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So, Ambrose had never been fond of galas, all strict etiquette, and fake faces. It was… nausea inducing for him.
Still, he bore it for the sake of his and his family’s reputation. He especially didn't look forward to angering their mother. So as any other year, he and his siblings had flown from America all the way to France to attend this beauty pageant of hypocrites and idiots.
Just as the night couldn't get more annoying, a familiar flash of earthly toned eyes caught his sight. A lean young man in a formal black suit. He didn't stand out for any particular reason, everything he was wearing looked just as expensive as the next guy’s (so probably worth half of someone's organs).
He blended in the crowd so perfectly Ambrose almost didn't recognize him. Almost.
Out of everyone he could've possibly expected to attend this gala, it had to be him. The rabid dog of the Twisted Wonderland was casually walking around looking calmer than Ambrose had ever seen him.
He would occasionally smile at ladies and gentlemen passing him by, his characteristically unhinged grin now morphed into something polite and well-mannered. This caused Ambrose to do a double take, blinking hard. Just what the…
Ambrose looked around, his siblings nor his mother anywhere in sight. This encouraged him to step in motion, quickly leaving his half empty glass of champagne on a waiter’s tray, he masterfully glided through the crowd. His steps were not too fast to be suspicious but also hiding an underlying sense of purpose, like he had a clear objective.
The other young man had probably noticed, didn't matter where he was, Serkan still remained a street thug with a great sense of his surroundings. He would never miss the feeling of someone following him.
Matter of factly, after looking around he casually made a bee-line for a hallway that led to the bathrooms. It was darker than the brilliantly shining halls, lit by warm lamps that were worth his head each.
That was where a familiar platinum head finally approached him.
“What the heck are you doing here?” Ambrose hissed, stepping closer to him so they were less than a meter away.
Serkan gazed for a few seconds past his shoulders, eyeing the elegant and dazzling figures of rich and politicians in the distance. No one was looking here.
His eyes fell back on Ambrose, studying and archiving his new fit as he broke out in a grin and leaned against the wall crossing his arms over his chest, his demeanour shifting back to something that felt more like the usual him.
For some reason this eased a tension in Ambrose's heart that he hadn't even noticed.
“Looking fancy little angel, of course you’d look good in white. Sadly it's a color that gets dirty easily, not that ideal since it doesn't go away as easily. A pity to throw away all that money you- no, sorry. All the money your rich, nepotist, family must’ve spent on it”
Serkan snickered with his usual biting sarcasm, he looked like a hyena. Dangerous and absolutely wicked. Ambrose had never imagined he’d see the day of Serkan putting on a suit and getting himself all neat and tidy but even if he had tried to imagine it, it probably wouldn't have been even close to the real deal.
The boy looked breath-taking in black, a thin silver chain wrapped loosely around his neck catching the lamps’ light and glinting ominously in the dimness of the hallway. It matched the pointy earring dangling from Serkan's right ear, the other pierced holes left empty to give him a less delinquent look.
Serkan noticed Ambrose's staring especially at the earring and self consciously wrapped his gloved fingers to stop its subtle motions, his expression turning into something akin to annoyance.
“This little thing? Not as expensive as your little jewelry but just as damn bothersome. It’s one hard yank away from tearing my earlobe straight off, if my ear gets severed off tonight I'll cut Mira’s tongue out myself”
Ambrose shook his head to finally regain his wits and tore his eyes away from Serkan's face, not without effort, in an attempt to drown out all the thoughts of how unfairly handsome he was. Having gotten his wits back, he growled out again, stepping closer to the shorter one.
“Why are you here?”
“What? Like I can't attend you rich people's, oh ever mighty pageant ‘cause I’m a dirty little peasant?” Serkan dodged the question in the most infuriating way possible, on purpose. His face growing closer and tilting sideways in tune with his little sing-songing.
“Serkan.” Ambrose cut him off with a tone that demanded him to take this seriously.
“You know what I mean” Ambrose spit through gritted teeth, worry leaking in his expression. As much as he hated his mother and his other direct and indirect arrogant relatives he didn't wish for any of them to get hurt. And he knew very well that Serkan's presence spelled trouble.
He hadn't yet located it but he knew that if he looked carefully enough he could probably catch a glimpse of the outline of a gun, or more, hidden under the dark tuxedo.
Serkan glanced past his shoulder again, face composed in an unsettling blank look, before looking back at his face, he most likely read his nervousness and rising anxiety.
He sighed then his lips tilted up at the corners almost in a smile but not quite.
“Can't tell little angel, but nothing like the end of the world, I can grant you that solace. Just enjoy the night and don't get in the way, mh?” He muttered side-stepping to walk past Ambrose after something he’d seen in the ballroom behind him had caught his attention. He patted the other one on the shoulder before smoothly sliding away, Ambrose didn't manage to say anything else, still too shocked of his unexpected presence.
He had an ominous feeling of something to come and he hated that. He breathed in deeply trying to calm his wildly beating heart. Perhaps he should trust Serkan at least this once.
