It was the middle of the night, storming. Three tiny slender figures stumbled up to a large garage door, getting out of the rain and wind. Two figures were holding up one in the middle, who moaned softly, shifting, enough to raise a bruised hand to pound on the garage door. "Let me do the talking..." The figure hissed.
 
"Ye know, yer gonna fuckin' talk like that, ye might as well leave!" Eire snapped at Graves as they argued. "I'm sure we can give Kay yer excuses fer quittin'!" He added. The only three people in the building tonight were him, Graves and Nate and it had been Nate and Eire against him all night.
 
Graves snorted, bending down to stare the shorter man in the eye. "I'll talk however the fuck I want, fur ball!” he answered, stabbing him in the chest with a finger. "And I'll fucking well leave when I want!"
 
Nate rolled his eyes and reached between the two, knocking Graves arm away. "Oh bloody fucking grow up, already! Fer fuck's sake, Graves... whether ye like it or not, this is a TEAM... either yer on it an' actin' like it, or yer not... Just fuckin' decide which it is!" he growled then suddenly realized neither man was even listening to him; both Graves and Eire had glanced at the door. "What? bloody fuckin' big eared freaks...” Nate muttered as he left the two and headed for the door; he was part fae himself and so his hearing was better then most norms.. but for some reason both the other two half fae's still managed to have better hearing then he did.
 
Another loud peal of the thunder, and Lexine gave a squeak, jumping and loosing his hold on Saffron, who stumbled back from the door with a soft yelp. Larkin was unable to grab a hold of him, even as the door was being yanked open. Saffron tumbled back wards, into the wet street on his rear, with a soft cry of pain. He'd let the guards beat the shit out of him, to make it more believable, and so they wouldn't touch Lexine and Larkin like Right had threatened.
 
Nate stood for a moment in surprise at the three; his eyes going from the one still standing on the stoop, to the one huddled beside the door in fear, to the one on the ground, obviously wounded. "Aw shite." he muttered. "LADS!” he hollered over his shoulder as he stepped aside to clear the door way. "Go on in outta th' rain, lass... both of ye... “he said as he picked his way through the puddle to help the third. Graves was still standing in the same place, his arms crossed, not trusting the odd pull he felt towards the door just then.
 
Lexine whimpered, staying huddled next to the door, Larkin hesitated, watching Lexine, though he glanced inside; he hated this whole scheme, but they didn't have a choice, Saffron had pointed that out. "Go inside!" Saffron said from the puddle that he was half lying in. Lark sighed deeply, before moving enough to take Lexine's arm and pull him inside out of the rain.
 
Nate realized about the time that the one on the ground spoke that he had forgotten to release the spells on the door and hoped security had heard him tell them to enter... He glanced back at the door as he bent to help the young woman up and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the other two slip in side. Either Eire had security shut it down or they'd heard him. "Come on, lass... let’s get ye inside an' take a look at ye... see if’n we need t' call a doc fer ye..." he said softly.
 
Saffron managed to climb to his feet, not looking at Nate. All three were dressed as feminine as possible, with out giving anything away. Lexine was clinging to Larkin whimpering, Larkin was looking around the inside. Saffron glanced about the storming street, before stumbling inside. The moment he was, Lexine transferred to cling to Saffron and Larkin sighed.
 
Nate shut the door as soon as the three were inside. He looked up to see Graves still standing where he'd left him looking as grim as ever; his arms crossed stubbornly over his chest, his gaze fixed on the three newcomers. Eire was standing not far from the door also staring at the three girls. "Oh fer fuck's sake! Thanks fer th' help, lads! Would ye at least go fetch some towels or somethin' fer th' ladies?” Nate growled.
 
Eire blinked, looking from the three to Nate, and then snorted softly, before turning and shouldering past Graves to get some blankets. Lexine and Larkin were both clinging to Saffron, who didn't really look any less afraid. While all three were identical, there were obvious ways to tell them apart, Lexine had inverted teardrops under the absinthe eyes, and Larkin's hair was shorter. Of course, Saffron's hair was raven black and his eyes were much darker then Lexine and Larkin's.
 
Graves never took his eyes off the three. The pull he'd felt was stronger and coming from the raven-haired one. Still not liking it, he started towards them, ignoring the odd look Nate was shooting him. He came to a stop just a foot away and stared down at them. "Who the fuck are you?" he asked, his voice oddly soft.
 
Nate raised an eyebrow at him. "How about we get them sittin' down an' see t' their injuries before ye start interrogatin' them? Why don't ye make yer self useful an' have security do a sweep an' see if'n they cannae find who was responsible fer this?"
 
Saffron had looked up at the man. For a moment, he had not been able to speak, until Nate's words got to him. He shook his head, managing to free a hand to push the wet hair out of his face. "You won’t find who's responsible; we've been running for an hour...I don't think they followed..." Saffron answered softly. "You have a right to interrogate us...we did show up out of no where...but...but we need...some where safe..." Saffron managed to say, swallowing back feeling sick for lying,. Lexine was still whimpering, and Larkin looked at him sadly.
 
Graves snorted softly after a minute then seemed to notice that she was hurt. He reached out and plucked hold of the nearest red head and moved her aside, then did the same wityh the other. "Get out of the way... go cling to them... they're strong enough to hold you both up...,” he growled softly, jerking a thumb in Nate and Eire's direction before sweeping the dark haired one into his arms.
 
Nate snapped his mouth shut in shock at the sight then caught hold of a panicking redhead. "Hey now... take it easy lass... yer safe here. He won't hurt her...,” he said as Graves headed for the elevator.
 
~~

Lexine gave a cry, finding himself in Nate's arms, and had started to struggle out, but froze, not sure what to do. "its okay, Lexi..." Larkin said from his place. Eire had emerged, with blankets, and Larkin jumped as Eire place one around his shoulders, and didn't fail to see Eire's nose twitch, a sparkle in the deep blue eyes.
 
Saffron's eyes were wide in shock at Graves’s sudden move. "Um...y-y-you don't have t'...do this." Saffron muttered.
 
"Yeah yeah." Graves muttered as he stepped into the elevator cage and waited for the others. "Shut up." he said then glanced down at her. "You got a name or should I just call you babe?" he asked.
 
Nate snatched one of the blankets from Eire and wrapped it around the red head. "Lexi? Tha's a damn pretty name, lass... I'm Nate... yer safe now, Lexi... let's go get ye dry an' warm, alright?" he spoke softly, aware of how jumpy and skittish she was. He eased his arm gently around her shoulders, trying not to frighten her again as he steered her towards the elevator.
 
Saffron blinked again, looking up at Matt, he hadn't accounted for any of this. "S-saffron...my name is Saffron." He answered softly. Larkin was staring at Eire, who had a wicked little smirk on his lips, but slipped an arm around Larkin's shoulders, escorting him over to the elevator.
 
"Saffron..." Lexi whimpered.
 
"Lexine, it's alright..." Saffron answered, looking over at the youngest of the three of them. "That's Larkin and Lexine, Lexine is the one with the tattoos...." Saffron said.
 
