Author's Note: Here's how the Hell Months arc will work. Each chapter will consist of one month, split up into four weeks. In each of the weeks I will be highlighting something significant that happened, like very mini-chapters. Enjoy!

Chapter 24 - Checkmate (The First Hell Month)

That same night, Louis was introduced to his personal servant, Shoji the sheep, who would be the one mainly taking care of him. Louis promised himself that he wouldn't be rude toward him. After all he was only doing his job and it could only make his life worse if he was hostile to Shoji in any way.

Week 1

Louis woke up softly to the sound of knocking on the door of his room. He sat up groggily, turning his head toward the sound, blinking. "I'm awake, what do you want?"

"Um, Louis-sama, it's Shoji. We met yesterday? I brought you breakfast," he spoke. "May I come inside?'

Louis rubbed his eye, yawning. "Just give me a moment, please."

Silence.

The deer moved his legs and scooted to the edge of the bed, looking around at his new surroundings, noting that there was a dresser, a shelf with books, a desk with a lamp on it, and the door into the bathroom. It was just like he remembered it growing up. It never changed.

He was wearing a shirt and grey sweatpants, provided to him by Shoji just the night before. He walked over to the door and unlocked it, pulling it open and seeing the shorter animal standing there with a tray of food.

"Good morning, Louis-sama! Did you sleep well?"

Louis rubbed his eye again. "I guess as well as I can in this place. Weird how my bed feels exactly like I remember it."

"Well, it is the same bed, sir," Shoji said. He lifted the tray to Louis. "I heard you like celery so I made sure to put a good amount of it in the meal."

The deer raised a hand. "I'm not hungry."

The sheep tilted his head. "Your father recommended you eat. You haven't eaten since yesterday..."

"That's fine," Louis shrugged.

"But-"

"I'll see you later."

"...Okay." He turned and walked off with his head down.

Louis shut the door and turned back into the room, looking around. What to do now?

In the middle of the day, the sheep returned again.

"Hello, Louis-sama! I brought you another round of food!" He smiled, looking up at Louis.

Louis looked down at the food and feel he didn't deserve it, seeing how nicely it was prepared. "I don't want it."

The sheep's smile disappeared. "Oh…"

"Sorry." He shut the door again.

Later that same night, the sheep returned, yet again.

This time, Louis could feel his stomach aching as he opened the door, keeping a straight face.

"Please take it this time, Louis-sama!" Shoji begged. "I made a celery soup this time and it's easier to eat than the other things I prepared!"

Louis' stomach rumbled as he reached out and grabbed the wooden tray. "Thank you, Shoji-san."

The herbivore smiled. "I will return in two hours to wish you good night."

Louis sighed. "You don't have to."

"Nonsense! I'll see you then." He bowed, then turned, walking down the hall.

Exactly two hours later, he knocked on the door. "I just wanted to wish you a great night and a wonderful sleep, Louis-sama! Can I get you anything?"

Louis smiled. "I'm fine. By the way, that soup was delicious. I finished all of it." His smile faded as he looked to the bowl, barely any soup being gone from it. He had tried to eat and it really did taste good, but he just...didn't.

"That's wonderful! Goodnight!" The sounds of his footsteps disappearing filled Louis' ears until they didn't.

The rest of the week, Louis adjusted to his new lifestyle and Shoji's constant appearances. In the middle of it, he was given a buzzer to contact him with, which he would barely use.

The sheep made him all kinds of different meals and assumed the soup was his favorite, so he made him that more than anything else. Louis consistently lied about how much he was eating.

Week 2

It was the middle of the day and Louis was reading a book he found on the shelf. It was relatively thick, so he figured it would help pass the time. But as he sat there reading, his eyelids grew heavy.

The book just wasn't interesting enough.

He put it down on the nightstand and looked around, going to the one window that the sunlight was pouring into and looking out into the world he wasn't allowed to be a part of.

He had known there was a park down there and even though he had lived there for years, he had never been there. He saw all sorts of different animals as he scanned the big patch of green below and then his eyes stopped.

There was a wolf.

The image of Legosi flashed in his mind and that surely wasn't him, but just seeing a wolf caused his eyes to grow glassy as he felt himself become sadder.

He sat himself up on the window sill and pulled his legs up, staring at the canine below.

Legosi...What are you doing right now? Are you talking to some other herbivore now that I'm gone? Are you lying alone in your bed thinking about the hug we shared…? What's going through your head? I can't stop seeing you in my mind for some reason. I bet if I told you that, you'd laugh and call me a funny animal. I guess I am a pretty funny animal. I don't know what to do now. This all feels so familiar. It's really not so different from being locked up in my room at Cherryton. The only thing is I'm missing a major thing...You.

