Chapter 2: Et ceux qui Ressemblent Le pécheur

He kept trudging forwards, leaving red foot prints behind, with tears and soot and dirt that stuck to his face.

-A/Z-

The sun hadn't starting to rise on the horizon, but there was a faint hint it would not be long. Slaine felt his eyes adjusting from the change of light. They had long leave the black market and entered the more decent part of the town. Rows upon rows of two to three story stoned buildings lining the narrow street. People's voice started to buzz across the street, implying the morning was near. The Lampads, demons who looked like five years old children, were hurrying to finish their pre-dawn chores, turning off the lamp-post lining the town's darker alleyways. Their tiny feet were pitter-pattering around while their hands held the long snuffers which were used to extinguish the fire-magic in the waist-high lamp-post.

Slaine's eyes were drawn from them to the far away spired watchtower of polished white marble that stood tall and imposing. Its top was still visible even though Slaine's sure it was at least a few kilometers away. A blue flag billowed at the very top of the watch tower, bearing a coat of arms; a bird perched on top of an intricate spherical empty cage with its wings cradling the cage. He scoffed at that.

"Excuse me," Kaizuka Inaho said, suddenly approached one of the Lampads.

The Lampad was smaller than his peers. He was slightly chubby, and had a gruff face with soot and dirt. A bell-shaped snuffer was held by his two tiny hands, and a bushy tail that was slightly hitting the ground in constant tempo implied that he was mad.

"Work. No time. Sun almost full up."

"I wish to inquire about a certain information." Kaizuka Inaho continued while crouching slightly, adjusting to the small Lampad's height, clearly ignoring the tiny demon's subtle way of dismissal. "The car which the pilgrim took, what route will it take?"

"Car takes a detour. Cuz' Festival. Car head through the Square then go to the next town," the small Lampad replied in a fast rapid way of talking, his thick brows were scrunched up in annoyance and there was an odd atmosphere in the air.

"Thank you very much," the man stood up and turned back toward Slaine while the Lampad walked away, continuing his job hurriedly.

"Well then Slaine, I understand your exhaustion. I do apologize. But I need to head to the next town immediately. I'm afraid you'll have to come with me."

Slaine nodded. He had watched everything in silence.

Kaizuka Inaho's gaze was on him, the dull brown eyes with the faint rings of red, and for some reason Slaine hated it. He caught the man's frown before he lowered his eyes. Slaine had no idea why the man frowned at his obedience but Kaizuka Inaho said nothing and he would too. No more words were exchanges between them. The less they converse the better.

-A/Z-

He sighed. When he looked down, he saw brand new shoes instead of the usual bare feet. Slaine Troyard, the half-demon and half-human, was dressed in normal clothes, sitting while hugging his legs, waiting for Kaizuka Inaho in front of a dying camp-fire. Just thinking about it, he already felt strange.

Before they were out of the town, Kaizuka Inaho had led him to the nearest stall which sold a variety of attire and bought the first thing those brown eyes laid on, a turtleneck sweater that was obviously supposed to be worn by someone bigger or older than Slaine, loose baggy pants, and a pair of new shoes. For once, his clothes were clean and not the scrap of cloths which was haphazardly put together. The sweater was ripped a little on the back, but it was on purpose to adjust for his wings.

Kaizuka Inaho had explained that they would head to the next town, the man's hometown, then he would drop Slaine on his house with his sister, and if Slaine wished for, he could also search for people who were willing to take Slaine or kept stay with him. Everything was so perplexing that Slaine had no idea how to react anymore. Slaine didn't trust this Kaizuka Inaho who claimed to be just a normal traveler. No normal traveler could punch seven slave traders and a dozen more people in an auction show with his bare hands, and came out uninjured, minus a small bruise on the cheek. But he followed the man anyway, despite everything which screamed suspicious.

"What do you want with me?" he whispered softly.

The only answer to Slaine's question was the crackling of the fire long dead, embers glowing in the ashes like eyes, shouting and condemning ... everything around him tangled in undulating movements of red and white and black color, swirling and distorting. Slaine could not bear to look at each of them, at each of-…. He moved his gaze upward, the stars bright and crisp against the dark sky.

"Slaine? You haven't sleep."

Slaine turned his head in surprise. Apparently, the man just came back from whatever he was doing before, face perfectly expressionless. The fact that he felt nothing at all from the man was a little jarring if he was being honest.

"Are you thirsty?"

