Lilliana stood outside Undertaker's funeral parlor with a foolish hope that, somehow, her friend would be inside as if the whole Campania incident didn't happen. To her dismay, a FOR SALE sign was hung on the locked door and she didn't have it in herself to sneak inside. It had been a couple of days since the sinking and with interrogations and investigations, both human and Reaper, at their peak, she wished she dreamt the whole thing up. Even though he had voiced his disagreements with the Reaper Association in the past, she could never see him going against Reaper Law to this degree and making himself an outlaw. She felt betrayed and left with no real answers as to why he did all this. Everyone who had encountered him on the ship saw him only as a threat that needed to be dealt with swiftly, but she knew the real him, or at least, she thought she did. She knew him as a man that pushed boundaries so that she could not only live, but work like a semi-normal Reaper. Without Adrian Crevan, there wouldn't be a Lilliana Kiliamo.
In the distance, her mentor was watching her leave the shop with a depressed step. After getting word from Eris that she had visited his shop, he hoped to see her again. A part of him wanted to go down there to speak with her, but that wouldn't be safe for him since he knew that watchful eyes were on her. He knew the Association would either see if she would try to find him or use her as bait to lure him out of hiding. He could see the pain in her eyes and wish he could quell her worries, but both of them had to be patient. As much as she viewed him as a mentor, she was just as important to him. Just when he was getting restless with the Reaper Association and thought there would be no escape, she came into his life and provided an unusual way out that turned out better than he expected. He was always thankful to her for it, but was never able to say it to her. Without Lily Kilia, there would be no Undertaker.
"Adrian . . . Adrian," a voice rang out from his memory. Adrian blinked as he was brought back into reality and found himself in the meeting room at the Reaper Headquarters. Back in the day, he was a board member of Head Reaper for the entire country of England due to his legendary status, but despite being the oldest one in the room, he was sometimes accused of being too carefree for his position. Most of the time, he would sit improperly in his chair and daydream of when these boring meetings would end. The topics brought up were very mundane things that he did not need to be involved in, such as curriculum in the Reaper Training or the election of a new demon hunter. The only times they were able to keep his full attention was when someone defected and they had to prepare for a hearing. He wanted to pick their brains to figure out their motives and sometimes, they brought up good points, but they would be sent to either the rehabilitation center or the guillotine before Adrian could talk to them.
Today seemed to be no different as they were discussing candidates for a supervisor position in the London sect. He got bored fast and started to drift off, not noticing that another Reaper entered the room to deliver a report to the leader of the meeting, who quickly read over the report. When he saw Adrian's drooping eyes, he had to pull him out of his latest daydream. "I'm glad to see you join us in the land of the dead," he snarked, annoyed by his unprofessionalism. All the other Reapers agreed that if they could vote him out, they would, but they had no power over that.
"They're all good candidates. Promote them all," he said mindlessly, hoping he answered the question proposed, but the glares around him told him that he did not.
"I told you he wasn't listening," one of the other Head Reapers said in a gruff voice as he crossed his arms.
"Well, hopefully he listens to this: the Rogue Reaper failed her exam," the leader said matter-of-factly.
Adrian's attention was gripped. He had been interested in the Rogue Reaper since she was brought in by the demon hunters. It was unheard of that not only that Reapers failed in her retrieval after her rebirth, but that she was raised by demons for decades before they retrieved her. Judging by the reports, she could have been mistaken for a demon and she needed to be corrected. However, her existence was a point of contention for the entire Reaper Association; since close contact with demons was forbidden, she was breaking the law before she knew a law existed. They feared that her upbringing would make it impossible for her to be reconditioned. Most argued that she was a lost cause and should have been terminated immediately. Others argued that all Reaper life should be given a chance and with help, she could become just like them. Adrian was on the latter side, though, judging by the angry sighs in the room, he was in the minority.
"I told you it would be a waste of time," another member said as he pushed up his thick glasses.
"Were the two students assigned unable to retrieve the soul?" a third member asked, keeping his voice on the quieter side.
"No, luckily, they were able to retrieve the soul and subdue the Rogue Reaper, but even with a total mind wash, she was able to break free and try to devour the soul," the leader said.
"Was she faking it the entire time?"
"According to Mr. Spears and Mr. Sutcliff, she acted like any other Reaper and denounced demons until the moment of collection. Apparently, blood was the trigger."
"Who was the idiot that authorized that kind of collection?!" the gruff member exclaimed.
"The doctors at the rehabilitation center presented blood to her before putting her out on the field and they reported that she had no reaction. Perhaps the added factor of a soul pulled out her demon instincts," a Reaper wearing a lab coat explained. He was the leader of the Research division.
"Are you suggesting that even if it was assigned only naturally caused deaths, the Rogue Reaper would still be at risk of reverting to its demon ways?"
"It is possible, but we won't know for sure unless we reevaluate her with another exam."
"I forbid it!" the gruff Reaper said as he slammed his fist on the table. "We got lucky with those two young Reapers being able to subdue it, but that won't be the case for every pair taking their final exam. We cannot allow any soul to be lost on our watch."
"But she is a rare specimen. A Reaper that was raised by demons can teach us so much about fighting against them or even give us physical advancements."
"I'm sorry, professor, but if she is going to be a liability, there really isn't any point in keeping her alive. During her physical, it was proven that physiologically, she is no different from us other than her exceptional eyesight," the quiet member spoke out.
"I told you cowards that if that Rogue Reaper failed its exam, we should eliminate it. It can not be rehabilitated and any efforts to change that will be in vain."
"I believe she can be rehabilitated," Adrian finally spoke out.
"And how do you suggest we do so? If you were listening, you would have heard that the mind wash we authorized did not work."
