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fall to hell with me

Summary:

Although Mika has been alive for more than a century, he was never really living— until Shu saved him.

As chaos starts to unfold within the demon realm, Shu and Mika slowly find themselves being dragged into it all, and Mika realizes there is more to Shu and Eichi’s relationship than meets the eye…

Notes:

back in October of 2020, i wrote a little shmk demon au ficlet titled "better from you" and soon after writing it, i decided to make it a whole au. i wasn't sure if i'd ever finish writing it or even post it, but i've decided to at least try! so i hope u enjoy what i do have of it so far, and here's to hoping i finish it !

 

Chapter 1

Notes:

chapter content warnings: light blood/gore, bleeding out, brief suicidality

Chapter Text

Mika comes-to in the dead of night.

 

His vision is blurred, but he guesses he’s somewhere in the city by the sound of rain hitting gutters, the distant sound of cars, and the sharp smell of garbage. His dark bangs cling to his forehead, drenched under the pouring rain. One of his horns digs into the damp concrete where he lies, and he groans at the way it aches, sending sharp pains to his head. 

 

There are deep slashes across his torso, and other small wounds throughout the rest of his body. They still seem to be oozing blood, dripping blackness across his skin and onto the ground. He tries to move and examine them, but his entire body screams in pain from even the slightest effort.

 

Unfortunately, Mika found out the hard way that the demons around here are very territorial— they didn’t like new blood dancing around their prey.

 

Bleedin’ out in an alleyway… He thinks, how pathetic.

 

He’s been alive for around a century now, but since time passes oddly for demons, he’s still technically classified as a newborn. Regardless, he’s rapidly approaching being a fully fledged demon.

 

The first time he was made aware of his existence, it was in a little, dilapidated cabin in the middle of the woods, within a warped space inaccessible to mortals like humans. He once called it home, but there wasn’t much point in visiting anymore, for reasons obvious to its appearance. When he first awoke, he had almost no memory of his previous human life— all he could remember was the name Mika. 

 

Back then, he felt more alive than ever. Taking out a demon intercepting his hunts was manageable, if not easy. Mika is clumsy by nature, so figuring out how to feed was a bit difficult. Thankfully, newborns don’t need to eat as often as other demons to survive. He’s been able to catch a few humans here and there to keep him going, but it has been hard to take their energy without taking too much and killing them. 

 

The way he feeds has never been an issue… until now.

 

When he entered the territory earlier, looking to feed, a group of demons jumped him, and that’s the last thing Mika remembers before collapsing. They left him slashed and beaten, and they were even nice enough to leave him partially alive, so he could suffer until death finally comes for him.

Now that he’s getting older, he needs to eat more often than his body previously required. Since these demons have been hunting him, however, he hasn’t been feeding nearly enough, his lack of energy making it nearly impossible to regenerate any of his wounds, where he’d normally be able to. 

 

He’d been able to survive for so long with his youthful strength… for what? To die in an alleyway with no one to help him?

 

What a good-for-nothing demon he is. 

 

Searing pain in the rhythm of his slowing heartbeat engulfs his senses now that he’s fully regained consciousness. Instinctively, he reaches for the wounds covering his stomach. His vision has somewhat come back, going in and out of focus, and lifting his wet and blackened hand,  he notices just how much blood is covering his body. He’s surprised he’s conscious at all. He almost wishes another one of those demons would find him again just to end him more quickly. 

 

And then— because maybe the universe finally feels like pitying him— he hears footsteps approaching. 

 

"What's this?” An amused, unfamiliar voice says.

 

A hand grabs his chin, turning his face, and suddenly he’s looking in the eyes of another demon. The world is spinning through Mika’s eyes, but he can make out blond hair and glowing blue eyes. As Mika’s energy fades, his senses are going as well, but he can still catch a dreadful aura emanating from the man before him. 

 

“So you were the newborn trespassing in my territory…”

 

He pauses, looking him up and down, and Mika soon realizes this must be the leader figure of the demons that had been hunting him. To anyone else, this situation would be extremely troubling, but this actually makes Mika feel a bit more hopeful. 

 

Maybe he will finally get put out of his misery.

 

“Pathetic.” 

 

The man tsks, a devilish smile covering his face, and he throws Mika’s face back down on the pavement, causing him to hiss in pain. 

 

“It’s good to recognize when you’re receiving a warning— my underlings were not playing games with you when they were intercepting your hunts, you know. But, it doesn’t matter now since your life will be over soon, anyway.” He steps over Mika’s body and couches down to face him again, petting through Mika’s hair in a way that makes him feel patronized. “Since you didn’t get the hint, now you get to die out of your own stupidity… how does it feel?”

 

Mika almost wants to ask if that’s a promise, but he suddenly coughs as he opens his mouth to speak, hacking up a spray of blood. The hand, still running through Mika’s hair, stops on one of his horns, and Mika’s head is pushed into the ground, mercilessly. The man’s smile widens in entertainment, as he watches Mika’s eyes screw shut from the torture.

 

It seems Mika won’t be getting any pity, after all. Instead, all he got was an audience for his impending death, and one rather eager to participate in his suffering at that. Although, this audience apparently seems to be growing, as he begins to hear another pair of footsteps coming their way. The blond man releases Mika from his grip, turning around with an expression rapidly growing into one of annoyance.

 

Mika feels the presence of another demon entering the alleyway. Writhing to turn and look, he finds him to be dressed particularly elegantly for any demon Mika has ever encountered, wearing a nice white blouse under a deep crimson coat. His hair is a soft pink, while his eyes are a piercing violet. His aura is rather...comforting, which would be more enjoyable for Mika if he weren’t currently on the verge of losing his life already. But somehow, Mika feels the sharpness of his pain ease. Whether that has to do with his presence or Mika’s extreme amount of lost blood, he’s unsure.

