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Ruhn should probably have assumed that this would happen. It somehow still surprised him when he entered Bryce´s apartment and found all remaining members of Micah`s triarii in her living room. But, Athalar was now her roommate, so he would have to get used to seeing these guys. Raising his eyebrow at Bryce when he entered, he answered with a shake of the head to her unspoken question. This wouldn't be a problem. `Behave`. He telepathically ordered Flynn and Declan. Technically, they shouldn't pick a fight, having had no conflict with either angel in a while. The two of them exchanged grins but both replied with a positive.
Entering the apartment properly they greeted the angels politely, both fractions being tense for a moment, Athalar looking like he wasn't sure where he should be looking, obviously awkward. Bryce broke the tension with her usual charm “Why don't you whip them out and measure? Lady company excluded of course” winking at Naomi, she took a seat at the table. It appeared that Bryce had outdone herself with her cooking. Chuckling awkwardly, Ruhn sat down next to his sister, Flynn sitting next to him, Declan sitting between Flynn and Tiberian. Naomi and Athalar settled last, the former appearing amused at the tension that lingered in the air.
The last time Ruhn had been in a room with both Athalar and Tiberian it had escalated into a fight with Athlar. But now, after what had happened during the spring, he was relatively positive they would get along. Tiberian on the other hand…while never really confrontational, the angel had an air around him that none of the fae aux ever agreed with. It didn't help that the 33rd was widely known to be heavily incompetent. Ruhn and his friends had always joked about Tiberian not being more than a pretty figurehead for Micah to wave around in front of cameras.
Noticing eyes on him, Ruhn realized he had been staring at Tiberian when Naomi glared at him from across the table. “What?” She asked “See something you like?” Everyone was staring at him now. Great. He glared back. “I didn't realize I wasn't allowed to look.” Naomi looked ready to retort but Tiberian gave her a look and said “Of course you are, Prince Danaan. There is no law to stop you.” …right. The slave thing. Efficiently humbled, Ruhn busied himself with putting food on his plate.
Bryce, Hunt and Dec tried to alleviate the atmosphere with light chatter but everyone else wasn't too keen on conversation, Naomi was occupied with glaring at Ruhn, Flynn glaring back at her and Tiberian and Ruhn staring at their respective plates.
When the silence had gotten too much for Bryce she got up with a sigh and gave Ruhn a clap on the back. “Make conversation, I know you can.” With that she left towards her bathroom, leaving the three fae and the three angels alone. Ruhn glanced at his friends, and seeing no help coming from either of them, turned to address Tiberian “I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable earlier.” The malakim leaned back, amused “Me too. Didn't mean to ruin the meal.” “Ah, don't worry about it. I deserved that.” They shared a quick smile, the tension lowering considerably. Naomi elbowed Tiberian and whispered something to him, so quiet that not even Ruhn`s vanir ears could pick it up. They both chuckled and glanced at Ruhn, or his ears in particular. It took everything in him not to cover them. Flynn noticed and before the prince could stop him, leaned around Declan and pointed out: “Aren't you the one staring now?”
When Ruhn felt the tension rise again, he nearly facepalmed. Hunt seemed to share the sentiment, staring at Flynn and Naomi in mixed amounts of disappointment. Seeing the Umbra Mortis like that would probably be fucking hilarious, if Ruhn wasnt feeling super uncomfortable himself. Naomi blinked very slowly at Flynn, clearly conveying her opinion on his observation. Then she turned to Ruhn “I'm sorry my lord, I didn't mean to offend your feelings” Her tone dripping with sarcasm so thick Ruhn wondered how it did not cut him. “Naomi” Tiberian admonished quietly. “Isaiah” she gave back, dry as Hel. Then they glared at each other. Fuck me, Ruhn thought to himself. “It's fine, I didn't take offense, she is allowed to look” “Oh how kind of-” “Naomi, that's enough!” Now full on glaring at her technically-boss-but-also-technically-not-boss at the interruption, Naomi seemed about ready to take Isaiah`s head off. They seemed to have a silent conversation with each other, Naomi relented and settled down, seething in her seat, looking down at her plate.
The tension was back. Maybe even increased. Great. Bryce returned from the bathroom and sighed at the silent group that greeted her. Athalar sends her a look begging for help. Ruhn wants to do the same. “Oh what now, I really thought you guys could get along. Aren't you all in the military and fighters or shit?” “Some of us more so than others” Flynn mumbled into his drink. Ruhn kicked him under the table, Bryce actually facepalmed. Naomi stopped glaring at her plate and turned her gaze back on Flynn, after glancing at Tiberian. And then with a very calm, controlled voice asked: “What do you mean by that?”. Flynn apparently at least noticed he had fucked up, when he noticed everyone glaring at him. Well, everyone but Tiberian, who was busy chewing in the slowest way Ruhn had ever seen and pointedly not looking at him. Flynn started stammering, before sitting up and rubbing his head “I just meant uh, when was the last time any of you three fought in a battle? Like I know you fought with us this spring but…you know…” He trailed off when he noticed no one seemed happy with what he was saying.
