As he got to the stairs that led to the foyer he wondered how he must have looked in Aziel's eyes. Was it perhaps a dog? A clown? Soren smiled sarcastically at himself. In the end it didn’t really matter because he was the naive fool that believed everything that came out of his mouth.
The originally plain hall turned into a wide open room adorned with tapestries, flowers, and some small stones placed strategically in the room to light up the corners of the room and as a display of wealth. A grand golden chandelier hung from the ceiling right above the place where the stairs to the foyer ended. A blood red carpet lined with gold thread covered the entire expanse of the stairs and stopped at the front of the foyer door, contrasting with the pristine white marble floor. In front of the foyer door stood a handsome man with wide shoulders, a straight waist, and long legs. Currently the man was talking to a knight that stood beside and slightly behind him.
Soren stood at the top of the stairs and looked down at him. He wore a black suit vest over a white shirt tucked into black pants. The collar of his shirt was clasped around his throat with a gold brooch that matched his eyes. His white hair was slicked back with a couple strands falling on his forehead, showing off his sharp cheekbones and jawline. Soren took a long, good look at him and couldn’t help but admit to himself that even though Aziel was a piece of crap at least he was a handsome piece of crap.
Silently, he made his way down the stairs. Aziel finally turned his gaze away from the knight and noticed Soren walking toward him. A smile spread across his lips. In other’s eyes, they might have thought he was happy to see them. But Soren noticed that the smile was a bit lopsided and didn’t reach his eyes. He was smiling but his eyes were constantly shifting to see behind him, like he was looking for someone else. Soren wanted to laugh. From beginning to end he was really a fool.
“Soren!” Aziel exclaimed with that fake happy smile on his face, “Good morning! I haven’t seen you around often so I decided to stop by,” he started as he walked towards him with open arms, “I missed you too much.”
As Soren stopped a few steps away from the end of the stairs Aziel stopped in front him and made a move to hug him. A rush of disgust filled him and he took a step back. He didn’t want arms that wrapped around his brother's waist to wrap around him. Aziels smile faltered a bit but he quickly covered it up by placing his hands in his pockets.
“Good morning Aziel” Soren responded curtly, “How are you?”
He didn’t want to be polite to him but there were still servants around and a knight that wouldn’t hesitate to throw him across the room. Aziel noticed the lack of excitement and smile Soren usually had but decided to ignore it. When he had bad days, Soren looked a lot like this so it was nothing to worry about. Plus, no matter what mood he’s in he’ll eventually end up blindly following him and kissing his ass. Aziel maintained his bright smile.
“I’m doing well,” He answered and lowered his voice a bit, “I came across something yesterday that made me think of you.”
If Soren didn’t know better, he would have thought that Aziel really missed him. Too bad he’s lived through two lifetimes and in both lifetimes Aziel cheated on him. Aziel turned toward the knight and motioned for him to give him something. The knight pulled out a black box and handed it to Aziel. He came to give him something?
That didn’t seem right. Whether it be in the first life or the second one, Aziel has never given him presents. Instead, it's always been him who gives him things. Soren started to rummage through his memories before he remembered a certain event. He made a vague guess in his heart.
Aziel handed the box to Soren and he opened the box. In the box was a bracelet that reminded him of the ocean. The bracelet was made up of two thin metal bands shaped like waves that connected and intersected all around. They were embedded with small sapphires that led to a silver blooming water lily with a blue magic stone as the core and placed directly in the middle of the bracelet. It looked very delicate and expensive.
“It's a magic item. It can teleport the user anywhere they imagine,” Aziel explained smugly.
Soren smiled a little in distaste. As he thought, it was indeed this thing. In both lives Aziel gave this thing to him with the same explanation. But, as he found out later, this bracelet was absolutely worthless. It did teleport the user but only two feet away and only once.
Originally, his sister bought this for Aziel as a prank. Aziel bragged about and showed this thing off to his friends but when he used it he ended up the laughing stock. He was going to throw it away but he changed his mind and gave it to him instead. So, not only was the bracelet originally useless it was also just another pretty trinket in a box. The only reason Soren knew this was because in his second life when he was in the dungeon Aziel visited him, noticed that he managed to hide this thing, laughed at him, and then mocked him.