 

“You sure have a knack for interrupting at the worst of times, Itsuki...” The blond man says, his smile never faltering despite his irritated tone. “I thought you had left already.”

 

“That was my intention.” Itsuki says, not attempting to hide his displeasure. “Your Wataru, however, took his sweet time explaining his inspiration to me, so our meeting was longer than expected-”

 

“Of course, that new theatrical production of his… you’re helping to design costumes for it.” He finishes his sentence with an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes. “You’re lucky he takes such a liking to you… So then, what are you doing here , exactly?”

 

Through blurred vision, Mika can see the man’s violet eyes studying him. He’s not sure what to think about him, hardly able to follow what the two men are discussing, but he lacks that hunger for blood in his eyes. It’s odd to think, but perhaps… he’s stalling for Mika’s behalf. 

 

“If you would let me finish, Tenshouin… ” Itsuki drifts off, glancing towards Mika. “Before leaving, Wataru wanted me to look for you— something to do with that spoiled one of yours being hurt. It seems now I understand why he is.”

 

“This thing, and what happened with it, is not of your concern.” The blond man— Tenshouin— punctuates his sentence by stepping on the wound on Mika’s stomach. Even while choking in pain, he doesn’t miss the way the man glares at Itsuki, finally breaking his facade — it seems even he can have his weaknesses. 

 

“Any other time, I would make this quick, but my appetite has been ruined. So congratulations, have fun rotting in this alleyway.” He says to Mika, reluctantly pulling his foot back and turning away to leave. “I would like it if I didn’t have to see you in my territory again any time soon, Itsuki.”

 

Mika lets out a shaky sigh as Tenshouin disappears into the night. He’s starting to wonder how he got so unlucky when he feels the other man crouch in front of him. A hand rests over his forehead.

 

“C-Can ya…” Mika coughs, more blood coming up as he speaks for the first time that night, gasping shallowly. “Jus’...put me o-outta…my m-mis-sery...please?”

 

“You’ve hardly had a chance to live your life, and now you want to throw it away?” Itsuki scoffs. “It seems you’re much more of an idiot than I inferred.”

 

He wipes Mika’s damp bangs from his face, and strangely, he’s able to gasp for a full breath again. Itsuki puts a hand over the wound in his torso, making the sting of it become less prominent. Mika finds his pain gradually lessening by the second. Exhaustion overwhelms him as his pain dissipates, his vision once again blurring, but for lack of ability to keep his eyes open. In the back of his mind, he wonders if it’s okay to just...let go, wondering if this is actually what dying feels like. But, his consciousness slipping tells him he doesn’t have a choice in the matter.

 

He sinks into the blackness.

Chapter 2

Summary:

a bit of a longer chapter this time!! i would like to update this weekly but let's see what happens LOL

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

 

Mika knows, from what little life experience he has, that demons don’t need to sleep.

 

They regain strength exclusively by feeding, however, getting a good rest after doing so greatly encourages the regeneration of wounds, if a demon were to be harmed. Mika found this out a long time ago… the hard way. But, Mika has always felt like something was off whenever he slept, like something was missing. 

 

Now Mika realizes it was the lack of dreams. As it’s something so humanly familiar, he remembers what it was like to dream during his previous life. Since demons aren’t really meant to sleep, maybe they aren’t meant to dream, either.

 

Mika also finds out this is not true.

 

When he regains consciousness, two things simultaneously occur. For one, he realizes he is, in fact, alive . And two, he immediately recalls vivid details from the first dream he’s ever had— gentle touches on his skin, the smell of lavender, and a field of wildflowers. Unsure what any of this means,  he can’t quite put it together in a way that makes sense. But, even as he opens his eyes and recognizes that he must be awake, he can still smell lavender.

 

In his groggy state, he shifts around to get comfortable and realizes he’s in a bed, but where exactly, he’s also unsure. The room is mostly dark, except for the light coming from the bedside lamp. Before he’s able to decide if he wants to get up and investigate, someone gently grabs his arm. Concerned violet eyes, framed by neat, pink bangs and short, circlet-like horns, look over him as his blankets are readjusted. 

 

This man— what was his name? He must’ve heard it at some point during that conversation he’d witnessed the night before, or… was that even last night? He has no idea how long he’s been asleep, and he hardly remembers anything prior to passing out again.

 

“Your eyes are open.” The man’s voice, deep and warm, pulls him away from his thoughts. “Are you conscious?”

 

Mika nods, clearing his throat to find his voice. He has a plethora of questions he’d like to ask the man, being the most confused and out-of-it he’s probably ever been, but he’s not sure where to start. But, he supposes he could start with asking how long he may have been unconscious. 

 

“How…  long’ve I been out?” He says, voice rough from disuse.

 

“It’s been little more than a day. You’re a newborn, correct? You seem to have recovered quite fast.”

 

So, he didn’t lose that much time. Considering how convinced Mika was that he wouldn’t ever heal, it’s relieving to hear that he still did and at his normal regeneration speed. Just to see for himself, Mika reaches for his torso, pulling his torn shirt back, to find that the deep cuts from before have indeed healed over. There’s still some dried blood on him, but other than that, he’s clean from everything, even scars. 

 

The other man follows Mika’s eyes to his torso. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Much better than… th’other night,” he says, covering his body again.

 

As he tries to lift himself up, he gets a wave of dizziness and finds himself still feeling rather weak. While he’s no longer in pain, it seems to be taking longer for his body to regenerate completely now that he’s getting older. That’s a thought he shoves to the side for the moment, reaching for his head as his vision spins. 

 

“I’m sure you do, but it appears you still need some rest.” He places his hand on Mika’s shoulder. “Are you… really a newborn?”

