Dica

After waving goodbye to Sati, Dica turned to face the door of the room he shared with Colt. He stared at it for a moment or two wondering how he was going to face Colt. What if Colt’s fear had melted away into anger, or even worse… What if Colt’s fear was there to stay? Dica didn’t know if he could handle living with Colt constantly afraid of him.

Sucking in a deep breath, he opened up the door to reveal that all the lights were off. Curiously, he wandered inside and quietly let the door shut behind him. His eyes adjusted quickly to the dark, as demon eyes often did.

He looked over to the bed where Colt was curled up. He looked so peaceful there, with his chest rising and falling gently with each breath. Dica felt a smile creep onto his face for a moment before he shook it away. Watching him sleep, huh, Dica? Way to be creepy. Dica was just about to lie down on the floor for the night until he heard Colt stir.

“Dica?” Colt breathed against the silence. “Is that you?”

“Yeah,” Dica spoke softly back. “It’s me.”

Colt immediately scooted over on the bed.

“Here…” Colt flashed him a gentle smile in dark. “There’s enough room for us both.” Dica stood there dumbly, staring at the empty spot beside Colt. After all I’ve done to him, he wants me to lie down beside him… Colt really was an odd duck.

Dica sighed and made his way over to the bed where sleepy Colt gave him another smile that made Dica’s heart skip a beat.

“Alright…” Dica stammered before climbing in bed beside Colt. The bed was warm and inviting, but Dica assumed that it had to do with Colt’s body heat. Dica easily snuggled under the blankets and closed his eyes, sighing in contentment. Why Colt allowed him in the bed was a mystery to him, but he wasn’t complaining. Slowly he closed his eyes and felt himself begin to drift off…

Puella

Puella looked up from her book as Sati entered the room. Sati appeared to be trying to silence their movements, but it didn’t matter. The commotion next door had kept Noki up and put Puella on edge. She planned on getting sleep, but the neighboring demons had kept her from even getting in the proper mindset for sleep. Noki yawned and stretched from where she sat upon the bed.

“Hey, Sati,” she said after yawning.

“How long have you been awake?” Sati asked.

Noki let out a sigh. “I didn’t end up sleeping.”

“Me neither,” Puella scowled. “The neighbors were a bit noisy.” A frown crossed Sati’s lips.

“Yeah,” they said. “Dica told me he and Colt got into a fight.”

“Oh God, what happened?” Noki looked to Sati with concern, but Puella slammed her book shut, rage settling in her stomach. She knew Pride well, she knew the horrible things he could verbally weave together, or even the things he could do to Colt physically… He had murdered Envy's before… what was stopping him from doing it again? Her head began to hurt at the thought. She looked to Sati, expecting an answer immediately. Sati, nervous as always, looked between the Saint and the demon, focusing mostly on Puella in her still rage.

“I don’t know the details,” they admitted. “Dica just said he was harsher than usual. I just hope Colt is okay.” Harsher than usual? Fuck that. Puella sighed to herself and got up without saying a word. She quickly made way to exit the room, Colt’s safety the only thing on her mind.

“Puella, stop,” Noki spoke up. “We can ask them tomorrow, I’m sure they just want to sleep right now.”

“Don’t tell me what to do, Noki,” Puella snapped harshly. Noki flinched away from her anger.

“Please, let’s all calm down,” Sati tried to sound brave and keep the peace, but Puella was not having it tonight. Who knew what Dica might have done to Colt. “Harsher than usual” could mean literally anything.

“Seriously, Puella,” Noki continued. “Calm down. I don’t think anyone wants more fighting tonight.”

Puella waited at the door and turned to look Noki in the eyes.

“I want to make sure Colt is okay.”

“Dica feels bad, that’s a good start already,” Sati tried to reason with Puella. “Maybe we should give him time to make up?”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea, Sati. Maybe give them both some time,” Noki agreed.

“Fuck that,” Puella growled. “The two of them are always fighting, and I’m not about to let Dica hurt him.”

“Yes, but Dica rarely feels remorse for his actions… Give it some time,” Sati spoke soothingly, but it did little to ease Puella’s worry. If anything, it only made her worry more.

“Yeah, Puella, calm down,” Noki tried again. “We’ll check in the morning.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” Puella yelled. “If Dica feels remorse, that probably just means he’s really fucked up this time.”

Sati flinched away.