"…," he stared at the man wordlessly and after a few pause, nodded.

"Here," the man took a flask from his hip, and held it toward Slaine. "Don't worry. It's water. There's a stream not far from here."

Slaine took the flask and gulped it as quietly as he could while Kaizuka Inaho took a seat across the camp-fire, across him. When a few minutes had passed after he put it down, he finally voiced his undue question out loud but it came out in a smaller voice than he intended.

"What do really you want with me?"

"Pardon?"

"What's your purpose? Why do you take me away?" Finally, Slaine lost his wariness, showing his expression openly. He knew it's dangerous and yet curiosity win it over. Kaizuka Inaho's gaze was neutral and flat but it sent discomfort toward him anyway.

"I just reacted unconsciously," the man replied. He seemed truthful. "I had a suspicion if I just went away that time, you will meet your death faster than a young boy like you suppose to."

"You pitied me," Slaine summarized, biting his cold lips. "But your charity isn't needed. If my fate is to die, if I meet my end, then let it be. You'll lose nothing over it."

"Is that so? Do you wish to die?"

The question rang inside his head. Do you want to die, Slaine?

"No," Slaine closed his eyes and saw red, red and white, pale trembling fingers reached out toward him, then, the red to black…and white. He opened his eyes. "I will not die," he said firmly while stood up. "Until I fulfill my promise. I'll do anything for that purpose alone."

Kaizuka Inaho watched, and Slaine could feel the weight of his gaze. It's heavy. Slaine felt like the eyes was actually covered in soil and blood as he stared at those brown eyes with the faint glow of red ring. He felt as if he crawled through the depths of hell and got dragged to the bottom of the pit on his heels. The man stood up too, approaching Slaine. There was silence. Teal colored eyes looked away first.

Then, a hand touched his hair. Slaine saw the man's eyes again, his face, his hand, Kaizuka Inaho's hand was patting his hair, and there was a slight prick when the fingers of the man had taken a small dry branch from his hair. Slaine felt like there was part of himself got left in those brown colors, buried under mud and rot. There was a piece torn from him, just below his lung, it felt awful. The man didn't question him either, not about Slaine's 'promise', not about his past life, not about his purpose. He seemed content to just watching for Slaine's reaction for his next statement.

"Determination is an important part of humanity," the man said in a soft voice. "But there is a difference between trying to break a wall of trial, and just throw everything away. Do not blindly thrust forward, Slaine."

Slaine almost jump back as if burned but took a small step back instead. When his back hit a tree, he unconsciously gripped the non-existent pendant which supposed to reside under his sweater. But it was no longer there, none, nothing. Instead, he only managed to bunch up the sweater.

"I don't need you to critique me."

"Perhaps. But the criticism is necessary," he took a step forward. "Because I believe," another step, "I just discovered the real reason I took you away."

"What?"

A soft voice barely above a whisper, "…that eyes of yours."

That was probably intended to be unheard but because of their proximity, Slaine caught it alright. And then, there was that smile again, that thin smile which hold a kindness one normally won't find on a man like Kaizuka Inaho.

The man stepped back and offered his hand to him, palm up, waiting for Slaine to take it.

"I will help you fulfill that 'promise' of yours, Slaine. In exchange, be my Familiar."

-A/Z-

He could not see the faces as he stared harder. The people and the stars were blurred as one of forms and movements. But, he could see the pulse of life in those movements, and As-…, -existed outside of time even though she had a pulse, a movement, a slow and methodical movement,… of the stars – subjected outside the laws of the universe.

"But we are out of these things, of such laws. We're even above the stars, and yet, at the same time, stuck with this universe."

And he looked up at that, and her eyes shining, just like the stars of heaven, just like the light itself. Living, breathing…survive.

The eyes were glassy and dead. There was no glow. Without light. Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing here.

….

…

…

-A/Z-

Slaine had no idea why he took those hand. He barely remembered the details, there was promises and Kaizuka Inaho's blabber about pros and cons, but he knew the main reason was because of those eyes of mud and blood. When their hand connected, Inaho was smiling and close their distance again, and the heat and the hum of the man as he chanted his pledge made Slaine murmured his pledge back in response. Devour, eat, suck the soul and blood dried, and the pain in Slaine's stomach was gnawing just like a black hole, wishing for something which clearly would make him no longer sane if fulfilled. Slaine hand gripped harder, and gave the man a sign to hurry, hurry before he lost control.