 

Mika slowly blinks as the dizziness subsides. “I’ve been needin’ ta eat more lately, so ‘m gettin’ a li’l too old ta be called that, I think.”

 

“I see...” Violet eyes squint, glancing away as if he were briefly considering something. “Well, allow me to be of assistance.”

 

He gently turns Mika to face towards him, holding both of his shoulders, and Mika begins to feel that familiar pulling sensation of energy. The sudden close proximity makes him all too aware of himself. He remembers how, not too long ago, he’d been lying in a dirty alleyway. The white sheets he’d been lying on were definitely dirty, so he feels bad that the other man reached out to touch him.

 

The man seems unphased, however, as he brushes Mika’s unruly hair down with his fingertips ghosting his scalp. The pulling sensation increases, and the pressure in Mika’s head disappears. 

 

He’s helpin’ me feed , he thinks. 

 

Although he knew demons have the ability to feed with each other, he’s never tried to before; he’s never really met another demon worth getting that close to. And, maybe it was because of his previous strength as a younger newborn, but he’d never received such help from anyone before. He’s honestly surprised the man wants to help him feed when they don’t even know each other. He’s definitely grateful to still be alive because of it,  but he’s starting to feel indebted to the man for allowing him to be.

 

“Why… exactly are ya helpin’ me?” Mika shifts, awkwardly. “I mean… ya coulda left me in that alleyway, but ya didn’t...”

 

He pulls away, cocking an eyebrow at Mika. “Would you rather have been left there?” 

 

“N-No, ‘course not! ‘Was just… wonderin’,” he says, visibly shrinking into himself.

 

“Listen.” The pink-haired man sighs and crosses his arms. “I took you in… simply because I wanted to. Perhaps, I also did it in spite of Tenshouin, but… I don’t think anyone deserves to die out of pure ignorance .”

 

Mika blinks at him, not exactly sure what he’s talking about, but he hones in on the mentioned name. Tenshouin… that was the leader who ordered for Mika to be exterminated. The image of those cold, blue eyes staring at him in the dark flashes through his mind, and he shivers.

 

“I would like it if I didn’t have to see you in my territory again any time soon… Itsuki.”

 

“Itsuki …?” Mika whispers to himself, suddenly recalling the last thing he’d said.

“What was that?”

 

“‘I… just remembered— yer name is… Itsuki?”

 

"Yes… Itsuki, Shu .” He looks at Mika with a hint of surprise in his eyes. “Do you have a name?”

 

“‘M Kagehira, Mika.” He reaches out to Shu for a handshake, wanting to seem polite, and Shu complies. “Thank ya kindly for helpin’ me out...!”

 

Mika tries to stand, but his legs nearly give out the moment he gets off the bed. The hold Shu still has on his hand tightens as he prevents him from collapsing.

 

“Don’t thank me yet.” Shu’s lips turn up in a very small smile for a split second. “I was going to ask if you’d like to use my guest bath to clean yourself up, but now…  I’m not so sure you’ll be able to stand by yourself.”

 

Mika sheepishly scratches his head. A bath does sound nice, especially with how dirty he’s gotten. But, he hadn’t expected his body to still be so weak, even after Shu’s help. If he wants to take the offer, he will definitely need some assistance getting there at least.

 

 “If ‘s not too much… but if y’could help me get there…?”

 

Shu nods, and he pulls Mika’s arm around his neck so he can support his weight. The white blouse he’s wearing makes Mika nervous, not wanting to ruin it with all the grime currently covering his skin and his own clothes, but Shu’s arm coming to rest at his waist prevents him from moving away. He follows on wobbly legs as Shu leads him across the room. 

 

When they step into the bathroom, Mika is a bit taken aback. It’s bigger than any bathroom he’s ever seen, almost as spacious as the bedroom they were just in, and it’s far more lavish than he expected— a white marble floor, silver accents on the mirrors, and a pristine bathtub in the corner that Mika thinks could easily fit three people his size.

 

Shu helps him sit down on the stool beneath the shower head, and he goes to run the bath for him. As the room becomes filled with the sound of running water, Mika grabs his shirt, meaning to take it off, but his hand catches on a large hole. Due to the fighting he barely endured the night before, there are now multiple tears in both his shirt and his pants.

 

“You know… I happen to make clothes for a living,” Shu suddenly says.

 

Mika looks up as Shu kneels in front of him, grabbing the worn hem of his sleeve to examine the fabric. 

 

“Trying to mend them won’t do any good,” he pauses to look Mika up and down, “since the fabric is already so worn, it would only tear again. If you’d like, I could make you something new that actually fits before you are to leave.”

 

Mika flushes, looking away. It’s obvious that his shirt is oversized, and his pants are a bit short on him, but he’s still embarrassed that he noticed. He pretty much finds whatever he can to wear, so he doesn’t have a lot of suitable spare clothing. But, he already owes his life to this man, so he’s not sure he wants to be asking any more of him.

 

“S’okay, ya don’t have ta do that. Ya’ve already done so much…”

 

“I feel it’d be rude of me to let you leave still donning tattered clothing. I can make you new clothes by tomorrow.” Shu stands, going back to check the bath. “After you’ve cleaned up, I’ll have to take your measurements, however.”

 

Since he seems so adamant, and Mika can’t find it in himself to argue with that, he just nods, dumping his shirt onto the floor. The bath must be filled well enough by now, because Shu turns off the water, only to come back and turn on the shower for him, aiming the sprayer away.

 

"I'll leave out some spare clothes for you to borrow for now." He moves Mika's torn shirt out of the way. "I imagine you'll be able to get in the bath yourself, but you can yell for me if you need assistance."

 

Mika nods. “T-Thanks.”

 

With that, Shu leaves, shutting the door behind him, and Mika shuffles out of his pants, throwing them to the side with his shirt. He grabs the soap off of the nearby shelf to begin washing all of the dirt and dried blood off of himself.




