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cookies-and-mirrors · 20 days ago

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Prison of Stone and Flesh

Chapter Twenty Seven

This is a collaborative fic between @cookiesupplier, @faceless-mirror & @comforting-madness

Dividers by @samspenandsword @cafekitsune @saradika-graphics

Authors Note: Trigger warning for ALMOST smut, kidnapping, dubcon, mentioned past sexual abuse.

Pairings: Multi-Pairings, Everybody x Everybody.

Triggerlist: transphobia, homophobia, abuse, SA, dubcon, religious trauma, past suicide attempts, mental health issues, grief, death, violence, kidnapping, (To be added to)

Christopher, Justin, and Ryan are members of the Gargoyle Order, soldiers fighting in the angels war against the demonic supernatural evils of the world to protect human kind. Through the years they lost comrades and now just the three of them remain in their little town.

Now, Ricky and Vinny are moving into their church, stirring up old and new feelings, along with the past, posing the challenge of navigating this new chapter in their lives.

Can they all navigate this path successfully and break free of the prisons that is their lives of both stone and flesh, or will they all be trapped forever in a world that could prove to be a constant misery?

MASTERLIST HERE

Taglist: @miamore0570 @21-century-tae @dragon-chica @shilohrosechicken @comforting-madness

@missduffsblog @witchyweeb34 @spicywhenspeaking @lacktoesandtoddlerants @blackveilomens

@bngurngheart @dominuslunae @collapsedglasshouses @emmmm127 @sunsshinesunny

@latenightmusiclover @dontdiganothergravetoday @high-wire @awkwardalex

(please comment/like/reblog/message to be added to taglist)

Chapter Twenty Seven

EARLIER IN THE DAY

Dammit, this was not Folio’s day, he had to take out the trash. They mostly took it in turns, sometimes, they’d flip for it, especially if someone in the kitchens was feeling lucky. Brady, however, didn’t want to take out the trash today, so he bet Folio that he could beat him at rock paper scissors… in exchange for his dish duty, if he lost, he’d do both. If he won, Folio would do them. Tom told him not to take the bet that Brady is just an idiot, but Folio couldn’t resist.

Folio lost. Tom just shook his head, Brady always cheats, Folio was going to figure out how, one day he would… or smash him over the head with a two-by-four… which ever came first. Now ever, he was in the alley taking out the trash.

There was a low crackling rumble, almost like a loud purr, a few stones fell as a serpentine head lowered looking at Folio. Its hand like claws scraping the brick, bouncing off the asphalt. A soft click of teeth, pupils sharp and focused… It was almost beautiful… Until it flapped its wings gently and silently, landed feet away.

Its eyes were a stony grey, looking nearly black around the edges, lighter grey towards the pupil… Familiar. Similar eyes to the gargoyle. Atsuko.

The human form of the werewolf was walking along the back alley of the back of the store, with the massive trash bag in one hand, towards the industrial garbage bins. Hearing the stones, and the purr, the rumble, he shuddered, it was always a bit strange, the different noises outside of the traffic, the worst ones were the squeak of rats, they were menaces. Then he saw it, the creature practically hanging off the building, only to jump down to the ground, and his breath caught, and his heart felt like it was going to stop… Shit… What the fuck.

Wait, wait, what… Why-why was it… Coming this… Way…

Shit… Winter was definitely coming.

Folio dropped the trash as he turned to try to run. He knew better than to try to shift, there was not nearly enough area to run far enough to get the speed to transform fast enough. On foot, it was. Fuck.

It was soundless.

Fast.

He was turning to start running and he blinked. He was in the creature’s grasp, an arm wrapped around his middle and a hand over his mouth as the creature took to the skies, purring and rumbling at his back as the ground got further and further away.

Folio didn’t get a good look at him, and panic was well and truly settled in now as the creature wrapped around him to lift him up and take off. The claw that grasped over his mouth was all that blocked his scream for help from ripping through the air as he struggled against the creature, pushing, shoving. Folio didn’t care if he fell, he just needed out of its grasp. He healed fast, he’d be fine with a few broken bones, he’d be good.

The creature was gentle and cradled him in an iron grip. There was no way he would escape. None. The gargoyle beast moved and finally tucked into an old stone building and nuzzled Folio, with its long tongue dragging along his neck up his cheek.

Why did it feel like the more Folio moved, the stronger that this creature was holding him. His panic was strangling his chest tighter with each breath, he pushed down on memories trying to surface, the arms of the beast wrapped around him so tight that they felt like they were strangling the air around of him. What was he going to do? Was Noah looking for him already? He knew Jolly and Nick couldn’t, it was daylight out… oh… God… wait, “Cutie?” His voice was quiet, soothing. It was him… Wasn’t it?

He purred and chuffed softly as he set him down in a premade nest, nuzzling him, and purring. Atsuko knocked him gently towards a nest, a mess of blankets, a mattress, and pillows… At least everything looked clean and fresh, and the windows had been covered.

As soon as he had gotten to the nest, Atsuko curled up with his head on his lap purring, eyes relaxing and dilating as he blinked slowly at him.

Something in him calmed down as Atsuko set him down, pushing him a little towards a pile of, blankets, a mattress? He’d, he’d prepared them this place? It was, was… Was this some kind of gargoyle date? Well, that was a surprise, yesterday he’d felt like the other man hadn’t seemed to want to give him the time of day…

Looking back to Atsuko, now that he wasn’t quite freaking out anymore, and he was closer to him, no longer trying to run away from him… He could actually get a better look at him, and oh, oh boy. He actually saw that he was utterly, and completely naked, and that, was when he was considering what, what this mattress and blankets were for… On this… Date… “Oh, Cutie, I like it. Could have used some candles… Dinner, maybe a movie… You know, a bit of wooing wouldn’t have gone astray.”

Atsuko purred and chuffed nuzzling his tummy lightly and crawled closer on top of him nuzzling his chin, kneading the blanket and his tail wrapped around his leg lightly. His black scales reflecting soft streams of light before licking up his neck and jaw slowly.

Laying back with a soft groan at the feel of the massive weight of the gargoyle over him. Folio was just tiny compared to the form of the man, the beast form of the gargoyle over him, Atsuko was huge. He did, however, reach up to him a little, he didn’t want him to move away, though. Turning his head at the feel of his rough tongue, his lips parting with a slight pant, eyes almost glazed, pupils blown so wide at the feeling as he licked up his skin as he moaned.

He licked up his neck once more before moving and nudged his nose up under his shirt. He pinned him as he snorted softly, still licking his skin and nuzzling scenting and marking him lightly with soft nips, not caring if he was stretching out the shirt one bit.

Oh, please, Folio practically felt like he wanted to writhe underneath himself, a groan escaping him, but then he was moving, “Cutie, babe-” Gasping out, his hands grasping for him fruitlessly as he was trying to nuzzle under his shirt… Fuck his shirt. Lifting himself up slightly so he could lift his shirt up over his head as Atsuko marked at his belly, “There you go, it's gone for you.”

Atsuko sighed relaxing again licking his lips as he rumbled looking up at his claws kneading either side of him purring as his eyes got heavier and heavier though focused on Folio possessively growling softly. His tail squeezed lightly.

Folio knew exactly where he wanted this to go, and the way Atsuko seemed to be growling softly at him, all claiming and what not… There was no doubt that this gargoyle had decided he was his, and Folio was not about to argue with him, not at all. There had been something about that man the moment he’d seen him, a little part of Folio had gone, that one, mine, I’ll take that one wrapped in a bow, please. Claws and fangs would do just as well, even better actually, and a tail, fuck, a tail, you know what, Noah, let's hope he doesn’t come rescue him any time soon. Pressing up against Atsuko as best he could, mimicking his actions.

Atsuko purred louder, rolling onto his back to show off his belly, rumbling at him. Tail twitching as he nudged his cheek, showing off his body to him, as if to beg him to look at him and touch him.

The werewolf whined slightly when Atsuko pulled away, the weight of his body, his warmth, and immediately he was climbing over him, pressing his smaller body down against his. Hands were on the gargoyles shoulders, he was massive, to the point that Folio could barely climb over him. He was five ten, five eleven in his dreams, damn Noah laughing at him from the clouds, but Atsuko, it felt like right now, was putting his brother to shame, and oh, was that hot. He was practically straddling his hips as he nuzzled against his neck aggressively.

The gargoyle purred and licked him after lifting his head, tongue dragging from his waistband all the way up his stomach to chest, neck, and cheek. Vibrating under him as his eyes fluttered, rolling his body some, whining to him as his tail swept over the floor and bed eagerly for him.

It was official, Folio’s brain no longer had any blood in it, at all, it was all in his cock when Atsuko licked him like that. The moan that escaped him when the gargoyles tongue ran over his skin was almost as feral as the gargoyle himself was. “Fuck, more, I need more.” He didn’t know if it was safe, or care, but he brought his mouth right to Atsuko’s, his hand holding his jaw. Folio, not caring that his teeth were sharp, just as his got at the full moon, as he kissed him.

The gargoyle purred and kissed back, tongue pressing into Folio’s mouth, exploring and invading. His hips jerking some as he got hard under him and moved eagerly, flipping them again to grind against him, leaving no room between them.

Folio found himself once more on his back, with Atsuko grinding back down against him, and his hips jerked up against him, so hard in his jeans he was aching. His hands were grasping at his upper arms, fingers digging in as hard as he dared to his muscles, which, as thick as his skin felt, were, pretty damn hard. Gurgling against his tongue to breathe. “Babe, Cutie-” He felt so good on top of him, thrusting down against him. He wished he knew what he was thinking, what had changed, arching up underneath him, but he’d give him everything, it didn’t matter. Folio hadn’t been able to get him out of his head. “Please.” He bit down on his lip as he kissed him again.

The beast pulled back after another deep kiss, his tongue teasing his throat as he groaned softly, and rumbled contently. He crawled down nudging his hips urging him along hungrily, whining and lightly trying to remove the cloth from him, his teeth gently tugging, looking up at him purring at him.

Oh god, his pants, his pants were in the way, was he, he was trying to pull them off with his teeth?! Fuck, why was that hot? That shouldn’t be hot, knowing his painfully sharp teeth were so dangerously close to his dick, it shouldn’t be, but it was, okay… “Let, let me, I can-” Folio reached down to pop the button of his jeans open with his fingers to start getting them open, and then the zipper to start pushing them off from his hips.

Atsuko purred his tongue worming in at his skin, lapping at his skin, teasing as more skin was revealed. His tongue wrapping around Folio’s length slowly, stroking his cock and cool breath as he kept licking and teasing him. Lubing him up, whining and whimpering at him gently, starving for his attention, eyes blown wide looking up at him.

Folio moaned as his tongue, oh god, that tongue. Atsuko’s tongue was absolute perfection, the way it wrapped around his cock like that. Folio’s pants were only pulled halfway down his thighs, so he couldn’t quite move that much, but the way his hips jerked at the way Atsuko’s tongue was stroking at him, oh fuck. Groaning as he looked down at him, their eyes meeting.

The gargoyle kept his mouth busy, his tongue exploring all of him, all the way down to lick at his balls lightly before pulling off to grind against him. Kissing him once more, tongue teasing the back of his throat before easing in slowly.

Folio was just completely out of his mind right now, it felt like Atsuko was just licking his brains out of his cock, and then him climbing back up his body. Panting, he leaned up reaching for the gargoyle, sitting up, as he kissed Atsuko back, groaning at the feel of his tongue, moaning at the way it teased his throat…

He didn’t even resist the gurgle of pleasure as his tongue just kept going down his throat and his eyes practically rolled down that back of his head.

Atsuko froze. A low rumbling growl came from him as his tongue retracted. He moved, turning to face the window, positioning himself over Folio. Wings lifted some to look bigger as his tail swayed as his hips lingered over Folio’s face, throbbing length just out of reach as he stared at the gargoyle watching them. He snapped his jaws, a warning. Mine.

The gargoyle in question was one that had gotten Noah’s message and right now, he's currently perched in a tree where he saw the two, he just stared blankly at them. While yes, he understood why the beast is acting the way he is, but it still wouldn't stop him from separating them. But instead of doing that, he waits in silence while his own wings were raised, mirroring the beast's.

“Easy Honesty…”

Shade honestly didn't know what to do. All he could think about was how he could get Folio away from him. Away from Atsuko. Yet, he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread, mixed with anger, at the state of undress he found the wolf. But he had to remain calm for now lest he wants to fuck up while trying to plan.

At first, when Atsuko’s tongue slid from his throat, Folio was confused and dazed as to what was actually happening, why, why was he stopping. He felt so good, his whole body was just alight, and the way they felt together. Then he was pulling away… Now he was crouched over him, and guh, his cock was right there, oh god, wait, what, was going on? He was snapping at something outside the window? Something… Some… one…

Fuck, that was another gargoyle? Shit.

Folio groaned as he leaned to get a better look out of the window, rolling his eyes… For the love of…

“If you are that fucker, that was in the restaurant, with Atsuko, whatever, but if it's Shade, dude, come on man, can’t you see I am busy? This ain’t the apartment, some space man, space.”

Atsuko snarled softly at the gargoyle. Possessive. Mine, mine. His eyes burned angrily, My mate! Go away! The beast hissed distressed as his mate moved, and he coiled around him, eyes watering… Stay. Stay. Stay this time. Don’t go… please don’t go.

Busy. Busy!? This motherfucker—

Tapping a clawed finger against the bark of the tree, he looked unimpressed by the wolf's words before furrowing his brow. That ‘fucker’? His brother? He didn't know how to feel about that statement, so he clicked his tongue in response before dropping from his place in the tree, going to approach them before pausing. Standing there with his wings lowered now, he grimaced once he realised what was going on.

Remaining silent, he still waited until the others came. Although that didn't stop him from being agitated, glaring at the feral gargoyle now, before looking at Folio with a disapproving stare. He hated the weeks that lead to the full moon because his wolf brain doesn't function properly at times.

And now was one of them.

When Shade didn’t leave, Folio groaned, only for the sound to choke off when he looked back at Atsuko and the way he was moving back to him, curling around him. “Babe?” What… What was that? How could… He could hear, was he hearing what he was thinking? But… but how? That didn’t make any sense? “Atsuko?” Leaning into him, with his massive form, not caring about his state of undress, or how all over the place he was, everything was so confusing right now, he was so confused. Atsuko looked like he was about to fall apart, and Folio couldn’t stand it.

Stay, stay, stay, stay… stay….! Atsuko rumbled curled around him crying in his beast form, eyes focused on Shade as he kneaded the blanket, clicking his teeth and licked Folio’s skin a few times, rumbling anxiously. Stay, promised. Stay. Stay. Stay. Waited. Waited in darkness… stay. Don’t go. Can’t go. Won’t let you go. Promised. Mate promised. Promised Atsuko. Promised… his teeth chattered as he nibbled at Folios skin without breaking it. His tail whipped back and forth. Mine… mine… mine…

Shade could feel… something from Atsuko. It was obvious he was being defensive, as any gargoyle would be– wait. Tilting his head some, he set his jaw while glancing in the direction he heard someone approach and shook his head some. That aside, a sigh left him as he slowly moved towards them and looked at the weary beast.

“I need you to be calm,” he said softly, “He's not going anywhere, but you can't just kidnap him.” A lie and a truth. Something he hopes that can help him in the long run, at least until it can't anymore, then he might have to get physical.

As he tried to reason with the other gargoyle, the severity of the situation weighing on him now, Riyah had landed with Noah and carefully let the younger male go with an amused expression.

“You're going to have to get used to it eventually, kiddo.”

But when he did land, Riyah couldn't help but bristle at the sight of Atsuko and Folio. What the absolute fuck? A soft growl left him as he took a small step forward but was stopped by the clicking of Shade’s tongue. A warning to stay back.

Something was going on here, something felt different, promised, mate promised, he was calling him mate… And he promised… But… Oh, oh, boy. Folio pressed himself as close as he could as Atsuko cried, just wanting to soothe him now, even as he licked him, “Please, please don't cry, Cutie. I’m here.”

Noah, oh he hated, flying, with the fire of a thousand suns. The thought that he was supposed to get wings according to his earlier conversation with those other two, gargoyle or angel, nope, nope, he did not want them, ever, ever! As Riyah set them down, he was bending over, just wanting to calm himself from a panic and the world spinning. When he lifted his head and looked over to Shade…

“Easy for you to say, you were born with wings. Where the hell-” That was when Noah's senses caught up to where he was, and… Sex, and tears and… as he stood back up straight, ignoring the ache that was plaguing him from work during the day shooting down his back. He stepped over towards the old, abandoned clock tower entrance, into which he could see the gargoyle just wrapped around his brother who was practically naked. He went to rush forward towards them, “We have to get him off him!”

Atsuko's eyes still watered, focused on Folio chuffing in a way that sounded like sniffles, when Noah approached though he stiffened, swiping his tail at Noah. A clear sign to back off. He let out an alarmed cry. He was going to take his mate! He was going to take his mate away forever! He wailed, clearly distressed, moving to wrap over Folio, Not again! Protect mate- protect mate this time-

Riyah just watched Noah for a moment as the younger was trying to calm himself, tuning his gaze over to the other three and his eyes landed on Shade.

The aforementioned gargoyle was watching the two who had just landed, shaking his head slightly to his friend while looking at Noah for a moment. Fucking hell, this was weighing down on him a lot. The way Atsuko is being and the way Folio was so… receptive. Oh no, oh fuck.

Just as soon as Noah had taken off towards the two, a snarl left Shade as he cursed himself. He felt so torn about what to do, and Riyah blanched when he saw the youngest rush forward.

“Noah, No!” Riyah hissed as he ran after him but saw that Shade had moved faster, tackling Noah.

“Wait until everyone is here. I don't want this to escalate, and I'm sure it will now that you've just charged at them.” Shade growled. Oh, how he wished he hadn’t done that, but he didn’t want Noah to get himself hurt. Looking to Riyah once the other gargoyle reached them, he immediately jumps from Noah before moving forward again to stand between both groups.