"Well for starters, you can call her by her name: Lilliana Kiliamo. That was the name she was given at her rebirth and ignoring that strips her of her Reaper status. Or perhaps, that was the intent: if we don't treat her as a Reaper, then we can execute her like a demon."
"Well, it would make our lives easier."
Adrian lost his usual smile at his comment. "A Reaper's life shouldn't be taken lightly. We would be no better than demons if we just eliminated anyone that doesn't fit in our cookie-cutter protocols."
"But we've exhausted all our options," the leader said as he put the file on the table. "The mind wash was our last resort and without another plan, she will just be locked in the rehabilitation center until the end of time or given the mercy of death."
"I doubt she would view death as a mercy," Adrian argued.
"Well those are our only options unless you have a better idea."
"I might," he said as he got up from his chair to get everyone's attention. "Instead of punishing her for who she is, I suggest that we embrace who she is and help her learn to control those urges."
"You can't be serious?!" the gruff member said as he too stood up from his chair, knocking it over in the process. "You're gonna let that demon wannabe embrace its nature?! We cannot trust it to behave around souls."
"And that kind of thinking is why we are in this predicament. We've already proven complete suppression of her demonic nature won't work due to unforeseen triggers. Wouldn't it make more sense to have her self-regulate her urges so if she was around said triggers, she would not completely undo all her conditioning?"
"He does have a point," the soft-spoken member said, but that did not quell the gruff's anger.
"And who exactly would be teaching her this 'self-regulation'. None of the Reapers in charge of the rehabilitation center want to work with her anymore due to her violent nature. She's sent a good number of them to the hospital."
"I volunteer," Adrian said, returning his mischievous smile. "I will devote all my time into this project, if you would all allow me to temporarily forgo my board duties."
"Maybe we can find a replacement that will actually be an active participant in meetings," the member with the thick glasses snarked, making some of the other Reapers laugh, including Adrian.
"Let's put it to a vote. All those opposing the idea, raise your hand," the leader said. Nearly half the room raised their hand, with the gruff member raising his the highest, but his disappointment with the turnout was apparent on his face. "And those in favor?" The rest of the room raised their hands, showing the slim majority favored the idea.
"I'm glad you all have some compassion for your fellow Reaper," Adrian said, almost as a jab to his rival in the room, who only crossed his arm in bitter defeat.
"Then it's settled. Effective immediately, Adrian Crevan will have a year to tame the Rogue Reaper or else she will be terminated. He will be relieved of his duties, but will still be treated with the respect as a board member and his word is final on this subject matter."
"Thank you, gentlemen," Adrian said with a satisfied smile. Finally, a challenge for him to ease his boredom.
During his travel to London, he read the file on the Rogue Reaper to get an idea of what he was up against. Lilliana Kiliamo, or Lily Kilia if using her demonic name, was raised by demons, but she was retrieved by demon hunters due to an anonymous tip. Unknown to the board, she was found with her demon brother and he fought to keep her away from them, but the demon hunters were able to subdue him. No info was given on how they could possibly be siblings. Ever since, she has been in the rehabilitation center, trying to undo everything she was taught. Currently, she is their only patient at this specific rehabilitation center, but they were fully staffed due to the amount of doctors going in and out of the hospital. He read through the various forms of reconditioning methods they performed on her and each sounded worse than the last: physical punishment, starvation, deprivation of senses, mind breaking, etc. Not once did he read of a humane method that rewarded her rather than punished her. It's no wonder she acts violently to the staff: she is only reciprocating the abuse she endured.
As he arrived at the rehabilitation center, he was greeted by the head doctor, named Dr. Peters, who was more than happy to have such a legend in his building and tried to impress him with statistics that Adrian did not care for. However, he kept a friendly smile as he was given a tour of the building. The last thing he wanted to do was to piss off the man who would oversee this experiment for the next year. Adrian noticed that the interior of the building was mostly pure white with the only exception being certifications and rules for the patients hung on the wall. Even the staff uniform was all white, minus identification badges. The lack of color unsettled him, but kept his thoughts to himself.
Eventually, they led him to a room with a high ceiling and an unusually large, curved mirror that was close to the ceiling. Despite being on the lower level, he could see himself and the entire interior of the room. In the middle of the room was a white table and two white chairs, but one of those chairs was occupied by a patient who kept her head down. She was strapped into a straightjacket and her bound arms were chained to the floor. Her black hair was disheveled from a lack of care and when she finally looked at him, it covered her right eye, but the other was clearly red, a stark contrast from a Grim Reaper's green eyes. He initially saw anger in her face, but when she didn't recognize the man in front of her, her face subtly showed confusion. "You're not one of the doctors," she said quietly.
"No, I'm not," he responded as he sat in the empty chair opposite of her. "My name is Adrian Crevan. Care to tell me yours?" Of course he knew her name, but he wanted to assess her cooperation.
"They didn't tell you?" she asked with a head tilt. Her voice was a little hoarse, but her demeanor did not demonstrate menace. If anything, she was presenting herself as weak.
He shook his head. "They only addressed you as the Rogue Reaper. Some even call you the Demonic Reaper."
"Well, they aren't wrong." She stirred in her seat a bit, letting the chains rattle.
"The label may be correct, but the treatment isn't," he said as he crossed his legs. "There was a discussion about eliminating you after you failed your exam."
She scoffed at him. "It's not a failure if the soul is collected, correct? That's what they told me when they read the rule book to me over and over again until I could recite it verbatim back to them."
"That's why your fellow exam takers passed, but you tried to devour that soul."
"I can't help the way I am," she said with slight remorse in her tone as she hung her head again.
"Well, that's why I'm here," he said as he put both arms on the table and crossed his fingers. "I volunteered to rehabilitate you for the next year."
"Good luck with that. They've tried everything and nothing has worked."
