Miki let go of Cage and darted off the porch, escaping the confusion and Ben's wrath to come, and racing out toward the road where Dio and Lackey had disappeared.
Silver took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Ben." she sniffed. "I started it. I stole your phone the other day and texted Dio."
Miki slowed as she reached the end of the driveway and saw Lackey and Dio in the grass. Lackey sat with his head in his hands and Dio stood in front of him, biting his lip and gripping his own arms with white knuckles. "Hey," Miki said as she approached. "Is he okay?"
Ben blinks, his eyes wide. “You wha- you stole my phone?!”
Cage shrinks back, no longer wanting his comfort. He heads inside and Violet gives him a disappointed look. He stares at the ground.
Ben puts his hands in his hair and huffs. “This- this is not okay! You can’t just steal my phone and contact people! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? What do i do with you kids!” He doesn’t sound particularly angry but he’s definitely exasperated.
Silver nodded, grimacing. "I know." she said in a small voice. "I knew it was wrong. I'm sorry. I just knew you wouldn't invite Dio back for forever and I wanted to see him again. I didn't mean for Miki and Cage to invite him over and I didn't realize he would bring a Kavi with him."
Dio glared at Miki as she approached.
The human, he thought. He looked back at Lackey, refusing to look at her as he spoke.
"No, he's not. That brat sent him into a panic attack and…" he sighed. "I can't help him when he's like this."
Miki nodded, standing a few feet away, watching Lackey. He sat still, eyes closed, sucking in deep, desperate breaths. "I'm sorry." she said. "Kissa is… she's awful."
Ben sighs, running a hand through his messy curls again. “Sil. I- I can’t- hold that thought, I’ve gotta get Gabriel off of his sister.” He walks past her, picking up pace as he reaches Gabriel and Kissa, and shoves Gabriel off. “She didn’t bring him here, back off!”
Gabriel looks up to him, now sitting on the ground. “How do you know?!”
“Silver brought him here.” He states, helping Kissa up.
She bares her teeth at Gabriel. “I tried to tell you I didn’t do it!”
Silver stood on the porch, waiting for Ben to come back. I can't be good. I try and I always mess up.
Dio didn't reply to Miki. When she didn't leave he finally glanced at her again. "You can't help him either. You better go back."
Miki snorted. "And get roasted by Ben? Nah, I'm good."
Dio closed his eyes and sighed. "Benjamin came out?"
"Mmmhmmmm." Miki nodded.
Kissa turns to press her dirty face into Ben’s shirt, growling.
He sighs then extends a hand to Gabriel. “Get up. We’re going inside and sorting this out right now.”
Gabriel takes his hand, pulling himself to his feet, but stays a few feet behind Ben as they walk back to the house.
Ben grabs Silvers hand on the way, pulling her inside along with them.
“Where is Miki? I feel like she was part of this too.”
Cage shrugs. “I dunno.”
Dio watched Lackey, fist pressed against his lips. He needed to talk to Ben. He couldn't let the kids hang themselves on their own naivete when he had encouraged them, instead of informing Ben what was going on. With a sigh he turned to Miki.
"Will you stay with him? Don't touch him, and don't try to talk to him. Just watch him and let him know where I am if he asks."
Miki raised an eyebrow at him. "Where are you going?"
"To explain to Benjamin what happened."
Silver meekly followed Ben into the house and curled up in a corner of the couch, not looking at him and avoiding eye contact with the others.
Ben sits down beside Sil, Kiss sitting in front of the couch and leaning on him. Cage sits on the other side of him and leans on him as Violet passes out cookies. She pulls the blankets out of the dryer and hands one to Sil, Cage and Kiss. Gabriel stands behind the couch, rubbing his arm.
Ben sighs, an arm around Cage and his other around Sil. “Cage, explain from the top.”
He gulps. “Um. I- me and Miki went upstairs to find Sil cause we noticed it was quiet. We found her in the attic and Dio was calling.” He pauses to swallow again, trying not to tear up. “She didn’t know what to say so me and Miki talked to him and invited him over… after you guys went to bed.” He turns his head away from Ben. “It was a bad idea. We all felt bad from the beginning.”
Dio headed toward the house, bracing himself for whatever happened. He tried the door and found it still unlocked. Carefully he let himself in, letting the door click audibly behind him to warn them of his presence before he came and stood in the doorway.
Silver glanced up, feeling Dio's energy before he even stepped in the house. When he appeared in the doorway, she swallowed and glanced nervously toward Ben.
Ben turns his head to see Dio and gives both Cage’s and Silver's shoulders a comforting squeeze, then stands, ruffling Kissa’s hair a little as he does. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back.” He heads towards Dio, clenching his jaw, then opens the door and motions for Dio to follow him out.