When the gargoyle that had his brother swiped his tail at him, Noah saw red, that was his brother, Folio had always protected him, had risked his life protecting him. Even when their mother had died protecting them, after Folio’s entire family and pack had died before Noah was even born, and Folio still risked it and not just run abandoning him. How could he abandon him now? “Folio!” He called out in dismay when Shade was snarling and Riyah was hissing, Noah didn’t know what to do, he was powerless.

No, no he wasn’t, he, he could try to do something, he could try, but he would rather not be that kind of monster that angels were, commanding gargoyles to do what they wanted them to. Pursing his lips… half glaring at Shade… “Sure, this guy has stripped my brother half naked in an abandoned old clock tower after kidnapping him, and I’m the problem here trying to protect him. Sure.”

Atsuko was trembling, completely shielding the wolf… a meat shield… he was using his body as a wall.

All Shade could think about was how he felt in the past. The loss and grief he's felt. It was a surprise he had gotten this far— yet it was an itch that cannot be scratched, and it's just festering in a way. Seeing how badly Atsuko was shaking, the gargoyle looks down at Noah while ignoring the glare he's given.

“One of us is going to have to teach you more about our kind,” Riyah said quietly as he watched over everything. “We understand that you're worried about him. Considering the fact that this is something that is usually avoided—.”

“Uwriyah, shut up before you say something dumb.” Shade interjects.

Noah’s eyes narrowed slightly, something usually avoided? Riyah was lucky that Shade stopped him when he did, right then, because Noah wasn’t sure he wanted to know what was about to come out of that gargoyle’s mouth. Plus, Riyah really didn’t want to know how Noah was going to likely react to it because, usually avoided?! Yes, he usually avoided his brother being kidnapped off the street and sexually assaulted. They’d usually avoided that pretty much since they were kids.

Shade's fingers dug into the ground as he stared at Noah, eyes narrowed some before crawling off him, but he was on the verge of lashing out himself as he growled at the feral gargoyle. He was seated by the other now as he set his jaw, wings wrapped around himself now, while Riyah moved to crouch with them in silence. He already said enough, due to the fact of how Shade basically snapped at him and just seeing how aggravated Noah was, he chooses to stay quiet for now.

Riyah wasn’t sure how to go about this as he watched and furrowed his brow. To him, Atsuko is basically a wild animal at this point and needs either to be talked down for understanding or knocked out. He really didn't like the second option. How was he supposed to help Shade and keep Noah from getting hurt— never mind. Glancing between them and then eyes on Shade, the elder's wings were shaking with contained anger.

He didn't like this situation as a whole.

“We can't… We just…can't do it…” To separate them.

“We have to do it, Riyah…” Shade practically snarled at the other gargoyle. “We can't let this fucking continue. We can't… no. We need to get Folio and Honesty away from each other.”

Not again. Even if this could be Temperance or not, just… no. Shade doesn't want anything to happen to him, and he knows Riyah means well, but the dumbass is so detached— he's fucking aloof.

Noah closed his eyes as he focused on keeping calm, breathing slow, one, two, three, because he was not going to find something heavy and smash it as hard as he could at the clock tower. Just so he didn’t try to hurt someone else. Noah didn’t like being violent if he could help it. No. It was far too easy to hurt people, and there was a part of him that wanted to hurt- no-

He was starting to freak out about everything, they were talking about going to do something, about not being about to do it, but having to do it? Do what? Do what? “Please, please, just do something!!” His voice shook as he begged them to do something to help his brother, something.

Folio swallowed, he could hear the panic in his brother's voice, and he knew, he knew that this wasn’t going to end well if this kept going, but he didn’t know what to do. “Noah, Noah, it’s going to be okay, I’m okay, okay? I just… I promise I’m okay… Look, I’m starting to get dressed.” As best, he could, Folio was trying to wiggle his pants back up his legs even as Atsuko wouldn’t move from shielding him. Getting dressed was for Noah because he knew why his brother was freaking out. What he did know was he had to calm down Atsuko. Once he had his pants back on, he had a hand reaching up to brush over Atsuko’s back, “Cutie, cutie, it’s okay, it’s okay, it’s my brother, you remember my brother, and these guys are my friends. They won’t hurt me, I promise. Or take me away. I’m not going anywhere.”

The gargoyle looked in his eyes, rumbling softly, Mate stay? Mate won't leave…? It was so soft in his mind body shaking as he moved and laid his head on Folio's lap, tail relaxing as did his wings, eyes fully focused on just Folio. Mate… Mate won't leave… Mate promised…

Noah swallowed at the way the gargoyle just, laid against Folio like that, and whimpering slightly, his eyes stinging with tears. He was scared, why was he scared by what was happening, nothing was making sense right now, “Nick- Nicky what's going on-”

Folio was brushing his fingers over the head of the gargoyle, not caring he was a beast, a monster by anyone else's definition. The stroke of his fingers tender before he was glancing over towards his brother, despite still only being half dressed, he at least had his pants on now, his shirt was, somewhere. He couldn’t reach it without moving. “It’s okay Noah, he’s not going to hurt me see? He doesn't mean to hurt me. It’s okay, cutie, I’m here, I’m right here.” Not the way those others had… Not that he wanted to let him move, either.

Gone was the usual stoic, and calm Shade, a distraught gargoyle was in his place when he saw how Atsuko was with Folio. The way he was calming down, lying on him, but it obviously was causing Noah a great amount of stress and sets his jaw. “Noah,” Shade said softly, “Right now, he's calm. But we need to separate them, and the only way to do it is that someone has to either forcibly pull Folio away or knock Atsuko off..”

It was Riyah's turn to go stoic, and he just stared at Atsuko and Folio. Both Shade and Riyah watched Folio as he continued to comfort the gargoyle, and that was when the former was reaching for Riyah's staff, grabbing it. Oh, how it was so calm right now. But then again, since when has any of their lives been calm?

It was then that Nicholas arrived, looking between everyone as outside there was a cry of “Why did Atsuko pick somewhere with stairs?!” From a feminine voice. Jolly was beside Nick, raising an eyebrow at the female voice, shaking his head. They’d got a message from Shade about where he’d found Folio had been taken, so the moment that the sun was low enough, they’d gone right away, and here they were. This was the first time they’d seen everyone that Noah and Folio had run into yesterday, but that was never mind, all that mattered was getting Folio back safely. The problem was, from the sound of it, things were not going well inside that clock tower.

Atsuko chuffed softly, sighing out as his eyes fluttered, listening only to his mate. He purred softly, opening his mouth just a bit and licked his hand softly with heavy eyes. Wanted… good memory for my mate… wanted to see sunfall when young… didn’t get to… get to now… Mate… mate… Niko…

Getting them apart would stop this, Noah nodded quickly, so quickly when Shade said that to him. Noah refused to let anything like this happen again, he refused. Seeing his brother like this, taken, abused, and he should be able to do something, anything, he wasn’t a child anymore! Folio deserved better! Noah knew what it was like, he knew. How it felt to be taken, to have to pacify an aggressor, he remembered… He’d never be able to forget those early years on the street. Before they met Nick, before they met Jolly. Noah, right now, was trying not to, not to think about it, about being back there, about how powerless he had felt back then, about how powerless he felt right now… because he wasn’t powerless. He could do something, he just had to open his mouth and speak and he could put a stop to all of this. Even as Folio said he didn’t want to hurt him, he could tell the underlying element, especially what Shade said… he was calm, but they were going to have to force them apart. He was calm, but he wasn’t going to let him go. He was calm, but he’d still abducted him. Noah had to stay calm, he had to breathe, breathe Noah, he could do this, stay calm for the moment… calm until they had his brother safe… Calm… calm.

“Okay. Do you need me to do anything?”

Shade glanced at the other and shook his head before lightly tapping the ground with the staff. “I need you to take deep breaths,” he said instead, while observing Folio with Atsuko. Yes, it seems like the beast is calm, but again, this is making Noah panic.

Atsuko chirped, moving to lay his head on his lap again, still being a brick wall between Niko and his companions. He huffed softly, licking his hand and cheek, chirping.

Folio kept stroking his fingers brushing over his cheek as he listened to this commentary from this voice, this voice he could only hear in his head. He still couldn’t believe he was hearing a voice in his head, was he going insane, Noah… Noah… it's okay… Breath… Looking over to his brother, he was going to be okay. That… That name though, Niko, was like an echo in his mind, like a dream, he wasn’t sure from where, from somewhere… who knows, he was hearing voices now, what was a dream?

The gargoyle just sat there in silence as he assessed the situation;

Atsuko is feral, he's taken someone dear to Noah and has had him naked underneath him. By the looks of it, Folio is covered in saliva… A shudder left him as he tapped at the stone beneath him while looking at Noah. Noah, on one hand, is freaking the fuck out because of this, and he needed to do something. Fast.

Though he did wonder why… yet that was something, he would not ask. To ask someone why they were so fearful of something will only make a person clam up, shutting up immediately because it hurts to tell.

He was tired— Sighing, Shade looked in the direction of where he heard voices and furrowed his brow at the feminine one that had been complaining about the stairs.

Riyah pursed his lips as he watched Folio calm the feral gargoyle and saw how panicked Noah was, he just furrowed his brow while tilting his head some at the female voice. Oh. His mind was playing tricks on him again… Nevermind.

Mate… Niko… missed… missed you… The gargoyle’s rough voice murmured as his eyes grew heavier and heavier as his body slid some, and he laid down fully head on Folio’s lap as he rumbled. Not paying attention to anything other than Folio's hands on him, the beast rumbled louder with a small groan as he sighed.

The feral rumbled and grumbled, moving to lay beside Folio, stretching out more as he purred at him lovingly, eyes heavy and trusting Folio and Folio alone right now as Nick slipped in the room. Nick stared at them in shock, not understanding what he was seeing.

There was that voice in Folio’s head again, oh, but as Atsuko, the gargoyle, laid near him, Folio quickly moved to grab his shirt. Hoping it would help as he pulled it on, glancing at Noah, he was barely holding it together. At least it was all getting quieter, slowly… Nick! Nick was here, oh fuck, yes, good! Jolly following in close behind. Folio didn’t dare move from Atsuko though… he knew from years with Jolly, Nick, he knew how feral animals could go… even if it felt wrong to think of Atsuko like that. “It’s okay cutie, I am, I’m here, it’ll be okay now. It’ll be okay.” As soon as his shirt was back on, his hands were back on Atsuko, brushing over him, trying to soothe him, praying Nick would calm Noah. Noah, on the other hand, would not take his eyes from Folio. A strangled sound in his throat at the sight of his placating the gargoyle as he pulled on another item of clothing. Deep breaths, deep breaths, that was what Shade had said. Easier said than done man, shit. Even without looking, he knew Nick and Jolly were here, but he refused to look away from his brother, the last time something like this had happened, and he’d looked away, he would never… he would never…

Shade on the other hand, huffs softly, setting his jaw as he saw Nick and Jolly. It wasn’t a displeased sound, but it was frustration because he needed to do something, and he knows he'll get scolded later… “Nick, come here, please,” the gargoyle said softly while idly tapping the staff against the stone. Glancing at Noah, he lightly nudges him before moving towards Folio, silently and carefully. He made sure his steps were silent, setting the staff against the wall because he figured he didn't need it now, but he needed to pull Folio away— unless Jolly had a different idea.

Stopping just a little before the pair, he glanced towards the vampire and tilted his head in a silent question. ‘What should I do?’ Yes, he's Tact, but he's always open to suggestions when it comes to needing to get things to be done. Especially situations like this that are volatile.

Atsuko didn't fuss as Folio put his shirt back on, starting to drift to dreamland with his hands on him. How beautiful his mate was and his mate talking to him… he whined softly as his body sank down. He yawned, eyes fluttering shut slowly with a timid curl of his draconic lips that could have been a content smile.

Nick walked over to Shade, smiling sadly, leaning close to Noah to offer that comfort.

Noah whined as he leaned into Nick’s side, but still, his eyes didn’t stray from his brother stroking his hands over the gargoyle, holding him close. It felt so wrong, no matter how content he looked, and he just, he didn’t know how, how he should feel about anything right now. Folio, however, was glancing over at all of them, please, he didn’t want them to hurt Atsuko, not for this, he, he swore he didn’t mean to do anything bad. Something, something deep in him knew. He, he felt it. Folio got it, he knew what this looked like, to Noah, he would feel the same from his side, but it… it was different… or well… it wasn’t, but it was. He couldn’t explain it.

Jolly paused at the look from Shade and shook his head, Noah was not going to like his advice, and he hoped, hoped he’d forgive him for it. “We need to wait, Folio seems to be the one in control right now, and unless that changes, anything we do before we are absolutely certain how the other will react, could just put him in more danger. How do you feel about that, Folio?” Jolly kept his voice calm, soft, as soothing as he could muster to not agitate the gargoyle that seemed to be content laying with Folio.

Atsuko breathed softly, cuddled into him before shifting and fell asleep pressed close to his side as the beast form melted away leaving Atsuko nude, shivering but smiling softly with his forehead pressed to Folio's thigh.

Was this happening? Was this really happening right now? Shade just stared at Jolly incredulously but said nothing as he looked away, watching Folio and Atsuko. He hated this just as much as he knew Noah would, bristling as soon as he heard a displeased sound from Riyah. A chuff left the gargoyle, glancing at his friend as he made a gesture for him to stand down because he knew the other could be a bit careless.

Shade couldn’t help but relax some at the way Jolly’s voice was even if it wasn't to him, and he grimaced slightly. His attention went to Folio as soon as he heard the vampire ask him a question. But once he saw that Atsuko had shifted back, he pursed his lips before taking a few steps back and went to crouch where he was.

This felt wrong. Wrong to just let this happen… sure, Folio had it under control, but… it just bothers Shade. Enough that it made him shiver, with a soft hiss leaving him, wrapping his arms around himself. Hopefully, this will be over soon.

Folio was thankful that Jolly was actually asking him, and not just the others, because he was the one in the middle of this, even if they were the ones that had to stop. The ones that had to do nothing, and okay, later he’d feel bad about that, knowing exactly the toll this was taking on Noah, but eventually, it didn’t matter. Before he could answer, before he could even consider a word, Atsuko was cuddling closer and his form shifting. The next thing he knew, the human man was cuddling against him, his forehead against his leg… and he was just as naked as when he was in his beast form.

“Okay, okay, so that happened.” Looking up, at everyone else, his hand patting gently against his back, not wanting him to wake up again, but, oh, oh…

“So, anyone got spare clothes? Or maybe we should just wrap him in the blanket or sheet, something here so we can carry him out? Cause um… Because, um, pretty sure Noah is about probably about to start hyperventilating.” Yeah.

Nick pulled Noah close, petting his hair and kissed his head, “It's okay. Folio's okay. Come here-” he murmured softly to him as Atsuko relaxed more and more.

As soon as Folio asked about clothes, a soft huff left Shade before shaking his head while slipping his coat off. Now in just a long sleeved shirt, the gargoyle moved to hand it over to the wolf. “Here,” he murmured.

Jolly was already shrugging off his jacket as well, considering the night air outside, the more layers the better to get the man covered. “Unless one of his friends outside thought to bring some of his clothes, like pants, I guess something to wrap around him from this, nest, of sorts, will do for the rest so we can carry him out.” As they both handed them over, Jolly started helping Folio try to get them onto Atsuko as carefully as possible to not wake the sleeping gargoyle.

Noah turned his head into Nick’s shoulder with a whimper as he kissed his head, he was suddenly so tired, this had all been too much. Yes, yes his brother was okay, and now, Noah could finally relax, but all he wanted was to curl up into a little ball and be anywhere but here. Just thinking about that, and snuggling his body closer to Nick’s for comfort, despite the large difference in height… until that difference changed dramatically. Noah’s form started to change, shrinking down drastically against Nickolas until he was nothing but a furry little bobcat kitten with blinking golden brown eyes, nuzzling into his chest, trying to hide from the world.

Nick's hands held him gently, tucking him into his hoodie. “Hey… there you go… there we go…that's it, Noah.”

Seeing that Jolly had the same idea of shedding a layer off to cover the now slumbering gargoyle, he moves back to give both wolf and vampire space to maneuver Atsuko. When Jolly spoke, he shrugs slightly while glancing down to the blanket that they were on before back to them. “We can just wrap him in the blanket, yeah,” he said quietly while keeping out of the way. “Even then, all we can do is hope the others come with some clothes for him.”

Riyah, on the other hand, was lightly rubbing his hands together, anxious. The stress from Noah getting to him, and he grimaced some, his skin feeling tight under the ‘blackout’ on his arms as well as his neck. Swallowing, the gargoyle sat down as he kept a straight face while watching Shade with Jolly and Folio with the other gargoyle. Then to Nick and Noah. When he saw a kitten where the younger one should be, he furrowed his brow.

What?

Now they just had to get everyone safely home, preferably before they just completely fell apart. Shade was starting to withdraw. Riyah, he wasn’t sure quite how that was going to go, probably a few ways, he wasn’t around as often as Shade, but he could tell he wasn’t doing much better. Folio, he wasn’t sure how well it was going to be when they gave Atsuko back to his friends and took Folio home… Then there was Noah…

Jolly glanced over at his husband and saw him, wait, Noah, where was, oh. Oh, Noah, that, oh. Right, so, they have a cat son now. That was going to be perfect. Nick, with cats, was just, oh wonderful. It had been so very painful with the realization that it wasn’t feasible that Nickolas couldn’t have horses anymore, but cats were a weakness. Now he was snuggling their seven-foot son as a kitten in his hoodie. Right.

