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Large oak doors creaked as it opened for Vox as he returned to their mansion.
He had been away for nearly a week—tired and fed up with dealing with rich old bastards who only wanted to befriend him for his money and connections. As soon as he was done with that, he hurried home to come back to his dear beloved.
“Welcome back, Master. Pray you had an uneventful trip,” greeted his old butler.
The voice demon looked around and found a stunning lack of a certain doctor.
He looked at the man who had served him for many years and quirked an eyebrow in question, “And Vezalius?”
“Master Zali is currently in the drawing room, Sir. Should I follow you there with your favorite tea?”
“Please do,” Vox replied, his feet already moving up the stairs and towards the room.
He did find Zali alone in the large room, sitting by himself with a cup of tea in front of him, a remorseful look on his beautiful face. At the other end of the room, large windows overlooking the balcony are closed shut, but its dark red curtains were kept wide open to let orange sunset light in. Zali must have been pretty deep in his own thoughts, he didn’t even notice Vox approaching him until he was at an arms length away.
“Zali?”
The medic was surprised by the sudden call of his name. As if a ghost had just suddenly turned up in his person and shocked him away from the depths of his own mind where he was lost from previously.
“Oh, Vox. I didn’t realize you return today,” he greeted the immortal with a slight smile.
“Yeah? You look so lost in thought in that pretty head of yours,” Vox reached out his left hand and tucked a stray hair from Zali’s face—caressing down to his chin so he could lift his face to look at him directly. Oh to finally be able to touch him again, to finally get to gaze at this angelic face again. All of Vox’s exhaustion faded away in an instant.
“Tell me what’s wrong, darling,” Vox softened his eyes as he put his charm on the words.
“You know that charmed voice doesn’t work on me, voice demon,” Zali replied, pretending to have an even more sour mood dampened by Vox’s attempt to use his powers on him.
“Oh you know it’s worth a try,” fake exasperation was apparent in Vox’s voice, shrugging his shoulders and walking towards the balcony windows. “Clearly has some effect since you chose to spend your immortal life with me, Dr. Bandage.”
Zali let out a slight chuckle.
“I do wonder that everyday,” he said as he returned his attention to the teacup on his hands. What was once presumably hot tea now has gotten cold from being ignored.
Vox could only admire Zalis’ beauty from where he stood. They had spent almost four hundred years together and he still couldn’t get enough of it. His chest still overflows with affection every time he sees even just the mere silhouette of this man. His heart that he once thought was wrapped in ice cold now thunderous in its leaps at the thought that he would have this man by his side forever. The scar over the doctor’s left eye may seem daunting but it won’t ever cover the pure kindness behind them.
Sure, Vox’s attention was initially caught by the elegant beauty that Zali has — as all ever was to have ever laid their eyes on him to be fucking honest. But even the demon was struck when he found out that the man was beautiful on the inside as well. Working as a volunteer doctor in a struggling hospital, a bright mind working the complexities and pressures with such responsibility, a pure heart that wants for nothing but peace and love between all townsfolk.
And most of all, an eternal life that never fades—just like Vox.
He had been alone all this time. He never thought he would ever meet someone with the same dreaded fate as him.
Only him. And him alone.
So right then and there, he decided he won’t ever let this man go.
A few hundred years have passed since. It might feel long compared to the span of a human life but for him, it just felt like yesterday. Time sure does pass by when you’re happy and with the one you love.
How lovely would it be if they could live the rest of their eternal lives in peace, right?
But no, the heavens don't believe so.
Vezalius Bandage, with a heart of gold that he has, does not see friend or foe when he is faced with a patient who needs his help. Unfortunately though, even his own patients who owe him their lives do not see this way.
Who would have known that the biggest threat to his life would be a patient that he himself had treated.
As soon as the man woke up and realized he was on enemy territory, mind still filled with adrenaline from the battlefield, he grabbed the nearest weapon he could find—a scalpel—and slashed it at the doctor in front of him. Zali was only able to turn his head away a millisecond later, the scalpel grazing the left side of his face and leaving a deep red cut.
When Vox found out Zali had been injured at work and sent home, he hurried back and found him in their room with half of his face wrapped in gauze. It took much holding back and pleading from Zali to stop Vox from looking for the man and smiting him right then and there.
“Vox please–! This is nothing!” Zali’s arms wrapped around Vox’s torso as he held him back.
