By nine-thirty, everyone had arrived at the remote lake spot. It was well hidden amongst dense woodland and surprisingly picturesque, even in the darkness. Most arrivals had parked their cars at the back of a long sprawl of cosy-looking lodges and log cabins that curved around shimmering lake water, and of course, the black sedan had been the last to join the accumulation of vehicles. Aside from the fireflies that hovered about the place and the occasional hanging lantern, the location was utterly dark. But that didn’t deter some of the more youthful Siblings from having a night swim before the water cooled off. They had barely settled into their lodgings before they’d changed into their swimwear and bolted out towards the tempting lake, and as soon as it touched their skin, they basked in the satisfying, rippling water.

The darkness may not have deterred the youth, but everyone else was determined to avoid night swimming. A long oak table was set out a few metres away from a curved row of sun loungers – which lined the side of the water – and all kinds of mismatched chairs surrounded it. Pillar candles lined its middle and illuminated the faces of those that were present. Gloved hands clutched splays of playing cards to chests, eyes squinted in suspicion and coins scraped over the polished oak surface. Most of the table – which mostly consisted of Clergy, aside from a handful of Siblings and the two, ominous, smartly dressed twins – was engaged in a poker game. If someone wasn’t playing, they were wide eyed and taking notice of how much money was being wagered.

A handful of odd chairs had been abandoned to the right of the poker table and Miss Vial was contentedly sat over one of the rickety seats, a smouldering cigarette perched between her fingers as she observed the card game from afar. She was quite surprised how pleasant the location was. When Copia had mentioned it last minute, she had been expecting some cheap, run-down camp site... but in reality, it was an attractive, calm location that was conveniently hidden away from the world. The ride there had been slightly frustrating – given the fact she’d had to keep up professional pretenses with Copia and ensure that Father Ramio didn’t vomit over her newly refurbished backseats – but she supposed it had been worth it, because she’d gotten peace and quiet in the end.

As soon as she’d arrived there, she’d wasted no time socialising. She’d followed Copia’s lead – along with Ramio and Manon – to the largest lodge in the place, and after brashly pushing by them to select a room for the night, she’d slung her stuff down and headed out again to sit out by the lake. She was enjoying the solitude, despite the occasional giggles and splashes from the lake water and the deep, amused chuckles from the poker table. It was miles better than what was soon to occur at the Ministry in a couple of hours.

She reached up her right hand to her face and slotted her cigarette between her lips to take a long drag, her charcoal eyes squinting in protest when a firefly directly fluttered across her line of sight. Her eyes instantly trailed after it when a large cloud of opal smoke spewed from her mouth and it flew towards the glistening lake water to meet with a group of its own glowing kind, which was lingering by the row of sun loungers. She frowned in bewilderment and closed her eyes as she took another drag, tipping her head back once she was ready to exhale. She continued to keep her eyes closed, even when she centred her head and took her cigarette away from her mouth, satisfied with the peaceful atmosphere...

Until a subtle tune started to drift through the air... the unmistakable crackle of Copia’s cassette player was distinct, even from afar. She faintly smiled in amusement and reluctantly cracked open her eyes, turning her head to gaze over the heads of the packed poker table. She could just see the top of the offending boombox, it was perched over the ledge of an open wooden veranda that surrounded the porch of Copia’s lodge. It couldn’t have been on long and she lightly frowned, searching her shadowy surroundings for a stark white suit... but Copia was nowhere to be seen. She knew that he wouldn’t be able to resist the gathering going on outside, and she was fairly surprised that he wasn’t eagerly rushing to sit beside her... then again, he was probably being cautious due the presence of his observant subordinates.

Abandoning her curiosity, seeing as she couldn’t spy his glaring presence, she shifted her gaze to study the poker table again. Though she couldn’t see any of the Clergy’s hands – they were all tightly hugging their cards to their chests – she could plainly read the apprehension on their faces and she wore an amused smirk, shaking her head as she brought her cigarette to her lips again. She couldn’t believe some of them were betting with money, she could read most of them like a book... which was rather surprising, considering the experienced – and usually unreadable – lot of sisters, cardinals and Siblings that were present. As her dark eyes trailed over the murmuring huddle of players, she suddenly sensed that someone was gazing at her and her eyes immediately shot towards whoever it was that had spotted her.

Manon was present at the opposite end of the oak table and her gleaming, hazel eyes nervously darted away from Miss Vial. She pretended that she’d never been staring at the alchemist and focused on the card dealer instead, her freckled cheeks glowing pink. Aemelia hadn’t noticed the young girl’s presence before and she narrowed her eyes in contemplation, allowing her cigarette to hang from the side of her mouth so that her hands could search her blazer’s pockets. Eventually, she found her silver cigarette box and slid it out. She opened it over her lap and snuffed out her cigarette before closing it together. Returning the box to her pockets, she subtly beckoned Manon when the young girl warily met her stare again.

She could tell that the girl was overwhelmed by the adults surrounding her and she folded her arms in front of her chest once Manon awkwardly wriggled off her seat to cautiously flee the poker table. Aemelia was amused by the child’s confusion – the girl sent the table an inquisitive glance like she was silently asking whether she was allowed to leave – but she remained emotionless when Manon approached her, lowering her head when the rustle of black material neared her. She gazed down at her polished black oxfords and the young girl cautiously pulled out one of the worn wooden chairs beside her before taking a seat in a timid, wary manner.

“You’re not joining in with the game?” Aemelia softly asked, sensing that Manon’s hazel eyes had settled on her.

“I wanted to but - ”

“Next time just butt your way in.” she firmly continued, a light frown etching over her brow. “Some of those lot are all about the in-crowd. But if you want to play, you can play, alright? Doesn’t matter what those so-called adults say. If they refuse to let you join in, just say you’ll let Papa know about their childish behaviour.”

Manon wore a sad, grateful smile and started to gently swing her legs back and forth, “I-I will, Miss Vial, m-merci. B-But... even if I play, I will not win. I haven’t played much.”

Aemelia raised her head with a wise expression and plainly met Manon’s apprehensive stare. She tilted her head and shook it in disagreement, burgundy plaits swishing side to side.

“Forget that, that doesn’t matter. You can trick them. If you’re stressed and intimidated by them... use it. The Clergy might seem scary but they’re not. They just want everyone to think they’re all powerful and... fuckin’ mean. For example, this game that’s going on right now. To you, they look scary. To me, they look pathetic. There’s no way that any of them have good hands. They’d be better off starting the game over before they start to fall asleep.”

“H-How do you know this?”

“Well... look at them, Manon.” Aemelia went on, casually gesturing a hand towards the table of docile, yawning poker players. “All of them look so bored, and I don’t think that’s just because of their age.”

Aemelia’s blunt explanation caused the young girl to raise a hand to her mouth to cover a breathy chortle.

“And poker isn’t a boring game, and neither is this place, so it can’t be that. So that has to mean they all have disappointing hands. The winner won’t win by much, everyone’s had the shit end of the deck.” the woman casually added.

Manon nodded in understanding, her short ginger locks bobbing along with her movements. Her hazel eyes trailed over the hunched players as a disgruntled wave of disappointed groans erupted around the table, tight fists firmly punching the surface in annoyance. Cards scratched over the shiny oak table as every player dumped them back into the centre and they chattered amongst each other, shaking their heads in disapproval. Chair legs scraped over the uneven, grassy ground when everyone raised from their seats... apparently the poker match had been so terrible that even the winner of said match had started to leave the table without collecting his winnings. The group wandered away from the discarded card table, muttering beneath their breaths as they dispersed to retire to their respective lodges, oblivious to the amused, hazel eyes that were observing their actions.

Manon continued to quietly watch with a small smile on her face until a shadowy figure cut in front of her view. Miss Vial had left her seat to head towards the poker table – seeing as it was now free of inept Clergy – and the young girl gasped. She winced and hopped from her precarious chair to hurriedly follow the burgundy-haired woman, determined to avoid being left alone in the lake’s thick gloom. Soon, when she arrived at the nearest end of the table, Miss Vial had already taken a seat in the middle and was busy swiping the splay of playing cards together. She swiftly slid them into a thick stack and occasionally shuffled them to ensure they stayed together and Manon cautiously approached the seat beside her.

“Do I have to return to my room too?” the young girl quietly asked as she peered out at the shimmering lake, noticing that the night swimmers were slowly wading out of its murky water... it must have cooled down to an unpleasant, chilling temperature now it was nearing eleven at night. Aemelia shook her head in response to Manon’s question, wearing a thoughtful frown as she began to shuffle the deck of cards now that she’d collected all of them. The young girl relaxed slightly now that she had an answer and nodded in grateful understanding, pulling out the chair in front of her. She politely sat down beside Miss Vial and admired the flickering candles that lined the centre of the table, each fiery flame causing the discarded snakes of coins to gleam over the table’s surface.

“You know how to play blackjack?” Miss Vial suddenly asked, charcoal eyes narrowing thoughtfully when Manon nodded and lowered her head to avert her eyes to the table in front of her. “Alright, I’ll play as the dealer as well, seeing as there’s only two of - ”

The distant music that was drifting from the porch distinctly cut off behind them and Aemelia wore a deep frown as she abruptly twisted around in her seat, clutching the shuffled deck of cards to her chest. She glanced over her shoulder and inevitably caught sight of Copia. His white suit was obvious in the darkness as he wandered down from his porch, his boombox casually resting over his right shoulder. She rolled her eyes and turned away from him before he realised that she’d noticed his presence and began to hurriedly shuffle the playing cards again to distract herself. She could hear the scuff of his shoes as he neared the table and she clenched her teeth, lowering her head to ensure that she avoided his curious, mismatched gaze.

