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acefaun · 2 months ago

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Yandere Partheno

Synopsis: Partheno gave up his demon roots to be with MC, only for them to reject him for another god. Without them, who was to stop Partheno from resorting to his original plans? Whether he had MC beside him or devoured their soul, it was the same thing to him.

🩸Yandere Masterlist🩸 🩸A03 Link🩸 Female goldfish! Warnings: violence, sexual harassment, mentioned death A/n: Cringy demon Partheno for spooky season! The copy/paste formatting came out a little wonky on Tumblr this time… Some of the paragraphs got mushed together and I don't have the patience to read through and figure out where my paragraph breaks are… So, please read it on A03 if the messy, bulky paragraphs throw you off here. I promise they're not supposed to be like that.

–Word Count: 12,414–

"Careful. Don't get too close to Partheno, or he'll take advantage of you." That was the first thing Ichthys warned me. Ichthys was always playing jokes and messing around with me, so I didn't take him seriously. That was my first mistake.

"You're really being an alarmist." Partheno defended himself, looking hurt at the accusation.

But the other gods didn't have anything good to say about Partheno either. Still, with his beautifully convincing smile, I chose Partheno to guard me, which was my second mistake.

I thought the only thing dangerous about Partheno was his perverted mouth because other than that, he treated me well the entire time he was guarding me. He made sure I was nothing but comfortable around him. He was so kind and caring that it was impossible not to fall in love with him. He was known as the God of love and beauty for a reason. Only, falling in love with him was my third mistake.

It turned out that he was the son of the Dark King and was the reason I was going to die—if not for me 'saving' him. In the end, when faced with the King of the Heavens, he decided to become an actual god. In truth, he fell in love with me too, and he didn't want to die and be without me.

Though the other gods were wary of Partheno since his betrayal, they had faith that he would continue to be a god as long as he had me by his side. But Partheno wasn't a demon anymore. He didn't have the power to charm me as he previously did, so, to put it bluntly, I didn't love him. I was terrified of him. He tried to kill me and damn nearly succeeded! But what was worse was that he lied and used me. How could I love someone like that?

Still, he needed time to heal and adjust to being a god, and I was thankful to the gods for the time I had to myself before I had to face the horrors in the Heavens again. I was startled out of my thoughts from a sudden banging on my balcony window. My hands began to shake as I looked at the shadow across the curtains. It couldn't have been Partheno; they would have never let him out of the Heavens so soon. That's what I'd convinced myself, anyway. There was only one way to find out.

I walked to the door with shaky limbs and opened the glass door, internally feeling relief at finding Leon standing there with not a single member of the Department of Punishments in sight. Still, I was pretty confused at seeing the Minister of Wishes standing at my door and gazing down at me with an intimidating scowl. Meekly, I broke the silence, "Is something wrong? You don't usually make visits on Earth."

"You made a mistake." That was all he said as he stared at me.

I had no arguments. I could only sadly agree. “I made more than one." Things fell silent again, but I felt the need to tell him more once I'd already started. I timidly asked, "Um... are you busy? Can we talk?"

Leon might not have been the best person to ask for advice, or tell my problems to, for that matter. But regardless, he sat in my tiny apartment, not saying much now that I had something to say. It wasn't characteristic of Leon, but I was willing to accept it from the Minister of Wishes. “This is about Partheno?”

“Well… sort of. Yeah.”

He nodded for me to continue.

I avoided his gaze as I spoke my mind, "I've been thinking about everything. Even back when I chose to get rid of your sin first, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I'm just a human in a world of gods, and I didn't really think about how... insignificant I was until I was just a puppet for Partheno to play with. I don't know what I'm doing, and I feel pressured now. Do I or don't I have a choice about going back to the Heavens? After everyone left that day, it was just me, Partheno, and the King; Partheno said he would change. He said he would be the god of love as long as he had me with him. So... I know... eventually, whether it's Partheno or some other Punishment's god, someone's going to come to take me back to the Heavens." I droned on about my worries, Leon not once opening his mouth to interrupt me, but listening intently to what I had to say. "I've never had a single clue as to what I was doing in a world of gods, and I feel like I'm just going to keep making things worse for myself. I... don't think I can love Partheno; I don't know what they expect me to do."

Falling silent, I was sure I had told Leon everything that was on my chest. He rubbed his chin before he leaned back on the sofa he occupied. Finally, it was his turn to speak, "I didn't come here to counsel a goldfish..." He paused, contemplating his following actions. "I came here to apologize—on behalf of the Department of Wishes. We allowed Partheno to manipulate us and take you, a goldfish, putting you in danger that we could have saved you from. The minute we learned that you were in danger from the Dark King, I should have had Karno watch you. I'm the Minister of the Department of Wishes, and I'll take responsibility for everything that bastard put you through."

As much as he wanted it to sound like he was there for the Department of Wishes, I could see the guilt that rode on his shoulders, especially after everything I had just told him. I didn't even think about what he could be feeling when I unloaded my emotions onto him. I hadn't even considered the fact that I could have been adding to his guilt. "Leo... I'm sorry-"

"Sorry?" His face scrunched up as if disliking my apology. "You don't have anything to be sorry for. I came here to apologize to you. I don't want to hear anything relatively close to an apology come out of your mouth."

I fell silent at his reprimand, unsure of how I was supposed to respond to something like that. He felt guilty over what he let me go through, but why wouldn't he let me comfort him?

"What are you making that face for?" He sighed, opening his arms to me. "Goldfish... I can't stand to see you make those eyes. Come here."

He was never really the affectionate type. To see him sitting with his arms open, waiting to embrace me, sent a warm feeling rushing through me. I was highly timid as I approached Leon, almost like an abused puppy. But when he pulled me onto his lap and into his arms, I melted in his warm touch, my head resting on his shoulder. Instead of saying sorry again, I explained, "I can't help but feel bad. If it weren't for me making one bad choice after the other, then you wouldn't be here feeling so guilty right now. Don't tell me you're not because you don't have that cocky look on your face that you usually have, and that's my fault."

He stiffened at my words, proving to me that they were true. But he didn't lose the aggressive edge to his voice. "It is your damn fault. I know you've had enough of gods, but I've taken responsibility for losing you and putting you in that perverted freak's hands. I want you to take responsibility for making me feel this way."

I'd always admired Leon and his strength. He may have had a few personal issues, such as his will to avoid doing work until Karno got on top of him for it, but he was strong. He was the Minister of his department for a reason. Him coming to me and taking responsibility for nearly losing me was enough to remind me of why I'd always admired him. When I was getting rid of his sin, it took some time to understand the root of his feelings. He was always so alone, especially being the powerful god he'd always been. Even after helping the other gods and getting used to being around Partheno and the Department of Punishments, Leon was always the one who stood out to me. Even now, he tried to hide how much he had grown to care for others.

