: Saintsmourn - Nicholas & Patrick :

[dangernerd]

Nicholas Kirkland (Nicky to those who he considered friends) was at this moment finishing up the last of his reading for his college classes. In the little dorm-room that himself and Patrick shared, it was a muddle of books and random objects that they'd collected. Not only that but also bits and bobs of their friendship tied into neat little nostalgic notes.

The last rays of the sun was streaming in through the window and he was poised, feet crossed on desk and balancing barely on the back two legs-- precarious yes, and honestly he knew that he should not really be doing this. Coordination be damned, he'd never worried about it before despite the bumps and bruises he regularly got because he was perennially distracted.

It was almost time for Patrick to come home from his late evening classes and then they'd start their foraging for dinner.

After that, well the evening was still young and there was trouble to be had. All of which he looked forward to, after all Patrick had for as long as he remembered, been his favorite partner in crime.. they had grown up together and they had a special bond.

As close as brothers, except not quite-- and honestly? Nicholas was glad for that.

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[giveeverything]

Liam had never in his life been more ready for Hell to swallow him whole as he was in that moment. When that didn't happen, and instead he remained pathetically crumpled on the mortal plane, he lifted his head just in time for Nicholas Kirkland to be Nicholas Kirkland. The second little brother he had never asked for but had acquired anyway. "Nope. No. Uh-uh. Shut it, Nicky. You don't get to say anything is awkward when you're fucking my baby brother while an incubus is wearing you like a onesie."

A pause as he gathered as much of his dignity as had survived (not much) and rose to his feet. It was next to impossible though, standing there in his boxer's and Riley's shirt, surrounded by the landslide of things that had accompanied his unplanned coming out of the closet. He risked a glance over at Riley with a deeply remorseful wince, well aware he'd gone and complicated things for the priest. He ran a hand through his hair and turned to face Patrick.

And Trick, well, Trick spluttered, devolved into a string of curses as the first actual words he managed to find and stood up as well. "You seduced a priest? This is messed up even for you!"

...so yeah, a fight might break out. He hadn't decided yet. But he was staring at Liam like he half wished he'd thought to bring his rosary with him. This was the first time he'd been in the same room with his brother in years. His fingers curled into a fist at his side. Trick still did not know what had been done to his brother, which meant that he still didn't know how to undo it, and he was starting to worry there wasn't actually any way to fix it.

[dangernerd]

There was a brief moment where Nicky pondered whipping out his phone so that he could get a picture of Liam in all of his humbled glory, but considering that a fight was getting ready to brew right here in Priest Walsh's room.. well perhaps that was not the best thing to do. Not even a theoretical question about morality and ethics would be appreciated, by the vibe that was currently as cloying as a steam within the room.

What Nicky did do was reach for Trick's hand as an effort to pull him back down, his slender fingers coming to wrap around the wrist. The ginger knew he would be terrible in a fight, but he also knew that he could act as good backup if in fact Trick did something that he regretted.

It was Riley who stepped forward.

"Alright, alright.. the two of you need to stand down; I highly doubt your brother will fight you Patrick, even so it would not even be a fair fight." and then Riley glanced over at Liam, an almost wry smile to his expression already filled with chagrin. "The situation is, well it is complicated. Liam may have attempted to seduce me in the beginning but I can assure you that there is far more to this story."

But this was a story that Riley knew was not his to tell, it was for Liam.

"What I can assure you is that there was no manipulation or coercion involved. At least not where Liam and myself stand at this very moment."

[giveeverything]

Trick stilled at the feeling of that hand at his wrist. For a moment he was frozen, but there wasn't any world where he would try to pull his hand out of Nicky's grasp, so that moment passed and something in him eased, fist relaxing and fingers opening to properly seek out his boyfriend's. And Trick slowly sat back down and looked over at Riley as the Priest spoke.

He did take the time to scowl at Liam at 'may have attempted to seduce me in the beginning,' piece. Really, Liam? A priest. A PRIEST. And the Priest in charge of his dormitory!

"In my defense," Liam began, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender, before, well, admitting, "...I really don't have a defense for this one. But it didn't work anyway." Total seduction fail. Physical attraction was strong, but Riley was clearly stronger. It was when emotions, when love got involved in the mix that they'd both been caught by this.

