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You had escaped the Devil’s realm, Julian in tow, back to what was once the physical world, now some conglomeration of Vesuvia and the land of the High Priestess. It was in shambles, yet still beautiful in its way; the air visibly swam with muted colors like a translucent oil spill, and shimmered with powerful arcane energy. When Julian made a distressed noise low in his throat, you turned to look at him. He was opening his mouth, undoubtedly to prostrate himself, heap the blame onto his own shoulders for not being able to prevent this, but you stopped him with a gentle finger to his lips before he could speak.
“I know what you’re thinking, Julian,” you said softly, a stern note in your voice that told him you meant business, but still gentle enough that he wouldn’t withdraw. “Stop thinking it.” You gently squeezed his taloned hand and kept tugging him along, his own fingers carefully curled around your own, terrified to scratch you again.
You led him through the deserted streets with a brisk pace, trying not to linger anywhere long enough for him to dwell on the devastation of any particular area.
Finally, you reached what was left of your shop, and opened the door, tugging him inside. His feathers bristled in defense, but relaxed when he realized it was just the two of you, Asra nowhere to be found. You gently tugged him upstairs, Julian having to hunch his shoulders to prevent his head from bumping into the ceiling. Once you reached the small bedroom, you released his hand in favor of flopping down into the bed and closing your eyes. You couldn’t remember the last time you slept on a soft surface.
After a moment of laying there, not having felt the mattress shift from the weight of another body climbing onto it, you opened your eyes, lids heavy, to peer at Julian, who was standing in the doorway, withdrawn, as if he was trying to make himself look as small as possible, despite the fact that he was a seven-foot man covered in a thick layer of black feathers, making him look even bigger than he was. His wings were wrapped tightly around his body, almost like a cocoon, and his gray gaze was directed at the floor off to his right.
“Julian.”
Upon hearing his name, his eyes flicked up to meet yours. “What’re you doing?” Instead of responding, he hunched further into himself. “Julian.”
Your commanding voice drew his gaze back to your face. Although your voice was stern, your features were soft and laden with concern. You pat the empty space beside you. “Come here.”
He wanted to look away, but your piercing gaze held him. He bit his lip as he glanced at the space beside you. “We both know that’s not for me,” he said softly.
You couldn’t stop the word from tumbling from your lips. “What?”
Julian’s eyes flicked back to you, his irises the color of the sky before a storm. “That’s Asra’s place. He’s the one that should be here. This whole place… I don’t belong here.”
You reached up and took his hand, lacing your fingers between his talons, and gave them a gentle squeeze. “Wherever I am, you belong,” you said softly.
Although he smiled weakly, Julian’s eyes were still bathed in melancholy. “C’mon,” you murmured, tugging on his hand. “I want you to be here with me… I need you here with me.”
Ultimately, that was what broke his resolve. He carefully curled up on the bed, much too small for his new form, even taller than before. However, he didn’t seem to mind, since his intent in the first place was to encircle you as much as possible. He stretched out a wing over you, almost like a blanket, shielding you from the world.
You smiled and gently brushed your fingers over the soft feathers beneath his eyes. He let out a quiet chirr, heavy lids fluttering closed. You wondered when the last time he slept was, let alone slept well.
With you safely tucked in his embrace, Julian quickly fell asleep. There was a long road ahead for the two of you, especially in this dangerous new world, but you knew that as long as you had Julian at your side, you’d be able to face whatever the universe could throw at you.