Essence of Quinn: Parts 1&2 Secondo Era and Terzo Era

Mojo

It felt early when a knock at the door woke Quinn. His back ached from the awkward position he'd fallen asleep in on the floor next to the door. Force of habit had made him sleep there, he knew that he probably should trust the ghouls here, but he couldn't bring himself to just yet so he had slept across the doorway just in case.

"Yes?" he said groggily.

"Secondo wants to see you as soon as you're ready. Half an hour," a voice that he recognised as Air said.

He was speaking in English as Secondo had said it would help Quinn's confidence in speaking that language if the ghouls used it around him instead of Ghoulish.

"Okay," he said as he stretched out his back and stood up to go and get ready.

The bathroom seemed luxurious to him, but he was used to sleeping outdoors and washing in creeks and rivers, or spending occasional nights at roadside inns. This was like a palace in comparison. He found soap and other toiletries in a drawer and used the shower. The hot water was a novelty and he didn't let himself enjoy it for too long because he knew Secondo was waiting. He got dressed quickly and opened the door to his room a crack. Nobody was waiting in the hallway so he stroked his fingers along the skulls in goodbye and wandered outside.

He heard voices and the sounds of mealtimes coming from the kitchen as he slowly poked his head around the doorway. All of the others except for Water were there and the conversation stopped as they looked over to him. Fire smiled and beckoned him to come in as he stood up from the dining table.

"Coffee?" he asked. Quinn didn't know what that was, but he nodded anyway. If it was what he could smell, it would be good. "Milk? Sugar?" Fire asked.

He frowned. He'd never been too keen on sweet things so he shook his head and Fire handed him a mug of a steaming, dark brown liquid. The first sip was bliss and he closed his eyes, relishing the bitter but smooth taste of it. A chuckle snapped him out of his enjoyment and he looked over to see Fire smirking at him.

"Never had coffee before, huh? I think we all reacted that way the first time we had it here." 

The others nodded, except for Earth.

"It is good," Quinn said.

He heard Earth growl and he got up from the table and went to leave but as he went to walk past him, Quinn reached out and grabbed his arm. The tension in the room suddenly became tangible as Earth stared at Quinn's hand in stunned silence.

"We need to figure this out. You need me more than anyone else here does, you're too proud and stubborn to admit it but I can feel it just the same. I know I'm never going to replace him but don't be a fucking idiot about it," he said in Ghoulish.

He heard a sharp intake of breath as the others tensed up, ready for bloodshed.

"Don't. Fucking. Touch. Me," Earth said, his voice was so low and menacing that it set Quinn's teeth on edge but he didn't let go.

He let the anger of the earth ghoul wash over him, shivering at the feel of it as he met Earth's glowing green stare and narrowed his eyes. He knew that Earth had been stewing in his anger for a while now ever since his friend had died. It wasn't healthy and he was taking it out on Quinn as he had the perfect excuse to hate him on sight, which was fine. But he couldn't carry on that way for much longer as it would start to take its toll on the rest of their pack eventually, and they were already suffering more than they should have been because of it.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see that the others had stood, ready to intervene if necessary. He could feel that Earth was barely containing his rage, he wanted to lash out but his more civilised half was stopping him. Quinn had felt the warmth of Earth's soul as soon as he met him and he knew that the way he was acting at the moment was not him, as Secondo had already said.