The last word of the pledge escaped them both, and he saw it again, black and red and white. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared. Slaine could clearly see the bright eyes Inaho's looking at him.

"Slaine," Inaho muttered, but Slaine could barely hear over the hum and purring of the stars. He strained hardly just to hear the next words. "Slaine saazbaum Troyard."

"…Inaho," Slaine replied, "Inaho vers Kaizuka," and let go of his hands.

The hum and purring stopped ringing in his head, and the pulsating movements of the stars were gone. Slaine's gaze fell back to his shoes. Inaho had touched his soul, his soul which, at that split of time, was bereft of any protection, and so did he. It was hot, thick and sticky, just like jam. There was so much jam that it reminded him with the orange jam his father used to put in his sandwich.

"I still haven't trust you though," Slaine said quietly, and he stood straighter - or he thought he did but ended up falling over Inaho, pushed the man to the dirty ground. Inaho just chuckled quietly.

"Well, I hope that's fixable."

The world, his world, which was in his eyes had break, violently turned over, and reshaped in the most absurd way. It used to be harder to keep up with the flow of it, when he was a rock in a stream, immobile and unable to do anything. But now, he had a foothold, and with that, he saw the light again, the light of hope.

"…looking forward to work with you, Inaho," he mumbled to the dark jacket.

"Likewise, Slaine...likewise."

And darkness greeted him.

-A/Z- 2 years later -A/Z-

The air was enough to choke Inaho's throat, and his eyes sting because of the smoke around him. He could hardly see anything, only a thick black fog, and also bursts of flames and embers across the horizon. It was hurt just breathe and he swallowed thickly. Suddenly, there was a hand that grabbed him and Inaho moved instinctively before fully registering his action. He kicked the perpetrator and wrenching his arm down to free it, and also at the same time turned his body to land his fist into the other party's face. It was stopped, Inaho's blurred vision caught a glimpse of pale blonde head with teal colored eyes. He was forced into a stress position.

"Ah," the voice said and pushed Inaho's face to the ground. Dry grass scratched on this cheek, a hand that was pressing on his head was keep against the back of his neck. He tried to wretch away forcefully.

"Wha-"

"Calm down," the voice said again. "Don't flail around. You look like a dried fish, Orange."

"Bat ...?"

"Yes, It's me. Stop talking. You've inhaled enough smoke already."

Inaho rasped. He stopped fighting him, breathing heavily. Slaine grabbed the back of his neck, and in a sudden movement, pulled Inaho to his feet by the scruff. He grunted in pain, but let him helped him to stand. Suddenly, he got shove down again, but this time instead of the ground, he met water. His face was pushed right into it, and he breathed the water into his nose and mouth in surprise. He was immediately gagged, his lungs burned in agony as he inhaled the liquid. Then he was removed from the water, coughing and disorientated.

They were on a river bank of sorts, his hands and knees were wet in the mud. He didn't care. He bent low and almost touching the slick mud, and retched loudly, spasms violently to expel water. Slaine hit his back, forcing the water out of him. His knees and his hands slipped in the mud, and face-plant on the mud. Inaho didn't twitch from his position. His head was spinning so wildly for him to even attempt any form of movement.

"Are you dead?" Slaine asked. His voice was close and a hand pressed on Inaho's back, leaned his weight. Breath tickling his hair, and Inaho heard the inhaled breath near his ear. "No, Still breathing. That was a pathetic show, Orange."

Inaho would laugh if he had the ability to do so. But right now, his lungs felt too heavy therefore he simply said vague, breathing noises before rolling slowly on his back so that he could see the gray sky. He felt something touch his cheek, a hand, it scraped the mud on his face.

"Sometimes I wonder why I even still following you," Slaine muttered, "Other people will just flee."

"... Mm ..." Inaho sat up slowly, still feeling dizzy and weak. His vision was becoming clearer, even if his eye was still burning. He faced Slaine, slowly focused. The pale blond man was splattered with mud and soot, pale hair clinging to the soft looking face of the Incubus. Slaine stared back.

"... There's mud in your hair," he began, pointing to Slaine's head. Slaine eyes narrowed to a thin slits in response.

"I know," Slaine replied, sweeping his hair. Blocks of mud hit the water. "This is what happen when you had to work with an Orange ..." he protested.

"While I have to babysit a half-Incubus who stumbles into one disaster after the next," Inaho retorted back.

"Said the guy who manage to anger three different Knights class demon at the same time? It was a miracle you weren't killed!"

