The setting sun streamed in lazily through the half open window, casting a beautiful orange glow over the bloody corpse on the floor. Hands shaking, chest heaving, she stood over it, unable to drop the bloody bat she held. She swallowed, watching the pool of blood spread to her feet with bloodshot eyes.
She turned around, and she was in a black room of eyes. Silver, golden and black all stared into her, unblinking, unflinching, some with contempt, others with pity, and others with vindictive mockery. Something clawed at her from behind, shrinking away as she turned, grabbing her hair and tearing up her feathery wings with sharp claws. The silence rung over her screams.
And she fell, to her knees, as fire raged around her. She knelt in front of someone, keeping her head down as a throbbing pain seized every part of her body, tears and blood dripping out of her eyes without her consent.
The man shouted over the roaring flames, at her, or at himself, she did not know. She could hardly hear what he was saying, let alone understand the words, but regardless, she whispered a reply, causing the man to stop dead.
She lifted up her tear soaked face and saw an expression of such sorrowful despair on his face as he drew his blade. She closed her eyes with a bloody smile, realising that the one about to cut her throat was none other than
"...Dante?"
Asrin peered through the bush even more intently. "Dante? Where?"
"No- I..." Xena swallowed. Her throat was strangely dry. "Just remembering something..."
"Is this really the best time to be remembering?" Asrin turned back, furrowing her brows. "This is the time to be observing, not daydreaming about whatever."
Xena sighed. "Look, I have no obligation to help you whatsoever in helping you stalk your boyfriend."
"Yeah, you do, you're my best friend." She wagged her tail. "And, he's not my boyfriend."
"..."
"Yet."
"Ew."
"Look, it's not my fault that your lesbian ass can't understand what love feels like."
"That's haram." Xena rolled her eyes. "And this isn't love. This is just you being a creepy little hoe."
"Well, I don't know what else to do about all of this." she hissed. "How am I meant to make him like me again?"
"You obsess over him too much." Xena stretched her tail back. "Just...let things cool down."
"I don't obsess over him!" Asrin's face fell into a pout. "I just...like him, you know..."
She looked so pitiful that Xena felt sorry for her.
"What do you even like about him?" She muttered. "He's not really that great."
Asrin's tail perked up. "What makes you say that?"
"He was being a prick to you at the hospital, right?" Xena shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno, maybe he's not right for you."
"Eh, not really." Twirling her hair, she looked off into the distance. "I was kinda just exaggerating when I said he was treating me like shit."
"...what"
"Nah, like." Asrin looked back at Xena, tail wrapped around her waist. "I guess I was just a bit embarrassed, so I said he was being a prick to sorta... cover my ass. Sorry 'bout that."
"No,no." Xena grabbed her horns."I don't understand. What happened at the hospital."
"Did I do something? Look, I'm sorry but-"
"Asrin, what happened."
"Well..." Asrin clasped her hands together, smiling nervously. "So, I just went in and , you know, felt a little flirty, so I went over and started messing around with him a-and he, uh, didn't like that very much..." Her voice trailed off as she saw the incredulous look on Xena's face.
"You mean he didn't actually do anything?"
"H-He -uh." Asrin went bright red. "No, he, uhm, didn't. What's wrong?"
Xena blue-screened.
"Hey?" Asrin looked worried. "What happened?"
"I slapped him." she said, blankly.
"You SLAPPED him?" Asrin repeated, eyes twinkling. "For what??"
Xena hid her face in her hands. "I thought he was being a bastard, and he was acting up anyway and he really pissed me off so it was just breaking point and-" At this point, her muffled voice broke off as she groaned loudly into her hands.
"Wow." Asrin was stunned. "You're pretty stupid."
"Fuck you."
The two of them sat in silence for a bit, contemplating what exactly to do about this situation.
Xena decided to get up, and attempt to dip as fast as possible.
"Where're you going?" Asrin asked.
"You can stalk him just fine on your own. I want to go home and cry or something."
"If you stay here, I'll let you cry into my shoulder." Asrin tried to hide her smile. "And plus, you gotta say sorry to him, so might as well do it while we stalk him."
"How can I apologise to him while stalking him."
"Pshhh, don't sweat the details." Asrin waved her hand in the air, as if she was trying to swat a fly. "Anyway, I can't steal Lucine back from Raifu without you!"
"Heartwarming." She said blandly. "Anyway, good luck with that."
"dON'T LEAVE ME." Asrin grabbed her arm, getting desperate." You bitch, I'm being serious. I'm gonna cry if i do this alone."
"If you do, I'll let you cry into my shoulder."
Asrin tugged on her arm harder "HOW CAN I DO THAT IF YOU'RE NOT HERE?"
"PSHHHHH." Xena made a big deal out of the PSH. "DON'T SWEAT THE DETAILS."
Asrin glared at her, pressing her lips together.
Xena shook her off, her scowl darkening even further.
