Dez:Okay, so this one is a bit short. I apologize. My brain doesnt want to work and insisted that I either post this, delete what I had so far or suffer from writer's block and ultimately shove this in a corner. I went with the first option. Fear not, unlike all my other fics, I acttaully have a clear idea of my endgame here and have planned several chapters ahead! On my AO3, you can finf the mating guide thats canon to this story! Yay. Please read it. Its importtant...ish.

I own nothing but my OCs...

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Karma stood on Sephiroth's feet as he guided her through a clumsy yet adorable waltz. Carrisimi laughed from her seat on a couch as she watched Dez coo over Sephiroth and Karma. Dez was trying her best to cycle through each and every emote and special pose in their possession. "Awwww!" Dez squealed when Sephiroth pulled out a flower crown made of deadly nightshade and placed it on Karma's head, the tiny guardian curtsying in return. "I didn't know you could add duo interactions. That's so cute." Sephiroth bowed to Dez at the compliment while karma hid behind his leg. Carrisimi laughed at Dez and the little joke she had in store. "They're a pair so of course they have matched interactions. But you've only been prompting Sephiroth, why don't you try Karma?" Carrisimi said sweetly. Dez emoted an excited nod before prompting Karma.

Karma gave a feral grin and lashed out with razor sharp claws only to be tugged back and bopped on the head by Sephiroth. Dez instinctively dove into a shadow to escape the attack. She reappeared behind her friend and peered at the two guardians from behind Carrisimi's wings. "What was that?" She squeaked into her mic. Carrisimi laughed at her friend and beckoned over her creations. "I set Karma to take a shot at anyone who prompted her. She wouldn't have done you any damage as Seph would have stopped her but it's just too funny to pass up." Karma had an eerie grin on her face as she approached. Dez eyed the little girl warily as she came out of her hiding spot and slid onto the couch next to the angel. "She looks like she wants to eat me…" The demoness mumbled as she flopped her face into her friend's lap.

"She probably does." Carrisimi said cheerfully. "Karma hasn't had the chance to eat anyone yet so maybe she'll find you appetizing." Her words were nonchalant, as if she were discussing the weather. "But she won't as you're an ally and actually have permission to be here." Carrisimi fell silent as she watched her NPCs go back into their idle mode and return to their caskets. Dez picked up her head when she heard their caskets shut with a slight thud before dropping her face back down. It'd been a week since their creation and the first time Carrisimi had invited her in since she started to log back in. Momonga had asked her to talk to Carrisimi but she couldn't bring herself to broach the subject of their concerns. Instead, she;d played with and fawned over them. But now that they were out of sight, maybe she could do this…

"Pero proposed."

Or she could dodge it.

Carrisimi squealed loudly into her mic and her avatar jumped off the couch. Dez fell to the floor before she was scooped back up by her friend. "I'm so happy for you!" Carrisimi said as she spun them in circles. "You're gonna be the prettiest bride ever! I promise!" Carrisimi sounded more excited than she'd been in months. The angel dragged her friend into her wardrobe and began forcibly equipping the many white dresses she owned onto her friend's avatar. "We're gonna find you the perfect dress!" Dez wanted to run from this dress up session, having had previous nightmares of the sheer amount of clothes in Carrisimi's closet after the last time the angel did this. But she was too weak to resist or put up a fight. Her best friend sounded so happy for once and it broke her heart that it was on her behalf instead of herself. So she just emoted a smile and allowed herself to be used as a doll.

For how could she possibly take the joy that didn't even exist on its own in her friend?

Sephiroth knew something was off the second he reached his creator's doors. Yuri Alpha was blocking the way and told them Lady Carrisimi wished to be left alone that night. He could respect her wishes but he needed to reassure himself that she was alright. Sephiroth easily sidestepped the maid and forced his way in. Demiurge was left ignored as he entered the room and disappeared into the dark before the lanterns even had a chance to light. The young incubus could practically taste the confused hormones in the air as he neared his creator's bed. Sephiroth took on a slightly pinched expression as he sifted through the lingering emotions filling the air and focused on the strongest one: arousal.

His mind was quick to connect the dots as he watched Carrisimi clutch a pillow thick with Sebas's scent in her sleep. Turning away, his nose wrinkled as he followed the scent and emotion back to the bathroom. Entering the room, his nose further crinkled with disgust and irritation at the sight of the clothes piled carelessly on the floor. A soft click could be heard, the door to the bathroom opening as Yuri and Demiurge entered. Sephiroth gathered the clothes and handed them to the Yuri silently before going back to his creator, wordlessly asking the maid to clean up. Neither of them noticed Demiurge retrieving something black from the bath as Yuri followed Sephiroth back into the main room.

