Scipio bit at his lower lip. Well... whatever he sees it makes him happy. Scipio was as unsure as @Caligula himself what had his father enamored- not that he had any past experience with what made for a happy relationship, even less experience seeing what his father enjoyed. If he's happy, and you're not going to ever try to hurt him, that's all I wanted to know. He said, trying to sound and seem grown and sure. Protective over a man that could handle himself far better than Scipio ever could.

Not sure why they'd tell you that- not like we need to swim that often. It seemed an excessive way to try and overcome a fear. I think I can make a little... puddle stream thing if you're thirsty and want to drink from that. He offered, figuring it wouldn't be hard to temporarily divert part of the flowing water and flood some of the nearby banks.

"Does that mean that I have your blessing then?" Caligula asked with a light laugh. Of course he expected the other's son to have some thoughts on the subject. Scopio already had a blended family without adding Caligula's own brood to it as well. It was possible the albino boy wasn't looking to have more siblings. Of course Caligula's were all grown though.

"It doesn't seem like Aquila had been happy for awhile." Caligula could entirely understand that sort of ache. "I know what it is to miss someone with all of your being." For Caligula that was more than one someone as he had a number of missing children. Sure, they were all adults but still he worried after them.

Caligula laughed and shook his head. "More often than you would think. I nearly drowned in the desert before. The water really has it out for me." So swimming wouldn't be a bad idea in Caligula's case since it seemed anytime he got too close to the water he nearly drowned.

"That would be great actually." Plus it beat him trying to figure out how to access the water without getting close to it.

@Scipio

Endure

He thought for a moment on the question. It deserved a few seconds of serious consideration, but there was no other answer he'd settle on than what his heart jumped to right away. Yes. He nodded and grinned, Caligula's laugh was infectious and Scipio was happy for what his father had. Scipio would walk with them on this journey.

I don't know I've ever seen him truly happy before. If it wasn't Caeso then it was something else on his mind. There was always something there under the surface brewing, anger, a sorrow... like a storm on the horizon. I thought that was just who he was. For better or worse. He'd never faulted his father for having a busy mind. It isn't. He said for certain now, because of Caligula Scipio learned that.

Okay hold on- stay here. Scipio wouldn't end up putting a bunch of work into the small river he 'built'. He walked to the nearest part of the Brook, the one Caligula had been eyeing up when Scipio approached. He began to work through the bank and mud to give the river a small and alternate path up onto the flood plains, water rolling around grasses and spreading out wide and shallow around Scipio's paws, flowing down towards Caligula in a wide swath.

"Good, I'm glad. I don't know what I would have done if you said no. I really do love your father. You probably won't understand but I feel young again when I'm around him." All that giddy schoolboy energy came rushing back whenever he saw Aquila. "I don't want to lose him. I can't think of losing him without breaking." That had been proven at the pride challenge. "I am looking for forever. Though I suppose I will just have to settle for however long he will give me." Because some portion of Caligula couldn't help but feel that Aquila would get tired of him eventually.

Caligula could understand Scopio's feelings. He had only ever seen his father act in a certain manner and so that became the end all, be all. Time and events could change someone though. "I am glad that you get to see a different side to him. A better side." Scopio could learn from this and become a great man in his own right.

He watched the boy work, interested in what he was doing. Perhaps he could end up following suit in the future. That was if he could ever even work up the nerve to approach the water. "Thanks." He said when water soaked the grass where he was but didn't rise too high. It was just enough to drink from and he could quickly escape still should the water try something

The maneless lion dipped his head down to lap at the water about his paws but still he couldn't help keeping an eye on the Brook itself. His fear and caution were evident in the taut muscles all along his body.

@Scipio

I don't think I do. Scipio was young. He didn't know just how nice it was to feel this way after growing old, seeing the world and having it thrust the good and bad your way for many years. Nor did Scipio know the power that finding love had over you... he had love but the love that had been handed to him from birth from that of his family and friends. He didn't think it was the same that Caligula, or his own father, was feeling right now. Theirs seemed more ... consuming.