After Mika has cleaned up and allowed himself to sit in a warm bath for a while, he peeks into the bedroom, mostly dry and wrapped in a towel. Shu is no longer here, but he seems to have made the bed and changed the sheets while Mika was gone. He makes it over to the bed with more ease than before; the warm bath having  helped the blood flow back through his legs.

 

A knit sweater and some corduroy pants have been neatly folded and left out for him. He quickly pulls them on, reveling in how soft they feel compared to his previous clothing, although the hems are a bit long on him due to the few inches height difference between him and Shu. He takes a moment to roll up the ends of the pants so he can walk properly.

 

The clothes remind him that Shu mentioned wanting to take his measurements, so he could make better fitting clothes for him. He said he could yell if Mika needed him, but he supposes he could go look for him, himself. He anxiously eyes the bedroom door in consideration, hand hovering over the doorknob before finally opening it.

 

Mika peeks out, glancing down the hall. It’s dark, and it’s so long that the end is engulfed in shadows— he can't tell where it ends, especially in what he assumes is now the dead of night. An intricate, expensive looking, red carpet covers the dark wood of the hall floor, and several paintings don the walls, filling the empty spaces. A few small chandeliers hang from the ceiling, but the light they give off is dim, even in the darkness. If Mika were to guess, he'd assume he's in a mansion or possibly a castle of sorts...

 

Who exactly has he ended up under the care of?

 

Considering Mika isn’t great with directions, there’s a good chance he’d probably get lost before finding Shu. But, as he glances down the other side of the hall, he spots a streak of light spilling out from a crack in one of the doors that’s been left ajar. Maybe he doesn’t have to search very far, after all. He crosses the hall and hesitantly pushes the door open.

 

Instead of any sight of Shu, Mika is greeted by a very organized mess. A corner table in the back left holds a sewing machine and is covered in scattered thread and ribbon, as if someone were just working on something. A few racks of clothing line the walls beside it, and in the middle of the room, there are two long tables holding several boxes with fabric spilling out of them.

 

Mannequin torsos are also littered around the room, some wearing half-made clothing, others in finished pieces. One of them is wearing a blue dress, the details of which catch Mika's eye. He examines the white lace on the neckline, and the peek of white and yellow floral print that travels down the middle of the dress from the bodice. Mika steps forward to get a closer look, but a loud thud makes him jump and step back behind the door, adrenaline pumping through his veins. Gripping the handle, he peeks around as a door to the right of the room opens.

 

Shu appears, walking out of what seems to be a walk-in closet, and Mika steps back into the room, catching his attention. 

 

“Oh good— you’re out. Don’t mind the mess.” He gestures to the various boxes as he walks to the corner desk on the other side of the room. “I need to finish putting away all this new fabric.” He rummages through one of the drawers, and waves Mika over, pulling out a string of measuring tape. "Come here."

 

Mika obliges, and Shu steps forward, wasting no time in holding the tape up against him. He measures the length of his shoulders and arms, fingertips sliding against him as he aligns the tape. It makes Mika feel a little jumpy, since he isn’t used to being touched anymore. For a while now, Mika has associated being touched with being physically harmed. And, as Shu moves to measure his chest, very much within his personal boundaries again, Mika tries not to squirm too much out of anxiousness. He's slightly more relieved when Shu walks back around him to measure his waist. Shu at least moves about with an air of professionalism. If he notices Mika’s nervousness, he doesn’t visibly react to it, and he gets the rest of the measurements he needs quickly, to Mika’s relief.

 

When he finally steps away, Mika releases a breath he hardly knew he was holding as Shu scribbles numbers down onto a notepad resting on the desk. It then sets in for Mika that, yes, he's seriously going to go through all this trouble for him. Shu is going to make some clothes for him, after he’s already helped him recover by feeding with him, after he's willingly taken him into his home. 

 

After he's saved his life

 

If it weren’t for him, he probably wouldn't be here right now. No, he definitely wouldn’t… Mika has never felt so indebted to someone.

 

He clears his throat. “Uhh… thanks fer goin’ through all this trouble fer me, really. Is there… anythin’ I could do ta repay ya…?”

 

Shu hand stills, pen still on paper. “Repay me? There’s no need to.”

 

“A-Are ya sure? I wouldn’t be… alive. If it weren’t for yer help so. I feel like I should do somethin’ for ya in return, since I kinda owe my life to ya…” Mika glances around the room, noticing all of the fabric spilling out of boxes and unfinished pieces haphazardly scattered across the table. “If ya need the help, I could… maybe be yer assistant or somethin’...?”

 

“That’s not… necessary. Like I said before, I’m helping you only because I wanted to.” He glances at Mika, thoughtfully. “Besides, I’m sure there are people waiting for you to return, so I shouldn’t keep you away any longer than needed.”

 

Mika awkwardly runs his fingers through the hair lying on the back of his neck. “Nah, s’okay. I got nowhere ta be, and there’s… no one waitin’ fer me. ‘Don’t usually stay in one place for too long, anyway.”

 

Shu turns to him with furrowed brows, eyes squinted as he studies him. Mika’s hand drops, and he lets his head fall, dejectedly. If he really doesn’t need anything from him, he supposes there's no reason to feel bad-

 

“Alright,” Shu says, dropping his pen.

 

“H…Huh?” 

 

“If you desire to somehow repay me…” He crosses his arms. “Then, yes, you can stay here and be an assistant of sorts for me when I work.”

 

Mika’s eyes widen. “Really?”

 

“Yes— on one condition.”

 

“S-Sure… what’s that?”

 

“Let me teach you how to feed properly. You must learn how to take care of yourself, so this kind of event isn’t repeated again.” Mika nervously nods as Shu steps towards him, reaching out to straighten the slightly oversized sweater on him. “And, perhaps another thing as well…”

 

“Y-Yea...?”

