Where Geno accepts an unexpected gift and soon is prepared for the monster marriage. Who knows how many things are meant to happen in one night's ceremony...

No one's POV:
-

The plaza in the monsters' town was never being so beautiful any day but on a celebration of any shorts. Today however there was a marriage. And always then, not only the plaza, but in the whole monster town beneath the windows of the houses the freshest and unwithered flowers were hanging in garlants.

The little stores were taking in the whatever products they were selling and letting out only benches with masks, capes and handkerchiefs. Many. All black. Seemed like there would be some short of use with these, but later. As if the Lord would want to mark the peacefulness of this day even more, birds were flying around.

Sparrows were chirping to each other as if they had a very interesting conversation like women who can rumble for hours. Pigeons were purring on the rooftops of the houses quietly and observing the fever of the last preparations for what would happen soon. As said, it was a special day. The marriage of Fuku, Grillby's daughter and Skate's.

A happy day for everyone. Not only for celebrating soon the union of 2 souls becoming one and for the fun they would have. It was also because humans on days like these were strictly forbidden from interfering. Thanks to Bernard, the human King of Lisbon had set a law for that.

Any human who would interrupt or try ruin the monsters' ancient traditional celebrations, would have to pay 100 gold as penalty. And for marriages it was 150. Now that wasn't quite threatening. Not a death penalty. But it was surely a lot of gold for most human citizens.

If only the monsters could be more protected like that everyday. But more or less they were grateful that at least on their celebrations and ceremonies they didn't have human soldiers roaming around and ruining their peace in any way. These days were all theirs.

How happy and safe they were feeling when all humans were forced to exit the gate of the monster town and once locking it they were already celebrating that temporary freedom from nonstopping watch. They could laugh, dance, have fun and speak however they wanted for the humans and Raymond and whoever they didn't like.

Yeah, this much they wanted to say about them. And even better, they could take off their magic blockers. As said, the monster guards had the special keys to unlock them so the magic could flow in the air freely for this special day.

Geno was looking out of the window the sun as it was disappearing behind the walls of the Capital. Alter had gone downstairs again after the smaller asked him to. His mind was filled with thoughts and at the same time he didn't know what he was thinking. Probably it was better to say he had no specific thought at all right now.

He was just staring one at the garlants beneath the houses' windows, one at the monsters that were talking cheerfully while walking on the streets. No human soldiers. Uncosciously he smiled satisfied not seeing them. He imagined if everyday was like that for the monsters here. They would be happier. Less anxious and scared.

But that wasn't everyday. Just for today. He sighed and walked over to his bed. He opened his bag and wore the red shirt he was wearing yesterday. The cyan shirt was full of blood as Alter had said. Could all that blood get washed away?

"Whoops. Sorry Yalin." He thought as he wore the shirt. He looked at the door of the room motionless for a moment, his hand went on his neck searching to touch his necklace. And then it hitted him. Did they all see the necklace? Did Alter take it back? Or not?! He walked towards the door ready to go find his friend and ask.

I'm still here

His soul that was beating frantically fast, immediately relaxed. Ah yes, the moment he heard the voice calling him he knew, the necklace was near. And he knew he had hear it underneath Alter's bed. He stared there, but for once, he didn't go for the jewel. Instead he tried to open the door.

You can't leave without the necklace

Geno clenched his fists and despite the slight dizziness he felt he hissed annoyed.

"Gimme a break already! I'm not going anywhere!" He yelled-whispered death staring at the voice's direction. Then he opened the door. To his surprise this time the necklace said nothing. "Huh. Do I have to yell so it stops bothering me?" He thought. Then shrugged his shoulders and was about to head out. He froze in surprise seeing a monster staring near the door with her hands pressing the railing. "Hi Mariah!" He said in a voice more high pitched than the one he was using at that moment. "You startled me, gosh."

