#lofty: executor

Anpassen on his culinary adventure!

(Okay! So this took a bit longer because Mod Sei from Els-Imagines and I decided (before this whole mod ship thing went down) to do this ask as a collab! They helped me by writing the middle part, so thanks, @ainchaseseiker!)

“Arme, it’s just a vase of flowers! I want to cheer up his day!” 

“I will not allow you to give it to him,” Arme raised a hand. “Hand over the flowers.

“Never! I gathered these for him!” Emotion held the vase to his chest and looked away. “I want to see the look of happiness on his face when he gets them!”

“He never will, at least not from your hands.” Arme took a step closer and reached the hand he had raised previously out to him. “Hand them over.”

“B-But I said I wanted to give them to him myself, I-”

“I said hand them over!”

“No! I’ll give them to him myse-”

Crash!

“Arme! Why would you do that?!” Emotion stared with big eyes at the shattered vase on the ground in front of him. In his left hand, Arme held a projection sword while he stared at the other angel with somewhat of a glare. 

“I told you. I will not let you take him from me.” Arme’s voice was low, dangerous, almost like a threat. He was tense and didn’t move from his spot, his back straightened and his head high, as expected from the left hand of the Goddess. Emotion, on the other hand, seemed more relaxed and light, his movements more natural and swift, like a leaf being blown in the wind. He let out a sigh and crouched down, starting to pick up the bigger shards of glass.

“You’re mean, Arme… I just wanted to make him smile…” Emotion pouted childishly and threw the shards in the trash. “Now, the flowers are gonna wilt unless I get a new vase…”

When Mochi started cleaning up the second round of shards, Apostasia came out of his room, pausing when he saw the mess. It was as if he expecting an answer, but Apostasia being Apostasia, he probably rather wouldn’t know.

“Ah! Sorry, Apos…” Emotion laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head. “I brought you flowers, but Arme didn’t like the vase so he destroyed it.” It was the best excuse he could make up on the spot, but as long as Apostasia believed it, it was good enough. Apostasia just nodded and crouched in front of Mochi. He opened his mouth for a second, probably to offer him his help, but seemed to change his mind before he did so and got up again, walking past the two angels and outside.

Emotion and Arme just watched them go, falling silent until several seconds until Apostasia was out of their field of sight. When that moment came, they just stared back at each other.

“Do you think he’s onto us?”

“I’d have no idea. That guy is unreadable.”

“Ah! Ain, what are you doing?” Anpassen hopped over to Ain, wearing his usual wide smile. Ain smiled at him, holding an open suitcase with several notes and sheets in front of him.

“I heard this is what humans call “betting! You put money or anything on which you think the possible outcome will be, and if you win, you take it all.”

“Oh! That sounds amazing!” Anny’s eyes sparkled and he clapped his hands togehter. “Can I participate? What are you betting on?!”

“On who will conquer Apostasia’s heart!”

“I’ll bet an El Shard on… Emotion!” Anpassen hopped up and down excitedly. Ain nodded and started taking a few notes with a soft smile.

“You’re still going on about that?” Executor appeared from the kitchen, holding a glass of water in his hands. He didn’t look amused at all. Anny pouted a little and looked at him.

“You don’t like the idea? I think it could be fun!”

“No. It’s immature and dumb.”

“Executor, you placed three El shards on Arme.” Ain intervened, looking slightly thrown off by Executor’s words.

After Ain’s intervention, the room fell into an awkward silence.

“…Hey, where’s Wanderer?” Anny asked after a while. 

Ain and Executor just shrugged and left.

Arme sucks a breath through his teeth, clenching his hands into fists. Apostasia was sitting silently in the grass, idly playing with the green plants.

Silently he sits next to the corrupted celestial.“ Hello Apos..” he greets calmly despite his racing heart, watching the other out of the corner of his eye.

 Apos doesn’t respond, only nodding in acknowledgement as he continues to toy with his grass. Arme found himself taking in the celestial’s appearance, specifically his hair. 

 Without thinking, Arme reached over and ran his hand through Apos’ hair. The corrupted celestial froze and tensed up, looking at him with wide eyes.