Finally, Asrin looked away, clenching her fists. "The heaven did Raifu steal Lucine for? I thought we were friends."
"Raifu stole Lucine?"
Xena turned around, her scowl disappearing as she saw Dante sitting on his bike, looking slightly dazed.
"No, she didn't." Xena started. "Asrin here is just-"
"Dante, I literally saw Lucine wrapping her in his wings yesterday!"
"In his wings?" Dante raised his eyebrows. "You're joking."
"She's just exaggerating." Xena said. "Think about it carefully. Lucine would never-"
"How the FUCK am I exaggerating." Asrin turned on Xena. "Boy, you should have seen the look on his face. This guy looked guilty as balls."
"This guy really stole Raifu from me." Dante stared at the floor with empty eyes. "I should have known when she brought in all that chocolate for him."
"SHE BROUGHT IN CHOCOLATE FOR HIM?" Asrin's tail stiffened, a cold glimmer in her eyes. "Come on, that's just confirmation, isn't it?" She grabbed her horns, muttering curses under her breath.
"Okay, whatever." Xena put her hands up. "Maybe, I'm exaggerating, but Dante, can you listen to me for a second?"
Dante got off his bike, kicking the stand up, completely ignoring her. He got down on his knees, taking out the rosary on his neck. He kissed the cross, pressing his wings tighter against his back.
Xena pressed her fingers into her temples. "Dante, are you deaf? I have something I need to-"
"THE FUCK DID YOU STEAL RAIFU FROM ME FOR, YOU LITTLE-"
"AGH LUCINEEEEEEEEE"
And the two of them screamed on their knees, with no regard whatsoever about the people passing by.
Xena realised that she actually didn't know who these people screaming were, was definitely not one of their friends, and did not associate with them whatsoever. And with this realisation, she spared no time in leaving the two of them to scream and saving her dignity by going home. Xena then enjoyed the rest of her Sunday by ghosting them on everything.
Bringing his head down, Dante grinned. "Good. This went according to plan."
Bringing her head down, Asrin was confused. "According to who's plan?"
"Huh? You mean you just started screaming for no reason?"
"Well, no, the reason was cause of the Rucine business."
"Rucine...?"
"Yeah?" Asrin tilted her head. " Like, Lucine X Raifu = Rucine. It's a ship name!" Her face darkened. "A ship we have to sink."
Dante closed his eyes, apparently lost in deep thought. Finally, he snapped the rosary off his neck, and held it out to her.
"I think some prayer would do you a lot of good."
"What? Is Rucine not a good name?" Asrin's tail waved around her as she thought. "If you don't like it, we could use... Laifu!"
"Asrin, no."
"We need to pick one." She insisted. "Personally, I prefer-"
"TAKE THE ROSARY AND PRAY."
After a particularly aggressive guided prayer session, the two of them brushed themselves off and got up.
"Now that I've been a good girl and asked Da-Lucifer,Lucifer!" She corrected at Dante's murderous glare. "-for forgiveness for, ahem, all the unholy things I've been reading,watching and in any other manner consuming, instead of,um, sleeping, can you tell me what your plan was?"
"Yeah, I can. " Dante sighed. "The plan was to scream and act like a complete fool so Xena would run away. Although, looks like some of us weren't acting."
"Okay, sorry." Asrin went red, twirling her hair. "But the outcome is the same, so it doesn't matter."
"Hm."
"Anyway, why did we need Xena to run away? I needed her to stalk Lucine with me!"
Dante stared at her.
"I mean-to help me collect information on-how to proceed..." Asrin trailed off.
"I have no idea how Lucine actually likes you."
"You mean he still likes me?" Her eyes lit up, tail wagging."You mean our ship can sail?"
"Do you want to pray again?"
"No."
"Unholy sinner. You shouldn't see praying as a punishment." Dante rubbed his eyes, groaning. "Yeah, sure, he still likes you. You'd probably be better off without his attention though."
There was a thick silence between the two.
"How come?"
"Cuz I banged ur mum, that's how." Dante swung his leg over his bike. "Anyway-"
"No, don't just change subjects like that." She grabbed the front of the bike, staring into his eyes. "Xena said the same thing. And..." She averted her eyes. That woman had said the same thing too. "What are you guys talking about?"
"It's just-" Dante hesitated, thinking hard. A smile played on the side of his lips, quickly stifled before Asrin noticed. "Are you sure you want to hear?"
Asrin gripped the bike harder, eyes twinkling. "Yeah. I do"
He breathed in deep, closing his eyes. "The thing is..."
***FLASHBACK***
Wings flapped violently as Lucine held the boy down, snarling.
"L-Look, okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorrARGH"
Dante munched on a chocolate bar. "He said sorry. Why are you still hitting him?"
"Don't act all high and mighty." Lucine let out his breath as he rammed a fist into his side, making him writhe on the floor, gasping for breath. "If I just leave this guy, he's gonna go and do the same things again once we leave."
