ᵃˢᵗʳᵃˡ.

Sandalphon found great solace in the mindless task of public service he partook in the cozy little cafe settled at the heart of Spirale’s commerce district.  The flow of visitors was neither overwhelming nor lacking, but just enough to keep him stimulated and his hands working. Rather that be grinding roasts or refilling the machines to dispense freshly made brews, he honestly enjoyed it; the passing hours spent doing the thing that was almost second nature to him now, he really didn’t mind it, as opposed to the twiddling of his thumbs he’d be doing otherwise in wait of reobtaining his lost inheritance. 

His fellow coworkers were fine for what they were, albeit getting on his nerves from time to time, he was growing accustomed to their personalities and various quirks. Not much else different from how his situation taking up shelter within the Grandcypher crew. He kept his distance, as usual, and they respected that, mostly, but he wouldn’t ever wish true ill-will upon them… he wasn’t that kind of individual anymore.

“Hey, Phon! Customer in-coming! I’m still fixing up stock back here, can you take care of it?”

“Sure.”

He was only polishing up the espresso machine with a clean rag when the door chimes signaled on cue, welcoming in a new guest. Sighing and tucking the cloth into his apron pocket and turning to face the one approaching the counter is only when his blood ran cold.  

Widening scarlet hues met those almost too clever blue, the shape and color very similar, and yet extremely different to him–they didn’t hold love or admiration for anything, like his more beloved counter-part, just cruel and calculated intentions. 

‘ 𝔏𝔢𝔱 𝔪𝔢 𝔱𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔣𝔣𝔢𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔠𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔬𝔯 𝔰𝔢𝔢𝔪𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔢 𝔰𝔬. ’

He didn’t need time to take in the situation. His body and mind snapping itself into an automatic response, earthen colored wigs bursting into a flurry of raining plumes, and knocking down various shelved items and goods to the floor in a startling, crashing ensemble. 

“Ｔａｓｔｅ  ｍｙ ｆｕｒｙ．”

Before his coworkers could even begin to shout or question his unwarranted agitation, Sandalphon lashed out, putting all of his strength into one, single fist as he slammed it against Lucilius’s jaw, the sheer impact sending him reeling into the nearest window and shattering through it. 

“Ph-Phon!?” “Sandalphon?! What the hell?! What are you–?!”

He didn’t answer them, stepping up onto the counter instead and leaping off of it in leverage to his pursuit against Lucilius, whose body, mind you, had already tumbled and flailed onto the pavement outside of the cafe. He easily rolled through the now broken window, tucking in his wings and twisting his form to avoid the jagged pieces of glass jutting out from its cracked frame, as he spread his wings once more and rose like a falcon locating its pray. Befittingly, Lucilius lay pitifully on the ground, sharp pieces of glass sticking out of him and glittering against bloodied robes as Sandalphon swept down and pounced upon him in hopes of pinning him down with his heels. 

This time… this time he wouldn’t let this snake get away with it. 

  Just seeing the pure emotion in the spare’s eye’s was enough to make this visit worth it. Did he care that he was trespassing on his creation’s no go territory? Not really, the other had clearly shown that he wasn’t going to listen properly and heed his warnings, so whatever came out of this was entirely his fault.

                                                                      ‘ Oh? ’

  Giving a smirk, before the primarch used the full force of his fist to lodge it into his jaw. In a split second he felt the pressure as his body flew across the cafe, shattering glass as he fell on the pavement. Annoying if he could say anything, the temper he had hadn’t changed in the 2,000 years that Lucifer told him he had been dead for. Yet Lucifer had still decided to cast off his wings to this pathetic excuse for a primal, hardly could be called a spare when he couldn’t even live up to that.

  Glass shards dug into his body, leaving his robes to start staining a bright crimson stains on them. The pain was nothing more than a numbing feeling as he laid on the pavement-- seeing the brunette primarch crawl from the mess that he created. His eyes fixated on the spare, even if he could feel the air tense just by the raw emotions spilling out from him now. 

