It was so silent, that even the faint sound of a ticking clock felt as if it was ringing loudly.
We were in a complete different realm, away from the crumbling Vee building.
It was a dark void, slightly illuminated by candles. There was nothing but a table and a few chairs.
Angel duat and I were sitting nearby, like a prize, the glowing chains connecting our souls to our owner were visible.
Husk and Valentino were deep in a game of poker, and the stakes were as high as can be. It is apparent that Husk used to be a big deal before losing to Alastor, this must be why Valentino agreed to the terms.
Whoever wins, will own the rest.
Angel dust followed the game closely, counting the cards in his mind.
I feel like he was less worried for his fate- he is used to it. What horrified him is Husk's and my fate.
I, on the other hand, had no idea what are the rules if poker. But I do trust Husk to win this, that he knows what he's doing.
I looked at their faces. They stayed still, although Valentino did let out a small grin from time to time, which scared me.
I stared at the void.
I wonder how the others are doing.
Are the demons not involved going to do something? Did the folks in the hotel notice that some of us are missing?
I have no doubt Niffty has everything under control.
And I have no doubt that Alastor, too.
My mind travelled.
His ways of showing affection were silent, quite bold at times.
The way he gently entangled our fingers, the way the harsh, permanent smile softened towards me, the way his eyes shined when he looked in mine.
I miss him.
The way he takes care of me, the way he holds me in his arms, the way he listens, the way he has with words that melt me every single time, his occasional humming and singing...
I am too ashamed to face him again with my aching heart, even if I get out of this situation.
I know that as much as it hurts, my fight with him was inevitable. I find it hard to handle his ignorance towards others.
I reached to touch what's left of the bite on my neck, tracing over the teeth marks.
I don't have control over my healing abilities, and for once I was glad for the souvenir, of the last kiss we shared from our fallen relationship.
It was a one time thing, it would never ever go farther than this. It didn't bother me. I cared only about the raw emotions behind it.
This is the only hope that I was living off.
That maybe something can be recovered out of US, after both of us go through change.
I will learn to be more forgiving.
He will learn to care more.
Even if he doesn't.
I will try to be fine with it.
I don't care anymore.
I just want him again.
"I can't be enough for you, it seems."
This sentence of his, these few words hurt like eight angelic daggers lodged in my chest. I can imagine how hard it was for him to come to this realisation.
I should've told him that he will always be enough. I should've told him that we could work on it together.
A disgusting laugh pulled me out of my thoughts.
Valentino slammed his cards on the table and stood up, the abrupt movement stretched the chains and caused Angel and I to fall face first.
"This is over, kitten."
I gasped silently.
No...
Angel dust clenched his teeth.
"Looks like your pride got you contracted once more."
Husk stood up, almost looking defeated.
N-No... it can’t be...
"I might be a loser,"
He layed his cards on the table.
"But not this time. Your king is a fake."
"Your's is a fake, you cowered!"
Valentino argued.
What is going on...?
"Angel dust, you followed the game."
Husk looked at us pulling each other up.
"COME HERE."
Valentino pulled on his chain, making him slightly trip.
One could smell Angel's fear as he hesitantly walked towards the table.
"I... don't know... these are the same type of king..."
There is no option for a re-match according to the deal. A winner had to be declared.
"Can you tell the fake one from the other?"
I asked with a shaking voice.
"Oh, of course you can do that, angel cakes."
The moth said, sickeningly sweet.
"You know your worth, you know who you truly belong to, you know you can't live without me."
The words spilled out of his mouth like poison, and the scary thing is that he almost looked like he was giving in.
"It’s not a matter of choice."
Husk growled.
"It’s evidential.
You can do this, buddy."
Angel dust stared at the cards for a long minute, comparing both Kings to other types of king cards.
Every millisecond felt like forever.
I could almost pass out of the amount of stress I was feeling.
"I-It seems... that this one is the real one."
He gestured towards Husk's deal.
"The other one doesn't have the correct tint on the heart."
"NO!"
Valentino shouted, pulling hard on our collars.
"YOU LITTLE BITCH, YOU KNOW NOTHING OF-"
"I own you now."
Husk asserted.
Our chains changed directions towards him, and another one appeared on the soar loser's neck.
We spawned back into the ruined studio.
"And I don’t want you owning any other souls."
