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hlib-moushka · 16 days ago

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Late Night Huntings

[Short one shot. Wanted to do the classic hunter and vampire dynamic lmao. I wish I could've made it sexy, but alas, I've no skills in that department 🥲 Also pls forgive the many mistakes, I wrote this in a flurry]

Shadows danced on the dimly lit walls of a narrow stairwell as the clacking of heels bounced loudly against its cold, stony walls. A set of feet marched with confidence upwards the rounding steps, the increasing darkness and the cooling, stagnant air having no effect on its owner whatsoever for he, without a doubt, was dead set on taking down his prey tonight. There was no turning back for him now, after all he had gone through just to get here, he had to march on.

Whether he would actually be able to accomplish his goal or even leave this place alive, Adam wasn’t so sure of the outcome. Though he didn’t allow such concerns to bother him right now, not when it might decrease his chances of winning even by a miniscule amount. All that mattered was that he appeared confident – strong – someone not to be underestimated, someone who came to this god forsaken place to strike down a beast. Did it matter that his heart rammed against his ribs? Or the fact that he could feel something climb up the back of his throat? What about the increasing sweat gathering in his palms? It could loosen his grip on his sword, couldn’t it? Then he– No. Adam shook his worries away and instead let that familiar anger flare up from within into confident warnings and threats that swiftly travelled up the staircase and out into a doorway where the shadow of a figure moved slightly. It seemed to have heard him. Good. He was the hunter here.

His steps only grew louder with confidence as the last few sets of steps presented themselves upon him and the face of a man, no, a monster, slowly came into his view. Hair like the pale rays of the morning framed a face with a skin of porcelain and eyes of sapphire, stopping delicately just above its shoulders. If any other person was in Adam’s place, they might mistake the monster for an angel and instead try to befriend the beast. That was, unfortunately, why so many have fallen to such a monster. Using their seemingly delicate, pretty features and promises of grandeur to charm their way into the people’s hearts minutes before they would tear that very same organ out of their mortal bodies. In his 26 years of life and many many years of expertly hunting beasts and monsters, nothing was deadlier than the vile creature Adam was marching his way towards. Nothing was worse than a filthy, blood sucking Vampire.

“You fucking leech! You think you can just raze a town into nothing, spilling blood everywhere and be free to enjoy the spoils of your destruction in the comfort of your home?” shouted Adam as the face of the vampire fully came into view. His blood boiled with anger as he recounted the scenery he arrived at nigh a fortnight ago. Ashes swirling along with the wind as dark, dried blood stained the ground that cradled the mangled bodies of the former residents of the small village. From the elderly to those barely able to walk, none was spared from the vampire’s rampage. Adam was by no means an amateur – in his field of area, victims and their corpses were a normal occurrence. This wouldn’t even be the first vampire he would slay, many others had burned to his sword before (and this one would too). But when he heard tales of a beautifully pale, golden haired man (the people’s words not his) dressed in ornate apparel clearly not belonging in a small secluded village apparently wandering amongst its residents at night, Adam knew exactly who the people were talking about.

Unfortunately, it seemed that Adam had arrived too late to save the villagers from the monster. A dull kind of sadness sat on his chest for but a brief moment before it returned back to a flaming fury. Tonight, not only was he going to avenge those poor victims from the village, but also its past victims ranging from centuries ago. Tonight, he was going to ensure that one of the pillars of vampire society would tumble and burn to ash.

Out of the corner of his eye, Adam spotted a boot and… was that a leg? It looked a little crumpled and unnaturally flat. Perhaps another unfortunate victim the leech had gotten hold of while he tracked its whereabouts. His grip on his weapon only tightened with burning determination as his steps increased in pace and his arms positioned themselves to a strike.

“Michael! Tonight it will be your blood that will be spilled inst–!!

Adam was by no means a clumsy man. Hot headed? Without a doubt. Reckless? Perhaps, but he usually had some idea of what to do. Granted, he wasn’t the most graceful man on earth, but he was swift on his toes and the slashes of his sword would cut through the air. So why now, of all time, did his feet decide to not cooperate and betray him? And in front of humanity’s mortal enemy?

