Draziel was a striking blend of innocence, even as a baby.
His skin, pale and smooth, had an almost ethereal quality, with faint black veins hinting at the dark energy flowing through him. They were an early sign of the shadowed legacy he was destined to inherit.

His jet-black hair was soft… but it was Draziel’s eyes that were the most captivating part of his appearance.  They were a deep shade of silver like moonlight reflected on a stormy sea.

Draziel lay quietly in Yume’s lap. His tiny hands gently wrapped around the fox demon’s finger, as if he instinctively found comfort in Yume’s presence. Kasu sat beside them, watching the two of them. Yume’s gaze lingered on Draziel for a moment, his eyes softening as he looked at the baby’s peaceful expression.

A small, tender smile tugged at the corners of Yume’s lips. There was something about the moment, about the way Draziel rested so trustfully in his arms that stirred something deeper in him than just duty.

He turned his eyes to Kasu, who was looking at him with an unreadable expression. Yume noticed the shift in his gaze and, sensing the quiet weight between them, asked softly,
“Do you want your son back?”

Kasu smiled, warmth rare in his eyes as he looked at Yume and Draziel.
“No… he likes you,” Kasu replied. “He feels safe with you.”

Yume blinked, a bit surprised by the sincerity in Kasu’s voice. He looked down at Draziel, sleeping peacefully in his lap, breathing gently.
“How do you know he likes me and feels safe with me?” he asked.

Kasu shifted his gaze from Draziel to Yume, his expression calm and knowing.
“I can see it,” he said in a low, steady voice. “He cries often. But not when he’s with you.”

Yume’s heart skipped a beat, a sudden warmth spreading through him. He hadn’t realized how attentive he’d become to the child’s needs, how deep the bond between them had already grown. In that moment, he understood that maybe, just maybe, Draziel sensed more than just the presence of his father or the shadowed world he was born into. Maybe he sensed something in Yume, something beyond his role as protector.

Yume looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms, his heart filling with something he couldn’t quite define. It was as though an invisible thread had formed between them stronger than words. A bond of trust and warmth that didn’t need to be explained.
“It’s strange, isn’t it?” Yume murmured, more to himself than anyone else. “How easily he trusts me.”

Kasu didn’t respond at first. He just sat there, silently watching Yume and the small baby. The room was still, save for the quiet crackling of the fire in the hearth. It was a moment where nothing had to be said to understand what lay between them.

Eventually, Kasu broke the silence with his low, thoughtful voice.
“I’m glad he likes you… and that he trusts you. I do too,” he said, his words full of quiet warmth.

Yume looked up, surprised by the honesty in Kasu’s voice. He met his gaze, and in that silent understanding between them, Yume felt that maybe it wasn’t just Draziel who had learned to trust him.

Kasu continued to watch Yume, his expression serious but calm—something in him had changed since the birth of his son. Draziel still rested in Yume’s arms, breathing softly, safe in his surroundings. It was a peaceful moment, but Kasu broke the silence with a question that hung heavily in the air.

“So... when are you going back to Asmodeus?” Kasu asked, his voice low and contemplative.

Yume looked up, his face solemn. He sighed softly and replied,
“I don’t know. I guess… you want me to stay a little longer?”

Kasu stared at him for a moment. Even though his face was hard to read, there was a flicker of vulnerability there that Yume wasn’t used to seeing. Kasu took a deep breath before answering, his voice quiet, almost calm.

“You don’t have to stay, Yume. I don’t have the right to ask you to. But…” He paused, his gaze shifting back to the baby lying peacefully in Yume’s arms.
“I’d appreciate it if you stayed a few more days. My father will be home soon… and I don’t know how he’ll react to Draziel.” Kasu sighed and looked down at the floor for a moment.
“It just… feels better if you’re here when he arrives.”

Yume felt warmth bloom in his chest. He wasn’t sure why, but in that moment, he felt more grounded in this part of the demon realm—anchored by Kasu’s need for support.

