#wither writes

Cutting through the soothing silence with your voice was never your goal, but the curiosity burning within you had become unbearable, though it would seem that the male didn't mind having his peace disturbed.

Upon hearing the melodious sound, the yaksha turned his intense gaze away from the face of the mortal sitting beside him and raised his head as he tried his best to formulate a satisfactory answer to quench that thirst for knowledge. From your point of view though, it seemed like he was searching the moon for an answer.  

And you had to admit— the sight before you was breathtaking, to the point where you no longer wished for an answer, but rather for him to take his time in getting one.

"I would say that the taste of Almond Tofu bears the most resemblance." He muttered after a few moments of silence, letting his amber gaze land on your relaxed form.

You, despite not having your curiosity quenched, chose to settle for that answer. You do not wish to further stir up the memories he had let settle into the dust and put aside for as long as he could. And precisely because of that thoughtfulness reserved for him and only him, you never got to hear the last part of his answer. It did not help that the adeptus was too shy to let it slip past his lips, so it truly was a shame.

He had missed the best opportunity to let you know that even though the answer he gave you was one he’s held for centuries, it wasn’t until recently that it had changed to ‘you’. You, the brave yet silly little human, had become the very epitome of ‘sweet dreams’.

Having consumed them for centuries, the adeptus was no stranger to them. You knew, better than anyone else aside from Rex Lapis, that he was painfully familiar with the sweetness forced upon him. What may seem like intangible, abstract fantasies to most have become a source of eternal guilt and pain for the darling, so for him to share his favourite dish with another was indeed a sign of unwavering and complete trust.

After all, almond tofu is well-known for its dreamy texture. One would be deceived into thinking that such a dessert would be tooth-rottingly sweet, and while it was, it was not nauseatingly so. Not to mention it had a subtle texture, like it was there and not at the same time. However, he could feel it on his tongue, in his mouth, down his oesophagus. He could feel it’s weight and knew that the entire plate belonged to him and only him. It was something he could own and consequently trap in his cruel grasp forever. Once it was devoured, it would fully become one with him. (get it?)

You, on the other hand, were not property to be owned, nor sustenance to be consumed. He knew very clearly is more than willing to accept that, which is why consent is important to him. That aside, he’d sometimes feel as if you were sand slipping through his fingers.

Incorporeal, intangible, immaterial; like the sweetest dream he’s ever had. Granting him satisfaction and fullness before dissipating the next second.

You had free will; you could leave anytime. Despite your reassurances, his worries never ceased. Were you truly staying out of your own free will? He did not dare believe you were. You could have very well spent your days frolicking the streets of Liyue or even other nations. There was and still is a bright future ahead, one full of friends new and old and tales untold. He had nothing allowing him to compete with that abundance – the adepti never needed mortal necessities.

He had nothing worthy of your companionship, nothing he could offer.

And while that was partially the reason behind his hesitance, it was definitely not the main one, not the one you knew deep down.

You see, you have always been aware of your limited lifespan, as had Xiao. Ultimately, that was the very matter that had stopped Xiao from confessing to you, and consequently, accepting the heart that you handed to him on a gold platter.

One who has lived as long as he has would more or less be wary about establishing any sort of relationships with mortals, much less romantic ones. If personally watching one's lover grow old and wither while time stood still for them was as painful as they said, he feared he'd lose his sanity.

After all, he's already lost his four beloved comrades, the closest he’s ever gotten to having a family. And oh Archons did it hurt, so he's sure that the pain of losing you would make him drive his spear into his heart, if only to stop it from hindering his duties.

However, one should take caution not to mistake his fear for regret. He may be afraid of the control your very existence holds over his emotions, but Archons above if he wasn't elated – albeit hesitant – to accept the love you're willing to spare a being like him. Granted, he's voiced his worries to you before, trying to scare you away with his usual warnings and icy demeanor, but you never seem to fear the karma that swirled around him like a swarm of locusts.

Rather, it made you even more determined to serve him your heart on a gold platter, and it honestly made him concerned about your mental state.

It wasn't very often for a karma-bound being like himself to have living creatures willing to approach him, so he contemplated taking you to Bubu Pharmacy and having Baizhu check that little noggin of yours. Unexpectedly, his attempt ended with a confession of his plans when you got too fed up with him trying to feed you herbal concoctions that had you scrunching your nose in distaste.

“Darling, pray tell, what is this?”

“Tea, brewed from herbs known for nourishing the brain.”

A splutter resounded through the room, followed by the hurried fishing of tissue paper. The man had reached you before the sound of him cutting through the air had. And here he was, plopping himself next to you, on his bed, wiping the tea around your lips. Coughing into your fist to hide your embarrassment, your eyes darted to his concentrated face, and a chuckle had escaped you before you knew.

Oh, good Morax above, his little human had gone insane. Who in Teyvat laughs after choking on tea? Surely, he was not the cause of your laughter? Melodious and enchanting as it was, it did not do much in easing his concern and consequently, fretting over you.

