NIGHTMARE

AZRIEL KANE DELACROIX ASTRAL PLANE WITCH

[emiliaxhan]

"I told you, I'm willing to pay it." Even though it might mean frequent visits, more time away from her Azriel when he needed her the most especially in the moments he spent longer at Bellora's beck and call. In a way, she too would eventually succumb to her own destruction, seduced by the darkness that lay within this version among his psychotic glories. Certainly so, Emilia could imagine the other reason entering Az's mind and while she intentionally brought herself here to foolishly ask advice on the goddess problem....there's a deeper desire she could not admit to him much less her own being. "Really hate the way you said her name with familiarity. You think my Azriel missed the chaos a part of him relished, maybe, but he's been struggling coping with a complicated emotional toll." Much time must have passed between the last they interacted and now, although, neither talked about the family Azriel built beyond the bedroom door. Mil could feel each muscle in her body go rigid as Azriel minimized their space, his finger leaving a scorching sensation from shoulder blade to shoulder blade. She should turn around that instant, never providing the dream witch an opportunity to do something unpredictable while her back was turned. "Bellora is using Jadis Hawke as a vessel, but Jade's growing too weak to sustain the power. Using Marina isn't just for her abilities, it's a punishment for a reincarnated version of her priestess who stole away one of her lovers. Bellora knows she could wipe out more than the city without lifting a finger." The latter plan likely on the horizon, draining powers like a super battery. The Weaver's lips instantly parted and released a small moan the moment Az's mouth glanced against the flesh of her neck, despising the way her body instinctively leaned against his front, back feeling the warmth of his frame. "How do we fix it?" Emilia snapped away from the fantasy before slowly turning around to face the male, resisting the urge to reach out and touch any part of him. Why did he drive her crazy? "You aren't in the business staunching chaos when it thrives, Az, but how do we truly stop her from destroying everything I care about? If you want these visits between us to continue, you'll tell me."

[azriel-delacroix]

A hum of satisfaction left his chest in a quiet rumble, the smile never leaving his face. How bravely foolish this Emilia was, to seek knowledge without fully understanding the price before placing everything on the line. Oh, how delicious. "I say it with familiarity because she's my daughter in this timeline, darling. Chaos calls to your Azriel and me like the air we breathe; the only difference is that one controls it and one refuses to. Doesn't matter what he's been coping with, Emilia– he ran. From you, from that Prince of his, he still can't seem to keep his hands off of. All in the name of protection, because when it comes down to it, he can't pull the trigger on what needs to be done. A pattern." In the many memories of his doppelganger that he had picked through, Azriel was impressed, at least a small portion, by the various plans that the other him had hatched in the name of protection; he rarely followed through, and it was irksome. Azriel had so much power, and yet it was stunted, placed behind a barrier to be locked away when it should be free. His lips quirked into a smirk at the sound that Emilia made, knowing that her mind hated what the other Emilia gave into willingly, was conditioned to look for in his embrace. The witch's fingertips ran through Emilia's dark locks, lifting the ends to his lips and inhaling before letting the strands filter through his fingers with a sigh as she moved to face him. "Sure, if Bellora were single-minded, taking Marina would be the ultimate payback to get back at her ex-lover, whatever, but I highly doubt she's as single-minded as everyone thinks. At least not when an opportunity arises, and Marina is an opportunity." Az stared at the brunette for a moment, cocking his head to the side as he allowed himself to take in her question. There was a clear answer in his mind, but he was not her. He wasn't even the small emotionally conflicted version of him. "I only enjoy the chaos I can control, my love. You know how to fix it, deep down you do." Azriel took Emilia's hand in his, leading her to the balcony– pushing open the double doors with the night air rushing to greet them. "Your Jade's body will not be able to keep up with the goddess, which means she will be discarded, and Bellora will either find a new body or, with the help of Marina, deem it safe enough to show herself in the flesh. My money is on the latter, and with so-called 'powerhouse' witches on her side, she will not only take over your realm, but systematically dismantle the gods. She is the goddess of war and chaos, and what is the ultimate satisfaction than conquering your own kind?" Steering the two of them to stand by the banister, Azriel bracketed Emilia in front of him with his hands on the banister around her, leaning in with just a whisper. "The only way to fix it is to do what no one seems to be doing and kill her. Cut the head from the snake. It's not as hard as it seems, look around." His finger traced the skyline of his part of the city that he lorded over before landing on the pathway to his home. On pikes lining the drive were the heads of his enemies– every single King, Queen, Prince, and Princess of Hell save for two that managed to escape to the realm that Emilia hailed from. His collection so close to completion, but that wasn't the point. "There are no gods here. They have not set foot in this timeline because they know better– we are lawless, boundless, limitless. There are several people who have the power to take down the gods, but they just won't. Not even the gods themselves, but me?" A dark chuckle left his lips at his next words, a truth that he knew full well. "I am a god. You fix it by letting me in. Let me take care of it."

