Author: Deathangelgw

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, but rather Storm Constantine's! HAHA! Wait...why am I happy about that...

Word count: 2,070 words

Warnings: AU, slash, threesome, drunkenness, some language, sap, major angst and brooding in this one, PWP

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Pellaz/Calanthe/Caeru, though not necessarily in that order...

Prompt: #5 Envy

Summary: Pell, Cal, and Caeru learn to give in to their vices to find their virtues.

Spoilers: Up through Book 5 and a bit of Book 6, but since I didn't read that fully, well...hehe.

A/N: For the 7_deadly_sins_ LJ community challenge, which is a good *small* challenge that I decided to take up. I'm not crazy like some of my flist! LOL! A big huge thanks to Patricia and Jaiden for going over this and giving me advice for it! MUCHOS THANKS!!!!!! Anyways, enjoy and please review! Cross-posted to my LJ and 7_deadly_sins_ as well as raythoo and the Wraeththu mailing list.

Sometimes things that mean nothing to some people are the envy of others. At least, that is what Caeru felt as he watched Pellaz and Calanthe walk down the main street of Phaonica towards the marketplace that was near the center of the city. He studied Moon, Tyson, and Loki as the three younger hara goofed around next to the two Tigrons while walking to the center, their good mood and teasing visible even from the Tigrina's tower room. Yet even that visible sign of good fortune failed to lift Caeru's dark mood.

He felt his insides roil with pain as his mind's eye replaced the three younger hara with Abrimel, himself, Geburael, and added in Darquiel. It would never happen, though, and that was the painful part of the dream. He knew that because of Pell's stubbornness and inherent apathy towards their sons and grandson, part of their family would never be acknowledged, nor accepted into their lives. Even if Darquiel was the product of all three of the rulers of Immanion when they had needed both strength and support for each other, it was still not enough to grant the powerful har a place of comfortable acceptance in their family.

And now, Caeru could never host again, thanks to Diablo's insidious attack a decade ago. While it seemed that the Tigrons took to his bed willingly, there was always a hint of regret and indecision that marred their aruna, causing them to hold back from being truly intimate with him. It was as if they were afraid of even trusting him, for he had failed them in protecting their son, which had nearly resulted in Darquiel’s death. That was what hurt more than any of the pain being soume caused him.

Abrimel was never mentioned and they hardly ever saw Geburael, for he was staying in Megalithica with Swift and Seel until he grew more confident in his powers. Despite the fact that Geburael was under Cobweb’s tutelage, Rue’s heart still felt the painful loss of his son, as if a dagger were being twisted slowly in reminder. Pell had ostracized his son from the beginning, even changing his name to spite Caeru. But now, he wasn't even a shadow in their past. He did not exist to Pell and that hurt Caeru more than he could bear.

Clutching a fist into his shirt over where his healed wound throbbed even now, Caeru watched the happy family bitterly. He could never be a part of that side of their group. Moon was so much like Pell had been when they had met that it was like poison to him. Tyson was a more relaxed version of Cal, and Loki was the son of Pell and Galdra, a pair that had saved them and bridged the breach that had opened in Pell's heart when Cal had abandoned them. Not even Caeru had been able to do that. He had lost his only chance to truly *mean* something to Pell when he had lost their son.

Turning away from the sickening sight, he went into his drawing room and poured himself a large glass of the rare bourbon he had bought from an old friend a few years back. He usually saved it for special occasions, but he just wanted to forget now. Knocking back half of it in one go, the Tigrina slumped into one of the plush seats near the fireplace, staring idly into the crackling flames as he thought over all that had happened and had been taken away.

His thoughts drowned out his awareness of anyhar else, so he didn't even acknowledge the presence of his servants when they brought him food and stoked the fire. He just refilled his tumbler steadily until his thoughts were in a drunken haze, numbing him from all that had been lost.

Eventually, he managed to stand up unsteadily and headed towards his room. Or rather, tried to head towards his room. His body was bent at an awkward angle as he shuffled towards the doorway, the alcohol throwing his body into a disorderly pose from its potency. He cursed softly as he stumbled into a small cabinet, knocking it back a bit as he struggled to remain upright. It had been decades since he'd last been drunk and he found the sensation unfamiliar. Just as he got to the doorway, he tripped over his own feet and plunged forward, dropping his bourbon in a shatter of glass as he plunged to the ground. The shards flew up and cut into his arms, hands, and shins, earning a series of slurred curses as they dug into his pale skin and drew crimson blood.

The noise was enough to attract Cal and Pell's attention and they rushed to their consort's rooms in concern. When they found the inebriated and bloodied Caeru on the ground trying to stand back up as he slurred through various curses, their concern rose exponentially. They went to his side immediately and steadied him, becoming annoyed when the Tigrina pushed them away. "Go 'way y'two cads! Dun nee' any 'elp fr'm 'ou," he snarled at them drunkenly as he tried to stand on his own, but only managed to sway back into Cal as the other blond hefted him up.