"I apologise." The axolotl girl said. Geno observed her better. All few days he had seen her, he could also see something was off with her. She was becoming more pale everyday, she seemed unable to hold her balance and shaking where she was standing. More often, she was sitting on her bed accepting the attention the other 3 children in the house were giving her.

But not for long. Tefra was telling them to let her rest. But Geno could see her worried expression. He had even hear them talking, with the goat woman sounding sad and worried and Mariah however calm and somehow cheerful with a mix of melancholy.

"Well. It's ok." Geno said quietly. He really didn't want to be indiscreet but he had the impression molecules of dust were flying off Mariah at times. What the hell was going on?

"Eugenia." The axolotl cutted him from his thoughts.

"Yeah?" The skeleton asked hesitant.

"Can you please help me go to my room? And... I want to show you something." She sounded a little hesitant. Uncertain, Geno either way approached Mariah and holding her stably they walked for the children's room. "Is your favourite color red by any chance?" She asked suddenly on the way. Geno looked at her curious.

"Well... yeah, actually." He said. Mariah smiled wider.

"What a luck." She just said. When they were in front of the door of the kids' room she let go of Geno and pushed the door open. With shaky steps she walked in and headed towards the wardrobe on her right hand as she entered, most likely by memorizing where it was. She placed her hands on the doors of the wardrobe and stood there as if she wanted to think her next move. "... So. A marriage is happening today. I heard it's Fuku and Skate. Right?"

"Yeah." Geno said almost questioning, still not knowing what Mariah wanted from him.

"Lucky them." She said almost bluntly but still smiling. She started palpating the wardrobe until she touched the small knobs and held them. Slowly she stepped back and opened the doors. In the majority, the wardrobe was empty. Very few clothes were in it. But there was something that immediately caught Geno's attention.

It was mainly red and white and had some yellow here and there, hanging from a hanger. Mariah once again started palpating with her hands, not for long as she immediately touched the red thing and carefully unhanged it. Ah. Geno thought so right. What the axolotl was holding now on her one hand from the hanger was a dress with long skirt and white shirt underneath.

"Aaah. Pretty dress it is." Geno said hesitant. "If you wear that in the marriage many eyes will fall on you from admiration." He wasn't lying. But he was simply awkward. Mariah smiled wider.

"If I was..." She said and looked down, her voice suddenly betraying sadness.

"Is something wrong?" Geno asked. Mariah turned her back and still holding the dress walked towards her bed, successfully sitting down without falling. Then she pat a spot for Geno next to her.

"Please come sit next to me." She said quietly. The skeleton approached and sat next to her, staring one at her dress, one at the axolotl. She didn't say anything immediately. She had her face turned down. Eventually she raised it again and exhaled.

"... Eugenia. I want you to do something for me." She started.
"What?" Geno asked.

"... I want you to go to the marriage wearing that dress for me." She said catching off guard the small skeleton.

"Why?! But that's your dress, isn't it?" He asked. Mariah hummed and her smile dropped a tiny bit.

"I won't come." She said.

"But why?!"

"... I just can't..." Mariah said with less emotions now. She lowered her head again. "... I am not just blind Eugenia. You didn't hear because it's a sensitive enough matter... I am also sickly... I'm just not feeling well enough today to even move around for long." Despite all that she smiled again and turned her head at Geno. Her hands that were holding the dress moved to his direction in a gesture of giving it to him.

"Wha-?"

"Wearing that dress my mom met dad. It's the best dress for special events in my family. I haven't wore it ever since it passed down on me. My parents would really want me to wear it today. But... that is not possible." She sighed again but that beautiful smile didn't leave her lips not even for a while. "You might be with Guido just guests here. But something in me really told me that you should have this dress. I heard you're leaving tomorrow. Please, Eugenia, with all of my heart and soul, I mean it, I want you to wear this dress tonight, be very beautiful as you said for me if I wore it and keep it as a gift." Now the dress was resting on Geno's lap, who despite surprised, didn't try get it away from him. He looked again one at the dress and one at Mariah 2 times alternatively. He tried once again to decline the offer as kindly as possible though.

