The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the kitchen. For once, the house seemed peaceful, like it had been drained of its usual chaos. The air was calm, yet Kaelan could feel something brewing beneath the surface. After last night's conversation with Ethan, his mind was in a whirlwind.
He didn't have time to dwell on it, though, as a loud clatter broke the silence. Kaelan rushed to the living room, where he found Damien standing over a shattered vase, his crimson eyes locked in a furious glare.
"What the hell is going on?" Kaelan asked, folding his arms as he took in the mess.
"It's Lucifer's new friends," Damien growled, his voice low and dangerous. "They're snooping around. I don't like it."
Before Kaelan could respond, Thorne and Zephyr appeared at the bottom of the stairs, both looking entirely unbothered by the mess or Damien's anger. Zephyr twirled a lock of hair around her finger, her lips curling into a sly smile.
"We weren't snooping," she said innocently, though the gleam in her eyes said otherwise. "Just… getting to know the place."
Damien bared his fangs, but before things could escalate, Ethan stepped in between them, holding up a hand.
"Alright, everyone, let's just calm down," he said, his deep blue eyes flicking from Damien to Zephyr. "No need to start a fight this early in the morning."
Kaelan could see the tension in Ethan's posture, the way his shoulders were slightly tensed, ready for a fight if it came. It made something twist in Kaelan's chest—this protective side of Ethan always got to him, whether he wanted to admit it or not.
Thorne finally spoke up, his voice deep and steady. "We're not here to cause trouble. But we do have business with Lucifer. Private business."
Kaelan frowned. "What kind of business?"
Thorne's dark eyes flickered to Lucifer, who was lounging on the couch with a bored expression, clearly enjoying the drama.
"The kind you don't need to worry about," Lucifer said casually, waving a hand as if dismissing the whole thing. "Thorne and Zephyr are old friends. They're just here for a little chat."
Damien didn't look convinced, and neither did Kaelan. There was something about these two that didn't sit right with him, but Lucifer wasn't offering any answers.
---
Later That Day
After breakfast (mercifully uneventful), Kaelan found himself wandering through the house, unable to shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in his chest. His conversation with Ethan the previous night still echoed in his mind. There had been a shift between them, something neither of them could deny anymore.
He didn't know how to feel about it. It was one thing to have feelings for someone—it was another to confront them. Especially with everything else going on in the house. But, as Ethan had pointed out, maybe it was time to stop pretending.
"You're brooding again."
The voice startled him. Seraphina stood in the doorway, her golden wings shimmering faintly in the dim light. Her celestial blue eyes studied him, soft but knowing.
Kaelan sighed, running a hand through his jet-black hair. "I'm not brooding."
"Mmhmm," she said, stepping closer. "You've been lost in thought all morning."
He didn't deny it this time. Seraphina had a way of seeing right through him, much like Inas did. Maybe it was an angelic thing. Or maybe it was just that she knew him too well.
"It's Ethan, isn't it?" she asked, her voice gentle.
Kaelan didn't answer immediately. He didn't need to. Seraphina already knew.
"What's stopping you?" she asked, sitting down on the edge of the couch. "You care about him. He clearly cares about you. Why not take the next step?"
Kaelan sighed. "Because it's not that simple. I don't know how to be… with someone. Not like that."
Seraphina smiled softly. "No one really knows. But you don't have to have all the answers. You just have to be willing to try."
---
Midnight Intrigue
That night, Kaelan couldn't sleep. Again.
He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts—Ethan, Lucifer, Thorne and Zephyr. There were too many unanswered questions, too many secrets swirling around the house.
Finally, he gave up on trying to sleep and decided to clear his head. He slipped out of bed and quietly made his way down the hall, intending to head to the kitchen for some water. But as he passed Lucifer's room, he heard voices. Low, hushed voices that made his gut twist.
Curiosity got the better of him, and he edged closer to the door, listening intently.
"You know why we're here, Lucifer," Thorne's deep voice rumbled from inside the room. "This isn't just a social call."
There was a pause before Lucifer replied, his voice sharp and unamused. "You're wasting your time. I'm not getting involved in that mess again."
"You don't have a choice," Zephyr's voice chimed in, her usual playfulness replaced by something darker. "You owe us, Lucifer. Don't forget that."
Kaelan's heart raced as he pressed closer to the door. What the hell were they talking about?
"I don't owe anyone," Lucifer snapped, his voice venomous. "I paid my debts a long time ago."
"Not this one," Thorne said. "And you know it."
Kaelan's breath caught in his throat. He needed to know more, but before he could hear anything else, the floor creaked beneath him. His heart skipped a beat as the voices inside the room stopped abruptly.
"Who's there?" Lucifer's voice was sharp, like a knife cutting through the silence.
Kaelan cursed under his breath and quickly backed away from the door, slipping into the shadows as the door creaked open. He held his breath, praying they wouldn't see him.
Lucifer stepped out into the hallway, his fiery red eyes scanning the darkness. For a moment, Kaelan thought he was caught, but then Lucifer shrugged and went back inside, closing the door behind him.
Kaelan exhaled slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. He needed to tell the others. Whatever Thorne and Zephyr were really here for, it wasn't good. And if Lucifer was involved… things were about to get a lot more complicated.
---
Next Morning: Tension Mounts
At breakfast the next day, the tension in the house was palpable. Everyone could feel it—something was off, and it wasn't just Lucifer's mood.
Kaelan caught Ethan's eye from across the table, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade. It was just them, locked in a silent understanding. Whatever was coming, they would face it together.
And maybe—just maybe—it was time to stop running from what they felt for each other.