Back to the point about getting everyone out of here and safe, safe, and before they had a melt down. Well, Noah was a cat… More of a melt down then. Standing up, “Okay, so, I could carry him, maybe fire carry could do it, perhaps? Or, could you take him?” Glancing to Shade, he might be better, he didn’t want to put more on him, he was pushing, he knew this was a lot, but until they got him to his friends outside…

Shade was elsewhere, his mind having shut off for just a moment as he sat there in silence. He felt… very uncomfortable to the point he needed to just hide. The more he withdrew, the more unresponsive he'd be, but as soon as he heard Jolly’s voice, the gargoyle perked up some even if the vampire's voice seemed almost far away. Realizing that he was being spoken to, Shade furrows his brow some and tilts his head.

Glancing to Atsuko now, then back to Folio and Jolly, the gargoyle understood and nodded. “I could…” he mumbled while hesitating on grabbing him. Shade carefully stood with the other gargoyle in his arms now, glancing out towards the window. He could just fly out and be done… but no. Risky he supposed. A sigh left him as he looked to Jolly while he heard movement from Riyah. “Stay put, Ri,” he said softly, “Not yet. You're too worked up, so calm down some. Try to at least, then come down.”

Riyah was fidgeting still, nodding at Shade's words as he watched the other begin to descend the stairs with Atsuko. Glancing at Nick and Noah, who was a kitten now. He just curls into himself as he sits in silence while trying to calm down.

When Shade reached for Atsuko to lift him up, Folio held his breath, watching as he stood up before he stood him himself, biting the inside of his cheek. He didn’t understand why he felt this way, but there was something about him, had been, from the moment he saw him the day before… and when he surprised him in the alley. Glancing at Riyah as Shade spoke, wishing he could help, feeling bad enough that this had all happened because of him. He wanted to go home, but he didn’t want to be without Atsuko either.

As Folio chose to follow Shade, not wanting to be too far from Atsuko, Jolly paused, looking over to Riyah. “Would you like me to sit with you for a bit?” He didn’t move closer to him, exactly, but didn’t want him to have to be entirely alone up here as the others headed out. Even as he asked, though, he nodded to Nick, letting him know he was okay, he could head out with Folio and Shade with Noah.

Halfway down the stairs, Vinny was panting on her way up, as Nick rocked Noah following down the stairs. Noah would be more stressed if he didn't stay close to Folio, that he knew for sure.

As everyone was making their way down, Riyah had begun to zone out but turned his attention to Jolly once he heard the vampire before seeing him in his peripherals. The gargoyle then looks up at the smaller man as he was asked if he wanted him to sit with him. He didn't know what he wanted. All he wanted was to hide. Holding himself now as he rocks some, he weakly gestured for Jolly to come sit. “S-sure,” he whispered.

Shade, despite carrying Atsuko down, he was feeling numb. The gargoyle glanced at Folio and Nick for a moment before turning his attention back to the objective; get out of the tower. And that's what he did, but not without shaking his head in slight amusement when he heard and saw the human, but was also a little surprised to the other two with her. Once outside, he pursed his lips, sighing as soon as he saw that the others were there.

“One contained and half naked gargoyle,” Shade deadpanned as he went to set Atsuko down on the ground gently.

Folio just followed, eyeing the people they met on the stairs on the way down, he did not miss the fact that yes, yes one looked like a small, female Riyah. Noah had warned him not to say a damn thing last night because Riyah needed to see it for himself, apparently, something about what Shade had said. There were also two others on the stairs, none of the giant gargoyles, but he didn’t care right now, he just followed Shade all the way to the bottom of the stairs to freedom… freedom!

It was so good to be outside right now. He could breathe. As much as he hadn’t minded being inside, he really hadn’t. Everything had strangely felt like a pure rush of adrenaline, but all the chaos and panic was starting to catch up with him and the hits had kept coming. Glancing around… At least he was outside, he was better outside, where he knew he could breathe. His wolf, he felt better outside.

Noah stayed nestled in Nick’s arms as they descended the stairs, even as he heard the other people. His tiny little ears, new, and so sensitive as they were, twitching. Those wide eyes blinked as he looked out from his jacket, while Nick and the others followed Shade and Folio down the stairs.

Jolly made no move to follow as he sat with Riyah, not saying a word. There was something to be said about how soothing silence could be, even when he was sure they could both hear all the chatter of the voices of those on the stairs. Those outside. At least they knew now that the others were safe, there was no longer any dire emergency, that there could be calm once more.

Ryan had been waiting, watching Justin pace as Ricky went in with Gwynn and Vinny, they were waiting along with Chris to see what was going on in the tower. It was quiet now, much to their surprise. Now there were people coming out, and then, then that voice… Chris was nudging him, “Ryan,-”

Now, he didn’t need to be told twice before Ryan was moving and almost flying over to his brother, throwing himself at him, hugging him. He was real. He was still alive. Ryan had thought he was dead for so long.

Atsuko rested as Vinny cradled his head, brushing his hair back as Gwynn, smiled at Shade lovingly. Gwynn looked up at Folio. “Stay with your mate if you like… I do understand what he put you through was traumatic. I can explain now though if you would like to talk.” They explained to Folio gently.

Nick cradled Noah, kissing his head. “It is okay, see?” Noah blinked up to him with the tiniest mewl, it didn’t feel okay, but he was content to just look out and watch everyone. A soft, almost laughing sound escaping him as Shade seemed to be tackled to the ground by the other version of himself.

Now, Shade isn't always easy to knock over unless someone catches him by surprise. And a surprise it was one, when he felt a body slam into his own, causing him to fall as he let out a grunt when his body made contact with the ground. Fight or flight. That's what he felt as soon as the weight on him had registered in his mind, but he paused once he saw who it was that had tackled him.

“Ry..?”

It was his brother– his twin. He pulls him close and hugs Ryan tight, a shaky breath leaving him. “Ryan… I thought…”

I thought you were dead…

Riyah sat in silence with Jolly, staring blankly at the floor now as he heard the goings-on just outside the tower. It may be quiet, up in the tower, but the chatter can still be heard. He glanced at the vampire before moving a little closer to him, resting his head on his shoulder. “Thanks,” he whispered.

Folio blinked at the blonde, Gwynn, that was what the card that had been given to Noah yesterday had said, Gwynn Haven. Shaking his head, his head was insane right now, the voice had stopped though, but then, Atsuko had passed out… but there it was again… mate. “I, I’m just, I’m tired… he’s going to be okay though, right… he’s not… he seems…” Folio seemed like he could panic as much as Noah. “I just… want to make sure he’s okay.”

“Atsuko will be okay. He won't wake up like that… it's okay. You and he are both safe. How about we get him to the church and a cup of tea or coffee for everyone, and we can all talk. Sound good?”

The werewolf just nodded slightly, that sounded okay, it did, but it also sounded like so far off, and really, there was a part of him that just wanted to stop. Were they going to go now? The, the… Blinking, the Church… there was something he knew he should be asking about the Church, but he couldn’t think of what it was, what was it? Huh? “Yeah, that, um, works for me. I’m just going to stay here for now.” Sitting down with Atsuko, and leaning against him, laying his head against his side, he could fall asleep like this.

Ryan just hugged his brother so tightly, not caring that he’d tackled him to the ground. That had not been his purpose, so he’d been a little overzealous, just a little, but he’d not seen his brother in so long. The fact that that others were likely staring, was irrelevant to him, he didn’t care, he only cared that his brother, his brother was alive. As he kept hugging him with a soft growl, he needed this, it had been so long since he’d been able to feel his brother. He could remember feeling his pain, and he could have sworn, for a time there, that Nightshade might have had the luxury of finding his mate, and then everything imploded for him. Ryan had felt for him because he remembered that kind of pain, “Are you okay, what happened, I thought I lost you?” He could have sworn he was dead!

Justin was watching on, moving closer to Ricky, he’d been worried about Ricky coming at all, knowing how feral gargoyles could be. He’d insisted, however. Now though, everything seemed to be calm, thanks to, it seemed, Noah’s friends, and, Ryan’s brother… he’d thought Ryan had said he was dead? If Justin was right, there was another vampire and gargoyle in the tower still, so he was going to stay close to Ricky until he knew exactly who they were… one hand on the hilt of one of his swords. He was not risking his mate and unborn children.

Jolly just relaxed as Riyah rested against him, “Anytime.”

Shade had been lightly touching his brother. His hair, face and arms. Real and alive… He missed him despite having thought that Ryan was dead for a long time, and to have him back? The gargoyle just pulls him close. He was silent, as he held his brother, before letting out a pained sound when Ryan questioned him and shook his head.

While he was so grateful to have his twin back, it felt so good to have him back. It was too long. He did remember that he felt his pain and, for a time, he did have a mate. A potential one, but he didn’t want to think about it yet, so he just tightened his grip on him slightly while huffing.

“I'm fine,” Shade answered quietly, “And I don't want to talk about it. I'm here and so are you—”

The other gargoyle was still in the tower, Riyah, feeling the lull of sleep slowly creep up on him because that's his response to stress. Sleep to make himself better, or so he had hoped at times. A soft sigh left him once realizing that they both would have to leave the tower eventually, and just sat in silence for a few more minutes.

It was comforting to be with Jolly, and he’s grateful.

“I think we should head down,” Riyah murmured.

Gwynn nodded, their silver hair shining. “Go ahead. You and Atsuko can ride home with Ricky and I.” They explained softly, “If that's acceptable to your family, that is.” They added after a moment of hesitation.

Nick smoothed Noah’s fur. “I think… you should actually get to know your grandfather, baby.” Nick whispered to Noah, “I know it's scary.” The kitten’s tiny nose wrinkled as the wide gold brown eyes of the baby bobcat’s eyes turned to glance in the direction of the tallest gargoyle on the scene. He was watching them all curiously, and the kitten that was Noah just blinked at him. Was that the one, or was it one of the others. Or could it be the one with the neon green hair? He doubted it was the one that looked like Shade.

Ryan finally pulled back. He could feel him, he could feel his brother again, it had been too long. Most gargoyles, when it came to their twins, they didn’t bond with them the way that he had bonded with his brother. Not that they could really explain how this had happened for them, but it had. It had, in some ways one could say, been both a blessing and a curse. Knowing the pain he was going through, and yet, being able to feel his brother, was a source of comfort sometimes through the years, especially while dealing with, him.

Smiling, even if just a bit, but Ryan was smiling, Nightshade, he was alive, he was fine. Nodding, he didn’t want to talk about it, Ryan could understand that, better than anyone, there was a lot he didn’t want to talk about too, and maybe never would, hopefully he’d never ask. “Okay, okay… I’m so glad you’re here.”

Jolly nodded, shifting to stand from where they sat together with a sigh, not wanting to push, but it would seem some others were getting ready to go. Not to mention, the possible relocation for these conversations would be preferable, though, if the Church was going to burn them to a crisp, he’d rather not. He was going to bring that up if he had to. “Stairs or window, dealer's choice?”

Hearing what the vampire said, Noah, that was his grandson’s name was as he’d learned thanks to Atsuko this morning, before he flipped out anyway. Where was his grandson? Wait, what was that lump in his jacket? Walking over to him slowly, “Hello? You know Noah, correct?”

Nick nodded, looking up at Chris, “I’m Nick… um…” He looked down at Noah, “I’m bringing you out okay, baby?” he whispered, pulling Noah out slowly and carefully before holding him up to Chris, “Noah wanted to be small.”

The angel smiled at the sleepy pair, “I hope that you both have a long life as mates.” they murmured as Vinny ran her fingers through her hair as Ricky leaned into Justin looking exhausted, maybe Ricky coming hadn’t been a good idea after all. He was drained from everything.

It was there. The bond had made itself known again after so long… Shade let Ryan pull back and he could feel him. This felt surreal to him, but he's just so happy to have his brother back. To be honest, he never really understood how it worked, but it would have seemed that no other gargoyle had bonded the same way he and Ryan had. For the two of them, it was a blessing and a curse in his opinion. It was something that was like a security blanket, but then there were bad times, those could be a disaster. Especially… no. Not going there.

Seeing his brother smile, even if it was just slight, it had him mirror the other's action. When Ryan had nodded, Shade was glad that he wasn’t going to push. Not much of a talker since then— sometimes he misses being open, but he can't bring himself to be his jovial self again. It was hard. Nonetheless, it was like a silent agreement between them; won't ask, won't tell.

As Ryan spoke, he just bows his head in agreement with a soft rumble while he glanced over to Nick with Noah. Shade was still surprised at the fact that he even shifted into something small— gargoyles usually have larger beast forms… Shaking his head, his gaze fell on Gwynn now, just staring. Setting his jaw, he looks away and back to Ryan.

“I'm glad you're here too, Ry.”

It was odd, though. Seeing other gargoyles after so long, and now there's three of them. One of which is his brother. As he thought about how glad he is to see others like him, he can tell that one of them is very uneasy. Almost… protective. Attention on the male who he was hovering over, he now knows why. With a quick once-over, he could see that the male wasn't really in the best shape and once his attention fell on the human version of Riyah; he tensed some.

How was his friend going to handle that? Would he recognize her? Shaking his head, he just watched the others in silence while listening for Riyah and Jolly.

Riyah was soon to follow, the gargoyle peeking out of the window and just hums softly. He's content with the silence they've shared, even though he hears plans of relocating, and he really wants to go anywhere but… the Church. Churches aren't a great location for… for them…

That's a question to be asked before doing anything.

“Hm? Window,” he answers finally and gestures for Jolly to go first. The gargoyle long since had his wings away, but that doesn't stop him from being daring. “Faster than stairs.”

Faster than the stairs, that was one way to put it, as Riyah gestured to the window, allowing him to go first. Jolly glanced down to the ground outside the tower, the scene outside in the dark was easily seen for them both, considering their vision. He knew they’d both make it to the ground just as smoothly, Jolly leapt ever so slightly so he could land down to the ground, the grass soft down to his feet.

Justin drew his wings out and wrapped one protectively around his pregnant mate as Ricky leaned against him. He wished they could be home soon, soon so he could rest. He knew Ricky was used to being up late into the night but knowing how pregnancies could go he wouldn't want to take risks. Especially because they didn’t know how his would go, they didn’t have Noah’s mother here to ask her questions, Noah hadn’t known. Justin didn’t blame him for that, he’d been a baby. “Are you feeling, okay?”

When Nick brought Noah out of his jacket, he scrambled to try to grab a hold of him. Was he kidding, yes he wanted to be small, and this guy, he was huge man, come on! Soft kitten cries came out as he tried to grab his little hand and feet paws onto Nick’s arm for dear life, only to end up almost hanging upside down, staring up at the gargoyle. Wide eyes blinking up at Chris.

Chris tried not to smile at the obvious panic of the tiny kitten that his grandson had become, he’d wanted to be small. This was new. Gargoyles didn’t become small. Their beast forms tended to become so much larger, and Noah himself so much even taller than Chris. This was despite Tadashi being shorter than Chris, even though he was born of two original created gargoyles and therefore being rather impressive in stature himself. Why this was he didn’t know in either case. This ability, did make Chris wonder what other unique abilities Noah had mixing gargoyle, angel and human bloodlines. On the same note, he wasn’t pressed to find out, he only cared about making sure he was cared for, remembering how thin he had seemed the day before. “Nick, Noah, I’m Chris, your grandfather, it's a pleasure to meet you both.”

Nick smiled and pet Noah, offering to let him hold the spicy kitten. “It's nice to meet you, I figure you’d like to hold him a bit.” Nick murmured, giving Noah a reassuring smile.

Watching as Jolly looked out the window, assuming he was observing what was going on outside. As the vampire went, Riyah approached while watching Jolly’s descent and soon followed. Landing with a soft thump, looking around to take in his surroundings before his gaze fell on Vinny.

Wait. What?

Vinny looked up, hearing the thumps from the tower, before she gasped. “Uwriyah?”

When he heard his name being called, his eyes widened some but didn't say a word, clawing slightly at the ground with blackened fingers. No. Not real. Looks like her, but… it can't be her. Sounds like her, too– Not her. Head is playing tricks again. Shaking his head, he just looks away.

Ricky looked up at Justin with soft eyes. “I'm so sleepy- baby I want to be held…” he breathed out. Justin’s wing just curled tighter around Ricky to keep him close to his body, wrapped up and warm. He would love to take him home right now, but with everyone everywhere, he knew it was going to take a bit yet.

“Soon, soon, we’ll be heading home soon.”

Jolly glanced around at the scene as it was, from Folio snuggled up to Atsuko, practically asleep, to Nick with Noah and the tallest gargoyle talking to them. Knowing he was Noah’s grandfather was promising, it told him they really needed to go to the church, the question was, how was that going to go? The blonde one, that was the one that Noah and Folio had described, Gwynn Haven. So as Riyah was distracted by the smaller one that looked him, he was not getting in the way of that, instead he made his way over towards Gwynn… “Gwynn, right? Can I ask you a question, about the Church? What are the effects of holy ground now that it’s been turned into a bar? We haven’t had the best experiences with it before.”

Gwynn looked up and nodded, grinning, “I’ve already made some charms so you don't have any discomfort if you're worried, and I adjusted the protection wards.”

Vinny scrambled up and rushed towards him, walking around him in shock before looking up at Riyah. “Hey- I missed you-” she whispered, hopefully, wanting to hug him.

Hearing movement, fast footfalls, Riyah growls softly as he moves out of Vinny’s way before glaring at her. The gargoyle then backs away from the human, wary of the woman as he narrowed his eyes. “No,” he hissed, “Not her. Go away.” Why did she look like her and sound like her…?

But then he remembered Folio and thought back to the idea of it being a possibility— no. Still can't be. Then there was the angel, his gaze fell on them for a moment and saw they were busy with Jolly, so he focused on the human. He was skeptical, and it shows how uneasy he's become, moving to crawl away into the trees with a huff.

Not real. Trick. It was a trick… Chenza couldn't be… but… no.

“Dude… rude. Telling a girl she’s not real. Especially your big sister- how rude.” she said, crossing her arms and smirking at him. “Isn’t that okay?” she teased him with gleaming eyes. “But yes. I’m real.” she said bluntly.

