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After the Honmoon was sealed and they re-emerged in the Underworld, Abby was the first one on his feet. He was the first to regain his wits about him and took stock of the situation. He made sure the others were okay. He accounted for everyone.
Except one.
That had been several days ago. It felt like years already, honestly. Romance and Mystery were still resting from the fight. Baby had recovered much quicker, probably out of spite for everyone and everything, and seemed to disappear to nowhere. Now, Abby wandered alone through the wastes of the Underworld, taking the same path he did a thousand times before to an outcrop of rock sticking out of the dark sands. The winds washed away his footprints. His robe rustled as he perched on the rock, hunched over, hands between his knees.
A sigh escaped him, rolling his broad shoulders. He sat there, silent. Trying not to think about what happened.
He was used to the negative feelings that always swirled and rushed him, tearing what remained of his soul (he was a demon after all) but now, he felt so tired. So defeated. So much like a failure. Again.
All of his old soldier's training was not enough to combat the weight of his own mistakes. He should have stepped in. He should have stopped it. He should have known better.
But, he did know. He knew there was going to be a possibility things would go sideways.
You must keep them safe. Whether this works or not, Gwi-Ma is interested in only me. Don't let him get you after this is done.
Jinu's words echoed in his head. He knew Jinu had feelings for the hunter girl. He knew Jinu did not completely trust Gwi-Ma to begin with. He just never expected things to play out the way they did.
Yet, Abby still did his part. The others were okay. Gwi-Ma was gone. His brothers were safe. That's all he could be grateful for at this point.
He was lost though. Now what were they to do? All that work, just to end up trapped here again. Oh well, at least he could now sit on this rock for eternity and not be actively berated and tormented for his shame.
He brought one clawed hand up to cover and rub at his face. Darkness fell over his eyes. The only sound he could hear was the wind blowing the sand across the endless dunes. He could hear his own breathing. And then, the din of his most recent memories. The static noise of a thousand screaming voices, yelling for him.
We love you! We love you! We love you!
The melodic voices of his brothers wrapped in harmony, all together as one. Jinu smiling with pride at them.
Good job, everyone! You should be proud! It's amazing what you can do!
A breath caught in his throat and he grimaced.
The soft crunch of sand beneath footsteps made him open his eyes. A dark silhouette with a flash of teal colored hair calmly strided towards him.
Abby raised his head. "Baby? What are you doing here?"
The other demon growled and his eyes glowed. "I told you not to call me that!"
Abby frowned. "Well, you never did tell us your real name..."
The blue demon's head tilted downward, the brim of his hat casting a shadow over his face. "Because I can't remember it," came the angry murmur.
A beat of silence passed between them, until Abby asked again, softly this time, "What are you doing here, Little Brother?"
The hat brim lifted ever so slightly and Abby could see the other's eyes once more. He didn't like the pain that greeted him.
"...I don't know," Baby answered. "I'm here to fight. Here to argue. Here to slap your smug face. I don't know."
The blue demon crept closer to Abby, within arm's, or fist's, reach. Abby stood, his much taller frame looming over Baby. It did not deter the other though and he could see the fangs begin to poke out from the smaller demon's mouth as a grimace formed.
"If you're mad at me, just throw your best at me already, Little Brother."
"I'm not mad at you. I'm furious at you!" Baby snarled. "You were the one who agreed to everything! You went along with the whole dumb plan to begin with and told us everything would all work out! It would all be okay! It WAS okay! SO WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HIM!?!?"
There was a whoosh as a handful of claws tried to slash at his throat. Abby was quicker and he caught Baby's wrist in his own powerful grasp. Baby's eyes widened in shock, a split second of panic flashing over his face. Abby was given his moniker for a reason. He was far stronger than any of the others and could do serious damage if he wanted to. Baby tried to yank his arm free, but Abby refused to let go. Golden-slitted eyes narrowed in the shadow of Abby's hat and Baby struggled further.
"Let me go!"
"Listen to me."
"Let me go so I can rip your stupid face off!"
Baby began clawing with his free hand, but Abby grabbed that wrist as well. "LISTEN."
Baby paused at the threatening growl from Abby.
"Do you really think I could have stopped him? Do you really think things would have been different than what they are now? If Gwi-Ma had won, do you think we would have really been set free?"
Baby's eyes flashed. "Jinu said we would. YOU SAID WE WOULD! ARE YOU TELLING ME YOU NEVER BELIEVED THAT NOW?"
Abby lowered his gaze, releasing the smaller demon from his grip. "I don't know what I should believe anymore."
"You're stupid."
Abby looked at the other.
"Jinu was stupid for going against Gwi-Ma," Baby continued, stroking one wrist where Abby had left a slight mark with his claws. "You're stupid for not stopping him...for not saving him."
His voice became quiet and small, like the sand blowing below their feet. It was fragile, as if Baby was too afraid to speak the words coming out of his mouth. "You could have helped him. He listened to you. I'm not strong enough, not brave enough…but you could have helped him. Even with Gwi-Ma gone, he could have still been here. With us..."
