Camp Half-Mess

Sam was shaking, huddled in a corner of the small room everyone was cramped in, giving terrified glances around them. Jason had arrived with the wounded naga about an hour ago and, since then, they had attacked anyone that looked “too human” to their taste -even the boy that had saved their life, much to Liang’s displeasure- as one would have expected a wounded animal to do. No one had dared approach the naga since they had scratched Orion’s face to blood and the more time had passed, the more worried had their friends -the same one Sam couldn’t remember yet- become.

“We can’t leave them like that any longer, their going to bleed out at this pace.” The giant huffed, crossing his arms.

“So you’d rather go back and get killed this time?” Liang raised an eyebrow. “Jason found them with poachers, humans poacher. They won’t let anyone come close if they think we’re part of them. The only thing we can do is either wait for their memories to return or tame them.”

“Tame them?! You’re speaking as if they’re some animal you sick fuck!” Kitlyn growled, only held back by Ace.

“I’m just stating the facts…” The vampire replied.

“Yeah well you know where you can shove your facts.”

“Don’t talk to Len like that!” Jason defended, as his Lenlen looked down with shame.

“It’s okay J, you don’t have to-”

“Yes I do! There ain’t no way in Hellheim I’m letting her talk shit about you!”

Kiltyn opened her mouth to reply when Delia intervened.

“Everyone. I believe now is not the time to argue about that. Someone needs help and they’re refusing it. We need to find a solution.”

Silence fell on the small assembly, only troubled by quiet sobs -Sam’s quiet sobs-.

Ace turned to his… friend? Lover? Spouse? To the complete stranger? To the naga that shared the face, the personality, the identity of the person he loved yet wasn’t them? If all those years of knowing them had taught him anything, it was how to read them and, in that very moment, Sam was terrified. Ace could understand why, after all, he too had been pulled out of his own universe into this one, forced to live in hiding, to remember a life that wasn’t quite his, forced to deal with being two people at the same time.

As the group when back to debating -well, more accurately, to arguing-, Ace took a step towards Sam.

And then another.

And another.

They looked up from behind their arms, giving him a terrified look, as if they were convinced he came to kill them; yet they didn’t make a move.

Ace took another step.

Their scales were drab, colourless, almost as you’d expect a wilting flower to be, stained with their own blood. It felt strange to Ace, seeing Sam with a tail like this, but, in a way, their fascination with snakes and the way they had always been felt fitting with being a naga.

And he took another step.

Sam was skinny. More than Ace had grown accustomed to see. It felt terrifying, especially considering the amount of time he had spent feeding them until they had finally stopped being so bony. They almost looked like skin draped over bones, their cheeks hollow, skin pale as death, ribs showing from under their ragged clothes.

Ace took a last step towards Sam, now standing right in front of them, and the terrified naga almost looked about to faint.

“Pitié, ne me tuez pas…”

Ace’s heart shattered.

‘Please don’t kill me.’

He knelt in front of Sam, gently extending a hand towards them as the naga attempted to make themself look smaller.

“Ça va aller… je te tuerai pas, okay?”*

They didn’t reply, staring at him.

“J’te le promet… Chuis là pour t’aider, okay? Tu te souviens probablement pas encore de moi mais on est-”* Ace’s voice caught in his throat.

What were they? Could he tell them they were lovers? Friends? Something… else? Could he tell them they had talked countless times, over and over again, about how their wedding would go? About what they’d do for Christmas with the kids? Could he tell them about the family -the one thing Sam had wished for the most- they had built together?

“On est amis…”* he mumbled, grabbing their hand with all the gentleness he could muster, resisting the urge to pull them in his arms and to run anyway somewhere -anywhere- safer than here… as if such a place existed. “Ça va aller…”* he repeated.

Sam tensed, breath itching in their throat as they nearly pulled their hand away, somehow deciding not to at the last second. They looked at Ace with a mix of fear and sadness, as if he vaguely brought back the memory of something better, of something safer.

