For whitehairedprettyboy.

[diabolarchy]

[He'd spent a month not visiting Valmont at all. Not kidnapping him, not barging into his home unannounced, nothing.

Unbeknownst to Valmont, that was a month of seriously uncharacteristic self-reflection. A month where he'd had the inklings of Actual Feelings being involved and decided to squash them by not seeing Valmont for a while.

It hadn't worked. The more he avoided Valmont, the more he wanted to see him, until finally, one night-]

Valmoooooont~

[-he gave in.

Now he announces himself by draping himself over Valmont's shoulder. They're alone in his bedroom, which Valmont is probably thankful for.]

Did you miss me?

Comments

[whitehairedprettyboy]

[ Valmont doesn't question his good fortune when Satanick decides to leave him alone anymore, not after last time. If he knows anything about the demon by now, he knows that it would take a lot to put him out of commission, and an absolute miracle to get him to lose interest permanently. Neither of those being likely to be the case, he's perfectly happy to take these demon-free weeks for what they are: a chance to relax.

Which is why, just when he's started getting ready for bed at the end of a refreshingly uneventful day - ]

Eep - !

[ - he definitely wasn't expecting to hear someone croon his name and lean over his shoulder in a way that's all too familiar. The fact that he knows who that someone is doesn't really make him feel any better. ]

Do I ever miss you?

[ So much for relaxation. ]

[diabolarchy]

Don't you?

[It's a normal question asked like any other, a perfectly harmless question. Satanick's hands don't even tighten around Valmont's waist when he replies.

Everything Is Fine.]

[whitehairedprettyboy]

No.

[ Everything is never fine when Satanick's around. But, so far at least, it doesn't seem significantly more terrible than usual. ]

[diabolarchy]

[And that's when Satanick's fingers start digging painfully into Valmont's skin.]

That won't do, you know. No no no, that won't do at all.

[His expression, if Valmont twists his head to look, is devoid of his usual smile, but it returns soon.]

Oh, unless you mean you can't miss me because I'm always there? Maybe you meant that?

[whitehairedprettyboy]

[ The sudden, intense pressure is as unexpected as it is unwanted. ]

Ow - what - ?

[ Valmont makes an attempt to turn toward Satanick, although being held in place like this means he doesn't get very far. What little he can see of the demon's face, though, is... unnerving. He doesn't think he's ever seen Satanick wear an expression that serious (or, indeed, any sort of serious expression at all), and the smile that pops back into place a moment later does absolutely nothing to reassure him. ]

Well, you are always here, unfortunately, but I meant - you know what I meant! Since when do you care what I think, anyway?

[ That's how it works, isn't it? He insults Satanick, Satanick doesn't care, and then they have terrible sex that Valmont doesn't enjoy in any way. What's he done wrong this time? ]

[diabolarchy]

Of course I care what you think~

[The singsong is back, but there's a manic edge to his smile.]

It's very important. It's the most important. It's absolutely, crucially important that you think about me all the time! I won't settle for anything less.

[whitehairedprettyboy]

[ ...Oookay. This is starting to get incredibly weird. Because, of course his thoughts are important - everything about him is important - but why is Satanick, of all people, suddenly so invested in them? ]

I'm sorry? First you disappear for weeks at an end, and then when I've finally got to the point where I don't assume there's an obnoxious demon about to molest me around every corner, you pop back in demanding that I think about you all the time? It's bad enough that I have to think about you when you're actually here!

[ Honestly. ]

[diabolarchy]

Oh, I understand.

[Satanick's expression is serious again. He's switching between that and a manic smile too rapidly to be considered normal.]

I was sorting things out with my greatness, but I left you alone too long. Of course you'd forget.

It's alright. I just won't leave you alone ever again.

[He doesn't sound like he's joking.]

[whitehairedprettyboy]

[ There are a lot of questions in Valmont's mind after that cryptic explanation, like what things? and what greatness? and how on earth do you expect me to forget?!, but one particularly urgent one pushes itself to the forefront. ]

What - you don't mean you're planning to stay here?

[ He would really rather jump to any other conclusion than that, any at all, but there's a flatness in Satanick's voice that suggests that dear god, he's actually serious.

...Help? ]

[diabolarchy]

Oh, no, I'm a busy man, I can't give up everything for love.

[He says the word so casually that one might be forgiven for thinking they misheard him.]

You'll be coming with me. That's much more practical.

[whitehairedprettyboy]

[ Well, he can't really argue with that last part. It probably would be more practical that way, for Satanick at least - not, of course, that Valmont has any intention of complying. ]

Oh, but it's perfectly fine to expect me to give up everything of mine for -

[ Something small and startling very suddenly clicks into Valmont's brain. He pauses. ]

...I suppose you think that's funny, do you.