"...I probably would have, if you didn't help," Inaho admitted.

Slaine seemed displeased.

"Yes, yes, you will," Slaine voice was quieter now. "Why don't you just left me with the slave trader? At this rate, I think it was less a threat to my health. Both for my mental and physical health."

Inaho knew then that the blonde anger was mostly for show. It was clear when his partner was in an angry murdering rage or when he was just trying to hide other emotions. Smiling to himself, with still painful breathing, Inaho ran a hand through his hair, wincing a little.

"I apologize," Inaho smiled, "but I think we should get out of the mud soon. You do not want that to dry in the hair."

"You almost died,... and that's your first priority," Slaine said wryly, but he stood up anyway.

Slaine was taller than Inaho by 3 cm now, the years with Yuki forcefully feeding him with various concoction of hers had been good for his height. But his body was thinner than Inaho, slimmer and more androgynous. It was a misleading sight though. Although it seemed a breeze can break him in half, he held a power in his thin body, and a scary precision at shooting.

"You have beautiful hair, it would be a shame for it to be stained by the mud," Inaho said, half-joking. But it really was beautiful and soft looking too. The joke still worth it, even though the look Slaine was given resembling a disgust.

"You're disgusting," Slaine ridiculed, and stomped his foot and tail in the mud. It splattered right on Inaho's face.

He suffered because of his sense of humor but didn't regret it, simply erasing the stains of dirt on his face. Inaho raised himself slowly from the mud. His whole body throbbed with pain. Today was a hard day. It didn't mater though, even if his near-death experiences were very unpleasant. They had this kind of world. Small skirmishes everywhere, and orders from top to move and fight.

"But, near-death experience aside, today was entertaining, wasn't it?" Inaho said as he took a step forward.

His feet sank into the mud, dirt splashed on his ankles and a little wet. The river was filled with mud - soot or water pollution, Inaho I didn't know. He turned his head to gaze toward the crackling flames not far from them, a building barely visible on the horizon was ablaze.

"I suppose," Slaine murmured. He was watching the flames as well, picking up pieces of mud from his hair thick. Face was neutral.

"It's not over yet, Bat."

"Yeah. I know."

They walked past the river and the muddy bank. Grass and reeds littered the bank sparsely, the plants growing yellower and browner the further away they got from the river. Dust and gravel crunched under Inaho's shoes. For a moment, they walked in silent until Slaine broke it.

"Orange. I'm sorry, by the way," Slaine said abruptly. "For not covering you."

"It doesn't matter," he said, his tone light, "You'll do whatever you want, regardless of the events of today, and tomorrow we will reach some sort of disaster again, and almost die again. Rinse and repeat. I'm used to it."

"You mean YOU will get into some sort of disaster." Slaine said wryly, "How many mercenary get to fight the enemies we do? Not many. You'll be the most experienced mercenary everybody looked up to."

"I already am."

Slaine gave Inaho a sideways look of amusement. Inaho just smiled in response, and fixed his gaze forwards once more. The dark sky met his eyes. Slaine remained quiet. Inaho took solace in the scrape of shoes padding in the dust after him. He wouldn't be surprised if Slaine killed him one day out of sheer frustration, but he'd be happy if he did. He'd prefer to be killed by Slaine than a stranger, after all.

"I'm hungry," Slaine said.

"I feel starving too."

"Maybe we'll get another job after this," Slaine continued, his tone lilting gently.

"Perhaps," Inaho lifted his hands up, stopping his pace, and looked up at the sky. Dark, with a bright, broken moon gleaming down at them. From his viewpoint, it looked like he could very nearly grasp it in his hands.

"We'll probably die soon, too."

Inaho didn't reply to that one. They continued to walk, and Inaho lowered his hands. His body was still aching and his lungs burned, but, it was still amazing to be alive. He was thankful to Slaine for keeping him alive, even if he was only doing so due to their pledge.

"Thank you, Slaine. I'm grateful you're here."

"Will you stop saying strange things?" Slaine said flatly.

"I apologize."

But, Slaine still followed him.

A/N: There's a secret with Slaine's eyes that Inaho's figured out but the half-Incubus didn't realize it himself, even after two years (lol).

Oh, I also need to repeat, this is a fic where "EVERYONE suffers bwahahaha". Please turn back if you hate bad ending. And also, review ^^, I would like to hear your opinion. I don't even mind a fire (it also a form of opinion right?). I'll accept it all. ^o^

Last note. I need beta. Help please.