“J’ai peur.”* They whispered. “I-ils vont me faire du mal… C-Comme à papa et maman! J-je veux pas mourir! Je veux pas mourir!”*

“Sam… shh... non… non… tu vas pas mourir… j’te laisserai pas…”* He pulled them in his arms as the naga started to sob violently.

“Je veux pas mourir! Je v-veu-eux vivre! Je veux v-vi-ivre et f-faire plein de cho-oses-! Je-e veu-eux plus a-avoir m-mal! Je veu-eux plus! Je veux plus je veux plus je veux plus!”*

---

“Ça va aller… je te tuerai pas, okay?” => “It’s alright... I won’t kill you, okay?”

“J’te le promet… Chuis là pour t’aider, okay? Tu te souviens probablement pas encore de moi mais on est-” => “I promise... I’m here to help you, okay? You probably don’t remember me yet but we’re-”

“On est amis...” => “We’re friends...”

“Ça va aller…”  => “It’s going to be okay...”

“J’ai peur.” => “I’m scared.”

“I-ils vont me faire du mal… C-Comme à papa et maman! J-je veux pas mourir! Je veux pas mourir!” => “T-they’re going to hurt me... Like they did with mom and dad! I-I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die!”

“Sam… shh... non… non… tu vas pas mourir… j’te laisserai pas…” => “Sam... shh... no... no... you’re not going to die... I won’t let you...”

Lahatiel held his frail body in their arms, gently stroking the toddler's hair to comfort him as he cried. His breath was shallow and his grip around them felt weak. Covered in blood as he was, it wasn't really a surprise; Jason was covered in cuts and bruises, his broken bones nearly piercing through his skin in some parts.

How hadn't anyone in the village reacted yet?! Where they waiting for him to die?!

Jason whined, trying to hold them tighter.

"Shh… it's okay…"

"Hurty…"

Lahatiel didn't reply. What could they have said? They weren't any healing angel! Heck, they weren't even made to be a guardian one! The only reason they had ended up with the task of taking care of him was because "no one else was left" or whatnot! They were completely useless to him.

"Papa is scary…"

"It's okay… He won't be here for a long time… you're safe..." 'for now…'

They hated it. They hated it so much. To think this monster had ended up father of an innocent child like Jason, made them sick to the stomach. "Everyone can be saved." Bullshit, that's what it was. A man like him was a lost cause and deserved worse than the 9th circle of Hell.

There was some stomping upstairs and the duo tensed. It sounded heavy and angry, just like the boy's father. He shouldn't be home yet.

"Jason…" Lahatiel sat the boy up on their laps, "go hide under your bed, as far as you can. I’ll-... I’ll protect you.”

If only…

The toddler quickly cowered under the bed, shaken with fear as his father stomped down to the humid basement he had forced him to live in.

“JASON! JASON WHERE ARE YOU, YOU USELESS BRAT!”

The man started banging on the door and Jason screamed in terror. Lahatiel stood up, ready to defend him with their life if they needed. They were done standing on the sides.

The door burst open, almost kicked down by the father and he stormed in. Lahatiel opened their mouth to say something, anything, to him and protect Jason but no sound left their lips.

It was as if they had been silenced.

The man looked around, his eyes stopping at the bed.

"Oh Jason…" he spoke with a quiet anger than would have terrified anyone with a little bit of common sense.

His son whined from under the bed.

Lahatiel tried to grab him arm and pull him back to no avail, as if they had no substance at all.

"Don't hide from Papa or else he might get angry…"

Jason tried to hide farther away under the bed as his dad leaned and looked underneath it.

"There you are, brat!"

He grabbed his son and violent hauled him out from his hiding spot, hitting the toddler's head on the frame as Lahatiel desperately tried to stop him.

"LET HIM GO!"

Their voice didn't make a sound.

"NO! NO! DON'T HURT ME! I'M SORRY PAPA! I'M SORRY!" Jason started thrashing around, screaming and crying.

"SHUT UP, BRAT!" 