Needless to say, his legs did manage to bring him towards the False Sun itself, though perhaps a little too closely for Adam’s liking as his face felt against the silken fabric of what possibly could be Michael’s waistcoat. As he moved his cheek an inch trying to do God knows what, Adam felt the rounded shape of a button. He had, without a doubt, fallen face first towards the vampire.

“I must admit I was prepared for a fight, the usual one…” A cool, silky voice sounded from just above his head, seemingly not too bothered by having a large man collapse on top of him. “But this kind of ‘fighting’...” a hum, then the vampire continued, “I profess I’m not too opposed to the idea–”

If imploding from shame was possible, Adam would have collapsed onto dust by now. Alas, he was only human nor had he bothered to learn of such magicks from his peers. His only option? To do what he had always been good at. Cut the parasite into unrecognisable pieces. Within a split of a second, the shame that enveloped him had completely drained away and his sword swung through the air, the blade heading swiftly towards the vampire’s neck.

“–if it means resolving things in a peaceful manner.” Michael held a tight grip on his wrist, the sliver blade inches away from his neck seemingly non-existent. With a slight, painful twist to his wrist, the blade fell pitifully away from his grip, its metallic clatter a deafening noise in the room.

There was a tension in his body, frozen by panic, shock, and possibly even fear. Here he was still as a mouse, unsure of his next move for he could die in the next second should Michael deem it so. Face down, his head still leaning against the night creature, for he could not bear to look the thing in the eyes right now, something shimmery caught his attention. How could he forget? Eve always insisted he carry the cross with him, wear it around his neck to appease possible religious fanatics, assure them that he worked with the church not against them. The cross, as effective as it was towards the religious folk, had no real effect against the supernatural except perhaps to confuse them for a second as to why a hunter would bother to depend on them in the first place. This cross, however, was in fact a small silver dagger. Would it kill the monster before him? Adam wished so, but unfortunately the most it could do was possibly to have the vampire let go of him. That would be enough. No, it had to be enough, otherwise…

With a sharp inhale, Adam unsheathed the small dagger and attempted to stab the vampire in front of him…only to feel something cold grasp onto his left hand. The tip of the blade disappeared into the waistcoat, though from the lack of reaction from Michael, it seemed to not have pierced into his flesh.

“Are you fucking with me?” Adam hissed between his teeth. How was it that Michael seemed to be able to read his next moves? Without much of a choice left, Adam struggled and thrashed against the vampire’s grip, his left hand still trying its best to pierce beyond the fabric of Michael’s attire. “Let go of me, asshole! Or I swear you’ll die a hundred times worse than all of your victims combined and then some more!”

Michael merely quirked a brow at Adam’s display, unfazed by the barrage of curses and promises of death hurled towards him. Slowly, he loosened his grip on the human, enough to prevent the thrashing man from possibly twisting his wrists but still having Adam tied to him.

“First you throw yourself at me, then soon after promises of death,” Michael idly noted, though Adam swore he could see the faintest smirk at the corner of the vampire’s lips. “I think you might’ve misunderstood vampires um..?”

“Garth,” he answered with a scowl, though a slight red was beginning to spread from his cheeks. He was sure the bastard was playing with him. “And I did not throw myself at you! I– I merely,” he gulped before quietly admitting as he looked down and away from Michael’s stupidly pretty face, “I merely tripped.”

However, a soft, withheld snort caused Adam to snap his attention back to the vampire in front of him, as red fully encased his face up to his ears, from shame or anger, he wasn’t sure anymore. All he was sure of was that Michael was not taking him seriously at all. In fact, it seemed that the vampire was mocking him! The angelic looking blood sucker from hell.

Noticing the human’s exasperated expression before him, Michael reigned in his amusement, his lips returning to its original flat shape. A smile remind within his thoughts however. “How adorable.”

“Ah, from the House of Garth. Apologies, I didn’t mean to offend,” Michael placed a hand on his chest, where his heart should be, allowing Adam’s left hand to finally be free.

Though, for all his wit and aptitude for killing creatures of all kinds, Adam hadn’t exactly mastered the skill of diplomacy and delicacy, not that he ever tried especially now, when he faced one of the most vile creatures of the night.

“Your face is offensive,” hissed Adam at Michael’s show of sincerity. If Adam was crude and blunt, then vampires were his complete opposite. The leeches were masters of speechcraft and deceit. The bastard in front of him didn’t even have a beating heart!

