Aaaaaand here we are! Not that I'm surprised but this story is getting awfully long. What? Am I just writing filler at this point because I can't decide how to end it? I refuse to speak without my lawyer present.
I didn't think I was going to update again before the new year, but I ended up chopping this monster of a chapter in half, because it was rapidly closing in on 15k words and that's... well, it's a lot. So I decided to post this part for now.
This chapter is kind of a shit show. Be warned. I think there's a significant amount of OOC-ness here, and I'm sure you're reading this like "bitch this entire AU is OOC, WE BEEN KNEW!" but I just wanted to re-affirm that I am AWARE of it.
I probably butchered Vancha's character but he can join the club, I guess. I don't know if this is a good chapter - that's for you to decide. But I can tell you with certainty that is isn't a boring chapter. So enjoy!
FYI I am including a precautionary suicide TW (reference to the end of Hunters of the Dusk - i.e. Vancha on the roof).
Chapter 15: Crash This Train (Civil War)
Song:Crash This Train by Joshua James - another Sons of Anarchy classic. Imagine if I had time to produce a Vampire Mountain motorcycle gang AU... I don't, but could you imagine?
I hope you find what you're lookin' for when it all comes runnin' down
I hope you find it painted black on your window, or the lips of your lovers frown
'Cause if it dies in cold, when the clouds start to roll
Is it then that your soul, starts to bleed?
Arrow never had quite the profound, almost spiritual connection with the mountain that Mika and Paris did, but he was still damned glad to see that looming behemoth of a peak as he closed the final distance.
His team was exhausted and battle-weary when they filed into the last way station of the trip. They'd flitted for most of the journey back, but the sun was about to come up and they all needed a rest. Besides, Vampire Mountain would be so hectic they'd hardly have time to sit down once they walked in.
Five days had passed since Arrow heard the news of Paris's passing, and it had been a gruelling time. He'd lost two of his better men in battle, and he'd picked up a few new bullet wounds at the same time. Ultimately they won and he left a pile of vampaneze corpses in his wake, but no matter how many kills he racked up they just seemed to keep coming, like a thousand-headed hydra.
But finally, he was almost home. And after close to six years in the field, Kaden Hale still had his back as well as anyone ever had. She'd never taken on a mission this daunting but had rose to the challenge magnificently. Baptism by fire had strengthened her in every conceivable way, and because of her Arrow had walked away from countless battles in better condition than he would've otherwise.
It was one of the colder days in recent memory. Arrow had built a fire a few feet outside the way station; a small but roomy cave in a hillside. Their side of the hill was facing away from the rising sun, so the group was able to sit outside without getting burned. They cooked a few rabbits and wistfully discussed what they'd do once they were back in the mountain. Some would go straight to the food. Others, the alcohol. A few just wanted to take a bath, and there were a handful who figured they'd be best visiting the medics before anything else. But all of them were eager to sleep in the relative comfort of a coffin or hammock again. One by one they retreated to the cave to sleep the daylight away until only Arrow and Kaden remained. Side by side, her on his right. That was how it was now, she was his right hand in all things. He trusted her entirely, and proudly considered her part of his personal inner circle which had consisted of Mika, Vancha, Seba, Vanez, Darren, Larten, and Paris.
Paris...
Arrow was lost in memories of those first few years as Paris's assistant when Kaden's voice broke his concentration.
"You've been quiet." She noted. She didn't say it in a sideways, pointed manner. She didn't shoot him a meaningful glance that suggested he start explaining himself. It was just a simple statement. He could elaborate if he wanted to. And if he didn't, she wouldn't be fussed. He liked that about her. Sometimes less was more with Arrow.
"Have I?" He replied, his gaze honed in on the glowing embers of the fire.
"Just an observation. A half-decent second-in-command notices these things." She answered offhandedly.
"I don't think that's in the official job description." Arrow huffed back. But his tone was gentle.
"How are you feeling about everything?" Kaden asked, more directly. The fact that she came right out with it was a clear indication of her concern.
Arrow tilted his head to look at her, and as he did so, she did the same. Her dark auburn hair had gotten long in the time away from the mountain, she had to keep it contained to a braid lest it obstruct her line of vision during a fight. And her face seemed... older. She didn't look any different than she had before their journey, but there was something different that Arrow couldn't quite put his finger on. She was more confident and self-assured now. She'd always been cool-headed but now there was truly nothing that phased her. But it came at a price; she was also more world-weary now. Not a single vampire would come out of this war untouched in some way or another; that was just how these things worked. But Arrow still wished she could have been an exception.
"I don't think it's sunk in yet." Arrow admitted. "It's like... I know I should be sad. And I am sad. But my brain is just... I don't know, there's so much happening and I can't focus on any of it. The war, Paris, the news from Tiny, the men we lost, the three bullets still stuck in me somewhere... It's all just a big mess. It's like if my brain is so full, I don't have room to start untangling it all. I have no idea where to begin."
Kaden hummed thoughtfully and Arrow immediately felt his face go red. He didn't understand why he was like this; he spent every waking moment with Kaden. They'd seen each other bloodied and bruised on a weekly basis. They'd become steadfast colleagues and close friends. He'd let down his guard with her in many ways - but not all ways. Not these ways. He couldn't help feel like there was some part of his brain that was wired differently than those of his peers the older he got the more he noticed it. Trying to articulate the reasoning for that just felt humiliating for reasons he couldn't wrap his head around.
"Sorry." Arrow grunted. "That was a really shitty explanation. I'm just tired, that's all."
"It made perfect sense, actually." Said Kaden evenly, her green eyes gently keeping hold of Arrow's brooding gaze. "All that would overwhelm anyone. Here's what you need to do: check in with Sire Ver Leth and Quartermaster Nile, see where they're at organizing the funeral ceremony. Once that's figured out, you'll go see the medics about having those bullets removed. And when they've patched you up, then you can sit and talk about the war and the vampaneze while you wait for the guests to arrive." She finished calmly.
Arrow let out a low groan of frustration and ran his hands slowly over his face and tattooed scalp.
"How do you make that sound so easy?"
"Ranked it by priority." Kaden shrugged. "Personally I think you should see the medics before anything else but I know you won't. So you might as well put your energy into preparing for the funeral. It won't take long for the guests to arrive since the flitting rules were relaxed. And the war doesn't seem to be ending any time soon, so you'll have lots of time to touch base with the other Princes and Generals once everything else has been attended to."