[emiliaxhan]

She must have been out of her mind seeking out a psychotic version of her Azriel before ever being called upon as the brokered deal's terms implied, but it's necessary. With Kai and Az now in Bellora's clutches, a timer hung over the city counting down to their demise. After Marina was taken, Emilia knew there was no one who could dive into a goddess' psyche better than the one person able to understand the darkness. Convenient too knowing a part of her actually missed the asshole. Mil found him in his study once the incantation landed her in the other version's body, not bothering to change out of the skimpy lingerie she was wearing. The silky nightgown came to just above her knees complimented by the matching robe. A vision in white. "There's a reason for that." Emilia distractedly picked at the intricate lace of her sleeve and found Azriel's gaze again. "I need your help with a goddess problem, Az. Kai and the other you have joined her side to protect a witch she's taken, but without knowing what she planned on doing with Marina, I have to think outside of the box." She approached the man, the two leather chairs in front of the desk maintaining their distance. "In exchange for your assistance, I'm willing to give you whatever you want."

[azriel-delacroix]

"That's the reason? There's a hefty price to pay for an answer you might have known the entire time," The witch responded with a sly smirk on his face, knowing that while this version of his Emilia may very well have needed his help, it wasn't the only reason. He hummed, crossing his legs at the ankles as he mulled over what the other witch said, tapping a faint melody against the desktop with his fingers. "Marina. Always destined to cross paths with me, no matter the timeline. I've peeked into your Azriel's head every now and then, nothing malicious, I've kept my word, but I saw it was only a matter of time before he ran from complicated situations, and following your Marina into the fire was a convenient excuse." It was honestly sickening. He was no expert in emotions, and yet he was leagues ahead of the other Azriel, who had the emotional awareness of a rock. He lifted from the desk, moving around the leather chairs that the woman carefully placed between the two of them, running a finger along her back from shoulder to shoulder. "You know what the goddess wants to use Marina for, the question is why? The goddess is a goddess for a reason. Power beyond reason, one of the many weights in the ethos of the gods, keeping balance. In theory, she has no reason to use a witch like Marina for conquest when she has the power herself to achieve basic domination of your world." A fact he knew well. He, his brother, his wife, and the First Son annihilated Hell on their own, without Marina's abilities, simply because they could. It was a testament to their power that they did it on their own, a point they proved to themselves and to anyone who tried to stand against them. It was an unwinnable battle for anyone else, especially with Marina by their side. Azriel smoothed Emilia's dark locks over one shoulder, pressing his lips to the nape of her neck, "unless she isn't just planning on dominating your world but all realms?"

[wickedlyxenvy]

You still see the demon back at the farmhouse who terrorized you and your brother before forcing a crown on your sister's head. It's a dark spot in our history that I wish didn't come from the worst parts of myself, but I can't change that choice. It's a grudge I don't expect you or Kai to forgive me for as you shouldn't. Feel what you like, but I wouldn't mind finding a place where you aren't looking to repeat what my son tried. Tolerating without retaliation.

[azriel-delacroix]

I saw what you were capable of and what you put my sister through. Just because you think you've changed, doesn't mean you will never relapse again, and when... if that happens, I'll be here to pull my sister out of the fire, but as of right now, this is me tolerating without retaliation. It's the best you're going to get.

[colinxrosewood]

I don't deserve comfort right now anyway. Which is honorable when you have a reason selling your soul to a demon, but I don't have any reason whatsoever. Just my own selfish needs and too much freedom to express my sexual desires when we've lived in a coven who were prejudiced assholes. I'm at a point where I can't even be certain if he would even release me based on the fact his psycho father's roaming the streets looking to kill any weakness his children possess. I want it to be enough, but that doesn't matter. I just want him.