He smashed the toddler against the nearest wall. A crack echoed in the room as the boy's back broke.

Lahatiel screamed but no sound left their throat.

"I'M SORRY"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"

With each new "shut up", the man violently slammed his son in the wall, breaking several more bones before throwing him on the ground.

Lahatiel attempted to place themself in between the child and his abuser but it was as if they were a mere ghost.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN BORN, YOU PATHETIC PIECE OF SHIT!"

He kicked Jason's stomach.

One time.

Two times.

Three times.

Four times.

Five times.

Jason was screaming and crying on the floor.

Lahatiel summoned their blade, attempting to scream at him to stop.

"THIS WAY, YOU WOULDN'T CAUSE ME SO MUCH TROUBLE!"

He kicked Jason's head, passing right through Lahatiel.

A strangled scream escaped the toddler's throat as the disgusting sound of a neck being broken echoed through the room.

Jason stopped moving.

Lahatiel's link with the toddler was suddenly severed.

They screamed, pain searing through their head, anger, no, wrath filling their mind at the sight of his lifeless small body.

They stabbed the father with their sword, appearing for the first time in front of him.

He stared at them in shock, unable to speak, before falling limply on the ground, heart pierced with the holy blade.

Lahatiel ran to Jason, picking up his frail body in their arms, hugging him weakly as if they were afraid of hurting him more.

"J-jason! H-hang in there! P-please!"

The boy didn't move.

"J-jason! C-come on! I know you can- I know you're still-!"

Tears filled their eyes.

"J-jason!"

He wasn't breathing.

"C-come on! I-I told you I'd p-protect you! I-I know it took l-longer than it should have but he's g-gone now!

P-please!

Sam sat in holding, waiting to be bailed out. They were more than a little shaken, just recently having a gun shoved in their face and having to deal with the question of is immortality bullet proof? and thankfully it was, but a gunshot was a gunshot and still hurt even if you would live through it. Sam realized they had a lot more to live for than they once thought when the gun was shoved in their face. So, that lead to Sam being dead for a few minutes and the gunman to be dead once Sam woke up. How did the gunman die? Simply put, it was a murder (though it was more like an attempted murder) suicide. Guess some people were just like that. Kitlyn was there too at the start anyways, only saw Sam get shot as some others dragged her away from the scene. When she broke away from them and ran back the police were already there.

“Samaël Hamane, your bail has been paid.” A gruff police officer spoke, opening the small cell they stuck them in and leading them out by the arm.

Ace stood there looking worried, hands in his pockets as his sight landed on Sam. He didn’t know what happened, no one would tell him. Ace gently held Sam’s hand, leading them outside of the station where Kitlyn was waiting. As soon as she saw Sam she started to tear up and instantly hugged them tightly. Sam froze where they stood, and a few seconds passed before Kitlyn mumbled a quiet ‘I thought you were gone’ and looked up at them, tears running down her cheeks.

“Guys…” Ace mumbled, not really wanting to ruin the moment but standing outside the police station crying was not a good way to avoid attention. Kitlyn pulled away from Sam at that and nodded with a sniff.

“Sorry.” Kitlyn mumbled, shaking her head and wiping away her tears with sweater paws.

There was a pause of silence.

“My car is parked a little ways away from here.” Ace spoke up, motioning to the duo to follow him.

With that the trio started walking towards Ace’s car in silence. They also got into the car in silence as well, both Sam and Kitlyn choosing to sit in the back seats. The ride was silent and it was still when Ace parked in his apartment’s underground parking. Once the car stopped Kitlyn started to tear up again as Sam’s eyes remained on the window. The silence followed them as the trio got into the elevator and went through the hallway.

“You two are staying at least for the night,” Ace declares having already decided for them, “I’ll get you both dinner, alright?”

“Thanks Acey…” Kitlyn mumbled, walking into his flat once the door was open. Sam nodded absently, following her as Ace held the door open.