"What did I ever do without you?" Arrow murmured, a sad little smile working its way across his face.
"By the sounds of it, you got by just fine." Kaden replied. As Arrow smiled, so did she.
"Is that what they say? Guess I shouldn't tell you Mika's been making my schedules for me the past sixty years." Said Arrow surreptitiously. Her lips parted in a mock grimace, she raised her eyebrows and surveyed Arrow with fond exasperation.
"Yeah, definitely don't tell me that. In fact, don't tell anyone that. Yikes."
"You're right." Said Arrow very seriously. "I'll keep it to myself."
They both chuckled.
"Who's staying away for the funeral, Darren or Vancha?" Kaden inquired.
"Larten told Mika that Darren volunteered to stay back." Said Arrow. "Nice of him."
"He's a good kid." Kaden commented.
"Yeah. I think we'll keep him." Said Arrow. That kid really had grown on him; although admittedly it hadn't taken much.
"And how is Sire Ver Leth doing?" Kaden ventured after a pause.
Arrow grimaced. He hadn't communicated with Mika much since the anguish-stricken moment he reached out and informed Arrow of the loss, and the time shortly after when he confirmed Darren was skipping the ceremony.
"I don't know how Mika's doing." Arrow admitted, meeting Kaden's gently curious gaze. His face was lined with worry. "I couldn't afford to distract myself by worrying about him. He's confined to the Hall of Princes til Vancha or I arrive, it's not like he can get into much trouble in there. So I kept my focus on our team. Gods, I hope I did the right thing."
"You did. With all due respect, Sire Ver Leth is a grown-ass vampire and he's more than capable of handling himself. You do not need to feel responsible for him." Said Kaden firmly. But then she softened her demeanour. "We're almost home. One more day and you can help each other through it."
"I know..." said Arrow, his eyes shifting back to the dying embers of the fire. "He's just... he's never been the same since last council. And I know better than anyone how long it takes to put your life back together after it goes off the rails. It'd be hypocritical of me to expect him to be fine right now."
"No one's expecting either of you to be fine." Said Kaden, her gentle exasperation becoming more evident. "All I'm saying is just... make sure you take a few minutes for yourself. Feel whatever you need to feel. You don't have to be everyone's rock."
"Someone has to be." He told her. There was a very subtle hitch in his throat with those words but his voice remained steady. "Mika's always been mine. And Paris was ours. He was everyone's. But now Paris is gone, and I don't know how much of Mika is left. Vancha's kind of a lone wolf, and Darren's an infant. So that leaves me."
Kaden held his somber gaze, her bright green eyes locking onto his dark hazel, glazed over from exhaustion.
"Then you walk in there and be their rock." She murmured. He felt her small fingers slip between his large battle-scarred ones but didn't break eye contact. "But when the ceremony is over and the guests have gone home... when the time comes that you need your own rock... you know where to find me."
She squeezed his hand, and finally Arrow felt the some of the overwhelming tension relax its grip on his body. The tension that was so familiar he didn't realize it had been there, until it lifted. He squeezed her hand back. Even though her hand was as calloused and battle-scarred as any man's, it still felt so soft and small to him. And warm - impossibly warm.
"You're allowed to mourn him." She added. "Just because he lived and died the way most can only dream of, doesn't make the loss any less real to you."
He exhaled slowly and withdrew his hand reluctantly from her grasp - with the way the war was going, the idea of falling for her absolutely terrified him. And if he let his guard down for even a second he knew he wouldn't stand a chance.
"You're one of the good ones, Hale. It's been an honour to fight at your side." He told her at last. She smiled up at him, her expression unreadable.
"Likewise, Sire. Hoping for many more."
Have you ever seen the President who killed your wounded child?
Or the man that crashed your sisters plane claimin' he was sent of god?
And when she died in your arms, late that night in the dark
Did you pray to your god to come home?
'Cause it ain't fair to say, that these tracks are the same
So god if you can hear me, crash this train
Said god if you can hear, me crash this train
The five days since Paris's sudden exit had passed in the blink of an eye, and Mika was grateful for it. More and more often he was catching glimpses of his old self. That effortless, blazing confidence may have been eroded, but what was left had been tempered with a battle-hardened resolve that was enough for him to face the chaos head-on every night and do what he did best. His job.
Paris's letter had been the turning point. He read it every night before going to sleep, and again when he woke up. The mountain was filling up with guests, and due to the circumstances there was just as much discussion on the war as there was about Paris. Meetings increased tenfold and his daily to-do list was ever-growing. Mika was exhausted and overworked, but for the first time in years it felt... good. Like how he used to feel after a long but fulfilling night's work.
Seba showed up in the Hall of Princes most nights after everyone else had gone to sleep. He'd sit in Paris's throne (he may not have been a Prince, but he was the only vampire that would ever be allowed to sit in that throne again if Mika had anything to say about it) and they'd quietly appreciate each other's presence. Sometimes they talked about Paris, and other times they talked about other things. Either way, it helped.
Vanez stayed close by as well. He had already started debriefing the vampires returning from the field, gathering information about the enemy's resources, fighting styles, and any patterns of behaviour that could be analyzed and used in the vampires' favour. Vanez knew all the right questions to ask, and how to filter the relevant information - which gave Mika one less thing to do. Vanez visited the Hall of Princes every day to update Mika on what he'd been learning, so Mika could pick and choose which Generals he wanted to follow up with. It made Mika's job much easier, which he appreciated immensely.
Then there was Renley.
Mika was more than a little uncomfortable with the fact that Renley had witnessed him hitting rock bottom that night; a level of raw vulnerability that Mika wished he could erase from memory. And what made it worse was not only had Renley witnessed it, he'd also been the one to pick Mika up off rock bottom and dust him off. Mika had fallen asleep in his arms for the second time that night. And just like the first time, when he woke up the spell was immediately broken. It was back to business.
But there'd been enough of a shift in their dynamic to reach an unspoken compromise: Renley respected Mika's desire for space, while Mika begrudgingly accepted that it wasn't in his best interest to shut out anyone who might have the audacity to give a damn about his well-being. So Renley visited the Hall of Princes several times a day, usually armed with snacks and beverages. A well-timed cold drink was certainly the most direct way to Mika's heart.
