Mad God's Love [Dark, enemies-to-lovers BL]

7 V 1

Just a day later I saw spires of the bell towers. All my meandering delayed the inevitable only by that much.

It was the first time I observed it from afar and the fortified town wasn't anything outstanding in appearance. The colourful roofs screamed how beloved the properties had been back in the day. When I squinted I could almost imagine how it all must have looked all those years ago with fresh paint, neat hedges and blooming gardens. A scene from a life I never had a chance of living even then.

Now though, most everything was dimmed or even on the cusp of collapse. A lot of the previously quaint houses were dismantled and bricks donated to the unsightly yet essential perimeter wall. Barren, gravelly lots where houses used to stand both on the inside and outside the protected territory. Gaping eyeholes of some abandoned cottages, as glass must have been even harder to come by out here than in the city.

I saw some movement beyond the wall from my high perch. Sentries noticed the demon approach. He was sticking out like a sore thumb on these plains, after all. Good for them not to be napping on this fine day.

I saw people lurk at the entrance, waiting for the approach, but demon wasn't following the road exactly and just leaped over the wall like complete savage. I'm guessing that was expected, or they'd have moved to open the gates. He stopped at the small central square and I was gracefully deposited onto the cobblestones. Several denizens already stood waiting, couple more trailing in. Few eyes peered out of the former prayer house's dark gateway. Quite the crowd of curious gawkers.

"Greetings, fellow dark cultists! I have returned. Oh and him," I looped thumb vaguely behind me. My voice was sonorous and clear, posture proud and mighty. Whatever I wanted to pull off, I did it. There was no doubt.

"The fuck is he wearing," some grump muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

I wasn't to be cowed. "Glad you've addressed the issue immediately. Your god commands this be our new uniform," I bellowed the decree without as much as twitching my lips. More than few sets of eyes popped out. The god in question did not confirm or deny. Excellent.

All the horrified glancing around told me I was sufficiently believable. Being carried in like a foreign prince must have done the heavy lifting, but still. Nobody argued. Great success.

"That said, the uniform is hardly weather appropriate. You," I pointed at the asshole with deepest scowl, "bring me a coat." As warm as the breeze was, it still managed to shrivel me up so much I was almost appropriate again.

Guy cast a glance towards the unseeing demon, then back at me and I waved him off impatiently. I'll probably get shanked later if the reddening expression was any indicator, but five minutes of authority? Totally worth it.

Everyone else just stood and waited, both wary and in awe. Just like the last time. Crossed my arms and stared back at them, too. They've never seen a monster? You'd think out here in the boonies it would be the opposite. Or was it truly some sort of religious experience for the lot? Almoner swore it wasn't, but I still couldn't help but wonder. Some could have still carried sentiments of looking for meaning in weird places. Some could have freshly gained it. The creature was probably older than our entire existence. Were they, the monsters, all like that?

"That thing you ate, was it as old as you?" I asked staring up at the curling horns.

Monster didn't reply and I thought that maybe there was just one village fool he spoke to at a time. Was this why everybody flocked to witness it, rather than engaging themselves? Low grumble dismissed my musings, "Too young to know better."

"So you eat babies," I skipped several questions that popped up in favour of poking fun.

"Yes."

The low bark made several people flinch and I sighed. This guy was a terrible stand-up comedian.