Welcome to the Bone Pile!

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He was doing it again.

It was odd to Ori, he had been so charitable and kind the first few weeks of their marriage.

The first time Kallamar had lashed out at him it had been sudden. Pillows were thrown but not at him, just around the room. The curses and accusations hit like daggers though, piercing his heart and creating a fresh wound. According to Astaroth later, he explained it away as just the bishop being anxious and paranoid, which wasn’t exactly untrue.

Every week or so, Kallamar had something to lash out about, and usually it only ever happened when the mortal husband was within his vicinity. Degrading insults, sharp glares and curled, scornful lips only seemed to dig a little further into him. No matter how much the other spouses desperately tried to wrench them out, they never truly stopped hurting. 

“What reason do I even have to trust you!?” Kallamar’s raging voice sounded through the chambers. Ori stood there, frozen as he tried to form words, “W-Well I am married to you, so I would hope-” “And?” The squid scoffed, “are you honestly that entitled or are you just that dense? Perhaps both since you are that much of a selfish fool to believe such a thing.” “...About being your husband-” “OF COURSE NOT ABOUT THAT YOU IDIOT!” The seal flinched as Kallamar’s enraged shout echoed. “Maybe you are that ignorant! Obviously it is about you thinking that because you are married to me, that you are entitled to have me be all “vulnerable” and “transparent” with you! Well, that is such a shame! Because there is no way in hell, a simple-minded mortal like you could ever handle godly affairs!”   His heart pounded, throat tight as he tried to stay composed, even if he felt like he just wanted to cry right then and there. Just be understanding, he told himself, just be kind and maybe this won’t hurt as bad. He fidgeted with his ring nervously, it felt ingenious with its statement on his finger.

“Don’t cry,” the words were more like an annoyed command rather than the comfort one would expect, “it makes you look pathetic.” That hurt Ori more than he thought, did he always look pathetic then? A silence fell over the room, as Ori gripped the ruffles of his shirt, trying to keep the tears brimming in his eyes from falling. Don’t look pathetic, you’ll just make it worse…

He couldn’t even hold his gaze, staring at the floor as he stood there in silence. He could hardly bring himself to speak either, what was there to even say? Or at least anything that wouldn’t send him into a furious fit of paranoia. Miserable creature, can’t even look your husband in the eye while he’s speaking to you. “What did I just say you godforsaken animal!?” Kallamar raised his voice again but Ori just shrunk back further into himself, “Disgusting, slim little wretch…why can’t you ever do anything useful?” The seal trembled in front of him, trying and failing to keep his composure. Kallamar rolled his dark eyes, “...get out of my sight.” He snarled, and Ori obeyed with haste.

He closed the chamber doors behind him as his body wracked with half-choked sobs. In his blurred vision he saw a flash of orange and blue figures walking across the hall. They turned and hurriedly made their way to him. “Oh darlin’, what’s the matter?” Baalzebub cooed gently, brushing his tears away with her thumb.  Haborym wrapped their arm around him, carefully resting on his back, “Did he say hurtful things to you again?” Ori only gave a slight nod, trying to take deep breaths. Stop looking pathetic, they shouldn’t have to deal with this. They shouldn’t have to deal with you.

The two exchanged worried glances at each other.  They knew that Kallamar had been rather uptight after the binding, but they had never seen him treat a spouse so badly before.  He more than certainly never acted like that with the four of them, he would never dare.  Which really distressed them when no one could figure out why he would treat Ori this way… What was even more confusing was how everything seemed to be going fine at first, what changed?

Baalzebub brought him closer, wrapping his arms around the seal while Haborym hugged him from behind, giving a small nuzzle to his neck. “...in full truth Ori, he’s not in his right mind.” The poet murmured, her words heavy like lead weights, “while that does mean he can act out like this, and say all of these outlandish, hurtful things, that also gives a chance that he don’t mean what he says.” “Gods I hope so…” Ori breathed before he could stop the words from tumbling out of his mouth. He just wanted the pain to stop, and the thought that he would never be loved by him frightened him.

He didn’t know why everything was his fault.

He didn’t know what about himself that set Kallamar off so much.

He didn’t know what he did wrong…

There was always something about him that was wrong.

But never anything specific, just something. 

Baalzebub gave a small sigh, before speaking up. “Well, how about this…” She began, “How about I make you somethin’ to warm ya up, and then we cuddle you for a bit, how does that sound?”  At that point, Ori felt too hurt to really protest. Besides, a nice meal and some cuddles did sound rather nice. He nodded slightly, “I’d like that…thank you.” 

Baalzebub pulled back to kiss his forehead, “Always for you, pumpkin.” He murmured, taking one of Ori’s hands and starting to lead him to the kitchens. Haborym flanked his other side, taking his free hand and pressing a kiss to his temple, “We’re always here for you Junebug, no matter what.”

His heart, while still wounded, was already warmed with their endearing shenanigans.  Just the little kisses and pet names alone was enough to get him to smile at least a little. As he sat with Haborym, listening to them ramble on about what other oddities came around while the aroma of spices filled the air, he found a modicum of peace.  And with that, a reminder of the hurt that still remained.  He wondered if it would ever be resolved.  But more than that, he wondered if he would ever deserve for that pain to be resolved at all.

…

If it meant that it lessened the likelihood of the other spouses being mistreated in any way…

…then perhaps he never would.  

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