There's Something Wrong with Declan

Callum entered Fabian’s specialty room and tilted his head.

"What’s the matter?” Fabian asked confusion lining his face.

His brother smirked and pointed to the papers on the floor. Quickly, Fabian grabbed the papers displaying his and Fiona’s escapades and balled them up. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well…uh we sort of-”

Callum chuckled at his brother's red face. "Come downstairs, there’s something we all need to discuss." Following his brother, Fabian found Waylon and Declan in the downstairs living room.

"Well, hello there Mr. Artist,” Waylon said cackling.

"Shut up!” Fabian growled at him, before sitting down. "So, what’s this big meeting about?”

Callum placed his hands to his lips. "I’ll come straight out and say it. We need to hold off on sex until we find out what the next test is. I know we all connected with our *wives* pretty quickly, but that first test almost messed up the little bit of relationship we did build. I’m just thinking maybe we hold off a bit, at least until we complete the second task.”

Waylon grinned. "Like a celebration?” The idea of celebrating with Willow over and over didn’t sound like a bad idea.

Callum nodded, "No pressure on it, just thinking maybe with chill out for a little while and focus on the *getting to know* them part, because if I’m honest Charlee-let’s just say she can be very distracting.” Pondering over what Callum said, the brothers all agreed.

Fabian groaned, "This is going to be so hard. Fiona is- The. Fucking. Devil.”

Callum laughed, "If your paint by number is any indication of her *spirit* yeah you’re definitely in trouble.”

Declan arched his brow. "Paint by number?”

"You don’t want to know. How about we invite them all for dinner…we can also invite mom and dad so they can get to all know one another.” Callum suggested.

Declan shook his head yes and left to go to the other room to call their parents. Making sure he was from earshot, Waylon leaned into his brothers and whispered, "I’m worried about him.”

"Why?” Fabian asked.

"I caught him asleep on the floor earlier. Completely out of it, while Desiree was here. He didn’t even know he’d fallen asleep. He’s been staying up late, working all night. And he’s taken on a few additional projects. I think he’s overworking himself again.” Fabian and Callum looked at one another knowing Waylon’s concern was valid. They’d almost lost their brother due to his stress level causing his heart to stop. "Let’s make sure to keep an eye on him. The first sign of it going too far, intervene.”

After getting off the phone with his father, Declan began his work ensuring that both his mental and computer catalog were updated. "There are a lot of souls passing through,” he muttered. He grabbed his throbbing head, as another headache tore into him.

*Just breathe through it.*

He grabbed the Advil popping his third 1000 mg dose of the day. "Just need to make it through the next few weeks.”

He was exhausted, running on caffeine and no sleep, but the work needed to be done. His phone vibrated on the table and he picked it up seeing a text from Desiree.

*“Hey! Did you get your part of the lesson plans for the week completed? I didn’t see them on the shared drive.”*

He groaned. He’d totally forgot, something that’d been happening to him a lot lately. He rubbed his head.

*“Sorry Dezzy. I’ll upload them tonight.*”

*“Are you alright Dex? You seemed a bit out of it today and you disappeared for a while…You know I don’t mind helping you if you have a lot on your plate.”*

Declan smiled brightly at the nickname, only to be mortified by the remainder of the text. He’d fallen asleep during her visit, even though he’d begged his body to stay up. And now he was burdening her with his inability to remember to do his work. He sighed and attempted to maintain his composure.

*“Yeah! I’m completely fine-I like my nickname by the way. I promise to have the lesson plans up tonight. And sorry about earlier, I had to take an important call that lasted longer than I thought it would.”*

He hated lying to her. But he couldn’t let her know he was overwhelmed and had fallen asleep. She was always so organized and on top of everything. What would she think of him?

*“No problem-see you tomorrow.”*

After responding to her last text Declan pulled out his laptop. Feeling his headache return, Declan took another 1000 mg of Advil, forgetting that he’d already taken some minutes prior.

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*A few days later *

“It’s so nice to finally meet you three and Charlee, it’s always a pleasure seeing you.” Eva watched their faces flush as they caught on to what she was saying without saying.

“It’s really nice to meet you as well,” Fiona responded.

One by one, Eva and Alaric made their rounds, saying hello to their sons *wives*. As she greeted all her sons, Eva hugged Declan immediately feeling something was wrong.

