Here Be Dragons (Completed)

Intricate

"Levi doesn't usually take well to strangers." He mumbled, turning his focus to me, and I did my best to look unaffected by his words. "Weird."

Luke had been sleeping completely still and silent, the only inclination that he was still alive being the soft rise and fall of his chest, but as Nathan jumped onto the counter beside me and North brought over a steaming sheet pan full of cookies, he stirred. His hands twitched and he inhaled sharply before jerking away from my lap and unceremoniously dropping from the island, landing hard on the floor with a yelp. Nathan guffawed loudly as I jumped to my feet and reached out for him automatically to make sure he was alright, but he was already rising to his feet, unharmed.

"Damn it!" He growled as he took in his dinosaurs pajamas. "I hate these things."

Oh, Luke was back.

"I throw them out and somehow they turn up again. It's probably Gabriel and Sean having a laugh..." Mumbling under his breath, Luke raised his head and startled at seeing me standing before him. "Sugar? What are you doing here?"

I gaped, in search of words as I attempted to read his demeanor. Did he not remember? In hope of assistance, I glanced in North's direction, trying my best to master their nonverbal communication but all I received in return was a still frustrated eyebrow raise and the subtlest shake of his head. What did that mean?

"She caught you sleep walking." North rumbled as he leaned against the counter and crossed his thick arms over his massive chest. "She brought you to me."

Luke's brows furrowed in confusion and his eyes glazed over slightly like he was doing his best to recall the events that North described before shrugging it away. "I figured since I don't remember going to bed in these!" He frowned down at his footie pajamas again and I had a feeling that his 'sleep walking' had been the excuse for his changes in attire for some time now.

"Yeah, she found you and I helped her find North so he could wake you up." Nathan supplied and Luke nodded in agreement, like this was a normal occurrence before his eyes landed on the pan of cookies North was attempting to block with his body.

"Ooo, cookies!" Luke's face brightened in delight as if the last few moments were erased from his memory completely, and he quickly made his way over and snatched a still hot cookie from the pan.

"Careful!" North snarled at him but Luke easily danced out of the way as North tried to snatch the cookie back. "They're still hot."

"But that's what makes them amazing!" Luke sang, winking at me as he shoved half the cookie into his mouth before holding out a piece to me. "Want some, Sugar?"

Nathan sat on the counter, watching us curiously and North had readopted his usual glower as he glared at the offending cookie in Luke's outstretched hand. I stepped towards Luke, glancing between all three males to make sure I wasn't about to be attacked but they made no move towards me as I came to stand beside Luke. His chocolate eyes warmed as I cocked my head before leaning forward and opening my mouth expectantly. He focused on my lips as he slipped a piece of the warm gooey cookie into my mouth and I accepted the bite, my tongue sliding against Luke's pointer finger by accident, making him swallow thickly.

The cookie was delicious and, just like Luke had pointed out, it was much better with its center still warm and soft, and I hummed in appreciation of the sweet treat. "Not bad, Grumpy." I complimented North, though he didn't seem to appreciate it as he grunted and scowled at me. "Too bad we don't have milk."

Luke grinned widely and Nathan chuckled as I chewed and swallowed, bringing my hand up to wipe my fingers over my lips to clean away any stray melted chocolate, but I was stopped with a hand on my wrist. Luke reached out, swiping his thumb across my bottom lip before quickly plopping said thumb into his mouth to lick away whatever chocolate he may have gathered, and, even though he was currently dressed in dinosaur footie pajamas, I couldn't help but find it sexy. A naughty smirk stole over his face, like he could read my thoughts, but any comment he was preparing to say was cut off as Nathan cleared his throat obnoxiously.

"Anyway," He coughed in annoyance as he hopped down from the counter, "I was looking for you."

I turned away from Luke's suddenly ravenous gaze and met Nathan's baby blues. "Me? Am I in trouble again?" My comment was meant to be sarcastic but no one seemed to appreciate it as North once again grunted and Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Just, come on." Nathan held out a hand and, after a moment of consideration, I tentatively reached out and placed my much smaller hand in his palm. He captured my fingers securely and immediately tugged me towards the door.

Luke watched us go with a mixture of disappointment and longing, and I only had time to give him a small wave before I was dragged from the room. My wariness rose as Nathan led me towards the door to the basement and I hesitated at the threshold, pulling on my hand in his to stop him from descending the stairs. I didn't think I wanted to go back down there and it must have shown on my face as his placid expression screwed up in confusion.

"Come on, we don't wanna miss it."

"Miss what?" I asked, distrustfully as I glanced over his shoulder into the creepy darkness. "Locking me up again?"

Nathan chuckled darkly as he shook his head like I was a moody child acting out. "We aren't locking you up. Now, come on!" I dug in my heels as he attempted to pulled me down the stairs again and he pursed his lips in annoyance at my unwillingness to follow him into the jaws of hell.

"They're gonna start without us."

As if to reaffirm his warning, a deep earsplitting scream echoed up from the basement and it caused goosebumps to break out over my skin. Unless they'd kidnapped someone else since last night, Baldy was in pain and from the anguished cries that filtered up the stairs, it sounded quite intense. Nathan pouted as he glanced down into the dark, gaping maw like he was irritated that they had indeed started without him and he gave my hand another excitable jerk.

"It's just a basement, Peanut." He reassured me, and I smirked in disbelief.

"It's much more than a basement." My voice was a quiet whisper in the air. "It's where your monsters come out to play."

He mulled over my words and slowly nodded in agreement before his hand tightened on mine as he gave it a light tug. "True but isn't that why you want to see it?"

His question was spoken as more of a statement and I was surprised to find myself nodding in agreement as my monster that had been lounging in the back of my mind lazily lifted her head and stretched her limbs with a pleased purr. She wanted to see where the beasties played and the horrifying shrieks sounding from the underground death trap slid over her body deliciously. Oh yes, she was ready to play and her desire fed courage through my blood.

I lifted my green eyes to Nathan's blue ones and nodded my head again as I gave his hand a squeeze and his responding smile was beautifully manic. "There's always room for one more." He crooned, leading me down the steps and into the dimly lit labyrinth. "Let's play a game."