Rules of One's Soul

Ch9 A Third Player

Normally when one was coddled like a child, they would cease to be treated such a way, but right now it felt nice being comforted by the much larger darkner. Even if it was like when he would have to hold Lancer and reassure him of anything. So for now, he wouldn't argue and just be content with the taller cat holding him in his lap like this. The peace and quiet of the sheap helped him to calm his usually overhyped mind, and the softness of the cat was really nice. The two were interrupted by the small pattering of feet and soon enough the small mammal, which he could now clearly see looked like some kind of bat thing from the looks of those weird wings. They held an apologetic look.

"I can't find food, but I found these." They held up what looked like dark candy in their hands and offered them to the two. "I found better food."

Seam sighed. "You couldn't find anything else other than that?" They shook their head. "And why not?"

"Jevil ate the rest this morning. Everthing except my candy stash. I'aspulled hin at hiding"

Seam sighed before patting Rouxls on the back and asking. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to eat nothing but sweets would you?" Rouxls didn't answer but he did grumble and move slightly away from Mak making him chuckle. "I suppose not then."

Mak shrugged before plopping themself onto the ground, dropping a few candies in the process, and stuffing their face with a few of them. Seam gave a dry chuckle before leaning back into the couch. Rouxls shifting to lean back into him a bit more which made Seam chuckle a bit.

"W-Wouldst thou stoppeth that?"

"Stop what? I'm doing nothing but relaxing...And taking care of you of course. Ahahaha."

Rouxls narrowed his eyes. "That! S-Stop that I-infernal laughing! Tis nay funny!," he shouted voice cracking.

Seam chuckled harder, making his body shake. Rouxls grumbled again and asking, "What doth thou findeth so funny?"

"It's not often I find things amusing being a humble shopkeeper and all....But when someone overreacts like you do, I can't help but be amused."

"Pardon me?! Overreacting tis nay something I do!" He finally pushed himself from against the taller cat and looked up to face this one eyed menace. He chuckled again at Rouxls already flustered and angry face. Making him flush more. "STOP THAT!!"

His voice braking made Seam laugh harder and Rouxls gave a sputter of anger. The duke then tried to push himself from the larger darkner's grip only to have a paw gently wrap around his chest and pull him back to the warmth of the soft cotton. Making him give off a very undignified squeal. He could practically feel his face flush a deep purple as the cat continued to laugh at the now struggling, sputtering duke. His legs kicked out barely missing Mak's head by a couple inches, causing the poor stuffed bat to yelp and duck for cover. More candy scattering to the floor from their hold. Rouxls gave off another squeal when Seam finally managed to set him back securely within his iron-like grip.

"Thou art to r-release me this instant! I-I shan't be treated l-like a prisoner b-by a commoner!!"

"Funny, funny.~ I always assumed you were more, more of a bigger spoon.~"

The sudden voice made Rouxls snap up immediately and give out a tiny squeak at the sudden appearance of the floating menace just a little ways from them. He immediately felt his pupils shrink and out of instinct, he leaned away from the smiling imp against Seam's chest. Jevil titled his head curiously, taking in the strange sight before him. Seam slowly cleared his throat gaining Jevil's attention.

"Jevil. There's something I need to talk to you about-"

"I don't suppose, suppose it has something to do with all this?" He gestured towards Seam who was still holding Rouxls but now in a somewhat more slightly protective way. The worm continued to stare directly at Jevil with a not fear but more of a panic in his eyes. This didn't go unnoticed by the imp when he looked back towards him. Fanged smile slightly fading. "...Did I miss, miss something?"

"I would say so. But...I think it'd be better if Rouxls had a chance to get up and stretch his legs for a bit."

Before anyone could respond Seam slowly began to sit up from the couch, moving his paws to hook under Rouxls's body. The worm gave a surprised noise when Seam moved him into the bridal position before standing up himself. Jevil tilted his head more and rose a brow as to question as to why Seam was holding HIS desired, but Seam gave him a look to say 'Not right now. Later.' Thankfully, Jevil backed off but didn't stray too far from the strange duo, as Seam turned towards the front of his sheap. He had to carefully step over Mak as they scrambled to pick up and eat the candies they spilt earlier from Rouxls's flailing like a fish caught in a net. Rouxl's making a comment about how unhealthy it was for a child to eat anything off the floor. Jevil followed close behind with the same questioning expression.