“Have you two seen my journal?” he asked in a strained, inquisitive voice, raising his pace to stride towards to the opposite side of the table. “Its red, kinda fat and has lots of little colourful papers sticking out of it. I remember packing it in my case but... I can't seem to find it.”

“Have you tried putting your reading glasses on, your Dark Excellency? It might help.” Aemelia quipped, biting her bottom lip to stop a smirk from showing when she lifted her head to shoot him her mirthful gaze. Her charcoal eyes forced him to stop in his tracks and he clumsily set down his tape player over the table, clearing his throat as he confidently returned her stare.

“Heh heh, naa it’s cool, I will have another look for it later on. It’s no big deal if I can’t find it. It was just full of appointments, upcoming shit for the new album, that sort of thing... so nothing too important. I can call our admin department once we head back to the Ministry and take note of all the dates again. Anyways... enough about boring Papa problems.” he said in his usual flippant manner, sliding onto one of the taller chairs across from Manon. “What have you two been getting up to?”

“We watched the Clergy fail at poker after they refused to let Manon join in.” Miss Vial replied emptily, setting down the stack of cards now that Copia had shifted his gaze to acknowledge the quiet girl sat beside her, who was keeping her head down to avoid their attention.

“Ahhh, yes, the Clergy can be very... fickle, especially if there is money involved. So don’t take it personally, ok?” he gently reassured with a subtle wince, trailing his eyes to the long, cluttered surface of the table. “Huh, there seems to be a looot of money here, I’m surprised they left so much around. I guess they plan on adding to it tomorrow. You two going to play your own round of poker now they’re gone?”

“Blackjack. It’s faster. Better for practice.” Aemelia simply said, her quiet voice causing his gaze to rest on her again. He was faintly amused once he noticed the deck of cards in front of her and slowly nodded in realisation.

“Ahhh, I see... you have been showing her the cheats.” he stated in a subtle tease, sending her a wily wink. She huffed like she was irritated by him and leaned back in her chair, flipping her middle finger in his direction... but she ensured that she kept her defiance out of his sight by shooting it beneath the table. However, Manon spotted her action immediately and let out a quiet gasp, raising her head to widen her eyes at her superior. She realised that Papa was completely unaware of Miss Vial’s rebellious response and she frowned in bewilderment, sensing there was something strange about their interaction.

“I don’t cheat, thank you very much. I win fair and square, your Dark Excellency. Not my fault that everyone else is shit.” the alchemist retorted in her usual cynical manner, rolling her eyes when she finally relaxed her arms by her sides. Manon bashfully lowered her head again, but it was to hide an amused smile this time and she was grateful when Miss Vial started to shuffle the deck, the flutter of each playing card was satisfying to listen to.

“Yeesh! Ok, ok! There is no need to be so hostile, Miss Vial. You going to back yourself up with a demonstration? Or do I have to take your word for it?” he playfully poked, the blatant flirtation in his teasing tone causing her to glare at him in astonishment... apparently he thought there was little point in wearing a mask around Manon, but Aemelia was determined to stick to her mask.

She turned her head to face Manon, her eyes narrowing in challenge.

“You alright with dealing? I need to teach this jumped-up pope a lesson.”

The young girl subtly smiled and nodded obediently. She hastily pushed the deck to the bit of table in front of Manon and lounged back in her seat, squinting at Copia in a confident manner. He simply returned her stare and leaned forwards, resting his elbows over the table. Manon cautiously reached out her right arm and laid out their first hand, the cards snapping to the table’s surface. Aemelia sat forwards when the second cards arrived in front of them and once Manon comfortably sat back to observe them, the adults scooped up their couple of cards, holding them close to their chests. Copia held his faintly amused expression when his eyes trailed over his selection and he kept his features still when he gazed at Aemelia’s face. She was utterly unreadable, free of any emotion as her dark eyes read the tops of her cards.

“You’re more than welcome to go first, your Dark Excellency.” Aemelia murmured from behind her cards. Copia cleared his throat and nodded his head, confidently setting the cards down in front of him. She refrained from snorting at his emotionless expression. She could plainly see the hope in his eyes, his hand – a four of diamonds and a five of spades – was rather promising and he firmly tapped a leather-clad finger against the table. He cleared his throat and tilted his head at Manon expectantly.

“C’maaan, hit me.” he playfully said, eagerly swiping up the new card as soon as the young girl drew it from the deck. He cupped a gloved hand around it and dipped his head down to see the card for himself and he nodded, ensuring that he kept his face still. He reluctantly revealed the card, snapping it down in place next to his others... ten of hearts.

“I think that’s pretty good. Fuck it, I’ll stick. There’s no way you’re beating that, Miss Vial.”

Miss Vial confidently leaned forwards and laid out her cards as soon as he sat back in his seat in an over-confident, authoritative manner. However, his confidence soon dropped completely when he reluctantly gazed at the cards in front of her... the king of hearts and the infamous ace of spades.

“No fucking way.”

Manon turned her dealer’s hand over and shrugged – she thought it was pointless checking, seeing as Miss Vial had already won – swiping up their cards to slide them back into the deck. Copia glared at Aemelia in astonishment and she simply ignored him, opening a palm out when she briefly turned her head to acknowledge Manon. The girl obliged her and handed her the deck of cards, which she began to shuffle in a skilled manner. Manon watched her dexterous, pallid hands, mesmerized by the movement of the playing cards and Copia clicked his tongue, shaking his head in amusement as he leaned forwards and rested his elbows over the table.

“I can see you are very interested in learning the tricks of this game, Manon. It is much more interesting than your studies, ah?” he sincerely began, flickering flames sharply reflecting in his mismatched eyes. “Listen, I don't want be a killjoy but... you have to attend your classes, ok? I know they are very boring but... they are helpful, no?”

“I don't like Sister Livia.” the young sister quietly confessed, hanging her head down to hide her glum expression from the two adults. “She upset me.”

Aemelia immediately stopped shuffling the deck and set it down on the table, her charcoal eyes trailing to the anti-pope that was sat opposite her. Copia instantly met her stare and they shared a concerned glance as the girl persisted to face the table’s surface with a sorrowful expression. He dragged his chair further forwards and leaned over the table, cupping a gloved hand around one side of his face to ensure that his subdued voice remained quiet.

“Sister Livia upset you? What did she do?” he asked in a series of strained, hushed whispers.

“I-I don't want to get her in trouble!” Manon blurted out, covering her face with her freckled hands.

“Ahh, she won't be in any trouble at all. Unless... you think me telling her off would help.” Copia reassured, his concerned gaze resting on the slight, ginger-haired girl. She shook her head frantically but kept her hands to her face and Miss Vial shuffled over her seat, snatching up the deck of cards to lay out the first round of hands in front of each of them, deciding that she would be the dealer this time. Copia was briefly distracted by her as she reached over to set down a card in front of him and he looked rather uncertain, like he was silently asking her to help him with the discussion, but she ignored him and simply carried on dealing out cards.

“I-I wanted to learn about Satan’s teachings. But she would not let me. She said it was forbidden.” Manon eventually continued in a reluctant, timid voice, oblivious to the actions of her superiors.

“Satan’s teachings? Forbidden? At a satanic church? Sister Livia must be crazy!” Copia exclaimed, shaking his head in amused disbelief. “I understand that she may have refused to teach you this because she is not qualified to – she is pretty lousy at scripture work – but she shouldn't have upset you – ”

“I told her that I wanted to know about all the angels and demons a-and archangels! But she said that it wasn’t allowed. That we are only allowed to learn about our side of things.” Manon interrupted. Aemelia and Copia shared another concerned, bewildered glance and he cleared his throat, gently thumping a gloved fist over the table.

“Well... Sister Livia has lied to you, Manon. Our church teaches everything. As much as we know.” he passionately replied, trying his best to hide the annoyance in his voice. “How can we teach one interpretation of things or... focus on one part of the story? We teach all of it, that way everyone can understand and believe what they want, and appreciate their freedom, you know?”

“E-Even the angels?”

“Of course, of course, we gotta learn from them too.” he continued in a softer tone. “Our Dark Lord Lucifer used to be an angel before they kicked His ass out of heaven, you know? It is still very important that we acknowledge this. He may be unholy but He embraces His mistakes, His past, and it is vital that His followers know about it.”

Aemelia wore a warm smile and perched the deck to the side of her drawn cards, the subtle glimmer of admiration in her eyes as she gazed at him. However, he was oblivious to the expression she wore, too concerned for Manon, who was still stubbornly staring down at the table.

“You know... I met an angel once.” Copia casually stated, hoping the change of subject would ease the tension. “It was fucking huuuuuge, and eh... I was kinda disappointed when he told me his name was Frank. He was all big and majestic, trying to be all menacing... but once I knew his name... fah! He wasn't menacing at all, he was just a flying disco ball, heh heh.”

Manon raised her head and timidly peered at him, her hazel eyes shining.

“Y-You did?” she quietly asked, eyes wide with wonder.

“Yep. Frank was a... misbehaving angel. I think he was kinda bored of the whole heaven scene, that shit must get bright without sunglasses. He wanted to rest his eyes and sit on Earth for a little while, you know?”

Manon’s form relaxed slightly and she let out a shuddering huff before a breathy chuckle escaped her. She raised her head a fraction and flipped over each of her cards, her bashful eyes studying their contents. Copia and Miss Vial shared a soft, amused glance and she reluctantly stammered, “H-Hit.”