“Are you alright? Bursting into laughter after choking on a beverage is hardly wise or beneficial.” He chided gently, huffing when you shot him a goofy grin.

“I’m fine.” You whined, latching onto his arm like a koala to a tree, “Besides, what are these even for?”

“…It would not hurt to nourish your brain.” He uttered, too lost in your gorgeous eyes to notice what he had spoken. It wasn’t until your offended gasp reached his ears and a gentle boop landed on his nose did he focus his attention back on you. “My brain is completely fine! Loving and staying with you is the smartest decision I’ve ever made. And mind you, it will always be! So no more of this self-deprecating talk alright?” His fingers were then intertwined with yours, the warmth of your palm directly transferring to his now that his pesky glove was not in the way.

Wait a minute.

...When had you removed his glove?

A sigh escaped his lips. The only thing he could do was to keep an extra eye out for this silly little human who had no respect for the adepti whatsoever. But then again, he was the one letting you disrespect him in all ways others would never dare dream of, so technically speaking he had no one but himself to blame.

A soft sensation on his cheek lead to his gaze flitting over to you. By the time he had finished buffering though, the touch was gone, swiftly and silently as the wind. His fingers gently grazed the patch of skin that your lips had latched onto, and he was back to loading again. Upon seeing this, you let yourself laugh, the giggles making his bottom lip jut out into a pout.

Goodness gracious, you really had no respect for the adepti. Even so, Xiao still settled for pulling you close and shutting you up with a revengeful kiss. Catching you off-guard just as you thought you had the upper hand was no less satisfying than seeing you blush and slowly melt into the sweetness. Nevertheless, he nipped your lip once in warning, deciding to add one more for good measure before pulling away. After all, this was a punishment and not a reward, he couldn’t have you enjoying it too much now, could he?

Then of course you were going to seek out each adepti as if you were Tang Sanzang (the monk) in Journey to the West and spitting the most blasphemous bars you could.

Was it really a punishment though? Your flushed cheeks and dazed expression begged to differ. If such a delicious exchange was your punishment for disrespect to the adepti then…

However, you completely forgot that your lovely birb knew you like the back of his hand. He’s learnt to read this eccentric human over the years and there’s no way he was going to save you from his fellow adepti.

…Perhaps a gentle flick to the forehead would be enough, he thinks. So, he gifted you one.

“Ow! You’re so mean!”

“Do not go around disrespecting the adepti. I will not be saving you from them.”

“Hmph, I can handle myself very well thank you!”

His criminal offensive, bombastic side-eye made you toss your plans into the bin, but you knew that those golden jewels will only ever hold love and respect for you.

Given his stern and emotionless facade, you, like any other human, thought that the yaksha was untouchable. His status as the revered Conqueror of Demons, the Guardian Yaksha, and an outstanding adepti most definitely did not help that stigma. Hence, despite his ethereal looks that render any mortal swooning, you weren't too confident about being able to insert yourself into his life in hopes of capturing his attention, much less his heart.

Yet, it was not always the case (in your humble opinion).

Besides, the Traveller was also an amazing friend, helping you out whenever you needed and in return, you’d help with materials, supplies or cooking. Whenever the adventurous pair were too busy, they’d request for your help in delivering medicinal herbs to Xiao, which Zhongli eventually caught wind of. Seeing as you were entrusted with such a sensitive task, the brunette was reassured of your character and eventually delegated the task of delivery to you.

In the end, there was not much to an ordinary mortal like you, was there? You weren’t the Traveller; just someone akin to a negligible NPC on the side of the street. But you were happy, content even. It wasn’t very often that smiles graced the Conqueror’s face, so to have seen such an ethereal sight in your lifetime was more than enough. Of course, you interacted with him whenever you could, settling for his politeness. His voice was incredibly soothing and if you could make an ASMR out of it, you would.

Were you happy? Not at all.

Because that was the understatement of the millenium. The personification of your internal thoughts was practically jumping for joy, over the moon even. This opportunity finally fell into your hands and there was no way you weren’t going to cherish it. Anyone who wanted it would have to pry it out of your cold hands.

…If they manage to even win anyway.

Just kidding, you weren’t the type to get violent unnecessarily. Your elation was undeniably true though, growing when the visits became a routine belonging to only the both of you. Throughout the months, you watched as his guard lowered bit by bit, and he witnessed you coming more and more out of your shell.

In a sense, you were sunlight and Xiao was the water to the seed. When you were chattering away about the interesting encounters you’ve had, you shone brightly. When you were chill, a soothing sort of warmth was provided instead. The energy you brought fluctuated but was never absent, just like the Sun.

On the other hand, his quiet but comforting understanding seeped into the soil, silently assisting its growth behind the scenes.

Necessary, essential, but easy to overlook.

You’d always notice it though, always see his reciprocation.

