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Sylanwood, Path toward Diremaw, Time: 10:30 PM
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"So, they possess one of the Sacred Frontiers charms?" Lucia's tone held a mix of surprise and interest, recognizing the rarity of such an artifact falling into the hands of fledgling guardians.
"Yes, we're currently tracking their movements," Sugar confirmed, understanding the significance of these charms in achieving their desires. The potential collaboration between Sugar's Enterprise and Hell's Express was poised to wield immense power.
Lucia leaned in closer, a flirtatious glint in her eye as she posed a question to Sugar. "Will you do it for both of us, Sugar?" The unexpected boldness left him blushing intensely, caught off guard by her sudden closeness.
"F-For me, perhaps?" Lucia's teasing continued, leaving Sugar even more flustered. Lucia took her father's advice, it was supposed to help them bond together.
"Y-Yeah, I will," he stammered, hiding his embarrassment behind the brim of his top hat.
Lucia's laughter rang out, and she playfully claimed his hat before returning it. "Consider that your punishment for worrying me," she teased, the playful tone a stark contrast to the seriousness of their mission.
Lucia's next request piqued Sugar's curiosity, and he followed her as she led the way.
As they walked into the castle, Lucia's mischievous side emerged as she pinched Sugar's cheek, evoking a startled reaction.
"Hey, give it back!" he protested, trying to fend off her playfulness. The two of them step into the castle together, embarking on a journey that holds both peril and promise.
Inside The Purgatory Castle, a figure awaited their return. Sinnodal, the goat demon, stood with an imposing presence. His fiery red skin and immense horns contributed to his formidable appearance.
Towering at 7 feet and 10 inches, he exuded an aura of power. Sinnodal's attire, a white suit adorned with intricate black lines, was complemented by a stylish white fedora that added a touch of sophistication to his demonic visage.
"Sugar, I want you to meet Sinnodal. He's been winning the battle ring ever since the Junior Cup," Lucia introduced Sugar to the towering goat man, who stared down at him from above, with Sugar perched on his shoulder.
"Welcome to the team," Sugar extended his hand toward Sinnodal. The goat demon shook it firmly, a hint of amusement in his fiery eyes.
"Lucia speaks highly of you," Sinnodal responded, his voice deep and resonant. "I must admit, I'm curious to see what kind of enterprise you've gathered."
Sugar chuckled, feeling the weight of Sinnodal's scrutiny. "Well, we're a diverse group, to say the least. But we share a common goal."
Lucia interjected with a smile, "And now, with Sinnodal joining you, you'll have the strength of Hell's Express at your side."
Sinnodal nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I've heard tales of your exploits, Sugar. It will be intriguing to see how our strengths complement each other."
As they talked, Sugar's nervousness began to subside. The potential for collaboration and the resources Hell's Express could offer were undeniably enticing. It was a chance for Sugar's Enterprise to grow even stronger and face their challenges head-on.
Lucia then had a great idea for Sugar, "Would you like to stay for a sleepover? I heard it's a great way for humans to bond." Lucia suggested, expressing her curiosity.
Sugar blinked for a second, not sure if he heard it right. 'Did she just want me to sleep with her?' Sugar thought, realizing the priority of this: sleeping with Lucia. "Oh, I will!" Sugar seemed excited about what he was going to experience.
"Great then, shall we head to the bedroom?" Lucia suggested as Sugar was surrounded by a red aura, with her lifting him and walking to her bedroom.
Left alone, Sinnodal was shell-shocked at the event that just transpired. "Welp, this is gonna be a loud night, isn't it?" Sinnodal muttered to himself before walking back to the dormitories for tomorrow.
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Hell, The Purgatory Castle: Lucia's Room, Time: 11:00 PM
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Lucia opened her bedroom door, dropping Sugar onto the red carpet floor.
The room was adorned with crimson decorations and themed with a bookshelf containing knowledge from the outside world, a locked glass wooden shelf filled with action figures, some technology, and a table for her research. A perfect room for a hidden geek.
"So, how do we do this?" Sugar asked, unsure of how much she had planned.
"Well, the book stated that we both need to be in our pajamas. You got yours?" Lucia asked, snapping her fingers and creating an instant red flare that changed her outfit into a red, crimson, white-lined pajama with a cotton hat.
"Nope, I only sleep shirtless," Sugar stated, sitting straight up, relieved that he didn't mention that he only slept in boxers.
