#jovan thru him a curve

[iconoclast-infidels]

"So you're cute and funny and now so willing to make accommodations. I got the whole package." He kept chuckling. "You know I know you know it."

Gary was more of a fret in his head. He was a newer family addition when they left and as much as Nico's heart missed him, he wasn't sure the animal would feel the same. Animals seem to adapt better to change than people do. He's never seen them as "just animals" or anything like that in a lesser way, but as a being that can speak to the vultures he still knows the animals have different intelligence than humans. Sometimes he wishes he could spread his own vulture-like wings and become one so he wouldn't have to keep dealing with the nuances people do.

"You sure? I hope so." He liked to think Gary actually remembered him. After fours years he was worried. "I've thought about him a lot. Mostly in the tub. Ernie might have rubber duckie. But Gary the penguin is who made bath time lots of fun for me." It was probably silly, but how could Nico step in a tub without thinking of that penguin? "I wish I could speak penguin too."

"See? Exactly. Totally a rule. It's gonna be fine."

He was glad Dmitry didn't take offense to how he was poking at him. It was meant to be playful. He always put his cards all out there in his own way so he could be heard, but it never meant anything more than affection, a way to grow together. He didn't usually actually think to be glad really. He was so used to Dmitry being the one that understood him, but after the break he wasn't going to take anything for granted. The rest of the world wasn't like Dmitry.

Some call it sass or even cynicism, but Dmitry interpreted Nico like he was his natural born language. If Nico was ever angry or being confrontational it was unmistakable. Hints and passive aggression wasn't his way. He came right out and said it. This was playful fun. If a little teasing couldn't be handled, don't date a demon. Fun fact, he can be teased back and it's like water off a duck's back. Nico once considered writing a book on that, a how to guide in the middle of watching their journal entries to help build a bridge between demons and humans, or just for shits and giggles, whatever end. He lost his confidence during the break. Maybe he'd reconsider again at a later date.

"Fuck yeah I am!" He may have gotten a few years older, but he still had the ability to the spazz out of nowhere even if his usual temp was a somber brood and zoom into a goofball mode. He flailed up with a jolt of energy. "You could watch me foreverrrr. Hell, babe. You might be flipping channels, trying to find something good. But nah. You gonna find yourself right back here for the thriller." Then even saying the word Thriller made him think of Michael. " Your Thrillerrrrr Thriller niiiiiiiiight. Fuck it. Just call me MJ. I'm about it." He kicked his foot out at the ankle, crossed them, hit his toe to the floor, and spun in a circle. He even tried to do the little pants tug at the end, but they didn't go far considering he always wore skinny ladies jeans. But hey he tried.

So, there was a little silliness before they held hands to get out of there. Nico had to settle himself down anyway because watching Dmitry look off balance sobered him.

"Shit. You..." He was about to ask if he was okay, but Dmitry seemed to get there himself first. "Okay. Let's do this. Yeah, Lisbeth can sit here if you want. She's your call. Hold on."

Then he did a double take making sure Dmitry looked stable even though he said he was fine and went to find a bowl to leave down for Lisbeth. "There we go."

"I'll keep her company."

Nico's face went pale... paler. The voice. A voice on the Hell Radio. Nico bore a clenched jaw and a face of annoyance.

"Seriously, not right now. We're trying to leave here."

"I was just-"

"Don't."

"But DMITRY!"

"If you manifest right now I will unalive you again. I swear to fuck, Jovan. This is our time. OUR TIME. Me and Dmitry's. Do you hear me? You will wait. You guys can have time later when he gets back. You will wait until I give the signal or I'll break every guitar in this house."

"You would not! You'd be fucking yourself."

"I've been alone a long time. I'm pretty good at that by now, buddy. You're missing the point."

"Fine! But I'm cat sitting."

"Fine! You can cat sit, but shut the fuck up. You're ruining my concentration. I'll never be able to step into the veil this way. You know I gotta focus. FUCK! Fuck it all."

