#[[ the familiar 🔮 (xerxes) ]]

[childoftheblacksands]

**rising out of my crypt after over a year**

Xerxes after going without Moz's undivided attention for 5 mins:

[childoftheblacksands]

((Someone sing this to Moz...))

[childoftheblacksands]

Mozenrath: *gets SUPER fucking high after putting pot in the huka* I... just... fucking love this eel. Xerxes you’re so perfect look at you and your stupid little face i love you so much...

Xerxes: 

[childoftheblacksands]

“Ooooouuugh...”

Mozenrath sat slumped over the table, face down in his arms. He moaned, breathing labored and uneven. “Xerxes, please...”

“MASTER FAINT! MASTER TOO TIRED! No eat ‘nough! No sleep ‘nough!” the eel barked at the man, swimming in circles above his head. “Master no take care Master? Xerxes take care Master! Xerxes make sure Master no faint again!”

The man lifted his head slightly. His eyes were glassy, and his face looked even greyer than usual. He hiccuped, his lower lip quivering slightly. His bleary eyes fell on the half-empty plate of bread and soup in front of him. His stomach rumbled ominously.

“... Xerxes, please! I... I need to get back to--” Mozenrath was cut off by a sudden belch, his hands coming to clamp down over his mouth.

Xerxes shook his head violently, teeth bore at Moze. “Master no more work! NO MORE WORK! Master eat. Then master sleep. Bed til morning this time!”

Moze’s hands slowly came away from his face, instead moving to rest atop the small bloat that rested just under his very prominent ribs. His lips curled into a sickened pout. His stomach groaned again as he looked at the plate, and he gave a resigned, pained sigh.

“F... f-fine. Just-- hic-- J-just help me to bed..."

“MASTER FINISH FIRST!”

Mozenrath jerked back at the yell, eyes squinting as the little creature’s saliva spattered his cheek. He huffed, looking at what was left of his food with heavy eyes. He swallowed hard, slowly sat himself upright, and picked up his spoon to wearily stir at the soup. Another uneasy gurgle rolled through his belly as he spooned a bit more of the broth to his lips.

Xerxes watched as his master continued slowly sipping at the broth. And, after a moment, his anger faded away to a much softer... sad expression. He slithered down into Mozenrath’s lap, and nestled himself against that roiling tummy. He began to lightly shiver, making himself warm against the man’s sore abdomen. He settled there, chin resting on the upper curve of Moze’s belly, listening to make sure he wasn’t getting too sick. He hated seeing his master in such a state, but it needed to be done. A bit more of the soup down, and Xerxes would call for an attendant to escort Moze to his bedchambers.

For now, the most he could do was try and offer some level of comfort.

[childoftheblacksands]

Easy Days

The smoke hung heavy in the folds of the hanging silks, filling the canopy of the bed with a slowly rolling and swirling micro-atmosphere. It reminded him of how the clouds would descend over the desert at night to turn into fog, leaving little droplets of dew for the few creatures resilient enough to call his lands their home. His mind drifted to those little skittering creatures-- their small faces pressed into those dew drops as they lapped them up, perfectly content, perfectly unaware of deeper mysteries, unconcerned of meaning...

His thoughts were interrupted when the rolling clouds were disturbed by a long and swirling serpentine body, dicing in and out and around the puffs of smoke with glee and giggling to itself. He chuckled without even realizing it. Xerxes was so precious. The little eel swam through the air in lazy circles as he seemingly attempted to round up the smoke into a single cloud-- something which did not work at all. But he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he looked quite proud of himself, curling backwards with fins splayed once the smoke was completely cleared.

Mozenrath smiled fondly. He held out his arm, hookah stem still pinched between his fingers, and cooed at the eel. A trill left the creature as he turned to look at Mozenrath. Then, he swam down with a happy flick of his tail. He nestled against the man’s chest as he pet over the creature’s smooth, scaly hide.

Xerxes nuzzled the other for some time, then tentatively lifted his head, a look of reserved hop in his mismatched eyes. “Master... happy? Master feel good?”

Mozenrath’s vision was hazy. He stared at the top of the canopy bed, and took another long drag from the pipe as he laid on his back. He held the breath, then slowly let it out, creating a new billow of smoke. “I think so...”

Xerxes wiggled happily. “Xerxes tell servants make Master’s favorite? Xerxes ask make baklava--”

Mozenrath’s hand came down gently on the creature’s spine, pinning him-- albeit with the very minimal weight of his bony hand-- to his chest. “In... in a bit...” he said, words slow and slurred. His forefinger and thumb searched about Xerxes, pinching on either side of his spine, and beginning to slowly rub his fingers in circles up the spine. Xerxes had no objections, melting against Mozenrath’s chest as they both lay in the low-hanging bed of smoke, content and for once... safe.

[childoftheblacksands]

The eel hovered in the air right next to Mozenrath’s face, staring at him as the man poured over his work. Heavy silence hung between them. 

“.... Master?”

“No.”

“But master--!”

“NO. And the same answer that it’s been for the last hour. No.”

“Why nooooot?!”

Mozenrath turned, glaring at him with an unimpressed gaze. “I JUST fed you an hour ago.”

“STARVING!”

“You are not starving!”

“WASTING AWAY!” Xerxes cried dramatically, flipping onto his back.

Mozenrath pursed his lips. He reached out and lightly squished Xerxes’ softly rounded tummy.

“urp-- HEY!” he barked, turning back over.

“Yes. Wasting away...” Mozenrath turned back to his work.

Xerxes pouted, looking around the room. For a moment, it was quiet again... until he drifted forward across Mozenrath’s arms. “Masterrrrrr--”

The man tossed his books forward. He huffed, shoving himself up. “FINE! Fine! If it will get you to leave me the hell alone for five minutes...”

“YAY!” Xerxes clapped his fins together, following after the sorcerer.

Mozenrath opened a small cabinet by the desk, taking out a jar of preserved meats and vegetables set aside specifically for the small creature. He walked over to the corner where his tray was kept...

“... There is STILL FOOD IN YOUR BOWL?!”

Xerxes whined. “Middle empty!!!”

[childoftheblacksands]

((i’m gonna try and do drafts while my sleep meds kick in. In the meantime, have live footage of baby Xerxes...))

[childoftheblacksands]

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