#like I’m stewin in my room bein like

[horseshoemybeloved]

Guys be honest do I give off an autistic vibe

[whenyouwriteyouwrite]

sleep is a terrible thing to waste

Word count: 4,830 words

Characters: Mezuma, Nona, Mikla

Warnings: brief mentions of torture

First | Previous | Next

To say that Mezuma was nervous about starting her new job would be a massive understatement. She did very well trying to play it off around Nona, but Nona could absolutely sense that Mezuma was anxious.

Regardless, Friday has rapidly approached. Both Nona and Mikla had arrived at Fatal Ecstasy that evening to support Mezuma’s very first performance. They paid the entrance fee and were escorted to the more hidden VIP area of the burlesque lounge, tucked away in the shadows. The band was set up by the left portion of the stage, playing some plucky background music to keep costumers entertained while the performers prepared for the first act.

The stage itself was actually 3 stages. A large center one and two smaller circular ones that were slightly elevated and curtained off. The decorations were very ornate and cover with gold and colorful gems. The biggest piece was the frame surrounding the main stage that looked like it was covered with small carvings of naked demons and flowers.

The lounge was filled with various demons, all sitting at tables with dimly lit lanterns and glasses of colorful drinks. Even the second floor balcony area had people standing and looking out over the stage.

“This place is packed.” Mikla commented and waved down a waitress carrying their drink orders. Nona hummed in agreement and watched the curtain rise for the first performer of the night. “Nervous, Nans?”

“Mezuma is.”

“I know she’s nervous, mate, I’m askin’ if you are.”

“For her.. I am nervous.”

“She’s gonna do great, don’t be nervous.”

“I know she will. I can just.. feel how nervous she is.. She’s never usually like this.”

“She’s got more self confidence than any other demon I’ve encountered, Nans. And I’ve met my fair share of demons. Once she gets on that stage, she’s gonna absolutely kill this show. People always get new job jitters. You remember the first time I handled my own deal?”

“You threw up 3 times before we even entered the building.”

“See? New job jitters.” Mikla leaned back in his seat and took a quick sip of his weirdly yellow drink. “I’m as confident as can be too, Nans. I’m practically stewin’ in it. But I was nervous as Hell takin’ on my first deal. How did I do after I tossed my guts out?”

“You actually did... surprisingly well.”

“Exactly! Mez-Mez has got this in the bag. Don’t you worry your pretty little head about it.”

“She’s worried about failing..”

“She wont. I know the owner of this place, Lady Jou, she’s smart and she knows talent when she sees it. If she sees somethin’ good, she invests in it. She wouldn’t have wasted her own time and money hirin’ Mezuma if Mez wasn’t actually a good singer. You must know this.”

“I wouldn’t.. I have never heard her sing. I had no knowledge of her being able to sing until a few days ago.”

“Well, this will be an eventful evenin’ for all of us then, eh?”

The first act ended with the band still playing music to roll into the second act. The performances here were already vastly different from The Crimson Club. For one thing, there was no way customers could get their hands on any of the dancers without climbing up onto the stage. And the dancers themselves seemed to be more trained in aerobics for their dances. The last act before intermission were a few of the dancers twirling with silks over the stage. 

The curtain fell to the main stage as the act was done. The band picked up with something a little more jazzy. Nona felt a subtle uptick in Mezuma’s nerves and knew that this was her time to be on stage. Seconds later, the curtain on one of the elevated stages rose up slowly.

Standing in the center was Mezuma. Nona held her breath at the sight of her girlfriend. She was covered in white. A white boa was draped around her shoulders and a white lacy dress clung to her figure with flowers cascading down the material like a waterfall before pooling down by her feet. For a moment, she hesitated. No one else in the lounge caught it except Nona and Mikla. But as soon as she saw Nona in the audience, her demeanor changed. Any anxiousness she had suddenly melted away and was replaced with her natural confident energy.

The lounge went silent as a spotlight shined directly on her, making her seem more ethereal on the stage. The band continued the gentle jazzy tune. Casting a glance out at the audience, she smiled coyly at everyone and brought her lips to the mic.