"Declan, can I speak with you?” She asked. He nodded his head and followed her to another room. She folded her arms to her chest. "You’re overworking yourself again, aren’t you?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, his mother knew him so well. He could never lie to her, so instead, he chose to avoid it. "I’m alright. Let’s get back in there, I really want you to spend time with Desiree.” He smiled at his mother, "I really like her mom.”

She knew what he was doing, but she also knew not to push him. Declan was very good at shutting down and pushing people away when they pried too hard. She pulled him in her arms and felt his body still. Laying his head on her shoulder, she heard him inhale sharply. He pulled away from her and quickly walked away. Eva quickly wiped a tear, making sure that before she left, she would mention it to her other sons.

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Desiree stood in the kitchen, looking at Declan. "I can help!” She smiled excitedly and he shook his head.

"Nope, you’re a guest. I got this, go, I really want you to get to know my family.”

She arched her brow and looked at him, before letting out a sigh, "Okay.”

As she walked away, he felt himself get a bit lightheaded. He gripped onto the table and closed his eyes. "Just a few more weeks,” he mumbled, before grabbing the salad and exiting the kitchen.

Dinner was off to a great start, as Eva and Alaric talked to everyone.

"Soooo how are you all adjusting to being with supernaturals?” Eva asked watching them. She saw their faces flush for the second time of the night, and she and Alaric smirked,

"That good huh?” He asked teasingly.

Willow choked on her wine, and Callum looked at his father mortified. "DAD!”

Alaric laughed, "What? Shit, yall got it from me. How you think I got your mother?” He winked at her and though she was glaring, her face turned red. His grin widened, "Then again maybe you all got it from her. The way she-” Fabian threw a dinner roll at his father, who laughed uncontrollably.

"Alaric! Stop teasing the poor girls and your sons.” Eva scolded him.

He kissed her temple, "Sorry, you all know I’m just messing around, right?” Looking at the brother's faces, Fiona couldn’t help but laugh, causing the other women to laugh as well.

After dinner, everyone retired to the living room and continued to chat.

"So, Alaric really saved your life like in the book?” Desiree asked with a stunned look on her face.

Eva nodded, "Every word of that is true.”

Charlee looked at her. "And he really bit your finger, while your first husband laying on the other side?”

Alaric scrunched up his face. "In my defense, she wrote it in the damn book.”

"You regret it?”

He grinned. "Nope, probably would have done it anyway.”

Eva reached in her bag and pulled out the book. "If you all are going to be around, there’s something you should know. I have no control over what I write in here, and sometimes it’s not always clear. But it does always come true, so…do you understand what I’m getting at?”

They did and a chill went up each of their spines.

"We could be included in what you write,” Charlee spoke for all of them. Eva nodded.

*You already are.*

But that wasn’t her secret to tell. When her sons were ready, they would so until then she would only say the basics.

"Where do the instructions come from?” Desiree inquired.

Alaric rolled his eyes and pointed to the ceiling. "My asshole father.” He felt a swiped across the back of his head. He glared, "Real cute dad.”

Desiree's eyes widened. "Your father is-”

"Yep.”

"But you’re-and they’re...,” she stumbled over her words not wanting to be rude.

Standing Alaric extended his wings. "One white, one black. I can be a little good when I want to.” He looked down at Eva, "Though, she’s the reason why.”

She smiled, and stood and kissed her husband’s cheek, then extended her own wings. "And I can be a bit bad” She smirked, "Though, he’s the reason why.” They all laughed.

"So…that means your brother is Lucifer?” Charlee asked hesitantly.

"Aunt Lucifer,” Declan corrected Charlee.

She leaned back onto the sofa. "My. Mind. Is. Blown.”

Eva's eyes shot to Alaric, her hands shaking. "Alaric…”

They retracted their wings and took a seat. He handed her the book and a pen, and her sons sat in their dread. She began to write, and when she finished, her heart caught in her throat. She slowly read the words, her eyes tearing.

*“Perhaps the hardest of their tests will be to accept their own vices. And as such, each son was forced to make a choice. Submit to their natural inclinations or become something new. Each decision, attached to a consequence, that they must face. And on the day, they are presented with one of their greatest tests…four brothers shall either pass or fail, determining the fate of their world.” *