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With every tick of the clock Galahads Fingers itched. Hands clasped tightly together in front of him, elbows resting against his knees. Black nails digging in, scratching against the rough skin Tick. A scratch, a pick, a gentle sting. Tock. A deeper press of his claws, a numb pain. Tick. Black eyes unfocused and soulless. Tock. The deafening silence of the room stifling. Tick. Tock. “Galahad.” It was the rare, stern voice of Percival that brought Galahad back to reality, the thunderous boom practically rattling the apartment.When had he gotten here?His scarred hands wrapped around Galahads, the gentle stream of blood dripping over the patchwork skin. Galahad refocused into reality, his boyfriend in front of him, face concerned, eyebrows scrunched in worry. Wait blood? “Shitting fuck” Galahad grumbled, removing his nails from his hands, quickly gripping them as the pain began to register.
“Calm down, I’ve got you” Percival’s hands quickly took over, a first-aid kit by his side, bandages unrolled and ready to be applied.
“So, what’s all this about?” he broke the silence that followed, as he sat bandaging Galahad’s hands up.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about” Percival received a grumble in reply
"Bullshit. Why the full change? I’ve been trying to get you to snap back to reality for at least the past 3 minutes.” Percival bit back in response, a not so gentle tug as he tightened the bandages to seal them down.A full shift?Galahad’s eyes wandered his body, noticing the change. Shirt torn from the stretch, loose trousers once too long near skin tight and reaching his mid-thigh, pitch black skin and long clawed feet on display, deep scratch marks in the wooden floor below where his claws had run over. An entire foot in height between him and his boyfriend. It explained why the pain was so heavy in his hands
“I…. Hadn’t even released, I’m sorry” Galahad lowered his head, large hands encompassing Percival’s.Percival’s shoulders slumped as he shuffled forwards, kneeling in front of Galahad, prying his hands free from he laced one of their hands together, the other touching Galahads face, moving it gently to look back up towards him
“What happened?” He asked again, voice gentle and soothing. Galahad’s shaky reply left him breathless.
“I realized that this cannot last.” “What in the seven hells do you mean by that?” Cornelius’ voice joined the fray, door closing with a click behind him as he began heading over
“I keep... I keep wondering when this will end. When my world will come crashing down on me. Demons don’t get this. Demon’s don’t get their happy endings. That’s why we’re demons.” His voice was barely above a whisper
“I don’t get to be happy. With who I am. With where i end up. With who it is with. I don’t get to truly fall in love.” He choked out, inky black tears threatening to fall. Percival’s eyes looked to Cornelius as he very quickly rounded the arm of the sofa, wings drooping as he heard his boyfriends’ words, before they returned to Galahads.
“It isn’t wrong, you know? Loving yourself, wanting to be alive - it isn’t wrong” With a gentle push, he laid Galahads back against the Sofa, pulling himself off the floor to sit on Galahads lap, Pulling Cornelius into his own to hold them close.Cornelius hands were on Galahad in an instant, moving Galahads arms around himself and Percival, as he rested his head on Galahads shoulder, pressing gentle kisses to his jaw.
“One day you’ll both realize that you’ve made a mistake, that you’ve ruined your lives.” With a hiccupped breath and gentle touches, the tears began to fall
“Staying with you…Loving could never be a mistake” Cornelius’ lips moved further up, pressing kisses against the seems of his lips, where the signature Cheshire smile should be, gently and caring. Eyes glistening with his own tears as he listened to Galahads breath catch in his throat, tears choking him as he sobbed, hands tightening about the waists of his boyfriends“But there is so much wrong with me” he continued to weep
“There’s something a little wrong with all of us. That’s why we’re here. But that’s also exactly why they should have kept us away from each other. But they didn’t. the fates didn’t. they haven’t changed, they haven’t tried to interfere. You belong here Galahad. With us.” Percival grabbed for the tissues on the coffee table, pulling them over and out, hands gentle as he wiped the tears from Galahads face, but it was no use, knowing that the only thing they could do was hold him through it, allowing the demon to cry his tears. Galahad wept for what felt like hours, the sky darkened by storm clouds his sobs died down to gentle sniffles. The air was full of warmth, love and the sound of gently fluttering wings as relaxing as the gentle rain drops against the window.Never had he expected to fall so hard. Never had he expected to be caught.It was just the way they’d warned him it would be, but so much more beautiful.And he was happy for a moment as his eyes looked around their home and at the loves of his immortal life.
