“Illuminated”

then there was that boy that looked like the gods had graced them with a part of their beauty and hope and gave it to him. that boy was phainon. he was young man, an admirable warrior, and a lovely neighbor.

he’s talked to you a few times. he was cheery and fun to be around. he always respected you and brought you food a few times with the excuse of "oh! i made too much food" with the sweetest, sheepish smile to his face.

recently, you’ve been receiving roses. they were in your favorite color. you didn’t pay no mind to it and picked it up when it read, "i hope this’ll cheer you up, you looked a bit down today :(" which was true, you were in a sour mood due to a stomachache that did not want to let you go, no matter how many times you’ve sat down or took some pills to ease the pain. you probably ate something bad that day.

the roses did lighten things up a little bit, and you kept them in a vase. when phainon came around the next week, you noticed that his eyes were on the roses for a little too long before looking at you again.

ever since then, every thursday, every two weeks, special colored roses would appear on your doorstep with a little note that seemed to brighten the heart. they were always sweet and heartfelt, nothing creepy.

phainon would always make sure that you got them and ensured that no one saw him dropping them off. if you knew, he’d probably faint.

truth was, phainon was kind of shy. he didn’t know how to act if he saw a pretty person in front of him.

so the only thing he could do was play secret admirer.

leaving little notes and your favorite colored flowers was the least phainon could do. sometimes, he’d slip in your favorite chocolates too, just to see that smile on your face when you receive them.

whenever phainon came by your place to chat, he’d always eye and smile at what happened to the roses. they were neatly kept in a vase on a table by the door, next to some dog treats you always gave his dog whenever he yapped by.

he hoped you didn’t notice his odd behavior once the bouquet thing started happening, but he knew you weren’t dumb.

he heavily disliked- not hated, disliked- your perceptiveness. he usually admired it, but right now he didn’t like it.

today was a day where phainon wanted to pass away.

phainon promised himself he’d confess his feelings on valentines day. he’d repeatedly mustered up the courage and kept practicing his confession in the mirror for the next four months before february. but today, his anxiety levels skyrocketed and he didn’t know what to do.

snowy was watching him slowly panic, yapping and jumping to place his forelegs on his legs. yapping again and again as if he was telling him to shut up and get out there.

phainon looked at snowy once. "buddy, i don’t know what to do. what if—" snowy barked again, stopping his intrusive thoughts.

but a bright idea came into phainon’s mind. it would be cheesy, but snowy was always an amazing icebreaker.

…

you got a notification on your phone for movement from your doorbell ring camera. were they your yaoi stickers?

you hurriedly went down to inspect the door, peeking through the peephole, only to see… absolutely nothing.

you opened the door to see what it was, and there he was.

phainon’s dog, snowy, sitting with a bouquet of roses and your own personal favorite flowers on his back, strapped with a harness, and a letter clamped in his mouth. his tail was wagging happily when he saw you emerge.

"what d’you get for me, buddy?" you smiled, crouching down to pet his furry head, slightly jumping when your hand touched his head. you gave him a treat.

you gently took the letter from his mouth and opened it. it smelled like the sun… and dog breath.

"this is a really terrible form of confession but i got too shy. i promised myself i’d be brave enough but that was a big lie. i’m so sorry, i wish i could’ve done this better. :( will you be my valentine anyway, [name]?"

you knew it was phainon for a while, but you didn’t quite have the proof yet. you held the letter with a smile on your face. "come on snowy, let’s go back to phainon." you ushered. he yipped and jumped around. luckily, his place was just a 30 second walk from yours.

you went up to phainon’s house and knocked on his door. you knew he was in there. you could see a tuft of white hair peeking out from the window.

you waited patiently until he was ready to open the door. it creaked open with tension.

"hey, [name]! uh, did you—" you didn’t wait for him to speak and pressed your lips on his. phainon stood still for a heartbeat or two.

did you just really do this? oh my god, are you actually kissing me?

but before he could pull you in closer, you already pulled away. his hand hovered over your waist, slightly trembling.

"does that answer your question?" you asked. he nodded frantically. this must be a dream come true.

07.14.26 , 9:46

taglist : @aerisellesuchi , @cloudluvrrr

Maybe there’s an Aeon that can rewind time somewhere in the cosmos. You could really use that power right now.