Yes, that was the best choice. He thought this as he stepped back in the room brightly lit by the chandeliers, the other man already nowhere to be seen amongst the crowd.
He swallowed down the lump that had formed in his throat.
It was the best choice… right?
Turns out it wasn't the best choice after all.
When less than half an hour later a horrendous monster burst through the doors of the ballroom, Ambrose couldn't find it in himself to be surprised.
Horrified. Yes.
Surprised. Not at all.
He immediately turned to look at his older siblings, the both of them also didn't seem particularly shocked by the sudden arrival of the new guest.
Had they known? Or had they also met someone from the Twisted Wonderland who’d warned them? Serkan couldn't be the only one around here after all.
“Ambrose go to the exit, we’ll fetch mom and then be right-” But before his sister could finish he was already shooting forward, ignoring their calls to come back.
They don't even know where mother is to begin with, did they want to wander without aim in this mayhem?
Ambrose knew that it was to protect him, but he was sick and tired of that. He was 17, damnit!
However, just as his mother was in sight, someone ran into him knocking him out of balance as they dashed past him without even looking back, too afraid of the savage monster to care.
Before he could faceplant with the ground a strong hand grabbed him, hauling him back up to his feet only to break into a wild dash as the howls and cries of the beasts drew closer.
Ambrose reflexively turned to look for his mother's platinum head, but it was already long gone, lost in the flood of terrified people.
He turned back to his ‘saviour’, one of the guys who’d surely had something to do with causing this chaos. Serkan's nape was dripping cold droplets of sweat, he never looked behind as he zigzagged through the crowd.
Something had gone wrong, this far Ambrose could tell.
The monster they were running from was on their tail, most likely following them specifically due to their cores’ aura.
Then gunshots came and Serkan dove immediately for a corner, Ambrose's white wings materializing reflexively to protect them as they rolled on the ground.
“Fucking, damn it” Serkan growled through gritted teeth as he pressed himself against the wall and peeked carefully around the corner, gun in hand.
Ambrose remained crouched low, back brushing against Serkan's knee.
“What the fuck happened to ‘nothing like the end of the world’, uh?” He hissed up as he saw the shadow monster tearing through the crowd of people.
“Ugh, spare me little angel, this night is bad enough without you commenting on this…” More shots came and they both retracted fully behind the wall.
“Who the fuck thought letting free a whole ass Fallen One on a crowd of nepotists was a good idea? I don't know much about politics but the government will be pissed- Fuck, if we get dragged into this shit, I swear I’ll-” Serkan swore under his breath, his grip on the gun tightening to the point his knuckles turned white.
“So you didn't know that would happen?” Ambrose asked, sounding incredibly surprised. Between their boss, Mayomi, Edelmira and Cecilia the Twisted Wonderland was one of the best criminal organizations when it came to Intel gathering. Something rarely flew under their radar so they were always ready for any scenario that came their way.
“What?! Of course not, or cap Helina would’ve-” Serkan's eyebrows that had knotted together quickly smoothed over as his eyes looked elsewhere. Ambrose noticed the small earpiece that hadn't been there when they'd met.
After a while Serkan swore again.
“Good fuck, neutralizing that shit before being taken down by the shooters will be a hell of a mess…” he grumbled through gritted teeth, before looking down, his eyes immediately lighting up with an idea.
“Little angel-” He started.
“No” The other answered immediately.
“I didn't even tell you-”
“No, because I don't want to be your accomplice in anything” Ambrose cut him off again, Serkan looked up at the sky and groaned soundly.
“You won't have to kill anyone” Serkan tried again, Ambrose still looked skeptical, they stared at each other for a bit then Serkan spoke up as he thought of something. “You just have to knock out a few bad guys, plus Lia will guide you to find whoever you were looking for, promise”
Serkan said with a hand solemnly held over his chest as he looked at him expectantly. Ambrose hesitated for a bit more, peeking back at the still ongoing mayhem. He wondered if in that chaos his mother had already reached the exit or found cover somewhere else, or maybe…
Fuck it.
“Fine” He snapped at last, this set Serkan's gears in motion, as he tore the ear piece from where it rested behind his ear and attached it to the taller one’s with mastered precision.
“There, I'll cover for you, when Lia tells you, run”
Serkan pressed himself back against the wall holding the gun at the ready, Ambrose stood up. In the blink of an eye, Serkan shot forward and less than a second after a familiar monotone voice ordered him to run.
“The closest shooters are on the first floor to your right, behind second and fourth column, stay tight on the stair wall and crouch low on the balconies, two shooters opposite to you, their eyes on Ser, don't catch their attention” The orders were succinct and clear, he followed them as best as he could, keeping his head down to stop himself from losing his focus by looking around.
Once he reached the first floor he crouched low as he’d been told, taking out the first one wasn't that hard, he hadn't heard him and was caught off guard. A strong hit to the pressure point on his nape and he was down. He made quick work of unloading the bullets from the firearm.