“Look,” Noki snapped. “I understand you are really protective of Colty, and Lord knows how much you hate Dica. But if Colty was in distress he’d come over here for comfort, not stay in there with Dica.” Puella let out a growl and jerked open the door. She shot Noki a dark look, begging her to try and stop her, and exited the room.

“Sati, we’ll be back hon,” She heard Noki say from the room. She assumed this meant that Noki would be following her. “Puella, wait,” Noki said softly from the doorway. But Puella ignored her and stomped over to the boys’ room and rapped on the door with her fist.

Noki caught up to her and stood beside her at the door.

“They could be asleep,” Noki said. Puella let out a sigh and waited by the door, her thoughts racing. Colt was in danger, maybe not specifically at the hands of Dica, but Noki was marching them straight to their execution as if nothing was wrong.

“Noki,” Puella broke the silence with a hiss. “I refuse to let anything happen to Colt. I won’t let Dica, or you, hurt him.”

“It’s not like I want to hurt you guys,” Noki muttered.

“Yet you continue on this quest. You know what’s going to happen to us once you complete it.”

“I can’t help it! I’ve been waiting, praying, for word to let you guys go! I’ve even grown to see some of you guys as friends… I don’t want to do this…” Her voice broke to nearly a whisper. “But I don’t want to know what the church will do to me if I refuse to carry out this quest. They could kill me! And I don’t want to die without knowing what happened to my dad…”

“Noki, you’re pathetic.” Puella sighed. “You could let us go at any time. You could run off and find another way to find your father. Instead you’re just doing what you’re told.”

“I know I’m pathetic,” Noki sniffled. “But the church would be able to find me long before I could find my father… I don’t want to die alone.” Tears welled up in Noki’s bright blue eyes. “He’s the only family I’ve got…”

Puella paused for a moment, not saying anything. Noki rubbed at her eyes.

“I-I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I should probably calm down before I wake anyone up… I just…” she began before falling silent. Suddenly, the door to the motel room opened to reveal a tired looking Dica. He held a finger to his lips to hush them all.

“Shh, you’ll wake up Colt,” Dica chided. “Jesus, what the Hell is with all that noise?”

Noki wiped her eyes. “Sorry, that was me.”

With a glare, Puella shoved Dica aside, the only thing on her mind was Colt. She pushed herself into the room only to be greeted by darkness and the shape of someone lying under the blankets. She stared at the shape for a moment watching it move with each breath. Once she was satisfied that Colt was alive, she turned back to Dica.

“You’re a princess for fuck’s sake, Puella. If Lord Lucifer taught me manners, he taught you,” Dica whisper yelled to Puella, pressing himself against the doorframe.

Puella got close to him, right up in his face and hissed. “What did you do to him?” She demanded. “That little bastard told me you two had a fight. Now tell me what happened.”

“What happened earlier?” Noki repeated Puella’s demands gentler.

“We always fight,” Dica glared. “What makes you so fucking mental about this one?”

“It sounded worse,” she growled. Dica’s killed Envys for less than what Colt’s done, why should I give him any benefit of the doubt. He might have hurt Colt…

“Guys,” Noki spoke up in a hushed voice. “If you’re going to fight, at least go outside so Colty can sleep.”

“Fine,” Puella agreed to leave the room and she exited it, still steaming like a pot about to boil. Dica pulled the door shut quietly and crossed his arms.

“So what’s all of this about?” He asked as he stepped out of the room.

“This fight seemed... worse,” Puella repeated. “I wanted to know Colty’s okay.”

“He pissed me off more than he usually does,” Dica admitted. “Doesn’t mean I maimed the kid.”

“Sati said… that you feel remorseful after the fight. For as long as I’ve known you, that word doesn’t associate with you. Now, what did you do?”

“I’m glad you know me so well, Puella. I’m just a monster with no conscious, and absolutely no ability to feel genuine emotion.” Dica rolled his eyes. This only pissed Puella off more. He’s never felt remorse before, why should now be different? He’s a self-righteous asshole!

“You know what, you and your sassy ass can go back to Hell for all I care. But if you hurt Colt, I will put you down like a dog.” After the words left her lips, Puella stormed off to the other room.

“I want to go back to Hell!” Dica yelled.

Puella sighed and shut the door before Noki could walk in, not that she honestly cared that much. But much to her surprise, Noki didn’t open the door to walk in. She must have been talking to Dica or something. Puella resumed her earlier position on a chair and grabbed her book from the side table. It was bound to be a long night for her.