forum "If you want us to listen then get on your knees and beg." (Closed) (Mature)

Started December 17, 2020 by @Vuclan-is-tired

tune

Nik was desperate, by now. He had been let go from his job a month ago, and had just used nearly the last of his money to cover this month's rent. He didn't have enough left for another month, so unless he could find a new job…he didn't want to go back to what he had done for three years, but…if he didn't have any other choice…

He had found an old book in the library, wedged back in the stacks, forgotten and ancient, dust covering old, cracking pages. There was a symbol drawn inside of it, and instructions. Supposedly, it would summon a being that would perhaps grant a favor? If he was careful and did this right.

So he carefully sketched the symbol onto a sheet of paper, then got out a knife. He let out a faint breath, closing his eyes to get his courage up. Hopefully this would work. If it didn't, he still had a week or so to figure something else out. If he couldn't…he swallowed as he considered what he would have to do again. He didn't want to go back to doing that.

So, before he could lose his nerve, he pricked the center of his hand and watched as a bead of blood dropped onto the paper. He bit his lip, and waited.

It had been very boring for Kieran. Of course, his dear demon partner had buried himself into their treasure trove of books and distracted himself with things such as chess. Kieran only really cared for his garden, having lost inspiration for his art. He sighed drearily. "Ashhhhhhh, I'm bored-" He pouts at the other demon who was currently reading The Great Gatsby and sipping at some tea. The white haired demon glances up and shrugs. "Go torment a human then…"

"I already did that this week." He sighs. "No one summons us anymore. Don't you remember the days when we were seen as gods?" He pouts a little before floating over to the others side and sighing. "Such a dreadfully boring book…" He trailed off as he perked. The sweet, metallic smell of blood entered his nose and he perked. "Ash you smell that, right?"

Ash was already shutting his book. He finished his tea before grabbing Kieran's hand. "Then let's get going." They disappeared from their room and appeared in thin air above the human that summoned them. Kieran licked his lips and smirked. "Look at this cutie, hmm Ash?" He giggles a little and leans forward from where he's hovering and gazing at the smaller. Ash grabbed him and pulled him back. "Hello, human. It seems you've summoned us. I apologize for my companion. He tends to get overzealous." Ash turned his cold eyes to the human. "How may we serve you?"

Nik stepped back when one of the beings who had appeared leaned forward, and he bit his lip again. He had thought there would only be one, not two… He took a deep breath, looking up at them. "I want to make a deal." He said slowly, hoping Smoke wouldn't come running in and messing all of this up. He had no idea how to phrase all of this, either, and could only hope he was saying the right things to these…creatures. People? Whatever they were.

Ash regards the human curiously and smirks slightly. He bites his lower lip, "A deal, hm?" He tilts his head. Kieran chuckles and leans on his hand. "My, my. A deal, dear Ash. We haven't had one of those in quite a while. Why don't we entertain ourselves and see what happens?" Kieran coos, licking his lips subtly. "He looks rather adorable. I think we should give him a chance." He purrs lowly. Ash nods in agreement. "Very well. We're listening. What deal would you like to strike?" He asks, tapping his cheek.

Nik's eyes flashed between the two. What the hell was he doing?? This had been a bad idea. What could he even offer these two in exchange for a better life? What did he have to offer? He hesitated for a long moment, trying to remember what the journal had said. His soul? Or? What would they take in return for a better life? "I need…a better life than this one." He said, knowing that was vague. "I…just have a lot of… problems, I suppose. Money problems." His eyes flickered away. He really shouldn't have done this. Mistake. Mistake mistake mistake.

Kieran was scanning Nik with an excited gaze, as if he was something extremely treasured. Ash was expressionless, simply gazing at Nik expectantly. The two demons were sly creatures. And this was fresh meat for them. Ash tilts his head and hummed softly. "A new better life?" He straightens himself and floats to the ground. His icy eyes gazing at the other with curiosity, before helping Kieran to the ground. "Wonderful! Well then. We'd be glad to make a deal with you." Kieran waved his hand and a contract flickered into life. A pen hovered beside it. "All you have to do is sign this paper and the deal is sealed. You'll get a life better than this one." He shrugged simply. "No money problems, nothing to worry about." Ash nods. "And if you're worried about your soul, there's two of us. Splitting a soul is no fun. Takes the taste out of it. The price simply depends on what you're willing to offer."

