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“Sunshine should be home by now”, Apollo commented absently as he and his husband sat, bound, in the summoning circle. Inhibitor collars making sure they stayed put.
“Think he’ll remember to eat something?” Midnighter's response was pretty valid, since without them there to remind him, John Constantine had a tendency to forget the little things, like eating.
They’d been taken on their way home from a grocery run.
Their partner had been gone for a couple weeks, trying to prevent a resurgence of the Cult of the Cold Flame. It had simply been a rumor, but John hadn’t wanted to take any chances this time. They were still small, but apparently very good at hiding, so John had been away for a bit to go hunt them down. A call earlier that day had said he’d found them and should be done that night, and that he’d be home soon.
Apollo had been so relieved. He always worried when their Sunshine was away. He knows the name “John Constantine “ is a name to be feared in many circles, and rightly so, but all he saw was their shy, sweet, adorable boyfriend. All he saw was a man who loved to cuddle and clung to them when he had a nightmare, who bakes cookies when they had a hard day, who looked so small and fragile when he fell asleep between them. Someone he wanted, needed, to keep safe and protected.
When he said he’d be home soon, Apollo decided to surprise him with his favorite food for dinner. While their Sunshine loves Midnighter’s soup, he absolutely adores Apollo’s red Thai curry, and Apollo wanted to spoil him just a bit. Though they were out of a couple ingredients, so a trip to the store was in order, and thus, their current predicament.
Currently, they were sitting in a summoning circle waiting to be sacrificed to some deity in exchange for “unconditional power,” or something. Honestly, he’d stopped paying attention after a while. Whatever it was, it was pretty cliché.
What he could feel, though, was a continuous drain of his energy. Enough to keep them both sluggish and tired, but not enough to outright kill them…yet.
They tried to fight back in the beginning, but all it did was tire them out faster. They could barely even stay sitting up at this point.
“Wonder if Slade will take his chance with him when we’re gone? He’s been getting more curious, and I don’t think Dick would be against the idea.” M's scowl gave away how much he disliked the very idea.
Honestly, the idea of Slade taking over the care of their Sunshine made his blood boil too.
“Slade makes Sunshine too nervous, he’d never agree to it.” Apollo was positive in that regard, but Dick would at least want to make sure John was taken care of, he’s sure.
“Don’t you worry about this “Sunshine”. I’ve got my people waiting for him. They’ll be back soon and all of you will get the honor of being sacrificed so I may become the God of this world!” John’s right, none of these people were very original.
“You won’t find him. I was supposed to go get him, and he’s too far away to get back anytime soon on his own.” Which was only partially true. John was supposed to call M for a Door since his last check in had him all the way in Morocco. However, he could just portal home if he needed to, but they don’t need to mention that part.
No need to put their Sunshine in danger.
“No matter. Your “Sunshine” will return at some point. Aren’t I a benevolent God? To reunite you before your death?” This wannabe cultist gave a sweet smile, as though he truly believed he was granting them some “great honor”. Apollo’s stomach rolled at the thought of John being here too. Their Sunshine has been through enough! He couldn’t let them hurt him!
“You’re not gonna touch him!” Midnighter’s struggles jostled Apollo as he tried to stand, but any energy either superhuman had was quickly drained. He collapsed back to the ground, panting and sweaty.
“Struggling is futile. You won’t be able to escape. Don’t worry. We’ll find your partner soon.” That sickeningly sweet smile never leaving his face.
“Don’t gotta look far, mate.”
The cultist stiffened and whirled around at the new voice.
That voice. That beautiful, British accented voice. Why was it here? He’s not supposed to be here! He’ll get hurt!
Apollo looked up, ready to tell John to run, but the sight that greeted him left him speechless.
John Constantine was a sight to behold.
Eyes the color of molten gold, glowing brighter than a supernova. He stalked deeper into the cavern, his steps sure and steady. His posture was strong. Shoulders back, head held high and a firm set to his jaw. The faint smell of ozone and burning meat filled the air. In one hand, he was dragging the body of a twitching cultist.
In front of them, the lead cultist started to shake.
This was a god. An angry God.
“I hadn’t realized you’d be gracing us with your presence Constantine. To what do we owe the honor?” He tried to sound confident, but if he listened close, he could hear the faint trembling in the cultist’s voice.