"Uuuh... I honestly don't know what to say. The dress is really beautiful but... what if your parents don't like it seeing me wearing something that was given to you by them?" He asked. Suddenly Mariah's bottom lip jolted abruptly but then pressed both lips together as if trying to cover that little jolt. Soon she smiled again gently.

"... They won't say anything. I am certain. And if they were to see you, they would know by choice I gave it to you." She nodded. "Please, keep my dress." She insisted kindly one more time. Geno held the dress up in front of him. The waistline was very thin. Only a petite body would be able to fit. Now that he was looking better at Mariah he realised she was extremely thin. Not in an unhealthy way, at least from day 1 he saw her.

"Well... The point is if it fits me perfectly without me 'swimming' in it. I'm a skeleton after all." He said. Mariah laughed.

"If you feel like you're more thin than the dress, find a belt to tie around the waist a little tighter." She advised. Geno stared at her still curious and confused, silent for many seconds after her talking. He held the dress close to him again.

"Mariah... thanks. If that's what you truly want, then I'll wear the dress for you. But... I have one more question. And if you feel unable to answer it, then I won't insist on asking." He said. Mariah seemed curious for a moment but then nodded, allowing Geno to do his question. The skeleton inhaled and exhaled from his nose quietly before looking again at her. "When you say you're sickly, how bad you mean?"

Mariah's smile dissapeared and turned her head away for a moment. Geno waited, though he was expecting that the axolotl wouldn't answer. He was wrong. Slowly Mariah turned her face again at him, her lips pressing together. She sighed.

And then she opened her eyes.

~

Half an hour later Geno was staring at his reflection. He raised hands in the air while turning to the left, see how the dress was on him. As he had kinda predicted, he was a little thinner than it. He would have to deal with that issue later. The white headscarf was waiting on his bed at the moment he was testing the dress on him.

"Honestly, that's one of the strangest things I've ever done." He murmured to himself. But no matter, the dress was actually good, even on him as he had silently admitted. The puffy sleeves weren't that long to annoy him in movement. Only the skirt kinda bothered him that it was almost covering even his feet almost. It would be tiring and awkward having to lift the skirts constantly if he was walking. "Hopefully with the belt the skirt goes up a tiny bit to not be that long." He thought. 3 fast knocks on the door were suddenly heard and the small skeleton turned to look there, already feeling his cheeks ready to burst from embarrassment. There goes the first witness of him wearing a dress. He exhaled and uncosciously crossed himself 3 times. "... Come in." He said. The door opened and Alter entered with a casual calm expression on his face, all dressed in black. But when his eyesockets looked at Geno completely, he stopped walking.

His mouth opened slightly staring at the shorter surprised and with raised brows. The 2 looked at each other silent for many seconds. Finally Alter's expression changed and became more cheerful. He seemed to both admire and at the same time he was ready to laugh.

"Đ œ n ' t. Ł æ u g h." Geno warned and looked down completely ready to explode from embarrassment if the slightest snort was coming out of Alter, intertwining his fingers together in front of his chest.

Instead silence prevailed again, but for less time, as the smaller heard Alter's steps approaching him. The moment he raised head to look up to him, the taller had kneeled down to his level, with a calm investigating expression. He was looking from top to bottom the whole result the dress had brought to Geno.

"Where did you find this dress?" He asked and his smile grew a little bigger. Geno explained quickly how Mariah wanted him to wear it tonight. He didn't say anything about keeping it, that would lead to more details. "What a kind young lady." The taller commented. He laughed quietly then. "A traje de lavradeira's skirt usually reaches the knee. For you this one almost reaches the floor. Definitely you need belt."

"Yeah yeah, found out too." Geno murmured looking away with his cheeks turning cyan. "Why do I have to be so small damnit?!"