The second wasn't as easy, he’d caught onto something being weird and had turned around in time to dodge. Still he was engaged in close quarters so he was unable to use his firearm. Ambrose grappled with him on the ground but managed to knock his head hard enough against the floor to make him lose his senses.
However shots came from the second floor, the first narrowly missing him. He immediately rolled for cover behind the parapet, the second hit the marble, a stray chip slicing his cheekbone open.
Before he could raise his hand to reflexively touch it Lia’s voice entered directly in his ear:
“A shooter set on overhead the main entrance coming your way, take cover behind the parapets on your right, careful for the stair’s opening.”
Ambrose swore under his breath, dashing forward and tight to his right. He dove past the stair opening, a bullet from overhead hitting the spot where he’d been a second before. His heart was jumping against his ribcage and the adrenaline was pumping frantically in his blood streams. He didn't dare look to his right, something told him that the shots that had been ringing all around weren't only from the enemy faction.
Damnit, why did I agree to this?!
He couldn't hear it, but the creeping feeling of the shooter closing in from the corridor where he'd been not long ago pressed heavy on his chest.
Just as Ambrose could see him peeking around the corner a shot came and the body fell limply to the ground. Someone rolled beside him the next second, filling up his vision completely before he could take a good look at the corpse of the criminal.
“Hey there little angel, looking good” Serkan's voice filled his ears with its usual teasing tone, if not a bit breathy due to the running.
It, for some reason, filled Ambrose with a sense of relief, although his eyes still wandered to see past his shoulder with a heavy heart.
Serkan shifted minimally, to cover the dead man fully from his sight. “Easy there, don't want you to pass out from horror.” The other muttered, the smile curling the corners of his lips looked forced for the first time since they'd known each other.
“Just think that it was either you or them, no time to talk in places like these. What's Lia saying?” Serkan reminded, his tone playful but hiding a sharper underlying edge to it. He turned Ambrose's attention back to the buzzing earpiece.
“Yomi is moving, wait for my signal before dashing on the stairs in front of you. Ser go left, Rose go right”
Before Ambrose could open his mouth though, a loud shriek came from the raging monster on the ground floor, the sound of beating of huge wings echoed in the whole palace, gunshots followed soon after.
“Now” The voice in the earpiece rang out again. Ambrose quickly pulled himself to his feet and dashed forward, Serkan followed without question.
Despite Serkan not having heard the directions, they both went their assigned ways. The second floor was much more crowded, but at least he didn't have the enemy’s undivided attention.
The fight ongoing on the ground floor called for the attention of half of the shooters on the second, however the other half was at the ready with drawn knives and guns.
The first one was easy to knock down, at the same time the archangel’s wings materialized on his back shielding him from the gunshots, as they flapped back open they shot forward about ten brilliant blades that stabbed into the criminals’ chests making them waver momentarily.
As their eyes shook, stunned by waves of unexpected mental chaos, Ambrose took the chance to knock them out. The last one managed to come back to himself enough to raise his dagger, slicing the skin of Ambrose's forearm, however it was too late and as the boy threw him against the wall. His head hit the marble and he crumbled to the floor unconscious.
Before he could turn to his right Serkan met him half way, his right arm hung rather limply but Ambrose didn't find the time to open his mouth that a lick of white, hot flames raised high in the air.
The pained shrieks of the monsters came afterwards, the flames lighting the whole space, causing him to stumble backwards.
Serkan however gripped his shoulder with his uninjured arm and dragged him down one of the empty and dark side hallways.
“Ready to fly, little angel?” He asked, voice rich with excitement as the adrenaline was still pumping freshly in his veins.
Before Ambrose could even answer he found himself jumping out of a window dragged alongside by Serkan.
The huge, candid wings immediately bloomed out from his back. Despite not being able to control his powers quite well yet he was glad that the wings managed to show up whenever he needed them to, otherwise he would've been toast ages ago.
They roughly, but safely, made it to the ground. Ambrose's grip on Serkan was strained as his forearm burnt with pain due to the injury, thick red blood still dripped down from the cut, so he ended up letting go a little before he was meant to.
That didn't prove to be a problem as Serkan fell in a bush and rolled out of it unharmed (mostly). He stood up immediately, although that didn't matter since Ambrose tackled him as he landed.
It was on purpose as during their escape Ambrose had realized something. He fisted the already crumpled collar of the other's shirt as he leaned over his laying form, his face twisted in anger lit by the full moon.
“You said I could go find my mother” He hissed through his gritted teeth. Serkan's eyes, clouded by the rush of adrenaline from the fight, took a moment to realize what he meant but that also didn't matter because the answer came from the earpiece.
“Mrs. Chevalier correct? She’s fine, she's one of the first ones who made it to the exit. Most likely unharmed as well.”
Cecilia’s voice enunciated in that same monotone voice she'd used to deliver her orders. It was cold, factual. Ambrose believed it and backed off from where he'd been straddling Serkan’s hips.
