Renji, along with the rest of the team, was starting to get used to Mad Hatter’s
\n elusive, mocking presence among them. He supposed he should have known
\n that would be the signal for a fresh turn into strangeness.<\/p>\n
Today’s strangeness started innocently enough with a voice none of them had
\n heard before. "So this is where you’ve been, lately." A tall figure
\n stepped out from under the shadow of the trees by the courts.<\/p>\n
Hatter’s face lit up even as she turned. "Indeed, my lord," she answered,
\n stepping toward the man. The entire team stared as she sank to her knees
\n at his feet.<\/p>\n
"And are you enjoying yourself?" he asked one brow tilting up as
\n he reached a hand down to pull Hatter back up.<\/p>\n
"Immensely," she purred.<\/p>\n
The man’s eyes traveled over them all, ending at last with Seiichi. Renji tensed,
\n suspecting who this must be, but Seiichi met the gaze coolly and only nodded.\n<\/p>\n
"Lucifer, I presume," he said, quietly.<\/p>\n
A crooked smile turned up the man’s mouth, and he looked back down at Mad Hatter.
\n "How calm. Have you finally found one you couldn’t break, butterfly?"<\/p>\n
"One hasn’t been trying to break him," Hatter protested, looking
\n up through her lashes. Genichirou, standing beside Renji, twitched, and Renji
\n leaned against his shoulder for unobtrusive support and restraint.<\/p>\n
"No, only my teammates," Seiichi put in, sharp and not particularly
\n amused. "I hadn’t realized it was an actual hobby."<\/p>\n
"One seeks the truth and shows the truth," Hatter answered, voice
\n suddenly harsh. Her head dipped almost to Lucifer’s chest. "Few see
\n it, even then."<\/p>\n
This time, Renji noted, it was Niou’s turn to pull Yagyuu back when he stepped
\n toward Hatter.<\/p>\n
"Belial," Seiichi and Lucifer murmured at the same time, in the same
\n tone of mild exasperation.<\/p>\n
Their eyes locked over Hatter’s head for a long moment before Seiichi sighed.
\n "So," was all he said, though.<\/p>\n
Hatter cast a narrow look over her shoulder at Seiichi, but let the exchange His eyes hooded. "Alexiel will be mine when she returns. For now, Setsuna Mad Hatter threw back her head and laughed, eyes sparkling again. "Oh, Personally, Renji would have been a bit alarmed by her grin, but Lucifer merely It was the first time they had seen Hatter’s wings. The corner of Renji’s mind Except for Seiichi. Who stood with a hand on his hip, the other raised to press Renji’s brows rose. That was very much the tone Seiichi used about Akaya sometimes.<\/p>\n Interesting.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n End<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Lucifer visits Rikkai.
\n go with a faint shrug. "Are you down here to visit her<\/em>?"
\n she asked Lucifer.<\/p>\n
\n and Sara belong to each other." His mouth tilted again. "Actually
\n I was going to see what Michael is doing."<\/p>\n
\n can one watch?" she begged, hands clasped under her chin.<\/p>\n
\n brushed his fingers through her wild hair. "If you like."<\/p>\n
\n that catalogued things observed that they were feathered, albeit black, not
\n the bat-style wings that seemed traditional for demons in artwork. The rest
\n of him was gaping at the sky along with his teammates.<\/p>\n
\n between his eyes. "Hatter-san, you little idiot," their captain
\n muttered.<\/p>\n