Abby's gaze softened. Baby snarled and shook, something beginning to flicker in his golden eyes.
"He would be here! He could keep showing us what to do! He could help me! I finally felt something other than pain in centuries! I finally felt hope that things could change! So it didn't matter if Gwi-Ma won or lost because Jinu was supposed to be HERE WITH US!!!"
The blue demon trembled like he'd just committed a new sin. His eyes stared into the space between him and Abby, glossed over. Twin tears ran down each side of his face.
The one thing Abby never wanted to see was the person he could not protect. The one that he was responsible for, that relied on him, that he had failed to reach in time. That image constantly haunted his dreams, his nightmares, and his memory. He was shamed by it enough. He did not want such a thing to happen in his existence twice.
So he quickly grabbed for Baby again, this time, his grip strong yet gentle. Baby was brought against his chest with enough force to softly knock the hat from the blue demon's head, leaving it hanging by its cord on his back.
Abby held him.
"I f-finally had hope," Baby cried into his chest. "I felt wanted. People loved me. I had fans a-and friends. I no longer felt like I was losing myself. W-Why did it get taken away...why can't demons ever feel happy!?"
Because we're only allowed torment, Abby almost answered. But that singular solemn thought changed as Baby hugged him back, holding on tight to him, sobbing and sniffling into his chest. The tears seemed to burn right into his long dead heart and Abby was surprised to still feel a beat. No, that negativity was not what the smaller one needed to hear. Abby was not a natural tormentor. He was a protector. He was better than that. He had been better, only just a few days ago.
He had felt hope. He had felt happy. Just like Baby. Just like the others. He knew they all felt it, in some way or another. Their little ridiculous band had been happy while up on the surface. For a few fleeting moments, his brothers were happy.
And truthfully, Abby still wanted them to feel that way. Baby crying and wailing into his chest hurt him more than centuries of self loathing and torture from Gwi-Ma. He would do anything right now to stop the pain. Not his own pain, but Baby's pain.
Is that why Jinu had chosen him? He always had and still wondered that.
"It will be alright, Little Brother."
Baby shook his head, gritting his teeth between sobs. "H-How d-do you know that?"
"Because I'm here, and so are you."
Baby lifted his head slightly, one glossy eye peeking out from his matted hair.
Abby smiled. "We're still here. Gwi-Ma's gone. There's no one to shame us or take away the memories of all the good times we had together. We can remember."
"Was it really good times for everyone?" Baby frowned and Abby laughed at the implication in his voice.
"Haha! Little Brother, I knew you were enjoying yourself on that stage. At least for some of it!"
"I was the 'baby'," the said baby pouted.
Abby stopped himself from snickering at his brother's expense. "And you did a good job of it! Jinu taught you well. He really got you to bring out your talent."
Baby dropped his head back down. "For all its worthlessness in the end..."
Abby gazed at him with a sad smile. "Sit here with me." He gently tugged Baby's arm as he sat on his perch of stone again. Baby sat next to him, shoulder to shoulder. Abby listened to him continue to take shallow breaths, but it appeared his eyes were somewhat drying now.
"What do we do now?" Baby quietly asked, wiping at his face.
"We'll make our way around here."
"Doing what?"
Abby shrugged. "Well, I'm not certain. But, as long as we're all together, we'll find something to do. Maybe...we'll just sing some songs."
Baby raised a brow. "You're not serious?"
"It's better than prowling around, feeling sorry for ourselves all the time. I don't want to go back to the old ways. I know you don't either. Jinu gave us something. We should take advantage of it. For him."
"I guess," Baby sniffled. "That asshole..."
"Hahaha! You're never going to let go of that, are you?"
Baby narrowed his eyes, squeezing out one final tear. "Not as long as I exist."
Abby put his arm around Baby's shoulders, pulling him close. He began to hum softly as Baby leaned into his chest. "Hmmhmhmmm…"
Baby sighed as Abby hummed, conveying his annoyance yet remaining right where he was. "How do you even know what to sing? Jinu wrote all the songs."
"Remember what he said once? 'I just write what I feel.' So, I can just sing whatever comes to mind, right?"
"I guess."
Abby stared into the distance, letting words flow out in a soft melody. "I have a brother...a brother like no other...."
"Hmph."
"He's got soul, soul, soul sweet soul...and he taught me how to sing..."
He began to stroke Baby's hair as the smaller demon made a soft noise in his throat.
"Shows me colors when there's none to see, gives me hope when I can't believe...and for the first time..." he looked down at Baby, still brushing his hair, "I feel loved..."
"Do you really have to sing about him?"
Abby squeezed the smaller demon. "It's not just about him." He rested his chin on Baby's head.
It's about all of my brothers.
----
I have a brother
When I'm a brother in need
I spend my whole time running
He spends his running after me
When I feel myself going down
I just call and he comes around
But for the first time
I feel loved