"I can walk on mine own," Rouxls huffed while in Seam's arms, but it seemed the cat ignored his whining.

Ounce they were in the front and away from the child, Seam set Rouxls down on his feet. The worn wobbled a bit, getting use back in his legs after sitting on practically a living cushion for the past hour or so, before regaining balance and standing up straight. Seam watched him for a moment before turning to Jevil who was of course staring at Rouxls with a sultry gaze.

"Now what has happened to cause the duke, duke to stumble within your humble, humble home and become situated within your ....arms, arms?," he questioned Seam without really looking at him.

Seam only answered with a hum before shifting his one eye back towards Rouxls who was busy straightening himself up, before looking over his shoulder at the two.

"I...think I can explain. If the duke here doesn't mind me retelling what had happened-"

"I simply p-passed out from static shock," Rouxls insisted crossing his arms over his chest like a pouting child, "A-And then I woketh up on thine filthy sofa where that....that thing-"

"Mak."

"Mak nearly frightened me to death! I shan't hear a-anymore of the matter!" He looked away with a cough, expecting neither to question his authority. ...He should've know by now.

"I'm afraid that's not what happened. And you absolutely know it." Seam's answer silenced Rouxls into a blank stare. His button eye spun a few times before he looked back at the eager awaiting jester and sighed. Reaching up a paw to rub through the tuft of fur around his neck. "Don't know how to begin honestly...You might not like the news I bare."

"Oh?" Jevil's smile became more strained as he narrowed his eyes slightly. The sight made Rouxls gulp and fail to suppress a shudder. "Hehe. I can't wait to hear the answer, the answer.~ Now what has happened, happened that would hender my mood..mood?"

The old cat sighed before reaching up to rub his face. "Well...To be blunt?..... I believe your friend here-" He nodded towards the still duke. "-has a connection towards someone else. He didn't react too kindly to it I'm afraid ."

Silence.

Jevil blinked and his smile faded completely instantly. He stared at the cat for what seemed like forever before smiling again and giggling a little. Oh, what a joke. Seam's joking habits were still present after all these years. He looked back towards Seam with an expectancy to see him laugh at any moment when he saw through the joke....But he didn't. Instead Seam sighed again and reached a paw up to rub at his temple. What-? He quickly looked towards Rouxls, expecting a similar reaction, but the worm merely blinked that nervous look back at them. His form tense as they awaited the imp"s answer. They didnt wait too long because when Rouxls didnt answer Jevil swiveled his head back to Seam and laughed.

"BWAHAHA!! Funny, funny. A good joke, joke to pull so close and so soon to such a wonderful holiday, holiday. You were always such a silly kidder Seam, Seam."

Seam stared back and just sighed again. "No, Jevil. Im not kidding. This isn't a joke."

Jevil's smile dropped again. His yellow eyes darted over to the still frozen worm who flinched as the yellow pinpricks studied his form. After a short while of just silent studying he again smiled but this time it seemed a little more strained. But only slightly.

He chuckled. "Hehe. So a rival player has entered our game of hearts it seems." His tone made Rouxls shiver it held a almost happy aura but underneath was a slight displeasure. Jevil rubbed his clawed hands together and smiled sweetly at Seam. " And just who might this new player that has placed his heart card into, into our game?~ And so, so late too. I've nearly, nearly set down my deck, deck."

Neither answered for a moment but Jevil wasn't stupid. He caught the nervous glance the two gave each other before back at him. Rouxls could practically feel the slimey sweat dripping down his face right now. Seam looked much calmer given the current situation but he did use to spend everyday with this lunatic. Surely he would figure out some way to turn this around and lesson the tense air between the three.

The cat slowly rose a paw. "Me."

Rouxls felt any sanity he had left shatter. Jevil gave a slightly surprised look and rose a brow at the cat's blunt answer. After a few more seconds he broke the silence.

"You, you?"

"Yep." He finally gave a calm smile. " Haha. To be honest I can't believe it much either. Could've sworn I wouldn't find mine let alone share one. "

"Hahaha! Such a chaotic, chaotic dual fate has played against this!" the crazy idiot let off a series of giggles.