Gwynn glanced over at Riyah offering that sweet smile. “I’m happy to see you, Riyah.”

Riyah stared and stared. His darkened fingers scraping at the bark now that he was seated by a tree, picking at the wood as he glares at Vinny before his attention was on Gwynn again when he heard their voice. This isn't real… was it? It had to be. Growling at Vinny and now Gwynn, he scowled at them both.

“Fuck off,” he spat while staring at them, “Not. My. Chenza and not Gwynn—”

Gwynn's head fell, but they stayed silent. Vinny huffed, “Fine. See if I make you blackberry cake like I used to.”

Jolly looking at the other, their reply was interesting. However, before he got a chance to even inquire about these charms, or protections and the effects they might have on his family, their focus was elsewhere. That was fine, Jolly wasn’t going to get in the way, he had no doubt these gargoyles had a longer history with Riyah than he did. Still, his friend's reaction was curious, and he understood the warning about not saying anything about the one that looked like him now. Glancing between that showdown of sorts over to Nick, raising an eyebrow at Noah, glancing up at the other gargoyle.

When Noah didn’t try to scramble away again, Chris took that as a better sign with Nick’s offer to hold, and reached for him. His grandson’s kitten form was just so tiny that he almost entirely fit in the span of one of his hands. His fingers wrapping around his little body as Chris lifted him up closer to his chest. “Hello, Noah.”

Riyah was trying to focus on everything else but Vinny. Yet, her voice was just… aggravating him, and he just glares, scoffing at that despite there being a slight sense of longing. He wanted to be close, but he couldn't discern whether the human was real or not, and he scowled.

Blackberry cake. It was his favorite– or at least one of them. He hasn't had it in a long time, but right now, the gargoyle was quiet and goes to slink away a little further into the trees. “Don't care,” he muttered.

Vinny had never been so insulted. Chenza huffed. “Fine. I'll tell Ryan about the time you got your head stuck in the banister at our home troupe!” she huffed low enough only he heard.

Nick smiled, scratching Noah's chin. “He's a good boy.”

Now, Chenza might have been talking low enough that only Riyah could hear what she was saying, but the fact she was talking at all was not missed. The sound of a voice couldn’t be missed… the other gargoyles caught it… and both Ryan and Justin caught what was suspiciously like the formers name. So, of course, they were paying attention now. So… What… What was that?

Chris smiled as Noah seemed to decided that he wasn’t going to fuss, his little paws pressing against his skin, almost as if trying to test how much push he had. How much he was allowed to move. Not that he was squirming, Chris would happily let him crawl up his arm, as long as he was safe, but in the end Noah seemed to decide not to move, especially as Nick scratched under his chin. Chuckling softly, “Yeah? Good boy, huh? Just like your dad, well, most days, he could be a menace sometimes.”

All Riyah did was growl low at that, snorting after. “You forget,” he muttered, “No matter how quiet you may be speaking, we can still hear you. So there's no point in threatening me about that–” Glancing in the direction of where Vinny, Ryan and Justin were, the gargoyle scowls.

It was still taking him some time to realize she's really there but is talking to her anyway. Sitting beneath another tree now, he looks over to the woman in silence and stared. The more he stared, he furrowed his brow and lowered his head. “I miss you,” he whispered, even though he still wasn't sure if it was just a hallucination.

Yes, she told a secret, but it still could've just been all in his head, but he did see the way Ryan and Justin react…

“Vin…?”

“Come here, you big baby.” she said warmly, holding out her arms. “I missed you too. Come here and let me hug you.” She offered, beaming at him. Tenderly, she smiled, welcoming him close to her.

Nick smiled softly, “like the cuddles Noah?” he asked gently, knowing Noah was going to cling to whoever made him feel most taken care of when he was in this kind of mood…

Noah was happy to be cocooned in these giant mitts of the gargoyle that was his grandfather, blinking up at both of them. A tiny vibrating rumble escaping him a little as Nick asked his question. A rougher but a similar bestial styled rumbled hum came from the chest of the gargoyle before he chuckled, “I do believe that could be a yes.”

Riyah sat for a moment longer, staring at Vinny, before getting up and made his way over to her. A soft whine leaves him as soon as he made contact with the human, his sister, and immediately pulls her down into a tight hug. “Vin…” he repeats softly while holding her close and hides his face against Vinny.

It was surreal, the feeling of his twin being real… she was real. Breathing and warm—

“Real… alive…” he murmured.

“I'm home. I came home.” She whispered to him, holding him tightly, fingers in his curls. “My baby brother…” she whispered, rocking him as she stood on her tip toes to reach him. “I missed you. I'll make that blackberry cake for you.” She promised.

“Okay.” Jolly clapped his hands together lightly to get everyone's attention, very lightly, considering there was one sleeping gargoyle and a werewolf he was sure was almost there. “Now, how about we get these family reunions on the road and back to the Church? Inside and somewhere we can talk, and rest, since we have a few of us that are either already asleep, or well on the way there already, hmm?”

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cookies-and-mirrors · 13 days ago

Text

Prison of Stone and Flesh

Chapter Twenty Eight

This is a collaborative fic between @cookiesupplier, @faceless-mirror & @comforting-madness

Dividers by @samspenandsword @cafekitsune @saradika-graphics

Authors Note: This is the longest chapter yet... It contains both triggers and smut, so please take note!! Triggers of past abuse both torture and sexual implied.

Pairings: Multi-Pairings, Everybody x Everybody.

Triggerlist: transphobia, homophobia, abuse, SA, dubcon, religious trauma, past suicide attempts, mental health issues, grief, death, violence, kidnapping, (To be added to)

Now, Ricky and Vinny are moving into their church, stirring up old and new feelings, along with the past, posing the challenge of navigating this new chapter in their lives.

MASTERLIST HERE

Taglist: @miamore0570 @21-century-tae @dragon-chica @shilohrosechicken @comforting-madness

@missduffsblog @witchyweeb34 @spicywhenspeaking @lacktoesandtoddlerants @blackveilomens

@bngurngheart @dominuslunae @collapsedglasshouses @emmmm127 @sunsshinesunny

@latenightmusiclover @dontdiganothergravetoday @high-wire @awkwardalex

(please comment/like/reblog/message to be added to taglist)

Chapter Twenty Eight

Flying back to the Church was not nearly as traumatising this time as it had been when Riyah had been carrying him all the way to the abandoned clock tower. Noah couldn’t say it wasn’t because he didn’t feel any anxiousness about the heights because, he did, oh, he really did. There was a reason he hated flying, even on mechanical airlines. It didn’t matter when they explained all the safety features, he just couldn’t handle it, and ended up white knuckling it the whole way. Jolly just called him a control freak, and every time he did, Noah looked him dead in the eye, pot, kettle.

After making sure that Riyah had Chenza safely, Chris knew she would be perfectly taken care of. He wasn’t worried about her getting back, he knew that her brother wouldn’t let her get harmed. Chris had tucked the tiny bobcat kitten that was his grandson in his arms and taken to the air. Flying back with him, was just like holding his father as a toddler all over again, only smaller, actually. He spoke softly to Noah on the flight back, talking to him, telling him how he held Tadashi, just like this, when he was merely a babe, growing up. Noah had purred the whole way back, cuddled right against his chest, curled into his fatigues but barely peeking out. He could tell the signs, he had issues with heights.

Landing by the back of the Church, he was gently scratching the kitten, Noah, behind his ears, he wasn’t shaking, but, he was vibrating? There was the purring, Chris couldn’t help but chuckle. “See, flying isn’t always scary. Your dad got scared too when he was little, that’s why I took him up like this. I can take you up again later if you like.”

Gwynn had arrived offering amulets to the vampires and werewolf as Atsuko laid on Folio. The silver haired angel was kind and loving, as if they weren't anything more than mortal. “I can lead you to where Atsuko's been staying… he doesn't feel up to being in his alcove yet…or I can show you to the floor we cleared out for you and he can stay under your care-” they offered.

Nick slipped the amulet onto Joakim's neck and then his own. “You… Cleared out a floor for us already?” Nick asked. Jolly just glanced at the other as they spoke, an entire floor? That was generous, and considerate, more so than he would have considered of beings that made their home on holy ground.

“Yes. In case you would like to move in if Noah is comfortable with that.” Gwynn assured, though, their face was neutral and blank, as if running on autopilot.

After Shade had left last night and Noah had mentioned what he’d said about the angels creating gargoyles as weapons, it was… curious. Not the good kind of curious. Still, Jolly sighed, glancing over towards where Noah was still nestled into his grandfather’s arms. “Maybe we should stay, at least, for now, Noah needs this, he hasn’t been doing well.” Not to mention if the mere knowledge of what he was opening up the elements of new gifts, and had him randomly turning into things like cats out of anxiety, he needed help. Perhaps they could help him. “Not like he can complain right now.” Without figuring out how to become human again anyway.

Folio didn’t care what was happening, anywhere for that matter, all that mattered was he wasn’t moving from Atsuko right now. He just didn’t want to move. Sighing as his weight was pressed against him now, it was comforting, even more than when he could finally sleep after collapsing following the full moon. He wondered if it had anything to do with all the things Atsuko was thinking before… He wasn’t thinking anything now, Folio wasn’t sure if it was because he was asleep, or he was human again, or it had just stopped. Didn’t matter… Probably shouldn’t be hearing voices in his head anyway. As it was, the werewolf amulet around his neck was feeling warm settling against his skin, but he didn’t care, not when the taller man nuzzled against him.

Ricky's car pulled up, and he quietly walked inside, exhaustion coating him like paint. Justin wanted his bed and his mate. So, as he flew close by the car, landed by it and followed Ricky inside. As much as he was happy for both Ryan, and Chenza, that they had reunited with their siblings, and Chris for spending time with his grandson… Happy that they had Atsuko back safe, Ricky was his priority. Following him inside, they took the back way in up to the apartment, avoiding the main area of the bar so not to get caught in the shuffle inside.

When they had travelled back to the church, Riyah had found it much easier to fly with Chenza than with Noah. Sure, there was nothing wrong with it, but it was awkward as hell when carrying someone much taller than him. Yes, he didn’t have to, but it was faster.

Flying with his sister wasn’t a problem, and of course, he'd never let any harm come to Vinny, he'll make sure of that. He was carrying her close to himself and was focused on his flight, just content for now to have the smaller woman with him. But there was always a lingering thought about Shade idly wondering about how he's feeling. What was going on in that head of his…?

Riyah is just concerned for his friend now.

Upon arriving at the church, Riyah gently sets Chenza down and lands next to her. It felt… he wasn’t even sure how to describe how it felt as he stood there with every one. Especially now that he actually got to see Gwynn as well, and just scowled some. He didn't know how to feel about seeing them again, but he knew that it was only a matter of time…

Now, when Shade arrived, he had landed just outside the perimeter of the church and pursed his lips. He was unsure of how it's going to feel, despite feeling one part just making him uncomfortable. With a huff, he made his way over to Gwynn, but his step faltered, unsure if he wanted to be near. He knows Gwynn isn't stupid, but he also didn’t want to be acknowledged that he was a vampire. Not in front of everyone who wasn't Riyah or the rest of the small group.

He'll just stay right where he was and shift on his feet, feeling his skin itch some while he went to stand with Riyah.

After Ryan landed out the back of the Church ground, at first, he just watched them gathering around, everyone sorting themselves out. He glanced towards Shade when he stood outside the perimeter, he wasn’t a fool, he’d felt the cold skin, he didn’t care. As much as Chris was the commander of the troupe, Ryan was the one that watched, and was tactical about things he learned from his brother, and he’d put it together. Noah spent time with vampires, Shade had been the one that had tracked Folio first, and there was only one kind of creature that could potentially track better than a gargoyle or a werewolf. A vampire. Ryan reached for one of the amulets that Gwynn had silently been handing out. How blank his mate was right now was bothering him, but that was something he would have to consider later. For the moment, he took the amulet gently and made his way over to Shade, without a word, he lifted it up over his brother’s head, settling it around his neck.

“You coming in then?” That was all need to be said.

Gwynn smiled softly, taking a moment to watch his mate pass on his welcome. Happy to see them reunited, especially seeing Chenza with Riyah as she gently bullied him by poking his ribs, not missing the glare from Riyah as well. He deserved to know at least.

“Let’s get inside, dears, I fear some rain may be coming soon…” they whispered despite the clear skies and the knowledge that perhaps they had made up how wonderful their troupe was. They had bigger issues yet. But… it seemed they were only in the way. As if something had reminded them, and they had to speak it.

Ever the bright one, Ryan was. Shade never underestimated his brother, and occasionally, he wondered who was the more tactical gargoyle between the two of them. As of recently, it feels like he's not and that it's been slipping from his grasp. His virtue. With a shake of his head, he just silently watched his brother approach the angel and grab the amulet for him.

Once Ryan was close enough, he lowered himself some with a soft sigh while reaching to lightly grab at his twin’s forearm. He was still a little anxious because he was uncertain on how others would react.

Riyah, on the other hand, grumbled and swatted at his sister lightly after she had poked his ribs, pushing at her carefully with one of his wings.

Chris chuckled at his mate's antics when it came to her brother, of course, however he was most curious about Ryan bestowing one of the amulets to his twin. It should be practically impossible for one of them to be turned by a strigori. It would have to take, so very many levels of torments layered on top of each other to even touch the level of damage to weaken him for their venom to touch him enough to change him. Chris had been bitten at various points in his substantial life, and it always took a simple day in stone to expunge the venom from his body, it was never able to linger within him long enough to turn him.

When Gwynn remarked on the rain, his attention was drawn to the inky dark but very crystal clear sky. It was beautiful out tonight. However, he had learned to trust them implicitly. It did, however, impose the question as to where this worry of rain was from. He approached Folio, still curled up with Atsuko, “Folio, is it?” He knew first hand how much he would rather not be parted from Atsuko right now, and he had no intention of it, but getting him inside would important. While the werewolf was likely capable while Atsuko was in his human state, the boy looked exhausted after his ordeal today, “I’ll trade you, you bring your brother in for me, and I’ll take in Atsuko in for you?” Noah was still curled in Chris arms.

Folio was blinking at Chris, he didn’t want to move from Atsuko, and glancing back to him, he was out, and he’d be dead weight, but he could do it, he could get him up, he’d be fine. He’d carried Noah before, so the fact that Atsuko was taller than him wouldn’t be that much of a problem. However, the gargoyle was offering, and it was obvious they cared about him too. Nodding with a sigh as he carefully untangled himself and took Noah, so Chris could heave Atsuko up, and they could start heading in.

The way Shade had held his arm had Ryan sighing, “You don’t have to worry, if Justin can be mated to a nephilim, it won’t matter you're a vampire.” He was sure it would be more of a worry about how it had happened. Something Ryan himself was wondering. As it was, nephilim, were creatures they were ordered to kill even more religiously than strigori and hellhounds. Realizing then, neither Shade nor Riyah had heard anything about this, whoops. “In saying that, don’t touch Ricky, he’s not only Justin’s mate but Chenza’s best friend, there would be hell to pay. He literally brought her back to us, right, Vinny?” Smiling just a little over to her. “Come on, let's head in.”

Feeling eyes on him, Shade focused solely on his brother as his grip went slack as he leaned closer to press his forehead against Ryan's. He closed his eyes while focusing on the shorter gargoyle and listened to his twin speak for a moment. When mentioning Justin being mated to a nephilim, all he did was huff while giving Ryan's arm a light squeeze in silent acknowledgement before laughing softly in self depreciation of himself when vampires were mentioned. Plus, while looking at Ryan again; he knew there was a silent ‘I will be pissed too’ there.

Shade really didn't want to talk about it, but he just knows he's gonna have to eventually.

Riyah had lowered himself into a crouch, wings away now as he remained close to Vinny, and looked over to the pair when he heard Ryan. All he got was a furrowed brow with a scrunched up nose in response. A ‘Now why would I want to touch him?’ if you will. He's not dumb, and seeing how wary Justin had been while on the defensive earlier?

No. Not ever taking the chance.

Vinny smiled and ushered everyone inside. As soon as the door slipped shut, the unmistakable hiss of rain fell over the building as everyone was guided up to the floor that had been cleared. It had beds but definitely enough space for all four… and more.

Jolly was curious, usually there was a tell, a scent, something in the air, a precursor to rain coming and this time nothing, but at least they were inside now. Once they were up in the floor, the angel? That one was the angel from Noah’s description Jolly was suspecting anyway, Gwynn, wasn’t lying about clearing it out for them, they could bring over pretty much most of their apartment here if they wanted with this space. Glancing to Nick, “We’re doing this?”

Noah needed it, and pulling Folio away from Atsuko, didn’t feel right, no matter how strange today had seemed, the way he’d been reacting since, he did not want to let him go. Glancing over to the others, to Gwynn, “Okay, so, elephant in the room, what happened today exactly? I don’t want vague, I don’t want the watered-down version. Nick and I have been looking after Folio and Noah since they were kids, and this, this did not look good, not from my perspective.”

Folio, the moment he was inside, was handing the tiny form of Noah back to his grandfather and pulling the unconscious gargoyle to one of the beds. Setting him down onto it so he could be as comfortable as possible. “You need your rest, Cutie, you’ll feel better in the morning.” Glancing over to Jolly, he wasn’t sure if he should say anything to what happened, shrinking down to curl up next to Atsuko. He didn’t want to think about how Jolly and Nick had found them as kids, he didn’t. As it was, he was trying to block out the sudden yowling sound coming from Noah at Jolly’s talking, flinching slightly, they both knew what Jolly was talking about. They both knew some of the things that had happened on the street after Noah’s mom died, their mom died, it hadn’t been pretty. “Jolly, some of what happened was my fault- no no, don’t-” He knew, he knew they were going to argue he was the victim, sighing, he was tired, so tired… “I know how it seems, but you know the full moon is coming, I, this didn’t need to go this far- it- it didn’t. I, he didn’t-”

“While that may be, Folio, correct-?” Gwynn inquired, once they got confirmation, they nodded firmly, “Okay. So Atsuko was calm until his former mate was brought up, Cheerfulness, and how much Folio acted like him. Knowing that he was already interested, Atsuko likely deduced that Folio is his mate, Nickolai reborn-” they explained warmly, leaning on their cane as rain fell outside harshly. “... And honestly, I should have been more on top of it, since I’m the one responsible. Most feral gargoyles have triggers. Atsuko was alone for four hundred years… I shouldn’t have assumed he was fine. I apologize and sincerely will do my best in the future. Atsuko will not be allowed to go feral again.”