“Hello sinners.” she purred into the mic. A few audience members responded with whistles and whoops, making Mezuma chuckle. “How is everyone tonight?” More people responded with clapping, a few scattered cheers here and there, even Mikla brought his fingers to his lips to make his whistle louder. “Good.” Mezuma sent a wink over to Nona and Mikla before turning her attention back to the audience. “I’d like to sing for you all, if that’s okay?”

The music picked up from the band as the audience started to applaud again. A very jaunty guitar melody accompanied by a horn played a quick opening verse. Mezuma swayed with the beat until it was her time to join into the music and she began to sing.

It was a song Nona had never heard of before, not that she listened to a lot of music. But there was something about the melody that felt like it wasn’t from around here. It was also in a language she didn’t understand and was floored at how well Mezuma was singing it. It wasn’t that she knew the lyrics but it was the way she was singing it like it was personal to her. That the meaning of the song was very important to her.

The audience was enraptured as well. Not a single demon had spoken since she started singing and everyone’s eyes were on her. Even some of the staff had stopped busing and making drinks to pause and watch Mezuma.

The end of the song was met with a silent room. Only for a moment though. As soon as Mezuma nervously took a bow, the audience erupted into applause. Demons were out of their seats cheering, some even were demanding an encore. Mezuma smiled the biggest smile and blew a kiss out to the audience before the curtain slowly lowered in front of her.

“Holy shit!” Mikla shoved Nona’s shoulder once the clapping had died down. “That girls got some talent.”

“Yeah...” Nona was still staring at the stage where Mezuma was standing, still caught in the spell of her girlfriend singing. The curtain on the main stage rose again for the next act.

“Did you know she knew French? She sings it very well.”

“French?” Nona’s attention snapped to him. “Is that what that was?”

“Yeah, French is a human language, actually. Some demons learn human languages for the appeal of them. There’s nothin’ really practical about knowin’ them other than it’s cool to know em.”

“You speak French?”

“No I just know it when I hear it. I’ve been around enough demons to recognize some humans languages.”

Mid way through the act, a hidden door opened up behind them and Mezuma popped out with a smile. She wasn’t in the dress anymore, just a pair of shorts and a long sleeved shirt. Probably something she had back stage to put on in between acts.

“There she is! Holy shit!” Mikla stood up from his seat, went over to Mezuma and pressed a congratulatory kiss to her cheek. “Words have failed me, love. You were incredible! An absolute splendor! The voice, the dress, everything! Simply wonderful.”

“Thank you!” still smiling, Mezuma slid into the vacant chair next to Nona and pressed herself against the other woman’s side. “What’d you think?”

“She was speechless the whole time, darlin’. Couldn’t keep her eyes off of you for one second.” Mikla answered, taking his seat opposite the both of them.

“Yeah?” Mezuma looked at her girlfriend with amusement.

“We need more drinks! Let me buy you a drink, love.”

“Ain’t I suppose to be buyin’ you one?”

“Some other time, this is about you tonight, darlin’! We need drinks to celebrate your amazing success! You wait here a tick, I’ll be back.” Mikla grabbed his glass and went off to the bar to get drinks for the three of them.

“So... did ya like it?” Mezuma asked sheepishly.

“Yes.” Nona wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close. She nudged her nose against Mezuma’s cheek and pressed a kiss. “You were amazing.. I had no idea.”

“Thank you.” she answered with a giggle. “Lady Jou told me I’d be singin’ with some of the other performers if people liked me enough. I could be apart of more acts!”

“I believe it’s safe to say you were well liked.”

“You think so?”

“Mhm.” Nona trailed a couple kisses along Mezuma’s neck and playfully bit on her shoulder. “You were wonderful.. and you looked like you had fun up there.”

“I did. I had fun with the band in rehearsal today and all the other girls back stage were really nice to me when I finished singin’.”

“You were amazing, Mezuma..” Nona nuzzled her face in other woman’s neck.

“Thank you.” she nudged her shoulder against Nona’s and smiled at her. “You’re bein’ awfully affectionate right now.”

