#background darkaverage

This meeting was dicey, but it was a long time coming.

Phantom and Dark had been fighting over the Entertainment District for a while. The nightclub demon hadn’t attacked Yan yet so he didn’t start a turf war between them.

Yan was in charge of a couple of cafes in the District, and Dark’s long unimposed reign over the area ensured that he and Yan had control of the best area of the district. It was the best for foot traffic. Which is why the cafes had been placed there.

So Yan and Dark had agreed to meet with Phantom at the ritziest restaurant that neutral ground could give them. It was three blocks down from the heroes’ base, but there was nothing more than minor monitoring . . . at least until people started dying. The restaurant normally had a certain style. More at home in a Victorian horror book than downtown Brighton. Candlelight. Reds, and gold and dark greys. With Halloween so close it only gave the restaurant an additional bone motiff.

Chase was routinely casing the place and then returning back to the room.

Food and drinks had been ordered but neither Dark nor Phantom were eating. They were just sitting across from each other, glaring at one another. Phantom even has a bone and skull pattern on his vest. Yan was on one side of Dark and Wilford was on the other.

Yan was lightly picking at her food while Wilford was just devouring his stuffed pasta dish as if it was a normal lunch.

“You know,” Phantom smiled as he played with the cuff of his sleeve, a finger idly tracing the swirling bones etched onto the corner of the cuff. “I have to hand it to you Ent.”

Phantom glanced down at the cuff before looking back up at Dark. A dare.

“If you’re not going to talk business, we’re going to leave,” Dark said. “I’m not here to waste my time when I have too much work to do.”

“Is that what you tell yourself?” Phantom said. “It’s a wonder you can even get anything done. Have you changed that much?”

Dark stood up, chair screeching on the floor. “I have more important things to do with my time. Yan, Wil, we are leaving.”

“But we didn’t even order dessert,” Wilford frowned.

Dark sighed and used his portals to drop an entire strawberry cheesecake into his lap, in a case. Wilford gasped in delight and picked up the cheesecake.

Chase walked over from where he was standing by the doorway, watching them.

“We simply must do this again,” Wilford stood up. Then he winked at Phantom. “I suppose we’ll be seeing each other around.”

Phantom smiled back, liking the way that the jealousy lit up Dark’s face. He traced his fingers around the bone motif of the glass. “I’m sure we will.”

Dark pulled Wilford away as he led Yan along, opening a portal for them. His aura wrapping any leftover food in to go boxes and taking it with them through.

“If I see you around the cafes again, I will have your head,” Dark threatened.

“Big words from the empath who was too busy hanging on my arm to do anything back when we were waging war against the Ottomans,” Phantom smiled.

“Every second I spent working with you was a waste of my time,” Dark turned back, furious.

Wilford surprised Chase by gently wrapping his hand around Dark’s elbow. “Darkling, look we have cake, and I know you love strawberries. I think you’re getting a bit too riled up for dessert, darling.”

Dark looked back at Wilford, fury twisting in his eyes and making his ringing shrill. He yanked his arm away and led Yan into the portal. Wilford blew Phantom a kiss before following his boyfriend through the portal.

Chase went to follow them before turning back to look at Phantom. “You’re not special, you know.”

“Whatever do you mean?” Phantom smiled, calmly sipping at his drink.

“Lots of demons in town, and besides, you sleeping with Wil isn’t an accomplishment,” Chase said. “I’m pretty sure he’s slept with a couple heroes. He’s slept with every mayor and their partners anytime he comes into town.”

“What are you getting at?” Phantom was smiling.

“He’s not a notch on your belt, your one on his and given enough time and lube he would fuck every single people in this awful town.” Chase glared at him. “It’s easier to sleep with Wilford than it is to find bones in a cemetery.”

“And you would know?” Phantom still had a smug smile on his face.

“I know if I so much as blinked right he’d be down to fuck me on the table you’re eating on, if that’s what you’re asking,” Chase scoffed. “Yeah, I could probably list off the people in the Coalition that he’s slept with but that’s none of your business. So just enjoy your fancy steak and fuck off why don’t you?”

“Aren’t you charming,” Phantom’s grin was all teeth.