With your combined efforts, your friendship slowly blossomed, nourished by the vulnerability of the conversations held and the time you willingly spent on each other. As much of a shame it was, him not falling for you was by no means his fault. It just wasn’t meant to be. But at the very least, you could still leave a tiny mark in his long life, even if out of human selfishness.

You also never knew why the Traveller would randomly give you mysterious smiles or looks of exasperation, as if there was something you should have noticed or known but didn’t. You were then often left alone with Xiao during mealtimes, excuses flowing like rivers while a flailing Paimon was dragged away by the blonde.

Poor Paimon, she never got to take away the leftovers. But she’ll live, so that’s not the point.

How could you be blamed though? It was not known to you, but the clear heart had long been in your grasp. The crystalline organ, left behind by the one who devoured malicious dragons and was consequently engulfed by an inferno, had been unknowingly, gingerly, slipped into your open palms. It thumped ever so slightly between your fingertips, softly beating the rhythm of love into yours.

Worry not though, for fate seemed to ship the both of you. You had thankfully noticed his secret admiration early on and took initiative, so at least there were decades you could spend with him. It may have been but a fleeting moment compared to his lifespan, you were nonetheless content.

He had seen you thrive and flourish. How you’d go about your day-to-day life with an impressive yet stubborn sort of determination, ready to overcome any obstacle. Bearing witness to how you peered into his soul from his eyes, your heart knocking on the door to his and inviting it to a romantic waltz. He may not know when exactly he fell for you, but he knows that he’s never getting back up. You were and are the one battle he’d gladly surrender to, even if it did take you some time to see that.

You had called for him atop Wangshu Inn on that birthday of his, a gift in hand. Despite having turned away certain visitors (like a certain funeral director), he discovered that he could never do the same to you. Seeing your disappointment hurt him far more than any injuries would, but your joy on the other hand was a salve in itself.

…It would not hurt to follow his heart on this day, would it?

With that, he appeared behind to you, the embrace of a breeze giving him away. You looked stunning that day, the moonlight bathing you in the most enchanting glow he’s ever seen. The effort you had put into your appearance was clear as day, not a single detail escaping his eyes. The traditional ornaments matched his, the colours blending smoothly to create an other-worldly mix of yours and his.

You matched him, but never lost yourself.

Naturally, it wasn’t the same for his gift. It was wrapped neatly, the gold popping against the dark emerald green. Anyone taking a look would instantly recognize its receiver – precisely the giver’s intention.

“Happy birthday. May your birthdays always be spent in happiness and bliss, your existence celebrated and loved, your success and life smooth and obstacle-free, and hopefully your love life include me.”

It’s been an unfathomably long time since he last received such well-wishes, much less the last part. Did he really hear you correctly? You wanted his love life to include you? Was it what he thought it was?

Was he allowed to acknowledge what you had just said?

“Ahem. Your blessings have been received and are much appreciated, as is your present. Tonight is especially chilly; take care not to catch a cold.” He uttered, inviting you to take a seat. “Are you not going to talk about what I’ve just said or did you not hear?” You pressed on, careful not to scare your sweet bird away. You couldn’t let him teleport away during such an important moment, could you? Your hands may already be clammy from the nervousness, but you had to get an answer tonight.

You felt his sharp gaze on you and considered salvaging what’s left of your pride, though he seemed to have seen through you.

“If this is your idea of a joke, please return.”

…Oh heck no.

“A joke? My feelings and the time I spent yearning for you are real. All the efforts I put into closing the distance between us is real. The nights we spent chatting away were all real. The vulnerability we shared was no different. How could you just chalk it all up to mere jest?” Did he truly not see the longing in your eyes?

“It will be wise to think for yourself. It is not safe for living beings to get close to a karmic-bound one such as myself.”

He did NOT just try to scare you away.

“Please, if I was truly afraid of your karma, I would not have approached you or appeared in your sights at all. I’d have avoided the absolute heck out of you. I value my life very much, thank you.”

Silence.

Fine. If he was not going to take the first step, then you were.

“I apologise; I did not mean for it to come out that harsh, but I speak the truth. I genuinely wish to be by your side and to support you in times of need. If you truly aren’t willing to accept my feelings, it is alright, I do not blame you. But I hope my feelings will at least be reciprocated with respect and a definite answer.”

“Are they gonna get together or not? Paimon’s losing patience!”

“Shh! They’ll hear you!”

A glare from the Conquerer of Demons was enough to send the eavesdroppers scuttling for their lives.

That night, a yaksha and a human spilled their hearts out to each other, more than they ever had. The walls separating them crumbled to debris, and they bared their hearts. Worries were unveiled, fear confessed, then reassured and soothed by firm promises and solutions proposed. One who’s spent millenia alone experienced romantic love for the first time and finally understood why the mortals sought it out.

Like chocolate, the sweetness of affection was complemented by the bitter aftertaste of ‘what ifs’ and anxiety.