Sephiroth was stepping back onto the dais when Yuri stopped him. "Lord Sehiroth, I understand that you sleep in here but Lady Carrisimi requested that she be left alone tonight." She told the young NPC. Another maid entered and was shooed off to clean the bathroom. The other maid lingered as she watched Yuri and Sephiroth interact, internally cheering for her OTP. "Surely one night away won't be a problem?" Yuri finished. Sephiroth had an unreadable look as he looked from his casket to Carrisimi and back. No one knew of the caskets' true purpose. But there was no danger within these walls. Besides, he'd been sleeping in it every night and would return the next. It was only one night, surely the caskets' power wouldn't be affected by this. Even then, what could possibly happen in the space of a day? Casting one last look at the casket, Sephiroth took Yuri's outstretched hand and walked off the dais.

The two of them exited Carrisimi's room, Sephiroth immediately headed in the direction of his garden. Demiurge had already disappeared into the halls, leaving the young incubus alone. "Lord Sephiroth." Sephiroth looked over his shoulder to see Yuri following him. Confusion marked his face with a single furrowed brow as he slowed his gait to allow the taller woman to approach. "We may have only met once before but I am pleased to officially meet you. It is not often that an area guardian is given permission to wander outside of their bounds." She said politely as she and Sephiroth resumed their previous pace. "The maids have grown rather fond of you. They seem to be divided over who they should fawn over more, you or CZ Delta." A soft smile graced her lips at Sephiroth's apparent lack of reaction, though she did catch the way his tail faltered ever so slightly.

Both continued on their way to the garden, neither aware of the maids giggling to themselves as they witnessed their ship coming together.

Morning came to Carrisimi with an empty bed.

The angel sat up and curled her knees to her chest as she hugged Sebas's pillow close. Her feelings were conflicting: on one hand, she was hurt that Sebas hadn't spent the night bit on the other, she was glad to not have to deal with the awkwardness so early in the morning. Carrisimi felt her cheeks warm as she remembered exactly why she had gone to be early the previous day. Sniffing shyly at the pillow, Carrisimi melted at the lingering scent of Sebas. Her eyes caught movement in the darkness and she froze.

"Good morning, m'lady." Sebas called out as the lanterns slowly lit the area. In his hands was a breakfast tray laden with waffles, scones, bacon and a pot of tea. Carrisimi can feel her mouth watering at the sight of the food and remembers that she had missed dinner. She had a worrying habit of missing meals in this new world. "I hope you slept well. The chef has prepared a high card breakfast for you as he worries that you are not eating enough." Sebas placed the tray on her lap and began to pour a cup of tea. His eyes never met her's, as though he were avoidinging looking at her. Carrisimi felt awkward as he prepared the tea to her liking, the silence a heavy weight as she remembered how they parted the day before.

"Sebas." Carrisimi started hesitantly. The butler paused but still made no eye contact. "Sebas please look at me." Carrisimi said again, this time putting her hands on Sebas's cheeks to turn his face towards her. His face was neutral but she could see the shame in his eyes. "M'lady, I apologize if i've offended you but I find myself unworthy of your kindness at this moment." Carrisimi felt her own shame bubble back up at his words. She had run off without thinking about how this would affect Sebas. He must have spent the night thinking she didn't want him near her after she practically threw his offer back in his face. He had only wished to help, so loyal and willing that it practically hurts. "Oh Sebas… Come here." Carrisimi pulled him towards her gently. "Sit."

Carrisimi quickly moved the tray away from herself to allow Sebas room to sit on the bed. The mattress dipped slightly under his weight but Carrisimi paid it to mind. Uncaring of her state of dress, Carrisimi crawled onto Sebas's lap and sat sideways with her legs dangling off the side of the bed. She leaned into him and pressed her nose into his throat and took a deep sniff as she took one of his hands in hers. "You could never be unworthy. It is I who acted poorly yesterday." Carrisimi said while pulling off Sebas's glove. She dragged her fingers across his palm as she spoke, marveling at how much bigger his hand was from hers. "I don't know much about myself or how I fit into this world." She admitted as she held his hand to her cheek and relaxed into the warmth. "But I do know this. You are the kindest person here in this tomb and one of the people I trust the most in this new world."

Sebas had remained silent through the whole thing and that was fine. Carrismi realized that she didn't need reassurance in this moment that everything was fine between them. She cared about Sebas and wanted him near. So she just let go and allowed her body to say what her words couldn't. Turning to face Sebas, Carrisimi moved to kneel between his thighs. Her arms snaked around his shoulders, one hand burying its way into those silver locks. Her eyes were closed as she pulled Sebas closer until their foreheads were touching.

