: 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.

Comments

[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.

[dangernerd]

There was tenderness in the touch as Riley slowly allowed his fingertips to comb through locks of hair, understood the risk that Liam had taken-- it could've easily destroyed him and yet here they were whole, if but a little shaken. "If it helps in any way, I will be there." He then knelt down and wrapped his arms around that shoulder, his lips finding cheek. "Every step of the way." then even more quietly, "You did a very brave thing, and it makes me love you all the more."

Now though, it was time for the Priest to take care of Liam. He would do it with a gentle touch as he pressed the cool compress to forehead. "Is there anything that I can get you? Do you need me to bring you tea? A bottle of water?" this felt normal, it felt like a relationship, everything the both of them had denied themselves but together, it felt seamless and natural.

Thankfully Patrick did not have to worry about Nicky going anywhere, he was pretty locked in.

"I'm cold though.." he said, still wearing Trick's hoodie and a few layers under it. "I remember being too hot like an hour ago." But Trick was warm and he smelled very very nice, nice ebough that Nicky wanted to lose himself in his boyfriend. "I didn't.. dream you know... us right?"

There was something of the lost puppy in Nicky's eyes, it was a gesture that could sometimes be found on Graham's face though this was too a lesser extent. If he had found that it was all but a fever dream, he would be utterly destroyed, and he knew this. All of his memories were fuzzy, he remembered sensations and tactility, but words were harder to conjure up.

[giveeverything]

"It helps," Liam answered quietly. It helped more than he could find words for, more than Riley could possibly know. The other man had given him an impossible gift, had saved some shred of a soul that should not have been capable of anything other than corruption and damnation. "I would kiss you right now, but I should probably brush my teeth." Everything tasted like ash and sulfur and the distinct flavor of darkness which should not have a flavor but was unpleasantly anise-adjacent.

And none of it mattered, because Riley's arm was around him, and it did feel natural, falling into the arms he wanted to spend the rest of his life in. "I'm all right. Just catching my breath." He lifted his head then and moved to lean his forehead against Riley's. "I love you. Thank you for letting me."

It made the thought of what came next less abjectly terrifying.

Trick would do his best to keep Nicky warm while he recovered, and long after probably. He'd also fuss over him too, ply him with tea and soup and blankets and fairly aggressive cuddling. The question came as a surprise though, and he leaned back enough to look down and fall straight into that lost-puppy gaze. Oh.

Oh Nicky.

By way of answering, Trick leaned in and pressed his lips to Nicky's like it was their first kiss all over again, wanting and warm and full of lifetimes worth of yearning. Like it was a promise. "No, baby. Not a dream. You're stuck with me, sorry."

[dangernerd]

"I have some mouthwash in the little cupboard by the sink, you can use that if you want." another kiss to the cheek, it did not need to be a mouth kiss to convey the tenderness that the Priest felt for Liam, it came in any gesture, and it was sincere and gentle. Something that Riley was sure held power-- though it would not hurt to have another power source, as a backup.

"I'll go check on the kids, then?" they were kids, according to Riley. Though he did say it softly enough that only Liam could hear.

That was exactly what Riley came back to, it was the shared tender kiss between two boyfriends, he ducked back in for a brief second, just hiding around the corner as quiet as possible at least until this moment was over.

"Good.." a rather silly grin crossed his lips, lopsided and yet wholly charming. "Because let me tell you, gluing our hands together is something I could consider." his heart soared, the fact that Trick and him were real, that they were real.

[giveeverything]

There was certainly power in those small, tender gestures. There was power in the simplicity of love; Liam was beginning to believe there was little in the world stronger, and he was still half caught in disbelief that he was really allowed to have this. He nodded and rose to his feet, swaying only momentarily.

Steady enough. He helped himself to the mouthwash to try to rid himself of the taste of literal hell, splashed some water on his face and ran his hands through his hair, trying to put on the usual facade of fine just fine, better than fine, untouchable when he realized he was missing something. He poked his head out of the bathroom. "Angel, could I borrow pants?" If he was going to tell his brother and Nicholas the truth, he probably ought to be dressed in more than boxers. Maybe.

Trick glanced up at the sound of Liam's voice, almost surprised by the endearment. This... really wasn't just a seduction, was it? Whatever Liam and Riley were, it was something more than manipulation. He tucked that thought aside and looked back to Nicky in time to see that ridiculous grin, which was much better than those sad puppy eyes.

