In all Matteo had so anticipated to come from that day spent practicing those teleportation skills with his son, he had failed to anticipate that unforseen submersion off his own figure within that river. His earlier promise to refrain from peering into the depths of the future was so apparently preyed upon by his feline friend. Tetradore making use of that rare opportunity to catch the Frenchman off guard by embracing them both within those darkened shadows only to release them directly above that stream- well before Matteo might have any chance to teleport out off his companion's supernatural hold. That water was nothing short of chilling, that yelp on the ancient Fae's lips muffled by his momentary drowning before he spluttered to the surface, his clothes and hair thoroughly sodden in every sense. His silvered gaze readily found the striking green of the Panthers own if only to inform the jungle cat he was a perfect ass. Aiden, for his part, appearing nothing but pleased like a cat whom had gotten the metaphorical cream. The panthers efforts to paddle back to shore however were readily interrupted. Matteo not about to let the boy escape without some sort of revenge. The Frenchman proceeding to near launch himself at his son then, Aiden wrestled into a veritable headlock as Matteo pushed him beneath the water- only for that powerful cat to push off from the ground beneath and launch them near both into the air again. That very war that ensued attracting the attention of a number of those horses as they peered curiously over the fence at the man and panther so attempting to playfully drown one another. Panthers, Matteo had decided, were perhaps stronger opponents then he had given them credit for.

It was only some minutes later with that nearly destroyed scarf dangling from Aiden's jaws that the pair their way back onto that bank, Matteo's shoes so thoroughly sodden that water seemed to run from them with every stride. Aiden taking that opportunity to shake himself and throw even more of that water over the Fae, Matteo's protests all but dying in the wake of the realisation it hardly mattered anymore- not when he was already soaked through. The rest of that afternoon and the sun however, was perhaps a welcome suggestion for them both. Matteo's hand held itself outward then, Aiden coming readily towards him, the Frenchman content to teleport them both back into the depths of that forest if only to gather Aiden's clothing before embracing them within that affinity once more to take them out to one of those sun-drenched fields that bordered his estate. His staff so having seen to that picnic lunch as he had instructed. Matteo gesturing toward it now. The Fae decidedly determined to afford his son that birthday as he had never quite been able to do before. It was important, after all, that Aiden might have at least one day in the expanse of a year in which someone, somewhere, celebrated his existence- even if the boy so notoriously went about informing the least amount of people possible of just when his birthday was. This but one life experience the Frenchman so refused to allow him to weasel out off. Besides- who could deny how blissfully warm and decidedly perfect that sun was, especially upon his own drenched figure.

Aiden's clothing was neatly laid out beside that blanket for the panther to see too- Matteo himself content with unpacking that lunch and various treats while Aiden returned to his more human figure and reached for that clothing. The manner in which the boy paused at the sight of those cookies and cake prompting a readily teasing role off his own gaze. His son's sweet tooth was, in the least, eternally reliable if nothing else. Matteo already prepared for the boys attempts to avoid those salads in favour of chocolate and yet, he supposed, when it was ones birthday- one might be afforded the opportunity to eat whatever they liked. That sound of satisfaction that fell from Aiden's lips at the sight of that birthday spread was nothing short of rewarding for the Frenchman in turn. After all, for Aiden to display an open desire or want for anything was often decidedly hard-won. That near fleeting simper finding his own lips in turn before that singular candle was fished from the basket to adorn that cake- a lighter summoned easily to his hand to complete that cake with that tiny flame before it was pushed toward his companion. Matteo reaching within that basket once more to produce that final gift he had promised the younger man. The Fae holding that little box toward him now.

Matteo's own head nodded readily in that unspoken permission for Aiden to open that gift here and now- even if it was surely an unexpected one. After all, Aiden had never quite taken to the idea of religion quite as much as Matteo himself might have desired him too and yet- he could hardly blame the man in any real sense. Not after the life he had lived. To give the boy religion would be foolhardy. Matteo's intention in this merely to offer Aiden something far more....personal and in turn perhaps far more meaningful. Hope, after all, was a distinctly more powerful thing then any truly realised unless they had been forced to rely upon it. He himself inclined to understand just how truly...meaningful it could be. His fingers so plucking at that chain about his own neck as he offered but some indication of why he had gifted the feline that darkened rosary that had survived more than a thousand years of battle. A gift his own father had given to him so very long ago. Perhaps, one day, it might do for Aiden as it had done for him. It would hardly save the man's life nor keep those vampires at bay and yet, sometimes, those emotions it might produce were perhaps far more meaningful. The Frenchman so hardly having anticipated that sudden question of just why those beads had once given him hope. Matteo so momentarily eyeing that rosary once more as it rested, now, against his own son's chest before offering those considered words.

