#no fluff

[Several hours earlier…]

A manicured finger taps on the screen of their phone, turning on the speaker to play some soft jazz. They then toss the phone over to the glass table, balancing a wine glass full of Boulevardier in one hand, as they relax on a velvety loveseat. They let out a blissful sigh as they view the distant illumination of Agobury in the distance.

Briiiing! Briiiing!

An incoming call breaks the soothing atmosphere, much to this person’s irritation. However, this call isn’t, by any means, unexpected. Half annoyed yet anticipating, they reach over to the nearest table and pick up their phone. “Good to know you’re literate, haha~”

“Really?” asks the voice on the line, exasperated. “I mean, really? I get the secrecy, and all that shit, but jeez!”

“Aww~ You didn’t like my envelope? I picked it out especially for you~”

“Did you have to send it in a rotting corpse? Even I think that’s cruel.”

“Hmm…” This person shifts their phone to the other side of their face. They pucker their lips and say with a haughty baby voice, “But you must understand~ That one was already on the verge of death. Poor thing asked to be used for the greater good, and I simply accepted its request~ Gave it purpose.”

“You-”

A smirk replaces the puckering, and their original tone returns. “Oh, my apologies.” They sigh in a patronizing manner as they look at their manicured nails, admiring how the shimmery blue hasn’t yet chipped despite being painted about a month ago. “Didn’t mean to hit a nerve~”

The sound of grinding teeth can be heard through the phone, spreading this person’s grin wider.

“... You received the payment, right?” asks the voice on the line. “You better leave us alone tonight, or I swear I’ll find you and tear you apart myself!”

This person pauses for a split second before bursting into laughter, sitting up to clutch their stomach. They listen to the voice on the line growl before they answer with a few leftover giggles. “Is that so, little rat?” they say, adding the last part with as much disgust as one would have discovering a corpse covered in maggots.

“Hey hey hey! Who ya calling a rat, ya whale?”

“Considering whales are my territory,” they flick at their nail, “That isn’t really an insult-”

“Oh shut up shut up shut up!”

This person scoffs in amusement before they stand up, and walk around the couch to sashay towards the window spanning from wall to wall. This isn’t the window facing the city, instead it displays a certain cruise ship in the distance centerview. “And all of this trouble. Just for…?”

“I said shut up!”

“You Ermines are such a… Mmm, how do you say…? Ah. Stains upon humanity’s magnificence.”

The voice on the line chooses to ignore this person’s comment. “Until the sun rises, this part of the sea is mine, got it?”

“Oh no, little otter.” They place a hand against the glass, feeling the cool night sea air through it. “All of the sea is and will always be mine, understand? All I can guarantee is that you, and that brother you’re obsessed with, are safe from me and my ocean. Not that you both need it anyway,” they chuckle. “Now others…” They hum. “I suppose I shall see to it that they don’t get in the way. As part of our… arrangement. For now.”

“You better.”

With that, the voice on the line hangs up, just in time for another caller to come in. Despite not having a name on the screen, this person takes no time in answering. “And who might I have the pleasure of speaking to?”

“Verona Marcet, Sovereign of the Port, I demand a temporary alliance.”

This person smirks, eyes wide with an eyebrow raised. “My, my~ Such… audacity. I can’t remember the last time I spoke to a devil…”

-----🔔-----

[In the storage room…]

Had you not received such comforting headpats from the stranger, this uncomfortable potato sack over your head would have aided in your asphyxiation. However…

You jerk your head away. “Don’t touch me,” you snap.

Whatever little oxygen your body managed to finally absorb and transport through your bloodstream into your brain, cleared up your mind and restored your sense of danger.

“Oh! Sorry~” sings the voice. “But you’re welcome~”

You swing a leg towards the stranger, hitting nothing. You immediately fold your legs back to your body as close as possible as you squish your back against the pole using your tied wrists. Whoever this person is, although they aren’t touching you at all, somehow you can tell they are either standing or sitting very close to you. Closer than you prefer at all. 

