His head pounded. His shoulder and knees ached, throbbing with pain. His throat was dry and his tongue felt thick, like leather. David slowly turned his head, groaning with pain when the sun hit his eyelids and seeped through. He pulled the covers over his head, turning over to go back to sleep.
Wait… covers?
David begrudgingly opened his eyes, pulling the covers back down. He was in a bed–a soft, comfortable, cushioned bed–surrounded by blankets and pillows. He looked out the window, towards an almost familiar looking stone road, then back towards the room, studying his surroundings.
It was clean, with a nightstand covered in glasses of water, bandages, medicine, all placed upon a neat towel. A desk and a monitor sat in the corner, and the walls were covered in flashy posters. On the floor in front of a half opened closet were countless slippers, and through the crack of the closet door, one could see just as many hoodies hanging up. Draped over the swivel chair by the desk were David's clothes.
Looking down at himself, David realized he was in a hospital gown, bandages wrapping around his chest and shoulders and legs. He swung his legs over the bed, wincing in pain as he placed weight on them, his wings unfurling a moment too late as he fought to keep his balance.
He lost.
David tumbled to the floor, trying to grab onto something, anything on his way down. His hand caught onto the towel on the nightstand–the one held down by various items–causing it and all the objects to tumble down with him with a loud clatter. Moments later, the bedroom door slammed open, revealing the bandaged man David had attacked earlier.
"Woah, you okay?" he asked, kneeling down and holding out a hand to help David up. David scrambled backwards at first, but Gordon's patient gaze allowed him to ease up a little. "I'm not gonna hurt you… actually, I'm taking care of you right now."
Narrowing his eyes, David averted his gaze. "I'm dangerous, y'know. I'll corrupt you."
Gordon chuckled. "You're not dangerous. Not to me."
"Not… to you…?"
Scratching the back of his head, Gordon sighed. "It's… hard to explain. All you need to know is that these guys–" the bandages wrapped around him came to life, unraveling themselves and lifting their heads to gaze at David. "–are the reason I can get close to you for long periods of time. They're constantly rewinding my and your conditions, just to prevent disaster."
"I… see…" David looked down, grimacing as a piercing pain shot through his head. He doubled over, clutching his head tight.
Gordon grabbed David's shoulders, helping him back onto the bed. He rummaged through the pills before handing Gordon a small, white round pill.
"Here… Asmodeus says this one is for migraines." Gordon handed it to David. He reached for the glass of water, only to realize its current position on the floor, contents forming a puddle in the carpet. He picked up the fallen glass. "Let me go get you some more water."
He was only gone for a moment before returning, setting the glass on the nightstand. He watched over David as he took his medicine, then made sure he swallowed it.
David looked back up at Gordon, although his gaze kept shifting and his eyebrows furrowed. He clasped his hands, then unclasped them, clearly unsure of what to do with them.
Finally, he blurted out, "Why are you taking care of me?"
"Huh?"
"I attacked you. I attacked everyone… so why are you taking care of me?"
Gordon rested his chin in his hand, deep in thought. "I don't really know," he replied. "The Serpens vitae wanted me to so they could keep you safe… but as for me? Well…"
He studied David, locking eyes with him: his deep amber eyes with a hint of sorrow to David's dark red ones, brimming with a quiet rage. "You don't really seem like that bad of a guy."
David's face fell and he turned away. "Of course I am, I'm possessed by this miasma. All I can do is bad…"
Gordon's expression softened. "I don't think that's true. After all, everyone else has been pitching in to help you. I think they see it, too."
His eyes lit up as he looked back at Gordon. "Ev…eryone…?"
Moving to the chair, he picked up David's clothes and other items, bringing them back over and laying them out on the bed.
"Well, for one, Asmodeus and Altair have been coming over regularly to check up on you. You're in my bed instead of the hospital because, as of right now, you're rather dangerous to others without these snakes keeping the miasma back. Dr. Alde, Professor Savant and Armel are working together to repair your face mask and the tubing. Since you aren't using the miasma right now, you won't need the miasma for a while. Ignis, Kintsugi and Ginger are looking for a way to teach you to control your magic. Oh, and lastly-"
Gordon hastily exited the room, before bringing back a large tray filled with sweets. There were cookies, brownies, slices of mille-feuille cake, lokum, baklava, and macarons.
"Frankie, Delphina, and Syzygy made all this for you. There's even some lemonade in the fridge."
