Velvet shook their head. Scythe disappeared from their hands. “Oh for fucks sake-“ they hissed, rushing to crouch down. They turned Willis onto his back. 

Is he breathing? She wanted to ask. He had to be.

They placed a hand on his chest. The magic they took raced down it, spreading across his body. It settled back into place. There was a pause. Then Willis suddenly turned to his side, hacking and gasping for air.

Lily’s legs wobbled, ready to give out.

“You- piece of- shit,” he rasped between breaths. “Why did you do that-at-at?”

Velvet rolled his eyes, “You know better than to get between me and someone else like that dumbass.” They cuffed him on the ear. “I could have killed you.”

Killed him? A rock dropped in her stomach. 

He stumbled to his feet, swaying once more. He didn’t topple this time. They followed suit. The second they were up, he shoved them.

“What the fuck are you doing here!?” Willis snapped. Fire and venom dripped from his voice. More than she had ever heard. She didn’t think it was possible for that sort of tone to leave him.

His tail appeared, lashing wildly. He shoved them again, harder. A growl stirred in his throat.

Velvet didn’t react, barely fazed by the aggression directed at them. They gave him a look, “Are you done?”

He huffed, but said no more.

“Great. Honestly I could ask you the same thing,” they crossed their arms. Unamused. Like this situation was a mere inconvenience. “I’m checking up on you. Mylo is worried-”

Lily perked up. Mylo. the King. That was one name she knew from her mother.

“Mylo is worried?” Willis cackled, baring his fangs. “Since when has he given a shit? Have you heard of asking me how I am? Instead of stalking me.”

Velvet frowned, snarling themself, “Oh don’t give me that. You know he’s been trying harder to be more involved, and we both know that I did ask you how you were.” They stepped forward, “You lied.”

Willis scoffed, “I’m allowed to keep things to myself.”

“I’m worried about you,” they sighed suddenly, deflating. Their ears drooped. “Despite what you might think, I’ve seen you getting worse. We both have.”

He softened, letting out his own tired breath. He avoided their eyes.

So he hasn’t just been like that around me. Lily swallowed roughly. She grasped at her sleeve. They seemed to have forgotten about her. It felt odd to hear such a private conversation. She still shook. I suppose now is as good of a time as ever to say something.She cleared her throat, “I’m still here.”

The two jumped. Velvet’s expression shifted back to something cold, distant. Willis whipped around to her. He swayed before grabbing Velvet’s shoulder. He took a few breaths. “I’m fine,” he remarked to no one in particular.

“Are you alright?” he then asked her in that sweet, genuine tone she missed so much. 

She opened her mouth to say she was fine. An automatic response. She frowned. Another lie. Her mouth twisted into a scowl, “I’m not alright, actually.” She walked over, careful to keep him between herself and them. “Velvet, who you didn’t even tell me was your sibling, nearly killed me.”

They rolled their eyes, mumbling something under their breath. She ignored it.

“They’re older than you. Are you even the Prince of Abaddon?” Had everything he told her been a lie?

A livid look fell over his face. His tail puffed up. She couldn’t help but step back when he came at her, “You can’t be serious. That’s what you’re worried about right now? Please tell me you’re joking,” he grit his teeth.

He sounds… disgusted with me. She swallowed the whine that climbed up her throat. Curling in on herself. Any defense she had died. 

She almost expected him to tell her off, but instead he turned to Velvet, “Can you leave? Please,” he tacked on the plea. He ran a hand through his hair, “I need to talk with him right now and I would prefer to do it without you here. We could talk about all this when I come home.”

To her surprise, they didn’t argue, “Fine. I know how to hunt you down. Don’t avoid me.” The warning made her shudder. Willis didn’t even flinch.

“Yeah, yeah,” he waved them off. They got about two steps before he yelped, snapping his fingers. “Hey, hey, hey. Give her magic back,” he held out a hand.

They quirked an eyebrow, “If you want me to do that I don’t see why I have to go through you.” They tilted their head, glancing at her behind him. 

The thought of touching them made her ill. She shook her hands, “No that’s fine- you can give it to him.”

They sighed, shaking their head. The two locked hands. Her magic shot from them to him. When he exhaled, remnants of it poured out like smoke. 

Velvet didn’t let go when they were done, rather they pulled Willis down, bringing him close. They pressed their head to his, whispering. She looked away, ears pinned. It’s not my place to know.

Her attention was drawn back when they moved. Watching as Velvet wordlessly disappeared, teleporting to who knows where. 

