Son of Angels

it really does seem like complacency is the only option in this place. for somebody who's spent so much time struggling to change things, it's a strange concept to wrap his mind around.

"I do," he says, his tone brightening a little. "You should consider," And he's pulling out a card for Iloren.

"Oh, I don't have hobbies." Andrale willingly admits. "I simply do not, or did not, have the time for them."

Besides, her people rarely had celebrations this large.

Now it was Klaus' turn to return the favor for someone else.

"We'll be back before you know it."

It pains him to leave Sephiroth behind, even if he's sure it'll be a short time, but it doesn't make it any less painful.

For a mercy, the pain passes. Aurelius lays still on the ground, eyes level with the grass and fresh flowers that had survived his insane horticulture efforts during the chaotic past week. He can clearly sense Klaus's uneasy presence through their bond, but he needs a little more time to think.

Last week...

He remembers it all in perfect clarity—even down to his thoughts, and how normal it'd all seemed. There were no distractions, no outside world, just them in a world for two. In some ways, that was still his ideal ending. But not like this, and certainly not decided on by the whims of a disgusting demon. How had Sebastian gotten the best of him again?

Was God truly so frail on this island, or was it himself who was flawe—

"Hahahahahah!"

Aurelius lies laughing at the flowers, helpless rage coursing through his veins. Everything that has happened is so incredible, so stupid, so cruel. A demon lays a trap, and an angel walks into his snare. And Klaus, his dear beloved Klaus, did everything he could to protect their son while waiting for Aurelius to wake until he realized it wasn't happening. Klaus who loved him so, who had to destroy the person he loved, all so Aurelius could recover his senses again.

There’s a hand hovering above him. Aurelius grabs it by the wrist and pulls it close, dragging Klaus down even as he crawls to his knees. Aurelius can hear the blood pounding through his head as his throat spits out the guttural words: “He did this. You know who it is.”

“..ill him."

"Kill him, Klaus. I don't want him touching either of us ever again."

Klaus hasn't seen Aurelius like this. Not since...

He bites down on his lips, hands having not ceased their trembling, and then Aurelius' hand wraps around his wrist, if only to pull him closer.

You know who it is.

Klaus looks Aurelius in the eyes.

Kill him, Klaus. I don't want him touching either of us ever again.

Klaus had already imagined that he would find Sebastian. He didn't have to look far either, but it was on his mind. However, Aurelius's words only strengthened that resolve.

"I will make sure he doesn't touch us ever again," he whispers. He keeps his own emotions in check.

"He won't hurt us ever again..." He whispers again. He shifts to where he embraces Aurelius.

It is a necessary, albeit unwanted, baptism that greets him next. Aurelius reaches for Klaus's neck even as the other grabs his shoulder, fingers clenching around the soft throat in a final effort to choke him.

"Be quiet—ngh!"

But then the final surge of light hits and his fingers go slack, dragging down the seraph's chest as he's drowned in holy light.

The matter of a demon's possession had always been down to desire. What Sebastian had done was simply poke at an obsession that had always existed to magnify it above all else. Aurelius wouldn't have been so susceptible if he didn't love Klaus from the start.

It was a wonderful thing. But also a terrible trap.

The traces of the demonic suggestions are finally forcibly burned away, restoring clarity to the other's eyes. Aurelius blinks, disoriented in the aftermath.

"What...?"

"What am I...doing, right now...ugh!"

Then a sharp pain pierces through his skull, the result of a week's worth of contamination being cleared out in an instant. The hand on his shoulder feels too hot and Aurelius shoves it aside before doubling up on the ground to clutch his head.

"Augh…ah, hah…!"

The blinding light clears in the proximity, only then revealing the two on freshly bloomed flowers. It is a wonderful scene to paint, if it weren't for the fact that the two looked absolutely like hell. Klaus is about to wrap his arms around Aurelius in a way that could only be described as protective, shielding him from the world in case they pointed their fingers.

This wasn't his fault. It was never his fault.

....

But Aurelius acts first. His hand shoves the seraph's own away. He doesn't fault Aurelius. It must hurt.