Sebas was unsure of what to do, his heart pounding in his chest. He remained frozen as he allowed his mistress to handle him as she pleased. He had missed her that night, his bed lacking the warmth she radiated and her gentle scent fading after he took a shower and changed. But here she was, reaffirming her trust in him and scenting him. His heart had warmed when he came in that morning with her breakfast and realized she was clutching his pillow. He had worried that she would toss it aside, thus rejecting his scent and canceling their courtship. But she hadn't. And now she had her forehead pressed to his, a sign of acceptance in their courtship.

"I won't ask you to promise your loyalty because I know I have it. But promise me this…" Carrisimi was even closer, if such a thing were possible. Her eyes, covered in a hazy pink, barely peeked through her lowered lashes as she spoke against his lips. "Promise me that

you will never let me fall from grace. Promise me that you will never leave me. Promise me that I will always be able to be near you." Her words were possessive, almost desperate as she spoke. Sebas couldnt respond fast enough, her blood almost boiling at her declaration. "I promise." He whispered and that was enough. Carrisimi finally closed that almost nonexistent distance between them and kissed Sebas.

Her lips were soft yet firm as she pressed them against his. The kiss was chaste but so full of desire and tension. Carrisimi gasped when she felt hands wrap around her waist and lift her to sit more comfortably in Sebas's lap. Sebas swiped his tongue across her lower lip when they opened, the kiss slowly devolving into something less innocent. Carrisimi whined softly as she rolled her hips and pulled lightly at Sebas's hair. Carrisimi could feel the walls that she built cracking the longer she kissed him.

For who can stay behind a wall when they can chase love?

Karma hummed softly as she slowly dragged her claws against the walls. The glass rang with an eerie tone as she walked through the paths of her maze. She could clearly see the soldier running blindly as he tried to find his way out, the exit so clearly there, only fifty feet away. He tried to run towards it but smacked into another wall of glass. Desperately he felt along the glass for another turn or exit to lead him out. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he looked behind him and saw the child coming closer.

He thought he knew fear when that thing with tentacles had him. He thought he knew pain when that woman skewered him in the head with her sword. He knew the true meaning of neither until that... thing… brought him here.

"Make it to the exit and you're free to go!"

She was so soft and innocent when she said it, her eyes closed and smile so sweet as she spoke. This little angel was supposed to be his salvation. She looked so pure and innocent with her puffy white dress and hair ribbons. She handed him a dagger and shooed him away.

"Thank you!"

Strapping the dagger to his waist, he turned and ran straight for the obvious exit when he hit the first wall. Dread prickled across his skin when her giggle traveled across his ears. He looked back at the little girl, her eyes opened. The swirling pools of wine with black spirals spoke of pure evil as she looked at him.

"Make it to the exit. Then you're free to go."

The soldier finally felt another turn in the glass and rushed down the invisible corridor, his terror spiking when he realized he could no longer see the child.

"I'll even give you a head start!"

Karma smiled as the soldier got closer to the door. She heard from Solution that hope really gave the meat flavor. She stalked her prey slowly, carefully keeping to his blind spots. He thought she was gone, the fool. Didn't he know that a true hunter always catches their mark in the end? With a powerful leap, Karma pounced onto the soldier and sent them crashing to the ground. The two skidded some feet past the exit as the wind was knocked out of her prey. The man laid there, gasping and sobbing as his eyes flickered between the exit and the girl.

"So close." Karma purred as she loomed over him. Her eyes swirled hypnotically as she stared deep into his own, almost lulling him into a false sense of security. Her smile dropped just a bit as she saw something she didn't like.

Her reflection.

Her own eyes stared back at her and she could only watch the empty space behind herself. Her ears strained to hear the telltale click of heels on glass or the gentle scrape of bone against itself even though she knew she wouldn't hear them. There were no flashes of pink in her peripherals during this hunt nor did the scent of freshly brewed tea fill the air to lead her prey astray. There was no Sephiroth with her today. And it made her lonely.

The soldier laid frozen beneath Karma as she let her mind wander. His breaths were shallow as he tried to figure out a way to escape. A slightly deeper breath reminded him of the knife strapped to his waist. He moved as quickly as possible, pulling the blade from its sheath and driving it towards Karma's heart.

Snap!

The soldier watched numbly as his arm flopped at an unnatural angle, the bone sticking out of the skin. Blood flowed freely down his arm as his grip failed and he dropped the knife.

