You were left gasping for air; the way you had been made to grind was almost too much for you to handle.
I've never been that excited before...
It still took you a moment or two longer to register the fact that Anti had healed your wound. He had earlier said that he would not, but evidently he'd given up on his being stubborn.
Sliding from the countertop you pulled the demon into a hug. "Thank you," you murmured, clutching him tightly.
The demon allowed your hug but only for a few moments before shoving you away again. Removing the knife from his throat he glared gently at you, but said nothing. The wound in his neck closed on it's own, and he was left bloody but otherwise fine. Noting your perplexed expression he scoffed. "I can't die that easily," he spoke, quite obviously irritated. Had you done something wrong? "Now come on, we have a long way left to go," he added, grabbing his shirt from a nearby chair and slipping it back on. The blood must have disappeared on it's own, as his shirt seemed to stay dry.
"Where are we going now?" you asked softly, wary of how he was acting. You still couldn't tell what the demon thought of you; he had just kissed you, for fuck's sake!
"The seventh circle of Hell. Violence," he explained, grabbing your wrist and dragging you out of the ruined cabin. "Your boytoy is from that part, so that's where he'll show up once he returns."
You didn't understand. "Why are we going to meet him? Isn't he after us?" You had to trot to keep up with Anti's pace.
"We return from our place of origin. I'm from here, so I return here when I teleport." When you said nothing, he sensed your confusion. "He's from the seventh circle," Anti repeated. "Not just that, he rules it. And if we can bait you, he'll follow."
"...so that's what I am? Bait for an awful demon?" The tone of your voice said it all: you were beyond terrified. Having to bait your boyfriend into following the two of you to who knew where... your knees almost gave out as you pulled away from Anti, leaning over to vomit at long last. You had been holding it back for a week and could no longer do it.
Sighing through his nose Anti waited patiently for you to finish. He was in a hurry, sure, but he had expected this. Once you were done heaving he even helped you back into a standing position, despite you trying to flinch away from him. "I-I'm sorry..." you muttered, delicately wiping your mouth.
"Let's just move," the demon replied, taking your wrist again as he walked. His pace slowed a little so you could keep up, at least.
He made no mention of intending to protect you. None at all.
(●)~
It was hours before you were allowed to stop, panting and wincing. You hadn't been able to exercise in who knew how long, and you had been walking for what felt like forever.
"Fine. We'll stop here for a bit," Anti spoke, sitting down on the ground beside you as you collapsed.
"H-How far do we have to go?" you asked, searching his face for a reply.
"Awhile."
"Why can't you just teleport us, then?"
"Because there are gates," he explained, sounding annoyed again. "Teleporting doesn't work if we have to pass through them. Plus he would sense me. Why do you fucking think I only visited when he was asleep or gone?"
That made sense. You nodded, swallowing the lump in your throat. You so badly wanted to start crying but the journey was taking a lot out of you. You had no energy with which to cry. "Where are we leading him to?"
"The Sea of Fire." Just the name sent a chill down your back. Even Anti seemed to grimace. "Its where demons are sent when even we need to be punished."
"And... how often have you been there?" you asked him softly.
"More than my fair share," the demon replied through gritted teeth. He knew damn well that his actions would land him in the Sea for a good long while, but for the time being he didn't find any reason to care. He had other business to tend to besides worrying about his own fate. Shaking his head to pull him out of his messy thoughts he sighed. "It resides in the center of the ninth circle, Treachery. If you're sent to the ninth circle, chances are you'll be thrown into the Sea," he explained. His hands had clenched into fists; there was no way for him to describe the absolute agony that was known as the Sea. Anti might not have really felt pain, but the waters in the Sea were like nothing else he had experienced before.
You fell quiet with him for some time, grateful that he had decided to stop. But you had to speak again; you still didn't understand the demon's plan. "How do we even get him there?"
"I know what he's thinking. He thinks you've betrayed him. So he wants to throw you into the Sea himself." Anti's words made your stomach drop. If even this demon, who thoroughly enjoyed stabbing himself in the neck, was scared of something, then how bad was it?
You swallowed hard, reaching for the demon's hand. When he didn't pull it away immediately, you squeezed it. "So we're leading him there in the hopes of getting him into it instead of ourselves?" It was a plan that you simply didn't trust. Not by a long shot.
Anti shook his head, seemingly taking no notice that you were holding his hand. Or perhaps he didn't care. "If you're thrown into it, you won't be affected. You aren't dead. It only affects souls and demons." In other words, supernatural things.
But his words did not comfort you a bit. You merely swallowed hard again, standing back up. Your feet had stopped aching, and you were eager to get moving; you felt as though you were being watched. "Should we get going?"
Anti frowned as he stood up. "There's something else," he warned. "I'm from Limbo, not one of the other circles. They're going to affect me."
"... what do you mean?"
"I mean when we pass through every gate I'm going to act accordingly!" His body began to glitch again out of irritation. "So when we get to the seventh circle, don't be so surprised when I start acting differently." His blank eyes narrowed. "Be on your guard. The ninth circle will be the worst."
The ninth circle. Treachery. You had a sinking feeling of what Anti would do, but you kept your mouth shut. "F-fine," you stuttered. "What's the first circle?"
"Limbo. It doesn't affect me, nor anyone else. It's in-between, a standstill."
"So... what's the next circle?"
"Lust."