For a moment, Willis stood there. He sighed, rubbing his face. He walked to where his gun still lay, forgotten. Gripping a mere second before sending it off. He didn’t bother facing her when he called, “Come on, I want to go sit down. I’m dizzy.”

“Oh- alright.” She returned her own weapon before she trailed after him.

Lily winced as she sat down. The burn of her back had been forgotten in the thrill of everything, but now there was nothing to distract from it. She rubbed the spot the best she could.

“Is something wrong?” Willis asked. He sat on the other side, criss crossed. His eye brows creased.

“Have a bit of a back ache. Velvet threw me into a tree when I tried to get back to the Arcadia side of the border,” she explained. She hummed, “I’ll be alright.”

“Yeah that sounds like them,” he shrugged. He held out a hand to her. “Your magic,” her question was answered before she could ask.

“Right...” Her hand found its way to his much slower than she meant. If he noticed, he didn’t say. He held her gently. She could pull away with ease if need be. A nice comfort.

She couldn’t help but gasp when the energy slipped back to her. A sudden rush akin to adrenaline. Her grip on him tightened. She shook. “Is it always that intense?” she asked once it was over. Frowning when he pulled back from her.

“Yes. It’s worse when it’s another person’s magic,” he admitted. He fidgeted with his hands. “You get used to it though.”

I can’t imagine doing that casually. Velvet had taken hers like it was nothing. Barely a reaction at all. It would feel more impressive if she didn’t find it horrifying.

Willis stretched out, first raising his arms, and then reaching out. There were a few cracks. He twisted his back, eliciting the same reaction. He settled with a tired look. He gazed out to the ocean, before his cyan eyes found their way to her. He rolled his hand, “Alright I’m ready. Go on.”

“Go on?” she echoed.

He gave her an incredulous look, “I know you have at least,” he paused, head tilting to the sky. He counted vaguely on his fingers. “One question. Probably three. Hopefully not more than that,” he made a face at that thought.

“I’d like to get it over with so we can move on. So ask.”

Where do I start? She could keep it short. An obvious question returned to her mind. “Are you the Abaddon Prince?” she asked. She rushed to explain at the face he made, “I’m asking because I want to know if you lied or not. Not because I care about your title.”

She tried not to take to heart the way he rolled his eyes. “Yes, I am the Prince. Velvet’s title was given to me when we were younger,” he elaborated. Then he grimaced, “and no, I don’t know why it was passed to me, so don’t ask.”

Of course he hadn’t lied.

Still, it was already odd to her that Willis had a sibling at all. Let alone one that was olderthan him. What possible reason was there for him to hold the title of heir over them? It would be all too easy to speculate. Unfortunately, there were more pressing matters at hand.

“Velvet took my magic, but I know they didn’t touch me at all, aside from when they threw me. I thought contact was needed for Destruction magic to work?”

He flinched, ears perked. He gestured vaguely, “Generally speaking yes. Like I told you though, it’s a spell. So there’s variations.” His expression turned sour, tail curling around his waist. “Doing something like that is a particularly tricky variation that of course my oh so talented sibling can do with ease,” he huffed bitterly.

He seemed so proud of them before with how they spoke of their scythe. Did I strike a nerve? She grabbed her sleeves. Holding herself close. She clicked her tongue. Was there anything else- WAIT. She flinched. Hunched over with clenched teeth. Her head hung low.

My plan. My apology. It had all been ruined. Turned to dust. I could still apologize, the thought was not as confident as she would have liked. She forced a breath, which came out more like a cough, “Actually there’s something I wanted to talk to you about- unrelated to all this.” Technically.

“Can it wait?”

She melted, “Wh- why?” He doesn’t even know what I’m going to say. 

“I’m tired from all the magic Velvet took from me. It wears you out. Even if you get it back,” he explained. He idly rubbed the blanket between his fingers. “Plus you said your back hurts. I’m sure you want to rest.”

I could throw up right now. “I- I guess.” She long since stopped trying to hide her displeasure. He hadn’t seemed to notice. She watched him stand and she knew she was expected to do the same.

“When do you want to meet?” she tried to ask calmly. I can’t do this again. It would tear her apart if she was left to agonize like that another week.

“Tomorrow. I have something to talk to you about as well.”

The first part was a relief, the latter not so much. She tried to ignore the way her stomach tied herself into knots. “Alright. I’ll see you then.”

“Not just tomorrow. I want to meet in the morning. An hour after sunrise,” he clarified.

Her eye twitched. “Why the morning?” Such a jarring change. It coiled her insides more and more. 

“I don’t want to wait all day,” was all he said. He grabbed his things. Leaving no room for argument, “Goodnight Lilium.”

“…Goodnight.”

The end approached.