[azriel-delacroix]

Does it matter if you don't have a reason or not? Look, I'm not really the person to give relationship advice, since I've destroyed every relationship I've touched, but you've clearly made up your mind about whether you're staying or not. Not to point this out in a callous way, but you don't have anyone relying on you, and if you want to make a bad decision and be with this vampire, then the only one you really need to make sure can sleep at night with that choice is yourself. You make sure you can still look yourself in the mirror and come to terms with the fact that you might die from this choice.

[marinaxhartley]

Those were...not the words that were going to come out of my mouth. I left for, like, two seconds to snag some air and grab the rest of my things. It's not like I asked psycho goddess bitchface to kidnap me as bait for my teacher. Envy and the First Mother are going to be so mad at me.

[azriel-delacroix]

I've already heard it from Ainsley, so you she beat you to it. There's no point in beating yourself up over how it happened anymore, just that it did, and you're in the most danger you've probably been in your entire life, but you're not alone. Just cooperate, no matter what you're told to do. No one is going to be mad, least of all them– worried, but not mad.

[ainsleyxbrooks]

You are never in a better mood, that's a moot point.

I didn't enjoy tossing her at Bellora's mercy any more than you do, Az, but that girl still has far better training beyond other witches and more power at her fingertips than some possess in their bodies. Slowly diminish a goddess' abilities, for instance. Careful, Azriel, latching on what you perceive is another version of your sister will get you killed.

[azriel-delacroix]

I can be in worse moods.

I can think of a million other things you could have tried before bringing the girl in, but you ran out of cards to play in your loyalty gambit, and Marina will be the first person that Bellora points her finger at when she inevitably feels her power diminishing. Marina might be the goddess's new weapon, but she is also now her weakness, and Bellora won't hesitate to take the girl out. Don't pretend you know my motives, Ainsley. I can either help you or rip everything you've worked for apart. So, I suggest you deal with my presence and stop giving me attitude.

[azriel-delacroix]

The days since the original meeting between the alternate version of his Emilia and him ticked by in a blur of battles and the conquering of Hell. Azriel had left the deal with the notion that he would call her back, a classic ploy of creating anticipation that he knew the new Emilia would crave after a time, yet it surprised him when she came to him first. The witch felt the differences of magic, even though Emilia and the other had the same abilities, there was a microscopic change that was a beacon blaring red in the night. "This is new, darling," he murmured, walking back into his study from the balcony where he had been enjoying the night air to lean against his desk; his gaze never wavering from Emilia as he looked her up and down, "never expected you to come to me willingly."

[ainsleyxbrooks]

You two are real fucking idiots, I just hope you are aware.

I had everything under control.

[azriel-delacroix]

I'm aware that you should insult me when I'm in a better mood, Ainsley.

Having everything under control by throwing a witch who hasn't truly been trained for the shit we can do at a goddess's feet? I'm not here for whatever plans you think you're at the helm of; someone has to watch out for Marina so you don't get her killed.

[marinaxhartley]

This is not what I meant by you keeping me safe. What the hell are you and Kai doing here?

[azriel-delacroix]

My brother was already planning on joining Bellora's forces, but if the words 'you're being stupid' are about to come out of your mouth, I would save them. You should have stayed inside where you were safe. That was the whole point.

[cutthroatxramiel]

I enjoyed watching Gianna hand your ass to you, this is just sad.

You aren't the one owing the apology. My past connection with Blair and her cousin made me an immediate dislike for you, I see where Cael inherited it from, but I realized my strong personality didn't help. I'm known to push buttons, pester, burrow under another's skin. I am my mother's son, however, I cannot change my mistakes or excuse them. I cannot pretend I'm not what I am, what I was trained to become, I can't make you accept the truth I genuinely love Blair. What I can say is, I know the kind of spiral you're going through.

[azriel-delacroix]

When one of the people responsible for the fact that those kids had to live in fear in their own timeline comes through and tries to get close to one of them, there will always be skeptics. I am one of them; it's in my nature, as it is in Cael's, to see the worst in people and to prepare for any fallout, but no, you didn't help matters. So, what? You're here to impart some helpful advice to navigate the spiral you believe I'm having, like some emotional guru?

[colinxrosewood]

I wonder why sometimes.

Of course, you are perhaps the only person who doesn't sugarcoat to make me feel better, you just don't care about hurting emotions. I need someone to tell me how fucked I am developing feelings for a vampire who uses my neck as his personal tap. You know about falling in bed with the enemy, though.