  ‘ I see, still rebellious as ever... No wonder Lucifer cast you to the depths of Pandemonium. Seems like you haven’t changed one bit. ’

  Eyes fixated on Sandalphon, his expression did not waver or change-- a dull gaze as he snapped his fingers to alert the dominions that he had set up prior to their meeting. Though he could not take on the other with brute strength, he had never needed such. 

  Speaking up with a tone just as icy as his gaze toward the other, he was alerted that the dominions he made had already started working when he heard a scream from in the crowd of people that were unfortunate to be close around them at this time.

@indagc

“You dropped your book, Lucifer.” It was automatic, as he reached down to pick it up. The second he stood upright again, his eyes widened a little. That was not who he thought he was talking to.

‘Another one!?’

“Or not. You do know him though, don’t you? It’s standard that everyone with his face does.”

  It had been a simple mistake, dropping a book he had been reading. With little else to do, he just took research notes and studied the materials of this world that was seemingly not his own. Yet when he decided to try and pick it up, he saw someone pick it up for him. 

  But the moment the name Lucifer was spoken, he perked his attention up to the mortal. So this was one of his creation’s ‘friends’ so to speak. How pathetic Lucifer had become... but it couldn’t be helped at this point he supposed.

                            ‘ I see. So you’re one of Lucifer’s acquaintances. ’

  Eyes examined the other to see nothing out of the ordinary from the other, but just because the stranger knew his creation didn’t make it any better as he sighed.

  Yes, he was quite aware of the spares powers-- knowing what Lucifer had told him, so he had made sure to be prepared. Even if he didn’t have the strength to overpower the other, he was sure to be very very delicate in how he would approach him. Though it was rather hard, he had managed to craft something of the likes of dominion cores to use for his plan. Being in the city long enough... they weren’t perfect, but he supposed neither was the spare that he was going to pay a visit to. 

  And it didn’t take a genius to figure out where he hung around either, Lucifer was transparent as ever and just with a bit of looking around-- he had realized that even after all these years he was still making coffee. How sickeningly sentimental his creation had made his own.  

  Walking into the coffee shop, he strode silently but with confidence, up to the counter where he saw the brown haired primarch-- the one Lucifer had tried so desperately to keep him away from. But in the end Lucifer was nothing but broken promises and pathetic, there wasn’t a thing in the entire world that he could do to stop this moment.

  ‘ Such a lowly job seems much more fitting to you than the title of Supreme Primarch. ’

  His voice was cold, as he couldn’t help but smirk at the situation-- yes, the title of Supreme Primarch could never belong to someone as irrational and impure as this brat. 

roast me || accepting.

  LKSJDFLKSJDFLKSJDF ur the reason I decided to app him in the first place im sobbing… einabler !! But I’m glad you think so, I’m still super rusty on my trashbag muses … but it means a lot coming from u ein!

roast me || accepting.

He was finally granted reprieve when Lucilius pulled away. At his first chance, he pressed his palm to his lips, the blood still dripping sluggishly from the wound that Lucilius had inflicted on him.

“…..”

But again, no physical injury would be as painful as being labeled a “defect.” But it was true, wasn’t it? Everyone had once looked upon him as the perfect being, and yet had known for thousands of years that he was far from perfect. Deep down, he knew he could never meet those expectations. 

Perhaps he had been defective all along.

Lacking the words–or perhaps lacking the strength–Lucifer simply fell silent.

  ‘ And still you cannot even bring yourself to speak, if you dare try to worm your way out of this-- there will be blood on your hands. ’

  He sneered, finally letting go of the primarch-- as he walked back to his studies. He could only do so much when Lucifer couldn’t even give a half assed effort with anything anymore. Once so perfect that he could be called his masterpiece, now could barely even keep himself together. It wasn’t even a decision whether he would rip the other’s core out, it was only a matter of when at this point. 

  Speaking up in a dull, monotone voice he looked back to give a sharp glare at the primarch. How boring this city was, how far his creation had fallen. He would surely make things right again.

“…!”