 

“If you’re going to stay here, let me dress you. Those clothes I found you in were dreadful, torn or not.”

 

He promptly turns back to his desk, starting to clear it off, as Mika huffs out a giggle. That's not exactly what he expected to hear, however, he's not opposed to the idea. It only means he has one less thing to worry about now.

 

"’Kay!"

 

"That room you were staying in will be yours for as long as you are here." Shu lays out some black fabric and begins to cut in skilled, straight lines. "Is there anything I should keep in mind while making your clothes?"

 

"Nnah, ’m fine with anythin’."

 

Mika pulls a chair back from a table in the middle of the room and sits as Shu fiddles with the sewing machine. He looks around at the mess he will probably want to help Shu organize with a feeling of excitement. He's never really had a purpose for being anywhere before— the only one being to feed. Although he doesn't really know anything about the man that has taken him in, he feels slightly better knowing that from now on, there may be more to his life than simply surviving.

 

Maybe now, even if it's only for a short amount of time, he will have somewhere less lonely to call home.

 

He plays with the sleeves of his borrowed sweater, pulling at them and hiding his hands in the long hems. "Actually… maybe there is somethin'..."

 

"Hm?" Shu pauses his fiddling.

 

"Could ya make the sleeves a little longer?"

Notes:

this chapter was a little slow so we could set things up but the next one should be rolling more into the plot! i hope u enjoyed the shmk crumbs :)

Chapter 3

Notes:

this chapter got a little out of hand length-wise bc we're getting into plot now LOL we're in shu POV for this one and from here on out, chapters will be alternating POV between shu and mika!!!

also i'm very excited since there's a character appearance this chapter that i've been dying to write since i got the idea :)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Shu enters his library with a small stack of mail in his hands.

 

He finds Mika already inside, sitting by one of the tall windows with a book. The afternoon light trails into the room, framing the outline of his body. He hadn't seemed like the type to read, but Shu had been pleased to find him interested in scanning the many bookshelves around the room when he'd first discovered it a few days prior. 

 

The book he's currently reading, however, gets discarded when he notices Shu walking into the interconnected study. Mika jumps up, following behind him to lie across the couch placed in front of the study's fireplace. Shu pretends not to notice him messing up the folded blanket and pillows lying on said couch as he spreads his mail across his desk to sort through it.

 

Being… well, not human, the only reason he has a mailing address is to help himself pose as one, along with his work as a fashion designer. Although, most of the mail he gets is usually trash, anyway. But, today, there's one letter that sticks out among the spam in the rest of the pile; the name of the sender is familiar.

 

Rei Sakuma.  

 

He picks it out and pushes the others to the side.

 

"Can I help, Oshi-san?” Mika hops up and reaches for the discarded pile.

 

Shu nods, answering to the new nickname Mika made up for him— something he thought of after Shu decided to start mentoring him on how to sew properly. He tears open the letter as Mika sits in his desk chair, feeding the spam mail into the shredder one by one. For some reason, he finds amusement in it, and that amuses Shu in turn.

 

When he pulls the contents from the envelope, he’s surprised to find an invitation to a charity gala ball. This isn't the first time Shu has been invited to one of these, since the organization Rei directs has hosted them before (his equivalent of blending in with the humans). Although, the invitations he receives are not usually under Rei's name as the return address…

 

Mika, by his side again, looks over his shoulder. "What's that?”

 

“It looks like an invitation, but… there’s something more to it.”

 

The shiny script and gold bordering of the letter glints when Shu traces his finger along it— something is hidden within the letter, he knows it. Perhaps, Rei wanted to take precautions and conceal the real message he wished to send, Shu thinks. It must be serious if he was concerned about it being intercepted.

 

“Invitation? Who’s it from?” Mika follows Shu’s stare.

 

He watches in awe as Shu holds the letter flat in his palms and leans in close to blow over the paper. Almost in the fashion of a fire-breathing dragon, a trail of fire is released from Shu’s parted lips, laying itself over the page. Only the letters on the page catch fire, curling and rising up into ashes, leaving the rest of the paper untouched. They rearrange themselves until the fire dissipates, and a different message is presented across the paper. 

 

“A friend,” he answers simply, beginning to read through the newly revealed text.



My dear friend, Shu,

 

I hope this letter finds you in good health. 

 

It’s been far too long since we last met with one another, and as such, there is much for us to catch up on. I know you aren’t fond of social gatherings, but I would be delighted if you were to come to the gala I’m hosting. It should be a nice break in between you being hunched over your work, so please, at the very least, come have a cup of tea with me. 

 

I look forward to seeing you soon; please take note of the date on the other side of this invitation.

 

Sincerely,

Rei 

 

P.S. All guests are permitted to bring a plus one— feel free to bring a friend.



Shu has known Rei for long enough to know what “having a cup of tea” with him really entails. He has vital information, and it must be told to him in person. It’s no wonder Rei sent him a personal invitation this time. As for the post script… Shu is sure it’s not a coincidence that he would tell him to bring a friend when he’s recently taken in Mika as an assistant. After all, any piece of information somehow gets back to Rei, eventually. 

 

“You’ll be meeting him soon.” Shu neatly folds the letter, jotting down the date on the notepad on his desk for reference. “He personally invited me to a gala he’s hosting in a week, and you’ll be attending with me. I believe there’s something he must tell me that cannot be written in a letter.”

 

“Alright…!” Mika scratches his head. “Uh, what’s a gala, ‘gain?”

 

“Essentially, it’s an overblown and extravagant social gathering that only richer people are invited to.” Shu places Rei’s letter safely in the top right drawer of his desk. “There’s also a formal dress code, and our attire must match the theme of black and white. I may have to make something for both of us, since I don’t think either of us have anything appropriate at the moment.” He sighs. “This also means I’ll need to acquire more fabric...”

