notevensorey | IC Inbox

[Yeah, this question confirms it. Velvet is from their same world, but apparently from Eizen's time. Or close to it at the very least. Sorey glances at Mikleo with a small frown, hoping that his boyfriend doesn't start yelling when he answers this.]

Lailah, a fire seraph—or malak, as you call them—asked me if I was willing to take the pact and title. What I sacrificed was restricted solely to my personal self in order to protect the seraphim with me, and so that the people didn't take advantage of me and the power I had.

[ Sorry Sorey that everyone in your cast have a lot of yelly feelings.

Velvet pauses at this answer. A Malak asked him to make a pact? And to take title? That's really not answers she expected. then again, she wasn't sure what she expected considering she was running on blind rage. ]

And no one else? You didn't kill anyone on the Scarlet Night for your power?

[Sorey's frown deepens a little. Good Lord, what even had been the Shepherd during the time before Maotelus? By all accounts so far, they'd been nothing short of a monster.]

Of course not. I'm unfamiliar with the term 'Scarlet Night,' to be perfectly frank.

[He can certainly guess, though, as he remembers a glimpse of Michael at a burning altar and a woman screaming at him to stop. Sorey glances at Mikleo to see if that might be something he remembers, but the brunet doesn't.]

[What the fuck??? How do you not know--]

What do you mean you're unfamiliar? It's a night when the moon goes scarlet red? And humans are more susceptible to malevolence?

[Hello???]

[Sorey is visibly confused as well as audibly.]

That phenomenon sounds vaguely familiar? Admittedly, my memories are hazy on the subject, but I recall that happening when there was a particularly powerful and densely malevolent domain.

[Hello??????]

Is that why? Then how...

[AUGH THESE DIFFERENT TIMES THING IS SO CONFUSING. She makes a small frustrated sound. At least the momentary confusion gives her pause enough to actually think and maybe breath a little]

...Eizen insisted you were different from Shepherd Artorius. Said you even worked with his little sister and Zaveid.

As Artorius's sister-in-law, you'll have to forgive me if I'm less willing to trust.

[You know what? This gets Velvet to break out of her anger spiral, so Sorey will count that as a win. Even if they're both confused in the end.

That said, he is a little tired of being compared to this Shepherd Artorius and the implication of having Mikleo enslaved. So....]

I can certainly understand any trepidation you and Eizen have, especially since it sounds to me like this Shepherd Artorius is a piece of work who brings shame to the name of anyone who bears this title. However, Mikleo is my boyfriend, and I would like to please ask for some consideration that it would be grossly inhumane of me to have enslaved someone who is my romantic partner. So I must respectfully ask for you and Eizen both to please bear that in mind going forward.

[Mikleo's look is one of concern now, not of pain, as he looks at Sorey. Do you want handholding? You're getting handholding even if you don't. And also a nod. Because those are good boundaries, damn it.

Mikleo decides it's time to say something. With Sorey's silent permission, he'll take the phone.]

Velvet? This is Mikleo. I've only heard Sorey's half of the conversation, but there's something I'd like to ask you about this 'Scarlet Night.'

[A pause, as he steadies himself.]

Was... a child sacrificed?

[Sorey will take Mikleo's hand and squeeze it gently.

However.

The moment he asks that question?

Sorey immediately slides down onto the floor and just sits there with his head against the couch cushion. He feels it in his bones that he's going to die tonight.]

[Sorey's words do have an effect on her. Enough to shake her out of her Lord of Calamity mode and realize how she's sounding. She honestly hadn't thought he was enslaving the Malak. No way Eizen would've defend him if he was. She'd been so caught up in her own trauma that she forgot to note that part]

Oh- I-

[Awkward fumbling of apologizing a go??

[OR IT WOULD'VE BEEN- if Mikleo hadn't swung in with that question. She's taken aback by it. Way to do a bullseye on her main trigger Mikleo.

And once against she goes back on the defensive]

[The harshness of her previous tone comes back. Walls, anger.]

My little brother. Why?

[Mikleo knows this is dangerous, but it needed to be asked, in his mind anyway... He mumbles something incoherent except to Sorey that is distinctly a swear word in Japanese.]

... I'm sorry. And I also apologize for the insensitivity of the question.

I asked because on that night, the night that Sorey mentioned, a child was sacrificed to give life to a terrible curse. I was that sacrifice. I died that night, and was reborn a seraph.

[It's easier to talk about it since he only remembers watching the events, but it's still a difficult topic in general.]

All of the legends about valiant Shepherds lost their luster when we discovered that it was the previous Shepherd-- my own uncle-- who ushered in the Age of Chaos with his actions. So, please believe me when I say we're aware of the darkness Shepherds can bring when they fall.

You may not trust us, and I'll accept that. All that I ask is you watch us and make your own judgments from that.

[WHAT THE FUCK MIKLEO]

[Yeah this is so much to unpack right now for Velvet. Her head was already spinning from the whole Shepherd revelation and now this???

She doesn't even know what to say to all that. She wasn't good at expressing empathy on a good day, and this is far from a good day.

So instead she decides to avoid. There's a growl sound and then some mumbled words that is possibly the words "sorry" before she hangs up the phone.]

[Sorey can tell she's hung up based on Mikleo's reaction, so he just. Lies down and tugs his boyfriend's hand to pull him down with him. He's emotionally exhausted, and he can only imagine what Mikleo's feeling right now.]

Quiet time, now. We'll talk later.

[They deserve some peace, goddamn it.]

[Mikleo lets Sorey tug him down onto the floor. He doesn't fight it even a little bit. Also, here's the phone back...

He rests his head on Sorey's chest.]

Sorry.

[He's tired, too.]

[He takes his phone back, but then shakes his head at the apology and wraps his arms around Mikleo.]

Mm-mm, no apologies. You did what you thought was right, love. Just lay here and let yourself have a moment of peace and calm.

[Jun had been in his room while all this went down, watching an anime. When the episode ends he comes out to talk to his roommates about dinner plans, when he sees both of them lying on the floor looking like something intense happened while Sorey gives Mikleo reassurances.

For a brief moment he pauses and looks, tempted to ask if everything's alright.

...

But considering the week they've been having? You know what? No. No he does not want to borrow more trouble.

So without saying a word, he's just going to...quietly head to the kitchen, and start working on dinner himself. Yeah. Let's do that. ]

Edited 2023-07-17 06:24 (UTC)

Okay. As long as you do, too.

[He closes his eyes, yet finds his fingertips combing through Sorey's hair.

All of that was a previous life. It has no bearing on what they do, on what they can accomplish. This asshole Shepherd from a thousand years ago doesn't define their relationship here and now, in another world, eons later.

He hears Jun come back in, see that something has happened, and wordlessly keep moving through the apartment. Mikleo doesn't even call out because... he's not sure where to start and he doesn't want to go through it again, so he just lays here.]

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