"When I entered the army I was young, some might say foolish. I was innocent, I suppose, in a lot of things- but life in the army and a veritable baptism of fire taught me very quickly that the world was not the place I had always believed it to be. People were capable of being more cruel than I ever imagined. I saw things that would haunt me for years every time I closed my eyes. I saw people die, men, women, children- death was indiscriminate. Sometimes it was by my own hand."
Matteo paused once more, his features frowning ever so slightly in that further consideration. He had told Aiden of some of those battles before, indeed he had shared some of the more glorious victories that he had found after Alexander had found him in turn. Yet, before Alexander, his life in the army had hardly been...agreeable. It had been more than a thousand years and yet he still remembered how that screaming sounded. The trauma that came with bringing death did not ever truly...leave a man, in that he was assured Aiden understood near perfectly. Especially when that death was of those whom had not deserved it.

"I am not ashamed to admit I was afraid and worse still, those around me were quickly beginning to realise I was different. My powers were out of control, largely because I was so conflicted I had stopped trying to control them. Vampires, in that day, would pay in gold for a living Fae. Some of my...comrades saw me as a chance for easy money. Alexander found me, as you know, before any of that came to pass but there was truly dark days before that and those.."

His hand lifted once more then, pointing toward the rosary that hung readily about Aiden's own neck now.

"They reminded me, when I needed it most, that someone, somewhere, cared whether I lived or died. They reminded me I had someone to live for. They gave me hope my life would not always be like that. After all, they were hand-carved for me- by my own father. Sometimes being reminded that someone cares, Mon Amie, can have all the meaning in the world."

He hardly needed to elaborate further, he was sure, on just why he had gifted those very beads to Aiden in turn. There was no one he knew more whom might find at least some solace in their presence. They could hardly change his predicament and and yet, though Aiden so rarely spoke of it, he knew how desperately much family mattered to him. Those more...emotive words were rare between the pair, that singular gift perhaps saying those very things for him. Aiden knew, surely, how often he thought of him, didn't he? Surely the boy knew how much he cared. Matteo gestured easily to that chocolate tart then, shifting that conversation to that far more easy territory. That simper that found his adoptive sons lips was hardly missed as Aiden lent forward to blow out that singular candle. The Panther commenting upon that elaborate design of the tart. Matteo's own eyes rolling.

"Ah, consider yourself lucky. This is my being restrained. I'd have put thirty-one candles on it if I didn't think it might melt the icing. Here."

That knife was easily handed toward the younger man then to allow him to cut as large a piece of that tart as he might desire for himself. Matteo reaching for a loaf of bread to begin cutting it in turn before considering just which of those foods before him he might adorn that slice with. His fingers reaching to pluck a slice of fried fruit from one of those plates as he did. How on earth Dorian went without eating so often he hardly knew. It was damn near criminal. His accented words readily parted his lips once that sandwich of sorts had been seen too.

"After you showed me your teleportation last, that day in the ark, I went to see another acquaintance of mine who knows more about your particular style of teleporting- could you pass me that pepper?"

His hand reached to take that offered grinder before applying it readily to his creation. The Frenchman adding several more saldas then before lifting his gaze back to Aiden in turn. The Panther evidently of the opinion that nearly half that tart was an acceptable 'slice' for himself. Some things never changed.

"Tell me, have you ever heard of the Shadow Stream? I hadn't either. It is, for all intents and purposes, almost another....world of sorts. It runs parallel to our own and is apparently made entirely of shadow. I have never seen this place myself, it may be no more than a fool's tale but my companion is convinced of its existence. He is also assured that you, with your power, should be able to enter the Shadow Stream and in turn teleport far faster and with far less effort than ever before. After all, this shadowy world connects to our own in every way, you would only need teleport into the Stream then use it to appear anywhere you wanted in this world without needing to drag those shadows to you here. Of course- I have no knowledge of how to enter this world but I think we could amuse ourselves with trying one day- even if it is foolhardy. Frankly, I think I'd enjoy the adventure."


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