"I'm Nate... th' silver haired fella is Eire an' th' blue haired bastard there is Graves." he said with a smirk as they all stepped into the elevator and he slid the gate shut. Eire hit the button and the old elevator started to rise. "what on earth happened t' ye?" he asked.
 
"Better question would be what the fuck are you three doing out here in the middle of the night?" Graves asked.
 
"Running..." Larkin answered in a new whisper, Eire was leaning in close and Larkin gave Saffron a frightened look, but Saffron held Larkin's gaze and shook his head ever so slightly.
 
"Larkin's right, running...we've...we've been slaves...all our lives...and... we got free...a...a friend told us to come to Chaos Incorporated, for protection..." Saffron said, he didn't feel quiet so sore suddenly, while Graves was holding him.
 
"Well... yer friend was right t' send ye here...” Nate said softly, rubbing Lexine's shoulder lightly through the blanket. "We'll keep y' girls safe. Don' worry.”

Graves looked over at him with one eyebrow quirked then snorted softly. "Fucking cowboy...,” he muttered softly as he looked out over the floor as the cage came to a stop. He was doing his best to ignore the odd chilling tingle that seemed to be flowing off of the girl in his arms... not too mention how light and frail she seemed.
 
"We...we didn't have any where else to go..." Larkin muttered, looking at the floor.
 
"Yer safe 'ere..." Eire said an arm still around Larkin's shoulders. He was rather amused; these were posing at girls, when in reality they were extremely feminine boys. "Elementals?" Eire asked.
 
Larkin blushed deeply. "Lexi and I are fire elementals...Saffron is the death Elemental..."
 
Graves raised an eyebrow as he heard that, stepping off the elevator. He looked down at Saffron with a smirk his eyes sparkling. "Death Elemental, huh?" he asked then chuckled softly. "Damn... that’s cool." he added softly, still smirking as he stopped and looked around the lobby. "Yo witch boy.. where to?" he called over his shoulder. The chairs in the lobby probably weren't the most comfortable, but aside from the private apartments in the back they were all they really had. Aside from the guestrooms, of course, but there was only one of them left free and it would be a squeeze for all three….
 
"Last guest room." Eire said, leading the way, "They can stay there." He added, leading the way down the hall. He opened the door to the empty guest room, escorting Larkin inside. Saffron was struggling to figure out what to say, how to make this lie work...
 
Graves stopped in the hall, Saffron held in his arms as he waited. "Gonna be a tight squeeze for all three." he said simply. "Plus this one's hurt..." he added. “ Yo witch boy... you think you can heal her?”
 
Nate glared at him as he led Lex into the room. "Shut it, Graves. Put th' lass down so I can take a look an' see."
 
"It's not a tight squeeze...we're never apart...if we can help it." Saffron said softly. "Please...put me down..." He added softly. Lexine was still looking terribly frightened, like a child, Larkin wasn't far behind. Saffron was just managing to bit back his fear.
 
"Nah. Don’t want to." Graves said simply. "Don't have to either... the cowboy just doesn't like me holding you ... " he added with a slightly smirk, holding Saffron a bit tighter.
 
Nate shot a glare at him. "Graves, ye ass... th' Lass asked ye t' put her down." he growled softly then noticed Lex's trembling. "Ah shite..." he said softly as he realized just how bad off she was. “ Sweetheart... it's alright... no one's goin' t' hurt ye here..." he said softly, slipping his arm a bit tighter around her. "Yer safe. I've got ye... Yer all safe...”
 
Graves eyed him with a snort then glanced at Eire and Lark. He snorted again and leaned against the door jam, cradling Saffron a bit higher as he did so, his face turning slightly to breath in the scent of her, as he watched the others, enjoying the chill of death flowing between them too much to let it end.
 
Saffron found he didn't WANT Graves to put him down, but..."Lexine is terrified...she...she doesn't do well around men...we've...we've always been used by them." Saffron said softly. Larkin wanted to move away from Eire, but there wasn't anywhere to move to, but he had a feeling, Eire knew they were lying about being girls...not that it was a total lie, they were meant to be girls...
 
Nate looked up at that. "Lards... ye poor thing...,” he said softly, knowing he should back off and let her be, but still unable to do so. Instead, he tenderly wrapped his arms around her and tipped her chin up to look at him. "Lexine... I know yer scared sweetheart... but ye don't need t' be... I won't hurt ye, darlin'... none of us will. An' I'll beat th' livin' shite outta any man tha' dares touch ye tha' way again." he said softly.
 
Graves snorted again. "The cowboy turns into a fuckin' white knight...,” he muttered softly, his eyes sparkling. Even as he made fun of Nate for saying it, he found himself thinking the same thing about Saffron. She'd said they'd all been slaves and used...
 
Lexine looked up at Nate fearfully. "I...I don't...know...if I can trust you..." He whimpered.
 
Eire finally let go of Larkin, aware of his fear, but it amused, but made him even more suspicious. "Who are ye runnin' from?" Eire asked.
 
"LiVed and Major Right." Saffron answered from Graves' arms.
 
A sudden hostile growl came from Eire and Larkin and Lexine both whimpered, cowering away. Eire stalked over to Graves and Saffron, grabbed a hold of Saffron's arm, and pulled Saffron from Graves' arms, around into the light, making him stumble.
 
Saffron stared up at Eire fearfully, knowing Eire would remember Saffron seducing him so long ago...and all the other trouble. "I was tryin' t' hope it wasn't ye, I see I'm wrong." Eire snarled. "We should put ye int' down in the cell, ye lyin' little tramp!"
 
Graves’s fist shot out and slammed Eire across the face as his other arm caught hold of Saffron, pulling him tight against him. "Don't." He growled at Eire, his eyes dark. "She's mine." he added, not sure why, but knowing it felt right as he said it. "Touch her again and I’ll fucking kill you... got it hairball?"
 
Nate looked between the two of them in shock at the sudden change. "Wha' th' fuck...?
 
The sudden frightening and chilling smirk from Eire made Saffron shudder. "Sure Graves, wha' e'er ye say." He said simply, though his gaze went to Saffron, holding his eyes a moment until Saffron lowered his gaze submissively. "She lyin though, about being a slave. She was a willin' assassin t' LiVed. She seduced me t' kill me. Be careful what yer t' take t' your bed, tonight. she may put a knife in yer back." Eire said, having fun saying ‘she’.
 
"I was a slave! You don't know what it was like, being abused by Right every god-forsaken day! Or you should!" Saffron cried softly, the emotions suddenly choking him. Larkin and Lexine had retreated to a corner, cowering.
 
Graves turned Saffron around to face him, holding her closer. His eyes stayed on Eire. "Don't pretend you give a fuck, Eire." he said simply. "But don’t worry about me...” he added sarcastically. “A knife in the back may do you and the witch boy in... but it'll take a bit more than that to take me down. "
 
Nate looked between the two of them then at the two huddled in the corner. He stalked between the two men and glared at both of them. "Fer fucks sake! Yer scarin' th' piss outta them! “he hissed then turned his back on Graves and looked straight at Eire. “E’... mate... think about it fer a minute... past aside... ye saw th' lass beat t' shite... ye can see th' three of em... look how fuckin' scared they are? They came here fer help... are ye goin' t' help... or are ye goin' t' add t' th' problem?"
 