You attempt to wiggle your arms but the rough material of the ropes only serve to rub painfully against your inflamed skin. “So, um,” you start, an accidental shudder in your voice, “Are you here to help me out or are you here to mess around? ‘Cause if you are, I’ll-”

“Oh, of course I’m here to help you out!” the voice cuts in. “But first let me introduce myself. Hi there, nice to meet you. I’m God.”

…..

You blink. “... You’re what?”

“God?” the voice repeats. “You know, like the Almighty Father? Father of Jesus Christ. Or if you’re not Christian or Catholic or-”

“Listen, I’m not in the mood for any games,” you interrupt. “And God isn’t real,” Couldn’t be. Not in this world anyway.

“Whaaa? Okay, okay.” They clear their throat. “That’s fine, that’s fine. Different religions, right? Uh…” You hear fingers snapping. “Allah.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?” you snap. “By any chance, can you take the sack off my head? It’s kind of hard to breathe.”

“Well… there are a few differences, and also not. But anyway!” Another finger snap. “Ah! Okay, one of the gods.”

Does this person take me for an idiot? “... No.”

“Haha, you got me~” Their voice sounds like they are losing their cool with the pitchiness of their voice. “Such a smart cookie~ Well, ding ding ding, I’m none of the above. Lucky for you, I’m actually an angel!”

… Is this what my life is now? Being stuck with a lunatic? Or am I already dead and this is my hell?

“If God doesn’t exist, angels don’t exist either.”

“What? But…” The voice groans, before perking back up. “Fairy godperson?”

If something hasn’t already snapped inside of you at this point with all of the bullshit you’ve had to endure, this person was getting real close to becoming that one straw.

“Listen. I don’t give a damn about what you are, but if you’re just here to mess around, I’d rather you kill me now or let me go down like that movie about a giant ship that hits an iceberg, okay? So either you’re helping me out, or just leave me the fuck alone. And I swear if you try anything, and I mean anything-”

“Hey, w-wait a second! I didn’t come here to bring any harm to you,” the voice cuts in, placing their hands on your shoulders. “Really.”

If you were in a different situation, you would’ve taken the gesture as comforting. Instead, you shake them off in fear. “I said don’t touch me.”

“Sorry, sorry. Like I said, I don’t mean to hurt you in any way.”

“Oh really?” You roll your eyes, knowing they can’t see them. “Then how about you start with taking off this bag then, if you want to be so helpful?”

“I… I can’t.”

You click your tongue in disappointment. And all that talk about being an angel… Stupid. Why do I have to suffer? you think.

“Hey! I am actually an angel! And the reason I can’t take off that bag is because humans aren’t allowed to actually see us, and you definitely could in this situation because I currently in my physical form and that’s why I can touch you but- but-”

You sigh. “Okay… So what can you do?”

“Well… I could free you and guide you to the top of the deck?”

“I’ll take that.”

“B-but you’ll have to wear the sack over your head the entire time, or else I can’t help you. At all.”

“... Fine.”

-----🔔-----

[Somewhere on the ship’s deck…]

The night air is cool and sweet on this ship amongst these gentle waters, unlike the brewing clouds a distance away. It is a pity that even within the Marcet’s vast dominion, there is nothing that can be done about the skies. Luckily, it will be hours before the storm arrives. Everything is perfect.

Eren smiles fondly in anticipation. When was the last time they’ve met in person, or at all? Since graduation? He sighs blissfully as he looks out across the water. It’s strange to be so far from the city, but he wouldn’t mind if the illuminated silhouette of Agobury was the last thing he sees.

“EREEEEN!”

Eren turns towards the sound of his name and throws his hands out in a welcoming manner. “ERIS!”

CRUSSSHHH!

Eren jumps backwards to escape Eris’s meteor landing, which destroys a large portion of the deck. Eris stands up slowly, eyes blown out, teeth bared in fury.

“WHERE ARE THEY?” he growls.

Eren laughs out loud to the point of shrieking. “IT’S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU! HOW. HAVE. YOU. BEEN!?”

