William found himself back in Charlie's room, in the Morning Dawn Mansion. He gently lowered Charlie, who was looking toward the balcony with a strange expression on her face, from where golden rays and "black dots" could be seen, along with the obviously prominent "white and gold".
"Shall we try again next year?" - William asked quietly, immediately receiving Charlie's confident nod.
"There has to be a way to make them stop." - Charlie practically whispered, clutching the sheet. Her two goats, who had recently awakened, somehow sensing their mistress's presence, flew over to her.
"I'm sure we'll either find him or come to another decision." - William nodded, pulling away from Charlie as he watched the Slaying through the open balcony, but Charlie squeezed his sleeve begrudgingly.
"...Can you stay with me for a little while?" - Charlie whispered almost pleadingly, looking up at William with small tears in her eyes. William paused, looking into Charlie's eyes, which showed genuine childish resentment.
"...Sometimes you just forget that behind the screen of vigor and confidence there is a timid girl who has never even met the likes of Adam...And Hell doesn't have the same kind souls as Heaven...", William nodded grudgingly, taking a seat and then laying down on the bed as Charlie simply dragged him along, wrapping her arms and legs around him like a plush toy.
Her goatees, stroking William, settled down next to her, surrounding the one on both sides. With a movement of his hand, William closed the balcony doors, letting silence into the room, filled only with William's measured breathing and Charlie's heavy, almost weeping breath.
"...Are angels really that cruel?" - Charlie whispered, hiding her face in William's vest, who patted her back reassuringly, as he had done with Emily, with small threads of Song and weave, soothing her and giving her a heavenly peace that brought her back to her senses.
"Not all of them." - William nodded confidently, which Charlie could sense. - "Just remember that the Slayers are warriors, and some of them, especially Adam and his lieutenant, have seen more wars with Hell." - Charlie only nodded, squeezing even tighter into William. It wasn't how much she considered such contact intimate, rather it was one of the ways she interacted with her... close friends? Best friends?
William somehow didn't ask who he was to Charlie, 'best friend' or 'someone who supported her' was enough for him. He'd seen her hugging Lilith, and he hadn't met Lucifer yet, which was frightening, but... William felt better, because he knew that at least Lilith, in some form, would protect him in front of her husband.
"...Does it make a difference?" - Charlie's whisper was vulnerable, ingratiating. William stroked the top of Charlie's head, she had almost calmed down by now, bringing her breathing back to normal.
"The military and the diplomats that are probably behind the Slayers are different souls." - William began in his usual mentor-friendly tone, and Charlie's eyes flickered upward, barely looking up, but still clinging to William, who was uncomfortable with Charlie's dress, which was a little too tight. - "They're as straight as a sword, used to brutality and violent decisions." - at those words, Charlie only squeezed harder at the edges of William's vest, whose cloak covered them like a blanket.
"...Of course, this doesn't apply to all souls, but often, they are victims of professional deformation, that is, they are so accustomed to the forceful method of solving problems that they apply it in their daily lives. This rule may not be exact, especially when dealing with such ancient souls, but it's often the right variable for accounting and planning." - Charlie's breathing had almost evened out, and she was already nodding more vigorously at his chest.
"...So we need to explain to them in their language somehow? Punch them in the face?" - Charlie didn't mean it, but this breakdown in her demeanor amused them both, and they laughed briefly.
"If we have to Charlie." - William answered jokingly, covering his eyes. - "But in reality... you just have to come up with a method that will either be more effective, or at least sound to the ears of the Slayers themselves with their superiors." - William grinned, recalling similar episodes from Accounting Paradise Hell.
"Sound better?" - A genuine interest in Charlie's voice that even raised her head from his chest, peering into William's merry eyes that exuded white-blue energy.
"Oh naive summer child, yet to know human nepotism and laziness." - William laughed at Charlie's incomprehension, who tilted her head sweetly. She looked more like an inquisitive kitten or dog now, so open with her emotions.
