The months passed by peacefully; [Name] knew of the storm brewing in the distance, due to the constant notices his System, Lucian, would give him. He was constantly around Desmond, and although the other didn't mind it one bit, he was confused by the other's behaviour, and if he wasn't, he was talking to Mammon on trying to heighten the security and protection from within the house he would be training with Tsukiyama. And so far, it was all going well.
"Focus, [Name]! We can't have your concentration waning," advised Tsukiyama.
"Yes, sir!"
They resumed the spar with a flurry of kicks and punches, [Name] receiving more blows before being thrown against the east wall; groaning loudly from the pain flaring up all throughout his back. Tsukiyama winced at the dull thud, when the other collapsed, before walking over and helping [Name] before he was thrown back.
"That was great execution," Tsukiyama looked at the clock as he dusted himself off, checking the time, it read 12:02, "You should go train with your katana with Lulu."
[Name] nodded, wincing when his back flared up with his movements, gritting his teeth he stopped himself from complaining, walking out of the Hall of Butterflies and down the corridors to the Hall of Dragons. As soon as [Name] walked in he was hit in the face with the handle of his katana, Lulu glared at him.
"Next time be more prepared," he stated coldly.
"Yes, Lulu," [Name] said looking down apologetically.
"Now get ready."
Lulu charged at [Name] with the intent to do serious damage and grinned when [Name] floundered slightly to parry his blows.
A few hours later with [Name] battered and bruised, was he allowed to head back to the House of Lamentation. He entered the house quietly and walked up the stairs, trying to find Asmo's room. After a few minutes of mindlessly walking around the house [Name] found Asmo, who was scolding Mammon for selling his perfume products only to get smacked in the face with a wad of cash.
[Name] had recently been helping Mammon get rid of his debts to the witches. [Name] reigned Mammon in and kept a close eye on his finances; he allowed Mammon to spend money only once he got a certain amount paid back to the witches. [Name] also used his own money to help pay off his debts, Lucifer wasn't happy with the exchange but [Name] did it anyway.
"You have the money now shut up," said Mammon, uncharacteristically cold.
"What did you say?!" hissed a fuming Asmo, "I will have you know that I can tell Desmond what you-"
[Name] coughed loudly, interrupting the two's argument.
"A-asmo, I was wondering if I could borrow some [Skin Colour] foundation?"
"Why? What do you need it for?"
[Name] looked down and Asmo giggled.
"Aww, you do not have to say a thing! One second, let me go get it from my room!"
[Name] watched as he ran off before looking at Mammon and sighing, "What happened?"
"I took one of his perfume bottles and sold it," said Mammon with a shrug, "Why do you need the foundation? Desmond rough you up again?"
"No, it wasn't him. And no, I'm not cheating on him. I just have some bruises from falling over."
"That's bullshit. That bruise on your cheek isn't a joke. It's almost black, the skin around it is yellow."
"Don't worry about it, Mammon. I-"
"I am your best option here. It's either one of my other brothers finds out and they'll be going to Desmond and the next thing you know he's coming after your arse. So," Mammon asked again, this time with a glare, "How did you get those bruises?"
[Name] gave Mammon a wry smile, "No wonder you're the secondborn. Your perception is amazing."
"No need for the flattery-" Mammon was cut off, but he still had a smug smile on his lips.
"Oooooh [Name], I found it!"
"This conversation isn't over, [Name]," Mammon whispered before walking the other way.
"What's his problem?"
"Nothing Asmo, thank you for your help," [Name] said whilst smiling kindly down at Asmo.
"No problem! You can come to me any time! ~"
[Name] smiled at Asmo before walking away with a slight limp. Frowning slightly, Asmo pondered on why [Name] would need foundation, most likely to cover up the nasty bruise, but the other was also limping slightly. He followed [Name], keeping out of sight and watched as [Name] stumbled into his room. The door clicked shut, and then a few seconds later the lock of the door clicked as well. Asmo's frown deepened further. He felt obligated to tell Desmond, and it seemed that, whatever was going on, Mammon seemed to already know. There was something strange going on, how [Name] and Mammon were always on edge and how they weren't pulling any shenanigans around the house. Mammon even had money and was paying back the money he took.
