Doe's POV:

It felt like you could see the entire city from this balcony.

Dots of light spotted the hills in the far distance through the night, showing where every house there resided. And even more on the flat ground around it.

Looking directly down, you could spot the main plaza that sprouted right in front of the entrance of the castle.

Even now it was bustling, hanging lights strung in a zigzag over the wide, bricked walkway. Spaces were kept between each permanent building there to leave space for the vendors or street performers to come and go as they pleased.

A huge children's playground to the right of it all, and what looked to be a lush garden to the left. All of it being dusted in a thin layer of snow.

From the height this room was at, it took a while for me to make it all out.

The height was... daunting at first, pulling up some rather unpleasant memories, but the quartz pillar railing that came up to the middle of my torso made for some added safety and allowed me to gaze without much more worry.

I lifted my gaze back over towards the tall mountains at the horizon, taking in the stars that differed from what I was used to seeing.

The faint breeze blew against the small leaves of the vines that crawled over the outside walls, adding a nice ambiance to the calm night after an eventful day.

Or... eventful compared to what I was used to.

I rested my elbows onto the flat surface of the railing, the material being colder than the surrounding air.

It was just a tad warmer here as well for this time of year.

So, of course, as I do, I came out here in just the shirt and pants I'd put on for the day.

The blanket on that bed was currently unmatched in warming me up.

And this, letting the cold air nip at my skin, kind of made Xander feel warm for a short while...

A sensation that was comforting in its own odd way.

Not that he wasn't already, it was just different.

I quiet creak rang out behind me, signaling that the balcony door to my left had been opened, and followed by 7 familiar footsteps.

"I'm surprised you haven't changed into something comfier by now," He spoke as he walked right to my side.

A fair comment. Since usually as soon as the day was done I switched into whatever I planned on sleeping in immediately.

Though the reason I hadn't yet was because I had to make sure he was okay with what I wanted to change into

I had planned on it only being a one-night thing but...

"Can I sleep in one on your shirts again?" I asked.

Despite the original goal with his clothes, it ended up being a lot comfier than I was expecting.

The loose but soft fabric that already had that lingering scent I'd become so fond of.

Even the closet itself had a hint of the musk.

As if sleeping on him wasn't already enough, but I wanted to take all that I could get.

He crossed his arms next to where mine were and leaned his top-half down so we were at the same height.

"Doe, you can use anything in that closet for whatever you want," he said, the green glow of his eyes shining just a bit with the dim light.

The way the color reflected off his hair as it got tossed with the breeze caused me to look away the second I felt my heart do... something uncalled for at the sight.

"Noted," I quietly cleared my throat, setting my sights back to the vast scene before me.

I think he did the same, his shoulders relaxing in my periphery as he no doubt took in the sight he'd been missing for decades.

We stayed like that for a few comfortable minutes before I spoke again.

"This place is beautiful."

I could hear the smile he wore in his next words.

"It is. A lot more than I remember it being," He faded off for a few seconds before continuing, "I'll have to take you down to experience it for yourself here soon. That, and show you the woods on the other side."

From what I understood, the castle was placed relatively in the middle of the territory, with everything surrounding it from there.

"There's a good spot I knew a few miles in where the sun breaks through the trees perfectly. It's right next to a pond too," There was a serene, far away happiness in his eyes as he spoke that I caught in the corner of my eye," With how deep it is in the forest, if we go when the sun is still up, we could probably have it so were the only ones there. With winter coming to a close and all, it'll be teeming with wildlife."

That look faltered and fell within the next second, along with a noticeable tightening in his chest.

"If you want to, that is." Just like that, the lively tone of his voice was gone.

"And there's nothing stopping you from heading into town by yourself if you want, or you and Khloe or... whoever."

That tone again. The dismissive and apologetic one he's used so many times to the woman who screwed up our lives.

I think I accidentally underestimate just how much Layla screwed with his way of thinking until I get reminded again. With his confidence, his self-worth.

I knew that little by little he was improving, but every once in a while he just hit a little snag that knocked him back a few steps.