"Don't say I didn't warn ye." Eire replied simply, before shouldering past Graves, heading out of the room.
 
Saffron watched him go, wide eyed. He was silent for a long moment, before saying softly. "He isn't lying...I did...seduce him...to kill him...because LiVed wanted me to..." He said softly, before attempting to go to Lexine and Larkin. Lexine was hiding more behind Larkin, though Larkin was looking terrified at the exchange.
 
Graves looked down at her then tipped her chin up towards him. "Never said he was lying... just doesn't matter. I can feel the death pull coming off you... you don't scare me little assassin." he said with a soft smirk. "Fuck... “he said softly surprising him self by stroking her cheek lightly and leaning down to whisper in her ear. “ If a knife in the back is your price... I'll pay it." he said with a smirk and kissed her cheek softly before letting her go.
 
Nate looked at Saffron coolly then back at the two terrified red heads. with a sigh, he looked to Graves. "Keep an eye on 'em.. see how bad th' dark one is hurt..." he muttered then shouldered past him after Eire.
 
Saffron inhaled sharply at Graves' words, a shiver running through him. No, he hadn't counted on any of this at all, especially finding himself attracted to a man that reminded him so much Landan; who'd abandoned him. "A knife in the back may not be my only price..." He managed to counter, before he slipped away from Graves, going to Lexine and Larkin, and doing his best to comfort them, and himself.

~~

Graves watched Nate vanish after the half shade, then stepped inside the room and shut the door behind him. He leaned back against it, watching the three of them. He let his eyes travel over Saffron slowly, noting how easily she moved, frowning slightly after a moment he stepped around the bed and approached the three of them, ignoring the way the two red heads shrank away form him. He reached out and caught hold of Saffron’s shoulder, turning her to face him. "You were hurt... you could barely move with out wincing... and now you're not..." he said softly, letting the question lay unspoken.
 
Saffron blinked, looking up at him wide eyed. "I...I know...I was...beaten...to save...my...my sisters..."
 
"They raped her!" Lexine squeaked, which was the truth.
 
Saffron winced. and glanced at the youngest redhead, before looking back at Graves. "I...I...when you picked me up...I didn't feel so...sore..." He admitted.
 
Graves’s eyes flashed at Lexine's comment. He slipped his hand up to cradle Saffron's face in his hand. "They beat you and raped you ... and you let them to protect these two?" he asked softly. "You could've killed them easily... I can feel it...,” he said, his voice low as he looked into her eyes. "but you didn't... “he smirked darkly. “My little assassin..." he said straightened up and looked at the two red heads. "They mean so much to you that you'd let yourself... you'd suffer for them... No more... If they mean that much to you ... then we'll just have to keep them safe for you." he said simply.
 
"They're the only family I've got...we're triplets...I'm the oldest...it’s my responsibility...We were all used by men, all our lives..." Saffron replied, but pulled back from Graves' touch. It was too much.
 
"Saffron's daughter of the seal!" Lexine squeaked out. "I'm Princess to the Life Stone, and Larkin's the bridge between the two..." Larkin slapped a hand over Lexine's mouth, Lexine whimpered and Saffron gave them a soft smile, shaking his head.
 
Graves reached out and caught hold of Larkin hand, pulling it away. "Hey ... let little red talk if she wants to." he said simply. "Look... this is fucked... “he said, turning back to Saffron. “ I can't explain it... but you... you're mine. No one is fuckin' touching you again." he said then sighed. "And if these two mean enough that you'd do that for them... then I guess I'll look after them for you." he added softly, blushing slightly. "Finish drying off ..." he said then went back to the door to resume his place leaning on it.
 
Saffron stared at him as he went back to the door, "You know nothing about me...or us...I don't know how I could be yours..." Larkin leaned in, whispering in Saffron’s ear very softly. Larkin was right; it would complicate everything. Saffron took a breath, and hoped to change the subject. "Would it be possible, to have something to change into?"
 
Graves snorted softly and looked the three of them over. “You're too tiny...the best I could do would be to steal a few t-shirts for you ... Don't know if I have enough... I'll check though. “he stood away from the door and looked at Saffron. “And it doesn't matter... told you... doesn't make sense... but you're mine." he said as he pulled the door open behind him. "The three of you stay put. I'll be right back." he said, shutting the door behind him as he slipped across the hall to his room and routed through his duffle bag. Two t-shirts and a long sleeve black button up... that he didn't even remember packing... oh wait... yes he did... Sylvie bitched at him to bring something 'decent'... then they all took off anyhow. He snorted softly and bundled the shirts together before heading back out.
 
"Saffron, what do we do?!" Lexine squeaked as quietly as possible. "If we don't do what they said...they'll...they'll...hurt us more...They'll hurt you more..."
 
"Well at least they won’t kill us...." Larkin said grimly.
 
Saffron snorted softly, shaking his head, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'll figure something out. In the mean time, don't worry about it..."
 
"How can I not worry about it?! You heard what Right said...he said he'd...he'd...make sure you suffered the greatest...." Lexine squeaked again.
 
"Hush, Lexi!"
 
Graves paused outside the door, listening to the hushed whispers inside. As the voices stopped, he opened the door and walked back in, shutting the door behind him. He tossed the t-shirts to Larkin and Lexine, and the longer shirt to Saffron, and then leaned back against the door again. "Best I can do. When the witch boy gets back you can ask him... he's short enough he might have some pants and shit for you...,” he said his eyes going to Saffron. "And don’t worry about figuring anything out. I told you... no one is touching you again. So stop worrying about the bastards that hurt you." he said, making no move to leave.
 
Saffron was aware of Lexine and Larkin's panicked looks, but he found himself staring at Graves. "Worrying is what I do, especially over my sisters." He replied softly, fingering the shirt.
 
"Saffron..." Lexine whimpered softly, grabbing his arm.
 
"It's alright, Lexi..." Saffron knew what Lexine wanted to say. However, they couldn't tell them the real reason they were here.
 
"Angel... why are you always cutting little red off? Damn but you’re a bossy little thing aren't you..?" he asked as he walked over to her, stopping in front of her to look down at her. He reached out to brush his fingers over her cheek again, trying to get a handle on what she made him feel. "go on and get dried off and change. Or we'll have to see if this healing thing we got here works on colds too..."
 
Saffron snorted softly. "Bossy, no... slave." He replied, with a slightly cold tone. "Though if you want us to change...it might be wise for you to step outside...my sisters aren’t going to move as long as you're standing here." He added, pulling back from Matt's touch again, not about to get his heart broken after Landan betrayed him.
 
Matt snorted and leaned back against the door a bit more comfortably and crossed his arms over his chest. "Tough... I leave the room and you three get all conspiracy theory on me... and I've been warned about turning my back on you..." he made a show of looking him up and down. "Although... I don’t see a knife..." he snorted and smirked. "Turn around... I'll try not to enjoy myself too much...”
 
Saffron crossed his arms over his chest, and glared at him. Lexine was hiding behind Saffron, and Larkin had raised an eyebrow. "You could afford us the courtesy of stepping outside, instead of being an ass." He said.
 