You’ve known Phainon since diapers, saw him through his awkward phase, and was the first to see him when he somehow got insanely attractive. Lethal facecard or whatever people say. The point is, you’ve known him longer than anyone not in his immediate family. Maybe except Cyrene, she’s a true day 1, always taking care of you two. But she’s currently off at University while you and Phainon are stuck navigating the horrors of high school.

Maybe it was the fact that high school would be the first time you and Phainon would truly be separated. Different classes, different after school activities, even different friend groups. You had maybe two friends at school but that’s only because you’ve had the same class as them for your entire high school career. Your coworkers don’t really count either, you’re just cordial with them for the sake of not making your already awkward job even more unbearable.

Back to Phainon’s new group of friends, they probably don’t even know you exist. If life was a game from their point of view, your role is schoolmate b. It’s almost unbelievable how different you two have become. Phainon and his group of friends are probably the most popular in the school. They’re the definition of picture perfect.

Anaxagoras might be an asshole but he has a good face and even better grades. According to rumors he’s been offered a full ride to attend the Grove. Mydeimos is captain of the school’s basketball team (though he’s good at almost any sport he plays) and an heir to a conglomerate. Aglaea, she’s more of a full time designer and part time student, her designs are everywhere you look, runways, billboards, and even tv commercials. The list of his friend’s achievements go on and on, it’s easier to list what they haven’t done.

But that’s getting a little too sidetracked, a week before the “confession.” Cyrene was on break and visited you at your job. Which could have gone worse, thank aeons it didn’t.

“You should try to talk to new people, Okhema is completely different from Aedes Elysiae. At this rate, you’ll only have me for company!” Cyrene was scolding you, again. Sure, it was in a lighthearted way but she was correct. You’ve barely talked to Phainon since entering high school or anyone for that matter. The only two people you talked to almost daily were Sampo and Sparkle. Probably because you were the person willing to talk to them despite their reputation.

“That doesn’t sound too bad… plus I could just make friends in college. Or something like that.” There’s no use trying to bring back something that was doomed from the beginning. The only reason you go to high school in Okhema is because you managed to get off the waitlist after applying.

Cyrene let out a sigh, “At least try to talk to Phainon. He’s sulking about you not talking to him.”

“Huh?”

“What?” Throughout your measly one and a half year of high school, you’ve never been close to Phainon. He’s always either surrounded by fans or friends, it’s impossible to talk to him one on one like back in Aedes Elysiae.

Recovering from your shock, you manage to ask a single question, “He tries to talk to me?” Cyrene just burst into laughter, dumbfounded at you and Phainon’s severe communication issues. “C’mon Cyrene don’t laugh!”

“You two really need to talk to each other,” her laughter had turned into light giggles now.

Now here you are, the Monday after break. Just a couple more months and it’ll be a new school year. The school courtyard is filled with other students, most in the standard winter uniform. Not very different from the summer one, no big difference other than the long sleeves. Which idiot decided to make school uniforms amplify the cold by fifty, they have to die a second time.

“Boo!”

“Oh. It’s you,” Sampo, the guy you’ve been unfortunately deskmates with for the past two years.

Sampo wrapped his arms around you, “Aww don’t be like that! As your dear friend, I’m hurt… I thought we were close…” He was always dramatic, though it sounded forced.

This was nothing unusual, just banter between you and the blue haired pest that clung onto you. Sparkle was probably somewhere around the school and the sooner you find her, the sooner the pest gets off of you. Though from a certain someone’s perspective, you two seemed too close for comfort.

“Yoo hoo! Earth to Phainon?”

“Ah sorry Hyacine! I spaced out a little.”

It’s really unfair, how can you let some guy, whom you met after starting high school, hug you from behind while completely avoiding him? He’s known you longer than that rando. You won’t even call him by his old nickname anymore! In the rare chance he gets to talk to you, it’s always “Phainon” and not “Phai.” He should’ve just asked the teachers to change his class to yours. But that’s just selfish thinking, at least to him. You deserve to meet new people and not be hounded by fangirls. He knows Valentine’s Day and White Day were nightmares to you back in Aedes Elysiae.

“Unfocused on the first day back? You’re lacking, deliverer.”

“Stop calling me that!!!”