Aemelia drew another card from the top of the pack and rested it beside the other two, the glint of wisdom in her dark irises. When she sat back in her seat, Manon eagerly flipped over the new card and gasped in amazement.

“I-I win! I-I think.”

Miss Vial leaned towards her and peered over her shoulder... she had a pair of nines and her last card had been a three, it was a perfect twenty-one. She smirked and nodded in approval, relaxing back into her chair.

“Let’s see if Papa can reach twenty-one in two cards.” she muttered emptily, her dark eyes resting on Copia, who cleared his throat and sat up straight in a confident, determined manner. He swiftly flipped each of his cards over and both of them were picture cards.

“Ah shit.” he grumbled, throwing up his gloved hands in surrender. “You ladies are too good at this game. You will always beat me, ah?”

“Good? It’s all in the cards. It’s chance, it’s not about being good at the game.” Aemelia responded, shuffling the cards into a neater stack.

“Sure, sure... whatever. Hey, Manon, you should play for money next time, ah? You could clear the Clergy’s pockets, heh heh.” he said with an amused smile, a glove cupping around the side of his face as he sent the young girl an impish wink. Manon glared at him, astonished by the smile on his face. Papa had always been casual around her, but she’d never seen him crack a genuine smile before. For some reason, she got the feeling he was letting his guard down and she had the slight suspicion that he rather enjoyed Miss Vial’s company. She couldn’t be certain because she'd never witnessed the two of them interact much, but his stern mask had distinctly melted away as soon as he’d come across Miss Vial's presence that evening.

“I-I don’t think so, Papa. I would never win.” Manon eventually replied in a nervous squeak, shifting her eyes away from him.

“Ahhh, c'maaan, you'd have a good shot at winning.” Copia insisted, casually resting a sleeved arm in front of him. “You would have just as much chance as anyone else. Especially with blackjack, like Miss Vial said, it’s all in the cards.”

“But I... have no money.”

“What? What do you mean?” he questioned, wincing in confusion.

“She's saying that she has no money to place a wager, so the Clergy probably won’t let her sit in and play. Fuckin' hell, you really are clueless sometimes, Copia...” Aemelia snapped in her usual curt manner... and her black eyes widened when she realised that she'd finally allowed her cold, indifferent mask to slip. Manon suppressed a giggle by covering her mouth with her hands, trying to remain proper in front of her superiors.

“Ah shit! Right, right... I see what you mean. Eh... no money? No problem! No problem at all.” Copia replied, waving a casual, gloved hand towards her like he was batting the issue away. And then he delved the same hand into his jacket’s pockets, a thoughtful frown manifesting over his brow. There was an awkward silence as they patiently waited for him to finish whatever he was doing, and eventually, he clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Wha – Urethra?! What the shit are you doing in here?!” he exclaimed, lifting a soft, silvery rat from the cosy recesses of his waistcoat. The slender rat’s pink nose snuffled into the air enthusiastically as he draped her down onto the table in front of him and Manon gasped loudly, her eyes wide with fear as she stiffened in her seat.

“Oh, no no! You are frightened? Please don’t be. It is alright, she will not hurt you, I promise. She just wants to have a little sniff. You are a new friend, it is her way of shaking hands, you know?” Copia reassured as Urethra excitedly skittered across the table. She rounded the crooked line of flickering pillar candles and skidded to a stop in front of Manon, who was still frozen with fear. When the gentle rodent started to eagerly sniff the young girl, Aemelia sighed and reached her left arm out to slide a hand under the rat’s warm belly. She raised the creature up until it was cradled in her blazer’s sleeve and then backed into her seat, glossy black fingernails lightly scratching the fur between its ears. Copia slid his hand back into his pockets and mumbled beneath his breath as Manon cautiously glanced at Miss Vial’s arm, which the rat was stretching further and further out over with every stroke it received.

“Aha! Here it is! She was guarding my spare change, heh.”

Copia raised a leathery palm from his pockets – which was cupping a large amount of spare cents – and emptied it over the table, his sleeved arms draping around them to slide them over to the young, bashful girl.

“There you go, it’s all yours. Try and double your money tomorrow, ah? Hell, you could probably triple it, the Clergy are useless when it comes to... well, anything.” he commented with an honest shrug.

“I-I can't – I could never take this, your Dark Excellency! I would waste it!” Manon cried, wincing now that the discussion was focused on her again.

“Well... whatever. All of that is yours now, so do whatever you like with it. I have plenty on my little platinum card, ah? It’s not fair that you have nothing. You will not be able to play the game tomorrow, and I want you to kick their asses, ok?”

She reluctantly nodded and reached her arms in front of her, scraping the bundle of coins towards herself. Content that she’d accepted his help, Copia slouched back in his seat and Aemelia sighed deeply.

“Right, it’s getting late so it’s best you get some rest.” she subtly hinted, glancing at the young girl. “I’ll come check on you before I head to bed, alright?”

Manon nodded obediently and hugging the generous accumulation of coins to her front, she stood from her seat and bowed her head respectfully, “Goodnight, Papa... goodnight, Miss Vial. Thank you for helping me.”

“Ah, it is no trouble, Manon. Sleep well, ok?” Copia called after her as she began to slowly wander up the sloping, grassy landscape. She briefly turned back to nod in response and he frantically waved a gloved hand at her like he was urging her to continue her actions. He watched her slowly walk back to the lodge with an amused smile, unleashing a relieved sigh now that he was finally alone with Miss Vial.

“I... eh... I have to say... you are no cheat, Aemelia. I was kidding with you before, I’m sorry if I... annoyed you.” he softly spoke, turning his head to gaze at her sincerely, her pallid features glowing golden due to the flickering candles between them.

“It’s alright, I realised, don't worry. Surprisingly you're no cheat either.” she replied with a slight smirk, resting her right elbow over the table to cup her chin with her palm, her left arm still draped in front of her to support Copia’s relaxed, snuffling rat.

“Ohh... you sure about that? How can you tell?” he asked in a curious, peaking voice, sending a cautious glance towards the lodge. Manon had almost made it back and she was thankfully too far away from them to notice him slowly rising out of his seat.

“You're awful at cards. But your bluffing is alright, I s'pose. Maybe you’ve used up your good luck allowance for this month?” Aemelia joked. He chuckled and rested his palms against the table to hold himself up, his mismatched eyes gleaming as they brazenly trailed over her.

“Mm... maybe I have. But it doesn’t stop me from trying.” he quietly confessed, swallowing thickly when his gaze lingered over her bottom lip. “Listen, I will be very honest with you, Aemelia. I didn’t come out here to chat or... play cards. I wondered if... you wanted to have a little boat ride out on the lake. Just me and you and... this old washed up thing, heh heh.”

He raised a hand from the oak surface to sharply gesture towards the boombox that was perched over the table beside him and she returned his hopeful gaze, raising her brows in amused surprise.

“A boat ride? In the dark? Haven’t you heard of camp crystal lake? Fuck knows what’s lurking in that water.” she gently teased, the corners of her mouth turning upwards.

“Heh heh, yes, yes, of course I have.” he responded with a crumpled smile. “But I assure you it will be fine. The most lethal thing out there in the dark will be me. No big, rock-hard... masked man.”

“I s’pose I can't argue with that.” she simply said, averting her glaring eyes to the table due to his blatant innuendo. Urethra started to lazily climb up her sleeve and she wore a faint smile, lowering her other hand from her face to scoop up the little rodent. She hugged the furry creature to her chest and when she reluctantly settled her gaze on Copia again, he cleared his throat. He twisted around and stretched his left arm out to point towards the vacant lake behind him, his opposite arm supporting the weight of his cassette player, which was now coolly perched over his right shoulder.

Before he could open his mouth to say anything else, Aemelia huffed in amused defeat and stood from her seat. Then as soon as she wandered towards the right end of the table, he eagerly side-stepped his way there to meet her and when she neared him, he smoothly swivelled around, extending out his loose left arm to her. She rolled her eyes but accepted his silent offer and linked their arms, which caused him to eagerly guide them forwards.

Their silent walk towards the lake was unexpectedly pleasant. Though neither of them said a word, they appreciated each other’s company as Copia led them towards the shallow edge of the lake. The water’s colour was hard to distinguish due to the thick darkness but the glint of its ripples gave away its vast, calm expanse. Aemelia realised that Copia must have been waiting for the last few Siblings to vacate the water before he’d started to approach her to ensure their encounter remained private. Her charcoal eyes narrowed when he gently tugged her along the side of the deserted lake, his strides quickening once the subtle flicker of a candle emerged among the blackness in front of them. She frowned and cautiously glanced at the abandoned card table over her shoulder, and when she saw that there was no sign of anyone else at all, she unleashed a grateful breath, turning her head to focus on where they were headed.

To her surprise, he was directing them towards a modest wooden row boat that was beached over a grass bank by the shallows. She started to smirk when she saw that a single metal lantern was the source of the flickering candlelight, which was perched at the widest end of the row boat. She continued to let him gently tug her towards it and eventually, they reached their destination. He reluctantly took his arm away from her and stooped into a bow, gesturing out a gloved hand towards the empty vessel.

“After you...” he murmured, the confidence on his face plain even in the darkness. She ensured that the warm silvery rat was snugly tucked into her waistcoat and then stepped into the vessel, lowering herself down to cautiously sit in the vacant space by the bow. Copia swiftly hopped in after her but kept one leg outside to give them a firm push into the water, and once the boat started to slowly float forwards, he clumsily pulled his leg into the boat's confines to sit himself down. Miss Vial let out a deep sigh and reached out her arms to push out each of the oars – which were tethered to the sides of the boat – and he carefully set down his boombox beside him.