Then as Nico realized he was arguing with the invisible entity in front of Dmitry he resigned to it all. Even if Dmitry could only hear Nico's side of the conversation. It didn't matter. It was probably easy to deduce what was going on here.

"Oh. Did I mention Jovan came back and never leaves me the fuck alone? Talk about Hell on Earth."

Then he made a face like he was responding to Jovan.

"I'm kidding. Kidding obviously. You're mother fucking Casper with a guitar." Then he waited a couple moments as he looked at Dmitry and smirked. "More like Beetlejuice always popping up at the wrong moments."

"Alright. Alright. Is everything settled? Can we all let me focus. I'm trying to go to Russia here. Veil. Veil. Totally in focus mode."

Right then a bird on the window started to flap it's wings and caught Nico's ears and threw off his concentration again. He darted his head to the right and saw it. It flew off.

"What the? I swear. I'm not a natual at this magic stuff. The universe is just trying to make me lose my cool right now." Then like a mantra he said, "I. Am. Un-Fuck-With-Able. I. Am. Un-Fuck-With-Able." He took another deep breath. He blew out. "Also, for the record. I don't care if we're going to Russia. Anybody asks who I am, I'm saying you're husband. I'm like a Swedish gay submarine, bitches. Okay. I'm good."

Jovan was giggling in the inbetween over by Lisbeth knowing the reference, but Nico didn't bother to explain himself if Dmitry didn't.

He took Dmitry's hand and stood side by side with him confidence and focus ready.

"Oh no, the horror! You, clinging to me, how will I ever live?" he giggled, not minding one bit. And about the mug, "Hey now, y'know that coffee is serious business. Это жизнь!" Life itself. "You'd go to the moon just for me if I asked for moon dust, you know I know it," he teased right back at Nico.

"Gary will be fine, I promise. He lives in a forest with... it's technically not a lake, but might as well be. We'll figure it out, he misses you," he said, hoping to reassure Nico.

He listened about Nova and nodded. "It's so a thing, definitely a rule." In truth, though he did believe that was true, he was also saying it for his own sake - he had to believe his mom would forgive him and not hate Nico either. It was the most important thing to him; he needed to keep his family together and his mom was family, but just as much as she was, so were Nico, Nova (whom he wanted to know better), and Nico and Dmitry's pets. He'd even have gone as far as to include friends in the list, like Amy and Jovan and Sammy - only, Jovan was now dead, Sammy had a very important job, and Amy, well... he hadn't seen or talked to Amy in years either. He'd really just isolated himself the entire time, not even realizing in the process how bad it had been. He hoped he'd never wind up in that kinda spot again. He didn't think he could handle it, and he didn't want to put Nico through that, not after having promised not to. He fully intended to keep that promise and guard it with his soul.

But then Nico pointed out Dmitry's selfishness in a way that felt... not judgemental, no. It was true, what Nico was saying - he'd never really seen how much of an effect on others his own mess could have, not like this. But then, he had never even thought it would be possible for an infernal transplant to take place, let alone two in one night. No, the American Mary situation had been far too much at once, and as much as he kept telling himself he was over it, he really truly wasn't.

But Nico was, instead, being sweet. He had pointed out the selfishness now more in appreciation than anything. At least, that's what Dmitry was getting from Nico's feelings: a whole lot of cuteness overload. "What, you're a cinema now? A Hollywood treasure?" Dmitry asked deadpan, but definitely referencing that one song. He had a sense of humor. It was also not exactly up to date.

He watched Nico empty out his nag and change into better shoes, and then when Nico offered his hands, Dmitry took them and stood up. He paused for a moment, eyes closed, holding tight to Nico so Nico wouldn't let go just yet, looking a little pale. Evidently, he'd stood up too fast. Once he felt better, he let go and nodded. "Let's go. Lemme uh... Water for Lisbeth, I think it's easier if she stays here maybe?" he suggested. He also threw his own shirt on, over Nico's shirt he was still wearing, not wanting to face Russian weather with no sleeves at all. That simply wouldn't do. "I'm ready."