Graves smirked a bit more and gave a slight shrug. "Could... but I AM an ass... ask anyone. And besides... you said you three were slaves... so I seriously doubt you haven't done this before... you don't want me to see then goods...  you turn around." he said, his eyes sparkling. Part of him actually considered being nice and leaving... or at least turning around...
 
Saffron glared even more, but nodded to Larkin and Lexine. Lexine had it easier, since he was still hiding behind Saffron and took that chance, to use Saffron and Larkin to change. "Yus, I said we were slaves, but we still have our dignity." He fired back at Matt. Once Lexine had changed, Larkin traded places with him.
 
Matt sighed, and gave Saffron a look, ignoring the twins. "Look... the wolfen out there called you an assassin... and while I personally think the guys a dick, he's not that good a liar. And while I'm not afraid of any shit you might pull on me... I'm not gonna put my ass on the line for you either. Like I said... I trusted you to go across the hall... and you guys sounded like you were up to something. You want me to turn my back, it'll cost you."
 
"Cost what?" Saffron asked, raising an eyebrow. Lexine had slipped onto the bed, huddling in the corner. Larkin finished changing, and touched Saffron's shoulder a moment, before slipping onto the bed with Lexine, leaving Saffron standing there alone. "And as for being an assassin, I'm a death elemental, it's what I do. But we came here for help. Do you really think I'm going to go around killing everyone when we need protection? Give us a break. We've only been away from our masters for less then a day."
 
Graves moved away form the door and went over to Saffron. "Look babe. I don't fully buy your escape story... Oh, I have no fucking doubt you had the shit kicked out of you to protect those two or that you want help... You could barely walk... if these guys who are after you are such tough shit that they've kept you as slaves... how the fuck could you get away from them when you were that bad a shape .I don't buy it... you're not telling me everything." he said softly. "But that's fine...  you can lie to me all you want; it just means... I’m gonna be an ass." he said with a smirk and stole a kiss before Saffron could react. His lips burned from the brief contact, and his eyes sparkled like mad as he walked slowly back to the door and leaned against the wall.

~ ~

Eire headed down the hall, the smirk still in place, and humming to himself and made for the staff kitchen, though he could use something stronger to drink then coffee. He'd never thought he'd see the little death elemental again, and had to admit, being a girl suited him...
 
Nate followed Eire, expecting the man to blow up or start slamming things. He stood on the doorway and watched curiously, as he made a cup of coffee, humming to himself. "Eire? Wha' th' fuck has gotten int' ye? I've seen ye react t' hearin' LiVed or Right names before.. an' ye've never walked away hummin' before..."
 
"It's a lovely little con they're playin'." Eire answered, taking a flask from his back pocket and pouring a good measure into the coffee. "Oh, I don't doubt they need safety from LiVed and Right...but there's something more goin' on an' I know that sweet little fem fatal." He said, glancing up at Nate.
 
Nate snorted softly. "E'... whatever ye know, ye need t' share. Are them bein' here goin' t' cause trouble fer th' others when them come back?" he asked.
 
Eire sipped on his liquor laced coffee quietly a moment, considering Nate's question. He could easily tell his brother that the three were in fact boys posing as girls, but for some reason, he wanted to hold back on that information. Instead, he said, "O' course...ye think LiVed's gonna give 'em up so soon. An' we got two' days t' hold down the fort."
 
Nate eyed him, knowing there was something he was keeping from him. "Fine then... I'm gonna go check on th' girls... “he said, already distracted by the thought of Lexine. “ There's somethin' about Lexi... can ye feel it, E'? somethin' about her... like she needs me"
 
Eire eyed his twin a long moment, and sighed softly, there was no way he could keep this from Nate for very long. "Aye, I suppose SHE might...except...those three are boys...VERY feminine boys." Eire said softly, taking another drink.
 
Nate glanced back over his shoulder at Eire at hearing that. "Huh?" He asked then fully clued in on what he'd said. "Boys?" he gave a soft smirk. "hmm... well... he needs me... doesnae matter either way... “he said then offered his brother a sheepish smirk. “ If’n he’s a boy then.. I might be turnin' int' Mikey... Best be careful, E'.. ye could be next..."
 
Eire snorted softly. "Aye, probably. An' they do need us..." He sighed. "Right's no doubt got them 'ere t' try somethin'...guess we'll jus' 'ave t' try an' turn that around t' our advantage."

"Aye... so we alert th' wraiths an' keep a close eye on th' g... boys. Three of us, three o' them...Even split." Nate said. "Maybe we should do tha' actually... split. Each of us take one of them an' get th' fuck outta here... make it harder fer th' bastards to pull whatever it is they're up to..."
 
Eire snorted. "Prob'bly take the jaws o' life t' separate the three...an' besides, Right ain't stupid 'nough t' openly attack this place...not when he knows I want 'is blood." Eire said, though his thoughts were on Larkin.
 
Nate snorted softly. "Aye... so we stick it out here... Let th' wraiths know... I’m heading back t' Lexi...." he said simply, already on his way to the door.
 
Eire snorted softly again, watching him go as he sipped his coffee, then sighed, before finishing it off and following Nate, his curiosity over Larkin dragging him back to the room.
 
Nate paused half way to the room and shook his head, smirking at himself. "A boy... damn  ..." he said then started walking again. "Bad enough I'm fallin' at first sight... but fer a boy... Dunc'll laugh his arse off..." he said softly.
 
Eire snorted, following. "Yeah, you get to tell Graves..." He said, the smirk threatening again, as they headed back down the hall toward the guest room. He should go down and talk to security about this, but he found himself thinking about Larkin again.
 
Nate started to laugh softly at that. "Oh... fuck... tha's goin' t' be fun! Did ye SEE th' way he was with tha' one?! Lards... never seen th' man tha' way before...Maybe we should nab a camera an' record th' moment fer prosperity..."
 
"Yeah, I saw, should make tellin' him the truth even more fun...maybe we should wait t' tell him." Eire said, eyes sparkling. "Oh, Kay's gonna love this too, when she gets back...takin' in three strays..." He shook his head.
 
Nate laughed softly. "Alrigh'... so... lets NOT tell th' bugger. Bastard deserves it anyhow...” he added in mutter.

~~

Eire paused out side the door, listening a moment, he could hear Lexine still whimpering, and Saffron talking. He snorted softly at Saffron's words, "Only iffin yer tryin' t' kill me, pet..." He muttered softly, shaking his head. "Get in there before Graves scares the shit outta o' em, I'm gonna go down to security." Eire said, patting Nate on the back.
 
Nate snorted softly as he reached the door, and then heard the muffled whimpers from inside even over the sound of Graves speaking softly. He scowled softly, wondering what the man was saying and whether or not it was the cause of the whimpering...
 
Saffron hadn't moved when Graves had kissed him. For a moment, he could only stare at him, one fist clenching. Larkin scrambled across the bed, grabbing Saffron's arm. Lexine had cringed with a soft cry, scooting back against the headboard. "I don't give a damn what you think, I know what I've done and endured to keep them safe and so do they." Saffron hissed. "Get out." He added. He wasn't going to take this again, not after the way Landan had treated him.
 