"They haven't tried everything. When was the last time they gave you praise for doing something right?"
"I never gave them a reason to," she admitted.
"I doubt that. I'm almost certain you don't go to bed in a straightjacket, meaning you let them put it on you and chain you to the floor," he said with a grin. She looked up at him with surprise in her eye. "These doctors assume punishment is the only method, but positive reinforcement can be just as effective if not more so."
"And what makes you think you know better than them?"
"Let's just say that I have quite a few centuries more experience than them," he said with a chuckle. "So, from now on, you'll be listening to me, but I'll make sure to listen to you as well."
"That sounds like a foolish wish."
"Indeed it is, but it's the only thing keeping you from the guillotine," he said as he got up from his chair and walked behind her. "But first, I have to get you out of this silly thing."
"Wait, sir!" a doctor said as he approached him, followed by a large group of terrified doctors. Some of them were holding their Death Scythes in their hands. He thought he was alone, but clearly not; they were watching his every move. "I highly advise that you do not let her out of her restraints."
"And why is that?"
"She is a skilled fighter and once she's free, she will attack you," another doctor said.
"Well, that's not an issue. I may be old, but I can hold myself against someone like her," he said as he started to undo her straps, but a group of hands stopped him.
"Mr. Crevan, are you insane?" Dr. Peters said as he emerged from the crowd.
"Some might say that for taking on this task," he said with a giggle. "But if we truly want her to succeed, we have to treat her like a Reaper and not an animal."
"Butâ€"," he tried to say, but Adrian's frustration was reaching a boiling point.
"I believe the board told you that I would be in charge of her rehabilitation, meaning I can do as I well please in regards to that. If I want her to be unbound, then she will be unbound. Do you understand me?"
He gritted his teeth as he ordered, "Take off her restraints." The other doctors looked at him nervously, but when they weren't moving fast enough, he barked the order again. With trembling hands, a doctor took out a key from his pocket and unlocked her chains. With the thudding rattle of the chains in her ears, Lilliana let out a satisfied smirk, but kept sitting in her chair. No one was brave enough to remove her straightjacket, leaving a disgruntled Adrian to do the job for them, but he noted that everyone was moving back to the door, making sure to lock it when everyone was on the other side.
She was still as he loosened the straps and soon, he was able to take the jacket off of her. She showed her gratitude by trying to grab his throat, but he moved out of the way just before her hands could make contact. Her true colors showed as her meek demeanor turned sinister and her face showing both anger and bloodlust. "You should have listened to them, old man," she taunted as she tried to sweep his feet from under him, but he jumped just in time. However, she was able to catch him while he was in the air, but he held back any further strike she had planned. As they were approaching the floor, he managed to push her down with a force that resulted in a dent on the floor, but all that did was stop her for a couple of seconds before she got back on her feet.
"Don't underestimate your elders," he said cockily as he invited her to keep the fight going. With an eager smile, she followed his lead and rushed to him, but he surprised her by going on the offensive and managing to strike her in the face. She rubbed her cheek to soothe the pain before trying to strike him again, but all he did was dodge her attacks. She was surprised he didn't try to strike her again; did he strike her once to mess with her mind? Was he trying to tell her that he was capable of hurting her, but he was holding back? The thought made her angry and fueled her fighting spirit, which was never satisfied since she could never land a strike against him.
"You can't keep this up. At some point, you're going to get tired," she threatened as she caught her breath, trying to calculate her next move.
"I'll hold out for however long it takes for you to calm down. I know you have a lot of rage inside you and I want you to release it."
"Oh really?" she said with a laugh. "We're going to be here for a long time."
"I count on it," he said as he was back on the offensive. She managed to block his attacks, but she wasn't as good at dodging as he was. She was impressed that he didn't need to pull out his Death Scythe to fight her like the others do, but that only meant that he was not using his full strength and in her eyes, that was an insult. He needed to be taught a lesson.
As predicted, their sparring match lasted for hours with most of the room damaged. The only things that were intact were the mirror hanging over them and the table. They both looked beat up and they were panting in between strikes. It had been a while since Adrian had a good fight like this, though this was tame in comparison to what he was used to. As twisted as it may seem, he was glad to see that Lilliana still had a fighting spirit after all this time. Most would have broken under the abuse she endured, but she didn't. For some reason, she kept fighting to live and that was all he needed to work with.
She rushed at him one last time, but before she could land a hit, he struck her in the gut, knocking the wind from her lungs. However, he bent his arm and pushed it into her body so she would be swept off her feet and she landed on her back against the table, breaking it into multiple pieces. She stayed on the ground for a bit, both to catch her breath and ride out the pain, but she was also taken aback by his strike. It seemed familiar to her.
"Are you done?" Adrian said as he looked down on her with a playful smile on his face. "I told you some time ago that you can't retreat for the night until it was all out of your system."
"Don't get . . . all cocky . . . with me," she said in between pants, but remained on the floor.
"I may have won, but you were one hell of a fighter. You could rival a demon hunter with all that strength," he praised. She looked at him with confusion, but when he held out his hand to her, she took it and he helped her up. He expected her to use this contact to land a sneak attack, but instead, she simply brushed herself off.
"You know, I sparred with Lucifer and he taught me all I know," she stated, making sure to keep some distance between them.
The name sparked interest and he laughed. "Is that so?"
"Your fighting style reminded me of him," she said, but he was surprised to see that her eye had changed to green as she reminisced. "I miss him and I know I'll never be able to see him again."
"Who knows what the future will bring," Adrian said with a shrug. "But if you do see him again, you will have to see him as an enemy rather than an ally."