Michael moved his free hand from his chest to his face, his long, slender fingers carefully gliding over his perfectly smooth cheeks before it began tracing his sharp jawline towards the end of his pointed cheek where perfectly kissable lips were just above it. Adam tore his gaze from the vampire and instead focused a glare at a wall away from the charming face before him.

“Don’t fall for their charms Adam!” he reminded himself. That was it. Definitely. Michael was, without a doubt, using his vampire magic to get Adam to lower his guard. There was no way he was actually eyeing the leech. It was a leech! A blood sucking vampire! Adam mentally slapped himself as he steeled himself to keep glaring at the wall.

“Offensive?” Michael pondered aloud before moving closer to the human ensuring he was in view at the very least, “I’ve heard nothing but compliments from your kind, but I suppose my appearance does not match your palate?”

The vampire had the audacity to come closer to Adam and even do a little head tilt with his bright blue eyes glimmering like precious jewels even in the dimness of the room they were in. How did he manage that? To always look so perfect no matter the angle; not that Adam thought Michael actually looked good. No way. It was all a façade anyway. Sooner or later all that sweet charm would fade into monstrous hunger. He did, however, find it a little odd how he was still alive and ‘conversing’ with Michael. Was he really that much fun to play with? Usually vampires weren’t fans of his ‘colourful’ personality, as many others have said before, and would’ve simply broken his bones already or at least attempted to kill him already. Michael, however, seemed to enjoy it.

“Of course not,” Adam scoffed at the vampire. “I mean, look at you. You’re…” he eyed Michael up and down, from the flowing golden that was his hair, down his smooth pale neck, his lean, strong body up to his long, slender fingers. The vampire was pretty? No, he couldn’t say that. Beautiful? Couldn’t say that either. Alluring? Perhaps, but there was no way he was going to admit that aloud. “...you’re tiny. Right! Too slim, like a twig! Not how a real man should be.”

“Oh?” Michael placed his fingers on the underside of Adam’s chin, caressing the skin there before pulling him even closer towards him. “And how should a man look, might I ask?”

Being this close to Michael, Adam could now truly see how spotless the vampire’s face was, completely void of any imperfections as if every feature had been delicately and purposely placed there. He could feel Michael’s breath cool and pleasant against his skin like a welcomed reprieve from a suffocating heat. An instinctive gulp went down his dry throat, and for a few precious seconds, Adam was truly speechless.

“Hmm? Won’t you enlighten me, hunter?”

“I– I, well,” stammered Adam as a slight shiver travelled up his spine. As much as he wanted to pull away, Michael’s fingers, and perhaps something else, stilled him on the spot. He cleared his throat, forcing his own green eyes to meet the vampire’s own icy blues. “Well, somewhat like me! Tall and big and menacing! Not delicate looking like you.”

“You say I look delicate?”

“It’s not a compliment.”

“You are not much taller than me,” Michael noted as he eyed Adam up and down, taking every bit of detail about the human.

“You’re still shorter, and skinnier. It’s not a good look,” Adam insisted as tried to turn away and hide away from the vampire’s obvious gazes. “Quite hideous really.”

“Truly?”

“Without a doubt.”

“Well then.”

All of a sudden Adam felt himself stumble backwards as his other hand was finally released from the vampire’s; he hadn’t even realised he had begun using the other’s hold on him to remain standing. Then, a shadow slowly began to climb atop of him, starting from his shoulders up to face until it covered him and went past beyond his height. With the use of dark, vampire magic, the creature in front of him shifted and transformed from frail, pretty noble to someone who was at least a head taller than him, shoulders broad and wide, wavy golden locks tied behind in a low ponytail. Without a doubt, it was still the same vampire, the same perfectly pale skin, the same precious bejewelled eyes, the same silken gold hair – just bigger and taller, and exactly how Adam thought in his mind a ‘manlier’ version of the vampire would look like. Not that the previous appearance was unpleasant. Wait. Adam gave pause to his thoughts. Michael looked exactly how he imagined him in his head… Did..?

“Did you fucking read my mind?” Adam covered his head protectively with both hands despite knowing the futility of such an action. A fluster began to spread once more across his face up to his ears, his heart beating against his ribs just like at the beginning when he climbed those stairs, but also a little different.

