Realistic or Modern Fairweather Communications - Urban Fantasy

[Reynarda]

Azrael huffed. "So you spied on him, he found out, and it messed up his life. Yeah, you kinda did mess up."

This was why she wasn't a psychologist.

But she wasn't about to soften it and say he hadn't meant to because meant to had very little meaning when other people got hurt.

She quirked her eyebrow at his little admission and snorted. "We're all just people, Percival. He's not too good for you, and you're not too good for him. But what I'm not hearing is what does Wade want?"

Her lip quirked up slightly as she decided to steal Wade's advice to her for this situation as well. It was solid advice, so it was his own fault she was repurposing it for the guy who was lovesick over Wade, himself.

"You have to let him make the decision if he's too good for you or not. And then you have to respect that decision." She paused. "And, you know what, he might forgive you and accept your friendship, but that might be all he wants. You have respect that too."

Azrael sighed. How the blazes did she end up giving relationship advice? Who put her in charge? That was a stupid decision on their part. She would probably have HR after her by morning.

Thea appeared with tea and then quickly disappeared once again. Thea was an angel. If anyone didn't deserve anyone, Azrael did not deserve Thea Kennedy.

She was quiet, sipping her tea while he trembled over whatever he was texting. She assumed it was his father, and she had a feeling it was about Wade's mother.

Once he was done, she nodded. "Good. I'm proud of you."

Azrael paused, her expression softening. "Percival. You always have me. If this gets nasty with your parents, I will duke it out with you. You can come live with me, if you need to. I'm not scared of your dad or Tristan or your mom. I've seen worse than them. If you need me to step in or just to hold your hand, I'll do it. Quite frankly, I'm fed up with your dad hurting Wade."

She finished her tea. "And one more thing. Before you cuddle up to Wade and tell him you want to have his babies, let's start with friendship first, alright?" She raised her eyebrows at him over the tea mug. "Step one: stop being fake. If you can't be honest with your emotions, you can't have deeper relationships. And yeah, I'm a vampire, too. That's hard and freaky because emotions are weakness. But if you can't be vulnerable with people, then you can't expect them to let you in, either."

She paused, thinking maybe a demonstration would be useful here. "I just recently told Thea and Lev I'm a vampire, and that was one of the scariest things I've ever done. But it was so, so worth it. And if who you really are scares someone off, then they aren't worth your time."

 

[Mikotsuhime]

Percival cringed, but again, she had a point.

"When I was seventeen, I didn't know saying no to my parents was a possibility," he said, his voice dry and bitter. He didn't want to deflect blame, because he knew that he was at fault, but he wanted her to understand.

But maybe it wasn't entirely true. Wade had shown him that it was ok to ignore his mother's specially formulated diet, that he could be more lenient with her strict studying schedule. He had said no to his parents before, he was just scared to say no to something big.

Azrael's advice was hard, but he appreciated that she didn't baby him.

Even if she kind of made him flustered.

"What do you mean--" he began, because he thought that he had been very good at hiding his crush. His parents hadn't noticed. Tristan and Normandy noticed, but they were both smart. The receptionist still made doe eyes at him, so she hadn't noticed. Had anyone else noticed? His face turned red and he quickly opened up his mouth to make excuses. But she wasn't judging him. He couldn't remember if he had ever let anything about his sexuality slip. He was pretty sure the only people who actually knew were, again, Normandy and Tristan.

He deflated, because if she had already guessed, he couldn't deny it.

"I know he's not..." he trailed off, making a face. "I only want to be friends again. I don't want to push him for anything more than that."

After all, Wade was straight, wasn't he? He had had girlfriends in high school, and he wasn't flamboyant or-- ok, that was a bad way to judge. But Percival didn't want to get his hopes up. Wade had talked about wanting to marry a cute girl who could cook back when they were roommates, and Percival was neither cute, nor could he cook.

He couldn't focus on that, though. Azrael was offering him her support, and he was a little overwhelmed. Nobody had ever offered him their full support before. Tristan had given him a long lecture once about how he couldn't go against their father because Percival had his job almost entirely due to nepotism, and if he lost it, he would never get one with the same pay and benefits. He didn't know how to lead a normal lifestyle, which was something that had annoyed Wade when they lived together.

"I... I appreciate you being there," he said. "I just-- I want to tread carefully. I don't know your family, or what happened there, but... I assume they are in a similar business to my mother."

He cringed, because his mother would KILL him if she knew he was talking about her illegal dealings to somebody who wasn't family.

"The situation is... complicated. But, knowing that the offer is there is... very nice. I really do appreciate it."

He smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the edges.

But then she said something ridiculous and the entire effect was lost as his face felt like it caught fire.

"I would never-- That isn't possible. Wade is a cis man, he can't even lay eggs, and that--"

Oh no. He was imagining children, now. Cute little children with black hair and blue eyes and--

He buried his face in his hands and groaned, because he should not think about that. That was going to make him go insane.

"I-- He knows already. About, er, the vampire thing. He... confronted me about it when he found my freezer full of blood," he said with a grimace. "We just... he pretends not to know, and I pretend not to know that he knows."

 

[Reynarda]

Azrael inclined her head. She understood that. When she was seventeen, she was still making secret plans to sneak off to college. It was hard reprogramming one's brain.

But when he was shocked--shocked--she knew he had a thing for Wade, she arched an eyebrow. "What, you thought I as oblivious? Your pupils dilate, your heart rate increases, and you sprayed a kid with air freshener for touching him when you were horny. The only reason no one else figured it out right then and there was because I told them you were allergic to an androgen. But, yes, good. I'm glad that's all you're looking for at this point."

She cocked her head to the side. Ah. Well. That was a reasonable concern. "I act on my own. I'm not bringing my family into this, so don't worry on that front. But I'm not going to just sit down and watch if Charles goes after you or Wade. I don't take kindly to people hurting people I care about. I'll stand with you and defend you, if you need it, that's all I'm saying."

And then Percival gave her a genuine smile. Her expression softened. There he was. There was the good guy she knew that hid under the rich kid airs.

The smile twisted into amusement as Percival got flustered. She suppressed a snicker as he explained that Wade was not only genetically and physically male but also a mammal. She wouldn't hold him explaining such things to her against him as she knew it was out of embarrassment and not because he thought she didn't realize two males--one of whom was a mammal--could not lay eggs.

Besides, she learned quite a bit from that ramble. So. Percival had been hatched. Interesting.

"Well, first, I said you would be having his babies, so it really doesn't matter if he can lay eggs or not," she said, her tone barely hiding the amused smirk. "That was a joke. In my line of work, I have to make snide jokes about romance and procreation or I would go mad."

She sighed and drew the line at matchmaker. Therapist was fine. It was pat of being a doctor. But not matchmaker. She was not going to correct anyone's misconceptions about the other. They needed to talk through their own nonsense. And anyway, getting Percival to navigate friendship was far more important than anything else.

Azreal nodded. "Yeah, gathered that. Based on his misconceptions about vampires that are unique to you and your particular genetics. But elephants in the room don't work super well with friends. You need to address things like adults. Communication and honesty are key. And I'm not saying go and vomit all your secrets on him. But secrets between friends don't work."

 

[Mikotsuhime]

Percival's face went redder by the second. Well, when she put it that way, he supposed it would be a bit obvious.

"Nobody else has figured it out," he groaned. "I don't-- I thought everybody in the office assumed I was straight. I thought I was doing a good job of being... discreet."

At least Azrael was being pretty blase about it. He couldn't handle it if she had coddled him about this.