"We're gonna leave eventually. He's gonna do it whether you punch him or not."
"I w-won't, I promise! Just stop and i'll HGRAH."
Lucine slammed his foot in his face, knocking him back to the floor. "Why are you so scared? You're just gonna wake up next week with some more bruises." He got down on his knees on top of him, cold eyes gleaming in the dark. He brought a fist back. "I'll be careful not to break anything."
Shortly after, there was the wet crunch of something breaking.
Dante sipped a capri-sun, watching the event with mind interest.
Lucine got up, taking care to crush the boy's stomach with his knee as he got up. With a satisfied sigh, he breathed out, brushing his hair out of his face. The boy wrapped himself in his wings, as if he was trying to protect himself.
Lucine clicked his tongue, a smile creeping onto his face as he saw the pitiful sight below him. "Don't try that. I'll break your wings if you do. Open up."
"Strangely sexual."
The boy reluctantly opened his wings, laying uncomfortably on his back, with his exposed front in clear view of Lucine. His face was battered and tear stained, averting his eyes as they met Lucine's.
"Good boy..." Lucine slowly unfolded his wings too, eyes wide with malice. "Now, how should I send you off...?" He leered down at him. "I think...we should end this with a bit of fun~"
"You guys probably don't have very similar ideas of fun."
Lucine bent down, breathing deeply. His hands ran down the boy's neck, grabbing his collar. Dante raised his eyebrows as he unbuttoned his shirt.
"Lucine, I thought you weren't gay."
He shot a dirty look in Dante's direction. "If I was doing anything sexual, I wouldn't be doing it with you here."
The boy seemed to relax at this.
"Yeah, you say that but thats the sort of mind-games you'd use to trick me anyway, so sorry if I don't believe you."
The boy tensed up.
"Oh, shut up." Lucine flapped the shirt open, revealing the boy's bare front. He took off his own blazer, kicking off his shoes. "Now, let's get to business."
He raised up his foot, hovering it over the boy's bruised chest, who had already shut his eyes tight in horror. He stroked his foot across his body, stopping at the purplish bruises. With a smile, he pressed on it, making the boy gasp in pain.
"It can't be that bad, can it~"
And so on the erotic game went, with the Lucine who had been so cruelly violent mere minutes ago gently caressing the very same boy with his foot. His face was contorted in a cruel smile, his eyes shimmering as he humiliated the boy below him. He breathed heavily, wings twitching, stroking his face with his foot, slowly and slowly going down to the boy's mouth so he could-
There was the sound of camera shutters behind them, and Lucine stopped dead, his smile fading. He slowly turned around, to see Dante holding his phone up.
"I can't lie bro." Dante rolled the capri-sun straw between his teeth, leering maliciously. "You got caught in 4K UHD ultrasound 16 Gigs ram, HDR GEFORCE RTX, TI-80-
***
Asrin let go of the bike, mouth agape in shock. "W-What? No... It can't be...!!"
Dante's face was still in mock solemnity. "I'm sorry, Asrin."
"No, I don't believe it." She grabbed one of her horns, shaking her head. "You're joking, right?"
He sighed. "Do you still think his attention is anything healthy for you."
Asrin bit her lip, thinking hard. "I think..."
She thought for a bit, while Dante waited patiently.
"I CAN'T HELP IT. I STILL LOVE LUCINE." Her tail was rigid behind her, eyes twinkling in the light of her conflicted love. "EVEN IF HE DOES HAVE A FOOT FETISH."
Hm. Unexpected, but still unsurprising.
"Eh? 'Kay then." Dante shrugged. "You deserve everything that's coming for you."
"Well, whatever." Asrin regrabbed the bike. "We need to do the thingy with Lucine!"
"Don't make it sound unholy." He looked at his phone. "Speaking of holiness, I gotta go to church now. I'm gonna be late if i loiter around with you anymore."
"BUT WE GOTTA DO OUR PLANNING!"
"I gotta plan to bang your mum, hoe." Dante scowled, then grinned. Things never go well when Dante grins. "I've got an idea. Come church with me."
"What? I've gotta go st-look at Lucine though."
"Lucifer will help you if you pray for help."
"That sounds like propaganda." she muttered.
Dante's eyes glimmered. "Sounds like what."
"Like a...model...answer...!"
"Good." He gestured to the back of the bike. "Now get on. We're gonna be late."
She grudgingly stood atop the two gears, holding onto his shoulders for support. "This is for Lasrin, okay? Our ship better sail."
"Lasrin..."
"Well, Aucine is just a weird shipname. Lasrin has a nice ring to it."
"We're staying for 30 minutes after just for that."
"Haha." She tightened her grip on his shoulders. Not enough to get a reaction from him though. "As long as this works."
Dante switched the gear up to 6, silently steeling himself to be able to ride with all the extra weight. This was gonna be a wild ride, all thanks to Lucine.
"As long as this works."