Both Shade and Riyah were standing just outside the alcove, keeping their distance from everyone. Not sure if they knew what to say, so they just watched, attention on Folio, as Gwynn spoke. They don't know what to think of this whole situation, save for the fact that it may make things harder if the wolf was their old friend.

They both had hoped that it was. Oh, they really did, but for all they knew is that he could've been reborn and was actually Atsuko’s mate— No. That can't be…

The yowling from Noah had made Shade flinch from how loud it was, and he grimaced while leaning against the wall, moving to sit on the floor. A soft grunt left him as he ran a hand through his hair, staring blankly into the room as he listened to Gwynn explain things.

It wasn’t fair. He and Riyah were so close, but the hope that they had Temperance… gone. But then again…

Gwynn nodded slowly in understanding, “When gargoyles lose their mates, they can lose their minds. Most gargoyles don't last after their mate passes. Atsuko from what I understand… his mate passed the same day they bonded, he didn't get to solidify the mate bond.” They explained. “However… Vinny is a reborn gargoyle… and I have the feeling Folio is as well.” Gwynn continued, silver hair draped over their shoulders. “Feral gargoyles are highly unpredictable, hence our concern… But his old mate was mentioned, and he heard it. Knowing Atsuko and how intelligent he is… I have the feeling his beast was trying to set up a date for him and his mate.”

Joakim’s hand gripped Nick’s so tightly as he listened, he needed him to ground him right now, he needed him to keep him there and not do something stupid. He could feel the way his fangs lengthened in his mouth, but calm, he could be calm. He was getting everything, at least, from what the angel knew, not what happened in the tower. Joakim, not Jolly right now, not Jolly right now, the moment Folio started trying to defend Atsuko for all of this he felt irate. He calmed a little, he did when Gwynn started to explain, but it didn’t exactly improve it. Not really. The biggest problem was, even without specific details for him of what had happened in that tower, one of their boys, had literally turned themselves into an infant over what had happened. Joakim did not like that implication, none of this was easy, for any of them, he could understand that.

So, Folio a reborn gargoyle, any other day, they would find that an interesting topic, and might even explain a few things. On the other hand, Joakim wasn’t too happy about the possibility of the jump from that to the whole element about how he was this gargoyles mate. What had happened in that tower? “First, We do not know he is a gargoyle- I am curious beyond belief about the topic, how you suspect it, let me tell you, especially with the subject of Vinny being a reborn gargoyle… You also don’t know for certain he is his mate. For me, this is dangerous.” Joakim swallowed before he continued because what he had to say next, he glanced towards both Folio and then to Noah, Noah who was whimpering and curling into his grandfather’s chest.

“You see, I am going to be explicitly clear, when we found Noah and Folio, they were kids, minors on the streets that had already been taken advantage of and abused. While Folio is attracted to Atsuko, that could be the full moon talking. No offense to Atsuko, but the first full moon after Shade became part of our family, was quite interesting. Right, Shade?” He didn’t care that the gargoyle was trying to stay out of this at the edge of the room. “In that case, Noah didn’t feel the need to turn himself into an infant in response, either. Now. I respect your need to protect your- whatever it is you have going on here, organization, society, institution, hell, this could be a frat house for all I damn well care. I swore centuries ago never to let my boys get re-traumatized again, all of them, and tonight has made a liar out of me.”

Having heard everything, both were tense. Shade grimaced at the abuse part, glancing at Riyah when his name was called. He was only paying half attention, but he knew that it was Jolly asking him a question and replies with a soft ‘yes’.

Folio was leaning against Atsuko, still not wanting to move away from him at this point, his energy waning, but not wanting to be cut out of the conversation even as he felt himself drifting. “Is there any way we can find out if it's true?” Not to mention Noah, all they assumed was apparently how much he looked like this Tadashi guy, what if, that meant nothing?

Chris tensed the moment he heard about how young they’d found his grandson while attempting to soothe his tiny feline form. He was bouncing him in his arms, he almost sounded like a crying baby at this point. Then, when the vampire continued, referring to him as abused, Chris flinched, hating that he hadn’t been able to be there for him. Though he was thankful that he had been found by someone who was obviously so protective of him, of them both. Even more the way that this vampire, a creature that usually was considered beneath gargoyles considered them family, they had Chris' respect. Pausing at Folio’s question, Chris would admit, he’d just assumed, he’d felt it when he’d met him, Cheerfulness, but, was he? Was there a way to prove that he was Cheerfulness reborn rather than just a sense. “I’m not sure, Gwynn, do you know of a way?” As much as Chris did not want to put this on them, he didn’t know who else to ask.

Shade let out a tired sigh, his head already pounding from the yowls earlier. He just scowled as he still kept his distance from everyone yet remains with Riyah, grimacing at Chris’ words, turning to look at the eldest while still being crouched next to him.

Standing, he kept his face blank while looking Chris over for a moment, his mind still working out everything that had been said. It always takes him a moment to process, but right now, it's longer than usual. But Riyah sighed, tired, while he went to join Shade on the floor. How in the world are they going to be able to prove that Folio was a reborn gargoyle…?

Nonetheless, Jolly’s words made both gargoyle and gargoyle vampire snort in response. Smart ass. Yet, they both couldn't help but feel a little… happy when he said that they were family. It was always odd, being considered family— especially for Shade.

He's always found it hard to believe he's always been a part of the group, but he'll take it, even though he's been nothing but a pain in the ass for everyone.

Nick held Joakim’s hand tightly, rubbing his knuckles.

“I can sense he's a reborn gargoyle, but I know that he can't be Temperance. As for Atsuko's actions… If he wakes up feral, I… I will be forced to correct the situation for Folio's sake.” Gwynn spoke, looking down. If they couldn't, they would need to put… they didn’t want to think about it. They had to do it once. Gwynn never wanted to do it again. “He’ll be handled either way. I apologize for Atsuko’s actions and not being better prepared. There’s no excuse for it.”

Joakim sighed heavily, his fingers laced with his husband’s. He knew exactly what the angel was saying, he had had to handle feral animals himself over the years, and it wasn’t the kind of the topic you ever wanted to consider. “I, I specialize in working with, trauma… patients. I can’t say I am happy about any of this, but if you’ll let me, I’ll help. I just need you to understand-” His family, were his priority.

Shade could feel what color was left on his face drain some more, his chest felt like there was a weight on it now. Folio wasn’t Temperance and that was good because that meant that Atsuko had his mate– but it didn’t hurt any less, his friend was dead. Yes, he has Folio and he absolutely loves him, too. With the knowledge that he wasn’t him now, it didn’t make Shade think less of Folio. He was his… his family.

But wait. Wait a goddamn minute… Gwynn said that it can't be him. Does that mean…? A soft click of his teeth was made, once he thought about it. If Folio can't be him, that would mean he's alive. But where? What happened to him?

Riyah glanced at Shade the moment he heard the news of the wolf not being their deceased friend, he sighs softly while running a hand through his hair. Not Temperance. Dead… he's dead… It doesn't make it hurt less, but it also doesn't change that Folio is his friend too. He and Shade can grieve their loss while holding on to their new friend, who was Temperance's reincarnated brother.

The group was their family, and they don't want that to change.

“Gwynn,” Ryan wasn’t sure he should ask, but he was worried about how they were being, this wasn’t Gwynn. Gwynn always been overly empathic towards everyone they worked with, and now, now they were just feeling off. He was worried about them. He just wanted to wrap them up, but he didn’t, he couldn’t… he didn’t have the right to offer… did he? “Temperance, you said can’t, he’s alive.” Not a question, if Folio couldn’t be Temperance reborn it meant one thing, the gargoyle was still alive, and if Gwynn knew that, there was only one way they could have known. Gwynn had been a prisoner in Heaven… “Is he, he’s a captive in heaven, like you were, isn’t he Baby?”

The angel hesitated, face twisting as tears were brought to their almost translucent silver blue eyes, looking at Ryan, pleading. “I hope… Before you all meet him again… I… I hope they grant him mercy.” they whispered, hands shaking, “When I last saw him…” They swallowed. “Things… are… not right in Heaven.”

“They brought him to see me because I was desperate to see you all once more and…”

When Ryan spoke to Gwynn, the gargoyle looked over to his twin. He may not have known the angel as well as his brother because the other was Ryan’s mate, his younger brother's. But he did have moments where he picked up on some things… The way Gwynn was so… absent. Off. Yet as soon as he heard Temperance's name, he was focused on what was being said and his eyes widened.

A captive…? His friend's in heaven…?

Gwynn’s reaction only agitated Shade, but it wasn't because of them, he's already not doing well with the bit of info. Then there was that haunting statement and a soft growl left him.

Riyah was too out of it to hear what was said, everything sounding so muffled. What brought him back was the sound of Shade’s growl, and that didn't sound too good. Attention on Ryan and Gwynn now, the gargoyle glancing between the two. He felt…numb, but the aggravation from Shade was present.

“What is going on in heaven and why is Shade… pissed? He's never this way,” he commented softly. “What was said…?”

It also didn't help that Shade was super pale now and that meant he was either getting hungry or he is…

Ryan had moved towards Gwynn, he could tell they weren’t right, they really weren’t, his hand reaching for them, touching their arm lightly when he heard his brother growling. Glancing his way, hearing Riyah, frowning at the feeling coming from him, “Nightshade, what,” swallowing, he didn’t understand the waves of feeling coming from him. His brother, his mate, they both needed help.

Looking back to Gwynn, they’d brought Temperance to them… to taunt them… “Oh Gwynn…” He’d seen the scars, he knew how they’d been tortured. Hell knows what they’ve done to Temperance… maybe Shade and Riyah shouldn’t be hearing this. Reaching up to brush Gwynn’s hair back, why was he even up there?

“I'm sorry I couldn't help.” Gwynn whispered, shaking as their eyes dulled, remembering everything they witnessed in Heaven… the blood. The mockery. Their eyes watered. Their wings wrapped tightly around themself, they still didn't move right as they hid. “I'm sorry I couldn't… I-”

Nick moved to Shade slowly, moving to look into Shade's eyes, “I need you to breathe for me…. Just slow. Please.” Nick murmured, “Give them a minute.”

Gwynn's breath was shaky, “Gabe… wanted a puppy. That's why he's there… he's treated very well, but…” They swallowed, “He's not okay.”

Shade felt his brother's struggle, making the gargoyle even more pissy because he doesn't want that for him. He wants him to focus on his mate. As soon as he heard Nick and tensed at the vampire's appearance, a soft hiss left him. What made him think— the gargoyle stopped as soon as he heard Gwynn talk, saying that… that Temperance was… a pet. A fucking pet!?

Their whole troupe— his soon-to-be mate, died because an angel wanted a goddamn puppy!?

“They killed us… destroyed our home… because one of them wanted a pup!?” Shade started but went silent just as quickly as he began before he spoke up again. “You said that… you hope they grant him mercy…?”

That meant… it was Temperance they took—

Riyah's breath hitched when he picked up what Shade was saying. “Are… are you hoping they kill him before we see him again…?” No. What? Why would that be a thing?

“Fuck!” they both snarled.

Gwynn lowered their head, bracing to be struck, as if they were expecting it for speaking. “At this point… that would be a mercy. For everyone. If he shows up- I… I will do what I can to help-” they assured.

Folio was blinking at everyone, but unlike Noah, he couldn’t shrink down to the size of a puppy, he couldn’t disappear into nothing and hide into anything. He also didn’t know if he’d want to at the mention of this Gabe, killing people, for this Temperance, that, that… so… Shade and Riyah had… had thought he was… had… had they been his friends because they thought he was… Seeing how they reacted, now he swallowed, he didn’t know what to think. He didn’t know how to feel.

Pet, this Gabe wanted a pet, but, what did that have to do with him? Did it have anything to do with him… probably nothing, just… oh… Temperance was his brother, wasn’t he? Glancing over to Noah, he had another brother out there, a brother, a puppy… “He’s a werewolf, isn’t he? A werewolf gargoyle… they… they use him to attack people, that’s the mercy, you want to free him from that don’t you?” Folio grew up having nightmares of the creature that attacked his pack, his birth parents.

Ryan had been grateful for the way Nick had been seeking to soothe Shade, Jolly moving closer to his brother with him, he couldn’t be in two places at once. He hated himself for it, but his brother had more family now, and he had to console himself with that. Gwynn, Gwynn needed him. The way they had wrapped their wings around them, lowering their head, Ryan’s hand ever so gently pressed against their cheek, “Gwynn, look at me, this is not your fault.”

Shade was silent, his attention on Nick and Jolly, but his face held no emotion. He's livid yet knows that isn't going to help the situation any before he grabs at them both with a soft growl, his grip tight on the fronts of their shirts. The gargoyle was struggling to keep himself from lashing out, and he looked at Folio with a furrowed brow, listening to the wolf but remained silent. Attention turned back to the vampires, he looks down and sets his jaw.

Riyah was quiet, staring at Ryan and Gwynn while they spoke to one another, he just tilted his head slightly. With a soft sigh, he just glanced at Folio for a moment. He can't shake this feeling that there's a lot going on in his head, and yet he can't bring himself to go help him. Not yet anyways…

Gwynn listened to Folio and nodded slowly, hiding their face in anguish. Temperance had been so scared. He had been just a baby- and he was forced into being a puppy for an archangel. “Yes. They… they do…” they whispered covering their face and melted a bit at the way Ryan touched and comforted them, leaning into his touch more, peeking up with dead dull eyes, “There’s so much wrong- I- There are others like me- I was just the easiest most able-bodied one- I got out-” they rambled now, eyes wet, as their hands shook. “The others- Oh god… Imogen.” they murmured, covering their mouth. “There… there’s too much… so much- I’m sorry.”

Nick looked up at Shade gently, “How about you sit down? You look like you’re going to fall over… let’s sit…” he offered gently to him with a soft caring smile, the one he knew usually calmed down Shade even just a little bit.

Atsuko, still dead to the world, grumbled and flopped over laying on top of Folio as if he were a pillow, gently nuzzling and scenting him with a heavy content sigh of comfort.

Folio knew the moment he said that Temperance was a werewolf that it wasn’t right, even as Gwynn nodded. Maybe it was comparative to the memories of a pup, a toddler that had witnessed his family killed? However, never had his recollection changed, not once in four centuries had he remembered differently… But that creature that slaughtered his pack? That had been like no werewolf he’d ever seen. To think it could have been Temperance, his brother… A gargoyle werewolf. Folio didn’t know if he could breathe, he, he, he didn’t know what to think, he didn’t-

It was then he found himself pressed back, no longer looking towards the others in the room and facing the conversation. His back on the mattress, and pressed back under the weight of the sleeping gargoyle next to him. It was a gentle warmth, and Folio turned his head, staring at Atsuko’s sleepy face as he nuzzled him, so close. He knew this as his breath caught in his throat, easing slowly from the weight of the other man as he calmed. Folio knew this, he knew this well, but he was the one who did this, he did it for Noah when he went and had a panic attack growing up. He would shift into his wolf form, and flop right on top of him. Something else, however, in the back of his mind, poked at him as he stared at Atsuko now, with him doing this, even as his eyes started to droop, and he found himself drifting off. Folio, finally succumbing to the exhaustion that he’d been fighting since they’d gotten back.

Jolly glanced over to Riyah and then Folio as Nick tried to calm Shade, they were all going through it right now. However, Atsuko knew just how to help… help him, he’d done it. His mate. Hopefully, this was a sign he wasn’t going to be feral, for Folio’s sake. Though, Jolly had a bad feeling this information about Temperance was going to be as difficult for Folio as everything else today, if not more. He hadn’t had an almost panic attack finding out he was a gargoyle.

Turning back to Shade, as Nick encouraged him to sit, there wasn’t much furniture here, basically just the beds. “The bed over here, Shade.” Guiding him to the other side of the room before he collapsed. Joakim took in a deep breath as he looked him over, he looked so pale. He wasn’t sure if it was his anger, or something else. Reaching just into the collar of his shirt for the pendant of his necklace, and ripping it off, “How long has it been since you’ve had blood?” He was too pale, and the pendant, was a small tiny vial of blood, emergency blood. Nick and Jolly were always prepared. Noah and Folio too technically.

Chris had pulled his grandson protectively closer to himself, practically tucking him inside his fatigues the moment Gwynn mentioned Gabe. Oh, he knew exactly who that was, he knew all the archangels. Having been one of the original creations, he was well versed in the stories of the angels, especially archangels. The angel edicts had never been easy on them, they’d only gotten even more difficult over time. “Gabriel, so it was Gabriel…” His jaw clenched slightly as he tried to keep himself calm as he glanced at Folio, thinking about the night of the attack, how Nikolai had died in Atsuko’s arms. “Riyah, why exactly was your troupe attacked, during the time that Temperance was taken?” Chris asked him as calmly as he could as his attention transferred over to the other gargoyle.

Ryan desperately wanted to comfort Gwynn, but he wasn’t sure how, he wasn’t sure if there was a line here, how much would be alright. The way he saw their hands were shaking, he wanted to reach to take them, only for Gwynn to reach up to cover their mouth. He felt it would cross a line to just pull them back. Then as they were apologizing again, he shook his head, “Gwynn…” He sighed…

“It’s okay, it’s going to be okay.”