Matt raised one eyebrow and snorted softly, his arms crossing back over his chest. "No." he said simply. "Get changed. You don’t want me to watch, get those two to hold up a blanket or something. I'm not fucking leaving, babe." he answered lightly, aware of someone on the other side of the door. "Stay out for minute... the girls are changing...” he called out, his eyes still sparkling.
 
Nate raised an eyebrow at Graves' shout and cursed lightly as he opened the door and took in the scene. "Graves, ye smarmy ass... what th' bloody fuck are ye doin'?"
 
Graves just smirked, not taking his eyes off Saffron. "Guarding them... dangerous assassin and all...,” he said, obviously trying not to laugh.
 
Saffron snarled, his eyes going black. Larkin tugged harder on Saffron's hand. Saffron glanced at him, Larkin shuddered at seeing Saffron's eyes completely black. Knowing the guy wasn't going to leave them alone a moment, Saffron did the only thing he could think of to change. He summoned up his shadows, letting them build high enough to disappear behind a dense dark wall. Larkin had let go of his hand, sitting back, he and Lexine stared at Graves and Nate, Lexine hiding slightly behind Larkin, who glared at Graves.
 
Nate looked at the wall of black then at the two red heads with a soft growl, he smacked Graves on the chest. "Ye stupid ass." he said. "When ye get yers... I'm gonna be too busy laughin' m' arse off t' bother even thinkin' of helpin' ye." he said as he headed towards where Lexine was huddled. "Hey there, Lexi...” he said softly as he squatted beside the bed. “ Don’t let Graves get t' ye, darlin'...  he's all growl an' jackass... he won' hurt ye...”
 
Graves looked over at Nate with a snort before settling back against the wall and eyed the wall of darkness surrounding Saffron, smiling slightly.
 
"He's bad...like the others..." Lexine whispered, not looking at Nate or Graves.
 
A soft snort at that, Saffron dissolved the wall, emerging, changed, the button down shirt hanging almost to his knees. He shoved the wet hair out of his face, taking a breath and ignoring Graves. He looked at Nate a moment, before sitting on the bed, on the other side of Lexine, reaching out a hand, to stroke the hair back from Lexine's face.
 
"Nah, darlin'... he's not bad... He's a major pain in th' ass an' annoyin' a hell... but he'd never hurt ye." Nate said softly.
 
Graves snorted softly. "Where's the hairball?" he asked, ignoring Nate's less than glowing character reference. He kept his eyes on Saffron, both enjoying the look in her eyes and kicking himself at pushing her away.
 
Lexine took a peek at Nate, eyes wide. "But he...he...he kissed Saffron..." Saffron snorted softly, leaning over and laying a kiss on Lexine's wet hair. "Like Landan..." Lexine muttered, picking at a thread on the covers.
 
"Landan was cruel..." Larkin hissed at the name.
 
"Lexine, it's alright...” Saffron said softly.
 
There was a tap on the door, before it was shoved behind Graves; Eire poked his head in. " 'Ey Nate...the annoyin' big brother is 'ere." Eire announced, though his gaze went to the three.
 
Nate was struggling to hold back a laugh. His eyes were sparkling like mad as he turned to face Eire, ignoring the odd look Graves was giving him, "Hey ... E'..." he managed to get out, the strain showing on his face. " Graves kissed Saffron...,” he said and had to duck his head and cover his mouth to stop the laugh that threatened to explode. He struggled to his feet and looked back down at Lexine. "Don' ye worry about Graves... he'd never ... hurt a ..." Nate covered his mouth again and struggled to finish his sentence. “.. girl...” he said, his eyes sparkling. "'Scuse me... need t' go see m' brother..." he managed to get out in a rush as he left the room, shooting Graves a look before he made it out of the room and lost it completely.
 
Graves narrowed his eyes as Nate rushed past then shot a look at Eire. "What the fuck is his problem?"
 
Eire raised an eyebrow, his dark blue eyes sparkling wildly. "'Ey, this happens e'ery time Mikey's 'ere." He said simply, He was tempted to kick Graves out of the room, seeing how uncomfortable Lexine and Larkin where. Saffron was sitting there regarding Eire, so Eire winked at him.
 
Graves scowled then snorted. "You two are seriously fucked, you know that right?" he asked, resuming his post against the wall. "The idea of a third MacDonnell... is terrifying..." he added dead pan. “The mere knowledge that I'm stuck in a building with three MacDonnell brothers will give me nightmares for months.... “he continued then glanced over at him and raised an eyebrow. “Are you still here? Should you REALLY be in the same room with your little assassin? She might try again... and I don't like you enough to save you... sorry."

Eire turned an eye on Graves, staring at him a moment, his eyes still sparkling, before turning his gaze on the triplets. He eyed Saffron a moment. "Eh, Azreal, ye still tryin' t' kill me?" He asked.
 
"No..." Saffron answered softly meeting his gaze, but shaking his head.
 
"Didn't think so. Think I'm fine, Graves. Get the fuck out, yer scarin' the red heads." Eire said. "Before we MacDonnell brothers drag yer ass out t' give these girls some rest."
 
Graves smirked lightly as he looked back at Saffron. "You're just jealous I've got three gorgeous babes all naked under my shirts." he said with a wink and a smirk as he pushed himself away from the wall. "Fine... but remember... I ain't saving your ass. And they were already plotting something while I was getting the shirts..." he said, casting one last look at Saffron, letting his eyes run down over her bare legs before slipping past Eire, elbowing him slightly into the door frame as he passed.
Eire watched Graves leaving, rolling his eyes, managing to keep the smirk gone, before turning his gaze back to the three. "Plottin' eh? I can jus' imagine..." He said softly. Saffron met his gaze, his own dangerous.
 
Eire shook his head. "Eh, Azreal...wha' I said earlier...didn't mean it." Eire said. Saffron snorted softly. Eire went on. "An'...I can imagine why ye three ended up 'ere...But yer safe...take that int' consideration before ye decided anything." Eire said. Saffron blinked.
 
"Can you?" Saffron asked, shifting to sit on the corner of the bed, tugging down Graves' shirt.
 
"Aye, ye know I can, Saffron. He beat ye, he abused ye, he raped ye..." Eire said softly.
 
Saffron hissed, hearing Lexine whimper. Saffron got off the bed, stalking over to Eire, grabbing his arm, looking up at him as he opened the door with his other hand, standing on his toes to whisper into Eire's ear. "I know you know...PROMISE to keep your mouth shut!" Saffron begged in a whisper. Eire turned his eyes to eye Saffron.

~~

Nate stumbled and landed on his ass in the lobby, still laughing, tears streaming down his face. Mike raised an eyebrow and looked up from where he'd been flipping through the computer files. He leaned around the desk to look at his baby brother. "Natey? Have ye been int' th' tequila again? Ye know ye cannae handle tha' shit.. stick t' scotch or whiskey...”
 
Nate looked up and cracked up even louder, finally just lying down on the floor. Mike sighed, his eyes sparkling as he put the computer on standby and came around to squat on the floor next to him. "Boyo... yer a hoot an' all... but why don't ye catch yer breath an' fill me in... No fair ye havin' all th' laughs...”
 
