Third Person

~

In a matter of minutes they're all seated around the sparsely used dining area. Kira had cut short the small talk in hopes of getting things over with as soon as possible but thanks to Kat foregoing her seat at Ares’ other side to be next to Xie Ren, Lucifer and Mammon have ended up next to her stepdad instead.

Mammon being the closest one to him.

She tries to calm her racing heart, remembering they've planned for most of this.

There’s been a strained silence since pleasantries at the door and she hopes to keep it up until they have to bring up the whole permission thing. She'll guide Ares towards that lane and all the Demons had to do was say “yes”.

It'll probably be more stilted small talk until then. Nothing deep, nothing to worry about. A smile tugs on her lips as she lifts the professionally made and delivered pasta noodles into her mouth.

Lucifer hums around his chops sticks carrying on his performance as he studies the room, looking anywhere but her way, “Kuro-kun’s stories really don't do this place justice, and the food is wonderful too.”

Ares' bright look goes even brighter if that's possible, “It's nothing special, I'm just glad to get the chance to meet you, he doesn't talk about you two much, it made me curious. What did you say you do again?”

Kira tries not to choke on her food, she turns to her stepdad to his eyes have taken on the analytical look he has when he's dealing with clients. The mood shifts.

Lucifer doesn't miss a beat but Kira can feel him tensing through their bond, not from fear of being discovered, just irritation. “I teach History online, private tutoring for kids who don't go to regular school or need extra lessons.”

“Sounds interesting.”

The Demon smirks ruefully, “It is, you'd be surprised how many mistakes are repeated over and over in humanity's desire for conquest and power.”

Kira turns to Mammon, ‘Shut him up.’

Mammon laughs sharply, “My wife gets a little philosophical after a few glasses, right honey?” He moves to put a hand around him.

“Don't patronize me,” Lucifer hisses lowly, subtly slapping the hand away.

“She's only had two though-ow!” Kuro perks up from Lucifer’s right side, stroking the fire. Judging by the affronted look he sends Troy’s way Kira can guess the blond had somehow shot a spell his way.

Troy continues eating, his expression a cool mask of indifference.

Ares gives the raven-haired boy a worried look which Kuro quickly dismisses with a thumbs up, “Bit my tongue.”

“Guess you'll have to keep quiet for the rest of the night,” Kira sighs solemnly.

“I'm fine.”

‘Shut up and eat your food, Kuro,’ her smile twitches slightly and he murmurs glumly before taking the hint.

He sticks his tongue out her way just before rapidly eating his food with a mildly annoyed look.

Kira's breath of relief is halted by Ares' next question.

“And you Mr. Hatake?”

Mammon flashes a charming smirk alongside a wink, “Wouldn't you like to know?”

“You sell courses for a living don't make it sound so glamorous,” Lucifer spots as naturally as the weather.

Mammon sputters, “I don't remember asking you to speak for me.”

“Not sorry.”

Kira ignores them in favour of watching Ares instead, relaxing once again once she sees he's more amused than suspicious now. His eyes are soft and she spots the sliver of a vulnerable opening she had been waiting for.

She nudges him, pouting just a little, “You promised you'd stop interrogating friends’ folks, y'know?”

He flinches, a nervous smile on his lips as he drops his voice to whisper, “I know, I know but I can't help myself sometimes.”

“This is about the trip, remember? I really want to have some fun with my friends there and you, dad.” She just a little bit of stress on the last word, willing away the guilt that floods her chest remembering she'll have to blow him off for at least the first two days.

Almost immediately she can feel the renewed ecstatic wave of energy radiating from him so much she'd have thought he had some Magic abilities of his own.

Seeing his reaction makes the boulder of guilt lift ever so slightly. Just the first day or two and she'll make sure they have the best vacation.

Ares coughs into his fist, trying to put up a cool front, “Well since you've brought it up,” he turns away from her to rest of the table, “Might as well get this over before we finish up then.”

“If you're talking about permission for the trip, Kuro already let us know beforehand,” Lucifer drawls, “You can take him.”

Ares’ raises an inquisitive brow, “Don’t you have plans together for the summer?”