Shade saw Atsuko lay on Folio, grateful that the wolf had finally succumbed to sleep. He wouldn't be able to handle another panicking member of his family, not after Noah. It was hard enough to deal with that mixing with his own emotions. But when he heard Nick try to talk to him, he just tightened his hold on the vampire's shirt with a soft hiss and glared at him. When he saw the smile that he gave him, the gargoyle calmed down, if only slightly. “I…” he began quietly and looked to Joakim when the other vampire suggested that he go to sit on one of the other beds.

Now Shade was being guided to said beds and once he sat, he glanced at Joakim and Nick. He was pale because of the hunger and everything else that is going on. Anger was the prominent emotion that blended with sadness and stress. Curling up into himself now to make himself small, the gargoyle’s attention was on nothing in particular. But then tilts his head some at the inquiry of when was the last time he had eaten.

Hearing the chain of the necklace that held a small vial, Shade looks up at Jolly once again. “I'm fine… I'll be okay,” he said tiredly.

Riyah was still seated where he was, rocking slightly. All too much. Temperance… Folio… Folio, who he was worried about now even though he's fallen asleep, but he's afraid. Afraid that the wolf would only think… no. No, no. He doesn't want that—

As soon as he heard Chris, he sat straight up and looked over at the elder gargoyle. “I… I'm not sure why…” he said weakly, “It… it happened six hundred years ago—.” Memories flashed in his mind as he began to rub at his arms, the heat from flames lapping at him in his stone form; scorching him.

As Riyah had answered Chris, Shade damn near lost it. A soft snarl left him as he lurched forward but remained seated. “Six hundred years ago,” he said quietly, “We lost everything… all they said was they ‘wanted something from here’, but we didn't know what—”

Nick gently pet Shade's hair once. Wanting to soothe him. He wanted to hold him and let him feel secure.

Gwynn's eyes watered, “They…they wanted… their first choice… died…” Gwynn whispered, forcing it out. Raphael had explained everything. And how he had left no one alive. They had been so happy to see them now that joy was replaced with guilt.

“Fuck me.” Ryan muttered under his breath, from the way Chris asked, he could tell something was off, and then the weak response from Riyah… six hundred… shit. He knew what Chris suspected then, immediately. Not to mention, six hundred years was around about the same time he’d felt from his brother… shit, shit, shit. “Their first choice, Cheerfulness, died in his mate’s arms, while the rest of us fought off the ones they sent in… so, they didn’t take chances with their second option…” Swearing in enochian wasn’t strong enough, but it was all he had, without thinking he was pulling Gwynn closer to him. He resisted before, afraid of their reaction, worried they wouldn’t accept it so openly, but seeing the way they were so close to tears…

Chris took in a deep breath, Gabriel and Raphael, how many of the archangels had turned against them? Looking from Ryan, to Riyah, and Shade… it was a blessing neither Atsuko nor Folio were awake at this realization. Atsuko couldn’t know he’d lost his mate because an archangel wanted a pet, it would be too much for him, just too much. Not to mention Folio was struggling enough knowing what his brother was being made to do, from the sounds of it. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could say with this knowledge, that would be any comfort, for anyone, and he knew it. None of this was good.

Jolly hearing all of this, the magnitude, realizing how many people had died because angels had wanted a pet, a puppy, it made him sick. Reminding him about the kinds of things nobles would do to get what they wanted, whenever they wanted, only on a much worse scale. Swallowing, for him though, he could focus on what he couldn’t change, the past, or he could focus on what he could… looking after his family now, and one of his family was back to not drinking, again. “Shade.” His voice quiet, knowing this was a careful time with the subject, and how upset the gargoyle was, while Nick was sitting beside him, Jolly half knelt in front to the side of him. “You need to drink.” He didn’t want him to make himself sick over this.

Usually, Nick’s touch was soothing, but right now, it was too much, and Shade gently took his hand by the wrist with a huff before pulling it away from his head. “Not now,” he whispered while letting him go, “Don't… can't handle it.” Shade’s eyes were unfocused despite staring at the vial in Jolly’s hand, his stomach gnawing at him, yet he still refused. He can't. Not now… When a specific memory makes itself known, the gargoyle tenses while rubbing at his arms. Not that one… Please, not that one. Why of all memories…

Her… The memory of finding her…

A shaky breath left him as he tries not to think about it—

Snapping out of his thoughts as soon as the older vampire called his name, he took notice of how Jolly was being due to how sensitive he is about being what he is. But it was also because of how emotionally compromised he was from the current topic. “I… I can’t,” he said softly, while he went to grab at Jolly’s arm to push the vial away. “No…” He saw the way Riyah was on the verge of a breakdown himself, and he couldn’t do anything for him. Glancing at Chris, then at Ryan with Gwynn, he turns his attention back to the vampires.

Riyah on the other hand, his hands running up and down his arms; a soft gasp leaving him. Pain. There was pain. Shivering slightly, he tries to focus on something else and just sets his jaw. Hearing that they took Temperance as a second choice pissed him off, and he grimaced. They took everything… everything from them. Temperance included—

Fuck… he's so glad that neither Folio nor Atsuko were awake for this. It was bad enough with how the wolf damn near panicked…

Nick nodded and pulled out a bottle of pink coconut water. “Please. For me…?”

The angel sniffled, hiding into Ryan, clinging to him. “I'm sorry I'm not in better shape for you, but I just wanted to get home.”

Atsuko nuzzled under Folio’s chin, clicking his teeth now and again, purring happily in his dreams. Folio just huffed slightly, so warm now, and not able to move, this time, it was something he desperately needed.

The door creaked open as Vinny slipped in with a tray of drinks and a bowl of whipped cream and ice cream, she set them down for Noah, “He's probably starving.” Before passing drinks out to the others.

None of them, not a single one of them, were in any mood to eat or drink after what they’d just discovered. The realization that not just one, but two troupes decimated all for the sake of an archangel wanting a damn pet out of one of them, was beyond the pale. This was even well beyond creating their entire race as a weapon of war and then treating them as tools instead of living beings. Chris looking towards Riyah, the way he was rubbing at those all black markings of his skin, it made him wonder… but could he bring himself to ask?

Then Vinny came in, and he was reminded, none of those in his troupe at least had eaten since lunch, or worse, breakfast… they were starved… No doubt those smoothies his mate had brought in were heavy on the protein. He knew her well. “Thank you.” His words soft… Only for Noah to suddenly peak out from his jacket, far more interested in the bowls of whipped cream and ice cream.

Noah perked up at the smell of what Vinny brought, food, that was food. Oh, it smelled delightful to his tiny nose. He hadn’t eaten since lunchtime and even in his tiny little body, he was absolutely starving. A tiny soft sound escaped him as he was already trying to lunge a little to lick at the whipped cream, wide eyes blinking, sugar, cold. Noah was wide awake all over again at the prospect of food. Climbing over Chris arm to try to get to the first dish of cream, almost falling face first as he starts lapping away at the treat.

As Shade pushed his arm away, and Nick produced the coconut water mixed with ever slight touch of blood, not enough to be obvious, just enough for one to assume there was another fruit flavour involved. Jolly sighed. Shade was far too pale, he was worried. The times vampires did resist feeding like this, it could get bad, when they went feral, that was when they could seriously hurt someone, or themselves. It was when the danger of the most accursed of their nature could affect them. As much as Jolly was always devoted to taking care of his family, when it came to Shade, Nick was the one that had more luck with the gargoyle. He was the one he listened to, got along with famously.

Sighing, “You should have the blood, but at the very least, the water is something. Either way, please, have something. Nick, I’m going to head back home to start packing, do you want to stay with Folio and Noah?” Joakim didn’t want to be here right now, dealing with Shade, he wasn’t mad, he was just, he needed to make himself feel useful right now. The prospect of these realizations, what everyone had been through, he couldn’t sit here and do nothing, he couldn’t be useless.

Ryan frowned, better shape, what did, “Gwynn, none of this is on you, none of it. All of this happened while you were a prisoner in Heaven, you can’t control what two asshole archangels did because they had a fancy. Today, today… Chris opened his big fucking mouth,” Looking over to his commander as the man rolled his eyes, oh yeah, he heard him, “None of us were prepared for Atsuko, none of us. You’ve barely been back for two days, and you told us the moment you came back, you escaped, We should be looking after you, not the other way around… you are healing. Don’t you dare apologize for one damn thing.” Ryan remembered Chris kicking his ass to check on them, to stay with them, and he felt guilty he had to be pushed… but he also knew he didn’t deserve any of the time with them. Even this moment, cherishing the way Gwynn sort his touch… he wasn’t good enough, not for any of it.

Shade's hold on Jolly’s arm tightened slightly, not wanting him to go as he refused the coconut water Nick had offered, but fuck did he feel unwell. He felt bad for being so difficult for Joakim, he really did, but it's his stubbornness of not accepting. Accepting what he is now, all because it didn’t feel right to him. He remembers when he was asked by the elder vampire as to why he punished himself— he still does. It was only because he had nothing else better to do. What stopped him from spiralling was Riyah, and he knew he needed him too. Then there was everyone in his little group that became his second family.

He didn’t want Jolly to go and felt bad for denying even the coconut water from Nick.

When Vinny had come back with shakes, Riyah and Shade shrunk into themselves; the one gargoyle not feeling hungry while the other was starving. And it wasn’t for a shake either— Nonetheless, he heard Ryan talking but didn't pick up on much.

Riyah on the other hand, just watches from his spot, concerned for Shade. He knows that the gargoyle needs to feed but is refusing… He felt stuck, and it was so silly to him that he feels this way. Still rubbing at his arms, he winced before stopping and just hugged his knees to his chest while looking at his sister for a moment. Then his attention went to Noah, the small bobcat kitten, and there was a ghost of a smile there.

Vinny smiled softly at Riyah and put a smoothie in his hand. A rich blackberry with matcha. “Try to drink it.” She whispered, sitting by him offering support.

Gwynn blinked slowly, looking up at Ryan. “There's so much to do. I can't… rest… I can't…. I have…” their eyes fluttered for a moment.

Vinny spoke up. “Ryan… Take Gwynn to rest… I think everyone needs some time to calm down and de-stress.” She asserted, noting how Noah was eating.

Ryan couldn’t be more grateful that Vinny had spoken up after she gave Riyah his smoothie, rest was undoubtedly what Gwynn needed. “Yes, rest Gwynn, come on, Vinny has made us some smoothies, here, thank you, Vin.” Accepting a couple for them himself, before ushering Gwynn out of the alcove, Gwynn needed to take time, to stop, and rest. To recoup, and they weren’t ever going to do that if all they did was pressure themself constantly.

Chris lifted his own smoothie, taking a sip as he watched Noah and having to reach for him before he over balanced and stopped him from almost falling into the bowl again. He was so tiny, and he was not used to the form he was in, teetering on the tiny paws was definitely new to him. The tiny tank mew back was almost amusing, Chris, as he took another mouthful of his drink, the smoothie helping soothe the hunger in his belly. He was used to feeling hungry, he’d admit that. Vinny telling them they were underfed had seemed ridiculous to him before, but now he’d concede she was right. Glancing over to Riyah as his mate sat by her brother, glad that they had each other again… Knowing what had happened to their troupe before, he wondered what the two of them did now, had they rebuilt, did they travel on their own, would they want to join them? He was sure the others would welcome it.

Jolly paused when Shade’s grip tightened. Still kneeling on the floor to the side, glancing between Shade, and Nick, his eyes meeting the gargoyle vampire’s again, they were dark with hunger, it had been too long since he’d fed, too long. “Shade, what do you want right now? You need to feed, what kind of blood? You want it, I’ll get it, you tell me. Anything. Please. Please.”

When he is given the smoothie, he stares at the drink for a moment before taking a sip. Riyah perks up some and scoots a little closer to Vinny once she sat by him, resting his head on her shoulder; ignoring how awkward it was for him to do so from how much smaller she was to him. No matter, he was by his twin while taking mouthfuls of his smoothie. The gargoyle hadn't realized just how hungry he really was until after his first taste.

Shifting to get comfortable next to Vinny, he turns his attention to Ryan and Gwynn when she speaks to them. He could just see how worn down the angel was, and he frowned. Today was just… not something he wanted to deal with, especially with the information that had been given.

Shade on one hand had been holding onto Jolly tight still, not wanting the vampire to leave. Same with Nick, and he grimaced at how unwell he felt now. As soon as his eyes met Jolly’s, a soft growl left him and he looked away. Too long since he ate and it hurts. It still annoys him with the knowledge that this is what he is now— something he has to live with. Rejecting what he is has almost been a daily thing he does, and that ends up with him not eating as he should.

A soft sound left him, pulling Jolly up to sit next to him and hides his face against him. “I… I don’t know,” he whispered.

Gwynn leaned on Ryan, guided out of the room trembling against him, exhausted by everything. As they left, Nick focused back on Shade. He thought for a moment before glancing at Vinny who merely nodded and stood up, taking Riyah’s hand. “Let me make that cake for you- Chris, why don't you take Noah to the apartment to pick through the freezer…?”

Riyah had made a small noise of complaint while being dragged off by Vinny, but just sipped on his smoothie, following her. He did see how Chris scooped Noah up and laughed softly, noticing that the small kitten had nearly fallen into the bowl of cream.

As soon as Vinny had ushered the others out of the room, Nick looked at Jolly. “Baby… He needs… something.”

Jolly watched as Riyah left with his sister and Noah was scooped up by his grandfather as he almost fell into the bowl of cream for a third time. All of them leaving the alcove until it was just the three of them left, aside from Atsuko and Folio sound asleep on the other bed at the other end of the space. Shade was still holding his arm from how he’d pulled him up onto the bed to sit with him, as Nick spoke, he looked toward Shade thoughtfully, making no move to pull away.

In the years since they’d known him, since he’d become family, they’d tried him with various types of blood to see what might interest him. See what could help him. Nothing, he never wanted anything. He always seemed to wait until he was half starved, and every so often it felt like they had to force him to feed… or half drug him with… huh. Was it because Noah’s blood was a mixture of bloods, or was it the angel or gargoyle influence? Who could say. Either way, his blood was effective.

Time for a different tactic, one they hadn’t tried before… “How would you feel about feeding from one of us?” It took exceptional trust to feed another vampire from their vein, but, they were at wits end.

Shade was hiding, his hold on Jolly loosened some, while he was feeling guilty for even going this long of not eating. It's just… so fucking hard to accept. The concern that both vampires had for him made the gargoyle whine softly, reaching for the vial, but doesn't actually grab it; just holding on to Jolly’s hand weakly. Through all the years that Nick and his husband has known him, he was a pain in the ass. Especially with the starvation, his stubbornness leading up to them force-feeding him.

The first time wasn't all that pleasant because he was hurt. But now, he supposed, he wouldn't mind—

Yet here he was, refusing any form of feeding, and Shade was lightly biting at Jolly before pausing. What…? Did he hear that right…? Pulling away just enough to look at him, he furrows his brow. “Wha…? I feed from one of you…?” Did they really trust him…? Could they trust him and if they did, why? Plus, he's never fed from anyone before…

“I… I've never…”

“Shade, my dear, we just want you full and happy. That's all that matters. We both trust you. Go head and just… Relax okay? Let us help to take care of you… okay?” Nick whispered, looking up at him with that soft gaze and a tender smile. “Please. However, feels best… but you need to eat.”

Jolly, until he felt Shade nibbling at his neck, would have automatically assumed with every fiber of his being that the gargoyle would instantly go to Nick. Who else? He was the one he trusted otherwise. Between the two of them, he was the lover he took. He didn’t, he didn’t… everyone had their preferences, it was their right. “Whatever, you need Shade.” Feeling his hold still, Jolly knew he’d stay even if he picked Nick to feed on, for both their sakes.

He was quiet, looking down at Nick, seeing how the vampire had been gazing up at him and the smile. Always the smile– something he's fallen for from the man, and he goes to caress Nick’s cheek for a moment before setting his jaw at his words. Relax? Easier said than done, Nicky… He's so overwhelmed and hungry.

But they wanted to take care of him… they always had. Even if he was an asshole about it most of the time. Although, he couldn’t help but feel that Jolly wouldn't want him to feed from him or that he'd prefer Nick just because he was his partner. Now that got Shade to stop nibbling on him, just sighing with a shake of his head. “I can't…” he whispered while he let go of Jolly and just had his head resting on the vampire's shoulder.

“I'm sorry…”

Nick smiled gently at both of them before gently biting Jolly's shoulder, getting a mouthful of blood, leaning in to kiss Shade, gently urging the blood to his mouth, only with light comforting touches as he made out with him. Moments passed before he pulled Jolly closer to take over. Nick urged Shade toward Jolly, helping them get comfy, lips and gentle touches the whole way.

Waiting, for when he felt the piercing bite of Shade’s fangs, instead of the scrape as he just took those small bites at his neck, but then the gargoyle pulled away and rested his head instead. Sighing, every time. It always happened when they got close. He’d come to accept it, that it wasn’t to be, nothing was to happen between them, but he’d thought this might be different, this was so much more important, this was Shade’s life, his feeding. Still, Nick. As soon as he thought of his husband, before he could even speak, and glance towards him, he felt the sting of his fangs in his flesh, the pull of his blood… The scent of it was on the air, and Jolly understood as he witnessed his husband kissing his boyfriend, lips smeared with his blood. As Nick encouraged Shade back towards him now, Jolly didn’t pressure him, he just shifted, tilting his head to allow him the room to take what he needed.

As Nick went to nibble on Jolly’s shoulder, Shade was still as he tries to push down the pain he's caused himself for not being able to be close. Without any help and yet, here he was. He wants to be close to Jolly, but as soon as they are right there, the gargoyle pulls away every. Single. Time. It never fails. He was always the one to back off and pretend nothing happened. Even now, Shade just wished that he didn't. But before he could protest once he saw Nick bite Jolly instead and kiss him, he accepted it, albeit with some hesitation.