He adjusted its position so that the speakers were facing the side of his legs and once he was content, he twisted the volume dial and pressed the play button, sitting back to stare at the burgundy-haired woman sat opposite him, who was now steering them further into the water with her confident rowing. He cleared his throat once the cassette tape finally started to play and Aemelia stilled... she knew that the song that was quietly playing wasn’t the first on its album track list. And that’s when she realised he was definitely playing the mixtape she’d left him all those months ago.

“Did you really have to?” she softly questioned with a wince, slowing her arms movements to ensure that they were floating at a more relaxed pace.

“It is soothing to have in the background, no? Or... do you think it’s kinda cheesy of me?” he asked, mirth glinting in his mismatched eyes. She unleashed a defeated sigh and propped the oars into their holsters, allowing the vessel to float into the vast, murky lake.

“Yeah, it is a bit. Is this your attempt at a date? This all seems very... organised.” she said with brazen cynicism, folding her arms across her front and tilting her head when she gazed at him like she was assessing his expression.

“No, no! Well, I guess it kinda is. It was not my intention for things to happen like this but... here we are... out here, just you, me, Urethra, the music, the water... the moon. Well, the very, veeeery small slice of the moon that we can sorta see through the trees over there, heh.”

Another warm smile manifested over her grey lips and she let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head in amusement.

“I appreciate the effort, Copia. Even though I’m the one rowing. But, honestly, you didn’t have to arrange this. I was fine with us just talking.” she softly replied, charcoal eyes shining with sincerity. He opened his mouth to reply to her but he only managed to let out a stuttering hesitation, his mismatched eyes distinctly wide amid his glaring rat-paint.

“Ehhhhh.... no. No no no no. I had to do something, Aemelia, I couldn’t just have us sit and talk, I wanted to make sure that we could – son of bitch.”

Her mouth wavered with amusement and a bewildered frown etched into her brow as he frantically shoved a gloved hand into the depths of his vibrating pockets.

“Un momento, Cipolletta... I am so fucking sorry about this. I should’ve just switched this fucking thing off.” he muttered earnestly, waving an apologetic gloved hand at her when his other yanked out his vibrating cell phone. She sighed but her eyes were still swimming with amusement when he let out a quiet growl of annoyance before swiping a leather-clad thumb up the stark, glowing phone screen. He set his jaw and pressed it to his ear, letting out a deep annoyed huff.

“Yes? You have reached Papa. What’s the problem? I assume that you have a problem, why else are you calling me so late?! Do you not understand what emergency only mea - ”

His irritated, rasping voice swiftly caught in his throat and his annoyed expression fell into one of concern. His left arm reached out and his gloved hand clutched around the thick side of the boat like he was trying to steady himself, his mismatched eyes slowly settling over the wooden floor beneath his form.

“Eh... what? Could you... say that a little louder? I cannot hear over all of the screaming.”

Aemelia’s amusement vanished to make way for an unpleasant feeling of foreboding and she glared at him, charcoal irises swiftly scouring his immaculate face-paint.

“Shit... right, right, I see... how... eh, how many of them can you see?” he asked in a stern tone, shuffling himself side to side until he was sitting up a bit straighter. “At least a dozen. Ok, ok... that is... very strange, Sister Livia. I do not know how something like that could’ve gotten there, heh heh. But if you could try round them up as best you can, I would appreciate that very much.”

Miss Vial raised an eyebrow and tilted her head and he cleared his throat, bravely raising his gaze to send her a brief glance. He glared at the intensity of her accusing eyes and heat flooded over his cheeks, his eyes instantly averting to the floor beside his legs.

“I-I know, I know, sister.” he politely continued in an understanding tone, feigning a sigh of disappointment. “Once the celebrations are over with tomorrow, I will arrange some extra help if they are still causing havoc, ok? It’s very sad that your... festivities have been disrupted by these... mischievous beasts, but there is nothing I can do while I’m away, I’m afraid. I will pray to Satan tonight and see if that will help ease things, ok? Just make sure everyone takes care of themselves and... ah! Before I go, if there’s any trash or shitty old stuff you don’t want, try throwing it to them... it might quench their destruction, you know?”

Aemelia parted her mouth to unleash a gasp of amused realisation and shook her head at him... she may have disapproved of what he was saying, but she couldn’t deny that she was fairly amused too.

“I... yes, yes, I know, sister.” he went on in a disinterested tone, closing his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his gloved fingers. “It seems strange that I say this but it is just a little hunch I have, heh heh. You could maybe start by throwing Sister Imperator to them, ok? See if they fancy a little nibble. Goooodbyeeee, enjoy the rest of Summer Heat – no, no, that wasn’t a joke – remember to shower and moisturise!”

He took the phone away from his ear to tap the screen to end the call and he unleashed an enormous sigh of relief once Sister Livia’s ramblings were abruptly cut off. He held down the power button and slid his cell phone back into his pockets before he confidently faced Aemelia, his mismatched eyes were completely free of bother, like the phone call had never occurred.

“What was that?” she asked as soon as his innocent gaze settled upon her.

“Mm? What was what?”

“You didn’t send that group of imps back home, did you?” she wisely snapped, her crossed arms noticeably tensing with annoyance. “There were twenty-seven of them. How the hell did you forget?”

“Ehhhhhhhh... it... it may have slipped my mind.” he responded in a high-pitched tone, subtly shrugging his shoulders. “I was blind with rage earlier, with the Clergy and everything, so I... may have overlooked that, yes. And now they are causing all kinds of mayhem around the halls of the Ministry. I have no clue how they got out of my quarters...  heh heh.”

“You’re not bothered about it?” she firmly questioned, narrowing her eyes in speculation.

“Naa, why would I be? I’m out here with you, on a nice little night time boat ride. Those little shits are the Ministry’s problem, not mine.” he casually replied, suddenly leaning forwards to clumsily try to stand to his feet. She frowned at his actions when he finally limply stood, his torso hunching as he took a cautious step towards her side of the boat.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” she quipped, her dark eyes wide when the boat started to rock side to side.

“I want to lie down next to you, Aemelia.” he quietly murmured, bravely hopping the last few steps to settle his long-tipped shoes in the cramped space beside her right leg. The boat dipped and bobbed due to his brash action and she glared at him in astonishment when he smoothly sunk down to shuffle himself into the small gap beside her. He wriggled for quite some time but he was soon snugly lying beside her and she lightly growled beneath her breath... the boat was slowly starting to sink.

“Fuck's sake. We're sinking now. We're going to have to balance this out, you’ve overloaded it.” she muttered.

The boat continued to precariously see-saw when she hurriedly reached down to her feet and he frowned at her in confusion but remained quiet, not wishing to add to her irritation. He intently watched her as she slipped off her black oxfords and threw them to the other end of the boat. Then she brashly reached over to Copia to repeat her actions, firmly lifting his legs to reach his polished winkle-pickers. She slid off his shoes and tossed them to the opposite end of the boat, shedding off her black blazer to throw it to the pile. Copia sat up slightly to shimmy off his jacket and as soon as he’d taken one sleeve off, she snatched it from him before he could think about sitting up any further. After throwing it to the wide end of the boat, she paused a moment to think of any other items that would balance out the weight and she reached down, hurriedly picking at the buckle of her ridged alchemist’s belt.

Copia shuffled upwards and pressed a gloved palm over her hand, silently offering her assistance. She huffed in defeat and rolled her eyes, relaxing her arms by her sides. He hastily unbuckled her belt with ease and sat up slightly to snake the belt out of the loops of her slim black trousers. She wordlessly took it from him and reached over to the opposite end of the vessel before dropping it, ensuring that she was more careful escorting it... there was some rather dangerous substances contained in its ridges. Urethra’s silvery form emerged from the pile of discarded clothes and she stretched out into an idle puddle, enjoying the soft, comforting fabric, even when Aemelia’s heavy alchemist belt landed somewhere nearby.

At last, the boat was balanced again.

“I... can't believe that worked.” Copia murmured, settling back down into his original position, wearing a guilty wince when she seemed set on ignoring him.

“The slightest bit of weight will steady these things. They're already weighted to begin with anyway.” she grumbled, pausing to glare at him when he clamped a hand around one of her sleeved forearms.

“Lie next to me.” he whispered, her dark eyes narrowing at his gleaming, mismatched eyes. “Please. We are less noticeable out on the water if we are both out of view, ah?”

“That's what you're afraid of? People spotting us together?” she snapped, setting her jaw when the hand around her forearm tightened.

“Naa... that was a shitty excuse. I just want to hold you.” he casually admitted, the honesty in his eyes plain for her to see.

“Alright.” she sighed, her tense form easing slightly. “But seeing as we’re on that topic, you do realise that Manon probably already knows about us? Or has suspicions, at the very least.”

“Hm? Suspicions? What do you mean?” he asked when she carefully lowered herself down to lie beside him. Despite her actions, the boat continued to calmly tread the lake water and she rolled onto her right side to gaze at him closely.

“She takes a lot in.” she began, pausing when he rolled onto his side to face her more directly, a leathery palm resting beneath the left side of his face as he gazed at her affectionately. “Unlike a lot of people, she's very observant. I think she can tell that we're... comfortable with each other.”