He’ll be darned if that chocolate wasn’t the best he’s tried though. He may not have given an answer after that much-needed conversation, but he had promised you a deadline he’d give an answer by.

Three days, he’d said. Give him three days to sort through his feelings and consider. So you did.

On the third day, a letter was found by your windowsill. ‘Should you read this letter, please know that I have accepted and return your feelings. If you are still willing to see me, then speak my name. I will be there.’

“Xiao.”

No other words were needed.

Since that day, the both of you were officially together. He’s never mentioned it, but it would be a lie for him to say that all of his troubles had been resolved.

One of them being your lifespan.

It wasn’t like he didn’t try searching for secret or adepti art to grant you longevity; he did. Even more diligently than guarding Liyue’s safety. Zhongli does not have to know that, but you do. Aside from respecting your decisions, he wasn’t sure if those forbidden arts would go against the natural rule of Teyvat and subsequently bring you harm. He wasn’t willing to risk it either.

In times like this, he would recall the advice he’s heard from his ‘colleagues’ and found family all those centuries ago. Something along the lines of worrying less and living in the moment. He’s already spent years with you, experiencing what he never thought he could. The constant in his memories was no longer the striking red nor the bland snow, having been replaced by you.

At the end of the day, what matters was that you are still by his side, no? He should cherish the present before their existence is reduced to mere memories, privy to only those who share them. He’s already made that mistake with Bosacius and the others; it would not be wise of him to commit it again.

Unbeknownst to him, you saw how those bright amber eyes had been clouded over for a quite a while now. While it was not abnormal for Xiao to lose himself in his memories, you weren’t sure if it was just nostalgia or traumatic flashbacks. A quiet Xiao would be either a good or bad thing, but you weren’t risking it.

Mistaking his embarrassment for sorrow, you gently poked him on the cheek thrice. Thank the high heavens that the little 'poke-poke-poke' managed to snapped him out of his trance, or you’d have to resort to more…drastic measures.

Such as a surprise kiss attack, which you regretfully did not get the chance to put into action.

“Xiao, darling. I didn’t mean to make you sad...”

“…I am at fault; I did not mean to ignore you. I was merely lost in thought. You did nothing worthy of apologizing for.”

A bare hand lifted, gently patting your head. He never liked when you apologized for trivial matters. You did not deserve to live in fear, especially not when you’re by his side. If there was something he could do to rid you of this anxiety, he’d do it in a heartbeat, even if it costed him his life. That you knew, and actions spoke louder than words. Thus, you chose to let your fingertips transfer your warmth, caressing his cheek and enjoying the smooth, tender flesh you’ve always loved to pinch and poke.

What a fitting contrast, you thought. His hands showed the world of his past and duty, the trials and tribulations he went through. His skin, however, reflected who he really was internally. His gentle protection, his care and his kindness just to mention a few, all represented by the softness and youthful appearance.

Although, his sweetness was a whole ‘nother story, shining through his flawless penmanship and the contents penned.

“Xiao, did you notice? Your letters seem to be getting sweeter and sweeter each time. I absolutely adore them, even if I wish you’d convey your feelings to me through your words and not on pen and paper.”

There was a blush, followed by an embarrassed cough. “…I’m glad they brought you joy. If it pleases you so much, I shall express my thoughts verbally next time. For your ears and no one else’s.”

There he goes again, down-playing the effect his existence has on you. But it wasn’t important. You understood him well enough without having to read between the lines or behind his words, and that was enough. Who were you to turn his offers down anyway?

“I’d love that. Since you’re being so generous tonight, could you grant me another wish of mine?”

“I do not believe I have turned down any unless they pose a threat to your safety, but your wishes are my command.”

“Well, my dancing skills are getting rusty from the lack of practice. Do you want to help me practice?”

“When have I ever denied you of your right to dance?”

“Come on, quit teasing me. You know this dance cannot be performed alone.”

His laugh has never sounded more beautiful.

You see, as he had promised you, he taught you the dances he knew and helped you practice the ones which enchanted you most. It then became a sort of bonding activity, mostly done on a whim or when the mood is perfect for pulling him into one.

Just like tonight.

The both of you could tell that it was getting late and he’s always discouraged you from staying past a healthy bedtime. Yet, tonight was different. He was more than willing to indulge you, just as how he’s let you confiscated his gloves and never gave them back. If granting your wishes would incline you to stay, then he’d willingly fulfil any and all of your desires, at any time of the day and any cost.

Even right here, right now. On this grassy field, the moon bore witness to an intimate dance between lovers, each slightly out of reach of the other and desperately trying to close the distance. The two invited the celestial body to a show of passion, where solace was found in a human's arms by a fearsome yaksha who knew nothing but bloodshed.

For tonight, the masquerade ends. The yaksha sheds his mask and falls into step with you with a seemingly innate grace, wondering if there were any adepti arts that would allow him to sear this memory into his brain and have it play on repeat for the remainder of his undesirably lengthy life. If he was to march on as an Archon’s strongest soldier and live well, he will do it for you. He’s gone on for so long, surely, they’d be willing to spare him such a mercy.