Mike's eyes shone as Nate managed to fill him in on the joke, his gaze turning towards the hall leading to the guest rooms. When Nate had laughed himself breathless, Mike hauled him to his feet. "Come on baby bro... why don’t ye introduce me t' th' 'ladies'... especially Graves lass..."
 
Mike had to tighten his grip on Nate's shoulder as they rounded the corner and spotted Graves leaning against the wall outside the triplet’s room. The youngest MacDonnell brother almost succumbed to another bout of laughter. "Hello again Graves... still sportin' th' blue I see..." Mike said pleasantly and Graves eyed him then snorted.
 
"Fuck... you're a MacDonnell? Shit... should've known..." he said softly. "I was right... nightmares for months...” he added with a smirk.
 
Mike shot Graves a grin. "Ahh  come on now, Matt! We're not THA' bad... are we?" he asked looking at Nate, who was busy blinking at Graves.
 
"Yer names' Matt?" he asked then snorted. "Ye don; look like a Matt... does he look like a Matt t' ye?"
 
Mike gave Nate a shove towards the door, his eyes sparkling at the look Graves shot him. "Nah... looks more like a...”
 
"Don't fucking say it, MacDonnell...” Graves said low, and Mike grinned even more.
 
"Mattias."
 
Mike crashed into the door, laughing, and knocked Eire aside. He barely caught himself on the edge of the door as Graves stalked into the room after him. Nate was trying not to laugh as he came after him. The room was becoming rather crowed with all of them in it.
 
"You fucking ass wipe?!" Graves growled. "How the FUCK did you know my name?!"
 
Mike casually brushed his shirt off, his eyes sparkling. "Because I'm one of th' ones who hired ye, ye jack ass."
 
Saffron gave a yelp as Mike came crashing in, stumbling. Eire attempted to catch him, but Saffron fell into Mike. Lexine had gave a squeak, hiding behind Larkin, who sighed deeply, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the four men.
 
Mike smiled in surprise as he caught his balance and found the dark haired triplet practically in his arms. He glanced up, caught the almost insane look of fury on Graves face, and smirked even more. "Why hello there, luv... An' ye must one of th' lovely lasses m' brothers have taken in. I'm Mike MacDonnell... " he said.
 
Nate slipped past them to sit on the edge of the bed. "Hush now, Lexi... yer alright, darlin'... tha's m' brother Mikey... He was just fuckin' with... Mattias..." he said, trying to keep a straight face as he said it and failing.
 
"Brothers?" Saffron asked softly, glancing at Eire, who winked again and nodded to Nate. Saffron snorted faintly, though a faint smile came to his lips. He looked back up at Mike, "My name is Saffron, Larkin is the red head on the left. Lexine is the red head with the tattoos under her eyes..." He said softly, not noticing his hands were resting on Mike's chest.
 
"Pleasure t' meet ye, Saffron. Ladies." he said, turning enough to nod at the two, his arm slipping easily around Saffron’s waist as he did as if by accident. He swore he could hear Graves’s teeth grating. This was even better than Nate had said... Kay was going to die laughing when he recapped this for her...
 
"Nice to meet you..." Saffron said softly, resisting the urge to say he was nicer then Graves. He glanced at Lexine and Larkin. Larkin was giving him a look. Saffron sighed softly. "I don't mean to be...rude, but...I think this is a little to much for Lexine, four men in our room, whom we barely know...it's been a bad night..." Saffron said softly, looking back at Mike.
 
"Aye...guys we really should let 'em rest." Eire said from his spot.
 
Nate stood and gave Lexine’s knee a soft pat. "Aye... ye get some rest, Lexi... sorry fer bargin' in on ye... I swear... th' boys  don' mean any harm t' ye." he said softly as he joined Eire.
 
Mike sighed softly as he removed his arm from Saffron's waist and caught 'her hand, bringing it to his lips for a playful kiss. "Sorry fer bargin' in on ye, lass. I look forward t' seein' ye again. Sweet dreams." he said with a wink as a fist suddenly clenched into the front of his shirt and tossed him towards the door.
 
Mike stumbled out the door laughing as Graves glared after him. He looked back at Saffron then Nate stepped forward and slapped his chest. "Come on... out with ye... Go beat th; shite out of m' brother if ye think ye'll keep yer job fer th' doin'... We could use a laugh."
 
Saffron was caught off guard again, giving a soft curse as Graves shoved Mike out. "You don't have to be such an asshole!" Saffron snapped at Graves with a look, turning to head back toward the bed, catching the fact that Lexine was smiling ever so faintly, as he was hiding behind Larkin.
 
Graves scowled after her then shoved Nate ahead of him. "Sure I do... that's just part of my charm...” he snapped irritably as he went after Mike, the sight of the man holding Saffron still in his head.
 
Saffron snorted, looking back over his shoulder. "Charm my ass. No one likes an asshole, me especially." He answered.
 
Eire smirked faintly, starting the pull the door closed. He caught Saffron eye however, and mouthed, 'I promise.' He'd keep the rest of Saffron's secret.
 
Matt snorted softly as he heard Saffron. "That’s the point, babe..." he muttered under his breath. He caught hold of Mikes shoulder and spun the man around. "Look... I don't give a fuck who you are... you keep your fucking hands off Saffron..." he growled, letting go with a shove.
Mike was still smirking and Graves had the strongest urge to deck the guy.
 
"Why's tha', Mattie...? Saffron yer... girl...?" he asked sweetly and Nate spun away, laughing.
 
Eire pulled the door shut and turned toward Mike and Graves and rolled his eyes, "Oy, knock it off." He growled. "An' she's no one's girl, she's had 'nough o' bein' used." He said, oddly having no problem referring to Saffron as a girl.
 
Mike laughed softly. "Relax little bro... I'm just havin' a bit o' fun... Ye know I won' bother th' lass." he said, his eyes sparkling. "Who am I t' interfere with  ... true love?" he asked, listening to Nate roar with laughter  as he headed towards the kitchen. "Damn  ... tha' boys in a good mood tonight... what th' hell did th' two of ye do t' him?" he asked lightly, ignoring the glare Graves was sending his way as he followed Nate.
 
"It's been a long night!" Eire answered Mike, snickering. He figured Nate had told Mike about the triplets actually being boys...they were going to be lucky if Graves didn't try to beat the shit out of them...literally, when he found out.
 
~~
 
Graves stayed in the hall outside the guestrooms as the brothers vanished down towards the kitchen. He looked down to discover his hands were tightly clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white and loosened them with a slight shake.
 
He still didn't know why Saffron drew him so strongly... whether it was just the connection of death between them or something more. What he did know was that he wanted it... and he wanted her... despite the knowledge that he knew nothing about her except that she was definitely trouble. The thought brought a small smirk to his face and he glanced at the door then headed into his own room.
 
~~

"In to bed, both of you." Saffron said softly, sitting on the edge of the bed, facing the door.
 
"What do we do, Saffron?" Lexine asked in a whisper.
 
Saffron sighed, glancing back at him. "Nothing, tonight. In to bed." He said softly. Lexine and Larkin crawled into bed.
 
Larkin grabbed the back of the shirt Saffron was wearing and tugged, pulling Saffron back on to the bed. "And if Right shows up tonight?" Larkin asked softly.
 