[azriel-delacroix]

The truth hurts, Colin. There's no sense in beating around the bush. I did what I did to stay with my siblings when it became clear that there was no way to remove my sister effectively from Envy's grasp. I did develop some feelings, but the differences were too great to stay where I was. You can either decide that being this vampire's blood bag is enough or draw the line and leave if nothing more is capable. Either way, being anywhere near a vampire right now is not a smart choice.

[robinxellis]

I think your sister's empathy abilities are kind of rubbing off on you. Well, no one should trust my father as far as they can throw him, so nothing stops the bastard from killing everyone if I turned myself in. I'm currently staying and hiding until a solid enough plan is formed with people far more powerful than me. After that...I try surviving every day until my boyfriend's taken from me because he's destined to.

[azriel-delacroix]

More like living in abusive households and needing to observe others to gauge the best way to not get hurt. I'm sure someone out there is working on it, so just stay out of sight. What do you mean 'destined to'?

[orionxfuentes]

I don't push someone when they are not ready, Mr. Delacroix, I just sense the emotional disturbance. Speaking it out loud is a start. Would you like to try that?

[azriel-delacroix]

I wouldn't know where to start. Emotions and I don't really mix enough for me to formulate it.

[wickedlyxenvy]

Right. Given the chance, you would happily let me die if my lifeforce wasn't bound to your sister. It's not the version you actually wanted to see dead, though. Does it ever grow tiring for you, Az, hating me?

[azriel-delacroix]

It doesn't. I don't have the ability to see the good in people who start out otherwise, like Gianna can, but she's made it clear that my opinions don't matter in this, so who cares what I do or don't feel about you?

[passionatelyxlust]

Was he being more forgiving and kinder than Azriel deserved after the explosion that was their relationship? All the insults that were spoken, including the fallout involving wiping the memories of every Prince to forget about Gianna that was concocted by her son and encouraged by her brothers. That incident alone should turn Lust around and leave from sheer anger, but he couldn't. The truth is, he wasn't angry. "That's what sets our personalities apart. You'd need to be on my father's level to make me show cruelty." A kindness most take advantage of or see as an alarming weakness. Lust forgave easily when it comes to the people he cares for, whether that is his brothers or an ex he never could erase from his mind. Going ten steps beyond what any demon Prince willingly forfeited, relinquishing a soul upon someone who hurt the demon in question truly stole the cake on how blinded he became over a soft spot once crowned his Prince. "And he's taking responsibility for it, that's speaking volumes by someone who isn't Envy's biggest fan either." Taking another tentative step closer, the hint of a smile could have weakened his knees from one look alone. Time doesn't erase what one misses from their previous significant other. "I want to give it back to you, Azriel. It doesn't belong to me anymore. It's yours...as it's always been." Lust reached out a hand and cupped the dream witch's cheek in his palm before pressing their lips together, feeling slightly guilty for enjoying the taste while his free hand came to rest at Az's hip, pulling him closer. He began deepening the kiss, slowly at first, and allowed his tongue to slip into the male's mouth while simultaneously prying Azriel's soul from the collective that was a part of his entire being. The soul traveled upwards, the glowing light making its way in search of its rightful body until passing from demon to witch. The transfer left a gaping hole in Lust's chest, missing the comfort, but it was the right thing. Even as the deed was done, he indulged in their connection, nudging the Delacroix man even closer still until no space remained. "Az, we might have a problem." Lust whispered breathlessly as he pulled away for air, the hand once cupping Azriel's cheek gently gliding along his jawline, "I don't think I want to keep that promise."

[azriel-delacroix]