“Ahhh, so you're worried she will... spill the beans?” he murmured, the corners of his black lips turning upwards. She quietly snorted and wore a crumpled smile, lowering her eyes to avoid the intense emotion in his.

“No, I don't think she'll say anything. Snitching isn't really her thing. Fuck, then again she did snitch on me... to you. But then... you're Papa. So I s’pose snitching to you is an exception, you’re the one person she looks up to.”

“Eh, she looks up to you too. You may not see it but after what you showed her tonight, she will be raking in the chips tomorrow, ah?” he insisted, confidently sliding his right hand down her front to rest a leathery palm over her tummy. “And... I do not think she has realised we are – ahem – you know? She probably thinks we are just good friends or... colleagues. So I am confident that she will stay very quiet about it. But if she is curious, I am sure I will be asked about it, heh.”

“Yeah, I s'pose you're right.”

“Ah... that reminds me... I will have to have a quiet word with Sister Livia once we head back home in a couple days. I think there was more to Manon’s distress than she was telling us, you know?” he said, his cushioned palm gently rubbing circles over her tummy.

“Yeah, I think you’re onto something there. That definitely didn’t seem right.” she quietly responded, trailing up her dark eyes to finally acknowledge his mismatched stare.

“You... ah... you think we could maybe... continue what we started earlier?” he suddenly whispered, subtly rolling his tongue over the black paint of his bottom lip.

“Continue what?”

“My... torture.” he said a little louder, shuffling one of his legs to drape it over hers, the bare sole of his foot gently rubbing against the tops of her pallid feet. She rolled her eyes and abruptly shifted herself forwards to close the space between them, her hands sliding over the sleek black fabric that covered his chest. He closed his eyes with a wince as soon as her mouth pressed into his and he groaned in appreciation. He angled his head to ensure their kiss deepened and leaned into her, lowering a gloved hand down to the one over her tummy to gently wrap his arms around her waist. He backed his head away from her for a moment to catch his breath and he smirked, allowing a breathy chuckle to escape him.

“Mm... this beats any Venetian gondola ride...” he murmured against her panting mouth, dipping his head towards her to meet her lips... but she backed away from him before he could kiss her again.

“Oi, I did all the rowing to get us out here so I beg to fucking differ.” she snapped, prompting a deep chuckle to rumble out of him when he angled his head to press a damp kiss to the tattooed skin of her nape.

“Well, you can rest easy now, baby. You just leave all the work to Papa, ah?” he said in a low, suggestive tone, his moustache tickling her neck’s skin as he spoke. His dexterous, gloved hands firmly kneaded the layers of fabric that covered the sides of her waist and he raised his head, his mouth easily finding hers again. Her pallid hands grabbed fistfuls of his black shirt as she pulled him closer to her and he groaned in response, kissing her harder... until something whipped against the bottom of the boat. It consistently smacked and scraped beneath them for a few seconds and they eventually backed away from one another in unison to flash open their eyes and glare at one another.

“The fuck was that?”

“The fuck was... what, Cipolletta?” Copia questioned in feigned confusion, mismatched eyes wide with unmistakable concern.

“You didn’t hear that? Or feel it?” Aemelia asked, wide black eyes desperately searching his painted features.

“It was probably just a little fishy, heh.” he reassured, his arm tightening around her waist when he leaned towards her again. She defiantly tipped her head back to avoid his kiss and he clumsily pressed his mouth to the middle of her shirt’s collar instead, unleashing a quiet chuckle.

“You know, you are... welcome to sleep in my bed tonight, Cipolletta.” he murmured, nuzzling the tip of his nose against her neck. “We do not have to do anything at all... I just... think it will be a wasted opportunity if we do not at least sleep beside one another, you know?”

“I need a decent sleep so... not tonight.” she calmly responded, persisting to thrust her chin towards the sky so that she avoided his tempting black lips. “And I said I'd check on Manon before she slept so... I’ll have to go soon anyway.”

“We could both go check on her.” he suggested, his warm mouth pressing damp kisses into her neck.

“No.”

“Okie dokie. How about... tomorrow night, before we head back home?” he asked, the hope in his voice obvious to her.

“I don't know. You'll have to ask me again tomorrow. Don't know what mood I'll be in.” she confessed.

“Ok, ok, I will do that...”

Just as Aemelia lowered her head to face him directly, her eyebrows knitting together as she saw the glimmer of disappoint in his mismatched eyes, the whipping sound emerged from beneath them again. And this time, it was impossible to ignore because little shrieks and gargles accompanied it. Tails firmly thrashed against the boat’s wooden body and both Copia and Vial widened their eyes, shuffled themselves up and peered over the nearest edge of the vessel to witness the problem. Tens – perhaps even hundreds – of long black eels slipped through the murky lake water that surrounded the row boat, their shiny heads emerging from the smoky surface so that they could bare their glistening, bloodied comb of sharp, prickly teeth. Aemelia turned her head to face Copia and they shared a concerned glance. And not long after, they nodded in unison and she sat up straight, hastily reaching out her arms to snatch up the oars either side of her.

Suddenly, the lake wasn’t quite so pleasant anymore...

20 : The Misfortune of Respite

The next day was surprisingly pleasant. Even when the peak of the humidity and sunlight hit at noon, the serene scene of the shimmering lake, its surrounding woodland and log cabins – and of course, the chattering accumulation of Siblings and Clergy that littered the sides of the glistening water – was rather comforting. Despite the pleasant atmosphere, Aemelia Vial kept away from the bustle of the boisterous lake splashing, the greasy shine of the overwhelming amount of sun bathers and the long, oak table that was packed with Clergy and Siblings of all ages – including Manon – splays of playing cards and snakes of coins obscuring the table’s varnished surface.

After the strange eels that she and Copia had witnessed in the dark, murky depths of the lake water the night prior, Miss Vial decided to keep her distance to casually observe everything. Nevertheless, she was content with her own company, sat on a sturdy wooden bench that was located over the spacious, decked porch of Copia’s lodge. Avoiding the summer sun was easy beneath the thick wooden-beams of the veranda that covered the deck, and she was grateful that she could still get a good view of the lake from where she was situated. She had one leg extended over the length of the bench and the other idly draped over the edge, a horror novel snugly settled in one of her palms. She adorned her usual attire but it was noticeably loose and dishevelled due to the hot weather, and despite the fact she was shaded by thick veranda beams, she insisted on wearing her rounded sunglasses, their thick black lenses were perfect for diluting the glaring sun. She lowered the open novel to her stomach and perched it there for a moment, swiping up a black leather-bound journal that had been sitting over the bench beside her. She let out a deep sigh when she spied her former employer’s logo embossed into the front cover and then opened it up, swiftly flicking through the large number of completed pages until she found a blank one.

Ignoring the chatter, laughter and buoyant cheers that came from the water’s edge, she furrowed her brow and slid a ball-point pen from the recesses of her black waistcoat, and once she clicked its top, she started to scribble down whatever happened to be on her mind at that particular moment. She frantically began to scrawl down a list, noting down everything she remembered from the investigation that had led to the strange, unnerving place simply known as Sector 19. She wanted to record everything she knew and recalled before she started to forget certain details, because given the concerning existence of such a place, she knew it would be important to consider in the future.

As she scribbled down the names and descriptions of creatures she remembered seeing, the approximate size of the facility, the ranks of company staff she’d recognised and the horrific wounds and mutilations that had plagued the countless dead, she occasionally lifted her head to gaze at the rays of summer sun. Her dark eyes would trail over the calm scene but they would come to a casual stop when they reached the packed poker table. Every time she glanced over, an accumulation of coins and wrapped candies grew over the bit of surface in front of Manon, and it wasn’t uncommon that the girl spun around in her seat to check if the burgundy-haired alchemist was watching. Aemelia always gave the young girl a nod of encouragement before returning to her journal scribbling, unless there was a loud outburst of gasps and curses from the poker table, then she would settle her mirth-filled eyes on the young girl again, a knowing, amused snort escaping her.

Soon, after a long series of scrawls, Aemelia found that she’d ran out of details to note down and though she found the annoyance of the poker-playing Clergy and Siblings – seeing as Manon was raking in a large majority of the winnings – an entertaining watch, she suddenly felt that the humidity was becoming thick and unbearable. She pulled at her shirt and slack waistcoat in an attempt to fan herself, but it was no use and she huffed in irritation, sliding her pen into her waistcoat’s pockets. She abruptly raised her abandoned horror novel from her stomach to snap it shut, and along with her leather journal, she scooped it from her person. Tucking the books beneath her left arm, she slid herself off the bench and strode towards the open door of the lodge.

As soon as she stepped inside, the difference in temperature was noticeable and she had the feeling it was because most of the ground floor was open-plan and shaded by a tall beamed ceiling. She unleashed a relieved breath due to the cool atmosphere and headed towards the sitting area, which consisted of a comfortable array of stylish couches – which were covered in mountains of plush cushions and pillows – that curved around a deep-set fireplace. In the generous space in front of them, perched over a thick Persian rug, was the large blue cooler Father Ramio had brought along, and she narrowed her eyes in contemplation, gently setting down her books over one of the plush sofas.

Seeing the cooler made her question Father Ramio’s whereabouts but she shrugged away her curiosity and snapped open the lid, her left arm reaching into its satisfyingly cold recesses. Grabbing hold of nearest soda can made her consider whether she’d even seen Copia that day and she scowled, realising that she hadn’t even received a text from him. She hurriedly passed the cold soda can to her right hand and her left arm delved into the cooler’s depths to grab a second chilled can of soda. Slamming the lid shut, she briefly glanced at the soda cans to see what she’d picked up – to her surprise it was a couple of cans of Dr Pepper – and she clutched them to her chest, confidently heading towards the centre of the lodge, where the main staircase was located.