His eyes met mine, and they narrowed. "What's that face for?" The corners of his lips turned up, regaining that confident look he had lost. This was the face I admired on Leon. He looked so satisfied, like he could take on anything. I needed to be like that; it was the only way I would make it through what I knew I would soon face. Leon shook me out of my thoughts as he mocked, "Don't tell me you fell in love with me?"

"Leo," I announced boldly, catching him off guard for a moment as I smiled despite my inward turmoil. “You were cocky when we first met—well, you still are. But you're so confident, and I can't help but admire how strong you are. We've been through a lot, and I know you feel like it's your fault, but it's going to be okay. I'm glad you came here to see me today. I feel like I can handle things now."

It was quiet between us while I waited for an answer. It was a few minutes, and I wondered why he wasn't saying anything at all. But I let out a squeak when he suddenly pulled me closer, crushing me into his chest. His hair tickled my nose as our cheeks were almost pressed together. His quiet yet sincere tone caught me off guard, "I've always loved how passionate you can be when you feel strongly about something. Saying you'll be okay just to make me feel better... you have some audacity for a goldfish."

"Who's falling in love now?" My question made him draw back enough for him to see the look in my eyes—it was a teasing look that was enough to match the look he usually gave me.

A grin replaced his smirk as he egged me on, "You're getting pretty tenacious. What happened to that timid little goldfish I first met?"

"That ‘timid little goldfish’ met the God of Leo. Will you take responsibility for that too?"

“You sound like you're trying to push a god's buttons. Are you sure you can handle that?”

“If I can have the slightest bit of your courage… I can handle anything.”

***

My breathing was light as Leon laid beside me in his bed. I felt the bed dip lower on his side before he whispered, "How are you feeling?"

"Tired..." My eyes cracked open as I pulled the blankets closer. Feeling his fingers brush through my hair, I gave a small smile, and heat bloomed across my cheeks. Recalling the intimate moment we shared last night was enough to send my heart racing.

"That troublesome fish from Punishments was looking for you. I told him you'd see him when you were up."

I nodded, burying my face in my pillow. So, today was the day Partheno asked for me. My thoughts flew back to last night, and I wondered what Leon and I were... Was I just another goldfish for him to play with? These were gods; I couldn't forget that. I would always be something short in their lives, no matter what happened.

Leon huffed. "What happened to that spirit you had yesterday? You know... if anything happens, you can always come to me. Just let those jerks from Punishments know how you feel. You might be the only reason Partheno is a god, but you won't be sacrificed for him to stay."

How did I feel yesterday? I felt like I could take on the world. I would be confident and stand up for myself. But even if Leon and I weren't actually together—even if we were just a god and human with benefits—I was still glad he would be there if I needed him. A grin spread across my face, and I was ready to face the world once again. "Thanks… I think things are going to be just fine."

Convincing myself that things would be fine and going back to the Heavens was my fourth mistake.

I had to admit, Partheno was still as beautiful as ever when I laid eyes on him for the first time in days. But... for some reason, he looked upset when he first laid eyes on me. The last thing we had between us was love... but that was gone. I wasn't sure he knew that, but he had other feelings on the top of his mind. Instead of waiting, I took my pseudo confidence and broke the silence, "Partheno."

The look in his eyes was quick to change at hearing his name leave my lips. His eyes lit up excitedly. "(Name), love! I've been waiting for you! I wanted to see you last night, but Zyglavis was absolutely not going to allow that, saying that goldfish needed a certain amount of sleep and the like... Though, I was sure I would be much more important than sleep to you." He stopped talking for a moment, noticing how awkwardly I was standing by his door. "You're so cute, (Name), but you don't have to be so shy. Come in. Come here. I've missed you so much." He enveloped me in his arms as soon as I was within reach. His hold was tight, and I was almost afraid he was going to crack a rib or two.

I was grateful when he loosened his hold, but I had to tell him before he could get too far with me, "Partheno, we need to sit down and talk."

Finally, we were on the same page. His expression dropped to something serious, and he gave a single nod. He sat on his sofa with barely enough space between us. "Of course, we need to talk. What happened was really scary for you, wasn't it?" His guilty expression was genuine. Did he understand how I was feeling about everything? "Finding out I was a demon must have been horrible. But thanks to you, I'm a god now. It's all thanks to your love and support that I'm here now."

"Um... About that..." I started awkwardly, twisting my fingers in nervousness. "Partheno... Things were messed up when you were a demon—you know that. You were charming me and making me love you so you could use me. But..." I stared at the floor, refusing to meet his gaze. Would he be angry if I told him the truth? "Your dark powers were the reason I loved you. I... don't really love you anymore."

Despite my cruel admission, he didn't seem upset or angry. His calm smile was still on his face as he tried to disprove what I was telling him, "Nonsense. You're probably not feeling well, is all. You look exhausted—like you didn't get much sleep last night. I'm the god of love, darling. I can see the love shining in your eyes."

I awkwardly stared at the floor. Too bad I couldn't make Partheno understand that it wasn't him I had such intense feelings about. "You don't understand," I stressed my words, trying to get him to see how I was feeling, "You were manipulating me. I don't think- Well... I've never really felt that way about you. I don't know how to make you understand."

He was indeed the most delusional god I'd ever met. The other gods were pretty glad I stuck around with Partheno, having gone as far as actually asked me to keep Partheno on the right track for them. But why was it my job? If only Partheno hadn't promised to stay true to his position as long as he had me. He would never accept that I didn't love him. I flinched as he passed his fingers along my jaw. "Humans are so cute. But it's okay; you don't need to worry. I would never doubt you, even if you are confused right now."

I balled my hands into fists and huffed in annoyance. He wasn't listening to me at all. What was in that thick head of his? "I'm not confused! I'm telling you how I feel! I was confused, but I've been thinking about this since we last saw each other." Did he understand yet?

My hope died out, replaced by disappointment as I took the chance to look up at him. His smile was as cute as when we first met, and his expression appeared as if he didn't have a care in the world. Didn't he care about how I felt? "I'm glad we're at the point in our relationship where we feel comfortable telling each other how we feel. I'm thrilled you're opening up to me about this." My eyebrows furrowed with what he was saying to me. Why did he deny it so avidly if he understood what I was saying? But I failed to pull back as he wrapped his hands around my head and began to try and gently smooth my scrunched-up face with his thumbs. “Please, don't worry so much, love. You'll get stress lines. Now that you're here with me, I can spend the rest of my time recovering with you by my side. Then you can see how much you still love me. You won't even want to go home when it's time for you to leave.”

My eyes widened. He wanted me to stay that long with him? It wasn't like I could just deny him when I had so many expectations on my shoulders.