“I can stop if you want me to.”

“No, never stop.” Mezuma cupped her hand under Nona’s chin, making her look her in the eye. “I like it. I like when people see you’re mine and I’m yours. I want more of it.” she purred.

“You’re a menace.” Nona chuckled.

“I’m your menace.” with a smirk, Mezuma pulled Nona’s face to hers, meeting in the middle for a kiss.

“I can’t leave you two alone for a moment.” Mikla came back with drinks for himself and Mezuma.

“We weren’t doing anythin’.” Mezuma feigned innocence and accepting the drink being handed to her. Flustered, Nona refused to look at Mikla and instead watched her girlfriend sip on her drink.

“I apologize.. I’ve forgotten you are working.”

“They’re a little more lenient with those kinds of rules here.” Mezuma put down her drink with a smile. “We’re sellin’ our talent more than our bodies, so the customers don’t really care that much if we’re in relationships.”

“I see.”

“So you can put your arm back around me again, Nona.” Mezuma teased. “I ain’t gonna bit ya.. unless you want me to, I know you like it.”

“Not in front of Mikla.” Nona hissed quietly.

“She hates when I mention our sex life in front of you.” the pink haired demon said with a grin. “I should get ready for my next song. You comin’ home with me tonight?”

“Of course.” Nona gave her girlfriend a soft smile. “I’ll wait for you here.”