“Have I become more pleasing now?” asked Michael with a sweet smile upon his lips as he stepped closer towards Adam like a predator closing in on its prey, his shadow towering over the human, making Adam feel, for once, quite small despite his tall stature of 6 '1".

“You–!” He quickly picked up his silver sword off the ground, pointing the sharp and deadly end towards the vampire.

Michael stopped before the blade could actually pierce through his waistcoat, though it seemed they had arrived at an impasse. “Why are you hesitating?” he asked.

Why was he hesitating? At this point, with all the conflicting thoughts clashing within his head, Adam wasn’t so sure anymore. He could easily just push his sword through the fabric and into the flesh, ending the vampire here and there – that was what he had spent nearly two weeks tracking Michael for. But despite all his training, despite all his rational thoughts screaming at him to just be done with all this, his grip on his sword faltered, not completely lax, but also lacking the intent he had earlier. This vampire was…odd. An absolute lunatic. But he hadn’t killed Adam when he easily could’ve earlier and still wasn’t attempting to harm him even now.

“Either push your sword through or drop it.”

The fight just wasn’t there. There was no point in attacking someone who wasn’t willing to fight. Adam tried to explain to himself the reasons for his own bizarre behaviour, at least he actively was until he caught a glimpse of a body not too far behind Michael.

“I don’t think your victim over there would be too pleased if I give up now,” he said, tightening his hold onto the hilt once more.

“Oh, him?” Michael moved to the side, hands presenting the mangled corpse behind him to Adam. “A gift for you.”

Then it hit Adam like a giant troll punching him through a wall. For a moment he thought he finally found a different vampire, that despite his lunacy, Michael might’ve been unique from his kind, that perhaps there was misunderstanding. Turned out, he was just better at hiding his tendencies, perks of being an ancient vampire he supposed. Of course, they all turn to their true base selves in the end, Adam should’ve seen it coming.

“I heard you were tracking him down, so I thought I could make things a little easier for you.” Michael moved over towards the corpse, a displeased look painted upon his face.

“Wait, what?”

“Of course, I also didn’t agree with what he did to those villagers,” Michael recalled the tragedy that befell the villagers, his lips turning downwards into a frown, a dark shadow cast on his face as he stomped unto what should’ve the head. “Some of those people were rather affable towards me.”

“W-wait a second!” Adam moved towards Michael and nearer to the corpse on the ground. Now that he really paid closer attention to the corpse, he noted the distinct lack of red blood that was supposed to have pooled around the body. Instead, there was soot and ash spread around a dessicated figure beneath a bunch of torn garments. This was not the corpse of a human. “You mean to tell me that he was the one that attacked the village? Not you?”

For once something else other than cool amusement or unreadable indifference formed itself onto Michael’s face.

Seemingly taken aback by Adam’s question, Michael turned his attention back towards the human, a sad disappointment plastered all over his face, the shimmer in his blue eyes looking almost like crystalline tears. Adam almost wanted to reach over and give the vampire a reassuring pat, but held back instead. It would’ve been strange from his end. Mad even, for a hunter to even think about apologising to a vampire.

“No, it wasn’t me,” Michael answered Adam, dejection nigh palpable from his voice alone. “I would never attack unprovoked and never for fun. It’s not within my nature.”

Before he knew it, a scoff escaped from Adam, “Not within your nature, really?”

“I tell the truth.”

“You’re a vampire,” Adam hissed at Michael. “Perhaps not the worst of your kind, but a vampire regardless.”

“I am my own person, Adam. I’m not shackled to my birth despite how you and your fellows may think so.”

“How do you–?”

“I am knowledgeable in many things, Adam,” Michael answered his question for him as he made his way back towards the human, his shadow looming over once more. “Of course, you are too. The difference is, I know my proclivities quite well. My needs and wants.”

The vampire leaned down towards Adam, one hand sliding its way up the human’s shoulder, fingers briefly tracing his collar bone before resting his hand lightly against the nape. Michael whispered, fangs so close to Adam’s neck and yet the hunter attempted no escape, “Are you aware of yours?”