"Son." Alter's voice got his attention again and looked at him, who was still smiling chilly. The taller looked at Geno's neck and his hand was about to touch the scarf. To that move the small skeleton abruptly but not with much force slapped down Alter's hand and looked away, making the other look at him with a questioning expression despite not stop smiling. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked.

"... No..." Geno said quietly looking away while holding the scarf ready to cover his face. "It's just... I don't want people touching my scarf."

"And may I know why?" Alter asked quietly. Geno exhaled.

"It might be just silly... but it reminds me of home. It's the only thing I keep from my dad. It used to be his, but he allowed me to wear it. It's old... a little ragged... but I would never change anything about it. And as a siren it would be one of the things I would never exchange even for all gold in the world. Heh. Even if it's too big for me... I was wearing it the day he died, you see... and we were forced to leave..." Geno looked away exhaling, sad from recalling these memories.

But the soft warm hand of the priest on his cheek made him turn to look at him a little startled. Now almost all of Alter's smile was gone. There was a very small hint of it left but now his eyesockets were filled with sadness too. Not for long. Soon he smiled again more.

"Does it also make you feel safe?" He asked.

"... Sometimes it does. But mostly it gives me comfort and relaxes me."

"And why wouldn't you want to change anything about it? Or make it good as new?" Alter asked again.

"Because as the time and the years pass, it might become more and more old. But it changes together with me. And having something from the past that sticks with me, consoles me. Even if it's my fault dad was go-."

"Ah ah ah!" Alter suddenly did a little strictly placing his finger in front of Geno's mouth. "We ain't doing these on a day like today. You couldn't control that day. You couldn't have know what would happen. Don't blame yourself for your dad's decision to save you, your mother and your brothers." He slowly closed the smaller to a hug, who just stood there surprised. "It's not your fault if for the sake of love the other does things for ya. Whether it's a small favor, whether giving their life even. Because, in the name of love, they will never blame you for the consequences they will taste of doing something for you. They will never ask for exchange, for something, anything from you. The exchange will come, one way or another." The taller broke the hug and placed hands on Geno's shoulders, who wrapped his arms around himself. "For what your father did then, if it was even possible I would shake his hand for being such a brave monster, putting family before anything else and above himself. And you, for the exchange of his sacrifice, the only way to honor it, is by keep living. Then you make it worth it and not in waste. You, have already make it worth it. And if God allows it, you will keep making it so." He completed. Geno looked down. His bottom jaw had started shaking. A few seconds later he suddenly fell forward with his face on Alter's shoulder, who looked at the smaller startled.

"Don't mind me... just... thanks once again Al..." The smol said. Alter sighed and smiled tenderly looking above his shoulder at Geno. But a very quiet sigh from the door he managed to hear made him turn to look there.

Seeing who it was, he nodded as if he was greeting. Tefra was standing to the opening with hand on her chest and smiling happily finding this whole moment adorable and beautiful while behind her a grey figure writting "Reader Y/N" above their head was rolling on the wooden floor crying tears of joy from the scene.

"Is everything alright?" She asked. Alter nodded but then Geno murmuring something made him look at him for a while before looking again at the woman.

"Everything is wonderful Signorina! Just, Eugenia feels a little embarrassed coming out in front of the town wearing dress, even though she's such a gorgeous beautiful bambina!" He said pinching Geno's cheek gently who groaned and tried to hide his face more on Alter's shoulder. Tefra seemed ready to chuckle. But seeing what Geno was wearing, her look froze. Now she was betraying some surprise. She stayed quiet for a while.

"That dress. It's Mariah's. Did she allow you to wear it?" She asked slowly.

Geno raised head to look at her, confused with her rather awkward reaction. But he nodded. Tefra looked away, a cloud of sadness temporarily allowing her expression to darken. But temporarily as said. She looked again at the 2 skeletons smiling even though her eyes were still betraying something negative.