“How about you shut your mouth, faeling? Especially when you don`t know what you`re talking about?” Naomi said, leaning over the table, her hands curled into fists. Hunt had gone suspiciously still, Tiberian still not looking at anyone. `Fuck Flynn, stop speaking for a fucking moment please`, Ruhn ordered his friend. “He didn't mean that, we know what you did for Micah ”And…that might have been the wrong thing to say. Seconds after saying it, he realized just who he had said that to. Hunt looked pale, his wings fluttering behind him uncomfortably. Ruhn really wanted to take that back, but one look at his sister told him he had done fucked up. “I really doubt you know shit, prince.” Naomi said, still in that quiet tone, that managed to be way more threatening than the angry one before. And why was she mad now? She had not really been all that protective over Hunt, only over Tiberian. He would have expected that comment to hit Athalar, not the other angel.
“You can't speak with him like that, angel.” Oh Asteri, stop speaking Flynn “What are you gonna do about it, faeling? Need I remind you that we are basically equal in power. Unless your prince is going to make a thing out of this, I'm free to speak to him any way I want.” Tiberian shifted his wings, putting his cutlery down. “Oh yeah? Last time I checked you weren't a noble”, “And last time I checked, you were a little prick.” The two stood, glaring at each other over the table, everyone else staring at them, waiting for them to start fighting.
“I think I`ll take my leave now, thank you Ms. Quinlan, it tasted delicious. Hunt.” With a nod to his friend, Tiberian got up from the table. Naomi followed, not bothering to do more than nod at Bryce and Hunt.
Ruhn got up too, holding out a hand “Sorry, please. We shouldn't have said that, I don't know why we did. Don't let our stupidity end this evening like this.” Glancing back at him, having already turned his back on the table, Ruhn struggled to decipher what he could read in Tiberian`s gaze. Disappointment mixed with anger? Or just plain disappointment. Resignation? Was Tiberian so used to people dismissing him, reducing him to what he had done for Micah, that this wasn't even anything new? Like, yes Ruhn had made fun of the male before, never really meaning anything with it, but he never realized that there were others. Afterall he and Tiberian, slave or not, were pretty much on the same level of authority, both leading their respective military forces. What reason did others have to dismiss the commander of the 33rd? How dare they even, as he was probably one of the few people Micah had remotely listened to.
Hunt also got up, but thankfully only to hold out a hand and say “Come on, the evening has barely started. They apologized.” “Not them. The prince apologized”, Naomi muttered, crossing her arms over her chest, her black wings puffing angrily. Flynn had that look in his eyes that told Ruhn exactly where this would go if he didnt stop this now. Throwing a look at his friend and adding a `Shut up. Don't say anything. Shut up unless you want to apologize` for good measure. “He doesn't know what he's talking about. Ignore him, please. If anyone has to leave it's us. We…we can leave if you want us to.”
He trailed off, unsure if they would want them to leave. It would be in their right, the two angels hadn't done anything except joke, all the bad behavior had come from the fae. Naomi looked ready to accept his offer but Ruhn was hopeful when Tiberian answered. “Thank you Prince Danaan, but that won't be necessary. We have an early morning tomorrow. Goodnight.” With that he turned his back on them, his pristin white wings tense but held high, leaving with quick strides Ruhn staring after him helplessly. Naomi lingered for a moment longer, looking very much like she wanted to say something. When none of the others spoke up, Declan asked tentatively and politely “Did you wanna stay?”
Aiming a cold gaze at him, Naomi's frown deepened “No I didn't. Just a word of…advice. Don't talk about stuff you don't know shit about. Or at least have the decency to not do it in someone's face.” She gave a pause, and then turned from the tabel only hesitating to ask “Hunt, you coming or staying?” Athalar shared a quick glance with Bryce and then replied “Nah i'll sleep here but i'll see you out.” With that he got up, and the fae were left alone. Declan gave Flynn an awkward slap on the head and Bryce leveled an exasperated gaze at all of them. Even while pondering Naomi`s last words and wondering what part of the conversation they had alluded to, Ruhn really wanted to slam his head into the table. Instead he turned pleading eyes on his sister. “I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that. Do you think we messed up big?” “I think you just hit a nerve. Mentioning that twat of an archangel was probably stupid. They don't really like talking about him.”