Upon shouting the last word, Eren launches himself and throws a punch. Eris dodges before taking Eren’s arm and flipping him over to slam him down onto the floor. Just in time, Eren slams his feet down to stabilize his body before he utilizes the momentum and grasps onto Eris’s arm. He jumps up and flips over, wrapping his legs around Eris’ neck in a chokehold. Eris takes a few steps back in slight shock and sudden lack of air, and then immediately launches himself backwards to the ground headfirst, taking down Eren with him.

Upon impact, Eren receives a concussion to the back of his head, making him automatically release Eris. Eris rolls away to the left and stops on all fours, coughing for air. When he finally catches his breath, he looks over to find Eren missing.

“HA!”

Eris quickly rolls to the right, just in time to dodge a knife attack from Eren.

“Why. Don’t. You. Just. Stay. Still?” Eren snarls as he unsuccessfully stabs his knife down at Eris with every word.

“I don’t have time for this!” Eris shouts as he continues to dodge.

Eren stops for a few seconds and laughs maniacally. “Nonsense! We have all the time in the world! Just you and me! Just like old times!”

-----🔔-----

[One of the ship’s hallways…]

“Keep moving forward.”

Your fingers slide against the cool surface of the metal wall as you navigate through the hallways blindly, occasionally brushing over door frames and door handles to empty rooms. Through the tiny patches of the sack, you can make out vague blocks of light and shadow. Regardless, it’s not like you can see anything. You thank whatever bit of luck your stars have that the psychopathic little brother of Eris chose to go with a cruise ship, considering you could’ve had less space to hide. It’s just a fancy hotel in the water, right?

“Stop.”

You press your back against the wall as you hear the sound of heavy boots— a few patrolling guards passing by. It seems like there is no one on this ship, except for you, Eris’s lunatic brother, and the numerous patrol guards.

Oh, and that fake angel.

“Would you—

“Aish!” you harshly whisper with a jolt. Having an invisible entity whispering right into your ear from behind really makes your heart skip a beat, and not a good way.

Sorry, sorry. Would please stop calling me a fake angel?” the stranger whispered.

“Then-” You cut yourself off, fearful of the guards picking up your voice. Instead, you make two fists in front of your chest and make them nod, before pointing yourself, and then splaying out with your fingers with a folded thumb and tapping the side of your index finger against your chin perpendicularly.

“Oh. Yeah, you can talk now. No one’s here.”

You lift up the potato sack outwards to breathe properly. “If you’re really an ‘angel’, shouldn’t you talk to me telepathically? The guards will hear you.”

“Ah nah. It’s fine~ Only you can hear my voice.”

At this, the voice suddenly shouted, making you jolt and launch a punch towards where you believe the source is. Of course, your punch lands against thin air.

Why??

“See? Nobody except you. Also~ I’ve made myself invisible, so no one can see me either.”

“.....”

“.....”

“.....”

“(Y/n)?”

“Then why the hell am-”

You feel a hand slap over the potato sack back over your mouth, just as you hear more heavy boots pass by.

"Thought I heard something," one guard mutters.

"Probably one of the rats," the other replies, voice bored.

After they leave, the sensation of the hand disappears and you hear the stranger release a sigh of relief.

“It’s so in case I need to help you out. Physically,” the stranger explains. “And if you see me, even for just a brief second, I’ll have to leave.”

You make a gesture of confusion.

“Yep. I know. It’s weird. I’ll explain it when we have the time. Anyway, go forward until you reach the end of the hall and then go left.”

You head left at the end of the hallway.

“Left.”

Every time your shoulder clips a wall as you turn or accidentally almost trip over yourself, your breath hitches, and you have to resist the urge to swear, lest you accidentally alert any guards of your presence.

“Left.”

That’s a lot of lefts… you think suspiciously.

“I know, but I assure you this is the right way.”

Okay…

You turn left. You slightly cringe as each one of your steps make the floors groan. Down here, in the ship’s underbelly, it’s all waterlogged silence, accompanied by the the scent of old carpets and metal.