Her desire to stand up for him was flattering. It really, really was. But it also worried him.

"I.. I appreciate it," he said slowly. "And... I'm terrified of my father, but I think that if he went after you, you could handle him. Just... Be wary of my mother. She's very... dangerous."

He didn't want to make it look like he was doubting her, but his mother once strangled a man to death with her bare hands, fixed her hair, and then turned around to coo at Percival for being a good boy and waiting during her business meeting. His father was a typical powerful vampire, but his mother was something else entirely.

Of the two of them, he feared disappointing his father, but he feared angering his mother.

But then Azrael ruined his warning by being very, very embarrassing.

"I- I can't do that," he said, his cheeks burning. He was prized for his ability to fertilize eggs, not lay them. But she said it was a joke, so he figured he could let it go. Reproduction didn't seem to be her favourite topic.

Just like his heritage wasn't his favourite topic. He cringed a little, but she had a point.

"I... worry about telling him everything," he said, his voice soft. "There's a lot he doesn't know about my family, and a great deal of it is dangerous. I don't want him to get caught up in anything illegal."

 

[Reynarda]

Azrael snorted. Straight men didn't iron their socks.

"I don't think anyone else has figured it out, if that helps," she said, suppressing a dry smirk.

She arched an eyebrow. So his mother was the one to keep an eye out for. Rich and powerful vampires she knew, but she wasn't sure about Naga. Azrael dipped her head. "I'll take that under advisement."

Azrael chuckled when Percival tried to explain he couldn't lay eggs. He was way too much fun to mess with. She sort of wished she had started messing with him sooner.

When he said there was a lot Wade didn't know about his family and he was worried about him getting caught up in something illegal, Azrael toasted him with her empty tea mug.

"Aye, there's the rub," she said in the tone of Shakespeare's Hamlet. "If you figure out how to do that, let me know. I'm navigating that myself. Currently my plan is to not do anything illegal."

She tried to take a sip of her tea before remembering it was empty. "I figure that if I'm not doing anything illegal, then they can't get caught up in anything illegal and it be my fault, right?"

Azrael sighed. "I'd ease into the family thing. I mean, maybe be upfront that there's a lot there but... be willing to answer questions. Just be honest. And if you're not ready to talk about some aspect, just say so. And don't be totally passive. If there's something you're uncomfortable with, say so. Like I said, communication is key."

 

[Mikotsuhime]

Azrael, as it seemed, was good at giving advice. Or at least, she spoke with conviction. That had to count for something.

He had always been taught that showing his true emotions was a weakness, and that letting somebody know how much he cared for them was asking to be taken advantage of. It was hard to just eliminate those lessons from his brain, even if he knew they were harmful. But having somebody else tell him what to do, that communication was important, helped.

Even if he had no idea how to go about that communication.

"Luckily, my mother keeps me out of her business," he said, his tone dry. "Taking over that is Normandy's burden. I wish that they would both do away with it, but..."

His opinions on the matter were noted and ignored.

It was a wonder that he was so bad at communicating his wants and needs, when every frivolous thing he asked for was granted and every important feeling was ignored.

At least he was starting to feel better. He no longer felt like his skin was going to slip off and he was going to lose his legs, even if he wasn't sure standing up yet would be a good idea.

"I... I think I'll try to talk to him. I--"

He broke off when he heard the sound of somebody very pointedly rapping on the door.

Oh. Of course.

He grimaced, and pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course. He had made a stand not more than ten minutes ago, and already the consequences were here.



Tristan would like to say that he had better things to do than spend his mornings at the office, but that was a lie. His father may have been able to juggle social events with innumerable wives and mistresses, but Tristan knew that was only because he did very little actual work. Tristan, meanwhile, was the company's CEO, and so that work fell to him. Sometimes, like today, he felt like he was also his father's personal HR agent, if only dealing with personal matters rather than business.

He wouldn't say he was pleased about it, but he would much rather have this talk with Percival himself. Maybe he could convince him he was being an idiot and get him to grovel for forgiveness before his job and livelihood were threatened. If he was lucky, there would be no collateral damage. If he was unlucky, well. He had no doubt Percival's mother would object to any actual ruining of her son, but he knew that he would at the very least be out of a job. Percival barely knew how to handle his own affairs, and Tristan was not going to let him throw everything away over Wolfgang Harris.

He had ignored the receptionist on his way in, only giving a cursory look to their coloured hair and scrubs. It wasn't professional, but technically, he wasn't their boss. He would be giving the doctor in charge a very lengthy lecture about the appearance of the company and the rules that were in place to protect that appearance later, but right now he needed to set his brother straight.

He knew he was down here. Security monitored the location of all important people in the building at all times, and it had only taken one quick radio to figure out this was near the last place he'd been seen.


Percival did not groan, if only because he had been expecting this response.

"Azrael, you should open the door," he said, his voice resigned but determined. "Otherwise he'll knock all day. I'm still a little dizzy, I don't particularly wish to stand."

 

[Reynarda]

Never having talked to him did not mean that Thea didn't know the CEO of the company when they saw him. They stared at him when he walked in. He never came down here. They were pretty sure he had never been sick. The wonder and awe shattered the second Tristan Fairweather pulled open the door separating the waiting room from the back hall.

They knew that he was the CEO, but this was a doctor's office. There were rules.

Thea swore under their breath and hopped from their chair, chasing after him. "Um? Ah, Sir? Uh, do you have an appointment? You can't really be back here because the Doc, uh, she has patients? And there's HIPAA?"

But he completely ignored them and knocked on Azrael's office door. Oh, Azrael was going to be pissed. They were pretty sure that Azrael had a deep dislike of the entire Fairweather family except for Percival. Why, Thea had no idea.

Inside, Azrael frowned. Thea would just knock twice and then push the door open. She was so used to it that she never answered doors anymore. But this was repeated wrapping. That wasn't Thea. Then who the heck was it?

Once glance at Percival confirmed it was someone she wasn't going to be thrilled to see.

Opening the door confirmed that. Azrael looked Tristan Fairweather up and down, fully aware a displeased expression was on her face. Part of her very much wanted to tell him he needed to set up an appointment with her assistant and then close the door just because she knew it would piss him off. But she supposed she didn't need to pour gas on the fire.

One thing she didn't miss about families was the family drama.

She huffed because she had hoped she could give Percival some good advice, wrap him up in a blanket and tell him to go home, and then go check on Wade. This was turning into a very long day. But she wasn't about to abandon Percival to deal with his brother alone.

"Mr. Fairweather," she began, her tone dry. "I am a bit tied up at the moment. Is there something I can do for you?"

Over his shoulder, Azrael could see Thea standing on their tiptoes, mouthing, Do you need coffee? Should I put blood in it? Or perhaps you would like a body bag?

 

[Mikotsuhime]

Tristan Fairweather and Percival Fairweather did not look much alike. They had the same jaw structure, and the same high cheekbones, which marked them as siblings, but the similarities stopped there. Percival took after their father, whereas Tristan took after his own mother far more. He was slighter in stature, thin and wiry but with an imposing confidence that made him look much larger. He and Azrael were the same height, but he still managed to look down his nose at her.

His skin was darker than Percival and Charles', a rich, dark brown that matched his black hair and equally dark eyes. He wore an extremely expensive suit, his hair styled liberally so that not a single hair was out of place. Everything about his person was designer, from his socks to his glasses, and he adjusted his frames as he looked Azrael over from head to toe.

He didn't seem impressed.

