It’s Personal

Elliot was lying on the sofa, his thoughts continuously on Phoenix and the man she was with. He held a bottle in hand, trying to stop thinking and worrying, but she was unconscious when he'd last seen her. There was blood on her mouth and something about her wrist was wrong. When the man said he was going to get her healed, Elliot decided to put a leap of faith in him, considering he was already in a hurry—though if Elliot was being honest, he was afraid the man would kill him if he had continued to question him.

This was his third bottle, and nothing could stop his racing thoughts. He hated it. He hated waiting for her to come home, usually because she was stubborn and was always on a revenge spree, but this time because she was hurt. He had never seen her so…vulnerable. That's how he saw her. Vulnerable. Never had he seen her so, never had he seen her unconscious before. But then, she never showed her weaknesses. And no one has ever attacked her here from what he knows of, but then again, he really hasn't been her friend long. He finished the bottle just as the back door slammed shut.

Jumping up, Elliot went to go see who it was when he was toppled backwards by a body and arms wrapped around him. The air whooshed out of his lungs as he landed on the ground with the body on top of him. He got hair in his mouth and blinked to see red…red…red. "Shit! I think you broke a rib or maybe my back!" he grunted and heard a chuckle.

Phoenix pulled off him and helped him up, looking into his eyes with gratification. She had never been so happy to see Elliot before. She doesn't always show how much she cares for him, but she does, more than she cares for her own life sometimes. "Elliot, are you okay? Did he hurt you too?"

"Who?" he asked, rubbing his back. "You hurt me just now, but other than that, I am just fine." Behind Phoenix, the door opened and Onyx came in looking irritated as usual. Elliot tensed, but looked to see no trace of harm on Phoenix before looking at the broad man again. "Thank you."

Onyx grunted and crossed his arms. Phoenix cleared her throat and hugged Elliot again. "I was worried about you. Onyx said he saw you, but I didn't know if the man came back to find me and possibly hurt you."

"I'm fine. Maybe a little drunk, but fine."

She stepped back and took another once over of his body, his well-being before turning to Onyx again. "Let's go upstairs. We can talk in the office."

"What are you talking about?" Elliot asked, confusion and hurt crossing his face.

"It's personal," Onyx said with venom, and started after Phoenix with a smirk. He wasn't sure if Phoenix was aware of Elliot's affections for her, but he certainly did. In part, he felt bad for the boy who wasn't receiving the same emotions from Phoenix, but then Onyx felt amused that Phoenix was so blind to it all. Though, it would be easier for him to get close he supposed.

Phoenix paused at the door of the office and closed her eyes, memories washing over her in waves. She hasn't been in here for a while, and every time was like a knife cutting into her heart. Feeling Onyx's presence behind her, she quickly recovered and went forward.

In front of her was the mahogany desk made of maple wood and built beautifully with carvings down the circular legs. Behind it was the large, comfortable, leather chair which she loved to sit in no matter her age. To the right were bookshelves full of important ledgers and history. On the bottom shelf though were all her favorite books when she was a little girl. To the left were filing cabinets, a couch, and a coffee table stacked neatly with mail that was addressed not to her. The table was also mahogany with a glass top. The couch was plush with two black pillows situated on each side.

Taking a deep breath, Phoenix dazedly walked further into the room, smelling the relaxing scent of ink and paper. Gesturing to the couch, she offered Onyx to take a seat while she went behind the desk and unlocked a drawer revealing a secret stash of wine and glasses. Grabbing two glasses and a very expensive wine, she brought them over to the table after locking the drawer again. If Elliot knew she had this—much less had access—he'd go crazy.

Onyx situated himself stiffly on the couch, watching her body move from the desk over to him. Her eyes were distant again, as if remembering something from long ago. Though her body was loose and graceful as she filled the glasses with a wine he has never heard of, he could see the hesitation in her movements. Something about this place is haunting to her, he thought. The silence continued as she handed him the wine and sat down on the couch beside him, far away. He tasted the wine and silently moaned to himself, the fruity liquid running over his tongue and down his throat in a delicious sensation.

"Do you like it?" Phoenix asked, feeling awkward as she watched him carefully. His face revealed no expression of delight or disgust.

"Where did you get it?" he asked softly.

"I don't know. It's not originally mine."

Onyx glanced at her and found sadness in her slumped body language. "Is this your father's office?" She nodded and took a sip of her drink. He decided not to pry and got straight to the point. "I was gone for three days because Tariel had managed to hide himself. One of my brothers found him in an underground tunnel with the only way out being the house. In the process, we found other passages in his house leading to nowhere in particular. I was not trying to avoid confronting you at all. I was very busy indeed."

"Brothers?" she asked with immense curiosity. None of them looked related…

Onyx shook his head. "Not brothers as in blood. Brothers as in we're in a gang together and we look after each other."

"But they don't always."

"No, they don't."

"Then why call them brothers?"

"Because that is what we call each other. It's like calling the person you work with your co-worker." Phoenix scrunched her nose in distaste and Onyx smirked. "Just go along with it."

She nodded and set her glass down on the table in front of them. "Was it that one who is always quiet?"

"No, it wasn't Ecthrois. You haven't met this person." He watched her expression go into understanding and…maybe relief? He said, "Ecthrois is sort of my general. He is the one who asks all the right questions to get the facts straight. He does the traps usually, delivers messages back and forth to the Ironshades, and helps me understand certain details."