Ren never lingered for too long, and knew better than to greet Mika with a kiss or a hug if anyone else was around, and there almost always was. So he'd just check in, hang out for a minute, and carry on his way again. And it helped.
All in all Mika was coping, but he did wish Arrow had given him a warning before abruptly arriving in the Hall of Princes because the sight of his best friend for the first time in over half a decade proved to be almost too much. Mika managed to keep a straight face as Arrow made a beeline to the front of the room, politely brushing off the dozens of vampires who swarmed to his side to greet him as he walked. He didn't stop until he'd reached the stairs that led up to the throne platform. And the only reason he stopped was because Mika had gotten up from his throne, launched himself at Arrow, and hugged him harder than he'd ever hugged anyone in his entire life while Arrow held him just as tightly.
They didn't even exchanged verbal greeting for several minutes. They just stood there, clinging to each other. If you've ever had a best friend bordering on a soulmate, you'll know how much can be said without ever speaking a single word. Neither of them cared that the hall was full of vampires. Nothing in the world that mattered, except that they were reunited.
"How are you?" Arrow asked, voice rough with concern, as they pulled apart. He gripped Mika's shoulders and held him at arm's length, looking him up and down.
"I'm doing well." Mika replied quietly but firmly.
"Are you sure? You didn't sound well when you gave me the news." Arrow pressed with skepticism, not looking entirely convinced. Mika arched his eyebrows at his prodigal friend.
"I wasn't then. But now I am." Mika replied simply. "Seba and I have been keeping busy, and we're fine. Sad, but fine. Speaking of Seba, he gave me this to pass along to you. He's been running all over the mountain all week and he figured I'd see you before he did..."
Mika reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper with Arrow's name on it.
"That's Paris's handwriting..." Arrow gulped, as took the letter from Mika's hand.
"He wrote each of us a letter." Said Mika evenly. "You, me, Vancha, and Darren. Just some... parting words. I was in a dark place when I read mine-"
"THE dark place?" Arrow interrupted, eyes blazing with worry. Mika sighed and shrugged.
"I don't know. I guess. It was hard to convince myself to open it and start reading... but it was like he was right there, talking to me. And he pulled me out of the dark place."
Arrow quickly unfolded the paper and started reading, but within seconds his face reddened and he began to breathe heavily. He folded the letter back up and turned his face upwards to the ceiling, blinking frantically and trying to steady himself, seemingly with limited success.
Mika felt a strong stab of empathy. He'd had almost a week to come to terms with the loss, so that when he said he was okay it really was the truth. Arrow on the other hand had been out in the field fighting for his life, and hadn't had a spare moment to process anything until just now.
"Everyone, please clear the hall! I need to speak with Sire Arrow concerning vampaneze business." Mika addressed the room. He didn't shout but his voice carried, and he heard Arrow sigh with relief as the dozens of chattering vampires began to file out.
"Thank you..." Arrow muttered, sounding slightly unsteady as he roughly swiped tears from his eyes. "Fuck, I'm sorry. Just need a minute."
"Take all the time you need." Said Mika calmly, putting his hand on Arrow's shoulder and steering him up the steps and into to his throne.
Arrow leaned back and rested his head against the hard wooden seat and closed his eyes. He looked like he'd aged several decades since Mika last saw him, and his face was pale and drawn.
"How have you been?" Mika asked in an undertone as he watched Arrow blink furiously. Arrow didn't answer for a moment, he just ran his hands wearily across his face, massaging his temples as if he had a headache.
"Really fucking tired." He murmured at last.
"You look terrible." Mika remarked.
"You'd look like shit too if you had three bullets stuck in your body." Arrow grunted.
"Three?" Mika groaned in dismay. "One, I could overlook. Been there, done that. Ask the medics. Two is questionable. But three? You moron."
"I haven't exactly had time to go to the nearest emergency room!" Arrow protested.
"Well it'd be awfully inconsiderate of you to up and die of infection with everything that's going on. Paris only gets a free pass because he's old." Mika mused. But he shot Arrow a wry grin. Arrow rolled his eyes but weakly returned the smile.
"I'll go to the medics and let them sort me out tomorrow." Arrow relented. "I just don't want to be poked and prodded right now. Besides, I need to help you plan the funeral, don't I?"
"I'll allow it." Said Mika.
"I missed you so fucking much." Arrow croaked out after another long pause.
"Really? I barely even thought about you." Said Mika lightly. That was enough to make Arrow laugh for the first time in days.
"So what'd your letter say?" Arrow asked after a moment.
"Probably pretty close to what yours says. That he was proud of me. Stay strong, hang in there, be nice to Seba, all that. And he more or less apologized for not dying sooner, back when I was mentally stable." Mika shrugged, shooting a sideways glance at Arrow, who chuckled darkly.
"Yeah... he really didn't think this through. Gods, what an inconvenience." The tattooed Prince snorted.
Arrow began to read his letter. Mika watched a universe of emotions flash across his best friend's face and felt a tug of sympathy. Arrow hadn't seen Paris in years. And suddenly all he had was this letter. Mika would never take for granted the fact that he was one of the last vampires to have the honour of seeing Paris in person.
Arrow stopped reading; and Mika couldn't tell if he'd finished or given up. But he stood up shakily from his throne and took a few directionless steps, as he slowly ran his hands over his face and began to breathe heavily. He didn't seem to know what to do with himself.
"It's okay, Arrow." Mika murmured, watching him carefully as he paced aimlessly. It seemed the true scope of the loss had finally sunk in. That, the moment of true realization, combined with the fact that he was home for the first time in over six years, under these circumstances seemed to be more than Arrow could bear.
Mika sat up a little straighter and swivelled in his throne, tracking Arrow's erratic movements. He was still clutching his letter, his eyes darting around the page but Mika could tell he was way beyond absorbing any of it.
"A, look at me." Mika ordered quietly, standing up. Arrow stopped in his tracks and slowly raised his head to meet Mika's eyes, and Mika felt his heart break just a little more. Arrow's face was pale in shock and confusion, and Mika recognized the pain as his own. Everyone wore it differently, but grief was grief.
"Hey... listen. It's you and me, okay? We're still here." Mika added in a low, calming voice. That was all the encouragement Arrow needed. He took a few shaky steps towards Mika, who carefully steered him over to the top stair of the throne platform so they could sit side-by-side. Precisely the same location in which Mika had melted into a helpless, incoherent puddle in Renley's arms five days ago. Mika hoped Arrow wouldn't fall that far - but if it happened, he wouldn't be alone.