"I wish to speak with my brother, and was informed that he was here," he said in a clipped tone. He clearly didn't like being told what to do. Thea following after him made him sigh, and he turned to them, the corner of his mouth twitching. "If you could leave us, I would appreciate it. I'll have HR pay you for a full day's work."

Percival grimaced, because he knew this wasn't going to go over well.

"I'm sorry, Tristan," he said, leaning his head back. "I don't really feel up to following you right now."

Tristan frowned, his expression sharp enough to cut glass. He glanced at Azrael and Thea, as if wondering why they hadn't left yet, but after a second Percival's choice of words gave him pause.

"What's wrong," he asked, bullying his way past Azrael into the office to look his brother over. The only outward sign of his concern was a twitch in the corner of his mouth, but he looked to Percival's scrub pants and his complexion. His jaw tensed as he stepped forward and quickly checked him over for obvious injuries.

Maybe he had hit his head. Or at least, maybe they could tell father that when he took Percival home to apologize.

"What happened?" He asked, turning to Azrael, his voice sharp, and Percival placed one hand on his forearm. Tristan tensed, and his jaw ticked again, but he didn't stand down the way that Percival had hoped.

"Dr. Drake is helping me recover after I had a... health concern," he said slowly. "I'm just dizzy now, nothing more--"

"Why are you dizzy? Is it the sun? It's bright today, you shouldn't have gone out--" He stepped forward and pressed a hand to his forehead, his face pinched. Percival sighed, because Tristan was very good at acting cold and disinterested most of the time, but he was an even bigger worrier than Percival was. It was a wonder he had grown up to be such a mother hen with Tristan practically raising him.

"I'm fine, Dr. Drake is--"

"Dr. Drake, are you a specialist?" he asked, turning his eyes to her. "I know that you treat the patients in house, but Percival has underlying health conditions. Where did you go to school, if I might ask? When did you graduate?"

Oh no. Percival had to fight back a groan, because he knew that this was just how Tristan worried, but he highly doubted Azrael would take the aggressive interrogation well at all.

"Dr. Drake is very good at her job," he assured him. "I remember Amanda showing you her resume, and you approved."

It had been a cursory glance and Percival knew it, but he hoped it would make Tristan drop the barrage of questions.

Judging by the way he looked like he had eaten something sour, Percival didn't feel confident about that.

"I'm taking you home so that Dr. Forrestor can look at you. Your temperature seems a bit low..."

"I--"

"And then we can discuss what you said to father, because he's furious. I'll take you to apologize, and then you can rest for the remainder of the day. Which house would you like to stay at tonight? I'm sure we could arrange for the vacation home with the indoor pool to be prepared--"

"Tristan--"

"Oh, and when did you eat last? I'll have the chefs prepare something--"

"Tristan."

Percival was impressed with how stern he managed to make his voice, that it even managed to get Tristan to stop his attempts at hauling him out of the chair. It made Percival lick his lips, because he wasn't entirely sure where he was going to go from here. Tristan eyed him carefully for a moment, then sighed.

He had been practically ignoring Azrael since he arrived, but finally he turned to her, pinning her with a demanding look.

"I'd like you to tell me exactly what happened, so that I can relay it to his family doctor."

 

[Reynarda]

Thea stared at Tristan. Did he... Did he just dismiss them for the day? Oh hell no. They weren't leaving. And Dr. Drake had murder in her eyes. They had been joking about the body bag but maybe they needed to talk their Doc down.

Azrael was about to say that he could come back later when she was shoved to the side. First Wade was grabbing her sleeve, then Tristan Fairweather was pushing past her. She was about to lose her patience.

But he was worried about Percival, so she decided to let it slide.

She was rethinking her resolve for patience when Tristan rounded on her. "That information is between myself and my patient. I can't discuss medical information with you."

At least, she didn't think Percival had signed anything saying she could share medical information with his brother.

But then he started questioning her. Her jaw shifted and she pointed to the wall behind her, which held her framed diplomas, certificates, and affiliations. "Ohio State, 1993. Medical University of SC, 1997. Cleveland Clinic and Case Western, 2001. And there's my board certification. Do you want my blood type as well or just my GPA?"

That was probably a little too snarky, but she was not about to be lorded over by a stuck-up rich-kid vampire with the medical knowledge of a bar of soap.

She almost marched over there and slapped his hands away form her patient as Tristan tried to drag Percival out of his chair.

But when he turned around, Azrael drew herself up.

Thea was just walking in with a mug of coffee when Tristan demanded Azrael give him information to relay to another doctor.

"Oh shit," they said, stopping abruptly in the doorway. They could practically feel the temperature in the room plummet.

Oh.

Oh, he had not just questioned her medical expertise. This rich prick had not just questioned her. He had what? A degree in business? Had he ever even taken a biology class? Did he spend hours pouring over books and research articles trying to take care of people who weren't even studied by mainstream medicine?

Azrael marched over and got in Tristan's face. They were the same height, so she didn't even need to stand on her tiptoes to do so.

"Mr. Fairweather," she said, keeping her tone even and her teeth behind her lips. "Percival came to me for medical attention. I am not going to compromise my doctor/patient relationship just because you came down here and started throwing your weight around like this is one of your board meetings. If you cannot conduct yourself with more decorum in my office, I am going to have to ask you to leave."

 

[Mikotsuhime]

Oh, this was terrible. Percival had always dreaded the day that Tristan and Azrael met, because he knew that it would end exactly like this.

Tristan studied Azrael, pushing his glasses up his nose. He did not look impressed, and Percival cringed physically. He really, really did not want Tristan to take notice of Azrael. If he realized that there was something about her that was not quite right, he would take advantage of it. Percival knew she wanted to protect him, but the feeling was mutual.

The comment about the blood type, Tristan had let pass. He didn't care when employees were snarky with him, for the most part. If it was harmless, then he let it go. If it were directed at his father, or if it undermined his authority, that was a different story.

He had not spent his entire life of fifty years wrestling Charles Fairweather's disastrous personal affairs into impeccable order for people to say no when he asked them to do something.

"I do not doubt your ability to treat common ailments, doctor," Tristan said, his tone clipped. "But Percival has specific health requirements. He needs to see somebody who understands those requirements and his history, and our personal doctor does."

From the tone, Percival could tell that Tristan was going to give him the lecture of all lectures as soon as they left the office. That was the last thing he wanted, outside of Azrael and Tristan coming to blows. There was nothing Tristan hated more than having to explain and justify himself, and Percival was fairly certain Azrael was the same way. They were the absolute worst combination.

"It really isn't anything major," Percival said, and Tristan gave him a scathing look.

"You've been sweating, and your body temperature is low. Of course it's major. I don't trust anyone with your health but doctor Forrestor. Doctor Drake can forward whatever files she has to her, and she can examine you tonight."

He didn't sound angry, but Percival could hear the annoyance and frustration in his voice. It was the same as his mother's when he had started doing things she disliked after he met Wade.

"Tristan, I don't want to go across town. I'd like to finish my appointment and go home," Percival said, though his hands were curled into fists. Of anyone, Tristan had raised him and Normandy more than their actual parents. He didn't scare Percival, not in the same way they did, but it was difficult to say no to him.

Tristan's jaw tensed, and he turned back to Azrael.

"I will have you know, I am not 'throwing my weight around'. My brother's health is very important to me, and I do not trust it with just anyone. Your receptionist's hair colour is not appropriate. Natural hair of all styles is acceptable in the office, but bright colours are not. Your lab coat also doesn't meet--"

"Tristan, please," Percival all but begged. Tristan ground his teeth together, and Percival immediately looked down to his hands. The smell of blood gave away just how tightly he had clenched his fists, and showed just how angry he really was. Percival really did not want two people he cared for fighting one another.