However he didn't help him up and slapped him the moment he stood back up.
Cecilia knew that information for obvious reasons, but Serkan either didn't and had jumped out of the window despite his promise or he had known and had used his mother as leverage to get him to help.
Whatever it was, Ambrose wasn't fond of either of these possibilities and Serkan seemed to be aware of this since he didn't question the reasons behind the slap.
He remained eerily quiet and still for a long minute staring at Ambrose with unreadable eyes, they looked black in the darkness of the night. They were unnerving.
The albino’s anger bubbled inside of him and just as he was about to raise his hand once more he heard troubled swears coming from the earpiece.
“Damnit, Rose tell Serkan-”
Ambrose's face must’ve been enough for Serkan to understand that something was wrong. The other dashed forward like a statue coming to life and Ambrose struggled to keep up.
They ran through the garden, passing the crowded private parking lot. Both of them almost being run over several times by the hurrying cars of terrified millionaires and politicians.
Ambrose stopped, looking around to actually verify if his mother was there, his siblings too who he'd escaped from as the chaos had begun.
He didn't manage to get a good look that two familiar people reached him, covering his whole visual and fussing over him with worry and anger.
“AMBROSE CHEVALIER LA PROCHAINE FOIS QUE TU T'ENFUIRAS, JE TE COUPE LES JAMBES.” His sister's voice yelled in his face as she gripped his arm tight enough to hurt.
She also looked like someone had put her in a blender, her blond hair had escaped from the tight bun and were now pouring over her shoulders like a wild waterfall. Her dress was in even worse conditions, the gown torn off, the hems of it darkened as if burnt.
His older brother wasn't in better conditions, eyes a bit wider and shocked than usual, like someone had pulled the carpet from under his feet and he was still trying to find his balance.
He tore Arianne off of him with a huge amount of effort and dragged both of them in the direction Serkan had disappeared off to without another word. Despite following him without resistance Arianne remained latched onto Ambrose's arm as the three of them broke out in a sprint.
They ran out of the gates, turning left and reaching a small parking lot hidden by a wall of bushes. There only a dark blinded car was parked, the lifeless bodies of three men in dark suits laid all around it and two other people stood beside it. One of the two raised a metal object that Ambrose came to recognize, rather quickly as a gun.
Arianne reflexively covered Ambrose's visual from the sight of the corpses and stood in front of him to shield him. Alexandre raised his hands although he seemed quite calm.
Even before the person holding the gun could lower it the other grumbled something towards them lowering their arm down forcefully.
Ambrose could faintly recall whose it was and, when they were allowed closer, he had confirmation of the owner of it.
A woman with an easily distinguishable vitiligo skin came into view, she was also in a quite disheveled state. Her silky hair had half fallen out from the intricate hairstyle and her dress was barely holding itself up as the back of it was torn apart right through the middle.
Ambrose recalled vaguely that Lia had mentioned ‘Yomi’ as she talked through the earpiece. He hadn't paid particular attention to it back then but now it made sense.
‘Yomi’, short for Mayomi, was ushering them in the back of the car. The three of them each slid in quickly Ambrose getting seated last.
Or so he’d thought, before Mayomi forced Serkan (the person who’d been holding up the gun before they were recognized) into the back of the car, smacking the car door in his face.
Because of this Serkan and Ambrose were squeezed on one car seat, the former practically fully seated on the latter's laps. Things neither of them seemed to be particularly fond of.
However Ambrose understood why when his eyes fell on the passenger seat occupied by a familiar girl with a laptop attached to several other smaller screens sitting on her knees.
Cecilia rested limply against the leather seat, her closed eyes trembled behind her eyelids and her complexion was concerningly pale.
The next moment Mayomi settled in the driver seat, quickly closing and locking the car door behind her as she started the car.
“Just so you know, we're definitely getting pulled over like this” Serkan grumbled, still not quite fully settling on Ambrose’s laps. After that moment back there neither of them was happy to be pressed so close against the other.
Arianne sitting beside Ambrose also looked appalled and enraged by it but bit her tongue in favor of glaring at Mayomi.
“The police still haven't arrived from the street we’ll take so we’re safe, just sit tight and shut up will you?”
Mayomi sounded uncharacteristically pissed off, Ambrose was used to her controlled and carefully polite demeanour but it seemed that tonight hadn't been merciful on any of them.
The car started and they shot out of the car park, Mayomi kept a speed that didn't go over the limit regardless of what she'd said.
Blue and red lights flashed behind them, but they were gone moments after. Serkan had finally stopped swearing under his breath and had settled with sitting on Ambrose's knees by grabbing at the head rest of the passenger seat.
Despite the darkness and their position Ambrose could tell from his stiff position that he was troubled by Cecilia's conditions.
When Mayomi judged enough distance had been put between them and the villa, she pressed her foot on the pedal. Arianne looked about to say something but Alex stopped her by resting a hand on her arm.
