{oOo}

Everyone knew that there was some kind of tension between the two Primarchs as soon as Mortarion walked into the conference chamber. Then again, it wasn't as if the sudden change in Angron's body language was hard to miss. One moment he was using one finger to idly doodle on a map with red wine spilled from his goblet, the next his fists were clenched and his eyes were locked upon Mortarion.

As soon as the strategy for the coming battle had been decided, Angron shot to his feet. "EVERYBODY OUT!" he roared, hand reaching for the hilt of his sword. "NOT YOU!" he added when Mortarion began to step prudently back from the map table.

"My lord," Kharn asked cautiously. "What -"

"I SAID OUT!"

Kharn's exit from the tent was through a hole in the fabric that hadn't previously existed and it ultimately took thirteen tech-priests to free him from the tangled barrels of a Hydra self-propelled anti-aircraft platform that he'd collided with.

The following conversation was rather muffled to those outside, which didn't stop rumours from spreading through the less responsible members of the headquarters staff.

"What is that!" Angron snarled as patiently as he could manage.

Mortarion twisted his head around to look in the indicated direction, which was over his left shoulder. "This is Persephone. Persephone, this is my brother Angron."

"Not interested in you being a pedo like father! What's she holding?"

The Death Guard's primarch counted to ten. "Persephone, could you fetch me a cookie please. And one for you as well." There was a scrambling noise from his back and the little girl scampered out of the tent, still clutching her plushie Angron under one arm.

"Firstly, brother," Mortarion replied. "That is a toy. Persephone idolises you, as do many children."

Angron's brow furrowed at this strange concept.

"Secondly, do you know what that word means?"

"What, 'toy'? Yes, of course."

"No, 'pedo'."

The other primarch scratched his head. "Not... exactly."

Mortarion explained.

"BY OUR FATHER! HOW DO YOU KNOW THESE THINGS. YOU PERVERSE BASTARD!" roared Angron. "I SHOULD -"

That was when Mortarion punched him in the face. By the time Persephone returned, half the tent had been torn down and Angron, sporting a black eye, had succeeded in breaking his brother's nose. Fortunately, Mortarion had also managed to persuade his brother that he was not, in fact, a 'pedo' and the two Primarchs were sitting on a broken tank (that had been in excellent repair when the girl left) and watching the tech-priests trying to free Kharn.

"Thank you," Mortarion said, accepting his cookie from the girl. He shot a prompting look at Angron when Persephone tenatively produced a third cookie and offered it to him.

"Thanks," replied Angron, who thought one of his teeth might be loose and was pushing at it with one armoured finger. He shoved the cookie into his mouth as Persephone retreated back behind Mortarion and there was a mighty crunch as he bit down.

Mortarion nodded sagely. "Was that one of Serenity's cookies you gave him?" he asked the girl now clutching his calf as Angron yanked a broken tooth out of his mouth and stared at it in disbelief.

Persephone nodded and squeezed her plushie Angron tighter.

{oOo}