Chapter 34

"Hey, strange one!" Some demon hollered. Both browsers turned their heads in the direction of a familiar butcher. "Back so soon?"

"Hey, yeah!" Matthew was reeled in with a big smile. "Do you have any more of those roasted legs?"

"You like them? That is great to hear! You...uh...like them cooked well, right?"

"Yep! That's me!" Matthew jumped slightly as Ivan pressed closer to eye the butcher blowing at his flame pit. "Do you want to sit down?"

"Whatever you want, my little grub."

The vendor's sharp blue eyes flickered toward the pair settling over their stone seats, and immediately dropped to his task with a teeny twitch of the wings. "So...uh," he reached up to scratch his jaw. "What's flapping?"

Matthew asked, "What?"

"Anything interesting happening? How is Irunya doing? She is not with you today."

Matthew glanced over to Ivan, but his partner stared at the dirt, legs bouncing for some movement. "Nah, she's back at home, doing her own thing, I guess." Ivan slowly turned his head, staring back. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I just..." Ivan shook his head with a little laugh. "I am a bit worked up at the moment. Stay here," he said as he rose to his feet and nudged Matthew's cheek with his own. "Andersen will make sure nothing comes to harm, yes?"

The butcher tensed, gawking with wide eyes. "Uh-huh! Don't worry, I will whack anything that comes by with this leg." He ducked his head when the other demon bustled by his perch to wander to the other stalls. The fire crackled, the only sounds between him and Matthew until a great shudder took a hold of him. "Eugh! He makes my blood cold."

Matthew gnawed on the inside of his cheek.

Andersen flopped the leg over to cook the other side. "I only ever saw his sisters act so...unshaken around him. Everyone else...hah! Forget about it! You know?"

"No, not really."

"Oh." Andersen blinked stupidly. "You...you must have not been around him for long, huh?"

Matthew could not keep the snippiness down, "I have been around him for a while now."

"Hm...you are not a house servant, or some kind of guard, are you?"

"None of the above. How's that leg doing?"

"It is getting there!" Andersen nodded at the hunk of meat approvingly. "I tried one of my own, cooked the way you like it. I got to admit, at first I thought it would be like chewing ash, but nah!" He whipped his head side to side. "That was good meat, also because it was my meat. Hunted and brought down with my own claws!"

"Impressive," Matthew granted. The compliment only made the butcher look more proud as he puffed out his chest.

Andersen relaxed with a loud exhale. "So, what brings you back to the Market Field so soon? Does Braginsky not feed you?"

"We're finding a blood necklace for him."

"A blood necklace? You mean a Lover's Pendant?" Andersen's nose crinkled as he turned the leg to gander at its progress. "For the lord himself?"

"Yep!"

Andersen snorted, and a twisted smile stretched across his face. "Who is the unlucky girl?"

Matthew's grin immediately dropped. "Me."

Andersen's expression slowly morphed into building horror. "What?"

"It's me," Matthew repeated tersely, "and I find myself very lucky to have someone that wants me to be around and reciprocates my feelings." After a short stare-off, he said, "I don't want it too overcooked, if you do not mind."

"Huh," Andersen blinked a few times before taking the leg from the fire and turned it around to examine its doneness. "You are not lying, are you?"

With a small sigh, Matthew reached down his shirt to pull out his chain, and set his palm behind it to show off the pendant. "I got it without knowing what it was, or what it meant. Ivan noticed it, and told me what it means, and what to do with it."

"You...you fill the little vial inside it with your mate's blood."

"I know. I told him if he wanted to fill it, he could, but only if he had one with my blood, too." Matthew pointed at the roasted leg. "Can I have that, if you are done?"

"Sure," Andersen mumbled, surrendering the meat. He wiped his hand on his hide trousers and tilted his head. "You offered that to him?"

"Yes, and he accepted, thank you."

"Woo!" Luckily, Andersen finally shut his mouth about that. He glanced to the other stalls, slowly, side-to-side, before gazing at Matthew.

Matthew paused mid-bite. "What?"

"Do not go yammering about this to anyone, but...I heard some things about that fellow-"

"I know. I know everyone got slaughtered during this mass-murder fest and now, they're all gone, screwed off toward the center of the Earth. Yeah, I get it."

"W-well, I'm not blaming Braginsky for that, just-"

"Instead of soothing everyone during the aftermath, he clamped down and ultimately chased them away. Yep. Know that, too."

Andersen stared, slack-jawed. "Huh..." He gave himself a shake as Matthew tore another piece of meat from the bone, and thought it was a good idea to ask, "So, you two sleep in the same bed?"

"Every night...um...every time we go to sleep, yeah."

"He doesn't force you to do that? You just...crawl next to him on your own?"