 

“Oh… are we gonna do that today?”

 

“Well, that depends…” Shu walks towards the doorway, stopping in the middle to glance back at Mika. “How do you feel about going back out into the open?”





For the first time in a couple of weeks, Shu accompanies Mika back to the human realm. Although Shu could tell he was a bit hesitant, Mika followed alongside him, figuring he’d have to come back to feed, eventually. Of course, the two glamor themselves, erasing their demonic features from the human eye.

 

Since it’s the first time Shu has seen Mika like this, he finds it odd to look at him without seeing the teal-tipped, black ram horns that usually sit atop the boy’s head. He also can’t help but notice how obviously jittery Mika looks, anxiously chewing on his bottom lip, even as they are surrounded by a crowd of humans in the marketplace— the one setting in which demons absolutely cannot allow themselves to be outed as creatures. Shu has a feeling he may know exactly what's worrying him.

 

“There’s no need to feel nervous, you know.” Shu glances at Mika as they walk down the street, readjusting his bag on his shoulder. “We’re far from where those miscreants live, and quite frankly, I’m sure they’re no longer interested in you.”

 

“Ya...Ya think so?” Mika looks at him, hopefully.

 

Shu wants to believe it’s true, but he can’t say for sure, knowing how Eichi is. He stays quiet, glancing around to make sure they’re going the right way and reaches for Mika as they walk into the crowd. “Stay close. I despise crowds, so I will be displeased if I have to look for you if you are to get lost.”

 

“O-Okay,” Mika says, startling when other people graze him to get by. He wraps his arms around Shu’s own, seemingly trying to avoid touching anyone else. It’s quite pitiful to watch, knowing how his living conditions prior to living with Shu must have affected his perception of touch. 

 

“We’re almost there.” Shu says, trying to ignore the extra weight on his arm. “It’s that shop down there with the-”

 

“Nngaah…!”

 

Someone bumps into Mika, consequently pushing him into Shu’s side. He quickly steps sideways to prevent himself, or Mika, from losing balance.

 

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” A girl with blonde hair steps in front of them, apologizing profusely. “I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going; I hope I didn’t bother you.”

 

She flashes them both a friendly and remorseful smile, and Shu catches an interesting glint in her eye. There’s something about her that makes her stand out to Shu amongst the humans in the crowd. A different sort of energy radiates from her.

 

She must be a demon.

 

“Right.” Shu swallows down his irritation and steps forward, pulling Mika with him. “If you’ll excuse us, we’re in a bit of a hurry-”

 

The girl mirrors Shu’s movements, not breaking her friendly demeanor in the slightest. “Actually, I am too! I’m looking for someone— you haven’t happened to have seen a young man, standing at about five-foot-five, with black hair and sleepy, red eyes, have you?” She glances towards Mika, leaning in to examine him closer, much to his very visible dismay. “He kind of resembles this cute boy you have here.”

 

“We haven’t seen any such person,” Shu retorts, pulling Mika behind him. “Good luck finding him, however.” And, with that, Shu walks past the girl, who waves at him as they leave. After a few strides past the other humans, Shu pulls open the door of a shop, walking inside.

 

Mika releases his hold on Shu. “What was that ‘bout?” 

 

“I have no clue,” Shu says, walking down various rows of fabric.

 

“D’ya think she’s… dangerous?”

 

“Hardly. It seemed she wanted to be more of a nuisance than anything, and I’m not particularly fond of dealing with strangers.” Shu breaks his stride, pausing his fabric analyzing to lean towards Mika, voice lowering. “But, you could tell she was a demon, yes?”

 

Oh, I thought there was somethin’ off ‘bout her…”

 

“With experience, it becomes easier to tell.” Shu walks further into the store, studying different kinds of black fabric, and Mika follows. 

 

“By the way, Oshi-san, what’s in the bag ya brought?” Mika asks, glancing at Shu’s other arm.

 

“Well,” Shu starts, pulling a sample piece of cloth into his hands to inspect it, “I figured I could run two errands at once.”

 

“Shu-kun!” A voice from the other end of the store calls out.

 

“Ah, and there is one of them…” Shu’s mouth curls up into a small smile.

 

A woman with long, curly blonde hair and emerald green eyes approaches the two. She carries herself with grace, her crimson dress flowing with every step, and Mika slinks back to Shu’s side the closer she gets. Excitedly, she wraps her arms around Shu in a warm hug, and he stiffens for a moment at the suddenness of it.

 

“It’s so good to see you.” She smiles warmly, leaning back to put her hands on her hips. “You could stand to visit me more, you know!”

 

“Apologies, Mademoiselle. Work has been keeping me busy, and… well...” He trails off, looking to Mika beside him.

 

“Oh, who is this?” The woman steps closer to Mika and pinches his cheek. “He’s awfully adorable!”

 

“Nnaah???” Mika flinches and squirms in her grip.

 

“There’s no need to coddle him!” Shu swats her arms away. “ Honestly, Mademoiselle, he doesn’t enjoy being touched very much.”

 

“S’okay, Oshi-san…” Mika sheepishly says. “Uh, my name’s Kagehira… Mika.”

 

“This is Madeline.” Shu gestures to the woman. “Mademoiselle is simply my nickname for her.”

 

“It’s lovely to meet you, Mika-chan. Since a friend of Shu-kun’s is a friend of mine, there’s no need for formalities here; you can just call me Madonee~!”

 

She reaches her hand out, to which Mika takes with little more confidence, shaking hands. “It’s nice ta meet ya, too, Madonee… ! I didn’t know Oshi-san was so close to the owners.”