He took in a shaky breath and pressed one hand to his forehead.

"I will explain things to father, but not today. I will follow Dr. Drake's advice and go home," he said, giving Tristan his most pleading look. Finally, the other man looked away. A win, if there ever was one.

"Tell the security guard when you leave, and call me when you're home safe. Good day, Doctor."

 

[Reynarda]

Azrael stared at Tristan. Common ailments? Common ailments?

Azrael wasn't a specialist because she had had to turn down the fellowship at the clinic and flee to New York. But she treated most of the company's non-humans--documented and undocumented. There were few things about their ailments that were common. And, of course, she could tell Tristan that she was fully aware of Percival's "underlying conditions" considering she had rescued him from a closet. But she wasn't about to do that.

What she was about to do was strangle this prick with her bare hands.

Azrael's eyes narrowed when he said he didn't trust Percival's health with just anyone as if she were some recent undergraduate who had never held a scalpel. But then he went after Thea.

Azrael could take a lot of punishment from people and what they said about her. But she was not about to hear this man go after her assistant. Azrael didn't generally curse. She liked to think given the occasion, she would find better words. But she was dangerously close to suggesting Tristan do something anatomically impossible.

"No. You will not go after my assistant, Mr. Fairweather. I will not tolerate such childish behavior. I don't tell you how to run your company, you don't tell me how to run my office. If you have a problem with me, come after me, not them."

"Doc," Thea said softly, because Azrael's eyes were glinting red and she had taken a slight step towards Tristan. They were just envisioning a fist-fight between their Doc and the CEO of the company. And considering the Doc was a vampire, she would probably win. Then they would have to flee the country and change their names and--

Azrael shifted slightly as Tristan backed down. She had no doubt that this wasn't over. Making herself a nuisance was a bad idea. The whole reason she was here was to lay low. But she was not about to have Tristan try to drag Percival off when she had just told him she would back him up. And if that meant getting into it with the CEO, that's what it meant.

She stepped back to allow Tristan a graceful exit. She could give him that, at least. Even if she still wanted to break his nose. "Mr. Fairweather," she said, giving a slight vampire nod without thinking.

Thea pointed at the mug in their hand. "I, uh, didn't add anything to this. Should I?"

"No, thank you." Azrael took it and turned to Percival. "You alright?"

 

[Mikotsuhime]

Tristan did not appreciate being called childish. He almost considered turning around and explaining that he wasn't taking his anger out on Thea, they simply were not following the guidelines properly. But he was not about to prove Dr. Drake right that he was immature. Instead, he would go through HR with the proper channels, if need be.

He would have brought the hair up even if he and Azrael hadn't fought. Percival's hair was natural, and he hid it at the office anyways. But people who disregarded rules and guidelines frustrated him more than anything else.

But he could be professional. He returned Azrael's nod, his politeness so sharp that it could cut glass, and left.

When he reached the elevator, he paused.

Why had Doctor Drake given him a traditional vampire greeting?

His stomach clenched. This was more complicated than it seemed, and he didn't like it. If Percival was keeping secrets, then it meant that the entire business could possibly be in jeopardy.



Percival slumped in his chair and groaned.

When Thea brought Azrael coffee, he opened one eye and glanced at them, licking his lips.

"If you don't mind, I'd like some. With blood."

Wait. Oh. Right. Azrael had said not to keep secrets anymore, but that required actual explanations.

"I'm a vampire. Sort of. No secrets between friends, and I guess I am a part of your 'fang gang' now. Please don't tell anyone."

He could feel what he usually termed as his 'family time headache' coming on. He kind of wanted to go back to sleep.

He looked back at Azrael, shifting his legs around. They certainly felt stronger than before. When he bent his knee, it obeyed him easily enough. That meant he should probably go back up to the office, or go home the way that Tristan had suggested.

He didn't really want to. He had no doubt that going home meant that he would be assaulted on all sides, and he was too tired to put up with it.

Plus, if Tristan dragged him before their father now, he knew he would cave in and apologize, and never go against him again.

"I... I think I would like to take you up on your offer, to stay at your place. Just for tonight."

 

[Reynarda]

Thea opened and closed their mouth. Then looked at Azrael. Then at Percival. Then back at Azrael.

"Ok, so that explains a lot," they said after doing their best fish impression. "Yeah, so I'm new to the whole adding blood to coffee thing?"

Azrael smiled. "I just add a little bit of the expired transfusion blood, but I can do that."

"Nope, I got it. I want to know how to do it, anyway." Halfway out the door, Thea paused, then grinned. "So... that's three out of five of us who actually have fangs then."

They grabbed a bag of blood from the expired shelf--Dr. Drake keeping expired blood made a lot more sense now--and cut it open and poured a little bit into a mug. They didn't use all of it, so they closed it back and put an opened date on it and stuck it back in the lab fridge. Thea brought it back and handed the mug to Percival.

"No worries, Percival. I don't tell secrets that have been entrusted to me," they said. "I'm so good at keeping secrets that even the Doc thought I thought she was human."

Thea paused. "Oh, shit, Doc--"

"Wow, blowing my cover," Azrael said, her mouth twitching into amusement. "He already knew, oh Great Keeper of Secrets. But he's the only one, so don't go telling anyone else."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am," Thea said, saluting. They dropped their hand to Azrael's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "So tense. The big scary CEO is gone, now, you can loosen up."

Azrael tried to roll her shoulders, but her muscles resisted the motion. She shouldn't have let Tristan get her so angry.

Thea paused. "I can have the pink braids taken out."

"Don't you dare," Azrael said. "Your bright hair color and cheery attitude offsets my vampire-ish grumpiness and puts people at ease. Tristan Fairweather can complain all he wants but I will fight him tooth and nail over this. We can refer to my contract in which I put a clause that states I have a right to hire whom I please and manage them how I please."

Thea felt a warmth in their chest. "Okay but what if I got the braids taken out and dyed my hair blue?"

"That's fine." Azrael was pretty sure blue hair was even worse than pink hair in Tristan's book. She might have conformed if he had only gone after her--at least for a little while until he stopped paying attention to her--but she was not about to back down now that he had gone after Thea. She like Thea the way they were, and she did think that Thea's colorful personality put many of their patients at ease.

Azrael nodded, glad Percival was letting her help him. "Alright. Would you like to go there now or later? You can use my office as long as you want, or you can head there now. Feel free to take a nap in my bed."

She frowned. "I can't vouch for it's state of cleanliness, though, considering Wade slept there last night."

 

[Mikotsuhime]

Thea took things surprisingly well, once they stopped gaping at him. Percival felt a bit self conscious at first, but when they offered to give him coffee with blood, as he had asked, he relaxed.

He took the mug that was offered to him and went practically boneless as he drank. Coffee was a bit bitter, but it was good, and the warmth of the mug in his hands and the liquid itself was comforting.

He couldn't help but smile when Thea outed Azrael while going on about how good they were at keeping secrets.

"Yes. Because we share some of the same habits, I figured it out a while ago. It was a bit of a relief, really," he mused. Pretending to be human had become just an ordinary part of his life, but he couldn't say that he didn't relish being candid and relaxed around somebody who wasn't related to him.

Speaking of relatives. It seemed Tristan had done some damage, as he usually did. Percival grimaced, because he loved his big brother dearly, and knew that he wasn't a bad person. But saying such when Azrael had been deeply offended would only make things worse.