Sharp pain as Lucilius’ teeth sank into his lips. The bite had been sudden, and the first instinct was to recoil, but Lucilius had already wound his arms around Lucifer and pulled him closer–so that Lucifer couldn’t pull away. He didn’t try to after the initial attempt, simply falling still and waiting for it to end.

“…”

  He could feel a reaction to pull away from the other-- but he wouldn’t allow it. He wouldn’t allow Lucifer to get out of this. Keeping his teeth dug into the other for a few moments, he pulled his lips away so that he could speak.

  ‘ What a weak pathetic excuse for a kiss... perhaps you can’t be saved if you could ever think such could ever make up for your disobedience. ’

  Pausing as he sighed with disappointment-- his eyes still sharp as ever, he continued.

The grip on his head finally relented, only to travel down to his chin once more–a less painful hold, but one that still kept him in place regardless.

“……”

He hesitated at the command, but…did he really have a choice at this point? If he didn’t obey, then Lucilius would simply see his behaviour as another act of insubordination, and would carry through with his threat.

He closed his eyes and leaned closer…until their lips met.

  He felt the primarch’s lips against him. Disgusting, what a meaningless action-- one filled with no love or care. It was an action, carried out by the will of his words alone. He did not care though, this was merely an assertion of his power.

The threat was very clear.

“…Yes. It will not happen again.”

Though Lucilius hadn’t used those exact words, the implication was strong. And so long as Lucifer possessed fewer than six of his wings, that threat would always hold water. So long as he lacked the power to resist an Astral’s control, Lucilius would be able to do as he pleased with Lucifer. Lucifer’s core.

Even if it meant wiping the entire thing, erasing the things that made him him. And there would be no way to regain those things after that.

He was vaguely aware of Lucilius’ ever tightening grip on his hair, but was nowhere near the feeling of dread that Lucilius’ words had instilled within him.

“I understand that I am your tool. I will not pretend to think that I am otherwise.”

               ‘ If you understand, then kiss me to prove your loyalty. ’

  It wasn’t because he cared about such intimate actions, or anything. He just wanted to see Lucifer in an uncomfortable position, to make him squirm from the inside and do things that he wouldn’t want. It would be pointless to force it upon him at this point, Lucifer was good at just accepting his advances, because it was what he was made to do. He wanted Lucifer to initiate it, for the sole satisfaction that the primarch knew the position he was in.

  His grip from Lucifer’s hair slowly releasing, lowering down to press against his chin, as he sighed. No, he was still very angry, perhaps the most livid he’s ever been at his creation. Not even Lucifer striking him down was more infuriating than his actions now. But he wouldn’t show it, he would never let Lucifer get a glimpse of what he was thinking, unless he willed it.

Yanked closer still, Lucifer had nowhere to look but into Lucilius’ eyes, and this time, he wasn’t confident that he was able to really mask everything that he felt. There were so many things he didn’t know about his creator–so many things he couldn’t read, but Lucifer knew him well enough to know that this was an incredibly dangerous situation, and could only spiral downwards further if Lucifer didn’t give Lucilius exactly what he wanted.

How very cruel, that the more he tried to be a person, the more fate would take from him. That had been Lucifer’s reality for thousands of years.

“…I am your tool,” he finally said. The quiver in his voice was barely present, indiscernible to those who didn’t know him–but it was there. “I am your possession… I exist to carry out your will, and for nothing more. My purpose is decided by you, and you only…”

  Now Lucifer was getting the picture. Hearing those words come with such a defeated tone was almost music to his ears. He would make Lucifer repeat those words over and over until it was the only thing left in in his mind. He did not loosen his grip or let go of Lucifer, letting his lips linger near his possession’s. 

  ‘ Say it again. Tell me a thousand times over. I never want to hear the nonsense you spewed just moments ago ever even linger on your breath for even a second. ’

  His smirk was gone, showing his clear annoyance with Lucifer at the moment, his grip tightened. He was going to make sure that this was something that his masterpiece would never forget, he would instill such a primal fear that he would never be able to escape.

