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Usernames; Bentley and Iceywolf
Proof of Partnership; Icey posted, and Bentley's editing as needed, pretty sure we're working together. cx
There's also this. B's name on Skype is Seraphiel. c:Who will own the Light Plume?; Bentley
Who will own the Dark Plume?; IceyWolf
Names; ☚Novak and
Xenon (Zee-non)☛Genders; ☚Genderfluid [using "he" as a default pronoun] and
Male☛Story;[Current events]
Hunting demons was a dangerous task, something only those skilled should undertake. And really, there were none better than the brothers.
Novak watched the pale blue glow against the wall, the only sign of his brother's movements. He could sense the dark entities in the building they were so carefully surrounding, and they both hoped that the brilliance of Novak's own presence would be a hindrance. Ideally, as far as Novak was concerned, tying them down and exorcizing them would be best for the poor saps being possessed. However, Xenon had reminded him that to be truthful, those poor saps were probably already dead or well on their way, and keeping them alive would really only be making them suffer. Novak truly hated when his brother was so logical.
Finally, with Xenon in place, it was Novak's turn to move, deftly handling the sycamore-white rosary as he padded his way up to the roof. The fire exit was rusty, and should have creaked and groaned, had the brothers not doused it in grease. It was slippery, but nothing Novak couldn't handle. The piping for the fire sprinkler system had been laid out up there, if the blueprints they'd stolen from the library had any truth to them. And sure, pipes were present, but neither of them could know if they were the right ones, or indeed if they were still functional. Regardless, they had to try.
Novak unscrewed the cap to one of the pipes, a small smirk playing over his face as he spotted the water. Aha, luck was playing in their favor tonight, what a pleasant change - and Xenon would be owing his sibling a nice dinner, as per their bet. Shoving the crucifix into the opening, he murmured the lengthy blessing, making it hazardous for the demons below. Once done, he flicked his tail once, twice, thrice, the pink light behind him flashing its sign for Xe to get a move on with the next part of the plan.

Xe's dark eyes hardened, catching the pink light's movement. He crept forward, his own iron crucifix in hand, ready to beat the monsters back if they decided to charge. Not that they'd get far; the dark pit deep inside of his very being ensured they would have more than a match coming for them, weapons or not. With the sprinkler system at least present and possibly working, his task would be significantly easier: dispatch the demons using the blessed weapons they'd lifted from other, unfortunate hunters, while they suffered under the cold shower of holy water courtesy Novak's ingenuity. Truthfully, Xe had doubted it would work; this building had been abandoned for decades before the demons had taken up residence. The part that detected smoke could have gone out ten, twenty years ago, and they wouldn't know until they set it off.
Crawling through the shattered window that they'd tagged as an entry, he scaled the metal shelving unit that graced the wall and lit a match underneath the sprinkler.
Nothing.
His heart pounding, he let the match linger for a few seconds longer, praying, prayi-
grrrrghmghph! Without warning, the water turned on, soaking Xenon's face in seconds and nearly pushing him off of the shelf. In the main room, the demons were screaming and hitting the floor, rendered momentarily harmless while they dealt with the pain the blessed water caused them.
Showtime.The fight was almost... too easy. Honestly, Xenon had expected more of a struggle, but the white crucifix had done its job and done it
well. Even Xe, who possessed but a tiny fraction of the taint that demons shared among them, was feeling a little stung as he dripped and plodded his way out of the building, looking more like a small, drowned rat than an indomitable, formidable, strong hunter (despite his size).
Grumpily, he whapped his tail four times against the door, the noise and bouncing blue lights signaling the completion of the job.
To Novak's credit, he didn't laugh. No. Heavens, no. The miserable, wet state Xe had found himself in was expected, absolutely. So no. Novak did not laugh.
He just... snickered. Loudly. And at length.
So, naturally, it wasn't long before he found himself play-wrestling his brother in the mud, their laughter filling the dead lull of the still-falling water against the filthy, almost-completely-dirt floor. Er, mud floor. The hunt was decently simple to wrap up afterward - shallow graves, sanctified salt, the works - and then they returned home to clean up - or, what was currently standing in for a home. Room 24C at the Allnight Hotel was the "Home of the Week", its peeling wallpapers holding the memories of the planning and research the pair had done while preparing for the now-completed job. All that was left for them to do was shower, groom each other and adjust their favorite little capes, do their nightly practicing of their individual strengths, rest, and then pack and head off in the morning.
It wasn't until both brothers were pristine and their capes fully inspected for rips, tears and stains that they spoke another word to each other, Novak's gaze on the physical evidence of Xe's dark power; he'd created an electric field in a sphere of iron, so much that it managed to levitate over magnetic surfaces and zapped anyone or anything that got too close.
"Be careful with that." His tone was flat, as it always was when he was carefully dealing with his own abnormality - the bright, burning fires inherent to angels. In hotel rooms, it was not ideal to set things alight, so he clung to controlling the brilliant force and quelling the righteous anger that seemed to rise at the most inopportune moments, like in the middle of an interrogation.
Those were some memories both brothers could live without reviewing ever again. Novak would happily forget it, if he could.
"I am. It doesn't hurt." Indeed, Xenon seemed to be playing with it, letting the small bolts of lightning hit him as he nudged it around.
"It doesn't hurt you. It'd hurt others, though, probably."
Reluctantly, Xenon conceded, discharging the sphere and letting it drop onto the desk, moving to curl up around Novak's slight form. The pale brother relaxed; he could always count on Xe to pull him out of the trance practicing usually put him in. Conversely, Novak did the same for Xenon when his own abilities got out of hand, or made him forget about others. Like he had moments before.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
Two pairs of eyes gazed out the window, watching the city around them sleep while the two brothers leaned against each other, balancing the other out the way that they always had, and always would.
Extras;WIP