 

“Oh, I’ve known her practically since I was brought into this world, and she’s been around a lot longer than even I.”

 

“Now, Shu-kun, it’s not very polite to hint at a lady’s age.” Rather than practically attack Mika with her maternal instincts, she simply takes Mika’s hands in hers this time. “I know you two must be here to collect more materials, but…” She glances between the two with a smile, “I’m sure you can make time to come up and try the fresh croissants I just finished baking.” 

 

“Of course,” Shu quickly says, “there is another purpose for my visit, anyway.”

 

“Perfect!” 

 

She passes by Shu and waves them to the back of the store. Shu reaches for Mika’s shoulder, letting him go first, and is relieved to find him less tense than previously. They pass by the front counter where another worker has taken Mademoiselle’s place, exchanging quick greetings with Shu, and he leads Mika up the stairs to the apartment above the shop. 

 

Upon crossing the threshold of the front door, Mademoiselle calls out from the kitchen. “Please feel free to get comfortable!”

 

It’s a quaint and clean place, filled with floral patterns, flowers sitting in pots by the windows, and porcelain dolls on the shelfs of furniture. They sit down on the white sofa in the living room, and Mika gazes around the room in awe. Shu watches him, pleased to see his interest, as he always feels at home when he visits Mademoiselle, finding nostalgia in her presence and home decor. 

 

“There’s no need to be shy, you two.” Mademoiselle appears in the kitchen’s doorway with small, white and sky blue horns now donning her head, a tray of croissants and tea in her hands. “We have nothing to hide here!”

 

Mika glances at Shu, who nods in turn, and they release the spell of their glamors. Ridge by ridge, Shu watches as Mika’s horns return to his figure, black blending into sparkling teal. He catches Mika looking at his own atop his head, as they also return to their rightful place.

 

“Beautiful!” Mademoiselle gently places the tray on the coffee table in front of them before sitting down in her own chair across the way. “Now, what is it that brings you here, Shu-kun?”

 

“There is… something I’ve been meaning to give you.” Shu takes the bag he’s been holding off of his arm and begins to unzip it. “Please, try it on immediately. I should be sure I got the measurements right before I leave.”

 

A blue gown, with floral accents, spills out of the bag, and Mademoiselle’s face lights up upon seeing it. 

 

“Oh, Shu-kun, this is beautiful!” She reaches out to feel the fabric, and Shu all but places it into her hands. “Where did you find the time to make this?”

 

“I had a bit of free time recently, and I’ve been wanting to make something for you. Let’s say it’s… a token of my gratitude.”

 

“Oh, there’s no need for thanking, Shu-kun. You know that.” She studies the garment with care before hopping out of her chair with it in hand. “Do you mind if I…?”

 

“Please do,” Shu nods, picking up two cups of tea.

 

Mademoiselle disappears into another room, and Shu hands Mika one of the cups, catching his knowing smile.

 

“So, that’s why y’were makin’ that dress! That’s awful’y nice of ya, Oshi-san.”

 

“Yes, well…” Shu takes a sip from his cup, thoughtfully. “Mademoiselle has done a lot for me, so I felt it was only right.”

 

“I see…” Mika nods and fiddles with the handle of his cup. “I’ve been wonderin’ since ya seem so close— how exac’ly did ya meet each other?”

 

“It may seem a bit ironic.” His expression hardens as he stares down at his tea, watching the reflection of his face in his cup, and he sighs. “There was a time when— just as you were— I was also in an unfortunate situation. And, she was there for me.” 

 

Mika stills the cup in his hands. “O-Oh…”

 

Shu casually picks up a croissant as he considers just how many parallels there may be to Mademoiselle saving him, and Shu saving Mika. If he were to be honest, Shu may have also saved him back then because he saw a bit of himself in Mika, and in the moment, he just knew he had to help him. He nearly forgets Mika’s presence for a moment, quietly speaking aloud, more to himself than him.

 

“I’m not sure I’d be here today without her...”

 

Mika’s eyes widen, and he opens his mouth to say something just as Mademoiselle slips back into the room. In the corner of his eye, Shu catches Mika closing his mouth and sinking into himself. For now, he pushes their previous conversation to the back of his mind. 

 

Mademoiselle does a little spin for them, pastel blue with yellow flowers nearly creating a kaleidoscope. “Shu-kun, I love it! It’s a perfect fit! It seems I taught you very well.”

 

“Taught…?” Mika says. 

 

“Indeed. Mademoiselle taught me how to sew.” Shu tears off a piece of his pastry. “Everything I know is thanks to her.”

 

“Always so modest…” Mademoiselle picks up a teacup as she returns to her seat. “I only taught him the very basics, so he took off with it himself, really! After all, I’m not the one making a living off of designing and tailoring.” 

 

Shu shakes his head and is about to refute, but Mademoiselle continues.

 

“Ah, but enough about us. I’ve been dying to know since I watched you two walk into the shop.” She lifts her teacup to her lips, hardly hiding a wicked smile. “How did you meet? Shu-kun doesn’t usually bring over… uh, friends.”

 

Madeline,” Shu delicately warns.

 

Mika glances, confusedly, between the two, as Mademoiselle smiles into a sip of her tea. Shu ignores her teasing in favor of returning Mika’s glance with a thoughtful expression. The way they met is not exactly a great topic of conversation, and Mika must know this as well, meeting Shu’s gaze with furrowed brows. But, even so, Shu has never felt as if he needed to hide anything from Mademoiselle…

 

“It was… not an ideal way of meeting.” He pauses, noticing the smile leaving her face. “I found him with Eichi.”

 

“Oh… oh my…” Realization dawns on Mademoiselle’s face as she catches the implication of Shu’s statements. “I-Is everything alright? Are you going to be safe?”