"I see. Well. Are you feeling well though? Just a while ago you woke up."

"Lady, as much surprising as it might sound, I feel perfectly fine now. Grazie, for helping me with your brother." Geno reassured. Tefra crossed her arms exhaling from her nose.

"If you say so. Then you are almost ready for the marriage."

"Is this how you will go though?" Geno dared to ask Tefra. She hummed still smiling.

"No. But me and Pyros will prepare later. There are a few things we have to take care of in the house. You can go first for the ceremony if you like." She said. And without saying anything else she walked away. Geno stared at where the goat woman was standing a while ago confused and curious. When he felt Alter tapping his shoulder he looked at him.

He was holding the headscarf, signing that he wanted to wrap it around his head. Geno nodded and always looking at Alter stood motionless. A minute later the priest's skillful hands were done. Geno was closer to be ready. Only remained to do something about the length of the skirt. The taller then pointed at Geno's scarf.

"May I?" He asked smiling chilly. Geno held his scarf again with his hands as if he wanted to protect it once Alter asked that. But then, finally, he slowly unwrapped the scarf and handed it to the taller. "Thanks." The priest said. With quick moves he passed the scarf around Geno. Then 2 times he wrapped it around his waist. When the length of the scarf was about to end, with what remained unwrapped, Alter walked behind Geno. The smaller didn't know what he was doing. But quickly the taller skeleton walked again in front of Geno. "Done."

The small skeleton looked behind him. Soon surprise took over. Not only had Alter helped so the skirt wasn't almost touching the floor, on his back he could see a big bow. All that from his scarf! He turned at the priest still surprised.

"Where did you learn doing that?" He asked impressed staring again through the mirror at the bow.

"When you spend a lot of time with a female figure, you train your fingers to subtle movements, from tying knots and bows, to simply pass a thread through the eye of a small needle. Next to my mother, I learned even braiding hair even though as skeletons, we don't have. But others in our village, especially ladies with fur and a lot of hair on their heads were grateful when someone could tie their hair up high on warm days or make them more pretty."

"And does these subtle movement skills are used to where you are now?" Geno asked.

"Well, sometimes. But it had come more often for me to braid hair. There are so many heads with long hair to tie and braid! Adrian and Sam appreciate it when theirs doesn't fall on their faces after I tie them. Believe it or not, Yalin has a lot of hair underneath his turban."

"Turban!" Geno suddenly yelped surprising Alter. "And I tried for so many days to remember what was that shawl thing Yalin has wrapped around his head! You had said it but I couldn't remember."

"Will you remember from now on?" Alter asked laughing. Geno nodded.

"Yes Sir!" He paused for a while before looking at the taller again with raised brow. "And for how much hair are we talking about?" He asked then. Alter looked away for a moment smiling wider.

"The longest in the crew. About half the length of his whole body." He said. Geno's jaw dropped.

"You're messing with me! All this wave of hair is hiding under that small turban?!"

"Yes, exactly. He ties it around his head himself and so well, no strand of hair is visible from any of us. He refuses to tie them in a braid and constantly wants them underneath his turban at daytime. But at night, a few times I've wandered on the deck and Yalin was sleeping on the masts, I could see his hair hanging like a second smaller snake in the air."

"Damn."

"Shush!"

"Have you ever seen what color his hair are or nah?"

"Once at daytime was enough to see they were dark grey and very wild, as if he doesn't brush them."

"Wow. And with these small hands of his you said he can wrap his turban and hide all of his hair! Sounds unbelievable!"

"But he can. Only if you see him doing that himself you'll believe that it ain't impossible do things even with the seemingly most weak and small hands."

"Anyone else from the crew who has hair to tie or braid them?"

"Obviously Markus and Michael definitely enjoy it when I do my 'magic' on their hair even for joke. Ramirez is just a big no. Bai has no long hair and he constantly cuts them. Who else, who else... I used to braid Aldo's hair. But upon a raid once 4 months ago in fact, a sailor swung his sword at him. It didn't kill him, just cut weirdly his hair. And for that, Aldo gave the same services to the sailor. Except he cut from him the thread of his life."