Az knew he had the capacity to be cruel, deep down, underneath where he believed his morals lay. A part of him believed that kindness was a weakness, but mostly for himself, especially when he wanted to foster the kindness he could never afford in himself in his own sister. Even he knew, however, that there was a level that even he wouldn't have stooped to that the prior King ventured often. "So people keep saying, but it's never that easy to wrap my head around." It was hard for him to forget how close Envy came to forcing Kai to kill him in the front yard of his farmhouse-turned-battlefield between them and two of Hell's princes. Then Gianna signed her life over to save them. Envy had forced his crown onto his sister, left her broken later, yet he's supposed to believe that Envy is finally on the straight and narrow after falling off so many times before. The witch could only nod his assent, knowing that there was at least a part of him that would celebrate having the autonomy over his soul back. Even if Azriel believed his soul had already been condemned in the eyes of God the moment his brother died because of him. There shouldn't have been nerves at the simple transaction of gaining his soul back through something as simple as a kiss when he and the Prince had done much more than that, though it was different. They weren't supposed to be together anymore, yet his hand wrapped around Lust's wrist the moment the other's hand made contact with his skin. Purely to control the narrative, or so he told himself. Anything to explain away the complicated mess of feelings that were always underneath the surface of his skin when he was near Lust. It was so easy to lose himself in the motions, his tongue entering the complex dance with Lust's as he felt the warmth of his own jaded soul return to his body– the pressure of it snicking back into place, causing him to groan lightly. Even after the transfer was done, the witch didn't push the Prince away as he thought he would have, opening his eyes to realize that he was leaning into the other closer, space nearly non-existent, his hand that wasn't already resting on some point of Lust's body now resting against the Prince's neck just beneath his jawline. "Breaking a promise is a bad idea, right?" Azriel's fingers flexed against Lust's skin, as if he were trying to pry himself away, but his body wasn't listening. "I've had worse ideas," he finally murmured, answering his rhetorical question as his hand moved to the nape of Lust's neck, bringing his lips to his once more.

[wickedlyxenvy]

Thank you. Gianna and I both are appreciative.

Listen, I never thanked you either for sending the psycho version of me away. You didn't have to save my life, but it meant a lot to your sister.

[azriel-delacroix]

I couldn't kill you because that would mean I would have killed my sister in the process. Don't thank me when it wasn't my first choice to keep you alive, but at least I got to kill some version of you.

[passionatelyxlust]

Lust did not know what to say for a long moment while he listened to the speech attentively, the most Azriel has ever spoken apart from the explosive argument that ended their relationship. The honesty, the lack of deadpan sarcasm usually associated with the dream witch, didn't floor him as much as a real apology. He could have joked about the amount of uncomfortable pain it boiled to the surface admitting the fault and forming the words, yet, even that wasn't appropriate. "It's something I'd understood about from the beginning if I opened my eyes and practiced patience even after I knew your childhood. I behaved in an act of desperation because I've been so starved for validation I never had growing up myself or with any relationship I cultivated. It pushed you away. I forgive you, Azriel, how could I not?" The Prince closed their distance when he grew silent, gaze briefly drifting to the ground and finally landing on Az's features, "No amount of sorry will make up for the things I said. I've learned you respond better to action." He breathed a sigh, "My brothers, Envy in particular, have taken enough from you, I just want to give something back. Your soul. It just, it doesn't feel right having it. So," Lust's hesitation was apparent, but he couldn't back down, "If you want it, I can transfer it with a kiss." He can potentially try it Gluttony's way with a simple touch, however, that isn't his nature. "Just a kiss. No sex like before...promise." The demon's heart was pounding unusually quick. Should he even promise that?

[azriel-delacroix]

Azriel wanted the earth's crust to open up and swallow him whole with every word that he managed to mutter past his numb lips. Emotions weren't ever his strong suit, and admitting he was wrong left a sour taste on his tongue despite the fact that he was well aware it was needed if the bruise the size of his sister's fist that was now faded from his skin was any indicator. "You're being a lot kinder than I would have been in your shoes." That was really one of the main cruxes, wasn't it? When things weren't imploding in their faces, the two of them were able to cohabitate enough that their completely different love languages never clashed. Azriel was aware that he was the more vindictive of the two of them, the most spiteful. Forgiveness wasn't usually in his vocabulary unless it involved his siblings. The witch stood where he was as the Prince stepped closer, closing their distance in a way that should have bothered him after everything, but he simply just... wasn't angry anymore. He was tired. Azriel fidgeted with the screwdriver he'd been using to fix the wiring between his fingers, almost anxiously, before tossing it with the rest of the tools off to the side. "You shouldn't give me my soul back because of what your brothers did, Lust. The things I have to work through because of Envy are on his shoulders." Az knew what the gesture meant, deep down. Releasing the chains that kept him bound to the Princes that he'd resented as someone who hunted them on behalf of the coven, and then became tied to under duress to stay with his siblings. It was unheard of for someone to gain their soul back after selling it, and then after that... there would truly be nothing tying him to the Prince anymore. Azriel frowned at the thought before his lips tilted upward slightly in amusement from the promise. "I won't turn down getting my soul back, Lust, not if it's something you truly want to give back to me. I wasn't ever actually mad at you having it."