“Arme.” His name left Apos’ lips in a breathy whisper.“ What are you doing?”

Arme keeps staring seriously amidst the slow red rising up his cheeks as he starts using bith hands to brush Apos’ hair.

“Come closer so I can remove the tangles.”Yes, he did feel irked at the sight of Apos’ messy hair but hey, at least he could get near the celestial. Apos hesitates, but the usual hard look in Arme’s eyes (that he still wasn’t used too) made him relent. 

 He scoots so he’s sitting in front of Arme with his back turned to him. Arme hums and starts sombing his fingers through Apos’ hair. 

…Arme was gentle, it surprised Apos as he closes his eyes to the feeling of Arme gently combing his hair with his fingers. 

 Arme feels a small smile twitch on his face  when he sneaked a look on Apos and saw the celestial’s peaceful face. He took a lock of hair between his fingers and absentmindedly pressed it to his lips.

Cuto sends a victorious smirk to Anpa who gasps and pouts at him.“ Arme is going to win.” Cuto declares proudly. 

 Anpa shakes his head adamantly.“ No! Erblu is!” He retorts before he felt a hand on his back, same for Cuto. 

 "Now now,“ Ain repriminds smoothly.” No fighting you two.“ He turns his back to pat Lowa and takes out a notebook from his pocket. He scribbles something on it before snapping it shut. 

 Arme: 1 Erblu: 0?

“Wonder?” Mochi smiled and peeked into Apostasia’s dark room, holding a blanket in his arms.

“I told you, it was Wanderer, not Wonder…” Apos’s voice was quiet as he stared right ahead at the wall. “Leave.”

But Emotion hummed and hopped instead, his footing so light he might as well have been a nymph. “Don’t lock us out like that… Come on! Do you wanna feed the ducks with me?” He put the blanket around the fallen angel and nuzzled his cheek. “Some ravens might come too!”

Apostasia was non-responsive.

“Wonder…?” He moved back a little and looked down at him. He kept quiet for a moment, thinking, then straightened up, a smile spreading across his face. “Oh! I know! We can just play hide and seek in the dark!”

Still, no reaction from Apostasia. Mochi saddened a little and decided that maybe it was better if they just relaxed. Wonder didn’t really seem to be in the mood to play. He exhaled deeply as he cuddled up to the other, putting his arms around him.

A small smile crept across his face again.

“This is nice…” He whispered, glancing up at him. Apostasia finally looked back down at him. His face was lank, but he certainly didn’t look angry. Was it maybe that he enjoyed his presence?

Nevertheless, Apostasia’s gaze seemed to cheer up Mochi. He had done the right thing by coming.

“Ah…! There you are!” He reached out and pinched his cheek, brimming with joy. “You’re so cute!”

Apostasia looked at him for a bit longer, but finally couldn’t help himself and cracked a small smile.

Nevertheless, Mochi had already gone back to cuddling the fallen angel, his eyes closed, and didn’t notice.

“That was cute…” Anny, who had been watching the scenario unfold with his brothers, commented with a smile. “See? Emotion is gonna win!” 

“Don’t get your hopes up.” Exe rested his face in his hand, almost as if in a tired facepalm. “These results aren’t conclusive.”

“I don’t think Apos is going to make up his mind… I don’t even know if he wants them…” Wanderer rubbed his eyes sleepily.

Ain was just messing around with his notebook and his suitcase, trying to keep up with everything going on.

“Ah! Has anyone seen my pencil!”

“I can lend you my multicolor pen!” Anny chirped, handing him the writing tool. It was covered in rainbows and ladybugs and flowers. Executor groaned in embarassment.

“Why did you have to be MY brother?” He complained. Anny just smiled and patted his head like an animal.

“You still love me.”

“No I don’t.”

“Yes you do. Executor, stop it; you’re making Wonder cry.”

“I’m not crying?” Wanderer commented, a bit startled at being dragged into the argument.

“Shush, Wonder. I’m trying to get Exe to admit that he loves us.” Anny smiled at him.

Ain had just scribbled down something in his notebook with his new pen.

Arme: 1 Erblu: 1