The day had passed in a whirlwind of breakfast disasters, banter-filled training sessions, and Lucifer's cryptic warnings. Now, as the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting the sky in shades of fiery orange and deep purple, a rare moment of calm settled over the house.
Kaelan stood in the quiet backyard, watching the sun sink beneath the trees. His piercing blue eyes reflected the fading light, his mind not on the sunset but on the tension that had built up throughout the day. Thorne and Zephyr's looming threat hung over them like a storm cloud, and despite the levity in the house, everyone knew it wouldn't be long before things got serious.
Footsteps crunched softly on the grass behind him.
"You alright?" Ethan's voice was gentle, more concerned than usual. He stopped beside Kaelan, crossing his arms as they both looked out at the horizon.
Kaelan shrugged, not looking at him but feeling the weight of Ethan's presence. "Just thinking. We've got a fight coming, and I'm not sure we're ready."
Ethan chuckled, though there wasn't much humor in it. "Since when have we ever been ready for anything? We'll handle it. We always do."
Kaelan glanced at him, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You always know what to say, don't you?"
Ethan smirked, his deep blue eyes glinting in the fading light. "Part of my charm."
Before Kaelan could respond, there was a loud crash from inside the house, followed by a string of curses that could only belong to one person.
"Damien," Kaelan and Ethan said at the same time.
---
Inside the House: More Trouble
Back inside, the chaos was in full swing. Damien stood in the middle of the living room, glaring at what remained of a shattered vase. His crimson red eyes glowed with frustration, and his usual cool demeanor was replaced with a scowl.
"Seriously? How many times are we going to break something in this house?" Damien muttered, running a hand through his jet-black hair.
Inas, who had been sitting peacefully on the couch, raised an eyebrow at the vampire's outburst. "You're the one who knocked it over. Maybe try not speeding through the house like a bat out of hell."
Damien shot him a glare. "I wouldn't have knocked it over if someone hadn't left it in the middle of the damn hallway."
"It wasn't in the middle," Inas countered, his voice calm but laced with amusement. "You just weren't paying attention."
Lucifer entered the room then, his tall frame casting a shadow over the already tense scene. His fiery red eyes swept over the mess before settling on Damien with a bemused expression.
"Another one?" Lucifer asked, sounding more amused than angry. "That's the third vase this week."
Damien grumbled something under his breath before crossing his arms. "We're not all graceful like your highness."
Lucifer smirked. "Clearly."
Before the argument could escalate, Seraphina appeared from the hallway, her golden blonde hair flowing behind her like rays of sunlight. She took one look at the broken vase and sighed, though her celestial blue eyes held more amusement than annoyance.
"I'll clean it up," she said softly, already moving to gather the shards.
"I can help," Damien offered, suddenly sheepish.
Seraphina waved him off with a gentle smile. "Don't worry about it. You've got more important things to focus on."
Damien didn't argue, but his eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than usual. Kaelan noticed, raising an eyebrow at the unspoken tension between the vampire and angel. It was an odd pairing, but then again, nothing about their group was exactly typical.
---
Night Falls: A Moment of Peace
As the chaos of the living room died down, the group found themselves spread out across the house, each preparing in their own way for the coming battle.
Inas was in the study, his silver hair falling around his face as he pored over ancient texts, searching for any useful knowledge about Thorne and Zephyr's plans. Seraphina was in the garden, her hands glowing with soft light as she tended to the flowers, finding solace in the peaceful act. Damien, for once, wasn't brooding but was actually attempting to help Lucifer sharpen weapons in the armory, though they exchanged more snark than strategy.
And Kaelan? He found himself in his room, leaning against the window frame, his mind still racing despite the quiet of the night.
There was a knock at the door, and Ethan poked his head in.
"Can I come in?"
Kaelan nodded, stepping back as Ethan entered the room. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Ethan crossed the room and sat on the edge of Kaelan's bed, his expression unusually serious.
"You're worried," Ethan said, not a question but a statement.
Kaelan sighed, running a hand through his jet-black hair. "Yeah. I guess I am."
Ethan looked at him, his blue eyes softening. "You don't have to carry all of this on your own, you know. We're a team. And yeah, maybe we're a chaotic, dysfunctional team, but we'll figure it out. We always do."
Kaelan couldn't help but smile at that. "Since when did you become the optimistic one?"
Ethan chuckled, shrugging. "I've had my moments."
They stood there in comfortable silence for a few moments, the weight of their situation pressing down but somehow lessened by the quiet understanding between them.
"Whatever happens tomorrow," Kaelan said softly, "I'm glad I've got you by my side."
Ethan's smile widened, his blue eyes glinting in the dim light. "Always, Kaelan. Always."
---
The Calm Before the Storm
The night passed quietly, the house unusually still as everyone braced for the confrontation ahead. Thorne and Zephyr were coming, and none of them knew exactly what to expect. But for now, in this rare moment of peace, they had each other.
And sometimes, that was enough.