Week 3

Louis was staring out the window, as he started doing more often since the first time, looking at all the animals down below. He wondered if this was how it would be if he lived in the Sublime Beastar penthouse. It must be cold and lonely up there.

He had an idea and before he knew it, his fingers were unlocking the latch on the window and he was using his strength to pull then push it up. He felt the breeze whip at him as he stuck his head out.

He moved his body, sliding his legs around until he was sitting on the ledge. He looked around, trying to see if there was some way he could get down. There was no way he'd ever make it down without seriously injuring himself. The wind blew his shirt in ripples and he felt it glide through his antlers.

It was cold and lonely up here, too.

He sighed and looked at the park again. He was lucky he even had Shoji, his one animal connection.

An image of Legosi flashed in his mind and his head tilted toward the ground below. He had the sudden urge to leap from the ledge and free fall until he was no more. It would be so easy to just do it. I wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore. I wouldn't be locked up, either. I could finally be free.

…I feel like I've wanted this for a while now.

He scooched closer to the edge. There's really no point in going on if I'm just going to be in this room. No one will even notice.

He continued to look down, his feet dangling.

He felt Legosi's phantom arms around him, hugging him and telling him it would be alright without words. "Don't do it, Louis-senpai…"

But it's hard, Legosi-kun, he thought. I don't know what else to do.

"I promised you I'd protect you, don't forget that."

Then where are you?

But he didn't need his own made up Legosi to respond to that. He couldn't put it all on Legosi to save him. The wolf didn't even know where he was.

He wanted to jump but he felt a strong tugging holding him back. He knew in his heart that there had to be some way he would see Legosi again. His only true friend...You don't make friends like that and then never see them again.

He stayed on the ledge for a while, but only because he was imagining seeing the wolf and the thought made him happy.

...Even if it was fake.

Week 4

Louis was being escorted down the halls by Shoji. He despised the flower carpet and ugly light fixtures lining the walls. There was too much atmosphere in a hallway that was just a hallway.

"I'm still not going to talk to him," Louis said, crossing his arms.

"Your father requested that you have dinner every last Friday of the month. It won't take long, Louis-sama," Shoji said.

Louis had grown accustomed to his personal servant. In his mind, he didn't want to consider him someone who was beneath him. The sheep worked very hard and was dedicated to his job, but something about him made him think that maybe the sheep...Cared.

The deer sighed. "I hate him."

"I'm sorry you feel that way and I can understand why, but these were his orders," Shoji said.

Louis looked down at his outfit and pulled at the sleeve. "Why the suit, though? It's not like I think this is important in the slightest."

"You know how your father is."

"Don't call him that. He was never my father." He doesn't even love me.

Shoji nodded. "I mean Oguma-sama."

"Thank you."

They entered the elevator and the sheep looks at Louis. "How does it feel to be out of your room, Louis-sama?"

"It would honestly be much nicer if I could have friends over." I just want to see Legosi, at least one more time…

"I'm sorry I can't do more to help with that," Shoji sighed.

"You're doing your best. That's all anyone could ask for." The elevator doors opened and they both got off, moving down the halls again. Instead of turning right to go to the office as usual, they turned left and went until they made it to a large room with a big table inside.

Oguma was already there, eyes squinted as usual. There had only been two chairs set up, the other about to be filled by Louis. He stayed silent as he got into it, looking down at his lap.

"Leave us, Shoji," Oguma ordered. "My son and I need to talk."

Shoji bowed and left them, shutting the door behind him.

"Don't call me that," Louis said, looking up. "I'm not your son."

"Just because we aren't related to me by blood doesn't mean you're not my son," the stag said, never failing to keep his eyes on Louis. "How has your personal servant been?"

"I like him better than I have any right to," Louis said. "He goes the extra mile and probably cares more about me than you ever did."

"Louis-"

"You should let me have my friends over. Just once."

Oguma took a moment. "Your fiance is coming next month. Make sure you are kind and respectful to her."

Of course he ignored that. "Azuki's coming?" Louis blinked. For some reason, he felt...relief? He knew that this meant he'd be seeing someone from the outside and that he'd be getting...contact.

"Yes. She's a wonderful doe, so don't screw this up," Oguma said.

Louis rolled his eyes. "Can we cut the bullshit?"

"Excuse me?"

The door opened and a cart was wheeled in, containing their dinners. The chef smiled and placed them in front of the two deer, then retreated back into the door he came from.

Louis looked down at it, not feeling hungry, once again. In that moment, he came up with a plan. "Fine...I apologize for the outburst." He picked up a carrot with his fork and began munching.

Oguma did the same. "Thank you for apologizing."

But behind his compliant mask, Louis was brewing a plan and hopefully by the end of it, Azuki would no longer want to marry him.

They ate the rest of their dinner in silence.