Chapter 272: A past.
More people came to the field, making breakfast an unexpected communal activity. Philip was being hounded by those who missed the flame fart. People wanted him to do it again and he was very reluctant. Father Nicodemus was back, and he was flying kids from one point to another.
It was a long line, Castiel and Earl were among those waiting for their turn and little Cass looked very impatient. Every other second, he looked back at Sunshine like he was waiting for her to order the priest to neglect everyone and fly him...only him.
"We are going to need another one of him." Alfred told Sunshine.
She laughed. "Another fallen angel."
Alfred’s laughter boomed loudly. "I cannot believe that somehow we have all settled on calling him that."
Sunshine was grateful for all the gossipers on the base that had labeled Father Nicodemus a fallen angel. The priest was astounded and he disapproved. But at least, there were no zealots demanding the gates be opened so that the apocalypse be welcomed inside. "Better that than God’s holy representative in the apocalypse who is taking everyone to heaven. I actually think that the church is ready to be opened again."
Nimo handed them both fresh cups of hot coffee. It was being cooked over the fire along with black tea, milk and porridge.
With all the fires on the field, it almost seemed like the kitchen had been moved outside.
Hades, Hadrian and Warren were standing near one of the fires. Warren was stirring the tea which smelled like cinnamon, vanilla and coconut beans. They had been roasting each other in a ritual of unusual sibling banter.
"Is that the ex?" Warren asked, squinting toward the bread tent were Sunshine, Alfred and Nimo were standing.
"Yup." Hadrian confirmed, sipping coffee so strong that it could power an engine. "I don’t know him well, but I know he is charming. I have seen some ladies blushing whenever he talks to them and does that thing with his eyebrows."
"What thing?" Warren asked.
Hadrian made his eyebrows dance while retaining a mysterious but handsome vibe. "This thing."
Hades laughed. "You look like your eyebrows are being electrocuted."
Hadrian slapped him lightly on the chest. "And you look like you are going to lose your wife to Mr. dancing eyebrows. Why is her ex even talking to her?"
"They have been friends for years." Hades grumbled out.
Warren groaned. "Friends that have seen each other naked! You don’t know what is going on in his mind when he looks at her. Friends should not know what each other tastes like. I know Sunshine can be trusted and she has put the past in the back but what about him?"
Hades winced.
"He looks at her with heart eyes." Hadrian said.
Warren looked at Hadrian, hoping to see the heart eyes. But Hadrian did not do a single thing.
Meanwhile, around them, soldiers were playing pranks on each other and the kids. One of them was carrying Bob, Lisha’s cat. He was wearing a tiny jacket labeled "Milk Officer."
Hadrian leaned towards Hades and said softly, "I swear, if he makes her laugh one more time I am going to march over there and throw him in the porridge."
Hades snorted. "Let’s not overreact. I have a past as well, let’s not forget that fact. So, again, nobody should overreact and do something stupid or unnecessary."
"No." Hadrian moved closer to the fire. "We must overreact. In case you have not noticed, she is the only Quinn that has awakened so far. We have had many awakenings in the last two weeks but none among us Quinn’s. I am worried that one day the superhumans will band together and demand leadership of the base. Sunshine is the only one we have on our side. Mr. dancing eyebrows is not allowed to seduce her away from us."
"And here I thought you cared more about my love life." Hades said sarcastically.
Hadrian rolled his eyes.
"If that is your worry, you should put it aside. Have you forgotten that Hades dances too?" Warren raised his hands and tried to pull the ballerina pose he had seen Hades doing.
Hades snorted. He watched his wife laughing with Nimo and Alfred. Alfred was narrating something, swatting his hands in the air. "She laughs like that when I make her breakfast."
"You cook!" Warren exclaimed.
Hadrian was also astounded. "More like he tries to blow up the kitchen and commit war crimes with flour, butter and fire."
The three men laughed.
Warren patted Hades’ shoulder. "I am sorry for what I said about nakedness, tasting and stuff. Suni likes you. I would not put too much thought into the ex-thing.
She chose you, even after Mr. dancing eyebrows was saved and invited into the base. She has kept a respectable distance from him and most of the time when she talks to him, someone else is around. I think she does it deliberately to stop false rumors from being created.
She chose you with your weird dancing, zero talent in the kitchen, brooding silences, three children and bullheadedness. In my books, you are the winner dancing eyebrows is wasting his time."
Sunshine laughed again, so loudly that her voice was carried to them.
Warren groaned. "Maybe we should intervene. He is not that funny."
Just then, a kid ran past them screaming. Bob followed, hissing and dragging a shredded bear. Two soldiers and Father Nicodemus swooped in to help.
"Even Bob awakened." Hadrian grumbled.
Hades laughed. The cat’s awakening was truly not a cause for jealousy. All that had mutated were its claws that were sharper than usual. Bob remained docile and lazy as usual. He could not even be bothered to chase some of the rats that had infiltrated the base a week ago.
When offered one to eat, he had looked at the humans with contempt before meowing at Lisha and demanding for milk and canned fish.
None the less, Hadrian was jealous of Bob!
"Have you ever seen Bob moving that fast?" Morris joined the men with a question. The cat’s laziness was widely spread news on the base. There were twenty-four hours in a day. Bob used twenty to sleep, one to walk around [forced by Lisha to keep him from getting fat] and one to eat. The eating hour was divided into intervals.
"Only when he sees or smells Castiel." Hadrian replied. "Bob runs away in search of the nearest corner to hide."
Sunshine started walking toward them, her face unreadable, her hands full of fresh jelly doughnuts that Mrs. Fawk had baked.
"She is coming over here." Warren gasped.
Morris frowned. Was something wrong with Sunshine walking toward them?
Hadrian shoved Hades forward. "Go and help her. Don’t give Mr. dancing eyebrows a chance to outperform you."
Hades sighed and walked forward to meet his wife halfway.
Meanwhile, Morris, still frowning, looked at Warren and asked, "Who is Mr. dancing eyebrows?"
"A blast from the past that refuses to stay in the past." Warren mumbled.
"A pest...like a locust. It wants to eat fresh green lettuce." Hadrian added.
Morris was still very much confused.