 

“I believe so, as there hasn’t been any trouble since. But, I did receive a letter from Rei this morning, and I doubt it’s a coincidence that he’d like to speak with me so soon after these events have transpired.”

 

“Ah,” Mademoiselle places her tea down, seemingly lost in thought, “I see how that could be rather worrisome…”

 

Shu places his cup across from hers and puts down his croissant, clearing his throat as he realizes how solemn the atmosphere has become. “Apologies for the sudden gloomy topic of conversation.”

 

"There’s nothing to apologize for, Shu-kun!” She shakes her head, leaning forward to catch his attention. “Of course, I’d rather there be nothing troubling you, but if there ever is— for either of you— I’m always here if there’s something you need, even if it’s as simple as a cup of tea.”

 

“It’s very much appreciated, Mademoiselle.” 

 

Shu glances at Mika, who sits silently beside him with a slight look of bewilderment, staring at the cup in his lap. He can’t imagine how Mika must be reacting to this conversation, lacking so much vital information that Shu will eventually have to catch him up on. But, for the moment, he figures ignorance is comparably bliss for Mika.

 

“Well, then, let’s talk about something less dismal.” She claps, cleansing her expression with a smile. “Personally, I’d love to know more about our Mika-chan!” 

 

Mika jerks out of his puzzled state with a sheepish look, and Shu saves him by starting to discuss the apprenticeship-like relationship they’ve formed since meeting one another— which Mademoiselle finds utter amusement in. The conversation turns from one of sewing, to literature, to Shu’s most recent works, until there is half as much tea and croissants on the table as earlier. They bid their goodbyes afterwards, once again stripping their appearances of nonhuman-like features, so Shu can attain the materials he wished to acquire before leaving. 

 

Mademoiselle sees them to her front door, waiting until Mika has walked halfway down the stairs to speak to Shu, merciless with her teasing. “That’s quite a nice boy you’ve found.”

 

“Whatever it is you’ve been implying, it’s not like that!” Shu sighs. “He had nowhere else to go, and he was left for dead… I’m simply watching over him for now.”

 

“And, you will continue to do so, I know. Because you’re a good person, Shu-kun.” She grins and reaches out to pat Shu’s face. “Take care of yourself, too! As much as you enjoy the tastes of human food, you must remember to properly feed.”

 

“I will.” Shu nods, and he turns to descend the stairs, not wanting to keep Mika waiting. “I imagine whatever Rei will be discussing with me will keep me busy for a while, but I’ll be sure to write to you.”

 

“I very much look forward to that. Good luck with your new projects, as well!”

 

She turns to lock the door, presumably to get back to tending to the shop, and Shu meets Mika at the end of the stairs. After a few minutes of fabric examining, Shu finds exactly what he needs for his plans, as per usual whenever he visits Mademoiselle’s shop. He gathers it all into his bag, and the two swiftly make their way home, no longer needing to stay within the realm of humans.





Upon returning to Shu’s residence, he immediately busies himself with sorting through his supplies and sketching out his ideas in his notebook. Mika hovers in the atelier, cleaning here and there, until he finally breaks the silence.

 

“Oshi-san…”

 

Shu thoughtfully clicks his pen. “Yes, what is it?”

 

“D’ya mind if I ask what you and Madonee were talking ‘bout earlier?” He walks over to Shu’s desk, leaning against it beside him. “The friend that sent ya a letter… it’s got somethin’ to do with that Tenshouin guy, doesn’t it?”

 

“Quite possibly.”

 

“Will ya tell me… what’s his deal? Like, do ya have any idea why he’d… do that ta me…?”

 

“Truthfully… it wasn’t personal, Kagehira.” He drops his pen and closes his sketchbook, massaging his eyes and pausing to collect his thoughts. “He often has demons killed. Usually, they’re newborns, but any demon that excessively kills the humans residing within Tenshouin’s territory will be exterminated, either by him or his underlings. Newborns are just more likely to kill since they don’t have the right grasp on how to feed, yet.”

 

“W-Why does he kill ‘em?”

 

Shu stands, grabbing thread off his desk and moving to his sewing machine to thread it. “As you might guess, demons and angels like to stay out of each other’s business, however, it’s hard to do that if one side is mass-murdering humans, no? That’s why he kills the newborns, so we don’t attract the attention of the angels. After all, they couldn’t care less how we treat each other in our own realm.”

 

“In that case…” Mika says, staring off with a somber expression. “I guess it makes sense...”

 

It’s easy to tell how Mika is feeling just by looking at him. He’s been worn out almost all day, from his anxiety entering the human realm to the discussion he was involved in between Shu and Mademoiselle. Even after explaining the context for the events that Mika was subjected to, Shu can tell he clearly hasn’t found peace. 

 

“You shouldn’t worry so much, lest you waste all your remaining energy. Honestly, if you keep frowning like that, you’ll soon ruin your face,” Shu says, a hint of exasperation in his voice. He walks around the table, stepping towards Mika and urging him by the shoulder in the direction of the hall. “You should go rest; I’ll be fine without help for now.”

 

Mika obediently steps towards the door and glances puzzledly at Shu. Going back to his threading, Shu pointedly avoids his gaze. 

 

“...Okay, Oshi-san,” Mika nods and leaves the room, closing the door behind him. 

 

Shu listens to every step he takes, sighing when he hears the door shutting. It’s not as if he expected Mika to be pleased about the order of the life they must live, but they are demons, after all. The topic has even put Shu in an irritated mood, and he silently hopes the information Rei has for him will not make things any worse. 


He’s almost afraid of it… because they all have been sent to the hell that is this life, so how could things possibly not get worse?

Notes:

yeah so i gave madonee a name since i thought it'd be weird for her to be an actual person named mademoiselle LMAO

but anyway if u made it this far, i hope the chapter was enjoyable!
u can come talk me on tweeter @visualjyushi