"Tristan can be difficult when it comes to rules," he said. "I'll talk to him. He may be more reasonable if I explain that the appearance puts patients at ease."

He kind of doubted it, because Tristan hated making exceptions for anyone, but the last thing he wanted was for Azrael and Tristan to come to blows. He knew that he would be alienating his brother and sister by going against his father, but he didn't want to lose them entirely.

He ran his fingers through his hair, looking a bit sheepish as he turned to Azrael.

"I'm sorry, he shouldn't have questioned you. He's just... He gets stressed when he's not in control of a situation. I know that's not an excuse, but I'll talk to him about it."

He didn't want to defend him, because he knew that would upset the others, but... He really wasn't that bad.

Or maybe Percival just sympathised with him, for spending twenty more years with his father than he had.

"I'd like to stay here a bit longer. Maybe get a bit more sleep. My legs don't feel too weak anymore, but I don't really want to go to the subway... or take a cab."

He smiled sardonically, as though the fact that he thought a cab driver had drugged him was a big joke.

 

[Reynarda]

"Hold UP." Thea glared at Azrael. "He knew before we did?"

Azrael's lip twitched. "Well, it takes one to know one, yes?"

Thea scowled. "I still can't believe Percival knew first. Guess that explains why you kept going to his office. I thought you two were secretly dating."

Azrael rubbed her forehead. "Yes, thank you, Thea. I told you we were not."

"Actually, she said she'd rather drink a cocktail of hydrogen peroxide and silver colloid. Which makes a lot more sense now, in retrospect."

"Thea," Azrael sighed, trying to hide her darkening face behind her hand. "Remember how you're good at keeping secrets?"

"Yeah, but we have no secrets in fang gang." Thea nodded wisely. "Anyway, the Doc is dating Lev now, so that ship has sailed, Percival. You missed your chance."

Heat rushed Azrael's face. "Thea! And we're not dating! Well, not yet. I have to make sure he's ok with... all my... everything. First."

Thea winked at Percival. "Yeah, ok. Whatever you say, Doc. We all know you've had a crush on Lev since like the second time he popped into the office."

"I didn't have a crush, I just thought he was interesting."

"Ok, Doc, whatever you say." Thea grinned. It was way too much fun seeing Azrael flustered.

Azrael sighed when Percival apologized. "You aren't responsible for his actions. And anyway, I'll get over it. I have to actually care about someone's opinion for it to bother me longer than thirty minutes. But yes, if you could explain that, that would be great. Thea is the number one reason our patients like coming here."

That was false, but Thea figured they did contribute a good bit and put new patients at ease. Because a doctor who was cool with her medical assistant wearing colorful scrubs and bright-colored hair couldn't be as serious and scary as she seemed.

Azrael hummed. Good. If he had wanted to go now, she might have sent Thea home with him. She wasn't about to let him get in a cab anytime soon. "Well, my office is yours. If you need anything, just yell for Thea or I."

"Yeah, lemme know if you need any more bloody coffee," Thea said with a grin.

 

[AlphaBlueWolf]

Skye made it to Pyrenees Repair, Charlie's uncle's shop. Charlie's uncle always said that he named his shop after the Pyrenees mountains, while Charlie said it was because they were Great Pyrenees weredogs. Skye's opinion? It was both.

Charlie's uncle sat behind the register. Once he heard the bell ring he shot up only to slump back in his seat at the sight of Skye. Skye didn't take offense. She knew that they had a small business and needed all the customers they could get. Unfortunately for them, the car repair business could be rough. I mean this was New York the city of taxis and subways. Not everyone had a car. And those who did who had a problem would go to brand name stores. That's probably why when Charlie suggested branching out to other stuff her uncle ran with the idea.

"Skye, nice to see you." Charlie's uncle greeted her.

"You too, Mr. Winthrop."

"I've told you before. You can call me Marley."

Marley was cool in her opinion. The Winthrops knew her secret of being a werewolf and that she had no family here in New York. They didn't push it though. They didn't ask her about where her parents were or why she had run or tried to call the cops. They understood how it was.

Skye nodded and started looking around to see if she could spot Charlie. Marley noticed and realized why she had come, "Right. You're here to hang out with Charlie. She's in the back working on a car. I'll go get her for you."

"No you don't-" She was cut short as Marley rushed off to get Charlie. She didn't want to bother her. Especially if she was working.

"Skye!" Charlie came out from the back shortly after followed by Marley. Charlie rushed over to her and gave her a huge bear hug. "Its been ages since you came around here."

Charlie's hair was short with a small ponytail in the back. The rest of her hair hung just above her shoulder. The color was almost white except you could still see that it was blond. The best she could describe it was a very light beige. The right half of her hair was split into streaks of hot pink and she had dark brown eyes.

"Not really." She replied.

"Well, it feels that way. Anyways, what are you doing out here? You need something?" Charlie was usually cool and confident but right now she was acting like a hyperactive kid. She wasn't technically an adult anyways. She was two years younger than Skye. 16 almost 17. Though Charlie was so mature that sometimes Skye forgot that she was younger.

"Yeah. I mean, of course I wanted to see you. But, my gate gave me the reason to haul myself over here." She sighed. That thing could be such a pain.

"Well, yeah, that thing is old as hell. You should just install a new one. Or better yet, you could come live with us again. That would save you the hassle." Charlie gave a wide smile and held her hands clasped behind her back.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass. I can make it manage for now." Skye always appreciated how much Charlie cared. She knew she could lean on the two of them whenever she needed anything.

"Well, the offers still there. Seriously anytime dude." Charlie slumped at the decline but kept her smile.

"Charlie." They both turned to see Marley with a list and a wallet. "You girls should get outside, see the sun." Charlie was about to object when her uncle handed her the list. "Oh, and while you're out can you run a couple errands for me."

It was a smart move on his part. Ever since Charlie had come to live with her uncle she'd always try to stay and help him out with the business. She'd never leave the store while it was open.

"Well, alright. I guess it can't hurt since today is extra slow." Marley gave her the wallet and she grabbed her skateboard off the counter before running out.

Skye ran after her and stopped to wave goodbye before yelling out for Charlie to wait for her.

 

[Mikotsuhime]

Percival did not choke, because he was too dignified for that. But at least it reassured him that most people assumed he was straight.

He was pretty certain that he should be insulted by how vehemently Azrael wanted to not date him. That was the usual reaction to that sort of thing, right? But instead he just felt kind of warm and fuzzy inside.

"I am perfectly fine with that. Dr. Drake is a lovely person and Mr. Choi is... nice," he said. "I wish you two happiness together."

He had the distinct feeling that he was maybe being a bit too stuffy and formal, but he didn't know what else to say.

He wasn't entirely sure talking to Tristan would do much, but he'd give it a shot.

"I'll do that," he said when Azrael told him to holler if he needed anything. He kind of wished he was at his mother's so he could transform and curl up in the pool, but a good sleep under the electric blanket in Azrael's office sounded almost as good.

 

[Reynarda]

Azrael was a little surprised that Percival said something nice since he had been harboring a deep dislike of Lev for so long. It was also sort of nice that he approved. Not that she needed his approval, but it was still nice to have it.

"We're not getting married, Percival," she said wryly when he wished them happiness.

"Not yet," Thea corrected.

Azrael shot them a look. "We're just having dinner. Don't start making wedding invites."

"Too late."

Rolling her eyes, Azrael pulled the electric blanket from her closet and passed it to Percival.