David's eyes widened in excitement, before growing somber again. "But… why? Why go through this effort for someone like me…?"
"Well… how do I put this lightly… it's very clear you're still immature. Mentally, that is. But also very dangerous if left alone." Gordon's voice softened, but he smiled a little at how proud David looked. "You must've been alone in the Outer Frontier for a long time, so they just want to help take care of you and teach you what you weren't able to learn before."
Nodding shakily, David adjusted himself so he could more easily look straight at Gordon.
"My mother…" David began. "Was the original Queen of Hearts. Before that woman killed her and my dad, and tried to throw me and my twin off of a cliff. I survived, but Daimon… they weren't so lucky. My only regret is that I wasn't able to say goodbye to any of them…"
Gordon's eyes widened a little. "I'm sorry, David, I didn't know that happened."
He shook his head, offering a small smile. "No one does. It was kept under wraps, of course. But you see…" David locked eyes with Gordon, a newfound intensity lighting his gaze ablaze. "This is why I must get revenge on the Queen. And not just for me, either… but for everyone else she's taken care of from the shadows, as well."
"Yes, yes, I understand… but before that, you need to regain your strength and learn how to control the miasma so it doesn't hurt you." Gordon pointed out. "You'll burn out far too quickly like last time."
David pouted. "Surely I lasted a while, right?"
"Seven minutes."
"Really? It felt longer…"
He shook his head. "No. You need more training. Regina is very powerful, and her reputation has existed long before her ascent to the throne."
Looking away, David nodded solemnly. "I understand. I'll work hard, then."
"Good." Gordon stood. "Now, I made you breakfast. Asmodeus will be here soon to check on you again. He'll want you to be eating properly, and he'll have my head if I don't feed you."
David limped into the kitchen supported by Gordon. He guided David to the table, setting him down in front of a plate. Inhaling and breathing in the warm scents of bacon and scrambled eggs and hashbrowns and waffles topped with strawberry jam and whipped cream, David picked up his fork to begin eating while Gordon began pouring him a glass of orange juice.
"Thank you." David breathed, still in awe at the food placed before him.
"No big deal. I'm not much of a cook, so you'll have to tell me what you think."
Immediately digging into the waffles, David paused to voice his approval. "Mmm! I haven't eaten anything this good in a long time!"
Gordon watched in shock as David then proceeded to polish off the whole plate in less than five minutes.
Laughing, Gordon leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "Hungry, huh?"
David nodded, still licking crumbs from his fork and fingers. "You don't get a lot of opportunities for food in the Outer Frontier. It's been a while since I've had something cooked, too."
"I guess that makes sense… Well, I'm glad you like it." Gordon smiled fondly. "Tonight, after Asmodeus' checkup, I'll take you to get some good food at Branzino's."
"Really?"
Gordon nodded. "Of course. They're finally re-opening tonight after being closed for the past two weeks due to the queen's trade ban."
David blinked. "Trade ban?"
"Yeah. According to Kintsugi's former colleague, a caravan was attacked which led the queen to closing all the trade routes."
"Oh… uh…" David set his fork down and swallowed nervously. "Whoops…"
"David…"
"Mm?"
"Were you responsible for that?"
"Well… maybe?"
Gordon sighed as the snakes suddenly came to life, unraveling themselves to glare at David.
"You!" Hesterno cried. "You're the reason why we couldn't get chicken strips! Cras, bite him!"
"Woah, woah, woah!" Gordon grabbed Hesterno, shaking him lightly. "We don't bite people! How many times have I said that?"
"You fiend! Unhand me this-!"
They were interrupted by an abrupt, firm knock on the door. Gordon carefully released his grip on Hesterno, pushing away from the table to answer the door.
Awaiting him was Asmodeus, still dressed in his scrubs from work, accompanied by Altair wearing his usual white and gold attire.
"Gordon! Good to see you." Asmodeus pulled him into a hug. "I've brought new bandages for David, and-"
His eyes drifted over to the figure sitting at the table, his pupils dilating.
"David!" Asmodeus pushed past Gordon, setting his things down on the floor to take a look at him. "How are you feeling? Your wounds seem to be healing well."
David nodded, shifting in his chair. "I'm okay, just disoriented."
"That's understandable. You were out for two weeks." Asmodeus began checking David's vitals and replacing his bandages, taking note of any remaining scars, contusions, or abrasions. He hummed to himself, stepping back when he was finished. "I apologize for hurting you so much when trying to incapacitate you, I definitely went too far."
