[closed to Gwen] i may be listening when they call, but i won't answer

[comesindreams]

It starts with a road. Faintly overgrown, flowers on either side, and behind is nothing at all, an edge, and a bridge that leads into that nothingness. Beside the path, there is a house - a cottage, really, small and modest, but pleasant, surrounded by a rich, lush garden, more unkempt than maintained with a kind of wild beauty

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[sissy_queen]

Guinevere looks up, fingers threaded with his, of course. She smiles at him softly - the gentle, quiet smile that says, I'm happy to see you.

"Sebastian."

[comesindreams]

He smiles at her, leans over and kisses her forehead tenderly. "Here we are," he says, with a gesture. "Home, for me. This is the outskirts. The Den of Iniquity." He smiles a little. "Don't be put off by the name."

[sissy_queen]

"I am not," Guinevere replies softly. She squeezes Sebastian's hand, takes a deep breath.

"... I am ready, love."

[comesindreams]

He squeezes back, and starts walking down the road. "This place...I told you about my childhood, yes? Belladonna - she was like a sister. She made this for me, as a safe haven, and others came, hearing of it. A place for the lost, the outcasts."

[sissy_queen]

Guinevere follows, eyes a little wide. She's taking it all in, observing, curious. If anything odd stands out, she'll point to it, and ask what it is.

[comesindreams]

Nothing is odd yet. There are buildings approaching, though, along the road. Sebastian indicates them with his joined hands.

"That's the Den."

[sissy_queen]

Guinevere looks ahead, curious. "-- it's a town," she says softly. "--- are-- is everyone like you, there?"

[comesindreams]

"Like me?" Sebastian tilts his head toward her. "Like me how? All demons? Not necessarily, though most....and certainly not all the same kind. Some look...not human at all. Others mostly, but not all."

[sissy_queen]

"I -- I won't be afraid, then," Guinevere replies softly.

But she is, just a little.

[comesindreams]

He squeezes her hand. "You'll be safe. I promise. No one here will hurt you."

...some of them might if Sebastian wasn't there, but with him there, no one will.

They might be drawing near to the cluster of buildings? It all looks rather haphazard and disorganized, Gwen might notice.

[sissy_queen]

Guinevere does notice, and tugs on Sebastian's hand to have his attention. "--- what happened here?"

[comesindreams]

"Happened?" Sebastian laughs. "Nothing. This is the way it was built. People all wanted different things and no one could agree, so there's no real...order. Not to the buildings. They just...sprung up out of the ground. Like us, a little."

[sissy_queen]

Guinevere looks up to him, eyes fond. "Like us," she repeats. "And so -- is this home, now?"

[comesindreams]

"This is home," Sebastian says. "For everyone who has nowhere to go, they can come here. Come in. Let's walk through it."

There are no people, yet. That takes more concentration, to populate this place, so he's waiting for a moment.

And might lean down to steal a kiss, just 'cause.

[sissy_queen]

Guinevere follows, looking curiously at everything. After some timid inner debate, she asks, "--- is it home for me too?"

[comesindreams]

"Yes," he says, turning suddenly to draw her into his arms. "Yes, it is, if you wanted it to be. It would be your home."