"There is simple laziness or unwillingness to do extra work everywhere." - William laughed softly. - "If you believe the stories of Adam, who even takes tea or beer from me, even there they have that sort of thing, as strange and 'godly' as it sounds." - Charlie's eyes widened and William's smirk faded a little.
"The head of the Slayers is having tea and beer at your place?" - Charlie's perplexed voice was a balm to William's soul, who nodded eagerly at the question.
"My cooking resonates with the soul of Adam himself, the First of Men, so I have something to be proud of." - William closed his eyes, momentarily distracted by the reports and mental messages from his Replicants and Constructs.
"...Adam? First Man, my mom's ex-husband?" - Charlie's perplexed voice pulled William out of his thoughts he looked up into Charlie's eyes in surprise.
"You didn't know we were talking to Adam, the First of Men, even though I've called him by his first name more than once?" - At William's half-snorting voice, Charlie only snorted, a slight reddening in her cheeks, turning away, or rather resting her head against William's chest again. Ta applied a little force, and so William exhaled sharply.
"I just thought it was a coincidence." - William nodded in agreement as he continued stroking Charlie.
"...Anyway, what would you like to do next week or whenever your mother lets you go again?" - At William's new question, Charlie eagerly showed herself out of the "captivity" of William's vest again, enthusiastically engaging in her usual reasoning and planning.
William listened, occasionally inserting his own comments or corrections, as he usually did when communicating with the irrepressible Charlie, until she finally fell asleep.
William only waited a couple more minutes, finally convinced of Charlie's sound sleep, to replace himself with Charlie's large stuffed animal, adjust his clothes and cloak, put on the sleeping cylinder and disappear into the same dark matter, melting quickly like a candle.
Only a couple of minutes later, the door of Charlie's room opened, revealing the face of a pensive Lucifer, who peered into his daughter's room, scrutinizing the bed and the condition of his daughter, who had fallen asleep in her dress.
With a snap of his fingers, he changed her into her pajamas, bringing a small smile to Charlie's face, and Lucifer simply closed the door, returning to his workshop.
...
William set his table habitually, which had long since become something of a tradition, this time in his house, seeing off his "heavenly" guests. Lute had long since departed, having begun to coordinate the actions of the other Valkyries, and his Replicants and Constructors had already begun to spread the rumors and information he needed, so that tomorrow the newspapers and news would have the necessary news with the "advertisement" of the Hell Princess' actions.
"...So what the fuck was that about?" - Adam's tired, a little lazy voice, lying on his couch, finishing his beer, eating leftover ribs in their "specialty" sauce. It wasn't as good as Paradise, for the ingredients were from Earth, but Adam, William and Lut liked it very much.
"Princess Charlie just decided to try another way of helping the Sinners," William replied simply, finally putting away the dirty plates that immediately appeared cleaned in his overhead nightstands. Adam only snorted derisively as he finished the last ribeye.
A new moment of silence, in which William had already managed to pull out the last preparations for Project Call, that Adam was to deliver to Sera, for not even William's Weaves could cross that border.
A couple of "toys" and "stickers" that should put a "mark"-seal-something else on Sera's shell, maybe even her soul. It was up to her, and her reaction and the "quality of the bond" would show William her relationship to... her former assistant.
"Every day, I'm feeling her better and better." - Adam suddenly said, looking at William with a strange look. He recognized the emotion. The emotion of a man who still didn't believe that he would soon be cured of a terrible disease that he had long since gotten used to. He just didn't fully believe it, no matter how much he convinced himself.
"Did the seraphim and angels suspect something or say something?" - William asked in passing, taking a seat in a nearby chair, checking and putting the finishing touches on the "tools" he was packing in a small ring that Adam must carry somewhere. The first man just shook his head.
