace before they drifted off to sleep. The wind mage awoke with his beloved next to him. She was still fast asleep. For once he was the one awake before her. He spun around slowly on the bed and looked at the golden bell. His fingers stroked the handle as he thought about his lover and the lengths she went through to bring him joy and the long life she lived. 'even nadir said no' he thought and wondered even more about what desires would fulfill her, and how long she had wanted this fantasy. With a deep breath, he took the bell and eased off the bed. The door made no sound as it slid open. Kaz held the bell out, pausing for a moment.

He looked back at her, sleeping peacefully wrapped around their sheets. "Just this once my love," He closed the door and gave the bell a single ring. it wasn't long before Sayuri appeared just as nude as ever. Kaz swallowed and looked away before settling his eyes on hers. "One time," he whispered and opened the door with the woman right behind him.

He led her to the bed and had her climb in first. Kaz stood still for a moment to settle his nerves, seeing the two women so close to one another, Sayuri waiting for him to join. Kaz slid in next to Nuala, His robe dropping from his shoulders. Kaz lifted her face closer to his to wake her. Before she could gather her sense he kissed her deeply and whispered with his lips still against hers, "For tonight." With his other hand he moved the handcuffs into her care, so she may do as she pleased.

“I appreciate your loyalty, but I do think you shouldn’t take these things, or yourself for that matter, too seriously,” advised Nuala. The sushi was delicious, the fish fresh and the rice spiced accordingly; the concubine’s work flawless as ever. Her mindset was different than his, and her idea of a fun, fulfilled life varied greatly from what the Captain wanted, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t find that happiness together. The Voidling uttered a quiet sigh when he nudged her shoulder with his, lowering her chopsticks to glance at her companion and take in his still youthful features. Unlike herself, the Nephilim wasn’t immortal and she often thought about how the course of time would change him – and how she didn’t need to force anything with him. Kazimir would get there eventually, all on his own.

“But hey, you do whatever you think is right,” she said with a smile, and planted a soft kiss to his cheek. When Kaz made that cheesy comment, she gagged audibly and shivered, quickly sliding away from him, towards the edge of the bed, and taking the plate of sushi with her. “Gross.” She sounded offended, but shortly after they laughed about it and continued their meal. It was good to spend time with him like this, and once again she felt a hint of despair creeping up from the back of her mind, worrying about what she would succumb to the moment he stopped existing.

200 years is a long time, she thought, reminding herself that she’d already experienced and survived the death of a loved one. But it was nothing Nuala ever wanted to go through again.

The hours drifted by effortlessly and eventually the couple finished their meal and returned to bed, where they fell into a deep slumber. It was the only time during which the Voidling was able to rest – truly rest – without feeling the need to sleep with an eye open. Nuala had grown accustomed to letting her guard down around the Captain, even if it meant handing him the responsibility of both their safety. In the end trusting him with her life came naturally to her, and it felt like the right thing to do. Nuala awoke to the feeling of someone else entering the room, and she opened her eyes slowly, doing a typical cat stretch on the sheets while her gaze wandered back and forth between Sayuri and Kaz. Still a bit sleepy at first, the Voidling became wide awake the moment she took notice of the Captain’s nervous and flustered expression.

She was kissed by him before she could say anything, and once Nuala put two and two together a diabolic smile spread across the thief’s lips. “Oh, trust me. You are going to love this.” Nuala put the cuffs away, deciding that this would be a test of resilience for the Captain instead. “Sayuri is a very well-read woman,” she began as she snuck over to the joyan beauty. “She has studied all the books of the Kama Sutra.” Her smile was all-knowing and with that, Nuala enjoyed as the two of them indulged her every whim. As the hours passed, the purple haired couldn’t help but notice that her partner was taking a liking to, well, everything at this point and once they’d finished their little session of excitement and lust, she was back in his arms and as pleased as one could be.

“This could become a regular thing, if you want,” Nuala suggested with a meek smile, and snuggled up against him. “And even if it’s becoming a daily thing, it will never change how I feel about you. You know that, right?”

"Well we know I can't do that," he joked back about taking things more lightly. They lived lives in different ways but for the wind mage that was one of the things that made this strange relationship work. And even then he knew that her long life had been the cause of some of the reasons she was the way she was, and her time locked away in that place of darkness. He smiled with the soft kiss she planted on his cheek. It was true for both of them and the back and forth of them together was still something to traverse. He was just getting used to her need to always disappear on him and rob people blind. leading into all his efforts to return those same goods.

