Devil's Cavern

"Lucifer? As in the devil?"

Zlo's growl deepened as he shot a look to Carter. "Don't say his name." His voice was dangerous and sharp.

"This... protector you mentioned. Was it a woman."

Dozorce turned his gaze to Carter, studying before he responded, though his response came out as uncertain. "Yes, and a friend of mine."

Riad bristled as he put two and two together-- the news, Carter's appearances at the bar. "And my brother did this?" His eyes flashed violet, fists curling.

"Not alone," Dozorce responded, eyes remaining on Carter. "Underneath it all, I know he wouldn't have killed willingly."

Something more than anger flitted across Riad's gaze-- hurt? pain? saddness? "I'll find him, then," he murmured after a while. "It's my fault anyway we're down this road." His fury recoiled and the fierceness faded, forcing Riad to sit down clumsily on the stool with his head resting on a hand. He looked older than his years, and Dozorce recognized it, but knowing that saying something wouldn't help, remained quiet.

Zlo's anger, too, simmered out and his muscles relaxed slowly, eyes trained on Riad. After a heartbeat, he said, "I'll help."

Riad snapped, "No, you won't," just as Dozorce said, "It wouldn't be wise. Let Riad handle his brother. I'll handle Lucifer."

Zlo bristled, anger surging. "Like he handled your wives?"

Something in the air snapped, and the look of rage crossed Dozorce's face as Riad turned to look at Zlo, expression sharp and eyes tired.

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"Like he handled your wives?"

Dozorce's face flashed with anger and hurt, and he growled, stepping forward. However, Riad stepped in front of him, looking at Zlo and Shade, eyes sharp.

"Enough. Look at what you're doing. Pointless fighting."

Riad's voice was a growl, something that was rare for him. "Zlo, you know your place. Father," he looked at Dozorce, and his expression remained unchanged, "you couldn't have picked a worse time. Get out. Both of you."

"Riad--" he started, while Zlo just stared out of surprise.

"Get out. We'll discuss this later."

"We don't have time," Dozorce started, and his son immediately fired back. "Then make time. That's what you do, right? Manipulate time?" Riad whirled on him. "You two go out there and solve your problems there. Decide who gets their swing at Lucifer. I want nothing to do with him."

"Riad," Zlo murmured, his muscles uncoiling as his eyes flicked towards Shade, "we know how well--"

"Get. Out." Riad stepped back with a glare, and without another word, Zlo quietly took Shade's hand and walked out, though Dozorce lingered a little longer.

"Son--"

"No. You stayed away too long to try to make things up now," Riad held his hand up and walked behind the bar, gaze guarded as it flicked towards Carter. "Go find Lucifer and eliminate this supposed threat."

"What about you and Elias?"

"I'm sure if he saw you, he wouldn't hesitate to tear you apart. You left us behind, and he took it harder than anyone," Riad murmured, looking at Zor. "Just go. Get everything solved, then maybe we'll talk." He waved his hand and turned away, grabbing himself a glass and setting it on the counter.

Dozorce hesitated, pursed his lips, and his blue eyes changed brighter before fading as he turned and stalked out, finding Zlo standing on the sidewalk with Shade.

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Once everyone was out, Riad grabbed a bottle of rum and placed it on the bar, hesitating as he placed his other hand against the wood, leaning forward with hunched shoulders as though the weight of the world was on them. He stared at the bottle, hating his father for showing up now, but loving him in knowing he was alive.

His jaw clenched as he listened to Carter as the man down the bottle, his hand tightening on the bottle. In another moment, Riad poured himself a glass of rum, downing it in one gulp and hissing quietly. He was growing both mad at himself and the world. He went to pour another glass, halted, looked at the bottle, hurled it at the wall with a small shout of frustration. He leaned against the bar again, pressing the back of his hand to his forehead as he took a deep breath.

"Why does this always happen," he murmured, running his hand over his face. Without missing another beat, he added, "Carter. You're going to make yourself sick."

