Chapter Text
It is nighttime in Crossroads--civilians sleeping, lights out at every building, and a chilly silence. However, Follower had been roaming around the city in the skies above. Ever since Illumina had chosen and entitled him as one of their subjects, or his so-called right-hand man.
Follower has grown tired from flying around, but it's the only way to induce his very boredom when Illumina doesn't give an order in the meantime, or prays to the God Illumina himself. That night, he decided to rest because of his exhaustion. He went to one of the buildings and threw his gear perfectly down. He threw himself above the building's surface and then let out a sigh as he sat there quietly, watching the stars and the moon from the dark skies.
"Oh what a night," he said in exhaustion as he proceeded to close his huge wings to rest from that flight, “perhaps watching the night sky can be nice enough, I should do this every time."
He proceeded to stare for a moment at the endless, vast sky. After that, his eyes drew a trail of sight as he counted the stars out loud with his hand pointing in every count. He didn't care about how tiny they were from his index finger, blocking out the tiniest ones.
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen. Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty. Twenty-one... twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four, twenty-five. Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine. Thirty!... Wait- what was that?"
Something interrupted his counting of stars, it was something that glowed in faint blue and was somehow bigger than the others, which he found unusual. He let out a groan as he stood up and cracked his knuckles and back. Then, he quickly grabbed his gear and jumped out from the building to soar towards the bigger star.
As he flies through the sky, he begins to get closer, and closer, and closer. To his eyes, he met another demon who was glowing in blue radiance. They wore a blue suit with a streak of baby blue being traced across the torso, a blue eye mask with a four-pointed star between the furrows above, and pants with Stars. They have a pair of two adjacent blue horns and a gear being held by his right prosthetic arm.
The Blue Demon giggled and jumped out of ecstasy until he saw Follower. He caught his attention and gazed for a moment at his purple aura and majestic wings… his face, too. He shook his head and closed his eyes aggressively to ensure he wasn't dreaming. When the Blue Demon stopped shaking his head, and opened his eyes. Follower was already in front of him, staring into his eyes in curiosity at the masked demon, their faces almost close to each other. Stargazer flustered to his surprise.
"GAH, YOU SCARED ME!"
Suddenly, Follower snapped out of his staring session with the Masked Demon; The masked demon giggled nervously afterwards.
"Who are thou?"
"Oh, I am Stargazer! Nice to meet you!" he said, “Who are you, too?" The rocketeer asked the same question from him.
"I am Follower. It is nice to meet you above these beautiful stars tonight. I have never seen anybody being above the sky this high. Pardon me for frightening thou."
Follower placed his palm at the centre of their chest. Next, he closes his eyes to bow to the starry demon as if he were showing all his respect to the God Illumina himself. Stargazer was so flustered from his politeness that he couldn't help but chuckle at Follower's politeness to him. The purple demon was startled that his eyes opened wide and jolted his shoulders stiffly between his neck, almost making his gear fall to the ground from the loss of his hand's grip. Follower was lost in oblivion when he paused from the aftershock of Stargazer's voice.
“Ain't you just too polite to everyone, bird boy?” Stargazer said teasingly, as the star slid both of his hands between the other demon's head.
Slowly lifting the winged man's head in a gentle force. Follower knew he had control of himself, but it's like he just let it go in Stargazer’s hands and embraced it. Once the star managed to lift the demon's head and his posture almost vertically, he began to slowly cup his head. How vulnerable Follower be to let this happen? His dignity was thrown away to someone from the sky.
He snapped back to reality as the other's hands were sandwiching his face. The bird pushed Stargazer with force as he shifted backwards in realisation.
“Don’t lay any such touch on me!”
Follower threatened him with a scowl on his face. Becoming determined, he gripped his blade to display a warning against the demon, whose blue in hue.
“My apologies, shall we head up to the very sky? I can show you the very wonders from above, something you have not seen like the demons below,” he offers merrily to him.
Follower thinks of it, still contemplating. He does not know if he could show such hostility, knowing that they just met in the middle of the night sky. Not to mention the sudden confidence upon meeting.
“But I started this, ain't no way I'll let it sway!”
How will this poor little servant decide? Despite being a decisive knight in honour, he wanders to the decisions in confusion.
Then, just when he was about to accept Stargazer's offer, the star handed over his hand, palm open like a welcome. Follower flinched, then he just struck Stargazer's palm with his own, making the sound of a clap. After he had just done that, Stargazer squeezed their hands. Follower felt a wave fluctuating through his spine, making him shiver from the warmth of the star.