“Hadn’t planned on being here, mate. Had planned on going home to my loving boyfriends and having a nap. Still a bit knackered from my last case, you see.” John’s voice was steady and casual. “Now, imagine my disappointment, when I get home and I don’t see either one of them. Instead I get ambushed by this, ”he lifted up the body,” pathetic excuse for a warlock. Care to explain why that was?”
John stops about 10 ft. away, eyebrow raised.
The leader swallowed before speaking, “My apologies, Hellblazer, I was unaware they belonged to you. I meant no offense.”
“Don’t rightly care if it was meant or not, I’m bloody offended. You can fucking tell the two of them are claimed. What made you think you weren’t gonna get on someone’s shit list? Didn’t have to be mine.“
The leader was starting to sweat.
“Oh? Did you go for them because they're claimed? Wanted whoever laid claim to come look for them? Wanted to drain a magic user to add their reserves to your own? Not the first time you’ve done this, right?”
All the blood drained from the lead cultist’s face the more John kept talking (and they were going to have a talk about this “claimed” business), and slowly his face shifted to betrayal as he turned to the cultist still clutched in John’s hand.
“Oh don’t worry ‘bout your friend here. He didn’t have a choice but to tell me everything.”
“What did you do?” The cultist looked down right terrified at this point.
“A little trip down memory lane, is all.” John lifted the man higher in the air. “Though I wasn’t exactly careful while I was in there.”
A drooling, dead-eyed mess stared back at them.
“Jesus fuck,” Midnighter’s quiet exclamation said it all. Apollo could only stare. In his head, he knew that “John Constantine “ was known to be a cruel bastard, known to do whatever it took to get the job done. But all he’d ever been exposed to was his sweet Sunshine. The one who tried so hard to be good for them. His world view tilted.
Or maybe he was just lightheaded from being siphoned.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, the man in Constantine’s hand burst into a dark, crimson flame.
Even compared to the other times Apollo had seen John use his fire magic, this time it seemed…different.
Harsher.
More violent.
Evil.
The man in front of them was shaking so hard he looked like he would fall over at any moment.
“Hellfire,” the fearful whisper echoed all around them.
Oh
John had told him about that once, when he’d asked him. Zatanna had told Dick that their last case together would’ve been a lot easier with Constantine’s Hellfire.
“Just what it says, luv. Its fire pulled from the Pits of Hell. Can burn through anything, concrete, steel, water, even magic, you name it and it can burn it. Only thing it cant burn is anything already from Hell. Pretty powerful spell.” His Sunshine wouldn’t look at him during the explanation.
“If it’s so powerful, why don’t casters use it more? This is the first I’m hearing about it, and I’ve seen plenty of fire spells before.” Something didn’t sit right. Dick said Zatanna had mention Constantine’s Hellfire. Which means John was already known for it, but he’d never seen him use it.
“ ‘s like I said, luv. Burn through anything. Including the user.”
“Then why did Zatanna say your Hellfire? Do you use it often?”
John wouldn’t look at him. He just continued to look down at the table, his cigarette seemingly forgotten. Until he took one last drag.
“Not too often, luv. Comes at a price I’d rather not pay.”
Apollo didn’t want to pry anymore. He was a little afraid what answers he might get.
With a flick of his wrist, Constantine tossed the burning corpse onto the edge of the summoning circle. Apollo startled at the cracking sound the circle made when the fire touched it, and just like that, he no longer felt the drain on his energy. He was still too tired to stand but at least he wouldn’t get any worse. The relief on his face was reflected on Midnighter's.
A skittering sound had him looking back up. The cultist had fallen on his ass and was trying to crawl away, a look of abject horror on his face.
“It’s true.” The man’s voice cracked in fear as he stared up at their partner, as Constantine made his way over to the two of them.
John knelt down until he was eye level with them. As he looked them over, his eyes faded back to their normal shade of blue. Nothing but concern in those familiar sapphire eyes.
“You both alright?” his voice was soft as he checked them over for injuries. With a finger glowing that same hellish crimson, he caressed the ropes and collar, disintegrating them without any heat touching either of them.
‘He’s had some practice with those’, Apollo noted silently.
“Just tired, Sunshine. Give me a few and I can get a Door for us.” Apollo could hear the exhaustion in Midnighter’s voice.
“Nah, luv. Don’t worry ‘bout it. I’ll take care of that as soon as I finish here. You two just take a breather, and I’ll be back in a jiff.” John left them with a sweet, gentle smile before he turned around and the Vengeful God returned.