He had been prepared to face punishment the moment he stepped into the room and bore the abuse without complaint, simply staring blankly into the icy blue eyes he was forced to look into…until Lucilius spoke again.

‘ Or have you fooled yourself that you could ever be loved…?

“…!”

Agony erupted in his skull again as Lucilius grasped a fistful of Lucifer’s hair, but what had been said was far more painful. There was no doubt that he had been loved as a symbol, the venerable and so-called “perfect” leader of the primarchs, but when it came to being loved for who he was–

‘ Even your own creation rebelled against you– spit spite at you. Have you forgotten? ’ 

Another stake driven into his heart. He was momentarily at a loss for words. Though Lucifer and Sandalphon had begun moving past the misunderstandings, the rebellion was still a sore spot for them both. Lucifer himself had yet to address the feelings that such memories brought up. His composed facade crumbled for a split second as the words sank in.

“That was…”

  ‘ Still at a loss for words? Even when I’ve spelled it out so clearly for you... perhaps you really are beyond fixing. ’

  The fingers holding his chin trailed down his neck, before grabbing the fabric of his shirt and pulling him closer, leaning his forehead on Lucifer’s. His eyes directly looking into him as if he were piercing directly into his core. Yes, he was getting fed up with all this, perhaps it was time to teach Lucifer a lesson he would never forget.

  To etch his will directly into his very core, and demonstrate how little power he had in the grand scheme of things. 

The immense pressure relented suddenly, but Lucifer didn’t dare raise his head, not yet. He could practically feel Lucilius’ cold glare on the back of his head and wasn’t eager to face it. 

This…was a difficult situation. What could he give Lucilius to satisfy him? What would satisfy Lucilius?

With a sinking heart, he knew there was only one thing, and it wasn’t something Lucifer was willing to give.

Not when handing it over guaranteed him a fate worse than death.

But struck at a loss for words, Lucifer simply remained silent, staring hard at the ground as if willing an answer to appear.

“……”

  ‘ Cat got your tongue? I’ll ask again. What could you ever possibly give me? The least you could do is apologize in such a pathetic tone to show how far you’ve fallen. ’

  Kneeling down, he reached out to grab the other’s chin, raising it to allow Lucifer to look at him once more. Pathetic, being so pathetic like this. It was irritating and infuriating that the one he once called his masterpiece was now this pathetic. Tch, he supposed it wasn’t the end of the world, but with his limited powers and resources here... he really didn’t have much of a choice.

  ‘ Or have you fooled yourself that you could ever be loved...? Even your own creation rebelled against you-- spit spite at you. Have you forgotten? ’

  Using his other hand, he gripped the primarch’s hair-- his hold on him rather tight as he sighed. Why did he even bother trying to reason with him at this point, Lucifer had already lowered himself to a vulnerable position in front of him. But no, not yet...

The heel of Lucilius’ boot dug into mercilessly into his skull, pushing him down further. Lucifer winced, but didn’t try to push back against Lucilius’ foot. Being pinned beneath his creator’s sole was the least of his concerns when Lucilius was making such threats.

Especially when Lucilius was asking specifically for things that Lucifer simply wasn’t capable of.

Even if the apprehension and pressure that Lucifer felt now were very much real.

“…I’m sorry,” he said, though try as he might, he simply did not know how to modulate his voice in the manner that Lucilius called for. “It will not happen again, Lucilius. I ask you for one last chance to prove it…”

  ‘ Then what will you do to prove it? What are you going to give me to prove you are sorry? ’

  His voice was monotone and dull, giving a soft sigh-- continuing to crush the other’s skull under his foot, unmoving and uncaring for the situation Lucifer was in. Putting himself in this situation himself, he was going to drag this out as long as he wanted to so that he could get every last drop of fear out of his creation.

  ‘ If you can’t even give me what I asked for, then perhaps you shouldn’t try to pretend being human like. ’

  Only after that did he remove his foot from the other’s head, though he did not keep it far from the primarch’s head in case he decided to get up without his permission. Sighing slightly, he gave his creation a cold glare.