Adam could almost feel himself wanting to bare his neck, giving the vampire all the access he needed for a drink. He wondered how it would feel like. Would it be an unbearable pain? Maybe something on the pleasurable side? Perhaps a mixture of both sensations?

“A hunter likes to chase, no?”

Too close. Michael was too close and Adam didn’t like it. “Who would chase after you?!” Adam snapped back, finally having broken free from his brief trance, as he pulled himself away from the vampire using his silver sword to further increase the space between them. He desperately needed the space away from the vampire, to be able to breathe, to think rationally. He was slowly getting swayed by Michael’s words, and that was dangerous.

This time Michael made no attempt to bridge the distance between him and Adam, it seemed he had pushed the human enough for today, though he allowed himself a victorious smile at Adam’s response. “Who said anything about chasing me?”

Before Adam could defend himself from his mishap, Michael began heading towards the door, stopping just before the stairwell to turn back at Adam one more time.

“In half a fortnight, at midnight, in this very same place,” Michael informed the hunter, that same victorious smile from earlier still on his lips. “If you would like to continue your hunt for me.”

Then, in a flash the figure before Adam vanished into a mist swirling down the dark stairwell.

Adam wished he had thrown his sword towards the bastard leech’s face then, only he had already been drained of energy for the night, and perhaps the following night too. Others have warned him about the Auruses before, many others have told him about their dangerous encounters with that ancient vampire family. He had even read and studied several journals and books about that hellish family and their unending capacity for cruelty. He was quite sure, and Michael’s very presence only proved him correct, that Michael was in fact the Michael from the Auruses, direct son of the clan leader. And yet here was Adam, dumbly standing in an empty room, seriously contemplating returning to the place as per the invitation of an Aurus. Honestly, even he wondered if there was something wrong with him sometimes.

“Fuck me.”

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hlib-moushka · 2 months ago

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Swap AU Part: 20

[After half a year the next chapter is here! 🥳 Sorry if half way through the writing style is slightly different or if it doesn't flow as smoothly. I actually went on hiatus as I was writing this chapter. Regardless, I hope you like it anyway despite the flaws 🙇‍♀️]

Guilt had been gnawing at Adam ever since last evening. His increasing dissatisfaction with his life in the garden and frustration regarding Heaven’s ways along with Michael’s reluctance to take action had caused him to pour out all of his boiling discontent at the angel. The piercing questions and harsh words that left his mouth had been echoing within his mind ever since he ran away yesterday haunting him even throughout the night like a vengeful spirit who refused to forgive.

“So, do you think they’re justified in separating us then?” “I’m sick of this! I’m sick of the garden! And I’m sick of you!”

Yes, he was disappointed at Michael’s unwillingness to go against Heaven even for both of their sakes, and even until now the disappointment lingered like a heavy weight within his chest. But still, those words he said, the way he said them with such animosity, he hadn’t fully meant them. He was bitter and frustrated, and he was tired of feeling trapped in the garden, but he could never be sick of his angel.

The small blue stones Adam stuck into the wooden horse’s face glimmered under the softening rays of the late sun. The entire day had been spent searching for white wood, yellow stones that he grounded into powder, blue stones of the correct size, and putting them together to form a figure. If he were to meet Michael again later at the end of the day, he wanted to at least have something to gift his angel – his way of apologising for his, admittedly childish, actions yesterday. Simple words would be enough for Michael, Adam knew that, but still, he wanted to show his sincerity.

Dipping his pinky finger into a small bowl of yellow pigment, Adam gave the wooden horse figure a light yellow tint all across its body and a little darker for its mane and tail. A satisfied smile blossomed on his face as he raised the small up in the air, the white from the wood and yellow from the ground pigment looking almost golden under the soft light of the afternoon. He had taken a longer time creating the figure, ensuring that he carved the wood as smoothly as possible, grounded the yellow stone as finely as he could, and polished the blue stones so they would shine even under the shade. All of his effort and time, everything skill he had learned so far, poured into this one small thing – his apology gift for Michael.

“Hmm, I think this might be my best work yet.” The wooden figure was held by Adam against the light of the sun, tilted and turned to a variety of angles in inspection for any remaining imperfections.

