#delrose

“You will discard your weapons here, please.”

Just the slightest bunching of Rue’s shoulders gave away the angel’s irritation- he’d expected this roadblock but it didn’t make him feel any better about the situation. The Harbinger inside him growled low in protest as the silverette calmly slipped out of his black dinner jacket, slinging his shoulder holsters onto the table almost soundlessly. Beside him, Caydin did the same and together, they added up to almost twenty seven weapons on the expensive dark wood surface.

After a moment of silence, the muscle that stood between them and the man inside cleared his throat. “All of your weapons, monseur Demmekke.”

Without protest, Rue added seven more concealed weapons to the pile. His grey eyes never left the other’s.

Another few minutes of silence, neither man moving. Another polite cough.

Rue tossed his steel rings into a bin, adding his belt, tie, and necklace until he was left standing disheveled; the white button up was open, revealing his undershirt untucked from the expensive black slacks he’d borrowed from Nathaniel. His shoes were being poked and prodded by more of DelRose’s men, while he undid the cufflinks and tossed them in as well.

After what seemed like a weighty decision to nod them through, Rue took the lead after slipping back into his shoes. He was still buttoning his undershirt while Caydin held the suit jacket and his tie for him. “I had no idea you were carrying all that!” the blond said quietly despite the emptiness of the room they’d been herded to wait in.

Rue focused hard to keep his hands from shaking as he struggled with a button at his chest. “I’m surprised they didn’t get all of them,” he gruffed back. Deitys be damned, he couldn’t manage. With his cheeks tinting just slightly, he shyly asked his husband to help him out.

Caydin shifted the tux jacket and tie to the crook of his arm before making quick work of Rue’s shirt. There was concern in his blue eyes, but knew better than to voice his worries here. He was just helping Rue smooth out the shoulders of his jacket when DelRose walked in to greet them.

DelRose was a short man, barely coming up to Rue’s chin, with thinning brown hair that was as greasy as his voice. But a fat smile sat happily on his thin face, making dull green eyes light up. “Little Ruth! You brought your brother this time?” DelRose wore a grey suit with mustard stains on the chest two sizes too small for him.

Rue stepped closer to Caydin, but didn’t correct the brunette. “I apologize for making this meeting so late in the game-”

“-Very rude, yes. Your father met with me quite often, actually. Blyze was very interested in my affairs.”

Rue cut Caydin a sideways look as if to say I bet he did. “I don’t want to take up any more of your time than necessary. I’m sure you have clients waiting. You’re aware of Night’s status, then?”

The fat smile that had sat so happily on DelRose’s face fell immediately. “Dio è morto, si. Possa egli riposare in pace.”

“Italian?” Caydin peaked from Rue’s side, making the silverette wish he’d spent more time on the subject in class instead of eyefucking his husband’s backside. “Lo conosceva personalmente?”

DelRose’s eyes cut at Caydin quickly, sizing him up, before that fat grin was back in place once more with an arrogant twist. He didn’t mistake Rue’s discomfort as he replied. “Si.” Switching back to English, he continued. “Usignolo was very interested in my business associates, making him very interested in me.”

“Who?”

“Usignolo is Italian for Nightingale,” Caydin supplied, motioning for DelRose to continue.

“Very, very good! You speak it almost natively.” Caydin blushed at the praise, making Rue’s Harbinger laugh at his jealousy. With a theatrical sigh of remorse, DelRose turned back to Rue. “Why do you ask?”