"Ah… uh… it's okay. I attacked first," David replied. His head turned to Altair, who had his arms folded across his chest and was surveying the room with a disinterested expression. "Your portals… ah… how do they work?"
Altair looked at David, eyes narrowing as he tried to ascertain David's intentions. Finally, he exhaled, unfolding his arms and pulling off a ring from the fabric hanging from his shoulder. "I can make a portal through any ring that goes to any place I've seen before. But these specific rings on my outfit are ones that can expand or shrink to let me move through them."
David listened intently, eyes widened as he watched Altair's every move. When Altair finished explaining, David asked another question. "Does it feel weird?"
Thinking for a moment, Altair shrugged. "Not really. At first it does, like your stomach is being flipped, but you get used to it after a while."
"Cool…" David continued eyeing the ring in Altair's hand. The angel smiled, reattaching it to his outfit.
"When you get better, if you've been behaving for Gordon and have learned how to control the miasma, I'll take you for a flight."
"Really?"
"Promise."
"You've got it!" David stood, picking up his plate and rushing to the sink. "Don't worry, Gordon, I'll do my best."
"Ah, uh. Don't worry about that," Gordon fretted. "You can just leave the dishes to me."
Asmodeus smiled, before turning to Altair. "Let's depart. We've got to meet up with your friend and then get ready for our reservation at Branzino's."
"Ah, you too?" Gordon walked them to the door, pausing in the doorway.
"Of course. Me and Branzino are good friends."
"Same. Well… the Serpens are. They adore his food, so we're always welcome."
"Oh yes, the Serpens vitae… I've always wanted to study their lifesaving abilities. Do you know how they do it?" Asmodeus asked, his eyes landing on Gordon's bandages. Gordon raised a hand, running a finger over one of the snakes curled around his throat.
"They're constantly turning time back on my body," Gordon replied. "The moment they stop, I will die again."
"I see…" Asmodeus buried his chin in his hand. "What makes them decide on a suitable host?"
Gordon sighed. "Entertainment."
"Entertainment?"
"Yes. Their stipulation is that I keep them entertained."
"Interesting." Asmodeus turned back to Altair. "Well… shall we, then?"
Altair nodded. In one smooth motion, he picked Asmodeus up, carrying him bridal style. He walked out from the door a little before unfurling his wings and carrying them both into the sky.
Gordon watched them depart until he heard the unmistakable sound of glass shattering.
─── ♡ ♢ ☀︎ ✩ ☽ ♧ ♤ ───
The observatory Ignis lived in was large, connected to a living space used by meteorologists of the past. He meditated beneath the geodesic dome, soft light filtering in from above. Every day after lunch he came here, enjoying the sun's rays on his face and the peace and quiet broken only by birdsong.
At least, that's how it used to be.
Now as Ignis sat cross-legged, eyes closed, all he could hear was the distant sound of arguing. His eyebrow twitched in annoyance, his eyes squeezed shut as he tried to maintain the fragile inner peace inside of him.
The sounds of rapid footsteps approaching his location made him audibly sigh, the last remains of his calm broken by a shrill yell.
"Ignis! Kintsugi isn't letting us in the laboratory."
Finally opening his eyes, letting clear annoyance spread across his face, Ignis looked up to see Savant standing before him, his hands on his hips and a big frown on his face.
Armel and Kintsugi trailed into the dome, locked in a physical altercation.
"Why do you need to use the lab?" Ignis asked, exasperated.
"For experiments, of course. The lab is the only place with room big enough for my inventions, after all."
Why did I agree to let these three stay here? Ignis beat himself up mentally, before struggling to his feet and stretching out the remaining relaxation from his shoulders. Finally, he thought for a moment before saying, "I've got all of my potions and ingredients in the lab right now. But… I suppose I could move them to the greenhouse…"
"Really?" Savant blinked.
Ignis glanced over at Kintsugi, who was rapidly shaking his head. Sighing again, Ignis nodded hesitantly.
"Sure. Just give me a day, I'll clear everything out."
"Great! Thanks, Ignis." Savant saluted and strutted away. He grabbed Armel's wrist on the way out, dragging him away from Kintsugi who simply stared in disbelief at Ignis.
The remaining two locked eyes for a long time before the oni finally spoke up. "You know you don't have to agree to everything Savant asks- uh, demands."