“Stop. Crouch down.”

You freeze just before you reach the end of a corner and immediately obey. Two sets of boots pad by, just as your pulse jumps into your throat.

After a moment or two, the stranger commands, “Okay. Go forward! Quickly! Up the stairs.”

You move, hands out in front of you as you scramble up the stairs. You lunge forward, find the handle, twist. You don’t know how much luck you’ve been using, but the door swings open. You then shut it behind you, back pressed tightly to the cool wall.

“Right turn coming. Count four steps. Then stop.”

You count in your head. Each step, a beat in your ribs. At four, you stop. Silence swells. You strain to hear anything—anything—but there’s nothing. No engines. No hum. Has this ship been anchored?

“There’s a guard down the next corridor. He’s not looking your way. Walk fast, but don’t run. No hesitation. Go.”

Your hands shake, but you move. One hallway gives way to another. The carpet changes color beneath your feet—you guess red, maybe. The air grows colder. Cleaner. You begin to feel more of the rocking of the waves around this large metal vessel.

“Good,” the voice murmurs. “Now keep going. The stairwell is two doors down. You’re almost there.”

You swallow, nodding.

-----🔔-----

[On the ship’s deck…]

Eren swings a fist, only for Eris to grasp it and throw him down onto the floor. Before Eren can get up, Eris climbs over him and wraps his fingers around his brother’s neck.

Eren smiles and cackles while being choked, clawing at Eris’s arm. “Do it! Do it!” he badgers.

Eris grits his teeth angrily as he squeezes his fingers tighter and tighter, watching Eren’s slowly eyes roll back.

Bam!

You slam open the door, gasping for air. The two pause and look over in confusion. The second you throw the suffocating potato sack off, Eris’s face breaks into pure ecstasy as he lays eyes on you, immediately releasing Eren’s neck and running over like a long lost puppy.

“My love! Are you okay?” he shouts as he makes his way over, arms stretched out. Your eyes go wide just as his fingers are just a hair away. “You-”

Just when he makes it over to you, a knife appears right through the left side of his chest. Eris looks down in confusion as he uncontrollably spits out a mouthful of blood. Red spills down his front like an uncorked bottle of wine.

“HahAhaAHaha! What are you doing? You don’t just leave in the middle of a fight,” Eren mocks from behind, twisting the knife deeper into Eris.

Eris looks back up to you with scrunched eyebrows and reaches out for you, as if soundlessly telling you to look away just before his body collapses onto you. Eren quickly grabs him by the shoulders and throws him out of the way, swiftly getting behind you and wrapping his arm around you to point the knife to your neck. You pressed your nails in his arm, trying to kick backwards at his shins, only becoming still when the sharp object makes a shallow cut in your skin.

“Hey hey hey, Eris!” Eren calls out to Eris, who struggles on the ground to keep his eyes on the both of you as blood pours through between his fingers on his chest. “Lookie here! If you don’t-

BANG!

“EREN!” Eris screams.

For half a second, you’re fearfully looking at Eris’s face. In the second half, the side of your face is covered with chunks of flesh and blood. The arm wrapped around you loosens and the pressure against your neck disappears. You hear the echo of the clatter of the knife on the ground and a heavy thump behind you. The side of your face feels wet and hot and wet and slimy and hot. You place a hand on it and bring it to the front. Your hand is stained with red. You begin to hear a pounding in your eyes as your mind tries its best to register what you’ve just witnessed. Eris’s wide eyes and open mouth doesn’t help at all. Do you even dare turn around, when you can imagine what you’ll find?

Then you hear it. A loud whipping sound above you, cutting the air. A helicopter. And a familiar face. A very, very familiar face getting closer and closer and closer.

“(Y/n)!”

You freeze. It’s her. It’s her.

No.

NO.

Lyn hops off the helicopter before it properly lands on the remnants of the destroyed deck, and paces towards you with the coldest smile you have ever witnessed in your life. The edge of her suit flicks in the turbulent air, but nothing slows her down on her way to you.