"I know," Lilliana said sullenly. This was a side of her he didn't expect to see. With her anger quelled, she had nothing to mask her depression about her situation. Not only was she told over and over again that demons were the enemy and she needed to change her very being to be the Reaper she was born to be, she was also separated from her demonic support system and contact with them was forbidden. He couldn't imagine the psychological pain she had to go through on top of the physical.
Suddenly, they heard the door open and a group of doctors came in, one holding a pair of handcuffs. Lilliana's eye turned back to red in anger. "Now that you've had fun ruining my examination room, it's time for her to retire for the night," Dr. Peters said, visibly upset at Adrian.
"Of course. She deserves the rest," he said, but as they saw the handcuffs get closer to her, he butted in. "She won't need those."
"B-But it's protocol," the doctor tried to argue, but a cold glare put fear in him and he walked back to the door.
"Treat her like a Reaper. That will be the protocol from now on. If you are all so scared to handle her, I can guide her myself."
"That won't be necessary," Dr. Peters said as he approached her, but she started to back away from him. "Now, be a good girl and let us bring you to your room."
Noticing her behavior, Adrian inserted himself, "If it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to see where her room is located in case I need to be the one who needs to bring her there."
Dr. Peters huffed, but said, "Fine." Just before the trio left the room, he looked back at the other doctors and said, "I want this room to be put back the way it was before tomorrow morning."
"B-But boss—," one tried to argue, but he was met with fury.
"I don't care if it takes all night! Get it done or else none of you will be employed here any longer." He left the frightened workers with pits in their stomachs as he put a firm hand on Lilliana's arm and left. Adrian felt bad for the doctors, who were quickly gathering the debris and panicking amongst themselves how to fix the holes. Perhaps he should have been more careful about how they fought. Though it appears that Lilliana was not the only reason this place had a high employee turnover rate.
After traversing a maze of hallways, they finally reached her room, which was no bigger than a jail cell. She had a predictably white bed with a thin blanket, a pillow, and a fresh pair of clothes for the morning, but she had no other furniture, probably as a self-harm preventative. There was no sign of personality anywhere other than a poster on the wall with only two sentences printed on it in bold letters: "Don't go rogue. You are a Reaper." That simple phrase sounded threatening in his head.
With a push, Lilliana entered the room and Dr. Peters locked the door behind her. "I suppose this would be a good time for you to go home. Which hotel did you say you were staying at?" he asked.
"I'm not staying at a hotel. In fact, I was hoping to reside in this center until my year was up."
Lilliana, who was sitting on her bed, looked at him with surprise, but no one was more shocked than Dr. Peters. "You must be kidding."
"Not really. I want to get an idea of what everyday life is for her here, minus the treatments, of course."
"You wouldn't be comfortable here. The mattresses can be quite lumpy and there isn't much to do here to keep you entertained during your off-time," Dr. Peters tried to argue.
"Well, if that's the case, we will have to improve your conditions to make them more livable for all your patients," Adrian said with a sneaky grin.
"You—," he tried to argue back, but he couldn't say much else. "Very well. You can have the room next door to her, but if you decide to change your mind, I will happily find a hotel for you to stay."
"Thank you for the hospitality," Adrian said as he followed him to the room next door. It was similar to hers, except for a chest of drawers, a desk, a chair (all white, of course) and the same cryptic poster on the wall.
"I'll have a doctor bring in your luggage from the front desk," the doctor said as he locked the door.
"I'm not a patient," Adrian reminded him.
"My apologies. Force of habit," he said as he unlocked the door and walked away. Adrian let out an exhausted sigh as he jumped onto the bed. Just as he said, it was lumpy and uncomfortable, but it would do for now. He knew this was going to be a grueling year for him, not just because of Lilliana, but because of the way staff treats him, or, more specifically, how Dr. Peters treats him. It was clear that he was the tyrant and his word was final. Those who opposed him would be dealt with swiftly. He didn't want to butt heads with him, but it came naturally and that was something he needed to be mindful of. This is his authority, after all, even if Adrian was higher-ranked. Still, if it interfered with her success, then Adrian has the right to intervene.
The next morning, Adrian was awoken by the many footsteps and murmurs of the doctors passing down the hallway. He looked for a clock, but there wasn't one in sight. He figured it was time to get up and changed into his day clothes before leaving the room. He could see them pulling Lilliana out of her room forcefully and her annoyance was in plain view with her red eyes. He cleared his throat to get their attention and they were scared to see him. "Remember the new protocol?"
"T-Treat her like a Reaper," one said as all the doctors released their grip on her.
"Thank you kindly," he said as he gestured for her to walk toward the examination room. She was hesitant a bit, fearing punishment if she did, but slowly, she took steps toward Adrian and then past him. He followed her and sensed that the doctors were following them some distance away. The constant surveillance was getting annoying, but he had to get used to it. In no time, they reached the room and he was surprised how well the doctors were able to fix all the damage they inflicted. The floor and walls were completely restored and the furniture was replaced. Standing by an empty chair was a doctor with a straightjacket in his hands. Almost like clockwork, she extended her arms to prepare for confinement, but Adrian spoke up. "Didn't we establish yesterday that straightjackets are not necessary?"
"It is for meals," the doctor answered. "The last time she had silverware in her hands, she managed to stab someone in the eye." Lilliana snickered at the memory.
"So you're telling me that you have to feed her like a child? How long has this been going on?" Adrian asked with frustration in his voice. The doctor looked away and kept silent, but it answered his question. "I have already demonstrated that I can thwart her attacks. I'll make sure she can hold a knife and fork like a normal person."
"I-If you insist," the doctor said nervously as walked out of the room.
"You know . . . ," she said as she sat in her chair and put her feet on the table and crossed her fingers behind her head, " . . . I could get used to this."
