Work Text:
Your eyes grew tired and weary as you're working through the shift. The pain starts to creep up to your shoulders traveling up to the trapezius— Your doormates recommended to do neck stretches as it can help with preventing the pain from being worse. As you let the one of the tenants in, you did your neck stretches. As you did, you hear your own bones crack with each times you stretch from the right to left, from up to down.
As much as you cringe to the sound of your own bones, your glad it wasn't someone else doing it as it made you aware that how stiff you are. You sighed, thinking how are the other doormates doing? Are they up late at night? Or suffering from this unfortunate fate as you? As you stare at the broken ceiling above you, watching as the lights flicker and weakened with each time passes.
Looking at it gives you a headache as you decide to continue your work. You reached for the today's list— The lists of people were a total of 8— Crossing the previous tentants you let in with a red marker. You started to recall the nightmares name. 'Drugia Fleuretty, Check. Lilith lilitu lilit, Check. Barbatos Barrabam, Check. Quachil Uttaus, Check. Chaugnar Faugn, Check. Zoth Ommog, Check. Orcus Dis Pater, Check.'
You murmured the names as you feared they may hear you. With the tenants marked cross, only one remains. Exael Lanithro. As you lock eyes onto his name, it sends shivers trickling down your spine. His photo made it worse. Every shift you worked, you see him. His eyes were always fixated on you. Every blink, Every breath, Every eye contact. You have no idea what were their intentions as it was be a sin to find out. You froze in fear as you heard heavy footsteps.
The footsteps echoed throughout the hallways, demanding it's presence to be witnessed. Your stomach dropped as the footsteps gets closer and closer. You hurry to get into a normal positions and fix everything in your sight. The today list, the tenants floor files and the check list. As the footsteps stopped, you stopped aswell, Mid way to fix to the tenants floors folders. You felt a gaze so heavy, it feels like a boulder on your shoulders.
A gaze so sharp, It feels like the tip of the knife slowly stabbing into you. You didn't want to look, No. You NEVER want to look. Your mind repeated its chants 'Don't look.' Don't look. You hands began trembling while handling the files. Don't look. You used all of your strength to sit right up. Don't look. Beads of sweat began to form. Don't look. You breathes becomes more rapid. Don't look.
Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look.
D-O-N-T-L-O-O-K.
You looked. Your eyes widen as you take it in his presence. The head decorated with pins from top to bottom. His Black scleras accompanying with it's white-pinkish irises and black pupils. Lacerations lined with presicions. Attire so black you didn't even notice the blood on it. The weapons on him that hangs on the belts, forming an X-Shape. That's him. In all in it's Unholy and Fearful Glory. Exael Lanithro.
You gulped and fixed you posture, rolling your shoulders, tilting your neck side to side. You took deep breaths. He presents his ID Card, but no entry request. He must've left at home, to make sure you have to ask him. 'Uhhh… I don't have your Entry Request.' You squeaked. You hated asking, You never wanted to ask. He present his Entry request to you.
You sighed of relief. You inspected his ID first. You looked at the card, disecting and observing every minute details. The Chevrons were Correct. The expiry date was right. The Numbers were difficult to remember, You stood up and grabbed the first floor file. You began to open the file skip the page with the Residents of Drugia and Xezbet. There. Next to Barbatos was Exael, you then compare to see if the number were correct.
235325968986
You repeat the following Numbers. It was Correct.
Now for the part you hated the most, Appearance checking, A.K.A, Looking at them. You read the list in a low hushed voice while hiding your face. 'okay… what should check first? Err… Maybe the— no, no, no… uhhh…How about…' You took his ID and Check the appearance, though the photo was… hard to see. You couldn't see the details, the photo was small, you thought you saw a mistake but double check it.
You have no choice. You took all your courage and look up at him when you did, your stomach churned as you lock in his eyes. Something about his presene was…omnious. But you did have time to think as you were sucked in his black demonic eyes. You snapped as realize you are actually staring at him and looked down, embarrassed. '…Sorry'
You looked again but not on his eyes. You looked at his pins and began to count them. 15 total. You looked at his dotted eyebrows. No addition or subtraction. You looked at his tired eyes. The bags under his eyes were present, every day you look into the mirror you see the same bags under your eyes. Prominent chin. You could called it a butthole chin, but you save yourself the joke as you DO NOT want to be torture. Now, the sharp teeth.
How are you gonna do this? You glanced at the check list, thinking of what to choose from the box. You sighed pinching the temples between your eyes. 'So… Uhh… How is your…' You paused as you glanced up and down at his silhouette. While his pose was upright as a soilder—His eyes said otherwise. '…Sleep'
'Not good.' As he spoke you glanced at his teeth, They were sharp. 'Why? Having nightmare or—' 'No.' He cuts you off before you could finish your sentence. 'I just… can't…' Exael looks at you and notice your hunched position and eye bags. 'You haven't got any sleep lately, Have you not?' You nodded as noticed he speaks more than usual. Somehow, You feel comforted. 'No, not really… My shoulders are in pain, the meds aren't working and now I have a headache.' You huffed.
'…I see.' You scavanged through to find the checklist and as you did you check all the boxes. 'Ok… you all good.' You pressed the button and let him inside you press the button again, closing the door shut. You stood up and crossed the last person on the list, everyone is in their respective apartments and no doppelgangers entered. You sat down and placed your head on the table and crossed you. 'Finally, Peace and quite.' You thought.
You thought.