Trick frowned, hesitating. "No manipulation? Really?" He sounded more than a little skeptical. "He's really good at manipulating people. You might not even have noticed it. I don't think he knows how to talk without lying at this point."

Liam tried very hard not to visibly flinch at that. Yeah, he'd known for a long time what Patrick thought of him, and he had known just as clearly that he deserved it. But it still hurt. His eyes settled on the way that Nicky and Trick's hands were joined, and despite everything that was going on right now, he couldn't help a smile, happy for these two idiots who'd been meant to be since they were in Kindergarten and also desperately fighting the urge to reach for Riley's hand himself. Deep breath. He squared his shoulders. "Trick... Patrick... Riley's right. There's a lot more to the story. And I think," A deep breath. "I think it's time you finally heard it. After we evict the stowaway in your boytoy." And he turned to fix his gaze directly on Nicky. Hi Nicky.

[dangernerd]

Disaster averted.

In a sweet reward that wasn't really a reward but rather support, Nicky squeezed those fingers and then rested the other guy's hand on his knee to keep it there safely. It was probably true that it would not be exactly kosher to start a fight in the Priest's room, religious affiliation aside. So he breathed a little bit easier even as he got a little bit antsy as energy was starting to reaccumulate, his own knee lightly knocking against Trick's.

"He did not manipulate me, in fact he made a very valiant attempt to stay away from me." He sat down then in the wing chair that was facing the long couch, as old and worn as it was to begin with. "But.. I think that first we need to figure out exactly where you picked up this demon to begin with? You should go over the evening in great detail."

Nicky decided to launch in on it right off the bat. "It was the Hollister Place.. you know the abandoned one, I read on the internet about some sort of paranormal activity so we packed up our ghost hunting things and made our way there to see if we could catch something on EVP."

[giveeverything]

Disaster averted for the moment at least. Trick wasn't going anywhere now that his hand was on Nicky's knee. It was a pretty good tactic to keep him grounded in this moment. But he was actually listening to Riley, brow furrowing in thought. "He did?" Patrick was the sort to draw hard lines and see in black and white and not look back or second guess, but he wasn't hard-headed enough not to reevaluate when presented with new evidence and information.

He would stew on this while Nicholas dished on their ghost misadventure.

Liam stood there, still only half-dressed, lifting a head to pinch at the bridge of his nose. "And you caught something all right. Just not on tape." Of course these two went to a haunted house. He knew the Hollister place. He also knew it was abandoned for a reason, and that reason was a demon infestation. They were lucky it was only an incubus they caught the attention of.

[dangernerd]

Of course it tracked that the two of them would rush headlong into potential danger without doing 'all' the research, they'd heard a lead and then followed onto the the path of utter hubris. Not that Nicky and Trick thought it through, and Nicky had predominately taken it from the information presented by jocks, it had seemed like haunted behavior.. not demonic.

"We did not think that it would be bad because parties are held there, and wouldn't that have carried on stories?" Nicky argued almost logically. "When we entered there were smashed beer bottles and cans everywhere."

"So the incubus did not attempt to chase you too out at all?" Riley inquired as he hears the tea kettle whistle at which point he gets up so that he can pour.

[giveeverything]

Trick shook his head at the question, sighing and sinking back into the couch now, deflated from his earlier fury for the time being. They had business to deal with first and foremost, and he was not going to do anything to interrupt the matter at hand. Taking care of Nicky was the first priority. Then he could try to figure out what the hell was going on with Liam and if he was dangerous to Father Walsh.

Liam was still trying to process the sheer level of recklessness that Trick and Nicky managed to achieve when they were together. "Yeah well, most partiers aren't going to be as tempting to a demon as you two with all the other-worldly about you. You brought it gourmet takeout." Not that Liam expected Trick or Nicky knew about those parts of themselves, somehow, or at least not the full extent of them.

Trick did not know what to make of what Liam was saying, so he turned his attention to Riley's question. "No, if anything it tried to lure us in. ...until it dragged Nicky up into the air and nearly strangled him with a rosary. We sort of booked it out after that, figured we'd regroup, prepare better and go back to take care of it before it did decide to mess with some drunk frat guy. Then we made it back and realized it had hitched a ride with Nicky."