“It's just two weeks,” Mammon waves blithely, “We've got all the time in the world when he comes back, right kid?”

Kuro perks up at being addressed in the motion of spooning a third, or maybe fourth, Kira had lost count, helping into his plate. She notes the expression that tells her she'll regret the next words that come out of his mouth, “They just want me out of the house so they can do freak-ow!”

“You're biting your tongue a lot tonight, maybe it's a sign,” Troy's remark is a disapproving tsk.

“And you Troy?” Ares asks before Kuro can start to argue, his eyes shifting between the blond and Xie Ren.

The older boy bows just slightly enough to show appreciation, his blue frosted tips swaying, “We’d be grateful if you could take him along.”

“Your uncle doesn't mind?”

“Not at all, Uncle even thinks our little Troy-kun is way too attached to home.” He drapes himself over Troy, about pinching his cheeks but the blond cringes away, holding Xie Ren’s face back at arms length.

“I don't want to hear that from the likes of a jobless bum like you.”

“Don’t be so mean about it! It's not my fault finding work is so hard here!” he sobs.

“Try harder…and get off me, disgusting.”

Successfully dissuaded from his interrogation, Kira watches Ares relax his guard for the rest of the night. The questions become less probing, more lighthearted and the Demons also seem to be getting way into their roles.

She excuses herself once she's done and exchanges knowing looks with both Troy and Kuro before heading towards her room.

Troy is first to meet her in the hallway, speaking in a plain whisper but she's very sure of his hiding just how amazed he is, “Can't believe your convoluted excuse for a plan is working.”

“‘Wow Kira, I never should’ve doubted you, you're so amazing! And cute, and smart!’ You're allowed to say it, you wouldn't be wrong you know?” She hops around him, trying and failing to get a reaction she should have known better than to experience.

“I'd rather eat glass.” He rolls his eyes, ignoring her angry glare for more important matters, “Now we know we'll get there, we should make a plan.”

“Plan for what? We just have to be bait don't we?” Kuro walks up to them, a plate of the little cheesecakes they'd had as dessert in one hand and a fork already holding one in another.

Laughter in the direction he'd come draws their attention, Mammon and Lucifer arguing to be first about something and Ares humoring them.

“What's going on back there?” Kira asks.

“Ares brought out a bottle of shōchū since “the kids aren't here anymore” I guess,” he answers while chewing.

“Focus,” Troy reminds them

Kira shrugs, and “Kuro’s right though, we just have to let Nightmare’s guys know we're there and let Inoue handle the rest right?”

Troy's blinks, moving between the two of them, he had no idea what he'd expected from two of them but he figures their nonchalance should've be expected.

The words to describe his new recurring vision rest on the tip of his tongue. For the first time in what feels like forever, he wants to tell them everything, see if they take it as lightly and casually as they usually do.

It's related to this trip somehow. It has to be, the feeling drives him to the edge of a feeling he can't quite grasp.

A fear familiar and foreign at the same time and it irks him they don't feel it too. He wants to break their unshakable confidence in things just playing out for them but the thought makes his head throb, a thin white haze filming over his eyes paired with a hard lump in his throat.

He can feel his heartbeat picking up speed, he can't speak, can't bring himself to say anything but he keeps his expression passive. He can't let them know just how shaken he his. Not them, not Xie Ren and definitely not his Master.

“Dad! I'm almost eighteen, remember?” Kat's pitched whine reaches their corner of the hallway and Kira is first to bolt off, intent on witnessing whatever had caused her older step siblings embarrassment. Troy doesn't miss her lingering gaze on him but as always she doesn't push, she never will unless she knows her peace is at risk.

He's realized that now.

Kuro is slower, observing him and gauging whether it's a hill worth dying on when everything is just so fun now.

“What?” He asks the younger boy Kira's footfalls fade.

“You looked like you wanted to say something,” the other chirps in reply, a fork pointed at him.

He stands straighter, schooling his features into distaste, “I shouldn't be surprised you're both planning to fool around.”

Kuro winks, “It's called a vacation for a reason.”