"I wouldn't put it past you. But save the glue, mm? I'm not going anywhere. But come on, let's get you off the floor." He moved to help his boyfriend up.

[dangernerd]

"Ah right, pants." Riley ducked further into the room and then quickly rummaged around until he found some run of the mill sweatpants which would fit Liam's lanky legs, then he very carefully tossed them at the other man with a bit of a smile in his eyes even if he tried to attempt to be solemn. "It wouldn't do to let your tea get cold, there is a story to tell as was promised."

And then Riley went back to sit down in the wing chair.

Oh he felt weak with every part of his body aching, it was true that they would likely not be going anywhere this day.. back to the room, that is after they listened to whatever it was that Liam had to say. He did manage to whisper against Trick's ear as he made full use of being propped up, at least until he could collapse gratefully if a bit weakly into the couch. "Pizza tonight." that was all he said.

He did have a fund for these type of emergencies, such not being able to leave the room because of important things, though this time things like 'sex' would be added to the list of important things. Sex with Trick.

[giveeverything]

Liam had officially killed his first demon in his underwear. So that was a milestone. He pulled the sweatpants on and nodded to Riley. There was a story to tell, and tea to drink, and while it was tempting to consider escaping out the bathroom window, Liam would try to be brave -- and thought maybe he could do it, if for no other reason than the look in Riley's eyes as their gazes met. All right.

This was happening.

He slipped back out to join the others, reclaimed his tea, and perched himself on the arm of Riley's chair, leaving the sofa to the rather shaky looking Nicky and relieved looking Trick.

Trick made sure that Nicky was settled, having no complaints about the way that his boyfriend leaned into him. "Yeah, it's definitely a pizza night." Pizza. Maybe a couple beers. And letting Nicky recover from sharing his body with a demon.

But first, well, first there was this conversation, that Patrick really did not know what to expect from. The silence that settled was tense, and both brothers seemed intent on avoiding direct eye contact. It was Patrick who finally broke the silence. "Thank you, by the way... for that. For helping us."

[dangernerd]

Nicky was still listening, however once Trick made himself comfortable on the couch-- the ginger was quick to lay down so that his head was laying in the other guy's lap, resting his cheek against a thigh as he snuggled down into the warmth of the hoodie that also possessed the scent of his boyfriend. This was clearly an invitation for Trick to run fingers through his hair, in fact if that did not happen he would start exhibiting cat-like behavior.

"Yeah, thank you." Nicky echoed with just as much gratitude even if his enthusiasm was waning.

For the time being, he did not want to think of sex or anything within that vein until he had a bit of his warmth and energy back.

Gently, Riley rested his hand on the top of Liam's and gave it a squeeze though he did not press the other man more-- after the discussion they'd had, this had been an inevitability though he knew that Liam expected a little bit more time.

[giveeverything]

Patrick found himself with a lap boyfriend, and something in him softened despite the tension in the room. He did not hesitate to start slipping his fingers into Nicky's hair, sifting through auburn strands. It was as much to soothe himself as Nicky though.

Liam shook his head at the thanks. "Don't mention it. I'm just glad we could help. But... yeah, that's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about. What happened just now, and what's been happening for years, and..." Ugh why was this so hard? Liam was usually a little too good with words, could talk himself out of trouble with the best of them, but this was terrifying, too close and too heavy. He turned his hand beneath Riley's to tangle their fingers together, trying to ground himself.

Patrick frowned. "What happened, Liam? You aren't even human anymore, are you? What happened to you?"

Those words had Liam visibly flinching. Well, it was a valid question. "I guess I'm not. Not entirely anyway." There was no denying that, not after what everyone had seen him do. "I sold my soul to a demon."

[dangernerd]

"How did that go? Did it hurt? Did you sprout strange appendages? I have read certain books about demon anatomy." Nicholas burst in with a little bit more vigour than perhaps should've been advisable, his curiosity had been his downfall through many different lifetimes and likely would be so again given any inclination.

You could not fault a guy for trying to weasel out information though he did stay perfectly still so that Trick could continue petting his hair; yeah, he liked that a lot.

Riley watched the way that the other man was tense and very carefully he reached over to take up the tea cup and then he pressed it right into the other man's hand, so that he could clear his mind. "Drink in between difficult parts." that was a comamnd.