Asmo turned and walked down the stairs and past the kitchen, to Desmond's room.
Knocking on the door which was then opened by Desmond, "Oh, Asmo what is it?"
"It's [Name]."
"Oh?" Desmond sounded surprised, then his voice took on a concerned tone, "What about him?"
"Have you noticed anything wrong with him for the past few months?"
"Well, yes, I have. The heightened vigilance and how he can disappear for long periods of time and always seems to come home exhausted."
Asmo looked at Desmond in complete shock, "You haven't seen his bruises?!"
"Bruises?" Desmond repeated, he was now looking at Asmo, completely forgetting the papers in front of him. When Desmond had spoken his voice was icy.
"Yeah, he's been borrowing foundation from me recently. At first, I thought he was doing drag but it turned out he was not. And today he came to me with a nasty bruise on his cheek. He was also limping slightly, I followed him to his room, he was limping the whole way."
[Name]'s eyes widened when he felt a change in the wards, he summoned his katana and ran out of his room, he and Mammon headed towards the door, Mammon already in his demon form in the entrance hall.
When they got to the entry hall, they saw five intruders all clad in black with masks covering their faces.
Mammon growled at them, he pulled out his spear and summoned an energy ball in his hand.
"Mammon, keep your brothers safe," [Name] watched as the assassins gathered around them.
"What about you?" Mammon hissed out.
"I can hold them off."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I have some tricks up my sleeve," [Name] said whilst smirking.
With that Mammon turned back and ran off to go check on his brothers.
"Whatever you do, Mammon, do not let Desmond come over!" hollered [Name].
"Alright! I know, I will hold him back!"
[Name] turned into his demon form, which had two ram horns and a serpentine tail in [Favourite Colour] scales with two pairs of bat wings in [Favourite Colour], his sclera had gone black and his iris' red. [Name] cut down the assassin that chased after Mammon, he flicked the blood off his katana and watched the other assassins change their stances and turn their attention to him. He stared back at their supposed leader and grinned.
"Why have you come here today?"
"To kill you, and the seven brothers." came a distorted voice from the one to the left.
"Who sent you?"
"..."
"Fine."
[Name] harrumphed and charged at the nearest one, the ringing of two blades colliding and then the soft sound of metal against flesh before the soft 'thud' of a body hitting the floor.
The assassin that had spoken watched as his comrade fell to the floor and could only gawk at the skill, only three of them left. This creature is a monster, even by our demon standards, he thought.
He watched in trepidation when the other came charging at him, as he parried the blow and gritted his teeth against the force of the blow, it sent shocks of pain through his arms as he tried holding his sword firm, the pressure almost made him drop his katana. He watched in despair as another of his friends was cut down like an animal. Subaru gritted his teeth and tried to focus; he threw himself at the demon and slashed a big gash on the [Last Name]'s back and jumped out of the way just in time to avoid a lethal blow.
[Name] felt like he was dying, holy fuck, everything in his body was screaming at him to stop. He adjusted his grip on his katana and cut down the second to last one before he appeared behind the last one and sliced behind the last assassin's knees.
"Agh!"
Subaru fell into a heap onto the ground. His vision faded to black.
[Name] got out his D.D.D and sent a text to Mammon, before he stumbled back up the stairs and into his room, locking his door.
He pulled off his blood-soaked clothes and got into the shower, washing off the blood from the worst bits of his injuries.
Lucian, his System, came out in his corporeal form and helped [Name] dress his wounds and helped [Name] get changed, before easing him onto his bed.
"Do you need anything, sir?"
"No, you can go back and rest."
"Is it alright if I stay in this form for tonight? I can take better care of your wounds like this."
"Up to you." [Name] said before passing out.
Lucian smiled at his Host; he couldn't be any happier. He was content with watching his Host like this, a few hours passed peacefully until there was the unmistakable sound of the door being unlocked. Lucian shifted back into his Host and watched who came in. It was Desmond and he looked so distraught, tenderly touching his Host's face and checking him all over again.
Lucian sneered; it was all because of this demon my Host has to go through so much pain!
He glared at Desmond when he crept into [Name]'s sheets and Lucian felt his heart hurt when he saw [Name]'s body turn around to embrace Desmond.
He wished that was him.