Chapter VI
Year 4357, Month of Sigilind (8), Day 14.
12:58
Emile clipped their nails, looking up at the small pre-party-get-together that Amor always hosted for the five human apostles, Lorika, like usual, was not present. Amor was preparing a large pot of meaty and saucy spaghetti, his specialty dish for the yearly get together.
Ezekiel's mouth was now visible since she was wearing a V-necked tank top, and eerie mouth that was perpindicular to the way a human mouth was situated on the body, and over her sternum. She drank from a straw— since gravity didn't allow her to drink any other way —that protruded out of her water bottle, which was decorated in silly stickers Ciel had given her for her birthday three years ago, one saying "Sweet 16", a reminder of how old the stickers were.
Ciel was next to Ezekiel, snuggled up against them like a needy puppy, Ezekiel's fingers— which the webbing on them had been clipped off —ran across the doll material textured chocolate skin of Ciel's cheek soothingly as Ciel rested their head in her lap.
Emile was sitting on a plush sofa chair in the Latica manor, meticulously clipping their nails as the TV played in the background. Amor poked their head out of the kitchen, his perpetual smile gleaming on his face with pride as he revealed the bowls of spaghetti he was holding. Emile stood up and helped Amor set the table, being the only true guest there since, according to Ezekiel, Ciel was just part of the family at that point. Emile had been brought up with the Sigist tradition of helping guests set the table when you stayed over, it was beat into them, literally.
"Oh, thank you Emile!" Amor said, smiling, genuine joy on his face, a rare sight.
"No need to thank me, Amor, I do this every year." Emile said, finishing setting the table with Amor.
"I know, but it's just so sweet, and I can't help but be thankful that you're helping me when you don't need to." Amor said, tears beginning to well in his eyes.
Emile held him and patted his back, turning him away from Ciel and Ezekiel, "Hey, hey, hey, what's wrong Amor?" Emile asked, noting how creepy it was that the stubborn man never stopped smiling even when he was crying.
"Nothing," He said, wiping his eyes and pulling away, "I'm just so happy I can spend this time with my friends once a year, just so genuine and raw, none of that party bullshit, just us being ourselves and having a nice dinner! Like-" He sniffled, tears welling in his eyes again, "Like a family!" He sobbed out, his smile faltering as he began to sob, a sign of his true emotions, something that Emile had only heard as a sort of rumor from Ezekiel, which at the time was a surprise to Emile, since Amor never stopped smiling— not unless he was really feeling something, apparently.
Ezekiel was quick to get up and hug her brother, "Amor, gran victoria...está¡ bien, estoy aquí," Ezekiel said, holding her brother close, comforting him in Sherangaian, "Por supuesto que solos tu familia, te amamos." Ezekiel said, which seemed to comfort Amor, a smile crossing his face.
"Sí, es usted," he said, wiping his eyes, "You are all my family, and I would have it no other way," He said, squeezing Ezekiel before releasing her, "Let's eat, I don't want the spaghetti to go cold."
Emile helped Amor serve the portions into the remaining two bowls that needed to be served and placed them on the square table, sitting across from Amor.
"Let us give our thanks to our divine victory, the one true God who will lead us into victory and prosperity for generations after her physical awakening! Praise NIKE!" Amor said enthusiastically, raising his glass of wine up for cheers. Everyone grabbed their wine and clinked glasses with Amor.
Emile enjoyed their pasta, it was meaty and saucy, Amor had truly perfected it.
"Is it just me or are you all super excited for the Festival? It lands on the same day as the Tranquility Day of New Love." Ciel said, Emile could practically see the hearts and angels flying around Ciel.
"Huh, I didn't know that, I don't really keep up with Themusirian astronomy anymore." Emile said, cutting a meatball into fourths.
Ciel was almost bouncing up and down in their seat, "You absolutely should! The last Tranq of New Love was four years ago, and the patterns of the stars suggest there will be another in the month of Ai next year, so the love should be stronger than ever!" Ciel said.
"Tranq day of New Love in the month of the Angel of Love, huh? Sounds like a real treat." Ezekiel said, wiping their mouth with a napkin.
Ciel was practically flying out of their seat, their legs kicking outward, causing a draft next to Emile, "t's a once in a lifetime opportunity to see something like that!"
Amor smiled and looked up at Ciel, "How sweet, perhaps you'll meet your soulmate tomorrow, if not there's always next year, surely by then you'll have found someone to attach your heartstrings to, and if your lucky they'll attach theirs to you." Amor said.