The taste of the elder vampire's blood on his tongue had him whining, kissing Nick harder– slightly desperate for more. As soon as he was guided to Jolly’s neck, a soft growl left him before biting down. Shade held on to Nick as he fed from Jolly, groaning quietly as he took mouthfuls of his lifeblood and gently grasped at Jolly once again.

Nick smiled softly brushing shade's hair back before kissing Jolly softly, fingers in his hair and moaning softly holding on to both of them. As if he could do anything more. This was an important moment, and it was needed. Nick knew how good Jolly tasted. Shade had only smelled. But the taste was heavenly kissing his husband, he smiled softly, a twinkle in his eye saying he just needed a small push.

There was something about the sharp feeling of another vampire's teeth into his skin, it wasn’t that he was used to Nicholas, but he had taken him by surprise. Now, Joakim had waited, waited, almost… expecting the rejection… again. Too many times over the decades past had he thought it was almost certain that the other man would actually accept what he was offering him, Jolly would never force him… Not after what he’d been put though when he was turned. He never did. Shade had turned away every time. Now, he took in a quick breath at the sharp feeling of Shade’s fangs pressing into his skin with his bite. A hand reaching up, fingers wrapping around the back of the tall gargoyles neck as Nick leaned in to kiss him, licking his own blood from his lips. Every so often his husband could be a crafty one, he would say that.

The more he fed, the more he felt his eyes stinging with tears, but he refused to let them fall. Biting a little harder, he continues to drink from Jolly and clings to him tight. One part wanted him to stop, the other was just so relieved as he pressed closer to the vampire. Sure, he felt bad for hurting Jolly; the times they shared were broken because of him, him pulling away due to not feeling comfortable enough to allow himself to be open. Vulnerable. But now, he felt Jolly’s fingers in his hair and pets from Nick, relaxing from the touches.

Nick’s arms gently looped holding Shade in place, as he kissed Jolly, his soft hands wandering his husband and boyfriend contently, “There we go… that’s it… Good boys.” He whispered against Jolly’s lips, “Shade… you can hold on and cling… you’re safe. You can touch… nothing’s gonna go wrong. Nothing bad is going to happen. You have me and Jolly here with you.” he promised softly before kissing Shade’s shoulder, eyes soft and reassuring looking at Jolly.

Jolly would, he’d let him touch, if anything, Jolly hadn’t himself because he didn’t know where they stood. The number of times Shade had pulled away, the fact that Nick had had to urge him to him tonight, Jolly was just desperate not to scare him away now. His hand at his neck, fingers brushing absent-mindedly at the edge of his hairline, was all that he dared. As it was, the slightest of moans that slipped from him against his husband’s lips as Shade pulled more blood from him was strangled in his throat, not wanting to push Shade back again. He, however, could entirely deny the way it felt when the other vampire fed on him, his other hand grasping at Nick to stop himself from grabbing at Shade lest he scare him.

He wanted to. Oh, how he wanted to touch Jolly but was unsure, and it made Shade cling all the more onto him. Taking a few more drinks from his blood, the gargoyle sniffled softly and finally pulled away from the vampire while he sat there quietly with his head resting on Jolly’s shoulder after licking at the bite. Nick's reassurance was heard, but he still worried, sighing at the kiss on his shoulder while leaning into Jolly’s hand.

Finally, Shade wraps his arms around Jolly and hides against him as best as he could.

He smiled, petting Jolly’s cheek, “Shade, baby, why don’t you sit in Jolly’s lap? There we go… a good cuddle.” he whispered, smiling before offering Jolly the coconut water to sip on, just in case. “It’s okay now… it’s all okay.” he whispered.

Oh god, sit on Jolly’s lap, was Nick kidding, on his lap and that was just going to be all kinds of torture not moving… He wouldn’t, he knew he wouldn’t, he wouldn’t put that on Shade, no matter how he felt right now. The arousal that came with the primal urges linked with blood was so heightened for him, always had been, the hunt was so pure, so primal. Jolly might not hunt humans, and he had access to blood freely without actively hunting, but he still enjoyed it, and he refused to apologize for giving into the primal nature of what he was now. Adjusting slightly before Shade could move, trying to keep how he felt less than obvious… Although, that would be next to impossible, but he tried. Still, as Nick offered him the coconut water, he took it, while they had both fed slightly before they left, as soon as they woke, feeding Shade like this, it couldn’t hurt. His fingers wrapped around the bottle to open it so he could take a sip and let the blood laced water run down his throat. As he did, his other hand had wrapped around Shade’s side, and Nick, holding them both closer to him.

Nick, suggesting that he sits on Jolly’s lap, had the gargoyle huff, glancing at him from over his shoulder. What exactly was this man's motive? But then again, Nick has always wanted nothing more than to have both him and Jolly be happy. Although, it… it didn’t sound like a bad thing— he wants to be close to the vampire. Without a second thought, he wriggled his way out of the vampire's hold as he just went and sat on Jolly’s lap, pressing as close to him as he could against the other man.

Feeling a little more sure of himself, he went to nip at Jolly, leaving little marks on his neck while he just had his arms around him.

Nick smiled softly, brushing Shade’s hair back, “I’m not gonna leave, but I’ll be right back I wanna shut the door and grab some waters for both of you… okay?” he asked softly wanting confirmation that was okay, he also wanted to grab his backpack with blood packs in it for Jolly. He could tell Shade had finally drank enough to be full for once, and he was sure Jolly would feel it sooner or later. Best to be prepared.

Jolly nodded ever so slightly, but not enough to disturb Shade as he continued to nibble his teeth at his neck, marking at his skin. If this was how Shade was comfortable feeding, Jolly was willing, he wasn’t sure if this was just the moment, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was this was what he needed right now. His hands returned to Shade, and ran up Shade’s sides carefully.

Moving to bite on the other side of Jolly’s neck, he gave small tentative touches along his back and sides. Whining at the careful touches from the vampire, he shifts a bit on his lap and bites him but doesn't break through the other's skin again. He was focused solely on Jolly, curling his fingers more into his shirt as he gave a small roll of his hips against him.

“Jolly…” he murmured.

Nick smiled and kissed Jolly’s cheek, getting up and went to grab his backpack, smiling as he noticed someone had shoved in a few dozen pudding packs when he hadn’t looked. Well, at least human food sometimes worked the best and with Noah constantly being hungry, same with Folio… he could figure it was one of them trying to help him keep stocked. He pulled out one of them and two blood packs, bringing the bag in along with a bottle of water, shutting the door to the bedroom. He almost offered a blood pack before noticing the slight hip roll from Shade and smiled a bit wider, and pulled out a condom instead, handing it to Jolly just in case.

Groaning softly at the way Shade’s hips rolled down against him, his hands sliding down his body to settle gently against the side of his hips. His neck arched slightly with the way Shade had switched sides, the bites scratched to his skin smoothly. When Nick handed him the condom, he paused, he needed to hear it from him, after all the times he’d pulled away, after all the times… He needed to know.

“Shade… Tell me, do you want more?”

Feeling Jolly’s hands slide down to his hips, Shade pulls away slightly to look at the older vampire, and glances at Nick as soon as he sees the other come back. When he saw the condom in his grasp, he bit the inside of his cheek. The taste of Jolly’s blood still on his tongue had him realize just how much he enjoyed feeding from him.

Once Jolly had asked if he wanted more, he nodded while reaching up to cup Jolly’s cheek and pressed his forehead to the vampire's.

“I do… I do want more, Joakim…”

Nick sat down nearby, “I’m right here, Joakim, I’m not leaving the room unless asked, okay, daddy?” he asked gently, wanting to support both of them, “However and wherever you need me.”

“Hjärtat, don’t leave.” Jolly spoke quietly, his attention didn’t leave Shade though, he didn’t want the other to think his focus wasn’t on him, considering. He did, however, want Nick to stay with them, he was important, to both of them, especially to Shade, knowing the trust that was there, had been there for so long. Leaning to brush his lips against the gargoyles, kissing him softly as he set the water and condom aside for the moment. First things first, he was feeling light-headed with the rush, even as he reached down for Shade’s belt… “I might need one of those packs first.”

Hearing Jolly’s voice, Shade has come to terms with the fact that he likes—no, loves hearing the vampire speak. Even in his mother tongue… but that's not the point right now. When he asked Nick to stay, he didn’t mind that the other did either. Nick was Jolly’s husband just as much as he was his own boyfriend, and the gargoyle didn't care that he was present. As soon as he felt the older vampire's lips against his own, he felt a jolt run through him and kissed him back just as softly.

His hands found their way into Jolly’s hair, letting out a soft purr for the first time for him, letting the vampire set the water and condom down. As Jolly reaches for his belt, he kisses his temple and pets his head.

“Replace what I took…” Shade murmured.

“Replace what was willingly given.” Nick corrected gently, pulling out a few blood packs and held one out Joakim for him to latch onto and drain without needing to distract himself or pause his own eagerness. “Okay, Shade? When feeding from me or Jolly… Noah or Folio… it’s given. Not taken.”

Smiling, between Nickolas, and Shade, he would assume that would go without saying, but it would seem it needed to be said, and he was glad it had been. “Given, always given, as long as you need it.” Even as he’s clicking his belt undone, Jolly biting out at the blood pack that Nick was holding for him. The thick blood sliding down his throat, it wasn’t the same as hunting, and it wasn’t nearly as satisfying, but it was enough. Licking his lips with the taste of blood on his tongue, he leaned to kiss Shade again softly before whispering, “And you can always have more as you like.” Because being full, was different from being fed. He had been underfed for so long, he needed so much more blood than he had taken, and Jolly could always get another blood bag. Going to drink some more from the offered blood pack now.

Given… not taken. Okay. Shade was silent as Jolly reiterated what Nick had just told him, and he nodded to both of them. Given, he reminds himself, and just watched as the vampire gave the other the blood bag to feed from while he himself was idly playing with Jolly’s hair. “Okay,” he murmured while his belt was undone and Shade reached down to do the same for him. One thing for sure is that he would never really drink from a bag unless he had to, but even then, the chances of him taking the vial is higher than the bag. It tastes… odd to him.

When he saw Jolly licking his lips as he finished, the gargoyle stared at him for a moment before he kissed the vampire back and shivered at the whisper as he tried to ignore the taste of the bagged blood. Shade bit his lip, leaning in for another kiss as he slowly rolls his hips against Jolly’s and huffed softly. The thought of taking more of his blood… he bites at him, scraping his fangs against the vampire's skin, Shade went to slide his hands under Jolly’s shirt and sighs softly.

Nick sat back with a gentle smile, watching them closely, seeing how Shade clung to Jolly like that…. It was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. “Good boys…” he praised softly encouraging them.

Jolly finished the rest of the blood pack and, tracing as much of the blood from his teeth as he could. He was well aware how disagreeable at times that blood pack could taste, especially to some, so he doubted that Shade would like it, at all, Joakim himself was indifferent. What's more, he had a preferred taste, Shade, and Nickolas, such as now, where he dropped the empty pack to the side and reached for the front of his husband's shirt and pulled him close. “Good boy? Really?” Smirking as he kissed Nicholas quickly with a chuckle. “Now, you be a good boy… And help us with these clothes, hmm?”

Shade couldn’t stop from watching Jolly finish the blood pack, internally cringing at the fact of how indifferent the vampire was to it. Then again, he himself was still… a baby. He hasn't given into those primal urges nor has he ever wanted to… hearing Nick praise them both, he glanced towards him with a raised brow despite his mind wanting nothing more than to just bite Jolly again. And again. A soft noise left him as he felt his cock throb in the confines of his pants, aroused from the little time he's fed from Jolly, and the gargoyle hid his face against him.

The smell of blood wasn't helping him either. While watching Joakim grab at the front of his husband's shirt, a soft chuckle left him as he nibbled on Jolly’s shoulder again. “Please do help us, Nicky,” he murmured while lightly scratching at Jolly’s back and pressing himself as close as he can to the vampire.

Nick moaned softly against Jolly’s lips, eyes fluttering viciously before he nodded with a weak pleasant mewl, hands already busying themselves with getting Shade’s shirt off as he groaned sweetly, “Y… yeah. I can do that, Daddy-” he whispered the confirmation before looking at Shade with his eyes purely pitch black from both arousal and the smell of blood, however much more focused on the two men before him.

As Shade pressed closer, Jolly couldn’t help the way his hips were rolling up against him slightly. As much as the blood in the bag wasn’t as appealing didn’t mean feeling didn’t have at least some effect on him, and having Shade right there, he was a tease… a wonderful, perfect tease. The way he was nibbling at him again did not make it any easier, smiling against Nick’s lips as Shade’s agreement. “That’s a good boy.” They were teasing him some with a chuckle as Shade’s shirt came off. Jolly’s followed as he lifted it up over his head and tossed it aside, this time pulling the gargoyle in for a kiss, after sucking as much of the blood taste from his mouth. He would rather not affect him with the taste.

A soft moan left Shade, rolling his hips more against him, and he hid his face into Jolly’s neck as he whines. “Jolly…” he whispered before he bit at him, nails sharpened slightly into small claws. Fuck, he's wanted this for so long, but he's still so out of it, unsure and confused about how he's feeling. All he knows is that he wants to be cared for… especially by Jolly. Shade has always wanted to be close, and now that he has him— he let out a soft chuckle when he heard the vampire call Nick a good boy. “Isn't he,” the gargoyle agreed softly, allowing his shirt to be removed, and he felt a little self-conscious about the scarring but didn't show it.

Once Jolly’s lips were pressed to his own, a soft gasp left him and growls softly as he leans more into the kiss. His hands began to roam over the vampire's skin and whined. Even though there was a lingering taste of the blood, it was tolerable, and went to bite Jolly’s lip before suckling eagerly once he tasted the other's blood.

Nick’s hands roamed over them both, kissing over Shade's neck and spine teasingly. He was hard, but he was told to help with their clothes only… He could be good and wait to jack off later. For now, he would be good for his husband and boyfriend.

Shade’s scars didn’t matter to Joakim, they didn’t because the sad fact was, a lot of them were a painful echo of the ones he bore on his own body. Such as the vicious claw marks that had been made by the strigori that had turned him, that had ripped into him with no care for his life. Those monsters had been horrid in their intent, but neither of them wanted to look back on them now, not now, now was for something else entirely.

The way Shade bit his lip had him kissing the gargoyle vampire a bit harder with a moan, rocking his hips up… “Fuck… Shade…” He needed to get up so they could get their pants off, his cock was painfully hard in his pants at this point, the smell of his own blood, still so fresh in the air, was driving him insane. “Hop up, I want to see you.”

He's not always shy. Never really. Reserved? Yeah. But when it came to the scars; Shade never liked to be reminded of what happened to him in the past. The way they've marked his skin permanently were just painful memories… Yet, that's not what he wants to dwell on.

Now, with Nick’s hands on him and the feeling of the vampire kissing along his spine, he shivers with a whimper of the latter's name. A soft curse left him as he dug his claws into Joakim’s shoulders, while he continued to take what he could get from the bite on his lip, and a soft sigh left him once the other kissed harder. Hearing Jolly moan and feeling the man rocking his hips up, Shade mimics the motion as he goes to kiss along his neck. His own cock uncomfortably hard in his own pants.

With a nip to Jolly’s chest now, he huffs softly before complying.

Nick backed off, just enough to help Shade, kissing his back and hips shivering some with the smell of blood and sex in the air.

When Shade pulled back, seeing the way Nick helped Shade with his pants, Jolly watching them both, he was shifting his hips up to push his pants from them. Fuck, his eyes didn’t leave the pair even as he was pushing his pants and boxers off, licking at stray blood from the cuts Shade had made on his lip. Cheeky, he smirked up at him as he kicked his pants the rest of the way off.

“Nick,” Shade groaned when the shorter kissed his back and hips, helping the vampire with his pants. Attention on Jolly as soon as he saw the other lift his hips, having leaned against Nick while watching him for a moment and tilted his head at the smirk. Shade didn't care that he was slowly acting on what he needed now, only that he knew that it was only a matter of time…

Giving Nick a small kiss to his cheek, he pulls away and then climbs back onto Jolly’s lap as he kisses the vampire. Pushing him back onto the bed with a soft purr, Shade leans down to kiss at the other's neck and down to his chest; biting him there.

The vampire's black eyes were trained on the pair, with a small whine in the back of his throat. He was… by no means large exactly, but oh how it did hurt as his dick was trapped between his jeans and thigh. Oh… but watching was so worth it… the two needed this, he was just here in case he was needed. He felt the ghost of the kiss he had gotten making his cheeks brighten just a bit.

As Shade pushed him back down to the bad, Jolly moaned into the kiss, the sting of the cut on his lip as it already started healing was nothing. His head tilted back as Shade kissed down his neck, hair a mess on the sheets of the bed that had been made up for the alcove they could move into. As he moved down to his chest, biting along his skin, he groaned, he was such a tease. “Are you going to bite me properly again?” Or was he going to have to bite him? He’d do it too. Jolly reached for him, nails scraping up light up over his shoulder. Not quite the claws Shade had this time, but a promise.

Grinding against Jolly, the gargoyle moans softly as he took in the delightful sight of the vampire under him, and Shade chuckles at the groan that left the other. “Maybe,” he whispered but went to nibble on him for a few moments and then whimpered at the scraping of Jolly’s nails over his shoulders while going to kiss at his neck. “What if I… I want you to do something about it…?”

The small vampire smiled, hearing the gargoyle challenge Joakim and chuckled softly. Oh, this would be interesting.

He wasn’t just going to tease him, he was actually going to dare him to then, well, if he thought he would, drag this out… those soft words spoken so close against his neck… Shade was so close that he didn’t even see the way Joakim’s eyes darken to the inky black from the hazel green. His fangs lengthening before they were sinking right again the base of his neck, just above his collar bone. He knew how to avoid the major arteries, he wasn’t intending to feed, just to bite, just to taste, and Jolly moaned as Shade’s blood hit his tongue.

