The smell of something burning filled the air.
Kaelan burst into the kitchen to find Inas waving his arms frantically at the stove. Smoke billowed from the pot, the contents bubbling over like a potion gone horribly wrong. Inas' usually calm demeanor was gone, his silver hair sticking up in wild directions from the heat and panic.
"What are you doing?" Kaelan asked, trying not to laugh at the sight.
"Cooking breakfast," Inas said, his emerald eyes wide with determination. "Or at least, I thought I was."
"That's not breakfast," Kaelan said, peering into the pot. "That's a crime against nature."
Just as he reached for the stove, Damien swooped into the kitchen, vampire speed in full effect. He glanced at the mess on the stove, then at Inas, and smirked.
"Really, elf? Trying to cook again? After what happened last time?" Damien asked, arms crossed, eyes glowing faintly red with amusement.
Inas glared at him. "I will master this human art of cooking if it kills me."
"It just might," Kaelan muttered under his breath, grabbing the pan and tossing it in the sink.
Before the situation could get more chaotic, Seraphina floated into the room, her golden hair practically glowing in the morning light. She took one look at the disaster and raised an eyebrow.
"Who thought it was a good idea to let Inas near the stove?" she asked, her tone gentle but unmistakably amused.
"He insisted," Kaelan replied with a shrug. "He's determined to figure out breakfast. It's like a personal mission at this point."
Inas huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's not my fault human cooking is so… imprecise."
Damien snorted. "Imprecise? You burned water last week."
Inas shot him a withering look. "That was an accident."
Ethan strolled in then, yawning and rubbing his eyes. He froze when he saw the smoke-filled kitchen, immediately backing up a step.
"Is it safe?" he asked, eyeing the stove like it might explode.
Kaelan shook his head, chuckling. "Not even close."
Ethan sighed, leaning against the doorway. "I swear, this place is a disaster every morning." He glanced over at Kaelan with a teasing smile. "And yet, you love it."
Kaelan returned the smile, feeling a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with the oven. "Yeah, I guess I do."
"Alright, enough flirting," Lucifer's deep voice boomed from the hallway as he entered, his dark presence immediately commanding attention. "What's for breakfast, or are we skipping straight to disaster today?"
Damien gestured at the smoke. "We've already arrived at disaster, thank you very much."
Lucifer gave a low chuckle, his fiery red eyes flashing with amusement. "I see Inas is still learning the ways of mortal cuisine."
Inas threw up his hands in frustration. "I'll get it right one of these days!"
Seraphina, ever the peacekeeper, floated to the fridge and began pulling out fresh ingredients. "Why don't I take over from here? Let's at least have one meal that doesn't end in flames."
"Good idea," Ethan said, sidling up to Kaelan, his deep blue eyes twinkling. "Maybe Seraphina can save us from whatever Inas was trying to summon from that pot."
Kaelan laughed, nudging him playfully. "I'm pretty sure it was breakfast, not a demon."
Lucifer raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't be so sure. Even I wouldn't touch that."
Inas, ever the graceful elf, sighed dramatically but relented, stepping aside to let Seraphina work her magic. As she began to prepare the meal, the group settled into their usual morning banter, the tension from the previous night's revelations slipping into the background, at least for the moment.
---
Later That Day: The Unlikely Alliance
The kitchen incident seemed like a distant memory by the afternoon. Kaelan, still thinking about Lucifer's warning from the night before, made his way to the training grounds behind the house. He needed to clear his head, and there was no better way than sparring.
When he reached the clearing, he found Ethan already there, practicing with his sword. The sight of him, all sharp edges and focus, sent a familiar rush through Kaelan's chest. Ethan moved with a grace that was almost unfair, his blade cutting through the air with precision.
Kaelan leaned against a nearby tree, watching for a moment before calling out. "You always practice alone?"
Ethan paused, turning with a small smile. "It's peaceful out here. But I wouldn't mind some company."
Kaelan grinned, stepping forward and drawing his own sword. "Let's see if you can keep up, then."
They began circling each other, the tension between them both playful and charged with something deeper. Their blades clashed, and for a while, there were no words—only the sound of steel on steel and the occasional grunt of effort.
As they sparred, Kaelan couldn't help but admire Ethan's skill. He was fast, calculated, his strikes precise. But Kaelan had strength on his side, his enhanced abilities giving him an edge that kept the match evenly balanced.
After several intense minutes, Kaelan finally disarmed Ethan, sending his sword clattering to the ground. Before Ethan could react, Kaelan pinned him against a nearby tree, his chest heaving from exertion.
For a moment, they just stood there, breathing hard, their eyes locked. The proximity was electrifying, and Kaelan could feel the heat radiating between them.
"Looks like I win," Kaelan said, his voice low and teasing.
Ethan's lips quirked up in a smirk. "I let you win."
Kaelan chuckled, stepping back to give him some space. "Sure you did."
Before the playful banter could go any further, a sharp voice interrupted them. "If you two are done flirting, we've got a situation."
Kaelan and Ethan turned to see Lucifer standing at the edge of the clearing, arms crossed, his expression serious.
"What is it?" Kaelan asked, immediately on alert.
Lucifer's fiery eyes narrowed. "Thorne and Zephyr are making their move. We've got a few hours before it all goes down, and we need to be ready."
Ethan grabbed his sword from the ground, his expression hardening. "What's the plan?"
Lucifer gave a slow, dangerous smile. "We hit them where it hurts."