"I thought I was ready." Arrow forced out, his normally deep voice reduced to a whimper. "I knew it was coming... his age... I thought I was ready."
"I know. Me too." Said Mika, gripping Arrow's shoulder tightly.
"Of all the times..." Arrow choked out. His grip on composure was slipping. "He couldn't have stuck it out a few more years? He had to leave just as everything's falling to shit? And he said goodbye in a letter? What the fuck was he thinking?"
The last few words came out as a dry, angry sob as Arrow's body began to tremble violently, wracked by loss. A heart so full of love that suddenly had no outlet. So all it could do was break.
Mika didn't try to reason with him. He'd already done this days ago, been where Arrow was, so he knew there were no pretty words he could string together that would help. Arrow wasn't actually mad at Paris, and he'd realize that very soon. But for now, he simply cried. And all Mika could do was keep his arm wrapped tightly around him, and every now and then quietly remind Arrow that he was still there and he wasn't going anywhere.
"It's probably good you didn't come home right when I told you." Said Mika matter-of-factly once Arrow's sobs had abated. "Because then we both would've been complete write-offs at the same time. Locked in here together, no use to anyone." Mika clarified with a grim smile. "Lucky for you, I got this out of my system days ago."
Arrow nodded mutely and didn't speak for a few minutes as he slowly wiped his eyes and caught his breath. Eventually, he tilted his head to survey Mika studiously.
"You look good, Mika." Said Arrow simply.
"I feel good." Mika answered. It was the truth.
Arrow reached over and squeezed Mika's shoulder hard.
"I'm so proud of you." The tattooed Prince told him gruffly. Mika shrugged, and made a wry face at his best friend.
"Remember the morning after the exile, I was crying and throwing up on your couch... you told me you were never the same after Sarah, and that I'd never be the same after this? But that I'd find a new normal eventually?" Mika asked.
"I remember every single word we said to each other that day." Said Arrow solemnly.
"Yeah... at the time, I didn't believe you about the new normal. But you were right. I found it." Said Mika, looking across at Arrow, eyebrows raised. Arrow met his gaze and smiled wearily.
"And?" Arrow pressed.
"It's good." Mika answered with conviction. "It's not great, but it's good. And that's a lot more than I expected. I'm grateful. Couldn't have done it without you."
Then he smiled like Arrow hadn't seen him smile since that time at the Festival of the Undead when they were drunkenly dancing on a table surrounded by a sea of clamouring fans. Neither of them said it out loud, but only because each already knew what the other was thinking.
For the first time since last council, it started to feel like everything might someday be alright again.
Now a note to the President, and the Government, and the judges of this place
We're still waitin' for you to bring our troops home, clean up that mess you made
'Cause it smells of blood and money across the Iraqi land
But it's so easy here to blind us with your "United We Stand"
And it ain't hard to see that this Country ain't free
So god if you can hear me, crash this train
Said god if you can hear me, crash this train
It took all of Mika's negotiation skills, but eventually he persuaded Arrow to leave the Hall of Princes and take a trip to meet Dr. Jai Yang and have his bullets removed. Arrow returned several hours later, as contentedly stoned as Mika had been after his last trip to the infirmary. Arrow told Mika he could leave the Hall of Princes and go sleep in his own coffin, but as nice as that sounded, Mika was glad to just have his best friend nearby for the first time in far too long. Arrow slept off the remainder of his sedative in the spare coffin behind the thrones and eventually Mika dozed off as well, slouched comfortably in his throne.
Arrow grumbled and groaned emphatically many hours later when Mika eventually woke him up. Some things never change. But it didn't take much for him to fall back into his old routine - and it wasn't like he had a choice anyway. The mountain was filling up more and more by the hour and news from the field couldn't wait until after the funeral. But truth be told, both Princes were in their element. If only Paris had been there, it almost would have felt like old times.
As yet another lengthy meeting came to a close, Mika finally had a chance to get out of the Hall of Princes for a change of scenery. He was planning on heading down to the Hall of Khledon Lurt and grabbing a bite to eat, and mingle with some of the visiting vampires more casually; without the formal atmosphere of the Hall of Princes.
He told Arrow he'd be back before too long and headed for the doors. He held his palm up to the control panel, but before he made contact he heard the low, telltale hum and the doors whizzed open - seemingly of their own accord.
"Honey, I'm home!" Came Vancha's booming voice as he strode through the doors, arms held aloft. He almost collided with Mika who'd been standing right there."Don't tell me you've been waiting there for me this entire time!" The green-haired Prince laughed boisterously.
"Welcome back, Sire March." Mika greeted his colleague with a wry smile. "I thought I smelled you approaching."
Vancha let out a sharp bark of laughter and scooped Mika into a spine-warping hug.
"Well, at least one of us smells!" Vancha commented. "If you have time to bathe, clearly you aren't busy enough!"
"I'm plenty busy. It's all about time management. But I guess you can't relate to that." Said Mika.
"You know me. I live in the moment!" Vancha smirked. "I'm no you, I don't clutter my mind with schedules and deadlines and -"
"Trust me, I know." Mika cut him off. "We all know you operate on a different level than the rest of us."
"Thank you." Said Vancha, still grinning widely. Then his brazen smile faltered. "Been a while, hasn't it? I guess I owe you some condolences."
"It's okay. You lost Paris too... we're all in the same boat."
"I don't mean Paris, I'm referring to -"
Oh. Right. The other thing.
"My relationship publicly going up in smoke at the last council? That was going to be my next guess." Mika sighed.
"I've always liked how up-front you are, Mika." Said Vancha. "Very efficient. Yes, that's what I was getting at. I was as stunned to hear about Kurda's treachery as anyone, but I'm sorry you had to navigate that as a personal crisis while still doing your duty as a Prince. That must have been hell."
Mika held Vancha's gaze for a few moments, unsure how to respond. Mika and Vancha were polar opposites in many ways. Where Mika was calculated, Vancha was chaotic. When Mika played the long game, Vancha was impulsive. Mika tended to be too serious. Vancha sometimes wasn't serious enough. But what they had in common was that they both held their cards close to their chest when emotions were concerned. So on the rare occasion either of them spoke from the heart, it got people's attention. Even each other's. Especially each other's.