The last time we spent so much time together, it didn't end well for me. But I knew he wasn't giving me a choice, so I ended up nodding my head in silent resignation. Of course, the gods in the Heavens still weren't pleased to have a traitor among their ranks, so we mainly stayed in his room that afternoon. It was quiet and awkward, but Partheno didn't mind as long as he had me close with him. Even when it was time for me to eat something, he lovingly provided me with food and ate with me.

By the time the stars were out, it still didn't look as if he were ready to send me home, so I quietly asked, "Is it alright if I go home for tonight?"

He blinked before turning to look at me. "Home? You'll stay here with me, won't you? You are supposed to be helping me heal. I hear that healing was one of the powers of the Goddess of Fate." He leaned forward, pressing his lips against mine, too softly for me to react, "Perhaps, if you're interested, this could be your home."

I pulled away nervously, my cheeks turning red as I looked out of the window anxiously, "N- No! I'm just a human! I live on Earth! I'll stay the night... as long as I can go home later." It was a sacrifice I was willing to make. Besides, it wasn't like I'd be stuck in his room the whole time. I glanced back at him while he was getting the bed ready for us. My memory of the last time we shared a bed wasn't a pleasant one, but an idea struck me. Gods might not have needed sleep, but Partheno's body was adjusting to becoming a god, and Ichthys told me he'd been sleeping almost all the time. Maybe he wouldn't notice if I snuck away while he was still sleeping. Perhaps I could make sharing a bed with him work.

He gave me a comfortable pair of pajamas, though he didn't do anything else, unlike what I expected. He was such a pervert; it surprised me when he passed out on the bed beside me after turning the lights out. Maybe his body was tired. After the day I had, I wasn't surprised at how emotionally exhausted I was, but I also fell soundly asleep on my side of the bed.

"(Name)- Mmn." Someone was touching my arms. "(Name)." They were calling out my name. "Love... wake up."

I hummed at the feeling of someone's lips on my neck. "Leo..." I called out his name and cried out as teeth sunk painfully into my neck.

He pulled away, and his voice hissed into my ear, "I haven't seen you in days, and this is how you greet me? With the name of another man? Tell me... has he touched you like this?" I cringed as his hands explored my body without permission. My eyes widened as I realized just who was on top of me. It wasn't Leon. This was Partheno.

"Partheno- Ah- Stop!"

"What if I was that lion?" He asked, his voice dangerously low, "Would you tell him to stop? No, you would moan his name, wouldn't you? It was him who touched you, wasn't it? His scent, his marks of love. He was all over you. Do you think I'll let you get away with betraying me? Do you think I'll let him get away with touching you?" My body shivered at the dark look that was in his eyes. He looked just like he did when he was a demon. Was he falling back to his old ways? Pain erupted in my stomach, and I doubled over, trying not to cry out. He was grinning down at me. "It seems we're still connected. But... if you won't be mine... maybe I should just go through with absorbing your powers, like I've been wanting to do. Then you won't be able to belong to anyone but me. Your soul will be mine."

I cried out in fright, jumping up from my position. My eyes darted all over, trying to find where Partheno disappeared to. But he was lying peacefully beside me, his face not showing any signs of waking up. I sighed, rubbing my face as I got over the nightmare I had just had. I had to leave. I couldn't stay with Partheno. Staying with my abuser would only cause me more distress.

I climbed out of bed, careful not to wake him as I got dressed and left his room. I stared down at my feet as I walked down the hall. The palace wasn't as busy at night, even though I was told Gods didn't need to sleep—maybe they just preferred to work during the day.

I walked into the living room and sat quietly on the sofa, though no one else was in there except me. I was still exhausted from my nightmare, but I was sure I wouldn't get any sleep being in the same building as Partheno. Still, the sofa was so comfortable, and I was sure Partheno couldn't leave his room yet, so I should be safe. It wasn't like just anyone would go into that living room. Only the Zodiac gods gathered in there. So, with my lack of better judgment, I took the chance to rest my eyes then and there. They would understand... right?

"Oh, here she is! I found her!"

"Shh! She fell asleep on the sofa. There's no need to wake her up."

"Uh... But should we take her back to Partheno? He seemed worried."

"Wait until she wakes up, at least."

I turned, rubbing my face into whatever pillow was beneath me. I let out a quiet yawn before I finally opened my eyes and found Huedhaut and Teorus watching me. I quickly shot up on the sofa and remembered where I was. "O- Oh. It's just you two."

Huedhaut sat beside me and asked, "What are you doing sleeping on the sofa? You know, any god could have walked in on you and found you in that vulnerable position."

I looked down, picking at my fingers shyly before admitting. "I just had a nightmare... so I couldn't spend the night with Partheno, but I also couldn't just go home and... I didn't know where else to go. No one else was in here, so I stayed."

Teorus shook his head. "That isn't fair. If you want to go home, we can send you home."

Before I had a chance to answer, Partheno rushed into the room, followed by Krioff and Dui. "(Name)!" I flinched with a small yelp as he wrapped me tightly in his arms. "I was worried sick when I woke up and saw you were missing. I thought some cruel god had taken you away from me as revenge for what I'd done. I called all of the gods to help find you."

"Y- You what? All of them? I'm fine. I just-"

"Don't do that to me again!” He interrupted me. “I had to beg them to let me look for you." I couldn't pull away with how tightly he held me against his chest. His nose was stuffed in my hair as he continued to caress my back. "But you're here. You're back in my arms. I'll keep you safe. You must have felt so trapped, but you'll be thrilled at the news. I'm allowed out of my room now so you won't need to stay there all day with me. I can take you anywhere in the palace—even the garden if another god joins us."

Partheno made it sound like a gift, but why did it always feel like the exact opposite?

He said being in his room probably made me feel trapped, but as soon as he was allowed to follow me outside of his room, it was like he was glued to my hip. I had been there for a week, per Partheno's request, and could barely get a minute to myself.

However, when I did get the chance to have some time for myself, I usually spent it with one of my other friends like Dui or Ichthys. It was always fun until Partheno would show up—which he would do no matter who I was with. It wasn't so obvious... but I could tell how jealous he would get when I was around any of the other gods. I wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but I also picked up on the fact that every time he walked into the room, the other gods would suddenly have something else to do.

It was so suffocating.

First, Partheno took me away from my home and demanded I stay with him in the Heavens; then, he suddenly wanted to control who was around me. As time slowly passed, I became more irritated with his presence; the fear I once harbored was molding itself into spite.

Having enough of what I was forced into, I eventually went to Zyglavis for some help and guidance on the situation.

"He's smothering me. It's like he shows up everywhere I am. Not even the gods who needed me to erase their sins were this controlling! I'm a human. I need to go back to Earth. I can't handle having some god hovering over me every minute of the day." I huffed, trying to calm myself down from my sudden rant. "Zyglavis... are you sure he's alright? Even as a demon, he didn't act like this. I... think something's wrong with him."

