Dead by December

To Kill The Dark Manifestations

When I awoke, I was in my bed, undressed into a long t-shirt and shorts. It took a few moments of reluctance before I snapped awake and bolted out of bed, I didn't remember falling asleep.

I spun around and saw that the dress from the night before was hung up on the wardrobe's handle, the shoes discarded upon the carpet. I was chilled to the bone, spotting the window ajar and the curtains flapping in the breeze that fluttered through the window pane.

Slowly, I turned to face my mirror, looking at each of the scars visible on my arms, the ones hidden under the ink. Not for the first time, I wondered how I got those scars, but now I had an actual chance to get the information I wanted. It filled me with hope.

I also began thinking about how I got back to Elysium, I guessed Silas was the answer to that.

I couldn't quite remember what we were last talking about, but I remembered a snippet. We had been talking about our lives now, about what we planned to do, like we were actually normal people. We had been discussing our flaws, about why I was sometimes the meanest person to ever live. Silas shared his opinions on homophobia and the mortal politics. We laughed at jokes and we talked about Chance and his sexuality.

I remembered some of these things while I replayed the events of the night before. I accepted the fact that I didn't get to meet my brother.

Slipping out of my room to just clear my head, I decided that no-one would be up. The sun hadn't taken its place in the sky yet, so I thought no-one was up.

Boy was I wrong.

"Leto?" I froze at the voice, I hoped I had heard wrong, I knew I was too unlucky to be walking about in my bed clothes without something bad happening. Lucifer was looking sceptically at me, sniggering. Silas was beside him, his cheeks flushed and Quince was wide eyed. "Hi," I waved,
"What... are you doing?" Silas questioned, his eyebrows raised,
"I was... going for a walk, I didn't think anyone was up, I apologise." I stammered slightly.
"I can't say I'm complaining, no one is up so you can wander half naked to your heart's content, we were just talking about Guntan and his upcoming trail. Also, Astraea is coming with Lye to pick you up, she was determined and won Marte over." Lucifer smiled, but it wasn't his flirtatious one, it was a genuine one that I hadn't seen in a while. Not since I had first entered Limbo.
"Thank you, Lucifer." I said stiffly, still mortified that I had stumbled across them. "I'll just hang about here,"
"Hey, I'm back! Should we go wake-" The boy stopped upon seeing me,
"go...wake...Leto?" Chance blinked, I smiled shyly,
"Good morning,"
"Early morning," Chance diverted his gaze to Lucifer, "guess that won't be needed anymore."
"No, guess not." The demon king gave me a side-long glance before looking back at Chance with a small curve in his lips. It was strange to see him smile like that, and I was beginning to piece it together with each passing minute. Before I could vocalise it and be very forward about the matter, Silas nudged me,
"Are you alright?"
"Fine, for the lack of a better word, I'm scundered that you found me."
"Anyone would be," Silas shrugged, his face was cold and his tone lifeless, like he was drained. He had converted back into the Silas I knew, the Silas I wasn't as fond of.

"Your boldness can be irking, you know that," Lucifer suddenly said, to get my attention. "Coming out here dressed so skimpily and then ignore that heir to Hell itself when he addresses you, which are bold and arrogant moves."
"I wasn't planning on you noticing me in the first place, but I am so horrified that you caught me in a baggy t-shirt and shorts, Lucifer, you would be the last person I'd think to be shocked to see a woman in her nightclothes." I hadn't meant anything by it, it was a playful comment that was nothing more than mockery. Lucifer copped on quickly and folded his arms sassily,
"Is that so?"
"Indeed-y doo," I replied,
"Ah well, you're right, you aren't the first, anyway, Chance." He nodded at the boy,
"Here, Leto, a note that I wanted you to give to Decim, it's quite private, but it contains a request..."
"Of what kind?"
"Just... a request..."
"Chance," I rolled my eyes,
"It's about giving me a free pass into Hell, I have to talk to Restram, he knew something about... something." Chance had turned a beet red and was fidgeting with his shirt hem. I looked at him hard, scrutinising him.
"He knew something about what?"
"You," the boy blurted, Lucifer swore colourfully.
"Chance, you weren't meant to tell her."
"Don't worry, I don't get told anything anyway." I coughed, dead serious. I waved a hand, "I'll pass it on." Chance's smile beamed,
"Really?"
"Sure," I shrugged.