"That about covers it. It was a bad time but I'm doing better these days. Thanks for thinking of me." Said Mika evenly. Just because he could think about Kurda without coming unglued, didn't mean he wanted to. Vancha made his way up the aisle through to the front of the room and Mika walked at his side. Food could wait.
"Sire Arrow!" Vancha exclaimed with a salute as Arrow rose to greet him. "Glad to see that magnificent scalp of yours is as shiny as ever."
"I'd much rather have no hair than that green mess!" Arrow shot back, grinning. "Good to see you, brother. It's been far too long."
Arrow and Vancha embraced roughly, clapping each other loudly on the back.
"Indeed, we have been overdue for a reunion." Vancha agreed as they parted. Then his demeanour became more serious. "Although I wish it was under different circumstances." He added in a lower voice.
"I know. Me too. But we're all here now. And we can plan a farewell fit for the greatest vampire we'll ever know." Said Mika sincerely, as Arrow nodded in agreement. Vancha exhaled a long, weary sigh and glanced meaningfully at both Mika and Arrow in turn.
"There's nothing I want to do more than toast Paris's name and recount tales of his legacy." Said Vancha. "But before we get to all of that, I have news I need to share with both of you."
"Perfect. I love a good story." Said Mika, feeling his heart sink. Maybe it was premature, but for some reason he didn't have a good feeling about this.
"I assume you both remember the revelation I shared with you, shortly after each of your investitures had taken place. About my... upbringing?" Said Vancha as he settled in his throne. There was a sudden air of reservation about him that wasn't a regular feature. Mika sat down in his throne as well; it was directly beside Vancha's. Arrow's throne was on the other side of the row so he remained standing, arms crossed as he hovered anxiously in front of his colleagues
"Hard to forget something like that." Mika replied conversationally. Vancha's vampaneze origins were one of the clan's most heavily guarded secrets. At the time of Vancha's initiation, only the sitting Princes - Paris, Azis, Chok, and Lare knew the truth of the young man's past. After his own investiture, Vancha decided he would continue to maintain some semblance of transparency by sharing his secret with future Princes as they joined the ranks. First came Mika, then Arrow, and most recently Darren. And by association, Larten as well.
That was where Vancha's story ended - how he had no choice but to reveal his story to his companions after letting his vampaneze brother slip through his grasp. How his vampaneze brother that was apparently a full-time bodyguard to their damn Lord himself.
The silence as he finished was deafening.
"You might have some competition for the title of the clan's best negotiator, Mika." Vancha added wearily. "Young Sire Shan is a force of nature. I had no intention of coming down from that roof. All I wanted in that moment was for the sun to have its way with me. Had he not been there, you'd be planning two funerals right now. But you'd still only have one body... I'd be no more than a pile of ash."
"And I thought I was dramatic. I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish your encounter had a different outcome, but I'm just glad you got off the roof." Mika commented, shifting uncomfortably in his throne. None of Vancha's story had been easy to digest - least of all the desperate attempt on his own life. Mostly because Mika had circled that drain too. He hadn't gone as far as Vancha had, but he couldn't pretend he'd never stared into that black hole himself.
"Must've been a hell of a feeling when you thought you'd killed the real Vampaneze Lord." Arrow added bluntly. He'd moved from standing to sitting; slouched defeatedly in front of his two colleagues with his head in his hands. He was clearly still reeling from Vancha's story, and looked as distraught as though he'd been present for the event itself.
"So that's another one of our opportunities gone. That leaves three, plus the potential doomsday if we don't get our shit together before then." Mika added. He tried his best to keep his voice neutral, but he could hear the shade of disappointment in it. And he hated himself for it.
"I can do math too, Mika." Vancha snapped, abruptly defensive. He swivelled in his throne to glare hotly in Mika's direction. "I know you think you're smarter than Arrow and I put together, but I promise you I know what five minus two works out to."
Mika raised his hands unthreateningly. He had no desire to start anything right now.
"No, I don't think that at all. That isn't what I was getting at, I apologize. I was just thinking out loud." He told Vancha seriously, using his best negotiation voice - soothing without being patronizing. Whether he was dealing with a deadly enemy or convincing toddler-Gracie to go take a nap, the negotiation voice rarely failed him.
"It's just that... we need to be strategic. That's all Mika was saying."Arrow offered, looking up at Mika and Vancha in turn. "We have limited chances and limited time, based on what Tiny said when he was here. That's the reality we're facing."
"I'm well aware. But thank you for the reminder. As if I could forget if I tried." Said Vancha bitterly.
"Did Evanna tell you anything else?" Mika ventured.
"Nothing that'll tip the scales." Said Vancha. "All I know is that she's neutral. She always has been."
"Then that witch is no better than the enemy." Arrow growled. Vancha stiffened.
Here we go, thought Mika.
"You'd better watch your mouth." Vancha retorted, matching Arrow's gravelly tone. His eyes were flashing hotly with indignation. Arrow seemed to either not notice, or disregard it completely.
"Why? She's not doing a damn thing for us! What do I owe her? What do any of us owe her?" Arrow continued. Vancha's entire posture stiffened and his eyes narrowed icily. The green-haired Prince may have been more amicable than Mika or Arrow on average, but he could fly into a deadly rage as quickly as either of them.
"Easy..." Mika murmured warningly in Arrow's direction. His friend was treading dangerous waters. Any other time Mika would've broken out the popcorn to watch his two co-Princes square off. But this really wasn't the moment.
"Your respect! Every single one of us owes her our damn respect!" Vancha fired back, face reddening. Which, considering the state of his worse-than-usual sunburns, was pretty red.
"Maybe she should try earning it! Instead of lurking in the background and watching us fight to the death for her own entertainment! If she won't pick a side, she's no better than her meddling father!" Arrow thundered, callousness radiating from him. Mika winced internally. He loved Arrow like a brother. He'd have died for the man without hesitation. Although Arrow never had Mika's silver tongue, this outburst was dangerously ignorant even for him.
Clearly Vancha thought so too. He flew out of his throne with a vengeance. Arrow shot to his feet as well. Mika remained seated, but he didn't think he'd stay that way for much longer. Judging by the way Arrow and Vancha were staring daggers at each other, this wasn't going anywhere good.