Zyglavis was staring at me evenly, and the same as the other gods I'd spoken to for advice, he reassured, "Partheno has been doing his work and staying out of trouble that he would otherwise find himself in if not for you supporting him. He loves you, and it makes sense that he would want to spend time with you—though I believe the King should have gone about this differently. A god and a human..." He shook his head before looking at me with kinder eyes, "In any case, we are grateful to you, (Name) (Surname). We hope that you and Partheno continue to be happy together."

They might not have seen anything wrong... either that or they were just ignoring it for their own selfish needs. But Partheno was clearly different to me. I was running out of friends. I was running out of people to turn to. Not even Ichthys, Dui, or Teorus wanted to talk to me anymore, fearing that Partheno would appear. The older gods like Karno, Huedhaut, and Tauxolouve would spare some words with me, but Partheno was always there to interrupt us, demanding for me to go with him or for them to leave me alone. They probably saw it as him wanting to spend time with me lovingly, so they gave us our space. But... I felt alone and isolated. Partheno was backing me into a corner, and no one was listening to me.

"Zyglavis!" I called out, making him stop in surprise as he walked away from me. He wasn't expecting me to yell at him of all things. "I want to go home! No one's listening to me..."

His eyes were wide in surprise. It was rare to see him with this kind of expression, but he looked speechless. "(Name)-"

"You... You want to leave me?" I cringed and turned around immediately upon hearing Partheno's broken voice behind me. "I thought you were making yourself at home with me. I've been giving you everything you could ever want and... Isn't that enough?"

"That's... not the problem..."

"I'm a problem now?!"

"That's not what I said!" My voice cracked as I looked away from him, my eyes glossing over as I tried not to get him any angrier than he probably already was. "I miss home, Partheno. How can you be so greedy? You have everything you want in the Heavens, but I can't even visit Earth—the place where I belong." Truth be told, he was becoming a problem—but admitting that to him would cause more difficulties than I was ready to face.

The room fell to silence, and Partheno stared at me for a moment before excusing us from Zyglavis' presence and taking me to an empty room with a firm hand around my wrist. He released me before pacing along the length of the room. "You... really want to visit Earth?" I nodded my head while he was still looking at me, and he sighed. He rubbed his face for a moment before speaking quietly, "I'm not allowed to go to Earth... and I would like to go with you. Do you think you could wait a few more weeks?"

He made his question soft and considerate, but I knew very well that he wasn't giving me an option. It was just me and him, and he was in charge. I took a deep breath before nodding my head and meekly answering, "Okay..."

I agreed to simply placate him, but that might have been my last and final mistake. I couldn't stay. He was becoming too much. Of all the gods, there was one person I hadn't seen yet... someone who I needed to go to if I wanted to get myself out of the troublesome situation I was trapped in. The Department of Punishments wasn't listening and I couldn’t get a word in with the Department of Wishes. I needed to see Leon. But I hadn't seen Leon since that first day that I was in the Heavens. He had been on Earth working ever since that night we spent together.

It only took that one thought for me to be constantly thinking about him, formulating a plan to get back to Earth. Even if it were just for a moment, anything would be worth getting time away from Partheno. If I could get alone with one of the Wishes gods, perhaps they could take me to Earth—it was the one place Partheno couldn't follow me, after all.

"Oh, love? What's with that look in your eyes? You miss me that much?" Smothered in Partheno's arms once again, he pinned me to his chest without being able to move my arms. Evidently, he didn't understand my reason for sitting on the other end of the sofa from him. I hated his possessive touch. "You must love being in my arms if you're going to have that lonesome look in your eyes just sitting across the sofa from me."

"Actually-" I tried to get in an excuse about being homesick to earn a trip back to Earth, though my intentions were really to see Leon. But Partheno was quick to interrupt me without giving it a second thought.

"I see," he drawled. I grew worried about the sudden seductive grin on his face and the sexy glimmer that was shining in his pale, pink eyes. "You had such a longing expression; I thought my contact might have been enough to sate you. But... you've been living with me for almost a month now, and I haven't touched you nicely since that one night we spent together when I was a demon. Of course... that was rather unpleasant, wasn't it? I promise this time will be really memorable."

I panicked as he tried to push me onto the sofa. I couldn't let him get the upper hand. Pushing him away from me, I slickly escaped his grasp and retreated to the other side of the coffee table. "Partheno, really, I don't want to do this! You have no idea how I've been feeling. You never listen! I just want some space. I don't even have time to hang out with Ikky, Teo, or Dui because you're always smothering me! I don't love you—I want to leave!"

His laugh in response to my tantrum was an insult to how I felt. "Of course you love me. Who else would those gorgeous eyes be shining for?"

I huffed. My anger was starting to boil over the top with how he seemed to brush me off. "I don't! I hate you!" It wouldn’t have come to this if he just understood and accepted it like the grown man he was—like the god he was supposed to be.

"No, you don't, love." He still had that sickly sweet smile on his face as he joined me and stood from the sofa. "You're just cranky because you didn't get your beauty sleep, is all. We can fix that, isn't that right?"

"I tried, Partheno! I really tried to be your friend and give you what you wanted, but I can't do this! You're not getting better... You're getting worse. You're taking me away from the people I care about. You're ruining my life!" Talking didn't help; if anything, he was upset that I was so upset over being around him.

He was sure that I loved him as much as he loved me... but what was I complaining about? So what if I couldn't hang out with the other gods? I had no business being around them. I had Partheno. Wasn't that the only thing that mattered? How was he ruining my life when all he was giving me was his unyielding love?

Seeing how he was unresponsive to my attacks, I moved to storm out of the room, only for him to pin me to the wall as I tried to leave. He was not letting me go as he slammed his lips to mine. "What more do you want me to give you?! I'm giving myself to no one but you. Or is it that you're just playing with me? Do you like it more when I'm rough with you like this?"

I let out a distressed cry when he shoved his knee between my legs, but one of his hands pinned my wrists above my head so I couldn’t push him away. "I don't want anything from you! Let me go, you filthy pervert!"

I flinched, but there wasn't anywhere to escape to as his hand wrapped around my throat. "You're going to get someone's attention if you keep screaming like that. If you want to play, you might want to do it more quietly."

"I told you to get off of me, bastard!" I wasn't sure if I was angrier or more afraid—probably an accurate mixture of both—but I was relieved when the door flew open. I couldn't care less who it was, as long as they helped me.

"(Name)!" The shout took our attention to the shocked person at the door. Aigonorus was standing there with wide eyes, more alert than usual. His sharp, calculating eyes latched onto Partheno. "What are you doing to her? Get off."

In Partheno's state, there was no way he could fight off any of the gods. He still wasn't trusted with all of his powers as a god, and for that, I was grateful. His movements were slow, but Partheno hesitantly released me. My first instinct was to run to Aigonorus’ side, but I stayed glued to the wall in fear that Partheno would step in. Partheno sighed as he tried to excuse the situation. "We were only playing. You don't have to interfere so aggressively."