"Yikes."

"Ah. Then there's Ahmed, Mufeed and Yazeed, the 3 hyenas." If Geno was about to ask who were these 3, with Alter finishing his sentence he understood.

"Ah. Them..." Everytime he saw them, even if they were just sitting, there was something completely off with them. Their eyes were staring weirdly at anything. Their movements were unstable. Their excitement had no control. They were almost like actual animals.

Even more Geno was thinking of them like that because he had never heard them talking. Also they were never doing any work on the ship, except when, oddly enough, Ramirez was commanding them, while speaking a strange language only the hyenas seemed to understand...

"They don't want their hair tied only if it's a hot day or because they annoy them. They just don't mind and allow me to braid. It relaxes me when my hands are occupied like that." Alter said.

"Whatever you love." Geno just commented.

"Todos se reúnam! O sol logo mergulhará no fundo do mar! A cerimônia começará em breve!"

The 2 skeletons looked out the window. Geno had hardly understood anything from that random voice that seemed to be calling all monsters. For everyone to gather. Something about the sun ready to dive in the sea. And lastly the ceremony.

"What did the monster say Al?" The smaller asked feeling his skull ready to pop from the attempt to translate by himself.

"We have to go now. The sun will soon be not visible in the sky anymore."

"And what does that have to do with anything?"

"For an absolutely traditional monster marriage, which follows strictly the same procedure from the ancient times, that is the sign to begin the ceremony. The moment the sun is under the water. Even if it still gives light, once you don't see it in the sky, it all begins."

"And does that specific time symbolises anything?" Geno asked confused but also interested from the new things he was learning now.

"It's a common conviction that once darkness draws near and most creations of nature start falling asleep, the monster marriage can be private from the eyes. But not only. The unison between 2 monsters is not a ceremony which you see with the eyes. It's something you feel with your soul. And us, we feel the connections and bonds much more strongly with our souls. That's why it's a ceremony where no humans are allowed to watch the mysteries of it. They wouldn't be able perhaps understand the unison. Because, this era's unfaithful generation of human kind believe with their eyes more than with their hearts and souls. They like only what they see directly and shines nicely in their eyes than the true beauty and glow that hides inside."

"... Welp." Geno started, surprised with Alter's last 'quietly passionate outburst'. "I have never watched a monster marriage. But since I'm a monster myself..." He clapped his hands excited. "... It's time I witness this ceremony for the first time! Tell me only that, just not much to give away the surprises..." He looked up to Alter. "... how would you describe that whole ceremony? If you of course have watched one, which I'm pretty certain you must have." The taller looked away, seemingly thoughtful, rubbing his nape. He closed eyesockets and after a while pouted and exhaled slowly from his mouth. When he looked again at Geno he smiled casually.

"Little baby bones when I was, my mom would describe her marriage as one of the most beautiful days of her life. Full of joy fun, music and melodies. Especially because she was getting married with the one she truly loved. But behind all that seemingly cheerful ceremony, a much deeper meaning is hiding." Alter got a little more serious. "Through the passion developing in the music and through dancing, the 2 monsters that will unite their souls to become one, must prove that they truly are made for each other. The first and most important part of the ceremony will prove that."

"Woah. How?" Geno asked. Alter rolled his eyesockets and chuckled.

"Can't give away the surprises. You asked me not to." He said.

"Oh right..." Geno said looking away. But then suddenly he grabbed Alter's hand and started shaking it like a little excited child. "Then let's go alreadyyy!"

~

Among the excited monsters the 2 skeletons walked holding hands. Now that Geno was seeing more closely, everyone around was wearing a little more format clothing. But the happy cheerful expressions of all monsters, the voices and wishes coming out of their mouths talking about the soon-to-be-couple young ladies, sounded even more beautiful. Bringing him soon with more questions.