He lifted a long, sharp angelic shard.
"H-Hold on, I am very useful! I can be fun, I can..."
The pimp backed away.
"I can give them all to you! All my workers!"
"I will make sure you won't hurt anyone ever again."
Husk swang, but Valentino caught his arm with shaking hands.
He gave a horrible look to Angel dust.
"This is all your fault. You will never get better. EVER."
"Shut up."
Husk growled, overpowering him and stabbing him with all his might.
He backed away, some blood on his paws from clenching the shard too much.
He grabbed the ends of our chains.
"I let you go,"
He said gently.
The world felt brighter all the sudden. The air felt cleaner. The burden felt less heavy. My neck still had a mark from the collar, from being pulled around by it.
But it didn't matter.
I succeeded.
We succeeded.
Finally, my promise...
I looked at Angel dust, who was shaking, so many emotions washing over him.
Valentino coughed out some blood as he was slowly dying. He pulled the shard out of him, even though it wouldn't do much.
"This isn't over,"
He rasped, throwing it with the last of his powers.
"Antony!"
Husk let out.
But it was okay.
It didn't hit him.
Because I stood in front of him.
"no, no, NO!"
Angel dust cried out, taking me in his many hands.
"It should've been me!"
"N-No,"
I chocked out a smile.
"Enjoy your well-deserved freedom. Just as I promised."
"Y/n,"
"Angel- Antony, it's okay."
I somehow came to terms with my fate.
"No it's not! What would Charlie say? What would Alastor say?"
"You still have so much to do..."
I smiled with teary eyes.
"I have no one to return to, it's okay. I had my fun, but you still need to have yours."
"Y-You fought because of ME! It's all my fault! You deserve to survive this, Y/n!"
He insisted, sniffling.
"Come on, I'm flying us to the hotel."
Husk took us to the air.
I wanted to close my eyes, but Antony didn't let me. He kept pressure on my wound, as if it would help.
When we landed, I was forced onto my feet.
"I-If Al managed to survive this, so will you."
He insisted.
Husk, on the other hand, stared at me with knowing eyes. Knowing that I don't have much longer.
"I-I want to see him,"
I whispered.
Carefully, the two supported me on my way into the hotel.
Husk smeared some blood on the door as he opened it- no idea if it's mine or his.
Niffty, safe and sound, was picking up a few cleaning items.
Another person was with her.
"Ah, there you are! I told the princess to prepare for a celebration! I've been wondering how long-"
Alastor hulted by my sight.
"Y-Y/n,"
He let out, frozen in place.
"Now we are even,"
I tried to smile, having trouble in covering my wound.
No matter how much I focused, I couldn’t activate my healing abilities.
I was suddenly grabbed and teleported.
I couldn’t tell where, I was weak and loopy, vision blurry, but somewhere with dim, red lighting.
Even with my disappearing conscience, I could still look into his eyes. They were wide and worried.
"I can’t help but have deja-vu,"
I joked.
I enjoyed experiencing my final, truly final moments in his loving arms.
"W-Why aren't you healing..."
He pressed a hand to my wound, carful not to push the angelic shard deeper.
"I don't know,"
I somehow found it in my power to laugh. I closed my eyes, my voice drifting away.
"I can’t control it..."
"Don’t leave me,"
He is... begging?
With a bit of struggle, I managed to open my heavy eyelids.
"I-I promise to be better, just stay with me... You are the only one I loved, the only one I will ever love..."
He said softly, staring at the weapon.
"I... can't imagine... without you..."
"Don’t you even THINK about that."
I warned.
"You'll move on, it's okay."
"How can you be so calm about this??"
Alastor was showing off a whole new scale of emotions.
"I don't know. It kinda scares me, too."
Alastor moved some hair out of my eyes.
I sighed when he traced his fingers over the collar marks and the bite marks on my neck.
"This was too dangerous... I shouldn't have let this happen... let you go to all these creeps..."
"I couldn't stop thinking about you."
I admitted.
"I-I love you, okay? Even when you get on my nerves."
I chuckled dryly.
His face grew more worried.
I knew it was time.
"I love you always and forever."
He whispered, hugging me close.
"I'm sorry,"
I let out, blood dripping out of my mouth.
I shouldn't be happy.
But I am.
I got some peace, some closure.
The last thing I felt was his lips on mine.