Phainon and Mydei had an interesting friendship. They were seatmates during their first year of high school. That normally would be enough to become friends but no, of course not, especially with those two.

“Here, your package. It got delivered to my house.” Phainon was in a terrible mood, which was out of character for such a sunny guy. But who could blame him? He woke up late, had to sprint to the bus station, and even witnessed that blue haired pest clinging and using you as a shield.

Mydei only stared at him, a stern glare that would be enough to send chills to anyone. Except a pissed off Phainon. “In Castrum Kremnos packages are treated with respect, deliverer.”

Cutaway from that terrible memory, it still makes Phainon cringe to this day. How does a terrible joke of a nickname still stick after a year and a half?

Muffled laughter could be heard from behind Mydei. A purple haired girl covering her mouth, attempting to keep her amusement quiet.

“Not you too Castorice…” It was tradition to tease Phainon in their group. He was the most reactive after all. “Let’s just go to class first.” Honestly the best course of action for poor Phainon’s little heart. He wouldn’t have to hear more teasing and wouldn’t have to see that now, there were two people playing tug of war with you as the rope.

You on the other hand, were too busy being used as some human meat shield by Sampo while Sparkle tried to pull you off of him. Really where do these two get the energy in the morning?

“I’m going to class,” look you can try but success is a rare thing.

Sampo was still clinging onto you, except this time, he was in front. Anything to put a distance between him and Sparkle. He didn’t really have to worry about her though, cause unlike him, Sparkle had other people she could talk to.

Sampo was just rambling while going up the stairs. Your homeroom was on the second floor. Pretty fitting since you’re in your second year of high school. Third year is going to mean an extra set to climb in the morning. How nice.

At the same time Phainon, Castorice, Mydei, and Hyacine were going up too. Hyacine was a first year while the rest of them had nothing better to do as they had gym for first period. So why not tag along with Hyacine because she has something to actually talk about with Anaxa.

While you were halfway up the set of stairs, Sampo’s rambling suddenly stopped. It all happened so fast, Sampo screaming wait while a pair of gray haired twins charged full speed at him. You tried to step back but in your startled state, accidentally stepped on the weird edge of the stair. Wow, what a great way to go out, death by school stairs. This has to go in some sort of Guinness world record book.

“ah-” instinctively, you reached out your hand. But grabbing onto the rail mid fall won’t stop your fall, you know? Maybe Phainon is like Siri, voice activated by only you. He was starting to climb the stairs to go to the fourth floor, only to see you falling backwards. He really thinks with his heart, sprinting up the stairs with his arms stretched out, ready to catch you.

But, Sampo caught you before you could fall backwards. And dramatically declared while shoving you into his chest, “You know I could never put a dear classmate whom I love so much in danger!”

Phainon really might have to kill this guy.

Upon the hellish light falling upon the hotel, there was a fellow guest in the hotel who was always up and running around the hotel during the early hours in the morning, you were scrambling around the lobby gently pacing back and forth as you looked forward to your schedule for today's events.

9:23am- Errands

The timetable read in front of you as you made your way to the hotel's doors, gently opening the doors just to hear a sudden meow below you. You looked down to the welcome mat to see a crimson red and dark grey cat, both eyes were big as it shifted its gaze towards you in particular. A red molecule sitting on the cat's left eye cheek as two cute little antlers sat atop of his head, between his two very fluffy ears.

The cat's tail was wagging as it meowed again, the cat yearned for your attention just like your significant other, Alastor. Speaking of Alastor, the cat looked oddly identical to him.

“Awe hello kitty!”

You kneeled down as the cat curled around the lower part of your leg, attempting to rub its scent on you as you placed your hand in between the cat’s fluffy ears. Your thumb gently caresses the cat's antlers as a subtle growl erupted from the cat.

You watched as the cat walked into the hotel, welcoming itself with a meow. Following the cat as it made its way to the couch where keekee took over as her nap spot, a hiss fell from both furry creatures as you stood behind the red covered cat that welcomed itself in.

“Er.. what the tha’ fuck is THAT?”

Angel questioned with confusion as keekee tensed up around the other feline right in front of her, a growl fell from the bar as Husk stared at the red creature.

“He's just a lil baby! Isn't he so cute?”

You gently held the cat up in the air, his tail wagging as you scratched behind his ears.