"And demanded you feed it or else?" Liam gave the pair a meaningful look. "Which uh, you clearly did. That is a well-fed incubus."

"Oh my god shut up, Liam."

Liam did not shut up. "No really, like possession aside, I'm happy you two finally got there. It's been a long time coming."

"Please stop talking."

[dangernerd]

Riley was watching this with a dawning sort of horror that was only reserved for trainwrecks; this was absolutely a trainwreck and he could not stop watching, especially with the way that the two brothers seemed to be feeding into each other to supremely annoy each other, though it did appear that the winning party was at this moment Liam.

Yes, this was definitely a brother thing.

A glance cast at Nicky showed that the guy was clearly relishing this dynamic and was sitting back and watching it-- if there was popcorn, he'd be definitely shoving it in his face at this moment.

"Well, Trick.. it is true." Nicky pointed out rather helpfully, and perhaps with the audacity of the newly deflowered.

"Alright, so you two are clearly not invincible and it was perhaps a bad idea going out in the first place but you happen to have a Priest on your side so it really should not be too happy with this development. What won't happen is resolution at least not until the both of you stop your squabbling.' Riley pointed out as he started to pour the tea and then placed the cups on the table, after that followed cream and sugar.

"So drink your tea while you cool your heads and we think of a solution." because an exorcism was out of the question.

[giveeverything]

Liam turned to fix what could only be described as a pout at Riley. Why did Riley hate fun? Liam had not been able to poke at his brother for years. This was the most words that Trick had spoken to him since, well, he couldn't even remember when. Years, anyway, and even if his little brother clearly wanted to strangle him, Liam had missed him and teasing aside he was genuinely happy for Nicky and Trick finally managing to be a couple. They were clearly meant to be.

Trick turned towards Nicky with a ET TU BRUTE?? level of betrayal. "What the fuck you shut up too. I know it's true, but that doesn't mean he has to say it! Or that you have to say it." It was embarrassing for his potentially-evil big brother to be talking about his brand new but very energetic sex life. But all right. Once again Riley, the voice of reason, had a point. Trick reached for the tea and started stirring in sugar, finding the warmth of the cup a grounding, steadying presence in his hands.

Liam stopped pouting, expression turning serious. He fixed a fairly solemn look on Riley. The priest was the one who had encouraged him to tell Patrick the truth. Maybe now was as good a time as any to start. He took a steadying breath, shutting his eyes to try to gather up his courage, and murmured quietly. "I have a solution. I can get rid of it."

[dangernerd]

"Why don't you make me, Sweetheart." Nicky said with a look that was probably not safe for their present company, the sort of remark that was going to get him absolutely shoved. Yes, getting rid of this Incubus should be priority, else Nicky would continually sexually harass his boyfriend in front of his boyfriend's brother and the brother's priest lover. Definitely not a good look.

"That.." Riley said, pointing to Nicky, "..is why this needs to be resolved, you can jibe at your brother all you want later, love." the endearment seemed to roll effortlessly off the tongue. And then he moved to push a cup of tea into Liam's hand, knowing that this next bit was going to be difficult for him, willing to offer all the support he required in this moment.

[giveeverything]

Trick turned to look at him with the sort of expression that he very much wanted to make him, but just hadn't decided if he wanted to do it by pouncing him and kissing that smirk off his face or smothering him with a pillow. Maybe both. But instead he just took his hand and set it over Nicky's intensely dangerous mouth. Shh. Behave. "Bad boy."

Liam let the teacup be pressed into his hands, wrapping his fingers around the mug and offering Riley a grateful smile that was drenched through with affection, that flash of vulnerability that was vanishingly rare in Liam's life.

It was so obvious that Trick clearly saw it, his expression turning thoughtful as he tried to puzzle out what the hell was going on here. He almost felt guilty breaking the moment, but he had to. "What do you mean you can get rid of it? How?"