He sat down in a section of grass that the brook had not flooded over into. His paws wiped along the grass to clear the mud from his pale coat. Of course, anytime you need. It was a small action that could make a world of difference and give an ounce of security to his father's mate. He'd do it again.

"You will. Someday. I'm certain of it. Right now it is about you finding yourself and your own passion for life." At least to him that was what youth was about, finding the things that made life worth living to you. As well as figuring out the sort of individual you wish to be. About the sorts of things that you wish to do with your life. And maybe even finding your first crush. "Right now you should just enjoy being young and not worry about growing old. Worries can always wait until later." Not that he was really an expert on that considering how much he fretted over minor things, mostly things that dealt with himself and his own shortcomings.

Caligula smiled at the words and shook his head. "Really, I wouldn't want to be an imposition." But he couldn't just will away his fears either. "So, clearly, you don't have any silly fears." He started once he had had his fill of water. "Have you decided what trades you wish to undertake? Perhaps some day you want to be High Sovereign like your father." Because he really did want to get to know more about the boy himself.

@Scipio

Worries for later. Yeah. Scipio could feel the unintentional leeching of the older adult's worries creeping around him. He couldn't help but have some worries some of the time, even if he didn't fully understand why or what he was worrying over. Wish that worrying could wait forever. He said in a dreamy, musing sort of way without expecting an answer or reply. Just a thought. A thought that he'd rather live without worries then have them at all.

Maybe I just haven't encountered my silly fear yet? He didn't think he had one either but he wanted @Caligula to feel at ease, so Scipio tried to lighten the mood with a joke. I want to keep my family safe. Like Aquila did. It was a mission, a weight some of them must burden after all. More now than ever would have had to before from the tales Scipio heard and the past generations he'd been told of. The world sounded more like that which his mother had come from, the place she'd tried to escape. Scipio would be damned before this pride turned into one more place to run from. Safe, and well provided for. Healthy, with food in their bellies, all the tools Scipio and family would need to thrive.

"That would be nice but I doubt it would ever become a viable possibility." There was always something or someone out there just waiting to disrupt it all. Caligula desired peace in life but that was also a far fetched notion. He did nothing to no one and yet there were still those that came for his home and for those that he loved. Peace seemed to be as much of a dream as being worry free was.

Caligula smiled at the boy's attempt and shook his head. "Not everyone has silly fears and that is okay. I hope you never discover one." After all it could prove to be quite debilitating. The crossing into Amaryllis had been a trying time for him. Just like having to go to the Passage to recruit. He had to find ways to distract himself in order to get the job done.

"I understand that feeling. I wish the same myself." At least he had Aquila to take up the fighting role where he could not. All Caligula had were his words. And he had learned that sometimes words were just not enough.

@Scipio

Silly is better than a serious fear though. Scipio concluded after about a second's worth of thought. You can avoid stuff like water well enough. Aside from the need to drink Scipio...doofus. Or at least plan for it. That was a little less foolish of a statement there. You couldn't avoid things like blood, pain, the loss of family. He'd rather have something he was afraid of that he could plan for... Plan his life around... Ok that sounded a little troublesome too.

Well you're family too, so I'll help make sure you've got that. The young lion promised Caligula with a firm nod of his head. A seriousness, dedication weird on a face so young and carefree. For his dad he'd give it his all for Caligula too.

Caligula smiled at the boy's attempts to soothe. He wasn't about to interrupt and ruin what the other was trying to do. Caligula had learned that water couldn't always be planned for. After all he had been attacked by it in the desert of all places but he wasn't about to deflate what Scipio was trying to do.

The bronze male's smile brightened more when he was called family. "And I will always be here for you." Sure, the boy had enough parent figures in his life and didn't really need him. Still, he could be that unbiased ear to listen to whatever troubles he was having, something he wasn't comfortable going to his own parents about.

"Want to help me walk the borders then?" He asked as another wary glance was given back to the Brook, making certain that it wasn't about to make some sort of last ditch attempt. He waited for an answer before heading on to fulfill his duties.

Caligula Exits

@Scipio