Kindling Flame

5. Unpleasant Rumours

Some time passed uneventfully.

Eric was beginning to forget about Rhiannon's existence. She had stopped appearing in front of him and she was never around wherever Guinevere was in a complicated situation.

'She must have given up.' He had thought to himself briefly before moving on with his life.

Unfortunately, the resolution of one irritation merely heralded the arrival of the next one. By the time he caught whispers of unpleasant rumours about himself, his reputation had already taken a bad hit. 

"Me? A playboy? A flirt? A SEX MANIAC? What the fuck?" His voice raised each time he repeated what was being passed around. There were even rumours of him being an abuser behind closed doors. "I can't believe they're blaming me for how helpless Gwen is!" Eric slammed his hands down on the table in front of him.

Guinevere winced under his bluster. She peeked up at him, wondering what she could do to calm him down. He was in no state to discuss anything. He could not even sit himself down.

"We're in the discussion room but we're still within the library." Lucifer's voice behind her provided Guinevere some comfort. "The walls are thin. You keep this up, you confirm the rumours." 

"Then what do you expect me to do?" Eric hissed. "Sit here quietly like a good boy?"

"Yes."

"You-"

"Eric, you know Lucifer's only trying to help you..." Guinevere squeezed Eric's hand in hers.

"A little too late, isn't it?" Eric said through gritted teeth. "And you, what were you thinking?"

Lucifer's brows drew close together. 

"I told you that you didn't need to do anything. Why must you make matters worse? If you just STAYED helpless-" A heavy punch cut Eric off and split his lips. His body crashed onto the floor. When Eric looked back up, his anger melted away under Lucifer's wide open eyes that seemed to glow with anger for a split second.

"Calmed down?" Lucifer's tone was cool, betraying nothing of the fire within him.

Eric gulped in reflex, accidentally swallowing the blood pooled in his mouth. He pulled a face from the metallic flavour but still nodded in response to Lucifer's question. "I'm fine. I'm fine now."

Lucifer straightened his blazer and went back to his spot, leaning against the wall by the door, with his arms crossed.

Eric stayed on the ground, tenderly touching the wound inside his mouth with his tongue. Damn, Lucifer had not held back.

"What're you waiting for? Return to your seat so we can have a proper civilised discussion."

Guinevere quickly got up to help Eric to his seat. 

Her actions caused a twinge in Lucifer's heart. He looked away and sighed inwardly. This was one thing he could not do anything about.

"What should we do now?" Guinevere's soft voice broke the silence.

"We?" Eric frowned. His tone was slightly threatening. 

The sharp squeak of the chair being dragged across the floor broke the tension, drawing Eric's gaze back onto Lucifer who settled down in the seat across him.

"What's wrong with that?"

"...I just think that it's not a very wise decision, is it?" Eric said carefully. "The last time she tried to clarify things, the rumours only got worse. It's Gwen. No one believes her because she's known to cover up for people, good or bad."