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And he might bring mama cat back here. She's definitely finding it hard at the streets even if Grey gives her food every day. She's friendly but obviously feral. He has managed to scritch her ears a few times when she's been eating from the plate he sets out to her.
"I've had my share of wild bars, I think I'll be okay," Kimi retorts, some of his characteristic bravado showing through with a wink thrown in for good measure. Just like old times, huh?
Still, he sobers and stares hard at Kai as he asks, "Are you safe there?" Kai was never a fighter, after all, even if he ran with the 'wilder' boys for a bit before settling into a calmer lifestyle with Aidan et al.
There had been a real moment of panic for Ulysse as he was pinned, his attacker getting a solid knee in the gut and growing pissed enough to snarl, "Anton didn't say nothing about you losing a finger or two, you little bitch-"
But before he can follow through with his threat, he's screaming as his fingers get broken and he briefly squeezes down hard around Ulysse's throat before he withdraws and Rook gets down to business.
Everyone's left gawking at Rook, Damian included with his phone hanging limply by his ear. Ulysse has a hand to his freed throat, gasping quietly for air as he straightens up behind his rescuer, wide-eyed and confused as to what's going on. Before he can say anything, though, the guy with the broken fingers is shoving one of his goons towards Rook, wheezing, "Get the fucker! Fuck him up!!"
They look uncertain at first, but the gang does have the strength in numbers, especially as the ones harassing the customers have now broken off from their own brawls to come join the group around Rook. As their numbers increase, it's obvious they're starting to feel bold again, puffing up and starting to hurl their taunts at Rook while waiting to see who throws the first punch.
"Yeah come on you fucker, let's see what you got!"
"Ugly shitface, you gonna mess with us for your little girlfriend there?"
Ulysse points out, "You're not such a lightweight you'd get drunk off one round," even as he goes to get the tequila for them. "And you're a kid too. The rowdiest one here, as far as I'm concerned."
"He's a rock star, that comes with the territory, doesn't it?" Midnight jokes, happily flopping over Arie as they watch Ulysse head behind the bar. "Anyway-"
He turns and gives a little punch to Arie's bicep, huffing, "You jerk! Call ahead next time so I can get a warm bed and stuff organised for you, jeez. You must be exhausted- are you sure you don't wanna head up and sleep a bit until tonight?"
"I've... told them enough to make sure they don't get involved," Damian says with a little wince. They hadn't been happy about it, either, but eventually had agreed to hold back form the violence. "They'll only jump in if someone pulls a weapon on me."
"Oh come on," he murmurs, waving at Kimi. "I'll be fine. I've gotten pretty good at dodging punches, I'll tell you." In fact, he's quietly been taking some hand-to-hand classes on the side without telling anyone. Because he isn't going to quit his job and it's starting to look like he needs to know how to handle himself in a fight.
"I appreciate it. It's good to know my vote counts," Aidan answers 'solemnly'. "We could get someone to come by and check what the gator actually is..."
But where's the fun in that?
"... What happens if it is a Patty or Nadine and then lays eggs?"
"I'll believe that when I see it." But Kai's obviously intent on not making it out to be a big deal, so... Kimi will reserve his judgment for until he's seen how the bar is himself.
Kimi does have one last little olive branch to extend, though, as he hesitates before suggesting, "You could train a bit with me while I'm in town. If you want."
"I might break some of your furniture," he says back to the barkeep, tilting his head back a little. "These fucks aren't going to follow me out." Not this time.
They need to pump each other up, though, he can see that. Some nervous looks to the side to each others, some hackling calls that he closes his ears to the moment they start.
The first punch comes from a big guy to his left, probably their front runner. The little hyenas can get involved when this guy is in the mix. Rook's head snaps to the side but he doesn't even take a step back, just takes it in. His lip is split and blood runs down to his chin as he turns his head to look at the man, tongue touching the gash on his lip.
"You okay with that?" he asks Ulysse again, voice still calm. The goons look confused and very ready to start. One of them laughs a dirty laugh and calls, "Hey, asshole, we gonna break you so stop worrying about the stuff."
"I'm not too exhausted to hang out with my brothers," he says with a huff. "Just try and hold me back."
Then he leans back to look at Midnight, studies him for a moment. "You look good. How's the big boy treating you? You've been happy?"
Ulysse had jerked on seeing Rook get hit, gun already getting levelled just in case, but then the madman is calmly talking to him, still, drawing a confused stare in turn. "I...?"