"You are so plastered, Rue! What the hell happened?" Cal huffed out as he finally got Caeru to his feet and wrapped an arm around Rue's waist. Pell mirrored him on the other side. He looked over the cuts on Caeru's arms and hands, as well as the couple of scratches that were on the slender shins, and sighed as he started them towards Caeru's bedroom.

"M'not drun*k*, y'ov'r st'ffe' pig!" Caeru retorted as he swayed dangerously towards the right, nearly knocking all three of them off their feet. "Y’go' no *right* t'tell me wha' t'do," he added in a very drunken attempt at superiority as he swung his arm up and nearly toppled backwards.

"By the Aghama, you are wasted...why, Rue?" Pell asked in irritation as they stabilized Rue again before they continued their haphazard way towards Caeru's room.

"S'n'ne of 'our *b’s*'ness, Pell, s'ust fuck off!" Caeru replied as he leaned forward precariously. He giggled suddenly as they came to his room and began to strip him down so they could fix his wounds and tuck him into bed. "Ah*ha*! 'ou thin' 'm'g'nna h've ar’na wit' 'ou! Fuckers!" he called out as he twirled around before he was manhandled into a chair.

"Not in this state you aren't," Cal responded with a derisive snort as he began to wipe off the blood while Pell went to get a wet washcloth. Silence fell over them as he worked and, after a bit, he looked up in confusion. He blinked as he saw Caeru watching him while tears rolled down the alcohol flushed cheeks. "Caeru? What's wrong? What happened?" he inquired gently as he placed his hands on Caeru's shaking hands in the Tigrina's lap. Pell returned to the room and stood just behind Cal with the washcloth, silently watching them in concern.

"That's not true, Rue. We take aruna with you, don't we? You're worth it. And Abrimel is still out there. Maybe he can come back someday," Cal said quietly as he rubbed Caeru's thighs soothingly before taking the washcloth from the somber Pell. He began cleaning the bleeding wounds and picking out the blood and bourbon stained glass shards as he continued. "Now come on...calm down. Where's this coming from?"

"Fuck off, Cal! Li'e 'ou ‘are! Y'go' wha' y'wante'! Wha' more d'you nee' t'ta'e fr’m me?!" Caeru snarled thickly as he slapped away Cal's hand followed by a shove at the other blond to push him away. He made an effort to stand, but wobbled and sat back down almost immediately. "Fuck it...c'n' wal’...c'n' do n'thin'..." he mumbled tearfully as he curled up in the chair and cried into his knees.

Growling, Cal shifted back onto his knees and brought the Tigrina's face up, glaring at him. "That's bull shit and you know it! Now let us take care of your wounds!" he growled out as he pushed Caeru's knees down and took up the washcloth again.

Pell came over silently and knelt down, placing his hands on the somber weepy blond's arm as he searched the sallow complexion. He brought a hand up and brushed it through Caeru's hair, urging the blond to look at him with his swimming eyes. "Why did you get drunk, Caeru? You were fine earlier," he asked softly.

"Wha' d'y'know? 'm'ust th' stepp'n' stone t'you, Pell. 'ou ain't ev'r care' abou' me, s'why star' now?" Caeru responded tiredly before he looked away. "I g've ev'rythin' t'you, Pell. An' 'ou 'ust...stompe' on it li'e it w's n'thin'. An' I c'n n'ver ev'n try t'ma'e it u' t'you," he added in a hoarse whisper as his clean hand came to rest on his scarred belly. "'ust l've me al'ne..." he murmured as several more tears leaked out of his closing eyes before he passed out.

Staring at Caeru, Pell opened his mouth once, but then closed it as he struggled to understand what had just been said. He looked down as Cal touched his hand and they both focused on the jagged red scar on the pale skin of their consort. “I thought you had healed this...” Cal whispered softly as he touched the irritated flesh with a soft finger.

“I...guess I failed in that too...” Pell murmured quietly as he stared at the wound’s remains before looking away. “Let’s get him to bed.”

Grunting in agreement, Cal stood and helped Pell drag Caeru up and over to the bed. They tucked the unconscious har into the soft sheets, then crawled in as well simultaneously, wordless in their agreement as they curled around Caeru. Leaning up, Cal brushed a hand through the tangled hair and frowned at the sorrow that was still evident around the tear encrusted eyes. “I never knew he envied us so much,” he muttered as he twined a lock of the pale blond hair around his finger. He looked up a bit at Pell and watched the regret and guilt that flashed over his chesnari’s face.

But Pell remained silent as he stared at Caeru’s face before he snuggled close and held Caeru to his chest. He didn’t know what he could do to make things better for their consort, but he would at least prove the Tigrina’s words wrong. He wouldn’t leave Caeru alone that night.

Fin.

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