“Good.” she brought her hand up behind the back of Nona’s head to guide her into a very quick kiss before standing up and disappearing through the hidden door again.

~~~

The quiet was chilling. Nona’s eyes snapped open. She looked at her surroundings. Everything was both familiar and completely different.

The Wastelands.

Miles and miles of empty horizons. Not a single living thing in sight.

She stood up and began to walk.

It was pointless walking anywhere or trying to find her way home. Where was home?

There were voices. Too many talking at once, saying different things. Nona couldn’t focus anymore.

She started to run.

The voices were getting louder. Nothing was around her for miles but the voices were getting closer. Whatever they were, Nona couldn’t escape the noise.

She kept running and running. Her muscles were on fire but she couldn’t stop running. She had to keep going.

It felt like she was running for years before she saw a shape in the distance horizon. She started running faster, to get to closer.

They were ruins. A destroyed structure to an ancient looking building. Pieces of the ruins had carvings and paintings along the stone face. Nona couldn’t recognize any of them.

In the center of the rubble, a stone slab was split in two. All around it were scattered remains of bones and dried pools of blood.

There was a sudden presence. Something angry. Something wild and powerful. Nona felt her blood run cold. She had to leave. She wasn’t suppose to be here.

By the time she turned around to leave, there was someone standing by the gap in the ruins. She stopped.. wide eyed.. and stared.

It was her.

She was looking.. herself.. A wild, far off, and unfocused look on her face. Teeth elongated and sharp, completely blackened like coal. Numerous eyes were appearing along it’s face with every blink. It’s hair was a mess, falling in strands around it’s naked body, making it appear more feral.

Nona felt panic bubble up inside her. She couldn’t leave. That.. that thing was standing in the way. She didn’t know what it was or what it wanted.

‘You’

It spoke. It spoke like it knew what Nona was thinking. It spoke in a voice that was hers. But it was also other voices. The voices she heard from before. When she was running. Was she tricked to come here?

‘Want. You.’

It staggered over to Nona, hunched over, moving like it was drunk but moving with purpose. With hidden power underneath the fragile and bony body.

‘Want... YOU’

It lounged at Nona with fire and fury in it’s face. Nona dove out of the way, rolled over to the side, and scrambled to her feet. The gap was open. All she had to do was get through the gap and run. Get as far away from here as possible. Find her way home.

‘STAY’

The doppleganger caught Nona by the back of her neck and threw her to the side as if she were nothing. She crashed into a stone pillar and fell to the ground with rocks crumbling on top of her.

‘Join.’

The dappleganger reached a clawed hand into the rubble and pulled Nona out by her neck. Nona felt the creatures sharp nails pierce into her skin, making blood seep out of her neck. She tried to fight back, but the creature’s grip was too powerful.

‘You will join.’

It stared up at her with soulless, black eyes. The ground beneath them was starting to shake violently. Nona hung helplessly in the creatures grasp, trying to yell, or call out for help, trying to do anything.

‘Join us.’

Black smokey tendrils slithered from the creatures back. They moved quickly along it’s body up to Nona. The air around them became thick and dark. Nona felt pressure along her body where the tendrils were touching her. Then suddenly, she felt thousands of white hot needles in her back. She tried to scream, but all that came out was gurgled and strained. Blood poured slowly from her mouth and she felt like her flesh, her muscles, everything was being peeled away from her bones.

The creature watched, a gruesomely pleased expression on it’s face. It released Nona’s neck, but she didn’t drop down. The tendrils were digging into her back and holding her up in the air in front of the creature.

It’s face twisted into something grotesque. Something that wasn’t Nona anymore. Something hideous and hulking. The creature grinned a mouth full of teeth at Nona and lifted a hand to her. The pain from her back traveled up her spine and into her head. Stabbing, hot pain along her skull. She finally screamed. She kept screaming until her throat felt raw.

“NONA!”

Nona shot out of bed. Fully unaware of her surroundings, mouth tasting like blood only for a split second. Her instincts went into fight or flight mode. She scrambled to the corner of the room, back to the wall, and took in her surroundings in a panic.

It was several moments of panicked breathing before Nona realize: she was in Mezuma’s room. She was in her girlfriends room. And Mezuma was kneeling on the bed looking at her with an expression she’d never seen her with before. It was a horrible mixture of confusion and fear.

“Nona?” she spoke with a crack in her voice.

The initial adrenaline was wearing off and she started to sink down onto the floor, unable to have the strength to hold herself up anymore. She had absolutely no idea what just happened. How could she have been in the Wastelands one minute and back in Mezuma’s bed the next minute?