Liam turned to face where Nicky and Trick sat on the couch. His eyes had gone dark, a pure black that seemed to defy any light that might have attempted to reflect from it. Shadows gathered, subtle still, but amassing in the shape of wings from Liam's back. "I outrank it."

[dangernerd]

This did not startle Riley whatsoever, neither did he shy away from it. A touch against the forearm, it was light and it was gentle-- and it spoke more than words did; he then went to sit back down and picked up his tea mug to take a sip from it while he allowed Liam the space to reveal himself.

Nicky had been about ready to bite that hand, and then just bite Trick in general once that hand slipped away but then his attention was caught by the shadows and the wings as they appeared like they were made of the darkness itself. Perhaps he would have had a minor 'oh shit!' moment if not for the fact that he was being jaegered by an incubus and so this had very little effect on surprising him.

Though he did look over at Trick as if to ascertain his reaction to this, because honestly-- Trick was going to be the one to watch for in this moment. He did drape his arm around Trick's shoulder, to keep him in place because well, he knew that Trick could be unpredictable at times. They were after all two of a kind.

[giveeverything]

The way that Riley touched him, even in the mist of the far more demonic pieces of him made themself manifest, it made something in Liam settle. That soft little glow that pulsed warmly inside him and felt like his lover was the lifeline that held him to himself, to who he was.

Trick would have bitten Nicky back, but instead he was too busy turning to stare at Liam, eyes wide as he took in the way his brother was changing before his eyes. Whatever he was, one thing was very clear. "You're... not even human anymore." His voice shook as he managed to form the words. "Liam, what have you done?"

Liam ignored the ache those words sent through him like a blade through his chest and shook his head. "I'll explain everything. After we fix this." He pointed at Nicky. "On your feet, Kirkland. Front and center."

[dangernerd]

Well, it was fun being an incubus while it lasted.

But Nicholas was not one who was going to balk at a command, and when Liam mentioned that he outranked whatever it was that was inside of him, he knew that it was probably best to just chop chop, so he gave Trick a kiss on the cheek and that was all he did. There had been a part of himself that had warred with himself on if he should go for a quick squeeze but then his eyes slid over to Liam and he mentally berated that evil thing inside of him for even thinking of that.

We do not grope boyfriends in front of family members... from either side.

So he stood there and looked at Liam with that intensely curious expression. "So you're not going to knock me out for this right because I'd like to watch the process." of course he would want to watch, this was science to Nicky and he was such a supreme nerd-o that there was no saving him.

[giveeverything]

Trick half started to reach for Nicky to hold him back worried suddenly since, well, the idea of the incubus being pulled out of him did not sound like it was going to be a pleasant or peaceful process. But they had to get it out of Nicky, and Liam was... Liam wouldn't actually hurt Nicky, right?

Or him? Would he? Was this really still his brother? Patrick clasped his hands together, ringing them before he did something he'd regret.

Liam stared at Nicholas for a moment before laughing. "You are utterly insane. Never change, Nicky." Of course he wanted to watch it, wanted to witness the experiment even if he was the central part of it. But all right. Focus. "This isn't going to be fun, but you'll be all right. Just, try to remember to breathe."

He looked over at Riley and then to Trick. "You might have to catch him. Or me. Depending how this goes. But more importantly, steel yourselves. Don't give it an opening."

With a deep breath of his own, he stepped closer and set a hand flat against Nicky's chest. The shadowy wings had grown more opaque, and they flared behind him as he spoke, his voice soft but somehow reverberating, echoing with in itself. "Playtime is over. Get out of my brother's boyfriend, right now, or I'll make you wish you never squirmed your way out of hell."

[dangernerd]

"You be prepared to get your boyfriend, I will handle Liam." Riley nodded in the direction of Trick, in this moment they were involved but also not involved, it was a line that they had to walk. But Riley seemed to have trust in this process, he certain did not look too worried about the entire thing whatsoever, though he did turn his attention back to Liam so that he could watch how this was done.

"I figure that an exorcism by a demon might be more effective since y'know-- you are comfortable with the whole process.." Nicky gestured to Liam with a wry smile, he was not frightened in the slightest, never had been.. not of danger and certainly not of pain, though get him in a crowded room full of people he did not know and well yeah, that is where he faltered.