Meanwhile Serkan ended up sliding backwards, his back pressing against Ambrose's chest who reflexively grabbed his arms to still him. This however was a mistake as Serkan flinched suppressing a pained grunt, his hand flying to hold his right shoulder.
Ambrose remembered how his arm had seemed to hang limply at his side and immediately let go of it, earning a gratified sigh.
He couldn't help himself from whispering under his breath. “Sorry, you okay?”
Which was answered by a low and slightly strained. “Mind your own business, angel boy”
Which Ambrose in turn didn't like and made it known by pulling at Serkan's pointy earring. The other slapped his hand away but not before letting out an unchecked ‘ow’.
In the darkness of the car Ambrose couldn't quite catch his siblings’ reaction but didn't bother too much with it.
“How's she?” He asked again, he didn't need to mention who he was talking about, Serkan would know.
“The chick passed out from fright” It was a snarky and insulting comment, but Ambrose could feel the underlying worry underneath it not unlike his own sister's yelling from before.
They stayed silent after that, Ambrose pinching Serkan's uninjured arm out of spite for before. It was a childish punishment and one that didn't satisfy his anger and need for answers from the other boy. But Serkan's breathed swears were entertaining to hear, especially since he couldn't do much about it with his other arm injured.
They reached a private airport in a few minutes, they got out of the car and got on the private jet that had been waiting for them, not a shadow was in sight. During the car ride Cecilia had also come back to her senses, but was still quite dizzy.
Serkan casually supported her while muttering insults in her ear that made her face scrunch up as she dug her elbow in his side. They barely managed to reach the top of the stairs leading to the jet without tumbling down.
Mayomi grabbed Cecilia's laptop and other gadgets that had been stuffed in a backpack and they all got aboard.
They settled down as Mayomi disappeared in the back to talk with the pilot and change into something that wasn't precariously hanging off of her.
She reappeared from behind the curtains with her hair pulled up in a bun and a clean white shirt and tailored pants, she looked much closer to her usual self. She was holding a first-aid kit.
Arianne finally spoke up. “You better give us some explanations” She hissed, stabbing her finger in the air towards her direction.
Mayomi didn't even look at her while answering with a straightforward: “Later”
She walked to Serkan who was slumped on a seat beside them, Ambrose could finally see what the wound was all about.
He grimaced at the hole that tore in the suit, it was a gunshot. How the fuck had Serkan fought with that? How was he so unbothered by it?
Arianne was about to open her mouth again but Mayomi had already predicted that as she continued biting out sharply.
“Or are you so inclined to talk about what happened back there against the Fallen One?” She punctuated her cold comment with a penetrant glare that made Arianne's teeth clack shut.
Ambrose turned confused towards his sister.
‘What had happened against the Fallen One?’
However Arianne had a look Ambrose had never seen before, her high chin and fiery glare that never backed off were replaced by a slightly hunched position, low gaze and gritted teeth.
Ambrose was left speechless. He managed to tear his eyes away from the sight of his sister in those conditions only when Serkan loudly protested against Mayomi’s demands.
The woman was pulling at Serkan's torn tuxedo as she told him to take it off so she could analyze his wound but the other stubbornly tried to get her off while howling vulgar insults her way.
This was all topped off by Cecilia watching them, entertainment twinkling in her grey eyes, as she munched on iron supplements like they were popcorns and this was her favorite movie. A batch of sweet snacks already laid in her laps ready to be eaten when she was done with the supplements.
The three of them looked like siblings, not unlike his own. No matter how many times he saw this, it still caught Ambrose off guard just how… normal these internationally wanted criminals could be.
In the end Mayomi compromised by having Serkan uncover only the injured shoulder. It was a gruesome sight, Ambrose couldn't help the way his expression scrunched up but at the same time he couldn't peel his eyes away from it.
“Did it go through and through?” Mayomi asked as she crouched down in front of him, opening the first-aid kit.
“How am I supposed to know?” Serkan grumbled unhelpfully, which made Mayomi's eye twitch.
“Then turn around and let me fucking see it, no?” She shot back, a clearly fake smile slapped on her face.
“Uhhh, getting dirty tongued here, not often I hear you swear— Ow- ow- OUCH, CAREFUL BITCH!” Serkan exclaimed, his voice getting an octave higher each time as Mayomi forcefully turned him around to check.
The insult earned him an educational slap on the nape as Mayomi finally let him go.
“Thankfully for us there isn't any exit wound, so at least you won't make a mess of the white cushions. Sadly for you this means you’ll have a bullet stuck in you for the next six hours. Unless you want your shoulder amputated I'd advise you to keep still. I’ll give you some painkillers.” She finished turning to get some disinfectant and patches from the first-aid kit.
Serkan scoffed. “I don't need painkillers, they're for the weak” He commented with a cocky smirk.
Mayomi apparently didn't like this at all since she forcefully grabbed him by the chin glaring so hard his soul probably shivered as well.
