// this man exists, I assure you. I think I have muse for him again so, soon.

Further antagonism. Zenos stepped closer and pressed his foot to their chest to give a shove.

"I am greater than what binds a soul to the sea. You should understand the measures of which I wrought, and how righteous a life one must have to endure the trial of death and come out victorious."

"It has crossed my mind at some point. But there is likely only terror left in the wake of what I exist as. To bring forth my own family, there is no absolutes I could guarantee that a cycle may not repeat."

His smile has long since gone, now staring off and away.

"My teachings are all I know."

More magic. He's moving his arms out to conjure large icicles trained on Nidhogg. There were only four, so he's hoping she diminishes them with easy, lest she not hold any weight in the desire she has for her aether.

His arms cross into his chest, icicles pulling towards her quick.\

show me more!

\A quiet hum. Her persistence is admirable but it won't push him down so easy, not that he'd let her do so anyway.

That roar... How primal. She hasn't yet measured up to a standard worth respecting yet, so he figured he'd play with her some more.

Zenos does move, however, to get some distance.

curtain of hair contain their faces only to them still. The hand at her hip lifts up, snaking up her torso, up her neck, and right to her lips, two fingers at the ready for entry with a wordless demand. The grin on his face, however, invited that very demand just the same, as it always did before.

"I fear this dance could have been practiced so much sooner had you just turned your eyes to me before now." Another laugh. He remembers all too well of her desires of him. She wants to experience how they interacted before but in a new light.

Rough.

He pulls away from her enough to let his

pierce flesh, but not now, no. He wants her to anticipate it. To know the option is there. Instead, a nail was dragging to her hips, following fabric of the cloth that covers her. There's little effort made of when he dips a claw underneath and tears through it to sever it from holding together.

and she would throw herself at him, he would have egged her on long ago.

"This dance we do, Sweet Amelia.." His dragon nails slide against her skin, digging in slightly so she could really feel the pressure of how much he was holding back. Perhaps another press here and there could mean he would

"Peculiar, is it not?" A kiss to her skin, hushed words grazing her ear when he lifts past her face to speak. "You wished for my touch, my hold, my warmth. To approach me in such a dressed down manner like this..." Zenos chuckled. He couldn't help it.

Were it so simple he could just wait this long

"Well then, wishes of prosperity to you so that you can build that kind of family for yourself." Soft with her. Perhaps because he senses how earnest she is in her endeavor about this.

He catches that smile, and in turn, shares his own.

\He doesn't even move. No need to, he's not worried about what she can do. Instead, he's going to use his control of fire to keep her bound in place with Burning Chains, right before she'd make contact, just for the thrill of it.\

shame. if only you could measure up to the standards of the warrior.

Dulcinea del Toboso

comfort of her flesh against his own, body pressed against her now as his hands both now find occupancy on her thighs.

Such a scandalous position he has her in, her legs held at his sides despite how clothed they both were. Enough to drive a sane person mad, surely. Perhaps even her...

than before just to let her know who really was in control of this situation.

"Sweet Amelia..." The grin on his face that was taunting eases, hand on her neck slipping away so that his face can replace it, lips to her skin. Warm, contrast to his otherwise cooler skin.

It was pleasant to feel the

"Is this not what you like? What you desire from me? My grip on you, all consuming. Reminding you of where we lay on the bosom of power dynamics..." He chuckles, a familiar grin he's shown her multiple times in their interactions of yesteryears.

The hand on her neck is firm, gripping a bit more

what benefit do i garner for the assistance of your brood returning?

i tire of this farce. you pointedly believe you are owed what you lost on your own terms, and dare not even raise a hand in demand against me, thinking words will solve this.

you shall either slay me for your aether, or be quiet.

That foulness in the scent. It's brief, as the blood isn't a lot, but it is indeed a smell.

Zenos unwraps his arms and shoved Sophos off of him so he can stand, as if they were the reason he was trapped on the ground and not his own doing.

"Poor you, wishing a soul like I to the sea."

"Never have I minded your speech, regardless of how long or how short it was. You should find no need to apologize."

The tilt of his head, unsure of if her vulnerability was an insecurity or not that would prompt the apology. Though, it didn't really matter, it doesn't bother him.

intimate moment that held them both. If he were to ease on her neck and move, he could further lean in to kiss her again.

But he wants her submission.

"Let me hear that purr again, dear Amelia... Show me that you wish to be mine.."

That grin remained as he pressed against her again, persistent.

my life taken by mine own hand... There you are again, in my eyes, to hear that purr of yours when we lock eyes..." His tone is lower. He's leaning closer, thumb and fingers pressed up against her windpipe.

His hair is like curtains, draped past her head and to the table as if to demand an

leg. He's pressed against her, pelvis to pelvis. He'll remain, just as a dare to her that he wasn't backing down, and in hopes neither was she.

"All I ever have done is controlled you. I guided your path to me each and every time, stayed your weapons in foolish attempts to defeat me, and even after

"Oh?" There was something a tad more sinister than usual in that. A twisted, wicked grin to match it, Zenos leaned in close to Amelia. His stature was always greater, so shadowing her from above was nothing new.

The hand at her thigh shifts to reach below and grab until her knee to lift up the

The squeeze is great once again, a showing of no mercy against them.

"You are wasting time. You only have so many ribs that I can go through. I would find myself going through the rest of your bones if I must, so your clock is ticking. Finish your previous sentence."

i fulfilled my wants and desires of the power that i took. this world we exist in has powers beyond the means of many, and if you want that power, you will simply have to claim it yourself.

if you want your aether back, you will have to kill me for it. but we both know you are incapable of a task.

"Food for thought, then. I appreciate your earnest answer."

He stands and listens, neutral. Her insight is useful to him, curious of his own thoughts on the matter. He can't say it has *never* crossed his mind, his own family to create, but there has been no need, no desire, no wants for it.

Lost in his thoughts.

He eventually nods, crossing his arms.

"Go on. Speak. Have you fallen so far from this pompous attitude that you cannot yet withstand by hold?"

An adjustment of his arms. He was planning to do the same thing against to another set of ribs if he felt like it. Holding.

A nod. As expected.

"It is hard to imagine you settling down, anyhow. You have so much fire within you yet unquelled. Could you see that future? When all is said and done, would you ignore the next chance of an adventure and lay with the life building a new family instead?"

for someone so pathetic, entitlement is brimming within you something fierce. is it because you are a shell of what you once were? that your hideous attempts at conjecture fall flat when you speak to me, a league above you?

even with your aether returned, what worth would you possess? what value?