“Baby what’s happening? Talk to me.” Mezuma rushed over to her girlfriend in a flurry of concerned but gentle hands touching her face and neck, like they were seeking out injuries.

“I..” Nona swallowed thickly and licked her lips. “Where was I?”

“You were here.” she knelt down in front of her. “You were asleep right next to me and then you started screamin’.”

“I-I wasn’t. I was.. I was in the Wastelands. How could I..”

“Nona, you were here.” Mezuma scooted closer to her and made Nona look up at her. “You... you had a bad dream.”

“A bad dream?” Nona looked her in the eye more confused than ever. Mezuma stared back at her with an equally confused expression.

“Have you.. have you never had a dream before?”

Nona shook her head, her hands were starting to visibly shake and she felt sweaty and cold. Mezuma looked at her with a frown and took both of her hands in hers, squeezing them tightly.

“You were here.” she said calmly. “You were asleep in my arms. You didn’t go anywhere. You were here safe with me.”

“It felt real.” Nona responded with a small broken voice. “I shouldn’t have been there.. there was these ruins- and.. and this thing.. It.. it WANTED me there and I..”

“Maybe it was a memory.” Mezuma said softly. “From when you were in the Wastelands.”

“It couldn’t have been.” Nona shook her head and swallowed again. “I don’t remember ever being there. But that thing.. that thing looked like me and it.. everything started hurting.. I’ve never.. felt that kind of pain before...”

“Is that why you started screaming?”

“Yes.” Nona rolled her stiff shoulders and shivered in relief when she realized there wasn’t any pain in her back or her head. Nothing in her dream had actually happened to her. “I scared you...”

“No, Nona.” Mezuma gathered the other woman into her arms and held her close to her chest. “Maybe a little.. I’ve just.. I’ve never seen you like this before.. I was worried. You were screamin’ like.. like you were in pain or somethin’.”

“I was... I was so scared.” she let out a very shaky breath, wrapped her arms around Mezuma, and held her tightly. “I’ve never experienced this before. I don’t know.. what to do.”

“Shh, it’s okay.” Mezuma scratched her fingers alone Nona’s neck and shoulders. “It was just a bad dream.. It’s normal to have bad dreams.”

“But I’ve never had them before.. Why am I having one now..”

“Who knows...” Mezuma sighed and pressed a kiss to the top of Nona’s head, being careful of her girlfriends horns.

“I want to be normal..” Nona confessed quietly. “I’m tired.. of not knowing who or what I am.”

“Oh Nona.” Mezuma cupped Nona’s head in her hands and looked down at her with a soft but sad expression. “I wont be able to understand how you feel.. not knowin’ anythin’ about yourself or who you were before. But everythin’ you are now is apart of you.. And.. I like you the way you are.. I’ll keep likin’ the parts about yourself that you don’t like.. because they’re what make you.. you.”

“Mezuma..” Nona looked up at her in wonder and felt her heart leap. “I don’t.. deserve this. I don’t deserve you.. I’ve done nothing.. in my life that should.. allow me to have you apart of it in anyway.”

“I allowed me to be apart of your life, Nona.”

“I know that.” Nona sighed with a frown. “I’ve done.. terrible things. In the Wastelands.. I was a monster. I was dangerous and malicious.. I killed anything that came near me without a care. I killed demons that had lives.. and families. That’s why when... when Oserious found me and.. he helped me. I wanted to.. to try and mend what I had done to those demons I needlessly slaughtered.”

“That’s why you still work for him..” Mezuma concluded.

“Yes.” she nodded her head and slumped her shoulders, as if a great weight was lifted from them. “I can still see them sometimes.. The demons I killed. I remember all of them.”

“It’s called guilt.” Mezuma scooted closer to Nona and sat more on her legs to look Nona in the eye. “You’ve learned from your mistakes and you feel guilty for what you did. You’re not.. a bad demon, Nona.”

It was true. Nona was unaware of any repercussions of her own actions out there in the Wastelands. In fact she was unaware of a lot of things out there. She only knew anger and pain until Oserious came along. He gave her a second chance. He’s done so much for her and now.. Mezuma was doing the same.

“You are.. so amazing, Mezuma.” Nona gathered her girlfriend up in her arms with a small smile. “I feel.. so wonderfully different when I am with you. I’m.. not guarded around you like I am with others. You.. allow me to be.. vulnerable and you look at me with sympathy and not pity. I could never.. thank you enough for what you’ve done for me or pay you back in anyway.”

“Well.. the great thing about dating is you don’t have to pay me back for anything.” Mezuma smiled at her and cupped her jaw.

“It’s so terrifying how easy you make this.” Nona chuckled. “I fear the day we will no longer be together...”

“I ain’t goin’ anywhere. Are you goin’ anywhere?”

“No, but-” Mezuma silenced her with a hand over her mouth.

“Relationships only have an expiration date when the relationship is rotten.” she smiled at her and removed her hand. “There’s nothin’ rotten about us. And I ain’t goin’ anywhere. So.. you’re stuck with me.”

“What a burden I must bare.” Nona responded with a teasing tone.

“You like me.” 

“Mhm.” Nona hummed in agreement and cupped the back of her girlfriends head to guide her into a kiss.