“You will take the painkillers and won't act like a brat ‘cause I'm not dealing with your shit tonight nor Edelmira's when we get back, got it Satan?”
She hissed lowly before letting go of him and going back to cleaning and dressing the wound. She popped a pill in his open palm and filled a glass with water before handing it to him shooting him a sharp glare for good measure.
He took the pill without further complaints. Once she was done with him she turned to them.
“Anyone else need something fixed?” Her eyes quickly fell on Ambrose's forearm even before he answered. She stepped closer to him, carefully taking his arm and rolling the sleeve of his white (totally ruined) suit up.
She hummed. “It's not deep but it is big, it might need stitches. I’ll clean it and dress it up for you, but you should get it checked with Edelmira once we get back.”
She advised and quickly got to work, much calmer than how it was with Serkan. Once she was done she put everything back in its place and finally settled on a seat in front of the three siblings.
Before addressing them however she turned toward Cecilia. “You sent everything, right? We're about to set off”
The girl nodded, quickly setting all of her devices to airplane mode.
“Get some rest, I'll send a more extensive report myself after we're in the air” Mayomi finished and finally turned towards them. However she didn't immediately speak, instead analyzing each of them carefully.
They set off and after a few minutes of unease and turbulence the plane started its smooth flight up in the air.
“Well?” Arianne spoke up after several more minutes of silence. Her voice was complicated, something was definitely bothering her but Ambrose just couldn't put his finger on it.
For some reason it reminded him of when mother would pull another one of her crazy demands on them, something sudden that they couldn't refuse to do and that they were powerless against.
Mayomi sighed. “I suppose that since you were dragged so deeply in this mess then I can speak freely. This mission wasn't supposed to be half of the chaos it ended up becoming”
Her voice was heavy, heavier than Ambrose had ever heard it but most of all what was shocking was the fact that her fake smile was nowhere to be seen. For once, she looked genuinely troubled and had no intention of hiding it, she looked angry, frustrated and disappointed all at the same time.
“Something went deeply wrong with it, our moves had been predicted by someone. Originally it was meant to be a kidnapping, the target was Nicodeme Matisse.”
“Oncle?!” Arianne exclaimed as three pairs of eyes widened at the same time.
“An informant of ours had learnt that he was a huge sponsor of one of the criminal organization we’ve been keeping an eye on that sells the Forbidden Fruit”
The three siblings wore matching horrified and disbelieving expressions but all of them knew well that Mayomi had no interest in lying to them about this. After all the Twisted Wonderland’s aims, although achieved with not socially conformative methods, were to eliminate the spreading of the illegal drug.
“We’d been lately notified that he’d come as far as becoming an official member, with a high position no less. All thanks to his fortune, obviously.” She commented sarcastically rolling her eyes, before her face schooled back in a serious expression.
“So we'd decided to pay him a ‘visit’ to kidnap him and interrogate him. You see, despite our many informants, we actually don't know much about this specific criminal organization. They're mostly known as ‘Les Goules de la Seine’ in the underground, other than their markets of the illegal drug, not much else is known about them. This is why the boss personally demanded us to execute this mission.”
She side eyed Serkan before continuing. “However someone was still able to mess it up”
Serkan leaned forward in his seat with clenched fists, before his right one made him flinch due to the pain. Still he shot back.
“How was I supposed to know the fucker had a fucking overdose pill in his mouth?!” He complained loudly.
“An overdose pill?” Alexandre asked, this time Cecilia was the one who answered.
“That’s just what that idiot calls them, he actually means death pills.”
The three siblings froze on the spot.
“From the information we’d gotten nothing led back to Mr. Matisse displaying such a huge dedication to the organization’s cause. Although now it is clear why he possessed such a pill and why he was so quick on using it” Mayomi continued again, showing no mercy for the storm that was churning inside their heads.
“It is more than likely that your uncle was fooled into believing it would save him. He'd been apparently injected with a dose of the drug. That monster at the gala, it was him.”
Arianne was terribly pale, her eyes wide, if she weren't sitting Ambrose was 100% sure her knees would've given out.
“T-that” She breathed stuttering in pure shock, she looked horrified but most of all… guilty?
Mayomi’s eyes narrowed as she looked at that expression before adding on a brighter note “However it is not all bad, at the very least from tonight's events we can draw a lot of conclusions-”
“Conclusions? CONCLUSIONS?” Arianne stood up, eyes flashing with unfiltered rage, the air suddenly boiling on the skin of those around her.
Serkan had also stood up as if he'd felt the switch in the atmosphere and could almost hear the countdown of a bomb, he already held the gun back in his hand. His scleras turned pitch black and eyes a bloody crimson.
Mayomi looked mildly uncomfortable due to the heat, but not bothered in any other way. She held her hand up signaling Serkan to stand down before addressing Arianne again.