"I really wanna eat you…" Karma murmured as she leaned in closer to her prey. Her eyes were empty as the skin of her cheeks slowly split open. "But you're a gift from Sephiroth." She finished sadly. Her cheeks healed over and she sat back up. Her head tilted to the side as she gave him an unreadable look. Her gaze stopped on the broken arm, eyes narrowing. "Sephiroth is my brother. Not my real brother but close enough." Karma grinned happily as she yanked the arm closer for inspection by the bone. Her captive screamed as the pain finally registered in his system. "He's a really good healer. He would've patched you right up so I could take a bite out of you over and over. Maybe even give you something to make you run faster." Her smiles dropped as she remembered why the incubus was absent. "But he's helping Demiurge right now. Hmph . I don't like Demiurge. He's taking everyone's time." Karma snapped off the piece of bone that was sticking out and began to jaw on it angrily, the scream completely ignored.

The soldier was sobbing from the pain and humiliation. "Please, have mercy." He whined from below. Karma just continued her ramblings as though he hadn't said a word. "Me and Seph always eat together. But he's not here and he thinks he can make up for it by giving me you."

Karma huffed petulantly, her arms crossed as she failed to act unbothered. Karma looked down at her prey thoughtfully. "You're a pretty good listener. I always talk for Seph but no one ever listens to me. " A slow smile curled across Karma's lips, an idea coming to her. Grabbing the broken arm, she pulled it close to her face. A long, slippery black tongue slid out and licked the trail of blood. "I think I'll keep you." Karma's smile was something truly out of nightmares as she reached behind her and placed a hand on her new pet's knee. "But I think you should be punished for trying to attack me first." The knee gave way to her hand as she slowly crushed it. Her pet's screams only fueled her decision to keep him, finding his pain therapeutic.

Up above, a pair of maids arrive with a pitcher of strawberry milk and a variety of poisons. The two were talking excitedly as they placed their trays on a table. "Lords Sephiroth and Demiurge have been spending quite a bit of time together." The blonde maid tittered as she slowly carefully laid out the poisons. "I even heard that Lord Demiurge summoned Lord Sephiroth to his chambers just the other day." The other maid, a brunette, gasped excitedly. "They were in here just yesterday to share tea." She whispered back. The two maids giggled over their gossip as they prepared the table.

Karma raised her head from her pet's shoulder, blood speckled across her lips and cheeks as she listened to the maids. Her hearing was impeccable and words carried easily in her maze. Brows furrowed, Karma licked the blood away and climbed off of her pet, the man groaning weakly from the pain as he slowly bled out. With a graceful leap, Karma landed on a glass wall and dashed towards the maids. Her movements were swift and graceful, completely unimpeded by the voluminous layers of her dress. Closing the distance between her and the maids, Karma jumped across the large divide between two of the walls. The maids barely even flinched as she landed on the table noiselessly and without disrupting its contents.

"What's this I hear?" She asked slyly. "Seph and Demiurge are cozying up?" Her words held hidden meanings that went unnoticed by the maids as they cooed over her. The blonde maid petted her head while the other pulled out a chair. Karma smiled innocently as she settled into the chair and allowed the maid to pour her a glass of milk. Her feet swung daintily beneath the seat as she took the glass. "It's about time. There's been too much pining going." She quipped before taking a sip of her milk. The maid paused at her words. "Demiurge made a really pretty gift of intention too." She said while ignoring the maids as they stared. "It was a rose, the same kind Seph grows in his garden." She finished the glass and stood up to leave. She gave the maids to time to question her as she dusted off her. "Oh, could someone patch up the human. Don't heal him, just make sure he doesn't die. I'm gonna keep him as a pet." With that, Karma jumped to another wall and made her way to an exit.

Karma smiled mischievously to herself once her back was turned. She hadn't lied, per say. Demiurge was pining… after Lady Carisimmi. And he did make a rose and present it as a gift of intention that just so happened to be the same kind of flower Sephiroth grew. Really, who could fault her if the maids misunderstood. If Demiurge was going to take Sephiroth's time, then he might as well deal with her little attempts at revenge.

What kind of guardian would she be if she didn't make it difficult for someone to court her creator?

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Heheheheheh...

So, my fingers are crossed that someone writes fanfic of DemiSeph or YuriSeph. It is my headcannon that the maids write fanfics of them and have legit ship wars. I would read it if someone wrote it. My brain wont let me write it lol. But I wanna see it! Someone make my AroAce baby gay pleeease! or straight. lol

Also, please someone guess what Karma is. I dont actally plan on revealling her for a long time but I wanna see if someone can figure it out!