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CHAPTER 3: PURE VESSEL
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IT IS NO SECRET THAT DOTTORE FAVORED ANGEL. well, he doesn't even hide the fact how much he spoils her. whatever it is she desires, he will hand to her on a silver platter without thinking twice of it. angel wants a new book? stock the shelves with a variety of literature for her to read. angel wants to eat something sweet? calling in a renowned, trusted cook just to serve her the most special of all delicacies.
her name intertwined with the winds with every fatui knowing of her. it bothers subordinates at how easily she was able to satisfy dottore, the man who wouldn't bat an eye to their attempts of giving respects to the harbinger. even their beloved tsaritsa quite adored the girl, her innocence far too entertaining to ignore. needless to say, fatui subordinates aren't thrilled to know of angel.
angel. who's existence is left unnoticed by archons above. why her?ㅡ
"you are so cruel!" said fox as she huffed, tinkering with a puzzle toy dottore has gifted to her. he learned that she was easily distracted with the smallest of things, so he started gathering puzzles for the girl to fall in silence to. it is just so adorable to watch her get excited when solving one correctly.
"given up already?" dottore placed down a piece of paper, peering up at her, who sat comfortably on one of the cushioned chairs. pale skin, long white hair that faded into soft hues of pink, the white dress he, once again, gifted to herㅡ if it weren't for the roses dusted onto her cheeks, angel is easily mistaken to be a ghost by people who don't know her.
"no..." her fingers twirled the toy around, nipping at her bottom lip as frustration drowns her to feeling like crying. angel didn't like knowing she'd be disappointing the harbinger, no matter how small the task at hand is, she feels the need to make the most out of it.
dottore smiles watching as she continued to struggle, waiting for the right time she comes crying to him for assistance. and when the vixen looked up at him with those doe-like eyes, he pushed his chair slightly backwards and pats a hand onto his thigh, signaling her to move forward.
"is it too difficult for you?" he coos, not ever expecting her to finish the puzzle in the first place.
angel, who settles her legs on either side of his, doesn't look up at him but stares at the toy she held. he's upset. he's upset. he's upset. it repeatedly whispered, suffocating her very conscious without fail. she'd always had a nagging voice that trailed at her shadows, entertaining her during lonesome daysㅡ by mocking her very existence.
what's surprising is, she has no desire to rid of the voice.
dottore taps her bottom chin, signing her to look up at him with his favorite sight, her eyes that glimmered with purity. her heart-shaped, white pupils he so adores to gawk at. "i'm sorry..." she frowns, letting him take hold of the unsolved puzzle. irises following his hand that placed down the toy on the table, a whimper softly leaving her lips as unwanted beliefs stacked anxiety.
the silence they shared only made it worse for her. angel started seeing nightmares with followed voices, clawing at her increasing disquiet. he'll dispose of you just like them. this lead to her subconsciously gripping at dottore's clothes, burying her seared eyes onto his chest to obscure the waters that wanted to leak.
the harbinger drops his pen to give all his uninterested attention to angel, in an attempt that she could enlighten his mood. "does it upset you that much?" he glances at the unfinished puzzle that's now settled above important papers.
"iㅡ i couldn't finish it" she trembled.
"oh, you poor thing. what do you even get from completing it?"
the fox purses her lips, index finger tapping at his arm as she pondered for an answer. she didn't want to straight up say that she desired praise, to be complimented for her determination and witㅡ unlike the harsh words she hears rumored around the fatui. it is not like she even understands what the insults mean, but when greeted with it by whispers, followed by her hallucinations? it takes a toll on her.
angel hummed, "umm.." she finds her words unable to roll off her tongue.
"do you want to be called a good girl? smart little one?"
the girl jolted and looked up at him wide-eyed, albeit his masked face, she could still make out a smug expression adoring his visuals. dottore chuckles at her blinking eyes, pinching at her cheeks with intentions of it being rough,
"owie!"
he just loves hearing her noises.
"it doesn't matter that you couldn't complete it. at least you tried, yeah? proud of you for trying."
the harbinger swore the hearts of her pupils only grew even larger as she hears his words, lips curling up into a smileㅡ hearing a delicate gasp right after. angel's cheeks blossomed with fresh strawberries, "thank you, master dottore!" she started bouncing ever so slightly on his lap due to her excitement.
but of course, his hands glue to her hips to quit her actions, hissing under his breath. "not now, angel. maybe later. i'm busy."
"hm?" the vixen tilted her head innocently, quirking a brow whilst batting her lashes. "sorry!" as she says that, dottore presses his hand at the back of her head, pushing her to lay down with her hands crawling up to his chest. "you apologize too much. sleep for a bit, pretty."
angel has already memorized his scent that wafted inside her head whenever he's near, the familiar smell of metallic crimson and malice. she doesn't know what he does when leaving for a day or two, left to be attended by some fatui subordinatesㅡ who are never interested in entertaining the girl. whenever she would ask, they respond with no coherent answer in return.
frequently, dottore gets questioned why he even decides to treat angel as if she wasn't the reason for the death of two people, handling her so delicately like imported fine china. the harbinger is aware of how angel's name is treated amongst the fatui, though, not really doing anything to prevent it because there is no lie in them.
so. his answer to jealous subordinates that want to be treated in a way where dottore doesn't haunt them in their sleep?
you do not kill an ill chicken for dinner immediately, you nurture it back to perfect health for perfect results.
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