He began his laughter as she scooted away from him. The gag and shiver was the exact response he thought would happen. "Hey, don't take the sushi," he playfully reached out for the plate that was getting further and further away. He wasn't thinking about any of the turmoils of the outside world while he was here. That would all come back in the coming days.

When he climbed into the bed with Sayuri, Nuala's confused expression turned into a grin straight from the abyss. He gave a weak and nervous lopsided smile at her comment, now worried as to what was going to transpire and still embarrassed by the affair. Kaz mustered all of his endurance and stamina to stay up to the task between the two women. Long purple and black hair twisting around the sheets. Kaz fell back against the headrest with heavy breaths as Nuala snuck back into his arms. Sayuri laid for a moment on his other side before slinking away and gathering up the food she had brought for them.

He pulled her in closer still not sure what to think about the whole thing. He only knew that he was tired and didn't want to think about standing on his own two feet. "A regular thing? Even if that's something I'd consider I don't think I have the energy to keep that pace up." He chuckled and gave her a quick kiss on her forehead. "But it was...enjoyable."

"I know," he replied, looking back at her with comfort in his eyes at hearing her words of affirmation. "But I think I'd rather keep those...times...spread out. I still want you all to myself after all. I'm actually a bit surprised you wanted this." He mentioned and ran his hand through her purple hair. Something about the moment drew him in and he planted another kiss on her lips. Sayuri was an interesting addition but his focus was always on her and each kiss carried something more passionate than he found with any other.

"Thank you," he whispered and placed his head on top of hers. All the energy drained from his body and he drifted away, more relaxed and calm than before.

As he was sleeping it was not long before Sayuri re-entered the room only long enough to place two tickets on a table and to mention that Kaz asked her to pick them up for him. An image on the tickets showed a bathhouse on a hill. The wind mage still fast asleep and recovering.

“Mhm,” the woman mumbled, and propped herself up on her elbow to ponder about what Kazimir had said. “I suppose when I came back from the void, it took a long time for me to get rehabilitated,” she explained; in the end, Nuala had her reasons for everything she did but that didn’t mean he would be able to make sense out of all of them. The very least she could do however, was to try and explain herself. “And because I felt like I had lost so much time, I had the urge to quickly catch up on everything.” Her eyes fell on the man beside her, and she gave him a curious look. Regardless of how unexpected the evening had gone, he seemed satisfied with that, and Nuala was happy to get his mind off the horrible things he had to live through in the most recent times. None of it affected her personally, but the Captain was still very much a slave to his human emotions.

“In the end, and once I’d realized that I wasn’t aging, all of that became very pointless very quickly. I no longer felt the need to do anything, or to complete anything and I guess it’s made me into the free-spirited person I am today?”

When Nuala realized that she had all the time in the world to do, well, everything the thief had slowed down her pace significantly. In the end, spending her days taking care of her loved ones was nice, but incredibly unrewarding because they all died in the end. Nuala smirked when Kazimir admitted that he’d enjoyed their time together with Sayuri, and smiled into the kiss that followed shortly after. As per usual, the Captain fell into a deep slumber shortly after and the thief took that time to think about the offer he made earlier that day. Moving in didn’t seem like a big deal, but Nuala understood that it was just one step into a direction that would bring her into a life full of changes. Eighty years was still awfully young for an immortal, and with her guild being in such an odd state, Kaiser going missing and Finn being allegedly deceased, the woman felt as though now wasn’t the time to settle down.

Kazimir was different from that. He was still young as well, especially by human standards, but Nuala knew that the things he’d been through, from the way his whole ordeal with his clan had played out, to becoming a Nephilim, the loss of the Rune Knights and now even his own guild, had made him tired – and that he needed to rest. And that he deserved it, no matter what her own agenda was. Nuala sighed and stayed awake the entire time during which the Captain slept, waiting patiently as the hours passed. She wanted to tell him directly this time, mostly because she thought he deserved better than what she’d been giving him lately. Nuala was caught off-guard by Sayuri returning in between with two tickets for a hot spring, and when Nuala saw the logo on them she had to withhold a laugh.

“Poor, naive Kaz,” she whispered quietly into his ear, too quietly for it to wake him up. “Everyone knows that this bath house is haunted – you totally got scammed.”

When he eventually woke up again, Nuala would be sitting with her legs crossed and his hand in hers. She gave him a gentle smile and patted on his chest to ease him back into gear gently. “I want to talk to you about something,” she said and her smile turned bleak. “I can’t come to Magnolia with you, but I think you should go anyways. It’s a chance for you to have a fresh start, and you should take it.” In the end, Nuala was immortal and Kazimir would live a long life. And because of this, the Voidling didn’t feel any need for them to be with each other for every moment of it.

