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Vega looked at the clock, his aura pressing against the ward that held him in place. He couldn’t be sure that the clock was actually accurate. For all he knew it was another childish ploy by the Department to try to drive him into confessing or whatever they wanted from him. He doubted not knowing the time would help with rehabilitation.
It was funny that he never really cared about human time until now. He only paid attention for the small details of his projects or when to go out to feed. People thought that the cover of night helped obscure their sins and the more violent tendencies. (Spoiler, it didn’t.) And yet here he was, staring at the clock. He tried to tell himself that it was all because he had no other entertainment. When he wasn’t allowed to feed (by the Department. Everyday whenever an enforcer came close enough was feeding time.) and when he wasn’t talking to the little inchoate who had been tasked with him… he had nothing else to do.
The lock beeped and his eyes slid towards the door, a lazy smile curling his lips as he sat in the chair they had oh so graciously provided him. A familiar head poked itself inside the cell, eyes meeting his own. He leaned forward, leaning his arms on his knees as his hands clasped together in front of him.
Oh, do come in Darling. He said. He watched them take a deep breath (An unnecessary behavior they had adopted.) and enter the room. The door closed behind them and they held the clipboard close to their chest. His little inchoate, always self conscious about how much space they took up. He waited for them to take their usual seat, but they remained standing, teeth chewing on their lip. Careful Warden. You might split your lip open.
“Right. Sorry.” They were always so quick to apologize. He shrugged, leaning back in his seat as his legs crossed. He could feel their anxiety radiate from their aura, strong enough to break past the shimmery material of the ward. Something had ticked them off, he was sure. What he was less sure of was whether or not they were planning on sharing. Although knowing his Warden, they would be happy to keep it close to the vest and pretend it had never happened. For someone so curious and detail-seeking, they were a very private demon.
He inhaled deeply, filling his useless lungs with unneeded air. The inchoate’s gaze was pulled towards him. Good. He liked having their focus on him. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for them to say something other than an apology. They stayed quiet, just staring at him in a manner humans might dub as awkward. He waved a hand, dexterous fingers summoning a thread of magic that had a spark of light kissing his fingertips.
What’s wrong darling? Have you grown weary of behaving creaturely for the Department? A well worn path of a topic, but one that often had the inchoate quickly denying the claim. They sat down - on the floor - and set their clipboard in their lap.
“Can we discuss something else besides your dislike of my profession, Vega?” They asked, voice tired. He narrowed his eyes and leaned forward once more, hand dropping from the air and letting go of the thread of magic he had been playing with. Something was wrong, he already knew that. But what he was trying to find out was what. Usually Warden entertained his theatrics and musings, believing they would lead somewhere useful for their rehabilitation practices and studies (It wouldn’t. He made sure of that.) but now they were barren of that determined curiosity.
Fine. Let’s discuss what’s going on with you then. You’re my entertainment as of late, and yet something is acting as a barrier. And I’m not speaking of the ward, before you attempt to use that as a deflection. He said, watching as the other demon frowned a little at the serious flatness his tone provided. He didn’t often defer to a more serious tone (He favored teasing tones with Warden. Or threatening ones, watching weak hypocritical humans shiver as their fear brushed against his skin like a lover’s caress), but for now he was willing to. They shook their head, a smile grasping their lips to expose their teeth. He grimaced in return. How very insincere of you. Their smile dropped.
“It’s not important to your treatment, Vega. We’re here to focus on you. I thought you liked being the center of attention.” They snapped. His grimace turned into a smile and he stood up, moving closer to the edge of the ward that separated him from his Warden.
Ah. So I do. He hummed, mocking hurt. Regret and guilt made a lovely combination on their face and they sighed, hanging their head. He watched as they buried their face in their hands, any words he might have said going silent. His smile faltered at the way their shoulders started shaking and their despair pressed against his aura. Darling. Tell me what’s troubling you. You don’t need to be so stubborn.
“You were right earlier.” They said, their voice muffled through their hands. Not for the first time, he found himself wishing that the ward would just fall. Just for a split second. He stayed quiet, waiting for them. “I am tired of it. I’m tired of the long hours. I’m tired of the hostile work environment. I’m tired of the pressure, of the social obligations that no matter what I do, never seem to perfectly fit. I’m tired of the looks that they don’t think I notice. I’m tired of everything.” The words started to spill from their lips, much like how he suspected tears spilled down their face. “I’m just trying to do my job, but it never seems to be good enough for them.” He sat down on the floor across from them, expression blank.
Someone was harming his Warden. More than just someone. And he was stuck behind a ward and staring at a clock while they were trying to shoulder every expectation and every word of criticism against their behavior. Behavior they tried to emulate for the humans. Ungrateful little pests.
