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“Anywaaaay!” Emerie squealed, since Gideon had come up behind her.

She was sure if she had been alive and her breaths didn’t feel... pointless, she would have expired or fainted from embarrassment.

“What’s wrong?” Gideon asked, placing his hand on her shoulder since she’d suddenly run off.

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it.” She pointed at Ingram. “Don’t tell people that stuff. It’s private.”

Even though he was just purple, she figured his orbs had changed to another colour since he huffed and tossed his head around while folding his arms across his chest. He was obviously pouting.

Gideon shook his head in bewilderment at her, whereas Aleron’s orbs had turned dark yellow.

“Ingram,” she gently called to get his attention, as she waved her hand to the side. “This is Gideon, my brother.”

Gideon put his hand out with it flat and on its side. “Nice to meet you, I guess.”

Ingram’s beak pointed downwards at his hand before mimicking him. He did not attempt to clasp it, just mirrored him.

“What is the point of this?”Ingram asked.“Is this a human greeting?”

Gideon gave an awkward chuckle. “Yeah, it is, but it was kind of pointless for me to do it with you, since you’re a Ghost and I can’t touch you.”

“Can I try?”Aleron asked, shoving his hand out like everyone else.

Gideon cast Emerie an uncertain glance. She just shrugged in answer.

Gideon hesitantly grabbed Aleron’s large and imposing clawed hand, although rather awkwardly due to their size difference. He clasped as best he could as he shook it.

“I’m Gideon.”

“I’m Aleron,”he answered, copying him, and shook back far too hard.

Gideon went headfirst to the ground when Aleron tugged his arm downwards, not knowing to control his strength. His orbs turned white, and he threw his hands into the air frantically.

“I am sorry. I did not mean to make you fall.”

“Fuckin’ hell,” Gideon grumbled against the grass. “That was one hell of a handshake.”

A small giggle escaped her.

Just as Gideon was rising to his hands and knees, Aleron grabbed the man by the waist. He lifted him off the ground completely until his arms and legs were flailing, then plonked him on his feet.

Gideon stumbled back a step as though he was disorientated. He cast Emerie another uncertain glance, only to scowl when it was obvious she was resisting the urge to laugh more.

“You get used to it,” Emerie reassured.

“I doubt that,” he answered, brushing at his pants like they were covered in dirt, when they absolutely weren’t. “So... Ingram, was it?”

“Yes,”he confirmed, as he skulked his way closer to Emerie.

She stepped away from them, certain that Gideon would do a good job of making conversation, so she could go to Aleron. He twisted his bat skull at her as she approached him while he stood on all fours.

“Hello, Aleron. Ingram has told me a lot about you.”

“He has told me much of you.”

Oh gods, that sounded ominous in the most perverted way possible. Heat flared in her cheeks once more.

Still, she slowly, as though not to startle him, leaned forward. She wrapped her arms around his thick neck and openly buried her face into the fluffy, furry side of it. She also did it to hide from the sight of his wings right before her – she really didn’t like them and was thankful he hadn’t spread them while being in her presence.