mid morning, a few days post tower, a nice balcony at the back of the manor ( @theshcdowman. )
With the manor at least temporarily less than ideal as a safe, neutral meeting point with his brother, Dulce has been fretting over options of the best course of action regarding his brother and the target on his back since everyone (relatively) settled in his home after the Tower. The issue with that, besides being utterly stretched thin between playing house dad to four guests, making certain they’re safe and fed, but also not breaking anything in his home, and keeping the man-slash-robot who shot him twice under his control at all times until Dr. Green can come and figure out how the fuck to deprogram him or something, he doesn’t have a lot of brainpower for critical thinking.
He’s exhausted, which is why, in the end, as it feels like time is growing thin to take care of this before Preston and his mysterious benefactor send someone after Claudius who will actually kill him, he settles on risking the meeting at the manor, and sucking it up to face White and her displeasure head on, should she find out he’s around and call him into a meeting before he can leave again.
And so they plan the meeting, knowing it’s best if Claudius comes separately, to continue keeping whoever might be watching off the trail that they’re not going to follow through on the list of names for the Shadow Man to kill he’s been given. He arrives early, of course, wanting to make certain they can have privacy––or as much privacy as is possible in a mansion full of eavesdroppers––and tea, knowing how deeply unpleasant Claudius is going to be able having to come here, a place he swore he’d never set foot in, after what it made their father into.
Dulce is already out on the balcony, tea and a very generous assortment of baked goods waiting for Claudius and Shadow thanks to Jay, when he turns to see the very same leading his brother out to him. He gives them a thank you, before stepping forward to meet Claudius. But, of course, the bastard doesn’t even offer a hello in greeting, launching into his complaints immediately, as he steps out onto the balcony.
“You know you owe me. Forcing me to stay with Mum for a week straight, and then asking me to come here. Really, Tiberius, if I didn’t know any better I’d think you were trying to send me to an early grave,” he hums, as he goes to sit at the table, clearly not impressed in the least with any of this.
“Oh, I am,” he says blandly, rolling his eyes. “But I have a strong feeling what I’m trying to do for you in that regard is going to cancel that out. Eat a piece of coffee cake, it’ll calm you down. I don’t want you acting an arsehole when Shadow gets here; I happen to like having him around, and I’d rather you not make him regret choosing to spend his time with me.”
Claudius doesn’t look up as he pours himself a cup of tea. “I don’t like coffee cake. Too sweet,” he corrects. “What a way to meet your first boyfriend in fifteen years.”
“Then eat a bloody scone, Claudius,” Dulce hisses. He’s about to go on, object to the fifteen years part, and to remind Claudius this is serious, even if he knows full well his brother will stop with the theatrics once they get down to business, when the door opens again, and he looks up to see Shadow. He heaves a sigh of relief, and crosses to him. “Speak of the devil.”
He doesn’t bother tempering the need for touch here, even if he knows Claudius will, indeed, be a littler brother about it. But he needs the brief moment of contact, pressing a kiss to Shadow’s cheek, giving a small embrace. “I apologize in advanced for him. Our family has never been good at first impressions,” he mutters, as he pulls back, hands staying on his upper arms just for a second. He can practically hear the eye roll behind him. “Thank you, for doing this now. I know it’s still not a good time for any of us.”