"What about the other boy?" she asked with anticipation. "The small one."

"Devdan is my rat." Her eyes widen in surprise and Onyx chuckled. "Meaning he's the one I use for spying and small spaces. He also keeps watch whenever needed which is why you met him first."

"And Advandth?"

Onyx hesitated, sensing her change in tone but ignored it. "My actress and partner when in need of a partner." Phoenix looked away, nodding. Anger boiled up in Onyx. "She is not my girlfriend! She knows that and I know it. We play our victims with a show of affection, but that is all. I have told her my feelings towards her are strictly work based. I don't do romance."

Changing the subject, Phoenix said, "So, did you bring Tariel out of his hiding place?"

"No," Onyx said with a sigh, feeling the anger disappear with relief. "We kept him there for two reasons. Rokr got injured and he is able to live down there for a few weeks while I go on other assignments, keeping Dev and Ecthrois on rounds of watching the house. Rokr is healing while also exploring the other passages in the house."

"Why does your boss want him?"

"That is something I am not allowed to share."

"Why?"

"Because it is one of his rules," Onyx said and saw her furrow her brows and narrow her eyes. "I do not lie, Phoenix."

She shrugs nonchalantly, but her body tells a different story. "I never know. I don't trust a lot of people."

"As you have said before," Onyx replies tightly.

Phoenix looks up at him and sees his intense dark eyes. Feeling intimidated more than she should, she shifts uncomfortably and looks down at the table where her glass sits. "I know friends are supposed to trust, but I have come accustomed to trusting no one and nothing except my own instincts."

"Aren't you forgetting Elliot?"

"I don't trust him completely. He knows it. I don't tell him everything. The most he knows about me is what he's seen. He knows nothing about my past or what makes me…hesitate sometimes. He doesn't know why I steal from people, or why I want Tariel Ingerina dead. He's only here because I need help and because I couldn't leave him in pain."

"In short, he knows as much as I do?" Onyx says with amusement. Maybe he had been wrong about how trusting she was.

"Basically." She whispers. "I guess I can't call him a friend, can I?"

Onyx shrugs. "Well, I am not an expert in friendship, but I can guess not. It's very hard to keep a person around when you don't share some important details about yourself."

Phoenix nods, understanding. "Like family."

Now Onyx is the one to hesitate. Softly, carefully, he says, "Yes, like a family." After a moment of silence, he asked casually, "Does Elliot eavesdrop?"

Phoenix's head snapped up with attention, listening carefully for any signs that the boy might be. "He knows not to. He knows I'll kick him out if he does."

Onyx nods and places an arm on the back of the couch, his hand brushing her hair. His glass in his other hand, he swirls the remaining liquid inside and glances at the woman who relaxes back, only to find his outstretched hand. She jumps up and turns to look at it. He smirks. "Something wrong?"

"Put your arm down," she orders under her breath.

Onyx rolls his eyes in sarcasm. "Relax, Firebird. I've touched you already. Friends sit like this when they talk. And my arm needs a stretch."

Her blue eyes storm with something unreadable as she has an internal debate about his words and her possible actions. Rubbing her neck to rid the feeling of his touch there, she slowly sat down, this time, sitting sideways so she was facing him with her legs against her chest. Onyx found the position guarded and closed off and decided to put his arm down. It was only an experiment after all. Phoenix watched his arm go back to resting on his lap and then looked up at his face, finding it in deep thought. "When were you taken in by the Ironshades?"

"When I was ten."

"So young?"

He looked at her with contemplation. "When did you become so alone?"

"When I came of age," she lied.

Onyx rose a brow and drank the last of his wine, placing his glass on the table. "Let me rephrase the question. When did you stop trusting people and become so closed off?"

"I'm not closed off!" She defended weakly.

He smirked. "You're not?" Phoenix shook her head. Onyx repositioned himself so he was sitting the exact same way Phoenix was, facing her. "Do you want to know how I know you're lying to me?"

"I'm not closed off!"

"Then why are you avoiding my question? Why aren't you telling the one person you live with more about you? Why wont you let me in? Why—"

"I won't let you in because we hardly know each other!"

"Fine, then why are you closed off with Elliot?"

Phoenix was about to retort something childish when she realized there was no point with Onyx. He'd just keep going until she admitted it, even if was all night. "To answer your first question, when I was five. And I'm closed off with Elliot because it's something I don't like to talk about. It's personal and I try to forget about it, only to see something and have memories."

Five years old…

Onyx couldn't believe it. Something told him she would take a lot of convincing to tell him, a lot of earned trust. It wouldn't happen now, and maybe not even before he takes her to the boss, but he'd try, if only to confirm his suspicions.

Phoenix stood up and walked to the bookshelf, staring at it without sight. Emotions swam in her eyes that she didn't want Onyx to see. He didn't need to see her like this, didn't need anything from her. And she didn't need his pity or harsh words—whatever they might be. "I think you need to leave."

To her surprise, he complied. "Then will you meet me at the shop tomorrow afternoon?"

Unable to speak, she nodded, never turning to him. Footsteps made their way to the door, before she heard it open with a slight creak.

"I won't ditch you this time, Phoenix," he stated. "And we are going to do something other than talk serious. You better be ready to putting up with my other side." She turned around to find him already gone, the door barely open.

Other side…?

Something other than talk serious…?

Gulping, she wondered what that could mean.