Gabriel watched the tomcat that was slowly prowling his way though his territory. His territory being a strong word for that, considering he rarely ever stayed in the same place for too long. For all he knew, this area actually belonged to this cat and he just hadn't noticed. But...Something was weird, he had a feeling, and he never had feelings about anything. So a cat that stirred him, made the hair stand on the back of his neck, that was something to pay attention to.
Suddenly, the tom paused, his head tilting slightly to one side. A breeze ruffled Gabriel's hair and he realized with a start that he had somehow allowed the other cat to lead him down-wind.
"Hello Gabriel." Gabe's ears flicked back and his eyes grew a fraction when the other cat said his name, his true name, the one those humans had given him. The tom turned and he stared into a face he didn't recognize, one that was scarred along the sides of his face, down from his temples. He frowned as he recognized eyes vaguely, but nothing more. The stranger tilted his head again and rose one eyebrow.
"Don't recognize me, little brother?" The words made him take a step back. This was one of his brothers? He couldn't remember, most of his life with them had been lost in his memory. Those eyes, though... He remembered a happy feeling. And the scent, it was similar to his now that he knew what he was looking for.
Lucifer watched Gabriel's face shift from one emotion to another. He caught confusion, surprise, hesitancy. It was subtle, though, apparently his little brother had done well for himself, learned how to school himself against prying strangers. He was glad to see it.
"You know my name..." Lucifer leaned back until his shoulders hit the wall of a building and crossed his arms over his chest.
"We were in a show together," he replied and noted how his baby brother tensed. Something had been wrong at the show, after all. He wondered what it was. "You can call me Lucifer."
His brother snorted. "Tell me you didn't pick that yourself."
"I thought it was appropriate after hearing yours. I didn't want to be what the humans called me anymore." And if he was being honest, he really had wanted that connection to his brother. The others were gone, sent out to other families that Lucifer hadn't been able to keep track of or find. He hadn't even been able to find Gabriel, this was just happenstance. And a happenstance that he was thrilled by.
And yet it was so difficult to let it show.
Still, he managed to find a small smile.
Gabriel slowly sized up his brother as they talked. Honestly? If it wasn't for the scent, he would have laughed off the claim as a lie. But then, he'd never looked like any of his siblings, so there was that. Lucifer was taller than him, and a perfect red Abyssinian to boot. Blue eyes where Gabriel's were gold.
But the scars on Lucifer's face were new. They looked like gouges more than claw-marks and he wondered where they had come from. Perhaps he'd have to pry sometime.
He watched Lucifer take a lighter from his pocket and fiddle with it idly. The gesture drew attention to a ring on one finger. It was a human tradition.
"Wedding ring?" Lucifer looked down when he spoke, flicking the lighter closed and examining the simple band.
"A reminder," he replied, his voice flatter than it had been a few moments before. Gabriel's ear twitched a little, his curiosity piqued even more. Gabriel's eyebrows shot up when his brother seemed to read his mind. Lucifer glanced back up to meet his gaze and the blue eyes narrowed slightly, the taller cat tilting his head just so in a small negative shake.
Gabriel could see how the ring held a hard story and Lucifer could feel the curiosity without even watching his brother's face. How strange that they didn't know one another and yet it seemed like they could read each other like old friends. Like brothers.
Still, it was awkward.
"Where does this leave us?" Lucifer crossed his arms again and looked off. He wasn't certain, really. He wanted to be close to his brother again, but he wasn't the sociable type. It honestly didn't feel like either of them were. But the least he could do was offer something of an olive branch.He gestured to the area they were in with a nod of his head. "This is my area, for the time being. If you ever need anything, just come by."
Even just suggesting it felt a little out of character for him. True, he'd helped other cats in the past, but this was different. The times he had, it'd been a one-time thing. No words were exchanged, no lasting impressions left. They were faceless shadows in the past.
But this, this would be his brother. Someone he might see again, actually speak to. It had been a very long time that he'd spent time with another cat. His thumb rubbed across the ring on his left hand. A very long time.
But this was his brother. He could pull it off.
"I don't think it's going to happen," Gabriel replied and Lucifer couldn't help smirking at the echo of his own thoughts.
"But the offer still stands." And it would. Long ago he'd been too young to help his little brother with whatever had happened to Gabriel had disappeared. And then he'd been too focused on his own ambitions to help him the second time. He wasn't going to fail a third time. "You know where to find me."
Lucifer watched Gabriel nod, stuff his hands in his pockets, and start walking away. It made his smirk broaden slightly. For all the differences that humans put so much emphasis on, there seemed to have a lot more in common than they might have admitted on.
(WC: Gabriel 501, Lucifer 510)