"I heard her screaming from down the hall."

"She was enjoying herself. Did you really come in here to try and tell me how my own love wants to be treated?"

The word love triggered me immediately, and I snapped, "I am not your love!" Shoving past him, I walked toward Aigonorus, confident Partheno couldn't do anything to me. "I don't want to associate with you. If you even try to come after me, I swear I'm going to kill you."

The room was silent as I stormed out. Only as I walked down the halls did I realize that I was shaking.

"(Name)..." A voice called out behind me; still, I had no intention of turning around.

I wanted to leave the Heavens. I never wanted to see Partheno again; I would never turn back.

"Hey, wait up."

I didn't stop, but I wasn't walking very fast, giving the apprehending god time to catch up.

"(Name), wait." Aigonorus finally pulled me to a stop while he looked me over, his eyes lingering on my trembling hands that I'd anxiously pulled out of his own. "Are you okay?"

"No." It was an expected answer with what he just walked in on. I was shaking with the effort of holding myself together. "Thank you... Um... Aigo, can you take me home now? I want to go back to Earth."

He nodded his head and patted my head affectionately. He wiped the tears at the corner of my eyes, offering me a kind smile before directing me back to Earth. We didn't run into any other gods, and Aigonorus kept a concerned eye on my shivering form as he took me through the door to get back to Earth. He had a comforting arm wrapped around my shoulders until we passed in the living room and a teasing voice called out, "Making a move on the goldfish, Aigo?"

Aigonorus’ gaze flew to Leon, who was sitting on one of the chairs. He was talking with Tauxolouve and Karno, but they had no clue what just happened—not that I expected them to. Aigonorus rubbed my arm softly as he explained to them, "I'm taking her home. She had enough of being in the Heavens."

Leon glanced me over, but I refused to so much as to even look at them–especially Leon. "Goldfish."

I didn't respond to him calling for me. All I wanted was to run into his arms. Was that too much to ask? Was that only a one-night thing between us? The last thing I wanted to do was make a scene here with how I was feeling. He'd been ignoring my wishes the entire time I was stuck in the Heavens. How did he think that made me feel?

"(Name)," I looked up as Leon took it upon himself to approach me and lift my chin just enough to get my attention. But he noticed my quivering lips and the tears in my eyes right away and was quick to ask, "What happened in the Heavens?"

Aigonorus sighed and answered for me, "Partheno was harassing her. I heard her screaming-" He stopped talking, and his expression softened in guilt as I finally broke down into tears.

It started as a quiet whimper, and I tried to hide it by covering my face, but Leon was already holding me tightly in his arms. "I'm going to kill that demon spawn myself." After contemplating for a few moments, he hissed, "Why didn't you come to me sooner?!"

"Because of Partheno!" I cried pathetically, keeping myself buried in his chest, "He wouldn't leave me alone or let me talk to the other gods or let me go home!"

Karno immediately sported a look of guilt on his face as he admitted to Leon, "We should have known better. We were there when he would steal her away. We should have taken her back to Earth sooner."

I tried wiping my tears, but they kept falling. I must have looked as pathetic as I felt when I turned to Karno and asked, "Didn't you know? You left me with him. Even all the wishes I was trying to make... no one granted them… No one listened to me!"

"Wishes?" The wishes gods exchanged glances, and Leon's eyes narrowed, making a decision. "I'm going to the Heavens to settle this. Karno, Lou, Aigo, I'm leaving you in charge of the goldfish. Grant all of her wishes."

"Leo..." I trailed off. He didn't stop to regard me as he angrily swept from the room, going to the Heavens—the one place I didn't want to go. I mainly wanted to go to Earth because it was where Leon was... But he was gone now, and I felt oddly exposed without him there. I looked down in embarrassment. They were making such a big deal out of everything because of me.

"(Name), why don't you sit down?" Karno offered, allowing me to sit on the sofa beside Tauxolouve. "Is there anything we can do for you? Is there anything you want or need?"

He was trying so hard to make up for what they let me go through alone. Staring down at my shirt, however, I instantly felt uncomfortable in the clothes I was wearing. These clothes that Partheno gave me... These clothes that he assaulted me in...

Quietly, I requested, "I want new clothes. I don't like what I'm wearing. It's uncomfortable." He didn't hesitate to snap his fingers, and I was in something more appropriate to Earth. Partheno would have never thought to put me in something so unstylish, and I loved it all the more as I curled up on the sofa, using the sleeves to wipe at my slowed tears.

Seeing how small I looked on the big sofa, Tauxolouve asked, "Are you comfortable? You can be honest with us." I nodded my head. This was the most comfortable I'd been all day. But... I still felt insecure—like something vital was missing.

Gazing up sadly at Tauxolouve, I asked, "Can you... hold me? Not too rough, but... just until Leo comes back?"

He offered me a kind smile before sitting back on the sofa, letting me settle onto his lap at my own pace before he gently wrapped his arms around me. He was warm as he held me securely against him. “Here,” he quietly offered, “Let me clean those tears away.” Snapping his fingers, I felt calmed down as he passed a warm towel over my cheeks, gently patting over my moist eyes.

I kept my eyes shut as I leaned against his chest. I had to focus on Lou’s movements and the comfort he brought me... I needed to think about anyone and everyone except Partheno.

***

"You're back already? Hold on; she fell asleep. What happened in the Heavens?"

Leon looked over the gods in the room. Teorus and Huedhaut had joined the party of Wishes gods after hearing the trouble I was going through. "I spoke with those Punishments idiots about keeping Partheno on a tighter leash. I also spoke to that trickster. He's going to have an audience with Partheno and decide what needs to be done."

My head felt numb, as if sleep didn't reenergize me as I needed. But I could recognize the voice speaking above me. He was the one I wanted to see this whole time. "Leo..."

"Huh?" Tauxolouve glanced down at me before looking back up at Leon. "She seems to know you're here. She fell asleep waiting for you to come back."

Leon's eyes landed on me before he made the quick decision, "I'll take her to my room. I'll leave the rest to all of you. If you hear anything more, let me know."

He was careful, taking me into his arms, but I was already half-awake as he carried me. All I could do was lean closer to him. "Leo... I was scared."

He glanced down at me, gently rocking me with each step. "You don't have to be scared. I'm here now."

Leon was there. He wasn't going to let Partheno have me. Finally, I was able to rest easy. But the nightmares still haunted me through the night. I was sure being around Partheno again triggered them, but it was the same dream repeatedly—the same horrifying experience of him stealing my stars and soul. The same ending.

I jumped up with my heart racing, scanning the room frantically for my enemy but also my protection. "Leo!"

He was back by my side instantly, only having been by the reflection pool. "I'm here. Calm down." He didn't want to startle me with touches, but he couldn't argue as I threw my arms around him, keeping him in a life or death grip. He rubbed my back gently before brushing his fingers through my unkempt hair. "You're safe."

