Chapter Text
It was almost hypnotic, watching the knife flash in the fluorescent lights and whirl around long, dexterous fingers. Flipping about in smooth twists and arcs that Angel was convinced was going to take off a finger, only to flash again and settle neatly in the palm of the wolf’s hand.
How hard would it be to learn how to do that?
Darlin made it look so fluid and easy, but Angel suspected there were a lot of hours put into those movements, and probably no shortage of blood.
A faint grin grew across Angel’s face as they got up to find something to eat. Davey would freak out if they came home with their fingers covered in bandages. That alone may be worth trying to learn.
It was eerily quiet in the den, with it being just the two of them, but at least it wasn’t awkward. The rest of the pack had gone out on a gig (Angel delighted in the way Davey’s teeth ground when they called their jobs that) involving protecting a wealthy politician of some kind. Apparently there had been noise of ‘taking him out’ or something like that, and whoever this hoity-toity bigshot was, he’d feared for his life while taking meetings in Dahlia about housing developments.
Darlin had rolled their eyes at the idea of playing babysitter for a billionaire, and apparently had gotten into a bit of a stink with David over it. Angel had actually been pleased to see the scarred wolf butting heads with him; sure, arguing with your alpha wasn’t good, but it also proved how much more comfortable Darlin had gotten with the pack. That they didn’t fear raising their voice or arguing would get them kicked out.
Of course, they were still picking a fight with David. Not a smart move. The line “Fine, if you don’t want to be on ‘babysitting’ duty, then you’re on ‘Angel-duty’ instead.” had been dropped, and that had both Darlin and Angel kicking up a stink.
Apparently it had been agreed that any non-shifter mates had to have an eye kept on them while this event was going down. Stealth got a free pass, since they were not only a badass but also a DUMP employee, and Babe had their office job, which apparently ended up with Christian taking point outside their office.
David had been grinding on what to do about Angel when Darlin started grumbling about how they didn’t get why someone was important just because they had a lot of money, and why that meant they all had to risk their necks for them.
The eyebrow lift and look that David had shot at Darlin had told Angel exactly how the day was going to turn out.
Which was how the two of them had ended up in the lounge area of the den, resigned in spending the next six hours with no one but each other for company.
Of course, Angel was secretly pleased with how it had all gone down. They’d known one of the wolves were going to stay behind and watch them, and they’d felt bad about costing someone the chance to go out on an important job. Not wanting to be the source of resentment for one of them, especially since they’d stuff down said resentment and put on a mask of politeness because they were Davey’s mate.
Darlin didn’t want to go on the job, so there was no guilt over making them miss out. They also wouldn’t fake being happy to be there, or worse, try and act serious and respectful towards them.
Instead, Darlin had draped themselves over a couch with a heavy sigh, rubbing at their face and groaning loudly about how they couldn’t believe they shot their mouth off like that.
“Half expected him to put me on my ass at one point," the scarred shifter had mumbled, which caused Angel to laugh from where they were rummaging through the cupboards in the corner, looking for something to snack on.
“You know full well Davey wouldn’t put hands on you just for voicing your opinion.”
“I wasn’t just ‘voicing’ anything, I was telling him that what we were doing was stupid. In front of the entire pack,” Darlin retorted, glaring at the ceiling as the knife continued to dance and whirl around their fingers. “May as well have announced to the group that I didn’t trust his judgment.”
“Mm, I’ll agree to that. Probably would have been better to have it more of an aside conversation,” Angel pointed out as they brought over a bowl they’d filled with fruit, setting it on the low table in front of the couch Darlin was flopped out on. Taking a seat on the squishy arm chair that had been dubbed the ‘Mini-Boss’ chair by Asher.
“It wasn’t supposed to be a conversation at all. I was just grumbling under my breath about how it was stupid that some fat cat billionaire recently learned he was a latent and that qualified him for our services. Unfortunately, David has super-fucking-powered hearing and called me out on it.”
They slumped a bit further into the couch, scowling at the bowl of fruit. “And I was an idiot and reacted on instinct. Way too used to responding to being called out by escalating.”
Angel let out a thoughtful sound, taking an orange off of the top of the fruit pile and starting to peel it. That made sense, in a way. Darlin had led a very defensive existence. If someone called them out on something, choosing to let it go and not retaliate could have been seen as a sign of weakness. That would be a hard habit to shake.
