Chapter Text
As of recently it had been frighteningly difficult to find a resolution to this tortuous cycle that the world had seemed to haphazardly throw upon Asmoedus Alice. Yes, he was the strong and capable servant of his master Iruma, but due to just how much he was unable to actually see his master during all of the intense training leading up to the harvest festival it had left him with a serious case of agony. The constant state of not knowing how his master was fairing in these gruelling trials truly riddled him with all the worry in the world. Not to mention the festival itself ripping him away from Iruma even more so, just for him to nearly go berserk and risk being disqualified by some drop out flunkies who wanted, what he assumed to be, Professor Balam back. Even after it had all ended it still hadn’t felt real for him. Any of it, it all felt like one ever changing fever dream. Like the static channel on a TV after flipping through every conceivable channel. Of course he had missed out on his promotion to rank five but he couldn’t have it any other way, he’d stay daleth with Iruma after all.
And even if it had all been a never ending cycle once more, he still hadn't been able to fully relax, even with Iruma at his side once more. Nearly a week had passed with little sleep, this little factor that remained from those hard nights training with Professor Balam, and he thought it perfectly fine. Even after that the music festival flew by. With the training and choreography he had to learn he hadn’t been left with any moment of true rest. Although now it was a bit more noticeable.
Since then it had been days since Asmoedus had had a truly good rest and it was starting to show after that rather long week. He seemed to have been pushing quite a lot harder than his usual quite gracefulness. Although he never once failed to provide that usual peppy smile while servicing his dear master Iruma, albeit they truly didn’t require much effort at any given time. Those smiles were as effortless as breathing in the presence of Iruma. Once he noticed that smile starting to be doused like a fire being put out, it only seemed to worry him further. If he was this exhausted he could only imagine the level of stress his dear friend could have been under especially after the events of the harvest festival. After all, Iruma had never clung to him like that before. So close and so tightly, much like how he and Clara would do after such a long time apart.
He didn’t want him to push himself too far but it seemed almost impossible with the sheer amount of homework Kalego assigned to them. To truly bring it up seeing now just how often pushed away any mention of his lack of rest or his unnaturally dulling eyes as the lessons progressively bored on and on. Although even Kalego’s ever droning voice wasn’t able to provide him a moment of rest, even if it had aided a few others who dozed off to the early morning announcements. And while he had desperately wanted to pull Iruma aside and ask for some guidance on this matter, it seemed he wasn’t able to ever find a good moment, not with Clara around at least. And he had always been so incredibly anxious to be the first to call Iruma, especially after school hours. After all, he wouldn't want to interrupt his recreation time with such a silly matter.
***
It hadn’t taken Iruma long to notice his friend’s condition through the passing weeks, noticing just how tired he seemed to be, even though he seemed to deny it the moment it was brought up and would proceed to beg him not to be too concerned for him. Perhaps it wasn’t anything to be too concerned about? After all Asmodeus was pretty good at maintaining himself, perhaps he only got some unrestful sleep so far? Although as he thought more and more on the subject the more he realised that Azz had only been getting worse and worse since the festival's end. He had looked just as kempt and poised as usual. But the days had passed and he realised the situation was only going from bad to worse. That much was clear.
Clara used to complain about Asomdeus not wanting to join her games which was normal but he always seemed to eventually play along, Even coming to enjoy himself more and more with every game. In fact it was common for all three of them to play together but lately it only seemed to be Iruma and Clara. The thing Clara complained about now however would be how Azz-Azz wouldn’t play with her at all and how he was being a party pooper due to him being so tired all the time. And afterward she too had come to the realisation that something was up with Azz, and had begun to worry as well; he knew they had to make a plan to help him in any way they could. He just had to figure out how .
>~>
Clara’s method was first, mostly because she begged and it honestly didn’t seem half bad. Apparently she was going to get him to join in a special game. Which seemed like your run of the mill obstacle course although there seemed to be some kind of trick to it, he didn’t really know what it was yet. He did have to admit he felt a bit bad as he watched Clara endlessly pester the demon to join the game. It was half an hour of Clara practically begging Asmoedus to ‘come and play Azz-Azz’, ‘Just one game!’, and some more bugging before an ‘oh come on it’ll be fun’ from Iruma had finally convinced him.
Now Asmodeus simply wasn’t feeling up to it, to be honest he never did.. Not anymore. But! He had to stop her somehow and he wasn’t about to tell her to go run off to his master to let him deal with her, especially after Iruma’s personal words of encouragement to join in. So they took their places and scrambled through the many oddly designed obstacles which almost felt as though they were designed to confuse Asmodeus in particular. From jumping through literal hoops that got smaller and smaller to plush lion taming? To rolling down a steep hill, climbing up a massive wall and jumping onto a comically small trampoline. Although as they reached the end the trick was revealed rather quickly to be a large pitfall trap at the end of the course which Clara ended up falling into as well, caught up in the excitement so much that she forgot it was there. A large feather bed set up on soft grass had been laid out for a nice soft impact hopefully able to help Azz get to sleep after an exhausting obstetrical course. Clara had to eventually be flown up by Azz who was seemingly too exhausted to be properly aggravated by her antics. Or to think rationally about the ‘trap’ either. He had found it definitely a strange addition but the message of what was there wasn’t at all on his mind.
”I don’t see why the school yard would have such a large and quite useless trap… you should have been more observant while setting up your little game, Valic” He tsked at the end of her name and proceeded to pull her off of him as he came in with a gentle landing. Soon noticing Iruma approaching them.
Iruma gave Clara a soft look and smile, appreciating her attempt. But now it was onto plan B. He looked up at Asmodeus and slowly worked up a proper sounding question for the both of them. ”Hey Azz, Clara, do you maybe want to have a sleepover over this weekend?” Azz seemed to shift uncomfortably at that…
So it really was that obvious wasn’t it? He had been trying to keep up his appearances although it was to be expected his master would see right through him. As expected of his great master Iruma. And now that he thought through the course.. It was like an elaborate outdoor pillow fort… They had both noticed hadn’t they? He nodded a bit before speaking over Clara’s loud chants and very visible excitement from both of them being able to come over to Iruma’s once more.
“I would like nothing more than to attend your sleep over, Master Iruma”
Iruma nodded a bit before giving that classic smile, glad to see how excited they both seemed. Perhaps this plan would work.. but there was a glaring problem in this plan.
He’s never really had a sleepover party!