Smoke came padding out from one of the other rooms. The kitten was very tiny, still rather too young to be away from his mother; Nik had found him by the side of the road after a car had hit his mother, and the young man had been raising the kitten ever since. Smoke came over to Nik, mewing plaintively and rubbing against his ankles, blinking up at him. Nik glanced down at the kitten, crouching to scratch behind his ears to soothe him and considering the two demon's words. "Like what?" He asked slowly, eyebrows pulling together in a faint frown as he studied the two.

Kieran perked at the sight of the kitten. "Ohhhh, Ash, look at how precious he is~" He croons softly, moving so that he could kneel and offer his hand to the kitten. Ash raised a brow at his companion and released a soft sigh. "So it is." He hummed and glances over at the human in front of him. "Like I said, that is entirely up to you. It could be your soul if you wanted… We wouldn't devour your soul." He shrugs before moving the paper forward. "But we can guarantee a new life."

Smoke pushed his nose against Kieran's hand, letting out a soft meow and batting at his fingers curiously. He was a little grey tabby kitten, with white splashes on his paws and nose. Nik frowned faintly. "Right. I'm just unsure what else there is to trade. All the stories say soul, and while I'd rather not trade that, I don't really understand what else there is to trade." Maybe he was just being dense, but he still had no idea what else he could trade.

Kieran cooed and pets him gently, appearing very content at the moment. His partner was thinking deeply. "Hm. Your time, perhaps? It seems my partner has grown very fond of your cat. The underworld has become rather dull." He shrugs a little bit. "We offer you a new life, you offer us your time." He shrugs a little bit. "A distraction or something of the sort." Kieran giggles, "Ou! That could work. After all, all you do is read your books. I want adventure, a little more excitement!" He hums happily and straightened himself out.

Nik looked between the two, considering for a long moment. "Well… alright." He said slowly, hoping he hadn't just made a dire mistake. Smoke mewed unhappily when Kieran stood, moving to sit back on his haunches and bat at the air, as if that could bring back the attention Kieran had been giving him.

He hummed in content, nodding at the deal before offering his hand. Kieran also offered his. It was to solidify the deal physically. There was usually three steps in making a deal. The deal, the verbal affirmation, and the physical affirmation. Kieran glanced down at the kitten, "Just a minute, cutie~" He coos sweetly to Smoke.

Nik cautiously shook their hands, eyes flicking back and forth between the two demons as he released Kieran's hand. Smoke mewed again, paws batting through the air. Nik glanced down at the kitten, clicking his tongue and making shushing noises.

Kieran hummed as their marking appeared on his left hand, gazing at it intently. "Well there we are, the deal has been signed." He cooed. He then abruptly turned his attention back to smoke, leaning down and petting the cat happily as Ash inspected his own hand. "Our mark should appear somewhere along your body." He hummed. "The harder it is to hide it, the stronger the bond." He glanced over Nik before smirking and snapping his fingers. For Nik, the world went dark. For the demons, they appeared into the demon realm, more of their home. In Ash's arms, Nik was held daintily. In Kieran's, Smoke. The world was grey on the outside, a swirling abyss of nothingness and chaos. But the house had stabilized, had become a home that a mortal could live in. They entered a rather nice looking room, and Ash gently placed Nik onto the bed. Kieran gently kissed the top of Smoke's head before gently placing Smoke down beside Nik.

(any suggestions for where the mark should be?)

Nik looked vaguely shell-shocked, sitting frozen on the bed for a long moment, before finally blinking rapidly. "I, uhm, hadn't been expecting that to happen so fast." he said slowly. Smoke mewed, not seeming affected, and climbed up into Nik's lap, curling up on his thighs with a soft purr. One of Nik's hands fell down to pet Smoke, half to soothe the kitten and half to soothe himself.

(Hm. Depends on how strong you want the deal to be.)

Ash entered the room quietly, a small smile on his lips. "You were out for about… two human days?" He chuckles a little in thought, "I brought some food and tea." He sets the said food on the bedside table, "As well as some food for the kitten." He hummed and set a bowl down before glancing at Nik. "You'll spend the day resting, nothing else. Understood? I don't want you overexerting yourself." He hummed and settled down into a chair beside the bed. "How are you feeling? No numbness I hope?"

(hmm, what would be more dramatic?)

Nik blinked, staring at him for a long moment. "Two days?" he replied, eyebrows knitting together in a frown. "But I…that's…" he trailed off, shaking his head a little bit. "And what do you mean, overexerting myself? And I'm fine. Just tired." which was strange, if he'd really been asleep for two days like Ash said he was. Smoke mewed, hopping down to eat from the bowl that had been brought for him. The curtains near the bed already bore small clawmarks from the wanderings of the curious little kitten, and some of the tassels looked a little worse for the wear.