The duke felt his mouth drop at the whole thing.......Did these two seriously not see how disastrous this was and how they obviously needed to find a solution to this?! Instead these two were talking like they were gambling with cards and he was like some grand prize to be handed over to the winner just like that! NO! He had quite enough of these shenanigans and all this ridiculous talks about how HE should feel and how these two were involved in his life. Quickly his nervous feeling was replaced by a anger and before his brain caught up to hid he shouted-


"NO!!"

Well the shout certainly caught the other two off guard. It certainly spooked him a bit. All three stood there facing each other and the child bat even stuck their head into the doorway at the sudden shout. Cheeks puffed out with what must' ve been the spilt candies.

"....No what, what?"

Well there was no going back now was there? Rouxls gave the most professional face he could muster and cleared his throat. "N-No! I will n-not be playing any of thou's 'games' any longer. T-They are not but foolish distractions that hast cost mineself valuable time with mine son and ....and am n-nay intetested in these l-love games!...M-Mine emotions are not a gambling table upon which you can play!" He straightened up his form and huffed. "Calleth me a coward to whom seest it fitting, but I amst forfeiting this playground of fantasies!"

"Fantasy, fantasy?!....After what you said to me, me earlier?!" Jevil's face quickly became slightly annoyed. "You cannot, cannot just exit a game once you enter the gamble of life-"

"Do you-" A paw quickly came between the two. And Seam turned to the steamed Duke. "-know how soul connections work?"

Rouxls scoffed and waved a hand. "Of course. Tis the person whomever thou falleths in love with. Tis soulmate nonsense is beyond tiresome. "

The two fell silent again as Seam lowered his paw and Jevil's annoyance left. Replaced with a blank expression. The two shared a silent look and as if reading each other's minds, came to the same understanding that reflected in their faces. Rouxls rose a questioning brow as too say, 'What's going on now?'.

"That clears, clears the missing pieces of our puzzle, puzzle. Hehe."

"What nonsense art thou mumbling now?"

Jevil casually reached around and floated until he slung the arm around a slightly startled Rouxls. And giggled at his expression. "Silly, silly really.~ One cannot play a game they don't understand the rules, rules too. "

Rouxls leaned his head away from the gave before reaching up a hand to push the giggling face away before giving Seam a questioning look. The old cat sighed before reaching up to rub his own face.

"There's more to souls than just two people falling in love," he mumbled through his paw.

"Likest what?"

Instead of answering he gestured towards the back room again before turning around and shuffling towards the old room. The duke grumbled something but Jevil's giggles and nudges forward made him cave to the silent command to follow. Mak ducked their head back in as soon as Seam stepped into the doorway shortly followed by the duke and floating jester. And not too later the three were sat upon The couch....Well Rouxls and Jevil shared the couch. Seam was currently nicely seated in a random armchair he summoned up out of nowhere. When the three were somewhat comfortable the cat sighed.

"Well then...How shall we start this?"

"How about thee part where thou tellest me when this will be resolved?"

"When you stop playing, playing the cruel act in the play?~"

"Jevil. Please." He giggled and shrugged making him sigh and roll his eye. "Look. It's not an easy thing to explain. ...Even for someone who's seen it quite a couple times in my time. Hehe...But I can try to explain it at all." Rouxls hand a 'go on' motion with his hand and he continued. " Well...Your soul- how do I put this?- calls out to others almost constantly. Like a homing beacon. It just means you eventually find the person you're meant to be with. Mostly with a spark or reaction from each one's soul. And that's what usually people call soulmates."

Rouxls blinked before slowly glancing over at Jevil who smiled widely at the worm monster. A....reaction of souls? He felt his ears dropped at the memory of his soul throbbing against his rib cage under Jevil's touch. The feeling of belonging strongly pulsing throughout his entire frame. And then the giant rush of adrenaline from shaking hands with Seam-
"W-What a moment. How doth thou explain what hast happened earlier today? I refuse to believe tis was nothing more than static shock."

Seam hummed. "Well....There has been rare cases of one having more than one attraction. Hehe. I guess you should count yourself lucky on that part."

Rouxls just stared at the smiling cat before looking at Jevil who smiled wider with a purr of all things.

"See, see?~ One cannot cheat the game of order, order and chaos- "

Rouxls quickly stood up and away from the outstretched hand Jevil held out and gave a desperate look. "N-Now you stopeth that! I-I hath non intetest i-in being the target of thou's games! Doeth eithet of you think about mine say in thine matter?!"

"Of course. It's a hard thing to understand at first, Im still trying to wrap these old patches around the idea. Hehe."