"Just wondering from the fact that I'm like a fucker periodically going to the Pearly Gates and..." - Adam smiled slightly, to which William only snorted. - "Standing there waiting for the unknowable. Telling them I'm just taking a walk or just sending them the fuck away, but still..."
"They're already suspicious of your love for men, because you're making poor Peter nervous, aren't you?" - William's caustic voice, his chuckle caused a pillow to fly at him with great force.
"Fuck you." - Adam said angrily, trying to hide his grin. - "...Now that was good, growing up." - Adam gave William a thumbs-up, nodding approvingly. - "It won't be a century before you learn to fuck Lucidar himself, and then you and I will fuck God together." - Adam nods affirmatively as William laughs quietly.
"And then he'll fuck us, we'll hug and we'll go down to Hell in friendship, straight to your ex." - both men laughed.
They didn't laugh for long, Adam only gestured to put the dirty dishes away, picking up a small ring that he had hidden... somewhere behind his ear, opening his mask, surprising William a little.
"She'll be home soon, Adam." - William said softly, getting a nod from Adam.
"...And I've already tried to rehearse our meeting." - Adam admitted quietly, in a very strange voice. William couldn't get used to the fact that he was sharing more details with him, revealing himself in a whole new way. Adam was now more like a more mature version of the Self from Eden than the joker and asshole William had known before. That still surprised William.
"Really? Lute and the Sisters are playing the part of Eve?" - William's teasing didn't find the right response in Adam, that he just nodded.
"'Eve, it's been so long since I've seen you' or 'Eve, I'm so happy to welcome you home'..." Adam stretched out, looking somewhere off to the side. - That's bullshit, isn't it?" - he turned to William, leaning over slightly, rubbing his neck in a somewhat 'embarrassed' manner. William sighed.
Something he hadn't expected in recent years, Adam would occasionally ask such things as a meet and greet with his long lost wife. Not that William had extensive experience, but as Adam himself had said with Lut - "Who else do you turn to, Michael and Metatron?" to which William nodded in agreement, still perplexed.
"...Just try to behave with her like you usually did." - Adam frowned slightly at that, but did not interrupt William as he laid out his new calculations and reports. A couple of sheets, compared to whole piles a couple years ago. - "Naturally, you'll need some way to show that you've changed, but still 'Her Adam'..." - William stretched out thoughtfully, receiving a misunderstanding look from Adam. William sighed again, gesturing and sending a small white and blue ball of Aether, as if woven from threads, right into Adam's chest, who didn't move, just rubbing the spot where the sphere had hit him thoughtfully.
"When the time comes, you'll understand, but here..." - William pointed a finger at the sphere's 'entry' point. - "There are a couple of my instructions, examples from literature or filmography... Anyway, the main thing is, don't take too long to master it, and you'll definitely be able to give Eve an 'unforgettable' meeting." - Adam nodded gravely, looking thoughtfully at his hand, and William sighed heavily again. - "Seriously, just give that one a hug, nothing hard about it."
"Not for you, the dude who was able to seduce two Seraphim, who's already got his paws out towards the heiress of Hell, but for a simple First Slave from Paradise Works..." - Adam grinned, seeing William's face contort in irritation.
" If you don't get the hell outta here right now..." - William clenched his fist, white-blue energy emanating from it.
"Yeah, yeah, fuck you too!" - Adam waved at the Fallen Angel, laughingly flying off the porch of his Mansion.
William only had to nod irritably, watching Adam fly away with a glance while part of his mind was occupied with other calculations.
He returned to his chair, where there was already a coffee table with a cup of tea on the cup holder, with a bowl of sweets beside it.
William had another long night ahead of him, where he was working on creating the Mist Reserve, greatly expanding his Forest of Mist, creating a new ground for future research and experimentation.
William sighed tiredly, but he wasn't tired in the slightest.
He loved magic, it had saved him more than once from the horrors and torments of Hell, but how he wished he could just sleep without being tormented by nightmares.