“Quite possibly.” An unfamiliar voice spoke from behind Adam, their voice soft and gentle yet full of power and authority. When Adam turned to see his sudden guest, he was greeted with a sight he rarely saw. Tall and dignified, exuding an ethereal air with every long stride she took beneath her long white and grey dress, an angel slowly approached the first man with a soft smile upon her lips. “Though, let’s not limit yourself. I’m sure you’ll improve even more with time.”

“Sera!”

The tall seraphim stopped just in front of Adam, her hands intertwined with each other as she regarded the human in front of her. “Hello Adam, how have you been doing?”

A sudden prickling sensation crawled up Adam’s spine at the seraphim’s arrival. Though he held no strong feelings of hate for the angel, ever since he realised that Eve’s making was due to her, an aversion had been developed against her. Sera rarely graced the garden with her presence, much less visited and talked to the humans that resided there, however, whenever she did, massive changes were introduced to their lives in the garden. Both the brothers Lucifer and Michael confirming to Adam that Sera was in fact the one who truly oversees the garden and humanity only further worsened the first man’s anxious aversion of the high seraphim. Which was exactly why Adam had learned to be a bit more mindful of the words and feelings he expressed towards Sera. For better or worse, her perception of the ongoings within the garden through his words would most assuredly alter his life.

Storing the wooden figure in his hand behind his back, Adam looked up to the tall angel with a small awkward smile gracing his lips. “Hi Sera, it’s been a while since you last visited, and I, um, I’m doing…alright.”

Sera narrowed her eyes ever so slightly as she met Adam’s own diverting eyes. This miniscule interaction, along with the brief moment of silence as she made her way to sit upon a nearby log, only served to further exacerbate the heightened feeling that pricked at the first man’s nerves. Anxious eyes closely trailed after every move the angel made while his throat remained dry and incapable of uttering another word as his mind reeled with uneasy thoughts clamouring to be answered. Was he supposed to say something more? Had he unknowingly revealed something he shouldn’t have? Was his behaviour something out of place?

“Just alright?” Sera asked, a curious glint in her eyes as she patted the space on the log beside her. “Tell me, is there something bothering you?”

The usual cool and welcoming grace that Adam felt from the seraphim somehow suddenly felt like a cold, stagnant presence. He couldn’t exactly explain why, but instead of comfort, Sera’s company felt like a crushing wall of thorns that surrounded him - offering no room for any discussion. A simple wrong move and thorns could pierce through his flesh. Still, despite the strange uneasiness rapidly gurgling from deep within his core, Adam dared not refuse the seat offered to him by the angel. Though, despite his secret show of bravery, he still couldn’t bring himself to sit as close and act as familiarly with Sera as he used to before. In all of his existence, since he first breathed in the air of the garden, this was the first time Adam had felt the ungraspable void lingering in the back of his head become so strongly - almost like a tangible ball of incomprehensible proportions. The very real existence of his ignorance in everything that surrounded him.

With a notable distance between the two on the log, and an air of newfound unfamiliarity in the air, Adam remained uncomfortably still at the edge of the log, the wooden horse spinning between his fingers in false idleness.

“...no… not really, everything’s fine,” Adam finally managed to force out, the knowledge that he was knowingly and purposely omitting the truth from an angel tasted like bitter, rotten fruit going down his throat. Sneaking behind Sera and Heaven was one thing, but to directly lie to her was another.

An uncomfortable heat began to swiftly spread from within his core outwards to his limbs, reaching even his extremities, as a terrifying beating started banging against his chest threatening to explode the longer he sat close to the angel. As the strange sensations became stronger, louder and more uncontrollable, a sudden cool sensation met against Adam’s forehead.

“Are you sure everything’s fine?” asked Sera, her pale hand placed against the first man’s forehead. “You don’t look too well.”

“I– I, uh,” stammered Adam as he looked up at the tall figure who was suddenly beside him. After taking in a deep breath and along with the coolness from Sera’s hand helping to calm down the anxious heat beneath his skin, Adam managed to rein in his growing unease. Gently, pulling the pale hand away from him, Adam continued, “Really, I’m alright. It’s just that… well…”

“Well?”

“...well…” Adam turned to look back down at the wooden horse he had meticulously carved and decorated, its blue jewelled eyes and golden mane reminding him of soft kisses and gentle embraces - moments borne out of choices he had made for himself. And the thought that he couldn’t keep it nor chase for it left a desperate hollowness within his chest. It was worth it. He might as well try. “Eve and I, recently, we haven’t seen each other much.”