Hand against his chest as he felt the energy subsume him, he tried to keep his eyes open. He honestly did, until suddenly his body stiffened and the entire world went black, his feet lifting off the ground in a way that denoted that he had been yanked right out of the driver seat.

There was a purr and then the voice that came out, it spoke and it was silky and disjointed as it came out of Nicholas's lips. But it was certainly not that voice, but something serpentine and disjointed. "Oh? It appears that Gregory's perfect pet has escaped his chain-- I wonder exactly why that is? Did you finally turn trash like we always knew you would?"

[giveeverything]

"On it. You got a rosary on you, Father? This thing seemed to take personal affront to them." So that might buy them a second or so if something went wrong. Trick was hoping anyway.

Liam risked a look at Patrick -- whose eyes were fixed on Nicholas with a worry that was impossible to miss -- so he saw the way his brother reacted as Nicky was summarily lifted straight into the air. Trick started forward, but Liam shook his head once, a short, don't-argue-about-this gesture that by some miracle Trick heeded.

As he looked back to the suspended form of Nicholas Kirkland, Liam's eyes were still entirely black, but something in them when darker still at the mention of Gregory. "I think it is very clear who the trash is here. And you're not listening, now are you?"

He reached a hand up, fingers that rather suddenly looked a great deal more like claws than they normally did, slashing and curling into a fist just at the base of Nicky's throat, just shy of tearing at flesh, skirting just over the surface, but clearly catching on something, sinking in and holding to the essence of the incubus has tightly as he could. "Get out of him."

[dangernerd]

Those eyes were no longer the blue of Nicky's, rather replaced by the cabochon of red which subsumed all else and then another hiss as the incubus felt the thread of his hold being summarily gripped; there was pull and weight there. He certainly did have balls for an Incubus, but they happened to be the most hedonistic and 'do what I want' of all the species of hell-- which meant that they had an extremely hard time being told what to do.

Probably saw that in the two guys who had entered the old Holiister Place, their rebellion like honey.

Riley already had his rosary gripped tightly in his palm, ready to throw it at a moment's notice if needed. That same rosary that Gregory had returned to him as a veiled threat.

"If I release him, what do I get out of it?" the Demon plan operated on 'mutual back scratching' though the Incubus could see the weakness in those eyes just as much as he could see the hardness that acted as a wall in front of it. "Or are you a filthy traitor, my my my Gregory would have a field day with this information now wouldn't he?" and then red eyes flicked to where Riley stood at the ready.

[giveeverything]

"Oh, you have this wrong. This isn't going to be a negotiation. I wasgoing to let you continue your pitiful existence. But you missed that chance when you said taht name."

Liam saw the way those eyes moved to Riley, and the sound that came from his throat was decidedly inhuman, a low growl as if something instinctual and primal had been awoken in him. "Touching him would be a very big mistake. ...matter of fact, I love every soul in this room very deeply." And this thing was a threat to each and everyone of them, and Liam was done with it. "So I think I'll eat you for breakfast."

This thing couldn't be allowed to leave. It would reveal too much to Gregory, and that could put Riley and Trick and Nicky in danger, and Liam couldn't let that happen. His grip tightened, a snarl baring his teeth as he pulled as hard as he could, focusing on the shape of the sex demon's being, on finding the weak spot to sink his metaphorical teeth into, fully intending on making good on his threat and consuming it whole.

Trick stood as close to Nicky as he could be without touching him, ready to catch his lover's body if the creature released its hold on him. "Liam... it's hurting him." His voice was quiet, but strained, a note from a tightly strung bow on the verge of snapping given any more pressure. Whatever his brother was doing, he needed him to finish doing it so that he could have Nicky back.

[dangernerd]

The inhumane growl, how the Incubus fed on it even as it became a little turned on by it. But Incubii and demons were a very bad idea, but it did not stop the Incubus from making a menace in those final moments as the thread of himself was yanked out of the little nerd that he had made a home out of though it had barely lasted but half a day.

It started to twist violently, and in response Nicky's body twisted and turned.