“You do understand that if we'd let him run amok then half, if not all, of those people wouldn't have seen the light of tomorrow, yes? And also that joining a criminal organization was a free choice taken by your relative…”
Mayomi stared right in her eyes, not backing off in the slightest despite the flames raging inside them. This made Arianne stop, slowly, so very slowly the fire all around them died down alongside her position which turned from an I’m-about-to-kill-you stand to a more muted and stiff variant.
Arianne finally sat back down still glaring at Mayomi who ignored her and continued. “The conclusions we were able to draw from this event is that ‘Les Goules’ goal is most likely strictly tied to the fall of the French government. Considering their reckless behavior, they may be anarchists who wish to see the administrative organs in complete entropy.”
She closed her eyes, sighing she looked exhausted.
“That is all I have and all I can tell you”
A still silence fell amongst the three siblings, Ambrose was the one who dared to speak up to break it.
“Do you have any information on mother?”
This earned him a glare from his siblings, Arianne in particular. They never had a good relationship with her, none of them did, but Ambrose was the only one who still cared enough to ask this despite all she'd made them go through.
Mayomi's differently colored eyes opened, they seized him up with suffocating intensity before she finally spoke up.
“We don't know much about her precise whereabouts but we can guarantee you that she left the villa’s gates unharmed”
She finally stated echoing Cecilia’s statement. Ambrose could tell it was true, he’d trusted Cecilia the first time she'd said it, but when Mayomi did… he felt like there was more.
It was a crippling feeling that nothing in Mayomi's expression seemed to be the cause of. No, it was a gut feeling, the same that crawled up his spine whenever his siblings would withhold information from him. There was something more.
A glint in Mayomi's eyes told him that she knew he was skeptical about something. For some reason that was enough to make him shiver.
Neither of them said anything however and Mayomi ended up excusing herself to go rest a few seats away from them.
His siblings also stood up to sit the opposite way, their heads pressed together as they started whispering opinions amongst themselves. All things they wouldn't let Ambrose in on or that would be told to him later with a finality that didn't accept other opinions.
But that didn't matter because Ambrose wanted to have a word with someone else. He looked at the seats to his left that Serkan had taken all for himself. His eyes were slightly hazy, most likely due to the painkillers, but they were still open and already looking at him.
Ambrose rose up from his seat and walked in the back, slipping behind the curtain. Serkan didn't need words to understand and silently followed behind with feline steps.
Once in the dim light offered by that space Ambrose turned to look at Serkan, his eyes were complicated as he tried to find a place to start. He did so for quite a while causing the dark haired one to speak up first.
“Don't look at me like that” It had a hint of sarcasm and his tone was indifferent, yet it wavered slightly and Serkan's eyes didn't meet his.
“Why didn't you tell me?” Ambrose finally asked, arms crossed over his chest, eyes narrowed as he glared up at him.
“Tell you what-” Serkan tried to dodge, but got cut off.
Ambrose stepped forward in the cramped space, barely a few inches between the both of them.
“Don't play stupid” Ambrose's heart was beating hard, for some reason the thought of Serkan withholding things from him and going as far as playing dumb just to avoid giving an answer shook him greatly, even more than when his siblings or other people did.
Serkan's mouth snapped close, dark eyes searching Ambrose's light ones like a sailor that by observing the sky could predict the incoming storm.
The silence only made anger bubble further inside of him as he smacked his hand on the wall beside his head. He really was his sister's brother, neither of them had ever had a good temper, despite his having a longer fuse.
“Ser-”
“Have you forgotten who I am?” Serkan whispered, taking Ambrose aback for a moment, he’d expected a snarky remark or a harsh snarl telling him to back off and that he would explain everything.
But this was a tone Ambrose had never heard Serkan use, it was quiet and cold, similar to Mayomi's although everyone of Twisted Wonderland he’d met so far had used it at least once. It was like a mark, an expression, a tone only those from that organization could use.
“Wha-?” Ambrose stopped leaning forward as much, as Serkan eyes started digging their claws in his.
“Ambrose I am a criminal, an executive no less. I don't have to tell you everything, it's my job not to.”
This made the other take a step back as he pushed off from leaning against the wall.
“I had a job, it went bad, I found you and decided to take advantage. Would you have helped if I hadn't?” He said slowly stepping forward, Ambrose taking a step back each time.
He’d never seen Serkan like that, or well, Ambrose had always known Serkan was a predator but had never seen him from the point of view of the prey like now.
He attempted to open his mouth but nothing came out.
“Maybe it wasn't clear that just as I put bullets through people's heads, I can use other methods to reach the goal of the mission. I follow orders, not morals, angel.”
He spat the last word coldly, it curled around his lips in a way that seemed to disgust him as if the purity of it was something so alien to him it caused him to recoil.
With that Ambrose's back hit the wall, his whole form trembling as he tried in vain to suppress it.
Serkan's eyes bore into him but he didn't say anything further. He just stood there. Ambrose gritted his teeth, to stop his voice from trembling.