He cocked his head at the woman that was sitting gently at the end of the bed. The way she held his hand was different than any other time. He placed his own hand on top of the one she patted his chest with, "Good morning," he smiled back regardless of what time of the day it was. His throat dried as the smile that brought him such joy in the past few days lost its luster.  He squeezed her hand, "What's wrong," he leamed up to sit level with her. He expected something...anything...but not what followed.

"You think I should go?," he shook his head, trying to rattle out the confusion that wrapped his thoughts. "Do you have an assignment..." he began to ask anything that would be the normal reasons. A secret mission to slip away to. A job that needed to get done or her usual secretive dance. But not this time. He could see it in her eye, the way the words fell out as bleak as the smile she donned. And he knew what this was, by the simple way she held his hand. He rubbed his fingers across hers and closed his eyes a moment.

"I had hoped to have a fresh start with you," he looked back at her. Searching her eyes for some message sent from deep within her void filled soul, that he had come to find comfort within. What he saw looking back at him was the affirmation of the words she spoke.

"You're serious?" he asked already knowing the answer she was going to say and once she confirmed it, he would look at the messy sheets that surrounded them, wondering what it was all for, or if last night was all just an event to say her farewell to him. One last night of something magical before it all came to an end.

"I...I don't know what to say," He reached for her cheek to stroke it once more, letting his fingers linger on the cold smooth skin, highlighted by the rune markings. He had chased her across Fiore and he was glad he did, but perhaps that chase has finally come to an end. Her free-spirited nature and his devotion to duty and good may have reached an impasse.  Maybe they knew they were leaving in a dream the whole time. A fantasy they needed.

After she spoke her peace, he sat in quiet for a moment. His hair was still messy and unkempt from the hours before. With her long life, he couldn't understand the feelings or way she looked at time, maybe she even intended on returning one day. In a decade or tomorrow. He could never really know with his thief. But what he did know was that their lives as much as they enjoyed their time together would drive them ever further apart. She was a thief and he was a knight.

He stood up in silence and crossed the room to his uniform. Tucked within his pocked was the medallion he was awarded when he first became a captain. "I, uhm...I'm sure we will meet again one day. I will miss you," he took her hand and dropped the medallion into it. "You'll always know where to find me," he meant it if she changed her mind about them or needed anything. "We may lead different lives and walk different paths but...You'll always have a captain on your side, Nuala." He kissed her forehead and walked out of the room. He held the door and took one more image of her in his mind, "Whenever you want a fresh start...I'll be there."

The Nephilim returned to his own apartment. The window was open....just in case. He folded up his belongings and looked at the picture she had drawn of him. He ran his hand down the image and tucked it away in the safest place in his bag.

-exit-

Spoiler:

Nuala’s smile turned bleak when she saw the Captain’s face, and how unhappy he was with her decision. But that didn’t mean it couldn’t be a good thing for both of them. “Please don’t look at me like that,” she begged and ran her hands through his hair to dishevel his already curled up and messy indigo strands. In the end, Nuala didn’t for once think of this as farewell and neither should the Captain. “Of course we will meet again,” she laughed and shook her head; now in mild disbelief at the dramatic turn this conversation was taking. Nuala knew that there were still things the Captain had to take care of, personal matters and such was the same for the Voidling herself. When he took her hand and dropped his medallion into it, she immediately closed her fingers around it and gave him a smile.

“Thank you. I’m sure it will be a while for you, but not for me.” He kissed her forehead, but Nuala was having none of that. Quickly pulling his face down to hers, the woman pressed her lips against his before finally letting him go. Something told her that he wasn’t going back to Magnolia, or ever planning on returning to Fairy Tail at all. If anything, the Captain’s journey led him into far away lands, where his home was and the people he needed to face. In a way, it was quite similar to Nuala’s own story and it was because of this that she knew she couldn’t join him – at least not yet. Both of them had their own issues at hand and the woman hoped that the Wizard Saint could be trusted to handle his own by himself. Either way, she did plan on keeping an eye on him throughout the years, even if it was only to make sure that he wasn’t being seduced by yet another useless blonde mortal.

It would be a shame if all of Kazimir’s new girlfriends were found dead in some ditch shortly after getting involved with him after all. A shame of course, but certainly not a surprise. Once the Captain had departed, Nuala made a mental note to always keep a track on him and when she checked on his location later that night, her heart ached the moment she noticed the window that had been left open for her to rejoin him. Tempted to do so, the Voidling tore her gaze away and disappeared into the night.