Sera sat up straighter, brows furrowed, silver eyes clouded with confusion as if something that shouldn’t be had happened before her very eyes. “What do you mean you haven’t seen each other? You’re husband and wife.”

Most of his life Adam had remained obedient and truthful to heaven. Never daring to step out of the path they had carved for him, having the utmost devotion to his Father, his creator. That path however, was no longer a journey he was willing to take. Lilith, his counterpart, his very own equal, had chosen her own path long ago, and yet here she remained in the garden, untouched by divine punishment. Granted, her disobedience was kept secret from most angels of Heaven, but surely their Father must suspect something? Adam would like to believe that despite heaven’s strict conduct, their Father must be a merciful one. And this time, he also hoped that their Father would be just as merciful towards him as he would try to carve his own path.

“Eve and I… we’re just too different,” Adam answered. He fully understood how the second woman felt towards him, and they did get along very well, too well in fact, as if the second woman was fashioned specifically for him, to tend to his every need and agree with every word he spoke. It felt…unnatural. The actions he was about to take, the words he was about to say, they’re not just for his own happiness, but also for Eve. Spreading lies about her to Sera like this, Adam hoped that she would understand one day. “There are just many things we couldn’t agree on and, well… we’ve decided to distance ourselves from each other for a while. At least until we could settle on something together, but…it’s a little, um, difficult.”

For once, it was the seraphim’s turn to be at loss for words. The fresh air of the garden slowly became contaminated by the almost tangible shocked confusion that was emanating from Sera. Having almost been kept busy with either work or plans for future work almost as soon as she was given form from the ray of a pure white star, Sera was used to the constant pressure of labour, her mind capable of processing multiple thoughts at once and coming up with ideas to resolve them. Yet at this very moment, no matter how much she racked her mind to come up with an explanation for the bizarre occurrence she had just heard, nothing came to her mind. Humans were designed to be perfect, curious and adventurous, yes, but ultimately perfect. They were meant to follow the plan blessed upon them and live life under Heaven’s guidance. Eve especially was designed to remain steadfast, never to stray away from Heaven’s light, the reins on her much shorter and more tightly held.

“That…cannot be…” Sera shook her head, a deep furrow forming between her brows. So many questions ran through her mind, and yet they remained all unanswered. Did she make a mistake when she created Eve? Was creating a new human from a rib instead of soil what caused such an error? Had she neglected to properly study Adam’s preferences?

“Why?” she finally continued after regaining some of her composure. “I mean, how? Can you please tell me what you two couldn’t agree on? Perhaps I could help. Let me find Eve–”

“No!” Adam swiftly held onto the sleeve of Sera’s robe before immediately releasing his hold from her. “I mean… that’s not necessary.”

Adam didn’t know it was possible, and yet here it was, the atmosphere around the two of them managed to become even more suffocating as if the very air itself was frozen and the movement of time became stagnant. Despite the seeming motionlessness of the world around him, words and actions somehow kept moving much too fast, too quick for him to put a halt on things.

“Don’t spout such nonsense,” reprimanded Sera, her downward gaze like an icicle piercing through the first man. “She’s your wife, of course it’s necessary for you two to resolve your problems together.”

“Our problem…it’s…it’s not something that could be resolved,” Adam insisted despite feeling the sharp gaze of the seraphim towards him.

A tired sigh escaped from Sera, “Of course it can be resolved.” Her freezing gaze slowly melted away as she placed a pale hand on the first man’s shoulder. “You need not worry much about your troubles. Heaven can fix anything.”

“No Sera, you don’t understand.” Adam pulled his eyes away from the seraphim and back to the wooden horse that he had been holding onto this entire time, his fingers slowly traced over every single feature he had carefully carved onto the figure. “Eve and I are just not for each other.”

A flicker of shimmering blue between the first man’s hands caught Sera’s eyes down towards the suspiciously familiar figure he held so carefully within his hands. And then suddenly, Sera immediately knew of the reason why Adam insisted on ‘not being compatible’ with Eve.

“Are you still feeling attached to Michael?”

Part 19

Part 21

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