I looked up at him, keeping his face in my sight as I took him in. I was actually with Leon. Partheno wasn't here. My grip relaxed as I quietly explained, "I had a nightmare. I keep having the same one. Partheno takes my stars and my soul and he goes back to being a demon.” Not for the first time, I felt like a child scared of a shadow rather than a reborn goddess who got rid of the sins of gods and faced demons.

Leon hummed after hearing my explanation. Partheno reverting into a demon was physically impossible, but he could just as easily turn into a dark god. There were quite a few dark gods that existed, though the captured ones were extinguished. “Impossible,” he said, discarding it as a possibility. “If he takes any actions against you or the heavens, he will be extinguished.”

His threat was harsh, but very real, and I found myself relaxed under his touch. Hearing his voice was enough to make me feel at peace, he was solid proof that I wasn’t trapped in the Heavens anymore. He was the only one I trusted to keep me safe from Partheno. As much as I liked the other gods, they abandoned me with him. It was more Partheno’s fault than theirs but my heart still raced in fear.

The corners of my lips fell, disappointment and guilt filling my bones as I pulled away from him. “I’m sorry I’m so greedy and selfish…” Pulling the blankets back up to me, I almost tried to hide in their warmth.

Leon tilted his head, trying to keep up with the range of emotions I was quickly going through. Sighing, he slowly asked, “What are you apologizing for all of a sudden?” His eyebrows furrowed as I refused to look up and meet his gaze.

“Can we leave the mansion?” I quietly asked, nervous for the answer to be no. But I really didn't want to be anywhere that reminded me of Partheno. Leon’s room was nice, but I wanted to be away from the other gods. I wanted to be comfortable having this conversation with Leon.

Leon hummed, nodding his head. “We can go anywhere you want.”

Anywhere? I wanted to go somewhere where it would be just me and Leon—no gods or humans to bother us. “Can we go inside your door?” Leon’s place is where I wanted to go most. No one would find us there and it would be the most peaceful day I'd had in a while.

“Yeah,” he answered. His hand wrapped around mine, his lips softly meeting my forehead. “We can go to my place.” I felt mentally frozen as his lips met my forehead, following his footsteps like a lost child.

Leon made sure to tell Karno where we were going, but none of the other gods were made aware. It wasn't that any of them had bad intentions, but they knew I needed time to myself.

Personally, I didn't want to be by myself. All I wanted was for Leon to stay beside me and protect me from Dark Gods. Sure, I knew Partheno was an official god now, but he didn't feel like one. I was sure that if I could feel the difference then the others should be able to feel it too!

Leon could see my internal struggle. He only recalled ever seeing me so uncomfortable when we first met… It wasn't a pleasant memory, but it happened and he couldn't change it. The only thing he could do now was make sure nothing hurt me. He sighed as he sat in the grass beside me. “Feeling okay?”

I nodded, glancing over to see his face. The vivid memory of how Partheno had his hands all over me made me want to curl into a ball and forget everything. My arms crossed over my chest, as if hugging myself would banish the feeling of his hands… “I hate him… I hate this…”

He kept a respectful distance but, for once, Leon found himself wishing. He wished he could make me feel better. He wished he could get rid of everything that made me feel uncomfortable with just the snap of his fingers. Quietly, he admitted, “I wish I knew how to help you.”

It seemed so out of character for him to be so desperate, but I knew he was being genuine. If anything, I would have loved for him to erase what Partheno did, but I was asking for too much. At this rate, what was the difference between what Partheno did to me and what I was doing to Leon?

Quietly, I argued, “I don’t… I don’t want you to help me.”

“Huh?” His eyes were quick to narrow on me despite how I tried to hide in the depth of the hood from my shirt. “Hey,” he called out, “don’t start pushing us away. What are you-” He hesitated. “What’s bothering you? Right now, tell me everything on your mind.”

“Don’t hate me,” I whimpered, my grip tightening on the edges of my hood.

“I just want to listen and help,” he explained, his gentle hand resting on my back. “No one’s going to hate you for feeling any certain way—least of all me.” Caressing my back, he asked, “Will you talk to me? …Do you want to talk to Karno or-“

“I’m using you,” my voice cracked at the nasty truth I revealed. It made Leon fall silent as he heard me out instead of reacting right away. “I- I know you’re more powerful than the other gods and that makes me feel safe from him. I can’t be with the other gods because I’m too terrified to be away from you.” His hand had stopped moving along my back and he was silent, but I still refused to peek and judge his expression. “I tried to teach you how to be loving and compassionate but the minute I’m backed into a corner I selfishly use you like a shield. I’m a horrible-“

“Hey,” he interrupted me, his arm wrapping around my shoulder as he denied, “You’re not a horrible person. You’re a scared goldfish. Your reaction is natural—seeking the safest place. It’s difficult not to let my pride get in the way knowing I’m what you consider to be your safest place.”

“But… I’m just using you…”

“Are you?” He questioned, making me second guess myself. If I wasn’t just using him… then how did he view all of this? “Someone using me wouldn’t have loved me so deeply beforehand. Are you just using me?”

I couldn’t answer him, stuck in my own confused thoughts.

“You came to me, whether you consciously know of it or not, because you knew I would protect you with my whole heart,” he said softly. “I would never allow my loved ones to get hurt on my watch.”

Glancing up at him from beneath my hood, I could see the blazing stars in his eyes. All of his words were a silent promise to me. “Leo…” My eyes watered. How did he have so much faith in someone as lost as I was?

He leaned closer, his fingers softly prying the hood from my head as he muttered, “I love you.” His lips gently pressed against my forehead, before pulling back to look me in the eyes. “I don’t need you to love me in return right now. You don’t need to do anything until you’re feeling comfortable again. Let me be your shield. What do you wish for right now?”

Immediately, I had an answer, “I want to stop feeling Partheno’s hands on me…” I paused, my eyes desperately searching his. “Make it go away? Please? I want anything else but to remember the way he…”

I shut my eyes for a moment, but they flickered up as soon as Leon reached down, laying his hand on top of mine. “If you're sure… I'll help make sure that demon is the last thing on your mind.” And to be honest, I was fine with that much because I knew he would take care of me in the most loving way. Leon’s hands were so gentle compared to Partheno’s demonic clawing.

***

After my safety was assured, the days that went by were calm. The gods refrained from telling me much about the situation with Partheno, and Leon kept me with either him or another Wishes god during the time I chose to stay with them, though he always kept my wishes and needs in mind when making decisions regarding who was with me on any day.

Though, steadily, I was feeling more secure being on my own in the mansion. I was too anxious to leave on my own just yet, but it was a start to getting better. Even Zyglavis praised how well I was doing considering all the angst he allowed to go on under his nose. He shouldn’t have placed so much faith in a demon; I had to agree.