She stands just a few feet away from you. “(Y/n),” she says, greeting you lovingly, though her red eyes are anything but peaceful.

You take a step back. She takes a step forward. You take another step back.

“Don’t-” She closes her eyes for a moment, softening her voice and look. “Don’t… try to run. I am only here to help you.”

You shake your head, unable to speak with your throat closing up.

She sighs. You both know that you’d rather still be threatened by that lunatic Eren earlier than be safe in her arms.

She doesn’t care. She’s tired of caring anymore.

“You know… I really… really wanted you to live… happily. Without me,” she struggles to say, taking another step closer. “I really did, but…” She shrugs nonchalantly. “The situation has changed. If I just continue to leave you alone, all you do is just end up in situations like these because of people like him.”

She glares down at Eris, who weakly attempts to stop her by holding onto her leg. She simply shifts her foot out of reach and adjusts her suit jacket. “It’s time to go home, (Y/n). Let’s go.”

Out of the corner of your eye, you spot the nearest rail of the ship.

You’ve never touched a single drop of Agobury’s waters, but everyone around has always warned you about how unforgiving these waters were. You can hear the heavy waves as they crash against the ship, just as the storm comes closer and closer. If you were to… you wouldn’t survive.

It is either that or leave with the devil back to hell. For a moment, you think about the irony in how this is the second time you’ve been forced into choosing between these two options whenever you’re in a desperate situation with your ex. But anyhow, your body moves before your head can fully turn.

Unfortunately, Lyn catches you and slams you back onto the floor, away from the rails. You muster a glare up at her.

She sighs heavily. “(Y/n), sweetheart. I’m sorry, I… Tch… ” She climbs over you and easily catches your wrists when you attempt to punch her. “Can’t you just…”

 She turns to her men waiting at the helicopter and jerks her head, signalling them to come over. Struggle all you like, you end up bound in restrictive gear like an asylum patient again and carried into the helicopter before it takes off. You look back at Eris, finding his hand outstretched towards you as he lays in a pool of his blood. His brother lays near, as a headless heap.

You open your mouth to shout against the loud whirring of the helicopter, but your voice only manages to come out in hollow whimpers. “Please… H-help him… Please…”

Lyn, sitting right next to you, looks out the other window.

Tears begin to form in your eyes as yet another life is taken.

Because of you.

.

.

.

.

.

-----🔔-----

[….. ?]

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Black eyes pop right open and he sits up straight, as if his head hadn’t just been blown to bits earlier. He turns towards where Eris’s body should be, only to find it missing. Then he turns to the person wearing a blue dress fit for an award ceremony as they clap slowly like they’re in the middle of an empty theater.

“My, my. So I take it you didn't get what you wished for?” Verona taunts.

Eren stares at them blankly for a moment or so. And then he moves, slashing through the air with his knife, which Verona dodges easily.

“Now, is that any way to greet the owner of these waters?”

“You didn’t keep your end of the deal!” Eren growls.

Verona shakes their head the way a parent would at a child throwing a tantrum. “Oh no, no. You’re mistaken. I most certainly did keep my end of the deal as promised. However, I do apologize. When a devil calls, one must always answer.” They sigh pitifully, though Eren knows it’s fake. “I wish I could've honored our agreement but I must follow my heart, and my heart follows the highest bidder. Do you think owning the ocean is something just anyone can do for free? Please…”

Eren grits his teeth, readying his knife for another attack.

Verona wiggles their finger. “Ah, ah, ah~ Kill me and this whole Treaty falls apart. And what would your brother think of you?”

“It would be one less thing to worry about, for the both of us.”

“Sure,” they shrug. “But honestly, shouldn’t you make better decisions? I know your parents made you better than this. A word of advice, hm? How about it?”

Eren turns away, planning on not listening.

“Hey, I’m giving advice for free,” Verona snaps.

Eren stops and raises an eyebrow.

“Think about it. If your dear older brother is more focused on that elusive (Y/n), then rather than taking them as a hostage or threatening their lives, why don’t you get closer to them instead?”

“... What’s in it for you?”