The ground floor was completely vacant so Aemelia assumed that Copia must have still been upstairs and she ascended the central staircase in a calm, collected manner despite her underlying concern for him. She thought that the glorious summer sunshine and the comforting lake scenery would have inspired him to leave the confines of the lodge at the very least. She’d expected to see him sauntering out in some ridiculous swimming trunks to join the playful hijinks of the lake’s pool party, or perhaps even play devil’s advocate amongst the Clergy’s poker game... but she hadn’t heard a peep from him. The fact they hadn’t interacted at all since the night prior caused her to worry even more and she bolted up the last few stairs until she could step onto the pristine pine floorboards of the upstairs landing.

She paused in the middle of the modest floor and tucked one of the chilled cans beneath an arm to crack open the other. Once she raised the metal rim of the opened drink to her lips to take her first sip of chilled soda, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. At first, she hadn’t noticed the distinctive tremble of a consistent, thumping beat, but now she’d paused, she couldn’t miss it. The muffled presence of music was obvious and she cautiously traipsed the width of the landing, knowing that the door to Copia’s room was the unmistakable source of the noise. When she arrived by the unassuming entrance to his room, she took another sip of her drink before reaching out to firmly rap her knuckles against the clear pine door... but of course, given the loud beat of the music, there was no response.

She rolled her eyes and curtly entered by elbowing her way inside. The pulse of the loud music was the first thing to hit her as soon as the door clattered shut behind her and she glared at the sight in front of her, the metal soda can audibly crinkling when she tightly clutched her drink to her chest. Depeche Mode spewed out from Copia’s distinctive boombox – which was sat over an unremarkable dresser that was situated to the very left of the room – and a distinctive, opaque flash of black fabric instantly caused her attention to shift away from the source of music. And as soon as Aemelia’s eyes flicked right to rest on the vast pine floor that lurked on the opposite side of a double bed – which was covered in rumpled satin sheets and a dozen or so snuffling rats of all kinds of colours and sizes – she quickly discovered Copia’s whereabouts.

Mirth swam in her charcoal eyes as an amused snort left her... he was clad in a loose black shirt and matching suit pants that were rolled up to his knees but his leather gloves and immaculate winkle-pickers were nowhere to be seen. His bare feet lightly thumped over the wooden floor as he pranced about to the rhythm of the music, stray strands of his unusually untidy chestnut hair clutching to the glistening skin of his temples. He used the entirety of the space behind the bed, smoothly twirling from one side of the room to the other, ensuring his movements were sharp and concise to avoid bumping into any furniture. The longer Aemelia watched him, the more she noticed the messy smudges of black paint that circled his eyes and she shook her head in amusement – it was clear that he’d probably started to dance when he’d been half-way through painting his face – but she didn’t say a word, she certainly didn’t want to deter him from his actions.

He continued to dramatically dance about the room for quite some time, so much so that his rats – who were still happily exploring the creases of his soft bedsheets – had started to freeze and tilt their heads inquisitively every time his feet thumped the ground. She smiled at their curious actions before her gaze inevitably trailed to Copia again. His dancing was impressive like always, and she raised her brows when he came to a dead halt in the centre of the vast floor to elegantly twirl around on the spot. After a couple of spins he smoothly slowed to a final halt... and just so happened to finish facing the door... the exact location where Miss Vial was stood.

His mismatched eyes widened into horrified saucers and the confidence he’d displayed in his solitude swiftly vanished in an instant. A furious blush coated his cheeks and his feet loudly thumped over the floorboards when he clumsily bolted towards his cassette player. He gritted his teeth when he arrived at the dresser and desperately thumbed the player’s pause button, but his hands were so sodden with perspiration that his thumb kept slipping. The music persisted to blare from the boom box speakers for a little while, even when he eventually managed to hold down the pause button, and his cheeks glowed redder and redder with every second that passed. He was grateful that he had his back to Miss Vial at that particular moment, because he hadn’t felt so embarrassed in quite some time.

Soon, the cassette tape finally seemed to acknowledge Copia’s wishes for it abruptly cut off, leaving an awkward, expectant silence to fill the spacious void of the room. Sweat dripped from his face and trickled down the centre of his chest as he tried to calm his breathing... he suddenly felt that the summer heat was far more noticeable after dancing about the place, then again... he supposed that Miss Vial’s sudden presence probably had him heating up too. The silence continued and he persisted to keep his back to her, even when his ears pricked up at the distinctive skitter of little rat feet over the floorboards... he was waiting for his furious blush to fade away, it seemed.

“You didn't have to stop because of me.” Aemelia simply said, her amused smirk audible in her tone. A quiet slurp marked the end of her remark and he sharply lowered his head, glaring down at his bare feet.

“I... eh... I got... carried away. I just figured I would do a couple stretches and then it... got out of hand, you know?” he managed to reply, the subtle sound of his breathy hesitation giving away that he was still trying to catch his breath.

“Well, at least it got your blood flowing.” her voice piped up again.

“Heh heh... yes, but... you have the same effect on me. So... it is always flowing nowadays.” he responded, the flirtation in his voice obvious to her. He finally decided to turn and face her, regardless of his flushed cheeks, and once he did, their gazes met instantly. At least... he thought so. He couldn’t really tell because of the thick black sunglasses that were perched over her nose, but even so... he was grateful for their presence because it eased the intensity of her curious stare, even if they did obscure the beauty of her dark, cynical eyes.

“I didn't know you liked Depeche Mode.” she spoke again, the corners of her mouth turning upwards when he gawped at her in astonishment.

“I-I don’t!”

“Liar.” she quipped, taking a short, casual sip of her fizzy soda. “I know what I just heard, thank you very much. But honestly... I’m not surprised at all. I don’t know why you’re getting all ashamed about it. I have a couple of their records, so it’s no big deal. Or... is it the dancing that’s got you embarrassed?”

“Ehhh... ahhm... I guess... a bit of both, heh.” he timidly confessed in a peaked voice when she confidently stepped further into the room. He hastily padded over to her before she could say another word and she extended out her left arm, silently offering him the extra chilled can of Dr Pepper she’d tucked beneath her arm for safe keeping. His gaze softened when he gently took it from her and she averted her gaze to the floor, the smooth tip of a pink tail trailing into shadows beneath the double bed capturing her attention.

“You know... they say sodas slowly kill you from the inside.” Copia said in a thoughtful tone, cracking open his can, regardless of his statement.

“Well, thank fuck for that. If it shaves off a couple of years on this fucking planet, it's a solid deal.” she retorted in her usual cynical manner, lifting her head to gaze at him through the black lenses of her rounded glasses.

“Aemelia... you cannot mean that.” he softly said, wearing a subtle wince as he slowly took a few steps back towards the bed.

“Of course I do. This world suddenly seems worse after the shit we’ve seen over the past few days.” she muttered, a light frown gracing her brow.

“Come sit?” he asked when he perched himself over the edge of his bed, one of his hands smoothing out the pooling satin sheets next to him. Once the covers were flat, he patted them and sent her a hopeful glance and she silently obliged him, wandering over to sit beside him. The mattress dipped slightly when she finally sat down and she took another sip of her drink, oblivious to the sound of his short, heavy breaths. They both felt the subtle tug of tiny paws over the sheets behind them and the gentle whips of tails against their lower backs, and the quiet presence of Copia’s rats was comforting to the two of them, even if neither of them acknowledged such a thing.

“This world may seem dark, Aemelia.” Copia suddenly spoke, his voice unusually low and slow, like he was ensuring that he picked his words carefully. “Shit, especially after... everything. The shit with the Clergy, the shit with your old employer. But... it is just a little dip for us, and this means that things in the future will rise again. And believe me, they will fucking soar, ok?”

“Mm. I s'pose you're right, you always seem to have good foresight on these kinds of things. Is that why you were dancing just now?” she questioned, lowering her head to her lap when she felt a couple of tiny mitts gently patting the side of her left thigh.

“Hm?! Oh! No. No no no. I just... eh... missed it, you know? It has been a while since I had a little groove, heh heh.” he nervously replied, hand tightly clutching his chilled soda to his chest. He smiled when she reached her free hand down to scoop up the slender, silvery rat that had requested her attention and she gently settled the soft, dainty rodent over her lap, fingertips stroking the length of its back.

“I’m not surprised that you’ve missed it. Those papal robes of yours don't look like they were made with dancing in mind.” she said with a faint smile when the rat tucked its paws into its belly to sit over her lap in a relaxed, silvery puddle, its black eyes narrowing with satisfaction.

“Ah, yes, the papal robes are a pain in the ass when it comes to moving about, but that is my fault, you know? I wanted to wear everything possible and eh, sadly... you can't be the full, stylish helping of pope and cartwheel your way to an afternoon sermon. It is very frustrating, heh.”

Aemelia snorted and he smiled as he finally took a sip of his drink. He hummed and closed his eyes in approval of the cool, refreshing soda, and once he opened them again, he too felt the gentle nudge of a couple of tiny paws against the side of his leg. He glanced down at his lap and swiftly scooped up the inquisitive, attention-seeking rodent with his left hand, regardless of whichever one it was. Its back melted into his bare palm like it was the most comfortable surface it had ever laid upon, its speckled white fur shimmering as its pink limbs became relaxed and docile. Its head sunk into its double chin and its black eyes slowly closed when Copia’s thumb pad rubbed gentle circles over its soft belly and he lightly chuckled, sending a glance to the grey rat that was happily sinking into the warmth of Miss Vial’s legs.