The mark on Nicky's neck glowed an angry red before a strange fogged miasma started to move out of it, as if attempting to escape the torture, tried to escape the eventuality of being cannibalized by Liam. It made an attempt to move outward, but that was when Riley stepped forward with the crucifix and made itself a blockage on the way to escape.

"Do it quickly, Liam." Riley said with a certainty that was all cool, calm and collected.

[giveeverything]

Trick yelled as Nicky's body began to twist, and this time he did not hold himself back from moving to wrap his arms around him, even as the glow at his neck became brighter. Trick could barely see it, his arms around his boyfriend from behind, his face pressed to his back given how Nicky's feet were not quite on the ground.

"Liam, please!" But Trick could feel the way that the demonic thing was being pulled from Nicky, how it was leaving his body.

Between Riley and Trick's words, Liam did not hesitate. Another pull, this one deliberately tearing as he drew the other demon into himself and away from where Riley had cut off its escape. In this moment, he'd become a maelstrom that had caught the incubus and would not release it until all of it had been devoured.

[dangernerd]

The incubus was pulled, in a screaming and almost burnished rage, trying to flee and yet there was the crucifix which while he could manipulate, he did not like. Then the other way and that was when he was faced with Liam in all of his unholy glory. Another hiss and then he was drawn in, suctioned.

As the last bit of the Demon was pulled out of Nicky, the guy's feet touched the ground and then he fell back against Trick, a limp mass of noddle; he had thoroughly passed out from the discomfort and would be very sad that he had done so. But well there existed such a things as human limitation.

Nearly immediately he started shivering, and that was because his body was attempting to acclimate itself back to what it was before the Incubus decided to inhabit it.

At the very least, the mark on his neck started to lighten, it would be gone by sundown.

[giveeverything]

Liam did not release his hold on the creature until he felt the last of its essence snap from Nicky and then fade to nothing. He barely registered the way that Nicky fell back, trusting Trick to have that under control. Abruptly the shadows around Liam flared, wings arching before they dissipated as quickly as they came.

He wavered on his feet for a moment, and then without another word darted towards the bathroom, quickly followed by the sound of retching.

Trick meanwhile wrapped his arms around Nicky securely and slowly lowered both of them to the floor. "Nicky? Can you hear me, baby? Are you okay?" His heart was in his throat as he looked at the limp, shivering body in his arms, but he held him close, wrapping himself around his boyfriend to try to warm him up. "Come om baby, wake up."

[dangernerd]

It looked like Trick had Nicky taken care of; Riley looked at the two of them before back in the direction of Liam. That was when he made a very split-second decision and ran after Liam to offer any bit of support that would be useful. The bathroom was not all that big, dorm bathrooms generally were not- but he moved quickly to the sink to turn the faucet and then he placed a washcloth underneath a cool stream.

Riley wrung it out with two hands before finally he folded the square up neatly and then he pressed it very carefully against the other man's forehead. "Get it all out of your system, love." Riley said patiently and with a tenderness that was full of mercy, as if he was Florence Nightingale made flesh.

Meanwhile Nicky very weakly opened his eyes, lashes barely breaking contact with the tops of his freckled cheeks. "Just.. a little.. dizzy, yeah?" he was not horny anymore, but he did not notice that over the tiredness that he felt. It wasn't night, but it sure as hell felt like night. "I'll be fine.. jock.."

[giveeverything]

Eventually the retching subsided, and Liam leaned back to sit on his heels and then tipped to lean against Riley's legs. Riley really was a creature of mercy, his earthbound angel. Liam shivered, turning to press his face against the other man's thigh. "I've never done that before," he admitted. "I wasn't sure it would work." He had full confidence he could pull the thing out of Nicky; he had been stronger, and he could feel as much, but actually destroying it?

That was a leap without looking -- which was much more his brother's style than his own. Speaking of his brother though. "I'm going to have to tell him the truth now." His voice was quiet, a shaky whisper, as he spoke those words.

In the other room, Trick tightened his arms around Nicky, leaning in to press his lips to his boyfriend's forehead. Relief rushed through him at the sound of Nicky's voice, and he managed a laugh. "You'd better be, nerd."

Nicky might have to pry himself out of Patrick's arms if he intended to escape them any time soon.