The sharp sting of fangs piercing his skin had Nightshade gasp, clawed fingers digging into Jolly’s shoulders, and he whimpered out the vampire's name as he drew some blood with his claws. “Shit—” he hissed as his own eyes darkened and bites down on the other's neck. Shade bucks lightly against Jolly with a moan as he feeds from him some more.

Nick smiled and kissed over Shade’s shoulders lightly scraping his fangs over lightly, tenderly, loving. “Good… good… you’re doing so good, Shade.” he whispered, slipping into some old Italian praises for him without thinking.

Moaning as Shade fangs pierced his skin again, and even his claws drawing blood, fuck, Jolly withdrew his fangs with a gasp, only to glance over to Nick… “Baby, bag, lube…” he’d given him the condom, but there was no way in hell he was going to fuck Shade dry, he was not being that asshole.

Hearing Jolly moan had Shade feeling a little pleased with himself, drinking from the vampire happily, and the praise that Nick had given him was acknowledged by a soft huff in response. With the withdrawal of the other's fangs, the gargoyle whined and bit down a little harder. As Nick was spoken to, he pulls away just a little and licks at the wound he's left, going to bite gently at Jolly’s neck now to feed from there while he trails his hands along the vampire's sides. He couldn’t help the small moan that left him from the taste of blood, and he lightly scratched at the other.

He nodded grabbing a few more blood packs and offered them to Jolly, holding one as he pulled out the lube, offering it to Jolly purring, “Right here. You’re doing so good, Shade.” he acknowledged gently.

Jolly wasn’t worried about the blood packs just yet, he could drink later, or soon, his thoughts were on Shade, and being inside of him. How long they’d been dancing around this between them. Every time the two of them got close, Shade would pull away, and it wasn’t, it wasn’t as if he was scared that the gargoyle would suddenly push him away again. That he’d feel that sting of rejection… but maybe it was. He knew for certain, however, the sweet singing feeling of the pull of his blood, the way Shade’s fangs sank into his skin, his claws scraped over his body, he felt every part. Putting the blood packs aside for when he needed them, ripping the lube open and slicking his fingers up, he slid fingertips between Shade’s ass, over his hole. “Tell me if it’s too much, okay, läckerbit?”

On the other hand, Shade just wants Jolly inside him and to just feel the vampire. It was too long that they've been dancing around one another, and it was his fault. Each time they'd get close, he'd pull away. It stung… It really did because he only wanted to be close but was too stubborn to show his feelings for the vampire. The gargoyle didn't blame Jolly if the man was afraid he'd pull away again, but right now, he was craving the vampire, and he just let out a soft whine.

Wait— läckerbit? He… Jolly had called him that…? He bit the inside of his cheek and a soft noise left him, his undead slow heart beat almost skipping to a normal speed for a hot second. He's always heard the vampire call Nick all sorts of names… and to have one of them at him? It felt so good.

“Fuck…” he whispered.

Claws and teeth. That's all Shade had been using on the vampire, and a soft groan leaves him, bucking his hips some. Pulling away from him with a gasp, he looked down at Jolly and he bit his lip. The feeling of the vampire's finger against his hole had him shivering and nodding. “I… I will…”

The smaller vampire whined so softly, watching them as his cock ached in his jeans, why did he have to wear skinny jeans today of all days. It was just his luck.

As Jolly pressed his finger inside of Shade, past the rim of muscle, he heard the whine as his hips bucked causing his finger to sink in deeper, twisting as he stretched him. “Fuck.” But that wasn’t the only sound he heard in the room, the only voice that whined, and Jolly was glancing over towards his Nicholas to find his husband’s current predicament in full view… He was absolutely beautiful like that, too. “Oh läckerbit, look at our boy, so pretty over there.”

Fucking hell— Shade doesn't think he'll ever get used to being called any terms of endearment by Jolly…

Groaning as soon as he felt Jolly’s finger enter him, Shade let's out a soft breath while he shifts a bit to allow easier access, whining at the twisting and stretching. His claws were still dug into the vampire's skin, and he pulled one hand away to lick at his own fingers just as Jolly brought his attention to Nick. A smirk curled his lip as he hums. It was a wonderful sight. “So, so pretty,” he cooed while looking Nick over with a soft trill, and tilts his head some while speaking to Jolly. “Do you think we should keep him dressed or at least give a little mercy and allow him to undress some, älskling?”

Nick whimpered softly. A cute wet spot was forming over the head of his cock from pre. “Jolly…. Shade-” he whimpered so softly.

Another whimper from Nick, but that wasn’t what had Jolly blinking, while Noah and Folio both had leaned to speak his native tongue over the years, neither used it the way Nick did. Used it to call him, and now Shade went and… and nothing subtle either… Swallowing, that was going to take some getting used to. Pushing his focus back to Nick, “Älskade, you can undo your pants… if you think you can control yourself, do not cum, no, we might want to play when we’re done… Right Shade?”

Attention split between his boyfriend and Jolly, he had a small smile on his face at the latter's reaction to him speaking in not only his native language but a term of endearment. Slowly rocking back against Jolly’s finger, wishing he did more, he just took what he had at the moment and nodded in agreement with the vampire. “Yes, I want to play with our sweet boy when we're done,” he murmured and chuckled softly, “If he doesn't cum first. What should we do if he does?”

Nick shivered but slowly took his pants off tossing them aside, stripping his shirt shivering. “I won't. I'll be good.”

“He’ll be good, don’t worry about that.” Jolly didn’t take his eyes off Nick as he continued to stretch Shade, pressing in a second finger, pumping them into him, to ease him. Looking up at him, he could feel the way his clawed nails were scraped over his skin, even as Shade watched Nick, enjoying the way he kept his gaze on him. Jolly knew the gargoyle had feelings for his husband, it didn’t bother him, it would if he didn’t. Nick, he had such a heart, it was what had Joakim falling in love with him all his life in the first place. He was his everything, hjärtat. It was Shade though, who had wormed his way into his heart with him, Jolly might have kept him at arms length the more he’d been pushed back, but all he wanted him was like this, right here, with him. Together. It wasn’t just a physical moment, but something, more.

“That is true,” Shade breathes out as he arched his back with a soft moan when another finger is pressed into him, and he trills softly once Nick began to undress. Rocking his hips against the vampire beneath him, the gargoyle whines with a soft plea and just tilts his head back. He knew he was being watched, and he knew that Jolly was aware of his feelings for his husband, who is his boyfriend. If it were a problem, this wouldn't be happening between the three of them.

“Jolly…” he gasps as he had angled himself some and felt the vampire's fingers brush against his sweet spot. Shade mentally cursed himself for being so stupid, for keeping Jolly so close yet so far. At arm's length, only because he was afraid. Why? He wasn't sure, but now? Now he has him, and he doesn't want to let him go.

“Läckerbit… please—”

Nick sighed in relief despite aching as he smiled at Jolly and Shade melting together. “You're both so beautiful…” he whispered breathlessly.

Laying beneath Shade, Joakim leaned up to him, fangs scrapped over his chest slightly as his he arched back with that delicious moan escaping the man above him. As he gasped, Jolly smiled against his skin, there he goes, twisting his fingers a little as he pressed a little harder against that same spot, wanting to draw more of that sound out of him. “Please what, hmmm?” Smiling softly at Nick’s words, beautiful. Of course. To him, they were, to others, maybe not, they were scared, they were, disasters, but to the kind, loving man that found wrecked creatures like them, they were beautiful. Nick was just perfect to him.

His fangs… shit. He wanted Jolly’s fangs to be buried in his skin as soon as he felt them drag against his chest, and Shade cried out softly as soon as that spot was pressed on some more. The gargoyle then began to push back against the vampire's fingers, riding them as best as he could, wanting more and his hold on the man under him tight. “Joakim,” he whimpered in the other's native language as he continued to rock his hips and bares his teeth with a soft hiss.

“Please… fuck me… I want you, Jolly. Please…”

When Shade heard Nick call them beautiful, he could only find it a little amusing. But that's just Nick, though, finding beauty in even the most fucked up things. Including themselves.

Nick couldn't help but trail his fingers over both of them as if they were the most beautiful things in the world… and in his eyes they were.

Now, though, the way Shade was pleading as Jolly twisted his fingers inside him, oh, he was ready, he was so ready for him. There he was. “So good for me, aren’t you?” His other hand left Shade’s hip to reach for the condom packet, even if they weren’t about to pass anything to each other in their state, Jolly had this thing. Made it so much easier to clean up, besides, there was enough blood smeared to their skin as is. Not that they weren’t both enjoying all of that anyway. Ripping the packet open as Jolly’s fingers slipped from his ass, and rolling the condom onto his cock, he positioned himself at Shade’s rim, “Go on, sink down for me… You know you can do it.”

The gargoyle shivered at Nick's touch to his already sensitive skin, a soft sound leaving him before nodding in response to Jolly. He watched as the other male went to open the condom, pulling his claws free from the vampire's skin before licking them clean, and he sighed while rolling his hips with a moan. He knew that Jolly had a thing about messes and that using condoms was easier cleanup, even though there was blood already smeared over their skin. That wasn't a problem at all with them anyway, and Shade heard the rip of the wrapping, whining as soon as there was an absence of Jolly’s fingers.

A soft hitch left the taller at the feeling of the vampire's cock positioned there instead, and he bit his lip, nodding as he began to sink onto Jolly. “Shit… Joakim…” he groaned once fully settled on the other, his hands resting on Jolly’s chest now, and he leaned down to kiss him while he gave a small experimental roll of his hips.

Nick kissed the back of Shade’s neck softly, reassuring him he was still there. “There you go… that's it.”

Between the sound of his soft hitch of his breath, and the groan, the feeling of Shade sinking down onto his cock, was so purely blissful. Jolly’s fingers wrapped around the other man’s hips, gripping him as he lowered down against him. As his hips rolled against him, drawing a moan out of him, Jolly kissed him back, lifting his hips just a little from the bed as he thrust up into him. He was willing to let Shade control the pace as much as he wanted, his hands running up his sides, but there was no way this man was going without knowing that Jolly wanted everything that was happening here.

A soft moan left Shade at the kiss on his neck, the stretch of Jolly’s cock in him had the gargoyle biting his lip and the feeling had him in pure bliss. With the feeling of the vampire’s fingers on his hips, he just leans heavily on him as he just enjoys the way they’re wrapped around him there and smiles softly at the moan that he had drawn from him. Biting at the vampire’s lip, suckling there to taste more of his blood, a moan left him when Jolly went to thrust up into him. Picking up on the fact that the other was allowing him to set the pace had Shade just shivering at the vampire’s touch to his sides, and whimpers softly. Lifting his hips now, he then dropped back down some and groans once he does find a steady pace whilst riding the vampire as he hides his face against Jolly.

Nick gently supported him, helping Shade and Jolly keep balance, knowing they would probably get more reckless and eager with each other. Jolly tended to be a bit more feral… So balancing him was a minor help at least.

Jolly was used to a primal urge, but trying to reign it in when he knew his partner needed the comfort, was something that Nick had taught him. After the night they’d had, with everything Shade had been through, he was not going to push him. He’d let him choose this position, and the fact he’d chosen to perch himself on his lap, the need was clear, the desire, the care was there. Joakim pressed kisses over his skin that he could reach, as he rocked his body with Shade with each movement of the rhythm that he had set for them. Gasping against him, his fangs scraping against him with a groan, droplets of blood swept up with his tongue as he went. “That’s it, keep going, so good for me, läckerbit.”

Läckerbit… oh there he went again. That sent a small shiver through Shade, biting at Jolly hard with a whine but didn't break skin. He did appreciate Nick's support, and he let out a soft noise to acknowledge him.

Shade kept his face hidden as he continued to bounce on the vampire's cock, his clawed fingers scratching at him, and could tell that the other was trying to hold back the primal urges. He was too— as much as he would love it rough, he doesn't think he's capable of handling that right now… Feeling kisses pressed against him, Shade let out a soft sigh as he moved his hips a little faster while shifting a bit before crying out softly when he felt Jolly brush against that spot.

“Jolly,” he whined, “Please…”

As he cried out lightly, Jolly wrapped his fingers around Shade’s cock between them, stroking him to try to match each thrust as he shifted his hips. His thumb rubbing over the head of him as he came to his tip, "Du kommer att falla med mig, kom igen, släpp taget med mig."

Jolly’s hand wrapping around his cock had Shade buck into it involuntarily, and he gasps, picking up the pace of his hips with a soft moan. Feeling the vampire stroke him, he rolls his hips and continues to ride Jolly as he goes to tangle his fingers in the other's hair. Shade nods, kissing Jolly hard and whimpers as he was nearing his end. “Joakim…” he breathes out and tenses as he halts in all motion once he came undone with a soft cry.

“F-fuck…”

Nick moaned, soft hands wandering over Shade’s shoulders and back, shivering in delight, trying not to overthink about how pretty his partners looked… fuck. He would be a good boy.

Feeling the way Shade clenched around him as he came, Jolly couldn’t hold back much more. The way he was so tight, moaning against his mouth, his hips arched up from the bed and thrust up into him as he spilled into the condom inside the gargoyle. His fingers digging into Shade’s hips a bit tight as his fangs dug into his skin with a hiss as he came undone.

A soft purr left the gargoyle, whining softly as the vampire had thrust up into him. Panting softly, even though he really didn't need to, Shade sighed at the press of Jolly's fingers into his hips and felt himself lean over the man beneath him. “Helvete… Joakim…” he whispered as he stared down at the vampire before kissing him softly and clung to him, looking over to Nick afterwards.

Nick was hiding his face against Shade’s back, his cock was a pretty pink with how hard he was, and he was breathing just trying to keep himself in check, not breaking the moment between the pair. This was about them, not him. He was just enjoying seeing them… maybe too much.

They were both a sweaty, bloody, a bit of a sticky mess right then, Jolly more than Shade, but he wasn’t about to complain, not with how long he’d waited for this. Kissing him back slowly, until he was leaning his cheek against Shade’s shoulder after a moment, and looking over past him towards his husband behind him… His husband who was being so good, so patient…

“Baby, hjärtat,” patting Shade’s hip lightly, shifting him from his body so they could both focus on Nick. “Come around, let us see you.”

Sitting on Jolly still, Shade didn't want to move, not yet anyway. Sweaty and bloody, what a mess they were, but Shade didn't care not one bit right now but felt a little bad for making Jolly more of a mess than he himself was. Nonetheless, he's waited too long for this… Feeling the vampire's cheek against his shoulder, even if it was just for a moment, he gently pets at Jolly’s head.

Taking note of the other looking over his shoulder, Shade let Jolly move him but not without a soft huff, his attention on Nick now and he smiles a little.

Nick hesitated before crawling over to them, whimpering everything ached…. “I was good.” he whispered, eyes still black as he nuzzled Jolly lovingly. He looked at Shade, “I was good.” He whispered again, leaning over to kiss him.

Kissing Nick, Jolly hummed against his lips as he lifted his hand from Shade’s hip to Nick’s cheek… “Yes, you were hjärtat, you were. So good, you get to choose your reward.” Kissing him again as his other hand wrapped around Nick’s side.

Shade leans over to Nick, nuzzling the other vampire, and trills softly while watching the two kiss. He smiles a little and goes to nip at Nick's neck before whispering in his ear. “You were very good, Nicky.” The gargoyle goes to run his hand through Nick’s hair and looks down to Jolly. “Our good boy needs some attention…”

Nick whined softly, “C… can… I wanna kiss both of you!” He declared, eyes watering with frustrated bloody tears. He just watched the most beautiful thing in his eyes, he didn’t know why, but it was… so beautiful and wonderful and his heart ached. “I want to kiss both of you, and I don’t know who to pick! This isn’t fair!” he declared whining, before sitting back some with big eyes looking almost overwhelmed.

Chuckling low at the indecision from Nicholas, Jolly brushed his fingers down his cheek with a soft smile with the whine that came from him. “Who said you have to choose who you have to kiss, hjärtat, you kiss as much as you want… but really… is that all you want?” Joakim couldn’t help but ask teasingly as his other hand ran down Nick’s side to his hip, fingertips rubbing a teasing circle ever closer to his needy cock.

With Nicholas’ whining and seeing those tears in his eyes, Shade clicked his tongue before moving to kiss him. “You don’t have to choose, sweetheart,” the gargoyle said softly and chuckled, “Kiss us however you please… and as Jolly asked; are you sure that's all you want?” Seeing how Jolly went to tease Nick by touching him close to his cock, he goes to nip and suckle on the smaller vampire's skin; marking him.

“Relax and do as you please. We'll take care of you either way, since you've been a very, very good boy for us.”

Nick whined and whimpered softly kissing Jolly again before turning to kiss at Shade's skin softly, “I… I would like… I want to be … I… can you fuck me…? And Jolly… can… I be on your lap wi…with you stroking me…?” He asked after another moment of indecision…

Joakim smiled after a moment, he knew Nick wasn’t always the best at deciding, but he had now, “How about it, Shade? The lube is right there…” Shade would have to shift, so Nick was on Jolly’s lap as requested. Fuck, he’d never been there when Shade had been with Nick before, he knew they’d been together, time and time again over the years when the other had pushed him away. He’d not denied either of them that connection, why would he, and he wasn’t about to do that now, the thought of being allowed to be a part of it, was a thrill.

When he saw Shade agree, and they shifted to make room for Nick, “Come right here, älskade, let us take care of you.” Oh, and they would, until Nick didn’t know up from down, together, just like he wanted.

In Chapter Translations:

Älskade: beloved

hjärtat: my heart

läckerbit: babe

älskling: love

Helvete: Fucking hell/Hell

Du kommer att falla med mig, kom igen, släpp taget med mig : “You going to fall with me, come on, let go with me."

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