Matthew lowered the leg to put on his best scowl. Andersen ran a hand across his face. "Next, you will hear about them trying to swim around in lava."

"Gee, I sure wish everyone would stop bashing him. It's not going to change how I feel."

"Oh! Y-yeah, that's..." At least, Andersen had the mind to look a bit guilty. "Good. I think that's good."

"It is."

"Are you going to let your meat get cold?"

"Hmph," Matthew took an angry bite out of the roasted leg, just to show it and Andersen who's boss.

"You know...I've been here for...what you said...'a while.' Everyone degrades the guy, but I've been sticking around. On the outskirts of his land, of course. If I leave him alone, Braginsky leaves me alone. Sounds like a deal, huh?"

Matthew set the half-gnawed leg on the stone beside him, and sighed, "I think I'm going to go now."

"You're...wait! I thought the big fellow said to stay here-"

"Too bad."

Matthew stuffed his hands into his shorts and meandered by some stalls. And some more. And more. He slowed, catching the eyes of some hopeful merchants chirping at passersby. The stalls started to look the same, like shops on an ocean boardwalk. It would be difficult to get lost, but the straight-shot down the strip of stands meant a lot of walking and flying. Ivan could not have gotten too far.

A demon-cloud soared over his head, leaving the Market in a rapid gust of shadows.

Maybe Matthew should have started to head back to Andersen's stand.

A lot of the vendors and their browsers stared in various curiosity, scowls, and some demon even drew her tongue over her mouth, real slowly. Matthew hurried away.

Andersen's stall was by the closest side to the forest.

Or was it a little ways in?

Matthew groaned at a familiar sign, decked in shiny studs and tiny skulls of some unfortunate animals, and turned back around. He must have passed it.

Despite the pressing heat, the hairs on his arms stood up as he locked eyes with steady gazes, but quickly glanced to anywhere else.

Markets have never been so terrifying.

Something light brushed Matthew's bare calf. He jerked away, tossing a glare over his shoulder, but nobody was there. He kept walking. Quicker. Something touched his leg again. He spun around and stared at a pool of that strange demon smoke billowing around his feet.

Matthew glimpsed around the stalls again, expecting Ivan to be near, but the surrounding demons stared with unwavering eyes. He pointedly cleared his throat against how fast his heart raced. He wondered if they could sense it. He twisted around on his heel, certain Andersen's stall was that way. The guy would gloat, but the smoke started to get thick. The dirt crunched behind him.

Matthew glanced back, but somebody crashed into his chest. "Oh! Sorry!"

The lady did not seem bothered. "Are you a human?"

"Wh-what?" Matthew let out a little laugh. "Um...excuse me."

She latched onto his forearm when he made a move to keep walking. "I asked you a question."

Matthew glared at her dirty nails prodding his skin. "Yeah, I am." He yanked away, jammed his hands back into his pockets and kept hustling down the lines. His throat itched for something to drink. He itched to get away.

I can't believe that lady just up and grabbed me like that. Gross. At least Ivan and his sister regularly bathed themselves.

A snarl broke through the sea of chattering and flapping, and Matthew spun around to get an eye-full of that said lady-demon lunging after him with her nasty claws primed for his throat. He gasped, but another body of smoke crashed into her.

Two demons skittered into the dirt, and the one that intercepted her attack, shakily rose to his feet with a snort.

"Oh, th-thank you!" Matthew started. "That woman was a bit...uh..."

The guy drew his lips back in an odd smile. "Human meat is one I rarely get to experience..."

"Oh," much more dreadful, "Fuck."

The woman launched from the ground and threw her arms around the guy with a furious shriek. They fell back to the dirt in a mess of smoke and wings. Matthew backed away. Another clawed hand grasped his arm.

"Hey, don't-!"

Whatever demon grabbed him was promptly decked in the face by another.

"What the-"

Another body shoved into Matthew, and he stumbled forward, almost getting clipped by a stray wing. The surrounding vendors jeered as the tangle of darkness started to grow in size and noise. Matthew raised a hand and backed away.

Someone nearby sneered, "Only an idiot would bring a human here."

Matthew frowned at a particular vendor before hustling away from the ever growing mass of furious and brawling bodies. Another demon jumped in front of him, hissing in delight, and he glared right back, "Can you fuck off already?"

The demon's eyes went wide. Matthew balled his hands into fists, triumphant, before going to turn around, only to bump into another body! A large, dense beast let loose a high-pitch growl as he glared over Matthew's head.

"Oh!" Matthew cried in relief and threw his arms around said demon when he realized who it was. "Ivan, I was looking for-"

Some of the furious scuffling edged into baffled shouts. Ivan pulled away without acknowledgement, keeping a steely gaze on the uncertain sea of faces. His arm shot out, latching onto someone's horn and ragdolled them into the crowd. Some demons were hit. Others barreled into others, trying to avoid the airborne body, but brought anybody else down with them. Somebody shouted in fury and leaped from the pile, claws out.