The flat was warm, bright, a mess and mixture of colours and vibrant personality.From the mess of a “office corner” where the wooden desk lie, three laptops stacked atop charging, old leather chair broken and in need of constant repair but too comfortable to replace. The scatterings of works – Percival’s study books, Cornelius’ photography and art work still to find a place on the walls, Galahad’s sheet music’s. The walls, splattered with Photos – their friends, their adventures, selfies they were proud of together. Photos they took of each other that caused fuzzy little feelings to bloom in his chest.To the living space they were curled up on now. Large sofa, soft and plush covered in all manner of blankets, comforters and pillows, easy to sink into after a hard day. Smell so fondly of the three of them – one of Percival’s favorite pillows, A soft plush blanket that looked like a mermaid tail to fit over your legs that Cornelius could nearly entirely curl up in. the special sofa edge that rang along the wall, long enough for Galahad to lay out on no matter the taken form. The TV directly across, the old cabinets below filled with all manner of things – Junk they couldn’t find a place for, Video game consoles, A video tape and DVD player, a stack of their favorite books. And then to his lovers.The gentle touch of Cornelius’ fingers as they stroked reassuringly over his hands, the tickle of his golden hair under his chin, the soft occasionally flutter of his wings as they beat slowly, absentmindedly. The worried gold eyes.The calming breathing of Percival, chest rising and falling as he relaxed in his lovers embrace, one of the rare times he did. His tired eyes blinking slowly, the constant threat of sleep but too determined to allow it, refusing to give up on Galahad when he needed him. It was Percival’s voice to come through first.“Feel better?”Galahad thought for a moment. Sure, he had no more tears to cry, but there was still the ever-lingering weight within his chest.“No.”“Feel better enough to start talking?” Cornelius continued“Not really.”“Then it’s a worry for another day. whenever you’re ready to tell us, we’ll be here to listen.” Cornelius continued, laying his head and weight back into Galahads left side. But he continued to talk anyway, knowing it was only the way to truly feel better.“I feel can’t just sit here and pretend that everything’s okay” It was Percival who spoke up this time.“I’ve spent most of my life if a perpetual state of denial and disassociation. Watch us.” The comment sparked a small chuckle from Galahads chest. Warm, bright, and comforting, the silence settling in again, allowing him to think and feel. “I sometimes don’t feel I deserve to be here. That I’m just here temporarily. That I’m supposed to do something to redeem myself. Sometimes it feels like death is looming over me again, ready to claim me once I’m done or in your place…And I wish I wasn’t so ready to die for you. But you both need me. And I’m here for a reason, and…I-I’m okay with you both being my reason” he eventually got out, voice slow and heavy as his words left him. Golden eyes looked to him, a soft question following“Would you stay away if it happened?”“Fuck no. It’s too easy to miss everything about you both. Your voices, your eyes, even the little things” he looked towards Percival, voice light and teasing“Your messy hair. Your pretty scars. Even your eye bags” with a snorted laugh, he moved to Cornelius“Your beautiful wings. The way you fit so perfectly in our arms. Ever last one of your absolutely disastrous plans” it was Galahad’s turn to chuckle now as Cornelius pouted, jabbing his finger gently into his chest.“Gods, you’re right there and I still miss you both” he pressed deep kisses to both of them, smiling as they returned them, chest blossoming with love, tears threatening to fall again as he choked out “Dammit.”“What now?” they were immediately ready to help him, voices gentle and full of love as they looked to him.“We’re like something out of those sappy awful novels you’re always reading.” He grinned to Cornelius, teasing him gently as Cornelius whined, Percival laughing at the comment. While Galahad swore that he had none, it was the gentle flickering of his soul that brought the happiness back into his life.