Soul Cartel One-Shots

The Threat Under the Mistletoe

Faust x Mastema
"

So, why do you want to play a game of chess again? I was reading you know."

"As if I care what you were doing Faust. I have come up with an unbeatable strategy. You'll never be able to work around it this time. I've studied every match we've played. I'll prove that I'm better than you! Once and for all."

I sighed. That darn demon. Still so eager to prove himself against me. It's better than trying to kill me though. "Would you be happy if I lost to you once?"

Mastema replied "Yes! But you better not throw the game. If you do I'll be pissed. Take me seriously."

"...It'll take hours for the game to finish though. You take so long deciding what to do."

"Pshhhh, it's not like you'll do anything better with your time anyways."

"That's an assumption. I do actually have things I've planned to do today though." I rolled my eyes at his persistence, though the stubborn demon didn't seem to notice.

"Oh yeah? Like what exactly?" He narrowed his eyes in skepticism. 

"Well," I said, pausing, "It's Christmastime!" I thought that this was a good enough answer. Of course to me it's logical that Christmastime means time to decorate. Then again, demons don't really celebrate the birth of Christ do they?

"What does that have to do with anything?" He just glared. I was left open mouthed for a second before I smiled and replied, "Well, I'm going to decorate today. You know, put up a tree, wreaths, garlands, holly bobs, etcetera. "

He looked a little baffled. "Why?" He asked.

"Umm, because it's tradition? For me it is at least. I've celebrated it as such every year. It's what humans that celebrate the holiday do."

"Right..... You humans are weird. But that's hardly more important than our chess game. You'll just have to do it some other time." I frowned and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"No Mastema. I'm not just going to change my plans all of a sudden so you can assert your chess prowess. If you want to help me decorate though, we might get it done faster, and I might can play a game with you then." I tilted my head slightly, trying to convince him. I wanted to spend a little time with him. We'd become quite close since he stuck around after Shihoon had been safely returned. I liked being around him. We had so much in common. He liked to deny it though. The cute demon Mastema. 

He stared at me for a moment before narrowing his eyes and turning his back. "No way," he said before walking into the other room. I sighed and bookmarked the page of the book I was on. I set it to the side and went outside. I had set a lovely cedar tree to grow right outside my home. The seed I'd created when I last had the papyrus on me (It was now in Michael's hands as he needed it for a task he'd set out to do.) I wanted to see it grow, and it was very lovely watching its progress. It was better than an ordinary seed, so it grew faster than ones on Earth. 

Although trees are typically inside, I'd decided to have this one outside, for a change, and to make the rather bland outside look nicer. I had some boxes of ornaments out already, and I began placing them on the tree. After getting on lights and beginning to place ornaments I was startled by the person who'd been watching me. "You are so slow. What is the point of doing this. Why make a tree look fancy. It's not like it does anything. " 

Mastema had a look of defiance on his face, but his eyes betrayed him. I could tell he was intrigued. I'd come to be able to read his expression pretty easily. I smiled and replied, "Well, I think it looks pretty. And it's just a tradition. It doesn't really have and point or significance so to speak. It's worth as much as it means to you. Do you like it? Want to help?"