Which was why they were so proud of Davey for the way he’d handled it. Angel had seen the immediate panic that had taken over Darlin’s face after they automatically responded to his questioning with a louder, snarkier comment. The moment where they’d realized they’d - quite literally - told their alpha the job he was sending them on was bullshit.
Davey could have very easily physically punished them for it. Another alpha may have. And Darlin would have definitely accepted that punishment without hesitation. Was probably used to physical punishment.
Unlike Darlin, however, Angel knew Davey well. Was able to recognize the moment when the surprise on his face shifted, just for a split second, to a pleased grin. How he had taken that as a sign that Darlin wasn’t scared of him, wasn’t going to be hiding in the fringes and answering everything he said with a ‘Yessir’ or No sir’.
That grin had disappeared quickly, obviously, because as pleased as he was that Darlin felt more comfortable around the pack, that was also technically a show of disrespect, and had to be dealt with. And what better way to deal with it than to force Darlin to do what they’d literally just complained about? Only this particular babysitting duty wouldn’t even let them leave the den.
Angel wasn’t too sure how they felt about being considered a punishment, but if it meant being given a chance to get to know the most elusive member of the pack better, then it was worth it.
That knife flashed a couple more times before Darlin sat up, flipping the blade into the palm of their hand once more and stabbing it into an apple in the bowl of fruit. Angel couldn’t help watching the entire thing in fascination, the orange they’d just finished peeling laying forgotten in their lap as Darlin lifted the apple out of the basket by the knife and took it in hand once it was close enough.
“I’ll apologize properly when he gets back,” Darlin admitted in a quiet voice, rolling the apple between their palms for a few moments, knife handle held loosely between their knuckles in a way that led it sway mesmerizingly in the light. Their eyes glancing up at Angel for a brief second before dropping back to the fruit. “…I know being given ‘Angel Duty’ is actually a big deal… means he trusts me enough to leave you with me.”
That scarred face scrunched up slightly, the shifter shaking their head as they grasped the apple in one hand, flicking the knife up and over their knuckles in order to catch hold of it in their palm and starting to cut the apple into pieces. “You’re not a punishment. I got off light for backtalking.”
“Well, I’m glad you don’t think of spending time with me as a punishment,” Angel admitted with a laugh, breaking their gaze from the knife finally and starting to tug the orange slices apart. “But I also know you had plans for the day, which was the real root of your complaint over the job.”
That remark had their hands pausing, eyes never leaving the apple they were still cutting up. Darlin frowned, silent for a few seconds before popping the slice of apple they’d just cut into their mouth.
“Doesn’t matter what my plans are. Pack duties come first,” they pointed out. Angel frowned, leaning in towards them.
“Pack comes first, sure. But the whole security gig is just a job. There are pack members that don’t actually work for Shaw Security. You’re not beholden to do everything Davey suggests or offers,” they pointed out. “He suggested you join because it was a surefire way to immediately start getting an income. If you don’t want to be part of the security jobs, you can find something else to do.”
That got a snort from Darlin as they sliced away another piece of apple. “Yeah, cause I’m qualified to do a whole lot else. And I’m gonna snub David’s graciousness just because looking after smug bastards like that brings up too many bad memories.”
Now that was an interesting comment. Angel’s mind raced to try and think of a way to learn more without stepping on toes or pushing Darlin into talking about something uncomfortable.
“Davey wouldn’t ever make you do something you’re uncomfortable with. If something happened that makes it hard for you to be around those kinds of people…”
The headshake they got from Darlin was a relief, as well as the fact that they kept talking. “Nah, nothing like that. I just ended up spending a lot of my youth in rougher parts of towns, getting by in places that are often neglected or looked down on because they’re seen as ‘dangerous’ or ‘ugly’. Places where people who have no where else to go tend to gravitate to.”
A scowl warped their face as they finished the apple and stabbed their knife into a pear, beginning to cut away pieces of it to eat as well. “And pompous pricks like that, coming swaggering into town boasting about how they’re going to ‘graciously use their hard earned wealth to clean up the town’…? That’s just fancy talk for them saying they’re going to chase out all the destitutes and undesirables, all the people they find gross and in the way, so they can bulldoze and level entire city blocks to put up ‘more attractive housing’. In other words, overpriced fucking apartments that will sit empty because no one can afford to live in them.”
