Chapter Text
She was something else.
A goddess of sorts. A rather vexing goddess, Malphas thought to himself as he watched Angelica from afar. He’d befriended her all but a few years ago, yet he still found something about her that made him not want to steal her divine soul. The scent alone was enough to drive him mad, especially the more he grew a taste for souls.
Today he was cloaked in a dark brown cloak of sorts, trudging over rooftops to watch the humans in the city streets of this dull little town that Angelica had dragged him to. The angelic princess had insisted she wanted to see the humans for herself.
So while she kept to heights, hidden from human view, he would occasionally hop down to creep through the city streets, quietly amused that she insisted on seeing such creatures yet couldn’t bring herself to walk among them. She stayed hidden away, watching him as he crept about the city streets.
He returned to her eventually, with a full belly, demonic eyes aglow, and a satisfied smile creeping across his lips. Her white gold eyes narrowed at him from below the hood of her cloak. “You know, I really hate when you do that.” She remarked coolly, removing her hood and toying with her braided curls. Malphas smirked, scoffing a bit as he laughed, tossing his own hood down as he walked to stand on her other side, grinning as her eyes followed him distrustingly. “Hate what, my dear? The way my kind feed? I don’t complain when you snack on those revolting sweets of yours, do I?” Angelica’s wings fluttered in agitation from under her cape. “No, you don’t.” She agreed. “However, when I eat, I don’t end the lives of innocent people. You do.”
Malphas smiled, “Is the lonely wolf wrong to devour one of the sheep? If one so happens to stray from the rest, it’s fair game.” Angelica sighed, “I don’t have a problem with you… eating. It’s the way you carry it out. It always seems so… malicious.” She sighed, “I just- I don’t know how you can bring yourself to do something so cruel.” Malphas bit back a small smirk, “I didn’t know my feeding disgusted you so.” Angelica shoved his arm. “You do so! Don’t you dare lie!” Malphas burst into laughter, “Ah- perhaps I do have an idea of your… morality.”
His words came out sounding like a purr, and he slid gracefully down from the rooftop perch, suddenly interested in a human wandering about the streets. Angelica was short to follow. “What is it now?” She asked, “What has your attention so-” He raised a clawed hand and shushed her, then pointed at a human meandering the streets. The angel sighed, “Please, haven’t you eaten enough?” Malphas cast her a small smile, “I’m not interested in food, Angel.” The two continued watching with interest, Angelica’s arms leaning on the edge of their spot and resting her chin atop them. She glanced at Malphas, surprised to see the way his eyes glowed with demonic interest as they spotted a disguised human stalking close behind another unsuspecting.
Malphas grinned quietly, leaning forward with interest. Angelica’s wings fluttered a bit in the corner of his eye. “Wait… Malphas, Malphas what is he-” The demon’s eyes stayed fixed on the human who suddenly grabbed the other and pulled them into an alley. Malphas stood as Angelica leapt to her feet in alarm. “What-! Malphas, what just happened?! What did he do?!”
The demon looked over at her, red eyes narrowed into catlike slits. The blonde didn’t waver, still looking a bit frantic. “Malphas- what did we just witness?” She was more calm, but still anxious. Malphas pushed past her to leap to the opposing roof, glancing back, a silent question if she would like to follow and see for herself. Angelica frowned, wings fluttering in anxiety before she shook off her fear and followed him over the ledge.
In the shadowed alley, she spotted her companion crouched behind a barrel of old goods, his attention on the scene before him. He glanced back as she entered the alleyway, and a small smile crossed his lips as she moved to join him, settling close behind him, poking her head out from their hiding place to watch the scene before them. Malphas smirked as her hand found his shoulder, bracing herself against him as they watched.
The captured human was thrashing furiously against its captor, helpless as the life slowly left his eyes. Angelica’s eyes were wide as she watched the murder play out. The assailant stabbing his victim brutally with wicked glee across his face. Blood spattered a few feet away from them, and she gripped the demon’s arm a bit. Malphas smirked, glancing back at her, “Scared?” He taunted. Angelica glared and dug her nails into his shoulder and gently bumped his head into the wooden barrel beside them in response.
“Let’s go back to the rooftops. I don’t fancy explaining human blood on my shoes to my father.” With a flap of her wings she was back on the rooftops, waiting for her companion to rejoin her. Malphas chuckled, his attention diverting back to the crime, vermillion eyes watching the scene intently, for another moment before joining her.
“Does it disturb you, angel?” He asked with a taunt in his tone as they walked back to the lake that evening. Angelica frowned, glancing over, “No.” She said plainly, “It’s rather… unnerving, but not as… disturbing or grotesque as I might have originally anticipated.” Her wings fluttered a bit. “I just cannot understand how humans could be so cruel to one another, why does one feel as if he must steal away the life of another? If he has one himself, should he not be content?”
