House Lust

"I would change things if I could, and you wouldn't even have to ask for it." It was a fine line that she walked, carefully staying out of the drama while managing the fallout. The Foxwoods were uncontrollable to a fault, but it was their endearing quality as much as it was their most frustrating. The witch didn't hesitate to refill Lust's glass before sitting at his side, laying her head on his shoulder. "We both know how far they would go, honey. Murder and mutiny if people stand in their way." The more frustrating quality, but... it wasn't her problem. She slowly turned the glass in her hands, straightening up so she could look her brother in the eyes. "It's a high possibility, but if it's something that I can't reach, then I will find every damn specialist to fix him."

You're wearing his face, but it's shocking how off you feel.

"I know, honey," the witch said softly. She didn't bring up that it might be too late, that the fuckhead Azriel may have already made his appearance. That's not what the Prince needed. She rose from her seat, moving to a cabinet and drawing out two glasses and a bottle of Pride's good scotch. Placing a glass in front of Lust, she sloshed a hefty amount of liquor into both of the glasses. "Drinking and talking off ledges, you got it, sugar." Taking a sip of the burning liquid, she winced slightly. "His siblings are going to do everything they can to save him, and if anything happens to his body, I'm going to be right there making him right as rain." Bel reached forward, taking his free hand in hers. "He'll come back to you."

Lust nodded his head multiple times as if attempting to convince himself that the Azriel he knew was still the same Azriel he loved. Whose soul he returned, whose company he kept when he really should not have tempted fate. The Prince leaned back further in his chair as his gaze followed the witch, knowing the brother that bottle of booze belonged to, yet not really caring where it came from. "It's as much as I'll ask from you, I swear, Bel." Lust reached for the glass and took a small sip before tipping it back again and draining every last drop. Alcohol scorched, yet, it did not hold the same effect on him as it did others. "That's the slight problem with his siblings, though, is exactly how far to save him?" Did it make a difference when he would pay the same price? "I know you'd fix him up like you always have. There's a possibility Az won't come back whole."

Things look bad now, but we're not down and out yet.

And Azriel's hovering right in the middle of the shit storm.

I heard that Emilia fucked with him from his brother. I'm sorry, babe... I know this can't be easy for you. What do you need right now, Lust? I may not be able to help him right now, but I can help you.

It's just, it's taking everything in me to resist marching into the lion's den and tell him how I really feel before fuckhead Azriel enters the goddamn chat. I'd ask you to strap me to a fucking chair so I won't be impulsive while Gluttony's in manic Hell General mode, but right now...I need a drink. I need my gorgeous healer sister talking me down from physical and emotional disaster.

No one ever sees the less glamorous side of being a healer, which is making an exhaustive list of ingredients I need for whatever bullshit war is around the corner.

Your laundry list of ingredients can wait, Issy, Azriel's about to get seriously fucked and I'm lowkey freaking out because we were just starting to find our footing again.

When have I ever been stupid and done something that defied someone looking to kill me, like my own father as a random example, that could be conveyed as impulsive? This is the King history repeating itself and I can't sweep Azriel away to the farmhouse to wait it out like what I did before. I love him, Gi, I have loved him since the moment he handed over his soul and gave me a life I didn't know you could miss until it's gone. I should've told him that when we reconnected, but I will the moment you rip that son-of-a-bitch from your brother. I won't be impulsive, so spill what you've done so far.

Wow– you can't drop that little tidbit of knowledge and not expect us to talk about that later, because we definitely will.

I had a tingling in my asshole that you would catch that. I'm without shame or regret.

I wouldn't be half the person I am without the people I care for, but... no, it isn't just about Marina.

Little stinker she is, but she's our little stinker. Unfortunately, Marina is now just the beginning of my problems. Not to be dramatic, but starting my tenure as First Mother has been kind of rocky.

You truly care for your own, sweets. And your rockiness isn't merely due to losing a child at the hands of a evil she-bitch goddess? I mean, dramatic is my middle name, Gianna, spill the tea.

You know I will continue to stress over both of you, but I will rely on Josephine to soothe our frazzled brother's brain.

Nothing like a worrywart sister and his hot succubus queen to keep him company.

When the winds of gossip not responsible by my brother and me pick up, I take notice. I heard about the little stinker.

Ugh, don't remind me about our brother's manic phase. He's practically frothing at the mouth, and I have half a mind to stab whoever gave him so much work to do if I weren't distracted by candied deliciousness.

Yeah, that blame lands on his future Knight, a bitch goddess, and the overall threat of realms shattering. Don't stress over Gluttony too much, Hope, I'll just shove Josephine his way and maybe he'll look up.

If Gluttony wasn't in his manic general era, he would be proud of your choice of what satiates your hunger.

Azriel wanted the earth's crust to open up and swallow him whole with every word that he managed to mutter past his numb lips. Emotions weren't ever his strong suit, and admitting he was wrong left a sour taste on his tongue despite the fact that he was well aware it was needed if the bruise the size of his sister's fist that was now faded from his skin was any indicator. "You're being a lot kinder than I would have been in your shoes." That was really one of the main cruxes, wasn't it? When things weren't imploding in their faces, the two of them were able to cohabitate enough that their completely different love languages never clashed. Azriel was aware that he was the more vindictive of the two of them, the most spiteful. Forgiveness wasn't usually in his vocabulary unless it involved his siblings. The witch stood where he was as the Prince stepped closer, closing their distance in a way that should have bothered him after everything, but he simply just... wasn't angry anymore. He was tired. Azriel fidgeted with the screwdriver he'd been using to fix the wiring between his fingers, almost anxiously, before tossing it with the rest of the tools off to the side. "You shouldn't give me my soul back because of what your brothers did, Lust. The things I have to work through because of Envy are on his shoulders." Az knew what the gesture meant, deep down. Releasing the chains that kept him bound to the Princes that he'd resented as someone who hunted them on behalf of the coven, and then became tied to under duress to stay with his siblings. It was unheard of for someone to gain their soul back after selling it, and then after that... there would truly be nothing tying him to the Prince anymore. Azriel frowned at the thought before his lips tilted upward slightly in amusement from the promise. "I won't turn down getting my soul back, Lust, not if it's something you truly want to give back to me. I wasn't ever actually mad at you having it."

Never did get a chance to display it before everything blew up, I guess.

Lust did not know what to say for a long moment while he listened to the speech attentively, the most Azriel has ever spoken apart from the explosive argument that ended their relationship. The honesty, the lack of deadpan sarcasm usually associated with the dream witch, didn't floor him as much as a real apology. He could have joked about the amount of uncomfortable pain it boiled to the surface admitting the fault and forming the words, yet, even that wasn't appropriate. "It's something I'd understood about from the beginning if I opened my eyes and practiced patience even after I knew your childhood. I behaved in an act of desperation because I've been so starved for validation I never had growing up myself or with any relationship I cultivated. It pushed you away. I forgive you, Azriel, how could I not?" The Prince closed their distance when he grew silent, gaze briefly drifting to the ground and finally landing on Az's features, "No amount of sorry will make up for the things I said. I've learned you respond better to action." He breathed a sigh, "My brothers, Envy in particular, have taken enough from you, I just want to give something back. Your soul. It just, it doesn't feel right having it. So," Lust's hesitation was apparent, but he couldn't back down, "If you want it, I can transfer it with a kiss." He can potentially try it Gluttony's way with a simple touch, however, that isn't his nature. "Just a kiss. No sex like before...promise." The demon's heart was pounding unusually quick. Should he even promise that?