Ignis looked down, nodding solemnly. "I know, but… they don't have anywhere else to go. By the order of the queen, they're supposed to be dead."
"I'm about to fulfill that order myself."
"Kintsugi!"
"Fine, fine…" Kintsugi threw up his hands in surrender. "But still, you can refuse Savant on some things at least."
"I will, I will," Ignis said. "Don't worry, I can establish my own boundaries."
Kintsugi folded his arms across his chest. "You're right. I suppose I don't need to remind you like that. It seems like I'm still trying to bodyguard you."
"Mmhm." Ignis stretched out his arms, stooping down and picking up his hat he had placed on the floor and placing it carefully on his head. "Anyways, bodyguard, mind lending me a hand? I've got some things I need to carry to the greenhouse…"
─── ♡ ♢ ☀︎ ✩ ☽ ♧ ♤ ───
Asmodeus shook off his shoes from his feet, sliding them into more comfortable slippers. He had changed from his scrubs to tan slacks and a loose white button-up shirt: more comfortable, but still nice enough for the restaurant. Altair followed suit, changing from his white robes to a black silk shirt and matching dress pants, completed by black loafers with gold soles.
"Hey, you look nice," Asmodeus commented, eyeing Altair up and down.
Altair blushed, looking away. "So do you."
Beaming, Asmodeus pulled Altair close, kissing his forehead gently. At the sound of their doorbell, he quickly released him and stepped back, allowing Altair to answer the door.
As the door creaked open, Asmodeus' eyes widened at the towering man behind it. Tan skinned and bleach blond with deep, dark blue eyes accented with eyeliner that flicked outward on his bottom lid. He was tall and muscled, with teal ribbons wrapped around his forearms. A dark turquoise compression tank failed to hide the grooves of his pecs and abs, his hips hidden beneath white, wide-legged jeans pulled up above his waist. The jeans were tied with a ribbon, matching the ones on his arms, and his feet were covered by simple turquoise slip-ons with white accents.
His deep blue eyes immediately locked onto Asmodeus, his facial features drawn into a slightly neutral expression just one step away from a scowl.
Altair ushered him in, the two of them exchanging silent yet understanding nods. As he stepped through the door frame, Asmodeus caught sight of a white motorcycle parked out front, detailed with teal, turquoise, and silver. Altair sat down in their living room, gesturing towards Asmodeus and their guest to join him.
Asmodeus opted to sit next to Altair on their loveseat while the other man folded his arms and settled into a chair sat across from them, separated only by the long mahogany coffee table.
Finally, Altair broke the thick silence that their guest's presence had unintentionally created. He pointed to the man, turning to Asmodeus, and spoke, "This is Gabriel, my superior. Gabriel, this is Asmodeus, my boyfriend."
"Pleasure to meet you." Asmodeus extended a hand. Gabriel merely looked at him, eyes cold and calculating. Finally, he unfolded his arms and extended his hand, shaking it firmly.
"Pleasure." His voice was deep and strong, filled with gravitas. He turned to look at Altair. "You didn't tell me your boyfriend was a demon."
Altair shifted nervously. "Yes… well, I… I didn't want any of the angels to… find out and hunt him down, or…"
Gabriel blinked, leaning back in his chair. "Of course not. I understand. But if I had known…" his eyes locked back onto Asmodeus, making him feel like his every move was being scrutinized. "I would have visited sooner to question him."
"Oh, right!" Altair quickly turned to Asmodeus. "Gabriel has been looking for a specific demon for a long time. Perhaps you could help him."
"Huh?" Asmodeus raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I suppose I could try and help. But it's been decades since I got kicked out of Hell. I can't be certain that I know every demon's whereabouts."
"The demon I am looking for is fairly well-known and very powerful," Gabriel assured. "You may know of him, he's famous for his wit and… charming personality."
Asmodeus' eyes flitted over to Altair, who seemed to be listening closely to their conversation, before looking back towards Gabriel. "Perhaps. Who was it you're looking for?"
Gabriel's eyes darkened and his voice went low as he uttered, "Beelzebub."
Freezing, Asmodeus bit down on the inside of his cheek. Finally, he inquired, "Wh-what is it you're wanting with him?"
Folding his arms, Gabriel's expression softened and he offered a small smile. "Don't worry. Me and him just have unfinished business."
That only made Asmodeus worry more.