"Don't get too comfortable," he said as he sat in his chair. "I only allow this as a sign of good faith that you will cooperate with me. The minute you start acting out, I will ask them to restrain you again."
"I thought you were only supposed to use positive reinforcement," she mocked.
"It all depends on how you behave. I will treat you as a Reaper, but if you start behaving like an animal, then I will treat you as such."
She let out a small chuckle and smirked as she straightened up in her seat. "Fine. I'll play your little game."
Soon, their meal was carted in, but when the doctor saw that she wasn't restrained, he was visibly frightened. He slowly approached them and put the two bowls and spoons on the table with shaky hands. He did spill some of the food on the table, but Adrian was actually happy to see some color in this room. Once he was done, he scurried out of the room, leaving the cart behind. "You really have left an impression on these poor doctors," he said as he picked up his spoon and examined the gruel provided for them. It didn't look appetizing with its muted brown color and lack of aroma. The spoon started to feel cold as he dipped it in the bowl and scooped up a bite. However, when it touched his tongue, he gagged at the taste and looked for a napkin to spit it out, but none was provided.
"They fucked it up again," she said as she ate her spoonful with no issues and went back for more. "They really need to label their salt and sugar."
"How can you eat that?" he said after forcing himself to swallow what he had in his mouth.
"I don't really have a choice in that matter. The last time I complained about the food, they starved me for two weeks. Only recently have I been eating on a regular basis."
"That's not right," he said as he pushed the bowl away from him. Although Reapers did not need to eat as often as humans do, they still need one meal a day to keep a healthy lifestyle.
"Tell that to the doctors. In their eyes, starvation is an effective punishment since I would be too weak to fight back."
"But as a reward, they give you this shit?" he said angrily.
She smiled at his angry display. "It's not exactly a reward if this is supposed to be the norm."
"Do the doctors eat this?"
"I highly doubt it. I know there is a mess hall, but from the chit chat I overhear, it sounds like no one uses it ever since the chef was let go. Apparently, he complained to Dr. Peters about the lack of ingredients to make food for the entire staff and was fired on the spot. Now, the doctors take turns making my food and it's been a culinary gamble."
"Then let's change that," he said as he got up from his seat and put the bowl onto the cart. Despite her still eating, he took her bowl from her and placed it on the cart.
"I wasn't done eating," she said angrily.
"I know, but you'll get something better," he said as he started pushing the cart to the door. "Follow me."
She couldn't figure out his angle, but did as she was told and followed him. As he opened the door, he was greeted by Dr. Peters, who had a subtle smirk on his face. "How was your meal?"
"You call that a meal?" Adrian said as he pointed at the gruel.
"You said you wanted to get an idea of her everyday life. That is what she eats."
"And yet you punish her for wanting something that is actually edible?"
"Disobedience will not be tolerated."
"Disobe—," he said, initially at a furious tone, but he took a deep breath before he lost his composure. "I'd like to borrow your kitchen."
"Of course, but the Rogue Reaper will have to stay in the examination room."
"I have a different idea," Adrian disputed. "I'm going to teach her how to make her own meals."
"That is a very dangerous idea. The last time she was trusted with a knife—,"
"She stabbed a doctor's eye out. I already heard that," he said with a dismissive hand gesture. "But if she is forced to make her own meals, then I doubt she will try to attack the head chef or else she'll starve. It teaches her to obey orders while also rewarding her with a tasty meal that will entice her to keep learning. Seems logical to me."
Dr. Peters clearly wanted to give Adrian a piece of his mind, but all he could do was take a deep breath. "Follow me," he said in defeat.
Adrian smiled at his cooperation and then turned to Lilliana. "Do you mind pushing the cart back to the kitchen? And make sure not to scoop anyone's eyes out with the spoon."
She rolled her eyes, but walked back to the cart and followed them. As they passed the many doctors in the hallway, they were shocked to see her not only free of restraints, but also performing a task willingly. Though, her glare at the many eyes staring at her put fear back in their demeanor and they either walked by quickly or hid in a nearby room. They reached the abandoned mess hall and walked to the kitchen, which looked like a mess from more than this morning's meal. Unused and rotting food was scattered everywhere and dishes and trash were piled up from days of neglect. "Do your doctors know how to clean up after themselves?"
"They're supposed to, but I guess they always assume the next person will pick up their slack," he said nonchalantly. It was apparent that he was not embarrassed by the mess and maybe even reveled in the thought that Adrian would have to clean up after his underlings.
He sighed before saying, "Guess I'll teach her cleanliness as well."
"I'll leave you two to it. If you need me, I'll be in my office," Dr. Peters said before leaving their side.
"He seems to like you," Lilliana said with sarcasm.
"As do I to him," he said, matching her tone. "But we have to play nice if we are going to help you."
"That won't be an easy task," she said as she walked to the sink and looked for a sponge and washing soda before turning on the faucet.
"You know how to clean dishes?" he asked with pleasant surprise in his tone.
"When I behaved, they would make me do chores around the building," she said as observed the hot water reaching the top and turning it off.
"They have a weird definition of reward," he said as he opened the industrial freezer to find something quick for them to eat. A lot of the food inside was rotting and a foul smell invaded his nostrils. For a pure white place, they really let the kitchen fester. Then again, if Lilliana was "rewarded" with chores, they probably left the kitchen as dirty as possible to make it harder for her.
When he closed the door, he noticed that she had moved the metal trash can to the door, but left it there. He watched her take a broom to sweep up the floor, but he cleared his throat to get her attention. "What?"
"You didn't take it outside," he said as a parent would address their child.
"That door leads outside."
"And?"
"I can't go outside," she replied.
"Oh . . . right. My apologies," he said remorsefully. "But as long as I'm here, you can at least take the trash outside to the incinerator."
"You're not scared I'll run away?"