"Does it count?" Lucia lifted an eyebrow, curious if being naked counted as a sleeping outfit.
"I mean, if you think about it, every single outfit you wear is just clothing that you can sleep in," Sugar said, realizing he forgot the main factors.
"Not knight armors, though. Those things suck to sleep in." Sugar chuckled, remembering an incident.
"Well, the next step from the book stated that we should play a game. Something called 'Truth or Dare,' I think?" Lucia didn't know what this game was even about or meant, but it was in the book.
"Oh, that's easy. You simply take turns, saying the truth about things and doing a dare," Sugar stated, not providing very clear instructions for her to follow.
Lucia felt like she got it as she sat down in front of Sugar, ready to play the game. "Okay then, Sugar. Truth or dare?" Lucia asked.
"Oh, dare! I am a man!" Sugar was confident. It was only the two of them, so what could go wrong?
'Ooooh! This is going to be fun! Alright, let's give the most torturous dare he will ever have!' Lucia was smirking in her thought, she would win this game with Sugar Chicken in the end.
"Take off your shirt," Lucia ordered, not giving it a second thought. It felt like her mouth was running on its own.
'...'
'Huh.' Both of them stared at each other.
'HUHHHH!' Their face finally turn red at the realization.
Sugar was confused by what she stated before deciding to do it. He slowly removed his suit and tie before completely removing his white dress shirt.
His body was littered with a lot of scars, slashes, piercings, and scorches. Almost anything that could cause a scar could be found on his muscular, six-pack abs body.
Sugar seemed embarrassed at being shirtless in front of Lucia, but she moved closer to him, almost like her body was acting on its own.
"Lucia?" Sugar asked before Lucia was in front of him, face to face, and her eyes traced down to his body, tracing her finger around his scars.
Lucia's finger was soft and warm, even though she could turn earth into molten lava if she wanted to.
"Lucia, this is embarrassing..." Sugar watched her with a bigger blush on his face.
'Holy shit...I wanna eat that...' Lucia then realized what she was doing.
"Holy shit! Sugar, I am so sorry!" Lucia squawked a little before backing away at the speed of light to a corner.
"Hey! Hey! It's okay. You wanna..." Sugar thought for a bit before finally getting an idea.
"paint nails together...?" Sugar asked, willing to paint his nails.
"I...sure." Lucia hid her blushed face in her knee before Sugar dragged her away from the corner, and both decided to do their nails for each other.
Time passes as both seem more comfortable playing another round of truth or dare.
Lucia burst into laughter, "Enchanted ribbons? That's hilarious!"
Sugar grinned, "Glad you find my embarrassment amusing. Your turn. Truth or dare?"
Lucia thought for a moment, "Dare."
Sugar, feeling mischievous, suggested, "I dare you to do your best impersonation of me."
Lucia raised an eyebrow, "Impersonate you? Challenge accepted." She cleared her throat, adopting a deep voice,
"I'm Sugar, and I'm too smug and prideful for my good. But deep down, I'm a softie who cares about his friends and coworkers."
Sugar couldn't help but laugh at Lucia's spot-on impression. "Alright, you got me there. Good one."
"Alright, it's getting late now, shall we head to bed?" Lucia asked, checking the time on Sugar's pocket watch while wearing his suit from one of the rounds.
"Yeah, you got an extra bed?" Sugar inquired, uncertain about whether Lucia preferred to sleep alone or together.
"What do you mean? We could just sleep in one." Lucia gestured to her bed, inviting him to join.
Sugar, slightly surprised, laid down on the bed next to Lucia. "So, a story before bed?" he suggested, wanting to share a tale.
"No, you don't need to," Lucia replied, turning off the lamp as the curtains magically closed on their own.
"Goodnight, Sugar," she wished, beginning to drift off to sleep.
Sugar followed suit, still shirtless. "Goodnight, Lucia."
However, Lucia opened her eyes with a hint of concern. Silently, she turned around, inching closer to Sugar.
"It's not fair for you to use your body to protect me like this..." Lucia expressed her feelings about the times he had shielded her. She wanted to protect him as well.
"I promise... you won't get hurt by anyone anymore," Lucia muttered to herself as she cuddled with him, finally drifting into a peaceful sleep.
The room was filled with a comforting stillness as Sugar and Lucia shared a moment of vulnerability and trust in the embrace of the night.
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