Matthew yelled, "Ivan-"

Ivan planted his heel into the other demon's chest and sent him reeling backwards. Others, dragged into the mess, squealed in fright and fled. Almost a few lunged after him, only to think better than that, and shrunk away as Ivan's wings lifted and stretched from his back.

"My Matthew!" He snarled. "Mine!"

Vendors murmured worryingly to one another.

The bastards did not look so certain amongst themselves.

Matthew hovered closer and slowly pressed himself to Ivan's backside. Another growl drifted from his body. Most, if not all of the rest of the demons gave him various degrees of utter disgust and malice as they scattered.

"Human lover!"

"Go back to your empty house, you vile bastard!"

A vendor grumbled, "I hope this doesn't affect my sales."

Ivan rooted himself to the ground, not moving, even when the offender's wings grew further and further away from him. Matthew rubbed his bicep, murmuring to his ear, "Honey? Are you all right?"

"Whoa! Whoa!" A zappy voice came from behind. Matthew whirled around. Andersen held his hands up. "What was that?!"

Matthew let out a laugh of disbelief as he nonchalantly put a hand over his racing heart. "Um...I really can't say!"

"Hey, I told you that you should've stayed at my stall. Crazy bastards. They're surrounded by all kinds of meat and yet they go after the one that's..." Andersen looked to the back of Ivan's head, and snorted and shook his own. "Whatever. Fly by my stop next time. Oh, and, uh...maybe try a tether?"

"Stupid, stupid," another nearby vendor shamed. "Stupid."

Ivan snatched Matthew's wrist, and yanked him down the line of stalls. Matthew yelped and stumbled on quick legs to keep up, calling to Andersen, "Thanks for the food! It was - ugh!"

Bystanders were slow to disperse as Matthew pulled away from their prying eyes. Ivan's grip tightened against his arm, and he winced. "H-hey, honey?" He yelped as Ivan tripped, almost taking the both of them down. "Ow, Ivan!"

Matthew drug his feet against the dirt and walloped on the demon's shoulder as hard as he could. "Stop it!" That did not pan out too well, so he latched onto a particular horn and yanked. Ivan let go to clamp a hand over the side of his head and whipped around, glaring inches from Matthew's face. "That hurt, you ass!"

"Do you know what would hurt? How about those creatures tearing you apart, limb by limb? Or me, watching it happen and dealing with the aftermath?!"

Matthew clenched his jaw, and shook his head from the angry slits in his partner's eyes. "You don't need to yell."

"Over and over again, everyone has told you not to wander by yourself. You are a smart man, Matthew, but that was just plain stupid!"

"All right! I get it!"

Ivan snorted and pulled away to march toward the forest.

A few murmurs rose from the surrounding vendors. Matthew ducked his head, swiping a hand through the sweat on his face before hurrying after. The end of the line approached, and he stammered in a pathetic tone, "W-wait, I thought we were picking up a blood necklace-"

"We're going home."

Matthew stopped before the trees. "What?"

Without turning back, a gust of shadows poured from Ivan and wrapped around him, plucking him from the forest floor and closer to a warm body. Matthew ducked his face into his scarf, trying to clutch him closer through the hot air and smoke blowing over their bodies. "I was trying to look for you. Ivan!"

The cloud curtly growled around Matthew's ears.

Matthew pleaded, "Andersen...he was getting on my nerves! Everyone always talks down on you, a-and I can't stand it! I just wanted to be with you!"

Doors flew open, and Ivan's feet found solid ground. The smoke dissipated, revealing his bedroom. Matthew gasped as Ivan set him down, gentler than expected, and he looked up, hoping the plea on his face worked better than his words.

Ivan kept his gaze on the floor, but ran a hand over Matthew's hair, before turning away and leaping from his balcony.

"Ivan!" Matthew called and ran outside to watch the dark cloud soar over the forest, further away from his home. He slumped over the railing, throwing his face into his hands, and bemoaned life, "Oh, fuck, why, why, why did I...?"

Eventually, kneeling and sobbing to himself on the balcony floor became too uncomfortable for his knees, and Matthew dragged his feet to bed and proceeded to crush a pillow to his chest, angrily muttering into its softness.

The door opened, and Matthew stiffened, peeling his flushed face from the pillow. Irunya's voice cooed, before unleashing four paws clacking on the hard floors, and a squished muzzle breeched the curtains. He sighed, swiping a palm across his cheek and sadly smiled at the hellhound. "Hi, you beast."

"Vanya?"

Matthew clamped up.

"Matvey."

"Uh...yeah?"

Irunya came closer. "Is my brother with you?"

Matthew gritted his teeth together.