"Should I be?"
She mischievously smiled at the question. "I'll behave," she said as she walked to the heavy trash can and lifted it easily. He opened the door for her and she exited the building. The incinerator was not far from the building and he didn't feel the need to follow her. If she ran, he was confident he could catch up to her. It was clear she hadn't been outside in years since she basked in the sun for a while and when she turned around to check if he was watching her, he saw that her eye was green. She took her time as she walked up to the pre-heated incinerator and dumped the trash inside. Adrian wondered who kept it operational if the main source of trash was not being taken out often enough.
She walked back to the building, though had some reluctance about entering. The temptation to escape was strong, but there's no telling what kind of punishment would await her if she did. Plus, she had a feeling she wouldn't be able to get far with him watching her. With a sigh, she walked back into the kitchen and put the trash can by the door, knowing it would need to be taken out again when they were done cleaning. "Thank you," he said.
She was taken aback by his gratitude, but replied quietly, "Uh, sure, no problem."
"I'd like to thank you properly for not escaping," he said as he guided her to the freshly clean table with a bowl of blackberries on top.
"When did you do that?"
"I guess you didn't notice me going back inside to find a snack, huh?" he said with a light-hearted giggle. Her eyes widened at his response. No, she never noticed he stopped watching her for a moment. He allowed her to be alone for a moment despite all the warnings? "Have a seat and enjoy."
"But I thought you said we were going to cook?"
"We will, but we will have to clean this whole kitchen from top to bottom before then. It will take a while and I don't want you to be hungry while you work," he said with a genuine smile. Lilliana didn't know how to process this kindness and only stared at him with a dumbfounded expression on her face. "While you eat, I'll clean up those dishes you graciously let soak for a bit. Once I'm done, I'd like you to help me."
"O-Okay," she said as she took a seat and examined her food. When was the last time she had fresh fruit? It had to have been years, maybe even before she entered the facility. She took one blackberry from the bunch, noting the cold temperature on her fingers. He must have pulled them from the freezer. She ate it and even though she expected them to be ice-hard, she was surprised that the semi-frozen texture actually worked in its favor. It felt refreshing and the blackberries tasted sweet. She ate them quickly, watching as Adrian kept to his word and cleaned all the dishes, leaving them out to dry on a towel nearby. When she was done, she put the bowl in the sink and he washed it with a smile.
They spent a couple of hours deep-cleaning the kitchen, making sure no spec of crumbs or dust was missed. They cleaned out the cabinets and drawers, discarding any utensils, cookware, or dishes that were broken or discolored, which didn't leave them with much by the end. All food that was rotting was thrown out and the freezer was sanitized before Adrian left a bowl of baking soda to eliminate the smell. Many trips to the incinerator were needed and Lilliana was given the task each time and at one point, Adrian didn't supervise her outing and let her leave on her own. He was more than happy to see her come back. They wiped down every surface and put everything back in spots that made the workflow in the kitchen much simpler. It was exhausting work, but the kitchen was spotless and this may be the only time Adrian welcomed the all-white room. Surprisingly, he didn't see Lilliana's eye turn red once while they worked together, even when she showed frustration when he found a new task for them to do.
The Reapers rested at the table, exhausted from the hard work. Each of them had a glass of water for them to drink. "Your method of cleaning is a lot more thorough than the doctors'," she said as she rested her head on the table.
"Well, if they kept it clean, we wouldn't have to work this hard," he said as he finished his drink.
"And we still have to cook our meal and clean up after that," she whined.
"Don't worry about that," he said as he got up from his seat. "I'll take care of the cooking today."
"But wasn't the whole point of this—," she tried to argue, but he interrupted her.
"Yes, I told them cooking would teach you discipline, but cleaning does the same thing. You've proven to me that you can follow orders with little complaint and even when given a little freedom, you never abused it. I'm proud of you," he praised. He could see her cheeks redden and smiled. "I'm cutting our session short for today so I can buy the necessary items needed for our meal."
"Work for me," she said as she got up from her seat and stretched. "I'm gonna need a nap after all this."
"Rest well, then," he said as he guided her out the kitchen and out the mess hall. As expected, a doctor was waiting outside for them, but he was sitting in a chair, reading a book. When the door opened, he tried to act like he was alert the entire time. "I'll be taking her back to her room. May I have your key to lock her door?"
"Y-Yes sir," he said as he dug into his pocket and pulled out the key.
"I also expect to have a copy of this key as well."
"Yes sir," he said with an obedient nod. "I'll see if I can find a spare somewhere."
"Much appreciated," he said with a smile as the two walked away. As expected, they were followed by the doctor, but Adrian paid little mind to it. They reached his room, but he stopped her. "I want to give you a little something to have in your room during your off-time."
"It's against the rules to have items in my room," she replied, not as an argument, but rather as a warning.
"If they have an issue with it, I'll have a word with them. It must be unbelievably boring being stuck in your room with nothing to stimulate your mind," he said as he quickly entered his room and rummaged through his belongings. Soon, he came back out with a book and handed it to her.
However, when she saw the title on the book, her eyes widened and she snatched it from his hands. "I've heard so much about Candide all over France. I always wanted to get my hands on this, but religious zealots were so embittered about someone satirizing their religion and banned the book."
"You've been to France?"
"I'm a French native, monsieur," she answered with a bit of an accent.
"Then why didn't the French Reaper sect claim you?"
"Something about England being experts in breaking animals or something like that," she said with a shrug. Though, her attention went back to the book. "You said I can keep this?"
"You can borrow it for now. I have other books when you are done with that one."
"Thank you," she said with a genuine smile as he led her back to her room and, reluctantly, locked the door behind her. Though, she didn't seem to mind as she laid on her bed and quickly started to read the book. This is what a reward really should be.