“Urethra is behaving for you?” he asked, allowing a faint smile to linger over his lips.

“I think she’s set on sleeping at that moment. Probably tired herself out keeping up with the others.”

“Heh heh... yes, they are very curious about this place. Curiosity always tires them out.” he responded, mismatched eyes slowly trailing back to the speckled rat that was happily slouching into the firm clutch of his left hand, its pink feet occasionally twitching due to his tummy rubs.

“Have you named that one yet?” Aemelia asked, knitting her brows when Copia swiftly turned his head to stare at her, his mouth parting in realisation.

“Shit! I haven't told you? Fuck, I knew I’d forgotten something! Eh... this little guy is Pharynx. I... thought it suited him quite well, no?”

“It does. Was that what he was eating when you first found him?” she gently poked, a dark smirk manifesting over her grey lips.

“Ahhh! Ehh... hopefully not, heh heh!” he nervously hurried out, swallowing due to the brazen, amused smirk she wore. “You... you have been outside enjoying the sun today?”

“Fuck no. I'd burn to a crisp.” she emotionlessly snapped, continuing to stroke Urethra’s soft, silvery back. “I was sat out on the porch, just reading and writing... and keeping an eye on Manon. Last time I checked, she was handing everyone their arses. She’s finally got the hang of cards, I think.”

“Ahhh... it is all thanks to you, heh heh.” he murmured with a crumpled smile, leaning his left side towards her right. He carefully flipped over his left hand to gently place the slumbering, speckled Pharynx over the satin sheets behind him and then smoothly stretched his arm behind Aemelia, firmly draping it around her warm waist to proudly squeeze her form closer to him. He leaned closer and dipped his head down until he could confidently press a slow, lingering kiss to the back of her neck. His lips were cool and damp from his soda drinking and she frowned in feigned confusion but wore a subtle smile, raising her soda to her lips again.

“I hope you didn't miss me too much last night.” she quietly mumbled against the cold metal rim of her drink. He cleared his throat and backed away until he could gaze at her, pink tinting the pale skin of his cheeks again.

“Ah, well... I would be lying if I said I slept soundly. Knowing you were only across the hall... the landing, alone in your room... it... it was killing me. But I had no trouble with... eh...”

He trailed off to swallow thickly and she raised her brows expectantly, tilting her head to ensure she was hearing him correctly, dark red plaits gently swishing over her shoulders. Even behind the dark lenses of her sunglasses he could see the mirth in her charcoal eyes.

“Finishing?” she simply said in a casual manner, her expression utterly calm despite the subject of their conversation.

“Mm-hm! Y-Yes. That.” he stammered, stunned that she was content with them having a blatant conversation about something erotic.

“Thank fuck for that. I was starting to get worried after leaving you hanging that other night. Or... not so hanging, after all, it’s you we’re talking about here.” she continued in a composed tone, letting out a relieved sigh before she had another sip of her soft drink.

“What? You were worried? What do you mean? Which night?” Copia hurriedly questioned, a concerned wince etching into his features when his mismatched eyes desperately searched her unreadable expression.

“You don’t remember? My night shift at the office the other night.” she explained, unleashing a deep sigh.

“Ah shit! Of course, of course!” he exclaimed, quickly nodding in understanding as he tightly clutched his soda can to his chest. “If... eh... if we hadn’t been interrupted, that night would’ve been veeery different, heh heh. But... how come that night worried you?”

“Well... I didn't want you getting all frustrated, I felt terrible that we just had to forget about it. This fuckin' heat wave is bad enough without the hornies troubling you. Though... I'm sure they trouble you all the time anyway...” she confessed, averting her eyes to the slumbering rat that was still contentedly dozing across her lap.

“Yes, it is... a problem. But... a much bigger one nowadays. Being Papa is an endless, thankless job. Moments of freedom are very scarce, so I get less time to do everything, you know?” he sadly remarked, his eyes unmistakably guilty as he plainly gazed at her.

“Yeah, I noticed. Well, if you ever need some... encouragement, I'm fine with you messaging me for some help. So long as you ask beforehand, obviously.” she stated, raising her head to acknowledge his gleaming eyes.

“Ehhh... what?! I mean... yes! Yes, that... that would be... very kind, Miss Vial.”

“That would be very sexy of you, Miss Vial.” she mocked in a quiet murmur, a snort escaping her when he raised his brows in amused surprise.

“Ehhhh... are... are you feeling alright, Aemelia? You are acting very different today, the heat is not making you feel fuzzy, is it?” he asked, his mouth wavering like he was fighting off a smile.

“Fuck off, I'm fine.” she lightly scolded him, shaking her head at the lingering surprise on his face. “I know it might be a shock that I'm cool with us sexting, but I'm being sincere here. I'm not joking about it, I swear.”

“Ok, so... when you say... you will help me - ”

“Yes.” she muttered through an apathetic sigh, lowering her head so she could place her left palm over her forehead like she was already tired of his astonishment.

“What should I... expect?”

“Words of encouragement.” she said, raising her drink to her lips again.

“Shiiit. So... no... sexy photos?” he asked, his peaking voice giving away his optimistic hopes.

“No.”

“Not even a little selfie of your beautiful face?”

“Fuck no.”

“Shit.” he hissed, gently bumping his left fist against the curve of his thigh.

“Oi! Don’t you go underestimating me. You'll be surprised how helpful my words are.” she snapped, her right elbow lightly nudging his side.

“Ah, I never underestimate you.” he whispered, gently resting his left side against her. “Even so, you never cease to amaze me, Cipolletta.”

“Well, I'm glad I’m not boring you.”

“Boring me? How could I be bored? Take now, for example, we have both chosen to be here, inside, when everyone else is out having all the fun, ah? And back at the Ministry, sure, everyone is having their fun, mindlessly screwing each other, but... to me, this here. You, me... the drinks, the company... the fucking... dated music, heh... it is everything to me. Any time we spend alone together is a welcome blessing. So, please... never think you are boring me.”

“I s’pose that's good to know.” she sighed out, her wince subtly lingering. “I mean, I don't believe that you don't want us to be screwing right now, but thanks for reassuring me.”

“Ohhhh, well, of course, I want that very much , Aemelia.” he purred, the suggestion in his voice smoothly mixing into the sincerity of his tone. “I think about that a lot, but... what’s the rush? That will arise when it wants to . I will feel it. You will feel it. And we will both know that we are each feeling it, ah?”

Her frown deepened when he leaned towards her to hover his face by the right side of hers, her puzzled expression causing his conflicting eyes to glint wisely.

“Are you sure you're feeling alright?” she suddenly questioned, her black sunglasses masking her wide, glaring eyes.

“Heh heh, yes, yes... I am chill. I just... have a lot on my mind right now. Lots of plans... for me and you, and for this fucking place, you know?” he murmured, the warm bridge of his nose gently nuzzling into some of the long, loose, dark red strands of hair that framed her face.

“Plans? What do you mean?”

“This place belongs to the Ministry now so - ”

“It what?!” she shrieked, abruptly cutting off his quiet whispers. “Please don't say you had your Ghouls book this for you again...”

“No no! I put in an offer to purchase this little spot a while back, and it turned out to be successful. My Ghouls had nothing to do with this.” he explained, backing away from her slightly when she turned her head to stare at him directly. “I am very thankful for it, it’s perfect for avoiding Summer Heat. And it will be a real hot spot when it's up and running next year, ah? A private resort just for Satan's followers, heh heh. Oh... and eh... you, of course, Miss Vial.”

“So... you plan on this being a satanic lake resort? It’s definitely an original idea, I’ll give you that...” she murmured in an amused tone, her smirk faintly present when he leaned towards her again, gently sliding his left arm around her. His warm hand lightly clutched at the black fabric covering her lower back and he only stopped closing the space between them when their noses brushed.

“Mm... I was thinking it would be a good way of getting the Clergy out of my hair.” he quietly said, subtly nuzzling her nose when he felt her slide his soda can out of his right hand. “And of course, it would be a cool perk for any new... eh... followers, no?”

He lightly frowned at the sound of her setting down their soda cans over a nearby nightstand and once her hands were free, her arms slid up his front until her pallid palms lightly clutched at his shoulders. Even though her irises were still obscured by round tinted lenses, he knew that she was studying his gaze intently and he shuffled a little closer, his eyes fluttering shut when she suddenly tilted her head and closed the small gap between their mouths. The hand on her back tightened and his other smoothly reached up to grasp the left side of her jaw. Their kiss was slow but firm and his right hand gently stroked away from her face to explore the front of her body. His warm fingertips grazed over every bump and crease of her clothed form until he allowed himself to sink down slightly. She had to lean forwards to ensure their kiss wasn’t broken due to his actions and he cautiously slid his hand beneath her right thigh, raising her leg from its relaxed position. She held the position he’d moved her into when she felt him gently untying the laces of her shoe and eventually, he slipped it off, discarding it to the floor. When he repeated his actions with the left leg, he was far more cautious due to her bandage and once her feet were finally free of their black oxfords, he firmly started to massage the smooth sole of her left foot, briefly taking his mouth away from her to press quick, damp kisses to the side of her neck. Aemelia felt the soft warmth of Urethra’s puddled body slide away from her lap when Copia gently pushed her back towards the satin bedsheets.

“How is your leg today? It is not sore or too hot?” he murmured in a distant tone between kisses, kneading her foot a little more firmly as she continued to slowly fall backwards.

