It was almost endearing, really, to note the shadows that once more rushed to Aiden's call in those final, precarious moments off his own fall. The panther so evidently unwilling to allow Matteo himself to collide with that earth, even if the Frenchman held little intent of such a thing to begin with. Matteo nothing if not decidedly ostentatious when the opportunity was afforded to him. A trait that had once run rife within the Fae breed and had unfortunately, in his opinion, mellowed within his species over time. The near ancient Fae was content to embrace that decided impishness and playful mirth to wait until that last possible moment before embracing his own affinity and teleporting himself safely into the depths of the forest once more. His feet landing smoothly upon solid ground as a readily warm simper found his lips in turn. Aiden, he suspected, had not enjoyed that impromptu sky dive and yet it so provided a plethora of lessons in turn. The very sorts of lessons that demanded action from his son and afforded the boy little chance to groan or moan or complain over so being forced to perform them at all. The world, after all, so rarely give 'practice runs' in life. Matteo so attempting to cheat that system, if only a little, by providing Aiden those very experiences that so offered him that chance to truly experience the limitations off his own powers in a more controlled environment in the least. Regardless of what his companion felt over being dropped into the sky- it would not be a lesson he forgot. That new ability to demand his power sure to serve him in time. Yet for now- they had a game to finish.

The Frenchman twisted easily upon his heel then. Matteo content to change the nature of that game just so as he broke into a sudden and ready sprint. The Fae quite content to simply run from his companion then and so afford the panther that chance to simply....be a panther. How long it had been since he had run from anything! Matteo inclined to consider that he had come to rely upon his own teleportation perhaps to much over the years- at the expense off his own fitness. How decidedly cross Alexander would be with him. Perhaps it might be better if the Hunter simply did not find out. The Frenchman vaulted easily up and over that boulder. The sound of Aiden's paws slapping against that surface giving away the felines proximity. Matteo veering sharply in some effort to catch his adoptive son off guard before barreling further into that forest. Those trees, perhaps, helping to obscure his own fleeing figure and yet he suspected that within this sort of game, in this sort of environment- Aiden held those far more significant advantages. His own form broke from that tree line and out onto the banks of the river that boarded the back of several off his horse paddocks. Matteo engaging his power a final time to loop that red scarf off a precariously delicate tree branch that hung out and over that running water before returning to the bank itself. The Frenchman content to request that final task from his companion and engage that series teleportation a final time.

His own breath was decidedly uneven from that dash as Aiden plunged from that tree line in turn. The Frenchman gesturing toward that scarf with clear intent and yet- any effort the panther might have made to immediately lunge from that fluttering fabric was readily halted by Matteo's own figure approaching him. After all, how long had it been since he had been able to indulge in that feline form? Matteo's own figure crouched easily beside his adoptive son's in that moment. The Fae holding no fear of that powerful, muscular form as his hand simply reached to rest upon the cats inky head before allowing his fingers to trail gently behind his air and down beneath his chin, Ah, but he knew he could still get that purr! That deep, rhythmic rumbling unique to felines alone a truly satisfying sound to hear. One that was cut abruptly short by that simple insistence he would have made a fine rug. Aiden quick to jerk his head away with that huff. Matteo's laughter readily echoing in that small space before his hand reached to ruffle the boys head. An action that seemed to prompt a determined and deliberate need to groom himself. Matteo's eyes rolling in good nature.

"Oh, please."

His own figure sank back onto the bank then. Matteo offering those final words before contenting himself to merely watch his companion attempt that final task. Aiden proceeding to pass up and down that bank then as if attempting to assess that distance perhaps? Matteo watching him with a clear curiosity and yet he made no effort to reach for that affinity he had s promised not to use for the duration of their game. That lack of future so prompting a distinct lack of awareness within the Fae for his companions intentions. That singular bump of Aiden's paw against his sneaker prompting his gaze briefly downward and yet that rush of shadows came far to quickly for Matteo to be given any chance to react. The sheer discombobulation that came with being subject to the teleportation of another affording him little chance in turn to teleport out of Aiden's hold. The pair appearing mere inches above that water before abruptly plunging into it. That devil! Matteo's own form spluttered to the surface, his figure just tall enough to stand. That water was a cold shock as his hands lifted to wipe those drops from his eyes, his brunette hair, several shades darker now from the damp, plastered against his own face. His gaze readily spotting the Panther's head bobbing above the surface in front of him, that scarf clamped within his jaws.

"You right bloody ass!"