If they weren’t, then he has his own ways of remembering you.

You, on the other hand, indulged him with sweet smile, the love and adoration for the cutie practically oozing out of your gaze. Would Chang’E take offense, you wondered, if she happened to gaze upon this performance? Perhaps the goddess would sigh, bemoaning the distance between her and her beloved, merely observing with the ever-slight twinge of envy.

…Who’s to say that you were any different from the goddess though? You were only but a tad bit fortunate, having been given more time to spend with the one who holds your heart. The moment your mortality shows up as an unwanted guest, it will be your turn to envy the goddess.

Truly, fate can be so very cruel.

"I wish I could stay with you forever, Xiao, just you and me alone, here on this grassy field, with the breeze caressing our cheeks as we bask in the silver rays of the moon." You knew this confession brought your darling more joy than he'd ever show, but being able to witness him blush tells you that he's gotten better at showing his emotions around you.

It felt good to be trusted this much, you wouldn't lie, but all good times come to an end, and it was time that you both returned to where you belonged.

Taking a few steps back, you brushed off the remaining grass from your clothes and stole a few more glances of your sweetheart. It would be absolute bliss if this moment were to never end, though you supposed that gentle kisses would suffice for now. Besides, the lips that Xiao had squished into an unconscious pout looked too full to ignore, and you couldn't help stealing a few more kisses before reluctantly pulling away.

Xiao reaches out, pink lips pursed in a slight frown as he expressed dissatisfaction at your early departure. The fingers he's interlocked his with thousands of times were just in his reach, and it's been so long since he's held those beautiful hands of yours. Now all he had to do was to reach over just a little more and curl his fingers around yours.

Just a little more.

Just a little.

Just–

Expecting to touch warm, gloved flesh, he instead comes into contact with polished stone as cold-hard as the reality he's snapped back into.

He doesn't think he'll ever have a dream sweeter than you.

A/N: Song recommendations specifically for the end of this fanfic:

Ghost by Justin Bieber: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp8msa5uYsc

Ceilings by Lizzy McAlpine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bpMSpFTdzM

The Hierophants Game

Pt 1, Pt 2

A cult, a weirdly resilient man, and the two cult leaders who are sick of his shit.

Cw/Tws - Cults, talk of kidnapping and of brainwashing, torture, religious themes, death of loved ones, implied s/a, slight intimate whumper, malpractices, others tba

Tien / Jude / Micah

(No parts currently published)

A semi-chronological story surrounding a boy named Tien who simply fell for the worst person he could have.

A begrudging wave of the gloved hand was more than enough for the call to be answered in your room. Matching your steps to the catchy beat of the music, you pulled the device out of their pocket and glanced at the caller ID.

‘Sussy boom shaka laka.’

A raised eyebrow was all your DDD got in return. Solomon does not usually call, preferring to stick to texting, much less at such an hour. The reason behind the call certainly does intrigue one, and knowing our chaos-loving sheep, you just had to pick up and find out what flames you will be fanning this time.

Unbeknownst to you, dinner ended earlier than expected. Thankfully, your leftovers were kept by a certain sweetheart who took it upon himself to deliver it to you. Beelzebub couldn’t help it; he did not want the human to go hungry. After allowing his hands to swipe a few bags of snacks for sharing, his feet led him to your room and that was how the information made its way to our resident sweetheart.

“Hey Monsolo, what’s up?”

Hold his food. Solomon was calling? Was there something up? 

“Yeah, I’d love to come over and help! Baking with you does not sound half-bad.” You had joked, but your mirthful laughter sounded more like alarm bells in Beel’s head.

Were you out of your mind? Don’t get him wrong now, he trusts your culinary skills with every fibre of his being. But the other human? Not so much. Besides, with Solomon’s skills, you would not even know if he had steered the recipe in the direction he wanted. Just thinking about you becoming Solomon’s guinea pig gave him goosebumps; he wanted you alive and well, not turned into another species, literally or figuratively!

Nope. Sorry darling, but not on his watch.

But he wasn’t one to be rash or jump into conclusions. So, the ginger stood there, resisting the urge to munch on the chips he had for fear of disturbing you and outing himself. The others passing him by only gave a few curious glances, but knew better than to disturb their second youngest when he was so deep in contemplation.

After all, curiosity kills the cat. But there will always be that one cat who is not afraid of finding out the truth.

That cat also happened to have an amount of stealth complimentary to his curiosity.

“Why are you standing there? Are they not finished with their phone call yet?”

Fiery locks smacked Satan in the face and he spluttered indignantly. If it weren’t for the sincere apology on Beel’s face and your ongoing phone call, he probably would have chided his brother. But then again, he was somewhat at fault as well, so the annoyance was reduced to a subtle eye-twitch.