Dio nodded and went back outside, standing on the porch and waiting for Ben to join him. He kept his mouth shut, letting Ben begin first.
Silver wrapped her arms around herself, trying to curl up smaller, and blink hard.
I'm not gonna cry. I'm not gonna cry. Not this time.
Miki stood beside Lackey after Dio left, glancing between the house and the panicked Kavi before her. Lackey seemed much more self contained and calm than before, but he hadn't moved from his position of holding his head in his hands and breathing through his mouth. Slowly she lowered herself to the grass beside him.
Ben closes the door behind him and takes a deep breath.
“Mr. Diablo De Angelo. I’m- I-“ he takes another breath, then makes eye contact. “This does not help you gain my trust. Or my wife’s. You went behind my back with children you knew were cooped up and desperate. Yes, it was wrong of them to call you, but I’m honestly surprised and disappointed you agreed and encouraged this? What does this help?” He clenches his jaw, staying surprisingly cool, and waits for his response.
Dio nodded, agreeing with everything he leveled at him. "I'm sorry. You are correct, and I am sorry. The only thing I can say in explanation is that I am honestly very concerned for you all–especially yourself, Benjamin–and I was deeply worried over the fact that Silver tried to contact me at all, since I knew there was no way you would have given her permission. I wasn't sure if something was wrong, or something had happened, and that's why she reached out. I do acknowledge that my reaction was not proper and they took it as encouragement, and I should have immediately told you what occurred. I am very sorry."
With a sigh to cool himself down and keep his voice from raising, he starts again. “I take care of them, Dio. If there’s something wrong I will take care of it. I do not appreciate your concern or you shoving yourself into this. We are strictly business. I need your help only to make sure we’re not found or can take down Etienne. I do not need your help to take care of my kids. No.” He clenches his jaw, trying his hardest not to glare.
Dio watched him, holding his tongue while he thought through what Ben said and his own opinions. With a sigh, he braced himself and said, "With all due respect, Benjamin, I disagree."
It takes everything in Ben not to shove Dio and shout at him, but he stands completely still.
“Then leave. I don’t want you here if you’re going to encourage such behavior in my household. I will speak with you later, but you will not be allowed to meddle in our personal lives.” He states firmly.
Dio nodded again. "Alright. I understand." and he turned and left, heading back to where Lackey and Miki waited.
Ben watches for a second before turning around and entering the house, taking his seat between Cage and Sil again. He sighs. “Alright. Sil it’s your turn. What’s the story.”
Silver grimaced, her face contorting as if she was going to cry, but her eyes stayed dry. "Two days ago I stole your phone and copied Dio's number into my phone and I texted him. I just wanted to ask if he was coming back because I wanted to meet him again but Cage and Miki found me and then Dio called me and they sort of hijacked the phone call and invited him over tonight after you and Vi went to bed." She glanced across at Cage. Sorry.
Lackey sat still, in the same position, staring at the ground in front of him. Miki hadn't moved either, sitting beside him and picking at the grass, humming to herself every once in a while. His panic attack had ended about ten minutes previously, but he didn't know what to do with Miki beside him instead of Dio.
What do I do.
Where did he go.
Who is this human.
Ben nods. The story’s didn't differ much at all. So Sil had stolen the phone, Miki and Cage had invited him over. Miki would probably give the same story.
“Kissa, were you in on this?”
She shakes her head. “I had no idea. I only came downstairs for a drink of water tonight and wanted to know what was going on.”
“Gabriel?”
Gabriel stares at the ground. “No. I was only following Kiss.”
Silver took in a deep breath through her nose, still vowing to not cry. "I'm sorry." she whispered. "It was stupid and I should have told you." She covered her face with her hands, willing her heart to stop pounding.
–
Dio found Lackey and Miki sitting silently on the grass. One glance told him that Lackey was fine now, but terrified of interacting with Miki. The girl looked up as he approached, a bright, easy smile coming to her face. "Hey. He didn't kill you." she said.
Dio shrugged. "No, he did not. I am afraid he might kill your sister though. I never imagined tonight could have gone to badly." he closed his eyes, as if willing the memory of the last half hour to disappear. "I thought the worst that could happen would be Benjamin waking up and finding us."
Miki nodded. "Yeah, me too. But, Kissa should never be underestimated. What was up with all that anyway? What did she do to him?" she pointed her thumb at Lackey.
What was up with that anyways.
Ben squints, staring at Gabriel. The more he looked at him though, the more he felt like it was a question to ask him in private.
“Mn. Okay.” Kissa leans back against Ben’s leg and grits her teeth.