"Aaal..." The small skeleton started quietly, tugging the taller from his sleeve gently. But the other didn't respond. The smaller remembered. "Guidooo?"

"Sì, piccola mia?" Alter finally responded looking down at him smiling chilly.

"I've always been hearing humans condemning and dooming the relationships between 2 with same gender, not just a relationship between a human and a monster, in which our kind too agrees. How come monsters accept a same gender relationship, even marriage? Was it always legal?" The small skeleton asked looking at the taller with a big eyesocket full of confusion and wonder.

"Aweee, he's so cute when he's curious, like always." Alter thought smiling as he looked up to the sky to think about his friend's question. A while later he looked again ahead. "It wasn't always allowed. Long ago the stereotypes were teaching the young generations anyways that these types of relationships were sick and a sin. But historically about 200 years after Jesus was born, the exact date got lost in time, these stereotypes stopped being supported by the most and today dear, you see now that it's a casual thing to see a marriage between 2 monsters of same gender."

"Yeah, ok. But how is it possible to have babies?" Geno dared to ask.

"If there is a relationship between 2 Animalistics or 2 Phenomenals which function with their physical matter more or as much as with their magic matter, having babies isn't possible. But when in the relationship there is one who is Elemental, where these monsters function with their magic and souls the most, depends who's aura is more dominant so the submissive carries the baby."

"But if they are the ones to carry the baby, wouldn't that make them the weaker host?"

"The secret here is that the host carries the baby, but the more dominant monster has the most important magic a baby needs to help keep it's soul strong and survive. If it's a relationship between opposite genders, simply the female monster, whether is Animalistic or Phenomenal, whether Elemental, will carry the baby." Geno stared up to Alter with eyesocket like a dagger. "What?" The priest asked.

"Alright Mr.-who-knows-everything, how come you have knowledge even about reproductions between monsters?" The smaller asked suspicious. Alter laughed. "Hey, don't laugh me off!"

"How do I know? Simple." The taller started, smiling wider. Geno waited with hands on his hips as he kept walking next to the taller. "When my Father was still thinking that I would become a sailor and make my family one day, he wouldn't stop preaching me about the way of how the different monster species have babies."

"Nooo, he ruined your innocence too soon!" Geno gasped looking away embarrased. Alter though laughed.

"I have the feeling yours is more ruined. However you think he taught me, he simply showed me what to expect once I find my soulmate. That isn't knowledge to disturb me and it wasn't disturbing me either when I was into ascetic life back then."

"But you still do understand dirty jokes, ain't you?" Geno threw. There the priest pinched the base of his nose groaning quietly.

"The others from the ship were saying so many I couldn't escape them ever single day." Geno snorted and chuckled. But when Alter stopped he looked up to him confused. "Ah, the plaza looks wonderful!" He said out loud in admiration as if he wasn't a while ago talking with Geno about whatever they spoke about. The small skeleton looked around and silently admired the plaza too, which the reader will have the chance on the next chapter read about how it looks like.

"Wonderful indeed." Geno thought.

"Eugenia." Alter said quietly without looking at him. Geno looked up to him.

"Yes Guido?"

"... I don't think I said it before but..." Alter closed eyesockets smiling calmly. "... you're very beautiful." Geno looked down and away touching his right cheek with his free hand. Burning from the compliment.

"What's with all compliments you tell me?" He asked.

"I only wish to make you feel good about yourself and cheer up, because you seem even more beautiful when you're happy." Alter exclaimed.

"You're too good for this world."

"The good comes through The Lord dear."

"Well, thanks. But just so you know, today, more than other any day I've seen and know you, you're absolutely fine." Geno said. Alter chucked.

"Why, thank you too." He said pushing back his glasses.

5800 words. goodbye smols, stay happy, safe, adorable, determined. *pat pet pot pit put*