He swallowed before speaking. "Beelzebub is my older brother. Well, half-brother. He was born in the mortal world and I was born in Hell, see."
Gabriel leaned forward intently, eyes widened. "Where is he now?"
Asmodeus snorted. "Most likely still in Hell. When I got kicked out, he had been going through a depressive state and refused to leave his room. He doesn't come up to the surface much, anyways. Probably doesn't like dealing with angels who try to track him down whenever he leaves…"
The last sentence was more pointed, as if Asmodeus spoke from experience. Now, it was Gabriel's turn to shift nervously.
"I apologize. Angels just have orders to go make sure demons aren't causing trouble for mortals."
Asmodeus sighed, dropping his serious face. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But Beelzebub doesn't do so well having eyes on him. He usually prefers a more reclusive setting."
"That does line up…" Gabriel nodded. "I've been hunting down demons for years now, hoping to see him again. You know, back before Heaven and Hell were even created, we were quite the… rivals."
Blinking, Asmodeus shot forward. "Wait, are you the "troublesome, annoying, pain in my ass, sculpted hunk of an enemy general" Beelzebub always talks about?"
Gabriel chuckled at this, a smile creeping onto his straight features. "Is that how he describes me?"
"He'd go on about you a lot," Asmodeus said, "and sometimes used some very… choice and colorful words."
"Sounds like him," Gabriel murmured wistfully.
"Well, if you have a score to settle with my brother…" Asmodeus suddenly grew serious again. "You'll probably have to wait a while before he shows up again."
Gabriel's expression became serious too, as he nodded. "I understand. But I have waited this long, I can wait longer."
─── ♡ ♢ ☀︎ ✩ ☽ ♧ ♤ ───
"Skye."
"Yes, sir?"
"Got three letters for you to deliver. It's very simple, delivered to the capitals of each kingdom. Even you can't mess this up."
"You got it, boss! I'm on it!"
─── ♡ ♢ ☀︎ ✩ ☽ ♧ ♤ ───
The soft thrum of the overhead lights provided the only background noise for Dr. Alde, save for the occasional clinking of mechanical pieces. The alien's umbrella lay disassembled on his desk, pieces carefully marked and organized.
If the lab weren't underground, or if there were a clock somewhere in the room, Dr. Alde would have seen that it was well past sundown. The only clues, however, were his steadily slipping consciousness and the sound of Frankie cleaning up upstairs.
His head fell onto the desk with a soft thud, unable to fight back against the sleep anymore, pieces clattering from his hand onto the desk. The sounds from upstairs paused and heavy footsteps began thumping down the stairs. The footsteps paused just before they reached the bottom, accompanied by a gentle and upbeat "Hm" before resuming, trodding over to Dr. Alde. Deft and gentle hands readjusted Dr. Alde before lifting him up, establishing a grip around his torso and arms and another under the crook of his legs.
Frankie brought Dr. Alde upstairs, casting a glance at the clock that stood at the end of the hallway, opposite of the laboratory entrance. He took a sharp right into Dr. Alde's bedroom, carrying him towards a large sized bed shoved underneath a window, silver moonlight filtering in through the partially opened slats.
He lowered Dr. Alde into bed, peeling off his clothes and shoes and redressing him in comfortable, breathable pajamas, then tucked him in. Frankie reached over to the window, grabbing the drawstring and making sure the slats were closed all the way, basking the room in deeper darkness.
He straightened up and turned to leave, when Dr. Alde groaned and shifted in his sleep. Frankie froze, turning his head to peer at Dr. Alde's silhouette from the corner of his eyes.
Dr. Alde's brief restlessness was interrupted by sudden snoring. Frankie released a sigh of relief, making a quick exit and leaving the door cracked open just a little.
Just how "he" liked it.
As Frankie finished cleaning up the kitchen and removed a kettle of tea from the stove, he heard the sound of Dr. Alde's bed creaking, a heavy object removing itself from the mattress. Frankie peered at the clock on the wall again, a small smile creeping on his face. Right on time.
The bedroom door creaked open and a bright orange light flooded into the hallway, casting a golden shine across the kitchen floor and walls. Frankie turned to face the person approaching him, arms folded neatly before him in anticipation.
A hand wrapped itself around the doorway—although, it was less of a hand and more of a claw that flickered and danced like fire—before pushing itself forward and into the kitchen. At first it was just a flickering mass, no different in appearance than a ravaging wildfire, until it slowly took shape, forming eyes glowing bright white and a mouth that spat hot fire every time it opened.