Ezekiel leaned forward and bonked Ciel on the head, "Yeah! You should finally grow a pair and get to fishin' for the ladies and gents!" She said, Emile rolled their eyes, they knew that there was only one fish Ciel was after.
Just then the beeping of the oven could be heard, Amor quickly getting up to remove the hot pan of cheesy garlic bread from the oven, "Awh sweet!" Ezekiel said, rubbing their hands together like an evil villain from a comic, "Can't wait to get these grubby little paws dirty with some garlic." She said, grabbing the three biggest and most decorated pieces.
"Y'know it'd be so easy to kidnap you," Amor said, twirling his fork around some pasta noodles, "All the have to do is offer you something garlicky and you'd willingly go."
Ezekiel shrugged, "I like garlic, plus I'd just shank them, you know I always keep a weapon or possible weapon on me." She said, pulling a dangerously sharpened pair of scissors out of her shorts waistband.
"You just had that on you? This entire time?" Emile asked, looking her up and down.
"Says the person who conceal carries all the time." She said, putting the scissors back in the holster she had on her waist.
"That's only in public, my gun is in my coat, not on my person. Because I actually trust the people around me."
"Well you have no survival instincts, then, in our line of work we always have to stay on guard."
Emile was about to give a rebuttal but the sound of the front door of the manor opening startled them. The sound of dress shoes on hard wood floor was surprising, who in their right mind would just walk into the Latica Manor.
Ezekiel gripped her scissors, and Emile was regretting leaving their coat on the coat hanger next to the front door, when long white hair and red eyes came around the corner.
"I hope I'm not intruding, and I apologize for my lateness."
Everyone had finished their dinner and were now situated in Amor's lounge, which was larger and frankly more comfortable than his living room. A movie was playing and Emile was not paying attention to it. As a practical joke Ezekiel and Ciel had decided to take up one side of the couch, having Amor sit next to Ezekiel, which sandwiched Emile next to Lorika since they couldn't exactly sit on Ciel's feet. It didn't help that Ezekiel had moved the TV to only be visible from this one couch since it was the 'most comfortable couch in the house' and that here they would be able to 'see the TV best'. Emile knew it was a joke because Ezekiel had given Emile the sneakiest smile ever, and Ciel kept glancing at Emile sandwiched next to Lorika, trying not to laugh, which was the only indicator Emile needed to know that their face told how uncomfortable they were being thigh to thigh with her majesty herself.
Lorika was oddly invested in the movie however, making remarks about certain scenes that only Amor seemed to respond to, both were having a philosophical conversation about the underlying meaning of the movie from two opposite ends of the couch— well, Ezekiel did join in every now and again, but still. Eventually Emile got tired of it and decided to say or do something to break up the overly serious energy that had been created.
When a character in the movie was being brutally tortured, having their kneecaps bashed in and legs broken manually by a bunch of loan sharks, Emile decided to crack a joke, "Damn, looks like she won't be walking out of this Scott free." Emile said, eliciting a "du-hude!" from Ezekiel.
Lorika seemed to like it though, the sound of her holding back a laugh could be heard from Emile's left, they glanced and saw her holding her face, tears welling in her eyes as she tried not to burst out laughing during this serious and dark scene based off what Emile had said.
Emile smirked as Lorika locked eyes with Emile, a knowing smirk, "Hey, I'm just saying, she literally can't walk anymore!" Emile said, smiling as Lorika started chuckling into her hand, it made Emile...warm inside for some reason...
Just as the fun began it ended, the dark jokes were over and Emile was making their way to the street, about to hail a cab when Lorika put her hand on Emile's shoulder.
"Hey, why don't you ride with me?" She said, clearly having had a good time, and therefore being in a good mood. (Plus, Emile wasn't to drunk so they could actually think before they acted.)
"Sure," Emile said, smiling, quickly a sleek black car pulled up and Emile and Lorika got in the backseats— it had two rows of seats facing each other in the back —and sat across from each other, buckling in.
"Y'know, you're not that bad, Emile," Lorika said, "I hope we can have more positive interactions like we have tonight." Lorika said, scratching the back of her head, clearly drunk since her words were slurred slightly, and her cheeks were slightly red.
"Yeah, me too...I hope..." Emile paused and took a deep breath, trying to be vulnerable with her to show they were serious, "I want to try getting to know each other better, so we can come to an understanding...and...maybe become friends?" Emile said, running their hand through their hair again.
Lorika smiled, "Me too, I want that too Emile."