You almost drift to slumber when you felt a strong grip on your shoulders making you jolt back to the head of your chair. Your head hits against a silhouette with a soft cloth drenched in blood it also touches your hair, in the corner of your eye you saw the exact same weapons on the torturer's belt lightly graze your skin. Your heart beats faster, breaths rapidly as the hands gripped tighter on your shoulders, you wanted to scream, cry, yell anything to wake up from this nightmare.
You didn't dare look up. So many thoughts was on you head. Was he a doppelganger? But his ID, Entry request, Appearance they look fine. So… why? Did I offend him? Does he want to Kill me? You were scared with all the possibilities. You NEVER Want to look up. You closed eyes tightly and slowly turn your head up. As you open your eyes, Your eyes widen in fear as you see the pins on his head. Exael.
You felt a tears trickle down, you want to wipe them away, but you were too scared to move. Your eyes are locked onto his. They were so locked that feels like you were in a staring competition. Exael notice your tears and quickened breaths, you felt a hand left your shoulder and travelled to the side of your face, you felt his hand lightly grazed against your cheek as he wipes your tears. 'Shhhh... I'm not going to hurt you, human.'
They were, obviously, big but they were also cold and hardened you can even see blisters on his hands. You break from the eye contact and look down at the table frame. 'W-why are you here? I thought that you were a Doppel.' Exael began to press firmly on your shoulders. It made you gasp from how…firm it feels. 'I am not a doppel.' His hands presses firmly while travel up to the Trapezius. 'You told me you have shoulder pain, right?' You remembered saying that.
That answers your question. But, Why didn't he kill you in an instant? 'I… I thought you came here to kill me?' He stopped as you said that which made you more nervous. You asked again. 'Why… Didn't you kill me?' Exael presumes his massages. You didn't talk as you didn't have anything in mind. He massages your shoulders with constant firmness, punishing the pain. it made you feel... Safe. Somehow. You glance at his hands and noticed scars on the sides. You wanted to see more of the scars yet you were hesitant. 'Can I see you hand, please? ' You asked. Exael presents his hand to you.
You looked at his scars embedded into his hands and small blisters here and there. Your index finger slowly traced over the ancient scars left on him, with some scars leading behind his hand and another leading into the intersections of his fingers. You traced downwards as it leads you to the wrist, you stopped as it was blocked by the cuff of his shirt. He pulls back his hands and uncuffed the buttons, giving his hand to you. Exael wants to make sure you see what your eyes wants you to see. You opened the unbuttoned cuff.
You saw letterings in a language you don't understand. 'What does it say?' Exael pulls his arms back and traces his own fingers in each Character. 'It's a blood oath written in Latin.' A blood oath? In Latin? 'It reads: 'As thy sumbit thine soul into this realm and the underworld, as thy sacrifice mortal memories we giveth thy marks of which Ommog gifted. Thou mustn't break the oath, O yee who has broken shall be punished by the princess command.' As he reads the final lines he slowly placed his arms resting at his thigh. 'Wow... That's Scary.' 'Very. Everyone was in fear of breaking the laws here.' He continues of with the massages. His hands, when you first touched it, where warm and when you traces the scars they were marked heavy. As you remembered the oath on his forearms, you remembered how veiny it was.
'Feeling any better, human?' You nodded and turn to him as he was about to leave. 'Wait before you go...' You never asked anything from anyone but it was quick. 'I... I want to see your hand again.' Exael was surprised as you asked that but comply and put his hand forward. You took his hand and compare yours with his then you started to kiss each scars from the palm to the back of his hand, he was taken aback by this gesture but seeing you expressions was... mesmerizing. You continue to peck your lips on his hands, as much as you wanted to continue this wasn't appropriate and almost pulled away, but his hand followed your face.
His thumb traces your soft, delicate lips against his calloused hand. 'Please, continue what your heart desires.' And you did. You kissed his scars and blister over and over again till you were out of breath and your saliva leaves a trail on his hand, it was too much. 'Exael...I-i can't...' You huffed out of breath, it was to much too handle but he kept on persisting. 'But you've been such a good human. You wanted this, then take it as a whole. Take it in.' You kept on kissing and kissing his hand, everytime you're out breath you need to make distance from his hand. You looked at him as he took pleasure from your expressions. 'Haaaahh... Exael... Please, Ha-Have mercy...' He chuckled in a low laugh, it was the first time you've seen him laugh. 'Mercy is not what you are getting. This your reward. And i'll make sure you getting ever second of it.'
'Exael...'
'Human...or rather Y/N? Over your last shifts working here, you adapted to this Hell of a work. Everytime our eyes meet, you've been scared. But I have seen something that change in you yesterday.' He caressed his hand on your cheek. 'You've began to... Look into our lives. You began to look through each text of the places existance. For what and how you gained interest is something I want to know...' He trailed his finger to your chin making you look at him. 'Tell me, Y/N. Why have become interested not only about us, But me aswell.' You have no idea what to answer as of what had happened just now. 'I...I just looked into your names... Everyone names... I got so invested by history and mythologies... That... I want to know everyone here. Especially you.'
'Hmmm... I see...' His words echoed out as your visions clouds in darkness as you slowly began to wake up. The alarm clock rings loudly, piercing you ear drums you reached to shut off the clock. You still laid in bed thinking about that…dream you had.
Was it really a dream?
Why couldn't I remember it?
Whatever the reasons, you knew that your shoulder no longer cries in pain. And you are getting ready for work.