"You reckless, thick-headed fool." Vancha snarled. He was standing squarely in front of Arrow. "Do you have any idea what you're saying? Of course you don't. The power she holds, you couldn't even wrap your acorn of a brain around it. I'll tell you one last time. Bite your damn tongue before your careless words come back to bite you!"
Most vampires had to stand on their tiptoes to look Arrow in the eye, but Vancha barely had to look up. Although Arrow was bigger, they were both man-shaped mountains. Then there was Mika, who wouldn't be considered small by anyone's standards - but he sure felt that way when Vancha and Arrow were around.
Mika couldn't spectate this any longer. He slowly stood up, positioning himself alongside Arrow and Vancha. Not between them, but ready to step in if he had to.
"Vancha, we're all grieving. Arrow knows Evanna isn't to be fucked with. He's just... frustrated. And he chose his words poorly." Mika kept his voice steady but punctuated the latter sentence with a stern, pointed glare at Arrow. "Remember why we're here. We're all on the same side. Let's all sit down, I'll have the kitchen staff bring us some food and ale."
But Vancha rounded on Mika, practically simmering with fury.
"You'd know all about poorly chosen words, wouldn't you?! You son of a bitch, Mika." Vancha spat, eyes narrowed. Mika arched an eyebrow. "You have no right to act this high and mighty when YOU YOURSELF almost brought the Hall of Princes crashing down because you thought you could tell Desmond Tiny off! Larten told me the whole story!"
"You weren't there, Vancha." Mika cut in. His voice was as soft as ever, but there was no mistaking the deadly chill in it. Vancha hadn't crossed the line yet, but he sure was dancing on it. The green-haired Prince rolled his eyes nastily.
"No wonder you're defending Arrow's blatant ignorance. Just two of a kind, aren't you?" Vancha sneered. "I may not be a fresh-smelling silver-tongued sophisticate like you, but don't you DARE stand there and act like you understand Desmond Tiny OR Evanna's motives better than I!"
"What is there to understand?" Arrow interrupted unhelpfully. "Sounds like she's has been pretty clear about her allegiances."
You've got to be kidding me, Mika thought.
"Would you shut the fuck up?" He snapped, momentarily turning his attention back to Arrow and throwing his hands in the air in frustration. "This isn't helping anyone! My gods, Arrow! I KNOW you know better than this! You're acting like a child! Grow up, or get out!"
"Don't you manage me, Mika." Arrow growled. There was something ominous flickering deep in his eyes. "Don't act like I didn't spend MONTHS going out of my way to keep YOU from committing career suicide after Kurda screwed us. I may not be a perfect Prince, but you are NOT better than me."
Vancha laughed coldly as he observed their interaction. But Mika had already shifted his attention away from Arrow - trying to reason with the tattooed Prince in moments like this was like talking to a rock. Presently, he had more words for Vancha than he did for Arrow.
"Alright March, let's back up a little. I need to make sure I'm understanding this properly." Mika said, punctuating the words with a dry, harsh laugh. His tone was relaxed once again, but his eyes were burning with as much poisonous spite as either of his colleagues. "So... you just came at ME for speaking impulsively in a moment of weakness when Desmond Tiny himself showed up here just to fuck with our heads..."
He paused for a moment. Vancha was still staring at him with an expression of disgust. Mika didn't match it, he kept his face purposely neutral.
"And now you're telling us that you wasted an opportunity to take out the Vampaneze Lord... because your estranged brother was on bodyguard duty? Have you realized your hypocrisy yet, or should I keep going?" Mika continued. He crossed his arms impassively, silently daring Vancha to challenge him. And knowing he would. Vancha's expression and body language ramped up into an entirely new level of rage. Mika was ready for it.
"Don't you dare." Vancha hissed, having to force the words out. "You have no idea the burden I'm carrying. I know I made a mistake, and I've been living with it every second since. But you have no bloody right to make that comparison. It's not the same thing, and I know you know that."
"Actually, I have every right to make that comparison." Mika replied. "I can't afford to care about your feelings right now, Vancha. I'm sure you love your brother, and I sympathize. But the fact remains that you failed the clan when you let him walk away-"
Mika would have gone on to finish that statement with "-just as I failed the clan when I risked Tiny's wrath" but he didn't get that far because Arrow cut him off with the refinement of a rusty axe blade.
"You have ZERO moral high ground over letting enemies go free!" Arrow bellowed, turning on Mika like a warship full of loaded cannons, his arms waving in the air as though words alone weren't enough to convey his outrage. "Vancha may not have been here to witness you practically BEGGING us to let the traitor Smahlt leave with his life. But I was here! So I can confidently say you lost EVERY right to open your mouth about letting your heart cloud your judgement!"
There were drops of spittle flying from Arrow's mouth by the time he finished but Mika didn't register the tiny flecks that peppered his face. The edges of his vision were going dark, his limbs were going numb, and he could barely hear anything over his own racing heart and the blood rushing in his ears. It felt like the beginning of a panic attack - but it wasn't. He wasn't shutting down. He was gearing up. This was a welcome adrenaline rush. Vancha may have crossed the line, but Arrow had obliterated the line.
"And what would that have accomplished, Arrow? How much further ahead would we be if we'd slaughtered Kurda for putting everything on the line to save us?" Vancha snarled impatiently. "I would never condone his methods, but you and I BOTH know his intentions were-"
"KURDA SMAHLT BETRAYED US!" Arrow roared, with as much unfiltered loathing as the very night it happened. But Vancha seemed to have no interest in debating Arrow, and he flipped his gaze back to Mika.
"Fuck, Mika. I'm disappointed in you. For years I've watched this clan scoff at Kurda's every attempt to spark change. Then, against all apparent laws of the universe, you and him ended up together." Said Vancha through gritted teeth. "I thought surely it would it would be good for the clan. Or at the very least you'd start taking him seriously. I thought what you had with him was deep enough to handle a bit of compromise."
"Tread carefully, Sire March." Mika cut in softly, ice in his veins and white-hot rage on standby. Arrow had fallen still and silent in disbelief. He knew he'd gone too far calling Mika out like he had, but Vancha was well on his way to blowing Arrow's misfire out of the water entirely. Mika had already forgotten Arrow's harsh words - and Vancha wasn't even finished:
"But when Kurda found out about the prophecy..." the green-haired Prince continued, breathing heavily. "...he didn't even bother to tell you. YOU! The man he was allegedly in love with!"