Stores were not a part of Reaper society and despite borrowing a lot of aspects of human culture, they would much rather buy items from the human world than learn how to make it themselves. It can make things rather difficult when buying large items or a large quantity of items. Adrian was aware of this when he was buying ingredients and supplies for the meal, but he didn't want to make something lackluster. Luckily, he was one of the few Reapers who knew how to cook since he had lifetimes to learn the skill. He had to be concise today, but planned in the future to delegate shopping to multiple doctors to get everything they would need to fully stock the kitchen.
With a large pot full of ingredients, he brought them back to the Shinigami Realm and then finally to the kitchen. It was a quick recipe, but he made sure to put his heart into it. Lilliana deserved nothing less and when the food was done, he asked a doctor to bring her back to the mess hall, but also asked him to bring another guest.
"I don't understand why I have to be here," Dr. Peters said as he sat at a table in the mess hall. Lilliana was seated opposite of him, making sure to keep as much distance from him as possible.
"Can I not treat you to a nice meal?" Adrian said as he put bowls of potato soup in front of them before serving himself and sitting down.
"I appreciate the offer, but I already ate a few hours ago," he said as he tried to get up, but Adrian held on to his arm.
"Why not try a little bit? I'm sure you'll like it," he said with a smile that was somehow both gentle and threatening.
"Doubtful," he said under his breath, but sat back down. They all took a bite of the soup and he had no reaction. However, they noticed Lilliana had a drastically different reaction. Tears started forming in her eyes and her visible eye turned green. "What's wrong with you?"
"I haven't had food taste this good in so long," she said with an almost child-like appreciation in her voice. She started eating the soup quickly, seemingly not giving her a moment to breathe in between bites.
Adrian chuckled. "I'm glad someone enjoys my cooking." Dr. Peters huffed at his comment.
"You're going to teach me how to make this, right?" she asked as she finished her soup in record time.
"Of course," he said as he grabbed her bowl. "Would you like seconds?"
"Yes, please," she said eagerly. Adrian smiled as he walked back to the kitchen, noting Dr. Peters' surprised expression. It gave him pride to see that know-it-all get proven wrong and all for her benefit. By the time he returned with the second bowl, Dr. Peters was gone and she was eating his bowl. Adrian secretly hoped this would happen, but was pleased that the good doctor saw his progress in such a short time. He returned to the table and the two chatted for the rest of the meal as acquaintances trying to get to know each other.
That night, Adrian decided to venture to the human world instead of staying the night in his room. He found a forest outside of London to give him some privacy away from the prying eyes of humans. He admired the full moon's glow on the landscape around him and felt sorrow that Lilliana was not able to experience such a thing. He hadn't seen many windows in the whole building, so when lights were out, it was almost pitch black. Though, darkness was not a problem for her; demon eyesight could see almost clearly in the dark. Reapers were born near-sighted, so for her to see without spectacles shouldn't be possible. However, he had a theory about how she obtained that gift and knew the exact person to talk to.
"Hello Adrian," a baritone voice whispered in his ear from behind. However, Adrian wasn't scared by it. In fact, he smiled; this is how he normally greeted him to get a reaction. Suddenly, a black mist manifested in front of him and it took the form of a burly silhouette. "You could at least act like you're scared," the voice said as the mist slowly faded away, leaving behind a man with a pale complexion, dark long hair, a short beard that hugged his strong jaw, and blood red eyes. His smile revealed sharp fangs and his black nails were just as sharp. He wore the clothing of nobility in black, red, and gold pigment.
"I doubt you want me to start faking reactions so as to not hurt your ego," Adrian said with a smirk as he approached the taller man.
"But a little shriek would be nice," he said with a pout as he crossed his arms.
Adrian laughed. "You act so tough, Lucifer, yet I don't have to do anything and you'll get in a tizzy."
Lucifer scoffed at him, but soon joined in his laugh. "Maybe I like to get an emotion out of an emotionless being like a Reaper."
"You know I'm not like most Reapers."
"Oh, I'm very much aware," he said as a glint of lust, both blood and carnal, flashed in his eyes. "I have yet to meet any other Reaper who has your stamina, both on the battlefield and in the bedroom."
"I just hope that if, one day, you do meet one, you won't replace me with virgin flesh."
"Let's not kid ourselves, Adrian: there won't be anyone like you. Those demon hunters don't hold a candle to you and none ever live long enough to indulge me in my fantasies."
"Well, that's why I asked you to come here tonight."
"Oh, so you want to let off some steam or have you found someone to share our bed with for the night?" Lucifer purred.
"You'll regret saying that last part," he said, but then had a thought. "Or maybe you won't. I don't know. Demons have little regard for taboos."
"Taboo? You know there are some that even I don't like participating in. Rape and pedophilia being top of that list."
"Getting back on topic: I have been charged with Lily Kilia's care."
Lucifer dropped his smirk and his eyes widened at hearing the name. "She's still alive?" he asked in a fatherly voice.
"Very much alive, but she is being reconditioned to forgo her demon instincts and adopt our Reaper ways. I regret to inform you that she has not been treated so well under our care."
"What have they done to her?" he asked as he made a tight fist out of anger.
"Essentially, they tortured her. Beaten her. Belittled her. Starved her. If they had their way, they would have euthanized her simply because she was raised by demons," he confessed, watching how Lucifer's face contorted with anger and horror.
"And they call us monsters," he said in a quiet voice. "Did they ever . . . you know . . . ,"
"Fortunately, no. That's a taboo that we both share."
"That's a relief. If something like that ever happened to her again, Bastille would find a way to the Shinigami Realm and kill each and every one of you. Honestly, I might have joined him if he asked."
"Again?" Adrian asked with concern.