Flynn squinted at Bryce “Weren't Tiberian and the big bat best buds? He was his right hand, no?” At that even Ruhn turned unbelieving eyes on his friend, his sister being less subtle “Are you stupid? Micah owned him. Bought him of one of the other archangels and made him an authoritative figure in a city that gave him no respect because he's a slave. Do you think any of the fallen appreciate the archangels at this point? After two hundred years of this?” Flynn had the decency to look humbled at that “No of course, I get that. But like…Micah wanted to free him didn't he? Tiberian? I heard they had a contract written up, for after…” He trailed off when Hunt re-entered the room.
Athalar looked as if he was considering saying something, standing in front of the table like Naomi had just done. Ruhn watched some sort of conviction flicker over his face, no longer marked by the same thorns that still covered Tiberian`s brow. Surprising Ruhn, Hunt turned to Flynn “Where did you hear that?” “Uh…here and there? From no one specific” The fae hurried to asure as Hunt`s look darkened, obviously displeased by the lack of information. “Well, it's not true. I also made the mistake of buying into Isaiah`s `pro-Micah` bullshit for a while. But don't be fooled, he might have hated the asshole the most''. Ruhn thought he could hear him mumble “And with good reason” and didn't that make him curious? But, not Ruhn`s business. So, instead of asking what Athalar meant, he gave Flynn a mental nudge. `Apologize`. With an affronted look at his prince, Flynn said “Fine, fine. Sorry Athalar, I didn't mean to offend anyone, I swear.” “Don't apologize to me. That won't do shit.” “Well Tiberian left, so…” Hunt nodded, letting silence settle over the dinner. Everyone continued eating for a moment, Ruhn`s thoughts quieting and moving on from the awkward conversation.
Until, of course, his curiosity got too much “Why would he hate him more than you? Didnt you get the worst end of the deal?” Bryce sent him a look that promised death, but Athalar only leaned back in his seat and fixed Ruhn with a gaze. Feeling distinctly uncomfortable under the angry gaze of Micah`s former pet assassin, Ruhn shifted and started to curse the fact that he had ever agreed to this dinner. First a disagreement with Tiberian and now he had pissed off Athalar. He was hitting all the spots this evening. Very ready to apologize once again, Ruhn opened his mouth but was interrupted by Flynn “Oh come on, we are all curious. Even our little princess here wants to know” waving away Bryce`s affronted ´Hey´, he continued talking, to Ruhn`s dismay. “Like, I get it if it's personal and stuff, but Ruhn is kind of right. You were Shahar`s commander, her lover and Micah must have hated you. And you still wouldn't say you hated him the most? He made you kill people for Hel's sake.” After that little out-burst, everyone waited for Hunt`s reply with held breath.
Ruhn tried to imagine what kind of story he would hear in a moment and weither he actually wanted to know. After all, he and Tiberian had a strictly professional relationship and never even talked about more than the job before this evening. Would Hunt share with them if it was deeply personal? Probably not. Watching Athalar`s face closely as the angel considered what to tell them, if anything, Ruhn tried not to assume too much and to just listen to what would be told.
Bryce tried to say something, but Hunt spoke before she could. “Micah was by far not the worst of the archangels. He was nothing compared to Sandriel. He didn't use excessive punishments, offered deals and the such. But he was amazing at manipulating people, playing them against each other. He had all of us convinced he was all decent and better than our former masters” The distaste at that word was tangible and Hunt seemed to consider how much more to say. The whole table waited more or less patiently. “He was still a monster. Not too obvious about it, but he was. Those deals he offered us were nothing but a creative way of torture” With that Hunt seemed to focus on his beer again, obviously finished with the topic.
When Ruhn spotted Flynn about to open his mouth, he finally put a stop to it `Don't. Please`. Ruhn himself had heard enough. He never wanted to pry this deeply, though they had still gained some information through it. Tiberian had obviously also had some variation of Hunt`s deal with Micah, that only few people ever knew about, that had not involved killing, but rather some other service. What the angel had been made to do for Micah, Ruhn didn't even want to imagine, but he could guess it hadn't been pleasant. Hunt`s anger for the archangels had always been easily explainable, given everything, but Ruhn could admit to himself, that he tended to forget Tiberian had to have been through much of the same. Slavery, torture, multiple wars. Tiberian had also served under Shahar and Sandriel both, just like Hunt.
Conversation flowed more easily after that, moving on from the darker topics and allowing the evening to turn into a relaxed night. Maneuvering one drunk and one sleep-deprived friend out of the apartment, Ruhn considered apologizing to Athalar one last time, but thought better of it, when he saw Hunt and Bryce sharing a long look, communicating between the two of them. He didn't want to interrupt, after they had already said their goodbyes. He was sure Athalar would share some more information with his sister, and as curious as he still was, he wasn't supposed to hear any of it. So with one last awkward wave, Ruhn steered his friends outside and closed the door after himself.