"Vancha, I'm fucking warning you..."
"You know why he didn't tell you, Mika? Because he knew better than to waste his time!"
To recap: Vancha crossed the line. Then Arrow obliterated the line. And THEN Vancha bombed the entire playing field.
And it only hurt because it was true.
To the mothers and the fathers who done the best they could
Raisin youngins in a messed up world, it ain't so understood
So I'll cover my ears, and my eyes, pretend that loves the same
'Cause with one courts signature, it all becomes erased
Mika let out a feral snarl, a battlecry. But when he launched himself at Vancha like a missile, it wasn't on impulse. It wasn't a blinding fit of rage. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he'd been prepared to do it the second this conversation took a turn for the worse.
Mika's attack sent Vancha toppling backwards off the throne platform. The green-haired Prince landed heavily on his back and Mika did not pause to let him catch his breath before slamming his fist into Vancha's face. Once, twice, almost getting a third hit in before Vancha grabbed him by the throat and flipped him over.
Like Arrow, Vancha had both size and weight on his side. But Mika was no lightweight, and on top of that he was faster than Vancha or Arrow. He shot back to his feet in an instant and went at Vancha again. He landed a blow to the side of Vancha's head, and Vancha retaliated with a well-aimed punch of his own. Mika saw stars for a minute but this was hardly his first rodeo. His focus never wavered and he was launching another attack on Vancha when Arrow inserted himself into the fray. He shoved Vancha back, away from Mika, but Mika drove his fist full-speed into Arrow's jaw without hesitating and Arrow recoiled, spitting blood.
"STAY OUT OF MY WAY!" Mika roared at Arrow, so loudly he felt his throat might tear open and bleed.
"Still trying to fight each other's battles... some things never change." Said Vancha as he watched the other two boredly, even though blood trailed from his mouth and nose.
"Careful, March." Said Arrow, his face red and his voice a deathly rasp. "Come at me, and you'd best not miss."
"Well, consider me intimidated!" Said Vancha sarcastically. "I've always respected your protective instincts, Arrow. But perhaps it's time you channel that into helping end the war, rather than sticking up for Mika when he doesn't deserve it! Or bellowing about how much you hate the vampaneze! Because trust me, we get it! After a full century of your relentless rants, it's old news! It won't bring her back! MOVE ON!" Vancha's bitter, broken voice had risen to a hoarse shout by the time he finished.
Arrow was true to his word. When he flew at Vancha with the intensity of a thousand suns, he most assuredly did not miss. But Vancha was ready, and they set about seemingly trying to break each other into pieces. And when Mika joined the fray, he didn't give a damn which of them he was hitting as long as he was hitting something. At this moment, they could both go to hell for all he cared.
It was an unprecedentedly violent brawl, the likes of which the Hall of Princes had never seen. It was a three-man hurricane. A punching, kicking, biting sea of flailing limbs, pounding fists and grunted curses.
Naturally, a spectacle of that nature draws a crowd. But no one seemed to know what to do. Was there anything they could do? Their superiors seemed so hell-bent on tearing each other apart until there was nothing left of any of them. The worst part was, there appeared to be no sides in this three-way brawl. All any of them seemed to care about was doing as much damage to the others as they possibly could.
"ENOUGH!" Seba Nile's unmistakable voice rang out like a trumpet over the commotion, but it seemed the only vampires who didn't hear him were the ones that needed to. Seba stood at the front of the crowd, practically shaking in fury and disbelief while vampires continued to swarm into the hall. Eventually, there were three that rushed defiantly into the fray. Larten Crepsley, having arrived in the mountain not twenty minutes ago, bolted to Vancha immediately and dragged him away. Vancha didn't make it easy for him and Larten would undoubtedly have a few bruises of his own tomorrow.
Kaden Hale went to Arrow - she stepped in front of him, knowing there was no rage so overpowering it would cause him to lay a hand on her, not even accidentally. She was right. He stopped dead in his tracks at the sudden sight of her, his arms falling limply at his sides in surrender.
And last but not least, it was Renley Azerion who shoved his way through the crowd, not stopping until he'd locked both Mika's arms in a death grip and effectively immobilized him, ignoring the dark Prince's stream of semi-coherent cusses.
"Get your FUCKING hands off me!" Mika snarled at Renley as the General dragged him away from the others.
"So you can go back to committing three-way murder-suicide? I don't think so." Renley muttered in Mika's ear, panting from the effort of holding him back. "It's for your own good, honey. You'll thank me later."
Renley shoved him into one of the front pews and held his shoulders in a vice grip, effectively preventing Mika from getting back up to finish what he started.
"I can't believe you... so out of line..." Mika choked out, the overpowering metallic tang of his own blood getting the better of him. He almost gagged but managed to keep it down.
"Mika, look at yourself!" Renley groaned in exasperation. "Look at them! You're done for the day. You're all done. No one was winning that fight."
"I'm warning you..."
He tried to stand up again, but Renley's firm hold kept him in check.
"Normally you love it when I pin you down." Said Renley softly. "Just sit still for a second. Breathe."
Slowly Mika stopped struggling. As he relaxed, the adrenaline stopped pulsing. And when the adrenaline gave out, the pain was right there waiting for him.
"There. That's better..." Renley murmured, voice thick with relief as Mika leaned into him. "I got you."
"Wish you didn't."
"CLEAR THE HALL!" Seba roared at the onlookers, and they obeyed him instantly. Soon the room was empty aside from Seba, Vancha, Larten, Arrow, Kaden, Mika, and Renley.
"You three... the so-called noble sons of Vampire Mountain. Paris Skyle's chosen protégés. The remaining pillars of our clan... pathetic. I am disgusted in each and every one of you." Seba hissed. "Hale, Azerion - time to go. Larten, you are Sire Shan's proxy so you may remain for this."
"Anything you need to say, you can say in front of my star General. Hale stays." Arrow countered, crossing his arms obstinately. Kaden gave a curt, respectful nod. But a pink tinge crept into her cheeks.
"Have it your way, Sire." Seba replied testily.
Mika couldn't help but notice Renley's gaze dart to him, almost expectantly. He seemed to be waiting for Mika to echo Arrow's statement.