His heart still pumps quickly and uncomfortably. His throat feels tight. He isn't sure if it's from when Aurelius tried to choke him or if it's from something else. A promise broken. He'd betray Aurelius again, even if it was something that had to be done.

"Aurelius--," He approaches, carefully at least. A hand reaches to comfort Aurelius, but stops short.

He clung to Klaus's arm. He couldn't hide the fear that still lingered in his eyes. That's what they all promised. They'd stick around; they'd be back. A terrified whimper escaped his throat.

Klaus lowers himself to one knee. "Here," He lowers his head, both hands rising to unclasp a necklace (A dogtag). It has someone's name written on it: Angelus Solara.

It wouldn't have been awful. Well, Klaus would have preferred it if this hadn't happened. Still, he could have waited it out. Something was bound to revert Aurelius back. Part of him hoped that the angel would come back to his senses on his own. None of this was real. It all felt staged. Even after a couple of days had passed, this all felt like it was from a movie, and he was living in it.

Through the days, he'd hear them.

Sephiroth was concerned. No, that was such an understatement. He worried heavily for his two parents. He could hear him calling out. Sephiroth was so brave, and Klaus couldn't be any prouder. He had to do something.

Voices of people who had received the mass text that Aurelius had sent felt it was suspicious.

This isn't like Klaus,

they'd say.

...He had to do something about this.

Don't you see? He is happier than he has ever been. Is this not what you have always wanted, Anghelescu? I thought you would be happy, too.

....

Klaus had a feeling this was all Sebastian's doing. His scent lingered on Aurelius like the plague. To this day, even AFTER a week, it stuck to Aurelius. Still, to hear Sebastian goading and mocking...

.....

Klaus Avenue---No, Anghelescu HAD to do something.

"Aurelius..." His voice trembles. Not from fear of Aurelius, but of something else.

"I'm sorry," He begins. "I promised that I wouldn't----I'm sorry, but I miss you. We have to go back. You have to wake up. I'm sorry....I'm sorry that I'm doing this to you, again."

Klaus is better when he doesn't speak. Whenever he does, the words serve only to alarm and unsettle. Aurelius could almost fathom he hears discontent in Anghelescu's latest stammers, but he's quite sure he's done nothing wrong.

At most, he's cut out the extras in their pretend mortal life, keeping as much of the routines and customs as Klaus likes while they settled down to a peaceful life.

So it almost feels like betrayal (but how familiar) when the seraph abruptly blinds him with his radiance. Aurelius drops his fork and knife to cover his eyes, legs knocking into the table in the confusion. His plate on the table rattles before it crashes to the ground and smashes into pieces. Still the light persists, bright and merciless, and in the background he hears other things shatter: the cage for the bird, the glass in their windows, and the layers upon layers of light from his own carefully-woven barrier.

The lingering vestiges of Sebastian's suggestions dig their claws into his mind a final time, fueling a spike of rage before he lunges across the table with a snarl.

"Don't..."

"...ruin it...!"

He manages to grab Klaus, but it only lasts a second before the force of their opposing intentions clashing sends Aurelius crashing backwards into—and then through—the walls of the house. He lands and bounces almost comically towards the edge of the island, stopping just short of falling over into the skies below.

The angel climbs to his knees, struggling beneath the assault of light burning through his walls and defenses. Above and behind him, the remnants of his own barrier crack and crumble down like sheets of spun sugar from a candy-coated house.

"If you end this now, I won't—it won't be the same, Klaus."

Everything happens so quickly, but it isn't as if Klaus could just slow things down. He HAD to act quick and he had to act now. It was now, or it was never, and they'd continue to live in this false world.

The seraph, however, falters only a split second. Aurelius' question nearly stabs him where it hurts the most.

"You don't get it," He speaks through a hushed whisper. "You were never the same. This isn't you. The Aurelius Vane-Tempest I know wouldn't have done any of this. I want my Aurelius back...The one I fell in love with. The one I know is good."

And with that being said, Klaus places his hand on Aurelius' shoulder. "So please..." get out of my angel's body. And with another surge of light, he works to purify Aurelius once more.