Angel was left a bit reeling after all that, staring at Darlin in a mix of awe and immense respect. Not only at how much they’d willingly spoken, but also at what it told Angel about the kind of person Darlin was at their core.
It was no wonder they’d gone off on Davey. They’d been told they were about to protect the very kind of person that had likely made them homeless repeatedly in the past. Had ruined the lives of friends they’d probably made. And their anger over it had forced them to speak out, unable to swallow back their resentment.
“You should talk to Davey about that,” they said softly, smiling at the skeptical look Darlin gave them. “I think he’d understand your feelings a lot more than you think.”
A non committal grumble was their only response as they continued slicing their pear up, eating it bit by bit. And Angel’s insufferable curiousity rose its head once more, determined to get them in trouble, it seemed.
Popping the last of their orange into their mouth, they gave a bright smile. “Is it more enjoyable, eating fruit like that?” It was certainly impressive to watch, giving the already badass wolf an even more intense look.
To their surprise, Darlin froze, staring at the half eaten pear as their face grew solemn. Clearing their throat as they set the knife down.
“Old habit.” They admitted, in the wavering tone that worried Angel, that told them they might have crossed a line. They were about to apologize when Darlin kept talking. “I, ah… David isn’t the only one who had to deal with me shooting my mouth off. I’d give Quinn lip all the time.”
Angel’s stomach flipped at the mention of the vampire that had tormented Darlin for ages. That was a subject no one dared to bring up unless required. They held the apple they’d selected in both hands, quiet but watching intently.
Darlin’s eyes never left the pear in their hand. “It amused him at first, but he apparently got tired of it. Tried to trance me out of it, but that never lasted. So he thought he’d teach me to hold my tongue a different way.”
A sharp snort left the shifter, shaking their head as they resumed cutting up the pear. “I came back to our place to find a bunch of fruit had been dropped off. Quinn said that I was tasting a bit sickly and needed more vitamins, and that he expected all of it gone by the end of the week.”
It took all the self control Angel had within them to keep their eyes from flicking to the bite scars littered across Darlin’s skin. Remaining quiet as they continued.
“I gave my usual snark over it, telling him where he could stick his fruit, but I liked apples and pears. So I grabbed one and took a big bite.”
A wry smirk formed across their face. “I hadn’t gotten a lot of chances to eat fresh fruit, so I never noticed anything was off. Turns out, he’d filled them all with dozens of half inch needles. Never even noticed the tiny holes in the skin.” They snorted sharply once more. “Certainly noticed when they were all jammed into my gums and the roof of my mouth.”
Shaking their head, they sliced another piece off of the pear, popping it into their mouth directly off the blade. “He made me finish the entire apple. Cleaned up the blood himself afterwards. Told me when I was done that if I was going to have a ‘sharp mouth’, that he’d make sure my meals matched.”
They shot a grin up at Angel, only for it to falter at the sight of the tears that were gathered in their eyes and on the verge of falling. “Oh…. Oh, shit, I’m sorry. That’s a really fucked up story, I shouldn’t have - I didn’t mean…”
Both the knife and the pear were dropped to the table, scarred hands reaching towards Angel as if they could take the words back.
Angel shook their head, rubbing roughly at their eyes. “No, it’s - it’s okay. I’m glad you told me. I just…” Sniffing loudly, they managed a teary smile, which visibly made Darlin all the more upset. “I’m just sorry that happened to you. I knew Quinn was awful, but…”
“I mean, I got him back,” they insisted, giving a sheepish smile. “I dosed all of the blood bags he had stored for emergencies with 150 proof moonshine. Took over a week, but he eventually bit into one, and fuck, was the look on his face worth it.”
That earned a weak laugh from Angel, taking in a few steadying breaths and smiling at the shifter. “If it’s any consolation, eating the fruit like that makes you look even cooler than you already are, and I kinda wanna start doing that myself,” they admitted, loving the embarrassed smile that Darlin flashed.
Angel’s eyes immediately widened when Darlin picked up their knife, flipping it over their fingers and holding it out to Angel handle first. “I also wanna learn those flips and tricks you can do with it.”
That had an almost devious grin growing across Darlin’s face. “I mean… we got another four hours to burn until the pack returns. What better way to spend the time?”