Chapter Text
Gabriel takes off slowly, as if perhaps doubting Michael’s ability to keep up; he resumes a normal speed when it becomes clear that it is unnecessary. They land in an alley tucked off to the side of a modestly tall building—upon exiting the alley, he sees a brilliant neon sign proclaiming the place to be Club Heaven.
‘Oh my God,’ Adam says.
‘I sincerely doubt it,’ Michael deadpans.
Gabriel leads them to the door, but stops before going in and turns around to face Michael with a serious expression. “I just want it to be known that I am bringing you here against my better judgment, so if you so much as put a single toe out of line, I won’t be held responsible for my actions.”
“Understood,” Michael says. He can understand the suspicion.
“Cool beans. C’mon in.”
He brings them inside and immediately ducks through a door marked ‘staff only.’ From there, they take the elevator to the top floor, revealed to be a penthouse suite; Gabriel bustles in like he owns the place.
“Honey, I’m home!” He shouts.
The sound of claws scrabbling over tile heralds the appearance of a small terrier mix, who jumps up against Gabriel.
“There’s my good boy!” Gabriel coos. The dog’s tail is wagging so fast that it is a blur. Gabriel squats down and peppers dog with kisses, getting his face licked in return.
A voice calls from the next room, “You give the mutt so many kisses but can’t spare a single one for your lover. Typical.”
“If you’re that heartbroken over it, I’m sure you can find something suitable downstairs. Now put a shirt on and break out the good booze, we’ve got company.”
The sound of clinking glassware carries over. “Must I? You know I prefer my company au naturale.”
“It’s not that kind of company,” Gabriel says as he flops down on a sofa and gestures Michael towards an armchair. “In fact, you could say we’re having a little family reunion.”
The other room goes quiet for a long moment before the clinking picks up again. “I see,” says the voice.
Gabriel snorts. “Not yet you don’t.”
Not long after, a man walks into the room carrying a bottle of wine and several glasses. He freezes as soon as he sees Michael.
“Gabriel,” he grits out in a warning tone.
“Balthazar,” Michael intones. “This is rather convenient.”
“You don’t say.” With exaggerated care, Balthazar sets the wine and glasses on the coffee table before leaning against the doorway, arms crossed. “To what do we owe the extraordinarily dubious pleasure?”
“Chill out a bit, sugar lips,” Gabriel says. “I don’t have the full story, but we’ve got a mutual nonaggression pact going on. Right, Mikey?”
“Correct,” Michael says. “I have agreed to come here in hopes of a mutually beneficial exchange of information.”
Balthazar eyes Gabriel. “And you believed him? Enough to bring him to our home?”
“What can I say,” Gabriel shrugs. “Piqued my curiosity.”
“Typical,” Balthazar huffs. “Just perfectly, thoroughly, moronically typical.” He sits down in the remaining chair, snagging the wine on the way by. He removes the cork with his teeth and proceeds to chug the wine straight from the bottle.
“Hey!” Gabriel shouts. “Is that the 1796 Lenox Madeira? I want some of that! Don’t waste it!”
Balthazar pointedly takes another gulp. “Consider it your due punishment for bringing that home.”
Gabriel and Balthazar continue to bicker. Michael takes advantage of the opportunity to check in with Adam.
‘Adam,’ he calls in their mind.
‘Here,’ Adam replies immediately. ‘So that’s Balthazar.’
‘Indeed,’ Michael says, resisting the urge to sigh. ‘He does not appear to have changed substantially since our last encounter, as expected of him.’
‘I didn’t realize you had interacted with him personally,’ Adam says. ‘I don’t think you mentioned it.’
‘It was quite some time ago,’ Michael replies vaguely. ‘What do you think of him and Gabriel?’
‘They seem like a lot of fun,’ Adam says. ‘I’m glad we found them, and that they’re both doing well.’
‘Yes,’ Michael agrees. ‘However, I meant the question more in the sense of how much of our story it is advisable to share with them.’
Adam hums thoughtfully. ‘Well,’ he says. ‘From what you’ve said, we shouldn’t share anything we don’t want to be revealed to a third party, given that Balthazar can and will sell us out if it’s in his best interests. But by the same token, we need to share enough to ease their suspicion towards us and build up some rapport. Does that sound about right?’
‘I believe so,’ Michael says.
‘Right. Ideally, I’d like to have a better idea of where-slash-when we are before anything else. We know it’s 2008, but it’s still unclear whether we’re in our home universe or a parallel one. I’d say try to figure that out before revealing anything big.’
‘Agreed,’ Michael says, just as Gabriel and Balthazar finish squabbling and turn their combined stares on Michael.
‘Looks like it’s showtime,’ Adam says with relish.