"I improved him," Kastiel corrected, his tone smug.
Nicholas let out a laugh before shaking his head. The sound was warm, genuine, a stark contrast to the tension in the room.
"I'll admit..." He looked Peter up and down. "It's impressive. Very thorough work. You've clearly put a lot of effort into this."
Peter sighed.
Ezekiel pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the beginning of a headache forming behind his eyes. The pressure was building, a dull throb that promised to worsen. He could already feel the tension settling into his shoulders.
Sometimes he understood why Kastiel and Nicholas got along so well. They were both impossible, both stubborn, both absolutely insufferable in their own ways. They fed off each other's energy, encouraged each other's worst impulses.
Nicholas was simply the more responsible version. He had boundaries, limits, a sense of when to stop pushing. Kastiel had none of those things.