“Nothing? The bastard slashed half of your face and you tell me this is nothing?!”
“It’s going to heal back right away! I’m immortal too, it’s okay!” Zali tried to reassure him.
“Not to put you down or anything darling but you were human! You injected yourself with that crystal serum or whatnot and somehow magically extended your life. God fucking knows how much of that can actually cover for you and your injuries before I ACTUALLY LOSE YOU!”
Furniture within the room rumbled at Vox’s outburst. Zali’s eyes widened in shock, but immediately turned softer at the confession of his love’s worries.
Vox stopped struggling and Zali softened his hold on him into a tight hug, nuzzling his face on the side of the demon’s neck.
“I know…It’s okay, Vox. I’m not going anywhere. I’m fine. This will heal in no time. I am not in any danger.”
Vox wrapped his arms around Zali’s shoulders in return, “I’m so close to just keeping you here so you can never get hurt again.”
Zali only hummed in response.
He knows.
He knows Vox will ruin the world for him.
And Vox will do it gladly. If Zali wants it. He would be happy to.
Either through his supernatural powers as a demon, or through his influence he has built in this kingdom over the years, he can do it. His long trips away from home doesn’t just encompass deals with merchants and high ranking officials. He had successfully infiltrated the inner circles of people who very much rule the world with their influence.
One mere betrayal and it’s all over. One whisper in the dark and all the castle walls will crumble.
Not like he needed to do much at this point though.
Which he realized might be the cause of the doctor’s low spirits.
In the countryside they’ve been living in for the past couple of decades, there has been recent friction at the borders.
Violence raging in the greed to conquer more land. Humanity’s never ending thirst for power. It always sparks at the borders, on the outskirts of town. Before it fully consumes it and threatens the capital. And then eventually gives birth to a full on war.
They have seen this happen many times before. Him and Zali. Two souls cursed to have an immortal life and see their world burn over and over again.
This is not the first.
And this won’t be the last either.
The carefully crafted identities that they have been living as for the past couple of decades, the life they had built here on their mansion atop the hill, the people they have met and helped throughout the years, the peace that they had worked to protect—now on the verge of collapsing.
Zali continued spending his days as a volunteer doctor in the public hospital of their town. Loved and adored by all the people he had worked with due to his unconditional kindness and unparalleled expertise in healing and caring for people, without even asking for anything in return.
No one really questioned where he came from and why he started working there—the arrangement obviously done by Vox and the hospital's higher ups behind the scenes. The staff were just really happy to have a kind, caring, and capable doctor with them.
Seeing Zali live fulfilling days helping people was enough for Vox. If it were up to him, he would rather keep his love at home safe—never having to get up early in the morning for emergencies, never seeing him come home dead tired at night, never mourning a loss of life and beating himself over things he wished he could have done better.
But Vox knows this is where Zali’s heart truly is.
His own village being eradicated and his beloved sister dying before his very eyes really hardwired him into finding value in himself by helping people.
Maybe it was his own way of dealing with his own demons, Vox thinks.
His own silent repentance for being the only one surviving that annihilation. Survivor’s guilt as they call it.
Ever since then, whenever he and Vox plant their roots in a secluded town, building a mansion atop a hill or within a dark forest, Zali will always find a way to be helpful to the people.
And that’s what he loves the most about the doctor. He will pour his heart out and dedicate so much time to people in need. A heart so pure that he doesn’t see the good or bad, nor will it matter as long as your life needs saving.
Maybe it’s actually a weakness if you really think about it. But it’s one that Vox has vowed to protect. As long as Zali can do what he truly desires and fills his heart with fulfillment, Vox will do anything—destroy anything—just to protect Zali’s peace.
That is the reason it breaks Vox’s heart seeing his beloved look so despairing.
“You just returned so you might not know,” Zali’s voice called out Vox from his reverie, he looked back at the doctor still sitting on the table with a teacup on his hands.
“The hospital I have been working at…” the doctor started, letting go of the cup and then fiddled with his fingers.
Signs of him being anxious, struggling to get his words out, Vox observed. His heart clenched seeing his beloved like this.
“...it was attacked.”
So the outsiders have finally made their move getting in, Vox realized.
Zali took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.
“They tried to evacuate as many people as possible, but before I knew it, I was escorted out of the building and taken home by the town guards,” Zali looked Vox directly in his eyes, “That must be under your directive, I’m sure.”