"What you need is a bean bag," Thea said.

Azrael sighed. She had a feeling she would probably have Wade or Percival or Lev in and out of her office. Having a napping spot wasn't a bad idea. "Order me one--black. Don't you dare order me an orange one."

Thea grinned. "Ok, but can I get some colorful pillows?"

Azrael made a face at them but didn't say no. Instead she nodded to Percival. "Let Thea know if you need anything. I'll be right back."

Thea closed the door behind them and Azrael stalked down the hall. She clearly had some place to be, so Thea returned to their seat in the front window.

Azrael stalked out to the lobby and over to the elevators. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Garth Dekker sitting in the cafeteria. She scowled at him, but he just shrugged at her. She almost march over to him and made him go check into a hotel and take a nap, but the elevator arrived and she stepped inside. She punched the floor for the programing and development offices a little more aggressively than intended.

So. She had been out with friends, then stalked by Dekker, then Wade had had a rough night, Charles Fairweather had been a prick, then she'd had them all over to her apartment, then she'd told everyone she was a vampire, then they'd gone to coffee and Dekker had been there, then Percival had been drugged, then Dekker had shown up and yelled at her, then she made him let her take care of him, then Lev kissed her cheek, then she and Wade had had an argument, then she'd lectured Percival, then Tristan had insulted her, and now she was going to go talk to Wade.

That pretty much summed up the last 18 hours. She was thinking she needed a vacation.

The doors opened and Azrael stalked out. She'd never really been to this floor. Rowan looked nervously up from his computer and gave her a shaky smile. She tried to smile back, but it was probably just a grimace.

She knocked at Wade's office before stepping inside. She didn't really wait for any kind of greeting but instead leaned against his desk next to him, facing the other way so he didn't have to look at her if he didn't want to but so she could see him out of the corner of her eye.

After a few seconds of silence, she said, "My parents aren't good people. And for the longest time I thought I could atone for everything they did. Tip the balance of the world if I just saved enough people. Cut to me being a bright young resident, fresh out of med school. I worked as many hours as I could, wrung myself out like a towel. I started making mistakes because I was so tired. My attending yelled at me in front of everyone. It was one of the worst days of my life. But it showed me that trying to atone for what other people did is stupid. By trying to make sure nothing slipped by on my watch, I was doing more harm than good. I wasn't taking care of myself, and I was no good to anyone on no sleep and minimal food."

Azrael slid her eyes to Wade. "I tell you this, because I think your heart is in the right place, but you're stretching yourself too thin trying to be everything to everybody. If everyone gets grace, why doesn't Wade Harper get grace?"

 

[Mikotsuhime]

(tw for sexual assault talk)

Percival flushed, but he didn't think that wishing them happiness was too weird.

But then he was alone again, and he sighed as he eyed the chair. He had pushed it out of the way earlier, and it wasn't really made for sleeping on... He took off his suit jacket and laid it on the floor to insulate, then curled up in the corner with the electric blanket pulled around his shoulders. He felt better in the corner, and with the blanket pulled tightly around him, he was, daresay, content.

It didn't take him long to fall back asleep.



Wade tensed as soon as Azrael came in the room. He had been a bit off today, and he was pretty sure the newbie had noticed. He hadn't really spoken to him much, and he had seemed kind of nervous. It wasn't even an intentional kind of nervous.

Wade tried not to look at Azrael or acknowledge that she was there, but he shifted a little nervously anyways. He hated that he felt nervous. He should just apologize. But also, he had been trying to help. Or maybe he was just being overbearing.

When she started to talk about something unrelated, he felt his stomach start to twist. She meant well. He knew she meant well, and he swallowed down the bile that rose in his throat.

"It's not the same," he said, his voice quiet. "He-- I believed him."

Maybe it had just been a very long few days, or maybe he was just tired. Azrael seemed to get the shitty parents thing in a way that none of his other friends did, so maybe it wouldn't hurt to open up to her. He hadn't even really talked about this with his therapist, though she had said the same thing as Azrael, that he tried to be too present for others.

"My dad-- When I was in middle school rumours started going around, that he was. That he was a rapist. And he said it was ridiculous, that it was all lies, and I believed him. I defended him for years," he choked out, his voice cracking. "I told people that he wasn't a bad person. I mean, he was a bad person. He was a racist bigot, but I just thought that was normal, so I said people didn't understand. That he was a good guy. And then it turned out that he wasn't, and the whole time I had been defending him to my classmates he had been sexually assaulting two of his junior staffers."

God, why was he talking? He needed to stop talking.

"I'm sorry, this isn't-- This isn't your problem, and it's not-- You didn't ask me to unload on you, but-- I can't. I can't just, just let things slip by. I can't do that again. I can't just think everything is fine if somebody is being hurt around me, I can't just let things go when I notice things, I can't--"

His computer screen was starting to blur in front of him, and he hated it. He could feel his breath catching in his throat, and he was pretty sure his heart was beating a lot faster than it should be.

"I didn't mean to think you couldn't handle yourself, I know you can handle yourself, that Percival would never do anything like that. But I just-- I can't handle it again. I can't handle every time people dig this up, and put the blame on my mom, and I can't handle--"

He was shaking now, and he hated it. He hated that he was breaking down in front of somebody who he had just started to know as a friend. This wasn't how you made friendships last.

"I'm sorry," he choked out, because he was full on crying now and he hated it. "I'm sorry, I can't-- I shouldn't be saying this-- I need to--"

He couldn't finish the sentence. He didn't actually know what he needed to do, other than not be here anymore.

"I need to quit. I can't live under that man anymore, I can't do it."

 

[Reynarda]

Azrael frowned ever so slightly when he said it wasn't the same. But she figured he would know better than her and so kept her peace.

And he was right. She listened, keeping her eyes on the back wall so as to give him space. But when he started breaking down, she hesitated. Normally she would rest a comforting hand on someone upset. But he was a friend, not a patient. And she was a vampire--which he knew--and Percival, who had upset him, was also a vampire. She didn't know if he'd want her to touch him.

In the end, she decided he was a friend and he seemed to like physical comfort from Lev and he was hurting. She rested a hand on his arm and squeezed just enough to remind him she was there and she was listening.

And it was different. But she understood it deep in her bones. You grow up making excuses for your parents because they're your parents. Because you love them. But sometimes parents betrayed their kids.

When he finished, she closed her eyes for a minute, thinking.

"He betrayed you," she said finally. "You believed in him and defended him. I'm going to tell you that's not your fault, and you're not going to believe me. Because you've been blaming yourself for years--decades. So let me tell you a story. And you can tell me if what happened was my fault."

She cleared her throat a little, because this was still one of her biggest regrets. "My parents are a literal mafia. I wish I were joking." She paused. "And... I haven't told anyone this, so I'd appreciate it if Lev and Thea could hear this from me. Anyway, you know all those bad stereotypes about vampires? Yeah, my family are those. And yet I still love them--isn't it horrible? But anyway, when I was a resident, I got several rotations in the emergency department. One night we get a call from dispatch, the paramedics are bringing in someone with massive hemorrhaging all over his body. We assume it's a car accident, but they wheel him in and it's this young guy in a police uniform. It wasn't a car accident. It was my family. I start immediately trying to stop the bleeding, using everything I know. I even used my magic--which I don't do without consent generally. But he was dying. To be honest, he was dead before he got into the hospital. I knew it, I just didn't want to call it. But in the end, I had to declare him dead. And I knew that if I had been on that ambulance I would have been able to save him. I even considered becoming a paramedic just because maybe I could save more people. He was the first one I lost, but he wasn't the last. I lost more people than I saved. Fifteen. Fifteen people died because I couldn't fix what my family had done to them. I saved six. One was the man I was telling about earlier--the one who was bleeding out of every orifice. I thought maybe if I could get to them sooner, or maybe if I had worked harder to stop my parents when I was younger. Maybe if I wasn't such a coward and would go face my parents over this." She paused, then looked at him. "So. Tell me. Were those deaths my fault?"