Unfortunately, the commotion seemed to have caught your attention. You knew the brothers would prevent you from going to Purgatory Hall if they found out Solomon’s invitation, even more-so when it was for Valentine’s Day. With a few hasty agreements to the date and time, you ended the phone call and swung open your door, quirking an eyebrow at the duo before you.

A few awkward moments of silence passed before Satan coughed into his fist. “We were worried that you would feel hungry later, so Beel brought you your leftovers and some snacks.” A nudge snapped Beel out of his worry and the taller of the two nodded, handing you the plate. “Hunger is neither a comfortable nor good feeling. If you are still hungry after dinner, feel free to have some of the snack I brought.”

You did not know just how much of the conversation they heard, but judging from the nonchalant stares you were getting, they most likely missed the whole thing.

Thank the high heavens– oh wait, wrong place. Oops.

Either way, as much as you loved chaos, you’ve already had your dosage for today. If peace was to be delivered to you on a silver platter as it was right now, you’d take it. But seeing how they declined entering your room, they probably knew a thing or two.

Oh well. Considering the fact that the two aren’t freaking out, they probably don’t know much. It seems that your secret hangout was, well, still a secret. You’d take any chance to hang out with the Purgatory Hall gang you got; it’s been a long time since y’all gathered after all (without the others, that is).

On the other end of the line, Luke was huffing at Solomon. The dear had planned on inviting you to a baking session on Valentine’s Day, hoping to spend more time with you and give you a special batch. He even had the details planned to a tee! All he had to do now was ask, but he needed to phrase it in a way that would keep the surprise a secret. Then a certain sorcerer just had to waltz in and ‘coincidentally’ overhear him practising his lines, which led to the conversation above.

“See? That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

“Easy for you to say! I was about to invite them.”

The gall of him to ruffle Luke’s hair after taking his credit. Despite the annoyance in his voice, Solomon knew that the child was not furious, just a little miffed. He doesn’t want to face a mini-Simeon.

And this is why you should only mess around with angels, kids. They are forgiving enough to not detonate in your face. /j

A certain blonde sneezed. The cat in his arms jumped slightly but was quickly soothed.

Disclaimer: For legal reasons though, please do not mess around with anyone, regardless of their species. Solomon would say otherwise, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

At least the cat was not out of the bag yet, and that was more than enough for Luke. He knew that Solomon had no malicious intentions, but it does not change the fact that he had entered the kitchen.

There was no way Luke was going to let this kitchen terror (affectionate) bake with him.

“Didn’t you say you had a gift to prepare? Tomorrow’s Valentine Day, it would not be good if it wasn’t prepared in time.”

As if Peepaw™ couldn’t see through his attempts to chase him out. “Of course I have one for my adorable apprentice. Now that you mentioned it, it does need some finishing touches. Be careful when baking, Luke.” The last thing Luke saw was his cape disappearing into the corner, and a sigh of relief sounded through the kitchen.

“Thank the high heavens…. Ah I have to prepare MC’s cookies!”

Back at the House of Lamentation, the most unlikely duo was holding a meeting to preserve your tastebuds and probably your life. It was not often that the fourth and sixth hold meetings, but all bets are completely off when the resident sheep was involved.

“I didn’t manage to get the time, though the destination is undoubtedly Purgatory Hall.”

“It matters not. All we have to do is to infiltrate the enemy base earlier. Think you can get up?”

“Of course. Anything to save MC.”

Enjoy the rest of your day, dear little sheep. You’ll need all the peace you can get before the big day.

The hours passed by and eventually, the ringing of an alarm clock sliced through the silence in Purgatory Hall. The rustle of bedsheet was followed by the pitter patter of feet, a sweet angel child eager to prepare his gift. In another room, his guardian had also woken up due to his superb hearing and wanted to know what Luke was up to. Luke is by no means a late riser, but it was still rather rare for him to wake up at the crack of dawn. Curiosity decreed that he was not to leave the waking world, so the brunette could only get ready for the day.

In a short while, the ingredients were fully prepped. “White sugar, unsalted butter…egg, vanilla extract… that should be all. I’ll preheat the oven.”

“Is that for MC?”

“What– Simeon, you startled me!”

“My bad, shall I give you a hand? I know you’ve taken time into consideration, but if you need help, I’ll be happy to lend a hand.”

Luke shook his head, “Thank you for the offer, but I wish to bake these personally.” He knew Simeon would understand; these were for a certain chaos-loving sheep after all. Besides, Simeon had already planned on watching from the sidelines, having prepared his own presents. He was rather content with watching Luke flit about the kitchen, not getting to witness the child in his element very often, mostly due to how busy he himself was or because he’d usually have a hand in the process.

But what they weren’t prepared for was the appearance of an unexpected demon duo.