Apollo and his husband watched as their partner stalked towards the cowering man, who’d been attempting to call for backup. From the smell of burning meat and hair, he doesn’t think there’s anyone left to help the man.
He’d never seen this side of their Sunshine before.
Powerful.
Dangerous.
The image he struck with his glowing eyes as he stalked his prey, who trembled with fear, was utterly and breathtakingly…
“Beautiful, “ the whisper left Apollo’s lips on a prayer. Midnighter’s agreeing nod right beside him.
“Hot as Hell too,” Midnighter chuckled at his own little joke, but Apollo could only groan at his husband.
They both sat back, leaning into each other, as their Sunshine approached the now begging man. He reached one hand, wreathed in Hellfire, out. As it got closer, the man’s begging got louder, until he was screaming and begging them for help. They sat there and watched as Sunshine’s hand laid on top of his head. Agonizing screams filled the cavern now, as the man continued to burn. Much slower than his subordinate, who had since turned to nothing but a smudge of soot on the ground.
“You know, I sometimes forget that Sunshine’s a badass,” Apollo had to agree, “ it’s pretty hot.”
Again, Apollo had to agree.
Soon, the screaming petered off and John made his way back over to them.
“You two ready to head home?” With a wave of his hand, a golden portal opened in front of them.
It took some maneuvering, but soon Apollo and Midnighter were being supported by their Sunshine as they stepped through and out in front of their front door. Apollo reached into John’s pocket to pull out his key. 3 pockets and many questionable items later, he finally got the door open.
John had both husbands situated on the bed, wandering off to grab them some water. Apollo took the time to just recenter himself and bask in the knowledge that both his husband and Sunshine were safe. He had honestly believed he and M were about to die.
By the time John had returned, the adrenaline had washed away, leaving exhaustion in its wake. Apollo was ready to just curl up with his partners and sleep. He pulled their Sunshine down until he had him settled between them.
“How you both doin’? Any discomfort or pains I need to know about? Either of you hurt?” John’s fussing was adorable.
“We’re fine Sunshine, promise. Just tired. Though I wouldn’t mind some answers,” Apollo’s response made John’s shoulders hunch in. He couldn’t have that. A slight tug on his shoulders had their Sunshine leaning against himself.
“I’m sorry. I have this place warded six ways to Sunday with some of the strongest wards to exist. None of them were broken, none were tripped. I just don’t know how they got in, you were supposed to be safe. I’m sorry.” At John’s muffled apologies, Apollo and Midnighter were a little shocked. A quick look around showed faint lines (runes) near any entry point. How had they not noticed that?
“There’s nothing to apologize about. We weren’t home when it happened,” John looked up at Apollo with confusion,” we were at the store. That’s not what I wanted an explanation for.” John’s trepidation was clear to see, and Midnighter blurted the biggest question on their minds.
“What’s a claim?”
John’s face cleared and he just started to chuckle. Which turned into a belly rolling laugh.
“Everything that just happened, and the first thing you ask about is a claim?” John just continued to snicker and it was music to his ears. He didn’t like seeing him so tense.
“Hey! It’s a valid question!” The smile on Midnighter’s face cut down on the indignation he was trying to portray. “So, what is it?”
“Magic hickey. Just a trace of my magic that basically says you two are mine.”
And everything came to a halt at that one phrase. That one phrase that made Apollo warm and fuzzy inside.
His.
They were his.
They’d claimed he was theirs so often that he forgot the reverse was true too. That they were His.
“Yours?” Midnighter’s voice was soft and full of wonder.
“Yeah, luv. You’re mine. Both of you are. Don’t say it near enough if you ever doubted that. I’m sorry if you did. But. You. Are. MINE!”
At that, everything else could wait. The Hellfire, how he found them, whatever happened in that cave, could all wait. Because Apollo needed them. Needed to show them both how much he loves them, needed to worship the two men beside him.
After, when they’re cuddling, with Apollo and Midnighter’s heads resting on their Sunshine’s chest, his fingers running through their hair, Apollo will think that everything is as it should be. Safe at home, under the protective wards of one of the strongest magic users to ever exist, Apollo and Midnighter at his side to keep him safe when out in the world. What else could he wish for? Nothing would ever compare.
After all, they were right where they belong.