Once the two were inside Ace closed the door and beelined for the kitchen. He quickly took out a container of leftover soup and shoved it into the microwave for a couple minutes. While the microwave was going Ace walked out of the kitchen and grabbed the two gently by their upper arms considering they were just kind of standing there awkwardly. He sat them both down on the couch, wrapping each of them in a blanket. He got back to the kitchen just as the microwave started to beep.

With a quick action, he poured the soup into two bowls and put spoons in the bowl. He picked them both up silently praying that he wouldn’t burn his hands as he walked back to the blanketed duo.

“Eat.” Ace gave them the bowls and thankfully neither of them kicked up much of a fuss at the order and quietly ate the warm soup.

He ended up sitting in the middle between the two, both of them leaning a bit on him once they were done their soup and the bowls sat on the table in front of the trio. It was late, the sky was 100% dark at this point in time, and it was most definitely after 12am. Around 1am Ace could hear Sam snoring as they cuddled against his side, resting their head on his shoulder. Kitlyn was curled up on the other side of him, nestled against Ace’s side. He tried his best to stay still, to not wake either of them up- Lord knew they needed the rest after what had transpired a few hours ago.

Sam woke up in the morning and part of them was convinced that last night was just a bad dream, at least that was what they were going with before they opened their eyes and saw that they were leaning an Kitlyn’s very cute friend. They only had to shift around a bit of his attention to land on them.

“Oh, you’re awake?” Ace hummed, “how do you feel?”

“…I don’t know you?” Sam muttered, putting distance between them and him.

“Right, sorry. My name’s Ace, I’ve been the one bailing you out for the past five centuries-“ that shut Sam up as their face tinted pink- “should I make breakfast or do you want a while to wake up?”

“How’s Kitlyn?” They asked, avoiding the question. Ace glanced beside him.

“Still fast asleep.” He replied, looking back at Sam. “Look, I’ll go make breakfast but you don’t need to force yourself to eat anything, okay?”

Sam nodded automatically as Ace stood up, grabbing the soup bowls that were still on the table and left. They quickly wrapped themselves tighter in the blanket around them, glancing at Kitlyn who was curled up in a ball under her blanket. They frowned, remembering her panicked look when being pushed away and how quick she was to tears once she saw them again. Almost as if sensing their thoughts her eyes opened and she stretched under the blanket.

“Morning…” Sam muttered, watching as she blinked groggily and struggled to sit up properly thanks to the blanket wrapped around her.

“Hi?” Kitlyn yawned, leaning against Sam, “how are you?”

“Okay.” Sam replied quietly, paying more attention to the shuffling around in the kitchen.

“’M glad you’re okay.” Kitlyn mumbled, looking up at them.

Sam just hummed, “so, your friend?”

“What about Acey?”

“He’s been doing this for… 500 years?”

“Yeah.” She nodded, “I trust him.”

“…”

Sam fell on their knees, ruby eyes no longer glinting as their natural green came back. Their breath was ragged and pained as their heart thumped loudly -too loudly- in their chest. The magician gave an hazed look around them, gaze finally stopping on their family. As they opened their mouth to say something, Sam promptly collapsed.

"Pama!"

"A-annabelle! Attend!"*

The girl freed herself from her father's hold before the latter had time to react, running to her parent and tearing up as she knelt beside them.

"PAMA! PAMA! RÉVEILLES-TOI!" She tried shaking them around to which Sam only grunted. Everything was so painful… They could already feel their temperature heat up.

"Shh… shh c'est correct… tout... va bien… m'chouette…"*

"Pama!" She took their hand in hers, holding it tightly. "L-les méchants i-ils allaient te faire m-mal!"*

"Shh…" they freed their hand to wipe away her tears.

Everything was so exhausting… 

Ace knelt on their other side, holding their toddler firmly. He gave them a terrified look as Sam glanced down to their now fuming body.

Ah.

That must have been why Set was completely silent now.

"Everyone's… safe?"

Their husband nodded.