You see, Satan had slept surprisingly early the previous night, allowing him to wake up as planned. Beel, on the other hand, was a morning demon who loved his morning jogs. Once each had gotten ready and eaten breakfast, they set off to prevent a tragedy from befalling your tastebuds.

‘MC’s tastebuds rescue mission’ was in order, which was also why the angels were thankful for their strong hearts.

“Dear heavens above, it’s one surprise after another today.”

“Why are you two even here at this time???? And leave my batter alone!”

“Sorry. It smells really good.”

“Apologies for the sudden appearance, but we have to save MC’s tongue. Where’s Solomon anyway?”

“He’s still asleep thankfully, but what was that about MC’s tongue?”

Satan took up the job of explaining how they had overheard Solomon inviting MC over for a baking session and was worried that he’d have unrestricted access to the kitchen. As strong as you and your immune system were, they’d rather not subject you to weird experiments.

Simeon was now in charge of passing Beel some extra pastries they had so that Luke could bake in peace. “I see, no wonder you were both in such a hurry to get here. However, worry not, either Luke or I will be around to provide some assistance (read: surveillance) should the need arise.” The ginger had taken them gratefully, knowing how important the cookies being prepared were to Luke just from their shapes alone.

The younger angel had taken to using heart-shape cutters, his precision and skills shining through even more for this special batch. Even with Simeon with him, he knew he had to speed the process up. It was not known how long the other pastries could keep Beel satisfied, and he doubted that the stock of the local 24-hour eateries could last long either.

If Luke was previously a somewhat fast baker, Simeon was now sure that Luke had broken the three realm’s record. Even for an angel and two demons, it was now rather dizzying to watch the sweet child do his thing. So, the other three settled for some idle chat and ordering takeout instead.

It was not long before a pleasant smell wafted through the kitchen and a growl resounded. Despite the takeout laid out on the dining table, Luke hurried to pack your cookies away and prepared the other ingredients needed for your baking session later. There were also pastries he’d prepared in advance for today’s hangout, though he’d take those out when your arrival draws near.

Thankfully, they had enough leftovers to last till the takeout was delivered. The food was quickly finished, even more so since Satan grabbed a few bites. As large as the order was, with his otherworldly digestive abilities, Beel was soon hungry. Looking at the various other pastries laid out on the table, he could not help but want a few.

Yours happened to look the most appetising.

Luke was rather firm about keeping your cookies for you and you only, but his resolve quickly crumbled when Beel's puppy eyes landed on him. He couldn’t bear to see such a guilt-ridden expression on his… friend’s face, not when Beel had been rather kind to him. It started off as one cookie, then the second and third. Luke was thankful that he had the hindsight to bake a few extra, but that was about it. He really had to leave some for you, or his efforts would go to waste.

The seconds ticked by as the friendly stare-down between Luke and Beel continued. With no intention to harm Luke in a hunger-induced frenzy, Beel easily reached over Luke, hoping to have some of the others. Luke hurried to bring the pastries away, huffing in disbelief. How dare they take advantage of his height? He is still growing and he’ll be taller than all of them one day for sure!

Satan tried guiding Beel away with a hand on his shoulder. “Beel, MC is almost here. We should hurry before they discover us.” Simeon nodded in agreement, the hand behind his back gently ushering Luke towards the refrigerator, “It wouldn’t do for MC to find out that you’ve overheard their phone call. Intentionally or not, it would still appear rude.”

“I think it’s already too late for that.”

“Solomon! Don’t scare us like that!”

“I’m hungry…”

“What do you mean too late?”

“I don’t see MC anywhere–”

“Ara ara what do we have here? Good morning peeps. Will you be baking with us as well, Luke? Looking at those cookies make me hungry…”

“Good morning MC! As you can see, most were already prepared in advance, though there is still one last batch to be baked. Solomon will be in charge of uh… supervising!”

“What a shame. I was hoping to show MC the new recipe I had acquired lately.”

“Worry not. No one does supervision better than you. Right, Beel?” Satan nudged his younger brother who nodded and tried to reach for another cookie. “Yeah, you’ve got the most skills when it comes to that.”

“Are the both of you calling me a stalker? Also, leave some for us please.”

“We never said that.”

“Sure thing. Also, we weren’t.”

Simeon chuckled. Everyone was the same as always and that puts his mind at ease. “MC does not have much experience baking here. It will be best to have someone familiar watch over them just in case I have to go out.” Solomon gave himself a second to think and agreed with Simeon’s plan. Someone’s gotta watch over his adorable apprentice and he’d rather not lose such a valuable taste-tester– he meant friend.

Of course. Leave it to the gorgeous, breathtaking, stunning, jaw-dropping, head-turning (sorry I’ll stop now) Simeon to have the beauty and brains to boot.

Meanwhile, Luke was trying to stop Beel from unconsciously consuming the raw ingredients (again). No food poisoning cases for today, please. It does not matter how strong Beel physically was, Luke did not want to have to call the medical services.

Satan was helping him hold the ginger back and ordering more takeout.