"That tis nay what I meaneth and t-thou knows it!" Rouxls gave a side glance towards Jevil who giggled and held out his hand towards him. His hand held a pink glow and instantly his pupils shrank. Pink hearts shooting towards him. The day he held his emotions out to her- Rouxls squealed making everyone jump when the Duke held his arms out in a way one would do to shield themselves. The look in his eyes wild. "Nononononono!! No heart! No hearts!"

The room went silent for a moment as the frozen jester floated there stunned and still gave that face when a bigger paw gently grabbed his outstretched hand to slowly lower it back down to his side. Seam pulled him back a few inches and gave a sigh before mumbling-

"That's the thing I was hoping to talk to you about. But it seems I was a bit too late."

A small stumble of footsteps caught their attention and Rouxls slowly backed away towards the doorway. Jevil perked up and reached out for him but yelped when the cat, with surprisingly good speed, latched onto the imp and pulled him back. Rouxls jumped startled and stumbled more. He fell over in the process and fell to the floor with a thud. Quickly picking himself up and scooting back.

"I-.....I have my shop t-to t-t-tend to and. ...and. ...And other things!"

"W-Wait, wait! I thought you said you didn't fear, fear me!" Nothing. "Rouxls?"

The duke said nothing to the pleading yellow eyes and just scrambled out of that room away from the situation fully.

"WAIT! COME BACK, BACK!" He pulled against the force holding him-

"Jevil, stop! Let him go right now!" Seam's usually calm voice peirced his movements like a knife. "He needs some time to take this all in without you pushing your..uh..affection on him."

The imp stopped but gave him a look that reminded him of a kicked puppy. Silence once again was the only speaker for them. Silently he unwrapped his paws from around his body and let him go limp in midair. After a moment the cat sighed and lowered his body back down into the armchair. He was really hoping to talk with Jevil about this before anything like this would happen. But too late I guess. Jevil was always one to just jump and express emotions whenever he felt like it, actually he was pretty predicable once you learnt his personality. But others often mistook his boldness and kept away from him. It would explain the Duke's weird reaction to him now. While Seam could see obvious signs of returning affection from Rouxls, his hesitance was strange. But now at least some peices were falling into place. Jevil stared at his old friend and asked in a voice not suited for him-

"Is he....scared, scared of me? Did I do something, something wrong?"

One look at the jesters fallen face made him sigh." No. No you didn't. But I was hoping to warn you of our dear friend"s fear of showing emotion."

".....He's afraid of my desire, desire?"

"Not exactly..." He scratched his cheek in thought. How should he approuch this? "More so like he"s....erm...Confused and overwhelmed at the amount of attention hes getting right now most likely. You did say he suffered from insomnia?"

"Nosleepitis. Yes, yes! And very stick in the mud, mud syndrome."

"Well...hehe. I think maybe you should give him a little more space to get used to you." He chuckled. " You might spook him away with your desire flung at him every few seconds."

Jevils ears twitched and the imp hummed before leaning forward a little. " Is that a hint of challenge I hear, hear. Old friend?~"

Seam chuckled and narrowed his eye slightly. "You know I long since retired from those games. But....Perhaps I have some last few tricks up my sleaves....And its not very often I find someone who nakes me laugh with glee."

The smile was back. "BWAHAHA! Are you sure, sure you're ready for me to deal you in, into this game of ours?~ Once you enter, you have to play or risk, risk forfeiting? ~"

"Haha. I think this would bring some fun back into my life. Or not. Who knows unless you try? Hehe. And the prize might be worth the wait. "

"HAHAHAHA! SEAM, SEAM!! JUST LIKE OLD, OLD TIMES!!" He latched onto his sides and curled into a ball giggling mad. "CHAOS, CHAOS!! FUN, FUN!! A GAME OF SUSPENSE, LOVE, FRIENDS- BETTER THAN A SIMPLE NUMBERS GAME!!"

Seam smiled at the proposition. "Well then. May I have permission to be dealt into this game of yours old friend?" He held out his paw.

Jevil rubbef his chin clear excitement in his eyes. "Are you certain?~ I have ways, ways of getting my desired checkmate in this event, event?"

Seam gave an equally excited look. " Don't be fooled. I just might have a full house to throw down."

With a smile. The two crazy fools shook hands. " Hehehe. I look forward to our dance, dance."