“It’s fine. A bit itchy but that's nothing unexpected.” she whispered, and he subtly nodded his head in response, continuing to leave little kisses across the skin of her neck.

“Good... good...” he breathed, smoothly raising his head to catch her mouth again. When she whimpered and gently moved her mouth with his, he slowly leaned his weight towards her, and she obliged him, allowing herself to fall back over the satin sheets behind her. His foot massaging ceased so that he could gently push her legs apart and he carefully settled himself over her, the hand around her waist firmly holding her beneath him. His right arm extended out so that he could hold himself above her, his warm palm sinking into the smooth satin sheets beside her head. The longer they kissed, the more their kisses became slow and hungry and eventually, with a reluctant groan, Copia parted with her mouth to peer down at her for a moment.

“I... I love these fucking glasses on you. But... if we continue like this, we are going to break them, heh.” he quietly hinted, their chests firmly brushing as they heaved out deep breaths in unison. He had the inkling that she rolled her eyes as a smirk manifested over her plump lips and she coolly snaked a hand between their forms to swiftly swipe the shades from her nose. The reveal of her charcoal eyes, outlined in wearied wings of black eyeliner, made him inhale sharply and he swallowed thickly when she carelessly tossed the sunglasses to the free space of bed behind them. And as soon as they were out of her hand, he wasted no time in lowering himself to kiss her again. This time, more passionately than before.

Sharp breaths escaped their noses as hands scrambled at the collar of her shirt and the tight knot of her neck-tie. She panted out harshly, pleasantly surprised by his eager, warm hands and his suffocating kisses, reacting the only way she could. She kissed him firmly and cautiously thrust her hips towards him, and he gasped against her mouth, unmistakably surprised by her actions. He moaned in appreciation and allowed himself to sink down so that his crotch could meet her hip thrusts.

“You are fine with me doing this?” he asked when he briefly lifted his head from her to crack open his eyes and study the expression on her face. Pink tinged her pale cheeks and though she wore a wince, the brazen smirk on her mouth as she started to confidently meet his cautious hip thrusts with much firmer ones of her own was incredibly reassuring to him.

“Mm-hm. It's just how they danced back then.” she quoted in a harsh whisper, ensuring that she kept her eyes shut when he deeply chuckled and lowered himself over her, their hot mouths meeting in another slow, arduous kiss. Now confident that she was definitely comfortable with the situation, Copia’s trembling hands retreated to her sides and tugged at the hems of her waistcoat, quiet groans rumbling out of him as their groins persisted to brush. As their intimacy continued, the heat between their bodies became fierce and the quiet group of rats that had previously been bounding about over the bedcovers scurried to the sides of the mattress to hop down to the floorboards, sensing that their ruler desired some privacy...

Their small feet and curvaceous tails skittered over the floor but the sounds of their hurried actions weren’t enough to deter Aemelia or Copia from their actions. They were too focused on the heat and feel of one another to care about the abrupt sounds below them. They were so oblivious, in fact, that once a loud, shrill gasp came from the footboard of the comfortable bed, they simply carried on, their hands eagerly clutching at their clothes, their mouths firmly meshing, their crotches firmly grazing...

“Gahhhhhh! My... my innocent eyes! Bleugh! You... you are doing her, ratto?! You are actually on the road to screwing her?! Gakkkkk! Gross! I am going to throw up!” a distinctive, raspy voice came from the foot of the bed, a series of muffled, repulsed coughs overwriting the peaceful atmosphere of the room.

Naturally, after hearing the obnoxious outburst of Nekid’s voice, Copia and Aemelia paused in unison, mouths still grazing when they reluctantly cracked their eyes open. They winced in silent frustration and he slowly stretched his arms either side of her to hold himself over her, both of them sharing an apologetic, irritated glance.

“Should I take a picture?!” the mischievous familiar’s voice piped up again. “It is like spotting two rare endangered species in the wilds! Where is your phone?! I want to take a picture! Then you will have proof of this happening! Ehek!”

Copia lowered his head to press a kiss to the tip of Aemelia’s nose before he unleashed a deep huff, sharply glancing towards the footboard to his left.

“Eh! What the shit are you doing here?! You better not be touching my things with your grubby little hands!” he sternly exclaimed, scolding his impish familiar like he was disciplining a misbehaving child.

“Ohhhh, you mean the thingies in your suitcase?!” Nekid’s voice manifested again, prompting Copia’s mismatched eyes to frantically search the area around the footboard for his tiny, inconvenient presence. “But I had no choice! Your shitty case was my ride here, ratto! I can’t help that my slim, sexy figure rubbed against allllll of your pretty clothes! Ehek hek hek!”

Copia gritted his teeth together and unleashed an annoyed growl as he shifted towards the foot of the bed, he was desperate to know his familiar’s location, it seemed. But he was deterred from his impulsive actions when he felt Aemelia’s warm, tempting hands settle over each of his thighs. He unleashed a deep exhale, shut his eyes and tipped his head back like her actions were easing his frustration. He simply sat over her like that for a little while, breaths huffing out of him as her hands continued to gently squeeze the hot material of his thighs.

“Hey! You better not ignore me, you porn-stache fuck! Answer me! Where the shit is your phone, ratto?! I want to take a photo!” Nekid yelled again, a handful of Copia’s pristine, folded clothes flying into the air. They landed over the floor in a messy pile by the bed, and then another lot soared into the air, but this time it landed in the vast expanse behind the bed... apparently Nekid was stubbornly set on emptying out the contents of Copia’s snakeskin suitcase until he got the outcome he desired.

“How... how did you get here? I... I don't understand.” Copia calmly asked as Aemelia persisted to knead his thighs, teeth grazing over his bottom lip to stop a groan from tumbling out of him. “Have you... been here this whole time?”

“Oh-hoh! Yiiiiiiis. I saw it aaaaaall... and heard it all too. The dancing, the singing, the pathetic whines for Meees Vial, oh... and the snooze-fest of you jacking off too. Yeeesh, you really need to find a new hobby, ratto. But fahhhhhhhh forget about this! You have to answer me! Where is your phone?! Tell me this, now!”

“We'll tell you if you explain why you're here.” Aemelia suddenly piped up, her voice hoarse and silky. Copia’s eyes flashed open due to her words and their gazes met instantly. She wasn’t concerned about Nekid's presence at all, the mesmerizing, shining desire that blazed in her black eyes plain for him to see. Her voice prompted Nekid’s clothes slinging to abruptly stop and the couple frowned at one another when little grunts neared them, the bed frame subtly quaking.

After a minute or so, Nekid’s white mohawk emerged over the end of the bed frame and his large mismatched eyes soon followed. They were wide with wonder as he scrambled over the footboard to smoothly tumble onto the satin bedsheets. A little gasp escaped him as he glared at Aemelia in amazement, ignoring his summoner’s blatant state of frustrated arousal.

“Heeeelo, Mees Vial... you... you know where the phone is?” he murmured, his tiny mouth slobbering at the brazen desire swimming in her charcoal eyes. Even though the desire was for Copia, it fascinated him and his tiny hands clutched at his pot belly like he was unsure what he was supposed to do with himself.

“Yes, I know where the phone is. Just tell me how you got here.”

“I-I climbed into ratto's suitcase-s-s-saaaaachooo! Bleugh!” he sneezed out, shaking himself like a wet dog before continuing his tale. “I wanted to scare him but - stupid senile ratto - he locked me in and ruined the surprise! Grr! And now look! I am here! In this shitty one star wooden tent!”

“Right... I'm guessing you don't actually plan on taking a photo of us with the phone. You want it for another reason, don’t you?” Aemelia asked, turning her head away from Copia to narrow her suspicious, dark eyes at the overconfident imp. He casually cat-walked the width of the bed, swinging his tiny hips in a defiant manner whilst he confidently returned her scrutinizing stare.

“Gak! Ewwww, a photo of you and ratto?! Yucky! Noooo! It was a joke! I want to send some nice nudies to a sister. I promised to visit her dormitory for Summer Heat but...” he paused to sigh, spindly arms hanging low as he halted to display his glum disappointment. “... I am no longer there to satisfy her. So she will just have to imagine my glorious girth instead. Can you tell me where it is now? I will leave you alone all you want! Promise, hek!”

He wore a wide needle-tooth grin and before Aemelia could open her mouth to reply, Copia let out a deep, defeated sigh.

“It is... in the dresser. To the left side of the bottom drawer. You will have to turn it on. It’s on silent already so... don't be a pain in the ass and turn all my notifications back on, ok?” he reluctantly revealed through clenched teeth. Nekid wasted no time waiting around and giggled victoriously, sprinting to the nearest edge of the mattress to throw himself off. Aemelia glared in concern but her worries swiftly disappeared when she heard the distinctive slap of his feet over the floorboards. His curious mutters and titters faded as he pottered towards the dresser and the scuff of a drawer opening caused her to turn away, her attention firmly on Copia again. He’d also been observing the energetic familiar’s actions, but he quickly turned his head as soon as he felt the intensity of her gaze upon him. He couldn’t hide his disappointment from her when his eyes trailed across her features and she winced apologetically, her hands firmly squeezing around his thighs.

“I... eh... this... this is kinda embarrassing for me right now, baby, but... I am no longer in the mood, you know?” he confessed, dipping his head down to whisper into her left ear. Her warm hands stilled over his thighs immediately and she tilted her head to gaze at him with an amused smirk.

“That’s completely understandable. Semen demons are always a real mood killer.”

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