Solomon was watching them as if they were some sort of comedy show.

Simeon was sighing and mitigating the situation as always.

You?

You were metaphorically offering Solomon some popcorn. “Like master, like apprentice,” they said. It probably would not be long till the brothers and consequently the palace residents were lured over too.

He still thought it was fucking ridiculous that they had watchdogs. He believed a cult town atop an almost mountainous and heavily forested plateau didn’t need watchdogs, it was a cult town. You don’t see many people who’ve been brainwashed trying to escape y’know.

Apparently there was some idiot who didn’t know that after you finish patrolling with the dogs at night, you needed to chain them back up for the morning feeders, which just so happened to be perhaps the most unlucky person, Cephas.

He throws open the door, holding their steaks in one hand, he usually found it a bit humouring as it only startled the dogs a little when they’re on their chains. But oh no. Not that day.

That day they were angry, snarling, almost beast-like.

That Day, The Dogs Were Howling Again.

It then dawned on him that they hadn’t been fed that night, and angry starving watchdogs were absolutely vicious.

He tried to throw the steaks towards them but it was no use, they’re already charging him, sharp teeth latching on and throwing him to the ground with a small shriek, they were practically frothing at the mouth, the more he struggled the more lacerations the canines made.

Their claws scratched into his already scarred arms and legs, he kicked and tried to hit them off.

His vision had blurred from blood-loss, he felt like he was going to die, he hadn’t enough energy to keep kicking, his head hit the ground, blood pooling around him.

He looked up behind him, about to try screaming for help as the dogs continued to tear bits of skin. A tall almost indescribable figure stood there, it blew what looked vaguely like a dog whistle, scaring the dogs enough for them to back off.

He felt himself be pulled up by the shoulders, trying to use his legs to help hold himself up, but Cephas had ended up passing out before he could see who it was helping him.

- - - - - -

The next thing he knew he was in the towns clinic having his wounds cleaned and bandaged, the guy working on him only noticed he was awake when Cephas cringed away from the burning sensation of the alcohol.

He doesn’t think he’s ever met this boy before, but he looked around the same age, with a half shaved head and green ends on the back of his black hair and a face full of freckles. He put his hand on Cephas’ chest to stop him from squirming about in pain.

“Calm down. It’ll only take another minute.” He spoke softly as to not disturb anyone else in the clinic.

Cephas felt almost awkward, he’s never openly had his chest shown, let alone to a stranger. He nodded a bit, muttering out a ‘yes, sorry…’ to him

He noticed his neck felt bare.

It must’ve been Dev who brought him in then, he wouldn’t let himself be caught electrocuting Cephas by some random worshipper.

He wanted to confirm his suspicions though, he looked towards the guy holding him down.

“Hey uh… I was wondering. Who found me exactly?” He had almost an awkward tone.

The boy smiled, “Father Dominic found and brought you here, you were absolutely full of blood.” He chuckles softly

“Ah. I see… thank you-“ he paused, realizing his didn’t know his name “-thank you uh…”

“My name is Amadis…”

Amadis, Amadis, Amadis.

What an interesting name.

“Thanks for this Ama…” he stopped in his tracks. “You don’t mind if I call you that do you?”

Amadis calmly shakes his head, “No, it’s fine. I’ve never heard that one before… I like it.” He flashed another small smile, taping up the last bandage. “I’m going to keep you here for a bit, okay? You can’t preform errands with healing wounds unless you want them to reopen.”

Cephas nods, sighing a bit to himself as he let his head fall back into the uncomfortable clinic pillow.

Funnily enough, this was the most kindness he’s been shown since he ‘got in’ the cult.

“Ama. Do you know your real name anymore?” Cephas asked, not even knowing if Amadis had a ‘real name’ at all, not the scariest thing he found out about this cult, but still startling that there was now literal children being born to the members.

Amadis raised an eyebrow, measuring out his painkillers. “What do you mean?”

“Like… the name you had before you got here..?”

“I’m afraid i don’t know what you mean Cephas… I’ve had the name Amadis for as long as I can remember being here”

Cephas sat up, “that’s impossible though! They’re… brainwashing people…” he got quieter, it then hit him how stupid it was to ask an indoctrinated person a question like that, obviously they wouldn’t remember

Amadis pushed Cephas back down, “I said to stay lying down.” He hummed for a minute, shaking his head. “They couldn’t possibly brainwash this many people, you’re just paranoid.”

He fixed up the pills in a small cup, and another some water, “open your mouth, since you can’t sit up I’ll help you.”

Cephas did as he was told, opening his mouth, “be careful, don’t choke on the water” Amadis hummed, carefully making him drink back the pills, using a cloth to wipe away the excess water.

Cephas coughed a bit, looking at Amadis, “I swear to you, they’re brainwashing people, there’s a whole world out there”

“An unsafe world, I’ve been told…”

Huh. So they used fear tactics on their members, making them fear leaving.