What would you have me do? He asked. Comfort wasn’t his expertise, so guidance was required. The inchoate lifted their head, eyes reflective with their tears from the overhead fluorescents. He felt his jaw clench as… some kind of emotion moved through him. He had been walking through this plane longer than many, experiencing the darkest of human emotions and sensing the others. And yet he wasn’t sure what emotion was causing his anger.
If anyone was allowed to make his Warden cry, it was him.
“You can’t do anything.” They whispered. He frowned and leaned forward, placing his palms flat on the floor of his cell. He stared intently as they wiped away the tears on their face, hardly being gentle with themself. That irritated him further.
You know I can do many things, Darling. I can be a weapon for you, but I need you to point me in the direction to those who must be punished for making you feel like this. He wasn’t going to drop this. Warden stared at him, hands now gripping the clipboard in their lap. He could easily read the surprised shock on their face, he didn’t need their emotions brushing against his aura. His expression fell into a more grim one. I know no one else has offered this to you. But I am now. Let me help you, Darling.
“You’re just trying to corrupt me again.” They whispered, even as they tried to hide and mask their hesitance from him. He moved closer to the ward, feeling the sizzling as his aura almost brushed against it. He ignored the sensation, eyes locked on the inchoate in front of him.
I’m trying to help you, Warden. Contrary to what you might believe, I don’t enjoy you suffering at the hands of others. Especially since you throw away so much, give up so much of yourself, simply to please those who will never properly appreciate the sacrifice you give them. I want to make wherever you are a place that actually is grateful you deign to show yourself before them. He watched their eyes grow wide and a smirk tugged at his lips. He continued. I want to make your walking places have humans recognizing the power and threat you hide so well under a meek exterior. Tell me how I can do that for you, Darling.
They shook their head, and Vega wished he could feed on the doubt that rolled off of them like an overspilling sink. His smirk tugged wider into a smile. “You don’t need to do that. I don’t need that, Vega.” They tried to insist. Unfortunately for them, he was more stubborn. But it was clear they were insistent on not telling him. Which left the two demons at an impasse. He stood up and returned to his seat. His Warden stayed where they were sitting on the floor. The sadism demon stared down at them, his expression masked into abstract interest.
The body they had chosen for themself upon arriving to Elegy was strong. He knew that. But in that moment, sitting on the floor and staring down at the clipboard in their lap that only held empty papers, they appeared so small and strained. Prone to break at the lightest touch.
I decided what I wish to discuss. He said finally, giving the inchoate something that could ground them. If they refused to outright tell him who had been the final straw that broke the camel’s back, he would play this game. He would gently pry the information out while offering truths and lies about himself. A game he had been playing from the first moment he had met the other demon. They lifted their head, and he almost licked his lips at the desperation - to cling to the lifeline he had thrown - clear in their eyes.
They were so expressive, wearing their fragile heart on their sleeve. He was going to help them protect that heart, whether they wanted him to or not. And he was far more willing to get his hands dirty for that task.
“What is it?” They coaxed, wiping their face with the edge of their uniform sleeve. He felt pity for them. They ran away from solutions to their more negative-thinking emotions to bury themselves in a work that didn’t appreciate them and treated them like they were replaceable. They weren’t.
I want to talk about the treatment from the enforcers here at this prison. He said, reading for any reaction. Had an enforcer put that crack in the inchoate? He had a few guesses of who could have had the gall. But they didn’t show any reaction that answered his question. So it must have happened outside this containment facility. That certainly made it more difficult to find the specific person and cause.
“Has it not gotten any better? I’ve put in several reports to have the enforcers under review.” They said. Sweet, naive little inchoate. Those reports were probably sitting in a pocket veto on some higher-ups desk as they pretended to deal with issues they deemed more important than the care and living conditions of Department-dubbed criminals. Only the bleeding hearts of this government actually cared.
They’re feeding me more, which is appreciated. Unnecessary, but still appreciated. But that doesn’t mean they’re kind. Or even decent. Surely, you’ve seen it. A nudge, but not playing his full hand.
Unfortunately, it seemed his Warden was more perceptive than usual. They looked up from their clipboard where they had begun taking notes.
“I’m fine, Vega.” They insisted again. He nodded, summoning that ball of light again. He stared at it, putting on a nonchalant air.
I never said you weren’t, Darling. That didn’t mean he would give up. And it didn’t mean that he was going to let go of the transgression of hurting his Warden. It was just another wound that would need to be returned to the Department tenfold. Tell me, is that clock in the corner accurate?