But even then, that answer didn't feel like a complete one. Like there was something else behind it as well.

Either way though...

I shuffled closer, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"I wanna see it with you," I affirmed, "You can't talk this place up like that and then not show me everything you talked about."

Bring some light-heartedness into the conversation. Snap him out of this.

Thankfully, the shoulder I was leaning on lowered as he let out a breath.

"You're right. I'm just remembering the events I'll have to attend and the like now that Nico and I have returned. I don't think I'm going to be too busy that often, but when I am, I just don't want you to get bored."

Bored?

No... that didn't feel like the complete answer to this either.

"Me getting bored is the last thing you need to worry about, Alex. I'm pretty sure I've discovered only like five percent of this floor as it is, Khloe will most likely be in the same situation as me when you and Nico are out doing royal stuff, and if all of you happen to be busy, I've got my guitar and books."

Being bored seemed nearly impossible given what I was used to before getting introduced to all of this.

And a part of me felt like he knew that already.

"I'll save the good stuff to do with you whenever you can. There's no rush, right?"

I just hoped that this had nothing to do with the whole 'getting me a citizenship and getting me my own house' thing.

We'd both agreed not to rush that.

And the more I thought about it, the less I wanted to go through with it.

"Yeah," I lifted my head as he spoke, shifting his shoulder, "There's no rush."

His arm reached around me to pull me closer, his fingers tracing my upper arm.

Warm...

We fell back into silence again for a bit, and despite the off feeling I still had, I just let it. In hopes that he was mentally working through whatever that sudden hang-up was.

I'd like to think that I could read him pretty well, but with the current position, I couldn't turn and scan his face for hints without making it insanely obvious.

Instead, I just closed in closer to him.

"So, what'd you and Khloe get up to?" He eventually started again.

Okay, he sounded better.

"We just finally got to properly meet each other. Took a nice walk around the castle until we found the garden and exchanged stories about how we ended up where we did."

There was a falter in the aimless trailing his hand was doing.

"Just un until we got purchased by you guys, I mean," I clarified.

"Ah. Saving the really juicy details for later then?"

He tried to make it sound like a joke. It only worked a little bit.

"I was actually going to ask you if you'd be okay with me telling her what was really going on with you?"

He paused for a beat.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm sure you're aware, but you kind of had a bad rap there for a bit, and Khloe hasn't gotten filled in on some of the important details. I thought about making you tell her all about it, but figured that it might be better if it came from me."

Given her surprise from the minimal amount I've disclosed already and... I don't know, I felt like it might come off better from the human who witnessed every second of it.

"I just don't want her to have the wrong idea about you." The genuine words came out quieter than I would have liked them to, "Not here."

His light grip tightened for just a second.

"She has every reason to not like me."

I tried not to recall the memories of that night.

"I know... but I want her to know the real you. Even if it doesn't solve anything, It wouldn't hurt for her to know the vampire she shares an entire royal floor with a little bit better."

Even she said that she noticed a difference in him so maybe this will be the push she needs for confirmation that he will never do anything like that again.

I wasn't expecting her to just instantly forgive him for that night, but the background and everything leading up to it...

I wanted to redirect part of the negativity to the vampire that really deserved it.

He drew back enough to look at my face, and he looked as if he was surprised by how much I cared about this.

Everything else looked to be going up for him.

He and Nico bickering and acting like brothers instead of two people that were forced to interact with eachother.

Exactly as they used to in the stories he's told me.

He was finally starting to become his true self and throwing away everything she made him.

Sure, pieces of it still lingered... pieces of it still bother me too, but nothing bad could possibly happen by explaining the truth to Khloe.

If anything just throw away another piece.

The shock on his face softened the longer he looked at me, a solemn, almost melancholic half-smile rising on his lips.

A little lean forward and those lips met my forehead, his hand brushing down my hair.

I could undeniably feel the intent behind the action as if he was whispering a grateful yet pleading 'thank you' right into my ear.

The same look remained as he drew back, feeling the sudden rush through my body from the contact.

"Tell her everything."