He leans into the touch, content.

"That's better," Aurelius breathes. "I knew you'd understand."

"This is the way it's supposed to be."

Time passes slowly when your world is just two souls in one house, but Aurelius couldn't ask for anything better. He doesn't bother with the rest of the island, but settles into their shared eternity with all the ease of a key slotting into a lock.

For the first couple of days, Klaus cooks and Aurelius plays with the weather. They have snow in the morning and a thunderstorm that night. All kinds of plants and wildlife grow in its wake, only to burn away and die the day after when the divinus changes his mind.

He prefers watching Klaus as much as possible, and the plants block his view outside.

Sephiroth has left his guinea pigs behind, which Klaus gently convinces Aurelius to leave to his care. They're well-looked after, but feeding and cleaning their cages takes time. Since that's the case, Aurelius takes over the meals himself. His knowledge of recipes is limited, so he resorts to creating the kinds of food Klaus would eat from imagination. He isn't sure what goes with what—but it isn't as if either of they needed actual food to survive. Eating is a pastime, a social event. A premise to sit down at the same table is likely good enough.

On the third day, a stray bird wanders in through the divinus's wards and gets stuck inside the boundaries. Klaus looks at it for five seconds too long before Aurelius snaps his fingers and cages it too, presenting it to his partner as a gift.

"You can keep him for as long as you like," he says, graciously.

The cage has no door. It's small at first, but expands to fill half the living room once they set it down so the bird can almost fly. It doesn't make a noise until Klaus charms it enough to sing. Then it grew fond of greeting the sun in the mornings, chittering next to the window with the best view. In bed, Aurelius would hear Klaus stir and turn his body towards the sound, a small smile on his face.

Next day, the sun never rises.

Or rather it does, but somewhere outside the shimmering walls that encages their own floating island. The bird is finally silent, but Klaus wakes up out of habit anyways, looking confused at the darkened windows before turning to meet Aurelius's eyes. His partner is sitting up in bed, staring down at him thoughtfully. It doesn't look like he's slept a wink since last night.

"It's still early, Klaus."

"Go back to sleep."

The sixth day passes in total darkness.

Klaus does drift off eventually, but Aurelius never leaves his side while he's still conscious. By the time the seventh (or is it the eighth?) day arrives, the skies are overcast. The seraph finds Aurelius in the kitchen, carefully preparing a pot for the stove.

Somewhere in the living room, the caged bird rustles its wings as it shivers on its perch.

Klaus hurries away to check on the bird and guinea pigs. Fortunately, all of them have enough food and water, so he lets them be. By the time he's straightened out their enclosures and left fresh bedding for Sephiroth's pets, Aurelius is setting out plates on the table for breakfast.

"Here you go," the blond carefully sets down a plate in front of Klaus's seat.

Though this time the dish is completely bare.

So is every other plate and bowl Aurelius carries (by hand) to the table, arranging them carefully next to the red angel's trumpet plant he's placed at one end for decoration. He sits down at his own chair, picks up the fork and knife, and beams across the table at his partner.

It wouldn't have been awful. Well, Klaus would have preferred it if this hadn't happened. Still, he could have waited it out. Something was bound to revert Aurelius back. Part of him hoped that the angel would come back to his senses on his own. None of this was real. It all felt staged. Even after a couple of days had passed, this all felt like it was from a movie, and he was living in it.

Through the days, he'd hear them.

Sephiroth was concerned. No, that was such an understatement. He worried heavily for his two parents. He could hear him calling out. Sephiroth was so brave, and Klaus couldn't be any prouder. He had to do something.

Voices of people who had received the mass text that Aurelius had sent felt it was suspicious.

This isn't like Klaus,

they'd say.

...He had to do something about this.

Don't you see? He is happier than he has ever been. Is this not what you have always wanted, Anghelescu? I thought you would be happy, too.

....

Klaus had a feeling this was all Sebastian's doing. His scent lingered on Aurelius like the plague. To this day, even AFTER a week, it stuck to Aurelius. Still, to hear Sebastian goading and mocking...