"He wont...he'll wait a few days...for us to play our part...for me to play my part..." Saffron answered softly, bitterly.
 
"And what if Landan shows up?" Larkin asked. Saffron snorted softly, laying back on the bed, Lexine on one side and Larkin on the other, who tugged up the blanket.
 
"They can deal with Landan..." Saffron said softly.

~~

By the time morning came, Saffron didn’t think he’d slept very much; until he managed to wake up fully and saw Graves asleep in the chair in the corner. Saffron started to sit up, only to discover Larkin and Lexine were snuggled against him, under the blanket. Saffron squirmed slightly, slowly, managing to pull himself up against the headboard, and stared at Graves a moment. He looked toward the door when he heard some one stop outside it. The door opened silently, and Eire stuck his head in. Saffron raised a finger to his lips, for silence. Eire smirked faintly, until he saw Graves in the chair, then he glared.

Graves suddenly jerked awake, whether it was the feeling of being watched or something else, he wasn't sure. He hadn't meant to fall asleep... he'd tossed and turned for a bit then snuck in to be near Saffron... He blinked seeing Saffron watching him, then looked to the side and spotted Eire. He slammed the fierce scowl back in place as he stood. "What?" he asked, remembering at the last moment to keep his voice low. "I didn't fucking bother them." he snapped, glaring back at Eire and praying to whatever god might be listening that he wasn't blushing.

"Yer turnin' int' a fuckin' stalker." Eire hissed, before nodding to Saffron. "Want I should kick him out?" He asked, with a faint smirk. Saffron sighed and shook his head, not answering. Lexine whimpered, but didn't wake, though Larkin shifted.

Graves crossed his arms, standing by the chair. He'd been going to leave, not wanting upset her anymore, but that one simply shake of her head did amazing things to his heart... something that should make him run the other way. Instead he stayed where he was and glared down at Eire. "Get the fuck out before you wake the little Reds." he hissed back.

Eire pointed a finger at him. "Be'ave or I'll sic Mikey on ye. One scream outta one o' 'em an' we'll be on yer ass." Eire said softly, before disappearing, pulling the door shut softly. Saffron smirked faintly watching him go. He was still trying to come to terms with Eire being...nice, not that he hadn't been nice that night, but...Saffron had told him he was there to kill him that night...

~

Graves snorted, about to mutter a reply to that when he stopped and let him leave. He looked back at Saffron then moved to the foot of the bed. "Saffron..." he said softly, suddenly embarrassed. "I'm sorry.. about last night." he said, his eyes fixed on the bed and the gentle lumps of feet under the blankets. "I... fuck.." he muttered, running both hands through his hair, tucking it absently behind his ears. "sorry."

Saffron had been stroking Lexine's hair when Graves apologized. He looked up, staring at him with surprise, letting his gaze look him over. The blue hair was lighter then Landan's, but he bore some resemblence that made Saffron look away. It was the eyes though...he had Rin's eyes...Saffron bit his lip hard, the tears stinging... He wasn't sure what to say..."T-thank you...if that's an acceptable response..." He whispered.

Graves sighed softly. "I'm an ass, alright.... I'm not sure I know how NOT to be an ass..." he said quietly, trying to make himself look at her. "I... I feel fucking amazing around you... Even just looking at you... " he admitted, feeling his ears grow hot. "And .. like I said... you're mine. I know that sounds fucked, but.. it's how I feel. I..." he sighed heavily. "Aww fuck... I'm sorry... not sorry I kissed you though.... that was pretty damn wonderful.." he added with smirk. " but about the rest.. not leaving and.. I'm sorry..." he said again. "I'll go now...." he added and started for the door.

Saffron looked back at him, confused, and a bit hurt. He glanced down at Lexine and Larkin, then managed to slid from the middle of the bed, with out waking them, getting to his feet. But he hesitated, not sure whether to move or just stand at the foot of the bed. His hair slightly tussled, and out of the braid, almost to the middle of his back and the shirt almost hanging off one shoulder, the sleeves covering his hands. "I'm a slave...Matt..." He remembered hearing that was his name last night. "I already have a master. One who's owned me my entire life."

Graves sighed as he turned back to face her then stopped and just looked at her. "Damn you're beautiful..." he said softly then drew a breath. "I told you ... I don’t know WHY I feel that way.... I just do." he said, stepping closer to the bed. "I've never felt like this before... I don't know what the fuck to do or even think about it. All I know..." he said, reaching out to brush a lock of hair off her cheek. "Is that I look at you .. and I.... I just.... " he sighed softly and gave a shrug. "You're  just .. mine..." he finished lamely.

Saffron looked back up at him, a few tears falling and shook his head slightly. "I don't even know you. You don't know me...you already know I'm lying about half of what I said last night...you don't want me." He replied softly, with a bitter tone.

"Aww.. aww shit... don't cry..." Graves said softly taking that last step forward and brushing the tears off Saffron's cheeks. "I said I was sorry... I know... I was just being an ass.... I .. I just didn't want to leave... I just wanted an excuse to stay close to you ..." he said, brushing his hand over his cheeks, wiping away more tears. "I DO want you... I feel...I feel good when you're nearby." he said in a whisper.

Saffron looked up sharply at him, fearfully, and took a step back, bumping into the bed, and glancing back at a moan, seeing Larkin shift, but still sleep. He looked back up at Matt. "You don't know me..." Saffron repeated, almost pained. "And you can't trust ME. They're innocent," He nodded back to Lexine and Larkin. "I'm not..."

Graves reached out then stopped. He cursed softly then finished reaching out, taking gentle hold on Saffron’s shoulders and pulling him a bit closer. "Saffron... shh..." he said softly. "Don’t wake them...I promise.. I won’t hurt you..." he said. "I know I don’t know you .. and you know shit about me... aside from the fact that I'm an asshole...." he added with a soft smirk. "And I'm not fucking innocent either so we're even." he added. "Doesn't change what feels right... this feels right..." he said, then before he could change his mind, he leaned in and kissed Saffron tenderly.

Saffron gasped behind the kiss. He wanted to pull away; he started to pull away, but...it felt...right. That scared him. His way out how ever, was a pillow hitting both of them and Saffron pulled away with another gasp, turning.

Lexine looked half furious, half terrified, but hissed. "The next one I'll set on fire if you dont' let her go." It actually made Saffron laugh softly, though Larkin sat up with a gasp of his own.

Graves looked at Lexine in surprise a slow smile spreading over his face. "Good for you, Little Red." he said softly, then looked back at Saffron. "I'm sorry, Saffron... I can't help how I feel... you're mine... I won’t let that feeling go without a fight." he said softly, brushing his thumb over her cheek briefly before heading for the door. "I'll let the brothers know you’re awake... they can make you something for breakfast."

Saffron drew in a breath, watching Graves head for the door. "Don't touch her again!" Lexine snapped, though the quiver was evident in his voice, Saffron glanced back at him, and shook his head slightly.

Larkin was glaring at Graves, "Saffron doesn't belong to anyone any more, not after Landan..." Lexine slapped a hand over Larkin's mouth.

