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There were a few rare occasions that the blades ever came off their backs to be perched carefully against the wall, still leaning on each other, never too far. Ahdaiion and Novaakun were polar opposites, and yet they fit together so wonderfully. Swords crafted by two different races, two different sides. Ahdaiion’s diamond blade always shone with ghostly angelic light, the blue color of the precious gemcraft bouncing off the pure quartz hilt. Yet this light seemed to be devoured by Novaakun next to it- a blade of pure blackstone, forged with fiery heat in a harsh, unforgiving world. More often than not, these special blades would be strapped safely and securely to the back of an enemy turned friend. Ahdaiion was carried on the back of an angel-turned-demon, while Novaakun sat behind the shoulders of a human-turned-angel. Though this wielder would argue until death he was no angel.
But it was on these special occasions that the swords were left alone in their sheaths, that their wielders were free of the weight constantly on their backs. Though that weight was always comforting in ways that non sword-spirits couldn’t understand, sometimes holding the body was far better than holding the swords that never breathe. Looking at the living swords, one could not tell it was truly alive until the spirit decided to show itself. Swords were sacred, but so were the bodies that slept within the swords. Their circumstances for their being were unfortunate, but together they turned their somber pasts into a brighter future. Together.
Skeppy and Bad had come home after that original harrowing journey, enemies turned friends, or perhaps something more. Neither really knew where their relationship stood now, while they held each other’s blades in their hands. Vurb, who’d been the one who’d seen Skeppy off when the journey began, was confused and wary of Bad when they had first properly met. Zelk, Finn, TapL, and Spifey, the rest of Skeppy’s little friend group, had come out of their built rooms after hearing the commotion. The only way that the situation could be diffused was Skeppy sitting everyone down and retelling the entire journey from start to finish. Explaining what he and Bad really were, with nervous looks, unsure of how his friends would react knowing Skeppy had lied about who he was. Thankfully, they accepted him and Bad like nothing had changed.
And life went on.
“S’geppy?” Bad rumbled softly, rousing Skeppy from his thoughts. He could feel the soft comfort of Bad’s usually hidden tail wrapping slightly tighter around his waist as he was held still in the demon blade’s arms. Such a scary, brutish looking creature, only to be so sweet and caring. Bad was caring to everyone, but no one could compare to the tenderness the blade showed to his diamond-splotched partner. “You’ve got a far away look on your face. Are you okay?”
Skeppy chuckled softly, the sound bouncing around in Bad’s ears. The demon preened slightly, basking in the joy of the sound. “I’m alright, Bad. You worry too much. I was just thinking about stuff. All of the stuff from now back to when we first met. Just thinking about it. Thinking about us. Thinking about what we are. Thinking about how many other Sword Spirits must be out there, alone, waiting for someone to pick up their blade, hoping for a friend for life, while we sit here, cuddling like a married couple, being lucky enough to realize we could be each other’s wielders.”
Bad let out a soft snort. “I still can’t believe it took the exasperated explanation from the original Sword Spirit itself to tell us we could do that. Years of conditioning, generations of spirits slowly falling to think we had to rely on other races to choose to use our blades. You’d think the original one would go around getting the rest of us to unlearn all of that…”
Skeppy shrugged, the action provoking Bad’s arms to squeeze Skeppy softly back to his chest. “I don’t know. It’s not necessarily its job, is it? The thing just sits around in a cave sleeping away in its blade anyways. If someone got access to its blade… I think that would be dangerous. It’s the most powerful of us all. The risk is too high.”
“Awh, now I’m just sad.” Bad said, pouting. “Just imagine a world where all Sword Spirits relied on each other. Wouldn’t it be great?”
Skeppy shrugged again. “Maybe. Wouldn’t that have its downsides too, though? There are some friendships out there that involve a spirit and a demon, or human, or angel. Heck, I was technically a human to you the entire trip before my secret was exposed right at the end. You became friends with the man you believed to be human. If Sword Spirits all kept to themselves, we might not have ever even met.”
Bad whined. “Noooo, now you’re making me even more sad.” The demon blade grumbled childishly, rolling side to side slightly and squishing Skeppy even closer to his chest possessively. “You’re mine. I claimed you. If you ever leave I would be so heart broken and you can’t ever leave now because I said that.”
Skeppy let out a full belly laugh, burying his face into Bad’s chest, trying to nuzzle impossibly closer. “Never! I would never. You act like I could possibly live without you now anyways. You didn’t claim me, you’re stuck with me whether you like it or not.”
Bad’s gaze softened. There was something so vulnerable in the depths of his white eyes then. “Oh, I don’t like it. I love it.”
Skeppy floundered with a response for a moment, caught off guard by the unexpected truth Bad had offered so casually. Goodness, they’d grown so close so fast. But Skeppy loved it anyways.
“Yeah?” Skeppy mumbled out softly, raising his head to meet his partner’s gaze. “And I… I love you!”
Now it was Bad’s turn to be caught off guard. A gray blush flamed across the demon’s face, eyes wide while his mouth opened and closed for a few seconds with no sound coming out.
“Wha- A- Skeppy! You can’t just say things like that!”
And as Skeppy burst out laughing again, while Bad was slapping his arm playfully, his thoughts snagged back to what he’d originally thought. They were making a brighter future together from the ashes of their tragic pasts. Yeah, he couldn’t wait for the future he had together with Bad.
He’d love every second of it.