“So if one day the target will be my mother, Arianne, Alex or- or me. You won't hesitate to exploit… whatever it is that I have with you?” He hissed like a wounded animal, blinking hard to ward off sudden tears. Why was he even crying?
“So it doesn't matter?” His voice came out so small, he wanted to kick himself for it. He wanted to kick himself for a lot of things, first and foremost for having gotten attached to someone like him out of the 7 billion people on this Earth.
Serkan didn't answer straightforwardly. “It is unlikely for you and your siblings to be targets, you know better than to join criminal organizations that sell the drug or aid-”
“Answer the question, Serkan” Ambrose spat sharply, satisfaction for having said that with a steady voice rising coldly in his chest, walls already raised high around his heart as he prepared for the impact.
Serkan's mouth cracked shut. Then after seconds that felt like ages, he diverted his eyes, frame suddenly looking smaller as he whispered.
“It shouldn't” It was an attempt at indifference, but it wavered and the fact that he couldn't meet the other's eyes was telling.
It hit Ambrose in the gut, that wasn't the answer he’d expected. He'd already thought that the Serkan he’d interacted with so far had secretly been a two faced bitch but the sudden reappearance of his usual self caught him off guard.
Many frames of memories and times they spent together flashed back in his mind. Of course they weren't fake, how could they be? Serkan wasn't one to wear his heart on his sleeve but he was impulsive and direct and that told a lot about him.
Ambrose bit his lip as he observed the profile of the other boy’s face.
But at the same time he was a criminal, just because it wasn't in his nature to lie and manipulate people to take advantage of them didn't mean he couldn't or didn't.
Orders, not morals.
No matter how genuine the time he’d spent with Ambrose was, he was bound by his own rules. Ambrose couldn't ask him to defy them for his sake, but he also couldn't stand by his side knowing he could be exploited at any moment.
The best choice was clear, logically. However…
"It shouldn't"
Ambrose didn't want it to, but it dug under his skin all the way to his heart. It broke down the walls with its quietness and imperceptible wavering and reached the beating organ. His chest felt heavy and breathing got harder.
Why did he have to say something like that?
Ambrose sighed, then a physical weight really did settle against his chest.
“Sorry…” Serkan muttered in a voice slurred with sleep.
Oh right, the painkillers.
Ambrose peeled Serkan off of him, careful not to juggle his injured arm and wrapped the other around his shoulders sliding his own around Serkan’s waist to support him as the boy leaned heavily on him.
Looking as Serkan fought the medicine to stay awake, he could almost convince himself that he'd said what he'd said because of it.
But he knew that even if the medicine had had an influence in that conversation, it was to simply thin out Serkan's barriers, making him more honest than he would be with a clear head.
From that point of view Ambrose felt bad for having had that conversation when he was in these conditions. It felt like he’d taken advantage of the situation.
Taking advantage…
His head was still all in a jumble when he finally reached Serkan's seat.
“Don't you dare leave him here, that fucker snores like there's no tomorrow when he's on painkillers” Cecilia's voice hissed from under a blanket. She was curled up in her seat, a packet of snacks in her laps as she played on a switch, ignoring Mayomi's previous orders to rest.
Serkan was already too half asleep to snap back a heated insult at her, Ambrose chuckled imagining it before his smile was killed off by the flood of thoughts.
Then Cecilia muttered something again, she seemed to have felt his sour mood despite not even looking at him.
“I won't sugar coat it snow boy, but that idiot will bring you more trouble and pain than it’s worth. We're the same as animals on a leash, we follow what we're told because we have to. I don't know about him, but I won't blame you for your choice whatever it may be”
Then she added.
“However he is, sadly, my brother, and if you hurt him, which you will, depending on your choice, then I’m sure you know whose side I'll take regardless of right or wrong.”
She looked at him only then, to punctuate her statement with a brief glare. Ambrose didn't say anything, but Cecilia could tell he'd gotten the message and went back to her games.
Ambrose dragged Serkan a few seats further before plopping him on one, as gently as he could, of course.
He fell in the seat beside him, sighing. Whenever he closed his eyes he could picture vividly the storm taking place in his mind.
He opened them back up and looked at the boy sitting on his right, his head tilted against the wall of the airplane, his injured shoulder pressing against the padded surface as well.
Ambrose studied his profile for a long minute, the way his eyelashes fluttered in distress and the way his jaw clenched and unclenched as the corners of his lips trembled.
Even as he slept Serkan didn't seem to find peace. Always fighting against something. Ambrose wondered if he fought for something.
His thoughts immediately wandered to Cecilia and the other boy that often hung around them.
They would be the best guesses.
Something to fight for pushed you forward, but it also meant you had something to lose.
“It shouldn't”
Ambrose sighed through his nose, as he reached, sliding his hand around the side of the other's head and gently guiding him to tilt the other way, to rest on his shoulder.
‘Trouble and pain’, uh? Yeah, I figured. And I figured I'm idiotic enough to crash land this airship despite knowing that.