I was curious as to what they were doing in the Heavens to deal with Partheno… Though, at the same time, I really didn’t care to know. I didn’t care whether they would extinguish Partheno or if the King would help him see the err of his ways and repent. Regardless of what happened, I was never going back to the Heavens to see him.

“His trial is today,” Leon repeated, catching my attention from the other end of his room. He was much more invested in this situation than the other gods—Leon wanted to make sure Partheno was brought to justice. I couldn’t bring myself to care, but it seemed Leon was doing so for me. “I doubt Zyglavis will let him off easy for what he’s done to you. I’ll be ensuring he can never repeat this again.”

I slightly nodded my head, just enough to acknowledge his words. “As long as I never see him again… I don’t care how he ends up.”

Leon understood exactly where I was coming from, but beyond that, he knew how I was feeling about today in particular. “This is important regarding the balance between the two departments, but that doesn’t mean we’re not worried about you being alone here. You can stay in my room if you want, but Tauxolouve decided to stay incase you need anything while the rest of us are gone.”

It was thoughtful how they were still managing to keep me in mind when the Heavens was clearly going through something drastic. To have to replace a member of the Zodiac was a big deal. I doubted that I would leave Leon’s room for anything other than food or water, but it was nice to know that there was a god down the hall if I needed one. “Thank you…”

“You can thank us after we take care of this business. We’ll be back later.”

I stared down at the carpeted floor as I listened to the door close behind him. So, it was going to be me and Tauxolouve for the day… I didn’t mind Tauxolouve. He was one of the older and more mature gods, regardless of how flirty he was. He was also one of the gods to take care of me when I’d first returned to Earth. It might have seemed like they picked a random god to stay with me, but I appreciated that it was Tauxolouve.

Still, it seemed like this was going to be a long day of waiting. At the very least, I supposed taking a bath would get my mind off of all the trouble happening with the gods.

I was intending for the bath to take up some time in order to thoroughly get my mind off of things, but I expected Tauxolouve to at least give me a kind reminder not to boil myself alive… It was strange that he hadn’t checked on me at all through the day. Though, I supposed if he was left on Earth with work from Karno and Leon that he could be excused from taking care of me like a child. I was old enough to take care of myself, after all.

Still, I was growing weary of the silence in the mansion. Usually there were a few gods around to keep it lively enough for me to forget that I was ever in danger to begin with. But with all of them in the Heavens, I was left in the silence of the mansion. Well… Tauxolouve was there… and if I wanted things to be less quiet then I was sure he would indulge my anxious request.

Venturing to his room, I was confused not to find him. But there was no reason to worry. If he wasn’t in his room then I was sure he was in the reflection pool room. Tauxolouve was responsible enough to do his work unlike Leon… But going into the dimly lit room with the small reflection pool, Tauxolouve wasn’t there either and the water of the pool was still and glowing its usual beautiful light.

Just because he wasn’t in there didn’t mean I was giving up my search! This mansion wouldn’t be eerily silent for long! I was determined to find the god of sagittarius. The gods sometimes liked to spend their time in the living room, even when no one else was there. It seemed like the most promising location sense the last two were vacant. Of course, the mansion was a huge place. The chances of completely missing him while walking around was also a possibility. If worse came to worse, I’d just wish even harder in order to get his attention.

Only, I froze up in the door of the living room, my eyes wide and trained on two figures that stood in the center of the large room. They both had their dark cloaks on, but I could recognize them with or without those cloaks.

Fortunately, neither of them had spotted me just yet, which gave me ample time to escape. Narrowing my eyes, I was quick to turn and run, but all I could manage to accomplish was running straight into the door. Rubbing my forehead, I swiftly turned, finding both dark gods looking me over as if they’d been waiting for me to come out this whole time.

But… I didn’t understand how they were able to be in the mansion at all. They should have been suffering, at the very least, for stepping into a holy place. Not only that, but the other gods should have been alerted to the danger that was presenting itself. Where was Tauxolouve?

Their presence in the mansion only made me frantically wonder if the other gods still had Partheno under their control. If Partheno had escaped, then they would have been back for me in the blink of an eye. This had to be some kind of background plan that Partheno made. But… that didn’t make sense either.

“You’re… still alive…” I managed to utter, my eyes not leaving them. I didn’t want to take my eyes off of them incase either of them tried to come at me when I wasn’t looking. “Partheno killed you when you invaded the Heavens!” How were they still alive?

Malicious smirks erupted across their faces as Crow answered, “You genuinely thought Lord Partheno could destroy his most loyal servants? He anticipated not being able to keep something special of his. He didn’t kill us; he absorbed our power until he had need of us. We’re just here to collect what belongs to our Prince.”

He was willing to continue the charade of being a god for the sake of having me by his side at all times. With that vision of his failing him, this was a last resort for him. But he wasn’t physically in the mansion… not yet. My eyes narrowed on the two demons. “You might find that collecting your prince’s ‘belonging’ is going to be a troublesome task.”

They glanced at each other before Servillah sighed, revealing, “As much as we’d love to show an ignorant human its place… Lord Partheno wants his possession in one piece. You can have your fun fighting us another time.”

They approached me with ease, completely underestimating what I was willing to do to them. After all, I was just a human and they were demons, clearly it wouldn’t be that hard to steal me away. They must have assumed this would be easy work without any of the gods around, they’d regret thinking a human was harmless.

As soon as Crow was within arms length, I allowed him to pull me closer. I just didn’t allow him to see the knife I’d brandished. Using the momentum he added in pulling me to him, the knife imbedded itself into his chest. “W- What the hell?!” Just as I expected, he was quick to release me following his exclamation, and I swiftly pulled away with my hands and the knife now covered in the blood of a demon. “Gah! You little bitch! What is that?!”

I kept my weapon pointed in front of me, the only thing keeping the demons at bay. “The other gods knew I had to protect myself. This knife is embedded with their powers. It can kill you.”

Servillah scoffed. “That’s not bad for a little human. But what do you think you can achieve against two dark gods? Not even your demigod was enough to stop the both of us with fragments of our Lord Partheno’s powers.”

“Tauxolouve…” I muttered, faltering at the suggestion that they must've done something horrible to him. “You won't get away with that!”

“We already have,” Servillah pointed out, his eyes checking over Crow to make sure he was fine to stand on his own two feet. “Your god of Sagittarius failed to stop us. With Lord Partheno’s power in us, the rest of your little pantheon will never realize we were here. But once Lord Partheno completes his show in the Heavens… then they'll realize their mistake.”

As Servillah stepped closer to me, I thrust the knife forward again. But with the wave of his hand, I was warded off by an invisible force, the knife leaving my grasp as it clattered to the floor.

Before I could lunge for it, Servillah’s arms wrapped around me, burning with a familiar power. So, they were being serious when they mentioned having Partheno’s power in them. My only hope lied in threatening them, “You’ll never get away with this! Crow’s already going to die regardless of what you do now! The rest of you demons are next! Partheno included!”