[ Because it certainly can't have been serious. If there's one thing Valmont knows about Satanick, it's that apart from in the physical sense, he's got no use for love whatsoever. ]

[diabolarchy]

[Well, yes, it is perfectly fine. Satanick is a Devil, Valmont is a crime lord. An ex-crime lord, really.]

Think what's funny? You should be more clear.

[whitehairedprettyboy]

[ An ex-crime lord who won't be making any more progress towards recapturing his former glory if he's abducted by a demon, thank you. :| ]

What you just said a minute ago, don't be dense. "For love."

[ That... is what he'd said, right? Because if it's not and Valmont just heard him wrong, he's going to feel really dumb about this. ]

[diabolarchy]

There, now. Isn't it a lovely place?

[Satanick's world is not usually what you would consider 'lovely'. It's dark enough to deserve the label 'Pitch World' and it's gloomy and full of demons.

Satanick's castle is at least lavish, but that's likely not to be very comforting to the just-transported Valmont.]

I'm sure you can be happy here in your new home~

[Satanick hasn't let go of Valmont yet. He may never do so.]

[whitehairedprettyboy]

I refuse to acknowledge this place as any sort of "home".

[ Though even Valmont would have to admit that it seems a fairly livable castle, as these things go. Not that he's had much of a chance to explore the place beyond Satanick's quarters, of course, but he gets the feeling he'll have a lot more time to do so in the near future...

- No. No, he is not staying here one second longer than he has to, he's not. He doesn't care if Satanick isn't willing to send him back - there are all sorts of demons, spirits, and assorted weirdos wandering around here, and for the first time this actually strikes him as an asset. He'll find someone who can.

Of course, any of this might necessitate Satanick letting go of him first. ]

Do you have any intention of letting me breathe anytime soon?

[diabolarchy]

That depends! Are you planning on running off the moment I do?

[Because if the answer is yes, then Satanick's not letting go.

And if the answer is no, but Valmont's lying... he might wish he'd just stayed where he was.]

[whitehairedprettyboy]

...No.

[ Not that exact moment. ]

[diabolarchy]

[Fine, he'll let go. But he's watching Valmont very carefully.]

[whitehairedprettyboy]

[ Sweet, sweet freedom. Relatively speaking. ]

Finally.

[ Right, first things first. Taking a wary step out of Satanick's immediate reach (but not too far, please don't kill him yet), Valmont takes a few seconds to stretch. He hopes the clinging won't become a regular occurrence, although that's probably as much of a pipe dream as anything else he's hoped for tonight. Still, having a demon hanging off him all the time cannot be good for his back.

Ideally, this would be about the time to put his daring escape into action, but first he should probably take stock of the situation. Valmont looks around the room in which he's found himself, taking what he hopes is very casual note of any potential exits, before catching sight of the look on Satanick's face. The particularly forbidding look directed straight at him.

...Maybe his daring escape can wait a tad longer. ]

Er - how long will it be until you come to your senses, do you think? Ballpark estimate.

[diabolarchy]

Oh, you'll die of old age first. Hmm, I don't like that, there must be some way to fix that...

[Staying forever young has never sounded so awful, has it.]

[whitehairedprettyboy]

[ Oh god, no it has not. The worst part is that Valmont has always been one of those people who'd be quite happy to discover the secret to immortality - or rather, one that's a little more practical than carrying around a talisman with you at all times. After all, who doesn't want to live forever? But now he's picturing eternity stretching before him, an eternity with Satanick's laugh ringing in his ears -

Nope. Screw waiting for the opportune moment. In what he can only pray is a sudden enough movement to take Satanick off guard, Valmont bolts for the nearest door, trying hard not to think about what punishment might await him if he doesn't make it out. With any luck, it'll kill him. ]

[diabolarchy]

[And of course, he's yanked back by Satanick's shadow arms before he can make it to the door. Because naturally.]

I told you not to run, Valmont.

[Did he? Well he's retroactively telling him that, right in his ear.]

Do you like making me mad?

[whitehairedprettyboy]

[ Damn it, damn it - that was his one chance, he can't be stuck here forever, he can't! Except that it's sort of looking like he can, actually, and some part of him seems to have begun resigning itself to this. He's barely even struggling against Satanick's arms now. But the other, more conscious part of him, the one that even in the most hazardous of situations continues to be far too stubborn for his own good, hasn't noticed, and so he manages to spit out a reply: ]

I- if it'll get you to stop being in love with me, then... maybe?

[ Oddly enough, he doesn't sound at all sure. ]

[diabolarchy]

Oh, no, I'm still in love. Forever. That's not in question~

[His grip tightens on Valmont, even though he isn't struggling.]

I just have to teach you a lesson, and then everything will be fine. Just fine.

[whitehairedprettyboy]

...A lesson?

[ He really doesn't like the sound of that. ]