"Sam-"

"Set's gone…" A wave of pain coursed through their body and Sam gasped, startled. "Take the… the kids to-" and another one. They shut their eyes tight as if to keep the pain away. "N-nome-... safe-... there-"

Sam could feel their blood start to boil.

"J-je vous aime- p-partez!"*

"N-non…"* Ace shook his head, refusing to go yet.

"S-S'il-te-plaît… peuvent pas… v-voir ça-!"*

Ça.

That.

Ace knew exactly what was about to happen. He didn't want to believe it. No now, not ever. But whether or not he did wouldn't change what was to happen and the pleading eyes of their lover, begging him to protect their children from the horror about to come convinced him to obey.

Heart heavy, eyes filled with tears, he stood up and picked their daughter up with their free arm and walked away.

"On y va."*

"N-NON! PAMA! PAMA!"

Annabelle trashed around, attempting to free herself from her father's arms, ignoring her brother's cries of distress at her tantrum. Sam extended a hand towards their family.

"Ç-ça va aller… j-je t'aime ma ch-chouette… s-sois forte! P-pour Pap-"*

As they were finishing their sentence, Sam caught on fire, screaming, in front of their frozen daughter. 

"F-fermes les yeux!"* Her father ordered her.

Ace held the two crying children closer and sped up, tears rolling down his own cheeks.

Gone. Sam was gone.

Burnt to death. 

Just like their father.

All of this because he couldn't help them fight.

---

“Attend!” => “Wait!”

“RÉVEILLES-TOI!” => “WAKE UP!”

"Shh… shh c'est correct… tout... va bien… m'chouette…” =>”Shh... shh it’s okay... everything... is okay... honey...”

"L-les méchants i-ils allaient te faire m-mal!” => “T-the baddies t-they were going to h-hurt you!”

"J-je vous aime- p-partez!” => “I-I love you l-leave!”

“N-Non...” => “N-no...”

"S-S'il-te-plaît… peuvent pas… v-voir ça-!" => “P-Please... can’t... s-see this-!”

"On y va." => “We’re leaving.”

"Ç-ça va aller… j-je t'aime ma ch-chouette… s-sois forte! P-pour Pap-"* => “I-It’s going to be okay... I-I love you ho-honey... b-be strong! F-For Dadd-”

Apollo didn’t quite understand why he desired to get this drunk, part of him wondered if he even wanted to get this drunk. Truth be told, he had wanted to forget somethings that had happened during the day and going to the bar with Dionysus was always a blast- specifically a drunken blast. This time was no exception as the two of them drank and talked much more like brothers would’ve rather than co-workers. Well, co-workers was a nice way to put two different ranking people in the mafia hanging out and getting drunk together after a shoot out.

The issue with getting Apollo drunk was not just the fact that he stumbled around like a newborn child getting used to their limbs but instead the bigger issue was his lack of filter in both what he says and in what he does. It often results in a lot of flirting (and the occasional bar fight), and a lot of interesting stories for the sober people around him. This time was no exception either.

Delia was woken up by the loud drunk man opening the door and stumbling into her flat laughing. She already knew it was Apollo, for no one else had a key.

“’Pollo?” She called into the apartment as he heard him shush something as the door closed, “it is rather late…”

“Moooorning ‘Lia!” He replied loudly, his words slurring together, “I have aaaa friendy!”

Delia got out of bed at that, opening the door and peering out of the room only to see Apollo with a smile, reeking of alcohol, holding a chicken under his arm that seemed rather content to just stay there.

What.

“Beloved, why do you have a chicken?” She asked slowly as Apollo stumbled over to her and rested his chin on top of her head as he mumbled ‘tinyyyyyy!’ under his breath. She could feel him slowly putting more and more of his own weight on her and decided to be nice and lead him to the bed.

Once Apollo was sat down on the bed and the chicken was out of his arms and also placed on the bed- though the chicken was now pecking at the sheets and that was an issue on its own. Apollo laid down on his own accord, smiling brightly at Delia.

