12 Years Ago

Asher took a deep breath. "Ah, yes, let me just—"

The moment he put weight on his injured leg, pain shot through him like fire. He yelped, his knee buckling instantly.

"Argh… mmh…"

Luci sighed, already expecting this outcome. "Yeah, obviously. Okay, hold on—I’ll help you up. Take my hand."

Asher hesitated. "Are you sure?"

Luci puffed up his chest slightly, as if offended by the doubt. "Of course! I’m stronger than I look, you know. I can carry you!"

That wasn’t entirely true, but Luci was too stubborn to admit it.

Asher hesitated only a second longer before reaching out. Their hands met, and he braced himself as Luci pulled—

"See? Easy—AHHH!!"

BOOM!

"OWW!!"

Asher landed flat on his back with a startled grunt, and Luci fell right on top of him.

For a second, neither of them moved.

The sudden proximity made both of them freeze. Luci, his small frame sprawled over Asher’s, could feel the warmth of the demon’s body against his own. He barely breathed, his heart hammering too fast for his liking.

Asher, meanwhile, was completely paralyzed. His dark scales flushed red, heat rising under his skin. The little prince—this angelic-looking being—was pressed against him? The feeling was so foreign, so forbidden, that his mind blanked. His tail curled instinctively around his leg, his claws gripping the grass.

Luci was the first to react. A mix of embarrassment and curiosity swirled in his chest, but he refused to acknowledge the first one.

He pushed himself up, blinking in surprise. "Wait… your scales… they were red just now."

Asher, still flustered, covered his face with his hands. "R-red? My scales?" He quickly peeked down at himself, but by the time he looked, they were black again. "Huh? Are you sure?"

Luci squinted. So, he changes colors when he touches me? Or maybe just when he gets flustered? Does he not even know?

"...Never mind," he muttered.

He shook his head and touched his legs, murmuring a quick spell. A soft golden glow enveloped them for a brief moment. Then, he reached out his hand again.

"Okay, take my hand again. This time, I won’t let you fall. A royal promise!"

Asher still looked unsure, but Luci’s determined expression left him no choice. He reached out again, and this time, with the help of Luci’s magic-enhanced strength, he managed to stand—though he had to balance on one foot.

Asher frowned at his injured leg, ears drooping.

Luci groaned. "Oh, come on, don’t make that face. It’s my fault you’re like this, so I have to do something about it, obviously…" He hesitated, then rolled his eyes. "Ugh, fine! I’ll help you until you can walk again. So you better heal fast!"

Not like I want to go back to the castle anyway…

Before Asher could protest, Luci grabbed his arm and slung it over his own shoulder, adjusting his stance to support his weight. He was a bit smaller, but he tried his best to bear the burden of Asher’s injured leg.

Asher blinked. "...You mean you want to stay with me?"

Luci clicked his tongue. "Well, duh. How else am I supposed to help you? And let’s be honest, with that leg, you’re so clumsy you’d probably trip over a leaf and die before morning."

Asher’s eyes widened before softening. His voice was almost shy. "Thank you, Luci… Thank you for staying with me."

Luci glanced away, uncomfortable. "...Don’t thank me."

Does he even realize this is literally my fault?

Trying to change the subject, he said, "Alright, lead me to your house."

Asher immediately stiffened. His entire body tensed like a coiled spring.

"...My house."

His voice was small.

Then, suddenly—

"No."

His grip on Luci tightened, and his tail curled around his own leg.

"I—I don’t want to go back. I can’t go back there."

His voice trembled slightly, his expression full of something Luci didn’t like. Not sadness. Not hesitation.

Terror.

Luci’s stomach twisted.

Whatever happened in that house… he wasn’t going to ask.

"...Alright," Luci said quickly. "We won’t go to your house. Just take me to wherever you do sleep, then—"

GRROOOOWL

A loud gurgling sound echoed between them.

Luci’s face turned red instantly.

Asher tilted his head. "...Was that you?"

Luci groaned, pressing a hand against his stomach. "Ugh, shut up. I also need to find food."

Asher blinked, then hesitated. "...I can cook food."

Luci snapped his head toward him. "What?"

Asher shuffled his wings slightly. "I mean… my food bag fell somewhere around here, and you can help me carry it, so… if we go to my shelter, I can make something. If you want…"

Luci was about to agree when a thought hit him.

Wait.

Demons.

What do demons eat?

His face paled slightly.

"...Wait. Asher. When you say ‘food’… y-you don’t mean, like… human flesh or something, right?"

Asher blinked at him.

Then—

"BAAAAAH! GROSS!! NO!!" Asher recoiled in absolute disgust, looking personally offended. "Who does that?! Luci has weird ideas!"

Luci let out a breath of relief.

Asher huffed. "My bag has mushrooms, and I have fish I caught earlier. I eat like Papa always cooked… or at least, I try. But I think you’ll like it!"

Luci blinked, taken aback. Fish? Mushrooms? Wait… demons can eat like humans?

His stomach churned, but not from hunger.

Why does no one tell us this? Why does the church never teach us any of this?

Did the adults even SEE demons before they declared war on them?

He had so many questions.

But right now—

GRRROOOOOWL

—his stomach had priorities.

"...Yeah, whatever. As long as I’m not the meal."

Asher pouted. "Luci has really rude thoughts sometimes."

Luci ignored him, grabbing the fallen bag nearby. "Alright, lead the way."

And so, with Luci half-carrying him, they set off toward Asher’s shelter.

And before all those refresed memories sumerged Luci's mind, he could see at the distant the familiar shape of his castle again.