Azarius spinoff

10

Percy sleeps in the day Lief is supposed to come. Darius and I still wake up to man the shop, but we both decide to leave him for a bit. Darius wakes him around ten so he's fully awake when they get here.

He comes up from the basement with an energy drink in hand. I didn't know he drank those. He always gets up really early, so I haven't seen before.

"I'm gonna do laundry. Tell me when they get here," he said immediately, leaving Darius and I alone.

"I haven't seen anyone other than you guys since I got here," Darius says.

"You saw Sloan."

"Sloan annoys me, I won't count xer."

"You might be annoyed by Lief. He's not that annoying though."

"That's good."

-

Ravana is the one who opens the door first, holding it for Lief to walk in with Jamie.

Darius calls for Percy, who hurries down the stairs while straightening his shirt. Surprisingly, he's wearing a white polo instead of his usual tanktop. And those jeans must be his one unstained pair.

"You didn't need to dress up," I whisper when he stands close to me behind the counter.

I see his face get a little red. "Shut up."

"Bee said you're staying upstairs here, in an apartment," Lief says.

Always to the point. Not even a greeting.

"Yes. This is Percy, he's the owner of the shop and everything. And this is Darius, he's... Darius. Darius, Percy, this is Lief, and Ravana. And little Jamie," I say.

Lief passes Jamie to Ravana to shake Percy's hand.

"Nice of you to let Azarius stay here. One's apt to wonder why you're being so generous."

Percy does his closest approximation of a smile, which is more like an aggressive twitch than anything. He clearly doesn't know how else to respond.

"You got the enchantment off his prosthetic," Ravana states.

"That is true, yes."

"Ah, I know what you are. And Darius. Well, I know exactly who you are."

Darius winces. "That feels like a threat."

"Of course not. I can't exactly tell your father where you are without problems for myself. So, as long as you keep your mouth shut..."

Darius purses his lips. I brush his hand behind the counter.

"Right, well, we aren't here for mindgames, Ray. We just want to make sure Azarius is safe. A common goal, I'm sure," Lief says.

Ravana snorts, stepping back and cradling Jamie closer. Clearly not all of us share this goal.

"Yes, of course."

"You mentioned wanting to go back to Rubia in your letter. Quite frankly, I think that could end in several different paths of disaster."

I sigh, ignoring Darius's look.

"I want to repent. I want to be better."

"I know that, obviously. But you can be better by just staying here and not falling into old patterns. You're happy, and you don't seem as full of bloodlust as you were before coming to Himnoa. I worry that Rubia could make you regress. Especially without support."

"I don't deserve support."

"Well that's just fucking stupid," Percy states, "Everyone deserves support. It's not something you even deserve, it's necessary."