Alessandre on the other hand was given a rare protection amulet the color of violets that could protect the holder from all magic attacks 10 times. From beginning to end, he was never the one in Aziel’s heart. Aziel kept on rambling about what a good gift the bracelet was but Soren couldn’t really hear him. A sarcastic smile wanted to make itself onto his lips but he couldn’t bring enough effort to do so. He closed the box.
It echoed with a snap and cut off Aziel’s speal. Gently, Soren placed the box back in Aziel’s hands under Aziel’s confused gaze.
“Thank you for the gift, but it’s not needed,” Soren lifted his head and stared directly into his eyes, “In fact, from now on none of this,” he gestured in front of him with his hands, “ is needed.”
Back then, Soren blindly believed in Aziel. That he would love and protect him. But when it came time to do so, he quickly threw him in the trash. The first time his brother had seduced him, so he blocked his brother from reaching him in his second life. He thought that if he did so his lover wouldn’t fall for him.
However, his lover sought out his brother instead. In the end, it didn’t really matter. Soren learned that in both lives Aziel had never really liked him. He would still cheat on him even if it wasn’t with his younger brother. So, what was the point of keeping up with the farce?
‘It’s time to end it’
Soren caught the flash of slight disbelief in Aziel’s eyes but his face remained confused.
“What are you talking about?” he asked, voice trembling a bit, “Do you not like the gift? I can get you a better one…”
If anyone eavesdropped on this conversation, they would think that Soren was trampling all over his lover’s gift. They definitely would have thought that he was vain and egotistical. As Soren continued to look at his face he admitted to himself that Aziel was a good actor. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been deceived so well for two lifetimes. But this time was different.
There was no ounce of love left for him. Everything this man did was so hypocritical in his eyes.
“You think I don’t know?” he laughed softly to himself, “You came here for my younger brother, not for me. So, now you can be with him openly. It’s over, Aziel.”
Aziel’s face went from confusion to panic then back to confusion again. Soren vaguely caught the knight behind Aziel looking at him in astonishment. A knight's code was all about chivalry. Cheating on your lover was definitely not chivalrous. Despite the numbness that Soren felt, an urge to laugh a little arose in his heart.
He bet that Aziel’s knight would have never expected any of this. Back then, he never expected it either. It was kinda ironic in that way. Aziel stepped forward, with his features twisting into a pitiful look.
“What are you talking about baby? The only person I love is you,” He explained in a pitiful voice, reaching out to hold his hand.
However, Aziel’s eyes were angry. Soren felt a wave of disgust when Aziel held his hand. But as he looked in his angry eyes, he suddenly became tired. He was tired of the games and the lies. Tired of all the excuses. He was tired of everything…so very tired. Soren pulled his hand out of Aziel’s grasp.
“The gift you gave me is second hand goods while the gift you gave my brother cost millions. Every time you come here you spend the day with me but spend the night with my brother. And every time I smell the perfume he uses on you but I ignore it. I noticed it a long time ago,” Soren looked directly into his eyes with apathy, “I think you’ve never loved me and I no longer care to know why.”
‘There are many people in this house who made my heart tired.’
Aziel froze, with his hand still outstretched and the look of shock twisting his features. His reaction only served to tell Soren that he had made the right choice.
“You no longer have to pretend. So, now you can be with him like you’ve always wanted.”
‘And you are one of them’
Soren turned away from him and walked toward the side entrance that led to the garden. His body felt like lead. He no longer had the will to do anything. But he knew that if he did not walk away then he would be subject to more lies and excuses. Step by step he neared the door.
His head was blissfully empty and all sounds seemed to be far away from him. Despite that, as he stepped past the threshold, he could faintly hear Aziel yell his name. However, he ignored it and walked out of the mansion like a headless ghost.
Update: I realized I said the same line twice at the very end so I fixed that. It should sound better now.
/refresh refresh
Can't wait!
Go Soren! I hope Soren gets a holiday haha