And it very well is. Vox had directed the hospital higher ups that if a situation arises and the area’s safety had been compromised, Doctor Bandage must be secured out of the premises and taken home immediately. He should be topmost priority.
Vox knew Zali wouldn’t particularly like that. The distaste quite apparent in the look he’s giving the demon right now. He doesn’t value his life more than any of those in the hospital after all.
He doesn’t see himself as someone worth saving.
And that is exactly why Vox has to do this.
To Vox, he is everything. And under no circumstance would he let there be an opportunity for Zali to be hurt again. Not ever. It had already happened once. There is no way he’s letting it happen again.
“That’s good. Good to know they’re doing their job,” the demon replied.
The doctor turned his gaze away, eyes now focused on his mournful reflection on the teacup.
“But just now, I was informed…” a long pause, “The hospital was set on fire, parts of it bombed and reduced to ashes. No updates yet about the people who got caught in it…no survivors as of yet.”
Even from where he had been standing by the window, Vox could hear quiet sobs from Zali.
“The same thing happened again, Vox,” he said in a shaky voice.
I am the only one left. The sole survivor of another tragedy. Vezalius Bandage once again cursed to be alone.
“I can’t live like this anymore. I tried to put my faith in the good of people. But why does it keep ending the same way?” Zali lifted his head up slightly, finally showing tears flowing steadily from his eyes.
“I keep praying to the heavens, if there are truly gods out there, to protect us, watch over us. But maybe what I should have prayed for was the awful truth of humanity. I kept holding on to my blind faith and failed to see what’s in front of me, what’s being told here, now, in front of my very eyes.”
He then turned his golden eyes to Vox, still shiny with tears, “Is it our curse to bear, Vox? To watch everything fall apart and come to ruin, as we stay immortal…unmoving…as if a heavy crown lies on our heads?”
Vox stood closer and cradled Zali’s head in his chest, the doctor wrapping his arms around his torso. He started caressing Zali’s head as comfort, seeing him this distraught broke Vox’s heart to pieces.
He had tried in his own ways. He promised Zali he would.
He was not just a businessman raking in money through all these years, just living in sin and greed, coming home to a loving husband at the end of the day, living in a dream of his perfect world where everything goes as planned.
No. He pursued connections and worked on building bridges—between kings and masters, of officials and merchants—so there will only be peace upon all the land.
If you look closely, you can see Vox pulling the strings behind the scenes. Making all the wheels and cogs turn in this machinery of society. Avoiding conflicts of any interest and negotiating fair deals as much as possible—to protect the people loyal to him, to protect the peaceful life they had built, to protect the one single soul that matters to him.
But what’s the point now when everything is bound for ruin, war is on the horizon, and Zali was already crying in his arms, his soul broken for the hundredth time.
All efforts already wasted. Down the drain. There is nothing left to lose for Vox.
They can always start anew.
Maybe this life in this town didn’t work out, but he and Zali have the rest of their eternity to find their peace together.
He has done everything in his power, has done it the way he knows will be good.
Maybe the time playing as a benevolent immortal moving under the bright lights of peace is now over. Maybe it’s time to become the fearsome demon he was always meant to be.
To give nothing but ruin, and fight that fight he keeps avoiding.
“I’m at a loss what to do,” the lean arms hugged tighter around Vox, “I just do it how I know. But beyond this point, it’s like I know nothing. Is there more to save? Or is it—”
Zali couldn’t finish his words as sobs racked his body.
But Vox knows what was left unsaid. They have done this countless of times before. When they feel like they have both outlived a life they had built—temporarily built, that is, in comparison to the long eternity of their lives.
It’s time to let this town face its ruin.
Vox pulled away, cradling Zali’s face in his hands. His love kept shedding tears. And it kept tearing at Vox’s heart.
Night has now fallen and the slow flickering of stars have replaced the golden sunset by the windows.
Shimmering tears kept trailing down Zali’s cheeks, reflecting the silver moon light as if bright crystals falling from the sky.
He still looks beautiful like this. Vox would eternally beg on his knees just to see this sight in front of him and him only.
“What can I do to make you feel better? You know I would do anything, darling,” he said lovingly, trying to wipe off tear streaks as much as he could.
He knelt in front of Zali.
“Tell me, please. What you want.”
A pause.
A deep breath.
“Chaos.”