Lucifer realized what he said and cursed under his breath. "You didn't need to know that."
"Well now I want to know. What happened to her?" Adrian practically ordered.
Lucifer sighed before saying, "Her brother, Bastille, doesn't like talking about their past for obvious reasons. He never gave details, but there was a reason why he initially sold his soul to a demon. Something traumatic happened to her and I can only speculate that it was something that violated her to the core. Now, he could have asked for revenge on the man that hurt her, but instead, all he asked was for her happiness. A smart demon would have granted them riches or a lifestyle free of hardships, but instead, the idiot convinced her suicide was the key to happiness."
"Don't all demons know what happens to humans after they commit suicide?"
"I thought they did, but he proved me wrong. It's the main reason why I was more than happy to see Bastille kill that demon and negate their contract."
"And that's how he won your favor and became a demon," Adrian finished. "And Lily was reborn as a Grim Reaper with no memory of her human life."
"In an unforeseen way, the demon did fulfill his end of the bargain. The two lived together for years in happiness, free from the hardships of humanity. I was heartbroken when I heard that your people took her away and now, to hear that they tortured her . . . ," Lucifer said with his anger building, but a reassuring hand on his shoulder calmed him down.
"She won't be hurt any longer. Not while I'm around to protect her," he said gently. "By the end of the year, she'll be just like me and collecting souls like a regular Reaper."
"Are you sure you want her to be exactly like you?" Lucifer questioned with a smirk.
"I want her to be treated fairly, but never at the cost of conforming to be their puppet. I never want her fire to extinguish just to fit in. So, yes, just like me."
Lucifer let out a guttural laugh. "Fate must have a funny sense of humor to have you in charge of turning her into a Grim Reaper when you barely count as one yourself."
"You make it sound like I'm part-demon or something," Adrian said as he playfully jabbed at the demon's shoulder.
"You might as well be with those eyes. Why do you even bother wearing those silly spectacles when you can see just as fine without them?"
Adrian took off his spectacles as he said, "Because if I don't, they'll know something is up. No Reaper was ever born with good vision, let alone exceptional vision." He waved them in the air as he continued, "These have fake lenses that let me see normally, but I do have my original pair when I have to undergo vision checks to avoid suspicion."
"It must be so frustrating having to conceal your little secret. All these loops you have to jump through just so you don't get into trouble. Demons don't have these arbitrary rules, you know."
"True, but you have basically one rule: chaos. Demons can do whatever they want, but if that goes against another demon's wishes, what's to stop them from retaliating?"
"Compared to the rule of conformity you Reapers follow, it seems more fair and freeing. Poor Lily merely exists and they treat her so ghastly. Why don't you just leave the Association?"
"And be considered a fugitive? No thank you. They'll be trying to hunt me down for eternity and I don't want you or anyone else getting killed because of me."
"But you know I would lay down my life for you. I'm sure any of my sons would be more than happy to claim the throne after my death."
"And your daughter?" Adrian asked.
Lucifer's happy demeanor diminished as he said, "She would have to fight against all her brothers and if she is too weak to defeat me, she will not be able to defeat them. Besides, I would not allow it if I had a choice in the matter."
"And why is that?"
"She is the very reason why Lily was captured in the first place. She couldn't accept the fact that I showed interest in the Kilias and wanted to hurt us all by allowing her to get kidnapped."
"The anonymous tip," Adrian said under his breath. "I wonder how she was able to get in contact with Reapers."
"I wouldn't put anything past that girl. As much as she irks me with her entitled belief that she is better than her brothers and even me, she does impress me with her tenacity. If she wants something, she'll get it by any means necessary."
"Including her father's approval?"
Lucifer huffed as he said, "Don't get it twisted: I love all my children equally and want them to reach their full potential. However, I will never coddle them and will be harsh if I believe they need a reality check."
"Fair enough. Though, positive reinforcement goes a long way with these younger folk."
"You have some nerve giving me parental advice when you have no children of your own," Lucifer said with teasing anger.
"Well, for the next year, I'll get an idea with Lily," Adrian said with a chuckle. "Thank you so much for coming here tonight to talk things out."
"Wait, that's it? You had me come all the way to the human realm for a chit chat?" Lucifer asked with disappointment in his voice.
"Well, I guess I could let off some steam," Adrian said with a teasing tone as he put a finger under his chin in a thoughtful pose.
His face lit up with an excited smile. "And how would you like to do that?"
"Well, I already sparred with Lily yesterday for hours. I even used your finishing move and she recognized it as your technique."
Lucifer chuckled. "If she learned anything from our sparring lessons, she should have remembered to watch out for that."
"She underestimated her opponent, but I doubt she'll make that mistake again."
"Then that means . . . ," Lucifer said as he bit his lip in anticipation. "Option two?"
"It appears so," Adrian replied cheekily.
Lucifer licked his lips as he wrapped his arm around the Reaper. "Well, you're in luck, my friend. There is an inn nearby that we can occupy for the night. Do you wish to take control or scream into a pillow?"
"It's been a rough couple of days, so I'd like to be mindless for a change."
An erotic shiver went down Lucifer's spine. "Screaming it is. We must hurry there or else I might take you now."
"But then I wouldn't have a pillow to muffle the screams. We don't want humans to think this forest is haunted," Adrian teased, watching the demon squirm in hunger for him.
"Fuck what those humans think. I want you now," he growled.
"Patience, my dear Lucifer," Adrian said with a teasing smirk as he led his lustful demon into town and into the inn that he suggested. Those poor humans must have thought a murder was taking place, but no soul would be reaped that night.
Will Dr. Peters and Adrian ever find common ground? What lies ahead for Lilliana's rehabilitation? What is the story behind Lucifer and Adrian's relationship? Reviews are appreciated!