Crow rolled his eyes with a pained scoff. “I'll never see what Lord Partheno sees in this brat…”

Servillah sighed, his grip tightening as he dragged me with me. “Doesn't matter. You'll have enough time to threaten Lord Partheno all you want once we're all in the Under Realm.”

***

After being disarmed by them, it was considerably easy for them to steal me away to the Under Realm. Confident in the power of the Zodiac Gods, I bit back any questions that dwelled on my mind as I waited.

And I had questions… One being, why wasn't Crow dead yet? That knife was imbued with divine power. How was it possible for a demon to survive that? Was it because we immediately came to the Under Realm? Was that the only thing saving him?

But also… What were they going to do if Partheno didn’t get away with his crimes? What was I going to do if Partheno got away with his crimes? If he successfully escaped the Heavens—which I couldn’t see happening with how severe Leon’s anger was—what was I supposed to do? Well… All I could really do was wait for the gods to potentially save me, just as I had to do before. This seemed like a repetitive process.

But it’s not like my wait would be that bad. After all, I was locked away from Crow and Servillah in a well-furnished room that more than likely belonged to Partheno. But for the moment, they were leaving me alone and I was grateful for the time to myself.

The time alone gave me time to plot and plan, calmly trying to figure out my situation. After all, despite whether or not Partheno showed up to the Under Realm, I still had to try and escape.

And of course, eventually, Partheno did show up—an added obstacle to my escape plan. Though, seeing him walk through the door gave me a sense of deja vu. His eyes scanned over me, assessing me for any injuries from his dark servants. Finally, a smile graced his lips, as if pleased with his findings—though I could tell the smile was fake. I was used to seeing that particular smile.

Walking past me, he didn’t share any words with me as he opened a nearby window, letting in the rancid Under Realm air. His rose colored eyes returned to me as he spoke, “You’re strong for a human. It takes a lot of guts to fearlessly stab a demon in the chest. What an intimate moment that must have been for Crow…” He trailed off. “But you know a lot about being intimate with others, don’t you?”

My eyes narrowed at his lewd suggestion. I couldn’t tell if he was actually implying that I’d done anything with Crow or if he was just trying to get a rile out of me. “I don’t know what those demons told you, but my goal was to kill them. Nothing else. Still, if being stabbed in the chest interests you, maybe you can give my knife back and we’ll try it out right now.”

“He touched you, didn't he?” Partheno changed the subject without warning. He tilted his head, but his eyes were glued outside of the window as if something more interesting were out in the desolate fields of the Under Realm. I didn’t understand his meaning as he continued speaking without acknowledging that I even spoke at all. “His scent… His marks of love… He was all over you. I could tell the minute I arrived that another god had taken you.”

My heart jumped in my throat as I realized he was referring to Leo…

“Do you think I'll let you get away with betraying me? Do you think I'll let him get away with touching you?” His eyes burned into me when he finally turned. He was livid.

I was starting to long for that fake smile…

My first experience in the Under Realm probably only went so well because I was under Partheno’s influence and was pining horribly for his attention and love. It was the only reason he took me back to the Heavens with him at the time, thankfully saving my life. This round… however… was my last and final visit, and I wasn’t going to make it an easy one. After all… what would Leo do? He wouldn’t take this. “You can’t do anything to him! He’ll extinguish you before you’d even get the chance! So by all means, try!”

“You’ve betrayed me all this time, haven't you? Tell me, how long has it been that you’ve given yourself to that beast?”

My eyes narrowed as I snipped back, “You’re one to talk, being a monster. At least Leon respects me.”

“I could have!” Partheno shouted, his eyes burning as he approached. “I would have given you everything! I would have loved you more than anything you’ve ever experienced before. You have the nerve to call me a monster when you’ve betrayed me for him?”

Reaching out to grab my arm, I pulled away from him with a glare. “Don’t touch me. Don’t act like I should be thankful for anything you’ve done! Because all you’ve done is hurt me over and over again. I thought you actually might’ve been serious about becoming a god. But unlike the other gods, I knew better than to trust a demon spawn!”

Having a semi-aggressive argument, there was a struggle as I found to stay a distance away from him. Growling at his continued attempts of harassing me, I kicked him with as much strength as I could manage, sending him doubling over in pain. This gave me the opportunity to flee to the door, though it was locked and prevented me from truly escaping. I wished the gods were there to save me. It was happening all over again and I was trapped in the dark with a demon. I couldn’t so easily escape this time.

From behind me, Partheno hissed, “I see. You're choosing him over me... After all, you wouldn't tell him to stop. No, you would moan his name, wouldn't you? Pine over him like the usable little goldfish you are. Don't worry, I know just how to fix this.”

The way he was looking at his own hands, made it evident that he was going to regret whatever it was that was going on in his head. Though, from the looks of him, a sinking feeling invaded my heart. “No,” I whimpered, trying to keep the distance between us, but there was only so far I could go. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you! I’m sorry, Partheno!”

“No. Don’t try to apologize.” Partheno had clearly grown tired of my disobedience. “As a god of love, I understand these things can't be helped. However... you're so very fortunate to be with me. I have the perfect solution to save you. I'm going to take that delicious soul of yours for myself, just as I'd always planned. You're going to be mine permanently. Our souls will be forever intertwined."

With his promising threats, tears welled in my eyes as he drew closer, only making me panic as I pleaded with him, “Partheno… Please. I’m sorry. You- You can’t take my stars! I- I’ll die…”

“That’s the point,” he flatly replied. “If you refuse to cooperate and accept your place here at my side, then I don’t see why I shouldn’t go through with it.” Though, he had to admit, he was very pleased to hear me pleading for my life. All he could do was hold it over my head like the demon and son of the Dark King that he was. After all, it was no small thing to threaten to steal someone’s very soul.

Seeing me refusing to look in his eyes, Partheno smirked, knowing he had me backed into a corner—both physically and mentally. Quietly, I murmured, “I- O- Okay… Please,” I pleaded. At this point, I didn’t care about Partheno’s plans. All I knew was that the gods could only save me if I was still alive to save. Besides, I knew that if Partheno absorbed my soul and powers, that he’d be even more powerful than he already was. I couldn’t let that happen, for the sake of Earth and the Heavens.

Though, as if sensing my hopeful thoughts, Partheno huffed in amusement, turning to look back out of the window and give me the space I was internally begging for. Then, as if his goal were to crush any foolish hope that I had in my head, he explained nonchalantly, “This place is a sort of vacuum for divine powers. Similar to how you humans will die in the cold, empty vacuum of space… Their divine powers will be void here. This is my domain.” Turning his head to glance at me from the corner of his eyes, he held a small, victorious smirk. “I have the upper hand. Don’t forget that.”

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