LUNA: The Rebellion

8: Through The Doors

It was part of his job.

Midnight had told himself over and over again as the shadow demon continued whispering in his ears. It wasn't as though he wanted to eavesdrop on a personal conversation between two people, but he was king. And he needed all precautions to sustain safety for everyone. No matter how small the talk was or how nonsense it must have sounded, he needed to hear it. Every piece of its detail, word by word, if the conversing happened inside his own territory.

Secrets in this palace were kept vigilantly but these secrets wouldn't be hidden.

Pinagpatuloy lamang ni Midnight ang pag-aasikaso sa mga papeles habang pinapakinggan niya ang binubulong ng shadow demon sakanyang tenga. Walang emosyon ang kanyang mukha habang pumipirma ito.

He had heard it. Sahar. Kaimana. These two females in his Pack talking their feelings out like it was the most natural thing they could have done together without actually getting on each other's nerves. Might have been adorable in other times but Midnight could only feel the weird, unearthly tightness occurring in his chest as he continued doing his work.

Sahar was talking about him.

And Sage.

She liked him-- and Midnight, oh demons, Midnight hadn't heard such thing in this fucked up empire that could make him so terribly happy and stupid. He knew. Yes, he already knew. Sahar had told him about her feelings beforehand. Not directly but she did. She did. The effect of hearing it again from her mouth never ceased to make him the happiest demon alive. He could make her repeat her confession over and over until this miserable world collapsed, he wouldn't care. He wouldn't fucking care.

But she loved another. Still loved her dead lover.

Maybe that was why something was hurting inside of him. Maybe that was why his heart was clenching as though someone was trying to squeeze them dry. Maybe that was why his mood turned sour and the frustration he was feeling right now was almost unbearable.

This wasn't him.

This wasn't the Sadist.

He was the one who inflicted pain on people. He shouldn't be the one experiencing such ridiculous emotion.

And yet the pain didn't leave him.

"Napupunit mo na yung papel, Zagreus" Mahina ngunit walang takot na sabi ni Killian mula sa bintana. "Bad news?"

Binitawan ni Midnight ang hawak hawak na quill at tumayo. Tinanggal niya ang suot suot niyang itim na coat at tinupi ang magkabilaang duluhan ng damit hanggang siko. Nawala ng parang bula ang shadow demon at ito ang naging hudyat para kay Killian na lumapit.

Killian clamped a strong hand down his shoulder and he stopped.

Midnight turned his eyes toward the angel.

He hadn't even realized he was dragging out his breath.

"Okay ka lang?"

No.

The question hung over his head. A voice echoing it in his mind, no louder than a hiss.

He kept his gaze on Killian's but he was seeing nothing in particular. Midnight was on his mind, was trying his best to stay there no matter what. If he ever stopped enclosing himself with the walls of his mind right now, he'd be troubled by the thing shattering inside his chest. He couldn't risk it. Not now when everything seemed to fall apart.

Love?

That thing. That fucking thing.

He had said it to her. He had voiced those three words to her as if he wasn't a creature of the darkness. Would he do it again?