Azrael looked at her hands. "And you're going to tell me it's different, and yes, it is. But the same idea is behind it. We're not going to blame that young police officer for getting murdered by my family just like we're not going to blame anyone who is a victim of assault. That man died because my family killed him. Not being able to stop it does not make it my fault. Not realizing that's what your dad was doing and not stopping it does not make it your fault."

She sighed. "And you're probably thinking that's easier said then done. That you know that. I'm not going to pretend those fifteen deaths don't eat at me--don't fuel my drive to take care of people. And I'm not saying you shouldn't keep an eye out, but you can't keep wringing yourself dry like this."

Azrael clenched her fists, wishing she knew how to get across what she had learned. She generally asked herself what she would advise herself to do were she her own patient. "Can we pretend Wade Harper is a mutual friend of ours for a second? And we're talking about him. We're worried about him because he's overworking himself. He's being hyper-vigilant and it's taking a toll on him. We both care about him because he's a person and he's our friend. What would you tell him?"

She paused, and then added, "For the record, I came up here and poked you with a stick, so I absolutely did ask for this. Also, don't be sorry for needing support. That's a normal living-being thing. I'm not still upset at you for earlier. I understand that it came from a place of caring and I appreciate that."

Having said what he hoped would maybe help, she turned her mind to the last thing he had said. Azrael tilted her head, expression concerned. "Quit? The company? And is the 'man' we're talking about Fairweather or your father? If you think you need to quit, I support you, but I think maybe that's something you need to sleep on. If you rest and eat and you still want to quit then I support you. I can be a reference for you. Heck--I'll pretend to be your supervisor if you want. All I want is what's best for you. And, Wade, you deserve the same things everyone else does."

 

[Mikotsuhime]

The second that Azrael put her hand on his arm, Wade felt like something collpased. He leaned into her, melting against the touch. He had always been a tactile person. He reigned it back in the office sometimes, but he had always craved physical affection and comfort when he was upset.

He closed his eyes, hating the fact that his face felt wet and his nose was running. He was an ugly crier. Everyone was an ugly crier, but he always felt like his cries were ugly in particular.

He tried not to laugh when she told him that it wasn't his fault. At least she knew that it was hard for him to believe that. He wanted to wipe his eyes and argue with her, because it was easier. But Azrael had done nothing but genuinely try to help him since they met. She was good for Lev, and the last thing he wanted to do was ruin a good thing for his best friend. So he listened.

He... wasn't entirely sure how he felt when she spoke. He had kind of assumed not everything was as it seemed with her, but it hadn't been his place to pry. It wasn't like their situations were similar. They were pretty damn different, if he was honest. But the more he talked, the more he realized that situations aside, maybe the two of them weren't too different after all.

"It wasn't your fault," he said. He bit down on the response that wanted to come up, that things were different. Because Azrael was truly worried about him and trying to help him, and for once, he had to not shit all over that. He had to see it for what it was.

If he didn't, he was pretty sure Wade's mom with hit him in the shoulder and call him a stubborn fool.

"I won't tell anyone," he said, his voice soft and quiet. Finally, he brought his hand up to rub at his eyes. "My dad is Winston Harris."

He hadn't told anyone that. Only Percival and the Fairweather family knew. And Clara. Lev knew that his dad was a sexual predator and that he had had a lot of money, but he didn't know who, exactly, he was.

But it felt important to say it. If he was going to be open, completely open with her, he needed to trust that she wouldn't hurt him. And he did. He hadn't trusted anyone not to hold who his father was against him ever since Percival had secretly filmed the man in order to sue him.

Wade was still angry about that. He was angry that Percival had lied to him, and had spent years pretending to be his friend so he could turn against him. But he wasn't angry at him for ruining his father's life. The man deserved to die alone, poor and hated by everyone around him.

"I don't know what I'd tell that hypothetical friend," he said after a moment, reaching for the tissues on his desk. "But I'd tell you that you and Lev are perfect for each other. You both refuse to let me destroy myself. If I was more intent on the whole thing, I might be a bit offended."

He tried to sound light and upbeat, but his voice was hoarse and he only half managed it.

When Azrael told him she would support him, he found his mouth opening a bit like a goldfish. He had contemplated it all the time, but he'd never actually really considered quitting. It had always seemed like giving up and losing. Like if he quit, he should be ashamed of himself. But she would support him. It made him even more choked up, and he blew his nose again.

"...I need to think about it," he said quietly. "I don't... This is a good job. Charles and Lydia and Tristan all hate me for ruining their perfect little boy, but if anything, I'd say that's a plus more than a minus. I hate working for him, but I need the money. And I like my team. They're good people."

He hesitated for a second, then closed his eyes. He needed to talk, maybe.

"You know Margaret? She's in her sixties, and I'm pretty sure she's got diabetes, but she's been working with computers since before the internet was even invented. She's brilliant, and I've learned so much from her. George is a troublemaker, and he still thinks he's a frat boy even though he's only two years younger than me, but he's so good at hyping everybody up. Like, he motivates you, he makes coming to work fun. Mike is super quiet, and he hates joining us for drinks, but he always does anyways. He's one of the most meticulous guys I've ever met, he catches everything. Gertrude is our graphic designer, and she's only twenty-one. And her name is Gertrude. But she makes the best coffee in the world, and sometimes she brings in fresh baked cookies from her mom. It's adorable."

He didn't know why he was going on and on and on about his team, but talking about them reminded him why he was here. Why he stayed, even when it became hard.

"The newbie, Rowan? He's a great kid. He's a bit sheltered, but he's quick, and he has good ideas. He's a bit awkward, and I think he's kind of scared of me, but I like him. He's gonna do good things here. And Lev? Lev has been working this job for nine years. Nine years without a promotion, and he doesn't even let it bother him. He just... he keeps going. I started after him, and I'm his boss. If I was in his position I'd be pissed, I'd give up, but he just... He keeps going. He's amazing. He makes me wanna be a better person."

He gave her a crooked smile, even though his mouth still wobbled a bit.

"Don't tell him this, because it's a surprise, but I finally fought with our superiors and got him a promotion. Margaret's my second in command, and she's retiring next year, so Lev is gonna get her job, if he wants it."

It had taken a lot of pushing and pestering and being annoying, but he'd finally convinced everyone that Lev was the best person for the job.

"I stayed this long because they're good people. Charles tries to make my life hell, but if Gertrude brings me her mom's cookies? It's like it hardly matters anymore. I've stayed here for four years, and that old bastard has hated every minute of it, but if I leave, I'm leaving behind all these people who are doing their best. And I don't want to do that."

 

[Reynarda]

The second Azrael realized Wade wanted the contact, she shifted, leaning against him as he leaned against her. It was a vampire thing to do, just sit right up against someone who was hurting. But she felt like she could be herself around her new friends and they wouldn't judge her for the things that were particular to her culture. It probably wasn't great. It was too easy to forget the whole rest of the world assumed she was human.

But for now, it was good.