.....

Klaus Avenue---No, Anghelescu HAD to do something.

"Aurelius..." His voice trembles. Not from fear of Aurelius, but of something else.

"I'm sorry," He begins. "I promised that I wouldn't----I'm sorry, but I miss you. We have to go back. You have to wake up. I'm sorry....I'm sorry that I'm doing this to you, again."

The hands that lose their grip rest on Klaus's shirt instead. They hold fast to the fabric now, twisting them in the fingers.

"I don't recall, and I frankly don't care."

"I suppose it was the same things we always disagreed on."

There were only so many topics an angel and demon could talk about before coming to blows, in Aurelius's opinion. He must have taken the graceful way out and left before things got violent.

"The world can spare you for a couple hundred years," Aurelius adds. "Humanity has survived for millenia without a seraph living among their midst. You overestimate your worth with them, Klaus."

He reaches towards his chest with one hand and gives a sharp tug. The next moment, a golden chain is birthed in mid-air, its other end disappearing into Aurelius's body and his beating heart. The other hand he summarily wraps around Klaus's wrist until the strange material begins to seep into the skin.

"You are the most important existence to me," the divinus insists stubbornly. "My strength might not be on par with yours, but my methods are more decisive. Take a single step out that door, and you'll rip my heart right out."

It wouldn't kill him, of course.

This reduces to one thing that Klaus is certain of. Sebastian must have done something. Of course. That had to be it and made the most sense. Why else would Aurelius act this way? So POSSESSIVELY obsessive?

Speaking of, Klaus knows these golden chains. Has seen them. He should've acted before things got to this point, but....

No. You can't. You don't want to hurt him.

Klaus breathes out, a pained look in his expression. "I wouldn't do that," he answers quietly. "I said I'd stay with you."

He places a hand on Aurelius' cheek.

Originally founded in the city-state of Mondstadt by the late Vennessa and the current archon, Barbatos, the Knights of Favonius are an order of knights dedicated to preventing aristocrats from ruling the land, instead ensuring that authority belongs to its people. Here, in the city of Spirale, Captains Eula Lawrence and Kaeya Alberich stand by that very same core reasoning, along with swearing oaths to protect the citizens of their new residency. In the absence of Grand masters Varka and Jean, they lead in accordance with their belief in the wish to protect the people and the city.

If you also hold a great love for this city and wish to protect its citizens by swearing that same oath, join today!

And, naturally, Lyney chats away for the entire walk until they finally arrive at the starting point, where they're handed a simple, hand-drawn map.

"I've never been very good with these. My sister, Lynette, has a much better sense of direction." He lets Klaus take a look at the map, where a riddle is scribbled beneath the rough sketch.

By day, I'm quiet, dressed in blue and gold. By night, I borrow stars that were never sold. Find the shore where the sea learns how to shine.

"I know where this is," he answers a little excited to do some treasure hunts. him and Miyena used to play treasure hunt all the time, albeit it was still for training. Morriss would hide something of theirs and they had to locate it.

Then it hits her which Aurelius (there's only one on this island) he could mean. Well... shit.

"Yeah, uh," Rennie says as she finds herself scratching at her cheek, "some cultures back home would call that a marriage. So..." she trails off.

"Congrats?"

"Hm.. Thank you," He whispers.

"He fed me a pity story about changing his ways, and then he started to cry." He scoffs, recalling the sight. "So I—"

"...."

It didn't sound at all like Sebastian.

It's very sentimental, but it's also very Klaus.

Aurelius is already pulling out a handkerchief to rest in Sephiroth's lap before combing his hands through his hair. His own head rests against Klaus's shoulder as the skies open up in a kaleidoscope of color and sound.

"If you like it, we'll do this more often," he suggests to Sephiroth.

"I find that experiences feel differently when you spend it with the people you cherish."

Inspired, he summons a dazzle of sparkling lights and have them float above Klaus and Sephiroth's heads like twinkling crowns.

"We are a family. And we are honored to call you our son."

He hoped that they could make many cherishable memories like this one. Together.