He nodded quietly, his voice soft but steady.
“I’ll stay a few more days, at least,” Yume said, meeting Kasu’s gaze. There was a quiet understanding between them, and even though there were still many unspoken feelings, there was also a mutual need for each other’s presence.

Kasu nodded, and even though he didn’t say anything more, it was clear that Yume’s decision meant more to him than he let on.

The flames in the fireplace crackled softly as Kasu turned to Yume, an unusual expression in his eyes. He seemed to hesitate for a moment.
“Yume, could you… watch Draziel? Selene and I need some time alone.”

Yume raised an eyebrow and looked down at the small baby in his arms. A smirk curved his lips.
“So that’s what I’m here for? To babysit your son?” he asked, irritation creeping into his tone.

Kasu sighed and shook his head.
“That’s not what I meant.” His gaze softened as he looked at his son.
“But he’s always so calm with you. Please, just... for an hour”

Yume looked down at the baby, peacefully asleep in his arms. There was a silent affection in the way Draziel nestled against him, an unspoken connection Yume couldn’t ignore.
“Of course, I can watch him for a while,” he said finally, a gentle smile forming on his lips.

Kasu’s face lit up with gratitude, and without a word, he pulled Yume into a brief hug, holding him tightly. He pulled back just enough to kiss Yume’s cheek.
“Thank you,” he whispered.

When Kasu left the room, Yume sank back into the couch, Draziel still safe and warm in his arms. The heat from the fire and the soft sound of the baby’s breathing created a peaceful atmosphere.

It wasn’t long before footsteps echoed by the door, and Asmodeus entered the room, a smile on his lips. He approached and sat beside Yume, his gaze immediately drawn to the baby in Yume’s arms.

“Is that Kasu’s son?” Asmodeus asked, his voice laced with curiosity.

Yume glanced at him, his expression difficult to read.
“Yes. His name is Draziel,” he answered shortly. Then, meeting Asmodeus’s gaze, he asked,
“What are you doing here?”

Asmodeus leaned closer, his scent sweet and spicy, with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, and incense lingering in the air as he reached for Yume.
“I missed you,” he murmured, before pulling Yume toward him and pressing a kiss to his lips.

Yume froze for a moment, startled by how sudden it was. His mind spun with images of Kasu, their complicated dynamic, and the lingering pull he still felt toward Asmodeus.
He didn’t pull away immediately. Looking at Asmodeus, he softened slightly.
“I missed you too,” Yume said.

Asmodeus pulled back slightly, his smile playful yet intense, his eyes filled with something Yume couldn’t quite decipher. He leaned closer again, testing boundaries.
“Did you really miss me?”
His voice was soft, laced with the kind of seductive charm that  made Yume hesitate.

Yume tried to keep his distance, but every time Asmodeus was near, his whole body seemed to crave that pull.
“Of course I did,” he answered, though deep down, he wasn’t sure what he truly felt anymore.

He thought of Kasu—he was Kasu’s protector, bound by duty and something else far more complicated.
“Kasu asked me to stay for a while,” Yume continued, lowering his eyes to the sleeping Draziel in his arms.
“His father arrives tomorrow... he’s afraid of how Draegon will react to his son.”
Yume sighed, his heart feeling heavy.

Looking at the tiny baby, Yume saw not just Kasu’s son, but a reminder of their lives, of expectations, of roles.
Would he one day become Draziel’s protector too?
In that quiet moment between him and Asmodeus, his feelings tangled within him a battle between loyalty and desire.

He looked at Asmodeus, his gaze soft but uncertain.
Asmodeus’s smile was enigmatic, like a spell Yume never quite escaped. Yume glanced down at Draziel again, still peacefully asleep in his arms.

“Do you want to hold him?” he asked, his voice gentler than usual, as if he feared disturbing the baby’s rest.

Asmodeus looked at him, the smile lingering on his lips, but with a darker undertone in his eyes something Yume always sensed but never fully understood.
“No, I don’t think so... I don’t think Kasu would like me holding his son,” he said, his voice low and playful, yet touched with subtle hesitation.

Yume felt a warm pang in his chest. Not anger something more complex. An understanding. A quiet worry for Kasu, but also a tender care for the little boy he now cradled.