But Ulysse can be quick on his feet when needed, and he can see that if Rook is too concerned about keeping his furniture intact, he's likely to get more severely hurt. So he nods and answers, "Go ahead. I'm used to fixing things, here."
Because just having enough of goons of their own at the bar could scare off Ulysse's tormentors if the power was tilted towards the Sawalls that much. But that's a thing that doesn't come free if they'll play that game.
"Then there'll be little gators, I suppose."
"Grey is an absolute gentleman who knows how to treat me right both in and out of bed," Midnight reassures him, smiling warm and sweet. "I'm happy. Happier now that you're back."
Midnight's always been vocally appreciative of his friends and family, and that hasn't lessened any over the years.
He leans to one side of Arie's chest so he can turn a bit and watch his brother's face, searching and smiling still as he asks, "How about you? How's the rock star life? Everything you wanted it to be?"
But the fact that Kimi is offering him something, a way for them to spend time together and maybe even work through some of this nervous tension between them. He's not going to say no to that.
"But yeah, that sounds actually pretty great. The bar has started to be a little hazard and I've been taking some classes but they're not always really applicable to bar fights, you know."
But as he's speaking another punch lands, the big guy growing annoyed at the discussion these two are having and not paying attention to his fists. It lands somewhere at Rook's side and he takes it with just a little grunt, his arm shooting out to wrap around the man's neck and then his fist comes like a hammer to the ugly face, apparently trying to connect his own hands while holding the goons head in between.
It's hard enough hit that the big man is left dazed, stumbling back. Rook doesn't have time to finish him right away, he has several others on him. So he moves, steps to the side to the open space, slaps the first man coming at him so fast in the face the dude is left reeling. The hit isn't hard enough to really knock him out but it'll confuse, so Rook has time to grab onto the third, swimming right under his arms to the man's front and pushing him back with a hard hook to his middle and then a kick to finish it off, sending the man on top of the two rushing in behind him.
He swirls, he punches, he kicks. It's like watching someone go through an intricate dance, except people get hurt when they get close to him. One man is sent on his back on top of a table, that groans from the weight, then another before one of the table legs gives out and the men crash down on cracked wood. Rook takes a few hits, but he's used to taking them, none of these men actually know how to hurt you with their bare fists.
Damian immediately shakes his head, looking even more uncomfortable as he admits, "I've been avoiding home for a while, now... Last I spoke to dad was on the phone. He didn't say anything about the situation. You know how it goes..."
Just because he hasn't said anything to his boys doesn't mean he's not up to his usual tricks. Damian just hopes they won't be the last to know if something big happens.
He laughs as he reaches up to poke Midnight's cute nose. Grey would have had a whole host of problems if he weren't keeping their baby happy and content with his life.
"It's great," he says a bit hesitantly. "I mean, I like performing and all that. Sometimes I miss home a lot and it's pretty lonely, you know." He nods, then lets a grin spread across his lips. "But it's still pretty sweet. Seeing people like the music I write. Isn't that what it is about?"
Maybe he can rustle up some info. Just in case there's something going on that would be beneficial for them to know about.
"And Midnight will insist on adopting all of them. You two could consider changing careers to having a gator sanctuary, then."
Grey would probably enjoy that as a hermit.
Smiling to himself, Aidan sets his tea aside and gets the little box of his bread lame and comments, "If he were around, papa would be proud and jealous."
Face scrunching in an exaggerated grimace, Kimi points out, "You never took training seriously, anyway. But all right, let's see if we can get you properly prepared for a throw down. Have you kept up with shooting, at least?"
It's all rather entrancing to watch, really, and Ulysse forgets for a moment just how much danger is actually present in his own bar, even with the table giving out under the goons. Then one man tries to grab a heavy bottle from the bar as a weapon, earning himself the shotgun getting levelled at his hand and a snapped, "Don't even try it."
The hand retreats but Ulysse keeps the gun in clear view of anyone who tries to come for the bar for weaponry again, catching Damian's eyes and nodding when the waiter waggles his phone and puts it away, indicating Sean's on his way. Though Ulysse thinks the cop might not be needed after all, especially as he's watching Rook wreak some well-deserved havoc on the thugs.
Midnight's smile grows, proud and understanding at once as he admits, "Yeah... I get that."
It's why he enjoys sharing his art both on canvas and skin.
"All right, artists," Ulysse announces as he returns with the tequila and shot glasses. "Indulge your non-creative brother with a drink."
He sighs a bit, sipping his tea before he sets it down and lays a hand on Aidan's shoulder, not saying anything but squeezing it firmly.
"Shall we get these loafs done."
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