#demonstigma

"I mean. My preference would be that no one is covered in blood, but I know my audience.”

A pause.

Sens'adi aka alrah fa'eeki madn ra-ak aft adiis.

Howard fell onto his knees, forced to stare at the abandoned well in front of him. His arms and legs were bound -- unnecessarily so, it wasn't as if he was going to run or anything -- and helplessly he listened as Malena chanted at the lectern.

He was amply briefed on this mission. It was, quite honestly, pretty fucking crazy, and that there was no fucking way this is ever going to work. I mean, opening the GODDAMN PORTAL TO HELL so he could DELIVER A MESSAGE TO A DEMON? They're vampires, sure, and they have vampy shit going like fangs and super strength and flight and suggestion. But demons, bro?? Demons?? Surely, surely that's just outside of the realm of reality.

Like, okay. He'd seen goblins, right. Stout and mischievous with a foul mouth. But they exist, with their, like, biology and genes. So do trolls (like Dad), and werewolves (stinky frat boys in Yup! club down at the Pulse marina). Hell? What is hell anyway?

Not being funny, and not being disrespectful or anything, if there's a higher plane being who could hear this train of thought, but what is hell?

Oh well, worse comes to worst, he was going to faceplant at the bottom of a really, really manky old well.

Hm... To use the cute face or not to use the cute face. Which one will decrease my chances of getting killed most? Was he listening? Half. Chin-handsing his way through it and nodding, lips pursing in an exaggerated expression. But Kage's request for reciprocation did not fall upon deaf ears!

"Jeeze, ma cherie. Buy me dinner first," he teased, grinning fiendishly. He had no intention to tell this man what he was, rather to show. It was more fun that way. Did devils get as surprised as humans when meeting nightfolk? In Loux's experience, the answer was an unfortunate and resounding no, but perhaps this one would be different. Can't win if you don't play. Maybe gambling does run in the family. "Name's Loux. Got a lotta titles though."

He tilted his head then and held out his arms, skin and bone bubbling and popping like tomato soup allowed to boil too long, roiling beneath the surface as his features shifted and changed, champagne blond darkening to black, stormy gray turning gold, taller, bigger, muscular and--an entirely different person the next moment. Then another. Going through all the faces he'd saved up over the years without ever having to move a muscle, and perhaps finishing with all the parts of him he hid most from all - his tail and ears, fox in nature and fluffy and odd all the same, wearing his cutest face. He trusted the other could understand what he was getting at - face-eater, shape-changer. Entirely non-human himself.

He was only observant as he was because he already knew, somewhat, what to look for. Or at least, where to look. Smell. Wait-

Coming back to his private office in the Order of Hermes' headquarters and finding Kage there had stopped being a surprise. What Sebastián found truly remarkable was how Kage always showed up whenever he was having a difficult day. He had just walked out of an awful trial where he was unable to prove a corrupt archmage was a danger to society for its affiliation with a genocidal vampire sect... To say he needed a pick me up would be an understatement.

Did Kage know? Why was he here unannounced? Was the demon even aware of the way his presence made the mage's heart skip a beat?

Usually, Sebastián would scold him from appearing in the very building of an Order who would hunt him just for being a demon. Today? Today Bas merely closed the door behind him and started walking closely.

"you are not who i answer to."

It is a simple answer, but not one that entirely negates the request. It does not understand the niceness Kage insists he speaks with, it understands very little in the way of emotion. In the grander scheme of things, it understands very little, only that it was created for a purpose and its purpose does not lie with Kage.

It views Kage neutrally, however, not as an enemy. Not as something to be hated, but something that would always come to be. There can be no good without evil.

It makes a soft noise, almost akin to the cooing of a pigeon, hands twitching at its sides. It is unsure how to continue. It is unsure of what is being unsaid here. It is unsure of so much and it does not care for the feeling.

It takes him a moment of inclining his head and tilting it to the side to rewind over his own words, gaze flicked to the side and upward in thought. Ah, right. THAT'S what he'd said that had set Kage off.

'Let me finish this last thing and I'll be free.'

There was always one more thing to finish with Clark. There was always more work. Yes, he could adjust his schedule to accommodate whatever or whoever he needed to, but the fact remained that he was never NOT entangled up in some business. Clark Thompson never had a clear schedule, not really.

❝ Okay, fair. Fine. What would you have me say instead then, Kage? So I'll always have more work to do. Alright. That doesn't mean I can't put it aside if you need my attention. ❞

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐆𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒. ⁂ @demonstigma said: " i don't tell lies like you do, at least not so convincingly. "

❛ 𝐈'𝐌 𝐆𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐆 to take that as a compliment. ❜ the vampire spawn says haughtily, chin tipping up in an expression of vague disdain at other's comment. he isn't sure what kage had meant by it, but it doesn't matter ― astarion reads it as an insult, & so takes it as a compliment. it's simple logic, really. ❛ there are many advantages to knowing how to lie. you really ought to learn. ❜ he mocks other with slightly cheery tone, crimson eyes narrowed & showing true thoughts ― he isn't one to take an insult lightly, & if other doesn't clear this up, a grudge may indeed be held. it certainly isn't looking like astarion will want to share any of his spoils of the day, in any event. ❛ i don't lie about everything. there are moments for honesty. but it isn't the bogeyman that you're making it out to be. i don't do it that often. ❜ that in itself is a lie, one that astarion knows can be counteracted upon if kage so wishes. he does love a good challenge, but when it comes to his self-esteem, he wishes other would leave the subject alone. ❛ honestly, kage. you're acting like a child. ❜