“Let's just go…”
The winged demon’s voice softened, and then he broke the contact between their eyes away. Stargazer giggled.
“Don’t be hasty now, I promise you a good view.”
Follower couldn’t read his face, but the tone in his voice he had said was as soft as a lullaby. He then just holds him in silence.
Eyes closed, hands clasped, anticipating each other’s. Stargazer dragged the knight above the skies, soaring him as high as he could. Follower could feel the breeze through his skin. His wings were no use for flight, so he let them rest. As they went high up, they passed through the clouds.
Follower could feel his hands freezing through, his wings trembling as the piercing cold grazed his body cruelly. “It’s cold in here!” The bird exclaimed. He then grasps Stargazer's left arm like a child, clutching their parent’s arm.
He snuggled it, trying to embrace the warmth of his flesh arm through the fabric. It was warm as he expected, warmer than a fire lit on the bonfire.
“No wonder he couldn’t feel cold, nor was he cold of all that flying…” he thought. The bird lets out a purr.
His wings flapped in the slightest movement multiple times.
Stargazer noticed, “Even a knight like you looks dangerous, but is adorable to find.” He shook his head in response. Follower snapped as he heard Stargazer.
His eyes popped open, he could feel his cheeks flushing red from embarrassment. “Oh please, it's none of your concern.” He scoffed to brush it off. But, there was something in him feeling a tad sorry for Stargzer. He wants to admit that he does show such affection to…
What? Does he even show affection to anyone he loves? Was there even a single demon for him to love? “Oh Follower, a knight must not show such weakness.” A voice could be heard in his head
It struck him like a bullet piercing through. He frowned as Illumina recalled his words, although his presence wasn’t around him on this flight.
After what felt like an hour, Stargazer noticed and asked Follower why he was frowning, “What’s with the long face, my bird?”
Follower couldn’t help but muster for a moment. He wanted to explain. But all he could say was, “Don’t mention it.” There was nothing to break this level of cold in him.
Stargazer couldn't piece together the cause of his sadness. “Oof, you know we’re almost at our destination. I hope you’ll find it nice.” He responded to him.
………
Amidst the sky, tranquility is found between them, and they fly across the horizon after passing the sky’s verdict. As they traveled, they met a dark cloud beneath them. Specks of shining particles were flowing through the atmosphere like dust, scattering these clouds. Whirling white clouds are found moving in different directions. It’s like a night-themed cotton candy formed above the sky.
Follower watches it as he tries to stick his hand below, trying to feel it. He glided it off as it leaves a rippling, bright path.
It was cool and warm; he had never felt such a mixed temperature before. Follower couldn’t care less about the flight; he just had an urge to jump on it. Albeit it’s risky.
“Oh my…” He turned his head to look at the shimmering clouds. His wings fluttered ever so slightly from excitement.
“I told you so.” Stargazer giggles weakly.
Follower ignored him; his nose flared from breathing heavily into the sky. He wonders how this was made above. All these clouds seemed to blend haze, yet were harmless to breathe.
Follower thought that this must have been Illumina’s work left behind. It’s silly to think of him as he scoffs at forgetting Windforce (The raging storm deity).
He wanted to apologize, but she couldn’t hear him anyway, he thought. Follower suddenly feels a tickling feeling at the back of his neck. It was Stargazer; he crept away with his free hand to Follower’s nape as it moved slitheringly unnoticed to the bird’s view. Follower didn’t notice until he felt something touching his very skin.
He averted his gaze. “Stargazer?”
No reply was given to him for a moment. The demon in suit continued to ruffle, he carefully moved his thumb and the rest between Follower’s ear. The bird went meek, his once stoicism began bursting to colors. Stargzer gently caressed his neck. Then, he said:
“Wake up.”
He made him stop. “What does he mean by that?” The knight thought as he was lost to question his speech.
Then he widened his eyes.
To his horror, Stargazer’s face began to distort. The cloudy sky trampled, orbiting around the two demons. Everything turned into a chaotic mess, and fear was driving Follower to madness.
Not until he sees Stargazer’s arm melting on him, leaving his hair dyed blue.
Follower couldn’t process, he panicked in disbelief as he tried to squirm away from the blue demon. He tried to flee the scene. Until.
Stargazer spoke again in distortion:
“Wake up, Sword.”