He looked at Asmodeus, his eyes softening.
“It’s okay. If you want to, you can hold him. Even if Kasu doesn’t like you, I don’t think he’d mind,” Yume said, his voice low.

Asmodeus was quiet for a moment, as if weighing his thoughts. Finally, with a faint smile, he reached out.
“Okay, I’ll hold him for a little while then,” he said.

Yume, unexpectedly nervous, handed the baby over.

As Asmodeus took Draziel into his arms, Yume couldn’t help but smile faintly. It was a strange sight the mighty Asmodeus cradling a newborn. All the complexity Asmodeus’s presence brought into his life was now mixed with the fragile life resting peacefully in his arms.
And for a fleeting moment, a thought crept into Yume’s mind: “What if I had a family with Asmodeus?”

But he said nothing. He knew it was an illusion. It would never happen.
Asmodeus manipulated him and Yume knew that.

He thought:“If Asmodeus hadn’t manipulated me… would I still be in love with him?”

Yume watched as Asmodeus gently stroked Draziel’s small head with his fingers. The baby slept soundly in his arms.

Suddenly, Kasu stormed into the room, his silver eyes blazing with fury as he saw Asmodeus holding Draziel.
“Why is he holding my son?” Kasu shouted, his voice dark and filled with rage. His entire body tensed, ready to unleash his power and destroy everything in his path.

Yume saw the fire in his eyes and felt a twist of dread in his stomach. He rose quickly, stepping forward and grabbing Kasu’s arm, desperation flashing in his eyes.
“Calm down, Kasu,” Yume said, his voice firm but low.
“He’s not going to hurt your son.”

But Kasu didn’t hear him. His anger and fear had already taken hold.
His power began to rise like a dark aura, manipulating shadows around him, ready to bind Asmodeus where he sat with the child.

Yume saw Kasu’s hand twitch toward his chest as if he were summoning his most destructive power. He knew Kasu was close to crossing a line he couldn’t uncross.

So Yume stepped in closer, took a deep breath, and gripped Kasu tighter.
“Kasu, you have to trust me. Asmodeus would never hurt Draziel,” he said, pouring every ounce of certainty into his voice.
“It’s not what it looks like.”

Kasu froze when Yume touched him.
His body was still tense with rage, but as Yume his loyal friend and protector stood there by his side, he felt something shift inside him.
Yume was the only one who had ever made him hesitate. Made him pull back from the edge of losing control.

Yume embraced him, his arms wrapping around Kasu’s waist, his body pressed close.
The electric tension between Kasu and Asmodeus still lingered in the room, but in that moment, it was only Yume that existed for Kasu.

They were in their own private bubble of trust and understanding, and Kasu felt something ease inside him.

“You’re right… I’m sorry,” Kasu said, his voice low, weighed down with the guilt he always tried to hide.
“I’m just so worried. My father’s coming tomorrow… I don’t know how he’ll react to Draziel. And I… I know you’d never let anything happen to my son. I’m sorry.”

Yume could hear the vulnerability in his words.
He held him tighter, and for a moment between all the unspoken things it was as if Kasu didn’t have to carry it all on his shoulders anymore.

Yume’s hands rested gently on his back, offering comfort, grounding him in the storm that never seemed to stop raging inside Kasu’s soul.

“It’s okay, Kasu,” Yume said softly.
“I understand. You carry so much, but you don’t have to carry it alone. I’m here for you. We’ll get through this together.”

Kasu closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, his gaze was no longer filled with rage but neither was it free from the constant worry he carried with him.
Yume had always been the one to hold him together, despite the cold distance Kasu often kept. He would always remain Kasu’s best friend but nothing more than that.
Even though Kasu had sensed Yume’s feelings for him, he knew he could never be more than a friend to Yume.

As Kasu stood there, held in Yume’s arms around his waist, he felt something—a warmth, a small spark of hope he had never felt before.

The electric tension between him and Asmodeus still lingered in the air, but for that moment, it was as if Kasu didn’t care about it. Because right now, the only one who mattered was Yume.