Playing with Fire [COMPLETED]

10 ~ the council room

When I'm done eating, my head feels strange. Like .... I'm almost dizzy. I blink, and suddenly, I am no longer in Ruin's room, but instead, I'm in a huge room with a massive table in the center of it. There are six other people around the table and it takes me a moment to realize that they are Ruin and his siblings. I'm seeing things from his point of view.

I see Pain sitting opposite Ruin at the table, her wings held in a defensive position. She stares at him intensely her amber gaze boring into him. Into me.

Ruin, seemingly understanding I have no idea who any of these people (save for Pain) are, telepathically tells me. The man to his right, with salt-and-pepper black hair and a long beard is Time, or Teren. His red eyes scan Pain, his wings the same colors as his hair, are folded neatly behind his back. He wears white robes, and the hood is up on his head.

To Ruin's left is Fear, or Barbas. His pitch black wings are huge, and his black matte clothes seem to have been made for him. His sturdy frame is silhouetted against his large chair and his bigger wings. Barbas's red eyes flick to Ruin, and a dark smile crosses his face. A knowing look flickers in those eyes.

Across from him is Rogue, who has black and white hair long, flowing past her hips. Her wings are like her hair, half white and half black. Her red eyes lock on the table before her and she does not make eye contact with anyone.

And finally, the twins, Death and Destruction. Death, with her dark skin, dark, curly hair, black feathered wings, and kind, gray eyes flecked with red and gold sits silent and still. But her sibling, Destruction, sits a bit anxiously. They look around the room, shifting in their black and gray and red wings a bit. Their amber eyes dart about, and they look away from Ruin when they realize hes looking at them.

Time stands up and raises his hands above his head, and I see pale blue tattoos decorating his arms begin to glow. And when he speaks, his deep voice is smooth like silk, but icy like the coldest permafrost.

"We are here today because of the inevitable war that is brewing between our Courts," he says, his red eyes turn icy as they find Pain. "Why did you steal someone from Ruin's Court? You know what that would lead to. So why?"

"Because all this sitting around, holding hands is shit. We need to fight. We need to stop being secondary to Ruin and Death!"

"Literally no one thinks you're secondary to anyone, Raava," says Death.

"No? Well, then, maybe tell me why I am so much weaker than you two! Everyone feels pain. Some feel it every day. So why am I weak compared to you two?!"

"Maybe it is because of hope," says Destruction, their multicolored gaze fixating on Pain. "Those who suffer in agony have hope that one day, it will end. That someday, their pain will have a purpose. So you cannot tell me that that itself does not weaken you already."

"You're truly starting a war just because you feel insecure about your place here?" Fear demands. "This is the pettiest reason for war there ever was. You're surpassing the mortals in your stupidity."

Pain slams her hands on the table, causing it to crack. "Do not ever insult me in such a way, Barbas."

"If you're truly starting a war over this, I will do as I damn well please," he snaps. "You have no reason to start this foolish war. You just want more people to be in pain. So you can feel good about yourself."

"Fuck off, Barbas," snaps Pain.  "I do not require your seal of approval."

"And yet, you do," he says. "Honestly, if you were magically made more powerful right now, would you leave? Or would you feel that it was not enough?"

She snarls, her wings flexing.

"Power is a reason mortals go to war," murmurs Rogue. "If we are to truly believe Raava's claims for her wanting more of it, then perhaps she should show us a gesture of good faith."

"What do you have in mind?" Time asks.

"Perhaps we should bring forth the one from Ruin's Court that Pain decided to kidnap," she says.

I feel my heart skip a beat. Ruin .... he wouldn't let me be in that room, would he? Panic seizes my heart, and I feel it leap and stutter in my ribcage, pounding against it like a hammer.

"Why do we need to bring them here?" Ruin asks, his tone threatening, yet bored at the same time.

Rogue looks at him. "If we bring forth your friend, and Pain gets pissed, we will know the truth. If she can look that person in the eye and apologize, then we will know that she is not doing this for her own selfish reasons."

"War is always selfish," snaps Death.  "I do not see why Ruin's friend is being put on the spot for this."

"Indeed, they are not a part of this discussion," replies Time.

"Bring her here, and I'll show you I wish her no ill will," Pain grumbles, raising an eyebrow at Ruin.

All eyes are on him as he sighs. "I do not think it is wise to bring her here, as she's still recovering from what was done to her while inside Pain's Court."

"I did nothing to her!" Pain roars.

"That is a lie!" Ruin shouts, standing up and striking the table.   "You nearly killed her!"

I see Death go pale. She knows. And now, so do I. Because of the link I share with Ruin, I can feel his true feelings for me. He .... he is in love with me. I do not know how long I have been down here, if it's been months or years. But I do know one thing for sure.

I'm pretty sure I love Ruin, too.

And I do not know if that makes me a traitor to my family. If that would make Farrin hate me. But I.... I think I do love Ruin. I feel strange when he is around, and now that no one is speaking in the mental link between us.... I remember where I am.

I'm in his bed. In a big, beautiful room. One I woke up in, and found myself with wings growing out of my back, and Ruin right there, watching over me.  A guardian demon indeed.

"You love her," Fear murmurs to the silent room. All eyes lock on Ruin. "You love a mortal."

"She is no mortal," snaps Ruin. "Not anymore."

"Ah, so you let her mortal side die, and yet, you forced her to live for your own selfish needs, didn't you, Ruin?" Pain asks, grinning.

Ruin explodes from his seat. He pounces on Pain, shoving her back against the far wall, behind her seat. He snarls as he pins her to the wall.

"You do not get to judge me for what happens in my own private, personal life," he growls. "It is your fault that her body died, and she had to be reborn. It is your fucking fault that she was hurt in the first place. Just another casualty of Pain and her craving for more agony in the world!"

"At least I'm true to my feelings, and I own them. I am not afraid of my emotions or my love," she hisses. "Or lack thereof."

"I love her," he snarls. "And I am not afraid to admit that. I am not afraid of you, or your sadistic pleasures. I'm only afraid of what war could mean for her, and her own personal feelings."

"You worry too much for a demon who claims to love ruination."

"And you need to learn when to shut the fuck up," he hisses.

"What are you going to do, Ruin? Kill me?"

"I don't have to kill you. I just have to make you suffer."

"Now, who's sadistic?"

"Fuck you."

Time and Destruction pull them apart, and Ruin glares at Pain.

"If it's war you want, Pain," snarls Fear, "then I am thinking it is war you shall have."