"Matvey?"

"I-I don't know."

Irunya's face snuck through the curtains. "You do not - oh! Matthew! Are you all right?!"

Matthew turned his face away to stare at the wall.

"I-is Vanya hunting?"

"I don't know."

Cujo grunted and flopped on its back with its stumpy legs sticking straight up.

"Did...did you fill your necklaces?"

"No."

"No?!"

Matthew squeezed his eyes shut.

"Oh, no..." Irunya hurried away, and the door closed.

Cujo whined and pawed at Matthew's arm as he sobbed into the pillow. A drooly tongue ran over his ear, and he flinched with a hoarse yell, "Cujo! Stop it!" The 'dog' snuffled and eagerly dug into the blankets. "Ugh! You-"

As soon as Matthew picked up his head, the hellhound covered him in sloppy kisses. "You're gross and slobbery, and...ha-ha-ha! All right! All right! Stop it! Oh, what's the use? I'm already covered in demon-dog slop." He slumped against the bed again with a happier sigh as Cujo finally calmed enough to snuggle to his side. "I hope...I hope Ivan isn't gone for too long..."

Even though a second was too long without him.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

The blankets rumbled. Cujo unleashed a strand of furious howls. Matthew's eyes flew open as he pulled himself to blearily blink and sit. A broad figure hunched over itself at the edge of the bed, and he grabbed for his glasses resting on the mattress to squint whoever the hellhound warned against.

"Ivan..." Matthew whispered.

Cujo let out another menacing bark, and Matthew put a hand on its head. Ivan had not turned around or said anything. Cujo grunted and nudged Matthew before lunging forward and investigating the demon's still form. Whatever Ivan had, enticed the 'dog' into wriggling its rump and snorting in delight.

Ivan twisted around, revealing his mouth, chin, the front of his once-clean dress shirt, and his claws to his forearms to be covered in drying blood. Matthew groaned at the sight. Ivan shook his head with a little shrug. "It was just some unfortunate creature. I do not know why I killed it. I was not hungry. I found no joy in doing so, either."

Cujo grunted, trying to lap the blood off of his hands. Ivan swished the 'dog' away as he steadily stared, confused, rather than angry as Matthew lamely started, "I-I'm sorry. Please don't hate me-"

"Do not say that. Better yet, do not ever think for a moment that I could ever hate you."

Matthew lurched across the bed to toss his arms around Ivan's shoulders. Cujo yapped, dancing on the bed as Ivan clutched him tighter. "Can we still get our necklaces filled?"

"Yes, one day. That is not a no, Matvey. Keep that in mind."

"You needed some time alone. That's all right. Sometimes I need it, too, but..." Matthew sighed against him, "I hate it when you look so angry."

Cujo grumbled and flopped on its back, legs up again from being ignored as the pair pulled away to gaze at one another. "What happened made me angry, but I think I was more angrier at those...creatures than I was ever with you." Ivan pinched Matthew's chin before brushing a claw along his cheek. "So, do not look like that."

Matthew flinched, yet let out a little snicker at the wet sensation of blood smearing across his face. "Aw, come on. You're mad at...the demons instead?"

"Of course. I spent a little too long blaming you for wandering, but it was not your fault. You were just walking. In the Market. A safe place, yes?"

Matthew was not sure.

"Surrounded by food and friends and fun stuff, and yet those...those things decided to make a game out of you? While everyone just watched, o-or joined in? I-" Ivan shut up when Matthew pressed a palm to his cheek. He eased his shoulders with a sigh, "It may be wrong to say, as I do not know if I will ever be a better person than who I once was, but those creatures felt below me. They're disgusting. Out for themselves for everything. They do not care who is in their way, as long as they get what they want."

"Yeah, they were pretty gross. Kind of like you right now."

Ivan stuck their foreheads together with an amused rumble. "If that is what being a demon means, I do not feel like a demon anymore. I do not even care that I do! I just want to be wherever you are, and keep you happy. Are you...disgusted?"

"Never at you."

"Good, you stay here." Before Matthew could tell Ivan he was planning on it, his voice dropped to a hiss, "Stay here forever and ever and ever!"

Matthew acted verbosely disgusted by throwing his head back, groaning, "Ugh, Ivan!"

"Yes, my little grub? Don't you want to stop worrying those silly human responsibilities and become my everything?"

"Stop the..." Matthew straightened, trying to keep sincere with the blood smeared across Ivan's mouth and chin. "I...I don't know, mon ours. Maybe it's a good thing to wait for the whole necklace and forever ever after thing. It's too soon. I want to finish school, and my dad..."

"I will not stop asking."

"One day, you will. I mean, for good reasons!"

"Ha-ha! Yes, one day!"

"Uh huh. Ivan?"

"Yes?"

"I think you need a bath."