"I don't care if General Azerion stays or not." Said Mika noncommittally, shrugging and gesturing vaguely at Renley, who rolled his eyes.
"At this point, I neither do I." Seba huffed, sounding more irritable by the second. "I do not suppose anything I can say will embarrass you more than you have already embarrassed yourselves!"
"And I don't think any of us disagree with that." Vancha offered, his voice low and gravelly.
"Well! That certainly fixes everything! Thank you, Sire March!" Seba rumbled on, oozing enough sarcasm to put Mika to shame. "I cannot believe you! Carrying on, jumping at each other's throats like a pack of mad cubs! The night before your legendary mentor's final farewell, no less!"
"I know, it was ugly." Mika offered, putting his negotiation voice to work once again. He stood back up, swaying slightly. "It was an argument that simply got out of hand. I don't know what to tell you, Seba."
"You will have to do a lot better than that! This behaviour is unconscionable!" Seba fired back, and Mika's words died in his throat.
All three Princes were perfectly aware that they outranked the Quartermaster by a mile and could have had him escorted out with a single word, or a wave of their hand.
And not in a million years would any of them have even considered it. So they stood patiently and dutifully weathered the the old man's verbal barrage as he ranted about honour, decency, professionalism, and leadership.
"The three of you are hardly fit to manage a clown convention! Never mind lead the clan!" Seba finished vehemently, panting.
"Emotions are running high. This has been a challenging time. Grief got the better of us, and we all said things that should have been left unsaid." Said Arrow.
"Do not dare use grief as an excuse! Not only was this a disgrace to yourselves, but a catastrophic waste of time! Can you even wrap your heads around the scale of the ceremony that will be taking place here in the coming days? I know for a fact none of you have lived long enough to see anything like it!"
"Everything's ready, Seba..." Mika sighed. "The funeral is planned. Everything is set up. The staff know their jobs. I've written the eulogy. We're done. All we have to do now is say goodbye."
"Of course you wrote the eulogy yourself without so much as consulting anyone else." Vancha growled, face reddening again as he advanced on Mika. "It's not like either of us would've had anything to contribute! No, it's all about Mika Ver Leth!"
"Sorry, but I've seen you give a few speeches over the years. And I thought Paris deserved a little more than a few words scribbled on a scrap of toilet paper. Or do you even use toilet paper?" Mika retorted. And he had to admit, that was pretty bitchy. Even for him.
Vancha bristled.
"Gods, you're such a fucking cun-""
"MARCH. VER LETH. ENOUGH!" Seba bellowed, apoplectic with rage. He stepped swiftly between them with his arms aloft. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"
"They're both emotionally-stunted basket cases with no game plan for this war, beyond wallowing in their mistakes, rather than moving on and doing something useful. That's what's wrong with them." Arrow grunted. Mika and Vancha both rounded on the tattooed Prince like a pair of incredulous wolves.
"THAT COMING FROM YOU?!" They both shouted in perfect unison, as though they'd rehearsed it.
"I said what I said!" Arrow carried on, crossing his arms obstinately. "I know you both think you're smarter than me! I know you still think I'm just a fragile, damaged widower! But let me remind you I'm the ONLY one here who hasn't dropped the ball this decade!"
"Oh, you're ready for round two, Arrow? Is that what you're getting at?" Said Vancha, moving towards Arrow. "Keep talking, I'll black your other eye."
"You're fucking right I'm ready for round two!" Arrow roared. "I'll take you both on! Any day, any time! You know why?! I'm SICK of this! I'm sick of YOU! If VANCHA hadn't placed the life of his vampaneze brother above the clan, we could have ended the war! We could be celebrating now! And if MIKA hadn't been so lovesick, so blinded by the treacherous, pacifist snake,THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A WAR IN THE FIRST PLACE."
So much for this blowing over. Adrenaline surged again, and suddenly Mika could no longer feel his injuries. He was ready to fight, and this time there was no force in the world strong enough to tear him away.
"You're dead, A." Mika whispered, voice cracking like sheet ice. "You're fucking dead. Give Paris my best. Not that you deserve to go to the same place as him."
Arrow's troubled eyes narrowed. He stared down at Mika with impassive coldness, almost hatred.
"Was Kurda worth it, Mika? Was he worth this?" Arrow hissed. One lonely tear trailed down his cheek. But that wasn't the reason Mika couldn't bring himself to run his first through his face again. He'd already done that. What had it accomplished? How much further ahead did all this senseless violence get them? What was the damn point?
What was the point of any of this?
Those were the questions Kurda used to ask. And all he got from anyone, including Mika, was a dismissive scoff or a barely-tolerant eye roll.
The room was so eerily silent you could hear a pin drop. When Mika finally spoke, his voice was so cold it could've shattered glass.
"Kurda was worth ten of you."
Then Mika turned his back on the rest of them. For the first time in a week, he walked back down the aisle and left the Hall of Princes.
And for the second time in his life, he didn't care if he ever went back.
And it ain't hard to tell
When it's love we sell
So god if you can hear me, crash this train
Said god if you can hear me crash this train
God if you can hear me, crash this train
I said god if you can hear me,
Crash this train
BOOM. CIVIL WAR.
I truly was going for Tony Stark VS Steve Rogers Vs Thor vibes here (I know Thor wasn't in Civil War, but think about that scene in the Avengers 2012 when those 3 throw down while trying to bring Loki in at the beginning... MMMM. /chef's kiss/
I probably shouldn't tell you how tempted I was to use "Mmm Watcha Say" as the theme music for this one. You know, like that Gossip Girl family thanksgiving episode? Or the TikTok recreations of it? Yeah.
I hope you guys had a great Christmas holiday, and that you've all been staying safe and healthy. My area is reaching peak Phase 2 with Covid numbers breaking records from back in the spring. SO THAT'S COOL. I don't expect I'll be posting again before the new year (because that's like, really soon) so I hope the final days of 2020 are kind to you! If someone told me back in May that I'd still be writing into next year, I wouldn't have believed it. But here I am with this chaotic story, having the time of my life. Even when I'm complaining endlessly about it, the Dirty Chai AU has been the silver lining of my 2020. Uh, after my engagement of course.
As always, thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking with me this far! Have a happy new year, guys. You deserve it. Please, just don't manifest anything for 2021. Don't set the bar high. Don't set the bar anywhere. Don't touch the bar at all.
Cheers!
- Roxy