He basically attacked me and you just say ‘okay’?
Ben rubs the bridge of his nose for a second, sighing. “Listen. A lie is never a good idea, and neither is doing things behind mine or Violet's backs. I know we’re all cooped up and a new person is exciting, but the way things were done was wrong. I’m not angry with any of you guys right now, but… that was very dangerous. We don’t even know him well.”
"I told Violet!" Silver yelped, suddenly remembering. "That day! When Miki said I was on my period and I wasn't. Violet made me talk to her and I told her I had contacted Dio and she said it was–" She stopped midsentence, mouth hanging open, and stared at Violet. If she told Ben Violet knew about her texting Dio and hadn't told Ben, then Ben would get mad at Violet too.
–
Dio sighed and rubbed his forehead. "From what I can tell, Kissa and Lackey recognized each other from… before. I believe Kissa knows about Lackey and his relationship with my brother and used that to…" he shook his head.
Miki nodded. "She brought it up and sent him into a panic attack."
Dio opened his eyes, watching Lackey, fist pressed against his lips. "Yes."
Miki stood up and brushed the grass off her jeans. "Well. I hope he's okay now. But fair warning; Kissa will totally do that again since now she knows how easy it was. She's kind of evil." She cuffed Dio on the shoulder as she passed him. "And good job not getting killed by Ben."
Dio spun, grabbing her arm to stop her before she could leave completely. "About Benjamin; is he… alright?"
Violet’s face flushes a deep red and Ben turns to raise and eyebrow at her- angrily.
She sighs. “She- I didn’t know they’d invited him over. She’d only-“
“-no no, we’re talking later.” He interrupts.
She nods with a sigh.
Cage purses his lips, the rubs his forehead. “Can we go to bed? I want today to be done.”
Ben sighs and gives a small nod. “Yes. You all are… dismissed. Vi and I will talk over things tonight.”
"No, no, Ben!" Silver gasped, leaping off the couch. "No, she didn't know! I promise! I told her I had texted Dio and she said it was okay and I forgot to tell her about him coming over part. She DID say that I shouldn't invite him over. I just… didn't hear that until she had left." She grimaced, all but falling on the floor at Ben's feet. "Don't be mad at her, Ben. She didn't know. Be mad at me."
–
Miki raised an eyebrow at Dio. "No. He's never been okay. Maybe when he was like–yeah, no, his childhood was crap too. Ben has never been okay in any sense of the word. Why?"
Dio released her arm, pressing his lips together. "I'm worried about him. I'm worried about all of you."
Miki glanced Dio up and down, studying him anew. Let's take a page out of Silver's book and do something stupid. "That's… nice. We could do with someone worrying about us. Someone who doesn't live in the same house." She rolled her eyes.
Dio paused, wanting to say more but not know what to say, or what was appropriate. Ben had already made it clear he was banished from their lives until Ben reached out again. Before he could decide anything, Miki pulled her phone out of her pocket.
"Here." she said. "What's your number?"
Ben stands, almost completely ignoring her. Irritation and anger wells up inside of him. The day had been so peaceful and nice but ended so rotten. Figuring out Cage and Mik has gone behind his back happily, Silver had used his phone to call Dio and didn’t tell him, Gabriel was attacking his own sister. He runs a hand through his hair.
“Go to bed.” He coldly and firmly speaks through gritted teeth.
Cages face goes pale and he quickly goes up stairs, Kiss not far behind. Gabriel turns invisible and leans against the wall.
Silver stood in the middle of the living room for a moment, watching him, teeth clenched in anxiety, but finally she deflated and turned toward the stairs, pulling herself up with the railing, her wings trailing on the floor behind her.
–
Miki repocketed her phone, now containing Dio's contact information, and gave him a final nod. "Well. I don't know what I'll contact you, but I'm sure I will. Goodnight." she waved and headed back toward the house.
The closer she got to the door, the more in dawned on her what had probably transpired while she was gone. She took a deep breath and shook her head. Well, here we go.
She opened the door and stepped inside.
Ben turns, looking eerily calm. “Miki.”
Violet gulps.
Please don’t start burning Ben. She’s stupid, but just be nice.
Miki stood in the entry way, seeing the dark and almost-empty living room. Apparently he'd already roasted everyone else, and she was the finale. She took her shoes off and stepped into the living room, sliding her hands in her pockets and facing him. "Ben."
He clenches his jaw, willing himself to not set her on fire.
He didn’t really have the words to say, mostly because the ones he thought were not kind and definitely didn’t need to be spewed.
“You’re an idiot.” He growls.
Violet rolls her eyes.
At least he’s not cussing yet.