Graves stopped at the door and turned back. "Alright.. what's with this Landan fuck? Every time one of you mentions him, another of you shuts them up. He one of the bastards that raped you?" he asked softly, then looked to the two red heads before heading back to stand in front of Saffron. He reached out and tenderly tipped his chin up to look in her eyes. "I'll kill him for you if he is." he said softly. "I'll kill every last bastard who touched you..."

Saffron met his eyes for a moment, but his own gaze went distant after that, and he snorted softly, with a grim smirk. "He might as well have been..." He said softly, "I only fell in love with him...he only broke my heart." He said with out emotion, trailing off. He didn't move a moment, before pulling away from Graves, managing to move around the side of the bed. Lexine and Larkin watched him, before Larkin sent another glare at Graves.

"Then he's a fool." Graves said softly, ignoring the dark looks from the two, his eyes on Saffron. "If I were lucky enough for you to love me.... " he stopped, blushing to the tips of his ears. "Well... the offer stands.. the bastards who hurt you show up... just point them out. I'll make sure they pay." he said. "I'll go see about your breakfast..." he added, heading for the door.

Saffron watched him go, not saying anything. He forced himself to stay silent, reminding himself, Graves was too much like Landan and maybe...too much like Rin, and he wasn't going to go there again. He crossed his arms, and looked away, waiting for Graves to leave.

~~

In the hall out side the 'girl's room, Eire had to pause to snicker, before he headed down to the kitchen, to find his brothers already there. The rest of the team had been on a case, and they weren't sure when they'd be back, couple more days at least, though Kay called to check in. "Mornin'...Graves slept in the chair in their room, apparently." Eire informed Mike and Nate.

Mike looked over at Eire, his eyes sparkling. Nate started to laugh around a mouthful of toast and choked. Mike reached over helpfully and smacked him hard on the back. "Lovely... tha' lad has it bad..."

Eire smirked, shaking his head. "Aye, he's got it real bad...shame we 'aven't told 'im yet..." He said, going to the coffee maker.

"Aye... so.. how long are we goin' t' let th' poor bugger pant after 'her' before we fill him in?" Mike asked as he sipped at his coffee, his breakfast already finished. Nate continued to smirk as he ate, trying not to laugh and start choking again.

"Oh, I don't know...Saffron's not one fer assholes AN' he seemed rather taken with ye..." Eire said, looking at Mike. "Maybe ye should flirt a bit more with 'im...that is iffin ye don't mind Graves tryin' t' kick yer ass."

Mike leaned back in his chair and smirked then grinned. "Damn ... lad.. ye've been hanging out with Kay too much... yer startin' t' think like her." he said then thought back to the dark haired triplet. "Alright.. th' lad's a looker t' be sure... an' I'll admit.... I was rather taken with him m'self... " he said softly then shot his brother a look. "An' th' man can try..... no harm in tryin'.. always good fer a laugh watchin' someone try an' fail.."

Eire smirked, half wickedly, half grim. "Aye, Kay rubs off. But then it's prob'bly also some o' that MacDonnell blood." He said. "An' aye, Saffron's...a gorgeous thing...wicked though...Death elemental, be careful...but... he’s fragile..." Eire said, with a deep sigh. "Right really hurt him...too much..." He trailed off a moment, staring into his cup.

Mike glanced at Nate to see him leaning back in his own chair, his breakfast finished and coffee in hand. He noticed the smirk was finally gone. "Aye... Right... now there's a bastard that needs a few MacDonnell's kickin' his arse..." he said softly then looked back at Eire. "Ye care fer th' lad?" he asked simply. "Don' worry, E'.... we'll look out fer them."

Eire sighed, taking a drink. "Aye, suppose I do care fer lad...he was jus' a child when LiVed sent 'im t' kill me...I tried t' help him..." Eire shook his head, but his thoughts shifted from Saffron, to Larkin. "Though I'm wonderin' wha the other two's stories are...notice the collar on Lexine?"

"Aye.." Mike said softly. "Th' poor lads been in Hell... ye can feel it... Ifn I'm not mistaken.... th' collars fae... " he glanced at Nate with a soft smirk. "Learned a few things considerin' I knew ye bloody well wouldn't."  Nate blushed darkly and scowled at Mike.

Eire nodded. "An' considerin' how scared he was last night...fuck...all three o' 'em were terrorfied, Saffron's jus' better at hidin' it..." He said with a faint smirk. "That leaves us guessin' bout Larkin...though I doubt it's any better then the other two..." Eire sighed, shaking his head and took another drink. "Anyway, ye can bet Right'll send some o' his boys round in the next day or two, tryin' t' collect 'em...he wont show up 'imself...not the first time..."

Mike snorted and finished his coffee. "Good. Looks like I dropped in just in time then. Warm up a bit on th' goons before we take th' fight t' th' bastard himself... still owe him fer hurtin' m' litle brother." he said as he stood and ruffled eire's hair with a smirk. "I'll go see ifn Saffron needs rescuin' form his blue-haired admirer... "

"Ye realize o' course, this'll lead t' LiVed...which means we best be hopin' Kay an' the others get back soon...or she might be pissed we didn't include 'er in the fun." Eire said with a smirk, moving over to the table to sat down.

Mike snorted softly. "Aye... If he shows up, I'll give her a shout. No need t' have her sulkin' around makin' ye lads miserable afterwards." he said and headed out of the kitchen.

Nate looked over at his twin brother and sighed. "Ye know.... startin' t' have second thoughts about Mike an' Saffron... not about pissin' graves off... but.." he sighed. "... ye know how much of a softie he can be... He's gonna fall fer th' lad... Ye heard him. He's already 'taken with him'..."

Eire sipped on his coffee a moment, then sighed. "Aye...should prob'bly tell 'im not t' do it...not that I think Graves can touch him in a fight...but...ye know...if Graves is as taken with Saffron as we think...it'll be war...an' well...the lad might not be able to handle it."

Nate sighed heavily and stood. "Maybe... that'll be th'; only thing t' stop him ye know... tha' Saffron'll be hurt over it... Ye know Mikey.. once he gets somethin' into his head...."

"We'll jus' 'ave t' see where it goes, I guess." Eire replied. "Course at the moment...I'm more concerned 'bout Larkin..." he snorted softly. "An' I imagine yer concerned 'bout Lexine..."

Nate blushed slighty. "Aye... tha' obvious, is it?" he asked. "Damn... "
 

~~

Mike backed away from the door as he heard Graves approaching. He wasn't sure what to make of what he'd overheard. From what his brothers had said, he'd gotten the impression that Graves was being an over bearing ass who'd set his sights on Saffron.. but from he'd heard .. it sounded more like .. well.. like he really cared.

He looked up as the door opened and Graves stepped out. He forced a smile onto his face. "Mornin'... th' ladies sleep alright?" he asked and Graves looked at him, his expression growing dark.

"Seems like." he finally said. "I'm grabbing a shower... why don;t you  get them something to eat." he said, brushing past Mike on his way into his own room.
 
Mike watched him go, the smile dropping and the thoughtful look returning. From what he remembered of Saffron's reactions last night... the lad obviously didn't return Mr. Graves's feelings... maybe he should help discourage him, rather then just make him jealous... He drew a breath and let it out before turning to knock on the triplets door lightly.



~~