Malphas let out a rich laugh, head lift, face tilted slightly towards the sky as he did, rain beginning to fall upon his skin as Angelica looked at him with wide curious eyes. “Why do you laugh, mon ami? It is a perfectly valid question.” Malphas grinned, “Ah… You truly are naive, princess…” He turned his gaze back to the human’s corpse. “Humans have become far to akin to demons, it’s why so many of my kind are summoned to their aid. Humans may as well be demons themselves these days.”
Angelica hummed nonchalantly, “They’re only human, Malphas. They possess the gift of free will. If they choose to be demons, so be it.” The devil stopped laughing, and stared at her, surprised at her reaction. Angelica sighed, turning to face him, “Now shall we go? I want to sit by the lake before I have to go back home.”
Present Day.
Aurora lingered in the garden, humming to herself as she sat on the edge of the terrace, busying herself with her reading and petting Noire, the small kitten sprawled out on her chest.
“The young master is going to be in quite a poor mood if he sees you with cat fur on your uniform,” Sebastian remarked as he spotted the angel lounging outside. Aurora laughed, stroking a finger down the top of the small cat’s head, to gently tap upon Noire’s nose. “I’m sure he will not notice.”
The demon paused, detecting something different about her. “You sound different.” He stated, “Is there a reason for that?” Aurora hummed, “I hadn’t noticed.” Sebastian narrowed his eyes, “One does not suddenly acquire… a Russian accent overnight.” Aurora sighed, “I’m sorry, I wanted to try something new, is that so bad?” Sebastian didn’t respond. “No.” He said at last. “Of course not.” Aurora smiled, “Lovely.” She returned her attention to the cat, fussing over Noire’s whiskers before returning to her book. Sebastian sighed, “May I ask you something?” Aurora nodded, looking over to give him her full attention. “Of course. What is on your mind?” The demon was quiet for a moment. “I think it was in poor judgement of me to lend you that book. You have not been yourself since reading it.” Aurora smiled, “Malphas, I’m fine. I can do magic again- it isn’t angelic by any means, but I don’t feel useless. Isn’t that enough?”
Sebastian frowned, “But even without your abilities, you were not useless. You are exemplary with a sword, you know far more languages than me, and you teach the young master history far better than I ever could.” Aurora cracked a small smile, “I appreciate the compliments, my love, but that just isn’t enough for me.” The demon’s eyes flashed, “That is precisely the problem. You would never say such things. You would never say you don’t have enough.”
Aurora rolled her eyes, “Change happens in everything, Malphas. You have changed so much since we first met. You practically despised me when we first met!” Sebastian narrowed his eyes, “That might be true, but you could never change so much after I gave you a demonic spell book. I think it would be wise for you to give it a rest. No demonic magic unless absolutely necessary.”
She looked appalled, “Ah- you would have me remain invalid?! Without magic what use am I? You know if Ciel finds out my angelic magic is gone he will have my oath with him voided! And you know the oath is the only reason I am able to be here. Without it, I’m forced to stay in the Silver City. Do you really want that? To even risk it?” Tears filled her eyes, “This is my sacrifice to stay with you. Because I can’t stay in that place without you by my side.”
There was an uncomfortable silence for a few long moments.
Sebastian finally spoke. “Then at least promise me you will make the attempt to use less demonic magic. I won’t risk you becoming someone I can’t trust around the young master.”
Aurora nodded slowly, “Fine. I’ll lessen my magic use.” She slid off the banister of the terrace to walk over to him. She slid her arms around his neck and smiled. “I promise.” She leaned in, standing on her toes, lips brushing lightly over his before she pulled away and handed him the book. “If it eases your worry, you can have it back.” Sebastian smiled, “Thank you.” He kissed her cheek before leaving her on the terrace.
Aurora smiled as he left and then looked at Noire, “What is it, Noire? Did you not think I would give it back?” The cat mewed as she picked it up. “Though, I will admit I may borrow it from time to time.” She murmured to herself, “I can’t very well be lacking in magic.” She sat back on the terrace ledge.
“After all.. If I couldn’t do something as simple as magic, what kind of angel would I be?”
In the Evening…
“Did you need something, young master?”
Ciel glanced up as his butler entered his study for the final time that night. Sebastian seemed dishevelled in a sense. “Yes…” Ciel said slowly, shutting his ledger. “I wanted to ask you something.” The demon’s brow quirked up in surprise. “Oh?” The young teen sat back in his chair. “You seemed a bit off today. Is something the matter?” He bit back the urge to smirk when he saw Sebastian’s eye twitch in irritation.
“My apologies, master. I hadn’t realised I appeared lacking today. I shall strive to not let it happen again.” Ciel smiled, “Yes… And, the queen has requested I take a vacation. There’s a country manor in Brighton, I figure after the events of the weekend, it would be nice to have a bit of fresh air.” Sebastian smiled, “My young lord on vacation? What a surprise indeed.” Ciel scoffed, “Just start the preparations. We will leave Friday morning.” The demon bit back a smile and bent a knee,
“Yes, my lord.”