When Wade told her who his father was, she just nodded. She knew the name, of course. Some of her uncles used to like to say what they were do to certain human politicians if they had the chance. They were all blow and no show, but then Winston Harris had made her family's philosophy seem almost justified. Humans only wanted to subdue and crush and destroy so why shouldn't vampires rise up and do as they pleased? It made since thanks to people like Winston Harris.

Azrael was sure she would have thoughts on it later, but for now it was just a fact. Percival had a thirty-foot Naga form and Wade's dad was Winston Harris. The sky was blue, fish swam, and the kidneys filtered the blood of the body every forty minutes.

Her mother would tell her her great-grandmother--who had been killed by an actual vampire hunter--was turning over in her grave because her great-granddaughter was trying to be friends with the kid of one of those humans. It wasn't funny, but it also was, and Azrael chuckled.

"Sorry. My parents are the kind of vampires who rail against the evils of humanity. We're quite the pair."

She snorted when he said she and Lev wouldn't let him destroy himself. "Well, you're an idiot, but dammit, you're our idiot." She eyed him out of the corner of her eye. "And don't lie to me. You'd tell our hypothetical friend to go home and get some rest. Need I remind you that you physically dragged Lev down to my office? The only person you refuse to be kind to is yourself."

Azrael listened to him talk about his team, her smile growing and growing. She should probably say something wise and mature like he had more reasons to stay than leave and how he was the backbone of his team and how he had made something great out of a terrible situation.

But what she really wanted to say refused to be silenced when he told her he had been a royal pain in the ass until they agreed to promote Lev.

"You are so bad at being an asshole, Wade Harper. So bad. You come in here with baggage that would make anyone a jerk and insist on being the best boss ever. Charles makes your life hell so you do fun outings with your team and drag them to the scary doctor when they're sick. Nobody ever fought for you so you turn around and fight for your friend to be recognized for his loyalty and skill. Honestly, I'm a little mad. I'm a coward. I'm here because it was low-key and no one would look twice at a doctor working at a corporate clinic. You're here because you had the courage to stick it to the people who continue to ruin your life. That's strength."

She smirked at him. "And--not that this is a contest or anything--you might win the 'suckiest childhood' award, but I win the 'better at being an asshole' award."

 

[Mikotsuhime]

Wade liked the attention. He pressed against Azrael and rested his head on her shoulder. He was sure it would look dubious to anyone who saw them, but he liked the attention and the knowledge that somebody knew everything about him and still wanted to be close to him. It was why he'd developed his horrible habit of drunken pickups, because if people saw him at his worse and still accepted him, everything was ok.

This was better, though. platonic affection was something he had missed ever since he was a kid, when his dad told him he didn't need hugs because he was a man and needed to act like one.

"Yeah, well, we agree, my dad was an asshole," he said, trying to sound humorous but unable to hide the bitterness. "I never want to be like him. Never."

He shifted, because once again he thought he needed to say that he was the boss. It was the boss's job to work hard so everyone else didn't have to. But he knew that if it was anyone else doing what he was doing, he would put a stop to it immediately. Because it wasn't healthy, and it wasn't sustainable.

He had managed to eek by for years, but he knew he was near a crashing point if he didn't change something. His apartment was a mess, and he had gotten better at taking his meds, but he still often forgot. He was better than he was at his worse, but he was far from his best.

"Lev had a fever and was trying to push his way through an impossible deadline," Wade pointed out. He had been very angry at the higher ups then, because it had been shortly after he was promoted to department head and they had thought they could push him around. He had showed them that they could try. "I'm just... I'm in charge, so people need to be able to rely on me. But... Maybe you're right. I could... I could maybe delegate a bit more. See if Lev and Margaret and Mike could handle a bit more of the workload, so I don't come in on weekends as often. There are a few interns who could do with a bit more responsibility, even if it's just compiling reference data..."

He didn't think he would ever be able to say no if anyone asked him for anything. He didn't think he would be able to not toss his break days aside if somebody was sick or hurt or having a family crisis. But... He could try, maybe. Take baby steps.

But then Azrael said he was bad at being an asshole, and he looked downright offended.

"Hey," he said, because she was wrong. he could be a total dick if he wanted, and hearing all of his good points on display made his ears turn red. "I am a very mortifying boss. I tell all the newbies everyone's embarassing company christmas party stories when I'm drunk. Also, I'm loud."

But it was nice to hear that he wasn't terrible. It was so nice to hear it, and it made his face hot.

"I think Percival wins suckiest childhood," he said with a snort. "His mom wouldn't let him eat sugar. But I'll fight you on the asshole thing. I won't accept any less than sharing the title."

 

[Reynarda]

Azrael stroked his hair almost out of reflex. It was a family thing. Her parents would always pet her hair. She would pet the hair of her younger cousins. And now apparently her brain had decided Wade was in the family category.

Her great-gran really was turning over in her grave.

She snorted. "Oh please. You're nothing like him. I don't even think you could be if you tried."

However, when Wade admitted she might be right about needing to delegate instead of doing everything himself, Azrael allowed herself a huge self-satisfied smirk. She deserved it. Wade Harper was admitting she was right. "I'm always right," she said. "That's something you just need to come to terms with."

She laughed--more at his offended expression than what he said. "Ok, you are loud. I'll grant you that. And embarrassing. But you're a good friend and you care about people. That says a lot."

Azrael shook her head, still smirking. "I don't share. Maybe we'll give Percival the suckiest childhood award, but you are not more of an asshole than me. Have you ever made someone cry because you were too blunt about how a procedure worked? I think not."

Azrael smiled. She didn't think this fixed everything. There was still work to be done, and this would be an uphill climb. It would take a lot of time. But maybe Wade would reach for his phone to call her or Lev instead of heading to a bar to punish himself. Or if he did punish himself, maybe he would call her to come get him rather than trying to tough it out with his horrible herbal tea with espresso shots.

"You know, Wade," she said, her voice turning soft. "You're not in this alone. You have Lev. And you have me. Neither of us are afriad of a bunch of posturing rich jerks. If you ever need anything, just ask." She smirked. "And I'm always happy to bully you if you need bullying."

 

[AlphaBlueWolf]

Charlie rode on her skateboard while Skye walked beside her. "So what's first on this list?" Skye asked.

Charlie held it up and read it aloud, "One get medication."

"Medication?"

"He probably means the back pain stuff. He's been getting really bad aching. Me too sometimes. Back pain is a mechanics worst nightmare!"

"I can imagine." Skye would always get hand cramps when she was working on something for too long. She figured it was like that but on a much worse scale. "So, were going to the pharmacy?"

"Yeah, you wanna take the subway or walk?"

"Walk. I'm not to fond of the subway."

Charlie grinned, "Oh, right. Remember that one time."

"Yeah..." Skye scratched the back of her head. Charlie never let her live that down.

"You completely freaked! Everyone looked at us like we were weirdos." Charlie laughed as she pushed ahead.

"Look I'm just not good with big crowds!" She gave her best pout and followed.

"Clearly." Charlie chuckled.

"Everyone is squished together and it moves around."

"Skye, its supposed to move." Charlie gave her a look like she was a complete idiot.

"I know that!" Her face flushed, "You know what a mean. I just... I don't like them. Too cramped, too many people. I'll take walking any day of the week."

Eventually they got to the pharmacy. Charlie picked up her skateboard and carried it in.

Skye looked a little worried, "Are you allowed to bring that in?"

"I don't know. I don't think they'll care as long as I'm not riding it." Charlie smiled, "Geez, you're such a little goody two-shoes."