Maybe he had deserved it. Maybe. Matteo unable to prevent that simper that tugged at his lips even despite that decidedly pointed look Aiden was offered. The cat's sudden efforts to begin paddling back into sure however, prompted a shake of Matteo's own head in turn.

"Oh, no you don't...."
His feet pressed off from that muddy ground as much as they were able. Matteo all but lunging for the panther then to veritably ensnare the cat in a headlock and push him back beneath the surface of the water. Aiden a decidedly....powerful adversary in that feline form and one equally capable of pushing off from that ground with his hind paws. The sheer amount of splashing and flailing from both readily prompting several off those farm horses to peer curiously into the river to watch that very spectacle of Fae and Panther so attempting to drown one another. It was only after Aiden had been unceremoniously dunked several times and Matteo himself had been dragged around on the end of the scarf like an undignified fish on a line that the Frenchman proceeded to wade from that river. His clothing utterly and abysmally soaked. Each step seeing only more water run free from his sodden sneakers as he so attempted to ring out some off his own hair.

"Ah, sacrebleu! Don't shake on me! I, oh, I suppose it doesn't even matter at this point. How fortunate the next part of our day involves the sun. I am declaring it is time for lunch even if you did not complete that last task as you were supposed to. Come here, I will take us to lunch. The staff should have prepared it by now."

His own hand extended then, Matteo affording that panther the chance to come toward him then- rather then find himself scruffed a second time- before engaging his own teleportation again. The Frenchman taking them first back to that forest to find Aiden's clothing before carrying them both swiftly into the center of a rather large, sun-drenched field a short distance from the chateau itself. That neatly laid out picnic rug and basket so clearly the Frenchmans goal. That warm sun nothing short of near heavenly against his sodden figure.

"When we French celebrate a birthday in France we have a picnic, it is the done thing. This is your Birthday Picnic, Mon Amie. Here are your clothes, if you desire to shift back, at least your clothes are dry."

That near pointed look was afforded to the panther then as Matteo afforded him those moments to shift back and change. His own form easing itself down in a near boyish fashion onto that red and white checkered rug before he sought to unpacking that food. Those cold meats and cheeses and bread rolls were laid out along with those trimmings of salads and dressings, a plate of chocolate chip cookies, a variety of drinks and that decidedly lavish chocolate birthday tart the ancient Fae had made that very morning. A singular candle sat neatly in its center. Matteo wholly content to demand they observe at least some of those birthday celebrations while attempting not to overwhelm Aiden in turn. One candle surely sufficient for such a purpose. That lighter appeared easily within the Fae's hand as Aiden settled himself on that blanket in turn. Matteo leaning forward to light that singular candle before pushing it gently toward his companion. His free hand reaching into that picnic basket then to produce that second gift he had promised the boy. This one far smaller than the first. That near perfectly square, palm sized box handed to Aiden in turn. Matteo's head nodded in that simple assurance he could open it now.

"I know you are not truly religious in the same fashion as I am and I do not expect it off you. It is merely to give you something that might have more meaning then the obvious..."

He paused then, allowing Aiden to open that box and pluck that little hand-carved wooden crucifix and dark coloured chain from within it, a number of tiny, equally dark wooden beads adorning the chain of that truly ancient rosary.

"That chain is not silver, don't worry. It was made a very long time ago by someone I knew very well. Indeed, it is nearly as old as I am. That little necklace has survived more battles and wars and fires and floods and midnight gallops and hardships then you would ever believe. It brought a great deal of hope and...comfort to someone once. Someone who does not need it any longer- because he was given another."

Matteo's fingers moved easily then the catch that chain at his own neck and slide his own crucifix into view. That very necklace having sat about his neck since the day Isabella had gifted it to him. His head nodded once more to its brother of sorts that rested within Aiden's own hands.

"Hopefully it might do for you what it once did for me when I needed it."

He saw little need, here and now, to offer the true origins of that little necklace. That very cross and beads so carved by his own Father for him on the day he was born. Matteo having worn it well over half his life. The Frenchman too, having assured Dorian was given the same gift on the day he was born in turn, one carved by Matteo himself and that Dorian still kept safely within his own room within his palace. Yet, he had never anticipated a second son. Especially one for whose birth he would not attend. It seemed only fitting that Aiden should be made a part of that tradition too. That original necklace so passed from father to son in an entirely new generation.

"You better blow out this candle before you get wax on this tart, Scoundrel."


m a t t e o
it's tough to be a god