“Toots, that thing looks like it wants ta’ eat Charlie's cat.”

Angel spoke as he stood up from his spot, his long legs stood straight as he crossed his arms.

“Not ta’ mention that thing looks like smiles.”

A pout fell from your lips as you tilted your head up to look at Angel, his tall figure overpowering yours. The cat in your arms was violently shaking as it reached out to Angel, attempting to hurt the poor star.

A hum fell from the shadows as the room filled with a staticy aura, Alastor emerged from the shadows. The radio demon's gaze shifted to his feline copy directly below him, a sudden loud static filled the air as the feline hissed at alastor.

“Salutations my dear! May you please enlighten me on this mysterious creature you have in your arms?”

Alastor's cheery mood was deteriorating by the second, another wave of static filled the room as Alastor glared at the Feline in your arms. The goosebumps appeared on your arms as you felt the powerful tension in the room, the other cat's in the room glared at the strange creature on the floor.

“I don't know what that is but husky and keekee don't seem pleased with it around here.”

Angel-dust worded quietly as he sat at one of the bars stools, an unamused expression on his face as Alastor and the feline had a territorial glare towards each other.

“You're not planning on keeping it, right cher?”

Alastor spoke out, watching as your face shifted into a small pout. Your eyes sparkled as the tension in the room slowly died down.

“Please Alastor! Just let me keep him!”

Alastor's eye twitched as he let out a static like sigh, he knew you could rely on yourself but your decisions and choices leave him a little timid. His shadow transferred from surface to surface as attempted to view the ruckus caused in the room, a transparent smile formed on its face as it landed right next to you.

A subtle meow fell upon your ears, a purr caught your attention as the feline nuzzled itself against your ankle. The shadow beside you turned sour as a raspy growl fell from the faint figure, it's frowning, something you've never seen your partner do before, you noted. Faint footsteps stepped down the staircase, your close friend, Lucifer made himself known as he announced his arrival.

“What is that?”

Lucifer's announcement was quickly cut short as he stared at the poor cat, a whine falling from your lips as the cat vibrated at the sight of Lucifer.

“Aww! He's just like Alastor!”

“Do not compare me to that hideous, disgusting, filthy rat.”

☆☆▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎☆☆

As the skies of hell shifted darker until it was a very dark red, sinners and demons alike began to fall into slumber. You were lying down on bed, a book in hand as you read through the lines and paragraphs of words, the words slowly mixing in together as you felt your eyelids drooping. The quiet purring caught your attention as the cat nuzzled deeper into your chest, a quiet song playing on the radio on your nightstand.

The pyjamas felt comforting and soft against your skin, lying down and relaxing as the cat on top of you let out a quiet meow. You knew Alastor was a busy man, always staying up late to accommodate himself with duties yet to be done, very unorganised for the big bad radio demon, you thought as a soft and delicate yawn fell from you.

Reaching out to the nightstand, you grabbed your bookmark and slid it between the crevice of the book.

Chapter 26

‘A delicate rose in a thorny bush’

You closed your book and gently placed it beside you, on the cold and empty space beside you. While the adorable cat was loafing on top of you, quietly purring as you were deep in thought. At least I'm not alone tonight. A frown creased its way to your face.

“Now, what's the pout for, Cher?”

A hushed voice spoke as your partner emerged from the shadows, Alastor wore his dark red robe that stopped at his ankles, his crimson red hair was tied back as his features glistened in the light that the lamp provided.

“Alastor! You usually don't join me.”

A surprised tone erupted from you as a smile crept up on your face, your hair was slightly messy due to all the events today while your partner's hair was tied back and neat, he was always a tidy man.

Alastor's gaze shifted to the cat on your chest, purring and nuzzling itself against your chest, his expression turned sour and sighed as he shook his head.

“That cat will sleep on the floor.”

Alastor's shadow picked the cat up and placed it on the floor, causing thoe cat to let out a loud, static hiss as it jumped on the bed and made itself comfortable next to you.

“Rat.”

Alastor growled as he made his way right next to him, the once cold space now warm as you made yourself comfortable. You knew your lover wasn't the biggest fan of touches unless he initiates it, so you made your space with your back facing Alastor and closed your eyes.

“Good night, Cher.”

“Good night, Deer.”

☆—--------------------------------------☆