Frankie merely looked at it with an expectant smile, as though they were friends meeting up for tea time.
In fact, that's exactly how it was.
Gingerly lifting up the tea kettle, Frankie poured a single mug of hot water and dropped in a tea bag, stirring languidly. The fire creature watched him intently, before it spoke low and hoarsely.
"What flavor of tea today, Frankie?"
Frankie ceased his stirring, lifting up the tea bag from the drink. "Fenugreek." He paused, pointing his stirrer at the creature. "Did you burn any of Dr. Alde's things on your way out?"
"Nope! In the clear! You can check if you want."
"I trust you, Master Hyde." Frankie tossed the tea bag in the air, the creature–Hyde–catching it in his mouth. It was gone in less than a second, disintegrated as Hyde smacked his fiery mouth open and shut. "Besides, if you did leave any scorch marks, I'm sure Master Alde will complain about it in the morning."
Hyde's eyes narrowed as he slunk towards Frankie, careful not to light anything on fire. "Master this, master that… at least one of the few things me and the doctor can agree on is that you don't need to call us master!"
Frankie averted his gaze, sipping his tea. "I apologize, ma- Mr. Hyde. I can't help it." He sighed, placing the mug down with a soft clink. "It's certainly troublesome that you and the mast- Dr. Alde, I mean, share a body. I just wish the two of you could talk your differences out."
"Trust me, kid," Hyde hissed, turning his sights to a plate of cookies laid on the kitchen table, "me and the doc ain't creatures of talking."
"Go ahead." Frankie gestured to the plate of cookies. Hyde immediately set himself upon them, shoveling cookies into his mouth eagerly. He smiled. "You both talk to me rather easily."
Hyde burned through the cookies quickly, releasing a hot belch in response. He turned back to Frankie, his jagged mouth torn into a frown. "That's 'cause you're easy to talk to. That doc that's slumbering in my belly right now? Heh… we're the same stubborn creature. Chats will get us nowhere."
Frankie hummed disappointedly, before shaking his head. "You made sure not to jostle ma- Dr. Alde, right?"
"Of course. I know if I woke him, I wouldn't be here!" Hyde barked out a laugh. Deep beneath the flames that made up Hyde's body, Frankie spotted the silhouette of his Dr. Alde, curled up and still asleep. Such was the deal with Dr. Alde's curse: whenever he fell asleep, Mr. Hyde woke up and set fire to everything he loved.
At least, that's how it used to be before Frankie caught Mr. Hyde and scolded him for hours. That day, the fire creature learned that true fear was an angry butler who had just finished cleaning and now had to deal with scorch marks on the floors, walls, and his master's things. But he'd also grown to respect Frankie, and eventually they grew close enough that Hyde could call him his first "friend". Of course, he'd never admit that to Frankie or anyone other than himself. The two of them came to an agreement that Frankie would feed Mr. Hyde as long as he left Dr. Alde's belongings alone. Hyde found it impossible to refuse the offer of free food.
"Oh! Before I forget…" Frankie strode over to the fridge, looking through its contents briefly before pulling out a giant tuna. "Here, for you. A friend of ours gifted it to us, but Master Alde doesn't like seafood so I prepared it for you."
Hyde had appeared over Frankie's shoulder, peering at it curiously. "I've never had fish before… They're always underwater. Can't quite get to them, y'know?"
Frankie laughed. "Yeah. I'll be sure to get you more fish, then. How about crab?"
"I would love to eat the shells off of one of those little buggers," Hyde said, consuming the tuna whole. He let out a groan of satisfaction, before slinking to the doorway. "That was delicious as always, Frankie. But I think my fire is ready to burn out already."
"Goodnight, master Hyde." Frankie offered a slight bow.
"Just Hyde."
"Mr. Hyde."
"Just- nevermind. Goodnight, Frankie."
─── ♡ ♢ ☀︎ ✩ ☽ ♧ ♤ ───
"I have given the warning letters to the post office." Bai Guo shuffled in, quickly dropping to her knees in a bow. The crimson curtains remained drawn, shielding the figure of her master.
"Very good…" came that low, sultry voice. "If they don't surrender within a week, then you know what to do."
Bai Guo nodded solemnly. "Of course."
"For your hard work, why not go to Branzino's? Treat yourself to a nice meal."
"Um… of course."