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Zlo glared at Dozorce, and the two demons shared a glance as they heard glass shatter. "What to go, dad. You've pissed off the worse person in the world to piss off."

Dozorce's jaw ticked. "I didn't ask for this."

"You could have gone about it differently."

"What else was I supposed to say? To do?" Dozorce snapped, pale eyes slightly bloodshot. "He's not the only one hurt. I haven't seen either of my boys since their mothers died." His voice shook, but didn't fade. "The last time he saw his brother was a fight that broke out between them. Now my youngest is running around murdering people for that damned false king, and my eldest is laying with a human. They were warriors, honorable boys, and now--"

"They're what anyone could have became without anyone around." Zlo watched the hurt flicker across dozorce's gaze, and now that he was slowly sobering up and thinking clearly, his more serious side came out. "Why did you leave?"

"Lucifer was going to kill them unless I pledged myself to his service."

"Did you?"

"I did what I must, and he betrayed me."

Zlo snorted harshly. "Should have seen that coming."

"Someone else didn't see the betrayal coming, either," Dozorce shot back, though the two weren't nearly about to rip out throats. Just maybe stabbing one another.

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"I don't care. I don't. My aunt... I don't understand why.."

Riad looked at him, looking beyond his years as he stepped over, though he froze with hesitation as things ran through his mind. What would happen now? Carter just learned that his aunt was murdered by the half brother that Riad himself had cast away, had blinded, left to fend for his own. If Riad were him, he wouldn't want to be bothered. Yet he'd want someone to turn to.

However, it didn't coax him forward. Instead, he took a small step back and looked away, conflicted and torn. "I'm sorry..." Deciding a moment later, he stepped towards Carter and gently, slowly, gathered him close, his embrace loose. "By the gods, I'm sorry. For everything." His voice was a low rumble in his chest as he warred with himself.

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"You know. I don't know what either of you are going through, not entirely. But for gods sake. Could you two stop arguing long enough to agree with the other? You both hate Lucifer, and care for Riad. So suck it up, and get along. It doesn't help that now thanks to the both of you that human has learned that he's fancying a demon, and one who's brother killed someone close to him. How do you think Riad will take that? He obviously loves the boy."

Both men stare at one another before they both look away, jaws working as they listened to Shade speak. It was Dozorce who responded first. "I didn't realize he had anyone else with him."

Zlo grumbled to himself, not liking any of the odds.

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"Don't! God. Just give me a minute alone to process this!"

Without another sound, Riad stepped back, impassive, almost like he clammed shut suddenly without a single noise.

"What do you expect me to do? Do you realize much this hurts? I like the man of the brother who killed my aunt."

"I do," he said quietly, voice even, though his gaze was oddly guarded. "Knowing that my brother had done this is not something that doesn't sting." And knowing that this may all be my fault.

"You're sorry. So am I. For your brother."

Riad doesn't so much as flinch as Carter's fist came down on the counter, in fact, he didn't move for a brief moment in time. He was a statue whose creator forgot to portray the emotion in his features. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. Opened it, closed, a lock of the jaw, a hand ran through hair, opened again, closed. Then he left without a word in a puff of air.

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"Well, how would you? As far as I can tell, you haven't been around. Which is fine. But you need to take a different approach with your son. And on that note. I didn't know Riad had a brother, let alone his father was alive. What do they call you?"

Dozorce's jaw worked a moment, locking when he felt the air shudder and closed his eyes a moment. "They call me many things, though under rumor, it's Dozorce."

Zlo raised his hands in a gesture that meant he had no say in revealing the news. "I didn't even know his father was alive."

"No one did, and for good reason," Dozorce murmured.

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"Dozorce? Nice to meet you I suppose. Belladonna."

Dozorce only stared at her hand a moment, then her, and it's Zlo who answered with a murmur. "He doesn't normally touch people."

"Only because I keep my distance," Dozorce remarked, looking towards the door as Carter stepped out.

"Oh. You're all still here."

Zlo looked at Carter and frowned. "Where's Riad."

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