“Hi.” Mezuma whispered when she pulled away.

“Hello.” Nona said back.

“You feelin’ any better?”

“I am.. still shaken. I don’t believe sleep will come easy for me..”

“We can watch some tv?”

“Actually.. I have.. a vice I would like to indulge in..”

“A vice?”

“Yes. A particularly bad habit I picked up from Mikla during times of stress.” Nona pushed herself off of the ground and held a hand out to help Mezuma stand with her. “I can go outside to smoke. I wouldn’t want to force the habit around you.”

“I smoke sometimes too, don’t worry.” Mezuma followed her into the kitchen, where Nona’s coat was hanging on the back of a chair. “We can open a window in my room, if you’ll let me join you.”

“Of course.” Nona pulled out a metal pocketbook, opened it, and handed a cigarette to Mezuma. Mezume placed it between her lips and dragged Nona back into her room where she opened up the window and climbed on top of the dresser to sit on the sill. Nona climbed up to join her.

“So she doesn’t drink.. but she smokes.” Mezuma accepted the lighter from Nona and used it to light her cig.

“It’s a more terrible habit as well.” Nona pulled out a cigarette for herself. “But I suppose everyone is allowed a vice.”

“I ain’t judgin’.” Mezuma handed the lighter back to the other woman before taking a deep drag from her cigarette. “I work at a place where vices are old friends, Nona.”

“I’m aware.” Nona placed hers between her lips with a chuckle, lit it, and set the lighter down as she inhaled. She blew out the smoke and it curled around her face like a dragon breathing fire. “Will you continue to work there if Lady Jou gives you more shifts at the lounge?”

“I don’t know.” Mezuma leaned back against the window frame and spread her legs out onto Nona’s lap. “I mean the smart answer would be no. I would be makin’ more money at Fatal Ecstasy. But.. I have so many friends there.. I don’t want to abandon them all. I owe Malii so much, he’s the one who got me this job.”

“I don’t think he would have done that for you so you would owe him anything. He does not seem the type of demon to do that.”

“He did say I deserved better than that place.” Mezuma brought the cigarette to her lips again. “What if I don’t make friends at this new place?”

“That would be astonishing.” Nona chuckled. “Mikla fought me tooth and nail just to meet you and you think you wont make any new friends.”

“Quit bein’ an ass.” she kicked out her leg against Nona’s shoulder, who blocked it easily with her arm. “I mean that.. I’m the new girl, ya know? They’ve been workin’ together a while and I just showed up one day and now I have to fit in somewhere.”

“You will fit in just fine.” Nona put her cigeratte between her lips before grabbing Mezuma’s legs and pulling her girlfriend towards her. Mezuma responded with a small squeak and instinctively wrapped her arms and legs around the other woman. “You shouldn’t doubt yourself.”

“I don’t doubt myself.. I just want this job to work out. I’ve wanted something like this for years and now that I have it, I’m afraid it wont live up to the hype I’ve built myself up for.”

“What happens if it does not work.” Nona turned her head to blow smoke out the window. “Will you give up?”

“Fuck no, are you kiddin’? I’ve been workin’ too long and too hard to just give up if it doesn’t work. I haven’t given up before, I ain’t about to start now.”

“Then why do you have such fear now? What’s different about it now?”

“Because I’m.. I have it now. I’ve always been so close before and I’ve had it ripped away from me. But now.. I’m doin’ it. I’m singin’. I finally have it. I just..” she paused a moment to take a quick drag from her cigarette and blow the smoke out the window. “If I quit the club.. and lose the lounge somehow.. I’ve got nothin’. I have to start from square one again. And I don’t like.. not havin’ a back up.”

“You’ve got me.”

“I don’t wanna use you like that.”

“You’re not using me. I am offering.” Nona blew out smoke from her nostrils and placed her hands on Mezuma’s waist. “I want nothing more than to take care of everything for you. But I am very much aware that you are an incredibly independent demon who is capable of handling herself.”

“Damn right I am.”

“Regardless.” she chuckled. “You wouldn’t have to start from square one. Because I would be able to help out where you needed it.. Until you were back on your feet again.”

“I would owe you so much if you did that for me.” Mezuma said softly.

“There’s an endless list of things I would do for you, Mezuma, and you would not have to do a single thing for me in return.” Nona leaned her head down, pressing her forehead against the other woman’s as she breathed out more smoke between them, covering them in a haze. “I would stop the world for you.”

“That’s a lot of serious talk, Nona.” the pink haired woman spoke in a whisper.

“Does that frighten you?”

“No.”

They stayed wrapped up in each other’s presence on the window sill, long after they had finished smoking. The dark sky broke at the horizon with an orange glow from the sun starting to rise up. Nona sat and watched the sun cast it’s glow on the world until she felt Mezuma go lax against her with exhaustion. Sleep would not come easy, if it decided to grace Nona tonight, but she carefully coddled her girlfriend in her arms and slid off the dresser towards the bed. She laid them both down, held the other woman close, and continued watching the sun rise.