“’Liaaaaa… ‘Lia love youuuu… ‘Lia loveeeeeeely!” Apollo sung, giggling as he watched her reaction. She really just couldn’t stay mad at this man…

“I love you too, beloved but we are having a talk in the morning.”

“That’s good! I love talking to youuuuu! I could talk to you forever! I love hearing you speak!” Apollo got louder, only quieting down once Delia hushed him.

“It is 2am!” She whispered sharply, “people are trying to sleep, please be quieter.”

Apollo just frowned in response but listened nonetheless. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

“I love you.” He whispered quietly, looking at Delia in awe. “I waaant to marry you.”

“Wh-“ Delia’s face flared up in red blush, her eyebrows furrowing, “Apollo! You are drunk, do not say such nonsense. You already have a wife.”

Apollo frowned, tearing up, “I don’t liiiiike her, I like you. I want you to be my wiiife! I want you! I want you! I want you!” He kicked his legs like a child throwing a tantrum.

“Apollo, noise.” Delia reminds with a sigh, glancing at the chicken who got disturbed thanks to Apollo’s kicking and watched as it started to harass some flowers in a vase.

“Iiiii wanna run away with you, ‘Lia.” Apollo declared with a yawn, rubbing her knuckles with his thumb gently. “We could be together aaand have a chicken.”

“Is that why you brought the chicken?” Delia asked and couldn’t help but be slightly amused.

“Yess… The chicken is now our child.” Apollo nods. “It’sssssss a baby.”

“’Pollo, you need rest.” Delia shook her head, trying to supress the urge to laugh at his behaviour instead of focusing on what he just admitted.

“Sleep with me then.” Apollo spread his arms out.

“Apollo…”

“Please ‘Lia?” He asked pouting, tears still brimming his eyes and Delia found herself unable to say no. Once she was laying in bed beside him, Apollo quickly cuddled up against her, as he closed his eyes.

“I love you…” Apollo mumbled against her hair, dozing off.

“…I love you too Apollo.” Delia whispered back, attempting to get comfortable in his arms.

The morning came how it always did, with the streets becoming busy and sunlight brightening the room from behind the curtains. Delia woke up first no longer trapped in Apollo’s hold as he was now spread across the bed drooling on one of her pillows. She could only sigh with an amused smile, sitting up and slipping out of bed quietly. He whined at the movement but otherwise remained fast asleep, part of that surprised her considering he normally woke up as early if not earlier than her- though she supposed she could blame that on the alcohol he drank last night. Delia looked around for the chicken, only to find it nestled beside Apollo. A small smile found its way onto her face as her eyes drifted to the sleeping figure.

His blond hair was horribly messy, splayed out across the pillow and some stuck to his face thanks to the drool. His expression was relaxed, and it made him look closer to his age instead of how the stress made him appear older when he was awake. Apollo’s chest rose and fell in deep even breaths, his shirt had ridden up enough to expose his stomach as the blanket only covered his legs. One of his arms was outstretched to were Delia had been sleeping, and the other was half off the bed.

Delia quietly grabbed clothes for the day, careful to be quiet and not wake him- and also not wake the chicken. Why did he bring a chicken? She didn’t even know what went through his head. After she was dressed she walked back into the bedroom to see that Apollo hadn’t moved in the slightest.

“Apollo…” Delia whispered, gently shaking his shoulder earning a groan from him, “it is time to get up, beloved.” She shook him again.

“Nnnnnooooo…! It’s too early ‘Lia love…” Apollo groaned, opening his eyes and wincing from how bright it was. Gods his head hurt, the entire night was a blur to him and any solid memories seemed to be escaping him. Delia smiled at him gently, pushing some of his hair out of his face as he looked around.

“Why… Did you get a chicken?” Apollo grumbled, sitting up and leaning on the headboard.

“No,” Delia chuckled, “you brought it last night, claimed it was our child.”

Apollo’s face quickly darkened with an embarrassed blush, “did I…?”

“Yes.” Delia nodded, sitting beside him on the bed and leaning against his chest. “I don’t know where you got it either.”